GUEST BLOG: SENSES FAIL’S HEATH SARACENO LOVES FOOD

Hey. My name is Heath Saraceno. I play guitar in Senses Fail. I go on tour. I eat food. This is the food that I eat while on tour.

Email suggestions to heathlovesfood@gmail.com if you know of a sweet spot I should try.

APRIL 9, 2009
Salmon Arm, BC
HOME RESTAURANT - MEATLOAF DINNER

The Canadian part of this tour has not been exciting food-wise, and the day off in Salmon Arm was no exception. The only options within walking distance of our hotel were the typical fast food fare, like Subway, Domino's, and McDonald's, or something called "Home Restaurant.” Keeping in mind that I was not yet in Europe (for some reason I find it acceptable to eat fast food overseas), I wandered into Home Restaurant.

Walking past the rotating fridge with 20 or so pie options, I started noticing that the restaurant was filled with old people. This was clearly the cheap, family-oriented, senior-centric local joint. Keeping in mind the restaurant's demographic, I opened the menu and headed straight to the Senior Citizen's menu. That was where I was sure to find my dinner.

I decided on the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and vegetables. There isn't really much to say about it, besides the fact that the picture makes the gravy and ketchup mixture look more fluorescent than it appeared in person. Canadian Heinz ketchup is definitely sweeter than its American counterpart, so that influenced the overall flavor heavily.

I lucked out and got an end piece that was more burned in spots than the other piece, which came more from the middle of the loaf. There was a familiar overall flavor to this meal—it tasted just like the meatloaf my grandmother used to make when I was a child. Nothing fancy, just simple ingredients like chopped onions and celery mixed in with the meat that had been flavored with some ketchup, salt, and pepper.

The potatoes weren't that great, but at least they were real potatoes and not the instant kind that comes in a cardboard box. I wasn't expecting much from the vegetables, but there was a nice mix of broccoli, baby carrots, onions, and parsnips that, even if they didn't add to the dish, at least made the plate look a little more colorful.

I couldn't finish the meatloaf, so I took it to go and made a sandwich out of it the next day. Isn't that the best part about having meatloaf anyway? The leftovers always taste better than the original.