Los Lobos

Last night for dinner, we excitedly went to the soft opening of Los Lobos here in London. We knew a taco place from the Wolfe brothers (responsible for The Early Bird) was in the works, and had our eyes peeled for any mention of it. Literally everything was delightful, and I cannot wait until the restaurant opens for regular service. Allow me to start with the most fabulous part of the meal: Churros. They were served with a tasty, rich chocolate ganache that was spicy and sweet. Every table around us ordered them first, and was really making sure they got it all - so were we. The churros were fresh, hot and thickly covered in cinnamon sugar. This was really the perfect way to end a meal, and left such a great taste in our mouths about the whole experience.

Churros rolled in cinnamon sugar with spicy chocolate ganache

I guess we can go back to the top? First we ordered some cocktails. I opted for the Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita, while Scott went for the Del Sur Hospitality - tequila, pineapple, lime & grenadine. Scott was telling me how complex his drink was with lots of flavours, and could only nod. The mixture of tequila, pineapple and jalapeno was a shockingly good combination. It was spicy and sweet, not too tart. The Del Sur was sweet as well, disappearing before we got our tacos.

Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita & Del Sur Hospitality (half already consumed)

The first food we ordered was the Jalapeno Rellano, which I quickly proceeded to pronounce incorrectly while Scott threw me to the wolves (los lobos, in spanish). Apparently two L's in a row is a little different than in English. Whoops. The mole was the first thing I tasted - it was spicy and rich, not too sweet. The jalapenos were cooked, but not overdone or mushy. The white cheese inside was oozing out when you sliced into them, but still made for easy bites. The cornmeal was seasoned well, leaving us very excited for everything still to come.

Jalapeno Rellano - stuffed with monerey jack, cornmeal battered, served with Lobos mole

Next, we got into the tacos. Scott ordered the Carnita and Beef Cheek. I also wanted Beef Cheek and Pork Belly (my weakness). As a cilantro-hater, it was a little tricky to navigate the Taco section of the menu, and as it turns out, some items that didn't explicitly list cilantro still had it in there, which was a little disappointing. Things that may have been delicious taste like they are slathered in dish soap. The Carnita taco included pineapple pico, cilantro, sour cream, and chicharron. It was dripping, and according to Scott, delicious. The Beef Cheek taco we both had, and was great - including pickled red onion, queso fresco, and horseradish. It also had some unlisted green onion garnish that was a nice addition. The meat was very tender and the sauce was savory. Now the star: Pork Belly. This taco included lime sour cream, radish, pickled and fresh jalapeno. The meat was crispy, salty, and very meaty. The combination of fresh and pickled jalapenos in sour cream was really tasty. In reality, I want 6 of these tacos a day, but was happy I got to experience this one.

Tacos, (clockwise from top left): Carnita, Beef Cheek, Beef, Cheek, Pork Belly

There was also a "La Carne" section of the menu, featuring different prepared meats. We decided to try the Battered Cod, since the cod taco had included cilantro, but none was listed here. Good joke - it was on a bean salad filled with cilantro, with two leaves draped over it. So we split the fish, and Scott enjoyed the rest. The fish itself was perfectly cooked, hot, flaky, and fresh. The batter was very good and well-seasoned. Scott was loving the rest all mixed together.

Battered Cod - whipped avocado, black beans, tomato

We figured we still had room and there were more tacos to try, so we ordered the Beef Tongue for Scott and Yuca for me. The Beef Tongue included radish, salsa, and iceberg lettuce, while the yuca came with pico de gallo, cumin crema, and green onion. I guess I should have known pico de gallo would have cilantro, but I didn't, nor did the menu remind me. I have less good things to say about that. I think it was probably good, if it wasn't soapy. Scott was loving the beef tongue and tossed me a little bit of meat to try. It was really tender, almost like salami in texture.

Beef Tongue & Yuca Tacos

The interior of the restaurant is a piece of art (by Stu Dead from Playdead Cult), with things to look at in every corner. We got the rundown from the server, anything we ordered would be brought out as it was ready. They weren't offering substitutions unless there's an allergy - yes, that includes cilantro. I felt annoying the second I heard the table next to us also ask about cilantro, but also... a lot of people don't like cilantro. It was annoying that two things I ordered that didn't specify cilantro on the menu had it. While I know it may be challenging to remember, a heads up from the server would have been nice. Despite being the newest place in town just getting their feet wet with a soft open, the staff seemed like a good team working together to get food out where it needed to go. The waiting was a little long at times, but it was a pretty full house and patio. Everyone was in a good mood, there was lots of talk between tables and warm excitement. I only imagine things will get better and better. I am pretty excited to see what the situation is for their Grand Opening in a couple weeks!

Likes: Atmosphere and food were delicious!

Dislikes: Cilantro trying to sneak its way into my life.

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 4.5/5

Would I go again?: Definitely, excited to see how things go here.

La Casa Ristorante

On Saturday I went to La Casa Ristorante for a Bachelorette party. Full disclosure: Scott works in the kitchen. This definitely wasn't my first time, and I knew they had just updated the menu this week.

The most exciting thing: Scott has been working on these Bomboloni, or Italian doughnuts, for a bit and now they are on the menu! It was so decadent and delicious. I wish I could have like 6 of the, but one is good.

Bombolone - Italian doughnut filled with lemon curd, topped with amaretto cream, powdered sugar and candied lemon

To start, I ordered an antipasti platter for the table, and proceeded to try not to eat the whole thing myself. I don't know everything that was on there, but the smoked trout, Gorgonzola, hot Genoa, and dry elk sausage are the highlights. The tapenade was a little sweet, and the pickles, pickled onions, and olives were nice and savory.

Antpasti Platter

I decided to go with the feature catch, which happened to be lake perch. It was cooked with lemon and dill, over a bed of quinoa and vegetables, served with a mango-chili sauce. The sauce was delicious, and thee was actually so much fish. I felt healthy and full when I was done with this dish.

Feature Catch - lake perch with quinoa, vegetables and mango-chili sauce

We had a table of eleven people, which is quite a bit. We were also there on a Saturday night, with lots of time for drinking and socializing. Things went without a hitch and we were all pretty satisfied. Objectively, some of the cocktails left something to be desired, but the food was great! I had ordered a drink that involved stirring in honey in a cold drink, which was unpleasant and didn't really work.

Likes: Bombolone!

Dislikes: my drink was a little strange

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 4/5

Would I go again?: Probably, this is a great restaurant in London, and our group tends to end up there for special occasions (also it pays the bills...)

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

So lately we have been trying to be a little more conscious of what (and how much) we eat in a real solid attempt at getting healthier! So far, I have to say it is actually working, which is really rewarding seeing results. This isn't about to become a weight loss or fitness blog though, don't you worry. I thing I made this week was Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken from Skinnytaste. I cannot recommend this website enough, they seem to have everything made a little healthier. This particular meal is extremely pad thai adjacent, but much easier, and with fewer ingredients than anything authentic. The best part about it - a whole bowl like this is under 500 calories.

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 5 tbsp (70g) smooth peanut butter
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 inch (26g) minced ginger
• 3 cloves (11g) garlic, minced

You will also need:

• 8 oz rice noodles
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 cloves (24g) garlic, minced
• 1 cup (74g) green onion, chopped
• 1 cup (99g) carrot, shredded
• 2 cups (177g) broccoli stalks, sliced thin into slaw
• 1 cup (59g) bean sprouts
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tsp lime juice

1.  To make the sauce, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a medium pot. Simmer over medium-low, stirring until smooth (about 10 minutes). Leave on low until ready.
2. Boil a pot of water and cook the rice noodles according to their directions. Add cooked noodles to the sauce and stir thoroughly. Leave covered on low.
3. Heat sesame oil in a large pan. Cook the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Remove cooked chicken from pan and slice into strips.
4. Add garlic, green onions, carrots, broccoli, and bean sprouts. Saute until tender.
5. Add chicken, sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice, stir to mix.
6. Add noodles and sauce and mix thoroughly. Enjoy with lime!

Pizzeria Libretto

For our 3rd anniversary, Scott got me tickets to see Strictly Ballroom at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. The show was great, I love a good musical! Before the show, we had to have lunch nearby at Pizzeria Libretto. We have been casually stalking this place on Instagram, so we were pretty excited. We knew we had to try to Ricotta Gnocchi Fritti, and it did not disappoint. These little potato pillows were so delicate and wonderful. The tomato sauce was really, really impressive. Every single bite was so tasty, my mouth is watering remembering it.

Ricotta Gnocchi Fritti - San Marzano Tomato, Nduja Sausage, Stracciatella

I ordered off the Pizza Bianca menu, opting for the House-made Sausage pizza. It was sweet and spicy, but the crust is the really impressive part. It was amazingly thin and light, but not crisp.

House-Made Sausage Pizza Bianca - Caramelized Onion, Mozzarella, Chili Oil

Scott decided on the Diavola from the Pizza Rossa menu. It was really tasty when you managed to wrangle a bite, but it was the greasiest thing I've eaten in a while. The crust wasn't really interested in doing it's job, so we decided it was really a fork & knife pizza.

Diavola Pizza Rossa - Tomato, Spicy Salami, Mozzarella Di Bufala, Chili, Onion, Kalamata Olives

While we waited, we had some of the best focaccia I have ever tasted. It was with tasting oils, and definitely got us excited for our little gnocchis to come. Our service was great, but we were one of the only tables there for lunch on a Sunday. The gnocchi was great, the pizzas were good. There are so many places in Toronto I want to try and haven't this just wasn't all that impressive.

Likes: Focaccia & Gnocchi
Dislikes: Greasy pizza paired with a cloth napkin
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: Probably not, this area is filled with great looking food!

The Early Bird (Round 3)

We can't stop going to Early Bird. There was a new menu that included Eggs Benny that we really couldn't resist. I ordered the Pulled Pork Eggs Benny, which was great. The Hollandaise was perfection, the pulled pork was moist and delicious, and the slaw added a nice crunch. There wasn't anything special about the potatoes or fruit, but the fruit makes it feel like a balanced meal (even if it definitely isn't). The bread used for the Eggs Benny was a special creation, not sure if it was made in house or not, but it was nice and airy.

Pulled Pork Eggs Benny - smoked shoulder, house slaw, toast

Scott ordered the GrEggs Benny. He was raving about the soft poach on his egg, and how delicious the brisket was, although none made it across the table for me to try.

GrEggs Benny - smoked brisket, sauerkraut, 1000 island, toast

We were in the restaurant at 9 AM on a Tuesday, and it was completely empty. It is always a little strange being the only table, Service was great, but how could it not be with no one else there to make requests? We had blacked out our last experience, and are back to perfection.


Likes: Eggs Benedict! So glad to see them as a regular menu item :)
Dislikes: I guess the potatoes were a little boring
Food: 4.75/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: Of course, any excuse to go and I will be back.

Black Trumpet Restaurant

A friend recently gave us a gift card for Black Trumpet, and we could not wait to use it! This is one of those restaurants typically reserved for special occasions - of the two tables closest to us, one was celebrating a PhD Defense, the other a Retirement. We decided that since our three year anniversary is just a week away, we would call it an early anniversary dinner. Cocktails we the first order of business, and while I didn't take pictures, I promise they were impressive. Scott had something with Chambord, Vanilla Coconut Rum and Ginger Beer, while I had a Caesar with Shiraz. From the menu, we were pretty impressed with the vegan options appearing as a menu insert, but we came for meat. Our first appetizer was the Spiced Orange Pork Belly and Scallops. I love pork belly in pretty much any form, and this was no different. The scallops were seared perfectly, and the flavor combination was surprisingly good to me. I didn't know I would like marmalade on my pork belly. The only disappointment was that it was only a couple of bites of each, so we were definitely left wanting more.

Spiced Orange Pork Belly and Scallops - vanilla and cauliflower puree, leek and orange marmalade, mushrooms, aged balsamic

Our second appetizer was the most decadent. The Sherry Foie Gras Ganache was so rich and savoury. If you haven't had a good foie gras, please go eat some immediately. There was a nice balance of sweet and savoury here, and actually so much foie gras that we were glad we hadn't eaten all of our table bread. This dish also came with some candied peanuts that added a nice crunch. I wasn't really sure what to do with the espresso, but poured it over top of everything I ate and it tasted pretty good. This is one of those dishes we weren't really sure how to eat properly or how much our hands should or shouldn't be involved. After eating this, we thought we were probably maxed out on richness, but oh boy were we wrong.

Sherry Foie Gras Ganache - french toast, maple grilled stone fruit, spiced apple chutney, nitro espresso 

I ordered the Togarashi Duck Breast as an entree. Every bite of mouthwatering duck was a transcendent experience. It was so moist, tender, and seasoned deliciously. The cabbage and cauliflower puree were great accompaniments. I am not too interested in strips of zucchini, but they add colour. I really can't say enough about this duck. Looking at it again so close to lunch makes me want to rush back for another.

Togarashi Duck Breast - braised cabbage, confit potato, seasonal vegetables, cauliflower puree, aged balsamic reduction

Scott ordered the rack of elk, and was also very impressed. He tried were those orzo balls first - and oh my goodness what a fabulous idea. So, we have long been obsessed with arancini - stuffed, deep fried risotto balls filled with cheese. We have also become very into orzo lately, usually as some type of Greek-inspired dish. These are balls of orzo and parmesan, pretty much combining these two loves. We decided orzo might actually be better than risotto - it would be so much faster to make, also they are perfectly soft and cheesy inside. We might be trying to do this at home in the near future. Our server recommended the elk rare, so that is how Scott ordered it. This ended up being a good choice for game meat. It was tender and pink and not too chewy at all.

Cocoa and Cayenne Rack of Elk - parmesan orzo cake, seasonal vegetables, pear and cinnamon chutney

Lastly, we had to try the feature dessert - a chocolate tart. As a feature, I am guessing this was someone's first time making this particular tart. It was... not good. The flavour of the chocolate and raspberries were fine, a classic combination. The crust was about a centimeter thick, taking up almost half of the height of the tart. This thick crust made taking a bite delicately very challenging. Scott jokes that we were afraid to break the plate every time we tried. It was topped with chopped pistachios that were almost all blackened from cooking. They didn't add a burnt flavour, but they didn't look very attractive either. Vanilla ice cream made in-house came with the tart, and while a nice idea, it was overly sweet and not that creamy. I am not sure why they chose to serve pineapple with this dessert, but there you have it. Knowing how good the brownie is here makes this choice even more difficult. My only regret of the meal, unfortunately at the very end.

Feature Chocolate Tart - with raspberry and pistachios, served with vanilla ice cream

Overall we had a great experience, but it was costly. I probably won't be headed back to Black Trumpet without another opportunity to avoid paying full cost. It was great, but we have had great food at much more reasonable prices. Our service was perfect - relaxed and efficient at the same time.

Likes: The duck, foie gras, pork belly, & scallops are my highlights
Dislikes: the feature dessert was a miss
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: One day, when I can afford it

Berry Hill Food Company

Brunch is a long weekend requirement. As we are back from a long weekend visit with my family, it is time to share Sunday Brunch with you. We went to Berry Hill Food Company in downtown Oshawa, mostly because it is one of the few places I haven't been yet in my hometown. Actually, I am sure there are many, but it looked like it would be good. I scoped out the eggs Benedict options, and went for the Beef Tenderloin. At $16, I was expecting perfectly tender beef with creamy Hollandaise sauce. I was extremely disappointed - the beef was chewy, the Hollandaise was thin and there wasn't very much of it. The eggs were fine, but I have had better of every component. The potatoes were over-salted, but tasty. I really was filled with regret, wondering how good other menu items might have been, and why I made this choice.

Beef Tenderloin Eggs Benedict with sauteed garlic mushrooms

Scott was after more quantity, and ordered the Full Mounty. He enjoyed it, and I had some of that sausage, it was good. Nothing exceptional, again for $15 I would hope for more delight.

The Full Mounty - Canadian peameal, English sausage, 2 eggs, strip bacon, grilled tomato, baked beans, BH potatoes & toast

We left feeling overcharged and unimpressed. Looking for a great spot in Oshawa, we will have to keep looking. It seemed like there was so much potential, so maybe by ordering different things we might have been more on board. I do really want to say nice things... the service was good!

Likes: The coffee was served in a huge cup.

Dislikes: The food and prices weren't great.

Food: 3/5

Service: 4/5

Would I go again?: Probably not.

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, so I decided to do some baking before Scott got home from feeding other happy couples. His mom got us a calendar for Christmas that includes recipes each month - February's being for sugar cookies. Turns out, you can order the recipe as a print for just $24 from Lily & Val directly. For icing, I followed a basic icing recipe found here. These cookies are kind of perfectly sweet and buttery, where you realize you have had 5 and should probably stop so you don't die.

To make them you will need:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

To get started:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add vanilla and egg and mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
4. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine into a dough.
5. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin and cut into hearts.
6. Bake at 400 F for 7 minutes.

For the icing, mix together the following:

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• food colouring

When they come out they are very soft, but harden up as they cool to a nice cookie consistency. You need to wait for them to cool before icing them. To ice them, I just dipped them into the icing, then let it set. Enjoy!

Earth to Table: Bread Bar

On Sunday we were headed through Guelph to visit friends and decided have a little brunch on the way. On the recommendation of a friend of a friend, we ended up at Earth to Table: Bread Bar. Their website looked really promising with lots of fresh looking dishes. As you may have noticed by now, we are breakfast & brunch connoisseurs with a critical eye for an egg. The brunch situation here is a kind of breakfast tapas, with small plates you can share or eat all yourself. It isn't what we started with, but I will start here with my favourite dish: Brisket & Potato Hash with Poached Egg. The brisket was delightful, so savory and flavourful, with a perfectly poached egg. Yolk on potatoes is one of the greatest joys of breakfast.

Brisket & Potato Hash with Poached Egg

My biggest disappointment was the French Toast. It wasn't very eggy, instead rather dry. The whipped cream made up for some of the lost moisture, and the caramel was tasty, but the bread was entirely the wrong choice for french toast. The bread was seedy and not very absorbent. I was very glad this wasn't the focus of my meal.

French Toast with Caramel & Whipped Cream

We were also a little underwhelmed by the Eggs Hammy. There was just very little seasoning, making it boring. The bread used here was fabulous, suiting of the Bread Bar name.

Eggs Hammy - poached egg with ham & hollandaise

The Root Beer-Baked Beans came in an adorable mini cocotte dish and were full of flavour. They were actually a little too spicy for me, and the beans were undercooked, so Scott ate most of this one.

Root Beer-Baked Beans

The Potato Latkes were the most confusing dish. It really wasn't clear how it was intended to be eaten. It reminded me of a pile of hickory sticks in both appearance and taste. I was really not into the taste of the salmon roe, way too fishy for me - although that is probably just my uneducated palette.

Potato Latkes with sour cream and cured salmon roe

While we are on the topic of fish, let's move on to the Smoked Salmon on Toast. This was much more how I prefer my breakfast salmon - classic, delicious combination. The only way this would have been better was more of it, luckily it was all you can eat!

Smoked Salmon on Toast - with cream cheese, capers, lemon, dill, & red onion

The breakfast nachos were better than they looked. They have found a really good guacamole recipe, there was just not enough. Not a huge egg presence, but it was good.

Breakfast Nachos - jalapenos, guacamole, scrambled egg, sour cream

Last but definitely not least, Scott's favourite dish: Eggs in Purgatory. This was a stunning example of the bread quality, that I hope and assume they make in house. The poached egg in tomato was excellent for dipping, being very rich and tasty.

Eggs in Purgatory - tomato, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, toast

We were there right when the restaurant opened, and were really excited about it conceptually. The dishes themselves weren't that impressive, and left us thinking wistfully of our fabulous breakfast in Kitchener, ON at Gilt Restaurant. Nothing was terrible, but for $28 per person I would rather be impressed than overwhelmed with amount of food. There was also a cold food bar available with cold salads and cold, disappointing pizza. We tried a couple, and they were big mistakes. Served hot, perhaps the pizza would have been better, but they weren't good. The pastry cart on the other hand, was filled with delightful treats. There was a salted caramel brownie that I couldn't get enough of, and actually bought 4 to take to our friends. Our service was great, very attentive, informative, but not too overwhelming.

Likes: Selection and concept of breakfast tapas is great.
Dislikes: I wasn't impressed by most items, cold pizza shouldn't have been included.
Food: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: No, and I wouldn't recommend it either. It just wasn't worth it.