To ANNE FLEETWOOD: a public notice

Restaurant review: Congee Delight

The strip mall located at 3555 Don Mills Road (Skymark Place) on the northeast corner of Don Mills and Finch in North York always has a Chinese restaurant serving congee, noodles, wontons/dumplings and assorted stir-fried dishes. Right now the role is filled by Congee Delight (正斗粥麵小炒), where I went for a light lunch the other day.

For a fast and filling lunch that is also economical, I ordered the Abalone Clam with Chicken Congee (鮑貝雞絲粥,$4.95) and a “Chinese donut”/”Ox-tongue pastry”/Sweet Cruller (牛脷酥, $1.50) for dipping in the congee.

The quality of the congee was good, with smooth texture and nice taste. There was a proper amount of abalone clams as well as chicken strips, so I got good value for the money. The pastry was hot and tasted great with the appropriate level of sweetness and texture. Service was quick and I must award bonus points for the congee and pastry being ready at the same time, so I was able to start with both from the beginning: had the congee came out much later the pastry would have cooled down during the wait, and had the pastry came out much later there may not be enough congee left to fully submerge the pastry.

Bottom line: Congee Delight met expectations in terms of value, quality, and service. I plan on returning to try their wontons and noodles.

Restaurant review: Crêpes à GoGo

I have a strong affinity to French culture since my early days in high school. Even though it can be challenging to indulge in Gallic ways à Toronto, there are various pockets in the city that immerse one in a French vacation without leaving this side of the Atlantic. One such place is Crêpes à GoGo, which serves authentic Parisian-style crêpes in the middle of downtown Toronto’s Yorkville district.

Located at 18 Yorkville Avenue on the corner with Yonge Street, Crêpes à GoGo conjures up the image of a chic and elegant café. I was wise to have arrived a bit earlier than the lunch hour, as the place filled up quickly for those dining in. I ordered La Québecoise ($8, all prices include HST) plus a cold Limonana ($3), and took a seat where I can see the crêpes being made. When mine was ready, it was so hot and the aroma so wonderful that I took a couple of bites before remembering I was supposed to take a picture of it intact for this blog. Whoops!

The taste of the crêpe was as good as it smelled. It had the perfect level of sweetness like the ideal hot breakfast. As for the Limonana, it reminded me of the nice peppermint teas served in the meat kosher restaurants in Israel. It was the first time that I was able to experience that great taste outside that country, which was an unexpected but welcomed surprise.

My error was not ordering another crêpe for lunch, as while one crêpe filled me up for a while it takes two to sustain me throughout the afternoon. Not to mention that I could have tried another style of crêpe to see how good that is. For an afternoon snack, however, one crêpe plus a Limonana is an excellent choice.

Bottom line: J’aime Crêpes à GoGo (I love Crêpes à GoGo), and I will endeavour to have at least one crêpe whenever I pass by the neighbourhood in the future.

Restaurant review: Big Smoke Burger (830 Yonge Street)

Since certain development projects took out some excellent choices, I have found it challenging to get good food at great value near the Bloor/Yonge intersection. So, when Big Smoke Burger was suggested to me, I made it a priority to check out their hand-crafted burgers at 830 Yonge Street.

I went for what would give me the most meat to sample, the Double Cheeseburger Combo with Onion Rings ($13.45):

The cashier was low on coins, so I was short-changed by 5 cents.

There was a short wait, but a freshly prepared burger is always worth it. The juiciness of the burger indicated superior preparation, but I found the taste to be a bit bland. In other words, the meat quality was good but not superb. The cheese slice was a bit small, so was finished well before the rest of the burger. The onion rings, however, were excellent with their slight hint of sweetness. It was a pity that the number of rings was on the low side.

Since no utensils were available, this meal was messier than average. That itself is usually not a concern, but the washrooms at this location are in the basement i.e. not the most convenient, in addition to not being accessible to disabled persons. I understand about older buildings being grandfathered regarding accessibility provisions, but this is a major negative aspect for operating a food premises at this address, one that I hope was carefully considered when the lease decision was made.

Given the overall quality of the meal, I would consider it to be overpriced. Bottom line: worth considering if one happens to be in the area, no compelling reason to go out of one’s way to visit it. Do consider picking up an order of onion rings if passing by.

Restaurant review: Montana’s Cookhouse (8735 Yonge Street, Richmond Hill)

While in Richmond Hill for some business the other day, I decided to stop by Montana’s Cookhouse at 8735 Yonge Street for a quick lunch. After all, they do have this banner outside about certain lunch dishes being ready in 15 minutes, guaranteed:

After pondering the lunch choices, I decided to try the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10.99) with a Pepsi ($2.99). I was pleased that a side Caesar salad was available at no extra charge, unlike some other restaurant chains. After taking my order, my server quickly returned with a countdown timer set at 15 minutes, showing that they are serious about the guarantee. Obviously if my food still has not arrived when the timer hits zero, there would have been a discussion about free lunch with apologies. With real consequences, this is the true form of accountability, unlike the distorted version preached in some religious circles. For practising real accountability, and for providing a legitimate link between two separate themes of this blog, Montana’s gets bonus points.

It turned out lunch was ready way before the 15 minutes was up. In fact, there were more than 8 minutes left on the timer when my pulled pork sandwich arrived (add a few seconds for the time it took for me to get the camera from its case to take the picture):

The pulled pork sandwich was amazingly good. It was served on delicious garlic bread, plus both the meat and the sauce were excellent. Nothing about the taste indicates that it was ready in less than 15 minutes. In other words, it was gourmet quality at fast food speed:

The service was fast and attentive, with my Pepsi refilled as soon as the glass was near empty. My server was cheerful and provided a great lunch experience.

Montana’s exceeded my expectations for a quick but good lunch. In fact, I was so satisfied with lunch that I decided to return for dinner on another day.

After ordering, I noticed two minor problems and mentioned them to staff. One was fixed immediately, while the other needed further follow up but was taken seriously.

Since Montana’s is proud of its ribs, I decided to get the Beef Ribs and Wings Combo ($23.99) in honey garlic with sweet potato fries and corn:

The wings were very good, being nice and crisp. I would consider Montana’s to be a strong contender for Best Chicken Wings. If you are able to, have some wings there.

The excellent sweet potato fries were another highlight of dinner. Being tasty and crispy, it is a great side dish choice that is highly recommended. The corn and cornbread were satisfactory as well.

The beef rib met my expectations. There were lots of meat and I was filled up. Definitely not hungry afterwards. Both the beef quality and the preparation were good, but on the other hand, it did not stand out as exceptional. If I really wanted to have beef ribs, I would order them from Montana’s again, however, given the choice, I would get more chicken wings instead.

Service at dinner was enthusiastic and attentive, which I would rate as very good.

Bottom line: Montana’s is a top pick for lunch, and worth considering for dinner. Order wings if you can.

Restaurant review: Sunset Grill (1 Richmond Street West, Toronto)

Regular viewers of CP24 would likely have noticed a little ad for breakfast at Sunset Grill. Given the proliferation of various breakfast diner-type chains lately, one certainly wonders if anything sets Sunset Grill apart. So I decided to find out one day during a brunch visit to the location at 1 Richmond Street West in downtown Toronto.

I started with a coffee ($1.89), which was excellent with great aroma and taste. I next ordered the “French Connection” ($9.69), consisting of three eggs, breakfast meat (I picked sausages), French toast and home fries:

First amazing point about service: I asked for the eggs to be over hard, which was not an option listed in the menu. However, my server cheerfully informed me that it will not be a problem, and indeed, the eggs were done right. Going beyond “the rules” is certainly worth a praiseworthy mention in a review!

The French toast was wonderful. The slices smelled beautiful and the taste was fresh and perfect. Indeed, it is the best French toast of the traditional variety that I’ve ever had. I will definitely consider getting a much bigger stack at my next visit!

Besides getting the eggs exactly the way I wanted, service was commendable in other aspects as well. Speed was fast with little waiting, my coffee mug was topped up when appropriate, and my server enthusiastically checked up on me at the right times.

If I have to find something to pick on, it would be the sausages had the appearance of being left on the grill for a few seconds too long. However, it was purely an aesthetic issue, and the taste was not affected at all.

Bottom line: Sunset Grill represents superior value and great food. Highly recommended.

Restaurant review: Star King Viet Thai Cuisine

Once in a while, I like to indulge myself with a good pad thai. My usual choice for good value in pad thai’s is Star King Viet Thai Cuisine at 7050 Warden Avenue.

With the summer heat I like to start my meal with a cool Longan in Ice Water drink (menu item #030, $2.75). Apart from adding to my daily fruit intake, the drink is pleasantly sweet. I saw their kitchen staff having the same drink, just in less fancy mugs:

The green strips are cendol.

What I like most about Star King’s Pad Thai is the generous portions combined with reasonable price makes for excellent value, far exceeding the food court chains (menu item #740, $6.95 with beef, chicken or mixed vegetables, $7.95 with shrimp, beef pad thai shown below). I never need to worry about being hungry before the next meal.

The taste is also excellent!

If I am particularly hungry, or if someone is with me and can share, I would also order the Beef Balls in Soup (menu item #115, $5, small size only). The beef balls look small but they are compact with no fluff. Of course, it would be even better if I get even more at that price, but as it stands, it still represents good value:

The only shortcomings I encountered with Star King happened during their busiest periods (mostly Friday lunch time). Like most Chinese-run establishments, the number of staff required when the restaurant is full has been underestimated by management. Combined with that fact that, like most Chinese-run establishments, servers are not dedicated to particular tables, when the place is really busy the wait times can feel long and at times one may feel neglected.

In addition, it can be really tough to find a parking spot at that strip mall on Fridays, so the bus or walking may be the smarter options for getting there.

Bottom line: good restaurant, but try not to go when everyone else is going.

Restaurant review: Five Guys Burgers & Fries (Scarborough)

Like many Canadians, I have the habit of visiting fast food chains not available in Canada while visiting the United States. This means that when a U.S. fast food chain decides to set up shop nearby (or, of course, if a new Canadian fast food chain is started), it calls for a trip there, especially if I have not previously had the chance to try them out in the States!

The latest U.S. fast food chain coming north is Five Guys Burgers & Fries. The recipient of many awards, it has grown from its first location in Virginia (opened 1986) to over 750 today. One of the newer Canadian locations is in 810 Warden Avenue in Scarborough:

Stepping in front of the cashier, I was already impressed by the staff. They are so happy and clearly glad to be working. Caitlyn, who took my order, explained thoroughly the distinctive characteristics of each menu item. I decided to get a Bacon Cheeseburger (2 patties, with lettuce and tomato as my customized toppings, $8.49), Regular Fries ($3.49), and a Regular fountain drink (free refills, $1.99):

The burger was excellent and well worth the short wait for it to be made upon ordering. You can really taste the freshness in the meat, and the grilling was perfect in that the taste and texture (crispiness) of the patty was just right, with nothing coming across as burnt. With the bacon nice and crisp and the cheese done right as well, it was one of the best burgers I ever had.

Just as Caitlyn told me, the regular order of fries was indeed a lot. They are of the soft variety, which was not my preferred type (I prefer crispy). Unless you specifically enjoy this type of fry, it would not be a good value. For my next trip I plan on having a hot dog with my burger instead.

Bottom line, great people and excellent burgers, but skip the fries.

Restaurant review: New City Restaurant

(Menu at the end of review)

New City Restaurant (新城市餐廳), located at 8392 Kennedy Road, is a Hong Kong style diner (Cha chaan teng) that I go to quite often. It is a busy restaurant especially during lunch and afternoon tea hours, but the good food and great service makes any wait well worth it.

Here, I would like to highlight the two items that I consider New City to be the best in the Greater Toronto Area, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Ham and Egg Sandwich. To get better versions of these two dishes require a plane ride to Asia!

New City serves Hainanese Chicken Rice as part of a set meal including soup and hot drink for $7.25 (add 75 cents for cold drink):

What I like most about the chicken is the excellent taste and texture, but at the same time it is always properly cooked. In some inferior places, the lower quality is compensated by undercooking the chicken and serving it cold, hoping the customer would not notice the deficiency. Since New City serves the highest quality chicken, there is no need to choose between food safety and taste: you are getting the best in all aspects.

The rice is also perfect, with the essence of the chicken’s flavour fully infused within. Since no corners were cut during preparation, there is no clumping of the rice that one may experience in some other places.

Soup choices are the usual Hong Kong style diner options of Russian vegetable soup or the daily cream soup. New City’s Hong Kong style milk tea is smooth and full of flavour, although some may find it to be a bit on the strong side. They may find the iced version to be their preferred choice.

The Hong Kong diner style Ham and Egg Sandwich is one of the best dishes in the world. However, not all diners make their sandwiches with the perfection of flavour and texture as New City does, and it is rare to find another place that puts in the excellent quality and quantity of ingredients. A Ham and Egg Sandwich by New City ($3.20) is clearly the best in the Greater Toronto Area, and even better than the majority of diners actually located in Hong Kong.

New City is a restaurant I return to over and over again, with good reason.

Please see below the take out menu for New City, correct as of 9 June 2011. More options are available while dining-in.

Restaurant review: Earls (Toronto - King Street West)

There has been considerable buzz lately in the Toronto area dining scene regarding Earls, a recent arrival from the West. Several locations are now open, including one in the downtown financial district at 150 King Street West:

When I arrived at slightly past 11:30 am for lunch, the place was already an impressive 70% full. The atmosphere was casual but classy, and exudes the sense of a stylish place for influential people to unwind while taking a break from their deal-making.

My server introduced herself and took my drink order very quickly after I was seated. When she brought my Coke ($3, free refills) she also gave me a glass of water unprompted, which was excellent.

To start, I ordered the Clam Chowder:

It was nice and packed full of clams, bacon and vegetables. The taste was optimal and the thickness indicated high quality chowder – definitely no watering down going on here.

For the main course, I decided to go for the Bourbon Mushroom 7 oz Certified Angus Beef Top Sirloin ($25.50):

The steak was thick cut, and I asked for medium rare. Was it prepared correctly?

Of course it was! The outside was crispy but the inside was just as medium rare should be. The meat quality was excellent with all the juices one expects from Angus beef locked within. The mashed potatoes, mushrooms and asparagus were done perfectly as companions to the steak. Just one area for improvement: the gravy was a bit too salty and I found it to have distracted from the natural taste of the steak. For later bites I found myself “wiping off” the gravy on the plate before eating.

Service was excellent and with a bright smile. I already mentioned how my server provided water without prompting, and in addition to that she checked up on me at appropriate intervals so my needs were met without undue delay. I observed that all staff kept themselves busy with service, and evidence of good teamwork was visible.

Earls staff also stand out with a stylish dress code. Female servers wear little black dresses while males are in dark shirts and ties. Nothing is sloppy at Earls.

A patio is being built outside the entrance, and looks like it should be ready by the summer season. I recommend calling ahead if visiting during peak dining times, as the good word on this location is clearly getting around.

For a smart casual dining experience with high value for the money, I recommend Earls. A return visit is highly likely!

Restaurant review: South of Temperance

Located in the middle of the financial district, the newest significant addition to downtown Toronto’s dining scene is South of Temperance, 20 Adelaide Street West (just south of Temperance Street, of course), beside the new Bay-Adelaide Centre.

Boasting “the biggest patio in downtown Toronto”, it conjures up the image of a restaurant in a tropical resort town. Even those sitting inside the building can have plenty of fresh air due to the absence of walls obstructing access to the patio. Some of the patio area seats are couches, providing great spots for relaxing after hours drinks.

I arrived for lunch at 11:30 am, and the staff had just finished their morning meeting (you can see the meeting in the first photo). Still, I was quickly seated and provided with menus. After an appropriate pause, my order was taken.

For appetizer I had the Short Rib Poutine ($9). These were made with sweet potato fries, which for me are much better than regular fries. Despite the word “rib” in the name, there were no bones to deal with, just tasty beef. The only area of improvement would be the slightly insufficient amount of cheese; double the amount would be ideal. Nonetheless, it was very good, and I saw a few other bowls pass by me on their way to other diners.

(The Pepsi in the background of the second photo is $2.95, with free refills)

My main course was ready by the time I finished the poutine. I had the Lobster Mac n Cheese ($26), a personal favourite. The highlight here was the actual visible chunks of lobster meat, instead of mere flakes. This indicated good value for the money. The taste was perfect, and the cheese was of appropriate thickness. Definitely an excellent dish.

Throughout the meal, my server checked up on me in appropriate intervals, that is, I was not intruded upon nor was I being ignored. Teamwork was also evident: other servers always smiled when making eye contact with any customer, and offered to pick up empty dishes. Territoriality is always a threat to good customer service, and it is heartening to witness its absence.

Regarding another essential feature of any restaurant, the washroom – gentlemen’s side, at least – was clean and well kept. While I question the wisdom of placing the paper towels directly underneath the soap dispensers, nature’s call was answered pleasantly.

The total time spent for my lunch was only about 40 minutes, which was amazing for a sit-down restaurant. With a steady stream of customers, efficient service greatly reduces the wait time for a table during peak periods.

It would be remiss of me if I fail to mention a most welcomed aspect of South of Temperance: the servers’ uniform is an elegant little black dress. Shoes worn are stylish yet appropriate for occupational safety requirements. No frumpy aprons or worn sneakers here!

Overall, it was an amazing lunch experience and I highly recommend South of Temperance. While it is not the cheapest spot around (nor do I believe that they desire such status), the value for money was excellent – every penny paid was worth it. A next visit – perhaps in the evening – is in order.