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

How to Hotpot: Little Sheep

If you've been to Chinatown, chances are you've strolled past Little Sheep. On the corner of De la Gauchetiere and Clark, its green signs are all too noticeable in the sea of red, white, and gold that is our Quartier Chinois. When you're not biting into fresh Hong Kong style buns or slurping up pho, this hotpot hotspot should definitely be an option for a rumbling stomach.

This restaurant is an all-you-can-eat buffet. Lunch is a good deal, but dinner includes seafood such as jumbo shrimp and different varieties of fish. After being seated, we chose our fondue broth. I prefer the regular over spicy, but if you are feeling indecisive, the yin-yang pot is the way to go, as it is half-half.  Both broths are chock-full with Asian spices and mysterious Chinese medicinal herbs. After your pot arrives and the waiter starts up the heater, you're on your own.

The customary thing to do now is to mix your sauce. They have containers full of minced garlic, soy suace, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, coriander, spring onions, etc etc. Everyone likes something different, so don't be afraid to experiment for the first couple of times.

Time to pick your ingredients! There are lots and lots of tasty things up on the shelves, all sorts of vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and meat products. With so many choices, I'll just let you know what my personal favorites are.

It's important to have greens in your hotpot. Most of my friends put in vegetables first in the pot, then wait a long time before eating them. Personally, I like blanching the greens – just grab a bunch, toss it in, poke it so it all gets into the boiling broth, then take it back out and happy munching. To each their own! Another must-have is taro! These take a long time to cook, so don't worry about them much. They When they are ready, they will be soft to poking and almost fall apart. Absolutely delicious. The doughy things next to the taro are also a personal favorite. They will float on the top of your broth until you eat them, but be careful not to burn yourself! They will slowly fill up with soup. Next, quail eggs! The soft-boiled little eggs are delightful, just drop them in and scoop 'em out when you feel its been long time. Again, be careful eating these. The yolks will be piping hot, so bite them in half. 

The staff will start you off with a couple plates of lamb and beef. Lamb is always the more marbled meat, and as the name Little Sheep suggests, the star of the show. Beef isn't too bad either, but is more gristly in nature. If you polish off your protein plates, simply ask for more, it's all-you-can-eat, after all. Don't be shy to pester the waiters. It can get really busy here, and often you'll need to ask many times before getting a new plate of food.

Now you're all set. Oh, did I mention unlimited drinks? Sodas, strawberry juice, orange juice, and sweet soy milk in the container that is empty at the moment. Sweeeet. 

You can eat the civilized way, taking one slice of meat at a time. Or, do it the cool way: dump the whole plate in and gobble up every piece. Just make sure there is no red or pink left on the meat. In case you are wondering, yes, people eat from the same pot. So try to keep track of what you threw in there, or you might end up with too much overcooked food at the bottom! 

Enjoy your meal! This post is pretty extremely late, heh. Hotpot is great for dreary winter weather. I think gloomy rainy days are still a great reason to go though! Just not in the middle of summer, or you may get heatstroke. 

... I kid. Happy munching!

50 Rue de la Gauchetière Ouest
Montréal, QC H2Z 1C1
http://www.littlesheephotpot.com/
(514) 393-0888