Korean Grill House

So it was the end of summer school and once again my friends and I needed a place to get together  to have some fun, good food, and a chance to catch up with each other.

We were scheduled to dine elsewhere but that plans didn't work out so we opted for Korean Grill House, located in the heart of downtown Toronto. 

This cool, hip spot is the best place for two people going on their first date. At Korean Grill House, each table has a set of cookers placed between two people facing each other. Each person is able to grill his or her meal or designate the other to cook. It is a bonding kind of experience for sure.

There are two levels to the restaurant. The first level which is street level, is perfect for those who wishes to see some action on the street while they eat. While on the second level, a much larger space,  there is not much to see but the atmosphere gives you a sense of calm and tranquility. The walls are painted greyish blue, white table tops and wooden chairs with spa music playing in the background.

In terms of price, you are looking at $15-$17 range from the all-you-can-eat lunch menu ending at 3pm. The meat choices vary from pork, chicken, beef, Korean spare ribs, fish-which includes salmon and white fish and much more.

This was my first experience at a cook-it-yourself place and I must say, I would definitely go back again or recommend a friend.

 Korean Grill House is located at 369 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON - M5B 1S1, Tel: 416-596-9206. Or visit their website at www.koreangrillhouse.com/index.html.

Symposium

This is not the typical place that I would blog about but after getting a taste of what this restaurant had to offer made me change my mind.


For those out there who have no idea of what or who Symposium is, I will attempt to give you a synopsis of what it would be like to dine in Europe. Symposium Cafe restaurant is an European style restaurant that caters to patrons who are looking for a feel of Europe. This upscale, casual cafe is the place to enjoy this summer. The restaurant also has a patio, perfect for dining out on those hot sunny days.


On the menu are vegetarian dishes for non-meat lovers, classic North American food, such as, burgers and fries done with a twist, and classic European gourmet meals.


My choice dish for the evening was Penne a la vodka (penne pasta tossed with salmon, capers, and a splash of vodka in a rose sauce), this gave the dish a tart taste but for those with a love for strong flavors would enjoy it. We ate outside on the patio, this was a really great experience as this restaurant is located in a quiet residential area.  

You can find Symposium locations mostly in the west end of the Greater Toronto Area. Visit their website at http://www.symposiumcafe.com/. 

Also, please have a look at this Youtube video taken from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on Cafe Pita (Eastern European restaurant).

 

Aroma

It was a friend's birthday and she wanted to try Indian food. We searched the Yellow pages to see what we could find until another friend suggested Aroma located in the downtown core of Toronto.
With a worked up appetite, we anticipated how great the food will be. When we arrived, it was still the lunch hour and we had the 'all-you-can-eat buffet' to ourselves.

Without hesitation we all head for the buffet, located to the rear of the restaurant and  dug into the food. My first and safest choice was the Butter chicken and boy it was the best choice I made that afternoon. The sauce was so creamy and tasty and the chicken seem to melt away in your mouth. I also tried the Saag with Naan and kept going back for more until my tummy couldn't hold any more.
Make sure to order the Mango juice, but make sure you dont't fill up on it because it can be quite filling.

Aroma is located on an upper level and is quite cozy. The setup of the restaurant is like an L-shape with white linen cloths and nice accents to  make you feel at home while you eat.

Visit Aroma Fine Indian Cuisine at 287 King St. West , Toronto , ON M5V 1J5 Tel (416) 971-7242 http://aroma.sites.toronto.com/index.html.

 

Quesada Mexican Grill

If you're in the mood to try something new, this is the place! Quesada is an upcoming Mexican grill restaurant with locations in Mississauga and Toronto and two more in late 2011 in London and Barrie. 
 The setup of the restaurant was a typical fast food Canadian restaurant. The use of colors made it much more appealing. 

Quesada takes pride in offering gourmet Tacos, Burritos, and Quesadillas. For my order, it was two lovely hard and hearty Tacos-chicken and steak- filled with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and salsa. Both costing a little more than $6.00. The Tacos tasted very fresh and delicious. All the ingredients used to make the Tacos seemed as if they were picked right out of a garden and brought fresh to the restaurant to be prepared for us to eat.

So if you're in no mood for cooking tonight, try Quesada Mexican Grill! Located at 5067 Dixie Rd. Mississauga, ON (at Eglinton Ave) (905) 212-9700. Visit their website at http://www.quesada.ca/home.html.

Aji Sai

It was my friend and I Abby's Graduation day and our good friend Yuyu made reservations so we could celebrate such a wonderful milestone and memorable occasion. 
Looking at the outside of the restaurant, one would think that this place wasn't that great. But to my surprise, as you enter, it feels like you stepped into another world. With beautiful lime green colors and dark wood stain, the decor gave you a feeling of calm and happiness.

Originally, our party was for 23 people but reduced to 10. The party room set aside for us that evening, we could no longer use, so we were seated near the back of the restaurant along a long wall.

For those who have never had Japanese buffet, you might be confused just as we were being it was the first time we were dining there. We were given a list of food items to choose from and we had to number the amount we wanted for each dish. This took us a good half hour to figure what we wanted to eat and how much we wanted to eat.

Right away, most of us went for the obvious chicken but the more adventurous ones ventured away from the traditional western foods. To start, we ordered Red Dragon Roll (avocado, cucumber, tempura shrimp, topped with salmon sushi), Tempura Chicken Wings (deep fried wings), Chicken Teriyaki, Beef Fried Rice, and Spring Roll and the list goes on.

My favorite was the Red Dragon Roll dipped in hot sauce with every bite. This was dinner  and a nice price of $18.99 per person plus HST and a 15% coupon off your bill.
We liked it so much that my hubby and I went back the next day for lunch and ordered some of our favorites. Lunch, however, was $12.99 plus taxes (this is the weekend lunch prices, that is, Fri-Sun).

Try Aji Sai! Located at 50 Kennedy Road South, Brampton, ON. ( major intersection Kennedy and Steeles near Clarence St.) 905-452-7888. www.ajisai.ca

Pho Ba Ca

So it was a saturday afternoon and we couldnt decide what to eat. We didnt feel for the usual Chinese, or West Indian food, so we decided on Vietnamese.
I did a search on google for Vietnamese restaurants in my area and Pho Ba Ca was one of the first restaurants that was listed.
The restaurant is located in busy, central or what most will consider as downtown Mississauga. The outside of the restaurant wasnt the greatest of appearances. I guess most will be turned off by the way it looked from the outside.
You enter through a double set of doors and the dining area is a small square footage, seating maybe 20-25 customers only.
My order was a take-out dinner of Shrimp Pad Thai and Crispy spring rolls. The bill came up to $16 and change including taxes.
To rate this restaurant on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being the veru unsatisfactory and 10 being extremely satisfactory. Overall, I would give it a 6 out of 10.
If you're in the Mississauga area, check out Pho Ba Ca at 2541 Hurontario St, Mississauga, ON 905-270-7745.

Salad King

So a friend of mine let me in on well kept secret. She informed me that our favorite Thai and eat spot was re-opened. Everytime my friends and I from school ventured downtown Toronto,  we always hop over to Salad King(then located across from Ryerson University) and enjoy a cheap and delicious meal.

This was a hit spot for university students and business professionals to come and have lunch. It was convenient, cheap, and just a fun place to eat. My friends and I were seated on couch-like seats against the back wall.

Service is always done quickly and with a smile. The coconut curry is a must have. My favorite way to eat it is spicy. At Salad King, you are able to choose your degree of spicy. One of my friends always go for the ultimate kill, the hottest spice level the restaurant has to offer. Pad thai is another dish most people always try when eating at Salad King.

Price wise, you're looking at $8-$15. So if you're in the Yonge and Dundas area in Toronto and feeling for Thai, hop over to Salad King, now located at 340 Yonge St. (at Elm St.).

For more info and reviews follow the link attached http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/opening-daily-dish/2011/02/23/introducing-salad-king-the-yonge-and-dundas-cheap-eats-stalwart-reborn/

WASABI

If you are interested in Japanese food and like to have choices, Wasabi is the place to eat! It was the end of our school term and as usual, my friends and I are scouting for a good place to eat. So one of my friends suggested we go eat at Wasabi. At first I was a bit skeptical because the idea of a Japanese buffet sounded out of the norm. While we waited for our friend, I took in the waiting area which was quite nice and sophisticated. There was a L-shaped padded seating and a large mirror to look in and spa music played to keep us calm while we anticipate what the food was like.

We were escorted to our seats and on the way was the washroom, the buffet area and an open grill area. The washroom I must say seemed like it was taken out of a magazine. Along a wall next to the faucets was a mock waterfall. That was a big highlight for me. We all went for the buffet right away. The crab legs is must have, they are served hot.

Visit Wasabi at 98 Courtneypark Dr East Mississauga, ON L5T 2Y3  (905) 670-5588

GINGER

So my hubby and I were doing business downtown Toronto and wanted to have some lunch. So he suggested we go to Ginger. Being the adventurer I am, I gladly agreed and we strolled over to Bloor St. and Yonge St.

At first when I got there, I must admit I was a little skeptical on the appearance of the restaurant. First, the restaurant wasnt a great big space, it had a check-out/take-out counter, behind which appeared to be the kitchen or grill area. Secondly, there was a wall covered in glass or which appeared to be a large mirror. Lastly, the seating arrangements seemed to take the form of an L-shape.

So we lined up to place our order and we were given a number and  we took our seats. Oh my gosh! The food was so fresh and tasty. This was my first time at Vietnamese dishes and it is was such a great choice for lunch that day.

Price wise, you're looking at $7-$10 if you buy drinks and a roll. This is a hit spot to grab lunch with your friends or co-workers on any day of the week.

GINGER

KOREA HOUSE

When my friend suggested we go to Korea House for Reading Week, I was all excited because I'm an adventurer when it comes to trying new foods. I was looking for something tasty and different from the usual Western foods that I'm used to eating most of the times.  We all eagerly waited at the Christie subway station for a friend to get off work. When our friend arrived, we strolled to Korea House to see what it had to offer.


When we found it we were pleased that it was indeed a spot with character rather than a exquisite restaurant chain or modern establishment. Korea House is a small, cozy, spot for Korean food lovers. There isn’t a lot of room to get around, so it is perfect for a party of five or a little more. There are limited seating and on a busy day you might not even be able to make your way through.

We were seated near the kitchen along the side wall and we went straight for our menus, this was a late lunch for everyone, therefore, we all were anticipating eating a feast of a meal. My friend and I decided to go with a favourite choice of Kimchi Stew- a dish highly recommended by my friend. Kimchi Stew is made with pork or beef, Korean cabbage, Kimchi paste, tofu and green onions. My other friends weren't so adventurous and went for the Chicken Bogogi- sizzling chicken on hotplate with rice and eggs and additional seasonings to taste.

While you eat, small servings of mini dishes or appetizers are brought to you to enjoy while you savour your main course. The bill came up to $11-$15/person including tips. If you are in the mood for some Korean food, this is the place to go. After grabbing lunch or dinner, hop across the street to have some fun singing karaoke with your friends while you digest.

Korea House

666 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M6G 1L2

416-536-8666 

For those not feeling Korean or Asian food, see what Toronto has to offer at Taste T.O. Events happening now in the month of May until Summer's end. Visit their website at http://www.tasteto.com/events/ 

India's Taste

Hey Foodies! If you have a taste for the South East Asian palate then this is the place to eat! Located right at the corner of Ray Lawson and Mavis Rd. in Brampton, this little hideway is a must eat. As you enter, on the right is a wall full of Indian sweets and treats.

On the menu is a wide range of Indian dishes such as, Butter Chicken, Goat Curry, Shahi Paneer,Chicken Curry, Tandoori Chicken, Chat Papari, but my personal favourites are the Butter Chicken and the Saag Paneer. For those of you who are not that adventurous, the Tandoori Chicken might be a great choice to start.

The buffet area consists of a hot grill where a chef makes fresh Naan and a choice dish for that day.

This is located at the rear of the restaurant. The restaurant is well-lit with low hanging lights. It is kind of difficult to move around as the restaurant is not a very big space.

The servers are dressed neatly in what I assumed to be the restaurant's uniform. They were quick and polite and always ready to bring fresh Naan to the table.

The bill was  about $10-$15/person, plus tip. That includes buffet price and drinks. So, if you're tired from a day's work and simply looking for a different and nice meal to eat, I strongly recommed India's Taste.

You can get a peek at what the restaurant offers at http://www.indiastaste.ca/. Some other recommendations for great South Asian food is the Harbourfront Zaika: South Asian Food Festival. Visit the Harbourfront's website for more details: http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldroutes/festivals.cfm?festival_id=36.