4.5/5
433 River Avenue
Previsit:
Again, I had been here before my most recent visit to this restaurant but it was worth it to go back again... and I'll go back again at some point. The area that Burrito Del Rio (BDR) is in is perfect for the type of food they serve, coupled with the relaxed atmosphere of the place. To give you an idea of the atmosphere, it's like a Mexican version of Subway - except way better.
The Service:
Again, this is not the type of restaurant that I can talk about the food service in the same way that I did about Chop or Buccaccino's, but I can say that the girls that work the counter have been friendly and efficient both times that I have been to BDR.
The menu is written on a chalk board above the counter where you choose all your fixings. It's not the most organized thing in the world but you can figure it out (as long as you have your glasses on). You can choose from tacos, burritos, fajitas, and even a 'burrito in a bowl'. The burritos come in medium or large. There is also a variety of meats to choose from (beef, pork, chicken) or you can opt to go vegetarian. All of the meats are pulled and seasoned - but not too strongly.
Choices to make:
- black beans or refried beans?
- cheese?
- lettuce, tomatoes, peppers? (I may have forgotten something here)
- sour cream?
- salsa? mild, medium or spicy - you can add hot sauce to make it even spicier
- sides? you can purchase chips or guacamole for an additional cost.
- drink? this is a good idea. they have a selection of Mexican beer as well as different types of pop, juice and water
I had the chicken burrito with black beans, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, spicy salsa + hot sauce with a side of guacamole. I really like spicy food so I was not bothered by the heat but I would suggest that if you do not like heat, choose either the mild or medium salsa.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
The Ivory
4/5
200 Main Street
Previsit
We've been here before clearly it is good. I personally love Indian food, especially since I've been there so it brings back good memories. We went to the Ivory on this occasion because I had no desire to cook and we hadn't been here in a while. The ambiance is quiet and it is never very busy when we've been there but they seem do to steady business. The employees also have the customer in mind first because they sat us in a section that wasn't supposed to be next so that we didn't have to sit beside a large (louder) group.
On a price point note - for what you get I would recommend this restaurant for lunch over dinner because you get the same options for the buffett but it costs more at dinner. There is also the option to order off the menu instead of having the buffet but I personally prefer the buffett because I can choose multiple dishes and try new things.
The Service
As stated above, we were seated away from a large party, which meant that we got a window table - looking out on to Main Street. Although this may not seem like the greatest view ever - because it was dark out it was nice to see the lights out on the streets. They have a decent selection of drinks to chose from and the servers were on top of that aspect of our dining experience.
Buffett:
So I can't rate the service for food because they don't really serve the food - it's help yourself. The food itself is so good though and I definitely recommend you try a little bit of lots of things. Plan for multiple plates.
The dal makhani is my favourite but the butter chicken is also fantastic. Both of these are great when you pour them over plain rice (do not take the pilaf because it messes with the flavours of the other dishes). Palak paneer is another dish that is good poured over rice. It's pureed spinach with cheese - which may sound nasty but it's really delicious, just make sure that you scoop up some of the cheese because it's hard to find in the buffett tray.
The masala gobhi is a cauliflower dish with potatoes and spices, so if you like cauliflower and spice it is very good. This dish is not very saucy so you wouldn't need to have it with rice. They also have vegetable pakora and samosas which do not need to be eaten with rice.
Finally, I would suggest that you get naan bread of some sort (buttered or garlic) so that you can mop up the sauces on your plate. This is essential because it mixes all of the flavours together so you can relive your meal all over again.
Drink:
They have a decent selection of beers on tap, but I had a 'red skirt' it was promising - grenadine, cranberry juice and vodka - but I found it too sweet.
Dessert:
The dessert is also part of the buffett, which is nice because everything is different from the typical North American dessert menu. There is rice pudding, coconut fudge, and these donut type things that are soaked in sugar syrup.
200 Main Street
Previsit
We've been here before clearly it is good. I personally love Indian food, especially since I've been there so it brings back good memories. We went to the Ivory on this occasion because I had no desire to cook and we hadn't been here in a while. The ambiance is quiet and it is never very busy when we've been there but they seem do to steady business. The employees also have the customer in mind first because they sat us in a section that wasn't supposed to be next so that we didn't have to sit beside a large (louder) group.
On a price point note - for what you get I would recommend this restaurant for lunch over dinner because you get the same options for the buffett but it costs more at dinner. There is also the option to order off the menu instead of having the buffet but I personally prefer the buffett because I can choose multiple dishes and try new things.
The Service
As stated above, we were seated away from a large party, which meant that we got a window table - looking out on to Main Street. Although this may not seem like the greatest view ever - because it was dark out it was nice to see the lights out on the streets. They have a decent selection of drinks to chose from and the servers were on top of that aspect of our dining experience.
Buffett:
So I can't rate the service for food because they don't really serve the food - it's help yourself. The food itself is so good though and I definitely recommend you try a little bit of lots of things. Plan for multiple plates.
The dal makhani is my favourite but the butter chicken is also fantastic. Both of these are great when you pour them over plain rice (do not take the pilaf because it messes with the flavours of the other dishes). Palak paneer is another dish that is good poured over rice. It's pureed spinach with cheese - which may sound nasty but it's really delicious, just make sure that you scoop up some of the cheese because it's hard to find in the buffett tray.
The masala gobhi is a cauliflower dish with potatoes and spices, so if you like cauliflower and spice it is very good. This dish is not very saucy so you wouldn't need to have it with rice. They also have vegetable pakora and samosas which do not need to be eaten with rice.
Finally, I would suggest that you get naan bread of some sort (buttered or garlic) so that you can mop up the sauces on your plate. This is essential because it mixes all of the flavours together so you can relive your meal all over again.
Drink:
They have a decent selection of beers on tap, but I had a 'red skirt' it was promising - grenadine, cranberry juice and vodka - but I found it too sweet.
Dessert:
The dessert is also part of the buffett, which is nice because everything is different from the typical North American dessert menu. There is rice pudding, coconut fudge, and these donut type things that are soaked in sugar syrup.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Buccacino's
4.5/5
155 Osbourne Street, South of Stradbrook
Previsit
I've been here before but not since I started this blog. Clearly since we've gone back multiple times, I've enjoyed this restaurant but a word of warning; DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU DO NOT LIKE GARLIC. I've only been there during non-peak times (between 1 and 4) so I've always found it quiet, but I have heard that it gets loud - especially during the dinner rush because the restaurant is so open.
Specials to note:
- Wednesday night, $1 off bottles of wine
- Sunday brunch - $11
The Service
Because we arrived at around 1:30, there was no host to greet us but the manager was quick to come to the front and seat us. The restaurant side and lounge both have an open atmosphere, with a wall dividing the two. The furniture matches the Osbourne Village atmosphere, a wide collection of different chairs that somehow fit together. There are no booths on the dining room side, so the tables can be easily rearranged to accommodate larger groups.
Appetizers:
We both ordered soup as our appetizers because we were there for a late lunch, but the dinner menu had a good selection of different appetizers. The lunch menu had a variety of salads available too.
Minestrone soup, a constant on the menu, which was tasty but not the best I've ever had. It was heavily tomato flavoured with a thick broth but it was not very hardy and they use penne noodles instead of shells in the soup.
Soup of the day - red pepper with orzo and chicken. Despite the name, the soup was actually a cream-based broth. The taste of red pepper was minimal, the chicken flavour was much stronger so it could be described as a 'fancy chicken noodle' instead of a red pepper based soup - it was still very good tasting.
Entrees:
Pesto Carciofi - spaghetti tossed in a basil pesto with roasted red peppers, white onions, artichokes, spinach and capers. This combination of ingredients created a delicious dish that had a good taste that was not too salty - I hate when my food is too salty. The roasted red peppers were not too potent, unlike the (raw) peppers in the Spaghetti Calitalia (which I picked off on a previous occasion because it made the whole dish taste like peppers). The portion size was quite generous so I ended up taking about 1/3rd of my pasta home - as I have in the past as well.
Sicilian Deli Ciabatta sandwich, which came with the option of soup or salad - he ordered the salad since he was having soup to start. The ciabatta bun was fresh, and the vegetable combination complimented the provolone, genoa and cappicola. No ingredient stood out too much in comparison with the others.
Drinks:
Beers - they had a decent selection of beers on tap including both Rickard's Red and Rickard's White.
Velvet Hammer Martini - similar to a White Russian but martini style. A combination of vodka, white creme de cacao and coffee liqueur topped off with milk, this martini is not too sweet and it goes down smooth.
Desserts:
We did not have dessert but it is available.
155 Osbourne Street, South of Stradbrook
Previsit
I've been here before but not since I started this blog. Clearly since we've gone back multiple times, I've enjoyed this restaurant but a word of warning; DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU DO NOT LIKE GARLIC. I've only been there during non-peak times (between 1 and 4) so I've always found it quiet, but I have heard that it gets loud - especially during the dinner rush because the restaurant is so open.
Specials to note:
- Wednesday night, $1 off bottles of wine
- Sunday brunch - $11
The Service
Because we arrived at around 1:30, there was no host to greet us but the manager was quick to come to the front and seat us. The restaurant side and lounge both have an open atmosphere, with a wall dividing the two. The furniture matches the Osbourne Village atmosphere, a wide collection of different chairs that somehow fit together. There are no booths on the dining room side, so the tables can be easily rearranged to accommodate larger groups.
Appetizers:
We both ordered soup as our appetizers because we were there for a late lunch, but the dinner menu had a good selection of different appetizers. The lunch menu had a variety of salads available too.
Minestrone soup, a constant on the menu, which was tasty but not the best I've ever had. It was heavily tomato flavoured with a thick broth but it was not very hardy and they use penne noodles instead of shells in the soup.
Soup of the day - red pepper with orzo and chicken. Despite the name, the soup was actually a cream-based broth. The taste of red pepper was minimal, the chicken flavour was much stronger so it could be described as a 'fancy chicken noodle' instead of a red pepper based soup - it was still very good tasting.
Entrees:
Pesto Carciofi - spaghetti tossed in a basil pesto with roasted red peppers, white onions, artichokes, spinach and capers. This combination of ingredients created a delicious dish that had a good taste that was not too salty - I hate when my food is too salty. The roasted red peppers were not too potent, unlike the (raw) peppers in the Spaghetti Calitalia (which I picked off on a previous occasion because it made the whole dish taste like peppers). The portion size was quite generous so I ended up taking about 1/3rd of my pasta home - as I have in the past as well.
Sicilian Deli Ciabatta sandwich, which came with the option of soup or salad - he ordered the salad since he was having soup to start. The ciabatta bun was fresh, and the vegetable combination complimented the provolone, genoa and cappicola. No ingredient stood out too much in comparison with the others.
Drinks:
Beers - they had a decent selection of beers on tap including both Rickard's Red and Rickard's White.
Velvet Hammer Martini - similar to a White Russian but martini style. A combination of vodka, white creme de cacao and coffee liqueur topped off with milk, this martini is not too sweet and it goes down smooth.
Desserts:
We did not have dessert but it is available.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
CHOP
4/5 Stars
1750 Sargent Ave. at Century St.
Pre-visit
The restaurant only takes reservations to fill 20% of the restaurant for any given time. Because we only decided to go there on Wednesday, they didn't have enough room for us to make a reservation in the dining room.
The Service
We walked into the restaurant through the heavy wood door. The second door was opened for us by the hostess and we were greeted by the hostesses at the front desk. Although we did not have a reservation, we were able to get into the dining room without a wait (at 6:30 approximately).
The dining room is very open, but despite this fact the volume is still very low. This is due to the carpeted floors, padded walls, and soft furniture. It also worked out that although we were seated in an area beside two group tables, they were not seated until after we were ready to leave.
The service in the restaurant was great. Our server was not over the top, and the manager was discrete when checking in. Also, the server did not offer too much information but was willing to answer any questions, and she was there whenever there were plates to be cleared or drinks to be refilled.
Appetizers:
House Salad - 1/4 iceberg lettuce head topped with a blackberry port vinaigrette. Also, the plate has carrot, cucumber, and tomato so that you can 'make your own salad'.
French Onion Soup - a standard with a twist. Instead of the standard Gruyere cheese they use Asiago to finish the dish.
Table bread - a miniature loaf of brown rye bread, served with whipped butter.
Entrees:
Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi - the fish was well cooked but slightly fishy tasting, but it was helped along by the crusting which was delicious (although I'm predisposed to like it because of my love for macadamia nuts). The fish was served on a portion of garlic mashed potatoes that are slightly green because they have wasabi mixed into them - but not enough to be too spicy. The potatoes and fish are surrounded by spinach leaves and red pepper. The best way to eat this dish is to have a little bit of everything on your fork at once. Overall the dish was tasty, but I would be inclined to order something else - perhaps salmon - next time.
New York Strip (medium rare) - aged 28 days. I'm not sure what exactly they do differently than other restaurants, but it had a unique taste which was still very good. Their steaks are available with the option of scalloped potatoes, a wild rice pilaf, or french fries. The fries were quite good, and it was great to see that this restaurant hasn't succumbed to the fad of 'shoe string' fries. Overall this was a refreshing dish because the vegetables served with the steak were cooked beats and grilled zucchini.
Drinks:
Beer - the selection of beers on tap was nothing too exciting or unique.
Smashed Grape martini - the martini for white wine drinkers, for sure, because that's what it tastes like.
Desserts:
The selection of desserts was, again, unimpressive and nothing particularly original. That being said, we were full from the rest of the food and drink. Alternately, they had a great selection of different ports and dessert wines, which some restaurants don't seem to have a lot of.
1750 Sargent Ave. at Century St.
Pre-visit
The restaurant only takes reservations to fill 20% of the restaurant for any given time. Because we only decided to go there on Wednesday, they didn't have enough room for us to make a reservation in the dining room.
The Service
We walked into the restaurant through the heavy wood door. The second door was opened for us by the hostess and we were greeted by the hostesses at the front desk. Although we did not have a reservation, we were able to get into the dining room without a wait (at 6:30 approximately).
The dining room is very open, but despite this fact the volume is still very low. This is due to the carpeted floors, padded walls, and soft furniture. It also worked out that although we were seated in an area beside two group tables, they were not seated until after we were ready to leave.
The service in the restaurant was great. Our server was not over the top, and the manager was discrete when checking in. Also, the server did not offer too much information but was willing to answer any questions, and she was there whenever there were plates to be cleared or drinks to be refilled.
Appetizers:
House Salad - 1/4 iceberg lettuce head topped with a blackberry port vinaigrette. Also, the plate has carrot, cucumber, and tomato so that you can 'make your own salad'.
French Onion Soup - a standard with a twist. Instead of the standard Gruyere cheese they use Asiago to finish the dish.
Table bread - a miniature loaf of brown rye bread, served with whipped butter.
Entrees:
Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi - the fish was well cooked but slightly fishy tasting, but it was helped along by the crusting which was delicious (although I'm predisposed to like it because of my love for macadamia nuts). The fish was served on a portion of garlic mashed potatoes that are slightly green because they have wasabi mixed into them - but not enough to be too spicy. The potatoes and fish are surrounded by spinach leaves and red pepper. The best way to eat this dish is to have a little bit of everything on your fork at once. Overall the dish was tasty, but I would be inclined to order something else - perhaps salmon - next time.
New York Strip (medium rare) - aged 28 days. I'm not sure what exactly they do differently than other restaurants, but it had a unique taste which was still very good. Their steaks are available with the option of scalloped potatoes, a wild rice pilaf, or french fries. The fries were quite good, and it was great to see that this restaurant hasn't succumbed to the fad of 'shoe string' fries. Overall this was a refreshing dish because the vegetables served with the steak were cooked beats and grilled zucchini.
Drinks:
Beer - the selection of beers on tap was nothing too exciting or unique.
Smashed Grape martini - the martini for white wine drinkers, for sure, because that's what it tastes like.
Desserts:
The selection of desserts was, again, unimpressive and nothing particularly original. That being said, we were full from the rest of the food and drink. Alternately, they had a great selection of different ports and dessert wines, which some restaurants don't seem to have a lot of.
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