Pizza Libretto

45 King St W, Toronto, Ontario                                                                Rating: Poor

"Pizza Crust Should Never Be Bitter"

I love pizza and I rarely eat it because of the calories. So when I do tuck into a thin crusted margherita pizza, I want it to be good. Unfortunately, something is very wrong with the pizza crust at this restaurant. It was bitter, and I mean suck-the-saliva-out-of-your-mouth bitter. It was so bad that I ended up eating the center of the pizza and leaving the entire crust uneaten. I looked around at my colleagues, and at least half of them had done the same thing. It was a work function so I wasn't going to complain but when I got home and googled the question of how in the world could pizza crust be that horribly bitter. Answer: Bad dough. Rancid flour. Thanks Pizzeria Libretto for ruining a not-so-cheap pizza. The chefs need to TASTE THEIR PIZZA. I've never had a worse pizza in my entire life.




http://pizzerialibretto.com/

Canadiana Restaurant & Banquet Hall

5320 Dundas St. W, Toronto, ON                                                            RATING: Poor

"Canadiana at its worst"

This restaurant should be renamed ‘1970s Revival’ because eating here is like stepping back in time, right down to the tiny Esso Station wine glasses and parquet floors. The waitresses were old school: buxom elderly ladies who slapped plates down like they were skimming stones in the local pond. I had prepaid for a three course dinner with a local organization that had booked a holiday dinner at the Canadiana. Wine wasn’t included so I ordered a glass of chardonnay at the bar. It was $6 a glass and would have been right at home in a wineskin at a 1975 Pink Floyd concert; it was swill at its worst.  

The appetizer was a salad; iceberg lettuce, under ripe tomatoes. I chose the French dressing.  Remember back in the day when the only dressings offered were French, Thousand Island and Italian. Yup, that’s the Canadiana.  

We were offered either Salmon or Prime Rib for the main course. I chose the salmon with creamy dill sauce over the prime rib because the waitress announced that the beef had been cooked to medium. I think the ‘chef’ was asleep at the switch because cooking a prime rib to medium is tantamount to ruining a good cut of beef, although I’m not sure this restaurant would fork out a lot of money for good beef.  The salmon was predictably overcooked but it was so overdone that I ended up having to saw through that poor fish with a steak knife. Even smothering it in a creamy dill sauce didn’t add any moisture to that little guy.  

Dessert was a selection of pastries that had seen better days, but wait! I tried one of the cannoli pastries and it was good. A nice way to end a horrible meal.  I opted to have a second glass of the swill to wash down the bad food. I understand that serving a large group of people is difficult when everything needs to be ready at the same time. But don’t offer a salmon dish if you can’t manage to cook it any way other than completely overdone. And don’t offer a prime rib cooked to medium. I saw other people’s plates and there wasn’t a tinge of red on any of the beef. That’s just awful. Sorry Canadiana, but you need to try a little harder. I won’t ever go back there.

Biff's Bistro

4 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E 1B2                                                          RATING: Good

"The French know their quiche"

Owned and operated by Oliver & Bonacini, this upscale French bistro was surprisingly quiet for a Friday lunch with my coworkers. It was my first visit to this restaurant that borders the Toronto financial district and the Front Street entertainment venues. The three of us bypassed the busy patio and headed in to the mostly empty restaurant. It's formal, caters to business folks and is air conditioned for suits and ties.

This restaurant has numerous seafood and fish offerings that looked truly delicious. But my eyes zeroed in on the Quiche Du Jour with mixed greens. I hadn’t had quiche in months and my mouth was watering in anticipation. My co-worker Nick is a club house sandwich guy and he immediately went for the Chicken Club with bacon & barissa mayo while Kelsey and I ordered the quiche. It wasn’t just your average ham & egg quiche. It was made with pork sausage that had a bit of a kick and topped with a slice of brie. The pastry was firm but literally melted in my mouth when I bit into it. I ignored the voice at the back of my mind that was counting the calories. Any time a pastry melts in your mouth, add a few zeros to the calorie count. But this quiche was worth it. The brie was young and firm, and the quiche filling was something to write home about: perfectly cooked egg and a smattering of vegetables with bite sized pieces of zingy pork sausage. It was accompanied by a side of salad greens. The dressing was a Champagne vinaigrette, but I’m not a fan of vinegar so I opted for straight olive oil. Unfortunately the salad consisted of whole lettuce leaves and nothing else, and I had to do a lot of carving and folding to make bite-able pieces. It may look nice when plated, but salad served this way is a royal pain to eat. I soon gave up trying after a few pieces unfolded just as the fork reached my mouth.

My colleagues devoured their meals.  Nick had his plate clean in a matter of minutes.  Kelsey and I were neck and neck until she took a break to answer some questions and fell behind. When the waiter cleared our plates, there was only lettuce left behind.

All in all this meal was good.  It wasn’t cheap because a wedge of quiche and some lettuce leaves were $17 plus tax and tip. 

If you’re a seafood fan and a lover of French food, I would recommend giving this restaurant a try. 

Restaurant Website:  http://oliverbonacini.com/biffs-bistro.aspx

Mitzi's Cafe

100 Sorauren Avenue, Toronto, Ontario                                                   RATING: Good

"Neighbourhood Delight"

This restaurant sits smack dab in the middle of a vibrant bedroom community in upper Parkdale. Built into the main floor of an old house, the huge front windows let in a lot of light and the surrounding trees gives it a homey yet still urban atmosphere. We arrived shortly after their 9 am opening which was fortunate because it filled to capacity quickly, including the eight or so tables on their covered patio. Clearly their baked goods were well sought after because I watched a steady stream of customers arriving for take-out  muffins, bagels and pastries. The table beside us ordered the french toast with banana and whipped cream which had me shamelessly ogling. 

Within seconds of being seated we were served delicious bottomless coffees and left to peruse the chalkboard menu. I didn’t want anything elaborate because I’m watching my calories so I chose a basic Mitzy’s breakfast consisting of poached eggs, bacon and rye toast. The meal came with a side of mini-potatoes that were tossed in a dark sauce which I can’t comment on because I didn’t try it. A complete no-no for a food blogger but I just plum forgot about my duty to try everything on my plate. The poached eggs were served in a tiny bowl set in the middle of the plate. They were perfectly cooked because the yolk was soft and runny, although they didn’t ask my preference so it’s a good thing I like them cooked that way. The only downside to a runny poached egg served in a bowl, is the likelihood that they were cooked in a pot of boiling water with vinegar added to keep the white attached to the yolk. You guessed it, runny yolk and vinegar is not appetizing but I come across this unfortunate combination fairly frequently.  Mitzy, please I beg of you, invest in a proper egg poacher because not everyone likes eggs that taste like vinegar.  

The bacon was well cooked and delicious, and the rye bread was either homemade or purchased fresh from a local bakery. It was finger smacking good to the last crumb.  My breakfast mate ordered the same meal as me, except her eggs were in an omelette. They must have used 8 eggs in her dish because it could have fed three people. She barely got half way through before requesting a doggy bag. It seemed like there was a teenage boy behind the grill who was anticipating his own breakfast, but I will quote my husband and say "never complain about there being too much food".  Fair enough.

We sat for 2 hours and watched as a line formed and then disappeared. Never were we encouraged to hurry up and finish so they could seat someone else. 

My breakfast came to just shy of $14 for a basic bacon and egg breakfast with coffee (the latter is separate).  That’s not cheap, but the quality of the food is good and the atmosphere is pleasant. 

I would definitely give this establishment my repeat business.

Restaurant website:  http://www.mitziscafe.com/

Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill

33 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario                                                RATING: Good

"Salmon fillet, arm & leg"

I patronized this restaurant with 3 co-workers on a summer Friday afternoon in Toronto’s financial district. We chose to sit inside the restaurant in order to avoid the endless construction sounds and smells that are a Toronto epidemic this summer of 2014. 

We sat in a comfortable booth, away from the din and clatter by the swinging kitchen door.  Our server was polite, pleasant and incredibly efficient, which is exactly what we wanted and needed.

My attempt to watch calories had me ordering the grilled Atlantic salmon ($24). The menu said that it was accompanied by roasted heirloom carrots and mini Yukon Gold potatoes. The salmon was cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside and mouth wateringly tender on the inside. There was a smattering of horseradish pesto on the top that was nicely understated because it added a hint of flavour but didn’t overtake the natural flavour of the salmon. The two small potatoes, and I mean SMALL as in the size of a walnut, looked appetizing but they could have used another minute of cooking because they were too firm for my liking. What are heirloom carrots?  The two small 2-inch long root vegetables that were on the plate didn’t resemble any carrot I’ve tasted, and looked more like parsnips. They were bland and crunchy so I pushed them to the side of my plate. 

One of my colleagues ordered the Turk Pizza ($16) which was spiced ground lamb, hummus and feta on a fairly thick crusted pizza. He said there was no sauce or cheese on it, although the menu stated ‘feta’ so there must have been very little.  He enjoyed the pizza and ate every crumb on his plate.  My other colleague had the Tandoori Chicken Burger served with a mint & onion marmalade along with sweet potato fries ($16). He said it was good which was evidenced by the fact that he also ate every crumb on his plate.  Lastly, my other colleague ordered the Friday special which was shrimp & salmon cake on a nicoise salad with olive tapenade vinaigrette & caper remoulade ($17).  She wasn’t impressed with this because the ‘cake’ was actually ‘cakes’, about four seemingly walnut sized cakes (again with the walnut analogy) that were heavily deep fried so they were mostly crust.  Not much flavour and the salad that was underneath it looked fairly unappetizing (did they use iceberg lettuce?). My co-worker barely touched the salad. 

Ironically my meal was less than half the size of everyone else’s and was significantly more money.  I walked back to work feeling hungry and shocked that my lunch was $35 all-in including my soft drink. Unfortunately that delicious salmon wasn’t the last taste in my mouth; it was the bitter taste of disappointment for having spent far too much on a lunch that wasn’t worth it.  But, I would give this a Good rating because three of us devoured our food, and only one said the food was ‘okay’

Restaurant website: http://oliverbonacini.com/Jump.aspx

Jump Cafe and Bar

18 Wellington Street West, Toronto, Ontario                                       RATING: Average to Good

"A dollop of Ricotta won't do"

I arrived at Jump with my two regular lunch pals on a busy Thursday in the Toronto financial district. We were initially led to a table that was almost laughable. It was a non-starter because my friend couldn't have sat in her chair without being constantly jostled. Having none of that, we asked for a table change. Straight away we were led into the main dining area and greeted by the happiest waiter I've ever had. Farhad Bulsa. This guy is happy. He introduced his `shadow' co-worker, David, another happy guy. From start to finish this pair was a pleasure.

Comfortably seated with menu in hand, I looked at the array of options and let loose an audible sigh of relief. They had the exact item that I'd ordered on my previous visit, the organic chicken breast, with mushroom and quinoa salad.  My mouth was watering in anticipation of biting into that tender chicken. But I gave my head a shake and thought of this blog and admonished myself because I knew that I should probably sample a different menu item. Farhad walked us through the specials of the day and we all paused at the pasta entrée which was prepared with garlic, olive oil, tomato, spinach, proscuitto and goat cheese. Bingo! This sounded good. Farhad corrected himself and pointed out that the cheese was actually ricotta, not goat.  Ricotta?  That seemed odd, but we were all game to give it a try.

My pregnant colleague was having a bit of a moment and zeroed in on the rosemary fries with tomato mayo dip. Never deny a pregnant woman her fries, so we acquiesced and ordered a basket of to-die-for fries that were sprinkled with rosemary and accompanied with a bowl of tomato mayo that I could have licked clean if I'd been alone in a room with it.

Our mains arrived promptly and we dug in. But oh dear, ricotta cheese?  So disappointing. Goat cheese would have been the perfect dollop. Not this flavourless ricotta that I ended up pushing to the side of my plate. Sorry, Chef, wasted calories. 

Overall, that pasta special was a disappointment. One friend said too salty, the other said the pasta was undercooked. I'm all for al dente, but come on, you have to cook the pasta.  Lastly, the proscuitto was dry and overly chewy.

The organic chicken entrée was oh so close, yet so far away.  Nice try, Jump, but today wasn't a home run. Lastly, the final nail in the coffin of this particular meal, was seeing a slice of chocolate cake being walked by our table, only to discover that it was only a mousse.  

A poor experience, but we'll give it an Average rating because of the above average wait staff and those yummy fries. 

Restaurant website: http://www.oliverbonacini.com/jump.aspx

Spoon & Fork, Japanese and Thai Cuisine

1233 the Queensway, Toronto, Ontario M8Z 1S1                                                            Rating: Average to Good

"Overeaters' Delight!"

I’ve never been a sushi lover, but having spent six months in Thailand in the 1980’s, I love Thai food and always enjoy seeking out new Thai restaurants. My husband and I had achieved a life milestone and chose The Spoon & Fork on the Queensway for our celebratory dinner. It was an opportunity for him to enjoy some sushi and for me to indulge my love of Thai food. 

We made reservations for 7:30 pm and given that it was the eve of a long weekend we fully expected the restaurant to be busy. Upon arrival we reminded the harried hostess of our request for a booth and promptly received a sarcastic wise crack in response. Not a great first impression. We were eventually seated on the mezzanine level of the restaurant that overlooked the main floor. The ceilings are very high and the room somewhat cavernous, which unfortunately resulted in an unholy din that became even more alarming as the restaurant filled to capacity around 8pm.

There are two dining options at Spoon & Fork. The usual a la carte menu, or an all-you-can-eat tasting menu for a flat rate of $27.99. A word of warning! Read the fine print on the menu, because if you choose the all-you-can-eat option and don’t end up eating what you order, a bill will be presented at the end of the evening for the uneaten dishes. The obvious negative result of the flat rate is that it’s very difficult to avoid falling into the trap of overeating. We definitely dove head first into that particular trap.

We ordered several appetizers including vegetable and shrimp tempura, won ton soup, Thai dumplings and coconut shrimp. My husband ordered a variety of sushi while I tucked into an 8 piece avocado cucumber roll. I was completely stuffed after the appetizers, which had me in a bit of a panic because we had teriyaki beef, green curry chicken, pad Thai, pineapple fried rice with chicken, beef and shrimp still on the way! The beef teriyaki was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth. The pad Thai was a beautiful blend of lemon, peanut and garlic flavours with tender shrimps over rice noodles. We enjoyed the tempura which was nicely cooked although a bit more oily than it needed to be. The coconut shrimps were slightly overcooked making the shrimp too chewy and the deep fried coconut coating a bit tough to get through. My husband quite enjoyed his green curry chicken and found the sushi to be fairly good. Not fantastic, not horrible, but good. The Thai dumplings were lovely, although the peanut sauce was too plentiful and too sharp a flavour for such a mild dish.   

After the appetizers, I began eating like a machine in order to clear the plates and avoid an extra bill at the end of the evening. I wasn’t sure how seriously they took that threat, but I wasn’t about to test the waters. At the end of the meal I practically waddled out of the restaurant and even a late evening march around the neighbourhood with our dogs didn’t liberate my overstuffed stomach. I freely admit that it was a discomfort of my own making.

The food at Spoon & Fork was good; there was no doubt about that. But the experience was overshadowed by the clack and clatter of dishes and people shouting to be heard over the noise. Plus we had the added stress of having to eat everything we ordered. At $27.99 per person, I’m sure the restaurant is doing well, because we noticed that the more expensive food, such as the beef and shrimp, were presented in small portions whereas the rice and noodle dishes were plentiful. Our bill for one drink each plus the all-you-can-eat rate was $90 including tip. Yes, those drinks were pricey.

I gave this an Average to Good rating; however we agreed that we would not choose this restaurant a second time because the food wasn`t good enough to compensate for the awful atmosphere. Well done on the food front, Spoon & Fork, but some noise cancelling headphones should be handed out with the menus upon arrival.

Restaurant link:  http://www.spoonandfork.ca/queensway.php