Just a Tip!

The view was spectacular, watching Manchester United vs. Celtic FC. We sat back and enjoyed the game, not to mention, the added bonus of having food brought right to you.

We went during Summerlicious and ordered a $45 prix fix menu(3 courses for $45). There were five of us in the group and we started off with: Spanish Meatballs, Fried Calamari, Grilled Shrimp, Arriba Nachos and Pulled Pork Poutine.

The portions were huge and more dinner size than appetizer. I know we wanted to get our money's worth, but if we finished the appetizers, there wouldn't be room for anything else. They were delicious, but it would have been great if they scaled down the size.

For dinner, we had:
Herb Crusted Halibut(two people ordered this), Black Tiger Shrimp Linguini, Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon and lastly a Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin.

Again, the portions were gigantic, or were we just small eaters? The seafood was cooked to perfection. The Lamb Sirloin was cooked just right and medium rare just the way I like it and melted in my mouth like butter.

We don't drink, so we didn't order alcohol, but ordered soft drinks, tea etc. Considering that we watched a professional soccer game while eating dinner, the bill was quite reasonable.

All in all, it was an enjoyable fun night especially for those who adored Soccer.

Would I return?  Sure we would, but note to self: order less food.

Price: For a 3 course meal including tax, tip and drinks, the total came to just under $300 for five people.

Summerlicious Edition

My god I love Summerlicious! We decided to give Little Italy a try and ended up at Riva Supper Lounge. This chic and contemporary Italian restaurant emits a calm and cool vibe.

Without a wait, we were seated on the small but functional patio.

I ordered the:
Shrimp cocktail with lemon wedge and cocktail sauce
Fettucine Alfredo with mushrooms in a Parmesan cream sauce
Fresh assorted berry pie with a combination of blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry in a flaky pie crust

My girlfriend ordered the:
Mixed greens salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, radish, carrots, beets and red onions in a herbed- honey vinaigrette
Marinated and grilled 8oz striploin served with crispy fried onions, vegetables, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, topped with peppercorn sauce
Tahitian vanilla creme brule topped with seasonal berries

Our appetizers were simple and straightforward. The portion size was good and it was tasty. Our mains were delicious. My Fettucine Alfredo perfection. The fresh pasta was cooked al dente and the cream sauce was flavourful yet light(hard to find in a cream sauce). My girlfriend's striploin was cooked just right and had the right amount of zing - the roasted garlic mashed potatoes were a treat also. To finish it off, the assorted berry pie was the right combination of sweet and sour. The tartness of the berries paired well with the flakiness of the pie crust. The vanilla creme brule - I'm not sure if I have a word for it. When creme brule is done right, it is heavenly. It was a creme brule with the perfect consistency.

Overall, it was a great restaurant. All of the dishes were prepared above par.

Would I return? Without a doubt!!

Price: $25 per person for 3 course meal.
Plus tax, tip and drinks, $65 for two people. 

Summerlicious Edition

If you haven't heard of it, Summerlicious, is a Toronto event where participating restaurants offer three course prix-fix menus from July 9 to July 25th. It's a great way to try out restaurants you normally wouldn't stumble upon.

My girlfriend sent me a BBM(Blackberry Message) and asked if I wanted to go out for a Summerlicious dinner and I couldn't resist. She booked Eight Wine Bar and Restaurant, which is situated in the Cosmopolitan Hotel at 8 Colborne Street.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel evokes a zen feeling. Eight Wine Bar
is no different. Upon enteri
ng, you'll notice the quiet music and dim lighting.

We take a look at the menu and I ordered the:
Appetizer - Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Mousse Stuffed Vine-Ripened Tomato (vegetarian) served with Avocado and Grilled Crostini
Main - Prosciutto-Wrapped Striploin served with Roasted Yukon Potato Stuffed with Vegetable Curry Ragout, Corn Succotash and Mint Pesto
Dessert - Sorbet with Fresh Berries
My girlfriend ordered the same main and dessert but decided on the Crab and Pea Risotto with Poached Egg served with Hollandaise and Crispy Bacon as an appetizer.

When our appetizers arrived, they looked heavenly. The risotto portion was a touch big for an appetizer but the risotto was cooked to perfection. I find when risotto isn't cooked properly, it is a gluey texture, this wasn't the case. The Goat Cheese Caramel Mousse Stuffed Vine-Ripened Tomato was a good size. The tangy flavour and creamy texture of goat cheese paired perfectly with the sourness of the tomato and the sweetness of the caramel. They were both very flavourful without being overwhelming.

The main course was a Prosciutto-Wrapped Striploin served with Roasted Yukon Potato Stuffed with Vegetable Curry Ragout, Corn Succotash and Mint Pesto. We both ordered our striploin's medium rare, but when it arrived it seemed to be cooked at medium. We took note of this but continued to eat. Curry is an interesting pairing for striploin and pesto, one that both of us found a bit odd. The prosciutto was also a bit thick; it looked more like bacon than prosciutto. The main course wasn't a hit for either of us.

At this point we are both very full but decide against skipping dessert - we must finish our Summerlicous meal! We both order the Sorbet with Fresh Berries. This dessert does not disappoint. The tartness of the lemon sorbet melts in your mouth, which compliments the sweetness of the berries. This dessert was also very light - the perfect ending to a meal. 

Overall, the meal was good. It seems odd that they would perfect both the appetizer and dessert yet miss on the main course - that is the most important part of the meal right?

Would I return? I would come back, the food was more than just decent - I just wouldn't order the striploin next time.  

Price: $35 per person for 3 course meal.
Plus tax, tip and drinks, $100 for two people.

You know those restaurants that make you forget that you're in Toronto? Well this is one of them.

It's always interesting what you can find when you wander the streets. Sometimes it's a super-cool clothing store, sometimes it's a cute cafe, but in our case, it was Pizza Libretto.

If you didn't know what you were looking for, you could easily walk past it. But through its narrow entrance, you can see the buzz inside. With a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, it almost looks like it belongs in Manhattan.

After a 30 minute wait, I open the menu and see the plethora of options. I thought this was going to be easy. Pizza Libretto claims to be “the only real Neapolitan pizza in Toronto", so I knew I had to get it. What I didn't know, was that there were 12 different options for Neapolitan pizza on the menu. And as you read their descriptions, each one sounds better than the first. After some deliberation, I settle on one. My girlfriend and I also share the Bruschetta appetizer recommended by the waiter.

We weren't disappointed.

The first thing we noticed when our pizzas arrived was the fact that it was cut. This seems like a small and minor detail, but if you've dined at Terroni, you'll understand why it brought a smile to our face. The pizzas were fairly large. My girlfriend and I could have easily shared one. After the first bite, you understand why people are willing to wait 30 minutes for a seat.

After resisting the urge to order dessert because I ate most of what I consider an outrageously large pizza for one person, I realize that Pizza Libretto really is a gem in the Ossington strip.