2010

29 Dec 10

**Cora's (by STC): Pretty consistent, lots of space. Spinach and (too much) cheddar buckwheat crepe nice departure fr my usual crepomelette

29 Dec 10

Queen Margherita Pizza, I like ur pizza >Libretto BUT when hubby leaves mid-meal w kickin screamin kid in tow bc server botched up, i'm out.

29 Dec 10

**Pho Mi Gia Phung (Old Chinatown) 'Curry' pho isn't exactly the satay I crave & spaghetti is strange pho fare, but it's a fix. Nice service

23 Dec 10

Hiro's lunch leaves me in a state of bliss. Hamachi, ikura, salmon, smoked butterfish and my taste buds are a-twitter. Arigato gozaimasss :)

20 Dec 10

...twice! Portuguese food can be v flavorful (sardines, chourico, plum compote), spicy (quail, chourico) and $$$! Tapas plates better deal.

20 Dec 10

***1/2 Chiado: Don't let the stuffy appearance, odd art pieces dissuade you; let your taste buds be the judge. Pass the piri piri quail...

12 Dec 10

***1/2 Red Tea Box: Charming, unique, cosy all describe RTB. So glad Kit Shan introduced me :) Overwhelming menu could use serious editing.

12 Dec 10

***1/2 Crown Princess: Fancy schmancy, meet dim sum. V nice seafood flour cake, taro but short ribs way greasy. Raypal convulsed in delight.

12 Dec 10

***Tall Poppy Cafe (Prince Edward County): Every plate a rainbow cornucopia of organic, fresh, local fare. Good pit stop while wine tasting.

12 Dec 10

**1/2 Delica Kitchen: Would've got a higher rating if chili wasn't slightly questionable. Saw Ellie fr one of my fave shows 'outlaw inlaws'!

12 Dec 10

****Queen Margherita Pizza: Now we're talking pizza. Less pretentious and oozing style. We bought the same ceiling fan! Baby brunellos rock.

12 Dec 10

**Bettola di Terroni: Please save me from the 'authenticity' of no balsamic vinegar. And save your money if you crave substance over style.

12 Dec 10

Bonjour Brioche: MUST have a croissant w peach jam (50 cents extra). Busy even mid-morning on weekdays - don't these hipster people work?

12 Dec 10

****Soon Tofu House (x2): Spicy, flavorful, cheap, healthy - what more do u want? Seafood soon tofu w japonica rice in stone pot best order

12 Dec 10

**Pamier Kebab: Murtuza's west end halal pick. Found lamb incredibly salty when we ate in, compared to take out. Ground beef kebab best bet

12 Dec 10

****Hiro (x3): Sushi for 1 1/2 best value lunch in TO. Add hand roll trio for a true feast. Wasabi is to Hiro's taste; faint of heart beware

12 Dec 10

***Black Hoof: Lady Saffron @ cafe wet the palate; charcuterie still meh but lovely soup & boudin noir. Sweetbreads an unnecessary dessert.

14 Nov 10

**1/2 Golden Turtle: Pricey but decent pho. No sawtooth, pho ga had vegetable medley... bit weird finding carrot and brocolli in your pho.

**Hoof Cafe: Given the critical acclaim, I expected > a Greazy tongue sarnie. The Bone was sized for 4, priced accordingly. Sorry hoofsters.Thu Nov 04 2010 18:54:07 EDT

 ...H3S scores points for pricing (sub $25 for 2) and Raypal's bursting-w-flavour Curry Satay Chicken + they arent all about the pho, like meThu Nov 04 2010 18:49:33 EDT

**1/2 Hanoi 3 Seasons:Quest continues 4 chicken soup of my soul (pho ga) like they used to do at Spring Rolls. Pho's an art, not dry meat...Thu Nov 04 2010 18:41:13 EDT

 ... btw GRRRGR inspired my very own butternut sage lasagna made with fresh market pasta and creme fraiche.Thu Nov 04 2010 18:33:57 EDT

 ****Gio Rana's Really, Really Great Restaurant (that's Really the name). Tad pricey but worth every 0.01. Would love 2 go back 4 osso buccoThu Nov 04 2010 18:32:02 EDT

 ***1/2 Colborne Lane: Exquisite attention to detail, creative genius make for a lovely celebration. The (>2008) wine list is a dropped ball.Thu Nov 04 2010 18:29:09 EDT

 ***La Forchetta: They started charging for my rosemary bread, pasta was great but the duck wasn't as we remembered. And S melted down + out.Thu Nov 04 2010 18:26:58 EDT

 **Beantown Pub (Boston): Nothing to write home about. Irish breakfast didn't really feel Irish, but waitresses doted on our darling laddie.Tue Oct 19 2010 20:12:50 EDT

 **1/2 Sonsie (Boston): Curried butternut soup MISS (weak and awkward), crab salad sandwich w yellow tomato (HIT) reminds us to order seafoodTue Oct 19 2010 20:07:39 EDT

 ***Mike's Pastry (North End): Your Bostonian 'badge of honor' after a night out? A crispy sweet GARGANTUAN cannoli, boxed & tied w string.Tue Oct 19 2010 19:59:36 EDT

**Florentine Cafe (Boston's North End): Mom'n'pop look belies authenticity. Huge americano-sized portions. Fresh pasta expectations dashed.Tue Oct 19 2010 19:54:25 EDT

**Pete's Coffee (Harvard Yard): Tweeting solely on the chai. Seems almost identical to Second Cup's chai latte - overly sweet, lacking heat.Tue Oct 19 2010 19:38:33 EDT

*1/2 Sweet (Boston Back Bay): Waited ages 4 red velvet cupcake aka glowing red vanilla blah-fest. Bitter coffee, swarming tweens, nice decorTue Oct 19 2010 19:36:06 EDT

**Taiwan Cafe (Boston Chinatown): Tried on a Chowhound tip, nothing uber-Taiwanese about it. TO asian kills this place. Nice wonton soup thoTue Oct 19 2010 19:29:08 EDT

***James Hook: Lobster roll, albeit w/mayo and on wonderbread-like bun, has got to be Boston's best. Sweet tender lobster, lovely chowDAH.Tue Oct 19 2010 19:24:41 EDT

quick updates: sadly MoRoCo choco sticky toffee wasn't as magical this last time. ceili's cottage was cute & quaint but closed kinda early.Tue Oct 19 2010 19:11:47 EDT

Reminder to self:next time, think 2x b4 ordering Caplansky takeaway at 959pm. Pastrami isnt as good at night's end. Should've known better!Tue Oct 19 2010 19:02:51 EDT 

Gracias***Cava. Lovely kingfish ceviche, eggplant con queso, sablefish, sweetbreads. Not salted cod. Ethereal summerberry end. ah, Morcilla!Wed Oct 06 2010 01:23:36 EDT

Cured Raypal's hankering for Libretto today (met w Neetu). Was stellar as usual, they even have a high chair. Wouldn't pay 4 the gelato tho.Fri Sep 24 2010 21:40:40 EDT

The no-fat no-foam chai latte at Orange Alert is ****Better than Starbucks, Second Cup, Timothys, Dark Horse, and Bulldog. Lots of cinnamon.Thu Sep 23 2010 17:50:17 EDT

Just for the record, fave beer when we're out these days is Sierra Nevada Porter (Beer Bistro). Bier Markt has a surprisingly bad selection.Mon Sep 20 2010 18:42:17 EDT

(Real Jerk cont'd): We cleaned up bits of chicken patty as best we could but server was still all smiles when we left. And lil S had 'itis'!Mon Sep 20 2010 18:37:23 EDT

****The Real Jerk: Even mom cannot fault peppery and flaky whole red snapper grill. Fish roti came in second and oxtail third, but all good.Mon Sep 20 2010 18:35:24 EDT

**1/2 Senses: Stellar kobe ribeye, perfectly done, didn't quite make up 4 lackluster dungeness crab appie in need of more crispy lotus chipsMon Sep 20 2010 18:33:56 EDT

Toritos in Kensington again last night. Waitress doubled our 1 oz Moscatel Oro sherries - score! And phew, toritilla was back up to snuff :)Thu Sep 09 2010 10:47:05 EDT

**Foxley's dishes all started tasting the same after awhile; sweet and hot. Of 4 types of ceviche, sea bream bested house-on-fire hot wahoo.Wed Sep 08 2010 15:47:07 EDT

****Addis Ababa: Ground meat dish (key wat or alitcha wat?) and squash-like veggie dish were my favourites. Ali, Pete liked coffee photo oppWed Sep 08 2010 15:46:59 EDT

Table 17 (previously rated): Ordered pain dore and bangers AGAIN and was equally satisfied. Sacha drew in a table by banging at passersby :)Thu Aug 26 2010 14:17:08 EDT

****Saving Grace: My new favorite brunch spot, people! Firey rajasthani eggs, caramelized apple omelet and ginger (+black) tea got me good.Thu Aug 26 2010 14:09:55 EDT

**Daio (College): Supposedly Japanese waitress couldn't identify tuna vs salmon in maki. Your best bets are softshell crab and agedashi tofuThu Aug 26 2010 13:58:21 EDT

**1/2 Flat Rock gourmet truck (os Beamsville winery): Novelty wore off w/ the bill for pork (albeit grass-fed) taco w/ caramel chili glaze.Thu Aug 26 2010 13:55:44 EDT

***Queen Margherita Pizza: Rating drop 1/2* bc Diavolo hotter than hell and Ricotta, Rocco a little oversweet. Hostess 'from another planet'Thu Aug 26 2010 13:43:40 EDT

****Caplansky's Delicatessen: Why drive to Montreal? Smoked meat on rye (order 'fat'), cola and latkes await you in a warm, homey atmosphereThu Aug 26 2010 13:39:03 EDT

***Aunties and Uncles: 1st of 2 T.O brunch meccas. Sunny patio, service somewhat snide. Fluffy banana oat pancakes. Must try challah. Cheap!Thu Aug 26 2010 13:27:41 EDT

***Toritos: Kensington tapas has great whitefish ceviche and dolce Don Guido sherry. Only this 2nd time here we found the tortilla a bit dryThu Aug 26 2010 12:48:23 EDT

**1/2 EPan:Great svc (for Chinatown) didn't blink at Sacha crawling around. Food came fast. Nice whole steamed tilapia. Greazy fried banana.Wed Aug 04 2010 16:55:45 EDT

*1/2 Bluewater Roti: His rum is SMOOTH, but Trevor is on a different roti vibe. Tender but salty, brownish curry, salty & the 'hot' was not.Fri Jul 30 2010 22:45:03 EDT

*Rotisserie Portugaise (near Mont Royal, MTL): Severely lacking a/c, & greasy potatoes made this portuguese eatery a pretty bad Last SupperMon Jul 05 2010 10:22:35 EDT

*1/2 Petit Alep (Petite Italie, MTL): Tomato moussaka and nicely mushy mujadera didn't save flavorless chicken, kibbeh, or overdressed saladMon Jul 05 2010 10:15:04 EDT

****Premiere Moisson (Atwater Market, MTL): A little slice of heaven. I wish it were bigger, but I have this feeling we missed a big sectionMon Jul 05 2010 10:07:38 EDT

***1/2 Reubens (MTL):Our best meal in Montreal, who knew? Server had 'tude up the wazoo but that pastrami just melts in your mouth. Cheap, 2Mon Jul 05 2010 10:02:55 EDT

Croissant Wars: Classical Petite Thuet ($2.50) wins over edgy Bonjour Brioche ($1.68). BB's was hollow, crispier,http://twitpic.com/212hd2Tue Jun 29 2010 17:39:09 (Eastern Daylight Time) via Twitpic

Closson Chase Winery: Honorable mention as best tasting Raypal and I have experienced (over Bordeaux Niagara BC Napa Sonoma Argentina Chile)Tue Jun 29 2010 17:20:28 EDT

Fifth Town Cheese: Wow, we need to find the aged goat milk cheddar somewhere in T.O. Happy 2nd Anniversary, fifth town! We partied hearty :)Tue Jun 29 2010 17:00:23 EDT

*1/2 Bloomfield Carriage House: Great asparagus soup, rainbow trout nothing special. Pricey and sadly not as good as Toronto Life suggested.Tue Jun 29 2010 16:54:52 EDT

**1/2 Harvest: Brightest star during this trip to PEC boasted technically fine food but server told us we'd have to vacate table by 8. Boo!Tue Jun 29 2010 16:44:23 EDT

**Buddha Dog: Artisan beef wieners somewhat dry; wheat buns on counter, but not menu. The only gourmet thing about this joint was the price.Tue Jun 29 2010 16:39:32 EDT

**Barley Room Pub @ WaringHouseInn: Cider cheddar soup overly sweet, potato leek good but tasted a bit like they threw in yesterday's gravy.Tue Jun 29 2010 16:33:08 EDT

Today's Croissant Wars contestants include Petite Thuet, Bonjour Brioche. In the meantime I have to catch up on Prince Edward County restosTue Jun 29 2010 15:57:43 EDT

**Majesteas: Former apothecarian warmed slowly, and didn't upsell ppl coming in declaring a will to spend $$$. Golden Nilgiri winning blend.Fri Jun 25 2010 08:04:08 EDT

Leslieville Pride event with Sacharoni yesterday. Layed down in the grass (and poo)... had FREE burgers, watermelon and veggies, woo hoo!!!Fri Jun 25 2010 07:58:55 EDT

***1/2 Bonjour Brioche: Croissants have shrunk and greasified. Liked 'Croque Madam' of title brioche; they really should sell the peach jam!Fri Jun 25 2010 07:54:31 EDT

***1/2 Queen Margherita: Closer 2 us + more even topping distribution means move over, Libretto! A pizza bianca offering would balance menu.Wed Jun 23 2010 10:59:21 EDT

I'm crushed http://bit.ly/dcz7OA didn't work out! But thx Rodney... we had patio time on our 4th anniversaryFri Jun 18 2010 08:30:16 EDT

*1/2 Boiler House: My picks stink; another severely overpriced tourist trap. Thinnest saltiest ribeye ever sent back. Sarah called it again!Fri Jun 18 2010 08:26:36 EDT

***Table 17 (Brunch): Bread had mild yeastiness that made scrumptious pain dore. GREAT bangers; lacking fresh juice. S' 1st resto highchair!Mon Jun 14 2010 10:50:02 EDT

(absolute last choice is Il Fornello - I can still taste the gritty glass in my teeth)Sun Jun 13 2010 11:56:56 EDT

*1/2 Watermark Irish Pub (Harbourfront): Lightning service, and calm views of the Lake but mediochre food make this 2nd last choice on QQuaySun Jun 13 2010 11:55:58 EDT

Re:RW. I agree with Globe&Mail critic: Nice concept... everyone gets the same meal. And how easy is it to just make huge vats of everything!Wed May 26 2010 22:09:50 EDT

**Ruby Watchco: Insipid chicken, bland paella, salty cheese, sandy cookie. Lovely salad and swish decor. 'Watchco' is my new fave aperatif.Wed May 26 2010 22:03:41 EDT

Date tonight at Ruby Watchco. Pity the main event looks like the same Rowe Farm, smoked paprika chicken we had last night! Leftovers anyone?Wed May 26 2010 17:10:52 EDT

**PicNic: Hurray for an unpretentious winebar & 1/2price charcuterie Mondays!Effervescent but memorable vinho verde; as was creamy Le PastorWed May 19 2010 09:23:47 EDT

... Overall prohibitively overpriced. Had to dig deep (into our pockets) to find gems, but it inspired us to host a mozza-bar event at ours.Wed May 19 2010 09:19:28 EDT

**1/2 Origin: My aperatif left me giggly and cured my inclement mood. Stellar lambchop left me giggly. Chorizo bitter; brioche an airy treatWed May 19 2010 09:17:06 EDT

btw went to p.thuet on Mother's Day: eggs norvegienne! server told us the http://bit.ly/9spgqI storyWed May 19 2010 08:57:51 EDT

***Petite Thuet (on King E): Redemption for Yonge/Bloor location came in the form of a delightful pain au chocolat and impeccable croissant.Thu Apr 29 2010 21:38:37 EDT

**1/2 Lady Marmalade: Service bit wonky but homey feel not marred by hipsters. French toast not as good as BB. Tasted huevos migas; not bad!Thu Apr 29 2010 21:36:30 EDT

***Pie Shack: Bonus for genuine-ness. Tasty pot pies make a nice lunch option; next time I vow to take home an ENTIRE peaches 'n' cream pie.Thu Apr 29 2010 21:30:24 EDT

I'm so excited for the http://www.pieshack.ca/ with Jess & V today :)Fri Apr 23 2010 09:48:32 EDT

**1/2 Harlem: Beautiful graffiti w/ cajun influenced soulfood. Crispy fried chicken's maple glaze became oversweet as large portion wore on.Fri Apr 23 2010 09:47:28 EDT

***1/2 Currah's(Picton): Our server suggested a great riesling to pair with the featured cajun lobster entree. Decor a tad dark. BF-friendlyThu Apr 22 2010 15:39:27 EDT

**1/2 Omi was good but not great. I kinda expected more since this sushi is supposed to be 'critic's choice' but the meal lacked some zing.Mon Apr 05 2010 22:25:18 EDT

Pearl (Easter dimsum): A new tradition? No magnificent view this time, but worth going just for the hockey pucks. Consistency is a virtue!Mon Apr 05 2010 22:22:31 EDT

Capocaccia (Yonge/StClair): Gracious enough to accomodate 5+4 strollers on the patio. The Caprese Di Bufala cheese had a nice creamy centre.Sat Apr 03 2010 11:04:33 EDT

***Ben's (NYC): Great value, family run, authentic pastrami, but nowhere near Caplansky, Schwartz. Meat a bit dry, no choice of 'fat level'.Thu Mar 25 2010 19:00:47 EDT

**Charbonnel Cafe (NYC,Saks 5th Ave): Chocolate on a conveyor belt, are you kidding me? Quaint and sparkly, but hot chocolate needed spice!Thu Mar 25 2010 18:57:56 EDT

***Sushi of Gari 46 (NYC): My first Michelin-Star takeout. Hamachi nothing like T.O. Miso to die for, decent toro but I prefer scallop raw.Thu Mar 25 2010 18:48:37 EDT

***Pizza Suprema (NYC): Crispy crust w/ perfect amount of carbon, and sweet marinara. The quintessential NY pizza experience is Cheese Only.Thu Mar 25 2010 18:44:11 EDT

****B&B: Authentic fish n chips. Beautifully battered halibut like in Leeds except no curry or tea. Take out only, but comfy bench outside.Thu Mar 25 2010 10:51:06 EDT

***1/2 Orange Alert: Yummy spiced hot chocolate. Nice service. Vibe a bit yuppy (ie not friendly) but has a homey feel. Ray liked the coffeeThu Mar 25 2010 10:45:54 EDT

***Hanoi 3 Seasons (In Old Chinatown): Seafood pho odd due to tomatoes. Wish it had more squid. Nice Pho Gha. Satay Beef NOT on the menu :(Thu Mar 18 2010 12:49:36 EDT

***1/2 Pearl: Dim sum wouldn't be complete without hockey pucks. Gorgeous views of the water on a gorgeous day. Beef balls were also yummy.Wed Mar 10 2010 23:24:08 EST

****Ambiance Chocolat: Try a thick, syrupy chocolate 'shot', just like they served us in Latvia. The spicy version beats Soma's Aztec blend.Wed Mar 10 2010 23:21:28 EST

*Gandhi's: 'T.O's best' roti utterly disappointing. Curry was jalfrezi, not authentic W.Indian. 'Medium' too spicy for me! Overpriced at $10Thu Feb 25 2010 12:27:39 EST

**1/2 China Garden (Malton): Don't waste your time on anything but the Manchurian fish. Chicken was dry and vegetable noodle dish was salty.Thu Feb 25 2010 12:22:41 EST

Gilead Cafe (already rated): Ray, Jessica really liked the charcuterie sandwich. My tomato curry soup was ok. Bolognaise poutine pretty goodThu Feb 25 2010 12:20:47 EST

**1/2 John's Sushi (Ray's bday): Great apps esp seaweed salad. Hand rolls looked like ice cream cones. Sake best sashimi; great presentationMon Feb 22 2010 18:32:52 EST

... was a bargain. The sommelier deserves a raise. My fave? Poached egg & cod/sausage ragu on brioche. Cocoa nibs on scallops were a bit oddMon Feb 22 2010 18:26:55 EST

****Wine Bar on VDay: Owner Scott Vivian taught us what 'galantine' means, and how to love Red Velvet mille-feuille desserts. Prix fixe ...Mon Feb 22 2010 17:14:28 EST

***La Bella Managua (Feb 13): My Nicaraguan bday treat was a firey blend of Spanish & W Indian. Loved ceviche, plantain chips, snapper, lomoMon Feb 22 2010 17:04:35 EST

***1/2 Embassy Samosas (Middlefield/Finch): Oh yummy crunchy pastry 5/$1 samosa - how I love you! But stick to samosas, biryani was just okMon Feb 22 2010 16:56:30 EST

***Hillebrand (NoTL): Butternut squash veloute, pecan tart were stars of the ice wine inspired prix fixe menu, but awkward pot pie in main.Mon Feb 01 2010 11:42:42 EST

*1/2 Sultan's Tent:Disgruntled servers, unauthentic food and ridiculous prices but punjabi music? C'MON! Moroccan cigars the only redemptionMon Feb 01 2010 11:36:42 EST

***Pico (formerly Toba): went with Dan and Raggs for brunch. French toast not as good as BB, but everyone liked their meals in general.Fri Jan 29 2010 18:53:55 EST

***1/2 Kalyvia: Cheap, yummy and friendly wait staff. Bekre Mezes was like a Greek version of Boeuf Bourgignon, good salad and garlic bread.Fri Jan 29 2010 18:52:17 EST

***Bonjour Brioche: Fermented juice, no water offered, and my brunch was DONE before we got Ray's. Still best croissants n peach jam in T.O.Thu Jan 14 2010 21:42:42 EST

How the mighty hath fallen. I can't believe Sacha's first brunch experience was such an eye opener. BB's original rating was "4*, nuff said"Thu Jan 14 2010 21:36:44 EST

Sacha has now been to Gilead Cafe, Sushi Tyme, Hot House, Dark Horse (twice), Bisogno, Tim Hortons and Starbucks! This kid likes his coffee.Tue Jan 12 2010 14:43:47 EST

****Gilead Cafe: Simple foods become works of art. Superlative burger, fries, ham and cheese croissant. Next time, the charcuterie sandwich!Tue Jan 12 2010 14:42:20 EST

***1/2 Sushi Tyme (Queen West): Babyfriendly, quiet at 5pm, friendly staff. Excellent sushi, agedashi tofu, salads. Gindara could be better.Tue Jan 12 2010 14:37:36 EST

*1/2 Kyoko on Yonge, takeout: Mistakenly doubled our sashimi order, but sadly it was like blowing $300 at McD's. Quality over quantity.Thu Jan 07 2010 11:43:53 EST

**1/2 Trevor, NYE: Nice decor, good service. Granted Raypal's tenderloin was outstanding, but 4 this price, my veal chop was disappointing!Thu Jan 07 2010 11:40:16 EST

***Hot House Cafe on Rodneys bday: Service better than expected, prices high for pretty good food, baby-friendly. Order the Chicken Supreme!Wed Jan 06 2010 12:56:39 EST