I recommend - turkey quesidallas!
Pile chopped turkey, cheddar, tomatoes, cilantro and peppers on a tortilla. Grill over medium heat and flip when brown. Serve with salsa & avocado or guacamole for fancy people!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Artisan
For a quick meal, we head to Artisan bakery on Islington. It's not extremely cheap, but still a decent deal for hopefully moderately healthy food (ie there are vegetables). For about $20, we get 1 large chicken-pesto panini, an apple, pickle x 2, a piece of french bread, a half grilled veggie & cheese panini and an arugula salad topped with good stuff like roasted veggies, candied pecans and cheese.
Also good are the turkey, bacon, avocado sandwich and the bbq chicken-mushroom pizza. Forget the regular panini bread and go with multi-grain or molasses.
Also good are the turkey, bacon, avocado sandwich and the bbq chicken-mushroom pizza. Forget the regular panini bread and go with multi-grain or molasses.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
La Veranda Osteria
In the Kingsway area (Bloor & Royal York), this is one of the more upscale places. Surprisingly, it doesn't have prices to match.
For dinner on a Tuesday night, Ian had chicken parmesan for $14.95 (came with roast potatoes and grilled veggies) and I had taghiatelle veranda - basically noodles with some veggies, olive oil and tomatoes for $12.95. Both dishes were good and of course, Ian liked the plentiful bread that came around.
We unfortunately ordered the grilled veggie appetizer for $8.95. If we had known it was going to be the exact same veggies that Ian got with his chicken, we would have saved our $8.95.
The main beef with this place is the ridiculous number of rules blatantly displayed. They have some complex "seating" scheme whereby if you book for 5 and clear your table by 7 you get 10% off, then there is the 7-9 seating and a 9 seating. Walk ins are welcome space permitting. They also make allowances for the dessert/coffee crowd! All of this is conveniently displayed on a board outside the restaurant. I know a lot of the top end places do this, but they don't make it that obvious!
Immediately afterward, the adjectives that came to our minds were "snobby" and "hoity-toity". We won't be back anytime soon. There are lots of good Italian places in the neighborhood that don't take themselves quite so seriously!!
Here's the website link.
For dinner on a Tuesday night, Ian had chicken parmesan for $14.95 (came with roast potatoes and grilled veggies) and I had taghiatelle veranda - basically noodles with some veggies, olive oil and tomatoes for $12.95. Both dishes were good and of course, Ian liked the plentiful bread that came around.
We unfortunately ordered the grilled veggie appetizer for $8.95. If we had known it was going to be the exact same veggies that Ian got with his chicken, we would have saved our $8.95.
The main beef with this place is the ridiculous number of rules blatantly displayed. They have some complex "seating" scheme whereby if you book for 5 and clear your table by 7 you get 10% off, then there is the 7-9 seating and a 9 seating. Walk ins are welcome space permitting. They also make allowances for the dessert/coffee crowd! All of this is conveniently displayed on a board outside the restaurant. I know a lot of the top end places do this, but they don't make it that obvious!
Immediately afterward, the adjectives that came to our minds were "snobby" and "hoity-toity". We won't be back anytime soon. There are lots of good Italian places in the neighborhood that don't take themselves quite so seriously!!
Here's the website link.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Cora's
While previously against Cora's due to poor quantity to price ratio, we have lately become addicted now that one has opened up near the IKEA in Etobicoke (ie exceedingly convenient for us).
Our major error in the past was mis-ordering. Stay clear of the overpriced pancakes, waffles and crepes and instead opt for 1990's harvest or rosemary's sunday.
For about $10 - Ian likes his big "brioche" aka cinnamon bun. One half with fresh fruit, the other half with an egg and bacon. Pour some syrup over the whole thing and it's a pretty tasty meal.
I on the other hand prefer the 2 blueberry pancakes, 2 eggs, bacon with fresh fruit and toast. Also somewhere in the vicinity of $10.
Our major error in the past was mis-ordering. Stay clear of the overpriced pancakes, waffles and crepes and instead opt for 1990's harvest or rosemary's sunday.
For about $10 - Ian likes his big "brioche" aka cinnamon bun. One half with fresh fruit, the other half with an egg and bacon. Pour some syrup over the whole thing and it's a pretty tasty meal.
I on the other hand prefer the 2 blueberry pancakes, 2 eggs, bacon with fresh fruit and toast. Also somewhere in the vicinity of $10.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Momiji Sushi
Now that we live in the Kingsway, Momiji is part of our regular dinner spots.
It unfortunately comes with expensive Kingsway-esque prices, but I guess that comes with the neighborhood.
Ian and I usually share the tofu teriyaki or beef teriyaki dinner. Both exceedingly tasty and enough meat/tofu for two to share. Also comes with soup, salad, tempura and the like. The beef is about $17 and the tofu about $12 I think.
Also good is the grilled eggplant with magic orange/ginger stuff (hard to explain). Chicken yakisoba is decent although a little salty for Ian. We usually opt for a cheaper roll or two - avocado for me and salmon for Ian ($4 each).
For a higher end food place, the service is surprisingly bad with the hosts/table seaters particularly rude and un-responsive.
We generally end up spending about $35 for dinner, so certainly not in the same cheapness range as New Gen for example.
It unfortunately comes with expensive Kingsway-esque prices, but I guess that comes with the neighborhood.
Ian and I usually share the tofu teriyaki or beef teriyaki dinner. Both exceedingly tasty and enough meat/tofu for two to share. Also comes with soup, salad, tempura and the like. The beef is about $17 and the tofu about $12 I think.
Also good is the grilled eggplant with magic orange/ginger stuff (hard to explain). Chicken yakisoba is decent although a little salty for Ian. We usually opt for a cheaper roll or two - avocado for me and salmon for Ian ($4 each).
For a higher end food place, the service is surprisingly bad with the hosts/table seaters particularly rude and un-responsive.
We generally end up spending about $35 for dinner, so certainly not in the same cheapness range as New Gen for example.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
My Thai Kitchen
Should you happen to be in the Kingsway area of Toronto, get yourself to the My Thai Kitchen asap. The rest of the neighborhood agrees and it's consistently busy throughout the week for dinner.
Start with a mango salad ($6.75 - enough for 2). For main courses - red curry vegetables with rice is generally good ($8.95) and Ian likes their version of pad thai (10.95).
Start with a mango salad ($6.75 - enough for 2). For main courses - red curry vegetables with rice is generally good ($8.95) and Ian likes their version of pad thai (10.95).
Monday, December 07, 2009
Mama Martino's
This popular Etobicoke placed was packed at 5:45 on a Saturday night with a line-up outside the door!!
Once we got in, it was eggplant parmesan with pasta ($9.95) for me and veal parmesan with pasta for Ian ($8.95) plus a double of garlic bread (free).
The eggplant was about 10 layers covered with tomato sauce and lots of cheese. Ian liked his veal. The entire dish was so big that I took most of the pasta home for lunch the next day.
The rather large restaurant appeared to be equally split between lasagna, pasta, sandwiches and pizza. At this price and tastiness level, we'll definitely be back!
Once we got in, it was eggplant parmesan with pasta ($9.95) for me and veal parmesan with pasta for Ian ($8.95) plus a double of garlic bread (free).
The eggplant was about 10 layers covered with tomato sauce and lots of cheese. Ian liked his veal. The entire dish was so big that I took most of the pasta home for lunch the next day.
The rather large restaurant appeared to be equally split between lasagna, pasta, sandwiches and pizza. At this price and tastiness level, we'll definitely be back!
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Tacos Al Asador Round #2
The last time around Ian and I were rather pleased by the price to quantity ratio and did not comment on tastiness which tells me it was only ok. Round #1 review here.
Round #2 was a Friday night about 7:45. This unfortunately meant a line-up right to the door for this popular El Salvadorian taco joint in the Annex. Also unfortunate was the argument Ian had with one of the owners who got upset at him for monopolizing a tables while I waited in line to get my order in. In the end, there were enough tables for everyone, but I think we had better give this place a cooling off period before going back.
On the menu this time was a chicken burrito, pork quesidalla, beef quesidalla, mixed pupusa, plantain and a coke.
Ian thought the chicken burrito was plain and the corn tortillas wrapped around the beef quesidalla (real chunks of beef and lots of cheese) were amazing. Both items came with a mini salad useful for stuffing into the quesidalla. Also on the table was a bowl of misc. fixins including jalapenos, onions and cilantro and a bowl of yummy hot sauce.
The plantains to share were good, but plain. Who can argue with fried members of the banana family?
My pupusa was interesting - it was a corn pancake type item with a mystery cheesy filling. It came with a side of pickled purple cabbage. All around good stuff. I ate with a fork and knife, but I later saw some authentic Latin Americans eating naan bread and curryesque - using the pupusa to pick up the slaw. I guess I'll know for next time.
Total price was $18.10. By my count, it should have come to $17.10, but no need to argue, we just tipped less to compensate.
Round #2 was a Friday night about 7:45. This unfortunately meant a line-up right to the door for this popular El Salvadorian taco joint in the Annex. Also unfortunate was the argument Ian had with one of the owners who got upset at him for monopolizing a tables while I waited in line to get my order in. In the end, there were enough tables for everyone, but I think we had better give this place a cooling off period before going back.
On the menu this time was a chicken burrito, pork quesidalla, beef quesidalla, mixed pupusa, plantain and a coke.
Ian thought the chicken burrito was plain and the corn tortillas wrapped around the beef quesidalla (real chunks of beef and lots of cheese) were amazing. Both items came with a mini salad useful for stuffing into the quesidalla. Also on the table was a bowl of misc. fixins including jalapenos, onions and cilantro and a bowl of yummy hot sauce.
The plantains to share were good, but plain. Who can argue with fried members of the banana family?
My pupusa was interesting - it was a corn pancake type item with a mystery cheesy filling. It came with a side of pickled purple cabbage. All around good stuff. I ate with a fork and knife, but I later saw some authentic Latin Americans eating naan bread and curryesque - using the pupusa to pick up the slaw. I guess I'll know for next time.
Total price was $18.10. By my count, it should have come to $17.10, but no need to argue, we just tipped less to compensate.
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