La Bamboche (this location closed)

http://www.labamboche.ca/

之前在1712 Avenue Road吃過Brunch,
近兩個星期周末喜歡到4 Manor Road East,

Dec 8, 2012

每次也是Pain au Chocolat(巧克力牛角包),
再加一 杯Latte, 這個早晨就覺得很滿足~

Dec 15, 2012

髮型與妝容變一變, 樣子真有別(題外話 =P )

Quiche早已做好在冰箱, 然後再在微波爐加熱, !
它並不是太好吃, 下次應該不會再order了~

Bacon, Caramelized Onion & Swiss Cheese

Lavender, Pistachio, Strawberry Champagne, Chocolate, Eggnog Rum, Caramel Sea Salt

今天也買了幾個馬卡龍和朋友分享,
我自己選了strawberry champagne, 不錯啊~

 - SB

Ling Long Legend 玲瓏風味 (Closed)

二嫂的生日就試試在First Markham Place的玲瓏風味,

冷菜:  豆腐干絲、涼皮

 涼皮有點厚, 下次不會點~
豆腐干絲OK, 和一般店的一樣。

小籠包

Size比一般的小籠包大, 一籠只有四個, 裡面肉汁有滿滿一湯匙。
挺好吃的, 怪不得GM吃得滋味~
我們也order了薺菜雲吞, 皮有點太厚, 肉也不及小籠包多汁鮮甜。

辣子蝦（後）,  辣子大盤鷄麵底(前)

蝦真的很香, 令你一口接一口, 算是必試的~
辣子鷄與我們想像不一樣, 賣相是不吸引, 但味道是不錯~
麵要當下吃, 再翻熱便麵質就糊掉了~

-SB

Nervosa

http://eatnervosa.com/
The food isn't bad, but not good enough to get me to come back again.
This place is like a gem in Yorkville, jam-packed.
Maybe this is the reason why the servers aren't attentive and sincere?

Latte Latte~

Barley and Lentil Soup

The soup has the indian flavour...
Maybe there is some spices that usually use in Indian food?
It is a big portion hearty soup.  (but It is not something I like.)

This pizza is thin, however, it is not crispy.
I can't really judge this pizza, as i just have a few bites...><...
We do not like goat cheese, so we asked the server to change to mozzarella cheese when we order.
*sigh*   although have told them not to put goat cheese, it still have the goat cheese.
The server doesn't admit the pizza got goat cheese, but she cancelled it for us anyways.

I don't think we will visit again.  You do not feel welcome there.
It is quite an awful experience to us.
Yes, they have cancelled that pizza, but gave you a strong feeling that "You are trouble and we did nothing wrong".



- SB

Lemon Bistro

From now on, I will check Lemon Bistro website for their daily menu.
After I tried the fish chowder on Friday night, I miss it very much.

My #1 Favorite - Fish Chowder

Sorry that I used my phone camera to take food pictures recently.
This fish chowder tastes fantastic.  It is creamy but not thicky.
It is light and very tasty.  It has fish, clam, celery and potatoes.
This is the reason that i want to check their menu everyday.
I'm willing to go there to dine alone for this soup.

Warm bread with olive oil & Balsamic vinegar

Mushroom and Barley

The Mushroom and barley is like the Mushroom risotto.
It is healthy and delicious.  However, as an appetizer, it is quite filling.

My steak - strip loin

The steak isn't bad.  But I don't think I'll order it again.
I love the sweetness of the vegetables and the thinly cut fries.

Pork Chop

This is better than the steak.  It is moist and tender.
The juices flow through the pork chop.

- SB

熊熊蛋包飯

Tonight is a relaxing Thursday.  So I have time to upload all my pictures from my Phone.
This dish was made on some time last week!? (my brain runs out of RAM again...)
Sometimes it's fun to make something cute for dinner~  =]
You can get tones of ideas of cute bento from internet.
This is an easy version that made by me.
The rice is cooked with mushroom to get the flavour and the slightly brown color.
Seaweed and cheese to make the ears, nose an eyes.
My friend said to me "it's too cruel to eat it while it is sleeping peacefully."
o well...next time I'll make one with >< eyes then~~~

You can also go to Masa website to try his version of 熊熊蛋包飯
Masa got lots of good and easy recipe.

- SB

Fin Izayaka

Finally have time to wrtie about this.
=P  Tried this on Oct 20, 2012 with a group of friends.


http://www.finizakaya.com/index.html

BLOWTORCHED MACKEREL  $8.00
I like it the best among all dishes we ordered.
The server will torch the fish in front of you.

SALMON SASHIMI SALAD
Marinated Atlantic salmon served with citrus vinaigrette dressing $7.00
It looks and tastes good. 

GIANT SUSHI ROLL (8pcs) - GIANT SUSHI ROLL (8pcs) - $18.00weekend only
Assorted Thick Roll: More than 8 kinds of ingredients inside each roll  
This roll is good when you have a group of people, especially for guys.

SEAFOOD STONE GRILL  $19.00
Sashimi-grade assorted seafood and vegetable served with signature teriyaki sauce
The presentation is nice but the teriyaki sauce is too salty.
I don't know if it got sizzling too much on the hot plate or it really got too much salt.
Next time I'll go for the citrus ponzu sauce, seafood should match with that more.

Sorry that I didn't take a picture of this crispy chicken.
It tastes ok.  I think most japanese restaurant offer this and won't be bad.
CHICKEN TATSUTA
Sake Marinated soy flavor crispy fried chicken $6.00

CLASSIC STYLE CHUNKY BRAISED PORK KAKUNI
Slow-braised chunky pork belly that literally melts in the mouth $7.50
The fat part of the belly is just like jelly that melts in your mouth with no time.

TUNA NEGIMA SKEWER (1pcs)
Deep fried tuna & Japanese Leek on a bamboo skewer $7.00
I like tuna when it is raw, the cooked one is hard in texture.

SAKE-STEAMED JAPANESE CLAM
Sake-steamed Japanese clams in traditional way with green onion $7.50You will definitely taste the Sake flavour, but lack of the freshness sweetness of the clam.

MISO-TUNA TARTAR
A Japanese fisherman’s dish – chopped tuna marinated with Fin’s signature miso paste $8.95
This one is good too. =]  the top is torched and the body is raw.
(yes...i know...i just like the raw tuna!!!)

SHRIMP TEMPURA
Crispy fried tiger shrimps with three kinds of salt $7.00
Not a big fan of tempura.

Decor is beautiful. dimmed light. (that's why the picture is such low quality)
I think come here with a small group (4-5 people?) is better than a big group.
We got a more than 10 people group, and they offered a room, which is too small, crowdy and hot.
I'll come again with a smaller group and not sitting in the room.
And I do not think come here on weekend is a good idea too.




- SB

Zucca Trattoria

http://www.zuccatrattoria.com/

Have a lovely girls night at Zucca Trattoria.
It's a cozy and friendly place.
We love their service and food!!!
The server is very attentive, warm and nice.
We asked him to recommend some red wine, and he chose the right wine for us.
We love the red wine which is very fruity and juicy~~~  =]  

I tried this seafood squid ink pasta 2 years ago...as I remembered it tastes good.
Tonight Ada and Trina ordered it.
Ada's comment :  the mussels are so fresh, and I loves the texture of the pasta.
It's the right texture, chewy but not hard.

Sau and I ordered the shrimp pasta.
The pine nut, the raisin, the sauce are good match together.
Really love their pasta!!!
Next time wanna try the steak....or the fish dish~  =]

Sau, Trina and I choose this hazelnut meringue for dessert.
Not too sweet, it can't go wrong with chocolate and hazelnut, right?

Ada is so smart that chose the #1 dessert : Creme Caramel
if you like egg pudding, must try this.

can't resist the latte...i hope i won't stay up @ night because of this...^^;;;


- SB

留一盞燈等我

「我是故意留一盞燈的, 我喜歡被一盞燈等着回家的感覺。」
-  張小嫻, 雪地裏的蝸牛奄列

又回到獨居的生活, 一個人在屋子裏, 靜靜的。
別誤會我是在這篇抒解寂寞,
我享受這種安靜, 我喜歡進屋時空無一人,
沒有人追問我: 「你去了哪裏? 做了甚麼? 吃了甚麼?」
我可以放鬆的放空去,back to my little world~

唯一不習慣是回到家是黑漆漆的,
冬天日短夜長, 天黑是由下午五時開始, 也太早了吧!?
搬到這新地方, 完全是住宅區, 不像以前Hwy7/Leslie繁榮,
這裡顯得更為冷清的, 寂靜的,
所以我要讓一盞燈等我回家, 這個小燈光讓我很安心~

我上面的那句quote是男主角說的,
而女主角的回應是:
「只有一盞燈等你回家, 那種感覺很孤單。」

唉...我的思維是不是太Man了?
我喜歡現在的生活, 還不能給別人介入,
珍貴著擁有的自由, 同時感謝體諒我的人~
(間中侵入我的生活是ok的啊~  哈哈...)


P.S. Iphone 可以控制開燈, 很cool啊~
        Android 機還未能做到....=[
        another reason to consider Iphone!

- SB

Uncle Betty

http://www.unclebettys.com/
今天終於能在Uncle Betty吃個brunch,
上次(一年前)已想試, 因為其大排長龍, 令不耐煩的我望而卻步。
剛好今天想吃brunch, 第一間浮現腦海就是它!

為甚麼想試?
因為它是Uncle卻名叫Betty, 可愛嘛~  哈哈...
又是滿座, 排隊十五分鐘, 終可坐下點餐~

平常的我會選Egg Benedict (我brunch中必選Item),
但在我等位時, 留意到別人桌上的法式吐司很是吸引, 在場很多女士也點這個呢~

從Menu找找, 原來它叫Stuffed French Toast,
中間有ricotta cheese & Blueberries,
不要小看只是兩片吐司, 份量很夠, 我不能全份吃完呢~
其實是樣子討好, 內裡還可以, 不會有encore衝動~

Bear選了 Betty's Big Breakfast,
三隻蛋, 有吐司、pancake、sausage...再加Home fries太夠份量吧!?
最可怕是他都差不多吃完整個, 佩服、佩服!!! 
蛋白煎得夠脆, 薯粒好吃, buttermilk pancake 很homestyle, 不是我所喜好,
sausage 好像有點乾....如果我說麥記hotcake + sausage 比較好, 會不會太過份?  =P

I will give it one more chance, 皆因還未試其signature dish - Donut!!!

- SB

心裡的那一本字典

"While people are fairly young and the musical composition of their lives in still in its opening bars, they can go about writing together and exchange motifs, but if the meet when they are older, their musical compositions are more or less complete, and every motifs, every object, every word means something different to each of them."
[Milan Kundera, The unbearable lightness of being]

近日需要看看書來增睡意,
重看這本<生命中不能承受之輕>,
每一次拜讀就有不同感受,
今晚想分享以上的一小段,
你人生的樂章譜成怎樣?  有人了解與分享嗎?

每人也有一本字典在心, 它隨著年齡日長而漸厚。
當我們相識在年幼, 字典還沒有很多頁,
亦有著很多的時間與耐性,
我們樂於交換字詞的意思, 還喜歡一起譜出詞的新意,
那些新字詞也許只有你們之間才能明白箇中真意。

當我們更年長時相遇, 彼此的字典已成形,
你會驚訝於他的不懂,
很多字與詞在你們裏原來是意謂著不同的東西,
年月過去令既定的更深刻在心裡, 不容易改變,
尤其我欠缺耐性, 討厭解釋,
誤會、誤解就從以而生。

所以能遇到擁有相同字典的人, 真的很幸運,
不需要解釋, 你我就能明暸那微笑中的密語。
一生中或許未能遇到幾個, 
但字典裡不是每個字詞也是常用的,
有分重要的、也有不打緊的,
那麼只要我們那本生活字典吻合度高,
就已足夠於我們慶祝一下, 不是嗎?

- SB

關東煮

關東煮沾醬:
味噌      1tbsp
湯          2tbsp
蕃茄醬  1tsp
七味粉  適量

- SB

Victorian Sponge Cake

Ingredients:

• knob of butter, melted
• 225g butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large egg
• 225g self-raising flour

For filling:

• Jam  (any jam you prefer)
• 250ml Whipped cream

Baking steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Butter the pan and line with parchment paper
3. Mix butter and sugar together by stand mixer
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time
5. Add flour and and mix well
6. Pour the mixture into cake tin
7. Place in oven for 20 mins at 350F
8. Then bake for 10mins at 300F
9. Cut the cake into 2 layers, spread with the jam and the whipped cream

- SB

Santouka Ramen 山頭火拉麵

Ikura rice + Shoyu Ramen Combo

Grilled salmon rice + Shio ramen Combo

This is my 2nd time visiting Ramen Santouka.
=]   IT BECOME MY #1 CHOICE FOR RAMEN.
The 1st time visit, they only have 4 kind of ramen available.
They still haven't got the full menu ready. 
Now they got some noodle and rice combo too.
The texture of the noodle and the taste of the soup are the best.
I think most people agree that noodle from Kinton and Sansotei are little bit too hard.
Santouka got the right noodle.  Finally there is the right texture of noodle!!!   
The soup?  I can drink it all up (for the shio one), rich and creamy but not greasy.
Shoyu Ramen tastes good too, richer in flavour.
Kara Miso Ramen is spicy miso Ramen.
It is way better than the spicy ramen at Kinton!
The last time I went Kinton to have spicy ramen, I think they forgot to add salt?
I hope they can keep the quality, since both Kinton and Sansotei are not quite stable.

You can choose the size of the ramen.
+$1 to make it to large or -$1 to make it to small.

***If you will try Shio, add some white pepper to taste. ^_*

- SB

鮮蝦奶油炊飯(Shrimp rice)

girl's night @ my home  =]

材料:
鮮蝦(shrimp)                           16隻 (16 pieces)
米(rice)                                    2杯  (2 cup)
洋葱(onion)                             半個 (Half)
菇類(mixed mushroom)            1杯 (1 cup)
高湯 (stock)                            360ml
白酒(white wine)                      2+2湯匙 (2+2 table spoon)
橄欖油(olive oil)                      1tbsp
鹽、胡椒(Pepper and Salt)       適量(pinch)

高湯製作(stock making):
1)  將16隻鮮蝦去腸剝殼
     Peel and devine the shrimp

2)  白鑊煎香蝦殼、蝦頭至轉橙紅色
     Pan-fried the shrimp shell until turned orange-red.

3)  加2湯匙白酒煮至酒氣散了, 加360ml雞湯
     Add 2tbsp white wine, simmer till alcohol evaporate, then add chi

4)  烹煮5-7分鐘後, 隔去蝦殼、蝦頭, 留下高湯備用
     Simmer for 5-7minutes, pour the stock through a mesh strainer, reserve the stock


 鮮蝦奶油炊飯製作: (Shrimp rice making)
1) 洋葱切粒, 菇類切片
    Dice the Onion and slice the mushroom

2) 熱鑊後, 加橄欖油, 炒香洋葱後, 放菇類繼續拌炒
    Heat olive oil in a skillet, stir-fried the onion then add mushroom

3) 放入白酒, 再放鹽、胡椒調味, 至酒氣煮散
    Add white wine, then season with salt and pepper, cook till alcohol evaporate

4) 放入米, 炒至透明
     Add rice and stir-fry till transparent

5) 將米與高湯放到電飯鍋, 像平時一樣炊煮
    Add the rice mixture and stock into rice cooker, cook as normal

6)  炊煮完, 再蒸十分鐘, 加入奶油拌勻
     After it is done, steam 10 more minutes, then add butter and mix well

7) 煎香蝦
    Pan-fry the shrimp

8)  盛飯上菜
     Ready to serve. decorate as desired

- SB

Kinton Ramen (2nd Visit)

This time I bring my family here to try the ramen.
When my mom saw the lineup, she was like "is the ramen really good here?"
Haha...Thankz to my niece, we get seated so quickly.

(We guess that when you go with little kid, you will get seated faster.)
I opted for Cheese Ramen this time (mentioned in my last blog about Kinton)

It is like miso soup + some Mozzarella on top.  (my opinion: No need to try this one.)
I think if the soup base is spicy one, it'll taste better.
After this revisit to Kinton, I found that they are getting better.
The noodle is not as hard as last time.  Now the texture of noodle is just right!
The soup is improved too, not as salty.
My 2nd visit to Sansotei is quite disappointed.
I'm so happy that my 2nd visit to Kinton is successful~
Next time when I go to Kinton, I'll eat spicy ramen + soft boiled egg~ =]



- SB

Koyoi Izakaya

Again Koyoi Izayaya is introduced by my japanese hair stylist.

And it becomes my favourite Izakaya =]

It is a cozy place that you would like to spend with your close friends.

It is not as fancy and pricy as other Izakaya.

But their food hold good quality and price is cheap.

Koyoi Izakaya又是我的髮型師介紹的店~
這居酒屋變成我喜歡的店,
它雖然不及其他居酒屋裝潢得那麼華麗,
也沒有生魚片或壽司那類食品,
可是店裡的氣氛很舒適, 食物質數也不錯~
跟熟朋友在這裡放鬆真的很好啊~

#1 Choice:  Koyoi House Salad

Koyoi Salad is my MUST EAT ITEM there~
It is one of the TOP 5 popular items there too.
The fresh romaine lettuce + Tofu + Bonito + Seaweed + sesame dressing = Amazing match~
這個沙拉真的是我的最愛, 我想就因為這個, 超喜歡來這裡~
新鮮的蘿曼生菜作底, 加上片片滑滑豆腐, 撒上一大堆柴魚片與些少紫菜,
醬料是我大愛的芝麻醬, 太好吃了吧~~~

#2 Choice:  Beef Tataki

Another must try item - Beef tataki, nice presentation and tasty~
這個也是必點~  好看又好吃!!!

Marinated chicken skin, a cold dish.
I know it's quite scary when you think of chicken skin only!?
Surprisingly, it doesn't taste oily or disgusting.
The chicken skin is  marinated by vinegar, it tastes sour and sweet.
But I still prefer crispy chicken skin.  =P
我忘了這酸甜醃雞皮的名字, 是南蠻漬的雞皮,
起初我怕會很噁, 可是這不差的, 不會有肥膩感, 清爽的~
南蠻漬是將炸過的肉類用醋漬的日式開胃菜~
雞皮我還是喜歡脆脆口感  =P

Ramen

Ramen is only available on Wednesday, and limited quantity of 25.
The soup base isn't same as other ramen place that has white milky soup.
The broth here tastes more like homemade style, and got the pepper flavour.
星期三有限量25碗的拉麵, 味道很不同於其他拉麵店,
不是白白的湯底, 而是有胡椒的豬骨湯味道,
我、Ada與熊也挺喜歡這種家庭味~

chicken karagge

Crispy chicken, I guess this is a common dish in Japanese restaurant.
這個造型是普通的, 可肉炸的不錯, 內有肉汁的~

梅子茶漬飯 (是某熊太愛梅子而叫的)
清淡的, 挺適合還未飽的人吃~

Tamago

我真的很喜歡煎蛋捲啊~  甜甜的~

Yakinasu -  grilled Eggplant

關東煮

Pork Jowl Meat

I do not like this Pork Jowl meat.
The meat isn't marinated much, basically you have to taste the freshess of the meat!?
However, it lacks of the sweetness of meat...still got those weird pork smell...>.<...
這個豬面頰是我唯一不喜歡的。
我好怕豬肉的腥味, 它原義應該是吃肉的鮮味,
所以調味不多, 可是豬肉本身卻沒有該有的肉甜, 可惜、可惜~




- SB