Fried Chinese Radish Cakes

Long time no see! School has been pretty hectic this semester and I really haven't had the time. Also, ever since I've quit my job, I've been trying to hold back on restaurants for the time being. Earlier this evening, I found some daikon radishes that were going soft, so I decided to try making radish cakes, also known as lo bak gao in dim sum speak -- er, I mean, Cantonese. Clearly, I'm not Canto. I loosely followed this recipe.

These are fried, not steamed, which would have taken much longer. They still took about two hours to make. A lot of that time was spent grating daikon and carrots. Good for that grip and forearm strength, to be sure. They turned out gooey, not firm, but I really liked them!

He went nuts with the paper wads you get from new shoes and purses

Bear, Post Haircut and Harassed

Dogs on Vacation and Meeting Jeffery

Southern Brunch at Old Port: Le Gros Jambon

A couple of nights ago, I experienced a suddenly frenzy for mac & cheese, in the middle of the night. To my despair, there was not even a box of Kraft Dinner in the house. That night, I went to bed thinking about elbow macaroni drowned in a creamy, cheesy sauce... Mmm. A couple of days later, my craving still had not yet subsided. It soon turned into a good thing, when M and I sought out a famous southern diner in the Old Port: Le Gros Jambon.

Don't be fooled by the name, I saw no large hams for sale anywhere. There were, however, lots of old-school memorabilia such as framed newspaper and magazine clippings, licence plates, and the such all over the restaurant. 

The dining area consisted solely of bar tables: one along the wall, and one along the... well, bar. It seems tiny, but it wasn't crowded nor empty. Patrons sat where they pleased, but there was enough spacing between each person or couple to make everyone comfortable. It's the kind of restaurant you don't want to bring more than two people to -- there just might not be enough room. 

The menu was short and sweet, consisting of two pages. One side featured hearty brunch items, and the other displayed lunch options that sounded just as delectable. It took a little while for the waitress to actually hand out the menus and pour our water, but she seemed flustered by something in the back room, so it's understandable. It bugged me that they served water in plastic glasses, but soon, I heard a crash followed by a shatter, so maybe that's why. 

Naturally, I chose the Macaroni & Cheese ($10). There is an array of items you can choose to put in the lunch dishes, for example, lobster or duck, but I opted for the good old classic mac & cheese, made with four cheeses. Topped with breadcrumbs and crispy cracker bits, this baked dish astounded my taste buds. Elbow and curly macaroni, cooked to a perfect al dente, nestling snugly in a rich and cheesy sauce. My new #1 stress food. Next time I'll add duck to it!

M tried the Chicken and Waffles ($16)! The pieces of chicken were huge, two breasts fried to a lovely golden brown, resting atop a large, thin waffle, then drizzled with maple syrup. The chicken was good quality and had all the skin and fatty bits removed, and was not greasy at all. The only downside was that the batter was not crispy, but it was delicious nonetheless. The waffle was dense and went well with a bite of chicken. This dish also included incredible hash browns. Impossibly soft and creamy, these pillows of potato are made with sage and bits of smoked meat. I'd trek to the Old Port every day for these...

Overall, we had a really good time. We're definitely coming back; there's more than one thing I want to try! I also want to get one of their drinks, they look great on the bar menu and I saw quite a few customers sipping brightly-colored drinks. I can't wait!

286 Notre-Dame Ouest,

Montreal, H2Y 1T6

(514) 508-3872

Bear Gets a Bath

Lele wouldn't leave her alone after. He had his turn soon after. 

First Time Making Wings

So today, I went to the store and bought some chicken wings for dinner. Threw together some sauces and spices, and they turned out great!

I combined Rooster brand chilli garlic sauce and Kraft barbeque sauce, with paprika, chilli flakes, and a touch of cinnamon. After coating the wings, I laid them out on a lined baking sheet and sprinkled them liberally with black pepper and brown sugar. They tasted fantastic! I think next time I will use more of the Rooster sauce and perhaps a squeeze of lime. 

Techie Tables: iBurger

A good restaurant experience is never just about the food. The decor, the atmosphere, and the service all factor into what makes for a fun meal, whether we're talking about up-scale fine dining or a quick bite at the local diner. That being said, a lot of places are bound to try new things that are totally out of the ordinary. iBurger, as the name suggests, is one of those places, going for something of a tech quirk. 

At the intersection of Metcalfe/Cypress, iBurger stands as a sleek restaurant all decked in black at the corner of Dorchester Square (that's the park at Peel, folks). It looks like it's trying to be an iPod. 

And it tries pretty hard, too. Yes, the tables are touchscreen, and you use it to navigate the entire menu, and you can also read the Gazette on it. It either sounds really cool, or really gimmicky, probably a mix of both. To my dismay, it's not exactly a perfect touchscreen, often prompting pokes and prods of all forms to try to get it unstuck from a page. Choosing a meal also takes longer, because you need to go through many pages to see all they have to offer. The pages do offer excellent pictures of each item (although what you get might look nothing like the image shown). The screen can rotate 180ᵒ for the person sitting opposite of you. If you go in a group, your friends also need to use the same screen, and you can finalize the order at the very end. 

Since ordering all takes place on the computer, there isn't a waiter assigned to your table. There is nothing wrong with taking away the server aspect of a restaurant, provided the service doesn't suffer. Unfortunately, it did – it took them more than 20 minutes to provide water. Oh, and while the screen is idle, it goes through advertisements for your viewing pleasure. Distasteful. 

I ordered a glass of sangria, which was okay. It didn't taste as good as it sounded, and definitely wasn't pre-made, but that's not a surprise. 

M chose the spicy beef burger ($15.99), with an addition of caramelized onions ($1.99). The onions were a mistake, as the sweetness didn't mix well with the spicy sauce at all. The burger itself was okay, nothing too impressive but not too bad either. For the price, I wouldn't recommend this ordinary burger. The fries were pretty tasty, and went well with a sauce we got on the side (not the mayo shown on the picture). Note: the sauces come in a tiny container, and they really should be giving more, for the prices of $1.99. 

I felt like I wanted something out of the ordinary, so I went for a favourite food of mine: beef tartare ($22.99). When I received this plate, I did not want to eat it, it looked about as appetizing as, well, a pile of grey meat. The colour really set me off track; it was seriously more grey than pink. When I had a taste though, it wasn't half bad. I would say it is too acidic, which takes away from the rich flavour of the steak, but otherwise it was well spiced. It was served with a crunchy "bun" with fried capers, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it was supposed to go with the burger theme of the restaurant. Along with the crunchy bread and the chips I ordered on the side, it was quite a crispy meal. 

With room for dessert, I couldn't say no to my other favourite food, crème brûlée ($4.95). Despite the high prices on everything else, this was really cheap for a dessert, and really good too. The sugar coating had the most perfect crisp, due to the layer being just a bit thicker than other places. The cream was delicious, and was specked indulgently with vanilla bean, not even mentioned on the menu but deserves a shoutout. Respect. I would get this again. 

All being said, I may come back here. I dislike their main attracting feature, the touchscreens, and most of the food I had didn't wow me. However, some of their items like the lamb burger still look interesting, and that crème brûlée is simply divine. 

1237 Metcalfe,

Montreal, H3B 2V5

(514) 903-5799

http://www.iburger.net/home_en.html

Toronto: Kelsey's

On the second day of Anime North, we went to Kelsey's for dinner. The restaurant was packed with convention goers, and there was a bit of a line-up. Thankfully, there was a small seating area at the reception. Bleary-eyed, we waited for about 10 minutes before a table freed up. Our group had split up earlier during the day, so M and I had a booth all to ourselves! Across the restaurant, we saw six people -- some in cosplay -- squished into the same sized booth. We considered ourselves fortunate.

The service was slow, as expected. However, our waitress was quite cheerful and laid-back despite the fact that it was rush hour.

M couldn't decide between the steak or the burger, so he had the waitress pick. As I predicted, she chose the more expensive dish for him, the Fire-Grilled Steak & Chipotle Shrimp ($21.99). The presentation alone is much more than what I expected from a family restaurant. The portion size is adequate too, you wouldn't be too stuffed to walk after a dish like this. The steak, a 9 oz sirloin cut aged 28 days, was delightful in the sauce. I wouldn't call it chipotle, it is too mild and creamy for that, but it was tasty nonetheless. The shrimps were alright, tender but clearly from the freezer. Can't blame them for that. I was quite pleased with this dish, and stole more than a few bites. 

I tried the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich ($13.69). The description on the menu had me nearly drooling. I've never had a cheese steak sandwich before, but I know I wanted one. Unfortunately, Kelsey's version of the Philly delight left much to be desired. Served on a toasted baguette, the sandwich consists of shaved steak, grilled red peppers and onions, garlic sautéed mushrooms, and a blend of mozzarella and provolone cheese. The steak, however, was cut too thick and tasted too bland. It was like eating pieces of tasteless, stringy matter. The cheese was only on one side of the sandwich, so the first half I ate actually had no cheese. The dipping jus was flavourful, and it was fun to dip the fries into something other than ketchup, but that hardly salvaged the meal. 

Surprisingly, something did save the meal. M felt like he hadn't eaten enough, and I was just unhappy with my food. We had been eyeing the little dessert menu on the table ever since we sat down, and we both felt up to getting a little sweet something to finish off the evening. 

The description of the Maple Apple Pie ($5.99) really called out to me, and ohhhh boy, we did not regret that order in the least. It came as a stout, round cylinder topped with an enormous scoop of vanilla ice cream, the whole thing drizzled with vanilla cream sauce and English toffee sauce, then sprinkled with icing sugar and cinnamon. Wow. The first bite was heaven -- decadent buttery crust that broke easily to the tooth, yielding a cinnamon and apple filling with just a hint of maple. The base of the filling is actually Granny Smith apples, a choice that surprised me on the menu, but tasted just right on the tongue. The tartness balanced the overwhelming sweetness of everything else in the dish, and highlighted the woody tones of baked apple. Delicious. If I ever frequent a Kelsey's again, this will be my dessert for sure. 

Despite my bad sandwich, I do think Kelsey's is a pretty solid restaurant for the convention centre. The staff can handle a busy restaurant, and the food is good. A lot of my friends had the Messy Fish Sandwich and enjoyed it, so I may try that next time. At one point, M went to the bathroom, and came back to declare that it was the most disgusting men's room he'd ever seen in a restaurant, so cleanliness might be an issue to watch out for. If you come in a group, it might be smarter to split up, because you don't want to be crammed into a booth with 5 other people. 

636 Dixon Rd,

Etobicoke, ON

M9W 1J1

(416) 240-6932

http://www.kelseys.ca/home.php

Toronto: Milestones Bar & Grill

Over the weekend, I went to the Anime North convention at Toronto. On Friday, I got up at the ungodly hour of 4:00 AM to get ready and head for the bus that would take me and my friends to the con.  After getting on the bus at 7:00 AM, we slept, ate, and laughed our way through a six-hour ride, until we finally pulled in in front of our hotel. After touring around the convention centre and checking out some costumes, we decided to eat dinner at one of the nice-looking restaurants nearby.

Props to all the restaurants and fast-food joints that suffered through three days of serving hordes after hordes of anime geeks. More often than not, otakus were dressed up in fantastical costumes, with colourful hair and handmade weapon props. Thank you so much for having us all and patiently serving us with delicious food.

So on our first night, we went to Milestones Bar & Grill. As a group of seven, we had to split into two tables, which is really understandable, considering how immensely busy they were. No problem.

Honestly, cons are expensive events, and lots and lots of splurging typically happen. Anime, comics, and TV merchandise are sold by the ton, and artists also sell their independent work, such as prints and posters. With all this great stuff to buy, most geeks don't like to spend too much on food. We were dismayed to see the prices on the menu, with most dishes ranging from $17-$23, and that's not including the steaks. A bit on the high side. No fear, we did find some cheaper alternatives, that is to say, burgers!

The original burger is simple, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle, and comes at a price of $11.99. For an additional dollar, you can add one of three topping combinations -- the Californian, the Four Cheese, and the American. Then you pick your side dish, garden salad or fries, which can also be upgraded to Caesar salad or yam fries for an additional dollar. Yeah. It was a bit much to take in, and it took us a while to figure it out.

The Californian burger ($12.99) looks pretty great. A nice thick patty, topped with avocado salsa, tomato, and double-smoked bacon, served on a sesame and poppy seed bun. The restaurant boasts of its house-made avocado salsa, but I didn't see anything to brag about. It tasted like someone just mashed an avocado with too much lemon juice. The bacon, on the other hand, was full of flavour and very crunchy, adding flair to every bite of the burger. The beef patty was quite the disappointment. The meat was mushy and lacked both flavour and texture, and was generally unpleasant to eat. Perhaps they didn't cook it for long enough. I just tried to focus on the vegetables and the bacon.

The garden salad side definitely fooled me. At first, I thought the green-white slices were avocado. Then, I thought they were green apple. It turns out it was actually peeled cucumbers, silly me. I asked for the dressing on the side, and I am glad I did. The waiter informed me that it was a lemon Chardonnay vinaigrette, and that sounded wonderful and light. In reality, it was very oily and didn't taste of anything. Maybe I should have gotten the Caesar salad.

M tried the Four Cheese burger ($12.99). It's topped with roasted garlic, and a blend of cheddar, mozzarella, goat cheese, and feta. It made for one very tasty burger, and I would recommend this to anyone who wants to frequent this restaurant chain. Even the beef patty was well-cooked and delicious. Maybe mine was just an occasional flop. The curly fries on the side were okay. We found that they lacked that crisp you expect in curly fries, and that it was just like eating regular fries. Nothing spectacular.

Oh, and Y got a Milestones' Original Bellini ($6.99). It is quite pretty and tastes great, the perfect drink for a hot summer night. A refreshing slush of rum, peach liqueur, and white wine, topped with a bit of sangria. I should have gotten one too!

I think dinner here was okay. Since we only tried burgers, I can't be the judge of their other food. If I come to Anime North, I'd be willing to come again and try their other dishes. But I am definitely getting a bellini!

646 Dixon Rd,
Etobicoke, ON 
M9W 1J1
(416) 245-6262
http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com

A New Take on Poutine: New York Fries

Ahh, poutine. You haven't lived in Quebec till you've tried it. Fries, squeaky cheese curds, all covered with a scoop (or several) of scalding hot gravy. I have fond memories of sharing a bowl of poutine and an iced tea with an old friend, after every Saturday class. Unfortunately, times change, and tastes change as well. I haven't craved poutine for a very long time, and usually, the mere thought of that gooey, greasy mess of fries and salt is more than enough to wilt my appetite.

So imagine my surprise when a poutine menu finally piqued my interest, in an American franchise, no less. I've heard all sorts of things about how the USA screws up poutine, mostly shredded cheddar instead of cheese curds horror stories. But hey, New York Fries has always served me well for movie munchies (fries and chicken strips, mm!) at Scotiabank Theatre, and I didn't see a reason not to try a poutine that FINALLY caught my eye.

This branch is in the Fairview shopping centre in Pointe-Claire, among a few other not-so-common fast food joints. As far as I know, this is one of the three full-fledged New York Fries locations in Quebec, although the snackbar branch at Scotiabank is currently undergoing renovations as I type, and may upgrade.

And here's my gem: the braised beef poutine ($5.95 - small). Yep, delicious, tender, Angus slow-cooked with carrots, mushrooms, and onions. The sauce, supposedly made with red wine, though I couldn't taste it, replaces the traditional gravy. The handcut fries were cooked in front of us, and we watched every step of the poutine-making process. The stew was ladled into the small bowl until it was dripping off the sides. Sit down and dig in! The fries were great, the beef even better. The whole thing is pretty salty, more so than your usual poutine, but just enjoy this beefy delight for a moment or two. There's always time for water later.

The butter chicken poutine ($5.95 - small) was just as tasty. They certainly don't skimp on the shredded chicken, and their take on curry is actually pretty great. The sauce paired well with the fries and the cheese. I was able to thoroughly enjoy every single bite, and actually savour the different flavours.

Poutine at New York Fries doesn't overpower you with greasiness, but are actually full of hearty flavours. Maybe I will try the original poutine here too. I actually had a lot of fun eating here, and this will be my go-to munch spot whenever I visit Fairview.

Fairview Mall
6801 Trans-Canada Highway,
Pointe-Claire, H9R 5J2
(514) 426-1151