tjunmin's Profile
there must be one good restaurant in Niagara Falls!?
I'm looking for a place for lunch on Sunday at Niagara Falls. Is AG open for Sunday lunch?
I could not find the hours of operation in their website.
any recommended restaurants in OTTAWA?
We thoroughly enjoyed the Wellington Gastropub. A little bit out of the way, but worth the drive.
any recommended restaurants in OTTAWA?
I second Beckta. It is not cheap, but worth every penny. I would recommend the wine pairing with your meal; the wines really enhanced our food when we dined there.
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Beckta
226 Nepean St, Ottawa, ON K2P0B8, CA
2 days in Toronto - Restaurants with charm, character?
I suggest Mengrai Thai, for its authenticity.
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Mengrai Gourmet Thai Restaurant & Cooking Schools
412 Richmond St E, Toronto, ON M5A1P8, CA
Whats your Special Chowfind
These are the gems I found through Chowhound:
Cafe du Lac
Megrai Thai
Nota Bene
Pomegranate
Stone Road Grille
Sukhothai
After having enjoyed so many finds on this board, I'd like to share one of my own finds: try the tikka kabob from Bamiyan Kabob located at 62 Overlea Blvd. The food is simple, inexpensive and very tasty. Do not expect much in terms of ambiance or service though.
Help - overwhelmed with choice of restaurants in London
Thanks so much for all the helpful responses. :)
Help - overwhelmed with choice of restaurants in London
We will be in London for three days, staying at the Waldorf Hilton on Aldwych.
I've been looking at restaurants in the area, and have been overwhelmed by the large number of options and would appreciate any suggestions for good places in the area for breakfast and dinner.
We are looking for good places at reasonable prices, nothing too expensive. It doesn't need to be posh, what matters is that the food is good. In terms of cuisine, we are flexible. The main restriction is that my spouse does not eat seafood.
A few restaurants I found are Sofra, Cote, Axis, Indigo, The Amphitheatre Restaurant, San Francesco, Christopher's American Bar and Grill.
Any suggestions of places we should not miss? Any suggestions narrowing down the list of restaurants above?
Your assistance will be much appreciated!
good eats in Etobicoke
I enjoy going to Cafe du Lac on Lakeshore Blvd. They serve an interesting wild boar burger, have specials on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and crepes for brunch on Sundays. You can check their menu on their website at http://cafedulac.ca/
SIlver Spoon
Their menu is not large. It is available on their website at http://silverspoon.ca/
I wrote the entry above dated Mar 20, 2004 07:47 PM. I stopped going to Silver Spoon a few years ago, and recently dined there twice, and can certainly say that things have changed - for better - in the past five years. I was very pleasantly surprised when I returned. It is clear that Rocco's talent has evolved since he opened the restaurant. The dishes now have more rich and complex flavors.
The roasted Bosc pear and butternut squash soup was delicious, a wonderful surprise. The oven roasted cornish hen is nicely prepared, tender and juicy. I like Rocco's duck confit, and the fresh rigatoni in a tomato sauce offers just the right amount of spiciness for my taste.
In my original post, I mentioned that Silver Spoon used to offer excellent value for what they charged. This has changed as well. The food is very good, but the prices are now comparable to other restaurants at the same level. Please do not take me wrong, the food is worth every penny they charge, it simply is not a steal as it used to be.
Silver Spoon is a great neighborhood restaurant that I still highly recommend to anyone. But of course, not everybody will like their food. It is a matter of personal preference. I respect the opinion of people who dislike their food. If you have never been there, you'll have to give it a try to form your own opinion. :)
Pomegranate on College St. Toronto
I believe you'll enjoy this restaurant. I discovered it a while ago here on CH and have been a satisfied customer since. For appetizers, I usually order zeitoon parvardeh (olives), mirza qasemi (eggplant) and maast-o khiar (cucumber). For mains, my favorite is morasa polo (jewelled rice) and I also like adas polo (lentil, dates and raisins). If you preer chicken, aloo gheysi (apricot and plums) is very nice. Service is friendly and reservations are recommended. Enjoy!
Green Mango closed??
I've been to both locations, on Bloor West Village and Kingsway Village, after the sit down location on Yonge St closed.
We had a very poor experience at the Kingsway Village location. The "Red Snapper and Curry Shrimp" was so much inferior compared to the one that used to be prepared at the Yonge location. To add insult to injury, I ordered guava juice, and it was served frozen; they left the juice in the freezer, and it froze, the water had turned into ice shavings; they had the courage to pour it in a glass and serve it like that. Not returning there.
The Bloor West Village location was much better. The "Two Sister Cakes" appetizer was tasteless and too oily, but the main dishes were OK and the service was friendly. I find their menu not as extensive as the old location on Yonge - much less seafood dishes - but it was good enough for us to consider returning in the future.
Peruvian restaurant?
I used to love going to El Bodegon on College. Now that it closed, where do you go for good Peruvian?
Best All You Can Eat Japanese in Toronto GTA
spouse and I tried sushi d once and decided not to return because the food was not as good as alternatives in the area (sushi island)
we recently discovered aji sai on queen west and so far have been pleased with the quality, given the price point. service at times can be quite slow.
we've not experienced poor or slow service at sushi island yet.
Good Take-out Sushi Downtown?
I've been to the Queen St W location a few times recently, and it is very good for the price. The restaurant is Chinese-operated, if that matters to you. A number of the makis are westernized, some of them containing mayo. Aji Sai is a good option for a lower budget meal; for higher quality, I have other favorites.
Byzantium and C'est What this evening.
Stick with the martinis at Byzantium. Their desserts are not consistent.
Where to eat in Ottawa?
My spouse and I had a fantastic experience at Beckta. In addition to the wonderful food, I really enjoyed the wine pairings. It is a pricey destination restaurant, but worth every penny in my opinion.
Green Mango closed??
I miss the old sit down restaurant on the west side. It was one of my favorite locations for lunch in downtown. The fast food/take out menu in place now is much inferior compared to the old menu. I've been there twice after the change, and will not be going back. So sad.
Where do you go for Chinese food (delivery or eat in) that won't leave you feeling guilty/sick over all the sugar, grease, and who knows what it contained?
Lai Wah Hen offers Chinese food that is not overly sweet or greasy. Enjoy!
Restaurant Makeover
We went to the Town Grill - on Carlton, close to Parliament - after seeing them on RM, and the the food good enough that we returned after our first visit.
Piatti ("Pizza, Pasta, Rodizio")
I've had lunch at Piatti twice, both times with friends.
The decor is nice, the service is friendly, the lunch price is a bargain for what you get. The OP is correct, based on conversation with staff, one of the owners of Red Violin is the owner of this establishment.
This all-you-can-eat restaurant has a salad buffet, which also offers breads, smoked salmon, mussels, among other items. Pastas are made to order; two cooks take your order: you have a choice of pastas, sauces and a large number of items to be added; once the pasta is ready, servers take it to your table. They also come around offering pizzas, lasagna, risotto, etc. I was not very impressed with the risotto, but enjoyed the thin crust pizzas.
When we went there, we ordered the pastas and split between the two of us. This way we were able to have a larger variety of dishes in a meal.
For dessert they have a cheese chocolate pizza with berries. I personally would have preferred the pizza without cheese, but my spouse liked it with the cheese. So I believe it is a matter of personal taste. You can ask for either milk or white chocolate. We had the milk chocolate dessert pizza.
I agree with other people that if all the dishes were prepared in advanced and were sitting on a hot buffet, the results would be horrible/disgusting. But the way Piatti does it, the food is fresh and tasty. I recommend this place.
Peace,
Thom
Pomegranate Resto???
Since Pomegranate reopened in September, I've been there twice. I really liked the food so far and the service is very friendly.
The maast-o kihar is a simple but nice summer appetizer, consisting of English cucumber cut in cubes mixed into a creamy herbed yogurt, which is very refreshing in warm days, topped by walnuts and raisins that add interest to this spread. Zeitoon parvardeh is another tasty appetizer, a strong flavoured tapenade of green olives and chopped garlic. Both appetizers are served with warm barbari bread, a flat persian bread about 1/2 to 1 inch thick. Dolmeh, stuffed vine leaves with a blend of rice and herbs, has a soft consistency and a citrus kick.
The three main dishes that my spouse and I tried are aloo gheysi, morasa polo and chicken fesenjaan. Among the three, my favorite dish is morasa polo, a braised lamb shank served with saffron basmati rice mixed with slivers of orange peel, almond, pistachio and barberies, with a side of salad and creamy yogurt; the rice is very tasty and goes well with the fall-off-the-bone lamb. Aloo gheysi is a sweet tasty chicken stew prepared with plums and dried apricots, very intense in flavors, served with saffron basmati rice and a side of salad. Fesenjaan is a rich smooth stew prepared with ground walnut and pomegranate syrup, which I understand it is a traditional Persian dish; I didn't dislike it, but I believe it is an acquired taste.
We are planning to return to Pomegranate to try the other items on their menu. :)
Congee King, Agincourt: unpleasant experience
I believe the issue here is a matter of trust. Like the OP, I'm not sure I would want to eat at a place in which I have been regularly cheated. Who knows in what other ways the restaurant has been cheating the patrons? Just my 2 cents.
Where to Eat in Wiarton
When we went hiking along the Bruce Trail, we stayed for a week in Whippoorwill Bay. After trying several restaurants in the area, we enjoyed Bayview Cookhouse the most. It is located on 651 Berford, in Wiarton. Please notice that we only had dinners there, so I cannot comment on their breakfast or lunch offerings. They had dinner specials on the board on the wall every night. The food was good and well priced, the pies were homemade, service was pleasant and the decor was homey.
On the Bruce Peninsula, the section of the Bruce Trail we enjoyed the most was along Lion's Head Provincial Nature Reserve, from 64.6 to 76.9 Km. If you don't have two cars to leave them on both ends of the trail, you can make a loop using the Ilse-Hanel Side Trail. Happy hiking!
Konnichiwa – homestyle Japanese food (long)
Based on all the positive reviews on this thread, my spouse and I decided to try Konnichiwa. Honestly, it seems like we went to two completely different restaurants. Maybe we went on a bad day, but how could so many things be so wrong?
The gyozas were slightly charred on one side, and they were served on a plate swimming on the shoyu and vinegar sauce, which made the vinegar taste too strong for the delicate flavour of the gyozas.
The ramen with miso/garlic broth was overcooked, and the broth was bland. The pork was tough, but I have to admit it was very flavorful, and saved the rest of the dish.
The dynamite maki had way to much rice and the rice was wrong, which made the maki almost inedible. Honestly, it was terrible.
Service was courteous. Again, based on so many positive reviews, it is difficult to believe that we are talking about the same restaurant. During our visit, there was another table with customers, so it is not like the kitchen was overwhelmed with orders. With so many other options in town, we have not plans to return.
Peace.
Hair of the dog- quick review
I also had two negative experiences at the Hair Of The Dog a while ago. In our last visit, I remember my spouse and I both ordered the prime rib, and it was disappointing, both the prime rib as well as the sides. We have not returned since. I do notice that they have a loyal following, so it seems like it is a matter of personal taste. Peace.
What to order at Canoe?
Hi Sugarcube
I prefer the a la carte menu rather than their tasting menus based purely on my past experiences. My most satisfying meals at Canoe have always been the ones in which I ordered a la carte. The more interesting and tastier dishes seem to be in the a la carte menu, rather than in the tasting menus. The tasting menu portions are smaller, but the meal as a whole is very satisfying in terms of quantity. The first time I had the tasting menu at Canoe, by the end of the meal I was mentally thanking the chef for making the serving portions smaller; I was so full!
Please take into consideration that this is my personal opinion. Other people probably have different experiences and opinions. :)
What to order at Canoe?
Hi Sugarcube
In my personal experience, I've had the best meals at Canoe when ordering from the a-la-carte menu, as opposed to ordering one of their tasting menus. But ultimately it is your choice.
On the current menu, I really like the Yukon Potato Gnocchi as an appetizer. The gnocchi melts in your mouth, the texture enhanced by the crispy sweetbreads, which flavor complements the rich sauce that finishes this plate.
For the main course, I've had the bison tenderloin, the ribeye, the suckling pig and the caribou hind, and all are great carnivore oriented dishes; honestly, I have no favorites here. Canoe offers wonderful appetizers; what I've done in the past is to order multiple appetizers and skip the main course. If one chooses the appetizers well, it provides a more interesting experience.
The Manitoba Wild Rice Pudding dessert is based on the Chinese recipe Eight Treasure Rice Pudding (Pa Pao Fan). It is not the exact same recipe, but if you have the two, you can clearly see the similarities. I enjoyed it, the cranberries and kumquats providing a nice contrasting flavor to the rice pudding. They used to have a fantastic Fireweed Honey Butter Tart; however, they changed the recipe, from slices of a large tart to individual small tarts, and unfortunately it is not as good as it used to be.
For wine recommendations, the house sommelier is very knowledgeable and will be able to assist you matching the wines with the food. Enjoy your meal!
Best/Worst Chowhound Tips
Any idea where the owners of Double Happiness went? I liked their ramen. Going to Kenzo for ramen is an awful long drive for me.
Best/Worst Chowhound Tips
Oh... how could I have forgotten to mention this... a great tip I got here was Beckta in Ottawa. Thanks for the Ottawa chowhounds for the tips that lead to a memorable dinner!
Best/Worst Chowhound Tips
I've found great tips in CH. Most recently, Johny Banana on Bathurst and Pomegranate on College.
I've also had disappointing experiences from tips found here. It is difficult to say which is the worst, but right now two come to my mind: first, Omi on Church, I really do not understand why people rave so much about this place, I've been there three times and was disappointed in one way or another in all three visits; second, I went to Avli and was not greatly impressed with the food, though service was good.
