Guu Izakaya (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 398 Church Street
Website: http://guu-izakaya.com/toronto
Type of Meal: Dinner

Guu Izakaya still hasn’t lost its appeal. Having visited two years earlier and waiting over an hour for a table (we grabbed a drink at a nearby watering hole) the wait seemed gruelling to make it worthwhile.  But, after two years and arriving earlier at 6pm, the hype is still strong – we waited 20 minutes to get a table.

Perhaps I’m older (after all, I’ve aged two years), but Guu seems to have gotten even louder! Previously, the shouting happened when someone enters or leaves.  Now, some drink orders are screamed out as well so there’s rarely a moment you can hear the person in front of you.  Of course, this strange tradition (which having visited Japan doesn’t actually happen that often) is their trademark so it’s expected. But, even good things are overwhelming when there’s too much of it so I seriously urge managers to consider toning it down; after a while it really starts grating on your nerves. Some suggestions, how about polling visitors as they enter to see if they prefer shouts or not or offering customers a choice to wait a little longer for a table in the section off to the side where it seems slightly more blissful?

Let’s get to the thing that helped me survive the night – alcohol.  To start a beer mojito ($5.80) concocted with Sapporo, lime and mint leaves. After muddling the lime and mint leaves a bit ourselves, the light beer becomes quite refreshing with the citrus and mint.


Needing something harder (by this time my ears are ringing), for the next drink I upped it to the otokomae ($7) a much stronger cocktail combining sake, tequila and Cointreau. Perhaps it’s due to my love for vodka waters, but this drink appeals to me; not sweet at all with just some lime to mellow things out.  


Having learned from our last visit, we decided to order the food in two batches to avoid getting too many dishes all at once.  The salmon tataki ($6.80) was quickly seared so there’s a hint of smokiness to the salmon as the oils heat up.  A vinaigrette lightly coats the fish adding a nice freshness with pungent kicks from the green onion & garlic chips and heat from the wasabi mayo. The garlic is a bit overpowering; maybe if it were crushed into smaller pieces and less was added the delicious fish wouldn’t be covered over as much. I did like the thinly grated radish on the bottom soaking up the ponzu, wrapping some of this in the salmon and then eating it is rather refreshing.


Seeing gindara ($11.80) or roasted black cod on the menu we couldn’t not order this favourite. Guu’s was decent with the fish nicely cooked and relatively flakey. Its sauce is lighter having diluted the miso with some water and white wine (though to be honest couldn’t really taste the alcohol). Even though it wasn’t as melt-in-your-mouth as Yuzu No Hana and Blowfish (my top picks), for the price it was a good offering.


The karubi ($6.80) or grilled short ribs was the most disappointing dish of the evening.  It was so tough that we actually had to hold onto it while we tore a piece off.  Likely it’s due to the leaner cut being used, which is good, but this means the meat needs to be marinated to become edible. The simple sprinkling of salt and pepper is not sufficient to tenderize the meat and leaves it bland – you really had to dip it in the oil and scoop up the green onions to get a hint of anything.


Having only eaten okonomiyaki ($6.80) at Guu, I’ll admit there’s nothing for me to compare it to. But, the pancake is thicker than I would have imagined. Yet it’s still light on account of the bits of chopped cabbage mixed into the batter making it moist and breaks apart.  Overall, the dish has a lot of flavours from the sauces slathered on it – sweetness from the tonkatsu sauce (tastes like a mix between teriyaki and HP sauce) and the heat from the karashi (mustard). Topping everything are katsuobushi (bonito flakes) which move around with the heat and always an entertaining sight as long as you’re not squeamish; it adds a rich seafood essence to the dish.  I only wish there were a few pieces of seafood in it (there may have bit a piece of squid) to give the okonomiyaki a bit of texture.


Surprisingly, my highlight dish of the night isn’t even Japanese – the kinoko cheese bibimbap ($8.80). Although it may not look the best, this dark rice concoction is filled with fragrant seaweed pieces and a sweet glaze. Cheese is mixed throughout to give it a gooey texture and if left long enough against the hot stone bowl a delicious toasty crust develops on the bottom. Button mushrooms are mixed throughout that don’t really add or detract from the dish, but the star (in my opinion) is the seaweed.


To end we craved something sweet so ordered the almond tofu ($3.50), especially since the menu describes it as “the world’s smoothest”. Not being an almond tofu connoisseur, I can’t determine the truth to that statement but feel it’s smoothness is due to blending the tofu with almond jello … the dessert couldn`t have been fully made with tofu as it was too structured.  Either way, it was pleasant and light, with a hint of richness from the whipped cream on top.


Service is always helpful and cheerful but Guu does have some small things that could be improved on. During our visit, three instances occurred that if avoided would have made the experience that much better:


  • It’s already bad enough when customers have to sit at communal tables - although with the case of informal restaurants like izakayas, I can understand the need for them so am more accepting. However, the situation is annoying when the host sits you, then the waitress asks you to move over, only to have the host ask you to move back again. If we had been given our own table the constant shifting would have never occurred. Guu therefore needs to task someone with the responsibility for seating people (this should be the host) to avoid shuffling patrons around.

  • Before plates and especially eating utensils are taken away, staff should at least ask customers if everything has arrived.  In our instance, a gentleman proceeded to clear everything from our table without asking. I mentioned we were still waiting for a dish and therefore he had to reset everything. A simple question such as, “How was everything. Are you still waiting on any dishes or would like to order more?” could have easily stopped unnecessary work effort.

  • Lastly, right after we ordered desserts, our waitress immediately brought the bill along with the almond tofu. No one bother to ask us if we wanted anything else and assumed we were done. Quite frankly, my friend and I could have gone for one last cocktail before leaving.  Had this been a ramen shop, bringing the bill straight away may have made sense. But, Guu is an izakaya which is an establishment where people gather for drinks and small plates. Not to mention, now the restaurant lost the opportunity to sell one of its higher margin products.


All in all, Guu’s worth a visit if you’ve never been.  However, I’d suggest going with a maximum of four people (otherwise it becomes difficult to get a seat or hear each other) and either go early or much later. Be prepared for shouting from the moment you enter the restaurant and no it really won’t let up. Quickly order a drink and get it in your system as it will really help to mellow you out and make the noise bearable - after my second drink I almost didn’t mind it anymore as it became more like loud background noise.  Who knows, maybe after my third I would have even started chiming in! Alas, we’ll never know … if only the bill didn’t come prematurely.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Sake Bar Kushi (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 257 Eglinton Avenue West
Website: http://sakebarkushi.ca/
Type of Meal: Dinner
Now this is what I expect from an izakaya – semi closed off tables allowing patrons to get a little rowdy. Loud enough so that you feel you don’t need to whisper yet quiet enough so you can still talk and unhurried service so you feel comfortable getting multiple rounds of drinks. 

Sake Bar Kushi proves that you can still get the izakaya experience without having staff members constantly scream at the top of their lungs; we were greeted in unison by a couple of people as we entered and left and personally I felt this was more than enough. Moreover, they should be recognized for their willingness to take reservations, which makes visiting with larger groups easier.  Really, isn’t that the whole point of an izakaya – an easy-going casual atmosphere to hang around and drink?

With 30 bottles of sake to choose, drinking can easily be accomplished. With prices ranging from $9 to $380 per bottle, there’s selections for all.  Staying at the lower end of the spectrum, we ordered the Kinmon ($24) which was dry and light tasting, great for sake novices like ourselves. Afterwards, we continued on the night with pitchers of Sapporo which were only $19 each.


In terms of food, there were some hits and misses but with such an extensive menu (literally four different ones) we likely could have missed their house specialties. To begin, we ordered a round of skewers to go with the sake.  The majority of them being offered were grilled (yakitori) rather than the deep fried kushi I was expecting. This just seems a bit strange given kushi is in their name, but to be honest, I wasn’t that involved with ordering the skewers so we could have misunderstood the options.

The yakitori selection arrived with negimi or chicken with green onions ($2), hotate or scallop ($4.20), shrimp ($3.50) and buta bara or pork belly ($2.60). Note: prices are per skewer. To be honest, none of them were impressive as they were a tad over cooked (especially the scallop).  The pork belly was extremely fatty and could have benefited from being breaded and deep fried. 


The katsu ($2.80) or deep fried breaded chicken was spot on - juicy and succulent with the right amount of flavor from the tonkatsu sauce. If only all the skewers were this delicious! Considering it was the best skewer of the night, Sake Bar Kushi should consider dedicating more of their menu to kushi. We also got a single sausage ($1.80), that I didn't try, but judging by my friends’ comments it appeared mediocre. 


Not in the mood for their set dinner ($37 a person), we ordered a mix of tapas to share. The first dish to arrive, the tuna tataki ($11), was an amazing start and my favourite of the meal. Lightly seared so that a thin ring circled the fish, the tuna was fresh and just flavoured enough from the ponzu and garlic chips without being overpowered. A bed of grated radish laid below and added a fresh crunchiness to contrast the tender tuna. 



The lobster roll ($13) was decent with pieces of meat rolled in rice and more lobster on top. The meat itself was rather bland and lacked the natural sweetness you’d expect, so any flavouring came from the spicy mayo and soy sauce topping it. All in all, it was good enough but rather tame for something that features lobster. 


Meanwhile, the kaki fry or deep fried oysters ($6) was better. What appeared to be freshly shucked oysters had a seafood essence to it and benefited from being just lightly breaded. Served with tartar sauce it is a simple but tasty dish and quite good for the price. 


Continuing with the ups and downs, the grilled pork ($11) was poorly executed. I found it so over cooked that it became tough and barely edible; sadly, the quality reminded me of some barbequing experiences I’ve had where I’ve left pork chops on the grill and forgot about them. Given its sole flavor came from salt (even then there wasn’t much of this), little could be done to improve the dish. 


The most disappointing dish of the night was the gindara or grilled cod ($11). Perhaps it’s because this is generally one of my favourite dishes, I eat it often and have high hopes. Sake Bar Kushi’s was overcooked, bland and slightly bitter from being burnt. That tender, flaking apart, buttery texture I’ve come to expect was nowhere to be found. 


As long as you’re not squeamish about tentacles, the kadako karaage or deep fried baby octopus ($11) may be a tasty option. Given they used baby octopus it was tender and an interesting combination between the soft chewiness of the body and the crispy tentacles. 


The last dish we ordered, kimchi pork ishiyaki bibimbap ($14), ended off the night quite well. The heated stone bowl was a flavourful cacophony of ingredients and sauce, which thankfully helped mask the overdone pork. I’ll admit, it’s not the best bibimbap I’ve ever had, but compared to some of the other dishes we had that night was a pleasant ending. 


After the food, we decided to stay for more beers and as the night went along the chef presented us with two complementary dishes. The first, a salmon tempura topped with greens, was very nice. The cooked salmon was tender and covered with a light crispy coating. Tons of chopped scallions topped the fish and really brightened up the dish.  Even the sweet and sour type sauce was a nice change compared to the mostly mayonnaise based ones from earlier dishes.


The second, a take on poutine expect without the gravy, was a miss. The fries, although made fresh with potatoes, were limp and slightly hard and needed to be double fried. Since there was no sauce, the melted cheese was congealed and hard by the time it reached the table. Even so, we appreciated the chef’s gesture at giving us the dish and ate most of it. The waitress advised us the fries weren’t part of their regular menu; some changes should be made before its ever added on.


Our waitress for the night was extremely nice and pleasant to be around. The dinner brought me back to memories of dining in Japan where my experiences with service are similar - attentive, respectful and always doing everything they can to ensure the customer is pleased.

Overall, although not all the dishes we had were spectacular, there were some good ones including the tuna tataki, katsu kushi and salmon tempura. Generally, I found the grilled dishes poorly executed (primarily on account of everything being overcooked), so would suggest ordering the fried, stone bowl or stir fried items instead. However, it’s the overall experience that shines through. Maybe one day the chef will adjust the cooking time for some of their dishes and the experience can be improved that much more.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!





The Siam Heritage サイアムヘリテイジ東京 (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda (Shin-Marunouchi Building, 6th floor)
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-SIAM-Heritage-TOKYO/181142475342972
Type of Meal: Dinner 

Located in the Shin-Marunouchi Building, The Siam Heritage specializes in Thai cuisine offering crowd favourites done with traditional ingredients. Price points are on the higher end, but dishes are fairly sized and meant to be shared. If you wish to try a number of items, there is a set menu available, which may be a better option for parties of two or fewer.

My husband and I ended up ordering way too much food, so what’s listed below could easily feed three people. Before our starters arrived, the waitress brought over a collection of ingredients (from what I can recall - peanuts, lemon grass, dried shrimp, shallot, lime peel) where she made us each a leaf wrap topped with a sweet sauce. Despite some of the ingredients sounding hard and unpleasant tasting (i.e. lime peel), everything actually went well together and the wrap was an interesting start to the meal.


A shrimp rice paper roll (¥600 for two rolls, only one shown below) arrived adorned with a pretty flower. It was much fresher than what I’ve typically had at pho places, where the wrapper was moist and springy and didn’t break apart.  It could be improved by putting more shrimp in it as I found the roll predominantly took on the lettuce, carrot and sweet & spicy dipping sauce flavours.


We had to order tom yum koong (¥2,400), a traditional spicy and sour soup. Siam’s version definitely had a kick to it and was as strong as the ones I’ve had in Thailand. At first, we were wondering why a bowl of soup would be so expensive, but upon seeing the portion size realized the reason – we each were able to have two smaller bowls and in hind sight I guess we should have asked. Complete with prawns, lemon grass and mushrooms the ingredients were typical and decent. Pieces of chilies also came with the broth so you really had to be careful to not eat them, unless you wanted your tongue to burn even more. Overall, a good soup but very powerful so is better suited for parties of three or more.


Luckily, the green papaya salad (¥1,800) arrived next and cooled down our scorching mouths. It had a really nice medley of sweet, sour and salty flavours with the green papaya being a little crisper than mango. Even this dish had some small red chili pepper pieces tossed throughout but at least in a bearable volume. I did find the wedge of lettuce a bit strange so we ended up leaving it untouched; Siam should consider serving the salad in larger lettuce leaves which would make the dish look more attractive and allow patrons to easily eat the lettuce.


Siam’s chicken in green curry (¥2,300) was wonderfully fragrant and not just from the typical coconut milk – likely a plethora of ingredients that I couldn’t decipher but gave the curry a bit more depth and wasn’t as heavy. Additionally, the use of Japanese eggplant in the dish was great as they soaked up the sauce and were deliciously tender and flavourful. With it came all-you-can-eat rice, with the waitress bringing over a container at the beginning and spooning individual portions onto our plates. But, she diligently came back throughout the meal to offer us refills.  


Lastly, came the pad thai (¥1,800) where it contained a pretty heavy dose of fish sauce but also some sweetness and heat balancing it out. Although some tamarind must have been used (on account of the colour and slight sourness), it was used in moderation so didn’t become overpowering. Throughout the noodles were very tiny dried shrimp (pictured in the second photo) adding a further depth to the pad thai. Despite being stuffed I still had a portion of the noodles as it delicious and one of the best I’ve eaten.
Siam offers a nice atmosphere with plush linen covered tables and comfortable chairs. Service was outstanding and I had a delightful time conversing with our waitress who was so helpful and extremely friendly. I also commend the restaurant from a diversity and inclusion perspective, for its almost all female staff and employing a person with disabilities; up until this point, most restaurants we ate in had a predominantly young male workforce. All in all, Siam lives up to higher price points as it was one of my better experiences with Thai food.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

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Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Ginza Lion 銀座ライオン (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 7-9-20 Ginza, Chuo
Website: http://www.ginzalion.jp/shop/brand/lion.html
Type of Meal: Lunch
Off of the busy street of Ginza the restaurant is hard to miss with its large entrance and display case filled window. As soon as you enter get ready to experience a bustling beer hall where small tables are crammed together and chattering permeates throughout. But, that is expected; after all, with any beer hall you'd expect a jovial informal atmosphere. 


Beer is available if four sizes with the small (slightly less than a pint) and a large (about 750 ml) shown below. Luckily, despite the large dining room size, drinks arrive quickly to satisfy thirsty customers. 


Lion Ginza's menu combines German beer hall classics and UK pub favourites. My husband and I ordered a choice of both with him getting the Weisterhurst with sauerkraut (¥1,029). Not being a fan of sausages I didn't try the dish but must admit the breakfast sized sausages sitting in an oily skillet couldn’t tempt me. 


Meanwhile, my fish and chips (¥892) were also quite small consisting of three stick sized pieces of fish and about six thick cut fries. This certainly didn't come close to matching my experience at Anstruther's Fish Bar which is disappointing for a country which normally prepares fish so well. The biggest drawback is it's coated in bread crumbs rather than battered so made me think of eating the frozen Highliner variety I purchase at grocery stores. 


In the end, I realize Ginza Lion is not a place to go to for good food. But, if you are looking for a central place to rest, where they always have a table available and offer inexpensive (but small) dishes than this is place to for you. 
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Salt ソルト バイ ルークマンガン (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 1-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda (Shin-Marunouchi Building, 6th floor)
Website: http://www.pjgroup.jp/salt/
Type of Meal: Dinner
Salt Tokyo is an overseas outpost of Chef Luke Mangan’s Australian restaurant from Sydney. Of course, the Tokyo location also features a fusion of Japanese ingredients on account of Chef Koji Fukuda’s influence.

With a limited selection on their a la carte menu, most diners seemed to be ordering off their three course menu (¥4,800 with supplements for certain items). If you are really hungry, they also offer a five or eight course tasting menu. But, we found the three courses more than enough, especially when there were two smaller amuses thrown in and frequent refills of bread. Plus, sometimes it’s nice to choose your meal, especially since many things on the menu sounded delicious.

Before the appetizer arrived the first amuse was presented, a piece of bacon infused corn bread which had been lightly grilled and topped with a cool crème fraîche.  Although it wasn’t anything spectacular, it was a nice addition to the complimentary bread. 


The prawn rolled in kadayif resembled a tornado spring roll, consisting of a shrimp wrapped in thin wisps of crispy coating. Kadayif, similar to shredded wheat, is generally found in the Turkish dessert baklava so was interesting to taste it in a savoury form. Paired with a sweet chili jam it was good but then it’s hard to mess up deep fried shrimp. I was intrigued when the menu describes this dish coming with "beer air"; unfortunately I didn’t get a whiff of ale so still unsure how it ties into the prawn.


My husband's Tasmanian ocean trout sashimi was absolutely delicious made up of fresh thinly sliced trout topped with ginger, shallot and soy. This was then combined with some creamy avocado, spring greens and dollops of goat cheese so it became a substantial salad. Out of two, this was the better choice in my opinion.  


Next, a second amuse arrives, this time an upscale take on a deep fried mozzarella stick. I’m not quite sure what type of cheese it was, but had a nice crust and soft molten centre complete with a creamy sauce for dipping. I can’t recall what the crispy bits topping the sauce were but overall liked the dish.


Taking a gamble, I ordered the roasted "sawara" which turned out to be a white fish (still unclear why the menu describes it in quotes). The skin was nicely crisped while the fish tender and flaky, but this was a fairly delicate so relied heavily on the other ingredients to give it oomph. Combined with chunks of softly boiled potatoes, bacon and mushrooms, the dish certainly had a rustic feel and is good if you’re in the mood for something simple.


Once again, although my selection was good, I found my husband’s dish was superior. The grilled beef fillet (¥800 supplement) with potato puree sounded uninspired – beef and potatoes? But, it was beautifully seared and tender with just the right amount of saltiness from the au jus. As the slice of chili compound butter started melting the rich heat also start permeating the meat and smooth mashed potatoes.  


To end, the yakiimo (roasted sweet potato) soufflé (¥300 supplement) for me, which although started deflating was still fluffy and moist on the inside. Underneath the shell was a beniimo (purple sweet potato) ice cream; such a brilliant colour and a nice thick creamy texture. The addition of crunchy cookie bits (likely also derived from sweet potato) scattered around the ice cream added a nice contrast. All things considered, it was a delicious dessert.


The cheese plate (¥600 supplement) had a varying selection consisting of Roquefort (a blue cheese which generally isn’t my favourite but wasn’t quite as pungent so bearable; I’ll admit the drizzle of honey always helps), Ossau-Iraty (a smooth sheep’s milk based cheese) and a triple cream brie (always a delight!).



In general, Salt’s dishes were well executed and delicious. While offering pristine French linens, silver and service; Salt nonetheless charged affordable price points. Located in central Tokyo close to Tokyo Station, Hibiya and Ginza it’s an easy place to drop into for a nice dinner that’s not painstakingly long.


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!

Barberians Steakhouse (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 7 Elm Street
Website: http://www.barberians.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner
When a restaurant’s been in business for over 50 years, you know they’re doing something right. Started in 1959, Barberian’s is a steakhouse institution. Their dining room proudly displays Canadian history with a mixture of sculptures, paintings and artifacts; from  paintings by the Group of Seven, a copy of the Globe and Mail from 1867 and pre-Confederation currency from the Hudson’s Bay Company, there’s a lot to be seen if you’re a museum, art or history buff.  But, none of this matters to me, what draws me to Barberians is their meat – all 16 ounces of it to be exact.

Their menu is stocked with traditional classics - no there isn’t the wagyu beef you’ll find at Jacobs - just the timeless cuts of meats that were probably around 50 years ago. The lack of choice isn’t a concern for me, give me an aged black angus bone-in ribeye any day, it will always be my favourite.

First to arrive is a basket of hot garlic bread and pickled vegetables (a collection of carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, a cauliflower floret and a jalapeño for whoever is brave enough to try it). I’m glad they leave the dish of vegetables with you throughout the meal, they really helped to break through the heaviness of the steak when I just need a refreshing sharp crunch.


After seeing the table beside get their salads and the enormous portions, my husband and I split a Caesar ($10.25; half portion pictured below). Unlike Harbour 60, it’s not done table-side but encompasses all the elements of a good classic – thick super garlicky dressing, smothered with grated parmesan, cool fresh romaine leaves and crisp croutons. It did lack bacon bits, but I don’t mind this given I’ve never been a huge fan of bacon.


For my first visit I had to go with the house specialty… the rib steak (available in 16 or 24 oz portions). Opting for the smaller one ($49.75), it nevertheless was a hulking piece of beef. Barberians is known for their steak seasoning, a secret blend that has been used since its inception and can even be purchased to take home. I have no idea what’s in it, but it adds just enough flavour to the steak without becoming overly salty so that the natural meat juices still stood out. As with the typical rib eye, it was wonderfully tender from the marbling and cooked to the perfect medium rare doneness. In my opinion, it wasn’t as good as the one I’ve had at Harbour 60 but any difference is slight as both were a delight.


We were offered a choice of rice, baked potato or fries with the steak (note there’s a $7.75 supplement for mashed potatoes) so you could get away with ordering just a steak without paying extra for sides. Although the fries were good (I snuck some off the plate of a fellow diner), nothing goes better with steak than a loaded potato. The condiments arrive table side allowing patrons to customize as they please - I packed mine with sour cream, chives and feta cheese (an interesting option which adds a bit of briny richness to it).

Despite the fact that I had to give away a portion of my steak after starting to get meat sweats, I was actually craving something sweet to end the meal. So our table of four decided to share an order of hot apple beignets with vanilla ice cream ($10.25). As with all of Barberian’s portion sizes, the dessert was more than enough to satisfy all of us with the dish having two full sized beignets and two scoops of ice cream.  Inside each beignet was a large thick slice of apple, which reduced the batter ratio and helped to lighten the dessert. Covered with cinnamon sugar and sprinkled with finely chopped walnuts this is my type of dessert.


It’s a steakhouse where you can arrive clad in suit or sweat shirt and feel equally welcomed. During our Sunday visit, the place was packed but there was never a moment we felt unattended to. Although the steak at Barberian’s wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, there’s something about their atmosphere that is so enjoyable and embracing that it’s certainly the one I’ll return to. Here’s to hoping that it will continue to be around for many years to come. 
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!

CLOSED: The Richmond Grill (Richmond Hill)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Richmond Hill, Canada
Address: 10165 Yonge Street
Type of Meal: Dinner
Situated in a neighbourhood reminiscent of Unionville, it’s unlike the plazas filled with big box stores you’ll generally find in Richmond Hill. However, unlike the cobblestone surroundings, Richmond Grill’s window is plastered full of decals making it seem more like a fast food kabob place than an Italian restaurant. But, if you’re able to look past the tacky window and enter the restaurant, you’ll be greeted with an intimate and dimly lit dining room with bottles of olive oil adorning each table. Yes, its quintessentially Italian and with it comes tons of food and welcoming service.  

Soon after ordering, our waiter whisks out a basket filled with bread and crackers. As a warning, do not fill up on bread as the portion sizes at Richmond Grill are significant – and that’s putting it mildly.

Appetizers are meant to be shared or could easily replace a meal if you’re not overly hungry. My husband and I split the grilled calamari ($11.95; only half of portion shown below) and even a half size consisted of one and a half pieces. The calamari was tender and fresh; the charred smokiness was mellowed by the fresh warm salsa topping it (consisting of tomatoes, olives, capers, roasted garlic and red onion). I especially liked how the olives were freshly pitted and not too strong as to overpower the dish. The salsa was good with the calamari, on its own or would likely be even better atop bread (which I wanted to try it if weren’t for worry about filling up).


The mixed seafood linguine ($18.95) contained another piece of grilled calamari (I really should have planned my meal out better), two prawns, chunks of tender salmon, tons of mussels and unshelled baby clams throughout. The sauce, a simple fish broth, is exactly what I want with seafood pasta – just let the cooking liquid act as the flavour, too much tomato drowns out the wonderful natural seafood essence. A mix of julienned peppers, leeks, onion, snow peas and roasted garlic rounded out the dish adding some crunch to the pasta. If only the linguine was more al dente, the dish would have been perfect.


My husband’s grilled black angus striploin ($31.95) was a brimming plate of meat, fresh cut frites, thick slices of portobello mushroom and vegetables. He noted the steak was cooked well and the beef a nice tender cut. Alas, I was too excited to dig into the linguine and forgot to snap a picture of his meal. 

All in all, Richmond Grill offers great dishes at a low price. Trust me, come hungry as you will surely not be disappointed. Just try to look past the decals on the windows, not the greatest sight, and you will be in for a treat. After all, a restaurant that’s been in business for seventeen years must be doing something right.

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!

CLOSED: DT Bistro (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 154 Harbord Street
Type of Meal: Brunch

 My first thought upon entering DT Bistro's dining room, after drooling at the pastry laden display case, was how bright and airy it was and boy it smelled good. Unlike some other restuarants that serve brunch, there were no crazy lineups and crowds but rather just enough patrons to give it credibility while still allowing a sense of tranquility and quick service.

The menu incorporates a good mix of breakfast and lunch offerings. Unfortunately, a fair number of them are denoted "seasonal" and thus my first choice (fried soft shell crab on brioche) was unavailable. Perhaps it's better as I ended up getting the slightly heart friendlier goat cheese frittata ($16) instead. Chocked full of vegetables including caramalized onions, spears of asparagus, ribbons of zucchini, peppers and sundried tomatoes, it certainly hit the spot first thing in the morning while giving me at least two servings of vegetables for the day.



Without relying on creamy sauces or too much cheese, the dots of tangy goat cheese made the fritatta light enough so I wasn't sluggish feeling after brunch. Served with a handful of salad (the raspberry balsamic dressing was quite nice) and toasted bread the bread was quite a hefty portion that couldn't be finished.

Of course it could be due to our table opting to start with a basket of scones ($7.50) which seemed like a popular choice. Not overly big, they are hot and crispy with a flakey soft centre; really what you'd expect in a scone. The batter had a lovely citrusy taste from small flecks of lemon rind. Accompanying the scones were Devonshire cream, apple compote and lemon curd . Overall, although the Devonshire cream was not as thick as I prefer, the compote and lemon curd were nice additions that gave the scones a nice flavour without being overly sweet and thick.



DT Bistro was quite enjoyable and great for last minute plans if you are not up for waiting. They also offer an afternoon tea package for $28 after 2pm that also seemed quite nice and perhaps could draw me back to try it one day.
 
Overall mark - 8 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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