CLOSED: La Tasca (Edinburgh)

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Address: 9 South Charlotte Street
Type of Meal: Dinner 
 



La Tasca isn’t anything fancy, but if you’re looking for reasonable prices and a low-key but not family restaurant environment, this UK chain is a great option. The menu is quite extensive with tapas, paellas, whole fish and simple salads; items we tried are unfussy and reminiscent of the tastes of Spain.
One of the better dishes of the night was the calamares (£4.60) a simple fried calamari dish.  Cut into thicker slices the squid tastes fresh and tender.  The crust is crispy and thin with just some sea salt, although the dish does have a spicy aioli sauce on the side if you need a bit more flavour.


The langostinos (£5.95) was a good value dish comprised of four large tiger prawns – heads on for some who may be squeamish.  Grilled on a flat top so that juices are retained but without charring the shell, the prawn is delicious and maintains its natural flavours.    
A dish with some kick were the empanadas de carne (£4.35) filled with spicy ground beef and regato cheese wrapped in a crunchy yet soft coating.
If you want something more filling the flatbread for two (£6.95) may be the dish for you – certainly sufficient for us to share even amongst a table of four.  Arriving on a wooden platter the bread is not exactly flat but rather like a thick crust vegetarian pizza. Topped with roast peppers, tomatoes, cheese and onion it’s a dish built for sustenance.
The gratinado verduras (£3.75) is for individuals who like their vegetables hidden under a layer of cheese and mixed into cream.  Garlicky creamed spinach sits on the bottom with a scalloped potato layer on top.
After my visit to La Tasca, I’ve learnt that “salsa” essentially translates to “sauce” - not the tomato Old El Paso variety available in mild, medium and hot but just “sauce”.  When the pollo con salsa (£4.95) arrived we were a little surprised that the chicken was sitting in a creamy sherry sauce, we should read the menu carefully. But, the dish was still good with the pieces of white meat mixed with mushrooms.
I enjoyed the variety of salads on their menu; by this point in the trip I was craving something simple and healthy. We ordered a regular green house salad (£2.95) as well as the beetroot, carrot and butternut squash salad (£4.80). Personally, I enjoyed the simple green salad more as I’m not a huge fan of sweet squash dishes.
La Tasca has a fair variety of beers and wine on their menu. Choice is abundant with wines offered in 125ml, 250ml, half bottle and full bottle options with a 250ml will glass setting you back about £6. So, if you’re tired after walking through Old or New Town, this is a good choice to stop for a bite where you can likely comfortably feed two with £20 without having to eat a burger.
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!
  •   

Champany Chop and Ale House (Linlithgow)

Location: Linlithgow, Scotland
Address: Part of the Champany Inn in West Lothian (EH49 7LU)
Website: http://www.champany.com/chop-and-ale-house/
Type of Meal: Lunch 
 


Located in a secluded street in Linlithgow, Champany unfortunately doesn’t have a street address so if you're interested in visiting please either contact the inn or hire Discreet Scotland Tours to find more exact coordinates.



Aside from the Chop and Ale House, Champany Inn also houses a separate fine dining restaurant, a wine shop with extensive offerings (for consumption off premises) and an inn if you need a longer break. The Chop and Ale House is eclectically decorated with low ceilings, homely wooden tables, a seemly gigantic stone fireplace and trinkets galore on every surface possible.  Even their toilets offer an opportunity for discussion with its pull flush handles. 

But, the rustic environment isn’t what brings visitors to the Champany Inn; it’s the highly regarded steak and burgers that draws the crowds. I opted for their cheese burger (£13.50) made from with Scotch beef formed into a large plump patty.  The beef is juicy and tender but less flavourful than the Canadian Black Angus counterparts. Personally, I found the beef was overpowered by the generous amount of shredded sharp cheddar topping the patty; this isn’t necessarily bad just a matter of preference as to what you want to stand out. Overall, it was a good hearty burger and what may be thought of a “man’s” burger – simply made with a thick patty, tons of cheese and ketchup all on a soft sesame bun.

The burger is a filling meal served with a side dish of spring mix, tomato wedges & creamy coleslaw as well as a basket of chips (aka fries) to share amongst the table.  Not realizing that all burgers come with salad and fries, I had asked for my chips to be substituted for salad.  The outcome was another side of salad made with spring mix, cherry tomatoes and sunflower seeds, which was strangely called a Greek salad despite not an ounce of feta in sight.

The Chop and Ale House offers reasonably priced drinks with pints at about £3.70 and a glass of wine for £5.  Surprisingly, this is almost the same price as the coffee which is £2.95, comparatively.

Although a very decent burger, it’s not one that’s worth the drive.  But, if you happen to be in the area it’s a great pit stop, especially since nothing else is in sight.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10

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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

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


CLOSED: Drake One Fifty (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 150 York Street

Type of Meal: Lunch and Dinner

This isn’t the type of restaurant you’d expect to find in the Financial District.  A white vacuum tube sculpture adorns the doorway and there are colours galore! At the entrance are an impressive 60-foot feature bar and a photo booth, which could be an interesting combination for corporate holiday parties.


The Drake One Fifty is a good drinks venue. There are tons of choices and they’re an impressive size - I’m so accustomed to the small five sip cocktails across Toronto nowadays that it’s a pleasant surprise when it arrives in a tumbler.  The lavender lemonade ($12) was quite simple made with vodka, lemonade and lavender syrup. To be honest, to me it just tasted like lemons as the lemonade was so overpowering that you couldn’t taste the lavender or the vodka for that matter. 


Having had an opportunity to visit the venue twice in a week, lunch and dinner, this post encompasses both experiences. The lunch was much more successful as I thoroughly enjoyed the one fifty burger ($21).  Made from 30-day aged short rib, the patty was richly flavoured from the fattier cut of beef but didn’t feel heavy. Moreover, although it was cooked to a perfect medium, its structure was retained and didn’t become too soft. The thick cuts of bacon added some saltiness but wasn’t excessively smoky to overpower the taste of the meat and there was just enough cheddar cheese to seal in the juices.  Toppings include buttery bibb lettuce, a spicy mayo and pickled red onions which provided a bit of tartness without using ketchup.

The fries, which had to be double if not triple fried, were crunchy and hot. Using whole potatoes they were flavourful, especially with the addition of fragrant fried rosemary (I love when rosemary is combined with potatoes) and a liberal coating of sea salt. 

On the other hand, the dinner was disappointing and really could be improved if better quality ingredients were used (similar to the burger and fries). The seafood pasta’s ($26) squid ink spaghetti was great in terms of flavour and doneness. But, the seafood itself seemed like it came out of a bag of frozen medley from a budget grocery store. The clams weren’t in the shell making them hard to distinguish (I only found one), the calamari although cooked well were sliced so thinly they resembled rubber bands and the scallops the tiny bay variety. Other than a small amount of bottagra caviar sitting on top of the pasta the ingredients was dismal. Really, this could have been so much better if they just purchased clams in shell, cut the calamari into thicker slices and added a prawn on top. The pasta itself was good and had a lot of good seafood flavours, but the toppings just ruined it.

Similarly, the roast lamb ($28) had all the right flavours but the cut of lamb was so fatty and grizzly it became unpleasant. Certainly, it arrived looking delicious with a nice crust on the meat and rustic sides of roasted baby eggplant, fingerling potatoes and green beans adorning the plate. But, as soon as you cut into the lamb, you realize most of it consisted of fat and skin.  So, even though the seasoning from the rub and the creamy chili yogurt condiment was tasty, you couldn’t really enjoy it.

The mixture of coloured leather seating looks great but the dining room is used poorly.  On both occasions I sat on the side under the pergola where the tables are very closely placed. Because the Drake One Fifty places extra chairs around the banquettes it completely blocks the pathway and people have to squeeze by constantly bumping whoever is unfortunate enough to sit in the aisle. I’d highly suggest for the sake of your customers and staff, please stop stuffing people in! Those banquette tables aren’t designed for more than four people.

All in all, the Drake One Fifty’s dishes seem to be a hit or miss.  It’s weird since if I based my mark on lunch it would have been an 8 but with dinner a 5.5; we’ll average the scores for a 6.5.  But, it means you need to order carefully when you come here.  Based on what I saw others order, the burger, pizzas and sandwiches were most popular.  So, my suggestion is to stick to the simple things, at least until the food purchaser invests in some better ingredients.
Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10



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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

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




Tigerlily (Edinburgh)

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Address: 125 George Street
Website: http://www.tigerlilyedinburgh.co.uk/edinburgh-restaurant/
Type of Meal: Dinner 



While visiting Edinburgh, we stayed at Tigerlily, a modern boutique hotel situated in New Town within walking distance of most sites. Located on the quieter end of George Street, the hotel was generally pretty calm until the weekend rolled in and the lobby becomes a swanky lounge and the basement a nightclub. 

From Sunday – Friday, Tigerlily offers a 2-course dinner menu for £15 with a choice of five appetizers and six mains.  Not feeling like venturing very far one night, I decided to try out this deal.

Starting with the Shetland mussels, I was pleasantly surprised with the quantity you receive as an appetizer. The Thai styled sauce is made with fragrant green curry, coriander, ginger, chilli, lime and enriched with coconut milk.  The mussels were fresh and cooked well with the sauce adding a great flavour to it.  Since the Thai sauce was a little thicker, it stuck on well to the mussels.

On the other hand, the piri piri salmon baked on cedar wood was a bit of a miss.  The salmon itself was good – fresh, flaky and tender. Unlike Atlantic salmon, I found this to be leaner and consequently lighter tasting since your tongue doesn’t get coated with fish oil. Where it fell flat was the awfully bland piri piri sauce which little flavour it offered was gross.  Luckily, I still had the mussels so I was able to scrape off the piri piri and replace it with the delicious Thai sauce.   Tigerlily should really consider switching the accompanying sauce to its Thai sauce, which also goes well with the steamed jasmine rice and crispy green beans. 

Overall, Tigerlily offers a modern environment with friendly and helpful staff.  On the weekend, it’s bustling with locals and tourists alike hanging out on its plush seating with drinks.  But, week nights are also a great opportunity to stop by for a relatively tasty and affordable dinner.

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!



Mums Great Comfort Food (Edinburgh)

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Address: 4A Forest Road
Website: http://www.monstermashcafe.co.uk/
Type of Meal: Lunch 
 



Mums Great Comfort Food, the name pretty much sums up what this restaurant is all about.  Here they serve up Scottish/British classics using local produce, in good sized portions and at reasonable prices. Even their beer is home-grown offering various microbrewed options from Tempest Brewing, Thistly Cross Ciders and Knops Beer Company.  


I was advised I couldn’t visit Scotland and not try a steak and ale pie (£7.95). So, when I saw it on Mums’ menu I had to order it. When it arrived just the sight of it was astounding – the pastry crust is BIG.  As the waiter brings the towering pie to the table, I’m giddy like a child excited to break through the crusty exterior.  The crust is very airy with the middle separated into layers of soft supple dough with crispy edges. Since it wasn’t too buttery, the significant amount of crust wasn’t over powering but rather light tasting enough to be enjoyable (I almost finished the whole thing).  Deep inside on the bottom are tender chunks of steak, carrots, onions, mushroom and turnip slow cooked together in a delicious ale-laced gravy.  No pot pie will ever be the same for me after this experience. 

This was also my husband’s chance to try the famed bangers and mash (£6.95 for two).  Ordering this is no simple task as Mums dedicates a whole section of their menu and chalkboard to it - the combinations and choices are endless!  Their sausages are supplied by O’Hagans who prides themselves with using no additives and natural ingredients.  From the choice of seven he ordered two different styles (unfortunately names long forgotten), I tried a piece and it was delicious despite me not being a sausage fan.  Perhaps if all sausages tasted this fresh I would enjoy them more. Unlike the ones I’ve previously tried, they weren’t fatty tasting, had great herb and spices mixed throughout and not overly salty.

From the 16 (yes you heard right) mashed potato options he ordered the cheese and onion.  It was fluffy, buttery and absolutely loaded with cheese and onion; so much so that some of the onions had to be taken out because it was overpowering.  He selected for the classic brown gravy (from three choices), which arrives in a small jug allowing you to drown everything to your heart’s content.

Not pictured is the soup of the day (£2.75), on our visit I believe was butternut squash. I didn’t get a chance to try it so can’t comment on the taste but was a decent portion accompanied by a hunk of bread. Certainly, it could be a meal in itself if you just wanted something small.

Mum’s belief that “’gourmet’ can and should be for everyone” was certainly fulfilled on our visit. This is another great example of a restaurant in Scotland that is delicious, satisfying and won’t break the bank.
Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10



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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

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

Masala Zone (London)

Location: London, England
Address: 48 Floral Street
Website: www.masalazone.com
Type of Meal: Dinner 
 



Having heard that Britain is one of the best places to experience Indian food outside of India, I couldn’t leave without eating some. Originally, my husband and I were planning on visiting Dishroom, based on a suggestion from a friend.  But, upon arriving we were advised it’d be over an hour wait, so we walked a block to Masala Zone instead. Being a chain restaurant, we went to the Covenant Garden location on a Thursday and also found a line (albeit much shorter and inside the restaurant).  It moved fairly quickly and the plethora of dolls and trinkets decorating the restaurant provided entertainment; we were seated within 15 minutes.

Marsala Zone is known for their thali, a platter of little dishes that makes up an entire meal (minus dessert). The combination of items provides a variety of tastes and textures and is supposed to encompass all the food groups to provide a healthy balanced meal. We decided to get a chicken mangalore grand thali (£12.30), a single order of chilli paneer (£8.10) and some garlic naan (£2.65) to share.

The grand thali is made up of:

·       A canapรฉ – I think we received an onion bhajee that night.  Essentially, it’s an onion and lentil fritter with various spices in it (cumin and coriander).  It was good enough, although could have been better if they were quickly refried and served hot & crispy.

·       Choice of curry off their menu - The chicken mangalore was tender being made from thigh meat. The sauce was pleasant and rich, with strong fragrant spices and hint of coconut without being overly creamy.

·       Two vegetables (one green and one root) – Surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the cubes of curried potatoes and peas.  It’s so simple but went well with everything when I could take a piece of chicken, potato and wrap.  I don’t recall the other vegetable but have a recollection it was slightly pickled and not something I enjoyed.

·       Dal – The lentil stew was great!  I’ve only ever had it in the drier form in West Indian cooking when it’s added to a roti.  This creamier thick saucy version is so much better and could easily be eaten on its own with rice.

·       Raita – watery cucumber yoghurt that helped calm the spices from our two chili dishes. 

·       Indian salad – I honestly can’t remember what made it Indian, perhaps the dressing.  But, it was like any other garden salad with slivers of carrots.

·       Papadum and chutney – My first experience having a papadum, these are amazing! In Toronto, we don’t normally get these with our meals so I will be on the lookout for them. It’s thin, crispy (without being fried) and made from some sort of flavoured flour so that there’s some savouriness to it. I didn’t really care for the chutney so ended eating it topped with rice, dal and curry instead.   

·       A whole wheat chapatti – thin Indian bread that reminded me of flour tortillas but had more of an elastic chewiness to it.

·       Rice – really wasn’t the best quality but just fine when smothered with sauce.

Normally, my husband and I always order a spinach paneer; Marsala Zone didn’t have this so we opted for the chilli rendition instead. There were generous chunks of paneer in it, texture much like the versions I normally have and akin to a firm tofu. The sauce definitely had heat to it and reached my upper limit – I had to rely on water and raita to calm my tongue. Interestingly, it was topped with crispy onion slivers, which didn’t really add much to the dish but was good on its own.

Sadly, the garlic naan was the least impressive item for the meal.  I generally love naan but found Marsala Zone’s too oily, not hot enough and too dense. Perhaps it’s a matter of taste, but I enjoy mine left in the tandoori oven longer so that there are slightly charred bits on the edges and large bubbles throughout.

Although I can’t comment on whether Marsala Zone was as good as Dishroom, I have to admit that it was one of the best tasting Indian meals I’ve had. I love the idea of the grand thali; it’s a great option for those who want to try a lot of things at once and is great value for only £12.

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: Houston Avenue Bar & Grill (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 33 Yonge Street

Type of Meal: Lunch and Dinner


Too often the restaurants in the heart of Toronto’s Financial District (Yonge to University and Wellington to Adelaide) are somewhat expensive so visits generally only involve drinks unless expense accounts are available. Houston Avenue Bar and Grill defies this stereotype by offering reasonably priced mains despite its location and “trendy” environment.

On a recent visit, I tried the half-rack of ribs ($16) which were the expected fall-of-the-bone tender and well glazed with BBQ sauce.  Indeed, it wasn’t smoked beforehand (on account on the missing smoke ring and barque), but it was decent quality and quite a substantial portion for a half rack. The coleslaw was vinegar based like I enjoy but still a bit too heavy on the sugar for my taste.  The shoe string fries, although not house-made, were satisfying arriving hot, crispy and well-seasoned.


Previously, I visited during lunch where they have a 2-course special, the steak frites ($21) I ordered included a salad to start.  For the price, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality; it was tender, cooked well and a good portion.  A red wine sauce added some flavour and the fries were the same as what accompanied the ribs.

My suggestion if you do visit is to stick with beef – think steak and ribs.  My co-worker ordered the chili lime glazed chicken ($19) and it was dry and overcooked. Additionally, despite asking if the chicken was breaded and being told no that it was only lightly “dusted” with flour; the poultry arrived with a pretty thick coating.  I recall the flavour was decent – hint of spicy, ginger and citrus and wouldn’t have been so horrible if it weren’t so tough. 


Unlike some restaurants, I’ve found Houston is usually accommodating with large group reservations and last minute changes.  If you’re visiting on a Thursday or Friday after 4pm, service can be slow as they tend to be a popular after-work drinks location. Overall, Houston isn’t the most delicious restaurant, but is a reasonably priced choice if you’re looking for somewhere to eat in the Financial District. 

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!



Solo Sushi Ya (Newmarket)

Location: Newmarket, Canada
Address: 291 Davis Drive
Type of Meal: Dinner


In preparation for an upcoming trip to Japan, my husband and I are expanding our palettes by ordering omakase style (left up to the chef to choose).  Having heard about this Newmarket establishment, we made the 35 minute drive up North to put our taste buds in the hands of Chef Jyo Gao.

The omakase menu ($58) presents six courses (the first course consisting of three dishes) and offers a variety of cooking methods (raw, steamed and braised).  It’s heavily seafood focused with the only taste of beef for the night being presented in the first course.  To start we were offered a trio of small dishes.  Starting from the left:

  • The first dish was a piece of simply prepared sweet squash, its softness contrasted well with the natto (fermented soybeans) that accompanied it.  The beans had an interesting chewy texture and were somewhat sticky from the glaze on top.  Although it’s sweet, there’s an indescribable depth to the flavour (unfortunately, hard to define you just have to try it). On top were little crispy specks similar to sesame seeds without the nuttiness.
  • In the middle, were pieces of tuna marinated with shoyu & sesame oil and combined with bits of spring onion & spicy chili.  The tuna itself was soft and delicious, with this dish filled with such good flavours that it could easily be featured in a larger portion as an appetizer.
  • Lastly, was the sole meat dish of the evening - made from some sort of soft root vegetable wrapped with pieces of dried beef.  The meat is the taste and texture of fruit glazed jerky which is an interesting combination.  Packed with flavour and fairly heavy tasting it’s definitely something to be eaten in moderation.
Next came a sashimi platter, which I’m still warming up to having only recently starting to develop a taste for it thanks to JaBistro.  The salmon, the safest of the fishes, is still my favourite and was tender and fairly delicate in flavour.  A piece of white tuna that’s lightly seared so that it just began changing colour had a nice black pepper taste.  Unfortunately, my piece wasn’t fully thawed so the middle slices had ice crystals which was gross (not a problem for my husband so likely on account of my thicker piece).  Regrettably, I haven’t mastered the art of eating sashimi in the right order so when I finally got to the other white fish (behind the shrimp head) it was rather flavourless so not very memorable.  However, in my case, I’d rather things not taste too strongly so I still enjoyed it.

This meal was my first taste of raw non-fish based seafood where I tried scallop and shrimp. Having a quarter of the scallop, I expected it to be revolting but surprisingly wasn't that bad.  Having placed it beside of a slice of lemon, the scallop took on some of the citrus flavour.  At first, I was afraid it’d be rubbery but is actually very tender – however, it doesn’t lend itself to chewing as the texture quickly turned gummy in my mouth.  Overall, the scallop wasn't horrible and I could stand eating again if it were perhaps in thinner slices.

On the other hand, the raw shrimp was absolutely disgusting.  Since it was whole (thankfully the head disconnected) and there was no fork or knife in sight, I had to bit into the shrimp meat.  Instantly, my mouth was flood with an extremely seafood/fishy taste combined with a mushy/sticky texture.  Side note, I’m actually cringing while writing this as I remember how bad it was.  Unfortunately, since I was sitting right beside the chef, I couldn't exactly spit it out so I quickly swallowed it whole and washed it down with a glass of hot green tea.  This is seriously something I don’t think I can ever acquire the taste for; no amount of sweet soy sauce or strong wasabi can ever mask that horrible taste.

Luckily, the next thing to arrive was a piping hot chawan mushi, a steamed egg custard, that helped get rid of the queasy feeling in my stomach.  Served in the cooking vessel, a cute lidded tea cup, the egg was filled with chunks of salmon, scallops, seaweed and large enoki mushrooms.  The broth was a condensed seafood consume which was very well flavoured and filled my mouth with a wonderful umami essence. 

For the fourth course, a miso mackerel arrives on a large plate in a light sauce. The fish having been braised was richly flavoured taking on the beany essence of the miso paste and a slight sweetness. Topping the mackerel were anchovy fillets (brings a brininess to the dish but I could have done without), paper thin slices of daikon and a piece of lettuce.  I rather enjoyed the daikon’s simple freshness and would have liked more of that in lieu of the anchovy.

The best dish of the night was the fifth course - four unassuming looking pieces of nigiri sushi.  The fish topping them (tuna, snapper, salmon and grilled eel) were of course fresh and cut to a suitable thickness that you could easily pop into your mouth and bite through. But, what made the dish extraordinary was the rice! The hand pressed pieces were lightly warmed and had such an amazing texture – the plump soft kernels of vinegary rice had a creamy feeling to it yet was still hard enough to pick up with chopsticks. 

In the Tokyo episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown, chef Naomichi Yasuda notes the most important ingredient in his sushi is rice.  Sure, when I heard this comment it implicitly made sense to me since every piece of sushi contains it.  But, it wasn't until we had Solo Sushi Ya’s incredible rice that it really made sense.  Honestly, if the rice is this good, it could be topped with a thinly sliced cucumber and I’d be just as happy.

Last but not least was dessert - a bowl of cold gelatin topped with a berry coulis and more of those crispy white bits that started off the meal.  Normally, I don't have high hopes for Asian desserts because, let’s be honest, they're never that good.  But, it wasn't that bad; the gelatin had a light coffee taste and an interesting texture (lighter than Jello but still firmer than custard). 

Despite the 6-course meal, dishes came out like clockwork with the new one arriving as soon as finished ones were whisked away. In the end, we were done in a little over an hour, though I’ll admit we are quicker eaters.  Solo Sushi Ya is an intimate restaurant seating about 30 people so to be safe make reservations.  We appreciated Chef Gao’s friendliness and willingness to answer any questions we had.  Overall, the experience was great and we’d love to return to have some maki rolls, more nigiri and perhaps some noodles.

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: Spuntini (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 116 Avenue Road
Type of Meal: Dinner

Spuntini’s atmosphere is pretty stereotypical of a posh Italian restaurant – dim lighting supplemented with candles, a dark wood motif and walls upon walls of wine bottles.  It’s cozy and comforting, much like the food, and date night friendly if you can score a spot along the walls away from the other tightly packed tables.

Despite the romantic environment, coming here with 2+ people is recommended due to large portion and sharing appetizers are a must if you want a chance at eating your main.  On our visit, we went with five people and chose two dishes to share as starters:
  • Burrata with prosciutto ($14.95) a big hunk of soft and creamy burrata arrives on top of a toasted crostini with a pile of tissue thin prosciutto and peppery arugula salad.  Without a doubt, the one slice of bread is not enough, but Spuntini does provide a bread basket so everyone could easily grab a piece from there.  The fresh burrata was fairly neutral so did require some cured prosciutto to give it flavour.  For someone who does not eat meat and is sharing this with others it would be nice to have more of the condensed balsamic vinegar on the plate to complement the cheese.


  • Although the gnocchi quattro formaggio ($15.95) is actually a main, we all wanted to try it without having an entire portion as it sounds so rich. So, we asked for it to be brought out as an appetizer instead and shared amongst the table. The gnocchi were plump and soft (believe due to adding ricotta to it); I favor the regular potato mix resulting in a harder pasta but this really is a matter of preference as the rest of the table loved it.  The four-cheese sauce made with asiago, gorgonzola, parmigiano and bocconcini was absolutely delicious and a good combination of strong, creamy and mild cheeses so it wasn’t overpowering.  Added cream made this even more decadent and certainly made us glad we decided to share this.

The ravioli di soraia ($18.95) contained five squares of ravioli filled with a delicious seafood mousse (tasting more of crab than lobster).  Perhaps I've been spoiled with my recent UK ravioli experiences but found the dough too thick and filling too sparse; I’d much rather the dish be shrunk down to four smaller raviolis and have more of the crab/lobster mixture in each one.  The sauce of sage, butter and white wine was nice and the slivers of fennel and peppers on top were also good.


My friend's osso bucco, a daily special, was amazing!  Although it was soft from being braised in red wine, the veal shank still held its shape and looked appealing.  Served with the bone, the marrow was left intact and could be easily pushed out and smeared across a piece of bread.  Having only started eating it over the last three years, bone marrow is still a hit or miss (with most experiences not that great).  

This may sound gross, but if you’ve never tried it, it’s the consistency of fat but doesn’t actually taste like it.  The flavour is pretty mild and normally takes on whatever it’s seasoned with, but the jelly like texture can sometimes be off putting. Generally, I like it when it’s been braised for a long time so that all traces of blood are gone and the marrow is able to absorb some of the braising liquid’s flavour. Overall, Spuntini’s was one of my better experiences with bone marrow and the lamb itself also delicious.


Some other dishes I had a bite to try included the rigatoni portobello ($15.95), which had intense mushroom flavours; something other than Portobello mushrooms had to be added to this to make it so earthy.  The pasta was done well and the addition of a bit of pesto and cream balanced everything quite nicely.  Another rich dish made for sharing.


The angonoltti alla California ($16.95) was another filled pasta except using a ricotta & spinach mixture and the pasta being half-moon shaped.  My comment on the filling to pasta ratio remains the same with this dish but I did enjoy the flavourful rose sauce.



If you’re looking for a lighter choice, the spaghetti alla chitara ($14.95) would be perfect.  It’s simply dressed with a garlic, lemon and olive oil mixture but still packs a lot of flavour.  The pasta has more bite and taste to it, on account of being made with whole wheat, and went well with the wilted rapini and roasted cherry tomatoes.



By the end of the meal we were STUFFED, with some having to take their mains to go.  But, we did order a scoop of the hazelnut gelato ($9?) to share. It was deliciously home-made tasting with small pieces of hazelnuts adding a great nutty texture against the smoothness of the ice cream.  Also, it was sweet enough to satisfy without being overpowering.


Spuntini was certainly busy during our Friday visit with all the tables filled and a constant stream of turnover.  I can see why they are so popular – good flavours, huge portions and an unhurried environment that allows for wine and conversation.

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!

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