THE MARTINI HOUSE 4 out of 5

I have been to the Martini House in Burlington many times and have never been disappointed.  They have a wonderful Tapas Menu that would satisfy any palate.  On Tuesdays from 3 to close they are half price and are worth every penny.  

Last night my wife and my two sons shared a variety of these

including; bayou fried calamari with New Orleans seasonings and smoking chipotli aoli, escargots in garlic cream sauce, edemame (the best version I have tasted), asian nachos made with crispy wontons covered with Asian slaw, sweet peanut seasoned chicken, cheese and topped with a wasabi aoli (absolutely divine), small button riblets covered in a sweet barbecue sauce and very meaty (melt in your mouth).  We shared a bottle of great Chianti at a reasonable price and my wife had strawberry cheesecake.  

On one of our previous visits the bartender (who is very good at his craft) introduced us to something called Blue, Blue, Lemon.  It can be made as a Martini without ice or a Cocktail with ice.  It includes 1 oz of blueberry vodka, 1/2 oz of blueberry liquor and 1/2 oz of Soho (lichee liquor).  It's a great way to complete your visit here. 

Even though it can get very busy here both on the spacious patio on the front, or inside which is a little cramped, the service is very efficient and the waiters and waitresses are always smiling.

http://www.martinihouse.ca/

EATALIA  2.5 OUT OF 5

Decided to try Eatalia for their $4 and $8 menu.  We were early for dinner, so we had our choice of seating and sat at the window facing Brant Street in Burlington - there is a nice patio out front, but it was a very hot day so we sat inside.  My son ordered the $4 caesar salad and basically received 3 romaine heart leaves and a small amount of caesar sauce on the plate. It was pathetically small (maybe 50 cents worth of product).  I ordered a $4 mixed green salad with a couple of golden raisins and the hardest croutons I have ever encountered.  Next we ordered a different pizza each.  I ordered the simple salami pizza and my son ordered pizza blanca, a sliced tomato and double smoked bacon and caramelized onion pizza.  The crust was very thin and crispy, but the toppings were pretty ordinary.
The service was very good and it is a nice environment - but the font used in their menu is hard to read (especially the prices) and the food is rather ordinary.
There are far better restaurant choices in Burlington.

http://www.eatalia.ca/

TERRONI ON ADELAIDE  4 out of 5

Whenever we go to Terroni on Adelaide we know we are going to eat well and enjoy the food and the wine here.  We have come a number of times in the last couple of years and find no matter which wine or pasta we choose we will be satisfied.  This time I came on my birthday with my son and started with calamari fritti (Frittura di Calamari as they name it).  I did notice a portion change from my last visits, it was smaller, but delicious as always.  As a main my son had the sliced tenderloin in sauce with rapini and roast potatoes, while I had Spaghetti al Limone with spinach, capers, shaved parmigiano reggiano, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil.  The tenderloin was tender and the sauce was delicious.  The spaghetti was absolutely divine.  

The wine was wonderful (a sommelier chooses their wines).  He is always available to talk wines here. Just ask for him.  We have had some of the best wines we have ever tasted, in this restaurant. People have complained about their attitude (the maitre d girls at the door usually have an attitude) but I find their hipster waiters and waitresses are friendly, efficient, and know their products.  Definitely worth a visit.

sliced tenderloin with rapini and roast potatoes

spaghetti limone

Terroni on Adelaide

calamari fritti

http://www.terroni.com/

NAPOLI PIZZERIA 3.5 out of 5

5485 Ferry Street, Niagara Falls On., L2G 1R5, (905) 356-3345

Went to Napoli Pizza to have dinner recently.  The meal began with homemade focaccia bread and flavoured oil,  it was delicious.  We ordered a fine bottle of Chianti.  We followed this with an appetizer of large grilled shrimp ($15) for 10 very scrumptious and meaty.  I had a main of homemade spaghetti with rapini, homemade sausage and peperoncino.  It was good and a very large portion.  It was so large it could have fed two people easily.  The pasta went well with the rapini and the sausages had a hint of anise in them.   My wife had the Gnocchi Toscana which were made with handmade ricotta, parmigiana and escarole  gnocchi in a mascarpone cream sauce.  Unfortunately we had no room for desert but we did have cappuccinos and they were a great finish.  The service was outstanding and very professional, however through no fault of theirs they had to keep apologizing for missing ingredients and adjustments that had to be made to some of the menu items.   All in all Terroni in Toronto is a far better restaurant with better quality pastas and more variety of pastas.

homemade spaghetti with rapini and homemade sausage

5 large shrimp each, they were delicious

http://www.napoliristorante.ca/

PANE FRESCO 4 out 5

A great place to have lunch - the best bread pizza I've ever had.  Try the Prosciutto and Brie square or the pepperoni square.  These are always coming out of the oven fresh because this place is so busy at lunch.  Their daily special salads are always extraordinary though a little expensive.  The cannoli and chocolate croissants are melt in your mouth scrumptious.  It is a family run business and they seem proud of their product (rightly so). 

http://www.panefresco.ca/

BEACH BIRD 3.5 out of 5

• After searching for restaurants in the beaches we decided to try the Beach Bird. We went straight through the restaurant to the back patio. It was a glorious late afternoon in the shade. We started with the fried calamari, which came with a curried mayo and were excellent (although not enough). I had the corn crusted halibut which came piping hot with garlic mashed potatoes and crisply steamed vegetables. My wife had a generous portion of salmon which also included mashed and vegetables. My son had the steak sandwich, that came with fries and a salad. We had a bottle of Valpolicella Ripasso which was very generously priced. We enjoyed everything and found everything arrived hot. We will definitely come back again.

  
  

  We came back again a couple of weeks later and it 

  was the same!

  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  beachbird.ca
  
  
  

  
  

STANDARD PIZZA AND PASTA BAR 

We come here regularly for the lasagna and their calamari. Both are the best we have tried in Toronto. Consistent every time we come. Reasonable prices and reasonably attentive service. One of our favourite restaurants in Toronto. Valpolicela Ripasso is reasonably priced here. They also make a great Capuccino.

The patio here is large and heated and very spacious. The inside is hip and clean. It can get very busy very quickly on the weekends.

lasagna, bread and Ripasso wine, yum

http://www.thestandardoncollege.com/