Fast-casual. Also known as fas-cas, is the latest and fastest-growing trend in the restaurant industry. Planted firmly between fast food and casual restaurants, fast-casual eateries offer a higher quality of food than fast-food joints with less processed and frozen ingredients. Prices are good, typically under $15, the setting may be quite nice, there is no table service or drive-thru but they’re quick. (These places are also known as QSR (Quick Service Restaurants) to industry folks.
Abe’s Fast Fresh Food is one of this new wave of fast-casual restaurants. Located at 30 Market Blvd. S.E. in Airdrie’s Kingsview Market(587-254-0539).
Created by Bernie Levert and Jamie Johnston-Stewart, Abe’s is named after William Aberhart. Not that they are staunch Socreds, though. Abe’s first location was set to be across from William Aberhart High School so the partners thought Abe’s might be a good name. When that location didn’t pan out, they kept the name.
Abe’s has an upscale, diner-ish look to it, a long lunch counter lining the kitchen and a few booths cozied-up to south-facing windows. At only 35 seats, it’s small in size (the other locations will be slightly larger) but large in attitude, cranking out most of its freshly prepared dishes in under 10 minutes.
To achieve this efficiency, Abe’s has installed a high-tech ordering system. You order at the counter from an overhead screen, the order goes directly to the cook, and your food hits the grill. If you’re on the run, you can order online or with Abe’s app. Either way, a text message will acknowledge your order and a second text will let you know that it’s ready. You pre-pay online so you can simply grab your food and go.
Abe’s is going for fast but also for quality. There’s a bison burger with Swiss cheese and grilled onions on a brioche bun, a Vietnamese sub sandwich with grilled lemongrass chicken and pickled carrots and a Boston Cobb salad with roasted chicken, maple-smoked bacon, avocado, egg and a red wine-apple cider dressing. They serve Care bakery gluten-free bread options and high-quality Paradise Mountain coffee. Also important to the owners is that they serve their food on china instead of recyclable plates or out of paper bags.
Abe’s is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. On weekends we open for brunch at 9 a.m. Saturdays until 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday.
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