Woah....! 5000 page views in a month! Wow....thanks so much you guys! Thanks for showing this little blog love and support so far. I certainly hope that it continues to receive such awesome love and support so that it can flourish and grow and mature.
And....Sorry, I'm not generally so ready to toot my own horn, but.....WE'RE NUMBER ONE! WE'RE NUMBER ONE! My little post about IMAX vs. UltraAVXis now the TOP Googled result!
Since this 15,000 page view landmark only took about a month to reach (from 10,000), the next token of appreciation be at 30,000. Same rules apply. First
person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 30,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude.
Thanks again so very very much. And please...keep tuning in....and more importantly...spreading the love! =)~
~Cheers.
Showing posts with label Restaurant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurant. Show all posts
Monday, 23 July 2012
Restaurant: Nan's Thai Fine Dining
I don't get to try very many restaurants when I'm away for work because I'm generally on my own. Once in a while however, my running around does allow me to try some different restaurants, so I'm especially appreciative when they stand out. And man, did this place stand out, and apparently not only to me. According to the plaque on the wall, it also received AAA's 4 diamond award.
Ambiance: 4 / 5
Cleanliness: 5 / 5
Service: 5 / 5
Taste: 4.5 / 5
Presentation: 4.5 / 5
Price: $$$
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Nan's REALLY has designed this place designed exceptionally well; even the washrooms. Sorry, the washrooms in particular. I seriously wanted to bring my camera into the washroom to take a few shots, but uhmm....I don't think the other patrons would take so kindly to that. HAHA. But the washrooms were not only absolutely pristine, you felt like you were walking into a spa.
The first dish that arrived was Nan's Tasting Tree, which consists of a small sampling of a few of Nan's sumptuous appetisers. I was unfortunately, still admiring the design of the washroom while washing my hands when it came, so I can't really tell you what everything is. They were all good, but those two little pink swirly things at the bottom of the photo? They were simply AMAZING. Perfect balance of flavours with a nice kick from the hot pepper on top.
My selected entree isn't on their menu, but a special of the day. It was a steamed Chilean Sea Bass over some Bok Choy & mushrooms in a soy sauce. The sea bass was cooked perfectly, but honestly, the soy sauce was a bit much for my liking, even after I mixed in the ginger, green onion and pepper. But delicious nevertheless.
Below is just a quick photo of what my friend ordered. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to want to share, so I didn't get a chance to taste it. HAHA. She did say it was droolworthy tho. =)~
If you do get a chance to go to Atlanta, I'd highly recommend this place. Servers were all Thai and extremely hospitable. Thai hospitality + Southern hospitality = AMAZING hospitality. hahaha =)~
Nan's Thai Fine Dining
1350 Spring St. NW.
Atlanta, GA
404-870-9933
~Cheers
Ambiance: 4 / 5
Cleanliness: 5 / 5
Service: 5 / 5
Taste: 4.5 / 5
Presentation: 4.5 / 5
Price: $$$
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Nan's REALLY has designed this place designed exceptionally well; even the washrooms. Sorry, the washrooms in particular. I seriously wanted to bring my camera into the washroom to take a few shots, but uhmm....I don't think the other patrons would take so kindly to that. HAHA. But the washrooms were not only absolutely pristine, you felt like you were walking into a spa.
The first dish that arrived was Nan's Tasting Tree, which consists of a small sampling of a few of Nan's sumptuous appetisers. I was unfortunately, still admiring the design of the washroom while washing my hands when it came, so I can't really tell you what everything is. They were all good, but those two little pink swirly things at the bottom of the photo? They were simply AMAZING. Perfect balance of flavours with a nice kick from the hot pepper on top.
My selected entree isn't on their menu, but a special of the day. It was a steamed Chilean Sea Bass over some Bok Choy & mushrooms in a soy sauce. The sea bass was cooked perfectly, but honestly, the soy sauce was a bit much for my liking, even after I mixed in the ginger, green onion and pepper. But delicious nevertheless.
Below is just a quick photo of what my friend ordered. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to want to share, so I didn't get a chance to taste it. HAHA. She did say it was droolworthy tho. =)~
If you do get a chance to go to Atlanta, I'd highly recommend this place. Servers were all Thai and extremely hospitable. Thai hospitality + Southern hospitality = AMAZING hospitality. hahaha =)~
Nan's Thai Fine Dining
1350 Spring St. NW.
Atlanta, GA
404-870-9933
~Cheers
Monday, 18 June 2012
Blogger's Note: 10,000 Page Views!
Wait...What...? Wow! We got to 10,000 page views! 10K! Thanks everyone for the support! Quite honestly, I never thought I'd reach this little milestone, and during my little hiatus, I really wasn't sure if I was going to continue. But here we are, at TEN FREAKING THOUSAND! WOOT WOOT! From here on in, the milestones are going to be a little more spread out.
And a bit of ADDED pride? My little post about IMAX vs. UltraAVX is a top 10 item on google's search engine! Woot Woot!
The next token of appreciation will be at 15,000. Same rules apply. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 15,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude.
Wow. 15,000. I can hardly imagine. I wonder if I'll reach it before G.I. Joe: Retaliation comes out. HAHA. While a few of you are following this little blog of mine, I really wish I knew who the rest of you were so I could thank you all personally. So please, feel free to comment lots and often! Thanks again!
~Cheers.
And a bit of ADDED pride? My little post about IMAX vs. UltraAVX is a top 10 item on google's search engine! Woot Woot!
The next token of appreciation will be at 15,000. Same rules apply. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 15,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude.
Wow. 15,000. I can hardly imagine. I wonder if I'll reach it before G.I. Joe: Retaliation comes out. HAHA. While a few of you are following this little blog of mine, I really wish I knew who the rest of you were so I could thank you all personally. So please, feel free to comment lots and often! Thanks again!
~Cheers.
Friday, 4 May 2012
Restaurant: Allen's
To most people, comfort food is nostalgic and generally easy-to-eat foods that have some sentimental value to them. For me however, comfort food is JUNK. You know, wings, burgers, fries, pizza, chips, etc etc. You know, everything that's bad for you. But unfortunately, I do have a little bit of understanding of my health, so I can't have that stuff every day (maybe every other day is ok. haha). So while I've kept blogto's Best Burger list around for a while, I've only been able to try them sporadically. When a friend invited me thus to try Allen's....? Of course I jumped at the chance!
Ambiance: 2.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 3.5 / 5
Service: 3.5 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 3 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 3.5 / 5
So apparently, Allen's supposedly uses fresh, organic beef for its burgers (I don't know for sure, I read it somewhere at some point). And they DO have a fairly extensive beer list. The lighting was VERY dark which made me not want to go through it. It being a pub, I ordered a black and tan. It never occurred to me to take a photo of the beer (whoops), so I thiefed this one off of the internet. I apologise in advance to the person who took the photo for not giving credit.
For anyone who ends up ordering this. Please, I implore you, DO NOT MIX IT! There's a little section in the middle where the two beers connect that's a delectable little sweet spot. Not to be trifled with and certainly not to be ruined.
I was a little disappointed that the burger comes a la carte, but I suppose I kind of expected it. And on top of that, anything toppings outside of lettuce, tomato, and pickle, is also an extra charge. But I couldn't help myself and ordered sauteed mushrooms, and sauteed onions, and cheddar cheese to top my burger off. The burger itself, was ordered medium rare.
Yes....my photography skills are SEVERELY lacking. Plus, I only had my phone with me. The toppings, actually came on separate plates. Even the lettuce that I'd asked for came beside the burger. Anyway, picking up the burger, I found the bottom piece of bread already soggy. That was a bit of a disappointment. But biting into the burger was scrumptious. Nicely seared, perfectly grilled, and nice and juicy.
If you notice in the background of the photo, we did order a side of fries as well. And quite honestly, the fries aren't even worth mentioning. A little bland, a little dry.
If you've never been, I suppose this place is worth a try, but to be quite honest, by the time you top up your burger, and add in tax and tip, you're looking at roughly $20 for the burger all on its own. And while it was well prepared and delicious, I just don't see it being WORTH that much.
Allen's
143 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON
416-463-3086
~Cheers.
Ambiance: 2.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 3.5 / 5
Service: 3.5 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 3 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 3.5 / 5
So apparently, Allen's supposedly uses fresh, organic beef for its burgers (I don't know for sure, I read it somewhere at some point). And they DO have a fairly extensive beer list. The lighting was VERY dark which made me not want to go through it. It being a pub, I ordered a black and tan. It never occurred to me to take a photo of the beer (whoops), so I thiefed this one off of the internet. I apologise in advance to the person who took the photo for not giving credit.
For anyone who ends up ordering this. Please, I implore you, DO NOT MIX IT! There's a little section in the middle where the two beers connect that's a delectable little sweet spot. Not to be trifled with and certainly not to be ruined.
I was a little disappointed that the burger comes a la carte, but I suppose I kind of expected it. And on top of that, anything toppings outside of lettuce, tomato, and pickle, is also an extra charge. But I couldn't help myself and ordered sauteed mushrooms, and sauteed onions, and cheddar cheese to top my burger off. The burger itself, was ordered medium rare.
Yes....my photography skills are SEVERELY lacking. Plus, I only had my phone with me. The toppings, actually came on separate plates. Even the lettuce that I'd asked for came beside the burger. Anyway, picking up the burger, I found the bottom piece of bread already soggy. That was a bit of a disappointment. But biting into the burger was scrumptious. Nicely seared, perfectly grilled, and nice and juicy.
If you notice in the background of the photo, we did order a side of fries as well. And quite honestly, the fries aren't even worth mentioning. A little bland, a little dry.
If you've never been, I suppose this place is worth a try, but to be quite honest, by the time you top up your burger, and add in tax and tip, you're looking at roughly $20 for the burger all on its own. And while it was well prepared and delicious, I just don't see it being WORTH that much.
Allen's
143 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, ON
416-463-3086
~Cheers.
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Blogger's Note: 10,000 Page Views...
The last time I posted a thank you post, I was closing in on 5000 page views. But unfortunately, I took a little hiatus. When I looked again, I was closing in on 8000 page views and I hadn't even been posting! So to all of you who have been checking in on my little blog, thank you so much. I will do my best not to fall behind again, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.
10,000 page views is going to be a big milestone for me. So... Same game. Same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 10,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. I really do appreciate the support all of you have given me over the past few months.
I really do appreciate the continued support. Thanks again. And of course... Don't forget to spread the love =)~
~Cheers.
10,000 page views is going to be a big milestone for me. So... Same game. Same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 10,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. I really do appreciate the support all of you have given me over the past few months.
I really do appreciate the continued support. Thanks again. And of course... Don't forget to spread the love =)~
~Cheers.
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Blogger's Note: Hiatus
Hi guys. Thanks to all of you who have helped to keep this little blog going. Unfortunately, I've been on a little bit of a hiatus. Things at work have been ridonk-culous. Somehow however, we reached 5,000 page views. YAY! Things should be settling down a little bit, so I should be starting to post again after labour day.
~Cheers.
~Cheers.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Blogger's Note: 4000 Page Views...
Wow. Another 1,000 page views. Thanks everyone for the support! More amazing, it's only taken 20 days to get from 3,000 to 4,000! At the beginning of the year, I'd said that I was going to aim to post 2x a week for 2011. This will have been my 48th post this year. So I'm pretty much on track. And much of it, I have to thank all of you. It's really encouraging to see the page view numbers every time I log in to put up another post. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
5,000 is going to be a bit of a milestone for me. And so, my token of appreciation is going to be a bit bigger. Again, same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 5,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude.
Wow. 5,000. I can hardly imagine.While a few of you are following this little blog of mine, I really wish I knew who the rest of you were so I could thank you all personally. So please, feel free to comment lots and often! Thanks again!
~Cheers.
5,000 is going to be a bit of a milestone for me. And so, my token of appreciation is going to be a bit bigger. Again, same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 5,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude.
Wow. 5,000. I can hardly imagine.While a few of you are following this little blog of mine, I really wish I knew who the rest of you were so I could thank you all personally. So please, feel free to comment lots and often! Thanks again!
~Cheers.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Blogger's Note: 3000 Page Views...
It's only been a little over a month and y'all have helped me make this little blog hit another 1,000 page views! Thanks so much! We're actually well over 3,100 now, but I only noticed this morning. It means a lot to me that you come visit this little blog of mine, which is why I've been giving a little thank you gift to the first person to comment after every 1,000 page views. By the way, no one has claimed the 3000th page view token of appreciation yet! Be the first to comment on THIS post, and I'll make sure you get a little thank from me to you.
As promised, I'm going to keep this going for a while yet. Again, same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 4,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. I really do appreciate the support all of you have given me over the past few months. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this going. I said at the beginning of this year, that I was going to try to post 100 entries this year. I've got 37 so far, I need to hit 50 by the end of the month. That's pretty good I think right? =)~
Anyway, thanks for the continued support. And don't forget to help me spread the love! =)~
~Cheers.
As promised, I'm going to keep this going for a while yet. Again, same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 4,000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. I really do appreciate the support all of you have given me over the past few months. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this going. I said at the beginning of this year, that I was going to try to post 100 entries this year. I've got 37 so far, I need to hit 50 by the end of the month. That's pretty good I think right? =)~
Anyway, thanks for the continued support. And don't forget to help me spread the love! =)~
~Cheers.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Restaurant: Czehoski
At some point in time, they Czehoski must have changed hands because last I heard, this place was pricey and not entirely worth it. But with the most expensive entree priced at $23. How is that overpriced?
Ambiance: 3.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 3.5 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Taste: 3 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 4 / 5
A 3 floor restaurant / bar with a nice bohemian feel and a stage for live music. It's got a well stocked bar, and guess what... That third floor? Rooftop patio! Definitely a place I'm going to have to try and hit this summer.
The first thing we ordered were the onion rings. I only had my mobile with me and I'm certainly no photographer. But these rings are the best I can remember. Nice, big, juicy, plump rings of onions covered with light, fluffy, batter with the smallest kick. Very yum.
Then the entrees came. My friend ordered Pork Belly over Lentils/Tomatoes. It's not the lightest of fares, but it's pork belly. Which means the meat is nice and juicy and tender (partly because it's moist with belly fat. Haha). The lentils do have a bit of a kick, but you can ask for mild if you're not a fan.
I actually ordered their Mac & Cheese. Topped with slices of Chorizo, I found it a touch milky for my taste, but at $14.95, it's certainly no Kraft Dinner. Aside from the Onion rings, I wasn't particularly blown away by the food. But the ambiance is nice, with that old world feel, and retains a little bit of its original Butcher shop / Kalbasa store feel. The service is friendly, and the food is decent.
Czehoski
678 Queen St. W
Toronto, ON
M6J 1E5
416-366-6787
~Cheers.
Blogger's Note: Found a nice little story in blogto about this place from the daughter of the original owners (please read after the jump).
Ambiance: 3.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 3.5 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Taste: 3 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 4 / 5
A 3 floor restaurant / bar with a nice bohemian feel and a stage for live music. It's got a well stocked bar, and guess what... That third floor? Rooftop patio! Definitely a place I'm going to have to try and hit this summer.
The first thing we ordered were the onion rings. I only had my mobile with me and I'm certainly no photographer. But these rings are the best I can remember. Nice, big, juicy, plump rings of onions covered with light, fluffy, batter with the smallest kick. Very yum.
Then the entrees came. My friend ordered Pork Belly over Lentils/Tomatoes. It's not the lightest of fares, but it's pork belly. Which means the meat is nice and juicy and tender (partly because it's moist with belly fat. Haha). The lentils do have a bit of a kick, but you can ask for mild if you're not a fan.
I actually ordered their Mac & Cheese. Topped with slices of Chorizo, I found it a touch milky for my taste, but at $14.95, it's certainly no Kraft Dinner. Aside from the Onion rings, I wasn't particularly blown away by the food. But the ambiance is nice, with that old world feel, and retains a little bit of its original Butcher shop / Kalbasa store feel. The service is friendly, and the food is decent.
Czehoski
678 Queen St. W
Toronto, ON
M6J 1E5
416-366-6787
~Cheers.
Blogger's Note: Found a nice little story in blogto about this place from the daughter of the original owners (please read after the jump).
Friday, 6 May 2011
Restaurant: Koyoi
Let's face it. Toronto isn't close to any ocean, so it's going to be rare to find a sushi restaurant that REALLY stands out without breaking the bank. But that shouldn't stop us from enjoying yummy, scrumptious Japanese eats! My recent joys? Finding little Izakayas (居酒屋), which generally serves Japanese style tapas.
Ambiance: 2.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 2.5 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $
Overall: 3.5 / 5
You really can't go wrong with a quaint little restaurant that can fill up your belly with yummy tapas for under $20. For a long time now, I've a big fan of おでん (oden) and in particular, 大根 (daikon - radish).
It's only $1.50 a piece and very light in flavour. I could totally eat this all day long. If I remember correctly, the above photo is scene with some fish cake.
Of course, you're not going to JUST eat おでん for dinner. Another item worth noting, is the Koyoi Salad, with some tofu and lettuce, there's also some chips for a bit of crunch too. Nice and light in flavour, I highly recommend this.
The next thing that came was Koyoi's version of お好み焼き (Okonomiyaki), again, one of my favourite dishes. Unfortunately, most places I've tried, can't make this right. Luckily, Koyoi's rendition is quite good. I found them a little heavy on the bonito flakes, but otherwise, still very good.
I was introduced to this little Izakaya a little while ago, and have been back a few ti mes, wanting to try as many of their little tapas as possible, I've been back a few times. The picture above isn't very clear, but at the bottom, it says that only 25 portions of this Tonkotsu Ramen is made starting on Wednesdays. But every single time I go, it's already sold out. Last time, the waitress told me that if I come any later than Thursday, it's likely to be sold out. So I just HAD to know, what is so special about this Ramen? Not only does it cost $13.99 (one of the most expensive things on the menu), but they only have 25 available a week?!
Finally went this past Wednesday so that I could FINALLY try this elusive ramen. Went with a few friends, we each put an order in. And waited while we enjoyed some of their other dishes, and waited while we sipped our tea, and waited while we conversed about how to save the world, and waited, and waited and waited. It took OVER 45 minutes for them to bring out ramen. Seriously?! It only takes about 4minutes to cook a pack of Nissin. I mean, granted, this isn't Nissin, but over 45 minutes?!
OK....45 minutes, this thing better be WORTH the wait, better be WORTH the $13.99.When the ramen finally came, there was one. yes, count it....ONE piece of Tonkotsu. Are you kidding me?! On top of that, there were 5 of us. Each piece of Tonkotsu that was served got progressively SMALLER. Mine was the 2nd bowl!
In their defense, all the money is in their soup. I'm fairly certain that they make one huge pot of soup base each week, chock full of ingredients. Although a bit too oily for my tastes, the soup was very rich and very delicious. But seriously, how much does a single slice of pork cost? I'd rather the ramen cost $14.99 but have 3+ pieces. This just feels like a big rip off.
Koyoi is definitely worth visiting, just stay away from the Tonkotsu ramen. It's not worth $13.99 and definitely not worth waiting over 45 minutes. And to finish, just a couple of other items I've tried.
Koyoi
2 Irwin Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
(647) 351-5128
~Cheers.
Ambiance: 2.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 2.5 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $
Overall: 3.5 / 5
You really can't go wrong with a quaint little restaurant that can fill up your belly with yummy tapas for under $20. For a long time now, I've a big fan of おでん (oden) and in particular, 大根 (daikon - radish).
It's only $1.50 a piece and very light in flavour. I could totally eat this all day long. If I remember correctly, the above photo is scene with some fish cake.
Of course, you're not going to JUST eat おでん for dinner. Another item worth noting, is the Koyoi Salad, with some tofu and lettuce, there's also some chips for a bit of crunch too. Nice and light in flavour, I highly recommend this.
The next thing that came was Koyoi's version of お好み焼き (Okonomiyaki), again, one of my favourite dishes. Unfortunately, most places I've tried, can't make this right. Luckily, Koyoi's rendition is quite good. I found them a little heavy on the bonito flakes, but otherwise, still very good.
I was introduced to this little Izakaya a little while ago, and have been back a few ti mes, wanting to try as many of their little tapas as possible, I've been back a few times. The picture above isn't very clear, but at the bottom, it says that only 25 portions of this Tonkotsu Ramen is made starting on Wednesdays. But every single time I go, it's already sold out. Last time, the waitress told me that if I come any later than Thursday, it's likely to be sold out. So I just HAD to know, what is so special about this Ramen? Not only does it cost $13.99 (one of the most expensive things on the menu), but they only have 25 available a week?!
Finally went this past Wednesday so that I could FINALLY try this elusive ramen. Went with a few friends, we each put an order in. And waited while we enjoyed some of their other dishes, and waited while we sipped our tea, and waited while we conversed about how to save the world, and waited, and waited and waited. It took OVER 45 minutes for them to bring out ramen. Seriously?! It only takes about 4minutes to cook a pack of Nissin. I mean, granted, this isn't Nissin, but over 45 minutes?!
OK....45 minutes, this thing better be WORTH the wait, better be WORTH the $13.99.When the ramen finally came, there was one. yes, count it....ONE piece of Tonkotsu. Are you kidding me?! On top of that, there were 5 of us. Each piece of Tonkotsu that was served got progressively SMALLER. Mine was the 2nd bowl!
In their defense, all the money is in their soup. I'm fairly certain that they make one huge pot of soup base each week, chock full of ingredients. Although a bit too oily for my tastes, the soup was very rich and very delicious. But seriously, how much does a single slice of pork cost? I'd rather the ramen cost $14.99 but have 3+ pieces. This just feels like a big rip off.
Koyoi is definitely worth visiting, just stay away from the Tonkotsu ramen. It's not worth $13.99 and definitely not worth waiting over 45 minutes. And to finish, just a couple of other items I've tried.
 |
| Ankimo (アンキモ) |
 |
| Tsukune (つくね) |
 |
| Black Sesame Ice Cream |
2 Irwin Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
(647) 351-5128
~Cheers.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Blogger's Note: 2000 Page Views...
Wow. It seems like it was only yesterday that I was all excited about getting 1000 views on my little blog. Cuteviv apparently, didn't forget about my little offer for the 2000th person to click in. I hadn't even realised that I was closing in on 2000! But here we are, 4 months into this little blog, and from the bottom of my heart, I thank all of you for your support. As promised, a little gift will be going out to Cuteviv soon; just a small gesture to show my appreciation.
Thanks everyone for the support and love shown to this little blog. I'll appreciate it even more if y'all help me to spread the love more! HAHAHA....And you know what? Let's keep this going! Until further notice, I will send out a small token of my appreciation for every 1000th page viewer. The next gift will be given at 3000 page views. Same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 3000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. Thanks again for all your continued support. Hope to send my next little gift soon!
~Cheers.
Thanks everyone for the support and love shown to this little blog. I'll appreciate it even more if y'all help me to spread the love more! HAHAHA....And you know what? Let's keep this going! Until further notice, I will send out a small token of my appreciation for every 1000th page viewer. The next gift will be given at 3000 page views. Same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 3000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. Thanks again for all your continued support. Hope to send my next little gift soon!
~Cheers.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Restaurant: Ted's Montana Grill
Media mogul, philanthropist, and environmentalist, Ted Turner, is the largest independent land owner in North America. He also re-introduced Bison back into the United States... And bred them... And cultivated them... And opened up a chain of restaurants so people can eat them.
Ambiance: 3.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Service: 5 / 5
Taste: 3.5 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 4 / 5
Sometimes, it's the little things that make the difference. And for me, in this case, it was the paper straws. The food was decent, and the Bison steak, while a little chewy, was certainly leaner and healthier than beef. The service was superb, with the waitstaff exuberantly showcasing some of that 'Southern Hospitality'. But it was the paper straws that made the ultimate difference for me.
I stole a Bison Slider from my friend. A smallish cheeseburger, it was moist and tender, and cooked just right. The buns however, were a little disappointing. It didn't seem any different from the store bought ones. And there's nothing wrong with store bought buns, except that the restaurant claims their stuff is "made-from-scratch".
Being that it was my first time at Ted's Montana Grill where they feature a Bison on their logo, a Bison head on the restaurant wall, and Bison options over regular beef, I ordered the Delmonico Bison Rib Eye. This Ted guy, that founded CNN is pretty patriotic too. Every single dish served comes with an American Flag.Yes, that IS a hunk of butter on that rib eye. I should have asked if it was Bison butter. Ah well. Another time I suppose. You get to choose your sides, and I chose half and half (fries and onion rings) and their garlic mashed potato.
The rib eye was ordered rare, but was a little bit tougher than I would have thought, but I will attribute it to the fact that Bison is leaner than beef. But other than that, it was seared perfectly, and the onion ring was big, juicy, and perfectly drool-icious with the home made horseradish dipping sauce.
The one thing I really enjoy about heading into the Southern parts of the United States is the service. It's always friendly, and always warm. I guess they don't call it Southern Hospitality for nothing. And the service at Ted's was no different. We had our main waiter, with a trainee who were patient and warm, but also a couple of waiters who came around, just to make sure that we didn't need anything extra when our guy got a bit busy. We were very well taken care of.
At the end of the night, the manager came over and spoke to us to make sure everything was to our liking, and again, oozing that Southern Hospitality Charm. I'm not generally a big fan of chain restaurants, but this place was warm, welcoming, and inviting, and the food was fairly decent to boot. And using paper straws? Total bonus.
Ted's Montana Grill
1874 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
USA
~Cheers.
Ambiance: 3.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Service: 5 / 5
Taste: 3.5 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 4 / 5
Sometimes, it's the little things that make the difference. And for me, in this case, it was the paper straws. The food was decent, and the Bison steak, while a little chewy, was certainly leaner and healthier than beef. The service was superb, with the waitstaff exuberantly showcasing some of that 'Southern Hospitality'. But it was the paper straws that made the ultimate difference for me.
 | |
| Sorry, only had my mobile to take photos with. |
I stole a Bison Slider from my friend. A smallish cheeseburger, it was moist and tender, and cooked just right. The buns however, were a little disappointing. It didn't seem any different from the store bought ones. And there's nothing wrong with store bought buns, except that the restaurant claims their stuff is "made-from-scratch".
Being that it was my first time at Ted's Montana Grill where they feature a Bison on their logo, a Bison head on the restaurant wall, and Bison options over regular beef, I ordered the Delmonico Bison Rib Eye. This Ted guy, that founded CNN is pretty patriotic too. Every single dish served comes with an American Flag.Yes, that IS a hunk of butter on that rib eye. I should have asked if it was Bison butter. Ah well. Another time I suppose. You get to choose your sides, and I chose half and half (fries and onion rings) and their garlic mashed potato.
The rib eye was ordered rare, but was a little bit tougher than I would have thought, but I will attribute it to the fact that Bison is leaner than beef. But other than that, it was seared perfectly, and the onion ring was big, juicy, and perfectly drool-icious with the home made horseradish dipping sauce.
The one thing I really enjoy about heading into the Southern parts of the United States is the service. It's always friendly, and always warm. I guess they don't call it Southern Hospitality for nothing. And the service at Ted's was no different. We had our main waiter, with a trainee who were patient and warm, but also a couple of waiters who came around, just to make sure that we didn't need anything extra when our guy got a bit busy. We were very well taken care of.
At the end of the night, the manager came over and spoke to us to make sure everything was to our liking, and again, oozing that Southern Hospitality Charm. I'm not generally a big fan of chain restaurants, but this place was warm, welcoming, and inviting, and the food was fairly decent to boot. And using paper straws? Total bonus.
Ted's Montana Grill
1874 Peachtree Road
Atlanta, GA 30309
USA
~Cheers.
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Blogger's Note: 1000 Page Views...
Woohoo!!! My little blog reached 1000 page views! *sniff*. I'm so touched by the amount of love everyone's shown this little blog. I said on New Year's that I will aim to improve this blog and keep at it for 2011. Congratulations to Carine for being my 2000th viewer. The next gift will be given at 2000 page views. I wonder if / when that will happen. eeep! haha. Same rules. First person to send a comment that they are the first comment on or after 2000 page views will get a little gift as token of my gratitude. Thanks again for all your continued support. Hope to send my next little gift soon!
~Cheers.
~Cheers.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Restaurant: 巴屬人家川菜館 (Bashu Sichuan Restaurant)
For those of you who don't know, I don't handle spicy food very well. And Sichuan food...well...tends to be rather spicy. I can eat the damned stuff, but the result doesn't tend to be very pretty. It's like someone decides to turn on the faucets to my head, and ONLY to my head. But this is the dedication I'm giving to this little blog. HAHA.
Ambiance: 2 / 5
Cleanliness: 2.5 / 5
Service: 3 / 5
Taste: 3.5 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 3.5 / 5
While it took an inordinate amount of time for the food to arrive, when it did come, it was like they decided to serve EVERYTHING at once, so I'm just going to go through this in the order I tried the dishes. Since there was some varying levels of spiciness in the dishes, I decided to go from the least spicy dish to the most spicy dish.
巴屬全家福鍋仔 (Bashu Meat & Seafood Pot)
A mish mash of "stuff" served in a steaming broth. There's tofu, and shrimp, and fish, and ox tongue, and fish squares, and scallions, and mushrooms, and beef stomach, and... Heck, I can't even remember what else was in there, oh... With a healthy dose of pepper. How did it taste? Like it was a mish mash of STUFF. With pepper. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't taste bad... but it just... didn't taste like much of anything.
金鉤冬瓜 (Winter Melon in seafood sauce)
After tasting that first dish, I was a little worried about the rest of the meal. I was wondering if the restaurant management expected to burn all the taste buds of of the patrons' tongues with all the spicy food so they won't care how the rest of the dishes taste. Fortunately, this 金鉤冬瓜 was surprisingly good. Cooking all of that together, the winter melon absorbs much of the flavour from the dried shrimp and broth without somehow, losing its own distinct flavour. Very well done.
沸騰魚片 (Filet of Fish in Spicy Sauce)
Looks pretty spicy huh. Actually, it wasn't TOO horrible. The burn of the peppers somehow barely permeates the outer layer of the fish, leaving centre of the fish with the sweetness of the fish's original flavours. It was a great counter balance of flavours, neither one overpowering the other. And on top of that, the fish was perfectly tender. That being said, I DO wish that it was fresh fish instead of the frozen fillets.
幹鍋田雞 (Frog legs in a spice bowl)
Fortunately, it wasn't my first time having frog legs because otherwise, after tasting this pot, there was no way I would have known what frog legs tasted like. But like a trooper, with my corner of the table littered with sweat drenched tissues, I ate more. Perhaps it's because I don't handle spicy food so well, but all flavour, texture, and context was thoroughly covered by the sheer hotness.
手拉銀絲卷 (Hand-Pulled Silver Thread Bun)
After eating the frog legs, I had to clean my palate. I don't think I would have taken as much offense to these buns had they not indicated they were "hand pulled". These buns, when made right, are almost like noodles made of soft bread kneaded, and twisted together. And when you pull them apart, are individual strands of soft, fluffy bread. These buns were more like someone decide to make noodles of bread and mashed them together into clumps of...well...clumps. Such a disappointment to an otherwise, fairly enjoyable meal.
In all, I've got mixed feelings about this place. While some of the dishes exceeded expectations, others fell below par. I won't judge the frog legs, because unfortunately, my taste buds were far too numbed to taste anything. Sichuan food tends to be pretty spicy, so I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and blame my own inability to accept such levels of spice.
巴屬人家
A01-A02
4771 Steeles Ave. E
Scarborough, ON
Canada
~Cheers
Ambiance: 2 / 5
Cleanliness: 2.5 / 5
Service: 3 / 5
Taste: 3.5 / 5
Presentation: 3.5 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 3.5 / 5
While it took an inordinate amount of time for the food to arrive, when it did come, it was like they decided to serve EVERYTHING at once, so I'm just going to go through this in the order I tried the dishes. Since there was some varying levels of spiciness in the dishes, I decided to go from the least spicy dish to the most spicy dish.
巴屬全家福鍋仔 (Bashu Meat & Seafood Pot)
A mish mash of "stuff" served in a steaming broth. There's tofu, and shrimp, and fish, and ox tongue, and fish squares, and scallions, and mushrooms, and beef stomach, and... Heck, I can't even remember what else was in there, oh... With a healthy dose of pepper. How did it taste? Like it was a mish mash of STUFF. With pepper. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't taste bad... but it just... didn't taste like much of anything.
金鉤冬瓜 (Winter Melon in seafood sauce)
After tasting that first dish, I was a little worried about the rest of the meal. I was wondering if the restaurant management expected to burn all the taste buds of of the patrons' tongues with all the spicy food so they won't care how the rest of the dishes taste. Fortunately, this 金鉤冬瓜 was surprisingly good. Cooking all of that together, the winter melon absorbs much of the flavour from the dried shrimp and broth without somehow, losing its own distinct flavour. Very well done.
沸騰魚片 (Filet of Fish in Spicy Sauce)
Looks pretty spicy huh. Actually, it wasn't TOO horrible. The burn of the peppers somehow barely permeates the outer layer of the fish, leaving centre of the fish with the sweetness of the fish's original flavours. It was a great counter balance of flavours, neither one overpowering the other. And on top of that, the fish was perfectly tender. That being said, I DO wish that it was fresh fish instead of the frozen fillets.
幹鍋田雞 (Frog legs in a spice bowl)
Fortunately, it wasn't my first time having frog legs because otherwise, after tasting this pot, there was no way I would have known what frog legs tasted like. But like a trooper, with my corner of the table littered with sweat drenched tissues, I ate more. Perhaps it's because I don't handle spicy food so well, but all flavour, texture, and context was thoroughly covered by the sheer hotness.
手拉銀絲卷 (Hand-Pulled Silver Thread Bun)
After eating the frog legs, I had to clean my palate. I don't think I would have taken as much offense to these buns had they not indicated they were "hand pulled". These buns, when made right, are almost like noodles made of soft bread kneaded, and twisted together. And when you pull them apart, are individual strands of soft, fluffy bread. These buns were more like someone decide to make noodles of bread and mashed them together into clumps of...well...clumps. Such a disappointment to an otherwise, fairly enjoyable meal.
In all, I've got mixed feelings about this place. While some of the dishes exceeded expectations, others fell below par. I won't judge the frog legs, because unfortunately, my taste buds were far too numbed to taste anything. Sichuan food tends to be pretty spicy, so I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and blame my own inability to accept such levels of spice.
巴屬人家
A01-A02
4771 Steeles Ave. E
Scarborough, ON
Canada
~Cheers
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Blogger's Note: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I can't believe it's 2011 already.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have taken a couple moments to stop by my little blog. I'm not sure what I expected when I started the thing, I mean, I was just looking for a reason to start writing again. But 700+ page views in half a month. That's better than anything I would have expected. So I do want to thank you all, and especially those who have kept coming back for your support. It's great added incentive and motivation to keep going. So thank you all. And please, keep spreading the love! =)~
I'm not sure how to do it, I'm not sure if there's a WAY to track exactly the 1000th page views, but I'm going to do this. I'm going to give the first person at 1000 page views that sends a comment, that SAYS they're the 1000th viewer, a gift. So if you see the little page view tracker at the bottom of the screen hit 1000 and no one has posted a message yet... leave a comment that you ARE the 1000th viewer, and I'll send you a little thank you gift. =)~
Now. 2011. Resolutions. I hope to be able to keep this blog going at a steady clip. With the help of all of you...HELPING TO SPREAD THE LOVE....feeding incentive and motivation, I hope that I will keep writing. And hopefully, it offers some insight on products, movies, restaurants, or whatever else I decide I want to critique. =)~
Oh. We should always set measurable goals for ourselves. For myself, I will try to publish something 2x a week. Since work gives most of us 2 week holiday, we'll do the same. So 50 weeks * 2 entries a week, that's 100 new entries by the end of 2011.
But I will need help from all of you. What do you guys think would be a good benchmark to measure success for this little blog? Let's be realistic and not shoot for the moon. But what do you guys think would be a good number of page views to shoot for?
I also hope that by continuing to write, my writing will improve, and hopefully my insight on matters I'm writing about will mature along with my writing. Always Be Better right?
That being said, Happy 2011 to all of you, and I hope to see more and more viewers, and more and more comments as this blog matures.
~Cheers.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have taken a couple moments to stop by my little blog. I'm not sure what I expected when I started the thing, I mean, I was just looking for a reason to start writing again. But 700+ page views in half a month. That's better than anything I would have expected. So I do want to thank you all, and especially those who have kept coming back for your support. It's great added incentive and motivation to keep going. So thank you all. And please, keep spreading the love! =)~
I'm not sure how to do it, I'm not sure if there's a WAY to track exactly the 1000th page views, but I'm going to do this. I'm going to give the first person at 1000 page views that sends a comment, that SAYS they're the 1000th viewer, a gift. So if you see the little page view tracker at the bottom of the screen hit 1000 and no one has posted a message yet... leave a comment that you ARE the 1000th viewer, and I'll send you a little thank you gift. =)~
Now. 2011. Resolutions. I hope to be able to keep this blog going at a steady clip. With the help of all of you...HELPING TO SPREAD THE LOVE....feeding incentive and motivation, I hope that I will keep writing. And hopefully, it offers some insight on products, movies, restaurants, or whatever else I decide I want to critique. =)~
Oh. We should always set measurable goals for ourselves. For myself, I will try to publish something 2x a week. Since work gives most of us 2 week holiday, we'll do the same. So 50 weeks * 2 entries a week, that's 100 new entries by the end of 2011.
But I will need help from all of you. What do you guys think would be a good benchmark to measure success for this little blog? Let's be realistic and not shoot for the moon. But what do you guys think would be a good number of page views to shoot for?
I also hope that by continuing to write, my writing will improve, and hopefully my insight on matters I'm writing about will mature along with my writing. Always Be Better right?
That being said, Happy 2011 to all of you, and I hope to see more and more viewers, and more and more comments as this blog matures.
~Cheers.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Restaurant: The Dragon Bistro
Ambiance: 3 / 5
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 3 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 4 / 5
Once upon a time, there was a little pub in the middle of Toronto called The Crown & Dragon. It became the weekly hangout of myself and a few of my friends. The English styled pub, catered mostly to regulars, served interesting "un-pub-like" food, like Korean kalbi ribs and Tom Yum Soup. Its location was central to all of us, and we'd meet there to unwind on Fridays. The food was tasty and the service was always very friendly. Unfortunately, with all of our busy lives, our weekly visits slowly became monthly visits; and monthly visits became seasonal visits.
One day, after not being there for a while, they were sporting an entirely new menu. One with 27 flavours of chicken wings. Each one, more delicious than the previous. And for a little while, I frequented my little pub a little more so that I could try ALL 27 flavours. Quite soon after I did, The Crown & Dragon made a little announcement. This little pub that I'd been introducing many of my friends to, won the Toronto Wing Off (2009). Not only did they win, they beat out heavyweights like, Duffs, and Jack Astor's. And to make the victory sweeter? They won in EVERY category.
Best Traditional Buffalo Wing (Mild) : Key West BBQ
Best Traditional Buffalo Wing (Hot) : Dragon's Breath
Best International Flavour : Bollywood
Most Creative Taste : Roadside Lemonade
News of their win spread like wildfire. And soon, the little pub that could, was packed. And the owner, decided that it was time to open a new location. And earlier this year, he finally found a location for his all new restaurant, The Dragon Bistro.
So after going down to The Crown & Dragon all these years, I was looking forward to trying the new location. Would it be the same English style pub? Would the wings be as good? Would the waitresses be as cute-I-mean-friendly? Well, let's take a look.
The new location is much larger, with a much more modern feel. It's much more spacious, and of course, with big screen TVs readily available. The menu looks much like the original one, with a few add-ons to fit the "bistro" part of the new moniker. But I wasn't there to try their new stuff. I wanted my wings. We had 2 pounds of wings. 1 pound was "Cold Sweats", and the other, "Key West BBQ".
According to their menu, the description of the two types of wings we chose were:
Cold Sweats: It's Chili Chicken! Chinese / Indian by roots. Blending Spicy & Sweet
Key West BBQ: Sweet & smokey with real lime juice and sultry hickory.
What can I say about these wings. Big, fat, juicy wings, cooked just right. You will notice the the slightest kick with the Cold Sweats. Like the description says, it's a little bit spicy with a little bit of sweet. With the Key West BBQ, I do like how they don't overdo it with the sauce. There's really, just enough of it, to give it a rich, smokey flavour with a touch of sweetness to it. Very, very well done.
But if you're going to go to The Dragon Bistro, this is something you MUST try. Their yam fries. They do their yam fries differently than I've tried in any other place. Fried perfectly, these large, fat cuts of golden yam is crispy on the outside, and tender within.
Now, The Dragon Bistro has a new sauce for the yam fries, of which I'm not a big fan of. If you're going to go, I recommend you ask for the 'original sauce'.
It really doesn't look like much. It's the same sweet chili peppers as the Cold Sweats, in a soy sauce. But somehow, it marries perfectly with the yam fries. Absolutely delicious.
A final note... The waitstaff is still very friendly, and the entire experience, very enjoyable. That being said, as nice as the modern look and feel is to the place, somehow to me, it lacks the magic of the Crown. Although, I do admit, that it probably has to do with the memories and the familiarity of the place.
The Dragon Bistro
139 Main St.
Unionville, ON
Canada
~Cheers.
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Service: 4 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 3 / 5
Price: $$
Overall: 4 / 5
Once upon a time, there was a little pub in the middle of Toronto called The Crown & Dragon. It became the weekly hangout of myself and a few of my friends. The English styled pub, catered mostly to regulars, served interesting "un-pub-like" food, like Korean kalbi ribs and Tom Yum Soup. Its location was central to all of us, and we'd meet there to unwind on Fridays. The food was tasty and the service was always very friendly. Unfortunately, with all of our busy lives, our weekly visits slowly became monthly visits; and monthly visits became seasonal visits.
One day, after not being there for a while, they were sporting an entirely new menu. One with 27 flavours of chicken wings. Each one, more delicious than the previous. And for a little while, I frequented my little pub a little more so that I could try ALL 27 flavours. Quite soon after I did, The Crown & Dragon made a little announcement. This little pub that I'd been introducing many of my friends to, won the Toronto Wing Off (2009). Not only did they win, they beat out heavyweights like, Duffs, and Jack Astor's. And to make the victory sweeter? They won in EVERY category.
Best Traditional Buffalo Wing (Mild) : Key West BBQ
Best Traditional Buffalo Wing (Hot) : Dragon's Breath
Best International Flavour : Bollywood
Most Creative Taste : Roadside Lemonade
News of their win spread like wildfire. And soon, the little pub that could, was packed. And the owner, decided that it was time to open a new location. And earlier this year, he finally found a location for his all new restaurant, The Dragon Bistro.
So after going down to The Crown & Dragon all these years, I was looking forward to trying the new location. Would it be the same English style pub? Would the wings be as good? Would the waitresses be as cute-I-mean-friendly? Well, let's take a look.
The new location is much larger, with a much more modern feel. It's much more spacious, and of course, with big screen TVs readily available. The menu looks much like the original one, with a few add-ons to fit the "bistro" part of the new moniker. But I wasn't there to try their new stuff. I wanted my wings. We had 2 pounds of wings. 1 pound was "Cold Sweats", and the other, "Key West BBQ".
According to their menu, the description of the two types of wings we chose were:
Cold Sweats: It's Chili Chicken! Chinese / Indian by roots. Blending Spicy & Sweet
Key West BBQ: Sweet & smokey with real lime juice and sultry hickory.
What can I say about these wings. Big, fat, juicy wings, cooked just right. You will notice the the slightest kick with the Cold Sweats. Like the description says, it's a little bit spicy with a little bit of sweet. With the Key West BBQ, I do like how they don't overdo it with the sauce. There's really, just enough of it, to give it a rich, smokey flavour with a touch of sweetness to it. Very, very well done.
But if you're going to go to The Dragon Bistro, this is something you MUST try. Their yam fries. They do their yam fries differently than I've tried in any other place. Fried perfectly, these large, fat cuts of golden yam is crispy on the outside, and tender within.
Now, The Dragon Bistro has a new sauce for the yam fries, of which I'm not a big fan of. If you're going to go, I recommend you ask for the 'original sauce'.
It really doesn't look like much. It's the same sweet chili peppers as the Cold Sweats, in a soy sauce. But somehow, it marries perfectly with the yam fries. Absolutely delicious.
A final note... The waitstaff is still very friendly, and the entire experience, very enjoyable. That being said, as nice as the modern look and feel is to the place, somehow to me, it lacks the magic of the Crown. Although, I do admit, that it probably has to do with the memories and the familiarity of the place.
The Dragon Bistro
139 Main St.
Unionville, ON
Canada
~Cheers.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Restaurant: Okoze Sushi....
Ambiance: 3.5 / 5
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Service: 1.5 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 4 / 5
Price: $$$
Overall: 2.5 / 5
The first time I had Japanese food, I fell in love with it. But it wasn't until late in my college years did I realise how potentially amazing sushi can be. Ever since then, I've been a bit of a sushi snob. I mean, I still eat the ones at the mall kiosks and the all-you-can-eat buffet stuff, but my mouth literally waters and drools whenever I get the chance to have the good stuff.
I live in Toronto, which means, as great as some of the sushi / sashimi is here, we're really short on FRESH fish here. So you can imagine my excitement when I realised that my cousin had gotten reservations at Okoze Sushi in San Francisco.
We walk in, and the place is quite nice. Pretty spacious, with simple decor and ambient lighting. We were quickly seated and given our menus. I was pretty impressed with their sake list. They didn't have my favourite - Wakatake Onikoroshi (Demon Slayer) Junmai Daiginjo - so they gave me a sampling of a couple of other sakes that they had. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the one I selected, but it was very good at $18 a glass. Yes, they served it to me in a wine glass.
The first dish I ordered came. Yes, it tasted as good as it looks! A Butterfish Carpaccio that was very, very well done. It was light and very fresh. But it wasn't this dish that I was waiting for. Ankimo Sunomono. I started salivating at the sight of the words on the menu.
What is it? It's monk fish liver - fois gras of the sea - topped with ponzu sauce. I thought the ankimo sunomono I had in Toronto was good? This was unbelieveable. So clean, so fresh, so creamy, so rich and flavourful. Absolutely delicious. However, not everything was AS good.
Remember how I mentioned those all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants? They make a better shrimp tempura. Isn't tempura batter supposed to be light? This one was heavy heavy heavy! It really boggled my mind how the same restaurant that had such delectable ankimo and butterfish could screw shrimp tempura up. Fortunately, the next dish that came up somewhat redeemed my faith in the restaurant. Momentarily.
Sushi made with Geoduck. It's amazing what freshness does. Fresh ingredients hides a lot. Fresh sashimi is divine. But unfortunately, it doesn't hide poor service.
If anyone has had Toro (Bluefin tuna belly) will attest, its melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness is out of this world. That being said, unless they decided to go fishing after I placed my order, there is no way that putting a couple of pieces fish onto a ball of rice takes close to an hour to prepare! Really... There is no way. They forgot the order. After we had finished everything else, we sat around waiting, and waiting, and waiting. After they FINALLY decided to serve this last dish, they promptly informed us that they were sorry, but they had to bring us the bill because another party had a reservation. Okoze, must be the Japanese word for poor service and can't cook. That being said, the uncooked food was certainly delicious.
Here's a few more photos of some yummy food that they served at this poorly serviced sushi house. All photos in this entry courtesy of "my life as garbo".
~Cheers.
Cleanliness: 4 / 5
Service: 1.5 / 5
Taste: 4 / 5
Presentation: 4 / 5
Price: $$$
Overall: 2.5 / 5
The first time I had Japanese food, I fell in love with it. But it wasn't until late in my college years did I realise how potentially amazing sushi can be. Ever since then, I've been a bit of a sushi snob. I mean, I still eat the ones at the mall kiosks and the all-you-can-eat buffet stuff, but my mouth literally waters and drools whenever I get the chance to have the good stuff.
I live in Toronto, which means, as great as some of the sushi / sashimi is here, we're really short on FRESH fish here. So you can imagine my excitement when I realised that my cousin had gotten reservations at Okoze Sushi in San Francisco.
We walk in, and the place is quite nice. Pretty spacious, with simple decor and ambient lighting. We were quickly seated and given our menus. I was pretty impressed with their sake list. They didn't have my favourite - Wakatake Onikoroshi (Demon Slayer) Junmai Daiginjo - so they gave me a sampling of a couple of other sakes that they had. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the one I selected, but it was very good at $18 a glass. Yes, they served it to me in a wine glass.
The first dish I ordered came. Yes, it tasted as good as it looks! A Butterfish Carpaccio that was very, very well done. It was light and very fresh. But it wasn't this dish that I was waiting for. Ankimo Sunomono. I started salivating at the sight of the words on the menu.
What is it? It's monk fish liver - fois gras of the sea - topped with ponzu sauce. I thought the ankimo sunomono I had in Toronto was good? This was unbelieveable. So clean, so fresh, so creamy, so rich and flavourful. Absolutely delicious. However, not everything was AS good.
Remember how I mentioned those all-you-can-eat sushi restaurants? They make a better shrimp tempura. Isn't tempura batter supposed to be light? This one was heavy heavy heavy! It really boggled my mind how the same restaurant that had such delectable ankimo and butterfish could screw shrimp tempura up. Fortunately, the next dish that came up somewhat redeemed my faith in the restaurant. Momentarily.
Sushi made with Geoduck. It's amazing what freshness does. Fresh ingredients hides a lot. Fresh sashimi is divine. But unfortunately, it doesn't hide poor service.
If anyone has had Toro (Bluefin tuna belly) will attest, its melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness is out of this world. That being said, unless they decided to go fishing after I placed my order, there is no way that putting a couple of pieces fish onto a ball of rice takes close to an hour to prepare! Really... There is no way. They forgot the order. After we had finished everything else, we sat around waiting, and waiting, and waiting. After they FINALLY decided to serve this last dish, they promptly informed us that they were sorry, but they had to bring us the bill because another party had a reservation. Okoze, must be the Japanese word for poor service and can't cook. That being said, the uncooked food was certainly delicious.
Here's a few more photos of some yummy food that they served at this poorly serviced sushi house. All photos in this entry courtesy of "my life as garbo".
~Cheers.
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