CLOSED: WB Chinese Cooking 味佰•时尚烤鱼 (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, November 28, 2015 by


WB Chinese Cooking
As soon as the temperature dips below 10˚C, the comforting call of hot broth beckons me. Noodles in soup, bubbling hot pot or thick French onion soup … they are all attractive; a cozy comforter for my stomach.

Sichuan boiled fish is perfect for fighting the cold. Arriving in a chafing dish filled with inches of broth and a thin layer of chili oil, the fish and other ingredients comingle together amongst a handful of chilies and develops into an intensely flavoured dish. With four chili broths to choose from, the “incense and hot flavor” version sounded delicious and despite its three chili rating wasn’t overpowering. If you avoid the red peppers, the broth had enough spice to tantalize the taste buds but didn’t leave them numb.


We opted for the most expensive fish being offered, the green sea bass ($39.99), but on another visit I’ll try the tilapia ($22.99) to see if you can even determine a difference. Splitting the fish in half, the broth went into all the crevices and since the fish was intact (i.e. head, spine and tail) the bones added additional flavour to the stock. Just be careful while picking through the dish for stray ones.

Our waitress suggested adding other ingredients ranging from $1.49 to $2.49 per item. It definitely added to the experience and made the dish more substantial – ours included beef slices ($2.49), fried tofu balls ($1.49), fresh tofu ($1.49), napa cappage ($1.49) and vermicelli ($1.49). The vermicelli wasn’t the thin ones found in Vietnamese restaurants, but rather a thicker glass noodle that helped soak up the broth.

WB’s other menu options were tasty as well. The griddle cooked prawns ($13.99) were served in a wok warmed at the table; it helps to keep everything hot but also means finishing them quickly to avoid overcooking. At least a dozen shrimp were included in a savoury light sauce that had just a hint of spice.


The steamed chicken with chili sauce ($9.99) would be more aptly described as “sesame chili” given the predominant sauce was the nutty sesame one at the bottom. Mixed with the floating chili oil, they elevated the plain tender chicken into a powerful tasty dish. We thoroughly enjoyed the sauce, even spooning it onto steamed rice.


Service at WB was surprisingly helpful and friendly; each table is equipped with a paging system so you never feel forgotten. However, ordering can be a pressuring period as they continuously suggest add-ons and extra things such as cold drinks to increase bill totals. Moreover, the restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so head over early to avoid a long wait.

When the mercury drops it’s not always bad news. For me, it means cozy sweaters enter the closet and hot soups can be ingested without breaking a sweat.

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1883 McNicoll Avenue

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!
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CLOSED: L'Unita (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2015 by
L'Unita Toronto

Located in the northern portion of Yorkville, L’Unita offers the similar polished charm without the hectic crowds. As the grainy quality of my photos indicate, it’s a dimly lit atmosphere. It’s warm and cozy from the closely placed tables and there’s an entire wall of exposed brick.

The pompelmo spritz ($13) is fruity from the pink grapefruit juice, yet the sugar level is controlled with vodka and Aperol. The prosecco helps add the sparkle that makes the cocktail a great sipping drink.


L’Unita’s appetizers are delicious and with enough could easily make for a satisfying meal. The sweet pea arancini ($12 for 3) has the creamy risotto and gooey cheese filling that makes you swoon. The hot fried ball is served sitting on a garlicky cream sauce to give it a chance to cool down.


The meatballs ($17) were decent: large, plump and tender but incorporated a tad too much binder for me. The marinara they were smothered in was delicious and the polenta served crispy, incorporating a terrific textural contrast to the dish.


It was the tomato chitarra and calamari ($25) that faltered. The dish wasn’t all bad: tasty flavours and the calamari cooked nicely. But, the pasta itself was much too soft; surprisingly not al dante for an Italian restaurant. Only to be further ruined by sprinkling way too much largely chopped parsley over top – good luck trying to get a bite without the overpowering taste of the herb.


Indeed, I was already disappointed when the pasta arrived red and not a murky black as you’d expect when there’s ‘squid ink’ used in the description. Yet it’s my own fault as the description was followed by ‘pangrattato’, which means bread crumbs, and this is the sole ingredient that gets the squid ink kiss.

A better choice would be their zucca bianca pizza ($19) whose base is fantastic – crispy, aromatically blistered and thinly pressed.  The varied toppings worked well together: soft butternut squash, salty bacon, smoky roasted brussel sprouts, and the sweetness from honey… just watch out for the hit of spice from the chili peppers.


L’Unita’s staff were wonderful, not only providing attentive service but also proved to be knowledgeable with the menu. If only the pasta was given less time in the pot and garnishes weren’t so liberally spread, the meal would have been bellissimo.  

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 134 Avenue Road

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:



Karisma Resorts Canadian Beef Culinary Series

Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2015 by

Although I love the tropical temperatures and ease of all-inclusive resorts, I rarely visit them unless a girl’s R&R trip is required. “Why?” you ask. Who wouldn’t like the tranquil stress-free environment and the ability to sip to one’s content? Well, a foodie for one. You have to admit, although the food is plentiful at resorts, its taste is normally decent at best.

Hence, when an invitation arrived to learn more about the 2016 Canadian Beef Culinary Series by Karisma Hotels & Resorts, I was intrigued. The company doesn’t just promote exclusive beach access or private infinity pools; their gourmet food, including on site organic green houses, were just as important.

Sample dish from a previous Culinary Series
Scheduled for the second full week of every month, guests of the El Dorado Royale in the Riviera Maya, Mexico will have their taste buds tantalized by guest chefs, who pair up with El Dorado’s team of Michelin star restaurant trained chefs to run classes, special pairing menus, tastings and an exclusive dinner. Some events include a beach BBQ, beef and wine pairing, cooking demonstrations and expert wine pairing tutorials.

Chef Louis Charest
The 2016 guest chef itinerary is:
  • January –  Marc St Jacques of Pearl Hospitality
  • February –  Victor Barry of Splendido
  • March –  Todd Parrin of Malard College
  • April – Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station
  • May – Marco Frappier of Joe Beef
  • June  –  Hayden Johnson of Richmond Station
  • July –  Mark Forgione of Impasto
  • August – Eric Palomino of Café Bar Pasta
  • September – Special Guest Chef
  • October – Ted Corrado of The Drake and The Drake 150
Already in its third year, the Canadian Beef Culinary Series combines our country’s delicious beef with carefully curated Jackson Family wines. To get a taste of the “gourmet inclusive experience”, we were treated to a dinner at Sassafraz, where the main course was a melt-in-your mouth piece of tenderloin topped with compound butter.


While I was tucking into a plate of juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese, Alex Portman of Karisma explained that their gourmet experience means all restaurants offer a la carte menus and guests aren’t expected to make reservations. A selection of wines and premium liquor is also included (a far cry from the locally made tequila I remember from my last Cancun adventure) as well as 24 hours room service for those who want to dine in pajamas.

Caprese salad, from the Sassafraz dinner
Curious about the cost of these packages, I looked on Air Canada Vacations at the April dates. Undeniably, at $2,300 per person including airfare and taxes, a 6-day stay will be more than the previous Mexico vacations I’ve experienced. But, booking with Air Canada does include complimentary access to all the Canadian Beef Culinary Series events (a US$300 value) and I’m sure the food will be much better than my previous visits.  

Plus, the free unlimited wi-fi at the resort would even allow me to live tweet/Instagram the experience! I was surprised to learn that Karisma also offers unlimited international calling at their resorts – surely a benefit for worker bees who need to stay in touch with the office or parents with their children.

The promise of gourmet meals, premium alcohol, a full service concierge and king sized beach beds sure sounds enticing after a long Canadian winter. We’ll see, if the food gods align, perhaps you’ll see more about the series in the spring.

If you're interested in attending, book with Air Canada Vacations by December 15th to take advantage of the complimentary access bonus. 

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Aroma Espresso Cafe (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2015 by

Aroma Espresso Bar
Aroma Espresso Bar is a franchise that’s been quickly taking over the quick service food market. Their sandwiches may seem a tad pricy ($5.95 for a half or $9.95 for a whole), but for $4 a relatively large salad can be added to any of them; with a full sandwich it becomes sufficient for sharing.

The Aroma A.C.E. (avocado, chicken and egg) is a heartier version of a B.L.T. with the cool creamy avocado and fresh arugula warmed with a thin chicken breast and cooked through egg. 


If you want something meatier, the steak sandwich is the better choice. A hot satisfying sandwich packed with sliced beef, sautéed peppers and onions and gooey mozzarella cheese, it’s delicious and full of flavour. When the steak’s juices soak into the bread’s crust, there’s even a beef dip quality to the sandwich.  


There are plenty of vegetarian options as well. My husband tried the fig and goat cheese croissant ($5.95), which he found was a tasty combination of sweet fig jam, creamy goat cheese, red onion and peppery arugula and balanced with balsamic vinegar.


Any meat or cheese filling can also be replaced with grilled tofu. I substituted this firm protein in the grilled chicken sandwich and it went rather nicely with the red pepper, arugula and creamy aroma sauce. I only wish they didn’t turn the sandwich vegan as some mozzarella on the tofu would have helped provide more flavour and interest.


Aroma’s quinoa salad (part of combo or $6.95 a la carte) is packed with diced tomato and cucumbers (it easily fills a third of the container). Additionally, it contains fluffy quinoa, thinly sliced roasted eggplant and crunchy raw onions. It’d be ideal if the herb dressing was saltier, given all the other ingredients are rather neutral.


The freekah ($7.95), an Arabic wheat recently added to Aroma’s menu, is a filling salad to have solo. The blend of grains, including black quinoa and sprouted brown rice, is nutty and has a satisfying chewiness to it. Paired with baby kale, tomato, cucumber, carrot, pickle, red onion and parsley there is tons of flavours and textures. There’s even a hefty dollop of thick labneh cheese, which is closer to yoghurt, adding a tangy creaminess to the salad.


In the winter, a bowl of their hot comforting soup may be in order. Their chicken chipotle (part of combo or $5.25 a la carte) had plenty of chicken, corn, pepper, celery and wild rice, ending with a kick of heat that’s rather tasty. The soup is thick and filling; for the lactose intolerant it should be described as chowder given its creamy base. 


Have visited during dinner service, I’ve stuck to their food options. But, Aroma does have an extensive drinks menu with options such as Turkish coffee, London Fog tea and hot apple cider rarely found at other cafes. The sole drink I’ve tried is the kale and mango smoothie ($4.95) and it’s absolutely delicious – the juicy mango most prominent and a great thick consistency.


Although it’s a self-serve restaurant, Aroma uses real cutlery if you’re eating in their dining room. Additionally, locations tend to have a decent amount of tables so most diners tend to stay and eat. The chain has become a great inexpensive way to catch-up with companions over quick healthy meals.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meals were complimentary, but rest assured as noted in Gastro World's mission statement, I will be honest.
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 797 College Street
                 8 Park Home Avenue
 Website: http://aroma.ca/

 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:

Aroma Espresso Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Wonton Chai Noodle (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 15, 2015 by
Wonton Chai Noodle Scarborough
Wonton Chai Noodle’s dining room isn’t going to impress you. Let’s get it out there now – it’s a no frills setting of chairs and tables and when it gets busy, you’re even expected to procure your own cup of weak tea. Luckily, you’re not visiting for their drinks or service, the draw is their bowls of satisfying noodles with huge plump toppings.

If you want a bit of everything like me, the three toppings with noodles and soup ($7) is the ideal choice. Two huge shrimp wonton, dace fish balls and Shanghai wontons arrived amongst the clear salty broth. The Shanghai wontons aren’t on the menu, but they’ll inform you if they made them for the day and trust me – you want them if they’re available. These are made with a great mixture of shrimp, pork, Chinese mushrooms and black fungus, which has more textural contrast than the plain wonton.


But, the shrimp wontons are good as well: chocked full of just cooked through shrimp… sweet, crunchy and delicious. The only disappointment was the dace fish balls, a decent springy texture but a faint fishy after taste. The restaurant also offers non-seafood options such as sliced beef and beef brisket but really why would you visit a place called “Wonton” Chai without trying the wontons?


If you’re not into soupy noodles, the “lo mein” options uses the same thin al dante noodles but is served dry with oyster sauce. Mix in the condiment gradually as it has a very potent taste. To help loosen the noodles, a splash of splash of soup always helps.

Aside from other forms of noodles, Wonton Chai doesn’t offer much else. But, since the noodles is all protein and carbs, a side of vegetable (generally yu choy) with oyster sauce ($3.50) is also a good choice.


Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 4400 Sheppard Avenue East

 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:

Wonton Chai Noodle Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


CLOSED: Fring's (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, November 14, 2015 by


Fring's Toronto

When the star-studded “opening” party of Fring’s made its way into the media in late September, news of the Drake and Lee collaboration swept the foodie scene by storm. There were tons of photos of the Toronto rapper, Susur, Kai, Levi and even Jada Pinkett-Smith … just no shots of the food itself. In fact, in all the coverage, the menu was under wraps; who knows if the burger, salmon tartare and fries served at the party was even on it?

Fast forward a month and the restaurant actually opens. The spacious two floor establishment is dark and has a modern cabin vibe. If you look carefully, you’ll get a glimpse of it right after leaving the entrance: a short hallway before the dining room showcases stuffed birds behind metal panels. When you sit down, you may even feel it: from the soft chairs adorned with horse hair.

Nonetheless, the woodsy lounge atmosphere still doesn’t describe their menu. After perusing through the one pager, I can best sum it up as “diverse”. Salmon crudo comingles with mom’s homemade meatballs and there’s rigatoni, steak or fried chicken. To start, there’s even a whole section dedicated to toast; the crispy carb adorned with mushroom, meats, cheeses or avocado.

The wild mushroom and prosciutto toast ($10) had a generous toppings to bread ratio: the soft crunchy toast smothered with gouda and crème fraiche, plump meaty mushrooms and slices of dry cured prosciutto. It’s a delicious combination: some briny bite from the meat, juicy caramelized mushrooms and then an unexpected rich creamy finish.


My favourite dish of the evening was the grilled wild king prawns ($29). The humungous butterflied prawns were fleshy and sweet, there was a Creole influence with the spicy pineapple mango salsa and beurre blanc sauce. Butter and shrimp go so well together, but then it’s elevated with a tangy sweet salsa, which ends with a twinge of heat.


When a chef names a burger after themselves, it makes me want to try it. The Susur burger ($20) follows the trend of making a better “Big Mac”. Two rich beef patties are cooked medium and smothered in enough cheddar cheese to make mice rejoice. It’s all finished off with crisp lettuce, a Thousand Island type mayonnaise and a soft egg bun.


It’s good, but unless Susur loves McDonalds, I can’t decipher the connection to him. There wasn’t an ounce of his famed Asian or European influences, except maybe the dusting of rosemary that covers the hot and crispy Jamie Kennedy fries.


With only four dessert options, the caramel monkey bread ($14) holds the most interest. This pull apart cinnamon bun with caramelized apple slices, hazelnut ice cream and drizzles of English cream & salted caramel is heavenly. Just be sure to share as it’s fairly sweet and decadent.


Fring’s menu probably best embodies Toronto. We’re a city that has a diverse food offering, which most dwellers try regularly. Here is a restaurant that allows you to eat different cultural dishes simultaneously.

Visiting during the third week Fring’s opened, I found the service a little off. Everyone was friendly and our drinks well looked after, but the key transition points during the meal were missed. After our mains and dessert, the empty dishes languished for almost half an hour before they were finally removed. We were actually considering stacking the dishes in the centre to make it more obvious. In the end, there’s a long lag between dessert and getting the bill, causing our low-key Wednesday dinner to become a 3-hour affair.

Perhaps, it was because by the end I just wanted to leave. Unknown to me, Wednesday is also live band night. Don’t get me wrong, they were good. But, there are times when I want to listen to music and others when I’d rather converse with a friend. Little did I know, that eating on Wednesday meant finishing off the meal at a concert (tip: ask to be sat in the depths of the bar section, it’s further from the music).

It’s inevitable, Fring’s will be a boozy hip lounge where conversing is difficult: after all, it’s on King West and Drake needs a place to lounge with his possé. Thankfully, it’s not all about the atmosphere, the restaurant also serves up some great food! You just won’t be able to tell your companion how impressed you are after 9pm.  

 Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 455 King Street West

 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:



Canoe (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 08, 2015 by


Canoe Toronto

Since September 1995, Canoe has been showcasing Canadian cuisine and this year the Toronto fine dining restaurant turns 20! Their menu goes beyond poutine and apple fritters, taking our country’s fare to a prominent level. In celebration of their birthday, a special 7-course tasting menu was developed ($100 or $150 including wine pairings).

Dishes are also offered a la carte; in the post, I’ve included their individual prices should you just want certain ones. Certainly, the tasting offered dishes from coast to coast: grains of the prairies, rabbit & fruits of Ontario, venison of Quebec, and seafood from the coastal provinces. Only the territories seemed to have been neglected, maybe for their 25th celebration Canoe can make it up to them.

Here I thought mason jars would only be showcased in hipster restaurants, only to find Canoe’s amuse named after it. Inside laid a thin layer of luscious chicken liver and foie gras mousse, which incorporated a sweet and savoury element. The spread tasted equally delicious on the accompanying crunchy pita or slathered on the house pancetta bread.


Not quite sashimi nor poached either, the lobster carpaccio ($28) was quickly sous vide before being finished off on a hot plate. The result: a sweet delicate lobster that was sublime and makes you yearn for more. The pickled daikon, crunchy hurricane roll wrapped lobster claw and the snap from the black sesame shrimp chip were satisfying as well, but all could be replaced by just another bite of the delicious crustacean.


After the lighter dishes, the woodsy forest lasagna ($22) was a nice transition. The slice was packed with morsels of wild James Bay rabbit, which paired well with sautéed matsutakes (a meaty mushroom) but could have left out the heartnuts (the child of a walnut and macadamia). The dense forests of Canada were also showcased using caribou moss, crunchy pieces of spruce and a deep fried maple leaf.


A fruity bubbly concoction of Muskoka cranberry cream soda made its way quickly, to avoid deflation, for us to cleanse our palettes.  


The only decision you’ll need to make is fish or meat for the main. Not drawn to the dried grapes (isn’t that a raisin?) and ice wine jus described in the Cerf de Boileau venison ($48), I opted for the fish. Though, if you’re in the mood for something richer - get the venison – it was flavourful, succulent and for such a lean cut very tender.


Being a lighter fish, Canoe did a good job with pairing the Fogo Island cod ($40) with a strong savoury broth. Moreover, the crisped caramelized skin was a treat to get to before it was softened by the soup. The Tanner crab (also known as snow crab) boudin, although tasty, could have been stronger… I was expecting the texture to be more sausage and less mousse. Slivers of pickled seaweed and soft creamy diced potatoes finished the dish and left me comfortably full and satisfied.


For dessert, rather than relying on popular soft fruits or apples, Canoe decided to highlight the 100km company’s squash ($12). It’s a daring love it or hate it choice and the dish ended up being a bit of both for me. I really enjoyed the sweet side of the dish: pureed squash wrapped in crepe and mixed with cold white chocolate ice cream and crunchy Prairie seeds and grains. However, the cubes of salty squash on the side was just such an extreme contrast, even covering it with Birch honey didn’t help.


Not to disappoint, they did showcase the beloved Niagara apple to end: a sphere of poached apple on a crunchier disc that’s balanced on a sweet apple gelee. It was a pleasing last bite.

As a warning, the tasting menu progresses slowly – the first two dishes alone took an hour. After politely asking if they could speed up the progression (whenever possible), they kindly accommodated and in time came quicker. Overall, the meal was almost a three hour affair. If you don’t mind taking your time, the Canoe Twenty menu is available until November 20, 2015 – happy birthday Canoe and celebrate with them while you still can!

 Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 66 Wellington Street West

 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:

Canoe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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