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.

Lunch in Etobicoke at Big Papa's!!

With a name like Big Papa's what can go wrong? I went for lunch with some friends in Etobicoke. I was in a great mood because when I parked, I found a $50 bill in the parking lot.
The walls of Big Papa's are packed full of memorbilia, mostly Italian. I'd bet that during the World Cup in 06 this place was packed. There's a bar in the back, and an area for a small patio in the front. We sat near the window and benefited from the sun being out during the day.
There are a variety of lunch specials for $10 (including tax) that give you a drink, a soup/salad, and a 1/2 portion of whatever you order. They also have some funny challenges on the menu such as eating huge portions in an hour without being able to get out of your seat. I just had Ziti pasta, which is a cream based pasta with veggies and chicken. They don't really tell you what the veggies are, and I didn't like the ones that they gave me, so I passed them to my friend. The pasta was quite yummy. I also tried my friend's lobster ravioli which was also good.
I also had the homemade tiramisu. I had high expectations because it's homemade from an Italian restaurant, but it didn't quite measure up to my expectations.
Our waitress was very friendly and quick (until when we wanted to get our bill, that took a while). And the meal was fairly well priced.
Not too bad for a place to eat lunch. I don't know if I would go there for dinner though.

For more reviews on Big Papa's Trattoria, see ResToronto Reviews.

Red Lobster in Toronto (... or is that Scarborough?)

We thought that New Years Day we would go out for dinner rather than stay at home and make it (and get a trip to my grandfather's at the same time). We've been to this restaurant a few times before and it's pretty decent. There is usually a line up to get in but yesterday there were no problems, we walked right in.
We were seated behind the bar area (the first time I've been there), and didn't really have much problems with service. My dad got a flat coke for his rum and coke but that was quickly remedied.
I had the dish that had shrimp, crab (my favourite), and lobster. Sometimes servers foret to bring the crab crackers but they remembered this time.
Had coffee to finish off the night and was pleased with the meal and the service!

For more reviews on Red Lobster, go to ResToronto Reviews.

Pre-Concert Dinner Downtown Toronto at The Wokker

My friend and I were heading over to the Billy Talent/Alexisonfire/Moneen concert at The Opera House on Queen Street East and needed some food before we went. The restaurants in the area are pretty sketchy looking and we had to choose between The Wokker, and Dangerous Dan's Diner. Both looked very suspect, but there was no where else to go. We ended up at The Wokker. We figured it was ok since there were about 3 other tables worth of patrons in there, and people getting take out. Power in numbers!
It's a very small place, only about 7 tables and a bar area in the entire restaurant. We were seated quickly and given a much larger menu than expected from such a small place. The seats are gross. You sink into them when you sit down and there are weird stains all over them. All menu items are very cheap. If you order a dinner, you can get a won ton soup for 95 cents! You just can't beat that kind of deal (unless you get food poisoning or something).
I ordered won ton soup, an egg roll, and cantonese chow mein (plus a pop). My friend ordered the egg roll, chicken curry, and a drink as well. The food arrived fairly quickly. I got my soup and egg roll. The soup was yummy, as was the egg roll! And the main courses were fairly tastey as well. Much more food than I could finish. I was offered a doggy bag, but those aren't too good for concerts so I couldn't take it home.
The best part of the meal was the price. All that food for only $14! So there you go, sometimes the sketchy places turn out to be pretty good.

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.

Latest News

First and foremost, we've joined Blogging Chicks! You can check out others like us via the sidebar, or more easily:


Also, in the upcoming days we're going to be starting a Christmas special that looks at restaurants around malls. We are all going to be spending a lot more time at malls in December, so why not treat ourselves to some good food? We deserve better than fast food after all that tough shopping! You can visit ResToronto Reviews which has already started on this and is listing Square One and Eaton Centre so far!

Sketchy Time at Walt's in Hamilton

My friend and I were rushed for dinner on Friday because we were set to attend an event at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Walt's is right across the street from it so we decided to eat there. On the way into the restaurant we were approached by a homeless woman telling us how sexuality is evil, etc etc. Crazy! So we walk into the restaurant and there is no one there to seat us, and not that many people in there to begin with. My friend grabs to menus and we seat ourselves, then she goes up to the bar to tell the bartender that we have seated ourselves. What does he do? He claps at her!! Weird!! The atmosphere is kind of dodgy. The bar probably sees the most action. Once we started ordering food, the service was much better. I had chicken fingers, so there isn't much you can do wrong with those. My friend had a veggie burger that she had to send back because it was so rubbery. We quickly got our bills and left! Definately not a place I would go back to.

There used to be a Walt's out in Mississauga that was a great place to go but it's been replaced by another restaurant. It's unfortunate.

To see more reviews on Walt's in Hamilton, see ResToronto Reviews for Walt's.

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.

Great Italian experience at Rocco's in Oakville

We ventured over to Oakville yesterday and walked up and down the streets there looking at menus for restaurants. Everything was too fancy for my tastes yesterday, but we settled on Rocco's Trattoria. Once inside the restaurant I felt like I was in a trendy Toronto restaurant. The downstairs is a bar and casual eating area while the upstairs is more geared towards people that want to stay and chat over their meal. Everything upstairs is painted a different, lively colour. Rocco's certainly gives off a fun vibe. Additionally, I loved the fact that there was a skylight in the middle of the room because it seemed to brighten things up a bit more.

Our server was attentive and quick (that is, until we had finished our meal). We were given delicious bread with oil and balsamic vinegar to start, a traditional Italian starting. However we were told that if we wanted to order pizzas it would take an additional 15-20 minutes. Unfortunately my mom wanted to order a pizza and decided that she better not (we were on a parking meter). I had chicken fettucini. The sauce was amazing! If only I could duplicate it for my own cooking!

Our waiter sort of disappeared after we were finished so it took us a while to get our bill. Other than the slight problems with the service (nothing too major though), it was a great experience!

For more reviews of Rocco's Trattoria, see ResToronto Reviews for Rocco's Trattoria.

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.

Family Dinner at The Blackhorn Dining Room

Close to my grandfather's house is a little hole in the wall restaurant called The Blackhorn Dining Room. Honestly, if I wasn't brought to this restaurant on my own, I never would have ventured into it because it looked like a dingy place that may not be too safe. I'm glad that I was taken there though, as it really is a gem!

The restaurant is run by a couple, who you see walking around the restaurant talking to the patrons. Our waitress recognized my grandfather, and gave us the same seat as he had eaten at the last time he was there. They are a very friendly staff, and even if they are a tad slow, they make up for it with their friendliness.

You get bread and pickles (delicious pickles, by the way!) as a starter. Then, if you choose a full entree, you get to choose from soup or salad. Their soups seem to be home made and are fantastic! I've had both pasta and steak there, both were great. Cooked just the way they should be.

Their dessert selection isn't that large. I've had the tartufo, which was just as it should be, but unlike any other restaurant.

Really, the main reason to visit this restaurant is for the service and friendly atmosphere.

For more reviews on The Blackhorn Dining Room, see ResToronto Reviews for The Blackhorn Dining Room.