Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Mighty Taco- Don't Believe the Hype!

Mighty Taco - somewhere in Beautiful Buffalo












http://www.mightytaco.com/

Okay this will be short and sweet. Actually not really sweet at all, but maybe sour?

On a recent trip with a fellow foodie, let's call him Squince, just to keep him anonymous- we ventured across the border to our favourite shopping spot, Buffalo. Determined to find as many deals as possible, namely to buy iPhones at the time, we found ourselves hungry after a 2.5 hour drive which we spent conversing about food, and more particularly, our similar dreams of opening a burger joint. This hopefully will be a reality someday, but I'll save that for another post.

So why is this post about Mighty Taco, you ask? Well when two foodies who obviously share a passion for food- and love to hunt for great food at any length- end up in the armpit of America, they tend to really get a 'feel for what the people eat' in the place they're at. Personally, I wanted to go to The Cheesecake Factory, however time was an issue and we didn't want to waste any time dining when we could have been shopping. So companion Squince blurts out as he is known to do on occasion "I Want Mighty Taco!". And that's how we ended up there.

Mighty Taco is just as ghetto as it sounds. Easily compared to Taco Bell of the North, it stands alone in a small square building, and is as straight forward as it can get inside. You walk in, there's an order/pickup counter, and tables and booths to each side. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. The decor exudes fast-food 'joint', and that isn't saying much.

With 3 Berthas working behind the counter, I've never been so hesitant in my life to place an order. Not sure if it was the girth of the person, or her scratching in between punching in the order, but something just sent a shiver up my spine.

There were some interesting things on the menu, but I wasn't in the mood for a heart attack. Peep some of these heart-stoppers that ever Jimbo, Billy-Bob and Betty were scarfing down:

- El Nino Burrito:1/2 Pound Taco Beef, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes in an extra large flour
tortilla
- Roastito- Chicken Breast or Steak in a large or small tortilla with roasted peppers & onions and sharp cheddar cheese
- Three Cheese Nacho Burrito:Swiss/American, cheddar and nacho cheeses, layered with our Mighty Taco beef, salsa, sour cream and crumbled corn chips, rolled in a large flour tortilla

Mmmm...

I went with the hard and soft taco combo, trying to play it as safe as possible. I had to add $0.50 for sour cream- which is pretty lame. And it didn't make the tacos any better.

I did like, however, getting the nachos on the side with the combo. Salsa and Cheese dip were extra, but still was a nice touch to pretty heavy combo.

Tacos were standard, nothing really to write home about. Everything I had expected- soggy, meaty (not sure what kind of meat it was), and cheesy. It still satisfied my craving, so I can't really complain. However I prefer my Taco Bell. At least I know their meat is Graded C- F, as opposed to Mighty's, which I have no idea what their grading is, if any at all.

Anyways, all in all, Mighty Taco led to a Mighty Tut merely minutes after we left. Not good when home base is 3 hours north.

So next time you're in New York State, and have the hankering for a heart attack, visit good ol' Mighty Taco, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied.

All my faith has been lost for my friend Squince...Redemption is necessary.

Friday, October 17, 2008

La Sandwicherie- My Miami Mon Cherie

La Sandwicherie- 229 14th Street - Miami Beach, FL http://www.lasandwicherie.com/










It's been a while since I've blogged here on 5thStar, mainly because - 1) I'm broke, and 2) some things are just not worth writing home about...As my pops always says.
Well that's not completely true as I try to write about all places I visit and make sure you get the truth, and nothing but the truth, be it good, bad and/or ugly.

So let's shift to my second home (one day)- Miami, FL. I frequent MIA once or twice a year if I'm lucky, and I never want to come back. Even during hurricane season, we never hesitate to book a cheap flight and take advantage of the weather, that's guaranteed to be better than it is here.

So the best thing about having family living in a place you're visiting is finding out the local spots to get the best cheap eats.

One of the few spots we make it a point to visit when at the South Beach is La Sandwicherie. This is a French deli that pretty much hits all the spots. As you can see in the picture above, it's an outdoor bar, located on a small street almost in an alley way. However shady it may sound, this is actually a great concept as it's simplicity exudes elegance. You cannot usually find a seat as LS is always packed, and there's only really 6-7 seats as is. But that's no problem, as we always opt to have our sandwiches right on the beach, as it's only a short walk to be waterside.
(Note- don't sit between the Rainbow flags, unless you want to get Cuthied by the you-know-whos- not pleasant).

LS' concept is real simple: fresh bread, fresh ingredients, and always open. Open from 10am-5am, there's only a small window of time that you can't get a sandwich. And let's face it, not many are awake during those hours that they are closed, unless you're just leaving the club after 5am. So why not just go to Subway (Ughh) you ask? Well for one, LS' French bread is to die for. Everything you want in a French baguette- crispy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside. It's harmony in every bite! You have the option for a croissant also, however I've never tried it, as the regular baguette is what I always crave especially in a sandwich. Toppings include the usual veggies, and of course standard deli meats and an array of cheeses. Honourable mention goes to the Smoked Salmon, and my personal fav the Chicken Salad.

Don't forget to top your sandwich off with the 'kicker'- the French Dressing. I always make sure I get a couple more to go as I find I'm always topping it up half way thru the sandwich...It's just that good. And of course can't forget the cornichons- or pickles to those who don't know. Cornichons are another French delicacy (?), which are mini pickles that are infused in garlic brine and just Divine. Make sure you get some of those to go to because they'll be gone before you know it.

LS also offers BIG salads, which I have yet to try but have heard are huge (Elaine would be proud). Wash down your sandwich or salad with something from LS' Juice Bar, which boasts fresh, seasonal fruit or veggies for under $5. You can even add some health-conscious extras such as Echinacea, Ginseng or Bee Pollen (?), if you're feeling for that extra kick.

All in all, a trip to South Beach is never complete without visiting either La Sandwicherie or Pizza Rustica (blog to follow).

I'm not sure what exactly it is about LS that keeps us coming back, but I'm positive it's a combination of the scent of fresh bread, the outdoor atmosphere, and the little nuggets (dressing, cornichons) that just top off the whole experience in more ways than one.

The service is decent, as the French always do- keep their words to a minimum and let their product sell itself. Can't really complain about that. Although it may be a bit difficult to get someones attention as the bar can be crowded at times, service is quick and always willing to meet any requests we had.

And for pricing, under $7 gets you a full deli sub of your choice, combo sub (2 meats or cheese) under $9, salads ranging from $7-9, and fresh mixed drinks for under $5. By Miami standards, this is by no means expensive.

In a culinary-saturated market like Miami, let alone South Beach itself, there are many places from 1st Ave to 19th Ave, along Collins Ave, Ocean Dr and Washington Ave. Most of these places are all name and no substance, and come and go before you've even had a chance to go in. Rent must be uber-high in this area, as it is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the US, so it's understandable if a place charges high prices. I don't mind paying more for something if it's worth it, but for the most part these places are not worth it.

La Sandwicherie, on the other hand, is in a prime spot, gives great value and superb quality, at a reasonable price.

In the end, I rate La Sandwicherie at 4.5 stars out of 5, and recommend them to any and everyone who is in the South Beach area.

Sorry La Sandwicherie if I steal your idea up here in Canada...

Monday, August 4, 2008

Best. Steak. Ever.

Ruth's Chris Steak House- 145 Richmond Street West











(http://www.ruthschris-toronto.com/

Marry me Ruth.

That's how I felt after our meal. Sorry to my wife to be, but if Ruth was there, I would have gone home with her that night.

Yeah.

I've only heard great things about Ruth's Chris Steak House, but in all honesty I never have a good read on places until I've actually eaten there. And let me tell you, everyone who told me this place was good, really underrated it. I wish we would have come here sooner, as my brain, taste buds and stomach have all been harassing me since.

Ruth is located inside the Hilton Hotel in downtown Toronto, and since I booked our table through Open Table, I of course reserved it for the next day. For once, I was early for something. Regardless, they had room for us since it was 930 on a Friday night.

Their dining room resembles a large, dim lit banquet hall, with high back chairs, large tables and linens without a crease in them. We definitely felt special as we walked to out table. Ruth gives that ambiance of a very upscale establishment, with many rooms, and a nicely decored bar with a huge flat screen playing the Jays' game. Nice touch. Fine leather creaked as we sat down, and the backdrops were set to mimic a simple, yet elegant dining experience.

Our server was on point. I've never had service like this before. He knew everything on the menu, offered to split salads for us that we shared, and recommended the best selections for us. He was always there to fill our wine and water, and made sure everything was perfect. Any special requests were handled without any doubt at all.

On to the food.

We decided to order some apps to start, each couple sharing a salad. We ordered the House Caesar, Caprese, and Ruth's Chop Salad. The first two were standard, fresh ingredients, nothing too fancy, just the way it should be. The Chop Salad was very nice, an interesting combo of onion, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, boiled egg, and some other good stuff mixed together with a creamy dressing.

As for the steaks, all I can say is- wow. Broiled at 1800 degrees, these bad boys came out on sizzling plates, that kept the steak warm throughout the meal. As most of us went for the New Yorker at $49.95, I opted for the Cowboy Ribeye, which is basically the ribeye with the bone-in. As the title of this blog described it best, as in best, steak, ever. No sauce, no sides, just meat. And butter. I've never really had a steak like this before, I mean, at Barbarians, our steaks were also served naked, but literally naked. Just meat on the plate. Although Barbarians' cut of meat was great, I still felt "This is Boring" when I was served. However, they did offer a $5 Peppercorn Sauce which may have helped the boringness... Ruth did not even offer any sauces, much to the dismay to one of our diners, but honestly, no sauce was needed. (Editor's note- as per their website, Ruth does offer a sauce: Au Poivre Sauce- which is a Brandy Pepper Sauce, for a mere $2.95) The butter topped on my steak created a rich, crispy coating to a perfectly cooked steak. The doneness of the Ribeye was perfection to a T, crispy on the outside and slightly pink on the inside... I was in heaven.


What more can I say? Even the Chap who didn't eat beef ordered the chicken meal, and he got almost a whole bird! Double breast, on the bone, perfectly roasted, putting Swiss Chalet to shame.

We decided to order a bunch of sides to share, and we got the sauteed mushrooms, creamed spinach, potatoes Au gratin, and baby asparagus. All were devoured between bites and provided a simple break between mouthfuls of meat. Personal fave was the Potatoes Au Gratin, which was rich, creamy and heavenly...we should have ordered two.

On to dessert. Again, the share-age had to be done. This time we went for each realm of the sweet spectrum, including:

Chocolate Sin Cake- Espresso and Chocolate, not really 'cakey'...This I didn't enjoy too much, not really my cup of tea...

Caramelized Banana Cream Pie- White chocolate Banana custard on a flaky crust- the crust was not so flaky but the banana custy was divine...

Homemade Cheesecake...absolutely divine...How a cheesecake should be...

And my personal Piece de Resistance- Creme Brulee...I have never had a creme brulee like this before, and usually I'm not too big a fan of brulee's, but this one was heavenly. Sorry guys but I dealt with this before anyone else could have a taste...

Okay so all in all our experience at Ruth's Chris Steak House was phenomenal. Hands down, one of the best meals I've ever had. And I'm hard to please, to say the least.

The decor at Ruth's was elegant yet welcoming, not too cliche and just enough subtle touches to make it fancy and down-to-earth at the same time.

Service was second to none, overly accommodating server, generous and helpful, not to mention friendly and approachable.

Steaks- as I said before, best I've had. One of our diners felt his sizzling plate overcooked his steak, but I beg to differ. Another diner preferred a sauce to accompany their steak. I don't know what they were smoking.

Price was definitely affordable for what we ate- our bill came to $950 for 9 diners, including 2 bottles of wine, appetizers, main and dessert. So basically at $105 a pop for a great steak and a complete meal...Amazing.

Okay, I know you're thinking- $100? So for a couple its easily $200...That's kinda steep. But the way I see it is skip on the Kelsey's or Boston Pizza that week, and don't go out next weekend, save your money and enjoy a proper meal. Ruth's Chris' is where it's at, and then some. You're worth it, and your belly deserves to be spoiled once in a while, too.

FYI- Check out their website for some great tips on steaks, recipes and general knowledge every diner should know about...





Worst. Steak. Ever.

The Keg: East Beaver Creek Rd (Highway 7 & Leslie)

This place sucks. Please don't go there!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

5th Element...Meet 5th Star



"The act of eating at it's minimal is basic for survival, at it's best can be a blissful experience"


Vijay Karunmuchi, Restaurateur






5th Elementt- 1033 Bay St. http://www.5thelementt.com/



Judging by the words from their homepage, the owners of 5th Elementt really do bring all elements to the table. Literally.


I've been wanting to dine at 5th Elementt for quite a while now, and never got around to it. Queue my girlfriends' and my birthdays, which we always celebrate together in the summer, and usually host a huge BBQ for all our friends. This year we thought we'd switch it up a bit and do it up, in a more fashionable manner. Being Summerlicious and all (sponsored by AMEX), this fit perfectly as 5th Elementt was a participant, and helped in our search for an affordable, upscale restaurant.


After scouring through their very nice website, their menu stood out to me. Being an Indian- fusion restaurant, I thought their menu pairings seemed fitting to our group of friends. Usually, we shy away from Indian restaurants since most of our group of friends have some sort of Indian background. But hey, deep down we always want spicy, flavourful dishes in front of us.


Our reservation was for 15 people, and was at 930 on the patio. The weather wasn't the greatest this Friday, but the rain held out for the most part of the day, until of course we headed downtown at night. As the drops fell, I thought, great, we're screwed. At 935 I received a call on my cell from the host, wondering if we were still coming. I informed him that we were running a bit late and he mentioned that their kitchen closed at 10. No problem, we would be there shortly. After we got lost we finally found it, and it was close to 10. I received another phone call from the host, letting me know that they had moved us inside since the weather was bushy. I thought this was nice.


Upon arrival, I really liked what I saw. 5th Elementt has a huge patio in front, with a nice waterfall display that is welcoming and helpful for those who were lost. Inside, there is high ceilings, and large rooms separated by coloured drapes that offer some privacy.


When we got there only half of our party had arrived. Knowing that they were to close their kitchen at 10, and me being a chef, I knew their chefs wanted to get home after a long day. We told our server that we would kindly order for the rest of our party so that the kitchen could get their meals started and get out of there as soon as possible. Our server brought us a piece of paper and pen to assist in the ordering madness.


For a summerlicious menu, they had some great options. The last time we went to Winterlicious, see Waitress Makeover, we only had 3 options per course. 5th Element on the other hand, gave us a choice of 5 apps, 5 mains, and 2 desserts. Nice.


To start we all received an amuse- or a sampling, of a vegetable bisque with a goat cheese crouton. This was divine. I have never had a bisque that was not made from meat or seafood. The flavours were powerful and the soup left a great taste in our mouths, wanting more.


Some things we ordered:


Tandoori Shrimp w/ South African Pepper Salsa


Salmon Wrapped Sea Scallops w/ Onion Relish


Grilled Fuji Apple and Mango Salad w/Masala Dressing and Crumbled Feta


All of these were great. The tandoori shrimp were literally red in colour like they had been marinating for days. And we all know shrimp rarely takes on any marination flavours. But these were nicely spiced and bursting with flavours. The Fuji Apple and Mango Salad was an interesting combination, and the Masala dressing was light and not overpowering at all.


It was interesting to taste these bold flavours that seem overwhelming but actually were quite subtle.


On to the mains:


Grilled Atlantic Salmon w/ mustard sauce with Pilaf Rice (pictured above)


Blackened NY Strip w/ mashed potato and Shallot Demi-glace


Cilantro Rubbed Chicken w/ Butter Chicken Sauce


Lamb Shank Roganjosh


I had the Chicken, which was divine. The butter chicken sauce was thick, pungent and boasting India all over it. The chicken was moist and succulent.


The salmon was very nice, the Mustard sauce was a Bengali influence, and had curry hints with a hint of spice.


The lamb Roganjosh was tart, with a nice tomato based sauce. The Lamb literally fell off the bone, or shank, for that matter.


The steak was okay, didn't have too much Indian to it, but was still cooked well.


The portion sizes were great, filling, and there was no chincing going on, as you would expect for a Summerlicious menu.


Not to mention the great presentation. Being the last diners in the place that night, one would only expect the chefs to just slap on whatever was left to get us on our way. But they spared no effort to give us properly executed meals, simple garnishes and appealing-to-the-eye plates. I was happy. I also really liked their plates. Very modern and classy.


Dessert came in two options, Tiramisu with Raspberry drizzle, and Peach and Lychee Mousse with Kiwi-lime sauce. Both desserts were amazing. Mouth watering, light, and fulfilling. A perfect way to end a perfect meal.


For $25 a head, this was a feast. Including a glass of wine each and tip, our bill came to about $37 per person. This is a steal if you ask me. I had no complaints.


The service was impeccable, very accommodating and very welcoming. I had a chance to talk to the owner afterwards and he was interested in our experience. I'm always happy to see an owner come and talk to the diners. It shows they care. Good establishments always have someone in charge available at all times. It turns out he was the one calling me earlier. He cares. Aww. Touching.


All in all 5th Elementt deserves 5 stars for exceeding our outcomes in Price, Food, Service, and Decor.


I definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone in the mood for some Indian fusion with a modern twist. And I definitely will be back there myself.


So far if you're keeping score, we're 1-1 in restaurants that have numbers in them.

Six Steps can learn a thing or two from 5th Elementt.

Monday, June 30, 2008

The Legend Of Asia



Asian Legend- Metro Square (Steeles + Warden) http://www.asianlegend.ca/




Okay, so being a little disappointed that a PHO place closes at 930 (go figure), we were re-routed to Asian Legend. I was not disappointed.

We've been meaning to hit up this place PHO VIET with our one and only token Viet- Keen, for months now. We finally got around to going there and the placed closed merely minutes before we got there. No worries, we were still hungry. Keen doesn't let us down. (I know it's spelt Kien but you're a Keener).


Asian Legend has a lot of history behind it, hence the name, I guess. While blogging I decided to check out their website, and got some serious tidbits of info that I'd thought I'd share with all 2 of my loyal readers:

In 1988 the first Asian Legend opened its doors on Dundas Street in the heart of Toronto's Chinatown. In spite of its modest dimensions, the restaurant stood out in the crowd of other Chinese eateries because of its uniquely Northern flavored cuisine, as well as the innovative management style of its owners. From the outset, Asian Legend specialized in traditional Northern dim sum and stir fry, and committed itself to providing delicious food at a reasonable price. With 19 years of experience and a devotion to quality and the highest standards, the restaurant has garnered much praise and acquired a loyal and diverse clientele from all over Southern Ontario.

So Asian Legend has actually been around for awhile now, and I'm not surprised its' expanded to many locations. Their food is damn good, not to mention the principles they stand for as outlined in their website's intro:

"Today's diner is not only knowledgeable about fine dining, but also cares greatly about nutrition and healthy living. To meet this demand, Asian Legend's chefs strive to produce tantalizing yet healthy dishes by utilizing natural flavors and minimizing oil, salt and MSG in all our cooking. Furthermore, by selecting cutlery that accentuates each dish's color, aroma, flavor and presentation, our offerings not only satisfy, but also familiarize diners with the art of Chinese cuisine. This ensures that customers will enjoy a truly memorable and value-added experience. "

I like what I hear. Now on to the rest of the experience.

A newly decorated place, Asian Legend is a little spot tucked in Metro Square, and you don't even know this place is there from Steeles, you have to actually venture into the back entrance to see the establishments. Amongst a few bubble tea houses, a PHO 66, and a bunch of restaurants, sits ASIAN LEGEND, a quaint but well decor'd eatery.

This place has a lot of crisp, well defined lines, sharp angles and bold colours. Nothing too outlandish or extreme. A very calm, feng-shui-ish feel, with cool and warm colours dispersed evenly throughout

I think we got there as they were closing. I say this because the waitress gave us the "oh man we're closing soon" look as we walked in and sat down.

Luckily for our resident Asian speaking counterpart Winse, we were able to actually get some service. He recommended a few dishes, and got the ball rolling by ordering some staple apps, namely the dumplings.

I have to admit, I like Legend's Menus. They are small, but colourful, with nicely printed menus and pictures that are numbered to match their description. They even have the descriptions in English and Chinese (I think?). Little mini red peppers indicate "spicy", and not so much spicy. That helps us find the ones to order. Not to mention the leather covers give them a little extra nice.

I also like the idea of the large round-a-bout in the middle of the table. This helps for easy access within the shared meals, which are all the rage these days, and should be.

So we ordered an array of different dishes, including:

Hot-and-Sour Soup
General Tao Chicken
Beef Short-Rib Noodle/soup
Sauteed Eggplant

Shanghai Noodle w/Shrimp
Fried Rice

To start, we obviously went for the Hot and Sour. As I always say, no one can beat Spadina Gardens' Hot and Sour. But Asian Legend gave them a damn good run for their money. I was pleasantly impressed. Their soup wasn't very thick, which was it's only downfall, but hey maybe that's just the way I like it. It was amply full of vegetables and it's spiciness was just perfect. Great start.



Everything we ordered was great. I especially enjoyed the Beef-Short Rib Noodle soup. This was excellent. The beef just fell off the bone, like it had been simmering for days. Not to mention the richness of the broth, which was also very light. I know that seems odd that it could be rich and light, but it just was.



Shanghai Noodles were very good also. Everything was sauced to perfection, not too excessive and very well balanced. One thing I noticed about the dishes were that none of them were heavily oily, as Asian food usually tends to be. This helps as the food doesn't stick to your gut at the end of the meal, that causes mass problems due to Itis and forced tutlets.

The General Tao Chicken was nice and spicy, sauced evenly and had a good variety of flavours incorporated with it. The eggplant was moist and flavourful, but still we were able to taste the eggplant itself, not just what it was sauced with.

So food-wise, everything was great.

Price was decent, as our tab worked out to $120 for 7 people. At $17 a POP, one can't complain, as this included tax and tip.

The only thing that could have improved a bit was the service. Before we even got our soup to start, they server came and gave us our bill. We thought she just wanted to clear her till and give it to us, until she came back and asked us to pay it right away??? Before we even put our napkins on our lap we had to pay. This was odd. Okay, I know you want to close soon but seriously. Oh well maybe that's just standard in Asian restaurants. I dunno. Its not McDonald's I thought.

Other than that I would put this restaurant up at the top of my Asian List. They did well in all aspects and definitely deserve a second visit.

COTL their website for a full menu, and it is quite extensive. You can even sign up for a VIP pass! Killer.

Overall rating:

3.5 Stars out of 5

It's Nice. I like.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

New Website Launched! COTL:

www.gourmetrecipedia.blogspot.com


That's the link to my new website, Gourmet Recipedia. Pls Check Out The Layout as I will be adding new recipes often. Pls leave comments and suggest recipes you'd like to see.

Thanks,

Your Resident Chef

Monday, May 26, 2008

Volare: Windy City Done Right

Never judge a book by its cover, or a restaurant by its website.



Volare Restaurant- Chicago http://www.volarerestaurant.com/


So it was a recent weekend road trip that found us in The Windy City, one of the few food capitals of the U.S., and the world even, so I am told.


The problem with dining with a large group of people is that everyone has their own ideas, opinions and notions about certain things, and it makes for a frustrating experience when everyone can't decide on the right place.


We had some suggestions from a globetrotting friend, who dines with the elite...although the majority of those selections were shot down by our local expert, we were adventurous and took the advice of our trusty concierge, who recommended this place according to our specific needs- affordable, good Italian food.



Queue VOLARE- an almost hole-in-the-wall-ish type place, was quite close to our hotel located in the downtown district, that we didn't even need a cab.

I always try to go into each restaurant with NO expectations whatsoever, so that I can be wowed thoroughly. If I have even the slightest inkling of hope for something to expect- I always get let down. So I don't even bother to listen to any one's recommendations, I just go in hoping for the best. And for the most part- I still get let down. Apparently- I'm a very picky eater, according to my girlfriend.


For the record, I'm not a picky eater at all- I just hate when restaurants cut corners and think we don't know. Oh, we know.


Okay back to Volare. So we were all apprehensive about this place since we weren't confidant in the selector's choice, but hey, always have an open mind. Most of us, I think, wanted it to be a flop just so that we could prove our instincts right. But we were waaaaay off. This place really surprised us.

Upon entrance we already had a reservation for 9pm. We arrived at about 10 past 9 and this place was rammed. Good sign number 1. We didn't have to wait long at all as it seemed we were supposed to be seated outside, or on Volare's make-shift patio. This was an interesting concept. So we traveled to a nice, quaint- and by quaint I mean minner, patio. But since it was May and still cold (Windy City cold), their patio was enclosed by a plastic shower curtain type thing. Odd, but still, with the outdoor patio heaters, it gave us an intimate, almost cruise-like atmosphere.


So we're not off to a great start, our table of 7 was not the biggest, and we were bumping elbows with each other in an already crowded indoor/outdoor area.


Our waitress was nice and knowledgeable, but when asked what the specials were, she responded "there are none". Okay. What does that mean- you're out of the specials or you don't have any? Either way, this was not looking good. After up selling us on a softball-team size order of Calamari, that apparently only feeds 3-4...We were also up sold on 2 bottles of wine. Yes, we ordered two of the same bottles of wine for some reason...


To the menu...This thing was huge. This was your classic pasta house, so the standard one page-full dedicated to pastas, a meat and seafood section, and of course pizza.


We all carefully selected our meals and crossed our fingers. The calamari arrived and was good, lightly battered, seasoned well, and cooked to perfection. Not rubbery like you would expect, that you get you know- anywhere. This was good sign number two. So far we're tied 2-2. The meal would be the winning tally.


Let's just say, the food was amazing. I ordered the Risotto with chicken, peas, and asparagus...this was cooked to perfection. Not mushy, not raw...just right. The flavour exhumed Italy in my mouth, and I was very excite. The balance of seasoning, fresh parsley and chicken stock told me the guys in the back knew what they were doing. Not to mention the four cheeses, really made my tongue tingle.


I think every one's meal was superb. I didn't hear one complaint. In fact I didn't really hear one word from anyone as we all devoured our huge portioned meals. Not one of use even dented our plates, as the portions were definitely Italian style. Other meals consumed included:


Penne Arrabiatta: Spicy Vodka sauce- I should have got that it was damn good


Fettucine with Pesto: Also very good.


We all finished our meals (partially) with big grins on our faces. This had been one of the best meal's I'd had in a really, really long time. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone heading to Chi-town.


Every plate was decently priced, and all meals came home with us. Now, meal sizes in the US are fairly larger than those here north of the border, but still, value was great here.


I paid $50, including my main, split app, and 1 and bit glass of wine, and tip. And we tipped well. To me, that's a good deal. For food that good, I would have paid more, and been happy about it.


Overall, the decor was bush, the service was decent, the price was fair, but the food was amazing. And in all honesty, even though I always critique based on the overall experience, this time around the food made up for anything lacking, which wasn't much, mind you.


For a tourist, expectations are usually not that high as you already are spending a lot while in travel status. And that's what made Volare such a good experience, as it was cheap, but great. And I always say, good food does not have to be pricey. The best food should be found in the dumps, hole-in-the-walls, and back alleys.

So let this be a lesson to all of you, never judge a restaurant by their website, their ghetto patio, or their weird server. Give them a chance. The worst that can happen- It'll be bush and show up on this website.


Ciao.







Thursday, May 22, 2008

Tips: Drive Thru Edition



After starting the battle of Drive thru's recently, I thought I would take the time to give my loyal readers some tips to get the most out of their drive thru experience. Since I have been on the inside, I feel as though I've been holding out on everyone. Seau.

Okay, so first things first...

If you're like me, you need to have fresh fries. Not only fresh, but froosh. McDonald's is notorious for having the best fries, yet also notorious for have the worst fries if they're not fresh.

Best thing to do to ensure the freshest fries is:

a) if you go when it's not busy and you're the only car/person ordering, ask for fries without salt. This will ensure that they will make you a fresh batch, then you can just salt them yourself. This works best when you go inside, but also can work in drive thru.

b) if its busy, you're in luck. The busiest times are the best to ensure the frooshest fries, cuz they have to replenish amply. Don't be scurred of that intimidating line...it's worth the wait.

c) just straight up ask for fresh fries, and tell them you don't mind waiting. This way they are not impartial to spitting in your food (just kidding, this never happens). As long as you're honest, the sont working there can't hate- they can only appreciate.


These days it seems as though sauce is a frigging commodity. Long gone are the days of getting a 20- piece nugget with 20 sauces, yes one for each nugget. For 12 cents there's no way I'm paying to have BBQ with my fries. How do I get free sauce you ask? Easy:

Order sauce with your meal at the end, like when they ask you for any ketchups, politely mention what sauce you'd like. This way EVEN if you didn't order nuggets, they should hook up a sauce. Now in the event that they are being toite- ask to see a manager. I know, everyone hates to be a bitch, but it's your right to have sauce. Just tell them in the nicest way "WTF?" 12 cents per sauce equals almost 0.3 cents per dip...this is ridiculous!

Note- if you're a woman, you shouldn't have any problems getting free sauce, but guys- you probably will. Seau boys, that's just the way of the world.


Ever get that drink that just doesn't stop leaking? I know we've all got the "dribbler", that seems like one innocent drop until you hit the brakes and you've got coke-age all over your dash. Keep an eye on the cup when they pass it to you....any leakage signals desperately for a new lid. You must ask for a new lid otherwise you're in trouble.


We all have a 'friend' (this may even be you) who is never satisfied with the way Fast Food places make their burgers...sometimes they just don't recognize the proper needs of the customer. If you're one of those ppl who always make special requests on the burger- (I once had a friend who always got his Big Mac with no onions), power to you! By making that special request, you are secretly enabling yourself to a fresh burger. When I used to work at Mc'D's oh so long ago...we utilized the "BIN" system. What is? you ask... The bin was simply a buffer of burgers for when it got super busy...We would have a float of a few of the most popular burgers so that we could just pump them out without having to wait for each individual order. Those days are long gone, thank God...As I'm sure we've all received that age-old McChicken that was made many, many hours ago.


So now Mc'D's always makes their burgers to order...or so they say. If someone changes their order, they do not throw away the extra burger- heaven forbid. They just leave it and assume someone will order it soon enough.

What I'm getting at is simple...Make your burger a special order and it will guarantee that it will actually be made right at that moment. Now this doesn't ensure that your chicken was fried right at that moment, but now we're just pushing it. In a perfect world, or say an A&W world, everything, and I mean everything is made to order.

Lastly, always check your bag before you pulle away from the window. There's nothing worse than getting home and realizing your fries are missing or you have no blood-clot straw. Even if there's a line, COTL of your bag and perform a contents check:

1- straw, napkin, sauce
2- correct burger/sammich
3- unspilled fries- 'fry check'- have one fry before you drive away...if its even smei-cold, send it back

Remember- no one likes working at any fast-food drive thru, and for the most part the people who do are young, high, and just don't give a fuck. So always try and make a joke or two, cuz even if they are krusty, and you make them smile, they'll think twice about giving you that burger that's been sitting in the bin for ages, or waiting that extra 3 seconds for the fresh one on it's way.


I hope these tips will enable you a better Drive-thru experience next time you find yourself meandering into the realm of fast food.

One last thing:
If you feel the service you received was bushy or the fries you got were cold- don't be afraid to voice your opinion. "The customer is always right" mentality really does come into effect in the Fast Food World. Don't be shy, speak to a manager, and I guarantee you'll be hooked up...

Tell them Alz sent you.

Monday, April 28, 2008

The Ultimate Food Battle: DRIVE-THRU: Part 1

I've decided to switch it up a bit here, since we're always punking these fancy restaurants, it's time to switch focus, and discuss something a little more important: that oh-so staple in everyone's week: the drive-thru.

As an ex-employee of the one and only Golden Arches, I must admit that I've become passionate about drive-thrus, and not only as a customer, but as a human being. Coming from the other-side, and being on the inside looking-out, I've been able to catch a glimpse at what really goes on back there, and most importantly, what shouldn't. As a Mcemployee, I became passionate about delivering top-notch service and great quality food (it's a stretch, I know) at the same time. Maybe I was just drilled by my managers at the time, but I have to give it to McD's, they really brainwash you to give customers the best experience possible. And now I think this is why I'm never satisfied by my eating experiences, cuz I'm always looking to improve something or the other. Anyhoo, in the end I know what it takes to work the drive-thru, and I will offer some tips for all you readers to make the most of your late nite pick-up.

So I've decided to switch my focus from dine-ins to drive thrus, mainly because we are constantly visting McD's, Wendy's, Burger Kings and the like moreso than going out to eat properly. So finding the right place for that quick snack is essentially more important.

We'll do a little competition to find the best drive thru in the GTA, mainly in the Markham/Scarborough area, and give you some insight as to whether its worth the drive to Acton (or A&W, in my opinion).


Burger King (aka- B-Kguy): Kennedy/Denison

Time: 3:15 am, Saturday night. This is peak traffic time for BK, as nothing else is really open 24 hours these days, except McDonald's that is a little north, and Wendy's that closes at 3am. So BK is always the place of choice, not just for us, but anyone coming back thullied from the clubs and in dire need of grubbage.

As we pulled up, I saw the line was about 4 cars deep, and thought "great, we'll be here forever", however I was pleasantly surprised that it only took us about 6 minutes from the time we ordered to the time we received our food, which is amazing considering we usually wait at McD's @ Bamburgh for anywhere from 10-20 minutes for a bloody Junior Chickra. But we'll leave that for another blog.

The sont on the mic was truely a sont. He kept asking me "Is That All?", every time I ordered something. It was brutal. I wanted to punch him in the speaker.

We ordered:

1 Spicy Chicken Combo, with KING size fries, reg diet coke
1 Jr. Whopper
1 6-Pc Chicken Fries
1 Reg Chocolate Shake

We didn't wait in line for very long, which was great. I don't think I've ever gone through drive thru at this late an hour that quickly before. I guess they had more than the usual one person working that night, big tings.

Our total came to about $12, which is decent for 2 people...

When I asked for sauce, the guy had assumed that I wanted Buffalo Sauce, which was fine, but I would like an option to choose one for myself. I understand that speed is key in drive-thru, but service should always come first. He should have asked me what sauce I wanted instead of holding me up at the window.

We got home and ate our food about 10 minutes later. Let's just say, the food would have tasted great if we were thullied, but we weren't. Meaning the food was bushy. Now I'm not gonna be the biggest critic here (yeah right), cuz we weren't going to some gourmet place. But still.


Firstly, BK's Mayonnaise sucks. It tastes like a thicket of oil. They're chicken fries were definitely overcooked, or moreso their frying oil needed to be changed desperately. Their fries were okay, semi-fresh. The spicy chicken sandwich was pretty crappy, not spicy at all. One would think they would put their Buffalo sauce IN the spicy sandwich, but NO NO, they didn't. Making for a pretty bland-o sammich. Their Whopper Jr. was well, a Jr. Whopper. I don't know why I ordered it. One thing I hate, and this happens at Wendy's also, is the slip-sliding of the damn condiments in my burger. Why do these joints continue to dress their burgers with a hunk of tomato and a huge leaf of lettuce. Not to mention those rings of onions-baby (you will be missed, swirsk) they love to use, making for the slipperiest of burgers. One bite and you're eating half the burger only. Quite annoying. Lastly- the chocolate shake was horrible. It tasted like frozen mush-syrup mixed with plasticine.

At least the Diet Coke was good.

All in all, I'll rate our experience at about 2.5/5.

Service was not good at all. Quick, but that's about it. And speed is only HALF the battle.


Price was decent, can't really do much on the price as this is usually a standard.

Food was bush. How much can one really expect from a Drvie-Thru? Not a whole lot apparently.

Decor was Great...Love the view of the garbage can whilst turning the bend to get to the pickup window. Classy.

Overall: 1.5 STARS out of 5

BK- You are definately not the King of the Burger. Unless if you are royally thullied, I don't think you can enjoy a meal at 3am. Especially one a DT one. Don't worry readers, we'll find the best place, this I promise you.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Thuet? Ferme La Bush

Thuet- 609 King St. W (http://www.thuet.ca/)

Picture it: France, 1968...Psychedelic notions of Acid binges meets Ontario Cottage Country meets artsy sculpture-esque fine-dining, napkin-for-the-corner-of-your-mouth-type setting. Yeah, I know. Huh? you ask...Exactly. Meet Thuet, one of Toronto's up-and-coming high end popular French Restaurants in the downtown core, with chef/artist/juxstaposer Marc Thuet leading the way. This place is not for the weak at heart, or stomach for that matter...Be warned.

After reading Now Magazine's restaurant issue, Thuet was plastered on the cover with their signature Steak Frites...Coming in at the top of Toronto's newest eateries, I was sold... The article recommended the dish, basically steak and fries, along with a few other notable signature dishes such as the onion soup. I knew what I was getting. I've heard good things about this place and thought we needed a change from our usual Italian Bistro or Trattoria. So let's French it up.

It was raining like hell, and cold as usual, making finding this place even funner (word?). Finally, after parking miles away (should have cabbed it), we finally found Thuet, located near the likes of Susur, Lee and Tangerine Lounge, in the trendy King West district.

Thuet is a very posh place, once you walk up the stairs you are welcomed into a dim-lit, almost spooky type of atmosphere, with low lights, candle-lit tables very interesting decor. They offered to take my jacket, and I refused for some reason, maybe I'm just not used to that kind of service. Once I reached my table I thought "shit, is this the type of place that frowns upon jackets-on-the-back-of-chairs?" After a quick glance at surrounding tables I realized it was okay to drape them over the back of the chair, and I felt relieved. The decor in Thuet is quite a spectacle. I don't really understand the theme or concept, and maybe that's the point. There were some nice touches, including a fireplace lit by really large candles. That was cool. Some other pieces, not quite. Like for instance, large chandeliers and sconces made out of twigs and branches, or gold plated buddah heads housed in the corners of the dining room. Not to mention very detailed and kind of scary abstract paintings-done by Mr. Thuet himself, housed on the walls in the background.

I do like the setup of the dining room, with a couple of couches in front of the fake fireplace is a warm touch, a small bar towards the front entrance, and a long-angled bench/couch along one corner-very colourfully striped, mind you.

I'm not really understanding where all these nuggets fit in- in fact they don't fit in. But why? I dunno. Let's leave it at that. If you go to Thuet, you'll know what I mean. I did like the kitchen cut-out, that lets you get a sneak peak at what's going on on the otherside.

The menu's were neatly leather bound, but one problem- every thing's in FRENCH! Well, not completely- the description is in English, but the actual item is in French, which really doesn't help us. For example:

Line caught loup de mer studded with a duxelle soubise, quail egg agnolotti, ragoût of spring leek, Ox-eye Daisy caper + white berry froth

Yeah.

So what's that exactly? is what we asked our server, repeatedly. I mean sure, everything sounds better en Francais, but come on, really we should be able to read the damn thing instead of liking the way it sounds, ordering it, and then finding out its baby pig- or Porcelet, as the French call it.

Don't get me wrong, French cuisine is very fine-tuned, using nuggets of things I've never even heard of, but it can come off a little pretentious if you ask me.

Our server was very friendly and informative, in fact he was convincing enough to go ahead and order a salad for one of us who didn't even want an appetizer. He probably didn't want her to feel left out, I guess.

To start, I ordered a classic, Onion Soup. This soup was so dark and rich, it tasted as though it had been simmering for days...I like the touch of a thick slice of bread stuffed into the top with melted cheese...but it was way to much for me to handle....I only got through half of it before I had to stop myself- I needed to save room for my steak frites. Other apps order were:


Mennonite spring lamb tartare, chef’s raw sheep milk cheese, preserved black truffle vinaigrette, egg yolk drizzle 13$- Never seen Lamb tartar before, not something I would order, but it was still composed very well, and had many different elements that all were tasty.

Hand cut organic parpadelle, ragoût of Perth County rabbit, whelk, tarragon shoot emulsion 14$- Can never go wrong with fresh pasta, not too keen on the rabbit, but still I think this was one of the best dishes we sampled.

Very interesting combinations, which were tasty to say the least. Definite care and precision was taken in preparation for these meals, maybe a little over the top for us personally, but still good nonetheless.

For the mains, we ordered:

Medallion of Deer Valley Farm organic red deer, almond crust, fig confit, Northern Quebec dog rose + cloudberry coulis 25$- Deer, you ask? I know...I was shocked too...when this arrived it looked like a very tiny nugget, but I think that's all the deer one can really eat. Still, this dish was not bad. The name did scare me a bit, but it was presented nicely and had some interesting flavours. Not too sure about the chocolate sauce...

Milk fed Perth County porcelet, potato and fennel coulis, parsley purée, artichoke ragoût, molet crisp, star anise & pineapple essence 26$- Porcelet, or baby pig, is quite the thing in French cuisine, apparently. I didn't try this one but heard it was alright, nothing crazy.

Just a little wind of charcoal cooked B.C. organic salmon house made kefir, organic shoots, warm pickled vegetables, pine needles 28$

Okay, so for this meal, presentation was at a 10, for about 1 minute...

They brought out the salmon on this little kiln with heated charcoal underneath, definitely a "WOW" statement was made as the servers brought it out to our table. But then they put it down, and took the salmon off the minner grill and placed it on the diner's plate. Unfortunately, the salmon was looking a bit on the Tartare-side. I lie, it was a lot on the tartare side. So much so that we wished they would have just kept the grill on the table, so that it would have cooked fully and properly. We had to send this one back, mainly because we weren't in the mood for shashimi. When they brought it back it was decent, no complaints...The pickled vegetables were different, to say the least.

I ordered exactly what I came for, the only thing that was normal and not too extravagantly listed on the menu, Steak and Frites, was great. This was a flank steak, so not an extremely expensive or high-end cut of meat, but it was perfect. The frites were cut thin, skin-on, and fried to perfection. No sauce needed at all. For once I have nothing bad to say about my own dish- go figure! A sigh of relief from the blog critics, as I usually have an earful to say about my meal.

So let's score this badboy up:

Decor: 3/5- Very obtuse, odd, interesting at times, but still almost fancily scary. Too many different tings a gwan, in my opinion. I liked some of the subtle touches, but there weren't many...mainly the candle-lit fireplace. Artwork was scary, and most things just didn't match with each other. But then again that may be the theme- who knows.

Service: 4/5- Very knowledgeable server, although everything we inquired about was either "fabulous" or "highly recommended"...Still nothing to complain about here, we were served in a very respectable manner, which made us feel like "high-class" diners, which is always good once in a while.

Food: 3.5/5- Very good and Very not good. There were the good and the bads with this meal, unfortunately both extremes at the same time. My meal was great, but the others, not so much... The salmon fiasco was unnecessary, and I still beg to differ than Frenchies eat their salmon THAT pink...but who knows with the French, they do everything backwards. If you like interesting eats, and are a brave and adventurous soul, then you will love Thuet. That being said, don't come here if you're the type that feels Kelsey's is out of the ordinary for you.

Price: 3/5- We paid $285, including 4 apps, 4 mains, and 2 bottles of wine. Not bad at $70 a POP, but I don't feel as though we got great value for our money...In the sense that we were only 'wowed' to a certain extent. Thuet's food seemed to be a bit 'out-there', meaning most dishes involved serious concoctions that we were lucky if we knew more than one ingredient in it. Still, it's good to get some insight into what others are eating around the world, and even to explore things you would never eat otherwise.

So, as an experience, Thuet definitely was an 4/5, but as a restaurant I would have to give it a 3-3.5/5. Was I full after the meal, yes. Was I wanting more, yes. Maybe not more to eat, but more to chew, mentally. I felt like I was stuck in a bad Stephen King novel, or worse, a Stephen King movie...I guess I just like simple things in life, simple food, simple themes and simple combinations...As much as I like to explore new things, I felt bombarded at Thuet...just too much going on at once. That may have something to do with our pre-meal shenanigans, but I digress.



Yet again, still searching for the Ultimate Eat, I leave you, stomach still grumbling...

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Moxie's Schmoxie's

Moxra's (East Beaver Creek)

Have you ever been to a really nice place, I mean, chic decor, packed with people, good music, and just a good all around vibe? These places are rare and have a certain charm, to go along with that atmosphere that we all seek every weekend.

Then you get your food. You take a bite and realize what you're really paying for- and it's not the food, that's for sure. How does such an establishment pack their seats nightly and yet serve sub-par tastings with mismatched themes, juxtaposed flavours with unprecedented pairings, and not to mention the bushiest of all the bushy cut(h)s of meat, that I wouldn't even feed my dogs?

Venturing into Markham/Richmond Hill's commercial culinary haven, not to mention the only local place to really dine...(please Markham we can't always go downtown to get a decent meal) brought us to the one and only East Beaver Creek. This epicentre of mainstream eats is a place that is always changing, with household names such as Alice Fazooli's, Marlowe (no headgear allowed), NAVA (formerly Rocky Mountain High), Honest Lawyer, Fox & The Fiddle, just to name a few...The rest change so frequently we can't keep up. Others include Carnival Brazilian Grill (don't eat there), Destiny, Spices, and other no-name establishments I'm very hesitant to venture into.

The name Moxie's is one that is known by everyone and loved by some. Definitely great for drinks or cocktails after work, or birthdays and special occasions...to drink. I really can't advise you to go there to eat. Mind you, they do have some decent apps, but when it comes to meals, 1/6 ain't that good.

You're paying for atmosphere, and nothing else.

I love the way this Moxie's is decorated...with high ceilings, circularly-enclosed booths and nice wooden tables. The light fixtures and chandeliers boast an upper-class, downtown-ish feel, and a huge open-concept bar stocked with the one and only Appleton's Rum definitely is a plus for us. Their patio is contained and their waiting area boasts comfy leather couches. The attention to detail in Moxies is first class, and the ambiance is surely one that anyone would love. It can get a little dark, but that's part of the atmosphere I presume. Although, our table area was very congested, and many servers/busboys created a high traffic area by our table.

To start, we ordered a Sizzling Shrimp Skillet, and a Goat Cheese dip with toasted bread (naan?). The dip was great, however there were not enough dipables. As for the Shrimp, they floated to us in a pool of butter, which made for a bit of an oily dip. Nothing spectacular.

The speed was there for delivery of our apps, about 10 minutes after we ordered. Next, the mains...
Moxie's menu is quite vast, although I'm still scratching my head wondering which direction their menu theme is going...Anything from salads to sandwiches to steaks to various curries, stir-frys and traditional pastas made it difficult to decide. Nothing really stood out to me, and everything seemed so generic that I was left wanting more from this global menu.

We ordered:
2 10oz Striploins- worst cut of meat I have ever had. Although the server was very careful to verify they way we wanted our steaks done, gave a slight impression that they may know what they were doing. But just because the steak was cooked right doesn't help the fact that it was a shitty cut of meat. AAA prime should not taste like that. One medium rare was so chewy we couldn't even cut through it. The other steak ordered Medium well was so tough with no pinkage in the middle. But then again, you can't expect to get a good steak anywhere but a steakhouse. They were warned. Imagine if they got the sirloin?

1 Cannelloni- by far the worst Cannelloni I have ever tasted. I hate to bash food and restaurants because it makes me seem like a picky SOB, but honestly the filling, which was supposed to be ricotta, tasted like old, mashed up sock. Dry as hell, flavourless and just outright crappy.
Should have gone with the tenders & fries, I think the server was trying to hint it.

1 Beef Vindaloo Curry- Meh. Why am I served a curry, on rice (sticky at that, not basmati, and 1 clump) and then also given naan pieces? How much carbs can one person eat. The curry was flavourful, with green and red peppers, and drizzled with yogurt. Some of the strips of beef were tender, and some were tough. Probably from some one's leftover striploin. I wasn't really satisfied, but am I ever? Shouldn't have trusted the recommendation!

1 Gourmet Pizza- this looked pretty good, although I did not sample it, I didn't hear any complaints...which means it must have been decent.

1 Atlantic Salmon with wild rice- no complaints about this one either, the salmon was seasoned well, I was informed. However this diner rarely dislikes his food, so this may sway his decision, as always.


The service here was quick, we got our food in a very timely fashion, and our waiter was quite friendly. Nothing to complain about here, although it did take him a while to take our order. It was busy though so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Price wise, everything on the menu was reasonable, the steaks being the most expensive, at 28.95 each. They should have cost 10.95.

All in all, our experience was fair at best:

Decor- 5/5: Definitely a nicely structured restaurant, everything fits perfectly and there is a nice divide between bar-area and dining area. Attention to detail was key to Moxie's success, classy and trendy.

Food- 1/5: Not good. 1.5/6 meals we ordered were bushy, 1/2 apps were good. This is not good. Maybe Moxie's should try and stick with one theme instead of venturing into cross-country dishes. In order to be successful as a restaurant, one must focus on one thing and do it proper. From there you can dabble a bit in this and that. You can't offer the world and do each one shittily (word?). It's nice to have a variety of menu items, but not if each one doesn't fit. They should stick to salads, sandwiches and simple apps. I'm sure they can't mess that up...I hope.

Service- 3.5/5: Nothing to really complain about, taking our order took longer than it did to get our food, which is odd, and doesn't say much about how they are preparing our food. Where's the love? I'm almost positive that Moxie's utilizes frozen, pre-packaged goodness supplied from that of SYSCO or some other second-tier supplier. Come on Moxies, at least use fresh produce, trust me, people can tell.

Price- 2.5/5: Our total came to $240, I know, including 3 drinks, 1 bottle of wine and tip. I know we're paying for their high rent and for the high-class decor, but still...when it comes down to it, I'd rather pay for good food in a shithole than vice versa. But that's just me.

OVERALL: 2.5 STARS out of 5


Not much more I can say about Moxie's, but if they ever see me again, it'll definitely be just for drinks, and maybe, just maybe, an appy. Good Day. I said good day.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Burrito Boys- Operation: RamRod

The Original Burrito Boyz- 120 Peter St. (http://www.burritoboyz.com/)

So, pumped and thullied after an amazing Jay's home opener, we set out for nourishment a la Mexicana, as our usual Spadina Garden/Jays Opener had to be switched up this year, as Spadina closes at 10:30 (boo). No worries, we actually were anticipating Burrito Boyz, as we have been there many a time before, but at most times too inebriated to recap anything in blog format the next day.

We usually frequent the one located on 218 Adelaide St. W, as it has some space for us to sit and actually eat properly. But as directed by fellow Epicurean and long-time Burrito Boy himself, Bunsy (soon to be Bean-sity, keep reading), we were informed that "we gotta go to the original Burrito Boyz". So we did, as it really is just a stones' throw away from our usual spot (why, I dunno).

Big (ch)tunes coming from above-neighbouring 'The Jerk Spot', located directly above BB, welcomed us (and our cession) as we rolled up. As we walked down the steps, we realized this place was ramrod. We couldn't even get in. So we went back outside to discuss whether we should stay or walk over to the next one. Then we realized the back-log was just people waiting to get their food, and not to order. So we re-entered, single file of course, only to be packed in like a bunch of sardines.

Let's just say, the system they have going on here is shit. You need to literally play some Ludacris' "Move Bitch, Get Out The Way", and drop a few 'bo's just to get to the front. Not to mention 5 people working there behind the glass yelling out numbers, taking orders, and asking who's next. Who is next? I dunno. A little organization can go a long way. The Menu is placed nicely on the wall, old school style chalkboard with little caricatures, I like. But you can't really see it when you want to order because there's too many people blocking it. This sign may be better off being outside, so you know what you want once you get in.

Once you've ordered, little tiny flags with numbers get stuck into your burrito, they top it up however you like, and then you have to 'don't puuuush' your way to the cashier. Then you must tell him your order again, and he'll give you (if you're lucky) a little card with a number on it. Now you're in business. Hopefully you get the right numbers, as we didn't (16,17 = 18,19?).

After 5 minutes of straight number dropping due to some confusion with- yes you guessed it, this number system, we waited patiently for our food.

Once our number's were called, and after feeling like Jerry waiting for the last Cinnamon Bobka (another Bobka?), we were ready to consume our burrito. I entrusted my choice in my boy Winson, who usually never fails when it comes to food choices, as he is well-seasoned (except for Mighty Taco- see blog to come). He said go for the Halibut, and I complied. Good job, Winse.

The selection at BB is perfect, not too much that you can't decide, and not too little that you need more options. I love how BB has a chalkboard as their menu, with colourful options and a listing of their toppings. They offer the basics: Steak, Chicken, Halibut, Shrimp, Bean & Cheese, Veggie. A vast amount of toppings can be added for no extra charge, including peppers, onions, cheese, jalapenos, beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and of course hot sauce. Load it up. The jalapenos' are deadly...I love it.

Caution: when ordering the bean and cheese, please be advised that the beans do contain a soy product, that makes it resemble ground beef. The difference is negligible, especially to Beansity, who had a slight kerfuffle with the server, proclaiming the beans were beef. She toooold him.

BB serves its' burritos in two sizes, small and large, which is perfect as I was able to share a large one with my girlfriend. Definately recommend the Halibut, but you have to eat it right away, don't take this one to go.

Overall, for the price, BB is amazing. Their most expensive burrito is $8.85 for the Halibut, which is damn good if you ask me. That bad boy was quite filling. I don't think anyone paid more than 10 bucks, and that includes a drink. On a side note, BB has some great juices called JUMEX. Not sure if you know about them, but if you don't know, now you know. Tropical flavours such as Mango, Pineapple, and Kiwi are just to name a few of the vast tongue-tingling beverages. These hard to find drinks are sometimes found in East/West Indian supermarkets or local patty shops. Try one out.

And so,



Service: 2/5- Not expecting much here for a takeout joint, especially on a Friday night. Most places downtown have to deal with serious thullards, so I don't really blame them. Ordering is a little confusing, and definate re-tooling is needed for their ordering process. You may want to watch Seinfeld's famous Soup Nazi episode for proper review of ordering before you go.



Decor: 2/5- This place doesn't need to have any nice decor, however this place is waaaay to small to have any type of decorations in it. No need for the mini-eating area of 3 stools, as even our minnerest minner couldn't even eat there. Get rid of that corner nugget and organize a line/waiting area. One thing I did appreciate was the wall of fame, filled with articles and awards given to BB by various magazines and newspapers. It's good to boast a little when you can, plus theres something for us to do while we wait.



Food: 4.5/5 - Great. For a hole-in-the-wall, and a place that has no Hispanic workers, they pump out a mean Burrito. Props goes to the extensive topping area, sick drinks, and all around great burritos.



Price: 4.5/5- Very decent prices for "good food quickly". You can't beat anything decent under $10 these days. Especially downtown. You can go to subway for a bushy footlong, and still pay over $12 for a combo. But Burrito Boyz is like Subway with a Mexican twist...I'd opt for BB anyday...


OVERALL: 4.5 STARS out of 5

When it comes to late night grubbage with an after-club stumblage, 'D' Nasir's Falafel (they don't have washroom access, blog to follow), and take a nice stroll down a few steps to a Burrito Boyz. Not only are they open till 4am on weekends, it's definately worth the calamity- and the cramm-ity, for a tasty treat.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Eat like a Barberian...

Barberian's Steakhouse- 7 Elm St (www.barberians.com)

Ever felt like wanting to go back in time...like waaaaay back? I'm talking times of our fore fathers, pioneer times. Well Barberian's is a place where you can definately do that. "Abringitback" was the theme here, and I swear I felt like I was back in grade 3, on a class trip to Pioneer Village.

Our quest for Toronto's greatest steakhouse found us on the doorstep of one Barberian's Steakhouse, located on the famous Elm Street. Since our dining partners live right next door, this place has been mentioned to us in many a thullard conversation. We wanted to explore a place with no frills, just good steak. And we got it alright.

Firstly, this place is old school. A small, dim-lit place, takes you back in time. It's got that musty, dingy, creaky wooden floor-type atmosphere. Which is fine, since we're here for steaks and not much else. But the place is a bit outdated. But maybe that's the kind of feeling they are trying to portray. Who knows. Let's eat first then talk.

So this place is so small, even though they have 3 rooms, the acoustics were killing us. I felt like I was on 'shrooms, hearing 18 different conversations going on at once. The people dining beside became our new friends, since we were literally right up in their grill, and vice versa. Not to mention our table was angled right in the path that connected the two rooms...which made for multiple entrances by all the waiters and staff. Oh well, if you like an intimate dinner, Barberian's is for you. However when I say intimate, I mean with everyone else in the restaurant, not the person(s) you're with. We found ourselves literally yelling at each other, which kinda sucked.

Now as I mentioned earlier, this place is stuck in the 1800's. Just as a side-nugget: Barberian's Steakhouse was founded in 1959, and the owner, Harry Barberian, decided to use his restaurant to pay homage to Canada's heritage, thus an extensive collection of paintings, artifacts and memorabilia house the restaurant. This would explain the mass amount of muskets and rifles found on the walls, not to mention the large stuffed animal heads placed conveniently beside the muskets. Not exactly what I want to be staring at as I cut through my steak. The tables and chairs are old and creaky, with table cloths and polished silverware dating back to the olden days. Again, this may be the feel they want their customers to experience, and thus I can't really complain about it.

Okay enough with the renassaince-chic decor, let's talk about the food. Their wine list was quite extensive, and quite expensive. We chose a random bottle, and some of it ended up on the table and on the floor...Not too sure why, as I'm sure our waiter had opened millions of bottles in his day. I think some of it even spilled on one of us. Not cool. So all 4 of us decided to go with the moderate-priced 10oz New York Sirloin, priced at $38.50. Barberian's has many options when it comes to steak including the Chateaubriand for 2 @ $86.00, 24oz Porterhouse @ $53.00, and 9oz Centre Cut Sirloin @ $28.75, to mention a few. At these prices, we didn't realize we were only getting a piece of meat on a plate, nothing else. Sides- $6.00. Peppercorn Sauce- $5.00. Everyone ordered one veg, and we all sampled each one. Spinach, Asparagus, Mushrooms and Mashed Potato, were pretty basic, nothing fancy about them, just steamed maybe with a little butter. I was the only one who didn't feel for the pepper steak, thinking I would at least get some sort of demi or sauce. Well I was wrong, I got sauce alright, in the form of blood. Bl-oooooo-ood? Well mostly just the 'juices' of my steak, that clearly had not been rested enough. Proper resting time for steaks, depending on thickness and size should be approximately 5-10 minutes. Mine looked like it was straight from the grill.
So now I have a huge thicket of steak swimming in a pool of blood sauce, staring me in the face. Is it insulting to ask for Ketchups? How about Tabasco? I think I would have been frowned upon if I did, so I just stole some of my lovely girlfriend's peppercorn sauce.
The steak, I must admit, was a great piece of meat, cooked to perfection. I personally, like mine a little crispy on the outside, so I opt for Medium, almost Medium-well. Their chef grilled this bad boy to perfection, definately on-point.

After gnawing through 3/4 of my steak I needed a serious breather. I'm kind of glad it didn't come with fries or pillowy mounds of mashed po-ta-to (a la Unlce Phil), otherwise I definately wouldn't have made it past the half way mark.

We all decided to 'D' dessert, as we were thoroughly full. A glance at their dessert menu didn't give me much hankering for anything in particular, but I'm sure the traditional New York Cheesecake or Creme Brulee would have been above par.


The Rundown:

Decor: 3/5- Definately traditional, but really outdated in my mind. But if you're going for an experience, this is truely a restau-seum, where you can dine and shoot the shit about random artifacts at the same time. Not to keen about the gats strapped to the wall or the animal heads right next to them. Felt like Ace in Part II, after entering that room...Oh the humanity.

Service: 3.5/5- Nothing to complain about, aside from the spillage of the wine. Knowledgable and friendly staff is always a plus. Still Very Traffic between dining rooms.

Food: 4.5/5- Great, steaks were cooked to perfection, but still wish I got some free gravy/jus/sauce. Although, many would argue a real steak should be eaten plain...I still would have like to see some horseradish or something. Their meat selection was impecable, and are choosing the right cuts of meat for their customers. Excellent marbling within the Sirloin, could have easily passed for a Striploin, to the untrained eye.

Price: 3.5/5- Meal for 4, including one bottle of wine, tax and tip, no dessert: $380. Prices were decent, you can't really get a good steak for less than $40, but as for value, meh. I should get a side of vegetables when I'm ordering a $40 piece of meat. Come on I can get a bunch of asparagus at No Frills for $1.99, and you want to charge me $5.00 for 10 pieces...That's toite. And I would have liked an option of sauce too...because the reality is meat is just meat. I'm not saying douse it with HP or A1, but some pan gravy costs nothing, it comes from the meat! You win-sum, you lose-sum, I guess.

Overall: 4 STARS out of 5

Barberian's Steakhouse has a lot of character. They know how to do steaks. And they do it proper. This place is old-school, which kinda gives it it's charm. Maybe we are all too caught up with the nuances of Kelsey's and (ugh) Moxies or (barf) Milestones, and we need more places that just take you back. It's good to know a place like this exists, for that once-in-a-while back to the past experience. I don't agree with some of the themes or tidbits of decor they have up on their wall, but that's just me...I'm a tough guy to please. But I don't really know anyone who'd like to stare at moosehead (not the beer) while they devour their cow, unless your name is Willy or Cletis and you live in a trailer park, or anytown, USA, for that matter.

Still, it's good to be a barberian once in a while, or Barbeera, as we like to call it. Sorry Jason. (reference: Jason LaBarbera, LA Kings)

Definately bring your appetite...And you wallet...