Highly recommended if you are a Patisserie kind of person, which i am proud to be!
This bakery/cafe is really big, with lots of window seats. They have an enormous kitchen which means they can bake anything in house.
Their pastries are made with hormone free milk, locally made butter and dairy products, flour from wheat farms in Washington state, and the best quality chocolate, fruit and nuts.
We went a couple of times to this beautiful bakery. We had cinnamon crowns, which is like a very light and flaky cinnamon roll, with little bits cooked together, which resembles a crown. Fruit tarts, brownies and Gibassier, which is a bready type donut, with dried fruit and fennel seeds baked inside.
In France its a Galette made with fruited olive oil, star anise, candied orange peel, orange flower water and dusted with bakers sugar.
I had two Rugala's they are my favorite. Its a little Jewish pastry (Rugelach) with a cream cheese dough, rolled up, with pecans currants and cinnamon sugar.
I mean really this place has something for everyone. They do fresh made sandwiches as well, with fresh bread, natural meats, imported cheeses, organic local greens and home-made spreads.
We went to Pearl on our last day, i got a latte and Joe got an Americano, very good coffee, my latte had a pretty heart in the milk and espresso, it was nice and hot, just great.
Pearl Bakery also supplies their bread to numerous of Portland's finest restaurants.
They open at 6:30am on weekdays, so they are available for those that are up that early or on their way to work.....
Natasha:)
http://www.pearlbakery.com/
Monday, December 5, 2011
Bunk Sandwiches, Portland, Oregon
Hmmm where do i begin with this tiny shop that is serving delicious sandwiches...Bunk! Say it out loud..Bunk!!
Bunk is the best, that is all......
Just kidding, ill share. So fresh baked bread, fresh in house prepared, local products. Heavenly layers of thinly sliced roast beef, pork belly cooked with love and care and vegetarians are welcome too.
I had the Roasted Butternut Squash with Gruyere and arugula, on a toasted ciabatta style bread. So the first bite is crunch then you get the sweet creamy squash, the melted cheese and the peppery cleanse of the arugula. Every bite tastes better and better. My first thought when i was done the sandwich was i want another!
This place is very small, but very welcoming and a cozy place to eat delicious food.
I also had a tomato soup, which was..well....tomato soup! No fancy roast pepper or added stuff, just simply beautiful pureed tomato soup.
Joe had the Pork Belly Cubano, which is also on wonderful crispy, chewy bread, it has the slow cooked pork belly and ham, swiss, pickles and mustard. Great combination all chewed up together.
We glutinously shared a Roast Beef as well....with caramelized onions, horseradish and cheddar, on a poppy seed bun.
This is the part where i say whether i would go back or not,......well we did, the next day!! So Good!
Natasha:)
http://www.bunksandwiches.com/
Bunk is the best, that is all......
Just kidding, ill share. So fresh baked bread, fresh in house prepared, local products. Heavenly layers of thinly sliced roast beef, pork belly cooked with love and care and vegetarians are welcome too.
I had the Roasted Butternut Squash with Gruyere and arugula, on a toasted ciabatta style bread. So the first bite is crunch then you get the sweet creamy squash, the melted cheese and the peppery cleanse of the arugula. Every bite tastes better and better. My first thought when i was done the sandwich was i want another!
This place is very small, but very welcoming and a cozy place to eat delicious food.
I also had a tomato soup, which was..well....tomato soup! No fancy roast pepper or added stuff, just simply beautiful pureed tomato soup.
Joe had the Pork Belly Cubano, which is also on wonderful crispy, chewy bread, it has the slow cooked pork belly and ham, swiss, pickles and mustard. Great combination all chewed up together.
We glutinously shared a Roast Beef as well....with caramelized onions, horseradish and cheddar, on a poppy seed bun.
This is the part where i say whether i would go back or not,......well we did, the next day!! So Good!
Natasha:)
http://www.bunksandwiches.com/
Bistro 921 Restaurant and Bar, Portland, Oregon
Located in the Hilton Portland, this is where we had dinner. We sat in the bar, the restaurant looked too much like a cafeteria to me. Plus the bar had lots of TV's and a few cozy more private tables.
First impression is pretty good, until you sit down in the hard chairs.....So the service was sort of all over the place, you know when one person takes your drink order, and then someone else comes and asks for your drink order...not really sure who our server was.....
Anyways minor details. Drink choices were nice, lots of local micro brews and west coast wines.
The food was surprisingly good, Joe had Northwest Salmon Burger with sweet potato fries and Chipotle Aioli. Every component was good, hot grilled salmon, crispy fresh fries and a savory Aioli, all together went really well. I like how they put the Aioli on the side so you can put as much or little on your burger.
I also had salmon with a bacon vinaigrette, on herb risotto, green beans and zucchini. Presentation was very neet and clean. Salmon was freshly grilled, creamy risotto a bit runny, but actually had lots of fresh herbs, vegetables were a bit sparse but crunchy and not overcooked. The bacon vinaigrette was a bit rich for me, just tasted fatty. I find salmon quite rich already so it doesn't need much if any fat added.
So i would go back if we were staying at the hotel again, i mean if the food ends up being very good, everything else that happens can be overlooked.....
Natasha:)
http://www.bistro-921.com/
First impression is pretty good, until you sit down in the hard chairs.....So the service was sort of all over the place, you know when one person takes your drink order, and then someone else comes and asks for your drink order...not really sure who our server was.....
Anyways minor details. Drink choices were nice, lots of local micro brews and west coast wines.
The food was surprisingly good, Joe had Northwest Salmon Burger with sweet potato fries and Chipotle Aioli. Every component was good, hot grilled salmon, crispy fresh fries and a savory Aioli, all together went really well. I like how they put the Aioli on the side so you can put as much or little on your burger.
I also had salmon with a bacon vinaigrette, on herb risotto, green beans and zucchini. Presentation was very neet and clean. Salmon was freshly grilled, creamy risotto a bit runny, but actually had lots of fresh herbs, vegetables were a bit sparse but crunchy and not overcooked. The bacon vinaigrette was a bit rich for me, just tasted fatty. I find salmon quite rich already so it doesn't need much if any fat added.
So i would go back if we were staying at the hotel again, i mean if the food ends up being very good, everything else that happens can be overlooked.....
Natasha:)
http://www.bistro-921.com/
Byways Cafe, Portland Oregon
This cozy diner is located in the heart of the Portland District. They have stayed true to their vision over time and are proud to be "nothing to ritzy". Casual setting with plastic booths and soda to drink, this place is great for chilling out in a time that has passed.
We found out about Byways from the Food Network with Guy Fieri. We went for the famous Corn Beef Hash and Amaretto French Toast, however we missed breakfast, which stops at 11am:(
So we got lunch instead, Joe had the French Dip, with thinly sliced organic roast beef on a Love Joy Bakery (local) grilled baguette, with Au jus. The bread was delicious, crunchy and chewy perfect for dipping, lovely roast beef, perhaps a bit more beef would have been nice, or maybe im being greedy teehee :)very yummy.
I had the Reuben with home-made corned beef, Russian dressing (creamy just like 1000 island), Swiss and sauerkraut on marble rye. It was very good, it was well toasted, and packed with corned beef, slightly dry but not too bad. Each sandwich came with their home-made potato salad, which was perfect, nice celery crunch and creamy mash potato with the skins on! (extra fiber)
So basically we will be going back but we will be setting our alarms a bit earlier next time...
Natasha:)
http://www.bywayscafe.com/
We found out about Byways from the Food Network with Guy Fieri. We went for the famous Corn Beef Hash and Amaretto French Toast, however we missed breakfast, which stops at 11am:(
So we got lunch instead, Joe had the French Dip, with thinly sliced organic roast beef on a Love Joy Bakery (local) grilled baguette, with Au jus. The bread was delicious, crunchy and chewy perfect for dipping, lovely roast beef, perhaps a bit more beef would have been nice, or maybe im being greedy teehee :)very yummy.
I had the Reuben with home-made corned beef, Russian dressing (creamy just like 1000 island), Swiss and sauerkraut on marble rye. It was very good, it was well toasted, and packed with corned beef, slightly dry but not too bad. Each sandwich came with their home-made potato salad, which was perfect, nice celery crunch and creamy mash potato with the skins on! (extra fiber)
So basically we will be going back but we will be setting our alarms a bit earlier next time...
Natasha:)
http://www.bywayscafe.com/
Monday, August 29, 2011
Cavell's Restaurant & Terrace, Jasper, Alberta
Cavell's is one of the many restaurants at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, soo many yummy menus to choose from, but this one won us over.
Wonderful view overlooking the lake and the mountains, although our server thought we were strange for sitting with our backs slightly to the window....it was just an awkward moment...haha so after the server told us we could sit however we liked we ordered some drinks! I got a delicious California Chardonnay.
So for apps we had Nova Scotia Lobster Ravioli with lobster bisque sauce, wilted spinach, sauteed wild mushrooms, Himalayan Truffle..I know right sounds amazing! well it wasnt, it was luke-warm, had been sitting a bit before coming out, sauce was bland, could not taste the truffle at all, the lobster meat was pretty tasty and generous though. We also started with Green Eggs & Ham Farm Duck Confit with house brined duck, sweet potato blinis, braised endive, quail egg & sun dried cherry chutney...I know right! this time it was so delicious but the appetizer came with only one piece.....and too much chutney, great combination though.
For mains i had the Slow Roasted Alberta Prime Rib with horseradish potato puree, local garden vegetables, Okanagan merlot jus. So heres the thing, as a chef i do know about cardinal rules and sins chefs should never do, one very important rule is...ehehmmm, do not, ever...EVER overcook prime rib.....It broke my heart, it was almost well done, i asked for medium. Sigh...the potato's were delicious, and the portion of fresh vegetables was great, not overcooked.
Joe had Braised Alberta Lamb Shank with Ponderosa wild mushroom ragout, fresh fettuccine, sweet garlic puree. He enjoyed it. I however found the lamb dry, the sauce and pasta tasteless, zero salt on the pasta, and there was no sweet garlic puree which could have saved this dish.....
So final answer: would not rush back ,for example the next morning we were wanting breakfast, Cavell's were serving a hot breakfast, we thought about it and decided not to go back after having such a mediocre dinner.
They have the right idea, i just think that the execution and care of each item should be taken into serious consideration......
P.S. Jasper Park Lodge is awesome, i suggest a room with a wood fireplace and a patio facing the lake:)
Natasha:)
http://www.fairmont.com/jasper/GuestServices/Restaurants/cavellsrestaurant.htm
Wonderful view overlooking the lake and the mountains, although our server thought we were strange for sitting with our backs slightly to the window....it was just an awkward moment...haha so after the server told us we could sit however we liked we ordered some drinks! I got a delicious California Chardonnay.
So for apps we had Nova Scotia Lobster Ravioli with lobster bisque sauce, wilted spinach, sauteed wild mushrooms, Himalayan Truffle..I know right sounds amazing! well it wasnt, it was luke-warm, had been sitting a bit before coming out, sauce was bland, could not taste the truffle at all, the lobster meat was pretty tasty and generous though. We also started with Green Eggs & Ham Farm Duck Confit with house brined duck, sweet potato blinis, braised endive, quail egg & sun dried cherry chutney...I know right! this time it was so delicious but the appetizer came with only one piece.....and too much chutney, great combination though.
For mains i had the Slow Roasted Alberta Prime Rib with horseradish potato puree, local garden vegetables, Okanagan merlot jus. So heres the thing, as a chef i do know about cardinal rules and sins chefs should never do, one very important rule is...ehehmmm, do not, ever...EVER overcook prime rib.....It broke my heart, it was almost well done, i asked for medium. Sigh...the potato's were delicious, and the portion of fresh vegetables was great, not overcooked.
Joe had Braised Alberta Lamb Shank with Ponderosa wild mushroom ragout, fresh fettuccine, sweet garlic puree. He enjoyed it. I however found the lamb dry, the sauce and pasta tasteless, zero salt on the pasta, and there was no sweet garlic puree which could have saved this dish.....
So final answer: would not rush back ,for example the next morning we were wanting breakfast, Cavell's were serving a hot breakfast, we thought about it and decided not to go back after having such a mediocre dinner.
They have the right idea, i just think that the execution and care of each item should be taken into serious consideration......
P.S. Jasper Park Lodge is awesome, i suggest a room with a wood fireplace and a patio facing the lake:)
Natasha:)
http://www.fairmont.com/jasper/GuestServices/Restaurants/cavellsrestaurant.htm
Cardero's, Vancouver, B.C.
This great place is located in Coal Harbor, next to the Westin Bayshore hotel. We were greeted very nicely when we walked in, they let us choose our own seat, so we went outside, over looking the marina. Perfectly shaded so you don't cook yourself for lunch :) teehee
So we had fried oysters, which i found out that i do not like, i prefer fresh shucked, they were well prepared though, hot crispy not greasy. We also had seared Ahi tuna, which was so fresh and delicious, crusted with sesame seeds, and served with fresh wasabi and soy sauce.
I had a margarita pizza,cooked in their huge open stone oven. Roma toamato sauce, lotsa mozza and chiffonade basil. Yum! and a side of grilled scallops which were a bit small.... Joe had the salmon burger, he said it was good, nothing crazy but still good.
Great service, nice view which helped us decided which boat we may want to buy one day......I would go back....
Natasha:)
http://vancouverdine.com/carderos0experience.aspx
So we had fried oysters, which i found out that i do not like, i prefer fresh shucked, they were well prepared though, hot crispy not greasy. We also had seared Ahi tuna, which was so fresh and delicious, crusted with sesame seeds, and served with fresh wasabi and soy sauce.
I had a margarita pizza,cooked in their huge open stone oven. Roma toamato sauce, lotsa mozza and chiffonade basil. Yum! and a side of grilled scallops which were a bit small.... Joe had the salmon burger, he said it was good, nothing crazy but still good.
Great service, nice view which helped us decided which boat we may want to buy one day......I would go back....
Natasha:)
http://vancouverdine.com/carderos0experience.aspx
Seawall Bar&Grill, Vancouver B.C.
A nice casual yet conservative pub style restaurant, located at the Westin Bayshore hotel. We got dressed up and just went down for a cozy meal, which is just what we got. Such friendly and accommodating service.
We both had a their cheddar bacon burger. They were so delicious, perfectly grilled and juicy patties,topped with smokey bacon, lettuce, tomato onion and a pickle spear, very simple but done so right. Nice hot fries with skin on, my fave. We also had a plate of hot wings to start, they were crispy hot and delicious! Next time i want to try the fish and chips, or halibut or steak sandwich......
They also have a lot of gluten free options, which can be hard to find at most restaurants, but the industry is really starting to create more unique options for special diets....
Natasha:)
http://www.westinbayshore.com/dining
We both had a their cheddar bacon burger. They were so delicious, perfectly grilled and juicy patties,topped with smokey bacon, lettuce, tomato onion and a pickle spear, very simple but done so right. Nice hot fries with skin on, my fave. We also had a plate of hot wings to start, they were crispy hot and delicious! Next time i want to try the fish and chips, or halibut or steak sandwich......
They also have a lot of gluten free options, which can be hard to find at most restaurants, but the industry is really starting to create more unique options for special diets....
Natasha:)
http://www.westinbayshore.com/dining
Monday, August 22, 2011
Atwater Market, Montreal, Quebec
Take the morning to walk down to Atwater market, take in the aroma of fresh produce including blueberries freshly picked, corn, lettuce, cabbage and tomatoes to name a few. Fresh local maple syrup in every form like tart au sucre (sugar tart) yum!
Check out all the fresh meats and cheeses, so much local product, and all so fresh and generous.
The main destination though is their bakery Premiere Moisson. Get your number and get in line, and try to decide between all the fresh baked delights, danish, tarts galore, turnovers, tirimisu, creme brulee and mountains of croissants. Fresh espresso goes perfectly with your treat. Sit and enjoy as you watch the bakers bring out all the just baked yummies, and decide what to get next!
Natasha:)
http://www.marchespublics-mtl.com/English/Atwater/
http://www.premieremoisson.com/Home/
Check out all the fresh meats and cheeses, so much local product, and all so fresh and generous.
The main destination though is their bakery Premiere Moisson. Get your number and get in line, and try to decide between all the fresh baked delights, danish, tarts galore, turnovers, tirimisu, creme brulee and mountains of croissants. Fresh espresso goes perfectly with your treat. Sit and enjoy as you watch the bakers bring out all the just baked yummies, and decide what to get next!
Natasha:)
http://www.marchespublics-mtl.com/English/Atwater/
http://www.premieremoisson.com/Home/
Garde Manger, Montreal, Quebec
Located in Old Montreal, this cozy hole in the wall is magical. Owned by Chef Chuck Hughes, his focus is simple fresh good food, which by the way is what i live by!
You should make a reservation because they are only a few a night. Its a small restaurant, but that's what i like, it makes it cozy and manageable. The staff are friendly and love their jobs, the guys are busy cooking away in the open kitchen.
Starting with complimentary delicious local bread and a salmon cream cheese spread, we look over the menu written on the wall, which changes daily. Overwhelmed we got a few different items, deep fried octopus which came on a warm salad of broccolini, arugula, peas, and tiny berries that look like grapes. Tomato, avocado salad with deep fried cubes of aged cheddar tossed in salt, so delicious. Lobster poutine, with home cut skinny fries, rich homemade beef gravy, cheese curds and chunks of lobster. Fresh shucked oysters of course...
For mains i had braised short rib, with caramelized onions, cabbage and potatoes, it was so delicious, hot fresh and so tender and moist. Joe had the Halibut pan fried to crisp the skin, such a thick portion, so flaky and white, served with these unique crispy perogies, very good. The only problem is that we only made one reservation for our trip, next time we will make two so that we can try everything!
We will definitely be back......
Natasha:)
http://crownsalts.com/gardemanger/index_en.html
You should make a reservation because they are only a few a night. Its a small restaurant, but that's what i like, it makes it cozy and manageable. The staff are friendly and love their jobs, the guys are busy cooking away in the open kitchen.
Starting with complimentary delicious local bread and a salmon cream cheese spread, we look over the menu written on the wall, which changes daily. Overwhelmed we got a few different items, deep fried octopus which came on a warm salad of broccolini, arugula, peas, and tiny berries that look like grapes. Tomato, avocado salad with deep fried cubes of aged cheddar tossed in salt, so delicious. Lobster poutine, with home cut skinny fries, rich homemade beef gravy, cheese curds and chunks of lobster. Fresh shucked oysters of course...
For mains i had braised short rib, with caramelized onions, cabbage and potatoes, it was so delicious, hot fresh and so tender and moist. Joe had the Halibut pan fried to crisp the skin, such a thick portion, so flaky and white, served with these unique crispy perogies, very good. The only problem is that we only made one reservation for our trip, next time we will make two so that we can try everything!
We will definitely be back......
Natasha:)
http://crownsalts.com/gardemanger/index_en.html
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Whimsical Cake Studio, Edmonton, Alberta
Whimsical is owned and run by a husband and wife team.
Um YUM! I have been on the search for the perfect cupcakes, and today they were found! When you walk in you are wafted with this warm delicious smell of cakes. The selection is wonderful however overwhelming, especially when its my mum and i trying to choose which ones to get without buying out the store....
I got Nostalgia which is my fave, simply vanilla cupcake with vanilla sugar frosting and chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. Raspberry Lemonade which is a lemon zest cupcake and raspberry buttercream. Peanut Butter Bliss, chocolate cupcake with peanut butter chips topped with peanut butter buttercream!!, Also a Ruby, red velvet cupcake with chocolate chips filled with creamcheese icing, topped with buttercream and white chocolate chips, and Smore's, a chocolate cupcake filled with a marshmallow topped with vanilla buttercream and graham cracker and milk chocolate squares.
Very delicious, you can tell that the ingredients are sooo fresh and baked daily. The flavor combinations go so well together and none of them are too sweet, the cake is nice an fluffy. They also do cakes, wedding cakes and cookies, and they offer classes if your wanting to learn some baking tips.
I will definitely be back...
Natasha:)
http://www.whimsicalcakestudio.com/
Um YUM! I have been on the search for the perfect cupcakes, and today they were found! When you walk in you are wafted with this warm delicious smell of cakes. The selection is wonderful however overwhelming, especially when its my mum and i trying to choose which ones to get without buying out the store....
I got Nostalgia which is my fave, simply vanilla cupcake with vanilla sugar frosting and chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. Raspberry Lemonade which is a lemon zest cupcake and raspberry buttercream. Peanut Butter Bliss, chocolate cupcake with peanut butter chips topped with peanut butter buttercream!!, Also a Ruby, red velvet cupcake with chocolate chips filled with creamcheese icing, topped with buttercream and white chocolate chips, and Smore's, a chocolate cupcake filled with a marshmallow topped with vanilla buttercream and graham cracker and milk chocolate squares.
Very delicious, you can tell that the ingredients are sooo fresh and baked daily. The flavor combinations go so well together and none of them are too sweet, the cake is nice an fluffy. They also do cakes, wedding cakes and cookies, and they offer classes if your wanting to learn some baking tips.
I will definitely be back...
Natasha:)
http://www.whimsicalcakestudio.com/
Transcend Coffee, Garneau location in Edmonton, Alberta
Coffee beans from around the world, roasted in small batches daily. I had a chai latte, mum had a cappuccino, both very tasty and had lovely designs in the foam. Could have been a tad hotter, however we still enjoyed them. Nice place to stop by for a cup of joe, very fresh tasting, nice atmosphere, good location.
I will be back fore sure...
Natasha:)
http://transcendcoffee.com/
I will be back fore sure...
Natasha:)
http://transcendcoffee.com/
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Red Ox Inn, Edmonton, Alberta
Heard so many good things about this place. Our table was not ready for us when we arrived, no problem, we can get a drink while we wait...oh..no we cant, what you see is what you get. We had to awkwardly stand in the tiny doorway, all the customers at tables were looking at us, we felt like we were interrupting everyones dinner, ahha. So we decided to wait outside.
The waitress was kind enough to come out and get us when our table was ready. We were sat at this tiny table, which felt like we were on the edge of the kitchen and the other tables. We really would have preferred a more private table. Wow it was loud in there, Friday night i suppose thats why, we had to almost yell at each other to have a conversation...
Yikes, ok no problem, just get me some wine and all will be fine.....20 minutes later, i was asked if i would like a drink... sigh..the wine was sooo good once i finally got it :)
Appetizers, crab cake, good, however the cold beet soup added to the bottom of the plate was definetly unnecessary. We also had the grilled organic Australian prawns, crispy corn-shrimp dumplings, scallions, spicy chipotle mayo. My Prawns were still grey, undercooked, the dumplings were good though. Seasoning was off putting, almost like burnt pepper...i dont think that prawns from Australia are the most appetizing, i mean think of the journey, how fresh can they be?
Joe had the special which was venison wrapped in bacon, with a tasty blueberry sauce, he enjoyed it very much.
I had the lamb, with a barley, mascarpone risotto, and a few vegetables. Lamb was very tender and tasty, bit too salty for my palate. Overall it was good. Prices are up there, a bit too much up there.....Small portions for what you pay for. I dont mind small portions, just dont charge soo much.
We will try it again, the service was pretty good, next time we will maybe try a weekday and hope that we aren't sitting next to another table with 15 25 year old men...
Natasha:)
The waitress was kind enough to come out and get us when our table was ready. We were sat at this tiny table, which felt like we were on the edge of the kitchen and the other tables. We really would have preferred a more private table. Wow it was loud in there, Friday night i suppose thats why, we had to almost yell at each other to have a conversation...
Yikes, ok no problem, just get me some wine and all will be fine.....20 minutes later, i was asked if i would like a drink... sigh..the wine was sooo good once i finally got it :)
Appetizers, crab cake, good, however the cold beet soup added to the bottom of the plate was definetly unnecessary. We also had the grilled organic Australian prawns, crispy corn-shrimp dumplings, scallions, spicy chipotle mayo. My Prawns were still grey, undercooked, the dumplings were good though. Seasoning was off putting, almost like burnt pepper...i dont think that prawns from Australia are the most appetizing, i mean think of the journey, how fresh can they be?
Joe had the special which was venison wrapped in bacon, with a tasty blueberry sauce, he enjoyed it very much.
I had the lamb, with a barley, mascarpone risotto, and a few vegetables. Lamb was very tender and tasty, bit too salty for my palate. Overall it was good. Prices are up there, a bit too much up there.....Small portions for what you pay for. I dont mind small portions, just dont charge soo much.
We will try it again, the service was pretty good, next time we will maybe try a weekday and hope that we aren't sitting next to another table with 15 25 year old men...
Natasha:)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The Blue Pear, Edmonton, Alberta
Hmm, so i have been meaning to check this place out, i have heard nothing but great things. We went all out and got the five course menu with five wines, each wine paired with each course, pretty cool. This costs $144 per person...yikes, but it was fun, and a new experience for both of us. I started with mushroom salad, Asian salad of king and enoki mushrooms over cashew nut puree, with pickled sun chokes, Chinese sausage, radish, sliced pear and pea shoots. It was very cute and tasty.
Joe had the quail, grilled semi boneless quail, potato ricotta dumpling, stinging nettle pesto & aged balsamic. I think that semi boneless is a bit difficult to eat, this isn't exactly a finger food kind of restaurant, so to cut out these tiny bones to get a morsel of meat is a bit tedious.
Joe had the quail, grilled semi boneless quail, potato ricotta dumpling, stinging nettle pesto & aged balsamic. I think that semi boneless is a bit difficult to eat, this isn't exactly a finger food kind of restaurant, so to cut out these tiny bones to get a morsel of meat is a bit tedious.
Anywhoo, it was different and nicely presented. They did give us an amuse of a cold carrot and ginger soup, it was quite bright and refreshing. Then we had a small espresso size lobster tomato bisque with milk foam and a yummy warm biscuit. Many thanks to "Bisque" being used in its proper manner :) It was very flavorful, bit too salty.
For my main course i had Roast chicken breast, grilled prawn, garlic chive potato puree, mushroom ragout, chipolini onions and mushroom jus. Tiny portions, but i guess thats how you can actually eat five courses, im not a big fan of the classic French style of tiny things for big dollars. It was alright, chicken was dry, the skin was well crisped, puree was definitely pureed almost to a liquid, and very green, and then the onions were onions and so on.
Joe had Pork, grilled local Berkshire pork which i believe is British style raised in the fresh air and sunshine. It came with crispy braised pork, potato gratin, glazed rutabagas, wilted greens and pork sauce. The pork loin was very sad looking, it was flat and flimsy, a curious meal, thats for sure.
I just remembered the the tasting plate before the main course, gravlax, with pickled beets, some mayo, and few bits and pieces all over the plate, half a cracker haha, some really sweet cheese........The salmon gravlax didn't taste very fresh.
So dessert, mine was a dark chocolate Boca Negra (Julia Child recipe) cake, with coffee pudding, chocolate meringue, mousse, whipped caramel and chocolate pebbles, lots of whipped and air going on in this dessert, the presentation was kind of ploppy, hehe, it was different and good.
Joe had Medjool (the diamond of dates) date pudding with cotton candy, halva (middle eastern and asian sweet dense dessert) candied pistachios, sesame tuile, whipped date syrup, prickly pear sorbet, Pretty cool.
The wines were good, one did smell like formaldehyde, but hey new experiences are fun:D
We payed a hefty bill for what we got, but it was a new and interesting experience........
Natasha:)
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Pine State Biscuits, Portland Oregon
Honestly we went to get biscuits after the Texas bbq, one because we were in Portland and were on a Guy Fieri Culinary adventure and two to help absorb some of our bbq stomach regrets....
So anyways on a brighter note, great biscuits!
A bit unsure about what to do when you first walk in, then you see the board with all the rules including: "Must order before sitting down" "Be courteous to others if they need a seat give it to them""Bus your own tables" and a few others. I found it a bit intimidating but did my best not to break any of their rules.....after a complicated menu of odd choices such as Creamtop biscuit, biscuit with sausage gravy and fried egg, biscuit with fried chicken and pickles, biscuit with flank steak, blue cheese, tomato and lettuce.... i went with the British way, my British way that is, Biscuit and jam. Marionberry jam. Yup thats all....So finally we got our biscuits, and a seat, and dug in to our well deserved treats. Warm, buttery, sweet and savory, layers of lovely buttermilk biscuits.
They use local fresh products which help in creating such a successful business. Interesting experience, i would go back.....
Recommended by Guy Fieri
Natasha:)
So anyways on a brighter note, great biscuits!
A bit unsure about what to do when you first walk in, then you see the board with all the rules including: "Must order before sitting down" "Be courteous to others if they need a seat give it to them""Bus your own tables" and a few others. I found it a bit intimidating but did my best not to break any of their rules.....after a complicated menu of odd choices such as Creamtop biscuit, biscuit with sausage gravy and fried egg, biscuit with fried chicken and pickles, biscuit with flank steak, blue cheese, tomato and lettuce.... i went with the British way, my British way that is, Biscuit and jam. Marionberry jam. Yup thats all....So finally we got our biscuits, and a seat, and dug in to our well deserved treats. Warm, buttery, sweet and savory, layers of lovely buttermilk biscuits.
They use local fresh products which help in creating such a successful business. Interesting experience, i would go back.....
Recommended by Guy Fieri
Natasha:)
Podnah's Pit Barbecue, Portland, Oregon
This was a daring adventure seeking out Texas bbq. Once we finally found it, the bbq experience began. Named after the owner Rodney's grandpa "podnah" (being Texan for partner), this place is very rustic and real. Rodney and the pit crew swear by these following rules: Getting up at 5am every morning to fire up the pit, Using honest oak hardwood in the firebox. His pit has never seen gas or electric heat. He uses high quality, natural meats. Prepares food fresh daily, never precooking, all slow smoked. Only cooks as much meat as the smoker will hold, which is about 200lbs a day. When the meat is gone, its gone until tomorrow at lunch. They love honest, slow-smoked, Texas style bbq for their patrons.
So there is obviously love involved in all the aspects of Podnah's. I had 1/4 chicken, 1/4lb Brisket which is smoked for 10 hours and coleslaw. None of the meat is cooked with sauce, you add your own from there house made choices. Joe had the 1/4 rack of ribs smoked 4hrs, 1/4lb Pulled Pork, smoked 12hrs and tossed in a spicy vinegar sauce, coleslaw and Black-eyed pea salad (Texas caviar)
Everything was good and tasty, slightly over salty, but its Texan style so......
We did enjoy the experience, however the smokey burps for the next 24hrs was no fun..at all.....especially on a car road trip back to Seattle......hahaha.....
Recommended by Guy Fieri
Natasha:)
So there is obviously love involved in all the aspects of Podnah's. I had 1/4 chicken, 1/4lb Brisket which is smoked for 10 hours and coleslaw. None of the meat is cooked with sauce, you add your own from there house made choices. Joe had the 1/4 rack of ribs smoked 4hrs, 1/4lb Pulled Pork, smoked 12hrs and tossed in a spicy vinegar sauce, coleslaw and Black-eyed pea salad (Texas caviar)
Everything was good and tasty, slightly over salty, but its Texan style so......
We did enjoy the experience, however the smokey burps for the next 24hrs was no fun..at all.....especially on a car road trip back to Seattle......hahaha.....
Recommended by Guy Fieri
Natasha:)
Bakery Nouveau, Seattle, Washington
Located in West Seattle, this quaint bakery is warm and pleasant. Chef Blake runs the show, he has over 20 years of experience in pastry, breads and chocolate. We decided to venture out, drive past it twice, then asked a local where it was, who warned us to stay away from the desserts ;)
It was busy, and had few seats, but you just wait your turn, or shuffle next to a stranger. We had some yummy coffees, an Americano and Double Latte pour moi. The kitchen is open which is nice, you can see them making everything fresh for that day. We had a pear danish and a apple, flaky pastry thing...dont remember what it was called, but it was very good. I peeled each sweet and savory layer at a time, and enjoyed every bite.
Fast paced for a bakery, but very good. Perhaps the espresso could use a slight kick...
Natasha:)
It was busy, and had few seats, but you just wait your turn, or shuffle next to a stranger. We had some yummy coffees, an Americano and Double Latte pour moi. The kitchen is open which is nice, you can see them making everything fresh for that day. We had a pear danish and a apple, flaky pastry thing...dont remember what it was called, but it was very good. I peeled each sweet and savory layer at a time, and enjoyed every bite.
Fast paced for a bakery, but very good. Perhaps the espresso could use a slight kick...
Natasha:)
Mike's Chili Parlor, Seattle, Washington
Four generations of this family secret chili, this restaurant has been doing the same thing since 1922! They must be doing something right. Well they are, small, and definitely old, but this place is a must. If you love chili, then this is for you. Chili Dogs, Chili Burgers, Chili Fries, Chili anything....We each had a bowl of chili and shared a chili fries. I had onions, cheese and jalapeños added to my bowl. They make the meat separately and then add the beans for each order, apparently chili is originally just the meat.....who knew.....
Very tasty, with that home made love in it. We sat there enjoying each warm bite, wondering about all the people that had sat in this very spot enjoying this very meal throughout the past 89 years...
Home cut fries, very nice. However i wouldn't recommend this place if you are against calories:) If you go, just go knowing that you will enjoy a home cooked meal and perhaps a pint of beer, hey once in a while its ok......
So in Seattle this place is perfect when you want to get out of the rain. Snuggle up to a warm bowl of chili, not to spicy, but just enough to get you through the rest of the damp day...
Recommended by Guy Fieri
Natasha :)
Very tasty, with that home made love in it. We sat there enjoying each warm bite, wondering about all the people that had sat in this very spot enjoying this very meal throughout the past 89 years...
Home cut fries, very nice. However i wouldn't recommend this place if you are against calories:) If you go, just go knowing that you will enjoy a home cooked meal and perhaps a pint of beer, hey once in a while its ok......
So in Seattle this place is perfect when you want to get out of the rain. Snuggle up to a warm bowl of chili, not to spicy, but just enough to get you through the rest of the damp day...
Recommended by Guy Fieri
Natasha :)
Bizzarro Itlian Cafe, Seattle, Washington
Well, if you have been following my blog, you may remember my food experience at the Kawaihae Harbor Grill in Hawaii....Well i had another blissful, dreamy experience at Bizzarro. This restaurant was created out of an old auto work shop 25 years ago by original, Chef David Nast.
Now its being led by Chef Jeff Marshall and two owners both with major backgrounds in performing arts. Together the Bizzarro team have created the ultimate restaurant, its warm, crazy, welcoming and polite. The sign at the host stand says "no cell phones please" which i adore. They want their customers to come on in, relax and let go. Which is exactly what we did. Local produce, house made everything including the complimentary foccacia bread, which by the way comes with olive oil and vinegar for dipping. The olive oil was so creamy and nutty, delicious, i swear it took me to Italy for every bite. Our appetizer was the Eggplant Parmigiana Spectacular, thin disks of eggplant encrusted with Parmesan and fried crispy golden, layered with fresh mozzarella and a rustic tomato sauce with torn basil. It was perfect, very hot and fresh, not greasy at all, beautiful fresh tomatoes and light creamy mozza, just perfect again......They then include a starter salad which was simply mixed greens tossed in a lemon raspberry vinaigrette with a couple carrot shavings, just enough for a palate cleanser and some roughage. Then.....i had the Clam Linguini, fresh house made pasta, loaded with fresh, plump and juicy Manila clams, house cured pancetta and topped with roasted jalapeño, all tossed in a white wine butter sauce. Simple and delicious! Joe had the Duck, Duck, Ravioli, braised duck, white wine and thyme slow cooked into a rich ragu, tossed with little pillows of pasta stuffed with sweet potato, Gorgonzola and ameretto soaked currents, then finished with pan seared duck breast. Phew it was a mouthful! So yummy and rich, you could honestly taste each layer so distinctly and perfectly balanced. Of course we had dessert at this point everything had been so good, and the desserts are also made in house, so Tiramisu and Chocolate Ve Suvius which is a volcano in Italy. Both were fabulous, my Tiramisu was well made with traditional ingredients, espresso, liquor and whipped cream, so good, the Chocolate Ve Suvius was a warm espresso infused, ganache glazed-chocolate bundt cake, Joe had it with salted caramel ice cream. Umm Yum!!
I had a local Red wine, Washington Walla Walla, their selection is wonderful.
So the upside-down Christmas tree and the Chariot from the 1940's were just a couple of the bizzare decorations, bizzare but really cool, everything had a story, and relate to many years ago, which brings a lot of feeling to the restaurant.
This restaurant is an absolute must, reservations are just first come, so you may have to wait, but its worth it. We went on a Wednesday and had no wait. Service was wonderful.
This place was recommended by Food Network host Guy Fieri.....
Natasha:)
Now its being led by Chef Jeff Marshall and two owners both with major backgrounds in performing arts. Together the Bizzarro team have created the ultimate restaurant, its warm, crazy, welcoming and polite. The sign at the host stand says "no cell phones please" which i adore. They want their customers to come on in, relax and let go. Which is exactly what we did. Local produce, house made everything including the complimentary foccacia bread, which by the way comes with olive oil and vinegar for dipping. The olive oil was so creamy and nutty, delicious, i swear it took me to Italy for every bite. Our appetizer was the Eggplant Parmigiana Spectacular, thin disks of eggplant encrusted with Parmesan and fried crispy golden, layered with fresh mozzarella and a rustic tomato sauce with torn basil. It was perfect, very hot and fresh, not greasy at all, beautiful fresh tomatoes and light creamy mozza, just perfect again......They then include a starter salad which was simply mixed greens tossed in a lemon raspberry vinaigrette with a couple carrot shavings, just enough for a palate cleanser and some roughage. Then.....i had the Clam Linguini, fresh house made pasta, loaded with fresh, plump and juicy Manila clams, house cured pancetta and topped with roasted jalapeño, all tossed in a white wine butter sauce. Simple and delicious! Joe had the Duck, Duck, Ravioli, braised duck, white wine and thyme slow cooked into a rich ragu, tossed with little pillows of pasta stuffed with sweet potato, Gorgonzola and ameretto soaked currents, then finished with pan seared duck breast. Phew it was a mouthful! So yummy and rich, you could honestly taste each layer so distinctly and perfectly balanced. Of course we had dessert at this point everything had been so good, and the desserts are also made in house, so Tiramisu and Chocolate Ve Suvius which is a volcano in Italy. Both were fabulous, my Tiramisu was well made with traditional ingredients, espresso, liquor and whipped cream, so good, the Chocolate Ve Suvius was a warm espresso infused, ganache glazed-chocolate bundt cake, Joe had it with salted caramel ice cream. Umm Yum!!
I had a local Red wine, Washington Walla Walla, their selection is wonderful.
So the upside-down Christmas tree and the Chariot from the 1940's were just a couple of the bizzare decorations, bizzare but really cool, everything had a story, and relate to many years ago, which brings a lot of feeling to the restaurant.
This restaurant is an absolute must, reservations are just first come, so you may have to wait, but its worth it. We went on a Wednesday and had no wait. Service was wonderful.
This place was recommended by Food Network host Guy Fieri.....
Natasha:)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Creations, Edmonton, Alberta
Beautiful atmosphere, i had a great time. High ceilings, stone and wood decor, massive central fireplace, lounge and restaurant. We sat in the lounge, felt very comfortable, drinks were good, little pricey. We had live jazz which was nice, not too loud, so we could still have a conversation.
Food was yummy, steak sandwich with fries, juicy, hot, well seasoned steak, home cut fries, delicious garlic toast. A Duck burger served on an onion cake, quite unique.
Service was great, couple mistakes but nothing to make a fuss over. Would love to sit in the restaurant next time, however the dinner menu is very expensive, $34.50 for 7oz tuna, $36.25 for rack of lamb.....i saw some of the plates they looked good but for that price in Edmonton, it is a bit much, so maybe we will go for a special occasion and stick to the lounge for more reasonable prices. Our bill came to $55, that was with calamari appetizer, two mains, two gins and a beer, so thats pretty good.
There were lots of yummy things to choose from such as, Alberta Bison Maki Rolls, Lamb Lollipops, Bison Guiness Chili and Parsnip Fries.....Yup will definitely be back.....
Natasha :)
Food was yummy, steak sandwich with fries, juicy, hot, well seasoned steak, home cut fries, delicious garlic toast. A Duck burger served on an onion cake, quite unique.
Service was great, couple mistakes but nothing to make a fuss over. Would love to sit in the restaurant next time, however the dinner menu is very expensive, $34.50 for 7oz tuna, $36.25 for rack of lamb.....i saw some of the plates they looked good but for that price in Edmonton, it is a bit much, so maybe we will go for a special occasion and stick to the lounge for more reasonable prices. Our bill came to $55, that was with calamari appetizer, two mains, two gins and a beer, so thats pretty good.
There were lots of yummy things to choose from such as, Alberta Bison Maki Rolls, Lamb Lollipops, Bison Guiness Chili and Parsnip Fries.....Yup will definitely be back.....
Natasha :)
Friday, March 25, 2011
Holt Renfrew, Edmonton, Alberta
Holts Cafe, run by Executive Chef Corbin Tomaszeski; who also oversees Toronto, Montreal and Quebec city Holts Cafes.
Um cute atmosphere, busy everyday, been around for many years. It was my very first time today, it was alright. I had the Holts Cobb Salad which i believe unfortunately sat in the kitchen too long while waiting for the protein to cook. I think it was butter lettuce, but im not sure, with globs of creamy tarragon dressing, some tear drop tomatoes cut in half, avocado, feta and a dry breast of chicken. This salad has potential, it just needs a bit more respect. Mums Herb Crusted Scallop and Prawn Salad was definitely more successful, fresh cucumber and corn with champagne vinaigrette. Beautifully cooked scallops and prawns. We also shared the Foccacia with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, it was good, bread a bit dry.....
Nice service, reasonable prices. I would give it another shot, perhaps on a better day....
Natasha :)
Um cute atmosphere, busy everyday, been around for many years. It was my very first time today, it was alright. I had the Holts Cobb Salad which i believe unfortunately sat in the kitchen too long while waiting for the protein to cook. I think it was butter lettuce, but im not sure, with globs of creamy tarragon dressing, some tear drop tomatoes cut in half, avocado, feta and a dry breast of chicken. This salad has potential, it just needs a bit more respect. Mums Herb Crusted Scallop and Prawn Salad was definitely more successful, fresh cucumber and corn with champagne vinaigrette. Beautifully cooked scallops and prawns. We also shared the Foccacia with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, it was good, bread a bit dry.....
Nice service, reasonable prices. I would give it another shot, perhaps on a better day....
Natasha :)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Moriarty's Bistro/Wine Bar, Edmonton, Alberta
I was expecting a lot more, but unfortunately it was just alright. The ideas with the food are unique, however dont really work....perhaps we just had poor execution that night. I had the Root Beer Short Rib with gin and cumin glazed golden beets and coffee porcini mashed potato. First off everything on the plate was barely warm, the potato's had a dark crust on them from sitting to long, the rib was literally one tiny rib, dry, couldnt taste the affects of the root beer and the beets were highly under seasoned. Joe had Flank Steak Pinwheel with duck and black trumpet mushroom perogies, early grey creamy demiglaze, coleslaw. Also barely warm, flank was rolled up into medallions which shouldnt be done with this cut of meat because it is quite tough and should be sliced thin, perogies were bland, coleslaw was sour tasting. Our company ordered the Mushroom Barley Risotto and Clubhouse, both of which were also bland. It just seems like each item is described with so many different ingredients and preparation, that sound really appealing, but the outcome is a let down.
I was happy about the Innis & Gunn beer and a decent wine selection, but maybe too much BC selection.
Dessert, Sweet Pastry Flatbread with maple syrup, smoked gouda, pear and walnut, again great idea, sounds yummy, but it was dry and visually unappealing, the cheese was no good, and smoked gouda is one of my favorite cheeses, but it was pasty...
Decor is nice, black and white with a classy old school style. I think that if i went back it would be to the bar for a drink.....
Natasha :)
I was happy about the Innis & Gunn beer and a decent wine selection, but maybe too much BC selection.
Dessert, Sweet Pastry Flatbread with maple syrup, smoked gouda, pear and walnut, again great idea, sounds yummy, but it was dry and visually unappealing, the cheese was no good, and smoked gouda is one of my favorite cheeses, but it was pasty...
Decor is nice, black and white with a classy old school style. I think that if i went back it would be to the bar for a drink.....
Natasha :)
Monday, March 7, 2011
Evelyn's Coffee Bar, Banff, Alberta
On our way home from Lake Louise we stopped in Banff for some breakfast, neither of us felt like greasy spoon food that morning, so we decided to try and find the cafe we went to last time we were in Banff. We found it no problem on Banff ave, one of the main streets.
So our options were, giant home made cookies, huge pieces of cake or pie, muffins, scones, fresh sandwiches.....and a few other goodies. I got a yogurt parfait with fresh fruit salad and granola, it was very good, creamy and healthy.
My latte was so beautiful i almost couldnt drink it, the guy who made it took the time to drizzle a leaf with the sexy foam. (You know that milk foam thats smooth and creamy, as appose to the foam thats chunky and bubbly more like a meringue....well i refer to the smooth creamy foam as sexy foam, and its much appreciated when i get it). So great coffee. We finished with a large piece of pumpkin pie, with a dollop of whipped cream, yum.
Nice guys, good food, good atmosphere, will definitely be one on my list of places to revisit....
Natasha:)
So our options were, giant home made cookies, huge pieces of cake or pie, muffins, scones, fresh sandwiches.....and a few other goodies. I got a yogurt parfait with fresh fruit salad and granola, it was very good, creamy and healthy.
My latte was so beautiful i almost couldnt drink it, the guy who made it took the time to drizzle a leaf with the sexy foam. (You know that milk foam thats smooth and creamy, as appose to the foam thats chunky and bubbly more like a meringue....well i refer to the smooth creamy foam as sexy foam, and its much appreciated when i get it). So great coffee. We finished with a large piece of pumpkin pie, with a dollop of whipped cream, yum.
Nice guys, good food, good atmosphere, will definitely be one on my list of places to revisit....
Natasha:)
Duchess Bake Shop, Edmonton, Alberta
A definite must! I was there recently, finally, i have been meaning to go for months now, so on a very indecisive, restless day, Duchess was the answer.
They bake daily from scratch, fresh high quality ingredients like imported butter from New Zealand and Valrhona chocolate from France.
Just an amazing variety of baked goods, cakes, pies, tarts, pastries, cookies and even croissant sandwiches. I had the miniature Duchess cake, it has chiffon cake, pastry cream and raspberry, topped with vanilla bean whipped cream and a marzipan shell.....just soooo good. Joe had a Rhubarb Crumb Galette, beautiful flaky pastry loaded with fresh fruit and sugar.
To top it all off, the coffee......very good, from local organic roasters in St.Albert.
The seating is very limited, i guess they dont want to become a restaurant, and i think strive for people to take a box of baked goods home, and perhaps stop for a quick coffee. I do wish there was more seating, because to me this is a place i could spend the day with good company or maybe a good book, tasting different treats and sipping on lattes.
I will warn you, it is very overwhelming entering this store, the choices are endless and all so beautiful, so bring a friend to help you choose or that is willing to share a few choices together.....
Natasha:)
Cafe de Ville, Edmonton, Alberta
Downtown Edmonton. Very sweet, welcoming place. Service was wonderful, our server kept refering to me as "my lady" it was kind of cute. The chef has combined foods from Europe, India and the far east, which has created a unique yet simple menu. They strive in fresh, from scratch items. I went for lunch, had the quiche special, it was very creamy, and rich, good crust, could have perhaps been a bit more generous with the vegetables in the quiche. It came with a beautiful green salad and a tasty herb vinaigrette. It was $15.00, kind of pricey, but considering the labor for house made food, its acceptable. My brother had a delicious seafood pasta, full of flavor. I would like to go back and try something else, perhaps for dinner, it seems to be a cozy place in the evening.....
Natasha:)
Natasha:)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Citrus Restaurant, Toronto Ontario
Located in The Grand Hotel & Suites. Citrus has a beautiful atmosphere, nice light dinning room and lounge, lots of windows and comfy seats. The service is hit and miss, some of the servers are great others not so much.
Lunch was good, pizza, pasta, club sandwiches. Everything was fresh and well presented, flavors were alright.
Our conference dinner was a different story, we started with an Arugula, spinach & mixed greens salad, with sweet roasted peppers, strawberries and grapefruit, with a citrus herb vinaigrette, phew, lots to say. So it came out wrapped in a cucumber ribbon, which to me ive done and seen too many times, but to those who dont work in the industry im sure appreciate it very much. Im not a fan of mesculin mixed greens, i just dont like the really bitter leafs with the really sweet ones, i prefer a lettuce with a crisp crunch. The fruit was nice, dressing was good. Missed the forgotten peppers
Next for our entrée we were served broiled chive jumbo tiger shrimp...umm how does one over cook shrimp to chewy and tough but still manage to have some raw grey bits on the shrimp...hmm i think that they were originally undercooked, and then sat in a warm place for a while, hence the crunchy yet brown asparagus.
Grilled beef tenderloin, "natural reduction" with citrus roasted potato and asparagus spears. The tenderloin wasnt too bad, just a bit gamy, citrus roasted potato was not citrus but came with half a lemon beside it...please dont tell me natural juices when they clearly are not, it was definitely helped along with some box mixture.
Be careful when creating these Table D'Haute menus, the salad and main all contained citrus, take it easy on the same flavorings, it becomes too much. Also i suggest starting with some small and savoury to induce the appetite, then have citrus to cleanse the palate.
The dessert, mini Dulce de leche cheesecake with espresso syrup. The cheesecake was store bought but still tasty, the Dulce needed some more caramelizing, the syrup was nice, however the presentation was brown and unpleasant, not to mention the real daisy shoved into the cake, thats gross so many bugs in the centre of those flowers. All items on a plate must be edible.
So after that dinner we left the conference room and went to the restaurant. My appetite wasn't satisfied and i was curious about the menu. So i ordered crab cakes with aioli and Le Haut-Richelieu Quebec goat cheese, melted with tomato relish and crostinis. This was more like it.
We ordered a bottle of red wine from Spain and two desserts to go, the brown butter banana tart with toasted marshmallow was divine, along with the warm chocolate cake with creme fraiche ice cream.
So quite the experiences, all so different from the same kitchen. Just one thought, please please please, do not advertise and offer 24hr room service and then tell us the kithcen is close when we phone....
Natasha:)
Lunch was good, pizza, pasta, club sandwiches. Everything was fresh and well presented, flavors were alright.
Our conference dinner was a different story, we started with an Arugula, spinach & mixed greens salad, with sweet roasted peppers, strawberries and grapefruit, with a citrus herb vinaigrette, phew, lots to say. So it came out wrapped in a cucumber ribbon, which to me ive done and seen too many times, but to those who dont work in the industry im sure appreciate it very much. Im not a fan of mesculin mixed greens, i just dont like the really bitter leafs with the really sweet ones, i prefer a lettuce with a crisp crunch. The fruit was nice, dressing was good. Missed the forgotten peppers
Next for our entrée we were served broiled chive jumbo tiger shrimp...umm how does one over cook shrimp to chewy and tough but still manage to have some raw grey bits on the shrimp...hmm i think that they were originally undercooked, and then sat in a warm place for a while, hence the crunchy yet brown asparagus.
Grilled beef tenderloin, "natural reduction" with citrus roasted potato and asparagus spears. The tenderloin wasnt too bad, just a bit gamy, citrus roasted potato was not citrus but came with half a lemon beside it...please dont tell me natural juices when they clearly are not, it was definitely helped along with some box mixture.
Be careful when creating these Table D'Haute menus, the salad and main all contained citrus, take it easy on the same flavorings, it becomes too much. Also i suggest starting with some small and savoury to induce the appetite, then have citrus to cleanse the palate.
The dessert, mini Dulce de leche cheesecake with espresso syrup. The cheesecake was store bought but still tasty, the Dulce needed some more caramelizing, the syrup was nice, however the presentation was brown and unpleasant, not to mention the real daisy shoved into the cake, thats gross so many bugs in the centre of those flowers. All items on a plate must be edible.
So after that dinner we left the conference room and went to the restaurant. My appetite wasn't satisfied and i was curious about the menu. So i ordered crab cakes with aioli and Le Haut-Richelieu Quebec goat cheese, melted with tomato relish and crostinis. This was more like it.
We ordered a bottle of red wine from Spain and two desserts to go, the brown butter banana tart with toasted marshmallow was divine, along with the warm chocolate cake with creme fraiche ice cream.
So quite the experiences, all so different from the same kitchen. Just one thought, please please please, do not advertise and offer 24hr room service and then tell us the kithcen is close when we phone....
Natasha:)
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Robert's Place, Gabriola Island, B.C.
Recently taken over by new management, Robert is trying to continue Suzy's welcoming atmosphere. He is almost there, just a few glitches, but hey its island time all year round on Gabriola, so im not going to give Robert a hard time:)
The menu is very large and overwhelming. The choices are all great ones, but its so hard to choose. The food is good, home-style, and care put into it. Maybe work on plating and visual presentation. White sauce with white cheese on white chicken just isn't visually appealing, plus the texture is all fairly similar, you need to mix it up a bit, get some crunch in there!
The service is pleasant, Robert makes an appearance to acknowledge our business. The display of fresh baked goods when you walk in is very inviting. Hot coffee, always kept full. I went three times in three days, so that says something. Just go, relax and enjoy some good food...
Natasha:)
The menu is very large and overwhelming. The choices are all great ones, but its so hard to choose. The food is good, home-style, and care put into it. Maybe work on plating and visual presentation. White sauce with white cheese on white chicken just isn't visually appealing, plus the texture is all fairly similar, you need to mix it up a bit, get some crunch in there!
The service is pleasant, Robert makes an appearance to acknowledge our business. The display of fresh baked goods when you walk in is very inviting. Hot coffee, always kept full. I went three times in three days, so that says something. Just go, relax and enjoy some good food...
Natasha:)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Bacchus Cafe & Wine Bar, St.Albert, Alberta
Im starting to get a bit confused about places with "cafe" in their title. I at least expect a nice espresso...however i have assumed wrong....
So Bacchus, first impression, i kind of get an Italian/Mediterranean vibe from the menu. Decent prices.
I find that sometimes places try to create a cozy atmosphere, but dont succeed. The black and cold silver walls might be whats sucking out the cozy. Or perhaps the florescent green blankets on the couches. Also when im having breakfast at 10am im not really interested in having wine bottles and grapes in my face.
Nice waitress, cute plates of food, I appreciate the attempt to create a nice dish, however felt it to be slightly childlike. Then when i turned to see the chef, i understood why, he looks about 16 years..tee hee.
Anyways, the food was good, i had apple cinnamon porridge, my parents had the frittata, and fiancée had French toast for which i would recommend a larger plate so that he could cut his food without so much over flow.
Perhaps this "cafe" is more inviting at night, with their nice selection of wine, and live music. I will go back as the food was good and the coffee was hot, service was pleasant, however just a kind suggestion, sort out the heating situation, turn off Micheal Jackson and try to have all meals come out at the same time....
Natasha :)
So Bacchus, first impression, i kind of get an Italian/Mediterranean vibe from the menu. Decent prices.
I find that sometimes places try to create a cozy atmosphere, but dont succeed. The black and cold silver walls might be whats sucking out the cozy. Or perhaps the florescent green blankets on the couches. Also when im having breakfast at 10am im not really interested in having wine bottles and grapes in my face.
Nice waitress, cute plates of food, I appreciate the attempt to create a nice dish, however felt it to be slightly childlike. Then when i turned to see the chef, i understood why, he looks about 16 years..tee hee.
Anyways, the food was good, i had apple cinnamon porridge, my parents had the frittata, and fiancée had French toast for which i would recommend a larger plate so that he could cut his food without so much over flow.
Perhaps this "cafe" is more inviting at night, with their nice selection of wine, and live music. I will go back as the food was good and the coffee was hot, service was pleasant, however just a kind suggestion, sort out the heating situation, turn off Micheal Jackson and try to have all meals come out at the same time....
Natasha :)
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Barb and Ernie's Old Country Inn, Edmonton, Alberta
South central of the city. This couple have a beautiful story of their lives and their cozy diner. There is usually a line up at the door, which can be a good sign. Breakfast is what they do best, which is great when thats all im in the mood for. The menu is huge, definitely hard to choose, hotcakes, omelette's, Benedict, eggs any style, even a healthy portion for those craving some cornmeal crepes or multi grain hotcakes. The couple are from Germany, so that is the atmosphere they have created, kind of loud, friendly welcoming and Schnitzel. Unfortunately, my recent experience was not as good as my first. After we had been asked if we were ready to order about four times within ten minutes of being sat, i was getting slightly annoyed, considering the wide selection in front of us. My medium eggs were a pool on my plate, the French toast was dry and barely French at all, and after all that there were a few (what looked like facial hairs) under my toast.....yucky, that was the end of that meal....So not so great, however, the coffee was always being refilled, the servers were nice, and my meal was taken care of, so they do care about their customers which i applaud. Everyone has their off days, and i guess this was one of mine, and whoever gave two attempts at making my eggs.....I will definitely go back and try again, they did win me over by having Twinnings Earl Grey tea......
Natasha :)
Natasha :)
Credo Coffee, Edmonton, Alberta
Downtown Edmonton, quick stop for a rumored best cup of coffee. So perhaps its a preference, not of mine anyways. Nice people and service, however, the snack choice was pretty bare. The coffee was fresh and hot, but not tasty at all. I had an Americano, it was very sour and quite fruity, my mum had a regular medium blend coffee which was very weak and watery. I prefer a nice smoky roasted espresso. We both enjoyed the open, bright atmosphere, but they could have turned up the cozy just a touch. Will try a French press next time....
Natasha :)
Natasha :)
Zenari's, Edmonton, Alberta
Great place to go for a quick coffee, or a long leisurely lunch. Its mostly Italian food, one of my faves! The selection is all so delicious and hard to choose, so its best to go with someone who is willing to share what they got. Pastries, muffins, desserts of all kind, carrot cake, tiramisu, muffaletta, grilled Italian sandwiches, soups, lattes....i could keep going but ill let you go and see the rest for yourself :)
So i had, minestrone soup, grilled Italian sandwich and bean salad. Everything was great, homemade soup very tasty, sandwich was full of veggies, melted cheese and toasted wonderfully. The bean salad was very simple but yummy, i could taste a good quality olive oil in the dressing. Its a great location, downtown in Manulife Place, lots of tables to choose from, you go up to order and they bring it to your table. After your meal you can have a little browse at their great selection of kitchen wares. Thanks for the oven mitts mum ;)
Natasha :)
So i had, minestrone soup, grilled Italian sandwich and bean salad. Everything was great, homemade soup very tasty, sandwich was full of veggies, melted cheese and toasted wonderfully. The bean salad was very simple but yummy, i could taste a good quality olive oil in the dressing. Its a great location, downtown in Manulife Place, lots of tables to choose from, you go up to order and they bring it to your table. After your meal you can have a little browse at their great selection of kitchen wares. Thanks for the oven mitts mum ;)
Natasha :)
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