Review – La Piazza, Hamilton, Ontario

An old stand-by favourite of mine, when I feel like having good Italian food. I came back from the US, for the Christmas holidays, and met up with Bob at one of the bars on George Street downtown Hamilton, and we had a couple of beers before we headed to La Piazza. Because I am doing this from memory, I can’t remember the name of the bar!! It may have been on Augusta, not sure.
Anyways, we headed to La Piazza, and we started out with a couple of good Grey Goose martinis, and I started with a nice warm spinach salad, with walnuts and grilled onions. Tasty. For the appetizer, I have a hard time veering away from the Portobello mushroom, stuffed with crab, cheese, with a sweet red pepper coulis on the bottom. Nothing like taking the Italian bread they give you and sop up the coulis after eating a healthy sized Portobello. On to the main course, I decided to take it easy, and had the pasta alfredo with chicken, and I wasn’t disappointed. I have found at most Italian restaurants, the alfredo sauce is a bit too thick for my liking. Maybe I am a wuss, but I prefer my alfredo sauce a little more runny than typically presented on pasta. It was still good, though. For dessert, I had the crème brule, which is always good, as a nice round out to the meal. Finishing up with a good cup of coffee, and you can’t beat the meal at all. Of course, nothing like a nice Drambuie to wash the coffee down. It was a reasonable night on Bob’s wallet, with the tab coming in at about $140 for 2. Not bad…I will be back there again, for some sort of an occasion.

Review – Fallsview Grand Buffet, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Being down in the US for a year, I have had a chance to come back a couple of times a month, and January’s choice for our monthly dinner was pretty easy. Bob had wanted tickets to the show Solid Gold at the casino, so I had booked these for him in advance. Since I was in town for this, we decided to keep it simple, and hit the casino buffet yet again…we had to give it another chance.
The buffet is getting tiresome, to say the least. Over the years, we have had the opportunity to go to the casino a few times, to at least take advantage of the comps that were made available to me over the last half of 2007. They still haven’t brought back the crab legs, contrary to what Bob thinks (No, they didn’t declare them “endangered” after I ate them…). You would think that after a few years, they would change up some of the menu items. Not sure if its because I have been there too often, or if its turning me off, but it doesn’t appeal to me as it used to. If you really have to hit a casino buffet at the Falls, make your way to the old casino, Casino Niagara, and enjoy their buffet. For the same price, the food seems fresher. Even if you feel like a steak, add one for $6.95 to the buffet price, and you won’t be disappointed. You just won’t be able to have crab legs with it.

Review - Rumaks, Hamilton, Ontario

During a trip back from the US, Bob and I just had time to meet up quickly one night, before I had to get back to the US. He suggested Rumaks, which is located on Upper Wellington, for some Polish home cooking. Because we went on the new Family Day stat holiday, it turns out that the kitchen was closed for the day, and only finger food (read wings) was available. The beer was good…Okocim from Poland. The fries were the best part of the finger foods, and the nachos would have been nice with some ground beef added. We will have to try this place again for its home-cooked Polish food. Stay tuned.

Review – Montfort Restaurant, Burlington, Ontario

After reviewing the last few years worth of our monthly dinners, Bob and I had a chat and decided we should get back to the ethnic restaurants, since there are so many more restaurants around to try that we haven’t considered yet.

He had mentioned Montfort Restaurant, in Burlington. I had dinner at one of the original Montfort’s, in Oakville, about 15+ years ago, so I was interested to see what they were like, after so many years.

We started off at Hess Village again, at KOI, where the beer is cold. I had a Rickard’s White, which seems to be my “usual” these days, when we go to Hess. After a couple of cold beers, we headed to Burlington.

The restaurant is a bit small compared to what we have been in the past, and the waitress seemed to be friendly. We started with a Stella, and then ordered the Appetizer Maza for 2. It included tomatoes with feta cheese, falafel, chicken shawarma, and hummous with meat. A nice appetizer, but when I asked for tahini sauce for my falafel, they said they don’t carry it. A Middle Eastern restaurant that doesn’t have tahini sauce?? They said it was a typo…go figure. One thing I don’t like is being lied to. As I write this, I had read a few other reviews on the place, and others weren’t too impressed with the service. I have to agree. Service is number one in a restaurant, and even if the food isn’t quite up to par, at least the service will offset some of the experience.

For the main course, we ordered the mixed grill for 2, which included souvlaki, Montfort chicken, kafta, and chicken shawarma. We added lamb kebobs as a taster, to see how their lamb was prepared. The food was good, but we could have used bigger portions. It seems that they are trying to save a few bucks, and cut back on a few essentials, such as providing the tahini sauce. Total bill for dinner was $150...a little on the pricey side for what we got.

After dinner, we headed back to Hess and KOI lounge, and finished the night off with special coffees, and admired the scenery.

Overall, it was pretty good. I don’t know if I would go back, as others have said, there are better places to get middle eastern food, at a better price. If you are looking for a better experience, it’s worth trying La Luna out in Hamilton for a better meal.

Review - KOI Lounge in Hess & Sirloin Cellar, Hamilton, Ontario

One of the great things around here in Hamilton, is the abundance of patios to sit and enjoy a nice cold beer on a hot night. Last Tuesday was one of those nights, when Bob and I got together for the monthly dinner. We met up at Hess Village, at KOI Lounge. After a cold Rickards White, we were a bit hungry, so we checked out the KOI menu for an appetizer. We settled on the combo #3, which included lamb chops, spring rolls, beef dumplings, and mango salad. The only complaint I have about it, was that it's advertised as a combo for 2, but it only came with 3 lamb chops...so, they need to fix that up. Same with the spring rolls. We ended up with a bill of $50 for KOI, and then headed down to Sirloin Cellar for dinner.

Bob was set on having a nice steak, which Sirloin Cellar is known. However, Robin, our waitress, suggested that he dive into the rack of lamb. Bob wasn't going to have an appetizer, but he couldn't resist the Oysters Rockafeller. I had the mussels, in a white wine sauce, which were very tasty. For the main course, I had the special - Teriyaki sirloin, and Bob had the rack of lamb. They were delicious. Sirloin was cooked to perfection, and the rack of lamb was 8 ribs...biggest I've seen served at a restaurant!

We ordered a half litre of the Australian house red, and finished off with special coffees and Drambuie. The total bill was $165, and we included a $35 tip, since Robin did a great job. The Drambuie was well worth it, since it was more than a double shot. That's the kind of service you expect at a place like Sirloin Cellar.

After dinner, we headed back to KOI, to enjoy the hot summer night, and to take in the scenery. A couple of special coffees for Bob, and a couple of Grand Marniers on the rocks for me, made for a nice close to the evening, with the final tab at KOI being another $50. Another great night out for dinner and drinks!

Review - Nina's Bistro, Hamilton, Ontario

A few times driving into the city on Main Street, there are a couple of restaurants coming into the city center. For a while, there was a place called Izzy's, which seemed to look ok, but Bob and I never got a chance to try it out. A few weeks ago, another place opened up, and I had driven by it a few times, so I decided we should check it out for our monthly - Nina's Bistro.

We started at Hess for a few beers to enjoy the warm weather. Hess Village is always a good place to go when its warm out. Patios abound, and its a good place to chat. Later on in the evening, things pick up and the younger crowd comes in. We only stayed for about 2 hours, then walked over to Nina's. Bob had wondered about the place, so it was a good choice.

It was quiet when we got there about 5:30, and we sat down and had the pleasure of Nina, the owner, serving us. We had mentioned to her that we wanted her to show us her best, so Bob started off with the stuffed baby portobello mushrooms, and I had the crab cakes. The mushrooms were good, but Bob had said that La Paizza stuffed portobello was better. It looked good to me, but he knows portobello mushrooms! The crab cakes had to be the best I have had. Crispy on the outside, and lots of crab on the inside. I hope it was all crab, and not the crab-like substitute. If it was all crab, then it was an excellent choice!

Bob had the stuffed chicken, which he seemed to enjoy, and I had the bacon-wrapped fillet. It was done perfectly, and being hungry guys, the portions were well worth it. Potatoes and veggies were done to perfection. We had mentioned to Nina that it would have been nice to see a rack of lamb on the menu, or maybe even a pork tenderloin. There are so many options for mediterranean food, that she could make a great menu up as things pick up.

For dessert, Bob ordered the lemon cheesecake, which was good he said, and I ordered a custard. I wanted something light, but was disappointed that the dessert I got was a day old at least. Creamy desserts like that, need to be fresh that day, or forget it - its like chewing rubber. I had to send it back, and of course, desserts were on her. We ordered a bottle of wine, and had a spanish coffee afterwards. For $125, it wasn't bad at all. Generous portions, and tasty food, made for a great evening. We gave some suggestions to her to improve, which she graciously accepted. I think we will go back in a year, and see how she is making out. If she changes up a few things on the menu, this could be a place to be.

After dinner, we headed to Koi in Hess Village for a nightcap, and enjoyed a few coffee and Drambuies. It was a nice evening to sit outside and enjoy!

Review - The Copacabana Brazilian Steak House, Niagara Falls

Well, out of all the times Bob and I have gone out for our monthly dinner, in search of something good and well worth the price, we decided for May to hit up a place called The Copacabana Brazilian Steak House in Niagara Falls. He had heard about it, and we figured that we should try it out, because it was known as a "meat eaters paradise". We headed down to the Falls, and pulled in about 3 pm, and went to the old casino, to pick up free tickets to Yuk Yuks, with Mark Forward headlining. We hit a few slots, and had a couple of drinks, then made our way to the Copa around 5:20. Parking was a bit steep, around the back of the restaurant, so if you plan on going down, park for free at the Fallsview Casino, and walk over. It's about a 5 minute walk, but it beats paying $6 (I know, we are cheap, but that is 2 drafts later in the evening...). When we got in, we noticed that the outside patio was nice, but on Friday night, the weather was "iffy", so we decided to grab a table inside. We were taken up to the back lounge area, with comfy booths (not that Bob and I wanted one...don't even think we are "that way"...not that there is anything wrong with that). We were introduced to the salad bar/buffet, which had lots of typical salad bar type things...smoked salmon, mussels, shrimp, and various salads, which were light and tasty. I had a potato salad with peas, and it was light, and didn't weigh me down later.

When we got back to the booth, our waiter took our drink order, and tonight we figured we would have a nice red wine to go with all the meat we were expecting to have...since Brazil wasn't represented, we opted for another South American wine, Trumpeter Merlot. As soon as we sat down, the wait staff started to bring the skewers of meat - tonight, we were informed, they had 14+ meats available for us, and we started with garlic marinated sirloin, and pepper steak. These were fabulous, but, as always, we kept eating as they brought out more and more different meats. BBQ pork sausage came out, followed by honey garlic chicken, leg of lamb, bacon wrapped turkey breast (unbelievable taste!!), beef ribs, and the prime cuts; top sirloin, prime rib, and filet mignon. Well, the best meat we could have was the top sirloin, and every slice they served us (there are 4 roasts on a skewer, and you get a slice off each roast if you want) was BBQ cripsy on the outside, and nice and pink on the inside. Every bite was fantastic, and went well with the marinated mushroom salad from the bar. We learned pretty quick that the top sirloin was the best they had available, so we tended to taste that more often. We were a bit discouraged when the waiter said there was a 2 hour limit, but, being big eaters, we were stuffed way beyond comfortable after an hour and a half. As we came to the close of dinner, the place started to get busy, and the band started with some brazilian music, and out came a couple of dancing girls, to rev up the crowd. When the entertainment started, they brought us some BBQ'd pineapple, sprinkled with cinnamon, which was exactly what we needed after gorging ourselves on the top sirloin. Bob topped it off with a Spanish coffee, and I settled for a regular coffee. All in all, a fabulous meal, if you were ever wondering what it was like.

The total tab for the dinner for 2 was $127, with tip, took it to $145. We threw one of the meat guys $5 for taking care of our top sirloin needs, and we are sure we got our money's worth. It's $35.95 per person, and well worth the taste of BBQ'd meats, in a way you have never tasted...they were all marinated and cooked to perfection. I would suggest that you hold out for the top sirloin, and make that your first choice, and then sample the others as you see fit. Out of all the restaurants we have frequented, this is one that we will definitely go back to, and we are looking at trying it in the summer time, on the patio, a little later in the evening. They don't take reservations, and you will have an hour wait at least once 7 pm comes around, but, it will be well worth the wait.

Visiting the Copa for dinner has given me a new lease on the Falls...it was going downhill pretty fast with the touristy crap, but if the Copa sticks around, then things will improve dramatically. Excellent meal, excellent service, and one of the best meals Bob and I have had!

Check it out, and remember, hold out for the top sirloin!!

Review - The Keg, Upper James, Hamilton

I know, I know...it seems like forever since I was able to sit down and update this blog...things happen, and sometimes work gets in the way of my extracurricular activities. That in mind, brings me to this post, which was long over due, as was the night itself.

Bob and I met up at The Keg on Upper James for our monthly dinner out, at about 5:30. It's been going on monthly for almost 5 years. However, the last 6 months worth have tended to be a "dine and dash" experience, which neither of us particularly enjoy. We decided that the Keg night was going to be different. Time to relax and enjoy the ambience that the Keg can give. We started the night with a nice Grey Goose martini, with extra olives. I was going to order mine "dirty", but, that would be a waste of a good vodka. With the hot bread that came with the drinks, we started to wonder if it was going to be another fast night out. We told Kendra to go slow, so we could enjoy the dinner tonight. After a few yuks about work, we started into the appetizers. We noticed that they have changed the menu a bit since last time, and what jumped out was an Ahi tuna appetizer, which, when presented, looked really good. Bob, always being on the safe side, had ordered a shrimp cocktail, to wash the tuna down, just in case (note - usually you get 5 shrimp, which you can't really split equally or gracefully at the table...Bob asked for an extra one, and Kendra thought she would be cute, so she cut one of the 5 lengthwise...had to laugh, but a little disappointed that they just didn't throw in a 6th shrimp!). The tuna was great, with a slight wasabi sauce on the side over some diced mushrooms. A far stretch from the Keg, since the appetizers are usually overwhelming at best. The tuna was a nice touch, and added a little elegance that the Keg had been losing over the years. We will do it again for sure.

After the appetizer, we ordered a Fetzer merlot to go with the prime rib we were about to order. The last time we were at the Keg, we were a little disappointed in the serving of the prime rib. It seemed they were cheaping out a bit, especially for a couple of big eaters like us. Bob had told me that he has that fixed...he told them that the last time we were there, we were disappointed in their prime rib, which is supposed to be their specialty. Kendra said she would take care of it, and off she went. After a couple of glasses of wine, dinner was served, along with a side of veggies - asparagus, szechuan green beans, and mushrooms. Prime rib was done perfect, but the baked potatoe looked and tasted as if it had been leftover from the day before. I don't fall for this "double baked" potatoe they have come out with. I prefer a fresh one, baked once. Given that it is a steakhouse, and a staple is the baked potatoe, you think they could have had enough of them and not reuse. Other than the baked potatoe, everything was great for dinner. Another bottle of wine came to the table, and I didn't think we would get through it, but we did. For dessert, I ordered the creme brulee, which a standard for me. It tasted a little store bought, and not freshly made, but I guess with the Keg, you can't ask for everything. A little too sweet, but still a nice finish for the end of the meal. Bob indulged in the Billy Miner pie, which is another staple of the Keg chain.

To top off the meal, we both had a Spanish coffee, and enjoyed the quiet ambience of the restaurant with everyone slowly leaving. Turns out, we didn't get out of there until 11:30!! Pretty late for a Tuesday night. However, we were never rushed, and with a bill of $208, I don't think Kendra was going to kick us out any time soon. Given the fact I had to work the next day, Bob topped up the bill to $250, and all in all, a great dinner and night out. We will definitely put the Keg back on our "to do" list real soon!

Review - Superbowl Party @ Liquid Kitty, Hamilton

This is another post that has been put on the back burner for the last few months, and for some reason, I just couldn't let it go. There were a group of us that went to the Superbowl party at Liquid Kitty Lounge, which is underneath Tailgate Charlie's in downtown Hamilton, courtesy of free passes from Y108. I felt an obligation to post on the experience, if anything, to save the aggravation of others for future sports "parties".

First off, the place was packed, and kudos to the servers and bartenders that kept the beer flowing. Having the Budweiser collectable glasses were a nice touch, along with the VIP passes (see picture). They kind of made you feel special. Then it went downhill from there. I swear that the "kids" at the party had never seen beer before, and most acted like idiots. It didn't make for a good day at the bar. At the end of the first quarter, a guy at our table was so smashed, he ended up spilling a large draft over a couple of buddies that were with me. Besides the jokes about getting the nice gals to suck the beer out of their pants, I am sure that sitting around in someone elses backwashed beer was not their first choice. OK, things happen, so we can let that slide.

Let's get to the biggest disappointment of the night - the "buffet". Turns out that in order to save a few bucks, the bar thought it would be best to serve these things, that looked like "boxed lunches". It may not have been too bad to eat after a few beers and during halftime, but it was almost as if the meals were prepared a few days in advance, and kept warm until the big day. Super Sunday? Try Super Soaked...I am pretty sure that any moisture that was in the food when they packaged the meals, was sucked right out and stayed in the cardboard, which felt like a slightly warm and soggy tortilla. I never got a chance to eat the box, but I am sure it would have ranked up there, compared to the bland hotdog, a few onion rings, and 3 chicken wing pieces. I can't sell them all the way short, because they had chili available also, but I have to ask...who makes chili with canned baked beans?? Not the recipe I have.

We couldn't take it anymore, so we finished up our beers and headed out before the 4th quarter, disappointed in the bar/restaurant's effort to make it a memorable experience. From then on, after that, we have decided to do our own thing, and have the spread at my place, with food that is fit for the occasion. They had a chance to do it up well, but they couldn't handle it. That will be the last time we head there for a sports "party", so to speak.

If you don't want to be disappointed, stay away...the food of yore from that building is long gone, and the substitute merely caters to the tastebuds of drunk students. Sorry Tailgates, you need to do more to get me there next time.

Review - Yuk Yuks, Niagara Falls, ON

It's been awhile since my last posting, so I figured I would do a catch up. So, even though it has been a few months, I will continue to post over the next week or two of the latest and greatest.

Last week, I had the chance to get down to Yuk Yuk's, in Casino Niagara with Dave. The tickets were comps, so we figured we would check it out. The entertainment was good, with the headliner being Dan Quinn. We had a good laugh. I don't think I would pay $17 for a Friday night performance...but, that would depend on who was there that night.

As for the bar, bottled beer was a reasonable $4.50, and service was good. We got there just before 9, and as a result, ended up sharing a table way off to the side. I would suggest that if you want to get a good seat, get there early when the doors open (8:30), and sit and relax with a drink and get ready for the mayhem when everyone else decides to sit down. The performance was almost 2 hours. Maybe with the location (casino), the fact that there were older folk in attendance, you didn't quite get the yuks you would expect with the jokes. Maybe their hearing aids were turned down from all the bells and whistles from the slots.

All in all, a worthwhile visit, and I am sure we will check it out again. They serve appetizers, so I will check those out next time.

Pizza Pizza goes WWW

Well, I figured I would post something here about my first experience with Pizza Pizza online. I just made my first order, and I am impressed. The menu system works well, and easy to understand, and I found it easy to go back and change my order a few times. They even called me back to confirm what I had ordered, since it was my first time. So far so good...the time they did the order was 7:42...40 minutes for free, so let's see what happens!

All in all, a great experience so far!

Review - Modern Indian Buffet, Hamilton, Ontario

Bob and I headed out again for our monthly dinner, and we had discussed going to this new indian buffet place, that is located at the old Don Cherry's restaurant on Main Street. He had heard that the food is great, and a good price, so that's where we ended up...the Modern Indian Buffet.

After we ordered a Cheetah, we headed to the buffet, and they had lots of good stuff...butter chicken, chicken tandoori, goat curry, rogan josh, and lots of other indian fare. Everything was excellent, and I wouldn't change a thing. For dessert, I had to try the rice pudding, which is my fave, and it was one of the best I have had in ages. The difference I think was a creamier taste, almost like an evaporated milk. All in all, we ended up with the tab at $45, including tip, so we will be back there again some time.

I couldn't find anything wrong with the food, so everything there is a great choice. They have an a la carte menu, but you will find that the buffet will take care of all your spicy needs...from mild to hot, buffets don't get any better than this!

Review - Market Buffet, Casino Niagara

I got a chance to go down for a free dinner, courtesy of comps, to the old Casino Niagara last night with Dave. We decided to try it, since it has been a few years. We were impressed! The meal was great, with crab legs, associated seafood as starters, and they even had an option to add a steak to your buffet experience for $6.50.

Besides the normal buffet fare, the steak was served hot in an iron skillet. Dave ordered the 10 z strip loin, I had the 12 oz prime rib steak.

For all its worth, the steak was one of the best I have ever had! Tasty and done to perfection...Dave had his well done, which I think is a crime for any steak, but my med rare was perfect. The only thing I would change would be serving it in an iron skillet. Tended to make the steak more well done than I wanted towards the end. It kept the steak hot though!

With the other offerings at the buffet, we came out stuffed and satisfied...I would go for adding the steak to your buffet meal, and get ready to enjoy it. Definitely will be back there again for dinner, and I would even put it above the Fallsview Casino's Grand Buffet. Total bill was $56, but it was free...

Next week, Bob and I are heading out for Indian food, at a new place on Main Street. Stay tuned!

Review - Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls

It's been a few days since Bob and I had our monthly dinner out. We hit the Fallsview Casino Grand Buffet on 23 Oct, to enjoy a night away at the hotel, and a night of Monday Night Football.

The buffet was great, as usual. The price was dropped to $20, including taxes, and we started with some crab legs, shrimp, and some salad. For the next course, you can't beat the roast beef, and you have to have the grilled corn on the cob. Can't beat it. They have quite a few items available for all tastes, and it is a great deal, at $20 per person.

For dessert, we had some rice pudding (not as good as what I can make, see below...), various other sweet treats. Top that off with a coffee, and you have a full tummy, with lots of goodies. After dinner, we headed over to the old casino, to watch the football game, Giants at Dallas. Giants won of course, but I digress!!! With a few martinis, we were doing well for the night. The old casino has a sportsbook, which is just a glorified Pro-Line, but they do have nice TVs. Another home run with the visit for the ball game.

We had planned on stopping off at the deli at the casino, but we were full from dinner. So, that will have to wait for another time.

The room was nice, a parlour suite, which looked out to the Falls...American and the Canadian versions. I had a good sleep, and was off to dream land quickly.

The next morning, Bob and I slept in, and we didn't get a chance to hit the pool. We got up and headed down to the breakfast buffet, and enjoyed a fantastic breakfast, which opens at 8 am. We just made it at 10:30, and enjoyed omelettes, Eggs Benny, and assorted breakfast meats. Not a bad deal for $10!!

All in all, a great dinner and breakfast at the casino. We will head back and do it again soon, as long as the comps keep up!!

Recipe - Creamy Rice Pudding

It's been awhile since I have added a recipe, but I had a craving for rice pudding last night, and decided to try and make it. I had made it before, but it wasn't as creamy as I would have liked, and it was quite the mess last time, since it had to bake in the oven.

This time, I found an easier recipe, and it worked just fine...I got what I wanted!!

Creamy Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked rice

1 1/2 cups of water

1 1/2 cups of milk (original called for 2 cups, divided, but I replaced 1/2 cup with half & half cream)

1/2 cup of half & half cream (10% MF)

1/3 cup of sugar

1/ teaspoon of salt

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup of raisins (original recipe called for golden, I used regular)

1 tablespoon of butter (I used Becel...)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice, salt (to allow the rice to accept flavours later on) and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until done.

2. In another saucepan, combine the cooked rice above, with milk and sugar. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy. Stir in remaining ingredients - cream, beaten egg, vanilla, and raisins. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in butter.

3. Serve warm, or portion, and put in fridge. Garnish with cinnamon if you like, before serving.

I was impressed with this batch...needless to say, it was good warm or cold. Enjoy!!

Review - Sizzle & La Luna on King St.

With the nice weather this time of year, Bob and I decided to meet up at Hess Village again, to enjoy a cocktail before we went to our choice for our monthly dinner. We decided to check out Sizzle Lounge, which seems to have replaced the old Ivories that used to be there.

We decided to have Grey Goose martinis ($15 each...), and looked at the menu for appetizers. We both ordered the baked oysters, which were delicious. The calamari sounded good, so we split an order of those too. The calamari was fresh, with a light batter, which we enjoyed with a jalapeno mayonnaise. This is a nice place to go, and is very upscale dining. A bit pricey for appetizers, as the bill came in at $100 with tip, but great none the less. We will be heading back there for a main course sometime in the future. Nice to see a classy place in the middle of Hess, which is usually the 18-25 crowd on weekends.

After the visit to Sizzle Lounge, we walked a block and a half down to La Luna on King St. It was recommeded as the better of the 2 La Luna's in Hamilton, although they are run by the same extended family.

We asked them to give us the best they had for Lebanese fare, and started with 2 salads...tabouli and another salad, which seemed to be a regular chef salad with deep fried pita chunks. Both salads were refreshing, with the tabouli being prepared properly...no parsley stems, which is the right way to make it!!

The appetizers were part of the La Luna platter we ordered...you have to forgive me for not knowing the official names of the dishes...I should have grabbed the menu, but I will explain the dishes, and you can figure them out from that.

The appetizers were: baba ghanoush, hummus, fried cauliflower and tomato, falafel, mushrooms, and some sort of deep fried spiced meat, reminiscent of a donair taste, but a little spicier. They were all excellent, with the hummus being especially good. The falafel wasn't dry, and the spiciness of all the appetizers were perfect.

For the main course, we had skewers of chicken and filet mignon, on a bed of rice. The chicken was done to perfection, but the highlight of the meal had to be the beef. The marinade with the taste of the grill, was a perfect match with the vodka martinis we used to wash down this great meal. Whatever the marinade was, we know that if it we ever had a BBQ, we would definitely look for a similar marinade, for our own backyard dinners.

We topped the meal off with some baklava, and coffee, and walked out with a bill of $95, including tip.

All in all, it was a great experience of Meditteranean food, and we will definitely go back again, and perhaps even try the La Luna on the Mountain next time. If you are looking for great food at a great price, try La Luna, you won't be disappointed!

See you here next month!!

Review - The Keg, Hamilton, Ontario

I am a little late getting to this post, but better late than never!! Bob and I had our monthly get together 2 weeks ago. I was on vacation with the kids last week, so I didn't get a chance to get on the computer much with the kids here. So, here goes....

We met up at Hess Village, at the Gown and Gavel, for a few drinks, to sit and get caught up with each other as to what's been happening. Hess Village is a nice place to relax, with numerous bars and patios. We tend to stick to the G&G, but the other bars look ok. While we sat and had a few beers and some appetizers, we decided to head up to the Keg for dinner for this month. Although it wasn't our usual fare of walking into a restaurant and asking for the staff to serve us their specialties, it's a good standby for getting a great meal.

We started off with martinis, which we considered as salads, since there was an olive in them...next time, we will ask for Grey Goose, and really enjoy the martini!

Since we had appetizers at Hess, we went right into the Prime Rib. Bob and I ordered the Keg cut, and we were a little disappointed with the size. Seemed to us that the portions were a little on the light side, from what we had remembered. We checked with the waiter, and he assured us that it was the right cut. Regardless of the size, it was delicious. I don't think there is another restaurant that can give a better Prime Rib meal out there...feel free to let me know if there is a better place, and we will add it to the list for future consideration.

For dessert, we indulged in a Keg special coffee, which was standard. No big surprises with that. A special coffee is a special coffee!

Although the meal wasn't as exciting as we have experienced in the past, it was a good, hearty meal, and that is what we were looking for, for the evening.

If you want a good meal, you can't beat the Keg for prime rib.

The plan is to get together again the third week of September for another night out. We haven't decided what or where, but I am sure Greek food is on the menu, to make up for the disappointing meal we had a couple of months ago. We both have a craving for a good lamb dinner, so we will see what happens.

Until next time, enjoy your next meal out!

Review - Le Chinois, Hamilton

Yes, it was that time again, for our monthly night out for dinner. Bob is really getting into this, since we have been doing our dinners for about 4 years now. This time, we thought we would check out a great Chinese restaurant downtown Hamilton, called Le Chinois. It's an unassuming place on King St., and Bob had never even heard of it. I knew it was there, as it has been a place we frequented over the years for work functions. It was a favourite place of ours to entertain our Japanese guests from work. Bob was game to give it a try, since it was his choice this month.

When we got there, we were surprised that the place was empty. I know it was a Tuesday night, but after we thought about it, the degradation of the downtown core is to blame for the lack of people going out and enjoying a great meal.

We did the usual. We asked the owner to choose our menu for the evening, with no restrictions on what we wanted or could have. We like this format, as it gives the restaurant a chance to showcase their talents, and the "best of" for future consideration.

We started off with a Tsingtao beer, in keeping with tradition to have the beverage of choice for the ethnicity of the meal we are having. Bob wanted to try the Wor Won Ton soup, so we started with that. The soup was excellent! Nice size wontons, stuffed with shrimp in a nice broth, with the fresh veggies. A nice start, with homemade noodles to go with it.

After the soup, we had cheese rangoon, which were a deep fried wonton-like cream cheese. It was excellent, with a side of plum sauce. In addition, we had nice spring rolls, which weren't the usual soggy ones you can get. All fresh, and a nice appetizer.

For the main course, there were 6 dishes they brought out: Le Chinois Special Fried Rice, Kung Pao Chicken, Orange Beef, Deep Fried Shrimp and Cucumber, Tofu and Pea Pods, and Dry Ribs. Each and all the dishes were cooked to perfection. We weren't too crazy about the Tofu, but we aren't the veggie types...we tried it, and we did tell the restaurant to serve us what they wanted. The Orange Beef is their specialty, and it was fabulous!!

There was lots of food for us, and we stuffed ourselves, as we usually do. There was enough leftovers for both of us to take home.

After rounding out the meal with a coffee and a fortune cookie, we were pleasantly surprised with the bill....$125, with taxes and tip...can't beat that for 4 meals!

If you are looking for authentic chinese food, then Le Chinois is the place...it definitely beats the chinese food we are accustomed to ordering as take out. This place is top notch.

Next month, the plan is to head to the Danforth in Toronto for a Greek feast...to make up for our disappointment at Sotiris. Stay tuned!

Review - Sotiris Greek Restaurant, Burlington

Once again, it was time for the monthly night out for dinner with Bob. This time, it was my choice, and we had discussed that we should try a Greek restaurant. Our dinners had been good, when we walked into an ethnic place, and said to them to take care of us, so we figured that a Greek restaurant would be able to do it right. Bob had heard that Sotiris in Burlington was the place to go, west of the Danforth in Toronto.

When we got there, our waiter was a teenager, and we were a bit hesitant that he would be able to take care of what we were looking for. We mentioned that we wanted an authentic Greek meal, no limits on what to have, since neither of us have any dislikes. We started off with a Greek beer, and mulled over the menu. The one thing that we asked for that we wanted to try, was the "Opa!" cheese, which is a flamed cheese. Again, as in other visits to other restaurants, we weren't in a rush, and we were ready to try whatever Greece had to offer!

The cheese was good, slightly melted from the flaming, which went well with the bread. After that, we indulged in a Greek salad, which was tasty, to say the least. Greek salads are our favourites, and this was no exception.

The main course was a disaster! What the waiter had done, was order us BBQ ribs and chicken. We figured OK, maybe this is part of it. It wasn't the best ribs in town, but we figured this was just a snack of things to come. Fried potatoes and rice rounded out the BBQ platter.

After a couple more beers, we were disappointed when the waiter came back and asked us if we wanted dessert...we just looked at each other, and said not really. We asked him where the souvlaki was, where was the dolomadakia, and some tasty lamb? What was his answer? He didn't think we would like real Greek food.

This didn't sit well with us, so the owner came over and we explained our predicament. She said she has had problems with this waiter in the past, and apologized profusely for the screw up. She treated us to some baklava, which was homemade and delicious, along with a Greek coffee.

This was not one of our best nights out, and the waiter's tip reflected our disappointment. We were full when we left, but we could have had the same thing at a roadhouse.

Here is a tip for all wait staff out there - if your customers come in and say anything goes for a meal, check with the owner or manager, and make sure that you can offer the restaurants best plates to discerning customers. If you think you know best, then you will definitely have a short lived career in that restaurant. Customers and word of mouth make or break restaurants. Make sure you are prepared to offer the best you can to all your diners!!

As for Sotiris, we will give it a try again in a few months. The authentic Greek food we DID have, was excellent, and I am sure we will enjoy a traditional Greek feast next time. Mata guarantees it.

Review - Black Forest Inn, Hamilton

Well, it's been awhile since I have written anything...not because I haven't had anything to write about, but I have been busy, and things happen...but, I am back here today, to tell you about a place Bob and I hit on 23 May...The Black Forest Inn.
As I had mentioned in a previous post, we are now just going to a restaurant, and telling them to surprise us with whatever they feel like feeding us, with no holds barred for what we will have, or the price. So far, it's paid dividends!! Meals have been great, and the Black Forest Inn was true to form.

We started with Russian eggs, which were delicious...hard boiled eggs with smoked salmon, caviar, and a light cream sauce. Next, they brought out some of their home-made sausages, which were delicious, along with the fried potatoes, and various greens.

After a nice, light salad, the waitress brought out the soup - Hungarian Goulash, which had the right amount of spices, to just give it enough of a bite. Lots of meat, and we washed it down with a German beer...(can't remember the name, but when I do, I will put it in here).

After a break, we were asked if we were ready for the main course - first, a ribeye done medium, with a sauce of fried onions and gravy...tasty. Could have had the steak a little less welldone, but, nonetheless, it was still good. The next main course, Bob and I split a schnitzel - pork, with a sauce of tartar, hot peppers. Yum! That was the best part of the meal. Done to perfection, and enough of a hotness that went well with the beer...;)

For dessert, their signature dessert is the home-made apple strudel. Excellent, baked to perfection, with a vanilla sauce, and a dollop of whipped cream.

Topping the meal off, we had a coffee, and needless to say, our tummies were full! Definitely still one of the best places to go for a home cooked meal in Hamilton. We weren't rushed, the waitress was pleasant, and we will be back there again soon!

All in all, for $90, we had nothing to complain about, and our compliments to the chef!

For June, we are looking for a great Greek restaurant, and be ready for the review for that one! We expect to get blown away with the next choice...stay tuned!