I'm going to start by saying that the Four Seasons is my new favourite tea place. The ladies had all been here before but it was my first time and I will definitely be going back.
When I arrived, we were all seated around the tiny table right at the entrance to the Lobby Bar. This was probably the only thing I didn't like about the Four Seasons: that you can see the driveway from this tiny little table. But it was cozy and we're not *that* classy. As usual, Dining Queen was late (!) so the waiter started us off with a round of iced blackcurrent juice (this is Ribena, for all you connoisseurs of fruit juices) and little shot glasses filled with whipped cream and strawberries. God, so yummy!
I phoned ahead about my egg-allergy and they were very good about it. Not only did them substitute out the egg salad with an extra cucumber sandwich, but they served them to me on a separate plate. Now, this was not at all necessary - it's a digestive, not anaphylactic, allergy - but I was grateful all the same.
The scones were wonderful, although we had to request more Devon cream a couple of times (yes, we're pigs) and the petits-fours looked lovely. I have stopped eating these though. It's bad enough that I'm awake most of the night without having to deal with egg-induced catatonia in the early afternoon.
I had the organic Assam tea (no Darjeeling, strangely enough) and it was perfect. I have come to the conclusion that you can tell the best tea places because the waiter is Indian. Perhaps I should find me an Indian man and train him to serve me tea every weekend...
http://www.fourseasons.com/toronto/dining/lobby_bar.html
(Sticker shock warning: the cost of afternoon tea is not listed, with good reason!)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tequila Bookworm
This place won't be around much longer but I figured I might as well write about it anyway. It's current location (moved recently, I believe) is on the north side of Queen Street West, between Spadina and Bathurst, across from the burned out hole in the ground that was the huge fire of last winter.
Now, Tequila Bookworm is cute, eclectic, eccentric, comfortable. Please don't go there if you have a stick up your butt. I have eaten there once before and decided to repeat my usual brunch standby: smoked salmon and a bagel. I don't know where they get their salmon but wow is it ever good. It's plump and fresh and pink and tasty. And not overpriced like Eggspectations (although I will continue to eat there, I guess). The Montreal bagel was a treat too, not overtoasted and the cream cheese was perfectly chilled. Plus, my plate wasn't smothered with red onions and capers; they came in a tidy little pile, looking like sophisticated, understated garnish. Seriously, really good salmon.
I have to confess though, the service... well, like I said, don't go there if you're uptight. Our waiter forgot my coffee and had to be reminded. And my water glass had a short, dark (straight!) hair on the rim and smelled overwhemingly of bleach. In their defense, the other waiter brought me a very clean glass of water with a straw and lemon wedge when I asked for a new glass of water because the old one smelled "bleachy". Also, loads of plugs for laptops. Some in unexpected places!
Now, Tequila Bookworm is cute, eclectic, eccentric, comfortable. Please don't go there if you have a stick up your butt. I have eaten there once before and decided to repeat my usual brunch standby: smoked salmon and a bagel. I don't know where they get their salmon but wow is it ever good. It's plump and fresh and pink and tasty. And not overpriced like Eggspectations (although I will continue to eat there, I guess). The Montreal bagel was a treat too, not overtoasted and the cream cheese was perfectly chilled. Plus, my plate wasn't smothered with red onions and capers; they came in a tidy little pile, looking like sophisticated, understated garnish. Seriously, really good salmon.
I have to confess though, the service... well, like I said, don't go there if you're uptight. Our waiter forgot my coffee and had to be reminded. And my water glass had a short, dark (straight!) hair on the rim and smelled overwhemingly of bleach. In their defense, the other waiter brought me a very clean glass of water with a straw and lemon wedge when I asked for a new glass of water because the old one smelled "bleachy". Also, loads of plugs for laptops. Some in unexpected places!
Lola's Commissary, 634 Church Street
Last Sunday, before heading to the One of A Kind Show, I had brunch with some friends at Lola's Commissary at Church just south of Bloor (Hayden). It was my first time so I decided to check out the brunch menu ahead of time to make sure there were at least a couple of options for me. I phoned to ask whether the multigrain waffles were egg-free (they aren't) and talked to the owner/chef, Therese.
Since I phoned ahead, she suggested vegan French toast. Now, I haven't had French toast in maybe 20 years and I really miss it. When she said that she could do it, I was so thrilled and excited that she had agreed to accommodate my allergy. Therese said she had a background in nutrition so I figured that she must know what she's talking about.
Turns out, she does. Absolutely. She made the French toast with vanilla and tofu and served it with a compote of strawberries, rhubarb and beets (okay, not crazy about those) and bananas. The toast was amazing, not too sweet and very much like the French toast I remember. Except, perhaps less sweet than my mother used to make - this is a good thing! The compote was tangy and the bananas balanced it all out perfectly. And, if you love coffee, the decaf soy latte was so good I almost had another. It was definitely a brunch to remember!
I would love to phone her and talk to her some more about vegan breakfast foods. Perhaps she has some other tasty treats up her sleeve?
http://www.lolascommissary.com/
Since I phoned ahead, she suggested vegan French toast. Now, I haven't had French toast in maybe 20 years and I really miss it. When she said that she could do it, I was so thrilled and excited that she had agreed to accommodate my allergy. Therese said she had a background in nutrition so I figured that she must know what she's talking about.
Turns out, she does. Absolutely. She made the French toast with vanilla and tofu and served it with a compote of strawberries, rhubarb and beets (okay, not crazy about those) and bananas. The toast was amazing, not too sweet and very much like the French toast I remember. Except, perhaps less sweet than my mother used to make - this is a good thing! The compote was tangy and the bananas balanced it all out perfectly. And, if you love coffee, the decaf soy latte was so good I almost had another. It was definitely a brunch to remember!I would love to phone her and talk to her some more about vegan breakfast foods. Perhaps she has some other tasty treats up her sleeve?
http://www.lolascommissary.com/
Sunday, August 30, 2009
I could go on and on Annona...
But I won't because I have a full Sunday evening planned with Detective Murdoch and my couch. Five of us had high tea at Anonna* at the Park Hyatt this afternoon and it was good. It was not too pricey ($26) as far as Yorkville goes, but I'm hungry again which is a bit unusual. However, the food was good.
Finger sandwiches included:
I ordered the white tip darjeeling (duh) and also tried the jasmine (refreshing but a slight hint of something astringent) and Eros (orange and vanilla, was really delicious and this from an herbal tea snob).
For dessert, I had a bite of the chocolate ganache and almost went into egg-accelerated chocolate shock. It was rich enough to marry, have kids and then happily divorce. I also tried a small bit of the english trifle shot but the flavour was masked by the ganache monster in my mouth.
The waiter and kitchen were very accommodating of my allergy so that was much appreciated. Good enough to recommend to my mother and her friends.
*I want to link directly to the tea menu on their website but it prompts me to download or open a PDF which is frankly annoying and unprofessional.
Finger sandwiches included:
- watercress and cheddar pinwheel on whole wheat (two for me),
- devilled eggs with ham (which I skipped, of course),
- grilled chicken and pineapple crepe roll up,
- smoked salmon salad with dill on white,
- roast beef with horseradish on rye.
I ordered the white tip darjeeling (duh) and also tried the jasmine (refreshing but a slight hint of something astringent) and Eros (orange and vanilla, was really delicious and this from an herbal tea snob).
For dessert, I had a bite of the chocolate ganache and almost went into egg-accelerated chocolate shock. It was rich enough to marry, have kids and then happily divorce. I also tried a small bit of the english trifle shot but the flavour was masked by the ganache monster in my mouth.
The waiter and kitchen were very accommodating of my allergy so that was much appreciated. Good enough to recommend to my mother and her friends.
*I want to link directly to the tea menu on their website but it prompts me to download or open a PDF which is frankly annoying and unprofessional.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Cafe 668
I had yummy Vietnamese dinner last night. I'll be honest. Vietnamese is not my favourite but this was not pho style food. It was more Asian fusion than any vietnamese restaurant than I have ever been to.
I went with an old friend and her friend to Cafe 668 on Dundas west of Bathurst last night. We got there late and stayed until close. The food was excellent although service was a bit slow. The owner, Han, is the waiter and bus boy and cashier and sommelier. His wife cooks. But the food was every bit worth the wait.
We split three appetizers and three entrees.
Appetizers: Summer Rolls, "Veggie Duck" and pan fried dumplings.
The summer rolls were fresh and tasty. If you enjoy vietnamese cold rolls, try these. They won't disappoint. I'm not usually one for veggie duck but I do enjoy bean curd sheets and these pan fried treats were very similar to the texture of duck. The pan fried dumplings were just good. I mean, how can pan fried dumplings not be good?
Entrees: Spicy pad thai, spicy fried tofu and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms.
The pad thai was quite spicy so go easy on that if you're not tolerant of mild spices. The faux meat was not convincing because it lacked taste but the rest of the dish was good. The tofu was good and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms were excellent. I can't remember the last time I saw such green broccoli. It was crunchy and very flavourful. There was a good variety of mushrooms which were fun to eat. We almost ordered an extra side of rice but we ended up with leftovers so it was a good thing we decided to hold off. Apparently the black bean eggplant is good too but we held off because my friend is allergic to eggplant.
I would like to go back and try one of the specialty drinks. My friend and I each had a glass of wine and her friend had oolong tea. The wine list is small but adequate. And last, but not least, dessert was divine. "Mango Heaven" is a deep fried mango pastry served with creamy coconut.
Don't let the name of the place get you lost. They're located at 885 Dundas at Euclid but they used be located at number 668. Lots of metered street parking. The ambiance is nice and, if you can swing it, ask for the table at the top near the aquarium. It's a saltwater aquarium and the starfish dances for you if you watch him long enough.
This place was definitely a big hit with this non-vegetarian. Total with tax and generous tip was $100 for three (with two drinks and one shared dessert). Cash and debit only.
I went with an old friend and her friend to Cafe 668 on Dundas west of Bathurst last night. We got there late and stayed until close. The food was excellent although service was a bit slow. The owner, Han, is the waiter and bus boy and cashier and sommelier. His wife cooks. But the food was every bit worth the wait.
We split three appetizers and three entrees.
Appetizers: Summer Rolls, "Veggie Duck" and pan fried dumplings.
The summer rolls were fresh and tasty. If you enjoy vietnamese cold rolls, try these. They won't disappoint. I'm not usually one for veggie duck but I do enjoy bean curd sheets and these pan fried treats were very similar to the texture of duck. The pan fried dumplings were just good. I mean, how can pan fried dumplings not be good?
Entrees: Spicy pad thai, spicy fried tofu and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms.
The pad thai was quite spicy so go easy on that if you're not tolerant of mild spices. The faux meat was not convincing because it lacked taste but the rest of the dish was good. The tofu was good and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms were excellent. I can't remember the last time I saw such green broccoli. It was crunchy and very flavourful. There was a good variety of mushrooms which were fun to eat. We almost ordered an extra side of rice but we ended up with leftovers so it was a good thing we decided to hold off. Apparently the black bean eggplant is good too but we held off because my friend is allergic to eggplant.
I would like to go back and try one of the specialty drinks. My friend and I each had a glass of wine and her friend had oolong tea. The wine list is small but adequate. And last, but not least, dessert was divine. "Mango Heaven" is a deep fried mango pastry served with creamy coconut.
Don't let the name of the place get you lost. They're located at 885 Dundas at Euclid but they used be located at number 668. Lots of metered street parking. The ambiance is nice and, if you can swing it, ask for the table at the top near the aquarium. It's a saltwater aquarium and the starfish dances for you if you watch him long enough.
This place was definitely a big hit with this non-vegetarian. Total with tax and generous tip was $100 for three (with two drinks and one shared dessert). Cash and debit only.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Fresh - Good old standby, visit number 5 (I think)
I have been to Fresh a number of times before. They have three locations in Toronto, of which I have been to the ones on Bloor and on Spadina. Although the place started as a juice bar, I have never been disappointed with the food. I have tried the yam fries, the Baby Buddha, the Baby Warrior and the black bean burrito.
It's all vegetarian and they are really great about accommodating food allergies. None of the staff give you attitude if you have questions about ingredients and you can substitute out dairy and soy and gluten. One of the things that I love is the 1 L carafe of water with lemon slices which automatically appears when you sit down at every table.
Last weekend, I went for lunch with a vegetarian friend and we both enjoyed our meal. To be honest, I don't remember what she ordered. I had the egg-free banana pancakes. I haven't eaten pancakes for years and I was so very happy to be able to eat them at Fresh. I ordered the kids portion (2 pancakes) but my order arrived with three. I didn't say anything to the waitress but she realized her error and corrected the bill. She didn't bat an eyelid when I said I wanted to take them home. (I don't have maple syrup at home so I ate them the next day with Nutella and oh they were so good fresh out of the toaster oven). And their take out containers are biodegradable! I also ordered the decaf latte with soy milk and it was excellent. The entire meal made me feel very happy.
I always leave feeling full and wishing I could sample more of the menu in one sitting. In fact, I know what I'm having next time I go back.
Caveats: the place is always busy and it's not where you want to go if you want a quiet, romantic ambiance. Also, I always spend the afternoon feeling a bit gassy, which is only to be expected if you substitute meat protein for beans! Lunch for two was less than $40 after taxes. Don't linger, there is always a line up of hungry people waiting for your spot.
It's all vegetarian and they are really great about accommodating food allergies. None of the staff give you attitude if you have questions about ingredients and you can substitute out dairy and soy and gluten. One of the things that I love is the 1 L carafe of water with lemon slices which automatically appears when you sit down at every table.
Last weekend, I went for lunch with a vegetarian friend and we both enjoyed our meal. To be honest, I don't remember what she ordered. I had the egg-free banana pancakes. I haven't eaten pancakes for years and I was so very happy to be able to eat them at Fresh. I ordered the kids portion (2 pancakes) but my order arrived with three. I didn't say anything to the waitress but she realized her error and corrected the bill. She didn't bat an eyelid when I said I wanted to take them home. (I don't have maple syrup at home so I ate them the next day with Nutella and oh they were so good fresh out of the toaster oven). And their take out containers are biodegradable! I also ordered the decaf latte with soy milk and it was excellent. The entire meal made me feel very happy.
I always leave feeling full and wishing I could sample more of the menu in one sitting. In fact, I know what I'm having next time I go back.
Caveats: the place is always busy and it's not where you want to go if you want a quiet, romantic ambiance. Also, I always spend the afternoon feeling a bit gassy, which is only to be expected if you substitute meat protein for beans! Lunch for two was less than $40 after taxes. Don't linger, there is always a line up of hungry people waiting for your spot.
Niche, 626 Queen Street West, Toronto
On Saturday afternoon, I had lunch with a high school friend who recommended Niche on Queen West. Other than very high bucket-style bar stools which were impossible to navigate in a lady-like fashion, the place did not disappoint.
We both ordered the 16 0z masala chai lattes and they were gooood. My friend had the Niche Benedict (eggs benedict on cornbread with peameal) and I had the smoked salmon on a bagel. My meal came with a salad which was yummy, if a bit overdressed. The salmon was fresh and the cream cheese wasn't overdone, as it is in so many places. My friend at her entire portion of eggs so it must have been good because she rarely does that. The place is small but we weren't rushed. And the waitress was new which, combined with the busyness, meant things took a bit longer than they should have. But we weren't in a hurry and she was very helpful with our questions.
All of their coffees are available in decaf and they have a good selection. They also offer skim milk and soy milk. Finally, I brought home a cranberry chocolate scone which was to die for. I ate it plain, that's how good it was.
The total bill was less than $40 for both of us, with my scone to go. Single bathroom but it was clean. I will be going back, hopefully soon.
We both ordered the 16 0z masala chai lattes and they were gooood. My friend had the Niche Benedict (eggs benedict on cornbread with peameal) and I had the smoked salmon on a bagel. My meal came with a salad which was yummy, if a bit overdressed. The salmon was fresh and the cream cheese wasn't overdone, as it is in so many places. My friend at her entire portion of eggs so it must have been good because she rarely does that. The place is small but we weren't rushed. And the waitress was new which, combined with the busyness, meant things took a bit longer than they should have. But we weren't in a hurry and she was very helpful with our questions.
All of their coffees are available in decaf and they have a good selection. They also offer skim milk and soy milk. Finally, I brought home a cranberry chocolate scone which was to die for. I ate it plain, that's how good it was.
The total bill was less than $40 for both of us, with my scone to go. Single bathroom but it was clean. I will be going back, hopefully soon.
The Sweet Gallery, Bloor West Village, 2312 Bloor Street West
I had a very bad tea experience today at the Sweet Gallery in Bloor West Village. It's unfortunate because I should be happy when I get together with my friends but I was hungry and cold and angry. The service was not just bad, it was terrible. I was a little bit late arriving but my friends were already seated and had ordered so maybe the woman thought I was rude and wanted me to know that she disapproved of my timing. I suppose I could have skipped yoga class, or left early (the teacher was late this morning) or taken a cab or driven instead of taking the subway. The woman was downright bitchy.
Anyway, when I sat down and she asked me what tea I wanted, she didn't even offer to bring me a menu. They didn't have darlingjee so I accepted orange pekoe. When it arrived, the tea bag was from McCullagh Coffee. That was my first indication that things were not going to go well. If you were a coffee snob, would you accept coffee that was packaged and distributed by tea wholesalers? No, I didn't think so.
Then, our tiny tray of desserts and "scones" arrived. The total after taxes was just under $40 but I don't feel that I ate $10 worth of food. Part of the problem, of course, was that I am no longer eating desserts and pastries that might contain eggs. As a general rule of thumb, I will eat up to an eigth of egg but that only works when I am at someone's home and they can tell me the ingredients they used in recipe. So I didn't eat anything on the top tray and obviously didn't eat the egg sandwiches. I ate all three of the cucumber sandwiches but they weren't very good. They consisted of a thin slice of cucumber on a slice of baguette with cream cheese and smothered with pepper. Unimpressive. The scones weren't real scones. They were basically raisin buns. We didn't get enough cream and were only given individual packages of raspberry jam. I was starving from the gym and had planned to have a sandwich (smoked salmon on a bagel is my standard egg-free brunch food) but the waitress didn't come by to check on us so I decided that I didn't need an additional reason to tip her more.
The place was busy and, if I had felt that complaining would have improved our experience, I would have done that. We did complain about getting green tea instead of mint and the waitress brought the correct tea and apologized but she totally passed the buck. She said "oh she gave you green tea?" No woman, you took the order and you brought the tea pots. Therefore, you brought the wrong tea.
I can't stress enough that I will not be returning there. Fortunately I didn't pay for lunch because my tip would have been virtually non-existent. I suppose the place was pretty but I couldn't appreciate it. The entire experience was very upsetting. I didn't realize until a few minutes ago how much it has affected my whole day. basically haven't eaten anything since then and have been cranky and exhausted all afternoon. I hope the next tea will make up for today.
Anyway, when I sat down and she asked me what tea I wanted, she didn't even offer to bring me a menu. They didn't have darlingjee so I accepted orange pekoe. When it arrived, the tea bag was from McCullagh Coffee. That was my first indication that things were not going to go well. If you were a coffee snob, would you accept coffee that was packaged and distributed by tea wholesalers? No, I didn't think so.
Then, our tiny tray of desserts and "scones" arrived. The total after taxes was just under $40 but I don't feel that I ate $10 worth of food. Part of the problem, of course, was that I am no longer eating desserts and pastries that might contain eggs. As a general rule of thumb, I will eat up to an eigth of egg but that only works when I am at someone's home and they can tell me the ingredients they used in recipe. So I didn't eat anything on the top tray and obviously didn't eat the egg sandwiches. I ate all three of the cucumber sandwiches but they weren't very good. They consisted of a thin slice of cucumber on a slice of baguette with cream cheese and smothered with pepper. Unimpressive. The scones weren't real scones. They were basically raisin buns. We didn't get enough cream and were only given individual packages of raspberry jam. I was starving from the gym and had planned to have a sandwich (smoked salmon on a bagel is my standard egg-free brunch food) but the waitress didn't come by to check on us so I decided that I didn't need an additional reason to tip her more.
The place was busy and, if I had felt that complaining would have improved our experience, I would have done that. We did complain about getting green tea instead of mint and the waitress brought the correct tea and apologized but she totally passed the buck. She said "oh she gave you green tea?" No woman, you took the order and you brought the tea pots. Therefore, you brought the wrong tea.
I can't stress enough that I will not be returning there. Fortunately I didn't pay for lunch because my tip would have been virtually non-existent. I suppose the place was pretty but I couldn't appreciate it. The entire experience was very upsetting. I didn't realize until a few minutes ago how much it has affected my whole day. basically haven't eaten anything since then and have been cranky and exhausted all afternoon. I hope the next tea will make up for today.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Walima Cafe
http://www.eyeweekly.com/food/review/article/52464
This review is overly critical, in my opinion. Especially for a brand new, understaffed restaurant. Go and try it out yourself. It is on Danforth west of Coxwell on the north side. There is lots of street parking and Green P lots nearby. A short walk from the subway as well.
Just be patient with the service and don't make any plans for after dinner. Also, it helps to arrive before you're starving and ready to drop from low blood sugar. Order the hummus and Moroccan salad to tide you over until the entrees arrive and be sure to try the fruity non-alcoholic beer. Raspberry is best.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)