The Bon Vivant (Edinburgh)

Posted on Sunday, October 06, 2013 by
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Address: 55 Thistle Street
Website: http://www.bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk/
Type of Meal: Dinner

Located on a small street, The Bon Vivant is a restaurant you may miss unless you know the look for it down the cobblestone laneway.  Inside the restaurant, the dining room is much larger than expected but still small enough to provide a cozy intimate feeling. With dim lighting, candlelit wine bottles and tables placed in cozy nooks this is a great date place.


The first portion of the menu offers appetizers in "bite" or "starter" portions.  The bites are for £1 each while starters range from £3 - £5.  In reality, the pricing makes no difference as the starters are just a multiple of the bites - those £3 contain 3 pieces while £4 dishes contain 4 pieces. We ordered a few starters to share amongst our table of four.   

First up were the vegetable fritters (£3) which had a great golden brown colour.  The crust was outstanding with a crispy texture without being overly hard.  The inside consisted of shredded carrots,   zucchini and salsify (?) which in itself are not strong flavours but offered some nice contrasting colours. I found the batter to be a bit lumpy - it wasn't unpleasant just unexpected. A spinach pesto topped the fritters giving it a bit more flavour. Not a bad start and a favourite amongst the table. 


My favourite tapa dish was the steak and peanut meatballs (£4) which had such a rich flavour to it.  The Bon Vivant used steak cuts of meat as the base providing a much beefier essence while still being relatively lean. The peanuts sounded like a weird ingredient but were subtle and appeared to be ground into the meat with just some small soft bits throughout.  The tomato sauce was great flavourful sauce that's a mix between marinara and gravy, nice and mellow and not too acidic.

The chorizo in cider (£4) was not my favourite, but then again I never really liked this sausage.  It’s much milder in flavour likely due to it being boiled in the cider.  The sauce was a nice mix of briny tanginess and good for dipping the bread into. Strangely, they only provided us with two wedges of bread despite there being four of us and the appetizer portion equivalent to four "bites".  It would have been nice if there was enough for one per person.  

My main was good but not my favourite.  Wanting to try something different, I opted for the seared hare loin and bridie (the leg of the hare)(£16.50).  The dish was quite a substantial portion despite the small size of the hare and the meat very tender.  The meat has a gamey flavour and is sort of like duck but stronger.  

Normally, I would have been enjoyed the dish but the accompanying ingredients, sweet potato mash and salsify, were just too sweet and similar for my taste.  Additionally the sauce consisted of chestnuts jus which also did not contrast the rest of the ingredients.  The only thing that differed was the wood sorrel but these are very light tasting mushrooms so didn't stand out.  If only there was something else - a vinegary or savoury sauce or a fresher vegetable I would have liked it much more. The empanada like pastry on top was a bit unexpected but was good with its flakey crust.  The filling, I believe was the bridie, could have been flavoured more as was sort of bland.

Without a doubt, the best dish of the night was the haggis (£9.50) which actually looked appetizing. Seriously, travel shows have done this dish injustice by showing it served in the stomach, The Bon Vivant serves theirs in a formed shape on the plate and actually looks nice.  The texture was thick and smooth but still had some pieces with bite to it.  I found it to taste like a thicker sheppard's pie mixture with richer flavours.  It didn't taste like offal at all and was actually delicious. The accompanying gratin dauphinois (scalloped potatoes) were amazing and rich, just the right consistency (soft throughout but still a bit a bite in the potatoes) and had a hint of horseradish in it that gave it a wonderful zing. The roast neeps (turnips) and leafy greens were a bit plain but I think that's necessary when the rest of the dish is already so heavy and flavourful.

We also ordered a side of triple cooked hand cut chips (£3) for the table that were some of the best fries I've had.  I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a fry connoisseur and have tried many throughout Toronto.  Up until now, I thought I like the thinner fries (my favourite being the ones served at Beer Bistro and One) and generally detested the thick and filling wedges.  My perception has changed as the ones in Scotland were still light and crumbly yet had such a great crunch and rich potato flavour to it.  Something about their potatoes are amazing, the flavour so pronounce without even using the skin.  In Canada, we often only get the strong potato taste if the skin is left on the spud, but the skin also leaves a metallic zing to it.  In Scotland, their chips have such a lovely essence without needing the skin. The Bon Vivant’s chips were simply salted and arrived burning hot … I couldn’t stop eating them because they were so delicious.

Being voted as one of the top bars in Edinburgh, they also offer are a variety of beers and wine at reasonable prices - approximately £6/glass for wine and £3.50/pint for beer. 
What made Bon Vivant outstanding was their service.  Everyone was welcoming and attentive right from the beginning. Knowing we were tourists, our waiter took the time to explain what ingredients were as many were named differently - "swede" for turnips and "tatties" for potatoes.  Another employee, Kyle, also took the time to offer pub and attraction suggestions even plotting it on a map for us.  Given this was our first meal in Scotland we had a great welcoming experience into the country – thank you to the Bon Vivant for showing us the “good life”.
Overall mark - 8 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!

The Harbour Cafe at Venachar Lochside (Callander)

Posted on Saturday, October 05, 2013 by
Location: Callander, Scotland
Address: Trossachs Leisure Ltd (FK17 8HP)
Website: http://www.venachar-lochside.com/
Type of Meal: Lunch

 While travelling with Discreet Scotland, our guide stopped by The Harbour Café located in a secluded area overlooking Loch Venachar.  Whether you sit inside in the dining room or on the patio, you get to take in the spectacular view, as shown from the picture below.





The Harbour Cafe provided me with the opportunity to try another Scottish delicacy the cullen skink (£5.50). The best part is the fish broth base bringing such a rich seafood flavour to the soup.  With the addition of smoked haddock, potatoes, leeks a dash of white wine and cream, there’s also a smoky and hearty feel to the cullen skink. Although it looks like chowder, the consistency is thinner and more like broth; so, it’s not too heavy. Some may find it a tad salty, but it was perfect for dipping the hunk of fresh Scottish bread into. The Harbour Cafe gives a pretty substantial portion so that the cullen skink is a meal in itself.

Their cheeseburger (£9.45) was also delicious and the first I've had in Scotland which was flame broiled – something about that charred smoky taste is what makes the burger.  Sitting on a soft toasted bun, there is a layer of tomato and onion relish which mellows everything out and adds a hint of sweetness. Accompanying the burger were some of the most amazing chips (fries) - crispy, fluffy and just the perfect amount of salt all fried up to a beautiful golden colour. 



As you walk in, you're tempted by freshly made bakery items on display. One guest got a scone and noted it was one of the best he's ever eaten.  For dessert, I had a bite of the lemon and ginger cake (£2.95) which was very moist but the frosting a bit sweet for my taste.


Venachar Lochside was a great place - beautiful views, laid back service and delectable food at a reasonable price.  Special thanks to Matthew at Discreet Scotland Tours for introducing me to this wonderful place. 

Overall mark - 9 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: Alleycatz Live Jazz Bar (Toronto)

Posted on Monday, September 16, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 2409 Yonge Street
Type of Meal: Dinner

 Alleycatz has been an uptown locale known for its live music – a variety of jazz, R&B & funk and top 40 in between sets.  Having visited twice, both times I can’t help joining everyone on the dance floor after a bottle of wine. The crowd is always an eclectic mix, but everyone seems be there for a good time making it easy for us to let loose. It’s a bonus that the restaurant is a comfortable fullness so I don’t feel like I’m packed like a sardine and still enjoy my personal space while dancing.


During my first visit, some friends and I stumbled upon Alleycatz after dinner and stayed for drinks and live music.  After my friend heard about a Groupon promotion ($25 for $50), we decided it was a great opportunity to return and try their food as well.

Admittedly, I had low expectations after reading Urbanspoon reviews and seeing its dismal score.  But, we were both pleasantly surprised with their efficient & friendly service, respectable food and a good band that night that had us staying for longer than expected.

We decided to play it safe and stick with simple dishes; with only the mussels ($10) being a bit risky given non-fresh seafood could have dire consequences.  Indeed, the mussels were frozen and a smaller size but were a passable quality.  The spicy white wine sauce was flavourful (albeit more buttery than spicy) and was great for sopping up with bread; I just wished there was more of the cooking liquid and everything arrived hotter.  Perhaps they should consider serving it in a mini pot and lifting the lid at the table so that the mussels stay hot en route.

The bruschetta ($9) was also good with a well toasted baguette base, tons of tomatoes, garlic & red onions, a decent shaving of parmesan and a liberal drizzling of sweet balsamic glaze.  I would have liked to taste more of the basil, but then I do love fresh herb flavours.  The serving size was a little disappointing with only four slices, a tad expensive for $9.  

Having looked around, we found their mains to be quite large so decided to split the sexy spaghettini ($17).  Our waitress asked if we were planning to share the dish, then took the liberty to get the kitchen to divide the portion for us which is always appreciated (note, the photo shown is only a half portion).  Alleycatz makes the pasta in house so it’s softer and chewier (almost like a ramen noodle). 


The spaghettini thankfully arrived piping hot. So, perhaps Alleycatz has a problem with serving dishes in a timely manner, causing them to sit around (our mussels would have tasted much better if the temperature was the same as the pasta).  The spicy cilantro olive oil had a well-balanced heat to it, but if there were more pieces of roasted tomatoes chopped into the sauce to give the dish colour it would look “sexier”.  My friend and I each had a large tiger shrimp that was cooked well.  There could have been more grilled chicken as it was sort of lost it everything – I think I only had two small slices of it.

All in all, although the food is acceptable, Alleycatz won’t become a go to place for dinner.  I appreciate their attentive service, so would consider it a good option if you want to enjoy some live music, drinks and light bites.   
 
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!

CLOSED: Dayali Beijing Roast Duck 大鴨梨 (Markham)

Posted on Sunday, September 15, 2013 by

Location: Markham, Canada
Address: 20 Gibson Drive
Type of Meal: Dinner

I had high hopes for Dayali given the accolades it received from local food critics - #82 on Joanne Kate’s top 100 restaurants of 2013 and the Globe’s 10 best places for Chinese food in Toronto.  So, I dutifully rounded up five individuals so a reservation could be made avoiding their notorious wait times (minimum of six people required). 

Dayali is the Canadian outpost of a popular Beijing based chain. Located in a Markham strip mall, the interior is surprisingly spacious, bright and decorated in a contemporary manner.  With soaring ceilings, the surroundings would have been more comfortable if there was better ventilation and the air conditioning was higher. Surprisingly, their service was efficient and pleasant – quite professional compared to most Chinese restaurants.

Of course, we couldn’t visit without ordering their star dish… the gold medal roast duck ($38.88); their menu also offers a Peking style roast duck ($31.88).  Our waiter explained that the gold medal roast duck is a better quality and “specially selected” and more ingredients accompany it. We were sold and opted for the gold medal version with extra wraps (or on their menu called blinis) ($3.99).
The ingredients arrive in a tower with the wrappers held in a warmer in the middle.  At the top, a small dish of crispy duck skin perches meant to be a starter and eaten without wrappers.  Most people dip it in the sugar, sauce or spicy salt included in the tower; it's an opportunity to just enjoy the duck. Without any meat or fat, this skin only piece is crispy with an oily ting, a good start in warming up the palette for things to come.



Afterwards, a second larger dish of duck skin (this time with meat) is brought out for wrapping.  All in all, it wasn’t bad – the duck skin was crispy enough, wrappers nice and thin and loved the different ingredients.  Other than the typical green onions, cucumber and hoisin sauce, there were also sweet red grapes and potato chip sticks (think Hickory Sticks without the smoke).  My husband and I both enjoyed the addition of potato chips; the grapes on the other hand is an acquired taste.  

 I was disappointed with the duck meat – it lacked flavor, was a tad dry and crumbled apart from the skin when you tried to pick it up. Unless enough hoisin sauce was placed, the wrap would be pretty bland. Dayali’s duck wasn’t the worse I’ve ever had but still, it doesn't deserve the title as best – in my books Chung King Garden Restaurant provides a competitive offering.

You may find the skin not to be as crispy as other restaurants, this is because Dayali strictly just roasts the duck.  Some other restaurants will flash fry the skin prior to serving making it very crunchy.  Meanwhile, while most restaurants serve their duck two ways, at Dayali you only have the option of adding $2.88 to make the duck bones into soup. If you opt out, the carcass will arrive in a plastic bag at the end of the meal to go.

My husband was excited to see the gold medal sliced boiled fish in chili oil ($19.99) on the menu as he had a great experience with it at another restaurant.  I’ll admit the fish has a delicate smooth texture and despite the amount of chili included, if you don’t actually eat the peppers it’s not overly spicy.  But, it's harder to get past the fact that it was literally sitting in a pot of oil and had to be drained before eating. Plus, it was really annoying to have to pick out all the small pieces of pepper to avoid the sting.
Other items we tried were carb based Shanghai style dishes.  My favourite of the night was the pan fried pancakes with stuffing ($7.99).  Arriving piping hot with a crunchy crust and chewy dough it was lovely.  The “stuffing” is really the same pork mixture used in dumplings, smeared in a thin layer on the pancake, adding a nice juiciness to the roll.
The pot stickers ($6.99) were decent and tasted homemade.  They were very similar in flavor to the pan fried pancakes with stuffing, so really you may just want one.  The pancakes, in this case, were better given its use of seasoning. 
Lastly, were the spicy cold mixed noodles ($4.99) consisting of cold chow mein egg noodles topped with a spicy bean & pork mixture and cucumber slivers.  This offered a welcomed coolness in the hot restaurant. But, as a warning, it’s spicy and I found the dish's entire flavor was masked by the chili oil. Additionally, Dayali should consider serving it in a larger dish given it's difficult to mix up in the small serving plate.     
The prices listed above are regular menu prices. Diners also have the option to purchase a VIP membership card for $20 providing holders with a reduced price (typically about $2 per dish) and is valid for three years.  We opted not to purchase the membership, as although the experience was decent, there are so many other options around Toronto that gives me my duck fix. 

Overall mark - 6 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!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


CLOSED: Stock (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, September 08, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 325 Bay St (inside the Trump International Hotel and Tower)
Type of Meal: Dinner


Stock, situated in the Trump Hotel, is a restaurant you have high hopes for.  I’d imagine it to be plated in gold, filled with Italian suit clad men and overall be an ostentatious affair.  So, upon arriving on the 31st floor, I was a little surprised to be lead into a dining room that was more Old Hollywood glamour than gilded royalty.  With soaring ceilings and a classic white and black motif, Stock is contemporary and comfortable.  Of course, there are still some luxurious touches such as foldout purse stools and a 40-year old Bowmore scotch (approximately a $5K value) encased at the entrance.



Having heard the restaurant is known for over-priced mediocre meals, I’ve never had the urge to visit the place and and waste my hard earned money.  After all, I don’t have a Bay Street expense account to back my culinerary outings.  So, when my friend told me about Stock’s summer supper menu (2 courses for $39 or 3 courses for $49), it seemed like an opportune time to visit.
The highlight of the night was the seared yellowfin tuna appetizer.  Encrusted in corn meal, the tuna was beautifully seared to retain the raw pinkness in the middle.  The vegetables making up the salad just screamed summer with sweet corn kernels, zucchini ribbons and various herbs and sprouts.  The strange touch was the sweet butter pickles garnish – it wouldn’t have been my pick but one friend enjoyed them.  Most importantly, I loved that they stayed away from the tasteless tomato vinaigrette that seems to be gracing so many summer menus.  Stock’s dressing, a zingy and spicy lemon jalapeno aioli, was piped into the zucchini tubes so that you could customize the amount of dressing that goes into your salad.

When the harissa (a spicy North African chilli paste) roasted shrimp arrived, the dish was equally colourful and visually appealing.  Sadly, unlike the tuna, the shrimp were overdone and bordering on rubbery, despite its large size. A salad of crispy green beans, sweet grape tomatoes, corn, roasted red peppers and dandelion accompanied the dish but was a bit bland as there was no dressing.  Overall, a disappointing dish after such a delicious start.    

My friend’s chicken breast was the tastier option.  Cooked sous-vide style, the chicken was very tender as you’d expect.  A generous portion of toasted späetzle accompanied the poultry with chorizo and corn mixed throughout.  The sous-vide poached egg was just heavenly when the creamy yolk was mixed into the crispy bits of späetzle and chorizo.  An olive jus flavoured the entire dish; unfortunately, not one of my favourite flavours which was why I didn’t order the chicken to begin with.  But, the olive taste wasn’t too overpowering, which made me have Orderer’s remorse.

What Stock does right is their service. Everyone we encountered that night was efficient, friendly (in a professional manner) and exceptionally attentive – my water and wine never dipped below a quarter full and after polishing off the basket of warm bread, a second arrived without even being requested. But, of course that’s what you’d expect from a restaurant situated in a luxury hotel.  However, the food still needs improvement to reach equality with Shangri-La and the Four Season’s offerings.  After all, a good starter and mediocre main shouldn’t be tolerated by a hard-hitting boss like Trump.


Overall mark - 7.5* out of 10

*Mark was increased by 0.5 due to the exceptional service.



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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!

Ni-Ji Japanese Restaurant (Toronto)

Posted on Monday, September 02, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 1095 Ellesmere Road
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ilovenijisushi
Type of Meal: Dinner

 If you read reviews about Ni-Ji Japanese Restaurant, you may be confused why some customers exclaim it’s the best sushi in Toronto and others grumble in disappointment about travelling to eat at the place.  Hopefully, I can shed some light on this disconnect.  Firstly, Ni-Ji is not the best/most authentic sushi you will find in Toronto; establishments such as Hiro Sushi and Nami or maybe even Zen Japanese Restaurant, also in Scarborough, would be better choices. 

 With that said, what brings people to Ni-Ji is its relatively decent tasting dishes offered at extremely reasonable prices. The restaurant is busy, expect waits on weekends, but keeps ingredients fresh (of utmost importance for something like raw fish).

 The spicy salmon maki ($4.95) is an explosion of salmon with tons in the roll and more topping it as well. For under $5 you’re served quite a substantial portion of fish! Besides, I enjoy the roughly diced pieces so they are still distinct pieces rather than becoming a pulverized paste mixed with tempura bits that some restaurants serve. The sauce has a nice hint of spiciness to it but not so overpowering that it makes you think that you’re dipping the sushi into sriracha.



Ni-Ji’s spicy seafood udon ($9.95) contains sufficient amounts of seafood (shrimp, squid, mussels and scallop) as well as vegetables.  I wouldn’t call this a highlight of the restaurant – the noodles are like frozen varieties found in grocery stores and the broth needs to be spicier. But, if you’re looking for something hot and hearty during the winter months, a bowl of noodle soup is one of my favourite things


Generally, my go-to are their bento boxes which provides me with tastes of everything to satisfy cravings. Bento #1 ($11.95) containing salmon teriyaki with bean sprouts, fried tofu, a California maki, rice and slivers of pickled daikon seems popular. Although there's a generous portion of salmon, it's overcooked and too dry for my taste.



Rather, I prefer Bento #2 ($11.95) which has beef bulgogi, fried tofu, a California & salmon roll and rice.  The bulgogi pays homage to the Korean options being offered at the restaurant (which of course shows the restaurant is not the most “authentic”) and is thinly sliced and well marinated.

Their sushi dinners are also satisfying. The Kyoto ($11.95; 8 pieces of sushi, 3 pieces of California and 3 pieces of salmon), Sapporo ($12.95; 7 pieces of sushi, 6 pieces of maki and 1 salmon hand roll) and the maki combo ($11.95; California, salmon and cucumber maki rolls) are fresh and palatable.  For the Kyoto and Sapporo, I found they generally include additional salmon sushi above what’s stated on the menu which is always a pleasant surprise.

All meals are usually served with a bowl of simple salad, Korean congee (has an interesting earthy smoky taste that I like) and green tea ice cream.  If you order any bento boxes, you’ll also be offered a bowl of mediocre miso soup as well.





 Right after ordering, two simple banchan dishes of seaweed drizzled with a sweet beany Korean chilli sauce and marinated vermicelli noodles arrive. Sometimes, Ni-Ji also serves two pieces (yes pieces) of edamame per person with the banchan as well.  


Although Ni-Ji’s dining room is small, it actually sits quite a few people.  Service is lightening quick with the staff running like a well-oiled machine; unfortunately, sometimes too efficient as they take things away when other guests are still eating and present the bill as soon as the last dish is whisked away. However, turnover is usually pretty fast and if you can’t stand to wait, you could always do take-out which seems to be a popular choice amongst locals.

Overall mark - 8 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!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Amsterdam Brewhouse (Toronto)

Posted on Friday, August 30, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 245 Queens Quay West, South Building
Website: http://amsterdambrewhouse.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner



The Harbourfront is currently undergoing redevelopment to rid the area of its rundown seaside feel and make it into a go-to destination.   The Amsterdam Brewhouse took over its location from some forgettable restaurants including Wallymagoo’s and the Pier 4 Storehouse, which were considered to be tourist traps serving awful seafood.  The new tenant is a bit better than its predecessors but is still miles away from being a good restaurant; sadly, the food is pretty mediocre despite the pub fare menu.


One of the better dishes of the night was the duck grilled cheese ($14) where the highlight was the parmesan cheese crusted bread adding a flavourful crispy crunch to it.  Between the slices of bread is shredded duck, white cheddar, slices of tomatoes and microgreens which is an interesting combination but still gets drowned out by the flavourful bread.  The menu notes there is a Boneshaker marmalade within the sandwich but it wasn’t decipherable.  Nonetheless, it’s a decent dish accompanied by average tasting homemade fries.

The Brewmaster’s sausage pizza ($16) was also palatable with its thin chewy crust and a host of rich meaty ingredients including beerwurt sausage, mushrooms, smoked cheddar and caramelized onion.  Drizzled on the pizza was a reduced Tempest beer which added a smoky savoury balsamic like taste bringing a bit of exoticness to the dish.  Overall, it was an average pizza that doesn’t blow you away but at least doesn’t disappoint.

Featured prominently at the top of the menu is the Amsterdam pretzel ($6).  Since I was hungry, I thought it’d be smart to order this given they were likely premade and just needed to be reheated and served.  Alas, despite asking our waitress to just bring things as they were ready (since we were sharing) our request was not heeded and even the pretzel took 45 minutes before it arrived.  Sure it had a good chewy texture and was topped with flakes of sea salt but lacked that yeasty smell and slight butteriness I enjoy from the pretzels you get in New York or sporting events.  It was served with two beer based mustards (sweet Natural Blonde red currant mustard and spicy Big Wheel Dijon) and a wort reduction that were a nice touch.

An offering that you don’t normally find on bar menus was the togaroshi chicken ($12), which is a spicy zesty Japanese spice mix that you can also find at ramen restaurants.  It sure sounded good on paper but what actually arrived were ridiculously small pieces of battered chicken.  Really, I just felt like I was eating pieces of fried batter – KFC’s popcorn chicken is probably double the size of any of the pieces we had. Topped with wonton strips, chopped cucumber, green onions and a side of red cabbage kimchee most of these ingredients stood out more than the chicken.  As for the togaroshi spice, I didn’t get a hint of it.

A UK dish, the Scotch egg ($9), was featured on Amsterdam Brewhouse’s menu.  The egg’s presentation is beautiful with a good covering of sausage against the yellow egg yolk.  Alas, the egg was overcooked and the dish arrived cold without any of the crunch you expect at all.  If you want to try one of these, do yourself a favour and go to Weslodge instead.

Without a doubt, the most disappointing dish of the night was the crispy fish tacos ($13).  Having read numerous reviews that rave about this dish, I was astounded by how gross they tasted.  Fortunately, there were three other individuals with me that also tried it so I have some validation that I wasn’t just being picky.  The corn tortillas were stale and hard, the pieces of fish bland and cold and the apple fennel slaw tasting lack luster with none of the crisp sweet freshness you’d hope for.  To make it worse, Amsterdam Brewhouse chooses to pair their tacos with a bitter hot sauce which doesn’t go with the tacos at all.  Luckily, the fries that came with the duck grilled cheese had mayo with pieces of pickle in it (almost like a tartar sauce) that we used instead.

The only highlight of the night, other than the company of course, was Amsterdam Brewhouse’s beer tasting flights ($8).  Named after street locations of their previous breweries it’s a nice homage to their business.  With each tasting flight you receive four 5oz glasses of beer to allow you to try not only their own brews but some other Ontario microbreweries as well.  They range from lighter ales at the top to the hoppy stronger beers at the bottom of the menu.  I stuck with the first half of the menu and tried the “Richmond and John” and the “King and Portland”. 

The Richmond and John flight was the lightest tasting of the bunch including the Natural Blonde (my favourite of the night), the 416, an adventure brew (essentially the House’s pick; during our visit was an orange peel-like beer that could have been skipped) and the Raspberry Wheat (has a distinctive raspberry taste without the gross sweetness of a Früli).

The King and Portland flight was slightly richer but still easy drinking. Tastes of Big Wheel, Downtown Brown, Boneshaker and adventure brew (sadly the same one in the Richmond and John) were provided.  I’ll admit, by the second flight without food it was getting harder to really decipher the tastes of the beer itself so there’s little I can add to this.

All in all, Amsterdam Brewhouse has the potential to become a good microbrewery restaurant – they are situated at an ideal location, the dining room is open and features a breathtaking look into their distilling facilities, and their menu offers a good selection but is still small enough to be manageable.  Their downfall is its size - they simply do not have the adequate management and trained manpower required to deal with the enormous operations.  Even after eating there once, I believe a couple of key things need to be done to improve its operations:

  • More training is required to ensure staff are knowledgeable about the menu - this will lead to less questions, wasted time finding answers and unhappy customers.  During our visit, my dinner companion ordered a chicken salad and when it arrived couldn’t see the chicken.  The waitress questioned whether the salad was supposed to have chicken forcing my friend to point out the description on the menu.  The waitress then noted that she’d have to check with the kitchen only to have the front house manager come by to let us know the chicken is actually on the bottom of the plate (covered by the lettuce).  If the waitress had known what she was bringing out and the oddity of having the chicken on the bottom this entire waiting around and wasted effort could have been avoided.

  • Ensure better utilization and training of food servers to avoid presenting cold food (or at least invest in a good set of warmers to keep food hot).  There were some men who were bringing out food but a few looked lost and had to walk around asking tables for orders to properly serve the dishes.  Moreover, none could hold more than a dish per hand so when they were serving a table of more than two multiple people/trips were required.  If Amsterdam Brewhouse just invests in some large serving platters (similar to what a family chain restaurant would use), each server could bring out more things and hopefully speed things up.

To sum up, TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN!  The restaurant has been opened for over a month now so learning pains can no longer be used as an excuse for their inexperienced staff.  A lot of reviewers complain about the poor service.  I’ll admit, we didn’t have the most happy looking waitress, but I can imagine if I had to run around all night and have people complain to me the whole time I wouldn’t be in a smiling mood as well.  Better customer and employee satisfaction can be achieved just by ensuring staff are knowledgeable about their roles, the menu and the company they are working for.  Ensuring staff is happy or at least satisfied with their jobs is important as they are who customers see (and a grumpy looking waitress doesn’t make me want to order more beer).  After all, unhappy staff can lead to turnover which means the uninformed staff problem will perpetually continue.    

In the end, Amsterdam Brewhouse is a good place to go with friends to have drinks, maybe eat a salad (since it’s already cold) and enjoy the outdoors (if you can score a seat on one of its three patios).  I would advise against going there for just dinner unless you’re going during a non-peak time or with a group of two. So, maybe Wallymagoo’s is now gone but the replacement is still looking like a bit of a tourist trap.
 Overall mark - 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!

  



CLOSED: Rock Lobster Food Co. (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, August 24, 2013 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 538 Queen Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner

After two failed attempts to visit Rock Lobster’s Ossington location, I finally secured a table in the Queen West outpost without being subjected to a wait.  Despite being double the size of the flagship restaurant, the Queen West site is still relatively small; its only saving grace is the patio at the back which will be of no use in the winter months.  As soon as you walk in a “Fish Market” is set-up consisting of a small display case of on ice seafood items for you to take home and enjoy at your leisure.  But really, you don’t come here for take-out.
Patriotic Canadian themed insignia adorn the walls of the dining room (think caribou antlers, paintings of fish,etc.) and continue onto the patio with the back wall featuring a beaver and large Canada lettering.  I love it and hope a tourist visiting Toronto has the opportunity to visit this little spot and enjoy a bit of what our sea has to offer. 


The staff cheerfully greets me at the door and within minutes of entering grab my drink order - at last I’m here! If only they could turn down the music to a decibel so I don’t need to shout across the table at my friends the experience would be perfect.  
Without a doubt, Rock Lobster’s feature drink would be their Caesar; however it’s the one Canadian concoction I haven’t acquired a taste for despite trying it on multiple occasions.  Instead, the hot summer evening calls for a tomba-grantia ($10) which arrives looking like a margarita with an ice burg floating in it.  While ordering, I was asked if I’d like to add a $1 to make it “El Diablo” which makes it sweeter.  I can safely say that is not required as my non-El Diablo version was sweet enough.  After chipping away at the huge ball of crushed ice to let some of it melt, the cocktail diluted enough to make it refreshing.  I can’t say it was something I really enjoyed so on return visits may opt to go with the $1.50/oz on tap pinot grigio instead.
The lobster devilled eggs ($7) arrived within minutes of placing our order.  Surprisingly, the egg whites were a light rose pink coloured (from food dye?) which was unexpected, but gave Rock Lobster’s version of these come-back treats its distinct look.  The egg yolk filling was creamy, smoky and just had the slightest essence of shellfish to it.  Each egg was topped with a small piece of lobster - a good start and promise of things to come.
We had to try their famous lobster roll ($14; the only dish on the menu with an anchor beside it).  The hot dog style bun was toasted grilled cheese style and filled with a decent amount of lobster salad.  Sadly, this was my least favourite dish of the night.  Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t horrible and would still be considered a good meal.  It’s something about the thick buttery bun, mayo and undrained oily chips that made it all too heavy and ruins the lobster itself.  Given this is my first experience having a lobster roll; perhaps my palette just doesn’t like it.  Until I have the opportunity to eat one of these in Nova Scotia I’ll reserve judgment.


On the other hand, the fish and chips ($12) was amazing.  Normally, this isn’t something I’d order as oily bursts oozing out of thick batter is not my thing.  Luckily, Rock Lobster’s Guinness beer batter is thin so that it coats the fish with a light crunch but still lets the haddock and its juiciness shine through.  When fish is fresh like this you shouldn’t ruin it by covering it with too much stuff.  The hot hand-cut fries and tangy & creamy home-made tartar sauce rounds everything off.   
Finally, the Mack daddy of the night, the reason why I was so excited to visit – the Steam Whistle steampot ($39) arrives.  The large black pot brings back memories of an East Coast road trip I went on with my parents as a young child.  Although I don’t remember much about the provinces themselves, a self-made hotel meal will forever be ingrained in my memory.  Having arrived in PEI by about 8pm that night, we found the restaurants in the area were already closed (keep in mind this was over 20 years ago so I’m sure service levels have improved by now). 


Not knowing what to do, my parents spoke to the front desk who suggested we go visit the docks or try out the convenience store across the street.  My parents do exactly that and at the docks are greeted by some fisherman and purchased some lobsters right out of their traps that just came from the sea.  At the convenience store, they picked up butter, bread and some vegetable (perhaps corn?) and returned to our hotel which luckily had a stove complete with pots, dishes and cutlery.  The lobsters were AMAZING and something I’ve never been able to have again.  The meat, so tender and juicy, was actually larger than the shell and burst through everything.  Having just been pulled out of the ocean, the briny scent of the sea still clung to the meat naturally adding some saltiness to the otherwise sweet meat.  I may have been young but I still remember this meal, probably one of the tastiest I’ve had in my life.  Alas, I digress, but wanted to explain why I love pots of shellfish so much!
The steampot we ordered this night didn’t contain lobster (much less one pulled right out of the ocean) but did have a 1lb of snow crab legs, 12 large sized shrimp and ½ lb each of mussels and clams.  Not to mention four pieces of corn, a couple handfuls of quartered baby red potatos and wedges of spicy sausage.  This is a dish that is meant to be shared – especially with good friends where you’re not afraid of using your hands and getting dirty.
Its flavours are simple, some Old Bay seasoning, slight spiciness from the sausage and a hint of the Steam Whistle Pilsner.  But, the shells from the crustaceans already give off such a great aroma and flavour that I like it when it’s kept simple.  All the seafood was fresh and cooked well.  What would have made everything perfect (and perhaps elevated Rock Lobster’s final mark to a 9) would be to have some of the cooking liquid and toasted bread to dip it in.  Of course, the steampot is “steamed” so makes sense that the ingredients arrive without any water; so, next time I’ll have to try the lobster boil instead and hope for some liquid.
Rock Lobster definitely has potential to become one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto with its seafood focus and down-to-earth approach.  They offer decent portions of fresh seafood at a reasonable price.  So grab a few friends and head down for the steampot or boil dishes, just arrive early to avoid having to wait.  
Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10



Like the blog? You can now follow me on twitter for notifications - 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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