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Readers' Choice Awards: Okotoks restaurant offering fresh eats

“It’s sweet, it’s tart, it’s umami, it’s a little greasy, a little fresh, all those great things that I love.”
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Little Fast + Fresh owners Jarod and Michelle Traxel, pictured in a 2019 file photo, built their menu around local, whole foods.

A Little Okotoks restaurant was picked by readers for their Fast and Fresh eats.

In the 2022 Western Wheel Readers' Choice Awards, Little Fast + Fresh was awarded gold for Best Fast Food, Burgers/Fries, Healthy Eats, as well as bronze for Best Lunch Spot.

“I’m really thankful that we got gold,” said owner and chef Jarod Traxel. “We just want something that fits into everybody’s lifestyle, whatever your idea of healthy is for you – that depends on each person.”

Traxel spent over 13 years in the culinary industry, including five years as an executive chef in Calgary before opening Little Fast + Fresh with his wife Michelle just over four years ago.

Their approach starts with simple, locally sourced ingredients.

"Sourcing local ingredients and making as much stuff in house kind of eliminates the weird stuff that ends up in food you usually get at corporate chains,” Traxel said. "A lot of local stuff, especially this time of the year – tons of local produce and stuff available that we utilize.”

Clean eating doesn’t mean skimping on decadence.

“Even some of the more indulgent items are still whole food,” Traxel said. “The breakfast burrito is probably one of the least healthy things (on the menu), but there’s nothing weird in it; the sauce is made in house, the fries are just potatoes.”

Another comfort food favourite also netted them gold: their smash burger, where a round ball of beef is pressed straight onto a hot griddle and seared quickly.

“Honestly, it’s just modelled after a burger that I just really love, and I love a good simple smash burger with caramelized onions, burger sauce, lettuce and tomato,” Traxel said.

“It’s just all about the quality ingredients speaking for themselves; Alberta grass-fed beef, a nice soft sesame bun, house made dressings, and local produce.

“It’s sweet, it’s tart, it’s umami, it’s a little greasy, a little fresh, all those great things that I love.”

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The Little Fast + Fresh's Readers' Choice Award-winning smash burger, pictured with optional cheese and bacon in the restaurant on Sept. 15. Brent Calver/OkotoksTODAY

Fries are an extra, but Traxel is extra about his fries.

“The fries are made in-house too; we use Kennebec potatoes, which have a little bit of a different flavour than Russets and others,” he said.

Earning bronze for best lunch spot, Traxel said he just aims to be a reliable lunch spot.

“For us it’s just really trying to dial in consistency of flavour and what's to be expected,” he said.

They don’t just make food for the here-and-now either. Available to take home are their various house-made sauces and cook-at-home kits. More recently this has expanded to include items from the local farms Little Fast + Fresh sources from.

“We've got some smoked pork chops, pepperoni and bacon from Arrowwood Colony, and then fresh farm eggs from Wildrose Colony,” Traxel said. “There's lots of great stuff in the Foothills and area and it should be accessible to people.”

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