CLOSED: The Berlin (Kitchener)

Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2017 by

My first time seeing garlic scapes was at the St. Jacob’s farmer's market earlier that day. Imagine my delight when they were on Berlin’s menu later that evening. Using as many fresh and local ingredients as possible is what Berlin is all about. The menu changes daily and despite the German sounding name, their dishes draw inspiration from around the world so you’ll experience flavours and ingredients from various cultures.

Going back to the garlic scapes, after coal roasting the tendrils ($9) they’re chopped and topped on smooth ricotta cheese. The ingredient is like an amalgamation of green beans and asparagus, in terms of texture, with a sweetness augmented with a garlic essence that’s surprisingly light. Of course, it could have been somewhat neutralized by the strong pecorino cheese and dash of lemon juice, combining to create a flavourful crostini.

The grass-fed beef tartare ($14) were cut rather largely so I had to get over the fleshy chewy texture. Nonetheless, the diced smoked beets mixed with the beef were a good compliment, adding contrast to an otherwise soft mixture (even better once piled onto a thin crispy taro root chip). The beef itself could benefit from more flavour, as the toasted nori and sauce verte were lighter flavours; this dish is best suited for someone who likes a mildly flavoured tartare. 


Berlin’s menu has two starter sections: “to start” and “appetizers”. Surprisingly, the first two dishes ordered from the “to start” section are actually larger and heavier than the following appetizers. Perhaps it’s best to think of the “to start” selection a shared plates, great options for light bites. 

Our waiter explains that the chopped marinated tuna belly ($16) is actually pieces of fish sliced off in large chunks so there’s a pulled texture to the fish. With plenty of meaty pieces tossed in sweet soy with nori, there's an Asian essence to the dish along with toasted seeds and wild arugula.


The grilled squid and cucumber salad ($15) was fantastic with the squid just cooked through resulting in a tender and sweet dish. Crunchy cucumber slices tossed with olive oil, dill, and a hint of cream dressing makes it light and refreshing – great for the summer and the sauce perfect for dipping bread into. 


For risotto, Berlin’s pearl barley and lentil version ($26) was refreshing: the grains more nutty than sticky and the sauce, while cheesy, is lightened with tons of vegetables. At least half of the plate consisted of radish pods, which although looks like dried pea pods have an interesting radish essence. They take some getting used to ascertain pods were dry while others crisp and sweet – each bite is a hit or miss. Overall, for risotto, there’s a surprising amount of greenery built into the dish, giving it a light and bright finish.

In fact, even the fish and chips ($24), a special they offer every Tuesday, had a generous handful of mixed summer greens. By the end of the meal, I was rather pleased with myself... I thought we made indulgent choices but actually consumed a lot of vegetables! The Lake Erie white bass was a great for fish and chips since its dense and meaty, holding up against the crispy batter so there’s still fish flavours. The celeriac remoulade sauce was thick and filled with herbs, great for the fish or dipping the hot crispy fries into.


For a restaurant that has so many sharable plates, the staff needs to pay more attention to what customers are telling them - despite informing our waiter while ordering and as each course was presented that we’d be sharing, we still had to follow-up to get side plates after they were cleared between courses.  

Regardless, it’s a small slip and in other aspects our waiter was attentive and friendly. We could certainly sense his passion for the city and the redevelopment going through the Kitchener downtown core, where Berlin is located, thanks to Waterloo’s expansion. Although I haven’t visited a lot of restaurants in the KW region, Berlin has certainly topped the list as my favourite; brunch or dinner, the food continues to impress, perfect for feeding the technology boom.

Overall mark - 9 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Kitchener, Canada
 Address: 45 King Street West

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

Is That It? I Want More!

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CLOSED: HCafe Japanese Cafe has taro and matcha cheesecakes!

Posted on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 by

Oh the Japanese cheesecake … Torontonians can't get enough of this light fluffy and creamy concoction. The original buttery flavour has made people swoon (and line up) for the last couple of years. Now, HCafe Japanese Cafe is bringing additional Asian flavours to the city.

If you didn’t realize, HCafe also has a matcha version ($10). Unlike other green tea treats, this one is more colour than flavour as the actual golden bitterness is light. Since matcha is normally such a strong ingredient, this muted version will either be enjoyed or detested.


Meanwhile, HCafe’s new taro cheesecake ($10), this is special. Having brought both to a dinner party, more than one guest mentioned how good it was. While the original Japanese cheesecake has a tangy buttery flavour, the taro one is deep and earthy. While it still has a creamy fluffy texture, the taro version is sweeter and makes for a satisfying dessert.


For students, during September 2017, be sure to bring your newly minted student cards to the North York and Unionville locations - you will get 20% off all desserts. Now that’s a sweet treat for your dorm room friends.

Disclaimer: The above cakes were provided on a complimentary basis. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto and Unionville, Canada
 Address: 4750 Yonge Street
                 158 Main Street


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Sala Modern Thai (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, September 10, 2017 by

With the word Modern in their name, Sala Modern Thai had me wondering what would be the evolutionary steps in their dishes. Perhaps they’d replace the traditional rice noodles in pad Thai with fresh made pasta? Maybe the menu would incorporate some sort of fusion concept mixing Thai cuisine with other countries?

Turns out, neither seemed true; their dishes were the staples gracing the Toronto Thai restaurant menus for years. In fact, if anything, they even incorporated further elements of traditional Thai touches like with their Bangkok pad Thai.

When my husband did an ex-pat stint in China, one of his favourite restaurants was owned by a Thai couple who made the “best pad Thai”, in his opinion. He fondly remembered the thin omelette that encapsulated the noodles, a dish he never found in Toronto until seeing a picture of Sala Modern Thai – really the sole catalyst for our visit.


The chicken version ($13) arrives covered in a thin crepe that’s more flour than egg; upon breaking through you’re greeted with a pad Thai made from chewy vermicelli noodles (as opposed to the typical thin rice noodles) and a sweet and sour sauce that’s one of the best I’ve heard had – it’s not overwhelming sweet or sour and there’s no tell-tale hint of red indicating ketchup was used in lieu of tamarind.


True to their name, the fresh rolls ($6) are made-to-order as the rice paper is soft, chewy, and lightly warmed. With a simple vegetable and tofu stuffing, you get the contrasting textures of crunchy and soft ingredients, with the Thai basil adding a refreshing essence. On the side, a sweet chili tamarind dipping sauce and a small salad of lettuce tossed in, of all things, ranch dressing.


Although I’d never volunteer to try suicide wings, I’m also not a wuss when it comes to chili heat. Hence, we opted for the “spicy” version (one step down from “Thai spicy”) of the kuaytiaw tom yum with chicken ($11.50). Wow, what a humbling experience! There was such a kick to the tom yum broth, even with the rice noodles, that every second bite had me reaching for a cooling drink.


The broth is rich and thick, filled with lemon grass and a shrimp flavours (aside from all the chili). I do wish they used a bigger bowl as ours was so packed with noodles that the soup became more of a sauce than something you can spoon and actually drink.

If you’re going to try anything spicy, do yourself a favour and order one of their iced teas. The Thai matcha iced green tea ($5) is the traditional milk-based tea with a strong matcha essence added to make it less sweet and milky. As an aside, Sala needs to do a better job at ensuring their pricing matches up, this one item was listed differently on three places: menu at restaurant ($4), actual charge on bill ($5), and menu on their website ($6).

Sala Modern Thai’s beef khao soi ($13) is fantastic. Normally, the coconut milk mixed into the yellow curry broth is a tad strong for me, at Sala it’s balanced so the broth stays savoury while still feeling thick and rich. The soup sticks wonderfully to all the crevices of the flat egg noodles and the crispy noodles add a bit of crunch against the otherwise soft dish. Only two things could be improved with the khao soi: firstly, the beef was overcooked and tasteless (tofu may be a better protein); and the so called “soft” boiled egg arrived hard boiled and dry.


So what exactly is modern Thai? Interested, I turned to the internet and found a Paste Bangkok post, where Chef Jason Bailey explains that modern Thai is not only about using non-traditional ingredients but also incorporating cooking equipment that differs from the traditional coals and wok (such as an oven or slow cooker). The dishes must also have intense flavours where you really get a punch of hot, sour, sweet, savoury, or bitterness. So as it turns out, maybe all along, I’ve already been eating modern Thai.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1262 Danforth 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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
Sala Modern Thai Kitchen & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Edulis (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2017 by

Edulis is quaint. Walk too quickly and you may miss their storefront; the neighbourhood doesn’t feel like where one of Toronto’s best restaurants would be found. Tables are closely situated throughout the dining room, the dim candlelight some respite for privacy between you and neighbours. 

 Upon entering the homey looking bathroom, I felt like I met a kindred spirit: framed all along the walls were tasting menus from notable restaurants! There were so many to read through … the November 2014 menu from Alinea (close to the time I visited the restaurant) and an interesting peeky toe crab from Daniel’s menu that peaked my interest. I almost felt bad; with only one stall, I was surely taking too long in the bathroom.

My only complaint for the evening is the actual ordering process. Edulis’ menu is short and sweet, but somehow turns into a five minute affair for our waitress to explain all the changes we can make. Some are additions (where you get another dish) while others a supplement (that replaces an existing one). By the end, I was a bit confused and tired; certainly it could all be simplified? Worst of all, you almost feel pressured to add something on, so it seems like Edulis’ regular menu would be insufficient, when it can certainly stand on its own.

What turned out to be my least favourite dish of the meal was the hors of d'oeuvre of imperial osetra caviar ($50) we added onto the meal (although my husband loved it). To me, the caviar was really fishy until you ate it with enough of the cream sauce. Moreover, the so call “caviar” wooden spoons we were given (since metal alters the ingredient’s taste) were much too thick to actually scoop up the delicate caviar without the help of fingertips. Where was the thin oyster of pearl ones that makes it so much easier?

In terms of the standard menu, Edulis presents two options: a smaller 5-course for $65 or 7-courses for $85 (per person). Understandably, the whole table has to order the same number of courses, but our waitress explains the seven course version isn’t that much larger as the two additional dishes tend to be smaller in size. Unfortunately, they can’t provide any description of what the menu could be given what’s served can change throughout the night depending on availability … talk about just-in-time inventory management.

The 7-course menu ($85) began with a simple bite-sized pintxo combining a large green olive and toasted bread drizzled with olive oil. It set the tone and reminded diners that they were in a Spanish restaurant with bold tastes to come. A larger basket of country style bread also arrived and we were warned not to fill up on it – we heeded the warning and took only a couple of bites. Nonetheless, the bread basket depleted by the end - the sauces were so good that we had to mop up every drop.


Take the light onion sauce accompanying the Nova Scotia tuna, which was served raw with crunchy seaweed cucumber, the sauce helped give a lovely essence to the fish without relying on the typical citrus or soy. What a refreshing bite that lightly stings the tongue, every bit of sauce was devoured.


The following lobster was delicately poached so it was just cooked through; still holding a bit of its translucence. Nonetheless, it was cooked and the natural sweetness shone through. Incorporating fava beans and crushed almonds, there was plenty of differing textures to the plate. The ajo blanco sauce is garlicky with a hint of citrus and a creamy finish – great against the lobster and for dipping bread.


Normally, a dish that’s lukewarm would be a turnoff, but the room temperature rabbit terrine actually was quite nice against the cool foam. Since it wasn’t too hot, the meaty terrine wasn’t a shock against the cool silky foie gras. Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan chanterelles added a great light earthy essence and the white asparagus shavings and pine nuts a bit of crunch against everything. 


My first time having triglidae, or as Edulis described it as “sea robin”, I can see how this fish gets its moniker. Although it looks like a typical white fish, the meat was intensely dense so it seemed like flaky chicken - sounds weird but actually quite tasty. Along with sliced summer squash, a squash blossom, and diced squash mixed into the sauce, the dish was light and refreshing. The sauce was predominantly olive oil and tomato based augmented with a hint of citrus, while the fresh oregano went nicely with the acid in the dish … how I wanted more!


Wild Nunavut arctic char is supposedly a rare fish that can only be sourced twice in the year – a lucky coincidence we could sample it that evening. Compared to traditional Arctic char, this was leaner so a bit stronger in flavour without the hint of oil on the tongue. Of course, the beany sauce was fantastic and there was so much of it that I finished it off like soup.


The last savoury course is also the sole non-seafood dish, a dry-aged duck breast and braised duck leg that evening. Despite not having an ounce of crispy skin, the duck was nonetheless cooked wonderfully and had us savouring its simple flavours and natural juices. The roasted baby turnips were sweet against the savoury duck gravy and herby salsa verde. All in all, it was a rich and hearty ending compared to the other lighter dishes.  


After all these years, why is Edulis still one of the hardest restaurants to score a reservation to? Simply put, their food is fantastic! Their sauces can rival any French restaurant and for me tastes even better: despite having some butter and cream within the sauces, they’re well balanced so you get the silky rich mouth feel without the heaviness. Meanwhile, the proteins are kept simple and just cooked through (nothing was tough or dry), allowing it to compliment and not compete with the sauce. Moreover, the dishes generally have a number of textures so there’s often a pop of crunch, but done subtly so it doesn’t overpower the plate.

If you aren’t able to get a reservation, the restaurant does have a few tables on a covered patio, customers can’t order the tasting menu but are able to enjoy drinks and create their own cheeseboard from a large array Edulis carries.

The dessert was a raspberry mousse and sorbet with nuts. At first, I wasn’t overly excited – sorbet is so boring – but the flavours were, once again, well controlled so the sorbet wasn't too sweet or tart and the mousse not rendered into a sugary gelatin. I certainly could taste the fruit and the dessert had an almost Creamsicle finish.


Just when we resigned that it was all over, we’re brought over a rum baba with Chantilly cream. The server proceeds to drench the cake in a warm butter rum sauce and we're advised add some cream to each bite. Wow, what a great combination: first a hit of alcoholic rum, which is balanced out by the sweet cool cream and finishes with a slight saltiness from the sauce. What a lovely indulgent ending! I only wished they didn’t take away what little remained from the bread so we could soak up the rest of the rum butter sauce.


As I mentioned previously, Edulis is quaint. The small dining room can hold about thirty guests and the meal progresses slowly so you’ll be there for over three hours (although it doesn’t feel that long). Hence, I can see why it’s hard to get a reservation: they don’t try to churn multiple seating of guests through in an evening. With every course I wanted even more, anxiously waiting to see what the kitchen would come up with next. All the while, the wine continues to pour and the twinkling candles have a relaxing effect. All to enjoy one more bite of sauce-laden bread. 

Overall mark - 9.5 out of 10
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 169 Niagara Street

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

Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:

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

Frolicking at the Big Feastival

Posted on Monday, September 04, 2017 by

This summer marked the first year The Big Feastival, created by Jamie Oliver in the UK, arrived in Canada. Touted as a weekend of music, fun, and food for families, the event transformed Burl’s Creek Event Centre into a sprawling playground for adult and children alike.

Live Music

The main stage was huge with plenty of free space around it so people could set-up chairs, blankets, and even mini tents to keep everyone comfortable. Even without a seat, with the booming speakers, you could hear the acts from various areas of the park. During our Saturday afternoon visit, we were serenaded by cheerful songs from Splash ‘n’ Booths, Fred Penner (I remember watching him crawl through the log entrance and strumming on his guitar), The Beaches, and The Elwins. The songs were catchy and fun; with the bouts of rain, the cheerful tunes helped stave off the cloudy day spirits.


At the bandstand area, the mood was mellower. While sipping on a drink, I was captured by the folksy songs by The Relative. Their tribal swaying dresses making me wish I arrived with a flower crown through my tresses.

Fun and Games

With the moody weather, we didn’t get a chance to play in the field area where a number of lawn games were set-up, but it seemed popular as children continued frolicking despite the wetness. For those that are a bit older, there was a Ferris wheel and MEC’s climbing wall so visitors could check out the festival from high above.


Let’s be honest, my friends and I were there for the food. Being named Feastival you’d expect there’d be lots to indulge in, but there were culinary attractions as well.

The Big Kitchen


Inside the Big Kitchen, Abbey Sharp had a number of notable chefs on hand creating family friendly recipes. I watched Chef Hunter create tagliatelle pasta with a ricotta base using a food processor to speed things up. Viewers also left with some great tips: 

  • The secret to a vibrant sauce is using ripe tomatoes and rapidly boiling the sauce.
  • To flavour pasta sauces, infuse olive oil with aromatics (garlic, chilli, etc.) then purée them separately before adding it to the sauce.
  • Don't rinse pasta. You’ll wash away all the starches that helps make the sauce stick to the pasta.
It was a great idea to give away samples to the audience so they could taste what was being made. However, they were divvyed out haphazardly so not all audience members received a taste. For future years, they should consider giving out sample tickets to the first x number of people who enter the Big Kitchen. Afterwards, ticket holders can go to the area at the front to pick up their sample. This alleviates requiring staff members to distribute the plates and ensures no one expecting a sample leaves empty handed.

The Cheese Cave


Ace Bakery and The Cheese Boutique’s cheese cave was a popular destination giving out various cheese bites to festival goers: a lollipop of white cheddar wrapped in cooled maple syrup; a salad of parmesan chunks combined with Ontario strawberries and balsamic vinegar; and the grilled cheese s’more, a genius concoction combining Nutella and brie, gooey and melted in a toasted bun.



The grilled cheese s’more required some patience given they were made hot and fresh. Luckily, a lamb spedducci from Spedducci ($2.50) was on hand to tie me over.


Food Vendors

The Big Feastival featured a number of vendors in food trucks and tents, but they were scattered around the park so it was difficult to decide what to eat without circling the entire park. Personally, I would have liked if the program had a quick reference list separating the eateries (instead of being scattered amongst all the merchants selling take-home type products) or locate them all in a central area.

Heirloom’s truck was busy, so we joined the line for a 20-minute wait to tuck our teeth into one of their monstrous sandwiches. I opted for the fried chicken ($12), which had plenty of creamy Woolwich Dairy’s goat cheese over top. The chicken was sufficiently crispy, but over cooked so the middle was a tad dry. Luckily, the pickled cabbage slaw and aioli sauce helped add moisture.


The fried Szechuan chicken version ($12) would have been a better choice as the chicken gets a dunk in their homemade Szechuan sauce. It would have been what I'd order if only I wasn’t wearing white and afraid I’d have to walk around the park all day with a stain on my shirt. I did sneak a bite of my friend’s pork belly sandwich ($12) and it was delicious: sticky, juicy, and indulgent.


In hindsight, we should have shared a couple sandwiches as they were huge and left us full. Even so, I still snuck in samples from the various merchants across the park. It wasn’t difficult, as soon as I smelled the aroma of cooking bacon and sausages from DuBreton, I had to have a taste. Their sausages were speckled with herbs and tasted of quality meat.


I had more than my fill of nuts from Jewels Under the Kilt as they had such interesting flavours ... I had to try them all! In the end, it was the maple mojito jalapeno pecans and maple chipotle pecans that won me over, buying bags to bring home ($10 each).


Thanks to Mike & Mike’s organic, I received a sizeable chocolate covered almond that was that bite of sweet I was craving.

Of course, this was before seeing all of Tori's Bakeshop goods … the heart shaped doughnuts definitely drew a crowd. Instead, I purchased the kale and garlic scape scones ($4 each) that made for a delicious breakfast the next morning, so filled with taste that I didn’t even need butter.


Lundberg Family Farm and Jif Peanut Butter also gave samples of crispy chips and chocolate/peanut butter spreads to take home to snack on.


Drinks

Something about being outdoors makes me want a cold beer. So, my first order of business, before partaking in any other activities, was to satisfy this desire. As promised, Belgian Moon’s beer was light and refreshing ($9.95), the orange wedge adding a light fruity sweetness.  


The most photographed drink has got to be Jacob’s Creek’s frosé ($6) made from their sweet pink bubbly moscato. Their comfy chairs and rose covered wall were a central attraction as well.


Given The Big Feastival is a family friendly event, there were a large number of non-alcoholic vendors including Green Machine Smoothies and Pure Leaf iced tea (thanks for the delicious complimentary drinks). For the adults who required an extra boost of caffeine to keep up with the children, Grounded Coffee Company, Kicking Horse Coffee, Station Cold Brew, and Teavana were all on hand.

VIP Access

For an extra $100, tickets could be upgraded for VIP access. With the rainy day, we were so thankful we could access the VIP tent, which was spacious with tons of seating areas for people to relax and get out of the rain.

Moreover, they had their own private bar, serving a selection of beer, wine, juices, and water – so you could still stay hydrated without stepping out of the tent. The first drink is included with the access (about a $10 value) and I loved being able to sit in their comfortable lounge chairs, watching the bands play on the Main Stage that's located right beside the lounge.

After a bit too much hydration, their premium toilets are great. Set-up like a “real” bathroom, it’s so much easier to navigate, especially if you need to accompany younger children (good luck fitting in a small pot-a-potty).   

Despite the weather, my friends and I had a great time. Being my first visit to Burl’s Creek Event Centre, I appreciate the ample parking and spaciousness. For a person who hates crowds and waiting endlessly in lines, The Big Feastival had enough attractions to keep everyone spread out across the park. Aside from the periods of rain, when people crowded under tents (once again thanks for the VIP access!), it didn’t feel packed and chaotic, so I could actually relax and have fun.

It lived up to its promise providing family-friendly music, food, and fun. Hopefully, it will come back to Canada in 2018, maybe this time Mother Nature will cooperate.  

Disclaimer: I received complimentary tickets to the festival. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
 Location: Oro-Medonte, Canada
 Address: Burl's Creek Event Centre

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog


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