Martine’s Wine Bar’s vibe is hard to describe, like an upscale farmhouse that plays a great mix of music. It doesn’t feel like a wine bar, yet it could be. In a not-your-parents type of wine bar sort of way.

And while it has a down-to-earth feel, they play up the hospitality factor. While appreciated, I do have a small recommendation: leave the bottled water at the table. Given it’s a busy restaurant with various plates to clear, our swamped waitress didn’t always get a chance to refill water leaving our glasses empty at times.

With the restaurant’s dedication to supporting local suppliers, the dishes exude freshness and their menu changes daily.

You won’t find a heavy thick dressing in their Caesar salad ($16). Instead, the vinaigrette-like concoction barely covered the greens and was heavy on the lemon and light on the garlic and anchovy. I would have liked the big pieces of lettuce cut up, but I guess it allows the diner to behold Van Stone Farm’s greens in all their glory. While they recommended having this with the first round of dishes, you may want it served along side the heavier mains as it’s a great palette cleanser.

Despite looking odd, the raw mushroom slices covering the spicy beef tartare ($24) were tasty and helped soak up the flavourful sauces. Martine’s didn’t skimp on the peppery horseradish sauce that added a powerful punch of spiciness to the meat… even though they provide a generous portion, apply with caution. Even their sourdough had a different quality to it: pillowy soft yet still smoky from being thoroughly toasted. Pile everything onto the bread for a delicious bite.

Large uncut lasagna-like noodles arrived in the fazzoletti ($26). Smothered in a lemony herb olive oil, the sauce’s pop of freshness worked nicely to balance out the creamy smoked burrata. The pasta was minimally adorned with zucchini ribbons so the cheese stands centre in the dish.

The skate wing ($24) was so hot and crispy that it could easily rival a schnitzel. And while most restaurants likely would have paired it with a tartar sauce, Martine’s uses an Americana red sauce studded with pork belly and thinly sliced runner beans. It’s good, but the sauce is just too salty. Perhaps the kitchen can turn the dish into a full blown parmigiana by adding spaghetti to really lean into the savoury tomato sauce.

Chicken isn’t always exciting, but the wood fired chicken and fries ($30 for half portion) was tasty, especially the dark meat pieces that were juicy and tender. The chicken breast was drier, but still decent. You could slather on some of the chive mayonnaise to give it an extra boost of moisture.

Order the “spicy” version of the chicken, which has no heat and instead was rubbed in a sweet paprika mixture. It provided the extra boost of flavour in an otherwise tame dish. The dish arrives with plenty of hot fries that have a great potato flavour but were oversalted.

A lone dessert was offered that evening - Van Stone Farms strawberries ($9) with anise hyssop ice cream. Once you get through the fresh fruit, the melted ice cream and the sweet syrup the berries were macerated almost has a cereal-milk quality to it, with a licorice tang.

The array of fresh dishes left us full and satisfied but not glutinous feeling. It’s a great dinner option for a night out, especially with the restaurant’s proximity to Bar Raval. You can always start there for an after-work tipple, eat dinner at Martine’s, and return to the bar for a night cap. All without leaving the corner of College and Palmerston. 

If you haven’t heard about Mhel, it’s a restaurant that sources seasonal ingredients that it then uses in daily changing menus. While this is great for freshness and creativity, it does mean dishes featured in this post may not be available during your visit.

Also, the constantly changing menu causes the kitchen to have limited ability to “perfect” a dish. For example, the yuan yaki ($35) sounded good on paper but didn’t have the taste to match. The thick slice of kanpachi needed more seasoning and something stronger than just a yuzu marinade. Its uneven thickness meant the edges were cooked through while the centre to be raw. Ultimately, I had to leave a piece uneaten given it was gross and gummy.  

After all, the dish wasn’t meant to be eaten raw like the ishidai sashimi ($33), a fish flown in from Nagasaki. In lieu of soy sauce, Mhel created a flavourful seaweed salad providing flavour and a chewy garnish that could be wrapped in the fish to create a delicious bite.

In fairness, there’s many dishes that Mhel gets right. The sogogi ($46) was fantastic, a sizeable slice of Australian wagyu cooked to perfection so that it’s juicy and hot. Brushed with galbi sauce, the beef’s Korean flavours reminded me why it could be eaten with chopsticks. Although, I would have loved for a small slice to be put on top of the sushi rice nugget. It’s what Mhel describes as a perilla ssam, so a piece of meat would make the bite complete.

Mhel’s portion sizes are small. Hence, we followed their advice and opted for the heartiest dish for the evening, the dak gaseumsal ($30) with a bowl of steamed Japanese rice ($5), and side of kimchi ($8).

The dak gaseumsal’s buttery miso sauce was great for pouring over the sticky rice and I loved the accompanying sauteed seasonal greens (garlic scape, Swiss chard, and collard greens). Yet, the chicken breast, while juicy, wasn’t overly exciting… perhaps because it was sous vide versus grilled. At least they were true to their word, this dish was much larger than the rest.

Still, you may want to get a side of the potesala ($15), their version of a potato salad. The shallots added a slight bite to the potatoes and the pickled ramps and peas gave the dish a freshness that helped balance off the otherwise rich dish. Yet, it’s the onsen egg that really made the dish, I wished there was more than a half.

If anything, Mhel ensures you have room for dessert. The purin ($10) was a fantastic crème caramel, one of the best I’ve had in a while. The thickened Sheldon Creek cream was rich but perfectly balanced by a maple syrup glaze that had a toasty taste, much better than your regular caramelized sugar. My husband and I immediately regretted getting one to share.

Mhel’s friendly service really adds to the experience and despite serving an array of small dishes, they were very efficient, and we could easily add on another item. The menu’s also not overly large, so even with two people we could order over half of the items and get a taste for the restaurant. In fact, if you come with three people you should just order the entire thing.

You must give it to Mhel: they could easily create one menu and continue to tweak it to perfection. Instead, the chose to challenge everyone by changing the menu daily. What a great restaurant to have in the neighbourhood where you can visit regularly and find something different each time. 

I’m craving and looking forward to healthy meals lately. In the past, I’d opt for a burger over a “bowl”, but that slab of fatty beef in between a sugar spiking bun isn’t as appealing. Hence, when a friend wanted to go to Impact Kitchen for lunch, I was excited. Excited for kale? Who have I become?!

Yet, it was the zesty Mexican power bowl ($15.50) that drew me in. Yes, it contained kale (not massaged so my least favourite way of eating the fibrous green), but also roasted sweet potatoes, red peppers, rice, and a nutty tostada crumble. It’s healthy but filling.

Filling indeed as I had to get the rest to go, which once augmented with more salad mix was enough for a second lunch. The bowl also desperately needed more sauce. Despite containing black bean mole, avocado, salsa, cashew sour cream, and a cilantro jalapeno dressing, the kale was still tasteless and dry. Impact Kitchen seriously needs massage and “marinate” the greens beforehand.  

The added falafels (additional $5.99) were dense and baked – lacking a crispy crust that makes these snacks delicious. As a falafel they blow but as a savoury snack ball they’re not horrible. Thankfully, our server asked if I wanted hot sauce on the side, that mild chili garlic sauce saved the day. Even then, I could only manage having one falafel at the restaurant and couldn’t get through the others until I had a creamy dipping sauce the following lunch.  

Impact Kitchen’s display case of baked goods drew us in and were surprisingly delicious for being gluten free. While I could have done without the sea salt on the chocolate sea salt cookie ($4.50), this was easy enough to dust off. Soft and chewy with a deep cacao taste, the cookie is the closest thing to a “sinful” dessert you’ll find here.

The almond protein brownie ($4.99) tasted “healthy” and the texture a bit crumblier than a traditional brownie… likely on account of the whey protein powder. If you can withstand temptation, save some for the next day, as it became tastier as the flavours intensified.

Their matcha latte ($5.99) was beautifully presented, incorporating a rich green tea flavour and a creamy matcha dusted foam. It was one of the better versions of the drink I’ve ever had.

So, if you’re still on the fried food for lunch bandwagon, perhaps you dip your toe into healthy eating with breakfast - Impact Kitchen has an extensive menu offering - or even go for an afternoon drink. Your body will thank you later. 

I remember when two decades ago being able to tuck into a bowl of fresh noodles was rare. Flash forward to now and hand-pulled noodles are everywhere, restaurants with glass kitchens showcasing a chef who stretches a palm of dough into stringy delights. At First Markham Place, Gol's Lanzhou Noodle offers a staggering nine thicknesses in an airy ornate dining room.

The small portion of their traditional Langzhou hand-pulled noodles ($14.99) was satisfying, but for the hungry, an extra $2 buys you a much larger bowl. Opting for the #3 thickness, which the waiter noted was “regular”, I would consider going down a size as there was a slight sticky afterbite that could be mitigated by a thinner noodle - even though the pasta had a pleasant preliminary mouthful and requisite springy texture.

Aside from the noodle width, diners can also customize the spiciness level and whether it’s garnished with green onion and cilantro (a must in my books to add some freshness to the bowl). Given the northern provinces of China can handle heat, we went with a light spiciness and was presented with something that looked spicy but really had an aromatic quality without the zing.

In retrospect, I could likely handle the regular spiciness as there’s always the option to ask for more broth to dilute the heat. In fact, they seemed very accommodating with any table that just wanted an extra bowl of the soup.

The slices of beef were cut thinly and given it wasn’t overly seasoned became lost amongst the starch and soup. Oh well, I guess the protein isn’t an important factor when it comes to hand-pulled noodles.

With the Langzhou beef chow mein ($15.99), they recommended a thickness between #3 to #5 for the dish. The #5 was too thick and al dante for my tastes, probably #3 would have been just right. Nonetheless, the stir-fried noodles had great wok hay despite there being a scant portion of vegetables and beef.

Perhaps Gol’s most surprising feature was their service: abundantly staffed and extremely attentive… I certainly felt well looked after! They are also expanding quickly through franchising with locations in Waterloo, Montreal, and Winnipeg. One thing’s for sure, it’s no longer difficult to find fresh-made noodles in Canada, so get ready to be pulled in.

RH Courtyard is probably one of the lesser-known restaurants at Yorkdale Mall. Yet, it’s a beauty. A man-made garden patio tucked into Restoration Hardware so that a trip to the toilet will have you distracted with furniture envy.

Crème fraiche was added into the RH scramble ($22), but it’s still a simple dish of scrambled eggs with chives. I’m glad our waitress warned us the eggs are cooked to a soft runniness - I increased the doneness to “medium well” and they arrived creamy and tender without any of the gross liquid yolk.

If only the menu stated the scramble comes with grilled sourdough we would have foregone the artisanal prosciutto ($25). While there was nothing wrong with the board, it was also not exciting. A bit boring in presentation, it incorporated slices of prosciutto, chunks of parmigiano Reggiano, and “seasonal fruit” that was really a bunch of grapes. At least the baguette was warm and crispy, even though there weren’t any spreads, not even a plate of olive oil for dipping.

While the price of the side green salad ($10) was a bit steep, the citrus vinaigrette really helped cut through the heaviness of the meat, cheese, and eggs. Plus, it ended up being a great complement to finish the generous half avocado that accompanies the eggs.

You’re able to customize the matcha latte ($7) to be hot or cold. The cooler version was refreshing for the spring and had a lovely deep green tea flavour.

Do yourself a favour and skip the chains when you’re at Yorkdale. Dine at a place that doesn’t feel like you’re in a mall; more like you’re in the gardens of an aristocrat’s mansion. 

With a name like Pink Sky, I’m expecting a café, bubble tea shop, or maybe even a candy emporium. What I’m not expecting is a seafood restaurant. Hence, I’ve walked by the storefront on many occasions but never seriously planned a visit. I chalked it up to a place to be “seen” and party, but not for real meal.

Remnants of the former Weslodge are still apparent: the expansive bar and (on occasions) the unobtrusive DJ spinning beats on the second floor. Yet, Pink Sky has a coziness to it that feels different. The ease of making reservations, not being rushed with seating limits, and sit-a-while comfortable chairs – there’s even an element of hospitality that the former restaurant was missing that exists now.

If you’re in the mood for some light bites, their menu includes a selection of hot and cold appetizers that are great for sharing. For a simple crispy calamari ($24) the appetizer was tasty, the light breading incorporating salt, pepper, and sumac adding flavour so the spicy mayo wasn’t even required. And if you’re feeling adventurous, take a bite of the deep-fried lemon slices, my friends found this surprisingly tasty.

The beef tartare ($22) needs more than four pieces of too oily toasted sourdough to go through meat mixture. Yet, it had a lovely freshness from the bits of apple and tarragon incorporated into the recipe. Still, it’s not overly heavy in comparison to the predominantly seafood focused menu.

I preferred the beef to the tuna tartare ($26), which contained so much puffed rice that I half expected the dish to go snap, crackle, and pop. What little fish remained was completely drowned out by the watermelon and other ingredients.

Pink Sky offers a host of fish on their menu. The whole branzino ($85) was disappointingly small for the price and contained too many stray bones. And while I enjoyed the crispy skin, it might have sat under the broiler for too long as it was slightly overcooked.

Personally, I’d skip the branzino and go for the grilled salmon ($32), which also had a lovely crackling skin but was still flaky and moist. Served as a nice thick slice, the main was surprisingly filling despite it being sparsely served with sautéed spinach and grilled fennel. The dish was a little salty, especially with the lemon butter sauce. Be careful to dip and not pour.

Without any grains, you could augment the fish with a side of frites ($9) to share. They’re hot, thin, and crispy… my kind of fries.

Indeed, the best bang for your buck would be the fish and chips ($32) that arrives as a ginormous piece of beer battered haddock. While the breading was too thick for my tastes, you certainly won’t leave hungry since it also arrives with a generous portion of thick cut chips.

In fact, pair the fish and chips with a wedge salad ($21) and you’ll have enough food for two. The starter uses almost an entire head of iceberg lettuce slathered in a rich and tangy buttermilk ranch dressing, topped with cherry tomatoes, grilled corn, fried onion, and huge chunks of bacon that should be called pork belly pieces. The salad normally also contains blue cheese, but we had it removed and the salad was still hearty and flavourful.

Another sharable dish is the truffle lobster mac and cheese ($46) that has a cheese pull that’d make any dairy lover swoon. Big tubes of rigatoni were tossed in a spicy pickled jalapeño cheese sauce and topped with bread crumb and chives. It’s an interesting decision to include the jalapeno, I found it balanced out the truffle oil, which can sometimes be overwhelming. If anything, it just needed more lobster as there wasn’t much to go around.

Pink Sky’s seafood risotto ($34) has a spicy tomato sauce base, so the dish ends up tasting like a cioppino risotto. It’s a twist that I don’t mind given I love the hearty seafood stew but could be disappointing if you’re expecting a more traditional saffron taste. All in all, it incorporated a passable portion of seafood (mussels, shrimp, and whitefish) although the mussels could have been fresher.

Located in the bustling area of King West, Pink Sky is an ideal pre-clubbing dinner destination. Their varied menu means you can choose a lighter dish to avoid sporting a food belly or go big with the fish and chips to soak up the liberations to come. One thing is for sure, it isn’t a frilly café, you’re coming for the food.  

Miss Fu in Chengdu. I don’t know who this Miss Fu is, but she sounds like a cool person I’d want to know. If the restaurant’s food is any indication of her personality, she’s spicy and you should be careful… if you cross her, you may get a skewer in the back.

Serving Sichuan dishes, I warned them that my tolerance for spice was only a medium level. And in case it was too much, I kept a large mug of peach slush ($4.99) on hand to cool things down.

You’ll find heat in plenty of the dishes including the deep-fried tofu with garlic sauce ($5.99). Served super hot, they cubes were crispy outside and soft in the centre, soaking up the spicy soy sauce. They were delicious, just watch out as the sauce will squirt out during the first bites.

Despite the sparse amount of sauce covering the dandan noodles with ground pork sauce ($8.99), it was hot! Containing the Sichuan numbing chili, they heat quickly builds on the tongue and after two bites I had to take big slugs of the slush. It’s surprisingly spicy for being listed as a one chili dish on the menu, the chilis not even mentioned in the description – it’s simply listed as containing ground peanuts, sesame, preserved mustard greens, and green onions. You’re warned now.

The noodles did pair nicely with the smashed cucumber salad ($7.99), where the chunks of skinless field cucumbers were tossed in a salty sesame oil with just a hint of chili sauce. It’s cool crunchiness even lasted until the following day.

What Miss Fu is known for is their skewers, arriving in a hot metal bowl and cooked through (this is not a hot pot restaurant). They’re served two ways: in a combo ranging from $24-$26 with enough food for two people or a la carte where you select from four soup bases ($7.99 - $8.99) and add on individual skewers ($0.99 - $2.99).

Of the two we tried, the seafood skewers in chicken broth with a medium level of heat was my favourite. The spices were just enough to flavour and cover the shrimp, fish tofu, fish cake, and lobster balls we had without it being overwhelming. Admittedly, the fish tofu, cake, and lobster balls were run-of-the-mill varieties you’d often find in supermarkets, but they were still tasty.

For those who’d rather stay away from anything spicy, the tomato soup is a great alternative. We opted to pair it with beef skewers, creating a classic tomato and beef combination.  If you order the savoury tomato soup, I suggest getting a bowl of rice to smother the thick soup in.

The beef slices were too tenderized for my tastes and the beef balls lacked flavour, but the cheese ball was interesting with a doughy exterior that’s like a fish ball filled with a creamy white cheese.

Miss Fu substituted the “spicy sauce” in the pork wontons ($7.99) with a neutral chicken broth studded with dried shrimp. It was lovely, having a creaminess that reminded me of the soup from fish noodle restaurants. The wontons are better than the ones you’ll find at the chop suey restaurants – much bigger and plumper.

Despite being stuffed I couldn’t help but have a handful of the glutinous rice balls with black sesame paste ($4.99). Tossed with soybean powder and slathered in a brown sugar syrup, they were pops of flavour and a great way to end the meal.

I’d imagine the restaurant gets busy during weekend dinners, but it was quiet during our Friday lunch, so our server had plenty of time to converse with us the explain the dishes. Given this was my first experience with Sichuan skewers this extra bit of attention was greatly appreciated. Miss Fu, I’ll be sure to give you a call next time I’m in Chengdu. 

In a neighbourhood filled with sushi eateries, it’s difficult for Issmi Japanese Restaurant to stand out. They offer a menu filled with variety, affordable prices, decent food, and friendly service; yet, in the Lawrence Village area this isn’t enough to be busy. I guess you can add ‘ease of securing a table without a reservation’ to the benefits of dining at Issmi.

The meal’s highlight was the rice paper roll ($20), a great option for those watching their carb intake as salad greens fill in for sushi rice. Stuffed with crab salad, spicy tuna, and shrimp tempura it’s a surprisingly hearty and creates enough flavours that it didn’t taste too healthy.

Pair the maki with an avocado salad ($9) and miso soup ($3) and you’ve got yourself a complete meal. I’m glad Issmi doesn’t skimp on the avocado, there’s plenty of it fanned across the simple green salad tossed with Issmi’s sesame and soy house dressing. And while the miso soup wasn’t overly exciting, it’s also not an expensive add on, arriving nice and hot.

There are also several sushi dishes that don’t break the bank. The Matsu sushi ($25) contains a well stuffed dynamite roll that rival most in the neighbourhood and 10 pieces of nigiri. The nigiri was where Issmi falters a bit: the rice not seasoned enough and some of the fish felt a touch dry. Still, these are just slight nuances that could easily be overlooked.

In another neighbourhood, Issmi would likely be a strong contender for becoming a local go-to. Unfortunately, they’re operating in a competitive area where there are some exceptional choices. In a pinch, when my favourites are closed or fully reserved, I’ll remember Issmi. For a backup, they’re a great safe option.