Restaurant: Pho Lan
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Last visited: January 6, 2012
Location: Richmond, BC (Richmond Central)
Address: 6950 #3 Rd
Train: Brighouse Station Southbound
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 4-4.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 1.5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Vietnamese owned/operated
• Hole in the wall/Dive
• Not the cleanest place
• Local favourite
• Busy at peak hours
• Casual/quick
• Cheap eats/budget friendly
• Parking at rear
• Cash only
• Dine in/Take out
• No delivery
• Daily 10:30am-10pm

**Recommendations: Pho Lan Special Beef Noodle Soup, Spring Roll (which I missed, but they’re supposed to be great), BBQ Lemon Grass Pork Chop

Talk about a hole in the wall huh? To be fair, this was just the back entrance. You can park in the rear for free and enter through the back door, which is very common of many divey/casual places. Heads up! Don’t focus too much on what’s going on in the kitchen as you walk by…

Okay so this is the front! Pho Lan is a local favourite and usually the first to come to mind when people ask for “the best pho in Richmond”. It was actually my first visit here, but I’m likely to come back.

To be honest, I did hesitate a bit since it failed a health inspection a few months ago and had to temporarily close. However it’s cleaned up now (I think) and has reopened, although the degree of improvement is very questionable. In a way I kind of expected a bit of uncleanliness for this style of dining though. I’ve likely dined at more dirty restaurants than I know… but it happens.

Referring back to my 10 Things to Look for When Dining Vietnamese! blog post, Pho Lan was rocking it! Let’s see… looks like a dive with a crappy sign containing lots of words? Check!

Cash only? Check! I saw about 4 of these signs throughout the restaurant.

Mostly Vietnamese people dining inside? More or less, but being in Richmond there were a lot of expected Chinese. There were actually a lot of Westerners too, but this place is a local favourite, so I was still buying into it. (This was taken just after the Friday lunch rush, otherwise it was packed.)

As for the authentic Vietnamese menu, I was surprised there was no Vietnamese on it. It had English and Chinese, but no Vietnamese. The owners are Vietnamese though, so it’s not Chinese style Vietnamese either. The food is cheap and the menu has all the typical dishes of any Vietnamese restaurant.

It’s Christmas time all year? Check, even though the string of lights weren’t turned on. I didn’t see the waving cat, but it already had about 5 of the things I look for when dining Vietnamese, so we’re looking good! On top of that, all I could hear was the yelling of orders in Vietnamese, which sounded like choppy out of tune singing… signs were pointing to legit! The owners are pretty friendly and quick with orders too, so that was a bonus!

Yes, definitely ghetto. There’s nothing like a sauce dish to fix a wobbly table…

Again, Pho Lan really isn’t the cleanest place, so if you’re a germaphobe you may want to reconsider. Of course even clean appearing restaurants can be dirty in the kitchen, but Pho Lan is almost obviously dirty in the front… so I really don’t want to know what’s going on in the back. I don’t want to scare you and it’s not like I got sick, and a lot of people I know who have eaten here have never gotten sick, but just giving you a heads up. If you want something more comfortable in the context of Vietnamese food in Richmond there are a lot of other options (like Pho Boi), but they might not taste as good as Pho Lan.

On the table:

Complimentary Bean Sprouts

• They serve them cooked so if you like them raw you need to ask.
• It was missing the chilies so you might have to ask for those too.

**#7 Pho Lan Special Beef Noodle Soup – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• Rare steak, well-done flank, tendon, tripe, beef ball Small $6.50 Medium $7.50 Large $8.50
• What?! #7? The special is always supposed to be #1! Well technically it was the first listed in the Beef Noodle Soups section, so we’re good!
• The large size was unusually larger than normal so $8.50 was very reasonable.
• It was served piping hot with very thin and tender pieces of rare steak and a good amount of meat.

• The thin rice noodles were dried rather than fresh and they were pretty firm and finished cooking in the hot soup.
• I prefer fresh, but almost nowhere in Metro Vancouver makes them with fresh noodles.
• The colour of the hot beef broth was pale and somewhat clear which is better than deep and dark brown.
• The soup wasn’t as oily as I prefer and I actually wasn’t hit with the beef flavour until later on when I scooped the bottom. It’s weird how that happens because the beef flavour shouldn’t really sink to the bottom, but it kind of does.
• There wasn’t any anise flavour and it wasn’t too salty or sweet. A lot of places have a sweet broth which is likely from MSG (which is salty and sweet, not just salty).
• The broth still didn’t beat Pho Tam which is the best pho I’ve had to date. Their beef broth really tastes like authentic home made pho.

• All the beef pieces were incredibly tender and delicious.
• The fatty beef brisket slices were almost falling apart tender and they still retained a natural beef flavour.
• Sometimes they can taste bland and the flavour of the beef all cooked out into the soup, but not this one.
• There were about 3 beef ball pieces and they were better quality than usual. They seemed darker with more beef content and flavour and firmer in texture overall.

**BBQ Lemon Grass Pork Chop on Steamed Rice – 4/6 (Very good)

• $7.50
• For $7.50 it was a huge portion and well worth it.
• The grilled pork chop wasn’t all bone or fat and they were marinated nicely with fresh lemongrass.
• I prefer them a bit more charred, but these were cooked well and not dry. They weren’t necessarily juicy either, but they were tender.
• I do like them a bit saucier with more intense lemongrass flavour and a bit of a sweeter glaze like the ones from Pho Boi (see here), but these were still delicious.
• It comes with a side salad and orange nuom choc fish sauce which I love. It’s a sweet, salty and tangy vinaigrette you can pour over the whole dish.

• The steamed rice was Vietnamese short grain broken rice, which is a bit unexpected.
• Most Vietnamese places I’ve been to just use long grain, so this was an interesting detail.
• Short grain is usually used for sticky rice and it does have a stickier texture and tends to clump together.
• I really wish they offered the dish with Vietnamese fried rice, but fried rice isn’t available here.

Vietnamese Steamed Rice Crepe – 3.5/6 (Good-Very good)

• Stuffed with pork, onion, Chinese mushroom, served with fried onion flakes and Vietnamese ham rolls $7
• I love this dish (Banh Cuon) and it can be enjoyed as an appetizer or a main. This was the main and it’s like a substantial warm salad.
• It’s a very light dish and it’s traditionally served with bean sprouts, Vietnamese ham, deep fried shallots and cucumbers.
• I personally prefer it served covered with bean sprouts, basil leaves and more cucumber instead of mostly lettuce, although there were bean sprouts underneath.
• The pickled carrots were a bit uncommon for the dish, but I do like them.
• The dish is eaten with the orange nuom choc fish sauce. It’s a sweet, salty and tangy vinaigrette.

There were about 5-6 warm crepes and they looked more Chinese in style than Vietnamese. They were rolled wider like Chinese steamed rice rolls at dim sum instead of  traditional thinner and log-like Vietnamese ones.

• The skins were thin, but a bit brittle and breaking apart. I question how fresh or made upon order they were.
• They were decently stuffed, but the skins weren’t chewy or as translucent, and the ends were slightly dry.
• The skins were heavier on the rice flour than tapioca starch so they really tasted more Chinese.
• The filling was marinated minced pork, black wood ear mushrooms and onions.
• The mixture was nice and peppery, but not spicy and the meat was very tender, soft and seasoned with fish sauce without being too salty.
• The wood ear mushrooms were completely soft and not crunchy, but overall the filling wasn’t dry and crumbly nor wet.
• There were a lot of textures with the steamed rice rolls and crunch of fresh vegetables.
• The crispy aromatic deep fried shallots and the nuom choc fish sauce just makes the dish come alive and it’s sweet, salty and tangy.
• It was good here, but Pho Tam is still my favourite for this dish – see Steamed Rice Rolls (Bahn Con).

Restaurant: Egg
Cuisine: Breakfast/Brunch/Diner/Eclectic/Southern/American
Last visited: September 10, 2011
Location: Brooklyn, New York (Williamsburg)
Address: 135 N 5th Street
Subway: Bedford Av
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 4.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Eclectic menu
• Local ingredients
• Southern influenced
• Local favourite
• Busy at peak hours
• Casual
• Family friendly
• Cheap eats/budget friendly
• Beer/wine available
• Cash only
• Breakfast until 6pm every day.
• Lunch at 11:30am on weekdays and 3pm on weekends.
• Monday — Friday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday: 8 a.m. — 6 p.m.

**Recommendations: Eggs Rothko

Egg. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m not referring to the restaurant, but the actual thing. I love eggs. Seriously, I love them so much that if I had to pick one ingredient alone to eat for the rest of my life, an egg would be up for consideration. It doesn’t need salt and pepper and it still tastes good. Hard boiled, fried, scrambled or poached, they all taste different… I will eat them here and there, I will eat them ANYWHERE! (That was from Dr. Suess’ Green Eggs and Ham in case you didn’t get that).

Anyways, when I was planning my Follow Me Foodie to New York itinerary I discovered Egg in Brooklyn. Well, in that case Follow Me Foodie to Brooklyn too! I will travel for food and I will travel for Egg. Williamsburg in Brooklyn isn’t even far from Manhattan and one of my other favourite New York restaurants, Traif, was also found there.

Egg is a classic local favourite in the hipster part of Brooklyn called Williamsburg. Ironically it’s a trendy neighbourhood, but there are lots of independent restaurants worth exploring. Egg is probably one of the most popular for breakfast and brunch and there’s an expected line up during the weekends.

It’s a very casual and quaint restaurant featuring local ingredients showcased in an eclectic and Southern light. I expected every single menu item to feature an egg, but that’s not really the case. There are a good amount of menu items with eggs, but there’s also options without them. It didn’t have any more or any less egg options than a standard breakfast/brunch restaurant would normally have.

Brunch is a big deal in New York and it’s one of my favourite meal times. On the scale of popular and iconic brunch places I tried in New York, I liked it better than Prune and The Fat Radish, but The Spotted Pig was probably my favourite. This is the most casual and affordable out of the listed though. If you’re planning on checking out Williamsburg then I would recommend starting your day off at Egg. It’s nothing fancy, although there’s effort in the menu creations and it’s a charming place to experience brunch as a local.

On the table:

**Eggs Rothko – 6/6 (FMF Must try!)

• Easy-cooked egg in a slice of Amy’s brioche and topped with Grafton cheddar. Served with broiled tomatoes and a side of meat or seasonal vegetables $9
• This is their claim to fame and what convinced me to check out Egg.
• It’s one of the best “Egg on Toast” creations I’ve had. This was Egg IN Toast!
• The idea is brilliant and it’s not necessarily hard to do if you can find a great brioche, so it seems replicable at home too.
• It was a very hearty, rich and filling brunch that would put you right back to bed.
• Alright so were is the star of the show? Where is the egg?!

*Gasp* O.M.G. I don’t know if I’m more excited for the cheese pull or the thought of an egg nestled underneath it!

• It was a nice thick slice of super soft and fluffy toasted brioche with an egg buried underneath a layer of melted cheese.
• The brioche was a fantastic brioche. It was moist with a stretchy texture and buttery rich flavour.
• There was literally a hole cut out of the middle of the bread.
• The egg was cooked in the hole so that it was almost melded together with the bread.
• It was covered generously with lots of ooey gooey white cheddar cheese and the whole thing was intense with buttery flavours.
• The cheese oils absorbed right back into the already buttery brioche.
• The edges of the brioche were crispy and flaky and almost like a croissant, and then the rest was all soft and moist and melted in your mouth.
• It was one of the best ways to enjoy an egg and grilled cheese sandwich.

Yes! I had to get the picture. I love runny egg yolks and this would be perfect for my Runny Egg Yolk Series.

• The brioche was the perfect mop for the egg yolk sauce. I promise you this plate was dishwasher clean after I finished.
• The Eggs Rothko had everything going for it. Heaven. This was truly a slice of heaven and a step away from a heart attack.

• The middle of the brioche that was cut out for the egg, but it was not wasted.
• It was toasted and then served along side with room temperature broiled organic tomatoes on top.

• Your choice of a side of meat or vegetables? Why not top things off properly with bacon?
• I chose candied bacon and they were good quality too!
• They could have been crispier, but they were thick and meaty and a bit on the leaner side.
• They were nice and sweet and being Canadian it reminded me of maple bacon served at home.
• This one didn’t seem like maple though and I think it was honey or another type of syrup.
• It was a good balance of salty and sweet and even better eaten on top of the Eggs Rothko.

Country Ham Biscuit – 3.5/6 (Good-Very good)

• Country ham from Col. Bill Newsom’s Hams in Princeton, Kentucky. Served on a biscuit with homemade fig jam, Grafton cheddar, and a side of grits $8.50
• If you’ve tried Pine State Biscuits in Portland, Oregon, then you’ve already had your ride in the Ferrari. If you haven’t, then this is a tease.
• This was another very rich and hearty brunch item.
• I like grits (ground corn) and this one was organic and good, but it does get better.
• The grits were very cheesy with grated White cheddar cheese, but not creamy. I’m not sure if they maybe just sat for a bit longer than they should have.
• This was almost like mushy rice meets oatmeal and it was stiffer than I prefer.

• Again, since I’ve had a Pine State Biscuit, I wasn’t necessarily impressed with this biscuit sandwich, but it was still good.
• This was basically a gourmet ham and cheese biscuit sandwich.
• It was a flaky and buttery homemade buttermilk biscuit with crispy edges, but it was crumbly and a bit dry and perhaps over toasted.
• The ham was from Kentucky so it would be nice to have an actual local ham on the menu, but I can overlook it.
• The ham was a bit too salty and jerky like and I wasn’t keen on it especially with the drier biscuit.
• It was pretty cheesy which helped with the moisture and the sweet fig jam was a nice contrast to the salty ham.
• I just wanted more sauce to this and I felt like adding a fried egg in it.

Duck Hash – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• Duck leg confit with potatoes and green onions and served with 2 eggs any style $12
• Duck confit is one of my favourite things, so this had to be on the table… even if it was for breakfast.
• I had it with 2 poached eggs with runny yolks so that I would have the perfect dipping sauce to eat the hash with.
• The plate was a bit bare, but the flavours delivered.

• The hash was made almost like a hashbrown omelette, but instead of an egg it was shredded potatoes.
• Like a taco, the duck confit was shredded and folded into the hashbrown like shell. It probably could have used a bit more duck for $12 though.
• The hasbrowns were crispy, but not over fried and the inner layer was tender moist shredded potatoes.
• The duck confit was creamy, juicy, not too salty and well seasoned and although basic, it was very good.
• I would have loved this to come with a side of apple sauce and sour cream… almost like a latkes or rosti would be served.

Seared Rabbit Sausage - 4/6 (Very good)

• With Goatfell chard pea tendril poached duck egg and heirloom tomato $12
• This was the special of the day.
• I love rabbit and if you haven’t had it, it tastes like chicken.
• The house made rabbit sausage was a bit inconsistent though. Some pieces were moist and juicy, while others at times dry.
• Rabbit is leaner than chicken though so naturally it might be a bit drier.
• It was good sausage and it was well seasoned with a nice herby thyme flavour and perhaps some chili flakes, but it wasn’t spicy.
• The organic chard pea tendril was sauteed with garlic and it was slightly tangy from perhaps some lemon or vinegar.
• Although very good, I just wanted something more to this dish like nugget potatoes sauteed in grainy mustard or even more heirloom tomatoes.

For dessert I ended up at an authentic hole in the wall Polish bakery called Northside Bakery (149-151 North 8th Street, Brooklyn, NY). This was the kremówka papieska (Papal Cream Cake) which is basically a Napolean. It was a huge triple decker sized sandwich slice of pastry for about $2 and the custard was ultra rich and thick. The place had a steady flow of old time Polish customers and while the dessert was good, I think the highlight is supposed to be the bread.

Restaurant: Rice to Riches
Cuisine: Desserts
Last visited: September 9, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (Nolita)
Address: 37 Spring Street
Nearby subway stops: Spring Street
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5
Service: 3.5
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 4.5
Additional comments:

• Specializes in rice pudding
• 20+ flavours
• Unique, gourmet flavours
• To go dessert
• Catering available
• Online ordering
• Open late

**Recommendations: You can sample them before you choose! I liked the Man-Made Mascarpone with Cherries and Almond Shmalmond, but the French Toast is also well liked. Cheesecake is popular too.
Rice to Riches?! I thought it was Recipe to Riches?! (By the way make sure you get your votes in for your favourite recipe (Dec. 7-9) here!) I gotta support my girl Glo from the sweet puddings and pies category ) Speaking of sweet puddings though, this was another kind of sweet pudding! Rice pudding!

I was on my way to the famous Lombardi’s for pizza when I saw Pinkberry. Being that Pinkberry was a chain it caught my eye, but not really my interest. However what was next door definitely caught my eye and interest! From the looks of it I thought it was another frozen yogurt/ice cream place, which is fine by me since I love that stuff, but this was even better because it was something new! It was as busy, if not even busier than Pinkberry, and it was basically the “fro-yo” of rice pudding! I know! What the heck right?! Anyways after pizza, it was time for rice pudding!

At first I thought who really likes rice pudding THAT much to dedicate a whole store to it. I guess it’s not that surprising to have a shop dedicated to just rice pudding, but it certainly is rare. In New York there’s everything, but if you’re going to specialize in one thing, you better be damn good at it. They claim it’s “finally a rice pudding that doesn’t suck”, and it really didn’t!

At first sight it could easily be mistaken as a frozen yogurt shop.

Or even an ice cream shop!

But it is indeed rice pudding. If you’re not crazy about rice pudding this could change your mind. It’s not your ordinary British rice pudding that you may or may not dread for dessert. It puts the boring dessert in a new light by offering 20+ kinds of rice pudding and the flavours get pretty interesting. From Understanding Vanilla, to Fluent in French Toast, and even Sex Drugs and Rocky Road, it’s creative rice pudding you wouldn’t mind giving a second chance.

The set up is just like a frozen yogurt shop and you can select toppings, or “Jesus droppings”, to go on top of your rice pudding. The marketing is really edgy, smart and funny, and it just makes you want to buy one even if you’re not a rice pudding fan. It’s rice pudding for the 21st century and it puts a modern twist to an old fashioned comfort food. It made it into something cool and there is a lot of love for it.

If I had a choice I’d rather have ice cream, pastry or cake, but I do like rice pudding, although I never crave it. I would never make it, and I might order it at an Indian restaurant, but this was a game changer. I would actually crave Rice to Riches rice pudding. I don’t know if I would crave it if I had it easily available at home in Vancouver, BC though. Some people might complain that it’s overpriced or too rich, creamy and sweet, and it’s partially true, but I still enjoyed it. If I’m going to have rice pudding for dessert, I’m going to have it here.

Note to foodies with a sweet tooth: If you want to double up, there’s “The Best Chocolate Cake in the World” (name of the actual store) just a block away. If you’re in the area you might as well kill two birds with one stone. The rice pudding doesn’t melt and you can take it to go anyways.

On the table:

Man Made Mascarpone with Cherries Rice Pudding & Almond Shmalmond Rice Pudding with Coconut Crumble

• Solo (Serves 1/1 flavour only) $6.75 Epic (Serves 1-2) $8.50 Sumo (Serves 5) Moby (Serves 10) $40 + $1 for toppings
• Man Made Mascarpone & Almond Shmalmond with Granola $9.50
• $10 for rice pudding is certainly “sit down dessert” pricing, and it was overpriced, but I still liked it.
• They come in fancy reusable plastic containers which are included in the price already.

**Almond Shmalmond Rice Pudding - 4.5/6

• It is probably the best rice pudding I’ve had to date.
• It was like the love child of rice pudding and a custard.
• It was super thick, ultra rich, creamy and smooth and there was more cream than there was rice.
• It was creamy like Greek yogurt creamy, and I would consider it heavy for a rice pudding.
• It was custard-like, but with less egg, more cream, and maybe even some vanilla.
• This flavour was less sweet than most creme brûlées and it wasn’t hurt your teeth sweet.
• The rice was a really soft short grain and it seemed like broken down or overly churned arborio rice.
• The almond flavour was actually quite mild, and it was just extract with no actual almonds, but I still enjoyed it.
• The coconut crumble topping (+$1) tasted like light brown sugar granola crumble on a baked apple pie.
• It was reminiscent of a graham cracker pie crust and it was sweet, sugary, nutty and crunchy, but I wanted more coconut.

**Man Made Mascarpone with Cherries Rice Pudding - 4.5/6

• This was perhaps less sweet than the almond and maybe even a a bit thicker, but the cherries helped to break it up and gave it a tartness.
• It had sour dried cherries throughout and it wasn’t cheesy from marscarpone, but it was still very rich and thick.
• It actually barely tasted like marscapone or cheese, but I didn’t even care. It was just good!

Cinnamon Sling Rice Pudding & I Gotta The Panna Cotta Rice Pudding

• Epic (Serves 1-2) $8.50

Restaurant: Café Clocher Penché
Cuisine: French/Canadian/Bistro
Last visited: November 8, 2011
Location: Quebec City, QC (Old Montreal)
Address: 361 St. Paul East
Bus: Charest Est / Caron
Price Range: $20-30+ ($20-25 mains)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: FMF Must Try!

Food: 5
Service: 4
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• French-Canadian bistro
• Seasonal menus
• Strong focus on local ingredients
• Sophisticated/classy
• Moderately priced
• Wine/cocktail list
• Daily specials
• $16 2 course set lunch menu
• Lunch/Dinner/Brunch menu
• Tues-Thurs: 11:30am – 2pm, 5pm-10pm
• Saturday 9am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
• Sunday 9am-2pm
• Closed Monday

**Recommendations: Celery & Parsnip Velouté, Pork Liver Paté, Duck Confit, Home Made Soft Serve Cheese, Dulche de Leche Parfait

Welcome to Follow Me Foodie in Quebec City! I was invited by Tourism Quebec and Quebec City on a culinary trip of Quebec City, which is about a three hour train ride from Montreal. Stepping into it was like stepping into a doll house. If you think Montreal feels like Europe, then Quebec City is even more so! I wouldn’t call either Europe, but it’s a slice of Europe without the cost and time of actually going to Europe.

Quebec City is smaller than Montreal, and it’s more quaint with less city life. To put things into perspective for my home readers, I see Quebec City as the Victoria of BC, and Montreal as the Vancouver of BC. It’s très adorable to visit for a few days and the experience is totally different than Montreal. I’m glad I didn’t miss it, or I wouldn’t have all this delicious food to report back on!

The logo and the name Café Clocher Penché refers to this! It’s the “lop-sided steeple cafe”.

Café Clocher Penché was the prearranged lunch spot, and coincidentally I was actually given personal recommendations to try it already. A trusted Montreal foodie, and a Quebec City local, confirmed it was a good choice, so it was either going to be a great restaurant or just the only restaurant…

The restaurant is kiddie corner to this steeple, so it’s easy to find.

It’s a sophisticated and elegant French-Canadian bistro, but it’s not pretentious and has a warm and inviting neighbourhood feel. The menu is simple, but it’s fresh and seasonal with a strong emphasis on local ingredients. In a way, I felt like I was back home in Vancouver again, but “local” in Quebec City it not “local” in Vancouver, so bring on the Quebec ingredients!

… or just bring out the chef. This is part owner and Chef Mathieu Grisson. Yup! And Quebec City was off to a fine start We were happy to have him explain his restaurant in his French accent… aaandd I could probably end my post right there… but I won’t, because I actually want to get into the food.

They work really closely with their local suppliers and artisans, which are further supported on their website here. The food wasn’t particularly different and it’s not necessarily the typical “must try” place, but it felt like a reliable classic in a newer sense of the term. The cuisine was easy to warm up to and it takes on a lighter flare for a French bistro. It showcased the natural ingredients most, which is the premise of their restaurant philosophy anyways. It felt West Coast, but with Quebec ingredients and charm.

For the Vancouver readers, if I had to relate this restaurant back to something at home, it was kind of reminiscent of Raincity Grill. It was an upscale lunch from the French-Canadian country side and although simple, it wasn’t boring. The artistic presentation of the dishes were impressive and if I had to sum up my experience here it was simply beautiful.

On the table:

Christophe Pacalet Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais, France

Complimentary Bread & Butter

• It wasn’t a great baguette, but it was good. I don’t think they’re made in house, but it’s likely from a local bakery.
• It was served cold, as it normally is at French bistros.
• It wasn’t as chewy or as crusty as I usually prefer, but it was nice and moist.
• The other baguette had sunflower seeds and flax seeds.

**Celery & Parsnip Velouté – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• With shrimp salad, lobster oil and house made crouton (2 course lunch prix fixe $16)
• I love velouté, so I was excited for this! It’s a classic rich, creamy and smooth French sauce and it’s almost a meal in itself.
• Although creamy, this was somewhat light for a velouté with milder flavours of celery, parsnip and shrimp.
• Traditional velouté is made with a chicken or veal stock and this one seemed vegetarian based so it lacked that meaty richness and depth.
• I could taste an equal balance of celery and parsnip with parsnip in the aftertaste, and there was perhaps a bit of potato to thicken it up.
• The shrimp salad had a little bit of crab in it and it was very lightly dressed with some lemon juice and chives.
• Celery and parsnip don’t have much flavour so the drizzle of lobster oil enhanced the seafood flavour, but it was still slightly bland.
• It would be nice to have seafood stock and flavour in the base of the soup and not just as a garnish.
• Some juicy bursts of salty salmon roe would perhaps give it that intense seafood flavour to finish it off.
• It was an appropriate lunch time starter, but I can go a bit more decadent during the fall season.

**Pork Liver Paté – 5/6 (Excellent)

• With caramelized apple and honey bread (2 course lunch prix fixe $16)
• I love paté and I thought the presentation was beautiful.
• Apple and pork are classic pairings and there was also a brush of reduced soy sauce which was the twist.
• I was expecting a typical balsamic reduction, but the soy sauce had a sharp acidity so I think it was actually a balsamic soy reduction.
• It was a savoury pate with sweet apples and a tang of balsamic. It’s a very traditional combo, and well done here.
• The velvety smooth pate was whipped and mousse-like with a layer of apple gelée on top to balance its richness.
• Although buttery and rich, it had a airy lightness to it and was creamy and spreadable.
• It had a mild pork liver flavour and it wasn’t that seasoned and it didn’t need to be since there were other components to play with.
• The honey bread crisp was like a Melba Toast and it tasted like gingerbread. It was a nice contrast to the pate and better than a typical crostini.
• The diced apples were caramelized and sweet like candy from perhaps a hint of maple, and I appreciated them for texture as well as contrasting flavour.
• The only acidity was the reduced soy and I could have used a bit more and maybe some pickled pearl onions too, since pate is always an indulgence.
• It was very good, but I did need more toast and at the end I was just using the table bread to finish the mousse.

Salmon Tartare – 4/6 (Very good)

• Chilled salmon tartare, pink grapefruit vinaigrette, beet and fennel salad, pesto rubbed baguette (2 course lunch prix fixe $16)
• It was hard to avoid shadows, but the tartare is in a dome shape underneath the crostini.
• It was farm raised salmon marinated in terragon, pink peppercorn and a little aioli.
• The terragon and pink peppercorn was used for aromatics and it wasn’t apparent unless I knew.
• I’m biased being from the West Coast, but I just prefer our local Wild BC Sokeye Salmon tartare, and it’s hard to have anything else. However, this was still enjoyable.
• The salmon was nice and fatty and it was topped with a crunchy shaved fennel salad lightly dressed with vinaigrette.
• I couldn’t actually taste the pink grapefruit vinaigrette and I was looking forward to that part.
• I almost wanted segments of grapefruit and a more pronounced pink peppercorn flavour to complement it, but I could taste either.
• The beets were sweet and juicy and dressed in a light whole grain mustard dressing which brought the punch of flavour I wanted.
• It was a very light and summery tuna salad and I enjoyed it despite it being fall again.

Vegetarian Plate (Chevré) – 5/6 (Excellent)

• Pistachio crusted goat cheese croquettes, crabapple puree, parsnip crisps, beets, pears and chives (2 course lunch prix fixe $16)
• I’d recommend you to order this just to see the presentation! (If you care for that stuff)
• It was deep fried pistachio crusted cheeseballs and I loved all the ingredients in this, but it felt more like an appetizer.
• The parsnip crisps weren’t substantial enough to act as crostini for the cheeseballs, so at times it was literally just eating cheeseballs, which is a bit much.
• Thank goodness for the pistachio crust to give the cheese some texture.
• Goat’s cheese can be very gamey, but this one wasn’t, and it was quite fluffy, light, but still creamy.
• I usually would enjoy these cheese balls with honey, but instead it was some fresh slices of sweet pears and the same beets from the salmon tartare.
• The crabapple puree was slightly tart as well as being sweet, but I would say it was the tang to this dish.
• There was a nice salty and sweet contrast, but again the dish felt incomplete as a main… and it’s not because it was missing meat.

**Duck Confit - 5.5/6 (Excellent!)

• Daily special + $3 to daily prixe fixe (2 course lunch prix fixe $16)
• With salted pork, cherry tomatoes, and goat’s cheese salad.
• I love duck confit, so I was so happy to see it as the daily special!
• It was a beautiful crispy skinned duck with incredibly moist and juicy meat that was melting off the bone.
• It shred away with my fork alone and the meat wasn’t overly salty and cured like some duck confit can be.
• There was no sauce and it didn’t need one and it was topped with delicious crispy house made bacon bits.
• The bacon bits were tangy as well as salty, and likely sauteed with some balsamic vinegar. It certainly made the duck more decadent and delicious.
• I would have liked to see a fresh fruit puree or beet reduction or something sweet to this dish to balance the saltiness, but it still wasn’t too salty for being duck confit.
• It was a very rich dish, as it always will be, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Assorted Quebec Cheeses - 5/6 (Excellent)

• $8
• They love their cheese in Quebec and so do I. Even better was the presentation for it. It was showcased on a pedestal.
• It was a local goat’s cheese, cow cheese and raw milk cow cheese. They were all soft buttery cheeses.
• There were some dried apricots, dried figs, pecans and almonds and I think an apricot fruit chutney.

**Fresh Home Made Soft Serve Cheese – 4.5/6 (Very good-Excellent)

• With gooseberries & Maple Syrup $5
• This is something you should order here because it’s unique to the restaurant and it’s quite labour intensive.
• It’s an art and skill to make your own cheese and in this case they made their own strained cheese, which is more or less comparable to a yogurt.
• It was very light and refreshing and in between a cheese plate and a dessert, but I almost considered it more like a palate cleanser.
• It was thick and creamy and almost like Greek yogurt.
• It was quite tart alone so the maple syrup was a nice sweetener and better than honey, especially being in Quebec City.
• It was missing some crunchy texture though so it would have been great if there were some additional nuts.

**Quince – 5/6 (Excellent)

• Verrine of quince puree, vanilla cake, caramelized milk and caramelized pumpkin seed $5
• I loved this! Verrines are definitely more popular in Quebec than the West Coast. It’s simply a layered sweet or savoury appetizer or dessert served in a glass.
• It was almost like a fruity version of a tiramisu meets a trifle or parfait.
• It was quince puree with cake bits, and then a generous amount of light, fluffy and foamy caramelized milk that was in between a custard and a mousse.
• The caramelized milk is almost made like a dulche de leche, but it wasn’t nearly as thick or sweet.
• It was lightly sweetened and creamy, and I would have loved some vanilla bean seeds in it for that aromatic accent in flavour.
• I loved the various texture and crispy crunch of candied pumpkin seeds too.
• I would have liked a bit more cake since it was all pretty creamy, but it was still an excellent dessert.
• In the category of Verrines I had in Quebec, I did like the Verrine Choco-Pistaches from Van Horne in Montreal better.

Restaurant: Devon House “I Scream”
Cuisine: Desserts/Ice Cream
Last visited: October 8, 2011
Location: Multiple locations in Jamaica
Address: Multiple locations in Jamaica
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 1.5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Multiple locations
• Premium ice cream chain
• Famous for ice cream
• “Best in City”
• Local favourite
• 27+ flavours

**Recommendations: Blue Mountain Coffee Ice Cream, Sweetsop Ice Cream, Coconut Ice Cream, Butter Almond Ice Cream, Grape Nut Ice Cream

What happens when you let me roam free in Jamaica?! I find ice cream! I had an ice cream fan with me so the two of us set out on a hunt for ice cream along with our local driver. It wasn’t just any ordinary ice cream I was looking for, but it was a very specific one. Now where is it?!

There has to be one here! I know the factory is in Kingston, but they must distribute to other cities in Jamaica right? Right?! It’s Ocho Rios! A touristy city, it has to have “the best ice cream in Jamaica”and I was determined to find it.

Oh wait! Is that it?! That’s it! That must be it! Stop! It’s the ice cream parlour!

Devon House “i SCREAM” and SCREAM I did!

I was invited on a culinary tour of Jamaica and the itinerary read “Devon House Ice Cream Tasting”. I was looking forward to it even before I got to Jamaica because I’m a huge supporter of anything in the frozen treat department and particularly falling into the cateogry of ice cream, gelato or frozen yogurt.

You can imagine my disappointment when we ran out of time for the Devon House ice cream tasting in Kingston and it got written off the itinerary. I almost cried. Nonetheless where there’s a will, there’s a way. And I was going to find a way.

Devon House “I Scream” is a house hold name and one of their pride and joys. It’s known as the best ice cream in Jamaica. There was no way I was going to leave Jamaica without trying the supposedly “best ice cream” in the country. Of course “the best” is always debatable, but it has to earn its reputation in some way, and I wanted my scoops!

It was perfect timing too because I had just come from a spicy meal of Jamaica’s best Jerk Chicken at Scotchies followed by lunch #2 at their only Irish Pub. When most were ready for a nap, I was ready for dessert. I can take a nap at home, so let’s go find ice cream!

This was the closest place selling Devon House I-Scream and it was a tiny ice cream parlour located about 5-10 minutes from our hotel. I mentioned in my Juici Patties VS Tastee Patties post yesterday that I had eaten 6 scoops of softball sized ice cream before even getting to taste those authentic Jamaican patties. Well backtracking to that event, this is where I was before that experience. In a couple hours I would need to prepare for a 5 course wine and dinner pairing at Le Papillon back at the Sandals resort, but it was doable. I’m game!

On the table:

Devon House “I Scream - 4/6

• 12 oz cup $420JMD = $4.88USD
• The ice cream is known as “the best” in Jamaica and it really was delicious ice cream.
• It’s not all natural though and usually for ice cream the fewer ingredients the better.
• It was thick, creamy and sweet with no greasy aftertaste and the quality was very good and comparable to premium ice cream brands in North America.
• For a mass produced ice cream I liked it better than Breyer’s, but it’s maybe not as premium as Häagen-Dazs.
• I enjoyed it more than Marble Slab or Cold Stone Creamery, which I’m also not keen on because I find it too heavy and sweet.
• I was impressed, but on a global scale it wasn’t the best ice cream I’ve had, but it was solid.
• If you get a chance try the Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee ice cream and sweet sop ice cream flavours, which are unique to the brand.
• Generally, it’s a good sign if you’re at a restaurant serving Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or Devon House I-Scream. Each are more or less the premier brands in their perspective categories in Jamaica.

Vanilla Ice Cream – 4/6

• It’s plain jane, but it’s the ultimate test.
• There were no vanilla bean seeds which is sad, but it was still intense with floral vanilla flavour and I think natural extract.

**Grapenut Ice Cream – 5/6

• This was another unique flavour and it was like Grape Nuts cereal in ice cream form. I love nutty flavours so I loved this.

**Butter Almond Ice Cream – 4.5/6

• It was rich, creamy, thick and sweet with little bits of almond, but I wanted much more almond.
• It was buttery, but not greasy and it had some almond extract.

Mango Ice Cream – 4/6

• I expected it to be like pure mango pulp since I was in Jamaica.
• It wasn’t the most mangoey tasting ice cream although it’s more than the average mango flavour.
• It was made with real mango, but it was on the sweet side .

Guava Ice Cream -3/6

• The pink colour threw me off and it was unnatural.
• It was a bit too sweet and the flavour was floral, but a bit artificial.
• The ice cream is still good though.

**Coconut Ice Cream – 5/6

• This actually had little bits of coconut and I’m sure it was made with coconut milk.
• Being in Jamaica, coconut is a flavour they do well, so I’m glad this delivered.

Restaurant: L’Orignal
Cuisine: Canadian/French/Eclectic
Last visited: November 5, 2011
Location: Montreal, Quebec (Old Montréal)
Address: 479 Rue St-Alexis
Subway stop: Square-Victoria
Price Range: $30-50+ ($28-30 mains)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5 (based on what I tried)
Service: n/a
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Canadian-French cuisine
• Former owners of Garde Manger
• Local favourite
• Hidden gem
• Exotic meat & game
• Fresh seafood
• Seasonal menus
• Moderate-higher prices
• Popular for cocktails/wine
• French & English menu
• Daily from 6pm
• Friday-Saturday open until 3am

**Recommendations: n/a

I was invited on a Van Houtte Coffee Getaway in Old Montreal, and our itinerary was pre determined with a whole bunch of fun coffee related food activities. One of the events was a wine pairing pre-dinner, which would help us to discover more about our flavour profiles and eventually lead us back to our coffee choices. We were taken to L’Orignal for this dinner, and although this restaurant has no associations with Van Houtte, I personally really enjoyed their restaurant choice for the event.

It was another restaurant I would not have discovered on my own. It’s tucked away in an ally and somewhat located in an underground basement much like celebrity chef’s Chuck Hughes’ restaurant Le Bremner. I was actually surprised to discover that Monika Terlecki and Travis Champion, former owners of Chuck Hughes’ Garde Manger (located just around the corner), were the ones behind L’Orignal. It’s kind of the secret hot spot for sophisticated drinks and food and it’s literally more down to Earth… and wood, than either of Hughes’ restaurants.

I’ve never felt so “non-Canadian” until I visited Quebec. L’Orignal means “moose”, and the restaurant takes on a Canadian theme. Being in Montreal a Canadian theme is always a French Canadian theme or a “Quebecois” theme though.

The menu embraces game and exotic meats as well as seafood, and although I only tried the chef’s tasting courses, it was enough to convince me to come back here on my own. It may not be representable of what the restaurant can actually do on a regular night, but it left me wanting to explore the menu more. I took a look at the regular menu and it sounded crazy good, especially if you’re an adventurous eater.

I really did come back here on my own on a separate occasion and the place was full of locals, and it just felt like a locals’ spot without the hype. Mind you it’s not a restaurant that hasn’t been discovered yet either and it was named one of the “Top 25 Must Go Places in Canada” by EnRoute Magazine in 2008.

The rustic and refined ambiance was representable of the menu. I know this might sound odd, but it felt more Canadian than a “Canadian” restaurant in Vancouver, BC. I’m stereotyping right now, but it’s just how I see things. When a Vancouver restaurant is “Canadian” it seems more farm to table, whereas this just showcased Canadian cuisine as a bite of decedent wild life. I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised with the “wilder” side of Montreal though.

Anyways it was a pre–arranged mini 6 course wine and food pairing and the purpose was to do “blind” wine tastings to help us discover our flavour profiles. I was quite skeptical of how it would work because I wasn’t confident that my wine choice would relate back to my coffee choice.

After taking the Discover Your Coffee Profile quiz on the Van Houtte website, I discovered I was “Fruity and Velvety”. I questioned my belonging to this category, but after my blind coffee tasting and cupping session at the Van Houtte factory I was still in that category. Nonetheless I still wasn’t quite convinced of its accuracy and I was really curious to see how my wine profile would match up.

I wasn’t blindfolded during the wine tasting, but I wasn’t told the name of the wines either. I kid you not, but the wine I selected as my favourite was in the same category as my coffee profile (Chenin Blanc), which is again “fruit and velvety”. To be specific, I actually selected both of the “velvety” wines as my favourite (Chenin Blanc and Merlot), so I know texture plays an importance on my palate.

I found the exercise quite an epiphany and it was enough to fully convince me that I am fruity and velvety through and through. I’ll stop challenging the quiz. I was surprised to discover which wines I actually like and don’t like, and I found the whole experience an eye and palate opener. Sometimes it’s not necessarily the brand or quality of the wine I don’t like, but sometimes it’s just not suitable for my tastes, and the same goes for coffee!

Note: I’m not going to comment on the food, due to the circumstances of the event, but I will say the sommelier here is fantastic, and she’s actually from BC! Woohoo!

On the table:

Flavour Profile 1: Mellow & Fruity

Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from Marlborough, New Zealand

Stripped Bass Crudo with Yogurt & Grapefruit with Sesame seeds

Flavour Profile 2: Velvety & Fruity

Millton Te Arai Vinyard Chenin Blanc 2008 from New Zealand

Seared Scallops with Tangerine & Quince

Flavour Profile 3: Bold & Fruity

Garnet Carneros Pinot Noir Saintsbury 2009 from Napa, California

Foie Gras Parfait with Apple & Thai Basil and Pistachio Nuts

• The regular menu offered a version of this as an appetizer, and it sounded even better.
• Foie gras and piglet heart parfait, pistachio “Pain de Genes”, bergamot creme fraiche, banana and butternut squash salad, and honey tangerine $18

Flavour Profile 4: Mellow & Woodsy

Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco 2008 from Italy

Venison, Shiitake, Arugula, Juniper

• The regular menu offered a version of this as a main.
• Boileau Venison with foie gras emulsion, cauliflower, Medjool dates, shiitake mushrooms and Marcona almonds $30

Flavour Profile 5: Velvety & Woodsy

Quails’ Gate Merlot 2007 from Kelowna, BC

Bacon, Quail’s Egg, Potato Crisp

Bacon, Quail’s Egg, Potato Crisp

Flavour Profile 6: Bold & Woodsy

Château Tayac Cuvée Réservée Côtes de Bourg 2006 from France

Bison Tongue with Black Berry Jam and Coffee Mousse

Restaurant: L’Express
Cuisine: French/Canadian/Bistro
Last visited: November 12, 2011
Location: Montreal, QC (Plateau Mont Royal)
Address: 3927 Rue St-Denis
Nearby subway stop: Sherbrooke
Price Range: $20-30+ ($20-25 Mains)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4 – 4.5 (based on what I tried)
Service: 2.5 (friendly, but inattentive)
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Since 1980
• Local favourite
• Classic French-bistro
• French & English menu
• Award winning
• Reliable
• Casual, but nice
• Moderate-higher priced
• Affordable wines
• Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
• Mon-Fri: 8am-2am
• Saturday 10am-2am
• Sunday 10am-1am

**Recommendations: Bone Marrow with Coarse Salt, Octopus & Lentil Salad, Homemade Raviolis, Hanger Steak & Fries

I think I walked by this place twice. I was looking up for the sign, not down! If I didn’t know I would have walked right by it (as I did) and it didn’t look like anything special. Luckily I knew ahead of time it was a local favourite and had requests for it on Twitter. Even if you’re a local and you haven’t been here, it’s likely you’ve at least heard of it. Its discrete exterior speaks of its humble beginnings and although it still remains family owned, it’s operated by a gigantic staff of 50 and opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I wasn’t expecting the restaurant to be this busy, but the traffic was steady and seats were always full whether it was at the tables or the bar. The space was open, but it felt homey, yet lively and not loud. The atmosphere is unpretentious and there’s nothing really fancy or gimmicky about it. It’s a nice restaurant, but it’s nothing you would have to dress up for, and it embraced the ambiance of a classic French bistro with an extensive affordable wine list and a hand written menu.

L’Express offers homemade French-Canadian cuisine and the food won’t blow you away, but it may surprise you. It’s honest, simple, and well executed. From what I tried it wasn’t anything I’d rave about, but also nothing I’d complain about. The menu is fairly large with a few occasional seasonal features, but it’s more or less a place you’ve come to grown and love.

It has a loyal following and from a tourist perspective I assume it’s because it’s a reliable classic. It felt like a place for a birthday lunch or Sunday brunch and I found it quite charming. It has an old fashioned character to it, which can be seen as boring or dated, but the food speaks for itself and I did enjoy it. I would be curious to try a few more things on the menu, but I’m not sure if it’s a place I’ll remember or make a priority on my next visit.

Note: This lunch was arranged and partially comped by Tourism Montreal. There are no expectations for the outcome of this post and opinions are honest.

On the table:

Complimentary Bread & Butter

• Geez, everywhere in Montreal and Quebec seems to have great bread.
• It was served cold as it usually is at casual bistros in France.
• It was a nice and crusty baguette with a crispy exterior and chewy stretchy middle.

**Octopus Lentil Salad in Vinaigrette – 4.5/6

• $16.25
• I tried to order the bone marrow, but they were sold out so this was my plan B appetizer.
• It was a chilled salad that felt more appropriate for the summer, but I still enjoyed it in the fall.
• I thought the presentation was cute and the portion was fair making it suitable as a light lunch.
• It was very simple, but very well executed.

• The octopus was very tender and not chewy at all and the flavours were reminiscent of a lightly dressed shrimp salad.
• The round slices of octopus were meaty, but tender and the middle of the dome was topped with mashed up octopus, which was the part that seemed like “shrimp salad”.
• It was light and refreshing and executed the French way with good quality fruity olive oil and lemon juice rather than the American mayo based dressing.
• The lentils were packed inside and it was a very juicy and citrusy salad.
• It was well seasoned with little bits of tomato to develop the acidity and keep it fresh, but it was by no means a sour or pickled salad.
• I wouldn’t have minded some Dijon or grainy mustard to just bring it up a notch and give it an added layer of flavour.
• The saltiness of the lentils tasted like capers or olives rather than just salt, but there were no capers and the only olives I saw were used as garnish around the plate.
• Although light, this salad had meaty texture and lots of protein so it felt substantial.
• It was very simple, but very good, and since it’s not something I would make at home, I would order it again. However I’d try something else before going back to it.

It was also served with a bottle of good quality extra virgin olive oil, but I didn’t need it.

**Homemade Ravioli – 5.5/6

• $18.95
• It was a toss up between this and the Steak Frites. My server said those were two of the house favourites and couldn’t help me decide, so I just went with the homemade ravioli since it would require more effort.
• As soon as it hit the table it smelled fantastic!
• This was a very home style ravioli and although the portion didn’t look big for the price, it was a rich, decadent and substantial dish.
• This is not a traditional Italian restaurant so it’s not comparable to that type of ravioli.
• It was 6 fairly large pieces of ravioli swimming in an incredibly rich, silky smooth, sweet and savoury mushroom jus.
• It tasted as heavy as a syrupy demi-glace (reduction of red wine and veal stock) and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. It was heavy enough for a steak.
• The sauce was very salty though, but I still finished it all and dipped my baguette in it.
• It would have been great with wild mushrooms, but again it’s a home style bistro.

• The ravioli skins were quite eggy, slippery and soft and they were a bit thick and not firm like the more traditional Italian raviolis.
• There was a bit more skin than filling, but they were still decently stuffed with a creamy mixture of meat which included veal, pork and beef.
• The combination of the 3 meats were quite obvious and it seemed like a meat ragu stewed in a creamy and almost cheesy pesto sauce.
• The stuffing was almost like mini meatballs, shredded pork confit and bits of ground beef and it wasn’t heavy with meat, but the meat was tender and there.
• This was delicious and I would order it again and recommend it.

Maple Sugar Tart – 4/6

• $6.90
• You know you’re in Quebec when… maple comes up all the time!
• Dessert appeals to me, but a Maple Sugar Tart doesn’t really because it sounds really sweet. But, you almost have to try one in Quebec or Canada since it’s a “national food”.
• This is a house favourite, but it is rich and almost hurts your teeth sweet.
• It’s a fairly large home made tart and a 1/4 was more than enough for me. It’s almost a one biter dessert.
• It was served chilled and the crust was too hard and thick for me and I prefer the tender flaky tart shells.
• Even as a hard tart shell I prefer a shortbread like crust and this one was still on the harder crunchy side.
• The top wasn’t as crispy as I’ve had on Maple Sugar Tarts before, and I do like the ones that almost have a crispy caramelized brulee topping.

• As soon as you cut into it, it oozes out a rich and creamy fluid of smooth maple butter and caramel like filling.
• It was almost like melted Whether’s Originals and it was really sweet, but not sticky and more buttery.
• There wasn’t much maple syrup flavour though and a good one should have a strong maple syrup flavour.
• Since I’ve only had a few of these in my life, I would say it was very good. But if you’re a Maple Sugar Tart connoisseur, this is good as a Sugar Pie, but only okay as a Maple Sugar Tart. There is better and the lack of maple flavour is a bit disappointing.

**Accommodations in Montreal were kindly provided by Hotel Chez Swann

Restaurant: Aldea
Cuisine: Fine Dining/Portuguese/Spanish/Fusion
Last visited: September 12, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (Chelsea/Flatiron)
Address: 31 W 17th St
Nearby subway stops: 14 St
Price Range: $50+

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Owner/Chef George Mendes
• 1 Michelin Star
• Multiple award winning
• Opened May 2009
• Modern Portuguese & Spanish cuisine
• Fine dining
• Seasonal menus
• Lots of shellfish
• Very small portions
• Cocktails/wine
• Mon-Thurs 5:30pm-11pm
• Fri-Sat 5:30pm-12am
• Closed Sunday

**Recommendations: Sea Urchin Toast, Shrimp Alhinho, Arroz de Pato (Duck Confit), Pennsylvania Roast Suckling Pig

Photo from Aldea website

It was on my Follow Me Foodie to New York itinerary, but it wasn’t a priority until my last few days when I heard a New York “food snob” rave about it. Aldea opened in May 2009 so it’s not new to the New York dining scene; but its quickly earned 1 Michelin Star has created hype. It’s multiple award winning reputation is acknowledged to local foodies and food enthusiasts and I took the last minute bait.

I consider it fine dining, and the menu speaks of it, but the furniture and decor doesn’t really. The interior is inspired by the Iberian countryside and incorporates elements of wood, water, air, stone, cloud and Earth. It had a modern Zen like atmosphere and I found it quite relaxing and nice. The back features an open kitchen and more casual dining space, so it’s supposed to portray a rustic elegance, but I’m not sure how well it translates.

There are seats in front of the open kitchen which I didn’t realize until later. I love sitting in front of where all the action happens, so if you do too, I would make an early request.

The Chef and owner is George Mendes who is American born to Portuguese parents. He was also on Food Network’s Top Chef Masters. His global experience in world renowned kitchens all over the States and Europe has eventually led him to open Aldea, which means “village” in Spanish. Part of the highlight for me was actually having him in the kitchen and making the food, which apparently is common at Aldea. It doesn’t happen often with big name chefs, and even though it was more likely to happen here since he only has one restaurant, I still valued the fact.

Aldea specializes in modern Iberian cuisine which incorporates Portuguese and Spanish flavours. The majority of people, including myself, know it as a modern Portuguese restaurant with a bit of fusion flare, but Chef Mendes likes to call it “his own style”. I also call it “fine dining”, but they claim to be a “balance between rustic and refined”. Rustic I didn’t see in the food, but refined it was.

The food was generally very good and more often than not excellent, but the value wasn’t great. I guess “value” isn’t something you really consider when you fine dine anyways, but personally I think other restaurants of the same caliber (if not even higher) are more worth it in New York.

Aldea has the highly trained, extremely experienced, meticulous and passionate chef, but some of the portions were so small that I was quite taken back. I do expect smaller portions when fine dining, but at times it was almost too pretentious and it stunted my satisfaction and experience. I’m glad I tried it and some dishes were incredible, but I’d hesitate to recommend it.

On the table:

The complimentary breads are made in house and served on a tray.

Complimentary Bread & Olive Oil

• Bacon Corn Bread
• This would have been better if it was warm.
• It was cold, but moist, fire pit smoky, savoury and sweet.
• There weren’t really any bacon bits or actual corn like some can have, but I could taste infused bacon grease throughout.
• It was almost more like banana bread in texture than it was corn bread and I think I was just expecting more from it.
• Olive Baguette
• There was a good amount of salty olives, but it was really tough and tiresome to chew.

**Sea Urchin Toast – 4/6

• Cauliflower puree, mustard seed, lime $10
• The size of this toast was about 3.5 inches. It was really small and I thought it was an amuse bouche.
• The predominant flavour and star of the show was the sea urchin, which it should be, but it was more than simply “sea urchin on toast”.
• It was warm, creamy, buttery whole pieces of melt in your mouth briny sea urchin on a very thin, light, crisp and nutty cracker. It was almost like a home made Melba Toast.
• There was some freshly grated wasabi which opened the palate and in combination with the whole grain mustard seeds it was a burst of two kinds of heat.
• The tangy, sweet and creamy cauliflower puree added a smoothness and the hint of lime zest kept the flavours bright and made it not too fishy.
• There was a little smokiness in the aftertaste and I’m not sure where that was from.
• All the ingredients gelled together and melted away nicely.
• It was very good, but I still didn’t see the value even with the two pieces of sea urchin.

It’s a blurry photo, but just to show you some perspective in serving size. I could have zoomed out more.

Portuguese Sardine on Brioche - 4/6

• Smoked trout caviar, shiso, lime $11
• I think this was 3.5 inches again.
• Sardines are typical at a Portuguese restaurant so I had to try it.
• Of course you have to love strong fishy flavours to appreciate this, and I do.
• It was a salty, fishy, and polished sardine marinated in lime juice and topped with an even layer of salty smoky caviar.
• The shiso was very mild and barely noticeable, but it’s the ideal herb to go with strongly flavoured fish like mackerel, or in this case sardines. It has a minty-licorice flavour, but I could barely taste it here.
• The home made brioche was a bit soft and I wish it had been crispy.
• There was a thin layer of I think aioli spread on the brioche and it lent a nice richness.
• Again it was enjoyable, but I didn’t see the value.

Photo from Nicknamemiket

**Shrimp Alhinho – 5.5/6

• Garlic, coriander, pimenton, pressed jus $16
• This is one of the most raved about dishes.
• It was very meaty and crunchy shrimp and it almost tasted like lobster tails.
• The pimento, garlic and saffron gave it a nice smoky sweetness and intense aroma that was undeniable.
• It was smoky with a mild bitterness at the end, and it was a bit acidic from tomato to keep it balanced.
• The pressed jus was oily and buttery with an intense shrimp crustacean and shrimp head flavour without the creaminess.
• The garlic, shrimp shells and head were very well fried and infused into the oil.
• I could taste some fresh mint and cilantro leaves being used, but it was never Indian tasting.
• It wasn’t spicy or hot like the colour suggested, but the pressed jus and shrimp had so much infused flavour, aromatics and depth.
• Although excellent, it was missing something texturally. Maybe I just wanted the deep fried shrimp heads too.

**Arroz De Pato - 6/6

• Duck confit, chorizo, olive, orange $27 (Image above is a split portion)
• This was a gourmet fusion version of a home style Portuguese dish “duck rice”. It’s comfort food you want to curl up to.
• I almost always order anything confit and this is one of the favourite dishes here.
• It was a slow poached duck breast with very little fat that was slightly chewy, but the meat was incredibly soft, tender and almost like the texture of cheese or tongue.
• The duck leg was super juicy, moist and melting off the bone and it had a nice crispy skin which I look forward to when having duck confit.
• Orange and duck are a classic combination and the orange, tangerine, and clementine syrup played right into the sweetness of the duck while carrying some citrus tang.

• I loved the crispy, chewy, nutty, toasted and fried rice which reminded me of the stuck on rice you would find at the bottom of Korean bibimbap or Chinese clay rice pots. It’s always the best part.
• The rice was garlicky, oily and infused with duck broth and fried in duck fat, so the flavour was as intense as the meat.
• It kind of seemed like a duck paella instead of seafood paella and I think there was even some saffron in it to give it colour and aromatics. It was subtle, but I could taste it.
• The added slices of thinly shaved chorizo was also like a paella, but I wish they had been crispier and a bit spicy since I found them quite mild.
• The little bits of diced olives in combination with the orange gave the dish a nice salty and fruity aspect.
• The yellow dollops of puree were obviously orange in flavour, but it wasn’t citrusy and even a bit bitter, so I think it was made with pureed zest and it had a pastey texture.
• I almost wanted some candied orange bits for a little more sweetness and even a bit more citrus tang or saffron yogurt to balance out the smoky and nutty flavours even more.
• Regardless, it was an amazing dish and I didn’t let any bit go to waste. If I could eat the duck bones, I would have.

**Pennsylvania Roast Suckling Pig – 5/6

• Mango brulee, pickled kohlrabi, crispy potato $34 (Image above is a split portion)
• I’m so glad this was the other recommended main because I had my eyes on it. Just like duck confit, I’m a sucker for roast pig too.
• Ordering pig at a Portuguese restaurant is almost a must and there’s cultural pride in a roast suckling pig done well.
• This was even richer and heavier than the duck confit rice above.
• This was definitely done contemporary and Portuguese dishes are rarely sweet and savoury like this.
• It was best to get everything in one bite because the creamy sweet mango contrasted the juicy pork with salty crispy skin, and the bite of crunchy pickled kohlrabi was the tang.
• Using mango was a nice alternative from the usual apple.
• The mango was warm and sweet with a semi-crispy caramelized brulee crust that carried a desired bitterness to offset the sweetness.
• It was quite fiberous and it almost came across as a peach, and likely because it wasn’t in season.
• I’m not sure if it was the best choice although it made the dish memorable and unique.

• The pork was absolutely heavenly! It was creamy and very soft and falling apart with the touch of my fork, but it wasn’t juicy although moist.
• The skin was perfectly crispy and there were dots of truffle puree to accompany the pork.
• The dollops of truffle puree were intense with black truffle and likely truffle oil too. It was extremely delicious, but there was so little of it that it was almost pointless and more like garnish.
• The crispy shaved potato on top and strand of pickled kohlrabi (turnip) gave nice crispy and crunchy textures to the dish and the few herbs made for colour more than flavour.
• There was an orangey caramelized pork au jus that was sweet, smoky, aromatic, sticky and very well reduced and the pork absorbed it all very nicely. They poured this over the dish upon serving.
• There was also random bites of spicy and tangy green onion slices to ease the richness of it all.
• There were many small details for this labour intensive dish, but it was very well delivered although again quite pricey.
• I probably wouldn’t order it again, but I certainly savoured every moment and would recommend it as a main if you visit.

Chocolate Cinnamon Tarte – 4/6

• Honey lavender ice cream, citrus, orange caramel $10
• This sounded like a whirl wind of flavours and I had no idea how they would complement, but I was very curious since I liked each component.
• The chocolate tarte was rich, but the fruit was a nice contrast and it was almost a play on chocolate fondue.
• It was a sweet, thin and crispy sable cookie crumb tart shell filled with a warm bittersweet flourless cake and chocolate sorbet on top.
• The lid was almost like an almond fortune cookie sugar crisp with crunchy toasted almonds.
• The juicy bursts of fresh citrus fruit included honey tangerine, grapefruit and orange segments so there was that orange and chocolate dynamic.
• The honey lavender ice cream was floral, icy and light with lavender flowers infused into the cream, but it wasn’t actually that strong with lavender flavour.
• The ice cream was delicious and I love lavender, but it was slightly random with the orange and chocolate aspect since those flavours are so much bolder and stronger. I felt like it should have been either orange or chocolate. I’m not sure if honey and chocolate was necessary either.
• The orange caramel wasn’t as well executed or presented, but it was the bridge to the chocolate tarte and it helped tie the two components together.
• Usually it’s spiced chocolate, floral chocolate or fruity chocolate, or a combination of the two, but this just threw everything in one pot and there was a lot going on.
• It was still very good, but the combination took away from each other and I almost couldn’t appreciate any of the flavours unless I ate them individually.

Complimentary Pistachio & Sour Cherry Cake & Pate des Fruits

• Pistachio & Sour Cherry Cake – It was a very nutty and moist ground almond and pistachio tea cake with a tart sour cherry and a sweet caramelized glaze. Since it was so thin and small, it baked up a bit chewy and it also tasted like marzipan, which I love.
• Strawberry Pate des Fruits – It was on the sweet side for me, but intense with real strawberry fruit flavour.

Complimentary Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

• It was a bitter sweet creamy truffle made with fresh seedless raspberry jam puree.
• It was light, but obvious with raspberry flavour and a nice way to end the meal.

Restaurant: Romados
Cuisine: Portuguese/Fast Food/Bakery
Last visited: November 13, 2011
Location: Montreal, Quebec (Plateau Mont-Royal)
Address: 115 Rue Rachel Est.
Subway stop: Mont-Royal
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 5
Service: n/a (take out)
Ambiance: 1.5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Since 1994
• Family owned
• “Best” Portuguese chicken in city
• Fresh chargrilled chicken
• Doubles as Portuguese take-out bakery
• Portuguese Charcuterie/cheese available
• Limited menu
• Hole in the wall/dive
• Very casual “fast food”
• Local favourite
• Hidden gem
• Popular/busy at peak hours
• Very limited seating (may have to eat standing)
• Cheap eats/Budget friendly
• Open daily lunch & dinner until I think about 9pm
  

**Recommendations: Portuguese chicken and fries

My original plan was dinner at Au Pied Du Cochon (PDC), but unfortunately they didn’t have seats until 10:30pm. I was pretty disappointed and I was also pretty hungry since I was anticipating a rich and decadent Quebecois meal of foie gras overload for dinner. It seemed like nothing would satisfy that craving, and the bratty part of me almost wanted nothing for dinner if I couldn’t have PDC.

Being a tourist I was unfamiliar with the area, but I knew I was surrounded with restaurants. It was my last dinner in Montreal, so I didn’t want to risk picking a random restaurant and ending my culinary adventure on a mediocre or bad note.

I had a long list of restaurants I still wanted to try, but I had no idea where they were situated from where I was. So I started wandering the street aimlessly whimpering like a lost dog looking for food.

I was walking down a dark residential street with no destination in mind, and I was about to hail a taxi and head back to the hotel when I noticed this shady hole in the wall dive with people quickly coming and going. I thought it was some illegal operation, but the lights were too bright for shady business. I took a closer look from across the street and oh my gosh…

Could it be? Was it really he?

Yes, it was! Romados!

No Romados isn’t the guy you see coming out, but it’s the name of the place! Romados was actually on my original foodie itinerary and I had randomly found it! My trusted foodie friend who lived in Montreal recommended it. It was described as a take out hole in the wall serving Portuguese chicken at its finest. Seeing Romados was like a shining light!

Montreal has a much bigger Portuguese population than Vancouver and it even has a little Portuguese town, where Romados is to be found. I did take notice to the Portuguese restaurants and the several offerings for rotisserie chicken, so I actually wanted to try one before I left.

It operates as a take-out Portuguese bakery and also sells Portuguese charcuterie and cheeses, but be prepared to eat standing up, as seats are limited and tables are counter tops.

This was the only Portuguese chicken I tried in Montreal, but to be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the winner. It’s apparently the “best in town” and all signs were pointing to “hidden gem” and “local favourite” as I witnessed a constant flow of locals lining up for chicken. It was a hole in the wall that you wouldn’t notice unless you were looking for it. I can’t say for certain, but Romados could likely be the Schwartz’s of Portuguese Chicken!

On the table:

I didn’t even know how to order and I literally just said “oui” to everything the butcher said. Chicken? Oui. Frites? Oui. Salad? Oui. And then I had my box.

I know, where’s the chicken?

Oh there it is! They pile a sick amount of greasy, delicious, well seasoned fries on top.

**¼ Chicken, Salad, Fries – 5/6

• $8 (Portuguese bun included)
• I’ve had better Portuguese chicken than this, but it was home made by a Portuguese family, so it doesn’t count and I still enjoyed this.
• I’m going to take “authenticity” out of the equation and call it what it is. This was “gourmet Nando’s”, but way better!
• I can’t get anything like this in Vancouver, so for me it was fast food at its best!
• Upon ordering the butcher asked if I wanted spicy sauce (Piri Piri sauce) brushed on my chicken. I said “oui” and he ended up “drizzling” (more like drenching) the sauce all over my chicken. Ask for more if you can. It’s not spicy at all, but it’s good.
• The Piri Piri sauce was orange and oily and it tastes like the rendered chicken fat and oils mixed with seasoning salt. It’s good especially with the fries. I like Nando’s Piri Piri sauce better and this just needed some spice.
• The chicken is charcoal grilled in house daily and the bones snapped and it was cooked perfectly. It’s not actually “rotisserie”, but still delicious.
• The chicken was quite plump and moist and so flavourful and tender and likely brined and marinated in lemon before being grilled.
• The chicken skin wasn’t very crispy, but full of savoury flavours that was more than just salt.
• The flavours was of seasoning salt, and it wasn’t apparent with any strong herbs or anything, although the base of it could have been tomato paste and/or paprika.
• The chicken and sauce wasn’t that garlicky or spicy at all and I wanted more garlic and Piri-Piri sauce.
• The only thing missing in this equation was spice, and if I had this chicken with the Nando’s Peri-Peri sauce I would have been on cloud 9.
• If I lived in Montreal I would go back and order it again, and as a tourist I’d cram it in as a “snack” on the foodie itinerary.

Fries - 4.5/6

• When I said “oui” to fries I didn’t know it was going to be enough for 4 people.
• They pile the fries on top of your chicken and it reminded me of how they serve fries at Five Guys Burger & Fries.
• The fries were delicious! They were semi-crispy, but well seasoned with salt, paprika and a bit of black pepper.
• The fries didn’t even need dip or sauce, but it was good dipped in their Piri-Piri sauce.

Salad

• The few leaves of salad and wedge of tomato is more like a garnish and it comes drenched in an Italian like dressing but tangier with lemon.

Portuguese Bun

• They served the chicken combos with a complimentary Portuguese bun.
• The bun was cold, hard and not crusty and I’ve had better Portuguese buns than this.
• The inside was soft, but also somewhat dense and not as airy light.
• I tried making a sandwich, but it just didn’t work and it’s not bread I wanted to eat.
• If you’re in Vancouver, try Beira Mar Importers Co. Ltd in Burnaby for excellent Portuguese buns.

Restaurant: Le Bremner
Cuisine: Seafood/French/Canadian/Eclectic
Last visited: November 12, 2011
Location: Montreal, QC (Old Montreal)
Address: 361 St. Paul East
Nearby subway stop: Champ-de-Mars
Price Range: $30-50+

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5-5
Service: 4 (sit at the bar)
Ambiance: 4.5
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Since July 2011
• Chef/Owner Chuck Hughes
• Celebrity chef restaurant
• Sister to Garde Manger
• Casual fine dining
• French-Canadian bistro
• Specializes in seafood
• Raw menu available
• Large and creative menu
• Hidden underground gem
• Sophisticated/lively
• Wine/cocktail bar
• Reservations recommended
• Mon-Sat: 6pm-late
• Kitchen closes at 11pm

**Recommendations: Kimchi Snow Crab, Lobster Toast Au Gratin

Le Bremner was plan B because Garde-Manger was fully booked months in advance. Both are celebrity chef Chuck Hughes’ restaurants from Food Network’s Chuck’s Day Off. Almost everyone knows about Garde-Manger and I had many recommendations for it, but I think it was fate that I ended up at Le Bremner. I guess I can’t really say since I haven’t tried Garde-Manger, but trusted food enthusiasts say Le Bremner is the better choice. In a way Garde-Manger is “yesterday’s news”, and since Le Bremner just opened in July 2011, it’s one of the hottest restaurants to hit Montreal.

“If Hughes’ restaurants were women, Garde would be a red-lipped blonde wearing a Mackage leather jacket toting a Louis Vuitton; Le Bremner would be the fresh-faced brunette in skinny jeans, holding a Chanel 2.55.” – Anabel on Yelp! I saw this quote and I couldn’t agree with it more! Just to put a foodie spin on things I’ll add that the blonde would start with raw oysters and a martini and the brunette with raw scallops and champagne.

I walked by Garde Manger on the weekend and I honestly thought it was a night club. Both restaurants are hidden gems with no signage, but Le Bremner is more sophisticated, yet still lively.

Le Bremner was fully booked and it is a foodie destination in Montreal for locals and tourists. However it does have the famous name to help carry it. I’m not actually too familiar with Chuck Hughes’ cooking style and all I knew was that this restaurant was seafood focused, so I came in rather neutral which is a good place to be.

I opted for dining at the bar which is always my first choice. It’s where all the action is and I found the floor tables a bit close together.

The menu was quite extensive featuring raw items, share plates, entrees, and meat and seafood options. It’s supposed to be an upscale “seafood diner”, so it was kind of a first for me even though I’m from the West Coast (Vancouver, BC). The menu was fresh and eclectic and they generally delivered way beyond the menu description, which didn’t give much at all.

It is a casual fine dining restaurant and it is overpriced, but I kind of expected that. You are paying for the name, so don’t be too surprised. The appetizers are almost the same price as the entrees and I was actually more impressed with them, which I find is often the case with me.

Unfortunately it was “Chuck’s Day Off” so he wasn’t in house, which was something I also expected. However on this occasion I was dining with Mr. Maple Pudding Chomeur (aka Brad) from Food Network’s Recipe to Riches! Brad is from Gatineau, Quebec so it was nice to reunite with my fellow sweet puddings and pie contestant. Sadly, Glo couldn’t join us as she’s busy whipping out lemon puddings, so please remember to vote for her on December 7! If she wins she can fly over to visit me and teach me more of her winning recipes

On the table:

Complimentary Breadsticks

• The servers walk around offering very long Rosemary & Parmesan Breadsticks.
• The were nice and crunchy with coarse salt, but the rosemary and parmesan were pretty faint.

**Kimchi Snow Crab with Crispy Rice Cake - 6/6

• $22
• This is the most raved about dish, and I loved it! It’s a must try.
• The crispy rice cake was a nice switch up from a “been there, done that” crostini, and it was reminiscent of the deep fried sushi “pizza crusts” I’ve seen in Vancouver.
• This was also almost like the MARKET Sushi at Market by Jean-Georges in Vancouver.
• The crispy rice cake was fried to just under a complete crisp and I think it even had a panko breading for extra crunch.
• It had a chew that stuck to your teeth and a wonderful nuttiness that was just like the rice bits that are glued onto the bottom of Chinese clay pots or Korean bibimbap.
• They were nice and thin and topped with a mound of super juicy, flaky, shredded, fresh and chilled spicy snow crab mixed with pieces of crunchy pickled kimchi.
• The crab and kimchi mixture was marinated with mayo, sriracha, and lemon confit so it was nice and bright and full of zesty and zingy flavours.
• I could taste the crab and kimchi equally and he didn’t butcher either ingredient.
• There was also some garlic and shallots and fresh basil leaves so it was incredibly aromatic and infused with flavour.
• It was extremely juicy, nice and spicy, but well balanced and the spice never overpowered the sweetness of the crab.
• It had all the textures and flavours imaginable and it nailed the idea of Asian fusion.
• Being from the West Coast, where Asian fusion is easily available, I was very impressed with this and could have eaten 2 plates no problem.

Focaccia Au Thon – 4/6

• Seared tuna focaccia $18
• The “pizza” was topped with a fresh arugula herb salad, parsley marinated shallots and 2 slices of albacore tuna that were perfectly grilled.
• This was delicious, but for what it was, it wasn’t the ideal execution and I found the tuna played a back seat to the focaccia.
• It either needed more pieces of tuna, tuna carpaccio or tuna tartar covering the whole thing because the focaccia just dominated it.
• The focaccia was fantastic so I wouldn’t give that up.
• It was a home made focaccia meets a naan bread and it was quite substantial and rich and I could have eaten it alone.
• It was a rather flat focaccia with a crispy and flaky exterior and the inside was very chewy and moist.
• The flavour was very buttery and almost cheesy with baked in shallot flavour, and the drizzle of olive oil literally and figuratively topped it off.
• I could taste caramelized onions, sweet and pickled shallots and a hint of lemony parsley.
• Underneath the arugula was I think a layer of cheesy garlic aioli for extra richness and salty flavour.
• It was very good, but with that kind of focaccia bread, anything would be good on it, so I found the tuna a bit of a waste.

**Lobster Toast Au Gratin – 6/6

• $19
• This was a shared appetizer and it could have been a main course for one.
• Oh god! Please! I can barely look at this photo without salivating.
• This was a hybrid of all things good and all things bad, but I only focus on the good!
• It was the love child of a lobster grilled cheese meets an eggs benedict, but almost even better if that’s even possible.
• It was a thick and fluffy semi-crispy home made brioche topped with fresh lobster, a 62 degree sous vide egg, a generous amount of lobster bisque and an overwhelming amount of three melting cheeses including Parmesan, mozzarella and cheddar cheese. *Phew*… if I smoked, I’d take a cigarette break right here.
• This was rich and hearty comfort food at its best.
• The only thing missing was a couple strips of crispy prosciutto… and if the cheese was parm and Gruyere, even better!
• The egg was somewhere poaching in the middle. I wasn’t even sure when I cut into it, until I saw the silky bubbly egg white and golden rivers of egg yolk flow and absorb right into the fluffy brioche.
• To be honest, I barely tasted the egg under all that sauce and might not have guessed it was in there unless I was told.
• The lobster bisque was so rich and indulgent and it mixed right into the melting cheese. Together with the egg yolk it was almost like a superior lobster bisque meets a hollandaise.
• The lobster bisque was heavy and more like a brown gravy than a typical tomato based bisque.
• I could taste the lobster crustaceans used to make it and it did have a seafood flavour.
• Everything was so buttery, creamy and saucy and the bread was just a giant sponge that absorbed it all. It was a bit thick, but with so much sauce, it ended up being okay.
• I could have used a crispy cheese gratin crust for more texture since everything was so ooey gooey, but I’m barely complaining.
• The actual pieces of lobster meat were on the chewy side, but everything else was so good it didn’t bother me.
• I could have this for brunch or dinner and I loved every bite of it.
• It’s too fancy for Diners, Drive ins, and Dives, but this would make it on my list as one of the best and richest foods at a high end restaurant.

Cornbread with Broiled Garlic Shrimp – 4/6

• $20
• This was a main and the description wasn’t exciting, but when I heard the cornbread was almost like a “melting cornbread”, I was sold.
• It was a butter pan seared cornbread with marinated pickled shallots, Florida shrimps, cilantro, chives, herbs, and home made bacon chips.
• This was another very rich, indulgent and decadent dish.
• I really wasn’t a fan of the broiled garlic shrimp though. For one they were imported, and they were quite dry and very bland. It just isn’t the season to put shrimp on the menu.
• I actually wanted more caramelized garlic or crispy nutty garlic chips because all I could taste were lots of chives, cilantro, parsley and some shaved celery marinated with grated ginger.
• I found the Asian twist of cilantro and ginger a bit contrasting and it didn’t really complement the sweet corn bread and pickled onions.
• The sauce was basically a reduced brown butter sauce, so I wasn’t sure if it was more East or West, and the butter needed a chili spice or something to bring it together.

• The corn bread was the best part, but you have to be a fan of sweet and savoury to enjoy this, which I am. However I’ve enjoyed similar combinations of corn bread and protein better before.
• The corn bread was pan seared in reduced butter and soaked with a sweet syrup so it was incredibly moist and tender.
• I could also taste some black pepper in it and the pickled onions gave it a crunch as well as tang to cut the richness.
• The herb salad was Asian, but the bacon and corn bread was Southern, and I think the shrimps would have been better with a Creole execution with more spice and garlic.
• I had a Albacore Tuna Nicoise Benedict on Corn Bread at The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, but seafood on cornbread never works as well as meat.
• It’s apple and oranges, but if I’m eating any protein and corn bread, I prefer the Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict on Corn Bread at The Well.

Hake & Clams – 4/6

• $25
• I’m not familiar with Hake (type of fish), but this was called the “underdog” of the entrees, so I gave it a shot!
• It was 4 tiny Little Neck clams with 4 pieces of Hake in a white wine and butter broth with grilled brussel sprouts and asparagus.
• I can’t say I saw the value of the dish, although it was good.
• The clams were overcooked and a bit chewy, but they had a crispy buttery panko crust on them which I liked.
• I think they sprinkled the dish with toasted brioche croutons and crumbs and tossed it quickly under the broiler before serving it.
• There were random bits of crunchy bread crumbs throughout. It was perhaps my favourite part and it added great texture and flavour.
• I loved the flavour of the fish more than the execution.
• Hake is in the cod family and it almost reminded me of Rock Cod they serve at Chinese restaurants meets a Sablefish. It was right in between.
• It was a very buttery, flaky and firm white fish and it was incredibly juicy and moist, but alone it was bland and needed more seasoning.
• I love fish skin so I was happy to see it, but the texture wasn’t appetizing on this one.
• It was almost like jellyfish and it was very thick, rubbery and chewy and I wish it was crispy.
• The broth was very rich, but it didn’t have a seafood flavour and I think I was anticipating a bouillabaisse or something to that degree.
• It was basically a brown butter sauce with olive oil, but there was no apparent tang of lemon and I could have used some acidity.
• There was so much brown butter sauce that I wanted a starch or something to absorb it all.
• Although it was rich and flavourful, it wasn’t really good enough to drink alone as soup either. It was just missing something.
• The crispy brussel sprouts were another highlight for me, but had they been sauteed in bacon, and the bacon included in the broth, that might have done it!

Upside Down Pineapple Cake with Candied Celery – 4/6

• Served with vanilla bean ice cream $9
• At this point I was stuffed, but I opened my second stomach for dessert! No surprise there.
• I’m a sucker for hot and cold desserts and anything with ice cream, so on the table it was.
• This was a solid gourmet upside down pineapple cake.
• The best part besides the incredibly fragrant and intensely flavoured real vanilla bean ice cream, was the bottom of the cake.
• It was a warm, light, fluffy, moist and tender egg based sponge cake with a crispy caramelized bottom.
• I loved the crispy bottom and the cake was made with real vanilla bean seeds too.
• It was similar to a rum cake (but no rum) and topped with a caramelized fresh pineapple and it wasn’t too sweet, especially with the ice cream to cut it.
• The candied celery added texture, but not flavour since it’s mostly water anyways. It could have been candied beets and that might have played more of a purpose if they wanted to add a vegetable.
• It was surely delicious, but nothing you couldn’t replicate at home.