I was watching Food Network just now and there's a show called The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Chocolate, and the guests talk about the best chocolate things they've ever eaten. One of them described a creme brulee chocolate at a little chocolatier shop in New York.
Oh good heavenly mercy. Creme brulee. And chocolate. Put together.
I must go back to New York.
Kee's Chocolates
http://www.keeschocolates.com
Their macaroons look quite delicious too :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Quote ...
"I don't think anyone ever gets over anything in life. They merely get used to it."
-Roger
The Gum Thief [Douglas Coupland]
-Roger
The Gum Thief [Douglas Coupland]
Proof that the world is getting worse ...
An elderly woman is charged with putting sewing needles in sausages. You have to be severly deranged to do such a malicious thing ...
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/crime/article/834413--elderly-woman-arrested-for-tampering-with-sausages
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/crime/article/834413--elderly-woman-arrested-for-tampering-with-sausages
Friday, July 2, 2010
Foodie Blog: Saravanaa Bhavan
1571 Sandhurst Circle, Unit 153
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Vegetarian, Southern Indian
Date visited: May 2010
http://www.saravanaabhavan.ca
For the bf's birthday, his sister and bro-in-law wanted to take him to out to dinner. I was invited, so trying out South Indian was something new than the usual "Indian" food
Food: 4/5
I like to try vegetarian food. I'm not always craving meat so this was a nice change of pace. I had no idea what dosa's are until that day. We ordered 2 dosa's (masala and something else), a stuffed paratha (or maybe it was a utthappam?), and two marriages made in heaven, paneer biryani!! (oh, how I love paneer). When the dosa's arrived, I didn't expect it to be such a giant serving. It looked like giant edible construction paper folded up with little curries/sauces on the indented dishes. They were very good! My paneer biryani was delicious (but very spicy). We ordered a few mango lassi's and they were quite well done too - nice and thick, tasting the yogurt.
Service: 3.5/5
Service here was good. It wasn't extraordinary but it was good - the waiters/waitresses came by promptly to take our order, to top off our water, to give us more napkins.
Atmosphere: 4/5
The restaurant sits in a plaza, and one side is completely glass. It's got a very nice view outside (of the parking lot), but the openness of it gives it a nice feel. The decor was nice and simple, and the tables and atmosphere felt very clean. Because everything is eaten with your hands (and the food is very hot!), they have conveniently placed a hand washing station in the corner. It consists of two small sinks with nice faucets, soap and paper towels. Very simple and well designed and placed.
Price/Value: 4/5
This was a decently priced restaurant, with mains going at around $8-$13. They offer a great variety of dishes, and take-out options are available.
Overall dining experience: 4/5
I enjoyed eating at this restaurant. The openness and cleanliness of the place instantly gives you a relaxed feeling, and you might spend up to 10 minutes looking at the menu as I did, debating on all the choices (many of the menu items were new to me, that's probably why). The hand-washing station was a nice and smart touch to the dining area. The food was great and I think I'd return for another visit!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Quote ..
Shiva jumped up to the board, uninvited, and wrote: 10,213,223.
"This number is the only number that describes itself when you read it. 'One zero, two ones, three twos, and two threes!"
- Shiva Praise Stone
Cutting for Stone [Abraham Verghese]
"This number is the only number that describes itself when you read it. 'One zero, two ones, three twos, and two threes!"
- Shiva Praise Stone
Cutting for Stone [Abraham Verghese]
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Foodie Blog: Vegetarian Haven
17 Baldwin St
Toronto, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Vegetarian
Date visited: May 2010
http://www.vegetarianhaven.com
For my birthday, I wanted to try something different .. something healthy .. something vegetarian? Sure, why not! I dragged the bf and Ewie here (Peter couldn't make it).
Food: 2.5-3/5
I was excited to try the tofu drumsticks .. they looked really good on the menu and actually tasted pretty good. For mains, I ordered Mushroom Tofu in clay pot; bf ordered sizzling seitan in black pepper sauce; Ewie ordered Singapore pad thai I think. My food was very good .. I really liked the mushrooms and tofu and the rice and sauce were good. Unfortunately, that was all that we found good. Bf's "meat" didn't taste as good as the sampler looked - I think it was the texture that really threw me off .. I couldn't stomach more than a few bites of it; I don't know how he ate 3/4 of it! Ewie's noodles were really heavily spiced with .. spice? I can't remember what exactly it was but it gave a really strong unpleasant taste to the noodles - she didn't finish it either.
Service: 4.5/5
The service here was fab. The waiters/waitresses were very jubilant and happy to point out suggestions and cater to questions. They were there to to off water. I think the main difference you'll find is that they actually enjoy serving people vegetarian food. I don't remember the bathrooms but from what I do remember is that it was clean (there's a small little lip of a curb that I tripped over, tho).
Atmosphere: 4/5
I think the clientele here is different than what you might find at a regular chain restaurant. It's a long cozy corridor with tables tightly packed. You hear light chatter from all around but it's not overwhelmingly loud or pitch quiet. The decor was quite simple and nice.
Price/Value: 3.5/5
Most people expect that meat-less food would cost less, but not so here! Prices range at around $9-$13 for a main. However, I didn't expect $6 meals either .. I think it's actually decently priced for organic, meat-less meals with a twist.
Overall dining experience: 3.5/5
I think the biggest thing here was the fact that we didn't find the food very appetizing. My vegetarian coworker really likes this place, and my friends being quiet carnivorous didn't find the food very tasty. Food aside, the service was very good as was the decor. The great thing about this place is that you don't find "normal" vegetarian options on the menu - most of the things on the menu are things I've never heard of, and that's what drew me to this place. It wasn't just "veggie burger", or "salad", but meals with an exotic twist. I don't think we'd return, but if you're a vegetarian, I would suggest this restaurant.
Foodie Blog: Tandoori House
4862 Yonge St
North York, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Indian
Date visited: June 2010
http://www.tandoorihouse.ca
So one day Dile found a deal on teamclick - $15 for $40 of food at Tandoori House. Being the Indian food nuts that we are, 5 of us went to scarf down some Indian food.
Food: 4/5
For starters, we got veggie pakoras. One order was only 4 so we got 2 orders. Expecting spiky little fritters, I was a bit surprised when the pakoras came. They looked more like pancakes. After one taste, it didn't matter what they looked like - they were pretty good! And not very greasy, to add. A few of us got mango lassi's - also very good. It was a bit thick and you could taste the yogurt - yummy! For entrees we got lamb palak (very flavourful), mutter paneer (mmm paneer), shrimp vindaloo (whooo it's got some heat), butter chicken (classic) and .. some other chicken dish lol. The rice and naan were good too.
Service: 3.5/5
Service was good. The woman tending to us at the beginning was nice - she was prompt to check on us with our orders, topping off our water and what not. It wasn't out of this world service but it was good enough so that you didn't have to keep beckoning them.
Atmosphere: 2.5/5
The decor at this place is kind of drab. The tables are spacious so that you're not bumping elbows and chairs like you might find at Little India. But the wallpaper and booth cloth fabric looks very outdated and generally old. Five seconds into my visit into the bathroom and I was dying to get out. Out of two stalls, only one had a working lock. It was a very cramped space, with the toilets looking rather old, yellow and stained. Fortunately there was warm water, soap and paper towels (although, still on the roll just sitting on the counter). At least the upstairs was better than the washrooms.
Price/Value: 4/5
It was very average-priced at this restaurant; around $10-13 for a main and rice/naan being a few dollars. I guess the main reason it seemed quite good was because of our teamclick coupon. We ended up paying $16 per person with tax/tips included. Had we not had it, it probably would have came up to around $26. At the end of the dinner, we had 4 dishes and some rice to pack home!
Overall dining experience: 3.5/5
It probably depends from person to person, but Indian food tastes mostly the same to me. I've had so much paneer that it tastes the same everywhere, as does the butter chicken, naan and basmati rice. I like trying new places and this place was good. I should stress that it wouldn't be my first choice .. but I'd be willing to come back.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Venting
I cried in the shower today. I was completely emo all of a sudden and I can't figure out why.
I was hoping to take Dad to FS today to look at tv's. Here's our conversation from this morning:
Me: "Hey Dad, you want to go to Future Shop?"
Dad: "For what"
Me: "To .. go look at electronics"
Dad: "[pause] No."
I fail to understand why he is so reserved, so unwilling. I stalked out of the kitchen, keeping my anger to myself, my fists balled up. The second my feet hit the shower floor, I cried. I don't think it's just that .. I'm used to lack of interest from him, the silence when I say I'm going out with my "friend" (read: boyfriend).
Last nite I went to a wedding reception. The bf was one of the groomsman and the reception was wonderful. Keeping tradition, the single ladies were called up to catch the bouquet. Some idiot (read: the emcee) called my name out and I hauled myself to the back of the mob jockeying for position. Don't get me wrong - eventually I'd like to get married and pop out some kids, but not right now. I looked up at the bf who was sitting at the head table and he was mouthing "noooo" and waving his hands as if to say "don't you dare catch it!". I smiled and stood at the back with arms crossed as one of the bridesmaids caught the bouquet. Standing in the shower with my thoughts clouded and recalling the night's events, was he trying to say, "noo I don't want to marry you" or "noo I don't love you that much"? I know it's a silly thought but when tears are streaming down your face, you think of anything. I love him to death but doubt he has the courage to stand up to his parents and marry someone outside of his culture. I have already and faced the silent beatings. I don't want him to suffer through the misery I did for him, but at the same time I do because I hope he is willing to do the same for me.
I'd like to say it's in God's hands but since I'm not religious, it is in my hands. And I don't know what to do. All I know is that I love him.
I was hoping to take Dad to FS today to look at tv's. Here's our conversation from this morning:
Me: "Hey Dad, you want to go to Future Shop?"
Dad: "For what"
Me: "To .. go look at electronics"
Dad: "[pause] No."
I fail to understand why he is so reserved, so unwilling. I stalked out of the kitchen, keeping my anger to myself, my fists balled up. The second my feet hit the shower floor, I cried. I don't think it's just that .. I'm used to lack of interest from him, the silence when I say I'm going out with my "friend" (read: boyfriend).
Last nite I went to a wedding reception. The bf was one of the groomsman and the reception was wonderful. Keeping tradition, the single ladies were called up to catch the bouquet. Some idiot (read: the emcee) called my name out and I hauled myself to the back of the mob jockeying for position. Don't get me wrong - eventually I'd like to get married and pop out some kids, but not right now. I looked up at the bf who was sitting at the head table and he was mouthing "noooo" and waving his hands as if to say "don't you dare catch it!". I smiled and stood at the back with arms crossed as one of the bridesmaids caught the bouquet. Standing in the shower with my thoughts clouded and recalling the night's events, was he trying to say, "noo I don't want to marry you" or "noo I don't love you that much"? I know it's a silly thought but when tears are streaming down your face, you think of anything. I love him to death but doubt he has the courage to stand up to his parents and marry someone outside of his culture. I have already and faced the silent beatings. I don't want him to suffer through the misery I did for him, but at the same time I do because I hope he is willing to do the same for me.
I'd like to say it's in God's hands but since I'm not religious, it is in my hands. And I don't know what to do. All I know is that I love him.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Venting
My beef: Cars who blare their music so loud that your coffee is pitching waves in your travel mug.
We were at the gas station today filling up, when a loud thumping vibration gets closer and closer. I feel like I'm next to a speaker when a car rolls in about 20 yards away to pump his tires .. it is SO INCREDIBLY loud I swear it felt like a magnitude 4 from the vibrations alone (never mind the sound - that was worse). The bf is done pumping gas when the earthquake turns into a 7, and I find that the lame car has pulled up in front to fill up gas. I seriously want to shoot his speakers out (and then his tires, for good measure).
We were at the gas station today filling up, when a loud thumping vibration gets closer and closer. I feel like I'm next to a speaker when a car rolls in about 20 yards away to pump his tires .. it is SO INCREDIBLY loud I swear it felt like a magnitude 4 from the vibrations alone (never mind the sound - that was worse). The bf is done pumping gas when the earthquake turns into a 7, and I find that the lame car has pulled up in front to fill up gas. I seriously want to shoot his speakers out (and then his tires, for good measure).
Foodie Blog: The Roti Hut
351 Pitfield Rd
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): West Indian
Date visited: June 2010
We've been to Roti Hut before, and after finding out the place I wanted to go to was closed, we opted for something different than our usual Asian choices.
Food: 4/5
We ordered a goat roti and beef with rice (after standing in line for a good 5 minutes figuring out what was what). The portion was very generous - the rice covered the entire plate, with curry beef spilling out on top while the roti was a giant lump wrapped around goat meat sitting in the middle of the plate. Both meats were very tender (I thought I recalled once the beef was a bit chewy last time I came but I think my memory is failing me). The rice grains are larger than what I'm used to but were good; the roti was a good consistency, but I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more sauce in the roti lump as it was getting a bit dry at the end.
Service: 3.5/5
Service is hard to determine at this place. The layout of the restaurant is fashioned so that there's a "front" area where you can get in line to order your food at single counter, much like a fast food place. However, you can opt to dine in as there is a wonderful seating area. The only time you really deal with "service" is when you're ordering, and since most of the patrons opt for take-out, that's about it. But if you choose dine-in, you just grab a seat and they'll bring the food out to you. So there is little service interaction here .. the cashier looked a bit bored (well, that's kind of expected) but was nice.
Atmosphere: 5/5
I love the dine-in area. It's quite spacious, with maybe a dozen tables. It's very simple, with well chosen decor and furniture that goes very well together. The tables are nice, as are the chairs - cushioned and well fashioned - not cheap like you'd find at a diner or any other fast food place. All the tables are nice and clean with a simple (fake) flower pot in the middle. The tiles also give it a clean and "uppity" feel and match everything else (the blinds are nice too, I have to mention). There is a sink equipped with soap and paper towels right by the dining area, should you need to rinse your hands before or after your meal. The washrooms are single-use but are actually quite nice - you notice it again in the tiling and sink/faucet.
Price/Value: 4.5/5
For $7-$8, you get a pretty big portioned meal (add another buck if you want a drink). If you opt to sit down, you don't even have to tip because you're not being served! You get the benefit of a nice dining area and nice sinks to wash your hands! For lunch, some people might find this a bit pricey but there are cheaper options on the menu should you want something else. For dinner, I think you get a pretty good bang for your buck at under $10 a person.
Overall dining experience: 4/5
Although the roti was a bit dry at the end of my meal due to the lack of sauce/curry, everything else seemed to set a positive tone with this establishment, especially the decor to the bathrooms to the good food. Next time I'd like to try the paratha roti with channa :)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Foodie Blog: Sakura Sushi Japanese Restaurant
Sakura Sushi Japanese Restaurant
1550 Kingston Rd
Pickering, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Japanese, sushi
Date visited: June 2010
I like reading up on Restaurantica to find good eats. The problem is that a lot of "newbies" post reviews and you have to take those posts with a grain of salt because you don't know whether they're legit posters or people just boosting up the rating and reviews for the restaurant. A few people had posted about this place so we decided to try it out for lunch one weekend.
Food: 4.5/5
We ordered edamame for starters, and then spicy salmon roll, dragon roll and spider roll. We were given a small trio dish of appetizers before the edamame - and wow were they good! I don't remember what they all were but one was a warm dry noodle sample, and another might have been cabbage. Our edamame came piping hot along with our sushi (we were hoping the sushi would come a bit later so we could eat the hot edamame). The spicy salmon roll was good, as was the spider roll. The dragon roll was very good - you could taste the freshness of the sushi.
Service: 3.5/5
One of my biggest peeves at restaurants is if the waiter/waitress doesn't top off your water or tea. The waitress was very nice - smiling and always saying "you're welcome" to our "thank you"'s, but she didn't come back very often after the sushi was served. We ran out of tea quite quickly and had to beckon her a few times. I could hear the chef welcome regulars whenever they came in, and that's always nice to hear.
Atmosphere: 4/5
The restaurant was small but cozy. The door was propped open to circulate air and it was a tad warm. We were seated in a well endowed booth, and it had a very nice Japanese feel to it. Didn't get a chance to use the washroom.
Price/Value: 4/5
For dinner we usually order what we ordered here - an appetizer and 3 rolls. But it looks like our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and it also turns out that their portion sizes are a little bigger! Usually spicy salmon rolls come in 6 and special rolls come in 8 or 10. But here, there were 8 spicy salmon rolls and I think up to 12 for the spider roll. Throw in the the free appetizer they gave us on top of the one we ordered and we found ourselves crawling at the end to finish all of it off. The spicy salmon rolls were a bit bigger than what I'm used to (and the "sauce" looked a bit strange) and the other rolls were of average size. Given all this, I think the price was very justified for the amount of food we got.
Overall dining experience: 4/5
Squished in the plaza, we almost didn't find this place. We were very pleased with the food and the quantity. The free appetizer they gave us were very much bonus points as it was free AND delicious. I think we'll definitely be returning to this place; I just hope that next time they top off our tea more often :)
1550 Kingston Rd
Pickering, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Japanese, sushi
Date visited: June 2010
I like reading up on Restaurantica to find good eats. The problem is that a lot of "newbies" post reviews and you have to take those posts with a grain of salt because you don't know whether they're legit posters or people just boosting up the rating and reviews for the restaurant. A few people had posted about this place so we decided to try it out for lunch one weekend.
Food: 4.5/5
We ordered edamame for starters, and then spicy salmon roll, dragon roll and spider roll. We were given a small trio dish of appetizers before the edamame - and wow were they good! I don't remember what they all were but one was a warm dry noodle sample, and another might have been cabbage. Our edamame came piping hot along with our sushi (we were hoping the sushi would come a bit later so we could eat the hot edamame). The spicy salmon roll was good, as was the spider roll. The dragon roll was very good - you could taste the freshness of the sushi.
Service: 3.5/5
One of my biggest peeves at restaurants is if the waiter/waitress doesn't top off your water or tea. The waitress was very nice - smiling and always saying "you're welcome" to our "thank you"'s, but she didn't come back very often after the sushi was served. We ran out of tea quite quickly and had to beckon her a few times. I could hear the chef welcome regulars whenever they came in, and that's always nice to hear.
Atmosphere: 4/5
The restaurant was small but cozy. The door was propped open to circulate air and it was a tad warm. We were seated in a well endowed booth, and it had a very nice Japanese feel to it. Didn't get a chance to use the washroom.
Price/Value: 4/5
For dinner we usually order what we ordered here - an appetizer and 3 rolls. But it looks like our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, and it also turns out that their portion sizes are a little bigger! Usually spicy salmon rolls come in 6 and special rolls come in 8 or 10. But here, there were 8 spicy salmon rolls and I think up to 12 for the spider roll. Throw in the the free appetizer they gave us on top of the one we ordered and we found ourselves crawling at the end to finish all of it off. The spicy salmon rolls were a bit bigger than what I'm used to (and the "sauce" looked a bit strange) and the other rolls were of average size. Given all this, I think the price was very justified for the amount of food we got.
Overall dining experience: 4/5
Squished in the plaza, we almost didn't find this place. We were very pleased with the food and the quantity. The free appetizer they gave us were very much bonus points as it was free AND delicious. I think we'll definitely be returning to this place; I just hope that next time they top off our tea more often :)
Foodie Blog: Arkadia House
Arkadia House
2007 Eglinton Ave E
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Greek
Date visited: May 2010
http://www.arkadiahouse.com/
In the mood for Greek food somewhere in Scarborough, we wanted a nice sit down restaurant instead of fast food (although, Mr. Greek Express is decent as well). I've seen this restaurant a number times when traveling on Eglinton so we decided to try it out.
Food: 4.5/5
I ordered the lamb exohicko, which is lamb wrapped in a filo pastry. It came with vegetables and potatoes, as well as a greek salad to start. The bf ordered the chicken souvlaki dinner, which also came with vegetables and fries and a greek salad to start. My plate was huge! My plan was to finish half and take the other half home. As I neared halfway, I decided to eat a little more and a little more because it was delicious .. and by the time I hit 75% I didn't think it was worth to take it home! The vegetables were good too - I think they were just steamed, but it was crunchy and not soggy like Swiss Chalet's vegetables. The bf's plate was also good, although some of the souvlaki pieces were chewy. There was a very generous portion of meat and he was quite satisfied with it.
Service: 4/5
All of the servers in the restaurant were middle aged men dressed like waiters on a luxury cruise ship. He was courteous and friendly but I didn't get that nice open and loose vibe like you get at the Keg. Almost like it was too formal. He was prompt with our drinks and getting our order but service lagged a bit during our meal with topping off water.
Atmosphere: 4/5
That night, it poured. It didn't rain - it poured. Doing the 50m dash from the car to the restaurant will make a sprinter out of anyone and when we first set foot, I thought we were way out of place (we usually opt for casual dining places). This place looked quite formal, from the carpet to the tables, to the well dressed waiters and the clientele. I actually felt very out of place showing up in half soaked jeans and a sports jacket. However, I found the place a bit dim to my liking and a touch cold (but maybe that was because I was wet from the rain).
Price/Value: 4/5
Compared with all the Greek restaurants we've been to, we found the menus a tad pricier. Not by much tho, maybe 5-10% more? But with the food tasting quite good and the portion size being decent to a tad large, I think the price was justified (although, who ever wants to pay more for their meal?).
Overall dining experience: 4/5
I was quite pleased with the overall dining experience at Arkadia House. The menus were appealing and the atmosphere was generally nice. The waiter was courteous and the food was quite delicious. Although we wouldn't come here all the time for Greek food (because it's a little more expensive), we will definitely be back when we want a "finer" dining experience.
2007 Eglinton Ave E
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Greek
Date visited: May 2010
http://www.arkadiahouse.com/
In the mood for Greek food somewhere in Scarborough, we wanted a nice sit down restaurant instead of fast food (although, Mr. Greek Express is decent as well). I've seen this restaurant a number times when traveling on Eglinton so we decided to try it out.
Food: 4.5/5
I ordered the lamb exohicko, which is lamb wrapped in a filo pastry. It came with vegetables and potatoes, as well as a greek salad to start. The bf ordered the chicken souvlaki dinner, which also came with vegetables and fries and a greek salad to start. My plate was huge! My plan was to finish half and take the other half home. As I neared halfway, I decided to eat a little more and a little more because it was delicious .. and by the time I hit 75% I didn't think it was worth to take it home! The vegetables were good too - I think they were just steamed, but it was crunchy and not soggy like Swiss Chalet's vegetables. The bf's plate was also good, although some of the souvlaki pieces were chewy. There was a very generous portion of meat and he was quite satisfied with it.
Service: 4/5
All of the servers in the restaurant were middle aged men dressed like waiters on a luxury cruise ship. He was courteous and friendly but I didn't get that nice open and loose vibe like you get at the Keg. Almost like it was too formal. He was prompt with our drinks and getting our order but service lagged a bit during our meal with topping off water.
Atmosphere: 4/5
That night, it poured. It didn't rain - it poured. Doing the 50m dash from the car to the restaurant will make a sprinter out of anyone and when we first set foot, I thought we were way out of place (we usually opt for casual dining places). This place looked quite formal, from the carpet to the tables, to the well dressed waiters and the clientele. I actually felt very out of place showing up in half soaked jeans and a sports jacket. However, I found the place a bit dim to my liking and a touch cold (but maybe that was because I was wet from the rain).
Price/Value: 4/5
Compared with all the Greek restaurants we've been to, we found the menus a tad pricier. Not by much tho, maybe 5-10% more? But with the food tasting quite good and the portion size being decent to a tad large, I think the price was justified (although, who ever wants to pay more for their meal?).
Overall dining experience: 4/5
I was quite pleased with the overall dining experience at Arkadia House. The menus were appealing and the atmosphere was generally nice. The waiter was courteous and the food was quite delicious. Although we wouldn't come here all the time for Greek food (because it's a little more expensive), we will definitely be back when we want a "finer" dining experience.
Foodie Blog: Pearl Harbourfront Chinese Restaurant
207 Queen's Quay West, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Chinese
Date visited: sometime in 2009
http://www.pearlharbourfront.ca/
We visited this restaurant last year but I still have that sour taste in my mouth from the dining experience. Visiting my sister and her bf downtown in 2009, we thought we'd try something nice.
Food: 5/5
For an expensive restaurant, I expect good food. And the food was good. Excellent, I dare say. However, the dishes we ordered bordered on the small size so we had to order a number of dishes - I think we ended up getting 6 or 7 plates for the 4 of us. I don't quite remember what we had, but somewhere along the lines of sizzling beef, guylan vegetables, stir fry chicken and veggies. They were all nicely presented and delicious to eat.
Service: 2.5/5
We went on a Saturday night, and I expected the place to be packed - instead, it was quite empty. There were maybe a handful of tables occupied near the window and a large group of maybe 20 on the side. When they seated us, we were sitting right beside the group of 20. As you can expect with a large group, they were loud and quite boisterous. Tell me WHY you would sit a small group away from your other quiet patrons beside a large loud group? There are PLENTY of tables all over the place. After about 10 minutes of sitting there listening to people try to yell across the table, we asked the waiter to be moved. He did not look pleased but honoured our request. The head waitresses posed a snobbish attitude and the waiters seemed disinterested when taking our orders, but they were all quick to our table when our hands went up.
Atmosphere: 4/5
Overlooking Lake Ontario, the restaurant does have a nice view. We visited at the dinner hour in the winter time so we didn't get any view but I can imagine it looks quite nice during the day. The restaurant is nicely decorated, with elegant tables, chairs and the like.
Price/Value: 2.5/5
As I mentioned before, the portions for each dish were quite small. Whenever I go to a Chinese restaurant with my family, 4 dishes and some rice and fill us up pretty good for a decent price. The dish portions here were on the small side, and at around $15 a plate, it adds up quite quickly. You can get quite decent Chinese food for a decent price, and this was not decently priced. Dare I say it was gouging?? I think we ended up forking over almost $35 a person for 4 people (2 averaged sized guys, 2 smaller gals). I was not completely full when I left.
Overall dining experience: 2.5/5
After we were re-seated, and the rude attitude from all of the staff, I was already itching to leave before we had even ordered. The food was delicious but the service was the clincher in this one. The cost is also a big factor as it was quite expensive for a decent sized meal. This is the first and last time I'll be returning to this restaurant.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Proof that the world is getting worse ...
BP's oilspill in the Gulf of Mexico is the man made disaster of this year ..
http://thestar.blogs.com/photodesk/2010/06/gulf-oil-spill-takes-toll-on-wildlife-.html
http://thestar.blogs.com/photodesk/2010/06/gulf-oil-spill-takes-toll-on-wildlife-.html
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Proof that the world is getting worse ..
In today's news:
Drunk passenger sues driver
"A lawsuit launched by a woman who drunkenly jumped from a moving car during an argument with her partner could make drivers liable for intoxicated passengers who cause themselves harm." AMAZING what society is coming to these days ...
Drunk passenger sues driver
"A lawsuit launched by a woman who drunkenly jumped from a moving car during an argument with her partner could make drivers liable for intoxicated passengers who cause themselves harm." AMAZING what society is coming to these days ...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Foodie blog: Red House - Thai and Malaysia
705 Kingston Rd
Pickering, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Thai, Malaysian
Date visited: twice in April 2010
http://www.theredhouse.ca/
Wanting to try something different, the bf and I found a small thai place to try out with another couple.
Food: 3/5
The first time we came here, we ordered 4 dishes - fried rice, red curry, noodles and stir fry. The fried rice was spicy but good; the red curry was mediocre, lacking flavour; the noodles were good but I hinted at a bit too much oyster sauce, and the cashew nut stir fry was very good. On this occasion, I would have given them 4/5 on food. This is the reason we decided to come back (with a drawback - mentioned in Service). The second time we came back we decided to go with the tried and true cashew nut stir fry, along with another stir fry, pad thai, and a different fried rice. The stir fry's weren't very good and the cashew nut definitely tasted different. The fried rice was decent, but the worst of them all was the pad thai - it was a unanimous agreement that it was the worst we've ever tasted - put bluntly it tasted like rice noodles with ketchup, sugar and spice thrown in. I don't know how Shen ate the rest of what we didn't want but somehow he did. The dishes as they were mediocre at best and the pad thai skewed the rating of the entire night to a very low one.
Service: 4/5
Service here was good - we were always attended to fairly quickly, and they topped up water. The only thing I have to complain about was the first time we were here. When the bill came we split it evenly - there were a few 20's and some change so we didn't have to wait for change. As they took it away and we were getting ready to leave, we overheard the owner talking to another staff member talking in Chinese - he said "is this money real??". I was completely taken aback - I was fully ready to come back (which we did) but I was hesitant to return because of that comment. No, I don't print money and yes, I get my money from the bank, so yes, my money is real.
Atmosphere: 4/5
The restaurant is quite small and seats maybe 20 people at most. We've had to wait both times we came but only for 15 minutes. The place is quite popular with take out as a lot of people come and go with take out orders. The decor is nice with a clean feeling, although it might be a bit cramped. I've never used the washrooms.
Price/Value: 4.5/5
Prices here are very reasonably priced - you're looking at an average of $8-9 for each dish. We walked out quite stuffed for $12 a person. For take-out, I'm sure you get more bang for your buck without having to fork over tips
Overall dining experience: 3.5/5
After having dined at this establishment twice, I'm reluctant to return. The food was good the first time but not so much the second. In general the service was very good and the atmosphere was nice. If we do return, it won't be anytime soon, but I might be willing to try it again some time later once I've gotten the bad pad thai taste out of my mouth.
Foodie blog: Regal Chinese Cuisine and Banquet Hall
Regal Chinese Cuisine and Banquet Hall
1571 Sandhurst Circle
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Chinese
Date visited: May 2010
My family and I decided to go out for dinner to celebrate my parents' anniversary and my birthday. A new restaurant had opened up after Ruby Restaurant had closed down a few months earlier due to sanitary violations. I had high expectations for this place since Ruby was regarded as a high class restaurant, but I walked out of that restaurant with a bitter and sour taste in my mouth.
Food: 5/5
My father was very adamant about trying to order the set dinner - quite frankly, it was the best "deal" since everything on the menu was very highly priced. After convincing him to order a la carte, we decided upon "crab" claws, oysters in honey/garlic, angus beef in maggie sauce (?), seafood birds nest and some steamed rice. The birds nest was made with rice vermicelli instead of the usual taro that I'm used to - but it was crispy and good, as were the seafood and snow peas. The first piece of beef I had was chewy but every other piece from then on was tender. The oysters were yummy and the sauce was tasty. The "crab' claws were a bit smaller than I expected but were still pipping hot and delicious even after sitting on my plate for 5 minutes.
Service: 1/5
We had a reservation but it didn't matter because the place was only 60% filled. After being seated, no one came by to ask/bring us tea for almost 5 minutes. The waiter who took our order was nice, but that's about as far as "good" goes when it comes to service. My father tried to make a suggestion to a waiter about the "food printout" they give you when you order - it's pretty much a receipt of what you order. Half of it is in English but the food items you've ordered are only written in Chinese - do you expect all your customers to be bilingual? Anyways as one of the waiters was clearing up the table he completely ignored my father making a suggestion. After dessert, our bill came and I reached out to get it. At every other restaurant, "high class" or not, staff leave it on the table and come back in a few minutes once you've sorted out all the bickering over the bill. But no, the lady STOOD (dare I say hovered) over us until I produced my credit card. She came back promptly with the portable credit card machine processor, and I expected it to be handed to me to fill in the tip and my PIN. The next kicker is what she said. Translated equivalently to English it would be: "how much tip are you giving?". I was taken aback by the direct and blunt question/request. Her voice was so cold and direct, it could not possibly be translated to, "how much tips WOULD you LIKE to give?". I simply replied that I'd fill it in myself. She went to wait on another table and came back as the receipt was printing. The final slap in the face: she put the receipt on the table and left, without as much as a smile or saying thank you.
Atmosphere: 4/5
Despite the awful entrance, once you step inside, the place really does look like a banquet hall. All the chairs and tables have nice covers/cloths and it is spacious. You get a bit of a grand feeling when you're in there and the bathrooms are pretty nice (although, my mother commented that it was a bit dark).
Price/Value: 3/5
The first thing that hits you when you look at the menu is the prices. Peking duck, shark fin soup, sure I expect to pay absorbent prices. But $16 for Cantonese Chow Mein? Come ON now. My father was firmly set on ordering the "set dinner" but my mother noticed a sign that stated a 20% discount for seniors. We managed to convince him to order a la carte. Granted, the food was delicious, but we've been to other Chinese restaurants with quite good food for half the price.
Overall dining experience: 2/5
Despite the good food and nice decor, the service at the end of dinner left me with an incredibly soured experience. Never have I experienced such bad customer service in my LIFE (I'm sure there's plenty of more bad ones to come). My entire family was unanimous on how awful the lady treated us and that we would never come here again (and also spread the word on not to eat here).
1571 Sandhurst Circle
Scarborough, Ontario
Cuisine(s): Chinese
Date visited: May 2010
My family and I decided to go out for dinner to celebrate my parents' anniversary and my birthday. A new restaurant had opened up after Ruby Restaurant had closed down a few months earlier due to sanitary violations. I had high expectations for this place since Ruby was regarded as a high class restaurant, but I walked out of that restaurant with a bitter and sour taste in my mouth.
Food: 5/5
My father was very adamant about trying to order the set dinner - quite frankly, it was the best "deal" since everything on the menu was very highly priced. After convincing him to order a la carte, we decided upon "crab" claws, oysters in honey/garlic, angus beef in maggie sauce (?), seafood birds nest and some steamed rice. The birds nest was made with rice vermicelli instead of the usual taro that I'm used to - but it was crispy and good, as were the seafood and snow peas. The first piece of beef I had was chewy but every other piece from then on was tender. The oysters were yummy and the sauce was tasty. The "crab' claws were a bit smaller than I expected but were still pipping hot and delicious even after sitting on my plate for 5 minutes.
Service: 1/5
We had a reservation but it didn't matter because the place was only 60% filled. After being seated, no one came by to ask/bring us tea for almost 5 minutes. The waiter who took our order was nice, but that's about as far as "good" goes when it comes to service. My father tried to make a suggestion to a waiter about the "food printout" they give you when you order - it's pretty much a receipt of what you order. Half of it is in English but the food items you've ordered are only written in Chinese - do you expect all your customers to be bilingual? Anyways as one of the waiters was clearing up the table he completely ignored my father making a suggestion. After dessert, our bill came and I reached out to get it. At every other restaurant, "high class" or not, staff leave it on the table and come back in a few minutes once you've sorted out all the bickering over the bill. But no, the lady STOOD (dare I say hovered) over us until I produced my credit card. She came back promptly with the portable credit card machine processor, and I expected it to be handed to me to fill in the tip and my PIN. The next kicker is what she said. Translated equivalently to English it would be: "how much tip are you giving?". I was taken aback by the direct and blunt question/request. Her voice was so cold and direct, it could not possibly be translated to, "how much tips WOULD you LIKE to give?". I simply replied that I'd fill it in myself. She went to wait on another table and came back as the receipt was printing. The final slap in the face: she put the receipt on the table and left, without as much as a smile or saying thank you.
Atmosphere: 4/5
Despite the awful entrance, once you step inside, the place really does look like a banquet hall. All the chairs and tables have nice covers/cloths and it is spacious. You get a bit of a grand feeling when you're in there and the bathrooms are pretty nice (although, my mother commented that it was a bit dark).
Price/Value: 3/5
The first thing that hits you when you look at the menu is the prices. Peking duck, shark fin soup, sure I expect to pay absorbent prices. But $16 for Cantonese Chow Mein? Come ON now. My father was firmly set on ordering the "set dinner" but my mother noticed a sign that stated a 20% discount for seniors. We managed to convince him to order a la carte. Granted, the food was delicious, but we've been to other Chinese restaurants with quite good food for half the price.
Overall dining experience: 2/5
Despite the good food and nice decor, the service at the end of dinner left me with an incredibly soured experience. Never have I experienced such bad customer service in my LIFE (I'm sure there's plenty of more bad ones to come). My entire family was unanimous on how awful the lady treated us and that we would never come here again (and also spread the word on not to eat here).
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