Burger's Priest

Date Visited: Lunch on Saturday Jun 27, 2015
Company: Take-out with +Will Ives

+Will, +Alex, +Brian, and I had plans to see Jurassic World on a rainy Saturday afternoon in the Entertainment District before heading to a Birthday BBQ for the evening. After meeting at Scotiabank Theatre and seeing that our showing was sold out already, we decided to grab lunch before catching the next show. Will remembered that a new Burger's Priest had opened up in the area right by the Burrito Boyz/Smoke's Poutinerie building so we headed in that direction. Will and I went over to get burgers while Alex went to get a burrito.
Will and I climbed the steps and entered new and shiny new Burger's Priest location complete with a flashy sign outside. It had ample standing room on brand new hardwood and limited tables around the perimeter of the space. We walked up and took a look at the menu for a bit, I was a bit confused on what The Option and The Priest were. Apparently, The Option is two breaded and deep-fried portabello mushrooms with cheese in the middle. The Priest is The Option + a Cheeseburger which is what I ended up getting with a few more condiments. We found a table to sit at to wait for our burgers to be made... timing was an issue due to our movie so we headed straight back to Burrito Boyz once we got our orders. Surprisingly, Alex hadn't gotten his burrito yet... I thought ours would take longer but it must have took about 10 minutes (seemed forever!).

I unwrapped my burger to see a monstrosity of a thing to eat, I was dumbfounded on how to even begin the first bite! Nonetheless, I went for it, and it was amazing... cheese oozed out of The Option like lava... what a sight. Bite after bite, more cheese kept on coming out of no where, it was heavenly for me. I was very impressed on how contained and structurally sound the option was, hardly messy! The cheeseburger part was simple but also delicious, it was incredible how great these two paired up together. We shared some fries from Will's combo and they were pretty good too. Very standard but I enjoyed the size and soft texture, not so much on the crispy side.

I think everyone should try Burger's Priest, it's definitely worth the $10 you spend on the burger. I can't imagine coming here very often unless I wanted to become obese so prepare yourself for it!

Food: 4.5/5 - Wish I didn't have to eat it in a rush so I could savoir each bite!
Decor: 3/5 - Very clean and fresh, not much decor going on yet though.
Service: 3/5 - Wait time was pretty standard.
Willingness to go back: 2.5/5 - Worth bringing noobies to try it but I wouldn't regular the spot!
Overall: 3.5/5

Website: http://www.theburgerspriest.com/

Johnny's Eatery

Date Visited: Brunch on Sunday Apr 5, 2015
Company: +Will

On Easter Sunday, Will stayed over the night before and we planned to have breakfast in the morning before he left back to Toronto. I heard about Johnny's from a co-worker who told me it's a very popular breakfast spot in Oshawa with 2 locations. We called ahead just to make sure it was open and they were! We drove down to their newer King St. location which is in a large plaza. The place was pretty large with lots of seating and sections. The crowd was a bit older but there were also lots of families with large groups. We were seated immediately (I think by Johnny?) in a room beside a large TV playing sports. 


We took a glance at the menu and we decided to share a sweet and a savoury dish. +Will ordered the Waffles with Fruit and I got the Reuben Sandwich with Fries. Our waitress wasn't the nicest or fastest but she did her job. I noticed there was a very friendly atmosphere in the air, everyone seemed to know everyone and the workers too. My sandwich came out extremely fast! Will still had to wait a bit for his, which was just coming out of the iron. 

The sandwich looked really good, it had lots of layers of corned beef with some sauerkraut on the top. There was some plain mustard on the side for dipping. My only complaint would be that the bread was extremely buttery and not fun to hold. Maybe if they toasted it a bit more then it wouldn't have been as wet? The fries were plain but crisp and almost perfect looking with a golden colour. This is usually not something I'd order normally but wanted to switch it up and I'm glad I did, very reasonably priced also!

Will wanted the waffles and we also asked for it to be topped with some fruit and whipped cream. I was very impressed with what we received. The fruit was fresh and there were tons of it. The waffle was thick and fluffy but not very crispy on the outside. Will and I finished half our dishes and switched so by that time the waffle was pretty moist, but made the syrup easier to soak up! Delicious waffle and even better pairing of the two dishes by Will and I if I do say so myself :)

Food: 3.5/5 - Nice assortment of classics at fair prices. 
Decor: 2/5 - Very old feeling to it, nice amount of space but not very appealing to the eyes.
Service: 3.5/5 - We were in and out so quickly! Waitress was just ok.
Willingness to go back: 3/5 - Good spot for a quick breakfast but I can imagine how busy it gets with all its regulars.
Overall: 3/5

Website: n/a

The Bent Elbow

Date Visited: Dinner on Saturday Feb 7, 2015
Company: Kitchener reunion with +Krystal

During a trip down to Kitchener for a birthday party, +Will and I met up with +Krystal prior to the festivities for a catch-up dinner. We were staying at a hotel in the city so after looking up some places nearby for food, we came up with the Bent Elbow. Luckily, Krystal had been there before and said the place was awesome! We walked down the street from our hotel and got a table for 4 to wait for Krystal's arrival. The place was a good size with a comfortable number of tables, most of which were already full. Our waitress introduced us to their beer bible which listed their draught and bottle selection, one on each page. When Krystal arrived, we all ordered a beer to start... it took a while to look since there was quite the selection. And because their taps are always rotating, the first one I picked was already out. I ended up getting the Wellington Chocolate Stout recommended to me by the waitress and I enjoyed it a lot.

For the menu, they have different specials everyday and everything is made in-house according to the waitress. We decided to all share a Chili Poutine to start (one of their specials) and we were told we made a good decision. The portion was hefty when we saw it and just looked incredible in general. The chili was deliciously meaty and a great pairing for the thick cut fries. There was also cheese in between the fries and layer of chili which melted nicely with the heat. It was a good size to share but got us a bit too full prior to our main meals arriving.

For my main, I got the Grilled Cheese of the Day, Brie, Apple and Ham (? from what I remember) with a Mediterranean Salad. The flavour of the grilled cheese was great, loved the sweetness from the apple. My only complaint was that the bread was a bit hard, near the end I was just tired of chewing. The salad was also great, lots of colourful ingredients in there that were fresh and not too much dressing. It would have been a better meal if I hadn't stuffed myself from the poutine and beer!

Our waitress was also the sweetest... very helpful and knew how to make conversation rather than making it awkward. It almost had a small town feeling from how friendly she was. I'm impressed that this place has only been around for like 2 years, great low key spot to enjoy some good beer and food with friends!

Food: 4/5 - Extremely fresh, creative rotating menu, and reasonable prices.
Decor: 3/5 - Liked the layout, nothing stood out too much, standard looking bar.
Service: 5/5 - Best service I've gotten.
Willingness to go back: 4.5/5 - I would definitely try to make a trip back if I was in the area!
Overall: 4/5

Website: http://www.thebentelbow.ca/

The Fifth Pubhouse

Date Visited: Dinner on Saturday Jan 24, 2015
Company: Walk-in for 6

The boys were in downtown Toronto for a suit-fitting all day on Saturday so I met up with them for dinner before seeing American Sniper. We were going to the Scotiabank Theatre in the entertainment district and just down the street was the Fifth Gastropub. I had no idea this was the same location where Easy on the Fifth was in the upstairs. The guys arrived around 5:30PM and got a table for 6, it was very empty when I arrived shortly after. The restaurant looked very cozy with wooden furniture and warm lighting.

Their menu offers an interesting and wide selection of dishes to choose from. I opted for the 5th Burger because I didn't think I could go wrong with it. It took a reasonable amount of time for our dishes to arrive, +Stanley ordered the Duck Confit so they warned us it would take a bit longer. The Burger didn't look like it had very much sauce or toppings on it. From the first bite, I could tell it was very lean and wasn't juicy at all. It tasted fine but it was very plain and needed some flavour. I wasn't a fan of the fries either, they were way too hard and overcooked.

Our waitress was fine except that when she asked if we wanted anything else, but she was distracted talking to +Alex and ended up just bringing us our bills even though some of us were craving some dessert. It was a little awkward to bring it up then so we just let it go...

Food: 1.5/5 - The burger was nothing special, very disappointing for a gastopub.
Decor: 2.5/5 - Good atmosphere and ambiance but we were seated at stools with no backs when the restaurant was empty??
Service: 2.5/5 - It was OK but considering the place was empty, nothing outstanding.
Willingness to go back: 2/5 - Wouldn't go out of my way but it does have a nice selection of beer if you're in the area.
Overall: 2/5

Website: http://thefifthpubhouseandcafe.com/

Beerbistro

Date Visited: Dinner on Tuesday Dec 30, 2014

Company: Reservation for 4 turned into a party for 2.

Amidst the holiday buzz, +Stanley tried to plan a get-together dinner, but after a few last-minute cancellations, I was the only one who was able to make it. Either way, we met up at Beerbistro downtown Toronto to grab a nice dinner with some drinks. Staying true to their name, Beerbistro does have a wide range of beers from various parts of the world. Many of them are limited to either bottles or draught but they have a good variety from what you would normally find. I opted for a Weihenstephan, a light and fruity German beer to start off an easy night. 

I had read on some blog that Beerbistro has one of the best 'cheap' steaks in Toronto so I had to try it since I was there. They also had a variety of mussel and pizza options that looked really good too but in the end I got a steak. +Stanley got some mussels and we ordered some fries to start (Stanley forgot I had fries with my steak already). Our waitress took a while to get to us because she wasn't sure if our 2 extra seats were going to be filled or not. After a while we just called her over to take our orders.


From what I recall, it didn't take very long for our appetizer to arrive. The Belgian Frites were described as blanched in beef and duck fat, served with house made mayo and smoked tomato ketchup. I was surprised at the portion size when it arrived, it was served in a large cone napkin with handy condiment holders on either side. The fries were amazing! They were lightly salted and were crisp on the outside but perfectly tender in the middle. The mayo and ketchup were good but hardly even needed as they tasted fine just alone, very addicting.

The New England Style Mussels had beer bacon, leeks, potatoes, smoked cheddar, parsley, shallots, la fin du monde, a touch of cream and came with sourdough bread. The bowl it came in was pretty large, we weren't sure what to expect but it was a hefty amount of food. We did notice that the mussels were pretty small but the overall flavour was good, especially with the bread to dip.

The Steak Fries was a grilled flat iron steak topped with caramelized onion jus and pommery stout aoli. We weren't even done our fries appetizer and I was getting more fries added to my plate! Even with the excess of fries, I could not stop myself from eating them. The steak was cooked a bit more well-done then I would have preferred for medium-well but there was a still a hint of pink there. The onions added some flavour to the otherwise plain steak. It was a good piece of meat but a bit tough and not much seasoning, slightly disappointed in it.

Food: 3.5/5 Could have been beer but still decent food I enjoyed.
Decor: 4/5 - Very classy and interesting layout, not too loud either.
Service: 3.5/5 - Pretty good until it took forever to get our bill.
Willingness to go back: 4/5 - Great spot for a fancy dinner with good ambiance.
Overall: 4/5

Website: http://www.beerbistro.com/ 

Memphis BBQ & Wicked Wings

Date Visited: Lunch on Saturday Dec 20, 2014

Company: Take-out for 8

For our Annual University Secret Santa gift exchange this year, we decided to hold it at +Kelvin's parents new house rather than our typical restaurant only outing. I still needed to find a place for lunch in the Woodbridge area though as a potluck wasn't happening with our group. I happened to find Memphis BBQ which is practically in Kelvin's backyard on a BlogTO list for one of the Best BBQ Restaurants in Toronto, lucky us! We decided to do take-out there since the photos didn't show it was very large and may have been a hassle to find a seating for 7.

When we arrived, the place was very dive-y, located just beside a convenient store with nothing else around. The place was hustling when we entered with the cooks just a few feet away and tons of steam coming from the meat, it smelled heavenly. It was a bit crowded when we were all standing there looking at what to order on their take-out menu, but we just decided to get one of their Party Packs listed on the wall. Split between 8 of us, it came out to be $12 each. There was quite a bit of seating as well in the next week if we really wanted to eat here, it wasn't too busy in the late lunch hours on the Saturday. The Party Pack we ordered came with 3 racks of Ribs, 2 lbs of Wings (Honey Garlic & Spicy BBQ), 2 lbs of Pulled Pork, Beans, Coleslaw, Cornbread and Fries. We waited outside for about 15-20 minutes and they called us in to grab our food to go.

When we arrived back at Kelvin's, we had a table for all the food to be laid out and where we could fill up our plates. It was a bit of chaos at first but we all divided the food evenly and sat down to enjoy the meal together. The main part of the meal was were the Ribs since we had 3 racks and the most leftovers of that. The meat was very tender and fell off the bone with a smoky, sweet flavour. I really wish I could have had some more of that but knew I needed room for the rest! We all had 1 wing of each flavour and I preferred the Spicy BBQ as it had a nice kick to it. The Honey Garlic was a bit plain and bland. The Pulled Pork was also very delicious, full of tangy flavour and easy to eat. Some people complained that they had large chunks of un-pulled pork in theirs though. The Beans and Coleslaw were a nice addition, the beans had a ton of flavour and the coleslaw added some vegetables and acidity to the meaty meal. The Fries were nothing special, as with the Cornbread, it didn't taste like much.

The amount of food was perfect for our group size, we had a bit leftover but everyone was happily full. Memphis BBQ did a great job on their meats and definitely worth a visit here if you're in the area.

Food: 4/5 - Great authentic BBQ!

Decor: 2/5 - Pretty sketchy but roomier than I thought it would be on the inside.

Service: 4/5 - Very friendly and decent wait time for the amount of food.

Willingness to go back: 4/5 - Worth it!

Overall: 3.5/5 

Website: http://www.bigbonebbq.ca/woodbridge/

Symposium Café

Date Visited: Brunch on Saturday Dec 6, 2014 

Company: Walk-in for 6, post-sleepover at +Stanley's

The morning after a sleepover in Markham, we were looking for places in the area to have a nice brunch. After intensive researching on Yelp and Google, we found a Symposium in the area. I've been the the Symposium in Uptown Waterloo before as it's pretty popular for a fancier dessert place in the city but didn't know it was a huge chain. It had been a time long ago (before I was really into food) that I went there for dessert so I was excited to try out their savoury plates. The location was easy to find and in a newer plaza with very little surrounding the area.

For drinks, they had $4 a Bloody Caesar special so I definitely had to order one of those. It was pretty nice with little garnishes, I was very impressed for only $4 from 11AM to 3PM (everyday!).

I wasn't really feeling any of the breakfast specials and decided to order a Chicken Parmesan Sandwich, one of their "Symposium Signature Dishes". Our waiter was quite friendly and helpful, he seemed a little busy with the other tables also but was still attentive to us when we needed something. The wait was a bit long for our food but it wasn't too ridiculous... I think it was worth the wait when all the servers came and brought our dishes from the kitchen, it all smelled amazing.

The piece of breaded chicken was very large with odds and ends sticking out from the little Ciabatta bun. I was hoping for something very saucy and tender and even though I didn't get exactly that, I was not disappointed at all. The flavour from this sandwich was spectacular, the marinara sauce was brilliant, packed with flavour and the mozzarella cheese added texture to the breaded crust of the chicken. The fries came with an aoili that paired well if you still wanted ketchup. The fries were rather standard though. I could only finish half of the sandwich and packed the other half to go so I could enjoy it later. +Will ended up having it as I went to see him after and he hadn't had lunch yet. He also agreed that it tasted 'really good' which is saying something as he usually don't have much of an opinion on food.

Definitely one of the best Parm Sanwiches I've had to date, this is one dish where I would order again and again and worth not trying something new over.

Food: 4/5 - Great food and prices!
Decor: 3/5 - Got a nice window seat and interesting decor.
Service: 3/5 - Nice waiter, just a bit slow.
Willingness to go back: 4.5/5 - Definitely have to try their desserts also.
Overall: 3.5/5 

Website: http://www.symposiumcafe.com/

O&B Canteen

Date Visited: Brunch on Saturday Sept 13, 2014

Company: Walk-in for 6

On the second weekend of TIFF, we somehow decided to go to the O&B Canteen for Saturday brunch. For those of you who don't know, it's a restaurant attached to the TIFF building and also very close to where most of my friends live downtown. +Will and I were the first to arrive and they said it would be a 20 minute wait. We hung out in the TIFF building and found a spot to sit and wait for everyone since we had a beeper which would call us when our table was ready. We waited over our 20 minutes and decided to go back to ask what was up with our table, all they told us it would be ready soon. It was very busy but they didn't seem too concerned that we had been waiting along time already and they weren't giving us anymore information than we had 30 minutes ago. When we were finally seated we got a nice corner table surrounded by their large windows.

I wasn't very impressed with the selection they had for breakfast/brunch, it was a tad limited overpriced. I decided to go for their $17 Canteen Burger with bacon, aged cheddar, pickled jalapeño, herb mayo, and hot house tomato. Our waiter had a bit of attitude but tried his best in getting us all our drinks and orders. I wanted to order an orange juice but it was $5, no way I was going to pay that. I know that it was O&B but I couldn't justify it knowing it would be a small glass. We had some nice conversations while we were waiting for our food and I had to help +Gisele pick a movie to see for TIFF. We left a bit to look at the schedule outside when +Rosemarie texted us that our food was there!

I was impressed with the look of my burger, the portion size was better than I had expected and the herb mayo sauce smelled awesome. The burger was very lean and less juicy than I would have liked but all the toppings were delicious together. It was better than the average burger and very meaty, the herb mayo was awesome (I want that recipe!). The fries were also great, lightly salted and crispy. There was a lot of mixed reviews of everyone's dishes at the table. They all seemed pretty good although the Gnocci portion looked a little small for +Will although +Gisele claims that she ordered it last week and couldn't finish it.

Food: 3/5 - My burger was pretty good but had higher expectations for the menu.

Decor: 3.5/5 - Loved all the natural lighting and modern decor, the isles are a bit small though and you have to go upstairs the TIFF building for the bathroom.

Service: 1.5/5 - Not vey impressed, a bit snooty.

Willingness to return: 2/5 - I would return if it was suggested but I can't think of a good occasion where I would to suggest going there again, neither the food or prices were enticing enough.

Overall: 2.5/5

Website: http://oliverbonacini.com/Canteen.aspx 

Shipwreck Lee's

Date Visited: Lunch on Sunday Aug 31, 2014
Company: +Will

Will and I went to Tobermory for the Civic long weekend and enjoyed an adventurous few days in the quaint and beautiful town. Tobermory is actually quite small and all the main restaurants and shops are in a central location which made finding places to eat pretty easy. We knew we had to try their local White fish while in town and the most visible spot for fish and chips was Shipwreck Lee's. It has a huge outdoor patio with an AYCE Fish and Chips sign so it's really hard to miss while entering the harbour area.

We went to the entrance and saw a few spots opened so we seated ourselves, the pirate dressed waiters were quick to notice and brought us menus and waters. This would be great on a sunny day but unfortunately it was a cloudy weekend so the patio was a bit chilly. As we were looking at the menu, our waiter explained to us that their special was the Georgian Bay White Fish & Chips which is fresh and right from the waters here. The AYCE is Alaskan White Fish which is frozen. We both ordered the 1 piece which was $12.95.

As we were waiting we smelled other orders of chicken and ribs which made us even hungrier, and the portions were very large. We also enjoyed seeing tourists being entertained by the pirate waiters, doing little tricks and posing for photos. Even though it's a pretty tacky spot, the waiters play into their parts and have a fun time doing. It's a good spot for families as they have a kids menu and they would enjoy the show the waiters put on. They're also pretty quick with turning customers over as I assume they get really busy. Our wait wasn't very long and we both got our plates with a packet of tartar sauce on the side.

Cutting into the fish, it broke through easily and unveiled a juicy white filet. The fish was very tender and soft, it melts in your mouth. It doesn't have a very 'fishy' flavour, I think anyone would enjoy this. I was also very impressed on the lack of greasiness the fish had, it didn't soak my fries with more oil. The fries were okay, pretty average but perfect portion size because I was left very satisfied.

Food: 4/5 - Great fish and chips, would recommend to everyone!
Decor: 3.5/5 - Tacky but fun at the same time, great for the summer.
Service: 4/5 - Super quick and the waiters are very knowledgeable.
Willingness to go back: 4/5 - Definitely would return if I was in Tobermory.
Overall: 4/5

Website: none

Toasters Family Diner

Date Visited: Dinner on Friday Jul 8, 2014
Company: Walk-in for 5

You would think that it was pretty random that we ended up in a small diner in Cambridge one Friday night road tripping up to the Pinery, but it happened to be one thing we could all agree on during the car ride up. We left Toronto around 3:30PM heading to Grand Bend for the weekend and +Stephen remembered the old diner that he used to go to during his co-op term there. We didn't know the name but did some Googling of diners and did locate it... seemed like a pretty legit place to check out. It was really close off the highway in a small strip mall with a huge, plain, black and white 'Family Diner' sign outside. 

The restaurant was a decent size and had a very welcoming atmosphere. It looked like your typical family-run diner and it wasn't too busy so we could eat quickly and get back on the road. They had a good variety on their menu with even more daily specials on the chalk board at the front. We had a nice lady bring us some waters and tell us about the specials. The prices were pretty cheap and we were told that the portions were large also. 

I decided to go for a Triple Decker Chicken Club Sandwich with Fries, our table actually all got a nice variety of dishes... Philly Cheesesteak, Breakfast, Burger... all the options looked good! Our wait wasn't very long for food luckily, mine came out first and it looked amazing! Lots of colour on the plate and just a huge portion of food. The sandwich was crafted perfectly with even ingredients on each corner. The grilled chicken was juicy and tender, but the bacon was a tad soft and not as crispy as I would have preferred. Everything else about the sandwich was great though, it really held together during the eating. The fries were pretty standard but had the perfect golden colour, cooked in fresh oil probably. The coleslaw was also the kind I really enjoy, just simple cabbage but sour and tangy. 

All our meals filled us right up and got us ready to hit the road again. They had those 25 cent candy machines at the entrance also that we had to get some of :), a nice throwback.

Food: 4/5 - Cheap and delicious.
Decor: 2/5 - Kind of a boring for a diner but nothing more than they need I guess.
Service: 3.5/5 - Pretty quick and our waitress was very sweet.
Willingness to go back: 4/5 - Like +Stephen, I would definitely recommend this if I was in the city, lots of things to try on the menu.
Overall: 3.5/5

Website: none

Frankie's Bar & Cafe

Date Visited: Dinner on Saturday May 24, 2014
Company: Triple dinner date before seeing RENT at Lower Ossington Theatre

A group of 6 of us had tickets to see RENT in the Queen/Ossington area at 8PM and decided to meet up before hand to grab some dinner in the area. The theatre wasn't really in an area which we went to often so there were tons of new unfamiliar places to check out. We had originally planned to go to County General but it would have been a 2 hour wait, the place was very tiny! Closer to the intersection of the theatre, we saw Frankie's with a sign that claimed 'World's Best Burgers'. It didn't seem to be very full so we were seated immediately and got a large table in the back corner. 

We waited for the rest of the group to arrive while the waitress served us some waters. The place has a diner vibe but pretty modern decor. There aren't very many tables either but a few stools on the counter. They have a variety of beer on tap and seems like a decent not busy place to grab a drink. The waitress we had was very friendly but I spilled some of my water and asked for some napkins and she just wiped it away. There was so water on my pants I wanted to dry up but it wasn't much so I didn't ask again.

Their menu mostly focused on their Signature Burgers and had many different choices. I was debating between the Smokin' Hot Honey and the Aristotle Burger (like a Greek Burger) and I think I would have been happy with either as both were ordered at our table and looked great. I went for the Smokin' Hot Honey with Fries in the end. The burger had Jalapeno Havarti, Jalapenos, crunchy onions, bacon, letture, tomatoes, and smoked mayo. I actually didn't know that it had bacon as I usually never order burgers with bacon but it wasn't too overpowering. I also had to pick some of the Jalapenos off, a little too spicy for me but it was great once I did that. Their signature burgers are really well put together and creative. The patty very juicy and held really nicely together. The fries were pretty good but nothing too spectacular or memorable. Good place for a reasonably priced burger to fill you up!

They also had some board games behind the counter that you can play! We played some Connect Four to pass the time and didn't even notice how much time was passing by during our wait for food. 

Food: 3/5 - Not the best burgers ever but fresh ingredients, appealing meal, and reasonably priced.
Decor: 2/5 - Quite plain and not that much stands out.
Service: 2/5 - Nothing outstanding, she did her job.
Willingness to go back: 3.5/5 - If I was in the area I would definitely go again.
Overall: 2.5/5

Website: none

Cali Eats: James' Beach

Date Visited: Dinner on Wednesday Apr 16, 2014
Company: +Stuart, +Alex, & +Laura 

During our day in Santa Monica/Venice Beach on our California road trip last month, +Laura wanted to check out the fish taco place from the movie I Love You Man. We had quite the walk from the Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach but was finally able to find it after asking for some directions from locals without knowing the restaurant name. It was very empty when we got there even though it was dinner time. They have a sheltered patio with heat lamps and another indoor section about the same size with a large bar centralized in between, catering to both sides.
We were seated on the patio, but it was still chilly enough outside that the heaters had to be turned on. I'm surprised how many restaurants in California do this as it seems so counterproductive to me, but I guess locals like to enjoy their outdoors. Our waiter was very friendly and started us off with a plate of raw veggies and dip. The veggies we got included snap peas, radish, and jicama which were very refreshing and a light starter while we waited. We also had a fun time trying to think of the name of the white vegetable we were eating, which we ended up asking the waiter who also forgot and had to ask and let us know it was Jicama! He also offered us a second plate while we were waiting. 

For drinks, we all split a pitcher of White Jose's Sangria at $33. The pitcher was more like a large mug or stein and filled about the four of our glasses evenly, it was topped with some cherries and orange slices. It was a refreshing drink with the slight taste of alcohol, not overpowering, and not too sweet either. 

So for our main dishes, everyone got their famous Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos but I wanted to try something different on their menu as I wasn't really feeling tacos. They all thought I was nuts as we came to this place specifically for the 'best fish tacos in Venice Beach' (according to I Love You Man). I instead, got their Turkey Burger, which made me the center of some teasing for the remainder of the meal. I must admit though, when their Tacos came, it looked incredibly delicious. It wasn't prepped for them and had all the sides on the plate with a whole piece of mahi mahi ready for them to create themselves, I loved that. The Turkey Burger however, wasn't a bad decision, but it probably wasn't the best turkey burger Venice beach had to offer. The patty was constructed nicely but I was expecting a thicker smaller burger which looked more home-made, and the flavour was average. The fries however were extremely delicious and so crisp. It was a pretty plain meal for me. Do I regret not getting the Fish Tacos? Probably... but I can't reaallly answer that until I try them.

Food: 2/5 - OK turkey burger, very fresh ingredients in all their dishes though.
Decor: 3.5/5 - Nice atmosphere, a bit classier but still relaxed environment. Got a bit busier by the time we were leaving.
Service: 4/5 - Great service, very friendly waiter.
Willingness to go back: 4/5 - Yes for sure I would try their Fish Tacos next time I was in Venice Beach :)
Overall: 3.5/5
Website: http://www.jamesbeach.com/

Bier Markt

Date Visited: Dinner on Friday Mar 13, 2014
Company: Reunion Dins for +Stanley

As a last minute dinner plan to get together for +Stanley's visit home for his birthday weekend, he made a reservation for 6 at the Bier Markt on the Esplanade. I've always loved the Bier Markt for Friday/Saturday nights out as they have a great selection of beers and fun live entertainment to dance to. With their lunch/dinner menus however, I never really knew what to order as their selection is very limited. They don't serve your typical bar food... it has more of a German/seafood theme than anything and a bit pricier also. But despite my reluctance, it was another fun opportunity to do a blog post with my friends around giving their critiques (and not being embarrassed by me taking pics!).

We all met outside the restaurant on a warmer than usual Winter night on the lovely Esplanade. We had made a reservation for 6 but knew we were expecting 3 more later on. When we told the hostess, she said she'd see what she can do as they had many reservations that night but we were in a small secluded area in the back so it might be easier to add tables. The place was already very lively with people standing around and drinking already. The restaurant is very dim which sucked for taking pictures because I had to use the dreaded flash. 

We all ordered drinks and I decided to get one of their Beer Cocktails, the Peach Cider Bellini which had Blackthorn Cider, house-made ginger syrup, Ciroc Peach-infused vodka, fresh lime juice, and a dash of peach bitters. It was a nice mix of sweet and bitter, the ginger flavour was very prominent but didn't overpower the sweet cider. 

For my main dish, I decided to get the Merchant Burger which was the only burger on the menu for $25. It came on a large circle platter with the burger, fries, and 3 types of sauces. As +Brian pointed out, we didn't get very many fries. I could have definitely had more as they were very delicious, all soft (no crunchies!) and lightly salted. The patty of the burger was pretty big and grilled perfectly on the outside. The inside was nice and red, but not bloody. The patty tasted amazing, so juicy and tender, and still held together well. The bottom bun was drenched in oils from the meat though which made it very messy. It kind of reminded me of the Stn Burger from Richmond Station (my favourite burger of all time) with the quality of the beef, but that burger was actually drenched in sauces, not the oils like this one. 

Our waitress was very sweet and friendly, when our other friends came we were able to pull up another table to accommodate them. There was a bit of fuss as there were empty tables all around us and we need to rearrange them but in the end it worked out. It was weird being so close to where the dance floor usually is as you feel like it's already late and you're out for the night already when actually we were just grabbing dinner. Everyone else there seemed to be pre-gaming to stay the whole night. It's a pretty classy bar though that seems to cater to the yuppy crowd telling by their menu. I love their bar scene, but not so much an fan of the restaurant side.

Food: 2.5/5 - The best meal I've had from here by far, but there's nothing else on the menu I'd want to try. Overpriced and limited menu.

Decor: 3/5 - It's a pretty big and nice bar/restaurant with a vibrant atmosphere, good for drinking. 

Service: 2.5/5 - Nice waitress, but she definitely took my drink before I was finished with it!

Willingness to go back: 1/5 - I wouldn't go back there for dinner, but it's nice for summer patio drinking/casual lunch with their huge beer selection. (That doesn't include going back for a Fri/Sat night out because you'll see me there for sure!)

Overall: 2/5

Website: http://www.thebiermarkt.com/

The Patty Shack

Date Visited: Dinner on Friday Jan 27, 2014
Company: Dine in with +Will

I first noticed The Patty Shack while going to Buster Rhino's next door. I mentioned it to my sister and she said that her friends love that place and rave about their awesome burgers. I definitely wanted to try it out after I heard that. +Will and I met up there after work on Friday and since there was a Oshawa General's game downtown, parking was a bit difficult to find. I was lucky and happened to turn onto the right street but street parking was quite full otherwise. I went in and waited at an empty table for +Will to arrive. 

The place is kind of odd because there's 2 entrances, and 2 large areas for dining with about 4 tables in each section (lots of open space). One section has the area to order and you would think the whole restaurant is just that part, but there's section another connected also with more seating (and even more open space). Upon first glances, it doesn't feel very clean, lots of tables of crumbs on it and kind of dive-y with cheap table and chairs. They have a few large photos of their famous burgers, wings, and poutines around to help you with ordering.

When +Will arrived we both ordered 6oz(1/3 lb) Burgers and shared a Poutine and Drink. I was very overwhelmed the all the toppings and sauces you could dress your burger with. There were so many options, it was very tough trying to pick what you wanted without over-doing it. I had on mine: Golden Garlic BBQ sauce, sauteed mushrooms, pickles, spicy salsa, guacamole, and caramelized onions. I was so fascinated with all the new types of toppings I could get, I totally forgot to add good 'ol ketchup and mayo. I also got the Whole Wheat Bun instead of Regular. The wait wasn't too long to get our burgers, we were the only ones there at this point. I was surprised how thick the patty actually was, and it was cooked consistently all the way through and not too greasy. The bun held the burger perfectly and I'm glad I didn't pile on the toppings because it wasn't messy at all this way! It was a delicious and well-made burger that was the perfect size for me. I wasn't a big fan of the spicy salsa as it was really overpowering in flavour and also the sauteed mushrooms were cold, but that was all my doing with choosing the toppings. I love that you can get a totally different burger every time.

I also ordered a Regular Poutine but while we were waiting, we changed our minds and wanted to get Pulled Pork. Unfortunately they said that they didn't have Pulled Pork so we got the Patty Poutine which is a regular poutine but with their famous Gardillic sauce on it. It was $1 more and they didn't charge us for it. The Poutine was in a large take-out container and just bathed in gravy and sauce. The Poutine was very addicting, the Gardillic sauce added a whole new element to the flavour and didn't really taste like poutine! The fries were soft (not too crispy) but it was hard to think about the fries with all the sauce on top. The gravy also covered all of the cheese curds so they were all melted, just the way I like it. Perfect for sharing!

Food: 4.5/5 - They know what the people want and how to satisfy our cravings! :D
Decor: 1/5 - Leaves a lot to be desired.
Service: 3.5/5 - Awesome service, helpful, and didn't charge us for our poutine order change :)
Willingness to go back: 4/5 - Would be my top choice for a burger in Oshawa, mostly to try the toppings.
Overall: 3.5/5
Website: http://thepattyshack.ca/

Craft Dog

Date visited: Dinner on Friday Jan 4, 2014

Company: Grabbed food with +Will before seeing Aladdin

+Will and I walk down Church street quite often to get meals and we happened to spot Craft Dog one time while getting lunch at another restaurant. We noted that we had to go back to try their gourmet home-made hot dogs one day. We tried to go there early on a Sunday before but unfortunately they were only opened at noon. Hot dogs are one of +Will's favourite foods so he was pretty keen on returning. We only had an hour or so prior to seeing Aladdin at Ed Mirvish Theatre on Friday night so we thought this was a great chance to finally try Craft Dog nearby for dinner.

This newly opened restaurant has very comical and eye-grabbing signage outside for anyone walking by which is how we first noticed it. Even entering the place, the decor is very bright and similar to a fast food joint. All their order options are hanging on the wall written on hot dog-shaped black boards. There's about 12 different choices in addition to a daily special. Each hot dog has different meats infused into the wiener and an arrangement of different toppings. They ranged from $7-$13 not including a drink or fries. Their 'meal' option gives $1 off the order of a drink and fries which isn't much of a deal. They also have unique, house-made pop flavours instead of the regular ones you get everywhere else and craft beer.

Checking out the menu, there actually wasn't many options I really wanted, either there was a topping I didn't like on it or I didn't want the meat it was made it. I finally decided on the Chicago Shout-Out after debating between that or the Naked Dog but there were so many toppings you could choose from for the Naked Dog, I didn't feel like deciding. The Chicago Shout-Out was made of Beef Chuck and Pork Shoulder topped with Yellowy Mustard, Sweet Pickle Relish, Raw Onion, Tomato, Pepperoncini, and Celery Salt. Will ordered the Philly Cheese Steak Dog made out of Local Beef topped with Sweet Peppers, Onions, Provolone, and House-Made White Cheddar Wiz. We also got Fries and a Drink to share. 

We sat down to wait for our order which they said they would bring over to us. Our fries came first and they said there's home-made condiments we can dress them with. We walked to the counter and indeed they had Smoked Ketchup, Curry Mayo, Petter Mayo and Homemade Mayo. My favourite was the Curry flavoured one but they were all very well made. Their fries were very delicious, lightly salted, and home-made.

So our hot dogs finally came and they looked so huge stuffed with all their toppings! The wieners fit perfectly in their buns and wasn't falling apart. The hard part about eating these were the falling toppings everywhere. The Chicago Shout-Out had a lot going on in terms of flavours, the mustard and onions were very overpowering. I did noticed that the dog was filled with lean meat and didn't taste like regular preserved hot dogs. It was fine quality. The Philly Cheese Steak Dog had a much smaller dog than the other and the didn't have very much flavour not did it taste like Philly cheese steak. There was a lot of cheese on this and I didn't really enjoy the Wiz. Both of the dogs fell short for us in terms of flavour. 

+Will is a huge hot dog fan and he was very disappointed in our meals especially for how much they costed. I appreciated the concept and what the Craft Dog is trying to do for hot dogs here but it wasn't for us. I have to mention that the guys serving us though were extremely friendly and attentive. They filled up our pop when it was done and let us try another one of their funky flavours. The Cola Root Beer and Vanilla Cola were great!

Food: 1/5 - Good quality hot dogs but nothing came together to make it a good meal.

Decor: 3/5 - Very shiny and clean, reminded me of a average fast-food sit in place.

Service: 4/5 - Awesome service, so nice and welcoming. 

Willingness to come back: 1/5 - Unlikely I'd go back, but if I did I'd definitely get a Naked Dog and dress it myself.

Overall: 2/5

Website: http://www.craftdogs.com/ 

Top Notch Fish & Chips

Date Visited: Lunch on Sunday Nov 3, 2013
Company: +Will and +Lilian after attending the Nike Warehouse Sale

After some mad shopping at the Nike warehouse sale in the International Centre Mississauga, +Will, +Lilian, and I started driving around to find somewhere to have lunch. As none of us were familiar with the area, we just decided to stop at the first place we saw. After passing a lot of empty buildings and closed restaurants on Eglington, we finally found something in a large plaza we were wandering. Top Notch Fish & Chips was tucked away in the far corner of this plaza but seemed to be creating some traffic with people coming in and out, not too bad for a Sunday.

The place is a lot bigger on the inside than it seems. When you enter, you immediately come upon the counter to order with the menu right above. To the right is the long counter where the food prep is done and also where the sitting area is with tables along the window. The washrooms are in a hallway to the left and they're extremely roomy! They have a lovely patio in the front also, but it was a little cold for sitting outside. The decor was nice otherwise, they had a modern nautical look going.

The staff were extremely friendly, they brought our food to the table and made sure we had everything we needed. Will & I ordered the 4 Piece Haddock Combo which came with fish, large fries, coleslaw, gravy, & 4 bottles of Coke. The 4 big pieces of Haddock we got looked amazing, they were that perfect golden brown colour when something is deep fried for the right amount of time. It tasted amazing also. The fish melted in your mouth while the outside was crispy. The fresh lemon and home made tartar sauce gave the fish a great flavour, a perfect combination. The large-cut fries were also fresh, you can tell they use clean oil for the deep-frying. Will thought the gravy tasted weird, but I thought it was pretty normal for the type of gravy you get at a small restaurant like this. We also got 2 side plates of coleslaw for Will and I. I love this type of home made coleslaw, the large pieces of cabbage hold and maintain the bold sour flavour throughout, I could eat endless amounts of it. 


+Lilian ordered Steak on a Kaiser and Onion Rings. The kaiser was delicious, the steak was extremely tender and soft. She only topped it with ketchup and tomatoes but it really brought out the meaty flavour. The onion rings were also a nice addition to our already huge meal. The onion was thick with minimal batter but I did find it quite greasy just on the plate with no paper to catch the oil. 

We had 1 piece of haddock, some fries, onion rings, oh and 1 old-fashioned bottle of Coke to bring home that we couldn't finish, so we didn't do too bad. Everything totaled was probably around $40.

It was by-far one of the best fish and chips I've had, they did everything just right. Someone there ordered a Souvlaki dinner that I saw and that looked incredible also, so I don't think you can go wrong with anything there. Awesome joint run by a friendly staff, but most importantly, the food was great.

Food: 4.5/5 - Hefty portions & well-made food. 

Decor: 3.5/5 - Nicely lit and simply decorated.
Service: 4/5 - Friendly and attentive guys.
Willingness to come back: 4.5/5 - If I'm ever in Mississauga again lol.
Overall: 4/5
Website: http://www.topnotchfishandchips.com/

Great Burger Kitchen

Date Visited: Lunch on Saturday Sept 28, 2013
Company: Casual outing for a meal nearby with +Lilian, +Will, and his brother.

+Lilian and I had just come up from Oshawa, and were going to meet up with +Will and his brother for lunch near his place before heading out for our separate plans in the afternoon. We had originally planned to get Thai, but +Will wasn't exactly sure where the restaurant was located so ended up wandering and finding out that it was closed. We were at Church and Front so I suggested Great Burger Kitchen for lunch. I had only gone once before, late at night after St Patty's Day and really enjoyed their poutine, so I wanted to try it again to see if it was as good as I thought it was.

GBK is a promoter of organic and locally sourced food, the beef they use is also from naturally raised cows in Ontario. Their prices are pretty decent considering this. They have a range of different burgers and poutines to satisfy anyone's  preferences. For me, all of options looked delicious. Their menu is right on the wall beside where you order in large font which makes things easy for customers to read, but not so much decide what they want. They also offer a Burger/Poutine of the Day which is written on a blackboard below the menu and outside the restaurant that always looks appealing every time I walk by.

After we placed our orders at the counter, we found a booth to sit at. The restaurant isn't huge but it has enough space as only about 1 out of 5 tables has been occupied both times I've been here. Ours orders were made at a reasonable time by the one server at the counter, and we were called up one by one for our various foods. I ordered the Greek Burger with Feta, Tomato, Red Onion, and Tzatsiki. The bun was grilled lightly and the patty was cooked perfectly, it was just a classic and simple burger (with Greek toppings). The burger tasted great and the toppings were refreshingly fresh. In addition to the burger, we also got poutines to share. We got the Mexican Poutine with Salsa, Cheddar, Guacamole, & Sour Cream. This was basically having nachos, but with fries instead of chips. +Lilian pointed out that this was probably the healthiest poutine ever... due to the lack of gravy. There was a nice surplus of toppings for the fries but they still remained crispy. We also got the Poutine of the Day which had Bacon, Jalapeno, Salsa, & Cheddar. This was somewhat similar to the Mexican Poutine but with more of a kick of flavour. Both were good, but I probably wouldn't get them again in the future, need some sauciness to the poutine IMO.

Overall, this is a great place to come if you want something more than just a fast food burger, and are willing to spend a bit more time and money. I think it's still a great deal for what you're getting here because it's definitely cheaper than going to a sit-down restaurant. It supports the local farming culture and you can tell that a lot of work as gone into making your food for such a small place.

Food: 4/5 - Fresh, natural, and organic! Delicious AND you don't feel as bad eating it. 
Decor: 3.5/5 - Small but local favourite feel to the place.
Service: 3/5 - Good wait time.
Willingness to come back: 5/5 - I'm totally a fan of GBK, definitely would come back! So much more to try.
Overall: 4/5
Website: http://greatburger.ca/