The Violet Hour :: Drinks with Bernice, Jenn, & Ceranno

 

The Lockhart :: Harry Potter Themed GNO

Tea For Two ($26)

5 oz peach vodka – lime juice, agave, tonic, lime garnish/peach bitter 

(raspberry, chamomile or black tea base)

Ludo’s Debt ($9)

lemon infused Gin, lillet blanc (aperitif), aperol, lemon twist (3 oz)

The Captain Picard ($9)

earl grey infused (bombay) gin, agave, lime, tonic (2 oz)

Befuddlement Draft ($32)

gin, vodka, peach schnapps, blue curacao, cherry brandy, triple sec, ginger-ale (8 oz)

The Lockhart

1479 Dundas St West

Toronto, ON M6J 1Y8

647.748.4434

website

Signature Lounge :: Best View of Chicago

Summer Blossom Martini

Absolut Raspberri vodka, hibiscus purée, pineapple juice, lemon peel

The Signature Lounge at the 96th

875 N Michigan Ave

Chicago, IL 60611

website

Tanta :: New Weekly Traditions with C/O 2019

Pisco Punch ($12)

porton pisco, lemon juice, watermelon water, paprika syrup

Empanadas ($9/2 per order) :: tamal - pollo - carne de res

Lomo Saltado ($32) :: traditional beef tenderloin stir-fry, red onions, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic & soy sauce, served with rustic potatoes and rice

Anticuchera ($12)

octopus, avocado, quail egg, piquillo pepper, olive cream

Mixto Cebiche ($18)

chef’s selection fish, squid, shrimp, rocoto 

Tanta

118 W Grand Ave

Chicago, IL 60654

312.222.9700

website

Homestead on the Roof :: Labour Day Patio Dinner with Matt, Tristina, and Jess

Summer Panzenella ($10)

housemade sourdough, marinated tomatoes, smoked tropea onions, burrata, preserved kale, burnt leek vinaigrette

Suckling Pig Falafel ($12) 

compressed melon, dill yogurt, pickled jalapeno

Sweet Corn Agnolotti ($14)

chantrelles, roasted tomato jam, grilled squash, pecorino

Egyptian Spiced Mussels ($14)

sumac-infused apples, calvados, spiced pita, house baguette

Tamellini Soave, 2013 ($40/bottle)	Pappardelle ($16) beef short rib sugo, smoked green garlic, pickled ramp

Complimentary Desserts

peanut brittle, jelly, salted caramel, and chocolate cake

Photo of their garden!

Sign is outside, to go in you walk in to Roots Pizza and go into the back and up the stairs!

(Sort of speakeasy style but not really)

The rooftop was an amazing environment to enjoy a cute dinner with friends with a great glass of wine and amazing food. Highly recommend to check out this place when the weather is warm!

The only thing that took away from the entire experience was the service. Food service was great, but the hostess/reservations was where we had the problem. We got there at 7pm, expecting to wait. Hostess refused to let us go up to the bar while we waited for the table because they were "way too packed" and that waiting list for the meal was 2 hours - we would be seated by 9pm. She told us to walk around the block for the 2 hours and come back at around 8:50pm to be seated. Was a little skeptical and went on OpenTable while walking out and found a reservation for 7:30pm. Went back to the hostess to tell her we now had a reservation. She simply stated "oh you must have gotten lucky, someone must have just cancelled" and ushered us to walk upstairs. There was literally 4 people in the bar and 4 empty tables upstairs. My friends and I were appalled in how  "packed" it was. The restaurant did get busy at around 8/9pm but it was no excuse to refuse our entry to the upstairs bar at 7pm when the restaurant wasn't that busy. We ended up finishing our dinner at around 9pm. Long story short: make reservations.

Homestead on the Roof

1924 W Chicago Ave

Chicago 60622

773.332.2354

website

Lisa Marie :: After Dinner Cocktails and Desserts with Taylor andTiffany

Bubble Sparx ($13)

tito's vodka, chambord, and freshly squeezed lemonade topped with grasshopper wheat beer

Deep Fried Panna Cotta

Elvis in a Jar

Lisa Marie is part of the Fidel Gastro's family - Fidel Gastro's being a food truck! I've eaten at Fidel Gastro's food truck when it came on the University of Toronto's campus for the first "Food Truck Friday" in the beginning of fourth year, which was one of the catalysts that lead me to indulge in trying new restaurants and starting up this photo diary/blog! With the slight bit of shared history aside, my friends and I came to Lisa Marie after having dinner, on the hunt for some late night desserts and drinks. Surprisingly, we were having difficulty finding a restaurant that provided some sweets and fun cocktails on the fly and ended up driving back and forth on Queen Street West. We eventually stumbled into Lisa Marie after recognizing the name from a few brunch Instagram posts.

George was our waiter/bartender for the night and he was extremely attentive to our needs as a table. He came around often to refill water and to ensure the drinks and desserts were enjoyed (as he recommended them to us). 

We tried one of the sweeter drinks, Bubble Sparx. Although, it's on the sweeter end of the menu, this drink is not for the faint hearted. It's definitely stronger than it appears. Perhaps it's cause I'm not a huge drinker myself (and was mostly peer pressured into having a drink :p) so I didn't finish my drink. I felt so bad when George was concerned that I didn't like his drink and graciously brought over some lemonade to ease the process hahaha.

On the sweeter note, between the deep fried panna cotta and the Elvis in the Jar, it was a resounding vote for the panna cotta with a close second finish for Elvis. The panna cotta was light and not overly sweet with a welcomed contrasting texture of the deep fried batter. The berry dip was delicious. The deep fried panna cotta is highly recommended. The Elvis in a Jar (which helped me with the conclusion of realizing that the restaurant was named after his daughter?) is their "infamous house dessert" which included a mixture of peanut butter cream (yes), cake/bread (sorry I forgot), and two sticks of maple bacon! The peanut butter cream was definitely interesting and worth a try. One thing was that my friends and I found that it was difficult to get the "full essence" of the Elvis in the Jar cause it was a little difficult to get all the components onto a single scoop. It was much easier to just eat the dessert from the top to the bottom instead of digging for the gold that the dessert required.

As a first impression of Lisa Marie, I'm definitely glad we tried it out and I'm definitely interested in trying out their brunch menu. I'm very certain that the girls and I will be returning for brunch especially when reservations (and on OpenTable!) are allowed for brunch (super rare in Toronto). The food and drink selection is diverse and creative. The environment is fun, cool, and laid back. The service was friendly and impeccable. According to George, they also have bingo night on Tuesdays and occasionally a live band playing. Just as a warning, washrooms are interesting - and definitely is a love it or hate it scenario with all the crazy graffiti, damp floors, and steep stairs. 

Lisa Marie

638 Queen St W

Toronto, ON M6J 1B4

647.748.6822

website

JOEY Markville :: Study Break

Sangria (Saturday Special $6)

Every time it's Saturday and I find myself at JOEY, I always order their sangria special. Normally, I ask for less ice since its usually full to the brim with ice and hardly any sangria but today was slightly disappointing as the glasses arrived not even full and with 2-3 pieces of fruit.

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps ($13 + $2 for chicken or shrimp)

toasted peanuts, crispy noodles, fresh cilantro

The Shrimp Lettuce Wraps were super flavourful and spicy. The combination of the spiciness, crispy noodles and toasted peanuts against the refreshing lettuce is amazing. Even shared amongst 3 people, this appetizer is quite filling.

French Dip & Yam Fries ($17.50 + $2 for Yam Fries)

slow cooked prime rib, housemade roll, beef crackling, au jus

The sandwich was just as described, though it would have been preferable if the beef was not as compact such that when the sandwich is dipped the whole sandwich is able to absorb the au jus. 

Bombay Butter Chicken ($17.75)

aromatic almond basmati rice, grilled naan

The curry, as described, is extremely aromatic and is very flavourful. For individuals who are worried about heat, the Bombay Butter Chicken has some, but it is extremely bearable. The vegetables and the chicken in the curry were moist and tasty. Both the moist naan and the crisp were great for dipping into the curry.

Kobe Style Beef Meatballs ($21)

fettuccine, truffle cream

When JOEY first opened its Eaton Centre location, this was my favourite dish. The Kobe Style Beef Meatballs are delicious and extremely well seasoned, however, they changed the spaghetti and tomato sauce to a fettuccine with truffle cream which I am not a huge fan of. Although the allure of the truffle cream makes the dish sound 'fancier', it doesn't really harmonize well with the meatballs and makes the overall dish quite heavy. 

Similarly to the previous disappointing review I gave to this location, I still feel that this location's organization and service are still not at par. Although the food is starting to reach the standard par set by the Yorkdale, Don Mills, and the Eaton Centre location, I still feel that the Markville location requires improvement. Prior to coming to dine at this location, I went online to put my name onto the guestlist. Upon arriving I was notified that I would have to 're-wait and placed in line again' and wasn't given any explanation on why my online registration didn't work and quickly ushered away without an apology. My email told me I would only have to wait 5 minutes before being seated, however I ended up waiting 35 minutes. Additionally, it was difficult to find a waitress during dinner service and upon asking for water for the entire table she brought back a single glass. Upon being prompted again she said "Oh right" and never returned for the duration of the meal. Lastly, a waiter spilled a dish of soy sauce right beside me which landed near the foot of my chair where my Canada Goose jacket was hanging. He seemed unfazed by this and did not make any acknowledgement of the spill nor did not make an any effort to let me know that he was going help to clean it up or bring extra napkins such that I could do it myself. He just simply walked away, came back to wipe the spill, and walked away. Nonetheless, although the food consistency is better, I see no improvement on the organization or the service of this restaurant in the last 4 months and I am not pleased with this location and will probably not return on my own accord (though I forsee myself going back as it is the closest location with another dining party.)

JOEY Markville

1247-5000 Hwy 7 East

Markham, ON L3R 4M9

905.604.5639

website

Rock n Horse Saloon :: After Work Drinks

Hello Everyone!

Rock 'n' Horse took over the old London Tap House and officially opened its doors on December 4th. It's a country themed bar. It has everything from square dancing waiters, cowboy hats, saddle bar stools, and a mechanical bull. That's right. A mechanical bull. All you need to do is tell your waiter you want to try it out, sign a waiver, and on you go! What also should be noted is that during the same week Boots & Burbon also opened up - it too is a country themed bar that also has a mechanical bull (and is also on my hit list). The south has definitely made an entrance in Toronto during our coldest season!

Strawberry Margarita ($14.75)

made with fresh squeezed lime and 100% Agave tequila

This margarita was huge! I didn't expect to finish it, but I did! It's quite flavourful, but the alcohol is quite present.

Caesar Salad ($9)

roasted garlic & crackled pepper dressing, shredded romaine, chorizo, crouton, asiago

This was one of the tastiest Caesar Salads I've had in quite sometime (all time favourite Caesar Salad still goes to Terra - the corn is genius). The lettuce was untraditionally diced/shredded/cut into smaller pieces allowing for more surface area to be coated with dressing. I really enjoyed the large crouton and the balsamic reduction.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($17)

jalapeño corn bread, coleslaw

The Buttermilk Fried Chicken was super tasty! The buttermilk batter was the epitome of comfort food and the chicken was quite moist. The jalapeño corn bread was delicious: slightly salty at first taste, but upon savouring it turns sweet! However, for $17, I was expecting a little more than 2 pieces of chicken and a single slice of corn bread.

Quesadilla ($10)

flour tortila, blend of sharp cheese, fresh guacamole, roasted corn & black bean salsa, sour cream

*add guacamole (+$4); add grilled chicken/pulled pork (+$5)

Disappointingly , the quesadilla is a single quesadilla. I personally was expecting maybe a second quesadilla for the price of $10. Otherwise, the quesadilla was delicious. 

Overall, Rock 'n' Horse is a great place to hang out with a group of friends! I wouldn't recommend this restaurant solely for the purpose of a meal as their menu isn't as extensive as a regular restaurant. However, what food I've tried thus far was quite good, but on the pricier side of things. Portions are more in the 'large snack' range opposed to a 'meal entree'. Additionally, due to the loud nature, it's not quite the place for people to catch up and have long conversations. However, as expected from a bar, the alcohol selection was quite vast. Rock 'n' Horse's signature drink, The Bulldog, should also be noted - a lime margarita with an upside down bottle of Corona. The atmosphere is amazingly stellar for fun occasions - complete with the free mechanical bull, large screen televisions, cowboy waiters, and the country dancing on the dance floor. I will most definitely heading back for fun and snacks!

Rock 'n' Horse

250 Adelaide Street West, Third Floor

Toronto, Ontario

website

JOEY Don Mills :: Black Saturday Dinner

Summer Sangria ($6/each on Saturdays; $7 regular)

Sashimi Tuna Entree Salad ($18)

seared rare ahi, mixed greens, mango, peanuts, avocado, crispy noodles, cilantro ginger dressing

Steak Frites ($20)
CAB® sirloin, parsley butter, rocket greens, fries

JOEY Don Mills

15 O'Neill Road

Toronto, ON M3C 0H2

416.445.6391

website