What are your favourite restaurants in your city? - Page 15

kwoldtimer · #**281** Posted **Feb 20, 2016, 2:18 PM**

Anybody else consider that "macaroons" and "macarons" are two different confections? The pictures above are, to me, macarons.

SignalHillHiker · #**282** Posted **Feb 20, 2016, 2:22 PM**

You're right. I'm sure they just didn't know (I certainly didn't).

But there appears to be one saving-face justification: macaroon can be used much like "tapas" to refer to the size of the dessert as opposed to what it actually is. But it's definitely macarons that I had.

kwoldtimer · #**283** Posted **Feb 27, 2016, 10:39 PM**

A rare day - excellent review in today's Mop & Pail of a restaurant in Kitchener, the recently opened "Berlin". I've tried it and it is wonderful. Food is the best reason to visit K-W, imho, and Berlin is good enough to be a destination by itself. Hold off until the renovated Walper Hotel opens a few doors away this summer and make a mini-holiday of it!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...ticle28936459/

GernB · #**284** Posted **Feb 27, 2016, 11:26 PM**

Downtown, Plum is ok. Hardly go out anymore, so it's really hard to say. O-Sho is good if you like Japanese. Apparently there's a new Italian place on the strip that's good but I can't recall the name.

rousseau · #**285** Posted **Feb 28, 2016, 2:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

A rare day - excellent review in today's Mop & Pail of a restaurant in Kitchener, the recently opened "Berlin". I've tried it and it is wonderful.

Great to hear, will have to try it. The restaurant has quite the backstory:

Quote:

The chef’s blow-up, in December, 2012, seemed to come out of nowhere, but for the circle around him, it wasn’t entirely a surprise. He’d been struggling with alcoholism. The year before, he had done some time in rehab. That night in December, Mr. Gushue was charged with driving under the influence. It was his second time. He disappeared, and drank himself oblivious, as his name and picture appeared in newspapers and screens across the country. He had left a wife and three young kids at home. He was found nearly two weeks later. He has been sober ever since, he said.

Avoiding alcohol in the restaurant business must be one of the hardest things there is. Well, outside of Muslim-run restaurants, anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

Food is the best reason to visit K-W, imho...

That's a pretty bold claim!

yaletown_fella · #**286** Posted **Feb 28, 2016, 2:31 AM**

One of my favorite restaurants in Toronto is Karines. It's a mixed vegan&conventional all-day breakfast with a lot of middle east influenced dishes. Its located in Village by the Grange and is very affordable with awesome portion sizes. It pretty much puts every breakfast chain to shame.

speedog · #**287** Posted **Feb 28, 2016, 3:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker

Restaurants Canada has released a report card regarding provincial liquor laws as they relate to restaurants. We've scored an F, being, of course, the lowest possible grade. You can buy beer everywhere with a fridge... but they're very strict about restaurants, apparently.

Full results:

AB: B+
PE: B-
BC: C+
NS: C+
QC: C+
MB: C
NB: C-
ON: D+
SK: D+
NL: F

http://www.multivu.com/players/Engli...0aae22ea4f.pdf

It sounds a little right-wing in its reasoning, though:

Since the Alberta government got out of the liquor sales business back in 1993, we've gone from a selection of about 1,900 alcohol products in 1993 to over 19,000 in 2013. I'm not a drinker but am always amazed at what we can get now in liquor stores in Alberta - going to B.C. seems like such a huge step back in time when it comes to the selection one can find there as compared to what's available in Alberta. Link to each what's available in Alberta.

kwoldtimer · #**288** Posted **Feb 28, 2016, 2:24 PM**

[QUOTE=rousseau;7351686]Great to hear, will have to try it. The restaurant has quite the backstory:

Avoiding alcohol in the restaurant business must be one of the hardest things there is. Well, outside of Muslim-run restaurants, anyway.

That's a pretty bold claim![/QUOTE]

I stand by it. Can you think of a better reason to visit? Any reason at all?

eemy · #**289** Posted **Feb 28, 2016, 3:16 PM**

The Berlin is still on my bucket list. I still haven't gone to Bhima's Warung either. :-(

kwoldtimer · #**290** Posted **Feb 28, 2016, 5:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

The Berlin is still on my bucket list. I still haven't gone to Bhima's Warung either. :-(

That's been a good option for years. Others in Waterloo are Uptown Trio, Taco Farm, and the Red House, not to mention Proof. Downtown offers TWH, the new Grand Trunk Saloon, and Gilt in addition to Berlin. Over in Belmont Village, I quite like both JLB and the Belmont Bistro. There's also Public over on Lancaster, which is a must-try for tapas lovers. Out of towners might also like the rolled ribs at the Blue Moon in Petersburg and the smoked pork hock at Heidelberg House - both about as schmecky as it gets!

Further afield, Cambridge and New Hamburg both offer interesting eateries. I think we are quite fortunate in our range of options, not to mention the farmers markets.

SaskScraper · #**291** Posted **Mar 10, 2016, 6:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brutopian

South Carolina restaurant named after Saskatoon

By Bre McAdam, NewsTalk 650 CKOM

March 7-8, 2016

Edmund Woo might live in Greenville, South Carolina, but he says "Welcome to Saskatoon" about a hundred times a day.

Woo owns Saskatoon Restaurant, a rustic cabin-themed eatery that specializes in “steak, fish and wild game.” Woo said even though he's never been to Saskatoon, he wanted a name that matched the restaurant's outdoor lodge vibe.

[........]

Read more:
http://ckom.com/article/626382/south...fter-saskatoon

Great Mountain Lodge decor at Saskatoon Restaurant in Greenville SC

Martin Mtl · #**292** Posted **May 3, 2016, 3:12 AM**

Crew, a new cafe-bistro that just opened within the old Royal Bank Main Branch grand hall in Old Montreal. Surely one the most grandiose looking cafe in the country.

http://montreal.eater.com/2016/5/2/1...-tower#6455971

http://montreal.eater.com/2016/5/2/1...-tower#6455939

http://montreal.eater.com/2016/5/2/1...-tower#6455941

http://websta.me/p/1241286548396025914_4536897

http://websta.me/p/1241539997276915081_7128

http://websta.me/p/1241338310015617285_28181057

http://websta.me/p/1241499002009857762_1545814906

http://websta.me/p/1240410045612933240_2089911391

http://websta.me/p/1240348759691641367_35600271

http://websta.me/p/1239315588231629943_1528432466

giallo · #**293** Posted **May 3, 2016, 4:49 AM**

Tainan has a plethora of great restaurants (Tainan is the food capitol of Taiwan), and I always try to hit my favourites whenever I'm in town.

First up is Mr. Chou's

There is something special with the deep-fried shrimp rolls here. No matter how many others I've tried, nothing compares to the batter at Mr. C's. He's definitely got some '11 herbs and spices' thing going on. Often imitated, never duplicated.

deep fry by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr

The second, hole-in-the-wall restaurant has my favourite ma jiang (sesame sauce) noodle in Tainan. The noodles here are perfect; fresh, slightly chewy and a bit fat. Topped with some spring onions and crunchy sprouts, it's easily my go-to place for a saucy, dry noodle.

open sesame by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr

Did I mention their pork and shrimp dumplings? Unbelievably delicious, and supposedly, the recipe is over 150 years old. They rank in my top 10.

superlative by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr

SignalHillHiker · #**294** Posted **May 3, 2016, 11:14 AM**

Tried the Yellowbelly Burger, after seeing it on You Gotta Eat Here.

The pulled short rib on it was delicious, and the gravy was near the best I've ever had. Overall, just good - excellent for a pub.

SignalHillHiker · #**295** Posted **May 3, 2016, 11:18 AM**

Crew looks amazing - what a location. Some of those tables/chairs are a little too... hospital cafeteria, though. They have to be careful and it'd be easy to go tacky in such a grand setting, but they should've done something a little more interesting and modern with some of those.

SignalHillHiker · #**296** Posted **May 5, 2016, 11:46 PM**

A real and new favourite this evening. J. and I went to Oliver's on Water Street.

Our friend S. is a server there.

J. wore a push-up because she knows I get her boobs in every picture.

They start with fresh bread and blueberry butter.

(I ate one piece of bread and J. asked me to eat the other, and I said no, and she accidentally said, VERY LOUDLY, "EAT IT, DICKHEAD!"

Died.)

We started with fish cakes and steak tartare.

And for our main we had the special of the day, duck ragu. It is the best pasta I've ever had. The noodles were lasagna-shaped but very thin, and the ragu - despite being a red sauce - was so rich and creamy. It's blown every other pasta I've ever had away, second place isn't even close.

And for dessert we split a Guinness brownie with raspberry jam, ice cream, whipped cream, and butterscotch sugar.

SignalHillHiker · #**297** Posted **May 6, 2016, 5:36 PM**

Social House has changed its branding. It's now the Fifth Ticket and they're an anti-NL 2016 budget restaurant. It's great.

https://www.facebook.com/oursocialwindow/

SignalHillHiker · #**298** Posted **May 16, 2016, 9:38 PM**

Piatto - the best pizzeria I've ever tried - has been featured on You Gotta Eat Here. Starts at around 15:55. Friend of mine is in it.

(Hilarious thumbnail isn't from ours,

)

• Video Link

SignalHillHiker · #**299** Posted **May 27, 2016, 12:22 AM**

Coffee Matters this evening for cheesecake and mousse (sp?).

It's at the end of Military Road, on Cavendish Square:

It has a lovely view down Gower Street:

Close enough to hotels to offer some local kitsch:

And the desserts are great:

SignalHillHiker · #**300** Posted **May 29, 2016, 1:25 PM**

Went to Big R's for breakfast. They have the best toutons. For some reason (the waitress was from away, maybe she was prepping them too), they cut them in half today. Not as good. But still the best place in town for toutons.