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 - 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 - Eat-a-Pita, Hamilton

One of my favourite places to eat during the week, is Eat-A-Pita, on King Street in Hamilton. For $1.99, you get a delicious falafel. I usually pick up 2 for dinner on the way home from work. Make sure you ask for it loaded, and don't forget the hot sauce!
They also have shawarmas, a deal at $7.99 for 2. Keep in mind that these are the Sun-Thurs prices, and they go up for the weekend.