Wendy and I enjoyed an extra large for just over $10 and baking time was impressively short. There was only one other party in the place, however.

We ordered extra cheese on both sides and it was amazing. I was disheartened to learn that they didn’t have Canadian bacon as that’s pretty much the best pizza topping ever. Ever, bitches. I still enjoyed the sausage, however. I’m not a fan of super spicy sausage.

Nevertheless, I do have to say I was less than impressed with the sauce. The taste was really strong. Not even flavourful, just strong–as if it was full of ingredients that were meant to overpower your taste buds instead of grace them pleasurably. I prefer a subtler sauce in which all the ingredients work together seamlessly but Marco’s does not offer that.

It’s not that I wouldn’t visit Marco’s Pizza again but it’s not as awesome as all the art suggests, you know? I find it a bit pompous when the pizza is merely a little better than delivery/fast food pizza is all.

We first took Phantom to Leon Valley Vet because he had been taken there before and it wasn’t too far from us. His first exam was a little rough on everyone involved but he was still a little crazy back then. (A little?!). His latest exam went much smoother and the staff have always done well when it comes to trying to calm him and they’re patient with his curious ways.

I’ve also had to purchase medicine (both times, for fleas) for my cats. The first time was while Ryan was deployed and they actually completed the transaction over the phone and mailed me the medicine because I was without a car. This has left a lasting impression on me.

Most recently, our cats developed fleas so we headed to Leon Valley Vet where they gave us some topical medicine and we were on our way. The medicine has worked well and I honestly cannot complain about any of the prices. I tend to call around to price things out and Leon Valley Vet has always been right around average. Even so, I don’t mind paying a little extra if they’re going to go so far as to mail me something!

As customers, we have rarely had to wait. Leon Valley Vet isn’t usually busy. Perhaps because it’s a smaller animal hospital (tiny building which is easy to miss!). Regardless, I appreciate this and the fact that the staff have always been polite.

To wrap this up, I’d like to say that the orange cat who seems to live at the place is a nice touch, as well.

The building itself is old fashioned, decorated like a cot. We entered by the bakery which is more impressive than most restaurant bakeries I have seen down here. I made me nostalgic for Perkins. The inside was laid out confusingly and the decor was reminiscent of the 1970s. I found it amusing, maybe annoying but it infuriated Ryan for some reason. He kept saying how he was in some old lady’s house and I could see it.

The service was okay but we were seated at a table with only one set of silverware, which they failed to notice. We were served with complimentary corn bread, a touch you don’t find at many restaurants. It seems only restaurants which serve “foreign” cuisine tend to give you bread. I like corn bread well enough; although, I haven’t had a lot of it. It was different and kudos for that.

That’s really where my good thoughts end. The menu was ridiculous. I expected it to focus on American food, with a southern touch but that section of the menu was the smallest and included a lot of things erroneously. There were strange foreign dishes, burgers and fish – all things which I would never expect to order at a restaurant like that. There was a soup and salad bar and ribs which aren’t my thing but definitely are a decent option. We both settled on the pot roast but we usually try to get something else. We both really couldn’t find anything else on the menu that looked awesome.

I’m a big fan of pot roast, too. It’s kind of my default order and definitely represents American food to me. I was floored by the tiny portions and the overall, disgusting presentation of the meal. I couldn’t tell if there were potatoes or anything the way the pot roast was just slopped over it. And the roast itself? Quite strange. You know how there’s that sort of really good pot roast taste that all post roasts should have? Well, Marie Callender’s never got the memo. This tasted nothing like any pot roast I’d ever had. It was spicy, almost burned tasting. Ryan didn’t finish his, if I recall correctly.

We hoped that dessert would be good. I was hoping we could still stop by the bakery for treats, if not visit the restaurant. By this time, Ryan had made it clear he didn’t want to return, ever, and how horrible an idea this was on my part. We ordered a piece of cheesecake to share. It was good but very sweet. That is actually my fault for the flavour I picked but you win some, you lose some.

I was still interested in picking up a pie on the way out but that thought quickly fled when we saw the bill. For two meals, drinks and a shared dessert, it was over $40. That is utterly ridiculous for a restaurant which can’t even do pot roast right. I would expect that at Carino’s, maybe. We’d still be able to have an appetizer, though. I never expect Marie Callender’s to be so damned expensive and it wasn’t worth it at all.

Let me repeat: not worth it at all.

Store Presentation/Ambiance

Cupcake Couture definitely has a more “upscale” logo while Cupcake Junction’s sign is many-coloured and fun. CC was a small shop with a few tables but it was so tight I would have felt cramped and uncomfortable had we stayed to eat. It was also clean and barren to the point of feeling institutionalized. Cupcake Junction was decorated for Halloween when we went in and was a bit bigger so I would have been more comfortable eating there.

Selection/Flavours

Cupcake Couture had between 6 and a dozen options that included red velvet, carrot and “Couture” a filled chocolate cupcake. I specifically remember thinking the flavours were all a bit underwhelming and the selection wasn’t as varied as I’d hope. I had a red velvet cupcake which was good but.. typical. On the other hand, Cupcake Junction has at least a dozen flavours including chocolate peanut butter, chocolate cheesecake, amaretto and black and white (all of which we had). I had a hard time choosing; everything looked good. My amaretto was super impressive! What really makes CJ stand out, though, is the build your own cupcake bar. There are some plain, frosted cupcakes that you can take to the bar to add your own toppings like sprinkles and fudge. This makes it a great place for a small party and you can even rent out the bar for your events.

Value

We paid around $5 for two cupcakes at Cupcake Couture. Ryan thought this was a better deal than he expected and I thought it was worse. LOL At Cupcake Junction, 4 cupcakes were available for $9. The prices are comparable but CJ’s cupcakes are jumbo which makes them a much better value.

Extras

Cupcake Couture didn’t offer much besides the cupcakes and the drinks. You go there with a purpose. Cupcake Junction had other treats like brownies and cookies and rice krispie treats (in ghosty shapes!) plus drinks and the build-your-own-cupcake bar. you can special order custom cakes at both bakeries. It does seem like Cupcake Couture has a leg up in cake design.

Website

Both shops have a website and it’s super easy to find Cupcake Couture online using Google. I couldn’t find a website for Cupcake Junction at all; although, they do have one because I saw a sign for it in the shop. They just aren’t doing great with SEO and such. Hands down, Cupcake Couture has the better website but website alone does not take the cake. ;)

Final Thoughts

Overall, Cupcake Junction was more fun, more comfortable and a better value if all you want it a cupcake but Cupcake Couture did one thing better; their frosting covers the entire top of the cupcake. CJ’s frosting is a thick twist in only the center and doesn’t reach the edges. I’m the sort of person who needs to have frosting (or butter or mayo or whatever other sauce) reach the edge of whatever it’s on. This doesn’t make CC the better shop, however; you still get a jumbo cupcake from Cupcake Junction. For custom cakes, I’d probably go with Cupcake Couture, instead.