HaveSpoonWillCook's Profile
Milton, ON - good places to eat?
I'm hoping to get a group together, to take to Lion City. Can't go to a Singaporean place without getting chicken rice mmm mmhh MMMhhh! What else have you tried there that you can recommend?
Milton, ON - good places to eat?
Thank you everybody for very thoughtful suggestions. I get few opportunities to eat out in my daily life (no good restaurants in my area) so am always happy to make the most of the opportunity when I'm traveling .... look forward to posting after I get back!
Milton, ON - good places to eat?
I'll be visiting Milton for a few days, and need some good recommendations please!
My preference is for south-east asian (Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean..) but contemporary would be ok too - not indian please. I realise Milton is not a metropolis - I guess I'm trying to say that my focus is fresh, great ingredients and good food, rather than mass-produced or americanised cheesy crap...
Have a car, so am not averse to driving half an hour or more for really good recommendations!
Orlando area top 10 - February 2012
Thanks again for those great suggestions! Unfortunately my partner got really ill while we were in Orlando, and we only made it to Trey Yuen.
Being early on sunday evening, there were only two other chinese couples eating and picking up takeaway. The decor is pretty fantastic and the waitress was friendly - we have never ever experienced that at a chinese restaurant before, so that was a big plus from the get-go. For some reason they were playing muzak.. a little strange while sitting in that beautiful room!
Dimsum is served until lunch time.
I react badly when I have too many choices, and the menu at Trey Yuen is very long. In desperation, we ordered potstickers to start off - they tasted pretty good, but the filling was very compact with a thick tough tasteless dough surrounding it. Not a very good choice.
Next was our moo goo gai pan - nice mix of textures and flavours, but overall just a little too bland. Happily, our other choice entree offset this: the beef with cashew nuts was yummy - tender beef, crisp cashews, rich sauce. We got a big teapot of chrysanthemum tea to go with it.
No dessert - not very inspiring choices available.
All in all, a good quick hearty meal, nice surroundings, friendly service - I'd definitely return. Thanks for recommending it!
Orlando area top 10 - February 2012
Awesome suggestions, everyone, am really looking forward to sampling all these delights!
Loved the video too! I visit FL every few months, mostly MIA and FLL. I actually toyed with the idea of arriving in MIA and driving to Orlando from there, just to do some eating in FLL (!!) .. luckily you guys have given me all these good options to explore. *sound of stomach growling in anticipation.
Will do my best to report back!
Orlando area top 10 - February 2012
Sounding good, BBV Lou and Y Sam!
Vietnamese food is new to me - I'm wondering what I should order, to get a great and indelible impression? I love big flavours, lots of greens along with my meat/fish, braised food vs fried... unfortunately small capacity (spirit very willing but the belly is just too small). So I have to be very focused :-)
I'm in Orlando for a seminar but am planning to drive northwards of Orlando and kinda zigzag around and visit the coast as well - never been to the area before and need to do a mini roadtrip on my one free day. Also, heading out via Tampa. Any suggestions for good eating away from Orlando.. maybe regional specialties?
Orlando area top 10 - February 2012
Mmm-mmmhhhh! I'll be visiting Orlando and driving about in the surrounding areas of central FL over the course of a few days, beginning Thursday this week. I'll be based on I-drive, have a car and would really appreciate ideas on where to eat. So many opportunities, so little time!
I'm primarily looking for authentic asian food: Dimsum - japanese izakaya style & sushi - thai - malaysian - possibly vietnamese.. (if its any help, my faves in FLL are Sharaku, Yoshi and Toa Toa). Seafood too (always wanted to try seafood boil - any chance of that?), and contemporary with a strong asian flair.. my focus is fresh ingredients, fantastic tastes.
Also recommendations for an asian market - I need to stock up on primarily south east asian, chinese ingredients.
Thanks!
Grand Cayman - dinner at Abacus
Abacus is one of the newer restaurants in Camana Bay, its been open for a couple of years or so. Somewhat pricy but nice ambience with outdoor seating along the pedestrian street, or dining indoors as per your preference.
I was with a group of people and our conversation was very animated and did not include comments on the food, so I can only post my experience - hope this helps.
We opted to sit outside and enjoyed a good breeze. I'd recommend finding out where the loudspeakers are, and sitting away from them as the music got pretty loud by the time we were halfway through our meal.
My mojito ... I've been here before for mixed drinks, and they tend to taste watered down. I'd forgotten my resolution to get a beer or wine next time I came here.
For my appetiser, I had oysters in the shell, with a creamy garlicky sauce, spinach and breadcrumbs. It'd probably taste good, but they were lukewarm, and the heavy gunk over the oysters totally drowned out their delicate taste. And a couple of times I found myself eating bits of shell.. At $3.50 an oyster....
This was followed by the beef tenderloin which came with fingerling potatoes in a balsamic reduction with truffle oil, and some baby green beans. The beans were quite raw, but everything else was really excellent. The meat was done exactly right.
For dessert, I got the lava cake with cookies n cream icecream and a little chopped fruit. I'm sorry to say that this was not distinctive in any way.
One of the others in the group ordered the amberjack sashimi and was not thrilled about the sauce that was drizzled over. Too much personality, was his verdict, it drowned out the flavour of the fish.
The funky sundae seemed to be fun but not distinctive either.
I'd probably go there again, but just an entree and go elsewhere for dessert. Oh, and I'd sit far away from the loudspeakers. Great ambience, busy scene, attentive waiters.
Menu: http://caymangoodtaste.com/restaurants_menu.asp?restaurantID=155&menu_headingID=254
Cut-proof glove - where to buy?
Thanks everybody, this was very helpful!
I'm planning to check out the fishing stores first, and later on try the cookware stores if I don't find the right gloves.
Cut-proof glove - where to buy?
Can anybody recommend a store in Miami/FLL where I can get a cut-proof glove (a.k.a chain mesh glove, sort of like the butchers use)? My husband goes fishing a lot and is tired of cutting himself while cleaning slippery fish and spiky lobsters.
Thanks!
Inspiring farmers market with stuff to do for kids?
Thanks, this sounds like fun!
I've been recommended Coconut Grove farmers market (Grand Ave.) as having clowns, face painters, musicians etc - does this market still exist, any thoughts?
Vietnamese food newbies - what to try?
Excellent tips, thanks! Will post again when we've tried this in a couple of weeks.
South East Asian grocer in Miami/F. Lauderdale?
Oh great, thanks to you both!
I don't mind having to hunt - I often find stuff I'd forgotten I was looking for this way :-)
Yakko San N. Miami Beach Grand Re-Opening
Just remembered I took a copy of the menu when I left the last time, see attached.
This might be helpful for those who knew the old menu and are wondering what the changes are. If there are any new items on that are unmissable, please do post!
South East Asian grocer in Miami/F. Lauderdale?
Thanks Taiga.
Can you give me an idea of what Lucky's carries? I am all out of even basic-basic asian stuff, so the more places I can check out, the better.
Yakko San N. Miami Beach Grand Re-Opening
Thanks, Frodnesor, for the translation and tips.
Am looking forward to visiting again in a couple of weeks!
South East Asian grocer in Miami/F. Lauderdale?
I am coming in to Miami soon and desperately need to stock up on my south east asian ingredients. I've only been to the store near silver pond, which though pretty well-stocked unfortunately doesn't carry everything I need. Some of the things I'm looking for include satay mix, laksa paste, XO sauce, chili oil, various dried spices etc.
If there are good eating places close by, all the better!
Vietnamese food newbies - what to try?
I've never tried vietnamese food before, and have heard that there are several good restaurants in Miami/F.Lauderdale area. Am taking some friends to dinner - can anybody recommend something fantastic, so we get a really good impression of Vietnamese cuisine?
This group is used to Indian, Malay and Singaporean hawker style food, and is hoping for that ooommph tastebud tickling experience that south east asian cooking can give. Thanks!
Inspiring farmers market with stuff to do for kids?
I'm looking for a farmers market with exciting raw ingredients, good food and lots of samples, and a high element of entertainment as I'll have two kids (8 and 10) in tow.
I'm located in Weston, and am willing to wake up early and drive half an hour for the right market. I'm Hoping to be inspired by new and unusual ingredients, and the kids need samples and things going on to keep them happy.
Help!
Ft. Lauderdale--Cafe Sharaku, a real gem
Ate here one saturday evening, for the first time, and look forward to returning very soon! The 7.30 seating having sold out, we opted for 6.30 and there were two other couples there. I was surprised and delighted by the small and exquisite interior, it was intimate and really delightful. Both the couples had chosen the prix fixe menu and recommended it. However, the specials sounded fantastic, and this being our first visit, we chose a handful of things off the specials and menu.
The sweet abelone sashimi on a bed of greens cooked with a touch of wasabi was a fun way of starting off. The waitress checked to make sure we knew that abelone was a bit chewy. Good, although we found the wasabi a bit overpowering.
Next up was the diced snow crab with diced avocado, in a japanese mayo dressing. It came with beautifully waffel-cut potato crisps (see photo). It looked exquisite and tasted amazing. I'm normally not a mayo fan, but there's something to be said for japanese mayo - it is lighter and not as cloying..
Then we got the kurobuta pork belly skewers - delish! The thin slices of meat had been brushed with a sweetish (miso?) dressing and grilled, and served with just a couple of rosa pepper corns that delivered an explosive kick and really complemented the flavour of the pork and the dressing.
Then came a really tender and carefully braised piece of beef short rib. I can't remember what they did to it, but it was amazing, and left us wanting more.
Finally, we chose a dessert from the dessert menu. It was now about 7.30 and the place was full with groups of 3 or 4 people, all enjoying the food with reverence - it was such an experience to see people not shoveling down food mindlessly, but almost moaning with pleasure... oh yes, the dessert. We selected a dish of fresh fruit (strawberries, melon, kiwi and perhaps a couple of other things that I've forgotten) - the waiter brought a can with him when serving this dish of cut fruit. He sprayed a light lemony mousse over the fruit, and it was pretty good! However the dessert also included some small sticky rice cakes about the size of lima beans - they were really gluey, had absolutely no flavour, and did nothing at all for the dessert. When we asked the waiter if they were meant to taste like this, he laughed and said that he had begged the chefs to either remove them from the dessert or change them somehow.
Loved the friendly but really professional service, the intimate setting, and the food. I'd say that 3 of the 5 dishes really wow'ed us (crab, pork belly, short ribs). Look forward to working our way through the rest of the menu!
In all, a good evening, and we will definitely go back very soon.
Yakko San N. Miami Beach Grand Re-Opening
Went to Yakko San a month ago, had not realised they'd moved! To my great relief, I was informed that they had relocated, not closed down! Phew. The new place is in the mall just before the bridge, next to Old Navy.
The evening I was there, July 3, around 6.30, the place was pretty empty even though the parking lot outside was pretty full and the other restaurants in the vicinity seemed to be be busy.
I have to say we were very nostalgic - the new place is huge, and has a sports bar vibe that really jars with the menu. They even have a seating hostess near the door. and a cocktail bar! No more small intimate joint with staff chorusing a greeting as you entered and left, no more "the food is our focus" vibe.
We chose to sit at the bar, primarily because we could then have our backs to the many TVs, and focus on the food. I counted 8 cooks behind the counter and lots of waiters milling around. The staff seems very multiethnic with just one Japanese face that DH thought he remembered from the old place. Most of the staff were watching the TVs.
We had barely parked our butts on the bar stools when we were handed a gratis little cold appetiser of pasta strands, coarsely grated cabbage and carrot, in a light vinaigrette. The mixture was made and stored in a big container below the counter, and hauled out for every customer that came in. It seemed a very odd thing and didn't taste especially interesting, and we left ours after an initial taste.
The menu seems way bigger than at the old place. The waiter handed us the menus, and I had to ask if there were any specials, which he mumbled his way through - difficult to hear because of the background noise from the TVs and the few patrons.
Being wary about whether the food was still good, we ordered just a few dishes. And I'm happy to say that the miso sea-bass was perfectly done; so was the hamachi kama. Yum! We almost licked the plates. The fish guy that evening really knew his stuff and was busy, while some of the other cooks had their eyes glued to the TVs and were hanging about, waiting for the rush to begin.
We decided to try the sushi, and got the crabroll and a couple of other types. The sushi arrived very quickly. However, the crabroll was bland and with just a tiny sprinkling of flying fish roe. The others were nothing special either.
DH loves a simple bowl of udon soup with tempura shrimp, and he shared the 3 perfectly deep-fried shrimp with me. We also got the aubergine pork dish, and were not disappointed.
So the old menu is still being executed well - I can't speak for the new items, and am a fan of old-school sushi, so can't speak for the sushi either.
However, the ambience and service does not excel. Just before the food arrived, DH got a small plate put in front of him with a scrap of food on the side - he pointed it out and it was replaced, but no apology.
And the service was pretty intrusive, with the waiter interrupting our conversation brutally several times - why could we not have a couple of seconds to finish a sentence? It's not like the place was heaving with customers. And why do the waiters absolutely have to serve from between a couple, when the rest of the bar is empty and it would be easier to serve from one side or both sides? I was seriously perturbed when the bowl of udon soup arrived, because one point it seemed like it would end in my lap, had DH not intervened and grabbed it.
Finally, at one point we tried to make conversation with the fish guy, who could not hear us due ot the noise from the TVs. We were trying to find out the english name of Hamachi, but he had no idea, other than that it was an oily fish - he certainly knew how to cook it to perfection, though!.
The place began filling up as we were getting ready to move on. Hopefully the many shoppers dropping in will keep Yakko-San in business for a long time, but I do hope the food quality does not suffer as business grows. I am not sure whether the prices have gone up as a result of the move.
So would I return? Yes, definitely, for the food, but not so much for the ambience or service.
Marumi Sushi or Yakko San?
Went to Marumi a couple of weeks back, and my vote goes to Yakko-San hands down.
Marumi was empty at about 8.30 on a weekday evening when we walked in, with just one couple eating at a table and one cook behind the counter. I almost turned around at this point, and later wished I had.
The Japanese waitress was abrupt and not at all helpful when we wanted details so we could make an informed choice. We could not wrestle any details out of her at all, so we decided against going for anything challenging.
Ordered the Black Grouper usuzukuri , the Bitter Melon with Pork and Tofu, the Jumbo Shrimp Shumai, the Spicy Tuna Tataki,
Unfortunately, the food was really bland. Fresh, but bland and certainly not exceptional.
The grouper was fresh but nothing special; the bitter melon was served in a messy pile on a dish, the shumai was good and the tuna ok. Nothing left me wanting more, in fact, I was sorry we ordered so much right off, because I was ready to go after the first dish.
So Yakko-San it is for me..
Healthy Butcher classes
Has anybody tried the one-day classes held by Healthy Butcher?
I'm hoping to catch one over the summer, hopefully they will have one on sausage-making.
Thanks,
-----
The Healthy Butcher
565 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V, CA
Healthy Butcher
298 Eglinton Ave W, Toronto, ON M4R, CA
Excellent lunch in Mississauga?
Thanks everybody! This is a nice variety of suggestions. Appreciate the help!
Awesome Non Toxic (Ceramic) Fry Pans !
I usually have to toss my frypans after about half a year because the bottom begins to 'warp' (become rounded on the bottom when heated up). I have a glasstop stove so the pan has to be flat, specially since I do a lot of stirfrys on high heat.
Any comments on how these ceramic pans hold up to this sort of use and whether there is any tendency to warp?
Excellent lunch in Mississauga?
Hi Chowhounds,
I'll be travelling in to Mississauga (square one area) and need to take a friend out to lunch.
I'm unfamiliar with Miss., but am hoping to get tips on a place with great food and ambience that won't hustle us out after half an hour, and that isn't pricey.
Please no pizza/ Indian food/food court/Hortons/greasy spoon ...
Thanks a bunch!
Seafood boil + BC specialties?
Thanks everybody for excellent suggestions! I've revised my list and have also trawled the board for options in Calgary and Edmonton.
Now I just need some specifics for the Okanagan region, oyster and seafood recommendations for this time of year, favourite beer and wine brands to sample, please!
Oh, and it seems that most places are closed on sunday in Victoria? Is this all over BC (other than Vancouver) or just V'Island?
Seafood boil + BC specialties?
Other than my 3N in Vancouver, after which we'll drive to Van Isle, I don't know when we'll be anywhere particular because Dear Hubs wants to be spontaneous while on vacay.
So we know what we'd like to do (sea-kayaking, hiking/walking, wildlife-watching) but have no reservations or plans yet: Good chow and not too touristy ambience will be a big factor in deciding where we go/stop.
I'd really appreciate any suggestions that would allow us to appreciate BC to the full - thanks so much!
Seafood boil + BC specialties?
Thanks, fmed and grayelf, for all the excellent suggestions - I've even begun working out to give my metabolism a jump start as I'm a small eater!!
I'll be in Vancouver Mon-Thurs (3N).
Grayelf, for sushi (I'm old school) I've noted Lime and Blue Water. For cart dim sum, I've noted Golden Ocean and Sun Sui Wah - not sure which location though. Am willing to compromise on the cart if necessary, for good dim sum. Recommendations about what to order will be gratefully received!
Other than the above suggestions, which I fully intend to follow, I also have Scuie, Go Fish, Vij's and Alibi Room on my list.
So -does the "don't eat seafood on mondays" rule hold true for Van?
Is there anywhere close to Robson where I can get a good selection of South East Asian condiments (to take back)?
Seafood boil + BC specialties?
I think I'm looking for something like out of the "Message in a Bottle" movie .. very casual dining, very fresh seafood prepared very simply and very well, close to the water. But I guess this is a summer thing...
