In search of Shitakes and other fun ingredients

I was so excited today to go to Chinatown and visit the Kowloon Market. It's not a place I can walk to, but it's the best place to buy shitake mushrooms and that's what I needed for the recipe for dinner tonight - a shitake brown rice pilaf. I love pilafs, and this recipe appealed to me because it used brown BASMATI rice and roasted pecans.

The Chinese grocery stores are a true experience. The aisle signs were all in Chinese, so I had to wander up and down each of the crammed and narrow aisles to find what I was looking for. Some products I recognized (tofu, wonton wraps, noodles). Some I didn't (bugogi). Some I would be reticent to try, even in my most experimental moods (chicken feet, sea cucumber). At the back of the store, whole fresh (I hope) fish packed on ice, presented in blue recycling bins. Even if I had brought my camera with me, which I forgot, I would have felt very self-conscious about snapping pictures. However, it was a highly sensory experience - smells, colors, textures...

I picked up two bags of dried shitake mushrooms (because let's face it, with a three year old and one year old, who knows when I'll be able to get there again), along with some edamame. I also tried to find some items that our family might eat, that wouldn't be found in the "regular" grocery stores.

Part of the reason I did this is because I was inspired by another foodie project to spend $20 at Whole Foods on things that look "interesting, gross or exciting". I wish we had a Whole Foods here, but I know there are plenty of great places to find the same type of things.

So how did the Shitake Brown Rice Pilaf turn out? *sigh* not great. After my successful invention with leftovers, following this rebar recipe didn't yield the success I hoped for. I think the biggest problems were:

1) the amount of liquid (2 cups of hot water reserved from the soaking of the mushrooms) was not enough, or else something happened and it boiled away too quickly. The result was that the rice had that partially-cooked, crunchy texture. I hate that texture. Next time I think I might cook the rice and mushrooms separately from the onions to see if that makes a difference.

2) I used regular fresh mushrooms instead of the additional fresh shitakes it called for. I have only so many stops I can make in the ingredient search when I tote my toddlers, so sometimes I have to substitute for what I have. In this case, I think it took away from the overall dish.

3) One of the leeks I used was quite large, and I wonder if maybe that set the taste balance over to far in the direction of onion, instead of nutty pilaf or mushroom.

So, instead of a photo of the dish I made, I've posted a photo of the fun stuff I bought. Maybe I'll invent a dessert using what I bought instead ;-).



If you want to try the recipe, here it is:

Shitake Brown Rice Pilaf
(from rebar modern food cookbook)

Serves 4 (yes it does)

1 oz dried shitake mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
2 leeks, mostly white and green parts
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz fresh shitake mushrooms
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown basmati rice
1/2 cup pecans, roasted and roughly chopped
4 scallions, minced for garnish

1. Soak the dried mushroms in hot water for at least 30 mins. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid. Finely mince the mushrooms and set aside.

2. Quarter the leek whites lengthwise and chop into 1/2" dice. Place in a colander and run cold water over them to rinse of excess grit. Stem the fresh shitake mushrooms and slice thinly.

3. In a medium sized pot, heat the oil and saute the leeks, garlic and minced soaked shitakes with 1/2 tsp salt until the leeks are soft. Add rice and continue to saute to toast the rice grains. Add 2 cups of the reserved mushroom-soaking liquid, the remaining salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to very low and let the rice steam for 45 minutes. Turn off the head and let the rice sit for an additional 10 minutes. Don't peek!

4. Before serving, heat another tablespoon of oil in the skillet and sear the sliced shitakes until golden (the fresh ones). Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the cooked rice to a serving dish and gently stir in the sauteed mushrooms and roasted pecans. Garnish with scallions and serve hot.

Family Favorites: Buckwheat Cauliflower Bake

Based on: Quinoa Cauliflower Bake in Hollyhock Cooks



I'm going back in time at the moment and posting recipes I love, but am not necessarily cooking today.

My mom bought me the cookbook after we raved about the Oatmeal Bake, a breakfast recipe. In all honesty, "Hollyhock Cooks" is full of delicious tasting food. Most of the recipes use ingredients that are fairly easy to come by as well.

I've been making this recipe for about 7 months now and it has been a real hit with family and friends. In the last week, I've sent this to four different people, on request. It's tasty (especially with the mix of feta and kalamata) and healthy.

The first time I made it, I picked up orange and purple cauliflower to use - and it makes a very pretty looking bake. As soon as the veggies come back at the farmer's market, you can bet I'll take a picture.

This recipe is my adaptation of it. I'm sure other cheese/grain/olive combinations are possible!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 cups diced onion
3 chopped and rinsed leeks
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 coarsely chopped cauliflower head
juice of 1 lemon
*1 tsp+ fresh dill
1 cup pitted and coarsely chopped kalamata olives
*1/4 cup+ chopped fresh parsley
pepper and salt
2 cups crumbled feta
2 cups cooked buckwheat groats or kasha

* the + signs indicate that I sometimes add more, since we like these herbs.

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Make buckwheat. To get what you need, add 1 cup dry grains to 2 cups boiling water.

3. In a large saucepan sautee the onions, leeks and garlic in the oil until
the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower, stir and
cover, allowing the cauliflower to steam for 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients
and stir well.

5. Gently press into a lightly oiled baking dish. I often divide the mixture into two 8x8 pans and freeze one - it works well because one 8x8 serves the three of us with a little left over. If you had a bigger group, use a 9x13 pan.

6. Garnish with paprika, if you like, or leave it plain - the green colour of the parsley and the dill come through. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot.

the great milk debate

There's a debate raging in our household, and we're not sure how to solve it. We drink a lot of milk (probably about 16 litres every 10 days between 3 people). We're concerned about the environment, and we're also increasingly concerned about what hormones and chemicals we ingest. At least my husband and I are. The Lima Bean generally goes along with whatever we decide in that department, as long as the end result is a glass of milk at the table, and a bottle of milk at bedtime.

Four litres of milk cost approximately $5 when it comes in the 3 plastic pouch bags and $8 if we buy it in two x 2L milk cartons. We haven't checked the price on a 4L plastic jug yet. Now, if we shift over to organic milk, the price changes to $8 for 3 plastic pouch bags and then goes up from there.

In Ontario, the cartons and plastic jugs are recyclable, but the plastic bags (the cheapest alternative) are not. We can wash, dry and re-use them, but eventually, they will end up in a landfill.(For all we know, the other options will as well, but I prefer to remain optimistic on that front that they are indeed being recycled). And then there is a bottled milk option where we are....which is probably the best of all options since it is produced locally by what I perceive (but am not entirely sure) is a smaller dairy farm. And I have no idea how much that option costs at all.

So here's our foodie dilemma. How do we remain cost and health conscious, but at the same time environmentally responsible? Should we suck it up and plunk down whatever it costs for the organic milk that has the best recycling possibility? Do we sacrifice the environment, or our health? How much of a danger really is non-organic milk in Ontario?

We're starting to pay more attention now to what we buy, and eat. Our meat is all antibiotic-free and free-range, if it isn't organic, and I do buy organic when I think it makes the most sense. All the jarred foods we buy for the littlest monkey are organic. I like the idea of eating locally, but only if I am sure their practices jive with what I think is responsible (ie no pesticides, no chemicals..)

I find this issue to be such a quagmire, and there is only so much time I can devote to researching it. I will have to do some reasearch. I'll try and publish what I find here, but if anyone out there has any comments or feedback in the meantime, I'd love to hear it....

necessity: the mother of invention

This recipe was submitted to Presto Pasta Nights!

I had a food emergency tonight, and survived. The grocery stores were madhouses yesterday, and I didn't feel like braving the lineups. We had dinner out last night and brunch at my sister's this morning. I'd invited friends over for dinner, knowing full well I had no idea what I was serving.

I took inventory of my fridge and my cupboards. Among other things I found: half a container of ricotta cheese, lots of mozza, 3 sweet potatoes, the remains of a batch of spinach, 3/4 of a box of lasagna noodles, some cream cheese, about half a small container of olive garlic pesto, a zucchini and a yellow pepper. So I did what anyone else in my shoes would do. I made a veggie lasagna.



Our friends, who we have shared many a collaborative Thanksgiving dinner with, supplied a lovely tomato and bocconcini salad dressed with balsamic vinegar along with an olive foccacia. And cheese, and crackers. We supplied the wine and dessert (home made cookies and tea). All in all, wonderful things to go with the lasagna. Or food we could rely on to sustain us if the lasagna didn't work out.

In the end, I didn't have to worry. The lasagna was a complete success, eaten up by everyone including my little ones.

So here's the recipe for the lasagna, with a very boring title. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!

Garlic, Sweet Potato and Spinach Lasagna

Serves 4 average portions in an 8x8 baking dish

Ingredients
1 large zucchini
3 sweet potatoes
small bunch of spinach
1/2 yellow pepper
1 box lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated fine
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup olive garlic pesto

My Preparation

I peeled and boiled the sweet potatoes until they were soft enough to pierce easily with a fork. Slice them into 5 mm slices (fairly thin), They were soft enough that I could mash the slices between my fingers.

I sliced the zucchini widthwise into thin slices. I could just as easily have sliced lengthwise.

I mixed the ricotta and the pesto together in a bowl, and washed the spinach and cut the stems off, leaving only the leaves.

Then I started layering:
Layer 1: zucchini
Layer 2: lasagna noodles
Layer 3: grated mozza cheese
Layer 4: spinach
Layer 5: ricotta/pesto mix
Layer 6: sweet potato slices
Layer 7: lasagna noodles
Layer 8: zucchini
Layer 9: grated mozza cheese

yellow pepper to garnish

I cooked it for 45 minutes at 375 F, covered in foil. At the 45 minute mark, I removed the foil and cooked it for another 10-15 minutes.

Family Favorites: Mixed Frozen Berry Crisp

In addition to being a chocolate fiend, I am also a dessert fiend. This recipe showed up in the April 2008 issue of Today's Parent (the Canadian Edition). For the most part, I like the recipes I find in this magazine. Simple to prepare, using ingredients I have in my kitchen and, because it's a magazine geared towards parents, the recipes are typically kid-friendly. As long as you don't have a picky eater. Which I don't. Yet. But never say never.

Berry desserts of any sort are pretty propular in this house so I knew I'd be pretty safe making this for dinner. The other appeal was that it allowed me to use up the ricotta we have sitting in the fridge. I try my hardest not to let food go bad in our fridge, and ever since I've actually started planning menus and buying to the lists, it's been pretty easy.

The recipe promises a 10 minute prep time and a 40 minute cooking time.

I made a few changes - I left out the sugar in the berry/ricotta base because I figured the berries would be sweet enough (as well as the half a cup of brown sugar in the topping). And I added extra lemon zest.

15 minutes later (I had to work an extra little bit to get the frozen berries out of the bag), the dessert was ready to cook!

Out came the Sicilian Meatballs (yes, we made them again), in went the dessert. I put it in an 8x8 glass dish as the recipe says, but would have preferred to have ramekins for individual portions (as pictured in the magazine). So much prettier and much more classy. It would have photographed better as well.

If a photo is worth 1000 words, here's a 1000 words on how my oldest monkey liked it. No words from the youngest monkey, but maybe there will be the next time I make it for him.



Mixed Frozen Berry Crisp

The recipe says it serves 8, but the way we cut it, it served more like 6. I may not have added enough berries, since I had a 2 kg bag and guessed.

Topping
1/2 cup wholewheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter

Filling
600 g pkg frozen berries
2 tbsp white all-purpose flour
zest of lemon
1 cup light or regular ricotta cheese

*I omitted the 1/4 cup of sugar because I figured it would be sweet enough with the berries and the sugar in the topping. We didn't miss it. If you do add it, it gets mixed in with the lemon zest and then mixed with the berries.

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a small bowl, mix the flour, oats, cinnamon and sugar. Cut cold butter as you would carrots. Slice into sticks, line them up and then dice. Add to flour mixture, and use your fingers to distribute as evenly as possible.

In an 8 in square baking dish or a 10 in diameter deep-dish pie plate, toss together berries and flour. Mix the lemon zest in with the berries.

Insert 1/4 cup dollops of ricotta in four places between the berries (not on top). Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit mixture. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until bubbling.

I got Choc-o-lot in my Pock-o-lot

Like a large majority of people, I love chocolate. My preference is for dark chocolate (though 75% is about my limit - after that it gets too dry)

We've been buying a lot of higher end chocolate bars. By higher end, I mean one that costs more than the basic candy bar which use low grade chocolate (According to Wikipedia, the term is compound chocolate). There are definitely even better chocolates out there (hello Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut) but the is a quick and easy indulgence.

Here's some of the ones we like:

Lindt Excellence Madagscar: a sweet, smooth aftertaste (65% cocoa)
Lindt Creation Cherry Chili: chocolate with a wicked chili pepper jelly fill that kicks (70% cocoa)
Cemoi Noir Quinoa (Organic): chocolate with crunchy quinoa. kind of like a chocolate covered rice krispie square, only healthier (60% cocoa)

Hubby brought this one home today. This purchase was tongue in cheek - a reference to his desire for a man hut all of his own.



Literally, the label is translated as "dark man chocolate Bitter for men", but really, it could be interpreted in so many ways. *wink*

(Note: the title of this post is in reference to a Laurie Berkner song. The Lima Bean is nutso for Laurie. If you have kids and need music you can listen to as well, Laurie's albums are great!)


When I walk I walk a lot
And when I talk I talk a lot
And when I’m not, what do I got?

Choc-o-lot! I got choc-o-lot!
I got choc-o-lot in my pock-o-lot!


...

Food-related songs: Lyle Lovett, Keep it in Your Pantry

Two days before Valentine's Day, my husband took me to see Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt in concert (a real date with no kids!). It was amazing, and when they jammed together it reminded me of my favorite moments of festivals where they have workshops and members of various bands takes turns playing acoustic versions of songs and jamming with each other.

When Lyle Lovett played "Keep it in Your Pantry", I knew I had to add it to this blog somehow. The version below is a little hard to hear, and a little too bluegrass for my taste, but the lyrics still move the foodie in me. Excuse me while I go make some cornbread.

Family Favorites: Sicilian Meatballs

Recipe source: Rachael Ray

With two kids under the age of three, meals at restaurants are rare (hence the fits and starts to this blog). But we are experimenting a lot with food and new recipes, and this recipe has quickly become a family favourite. So in lieu of restaurant reviews, I'm offering a look at the recipes we love to cook.

My husband came across this recipe while at work. He has a TV in his office (for work purposes mind you) and while cruising the channels, he caught a glimpse of Danny DeVito. Being a fan of DD, he stopped to watch (our tax dollars, hard at work ;-)). Danny was showing Rachael Ray his recipe for Sicilian Meatballs.

I'm glad he stopped. These are no ordinary meatballs. The size of baseballs, they include tasty ingredients like currants, parsley and pine nuts. Smother them with crushed tomatoes (in juice) and they are incredibly delicious!

We've made the meatballs many times over the past month, and each time, they've been different (explanation: the list of ingredients seems long. we read it off the computer screen in our kitchen. the kids demand attention. we lose our concentration. voila!)Our key ingredients are pine nuts, currants, and extra parsley. And lots of tomatoes.

The recipe suggests serving a salad and a basil/black pepper/ricotta mix alongside. We tried it once, but it didn't go over so well (both the salad and the ricotta mix). Instead, we serve it with rotini pasta, a family staple.

It's recipes like this that keep me from becoming a complete vegetarian.

Danny Devito's Sicilian Meatballs (our version)

The main differences between the recipe posted here and the one on RR's site is that we dropped the pinch of red pepper flakes (lima bean doesn't like spicy) as well as the salad and ricotta side.

Ingredients
4-5 slices of bread, torn up
3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cans tomatoes (28 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground sirloin
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup currants
1 egg

Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF.

In a small bowl, place torn up bread and pour milk over it; set aside to soak.

Drizzle a good amount of EVOO into a roasting pan, then pour in the two cans of tomatoes and crush them up with your hands or a potato masher. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside while you prepare the meatballs.

In a large bowl, combine ground sirloin, garlic, parsley, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, allspice, red pepper flakes, pine nuts, currants and the egg and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze out excess milk from the soaking bread (it should be loose and in small pieces), add it to the meat mixture and mix everything with your hands to combine.

Form 12 baseball-size balls, each about 2 1/2 inches in diameter, and place them on top of the mashed tomatoes in the roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until the meatballs are brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Food-related songs (okay a band): Blancmange

Yes, I am a child of the 80s. I remember taping the video below off of MuchMusic, the Canadian equivalent to MTV. And for some reason this song has come back in my head, along with the visual of the band members standing on a pile of furniture. I had the strangest urge to see it again. With the VCR cassette long since taped over, or thrown out, I searched and found it on YouTube (whatever did we do before the You came along?). And it fit right in with this blog because Blancmange is a dessert. But I've never actually made it. And I probably won't. It doesn't realy appeal to me at this time.

Sidebar: I always thought the band Blancmange was a one hit wonder, but when I searched the band name, I found many many more songs and a bio that said they had a number of hit albums. Go figure.

the red apron - 571 Gladstone Ave - February 2008

Well, here I am again, making excuses for being away so long. We have 2 kids now. The Bean is almost 3, and the Boo is almost a year old. The past year has been chaos.

But I'm back with a new resolve to try and be more consistent. Especially since in the past year, my appreciation of good food and good restaurants has grown. I've also expanded my culinary skills - new cookbooks, new sources for ingredients and attempts to experiment with a new recipe every week (more on that later).

But first - an entry to highlight a service (as opposed to restaurant) that has enriched many a dinner and made life so much easier for me.

The red apron describe themselves as purveyors of "sophisticated comfort food" and if you sign up for their meal plan, you experience their take on this three nights a week.

Each delivery has a main entree, a vegetable side and often a bread or grain. Ingredients are good quality and sourced as locally as possible. Past menus have included Berkshire pork, seafood chowders, multi-grain pilafs. Portions are adequate for people who eat a lot of food. (Two portions serve my hubby, my toddler son and me with almost nothing left over).

Here's a sample of the upcoming week:

Tuesday
Thai Style Salmon with a Basil Green Curry Sauce
Jasmine Rice with Vermicelli & Lentils
Sauté of Baby Bok Choy & Asian Vegetables


Wednesday
Roasted Chicken in a Tomato White Wine Sauce
Lemon Herbed Spaetzle
Green Beans with Sundried Tomatoes

Thursday
Chili Mustard Glazed Beef Brisket
Roasted Root Vegetables with Sea Salt
Crushed Cauliflower with Leeks & Cream
'Art-is-In' Multi Grain Rolls

Before they moved to their current location, they were a stone's throw (literally) from our house. At first, I resisted the temptation--but when I wanted to do something special for our wedding anniversary 6 weeks after baby #2 was born, I turned to them, and they delivered a special meal, even though I was not an official customer and was not signed up on the meal plan. They even threw in a dessert, not normally part of the regular meal. After that, we were hooked, and I think since then we've averaged one week a month, plus some of their freezer meals.

HIGHLIGHTS (both of these were from the freezer)

Bison Pie: the beef was very tender, as if it had been stewed before it was put in the pie. When I close my eyes, I can still remember the sweet tastes of the wine and berries infused in the gravy, and the finely chopped potatoes and carots that also filled the pie. The crust was flaky and light. I only wish I could do crusts like that. We bought two more after that, but maybe the preparation changed because although flavourful, the meat was just not as tender as the first time.

Lamb Moussaka: For New Year's Eve this year, we invited a family over and each provided part of the meal. I bought a frozen moussaka and served it up that night with a greek salad and couscous, which I made myself. Layers of thinly sliced eggplant, combined with the lamb and a multitude of other vegetables made this an instant hit.

Portion prices (for one week) $102 for 2, $144 for 3, $180 for 4. Always check the list of what they have in their freezer too.

The Pelican Grill, 1500 Bank Street, April 14, 2006

This is the place to go for seafood! I often pick up salmon from the Pelican Fishery (attached to the Grill) and I overheard they would be open for Good Friday. Since we had friends who wanted fish for Friday dinner, we wound up going to the grill.

It's a good thing I called for a reservation, otherwise we never would have gotten in. The service was good - the servers wer every attentive and polite.

And the food was delicious! Best seafood I I have had in a long time. We all remarked that it was the best seafood dinner ever, even despite the fact that one of our group doesn't eat seafood (warning here: there are no main dishes without seafood in them).

I have never seen (or tasted) mussels as fresh or as voluptuous as the ones they served my hubby and his friend. Served in a garlic and white wine sauce, each mussel was plump and juicy. The appetizer could have served as a meal on its own. For my main dish, I ordered the paella. For the first time I have ever seen in a restaurant, it had more seafood in it than anything else. Each bite had at least one piece of squid, or shrimp. There might have also been some scallops included, and I know I got more mussels. Hubby had cedar planked salmon with vegetables. I wish i had tried some.

Even our sweet baby ate more than I have ever seen him eat! One dinner roll, along with a selection of green beans, carrots and broccoli that came from our plates. And this was after he finished his standard half jar of baby food and cereal that he typically eats.

Prices were probably in line with what you would expect to pay for seafood (The paella was $19), but it was certainly worth it. As far as ambiance and comfort goes.. it was a little loud and bright. The layout is such that you can see the bustle of kitchen through one of those pass throug windows. The servers all kind of circle around and back that area, picking up orders, ringing in checks...a casual atmosphere for sure. I felt a little cramped at our table, but again, the quality of the food is high.

Even the crusty buns were fresh and hot, and the butter served with it was already softened, which always makes it much easier to spread.

This will certainly be a place we return to.

Georgetown Pub, Bank Street @ Belmont (formerly the Fergus Inn)

This place has become a bit of a hangout for us since we instituted Pub Fridays. The deal there is that we needed a way to see friends that we almost never see now that we have a baby. And it also means that once a week, I'm guaranteed someone else cooks. It's worked out pretty well, since it's not as crowded as Patty's Pub. Most of the people we go with also have kids. We've even got a favorite table - the one around the corner from the door that has a big table and it's own TV. It's set away from the rest of the restaurant - which is good if baby is fussy, and we have a ton of room for strollers and high chairs.

Some of the things we have learned about this place:
- service can be pretty good, though there is at least one waitress who has screwed up our orders and backtalked our guests.
- The cheese that is extra with the lamb burger is totally not worth ordering.
- Baby loves the sweet potato fries (he's a bit of a sweet potato monster!).
- the Chocolate Pecan Pie is amazing the first time, and then it became too sweet the second time I had it.

I'd definitely pick it as a place to go now over the Arrow and Loon - since the change in management and ownership, the Loon just is not the same homey neighbourhood pub it used to be..

Siam Kitchen, Bank Street - November 6, 2005

I guess we don't get out much anymore. Baby is now almost 6 months old! Hard to believe. He's pretty easy to take out though, so we do try and get out as much as we can. As he gets harder to entertain though - it may become more difficult. We did have to leave quickly around 8:30pm as he was fussy to go to sleep.

Siam Kitchen has always been a favourite of ours - it's quite close to home, so it's easy to walk to. I really like Thai food in general. The quality of the food is generally quite good - though the service can sometimes be a little less than good. Hubby commented that when we order for pickup, the waitress gets kind of snarky.

This time we chose to eat in -- I chose the vegetarian friend rice and Hubby chose the Chef's special with the spicy shrimp. It's artfully served in a pineapple with veggies. My other favourite dish is the shrimp and squid stir fry -- also listed under Chef's Special Suggestions. We started with spring rolls (Vermicelli, rice paper and shrimp) and the chicken satay with peanut sauce. It can be a challenge to eat with a child in arms - fortunately the Siam Kitchen is somewhat kids friendly - there was another family there that night as well.

New year's at Claire de Lune, Byward Market - December 31, 2004/January 1, 2005.
CLOSED

Hubby and I joined a group of friends this year at the Claire de Lune. It will probably be the last New Year's Eve out for a while, so we were totally excited to do it up right with a 7 course meal. We chose CdL over Empire Grill because we knew more people, but I'm not sure we had the better meal - although there were some very good parts.

The reservation was for 8:30 pm. When we got there, there were still people finishing up the previous sitting - and they got kicked out (ouch!) to make way for the later sitting.

Once seated, we started with a little nibbly - it looked like some kind of seafood pate in a vol au vent type pastry cracker.

We then moved into drinks and the first course: Malpèque oysters Rockefeller. In one shell was the oyster (mine was not sliding out nicely) and in the other was some warm melted cheese. That went down rather quickly, so I was glad to see the next course..Small game consommé, served with wild mushroom wontons: savoury, warm and beefy.

We were given a choice of three items for the third course: I chose the Stilton and escargots in a crisp filo tulip. The escargots were tasty - I have a vague memory of when I was a child of finding them weird, but this time they just tasted like mushroms. Which, ironically, was what was served to my veggie friend. Hubby chose the Wild salmon served three ways - smoked, seared and tartare. I don't think I missed a thing, even though I like salmon.

Prior to course #5 (the main course) was the palate cleanser: Champagne and blood orange sorbet. I could taste both the champagne and the blood orange juice, and I really enjoyed it.

The main course was also a choice of three. Not feeling very turned on by pheasant, venison or tuna, I went with the Lobster Thermidor. I ate most of it, but left the parts that I could not identify as white lobster meat (I have a feeling I missed out here).

By that point, it was very close to midnight and we were all feeling very full. It was at that point that course #6 arrived: Heart of Boston lettuce with raspberry vinegar. Not very exciting, much the way that Claire de Lune's approach to ringing in the New Year was very ho-hum.

I was a little disappointed with the way Claire de Lune handled the festivities. Not only was bad music BLARING throughout the dinner (70's-80's pop) but they didn't really give a big heads' up or countdown to New Year. They just flicked off the lights, and then flicked them back on again. Sure they handed out a choice of noisemaker, hat or lei (we paid HOW MUCH for this??), but I think I would have a) timed the dinner service better so that we were done salad a few minutes before midnight and b) made a bigger deal about the event. Isn't that why people go out??

2005 at Claire de Lune redeemed itself with dessert: I chose Double chocolate torte with mint scented crème Anglaise...heaven. Chocolately, but not too sweet. Just the way I like it.

Dancing to the crappy music carried on until 2 am, at which point we came home. Many people were impressed with my ability to be alert and energetic, despite pregnancy. I was happy to stay out as well.

Dinner at the Works on Bank Street, December 14, 2004.

Well, it certainly has been a while since I posted here. But it's time to start again - and I think this time I am going to try and be more consistent. I love going out for food. And this is a good way to diarize my life as well.

So - the Works - I heard about it from one of my colleagues, who loves burgers (what a guy). It used to be a place called Bumpers - a bit of a divey bar where we saw Casey Comeau and the Halfmilers play quite often. I picked it mostly because I know burgers are one of the few meat meals I can handle since becoming pregnant.

The transition was incredible. I couldn't believe how much space there is. I think most of the space that seemed new was the space in the back for the kitchen - I never saw that. They kept the little nook off to the back where the stage used to be.

My hubby and I sat up near the front. It felt a little jammed in, but surprisingly, I didn't feel like I was eavesdropping on the conversations of the tables nearby. The place was pretty busy too, despite the fact we were there fairly late (around 8 pm).

They sat us quite quickly and handed us a menu. What a selection! I never knew you could put peanut butter and cream cheese (or was it sour cream) on a burger. I think there had to be 50 different kinds of burgers. I was also pleased to see that they have a way of donating back to the community via their Bluesfest burger. It always warms my heart to do business with local companies that care like that.

I played it pretty safe and ordered the McWorks burger -- standard lettuce, tomato and cheese. My hubby went for the teriyaki burger. We both ordered the chipotle sauce as the side to our fries. The waitress said it was the best one.

It took a while for the burgers to arrive, but we had been warned about that, so we enjoyed the drinks they served in the 2 cup measuring glasses (ah, the gimmick). To feel healthy, I had a raspberry pineapple juice. My hubby also had beer.

When the burgers came, we mowed down on them pretty quickly. They were good. 8 ounces of meat - still a little juicy. We both chose the wholewheat bun--again, an attempt to be healthy. I don't typically eat that much meat, but I came pretty close to finishing it. I left a somewhat rare part near the end.

After we were done, we paid the bill and they gave us a Works buck - good for our next meal after January 15th. I would definitely go back. I loved the atmosphere -- old, young, friends and families, students and professionals. It was clean, it was funky -- the whole thing is very well put together. I might even be adventurous next time and try one of the more wacky burgers.

The Barley Mow, Kanata

I go to the Barley Mow every Friday for lunch with work colleagues. They were there on opening day 5 years ago and they have been going ever since.

Now that it's been almost 2 years I've been going to the Mow -as it is affectionately know as by the regulars - every Friday, I have a list of things I really like about the place:

- Lori: She's the smiley blond featured in one of the articles about the Mow. I can't say enough good things about her. She provides stellar friendly service - and probably everyone else who works there follows her example.
- the daily menu board: After two years, you are bound to have tried everything on the menu, with varying degrees of success. The daily menu board gives everyone a chance to experiment with ingredients on hand. Most times I opt for this.
- they way they provide the service: each table is not assigned a particular waitress. Rather, they have this cool system where everyone does rounds and watches all the tables. They know who has ordered drinks (the coasters will be on the tables) and lunch is brought to you by whoever is free. There may be other finer intracacies than that, but as a customer, it's just great to know that you can count on them all.

I've also been to the Barley Mow on Bank Street, but I find it just doesn't have the same atmosphere. Maybe it has a lot to do with the fact that my colleagues have established the very friendly relationship that comes with being long time regulars (how many other customers does Lisa invite to tip cows?). I think that it also has to do with the space - the Bank Street Mow feels very cramped.

In any case, whether you eat off the regular menu or you try their daily specials, the staff at the Kanata Barley Mow definitely make me feel welcome there any time!!

Sushi 88, Somerset Street, Ottawa - June 17, 2004

Hubby and I stopped in here for a quick bite on our way home from one of the pre-election debates.

Small, bright, and clean, they offered an interesting selection of sushi, sashimi and other Japanese restaurant standards.

We started out with a Japanese beer, and a water. Typically I order tea, but it was a warm night. The tropical sushi (avocado, salmon and pineapple) caught our eye so we ordered that along with a batch of shrimp and veggie tempura.

Service was a bit slow - my guess was that the waiter/owner was a casualty of a high tech layoff who hasn't quite got the gist of reading customer signals. But he was very friendly and accomodating.

The food was good - although I still don't understand why people tempura raw onions - I know it's cheap and it balances out the overall cost of the veggies, but if they aren't eaten, isn't it a waste?

(and I know this restaurant cares about that, because he gave us the option of not having rice if we were not going to eat it)

They also included some unidentifiable vegetable (daikon root?) that was very tough and bland, even with the tempura batter.

Overall cost, however, was reasonable. I'd go back.

Pho-Lin, Sargent Street, Winnipeg - Saturday, October 18

Yeah - not an Ottawa restaurant. Best darn Vietnamese food I have had ever. Mango rice paper rolls!

Need I say more?

Go!

Breakfast at the Fergus Inn Bank Street @ Belmont
FERGUS INN is now GEORGETOWN PUB

My hubby likes weekend brunches. It stems from when he was a student, and all his friends got together for brunch instead of dinner because they had no money.

Times have changed, and we can afford dinners out now. And since this brunch cost more like $30, instead of the $3 (or $6 per couple) that it might have cost then (which really was not THAT long ago), I think I prefer a good dinner.

Anyhow, the real reason for this post is my opinion of Fergus food. In a word -- inconsequential. Or bleah. Take your pick.

Menu: pretty standard pub breakfasts - eggs, eggs and more eggs. I'm not an egg fan at the best of times, but I appreciate a good poached egg. What's a girl got to do to get restaurants to serve more waffles and fresh fruit?? (I have to go to a place like Cora's or Ada's. )

I splurged a little and chose orange juice and eggs florentine. Every time I see this on a menu, I remember my own brunch experiences as a student @ UBC in Vancouver and the time we visited the Coq D'Or, where waiters gave a new meaning to the word "obsequeous".

I was sorely disappointed though. The eggs were a little runny, and the bed of spinach they sat on left a very funny aftertaste in my mouth. The english muffins were untoasted, which left them tasting more than a little cakey. I thought it was standard to toast english muffins, but maybe that's my own bastardization of it.

Orange juice: they ruined it. It was syrupy and acidic at the same time. Service was average.

All in all, a very mediocre experience.