The Ladies Who Lunch (Part 3)

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

ao many GoodEats in the GTA

 

it seems

And we barely scratch the surface.

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by Anna N
To remove a sentence repetition. (log)

[TicTac]

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

ao many GoodEats in the GTA

 

it seems

You have no idea!

 

With the most diverse population in the world, comes some great cuisine!!

[Shelby]

1 hour ago, Anna N said:

And we barely scratch the surface.

 

 

In the interest of keeping us all up on the neat places to eat up there, I suggest that you guys have two lunches a day.  Thanks in advance.

 

 

[Anna N]

 Today Kerry and I decided we would finally check out the Oakville iteration of Kenzo for some Japanese ramen. 

 

 It has opened fairly recently nevertheless I was disappointed that my order for a warm sake Went unfulfilled as I am guessing they have yet to receive their liquor license. Sake was on the menu and it was obvious that the bar was set up but no beer or spirits were yet being served. 

 

 

 This was the new appearance on their appetizer menu. It is chasu pork with s sauce and some scallions and it was delicious. 

 

Takoyaki  was MIA. 

 

 

 There was a misunderstanding initially about Kerry‘s order.   First, she noticed the lack of an egg which she was expecting. She brought this to the attention of the server and half of a boiled egg was eventually brought to the table.   But when she tasted the broth Kerry knew this was not what she thought she had ordered.   Again she brought this to the attention of the server and eventually received the meal she really wanted. 

 

 I ordered the tonkotsu ramen although the published menu photographs no longer match up. 

 

 

 I hope they will eventually hit their stride but this was a far cry from what we are used to from Kenzo. 

[Anna N]

We had a very delightful and different lunch today.  Kerry was on a mission to find some suitable wines for the upcoming Chocolate and Confectionery Workshop.  The second winery we visited was The Good Earth Winery.  Since it was just about lunchtime and they offered lunch in their bistro we took advantage. 

 

 

 This building houses the bistro and the tasting room.

 

 The cooking school and pantry store are housed in these buildings.

 

 

 We managed to consume most of this charcuterie offering without too much difficulty.

 

 

 And then we shared this braised lamb shank with chickpea mash, caramelized onions and thyme jus. 

 

 I washed mine down with a very small glass of Pinot noir.

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2018 by Anna N
Grammar (log)

[caroled]

I'm  so jealous...Now that's what I call lunch.

[Kerry Beal]

Lunch today in Buffalo with @patris at Lait Cru Brasserie in the Nickel City Cheese and Mercantile. We have shopped for cheese and Rancho Gordo beans in their previous location on Elmwood Ave - now they have taken over the location that used to house Martin Cooks and opened the Brasserie. 

 

 

Lait cru salade

 

 

With house potato chips

 

 

Lentils with eggs

 

 

frites

 

 

[ElsieD]

@Kerry Beal  Those frites sure look good.  

[Kerry Beal]

3 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

@Kerry Beal  Those frites sure look good.  

Poor server had to go all the way to the basement to get mayo for them.

 

[Kim Shook]

We had a ladie’s tea at church a couple of Sundays ago that I helped cater.  We were ladies and it comprised lunch, so I’m guessing this is the proper thread!

The sweet table:

 

 

Missing from this picture – beside the butter and strawberry jam - are the biscuits (still in the oven) and the clotted cream that someone promised to bring.  She didn’t.  So instead of “scones” and clotted cream and jam, we just had a more Southern US version! 

 

 

The savory table:

From 12 o’clock: Ribbon sandwiches (cheese), chicken salad on mini croissants and cucumber sandwiches on thin pumpernickel.

 

Tea selection, mini Jamaican patties and Jacques Pepin's Gougères. 

The Gougères.  It was an international tea!  One of the ladies is from the Caribbean and she provided the Jamaican patties.  I gave cucumber sandwiches a German twist with the bread and did French gougères! 

 

[Anna N]

Another Wednesday before the Chocolate workshop, another trip down to Niagara-on -the-Lake with a load of supplies and another lunch at a winery.  This time it was Ravine Vineyard.

 

 

I found it quite curious that they asked if they may bring bread to the table — as if they needed permission!   I am guessing they must’ve had some issues over bread in this gluten-free world.   Permission was granted.

 

 

 I enjoyed a small pour (3 ozs) of the wine they recommended to accompany my entrée but having very little couth I finished most of it by the time said entrée arrived.   It was a lovely Cabernet Sauvignon. 

 

 We each selected from the prixe fixe menu and then shared as you do. 

 

 

Crispy Humboldt Squid

 

 

Mixed Greens Salad. 

 

 Then we got busy talking and forgot to take photograph of each of the entrées before we had divided up the meat!   So each plate has pork and beef on it.

 

 

Roast Ontario Harvest Pork Chop. 

 

 

 Ontario beef short rib.

 

Our server asked us about dessert as she took our order and we both said we doubted we would have room for dessert. She helpfully suggested that she package it up and bring it with the bill.  We both opted for the sticky toffee pudding with apple compote and vanilla Chantilly.  Perhaps I will remember a photograph later when I have room to enjoy it.  

 

 I will simply say that this was a meal to remember.  

[rotuts]

@Anna N

 

" I enjoyed a small pour "

 

Yikes

 

I would have

 

very discretely 

 

wiggled the empty glass 

 

and had another Small Pour.

 

just me

 

sounds delightful

[Anna N]

1 minute ago, rotuts said:

@Anna N

 

" I enjoyed a small pour "

 

Yikes

 

I would have

 

very discretely 

 

wiggled the empty glass 

 

and had another Small Pour.

 

just me

 

sounds delightful

 What can I say? I am a cheap drunk. 3 ounces at lunchtime is about my limit. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was still able to walk out of there under my own steam.

[rotuts]

nothing like a delightful 

 

local winery

 

in the spring

 

and has chosen to have a decent kitchen 

 

for various

 

Traveler.

 

Kudos again to Ontario and the GTA !

 

now why they do not make GTA Hot Smoked Meat

 

is another matter

 

entirely.

[TicTac]

Oh - but we do!

 

I give you SUMILICIOUS! (5631 Steeles Ave E) (the most recent, and arguably strongest contender on the 'scene').

 

Gives Montreal a huge run for their money.  Huge portions of fantastic smoked brisket with tons of fat....oh man.....

Edited May 9, 2018 by TicTac
too much sun gardening (log)

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, Anna N said:

Perhaps I will remember a photograph later when I have room to enjoy it.  

 

Sticky toffee pudding with apple compote and vanilla chantilly. 

[curls]

4 hours ago, Anna N said:

 

Sticky toffee pudding with apple compote and vanilla chantilly. 

 

That looks delicious!

 

I may have to sneak over one day during the workshop. Just kidding... I'll be on the hunt for savories while the chocolate workshop is going on -- may try out one of your Vietnamese or Japanese restaurants.

[Anna N]

 Yet another trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake for Kerry and I to deliver stuff for the chocolate workshop. This time we decided to return to August (not to be confused with August 8 which is an all you can eat sushi place). 

 

 

 Mississippi pot roast sandwich and a simple greens salad for Kerry.

 

 

 Baked seafood gratin and a baby greens salad for me.

 

 Our first instinct was to go for another winery lunch. We should’ve followed it. 

[Anna N]

 We had lunch at a Japanese style place today but I posted about it over here.

[BeeZee]

no photos, had lunch with co-workers at a Japanese/Asian place which is walking distance from our office (take advantage of the nice weather). Green tea, miso soup, iceberg salad with the usual carrot/ginger dressing (way too sweet) and a bento box with salmon teriyaki/spring roll/california roll/brown rice. The food was very average, but it was nice to get out.

[Anna N]

 Today @Kerry Beal had some business in Toronto and I went along purely for the ride (oh yeah and lunch ). 

 

 We knew even before we reached the highway that we would be having lunch at a favourite Vietnamese place, Pho Phuong. 

 

 We shared all of the following dishes.

 

 

Tom, muc chien— crispy shrimp and squid. 

 

 

Bo la lot— grilled beef rolls wrapped in tropical leaves. 

 

 

Bo luc lac— sautéed cubes of beef ribeye. 

 

 

 Our reason for choosing this restaurant:

 

Banh xeo—Fried pancake with coconut milk, bean sprouts, shrimp and pork. 

 

 

 Dipping sauces.

 

 

[Anna N]

THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL VIEWERS. 

 

  It was not actually my birthday today but it was the day that @Kerry Beal and I chose to celebrate it.  When asked where I would like to go for my birthday lunch I said I would like to go out to Guelph and have lunch where member @mkayahara was working.  And so we met up with him at Crafty Ramen in Guelph. 

 

 

Gyoza

 

 

Charred shishito peppers

 

 

Meat Lovers for Kerry. 

 

 

Surf and Turf for Matt. 

 

 

Miso Rich and Corny Pork for me. 

 

 We are only rarely in the habit of showing restaurant washrooms in our posts. But they are part of the experience and these at least were extremely interesting.  The decoupage was done by one of the owners.  They are unisex but one apparently is decorated in a little more masculine fashion than the other.

 

 

 It was great fun to have @mkayahara  at the table so we could pick his brains about every aspect of the Ramen experience. 

 

 Afterwards he and Kerry ventured into the downstairs kitchen for a tour. I declined such an exciting opportunity as stairs and I no longer get along. 

 

 The story on the website as to who the owners are and how they started this very tiny restaurant is worth a read. 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2018 by Anna N (log)

[caroled]

I love the name of the one you had...

[MelissaH]

Great choice, better company!

[TicTac]

On 5/29/2018 at 5:16 PM, Anna N said:

 Today @Kerry Beal had some business in Toronto and I went along purely for the ride (oh yeah and lunch ). 

 

 We knew even before we reached the highway that we would be having lunch at a favourite Vietnamese place, Pho Phuong. 

 

 We shared all of the following dishes.

 

 

 

Tom, muc chien— crispy shrimp and squid. 

 

 

Bo la lot— grilled beef rolls wrapped in tropical leaves. 

 

 

 

Bo luc lac— sautéed cubes of beef ribeye. 

 

 

 

 Our reason for choosing this restaurant:

 

Banh xeo—Fried pancake with coconut milk, bean sprouts, shrimp and pork. 

 

 

 

 Dipping sauces.

 

 

 

FWIW - those would be Betel leaves.  Traditional wraps for beef in Viet cooking.  Great stuff.

 

If you are ever in Markham, give 'The Pho Restaurant' a shot, husband and wife run front of house, mom and aunt cook - best Vietnamese I have had in the GTA.