Dukem

For our monthly special 'cultural' dinner, we chose Ethiopian food this month.  I looked through some blog reviews and comments, and decided to try Dukem on Danforth.  The restaurant was small with only 7 tables and we really weren't sure if it was an authentic restaurant. 

We didn't know what to order, so the safest way to go was to opt for a combination dish to try a wider variety.  We chose the Tibs Combinations with Vegetables served with beef.  The quantity of the dish didn't look filling to us at first, but we were very fulled with some of the wraps leftover at the end.  It was a nice and different experience because no utensils were used at all throughout the meal. In our opinion, the meat and the vegetables were overall not too special even though it was cooked in an Ethiopian way. 

We ended with a Traditional Ethopian Coffee Ceremony as well since it is one of the special ceremonies in an Ehtopian restaurant.  For $10, we were provided popcorn and apporximately 6 small cups of coffee.  Both of us drink coffee on a reguarly basis, but are not experts of coffees.  We were not able to taste the difference of it.

Overall, it will be a long while until I will have another Ethopian meal because once is enough for the experience.  However, the food was great at Dukem, a rating of 6/10 will be provided due to my personal opinions in Ethiopian food.

Paese Ristorante

Before the TFC vs. LA Galaxy last week, I had dinner at Paese Ristorante on King Street W because I wanted to use the wagjag $25 for $50 food and drinks deal before the voucher expires this month.  We got there around 6pm and the restaurant was still pretty quite.  The atmosphere was quite relaxed and chilled.  We were lucky that we got there early because it was completely full around 6:30.

We decided to share our dishes as we usually do, starting with an Antipasto, the Grilled Octopus ($14).  It was served with potato salad, grilled escarole, mint, lemon, and chili oil.  We were surprised because the portion was tiny, there were only two slices of potatoes and four pieces of octopus.  It tasted really soft and more like fish than octopus, but it was quite different from the way I used to eat octopus.  This is different in a good way :)

For our main dishes, we ordered a pizza and a pasta.  The Prosciutto Bianca ($17) was the pizza we opted for, it was served with prosciutto cotto, arugula, fior di latte and tomato.  The pizza was actually served with prosciutto cotto which is a cooked ham instead of a smokey ham, which we had in mind when we ordered.

The pasta that we ordered was the Veal and Spinach Ravioli ($20).  The ravioli was stuffed wtih veal, pork, and Parmigiano-Reggiano, sage and butter sauce.  The portion was just right but the ravioli was a bit too thick.  It wasn't as tasty as thought to be.

Overall, the meal was satisfying.  Nothing too extraordinary, nor disappointing, so a rating of 7/10 will be given to Paese Ristorante.  

Il Fornello @ Bayview Village

Never been to, but seen and heard of Il Fornello through a few media locations before. On a Sunday girls night out dinner, my two girlfriends and I decided to try it out.  The atmosphere was quiet and relaxing, our waitress and service were excellent.  All of us wanted to try different things on the menu, so we decided to share all our dishes.

We started with the Calamari for appetizer.  We opted for the 'grilled alla puttanesca' served with tomatoes, black olives, capers, lemon, olive oil.  If one likes spicy and sour mixed in a dish, then this will be a perfect appetizer for them.

Next, we decided to get a pasta and a pizza.  We weren't sure what to get so the waitress recommended us  the Penne Capri served with grilled chicken, mushrooms, spinach, cherry tomatoes, white wine garlic and grana padano.  It is one of the lighter pasta on the menu.  It was definitely worth a try because it tasted delicious with quite a few slices of chicken mixed in the pasta.

Last but not least, we opted for the Fichi pizza.  It was served with mascarpone, prosciutto, figs, shaved grana padaneo, honey, and arugula.  This pizza was also recommended by our waitress and I like it very much.  It was a bit sweet and fruity which made it very special.

To.live.my.life was extremely satisfied with the dining experience from Il Fornello, and will recommend and dine there again in the future. A rating of 8.5/10 will be given due to the highly rated food and service qualities. 

Niwatei Japanese Restaurant

Normally I won't buy Groupons for a noodle or a burger place but since Niwatei Japanese Restaurant is so close to where I live, I bought a $10 for $20 coupon.  However, after dining there, I figured I should of bought a few more for nights that I am lazy to cook :p  I made a reservation for Miss J.Lui and myself that night because usually it is a requirement for the usage of a Groupon.  I am glad I did that because the family owned restaurant located at J-Town was packed when we got there at 6:30 until around 8-ish when we left.

Both of us looked through the menu and opted for the $12.80 Ramen Set that comes with appetizer, ramen and dessert.  For appetizer, I ordered the Gyoza and Miss Lui ordered the Steam Rice with Mixed Vegetables.  Nothing too special or bad about them.

For our ramens, both of us went for the Tonkotsu Ramen in pork-bone based noodle soup.  The soup was tasty, it does not taste like it was made with any or too much MSG.

As for dessert, we ordered the 'Dessert of the Day'.  Miss Lui got the Cheese Cake, which was baked with sponge cake instead of cream cheese.  I got the Earl Grey Cake.  The cake was quite special because the earl grey flavor was very strong in the cake and I never had that before.

Overall, dinner was casual and filling.  To.live.my.life gives a rating of 7.5/10 to Niwatei Japanese Restaurant .  We were both very satisfied with our dinner and mentioned that we will return again.   We thought it will be better if they have more variety of ramens because after a few times one might get bored of the same ones.  The pricing is pretty good too (especially with our Groupon :D)

Paramount Fine Foods

From radio commercials, we were introduced to Paramount Fine Foods.  Without any expectations or knowledge about the restaurant, except the fact that it is a Mediterranean restaurant, we decided to give it a try.  When we entered the restaurant, we were completely lost because we didn't know where to start and instructions were not given.  It turned out that we should grab a table first, order our meals and the waiters will bring us our dishes.

For appetizers, we ordered Grape Leaves (Vine leaves stuffed with rice tomato, parsley and fresh mint) and Hummus (Chick pea paste, tahini sauce and virgin olive oil).  The Grape Leaves were a bit too bitter for me but it was interesting to try.  The Hummus was ordered because every table were served with two large pita beard, so we dipped that into our hummus.

We wanted to try different things so we opted for a Manakeesh which is equivalent to a "pizza" and a Shawarma plate to share. The Sausage with Cheese manakeesh that we chose was served with spiced minced beef sausage pinched with cheese.  It had a lot of cheese so it was very tasty.  The crust of it was actually just a pita beard though.  The Chicken and Beef Shawarma was served with 8oz. of mixed grilled chicken and beef Shawarma, garnished with mixed pickles, tomato and lettuce.  The plate was simple and we found it tasted a little similar to Greek style food.

Overall, food was great and service was average. I will definitely go back and try more of their dishes because it is a nice place for some casual dining and it "seemed" quite authentic to me (lol).  To.live.my.life rates a 7.5/10 to Paramount Fine Foods.

NYE @ Bier Markt - Shops at Don Mills

Ever since Bier Markt at Shops at Don Mills was opened, I was tempted to try it out due to the many many types/kinds of beer served and it is interesting how each item on the menu has its own pairing with one or more beer.  My friends and I decided to go for their $99 NYE dinner with four courses for our last meal in 2011.

For appetizers, we ordered the Yukon Potato and Shrimp Bisque.  I enjoyed the soup because it was thick and tasty, and there were actually a few pieces of lobster floating around.  Cider Cured Salmon was the other appetizer we ordered.  This wasn't as appetizing as the bisque because it tasted more health and it was too simple.

The second dish was the Intermezzo served with a slice of grapefruit and crushed ice made with some alcoholic beverage.  It was somewhat unique between the appetizer and the main course.

 For main dishes, the "Belgian Cut" Striploin  was chosen.  The steak was tender and the portion was actually great enormous.  However, the Chilean Sea Bass was petite when compared to the steak.

Last but not least was our desserts.  We tried both the Double Chocolate Fudge Cake and the Lemon Tart.  The lemon tart was actually better because it wasn't as original.  Also, as one can imagine the chocolate cake was way too sweet and fatten.

Just before the countdown, we all got a glass of champagne as well.  Overall, dinner was satisfying and we will be back for the Cheeses Fondue in the future along with the beer pairing suggested.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris was not recommended by one of my coworker when Miss S.Yang and I decided to buy our $20 (along with a $5 discount deal) voucher for $50 worth of food from DealFind.  However, we did not listen since there was a Holiday Three-Course Lunch that attracted us at Ruth's Chris.  Upon our arrival, we were surprised that the restaurant was actually in the basement, hence the atmosphere was very romantic and the lighting was very dim.

For starter, Miss Yang ordered the Lobster Bisque.  The lobster bisque was probably the best choice offered as a starter, however I chose the Steak House Salad, served with iceberg lettuce, Spinach and Spring Mix with Cherry tomatoes Garlic croutons and red onions.  I just wanted to keep it light since I know I will be consuming lots more calories and fat later on in the meal.

Both of us selected the 6 oz. Filet & Frites served with Shoestring potatoes for our Entrees.  Along with that we shared our sides:  Sauteed Mushrooms and Creamed Spinach.   The steak was very tender and juicy.  It was worth the money even if it was for regular price.  The mushrooms were delicious, however we just thought the spinach was way too creamy which tasted a bit weird.

The favourite part of my meal (maybe not this time), dessert.  I ordered the Chocolate Sin Cake, while Miss.Yang got the New Orleans Style Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce.  Both of us didn't even finish half of it because it was way too sweet and heavy.  The cakes weren't bad though.

Overall, the meal was very satisfying.  We loved Ruth's Chris's environment.  It was nice that the restaurant was very close to where we work.  The food was fantastic since it must have been set for at some standards due to the fact that it is part of a franchise.  Rating of 8/10 will be honoured.