Ya probably not... but I'm cooking a lot lately and am thinking about posting some of my favourite meals and recipes.
We shall see....
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Honey Balsamic Dressing
I know it's been a long time since blogging but since James has been away working in Alberta I have been cooking more and enjoying it. I am thinking of sharing a few posts of some of my favorites but today I thought I'd start with something simple, my favorite simple dressing. I can't buy store bought dressing anymore they taste too harsh and fake to me. It's so easy to make your own dressing too and this one has become my new go to. I usually have it for lunch on a salad with spring mix, goat cheese, some fruit like strawberries and raspberries and sometimes I add in some spiced pecans. Yum! This recipe makes enough to last me a few weeks too and I like that I don't have to refrigerate it since it because too thick and needs time to separate if you do that.
This is from the Rebar cookbook's recipe for Summer Greens and Nectarines
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 shallot minced (I skip this sometimes I will put in a shake or garlic powder instead)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Now the recipe says to add in everything but the olive oil and then whisk that in slowly. I don't have time for that so I combine it all in a jar and then shake it up! Done!
This is from the Rebar cookbook's recipe for Summer Greens and Nectarines
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette:
2 tbsp honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 shallot minced (I skip this sometimes I will put in a shake or garlic powder instead)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cracked pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Now the recipe says to add in everything but the olive oil and then whisk that in slowly. I don't have time for that so I combine it all in a jar and then shake it up! Done!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Let me count the ways I love you...
Happy Valentine's Day to all the Lovers out there!
This Valentine's day I am taking a moment to reflect and appreciate the love that I have. James is headed to Alberta in exactly two weeks from today and each day until then the reality of it will sink in a little bit more. He will be gone for three weeks and then back for one. It will be tough to be apart that long and then to make sure it's not forced in the small amount of time we have together. It's temporary and in the end it's for the better of our life together in the future. It's a sacrifice now so we can live the life we dream of. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder and I think this is true as you are able to appreciate them more in the time you have them and not take what you have for granted everyday. This will also be a good time to help me rediscover myself and remind myself how to be independent and not reliant on someone else. Not that I don't love and appreciate everything James does for me, but you do lose a little of yourself being in a relationship as you conform to fit your life in with another person. It's good to have separate likes and hobbies and maybe this will be a time to remind myself of things I had forgotten I was interested in or enjoyed. I am looking at this as a positive for now, though I know there will be tears, many of them, but they are tears of a love that is not gone just a little further away.
I tried to start a list of reason I love you, but really there are too many to count and many I don't realize until I'm in the moment and you make me smile.
I love you.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
New year, new you?
The new year is always a time for re-invention. You can start over and be the person you always wanted to be! Yes it's just as easy as putting up a new calender.
Well until a few weeks later and you realized that actually everything is exactly the same as it was last year but you're just having to change a 1 to a 2.
It's been a long time since I've posted, was it because I didn't have much to say? I don't think so I think it's the act of writing down all the millions of things I have to say that's the hard part.
And my brain has been in overdrive for sure these past few months and this year I am focusing on calming it down and being more mindful of each moment.
I started my new year off with a bang that's for sure, jumping into the freezing cold Pacific Ocean will shock any system. To be honest it wasn't as shocking as I thought it would be, it was a really nice day, sunny, not too cold. We were in a cove that kept out the wind, it was perfect conditions. I'm sure if it was rainy and cold I would have complained a lot more!
This year I am trying to let myself live and stop getting hung up on sheltering myself from the world infront of the warm glow of my televison. While the tv will always be my first love I must learn that spending time apart is healthy and it will always be there waiting for me when I'm ready. But I don't need to feel chained to it or obligated to spend time with it, it's for pleasure not a chore.
The usual eat healthy, be more active goal is surfacing once again. This is one that is always on my mind but a new year is always a good time to remind myself of these goals and asses how I've done the previous year. I think I have been overall pretty good at trying to keep exercise in my weekly routine. While some weeks or months have been better then others I still know that I am doing leaps better then I was the year before that and even if I stray I will always find my way back eventually. I've tried many different types of excercise: gym workouts, weights, aquafit, zumba, Wii workouts, EA Sports Active, Biggest Loser DVDs, yoga.... it's just about finding something you enjoy and being able to balance it in your life so it's not a chore. That's the problem with working out, no matter how much you may enjoy the workout I know it's still not what I'd rather be doing. But then there are those moments when you feel this great sense, this rush or relief where your body thanks you for the workout, it's hard to describe but you'll know it when it happens. This is the feeling to hold onto and remember no matter what you are doing, how hard you are working out, it's all good for you and your body appreciates it.
I watched an interesting video on youtube that someone posted called "23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?" which I found really stuck with me. Can I limit my sitting to just 23 1/2 hours a day? Well sure of course I can is my first thought, but there are days when I don't that's for sure. I go from sleeping, to driving, then sitting in a desk, to driving home and then spending the night on the couch. Sure there are a few moments of standing in there but not that are helping my body. I just need to remember even if it's as little as walking or doing yoga for 1/2 hour it's still better then sitting doing nothing. It's not about the quantity of exercise but the quality, and at this point anything besides sitting is quality.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Recipe: Rebar's Red Lentil Greek Soup
I made this soup the other day and I was blown away by how easy and delicious it was! Defiantly a nice easy go to soup I will keep in my collection! I think the biggest thing that makes this soup so good is all the fresh herbs and lemon juice so make sure you don't skimp on those! Fresh does make a huge difference!
2 cups red lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 tsp salt
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
1 tsp cracked pepper
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
1 tbsp minced rosemary
2 tbsp minced oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups vegetable stock
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp minced rosemary cracked pepper to taste
Rince lentils thoroughly in a colander under cold running water. Set aside to drain. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion with 1 tsp salt until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, pepper, chilies, herbs, bay leaves and remaining salt. Stir well and saute until the carrots are just tender. Add rinsed lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered until the lentils are soft and falling apart (This didn't take long about 15-20 minutes). If you like, the soup can be pureed or left as is. If you choose to puree, remove the bay leaves first!
Season the soup with lemon zest, lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste (I didn't find I needed it though and the feta adds more salt). Before serving, stir together the feta cheese, rosemary and cracked pepper. Sprinkle over hot bowls of soup and enjoy!
2 cups red lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 tsp salt
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
1 tsp cracked pepper
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
1 tbsp minced rosemary
2 tbsp minced oregano
2 bay leaves
8 cups vegetable stock
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp minced rosemary cracked pepper to taste
Rince lentils thoroughly in a colander under cold running water. Set aside to drain. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion with 1 tsp salt until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, pepper, chilies, herbs, bay leaves and remaining salt. Stir well and saute until the carrots are just tender. Add rinsed lentils and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered until the lentils are soft and falling apart (This didn't take long about 15-20 minutes). If you like, the soup can be pureed or left as is. If you choose to puree, remove the bay leaves first!
Season the soup with lemon zest, lemon juice and more salt and pepper to taste (I didn't find I needed it though and the feta adds more salt). Before serving, stir together the feta cheese, rosemary and cracked pepper. Sprinkle over hot bowls of soup and enjoy!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Baja Surf Grill
http://bajasurfgrill.com/ - 535 Yates St
Another Groupon, and another restaurant to check out! I went with a friend that mentioned they were interested in checking it out as well on a Saturday night. We entered just as they were opening and had our choice of seating. The inside was really neat looking with all dark wood and plants, it almost had a Balinese look to it, the day was nice and sunny so we opted for the back patio. Wasn't quite what we expected, just a few metal tables in an alleyway that also had some homeless people hanging out.
Out waitress was ok but wasn't that impressed when I just had water. We decided to share a few plates trying the Taquitos, Traditional Baja Tacos and the Tropical Crunch Roll. I had checked out the menu online before hand and it's a confusing mix of Mexican and Sushi-fusion. It's like the people that opened the restaurant couldn't decide what they wanted to cook so just did both. That's ok though as I do enjoy both types of food and it's fun to try something different. I thought we'd get our dishes separately but they ended up all coming at the same time. I started with the Taquitos which were tequila soaked raisins with a chipotle cream cheese wrapper in tortilla fingers. Never had taquitos like this before, they were ok but I barely could taste the cream cheese and overall didn't have much flavour. They seemed like something someone would through together as an appie to take to someones house.
I love fish tacos so I was excited to try the Traditional Baja Taco which was tempura battered fish, salsa, shredded cabbage and baja aioli. I was pretty disappointed. The battered fish wasn't anything special and I felt like the tempura batter didn't go well with everything else. I couldn't even taste the salsa or aioli and the cabbage had a harsh bitter taste. It seems like such a simple dish and it's something I have made at home with no experience and have had better.
The Tropical Crunch Roll wasn't much better. Panko crusted and fried California roll toped with diced mango and tobiko with chipotle mayo and sweet sauce. The roll was very bland considering everything it had on it and the sauce didn't add much flavour and punch as it should have. I enjoyed trying something new but they just couldn't pull it together. I saw the mango on top but couldn't taste it in any of the bites.
This may be a nice place to go for a drink and hang out and grab a few bites if you're drinking, but I wouldn't go here as a destination for the food.
Another Groupon, and another restaurant to check out! I went with a friend that mentioned they were interested in checking it out as well on a Saturday night. We entered just as they were opening and had our choice of seating. The inside was really neat looking with all dark wood and plants, it almost had a Balinese look to it, the day was nice and sunny so we opted for the back patio. Wasn't quite what we expected, just a few metal tables in an alleyway that also had some homeless people hanging out.
Out waitress was ok but wasn't that impressed when I just had water. We decided to share a few plates trying the Taquitos, Traditional Baja Tacos and the Tropical Crunch Roll. I had checked out the menu online before hand and it's a confusing mix of Mexican and Sushi-fusion. It's like the people that opened the restaurant couldn't decide what they wanted to cook so just did both. That's ok though as I do enjoy both types of food and it's fun to try something different. I thought we'd get our dishes separately but they ended up all coming at the same time. I started with the Taquitos which were tequila soaked raisins with a chipotle cream cheese wrapper in tortilla fingers. Never had taquitos like this before, they were ok but I barely could taste the cream cheese and overall didn't have much flavour. They seemed like something someone would through together as an appie to take to someones house.
I love fish tacos so I was excited to try the Traditional Baja Taco which was tempura battered fish, salsa, shredded cabbage and baja aioli. I was pretty disappointed. The battered fish wasn't anything special and I felt like the tempura batter didn't go well with everything else. I couldn't even taste the salsa or aioli and the cabbage had a harsh bitter taste. It seems like such a simple dish and it's something I have made at home with no experience and have had better.
The Tropical Crunch Roll wasn't much better. Panko crusted and fried California roll toped with diced mango and tobiko with chipotle mayo and sweet sauce. The roll was very bland considering everything it had on it and the sauce didn't add much flavour and punch as it should have. I enjoyed trying something new but they just couldn't pull it together. I saw the mango on top but couldn't taste it in any of the bites.
This may be a nice place to go for a drink and hang out and grab a few bites if you're drinking, but I wouldn't go here as a destination for the food.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Zambris
http://www.zambris.ca/ - 820 Yates St
I've been wanting to eat at Zambris long before they moved to their new location in the Atrium building and last weekend I finally had a chance when my lovely fiance took me out for lunch.
Luckily it wasn't too busy and we were seated right away beside the window. The main dining room wasn't very big, mostly taken over by the big bar. There was an outdoor patio that wasn't open yet as well as seating inside the Atrium and a room that was closed off. They were having a private event which seemed to be people they knew watching a soccer game as cheers from the room kept erupting.
We were given a bottle of water on the table which I appreciated, though considering their glasses were the size of shot glasses it was pretty much neccesary. We also got a basket with fresh crusty bread and some tasty olives which was really nice.
There were a lot of things on the menu that tempted me so it was hard to decide but I knew I was craving pasta so I ordered the Penne with Peas and Gorgonzola which I had been eying on the menu for awhile.
To start we shared the Arrabbiata pizza which had spicy pickled peppers, smoked cheese and tomato sauce. This is not something I would normally order but I really enjoyed it and think it strongly competes with the Pizzeria Prima Strada pizzas, I may have even liked it a little more. The crust was wood fire oven cooked and was perfect, very light and tasty! The sauce was delicious and I really enjoyed the combination of the spicy peppers and smoky cheese.
I also really enjoyed the pasta, the penne was cooked to perfection, though if it wasn't I would be very disapointed. The sauce was nice and had the perfect amount of gorgonzola so that it wasn't too over powering. The peas tasted fresh and went really well with the sauce.
We also saw Peter Zambri in the kitchen so it was good to know this is a family run business that is always there making sure their standards are maintained.
It was a perfect lunch, the only negative being it was so good I ate too much! I can't wait to go back and try many other dishes on the menu! Plus I didn't have a chance to try the Tiramisu and I know I won't be let down!
I've been wanting to eat at Zambris long before they moved to their new location in the Atrium building and last weekend I finally had a chance when my lovely fiance took me out for lunch.
Luckily it wasn't too busy and we were seated right away beside the window. The main dining room wasn't very big, mostly taken over by the big bar. There was an outdoor patio that wasn't open yet as well as seating inside the Atrium and a room that was closed off. They were having a private event which seemed to be people they knew watching a soccer game as cheers from the room kept erupting.
We were given a bottle of water on the table which I appreciated, though considering their glasses were the size of shot glasses it was pretty much neccesary. We also got a basket with fresh crusty bread and some tasty olives which was really nice.
There were a lot of things on the menu that tempted me so it was hard to decide but I knew I was craving pasta so I ordered the Penne with Peas and Gorgonzola which I had been eying on the menu for awhile.
To start we shared the Arrabbiata pizza which had spicy pickled peppers, smoked cheese and tomato sauce. This is not something I would normally order but I really enjoyed it and think it strongly competes with the Pizzeria Prima Strada pizzas, I may have even liked it a little more. The crust was wood fire oven cooked and was perfect, very light and tasty! The sauce was delicious and I really enjoyed the combination of the spicy peppers and smoky cheese.
I also really enjoyed the pasta, the penne was cooked to perfection, though if it wasn't I would be very disapointed. The sauce was nice and had the perfect amount of gorgonzola so that it wasn't too over powering. The peas tasted fresh and went really well with the sauce.
We also saw Peter Zambri in the kitchen so it was good to know this is a family run business that is always there making sure their standards are maintained.
It was a perfect lunch, the only negative being it was so good I ate too much! I can't wait to go back and try many other dishes on the menu! Plus I didn't have a chance to try the Tiramisu and I know I won't be let down!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Spice Jammer - it ain't so Jammin'!
http://www.spicejammer.com/ - 852 Fort St
I had been to Spice Jammer before but had found it quite expensive so when I saw a Groupon come up I knew it was a deal worth taking advantage of.
We headed down on a Saturday night, and if you didn't know about the restaurant already it's easy to miss and even harder to know if it's open with it's dark front windows and then weird seating area. The front has around six fancy chairs beside a bar and then a hallway leading to the dining area. There is no sign so it's confusing when you arrive to know where to wait to be seated as there wasn't anyone waiting to greet us. We moved up towards the dining room and were told to take a seat while a table was being cleaned. We waited about 5 minutes or so and a server lead us to our table.
We promptly were served water and asked if we had any questions about the menu. Our server informed us that she was new but would answer any of our questions. I was trying to decide whether to get a vegetarian dish or one with prawns so I asked her if the Butter Prawns came with vegetables because I didn't want just sauce and prawns and she said yes it did but she didn't know which ones. I said that was fine and ordered it with rice to share and a vegetable samosa. James ordered a vegetable and a beef samosa as well as Beef Vindaloo and an order or naan bread. We also both ordered chai teas to drink.
As we sat and waited we listened as another server explained to her table that they are a African-Indian based restaurant as opposed to Punjabi style so while you will find similar dishes to other Indian restaurants, the spices and preparation may be different, and that everything is cooked to order so it does take longer. She went over a lot on the menu and seemed very helpful... wish we'd gotten her! We also noticed other tables around us get complimentary baskets of pampadums even though they'd been seated after us.
Our server came back and informed us that they were out of vegetable samosas and would we like meat ones or naan bread instead? I said no as I am a vegetarian but she never asked James if he wanted to switch his. I should have at this point been tipped off when she asked if we wanted to order naan. So I decided not to get anything else as that was all I wanted and she came back a minute later and said she'd convinced them to make some more. She earned points for this and we were happy, though I found it interesting that they were suddenly able to make them when we wouldn't order something else in their place.
The table next to us was also particularly annoying. It was an older group so I was surprised when they pulled out a laptop and proceeded to show some sort of clips to the people at the table. The dining room became quiet as everyone could hear the sound and just stared at the table. I found this really rude and it just added to the frustration that night.
At this point we had been there quite awhile when eventually the better waitress came over and refilled our water glasses and asked if we'd gotten pampadums so we told her we hadn't and were still waiting on our chai teas. She said she'd look into that right away for us.
We waited some more and eventually the pampadums came but still no tea. We waited even longer, I didn't check my watch but maybe 1/2 hour. She said the tea was brewing but really it doesn't take that long. Eventually just before the samosas come out we each get our own tea pot of chai. I did like that we each got a pot of tea versus just one glass and at $2.50 this was a good deal. We had to add our own sugar but at least it allowed us to adjust the sweetness to the level we liked.
The samosas were very good, crisp on the outside and a nice filling on the inside that was complimented well with the tamarid sauce it came with.
I should have ordered more then one because the wait for our main courses was even longer. The server had said it was a crazy night but dining room wasn't completely full though they did keep turning over tables quickly I noticed. The room wasn't very big so my guess was they aren't used to being this busy.
We waited a very long time and eventually our food came, minus the naan. We waited some more and it never came and by the time the waitress checked on us we were partway into our meal. We told her her error and James also asked for some raita to go with his vindaloo. You'd think since she'd made an error she would be quick to get us our naan bread but as we ate more of our meal it never came, though the table beside ours did get some. Also with all the waiting you would assume it was cooked fresh and came out right away. Well the warm dinner plates they brought out sat for 10 minutes before we even got our food so they were cold by the time it came and then the food was only lukewarm itself and quickly became cold.
The portion wasn't that large for $19 without rice, while the food did have good flavours it certainly didn't justify the price.
When our plates were cleared we still hadn't recieved the raita or naan so we told our 4th different server about this. He said he would check on it so we made sure he was clear we didn't want it anymore in case they tried to now bring it out. No apology was made at this point it.
He came back and asked if we had a Groupon and went and got our bill. He came to the table with the bill open and announced the total. I found this very strange, but whatever. So we look at the bill and luckily the two items we didn't get weren't charged but there was an extra charge of $2 for vegetables added to my Butter Prawns. The waitress had told me they were included and if she was going to add them to the bill when she found out they weren't she should have let me know. Also for the amount of vegetables in it it didn't justify the extra charge either making my dish now a ridiculous $21. We also noticed that James' suspicion about his dish was correct and he had gotten the Bhunna Beef instead of the Vindaloo he had ordered, though at least this was cheaper! Also because of the mix up with the food I would have thought they would have maybe comped our drinks or something for the bad service which they didn't. I always tip but this was my last straw and I figured for the extra they charged us that was what their tip would have been. I am sure glad I had a Groupon otherwise I would have been even more upset to pay almost $60 for that meal.
This place has some good food, but with the extremely high prices and bad service I know this was my last time and I won't be back.
I had been to Spice Jammer before but had found it quite expensive so when I saw a Groupon come up I knew it was a deal worth taking advantage of.
We headed down on a Saturday night, and if you didn't know about the restaurant already it's easy to miss and even harder to know if it's open with it's dark front windows and then weird seating area. The front has around six fancy chairs beside a bar and then a hallway leading to the dining area. There is no sign so it's confusing when you arrive to know where to wait to be seated as there wasn't anyone waiting to greet us. We moved up towards the dining room and were told to take a seat while a table was being cleaned. We waited about 5 minutes or so and a server lead us to our table.
We promptly were served water and asked if we had any questions about the menu. Our server informed us that she was new but would answer any of our questions. I was trying to decide whether to get a vegetarian dish or one with prawns so I asked her if the Butter Prawns came with vegetables because I didn't want just sauce and prawns and she said yes it did but she didn't know which ones. I said that was fine and ordered it with rice to share and a vegetable samosa. James ordered a vegetable and a beef samosa as well as Beef Vindaloo and an order or naan bread. We also both ordered chai teas to drink.
As we sat and waited we listened as another server explained to her table that they are a African-Indian based restaurant as opposed to Punjabi style so while you will find similar dishes to other Indian restaurants, the spices and preparation may be different, and that everything is cooked to order so it does take longer. She went over a lot on the menu and seemed very helpful... wish we'd gotten her! We also noticed other tables around us get complimentary baskets of pampadums even though they'd been seated after us.
Our server came back and informed us that they were out of vegetable samosas and would we like meat ones or naan bread instead? I said no as I am a vegetarian but she never asked James if he wanted to switch his. I should have at this point been tipped off when she asked if we wanted to order naan. So I decided not to get anything else as that was all I wanted and she came back a minute later and said she'd convinced them to make some more. She earned points for this and we were happy, though I found it interesting that they were suddenly able to make them when we wouldn't order something else in their place.
The table next to us was also particularly annoying. It was an older group so I was surprised when they pulled out a laptop and proceeded to show some sort of clips to the people at the table. The dining room became quiet as everyone could hear the sound and just stared at the table. I found this really rude and it just added to the frustration that night.
At this point we had been there quite awhile when eventually the better waitress came over and refilled our water glasses and asked if we'd gotten pampadums so we told her we hadn't and were still waiting on our chai teas. She said she'd look into that right away for us.
We waited some more and eventually the pampadums came but still no tea. We waited even longer, I didn't check my watch but maybe 1/2 hour. She said the tea was brewing but really it doesn't take that long. Eventually just before the samosas come out we each get our own tea pot of chai. I did like that we each got a pot of tea versus just one glass and at $2.50 this was a good deal. We had to add our own sugar but at least it allowed us to adjust the sweetness to the level we liked.
The samosas were very good, crisp on the outside and a nice filling on the inside that was complimented well with the tamarid sauce it came with.
I should have ordered more then one because the wait for our main courses was even longer. The server had said it was a crazy night but dining room wasn't completely full though they did keep turning over tables quickly I noticed. The room wasn't very big so my guess was they aren't used to being this busy.
We waited a very long time and eventually our food came, minus the naan. We waited some more and it never came and by the time the waitress checked on us we were partway into our meal. We told her her error and James also asked for some raita to go with his vindaloo. You'd think since she'd made an error she would be quick to get us our naan bread but as we ate more of our meal it never came, though the table beside ours did get some. Also with all the waiting you would assume it was cooked fresh and came out right away. Well the warm dinner plates they brought out sat for 10 minutes before we even got our food so they were cold by the time it came and then the food was only lukewarm itself and quickly became cold.
The portion wasn't that large for $19 without rice, while the food did have good flavours it certainly didn't justify the price.
When our plates were cleared we still hadn't recieved the raita or naan so we told our 4th different server about this. He said he would check on it so we made sure he was clear we didn't want it anymore in case they tried to now bring it out. No apology was made at this point it.
He came back and asked if we had a Groupon and went and got our bill. He came to the table with the bill open and announced the total. I found this very strange, but whatever. So we look at the bill and luckily the two items we didn't get weren't charged but there was an extra charge of $2 for vegetables added to my Butter Prawns. The waitress had told me they were included and if she was going to add them to the bill when she found out they weren't she should have let me know. Also for the amount of vegetables in it it didn't justify the extra charge either making my dish now a ridiculous $21. We also noticed that James' suspicion about his dish was correct and he had gotten the Bhunna Beef instead of the Vindaloo he had ordered, though at least this was cheaper! Also because of the mix up with the food I would have thought they would have maybe comped our drinks or something for the bad service which they didn't. I always tip but this was my last straw and I figured for the extra they charged us that was what their tip would have been. I am sure glad I had a Groupon otherwise I would have been even more upset to pay almost $60 for that meal.
This place has some good food, but with the extremely high prices and bad service I know this was my last time and I won't be back.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Savory Seattle!
Well I'm a day late getting at least one post in April but I was off on another adventure for half the month which brings me to this blog post!
Before jetting off to Hawaii we spent a few days in Seattle and hit as many food spots as our stomach could handle!
We took the Clipper down and luckily we had a lot smoother ride then previous trips, though I'd still never go on it without my trusty Gravol!
View from our hotel!
We arrived just after 9pm and had a great location to explore the city from. Just down the street from us were a few Tom Douglas restaurants which we'd heard many good reviews on so we decided to pick Dahlia Lounge for our first stop.
We were starving so we started out with the Dahlia Bakery Bread with house made butter with fennel salt. The bread was very good and the butter had a great fresh creaminess to it with the fennel salt adding some nice flavour.
For my main I had the Vegetarian Thai Bento Box. I notice that it's not on the menu now so I'll have to try and remember what was in it.
Luckily I had a picture! I was overall let down with this meal, with four different components nothing stood out to me. Everything was ok but for a thai bento box nothing had stand out flavour. The green curry on tofu was bland and had no spice or flavour. The thai style rice was good but nothing special, and the papaya salad was bland.
James luckily took a risk and tried something he doesn't often have, duck, and was not let down!
As we ate out meal we saw waiter after waiter go by with paper bags being shaken and dumped out onto plates at almost every table. We knew what they were having and this was one of the main reason we chose to go here. Tom Douglas is famous for his house made donuts and of course we had to try them!
These did not let me down! Served with vanilla marscarpone and seasonal jam they were perfect little fluffy balls of goodness!
We ended up coming back the next morning as their restaurant across the street Lola had a long wait and they had the same breakfast menu.
This time I was not let down at all! I had read a recommendation for the French Toast on another blog so I decided to go with that. It came with a pistachio ricotta that was amazing! I subed Parmesan potatoes for bacon and those were perfect as well! Very salty but it was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the French Toast. I usually go for savory breakfast dish but this was a perfect balance of the two.
James had the eggs benedict but this time it was his turn to be let down. He said it was ok but overall wasn't blown away and felt that the greens overwhelmed the dish.
That afternoon we explored the city and went on a great Underground Tour which I highly recommend to anyone visiting the city!
We decided to have an early dinner as our friend Perry was joining us that night so we went to P.F. Changs for their happy hour special.
We arrived around 4-5pm and were surprised to find a very busy restaurant and had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. Our waiter was great, very energetic and friendly without making you feel totally creeped out.
We tried some drink specials, I had the Asian Pear Mojito which was very good. To eat we had to start off with the Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps which we'd had before and were the main reason we came.
These are one of my favourite things and I can never find a vegetarian version so I am always excited when I get a chance to have them again.
Then we tried a variety of Steamed Dumplings and I had the Mahi Mahi Taco and Tuna Tataki Crisps.
They were all very good and we enjoyed being able to try little bites at a great price. Our dishes came out one at a time which worked well for us as we didn't want to be overwhelmed with all the dishes at once. I guess this wasn't ok with the management though as the manager came over to apologize and comped our drinks! Well ok I'll take that! I was very impressed by this as we hadn't every complained and in fact told him we preferred it that way. We were on a limited budget as well so this definitely helped!
We also went down to Pike Place Market that day and had to check out the famous Piroshky Piroshky. The line up was long but moved quickly and we had some coffee from the first Starbucks to keep us going on that very cold day!
We also stopped by french bakery Le Panier and had some amazing macaroons! I have seen pictures of this little treats all over lately it seems to be a new food fad but I'd never tried them. These were amazing, they don't look like much, bright coloured mini sandwiches, but they sure packed a lot of flavour!
That night we met up with Perry and check out Shorty's. Half bar serving hot dogs and nachos from behind the bar and the other half pinball arcade.
The next day we had to stop by Top Pot Doughnuts as it was around the corner and Obama has been there so you know it's good right? The doughnuts were great I tried the apple fritter which was huge and a traditional old fashioned style one with raspberry frosting. Obama didn't let us down, these doughnuts were great!
From there we went to the Experience Music Project so the boys could check it out. The building is very cool but I'd been here before a few times and for the price I was a little let down and bored this time.
That afternoon we decided to check out the other Tom Douglas restaurant on our block Serious Pie for their happy hour.
It wasn't as busy here which is good as it's very small inside and we were told it's communal seating so we may have strangers seated beside us. The tables fit about 8 people so I thought it seemed a little crowded for the communal concept, luckily it never got that busy and we had the table to ourselves. One of the waiters was very snobby about informing us of this and rudely grabbed our menus off our table later, I was not impressed at all. The other server was ok but overall I was very let down with the service here.
Since it was only $5 for the mini pizzas we each tried two different ones. We all ended up getting the Yukon Gold Potato pizza and I also tried the Chantrelle Mushroom pizza.
Both pizzas were very good I really enjoyed the crusts and unique toppings. I wished maybe I'd ordered a different combination though as these two were drier pizzas and I wish I'd had a different flavour combination. The potato pizza was very good not something I had ever tried before. The mushroom pizza was good too but the cheese almost melted to the pizza in a plastic like way and didn't have any creaminess. Comparing it to the Funghi pizza at Pizzeria Primi Strata in Victoria that one wins hands down. Though I think I may like the crust slightly more at Serious Pie as it was a little thicker and chewier.
That night I joined the boys for a screening of Kevin Smith's Red State and a Q&A. My iphone 4 has really impressed me with the photos it's been taking and I really enjoy using Camera+ to edit my photos but it let me down here. When Kevin was on stage we were only a few rows back and no matter what I tried I could not get a good shot that wasn't blown out by the light.
This as good as I could get so you'll just have to take my word it's him!
That's Perry asking his question, very exciting! I really enjoyed the movie and was glad it wasn't as scary and gruesome as I was afraid it would be. :)
That night we finally got into the other Tom Douglas restaurant on the block Lola. We joined up with some of Perry's friends that were also at the show and got to the restaurant just before closing but the staff was very good at accommodating our group. Since we had a large group we decided to share the Lola spreads and the boys had some kebabs. The spreads were great and it was good to get to try a variety, my favourites were the tzatziki, fava skordalia and roasted sweet red pepper. We were kept supplied with grilled pita bread and even when we were all stuffed there was still spread left.
We wanted to let the others experience the doughnuts as well but unfortunately they were sold out so the waitress recommended the Loukoumathes which were different doughnuts with cinnamon, honey and walnuts and they were just as amazing, a great alternative!
It was a perfect end to our gastronomic journey. Seattle has a great restaurant scene and I can't wait to go back and try something new next time!
Before jetting off to Hawaii we spent a few days in Seattle and hit as many food spots as our stomach could handle!
We took the Clipper down and luckily we had a lot smoother ride then previous trips, though I'd still never go on it without my trusty Gravol!
We arrived just after 9pm and had a great location to explore the city from. Just down the street from us were a few Tom Douglas restaurants which we'd heard many good reviews on so we decided to pick Dahlia Lounge for our first stop.
We were starving so we started out with the Dahlia Bakery Bread with house made butter with fennel salt. The bread was very good and the butter had a great fresh creaminess to it with the fennel salt adding some nice flavour.
For my main I had the Vegetarian Thai Bento Box. I notice that it's not on the menu now so I'll have to try and remember what was in it.
Luckily I had a picture! I was overall let down with this meal, with four different components nothing stood out to me. Everything was ok but for a thai bento box nothing had stand out flavour. The green curry on tofu was bland and had no spice or flavour. The thai style rice was good but nothing special, and the papaya salad was bland.
James luckily took a risk and tried something he doesn't often have, duck, and was not let down!
As we ate out meal we saw waiter after waiter go by with paper bags being shaken and dumped out onto plates at almost every table. We knew what they were having and this was one of the main reason we chose to go here. Tom Douglas is famous for his house made donuts and of course we had to try them!
These did not let me down! Served with vanilla marscarpone and seasonal jam they were perfect little fluffy balls of goodness!
We ended up coming back the next morning as their restaurant across the street Lola had a long wait and they had the same breakfast menu.
This time I was not let down at all! I had read a recommendation for the French Toast on another blog so I decided to go with that. It came with a pistachio ricotta that was amazing! I subed Parmesan potatoes for bacon and those were perfect as well! Very salty but it was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the French Toast. I usually go for savory breakfast dish but this was a perfect balance of the two.
James had the eggs benedict but this time it was his turn to be let down. He said it was ok but overall wasn't blown away and felt that the greens overwhelmed the dish.
That afternoon we explored the city and went on a great Underground Tour which I highly recommend to anyone visiting the city!
We decided to have an early dinner as our friend Perry was joining us that night so we went to P.F. Changs for their happy hour special.
We arrived around 4-5pm and were surprised to find a very busy restaurant and had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated. Our waiter was great, very energetic and friendly without making you feel totally creeped out.
We tried some drink specials, I had the Asian Pear Mojito which was very good. To eat we had to start off with the Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps which we'd had before and were the main reason we came.
These are one of my favourite things and I can never find a vegetarian version so I am always excited when I get a chance to have them again.
Then we tried a variety of Steamed Dumplings and I had the Mahi Mahi Taco and Tuna Tataki Crisps.
They were all very good and we enjoyed being able to try little bites at a great price. Our dishes came out one at a time which worked well for us as we didn't want to be overwhelmed with all the dishes at once. I guess this wasn't ok with the management though as the manager came over to apologize and comped our drinks! Well ok I'll take that! I was very impressed by this as we hadn't every complained and in fact told him we preferred it that way. We were on a limited budget as well so this definitely helped!
We also went down to Pike Place Market that day and had to check out the famous Piroshky Piroshky. The line up was long but moved quickly and we had some coffee from the first Starbucks to keep us going on that very cold day!
We also stopped by french bakery Le Panier and had some amazing macaroons! I have seen pictures of this little treats all over lately it seems to be a new food fad but I'd never tried them. These were amazing, they don't look like much, bright coloured mini sandwiches, but they sure packed a lot of flavour!
That night we met up with Perry and check out Shorty's. Half bar serving hot dogs and nachos from behind the bar and the other half pinball arcade.
The next day we had to stop by Top Pot Doughnuts as it was around the corner and Obama has been there so you know it's good right? The doughnuts were great I tried the apple fritter which was huge and a traditional old fashioned style one with raspberry frosting. Obama didn't let us down, these doughnuts were great!
From there we went to the Experience Music Project so the boys could check it out. The building is very cool but I'd been here before a few times and for the price I was a little let down and bored this time.
That afternoon we decided to check out the other Tom Douglas restaurant on our block Serious Pie for their happy hour.
It wasn't as busy here which is good as it's very small inside and we were told it's communal seating so we may have strangers seated beside us. The tables fit about 8 people so I thought it seemed a little crowded for the communal concept, luckily it never got that busy and we had the table to ourselves. One of the waiters was very snobby about informing us of this and rudely grabbed our menus off our table later, I was not impressed at all. The other server was ok but overall I was very let down with the service here.
Since it was only $5 for the mini pizzas we each tried two different ones. We all ended up getting the Yukon Gold Potato pizza and I also tried the Chantrelle Mushroom pizza.
Both pizzas were very good I really enjoyed the crusts and unique toppings. I wished maybe I'd ordered a different combination though as these two were drier pizzas and I wish I'd had a different flavour combination. The potato pizza was very good not something I had ever tried before. The mushroom pizza was good too but the cheese almost melted to the pizza in a plastic like way and didn't have any creaminess. Comparing it to the Funghi pizza at Pizzeria Primi Strata in Victoria that one wins hands down. Though I think I may like the crust slightly more at Serious Pie as it was a little thicker and chewier.
That night I joined the boys for a screening of Kevin Smith's Red State and a Q&A. My iphone 4 has really impressed me with the photos it's been taking and I really enjoy using Camera+ to edit my photos but it let me down here. When Kevin was on stage we were only a few rows back and no matter what I tried I could not get a good shot that wasn't blown out by the light.
This as good as I could get so you'll just have to take my word it's him!
That's Perry asking his question, very exciting! I really enjoyed the movie and was glad it wasn't as scary and gruesome as I was afraid it would be. :)
That night we finally got into the other Tom Douglas restaurant on the block Lola. We joined up with some of Perry's friends that were also at the show and got to the restaurant just before closing but the staff was very good at accommodating our group. Since we had a large group we decided to share the Lola spreads and the boys had some kebabs. The spreads were great and it was good to get to try a variety, my favourites were the tzatziki, fava skordalia and roasted sweet red pepper. We were kept supplied with grilled pita bread and even when we were all stuffed there was still spread left.
We wanted to let the others experience the doughnuts as well but unfortunately they were sold out so the waitress recommended the Loukoumathes which were different doughnuts with cinnamon, honey and walnuts and they were just as amazing, a great alternative!
It was a perfect end to our gastronomic journey. Seattle has a great restaurant scene and I can't wait to go back and try something new next time!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sauce Restaurant & Lounge
http://www.saucebar.ca - 1245 Wharf Street
Dine Around Town was ending and I knew I had to get in at least one more restaurant so I called on my downtown co-workers again to join me. I'd checked out quite a few menus and Sauce isn't one I thought to check out immediately as it's in the bar/tourist area I tend to avoid. I had heard some good things though and it was close to the office so it seemed like a good time to check it out.
Again this is one of those restaurants that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It's dark with leather seats inside, and the menu wants to be tapas I think? The online menu is way too confusing with way too many categories. Entrees, Sauce Plates, Favourites? I just don't understand it, so I was glad we'd already decided on the Dine Around menu.
We made reservations for 6pm on a Saturday but upon entering we were only one of a handful of tables. It was early though and by the time we left it was quite busy.
The drink menu looked pretty good, lots of choices at decent prices and some twists on classic cocktails. I had a hard time deciding but I ended up splitting a small pitcher of the White Peach Sangria which for $18 was a pretty good deal as we both got 2 full glasses out of it. Though it was a steal I'm not sure I'd get it again, there wasn't much flavour and I couldn't really taste any peach or wine.
The server was good, attentive but not pushy or overbearing. The kind where you kind of forget about the server, not because they aren't checking on you. Does that make sense?
We each got a different starter so we could each try a bite. I had the $30 menu and started with the "Phyllo Wrapped Brie" which came with red onion jam, roasted garlic bulb, toasted flatbread. It was a good size for a starter I was afraid could be very filling, it also helped to be sharing! It wasn't anything special I could have done this at home but it was still a nice treat. Someone else had the "Strawberry Stilton Salad" which wasn't my favourite but that's only because the stilton was too strong for me, I'm not a big blue cheese fan. We also tried the "Crab & Artichoke Dip" which was ok but I'm glad I hadn't ordered it as it was a little too artichoke-y and acidic for me. And the other person had a mushroom on crostini dish which was actually my favourite.
For the main I had the "Sesame Crusted Tuna" which came with some zucchini, red pepper and baby bok choy which was all cooked very well and we were able to trade the roasted potatoes for mashed which were delicious! My friend had the regular potatoes and she didn't end up finishing them so defiantly a smart move on the switch! The sauce was underneath the tuna which is nice as it didn't make it soggy and you could choose the amount you wanted. It was nice had a sweet flavour that went well with the sesame crusted tuna. I've never had this before but it's something I've always wanted to try and I wasn't let down. The sesame crust was great and the tuna looked like it was cooked perfectly. Going from the crunch on the outside to the raw tuna in the middle is a little strange at first, but if you are used to eating sushi it's something you'd enjoy. This is something I would go back for. I read a lot of reviews on urbanspoon and many people recommended the tuna tataki which I am now intrigued to go back and try now as well.
For dessert I had the "Skor Cheesecake" which was ok. The cheesecake was a little sour for me and could have used more chunks rather then dust of skor pieces, though I did manage to finish the whole thing. My friends had the "Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie" which we all really enjoyed, and the "Flourless Chocolate Torte" which was nice and light but very rich.
I enjoyed my experience here and while there were a few misses they were small ones and overall it was a great meal. I think this would be a good place to go on a date and order a bunch of the small plates to share, so Sauce I may be back!
Dine Around Town was ending and I knew I had to get in at least one more restaurant so I called on my downtown co-workers again to join me. I'd checked out quite a few menus and Sauce isn't one I thought to check out immediately as it's in the bar/tourist area I tend to avoid. I had heard some good things though and it was close to the office so it seemed like a good time to check it out.
Again this is one of those restaurants that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It's dark with leather seats inside, and the menu wants to be tapas I think? The online menu is way too confusing with way too many categories. Entrees, Sauce Plates, Favourites? I just don't understand it, so I was glad we'd already decided on the Dine Around menu.
We made reservations for 6pm on a Saturday but upon entering we were only one of a handful of tables. It was early though and by the time we left it was quite busy.
The drink menu looked pretty good, lots of choices at decent prices and some twists on classic cocktails. I had a hard time deciding but I ended up splitting a small pitcher of the White Peach Sangria which for $18 was a pretty good deal as we both got 2 full glasses out of it. Though it was a steal I'm not sure I'd get it again, there wasn't much flavour and I couldn't really taste any peach or wine.
The server was good, attentive but not pushy or overbearing. The kind where you kind of forget about the server, not because they aren't checking on you. Does that make sense?
We each got a different starter so we could each try a bite. I had the $30 menu and started with the "Phyllo Wrapped Brie" which came with red onion jam, roasted garlic bulb, toasted flatbread. It was a good size for a starter I was afraid could be very filling, it also helped to be sharing! It wasn't anything special I could have done this at home but it was still a nice treat. Someone else had the "Strawberry Stilton Salad" which wasn't my favourite but that's only because the stilton was too strong for me, I'm not a big blue cheese fan. We also tried the "Crab & Artichoke Dip" which was ok but I'm glad I hadn't ordered it as it was a little too artichoke-y and acidic for me. And the other person had a mushroom on crostini dish which was actually my favourite.
For the main I had the "Sesame Crusted Tuna" which came with some zucchini, red pepper and baby bok choy which was all cooked very well and we were able to trade the roasted potatoes for mashed which were delicious! My friend had the regular potatoes and she didn't end up finishing them so defiantly a smart move on the switch! The sauce was underneath the tuna which is nice as it didn't make it soggy and you could choose the amount you wanted. It was nice had a sweet flavour that went well with the sesame crusted tuna. I've never had this before but it's something I've always wanted to try and I wasn't let down. The sesame crust was great and the tuna looked like it was cooked perfectly. Going from the crunch on the outside to the raw tuna in the middle is a little strange at first, but if you are used to eating sushi it's something you'd enjoy. This is something I would go back for. I read a lot of reviews on urbanspoon and many people recommended the tuna tataki which I am now intrigued to go back and try now as well.
For dessert I had the "Skor Cheesecake" which was ok. The cheesecake was a little sour for me and could have used more chunks rather then dust of skor pieces, though I did manage to finish the whole thing. My friends had the "Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie" which we all really enjoyed, and the "Flourless Chocolate Torte" which was nice and light but very rich.
I enjoyed my experience here and while there were a few misses they were small ones and overall it was a great meal. I think this would be a good place to go on a date and order a bunch of the small plates to share, so Sauce I may be back!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Pizzeria Prima Strada
http://www.pizzeriaprimastrada.com - 2960 Bridge Street & 230 Cook Street
I've been to Pizzeria Prima Strada quite a few times now and have wanted to write about it but just never got around to it. With the steal of a deal $20 Dine Around Town menu I figured it was the perfect time for another trip back.
I've been to the Cook St location twice before the new location opened and I always found it to be very busy. The first time I tried it as take out which I don't recommend. This pizza is best eaten straight out of the wood fire oven. By the time it got home the thin crust was getting cold and the benefits of the wood oven were lost.
Luckily we saw the potential and went back to try it again. The pizzas are a good size for gourment pizza, about 6 large slices so it can easily be shared leaving room for gelato!
They import the flour from Naples and use many local ingredients which is what makes them stand out from other wood oven or gourmet pizza restaurants. And since the Bridge St location is just a short drive from my house it's hard to not resist going there too often, this pizza is a special treat.
I really like their Bridge St location, though it is not similar to other places in Victoria and I can see the style not being everyones taste. First it's hard to find if you don't see the sign, it's in the first building when you turn off Gorge onto Bridge, set in the back of an industrial building. There is no big sign and most of the parking is reserved for other businesses. The bonus though is there's almost always street parking and it's free. Inside it's an open kitchen with a mix of long wood tables and smaller ones. Sometimes 3 different groups may be sharing the same table which seems strange at first but there's usually enough space that you don't feel invaded. Most times we've arrived before it got too busy and was able to get our own table for two, though the table beside is close enough that I'm sure it's not much different then sitting at the big table.
Our server arrived at our table promptly and I appreciated her asking first if we were interested in wine and then describing each of the features, I probably wouldn't have had a glass if it's wasn't her description of the white wine "a citrus start with a kiwi finish" it sounded interesting so I was intrigued to try it. I have no idea what it's called but I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I really picked up on the kiwi finish but I'll say it was nice and refreshing!
To start I had the "Melanzane & Tonno roasted eggplant caponatina, local tuna conserva". Don't worry I had no idea what it was either so I asked the server. It's cooked tuna soaked in olive oil with roasted vegetable tapanade and flat bread sticks. I still didn't really know what to expect and was a little nervous as I'm not a big eggplant fan but I was very happy with my choice once I tried it. The eggplant was barely noticeable among the other small diced and roasted veg that tasted amazing with the tuna and tasty flat bread. I've been trying to branch out and try fancier things and this was definitely one of those times where I was very happy that I did. Honestly I could have just had that and been happy. The only downside was that our pizza came while I was finishing the last few bites which was a little annoying as I would have liked time to sit between courses.
The pizza was the full size of the "Funghi" which I've had before and really enjoyed. It has porcini cream, roasted mushrooms, roasted onions, fresh thyme, mozzarella and pecorino and it is amazing! For a girl that used to despise mushrooms growing up I am very proud to say I enjoyed it. The cream mixed with the mushrooms and caramelized onions it just amazing. I've tried the Margherita pizza before which was good but I found a little too subtle in flavours. This pizza is a perfect mix, lots of flavour but I don't find it too overwhelming or rich. The crust is a perfect mix of thin crispy oven baked with a nice chewy crust. I was still pretty full from my appy so I was only able to finish about half knowing I still had dessert to go.
For the dessert they had 3 choices, for the pizza and dessert you also had a choice of their feature special which luckily for me was the "Tiramisu" tonight. Yum it was perfect! The coffee wasn't too strong, the cream was amazing and the cake/lady fingers weren't soggy. I also had a bite of James' "Tartufo" which was a change from the menu online. It was chocolate hazelnut gelato with a vanilla centre rolled in cocoa powder. It was really good as well, very smooth and creamy!
I highly recommend Pizzeria Prima Strada, they are doing something different in town and they are doing it well. Plus I enjoy it because it's almost like casual fine dining.
I forgot my phone so my attempt to start taking pictures of my meals out was foiled again. Usually though I am too excited to start eating it and forget to take a picture before I finish it! Plus you don't want to look like the weirdo in the restaurant taking pictures of their food. I wonder if the other food bloggers try and keep it discreet or just go full out and have a photo shoot?
I've been to Pizzeria Prima Strada quite a few times now and have wanted to write about it but just never got around to it. With the steal of a deal $20 Dine Around Town menu I figured it was the perfect time for another trip back.
I've been to the Cook St location twice before the new location opened and I always found it to be very busy. The first time I tried it as take out which I don't recommend. This pizza is best eaten straight out of the wood fire oven. By the time it got home the thin crust was getting cold and the benefits of the wood oven were lost.
Luckily we saw the potential and went back to try it again. The pizzas are a good size for gourment pizza, about 6 large slices so it can easily be shared leaving room for gelato!
They import the flour from Naples and use many local ingredients which is what makes them stand out from other wood oven or gourmet pizza restaurants. And since the Bridge St location is just a short drive from my house it's hard to not resist going there too often, this pizza is a special treat.
I really like their Bridge St location, though it is not similar to other places in Victoria and I can see the style not being everyones taste. First it's hard to find if you don't see the sign, it's in the first building when you turn off Gorge onto Bridge, set in the back of an industrial building. There is no big sign and most of the parking is reserved for other businesses. The bonus though is there's almost always street parking and it's free. Inside it's an open kitchen with a mix of long wood tables and smaller ones. Sometimes 3 different groups may be sharing the same table which seems strange at first but there's usually enough space that you don't feel invaded. Most times we've arrived before it got too busy and was able to get our own table for two, though the table beside is close enough that I'm sure it's not much different then sitting at the big table.
Our server arrived at our table promptly and I appreciated her asking first if we were interested in wine and then describing each of the features, I probably wouldn't have had a glass if it's wasn't her description of the white wine "a citrus start with a kiwi finish" it sounded interesting so I was intrigued to try it. I have no idea what it's called but I really enjoyed it. I don't know if I really picked up on the kiwi finish but I'll say it was nice and refreshing!
To start I had the "Melanzane & Tonno roasted eggplant caponatina, local tuna conserva". Don't worry I had no idea what it was either so I asked the server. It's cooked tuna soaked in olive oil with roasted vegetable tapanade and flat bread sticks. I still didn't really know what to expect and was a little nervous as I'm not a big eggplant fan but I was very happy with my choice once I tried it. The eggplant was barely noticeable among the other small diced and roasted veg that tasted amazing with the tuna and tasty flat bread. I've been trying to branch out and try fancier things and this was definitely one of those times where I was very happy that I did. Honestly I could have just had that and been happy. The only downside was that our pizza came while I was finishing the last few bites which was a little annoying as I would have liked time to sit between courses.
The pizza was the full size of the "Funghi" which I've had before and really enjoyed. It has porcini cream, roasted mushrooms, roasted onions, fresh thyme, mozzarella and pecorino and it is amazing! For a girl that used to despise mushrooms growing up I am very proud to say I enjoyed it. The cream mixed with the mushrooms and caramelized onions it just amazing. I've tried the Margherita pizza before which was good but I found a little too subtle in flavours. This pizza is a perfect mix, lots of flavour but I don't find it too overwhelming or rich. The crust is a perfect mix of thin crispy oven baked with a nice chewy crust. I was still pretty full from my appy so I was only able to finish about half knowing I still had dessert to go.
For the dessert they had 3 choices, for the pizza and dessert you also had a choice of their feature special which luckily for me was the "Tiramisu" tonight. Yum it was perfect! The coffee wasn't too strong, the cream was amazing and the cake/lady fingers weren't soggy. I also had a bite of James' "Tartufo" which was a change from the menu online. It was chocolate hazelnut gelato with a vanilla centre rolled in cocoa powder. It was really good as well, very smooth and creamy!
I highly recommend Pizzeria Prima Strada, they are doing something different in town and they are doing it well. Plus I enjoy it because it's almost like casual fine dining.
I forgot my phone so my attempt to start taking pictures of my meals out was foiled again. Usually though I am too excited to start eating it and forget to take a picture before I finish it! Plus you don't want to look like the weirdo in the restaurant taking pictures of their food. I wonder if the other food bloggers try and keep it discreet or just go full out and have a photo shoot?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Veneto Restaurant Review
www.venetodining.com - 1450 douglas st
I figured I am past due for another restaurant review and since it's Dine Around time in Victoria now feels like a good time to start telling you all about my dining adventures!
Why I chose Veneto...
I used to work downtown and everyday I passed by the Rialto... I've seen it transform from a crack shack to a beautiful hotel. Being the foodie that I am I was curious about Veneto but never got around to checking it out so when I saw it on the Dine Around list I thought here's the perfect chance. But then I read the menu and saw "Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crème Brûlée" and I was sold!! Creme Brulee plus chocolate and peanut butter? That sounded like my dream dessert! They also have a tasty sounding soup "Creole Onion and Sharp White Cheddar Soup" and a prawn main "Grilled Smoked Chili Shrimp with smoked chili butter and creamy polenta cake".
So I invited my downtown coworkers to join James and I on Friday night. The inside of the restaurant is very nice, marble bar and sleek wood panel walls. It feels like a classy joint that I don't belong in which I hate about a lot of restaurants in Victoria but I've learned to not care and remember I am a paying customer too.
When I arrived my friends immediately notified me that the menu had changed and a moment of panic set in that there wouldn't be a pesco-veg friendly main anymore. Luckily the soup and prawn dish remained the same.... but it was my chocolate and peanut butter creme brulee that was missing. It was replaced with a chocolate and peanut butter brownie with bananas and toffee sauce or a Kahlua creme brulee with a mini donut. I relaxed, I could live with one of those choices but I was disappointed that they decided to change their menu.
Veneto is know for it's bartenders and I was intrigued by the idea of a fancy cocktail, but looking at the drink menu honestly it was all a little too confusing for me. We ended up sticking with some white Mission Hill wine which was nice and light and refreshing with the sweetness I enjoy.
I checked out their regular menu and it was a little confusing as well. It seems like they want to be a tapa bar, and maybe I just don't know because I haven't been to many, but I didn't feel like the menu was presenting that theme. They had a starter section, a main section and then their tapas section. What I didn't like with the tapas section was that it is broken down into different proteins and then you got a trio of them. There didn't seem to be any mixing and matching and they all sounded like a meal on their own. Maybe I'd have to come back to try it to understand but it didn't appeal to me.
The soup came out first in a small bowl and my first thought was, that's it? I then remembered this is a three course meal so it's nice to not get an over sized portion. The soup was pretty good, not amazing or mindblowing, but pretty good. I'm not sure what I thought of the croutons they were half soggy from sitting in the soup and there wasn't anything special to them. I did feel satisfied when I finished though and the size was just right.
After waiting just the right amount of time between courses our main arrived. The prawns were big and cooked perfectly. I really like the chili sauce on it that paired well with the polenta. The veg that came with it wasn't too exciting just some small squash pieces but they were more there for balance and presentation then anything.
The dessert though was probably the biggest let down. Considering what a brownie/chocolate/peanut butter fan I was my exceptions were high. It came with two triangles of brownie on top of sliced banana, ice cream and toffee sauce. The toffee sauce was probably the best part, but I thought the bananas were going to be cooked so I didn't really understand what the raw ones were supposed to add. I would have just left them if James hadn't eaten them. The brownie wasn't great... it was ok... a little dry, nothing exciting. I could taste the peanut butter but it was very subtle. I would take a Moxie's brownie any day over this. I tried James' creme brulee, again it was ok, I did like the Kahlua flavor but the custard seemed a little different, maybe thinner, and the donut was dry.
But full of wine and good laughs with friends I left Veneto on a high and I remembered the taste of the prawn dish throughout the night so I can't say it was a bad experience. The service was very good as well, quick to refill glasses and take orders without being too in your face. Will I be back there anytime soon? Probably not, but I'm glad I tried it.
I hope to get to a few more restaurants before Dine Around ends and there's a few places I've been to recently that I feel deserve to be highlighted so hopefully I will get to blogging some more!!
I figured I am past due for another restaurant review and since it's Dine Around time in Victoria now feels like a good time to start telling you all about my dining adventures!
Why I chose Veneto...
I used to work downtown and everyday I passed by the Rialto... I've seen it transform from a crack shack to a beautiful hotel. Being the foodie that I am I was curious about Veneto but never got around to checking it out so when I saw it on the Dine Around list I thought here's the perfect chance. But then I read the menu and saw "Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crème Brûlée" and I was sold!! Creme Brulee plus chocolate and peanut butter? That sounded like my dream dessert! They also have a tasty sounding soup "Creole Onion and Sharp White Cheddar Soup" and a prawn main "Grilled Smoked Chili Shrimp with smoked chili butter and creamy polenta cake".
So I invited my downtown coworkers to join James and I on Friday night. The inside of the restaurant is very nice, marble bar and sleek wood panel walls. It feels like a classy joint that I don't belong in which I hate about a lot of restaurants in Victoria but I've learned to not care and remember I am a paying customer too.
When I arrived my friends immediately notified me that the menu had changed and a moment of panic set in that there wouldn't be a pesco-veg friendly main anymore. Luckily the soup and prawn dish remained the same.... but it was my chocolate and peanut butter creme brulee that was missing. It was replaced with a chocolate and peanut butter brownie with bananas and toffee sauce or a Kahlua creme brulee with a mini donut. I relaxed, I could live with one of those choices but I was disappointed that they decided to change their menu.
Veneto is know for it's bartenders and I was intrigued by the idea of a fancy cocktail, but looking at the drink menu honestly it was all a little too confusing for me. We ended up sticking with some white Mission Hill wine which was nice and light and refreshing with the sweetness I enjoy.
I checked out their regular menu and it was a little confusing as well. It seems like they want to be a tapa bar, and maybe I just don't know because I haven't been to many, but I didn't feel like the menu was presenting that theme. They had a starter section, a main section and then their tapas section. What I didn't like with the tapas section was that it is broken down into different proteins and then you got a trio of them. There didn't seem to be any mixing and matching and they all sounded like a meal on their own. Maybe I'd have to come back to try it to understand but it didn't appeal to me.
The soup came out first in a small bowl and my first thought was, that's it? I then remembered this is a three course meal so it's nice to not get an over sized portion. The soup was pretty good, not amazing or mindblowing, but pretty good. I'm not sure what I thought of the croutons they were half soggy from sitting in the soup and there wasn't anything special to them. I did feel satisfied when I finished though and the size was just right.
After waiting just the right amount of time between courses our main arrived. The prawns were big and cooked perfectly. I really like the chili sauce on it that paired well with the polenta. The veg that came with it wasn't too exciting just some small squash pieces but they were more there for balance and presentation then anything.
The dessert though was probably the biggest let down. Considering what a brownie/chocolate/peanut butter fan I was my exceptions were high. It came with two triangles of brownie on top of sliced banana, ice cream and toffee sauce. The toffee sauce was probably the best part, but I thought the bananas were going to be cooked so I didn't really understand what the raw ones were supposed to add. I would have just left them if James hadn't eaten them. The brownie wasn't great... it was ok... a little dry, nothing exciting. I could taste the peanut butter but it was very subtle. I would take a Moxie's brownie any day over this. I tried James' creme brulee, again it was ok, I did like the Kahlua flavor but the custard seemed a little different, maybe thinner, and the donut was dry.
But full of wine and good laughs with friends I left Veneto on a high and I remembered the taste of the prawn dish throughout the night so I can't say it was a bad experience. The service was very good as well, quick to refill glasses and take orders without being too in your face. Will I be back there anytime soon? Probably not, but I'm glad I tried it.
I hope to get to a few more restaurants before Dine Around ends and there's a few places I've been to recently that I feel deserve to be highlighted so hopefully I will get to blogging some more!!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup
I haven't posted many recipes in awhile and over the holidays I actually cooked something, mostly myself so thought I'd share the delicious recipe!!
It's a modified version I found for Hearty Hot or Cold Roasted Tomato Soup on the Allrecipes.com website.
Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup
2 pounds Roma (plum) tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic
1 quart vegetable stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Place the tomato halves, cut side down, on a baking tray with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 1 hour. Watch them though they may need more or less time depending on your oven. The tomatoes should be soft and blistering and the garlic should turn a light brown but make sure they don't burn.
Carefully peel as much of the tomato skin as you can off. Then snip the ends off the garlic cloves, and squeeze the insides into the bowl of a food processor along with the entire contents of the baking tray including the juices. Add stock, basil, and vinegar; blend until smooth then add the heavy cream. Now let it simmer for about half an hour to let the flavours develop and let the cream thicken. If you find you'd like it thicker in a bowl combine 1 tbs cornstarch and 1-2 tbs of cold water to create a slurry then add that to the soup and let it simmer and thicken.
Season and serve! It taste good with fresh Parmesan on top!
It's a modified version I found for Hearty Hot or Cold Roasted Tomato Soup on the Allrecipes.com website.
Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup
2 pounds Roma (plum) tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic
1 quart vegetable stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Place the tomato halves, cut side down, on a baking tray with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with the oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degrees F (195 degrees C) for 1 hour. Watch them though they may need more or less time depending on your oven. The tomatoes should be soft and blistering and the garlic should turn a light brown but make sure they don't burn.
Carefully peel as much of the tomato skin as you can off. Then snip the ends off the garlic cloves, and squeeze the insides into the bowl of a food processor along with the entire contents of the baking tray including the juices. Add stock, basil, and vinegar; blend until smooth then add the heavy cream. Now let it simmer for about half an hour to let the flavours develop and let the cream thicken. If you find you'd like it thicker in a bowl combine 1 tbs cornstarch and 1-2 tbs of cold water to create a slurry then add that to the soup and let it simmer and thicken.
Season and serve! It taste good with fresh Parmesan on top!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Out with 2010 and in with 2011!!
Well it's time for a year in perspective... was 2010 a good year? Was it everything I expected? After 2009, 2010 could only be better... and while it was still a year of recovery some pretty great and even amazing things did happen so I will say yes 2010, you were good to me.
It was the year I got engaged, in Las Vegas, so you can't get much better then that. I also got a new car, with power steering too!! James got on track and finished his second level of school and signed up for his third and final year. We jetted off to Hawaii to celebrate my 28th birthday and 3 wonderful years together. I reconnected with some old friends and disconnected with others, but in the end everything worked out as it was meant to.
I started kicking my butt into shape and working out on a regular basis as well as eating better. I started to feel a lot better and lost 15lbs. I took a bit of a break in December but I plan to get back on track and have done a few work outs already. The first one reminded me how long it had been and my plan for 2011 is to stay on the same path.
What will 2011 bring? Usually I'm thinking about my next trip, and even though I said this last year too, this year will hopefully be one of saving. I've built up a few debts in 2010 and I am planning towards a big adventure in 2012, so this year will be about working towards those big goals.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Flying high
Ok I will start by mentioning I am a bad blogger... once again, and now we will move on!
Work is slow, painfully slow. The kind of slow that you are startled when someone actually comes in or the phone rings. What are you doing here? Or right we are a business and I am working... I forgot. I could be productive, but with the holidays a week away who is doing that anyways?
I am eyeing someone outside our shop right now that is reading posters in the window and just praying they keep moving along. I'm sorry, I am too un-motivated to help you today. Try me again in the morning, but by the afternoon it's hopless!
I have most of my Christmas shopping done, not that I have too much to do. Just family that don't really need anything or want anything but you feel obligated to get them something. I bought one gift the other day, a cook book, just to flip through it and realize that they have already cooked things in the book. Hmmm so now do I return it or keep it for myself? Maybe I'll just wrap it and put it under the tree for me. I can pretend to be all surprised and thank myself. Ok maybe not.
I hate the last weekend before Christmas crunch though... every year it gets me! I know I wasn't prepared this year so I was at least prepared for not being prepared? But how do you shop for someone who just buys everything they want as soon as it comes out cuz they can't wait (cough, cough, James!) Or parents that don't really need anymore useless stuff? I try to be thoughtful and come up with creative ideas... but then I remember I'm not actually creative I just wish I was.
We got back from Maui the other week and had a fabulous time seeing all the sights and soaking in the sun on our way to them. I started thinking about my evolution of travel. I used to get so excited for trips, not able to sleep the night before, waking up with butterflies. Now I'm tense worrying about getting to the airport on time, will there be a line up, what's happening with the weather? I am a person that likes to be on time or late... I don't like waiting for other people so I'd rather be late then wait for you. But then I always feel guilty about being late as if this isn't normally like me. So getting to the airport early pains me, but it helps relieve my stress at the same time. Though once I am checked in and waiting at the gate all I can think is I didn't need to be here this early!
I'm hit or miss on enjoying the actual flight experience. Usually I just sit there doing nothing and zone out or sleep hoping for it to be over. I used to read or try and watch things but something about flying makes me so sleepy as soon as I pick up my book I'm nodding off. Sometimes I'll just pretend I'm sleeping so people don't think I'm weird for just sitting there and staring at the air.
But then the beverage cart comes down the aisle and I try to play it cool as I wasn't anxiously awaiting my turn to order my drink. I always go with tomato juice. I don't know why but it's my flying drink of choice. I saw someone order it years ago and I was like are you serious we can actually order tomato juice this is great! I couldn't believe the selection they have! I mean really you could get away with 3 choices and I'm sure people would still be happy... oh wait who am I kidding people are never happy, especially with too few choices.
I never want to have pop while flying it makes me too gassy and that is the last thing you want when squished in between two strangers.
I do normally enjoy Clamato or Cesaers so maybe that's why I like to order tomato juice, it's a slightly different option of something I enjoy. Sometimes I'll switch it up with an orange juice or water if I forgot to bring my own. Why order water when there's so many other great options?
Ice or no ice? That's also a dilema I go back and forth on.
On our flight to Maui we got free Mai Tai's which was pretty exciting as well as this stuff called POG. I think it was Pineapple, Orange and Guava? It's was delicious! James didn't know what a Mai Tai was so I think he was disapointed when he first tried it until I let him know there was alcohol in it... then he enjoyed it enough to buy two 1.75litres at Costco! Yum!
I don't like to drink too much on the flight though because unless I'm in the aisle seat I try and avoid going to the washroom. Especially if there are strangers beside you and you need to wait until they are done their drink/meal/nap for them to move.
Once I was on an international flight with an elderly nun sitting in the aisle. She was wheeled onto the flight in wheel chair... let me tell you that was an uncomfortable flight! I think I made her get up once but near the end of the flight I decided to just hold it since we were so close. But I forgot that she was in a wheelchair until the stewardress came up and told her just to wait until everyone is off the plane and then they will come and get her. What? I couldn't wait that long! I think I ended up jumping over her and apologizing...
Another time I was stuck on a different international flight in the middle seat in a row of three... who booked that? I was inbetween two larger people that were missionaries travelling together. Luckily they left me alone. I remember watching Million Dollar Baby struggling to stay awake. I fell asleep before the part where she hits her head... and I'm pretty sure I drooled on the person beside me. How are you supposed to sleep sitting up? Well I guess I managed it.
I also get excited about the meals. I know everyone hates airline food, and I'm not saying it's that great either. But you're stuck on a plane for 7 or more hours, besides arriving at your destination there's not much else to look forward to. It's always eager anticipation, what will they serve? I alway get my meal first as a vegetarian which is fun... yet awkward when everyone else is starting at you anxious for their meal and wondering why you're so special.
Sometimes the meals are pretty decent, and you get a salad, dessert, fruit... sometimes I think vegetarians get the shaft. They just throw something together, and then we get fruit instead of the declicious looking brownie everyone else has. Hey I like chocolate too! Fruits nice, but honestly come on who wouldn't pick the brownie if you have a choice? I'm not a vegan!
When I went to Tokyo I was lucky enough to fly business class on the way there. I ordered champagne right away to feel fancy. Then I realized it was an international flight and alcohol was free so anyone could order champagne. But I also got free slippers! I remember something about a chocolate cart but that part is foggy. The seats were big and roomy which was a downside because I was so comfortable I fell asleep and missed all the exciting things that are included in business class. But I guess getting a good sleep is the point, but I wanted to soak it all in! On the return we were stuck in the bulkhead seat at the front with a wall infront of us and babies beside. That was when I wish I could have fallen alseep and missed it! We called this a mullet ticket, business on the way there, economy on the way back... ah yeah I still giggle at that one.
So that's my airline rant... I could go on and on, but luckily most stories get lost in my head and only poke out at random times.
I wish I had an iphone 4 because I'm convinced I would be taking pictures all the time and blogging them. I feel like I've also mentioned this before. We know what I'm wishing for this year! And I'm guessing I am being over ambitious on my wishing as well!
Ok well there's something for anyone that still even bothers so check this anymore! I'm sorry and I can't promise I'll be any better in the future! But this won't be the last from me!
Work is slow, painfully slow. The kind of slow that you are startled when someone actually comes in or the phone rings. What are you doing here? Or right we are a business and I am working... I forgot. I could be productive, but with the holidays a week away who is doing that anyways?
I am eyeing someone outside our shop right now that is reading posters in the window and just praying they keep moving along. I'm sorry, I am too un-motivated to help you today. Try me again in the morning, but by the afternoon it's hopless!
I have most of my Christmas shopping done, not that I have too much to do. Just family that don't really need anything or want anything but you feel obligated to get them something. I bought one gift the other day, a cook book, just to flip through it and realize that they have already cooked things in the book. Hmmm so now do I return it or keep it for myself? Maybe I'll just wrap it and put it under the tree for me. I can pretend to be all surprised and thank myself. Ok maybe not.
I hate the last weekend before Christmas crunch though... every year it gets me! I know I wasn't prepared this year so I was at least prepared for not being prepared? But how do you shop for someone who just buys everything they want as soon as it comes out cuz they can't wait (cough, cough, James!) Or parents that don't really need anymore useless stuff? I try to be thoughtful and come up with creative ideas... but then I remember I'm not actually creative I just wish I was.
We got back from Maui the other week and had a fabulous time seeing all the sights and soaking in the sun on our way to them. I started thinking about my evolution of travel. I used to get so excited for trips, not able to sleep the night before, waking up with butterflies. Now I'm tense worrying about getting to the airport on time, will there be a line up, what's happening with the weather? I am a person that likes to be on time or late... I don't like waiting for other people so I'd rather be late then wait for you. But then I always feel guilty about being late as if this isn't normally like me. So getting to the airport early pains me, but it helps relieve my stress at the same time. Though once I am checked in and waiting at the gate all I can think is I didn't need to be here this early!
I'm hit or miss on enjoying the actual flight experience. Usually I just sit there doing nothing and zone out or sleep hoping for it to be over. I used to read or try and watch things but something about flying makes me so sleepy as soon as I pick up my book I'm nodding off. Sometimes I'll just pretend I'm sleeping so people don't think I'm weird for just sitting there and staring at the air.
But then the beverage cart comes down the aisle and I try to play it cool as I wasn't anxiously awaiting my turn to order my drink. I always go with tomato juice. I don't know why but it's my flying drink of choice. I saw someone order it years ago and I was like are you serious we can actually order tomato juice this is great! I couldn't believe the selection they have! I mean really you could get away with 3 choices and I'm sure people would still be happy... oh wait who am I kidding people are never happy, especially with too few choices.
I never want to have pop while flying it makes me too gassy and that is the last thing you want when squished in between two strangers.
I do normally enjoy Clamato or Cesaers so maybe that's why I like to order tomato juice, it's a slightly different option of something I enjoy. Sometimes I'll switch it up with an orange juice or water if I forgot to bring my own. Why order water when there's so many other great options?
Ice or no ice? That's also a dilema I go back and forth on.
On our flight to Maui we got free Mai Tai's which was pretty exciting as well as this stuff called POG. I think it was Pineapple, Orange and Guava? It's was delicious! James didn't know what a Mai Tai was so I think he was disapointed when he first tried it until I let him know there was alcohol in it... then he enjoyed it enough to buy two 1.75litres at Costco! Yum!
I don't like to drink too much on the flight though because unless I'm in the aisle seat I try and avoid going to the washroom. Especially if there are strangers beside you and you need to wait until they are done their drink/meal/nap for them to move.
Once I was on an international flight with an elderly nun sitting in the aisle. She was wheeled onto the flight in wheel chair... let me tell you that was an uncomfortable flight! I think I made her get up once but near the end of the flight I decided to just hold it since we were so close. But I forgot that she was in a wheelchair until the stewardress came up and told her just to wait until everyone is off the plane and then they will come and get her. What? I couldn't wait that long! I think I ended up jumping over her and apologizing...
Another time I was stuck on a different international flight in the middle seat in a row of three... who booked that? I was inbetween two larger people that were missionaries travelling together. Luckily they left me alone. I remember watching Million Dollar Baby struggling to stay awake. I fell asleep before the part where she hits her head... and I'm pretty sure I drooled on the person beside me. How are you supposed to sleep sitting up? Well I guess I managed it.
I also get excited about the meals. I know everyone hates airline food, and I'm not saying it's that great either. But you're stuck on a plane for 7 or more hours, besides arriving at your destination there's not much else to look forward to. It's always eager anticipation, what will they serve? I alway get my meal first as a vegetarian which is fun... yet awkward when everyone else is starting at you anxious for their meal and wondering why you're so special.
Sometimes the meals are pretty decent, and you get a salad, dessert, fruit... sometimes I think vegetarians get the shaft. They just throw something together, and then we get fruit instead of the declicious looking brownie everyone else has. Hey I like chocolate too! Fruits nice, but honestly come on who wouldn't pick the brownie if you have a choice? I'm not a vegan!
When I went to Tokyo I was lucky enough to fly business class on the way there. I ordered champagne right away to feel fancy. Then I realized it was an international flight and alcohol was free so anyone could order champagne. But I also got free slippers! I remember something about a chocolate cart but that part is foggy. The seats were big and roomy which was a downside because I was so comfortable I fell asleep and missed all the exciting things that are included in business class. But I guess getting a good sleep is the point, but I wanted to soak it all in! On the return we were stuck in the bulkhead seat at the front with a wall infront of us and babies beside. That was when I wish I could have fallen alseep and missed it! We called this a mullet ticket, business on the way there, economy on the way back... ah yeah I still giggle at that one.
So that's my airline rant... I could go on and on, but luckily most stories get lost in my head and only poke out at random times.
I wish I had an iphone 4 because I'm convinced I would be taking pictures all the time and blogging them. I feel like I've also mentioned this before. We know what I'm wishing for this year! And I'm guessing I am being over ambitious on my wishing as well!
Ok well there's something for anyone that still even bothers so check this anymore! I'm sorry and I can't promise I'll be any better in the future! But this won't be the last from me!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
sNOw thank you!
Dear Snow,
I do not enjoy you, you are not my friend. We used to be friends when I was younger. I would get excited at the sight of you slowly falling from the sky, covering the ground and creating a winter wonderland. I would dig out my crazy carpet and spend hours going down the hill in front of our house. Building snowmen and snow angels. My friends would come over and we'd build igloos to hide in and have snow ball fights with the other kids on the street. We'd through snowballs for the dogs to chase. School would be cancelled and we'd have all day to enjoy you and then go inside and warm up by the fire with hot chocolate
Those were the good times snow....
Now that I am grown up it just means having to go out in the freezing cold with clothes that usually aren't winter appropriate and scrapping my car with the crappy little scrapper I have because I refuse to believe I will need more then that. Then I sit and wait in the freezing cold for my car to finally warm up. Then the real fun starts as I ease my way slowly out onto the roads terrified of slippery ice patches. Other cars are driving dangerously fast and close and now I'm more afraid that they will crash into me. In double the time it takes me normally I arrive at my destination and now have to walk through a soggy dirty mess. I don't own appropriate snow shoes or jackets anymore so I'm wearing whatever I could dig up and probably look pretty ridiculous. Once I am inside I try to thaw out and dry off but there's no hot fire or cocoa waiting for me. I'm at work and there's just people demanding my time when I'd rather be home curled up on the coach.
Oh snow... it just isn't the same... though I must admit seeing you all bright and beautiful after the first snow fall does melt my heart a little bit.
....but please don't stay for long...
I do not enjoy you, you are not my friend. We used to be friends when I was younger. I would get excited at the sight of you slowly falling from the sky, covering the ground and creating a winter wonderland. I would dig out my crazy carpet and spend hours going down the hill in front of our house. Building snowmen and snow angels. My friends would come over and we'd build igloos to hide in and have snow ball fights with the other kids on the street. We'd through snowballs for the dogs to chase. School would be cancelled and we'd have all day to enjoy you and then go inside and warm up by the fire with hot chocolate
Those were the good times snow....
Now that I am grown up it just means having to go out in the freezing cold with clothes that usually aren't winter appropriate and scrapping my car with the crappy little scrapper I have because I refuse to believe I will need more then that. Then I sit and wait in the freezing cold for my car to finally warm up. Then the real fun starts as I ease my way slowly out onto the roads terrified of slippery ice patches. Other cars are driving dangerously fast and close and now I'm more afraid that they will crash into me. In double the time it takes me normally I arrive at my destination and now have to walk through a soggy dirty mess. I don't own appropriate snow shoes or jackets anymore so I'm wearing whatever I could dig up and probably look pretty ridiculous. Once I am inside I try to thaw out and dry off but there's no hot fire or cocoa waiting for me. I'm at work and there's just people demanding my time when I'd rather be home curled up on the coach.
Oh snow... it just isn't the same... though I must admit seeing you all bright and beautiful after the first snow fall does melt my heart a little bit.
....but please don't stay for long...
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Mini Pizzas
This blog post is dedicated to my amazing shrinking friend Kristin!! I am so proud of you and your success... and so delighted you actually made and enjoyed one of my recipes so here's a new post just for you!
This recipe is very simple and not anything new or creative but it's one of my favourtes I always go back to when I have a pizza craving. It's easy to make and doesn't need many ingredients. I found it when I was on Weight Watchers and it's one of my favourites! Feel free to experiment and make your own versions!!
Tomato Mini Pizzas
Ingredients:
2 large wheat pita(s), pocketless
2 large tomato(es), plum, thinly sliced (I often use cherry tomatoes)
1/4 tsp table salt
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a large nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place the pitas on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, mix the tomatoes and salt; stir in the basil, oil and garlic. Top the pitas with tomato mixture, drizzling any liquid in the bowl over the toppings. Bake until the tomatoes are hot and softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese; bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes longer. Cut the pitas in half before serving.
And enjoy!!
This recipe is very simple and not anything new or creative but it's one of my favourtes I always go back to when I have a pizza craving. It's easy to make and doesn't need many ingredients. I found it when I was on Weight Watchers and it's one of my favourites! Feel free to experiment and make your own versions!!
Tomato Mini Pizzas
Ingredients:
2 large wheat pita(s), pocketless
2 large tomato(es), plum, thinly sliced (I often use cherry tomatoes)
1/4 tsp table salt
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spray a large nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place the pitas on the baking sheet.
In a small bowl, mix the tomatoes and salt; stir in the basil, oil and garlic. Top the pitas with tomato mixture, drizzling any liquid in the bowl over the toppings. Bake until the tomatoes are hot and softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese; bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes longer. Cut the pitas in half before serving.
And enjoy!!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Here comes the sun... do do do doooo
Today is one of those perfect fall days. The sun is out and it's warm but there's a crispness to the air that let's you know it ain't summer no more! I love watching the leaves change, I love the crisp air... the smell that reminds me that Halloween is coming soon. Yes autumn I love you!
I am proud to say I have been staying on track, going to aquafit 3-4 weeknights and even signing up for a Saturday class! I have been watching my calories and eating a lot healthier. I forgot how good fruit can be!! I just got so lazy with pre packaged food I couldn't be bothered to take the time to cut up some fruit. Now I'm having a salad for lunch and apples, oranges and bananas for snacks. I feel like it's recess in school when I bring out my container of cut up fruits.
Not to say I'm not still indulging in the foods I love, I'm just being more aware and watching portion sizes and I have to say in general I am feeling a lot better as well.
Besides straining my shoulder which has been very painful. I guess working at a computer for 6 years has finally caught up with me. Luckily I have my awesome friend Noelle who is a massage therapist to help it out! I just want it to feel better so I don't have to worry I'll strain it anymore then it already is.
Oh and I also have some new roommates!!
My cousin Natasha moved to the the Happiest Place on Earth to entertain the masses with her amazing accordion skills and singing. These gnomes are a family treasure, my aunt painted them and they were displayed in my grandma Mutti's house until Natasha took them under her wing. Now it is my turn to watch over them while she is off having adventures in Florida!
I am proud to say I have been staying on track, going to aquafit 3-4 weeknights and even signing up for a Saturday class! I have been watching my calories and eating a lot healthier. I forgot how good fruit can be!! I just got so lazy with pre packaged food I couldn't be bothered to take the time to cut up some fruit. Now I'm having a salad for lunch and apples, oranges and bananas for snacks. I feel like it's recess in school when I bring out my container of cut up fruits.
Not to say I'm not still indulging in the foods I love, I'm just being more aware and watching portion sizes and I have to say in general I am feeling a lot better as well.
Besides straining my shoulder which has been very painful. I guess working at a computer for 6 years has finally caught up with me. Luckily I have my awesome friend Noelle who is a massage therapist to help it out! I just want it to feel better so I don't have to worry I'll strain it anymore then it already is.
Oh and I also have some new roommates!!
My cousin Natasha moved to the the Happiest Place on Earth to entertain the masses with her amazing accordion skills and singing. These gnomes are a family treasure, my aunt painted them and they were displayed in my grandma Mutti's house until Natasha took them under her wing. Now it is my turn to watch over them while she is off having adventures in Florida!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Fish Tacos!
I've been obsessed with fish tacos lately! Maybe because they are an exciting new alternative to my usual bean version. I've had them at a few places and decided to combine my favourite components into Candice's Ultimate Fish Tacos. Ok maybe that's an exaggeration... this recipe turned out really well but it may need some tweeking. I feel like recipes are just there to guide you, it's up to you to modify them into your own taste.
This recipe is pieced together so read through it first before trying because I don't know if I put it in an order that makes sense!!
I used Halibut for my fish tacos, about 12oz made enough for 6 tacos.
Fish Tacos with Chipotle Creme and Salsa Fresca by Emeril
Salsa Fresca:
• 4 large tomatoes, about 2 1/2 pounds, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 5 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 Serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced (I bought 1 jalapeno so modify recipe to work)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Emeril's Southwest Seasoning : - this is meant to be mixed with flour and deep fried but instead used it as a rub for the halibut
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
This makes a lot of seasoning so if you only want enough for this recipe then I would modify it when you make it.
I also would add some lime juice to this maybe 1 tablespoon and olive oil.
Combine all the spices and marinate them with diced Halibut for about half an hour. Saute in a frying man with a little olive oil on medium heat until the fish is cooked through.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven until soft and pliant, about 12 minutes. Remove and keep wrapped until ready to use.
If you have a grill you could heat them up on there as well for a crispier shell.
The Ultimate Fish Tacos by Tyler Florence
Pink Chile Mayonnaise:
• 1 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
• 1/2 lemon, juiced (lime if we don't have lemon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cabbage Slaw - from Black Bean Tacos on Audrey Needs More Wooden Spoons:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In a bowl, add cabbage coleslaw, green onions, cilantro and toss to coat. Using a fork, stir in two teaspoons olive oil and lime, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once everything is complete I layer the tortilla with the chipotle mayo first, then the halibut, slaw and salsa fresco. You may need to use toothpicks to keep them together. And enjoy!!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Workin' it Out!
I've been a bad blogger! It's been a busy few weeks though and am excited about new changes that are going on! I've finally committed to working out, going to aquafit 4 times last week! Then I did 2 hours of Wii Fit on Sunday and Monday and even got up early yesterday to do 30 mins of yoga on the Wii! Who am I?? This is not the normal me at all! I am so glad I found aquafit though because it's something I actually enjoy doing and am staying committed to. Now after about 2 weeks I am feeling the difference. I feel so much better and have the energy to get up and do things instead of sitting on the couch night after night. I was in a rut and I needed an out, who knew this would be it? I've struggled my whole life trying to find the balance between eating right and working out. This isn't something I usually like to talk about because then I feel like other people will have expectations of me and I worry I can't even keep up to my own. I am afraid to push myself and put myself out there. I know this isn't the right way but it's just how I am.
The eating right part is hard. I know what is right and wrong, I just choose to ignore that most of the time. But I never worked out to make up for my un healthy eating... or snacking at least. You'd think since I am a vegetarian I would be a really healthy eater, but the lack of meat means that I am often drawn to carb filled alternatives instead of what I should be eating, lots of fresh vegetables and healthy veggie alternatives. It's hard though unless you have a plan to choose the right things to eat. I am trying though to be more conscience. I am having granola and yoghurt in the morning, a banana for my snack then I try to make an interesting salad for lunch. But that gets boring.... I've been doing pretty good but I need to mix it up and a basic iceburg lettuce mix just doesn't cut it.
I am trying to buy more healthy snack options too, fruits, carrots, hummus, Laughing Cow cheese, pickles and crackers. Ok the crackers aren't so good but I am trying to moderate and find lower calorie options. I know I can't cut myself off completely because then I will just totally blow it and have a snack attack on a bag of Doritos or something. I just need to surround myself with better options so I don't get distracted by the ones I really want...
Eating out is pretty tough. I feel like if I am going to go to a restaurant and pay the money I want to enjoy what I'm eating! I don't want to go out just to have a plain salad with dressing on the side... I mineswell stay home! So I guess I will just try to moderate eating out which is also good for my sad little bank account!
I have a short term goal but I want this to be long term, and I have a very important long term goal, a wedding!! I know I won't be ready to have a wedding until I am happy with myself, and we're in no hurry so mineswell wait until it's right. Plus there's the affording it part, that still needs to be worked on! I think I've thought more about the honeymoon then the wedding itself! That part makes my head hurt...
It's funny when I look back at pictures from only a few years ago and wish I was in that same place, yet at the time I wasn't happy either. So will I ever be happy with myself I sometimes wonder? After struggling for so many years I know I just have to be happy and positive with any progress I make. I just wish I didn't keep making it harder for myself! I think my mom first put me on a diet before I was 13. I remember drawing a graph and tracking my progress, and counting points. I was just a normal kid but I already had it in my head that I wasn't. My parents were always on diets and anyone that knows them would be surprised because they don't look like they need to be, and they don't. This idea was pushed on me so when I moved out I felt like I could finally be free and make my own choices. My drug of choice was salt. Bad, unhealthy, salty treats. So I kept spiraling and it's hard to stop that pattern once it's started. I guess everyone has an addiction of sorts and this is just mine.
So now here I am 10 years out of high school and afraid to see people that knew me, wondering what they're saying about me behind my back. So it's time to break the cycle but I know it will take a lot of hard work. It's something I will deal with my whole life, I just have to try and stay on the right path and accept the support around me!
Stay fit and have fun! :)
This would be one of those bad choices! But it was New York!
The eating right part is hard. I know what is right and wrong, I just choose to ignore that most of the time. But I never worked out to make up for my un healthy eating... or snacking at least. You'd think since I am a vegetarian I would be a really healthy eater, but the lack of meat means that I am often drawn to carb filled alternatives instead of what I should be eating, lots of fresh vegetables and healthy veggie alternatives. It's hard though unless you have a plan to choose the right things to eat. I am trying though to be more conscience. I am having granola and yoghurt in the morning, a banana for my snack then I try to make an interesting salad for lunch. But that gets boring.... I've been doing pretty good but I need to mix it up and a basic iceburg lettuce mix just doesn't cut it.
I am trying to buy more healthy snack options too, fruits, carrots, hummus, Laughing Cow cheese, pickles and crackers. Ok the crackers aren't so good but I am trying to moderate and find lower calorie options. I know I can't cut myself off completely because then I will just totally blow it and have a snack attack on a bag of Doritos or something. I just need to surround myself with better options so I don't get distracted by the ones I really want...
Eating out is pretty tough. I feel like if I am going to go to a restaurant and pay the money I want to enjoy what I'm eating! I don't want to go out just to have a plain salad with dressing on the side... I mineswell stay home! So I guess I will just try to moderate eating out which is also good for my sad little bank account!
I have a short term goal but I want this to be long term, and I have a very important long term goal, a wedding!! I know I won't be ready to have a wedding until I am happy with myself, and we're in no hurry so mineswell wait until it's right. Plus there's the affording it part, that still needs to be worked on! I think I've thought more about the honeymoon then the wedding itself! That part makes my head hurt...
It's funny when I look back at pictures from only a few years ago and wish I was in that same place, yet at the time I wasn't happy either. So will I ever be happy with myself I sometimes wonder? After struggling for so many years I know I just have to be happy and positive with any progress I make. I just wish I didn't keep making it harder for myself! I think my mom first put me on a diet before I was 13. I remember drawing a graph and tracking my progress, and counting points. I was just a normal kid but I already had it in my head that I wasn't. My parents were always on diets and anyone that knows them would be surprised because they don't look like they need to be, and they don't. This idea was pushed on me so when I moved out I felt like I could finally be free and make my own choices. My drug of choice was salt. Bad, unhealthy, salty treats. So I kept spiraling and it's hard to stop that pattern once it's started. I guess everyone has an addiction of sorts and this is just mine.
So now here I am 10 years out of high school and afraid to see people that knew me, wondering what they're saying about me behind my back. So it's time to break the cycle but I know it will take a lot of hard work. It's something I will deal with my whole life, I just have to try and stay on the right path and accept the support around me!
Stay fit and have fun! :)
This would be one of those bad choices! But it was New York!
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