PrincessStress's Profile
Pizzeria Libretto - Awesome pizza!!!
Wow...seems like I'm the only one with bad luck here then! Both locations are quite a far drive for me, so unless I'm in area of either location, I won't make a special trip down for it like I last did. To keep my stomach pizza happy for now, I'll stick to Nonnas up in my area.
Pizzeria Libretto - Awesome pizza!!!
I wanted to go try this place. But ended up not because of the horrible service. We went around 5:30pm and wanted our names put down for a table. They told us 1 hour wait and that they'll call us when a table is ready. We thought ok, we're hardly in the area, and this place has great reviews, so we'll wait. My cousin however gets really grumpy when she's hungry wanted to eat fish and chips at the Lakeview just so she doesnt' get as grumpy, hubby and i shared a plate of fries there just to hold us over. An hour and a half later, still no call, so we walk back, they said it's really busy, another half hour. We figured, ok we waited for an hr and a half already, whats another half hour right? Half hour passed, still nothing, and at this point we were just waiting infront of the restaurant. Hubby goes in and asks.....another half hour....at this point i'm getting annoyed. But we wait some more. 45 minutes pass and this time i go in. They said another half hour. WTF! I get fed up and i just ask them, what if i want take out, how long would that take? They told me half an hour. Seems like their answer for everything is 'half an hour'. So i told them forget it and turned around and left. They come running after me and say, Oh, we now have a table for you. How convenient was that. So i asked them I'll still have to wait half an hour for a pizza right? They said yes. I told them forget it.
There's no pizza place out there that's worth me waiting over 3 hours for. And because of this i doubt i'll be going to pizza liberetto to try their pizzas ever!
Soup Nutsy?
I found my cream of mushroom to be overly thick as well. Consistency was like opening up a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup! Although, hubby's broth based soup (can't remember what it was) was pretty good.
Liberte Greek Yogurt
Oikos has 0% but you have to make sure it's Okios Organic. I found it at Walmart.
Liberte Greek Yogurt
I just bought the Liberte 0% Greek yogurt as well. While it's good, i found that the Danone Oikos one tastes better.
buy veggie burgers?
They're in the freezer section where the normal beef burgers are. The brand is Costco's Kirkland brand in a green box.
buy veggie burgers?
If your guests like the 'fake meat'/soy protein burgers, then the Lick's Nature burgers are quite good. If your guests dont' like that kind of texture, Costco sells these veggie burgers that you can see/tastes the grains, cheese, mushrooms etc. inside. I personally prefer the Costco ones. I think there's 10 patties in a box, for $12.99
Heartbroken Hoof Cafe lovers NEED recommendations!
I agree with the other posts....defintiely give The Beast a try. I loved it.
Stockyard's deep fried poached eggs were delicious! Something that i definitely wouldn't be making a home.
Good place for coffee/desserts near Toronto airport?
There's a Williams near the airport on Dixon Rd. Unfortunately i'm at a Starbucks with painfully slow Wifi.....so i can't find the exact location for you. But i'm sure if you do a google search you'll be able to find it. Hope this helps.
ISO: Good Resto with pan-seared foie gras within GTA
I'm usually not a fan of foie gras, just because the very first time i've had it, it was done VERY badly at a friend's wedding. But i tried it again a few months ago at Black Hoof.....and it was AMAZING. The outside was nice and crispy, the inside was nice and creamy!
Where to buy good wine glasses? (downtown Toronto)
Just went down to the basement to check the boxes. The name of the series is Degustazione. I did a quick google search and this line is considered the low end restaurant grade glasses. But i guess what do you expect to find at Winners right? My other set of Reidels & Nachtmans wine glasses i got during the William Ashley warehouse sale a few years ago. The white wine Reidels were sold in a 'party tube' packaging. Not sure what the name of the set would be since the tube is long gone. Nachtmans were in a box, but again.....box is long gone.
Where to buy good wine glasses? (downtown Toronto)
I'm a newbie at this wine stuff so not sure how fancy the Riedels at Winners are, but i just picked up a set each for Red wine and Champagne flutes. $25 for each box of 4.
Looking for a cup cake stand for sale..
I've seen cupcakes stands at Caynes (Yonge & Doncaster), Michaels, and Walmart.
Michaels has the 23 cupcake stand for sure that i've seen, but if you're looking for a 38 cupcake stand and can't find it anywhere you can prob order off of this site.
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=BA1648DA-802D-F658-04E205A00CB91EFB&fid=DA7FB697-423B-522D-F0D8C0616F3319D5
Cake Decorating Classes for Pre-Teens?
I took 2 out of the 3 Wilton cake decorating classes at Michaels. I loved it. Don't know if it was because my classes were so small. Course 2 ended up with 3 students (1 cancelled last min) and Course 3 ended up with 2 students (2 cancelled last min). They usually won't hold a class unless there's a min of 4 students per class.
Course 1 i took at a fancy bakery. Course fee incl course kit (still needed to buy some additional supplies) cost me $130.
Course 2 & 3 i took at Michaels, course fee & course kit for each course ended up being $50.
Both the fancy bakery place and michaels taught from the Wilton course book. So i don't tihkn there was any advantage taking the courses at independant cake shops.
For course information at Michaes, each store has teir own schedules. So you will need to actually call or go to the store to find out info. But right now they do have 50% off course fee & course kit. Course fee should be $22.50 and course kit should be $25. Both + tax.
Recommendations for July 1- July 4
Wow, i didn't expect to get so many responses over such a short period of time! Thank you to all for the speedy responses. I guess i haven't done enough research on places to check out for food.
I guess Magnolia will only be for the banana pudding and not for cupcakes as it seems that many people have said that the cupcakes are too sweet anyways. I'll definitely look over some of the other cupcake places and see which i can get to in the short time that i'm in the city.
As for Momofuku, i guess i'll make a quick stop to the Milk Bar location to get some pork buns and a slice of their crack pie (i forgot to mention that in the original post). I actually didn't know that there were different Momofuku restaurants. I'll go to Ippudo for ramen instead if they're that much better.
Just curious, why the negative comments about Shake Shack. In all my previous trips to NYC, i've never stepped foot in Central Park because i've always visited during the winter. I just thought that sitting down eating a burger, grabbing a shake/custard would be nice.
Coasts, the BBQ scene in Toronto is pretty pathetic, unless i go to our Ribfests. I have found a decent place up in Barrie which is like an hour north of for great pulled pork. I'm sure the hubby would like to eat some ribs in the places you recommended.
Gutsofsteel, i read on some posts (and on Anthony Bourdain's show) that Russ & Daughters has good bagels. If they don't make their own, do you have any suggestions where there are shops in NYC that make their own bagels?
kathryn, thank you for the long list of recommendations. If only i could go to all of them :) I didnt' mention Japanese (other than ramen) just because i came back from visiting Japan at the end of January. I also forgot to mention in my original post i do want to check out Wafels & Dinges and Schnitzel & Things. We don't have anything similar in terms of ethnic street food trucks in Toronto. The City of Toronto tried to launch an experimental program using 4 or 5 ethic food trucks and all failed miserably. So the only street food trucks/carts that we have access to here sells only fries and hotdogs.
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Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
Ippudo
65 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003
Wafels & Dinges
New York, New York, NY 10001
Schnitzel & Things
723 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10017
Recommendations for July 1- July 4
Hello fellow chowhounders,
I will be travelling to NYC and staying around 10th ave & 42nd st between July 1 (arriving late afternoon or around dinner time) - July 4 (leaving mid to late morning) this summer. I'm in need of some restaurant recommendations, perferably none that will break the bank.
I only have a few places in particular that i do want to go and visit. But if anyone can suggest better places, the ones listed below will be bumped off the list.
- Magnolia bakery for their cupcakes,
- Shake Shack for bugers & shes
- Momofuku for their pork buns & ramen
- Russ & Daughters for their bagels
Any suggestions for good food carts too?
Preferably no Chinese food, or Korean food since i'm from Toronto and we have an abundance of those here.
Thanks in advance!
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Russ & Daughters
179 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002
For the Love of Cake - East Liberty Street
I sampled 2 cupcakes at my cousin's wedding. One was red velvet with chocolate filling and the other was some coconut cupcake. I thought they were both disgusting. Cupcakes were ridiculously greasy, maybe thats why it was so moist on the bottom. We set the cupcakes down on the table, and when we picked them up, it left 2 grease stains on the table cloth. As i said, the bottom of the cupcake was moist but the top part was so dry that it crumbled. Worst was their buttercream/icing. I like my buttercream light and fluffy and smooth. Theirs was grainy and hard. Absolutely the worst cupcakes i've ever eaten.
Golden Crown Dynasty Cuisine, Richmond Hill - Another GOOD dim sum place for your list!
The restaurant itself my parents have been going to since the place opened since they're good friends with the owner. In the beginning we found the food to be really, good, but lately it's hit or miss. But the one dish that all of you should try would be the shrimp dumplings with XO sauce on top.
As for the haunted bathroom, my cousin's fiance has seen the top half of a male figure dressed in army fatigue.
Help me scratch some NOTL wineries off the list?
I just visited a few wineries this past Saturday, Strewn, Jackson Triggs and Inniskillin. I loved the experience at Strewn, smaller winery. Jackson Triggs and Inniskillin were way to big and it just felt very commercialized.
Every Saturday at 11:30am at Strewn they offer a free tour and free tasting of 3 wines (1red, 1 white, and 1 dessert wine). I believe additional tastings are only 50 cents each!
Richmond Hill - favs and foodie finds?
I agree. While i dont' eat fish, i noticed my BF's fish looked like the batter was hard as a rock. My clam strips were also fried to a crisp. Could have been all flour for all i know. I couldnt' taste any clam at all cuz it was so overcooked! Portions were also small Olde Yorke Fish and Chips near Eglinton & Laird.
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Olde Yorke
96 Laird Dr, Toronto, ON M4G3V3, CA
Full House vs. Spring Villa for Banquet
I contemplated to have my wedding reception at Spring Villa as well. But i heard from my aunt that her friend's son/daughter put down 2 deposts for their wedding and the owner of the restaurant claimed that they didnt' put down any deposits and that day was not theirs. They had to rush to find another place to hold their wedding reception .
Costco mussels any good?
I bought 2 of these shrink wrapped containers from Costco a few weeks back and was kinda skeptical bout it. But the price of it was to good! When opened, i found 1 or 2 broken mussel (shells) in each container. Some of the mussels looked sorta opened so i thought they were dead. But i googled it and apparently these mussels sorta sleep in these containers. After cooking they all opened! Tasted quite good cooked in a beer & sausage broth.
Maple syrup trip?
I think Bronte Creek Park is open on the weekends in March for maple syrup festival. Mention 'sinzibuckwud' and you can get a free piece of candy.
http://www.ontarioparksinsider.com/6/ff#article104
Hope this helps :)
Manna Restaurant - Highly Recommended Homestyle Korean!!
Yes, there was lots of meat on those bones, but not quite as fall off the bone as normal if the bones were boiled for a long time in the broth. You must go and try Owl's. Thats what they do best there :).
Manna Restaurant - Highly Recommended Homestyle Korean!!
Went and checked out Manna Saturday night because of all the good reviews. Our table order the seafood pancake, bulgoggi, porkbone soup for 2, and kimchi pork. I loved the seafood pancake and kimchi pork. In fact, i took the leftovers home, mixed it with some noodles and will have lunch for 2 days. The guys i went with thought the bulgoggi didn't have much meat, mostly veggies. And the porkbone soup, i thought Owl does this dish much better. It didn't taste as if the porkbone was simmered in the broth for many hrs, but tasted more like the pork bone was boiled and put into flavored water.
But in all would go back again if it wasn't so far for me.
LAI WAH HEEN FOR DINNER?
I was at LWH for a wedding in August and didn't find the food that great to be honest. But i''m not sure if the quality is any different for a wedding banquet compared to normal dinners. Roast suckling pig had burnt skin that i was served. Not only that, but when we got served the second course for the suckling pig, my friend was served the pig snout. Most shocking was the fried rice dish. The rice was uncle bens rice, it wasnt' even Asian rice that was used!
best vegetarian, non-tomato sauce pasta dishes in TO?
I was just at Grazie last night, Yonge & Eg area. Had a great artichoke, sundried tomato, goatcheese, olive oil & garlic spaghetti. Menu can be found online.
http://www.grazie.ca/
Where to buy delicious mango mousse cake?
Not sure if you're willing to travel to Richmond Hill. But there's a small Chinese bakery named Dong Dong at Hwy 7 and West Beaver Creek. Price is good too :)
