Channel Side Restaurant

"You can't eat atmosphere."  Well, atmosphere is what MAKES the Channel Side.  Everything else is pretty standard and just OK.  Relatively small menu, but a little of everything (apps, paninis, burgers/sandwiches, salads, entrees, and homemade desserts you might be tempted with, displayed for you on a tray depending on your server).

Probably the signature item of the Channel Side is the deep fried River Rat cheese curd.  At a reasonable price, you get about 5 sweet-and-sour-chicken-sized pieces of deep fried cheese curd (it sounds funky, but it's kind of like mozzarella sticks).  The cheese is from the amazing River Rat cheese store just around the corner in Clayton, who get their cheese from a local farm.  It is served with two dipping sauces--a thin, creamy horseradish sauce and a sweet raspberry sauce complete with seeds in it.  These sauces taste great separate OR, believe it or not, mixed together!  A little spicy and a little sweet, and both go great with the deep-fried delights.  The chicken wings are usually pretty good too, though lately they've been skimping on the wing sauce; last year the hot wings were a lot saucier; this year we had to ask for extra sauce.  The blue cheese dip is most likely homemade and delicious, though.

To balance the decadence of the fried cheese, I normally order the Blue Crunch salad, which is delicious (and I am NOT a salad person!).  The salad portions are huge, and the Blue Crunch (I order mine with grilled chicken for a few dollars more) is topped with crisp, fresh bacon, blue cheese crumbles, candied pecans, craisins, and a thick, rich vinaigrette.

I have also tried the 50/50 burger panini, complete with bacon and a Dr. Pepper light BBQ sauce (which is sweet, obviously), and I wasn't all that impressed.  The bread was somehow soggy, from the BBQ sauce most likely, and the burger meat was just OK, diner quality.  The sweet potato fries I got on the side were great, though.

The one thing that makes the Channel Side almost worth skipping entirely is the service.  The wait staff are generally very friendly and try to be accommodating, but if you go at peak hours, your service is guaranteed to be slow, and you will see your waitress very rarely.  If you need ketchup or a drink refill, good luck ever seeing your server after she drops off your food in a hurry.  We went at 5:30 on a Sunday night and were seated in the "Skiff Room" inside (outside deck was full), in a very uncomfortable wooden booth with the sun beaming in (no blinds or shades).  It took almost an hour for a panini and chicken wings.  (We almost got the feeling our server knew we weren't spending a lot, meaning minimal tip, so she didn't bend over backwards.)  We watched a large party outdoors get their beverages delivered at the same time as their appetizers, at least 15-20 minutes after ordering--beverages are supposed to come wayyy before appetizers!  And a few months ago, friends of mine took their father out for Father's Day and ended up with the manager waiting on them.  They started to get up to leave because it took almost two hours for their entrees; once they started walking out, the staff jumped to get them to stay and got their food right out, but they have vowed not to eat there again.  

So go for the amazing view, get the deep friend cheese curd, but don't go during peak hours!!!  About 3 p.m. is ideal; post-lunch and pre-dinner is your best bet for getting seated on the back patio, which is literally right on the St. Lawrence River (P.S. luckily there are umbrellas on the tables, too, because it can get pretty hot in the sun).  If you do go during rush, be prepared for slow service.  Again, the staff are all very nice, but it is a small restaurant, maybe 10 tables total, so I don't understand how it could be *that* busy.

Ordered the poutine and blue crunch salad. Salad was fresh with a tangy and tasty vinaigrette. It was very refreshing on a warm summer day.
Poutine was acceptable and tasty, but don't expect the poutine you'd get in Canada.
I went around 3pm and the Service was prompt and friendly. The outdoor seating area is fabulous with great views of some of the islands (1000 islands).

Great view of the river and islands while you dine with very good food :)