Dining over the long weekend

The long weekend is the perfect time to get out and enjoy life! During the weekend, I ended up visiting three different restaurants. Even though they were all ones I had been to before, I had some new experiences!

I went and had lunch at Viet Thai Restaurant. We have our favourites by now and order the same time every single time we get in there. That includes lemongrass chicken and beef noodles. The service was very quick this time and for 2 people, the total bill was about $30.

I also went for dinner at Baton Rouge. I had forgotten how expensive this place is simply because their portions are way too big for one person. They have a 16oz prime rib, and that's the only size you can order. Once we were seated, we ordered drinks. Then we had about a 10 minute wait between ordering our drinks and getting the server to come back so we could order our meal. Also, this place is really loud so you can hardly hear what your server is saying. The food is good, but just too much, so you have to take things home and get a huge hole in your wallet. For 2 people, the total bill was $80.

Finally, I went for a quick lunch to Boston Pizza. There was only one other group of people in the restaurant when we arrived, which I thought was kind of weird. I usually order their chicken sandwich but thought that maybe I should try something different, so I tried one of their pizzas. The "meateor" pizza was a meat pizza. However, there was a lot of oil and water under the pizza which made it a little soggy. I wasn't impressed and I think the next time I'll stick with the chicken sandwich. For 2 people, the total bill was $30.

New Restaurant in Square One - Lemongrass

A few weeks ago, Lemongrass restaurants expanded their franchise into Square One. The mall has been in dire need for another restaurant, so Lemongrass is a welcome addition.

I went with another individual and we entered the restaurant from the mall entrance. Beware, as there is also an entrance from the outside. Since the two entrances are in completely different places of the restaurant, it can be confusing at times as to who should be seated next.
The decore of the restaurant is very stark. Dark wood, bright yellow, and white are the colours that make up the atmosphere, and it is very modern. Not much to my tastes. Plus there is dance music with thudding beats playing a little too loudly in the background. As this is a Thai restaurant, the dance music didn't seem to fit.

The first encounter we had with our server wasn't too pleasant. He seemed kind of pissed that we wanted to order drinks actually. I just ordered a soda, but the person I was with tried ordering one of their specialty teas only to be told that those aren't offered in this location. Why are they on the menu if you aren't going to serve them?

Speaking of the menu, it is huge! Everyone should be able to find something to eat at Lemongrass (assuming that they HAVE it). There is spicy and not spicy, vegetarian, and stuff full of meat/seafood/chicken/etc. I ordered the lemongrass chicken lunch special. It came with soup and rice. I tried the wonton soup as I love wonton soup, but it tasted kind of funny to me and I couldn't finish it. The lemongrass chicken wasn't what I expected of it. It was served in a red, sweet sauce. Is that lemongrass? I've had lemongrass chicken from other restaurants before and it's not served in any sauce. I wasn't too impressed, but the person I was with enjoyed her noodle dish.

Once we were finished eating, our server suddenly decided to become interested in us making sure we didn't want any more food and we were ready for our bill then bringing it promptly. Perhaps it was the fact that most of the lunch crowd had cleared out by then and he was in a better mood?

Overall, I wasn't all the impressed. They do have an extensive menu though so if I do go back I'll make sure to try something new.

See more reviews see ResToronto Reviews of Lemongrass.

Miga Korean & Japanese BBQ in Mississauga

I went out for lunch with my boyfriend on Saturday. Miga used to be St. Huberts about 2 or 3 years ago and is right beside Happy Court. We got there around 1pm and there was about 5 people in line ahead of us. There was no one at the counter to seat anyone and we had to wait for about 5 minutes for there to even be someone to come up to the front to acknowledge that there were people waiting at the door. We were seated within 10-15 minutes of walking into the restaurant. It's one thing not to be seated when the restaurant is busy, but it is something completely different to not be seated because there is no one to seat you.
Once we were seated, we browsed the fairly extensive menu. There's a good selection of Korean and Japanese food. We settled on 2 lunch specials and some beef dumplings. The dumplings were pretty good, and they didn't take long to arrive. We had the LA style beef and some pork. Both were tastey. Although I admit that I thought we were going to get to barbeque on the grill. I guess the lunch specials are pre-cooked.
Once we finished our lunch, we had to wait about 10-15 minutes to get the attention of someone in the restaurant to come give us our bill (forget about trying to get your plates cleared away). The bill was brought back to us, and the price was ok. About $20 per person for a fair amount of food (you get salad, soup, sides, and an orange with your meal). But once we had left our credit card there, it took another 10 or so minutes to get them to come pick it up!!! The service was just appaling in terms of waiting for someone to come serve you.
Good food, not great service.

For more reviews on Miga, see ResToronto Reviews.

Lunch at Wangs Kitchen in Mississauga

I got a review on the site for this a while ago and had never even heard of the place even though I drive by the area frequently. Yesterday, I decided to figure out where it was and try it! Wangs Kitchen is a mix of Chinese and Indian food. I would say they specialize in spicy food. Their prices are very good for the quantity of food that you get.
There are only about 6 tables in this restaurant. I'm not too sure how busy things can get but takeout is always an option. There is a lunch menu where you can order a main dish and three sides. I'm not much of a fan of spicy food, but most of the items on their menu are spicy. I think I went for one of the least spicy items - the sweet and sour chicken - and even that had a bit of a kick! First, the soup and the spring rolls were brought out (2 of the 3 items that we chose). The spring roll was yummy, and the soup was a bit too goopey for me. Too much cornstartch. After that the main dish came out. I also had a side of rice, which was tasty. Overall, the food is pretty good. The space is a bit cramped though. The servers are very attentive and want to make sure that you have what you want!

For more reviews of Wangs Kitchen, check out ResToronto Reviews.

Happy Court in Mississauga - again!

We wanted a simple dinner last night. We've been so busy with the holiday season we just wanted something simple. So we went to the local Chinese buffet joint. For anyone looking for a place to eat during Christmas day - HAPPY COURT IS OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY!
Anyways, the buffet, as usual, was fairly good. It's not the best chinese food you're going to find, but it's good enough for a local place. It wasn't that full, perhaps because everyone is out for the holiday season. I wasn't that hungry but I really enjoy their won ton soup so I had a cup of that. They have an ok selection of Chinese and "Canadian" food. I like their sweet and sour pork and their egg rolls. They also have take out for anything on the buffet so for those that want to take out here, that's a good option.
For more reviews on Happy Court, see ResToronto Reviews for Happy Court.

Springrolls at Erin Mills Town Centre

Recently in the mail we received a brochure for the new restaurant at Erin Mills town Centre, Springrolls. I've heard plenty of great things from the downtown restaurants from this chain (specifically the Springrolls on Dundas), so I was excited to go try it.

The restaurant is located in what I think used to be a loading dock. It's weird because the only entrance to the restaurant is from the outside (you can't get at it from inside of the mall). It's a fairly small spot - although it does have a big area for patio space in nicer weather. The bar area is what you first see when you walk in, and it's pretty nice. We were told it was going to be a 10 minute wait, so we waited in the bar area and were asked if we wanted anything to drink.

10 minutes later, we were seated in a very small eating area. I was surprised at how small this place is! And because of it's small size, the tables are all very close and you can hear everything that your neighbours are saying.

The menu is quite large and there are a lot of options. Most of them are spicy, and not being a fan of spicey food that limited my selections a fair amount. I ended up chosing a rice dish, and my mom had a chow mein. They were both beautifully presented. Mine was a pyramid, which was pretty neat, however it was mostly rice and not as much shrimp or bbq pork. My mom's was better.

The service is average. They served us well up until when we had finished our meal then it took us a while to get the bill. I don't know why, but that seems to be happening more and more in restaurants these days.

Given the choice, I'd probably go to the Viet Thai Restaurant just down the street.

For more reviews, see Springrolls ResToronto Reviews.

Emerald Chinese Restaurant - Dim Sum in Mississauga

I went out last week for dim sum - the day when it was raining like crazy - with my mom. We usually don't head out for lunch until about 1pm, but we went out early this time, and thank goodness we did. We went to Emerald Chinese Restaurant north east of Square One in Mississauga, and only about 15-20 minutes after we walked in, the place was full! We were seated very quickly and the food arrived right away. The place doesn't look the cleanest, but I tried to put that out of my mind. It's essentially a huge dining room, with a bar on one side, and all the tables on another.

I did notice, however, that we were seated in the Non-Asian section! Is this because the servers would know they have to speak English instead of Cantonese or Mandarin to us? I didn't get it. Why couldn't we go sit with the Asian people?

As for the servers themselves, you have to make sure you stop them to tell you what the food is. Not all of them are English speaking so it's a little difficult. But if it looks yummy, we snatched it!

Anyways, there was a great selection of food brought out. I tried some things I don't even really know what they were called! Some weren't to my tastes, but it was interesting to try new things. I think my favourites were the shrimp dumplings. Those were awesome. They had pork short ribs and spring rolls which were also very tasty. If you like any type of authentic Chinese food, you should like this place. It was pretty reasonably prices as well.

I would go back, as soon as my belt line recovers!!

For more reviews on Emerald Chinese Restaurant, see ResToronto Reviews for Emerald Chinese Restaurant.

Christmas Shopping Dining- Restaurants near Square One, Mississauga

It's that time of year again! Unless you're a complete internet shopper (and some people are), you'll be spending some time at a mall in December. Chances are, you could be there for a while! So why not treat yourself to a meal while you're out. And no, I'm not talking about fast food! You want to eat at a real restaurant!

I'll start with Square One, since this is mall I know best of all.

Currently, there are only two restaurants in the mall. If you're going to stick inside the mall, I suggest Moxie's over Johnny Rockets.

Moxie's Classic Grill - good food, but it can have very slow service. Be prepared to wait to get in and to wait once you're in there.
Johnny Rockets - read the reviews for yourself. This is just a burger joint. If you want a burger, save yourself the time, hassle, and money and go to the fast food court!

There are also quite a few restaurants across from the mall (pretty much on every side). Of all those, I suggest Canyon Creek.

Canyon Creek - I love their prime rib sandwich! So good! This tends to draw a business crowd, but it doesn't mean you aren't welcome, and there's a bar for you to eat at if your wish.
Jack Astor's - this is always the safe bet. A wide selection of foods, ok service. Nothing special, but nothing will go wrong.
Alice Fazooli's - go here if you want Italian food. It's ok, but nothing fantastic.
On the Curve - honestly I'm not sure if these guys are open for lunch, but they are for dinner. It's a bit more an aquired taste required for this restaurant.
Ruth's Chris - I'm pretty certain this is a dinner only place. It requires deep wallets to go here (if you go, call me up and invite me!). The steaks are melt in your mouth.
Failte Irish Pub - I've only been here for drinks late on a Friday night, so again, not too sure if they are open. Great atmosphere for drinks though.

Then there are the restaurants that are slightly further away, but still close enough to walk to (or preferably to drive).

Alioli Restaurant - an Italian place in an office building a little ways off.
The Enfield Fox - another pub
The Host - an Indian restaurant across the street from Wal-Mart (I believe)
The Mustard Grill - I've only heard good things about this place so one day I will make it there

There you have it! All the restaurants that I know of near Square One, Mississauga. Look for more restaurant listings of malls soon.

Or, just check out ResToronto Reviews.

Rosewood Bistro in Mississauga

Last week I went out for lunch to the Rosewood Bistro. It was fairly quiet there and we were seated quickly. This has a real bistro feel to it and the atmosphere is quite nice. There are high ceilings (it's 2 stories) and the decorations are nice. The seats look like they are really uncomfortable but they actually aren't that bad. As for the menu, there are quite a few different options. They weren't too expensive, however the first time we tried to order, we were told that one of the menu items was not available. Shouldn't they tell you that while seating you? This is a wine bar as well, so there is quite a good selection of wines. I ordered the chicken cordon blue. I was told that it would take a while to make, so I was patient, and it really did take a while. The food was well presented, but the style wasn't quite for me. It was too fancy. The chicken was served with fancy vegetables. Over all, food wasn't bad. Would I go back? Maybe. It just wasn't my type of place.

To see more reviews, go to ResToronto Reviews for Rosewood Bistro.

Axia in Mississauga, Take 2

Unless I've had a really bad experience, I'm usually willing to get restaurants a second chance. It's not really like this one NEEDED it, as I probably would have gone back anyways. It's just that in the previous visit, the restaurant was a bit... raw I guess is the best way to describe it. Axia had just opened and it was obvious a few kinks needed to be worked out. This time round? Much better!
I brough my boyfriend this time, who is part Korean, and told him to decide what to order for us off the Korean section of the menu. I had some Green Tea, and he had a soda. Delicious tea, but lots of leftover leaves in the bottom (that's been happening to me a lot at home these days too and it drives me nuts!). However, major improvement #1 because last time we went, the tea came after the meal! Since the menu is so large, it took us about 5-10 minutes to figure out what we wanted. Our waiter came back 3 times to ask if we were ready. It didn't bother me, but I think it bothered my boyfriend. Once we had finally decided, we ordered, and our waiter actually asked if we wanted our appetizer with the meal or before hand! Major improvement #2! The mandu dumplings were delicious!! Yum Yum, I'm drooling just thinking about them. Our meals were also brought together - major improvement #3! My boyfriend ordered Bulgogi and I ordered Galbi. They were all brought at the same time, with the sides and the rice! My Galbi was delicious! I tried my boyfriend's Bulgogi, which was good, but no where near as good as my Galbi! Yummy again!
Still, this is an expensive place to eat. Lunch cost us (including tip) $45. Steep price! I think they should lower the price of the appetizers, because they're just as pricey as the main courses, so it's like eating for 3 if 2 people share an appetizer. They've done well in the month or two they've been open!

For more reviews on Axia, see ResToronto Reviews of Axia.

Lunch at Moxies - Square One Mall, Mississauga

My mom and I went for lunch one weekday at Moxies in Square One. We usually have problems getting into this place for dinner, so we don't bother even trying anymore. Lunch isn't too bad, but there can be lineups sometimes. I like the atmosphere there, but the waiters always feel pretentious, walking around with microphones in their ears like they're working at The Gap!
The menu there is great, there is a lot to choose from, including quite a few Asian-influenced foods. My favourite is probably the chicken burger. I've had the nachos there before too and they are good - made with real cheese rather than Cheese Whiz.
The service is a completely different issue though. It is always SLOW!! Slow to get to you, slow to get your drinks, very slow to get your food, and then slow to get your bill. It's a little pricey here, but overall not too bad. I go back, but only when I'm not in any rush, and when there isn't a lineup.
To read more about Moxies, see Moxies ResToronto Reviews.

A crappy lunch at Lucy's Seafood

I've been to Lucy's Seafood before for dinner, and gave it an overall ranking of 7/10. If I were to review based on my lunch today, it would be much lower.

We didn't have to wait at all for seating, but we were seated in an elevated booth that for some reason was really hard to get into. I had to go wash my hands before eating because we had just come from getting a pumpkin for Halloween, so my hands were dirty. The washroom was dark and not the nicest. I decided to order and appetizer (popcorn shrimp) and a salad. My mom ordered coconut shrimp and the soup. Our food came very quickly (I would give service an 8/10), but boy was I not impressed with *what* came. My popcorn shrimp were plentiful and pretty tasty. The salad on the other hand? Bad lettuce and not enough dressing. Gross!!
My mom's soup was ok, but she was only given 3 coconut shrimp (for a price of $7.50!?). Our bill came out to $32 for lunch. It was ridiculous. I'd probably rate the food I have a 4 or 5/10.

Not a good experience overall. I won't be going back for lunch.

For more Lucy's Seafood reviews, check out ResToronto Reviews Lucy's Seafood reviews.

First time at Boston Pizza in Mississauga

I don't really know what made me decide to go there, but I went to Boston Pizza with my mom a week ago for lunch. The atmosphere there is very... sports bar-ish. There is a lot to choose off the menu, so all appetites can be satisfied here. Side note: Why is this place called Boston Pizza? From my understanding, it is a chain that started in Canada. So why not Toronto Pizza?

Anyways, our server was very attentive. However getting the food was too slow for the type of restaurant, type of food, and number of people in the restaurant at the time. I expected much quicker service in that aspect. I did get a refill on my drink without having to ask for it though, so that was nice.

As for the food, I enjoyed mine. I had a chicken ciabatta sandwich, and the mayo they had on it was delicious! Some type of garlic mayo. Yum. But really, this is nothing I couldn't get elsewhere. I might go back, I might not. It was nothing spectacular.

For more reviews on Boston Pizza Mississauga, check out ResToronto Reviews of Boston Pizza.

Lunch at a new restaurant in Mississauga - Axia

A recent review was given over at ResToronto Reviews by a friend of mine for a new restaurant in Mississauga. It's fairly close to my home so I decided to go yesterday with my mom. It's in a new building and looks pretty cool from the outside. The interior is nice looking as well, and is Asian inspired since the restaurant serves Asian food. I think I was most amazed at the menu however. It was about 15 pages long, and seperated by ethnicity. There were lunch specials, Chinese food, Japanese food (including a couple pages of sushi), Korean, and Viet/Thai. There's also about 2 pages of curry. My mom ordered off the lunch menu (a Bento box that comes with soup and tea), and I ordered off the regular menu (Cantonese chow mein, and a strawberry-banana shake).
The waiter was obviously very new to the job. You could tell he was trying hard, but you could also notice the little things. Like how he didn't realize that he should ask if you wanted something to drink before ordering your whole meal, and that you should bring everyone's food at the same time. He also seemed to forget my mom's soup, and only brought her tea with the bill (the tea was excellent though). Definately not the best service right now, but I can see it improving over time.
The meals were VERY fresh! Some of the freshest shrimp I think I've ever had at a restaurant. I was taken by surprise when there was squid (or at least I think it was squid) in my cantonese chow mein. I'm not an adventurous eater, and I'm sorry but they just don't look appealing at all! I took them off my plate and the rest was delicious!
This place isn't cheap though. For the 2 of us, I think it ended up costing just under $40.

For more reviews, check out Axia ResToronto Reviews.

One of my favourite restaurants - Saucy in Streetsville/Mississauga

My family is repeat eaters at Saucy's in Streetsville. We just can't get enough there (and everytime we go in we convince ourselves we're going to order something other than the usual but only 1/2 the time are we successful).

If you are visiting this place on the weekend, make reservations ahead of time or else you will be sitting in the bar area on stools that aren't too comfortable. Also, if you can, there's a table that's tucked away beside a window and behind the wine rack at the front. It's a great table. Request it if you can! Also, this restaurant is a 19+ restaurant, so don't expect to be able to bring your kids there!

We started off with bruschetta, and once we had finished all the bread (but still had tomatoes left), we were given extra garlic bread at no additional cost. There's always great service here (though I've always wondered why there is never a male waiter?). I ordered my favourite, the chicken linguini, and others ordered pasta, lamb, and a sirloin. All if it was fantastic! And the portions are huge (not something you would expect from a restaurant like this). It's more than enough to take home and fill you up once again for lunch.

I splurged and had a tiramisu for dessert - also very good (but pretty pricey at $10).
My only complaint - their coffee is pretty bad. It's way too strong and bitter.

This is a great place to go to! I go with friends and family.

To see more reviews for Saucy, see ResToronto Reviews for Saucy in Streestville.

Lunch in Buffalo on Thursday, Dinner in Mississauga on Saturday

My mom and I took a trip down to Buffalo, New York on Thursday for some shopping and mailling. In the Wallden Galleria, we decided to try our luck at the restaurant Ruby Tuesday. I'm actually surprised that this restaurant hasn't found its way into Canada given the success of Kelsey's and other similar type restaurants. This place had the fastest service I've had for a long time! I went to the washroom before sitting down, and by the time I had returned, there was already a drink waiting for me at the table. Our waitress was fast throughout the whole meal. There was a lot to choose from on the menu, including a very extensive burger list (I guess burgers are their specialty?).
I had the chicken BLT burger and I was content with it. It was tasty, and of course, arrived very quickly. Before we were even fully finished, our waitress left the bill on our table. Quick quick quick!! Top marks for service at this restaurant!

Then on Saturday, we went to another family favourite, Happy Court. While not the more visually appealing restaurant, it's very consistent. The food is always the same, and so is the service. I enjoy their won-ton soup and that's always my first stop at their buffet. This visit I noticed some new items in their buffet, so it's nice to see them trying new things. Specifically the tiramisu dessert, that was great! I've never paid the bill there so I'm not too sure about its value in proportion to the food.
For more reviews of Happy Court, see ResToronto Reviews for Happy Court.

Birthday Dinner for Mom @ The Keg

The family went out for a birthday dinner at The Keg last night. This place is usually packed on the weekends, but on the weekdays its not too hard to get in. The accoustics in this place suck though, because you can hear the conversation of everyone around you.

We all ordered Prime Rib Classics, and we were told that there might not be enough prime rib left to serve us. How can The Keg possibly run out of prime rib? That should be illegal. Thankfully none of us were kept from that yummy prime rib. You can always count on good food at The Keg, but you do have to pay for it. However, you'll never leave without being completely full!

The service was ok. And we managed to grab some extra chocolate mints on the way out. I love those things!

For more reviews of The Keg, see The Keg in Mississauga ResToronto Reviews.

Friday Night Blahs - Dinner at Swiss Chalet

Unlike most other residents of Mississauga/Toronto, I had no plans to visit the cottage on the long weekend of the Civic Holiday. By about 7pm, there was hardly anyone left in town! We didn't want to cook dinner so we headed over to the local Swiss Chalet. We can't get enough of their chicken!

When the parking lot is close to empty, take this as a sign that there is no one in the restaurant! I think there may have been about 5 other families in the restaurant in total. And just a note for those with young ones, this Swiss Chalet location has a kids area for you children to play!

I got my favourite, the double leg dinner, which was great as always. I think our waitress was fairly new, as she seemed to forget about us once dinner was brought out. We had to signal to her to get us refills.

This restaurant is by no means an up scale restaurant, but for family dining it serves its purpose.

For more reviews of this Swiss Chalet, see ResToronto Reviews for Swiss Chalet on Leanne Road.

Dinner on the warmest day of the year - Baton Rouge

By the time I got home from work, I was too warm to do anything. I decided to head out for dinner up to Hart Land in Mississauga to a somewhat new restaurant up there called Baton Rouge. I had been to the Baton Rouge at Eaton Center and wasn't too impressed, but I thought I would give this one a try with an open mind.

The biggest downfall to this restaurant is its prices. For the atmosphere, services, and food it provides, it is way too pricey. A steak runs upwards of $25 and the prime rib is over $27. I am a prime rib fan though, so despite the price I decided to try it out. It was delicious, and the portion was way too big to finish in one serving. It would be better for my wallet if they reduced the portion sizes, and hence the prices. That would give this restaurant the extra edge and probably kick it up a rating or two in my book.

Our waitress was ok. There really wasn't much to complain about with her. The acoustics in the place were weird though. The ceilings are high, which I think carries the sound weirdly and at times I had trouble hearing my waitress. Also, the booths are slightly elevated, which makes you feel like you're peering down into other tables around you.

Given the high prices, I expected a mint after my dinner. Maybe I've just been spoiled with good restaurants recently.

Overall, a good meal, but too pricey.

For more reviews on Baton Rouge in Mississauga, visit ResToronto Reviews for Baton Rouge.

Sunday Lunch at Shopsy's in Mississauga

My mom and I decided to go out for lunch today. Someone had recently left a review for Bobby's Hideaway in Streetsville, so we decided to try it out. I haven't been there since they remodelled their restaurant, so around 12:45 we took off. When we arrived, the parking lot was completely full! There was not one parking spot to be hard. That should be a testament to their food/service!

We passed a bunch of other restaurants heading north but most of them were closed. We eventually found ourselves north of the 401 on Erin Mills Parkway, in an industrial section of town. There was a new mall built there and it has about 4 restaurants. Shopsy's is where we ended up. Being an industrial section of town, there weren't many people in the restaurant. This ment that we were seated quickly, and our server was attentive. I ordered a club sandwich, which although it was a little dry, was just what I expected. Their fries weren't the best fries in the world, but they were ok. We also tried the onion rings, which were better than the fries. The food is a little overpriced, but I expect that from Shopsy's. As for the atmosphere, it was kind of sterile, but it as clean.

For more reviews, see ResToronto Reviews for Shopsy's in Mississauga.