Plaza Flamingo

Location:

423 College Street, Toronto

Cost: $7.95 for the lunch buffet

www.plazaflamingo.com



Plaza Flamingo is one of those places you fall upon one day, having been there years before but have no recollection of the food. Ages ago, (at least 8 years) I remember dining with the whole family and watching a flamenco performance at Plaza Flamingo. It was highly entertaining as far as I can recall. The food, however, I could not bring back to mind.

So when we were searching for a place to dine for lunch on a bitterly cold day, not only did the "lunch buffet" clapboard stand out to us, but feelings of familiarity began to stir within me. Somehow Plaza Flamingo had seemed a lot further West when I was younger; not smack in the middle of busy College street near Bathurst.

It was an easy decision once we'd seen the buffet and knew that it was all for only $7.95. Perfect.



Chicken. Rice. Pasta. Beans. Salad.

What more could one ask for, for lunch?



These fried sweet plantains were especially tasty.

I enjoyed them so much, I had them with the dessert, as well!



While the fare isn't spectacular by any means, it certainly isn't bad. And it hit the spot that day. I wouldn't run back to PF everyday for lunch, but if I was back in the area and needed a nice place to sit down and not be disturbed by what can sometimes be annoying wait-staff, this is the place!

And although it certainly wasn't packed for lunch that day, it's fairly obvious that there are a few devoted patrons who have probably been frequenting Plaza Flamingo for many years.



Those who, unlike me, have not forgotten about it.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Martha's Exchange

Location:

185 Main Street, Nashua, NH

Cost: approx $9-15 per lunch entree (after 5pm, approx $15-19)

www.marthas-exchange.com



I've been to Nashua a slew of times but never dined at Martha's Exchange on Main Street.  Martha's Exchange has no relation or connection to Martha's Vineyard or Martha Stewart.  It actually began as a sweet shop which simply grew and grew.  More of it's history can be read here.

We made it there for lunch one day and found it quite busy.  We only had about 45 minutes for a quick bite so we had to order quickly, although I would have liked to have perused the menu better and also enjoyed a beer with my meal considering it's brewed on the premises. 



Our dishes took a fair bit of time to arrive; turned out the delay was due to a large party of 30 on the other side of our booth.



However, when our dishes did arrive, we were very pleased.

My Mum ordered the Jambalaya ($12).



The Jambalaya was better than I've tasted in New Orleans!  It's ingredients being: blackened chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp and fresh veggies sauteed in a spicy marinara sauce.  It had a good kick to it (you know how I like it hot!) and was very fresh.

I'd ordered the Almond Maple Salmon ($15)



Fresh Atlantic salmon topped with sliced almonds and baked in a maple butter sauce.  Baked IN a maple butter sauce INDEED!  My salmon was having a long hot soak in a jucuzzi of butter!!!  I'd have preferred it not having quite so much R&R.   It was, however, quite tasty but the rice it came with was nothing special. 

At one point during our meal the elderly lady in the booth behind us spilled her drink creating quite a commotion (someone may have been enjoying the beer afterall!).  It seemed it was her birthday and she was treating her daughter and a couple of other friends to lunch.  They all left before she did and the lady told us as she was leaving that she was alright and we nodded and sympathised with her.  The next moment my Mum spilled her drink all over the seat as well!  Very strange.  Perhaps Martha's is haunted by a playful ghost?  The website doesn't say but you never know......

I'd love to go back to Martha's and try out the beers and more of the dishes...the menu was quite extensive.  I'm also sorry now that I didn't try any of the sweets from the still existing sweet "shoppe" in the corner of the restaurant!  Argh! I hate metered parking!!

Harbord Fish & Chips

Location:

147 Harbord Street, Toronto

Cost:

$8.99 for the Halibut ($11.99 at Chippy's)

As far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with eating a good meal of fish n' chips once in a while. And it's pretty hard to mess up deep fried fish and strips of potato. The real issue is how much you are paying for eating the deep fried goodness. At Chippy's you pay an arm and a leg and are lucky if you get to rest the other arm and leg on a stool inside the tiny compound (especially if it's raining outside!); it's also pretty hard to eat battered fish from a chinese take-out container.....okay, so I guess it's not that hard to mess up deep fried fish and fries, but don't get me wrong, I'll still eat at Chippy's if I'm ever craving some fish n'chips in the west-end. For the East-enders, the ultimate fish and chips place used to be mom n' pops' Woodgreen Fish n' Chips, which I believe has shut down (can anyone confirm this?). I'd love to try British Style Fish & Chips on Dundas/Coxwell which I've heard is superbly authentic.

However, around the Spadina/College area and at Harbord FnC, you can get deep fried goodness for less and a place to rest your whole being (on the picnic tables outside). The joint also feels very sea-shore-ish; with the mom n' pop serving you piping hot fish atop fresh fries (on paper), which you get to douse with vinegar and salt the way you please, but be cautioned, the tarter sauce comes in wee lil' packets.

The fish sits fresh and tender inside a wonderful deep golden interior of golden crust, whilst soft, yellow, starchy pods of potato poke out of the breaks in the crispy, skin-covered edges of the chips.



With the right amount of malt vinegar, salt, ketchup and tartar sauce (and a beer if you can manage to sneak it in as we did this time) you're all set for a trip to fish n' chip heaven.

San Francisco: Zachary's Pizza

Location:

5801 College Ave., Oakland, CA

www.zacharys.com



Zachary's pizza is the BEST!!!



Or, so I've heard from everyone who lives or has ever lived in SF, but alas, it was closed due to the Easter holiday.

Boo urns....I will have to wait until next time I'm in SF to try the famous deep-dish pizza!

Trimurti

Location:

265 Queen Street West, Toronto

Cost: $10-15 per entree

www.trimurti.ca

Trimurti is one of the other Indian restaurants on Queen street nestled somewhere in between Babur and Little India Restaurant AND India Palace (all of which I've eaten at, at some point or another).  This was my first time trying take-out at Trimurti (sitting in wasn't any better).

I ordered the chicken biryani ($10.95), which although tasty was a tad on the greasy side.  Lahore Tikka House's chicken biryani is still better (but nothing beats Mom's!).



The butter chicken ($11.50) came looking more red and tomatoe-y than buttery; and those who ordered it agreed that it wasn't the best they've had.  It's a huge quantity that arrives in the take-out container, and doesn't include rice, so be sure to get a separate order of rice ($2.95).



Someone else got a Mulligatany soup ($3.50).  The literal translation in Tamil for mulligatany is "pepper-water" but the variation at Trimurti was made with lentils and chicken, which was a bit strange.



The pakoras ($3.50) were overly greasy and not very flavourful.



Trimurti definitely has some competition being one of the three indian restaurants on Queen Street.  I'd say, opt for Little India Restaurant or India Palace (which are both very good) when trying to decide which Indian place to try on the busy South side of Queen Street.  Or better yet, save your taste-buds for the trip to to the East side and enjoy a veritable feast (albeit in a portable) at Lahore Tikka House.

Afternoon Tea

Location:

Langdon Hall, 1 Langdon Drive, Cambridge, ON

Cost: $27.00 per person, plus applicable taxes

The correct definition for Afternoon Tea is:

"a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm, originating in the UK and consisting of loose tea served in a teapot and accompanied with mini sandwiches, pastries and cakes served in a tiered stand."

That's precisely what we wanted when 'Afternoon Tea with the Ladies" was planned.

After a bit of research was done for tea places in Toronto, I finally discovered that Cambridge's Langdon Hall offered a desirable spread of goodies in a gorgeous setting, and it then became our destination for not only an afternoon of tea but a full day's outing.



After carefully synchronizing our two vehicles to travel together (in light rainfall), eight of us (lovely maidens) arrived early for our 2pm appointed sitting. Langdon Hall offers Afternoon Tea at 2 and 4 o'clock.



Although I had requested for all of us to be seated together, we still found ourselves directed to two tables of four at opposing ends of the room. However, the staff were gracious enough to rearrange the tables and chairs so that we were finally sitting down together.



I imagined sitting at a giant round or rectangular table (for eight) at elbow-level but we were in fact seated in a veranda at tables closer to knee-level instead. Nevertheless, the table settings, decor and natural sun-light (finally) pouring into the room were all distinctly charming and all of us were quite pleased.

The menu at Langdon Halls consists of the "Traditional Afternoon Tea" for $27 (plus tax) and the "Langdon Hall Royal Tea" which begins with a glass of champagne followed by the traditional tea for $49.00 (plus tax). We opted to take the traditional route and the vast selection of teas (English Breakfast, Rose, Pear) kept us engrossed in the menu for quite some time. I picked my all-time favourite, Earl Grey and all the teas (loose-leaf) arrived first; in pretty flowered tea pots (served by a, contrastingly, burly male waiter). The tea, with the honey and sugar cubes provided, couldn't have tasted any better!



Then came the tiers!

First tier: Four each of cucumer/radish curry swirl sandwiches, apple chutney pastries, shrimp puffs and salmon squares/tarts. The curry sandwiches were especially tasty.



Second tier: was a assortment of Madeleines and scones galore! With the Devonshire/clotted cream and jam, these were divine.



Third tier: the lemon cakes, chocolate macaroons, shortbread cookies and blueberry tarts, were all very decadent.



It was all very very tasty and beautifully presented!



After our delicious tea party, we headed off onto the Langdon Hall grounds to take in the sights. The outdoor pool, croquet field and massive vegetable garden were beautifully tended.





Afternoon Tea at Langdon Hall is especially great for girlie get-togethers. Whatever the celebration, the surroundings make the trip to Cambridge worthwhile.

Just Us! Cafe

Update:  The Just Us! Cafe in Halifax has just become a penny-free zone!  Read more.

Original post: July 27, 2007



 Whatever happened to the original Tequila Bookworm locale? Well, it's been replaced with Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op - Canada's first Fair Trade coffee roaster believing in "people and the planet before profits". Justly, the cafe only sells products (Coffees, Teas, Sugar and Chocolates) which are 100% certified Fair Trade and Organic. When you walk in, you are reminded of Tequila Bookworm's old layout, only now everything is shiny, brand new and more airy. The square tables in the front are filled with patrons enjoying some java after work, the music is new age, and the staff behind the counter are young, hip...and novice. After learning that their chocolates are created (handcrafted) in their own chocolate factory in the town of Hantsport, in Nova Scotia, I knew I had to give one a try. The Midnight Mint, is a 42g, $2.99 organic, dark, smooth, melt-on-your-fingers slab of chocolately goodness with a hint of peppermint. In other words, 'twas rather delectable. Not only do they have chocolate, coffee, tea and sugar, Just Us! serves salads, sandwiches, soups, martinis and other specialty drinks, not to mention baked goods created in their own bakery. Naturally, I had to try the brownie. The vegan brownie came highly acclaimed over the regular brownie by the girl behind the counter. Oh, were we ever disappointed! Lovely as it was to look at, its spongey texture was more akin to cake than brownie and the taste more suited to those who prefer their desserts on the low end of sweetness (and to those who like ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda). Word on the street is that Just Us! serves the best espresso in town. I, unfortunately, cannot attest to this, for when it comes to coffee, I am most certainly a lightweight, and won't even bother to deny it. I will have to return to Just Us! with my seasoned-espresso-drinker friend to find out how great the coffee really is. Teas, on the other hand, I can appreciate. The lemon honey tea was absolutely delicious...it had a wonderful scent to go with the soft, sweet flavour. The 'chai' was very good...not like some other teas where it's mostly all strong spice. They don't carry lactose-free milk, but they do carry Harmony Organic milks in whole, skim and half & half, with soy behind the counter. I was suprised to see that they serve dairy-free cappuccinos as well (made with soy milk). What's lacking in Just Us! for now is that personality that the aged, lived-in coffee houses have, but I think in a few years it'll be a great joint for those who really do care where their java comes from.

Madras Palace: Take 2

Location:

1249 Ellesmere Road, Scarborough, Toronto

Cost: $40 for two (incl. tip)

www.madraspalace.com

The last time we went to MP, we had some service issues, but we've since realized that the key is to go when it's not crazy busy because the food really is exceptionally good.

This time we got there for dinner around 6:30 and while there were still quite a few diners preoccupied with their dosas, we still managed to receive plenty of attention from our servers.



The owners of MP, the Purushothams opened the restaurant in 1991; the first South Indian eatery in Scarborough. For this reason, you don't really mind the decor, which has already undergone an update into its current look of Floridian-style cane seating, dark green walls and wood paneling. Sure they could benefit from a sleeker design in keeping with current trends, but that would certainly risk losing it's homely, authentic feel. Although, I must say they could turn up the dial on the light switch and their bathrooms could use some revamping.



If you only need to wash your hands however, there's a sink placed conveniently on the same floor at the back of the restaurant. Anyone who's been to India knows that it's very common to have a sink in the corner of the dining room for convenience and hygiene, especially because South Indian food really requires the use of fingers for eating.

But, on to the food!

We already knew what we wanted, so we got a masala dosa to start, a Kerala fish fry (I admit, this is the same thing I had last time I was there!), the chilli chicken masala, one chapathi, some plain rice, a beer and we knew we'd have a coffee after.

I timed the wait, thinking it would be a long time before we got our dosa, but less than 20 minutes later, our crispy pancake arrived, piping hot!





The potatoes are spiced just enough to satisfy any pangs of longing for back home. Every finger-ful of dosa that's dipped into the separate compartments of coconut, tomato and cilantro chutney creates the perfect savoury combination on your tastebuds. The sambar is so incredibly tangy that you needn't have any accompanying dosa to go with it, it's delicious on it's own. It's just heaven on a thali (plate).

Everything went down really nicely with our Kingfisher Indian Beer.



We sure cleaned up well!



Next up was our Kerala fish fry, chilli chicken, rice and chapathi.

All I can say is Yumyumyum!



The Kerala fish fry was must better presented this time and the king-fish was fresh and well marinated, tangy and spicy very spicy. Also, curry-leaves are my all-time favourite herb (Karuveppilai in Malayalam or Kari Patta in Hindi are leaves that grow on small tree plants native to India). I love it fried and garnished like this, in everything, and hate to see it wasted on someone's plate! The aroma and flavour of them really highlights a lot of Indian cooking. It's sort of like the bay leaf in coconut milk curries. I also lovelovelove bay leaves.

Sigh.

Okay, moving on.





The chilli chicken was incredibly hot and spicy, but oh-so-delicious! The curry was dense and the chicken perfectly cooked to fall off the bone. We both felt our pores open and sinus's clear during this meal!



You will not have fully enjoyed a meal at Madras Palace without leaving with an excellent cup of
coffee.

I think you really have to know your stuff when you go to MP - or go with friends who know the food. I've read too many negative things about the food on Restaurantica because people don't know what to order! You don't order mattar paneer here, if you want mattar paneer, go to Lahore Tikka House or Babur! If you want really authentic Kerala/South Indian cuisine, this is really one of the best places to get it. The other place is Saravanaa Bhavan, but that's for another review.

I Love Sushi

Location:

494 Queen St. West, Toronto

Cost: $34 - 44 per platter (61-64 pieces)

www.ilovesushi.ca

Contrary to this post's title, I don't love sushi. I opt for it only when I get crazy pregnant-woman cravings. I am also not pregnant.

However, when you're working late and the options are pizza or sushi. And you're lactose-intolerant and you don't feel like grease, sushi sounds mighty good.

I Love Sushi is very popular at work and cheaper than most sushi places and for the value, it certainly isn't bad take-out (I've never eaten at the restaurant). They have a kick-ass website too.

Our company ordered a couple of platters - one veggie and one seafood, a couple of tofu salads ($3.50) and a couple of containers of edamame (boiled soy beans with salt - $3.95).



The platters arrive full, I just couldn't manage to capture a shot before everyone jumped in on the rolls!



The seafood platter.



The veggie platter.



The tofu salad, which was really, really delicious; the tofu was smooth and flavourful, the lettuce (albeit iceberg) was crispy and fresh.



And edamame is always a yummy snack.

I've had good sushi experiences at Ichiban Sushi, Ho Su, Sushi on Bloor and Kuni Sushi Ya in Baldwin, but I'd definitely like to try the more upscale sushi bars like Blowfish, Sushi Train (conveyor-belt sushi) and Hiro, but as I said, sushi definitely isn't my forte, so you'll have to tell me what's best.