Fresgo Inn

The Fresgo Inn... now that's a name from the past. We went there a few times when they still had a location on Davie, right next to Stepho's. That location is long gone, but it still lives on in Surrey. In fact, right across from Surrey Central on King George Highway. Yes, for some, that would qualify as an adventure in itself; but honestly, the area is changing for the better. I actually tried to find the Fresgo Inn a couple weeks back; however, I totally missed it. In fact, it's quite hidden, make sure you turn into the parking lot before Staples and you'll find it. So what is exactly is the Fresgo Inn? Well, it's a cafeteria-style restaurant reminiscent of the 1970's. One look at the decor and you'd think it was still the 70's!

Upon entering the Fresgo Inn, I was greeted by a collection of mismatched chairs, neon signage, more potted plants than a grow op and hanging speakers blaring out elevator music. Ah yes, memories... I was greeted ever so enthusiastically by the front counter person as I pondered my order. I decided to go for the Double Bacon Cheeseburger with fries special ($7.95!). For good measure, I added a large bowl of Red Clam Chowder with bun. I got the chowder right away and as my burger was cooking, I wandered over to the window seat. They had the sliding doors open today since the weather was pretty nice. I soaked in the traffic noise from King George whilst enjoying the view of chicken wire fencing and endless independent "colleges" nearby. Moreover, I also admired the liberal use of brown decorative tiles which reminded me of public washrooms from the late 70's and early 80's. It doesn't get any better than this!

I looked at my "red" chowder and noticed it was really more in a shade of pink. I dug into it and it was lukewarm. Additionally, it didn't taste like a chowder. It was more like pink paper mache with clams. Now I've never eaten paper mache (yet); however, it at least looked like it. As I was hungry, I ate it anyways and since I'm here typing this post, I survived it. By then, my burger was ready and I went up to the counter to retrieve it. In the past, the burgers at the Fresgo Inn have been really large and this time was no exception. It's so big that the fries arrived on a separate plate (with some coleslaw). I'm not totally sure, but the fries seemed to be fresh cut, very similar to the ones at White Spot. Whatever the case, I enjoyed eating them.

The burger itself was quite large and full of sauce and mayo. It's a decent burger; but it will never be confused with one's from Vera's, Moderne or Burger Heaven. The meat itself was a bit dry. But really, food aside, the Fresgo Inn is a dying breed of restaurant. In fact, it's really from a different era. Yet, even in the days of trendy restaurants with designer food and attractive staff, the Fresgo Inn is still doing it ol' school.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Large portions
- It's got character, not sure what kind...
- Friendly staff

The Bad:
- You need to steer clear of some of the food, particularly the Red Chowder
- Don't expect to find modern ambiance
- You might want to go buy a Barry Manilow CD after your visit

Business Hours:
8:00am - 11:00pm (Mon - Sat)
9:00am - 11:00pm (Sun)