Dad + Grandad
Owner 1957 to 1965
Every town across Canada has a Chinese-Canadian café
Each has its own story.
• The Oxbow Cafe Oxbow,
Saskatchewan, CA
Sticky sweet & sour chicken,
crisp deep-fried shrimp balls, chop suey, poutine,
hamburgers and fries….
These iconic mom-and-pop eateries with red vinyl seating, faux-wood tables, and symbolic Chinese nostalgia serve up classic Chinese and “Canadian” dishes along with a unique mash up of Chinese Canadian food.
These little cafés are often the first places that Chinese immigrants go when they arrive in Canada, often with just a little English, few job skills and big dreams.
Every town across Canada has a Chinese-Canadian café.
Each has its own story.
Oxbow —Saskatchewan 
Population 1.300
My story began over 60 years ago, with my grandfather’s Chinese-Canadian café in the Prairies.
Together with my father, we crossed the country eating endless noodles and chatting to café owners. These trips were joyful, slow and surprising. At the heart of these travels was a journey back to my grandfather’s café. I wanted to see where our family story began...
My grandfather’s café still sits there on Oxbow’s Main street, home to generations of new families.
