A = Stop reading this; go there now!
B = Go there next week.
C = Go there next month, if you have time.
D = If you're passing by, and you're hungry.
E = Only if you're starving, and it's free..
F = Don't go there. Ever.
Pho Phuong - Rating C+
We went to this Vietnamese restaurant tonight for dinner (location: 712 Queen Street West). Before reading forward, I decided to give it a C+ because although there wasn't anything wrong with the food, there wasn't anything super special with it either. It was good, just not worth a "B, Go there next week", hence the C+.
We ordered a side of the regular friend spring rolls which were pretty good.
I ordered the "House Broken Rice", which consisted of a pork chop, shredded pork, egg/crab meatloaf, and sunny side up egg, all on top of rice. Everything was pretty good, actually. The cost of this plate was only $8.75! For that price, and for that amount of food, it was worth it. The pork chop had a nice BBQ taste to it, and the rest was a good sample/mixture of other items to eat with the rice.
Devika had a shrimp congee, which was full of flavour, actually, compared to a lot of other places that tastes like plain congee with the flavour being whatever's in it. This tasted like it used a lot of chicken broth or something to mix instead of water. Considering it's congee with shrimp, the $9 price tag was a little high, IMO.
Overall, as I said before, it's nothing fantastic, but don't get me wrong, it's a good place to eat and should be tried. It's actually good for us because it's within walking distance and it'll definitely cure our Vietnamese food cravings.
Nadège Patisserie - Rating A
This local (close to us) pastry shop is really good and deserves our first "A" rating! We've been there before, but we just recently went on the weekend to grab a snack.
They have a variety of items to choose, from sandwiches, to pastries, to desserts. We've tried their lunches and sandwiches, which are good, but the pastries and desserts are the best!
You should just go and try it, actually, and see for yourself.
Their pastries are really good for your taste buds, but not really for your wallet! The pic of the chocolate and custard croissant type pastry below was $3.20.
5th Elementt - Rating: D+
We went to dinner with JJ last week to a place called 5th Elementt, an Indian fusion style restaurant. There was a deal at the time, which is still probably still on, for a "2 for 1" three course meal for $29.99, so pretty much $15 for a three course meal. We thought what the hell, for $15, what can go wrong. JJ has been there before, and they enjoyed it (although they went to the previous location before it closed down and relocated under new management).
Devika and I got there first and we got a seat beside the window. We noticed the Food Safety Inspection Notice on the window had a check mark beside the middle option, which was "Conditional Pass". I just looked this up, and had I knew this before, I don't think I would go:
Conditional pass: food safety inspection notice will be issued when one or more significant infractions are observed under the Food Premises Regulation during an inspection.
Significant (S) Infractions: Infractions that present a potential health hazard. They must be corrected immediately and a re-inspection to check for compliance will be conducted within 24 to 48 hours. Legal action may be taken should these infractions remain outstanding. Under exceptional circumstances a re-inspection to check for compliance may be extended beyond 48 hours. Significant infractions concern food handling, preparation, storage and/or service.
Considering they had only the "conditional pass", it alarmed us. We then went ahead and ordered some alcohol to kill whatever germs we'll be consuming.
Bombay Calamari Fritters with Tzatziki and Tender greens, Vegetable Samosa Melt with Mozzarella cheese, Basil tomato Sauce
Mains:
Tandoori Chicken Supreme with creamy butter chicken Sauce, basmati pilaf rice...braised Lamb Shank with Garam masala infused tomato lamb sauce, Basmati pilaf rice...AAA Goan Porter Steak 8 oz with Vindaloo sauce, fries
Dessert:
Crepe Stuffed with Melon and Passion Fruit Sorbet, Pistachio Kulfi with Rose Gulkand, Blueberry Cheese Tart
Overall, it wasn't all that bad. It was $15 for the three courses. We checked the normal prices, and if we were to have the three courses a la carte, then it would've cost around $25-30. We gave it a rating of D because of the price of the regular menu, and also because of the conditional pass for the health rating. For the regular price of the food, I wouldn't go back.
Elmwood Spa Restaurant - Rating: F
We had a prix fixe lunch at Elmwood Spa's restaurant (not to be confused with Bangkok Garden that's beside it). For one of the top 5 spas in Toronto, you would expect their food would be just the same.
We started off with the appetizer. Devika had a butternut squash soup and I had a tomato and mozzarella salad. The appetizers were good, nothing spectacular.
Then came the main. Devika had a Quinoa Risotto; this was good, everything was cooked nicely and surprisingly was a large portion. I had the grilled tiger shrimp. Like always, I start eating the side items first, like the veggies. I was eating them, and kind of smelt some foul smell coming from my plate. I went closer to investigate and realized it was the shrimp; it smelt pretty rotten. Being the optimistic person I am, I decided to taste the shrimp...it tasted like it smelt. Devika and I pondered of returning it because we've never, ever, returned anything, even if we didn't like it. The waitress came by a few seconds later and asked how everything was. I told her the shrimp smelt a little off, and she quickly took it away and brought me something else. When she came back, I told her that I don't normally return things, but this one I had to. She said that it was okay, and she often gets complaints about the shrimp, that she wouldn't have recommended it in the first place, and, the shrimp is frozen!
Dessert was even better! Devika got a Blueberry A La Mode (Fluffy Blueberry Cake with Blueberry Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream)...sounds good, right? That's what we thought too. Little did we know that the cake was probably some store bought Sara Lee pound cake and the blueberry sauce was most likely frozen as well because of how it looked; definitely not fresh blueberries. I got the coconut pecan pie...I won't even describe that one.
SO, don't go there. I'm glad Devika's meal was free, because it was her Birthday, because if the both of us had to pay for our meals, there would be some trouble!
- Dennis.
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