tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7085921180482107282024-02-18T18:47:22.067-08:005th Star Restaurant Reviews...This blog rants, raves and critiques all of the Best and Worst Restaurants in Toronto.
If you are in the Toronto area, or are visiting here, frequent this website to get the latest reviews on the fancy and not-so fancy eateries in the GTA.
We here at 5th Star give it to you straight up...Without the frilly garnishesCulinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-61563193442447821542009-07-21T16:22:00.000-07:002009-07-21T16:44:26.889-07:00Cold Stone Creamery...Haven't You Seen Oprah?Cold Stone Creamery<br /><br />1170 Bay St<br /><br />Coldstonecreamery.com<br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y8BWduFXWwA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y8BWduFXWwA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />It was a long walk from work up to Yorkville, but quite scenic if I do say so myself. I'm not talking about the Cuthies though, I'm talking about the discovery of the new Cold Stone Creamery. Of course, we had to go in, just for a sneak peak. It was wierd because there was a Tim Horton's attached together, so we didn't know if we were walking into the right place or not. Well we walked into the Timmies and were greeted by a normal looking Tims' employee. But indtead of hustling in the back she was just 'greeting'. She asked us if we knew what CSC was and we said not really, but we had heard about it. She then asked "did you hear about it from Oprah?". After giving this sont the People's Eyebrow, we said 'sorry no' and then we all enjoyed a gay chuckle. She briefly described this concept of concocting your own ice cream flavour by which we were amazed by. The concept is quite simple: Choose your ice cream flavour(s), choose your toppings, and then watch the magic happen on a large, chilled or frozen slab of granite. They use flat scoops or spatulas to cut, fold and mash your toppings into the ice cream, and then it gets deposited into your choice of cup, conen, or waffle bowl. We then had a go at some samples. Cookie dough and cheesecake flavours was what was sampled, enough for us to say 'sold!". Then we said we'll come back after dinner and left.<br /><br />After devouring Craft Burger (see previous post) we had serious itis and were not walking back for Creamery. We vowed we'd be back. The next day. So after a nice late dinner the following day at Terroni (post to follow), we shared our experience with our friends about how we stumbled upon this great ice cream place. We thought to ourselves "how sweet it would be if they were open now (1130pm)". It was not even in the question. Although my gut feeling told me that their relationship with Tim Hortons may give us a chance. After a handy Google of CSC via an iphone, we got their number and rang them up. 24 hours they said! All of our faces lit up. So we made the trek up and after parking unaccessibley, and made the walk over to our meeting place. It was totally not ice cream weather, even though it was frigging mid July. <br /><br />CSC was ramrod, naturally. It was prime time, saturday night, the hub of downtown, and this place was only 2 weeks old. So we embarked on sampling mass amounts of flavours before even creating possible creations with nuts, chocolate bar pieces, and of course sprinkles in our heads. We watched as the workers made other customers' requests and their combos made our decisions even more difficult. It's a bit hard to actually watch them make our creations, as the viewing area is blocked by the jars of endless toppings. Suggestion- move that stuff out of the way! The whole fun is watching the art of your creation being constructed on a canvas that is a cold stone. <br />We wound up getting a combo of cotton candy ice cream with brownie pieces, which the server suggested. It was pretty good. The brownie was fresh and soft, and froze slightly on contact with the ice cream. It was a nice union of cake and dairy. Our friends ordered- Skor bar mixed with vanilla, strawberry shortcake which had pieces of strawberry mixed into cheesecake ice cream, in a waffle bowl.<br />Prices vary, but you're looking at about $5+ for your own combination. It's a bit steep if you ask me for ice cream and chocolate or nuts, especially if you're looking at around $3 a scoop for Baskin Robbins or Laura Secord. But on the otherhand you're paying for the experience of someone mixing your ice cream infront of you, and their flavours are ones you may not find elsewhere. But still, this is definitely only a once in a while thing, not a nightly dessert affair.<br /><br />So all in all, rare flavours, fair prices, great experience. Expect a bigger head-rush though from the inflated prices. I'll give Cold Stone Creamery a 3.5/5, based mostly on high prices. I will reevaluate my rating once I have visited CSC's competition- Marble Slab up in Richmond Hill. Stay tuned.<br /><br />FYI- Cold Stone Creamery also sells ice cream cakes and even ice cream cupcakes, which you can customize yourself with 24 hours notice. This is a great idea, as ice cream cakes are all the rage these days. Keep in mind though the price tag is pretty steep- $30 for a small cake and $56 for a large- so make sure the birthday boy/girl is really worth it before you splurge.Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-67152549452704420952009-07-12T08:00:00.000-07:002009-07-17T03:23:07.567-07:00Culinary Recession<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfvJ7Ra8ewgMpatKqI5bUtNElE4gm07G50RRvAkLSgFSic5BXHh06vws6at_RPBmFA0N9ES4Ffq2Q5ExrFVlRkOE6NPiXYnQHZg2Rd1f-Qci9CLxyJZr_f67x1j4PCfW_oE8ikLP4Mmwy/s1600-h/burger.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359372324970616226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfvJ7Ra8ewgMpatKqI5bUtNElE4gm07G50RRvAkLSgFSic5BXHh06vws6at_RPBmFA0N9ES4Ffq2Q5ExrFVlRkOE6NPiXYnQHZg2Rd1f-Qci9CLxyJZr_f67x1j4PCfW_oE8ikLP4Mmwy/s320/burger.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Okay so its been about 7 months since i last blogged which is really sad to say....but this is mainly due to the facts:</div><br /><br /><div>a) saving for a wedding has "bruucksed my pockets" (i am broke)- so restauranting has declined</div><br /><br /><div>b) having a job with the government limits my internet access @ work- so blogging has declined<br /><br /></div><div>c) food trends are really pissing me off lately...like if i see the word "fusion" on a website, or "traditional" on a menu....its a bad scene- thus its been a 'culinary recession', so to speak</div><br /><div>So even though there has been a blogging hiatus...this does not mean that i have not been nibbling around t.o. still looking for gems. It was only a matter of time before I dined somewhere that just needed to be blogged. That time has come my friends.</div><br /><div>Enter CRAFT BURGER</div><br /><div>830 Yonge St (just north of Bloor) </div><br /><div><a href="http://www.craftburger.com/">http://www.craftburger.com/</a></div><br /><div></div><div>After a couple of hours of walking through yorkville with nothing purchased, we found ourselves quite peckish. Of course we stopped off for a few tasters samples at the new 'Cold Stone Creamery' (post to follow), but that wasn't doing it. We weighed our options and our minner budget and opted for something slight. We ended up infront of La Mexicana, which I had never been to but my fellow sont Neil had proclaimed "its not that good", in a Kramerish fashion. As we pondered whether to chance it or not we looked up and saw the sign that read 'Craft Burger'. My eyes lit up. I was still in awe that there was a place not called 'hero burger' but then again its downtown, where all the hidden gems get lots of love but no real exposure. In we went. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I love the concept that CB has adapted; it screams simplicity and authenticity, and paired together with a warehouse style decor and no frills approach, CB is great success! Inside you find about 30 seats, one side with individual couple tables in a long row, and in the front on long community table with wheely chairs. As you walk in there's an ordering station with a small drink fridge. Their menu is a huge blackboard with their few but perfected homemade burgers chalked up for display. There's a nice vibe inside CB also, with black painted walls and brick and concrete surroundings, this a small place but it seems bigger than it is. Jazz music plays in the background to set the mood. CB feels as though you are in the distillery district or the like. I like. The menu includes very few items- their original homemade 7oz burger topped in a few ways, like the cheeseburger or the 'spicy', which came with carmelized onions, and their spicy mayo. They also have the 'alternative' which is vegetarian, a lamb burger and a chicken burger, which is a huge breast on a bun. They also serve fries and onion rings, both handcut to perfection. That's basically it for the menu aside from some $4 bottle root beer that couldn't be worth it. $7.95 gets you a burger, fries/onion rings and a pop or water. That's a steal considering the freshness of the food compared to a $5.79 quarter pounder combo at good ol McD's (I still got love for you) that one wonders where the meat came from. Now let's talk presentation. So after ordering we decided to eat in so the server gave us a little stand with a numbered card on it to keep on our table so they could find us. This idea is great compared to Burrito Boyzs' shitty number system that doesn't work and is pretty unsanitary. After waiting for about 8 minutes (which is noted on the menu 'our items are all made fresh and take 8-10 minutes', which in the food industry means: if you're in a rush, f*ck off) our burgers arrived. Expecting a red basket with red and white checkered plastic grease covered parchment paper, we were pleasantly surprised to be handed a thin metal platter with a black piece of thick butcher's paper, with our massive burger and fries and rings on the side. </div><br /><div>Mmmmmm. We dove in. My burger was perfect, a nice puffy baked roll topped this thicket of a beef patty with just the right amount of sauce oozing out the side. My burger was a beautiful balance of bun and meat, with the proper amount of softened onions to provide a sweet kick. The spicy mayo layered a nice blanket (R.I.P. MJ) over the meat patty which must have been AAA ground beef as there was no filler, no chewy pieces, just beefy goodness. Sont's chicken burger lacked some sauce, but after trying mine he quickly snapped at the waitress to bring us some on the side, and I requested some pickles on the side. They obliged with no concern and we were quite content. The fries were like the fries one would get on a good day from the blue truck infront of Queens' Park, hand cut russets with the right amount of skin on each one, minus the truck's greasiness. The onion rings were amazing. Not those big ones that slither out the onion from the batter after the first bite is taken. The batter hugs the onion on each bite and provides superb crunch. "Best onion rings I've ever had" commented the Sont, which must have merit coming from someone who has been living in england for the last 3 years, he should know his way around some chippys. A convenient stand on the table provided us with the neccessary condiments, including malt and regular vinegars, s + p, and of course ketchup. In a proper squeezy bottle. Not like those bushy Heinz bottles that look fancy but are a bitch to wait for. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So I think its safe to say we thoroughly enjoyed our burgers and sides. Craft Burger embraced my #1 food philosophy that I wish more places would consider: do one thing well and do it right. Multi-tasking has not place in the food world. The fact that CB spends all its time and money into making exceptional burgers gives me the faith and trust that they know what they're doing. How easy would it have been for CB to throw on some more pretentious sides onto their menu to reach out to the 5% who want to 'skip the bun'? Very easy but CB simply says 'no no' to those who don't want a burger. So no salads, no wraps, no low fat mayo, no b.s. Just how it should be. Instead of accommodating the rare person CB just stuck with what they do best, and basically tell people that if you try to order a salad: "Nuthing is coming. Nuthing!" </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>For my overall rating I think Craft Burger exceeded all my preconceived notions of 'another burger joint' by adding a little 'BAM' to a rather conventional concept. It can almost be considered upscale to a degree without the snooty people and prices. Their no frills approach to burger making involves few but intense, bold flavours that accentuate rather than hinder the burger itself. Its so easy in today's restaurant world to throw in a splash of truffle oil or use the word 'kobe beef' out of context, to the point where the paying customer is consumed by these words and falls for this trickery. And CB could have done that too, and charged an extra $4-5 and sadly we would fall for it. But I guess since it is located on the outskirts of yorkville and not directly on Cumberland St., CB stayed true to itself and to its customers and gave us the real deal. There's something to be said about a place that doesn't overcharge- it shows dedication to their customers who will come back more often than not. It also shows they are there for the love of food rather than trying to make a quick buck on us innocent carnivores.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>5 stars for Craft Burger for an authentic, traditional, and delicious burger. Y'all come back reaaaaaaaaaal soon.</div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-88962717141125542122008-11-11T15:14:00.000-08:002008-11-11T17:05:16.260-08:00Mighty Taco- Don't Believe the Hype!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnagmjmrG3xn0bIaxgT5HmYBosrzVeiar0mCMOlxhOow5Lf4PrqIDVh06RoI67oWOzucRSrm0PBYZTZ-cwdJoTegJ0GPn87TRxxzrfjy3S-voMDo_dvpJy-IfU5fp8myCEFX6dtCi-L_4/s1600-h/Mighty_Taco_Logo_RGB.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267548598656116482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 224px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnagmjmrG3xn0bIaxgT5HmYBosrzVeiar0mCMOlxhOow5Lf4PrqIDVh06RoI67oWOzucRSrm0PBYZTZ-cwdJoTegJ0GPn87TRxxzrfjy3S-voMDo_dvpJy-IfU5fp8myCEFX6dtCi-L_4/s320/Mighty_Taco_Logo_RGB.jpg" border="0" /></a> Mighty Taco - somewhere in Beautiful Buffalo<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mightytaco.com/">http://www.mightytaco.com/</a><br /><br />Okay this will be short and sweet. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Actually</span> not really sweet at all, but maybe sour?<br /><br />On a recent trip with a fellow foodie, let's call him <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Squince</span>, 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 iP<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hones</span> 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.<br /><br />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 <em>'feel for what the people eat'</em> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Squince</span> blurts out as he is known to do on occasion "I Want Mighty Taco!". And that's how we ended up there.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />With 3 <em>Berthas</em> 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.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Jimbo, Billy-Bob</span> and Betty were scarfing down:<br /><br /><em>- El <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Nino</span> Burrito:1/2 Pound Taco Beef, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes in an extra large flour </em><br /><em>tortilla</em><br /><em>- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Roastito</span>- Chicken Breast or Steak in a large or small tortilla with roasted peppers & onions and sharp cheddar cheese</em><br /><em>- 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</em><br /><em></em><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Mmmm</span>...<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Tacos were standard, nothing really to write home about. Everything I had expected- soggy, meaty (not sure what <em>kind</em> of meat it was), and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">cheesy</span>. 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Mighty's</span>, which I have no idea what their grading is, if any at all.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />So next time you're in New York State, and have the hankering for a heart attack, visit good <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">ol</span>' Mighty Taco, and I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">guarantee</span> you'll be satisfied.<br /><br />All my faith has been lost for my friend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Squince</span>...Redemption is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">necessary</span>.Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-40490908344918692862008-10-17T16:37:00.000-07:002008-10-17T18:56:01.015-07:00La Sandwicherie- My Miami Mon Cherie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-CyeRmzuX03T3GvBqyXzm0TiFQtZHX9FXiEU9raiBNFW19xN8dl-rjRugF0TutTz-FSmqIUDbfxviHjUZV0YUay1Ndqh-o0gQhfnRk2Wgf-maq6JmePdYZTB7ZtwYxGPeE7mHBbzt9dp/s1600-h/lasandwicherie-photo01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258273400668604914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="196" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-CyeRmzuX03T3GvBqyXzm0TiFQtZHX9FXiEU9raiBNFW19xN8dl-rjRugF0TutTz-FSmqIUDbfxviHjUZV0YUay1Ndqh-o0gQhfnRk2Wgf-maq6JmePdYZTB7ZtwYxGPeE7mHBbzt9dp/s320/lasandwicherie-photo01.jpg" width="298" border="0" /></a> La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sandwicherie</span>- 229 14<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> Street - Miami Beach, FL <a href="http://www.lasandwicherie.com/">http://www.lasandwicherie.com/</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It's been a while since I've blogged here on 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">thStar</span>, mainly because - 1) I'm broke, and 2) some things are just not worth writing home about...As my pops always says.<br />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.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">guaranteed</span> to be better than it is here.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />One of the few spots we make it a point to visit when at the South Beach is La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Sandwicherie</span>. 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">actually</span> 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.<br />(Note- don't sit between the Rainbow flags, unless you want to get <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Cuthied</span> </em>by the you-know-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">whos</span>- not pleasant).<br /><br />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 (<em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ughh</span></em>) 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">croissant</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">fav</span> the Chicken Salad.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">thru</span> the sandwich...It's just that good. And of course can't forget the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">cornichons</span>- or pickles to those who don't know. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Cornichons</span> are another French delicacy (?), which are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">mini</span> pickles that are infused in garlic brine and just <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Divine</span>. Make sure you get some of those to go to because they'll be gone before you know it.<br /><br />LS also offers BIG salads, which I have yet to try but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">have</span> 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-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">conscious</span> extras such as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Echinacea</span>, Ginseng or Bee Pollen (?), if you're feeling for that extra kick.<br /><br />All in all, a trip to South Beach is never complete without visiting either La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Sandwicherie</span> or Pizza <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Rustica</span> (blog to follow).<br /><br />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, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">cornichons</span>) that just top off the whole experience in more ways than one.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">someones</span> attention as the bar can be crowded at times, service is quick and always willing to meet any requests we had.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />In a culinary-saturated market like Miami, let alone South Beach itself, there are many places from 1st Ave to 19<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">th</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">uber</span>-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.<br /><br />La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Sandwicherie</span>, on the other hand, is in a prime spot, gives great value and superb quality, at a reasonable price.<br /><br />In the end, I rate La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Sandwicherie</span> at 4.5 stars out of 5, and recommend them to any and everyone who is in the South Beach area.<br /><br />Sorry La <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Sandwicherie</span> if I steal your idea up here in Canada...Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-15360235651537947262008-08-04T17:56:00.000-07:002008-08-11T19:56:46.691-07:00Best. Steak. Ever.<a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1314/1317640675_abc2121cea.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1314/1317640675_abc2121cea.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ruth's Chris Steak House- 145 Richmond Street West<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> (<a href="http://www.ruthschris-toronto.com/">http://www.ruthschris-toronto.com/</a><br /><br />Marry me Ruth.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Yeah.<br /><br />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, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">taste buds</span> and stomach have all been harassing me since.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Their dining room resembles a large, dim lit banquet hall, with high back chairs, large tables and linens without a crease in them. We <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">definitely</span> felt special as we walked to out table. Ruth gives that ambiance of a very upscale establishment, with many rooms, and a nicely <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">decored</span> bar with a huge <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">flat screen</span> 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />On to the food.<br /><br />We decided to order some apps to start, each couple sharing a salad. We ordered the House Caesar, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Caprese</span>, 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.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ribeye</span>, which is basically the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">ribeye</span> 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 <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Barbarians</span>,</em> our steaks were also served naked, but literally naked. Just meat on the plate. Although <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Barbarians</span>' 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">boringness</span>... Ruth did not even offer any sauces, much to the dismay to one of our diners, but honestly, no sauce was needed. <em>(Editor's note- as per their website, Ruth does offer a sauce: Au <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Poivre</span> Sauce- which is a Brandy Pepper Sauce, for a mere $2.95)</em> The butter topped on my steak created a rich, crispy coating to a perfectly cooked steak. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">doneness</span> of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Ribeye</span> was perfection to a T, crispy on the outside and slightly pink on the inside... I was in heaven.<br /><br /><br /><p>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.<br /></p><p>We decided to order a bunch of sides to share, and we got the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">sauteed</span> mushrooms, creamed spinach, potatoes <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Au</span> 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.</p><p>On to dessert. Again, the share-age had to be done. This time we went for each realm of the sweet spectrum, including:</p><p>Chocolate Sin Cake- Espresso and Chocolate, not really '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">cakey</span>'...This I didn't enjoy too much, not really my cup of tea...</p><p>Caramelized Banana Cream Pie- White chocolate Banana custard on a flaky crust- the crust was not so flaky but the banana <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">custy</span> was divine...</p><p>Homemade Cheesecake...absolutely divine...How a cheesecake should be...</p><p>And my personal Piece <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">de</span> Resistance- Creme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Brulee</span>...I have never had a creme <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">brulee</span> like this before, and usually I'm not too big a fan of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">brulee's</span>, but this one was heavenly. Sorry guys but I dealt with this before anyone else could have a taste...</p><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Okay</span> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Service was second to none, overly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">accommodating</span> server, generous and helpful, not to mention friendly and approachable. </p><p>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.</p><p>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. </p><p>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.</p><p><em>FYI- Check out their website for some great tips on steaks, recipes and general knowledge every diner should know about</em>...</p><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p></p>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-60839148177750013272008-08-04T17:34:00.000-07:002008-08-04T17:56:31.536-07:00Worst. Steak. Ever.The Keg: East Beaver Creek Rd (Highway 7 & Leslie)<br /><br />This place sucks. Please don't go there!Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-69987760790286479182008-07-22T16:15:00.000-07:002008-12-10T23:38:06.115-08:005th Element...Meet 5th Star<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqFya-Svr96_amA2kEj39-7Nq7z4jJccLsD_5kXg_Eo7SnlHQ74fYC_QhgMy8HiUL24-2UA1xbfQ6dKVf07R1K7RYMj2Q304ggIyAs-N2v2kZpmUhFqNIjnBcGY80riJ9gGXP5ip3powl/s1600-h/DSC_0060.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225982337202355858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqFya-Svr96_amA2kEj39-7Nq7z4jJccLsD_5kXg_Eo7SnlHQ74fYC_QhgMy8HiUL24-2UA1xbfQ6dKVf07R1K7RYMj2Q304ggIyAs-N2v2kZpmUhFqNIjnBcGY80riJ9gGXP5ip3powl/s320/DSC_0060.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>"The act of eating at it's minimal is basic for survival, at it's best can be a blissful experience"</div><br /><br /><div><em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Vijay</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Karunmuchi</span></span></span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Restaurateur</span></em></div><br /><br /><div><em><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span></em></div><br /><br /><div><em><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span></em></div><br /><br /><p>5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Elementt</span></span>- 1033 Bay St. <a href="http://www.5thelementt.com/">http://www.5thelementt.com/</a></p><br /><p></p><br /><p>Judging by the words from their homepage, the owners of 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">th</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Elementt</span></span> really do bring all elements to the table. Literally.</p><br /><p>I've been wanting to dine at 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Elementt</span></span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Summerlicious</span></span> and all (sponsored by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">AMEX</span></span>), this fit perfectly as 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">th</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Elementt</span></span> was a participant, and helped in our search for an affordable, upscale restaurant.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>Upon arrival, I really liked what I saw. 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">th</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Elementt</span></span> 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.</p><br /><p>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. </p><br /><p>For a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">summerlicious</span></span> menu, they had some great options. The last time we went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Winterlicious</span></span>, <em>see Waitress Makeover,</em> we only had 3 options per course<em>.</em> 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">th</span></span> Element on the other hand, gave us a choice of 5 apps, 5 mains, and 2 desserts. Nice.</p><br /><p>To start we all received an <em>amuse- </em>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.</p><br /><p>Some things we ordered:</p><br /><p>Tandoori Shrimp w/ South African Pepper Salsa</p><br /><p>Salmon Wrapped Sea Scallops w/ Onion Relish</p><br /><p>Grilled Fuji Apple and Mango Salad w/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Masala</span></span> Dressing and Crumbled Feta</p><br /><p>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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Masala</span></span> dressing was light and not overpowering at all.</p><br /><p>It was interesting to taste these bold flavours that seem overwhelming but actually were quite subtle.</p><br /><p>On to the mains:</p><br /><p>Grilled Atlantic Salmon w/ mustard sauce with Pilaf Rice (pictured above)</p><br /><p>Blackened NY Strip w/ mashed potato and Shallot <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Demi</span></span>-glace</p><br /><p>Cilantro Rubbed Chicken w/ Butter Chicken Sauce</p><br /><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Lamb</span> Shank <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Roganjosh</span></span></p><br /><p>I had the Chicken, which was divine. The butter chicken sauce was thick, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">pungent</span></span> and boasting India all over it. The chicken was moist and succulent. </p><br /><p>The salmon was very nice, the Mustard sauce was a Bengali influence, and had curry hints with a hint of spice. </p><br /><p>The lamb <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Roganjosh</span></span> was tart, with a nice tomato based sauce. The Lamb literally fell off the bone, or shank, for that matter.</p><br /><p>The steak was okay, didn't have too much Indian to it, but was still cooked well.</p><br /><p>The portion sizes were great, filling, and there was no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">chincing</span></span> going on, as you would expect for a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Summerlicious</span></span> menu.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>Dessert came in two options, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Tiramisu</span></span> with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Raspberry</span></span> drizzle, and Peach and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Lychee</span></span> Mousse with Kiwi-lime sauce. Both desserts were amazing. Mouth watering, light, and fulfilling. A perfect way to end a perfect meal.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>The service was impeccable, very <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">accommodating</span></span> 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. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Aww</span></span>. Touching.</p><br /><p>All in all 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">th</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Elementt</span></span> deserves 5 stars for exceeding our outcomes in Price, Food, Service, and Decor.</p><br /><p>I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">definitely</span></span> recommend this restaurant to anyone in the mood for some Indian fusion with a modern twist. And I definitely will be back there myself.</p><br /><p>So far if you're keeping score, we're 1-1 in restaurants that have numbers in them.</p><p>Six Steps can learn a thing or two from 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">th</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Elementt</span>.</p>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-17383848405078356702008-06-30T18:54:00.000-07:002008-12-10T23:38:06.178-08:00The Legend Of Asia<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1MOpeX7MJuE4cBywweTNhTTgnDp1HDHCrMJhPRA8Y5w3vkcRXYxvavwXP7kzH6eQVjhUku34nBp2MPOqcZ5Wlrcj-xiB1it1Z9ukgQ4T1JvgTFpLZRHiyzZdad3LW_kJfE7DveTuxoPh/s1600-h/com_p0103.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225661298023493074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1MOpeX7MJuE4cBywweTNhTTgnDp1HDHCrMJhPRA8Y5w3vkcRXYxvavwXP7kzH6eQVjhUku34nBp2MPOqcZ5Wlrcj-xiB1it1Z9ukgQ4T1JvgTFpLZRHiyzZdad3LW_kJfE7DveTuxoPh/s320/com_p0103.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Asian Legend- Metro Square (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Steeles</span> + Warden) <a href="http://www.asianlegend.ca/">http://www.asianlegend.ca/</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Okay, so being a little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">disappointed</span> that a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PHO</span> place closes at 930 (go figure), we were re-routed to Asian Legend. I was not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">disappointed</span>.<br /><br />We've been meaning to hit up this place <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PHO</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">VIET</span> with our one and only token <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Viet</span>- 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Kien</span> but you're a Keener).<br /><br /><br />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:<br /><br /><em>In 1988 the first Asian Legend opened its doors on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Dundas</span> 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.</em><br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">website's</span> intro:<br /><br /><em>"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.</em> "<br /><br />I like what I hear. Now on to the rest of the experience.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Steeles</span>, you have to actually venture into the back entrance to see the establishments. Amongst a few bubble tea houses, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">PHO</span> 66, and a bunch of restaurants, sits ASIAN LEGEND, a quaint but well <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">decor'd</span> eatery.<br /><br />This place has a lot of crisp, well defined lines, sharp angles and bold colours. Nothing too outlandish or extreme. A very calm, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">feng</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">shui</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ish</span> feel, with cool and warm colours dispersed evenly throughout<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Luckily for our resident Asian speaking counterpart <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Winse</span>, 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />So we ordered an array of different dishes, including:<br /><br />Hot-and-Sour Soup<br />General Tao Chicken<br />Beef Short-Rib Noodle/soup<br />Sauteed Eggplant<br /><br />Shanghai Noodle w/Shrimp<br />Fried Rice<br /><p>To start, we obviously went for the Hot and Sour. As I always say, no one can beat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Spadina</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">spiciness</span> was just perfect. Great start.</p><br /><br /><p>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.</p><br /><br /><p>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 <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Itis</span></em> and <em>forced <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">tutlets</span></em>.</p><p>The General Tao Chicken was nice and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">spicy</span>, 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.</p><p>So <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">food-wise</span>, everything was great. </p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Other than that I would put this restaurant up at the top of my Asian List. They did well in all aspects and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">definitely</span> deserve a second visit.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">COTL</span> their website for a full menu, and it is quite extensive. You can even sign up for a VIP pass! Killer.</p><p></p><p>Overall rating:</p><p>3.5 Stars out of 5</p><p></p><p>It's Nice. I like.</p>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-781727055588885302008-05-29T17:49:00.000-07:002008-05-29T17:51:21.482-07:00New Website Launched! COTL:<a href="http://www.gourmetrecipedia.blogspot.com/">www.gourmetrecipedia.blogspot.com</a><br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Your Resident ChefCulinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-78178209165266768642008-05-26T19:13:00.000-07:002008-07-09T18:06:58.257-07:00Volare: Windy City Done RightNever judge a book by its cover, or a restaurant by its website.<br /><br /><p><br /></p><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Volare</span></span> Restaurant- Chicago <a href="http://www.volarerestaurant.com/">http://www.volarerestaurant.com/</a><br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br /><br />Queue <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">VOLARE</span></span>- an almost hole-in-the-wall-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ish</span></span> type place, was quite close to our hotel located in the downtown district, that we didn't even need a cab.<br /><br /><p>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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">any one's</span> recommendations, I just go in hoping for the best. And for the most part- I still get let down. <em>Apparently</em>- I'm a very picky eater, according to my girlfriend.</p><br /><p>For the record, I'm not a picky eater at all- I just hate when restaurants cut corners and think we don't know. <em>Oh, we know</em>.</p><br /><p>Okay back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Volare</span></span>. 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">waaaaay</span></span> off. This place really surprised us.<br /></p><p>Upon <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">entrance</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Volare's</span></span> make-shift patio. This was an interesting concept. So we traveled to a nice, quaint- and by quaint I mean <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">minner</span></span>, 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.</p><br /><p>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. </p><br /><p>Our waitress was nice and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">knowledgeable</span></span>, 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">up selling</span></span> us on a softball-team size order of Calamari, that apparently only feeds 3-4...We were also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">up sold</span></span> on 2 bottles of wine. Yes, we ordered two of the same bottles of wine for some reason...</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">exhumed</span></span> Italy in my mouth, and I was very excite. The balance of seasoning, fresh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">parsley</span></span> 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.</p><br /><p>I think <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">every one's</span></span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">definitely</span></span> Italian style. Other meals consumed included:</p><br /><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Penne</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Arrabiatta</span></span>: Spicy Vodka sauce- I should have got that it was damn good</p><br /><p><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Fettucine</span></span> with Pesto: Also very good.</p><br /><p>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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">definitely</span></span> recommend this place to anyone heading to Chi-town.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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.</p><br /><p>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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Volare</span></span> 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.<br /><br />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.</p><br /><p>Ciao.</p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p><br /></p>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-17689380584850243232008-05-22T19:19:00.000-07:002008-05-26T17:17:47.074-07:00Tips: Drive Thru Edition<a href="http://people.csail.mit.edu/kbakshi/FunnyCartoons/Mcdonalds.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://people.csail.mit.edu/kbakshi/FunnyCartoons/Mcdonalds.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>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.</div><br /><div>Okay, so first things first...</div><br /><div>If you're like me, you need to have fresh fries. Not only fresh, <em>but froosh.</em> McDonald's is notorious for having the best fries, yet also notorious for have the worst fries if they're not fresh.</div><br /><div>Best thing to do to ensure the freshest fries is:</div><br /><div>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.</div><br /><div>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.</div><br /><div>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.</div><br /><br /><p>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:<br /></p><p>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 <em>should</em> hook up a sauce. Now in the event that they are being <em>toite-</em> 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!<br /></p><p><em>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.</em></p><br /><p>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.</p><p><br />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.</p><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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:<br /><br />1- straw, napkin, sauce<br />2- correct burger/sammich<br />3- unspilled fries- 'fry check'- have one fry before you drive away...if its even smei-cold, send it back<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />I hope these tips will enable you a better Drive-thru experience next time you find yourself meandering into the realm of fast food.<br /><br />One last thing:<br />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...<br /><br />Tell them Alz sent you.Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-69634270178685029392008-04-28T15:56:00.000-07:002008-05-10T16:34:25.529-07:00The Ultimate Food Battle: DRIVE-THRU: Part 1I'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.<br /><br />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 <em>really</em> goes on back there, and most importantly, what <em>shouldn't</em>. 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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).<br /><br /><br />Burger King (aka- B-Kguy): Kennedy/Denison<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />The <em>sont </em>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.<br /><br />We ordered:<br /><br />1 Spicy Chicken Combo, with KING size fries, reg diet coke<br />1 Jr. Whopper<br />1 6-Pc Chicken Fries<br />1 Reg Chocolate Shake<br /><br />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, <em>big tings</em>.<br /><br />Our total came to about $12, which is decent for 2 people...<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><p>We got home and ate our food about 10 minutes later. Let's just say, the food would have tasted great if we were <em>thullied</em>, 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. </p><p><br />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-<em>baby (you will be missed, swirsk)</em> 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.<br /></p><p>At least the Diet Coke was good.<br /></p><p>All in all, I'll rate our experience at about 2.5/5.<br /></p><p><span style="color:#cc0000;">Service</span> was not good at all. Quick, but that's about it. And speed is only HALF the battle.</p><br /><p><span style="color:#3366ff;">Price</span> was decent, can't really do much on the price as this is usually a standard.<br /></p><p><span style="color:#009900;">Food</span> was bush. How much can one really expect from a Drvie-Thru? Not a whole lot apparently.</p><p><span style="color:#993399;">Decor</span> was Great...Love the view of the garbage can whilst turning the bend to get to the pickup window. Classy.</p><p>Overall: 1.5 STARS out of 5</p><p>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.<br /><br /></p>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-56872738916558445352008-04-21T16:37:00.000-07:002008-04-30T15:44:04.587-07:00Thuet? Ferme La Bush<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Thuet</span>- 609 King St. W (<a href="http://www.thuet.ca/">http://www.thuet.ca/</a>)<br /><br />Picture it: France, 1968...<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Psychedelic</span> notions of Acid binges meets Ontario Cottage Country meets artsy sculpture-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">esque</span> fine-dining, napkin-for-the-corner-of-your-mouth-type setting. Yeah, I know. Huh? you ask...Exactly. Meet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Thuet</span>, one of Toronto's up-and-coming high end popular French Restaurants in the downtown core, with chef/artist/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">juxstaposer</span> Marc <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Thuet</span> leading the way. This place is not for the weak at heart, or stomach for that matter...Be warned.<br /><br />After reading <em>Now Magazine's</em> restaurant issue, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Thuet</span> was plastered on the cover with their signature <em>Steak <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Frites</span></em>...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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Trattoria</span>. So let's French it up.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Thuet</span>, located near the likes of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Susur</span>, Lee and Tangerine Lounge, in the trendy King West district.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Thuet</span> 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 <em>"shit, is this the type of place that frowns upon jackets-on-the-back-of-chairs?"</em> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Thuet</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">buddah</span> heads housed in the corners of the dining room. Not to mention very detailed and kind of scary abstract paintings-done by Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Thuet</span> himself, housed on the walls in the background.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Thuet</span>, 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.<br /><br />The menu's were neatly leather bound, but one problem- <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">every thing's</span> 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:<br /><br /><em>Line caught <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">loup</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">mer</span> studded with a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">duxelle</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">soubise</span>, quail egg <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">agnolotti</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">ragoût</span> of spring leek, Ox-eye Daisy caper + white berry froth</em><br /><br />Yeah.<br /><br />So what's that exactly? is what we asked our server, repeatedly. I mean sure, everything sounds better <em>en <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Francais</span></em>, 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 <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Porcelet</span>,</em> as the French call it.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Our server was very friendly and informative, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">in fact</span> 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.<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">frites</span>. Other apps order were:<br /><br /><br /><em>Mennonite spring lamb <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">tartare</span>, chef’s raw sheep milk cheese, preserved black truffle vinaigrette, egg yolk drizzle 13$-</em> Never seen Lamb tartar before<em>,</em> not something I would order, but it was still composed very well, and had many different elements that all were tasty.<br /><br /><em>Hand cut organic <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">parpadelle</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">ragoût</span> of Perth County rabbit, whelk, tarragon shoot emulsion 14$</em>- Can never go wrong with fresh pasta, not too keen on the rabbit, but still I think this was one of the best dishes we sampled.<br /><br />Very interesting combinations, which were tasty to say the least. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Definite</span> care and precision was taken in preparation for these meals, maybe a little over the top for us personally, but still good nonetheless.<br /><br />For the mains, we ordered:<br /><br /><em>Medallion of Deer Valley Farm organic red deer, almond crust, fig <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">confit</span>, Northern Quebec dog rose + <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">cloudberry</span> coulis 25$-</em> 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...<br /><br /><em>Milk fed Perth County <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">porcelet</span>, potato and fennel coulis, parsley <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">purée</span>, artichoke <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">ragoût</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">molet</span> crisp, star anise & pineapple essence 26$-</em> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Porcelet</span>, or baby pig, is quite the thing in French cuisine, apparently. I didn't try this one but heard it was alright, nothing crazy.<br /><br /><em>Just a little wind of charcoal cooked B.C. organic salmon house made <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">kefir</span>, organic shoots, warm pickled vegetables, pine needles 28$</em><br /><br />Okay, so for this meal, presentation was at a 10, for about 1 minute...<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">minner</span> grill and placed it on the diner's plate. Unfortunately, the salmon was looking a bit on the <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Tartare</span></em>-side. I lie, it was a lot on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">tartare</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">shashimi</span>. When they brought it back it was decent, no complaints...The pickled vegetables were different, to say the least.<br /><br />I ordered exactly what I came for, the only thing that was normal and not too <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">extravagantly</span> listed on the menu, Steak and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Frites</span>, was great. This was a flank steak, so not an extremely expensive or high-end cut of meat, but it was perfect. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">frites</span> 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.<br /><br />So let's score this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">badboy</span> up:<br /><br /><span style="color:#cc9933;">Decor: 3/5</span>- Very obtuse, odd, interesting at times, but still almost fancily scary. Too many different <em>tings a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">gwan</span>,</em> 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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Service: 4/5</span>- Very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">knowledgeable</span> 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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Food: 3.5/5</span>- Very good and Very not good. There were the good and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">bads</span> with this meal, unfortunately both extremes at the same time. My meal was great, but the others, not so much... The salmon fiasco was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">unnecessary</span>, and I still beg to differ than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Frenchies</span> 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 <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Thuet</span></em>. That being said, don't come here if you're the type that feels Kelsey's is out of the ordinary for you.<br /><br /><span style="color:#6600cc;">Price: 3/5</span>- 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. <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Thuet's</span> </em>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.<br /><br />So, as an experience, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Thuet</span> 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 <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Thuet</span></em>...just too much going on at once. That may have something to do with our <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">pre</span>-meal shenanigans, but I digress.<br /><br /><br /><br />Yet again, still searching for the Ultimate Eat, I leave you, stomach still grumbling...Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-55325958706923268962008-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:002008-04-19T13:57:13.761-07:00Moxie's Schmoxie's<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Moxra's</span> (East Beaver Creek)<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Then you get your food. You take a bite and realize what you're <em>really</em> 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?<br /><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Fazooli's</span>, Marlowe (no headgear allowed), <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NAVA</span> (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 (<em>don't eat there</em>), Destiny, Spices, and other no-name establishments I'm very hesitant to venture into.<br /><br />The name Moxie's is one that is known by everyone and loved by some. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Definitely</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">decent</span> apps, but when it comes to meals, 1/6 ain't that good.<br /><br />You're paying for atmosphere, and nothing else.<br /><br />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-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ish</span> feel, and a huge open-concept bar stocked with the one and only Appleton's Rum <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">definitely</span> is a plus for us. Their patio is contained and their waiting area boasts comfy leather couches. The attention to detail in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Moxies</span> 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.<br /><br />To start, we ordered a Sizzling Shrimp Skillet, and a Goat Cheese dip with toasted bread (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">naan</span>?). The dip was great, however there were not enough <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">dipables</span>. As for the Shrimp, they floated to us in a pool of butter, which made for a bit of an oily dip. Nothing spectacular.<br /><br />The speed was there for delivery of our apps, about 10 minutes after we ordered. Next, the mains...<br />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-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">frys</span> 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.<br /><br />We ordered:<br />2 10oz <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Striploins</span>- worst cut of meat I have ever had. Although the server was very careful to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">verify</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">pinkage</span> in the middle. But then again, you can't expect to get a good steak anywhere but a steakhouse. <em>They were warned. Imagine if they got the sirloin?</em><br /><em></em><br />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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">ricotta</span>, tasted like old, mashed up sock. Dry as hell, flavourless and just outright crappy.<br /><em>Should have gone with the tenders & fries, I think the server was trying to hint it.</em><br /><em></em><br />1 Beef <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Vindaloo</span> Curry- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Meh</span>. Why am I served a curry, on rice (sticky at that, not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">basmati</span>, and 1 clump) and then also given <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">naan</span> pieces? How much <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">carbs</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">some one's</span> leftover <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">striploin</span>. I wasn't really satisfied, but am I ever? <em>Shouldn't have trusted the recommendation!</em><br /><em></em><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />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.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Price wise</span>, everything on the menu was reasonable, the steaks being the most expensive, at 28.95 each. They should have cost 10.95.<br /><br />All in all, our experience was fair at best:<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Decor- 5/5</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Definitely</span> 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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff9900;">Food- 1/5</span>: Not good. 1.5/6 meals we ordered were <em>bushy,</em> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">shittily</span> <em>(word?).</em> 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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Service- 3.5/5</span>: 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 <em>how</em> they are preparing our food. Where's the love? I'm almost positive that Moxie's utilizes frozen, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">pre</span>-packaged goodness supplied from that of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">SYSCO</span> or some other second-tier supplier. Come on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Moxies</span>, at least use fresh produce, trust me, people can tell.<br /><br /><span style="color:#6633ff;">Price- 2.5/5</span>: Our total came to $240, <em>I know,</em> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">shithole</span> than vice <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">versa</span>. But that's just me.<br /><br />OVERALL: 2.5 <span style="color:#ff0000;">STARS </span>out of 5<br /><br /><br />Not much more I can say about Moxie's, but if they ever see me again, it'll <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">definitely</span> be just for drinks, and maybe, just maybe, an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">appy</span>. Good Day. <em>I said good day.</em>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-66315190383389189142008-04-05T15:44:00.000-07:002008-04-27T23:15:36.989-07:00Burrito Boys- Operation: RamRodThe Original Burrito Boyz- 120 Peter St. (<a href="http://www.burritoboyz.com/">http://www.burritoboyz.com/</a>)<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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, <em>Bunsy</em> (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).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <span style="color:#000000;">because</span> 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.<br /><br />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 '<em>don't puuuush</em>' 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 <em>right</em> numbers, as we didn't (16,17 = 18,19?).<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Once our number's were called, and after feeling like Jerry waiting for the last Cinnamon Bobka (<em>another Bobka</em>?), 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- <em>see blog to come</em>). He said go for the Halibut, and I complied. Good job, Winse.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <em>Beansity,</em> who had a slight kerfuffle with the server, proclaiming the beans were beef. She toooold him.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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, <em>but if you don't know, now you know</em>. 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 <span style="color:#000000;">local patty shops</span>. Try one out.<br /><br />And so,<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Service: 2/5</span>- 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.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">Decor: 2/5</span>- 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.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Food: 4.5/5</span> - 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.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#663366;">Price: 4.5/5</span>- 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 <em>anyday</em>...<br /><br /><br />OVERALL: 4.5 <span style="color:#00cccc;">STARS</span> out of 5<br /><br />When it comes to late night grubbage with an after-club stumblage, '<em>D' Nasir's Falafel</em> (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.Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-81309476196532504022008-03-29T11:46:00.000-07:002008-03-29T15:26:19.424-07:00Eat like a Barberian...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Barberian's</span> Steakhouse- 7 Elm St (<a href="http://www.barberians.com/">www.barberians.com</a>)<br /><br />Ever felt like wanting to go back in time...like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">waaaaay</span> back? I'm talking times of our fore fathers, pioneer times. Well <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Barberian's</span> is a place where you can <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">definately</span> do that. "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><em>Abringitback</em></span>" was the theme here, and I swear I felt like I was back in grade 3, on a class trip to Pioneer Village. <br /><br />Our quest for Toronto's greatest steakhouse found us on the doorstep of one <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Barberian's</span> 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><em>thullard</em></span> conversation. We wanted to explore a place with no frills, just good steak. And we got it alright.<br /><br />Firstly, this place is old school. A small, dim-lit place, takes you back in time. It's got that musty, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">dingy</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">creaky</span> 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.<br /><br />So this place is so small, even though they have 3 rooms, the acoustics were killing us. I felt like I was on '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">shrooms</span>, 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 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">versa</span>. 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, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Barberian's</span> 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.<br /><br />Now as I mentioned earlier, this place is stuck in the 1800's. <em>Just as a side-nugget: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Barberian's</span> Steakhouse was founded in 1959, and the owner, Harry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Barberian</span>, decided to use his restaurant to pay homage to Canada's heritage, thus an extensive collection of paintings, artifacts and memorabilia house the restaurant.</em> 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.<br /><br />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.<br />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.<br />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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /><br />The Rundown:<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Decor: 3/5</span>- 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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#3366ff;">Service: 3.5/5</span>- Nothing to complain about, aside from the spillage of the wine. Knowledgable and friendly staff is always a plus. Still <em>Very Traffic</em> between dining rooms.<br /><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">Food: 4.5/5</span>- 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.<br /><br /><span style="color:#6633ff;">Price: 3.5/5</span>- 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 <em>toite</em>. 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.<br /><br />Overall: <span style="color:#ff6600;">4 STARS out of 5</span><br /><br />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.<br /><br />Still, it's good to be a barberian once in a while, or Barbeera, as we like to call it. Sorry Jason. (<em>reference: Jason LaBarbera, LA Kings</em>)<br /><br />Definately bring your appetite...And you wallet...Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-2952693059002405452008-03-15T16:05:00.000-07:002008-03-20T00:45:21.269-07:00Makkah, Makkah, Makkah...Well Worth the Pilgramage<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Makkah</span></span> Restaurant- <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Danforth</span></span> & <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Donlands</span></span> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Greektown</span></span>)<br /><br /><br /><br />I don't frequent Indian restaurants too often...not only because I can eat this food at home, but for the most part most Indian places kill it with the oil/grease, and it does numbers on my system. After spending a weekend in Washington with buddy <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Kien</span></span>, I realized he is quite the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">connoisseur of culinary delights. His background is Asian, Vietnamese to be exact...And he recommended this place called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Makkah</span> for some serious Indian/Pakistani food. At first I thought, how would an Asian know an Indian spot? (Sorry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Kiener</span>), but really after conversing with him over random eats over the weekend (<em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Dennys</span>'</em>, <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Baja</span> Fresh, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">IHOP</span>, Phillip's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Crabshack</span></em>, etc...blogs to follow) I realized he knows his stuff when it comes to eats. So we entrusted him with exploring this spot, and boy did he live up to his word.</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">This place is not your run of the mill, take-your-family-to-meet-your-fiance's-family type sit down fancy restaurant. And I'm glad it isn't. I would call this a serious hole in the wall, yet my rule of thumb is always- '<em>holes in the walls' serve the best food, bar-none</em>.</span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Upon first impression, before we even got inside, I knew this place was ill. An open window reveals the front of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Makkah's</span> kitchen, with two huge Tandoori ovens right up in front, and the uncle, also known as <em>Chef</em>, or <em>Boss</em>, rolling out the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">naan</span> and slapping it into the inside of the huge oven. I'm sold. There's nothing like fresh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">naan</span>, and when I say fresh, I mean <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Frooosh</span>. No butter, oil or grease needed to keep it moist. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">naan</span> itself is worth the drive to <em>Acton</em> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Greekton</span>, to be exact).</span><br /><br />So we let <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Kien</span> do the ordering, since he knew best. Of course <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Winse</span> had to have his <em>samosa</em>, and since they were out of the <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">masala</span> shrimp</em> we fancied, we opted for <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">masala</span> fish</em>. We also (over)ordered:<br /><br />Chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Biryani</span><br />Beef <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Biryani</span><br />Butter Chicken X 2<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Naan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Kababs</span><br />Tandoori Chicken Wings<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Raita</span>, chutney and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">ambli</span><br />and ample <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Naan</span><br /><br /><br />Okay so we are chilling in the back area, posted up beside a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">huuuuuge</span> picture of, well, Mecca. The setting is very cafeteria-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">ish</span>, but its cool because that's just how it is. There are no expectations at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Makkah</span>, just good food. Soon we hear the <em>Boss </em>call out that our food is ready from the front. We all took turns passing the trays to our table, and someone brought out our basket of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">froosh</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">naan</span>. As we placed everything onto our table, it was a great spread. <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Ithinkweoverbought</span>!</em> was the general consensus<em>.</em> So we just went nuts, leaving no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">naan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">unripped</span>, no chicken <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">butther</span>-less, and nothing to take home, aside for some extra <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">biryani</span>. Between 5 of us, we went through it all, and it was amazing.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">naan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">kababs</span> were a treat, not too big and not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">minner</span>, the perfect size. Properly seasoned, although they looked like 'tuts' according to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Winse</span>. Still very good. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">masala</span> fish was exceptional, pan-fried perfectly with a nice crispiness on the outside, yet moist and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">flakey</span> on the inside. The were like little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Masala</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Mcnuggets</span>, with no 11-cent dipping sauce needed (screw you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Bamburgh</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">McDics</span>). The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">biryani</span> was flavourful, boasting nice even colour between rice and not overly saucy like the usual <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">auntys</span>' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">biryani</span>. This was almost dry, and very tasty. Topped with some fresh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">cori</span>, can't argue with that. The butter chicken was to die for...perfect balance of rich <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">tomatoey</span> goodness, not a lot of cream, but just enough, a little bit sweet....like they say in India, TOP NOTCH (head nodding from side to side). Tandoori chicken wings were nicely spicy, loaded with tandoori. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Sippi</span> would be proud. This is no run-of-the-mill Kelsey's chicken wing, that's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">fo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">sho</span>. Did I mention how good the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">naan</span> was? I think I did. We ordered 2 more baskets. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Nuff</span> said.<br /><br />Whats the TOE-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">TAL</span>?<br />So after a little game of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">RO</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">Lette</span>, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Winson</span> claiming that he was winning 649 this weekend, we got the bill. Actually <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">there's</span> no bill, you just pay on your way out. Our total was $78, including pops all around. Remember, they don't serve you so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">there;s</span> no tip. Bonus. I was personally shocked at how cheap it was. All the more reason to <em>Thank-You, Come Again</em>.<br /><br />An hour later I was still full, not running to the nearest facility, and felt in a good 'zone'. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">Pillowy</span> mounds of butter chicken were all I could think about...<br /><br /><br /><br />Overall scores:<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Decor- 2/5</span> Nothing fancy, almost an <em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">Indo</span>-chic</em> if you will......with enough accents of "back home" to make you feel welcome.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Service- 4/5</span> Very friendly, almost a help-yourself attitude which is cool, and very inviting. Casual at best.<br /><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">Food- 5/5</span> No need to say much more, first 5 on 5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">thstar</span><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Price- 4.5/5</span> Cheap cheap cheap, but no shortcuts taken...<br /><br />OVERALL- 4.5/5<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">Makkah</span> exudes that feeling of 'our food is so good we don't need to have proper washrooms', or even 'we're not here to make billions, we just want to make good food'. Well <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">Makkah</span>, congrats on a job, well done... There may have been some terrorist meetings going on beside us while we ate, and I don't think we even noticed...<br /><br />On a side-nugget: between the time we visited this place and the time I wrote this blog, I've already been back, and been even more satisfied. I ordered a few similar dishes, namely the butter chicken and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">biryani</span>, and needless to say, consistency is there. Now I know I can depend on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">Makkah</span> to link the same great food, daily.<br /><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected"></span>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-27196601858625154602008-03-09T23:14:00.000-07:002008-03-10T00:46:58.701-07:00Sotto Sotto...Oh So So-soSotto Sotto- Yorkville (Avenue + Bloor)<br /><br />Okay, enough with the heavily-recommended places. Next time someone suggests a place, we're NOT going there. Expectations run way too high, thus setting us up for disappointment... Although I gotta give it to Sotto, they are everything a proper "grotto" (definition to follow) wants to be and more...minus the blandularity. Lets extract this experience...<br /><br />Okay so if you've seen an episode of Sopranos, you know what a typical Italian restaurant should feel like. But this isn't your run of the mill Vessuvio's, where your family can dine side by side with mobsters SYL and Furio. This is more of a I-take-my-Guma(r?)-and-hide-out-here type of place.<br />After a quick reference from my good friend WiKi- a 'grotto' is defined as:<br /><em>(Italian grotta) is any type of natural or artificial </em><a title="Cave" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave"><em>cave</em></a><em> that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans.</em><br /><br /><em>Cave</em> you say? That's an understatement. I felt like a prized '65 Merlot hiding out in the depths of a Naples wine cellar, surrounded by darkness. Okay slight exaggeration but really, it was so dark that we had to double up our candles just to read the menus.<br /><br />Upon arrival Sotto Sotto feels like one of those places you go to to be seen, or to say you've eaten there because you are cool. The collage of famous peoples plastered in the entrance kind of displays that feeling...A certain 'you're sitting at the same table as Denzel and Jennifer Love Hewitt', so this place MUST be good. Celebrities don't eat at shitty places, right? Hmmm...<br />I like the feel of a restaurant underground...something about it gives off some charm. Maybe because I can't justify walking up Six Steps anymore. Open concept kitchen as you walk in shows some pride and confidence in a restaurant, and quite frankly the chefs can't hide behind any walls or doors. This is like a diner's security blanket. Always appreciate places that will cook somewhat in the open...They can be watched, you can see how fresh their produce is, and you know everything is done from scratch. Plus.<br /><br />Our dining room was toite. Meaning the sont of a busboy kept knocking me from behind each time he went to the other table. But this place is quaint so you can't really expect any elbowroom. Plus the tables were a fair size so I can't really complain. I liked the brick walls, inlay patterns and mini grotta caves (more so just cut-outs). Nice big window that showed us the snow-covered trees outside, also a nice touch. Very romantic.<br /><br />Considering we trekked through blizzardous conditions on Saturday to get downtown, our appetites awaited some serious Italian cuisine. I like variety, but Sotto takes it to a next level. A very extensive menu, can be a good thing and a bad thing. Good because you have ample choices, but bad because you can't decide. I personally prefer a place that concentrates on a few good items instead of offering the whole farm, but that's just me. Approximately 15 different apps, 10 salads, 15 pastas, 8 fish, 6 veal, and a few steaks and chickens...MARONE! Thats a lot to choose from. Then came the Specials...Now most places I know have 1 special app, 1 special pasta, etc...Okay Sotto had like 8 specials. Serious tings. More confusion.<br /><br />Our waiter was ill. Of course, his name was Tony (we called him TONE)...and he was not short on character. Singing while pouring our wine, making jokes with the ladies, you could tell he took pride in his job. But then again Italians are passionate about everything they do. I love it. He made this a good experience. Sometimes you go to a good place and the servers treat you like you've never eaten at a restaurant before. Tony made us feel like we reach this place daily. Although he forgot to bring us our requested spicy oil with our bread the first time around, he did hook us up with the 'special' olive tapenade after we dealt with the first round. This was a nice touch, 3 little nuggets of chillies in E.V.O.O, spicy olives, and a garlic mash for our breads. And I forgot to mention how they started us all off with complementary bruschetta (pronounced BRUS-KETTA, not BRU-SHETTA, sorry, just a pet peeve), before we even ordered.<br /><br />So far so good.<br /><br />Our apps arrived, including traditional Caesar salads- with slabs, literally, slabs of Parmesan on top...nothing too special. Special stuffed mushroom caps- meh. I had an arugola salad with pear and Gorgonzola with walnuts...tasty, except the gorg tasted like sock. Can't really describe it any other way, but cheesey sock. Usually from my personal experiences and schooling, and I'm no chef mind you, certain cheeses should : A) be crumbled on a salad, not one big brick, and B)tossed or marinated with the dressing, not just placed gingerly on the top. Da well what do I know? Although the combination of all 4 elements did go really well together, it still left a taste of foot in my mouth.<br /><br />After a serious delay, we received our mains. Here's a quick rundown of what we ordered and how it fared:<br />- Osso Buco (Veal shank)- tasted great, looked like <em>Ulti</em> (throw up)- Presentation was lacking, severely<br />- Fettuccine with Salmon- very good, mild sauce, pasta was froosh (fresh), nice balance of flavours<br />- Farfalle with anchovies, capers, lemon- little too 'fishy' smelling, light sauce, still decent<br />- Penne with asparagus, Rose sauce- really good...tasty sauce, thick but not too rich<br />- Mamma Laura's Bolognese with Penne- in a word, bland. No taste. Send Mamma Laura back to Bologna to get a lesson in Italian Gastronomy 101...Lesson 1- add SALT AND PEPPER! Come on Sotto, you can't fail on a house specialty. The base of every Italian Kitchen is their mother sauce- the Bolognese, also known as <em>ragu</em>. If this is lacking, you've got problems. Maybe Mamma Laura needs to tune into Food TV, channel 52 at 5:00pm, daily, for a little show I like to watch called Everyday Italian. Giada can teach her a thing or two. And she's hot.<br /><br />But I digress.<br /><br />ScoreCard:<br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Decor/ Atmosphere: 4/5</span>- Nice, quaint setup, a little dark, but still acceptable. Don't come here with a big party, as everyone will hear your conversations. Good place to people watch, as we dined next to one Donyell Marshall and Co, of ex-Raptor fame.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Service: 4.5/5</span>- No complaints, Tony was entertaining (maybe had some thullard), friendly and knowledgeable. Gave us a quick vocab lesson too. Front of house staff was accommodating and on the ball with the coat check. It's good to see servers really work and earn their tips.<br /><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">Food: 3.5/5</span>- A little disappointing, as 2/5 dishes were bushy. Apps were not the greatest. Bread was good. We have to give them the benefit of the doubt, as we only tried 5 items of like 132. So maybe we just picked the wrong ones. But the Bolognese-lack-of-salt is a big NO NO. Discouraging.<br /><br /><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Price: 3.5/5</span>- Our bill was $390 for 6 people, including 5 apps, 6 mains, and 2 bottles of Reisling, no dessert. Approx $65/person, including tip, is decent.<br /><br />Overall: 3.5 <span style="color:#3333ff;">STARS</span> out of 5<br />Sotto Sotto, the critically acclaimed hot spot, Zagat-approved 'authentic' Italian restaurant, would have Tony Soprano himself spinning in his grave (did he die or not?) if he ate here. He himself would dunk Arti Bucco's hand in the bushy ragu if he was the chef here. This place is more atmosphere/service than it is food, in my opinion. There were some really nice touches, don't get me wrong, but for the most part, I would say it was just good. Nothing to write a blog about.<br />I would eat here again, but in a few years. Note- they DID have really good mints. Fruity.<br /><br /><em>Preggo!</em>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-39806234521830799162008-02-15T10:35:00.000-08:002008-02-27T10:57:41.860-08:00In the Garden Of Eden...(The REAL Garden)Spadina Garden - Bay & Dundas<br /><br />The one and only...<br /><br />For all occasions, this Spadina's for you. They must know us by first name, as we are there, daily.<br /><br />Spadina Garden has recently renovated their restaurant, as their decor is elegant yet simple. This is not by any stretch a fine dining establishment, but at the same time it's no hole-in-the-wall. Subtle touches of lanterns and artwork give Spadina just enough ethnicity to feel Asian, but not overbearing. There is a private room on the side, that gives us enough space when we have large parties, and more importantly, when Winson lashes out obscenities we can somewhat contain him. We also saw minor-yet-regular-celebrity "funny guy" Russell Peters there with his family. Every brown person who knows food, knows Spadina is the spot.<br /><br />There's nothing better than being greeted by an Asian man in Hindi. Kiddah? Always recommending Singha beer, and taking down our orders in our native language. Character at Spadina Garden is in overdrive. It's great. Welcoming, friendly and warm are all signs of a place one would frequent.<br /><br /><br />Soup It Up<br />I'm such a fanatic of soups, you can call me the soup knotsy. My favourite one in particular, no, not plasticine shrimp bisque (see- <em>Waitress Makeover</em>), is Hot & Sour. I've had many a Hot & Sour soups in my day, and I make it a point to always try H & S at every Asian establishment possible (the ones I trust, that is). A good Hot & Sour soup can generally dictate the quality of the rest of the food in a restaurant. Since some/many Asian restaurants are known to be shady, and thus have a bad reputation, try the soup first. If its bush, leave immediately.<br /><br />It is in my Culinary opinion, that Spadina Garden makes the best Hot & Sour soup in Toronto.<br /><br />Whenever I'm downtown, which is quite often as our friends who live adjacent to Spadina, conveniently, always force us to "reach". Whenever I'm even remotely in the area, my tastebuds' radar start to salivate for Hot & Sour. Spadina has perfected their soup, as the owner states "There's two recipes, one is mine, and the other is my sister's". His sister's stuck.<br />The makings for a proper Hot & Sour are complex yet simple, but in this case, more is less. The proper combination of raw and cooked vegetables, the thickness, of course the right spiciness (sorry 40), are all key factors that make or break the soup. Spadina earns top marks as they exceed all categories, and their soup is phenomenal. Most times I will eat at least 3-4 bowls of soup before our meal, and I am truly satisfied to just eat soup.<br /><br /><br /><br />On top of their amazing soup, there is an array of famous dishes, 'staples' as we call them, that cannot go unordered.<br /><br />Here's the thing...don't be too adventurous, even though Spadina has a HUGE menu, and everything sounds great, a word of advice is to stick to your guns. Order what you know, and don't be too brave. Tried and true is always best, saving yourself from disappointment. Spadina's portions usually feed 3-4, so we usually all order one dish and run some share-age. That always works best. Our ordering method usually incorporates:<br /><br />1- Hot and Sour (a given)<br />2- Spring Rolls<br />3- 2-3 'staples'<br />4- 1 newbie<br /><br />This gives us the chance to come across a new found classic, and still does not ruin our meal if the newbie turns out bushy.<br /><br />A few of our usual 'staples':<br />- Chili Chicken (dry, saucy)<br />- Chicken w/ Hot peppers<br />- Crispy Ginger Beef<br />- Curried Shrimp<br />- Garlic/Spicy Eggplant (it's Bangin)<br />- Chili Paneer<br />- Shanghai Noodle<br /><p>A few 'not so much':</p><p>- Shanghai Beef- in a red sauce- nothing special</p><p>- House shrimp - way too much batter, shrimps are minimal</p><p>Spadina Garden comes into a class of it's own in my opinion, and shares the spotlight with the Top 3 Hakka establishments in Toronto- sharing company with the likes of China Cottage and Tangerine. These three definately put shame to places such as Lee's Wok, Lin Garden, etc...Maybe its because their food takes longer than 3 minutes to prepare...</p><p>All in all Spadina tops the market in the Hot and Sour Soup category by far- no contest. Their other dishes are great but at times can be hit or miss. Here's a tip, don't go after 9. If you see the chefs eating in the back corner, you know you've come too close to closing time, where food may be sub-par. Apparently at lunch you cannot get a table. Which means that's the best time to go.</p><p>Rating:</p><p><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Decor/ Atmosphere: 3.5/5</span> -There is something to be said about a simple, yet classy restaurant. One in which you don't feel overwhelmed but at the same time you're not eating on a brown paper table cloth. The walls are a bit sterile- white is not the best colour for a large square room in my opinion, but that's just me. Remember- you're here to eat, for the most part.</p><p><span style="color:#3366ff;">Service: 4/5</span> - Great friendly people make the service here top notch, except that one time where they didn't refill our water. Again, the later you go, the less you're gonna get. Go at decent times and you'll feel special. What I like the most is that the owners are also the workers/servers, giving you that extra touch of "I care". There's something to be said about the true owners who really put their all into their establishment. Kudos to that.</p><p><span style="color:#ff0000;">Food: 4.5/5</span> - The soup really gives Spadina that extra .5, but in general we are never really disappointed with their standards of food. Quick yet flavourful food is a sign of confidence you can trust. Their kitchen staff knows what they are doing. Again, don't stray too far from the usual suspects.</p><p><span style="color:#33cc00;">Price: 4/5</span>- Nothing is overpriced at Spadina, in fact, more so things are under priced. Usually $20 will get you a full meal including a drink and tip, which is decent in my book. Can't complain about that.</p><p>Overall: 4.5 <span style="color:#3366ff;">STARS</span> 5</p><p>Spadina, we love you. </p><p> </p>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-64786231628061410662008-02-11T13:00:00.000-08:002008-02-12T01:30:46.876-08:00The Keg? Its no Bonacini's, but...The Keg- Leslie & 401<br /><br /><br />After being re-routed from Oliver & Bonacini's to The Keg, I have to say I was really looking forward to something a little different. Let's be serious, everyone's been to The Keg, many a time. Steaks, yeah they have them, amply. Seeing that we're on a bit of a budget, we couldn't splurge on the likes of Hy's or Ruth Chris'.<br /><br /><br />So this Keg was newly renovated this summer, with the addition of a new large patio. I must say it looks nice inside. I have never been to this one before, but from what I remember from the Kegs' that I have been to, they all have a general theme to them; dark, musty (no pun intended), and somewhat cottage-ish. The last Keg I went to was the one in Markham on East Beaver Creek, and it was <em>bush</em>.<br /><br /><br />That being said I was really impressed with the large fireplace in the entrance, which is cylindrical in shape and can be enjoyed from all angles. Nice touch. The 'lounge' we were seated in housed comfortable and elegant low back leather chairs, and also had nice round leather booths with low tables. Flat screens in each corner were key as us guys needed to watch the Raps lose it in the end, while the girls oogled over tabloid mags (Carrie- ugh, who'd hit it?).<br /><br />Getting into the thick of things, service here was very good. Our waitress was on point, timely and courteous, not to mention very accomodating. This is something we haven't really been used to lately. So this was a nice surprise. In one instance, when members of our party had "gone to the car", our steaks had arrived. Noticing that the two weren't present, she quickly scooped up their steaks, and offered to keep them warm until they returned. Very nice, I like.<br /><br />On to the good stuff...We all ordered steaks, naturally. I had the New York Striploin Bone-In, which was fairly priced at 29.95, came with the standard baked potato and topped with some onion rings/crisps.<br />The steak was good, cooked perfectly, not a bad cut of meat for The Keg standards. But, lets not forget, the meat is always better on the bone. I ordered a side of sauteed mushrooms as my meal was lacking one element- a vegetable. And no, those onion thingies are not considered a vegetable. Especially since they were only crispy for 5 seconds. Then they became pure sog-ra, as they say. Aside from that the mushrooms were very nice, I assume a mild porcini lightly sauteed in olive oil (I would have preferred butter, but thats just me).<br /><br />We ordered a trio of vegetables since no meal came with any, and we got a mix of minner button mushrooms, 'spicy snowpeas' and green beans. This was blah. The 'spicy' was just a mix of plum, honey mustard and red-hot sauces. The mushrooms were just meh. Come on, Keg.<br /><br />One of our steaks was a bit salty, but it was a large cut of meat. Still, over-seasoning is a sign of poor grilling skills. Somebody ordered a steak with a side of garlic shrimp, which were massive, and had been cooked perfectly.<br /><br />Lastly, dessert. We opted for an ultimate brownie with ice cream and good 'ol creme brulee. Both were decent, but nothing spectacular. Yes they are both classics, but come on Keg, soup it up a bit. This isn't Kelseys. Or is it? Maybe the same owners. Apparently the orderer of the creme brulee said it tasted nothing like the one he had at Sotto Sotto...but he couldn't really taste anything since his tastebuds were absent due to some muddhiness (that's another review all together).<br /><br /><br />Scoresheet:<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Service: 4/5</span> - Top marks to the waitress who held it down, as my motto is "Good service makes the food taste better (most of the time)"- although come to think of it we didnt get any water until we were all dehydrated after dessert and had to ask for it<br /><div></div><div><span style="color:#ff0000;">Decor: 4/5</span> - Nice place for a party as it is HUGE, lots of space, not crowded between tables, nice bar area</div><div></div><br /><span style="color:#009900;">Food: 3.5/5</span> - Definately exceeded my expectations, and gave me new found hope for the Keg, aside for a few slight miscues<br /><br /><span style="color:#cc33cc;">Price: 3.5/5</span>- $300/6- including drinks, communal apps and dessert- pretty decent considering we all had steaks, at $50 a POP<br /><br />Overall Rating: 3.5 <span style="color:#6633ff;">STARS</span> out of 5<br /><div></div><div></div><div>All in all we had a good experience, a nice cozy place that was welcoming, had good service and pretty good food. Aside from a few culinary faux pas', I would definately reccommend and dine here again. Let's be honest- you can't always mission it downtown to have a good steak. Even though its "only 15 minutes away". Next time we are going to Bonacini's.</div><div></div>Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-49690269684964195412008-02-06T21:43:00.000-08:002008-02-06T23:49:48.146-08:00Thai One On...And One Sauce For All<blockquote></blockquote>Thai One On (Kennedy & 14th)<br /><br />There's been a lot of hype about this restaurant, and it's been a while since it came to Markham, so it was just a matter of time until we finally made it thru their doors. People have been raving about it, but that doesn't mean a thing until we've actually dined there.<br /><br />This place is small, and I mean shoebox small. Theres only about 8-10 tables, so quaint-ity is there. Not a problem, as some of the best food comes out of the smallest kitchens. Decor is simple, with a few random but still Thai-influenced touches. One thing that struck me was the TV in the top corner showing TVO. No wonder Navin recommended this place. I shared my table with Steve and a dude named Robert Reich.<br /><br />So my rule of thumb for all Asian restaurants is to judge the food by the apps. So naturally we ordered their Hot & Sour soup. As everyone that knows me knows, I'm obsessed with Hot & Sour soup. At the top of my list comes Spadina Garden's H & S, with everyone else's coming in at a distant second. But their's was not bad. Very Spicy. Even for me, and I love spice. Aside from that, taste, texture and heartiness was there. Good start.<br /><br />So we ordered 4 dishes, and 3 rices;<br /><br />Thai Basil Chicken:<br />Chicken with peppers, sauce was nice, but no Basil. Only one small leaf. And it wasn't Thai basil (which is Purple), it was just regular basil. No biggie, still a nice dish. Apparently, according to my sister, "Salad King's is better". I thought it was good.<br /><br />Thai Spicy Eggplant:<br />My personal Fav, even though the eggplant was a little over cooked (almost soupy), still had a nice base sauce (but was the same as the Basil Chicken), also with peppers. Not really spicy. Good call Navin.<br /><br />Beef Pad Thai:<br />Meh. Very nice presentation, interesting concept serving the Pad Thai in the middle, with portions of Bean Sprouts, Green Onion slivers, and crushed peanuts all around the periphery. Too bad the Pad Thai was blando. The beef was a bit tough and the sauce was nutty, almost too sweet.<br /><br />Shrimp with Lychee:<br />This one sounded so exotic on the menu that we had to go for it. Ithinkwemadeabigmistake! Over-battered scrimps made this dish very unappetizing. What can I say, I've been spoiled by China Cottage's house shrimp. Now nothing else will do. I think this dish was a good concept <em>in theory- </em>but its' execution was poorly developed. Canned lychees do not make for a good sauce. And you cannot sauce something that has been deep-fried, it negates the whole idea of deep-frying. The shrimps cannot be crispy when doused, it's just not gourmetically possible.<br /><br />Coconut Rice:<br />Very Sweet! This tasted like a dessert, like a Thai version of <em>Kheer (Indian rice pudding).</em> I wouldn't mind this after my meal, but not with it.<br /><br />Wild Rice w/ Peanut Sauce:<br />This was horrible. It was like a log of rice. We sent this one back.<br /><br />Jasmine Rice:<br />Just rice.<br /><br /><br />Star<em>dom:</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Service: 4/5</span>- Nothing to complain about, service was quick (we were the only ones there). Ample water- toppage.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Decor: 2.5/5</span>- Not too fancy, but not bushy either. Just right.<br /><br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">Food: 3/5</span>- Definately a large menu that needs to be explored a second time.<br /><br /><span style="color:#993399;">Price: 3/5</span>- Pretty decent considering how much food we got.<br /><br /><br />Overall: 3 <span style="color:#000099;">STARS</span> out of 5<br /><br /><br />Overall, their portions were large, which made for good value. We paid about $60 for 3 of us, no drinks, and ample leftovers. Food quality was good, and I would definately give this place a second chance. 2/4 good dishes means I'll be back. Service was good, the waitress was friendly and accommodating, and the place was clean. Nice minner diningware also.<br /><br />Sippi would love this place, as they "amply Sauce it UP". <br /><br /><em>Note: </em>You can not actually Thai One On at <em>Thai One On</em>, as they do not serve thullard. Go figure.Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708592118048210728.post-79403943811484849892008-01-27T12:44:00.000-08:002008-01-27T14:02:16.985-08:00Waitress Makeover?Six Steps Restaurant- 53-55 Colborne Street<br /><br />Okay, so it was Day 1 of Winterlicious 2008, and our reservations were for 6 at Six Steps Restaurant...None of us had been there before and had heard that it was on Restaurant Makeover (is that a good sign or bad?), so we decided to give it a shot. It was quite the experience. Let's just say this blog was supposed to start a while ago, and this place made me actually do it now.<br /><br />Decor:<br />This is a great space for a restaurant/lounge/bar. High ceilings, brick walls, big open space. Nice large windows and in a good area...Has a New York-ish feel to it. Yet I am still wondering why the tables are minners and our waitress kept bumping into us trying to get to the table behind us. Nice touch- large mirror over the open kitchen, to watch the chefs plating...too bad their plating was so blah there was nothing to see here. Walls were painted poorly and tables were full of unnecessary cutlery- which the waitress kept coming back to remove and replace. Why not wait till we order to give us the cutlery we need? I dunno.<br /><br /><div>We did get a great table though...right by the door:</div><div>- a nice view of all the people coming in and out</div><div>- a nice draft that came with the people coming in and out</div><div>- first dibs on coat check- bonus</div><div></div><br />Service:<br />In a nutshell- sucked. Our waitress had some serious attitude...<br />1) After ordering our second bottle of wine, she didn't show it to us and began to peel the foil- but by the time she came back we wanted a different bottle. She told us that she had already opened it and couldn't switch it now even though it was barely peeled and was<strong> her</strong> fault. After some continuous pleading she agreed to switch it up. Strike One.<br /><br />2) One of our members tried to order the Chicken Saltimbocca (chicken wrapped in ham) <em>sans</em> pork- not happening. Apparently dietary restrictions, allergies and personal preferences are not on the menu at Six Steps. The waitress told us that they could not make it without the ham, and they could not take the ham off it even after it was cooked. So basically they didn't give a shit about us and that's the way it was going to be. So he had to order off the regular menu. When he asked her why she was giving him attitude, she became so <em>astute</em> and defensive that it came off rather rude. Strike Two.<br /><br />3) After ordering the Shrimp Bisque, I found a piece of plastic in my mouth. Charming. Our friendly waitress was so quick to proclaim "it's just from the shell of the shrimp" like it happens all the time. Not to be a prude, but I'm a freaking chef, and I know what a shrimp shell looks, feels and tastes like. This was a sharp shard that easily could have cut my insides if I would have swallowed it. When the mid-aged Rico Suave Manager came he quickly dismissed the incident as if the waitress had 'warned' him that we were bad customers. He reassured that "oh, its just a piece from our containers that we keep our soup and stocks in". Like that makes it any better. So I get my $25 meal comped...big deal. This place really seems not to care much about their customers, or maybe they have better, non-ethnic, well paying customers that they give their good service to. Strike Three.<br /><br />Food:<br />APPS<br />- Nice balsamic/ olive oil dipper...too bad the Costco rolls were stale and hard as if they were frozen and then quickly defrosted- we're on to you...we know all the tricks<br />- Watermelon salad w/ feta and mint- although it was just chunks of watermelon and feta, was probably the best thing on their menu<br />- Shrimp Bisque- aside from the foreign object, flavours were there. A little too acidic to my liking, but still good.<br /><br />MAINS<br />- Chicken was still dry, even wrapped in the prosciutto. Fine, we know chicken breast is always dry...but then give us some damn sauce!<br />- Salmon was pretty good, although served skin side up for some reason....still not too sure why.<br />- Ricotta and spinach stuffed Crepe with Cheese sauce- again, flavours were there. The waitress did warn me that it was really cheesy...I should have listened. Not only was it over cheesy, it was like a cheesy time explosion on my plate. Way too much ricotta, not enough spinach for a thin crepe. The concept was good though, I'll give them that. But it was sooo cheesy that the crepe disintegrated. Not too mention it was doused in another cheese sauce that had a nice taste, but was chalky, like they didn't let all the flour dissolve in the roux, or they just used powdered cheese. Either way it was just okay.<br /><br />- Steak- Surprisingly tender for $34 striploin, but I think we just got lucky. Fries were the best part<br /><br />DESSERT<br />- Chocolate Semi-freddo- moussey/ice creamish dessert...with a boring berry compote...good flavour in the semi-freddo, yet the plate looked so boring, you just didn't want to eat it. Not to mention one of us got a kids' size portion (meaning half of what everyone else got). I got 6 mint leaves on the watermelon salad, you couldn't give us one to garnish the dessert? Come on chefs, basic principles here.<br /><br />Overall,<br />We were not impressed. Winterlicious came about after the business-killing of SARS...It's supposed to help bring people through your doors. It's supposed to promote your restaurant by offering an inexpensive yet creative menu for people who want to eat out yet not pay an arm and a leg. All in all as soon as those people (us) walk in your door, you need to do everything in your power to get us to come back. Not seem like you don't need us.<br /><br />Ratings (Out of 5):<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">Service- 1 / 5</span> Waitress was a bitch, owner didn't give a shit (too busy macking some cougars)<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">Decor/ Ambiance- 3 / 5</span> Some weird DOT theme going on...some like it, others Meh<br /><span style="color:#33cc00;">Food- 2 / 5</span> Nothing really 'Wow'd' us...everything seemed like it was pre-prepared, defrosted and re-heated. Presentation was lacking<br /><span style="color:#993399;">Price- 2 / 5</span> Minus my $25 comp, 4 winterlicious menus, one steak w/ no apps or dessert, 2 bottles of wine- $263<br /><br />Overall Rating- 1 <span style="color:#000099;">STAR</span> out of 5<br /><br />Sorry if we sound like snobs, but this place is bush. I won't eat here again. I can sacrifice service for great food, and vice versa. But this one had neither.<br />Ironically enough, the next day the episode of Restaurant Makeover was on the Food Channel in which they converted this restaurant Spinello into Six Steps. The two owners paid more money to be allowed to oversee the whole operation, and basically call the shots. By the end the designer and Igor had had it with these two sonts. I'm not surprised why this place is garbage.<br />Massimo was so taken by the head Chef's meals that he didn't have anything to improve. The food looked amazing. That chef is obviously not there anymore.<br /><br />This place is one of those "we look good from the outside and pretend to have a high class menu with fancy words but really we have no idea what we're doing" places.<br /><br />Strike Four, you're out.Culinarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04258150380491471140noreply@blogger.com4