Review: Lunch @ Ba-Li Laffa, Thornhill

OK, so first off, the parking here is a pain.  The restaurant shares the same location as several other medical offices, and during the day there is simply not enough parking available.  

The restaurant itself is clean and well kept.  I was slightly (just a bit) put off that I had to wait by the cashier for a few minutes before someone from the kitchen comes out and takes my order.  But given that it was a weekday and the place is not busy, I understand the reduction in staff.

I ordered the Schwarma laffa, which comes out to $12 including tax.  A bit on the expensive side, but there is enough quantity to last me for 2 meals. The laffa is chewy and is surprisingly quite delicious.

What was ordered

• 4/5 good
• Schwarma laffa

Summary

• The bottom line: Good laffa schwarma, but the parking is just a pain.
• Score: 3/5

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Top Places to Eat in the GTA

Looking for a place for a quick bite?  Or want to try out some new exciting restaurants and need some inspirations?

These are my favourite top-rated restaurants in the GTA:

5/5 Legendary - I can live on this every day

• DEQ Terrace High Tea, Entertainment District
• Hello JPN, North York
• Hub Sushi, Thornhill
• Joons, North York
• Kingyo Izakaya, Cabbagetown
• Meron to go, Thornhill

4.5/5 Excellent - highly recommended

• California Sandwiches, North York
• Congee Queen (皇后), North York
• CopaCabana, Yonge & Eglinton
• Fruit Jungle, Scarborough
• Genji Sushi, North York
• Green Tea Cafe, Markham
• Han Ba Tang (Korean), North York
• Mustafa Turkish Pizza, North York
• That's Italian Express, Richmond Hill
• One2Snacks, Scarborough
• Phoenix (金鳳), Thornhill
• Nam Sandwich Shop, Toronto
• Chatime, North York

4/5 Great - wouldn't mind eating here again

• Congee Time 鳳皇名粥, North York
• David Duncan House, North York
• Liu Yang Steamed Dishes (浏阳蒸菜), North York
• Montana's, North York
• Mr. Tonkatsu, North York
• Richlane Chines Cuisine (百福名廚), Richmond Hill
• Sansotei Ramen, Toronto
• Schnitzel Hub, Thornhill
• Woofles & Cream, Markham

3.5/5 Good

• Abruzzo Pizza, Richmond Hill
• Casa Deluz Banquet Hall (豪門宴), Scarborough
• Chi Star House (華星餐廳), Richmond Hill
• Me Va Me, Thornhill
• Nami, Toronto
• Romano's, Woodbridge
• Sushi Bong, North York

3/5 So-so

• Ba-Li Laffa, Thornhill
• Boston Pizza, North York
• Ho Su Bistro, Yonge & Eglinton
• Indian Kitchen, Thornhill
• Jerusalem Restaurant, North York
• LHL Seafood Restaurant 國惠, Scarborough
• Nolbu, North York
• Sik Korea, North York
• Thai Bamboo, Vaughan

<2.5/5 Blah. I've had better...

• Fire Fly (螢火蟲), Markham
• Golden Court Abalone Restaurant (黃金閣)
• Old Stove Chinese Burger, North York
• The Union Social Eatery

Review: Dinner @ Casa Deluz, Scarborough

I was recently at Casa Deluz for a fundraising banquet/ dinner gala.  

The restaurant is located within a very busy mall, and despite the difficulty in finding a parking spot, the restaurant interior is well decorated.  This is a large restaurant, great for large corporate events.  

The food itself is decent.  Not bad, not great.  I really enjoyed the coconut jelly, it was so good I had three!

Summary

• Bottom Line: Decent food quality, parking can be a hassle.
• Score: 3.5/5
• Address: 1571 Sandhurst Cir #107, Scarborough (NE of Finch & McCowan)

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Review: Escape Room @ AT Escape: Magic Room

Magic Room is my 8th escape room, and although the decors were nice, it fell flat of my expectations.  This is a one room escape.  My initial feeling was good, because the decor was nice, but soon it became very frustrating because there wasn't much logical flow to the puzzles and in the end, the puzzles were not very well designed.

On the positive note, I like how there is more than just combination locks being used.  It's got some nice use of technology, but maybe because we didn't escape in the end, it wasn't satisfying.

Summary

• Bottom Line: despite the nice decor and smart use of technology, Magic Room fell short of my expectations
• Score: 3/5
• 3.5/4 for room decor
• 2/4 for puzzles
• 1/2 for overall experience

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Review: Dinner @ PaPaCho's Burger Restaurant, Cusco

Ok, so first off, I'm pretty sure the burger here got me sick. How do I know?  Because the 4 people in our group that had the burger got bad food poisoning the very next morning.

Other than that, the restaurant is decent.  Nice seating environment, although no locals here, all tourists.  The chicken wings here are pretty tasty, just … avoid the Asiu Mai burger.  Either the uncooked pork patty or the chinese mayonnaise resulted in our group being violently ill.  We all had to see a doctor and end up with antibiotics and anti parasite pills, was definitely not fun.

What was ordered

• 4/5 Good
• Charapitas wings - "bathed in the Amazon's most sinful flavors"
• 1/5 Avoid!
• Asiu Mai burger - "pork and chicken burger siu mei flavour"

Summary

• The Bottom Line: I would never ever go back, the burger here gave my group bad food poisoning for the next 3 days.
• Score: 4.0/10
• 0/5 for food
• 2/5 for value
• 2/2 for service
• 2/2 for seating environment
• 0/1 for hitting the spot

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• Guide to Peru
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Lunch @ Aguaymanto Resto Bar, Cusco

Aji Gallina

This is probably one of my favourite restaurants in Peru! The restaurant was a bit hard to find.  It's on the second floor of some alleyway.  We were brought in by our guide.

We had the Aji Gallina (shredded chicken in huancaina sauce made from roasted peanuts, lightly spicy yellow peppers cheese and garlic) with brown rice and wedge potatoes, and the alpaca burger. For drinks, we ordered the Inca Cola, which is a sweet fruity flavour pop, now acquired by Coca-Cola.

What was ordered

• 5/5 Excellent
• Aji Gallina
• 4/5 Good
• Inca Cola
• 3/5 Average
• Apaca Burger

Summary

• Bottom Line: Delicious Peruvian food.  Best Aji Gallina I've had.
• Score: 9.0/10
• 4.5/5 for food
• 4/5 for value
• 2/2 for seating environment
• 2/2 for service
• 1/1 for hitting the spot
• Address: Hatun Rumiyoc 487 | Second Floor, Cusco

Apaca Burger

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Review: San Pedro Market, Cusco

We visited the San Pedro Market near the end of day, so most stalls were already closed by the time we arrived.  

We have heard many good things about the market, but I was too hesitant to try any of the food, for fear of food poisoning.  It turns out that it didn't matter in the end, because I got food poisoning anyways.  

There are homemade cheeses, freshly boiled corn with giant kernels, and juice stalls. Unfortunately because of the timing, we missed the more popular sights like pig's head and whole roasted guinea pigs.

I would recommend visiting the market, but maybe only buy packaged goods there… since our North American stomachs are generally more sensitive and is not used to the food there.

Summary

• The Bottom Line: Good authentic Peruvian market.
• Score: 7/10
• 2/5 for experience
• 5/5 for value (free)

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Review: Drinks @ Starbucks, Cusco

This Starbucks is located within the Plaza de Armas, on the second storey.  Because Starbucks is a large multinational corporation that pretty much standardized all their locations, there isn't much difference between the stores here versus the ones in North America.

The prices are comparable to North America, which pretty means that only ex-pats or tourists would be able to afford a drink at this place.  You won't find any locals here.  

Summary

• Bottom Line: Nice place to get a coffee if you have a craving, but I would opt to go authentic and go for Peruvian cuisine.
• Score: 7.7/10
• 4/5 for food
• 2.5/5 for value
• 2/2 for seating environment
• 2/2 for service
• 1/1 for hitting the spot

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Review: Plaza de Armas, Cusco

After we were picked up by our tour guide from the Cusco airport, he took us to our hotel, and then off for a quick tour of Plaza de Armas.  There happens to be a parade there that day, sort of a graduation ceremony for university students, so the square were full of locals.

Plaza de Armas

• The Plaza is dominated by 2 churches.
• A statue of Pachacutec is in the city centre, pointing in the direction of old Inca fortress Sacsayhuaman.
• The Catedral de Cusco is the first Christian church in Cusco.

Summary

• Bottom Line: Worth a visit. It's the centre of Cusco.
• Score: 9/10
• 4/5 experience
• 5/5 value (it's free)

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Review: Qorikancha and Santa Domingo, Cusco

Coricancha (Qorikancha) is the sun temple of the Inca, and is one of the most famous sites in Cusco.

• The building symbolizes the Spanish conquest over the Inca culture, a convent was built directly on top of the Inca's most important Cusco temple.
• For the longest time the Inca architecture was hidden beneath the Spanish over structure, until in 1950 an earthquake cause the convent wall to collapse, exposing the original Inca walls.
• The walls of the temple were originally covered in gold, but the gold plates were taken away by the Spanish when they took over the city.

We visited this on the first day of arrival at Cusco, and even with the high altitude pills, you really could feel the dizziness.  Go slow, and enjoy church.  It offers an great view of the city, if nothing else.

Summary

• Bottom Line: Offers great view of the city. Spend a few hours here.
• Score: 9/10
• 4.5/5 for experience
• 4.5/5 for price ($6)

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Review: Dinner @ Romano's, Woodbridge

Romano's is a nice Italian restaurant located in Woodbridge.  The outside of the restaurant is average looking, it's actually a bit uninviting with the worn out white and blue sign, but the inside has clearly been renovated and is surprisingly classy.  It's one of those hidden locations that unless you have been invited by friends, you would never choose to visit this restaurant.

For dinner, we ordered tomato with cheese, calamari, and the lamb skewers for appetizers, and for main I ordered the special pasta with sausage.  The food overall is decent, not bad, not great.  But I do enjoy the seating environment, and there is a family dinner night special "4 can dine for $69" that I feel would be a good deal.

What was ordered

• 4/5 Good
• Spiducci - lamb skewers
• Fried calamari
• Caprese
• 3/5 Average
• Special pasta with sausage

Summary

• Bottom Line: decent Italian food.
• Score: 3.5/5
• Address: 830 Rowntree Dairy Road, Woodbridge Vaughan (SW of Pine Valley & Highway 7)

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Review: Lunch @ Thai Bamboo, Vaughan

Chicken Pennang

Thai Bamboo is a pretty popular lunch spot.  The food is decent enough, but I'm not sure if it's good enough to have gathered such a loyal patron group.  I ordered the Chicken Pannang, and it was so-so.  For $12 though, I'm not sure if it was worth the price.

What was ordered

• 3/5 average
• Chicken Pennang

Summary

• Bottom Line: I'm not sure what the big fuss is, why this restaurant is so popular that you have to make reservations for a weekday.
• Score: 3/5

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Review: dinner @ Ho Su Bistro, Toronto

I used to be a huge fan of Hu Su, but lately have been seeing a decline in quality.  My most recent order was the  take out Korean Chicken with Tempura, and the Bulgogi with Tempura.  Both unfortunately were a bit of a disappointment.  I was particularly sad that the tempura chicken was coated with a thick hard crust, and that the bulgogi was dry.

What was ordered

• 3/5 average
• Korean chicken with tempura
• Bulgogi with tempura

Summary

• Bottom Line: cheap food, but varying quality
• Score: 3/5

Korean Chicken with Tempura

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Review: drinks @ Booster Juice, Toronto

Ordered the Ginger Hammer - carrot, apple, and ginger juice.  It was rather good, I'm not really a fan of smoothies,so if given the choice, I would always go for juice.  The price is decent, slightly on the high side, but that's the price you pay for convenience.

What was ordered

• 4/5 good
• Ginger Hammer

Summary

• Bottom Line: good juice for ok value
• Score: 3.5/5
• Address: 2300 Yonge Street (Yonge Eglinton Center), Toronto

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