Tokyo Kitchen

Excellent ramen - qq (al dente) noodles, beef slices deeply flavoured, sweetly teriyaki. The soy broth a good level of salt. Costs under $7. There's also a miso flavoured one. Both types have a vegetable noodle soup (but veggies - check that they don't use meat broth as well, you never know)

Also sushi, curry, katsu, bento also on the menu. Seems like Japanese run - or at least the waitress was. They have copies of Bits Magazine.

Fondue Can Do!

“Where the M***F*** cheese go?”
So went the Ween lyrics to a proposed Pizza Hut commercial jingle, which, though ultimately declined, is the perfect theme song to my quest for cheese fondue...

(read the rest): article

First blogTO post!

http://blogto.com/restaurants/siddhartha

Korokke, not Keropi

A sudden craving came recently to mind one day, but there was a problem. I only knew it as ke le bin in Chinese. But it’s neither Chinese, nor for that matter originally Japanese

...

http://www.tasteto.com/2008/01/28/craving-korokke/#more-2781

Salmon rice salad

Ingredients:

Salmon filet (or canned)
A choy blanched (or other cooked green)
brown rice cooked
potato cooked
tumeric
ginger
cardamon
Dee's Dressing for greens

Cafe Uno (The Distillery District)

I went there because Balzac was too packed and Soma looked to spartan. It's comme ci comme ca. This carrot cake square and a latte cost almost $8. The cake was ok, nothing special and a bit dry around the edges like it was sitting there since 6am and I got there at 2pm -but still fresh tasting (on the inside).

The food looked good (lasagna, panini and that ilk), but was just as expensive as going to a pub for a sandwhich ($8-$10). Outlets and free wifi though, and you can sit there all day.

Mars Foods Diner

It's classic dinner food at a tyical dinner.

I got the benny of course. It was about $7.50 and included coffee + refills. The serving is just enough. It looks small, but it's a good size. The challah bread is so buttery good. The grilled ham, tender, and a good level of saltiness to the yolk & hollandaise. Unfortunately the sauce is packaged, but it tastes fine. Potatoes taste like good home cookin'

FYI this place is BYOB ok

Cafe Diplomatico

I pass this place on College all the time and it looks just like a coffee shop. One night after a rousing couple of hours skating at Harbourfront (or rather, shuffling slowly as I clung onto Boyfriend for support), the three of us decided to grab a drink.

You know when you just want somewhere chill to talk (aka no blaring music) and can order food (that's not ridiculously expensive)? Anyhow seeing that they served booze, we tucked in. It was seat yourself, and service provided by this one dude was excellent. He was considerate and fast. We ordered a large pizza and it was around $11 for a large with 2 topppings. It was a substantial looking beast, like 14 or 15 inc, a medium thick crust, lots of cheese, but not overkill.

Everyone's food looked super yum. A definite new fave spot!

Quinoa with roasted squash and baby bok choy

Ingredients

cooked quinoa
diced onion
minced garlic
blanched bok choy
roasted acorn squash
flax seeds
toasted pepitas
cracked coriander or fresh
grape tomatos to garnish

Smoked salmon & avocado rolls with braised mixed mushrooms

I've decided to start posting things that I make and maybe recipes.

Beerbistro

What we ate:

Cheese & lager fondue:

could have been hotter & gooey-er, but bread was firm and fresh & sauce was pleasant - tasting of its emmental & lager components


Mussels (brussels) - with spicy sausage, Delirium beer, red chili pepper, tomato, fennel, garlic & parsley:

mussels were very tender but should have been cooked a tad longer - they had not absorbed the sauce flavours and the alcohol had not been cooked off - it was like taking a sip of beer when eating sauce dipped bread

steakfrites:

one of the best steaks I've ever eaten. completely leaned, perfectly cooked medium rare, the meat melted to the bite like sashimi (note to self: try beef sashimi next time), dressed with very nice mushroom reduction with - salty, richly sopped up its gravy and fried onions that were nice and crisp, a whisper of cumin cologne; fries a bit soggy from being lain on top but good flavour and texture - as fresh cut fries should be, tasting golden with a starchy interior

skor bar beer ice cream:

melted very quickly, but delectably light caramel flavour and colour, skor bits a crunchy buttery sweet richness (fresh unlike the skor ice cream at the grocery store with stale chocolate and odd "un" toffee taste)

flourless chocolate cake:

thick, dense and creamy - almost like eating ganache, too rich for one, nice to have a couple of bites between three

suggested pairing of "black forest cocktail": oatmeal stout and chambord

sticky sweet & thick, raspberry flavour like demerra sugar sprinkled on a cookie (not sure if general rule of booze having to be sweeter than dessert should apply to non-wine alchoholic bevs)

final thought? Beerbistro, Bier markt - what's the diff?

ps. bb is slightly less expensive & our server was perfect

cost: (including 2 beers, 2 juices, all taxes and tip) $120