Across the Board Game Café, 93 Albert Street
Fancy a game? Travel to Across the Board Game Café and start playing.
Across the Board Game Café offers a venue to try many types of games and caters to table-top board game enthusiasts of any age. Recently opened up on 93 Albert Street, it offers people a place to sit down and play a board game with each other. For a $5 sitting fee, patrons have access to two storage walls full of different table-top games. They are categorized by titles such as Strategy, Party, Children, The Classics, and The Hits. If you are interested in dining-in without playing a game, you do not have to pay the sitting-fee. For those looking to buy their own copy of a game, many are available for purchase.
One of two storage walls full of games to try
The place is brightly-lit, with sparkling glass chandeliers. When I came to visit, the café was packed with people enjoying many different types of games. One table of people played the classic Hasbro game, Operation. A large group of people were playing the popular, raunchy party game, Cards Against Humanity. Another table were busy trading resources in the settlement game, Settlers of Catan.
A group playing a 3D version of Settles of Catan
Not only does Across the Board have a great game selection, their food seems to be just as good. The place serves up a delicious-sounding menu of sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, and snacks. They also have a great drink selection of smoothies, specialty coffee, Fort Garry and Half Pints beer on-tap, as well as an assortment of wine, pop, and juice.
I ordered a Refresh-mint smoothie which contained a blend of spinach, apple juice, mint, cucumber, and pineapple. This green concoction stays true to its name and was a refreshing blend of fruit juices paired with vitamin-packed spinach, and the surprising ingredients of mint and cucumber. All of these mixed surprisingly well together to create a creamy-textured, fruity and minty-flavoured combination.
The Bahn Mi sandwich
The Bahn Mi sandwich contained tender pulled pork with a smokey, tangy flavour in a large, fluffy whole wheat bun. This was paired with pickled carrot, beet and daikon which added a zesty, refreshing crispiness to the sandwich that blended well with the tangy qualities of the pulled pork. Avocado was a nice ingredient to add a contrasting texture and flavour to the mix. These were topped with cilantro and a Sriracha mayo sauce, giving the sandwich a hint of heat and added flavour.
Beached Kale salad
I also ordered a side of the Beached Kale salad. This one contained barley, an ingredient I have not seen in a salad before. It actually was a great addition and was well-cooked, and complimented the soft chickpeas in the salad. Creamy avocado were a well-suited contrast against the sweetness of chopped strawberries. The fresh kale was topped with a lemon poppy seed dressing which added a light, tangy flavour to the salad while letting the flavours of the other ingredients to shine through. Toasted walnuts and sunflower seeds added a crunchy texture to the salad. Overall, a great combination of different textures and flavours to create a refreshing, light-tasting salad that’s perfect for summertime.
Whether you travel to Across the Board Game Café for the food, or to throw some dice on a board with friends, you’ll leave feeling like a winner.
Inside Across the Board Game Café
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