Today at 11am, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company opens the doors to it’s first restaurant in Canada.
I was shocked to find out that there are only 28 restaurants across the United States. The company has a relationship with the Mall of America, so West Edmonton Mall turned out to be a logical choice. If you haven’t been to the mall in a while, Bubba Gump is located on the upper level near the Scotiabank Theatre. (Above RAAS for those of you that shop local!)
If you haven’t seen the movie “Forrest Gump“, you really should. This restaurant is themed around the movie. For the preview, they had a lovely gentleman playing Forrest who was greeting all of the guests, taking selfies with everyone and generally being an incredible conversationalist. I manipulated the conversation into:
“You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich.”
He didn’t quote verbatim, but he nailed it! Forrest was such a nice touch for our preview evening.
The menu has a very southern Louisiana feel to it; with a bit of spice and a big dash of southern hospitality! There is a kid’s menu as well – this is a family friendly environment.
I found out that each restaurant’s “kitsch” is hand picked. They actually search garage sales and various other places to find all of the objects that adorn the walls of each restaurant. I noticed some signage that was local. The attention to detail in the environment lends itself to the total experience. If you ignore the fact that you are in WEM, you can almost smell the salty air off of the ocean when you sit.
The food is presented beautifully. There are a LOT of ways that you can prepare shrimp. There are chicken, ribs and steak on the menu if you are not feeling the shrimp selections. This is a restaurant that specializes in seafood though, so be prepared.
The food and the cocktails were fantastic. I didn’t get a chance to take a peek at the beer menu, but it does sound like there is craft beer available. The staff were so friendly and attentive that you feel that southern hospitality.
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OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Landry’s is excited to announce Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. will open its 15th international location in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on Thursday, June 28. The new restaurant will be located within West Edmonton Mall – North America’s largest indoor shopping destination.
“West Edmonton Mall presents a great opportunity for our brand. It is a unique attraction that brings a large, diverse group of tourists and locals through its doors daily,” said Jim Dufault, Chief Operating Officer of Landry’s. “Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is recognized around the world for its entertaining atmosphere, family-friendly service and quality seafood. We look forward to bringing our famous charm and hospitality to the Edmonton community.”
Inspired by the Paramount Pictures’ hit film “Forrest Gump,” Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. presents a down-home, family-friendly dining experience that perfectly captures the charm and American spirit that made the film a smash hit. Each location offers a taste of southern hospitality, friendly service made efficient with its famous “Run Forrest Run” and “Stop Forrest Stop” license plate signs, as well as scenes from the film played throughout the entire restaurant. It also offers interactive movie trivia, a retail market with regionalized merchandise and the iconic ‘Box of Chocolates’ for purchase, as well as photo opportunities with the famous Shrimp Louie mascot and replica bus benches near the front entrance.
Today, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. remains the first and only theme restaurant chain based on a motion picture, serving patrons around the world including Bali, Cancun, Hong Kong, London and Tokyo among many others, as well as major destinations across the United States like Universal CityWalk – Orlando, FL and Hollywood, CA; Santa Monica Pier in California; Times Square in New York City; the Las Vegas Strip; Navy Pier in Chicago; Mall of America; Miami, FL; and San Francisco’s Pier 39.
Known for its quality seafood, the restaurant offers 19 different preparations of shrimp, as well as an exciting variety of fish entrees, steak and chicken dishes, crisp salads, fun kid’s meals, creative desserts and award-winning ribs. Signature menu items include guest favorites such as Coconut Shrimp, Dixie-style Baby Back Ribs plus appetizers like Poutine, Bubba’s Far Out Dip, Shrimper’s Net Catch and the Run Across America Sampler featuring a taste of all of the appetizer favorites. Guests can also enjoy popular entrees like the Grilled Seafood Trio, Jenny’s Catch with Lobster Butter Sauce or the Jambalaya.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. will be located on Level Two of West Edmonton Mall, overlooking the famous Santa Maria – an exact replica of Christopher Columbus’ flagship that sailed to the Americas in 1492. West Edmonton Mall is home to more than 800 stores and services, including nine world-class attractions, two hotels, the widest variety of one-of-a-kind retailers, and entertainment for all ages. The new location will be open Sunday – Thursday from 11 AM – 10 PM and Friday – Saturday from 11 AM – 11 PM. For more information, please call 780-244-4867 or visit www.bubbagump.com
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