McDonald said it was a family adventure driving the bus from Aklavik, N.W.T. "So when we retired from the government, we decided that we would give this a shot and so far we've done very well. "It was always my husband's dream to open it," she said. The restaurant also offer burgers on fried bread, chili and pulled pork.Īlong with locals, she said the restaurant has hosted visitors all the way from Panama, Russia and Australia. McDonald said the most popular item on the menu is fish tacos. "It's been busy and there's just two of us, so sometimes it's a little crazy, but we're enjoying it." "We're really enjoying the tourist season this year," McDonald said. Alestine's restaurant, named for her mother-in-law, recently marked its nine-year anniversary. "At the end of the day, for us, our goals were to have a place where people can gather, affordable food for the masses and to support the community."Ī short distance away, Pam McDonald and her husband Brian do the cooking inside a yellow school bus. "It's a pretty big undertaking," he said. Vogt said his restaurant also started a breakfast program last week where children can eat for free. It is decorated with motifs of uluit - traditional knives with a semicircular blade - while a Delta braid pattern, trim with a geometric pattern used to decorate clothing, adorns the walls along with photographs of prominent Inuvialuit and drums. Mamaqtuq aims not only to be a culinary destination, but a place where people can learn about Inuvialuit culture. He said he's passionate about using local foods, as they're sustainable, fresh, provide jobs and get people out on the land learning traditional knowledge. Vogt said he hasn't always had the opportunity to work with wild game in the past. He said one of his first jobs was at Le Frolic, a since-closed French restaurant in Yellowknife. Vogt, who is Inuvialuit and Gwich'in, said he has been cooking for 15 years starting with home economics class. "We had muskox lettuce wraps over the weekend and it really took off so I feel like the people really want to have wild game," he said.
Vogt also wants to take advantage of the hydroponic greenhouse in Inuvik, which grows leafy greens year-round. There, wild game such as moose, beaver and muskox supplied by hunters and trappers is processed and packaged. "I want all the food to look just as good as our namesake," he said.Ī country food processing plant, also operated by the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, opened in town last year. Along with fried chicken, salads and strip loin, Head Chef Brendan Vogt plans to add wild game and other locally sourced foods to the menu. Mamaqtuq, meaning "delicious" in Inuvialuktun, was recently opened by the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in Inuvik, N.W.T. In the heart of the western Arctic, restaurants are offering up local flavours to community members and tourists alike.
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