It was a Thursday..........

October 4th 2012

The Espanade Keg Steakhouse & Bar
26 The Esplanade

We had worked yet another long day and we needed food.  Steph & I headed down town.  I didn't really know where we were going but I had an idea.  Years and years ago I used to frequent a little strip of bars and restaurants down by Front street.  I just couldn't remember where it was.  Esplanade was the street, where it was?, was the mystery.
I distinctly remembering that there was a keg on it or around it.  We got out by Front street and wandered around for awhile, then Stef. got her phone out and goggled the address.  Technology eh?  Just amazing!  We were actually quite close, we were just headed in the wrong direction!  (so don't ask me for directions!)

We arrived at the restaurant about 5 pm, it was a Thursday, it really wasn't busy yet.(magic starting now)

From the moment we walked in, it didn't feel like a "keg".  It seems more luxuriousness!!

We were seated at a nice little table, it wasn't too small(you know those ones, that are just barely big enough to hold your plate) or too big, it was just right!

Our server appeared and introduced herself as Jill.  What came out of her mouth next was really quite remarkable!  It actually left us speechless for a second, sitting there with our mouths open. "What brings you here today?" she asked us. We looked at each other (with mouths open) and we both just laughed.
"Well", I gave her the whole "50" restaurant speech & she was genuinely interested in what we had to say.  She inquired as to where we had been, even suggested some places for us to go. (we went to one, review coming soon.)
I ordered a bottle of wine, (wine list was good) Steph ordered one of her "girlie drinks" and she left us.
Upon her return, she informed us that she had been telling the other staff about our adventure, and they  thought that it was just the coolest thing.  She left us to look over our menu's, it was nice having the choice to just relax and look at the menu.  Not to be forced into ordering food.....(sorry bad experience coming back.)

As we sat there we began to notice other staff walking by looking at us and smiling.  I leaned in to Steph and said "Hey Steph, we're celebrities!"  We both looked at each other and cracked up laughing!!  (we are both so NOT celebrities!)
We were having trouble deciding what appetizers to order, we had narrowed it down to 3, and were still debating what to get.  We chose two, and Jill left to place our order.
We were feeling really great about our chose of restaurants today.  We just felt so comfortable here.

When she returned with our appetizers, she had brought the 3rd one as well, the one that had not made our cut.  We were very surprised, and very appreciative.  She smiled and said maybe this would sway a few "happy faces" their way.
I wanted to say here, (but I didn't) that there was no need to bribe us with food.  They already were well on their way to quite a few "happy faces".
I was having the scallops with bacon, Steph had the crab cakes, and we shared the Mushroom Neptune.  We actually shared all of it, it was really, really good.

We hadn't chosen our mains yet, there was just so much selection.  We eventually did.  I mean how can you come to the KEG and not order steak?
We both had steaks with something.   I had the Top sirloin combo with grilled tiger shrimp. Steph had a steak with crab legs.  Today when I asked her if she remembered what she had, I said to her I just remember her having a bowl of butter....
The steaks were to die for!! We both were in heaven.  We just sat in silence for a few moments as we ate!
OMG!  We were taking doggie bags home for sure tonight!

A manager at some point in our meal came over to talk with us.  He had heard the "buzz" in the kitchen about us and wanted to talk to us ourselves.  He was checking on our experience and the amount of "  happy faces" I felt they deserved today.  I told him that it was looking good, and not to worry.
Again the two of us, just laughed to ourselves (celebrities we are not!)
I can't say enough about this place.  The atmosphere was just amazing.  The decor was soothing and comfortable, not stuffy!  Also the place looked really clean.  That's a big thing for me, if the place isn't clean, how am I to enjoy my meal?
Jill just seemed to be there to serve "us" and only "us", because she was there "just the right amount of times".  She didn't hound us, and she didn't ignore us either.  We knew she had other tables, because as we sat, we noticed the place filling up.  She made it seem effortless.
She came to tell us that they (the staff) had decided because of us that they were going to start going to a different restaurant every month.  Hey, you know really that's what people have to start doing.  If this blog does anything, that's what I want it to do.  Get people to go out exploring the cities they live in.  Don't just eat at the same old place you always do, go and explore, maybe you will find your "new favorite place"!
Back to the food!
Desert was next......................
There was this wonderful chocolate cake that I just had to have.  This is the description, you tell me!
"Layer upon layer of dark moist chocolate cake with a silky chocolate filling......."
Ah hello!!   1 please!
Steph had the creme brule, which she usually always has.  She was smiling and very quiet, which is a good sign!
Reflecting back, on past places we had been, this was probably one of the better places.   I could only think of one other, that I felt this good about.
The prices were in line with other places we had been going to.  I still had money left over to pay rent & buy groceries.
I urge any of you wanting a great meal with great service to explore the Esplanade.  There you will find a great little spot called "THE KEG".

3 smiley faces today folks(tied as best score)

Number 40 of 50 restaurants

The end is near (final posts of the 50)

February 18th 2013

Hello everybody!
I have to say this has been one of the harder things that I have tried to do.  Especially trying to make it interesting enough for folks to keep reading.  Got to say I love it though!!
here's the last bunch of my 50.

Number 40  The Keg (Esplande)
              41 Villa
              42 Hard Rock Cafe
              43 Terroni
              44 Christina's
              45 Habits Gastropub
              46 Brass Taps (College street)
              47 Old Spaghetti Factory
              48 The Sister
              49  Regina's
              50  Standard

Don't worry when I am done my 50, I plan on visiting the "foods" of the world, in my city.  A different country every visit.  Or we might go through the alphabet............

Don't worry every day is an adventure, or you should be making it one!
I truly believe that!

Marilyn

The gods were smiling on me tonight

October 3rd 2013

Banjara Indian Cuisine
796 Bloor Street West
(west side of Christie Pits)

I have decided to travel to the other side of the world for some cuisine that I have never had before.  My tour guide tonight is my friend Anita.   She says that this is the place to go for great Indian food and she would know.  As she states many times, she is my only "brown" friend, so who better to be the expert.  She is not even from India, actually she is from Guyana, I think?  Anyway, she is a sweetheart and I trust her judgement for this type of food.  Otherwise I wouldn't know where to go.

It's on the other side of the Chrisite Pits,(west side) and the restaurant is full when we arrive and a line is already forming outside.

That is an awesome sign!

We are told it will be at least 30 minutes for a table.  We choose to wait. There is another restaurant attached to this one at the right side, (another Indian restaurant). Anita is telling me the other restaurant benefits from the overflow of traffic from Banjara with people not wanting to wait and just want food.  She has never been to the other restaurant, but she has been to Banjara and she highly recommends it.  Now remember Banjara is the restaurant  that is furthest back when you reach the lot.  Don't be fooled.

I am really excited and kinda of scared.  What if I don't like the food?  I will leave hungry? No I have to be positive.  I am very open to try different types of food, so I am ready and willing to try Indian.

We get our table and it really is only about a 15 minute wait.  It is a good table to the left up against the wall.

We are greeted right away, and I have great feelings about this place.

I ordered wine, I was happy.

I want to try a lot of things so I go to town, with my order.  I order a Meat Samosa to start which is pastry with minced chicken and as well, a Seekah Kabob which was lamb minced with green spices & lemon juice.

It was so good.  I knew I could come back on my own and order food and I would be OK.  Another great thing was that each item on their menu, had a description of what it was and the staff was very willing to explain what things were.  Actually at one point, our server told us that we had ordered too much food....but we ordered it anyway.

Next came, what we had come here for "BUTTER CHICKEN"...............Anita said it was to die for.
It is chicken  with tomato/onion with a creamy gravy.  Doesn't sound like much but it is SO GOOD!

With the Butter Chicken, I ordered garlic rice and NAAN  bread.........man!!!! was I taking doggie bags home tonight.....

I was very impressed.  It was just so delicious.

Dessert was interesting....no chocolate, but I ordered something called "GULAB JAMUN".  It is dried milk balls deep fried and dipped in sugar.  It was really good.

All in all it was a great meal.  Food was great.  Service was great.

I would highly recommend anyone who wanted Indian food to go here.  I loved it.  I will return!

2 smiley face today

Number 39 out of 50 restaurants

just sad......

September 28th 2013

College St. Bar
574 College St..

Another long day at work, required a night out of food.  I had been on a winning streak of great restaurants, so I should have known that we had to find a stinker sooner or later.

One of my best buds Cindy was accompanying me tonight, so I suggested college st, it had been uncharted territory on this quest of ours.  We actually walked the few blocks of the congested restaurants of college checking out the menus, and decided tonight that College St, Bar would be the lucky one tonight.

Obviously we would be the unlucky ones tonight.

From the moment we walked in, we got the message that we weren't "wanted" there.  From the choices of tables they offered us, to the constant questioning of the waitress, obviously in a hurry to get us out of there.

We walked in and had to wait to be seated.  We inquired about a table in the window, but were told that the table was for a reservation.  I wasn't born in the dark ages, I do realize that a reservation trumps a walkin any day.  No problem, we took another table.  The waitress seemed to be annoyed that we were here, almost to the point, that we weren't the clientele she would have in the restaurant.

We had not been there very long when three people came in and they obviously didn't have a reservation, they inquired about the table in the window, and were shown there.  They were obviously the "beautiful" people they wanted in the window, to show to the people walking by that this is where you go if you are a "beautiful person".  I asked for the manager and  she came over, and I inquired why these people were given the table and not cindy and I.  She stammered that it was being held for a reservation.  "Really?" I asked, "well clearly these people were not the reservation". Again she stammered with a response, saying that the reservation had not shown up!  "Really? so you hold a reservation for what 3 minutes?" I was not impressed at all, and regretting that we had even gone into the place. She couldn't even stutter out an answer.  She walked away.

The food we ordered was totally forgettable.

We weren't with our appetizers 2 to 3 minutes, when our main courses came out.
It was clear that they were trying to rush us out of here.

At one point, since the waitress had been at our table so many times, I asked her if she had a problem with us, and she  didn't know how to respond.  I asked for the manager again.

I asked her, why her staff was trying their best to rush us out of there.  She again did not know what to say, either, she was too dense to understand, or not a very good liar.

Again, the food that we had, was totally unforgettable.  I didn't even bother to check their website, to remind myself of what we had, because that would be more time wasted on this place, time, that I will never get back.

Once I told the manager that the staff was rushing us out, we never saw the waitress again.  I mean seriously, she never came back to our table. We sat for a good 40 minutes with no staff of any kind coming to our table.  We finally had to wave someone done, so that we could get our check.

This is a joke of a restaurant and I urge all of you reading this to not bother wasting your time, or money going to this place.  You could do so much better.

We both regretted going in their this eve, and to this day will never set foot in there again.

Remember its time and money you will never get back.

No smiley faces today!
Bringing out the "SAD SAD" face.

That's a good word for this place........................sad.

Number  38 out of 50 restaurants

Too good to just walk by

September 27th 2012

Queen Mother Cafe
208 Queen St west

I am happily eating at number 37 tonight.  I had come downtown and I decided that I needed to eat out.
Queen Street it is, and as everyone knows if you have nothing to do just head to Queen Street and you will marvel in the "goings on" of the street called "Queen".

Just steps away from the Much Music building is a place that just gets it so right.  Candlelight.  Really.  No I mean real candlelight!  It is awesome!  The music is a faint hum in the background because of the sheer volume of people jammed into this place!  Every seat is taken and when it is vacated  it is ever so quickly filled.
I have a view of the street traffic, the CN tower and the other stores on the street.  I wouldn't want to be any other place in the world.  Queen Mother's Cafe is the name of the place and I will definitely be back here.
Oh Jeez, I guess I should talk about the food.  I was eating alone tonight, but that was not a problem for this place, they gave me a nice table and I was very happy.

Great wine list, I was even more happy.

My starter tonight was Dim Sum Quartet, it was so good.  It was an assortment of won tons wrapped.  Filled with chicken and shrimp.  It was just so good!  I actually wanted to order another one, but I figured I better not, because I wanted to eat my main course.
My main tonight was a Grilled Flatiron Steak, with roasted garlic/thyme/Madeira sauce and Yukon gold frites.
So, So good!!!

Service was excellent.

Desert menu is not available here.  Only a large display case filled with just.....stuff you dream about!  I of course asked for chocolate and yes I was not disappointed.
I have walked by this place many a time, always looked in but never ever went in.  I am regretfully sorry for that.  I will make a point to go to this place on a more regular basis.

You should too.

2 happy faces

Number 37 of 50 restaurants

Still has some life in it....

September 25th 2012

Rocco's Plum Tomato
164  The Queensway
(across from the food terminal)

It had been yet another long day at the depot, and both Steph. and I had not gotten lunch and needed some food!  I told her I knew just where to go.
We headed to Keele station and waited for the Queensway bus (the number 80) and headed out for our adventure.
Rocco's Plum Tomato has been around some some time, in varying locations.  I had always gone to the one in Etobicoke, but it is closed now.  I used to take my daughter there alot, it was the only place I could get her to eat something other than a burger.  I used to get the grilled chicken breast for her, and some vegetables, and they would let her pick her vegetables.  Hey, she would eat it, I didn't care!
I had also been to the one at Bloor and Bathurst, but it has since closed as well.  This one we were going to today was the original one, and that has to say something if the place was still standing.
It was a Tuesday, and we arrived about 6 pm.  There were a number of tables in the place, and it looked like there was a private party going on in the other side of the restaurant.  Good sign.
We got a table which was right at the door, which I was not impressed with.  I told Steph we would not be staying at this table, because it just wasn't happening for me. There was a single gentleman dining by himself, and he was almost done.  When he left I motioned to the waiter that we would like to move, and he had no problem with that
.
I ordered wine and the meal went great from here.

I ordered grilled calamari to start and Steph had some garlicky bread/tomato thing. (It was a special that day)  Both were very good.  Not the best grilled calamari I have had, but it was very good.

There were so many choices when it came to our main dishes, it took us a while to decide.  Pizza's, pasta's, steak, veal.  It was alot of choices.

We both decided on the veal today.  Steph. had the Veal Marsala, and I had the Veal Porcini.  They were both very, very good.

Steph had to go to the washroom, and that gave me time to check out the desert menu.  She came back laughing and she sat down at the table  "you will never guess what's in the women's washroom?"  "What?" I am curious "a freaking bathtub".  We both laugh, I am the one drinking, so I know she's not drunk.  She even took a picture of it... we both laughed.

Desert today was tiramisu and cheescake!!!!!
Both were excellent!!
Rocco's Plum Tomato is another good choice, if you need an evening out and you don't want to spend ever last nickel in your wallet to eat.  I recommend it and I will be dining here again.

1 smiley face


Number 36 out of 50 restaurants