Barberian's Steakhouse- 7 Elm St (www.barberians.com)
Ever felt like wanting to go back in time...like waaaaay back? I'm talking times of our fore fathers, pioneer times. Well Barberian's is a place where you can definately do that. "Abringitback" was the theme here, and I swear I felt like I was back in grade 3, on a class trip to Pioneer Village.
Our quest for Toronto's greatest steakhouse found us on the doorstep of one Barberian's Steakhouse, located on the famous Elm Street. Since our dining partners live right next door, this place has been mentioned to us in many a thullard conversation. We wanted to explore a place with no frills, just good steak. And we got it alright.
Firstly, this place is old school. A small, dim-lit place, takes you back in time. It's got that musty, dingy, creaky wooden floor-type atmosphere. Which is fine, since we're here for steaks and not much else. But the place is a bit outdated. But maybe that's the kind of feeling they are trying to portray. Who knows. Let's eat first then talk.
So this place is so small, even though they have 3 rooms, the acoustics were killing us. I felt like I was on 'shrooms, hearing 18 different conversations going on at once. The people dining beside became our new friends, since we were literally right up in their grill, and vice versa. Not to mention our table was angled right in the path that connected the two rooms...which made for multiple entrances by all the waiters and staff. Oh well, if you like an intimate dinner, Barberian's is for you. However when I say intimate, I mean with everyone else in the restaurant, not the person(s) you're with. We found ourselves literally yelling at each other, which kinda sucked.
Now as I mentioned earlier, this place is stuck in the 1800's. Just as a side-nugget: Barberian's Steakhouse was founded in 1959, and the owner, Harry Barberian, decided to use his restaurant to pay homage to Canada's heritage, thus an extensive collection of paintings, artifacts and memorabilia house the restaurant. This would explain the mass amount of muskets and rifles found on the walls, not to mention the large stuffed animal heads placed conveniently beside the muskets. Not exactly what I want to be staring at as I cut through my steak. The tables and chairs are old and creaky, with table cloths and polished silverware dating back to the olden days. Again, this may be the feel they want their customers to experience, and thus I can't really complain about it.
Okay enough with the renassaince-chic decor, let's talk about the food. Their wine list was quite extensive, and quite expensive. We chose a random bottle, and some of it ended up on the table and on the floor...Not too sure why, as I'm sure our waiter had opened millions of bottles in his day. I think some of it even spilled on one of us. Not cool. So all 4 of us decided to go with the moderate-priced 10oz New York Sirloin, priced at $38.50. Barberian's has many options when it comes to steak including the Chateaubriand for 2 @ $86.00, 24oz Porterhouse @ $53.00, and 9oz Centre Cut Sirloin @ $28.75, to mention a few. At these prices, we didn't realize we were only getting a piece of meat on a plate, nothing else. Sides- $6.00. Peppercorn Sauce- $5.00. Everyone ordered one veg, and we all sampled each one. Spinach, Asparagus, Mushrooms and Mashed Potato, were pretty basic, nothing fancy about them, just steamed maybe with a little butter. I was the only one who didn't feel for the pepper steak, thinking I would at least get some sort of demi or sauce. Well I was wrong, I got sauce alright, in the form of blood. Bl-oooooo-ood? Well mostly just the 'juices' of my steak, that clearly had not been rested enough. Proper resting time for steaks, depending on thickness and size should be approximately 5-10 minutes. Mine looked like it was straight from the grill.
So now I have a huge thicket of steak swimming in a pool of blood sauce, staring me in the face. Is it insulting to ask for Ketchups? How about Tabasco? I think I would have been frowned upon if I did, so I just stole some of my lovely girlfriend's peppercorn sauce.
The steak, I must admit, was a great piece of meat, cooked to perfection. I personally, like mine a little crispy on the outside, so I opt for Medium, almost Medium-well. Their chef grilled this bad boy to perfection, definately on-point.
After gnawing through 3/4 of my steak I needed a serious breather. I'm kind of glad it didn't come with fries or pillowy mounds of mashed po-ta-to (a la Unlce Phil), otherwise I definately wouldn't have made it past the half way mark.
We all decided to 'D' dessert, as we were thoroughly full. A glance at their dessert menu didn't give me much hankering for anything in particular, but I'm sure the traditional New York Cheesecake or Creme Brulee would have been above par.
The Rundown:
Decor: 3/5- Definately traditional, but really outdated in my mind. But if you're going for an experience, this is truely a restau-seum, where you can dine and shoot the shit about random artifacts at the same time. Not to keen about the gats strapped to the wall or the animal heads right next to them. Felt like Ace in Part II, after entering that room...Oh the humanity.
Service: 3.5/5- Nothing to complain about, aside from the spillage of the wine. Knowledgable and friendly staff is always a plus. Still Very Traffic between dining rooms.
Food: 4.5/5- Great, steaks were cooked to perfection, but still wish I got some free gravy/jus/sauce. Although, many would argue a real steak should be eaten plain...I still would have like to see some horseradish or something. Their meat selection was impecable, and are choosing the right cuts of meat for their customers. Excellent marbling within the Sirloin, could have easily passed for a Striploin, to the untrained eye.
Price: 3.5/5- Meal for 4, including one bottle of wine, tax and tip, no dessert: $380. Prices were decent, you can't really get a good steak for less than $40, but as for value, meh. I should get a side of vegetables when I'm ordering a $40 piece of meat. Come on I can get a bunch of asparagus at No Frills for $1.99, and you want to charge me $5.00 for 10 pieces...That's toite. And I would have liked an option of sauce too...because the reality is meat is just meat. I'm not saying douse it with HP or A1, but some pan gravy costs nothing, it comes from the meat! You win-sum, you lose-sum, I guess.
Overall: 4 STARS out of 5
Barberian's Steakhouse has a lot of character. They know how to do steaks. And they do it proper. This place is old-school, which kinda gives it it's charm. Maybe we are all too caught up with the nuances of Kelsey's and (ugh) Moxies or (barf) Milestones, and we need more places that just take you back. It's good to know a place like this exists, for that once-in-a-while back to the past experience. I don't agree with some of the themes or tidbits of decor they have up on their wall, but that's just me...I'm a tough guy to please. But I don't really know anyone who'd like to stare at moosehead (not the beer) while they devour their cow, unless your name is Willy or Cletis and you live in a trailer park, or anytown, USA, for that matter.
Still, it's good to be a barberian once in a while, or Barbeera, as we like to call it. Sorry Jason. (reference: Jason LaBarbera, LA Kings)
Definately bring your appetite...And you wallet...
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Makkah, Makkah, Makkah...Well Worth the Pilgramage
Makkah Restaurant- Danforth & Donlands (Greektown)
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 Kien, I realized he is quite the connoisseur of culinary delights. His background is Asian, Vietnamese to be exact...And he recommended this place called Makkah for some serious Indian/Pakistani food. At first I thought, how would an Asian know an Indian spot? (Sorry Kiener), but really after conversing with him over random eats over the weekend (Dennys', Baja Fresh, IHOP, Phillip's Crabshack, 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.
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- 'holes in the walls' serve the best food, bar-none.
Upon first impression, before we even got inside, I knew this place was ill. An open window reveals the front of Makkah's kitchen, with two huge Tandoori ovens right up in front, and the uncle, also known as Chef, or Boss, rolling out the naan and slapping it into the inside of the huge oven. I'm sold. There's nothing like fresh naan, and when I say fresh, I mean Frooosh. No butter, oil or grease needed to keep it moist. The naan itself is worth the drive to Acton (Greekton, to be exact).
So we let Kien do the ordering, since he knew best. Of course Winse had to have his samosa, and since they were out of the masala shrimp we fancied, we opted for masala fish. We also (over)ordered:
Chicken Biryani
Beef Biryani
Butter Chicken X 2
Naan Kababs
Tandoori Chicken Wings
Raita, chutney and ambli
and ample Naan
Okay so we are chilling in the back area, posted up beside a huuuuuge picture of, well, Mecca. The setting is very cafeteria-ish, but its cool because that's just how it is. There are no expectations at Makkah, just good food. Soon we hear the Boss 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 froosh naan. As we placed everything onto our table, it was a great spread. Ithinkweoverbought! was the general consensus. So we just went nuts, leaving no naan unripped, no chicken butther-less, and nothing to take home, aside for some extra biryani. Between 5 of us, we went through it all, and it was amazing.
The naan kababs were a treat, not too big and not minner, the perfect size. Properly seasoned, although they looked like 'tuts' according to Winse. Still very good. The masala fish was exceptional, pan-fried perfectly with a nice crispiness on the outside, yet moist and flakey on the inside. The were like little Masala-Mcnuggets, with no 11-cent dipping sauce needed (screw you Bamburgh McDics). The biryani was flavourful, boasting nice even colour between rice and not overly saucy like the usual auntys' biryani. This was almost dry, and very tasty. Topped with some fresh cori, can't argue with that. The butter chicken was to die for...perfect balance of rich tomatoey 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. Sippi would be proud. This is no run-of-the-mill Kelsey's chicken wing, that's fo sho. Did I mention how good the naan was? I think I did. We ordered 2 more baskets. Nuff said.
Whats the TOE-TAL?
So after a little game of RO-Lette, and Winson claiming that he was winning 649 this weekend, we got the bill. Actually there's no bill, you just pay on your way out. Our total was $78, including pops all around. Remember, they don't serve you so there;s no tip. Bonus. I was personally shocked at how cheap it was. All the more reason to Thank-You, Come Again.
An hour later I was still full, not running to the nearest facility, and felt in a good 'zone'. Pillowy mounds of butter chicken were all I could think about...
Overall scores:
Decor- 2/5 Nothing fancy, almost an Indo-chic if you will......with enough accents of "back home" to make you feel welcome.
Service- 4/5 Very friendly, almost a help-yourself attitude which is cool, and very inviting. Casual at best.
Food- 5/5 No need to say much more, first 5 on 5thstar
Price- 4.5/5 Cheap cheap cheap, but no shortcuts taken...
OVERALL- 4.5/5
Makkah 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 Makkah, 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...
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 biryani, and needless to say, consistency is there. Now I know I can depend on Makkah to link the same great food, daily.
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 Kien, I realized he is quite the connoisseur of culinary delights. His background is Asian, Vietnamese to be exact...And he recommended this place called Makkah for some serious Indian/Pakistani food. At first I thought, how would an Asian know an Indian spot? (Sorry Kiener), but really after conversing with him over random eats over the weekend (Dennys', Baja Fresh, IHOP, Phillip's Crabshack, 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.
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- 'holes in the walls' serve the best food, bar-none.
Upon first impression, before we even got inside, I knew this place was ill. An open window reveals the front of Makkah's kitchen, with two huge Tandoori ovens right up in front, and the uncle, also known as Chef, or Boss, rolling out the naan and slapping it into the inside of the huge oven. I'm sold. There's nothing like fresh naan, and when I say fresh, I mean Frooosh. No butter, oil or grease needed to keep it moist. The naan itself is worth the drive to Acton (Greekton, to be exact).
So we let Kien do the ordering, since he knew best. Of course Winse had to have his samosa, and since they were out of the masala shrimp we fancied, we opted for masala fish. We also (over)ordered:
Chicken Biryani
Beef Biryani
Butter Chicken X 2
Naan Kababs
Tandoori Chicken Wings
Raita, chutney and ambli
and ample Naan
Okay so we are chilling in the back area, posted up beside a huuuuuge picture of, well, Mecca. The setting is very cafeteria-ish, but its cool because that's just how it is. There are no expectations at Makkah, just good food. Soon we hear the Boss 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 froosh naan. As we placed everything onto our table, it was a great spread. Ithinkweoverbought! was the general consensus. So we just went nuts, leaving no naan unripped, no chicken butther-less, and nothing to take home, aside for some extra biryani. Between 5 of us, we went through it all, and it was amazing.
The naan kababs were a treat, not too big and not minner, the perfect size. Properly seasoned, although they looked like 'tuts' according to Winse. Still very good. The masala fish was exceptional, pan-fried perfectly with a nice crispiness on the outside, yet moist and flakey on the inside. The were like little Masala-Mcnuggets, with no 11-cent dipping sauce needed (screw you Bamburgh McDics). The biryani was flavourful, boasting nice even colour between rice and not overly saucy like the usual auntys' biryani. This was almost dry, and very tasty. Topped with some fresh cori, can't argue with that. The butter chicken was to die for...perfect balance of rich tomatoey 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. Sippi would be proud. This is no run-of-the-mill Kelsey's chicken wing, that's fo sho. Did I mention how good the naan was? I think I did. We ordered 2 more baskets. Nuff said.
Whats the TOE-TAL?
So after a little game of RO-Lette, and Winson claiming that he was winning 649 this weekend, we got the bill. Actually there's no bill, you just pay on your way out. Our total was $78, including pops all around. Remember, they don't serve you so there;s no tip. Bonus. I was personally shocked at how cheap it was. All the more reason to Thank-You, Come Again.
An hour later I was still full, not running to the nearest facility, and felt in a good 'zone'. Pillowy mounds of butter chicken were all I could think about...
Overall scores:
Decor- 2/5 Nothing fancy, almost an Indo-chic if you will......with enough accents of "back home" to make you feel welcome.
Service- 4/5 Very friendly, almost a help-yourself attitude which is cool, and very inviting. Casual at best.
Food- 5/5 No need to say much more, first 5 on 5thstar
Price- 4.5/5 Cheap cheap cheap, but no shortcuts taken...
OVERALL- 4.5/5
Makkah 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 Makkah, 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...
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 biryani, and needless to say, consistency is there. Now I know I can depend on Makkah to link the same great food, daily.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Sotto Sotto...Oh So So-so
Sotto Sotto- Yorkville (Avenue + Bloor)
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...
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.
After a quick reference from my good friend WiKi- a 'grotto' is defined as:
(Italian grotta) is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans.
Cave 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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
So far so good.
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.
After a serious delay, we received our mains. Here's a quick rundown of what we ordered and how it fared:
- Osso Buco (Veal shank)- tasted great, looked like Ulti (throw up)- Presentation was lacking, severely
- Fettuccine with Salmon- very good, mild sauce, pasta was froosh (fresh), nice balance of flavours
- Farfalle with anchovies, capers, lemon- little too 'fishy' smelling, light sauce, still decent
- Penne with asparagus, Rose sauce- really good...tasty sauce, thick but not too rich
- 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 ragu. 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.
But I digress.
ScoreCard:
Decor/ Atmosphere: 4/5- 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.
Service: 4.5/5- 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.
Food: 3.5/5- 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.
Price: 3.5/5- 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.
Overall: 3.5 STARS out of 5
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.
I would eat here again, but in a few years. Note- they DID have really good mints. Fruity.
Preggo!
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...
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.
After a quick reference from my good friend WiKi- a 'grotto' is defined as:
(Italian grotta) is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans.
Cave 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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
So far so good.
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.
After a serious delay, we received our mains. Here's a quick rundown of what we ordered and how it fared:
- Osso Buco (Veal shank)- tasted great, looked like Ulti (throw up)- Presentation was lacking, severely
- Fettuccine with Salmon- very good, mild sauce, pasta was froosh (fresh), nice balance of flavours
- Farfalle with anchovies, capers, lemon- little too 'fishy' smelling, light sauce, still decent
- Penne with asparagus, Rose sauce- really good...tasty sauce, thick but not too rich
- 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 ragu. 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.
But I digress.
ScoreCard:
Decor/ Atmosphere: 4/5- 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.
Service: 4.5/5- 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.
Food: 3.5/5- 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.
Price: 3.5/5- 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.
Overall: 3.5 STARS out of 5
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.
I would eat here again, but in a few years. Note- they DID have really good mints. Fruity.
Preggo!
Friday, February 15, 2008
In the Garden Of Eden...(The REAL Garden)
Spadina Garden - Bay & Dundas
The one and only...
For all occasions, this Spadina's for you. They must know us by first name, as we are there, daily.
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.
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.
Soup It Up
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- Waitress Makeover), 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.
It is in my Culinary opinion, that Spadina Garden makes the best Hot & Sour soup in Toronto.
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.
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.
On top of their amazing soup, there is an array of famous dishes, 'staples' as we call them, that cannot go unordered.
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:
1- Hot and Sour (a given)
2- Spring Rolls
3- 2-3 'staples'
4- 1 newbie
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.
A few of our usual 'staples':
- Chili Chicken (dry, saucy)
- Chicken w/ Hot peppers
- Crispy Ginger Beef
- Curried Shrimp
- Garlic/Spicy Eggplant (it's Bangin)
- Chili Paneer
- Shanghai Noodle
The one and only...
For all occasions, this Spadina's for you. They must know us by first name, as we are there, daily.
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.
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.
Soup It Up
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- Waitress Makeover), 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.
It is in my Culinary opinion, that Spadina Garden makes the best Hot & Sour soup in Toronto.
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.
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.
On top of their amazing soup, there is an array of famous dishes, 'staples' as we call them, that cannot go unordered.
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:
1- Hot and Sour (a given)
2- Spring Rolls
3- 2-3 'staples'
4- 1 newbie
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.
A few of our usual 'staples':
- Chili Chicken (dry, saucy)
- Chicken w/ Hot peppers
- Crispy Ginger Beef
- Curried Shrimp
- Garlic/Spicy Eggplant (it's Bangin)
- Chili Paneer
- Shanghai Noodle
A few 'not so much':
- Shanghai Beef- in a red sauce- nothing special
- House shrimp - way too much batter, shrimps are minimal
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...
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.
Rating:
Decor/ Atmosphere: 3.5/5 -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.
Service: 4/5 - 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.
Food: 4.5/5 - 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.
Price: 4/5- 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.
Overall: 4.5 STARS 5
Spadina, we love you.
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Keg? Its no Bonacini's, but...
The Keg- Leslie & 401
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'.
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 bush.
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?).
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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).
Scoresheet:
Service: 4/5 - 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
Food: 3.5/5 - Definately exceeded my expectations, and gave me new found hope for the Keg, aside for a few slight miscues
Price: 3.5/5- $300/6- including drinks, communal apps and dessert- pretty decent considering we all had steaks, at $50 a POP
Overall Rating: 3.5 STARS out of 5
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'.
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 bush.
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?).
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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).
Scoresheet:
Service: 4/5 - 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
Decor: 4/5 - Nice place for a party as it is HUGE, lots of space, not crowded between tables, nice bar area
Food: 3.5/5 - Definately exceeded my expectations, and gave me new found hope for the Keg, aside for a few slight miscues
Price: 3.5/5- $300/6- including drinks, communal apps and dessert- pretty decent considering we all had steaks, at $50 a POP
Overall Rating: 3.5 STARS out of 5
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.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Thai One On...And One Sauce For All
Thai One On (Kennedy & 14th)
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.
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.
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.
So we ordered 4 dishes, and 3 rices;
Thai Basil Chicken:
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.
Thai Spicy Eggplant:
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.
Beef Pad Thai:
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.
Shrimp with Lychee:
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 in theory- 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.
Coconut Rice:
Very Sweet! This tasted like a dessert, like a Thai version of Kheer (Indian rice pudding). I wouldn't mind this after my meal, but not with it.
Wild Rice w/ Peanut Sauce:
This was horrible. It was like a log of rice. We sent this one back.
Jasmine Rice:
Just rice.
Stardom:
Service: 4/5- Nothing to complain about, service was quick (we were the only ones there). Ample water- toppage.
Decor: 2.5/5- Not too fancy, but not bushy either. Just right.
Food: 3/5- Definately a large menu that needs to be explored a second time.
Price: 3/5- Pretty decent considering how much food we got.
Overall: 3 STARS out of 5
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.
Sippi would love this place, as they "amply Sauce it UP".
Note: You can not actually Thai One On at Thai One On, as they do not serve thullard. Go figure.
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.
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.
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.
So we ordered 4 dishes, and 3 rices;
Thai Basil Chicken:
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.
Thai Spicy Eggplant:
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.
Beef Pad Thai:
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.
Shrimp with Lychee:
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 in theory- 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.
Coconut Rice:
Very Sweet! This tasted like a dessert, like a Thai version of Kheer (Indian rice pudding). I wouldn't mind this after my meal, but not with it.
Wild Rice w/ Peanut Sauce:
This was horrible. It was like a log of rice. We sent this one back.
Jasmine Rice:
Just rice.
Stardom:
Service: 4/5- Nothing to complain about, service was quick (we were the only ones there). Ample water- toppage.
Decor: 2.5/5- Not too fancy, but not bushy either. Just right.
Food: 3/5- Definately a large menu that needs to be explored a second time.
Price: 3/5- Pretty decent considering how much food we got.
Overall: 3 STARS out of 5
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.
Sippi would love this place, as they "amply Sauce it UP".
Note: You can not actually Thai One On at Thai One On, as they do not serve thullard. Go figure.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Waitress Makeover?
Six Steps Restaurant- 53-55 Colborne Street
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.
Decor:
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.
Service:
In a nutshell- sucked. Our waitress had some serious attitude...
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 her fault. After some continuous pleading she agreed to switch it up. Strike One.
2) One of our members tried to order the Chicken Saltimbocca (chicken wrapped in ham) sans 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 astute and defensive that it came off rather rude. Strike Two.
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.
Food:
APPS
- 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
- Watermelon salad w/ feta and mint- although it was just chunks of watermelon and feta, was probably the best thing on their menu
- Shrimp Bisque- aside from the foreign object, flavours were there. A little too acidic to my liking, but still good.
MAINS
- Chicken was still dry, even wrapped in the prosciutto. Fine, we know chicken breast is always dry...but then give us some damn sauce!
- Salmon was pretty good, although served skin side up for some reason....still not too sure why.
- 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.
- Steak- Surprisingly tender for $34 striploin, but I think we just got lucky. Fries were the best part
DESSERT
- 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.
Overall,
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.
Ratings (Out of 5):
Service- 1 / 5 Waitress was a bitch, owner didn't give a shit (too busy macking some cougars)
Decor/ Ambiance- 3 / 5 Some weird DOT theme going on...some like it, others Meh
Food- 2 / 5 Nothing really 'Wow'd' us...everything seemed like it was pre-prepared, defrosted and re-heated. Presentation was lacking
Price- 2 / 5 Minus my $25 comp, 4 winterlicious menus, one steak w/ no apps or dessert, 2 bottles of wine- $263
Overall Rating- 1 STAR out of 5
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.
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.
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.
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.
Strike Four, you're out.
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.
Decor:
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.
We did get a great table though...right by the door:
- a nice view of all the people coming in and out
- a nice draft that came with the people coming in and out
- first dibs on coat check- bonus
Service:
In a nutshell- sucked. Our waitress had some serious attitude...
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 her fault. After some continuous pleading she agreed to switch it up. Strike One.
2) One of our members tried to order the Chicken Saltimbocca (chicken wrapped in ham) sans 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 astute and defensive that it came off rather rude. Strike Two.
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.
Food:
APPS
- 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
- Watermelon salad w/ feta and mint- although it was just chunks of watermelon and feta, was probably the best thing on their menu
- Shrimp Bisque- aside from the foreign object, flavours were there. A little too acidic to my liking, but still good.
MAINS
- Chicken was still dry, even wrapped in the prosciutto. Fine, we know chicken breast is always dry...but then give us some damn sauce!
- Salmon was pretty good, although served skin side up for some reason....still not too sure why.
- 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.
- Steak- Surprisingly tender for $34 striploin, but I think we just got lucky. Fries were the best part
DESSERT
- 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.
Overall,
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.
Ratings (Out of 5):
Service- 1 / 5 Waitress was a bitch, owner didn't give a shit (too busy macking some cougars)
Decor/ Ambiance- 3 / 5 Some weird DOT theme going on...some like it, others Meh
Food- 2 / 5 Nothing really 'Wow'd' us...everything seemed like it was pre-prepared, defrosted and re-heated. Presentation was lacking
Price- 2 / 5 Minus my $25 comp, 4 winterlicious menus, one steak w/ no apps or dessert, 2 bottles of wine- $263
Overall Rating- 1 STAR out of 5
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.
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.
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.
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.
Strike Four, you're out.
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