Hero Burger

Location:

1480 Major Mackenzie Drive East
Richmond Hill, ON

www.heroburgers.com

I like to jokingly think it's me saying "hello" to the burger.  "Herroo Burger!"

Having eaten at Hero Burger once before at the Queen Street location, I wasn't blown out of the water.  It was almost good bye burger. 

But seeing it again in Richmond Hill while quite hungry, all was forgotten and we exchanged pleasantries once more.

I got the beef burger with bacon, hold the cheese, while my husband got the turkey burger with all the fixin's.



Verdict?





While there was nothing bad or wrong with it, it's not the best I've had and failed to impress a second time. 

However, the service was great; friendly and quick, and better than the Queen St. location.

So, it may not my hero, but then, I already have one.

Royal Parties

In celebration of the Royal Wedding this Friday, there are several events happening in the city.

The Fairmont Royal York's EPIC Lounge will be serving English Breakfast for $21 and Library Bar will be hosting a royal tea party for $35 at 5am during the televised broadcast.

Le Meridien King Edward is also serving traditional English breakfast for $65, in the Sovereign Ballroom with scones and baked beans, starting at 5am.

The Windsor Arms is hosting the Royal Experience a la carte.

CBS is hosting a Royal Viewing Party  at 5am in the Atrium of the Canadian Broadcasting Centre, prizes will be given out for wedding dress or bridesmaid dress or hat.  Free tea and scones.

For more events around the city and in Ontario, check out Global News's list of events.

TRAVEL: Quebec City, Carlo's Pizza

Location:

117, Rte Principale E RR 2, Sainte-Cécile-de-Masham, QC J0X 2W0, 819-456-4545

Not only does Carlo do pizza, and amazingly well (the veggie one we got was chock-full of tasty veggies and not very greasy), he does the best poutine I've ever tasted in Quebec!  Mighty squishy curds and a not-too-salty gravy that's just the right consistency.  The pan fried tilapia was amazing with the poutine!  They don't skimp out on quantity either, check out the amount of cheese on this caesar salad!  Now, if only Carlo's was closer....



 

NEW: L'eat

Location:

410 Adelaide St W

www.leatcatering.com/home.htm

In the cursed location where Zimbel's Cafe and before that,  Mosaic used to be, L'eat Express is the newest addition to the building beside Toronto School of Art.  Herbal Infusions is faring quite well so far, so maybe there is hope for L'eat (such a difficult name to wrap my head around.  Sometimes I think "teat", wrongly, of course).

I hear the brownies are amazing, but I walked by earlier today and the door was locked!  Will try again in a bit and keep you posted.

** So went back with some co-workers but they were still closed.  Someone did inform us that they were open this morning for a training session which included free pastries and plan to open again later this afternoon for another training session.  We were told they'll be open again tomorrow, so fingers crossed!

*** Went back on Friday and they were OPEN!  Found out a few things. 

Most importantly it's pronounced "ELITE", literally pronounce the letter "L" and the word "EAT".  I feel so much better, now. 



Owned by Tony Loschiavo with hand-crafted  goodies and gourmet meals made by Chefs Christopher Palik and Eric Walker, L'eat Express looks promising, especially with their original full service catering business (started 1983) in full swing at their Bathurt location.  I DID try the brownie, and it did not disappoint.  Shared with several co-workers, it was a huge hit! 



The complimentary bran muffin and double chocolate fudge cookie I scored was equally as satisfying, although I have to admit the cookie can't compare to Le Gourmand's chocolate chip walnut cookie which still reigns supreme. 





The teas on hand are from Language of the Leaf, which I love and which Neeta Khanna had sent me a package of teas to review in 2009.  I've also heard great things  about Paese, the sister restaurant to L'eat on King St W.

 

 

I really hope L'eat Express does well in this district, it's such a beautiful space and after speaking to Christopher, Tony and Rahim about their vision for this location, it looks like it's got all the ingredients to being as successful as the original.

Open Monday - Saturday (7:30am - 7pm)

TRAVEL: Paris: Paul's

Location:

Outside the Louvre.

Paul, the French bakery (since 1889) came highly recommended by our friend A, so when we discovered a kiosk outside the Louvre, we stood right in line!

I must say, eating a chocolate chip baguette and tomato, mozzarella and basil sandwich under the shade of a tree in the Carrousel Gardens was one of the best experiences of the whole trip.

Michel's Baquette

Location:

(Yorkdale Mall) 3401 Dufferin Street, Toronto

www.michelsbaguette.com

One of my favourite "go-to" bakeries in Toronto is Michel's.  It's an European-inspired cafe/bakery and there are several locations in Ontario.  It reminds me of Paul's in Paris.  No nonsense pastries, sandwiches and cafe lattes.



It's the perfect spot for a giggly group of girls women to go without bothering anyone.

The pastries are delicious.



Perhaps not as good as in Paris, but when you're with a group of good friends, who knows where you really are?

Black Forest Pastry Shop

Location:
184 Lakeshore Road East
Oakville, ON L6J

I'm happy to announce that I have found possibly the best apple pie, ever.

It exists at Black Forest Pastry Shop in Oakville and is only $12.99!







After popping it into the oven for a few minutes, it came out flaky yet melted in the mouth. The apples were cooked yet crispy with just the right amount of cinnamon.


The other things on hand at the bakery: Red Velvet Cupcakes amongst other tasty treats.

NEW: Khao San Road

Location:

326 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1R3

Cost:  $30 (for lunch)

It's the "high maintenance" sister resto to Sukho Thai.  It resides in a more expensive neighbourhood, believes less-is-more and is worth the wait.

Open only a month KSR already has its hands full.  Of customers.  Having arrived just past noon, we were lucky to snag a seat at one of the communal tables in the front.





Looking sort of hurriedly set up, the interior is very sparse but chic enough for the downtown crowd.

The communal tables in the front are a great idea for "quick" lunches, although the time it takes to get a freshly prepared gourmet lunch is anything but quick.

Run by the Regulars (Chef Nuit and Jeffrey Regular) the restaurant is anything BUT...regular.

The flavours are what I like to believe is authentic, but would not know having never been to Thailand. The cold spring roll served with the upgrade of soup had us confused as to whether cold rolls are a Thai or Vietnamese traditional.





Our service is friendly and efficient enough for us who are not worried about the time.  The couple beside us however, freaked out about getting back to work. You have to understand that the kind of ingredients used here (aka FRESH) are not rushed.

We were feeling brave (and Brown) and ordered our pad thais (chicken and shrimp) THAI SPICY = HOT.

My dining partner AMat likened the heat of our dishes to walking a block in sky high stillletos:  semi uncomfortable but totally worth it.

Shrimp Pad Thai (Street style, but not on the lunch menu so was $15 from the dinner menu)





Chicken Pad Thai (Street Style from the lunch menu $10)



Upgrading to include soup ($3)



Coconut tapioca dessert ($5)



Our coconut tapioca dessert was ordered mid-way through our meal as our mouths were on fire.  Served slightly warm, it felt different than at Sukho Thai where we remembered it being served cold and with more texture.  Still, we were happy to take the rest of it to go and eat it later, cooled.  (So. amazing).

Although the dishes are significantly more expensive at KSR, you're paying for the location and for the freshly prepared, authentic flavours.

It's a small price to pay for a taste of Thailand.

Afterall, it would be far more expensive to go to Thailand.

TRAVEL: Boston: La Famiglia Giorgio

Location:

112 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113

www.lafamigliagiorgio.com/

There are large portions, and then American super sized portions. La Famiglia super sizes it.

I ain't complaining. I know how to mangi.

The food is tasty, fresh and MASSIVE. 

Best bruschetta to date.

If you plan accordingly you can feed your intera grande famiglia here for under $20! 

Just kidding.

Not.

Tokyo Bay

Location:

125 Kerr Street
Oakville, ON

Since when are you not allowed any substitutions at a Japanese restaurant?

Isn't everything made fresh?

It's not like the sushi is pre-made and stuffed with something else beforehand?

And worse, this wasn't even a sushi substitution but rather a bento box substitution.

Instead of CHICKEN, I requested SALMON.

"No."

"No? But why?

"It doesn't come like that. "

"Can't I get salmon even if I pay extra? "

"No. But you can order salmon terriyaki that comes with soup and salad. "

"Er...Okay...Fine. Does it come with any tempura?"

"NO, JUST SOUP AND SALAD, I SAID"

Ouch.

And for $20 it didn't even come with tempura?

So rigid.  And what for?

At least the salad was tasty.  We were hopeful.



But alas, the sushi wasn't great.



And then, the salmon wasn't even fresh after all that. The chicken in N's bento box was disgusting.  Only the tempura was good.  The spring roll you see here, was nasty!



And since when do the Japanese use CELERY in their vegetables? And zucchini?

So weird.



The miso soup was overly seaweedy and fishy smelling.  With mushrooms.  Is that common?  Let me know.



The dessert that came with each of our orders was good, at least.  But how to you screw up friend bananas and ice cream?



And we were freezing in our booth.  Those curtains don't do anything to ward off the cold from the entrance.  Put some heat on, would you?  Even the people in the booth next to us were cold.





Tokay. Bay.  Never.  Again.