Alirang

Restaurant: Alirang
Location: 134 Nelson Street, Ottawa, ON
Cuisine: Korean
Menu: N/A
Price: $10-15

I think I haven’t had Korean food for about a year, which seems quite strange because I remember times when I use to eat it almost everyday!
A quaint little house in the Byward Market area with a cozy interior. Approaching Christmas time, the walls were laced with lights and decorations. The atmosphere automatically gave me this warm and homey feeling, which was just what I need in this freezing weather.
Although what interested me more was how East Coast Korean Food would differ from the West;).

Complimentary Side Dishes

Obviously we started off with these quintessential side dishes that all Korean Restaurants offer. I actually don’t have a liking for kimchi, but the marinated sweet potatoes were AWESOME! That sweet and salty taste with a slightly crisp and glossy outer texture. Refill please!

Pajeon (Seafood Pancake)

Extremely odd when I saw this because it’s definitely not how they make it in the West. When I think of Seafood Pancake, it’s usually this thick pizza-looking dish stuffed with green onions and loads of seafood; the base is usually make from crispy potato shreds and served on a hot plate. On the contrary, at Alirang, when they say “Pancake”, they really mean “Pancake”.This kind of reminded me of a Green Onion Pancake (Like something you would get from a Taiwanese or Beijing Restaurant), which isn’t bad just not what I expected. Unfortunately, this form of pancake simply didn’t pack much seafood and was quite greasy.

Spicy Korean Rice Cake

The Rice Cake was considerably spicy taking into account my low spiciness tolerance . But I’m just simply addicted to rice cake! I love the chewy texture and glossy exterior. Although, I must admit, I ask most of the fish cake in this dish as well because the sauce was perfection! Yes it was spicy (hence, my constant tea refills), but it had this delightful sweetness lingering around your taste buds at the end. I’m definitely a fan:)!

Bulgogi Beef w/ Glass Noodles

It’s all about the soup! The onions in the mixture added this amazing sweetness to the broth, I could drink the whole bowl in one gulp (if only it wasn’t so hot )! A colorful collection of ingredients; it reminded me of JapChae (Stir-fried Glass Noodles) in Soup. Packed with green onions, mushrooms, carrots, beef, and more, it keep my taste buds interested. But, to be honest, I’m just a sucker for glass noodles! I love that chewy, slippery texture and how it’s so light when you digest it (leaves room for more dishes to try!).

Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup)

Clearly something you can’t miss out on when you visit a Korean restaurant. The pork was simply fall-off-the-bone tender and really soaked up with flavor of the soup. Although the broth was too spicy, I wasn’t very impressed by the flavor. It seemed to be lacking an extra kick. Maybe because I was hoping for an underlying sweetness to give me some contrast to the savory meat. I’d say it was decent, but you could easily find better elsewhere.

Alirang

 In Ottawa, this may be one of the go-to places for Korean food, but I think if you want a good bowl of Gam Ja Tang, you should venture a few hours to Toronto. Although, since I’m preparing to depart from Ottawa, I’m glad I had a chance to dine a little bit more:). 

The Cheshire Cat Pub

Restaurant: The Cheshire Cat Pub
Location: 2193 Richardson Side Road, Ottawa, ON
Cuisine: International/ Pub
Menu: http://www.cheshirecatpub.com/menus.html
Price: $10-15

Out with my team for my going-away lunch, I chose The Cheshire Cat Pub. Living in Ottawa for about a year you’d think that I’d be bored of pub fare. Yet I’ve gained quite an addiction to that chill pub vibe and overly starchy plates of food.
But a bit of a change from the pubs with cheap wings nights and crowds of sports fans, this traditional English pub serves up both quantity and quality. I’ve actually wanted to pay Cheshire Cat a visit for awhile since it’s been praised about so much in the Kanata area. Located not too far from my work, I was destined to come here for my last work-lunch outing.
To be honest, when we pulled up into the gravel parking lot I didn’t know what to expect. But I was excited walking up to a small stonewalled house. I always find that houses renovated into houses to have this homey and nostalgic vibe. The red telephone booth outside was a bit cliche, but I thought it was a charming welcome to the pub:).
The inside of the pub was somewhat cramped, but I think that allowed for a cosy and upbeat atmosphere when crowds fill in during the rush. For a table of 10 we were seated upstairs; promptly greeted with menus, my stomach was growling!

Chicken Pot Pie w/Fries

I don’t think I’ve had chicken pot pie since I was a kid when my dad use to pack lunch for me. Digging into this freshly baked pie, I personally felt a bit of nostalgia. The golden pastry on top was crispy, flaky, and buttery against the lips.  Apart from slightly burnt edges, the pie crust was the highlight for me:). I enjoyed the filling as well, a thick and hearty center to the pie. There was a generous portion of chicken pieces, which were extremely tender and practically enveloped in the sauce. It’s just the ideal dish to fill your stomach on a cold Winter’s day.
The fries and vegetables were average, nothing special. Although a good gravy makes everything taste a little more extraordinary;).

Bangers & Mash

A plate packed with Farmer-style sausages, fried onions, marinated grilled tomatoes, mashed potatoes, and sauteed vegetables. The element of this dish that interested me most was clearly the sausages, which were moist and juicy along with a firm texture. Perfectly seasoned and paired well with a drizzle of gravy.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the “Mash” portion of the “Bangers & Mash”. I thought the mash potatoes were dry and there seemed to be a lack of butter. It was just not very appealing to my tastes buds as the flavor fell flat and the texture was quite clumpy. I’m sure with ” a lot” of gravy, it would have helped, but I would have liked to enjoy the simple taste of a rich mash.
I wonder if you can order a plate of just the Farmer-style sausage? Delish!

The Cheshire Cat Pub

I’d say this was a great place for a team-lunch, but Cheshire Cat is really a great place for any meal. It kind of feels like eating at home:). I think the relaxed atmosphere and hearty pub bites really makes you feel warm even in the during the harsh Ottawa Winter time:). Definitely drop by if you’re in the neighborhood! 

Although this was not the first time I’ve dined at Bin 790, I was excited to explore the tastes of their Happy Hour Menu. It was last-call for Happy Hour and we made it just in time for the deals. Everything on the Happy Hour menu was $4, even drinks!
The atmosphere and decor has a very posh vibe, but it’s a great setting for after-work drinks with co-workers. I could assume that since there was a rush, that service would be lacking. However, for a small bistro I expected better service even during busy hours. I really enjoyed my first visit, but during Happy Hour it was almost impossible to get any service.
What ruined the experience was really the attitude of our service. My co-worker invited a friend and we needed one extra chair, but they wouldn’t allow us to grab an extra chair from an empty table because they said it was reserved (it had been empty for awhile). I don’t know what was worse; the fact that they didn’t take initiative to solve the problem by getting a chair from tables with extra chairs (we did that ourselves) or that the so-called “reserved table” remained empty the whole time we were there! Food is always the star, but service can really make or break the experience.

White & Red Sangria

My co-worker and I went on an ordering frenzy while waiting for the others to arrive. But what really seems to make time pass by faster are drinks:). Started off with two glasses of Sangria. Quite disappointed because the White Sangria tasted like lemon water; the flavor was flat and unappealing. The Red Sangria was a bit better, still seemed to be a bit “watered-down”, but it had a fruitier aroma.

Marinated Mushrooms (Cold)

As recommended by our waitress, we ordered the Marinated Mushrooms, which was unexpectedly a cold dish. I enjoyed the firm bouncy texture of the mushrooms. The marinade was quite acidic; it had a bold vinegary flavor. Nevertheless, it was a refreshing start to the list of appetizers I ordered.

Sweet Potato Fries

Clearly nothing out of the ordinary, but I really can’t resist sweet potato fries. Just a sweet and crispy piece of heaven. We ordered two of these! I’ve had better sweet potato fries elsewhere, but these, nonetheless, satisfied my taste buds. With a dip into the creamy aioli, that sweet and savory mix of flavor was perfection (especially with a drink in hand;)).

Bravas Mussels

This was the dish I was looking forward to; the mussels! The sauce had a bold tomato flavor, but I didn’t get any kick from the chili. As someone who doesn’t eat spicy, I may have been happy, but I think more presence of the chili flavor would have enhanced the flavor. Strange thing is, I liked the chorizo much more than the actual mussels. The chorizo simply absorbed all the flavors of the sauce and every little piece was juicy and savory. Sadly, the mussels were not plump at all and the casual grainy/gritty texture from the shell residue was unpleasant, to say the least. Minus the mussels, the broth would have been perfect with a baguette for dipping;).

Pulled Pork Slider

In terms of value, this was not worth $4:(. I enjoyed it, but for $4 it should have been a lot bigger and better. The sauce that topped the pulled pork was sweet and paired well with the buttery flavor of the buns. I actually really liked the bun because it was like a sweetened dinner roll:). While despite my lack of interest in coleslaw, it added a refreshing crunch and elevated the sweetness of the slider.

Braised Short-Rib Grilled Cheese

Much like the Pulled Pork slider, this was an over-priced “two bites”. A portion of the toast was over-charred rendering a very bitter taste. Somehow the toast managed to be too dry on the edges and extremely greasy on the tops. Maybe this is a hit-or-miss, but the braised meat was quite dry. Also, I’m not sure if this really counts as “grilled cheese” when the cheese was so scarce.

It’s quite questionable whether the Happy Hour Menu has great value. Is it really a deal if you’re charging lower prices but for substantially less portions? I came back to Bin 790 because my initial visit was such a pleasure, but my attempt to take advantage of their Happy Hour specials turned into mixed feelings about the bistro in general.

Asian Legend

Restaurant: Asian Legend 味香村
Location: 4452 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, ON
Cuisine: Chinese/ Shanghainese
Menu: http://www.asianlegend.ca/
Price: $10-15

Intense craving for Shanghainese food! Among the wide range of Chinese delicacies, Shanghainese has to be my favorite! So, I was super excited to visit Asian Legend.
I’ve been consistently impressed by restaurant interiors, but I was hoping the food was as impressive as the decor. The menu was definitely a good start with a lot of variety and pictures:) (I always appreciate pictures because I often blindly order dishes)!
With the fragrant aromas swarming around me, I was quite anxious to try the food.

Spicy Pig Ear

So growing up in a traditional Chinese family, I have a liking for pig ear. Unfortunately my weak tolerance for spiciness did not allow me to enjoy this dish. I thought the pig ear was evenly marinated and had a fresh crunch to it. I only had a few bites, but my tongue was on fire (Milk PLEASE!).

Sesame Stuffed Biscuit Stuffed w/ Sliced Beef

The sliced beef on the inside had a slightly sweet marinade. I’d actually prefer to have eaten the beef on it’s own because the sesame biscuit was too heavy and greasy for my liking. It was flaky on top, but I believe that the grease caused it to become quite dense. Just had one section to save my stomach for the other dishes;).

Xiao Long Bao

Well I certainly couldn’t go to a Shanghainese restaurant without ordering Xiao Long Bao. I thought these were average. The skin of the dumpling was sturdy and thin, which was perfect since I have poor chopstick skills! However, the soup was kind of bland. The meaty filling was tender, but there was definitely a lack of flavor. I feel like the meat is suppose to leverage the flavor of the soup, but in this case was not up to par. In terms of texture, I thought it was good, but overall simply “average”.

Steamed Soup Filled Dumplings with Dried Scallops, Pork & Luffa

I actually ordered these dumplings because I thought the green dumpling skin looked really interesting. But the only thing unique about the skin was the color. In terms of the filling, it might as well have been vegetarian because the general flavor was from the dried scallops and luffa. I just didn’t pick up any rich flavors from the the pork. A bit disappointed.

Traditional Braised "Dong Po" Pork

My favorite Shanghainese dish is “Dong Po” Pork, so even at lunch I had to order this. The fatty layer on top was firm and smooth. This is definitely not a dish you should eat on a daily basis, but I was in a moment of indulgence:). Although I wouldn’t normally eat chunks of fat, this was an exception; it just melted in my mouth! While the leaner meat underneath was tender, juicy, and just absorbed the rich flavors from the sauce. The sauce itself was a bit thin, I would prefer a thicker sauce but the flavor was there. I think the blunder in this dish is probably the broccoli, which I felt was undercooked. However, my main focus was obviously the detectable pieces of meat.

Salty Fish & Chicken Fried Rice

To accompany the “Dong Po” Pork, we ordered a plate of fried rice. Clearly the pork was already extremely rich in flavor so white rice would suffice, but I was craving some salty fish. Salty fish isn’t something that everyone will like, it’s certainly an acquired taste but I love it! Some people may feel it’s too briny for their liking, but mixed into a chicken fried rice the flavor of the salty fish is diluted by the other ingredients. It was definitely still the predominant flavor in the dish as the chicken was bland in comparison.
I felt this fried rice was too dry, but the overall taste was delicious. Personally, when I eat salty fish fried rice I prefer a bold saltiness, so I enjoyed this quite a bit.

As a tourist it’s probably not worth it to come to Asian Legend. But I could see this being a usual place to dine for locals. I mean I waited about 10-15mins (maybe longer?) for a seat, so it’s apparently very popular. The decor and atmosphere is very suitable for families and large groups. Provides comfortable place to dine with a standard quality of Shanghainese food. I certainly wouldn’t mind revisiting if I were the area long-term. 

RAA Uptown Japanese

Restaurant: RAA Uptown Japanese
Location: 4848 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON
Cuisine: Japanese/ Sushi/ Tapas
Menu: http://www.raajapanese.com/
Price: $10-15

It’s no wonder they offered a Teambuy Deal (something like Groupon) for this place. RAA would definitely not be on my foodie radar if it hadn’t been for my friend’s frugal purchase.
The interior was impressive with a lot of detail and fixtures that caught my eye. However, the menu was the complete opposite because it was like looking at an All-You-Can-Eat sushi menu and nothing really excited my senses.

Crispy Calamari

The batter was deep fried to a nice golden crisp. Although there didn’t seem to be any seasoning, with the company of some sauce it was “Acceptable”. I can’t say that I really enjoyed the calamari because I couldn’t taste the squid. I think I enjoy deep fried foods (a little to much at times), so the crisp batter was appealing to me; not too greasy or thick. However, it wasn’t any better than All-You-Can-Eat sushi standard.

Rainbow Roll & Spicy Scallop Roll

Scallops are my favorite as I’ve repeated over and over again (LOL), so I had to order the Spicy Scallop roll despite my sensitivity to spiciness. The scallop:rice ratio was quite balanced, but due to the dominant spicy mayo it seemed that there was a lack of scallops. I really couldn’t enjoy the natural freshness of the scallops because the mayo overpowered the flavors.
The Rainbow roll, I felt, had fresh ingredients but poor presentation. The pieces of sashimi and avocado seemed randomly placed over the roll. Not to mention, the masago was not evenly spread across the roll, but only smeared around the middle. Yes it would taste all the same in your stomach, but it just seemed to be a waste of such a lovely venue when they don’t further the visual appeal in their food.

Dynamite Roll

Although not really different from any other Dynamite roll you’d find at other Japanese restaurants, this was the best of the night. The presentation was more appealing and triggered an interest to my taste buds. You may notice the addition of spicy mayo, but it didn’t affect the roll too much in this case. Unlike the scallop roll, the spicy mayo was not a major component of this roll.
The prawn tempura brought out a flavorful crunch along with other fresh ingredients like the cucumbers. I actually liked the drizzle of spicy mayo here simply because it was unique and added a slight kick to the generic Dynamite roll.

Seafood Yaki Udon

Well this was probably the most disappointing dish of the night. The seafood was clearly some frozen mixture of miniature oysters, squid, and other questionable shellfish. It seemed really sloppy with the randomly cut onions and red/yellow peppers along with a side of red ginger. Unfortunately, I didn’t even enjoy the udon noodles because it was overly salty. I thought this would satisfy my stomach because it’s a more filling dish, but it more or less just upset my taste buds.

RAA Uptown Japanese

Unimpressed. Even with the coupon I’m not completely sure it was worth it to eat here. The service was friendly and efficient, but that didn’t make up for the lack of originality in the menu and borderline satisfactory food. I was clearly fooled by the awesome interior design (I’ll give them that!), but don’t judge a book by the cover!

The Burger Priest

Restaurant: The Burger’s Priest
Location: 1636 Queen Street East,Toronto, ON
Cuisine: American/ Burgers
Menu: http://www.theburgerspriest.com/
Price: $10 or Less

According to rankings (which my friend informed me of), The Burger’s Priest is suppose to be the #1 burger in Toronto. Needless to say I was extremely excited to sink my teeth into a juicy burger.
I think if no one told me about this joint I’d probably never go because it’s quite far from the downtown area. Near the beach, The Burger Priest has really built up a clientele of it’s own. Clearly worth the drive, there were crowds of people outside waiting for their orders (me being one of them!).
Although there is no seating place except for a few stools and a tiny counter, I loved the vibe of the place. It’s just a simple all American burger joint that focuses on serving up burgers. There’s no gimmicks or surprises (even the packaging is just a brown paper bag!), everyone is there for the burger.

Cheeseburger

I thought the burger was quite greasy, but that might have been due to the paper bag packaging. The bun became a bit soggy, which was not pleasing. But the meat was extremely juicy and flavorful. All the ingredients were fresh and although I had all the toppings, the flavor of the meat was not masked. The highlight of this burger was definitely the patty, but is this really the best burger in Toronto?

Double Cheeseburger

The double cheeseburger was of course even better than the single patty cheeseburger. Since the meat was undoubtedly the main attraction, the more meat the better!

Side of Fries

So when I say that the burger is what people come for, I really meant it! The fries were as soggy as the buns. They gave you quite a large portion, but it was too much of something that was clearly unappetizing.  I’d suggest you go across the street to Harvey’s for a side of fries!

To be honest, I haven’t been to a lot of burger joints in Toronto so whether The Burger Priest serves up the best burgers in town, I’m not sure. I’d say this obviously was not the best burger I’d “ever” eaten, but it was a solid all American burger. If I was in the neighborhood, I’d certainly revisit but I wouldn’t drive all the way there for a burger (it was good, but not the “Best”).

Greg's Ice Cream

Restaurant: Greg’s Ice Cream
Location: 750 Spadina Avenue,Toronto, ON
Cuisine: Dessert/ Ice Cream
Menu: N/A
Price: $10 or Less

To add to my day at the beach it was only necessary to grab some ice cream to perfect a hot sunny day.
Greg’s is a very small ice cream parlor that you might just pass by because it looks like any other shop along the street. But if you walk in you’ll notice a board listing the daily flavors. Got to love freshly made ice cream:)

Malt Ball Crunch Ice Cream

I couldn’t really taste “malt ball”, it just seemed very chocolaty. Although the texture was extremely smooth and creamy so I did enjoy it. An issue I had with my waffle cone was that the tissue they wrapped it with stuck to the cone. Sadly, I was unable to eat the cone tip, which of course we all know is the BEST PART !

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

Apparently the toasted marshmallow flavor was quite popular. But how can you say no to roasted marshmallows? Quite nostalgic actually, reminds me of camping and elementary school snacks. Although the smartest choice here was the type of cone rather than the flavor. A note for the future, sugar cones are less likely to stick to tissue paper!

Greg's Ice Cream

I love ice cream, but Greg’s doesn’t have any “Wow” factor. It’s not like they served bad ice cream, just nothing exciting beyond the name. I’ve definitely had better ice cream at multiple places in Vancouver. Bella Gelateria is still at the top of my list.

Turbo Lounge

Restaurant: Turbo Lounge
Location: 5310 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON
Cuisine: Korean/ Bar/ Lounge
Menu: http://www.turbolounge.ca/
Price: $10-15

Arriving in Toronto at night, clearly pass dinner time, my friend took me to a bar/lounge in K-town (Korean Town). Completely did not expect the interior to look like a neon-lit Chinese diner (LOL).
The young clientele created an upbeat atmosphere. In terms of food, the menu choices were similar to Chinese diners or Bubble Tea places. The most “Korean” aspect about this lounge was the drink selection; SOJU!

Calpis Soju

What I love about Calpis Soju is that it just tastes like Calpis. The “buzz” feeling hits you gradually because it doesn’t even seem to be alcohol. Definitely a great choice for casual drinking.

Complimentary Appetizers

I’ve never seen a bar give out complimentary appetizers like these. I mean at a lot of Korean restaurants they provide kimchi, marinated beansprouts and etc, but this was quite unusual. The lettuce salad was a generic salad that you might find at an All-You-Can-Eat Japanese Restaurant. Along with extremely dry sliced meat balls (served with ketchup), a small portion of potato salad, and question sashimi (which I believe was tuna?). The appy platter, just seemed to be random scraps of what they might have leftover in the kitchen. I guess for a bar/lounge, it was nice that they even offered complimentary appetizers but certainly did not impress my tastes buds.

Honey Garlic Chicken Wings & Fries

Apart from drinks I ordered some Honey Garlic Chicken Wings and fries to cure my empty stomach. After riding in the car for 4-5 hours to Toronto, I was indeed famished.However, despite the crisp skin and sticky honey glaze on the outside, multiple wings had an unappealing “pink” hue on the inside (due to hunger, I ate around it:(). The fries were lightly seasoned and crispy, but they were obviously just frozen fries so nothing too exciting.

To be honest, if i was looking for good food I wouldn’t come here. But I’d still revisit Turbo because it’s really not about the food. It’s about the drinks and atmosphere. Simply a great place to chat and laugh with a group of friend over shots of Soju:).