The Ladies Who Lunch (Part 1)

[judiu]

RONCO!

[Anna N]

On our list of lunch possibilities was a place just inside the Mississauga border called Mango Rain (www.mangorain.ca). Run by a Thai woman and her Indian husband it is a small but very friendly restaurant.

I had a Steam Whistle

Pappadom

We ordered a Thai and an Indian appetizer--spring rolls and vegetable pakora

Then butter chicken with rice and cashew chicken with potatoes which we shared.

And naan of course. Not as tasty as that at the Bombay Grill but light and flaky.

We had lots of leftovers to take home but still had a mission to fulfill--sample McDonald's just-introduced poutine:

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/141515-mcdonalds-2013/?p=1945357

[Smithy]

McDonald's. Poutine. What a concept!

[Anna N]

Yesterday we returned to Bombay Grill much sooner than we normally would. We needed to deliver chocolate to the owner to say thanks for a special favour. On a cold and slushy day it was no hardship to eat delicious Indian food again!

Onion bhaji that we attacked before we photographed

Lamb dhansak and chicken korma

Naan bread.

I enjoyed a Kingfisher beer and Kerry had a cup of chai tea.

[Anna N]

So on Monday we headed out to the airport to retrieve a package. It should have been an easy drive but a police investigation closed every access we tried, By the time we reached the cargo depot we were almost out of time as Kerry was working an aftenoon shift. Choice for lunch came down to speed! Nothing is faster than a bowl of pho from Pho Dau Bo.

Beef rare and well done for me

Chicken and beef for Kerry

The add-ons.

Oops. It was Monday not Sunday as I originally typed. The weather was dreadful on Sunday.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Anna N (log)

[Anna N]

Today we headed into Toronto to deliver chocolate to one address and a mold to another. On our way there I consulted my list of things to do and places to eat and Pho Phuong showed up as a place we wanted to visit for their highly rated Bahn Xeo. It was conveniently on our way home from the big city.

First up a refreshing beer for me!

Dipping sauces appeared first

Then these crispy Cha Gio (deep fried spring rolls). I was fascinated by the carrot garnish!

Then this Bun made an appearance

Followed by the famous Banh Xeo

And finally Bo la lot (grilled beef rolls wrapped in tropical leaves).

After lunch a little thrift store shopping seemed in order. Pop over to the Yard Sale, Thrift Store, junk Heap Shopping topic to see what we bought.

[MelissaH]

I'm relieved to know that we aren't the only ones with a "to do and to eat" list!

[Anna N]

Yesterday was incredibly cold even for the GTA. The temperature hovered around minus 16 but with the wind chill was closer to minus 30. We grocery shopped and after Kerry loaded all the food into the car (I got to sit inside!) we wanted some place warm and cozy for lunch. Few places are cozier than the West Plains Bistro. A warm welcome, a seat up on a raised platform in front of a fire place (unlit unfortunately) but toasty warm and we quickly thawed out.

Their signature water garnished with a cranberry and a lemon wedge

Kerry ordered the quiche of the day which was crab with a side salad

I ordered the chicken pot pie with their house frites.

As you see, the frites are MIA! But they did arrive and were so worth the wait. We shared them but failed to take a photo.

[rotuts]

very brave. looks cozy and delicious in spite of what's missing ...

that puff-puff also looks very nice, but so does the quiche ...

[Tri2Cook]

Crab quiche sounds tasty. The only quiche I've seen on menus around here is the usual Lorraine. I rarely eat quiche and I never make it but I might be willing to bend that for a crab version. Of course, chicken pot pie is always a good thing.

It warmed up to around -16 this afternoon, we were sitting at -41 (temp, not wind chill) when I went to work yesterday so it feels like spring today. Of course, warming up here during the winter just means snow. We're under a snowfall warning for today and it's been coming down pretty steady since early this morning.

[Anna N]

Today Kerry and I returned to Miss Thailand in Stoney Creek, Ontario.

I found the menu cover especially attractive

We both ordered ginger tea which arrived in very attractive tableware

No discussion needed for our appetizer! Golden squid:

We shared Penang Chicken curry:

And vegetable fried rice:

Bonus photos. We were each brought a very ordinary dinner knife in an extraordinary case:

And I had to show you this:

[Dejah]

Must make a longer trip to GTA - maybe this summer. I have yet to find calamari as you two enjoy, and now...this exquisite squid! I hope it was as good as the picture looked.

[rotuts]

the Lunch Ladies always seem to eat well.

I would not mind this for breakfast, piping hot and crispy:



Host Note: The above image is from Anna N's post #546 above

[Kerry Beal]

Must make a longer trip to GTA - maybe this summer. I have yet to find calamari as you two enjoy, and now...this exquisite squid! I hope it was as good as the picture looked.

It was excellent! Let us know when you are coming - we'll do lunch!

[Smithy]

You have a real knack for finding great places to eat...and I love the quality of the photos! Thanks for this topic!

[Dejah]

Must make a longer trip to GTA - maybe this summer. I have yet to find calamari as you two enjoy, and now...this exquisite squid! I hope it was as good as the picture looked.

It was excellent! Let us know when you are coming - we'll do lunch!

That would be wonderful! Will definitely keep lunch with you ladies in my plans!

[Anna N]

Tuesday saw Kerry and I heading off for a haircut and yet another excuse for lunch. Somewhere a bit different this time though we have been before. The Little Lebanon restaurant on Plains Road in Burlington, Ontario.

Kibbeh for Kerry. I have never acquired a taste.

Chicken Shawarma

Lamb Shawarma.

With the help of my concealed knife we each had half a wrap!

[Anna N]

So today Kerry and I had an errand out in Woodbridge (just north of Toronto). On our way there Kerry spotted Baton Rouge, a chain restaurant noted for ribs. But the menu offered a shared sea food platter that included fried and grilled calamari, shrimp and scallops. We might well have starved in a state of indecision. Ribs/seaffod platter?????????? But with the help of a good-natured and flirtatious server we put together the following:

Fried calamari

Grilled calamari

Ribs with two sides--fries and apple.

We shared everything.

Crisis averted.

[Smithy]

...and which was the winner? (aside from the flirtatious server )

[Kerry Beal]

I very much liked the grilled - they had olives, capers and anchovies as I recall. Squeeze of lemon finished them perfectly.

[judiu]

Love the look of the grilled; lemon is gorgeous!

[Anna N]

Today Kerry and I made a return visit to Sakai, the Japanese and Korean restaurant on Fairview in Burlington. So many choices! Kerry had tea and I had a cold Kirin (not the smartest choice when the thermometer drops below zero for days on end.

Then we put together a slection of appetizers. We each chose two and then shared them all.

Enoki Yaki. Enoki mushrooms served on a hot platter with teriyaki sauce. An interesting dish which was as much about texture as about taste.

Shrimp and vegetable tempura. Both Kerry and I carry concealed weapons so we can properly share things not really meant to be shared. This time Kerry's trusty pocket knife did the deed.

Beef Sashimi. Thin slices of seared beef served with ponzu sauce and wasabi.

Finally Mandu Yaki. Homemade Sakai dumplings filled with beef, pork, and a variety of vegetables and deep fried.

[rotuts]

"" Enoki mushrooms ... An interesting dish which was as much about texture as about taste. ""

I found your comments interesting. Ive never had a enoki that had much, if any, taste at all. a bit of crunch. that's it.

shame the restaurant seemed to be out of calamari. bet its pretty interesting there.

[Anna N]

"" Enoki mushrooms ... An interesting dish which was as much about texture as about taste. ""

I found your comments interesting. Ive never had a enoki that had much, if any, taste at all. a bit of crunch. that's it.

shame the restaurant seemed to be out of calamari. bet its pretty interesting there.

Perhaps next time we will try Spicy Squid Bokum--morsels of squid and assorted vegetables stir-fried together in a sweet and spicy sauce.

[Anna N]

Due to an incoming winter storm, Kerry and I moved our day out from Wednesday to yesterday. We decided out of the blue that a run to an Asian store was long overdue. There are a number of Asian restaurants in the same plaza as the grocery store but our favourite was closed. We settled for Owl of Minerva again despite a previous disappointing meal there when it first opened.

First the ban chan:

Then the beef-filled, deep-fried mandu

The cook-it-yourself combination of beef, squid and vegetables:

Proof of the existence of (inedibly tough) squid: