Scoreboard Gourmet

MLB Ballparks Opening Dates

In honor of the Twins new ballpark - Target Field (pictured above and in a lovely album in the middle column) - officially opening tomrrow, Monday April 12th, 2010 when the team takes on the Red Sox at 3:10pm, here's a list of all 30 MLB Ballparks and the year they opened.

Wayne Gretzky's Toronto Restaurant

I can't believe I've writing about hockey in between the ALDS and ALCS, but I've been meaning to share this picture with you. It's Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant in Toronto. This is surely not a dining destination, but it's located on one of the main roads to the Sky Dome/Rogers Centre so you can go get a beer and think about the life and times of #99 before seeing the Toronto Argonauts (CFL) or Blue Jays. Or maybe you're the type who enjoys a mediocre burger (or Grandma Gretzky’s Perogies) with an important NHL player's name attached to it. Actually, his name is not on the burger. It's called The "Great One" Burger and "99" is branded on the bun. I enjoy that.

Wayne Gretzky's
99 Blue Jays Way
Toronto, ON, Canada

Eating Popcorn With a Sticky Tongue

What kinds of animals eat with their tongues? Lizards? Frogs? Giraffes? Blue Jays fans? I really wish I got a better picture here, one that was not blurry and better showed the action, but hopefully you can imagine what it was like to stand above this guy while he licked popcorn out of that bag. It was fantastic. It makes me happy to think he was doing it because he knew he needed to wash his hands. It's possible I'm wrong, but I like to think otherwise. 

Quaker Steak and Lube at Blue Jays Games

You know you love the sound of this: Quaker Steak and Lube. Who knew it was a US chain with 30+ locations? And I never saw one until I left the country. These guys say they serve more than 70-million wings every year. The whole chain, I mean, not the Rogers Centre outpost. Let's discuss. 

Sliders and Dogs at Rogers Centre

Are You wondering if I'm ever going to stop talking about Toronto? Well, forgive me, but the Blue Jays were just here right after I was up there so they're in my mind. Plus, I have all these lovely pictures to share, and all my new knowledge of Rogers Centre. How do You feel about my inability to rotate that left photo of the frozen sliders on the grill? I'm not trying to be artsy or interesting here; I just a moron. Look at how big those hot dogs are. The $13-for-3 sliders shrink down to near-quarter-size (that's in both Canada and the US, of course) while the $7.75 hot dogs stay toobig. 

Beer Glorious Beer in Toronto (Rogers Centre, I mean)

There's no question that the Best Food Concession at Rogers Centre (aka at Blue Jays games) is Beer, specifically Alexander Keith's, and I don't usually go for IPA, that's my brother-in-law's department. But I digress.

Alexander Keith (the actual person) left Scotland for Nova Scotia in the 18teens. There (in Halifax) he started a brewery and, later, he served as mayor. That was practically two centuries ago and we're still drinking his beer. That's cool (so is the mayor thing). And it's good (the beer). And you don't have to get it with a straw but sometimes those canadian aramark employees give you the strawable top.

Have You noticed I'm parenthetical crazy lately (perpetually)?

Blue Jays Kids Zone Concessions, Rogers Centre

There are two Kids Zone concessions stands in the outfield at Rogers Centre selling somewhat smaller sizes and kid-friendly-food (aka nearly everything; this is a ballpark). It's pretty empty back there, like a little scary empty. I'll get back to you with some prices.

And speaking of things in the outfield, I love that the non-alcohol section is called the non-drinking section.

Bistro Tables at Blue Jays Games

Everyone knows that Scoreboard Gourmet is a huge fan of bistro tables. But I do have to wonder what the Blue Jays were thinking when they put these out for fans? If I could find the picture I'd show you how they do it in Milwaukee at Miller Park: You can actually see the field from your table. Damn geniuses in Wisconsin with their cheese curds and beer. I'm being serious. To be fair, beer is far and away the best thing to consume at Rogers Centre.

Blue Jays Outdoor Seating

Though sudden and serious downpours soaked me multiple times throughout one of my days in Toronto, I still wished the Sky Dome, er, Rogers Centre was not a closed facility. I like my baseball outside, as you know, even when it feels like hockey. So I was excited when I came upon this outdoor space on the suites level. No you can't see any part of the game, but clearly this is a pre-game area, unless there's bad weather. Oh the irony. Is that irony?

Pizza Pizza at Rogers Centre, Toronto

Fi-na-lly it's happened to me / Right in front of my face / And I just cannot hide it (bottom picture).

Yes I'm talking about Pizza Pizza, Ontario's #1 Pizza, The Official Pizza of the Toronto Blue Jays, and the way I feel about it just can't be wrong: doughy, chewy, stuckinthroaty. At Rogers Centre this "pizza" is $5 for a regular slice, and $5.50 for gourmet slices (like pepperoni, bacon and mushroom, all three toppings at once).

Some Torontonian friends of mine seem to think this "pizza" is good after a beer or three, but I cannot agree. Of course I'm the one who just made the worst meatballs ever but ate them so what do I know? Well, I know from pizza and this ain't it.

Roadhouse Arachides avec Sel de Mer in Toronto

Blue Jays peanuts so salty and delicious, especially with Alexander Keith ipa, especially when you have no idea your website is down, especially when phototext messages eat up your battery yet don't go through