Review: Dinner @ Hello Jpn, North York

Wow it has been a rather warm holiday season this year.  I wonder if it's really due to global warming.  Tonight was Christmas Eve, and after visiting several places which were unfortunately closed, we went to this newly opened Japanese take-out restaurant, called "Hello jp".

Not quite sure what to expect, we walked into the store.  There are only a few items on the menu, and although I was tempted to order the Pork Belly Rice Bowl, I was still recovering from a cough and decided to order the less fatty Japanese Burger Rice Bowl instead. It was quite late already, and as we were the only patrons there, we were told that it would be a 15 minutes wait.  I gathered that the chef had to make our dinner perhaps from scratch? 

Well, as it turns out, the 15 minutes wait was more like a 25 minutes wait… way longer than I thought was acceptable at a take-out restaurant.  However, as it was Christmas Eve, I was ok with it.  The cashier must've felt bad, because halfway through she offered us complimentary fish cake snacks, which were decent enough and filled us up while we continued to wait.  We resorted to sitting on the stools and people watch.  We were interested to see what other souls would be wandering on Yonge Street on Christmas Eve evening, instead of being in a traditional family dinner.  I gather most of them are students that were not able to go home for the holidays.

Anyways, our food was ready at last, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they also gave us a free tangerine.  Once we got home and unpacked the meal, oh my gosh!  The Rice Bowl looked AMAZING!  It's got those Japanese styled egg omelette - forgot what they are called, but it's those ones that are layered, lotus, broccoli, and a burger pattie that was drizzled with some thick delicious looking sauce.  The combo also came with miso soup.

First, the miso soup was a tad salty.  Maybe because we went at end of day so it was the bottom of the pot where all the sodium has settled?  That was easily solved enough by diluting it with water.

Then, the Rice Bowl.  It was SO GOOD.  I've had Japanese burgers before when we were in Japan, but this tops them.  I'm not sure if it was because I was quite hungry at that point or what, but mmm I couldn't stop eating.  Everything on the bowl was prepared with such finesse that I could almost feel the chef's attention to detail when creating the bowl.  Any misgivings I might have felt with that long 25 minutes wait instantly vanished.  It was SO worth it.  The japanese rice was seasoned beautifully, and the entire bowl came together with such harmony that I was a very happy diner at the end of it.

All in all, I have to say Hello JP completely surpassed my expectation.  I am so happy to see Sofra closed to make way for my new favourite Japanese take-out place!!!  I'm very eager to go back and try the other remaining items on the menu!

What was ordered

• 5/5 That was pretty delicious…
• Japanese Burger Rice Bowl

Summary

• Score: 5/5
• Food: the Japanese burger rice bowl was so out of this world good.
• Value: for $10, the price of a McDonald's meal, I think it offers a great value for the quality of food that was provided.
• Seating ambience: although there are a few stools, it's primarily catered to take-out customers.
• Service: happy and friendly!

Review: AT Escape - Bunker Evac

Escape Mission #15.

Today we attempted Bunker Evac.  It was one of the few places that are open during the holiday season.  Overall, it was a decent experience, we got out in about 35 minutes, using 1 hint in the process (although the game master was nice and gave us actually 1.5 hints).

The room is decorated well, once you step inside, you do feel like you're in a bunker.  There are some nice background sound effects to add to the mood.  The space is very, very small, so honestly I wouldn't recommend more than 3 escapees.  We went with 2, and thought it was the perfect number.

Puzzles are OK.  It wasn't overly difficult, although there was one that requires a bit of a logic leap and I don't think we could have solved it without help.  I like that there is a good variety of puzzles, and not just plain old combination locks.  Still, nothing was overly high-tech, and throughout the entire experience, there weren't any "ooooh" or "aaaaah" surprise moments.

Personally, I prefer BioLab Extraction and Library Lockup over Bunker Evac, so try those 2 rooms first before attempting Bunker.

Overall Score: 3.5/5

Lunch @ California Sandwiches, North York

A busy and popular place for lunch.  I ordered a Brio and the Veal Sandwich with mushrooms and cheese.  After a short wait, I was presented with a GIGANTIC sandwich.  Definitely enough for 2 meals.  The bread was fresh and soft, and the veal was thin (as it should be), and flavourful.  A very satisfying meal indeed.  The only downside was the Brio Soda - what a gross drink!  If you read the ingredients list, it's got a whole bunch of artificial ingredients.  Still, compared to Coke, I like that it is less sweet.  But then again, I don't drink soda and generally avoid sugary drinks where possible.  In any case, my dislike of Brio Soda has nothing to do with California Sandwiches - the place is great!

I was also pleasantly surprised that when I tried to order a latte, they apologized and told me that they are out of milk.  Instead, they presented me with a comp espresso.  Now that's great customer service.

What was ordered

• 5/5 Divine
• Veal Sandwich
• 3/5 Good
• Espresso
• 2/4 Not my favourite
• Brio Soda

Summary

• Score: 4.5/5  
• The veal sandwich was one of the best I've had
• Price was decent considering the large portion size
• Service was amazing!
• Seating environment is casual but comfortable

Related Posts

• Where to eat in the GTA
• CopaCabana Brazilian Steakhouse, Yonge & Eglinton
• That's Italian Express, Richmond Hill
• David Duncan House, North York
• Schnitzel Hub, Thornhill

Review: Lunch @ Mr. Tonkatsu, North York

Parking at this location is an absolute pain.  Because there is limited parking outside the restaurant (5 - 7 spots), and you can't park in the side streets just off Yonge, you basically have to park in the Tim Hortons mall parking lot and walk towards the restaurant.

The Karage appetizer was crunchy and delicious, and the curry tonkatsu was light and crispy as well.  However, this otherwise satisfying meal was marred by slightly hard rice, and the unfortunate lack of parking near the area.

Between the Tonkatsu here and the one at Cafe Green Tea in J-Town, I can't decide which one I like better.  The Tonkatsu at Mr.Tonkatsu is lighter is crispier, but the rice is better at Cafe Green Tea.  However, the same dish costs 30% less at Cafe Green Tea, and as I never experience any problems with parking at J-Town, I would have to conclude that Cafe Green Tea is better both in terms of value and convenience.

What was ordered

• 4/5 Great
• Karage ($5.5)
• Currty Pork Tenderloin Tonkatsu ($15.5)

Summary

• Score: 4/5
• Food was great - recommend the karage
• Service was decent
• Price was a bit on the high side
• Seating environment was so-so. I am not a fan of stools and high table.  I don't know where to put my jacket!

Related Posts

• Where to eat in the GTA
• Hub Sushi, Thornhill
• Joons, North York
• Genji Sushi, North York
• Green Tea Cafe, Markham

Review: Lunch @ Sansotei Ramen, Toronto

We arrived at around 12:30pm and after a short wait, was seated inside.  We ordered one Tonkotsu Ramen, and one Tonkotsu Black Ramen.  Between the two, I preferred the original one, without the added garlic oil. It's a decent meal, but not one that I would wait more than 10 minutes in line for.  I do wish they gave us more than 2 thin slices of pork belly though.

What we ordered

• 4/5 Great
• Tonkotsu Ramen ($9.6)
• 3/5 Good
• Tonkotsu Black Ramen ($9.85)

Summary

• Bottom Line: decent place for ramen
• Score: 4/5
• Food (i.e., Ramen and broth) is flavourful
• Service is good
• Value is decent (<$10 for a ramen)
• Seating environment is so-so, a bit cramped with hard benches.  Might have to wait for a table.

Related Posts

• GTA Restaurant Rankings
• Hub Sushi, Thornhill
• Kingyo Izakaya, Toronto
• Genji Sushi, North York
• Green Tea Cafe, Markham

Board Game Rankings

5/5 Fantastic Games.  A must-play.

• Agricola
• Pandemic
• Settlers of Catan
• Telestration

4/5 Great Games

• Battlestar Galactica
• Hanabi
• Istanbul
• Ticket to Ride

3/5 Good Games

• 7 Wonders
• Niagara

2/5 OK Games

• Are you the Traitor? Card Game

My Kitchen: How to Make Fried Rice Using Random Ingredients in the Fridge

Hi everyone!  Today I made fried rice with pretty much random things that I had found in the fridge.  Fried rice is best with overnight rice, so it is no longer soggy but has a slightly hard texture.  The key to a good fried rice is to cut up the ingredients to similar sizes.  I had zucchini, kolbasa sausage, onions, and eggs.  There really isn't a set recipe.  Just get whatever leftovers you've got in the fridge.  Eyeball the quantity.  This is not baking, fried rice is very forgiving with ingredients and quantities.  ;)

Steps

• Prep all the ingredients by cutting into bite sized pieces.
• Stir fry the onions and the ingredients (except the egg) so they have a nice brown colour. 
• Now slowly add in the egg to the ingredients.  Don't overcook it!  Set all the ingredients aside.
• Add the rice.  Leave it in the frying pan for a few minutes so the rice can crisp up.
• Add in the ingredients that you have placed aside.
• Lightly toss and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Done!

Tips

• Use overnight rice
• Onions, eggs, and pineapples are great complements to fried rice
• Cook the ingredients and fried rice separately before combining them.

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My Kitchen Recipe: How to make Korean Chicken with Sempio Andong Chicken Simmer Sauce

Hellooo my lovely friends!  I have this random packet of Korean sauce sitting in my cupboard for many months now, so have finally decided to use it.  

Now, I don't speak Korean, and as this was a gift from someone that went to Korea, unfortunately all the instructions were in Korean.  Uh-oh.  Luckily.  Aerie's Kitchen saved the day.  I found a recipe in a blog that showed you how to prepare this dish IN ENGLISH.  Thanks!  Here is the recipe that I used as inspiration Aerie's Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 packet Sempio Andong Chicken Simmer Sauce
• 8 chicken thighs
• 4 Parsnips
• 2 Onions
• 1 Spring Onion
• 1/2 cup of Carrots

Steps (adapted from Aerie's Kitchen):

• Put the chicken in boiling water for a minute to remove the fat.  Drain fatty water.

• Add 1 cup of water with the sauce.  When mixture boils, reduce to medium low and cook for 10 minutes.

• Add the chopped onions, carrots, and parsnip to the pot and cook.

• Add green onions.

• Serve and enjoy!

This is really a simple dish to make, and the sauce is perfect with the chicken.

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Review: Dinner @ The David Duncan House, North York

It was a rainy day when we arrived at the David Duncan House.  Situated at the north west corner of York Mills and Don Mills, the restaurant is on a rather large plot of land, so finding a parking space will not be an issue here.

The restaurant, true to its name, is more like a beautiful large house than a restaurant.  Once you step inside, you are greeted by intricate decor and woodwork.  It's interesting to see that they layout of the restaurant has a lot of "mini half floors".  A few steps here and there.  

We were promptly seated on the ground floor on a large round table.  My sister loves the caesar salad, where it is prepared table side with their house made sauce, so that's what we ordered.  I didn't feel like having steak that day, so opted for the BBQ ribs instead.  My parents ordered the Duncan Cut Prime Rib, which looked (and tasted) a lot better than the ribs.  So next time, order steak at a steakhouse!  

Dessert was tiramisu and baked alaska.  The Baked Alaska,   like the Caesar Salad, was prepared table side.  The portion is meant for two and it's worth ordering. Oh, and the Tiramisu, oh the Tiramisu was heavenly, possibly the best that I've had anywhere - a definite must-try!

What we ordered

• 5/5 Must order
• Caesar Salad
• Tiramisu
• 4/5 Good
• Duncan Cut Prime Rib
• Baked Alaska
• 3/5 Average
• Honey garlic ribs

Summary

• Score: 4/5
• Food: order the caesar salad and the duncan cut prime rib.  Skip the ribs.
• Service: good, but being served in a tux made me feel a bit uncomfortable (I'm a casual kind of gal).
• Seating environment: delightful!  Very elaborately and elegantly decorated.
• Value: a bit on the pricey side, but given that they can only have 1 seating a night, it's not bad.

Related Posts

• GTA restaurant rankings
• CapaCabana, Toronto
• That's Italian, Richmond Hill
• Montana's, North York
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Review: Dinner @ Boston Pizza, North York

We visited Boston Pizza for dinner, and well, I'm not sure what to say about it.  The food is decent, not superb, but where they lack in food quality they make up in service.  Our server was extremely attentive and efficient.  

We ordered for appetizers the calamari, spinach dip, and the cactus cut potato.  I ordered the holiday special - Seafood Chorizo Fettucini with the Tiramisu dessert.  We also ordered a Tuscan pizza.  All in all, it was a decent meal.  Nothing particular great or bad about it.

What was ordered

• 3/5 Average
• Calamari ($10.99)
• Spinach and Artichoke Dip ($10.99)
• Tuscan Pizza ($17.24)
• Seafood Chorizo Fettucini ($18.99 combo)
• Tiramisu (included with combo)
• 2/5 Not my favourite
• Cactus Cut Potato ($9.79)

Summary

• Score: 3/5
• Food was average, nothing particularly delightful
• Service was great though
• Seating ambience was spacious and comfortable
• Price was on the high side (~$35 pp)

Calarami

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Tuscan Pizza

Tiramisu

Related Posts

• Restaurant rankings in the GTA
• CopaCabana, Toronto
• That's Italian Express, Richmond Hill
• David Duncan House, North York
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Review: Dinner @ Cafe Green Tea, Markham

Cafe Green Tea is located within the J-Town supermarket.  They offer delicious curry and noodle dishes.  I ordered the Curry with Breaded Pork and I did enjoy it.  You place the order at the counter, and when it is ready, they will bring it to you.  So it's kinda halfway between a restaurant and a fast food place I suppose.  It's not a bad place for a quick bite for solo eaters.

What was ordered

• 4/5 Great Eats
• Curry with Breaded Pork ($10.80)

Summary

• Bottom Line: good for solo eaters offering good curry and comfortable casual seating environment.
• Score: 4.5/5
• Food was pretty delicious.
• Price is slightly high for a semi-fast food place
• Service is good, happy employees
• Seating ambience is average

Related Posts

• GTA Restaurant Rankings
• Hub Sushi, Thornhill
• Genji Sushi, North York
• Kingyo Izakaya, Toronto
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Review: Dinner @ Congee Queen (皇后), North York

I have been a regular patron of this particular Congee Queen (皇后) location for several years now, and other than one brief unfortunately incident the week after their major renovation, have always found the quality and service to be consistent.  One of the better (if not the best) Congee Queen/Wong/Times in the city.

We usually order a variety of dishes, a combination of congee, fried noodles and rices.  I particularly enjoyed the salty and crunchy fried squid, and the teppenyaki beef. They do get busy on weekends, so come early!

What was ordered

• 5/5 Delicious!
• Teppanyaki beef (鐵板牛肉)
• 4/5 Good
• Salt and Crunchy Fried Squid (椒籃鮮魷)

Summary

• Score: 4.5/5
• Food: Probably one of the best HK style diner in town.  Consistently producing delicious food.
• Value: Great value for the food quality and quantity provided.

Related Posts

• Top restaurants in the GTA
• Joons Korean Restaurant, North York
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Review: Omescape: Mysterious Study

There are no spoilers in this review.  However, if you prefer to know absolutely nothing about this room, just know that Mysteriuos Study is my favourite room at Omescape Markham.  Now stop reading and make the reservation!

I have now played all the room at Omescape Markham, and here's how I would rank them (based on my personal experience).

From Best to Worst (but honestly, there are no "bad" rooms at Omescape):

1. Mysterious Study (this review)
2. Penitentiary
3. Joker's Asylum
4. Kingdom of Cats
5. Dark Altar

Click here for a list of other escape rooms I have tried.

Mysterious Study has it all - personally I think it has the best features of Penitentiary and Kingdom of Cats.  All the puzzles flow logically, and there's a nice balance of exploration and logical puzzle.  All in all, my favourite room at Omescape Markham.

It's not a difficult room - the 6 of us were able to get out with 1 minute to spare with ZERO hints required.  That's right - no hints!  To succeed, you'll need to have a good group composition where each individual excel at a different skill - logic, math, "finding things", etc.  As with rooms we have come to expect from Omescape, they are extremely well designed with attention to detail.  This is a multi-room escape.  But unlike Dark Altar, this is not a scary room (yay to that!).

Mysterious Study remains one of my favourite room at Omescape.  *Maybe* it's because we escaped with no hints.  I'm not sure, but either way, gather a group of friends and try it out!

Summary

• The Bottom Line: One of the easier rooms at Omescape.  Also my favourite at this location.  I recommend 4-6 players for this room.
• Score: 5/5

Related Posts

• List of all escape room and reviews
• Review: Omescape Penitentiary
• Review: Omescape Joker's Asylum
• Review: AT Escape Biolab Extraction
• Review: LOST Canada Return of the Nemesis