KitchenVoodoo's Profile
Toronto's most boring resto: your nominations, please
Charles, is the food at Brownes any good? what would you recommend? I'm being invited there soon....
Where to eat in Ottawa [split from the Quebec board]
In Ottawa I would recommend eighteen york for good food and great service:
http://www.restaurant18.com/en/default.aspx
Very good oysters if you like that, everything else great too. Approx 90 CDN pp with wine.
and also it's more casual sister down the lane beside it, it's called the "Side Door" and has some very good Asian style tapas:
http://www.sidedoorrestaurant.com/
I would recommend the shrimp in betel leaf.
osgoode hall restaurant
Completely agree with your assessment. was there thwice last week (lucky me) had sea bream in beurre blanc with lovely spuds and veg and rhubarb crumble afterwards. Previous lunch I had a creamy feta and roasted cherry tomato quich, rich and light at the same time. Then a perfect rhubarb compote with fluffy whipped marsscapone inside a filo envelope. Service is professional and unintrusive, the room is great, no music thankfully, you can have civilized conversation in a normal tone of voice. Love this place! Hurry before they close for summer hiatus - no weekends or dinners sadly.
La Carnita finds permanent home on college st
I simply don't understand all the frenzy, and the long lineups, for tacos, when they are so easy to make at home, and for a fraction of the cost at these new places. Somebody wrote on this board recently that they had paid $9 for a single taco! I always have a stash of tortillias in my freezer (I like the Alba Lisa brand, and I cook them in a red hot cast iron pan until they puff up, then keep warm in a towel) and the fillings can be anything you like, but for Mexican street style taste I keep it simple - spicy marinaded flank steak on the BBQ, and a home made salsa. I also like the Mexican places in Kensington Market - no hype, no lines, and perfectly decent tacos for very little money. I suppose a certain clientele needs to be dining on Ossington avenue to be "in with the in crowd" - I don't buy it.
What's new and great in Vancouver?
I'm coming from Toronto with people from Ireland. I've been to Vancouver many times and have enjoyed Blue Water Cafe, West, Bishops, Rain City Grill as well as many of the cheap and cheerful ethnic places.
I was wondering if there was anything new that we should try - what about Jean George at the ShangriLa? Worth the money compared to West?
Do you have a breakfast recommendation, preferrably light, fresh and if possible organic food near Denham/Robson? Or in that area - we are staying at the Bayshore Westin.
Thanks!
What's new and great in Vancouver?
Am planning a trip in early Oct, wondering if West is as good as I remember, and if Vij is worth lining up for?
Any good gourmrt lunchtime time tips (downtown) would be appreciated!
KV
Toucan Taco Bar
You have to be kidding - 9 for one taco? Was it mind blowingly good? Was it sprinkled with edible silver leaf? Stick to the real Mexican joints in Kensington Market - not trendy, but cheap and authentic, VERY welcoming, and no attitide or deafening sound track.
Goods and Provisions Welcome to the Hood!
Any more news? I'd like to try this place, but not to have JennaBean's experience.
Enotoca Ascari
Olive oil was great. I had the pasta with the cream, hazlenuts and Gorgonzola. The noodles were superb but overall the dish wasn't something I'd order again. Great service. Didn't have any wine. Thursday night, place was full. If you're hoping for a quiet romantic evening, or just a civilized conversation with a friend, beware, the sound system is set high, and you may also hate the music, and the hard surfaces amplify the sounds of people shouting at each other to be heard over the sound system. Loved the fresh pasta and the olive oil, but going deaf is not for me....
Your last death row meal - anything, from any Toronto restaurant, delivered to your cell
I know there's no death penalty here, just messing with your minds, but IF you were on an imaginary Death Row, and you could choose a perfect 3 course final meal from Toronto restos, what would it be,?
My choice would be - appetizer - David Lee's crispy duck salad from Nota Bene, main course grilled fish from Zucca, third course, no idea... which resto makes the best lemon merangue pie?
Best Thing You Ever Ate - Toronto
Some of their dishes are fine, but definetily not destination food.
Best Thing You Ever Ate - Toronto
Second the crispy duck salad at Nota Bene - it's the only reason I go there.
And JK fries.
Much to discover based on you list....
Best Thing You Ever Ate - Toronto
Claremont street location - hot veal sandwich fully loaded - that's what I'll ask for as my last meal when I'm outta time on death row!
Pho - Danforth and Jones
Millygirl - don't talk to me about HarGow - I had the worst MSG attacks of my life after eating one of their main dishes. They need to dial it back on that stuff. Buyer's remorse and all that.
Pho - Danforth and Jones
What greens did you get with yoor Pho? I only ask because Little Coxwell (on Coxwell, just south of O'Conner) has the distnction of adding tasty sawtooth cilantro as well as the usual basil, lime chunks, hot pepper amd bean sprouts. We're gettin' GOURMET in our Pho tastes these days!
Amazing lunch at Cinamon Indian Bistro
I am looking forward to sampling the food, and I see they have delivery now. One thing that bothers me is the bullshit on their website about the "awards" that the chef has won - there is no such award as the "Cook of Her Majesty" or the "Downtown New York Chef of the Year".
It could be a language mix up, I'm not judging, but I have known people who see bold statements like that and accept them at face value, without any checking. Did he cook for Queen Elizabeth? Did he actually create and execute the dish she ate? Or simply do something less illustrious in the kitchen?,
I just wonder, why a resto owner would risk alienating potential clientelle with all this dubious PR.
If the food is great, and it sounds like it is, why ruin things with the BS?
Little Coxwell Vietnamese/Thai review
Love the Pho - especially the addition of that long leafed saw tooth cilantro, along with the basil, lime and more than one fiery Thai chilis. The owners are lovely, and very welcoming. The Thai style curry was a bit heavy for me, I think they use full fat coconut milk, but the Pho is great, no noticable fat globules floating around, great flavour, I ordered the rare beef, it was great. Shrimp rolls seem to be like President's Choice, but they're tasty.
If you live anywhere nearby, and you like Vietnamese food, I would urge you to try this place!
Restaurant "Har Gow" on Danforth
Same here, great addition to the neighbourhood, really nice people and a whole lot of action going on in that kitchen. I sampled the Har Gow and the Siu Mai - the latter was a bit tough, so I'll probably skip that next time, but the place is clean, things are made to order it would seem, no microwave beeps went off! And I asked about delivery - they do it, but only after 5. No online menu, you'll have to go and get one, or bribe me to tell you what's on it!
Lazy Daisy's cafe now open - Gerrard E. @ Coxwell - an absolute gem!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lazy-Daisys-Cafe/241965915837993
Can't say enough good things about this place. Today was opening day. It's a lovely space, and all the food is made or assembled in house, with ingredients from local supplies are farms, ticks all the eco\local\organic\fair rade boxes, and the people running the show are real people. I recommend the chilli. Many local residents seem to have discovered the place today, it's at a corner with lots of foot traffic, and what an amazing addition to the dismal food scene in the Little India neighbourhood. At last a great place we can walk to, eat well at and support farmers. Even Leslieville has nothing quite like this.
Any opinions on "Go For Szechuan" beside York Finch Hospital?
Sounds delicious! I must try a "double" soon! Thanks.
2011 Food and Resto CLOSINGS
It's all about them, not you. End of story. If you ever watched their silly ego boosting TV show a few years ago it would tell you all you needed to know -DON'T GO to a Rubino joint!
Any opinions on "Go For Szechuan" beside York Finch Hospital?
Can you explain what a double is? I believe it's some deep fried creation that's cardiac attack inducing.
Any opinions on "Go For Szechuan" beside York Finch Hospital?
I saw lots of suit and tie guys heading into that doubles place - I should have followed them! will give Que Huong a shot, I like Pho, what is bahn mi - is it the baquette sandwich with the funky mystery meat?
Toronto Underground Market - starting in September
Sadly I have to agee with BusterRhino - logstical nightmare for vendors and frustrating for diners, although I love the concept, I won't queue up for food unless I'm forced to as a consequence of being incarcerated.
Any opinions on "Go For Szechuan" beside York Finch Hospital?
Or ANYTHING decent in the area!!
Madras Dosa Hut on Albion / Isington - any opinions?
By mistake I went to Darbar Dosa Hut - I found the shell of the paper masala dosa great, but the filling a bit mushy and bland, I like lots of fresh chillies, fresh coriander and fresh curry leaves. Not here.
Chutneys were avoidable, creepy place, totally empty, just me and the sole waiter staring at me until that grew old for him - then he simply sat and fell asleep!
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Madras Dosa Hut
1123 Albion Rd, Toronto, ON M9V1A9, CA
Recommendations for Restaurant near Port Lands / Distillery District (open on Sunday)?
I have not been to it and will not vouch for it but look at its online menu - it has a patio and free parking and is close to Cirque
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/10/1494132/restaurant/Riverdale-Leslieville/Le-Papillon-on-the-Park-Toronto
Otherwise I would go for TABLE 17 on Queen East just east of Broadview, or for a funkier experience go to Gio Rama's Really..... its in an unmarked building on the north west corner of Queen East and Leslie. Great Italian food, great efficient service. Or go to Queen Marguerita Pizza on Queen just east of Greenwood.
Best sunday brunch place in Leslieville for somebody with gluten and dairy allergies?
I'm treating a friend and I don't want him to have to exist on salad alone, so I'm hoping that other hounds wth food alergies or intolerances can help me find the best place for brunch on Sunday - does not have to be Leslieville could be Beaches or further in to town. I love Fresh but the lineups and the noise levels are anti social.
Musings on lunch in Leslieville
Love the meatloaf sandwich at BB. Liked my eggy brunch at Frankly. Hated the chicken curry at The Roy. Joy Bistro aways a letdown.
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Joy Bistro
884 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4M1J3, CA
