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!

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

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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!

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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

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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.

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Review: DInner @ Nolbu, North York

Happy fall everyone!  Tonight we decided to try out Nolbu, a Japanese/Korean/ Chinese restaurant around the Yonge/ Sheppard area.  I'm not which cuisine they are really - since the menu contains items from all three cuisines.  Last time I was at this location, it was a different restaurant, and I remembered that it was kinda dark and had a dirty pub-like  feel, so I'm glad that the new owners have decided to brighten the lights and make this a more family friendly place. I'd like to SEE my food.  :)

We ordered the Takoyaki appetizer, followed by Soon Tofu and a Sushi Bento box.  After placing our orders, we were given the usual Korean small dish appetizers. There were only 3 dishes though - kimchi, glass noodles, and bean stalks.

The Soon Tofu came in a stone bowl, and was hot and bubbling and full of favour.  The takoyaki balls were a bit smaller than what I'm accustomed to, and looked like maybe they were deep friend instead of made with a takoyaki grill? 

Sashimi in the bento box were fresh, but we found that the tempura was a tad soggy and the batter was maybe too thick - we *think* that it was because they forgot to give us the bento box.  The Tofu came out 20 minutes before the bento box, and we only got the bento box after following up on the order.  Maybe the chef had it prepared but the servers forgot to bring it out?

Our final bill with tips and tax came to $45 for 2.

What we ordered

• 4/5 Good
• Soon Tofu ($8.99)
• 3/5 Average
• Takoyaki ($6.99)
• Sashimi, Sushi, Roll, and Tempura Bento ($18.99)

Summary

• Score: 3/5
• Food: I liked Soon Tofu Bowl best, and the Sashimi was fresh.
• Value: the bento box was a bit on the pricier side at $18.99.  Soon Tofu is a good deal for $8.99.
• Seating Environment: Comfortable booths, there are about 10-15 tables.
• Service: good, but one dish came 20 minutes before the other - so if you're here on a date, it would be an awkward wait watching the other person eat while you twiddle your thumb.  :P

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Review: Dinner @ Sushi Bong, North York

In an effort to lose my post-vacation (not post-baby!) weight, I've been trying to exercise more, and one incentive that I found works for me is to jog to a diner.  You could say that the promise of food is my biggest incentive.  It was on one such evening jogging excursion that we visited Sushi Bong.

Because the restaurant is relatively small, and seem to cater for take-out, I only ordered the cooked rolls (wasn't comfortable enough to order raw fish).  

The food exceeded my expectations.  For $20, we got three HUGE rolls.  This is definitely catered towards customers with value in mind.  The one thing that I didn't like, or perhaps I just wasn't used to it, was that they put sesame seeds on top of the rolls. I didn't really like the taste.

I wouldn't mind trying out their sushi rolls next time.  Will mostly likely return.

What was ordered

• 4/5 good
• Dynamite roll ($6.11)
• 3/5 average
• Spider roll ($9.98)
• Unagi Special ($6.99)

Summary

• The Bottom Line: cheap take-out menu
• Score: 3.5/5
• Address: 15 Northtown Way, North York (SE of Yonge & Finch)

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Review: Dinner @ Jerusalam Restaurant, North York

The company that I'm with likes to schedule periodic team building dinner events.  It was on such one occasion that I came to Jersusalem Restaurant for a week night dinner buffet.  The restaurant, located on Leslie north of Sheppard, is located at the same plaza as a Shoppers Drug Mart.

Once you step inside the restaurant, you'll be greeted with a unique layout.  It is styled with an inner courtyard, with a central atrium where natural light gently cascades into the seating area via a sunroof.  There are some indoor trees that act as decorations to further enhance the indoor courtyard theme.

The restaurant was pretty empty, with only a few tables full.  Dinner is a buffet style, and the food was mediocre    There were salads, a roast beef table, and other fish and meat.  I wasn't entirely sure if it's the food that didn't agree with me or what, but I got a pretty bad stomach pain after the first plate, and had to get some Pepobismo from the adjacent pharmacy.  I was somewhat disturbed to find flies hovering some of the plates, maybe I shouldn't have taken food from those areas.

As I sat there with my stomach pain, wondering if I should leave my dinner company, I was surprised by some middle western music suddenly blasting through the speakers.  Shortly afterwards, a belly dancer appeared!  She performed a few pieces while we awkwardly looked, but it was all in good fun and I'm glad that they provided entertainment.

Would I recommend this place?  Not if you have a weak stomach like me.  I normally don't get sick from ethnic foods (curry and the like), but this place really gave me stomach pains for the next day or so. 

Summary

• Bottom Line: Belly dancing show was a nice touch!
• Score: 3/5
• Address: 4777 Leslie Street (Leslie & Sheppard)

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Review: Dinner @ Old Stove Chinese Burger, North York

Old Stove Chinese Burger is a small restaurant in one of the shops below residential complexes along Yonge north of Finch.

We ordered various types of chinese burgers, along with the home made mixed stir-fry pot. Pretty much everything was a rip-off, and the service was terrible.  The waitress brought us the wrong order (beef instead of lamb), and when we pointed it out, she blamed us for not being clear when we ordered.  Huh?  

The "mixed stir fry" pot was pathetic.  You can see from the picture, it has nothing but a few fish balls, spam, and imitation crab meat.  If you give cheap food, then at least give enough of it, considering it was $14!

The Arctic Ocean soda at $4 tastes just like an overpriced C-plus. The only thing that I liked was the sour plum juice, but it was pre-bottled.

What was ordered

• 4/5 good
• sour plum juice
• 3/5 average
• beef chinese burger
• pork chinese burger
• cumin lamb chinese burger
• 2/5 bad
• Home made mixed stir-fry
• Arctic ocean soda (citrus flavour)

Summary

• The Bottom Line: I would not recommend this place.
• Score: 2/5

$14 home made stir fry - terrible value

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Review: Drinks @ Chatime, North York

This is one of the better Chatimes in Toronto.  I always go for the #2 special - roasted milk tea with grass jelly, 30% sugar, with less ice.  Chatime is able to stand out from the rest of the bubble tea shops around town because, like Starbucks, you can "customize" your experience by choosing the amount of sugar and ice.  I wouldn't recommend going more than 50% sugar, as I generally find their drinks already pretty sweet. 

I've noticed that for the past few months, they have been slowing increasing their cream to tea ratio, to the point where sometimes I couldn't taste the tea anymore.  Unfortunately there is no option to select a less cream, if not I would come back more often.

Summary

• The Bottom Line: I only like the #2 roasted milk tea with grass jelly. 
• Score: 4.5/5
• Address: 5494 Yonge Street, North York (Yonge & Finch)

Review: Congee Time, North York Toronto

I have been to Congee Time so many times that I have lost count.  When the fridge is empty and the tummy is rumbling, this is my go-to place for a quick Chinese fix.

There is nothing fancy about Congee Time itself - it's a decent sized restaurant in a strip mall near Yonge & Cummer.  Don't expect stellar service - this is just a step up from a fast food joint.  Still, the value and the quality of food is excellent, so I return to Congee Time time and time again.

What we've ordered

• 5/5 delicious
• C3 BBQ Pork Rice Noodle
• C6 Tripe Rice Noodle
• 4/5 good
• A1 Super Supreme Super Bowl
• A2 Supreme Super Bowl
• B15 Pork & Gold Preserved Egg Congee
• B16 Lai Wan Style Congee 
• E34 Rice noodle with beef & chill black bean sauce
• V2 Beef & Dough Fritters Rice Noodle Roll
• 3/5 average
• F32 Curry fried rice noodle
• F34 Rice Noodle with Beef & Chili Black Bean Sauce
• H16 Yeung Chow Fried Rice
• 2/5 didn't really like it
• A3 Golden Supreme Super Bowl

Summary

• The Bottom Line: my favourite Chinese junk food joint
• Score: 4/5
• Address: 5817 Yonge Street, North York (Yonge & Cummer)

Lunch @ Montana's, North York

I've been to Montana's for lunch a few times.  The restaurant is spacious and comfortable, however the service is slow, probably because they are often understaffed. The first time we were there, we waited a LONG time for my salad, and when it came, I was disappointed that mixed greens was simply lettuce bits, and the pecans were missing from the apple pecan salad.

The second time I opted to try what they are known for - smoked BBQ meat.  I had the duo - shrimp with a 1/4 rack ribs, and mmmm what a difference that made!  Almost as if I went to a different restaurant. This tells me to never again order salads from Montana's, and always to go for their meat.

What I ordered

• Summer Sampler - recommended
• 1/4 smoked pork back ribs
• 1/2 kapok shrimp
• smoked veggies
• Shock Top beer - recommended
• Apple pecan salad 

Summary

• The bottom line: skip the salad and go for the smoked BBQ meat.
• Score: 4/5
• Address: 2011 Steeles Ave West (Steeles & Dufferin), North York

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Summer sampler with kapow shrimp & smoked pork ribs

Review: Dinner @ Sik Korea, Toronto

Sik Korea is a new restaurant that recently opened up on Spring Garden near Yonge and Sheppard. One of my good  childhood friends, who now lives in NYC, came back to Toronto for a weekend and was craving Korean food, so we decided to give this place a try.

We asked the server for recommendation, and he recommended pork bone soup, dolsot bipbimbap  and this Korean spicy sausage hot pot dish.  The last appeared to be very popular, with tables surrounding us ordering the same dish. We figured there must be safety in numbers, so ordered the spicy sausage hot pot as well as the dolsot bipbimbap.

I wasn't overly impressed with the hot pot.  For $30, all we got were instant noodles, rice cakes, and a few varieties of sausages.  It is honestly what I would make at home when we ran out of fresh groceries and needed something quick and cheap.  it's like a giant pot of preservatives, and so while the taste is decent, I could not recommend this.

The dolsot bipbimbap, on the other hand, was delicious.  The stone pot was sizzling hot, and so we were able to create a delightful sear on the rice.  This I would recommend.

Gamjatang - aka pork bone soup, is also pretty decent. However, at a price tag of $9.95, I think it is slightly overpriced.  Still, if you have a craving for gamjatang (which happens quite often for me), go for it.

I should also mention that their side dishes is some of the better ones with a nice variety being presented.  I especially liked the white dish, but I have no idea what that it.  Maybe it's made from turnip?

Dishes

• 4/5 good
• Dolsot bipbimbap
• Gamjatang
• 2/5 didn't' really like it
• Budae jjigae (spicy sausage stew)

Summary

• The Bottom Line: Skip the popular spicy sausage hot pot stew and opt for the dolsot bipbimbap instead.
• Score: 3/5
• Address: 7 Spring Garden Avenue (Yonge & Sheppard), Toronto.

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Spicy Sausage Hot Pot Stew

Spicy Sausage Hot Pot Stew

Dolsot bipbimbap - recommended

Gamjatang - pork bone soup