Review: Dinner @ Hub Sushi, Vaughan

Prior to Hub is another Japanese restaurant called Akki, of which I was a frequent customer. I was sad the day when Akki closed its doors, but was excited when a new restaurant, Hub, took its place some time after.

Hub is located at the street level of a condo/ retail complex, and it's not the easiest store to locate, unless you have the address on GPS. Parking is also not the best, with limited parking spaces at the plaza.

The restaurant is cozy - with about 10 tables, and it sure fills up fast on the Friday evening. We were lucky we made a reservation in advance, otherwise we would have to wait for  table.

My first experience at Hub was fantastic. I ordered my favourite sashimi dish - Chirashi (sashimi on top of a bed of rice), which was perfect. See the perfect thick slices of salmon? You can tell that it's fresh just by looking at it.

The rolls are done very nicely as well. I can't remember exactly what roll this is, but it's one of their specialty rolls and it was delicious!

The best deal on the menu was the set menu for 2 - set at $39, it offers plenty of food. My friend and her husband ordered that, and asked for all salmon, and boy were the salmon fresh! Look at the beautiful fat layers, it was delicious good-ness.

The set menu also came with tempura.
Next, we ordered the Fantasia roll, a cooked roll made for those that avoids the "raw". It was thoughtfully served in a hot plate to keep the roll warm.

The regular Chef special includes a selection of fresh sashimi, and if you add $2, you get a small tempura shrimp basket.

The spicy chirashi, which is healthier given the mass of salad, was not as good as the regular chirashi. The sashimi was from the bits of tails ends of other sashimi (or maybe they just cut it into long thing strips), so I wasn't too fond of it. You do get a separate hot sauce to adjust the level of hotness to your individual taste which I appreciate.

All in all, we had a pretty satisfying meal. The sashimi is definitely fresh, but go early or make a reservation to avoid line-ups.

What we ordered

• 5/5 Heavenly Delicious
• Chirashi
• Donburi with Pork Katsu
• Tempura side dish
• Fantasia Roll
• 4/5 Good
• Dinner for 2
• 3/5 Average
• Spicy Chirashi

Summary

• The Bottom Line: great service, fresh ingredients at a cozy restaurant.
• Score: 5/5
• Address: 7398 Yonge Street, Thornhill (Yonge & Clark)

Chirashi

Tempura side - recommended

Chirashi - recommended

Donburi - Pork Katsu - Recommended

Review: Dinner @ Skyview Fusion Cuisine (乙龍天), Markham

The Bottom Line

With a large Asian population, GTA has an abundance of great Chinese food choices. Skyview Fusion Restaurant remains one of the better places for a satisfying Asian feast.

Overall rating

• Overall rating: 4.5/5

Time to Spend

• Budget 2 - 2.5 hours

Recommended Dishes

• Honey BBQ pork
• Roasted suckling pig & jelly fish
• Diced seafood in pumpkin soup
• Pan-fried fillet of steak in sweet & sour sauce
• Garlic lobster stir fry

Skyview Fusion Restaurant

For my mom's birthday, after an elegant classic afternoon tea affair at the Ritz Carlton, we zoomed from one food appointment to another. We headed straight to Skyview Fusion Restaurant for an evening of delightful Chinese food.

Skyview has also been one of my parents' favourite restaurants. After closing down for a little bit to renovate, we were eager to go back and see what the renovated space looks like. 

With the renovation, it was much spacious than before, making for a better venue for weddings and events. 

We skimmed our fingers up and down the menu and ended up with a "family set dinner", with a few modifications and an addition of their famous honey BBQ pork, in which my 5-year old nephew can devour a whole plate by himself.

Our menu consist of:

• BBQ pork with beans
• Roasted suckling pig & jelly fish
• Diced seafood in pumpkin soup
• Pan-fried fillet of steak in sweet & sour sauce
• Braised vegetable with fish maw
• Steamed chicken 
• Steamed scallop on silken tofu in black bean & garlic sauce
• Steamed fish in soy sauce
• Lobster stir fry
• Dessert

The roasted suckling pig was crunchy, and albeit a tad salty, delicious. I've had plenty of suckling pig in the past, and I've always judged them by their crunchiness, and the fat to meat ratio.

Next, came the seafood pumpkin soup, which I've never tried before. I'm not even sure if it's traditional Chinese food, but it doesn't matter because it was creamy deliciousness with the perfect balance of flavour.

Next, came a flurry of dishes - chicken, scallops, beef, etc. The kitchen was so efficient, too efficient really, that we had all our 10 courses within 30 mins. Our tables were overflowing, and we had to send back the chicken for later. It was a bit annoying, and I wish they would pace the courses better.

That being said, I couldn't find fault with the food. It was all in all, a very satisfying meal.

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Review: Afternoon Tea @ DEQ Terrace Ritz Carlton, Toronto

The Bottom Line

Great for celebrating a special event with your favourite person. A very elegant affair with plenty of food to satisfy all ages.

Overall rating

• Overall rating: 5/5

Time to Spend

• Budget: 2 - 2.5 hours

Recommended Set

• The regular tea set is sufficient in my opinion.  I'm not sure if paying the extra money for a glass of champaign is worth it (unless it's for a special occasion of course!)

DEQ Terrace

We headed downtown to the Ritz Carlton for high tea one windy Sunday afternoon. Never one for valet parking (or valet anything really, never liked the idea of people serving me other than bringing me food at restaurants), I opted to park at self-park lot across the street at Metro Center. It was Sunday, so the flat $10 flat was pretty good for downtown indoor parking.

DEQ Terrace is located at the back end of the hotel, past the reception area. Our reservation was for 3:15pm, and when we arrived, the place was somewhat full. As this was a special occasion, for my mom's birthday, we had a special table away from the rest of the guests. Guests celebrating an event also have a pair of balloons tied to their chairs, which was a nice touch.

We were presented with the tea set menu, which was really just for choosing the option of bubblies. $40 for the regular tea set, $50 with a glass of sparking wine, $56 for blush sparking wine, and I presume $69 is for an even more expensive glass of bubblies. I wanted to treat my parents, so we opted for the $56 menu for my mom, and the $50 menu for my dad. I had the regular tea set.

After taking our orders, we settled in and had a chance to look around. The tea area is clean and well structured, with a bar in the middle.

Our very elegantly dressed server came, dressed in a black dress and a string of pearls, just like in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and presented us with a tea box with 12 different kinds of tea leaves, and proceeded to explain to us the selection as well as her recommendation.

After spending some time playing around with the various tea boxes and opening them up and sniffing each  of the samplers, we decided on Oolong and a fruity Celebration medley for me.

Our first dish was a warm bacon and cheese soufflé. It was warm, fluffy, and oh so delicious. I probably devoured it in two large un-ladylike bites. The fact that I woke up late and skipped breakfast might have something to do with my hunger. 

Next we were presented with a beautiful oriental-style round rack with various savoury pastries on them. There was a curry mini burger, an egg salad sandwich, tomato bruschetta, cucumber slice open top sandwich, and a salmon croissant. 

I found most of the bread to be a bit on the dry side, but loved the salmon croissant. They were pretty to look at, and I suppose decent enough in taste.

Next we were presented with a dessert tray, again with all sorts of petite goodies on them. Red velvet cupcake, lemon meringue tart, profiteroles, tiramisu, raspberry macarons, and raisin scones.

I had so eagerly devoured my savoury treats that by this time, I was getting full, and I could tell the same with my family. We all just sat there and stared at these beautiful treats in front of us, each silently wondering if we could possibly finish them all.

Tried as we might, we just couldn't touch them. Not wanting them to go to waste, we had more than half of them doggy-bagged, and the result was that I could thoroughly enjoy them at the comfort of my home, when I was actually hungry and could enjoy them. I must say, those raison scones were delicious.

Our total bill with tax and tip came to about $250 for 4. It's a bit on the steep end, but considering the elegant environment and the exquisite care that had obviously gone into making these treats, it was money well spent. Most precious of all, seeing my mom from ear to ear the entire time.  

Tips

• Make a reservation in advance. You will need to complete a form (with your credit card information) to confirm. Cancellations within 72 hours will be subjected to a penalty.
• If you're there to celebrate an event, let them know in advance and there will be balloons waiting for you when you arrive.  :)
• Don't be embarrassed to ask for your treats to-go if you can't finish them. They will pack it up for you, no problem.

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Review: Playdium Arcade, Mississauga

The Bottom Line

Fun play area for teenagers and adults alike. 

Overall rating

• Overall rating: 4/5

Time to Spend

• Budget 2 hours

Recommended Activities

• Batting cage (>16 years old)
• Redemption games - ski ball, down the clown
• Arcade games - driving games

Playdium Mississauga

At dinner on a Saturday evening, as I sat watching two 10 year old boys on the adjacent table playing Mario Kart on their Nintendo DS. It made me realize how much I miss arcades and video games. After dinner, I headed to Playdium in Mississauga to satisfy my arcade craving. 

We arrived late, at 10:30pm, and weaved our way in the parking lot amongst anxious parents waiting to pick up their kids, ready for bed time. There is a March Break promotion, so we opted for the $31+tax for 225 credits over the unlimited play.

Once inside, I felt as if I've stepped into a teenage happy land. The arcade is relatively low lit, except for flashing video game signs, casino-like lighting. I particularly appreciated the high open ceiling, it made an otherwise cramped place seem much more spacious. 

Playdium is divided into three sections. The arcade, redemption ticket generating games, and a sports zone with bumper cars and a batting cage. 

Playdium offers unlimited 2 or 3 hour arcade game cards, but I don't generally recommend going for it as they are limited to arcade games, and there are many fun redemption games. Plus, unlike you're an avid gamer, 2 hours is long.

I knew that being in my early 30s also means a gradual slowing of reflexes. I did not realize it was that apparent until I was playing Down the Clown, and could only get half the clowns before the timer runs out. Then a couple of teenage boys took their turn, and their movement was so fast I realized I'm really not in my 20s anymore!  It was a bit of a sad revelation, but I suppose one can only accept that and try to "age with grace", right? 

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Review: Golden Court Abalone Restaurant banquet dinner, Richmond Hill

The Bottom Line

Despite good service, the food was a let down. Skip the dinner, come here for dim sum instead.

Overall rating

• Overall rating: 5.3/10
• 2/5 for food
• 3/5 for value
• 1/2 for ambiance
• 2/2 for service
• 0/1 for hitting the spot

Time to Spend

• 2-3 hours

Recommended Dishes

• Roasted Suckling Pig
• Crispy Chicken
• Japanese style fish tacos
• Dessert: chrysanthemum Jelly

The Restaurant 

It was my grandpa-in-law's big 90 birthday, and as Golden Court is one of his favourite restaurants, we went ahead and made reservation for the typical 10 course Chinese feast with the immediate family and close friends.

It was a nice spring day, and we arrived at the plaza at 6:30pm and managed to snag a parking spot (if you have been to Chinese strip malls in Canada, you will understand what a mad house it is in the parking lot on weekends).

We walked into an extremely busy restaurant, it seems to be the "happening" place for birthday parties and such. We were quickly seated at a table near the back, after navigating amongst a maze of partitions separating the various parties.

While waiting for the food, I watched in amusement as a couple walked in, obviously on a date, sat down, and before ordering, got up and left. I could tell by their gestures with the servers that it was simply too noisy for them. If you're out for a romantic date, Golden Court is probably not the place for you. 

Despite the restaurant being worn, as evident by the clearly scratched lazy susan glass and the paint wearing off wooden trims, I surprisingly did not mind. It somehow felt that it fit into the overall feel of the restaurant. Loud, no-fuss, down to earth kind of a hang out place.

The Food

I've been to Golden Court half a dozen times before for dim sum, but this being my first dinner experience here (let alone a banquet menu), I was somewhat intrigued.I have to say, the dim sum food was better than the banquet menu. The meal started off well enough with a crispy suckling pig, but then quickly went downhill with a flour dense shrimp, overcooked abalone, and in general, overly salty and greasy food.

The only dishes I enjoyed was the suckling pig, the interested japanese style fish taco, and the definitely the fragrant chrysanthemum jelly. The almond cookies were tasty as well, with a nice chewy texture.

In all, I would come back for dim sum, but not for dinner.

Golden Court Abalone Restaurant

270 West Beaver Creek Rd,
Richmond Hill, Ontario. L4B 3Y9.
http://goldencourt.ca/

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