Showing posts with label brunch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brunch. Show all posts

Mary Be Kitchen (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, February 17, 2018 by

Mary Be Kitchen is light, bright, and airy … pretty much an Instagrammer’s dream. With the sparse wooden table tops and touches of white and blue, I can just imagine the number of strategically placed purse, sunglass, book, and food photos that will soon be geotagged against the restaurant.

Something about the atmosphere makes me want a pretty drink. Normally, for breakfast, I stick with a hot pot of English Breakfast. But, after seeing the atmosphere, I switched to a latte instead … actually, on second thought, make that a lavender latte ($4.95).



I don’t know what I was thinking: aside from the flora in a gin-based drink, it’s generally an ingredient I wish was left out. But, everything is so darn pretty that I felt the need to order the girliest morning drink they served. For the first half, while hot, the aromatic element went nicely with the warm milk and golden tasting espresso. Maybe I do like lavender, I thought to myself. Once the latte became cold and I’ve already had so many sips, I remember why it’s a nauseating ingredient.

Mary Be follows the fast-casual concept, ideal for the weekday lunch crowds in the Yonge and St. Clair neighbourhood. On weekends, it’s still an easy-going place: order, receive a number, find any empty table, and soon the food comes to you. Their menu consists of various salads, proteins, stews, and breakfast items that you can order separately or mix-and-match. The menu is limited to breakfast options on weekends with several other brunch choices.

The dahl and eggs ($13.95) is part of their brunch menu. A big bowl of red lentil curry where the pulse is soft and thick. Mary Be’s dahl has the customary hit of spice but also a tanginess that’s mellowed by fresh diced tomatoes. I only wish it was hotter, especially since the two poached eggs were so runny that a hot stew could have cooked them more. If you’re like me and enjoy the yolk oozing and creamy instead of leaking upon first poke, ask for them to be done medium.

With a sizeable piece of grilled organic multigrain sourdough toast and a side of leafy greens you’ll leave stuffed, but not feeling glutinous. In fact, I left feeling healthy – not in a juice fast sort of way, rather like I had a well-balanced hearty filling meal that also happens to be plant-based. Despite not having an ounce of meat, I stayed full until dinner after the 9am breakfast.

Don’t worry, for meat eaters, Mary Be does serve protein (they source their chicken, beef, and bacon from Beretta Farms). It just so happens they offer a lot of vegetarian options as well. These recipes were developed by owner Sarah Huggins, a long-time food blogger, who’s made her healthy recipes into a restaurant. Talk about living the dream. Maybe that’s why Mary Be Kitchen’s dining area is so white and heavenly.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 21B St. Clair Avenue West

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Mary Be Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Shangri-La for dim sum (Markham)

Posted on Saturday, January 20, 2018 by
Shangri-la dim sum in Markham

Toronto has no shortage of dim sum restaurants, but Shangri-La Banquet Hall touts theirs as one of the few where you’ll eat in a ballroom – their Esna Park ballroom to be exact. With no early bird specials on weekends, it’s also the place to go if you refuse to wait or have a large table and want to make reservations. While their regular prices will set you back $3.20 for S, $4.20 for M, $5.20 for L, $6.20 for XL, and $7.20 for SP (along with $2 a person for tea), if you order before 11am on weekdays, any of the S, M, or L dishes are all $3.20.

One of my favourite dishes is the large dumping with soup. At Shangri-La theirs is filled with abalone and conpoy and sits in supreme soup (SP). While the dish is expensive compared to other restaurants, it’s also huge and can easily feed four. The soup has a nice rich essence and the abundant seafood inside wasn’t too overcooked; yet, the broth could use more seasoning.


Their dumpling with shrimp (XL) and sui mai with fish roe (L) were both solid renditions of the staples, much larger than what you’d find elsewhere. While I didn’t try the har gow, their pork dumpling was springy and juicy with a generous dollop of roe on top.


If the shrimp in the har gow was cooked to the same doneness as the chives and shrimp dumpling (L), it would be spot on. Personally, I prefer the addition of the herby chives to the dumpling, which gives the dish more flavour.


While the bovine tendon (L) had that nice soft chewy gelatinous texture you want with beef tendon, the sauce contained a twinge of sourness that threw me off. It seemed like they added red vinegar to the marinade or to sweet potatoes at the bottom of the dish. In fact, a few of the steamed dishes had a filler, whether it’s sweet potatoes or the yam noodle bundles in the cuttlefish. Understandably, lining a dish is common for early bird special periods, but when customers are paying full price these fillers are disappointing. After all, I never pair black bean spare ribs with sweet potatoes.


Nonetheless, despite the yam bundle, the cuttlefish in curry (L) was well steeped with flavour - I rather enjoyed the hint of spiciness permeating the sauce.


The spare ribs in black bean sauce (M) and BBQ pork bun (S) were both average: it would be nice if the black beans on the spare ribs were mixed throughout rather than dolloped over top and the buns needed more filling.


Don’t miss out on their rice rolls, while they’re not as thin as establishments specializing in the dish, at Shangri-la the texture and thickness is still better than many dim sum places. The shrimp and leek (XL) and shitaki mushroom & chicken (L) both had adequate amounts of filling so it doesn’t feel like you’re eating mouthfuls of pastry.


Meanwhile, the rice roll with dough fritter ($5.20) showed interest with the pork floss on top, but the actual fritter needs to be hotter and crispier – taking one that’s been delivered in the morning and wrapping it in a fresh rice roll is not sufficient.



Generally, I don’t order spring rolls at dim sum, but their shredded chicken and crispy taro (M) version was yummy. Especially since they’re made-to-order arriving piping hot and the filling nicely balanced between the meat and earthy taro. Maybe it has something to do with eating in a ball room … somehow it makes everything taste fancier.


Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 50 Esna Park Drive

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

Shangri-La Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Hazel's Diner (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 12, 2017 by

After seeing the queue forming outside Hazel’s Diner, I’ve been intrigued by the all-day breakfast establishment… what flap jacks are they serving that makes people line up from 9am to noon (sometimes even during weekdays)? Having finally made it through the door, my conclusion is Hazel’s is so popular due to its location (being part of a busy neighbourhood where there’s no other diner) and their reasonable prices.

Their all-day breakfast includes the staple two eggs, bacon, toast, and home fries. While it’s normally $9.95, on Monday and Friday before 11am the price decreases to $6.99. Everything is done solidly: the scrambled eggs fluffy and actually tastes like eggs, the bacon crispy, and the home fries incorporate well caramelized onions giving it interest.  


In retrospect, had I known how large their pancakes were, we wouldn’t have added on a half stack ($8) to share. Each pancake is about the size of a plate and even the half stack is more than enough to satisfy a person. I could only muster through a small half of one pancake given it was so doughy and dense; they are also rather tasteless so relies heavily on maple syrup for flavour.


Their freshly squeezed orange juice is a great alternative to caffeine and available in small ($3) and large ($5) sizes, a rather reasonable price for a freshly squeezed variety.


Would I ever wait in line to return to Hazel’s? Likely not. But, their food is respectable and well-priced, so if there’s ever not a wait again, I’ll return for another savoury breakfast fix.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 3401 Yonge Street


 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
 Hazel's Diner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


SOCO Kitchen for brunch (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, October 28, 2017 by
SOCO Kitchen duck hash toronto

There aren’t many hotel restaurants I regularly dine at except SOCO Kitchen, its convenient downtown location and reasonable pricing has me returning. Past visits typically revolve around corporate lunches or dinner after work, but when we found ourselves hungry after a morning at Fan Expo (SOCO Kitchen is literally across the street from the Metro Convention Centre), that afternoon marked my first brunch visit.

Despite it being a busy weekend with tons of tourists, it wasn’t packed at SOCO and we could walk-in and secure a table. In due time, I was set up with a refreshing Blanche de Chambly strawberry and basil Collins cocktail ($8) where the light Belgian style wheat ale is mixed with gin, maple syrup, and lemon juice. While the cocktail contains a lot less fruit than in the picture, the two strawberries on top did give off a fruity aroma.

SOCO’s buttermilk pancakes ($14) are fluffy while still having a cake-like quality so it’s not like eating air. The batter has a brown butter salty flavour, so when combined with icing sugar, maple syrup, and whipped cream the pancakes don’t taste overly sweet. Overall, they’re really good pancakes, with enough flavour and well a lovely caramelized searing to the crust.


Their duck hash ($17) takes shredded duck confit and mixes it with roasted smashed potatoes to create an almost creamy savoury hash. On top, the fried egg with a touch of hollandaise makes it into an even more decadant breakfast. The dish could have benefited from more onion and bell peppers (to give the hash more texture and aesthetics) and the potatoes being cooked longer (so it develops a bit of a crust to help make the hash's components more distinct).


Don’t make the same mistake as me and order the breakfast potatoes as a side (forgetting that the hash already has potatoes). Get the side salad instead, especially since the meal also comes with bread – with all the carbs in makes for an extremely filling meal – a great option for fuelling up before a big day of exploring downtown Toronto or braving the slew of crowds at Fan Expo.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 75 Lower Simcoe Street (in the Delta hotel)

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Patisserie Sebastien (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, September 30, 2017 by

From the outside, Patisserie Sebastien, a neighbourhood French bakery, doesn’t seem too Parisian. However, once you open the oversized door (perfect for strollers and assisted walkers), the smell of tantalizing buttery pastries and comforting espresso mixed with milk instantly greets you.

Sebaastien’s is busy but not in an overwhelming manner: there’s always someone occupying the handful of tables situated around the windows but I’ve never had to wait. If you’re there for just a sweet and drink, a row of stools by the coffee bar entices you to stay and enjoy the concoctions in their full glory. In fact, I highly recommend you stop and eat the pastry there as certain ones are not nearly as magnificent once suffocated in a paper bag and left sitting around at home.

At the restaurant, the canale ($2.95) has a wonderfully caramelized crust and airy sweet cakey custard centre… the ideal two bites of sweetness with a hot frothy cappuccino. Once they’re brought home and especially if they’re left overnight, they’re still good but becomes chewy.


Go early on Saturday for your best chance at getting one of their French doughnuts ($2.95). Even then, sometimes they can quickly run out when families run in to grab a dozen for the cottage and there won’t be another batch on Sunday. Sebastien’s take on a cronut, these doughnuts are sinfully delicious with layers of flaky buttery pastry with a crispy sugary crust. By far my favourite doughnuts in the city.


Their butter croissant ($2.25) incorporates the same airy dough but really needs some condiments as it’s not really flavourful. For those who like croissant sandwiches, this is ideal for stuffing with cheese, vegetables, and meat. Similarly, the chocolate croissant ($2.50) is not nearly decadent enough. With only two slivers of chocolate along the middle of the pastry, you don’t always get some with each bite – if there was a bit drizzled on top the pastry would be better.


I prefer the apple Danish ($3.10), topped with numerous thin apple slices and a sweet earthy almond paste underneath. This is a pastry you generally can’t find everywhere else.


For a light lunch, Sebastien also offers sandwiches, soups, and quiches. The baguette used as the sandwich’s base is delicious – soft, chewy, and has a lovely bread aroma; it’s a crusty bread that’s not hard so you won’t have the jagged shards that can cut your mouth.

Meanwhile, the sandwiches’ fillings can be improved. The Parisian ($9.50; half order pictured below as they thoughtfully split it for us) uses French style ham, gruyere and mustard. Nothing is strong enough so the flavours sort of just meld together: the ham isn’t smoked and the gruyere also fairly mild. The only saving grace is the lovely mustardy creamy vinaigrette on the salad … if devil's egg can be made into a dressing.

The legume sandwich ($9.50) could be good if the eggplant was hot. Maybe it’s me, but biting into a bun and being greeted by an ice-cold vegetable is a letdown, no matter how creamy the goat cheese.


Sebastien’s French onion soup ($8.95) has all the elements to satisfy without the guilt factor. In lieu of the cap of cheese and bread, a few slices of gruyere is laid on top so it slowly melts without leaving a pool of oil. Baguette croutons are served on the side so you can add them gradually to the soup to help retain some crispiness. Given the accompaniments are lighter, the broth gets a chance to stand out - it’s not overly salty so you can enjoy the sweet onions.


Of all the brunch dishes, my favourite is their individual quiches – combining a bite of flaky crust and savoury egg with each bite. Their quiche Lorraine ($9.50) incorporates plenty of ham and cheese so is flavourful and creates nice gooey bites with caramelized onion for sweetness. The quiche’s crust is flakey but still light enough to not feel heavy, especially when balanced with the same mustardy aioli vinaigrette salad that’s served with sandwiches.


What I like most about Patisserie Sebastien is that there really is a Sebastien. When it’s busy, he’s generally in the kitchen, preparing the baked goods, sandwich, quiche, and soup orders. Once in a while, he’ll make his appearance in the dining room, bringing over the food in a quiet non-opposing manner. It’s impressive the number of confections one person can create for a bakery. Splitting a soup and French doughnut with my own quiche, that’s my go-to weekend lunch treat. 



Overall mark - 8 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 3306 Yonge Street


 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
Patisserie Sebastien Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Fred's (New York)

Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2017 by

During our wanderings along the Upper West Side, we hoped to find a low-key brunch spot. Having just picked up cat treats and toys from a neighbouring pet store, a meal at Fred’s was a serendipitous coincidence. The restaurant is made for animal lovers, in particular dogs. Named after a female Labrador retriever, Fred’s is run by the Guiding Eyes for the Blind organization, which breeds dogs to act as guides and companions for the visually impaired. 

Animal pictures are plastered on the walls and beams, likely each filled with their own story. True to their mission, the establishment exudes a playful spirit, and some indoor tables even feature a couch for your furry companion. Alas, there were no dogs or cats inside (they were on the patio) during our visit.


While waiting for our dishes to arrive, a basket of cinnamon bread comes first (there were actually four slices, we ate two before I realized they were worth mentioning). They don’t look like much, but upon biting into them, you find a lovely swirl of sugary cinnamon throughout and the butter and strawberry cream cheese spread makes it even better. Turns out, the bread’s sourced from Orwashers Bakery, which is well known for their artisan breads. It’s even used as a base for Fred’s French toast – for those who want this tasty ingredient to play an even bigger part of their meal.


The huevos rancheros ($15.95) was fantastic. A crisp corn tortilla is layered with salty Black Forest Ham and gooey Monterey Jack cheese, then topped with two eggs (in my case, scrambled) and a lovely roasted tomato salsa. The eggs were fluffy without relying heavily on oil or cream, so they actually taste like eggs. As you cut through the rest of the ingredients and add a smear of the refried beans to the fork, it’s a lovely bite. With a hefty helping of rice on the side, the dish kept me full well into dinner.


Fred’s, like a four-legged friend, has a comfortable cute quality to the restaurant. The dishes aren’t fancy, but they’re tasty and filling, and the large restaurant means no wait and you can eat unhurried. If only there were a couple of pets inside the restaurant, think they could have been seduced by a spoonful of refried beans?

Overall mark - 8 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: New York, USA
 Address: 476 Amsterdam Avenue

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
Fred's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



CLOSED: The Berlin (Kitchener)

Posted on Saturday, March 25, 2017 by

Brunching at the Berlin ensures you’re satisfied right away. You’ve experienced it - the hunger pangs from a delayed breakfast; for a person who eats by 7:00 am during weekdays, waiting until even 11:00 am seems like an eternity. The Berlin gets you – they’ve set-up a harvest table with cold dishes so you can get into the meal quickly after being seated.



Soon after our drink orders were taken (a mimosa for me that’s already included in the meal price), I descended upon the table with a promise to bring back only one plate. After all, I couldn’t fill up and not eat any of the hot dishes.

With a changing menu, depending on what the local producers have in season, there was a nice combination to choose from. Half of the table was dedicated to sweets (black berry muffins, coconut chocolate scones, and an iced citrus loaf, to name a few), in the middle a make-your-own granola section, and on the other end, my kind of end … the savoury affair.



Gorgeous slices of smoked pork neck and lachsschinken (a brined cured pork loin) charcuterie and a pile of Beemster cheese. Placed onto their yeasty crusty bread, it transformed everything into an ultimate ham and cheese sandwich.

Aside from an extremely over salted shaved cabbage and green apple salad, the other options were delicious:

  • Citrusy cubes of the lightly cured rainbow trout with creamy avocado and a hit of mystery spice that gave the dish extra pep (could it be a ginger salt similar to the ginger sugar used on the grapefruit)?   
  • Despite having my fill of beets this season, the liberal sprinkling of green onions mixed into the traditional goat cheese mixture was fantastic and gave the salad a fresh spring-like quality.

Be warned, the harvest table is a test to your self-control - despite knowing I had already ordered a poached egg, I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing a slice of the leek and goat cheese frittata as it came warm from the oven. Just step away from the table and strap yourself into your seat.

Berlin’s brunch ($24 for adults and $10 for children including a beverage) is my kind of buffet. To ensure the hot items are at their peak, these are made-to-order. Order one or many and they will arrive individually plated, perfect for passing around the table so everyone gets a taste.



The medium poached egg already arrives with spiced lentils and a creamy yoghurt. But, you could easily combine it with a slice of jowl bacon and bread or English muffin to make a DIY eggs benedict. As for the bacon, meat lovers have to try it. Don’t let the thick layer of fat scare you; it tastes light in the mouth and simply melts away into deliciousness.

Put together their hot juicy garlic sausage (accompanied by a lovely grainy beer mustard) with a crispy dense potato latke and you’re in for a hearty meal.

Yet, it’s the French toast with the maple syrup that got our table in a tizzy. The thick piece of pumpkin spiced bread with pumpkin seeds (?) must have been soaking for a long time in the egg and milk mixture. Once you cut through the caramelized exterior, the middle in piping hot and has a soft custard consistency. Just take a moment to savour the French toast … it’s … just … so … good.

So delicious that once I went back to the harvest table for “dessert”, the freshly made cinnamon sticky buns and crispy sesame-poppy seed palmier seemed so normal. Forget the sticky bun, I could have had another slice of the French toast any day.



It’s a shame that the Berlin isn’t located closer to home, or perhaps it’s just a saving grace for my waistline. The meal was friendly and fantastic. Oh Chef Jonathan Gushue, how do you make the first meal of the day so satisfying? And now, for a nap.

 Overall mark - 9 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
 Location: Kitchener, Canada
 Address: 45 King Street West

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


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