4/5 stars
775 Corydon Avenue
Previsit:
I always forget that this place is even on Corydon, although I always notice it when I'm walking down there. You've probably seen it - it's the wood building next to the 7-11. Since it's not exactly a typical restaurant I felt a little awkward walking in but the girls at the front were very helpful in directing us up to the restaurant part of the set-up (upstairs). It's not a very big venue so I would recommend timing your arrival not too close to breakfast but before the usual lunch rush - we got there at around 11 or so and it was great. One thing that was a little lacking was service in terms of checking on the food and taking payment (although I could always go for not paying).
The Meal:
What's so cool about this restaurant is that it is (a) vegan friendly, and (b) fresh! (as you may have guessed).
I ordered the eggs and meat - that's how it was described on the menu. The eggs were great - I think they might have been the kind that have extra omega-3 - and they have a variety of toast (whole wheat multigrain, white multigrain, sourdough rye, etc.). You get the choice of sausage, so I got bison sausage - it was quite flavourful and much leaner than the usual breakfast sausage. I also got pan-fried potatoes that were done with rosemary - my least favourite spice - but it was done well so the flavour wasn't overpowering.
My partner got the eggs benny (benedict), which were served on scones instead of an english muffin. The hollandaise sauce was rich and the bacon was crispy. This dish was also served with potatoes and Scott agreed that the rosemary was a nice touch - you could barely taste it.
Drinks:
We ordered the hot chocolate which was made from scratch I'm pretty sure. At the same time, I would definitely order one of their juice combo drinks next time - they sounded tasty (and again fresh).
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Bellissimo Restaurant and Lounge
3.5/5 stars
1-877 Waverley Street
Pre-visit:
I have been to this restaurant before, but not for a very long time. I was apprehensive about going here because I know someone who got food poisoning from chicken at this restaurant on a previous occasion. This place is pretty popular so I highly recommend having a reservation - especially if you have a group larger than 4. It is a business casual atmosphere, so don't show up in sweats but you don't need to dress up to go. Also keep in mind that the lighting is dim plus the walls are a darker brown so it can be difficult to see the menu - perhaps don't take your grandparents here.
The Meal:
The menu is quite extensive with a large variety of appetizers, salads, pasta dishes and other entrees.
Appetizers
I highly recommend the Pane Fritto if you are wanting an appetizer. It is a dish consisting of a number of small pillows of cooked dough seasoned with butter and garlic, served with a bowl of warm marinara sauce to dip the dough in. If you like garlic bread or pizza this is most definitely the appetizer for you, and it's great for sharing because it's a very large portion. Just keep in mind that you also get bread before your meal so save room! We also had calamari to start. It was tasty but it wasn't any more spectacular than any other restaurant in my opinion.
We all had Caesar salad in addition to these appetizers. The dressing had a large amount of garlic in it, but the salad was well put together with not too much dressing. Something different about their Caesar salads is that they are served with grape tomatoes and olives as garnishes which changed the flavour of the salad but still worked.
Entrees
My partner had the vitello parmigiana (veal parmigiana) - a standard Italian entree. The veal was massive! It took up the majority of the plate. Even though it was so large, the meat was well cooked. The marinara sauce used was rich in flavour, and was also used on the pasta side dish served with the meat. If you do order this, just be prepared to bring some of it home.
My brother ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. The pasta was cooked well - as it should be in an Italian restaurant - and the marinara sauce made another appearance on our table. The stand-out part of this dish is was the meatballs which had a 6-8 cm diameter! It was quite funny when the dish came out because you could barely see the pasta because the three meatballs were covering the majority of the dish. You may question the quality of such large meatballs but they were very tasty with just the right combination of seasoning. Again, a portion of this dish came home with us.
My mother had the Pesce Asiago, which is a seafood pasta dish. Although this dish had a lot of flavour, it was not something that stood out as being different/original.
My step-father had the Pollo Marsala - chicken breast stuffed with spinach, caramelized onions, and bacon, which is wrapped in prosciutto. This sounds really good to me, and I will probably order it next time I go there if it is still on the menu. My step-dad does not share my enthusiasm - he won't order it again, he's going back to the veal parmigiana. I think that it might have been the sauce that took away from this dish - a marsala wine sauce. An alternative idea could be that the designated side dishes would have better complimented the chicken done like this. It is supposed to be served with potatoes and vegetables. In place of this my step-dad got the penne with marinara sauce (which I have now decided is probably their specialty based on the number of times appeared on our table).
Finally, I ordered the Pollo Ripieno - chicken breast stuffed with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, onion and chevre cheese. The chicken is also crusted with pecans (yum) and then topped with a caramelized honey sauce. Thus far the description is probably sounding pretty good and it was tasty. My issue with this dish were that I couldn't really taste the stuffing or the pecans due to the copious amounts of honey sauce. Also, the sauce started to harden on the plate which made it harder to function. The side that came with the chicken was a pasta, vegetable stir-fry. I wasn't a huge fan but my partner said it was good - perhaps it's just because I had a whole lot of sweet stuff in my mouth.
Dessert
Again, we didn't really have a lot of room in my stomach for dessert, and neither did everyone else.
1-877 Waverley Street
Pre-visit:
I have been to this restaurant before, but not for a very long time. I was apprehensive about going here because I know someone who got food poisoning from chicken at this restaurant on a previous occasion. This place is pretty popular so I highly recommend having a reservation - especially if you have a group larger than 4. It is a business casual atmosphere, so don't show up in sweats but you don't need to dress up to go. Also keep in mind that the lighting is dim plus the walls are a darker brown so it can be difficult to see the menu - perhaps don't take your grandparents here.
The Meal:
The menu is quite extensive with a large variety of appetizers, salads, pasta dishes and other entrees.
Appetizers
I highly recommend the Pane Fritto if you are wanting an appetizer. It is a dish consisting of a number of small pillows of cooked dough seasoned with butter and garlic, served with a bowl of warm marinara sauce to dip the dough in. If you like garlic bread or pizza this is most definitely the appetizer for you, and it's great for sharing because it's a very large portion. Just keep in mind that you also get bread before your meal so save room! We also had calamari to start. It was tasty but it wasn't any more spectacular than any other restaurant in my opinion.
We all had Caesar salad in addition to these appetizers. The dressing had a large amount of garlic in it, but the salad was well put together with not too much dressing. Something different about their Caesar salads is that they are served with grape tomatoes and olives as garnishes which changed the flavour of the salad but still worked.
Entrees
My partner had the vitello parmigiana (veal parmigiana) - a standard Italian entree. The veal was massive! It took up the majority of the plate. Even though it was so large, the meat was well cooked. The marinara sauce used was rich in flavour, and was also used on the pasta side dish served with the meat. If you do order this, just be prepared to bring some of it home.
My brother ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. The pasta was cooked well - as it should be in an Italian restaurant - and the marinara sauce made another appearance on our table. The stand-out part of this dish is was the meatballs which had a 6-8 cm diameter! It was quite funny when the dish came out because you could barely see the pasta because the three meatballs were covering the majority of the dish. You may question the quality of such large meatballs but they were very tasty with just the right combination of seasoning. Again, a portion of this dish came home with us.
My mother had the Pesce Asiago, which is a seafood pasta dish. Although this dish had a lot of flavour, it was not something that stood out as being different/original.
My step-father had the Pollo Marsala - chicken breast stuffed with spinach, caramelized onions, and bacon, which is wrapped in prosciutto. This sounds really good to me, and I will probably order it next time I go there if it is still on the menu. My step-dad does not share my enthusiasm - he won't order it again, he's going back to the veal parmigiana. I think that it might have been the sauce that took away from this dish - a marsala wine sauce. An alternative idea could be that the designated side dishes would have better complimented the chicken done like this. It is supposed to be served with potatoes and vegetables. In place of this my step-dad got the penne with marinara sauce (which I have now decided is probably their specialty based on the number of times appeared on our table).
Finally, I ordered the Pollo Ripieno - chicken breast stuffed with asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, onion and chevre cheese. The chicken is also crusted with pecans (yum) and then topped with a caramelized honey sauce. Thus far the description is probably sounding pretty good and it was tasty. My issue with this dish were that I couldn't really taste the stuffing or the pecans due to the copious amounts of honey sauce. Also, the sauce started to harden on the plate which made it harder to function. The side that came with the chicken was a pasta, vegetable stir-fry. I wasn't a huge fan but my partner said it was good - perhaps it's just because I had a whole lot of sweet stuff in my mouth.
Dessert
Again, we didn't really have a lot of room in my stomach for dessert, and neither did everyone else.
Step'n Out
5/5 stars
157 Provencher Boulevard
Previsit:
Unlike Hermano's, I had heard a lot about this restaurant before we went their. The neat part about this restaurant is that the menu always changes so the food described in this blog may not be available to order when you go:) You will most likely need a reservation - I made sure we did (it was a special occasion). To do this, call and you will probably get their answering machine - just leave a message with your name, plus the date and time you want to book; you will get a call back confirming. Be aware though, the restaurant is run by a couple and so they do take holidays (for example, around Christmas time). Also, the place can be booked, which puts restrictions on when you can get a reservation.
Ambience:
I really liked the atmosphere in the restaurant, it was quite quaint. The entrance is not very big, but once you get into the restaurant the tables are well spaced so you don't feel like you're sitting on someone else. The walls are covered in photos and memorabilia to do with shopping, France, shoes, movies, etc. Also, the colours are warm - dark red and cream coloured (patterned) fabrics with hardwood floors. There is also an upstairs, but we didn't get to see it.
The Meal:
Appetizers
I started with the raspberry, goat cheese and almond salad - it was great! The goat cheese was served warm in small disks coated in sliced almonds, which was a big selling point for me - so creamy. Despite this, the best part of the salad was the raspberry vinaigrette which was homemade. It was delicious and not too potent in comparison to the usual vinaigrette that you buy in the store.
Another of the appetizers that we had was the spicy chicken gumbo. Be aware, when they say spicy, they mean it - it will definitely clear your sinuses. There were several slices of different peppers (especially banana peppers) in this tomato-based soup in addition to the chicken and chunks of other vegetables.
Entrees
My partner had the tenderloin steak, which seems to be a staple on the menu because he had had it the last time he was there. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the quality of the cut was fantastic. For the steak lover, this is a great dish to get - safe and satisfying. It comes with potatoes and asparagus as the sides which were also cooked well. Especially considering that asparagus can be touchy, they did a very good job of ensuring that the hard parts of the end were not included in the dish.
I was slightly more daring when choosing my entree, although I went with a crepe (something that I love). The crepe in this case was filled with seafood and covered in a creamy mushroom sauce. I knew that this restaurant was classy but I wasn't sure what type of seafood would be in the crepe or how much. I was very surprised that not only were there shrimp and scallops in the crepe but also large pieces of crab and lobster - so tasty. The mushroom sauce seemed an odd compliment to this dish in my mind but when I tasted it, there was no doubt that it was fantastic.
Dessert
Unfortunately, we didn't have room to have any dessert. The menu looked delicious though and we could see them from our table so I can say for sure, they looked scrumptious.
Wine
There were a number of wines on the list that I wanted to try. We ended up choosing the Koonunga Hill by Penfolds - it's a red, and dry if you are wanting to try it.
157 Provencher Boulevard
Previsit:
Unlike Hermano's, I had heard a lot about this restaurant before we went their. The neat part about this restaurant is that the menu always changes so the food described in this blog may not be available to order when you go:) You will most likely need a reservation - I made sure we did (it was a special occasion). To do this, call and you will probably get their answering machine - just leave a message with your name, plus the date and time you want to book; you will get a call back confirming. Be aware though, the restaurant is run by a couple and so they do take holidays (for example, around Christmas time). Also, the place can be booked, which puts restrictions on when you can get a reservation.
Ambience:
I really liked the atmosphere in the restaurant, it was quite quaint. The entrance is not very big, but once you get into the restaurant the tables are well spaced so you don't feel like you're sitting on someone else. The walls are covered in photos and memorabilia to do with shopping, France, shoes, movies, etc. Also, the colours are warm - dark red and cream coloured (patterned) fabrics with hardwood floors. There is also an upstairs, but we didn't get to see it.
The Meal:
Appetizers
I started with the raspberry, goat cheese and almond salad - it was great! The goat cheese was served warm in small disks coated in sliced almonds, which was a big selling point for me - so creamy. Despite this, the best part of the salad was the raspberry vinaigrette which was homemade. It was delicious and not too potent in comparison to the usual vinaigrette that you buy in the store.
Another of the appetizers that we had was the spicy chicken gumbo. Be aware, when they say spicy, they mean it - it will definitely clear your sinuses. There were several slices of different peppers (especially banana peppers) in this tomato-based soup in addition to the chicken and chunks of other vegetables.
Entrees
My partner had the tenderloin steak, which seems to be a staple on the menu because he had had it the last time he was there. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the quality of the cut was fantastic. For the steak lover, this is a great dish to get - safe and satisfying. It comes with potatoes and asparagus as the sides which were also cooked well. Especially considering that asparagus can be touchy, they did a very good job of ensuring that the hard parts of the end were not included in the dish.
I was slightly more daring when choosing my entree, although I went with a crepe (something that I love). The crepe in this case was filled with seafood and covered in a creamy mushroom sauce. I knew that this restaurant was classy but I wasn't sure what type of seafood would be in the crepe or how much. I was very surprised that not only were there shrimp and scallops in the crepe but also large pieces of crab and lobster - so tasty. The mushroom sauce seemed an odd compliment to this dish in my mind but when I tasted it, there was no doubt that it was fantastic.
Dessert
Unfortunately, we didn't have room to have any dessert. The menu looked delicious though and we could see them from our table so I can say for sure, they looked scrumptious.
Wine
There were a number of wines on the list that I wanted to try. We ended up choosing the Koonunga Hill by Penfolds - it's a red, and dry if you are wanting to try it.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Hermanos Restaurant and Grill
5/5
179 Bannatyne Avenue
Previsit:
I had not heard about this restaurant until a couple of days before we went there but it was reviewed by the Free Press last December so it has been around for a little while. The two worries that you have when going to this restaurant are parking and reservations. The good news is that they take reservations, even on Friday night, so that is one less thing to worry about.
The Meal:
Appetizers:
They have a wonderful tapas menu so there are plenty of appetizers to choose from. We didn't order any because none caught our eye but we did order soups to start.
Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque - delicious without too strong a tomato taste. chunks of tomato also added to the texture of the soup.
Corn, Black Bean and Sausage Chowder - surprisingly light for a cream-based chowder. flavourful with a bit of spice thanks to the chorizo sausage. chunks of carrots and onions in addition to the corn, black beans and sausage makes the soup quite hardy.
Entrees:
There is a range of prices for the entrees, and a wide selection of options to accompany this. There are also items on the menu that are meant for sharing, which is different from a lot of other restaurants. We both chose to try something a little different from our usual and it paid off - mm-mmm good.
Paella (pronounced pi-yay-ah) - served in a skillet this dish is made up of rice, tomatoes, onions, red peppers, and a hodge-podge of meats including shrimp, chorizo sausage, chicken, salmon and mussels. it's spicy, so beware if you don't like a little fire in your meal, but if you like spice it is not at all overwhelming. The flavours in this dish mix really well, and it reminded me a little bit of cabbage rolls (with meat obviously). The jalapeno corn bread they serve with this meal is a nice compliment, but I have a bias toward corn bread. portion-wise, the small is large enough to have left-overs for lunch the next day!
Milanesa Especial - a chicken dish topped with country ham, provolone cheese, roasted red peppers and black olives. I didn't get to try it with the black olives due to the taste preferences of my partner, but it was still delicious. The chicken was very tender, and the toppings complimented each other well - especially the provolone and the ham. This dish was served with mashed potatoes and vegetables so you will be full by the end.
Desserts:
The dessert menu is not vast but it had some interesting items in addition to a couple of traditional ones. We shared the tempura banana split. I hadn't had fried bananas in ages and they are sooooo good. Instead of ice cream the banana split is made with gelato, and because of this the flavours are really rich.
Wines:
Hermanos has a decent variety of wine choose from. We went with an Argentinian wine, which I don't remember the name of but it paired well with the meal.
179 Bannatyne Avenue
Previsit:
I had not heard about this restaurant until a couple of days before we went there but it was reviewed by the Free Press last December so it has been around for a little while. The two worries that you have when going to this restaurant are parking and reservations. The good news is that they take reservations, even on Friday night, so that is one less thing to worry about.
The Meal:
Appetizers:
They have a wonderful tapas menu so there are plenty of appetizers to choose from. We didn't order any because none caught our eye but we did order soups to start.
Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque - delicious without too strong a tomato taste. chunks of tomato also added to the texture of the soup.
Corn, Black Bean and Sausage Chowder - surprisingly light for a cream-based chowder. flavourful with a bit of spice thanks to the chorizo sausage. chunks of carrots and onions in addition to the corn, black beans and sausage makes the soup quite hardy.
Entrees:
There is a range of prices for the entrees, and a wide selection of options to accompany this. There are also items on the menu that are meant for sharing, which is different from a lot of other restaurants. We both chose to try something a little different from our usual and it paid off - mm-mmm good.
Paella (pronounced pi-yay-ah) - served in a skillet this dish is made up of rice, tomatoes, onions, red peppers, and a hodge-podge of meats including shrimp, chorizo sausage, chicken, salmon and mussels. it's spicy, so beware if you don't like a little fire in your meal, but if you like spice it is not at all overwhelming. The flavours in this dish mix really well, and it reminded me a little bit of cabbage rolls (with meat obviously). The jalapeno corn bread they serve with this meal is a nice compliment, but I have a bias toward corn bread. portion-wise, the small is large enough to have left-overs for lunch the next day!
Milanesa Especial - a chicken dish topped with country ham, provolone cheese, roasted red peppers and black olives. I didn't get to try it with the black olives due to the taste preferences of my partner, but it was still delicious. The chicken was very tender, and the toppings complimented each other well - especially the provolone and the ham. This dish was served with mashed potatoes and vegetables so you will be full by the end.
Desserts:
The dessert menu is not vast but it had some interesting items in addition to a couple of traditional ones. We shared the tempura banana split. I hadn't had fried bananas in ages and they are sooooo good. Instead of ice cream the banana split is made with gelato, and because of this the flavours are really rich.
Wines:
Hermanos has a decent variety of wine choose from. We went with an Argentinian wine, which I don't remember the name of but it paired well with the meal.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Burrito Del Rio Taqueria
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.
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.
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.
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