Pink Bicycle

<2010-09-20 Mon>

No. 110

Soo many people talk so highly of the Pink that I am surprised I haven't been here before.

As it opens on Monday, it already gets brownie points. It was early and i was one of the first persons to be there. It is an elegant and pleasant place, although a bit dark towards the back. The carnations light the tables.

Frequently is the nice touches that make the difference. As I sat a glass and a bottle of water were placed on my table. I appreciate that.



As its name implies, burgers are their speciality. And they have lots of options, for any palate.
I have been eating too much meat lately, thus I ordered the portabello burger.

It was a delicious burger and salad. There was certain nuttiness in the burger, and bun was delicious, the portabello nicely grilled. A tasty salad was adorned by roasted pecans. I wanted more.

The only blemish: please, don't ask me if I want change.

Verdict: The Pink is a great find. I am definitely a convert. Recommended.

Paid: 12.32 + tip.

For more information, including address, please visit:

Mirage at Government

<2010-09-18 Sat>

No. 109

Coffee Review

Mirage is one of those coffee shops that keeps opening branches. Its original one is located in Blanchard, between View and Fort.

One of their main claims to fame is that they roast their own coffee (you can buy it at their coffee shops). I like their espresso. It is good coffee.

This location, however, is a bit odd. It sits around 12 people, plus 6-8 outside. In a busy day, it is hard to find a place to sit.

I do like its window bench, even though is few inches too high and somehow uncomfortable to type on a laptop. It is a good place to observe the passing tourists.

It has strong competition: The Soda Shoppe, and 2 blocks south Artigiano (the best in the area), or Macchiato, my preferred destination in the area.

Verdict: Good coffee, and a nice, but small, place for people watching.

Update, Nov 24, 2010. I got today a delicious espresso.

For more information, please visit:

Veneto

No. 108

<2010-09-16 Thu>

Like it sibling Breve, Venetto is located inside the Rialto hotel. It is one of those places that I frequently pass in front, thinking I should try it, but always end somewhere else. In countries like China high end hotels tend to have excellent restaurants. Unfortunately, I am prejudiced to these type of restaurants in Canada: I often find them plain and boring (e.g. Magnolia's Prime Steakhouse).

It is a long and narrow restaurant. The front is dominated by the bar, the back by tables. I decided to sit at the bar, a bright and beautiful area.

The bartender offered me a menu. It was dirty. Here I stop for emphasis:

Restaurant: The menu is your presentation card. It tells a lot about your business, and your kitchen. When I get a dirty menu it means that the management is sloppy and pays little attention to the small details that make for a good lunch experience. If you can't have a clean menu how do I know you can have a clean kitchen?

As I perused the soiled list, my waiter served me water with a slice of cucumber. What a revelation! Such a simple addition made my water a different experience! It was delicious. This somehow balanced my mood. Although this really highlights the quality of the bartender, not necessarily the kitchen!



Their menu feels contrived at lunch time, with very few options I decided to order the "Sliders" (small hamburgers).

The first, blue cheese and ring onions was very good: moist inside, dominated by the flavour of the cheese.



The second was less interesting, and hence forgettable.

The third cooked differently than the other two and felt drier, but it had interesting flavours. I enjoyed it.



The buns felt fresh and had a good flavour too.

The sliders feel like an appettizer (and an expensive one). I think they can be raised a notch by adding a salad. Overall, a dish I would not mind eating again. In its current incarnation does not feel like I am eating lunch. And perhaps that is the biggest weakness of Veneto: it does not feel like a lunch destination, but a bar. I suspect that Veneto is a place that can elicit good and bad reviews, depending on what your expectations are.

Verdict: As a bar, my brief experience tells me it can be great. As a restaurant, it is one of those places that I would not mind coming back, but don't plan to do so.

For more information, including address, please visit:

Wah Lai Yuen Restaurant and Bakery

<2010-09-15 Wed>

No. 107

Once in a while, I stop by at Wah Lai Yuen and buy 1/2 a duck for take out. Duck is one of their signature dishes--the other barbecued pork--something you can see from the window. This is one of storefronts that defines China Block.

Given the size of the storefront, it is a large restaurant inside. It sits approximately 60-70 people.

I ordered the duck wonton soup. It was a combination of duck meat and wontons. and it was very good. It was flavourful, full of wontons, with many pieces of duck, and vegetables (bok choy).



If you are picky, you might dislike the duck bones. They come with the territory and I don't mind them (for instance, I was served a piece of neck, which is primarily bone).

The service was expedite: I ordered, and in less than 5 minutes my food was in front of me. My bill appeared as I was finishing without asking. Definitely a place where you can have lunch in a pinch.

It was a pleasant surprise, and definitely a place I will come back to.

I recommend the take-out too. Once in a while I get 1/2 a duck.

Verdict: Recommended (with reservations, see above)

Paid: I didn't write it down, but it was around 10 dollars + tip.

For more information, including address, please visit:

Rising Star Deli

<2010-09-14 Tue>

(Coffee Review)

No. 106

Do you know where the Rising Star Deli is? I bet most people don't. There is a painted star on top of the entrance, and tables in the outside, but I could not see anywhere the name of the restaurant. It feels as if it wants to hide from unsuspecting customers.

I was surprised to see how large the place is inside. It is a funky place, with good music. The walls are covered with interesting art that is worth glancing at. Of course it can't compare with Legacy Gallery, but that is not the purpose. The art in the walls here is more of the type you would see hanging from the walls of the artsy folk in this side of the world. Many of the artifacts are worth a look. Except for one person, it was empty (and one more sitting outside).

The coffee is not bad. Their espresso feels similar to what I get at Starbucks.

The place was calm, and it was enjoyable to sit by the window.

To go to the washroom you have to pass the kitchen. And it is a huge kitchen. I suspect they do catering for other businesses, and that business is bigger than the coffee shop/deli. The kitchen was very busy.

Rising Star is in a tough area. It is just meters away from Wild and Legacy, and in the middle of a zone that has more than 7 coffee places within a 3 blocks radius. For a coffee I'd prefer Legacy or Breve.

Verdict: the coffee is average, but the place is pleasant.

Paid: 2.40

For more information, including address, visit: