Watching this thread

Went there last night with another couple for the first time. Having traveled North America extensively and having been raised on "comfort food", I've eaten homestyle and meat and potatoes from one end of the spectrum to the other, I must say that Lynn turned comfort food into gourmet food without making it exotic.

ICEBERG WEDGIE SALAD
The large chunks of smoked bacon and the lightly roasted tomatoes with a dressing that complimented yet did not overpower was a great start..

GRILLED FLANK STEAK WITH CARAMELIZED ONION JUS
The flanked steak was cooked perfectly, medium on the ends and closer to medium rare in the center, the family sized portion was GENEROUS. as a matter of fact it's the first time my good friend and I have allowed a steak entree to be cleared from the table unfinished. He is 6'-4", 300 and I'm 6'-5" 275, we usually don't let it slip away! LOL The jus was delicious.

Brown Butter Creamed Winter Greens,
This was kale served "al dente", still a little crunchy for my taste, but I'm sure it retained more nutrition than the southern style greens cooked well with bacon fat that I am accustomed to.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pumpkin Seed Pesto,
The favorite side of the night by far! The squash was cut in thick slices and roasted well with a carmelized exterior. the thickness allowed the squash to remain firm instead of mushy and the pumpkin pesto drizzled over was very tasty!

Smashed Potato’s with Scallions, Blue Cheese & Herbs
Awesome! the blue cheese was added last and in chunks after the potatoes were smashed and seasoned, the heated softened the rich blue cheese chunks and was a delight on top of my tongue! .

ST. MAURE BY FROMAGERIE CHAPUT
Probably the least favorite course amongst the group for the night, some felt the cheese was over smoked and dry. .

RUBY’S CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Incredibly rich, moist, and decadent. Perfect with a strong cup of black coffee.

It took six weeks of calling to get into Ruby Watchco on a Saturday, it was worth it, we will return.

BTW,
We read the noise complaints in the previous reviews prior to going, gotta say, I been to much noisier fine dining restauarants than this. Conversation was not a problem for a table of four.

PS,
Lynn is there to work, and man does she work, no table to table socializing, I get the impression that she personally inspects every dish before it leaves the kitchen.

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Ruby Watchco
730 Queen St E, Toronto, ON , CA

For your splurge night I would recommend Adega on Elm St. It is a 5 minute cab ride from your hotel. Authentic Portuguese cuisine in a quiet atmosphere. It is a mid priced restaurant for downtown but the dishes are ample and the quality is top notch.

DO NOT GO TO A CHAIN! Life is too short.

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Adega
33 Elm Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1H1, CA

Take your ingredients and add baby spinach, then put it in an omelet.

Use it in an omelet with Ricotta, Cream, or Masacarpone cheese, baby spinach, and a few capers.

Actually, the very best wings in the Durham region are the smoked wings from Buster Rhino's.

He sells 2 lb boxes for $11.99 takeout and wing dinners for $9.99 every day.

No breading, deep hickory smoke flavor, no grease, sauce on or on the side.

Try the Hot habanero sauce if you dare!

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Buster Rhino's
2001 Thickson Rd S, Whitby, ON L1N, CA

The Bulldog Pub in Oshawa has great wings!

Teddys is a great value and solid dependable food. The Deli sandwiches are made with fresh ingredients, the open faced sandwiches served with mashed potatoes and gravy are delicious and HUGE. The service is prompt and courteous!

Thick sliced bologna, extra crunchy peanut butter, and 2 slices of kraft american cheese on wheat bread is my favorite sandwich, been eating them for 30 years, I haven't asked my heart's opinion, it wouldn't be good.

My favorite strange combo is a peanut butter/balonga/cheese sandwich with extra crunchy peanut butter and a thick slice of balogna and two slices of real american cheese on wheat bread. Talk about a protein injection! Need a big glass of ice cold milk to eat it without sticking your mouth closed. love 'em.

John's Famous Stew near the corner of Morris and Kentucky serves a pretty good breaded pork tenderloin. They also have a variation on it called the "tenderloin supreme" where the BPT is served on a large plate smothered in their signature stew.