Restaurant Review: Weezie’s Borscht Hut

Nov 20, 2009 by Derrick Statt

Weezie’s Borscht Hut

2816 Columbia Ave, Castlegar, BC

(250) 304-2633

Winter hours: 8am – 4pm

Summer hours: 8am – 6pm

Weezie’s is a small restaurant, seemingly perched above Columbia Avenue part-way towards Blueberry. Drive slowly and watch the addresses so you won’t miss the turn into the parking lot, because you do not want to miss this place!

Inside is a welcoming and cozy home-style diner that seats only about 20 people. The service is prompt and personal. If you are really pressed for time, call ahead with a take-out order.

Enough about that stuff. The food: it’s delicious. It’s bountiful. And it’s homemade.

They offer an all-day breakfast menu with omelettes, hash, eggs, pancakes, French toast, and even Vareniki (a hefty perogy). Prices range from $4.50 (three pancakes) to $11.00 for full plates. I’ve not yet eaten breakfast at Weezie’s, but would not put it past them to deliver in a big way.

Lunches offer a daily sandwich special for under $10.00, served with a large bowl of Borscht. The day I ate there, the special was a cheese and asparagus sandwich that a customer told me was fantastic. All of their massive sandwiches are served on fresh bread (rye, whole wheat, white, sour dough). They offer ten sandwich choices served with Borscht from $7 – $10.

As tempting as the sandwiches always are, I find the Russian combos irresistible. All combos start with a bowl of homemade Doukhobor-style Borscht (a hearty variety), a slice of bread, pickle, cheddar cheese slice and tossed salad.

Then there are some tough decisions to make. Do you want one, two, three, or four main items? Choose wisely because you may find your belly bursting the button off your pants if you aren’t careful. Next choose between: Nalesniki, which are rich, buttery, cheese filled crepes; Pyrahi, a sort of big, baked doughy pocket stuffed with your choice of bean, pea, sauerkraut, cottage cheese, or potato and cheese (might not sound like much, but they are very good, especially when soaked in the melted butter they come with); cabbage rolls (meat or veggie); or Vareniki, filled with potato and cheddar, or cottage cheese (I like mine fried with onions at no charge).

The combo prices start at $8.50 for a one item selection and go up by $3.00 for each item you add. I fit into the class of skinny, lanky guys with big appetites who will eat anything available—the more the merrier. However, given all the Borscht and salad and fixins’ that come with the combos I find that a three-item combo really starts pushing my physiological limits.

Weezie’s also sells Borscht to take home at $8.75 per litre; loaves of fresh bread $2.50 each; or frozen Cabbage Rolls, Pyrahi, Vareniki, and Nalesniki by the dozen. Oh yeah, Weezie’s makes their own pies and has a selection of ice creams (if dessert is still an option after the main course).

My advice? Eat at Weezie’s Borscht Hut.

4.5 out of 5 (Sentinel Crests)