Maple Yip Seafood Restaurant

4227 Sheppard Avenue East
Scarborough, Ontario, M1S 5H5
(416) 297-1438

Google Map

Date: August 28, 2006
What's on the menu: traditional Chinese food
Atmosphere: family restaurant
Cost: Dinner for 9, $150




Approval Rating:

Perigee

55 Mill St.
Distillery District, Cannery Building, 2nd Floor
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 364-1397

http://perigeerestaurant.com/
Google Map

Date: August 26, 2006
What's on the menu: blind tasting menu's (5, 6 or 7)
Drinks: Wine list (glass, 1/2 bottle, bottles), cocktails (non-alcoholic available), wine pairings with meal
Atmosphere: relaxed, comfortable upscale (if that makes any sense)
Cost: 5 course - $95 (wine pairing $50), 6 course - $115 (wine pairing $60), 7 course - $125 (wine pairing $70)




Approval Rating:

Laide

138 Adelaide St E
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 850-2726

http://www.laide.ca/
Google Map

Date: August 25, 2006
What's on the menu: Tapas menu
Drinks: Full bar list
Atmosphere: cool, cozy and casual
Cost: $30/person, but depends on how much you drink


After an evening of watching street performers at the Toronto Buskerfest (including an incredibly amazing Fire in the Sky show), CFO and I were looking for a little late night snack. With few choices this side of Yonge, our hopes of decent food fell on Laide. Located on its namesake street (Adelaide), just west of Jarvis, is the inconspicuous, erotic themed lounge.

Walk into Laide and you'll get why owners, Racquel Youtzy and Sam Gassira, fittingly named the sexy, casual lounge that way. The entrance is adorned with naked figures in suggestively provocative positions, vintage porn movies playing throughout the night... a stripper pole sets the ambience for the evening.


Feeling a little out of place in an unfamiliar venue, we find any empty spot in one of the few booths. Luscious, comfortable couches allow you to slip off your shoes, sit back and relax. Thin curtains add intimacy to your evening. Friendly waitresses come by as you’re seated to take your order. First timers (like us) can ask to see the smallish menu.


The menu consists of a Tapas foods section and a list of stylishly named drinks. Laide’s $25 nightly special (2 mains, 1 dessert) is a perfect way to share a meal and connect with that important person. Still feeling the effects from our meal at Milagro, we decide to limit ourselves to the five-spiced rubbed back ribs ($15). Drinks are a little harder to decide with so many seductively tempting options - Nymphomaniac - spiced rum, peach schnapps & malibu, Deep Throat - frangelico, vanilla vodka & a squirt of cream and the seductively inviting Threesome - a three layer surprise (drinks between $10-15).


Laide's inviting atmosphere keeps the scene diverse - the after work crowd, club goers, people in the area... enticing for all. With such a relaxing atmosphere, its easy to forget that we're here to try the food. Soon after, our ribs arrive on a wooden sushi tray - a bowl of ribs accompanied with a plate of kettle chips. Tableware is asian themed - tacky and unnecessary.


A taste of the ribs.... surprisingly very good. Meat is juicy and tender, there's a peppery taste from the spices, but also sweet from the hoisin sauce. Kettle chips are a bit stale, probably store bought, but helps balances the sweetness of the ribs. A finger bowl is smartly placed with the ribs to help clean sticky hands. We finish our plate quickly, but only to sit back and enjoy the rest of our evening.

Apart from Laide's comforting couches and relaxing atmosphere, there's actually a restaurant worthy menu. With a kitchen open late everynight and savoury food items, midnight diners now have a new venue for a delicious meal. From the looks of it though, most aren't here to try or discover Laide's food and it's too bad.. our small sample will have us coming back again.


Approval Rating:

Milagro

5 Mercer St
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 850-2855

http://www.milagrorestaurant.com/
Google Map

Date: August 25, 2006
What's on the menu: Mexican
Drinks: Wine list, cocktails (including some specialty margarita's, sangria's), good list of tequila's, Beer
Atmosphere: somewhere between casual and swanky
Cost: $150 for 2 (with tax, tip and drinks)


Ask any Torontonian what the one cuisine in the GTA's diverse ethnic culture that lacks depth and they'll tell you authentic Mexican. It's not as if Toronto has a shortage of Mexican places (we, like most cities, have adopted the safe and reliable Tex/Mex types), but true, nachos free Mexican cooking is something nobody dared venturing into, at least successfully. So with the opening of Milagro, two Mexico City born bothers (Arturo and Andrés Anhalt), brings the hope of a different take on what Mexico has to offer.

Reservations in hand, CFO and I, walk into the restaurant expecting your neighbourhood Mexican cantina. Not so with Milagro, it's decidedly more hip and upscale - deep coloured wood floors, tables and chairs, lighting is dimmed for an intimate feel. Make no mistake though, at the heart of it all Milagro is undoubtedly Mexican - the colour of the walls, high arched-pillars and posters of masked wrestlers remind you of that.

We're quickly shown to our table by a pleasant waitress and shown our menus. Browse through the drink list and you'll find a wide-ranging list of cocktails and tequilas. Specialty margaritas, made with Jose Cuervo Gold, include fruit flavors ranging from strawberry and mango to pomegranate. Overwhelmed by the selections, I leave the drink choice up to our waitress. She comes back with an oversized pomegranate margarita ($12.50). Overly sweet margaritas are what we're used to, but this one is done just right - not too sweet, the tartness of the pomegranate is happily present... add in a fair amount of quality tequila and orange liqueur and you have the makings of a good margarita.

Foods are in arranged in familiar categories, botonas, ceviches, ensaladas, sopas, plato fuertes. To start we order, Taquitos Rosarito (lobster tacos- $16) and Pulpos en Escabeche (marinated octopus - $11.50). Entrusting our waitress, for mains we order the suggested Cochinita Pibil (roasted pulled pork - $25) and Pescado Rodrigo (pan-seared fish fillet - $26). Wondering if we've ordered enough for two big eaters, we're told that mains come in sizable portions.

First to arrive is the octopus. On a smallish plate are pieces of octopus marinated in a serrano vinaigrette. Octopus is tender, tastes fresh with lime juice, but noticeably lacking is the heat from the serrano chilies, perhaps it was just a vinaigrette marinade. Arriving at our table a short while later is the lobster tacos. 3 tacos are served with a black bean spread and topped with tender chunks of lobster, on the side is a fairly hot chipotle salsa. Absent are any remnants of Tex/Mex influences (sour cream, cheese). Tacos are a little bland, but the salsa adds a much needed kick. Homemade tortillas are a nice touch. Both dishes are a decent start, but lack the "wow'ness" factor in its flavours.

Early from the start, Milagros service stands out. From our genuinely friendly waitress to swift food runners, we note the emphasis Milagro has placed on providing a complete dining experience. Small touches, such as wiping the table between courses and changing plates and cutlery are not gone unnoticed.

In the glow of the candle lit room, fellow diners are seen softly chatting away. There's a buzz to the room, but still calm enough to carry-on a conversation. Crowd is diverse with young families, stylish couples and groups of friends out for drinks. Mains arrive together, CFO is served the pan-seared fish fillet and I, the pulled pork. The fish fillet is small, CFO wonders where the sides are, but there are none.... they are ordered separately. It eats like the octopus appetizer with fish replacing octopus, ordinary, not something you'd order again. Pulled pork is plated on a banana leaf and served with black bean spread, pickled red onions, sliced plantain and the homemade tortillas. Pulled pork is moist, but the orange-achiote sauce adds little to its taste. A nicely done pickled red onion, spicy from the habenero, is the best part of the dish. Perhaps expecting too much, but portion sizes at Milagro are small, especially given the price and lack of sides with the mains.

We decide to order another appetizer, Queso Fundido (melted cheese - $8 + $1.50 for optional sautéed mushrooms). Not long after ordering, our dish arrives. Melted cheese is served in a bowl, topped with sautéed mushrooms and accompanied with a large tortillas, unfortunately not made out of masa like the smaller taco counterparts. The cheese is thick and stringy, difficult to portion between the tortillas, a quick bite and we're immediately taken aback by how salty it tastes. We're not sure if the dish is supposed to be this way or if this was just a slip of the hand. Either way we're left disappointed.

Dessert menu is one page list of foods and specialty coffees. Our waitress raves about the chocolate truffle cake. Once again trusting her recommendation, Trufa de Chocolate Maya ($7) is ordered along with a traditional Mexican hot chocolate ($3.50), served regular or spicy. Success is had with the chocolate cake - molten chocolate spews from the centre of the cake. Crust of the cake is spongy and moist, absorbing the melted chocolate. A spicy whipped vanilla cream balances the sweetness. Hot chocolate is served in a large Irish coffee glass, rich with chocolate with a touch of spiciness - an excellent way to end the meal. Absolutely full from the meal, we slowly stagger out the restaurant that is now much busier than when we first arrived. It's proximity to the clubbing district probably puts it in the "meal before partying" realm.

Pondering our experience we're left both happy and disappointed - service is rough around the edges (lack of knowledge about dishes), but sincere and well-meaning. Food is average for our tastes, but perhaps it was a case of ordering the wrong dishes. Prices border unreasonable status. We're giving Milagro the benefit of the doubt though - opened less than a month, there are a few kinks that inevitably need to be worked out. Despite our food complaints Milagro is off to the right start, wooing patrons with service, then providing a taste of authentic, upscale Mexico... tastes most of Toronto is yet to be accustomed to. We'll be back if there's some positive feedback, if not for the food, definitely the service.

Approval Rating:

L'Escargot Bistro

3185 Yonge St
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 485-8338

http://www.lescargot.ca/home.html
Google Map

Date: August 19, 2006
What's on the menu: French bistro cuisine
Drinks: Wine list by the glass, 1/2 litre or bottle, Martini's
Atmosphere: Small and quiet, dress is casual to smart casual
Cost: Dinner for 2, under $100 including wine, tax and tip


This dinner began long before we took our first bite of the food. The evening was all about celebrating a friend's birthday and as requested, guests were required to dress as "posh" as possible. Both CFO and I, dressed in matching "posh" gear, found L'Escargot a short walk from our parking spot.

As we walk into the restaurant, we're immediately pointed to the back of the restaurant where the rest of our companions were waiting. L'Escargot is a small restaurant, but it has that comforting feeling you'd expect from a neighbourhood French bistro. The back of the restaurant houses the private dining area, which our friends have booked for the evening. Large metal, almost medieval looking, doors seperate us from the main dining area. The room is spacious enough for 20, but perfect for our group of 14.

We're given a few minutes of chit-chat and catching up before our waiter comes by to take drink orders. I'm tasked the duty of selecting suitable wines for the group, but as I often do, returned the favour to the waiter. An extensive list of international wines by the bottle are available, ranging from $35-200, with most being closer to the $35 side. 2 bottles are quickly found in our budget. A short while later, wine is shown and poured to the table.

On the menu is a small list of classic French items - escargot, French onion soup, bouillabaise, chocolate mousse are among the familiar. L'Escargot offers a nightly 3 course special for $25, which most of the table opts to order. CFO's "table d'hote" includes escargot, grilled salmon and the chocolate mousse. My cravings steer me towards the French onion soup ($7) and a 9oz NY Cut Black Angus Striploin ($23).

The table continued its usual chat clamour, but 10-15 minutes go by and some of our hungry companions start to notice the lack of bread (something every French restaurant should have). Finally 2 large baskets of warm baguettes arrive at our table. Alas, it was worth the wait... crusty warm bread with a chewy center is served with a soft butter. The bread quickly disappears as it is passed around the table.

Not long after, the appetizers arrive. Escargot is the choice for most at the table - served in traditional escargot plates and topped with a bourguignons sauce. The escargot is slightly chewy, but easy enough to eat. Sauce is perfect for dipping the bread with. The French onion soup comes freshly out of the oven. Soup is rich, but a touch too salty. The cheese and bread topping holds nicely with the soup. Both appetizers are comforting, good food.

The lengthy wait between appetizers and mains was bothersome for a hungry few, but when they did arrive, plates came in succession. First to arrive was the grilled salmon served with green beans. Salmon was flakey and moist, but lacking flavour. Accompanying tomato salsa adds freshness to the dish. NY Striploin arrives cooked to your specs, but something does not feel right about this dish. The meat is juiceless and almost cold... not from a choice cow either. Frites on the otherhand were wonderful...crisp and flavourful - condiments need not be added. Some of the best fries in Toronto, but don't ask me, see some of the posters outside L'Escargots windows.

Service at L'Escargot is efficient and friendly. Water pitchers replaced without asking, wine glasses never too empty, bread baskets refilled as needed. Max Ballin, owner, keeps a close eye on our table... never too far away to strike up a conversation, even encouraging us to use our long forgotten French.

Ending our dining adventure was a classic chocolate mousse. The mousse was whipped light, but still creamy and full of chocolate flavour. Good for those not into thick and heavy desserts. Other desserts observed, but not eaten included a crème brûlée and an orange sorbet. Both looked acceptable, but nothing spectacular.

The 3 hour celebration ends with a French inspired happy birthday song and a birthday cake... just in time, before L'Escargot closes and has to kick us out. Reflecting on L'Escargot on a pure food standpoint certainly did not put it at the top of Toronto's French culinary choices, but it's atmosphere and friendly service provided the ideal place for a lively group to celebrate a friend's birthday. Dinner parties are as much about the company of good friends as they are about about the food.

Indecisive diners in the area should give L'Escargot a try - chat up Max and enjoy the inexpensive, simple Parisian fare.


Approval Rating:

CNE

Exhibition Place
210 Princes’ Boulevard
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 393-6300

http://theex.com/index.php
Google Map

Date: August 18, 2006 (CNE runs from Aug 18-Sep 4)
What's on the menu: Fair food, street eats, food pavillion
Drinks: Pop, juice, water, beer available at selected locations
Cost: Most items under $10


The CNE is an annual tradition for many of us - the games, the rides, the shows, but most importantly the food. Whether it's the street vendors selling us deep fried goodies or visiting the food building, The Ex is once a year eating indulgence for a lot of us Toronotians before the summer ends and we prepare for the long winter ahead.

We arrive with much anticipation for what this years Exhibition has in store for us. The crowds are light, but it usually is on the first day with everyone still trying to squeeze as much as they can out of the summer. First stop is the food building, located in it's familiar position by the train/TTC stop. With over 90 vendors featuring traditional and non traditional fare, the food building is the perfect place to start our eating adventure.

Located in each corner of the food building is Maggie's hot dog stand. A staple at the food building for as long as we can remember. What makes specials Maggie's so special isn't the quality or taste of their dogs, rather it's their price. 99 cents jumbo hot dogs, made from 50-60% beef? the dog has a grainy texture, but it's suprisingly tasty. Condiments include the usual suspect - ketchup, mustard, and packaged relish. Wash down your dog with $1 pop, cheapest you'll find anywhere at The Ex.

Also located at each corner of the food building is the other 99 cent special, Primo's spaghetti. Another food stand that's been around for quite some time. Served in a small bowl is a watery spaghetti with a meatless tomato sauce. A dash of parmesan cheese can be added for an extra 39 cents, but at almost half the cost of another bowl, why bother. As for the taste?!? You get what you pay for comes to mind. Don't skip Primo's though, it won't be long before we'll be calling it $2 spaghetti.

With tradition foods out of the way, it was time to find the new stuff. CFO stumbled across a new vendor, Memphis BBQ, which she wanted to try. I had already been to their newish store up in Woodbridge and could attest to their good food. Memphis BBQ serves up some of the city's finest BBQ food. One of the owners is a former owner of The Purple Pig who has teamed up with a former director at Pickle Barrel to create Memphis BBQ. We order their 1/2 rack dinner for $13, which is the same as their restaurant price - a bit of a suprise since higher prices are almost expected at The Ex. Our dinner includes 6 ribs, fries, coleslaw and baked beans. Ribs are the best we've had in Toronto, strong smokey flavour with just the right amount of BBQ sauce. Fries are battered and deep fried crispy. The vinegar based coleslaw is below average, but the smokey baked beans more than makes up for it. Considering some of the prices in the food building Memphis BBQ has one of the better deals - their 1/2 rack dinner could feed 2.

For dessert it's a waffle cone from Swiss International. A small waffle cone is topped with ice cream and a strawberry topping. Average tasting for me, a tradition for many others. Outside we see ice cream waffle sandwiches being made. 2 warm waffles are served with a thick slice of ice cream in between.... it's very good. One word of caution, don't buy from the vendor just outside the food building where the ice cream waffle's are $4, a quick walk around and you'll find every other vendor selling them for $3. With full stomachs we were ready to see some shows and play some carnival games.

After a few hours of walking around, our appetites were starting to grumble again. We find a corn dog stand selling the non-pogo variety. At $4 a pop they're no deal, but they taste great. The hot dog is dipped in a sweet batter and deep fried. The outside is crispy, inside the dog is flavourful (definitely not a 99 cent Maggie dog). This is our favourite of the night.

One of the newer items available at The Ex (probably 4-5 years old) is a deep fried chcoclate bar. A Mars bar is cut into pieces dipped in batter and deep fried. Over the years this item has steadily gone up in price to an almost ridiculous $5 for 6 small pieces of a chocolate bar. The melted chocolate pieces are sinfully delicious, but too expensive... even for The Ex.

Having felt our CNE cravings were satisfied, we were ready to head home. Another year at The Ex, another tasty adventure. Those who haven't created their own CNE traditions should certainly go out and start... with so many good food choices every year, there are endless possibilies. There isn't a better way to end of the summer than at The Ex.


Approval Rating:

Hot & Spicy Food Festival

Harbourfront Centre
235 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 973-4000

http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/wr/festivals/hsff.php
Google Map

Date: August 11, 2006 (Fesitval runs from August 11-13)
What's on the menu: Hot & spicy food samples from around the world
Drinks: Cold beverage tent, pop, water, juice and decent selection of international beers
Cost: free samples, full dinners $8-10


Lost in the hype of the Taste of The Danforth was the litte known event the Hot & Spicy Food Festival. This is where pretenders like CFO and I go to tantalize our taste buds with fiery foods. Located in the always popular Harbourfront Centre, we arrive early on the first day of the event only to be met with a sparse crowd. Unfazed, we continue our walk along the beautiful boardwalk.

Our first stop was the World Café. Inside we find a handful of international food vendors. A quick count finds 3 caribbean food vendors, 1 Chinese booth, 1 Latin booth and 1 Indian vendor. Not exactly the most diverse selections, but the Harbourfront Centre rotates vendors throughout the summer. Popular food choices include jerk meat (chicken, pork), Indian curries, BBQ chicken, Chinese stir-frys and a few others. We decided to skip the Café for now until we found the real fiery foods.

After a brief search, we finally find the Red Hot Market inside a smallish tent. Up a flight of steps and into the tent we're disappointed to find only a few vendors offering up tiny samples of their foods. We tried a tasty, but no so spicy jambalaya, a pad thai lacking any heat, some fiery pepper dips with tortilla chips and a few samples of pepper jellies. In and out of the tent in 5 or so minutes, we're left wondering if this is all the Hot & Spicy Food Festival has to offer?! We decide to walk around the rest of the Centre in search of anything to fill us up.


A quick stroll around the area finds nothing, so we settle for what's in the World Café. We decide on the Latin food vendor and a couple of apps from the caribbean food vendor, Coco Bananas. From the Latin foods we order a bbq chicken dinner served with rice and a salad, a cheese filled empanada and a plantain. The chicken is dry like jerk chicken, but without the taste. Side dishes include a decent salad and rice. The empanada was good - deep fried and crispy, sprinkled with sugar giving it a sweet taste at first, but once you bite in further your mouth is filled with a warm melted cream cheese. Plantain was also good slightly caramelized on the outside and filled with a touch of the same cheese in the empanada.

From Coco Bananas we ordered pressed plantains and acra's. Pressed plantain is well... plantain pressed flat then fried. Tasteless by itself, it comes with a mild hot sauce that adds a bit of flavour. Acra is a black eye bean fritter, deep fried and filled with a bean mixutre almost like a samosa, best described as "meh".

With half filled stomachs we continue to check out the rest of the event. On the main stage is a drum & dance group loudly playing some catchy beats. Surrounding the stage are vendors selling various crafts. Just off to the side we find Churros Ricos Churros, a vendor selling freshly made churros. Our churro is pulled straight from the deep fryer and dusted with powdered sugar. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, sweet with a touch of saltiness... this is the best churro we've had.


To the back of the stage are a few more food vendors. One caribbean vendor has sliced platains on the menu, served cheap at $3 a plate - they're good too.. crispy and sweet. No food festival is ever complete without a roasted corn on the cob vendor. The Hot & Spicy festival is no different - corn is roasted slowly on a barbeque, rubbed with lemon and coated with a spicy mixutre. A relative steal for $2.50 considering other festival prices.

With much disappointment we decide to head home. As we slowly walk along the boardwalk, a street magican catches our eye. Max the magician performs 15 minute street shows to anyone willing to watch. Hilarious tricks (Max is somewhat of a comedian) ranged from guessing cards to pulling a squash out of a hat. Definitely one of the highlights to an otherwise disappointing night

We certianly cannot recommend this festival to anyone. Even novice hot and spicy eaters would be disappointed by the lack of heat. It wasn't just the lack of heat though, there weren't enough vendors or people at the festival. The best food at the event was the churros, which would probably register about -100 on the Scoville heat scale. Don't worry if you missed this event, hot & spicy food lovers, this yearly food festival will probably be back next year and if organizers read this blog posting they might even get the Scoville units pass the beginner level.


Approval Rating:

Hot House Cafe

34 Church St.
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 366-7800
Google Map
http://www.hothousecafe.com/

Date: August 6, 2006
What's on the menu: Italian (pizza, pasta, steaks, sandwiches), Sunday brunch buffet
Drinks: Full bar menu (beer, wine, cocktails), fresh squeezed juices, speciality coffees
Atmosphere: Casual and lively
Cost: $56 (tax, tip and drinks)


What better way to start a beautiful Sunday morning than with a hearty brunch meal. Toronto is filled with viable brunch options, but our restaurant choice this time is close to our afternoon destination, the Sky.... Rogers Centre. Hot House Cafe is a known favourite among locals and tourists alike for quick, casual italian fare. Even more known is their famous Sunday brunch buffet ($17.95), so our morning begins with a little concern for availability of a table at this hot spot (no pun intended).

As we walk closer to Hot House Cafe we're relieved to see empty patio spots. Inside, we're greeted by friendly wait staff who offer us a table inside or outside. We opt for the luxury of air conditioning on this hot day... something we know we won't have when we're at the Rogers Centre.

The cafe is big - the west section slightly elevated overlooking a large bar, the bar itself has space available for lone diners, patio seating is plentiful as they line the windows of the restaurant. Our table is in the back of the restaurant in a room normally reserved for private events. CFO is happy our table is within viewing distance of the buffet.

Without even giving our waitress a chance to take our drink order, we're both up and reviewing our food options. The buffet is divided in stations - "designed by you" omellet station, hot food area, salad section, fruits and raw vegetables platters, pastries & breads, waffles and french toast area.

The omelette station catches our eye - omelettes are made to your liking by the Hot House staff. Toppings include mushrooms, roasted red/green peppers, onions, caramelized onions, bacon slices, italian sausage crumble, sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, feta cheese, cheddar cheese and a few others. Needless to say there are enough choices for even the pickiest eaters. As we go back to our table our waitress is waiting nearby to take our drink orders - 2 coffees ($2/cup unlimited refills). I sample my omelette, it's good, but it can't really be bad if it's filled with everything I like.

Round 2 is reserved for the salads and hot foods. At the salad section there is pasta, potato, 3 bean, thai stir-fry noodle, Greek, baby shrimp, even a spinach salad with a red wine vinaigrette. Sans the stir-fry, everything was good if not spectacular.

Now onto the hot foods.. what was there? Scrambled eggs, sausages, real bacon slices, roasted potatoes, lasagna al forno, cappeletti pasta, rice pilaf, steak and mushroom pie, bbq chicken thighs and drums, chipotle mussels and a stunningly large roast beef. Again everything was solid... only bad item were the mussels which were overcooked and didn't smell too fresh. Some cuts of the roast beef were a little tough, but given the right slice and a touch of extra spicy horseradish it was excellent.

Next up were the pastries, CFO and I aren't big sweet eaters so we limited our choices to a self-made waffle and an over soaked French toast. The waffles were fluffy and topped with your choice of chocolate sauce, maple syrup, whipped cream or a berry topping. French toast was soaked in syrup and topped with an apple and raisin mixture - not so tasty. We also saw a good selection of breads, bagels, cinnamon buns, cookies, an apple crumble and for dessert lovers 5 whole fresh cakes sliced and served as needed.

Health conscious eaters can rejoice, there was a section just for you - A selection of freshly cut fruit, a fruit salad, raw vegetables with dip, poached salmon, olives and fresh cheese. A quick look around and you'll find most groups enjoying fresh squeezed juices. Among the most popular is the Hot House Juice - a blend of strawberry, raspberry, mango, guava and lime juices ($3.95)

As we fill ourselves with all the tasty food we slowly see the cafe fill to capacity. The crowd is quite diverse - large family gatherings, tourists groups, couples and singles. The omlette station has a steady stream of people. A live jazz band plays in the background. Busy is the ony way to describe the staff. The Hot House Cafe is full of life.

After stuffing ourselves for almost 2 hours we finally decided to call it quits while we could still walk. The Hot House Cafe certainly lived up to expectations - great food and a lively crowd, it was a perfect way to start the day. The overall quality of the food was superb even for a buffet. A couple of items were less then stellar, but with so many choices it was easy to forget the bad dishes. Service was efficient as dishes were quickly cleared and coffee cups always filled. Brunch fans should put Hot House Cafe on their "to try list", our only suggestion.. make reservations, just to be safe.

Approval Rating: