Aug. 04, 2010 - Issue #772: The Outsiders
Good horse sense
A day at the ponies is a good time for getting dressed up
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon when three girlfriends and I dressed up in our best vintage looks and donned our derby hats; we were off to the races.Colours Restaurant at Northlands racetrack is one of the largest restaurants in town; it is also one of the busiest. A reservation is a hot ticket at the racetrack, as Colours can fill up weeks in advance. With seating for up to 700 people, the tiered-level layout offers perfect sightlines for a full view of the racetrack.
We made sure to make our grand debut half an hour before the first race. Since all of us were racing first-timers, our waitress had a gaming host named Lori stop by with some programs and give us some betting instruction. She explained how to read a program for each race and how to place a bet. As complete rookies to the races we were torn over choosing a horse with a fun name or a jockey with a fun jacket colour and design.
After watching the first race we felt settled in enough to order drinks and appetizers. We decided on the antipasto from the features menu ($13) and the sweet potato fries ($7). The fries were, of course, a great choice, but it was the assortment of meats and cheeses that had me smiling—the chef who decided to add cheese curds got a definite smile from me.
At each table is a personal television which lists the horses and updates the odds. By showing the horses in the upcoming races, we also decided to place bet on which horses we thought were pretty. Thankfully the screens and the sign in the infield showed the all important MTP—minutes to post—which updated us with how much time we had until betting closed and the horses lined up. With betting stations at the entrance to the restaurant, the excitement of going to place a bet and running back to the table in time was contagious.
Sitting in the middle of the restaurant I was able to peer down on other diners to see what they had ordered. While the steak sandwich appeared to be a popular choice, Lena and I decided on the beef souvlaki ($11) and Tawny and Katie chose the California Club Croissant ($11) which was one of the specials of the day.
Thankfully the staff know how to serve up food and drinks perfectly between races. We were so caught up in deciding on horses that when I arrived back from placing our table bets our lunch had arrived. I found the souvlaki served with rice and salad a nice light tasting meal perfect for a sunny afternoon. My lovely ladies across from me both enjoyed their breakfast sandwiches, especially Tawnya, who was excited to find a thick slice of back bacon amongst the filling.
Between sipping margaritas, wine spritzers and some drink feature called a banana boat, our afternoon at Colours was more exciting than I could have imagined. With approximately 20 minutes between races we managed to fill the time with drinking/bidding/drinking/winning/losing. I could have spent all nine races in the restaurant, but we finally bid farewell to our exclusive table, excited to promenade outside for some sunshine and a closer look at the horses and the action on the track.
I was shocked to realize how many people were out near the track. I never realized how popular the races are, and was surprised to see how full the restaurant gets on race days. While there are other food options at the racetrack, the setting at Colours definitely makes it the place to be to watch and to eat. They recommend that reservations be made two weeks in advance, but there is an option for hungry last-minute race-goers.
While the races started at 1 pm that day, starting at noon staff start taking names for cancellations and no-shows. Those who don't arrive at Colours by the end of the first race forfeit their table to those on the wait list. Unfortunately patrons cannot call to be added to the wait list: you have to be in there in person starting an hour before to get your name on the list.
Overall I had a riot at the races. The food was tasty, but it was the atmosphere, the view and the excitement that made our Saturday at the races a good contender for one of my best days this summer. Plus, any excuse to bust out costumes and receive nothing but compliments and smiles had us all excited to book ahead for another day for dinner and drinks at the races.
I learned a couple of things from my outing to the races. One, make sure to book early for a reservation at Colours. Two, all of us bet wrong on the 50 000 purse in the eighth race, so go with tradition and bet on a grey horse. V
Wed (5 pm – last race); Fri (5:30 pm – last race); Sat, Sun & Holiday Mon (12 pm – last race)
Colours Restaurant
Borden Park Road, 780.471.3380
More info about Colours Restaurant →
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