4/19/2023

• ROTD 10/20/2023

I've been here twice and have brought friends to try this place out, and no complaints!

I've been passing by this restaurant for years and finally got to try it. I've tried the beef tartare, the escargot, braised beef rib, and both steaks.

Everything was so tasty and perfectly cooked. The 8oz steak was so tender and full of flavour, probably one of the best steaks I've had to date. The sauces that accompanied the dishes was rich and flavourful.  I can't wait to come back and try more dishes.

I highly recommend passing by earlier to put your name down on the wait list as they don't take reservations and the restaurant is very small. I've only sat at the front end of the restaurant but have seen that they have a bit more seating at the back. If you don't mind waiting they have 2 tables and chairs outside under a heater for those who want to wait outside, why not grab a drink?

Service is friendly and wonderful and we never felt rushed. I definitely want to bring my boyfriend here to try the food.

4/19/2023

• ROTD 10/19/2023

One of my favourite pizza joint in Toronto! What makes this place unique is their garlic oil that you can brush onto your pizza slices to enhance the flavor. I absolutely love garlic so this is a game changer and I don't know any other pizza joints that serve this garlic oil. The garlic oil also comes on top of their margarita pizzas too. Their pizza is thin crust, also my favourite type of pizza crust! Crispy and not too doughy with a nice cheesy layer. Currently, the price per slice is $4.50 if paid by cash and it can be cut in half to make two slices - honestly the slices are so big, when the one slice is cut it appears like you're getting two slices for the price. The small pizza is also at a good price point for $12 (comes with 4 big slices).

They also serve pasta and other food menu items here but I've never tried them before. The place is always super busy on the weekend when we come by with line ups out the door. They also do free delivery but it can take up to an hour or longer because they only have one main delivery person. It is a small family owned business with limited workers making the pizza and taking orders. If they are overloaded with orders, they may not pick up the phone! If they do pick up, I highly recommend placing an order in advance if you want to come for pick up. I've come here on a Saturday and they're consistently running out of pizza on the display case because once it had come out of the oven, they're so busy that it runs out quick!

The interior could use a bit of work with renovations and they are so busy that they probably could use another staff member to help out. But other than that, amazing pizza!

5/22/2023

• ROTD 10/18/2023

Came here for Mother's Day brunch and it doesn't disappoint. Food is great, service is great and love the ambience plus the baked goods are the bomb!

7/4/2023

• ROTD 10/17/2023

The legendary Hashimoto restaurant certainly lives up to its reputation.

The curated kaiseki experience is fantastic and certainly lives up to the standards I've observed in Kyoto/Osaka/Tokyo.  Master chef Hashimoto is fantastic with excellent attention to detail and wonderfully beautiful and complex plate presentations.

Kei Hashimoto takes wonderful care of you and provides a phenomenal tea ceremony experience if you are fortunate enough to schedule one.  

Will definitely be back. One of the best restaurants in Canada!

8/31/2023

• ROTD 10/16/2023

The atmosphere is great. We sat on the rooftop balcony. This is a great meet up for dinner, friends and celebrations. The music is a little loud for easy conversation.  But the urban music was great! They were playing a good mash up of popular hits. Our waiter was so pleasant, and helpful. We had plenty of drinks. The Bellini was a popular choice if you like sweet drinks. As for food; the tacos were a favorite amongst our table. I found the tacos to be over battered, but that's a personal preference. The hot fried chicken and vegetarian sushi was good, the steak was great. (These are all comments made by those that ordered.) And my kids like their burgers. The fries were a little over cooked for their liking.

I think if the food was amazing it would have been better.

4/23/2023

• ROTD 10/15/2023

"When is Aunty Mary's coming back?" Is something I always asked myself on weekend's off, when I was too lazy to make my own breakfast.

But low and behold, Kebab Kountry had eventually taken over. Not that I'm complaining either! But I do wish the friendly Korean family that owned Aunty Mary's well.

I had gone to Kebab Kountry a few months back, I can't seem to recall when specifically, but I do remember there was still snow on the ground. And more importantly how Kebab Kountry wasn't exactly a warm haven from the bitter cold either. It was dead freezing in there.

The hubby had ordered the mixed doner, while I got the beef shish. For my dish, I wouldn't order it again. Probably wouldn't order beef again if I'm being honest. It wasn't tender in the least, BUT, the flavour was really there. The same could be said about the hubby's dish.

We also ordered the mozzarella pide, which was made fresh to order and it was divine! And this is coming from a person that doesn't enjoy cheese too much.

A few complaints, they could be a bit more generous with the rice, as very little was given to the amount of meat, which was both a pro and con. I don't know if it because it was bone chillingly freezing in there, but the the food was cold by the time it got to our table. Well ... Not 'cold', but below warm to say the least.

What's really saving this 4 star review from being originally a 3 star review was the amazing dessert, which I'm so sorry, can't remember the name of it to save my life. Even looking at the menu, there seems to be two other desserts on the menu that look really similar.

The complimentary Turkish tea that came with the desserts was absolutely pleasant to have as well during the cold and with a sugary treat.

I live in the area so will be checking this place out again, but maybe opt for the chicken, as I'm not the biggest fan of lamb.

But I for sure will be picking up another delicious treat of their fresh Turkish desserts!

Also another plus. I'm so glad the owners of Kebab Kountry got rid of the old cigarette smell that lingered and stuck to the walls, back when this place used to be Auntry Mary's. It was so unappetizing to dine in with that horrible smell. I have no idea how they did it, but it's a much more comfortable experience to eat in this establishment now.

Parking is abundant in this huge plaza that houses a Giant Tiger.
Paid in cash.

4/24/2023

• ROTD 10/14/2023

Be prepared to wait on the weekends, especially dinner as this spot (and their new location) is very busy. If the restaurant is full, there is a waiting list where you put your number and number of guests. However, you will have to walk in to put the name yourself as the servers won't do it for you. We came around 6:30pm on Saturday, and for a table of two, and only waited around 15-20mins before they called us back.

Their menu offers a variety of hotpot combos, as well as claypot rices, Chinese dishes and much more. As their hotpot is commonly ordered, we opted to try the Chicken & Herb Hot Pot Combo which included a choice of either Beef/Lamb Slices, choice of Beef/Lamb balls, and vegetables. For the two of us, the amount was a lot as we were both getting very full! However, if you don't have enough, you can always add additional items (for a cost). The beef balls were my favourite as you could tell it's freshly made in house! Usually frozen beef balls are brown, and tough, however these were red, and very soft! Honestly If my stomach would allow it, I would've wanted to order another plate

IG: Ayenomz

8/8/2023

• ROTD 10/13/2023
• First to Review

After a long workday, I recently dined at Uliva Restaurant and was pleasantly surprised by the experience. The rice dish I ordered was perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor, complemented by tender and well-seasoned chicken. Crispy fries and a fresh salad added to the satisfying meal. The inviting atmosphere and friendly service, from the owner and waitress, created a comfortable dining environment. With ample parking available, it's puzzling why the restaurant isn't more crowded, given its high-quality food, welcoming ambiance, and attentive staff. Uliva Restaurant is undoubtedly a hidden gem that deserves more attention for its excellent dining experience.

8/25/2023

• ROTD 10/12/2023

A solid and genuine place.

I found this place in my search for XLB in GTA. (I am a XLB enthusiast!)
I have seen many XLB places that closed down during pandemic in the Chinatown. So, when I learned that this new, well reputed place has XLB (matcha XLB) in their menu, I was very excited.  

I ordered take-out around lunch time, through their website. The first online order is 10% off now.

Ordered (pick up):
- Foie Gras,Caviar,Shrimp&Pork Dumpling (Siu Mai) 4PS $9.80
- Jumbo Shrimp Dumpling (Har Gow)(4pcs) $9.50
- Matcha Soup Dumplings/XLB (5pcs) $9

First, XLB. I LOVED the flavor/taste of the filling. Well rounded, balanced - with appropriate saltiness, natural sweetness, and fat. The wrapper was a bit thick for the small amount of filling / soup. Each XLB was very small. Matcha flavor was very subtle.

The Har Gow was generously big. The wrapper had good thickness and chewiness. The texture of the filling  - I felt more "pasty" than "plumpy" but juicy, not mushy at all.  

The Siu Mai was probably the best one I had before. Sue Feng's Sui Mai integrates these expensive-add-on items (Foie Gras, Caviar) with the regular Siu Mai items (Pork & Shrimp) very well. Actually, I had those "upscale" Siu Mai elsewhere (some well-known upscale Dim Sum restaurants) before, but those places just put expensive items on top of regular Siu Mai, that is it, with no effort to "integrate" the each ingredient's flavor, and charge more (insulting!) than Sue Feng. Compared to them, I felt that Sue Feng is making genuine efforts - in terms of the presentation, recipe creation and affordability for customers.

My overall impression was, each item (that I ordered today) was carefully made and genuine.

This place is only a few blocks away from the Chinatown (College X Spadina) but has a very different neighbourhood vibes. I want to come back for eat-in next time, to have a quieter and stylish dim sum experience. A bit pricy than Chinatown counterparts but worth a visit.

5/16/2023

• ROTD 10/11/2023

Definitely a hidden gem for authentic Korean food.
This is the place for marinated Korean crab (Ganjang Gejang) in Toronto. I always order the crab in their house special soy sauce. The place is run by a warm and welcoming Korean family, and their food comes in great portions.
Besides the Ganjang Gejang, I will also recommend their tofu soup which goes well with the cold crab dish.