Showing posts with label fries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fries. Show all posts

Jokers Theatre & Comedy Club (Richmond Hill)

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A new Richmond Hill destination, Jokers Theatre and Comedy Club, provides a slew of entertainment options: comedy shows (we’re advised it is the only place for comedy in Richmond Hill), magic shows, and live band karaoke.

With its infancy comes growing pains, which stemmed from a malfunctioning printer, so the kitchen and bar weren’t aware they were receiving orders. Ultimately, this resulted in a 20-minute wait for drinks and over an hour wait for food, during a July visit.

At first, we didn’t mind waiting for food as their martinis ($15 each) were so satisfying. The French martini was dangerously smooth thanks to the sweet Chambord and pineapple juice mixed with the vodka, a lovely summery drink. The Lychee Loves Lips martini was a bit stronger with the addition of lychee liqueur to the vodka. Although, I was a little disappointed to a lemon slice garnishing the drink instead of lychee. Even a canned lychee would really add to the experience.

As much as we loved the drinks, after waiting 45 minutes, we finally asked someone to check on the food. It was then they discovered the kitchen hadn’t received our order and quick fired a complimentary bruschetta (not offered on their regular menu) to keep us satisfied while our meal was being prepared. We were thankful to have something to tie us over.    

I imagine they were rushing to send out food as the frito misto ($19) needed better draining to remove the excess oil and create a crispier flour coating. At least they were well seasoned, and the first bites super crispy and wonderfully hot. Being a frito misto, or a mixture of fried seafood, ideally the appetizer should contain more than a few shrimps. Alternatively, Jokers should consider dropping the scant crustacean and relabel this as fried calamari instead.

With two simple tweaks, the burger ($19) could shine as it was tasty and incorporated fresh ingredients. Firstly, cook the beef to medium so the thick patty isn’t so hard. Otherwise, if pink beef is not in the cards, chefs should form looser patties (so they are less dense) or switch it up and use two thinner patties instead. Secondly, nix the romaine (or at least the rib portion of the lettuce leaf) as the hard and uneven surface area causes the patty to slip and soft brioche bun to break. There’s a reason why ice burg is so widely used. At least the fries were hot and crispy.

My friend noted her steak was cooked to the requested medium rare but had a burnt taste. We figure it stems from two causes: either the pan/grill wasn’t properly cleaned between uses (in this case, make sure they are cleaned) or the black pepper sauce covering the steak was burnt. If it’s the later reason, to ensure the steak doesn’t cool off or overcook, present the steak at the table first and let the customer know the sauce is being prepared again and will be brought separately. I would much rather wait for the sauce than have burnt tasting steak.

Hopefully, as the restaurant matures, they will develop stronger front-of-the-house management or staff will become more cognizant of operations and communicate better. Indeed, businesses are reliant on technology, which causes havoc when there are issues, but seasoned personnel can mitigate or reduce the aftereffects.

For example, I’m surprised it took us checking on our food for Jokers to figure out the kitchen wasn’t getting orders. When they are approaching a busy dinner period and food isn’t being ordered or coming out of the kitchen, shouldn’t someone notice – either the kitchen, our server, or management?

With the drinks, even after technology issues were resolved, we noticed my friend’s second martini sitting at the bar for ~10 minutes before it was finally brought over. Our server was helping serve the Le Petit Chef dinner, but there were other people milling around the bar. Given Jokers operates two venues in one, management needs to be on the lookout for ready-to-serve drinks and food and/or servers need to communicate and ask others to cover when they are serving during Le Petit Chef periods.

It's a shame we didn’t have a better experience as I’m really rooting for Jokers to do well – everyone is so friendly and hospitable that I’d love to go more often. I love that there’s ample free parking and both comedy nights we attended left us in stiches. Plus, I’m a huge fan of magic shows and have been known to belt out songs, so I feel like there’s so much more of Jokers to experience. The only dilemma… to eat dinner or not?  

Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10
Disclaimer: The comedy show was complimentary, although we paid for the meal. Rest assured, as noted in the mission statement, I will always provide my honest opinion. 

How To Find Them
 Location: Richmond Hill, Canada
 Address: 115 York Boulevard


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!

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CLOSED: Babel (Toronto) for brunch

 


Cutting into the fish cake benny ($19) a sigh of relief is emitted when there wasn’t a gush of yolk spilling onto the plate. Undercooked eggs is something I detest, it’s as if the egg just barfed all over the plate. Luckily, Babel’s poached eggs were perfect where the yolk slowly pours out and is thick enough to spread like soft butter.


 


The fact that the beautifully cooked egg is on top of a fish cake makes the dish even more coveted. Akin to a crab cake, the decadent bottom pulls apart easily and is seasoned perfectly with a touch of tartare sauce that gives it a briny bite and blends nicely with the hollandaise. If the fish cakes were cooked a touch longer to allow a crust to form, that bit of crunch against the other soft and silky ingredients would make the dish complete. It’s a main that works well for sharing as the combination is rather rich, so they smartly pair the bennys with a simple green salad.


Normally, I wouldn’t think to have a chicken shawarma wrap ($19) for brunch, but when you’re at Mediterranean restaurant it doesn’t seem so strange. Babel’s laffa wrap is uber thin and well toasted so that there are crispy air pockets. Stuffed with slivers of tender chicken, curried chickpeas, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and tahini sauce, the ingredients meld together nicely to create a tasty bite.


 


Hot and crispy shoestring fries finish off the plate and are the perfect vessels for dipping into the creamy garlicky toum. We should have chicken shawarma at brunch all the time.


 


Oddly, their brunch menu only lists a handful of cocktails as beverages, devoid of the traditional caffeine and juice options. Luckily, we pulled up all the drink options from their website so that I could enjoy a fragrant cup of Sloane tea latte ($5.50), given not everyone wants a stiff drink at 11 in the morning.


 


I am just happy we discovered a great brunch spot that is close to home, takes reservations, and has a lovely varied menu. Babka French toast and vegetarian shakshuka, we shall become better acquainted in the future.



Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 305 York Mills Road



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!

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Rudy (Toronto) for delivery

Note: Prices in post are based on regular menu prices and may be higher when using delivery services

Sometimes life gets in the way of cooking. Sometimes life even gets in the way of dining out… or in our restricted dining age, Mother Nature puts a stop to the affair. It’s times like these that I still turn to delivery. After doing it for over a year, quickly ordering something from an app has become second nature. Don’t feel like cooking? Break out the app.

In all fairness, these lazy days are also when I get to experience different “fast food” places. In the past, McDonald’s was an occasional treat and Maker’s Pizza would generally fill in the rest. But, with all the lazy days I’ve experienced, we broke tradition and started ordering from other places instead. That’s when my husband read out great smash burgers in Toronto and realized there’s a Rudy in North York.

The Rudy burger ($6.99), with it’s smashed beef patty, is what drew him in. Quite frankly, I’m not sure why people like these burgers; to me, it tastes like having a burger patty in jerky format as all the juices are squeezed out and you’re left with crispy edges. It’s topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese, and their special sauce, but I still found it lacking in moisture. My husband tells me it’s supposed to be like this and it’s that caramelized crust that breaks through the soft bun that people like. I’d much rather get that crunch from raw onions or dill pickles any day.  

I’ll just stick with their chicken burger, the Valentino ($8.49), where the chicken patty is thick and juicy, but still arrives with a crispy lightly battered crust. The protein is amazing. Where there’s room for improvement is the bun – it’s way too soft becoming sticky and mushy and barely holds together.

At least they provide the sauces on the side or else that bun would have no hope. The Valentino sauce is sort of like a watery ranch and while the consistency is great for drizzling, it could be saltier. Once you really soak the patty with their light hot sauce and everything mixes with the coleslaw it does get tastier. Overall, a decent chicken sandwich.

Their fries ($4.19) are a little pricy but a fair size and can be shared amongst two. It just needs to be double fried, so it doesn’t arrive so soggy. And unlike the golden arche’s fries, these barely have a lick of salt. You’ll want to save some of the chicken burger sauce to dip these into.

I’ve certainly had my fill of chicken sandwiches and fries during the pandemic. Rudy hardly leads the pack, yet it wasn’t a disappointing experience either. Maybe I need to go beyond the chicken and broaden my palette by trying more smashed burgers – is it me, or do they seem to be all the rage lately? It’s certainly a possibility, because with life right now, I’m just so tired of cooking. Anyone feeling the same?


Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: Various locations
 Delivery: Uber, Doordash, Skip the Dishes
Referral Discount Codes
 Support the blog by using my referral code
 UberEats: use eats-ju6ta to get $5 off a $15 order 
 SkipTheDishes: click link to get $5 off a $15 order
 DoorDash: click link to get $20 off

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 order again
  • 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
  • 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
  • 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
  • 9 -  wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
  • 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!


Is That It? I Want More!

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Cafe Landwer (Toronto) for delivery

Note: Prices in post are based on regular menu prices and may be higher when using delivery services

There are some dishes that do better as takeout than others and sadly the items from Café Landwer are best eaten at the restaurant. Landwer recognizes this fact, as their menu has morphed to include more travel-friendly offerings like sandwiches, pastas, and pizza. Luckily, it’s always been an eclectic mix of ethnicities and choices, so these new additions don’t seem out of place.

The sinia kebab ($19) was almost like a hearty pizza anyways, a base of their soft chewy pita that’s slathered with tahini and then topped with a full charbroiled eggplant, large hunks of roasted tomato and red onion, and chickpeas for added texture. Of course, there’s cubes of the namesake beef kebab topping everything - they a bit tougher, but still has the nice balance of spices and flavours. It’s something the rest of the flatbread ingredients lack, relying merely on the tahini, which isn’t powerful enough to flavour the dish. It’s something a crack of salt and pepper at home helps to improve.

With all the juicy vegetable toppings on the flatbread, it does get soggy in the middle. Do yourself a favour and cut it into quarters and give it 8-10 minutes in a hot oven. This really helps make the flatbread handle better and gives the ingredients a chance to heat up. If you’re hungry, just start with the chopped salad it comes with to tide you over (another thing a crack of salt doesn’t hurt).

In fact, 6-8 minutes in the oven is what all their pizzas need. It does melt the cheese on the burrata pizza ($16.95) so that it pools out over everything, but cold tomato sauce isn’t really my thing. Next time, I’m going to remove the cheese from the pie before reheating and add it back afterwards. It’s a dish we’ll certainly re-order - a simple pizza like a margherita but creamier and more decadent thanks to the burrata.  

Even Café Landwer felt something was amiss with the feta and eggplant pizza ($18.95) as I now see it’s been removed, and the feta’s been swapped with mascarpone cheese instead. It’s true, the big cubes of soft feta cheese were a bit jarring to have in one bite and should have been cut into smaller pieces; a spreadable mascarpone would be much easier to combine with everything.

Let’s hope the replacement also takes the black olives and cuts them down a bit. Indeed, Café Landwer doesn’t skimp on ingredients, but adding so many olives simply overpowered everything, including the delicate roasted eggplant. In my mind a ratio of 40% eggplant, 40% cheese, and 20% olives would work the best.

It might seem strange to order a burger ($18) from the restaurant – my poor husband, who must get a weeknight burger from Café Landwer, just so there’s vegetarian options for my flexitarian diet. Needless to say, I didn’t try it. He notes that while the bun could be refresher, the burger isn’t bad. It not as good as a gourmet burger found elsewhere but does remind him of the ones you used to get in the 80s/90s at neighbourhood joints.

In fact, one bite of the fries accompanying the burger and I get what he means. They’re likely the mass frozen variety, but I’m transported back to Van Horne plaza where I’d tuck into an order of these same flour laced spuds at the fish & chips place. Strangely, these lukewarm not fully crispy fries were what we spoke about the most and finished completely. The taste of nostalgia.

If all else fails, the chicken shawarma hummus ($16) is always a safe bet. It’s perhaps a tad waterier than having it at the restaurant, but the chickpea base is just as smooth and luscious and there’s just as many tender pieces of chicken on top. The tightly wrapped flatbread is perhaps the hottest thing in the order and perfect for ripping apart and tucking into while waiting for the other items to reheat.

Like most people, I can’t wait until we can eat out at restaurants again – spring patios, please arrive soon! Café Landwer’s outdoor dining is where you’ll find me, tucking into dishes like the shaksuka that definitely isn’t made for delivery. Until then, kudos to Café Landwer for hustling and creating new options to weather the COVID takeout needs. While it doesn’t live up to your regular menu, I appreciate the tenacity. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: Various locations
 Delivery: Uber and Skip the Dishes
Referral Discount Codes
 Support the blog by using my referral code
 UberEats: use eats-ju6ta to get $5 off a $15 order 
 SkipTheDishes: click link to get $5 off a $15 order
 

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 order again
  • 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
  • 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
  • 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
  • 9 -  wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
  • 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:





The Fry (Toronto) for delivery

Note: Prices in post are based on Uber Eats prices and may differ at the restaurant or with other delivery services

I’ve been listening to a podcast called The Happiness Lab and within an episode, host Laurie Santos explains that people tend to start things during a time of significance – on a Monday, after their birthday, or perhaps the biggest milestone of all… the start of a new year. It’s a time for resolutions and one of the most popular resolves is to eat healthier and lose weight. Inevitably, 2021 won’t be a year of shedding for me, as the first meal we dug into was a midnight feast of fried chicken. To soak up all the alcohol we consumed, of course.

Since we were ordering on a busy night, the soy garlic chicken ($20.99 for small) took a while to be delivered, so it wasn’t as crispy and was warm on arrival. In my heart I knew giving it seven minutes in the toaster oven would really help, but we were really looking forward to the greasy eats so tucked in anyways. While I do enjoy my fried bird plain, the lightness of the sweet soy blended with garlic was delicious and really helped give the chicken flavour without adding a heavy glaze.

In general, Korean fried chicken is lighter to begin with. The batter is just a coating of flour, so it doesn’t soak up as much oil and isn’t as greasy. The Fry cuts up the half bird into smaller pieces so you can pick and choose the cuts to your preference. For me, I like to pick at the bones, which is complimented by my husband who enjoys big nuggets of boneless white meat. I knew I met my perfect match: he leaves the flavourful pieces for me and is opened to indulging in fried chicken late at night.

Little did we know the chicken arrives as a “combo” with a can of Coke and a container of lightly pickled sweet daikon, which really helps cut through the grease.

That light acidity and freshness helped to balance off the side of fries ($5.99 for small), which was surprisingly hotter and crispier than the chicken. Despite being a “small” order, there was a lot of fries and the spuds were also coated with flour to give it that extra crunch – sort of like the ones you’d find at Taco Bell and Costco, excepted jazzed up with a light dusting of green onions.

I loved that The Fry uses paper-based containers for delivery. And if you want a fully plastic-free experience, skip the pickled turnip (with the fried chicken) and the ketchup (with the fries) in your order.

This New Year’s, what I’ve heard the most is good riddance to 2020 and let the good times begin in 2021. So, with that in mind, I skipped on my traditional resolutions of being healthier or more responsible. Instead, this year, I resolve to live it up and enjoy the good things (and people) in life. And it seems I subconsciously knew this already, as this year started off with a greasy bang.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: Various locations 
 Website: https://thefry.ca/
 Delivery: Uber
Referral Discount Codes
 Support the blog by using my referral code
 UberEats: use eats-ju6ta to get $5 off a $15 order 


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 order again
  • 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
  • 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
  • 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
  • 9 -  wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
  • 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:



Stack (Toronto) for delivery

Note: Prices in post are based on regular menu prices and may be higher when using delivery services

Patience pays when you’re ordering from Stack. The first time we used Uber, we thought there was a mistake when the quoted delivery time was an hour and a half out. “Surely, this was a case of the restaurant giving themselves a significant safety net and the meal will arrive in no time?” we thought. Nope, it took almost the full 1.5 hours, but then, things aren’t rushed at Stack. After all, their meaty creations spend up to 14 hours in the smoker before it’s ready for a bite, what’s another hour?

The restaurant isn’t about short cuts. Even the patty of the Smokehouse burger ($13.99) is ground freshly on site, which allows them to cook it to medium well so that by the time it’s delivered it’s not overcooked. A non-frozen patty tastes different, the brisket and chuck creation already so flavourful and rich that it’s more than enough on its own. But the Smokehouse is then topped with zesty Carolina BBQ pulled pork and crispy onions. It’s burger that’s made for someone who is HUNGRY.

After having so many toppings, Stack goes light on the spicy ranch so the meaty flavours of the beef patty and pulled pork is the main draw. So, if you’re someone who likes it really saucy, you’ll want to order more condiments to augment the sandwich.

The burgers are served “a la carte” so sides need to be added. The fresh cut fries ($3.99) are large enough to easily satisfy two people. Just some hearty freshly cut potatoes simply seasoned with sea salt.

To describe the ribs & brisket ($31.35) as a “plate” is misleading as it’s actually a platter that feeds two people (maybe even two adults and a child). A half rack of ribs and three slices of brisket goes a long way when it’s so richly flavoured thanks to the many hours in the smoker. And Stack’s meat is much leaner, so while it may not be as juicy as other places, the still tender meat makes for a densely protein packed piece. So much so that three ribs and a thick slice of brisket was all I could handle.

Of course, I also filled up on all the fixings. A lovely jalapeno laced corn bread that starts to soak up the pan juices creating a creamy savoury cake. There were so many fries that we wondered why we even bother with getting another order of it for the burger. And an ample serving of baked beans that’s thick and hearty, but too sweet for our tastes.

Truthfully, some of their sides aren’t the greatest: the apple coleslaw served in the Wednesday wing feast ($32.97) is drenched in a sugary mayonnaise. Consequently, they were also items arriving in a non-environmentally friendly container, so if you’re in the mood to be sustainable, skip the sugary beans and coleslaw.

Don’t let that deter you from getting the wing feast as the smoked chicken wings are tasty. Bite into one and you’ll see smell, taste, and see the lovely smoke ring. I was also surprised by how crispy they were and not oily at all. It’s still a mystery to us … are the wings deep fried or just baked until crispy?

The wings are coated with a lovely earthy rub but not too salty, which makes them perfect for dipping into one of the sauces - my favourite is the creamy garlic dill aioli, but the warm barbeque sauce is good as well. If Buffalo sauce is your thing, Stack’s zesty buttery concoction is a solid choice.

As winter starts to descend on Toronto our barbeque begins its hibernation. Thankfully, Stack’s indoor smokers are still going strong so there’s plenty of feasts and plates to come.  

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 3265 Yonge Street
 Delivery: Uber, Doordash, Skip the Dishes
Referral Discount Codes
 Support the blog by using my referral code
 UberEats: use eats-ju6ta to get $5 off a $15 order 
 SkipTheDishes: click link to get $5 off a $15 order
 DoorDash: click link to get $20 off

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 order again
  • 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
  • 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
  • 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
  • 9 -  wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
  • 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:




Alobar Yorkville (Toronto)


After opening the best restaurant in Canada and one of the fanciest diners in Toronto, what else can Chef Patrick Kriss do? He’s stepped out of their Queen West building and into Yorkville where the newest edition, Alo Bar, resides. Somewhere in between the tasting menu and casual eats spectrum, Alo Bar offers an a la carte menu with fancier dishes in a cozy dark environment.

As with all of their restaurants, you’ll be served fantastic bread. At Alo Bar, a cube of buttery brioche that’s so fluffy and aromatic that no condiments are needed. Even the hunks of sourdough that comes with the burrata ($16) is dangerously delicious, well grilled so it gives off a lovely smokiness amongst a liberal drizzle of olive oil. It’s so good that it almost steals the show. 



Nevertheless, the burrata is comforting, sitting in a pool of vibrant olive oil with figs done two ways – fresh and preserved in mustard oil, which is a delicious compliment with the neutral cheese and toasted bread.


For a dish that’s normally lighter, Alo Bar’s tuna tartare ($24) can hold up against beef any day. The delicate fish is chopped into small pieces and when mixed with the seasonings, copious amounts of grated truffle, and chanterelles becomes a rich spread against the thin rice chips. 


With a variety of sides, many could work as starters. I could barely make out the shishito peppers ($10) under the salty cotija cheese and creamy garlic sauce with a dash of tajin (a Mexican pepper seasoning)… there’s seriously more toppings than peppers. If you’re not a fan of vegetables, I can see this side being a great option. For me, it was too overpowering. 


The French fries ($10) were thin and crispy and would have been perfect if they weren’t SO salty. The only way to neutralize the flavours was to dip it in the aioli to form a barrier against the salt and my tongue. If only I could actually taste the potatoes. 


Even the cauliflower ($12) was heavy, despite the menu describing it as being accompanied with grape, mint, and almond. The combination was covered with a sweet syrup and the cauliflower cut into such small pieces and so well roasted with oil that it almost seemed deep fried. By the middle of the mains, I was seriously craving something fresh.

Something like the wedge salad ($18) that came at the beginning of the meal would be nice. The fourme d’ambert dressing brings a taste of blue cheese, but it’s sweeter and milder. Bits of bacon are mixed into nutty grains that goes surprisingly well with the crunchy iceberg lettuce. For a seemingly simple salad, it tastes surprisingly complex.


Maybe it was just our menu choices, but we ordered everything that’s sinfully opulent. By itself, the agnolotti ($28) is already a fairly flavourful pasta - stuffed with a sweet potato, parmesan, and piquillo pepper mixture so there’s a sweet, savoury, and spicy element. This is then covered with a cream sauce that’s undeniably rich, reminding you why the dish is more French than Italian.


It seems like the Muscovy duck ($42) is dry aged, so the meat is gamier than normal. Yet, you almost need a stronger flavour to hold up against the star anise flavour, which gives it an earthy licorice taste. Personally, I preferred the duck plain since the breast was cooked beautifully with a crispy skin. Save the bites of salty confit leg with poached plum for the end.


Be sure to save room for dessert. Alo Bar’s chocolate cake ($14) arrives as a slab with beautiful layers, each bite dense, creamy, and chocolatey. It would be nice if the caramel ice cream was replaced with something stronger ... a coffee based ice cream with a hint of bitterness would be great with the chocolate cake.


The menu’s description of the cheesecake ($14) doesn’t do the dessert justice… after all, does one get excited over cheesecake with cherries? Yet, when the Basque-style cheesecake arrived, the brûlée exterior was so dark that we thought it was chocolate. Upon cutting into the sizeable cake, we're greeted with a white creamy interior. It’s a luscious cake that’s sweet and cheesy, the caramelized sugar crust going nicely with the sour cherry jam. If you only have room for a single dessert, I highly recommend this one.


After experiencing the magic of Alo and Aloette, it’s difficult not to have high expectations. While Alo Bar is good, I didn’t leave with that same sense of excitement. Nonetheless, it’s a good option in Yorkville and Alo Bar’s lounge atmosphere is ideal for a night out. Consequently, if you’re looking for a quiet romantic meal, the loud music with bass vibrating through the banquette may not be the best option. Of course, it’s Yorkville and the neighbourhood parties. Now, with rich indulgent dishes, Alo-style.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 162 Cumberland 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:



Burgeroom 香港開飯喇 (Hong Kong)


I know what you’re thinking – why would you visit Hong Kong and eat burgers? It’s a city filled with delicious Chinese food and you’re eating burgers?! While I’m generally a tourist who “eats locally”; after a week, even with all the tasty Chinese options, I start to crave something different. That’s when I turned to Openrice (the Yelp and Zomato of Hong Kong) to see what international restaurants the locals are visiting. One of their top choice seems to be Burgeroom, which specializes in gourmet burgers.

The restaurant lies on a small street called Food Avenue, running parallel to Paterson, which is filled with restaurants – a safe bet if you’re unable to get a table at the no reservations Burgeroom. As a fast-casual type eatery, you review the menu tableside then head to the cashier to order and pay, where they’ll give you a number to place at the table.

If you love cheese, there’s the mega cheese burger ($105), which tops a beef patty with 80g of fondue-style melted cheddar. Eat it quickly, as the cheese hardens fast. Additionally, it can get messy – you’d expect this from the molten cheese, but also because of poor layering skills: the kitchen places the lettuce and tomato on the bottom (traditionally placed on top of the patty), causing everything to slide around. The burger could also benefit from onions (to add a bit of crunchy texture) and the tomato should have the hard stem cut out. Toppings aside, at least the beef patty was juicy and the bun fluffy and soft.


The batter used to deep fry the soft-shell crab burger ($108) sorely needed more seasoning and was applied too thick, rendering the crab tasteless. Sure, there was tartar sauce on the bun, but this was way too sweet and tasted more like Miracle Whip than real tartar sauce. While the lettuce goes well with the crustacean, I’m not sure if the tomato was the best choice – again something like onion or pickles would have given the burger more texture. Thankfully, the soft-shell crab was not overdone, was relatively fresh, and a sizeable portion.


Perhaps the best part of the meal was the twister fries ($28) – hot from the fryer so it was immensely crispy. Moreover, the basket was generous and definitely large enough for sharing. If only the cheddar on the mega burger was still molten it’d be a great dip for the fries - believe me, I tried.


For a place that has won a lot of accolades, the awards are likely for the menu’s opulence and wide range of toppings. After all, where else do you find burgers topped with a king prawn omelette, Hiroshima oyster, or scallop? There’s even the option to add foie gras or double foie gras to any burger. The novelty ingredients are great, but Burgeroom needs to focus on the basics as well – making sure there’s ingredients that complement the protein and everything’s layered correctly. Perhaps that’s a lesson: don’t go to Hong Kong to eat burgers.

Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Causeway Bay, Hong Kong,
 Address: 50 Paterson Street

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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!

Getting The Cheesecake Factory without the wait


During one of the coldest nights of the winter, a desire for a comforting “American” fare came over the household and the newly opened Cheesecake Factory came to mind. Do we dare brave the negative thirty conditions to battle the Yorkdale crowd without reservations? Not a chance! That’s when my husband discovered Door Dash exclusively delivers for the behemoth chain.

Since we ordered during the weekend evening rush, the app stated it’d take an hour and a half for the meal to arrive. “It’s a little long,” I thought, “But, I really want Cheesecake Factory.” So, we accepted and hunkered down with wine. Much to our surprise, the order arrived in less than 50 minutes.

Nothing says comfort food like fried macaroni and cheese ($14.95), an appetizer that brings the pasta to a whole other level. While the starter was a bit salty, perhaps due to the marinara sauce, the creamy centre was nice and gooey, unlike other ones I’ve tried that contains so much pasta that it becomes dense. The molten centre goes so nicely with the crispy coating. Just share – having one ball is already enough. 



The Cheesecake Factory’s “glamburger” was unexpectedly delicious, especially for delivery. My husband wrote in a request to have the Americana cheeseburger ($17.95) done medium and the thick patty was indeed a light pink upon arrival. With a rich charbroiled taste, the beef held up against all the other toppings.



Moreover, since the secret sauce, melted American and cheddar cheese, and pickles were all relatively salty, it was smart that the rest of the burger was kept neutral to balance it out. With some thinly sliced potato string for crunch, and grilled onions that help give the ingredient sweetness without the harsh sting, it was a surprisingly satisfying burger.

Since the fries were placed in a separate bag, they arrived warm and crispy, despite being delivered. For those who want a healthier side, you can also substitute the fries for a green salad at no additional cost.

Meanwhile, the chicken enchiladas ($18.95) were the only item that arrived cold. Luckily, it’s the one dish that reheats easily and after a minute in the microwave turned into the fragrant gooey dinner I was craving. Arriving three to an order, the corn tortilla held up under the red chile sauce and melted cheese, with the diced chile pieces adding a bit of heat.



Each enchilada was stuffed with plenty of tender chicken pieces, although I would have preferred if they weren’t breaded. The corn salsa on top was delicious and incorporated grilled corn on the cob pieces. A sizeable side of soft black beans and slightly oily but flavourful cilantro rice also comes with the meal.

 

Canada’s first Cheesecake Factory hasn’t shrunk their portion sizes as it crossed the border. We had enough leftovers to feed at least one other person – this would have been enough for a family with two younger children.

Of course, we had to get a slice of cheesecake – having The Cheesecake Factory and not ordering their signature cake would be a shame. The first layer of the tiramisu ($9.95) was the creamy mascarpone generally found in the Italian dessert, followed by fluffy but flavourful cheesecake, finished with a base of coffee cake and graham crumbs. This final layer was left unsweetened to balance out the sugary top of the cake. Just remove the large sweet glob of chocolate frosting on top, as it started to cover the actual cheesy flavours.



If it weren’t for the amount of waste that gets generated, I’d love to have Door Dash deliver The Cheesecake Factory more often. If you want to save yourself time, consider trying it as well. After all, by the time you find a parking spot at Yorkdale (good luck), walk to the restaurant, and wait for a table it could easily be over half an hour – that’s before ordering and receiving your food. Plus, if you click the referral link, you’ll get $10 towards your first purchase. Full disclosure, I’ll earn a $10 credit as well, think of it as a thank you for saving you time! 

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 3401 Dufferin Street (Yorkdale Mall)

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!


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