Showing posts with label tiramisu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tiramisu. Show all posts

Getting The Cheesecake Factory without the wait

Posted on Sunday, January 07, 2018 by

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)

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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:

The Cheesecake Factory Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Celebrating birthdays at Buca Toronto

Posted on Sunday, December 31, 2017 by

Before getting into the birthday post, I have to highlight Buca’s sopresini alle vongole ($32), which is one of my favourite pastas - good ol’ spaghetti with clams. At the restaurant, they swap out the long strands of noodles for beautiful calla lily shaped pasta from Emilia Romagna, which are great for capturing the citrusy tomato sauce. Without a shell in site, large pieces of tuatua clams are strewn throughout for satisfying meaty bites.


Now, back to the post…

Some restaurants will have staff sing you Happy Birthday, while most simply stick a candle into a dessert to commemorate the occasion. At Buca, they outdo themselves by giving the birthday person a gift: a chef presents a box of ingredients for capacite pepe spaghetti, a black pepper pasta topped with pecorino.


Along with a quick three-step recipe, you can treat yourself (and perhaps a friend) to an Italian meal in the days to come. It’s a surprisingly thoughtful gesture that makes me wonder why I don’t go to Buca for my birthdays.

Of course, they also have a variety of desserts to ensure the party ends sweetly. A glowing candle arrives in the tiramisu du Buca ($14). While the dessert incorporates the traditional zabaglione and mascarpone mixture, it also contains a generous dollop of chocolate mousse and substitutes tapioca biscuits for lady fingers. The tiramisu is too creamy and sweet for my tastes, but if you enjoy a budino, this has a similar feel.


Give me the frittelle ($14) any day, little bite-sized deep fried buffalo ricotta fritters, paired with zabaglione and blood orange tasting quince. Compared to other desserts it’s simple and safe, but great for balancing out the heavier pasta and pizza combination from earlier in the meal.


Aside from the Italian fare, Buca is known for their use of blood and offal. Pork blood makes its way into the torta di sanguinaccio ($14) where it’s mixed into dark chocolate to create a luxuriously creamy concoction that would put a flourless torte to shame. It’s then doused with liqueur table side and set on fire, perhaps to help melt the chocolate, but unfortunately causes the tonka bean gelato to run as well. I did enjoy the boozy taste it adds to the dessert – trust me you won’t taste a drop of pig’s blood.


Overall, it was one of the better meals I’ve experienced at the restaurant. Thank you Buca for the capacite pepe, a brilliant gift for the birthday girl. What a great idea, so much so that I’m enticed to return in May, for my celebration. 

How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 604 King Street West

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Is That It? I Want More!

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CLOSED: Parmigiano Trattoria (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, August 05, 2017 by

There’s no shortage of Italian restaurants on Yonge Street between York Mills and Lawrence. Wood burning oven pizzas, heaping bowls of pasta, and generously portioned mains are abound. Having visited a number them, my favourite (by a slight margin) is Parmigiano Trattoria, located on the south end of the strip. Their weathered looking signage and exposed brick dining room brings me back to the narrow trattorias in Italy, their homey comforting dishes even more so.

Offering a single piece of bruschetta ($1.50) is a fantastic idea, a satisfying nibble before the mains arrive without ruining the appetite. The bread is both chewy and crispy and the restaurant’s definitely not stingy on the fresh garlicky tomato topping.


Their soup or salad is also a good starter. The broth of the seafood wedding soup ($7.50), a daily special, was a little weak (perhaps adding more shrimp shells to the broth would help). Nonetheless, it was still hearty due to the abundance of other ingredients including shrimp, bay scallops, various diced vegetables, and tiny acini de pepe pasta. For the price, the soup was a sizeable portion. As for the salad, I love the slight horseradish kick in their Caesar ($8), it leaves an unexpected lingering as the lightly dressed garlicky lettuce disappears.


You’re not going to want to fill up on starters as Parmigiano’s mains are sizeable. The eggplant parmesan ($16) consists of a number of deep fried slices smothered in gooey mozzarella and a flavourful thick tomato sauce. It's salty, chewy, and the edges adding a light crunch. When eggplant is this good, why do you even need meat? The dinner version arrives with a handful of crunchy vegetables and a choice of roasted potatoes or pasta. I, of course, opted for the later and the simple al dente spaghetti paired so nicely with the cheesy eggplant.


The baked chicken pasta ($16.50) is an equally hefty portion. The penne is done well and arrives piping hot mixed with chunks of chicken, roasted peppers, and sundried tomatoes. Dig to the bottom of the dish where you’ll find the creamy tomato sauce accumulates, whereas bites from the top are greeted with mostly cheese.


Even their pizzas can be shared. Try as I might, I couldn’t finish the Mediterranean ($16), its thin crust topped with a variety of vegetables (eggplant, roasted red pepper, red onion, spinach), mozzarella, and goat cheese. With the sheer amount of ingredients and adequate sauce, the crust does get soft in the middle, but there's still a chewiness to the dough and the flavours make up for it.


While the seafood pesto pasta ($32) is pricier compared to other pastas, the restaurant doesn’t skimp on the shrimp, scallop, and mini lobster tails … the pasta to seafood ratio was equal! The special for the evening was described as incorporating pesto, capers, and olives (all stronger ingredients); even so, the flavours weren’t overwhelming and combined nicely with the citrus.


Make sure to save room for desserts, their homemade selection had us finishing every forkful despite being stuffed. Parmigiano’s tiramisu ($7) has a strong hit of marsala wine and actually incorporates zabaglione, a spiked custard layer; too often places simply rely on plain espresso to combat the sweet creamy mascarpone, the rich zabaglione really helps add an extra depth to the cake.


The height of the crème caramel ($6) is astounding. Its consistency is creamier and fluffier than what I’ve previously tasted, it seems like there’s less gelatin and more egg in their version. Rich and luscious the dessert is like indulging in a crème caramel cheesecake (without the cheese). Even the crisp triangular cookie on top is good, I ate every crumb.


When I’m craving Italian, Parmigano is one of my go-to restaurants in the neighbourhood. From the bruschetta to eggplant parmesan and ending with a crème caramel, a delicious carb-filled journey across the Italian cuisine landscape.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 3186 Yonge 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!

Is That It? I Want More!

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Gene's (New York)

Posted on Sunday, July 23, 2017 by
New York City certainly has its fill of restaurants, from a diverse range of cultures and celebrity chefs, it seems like there’s another “it” place to visit every week. Still, it boasts a number of long-running institutions and during this visit, I wanted to dine at an old school red sauce Italian restaurant, somewhere that would even satisfy Tony Soprano. While most of the Italian American restaurants are in Queens and Brooklyn, Gene’s is located in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, a manageable walk from our hotel.

Started by Gene DeMichaelis in 1919, I was glad to see it hasn’t been updated much since the 50s - dim lighting, a quiet ambience, antique oil paintings, and staff wearing suits with short jackets - this was the restaurant I was looking for. Each table even receives the traditional crudités on ice and bread basket that’s synonymous with old school fine-dining. The mammoth-sized radishes would be like eating an apple, but the celery and carrot sticks were surprisingly crunchy and satisfying. In preparation for the carbohydrates to come, I only had a bite from the bread basket, which turned out to be pumpernickel studded with raisins (sounds weird but actually rather delicious).


Although the Caesar salad ($13.95) isn’t made table-side, the dressing seems house-made. While you taste the garlic, the anchovy and Parmesan flavours are also pronounced, so despite the salad not being heavily dressed, it was full of flavour.


Their linguine in white clam sauce ($19.95) incorporates the clam juice, olive oil, and garlic base I look for with seafood pastas. On its own the broth was a tad salty, but with the al dente linguine the sauce was perfect. Moreover, the sweet clams were a larger variety and came removed from their shell and cut into larger chunks. It made eating the pasta a breeze and ensured it didn’t have any gritty bits from the clams. It was a delicious main and also paired nicely with the side of spinach aglio olio ($11.95), a hefty plate of greens stir fried with olive oil and garlic.


Gene’s eggplant parmigiana ($15.95) is constructed as layers of eggplant, sauce, and cheese so the dish ends up resembling a richer lasagna than the typical deep fried eggplant slices. It’s a big portion, but you can’t feel like it could still use some pasta. Accordingly, if paired with a plate as spaghetti marinara and shared with another person, it’d be even better.


Unlike other places in New York where a cocktail will set you back $16, at Gene’s we found a reasonably priced bottle of merlot for $24 and their pour of Magellan 18 year old scotch ($32) must have been close to 3 ounces. Judging by the number of people seated around their bar, Gene’s seems to be a popular place for drinks and light snacks as well.


Their tiramisu ($8.95; cake pictured below is a half order as they kindly split it) incorporates zabaglione, a luscious egg custard, with enough marsala wine for an adult zip of flavour. It helps balance out the sweetness of the mascarpone and ensures the tiramisu doesn’t just taste like espresso and unsweetened chocolate powder.


While visiting a city, I always strive to try their local cuisine. In a diverse city like New York, this mandate may be difficult since their food combines so many worldly flavours. Nonetheless, their American take on Italian cuisine is probably some of the best in the city and is a stop on the culinary tour that shouldn’t be missed.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: New York, USA
 Address: 73 West 11th 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:
Gene's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Drake Devonshire (Prince Edward County)

Posted on Monday, May 22, 2017 by

In Prince Edward County, the opinions about the Drake Devonshire are mixed – it’s a nice place to hangout (in an area where there’s not a lot of bars or places close early) but it feels too “Toronto”. In fact, locals are baffled by why Torontonians want to escape to the county just to hang out in the city again. To be fair, the venue is nothing like the multi-floor Drake Hotel downtown or the retro Drake 150 in the financial core. To start, the sprawling building overlooks the lake and the décor is lighter and whimsical. For another, the food is much better than the Drake Hotel.

The asparagus almondine ($14) is a simple starter, the spears of asparagus lightly roasted and topped with slivers of toasted almond in brown butter. A squeeze of lemon adds a hit of acidity, but otherwise the nut and vegetable are the prominent flavours. It’s a little plain as a starter, and works better as a side.


Their warm dandelion Caesar ($14) is on the other side of the spectrum - packed with flavours: the slight bitterness of the dandelion, garlicky dressing, a faint umami essence from the bonito flakes, sweetness from the dry crispy pork floss pieces (in lieu of bacon) and salty pecorino sprinkles. It’s tasty, but best shared as an entire dish of the Caesar would be fairly overpowering.


Perhaps, the sole starter, I tried, that could stand on its own is the salt cod pierogies ($12). The chewy soft dough was a tad thick, but there was plenty of salt cod mashed potatoes inside. I’ll admit, the slightly fishy filling requires getting used to, but once you add some of the tangy crème fraiche or thick apple sauce, it gets tastier.
  

Overall, the Devonshire prepares fish pretty well. The trout’s ($28) skin could be crispier, but the meat was moist and flakey. Being an oilier fish, it was properly paired with a refreshing vegetable medley consisting of roasted red peppers, zucchini, and green onions. Once in a while, you’ll also get a sour crunch from the fermented green beans.


For me, the lamb rigatoni ($24) incorporated too many frou-frou items - hen of the woods mushrooms, pine nuts, and spruce? Sure, I guess the spruce and the mint will help alleviate any of the lamb’s gaminess, but all together the elements detracts from having the rigatoni become that rich homey dish that’s notorious with pasta.


Although I found the Prinzen chicken ($27) dry (it could have been the piece of breast I cut from the side), my friend found it was cooked well. For me, it was the saffron spaetzle that stole the show: soft and chewy with a well toasted crust – exactly what I crave with this German pasta side dish.


You won’t leave hungry with an order of the pork schnitzel ($26) – I lost count of how many pieces were actually included with the dish. To be fair, I wouldn’t classify it as schnitzel as the slices were way too thick. If they’re named breaded pork cutlets with honey mustard, it would be more accurately described.


The truffle and cheese fries ($11) were okay – it’s hard for fries to be terrible, but the Devonshire could ensure they arrive hotter and there’s more truffle oil if you’d classify these as “fancy fries”. Meanwhile, the hakuri turnips ($9) were surprisingly good – the mini root vegetables remained crunchy having been lightly poached and then sweetened with burnt honey.


Drake did not save the best for last … the tiramisu ($10) and lemon meringue tart ($10) were merely passable. Although they were plated nicely, the desserts taste like something found in a buffet – and we’re not talking the one at the Bellagio here. The lemon meringue had a nice toasted top, but the lemon custard was thick and almost plastic-like, while the tiramisu so heavily orange flavoured in lieu of espresso.


For being in a location where guests may be visiting to celebrate occasions, the Drake Devonshire certainly doesn’t treat these events with much care. In town for a bachelorette, my friend informed the host about the celebration and asked for a bottle of wine to be brought to the table as a surprise (a present from a friend who couldn’t attend) and to do something festive for the dessert. Neither worked out as planned: our waiter came by to tell us the wine requested wasn’t available (in front of the bride, so any surprise element was ruined) and her dessert came without fanfare. Note 1 to Drake’s management: please set-up some sort of communication system between staff members (hosts, waiters, and the kitchen are a team).

They tried to make up for this by comping her dessert and giving us tickets to use at the photo booth. Only when we went to take the pictures, another staff member came by to hush us as there is a guest room located right beside the booth. Really, why would a manager appease disappointed diners by giving them something that they can’t use freely and could potentially make another guest’s stay worse? Note 2 to Drake’s management: make sure your “make it right” solutions actually serve their purpose.


Maybe the County natives have it right – sure the Drake Devonshire has a ping pong table and funky artwork – but can’t you get that back in the city? If you’re looking for a place to hang out and have a drink after dinner, the restaurant is an ideal place. But, if you really want the County charm of laid-back hospitality, you may need to head elsewhere.

Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Wellington, Canada
 Address: 24 Wharf 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:

Drake Devonshire Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Azure (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 12, 2017 by

Torontonians sometimes forget about the restaurants that populates their hotels, with the exception of those manned by celebrity chef imports. Perhaps it’s the sentiment that the restaurants are for tourists and travelers, those where expense isn’t an issue, surely not for you and I that inhabit the city daily?

It’s nice to be reminded that there are benefits to visiting these establishments: there’s generally tables available for walk-ins (after all, it’d be in poor taste to have to turn down hotel guests), the menus tend to be varied (allowing groups to accommodate tastes and dietary restrictions), and their dining rooms are oh so comfortable.

At Azure, the flagship restaurant in the Intercontinental Toronto Centre, their window canopy opens up the space and offers a great people-watching vantage point. The dark wood and plush velvet furnishings helps keep the dining room cozy and comfortable – you can sit at the table for hours. Unlike the current trend of cramming small tables (sometimes communal *shudder*) together making for a horribly loud atmosphere, Azure gives you space to converse and a sense of privacy that I often crave. Ah… tranquility.

Their service is impeccably polished and efficient, common traits of the hotel industry, yet still down-to-earth and approachable. Even before asking what we wanted to drink, our server Coco chatted care freely with us, giving us time to settle down and build a rapport. In quick succession, a basket of warm rolls were presented and a generous glass of red wine to fully take the winter chills out of my bones.

In no time, the first Winterlicious ($48) course was served. Similar to a ceviche, the escabeche marinates the octopus and scallop in an acidic solution. However, in this case, the seafood is poached first before the marinade so the texture remains tender and the tartness is mellow and manageable. I did find it a tad under seasoned (a sprinkle of salt from the table helped rectify this), given the citrus vinaigrette is light.

Amongst the meaty octopus and delicate scallop were crunchy shaved fennel and endives, juicy orange and lime segments, and creamy avocado. A delicate and surprisingly bright start – a glimpse into the warmer spring months ahead of us.

Despite being cooked through (my first instinct is to look for the slightly translucent rose centre), the grainy mustard coated salmon was still moist. The sear from a high heat helped develop a lovely golden crunchy crust and locked in its fatty juices. It sat on top of a bed of crunchy shaved fennel and radicchio that just ever so slightly wilts from the salmon’s heat. All the juices and flavours meld into the fluffy savoury citrusy couscous on the bottom.

Azure certainly doesn’t skimp on portions. A huge port and black cherry osso bucco arrives with an equally sizeable marscarpone crispy risotto cake. The veal shank was braised just long enough to make the meat tender, but not overly done so that the bone marrow disintegrated (save a piece of bread to scoop the gelee marrow onto).

Although I found the centre of the risotto cake too mushy, it was my husband’s favourite part of the dish. Mine, aside from the osso bucco, was the wilted arugula that had a lemony gremolata mixed into it. After a heavy meal, it was exactly the last savoury bite I needed.

If only the tiramisu parfait had more espresso (or in this case the boozy Kahlúa liqueur) and less of the powdery cocoa on top the dessert would have been lovely. The mascarpone mousse was creamy and luxurious, the savoiardi cookies adding a bit of cake to the tiramisu.


A perfect sphere of ice cold honeycomb ice cream sat atop the slightly warm apple tart. The pastry was good – the shortbread crust not overly buttery, large chunks of apples and a sweet enough crumble. I felt bad leaving some unfinished, but what a huge portion after the substantial mains.


Even if the comfortable atmosphere doesn’t convince you that hotel dining isn’t just for tourists, the generously proportioned dishes could – mains are pricier but you won’t leave hungry. Of course, you can always visit them during special occasions when they have prix fixe deals: aside from Winter/Summerlicious there’s also drink and menu specials on key dates (this Valentine’s Azure is offering a $70 menu with $14 cocktails).

Torontonians, next time you’re looking for a comfortable dining experience, consider a hotel. After all, why would you only treat yourself while travelling?

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
Is Winterlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Winterlicious - $48
Regular menu - $63 - octopus ($18), salmon ($31) and dessert ($14)
Savings - $15 or 24%
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 225 Front Street West (in the Intercontinental 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!
Azure - InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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