LA FENICE 4 out of 5
319 King St. W. Toronto, (416) 585-2377, lunch Mon. - Fri. 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, Dinner Mon. - Sat. 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. - Closed Sunday.

Four of us went to La Fenice for dinner tonight, it was grey cup weekend in Toronto.  The city was pumping and the entertainment district restaurants were full.  We were fortunate to be early enough to get in to La Fenice.  Within half an hour it was totally full.  When we entered we were greeted by the maitre d who took our coats and hung them in a coat room - this prevented the inevitable battle of where to put them once we sat down.  A classy first impression.
  

As we were seated a waiter came around with a platter that had a selection of whole fish that were being featured tonight. He was followed by another waiter with a large platter of solid ribeye that could be cut and grilled to any size 6 oz, 8oz, 10 oz etc.  However, this night we all decided to order from the standard menu, since this was our first time at this restaurant.

waiters filleting grilled fish for patrons

We began with a basket of bread that was rather mediocre and tasteless.  We hoped this wasn't an omen for a mediocre meal.  It turned out that the meal was far better than the bread.

rye type loaf was tasteless without dipping in olive oil

For appetizers we all ordered the same thing the grilled shrimp with la fenice extra virgin olive oil.  They were lightly spiced, gigantic and absolutely delicious ($13) and worth the price.

large grilled shrimp - tasted like lobster

We ordered two bottles of a very tasty Ripasso Wine at a very reasonable price of $38 - it was a smooth and tasty version of Ripasso.

reasonably priced very nice ripasso

Three of us decided to have the veal scaloppine with fresh wild mushrooms as our main.  It was accompanied by a selection of grilled vegetables which blended nicely with the light wine sauce.  The veal was tender and delicious and the sauce was smooth and not over salted. ($22)

veal scaloppine with mushrooms and vegetables

One of us had the fettuccine con funghi freschi (fettuccine with fresh mushrooms).  I had the opportunity to taste it and it was divine.  The pasta was house made and melted in your mouth ($19).

house made fettuccine melted in your mouth

We finished our amazing dinner with great deserts.  Three of us had the raspberry chocolate tartufo.  One of us had zabaglione ( a warm custard flavoured with Marsala and served with berries).  We completed our dinner with a couple of cappuccinos.  All in all a wonderful meal with wonderful company.  We will definitely come back to this restaurant.



http://www.lafenice.ca/

PROOF THE VODKA BAR 4.5 out of 5

Yorkville area,  220 Bloor Street West in the Intercontinental Hotel, Toronto On. (416) 324-6645, Mon.-Thurs.  3:30 pm to 12 am, Fri. 3:30 pm to 1:00 am, Sat 3:30 pm to 2:00 am, Sun. 3:30 pm to 12:00 am

After having a great meal and some not very good wine at the Bedford Academy on Prince Arthur Avenue, six of us decided to go to the Proof Vodka Bar for some after dinner drinks - it was only a couple of blocks away.  So we took a leisurely walk through Yorkville - it was a beautiful still night for November.  

Across from the Lee-Chin crystal at the ROM is the Continental Hotel on the North side of Bloor Street.

the Lee-Chin Crystal at the ROM

On the front of the hotel beside the lobby is the Proof Vodka Bar.

christmas tree in the lobby of the Continental Hotel

Proof is a beautiful, relaxing, space to have a drink.  It has a number of white very soft leather couches, chairs, benches and bar stools.  The seating was so comfortable that we did not want to leave.  As the evening wore on, more people started to arrive, yet the noise level didn't rise because the bar is so spacious and has a variety of gathering areas.  It also has a beautiful patio lounge in the summer for outdoor dining.

The lounge was so comfortable that we had quite a number of wonderful cocktails and prosecos.  The waiter delivered some complimentary olives which was nice.  He was very efficient and personable.  The cocktails average between 9 and 14 dollars and are well presented.  Though we did not have any food, there is a good list of tapas and deserts which could be had with your drinks.  We will explore these on another visit.  All of us had an extremely wonderful time in conversation and enjoyed the calmness of this space. It has now become our go to bar in this area of the city - we can't wait to go back.

There are many pictures of this lounge and some menu items on their website.  They also have a good video on their website.   


http://www.proofvodkabar.ca/

WINCHESTER ARMS 3.75 out of 5

120 King Street West, Dundas, On (905) 627- 8016

A typical British type pub found in the heart of Dundas Ontario.  It has been a part of the town for years and is very popular.  As a result the main patrons are locals, a lot of whom seem to know each other.  This makes it a welcoming atmosphere. 

My son and I have been here many times during the week.  We decided to have a meal on a Saturday and were shocked when we arrived to find a line up out the door.  They seemed to be understaffed and were trying hard to keep up with the seating.  The waitresses were almost running from table to table.  We were seated quite quickly considering the commotion.

  My son ordered a chicken sandwich made of barbecued chicken with roasted red peppers, cheese on a tender ciabatta bun - it was very tender and tasty. 

 I ordered the halibut and mashed, thankfully I only wanted one piece of fish, because it was gigantic.  The mashed potatoes were soft and plentiful and it came with coleslaw.  It was a substantial and filling pub meal.  

We had a couple of pints of Kilkenny on draught to complete the pub experience.  Our waitress was very competent and tried to make our experience as good as possible - she was very efficient.   As we were leaving the evening's entertainment was just setting up for the Saturday evening.
Unfortunately their website is poorly managed and not working properly.  However it's menu is typical of most pubs, with some different twists.

STONEWALLS 

339 York Blvd, Hamilton, On (905) 577-0808 Mon-Thurs 11:30am - midnight,  Fri 11:30 - 2:00 am, Sat 10 am - 2:00 am, Sun 10 am - midnight

Went here a number of times for nachos and their irish nachos, which were quite tasty.  Three of us decided to try it for a full lunch meal.  It was after the lunch rush and there were several patrons still eating.  There was only one waitress, travelling back and forth from the kitchen trying to serve quite a large area of the restaurant, and she was run off her feet.
They have Country Music DJ's on Thursdays and live entertainment on the stage on Friday and Saturday.  There are TV's tuned to various sporting events scattered around the restaurant and bar area.  They also have an events calendar on their website.

I ordered a roast beef on a bun au jus with fries.  The roast beef was piled high, but was very chewy and I had to take some out of the bun because it was too hard to eat.  The fries were gummy and there was a lone pickle on the plate.  I had a glass of iced tea that was totally flavourless. 

My son had something called "road kill" chicken melt, which consisted of grilled cajun chicken breast, topped with avocado, salsa, bacon, lettuce, tomato and melted swiss cheese all on a toasted bun with chipotle aioli and sweet potato fries.  It was a mess to eat although somewhat tasty.

  My wife had the baby beef liver and caramelized onions (she didn't think it was baby beef liver).  It was somewhat overcooked and was plopped on a mountain of mashed potatoes with an overwhelming amount of gravy.  I don't think we will be returning here for food any time soon.  There are better places in Hamilton to eat lunch.

There is free parking and a patio facing the street.

http://www.stonewallshamilton.com/

QUATREFOIL RESTAURANT 

16 Sydenham Street, Dundas On. (905) 628-7800 Tues - Sat  12:00 pm to 2:30 pm and 5:00 pm to close     

Located in the heart of Dundas, the Quatrefoil has become the restaurant that is attracting a lot of attention in this town and the GTA.  It is run by the husband and wife team of Fraser Macfarlane and Georgina Mitropoulos who met as sous chefs at Scaramouche, a legendary restaurant in Toronto.  They converted a Victorian house to a calm but glamorous and sophisticated fine dining venue.  Their creations are based on fresh local ingredients with a French flair. 

The seating varies from quaint tables to large beige leather banquettes and benches.  There is a bar for patrons who are waiting to be seated.  There is also a large patio for summer evenings and afternoons and it can be quite busy outside in the summer months.

We made a reservation for Friday at seven and it was packed when we arrived.  There were five of us (we were celebrating my younger sons birthday) and we were ushered to a wonderful banquette in an alcove.  The noise level was low considering the number of diners in the room.

There is also seating upstairs, which can be reserved for large parties.  There is a good wine list with a wide variety of choices and prices.  We ordered two bottles of French 2007 wine ($55 a bottle) it was smooth and delicious.

After we were seated a wonderful selection of breads appeared that melted in your mouth.  They were house made.

We began with an amuse bouche of goat cheese and lentils served on a large boat like spoon that was gratis, it was an unusual way to start a meal

Four of us had the cauliflower soup which was divine and full of flavours that we could not even describe.  One of us had the seared sea scallops which were large and melt in your mouth with fennel, chorizo, fingerling chips and romesco sauce.

cauliflower soup - divine!

scallops cooked perfectly

I had the Barramundi fish feature which was encrusted with potato and baked.  It was served with fingerling potatoes and young beets, carrots, and other ingredients too numerous to mention.  This dish was substantial and had such a variety of flavours on the plate, it was hard to tell the taste of the fish.

barramundi fish surrounded in various flavours

Two of us had the Cumbrae's beef tenderloin with mushrooms, roasted leek , cheek cromesquis, smoked potato puree, bacon crumble which was perfectly grilled medium rare.

Cumbrae's fillet cooked medium rare with potato  puree

Two of us had the Willowgrove Hill boneless pork chop crispy belly, mustard greens, sweet potato, cranberry and peppercorn glaze.

boneless pork chop with greens and sauces

We all decided on the same desert; the creme brulee with ginger bread and orange sorbet, it was delicious and filling (notice the birthday candle).  We had the French press coffee to go with the desert. 

creme brulee with ginger snap and sorbet  

macaroons and chocolates - complimentary

The meal, which seemed more like an event, ended with the server providing a complimentary selection of macaroons and chocolates and the bill.  The service was very professional and everyone worked as a team from the greeters at the door to the waiters and waitresses in the restaurant. Though expensive it included two bottles of wine and a gourmet selection of food that turned the evening into a celebration, not just a meal. (Just think of what 5 leaf tickets would cost).


http://quatrefoilrestaurant.com/

ELEPHANT & CASTLE 3.5 out of 5

Entertainment District, 212 King St. W. (416) 598-4455  hours: 11:30am to 2:00am 

Four of us decided to have some drinks and apps at the Elephant and Castle on King Street in the entertainment district (they have 20 locations throughout North America).  We have been here many times before, for dinner specials and just drinks (good selection of draft beers).  For our apps we ordered, the bruschetta and an order of nachos with chicken.  The bruschetta was thin and kind of unusual and we didn't care for it.  The nachos were very large portion, which allowed the four of us to fill up quickly. They were delicious.

We drank a selection of draft beers including, London Pride, Stella Artois, Innes and Gun and Kronenbourg 1664.  This is a large Restaurant-Pub that has many different sections on the main floor including a long bar, a poolroom area and a large patio on the side in good weather.

It is always a lively place and can get very busy, especially after 4pm.  During the week a number of sections are occupied by various office folk letting off steam and can get very boisterous.  Service can be very slow - they could use more waitresses and bar tenders at busy times.  All in all if you want a good draft (a little pricey), some good pub food and a friendly atmosphere this is always a good choice.

bruschetta - very thin

large tray of nachos

NEW YORKER DELI 

1140 Bay St. Toronto On., (416) 923-3354, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Four of us went to the New Yorker Deli on a late Friday afternoon.  We have been here a number of times and have never been disappointed.  It is virtually guaranteed you will have a good satisfying, reasonably priced, simple meal.  Two of us had the chicken pot pie and salad with house dressing.  One of us had the chicken club sandwich and one of us had the whole wheat chicken wrap.  

All of our choices were well prepared and delicious.  The service was efficient and without fault.  They are noted for making their own lemonade and freshly squeezed orange juice.  Also, each table has at least three to four different mustard choices.  My son's favourite is the honey mustard which is absolutely delicious.  The fries are delicious and filling.

located at Bay and Bloor across from Bay Bloor Radio

eerie painting of the two towers has been on the walls for years

clean and simple - notice the mustard bottles

chicken pot pie and salad with dressing - delicious 

chicken club sandwich, coleslaw, fries

whole wheat chicken wrap - need two hands to hold it