Buca in Toronto

For a fantastic rustic Italian meal for a splurge, go to Buca on King Street West.
Holy moly, was that ever good. From the knots of dough covered in melted butter, to the meat and cheese platter we had, the pizza with the super thin crust, the pasta, etc. - it was all totally top notch and I am salivating just revisiting this meal in my memory from May 21, 2010.

Cafe Pasquales

One place you will never see me go to ever again is Cafe Pasquales.

I understand a touristy popular place will have a wait to get in for a table, but not a 1.5 hour wait for a table!!! Even for a party of 5 + toddler, that was insane and already for me, a bad omen.

Food is mediocre at best. However, the price for the food is outrageous. Outrageously HIGH!
They nickel and dime you for everything there, including sharing a plate costing an extra $2.00, or try getting a half order of one of their $15 breakfast items, and it'll cost you half the price PLUS an additional $2.00. Or how about this - an 18% gratuity is automatically added to your bill for parties of 6 or more - did I forget to mention we went with a 2.5 year old toddler, who ate what I put in her lunch sack? It's just ludicrous. Service there is so-so and very, very slow. If you're hungry, this place ain't for you - portions are small and it'll take a long time for you to get your food.

I will never NEVER ever go there again and can not, in a clear conscience, recommend this place to anyone.

Santa Fe Baking Company (Take 3)

So, a couple of years ago, I decided I couldn't go back to Santa Fe Baking Company for their breakfast burrito.

Well, something this year, made me change my mind and I am SOOOO glad that I did!

The breakfast burrito was all that I wished for and then some.
Green chile, scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, cheese were cooked inside the tortilla to perfection.
But the icing on the cake was that they grilled the entire burrito, thus getting a bit of a crispy crustier tortilla on the outside and it was just DELICIOSO!!!

Thank you, SFBC, for making the changes necessary for me to come back again and again this summer of 2010!!!

Restaurant Martin

It has been too long since I've had such an amazing meal - since May 21st, to be exact, but more on that meal later. :)

Restaurant Martin, here in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is my absolute new favorite place to go here in town. Often, I do not know where to go for not only good food, but good service to boot, and R.M. covers both to perfection. Owned by Senor Martin Rios and his lovely wife, Jennifer, this is a show stopping, mouth watering place for a little piece of heaven.

I've gone now, 3 times - twice for dinner and once for lunch - from your chilled avocado/cucumber soup with lobster, risotto with bay scallops/bacon/mushroom/peas, Alaskan halibut tacos, chicken sandwiches, succulent pork loin, juicy beef tenderloin, Colorado rack of lamb, and divine desserts - creme brulee with major specks of vanilla bean, lemon mousse or opera cake, you can't go wrong with anything you order. My big test is the quality of the drip coffee - it is dark roasted but not burnt tasting like a Starbucks cuppa joe. The price - just right - not too expensive and quite frankly, is priced perfectly for what you are getting.

GO GO GO - RUN RUN RUN to Restaurant Martin, you will be in for a treat!

Frida Restaurant

On the channel SunTV on the Rogers Network, there is a Toronto Dining show and I was flipping channels the other day and this restaurant, Frida, caught my attention. It is Mexican food. And I love Mexican food. It was a quick clip, but I remembered and decided we'd go there last night as a family. Tuesday night, there were only 2 tables needed attention - ours, and a young couple out on a date. They have high-chairs, so it was kid-friendly. Located on 999 Eglinton Avenue West, it is between Allen Road and Bathurst Street. Kind of a strange location for an upscale Mexican restaurant, but I hope that it doesn't deter people from going. The food is impeccable. Definitely not inexpensive, on the contrary, it is pretty darn expensive for Mexican food. An appetizer runs over $10 and main courses over $20. Definitely worth it if you enjoy food, but don't expect stellar service to go along with it. Service in Toronto leaves much to be desired. When my husband ordered an espresso at the end of the meal, there was no sugar on the table or accompanying. The waiter was somewhat shocked when he asked for it. That is a given. Sugar ALWAYS accompanies coffee/tea! Water was never refilled in our glasses without us having to ask for it. To us, that is the tell tale sign of bad service in a restaurant.

Now onto their food...Their horchata ($4) and sangria by the glass ($9) are made in house and both were delicious. The guacamole appetizer ($11) was fresh and delightful. The tortilla chips could have been larger and more in quantity. I ordered the deep fried chile rellenos and Maurizio had the braised baracoa (lamb) and they were both exquisitely done. We capped the night off with a flan for dessert ($7) and a espresso for M. The bill came out to over $90 and that was before tipping.

We enjoyed our meal very much and would definitely go back - we just know what to expect from the service end of it for next time.

Cafe Jules patisserie, Toronto

For an amazing focaccia and "light" almond croissant, look no further than Cafe Jules on 617 Mount Pleasant Road, south of Eglinton. I stopped in one random late afternoon on my way home from the gym and impulsively bought the 2 above mentioned goodies and was left wanting more! The focaccia is baked with olive oil, thyme, and sea salt - the crispness the olive oil lends the bread and the softness inside - and oh, the salt bits, the saltiness is just happiness on my palate. The "light" almond croissant consists of a delicious almond paste inside a flakey buttery pastry that doesn't show it's true buttery role. It is out of this world. I thought Rahier on Bayview Avenue was good - this is even better. A focaccia loaf will run you $5.00 and a croissant nearly $3.00, I believe. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

Me Va Me

Me Va Me - never heard of it before until Miah told me about it a few weeks ago.
It is shawarma like you've never had before.
Hummus like no other.
We went there yesterday for lunch and it was fierce. Fiercely busy and delicious.
Well worth the wait - the shawarma sandwich was large; the chicken was tender, and spices including hints of cinnamon. Like the greedy pig I am, I had every topping from their choices (cole slaw, red cabbage, tomato, pickles, hot sauce, tahini, hummus, etc.) and it was not even THAT messy to eat. This is a no-frills but big bang for your buck place to eat and if you've got kids, you can easily walk to the Toys R Us located a mere steps away. Me Va Me, I will come back for you!

Tiramisu II from Allrecipes.com

Tonight, like a crazy person who's played one too many Nutcracker's, I made a tiramisu based on a recipe given to me by my sister, Carol, who found it on Allrecipes.com. This recipe on that site is called "Tiramisu II" and when Carol made it here for Thanksgiving, it was just divine. My husband gobbled up all the leftover tiramisu for the next few days for breakfast. He could've easily inhaled it in one sitting. It is easy if a little time consuming, and my ladyfinger cookies drank quite a lot of the coffee/liquor combo (12 ounces worth), but the photo on your left is the finished product. The recipe is on the bottom. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 (3 ounce) packages ladyfinger cookies
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour.
2. In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Whisk mascarpone into yolk mixture until smooth.
3. In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise and drizzle with coffee mixture.
4. Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in bottom of a 7x11 inch dish. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, then half of whipped cream over that. Repeat layers and sprinkle with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set.

Swish by Han

On Wellington Street East tucked between the Pravda Vodka Lounge and Trevors Wine Bar, is Swish by Han - a fantastically nouveau way to eat Korean food. Shabu-shabu that they call Swish-swish. After detoxing at Body Blitz Spa first thing in the morning, I went with Sarah and Olga for a most delightful lunch. For $15, you can get your very own hot pot with it's own propane burner with lots of fresh vegetables like mushrooms, bok choy, napa cabbage, etc. in a clear broth with your choice of meat, seafood or mushroom (for vegetarians). We all ordered meat swish-swish, and it was just divine. At the end of the meal, the waiter arrived for the porridge part of the meal - with just a little broth left in the hot pot, they stirred in an egg, rice, sesame oil and green onions till it became smooth and creamy. Comfort food in a pot. I also meant to say that the Korean fried dumplings called "mandoo" we ordered as an appetizer were also to die for. All in all, I have to say, we would go here again for lunch any time! 2 thumbs up! Han is open for lunch between 12 noon and 2 pm only.

Terroni on Balmoral

We have a love/hate relationship with Terroni on Balmoral (there are 3 other Terroni's in Toronto and now Los Angeles). We love the pizza - I always get the same pizza - the Capricciosa. However, the service always leaves us angry. Our server last night was horrifically rude and as our friend Sarah put it, he was a jack-ass. To protect his identity (yeah, right), I will call him "Jonathan". Jonathan was awful, and we felt that to ask him for anything was an inconvenience to him. At the end of the meal, when we were all stuffed and wanting our bill to go home, Jonathan had to tell us that most people eat an entire pizza AND order a secondi. While he was at it, he should've told us people order ALSO a few dolci, a million bottles of vino and THEN call it a night. Our $100.00 cheque was a little too palfry for his greedy silk lined pockets, apparently. Management there - WAKE UP! The food is still great, especially the pizza, but the servers need a slap on the wrist to do what the profession calls for - serving!

PORT Restaurant in Pickering, Ontario

Located on the bay in Pickering, Ontario, is a lovely restaurant called PORT. www.portrestaurant.ca
We went as a party of 4 and toddler for brunch this past Sunday, December 6.
3 of us ordered the Huevos Rancheros - delicious! It was an interesting compilation of crispy tortillas, refried beans, eggs (however way you wanted them), bacon, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. Since I've been on a salsa kick lately, I opted for this Mexican influenced breakfast meal and I licked the plate clean. Roasted potatos accompanied this dish and they were perfectly cooked and plentiful. The restaurant just brought high chairs into this establishment, so our daughter christened their first high chair, making it family friendlier. On a side note - service was a little inconsistent. We all ordered water alongside another beverage and only 3 of us got a glass of water. I have a thing for removing plates from the table when all guests at the table are not finished eating. That happened here. Coffee was ordered but spoons to stir the coffee did not accompany. A man came by to ask how are meal was, and when my husband asked for some extra napkins, he hesitated and I wound up jumping in to save the day with paper towels I brought from home. He should have been instantly agreeable. Simple etiquette and techniques for wait staff should be reviewed in order for this establishment to get on my repeat performance list.

Jeanet Spa and Salon

Jeanet Spa and Salon, recommended by someone on Yelp.com - I was there for a pilgrimage of sorts - the much anticipated yet dreaded, bikini wax! Egads! Well...a lovely lady named Amanda performed the task with not much pomp or circumstance. She did a good job and I would go back again. Located in Yorkville at 140 Yorkville Avenue, Second Floor, it is a good price and conveniently located. Now, let's wait for the ingrowns...ok, I'll stop here. :)
www.jeanetspa.com

Sabores Latinos "Salsa Fresca"

For the most amazing, gloriously chunky, refreshing, and truly fresh salsa, I have found the "Salsa Fresca" by Sabores Latinos to blow me away. I went to the One of a Kind Show 2009 on Friday, Nov.27. I went again on Monday, Dec. 2. I tried the salsa both times - it left a huge impression on me and my taste buds. Having grown up in San Diego, California, (a stone's throw from Mexico), and doing my summer work in Santa Fe, New Mexico - salsa is my thing. This salsa from creators in Burlington, Ontario, sells for $5.00 a tub, and is worth every penny and then some. I ate the entire container of salsa in one sitting yesterday, it is THAT good!
Call (905) 333-5377 to get some or go to: www.saboreslatinos.ca

Rodney's Oyster Bar

On 56 Temperance Street here in Toronto, there is a little hidden restaurant called Rodney's Oyster Bar and it is fantastic. We did not have reservations for a table for 2, but we were seated anyways and served immediately around 5:45 PM. It is a hip place where all the business/financial types go for oysters, drinks and other good food. I ordered the moules and frites - it was excellent - the mussels were fresh, the fries crisp and the roasted garlic mayo that came on the side of the fries was amazingly delicious (I asked and they make the mayo in-house). My husband had the fish n' chips and the fish was perfectly crispy, fries, and the coleslaw was thinly sliced in a refreshing vinager dressing. My only observation is that it is noisy in there thus making it hard to hear any conversation without yelling across the table. Music is loud and it makes the crowds talk louder to compete. Aside from that, we had an excellent meal and at around $50 including tip for a meal for 2 downtown, super reasonable. I recommend this place heartily and will go again.

"Open"

On Monday, November 23, 2009, I went to Costco and bought a book I was very interested in reading. It is written by Andre Agassi and it is called "Open". Being a tennis lover, having watched Agassi play against Alex Kim in the first round of the U.S. Open in 2001 and having followed Agassi's career in my youth, I was very intrigued by his latest work. But the thing that got me, was a New York Times review, where I read how Agassi has always hated the sport that he excelled in. Myself, being a professional violinist having started at the age of 4 (like Agassi), I could relate to his feelings of ups and downs, wins and losses completely. "Open" is 386 pages long. I finished reading it last night (Thursday, November 26) at 1:30 AM. I could not put it down. I was riveted, fascinated, laughing, crying, understanding, sympathetic and the way it was written made me feel like I was right there with him, getting ready for each match. It is a brilliant book and I recommend it to everyone. I love it, I love how it was written, and I am ever so thankful for Agassi for writing it. It has helped to save myself for what lies ahead.

Nati's Mexican Restaurant

If you want some old school Mexican food that is cheap and fast, go try Nati's. It's a main stay resto of over 40+ years in Ocean Beach. I had the fish tacos and the plate of 2 tacos, beans and rice was under $10.00. The taste was excellent - the fish could've been a little crispier on the outside, but nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. The best part are the complimentary fresh fried tortilla chips and salsa - YUM! This place is also kid friendly and they have their own parking lot out back.

In N' Out Burger

I love a good burger - and I love a good burger that has a drive-thru window, paraphenelia on sale, friendly and relatively fast service. In N' Out Burger is my favorite place to go for just that thing. I get a hamburger "animal style" (it's secret code language for grilled onions), extra lettuce and tomato. I get a side of fries and a milk shake or a coke. For roughly $5.00, it's a steal. That's the funny thing I noticed in San Diego - the cost of eating out is remarkably cheaper than eating out here in Toronto. I don't think I can get a homemade burger and all the fixin's for under $5.00. Unheard of! Two thumbs up for In N' Out. I love it!

Negligent Writer

I have been a negligent writer of food, and I am very sorry for that.
I will make it up by writing on a smattering of food I just had in San Diego/Los Angeles.
My bad...I have no excuse.

Auberge du Pommier (an old review from Feb. 9)

Ahhh...Winterlicious. Something as a foodie, I look forward to every year. It's difficult getting a reservation here because of it's fame and for $45/prix fixe 3-course meal, it's supposed to be good bang for your buck. And being a foodie, I have heard delicious things about Auberge du Pommier. It is one of those Oliver Bonacini restaurants that are like a dime a dozen here in Toronto, except this one is supposed to be the Mother Ship of them all. Maurizio and I went with our delightful friends, Beatriz and Alberto, whom we always have a fabulous time talking and catching up with. But my food was so-so and the service was worse so. When given a menu that describes each dish with a written essay, I grow very wary. To start, we had the tiniest of all amuse buches - which was a mushroom quiche or tart. Meh, it was just o.k. All 4 of us ordered the "Salade de Saison" - arugula and endives with Muscat raisin dressing, Bleu de Gex and toasted walnuts. I am sad to say, this salad was the best thing on my tasting menu (next to the bread basket, the artichoke/onion/olive oil spread and the plump kalamata olives). As the main dish, we ordered the "Medallions de Boeuf" - swede aligot and roasted onion with comet tail (btw, what's a comet tail?) peppercorn jus. Everyone's meat was chewy in texture, and over cooked for a fine dining experience. I had and still have no idea what swede aligot is and if it was on my plate. Lastly, for dessert we had the "Brioche Pudding" - bread and butter pudding with apple puree and milk chocolate caramel. There was no brioche bread in here and no milk chocolate. It was more like flan meets creme brulee. It had no structure and no real taste. I ate it anyways more out of hunger than delight. Funny thing is, our waiter also agreed that to call this dessert a bread pudding was false advertising. The drip coffee was made of beans on the over burnt side and the coffee came AFTER we had already eaten our dessert. The "mignardise" were short bread cookies - to their credit, they were flaky, but again, no taste. My husband and I had a lovely appertif at the start of the meal and we ordered a bottle of the Shiraz, a 2006 Penmara Shiraz from New South Wales, Australia. It was nice and reasonably price pointed at $40/bottle. Would I ever come here again? No way. No one could pay me enough money to come here again. I would certainly go to Quince or Delux faster than I would go back here again. I can not, in good faith, recommend this restaurant to anyone. It's just not worth the bang for the buck and we clearly went on a night when the wait staff were not on their game.

Foxley's on Ossington

Foxley's - located on Ossington, a few blocks north of Queen Street, is Asian Fusion at it's finest.  My girl, Janice, and I went there a couple weeks ago - it's taken me this long to write about it because it was such a special evening and a very unique dining experience.  We had no wait - we arrived a bit after 8 PM, I believe, and we sat at the bar.  We ordered a couple glasses of red wine that was very smooth and easy to drink.  As this is a tapas type resto, we ordered a few treats - the shrimp with spicy sauce, the ribs in a shallot glaze and the blue crab avocado salad.  The shrimp was amazing - each one, very fresh, crispy and the sauce was spicy without being too over the top.  I believe the word jalapeno was in the sauce description and if you know anything about Mexican food, a jalapeno can be "burn your mouth" spicy!  The crab salad came on top of a halved avocado.  I took a spoon and separated the avocado from the skin and we just dove on in for what was a delicious and fully loaded crab salad.  It was just awesome.  The textures of the crab and the avocado were just amazing.  Lastly, the ribs - omg...those ribs are out of this world.  We actually ordered 2 full orders of the ribs, knowing how good they were - Janice had been here before and absolutely drools over these ribs and now I know why.  If ever I want a unique dining experience, or to treat myself to a nice meal, Foxley's Bistro would be an excellent choice.  Between the 2 of us, with tip and tax, we spent $36 each.  Not bad if you ask me!  As it is Asian Fusion, I don't know about you, but I have to be in the mood to be enticed by different flavors and textures - so when the mood hits you, go for it, because you can't go wrong here.