Chinatown Downtown Dumplings...

Dumpling House Restaurant
328 Spadina Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 596-8898

Last night after a long day at work, Isabella and I went for a quick bite in Chinatown on Spadina Avenue. If you live in Toronto, you know that many of the restaurants in this cluster of the city are not really Chinese anymore, but are run by Vietnamese. Usually on Spadina, I prefer to go for pho, or Vietnamese sandwiches.

The Dumpling House is literally a hole in the wall - very easy to miss if you aren't looking for it - and it is run by mainland Chinese - the owner is from Harbin. It reminds me of a dumpling restaurant I use to frequent when I lived in Beijing, but this place is a little dirtier and more run down. That being said, we didn't expect a high level of cleanliness, just some good comfort food on a cold January night.

The dumplings are made at the front of the store, you can watch the guy roll and wrap them when you are walking by on the street. About three feet behind him, is the stove where they are either fried or boiled. We had one small order of fried beef dumplings (12 in each order), and one order of boiled pork dumplings. They were served almost straight from the pan, and when dipped in a combination of soya sauce and vinegar, they really hit the spot. One small order per person was more than enough - we were starved.

We also had an order of fried bread that was suppose have green onions, but they were sparse. The bread itself was great - it had the right texture and level of flakiness. The spicy tofu (bean curd) was OK, but had too much oil, and a little too much spice to my liking. Stick to the dumplings. Total cost of the meal including tax and tip was $25... a bargain.

Service was surprisingly good - our waitress was really nice - we didn't have to wait for anything. The decor of the restaurant consists of a few rather large pictures of former Prime Minister Paul Martin chowing down on dumplings. Not sure if he is a regular, but if I see him the next time I'm at the Dumpling house, I'll be sure to update this entry.

Iron Chef Susar Makes Good... on Second Try.

Susur
601 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 603-2205

Sometimes it takes more than one visit to get a true impression of a restaurant. This happened to be the case after a recent visit to Susur over the holidays to celebrate my sister’s new job.

Susur Lee, the celebrity chef who appeared on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America (he came out with a tie), has established a reputation for producing high-end food that is both innovative and creative. His less expensive and formal restaurant Lee is next door, which serves tapas-style food that is best shared with friends. During a visit last summer, we found portions a little on the small side, and the atmosphere really loud. The food itself was good – we liked the highly recommended fish, but we didn’t leave completely full.

Our first visit to Susur was average – disappointing after all the hype and recommendations from friends. While the tasting menu was creative and satisfying, the service was rushed, the food wasn’t described by the wait staff very well, and there wasn’t any flow to the meal… it didn’t feel like a special culinary experience. For $120 a person, it is something one should expect.

However, the dinner we enjoyed during the holidays almost two years later, was excellent in terms of both service and food. All of us had the 7 course tasting menu. Susur serves its meals backwards – after the bread and a mini appetizer, the main meat course was brought out followed by less heavy dishes such as salad and soup, etc. I guess if they were true to the backwards philosophy, they would start with dessert first, but no such luck!

My menu for the evening included a pan seared fois gras dish, seafood sampler with a large warm scallop, a fantastic sea bass, soup, and salad. The food was beautifully presented on artistic & modern white china, and the flavours complemented each other in each dish. Dessert was impressive, and consisted of a series of different pastries served on a beautiful multi-tiered tray. Even though we were full, we almost finished them all.

There were only two differing tasting menus served the night we visited– not a huge variety, but I guess only Chinese people seem inclined to share every dish they get! The portions were a good size, and one had enough to share and have more than one bite.

The wines picked by my sister were very good, and the service was incredibly professional and attentive. Our waitress ensured that everything was in its proper place on our table at all times – perhaps a little OCD, but well done nevertheless. She even gave us a tour of the private dining room and the kitchen at the end of the meal.

Susur has two dinner sittings – make sure to take the late one, so that you don’t feel rushed, and increase the probability of getting attentive service. While the cost of Susur prohibits frequent visits, the food is definitely worth it--just make sure that you do everything to position yourself for a good dining experience.

Casual & Quality Italian

Terroni
105 Victoria Street
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 955-0258

Since living in Bologna, Italy for a year in 2000, I have been really picky about eating North American influenced Italian food. However, whenever I have a craving for inexpensive and above average Southern Italian cuisine, we often head to Terroni.

Basically, the menu choices are pasta and pizza. The pastas are always served perfectly al dente – and the wood oven cooked pizzas are large enough for two. All meals are served with bread and extra virgin olive oil. This oil is so good that we bought a bottle to eat at home. For appetizers, try the prosciutto and melon, or the lightly battered calamari. For dessert, make sure to save room for the flourless chocolate cake, which is rich and satisfying. The daily specials are usually quite attractive options.

On the downside, as a result of the good food - the restaurant is often crowded and very loud, and the tables tend to be close together. Be prepared to line up if arriving at peak meal times – timing is everything. Dinner for two runs approximately $60. Usually, Teronis is good place to head for a late supper…

Another suggestion for Italian in the downtown vicinity is One of a Kind on Queen Street, which for years was formerly located on Bloor Street, across from Yorkville. Chinese born chef and owner Raymond still serves a wide variety of affordable, tasty, and generous pastas dishes.

Thirty-Five Elm is located in a building formerly occupied by Il Fornello, and did a good job of hosting our recent office Christmas party. We had a choice of vegetable soup or mixed salad, squash filled ravioli or a oven baked pizza. Dinner was completed with an assortment of small finger like sized pastries, and a choice of coffee or tea. Cost was $28 per person not including tax, tip, or drinks.

Sushi Perfection: Kaji

Sushi Kaji
60 The Queensway
Etobicoke, Ontario
(416) 252-2166

For my birthday this year, Isabella surprised me by making a reservation at Sushi Kaji, located in suburban Toronto (Etobicoke). You wouldn’t think one would find the best sushi in the city here, but our second visit confirms our original suspicion.

This time, we sat at the sushi bar – where we had a great view of Chef Kaji assembling perfect pieces of fatty salmon sashimi. Luckily this time, we didn’t snack ahead of time... because again, we left completely stuffed.

Previously, the omakase menu was a true surprise – one didn’t know what was coming out next. However, this time a menu was provided at the beginning of our experience, so one could pace the meal accordingly.

Isabella ordered the Kaji Dinner Waza ($100) and I had the Kaji Dinner Takumi ($120) – which was perfect because we shared the different dishes on each others menu… more variety!

Our favorites were the pan fried marinated sea eel served with pear sauce, perfectly grilled snow crab, and the assorted pieces of sushi, which kept on coming. The crab meat chawan-mushi was so smooth. Dessert consisted of a green tea ice cream crepe with drizzled chocolate sauce, and I had a beautifully constructed raspberry crème brule.

At the end of the night, Chef Kaji had a Japanese beer with us, and served us extra plates of sushi and sashimi… If looking to celebrate a special occasion with the best Japanese food in Toronto, make a reservation well in advance, sit at the sushi bar, and enjoy a very special culinary experience.

Excellent Seasonal Cusine in... Ottawa?!

John Taylor At domus cafe
87 Murray Street, Byward Market Ottawa, Ontario (613) 241-6007

Previous attempts at finding a decent restaurant in the Ottawa market area (not including bagels) have been a complete failure, and the last time I was in town, I just gave up and just went to the Keg.

However, on a recent visit weekend visit to our nation's capital city, this sad losing streak was broken when we visited the small and trendy At domus cafe, which specializes in the use of fresh regional ingredients. I liked that we could watch the chef and his assistant working in the small and open kitchen at the back of the restaurant, and the service was efficient and professional - but not snobby (we showed up dressed in jeans).

For appetizers, we had two orders of the "Chaud Froid" of Quebec Foie Gras ($20). In terms of both quality and quantity, this dish scored top marks. The hot portion of this duck liver dish was seared perfectly, and served with a fried quails egg. The cold piece was served with house chutneys and reductions, and Melba toast. The contrast and variance within this dish was very original. My sister ordered the Canadian "Taste" Plate ($18), which consisted of a seared Atlantic sea scallop, warm smoked trout, and spicy crab maki roll. It was good, but the scallop was on the small side. The trout was most flavourful, almost melting in my mouth, and the roll was above average.

For the main course, I had the Black Pepper and Smoked Paprika Black Angus Beef Tenderloin. ($38), served with Yukon Mash, and Roasted Portobella Mushroom. Overall, the dish was simple, and fulfilling. It was served as requested, medium rare, and was nicely presented in five, 1/2 inch pieces. The potatoes were creamy, and vegtables were not over cooked, which is a good thing. I ate it all, and would order it again. My sister had the "Crispy" skin slow roasted mariposa farm duck breast ($36) - she was happy, and I had a taste... very tender, and satisfying.

Wine list was extensive, but not over priced... my only regret is that we didn't leave any room for dessert!

Since the ingredients used by the restaurant change regularly, the menu changes as well. At the end of our meal, I asked for a copy of our dinner menu, and our waitress was kind enough to provide one! At domus cafe is worth a visit if you are in Ottawa and looking for a good meal.

A Little Taste of Peru

Boulevard Cafe
161 Harbord St.
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 961-7676

On a cold Thursday evening, Isabella and I made our way to The Boulevard Café , a local family run Peruvian restaurant that we have visited more than a few times.

Brightly decorated in bright and bold colours, the cozy Café offers daily specials that are presented on hand written on board, in addition to the regular menu offerings.

This time, we skipped appetizers (to save room for dessert), and ordered our favorite Aticuchos - Sea Bass on a skewer, served with perfectly deep fried potatoes and a salad. This simple fish dish is deliciously warm and light. Highly recommended if you like fish. We also tried one of the daily specials - a rack of lamb served that was served with baby red potatoes and steamed vegetables. Cooked medium rare, it was full of flavor – as a result of the meat being slightly fatty – a good thing!

The bread served with every meal comes from a local bakery down the street. While it is slightly on the heavy side (we found out it is 80% corn meal) - you can’t just have one piece when it is served warm.

Unfortunately, our highly anticipated homemade pecan pie was on the burnt side. We didn’t eat it, but they didn’t add it to our bill either. Our previous experiences with desserts here have been very positive. The wait staff are always very friendly and attentive.

While they don’t offer guinea pig on their menu (yet), the Café is a great place to go for an affordable and casual dining experience that is not corporate in any way - you walk by the open kitchen if you sit upstairs. It can especially busy in the summer when the large patio is always filled with regulars. Cost of dinner with tip was $60. Make a visit!

East End Bistro - Oh Joy!

Joy Bistro
884 Queen St. East Toronto, Ontario
(416) 465-8855

Dinner at Joy Bistro, a local east end neighborhood restaurant provided a rewarding and satisfying dining experience. This was my second visit in the past 6 months, and we were not disappointed. However, was too cold to sit on the large patio that is set up during the summer months (minus 9 tonight).

Alex and I ordered the prix fixe menu ($35), which consisted of a sweet potato soup, braised berkshire pork with grilled wild scallops, mixed mushrooms, spetzle and wilted spinach, and crème brule for dessert. The soup was served hot, and had a nice consistency with little pieces of sweet potato, but was not too creamy, heavy, or sweet. The presentation of the main course was balanced – as were the different tastes… the pork was sweet, and was balanced by the more neutral spetzle and spinach. The warm grilled scallops were a reasonable size, but were not overly memorable. The crème brule was creamy – once the caramelized sugar top was broken, you could see the specks of fresh vanilla bean without looking too hard.

Isabella ordered the grilled stripped bass. The portion was a little on the small size, and it was accompanied lots of vegetables, which were soft and sweet – not over cooked. Vera had the braised lamb shank, which literally fell off the bone. If you like lamb, this dish is worth trying. Accompanied by a hearty serving of mashed potato, it wasn’t a light meal, but satisfying. She also had the soup of the day - the creamy potato and leek. We shared an order of lightly fried calamari, that were dipped in a garlic aioli.

The décor of this cozy restaurant borders on the romantic; with candles, dimmed lighting, heavy white cloth napkins, and a dominating dark wood bar. The wine list is quite extensive, and the service was very attentive and efficient. We didn’t feel rushed, even though we closed the place down (last table to leave) at 11 pm. Joy Bistro was a pleasure to visit, and we’ll definitely be back for another visit in the near future.