Monday 28 January 2013

Kinton Ramen

Flavourful broths, oodles of noodles, melt in your mouth pork...getting hungry yet? Kinton Ramen, located in Baldwin village, is an excellent Japanese ramen restaurant. When arriving at Kinton Ramen it is clear this place has the same owners as Guu; the staff yell hello and goodbye, music is playing, the lighting is perfect and overall ambiance is great.
Drinks to start. My sister had Sapporo Beer and I had Lemonade Sawaa (vodka, lemonade and soda). My drink was very refreshing. Not overly sweet. 
Gyoza. I enjoyed these dumplings.
Orignal Karaage (fried chicken with a tangy mayonaise sauce). This was SO SO good. The chicken was crispy on the outside, yet still very moist on the inside. The dip was a nice pair. I loved this.
Cheese Ramen. (miso broth, swiss cheese, kinton pork, corn, bean sprout and basil). My sister had this ramen; I obviously tried some. We both agreed it was delish.
Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce, kinton pork, seasoned soft boiled egg, bean sprout, scallion, and nori) I also added corn to my soup. I really enjoyed my ramen. I preferred this one to the cheese ramen. The pork belly melted in my mouth and I loved how the egg was runny. All flavours in this bowl worked well together.
mmmmm....I can't wait to go back to Kinton Ramen and try out more from their menu. I enjoyed the food, I enjoyed the attentive/friendly service and I enjoyed the ambiance. What more could ya want from a restaurant. If you haven't checked this place out yet...go! 

Happy Eating!
Kinton Ramen  on Urbanspoon

Wednesday 23 January 2013

Homemade Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I am a huge hummus fan. I eat it often and love how there are lots of variety in flavours to give the original hummus a kick. Since I enjoy hummus so much, I decided I would make my own...roasted red pepper style! This snack is super quick and easy to whip up.
Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas
1/4 cup of olive oil
Quarter cup of roasted red peppers
3 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
(It should be noted that I eyeballed everything while making this hummus. So I am approximating the amounts of each ingredient)
Add the roasted red peppers, garlic, chickpeas to the blender. As you're blending the ingredients  drizzle in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
You are looking for a smooth yet thicker consistency. When you get to this point, it's finished and ready to serve with some chips, crackers or pita bread.
It's THAT easy! If you love hummus like I do, you should really try to make your own. You can substitute the roasted red peppers for any other flavouring you like. Some of my favourites are edamame or roasted garlic. Nutritious AND delicious!

Happy Eating!

Sunday 20 January 2013

New Generation Sushi


New Generation Sushi is a staple for cheap sushi in the Annex. They are open late and have lots of selection on their menu. Here's what I had on my visit:
Miso Soup
Gyoza. These dumplings were stuffed with beef. I'm a sucker for the dipping sauce...so addictive.
Seaweed Salad
Spicy Tuna Roll and BBQ eel Roll. 
Salmon and Avocado roll.

I wasn't overly wowed by the food at New Generation. It was descent sushi but not the best I've had. My favourite's were the salmon roll and the gyoza. Aside from the food, I like how this restaurant is good for late night eats (I came around 1 am) and service was fast and friendly. 

Happy Eating!
New Generation Sushi on Urbanspoon

Thursday 17 January 2013

King Palace

King Palace is a hidden gem tucked away at Church St and Park Rd. This joint serves up Pakistani and Indian cuisine that is seriously delicious.  They have a huge selection of meat and vegetarian options to choose from. 
 Naan Bread 
 Butter Chicken, Paneer Palak, and Chili Chicken. Everything on this plate was fantastic.
Side salad. Im not sure what was in the dressing, but it was great. 
Mango Lassi. This is THE best mango lassi I have ever had. As I'm writing this post, I am wishing I could drink some more of this...right now. So good.

I really loved the food at King Palace. Everything I tried had excellent flavour. I cannot wait to come back and to try more! 

Happy Eating! 
King Palace on Urbanspoon

Monday 14 January 2013

The Saint Tavern

Craving a good brunch? Look no further my friends! The Saint Tavern, located on Ossington at Dundas, does breakfast/brunch right. This is a casual style restaurant, that is usually busy with hungry customers. I came for brunch recently, and really enjoyed the experience.

I am a huge devilled egg fan, so naturally I had to try them here. The eggs were garnished with a piece of radish, chive and bacon. They were yummy. The bacon on top added a nice saltiness.
Corned Beef Hash (with poached eggs, bernaise sauce and toast). I was expecting the hash part of this dish to be a little different. It was chunkier than I expected. However, the flavour of the corned beef, mixed with the fried potato and runny egg worked lovely together. I loved the bernaise sauce. 
'Stuffed French Toast' (with a fruit compote, lemon cream cheese and rice krispy crusting). This was sweet and decadent. The portion size was massive. Very enjoyable.
I will definitely be back to The Saint Tavern. After a nice brunch, I am curious about their dinner menu. I enjoyed my experience here. If you are in the area, check it out!

Happy Eating!
The Saint Tavern on Urbanspoon

Friday 11 January 2013

More from Mother India

I am clearly a big fan of Mother India.  Here's what I had on my last visit!
 Mango Lassi
Banana Lassi. This was very subtle in flavour. Not too sweet. I preferred the Mango Lassi to this one.
Vegetable Pakora. 
 Vegetable Samosa
Chaat Papri. This was a salad type dish with chickpeas, pita crisps and different sauces. It was delish!
Spinach and chickpea roti. 
mmmmmm.....

If you are in the Parkdale area, you should really check out Mother India. It always hits the spot.

Happy Eating!  Mother India on Urbanspoon

Sunday 6 January 2013

Bestellen

Bestellen is a relatively new restaurant opened by former Top Chef Canada finalist Rob Rossi. I have heard great things about this restaurant and decided to come give it a try. From the moment I walked in, I felt comfortable and welcome. The staff were incredibly knowledgable, friendly and attentive. Now..on to the good stuff...
We started with a crisp, cool bottle of white wine (Pinot Grigio)
Selection of house made charcuterie, pickles, mustard and bread. I really enjoyed this platter. The meats were full of flavour. The pickled vegetables and grainy mustard were a nice pair with the meat.
'Nudja and mozzarella Arepa's. These were surprisingly very spicy. The spicy sausage, paired with the fresh mozzarella was a nice balance. 
Lamb meatballs with fried egg in a tomato sauce. Everything in this dish worked beautifully together. The lamb held it's own and was not overpowered by the other flavours. 
Bestellen Burger (with caramelized onions, raclette, house made brioche and frites)
I LOVED this burger. It was perfectly seasoned and the meat was juicy. The caramelized onions added a sweetness which I loved. I loved the fresh made brioche....did I mention I loved this burger?
Ricotta Fritters with rhubarb compote, blood oranges and ricotta creme. All I have to say about this dessert is ... go try it. It was superb. 

I clearly really enjoyed my experience at Bestellen. I would highly reccommend trying this place. From food, to service, to ambiance ...everything was top notch. 

Happy Eating!
Bestellen on Urbanspoon