Showing posts with label calamari. Show all posts
Showing posts with label calamari. Show all posts

Agua (Grand Cayman)

Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2016 by
Auga Grand Cayman

Agua’s menu sounds like the United Nations of the food world: tons of Peruvian specialties, European influences, dishes incorporating Asian ingredients and comforting Italian pastas. The all-encompassing commonality between the selections is the predominantly seafood-based choices, which isn’t surprising for a restaurant named as ‘water’.

Their ceviches (CI$13.50 each) are popular, it seemed every table was graced with one. With five choices, the two we selected were pretty similar: you would think a classic Peruvian (clasico Peruano) and Thai recipe would be different, yet both incorporated the classic lime juice base, red onion and cilantro. The coconut milk added to the Thai version did give that dish an edge, resulting in the ceviche having a lovely creamy finish.

Auga Grand Cayman: cevicheAuga Grand Cayman: ceviche

Both were good: tender large cubes of fish incorporating enough flavour without being overpowering – you could taste the citrus without a lingering burning sensation. The lackluster wonton chips could use some improvement: not crispy enough to really withstand scooping and much too oily leaving a sheen on your tongue that detracts from enjoying the ceviche’s tastes.

I had my doubts when reading the description of the tuna tartare (CI$14.50) … sweet and sour sauce AND truffle oil? Two very different ingredients that in my mind had nothing to do with tuna. Admittedly, the truffle oil was a tad overpowering, but overall everything worked. The tuna itself was left in large enough pieces to not drown in sauce and the mixture ended up being slightly sweet with a mild chili finish.

Auga Grand Cayman: tuna tartare

The tower was also pretty, the tartare perched perfectly on a bed of diced creamy avocado. If only there was a taro chip for scooping; with all the flavours something salty and crunchy to tie everything together would have been nice.

We moved into warmer waters for the mains, my Peruvian mixed grill (CI$28.50) consisting of a perfectly cooked fillet of mild white fish topped with shrimp and calamari rings. Yet it was the buttery aji panca pepper sauce that made the dish: the Peruvian pepper offering a mellow heat, smokiness not unlike chipotle and a slightly sweet finish. If I weren’t feeling full from the rather large appetizers, I would have eaten every drop of the sauce with the steamed rice.

Auga Grand Cayman: Peruvian mixed grill

I was glad to see that Agua’s lobster and shiitake ravioli (CI$27.95) was more than a handful of pasta. There were about a dozen, each filled with a mushroom mascarpone and also containing broth so the stuffed pastas had an almost dumpling quality. On top was a healthy portion of cubed lobster finished with a chive butter sauce.

Auga Grand Cayman: Lobster and shiitake ravioli

The first meal of the Cayman Island’s trip was delicious and the restaurant’s prime location along Seven Mile Beach a convenient draw. Thanks to our host for introducing us to the place, Agua set the bar high for the other meals to come…

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
 Address: West Bay Road (in the Galleria Plaza)
 Website: http://www.agua.ky/

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____________________________
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:

CLOSED: Spacco (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, March 19, 2016 by


Midtown has a group of restaurants that has operated for years, yet their appeal have diminished with all the new competition, despite having decent food and a pleasant atmosphere. Spacco is one of these restaurants, a place I recall visiting for work functions numerous years ago, dining on appetizer platters and finger foods. 

They began offering a Groupon deal for a three course meal for four for only $80 - a steal considering most of their mains are $15-$20 (prices included in the post are from the regular menu). We did have to order from condensed offerings, but still had plenty of choices and was a well curated selection off their complete menu.

Both of the calamari ($13) were fair sized portions and well executed. The battered version, the typical thin rings, were hot and fresh from the deep fryer. Meanwhile, the grilled version could be charred a bit more but had nice flavours from the lemon garlic olive oil, the vegetables on the side a great addition.


The oven baked shrimp ($13) were thankfully not overcooked and the chunky spicy roasted tomato sauce they sat in great for slathering on the soft complimentary ciabatta buns.  


Although the arancini ($12) were delicious and in my opinion the tastiest of all the appetizers, the two ping pong sized balls made the starter much smaller compared to other offerings. Typically, at other restaurants, there would be three to an order – Spacco you need to consider increasing the number of arancini or the size of each one for this appetizer. Nonetheless, the deep fried risotto stuffed with peas and mozzarella were hot and satisfying, a soft molten middle with the requisite crunchy exterior.  


For the mains, the seafood risotto ($20) was terrible – the rice extremely mushy and is questionable if it was even made with the Arborio variety. There was a fair amount of seafood (shrimp, scallop, calamari and mussels) but despite the menu describing the mussels as “fresh”, they were gritty and tasted off to me.


The penne trecolore ($18) was better, the pasta in between the al dante and cooked through state but tossed in a tasty tomato cream sauce. Mixed into the pasta was plenty of chicken, spinach and roasted red peppers to provide the “three colours” from the dish’s name.


With the wood-burning oven prominently situated in the open kitchen, it seemed like a safe bet that the pizzas would be good. We ordered two to share, the culo rosso ($16) and campagnia ($17), both delicious and prettily presented.


Indeed, the culo rosso had a very spicy kick from the hot banana peppers, so much so that it momentarily renders your tongue numb making the sausage and caramelized shallots non-existent. But, if you like the heat, it’s a great pie. On the other hand, the campagnia is much tamer topped with chicken, roasted red peppers, spinach, sundried tomatoes and a fair amount of creamy goat cheese.

The only easy decision is dessert – there are two choices, a sweet and moist tuxedo truffle mousse cake or dense and sugary iced chocolate brownie with ice cream ($7). Neither are fantastic, yet tasted fresh and since they’re both so decadent, leaves you satisfied with a few tastes.   

Overall, we were all pleasantly surprised with the quality of their food for the price we paid ($20 per person). Although there wasn’t anything outstanding, the dishes were executed better than chain restaurants and the atmosphere cheerful and conducive to sharing bottles of wine without fear of becoming too loud. Best yet, after the meal, you can always venture to their lounge area and continue the night with more drinks and a game at one of their seven pool tables.

 Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 2415 Yonge Street (behind Alleycatz)


 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:



CLOSED: La Tasca (Edinburgh)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Address: 9 South Charlotte Street
Type of Meal: Dinner  


La Tasca isn’t anything fancy, but if you’re looking for reasonable prices and a low-key but not family restaurant environment, this UK chain is a great option. The menu is quite extensive with tapas, paellas, whole fish and simple salads; items we tried are unfussy and reminiscent of the tastes of Spain.
One of the better dishes of the night was the calamares (£4.60) a simple fried calamari dish.  Cut into thicker slices the squid tastes fresh and tender.  The crust is crispy and thin with just some sea salt, although the dish does have a spicy aioli sauce on the side if you need a bit more flavour.


The langostinos (£5.95) was a good value dish comprised of four large tiger prawns – heads on for some who may be squeamish.  Grilled on a flat top so that juices are retained but without charring the shell, the prawn is delicious and maintains its natural flavours.    
A dish with some kick were the empanadas de carne (£4.35) filled with spicy ground beef and regato cheese wrapped in a crunchy yet soft coating.
If you want something more filling the flatbread for two (£6.95) may be the dish for you – certainly sufficient for us to share even amongst a table of four.  Arriving on a wooden platter the bread is not exactly flat but rather like a thick crust vegetarian pizza. Topped with roast peppers, tomatoes, cheese and onion it’s a dish built for sustenance.
The gratinado verduras (£3.75) is for individuals who like their vegetables hidden under a layer of cheese and mixed into cream.  Garlicky creamed spinach sits on the bottom with a scalloped potato layer on top.
After my visit to La Tasca, I’ve learnt that “salsa” essentially translates to “sauce” - not the tomato Old El Paso variety available in mild, medium and hot but just “sauce”.  When the pollo con salsa (£4.95) arrived we were a little surprised that the chicken was sitting in a creamy sherry sauce, we should read the menu carefully. But, the dish was still good with the pieces of white meat mixed with mushrooms.
I enjoyed the variety of salads on their menu; by this point in the trip I was craving something simple and healthy. We ordered a regular green house salad (£2.95) as well as the beetroot, carrot and butternut squash salad (£4.80). Personally, I enjoyed the simple green salad more as I’m not a huge fan of sweet squash dishes.
La Tasca has a fair variety of beers and wine on their menu. Choice is abundant with wines offered in 125ml, 250ml, half bottle and full bottle options with a 250ml will glass setting you back about £6. So, if you’re tired after walking through Old or New Town, this is a good choice to stop for a bite where you can likely comfortably feed two with £20 without having to eat a burger.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10


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____________________________
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!
    •   

CLOSED: Fishbar (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 217 Ossington Avenue
Type of Meal: Dinner

For those who don't like fish, don't let the name fool you, Fishbar has more offerings than just flounder. The menu consists of a cacophony of seafood with almost all species included with the exception of crab the night of my visit.

Like many of the West end downtown restaurants the dining room is a long narrow rectangle layout. The decor also follows a similar pattern of high/low wooden tables and a feature bar along one wall.  But, a nice difference is the storefront glass which slides open to give those near the window gets a dining el Fresco feel.

Fishbar's menu is tapas style which is always a foodie friendly option to allow trying multiple dishes.  First up was a healthy portion of New England style fried clams ($8) and hand cut fries ($6).  According to Wikipedia, New England style clams are dipped in evaporated milk prior to coating with all purpose, corn and pastry flour. The coating was fairly thin and could stand to be crispier and the clams warmer in temperature.  In my opinion, the clams tasted a bit bland and could have used a sprinkling of salt to add a taste of the sea.  Of course, it may be because they were served with the fries which were topped with nori salt and were served with a miso aioli, much stronger in flavour which could have over powered the lighter clams.




The tilapia in the Equadorian tilapia ceviche ($13) was fresh and went well with the sweet mango and pineapple salsa on top.  But, there was nothing exciting about the flavours – none of the robust citrus and spicy notes that I enjoy.  Additionally, the fish was over a tad over “acidified” as the texture began to turn rough. 




On the other hand, the tuna sashimi ($14) was topped with a liberal smear of sweet soy glaze so had a stronger savoury taste. However, I found the toasted almond slivers to be a strange mix with the tuna; but this is a matter of taste as one friend liked the hint of crunch it added. I would have preferred strips of toasted nori instead but guess that is a safer combination.




There’s nothing I enjoy more than the smell of garlic butter, which is all I could smell when the Sicilian gnocchi ($16) arrived.  It had a wonderful essence mixed with the prawns, tender baby shitake mushrooms and wilted arugula. Nonetheless, it’s the gnocchi that fell short for me.  I’ve realized that I don’t like ricotta based gnocchi as it’s much too mushy for my taste.




Our final dish of grilled calamari ($12) showed some redemption as the briny olives & capers mixed with hints of citrus provided some much needed bold flavours.  The calamari was also cooked to a suitable doneness that didn’t leave it rubbery and tough.  




The Fishbar, despite not being a new restaurant, does have some kinks to work out in terms of staffing levels. The evening of our visit it took close to half an hour to get wine and a full hour before our first dish arrived.  The waiter explained they were short staffed and thanked us for being patient on many occasions but didn’t really offer an explanation as to why they were inadequately staffed to begin with. 

After reading some reviews on Urbanspoon, it appears the slow and inconsistent service is a problem they’ve been plagued with in the past.  While past patrons cited problems with “attitude”, we didn’t encounter that during our visit.  Alas, it was only the slow service that remains.  Luckily, management can easily attempt to appease customers by offering a complimentary starter – even if it were just a basket of bread which can still go a long way to curb grumpy hungry customers.

All in all, the Fishbar is good for those who like ingredients prepared simply so that the tastes of the components themselves stand out.  Personally, I prefer bolder tastes so found most dishes lacking a few touches.  A good news story for the environment is that Fishbar is part of the Ocean Wise program and serves sustainable seafood.  Of course, this also means you’ll likely not find sea bass on their menu anytime soon.   Overall, the food is satisfactory but with slow service and relatively high pricing there are better competitive options available around town.

Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10


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 ____________________________
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!

Sassafraz (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 100 Cumberland Street
Website: http://www.sassafraz.ca/
Type of Meal: Dinner

 When so many restaurants are dimly lit and swathed in dark browns, it’s refreshing to walk into a bright, white-washed room.  The waterfall feature wall has been maintained nicely and still looks beautiful and impressive.  Perhaps, what is most appreciated, is the healthy distance between tables – something about not having to slide into your seat sideways and manoeuvering jackets and bags with strangers on shared bench space always starts the meal right.



My last visit to Sassafraz happened two years ago and I vaguely recall the experience.  So, when Groupon was offering a three course meal used for four people for only $105 it seemed too good to be true – an economical way to return to the restaurant.  But, since it was a deal, we prepared for disappointment; thankfully, the meal turned out terrific.


My appetizer of tempura isn’t on their regular menu.  A generous portion of crispy calamari, octopus tentacles and green bean tempura was topped with a sprinkling of chopped red chillies.  Unlike Japanese tempura the batter is heavier and accompanied with sweet chili thai and sriracha aioli dipping sauces. 

Although the dish’s presentation wasn’t impressive, it tasted good.  The batter and chopped chilis already had such great flavour that the dipping sauces weren’t necessarily required.   The calamari was cut into large pieces rather that in the typical small rings.  I like this as the seafood tastes meatier and retains its moisture; the octopus tentacles were equally well cooked.  The green beans, on the other hand, were too oily due to ratio of batter; zucchini strips or bundling the green bean before battering may be better.

The halibut, also not on their regular menu, was an equally large portion.  The fish had a nice pan seared crust and the lemon butter sauce complimented the mild halibut well.  But, what I enjoyed most were the accompanying poppy seed spaetzle and crisp Swiss chard.  Spaetzle, a German side dish of dough slivers, is not found often at restaurants.  The only time I’ve ever tried it was at O&B Café and their version pales in comparison to Sassafraz.  I enjoy the larger sized pieces which allow the dough to be softer and contrast the crisp pan fried exterior.   The Swiss chard was cooked perfectly so that it retained its vibrant red colour and crisp texture, I would have happily trade in the halibut for more of it!

My husband had their 10 oz. striplion with horseradish scented pommes puree with olive ($33).  The striplion, despite being a leaner cut of beef, was cooked well and tender.  I found the mashed potatoes to have a slightly sour taste that I found strange, but my husband enjoyed it.

For dessert I had the donuts ($12), which are three churros dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with chocolate ganache and dulche de leche dipping sauces.  Made to order, they were hot, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  There was just the right amount of cinnamon sugar and the bitterness of the dark chocolate sauce complimented the sweetness.  The dessert was a great ending to the meal.

Unfortunately, when offering deals, some restaurants treat customers with subpar service.  At Sassafraz this didn’t happen and they were as gracious as they’d normally be, attentive at filling up empty wine and water glasses.  The manager even came around at the beginning the welcome all patrons and solicit their feedback at the end of the meal.  Competing restaurants should take note of this trait – when you are offering a deal this is your occasion to promote your restaurant and obtain feedback from new customer groups, so use the opportunity wisely!

Overall mark - 8 out of 10

____________________________
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!
For further general discussions about this blog please refer to http://gastroworldblog.blogspot.com/2012/09/welcome-to-gastro-world.html



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