Terroni Bar Centrale

Such a huge disappointment.

Why did Terroni have to close down their Balmoral location? That was my first time experiencing Terroni where I automatically fell head over heels for their orgasmic flourless chocolate cake. Man oh man I am just drooling thinking about the super moist light airy cake. Mmmmm. But now I discover that they no longer even serve my cake. WTH!!!

I went to check out their new location Terroni Bar Centrale which isn't far from their old location. As I was walking to the place I noticed Nadege Patisserie will be opening next to it. Woohoo!! I can't wait to check that out. It's much more closer now for me to get to so can't wait to try out their desserts.

Back to Terroni. The restaurant was super tiny and extremely narrow. It felt claustrophobic for me. The place was packed but the waitress was nice enough to inform us that a few people should be leaving soon so we wouldn't have to wait as long.

Once seated at the bar, we were given a menu I just couldn't seem to read. I couldn't figure out how it was categorized and what exactly were the dishes. I had to ask the bartender to decipher the menu for me. He told me it was a tapas menu. They don't serve any entrees. However, later on the entire 2nd floor will be transformed into a dining area and the bottom floor will be used for the bar area. That's great to know assuming I would ever return again.

I wanted to try this deep fried chocolate that I saw on the site Foodspotting but only to discover that they never even heard of it. When I went home to check the site again I realized it was from the Balmoral location. Urrrghhhhh... Once again why did they close down the place?!!

We decided to opt for the pistachio beignets. It definitely was not what I had expected. Biting into it I was expecting a soft donut texture but instead got a hard cookie. The filling inside was pistachio flavoring with a lemony hint to it. I personally don't like citrus flavoring so this was not appetizing to me. My dessert at Table 17 was way better than this. We should have just stayed there and ordered more desserts.

The service was great but I'm just still angry at the fact that my chocolate cake is no longer there so I don't think I will be returning again.

TOTAL BILL $10...ONCE IS ENOUGH (for the dessert only)

HOT BALLS @ Table 17

Finally, I was able to taste the infamous hot balls at Table 17.

My first time at the restaurant was for brunch and it was a great experience. For my second trip I went for dinner and it was even better or shall I say, HOT!

Me and my sister-in-law arrived around 6pm. The place was empty at that time but by the time our food arrived people were bustling in.

We attempted to grab a table by the window so I can get more lighting for my pictures but sadly it was already reserved. (Note to self: when making reservations request for table 22 not table 17 j/k actually no I'm not get table 22).

My sister-in-law got a glass of red wine that was recommended by our waitress, Mia. She was very informative and definitely knew her wines. My sister-in-law really enjoyed the wine that Mia had suggested.

After a few minutes of contemplation we began ordering.

First off the balls. It arrived rather quickly I have to say. I didn't even finish snacking on the complimentary bread that was given. I thrust it aside and began pulling out my iPhone.

Here is a closeup of the Arancino stuffed with mushrooms and Fontino cheese mixed with risotto. It was crispy on the outside and filled with warm yummy goodness on the inside. Also each ball was accompanied by a specific sauce. For this one it was the red sauce which tasted like salsa to me but still complimented the ball very well. (Ok every time I type ball I am just laughing at myself. It's just funny that's all I have to say.)

Our favorite one was the goat cheese dipped in wildflower honey. It was luscious. A perfect combination of the two differing flavors of tangy and sweet.

Here was a side of the seasonal green which was kale. Unfortunately this was not pleasant at all. In fact the first word that came to my mind was funky and not in a good way. My sister-in-law tried a few more bites thinking she would get used to the flavoring but eventually gave up. When Mia came to clear away the plates she asked us was there anything wrong with the kale. We told her that we didn't really like it. Later on we discovered that this was removed off of our bill. Wow now that is customer satisfaction. I couldn't believe that they took it off our bill. Unlike one experience I had where all the plates were hardly touched except for one bite and yet the waitress still didn't even bother to ask what was wrong while here Mia actually noticed and took the time to ask us what we thought.

Here was the Cavatelli. It consisted of house made ricotta and black truffle pasta with soffritto, brussel sprouts and hedgehog mushrooms. My sister-in-law enjoyed this dish.

Now this was my meal. The duck confit with lentils, pickled carrots and almond cream. It was magnificent. Even the smell of it was intoxicating. It almost turned my so-called vegetarian sister over to the dark side hehe. She kept commenting how amazing it smelled. Also once my fork broke into the skin she even heard from the across the table the crispiness of the outer layer. Moaning sounds of approval came involuntarily from my throat before I could even stop them. The duck was super tender and full of juicy flavor. My sister kept laughing at me because after every bite I kept saying "OMG this is so good."

Can you see how scrumptious it looks?

Or how about this picture? Just look at that piece of crispy skin.

Last but definitely not least was the Gateaux Elvis. Originally we couldn't decide between the Elvis or the pistachio tart so we ended up choosing the tart since it would be something new to try. Sadly, it wasn't available so we chose our second choice. It was mind blowing. The dessert looked like an ice cream sandwich yet it was actually 2 pieces of light airy chocolate cake sandwiched together topped with a scoop of peanut butter mousse and caramelized bananas. The cake wasn't rich at all and went perfectly well with the heavy sweet flavor of the peanut butter mousse. I can't believe it was mousse. To me it tasted like real peanut butter that you would get from a jar but more light and fluffy like whipped cream. It was a perfect end to a perfect meal minus the kale. I'm sure the dessert would have made Elvis proud. One more thing because they didn't have the tart that we had first asked for our dessert was on the house. Omigod. I was in shock in again. They really value their customers and try to ensure you have the best possible experience.

Also during the course of our meal I noticed Chef John Sinopoli came out to the dining room. I personally don't know him but I do remember his picture from the website and also coupled with the fact that he was holding a little pot and scooping out, which I believe was the special of the day, polenta with rabbit, and placing it onto each individual plate. Now that is a chef who is passionate about his food and actually comes out of the kitchen to serve the food himself. Amazing. Wished I had ordered the polenta but since my dining companion once again was still terrified of meat I decided against it.

I highly recommend this restaurant not because of the freebies I got but because of the excellent quality of food and the love and passion cooked into the meal. Thank you Mia and Table 17 for an exquisite dinner and an unforgettable dining experience.

TOTAL BILL $76...EAT HERE NEXT!!!

Table 17

782 Queen Street East

(close to Broadview)

416-519-1851

Black Camel

Note to self: Black Camel serves breakfast in the morning till 11am. After 11am they serve the regular menu. Also you cannot order from the breakfast menu even if it's just 20 minutes after 11am. Breakfast menu is available only breakfast time and the regular menu is available after 11am.

I learned it the hard way. I tried to get the best of both worlds but failed miserably. Oh well I tried.

Located directly in front of Rosedale station, this little sandwich shop is always bustling with people. Luckily I was there early so it wasn't busy at all.

When I arrived there was a girl walking in and out carrying boxes after boxes of fresh bread. Perfect timing for me.

With a menu of less than 10 items this place specializes in sandwiches and they make it right. One of the best sandwich places in the Yorkville area.

I have had their pulled pork shoulder sandwich but I think the star is the beef brisket.

I wanted to try the pancetta with steak sandwich but it was only sold during breakfast time so I settled for my regular slow roasted beef brisket sandwich topped with their special BBQ sauce, caramelized onions, and sauteed cremini mushrooms. Utterly delicious. But I didn't realize till I got home that I had forgotten the Fontina cheese. Man oh man it's not a sandwich unless there's cheese. Oh well it was still tasty.

TOTAL BILL $10...EAT HERE NEXT!!!

Patachou

I wanted to grab a sandwich at Black Camel but the one that I wanted wouldn't be ready till another 20 minutes so I decided to head to Patachou since it was close by and it was on my list to try.

Here was the complimentary bread basket. I hate the balls of butter because it's too difficult to spread onto the bread. I like the whipped butter instead so much easier to put on.

I got the tourtiere. The meat pie was filled with a whole load of beef and pork. It was delicious and very filling. I actually didn't finish this dish since there was just too much meat for me but I did finish the pastry portion of it. It was flaky good.

I just had to try the chocolate almond croissant since it looked so yummy. Unfortunately, I could not taste the almond flavor at all. Chocolate yes but almond flavor no where to be found. Also it wasn't as fluffy as the other places that I've had.

The service at Patachou was courteous and quick. What I also found great about the place was that the tables with the stools had a hook where you can hang either your bag or umbrella. It was very convenient for those of us girls with our big handbags which practically takes up half of our seat leaving us to either sit on the edge of the seat or place the bag on top of our laps. Very good concept and bag-friendly for us ladies.

On my next trip I want to try their desserts or even their macarons. Can't believe I didn't buy any to begin with but guess I've been eating too much so I was all macaroned-out.

TOTAL BILL $16...EAT HERE NEXT!!!

Sun's Kitchen

Last weekend I had a craving for the noodles at Sun's Kitchen so we finally drove out to Pacific Mall to get my noodles. Although it is located in the food court, do not and I repeat DO NOT be fooled. This kitchen always has a constant flow of customers lining up and with good reason to. The food is delicious and cheap, You just can't go wrong here.

You can't miss this place either. Just follow the loud thumping noises you will hear once you enter the vicinity. Also it's the busiest counter in the food court. Now the noise you hear is actually this guy who creates the fresh noodles by pulling and whipping it against the table. I tried to take a picture of him but he just moved too quickly for me. Pulled the noodle then whipped it a few times then threw it in the kitchen then came back out and repeated the process. I swear all within a few seconds. The same procedure over and over again. Noodle master hard at work where he takes his whipping seriously.

Here is part of the menu. I can't read the Chinese characters even though I'm Chinese I just order like any other non-Asian person would. I point at the picture and say, "I want that one!" Just kidding I just tell them the item number.

Here was my bowl of noodles. It's #16 on the menu. It's basically slices of boiled chicken and julienned cucumbers on top of a mountain of fresh hand-pulled noodles, garnished with parsley and drenched in some sort of sesame seasoning. Sounds simple but it's always the simple things that taste the best. Believe me the flavors weren't so simple here. I love the flavor of sesame although I think there might be some sort of soybean flavor in here as well but not quite sure. This is my favorite noodle here. I don't order anything else. Actually I don't think I've tried anything else before lol. Hmm maybe I should try something else but every single time I go there I can't help it the number 16 just shoots right out of my mouth before I can think.

Here were some chive pancakes. Crispy yet fluffy on the inside filled with bright green chives. It was tasty.

This is on my list of best cheap eats. Homemade noodles, delicious food and great portions. One more thing all entrees come with a bowl of soup and a cup of soy milk. That's another added bonus. More bang for your buck.

TOTAL BILL $12...EAT HERE NEXT!!!

Sun's Kitchen

4350 Steeles Ave. East (Food Court)

(close to Kennedy)

905-947-8463

Good Taste Shanghai Cuisine

When my boyfriend wants Asian food one of his fave restaurant to head to is Good Taste Shanghai Cuisine.

This place is always jam packed with people especially since it's located in Richmond Hill.

Normally when we go I always order the pan fried beef pancake roll or the dumpling with pork soup filling. Here I just let my boyfriend do the ordering since I was just too tired to think.

Here was the Chinese greens sauteed with garlic. Tasty as usual and my healthy serving of veggie.

Here was the Shanghai chow mein with pork and shrimp. It was delicious as well.

Here was the stir fried beef with green onions. Isn't it just gorgeous? Tender slices of scrumptious beef.

Last and not my favorite was the spiced spare ribs. I didn't like it because it had a curry flavor I just wasn't fond of however, the meat itself was super tender and moist. The meat fell easily off the bone. If only it didn't have that curry flavor I would have been chowing down on this dish.

Basically, a meal that never disappoints. You can always expect good tasty food from here.

TOTAL BILL $55...EAT HERE NEXT!!!

Good Taste Shanghai Cuisine

505 Hwy 7 East

(close to Leslie)

905-370-6868

Commensal

I tried to be a vegetarian but it just didn't work out.

I bought a voucher for Commensal after reading that it was a buffet that serves vegetarian food. The menu sounded interesting so I thought it would be a nice change for once to be a herbivore. The one thing that was unique about this place was they charge you based on the weight of the food. Perfect for calorie counters. (not that I'm one of them lol think my blog says it all)

Here was my plate of food. There was Seitan bourguignon, Millet pie, steamed broccoli, beet and apple salad, bean salad, pickled cabbage, squash and one other thing I'm not quite sure of. Out of the whole pile of food the only things that were interesting were the beet and apple salad and the bourguignon. The salad was delicious. The sweet apples were a great sidekick to the red beets. The bourguignon had chunks of seitan which almost tasted like meat to me. If you don't know what seitan is it's made from the gluten of wheat. To vegetarians, this is their meat. For more info on seitan click here.

My friend seemed to have only focused on the salad station. The other stations didn't really appealed to her. Let's just say she wasn't as thrilled with her food either. (Sorry Kristy I will make it up to you)

For dessert she had the brownie which was extremely dry. I just sampled a tiny bit and even from that I was able to taste how unappetizing it was. However, my soya cake was absolutely delicious. Finally a dessert I can eat without feeling guilty. Then again not like I ever did feel that way hehe. I love my sweets.

After all the food we got we still had a few bucks to spend on but we didn't want anymore food. Not that we were full it's just nothing appealed to us. Instead we both got a bottled sparkling water that was flavored with pomegranate and elderflower. I have no clue what elderflower was but the drink was refreshing.

If you do want to give this place a try there are two deals available. On Mondays students receive 50% off. Also there's a similar deal for seniors except it's only applicable on Tuesdays.

Personally I will never return again even with the deal. I think the best vegetarian food is Korean food. Most of their side dishes are meat-free and they are much more tastier to eat.

TOTAL BILL $25...ONCE IS ENOUGH!!!