Thoughts: Stormy Weather for the Food Industry?

It's an interesting time to be writing around the periphery of the food world. The industry, and its legion army of amateur and professional personalities, reviewers, thought-provokers, and unflappable Instagrammers have been receiving a lot of press lately.  And at least from the mainstream side of things, little of it is flattering. Take your pick: the Reviewercard tempest-in-a-teapot (if nothing else came out of the brouhaha, I now know who John Birdsall, who wrote the story behind the latter link, is, and plan to follow his writing, because he makes me smile); subtler reminders that not everyone enjoys others' flash photography during their dinner out; or perhaps this wickedly pointed and yet often on-point post about unspoken thoughts and the food industry. (In regards to this last piece, while we're in accord about elevated cuisine and $16 mac & cheese, I will defend to the pain that cabbage rolls, depicted in their Thought 16 as an example of "not every cuisine deserves to be celebrated," certainly do deserve celebration. And afternoons dedicated to making nothing but with laughter, family, and new and old friends.)

All of this feels, to misquote the newest Selena Kyle, a little like the moments before a storm.

Here's hoping that I'm wrong; still, it feels like there's a few changes on our horizon. How we Tweet and talk about food is changing; hopefully for the better, the more respectful. (Standing on chairs to get a shot of your appetizer really is a little over-the-top.) But for all of that, I quietly advocate that there's still space for all of these odd, wonderful personalities.

After all, KW's food community was the first to welcome me; in particular with my golden ticket at Nick & Nat's Iron Chef competition. In that evening, I gained a new voice and met folks who I admire, respect, and whose lives have intertwined with mine in different ways ever since. I was a little dumbstruck as I took the guest judge's chair - "I can't talk about food; not really," I told the dark-haired woman sitting beside me, gesturing slightly to the man two seats over, "that's Andrew Coppolino, for heaven's sake."  I'd been in town for only a couple of months, but Andrew's Waterloo Region Eats was one of the first local sites I found, and I referred to it  (and continue to) as a map of the region; ideas, recommendations, and things not to miss. She smiled, distracted me with pointing out a chef's dexterous maneuver  rolling and slicing gnocchi with impossible ease, and got me talking; Anna Contini, Foodlink's project coordinator and local food advocate, is a good person to have in your corner.  Susan Cook-Scheerer of Rogers TV Cable 20's daytime (who I would meet again, later, through my work) rounded out the evening's judges. She and Andrew welcomed me to the community, as Anna introduced me, and while they all approached food from different ways of thinking, (and, perhaps, in a more cynical space, could have looked down their nose at this starry-eyed twenty-something with wild hair and wilder metaphors) their welcome was genuine and their thoughts (on the food, on the night itself, on the community and connecting with it) each added something different to the event.

I've a weakness for symbolism - after all, look: here is the neophyte, the established food writer and personality, the media, the community benefit organization. Four judges, four different stakeholders. The thread dancing through this recollection is that there can be a place in the food industry for everyone with an interest in or connection to it. It worked, that evening; it can work on a larger scale with the right steps forward. Whether part of the traditional or independent media structures, advocate or grower, newcomer or steeped in the history and knowledge of a place/art/style, our insights and experiences, when collected, can't help but make our community stronger.

Pie-in-the-sky optimism? Perhaps. But here's to food, wine, and moments of shared wonder, even so.

Review: Beertown (Waterloo)

There are at least four analogies that I've half-written to sum up my feelings towards Beertown, the glitzy brewpub in Uptown Waterloo and the latest addition to the Charcoal Group's holdings in & around KW.

The Beergarden! (co-starring the California Cheeseburger)

Most of the analogies are positive - it's hard not to like a place that has beers like Innis & Gunn and Maudite on tap, and their burgers are great. Equally so, and somewhat improbably so, is the Beergarden salad. Poached pears, beet strings, radishes, Napa cabbage, craisins, and candied pecans add texture and flavour to one of the most inventive and delicious side salads I've seen in a long while. Moreover, my weakness for terrible puns remains intact.

I liked that their menu caters to a wide variety of beer enthusiasts, which definitely makes Beertown more friendly for groups, not all of whom might be equally passionate about the pub's namesake beverage. Depending on your level of interest, there's a comprehensive book that describes everything on tap, then divides up the bottle list into ales and lagers, and then into subsections (the ale category features fruit ales, dark/brown ales, amber ales, IPAs...); a subtle, helpful "if you liked this, consider that." There's also at least three ciders available, an intriguing list of beer-based cocktails, and a short but robust wine list with a "good-better-best" ranking/pricing system that at once seems oddly honest and eye-roll-inducing.  Regardless, five points for featuring wines from Malivoire, one of my favorite Niagara vineyards!

Tour of Beer & brewery coasters. (Snag the Flying Monkeys'; it's redeemable for a brewery tour!) 

Choosing by not choosing, I went with the Tour of Beer, a sampler paddle of four ales which showcased an interesting mix of ale varieties and flavours, some new and some well-loved (and some, like the Smashbomb IPA by Flying Monkeys, almost too hoppy to drink without the savoury flavours from my burger to mellow it.)   To run with the restaurant-as-student-type analogy, Beertown's definitely One Of The Cool Kids; a football player, perhaps, with a ready smile, a knack for throwing shindigs, the best beer fridge in town, and a weakness for classic rock anthems and the latest indie hits. From Welcome to the Jungle to We Are Young, the music was upbeat and lively, though increasingly auxiliary as the night went on and the conversations got louder.

my Mushroom Burger w/ Swiss cheese, arugula, & truffle mayo

This is the case even if you are, as our table of four was, tucked away in a corner behind the bar. Although the brewpub's ambiance is modern and welcoming, with cool touches ranging from using mini-kegs as seating area dividers to the warm glow of the tungsten lights overhead, several building materials (tin detailing on the roof; tiling) reflect sound instead of absorbing it.  On the upside, we weren't shouting, no voices were lost, and when our food arrived - in a timely fashion especially for a busy Friday - we weren't talking much, digging in to our burgers, salads, and chicken entrees with gusto!  I still have to quirk an eyebrow at their choice of programming - I've never mourned the loss of the NHL season more than the moment of looking up to the flatscreen over my head and seeing Scooby-Doo, not Sidney Crosby.

Service was good; as a newer establishment, there will always be some wrinkles, but they're a hard-working team. S's half-chicken entree with side salad was served as a quarter chicken with garlic mashed potatoes, but our server was quick to bring out the salad once S noted the mix-up, and one of the kitchen staff arrived soon after with the other chicken portion. (Tables seem smaller, so at this point, we were almost out of tabletop, but we made it work, and our server checked in regularly to see if we needed anything or to clear empty glasses.)

As an aside, our hostess pointedly asked if we were celebrating anything - so it's likely worth mentioning to yours, if you are when you visit! A pint on the house, or one of their decadent brownies with a sparkler on top, could be a lovely addition to your night.*

(* = these ideas are conjecture/wishful thinking; no sparklers or free pints were witnessed over the course of our meal.)

It's not a place to go for soulful conversation or a quiet night out; even early in the evening, Beertown's received lots of buzz around town and so is both packed wall-to-wall (with lots of very pretty/handsome folks) and unabashedly loud. But if you're looking for a lively evening with friends and an opportunity to try a couple of new brews, Beertown could definitely be just what you're looking for.

Review: Masala Bay

Although I love winter, and suspect I always will, there was something almost magical in opening the door to Masala Bay yesterday evening. In that moment, we were transported from the chill in the air brought by the first snow of the season to a haven of bright walls and rich wall hangings; of inviting aromas and sizzling plates of tandoori whisking past us.

Seating at Masala Bay is perhaps best described as intimate; it's a smaller space nestled on Regina Street in Uptown Waterloo, just beyond Erb, but it's possible that proximity to other diners helps to give it the air of a large family gathering: if chaotic at times, warm, welcoming, and friendly. It's certainly the first time another diner, with whom we hadn't even spoken during our dinner, pursued the four of us outside with our forgotten leftovers in hand and a great smile.

As I write this the next morning, munching happily on leftover Murg Tikka Makhani (butter chicken) and saag paneer, I'm very glad he did!  Even the last bits of the dishes made a lunch for kings (or at least, hungry bloggers with a slightly purple pen.)

The Murg Tandoori was not part of my lunch, as it had disappeared in a flash yesterday evening.  It was the first dish to be brought to our table, the chicken sizzling from the tandoori oven, but thoughtfully layered on top of a piece of tin foil, so as to not lose half of it to the heated plate.  Splitting the two pieces between the four of us still resulted in sizable portions, and the chicken itself was moist and beautifully spiced.

The rest of our choices followed soon after: two large half-circles of naan, studded generously with garlic and herbs; fragrant jasmine rice, the lamb Pasanda, and Murg Tikka Makhani nestling into the  brass tray holder in the middle of our table, lit from below each dish with tealight candles to keep the dishes warm. (It was a device that reminded me at once of a lazy-Susan and a chandelier, but your mileage may vary.)

Lamb Pasanda was a favorite at the table. Though all of the dishes were enjoyable - with a close runner-up's berth to the butter chicken, which, unlike most of its counterparts I've tried, carried a notable amount of heat with each bite - it would likely be what I would seek out next, upon a return trip.  I enjoyed the texture and flavour of the lamb, and its thick sauce, flavoured with cashews and saffron, was delicious. Perhaps it's the lure of a new mix of tastes; most of our choices were dishes we'd tried before in other restaurants, or have tried (with varying degrees of success) to make at home. This was something new.

So we shared thoughts and naan, and spun the dishes around the table until our bellies were full and our  trays (almost) empty; caught up in a story of summer shenanigans and mile-long portages through Algonquin, so happily full that we didn't even think of our leftovers until being reminded of them just outside the door.

There's something about this new season of cold that makes it the perfect time for comfort food; Masala Bay is a wonderful place to find it.

Review: King Street Trio Uptown

King Street Trio Uptown is gorgeous - I've been in love with the curving ceiling installation that mirrors the train tracks just outside with a deliberate yet playful air since I first saw pictures of them as the restaurant was opening.  Better yet, they've been upcycled from the old floorboards, like the vintage tin tiles on the walls (which were moved from the ceiling.)  Reinvention is always exciting.

Still, I'd not yet been in to check out the place (and the food!) so when M suggested it for our anniversary dinner, I was excited to wander over. One of the perks of dining early was that we were able to sneak in without reservations on a Friday (if dining after 6:30, I'd recommend them!)

From the door to the delivery of our dessert (the evening's feature, a pumpkin-white chocolate bread pudding served with [great!] ice cream, Chantilly cream, and strawberries, with a sparkler on top), service was friendly and professional. Our server was welcoming and very knowledgeable about the food and beverage options.

Along the line of beverages, I can't help but wish that the wine list displayed a little more variety, finding it more weighted towards the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir varieties than I'd hoped.

...With that taken into consideration, the first two of those reds match well with the steaks featured on the menu - all of which are local Ontario beef, which is great to see. As to the last variety, Pinot Noir is well-known. And to be fair, there were a pair of Argentinian Malbecs, an Aussie Shiraz, a couple of French Bordeaux, and an Italian Ripasso and Chianti, all available by the glass. (The white wine list mirrors this, with six of the fourteen whites available by the glass or bottle being Chardonnay.)

When you look at it that way, the list is comprehensive in that a lot of the classics for each wine region are covered - but I'm thinking I'm spoiled in that I wished for something a little different, a little more out-of-the-ordinary.

...I know I shouldn't complain! The wines we chose were tasty, and maybe the choice of varietals helped me see past my usual VQA wine blinders (as an import to Ontario, I've always figured that, when in Rome...) and try the Valpolicella Ripasso. M enjoyed the Kaiken Malbec, and found it a great match for his steak and garlic mashed potatoes.

My salmon, served with a rutabaga mash (autumn-y, comfort food gloriousness) and shredded brussels sprouts, was cooked to order and not overwhelmed by either the mash or the brussels sprouts.

The attention to detail and plating was excellent throughout - though I couldn't help but wish for a little more of the berry puree that was swirled artfully around the salmon, which was more tease than coulis, portion sizes for the main courses and desserts are filling, leaning towards generous.

At the end of the day, King Street Trio prepares classic, if safe, food choices very well, with an eye towards some local sourcing, in an atmosphere that's chic, welcoming, and romantic.

Review: Bhima's Warung

I'll admit to not quite understanding Bhima's Warung for some time - the storefront was quirky, but never drew me in. And so it was, until a coworker-of-sorts told me about how his first reaction to one of their desserts was anger.

Anger, he said, with the kind of smile usually reserved for talking about things like Sherlock on BBC or the band Teenage Fanclub. The gulab jabon, he told me, were beyond decadent. Spice-scented, donut-like morsels drizzled with rose syrup and gold dust, served with a house-made cinnamon-cardamom ice-cream... Anger, because upon his first bite, he knew they wouldn't last long and they were three steps past delicious.

Now I was curious.

So M and I circled our anniversary on the calendar, M scrawling "Bhima's Warung" across the square. We had a date.

We arrived on the late side, closer to 8, smiling back at the friendly hostess and trying not to stare too openly at the open-concept kitchen. I'd love to return and sit at the bar and absorb the goings-on, perhaps with another Castro in hand - not the politician but an enticing cocktail featuring a 7-year-old rum and fresh passion fruit - just to have a different view and perhaps pick up an idea or two.

After yo-yo-ing around the appetizer menu, we dove in blind with the bhima's bocas: an appetizer platter featuring the chef's selections. At just over $40, it's an investment - but oh, was it a wise one.

Good food takes time; the time that the chefs took to prepare the various elements of the platter gave M and I some time to catch up (March has been hectic, and doesn't look to be changing its pace!) That said, the wait was not unreasonable, and when it arrived, the platter required its own table.

A small table, true, but still.

My photo doesn't do it justice - my camera has nearly given up the ghost, and the lighting at Bhima's certainly leans towards "romantic" (that said, ten points for the real orchid sprigs on the tables!)

But back to the food. Everything was tasty, and brought different flavours to the mix. From the earthy tofu, sweet pineapple, and peanutty flavours of the gado gado (which, I decided upon second bite, was scrumptious and should be eaten more often) to the crispy vegetable pakoras and their dynamite spicy tamarind sauce - they're the more spiky entities in the middle of the platter in the picture, and along with their dipping sauce, were one of the standouts - we enjoyed every bite. Even, to my surprise, the freshly shucked oysters. They've never been my seafood of choice, but was willing to give them another try. This likely had something to do with their topping, a cool, compelling blend of ginger, lemongrass, chili, and garlic. I'm glad I did.

A special kudos to the chefs who prepared the dipping sauces; I wish I'd been less hungry when I started so I'd have paid more attention to the distinct elements of the sweet and sour sauce intended for the peanut-encrusted prawns beyond noting that I'd have happily eaten it with a spoon. (KW chefs take their sauces seriously, it seems, and Bhima's is no exception. ...the mango butter, served with a chicken/scallop dumpling is also to live for! From Little Mushroom's 40 Creek BBQ sauce to the blueberry mustard down at 41, I can remember leaving catering events and restaurants alike waxing poetic about sauces. I don't remember having done that before moving here.)

Somehow, we ate our way through the platter, but we're both hearty eaters, it was late, and it was dinner for me; M's hollow leg is the stuff of legend. Portions are large - we'd been eyeing two desserts but could only find room in our collective hollow legs for one.

When she brought our dessert out, I told M the story about my coworker; after our first bites, we agreed: he was absolutely right.

Oddly enough, I found that the ice cream was the standout element for me - cinnamon and cardamom are a heady, sweet-spicy-earthy combination that I'd happily try again. But with at least four other homemade ice cream varieties offered at Bhima's, it might be a while...

Review: Cheeses Murphy

Sometimes, simple things can be magical.

And the friendly, quirky folks who staffed the Princess Cinema/Cafe's ticket window-slash-sandwich dispensary on Saturday seemed to have a firm grasp on both of these concepts.

There's a guerrilla element to Cheeses Murphy, the weekend-night only, grilled cheese-only (well, mostly) late night cafe - the rolldown sign in the Princess Cafe windows, the almost conspiratorial grins the cashier gives you as he hands you a laminated picture that represents your order ("Dolly Parton" and "Oprah Tattoo" were called out before us), the mustachioed mascot with a head of cheese printed on very carefully aligned 11x17s in another window. If their methods appear spontaneous, their solid attention to detail and appealing, tongue-in-cheek humour are an excellent counterbalance.

M had visited CM on Friday night, returning with happily glazed eyes and tales of bacon jam. We returned the next day to see if the "Lumberjack" (smoked ham, gruyere, creamy mustard) and "Cheese & Chong" (ground beef, cheddar, fresh cilantro, chipotle sour cream) could take on the namesake he'd tried (with cheddar & bacon jam.) After a short wait, our avatar was called and we snagged our foil-wrapped sandwiches, choosing to eat them amidst the other groups of late-night wanderers waiting in the (open-air so rather chilly) lobby area.

I think after the second bite, we forgot it was cold outside.

Of the two, though the C&C was tasty and the fresh cilantro an awesome idea my Lumberjack was the favorite. The ham and gruyere played very well with the grainy mustard, and while I can't remember the last time I ate plain white bread and might have looked at it with mild disappointment at first, M's thought that said bread fits the easygoing, comfort-food vibe of CM in general quickly unquirked my eyebrows - as did his speculative, if-you-don't-want-it-I'll-joyfully-eat-it look!

Things to return for? The namesake (bacon jam!) possibly served with some homemade tomato soup for dipping. And if we're feeling particularly ambitious, layering one of the fancier offerings around a Classic (cheddar cheese) in what they term an "Inception."

Fast, tasty, and open 'til 3:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights - if you're out wandering Uptown in the wee hours, Cheeses Murphy's definitely worth a stop!

Review: Ennio's Pasta House (on King)

The Italian Soda cocktail at Ennio's Pasta House is a little like summer filtered into a glass. Not late summer, like what has found us now: cooler nights, turning leaves, and inescapable heat during the day, but the peak of summertime with its bright hue and Limoncello fizz - and the kick that surprises you when you rise to your feet; that, too.

Yum.

Thinking about seasons turns me maudlin and metaphorical (there's lengthy proof of that in my other blog) but then, the patio at Ennio's is a good place to reflect. It's a little noisy, what with facing King Street between University and Weber, but the high walls and central fireplace make it a comfortable space. I'd love to return and curl up on the couches that surround the fireplace, but was craving pasta, which is tricky to manage gracefully in slouchy chairs!

Instead, we headed for one of the patio tables; M snagged a glass of the Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon and threatened playfully that he'd steal my Soda (but didn't carry through, which was wise; it'd be a long walk home!)

My pasta came with a starter house salad, which I shared with M; as house salads go, its blend of iceberg and redleaf lettuces, cucumber, and a ribbon of carrot didn't seem very exciting (though the marinated rings of red onion were a piquant, nostalgic touch) but everything was very fresh and the Italian dressing served with it tasted homemade. Also, for a starter salad, it was large - and, once the two wholegrain buns and olive oil/basil pesto dipping tray arrived for us to nibble on, I knew I'd be bringing leftovers home.

In a list of things Taryn Likes Best, leftovers hit the top thirty, safe.

M ordered the Michelangelo pizza, and happily noted that Ennio's offers a whole wheat crust. I, on the other hand, smiled at his healthy choice and ordered a new addition to the menu: scallops, roasted red peppers, and asparagus in a saffron cream sauce with a "hint of citrus" over linguine was calling my name. It's a lot of flavours to fit together; it was the first pasta dish I've seen served with a lemon wedge in a very long time as well, but the lemon worked, tying flavours together. Very decadent.

The pizza (roasted chicken, mushrooms, and fresh basil, with a tomato base; there were either roasted red peppers or sundried tomatoes as well, but my memory is failing me and a couple of Google searches have not yielded the menu) was met with a grin. The pizza is generous - M usually finishes single-serving pizzas and then is hungry two hours later, but he left a couple of pieces for a late-night snack.

Our friendly server asked about coffee or dessert, but we declined, taking our leftovers homewards. Ennio's is one of those places that everyone knows about, and somehow feels like it; stories and lives, like some kinds of pasta, are made to be tangled up together (and for an evening, it was fun to be part of the mix.)

Gastronavigation: Dana Shortt Gourmet

It's funny - the longer I live in KW, the more I am grateful for services like Twitter.

After all, it was a wayward tweet that caused my feet to wander to Dana Shortt Gourmet, a catering/fine foods store just off of Erb in Waterloo. It hinted at a brand new "olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting bar" on the premises, and while I've enjoyed tasting bars at various Niagara wineries, this was something new.

Something new, and utterly fascinating. I made it past the rows of cupcakes and sample trays of shortbread cookies (though, I did try the brown sugar & chocolate shortbread cookies and left with a bag to share with friends) to turn the corner and find myself in the company of over thirty fusti of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, their contents clearly and cheerfully labeled.

I puttered about for a couple of moments, reading the descriptions posted on the front of each fusti and looking curiously towards the food pairings: pint-sized bocconcini salads and sample shot glasses of yogurt and granola, but wasn't sure where to begin (short of taking a couple of pictures.)

When I asked about taking photos, it opened up an entirely new opportunity - visiting the tasting bar became a tour as food expert Jennifer encouraged me to try different oils and vinegars, showing me how to swirl the sample glass of oil on my palm to warm it up before giving it a try. Some of the pairings were more unusual than others - she matched the yogurt with a blood orange olive oil - but it was surprisingly delicious.

From touring through the five "straight-up" olive oils (my favorite, an almost-fiery Hojiblanca, resides beside my stove) to sprinkling white truffle oil over some fresh-popped popcorn and sharing it with me, she was patient and knowledgeable, sharing facts and anecdotes with an easy smile.

One of my favorite stories involved their supplier, Veronica Foods. It turned out that one of Veronica's grand-daughters was not a fan of olive oil, so they worked to blend a mix of olive oil and herbs to create...

...and, yes, it does taste like butter.

I have an abiding love for all things citrus, and zoomed in on the lemon olive oil, which has a story all its own. This variant, as well as the lime and blood orange olive oils, were created through a process called "whole fruit infuse argumato" (which I did misspell; thank you to the folks @ Dana Shortt for catching it!) The concept behind it is that the citrus fruit which goes into the oil were grown in the same area as the olives, and the fruit and olives were pressed simultaneously, giving the oils a rich, bright flavour. I took a sample vial of this oil home, and have used it to great effect on spinach salads (matched with a lemon or cranberry-pear balsamic) and sole fillets since.

This process sets them apart from other variants, like garlic or chipotle, where the extra flavours are infused at a later point in the process.

One of the flavour options that I liked immediately was the wild mushroom & sage olive oil; rich, smooth, and almost smoky. On the other side of the bar was a dark chocolate balsamic, which, Jennifer assured me, could translate well to sweet or savoury dishes (ice cream or steak were the options suggested!)

One of the features that I liked best about Dana Shortt's tasting bar was how user-friendly its setup is. From the tasting-notes on each fusti to the "cocktails" beside each spout with a mixture of an olive oil and a vinegar that make a classic (garlic & butter) or quirky (blackberry-ginger & Persian lime) combination, it was a lot of fun to tour around. I tried a lot, talked a lot, and left with a lot left to try.

Like this 18-year-old balsamic vinegar (see: the massive fusti on the bottom shelf.) One day!

That said, if your feet are in a wandering kind of mood and you find yourself in Uptown, might I recommend indulging your inner chemist and food enthusiast? The tasting bar is complimentary, and the experience itself is a lot of fun.

On a completely different note, here's the best kind of PSA: butter tart competitions. Attendance is free, and the competitors are dynamite.

I suspect that the little heart shapes that have taken up residence in my eyes are bound to last for a while now.

Happy wandering! (And who knows? Maybe I'll see you there!)

Corrections (July 23/11): when blissfully overwhelmed, it can be hard to get all of the details right. Thanks to the folks at Dana Shortt for catching my scribing slip-ups: Veronica's grandchildren (not daughter) are the ones who inspired the butter olive oil; the citrus olive oils are whole-fruit infused; and the tasting bar has over twenty varieties and then some! The count is at 37 varieties of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegars, and other specialty gourmet oils - and (best of all) more varieties are due next week!

Gastronavigation: Spring!

Spring is my favorite season.

It could be that I'm a spring baby, or the sunshine, or the flowers (it's probably all of the above) - these days, I think a big part of it is that life just seems to pick up again as the days grow longer.

Some quick shots:

Freshly foraged fiddleheads! The wonderful bourbonbaker hunted these down and passed some

to me. (Thank you!) I've never tried them (I don't think they're very common in Alberta) and am very excited to add them to tonight's dinner!

Fiddleheads, if I recall correctly, are the young shoots of the ostrich fern, and seem to be a culinary herald of spring in this area, along with ramps and asparagus. I know that fiddleheads can be blanched and tossed in with salads or pastas, but I think I'm going to keep it simple and saute them with some butter and maybe a pinch of black pepper and salt. (Other recommendations?)

This beauty is from Nick & Nat's Uptown 21 - not only did I win their Poutine Friday contest but lucked into finding my favorite flatbread in recent memory. It featured roasted pecans, curly endive, herbed goat(?) cheese, and a sweet-savoury squash puree that I would happily eat by the spoonful. I would inevitably regret eating said puree by the spoonful, but I would be blissful until that regret hit! The mix of flavours, the perfectly chewy crust... my leftovers were equally delicious cold, as well. Definitely one of my favorite dishes in KW. Woefully, I discovered this on the second-last week of N&N's lunch service - maybe it'll be back in the fall!

I'm trying to brave my fear of baking this year. I enjoy baking (both the eating and the preparing parts), but am sometimes too spontaneous for an art that requires precision and attention to the recipe. ^^;; ...I may also have set off fire alarms while baking things as elementary as cakes-from-a-box and puffed wheat squares in the past.

So, these pecan-apricot-orange-spice muffins, adapted from Food & Drink's Spring 2011 edition, were a good step forward. Handily, the original recipe is available online: Orange-Pistachio-Glazed Spiced Muffins.

Happy spring! I hope you're enjoying the sunshine.

Event: Nick&Nat's Iron Chef Uptown Competition

Guest judging at the first of Nick & Nat's Iron Chef Uptown competitions for the season is shaping up to be one of my favorite KW memories. It had everything: fun hosts, great setting - must make it back to Nick & Nat's for their food soon! - amazing people, tasty food... And it was all for a good cause (raising money for the local food bank and for Foodlink, a local organization that, among other things, connects farmers with restauranteurs and other businesses.)

There was an incredible sense of energy and enthusiasm that bounced off every corner of the restaurant as two-man teams from Waterloo's Bauer Kitchen and Morriston's Enver's incorporated maple sap, maple woodchips, maple candy, and maple syrup into two innovative and delicious dinner menus. In under an hour.

Considering that it takes me about an hour to create a simple meal, my eyes widened in wonder as I watched the chefs shape gnocchi and slice apples into impossibly thin segments. The knife skill and control displayed by both teams was (while perhaps not surprising) almost mesmerizing. Scoring perch fillets and mincing maple candies seemed as easy as breathing.

This is one of my favorite photos from the night, even though nearly everything in it is blurry. It captures the speed with which the teams were moving and a little bit of the concentration and dedication that the Enver's team brought to the kitchen.

Here, gnocchi is being sliced into bite-sized pieces, before being combined with brussels sprouts, parmesan, bacon (?), maple syrup, spices, and mushrooms. Comfort food at its finest. (I admit now that I can't remember all of the ingredients or elements to the dishes, but I'll do my best to recall them.)

I was very, very happy to discover this morning that Enver's has gnocchi on their regular menu; there was a world of difference between what I tried at the judges' table and the plastic-wrapped insta-pasta that I usually pick up from the grocery store. (I may have used a metaphor involving the Sun and "that poor discounted planet, Pluto" to describe the difference between insta-pasta and Enver's pasta during my judge's review. On a mike. In front of the entire restaurant. But I think I made the chefs smile, so...)

More calmness-within-the-storm displayed as Mike from the Bauer Kitchen rolls out the pastry for their apple-maple-cinnamon tarte tatin.

Part of me thinks that when I upgrade to a DSLR camera one day, and almost all of my pictures turn out fully in focus, I might miss shots like this, where the subject's body is a blur but you can sense his concentration. I know I've looked at a blank sheet of paper or Word document with a similar expression: where will you take me? And, sometimes: why aren't you there yet?

Soon enough, "Welcome To The Jungle" was blaring over the loudspeakers, signaling the last five minutes of the competition. If possible, the chefs moved even faster.

Pouring, plating, decorating... to create the dishes below.

The Bauer Kitchen's first dish was a spring greens salad highlighted most memorably by warm goat cheese medallions and spicy-sweet maple candied pecans. The salad was one of my favorites, and, were I given a jar of the pecans, they would be gone in short order. Great, zippy vinaigrette, and one of the prettiest dishes, plating-wise.

Enver's first plate was a perch filet over a sweet potato (and/or squash? eep...) and bacon hash. I believe the fish was smoked with maple chips, and it was an unconventional choice that stood up well to the sweet-savoury hash. I really liked the orange orbital plating detail. I forget what it was composed of, but it was tasty.

Bauer Kitchen's maple-smoked scallops... mmm. Perfect texture and great flavour. The toffee-esque circles of caramelized maple sugar they're sitting upon were worth the work to get some off of the plate (eating it was similar to a good caramel apple; you feel your jaws stick together but you don't care.)

This stack by Enver's was one of the most innovative. Plated on spinach drizzled with a great white wine (and maple?) vinaigrette was a piece of garlic-rubbed bread topped with the Cyprian cheese halloumi (which I've only ever seen before served in a skillet with some olive oil and lemon - this was a great twist!) I'm not certain if the judges knew decisively whether the meat was proscuitto, duck, or duck proscuitto, and while I lean towards at least some duckish element, it complimented the mild cheese and zip of the salad. The green-onion-looking garnish is a garlicky frond of "ramps," or wild leeks! I've seen these growing wild along the Iron Horse Trail, and always wondered what they were...

TBK's pork chop with fingerling potatoes was massive and beautifully tender. No cardboard pork here! I liked the thyme incorporated into the potatoes, and the mild smoke notes in every bite of pork. Very satisfying. I didn't get a very good angle on the maple squash puree underneath, but it was a lovely compliment.

Gnocchi, gnocchi, gnocchi! I blame M for getting me hooked on these tasty, doughy dumplings in the first place - Enver's made my favorite plate of them to date. Complex and comforting... if you're ever puzzled as to what to do with brussels sprouts, may I recommend this?

The tarte tatin rounded out The Bauer Kitchen's menu. Sweet with a great mixture of cinnamon and vanilla bean from the ice cream, this dessert was all about tastes and textures, from the caramelized pastry to the smooth ice cream. We judges were in accord that the apples were "just right" in texture.

Baked, smoked ricotta ravioli may sound like an odd choice for dessert, but teetering over and served with a maple pecan and fresh apple hash, the smoky flavour of the ricotta played off of the sweet maple ridiculously well. It may have broken my brain in the first couple of bites, but this was my other favorite of the night.

And now (understandably) I'm off to find some food. Writing this post has definitely whetted my appetite!

Gastronavigation: Caffeination

...I've been a lazy blogger as of late, but am looking to change that.

Starting off easy, with photos taken while wandering through the various (awesome) independent coffee stores that KW has to offer.

Cafe Pyrus is relatively new to the coffee scene, but they definitely look like they know what they're doing. While the armchairs and couches look like they got lost on the way to being part of a John Hughes set, they are also ridiculously comfortable (and ideally positioned to soak up afternoon sun while sipping on a perfectly lemony iced tea - not too sweet! I, sadly, did not take a picture of it.) I liked the nifty lime, pomegranate, and jasmine plants on the windowsill (you can just see some tiny limes!)

Sammich [sic] is one of the few misspellings that my recalcitrant English-major side will let slide. The funky monocled pear and sly sense of humour used throughout Cafe Pyrus' vegan menu is fun as well.

I loved the open baskets of beans at Kitchener's Matter of Taste from the first moment I walked in. There's just something beautifully sensual about it (and yes, I restrained myself from poking at the beans. But only barely, and out of consideration for fellow coffee enthusiasts.)

The ensemble of Bourbon Street vanilla rooibos tea and cheese croissant for me, and Americano and blueberry-oatmeal (?) muffin for M. All yummy. One day, I should really ask who does their architectural-meets-graffiti-overlay artwork that hangs on Matter of Taste's walls. There's one with lots of reds and an old brick building that I covet quite considerably!

I (finally!) stopped back at Cafe O for an espresso-based beverage... and found their latte delicious and a perfect afternoon pick-me-up (the prettily-swirled soft foam was a visual bonus.) Sadly, they were out of those epic almond croissants... another time!

Where have you been wandering? Is there anywhere I should send my feet towards?

Review: Watami Sushi & Sake Bar

There is nothing sadder than having two plates of gorgeous maki arrive at your table and realizing your camera's memory card is still tucked into your laptop. As it is, I'll do my best to paint a mental picture of the sushi artistry that Watami creates.

After enjoying the gorgeous dance scenes and creeping madness of Black Swan at the Princess Twin, a friend and I turned our feet down King in search of eats. I'd been eying Watami since "Opening Soon" signs showed up in Charbries' darkened windows, and suggested it as we passed by.

We ducked in, and were shown to a table between the crackling fireplace and a brightly-lit fishtank; both features, along with the artwork, created a comfortable and mildly upscale ambience that hinted at the attention to detail to come with our food. Watami's decorative palette is bold - warm reds, browns, and blacks - but the lighting makes it welcoming, not overwhelming.

The menu is detailed, clear, and honestly massive - particularly as the "a la carte" options include sashimi, sushi, maki, or hand-roll styles (choose one of nineteen varieties of seafood/fish, then choose your prep method). I plan to come back for that, and sit by the chefs and watch them work their magic. It was one of my favorite things to do when I was eating out in Japan, although my absolute favorite chef was the main ramen cook at this tiny diner literally called "Ramen Stand" in my hometown. He never stopped moving, and to this day, I've never found ramen to match his.

Digressions aside, although the Ginger Wasabi roll (fresh salmon with ginger and wasabi) and Kansai Sushi ("fresh fish on top of Kansai style box sushi" - sounding a lot like a blend between Kansai (Osaka-Kyoto region) and Tokyo-style chirashizushi) caught my eye, and we puzzled over the Tex Mex roll (diced tomatoes with fresh tuna and avocado on top of a California roll? Fusion, sometimes you break my brain) - we decided on the Spider Roll and Watami on King.

The rolls offer a lot of selection, but are accessible to most levels of sushi enthusiast; several of the more complex rolls are elaborations on the shrimp tempura (Red/Black/Green Dragons; Ice&Fire) and California rolls (Rainbow/Watami/Tex Mex), and Watami also makes vegetarian and cooked rolls (Teriyaki Chicken or Beef.)

S and I watched the Sushi Lover Boat for Two sail past us, and almost changed our order (huge and gorgeous; come with an appetite) but we were definitely happy with our choices when they arrived.

Great attention was paid to plating; the Spider roll was plated over a spiderweb of sauce, and the cooked soft-shell crab wrapped up in a whirlwind of lettuce, tobiko, and sushi rice was delicious. I particularly liked how two of the crab legs spiked up from the rolls, giving them an extra sense of drama... and more seafood for us to enjoy.

The Watami on King rolls were a tasty multi-bite affair. Definitely not for purists, these California rolls are topped by a seafood salad turned pink by the mixture of mayo and tobiko that keeps it together. I will admit to raising an eyebrow (they reminded me of nothing quite so much as cupcakes in appearance) but restaurants usually don't attach their names to something questionable, so we grinned at each other and dug in. Yum. Like chirashizushi, this dish is a good way for chefs to use fish that might not be shaped perfectly for sashimi, and I caught tastes of salmon, tuna, crabstick, and hamachi as I ate through the salad to get to the California roll (to continue the metaphor, much like eating the icing first!)

We debated ordering a third roll to share, but decided to take a walk to give our stomachs room for dessert. With tax and tip (and tea, which I think was provided at no charge and speedily refilled by our excellent server), our bill was in the mid-twenties; definitely a solid late lunch.

One thing that caught my eye about Watami was that they almost always have a long table for 8-10 people set against the front window, and that this table is almost always full. I'm hoping to organize a dinner that will need that table - I think that it will make for a fun night out, and be a great chance to try a lot of sushi. Maybe by then they will have added umeshu, which is a Japanese plum wine, to their menu; a girl can hope!



Watami Sushi & Sake Bar
15 King Street N
Waterloo ON
ph: 519-747-1100

Review: Lion Brewery

Winter is definitely a key season for comfort food, and after just a few months in K-W, it's looking like schnitzel might become one of mine. To be fair, tonkatsu is more or less its Japanese equivalent, and I lived off of that for a while in Japan...

That said, the Lion Brewery's Schnitzel Parmesan was worth the stop: it's a lot of food, but leftovers are nothing to complain about! The side of applesauce puzzled me momentarily(I get that pork and apple products are commonly served together, but was it a dipping sauce? Mini dessert?) but it was ultimately enjoyed along with the other sides: tart wine sauerkraut and perfectly roasted potatoes. (The seasonal veggies were crisp and fresh, but when presented with this much food, a girl's got to have priorities!)

The schnitzel itself was perched on top of the sides, and topped with halved cherry tomatoes, tomato sauce, and parmesan & mozzarella cheese - yum. Definitely decadent, and happily not fried to a crisp.

Several menu items play off of leonine/safari themes: salads are "from the grassy plains", and the falafel is "ferocious" which led to a grin or two as M and a friend of ours ordered the Predator's Spare Ribs. The ribs were falling off the bones, and covered in a sweet-smoky barbecue sauce; I liked the mashed yams - a simple twist from the usual potato side - and the campfire beans had a hint of something that could have been molasses which made them more memorable.

Our friends ordered the Salmon Machungwa (Google tells me that Machungwa is Swahili for "orange") with braised leeks; it looked delicious and disappeared quickly, as did the Chicken Pub Pie, which was smaller than most offerings I've seen in pubs, but the side of fries or salad makes it a solid meal.

Somewhat blasphemously, none of us tried any of the beer (considering it's a brewery...) but I can vouch for their honey brown lager from past experience.

As an aside, if you're looking this place up and are new to the area, the brewery is in the basement of the Huether Hotel; Cafe 1842 occupies the main floor (mostly serving coffees, bagels, desserts, and ice cream) and Barley Works (fun pub atmosphere with a great summer patio) is on the top floor.

Review: Masala Bay

After hearing about this restaurant for close to a month, I stopped by Masala Bay one evening, and lucked into the dinner buffet. I was pleasantly surprised by how affordable it was, and by the number of what (to a omnivore's eyes) looked like a lot of vegetarian-friendly dishes - definitely try the eggplant masala; the dal (sp?) was also really tasty.

Meativores won't be disappointed, either - the tandoori chicken is spicy and succulent (not overcooked = YAY!) and while the goat curry was bony (as per its nature) it was really well-seasoned. And, mmmmmm, rice pudding. I'm not sure if said dish has a fancier name but it sure was a sweet ending to a tasty meal.

As others have said, the place is small, and it gets busy quickly, so reservations are a good idea if you're not showing up right as it opens for dinner!


Note: This review was first posted on urbanspoon on August 28, 2010.

Review: Margarita's

On a recent trip to Mexico, I had the chance to try foods beyond the typical Tex-Mex offered north of the 49th, and was looking forward to tasting them again at Margarita's.

The patio is much more casual than the inside of the restaurant, and was conspicuously lacking ambient music. Perhaps this was so it wouldn't clash with the mariachi band that others mentioned. If they were playing that Sunday, we patio-dwellers never saw them, which was too bad; it's a fun addition, and I'm a junkie for live music.

First impressions were good - my date and I ordered lime margaritas ($7) which arrived promptly in massive glasses. It was a hot day, so this concoction of ice, lime, and tequila was perfect. Less so the gratis chips and salsa, the latter of which would have benefited from some texture and/or spice. But hey, free food is free food.

After a quick Google search, I can say entree prices are on par with similar food at a chain like Chili's or Montana's; not cheap, but not outrageous. M ordered the chicken enchiladas with mole sauce, and I opted for the enchiladas camarones with pipian sauce (aka mole verde, made of pumpkin seeds - the idea piqued my interest, and turned out to have a mild, savoury flavour. Still, the enchiladas, while tasty, weren't memorable; if we go back, I'd choose a sauce with more flavour contrast). Both dishes came with lots of beans and rice - enough to tame my boyfriend's considerable appetite! My dish also came with yucca "fries" and a small pico de gallo-esque salad, which we enjoyed. Service, while impersonal, was professional.

I'd like to return one day (there is avocado soup and churros to try!), but both of us were feeling ill the day afterwards, so we're avoiding Mexican food for a while.


Note: First published on urbanspoon on September 2, 2010.

Review: Symposium (Waterloo)

Symposium is a good place to curl up in the evening with a dessert and a friend, a date, or a book*.

I was lured in by a "cake tour" - seriously, who refuses an offer like that? - and ended up spending a great summer evening talking over Colossus chocolate cake and their signature Chocolate Brownie cheesecake. Yum.

If you like your chai lattes mild in flavour but with a spiked twist, the amaretto chai is worth a try. It's definitely not as spiced as other chai I've tried, but this makes a tasty after-dinner drink.

*Unfortunately, depending on how busy it gets, some small print on their menu notes that tables may be limited to 45 minutes - I'm not certain if, or how often this happens, though.


Note: The above was first posted on urbanspoon on Sept 2, 2010.

Addenda: I've since been back to Symposium twice; once for cake (the Turtle cheesecake this time around; tasty, but could have been nuttier) and once for a book club meeting, during which I mulled over a Blueberry Tea (delicious, but served with a 2% creamer on the side, which puzzled me. Generous servings of tea and amaretto, though, and reasonably priced.)

Review: The Bauer Kitchen

Two visits in, the Bauer Kitchen has made itself a contender for celebrating special occasions, entertaining family/friends who are visiting, or snagging a glass of wine and people-watching. The servers and hosts are knowledgeable, the atmosphere classy but not pretentious, and the food. Mmm, the food.

There's a mushroom tart appetizer that I'm dreaming about from my first visit, but the fact that my table this time around considered a coup d'etat to steal the Muscovy Duck from its original recipient says something, too. I'd heard great things about the brie-stuffed chicken, and it deserves them (creamy brie, well-seasoned chicken, savoury potatoes and freshly grilled veggies? Simple ingredients, but perfectly executed.) The short rib gnocchi rounded out our entrees, and smelled amazing - but was, sadly, fiercely guarded by my date.

Suggesting a wine pairing in the sidebar for each menu item is a nifty touch, and helped us to navigate the wine list.

As a note - the calamari isn't served in the familiar style (deep-fried rings of delicious golden rubber) and is rather more pan-fried and squid-shaped than expected. But - it was delicious. The cherry tomatoes and capers on the side were a great addition.

Definitely recommended.



Note: This was first posted as a user review on urbanspoon, and is one of five that I'm archiving here. ^^