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FlavoursGal

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Everything posted by FlavoursGal

  1. I know how awful Le St-Amable has become. On a visit to Montreal with my kids about five years ago, we were walking around Old Montreal wondering where to eat, when I spotted Le St-Amable and had to go in. What a disaster! I can't remember what else we ate, but my beloved Feuillete de Fruits de Mer, which was an entree that, growing up, one of my family members always ordered, was horrible, as was every single dish. The service was terrible. [We had an unwritten rule in our family: we all ordered different dishes, and the plates, from entree through to dessert, were passed from person to person]. Well, the feuillete was quite obviously frozen and reheated, the pastry soggy and tired, the filling lacking in seafood. The sauce was thick and gloppy, not anything like the velvety, lobstery sauce that I remembered so vividly. I don't think we ever went to Cafe Martin, but we did go to Ruby Foo's on occasion. The only things I recall eating at Ruby Foo's were the Pu-Pu Platter and the best egg rolls ever - big, plumply filled and crispy, served with a thick, brown, tangy plum sauce that I've never had the likes of since (although the egg rolls and plum sauce at Pumpernick's came close). Les Halles (and La Petite Halle, too) was a wonderful place. It is too bad that it closed up. It's no wonder you're still kicking yourself for not taking M. Landurie up on his offer. I also miss the old-style seafood restaurants - Desjardins on Mackay, and Aux Mouettes on Laurentian Blvd. We went to Delfino a few weeks ago and, although the fish was fresh and tasty, I would have liked some adornment; I'm a sauce lover, and everything was just too plain for my liking.
  2. Hard to believe, but Milestone's (yes, the chain restaurant) has "Kobe Beef Meatloaf" on the menu now. An incredulous query sent to Cara, the parent company, resulted in an e-mail response explaining that the beef they use in their meatloaf is Wagyu, and that they are legally allowed to use the name "Kobe" due to the fact that the beef they use is from the same type of cattle as Kobe beef, and raised under the same conditions, but in North America. I was intrigued enough to order the meatloaf, and it wasn't bad, served with decent mashed potatoes and an acceptable mushroom gravy, alongside a lousy gorgonzola bread pudding. I still think it's misleading to use "Kobe" on their menu, and I shudder to think what parts of the beef are used to make the meatloaf. We can all take it for granted that it's not from the best, most valuable, parts of the cow. I ordered it because I was in the mood for comfort food, but I would have been just as happy eating meatloaf made using the same AAA-grade beef that Milestone's uses for their other beef dishes.
  3. FlavoursGal

    donuts!

    My sister used to live in NYC, and she'd pick up the most amazing donuts at Balducci's, made by The Doughnut Plant. She brought some with her on a visit once, and they were incredibly delicious. Having tasted those donuts, I just cannot stomach anything available in Toronto other than the crispy, greasy chocolate-glazed donuts available at kosher bakeries.
  4. You'd be wasting your time and money. That Beaver Club is long gone. ← Lesley, living in Toronto for the past ten years, I'm not as attuned to the Montreal restaurant scene as I used to be. But I do remember some incredible meals and amazing service at the Beaver Club of old. Growing up in Montreal in the sixties and seventies, I had the good fortune to have parents who delighted in taking my sister and me to fine restaurants for each of our birthdays and their anniversary. I actually attribute a good dea of my passion for food and gastronomy to this early exposure to the great restaurants of the time: Le St-Amable of old; Les Halles; Le Castillon; the Beaver Club; Troika; and so many others... Ah, que je me souviens! With my daughter now attending McGill, we find ourselves in Montreal more often, and I am re-discovering the joys of dining in Montreal restaurants.
  5. Question #1: How much do people generally tip for restaurant delivery? I recently had a tip charge of $11.50 added on to my Visa bill by a restaurant delivery company, on an order totalling $104 including tax. I always tip the delivery person in cash (to be sure that he actually gets it), and never more than $4 to $5. I was shocked and made a stink, one because I thought it was excessive and two, because I didn't think the delivery company should be adding gratuities onto delivery orders (for which I've already paid a $6.95 delivery charge). Question #2: Do you tip when you get take-out? If so, how much? I never used to, but lately most of the restaurants are leaving the tip space open, and I feel obliged to leave something. Should I be?
  6. You might want to check out "Maran Illustrated Cooking Basics," which contains step-by-step photographic visuals for the most essential culinary techniques and for its recipes as well, accompanied by great information. Check "inside the book" at www.maran.com/cooking.htm
  7. Actually, Ms. Kates does say that she visited the restaurant twice. Here's a link to her review, for any of you who haven't seen it. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...ry=joanne+kates
  8. Jay, I was involved very much, as well. I was one of the original posters recommending Sado Sushi. I've been there many times and have thoroughly enjoyed the somewhat unconventional dishes that the restaurant specializes in. Perhaps Ms. Kates just cannot handle innovative cuisine (and nobody writing in the Sado Sushi thread was really going to the restaurant for the highest quality sushi and sashimi; we were just delighted to have an interesting, and delicious, Japanese restaurant in the neighbourhood). In any case, I feel terrible for the restaurant. Last time I was there was New Year's Eve, which was the first day back for the chef since undergoing surgery to donate a portion of his liver to his mother. I hope Sado Sushi can survive this. They just opened about 3 months ago, in a location that has seen restaurants come and go. I, for one, will continue to patronize the restaurant which, despite Ms. Kates's rantings, does have excellent food and polished, professional service.
  9. Here's what The Cookbook Store in Toronto has to say about Au Pied de Cauchon: Au Pied De Cochon: The Album Martin Picard Just when we think that after reading cookbooks every day for the last 23 years we have seen it all, something comes along that makes us absolutely giddy with pleasure. This book from the celebrated Montreal restaurant is such a book. Both the book and the restaurant it chronicles marry traditional Quebecois cuisine to the French brasserie then immerse it in the wild abandon of a medieval feast. Day-in-the-life photos and the Steadman/Searle-esque illustrations of Tom Tassel and Marc Sequin aid and abet the air of unrestrained pleasure. The accompanying DVD reinforces both the sense of revelry and the inherent respect for the ingredients and traditions which inform the cooking of Martin Picard. Hardcover, 191 pp. $74.95.
  10. I second Au Pied de Cauchon. I bought it a few weeks ago at the restaurant (had an incredible meal there, my first). It is totally unlike any other cookbook anyone's ever seen. It was created by the restaurant chef/owner (Martin Picard) and his staff, and self-published, to celebrate the restaurant's 5th anniversary. It's available at the restaurant in Montreal, and I know that The Cookbook Store in downtown Toronto is now carrying it. I believe that they ship books all over the world. Here's their link: http://www.cook-book.com/ And, yes, this is the restaurant that Anthony Bourdain swooned over. In fact, he wrote the introduction to the book.
  11. divina, The Cookbook Store in Toronto is now carrying Au Pied de Cauchon (I bought it at the restaurant a couple of weeks ago; it IS amazing, as is the restaurant!). Here's a link to The Cookbook Store http://www.cook-book.com/media/index.html#top I'm sure they'll mail it anywhere.
  12. No injuries reported. What a pity for the owners and staff, and at this time of year. Plus, they were probably pretty heavily booked for corporate parties.
  13. FlavoursGal

    allclad

    The Cuisinox may be a fraction of the price of All-Clad in Canada but the opposite is true in the US. The 10" Cuisinox skillet is $112 while the All-Clad Stainless lists for $100 but is available through Cookwarenmore.com for $68. Tim ← Interesting...I'd been wondering about that when I wrote this post. Just a side note, however - did you get the Cuisinox price from their website? If so, the list price is probably in Canadian funds. Probably still not worth your while, though.
  14. FlavoursGal

    allclad

    I've been using All Clad for years, but some of my pieces were non-stick and I wanted to replace them with conventional pans. I chose a brand called Cuisinox (Elite line), which is an All Clad look-alike at a fraction of the price. It's triple-ply bottom and sides, heavy, looks great, and I think the heat distribution is more even in the Cuisinox than in my All Clad. Check them out at http://www.cuisinox.com/categories.php?lang=en&category_id=2 My favourite pan is my covered saute pan, as well. It's got a capacity of 5.3 litres/quarts. A note to Canadian readers: Cuisinox is based in Quebec, so check out their products before paying more than twice as much for All Clad or the like. I purchased mine at Nella Restaurant Supply on Queen East.
  15. Thanks, Geoff. Actually, all of the Ethiopian restaurants do the coffee ceremony. It wouldn't be an authentic Ethiopian restaurant if it wasn't offered. I actually prefer Queen of Sheba to Ethiopian House because they have a couple of great chicken dishes on the menu; if memory serves me correctly, Ethiopian House does not have chicken on the menu. Love their stewed collard greens, too.
  16. Re the stop at a bookstore, why don't you stop in at The Cookbook Store, on Yonge at the corner of Yorkville Ave. It's a great place for culinary students to peruse a huge selection of books related to cooking. And it's centrally located, too.
  17. Shiny stainless steel pots and pans are not immune to layers of grease build-up. They will be gucky in no time at all. Buy the cheaper pot (for the purposes you're using it, you don't need triple-ply up the sides), but be sure it's big enough.
  18. The more agitation, temperature changes and pressure changes that a bottle of wine undergoes, the more the wine degrades. You might be able to find a shipper, but by the time you've gone through Italian Customs and opened your wine, it will have cost a small fortune and will probably not taste anything like what it did when it started out in France.
  19. Geoff, how's the food at Addis Ababa? I've been to Queen of Sheba (probably in the same vicinity), which I like better than The Ethiopian House. Have you been to either of these? If so, how does Addis Ababa compare? It would be interesting to have an Ethiopian cookbook. I bought some berbere spices and some other interesting ingredients over a year ago from a little Ethiopian grocery that opened on Queen East (I think it was Queen East); I don't know if it's still open.
  20. My preferred method for cooking skate is pan-fried in a bit of butter and olive oil. Next time, remove the skin before cooking, so you have a beautiful golden brown portion of skate to present at the table, but do leave the cartilage (it's not a bone) in; the flesh comes off so easily, anyway. I can't figure out why restaurants in North America tend to serve skate already filleted. Your sauce sounds interesting, but the classic sauce for skate is "beurre noisette" or "hazelnut"/brown butter. Add a few sage leaves to the butter once it's turned brown and you've turned off the heat. Heavenly!
  21. I know this is an old post, but anyone looking for All-Clad quality and looks at a fraction of the price, check out Cuisinox (Elite line). I've bought a number of pieces at Nella on Queen East, and I'm delighted with it. It's triple-ply (aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel, bottom and sides), heavy and, used properly (heated up before adding oil or other ingredients), virtually non-stick. My favourite is the saute pan with cover - about 5.5 litres capacity.
  22. You could try Moroccan - Boujadi on Eglinton West, between Bathurst and Allen Road is quite good. They have great appetizers - matboucha (stewed tomatoes and red peppers), eggplant, cigars and pastilles (meat or potato filled). Their mains consist of various couscous dishes, tagines, lots of vegetarian options, and great combos for the undecided. Middle Eastern - Jerusalem Restaurant, on the same stretch of Eglinton, is great for meze dishes such as baba ganoush, hummous, fried eggplant (out of this world!), kubbeh (meat and pine nuts inside a deep-fried, football-shaped "wrapper" of bulgur wheat), fried tomatoes, falafel, etc. Their mains consist mostly of kebabs. They have a combo platter of all-of-the-above, and are open for lunch. The restaurant is actually more Lebanese in nature than Israeli and is run, I believe, by a Palestinian family. For Middle Eastern, there's also a stretch or Lawrence Ave. East in Scarborough that is filled with strip mall after strip mall of mid-east restaurants, take out shops, and bakeries. Take a trek to India-town (Gerrard Ave. East). Walk around, enjoying the smells, flavours and sights of this 2-3 block drag. Try some corn roasted with Indian spices on street carts, masala dosa (Indian crepes stuffed with potatoes or other fillings) at dosa stands, and a buffet or meal at one of the numerous Indian restaurants. For Jewish deli, you might want to try Coleman's on Bathurst just north of Lawrence, or Pancer's on Bathurst just north of Wilson. Chicken soup with matzoh balls are a must, pastrami sandwiches, stuffed cabbage, cabbage soup, kishka (stuffed derma), etc. There's also the Portuguese area on College west of Bathurst, and great Vietnamese on Spadina. Try Anh Dao on Spadina for grilled meats, which you wrap yourself with other fillings in softened rice papers. A small hole-in-the-wall, with great food. For pho (Vietnamese noodle soup, pronounced "fuh"), try Pho Hung on Spadina, near Baldwin, I believe. For interesting Greek, go to Greektown (Danforth Ave., which is a continuation of Bloor St. East). My favourite is Avli, which has great Greek dips and terrific main dishes of pies (top crust over a crock of either rabbit, rosemary chicken, seafood, etc.), which I've not seen elsewhere. For good Turkish, there's a great place called Anatolia in a strip mall on Dundas (way west). People swear by the "peameal" (actually cornmeal) bacon sandwiches, a Toronto specialty, at Carousel Bakery in St. Lawrence Market (main level). Downstairs is the best place I know of to sample "Veal Sandwiches," also a Toronto thing - fried, breaded veal served in a roll with tomato sauce, onions and pepper optional. They also have great fried eggplant sandwiches, or combinations. They're huge! I'm sure I'll think of a few more places. We've lived in Toronto for about 10 years (born and raised in Montreal), so I'm constantly discovering and re-discovering the city.
  23. Interesting. I've never heard of Matzo balls referred to as "kleis." We called them "knaidlach." Sephardic Jewish...how about "Dafina," which is the Moroccan version of the Eastern European cholent.
  24. Out of curiosity, what was the problem with Rain? Good suggestions and I will research them all. My students are from all across Canada with a few International students. We are based in PEI at the Culinary Institute of Canada. Our budget for the 5 days in TO is around $800 per student + travel expenses. On past trips I have done Splendido, which still gets my top rating, North44, Centro, Suser, and Crush. This year I have so far listed: http://www.rainrestaurant.ca http://www.libertygroup.com/rosewater/dinner_menu.html http://www.lareserve.ca/home.html http://www.spezzo.com/main2.html http://www.branthouse.com/ http://www.monsoonrestaurant.ca/ as potential restaurants. We also do a winery tour in Niagra with a lunch. I like to take the students on at least to top end fine dining experiences and at least one "fun" food experience. Thanks for the suggestions. ← The problem with Rain was that, for my husband and me, anyway, the food did not taste as good as it looked. The presentation was gorgeous, the dishes inventive and playful; we found, however, that there was often a lack of harmony on the plate. So much going on, that it didn't always come together flavourwise or texturewise. That being said, there were a few really good dishes. There's also Habitat (the chef just got a glowing review by James Chatto in the November issue of Toronto Life - www.torontolife.com), and Perigee in the Distillery District, which has a number of different tasting menus available, but gets mixed reviews.
  25. Check out "Maran Illustrated Cooking Basics" (www.maran.com/cooking.htm). It's a step-by-step guide to all of the basic culinary techniques (plus some more advanced ones), with full-colour photographs accompanying each step. The recipes in the book all contain 10 or fewer ingredients. A great book, at a great price - check it out at amazon.com or indigo.ca.
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