More cheese

Ok, so I'm trying more and more cheese, and it's fine, but I'm realizing that a lot of the cheeses that I get...errr...taste the same. Is that because my palate sucks? Or because the folks at the shop keep recommending similar kinds of cheeses? Or that, after they give me a couple to try, I just end up buying similar ones because those are the flavours that I like?

I am only getting cow's milk cheeses if that means anything.

Anyway, so a couple cheeses to report on (no surprise here - I haven't been keeping up with my blogging).

Parmigiano Reggiano AOC - Emilie Romagne, Italy
So this past spring/summer, I had a grand ole time planting herbs and veggies out on two (of my three - ha!) balconies. My front balcony had lovely flowers everywhere. My side balcony turned into a forest with a variety of lettuces, cucumbers, green onions, cilantro, rosemary, a couple kinds of mint, and a BUNCH of basil. So, here we are, getting into the fall and my BUNCH of basil has done very well for itself.
The decision was obvious. Make pesto.
So, I neded to get some parmesan cheese. (Apparently, I had forgotten that I'd bought some before)
The cheese as good. Salty, crumbly but still shavable. I don't know what more to say. It made my pesto tasty, but was also good to eat on its own.

Comte Reservation 18 mois - Franche-Comte, France
Apparently, I've also had this cheese before.
What does it mean that I'm starting to buy the same cheeses? Is my memory fading, or we're starting to hone in on things that I like?

Gruyere Kaltback grotte AOC - Switzerland
20 years ago, I went to Gruyere. I ate their cheese. I wasn't particularly impressed (although I didn't dislike it either).
It tasted pretty great this time around. I'm really starting to think that a lot of hard cheese taste very similar (or at least, the ones that I like/buy taste similar). All sorta salty. All tasting like...errr...cheese. This one wasn't like, orange-cheese cheese taste (yes, I know, descriptive vocabulary is so sophisticated), but the hard white-ish-cheese cheese taste. I need to figure out what those two descriptors actually mean (to someone other than me). I think the former is a little bit more rubbery/plasticy. I think that's a comment on the taste, not the texture. But "rubbery/plasticy" as a flavour doesn't sound appealing, but I don't mean it to sound that way.
More info here.

14 Arpents - Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec
A soft cheese from Quebec, this was kind of so so. Not super flavourful in any way, but also not offensive. I think maybe I like hard cheese more than soft cheeses? Or maybe that's because the flvours are typically less intense for hard cheeses so they're more palatable for me? I mean, I started my exploration with soft cheeses specifically because (in my head), I thought they were the types of cheeses that I needed to conquer. The 'real' cheeses that 'real' cheese people like. I don't know how accurate that is, but now that I've tried a couple different types of cheeses, I'm finding that I'm more excited to try different hard cheeses, than to go back to the soft ones.
More info here.

L'Hercule de Charlevoix 24mois - Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec
A hard cheese from Quebec, I can't really recall if anything stood out about this one.
Here are some tasting notes from the shop:
Fromage a pate ferme. Croute lavee. Pressee et cuite. Lait 100% jersey. Presure animale du veau. Fin 2e. debut 3e service. Vin: Riesling. Sang ovese. (Google translation here)

Piave vieux - Venice, Italy
Another hard cheese, this time from Italy. This one was another one of those "tastes like a good white-cheese" cheeses. Nothing particularly remarkable, but nothing offensive either.
Reflecting on all of this, maybe I haven't progressed in my cheese journey. I'm still reverting back to getting 'boring' cheeses. I mean, one could see that I'm just getting the things that I like (the safe cheeses without a particularly strong flavour and are similar to the limited cheeses that I had growing up), but you could also see that my palate isn't expanding.
I think this was a good cheese, but I guess I wouldn't be clamoring to get it again.
More info here.

Grapes

You know "grape flavour"? I think it's pretty tasty. But I also thought that it was a fake flavour (because red and green grapes don't taste like it). I mean there are also other fake flavours (e.g., watermelon, blueberry). Recently though, I discovered these grapes at the market that reminded me of grapes that I used to snack on (read: steal) from my piano teacher's house a long, long time ago. So I bought them. And they tasted exactly like "grape flavour"...and they were SOOOOO good. Concord grapes (alas, not from Quebec...but from Ontario - woot woot!). Yum.

Gouda Old Amsterdam 18M

So, I've started to move down the fridge. I have almost tried all of the soft cheeses from France and Quebec, and am now moving across the fridges towards the harder and other European cheeses.
I'm not sure if I've had Gouda before. It tastes, like cheese. Seriously, it tastes like basic orange cheese. Kinda salty. Kinda like those Kraft singles slices that I would fold up into a cube and eat as a kid.
So, the Old Amsterdam 18 months is from North Holland, Huizen to be exact. As the label from the shop says, "Fromage a pate ferme pressee et cuite vieilli 18 mois." (Google translation here)
Meh, nothing too special for this cheese. I'd eat it again, but I'd try other cheeses first.

Coming home

I'm in Neuch right now. I feel like I'm home.
While I only spent three years of my life here, they were formative ones. I moved here to start my (first) career. It was my first job and I had just graduated from university (the first, wait no, actually the second, time). I was young, effervescent (I've recently worried a lot about whether or not I've lost this characteristic), and eager to take on the world.
Everything was wonderful and an adventure.
And here I am again, all these years later. The same person, but so very different.
Even taking my first steps in the Zurich airport felt so good. Getting on the train and hearing the familiar announcement over the intercom made me feel more relaxed (which I needed). Disembarking the train in Neuchatel and been surrounded by such familiar sights, sounds, and smells was so lovely.
I've spent the past two days trying to slow down. And just be. Here.
I'm searching for that inner glow that I haven't felt for awhile. It's gotta be somewhere in there. Being here is helping, I think. I feel like I've got this thick layer of something that's taking away the shine to everything. I'm hoping it's just been a build up of some things over time, and these next couple days in Neuch will help to peel off some of the layers. I feel small glimmers every so often, but I'm not quite where I want to be.

Yesterday and today were pretty great though. Actually, things have been just dandy since I arrive Sunday night. In addition to just feeling like I'm home, I made myself comfortable in the place where I will call home for the rest of this week. It's a beautiful space with a beautiful view. I shall have to take a picture of the view that I wake up to. And then I had fondue for dinner.
Yesterday was a quiet day culminating with a walk to my old neighbourhood, walking by my old apartment, walking to the bus stop as I always did and then to a dear family's house for a raclette dinner. And then back downtown for the fireworks (c'etait la fete nationale). They put on a great show. I've seen quite a lot of fireworks recently (Montreal has them regularly in the summer), and this was so much better. There were some really interesting ones, including one shaped like a teddy bear's head!
Today, I went to the market. I walked around downtown. I walked near the lake. I ate a crepe. I also ate yogurt.†I went to Migros. And Coop. And Denner.

I don't want to live here (forever), but I would like to spend more time here. It's a place that rejuvenates me and feels good. I guess that's because it's home.

Paris, France (July 18-23, 2016)

Paris is (one of) my happy place(s).
It's been five years since I've been here, and it feel like too long. I know that's such a privileged thing to say, but it's the my truth. My first and last day in the city were pretty much for recuperating or traveling, so I really only had 4 days in the city. Four days is not nearly enough.
I did lots of amazing things (might update this post in the future with pictures and more details), but here is a little recap of the highlights:

Colette - This was literally, my first stop (after checking in to my hotel). I love this shop so much. It's a lifestyle store, but for me, what I appreciate is the "curated" clothes/fashion and their presentation. Each time I go upstairs in the shop, I feel like I'm entering a gallery space. The mannequins artfully dressed, it's great. I don't really consider myself a fashion nut, but I guess I'm slightly interested in it.
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of everything that's in the store. Whomever the buyer is does a great job. I really enjoy the fashion in the store. Touching and taking a close look at the fabric. It's art.

L'As du Fallafel - I don't tend to each much while I'm in the city. I'm too busy walking about and doing different things, that I forget to eat, or just couldn't be bothered. Or, in the summertime, when it's so hot, I usually don't feel like eating. AND, a baguette can take you a long way. I usually just pick up a couple things from a grocery store and snack on the road or back in my hotel with my feet up (my feet REALLY hurt from walking so much). But, I did go (back) to L'As du Fallafel in the Marais for some yummy falafel (hmmm, I guess there are different ways to spell it?). Their falafels (the whole she-bang, but just the falafel pieces) are massive and in my shrunken stomach state, I couldn't finish the whole thing. I ended up eating everything in the pita and then saving the pita itself for a snack a little bit later on in the day. The best part of the falafel is the roasted eggplant. So tasty.

Macarons - As I said, I don't eat a lot while in Paris, but I do always prioritize the eating of macarons. There are two companies that I get my macarons from: Laduree and Pierre Herme. They are both awesome, but different. Laduree has very classic flavours. Par example: vanille, chocolate, pistache, cafe, rose. Pierre Herme has just one or two of the classics, but really experiment with different flavour combinations. Their classic is Mogador, which is chocolate and passion fruit. They have seasonal flavours too. Their theme for the summer is Jardin Enchante, and they've got a lot of citruses and yogurts. My favourite seasonal flavour was citron vert, framboise & piment d'Espelette. It was SO good. I usually try different things each time I return to a restaurant/shop, but I actually went back to get the same flavour. I'm telling you, SO good.

Centre Pompidou - I went to the Paul Klee exhibition at the fun looking building. It really is unique. I only visited the one exhibition. I'd been to the museum before and I'm sure that I'll go again, so I didn't feel the need to visit the regular collection this time around. My brain could only handle this one exhibition.

Foundation Louis Vuitton - Opening in 2014, this was my first chance to visit this museum. It seems to show only one exhibit at a time, and I happened to be in town for "un choix d’oeuvres chinoises de la Collection". Actually, there were two exhibitions happening I suppose, as there was also the L'Observatoire de la lumiere. Both were quite fantastic. I will have to upload some pictures soon (and update this post accordingly). It is a beautiful building and says Frank Gehry all over it. If you know the new AGO building, you know what I'm talking about. Even if you're not keen on the art that's being exhibited when you're in town, I would highly recommend going to visit the building because it's pretty incredible. It really is like a sailboat plopped into a park. There is a lovely water feature beside the building which is so calming too. And with your ticket to the museum, you get admission to the Jardin d'Acclimatation.

Shopping - Of course this would be an important component of my time in Paris. Window shopping is key. When wandering Rue St. Honore and Av. Montaigne (for example), for me, it's akin to Colette. I just go into the boutiques and appreciate what's there. Paris is special for many reasons, and going to the homes of many of these designers is a treat. I was hoping to splurge on something while I was there, but while I did see many things that I liked, there wasn't one item that leap out at me or that I felt comfortable with the price. It may sounds completely ridiculous, but I wasn't in the best emotional state while I was there (due to my fatigue and such), and that negatively affected my purchasing power.

Anyway, it was pretty great to be back to Paris. And I didn't spend nearly enough time this time. I've actually been thinking a lot about vacations (I'm finishing up this post, now, two countries later - although, not completely feeling like I've had any vacation) and how I should try to make them a priority (or, at the very least, some sort of break from work/life). While in Paris, I was actually chatting with someone in a boutique, and she was telling me about all of the vacation time that the French get. That it's part of the culture. Vacations, that is. It really made me reflect on their lifestyle as compared to mine and how each culture/person values different things.

As I've said a couple times in the past little while, I'm a work in progress.

Parmigiano Reggiano, A.O.P.

Wait, so parmesan isn't that powdered stuff that you shake out of a can? Or that stuff that looks like little stringy things that comes of out some weird grinding device?
This hard cheese is crumbly and salty (this had little salt crystals in it too). Maybe a little bit too salty? I guess I would just have to eat small pieces of it. In terms of taste, I don't know...salty and cheesy?
I'm no help, but this might be.

Comte Reservation 18 mois

The market in the summertime is so lovely. I was happily filling up my panier and thought to get some more cheese, because, why not? I tried a different cheese shop this time, La fromagerie Hamel. It's got more than just cheese, in fact, I'd say it's got everything that you could want to go along with your cheese. From breads, to jams, charcuterie, nuts...you know, all the accoutrements. I enjoyed the store. We'll see if I become loyal to one over the other.
Anyway, as per usual, I picked up two cheeses. Usually, I go for a hard cheese and a soft cheese, but this time I went with two hard cheeses. 
The Comte Reservation is a cow-milk's cheese from France. It's a little bit like a cheddar, quite creamy. There seemed to be little salt crystals or something in it, which was a nice little surprise. Very smooth. 
One thing that I prefer about the other cheese shop is that the label that they give you has some tasting notes. I like having immediate access to the info. Today's cheese shop doesn't have that info on their labels but you can find all of the info on their website. So, if you want to read up about the Comte Reservation, click here.

Fete nationale

...is not actually a fete nationale. Sigh. QC, you're special.
Happy St. Jean!

National Circus School

Last week, I attended the two annual shows of the National Circus School, Colibri and Demain. I'm so glad that I went.
The show features performances by the graduating class. The ensemble is made up of the second year students (it's a three-year program). The first years put on a pre-spectacle performance in the foyer.
While both of the shows were incredible, I preferred Colibri. The show was simple, not quite having a storyline, but a clear mood was established. It was etherial, lyrical, and romantic. The mise en scene was simple and the featured acts were so well woven into the show as a whole. Even nicer, I thought was the way that each member of the ensemble had little moments to show their own skills as well as collectively continue to perform without being a distraction from the featured performer.
Demain had more of a folk, fun, and upbeat feel. There was an attempt to have a story keeping the show together, but some parts seemed confusing and superficial. I later learned that each show was put together in three weeks and featured performers came to the shows with the acts that they created for their final assessments for the school. Thus, the "characters" that they embodies for their assessments may not have matched the vision of the show and so the Creative Directors of the show would deal with this in their own ways. The acts from Demain did seem a little bit more eclectic, show perhaps it made it harder for the Creative Director to make things flow authentically. Anyway, I guess it depends what you like in a show. Demain also features more acrobatics (which I love), so it was fun to see performers jumping, tumbling, twisting and turning.
There was one consistent theme across both shows: talent and art. I was impressed at the passion and dedication that these artists/athletes put towards their craft. These young adults focus on developing and honing their skills...for them, it is a full-time position.
I hope that everyone in the world is able to find their passion and puts their entire being into it. As exhausting and discouraging that it sometimes may be, the moments of pure bliss make it sooooo worth it.
Montreal is pretty fantastic for (youth and) the arts. Both the National Circus School and National Theatre School are here. And I can take advantage of both by supporting the students and being inspired by attending their performance.

Pomp and circumstance

It's graduation season.

Graduation ceremonies are a funny ritual. Each institution has its own traditions and it's interesting learning about them. The spectacle of it all is really...errr...well, something. It's fun and amusing. It's also full of pomp and elitism. (Wow, some of my colleagues are really getting to me! Ha!) I try not to think about the latter, and think of it as a celebration and a special occasion that happens rarely in one's life. In my profession, I'm fortunate to be part of many.
At my current institution, the spring convocations are held in a (HUGE) tent on main campus. From the outside (I'm quite bad at scale) it seemed like your average tent used for events. But, as the procession (yes, procession...it's so ridiculous) entered, I was shocked at the crowd that awaited me. It seemed to go on forever. The tent was so large that there was a big screen TV mounted so that those who were seated towards the back could watch the events through the screen.
Speeches are a source of interest. How the speakers interpret their role and what they choose to speak about. I am always interested in finding out if repeat speakers reuse (parts) of speeches.
The moment of "hooding" is one that can vary at institutions. From literally hooding the graduands, to tapping on the shoulder with caps or scrolls. There are options for kneeling or  crouching.
And of course, I must comment on the attire. The procession is probably the most diverse: the different gowns, hoods, and caps that appear are a source of amusement. I choose not to sport a cap and my gown is red and black and my hood is red and white. Quite simple, but elegant. I feel fortunate. I enjoy those who wear the poofy caps, and gowns with awkward colour combinations. A colleague has a lovely bright pink gown and she looks so splendid. As the majority of the ceremony is spent watching graduands cross the stage, as it should be, they are on full display. As their attire is covered with the big gowns, footwear is easiest to consider. From flats to stilettos, I watched their strides with intrigue.  The audience is a little bit too far away to see what they're wearing, but after the ceremony is over, it's nice to see how family and friends have chosen to dress for the occasion.

Anyway, as I said at the beginning. Convocations are a funny ritual. I do feel a little ridiculous being part of the spectacle, yet proud at the same time. I am humbled by my privilege and to be part of a special day. I'm already looking forward to the next ceremony.

Congratulations to all graduands and graduates!

Bixi

A couple years ago, BIXI arrived to Toronto. I think the idea is great. A hop on, hop off bike rental operation. Yet, I never took advantage of it. I loved my Metropass and really, who needs more than the 510? Also, I'm terrified of the idea of biking among the cars in downtown Toronto. I really don't trust the cars/drivers to not hit me, and I think many of them wouldn't trust me. I think BIXI Toronto wasn't doing super well. I see people using them, but I guess not quite enough to make it financially awesome. They're still around though, so I guess it's good enough for now.
Here in Montreal, BIXI stands are all over the place and there are tons of people tiding them. While Montreal seems to have a better infrastructure for bikers (ie. more bike lanes), for me to get to the bike lanes, I'd need to bike among cars for a bit before having a lane all to myself. Also, the 80 is pretty great and I'd have to walk up the big hill if I biked, which in itself is enough of a deterrent. But, when I heard that Bixi Montreal was having Free BIXI Sundays, I wondered if maybe I could take advantage of it and maybe go for a ride along the Lachine Canal (ie. a car free zone). A couple days ago, I did a little research to understand just exactly how the service works (ie. pricing). My idea of going for a leisurely bike along the canal, went out the door, because really, how much can you do when you're on a 30 minute time clock? Ok, so that's kind of annoying. And really, if you want to borrow the bike for a longer period of time, it kind of adds up. I suppose that then clarifies the intention of BIXIs in that they are meant for short trips, commuting, errands, etc. It's not for touring around the city, sightseeing, or getting some exercise. So, by this morning, I had forgotten about my dream to BIXI, until a little brain wave hit just a few minutes before the end of my spin class. Why not take a BIXI home from the gym? I mean, I usually like walking home as a way to cool down and keep my legs and muscles moving, but I could probably have similar benefits by biking home, right? Ok, so here's a funny reality. I've been riding a stationary bike regularly for the past year, but getting on a non-stationary bike is a little bit awkward. I haven't ridden a non-stationary bike since, errr...maybe 7 years ago? While I still know how to ride a bike, I forgot how to (dis)mount one. After getting my BIXI out from the docking station (as simple as sticking in your credit card, entering your phone number, and punching in an access code), I actually walked the bike for a couple blocks to an alleyway so that I would be able to get comfortable on the bike away from cars and people (I mean, who needs witnesses seeing you fall off a bike?!?). I rode in the alley for a bit, figuring out the gears and brakes and then ventured onto the road. I mean, I was a little nervous about riding on the open road, but there was nothing I could do about it. I popped on and off of sidewalks for a bit, but by law, I knew I was supposed to be on the road. I took a couple detours just to see a little bit more of the neighbourhood, but was kind of nervous about: 1) cars/major roads, and 2) my 30 minute timer. So, after what felt like just a a short ride, I docked nearby my house and realized that I was very close to my 30 minute mark. So hopefully, I won't get a fun little surprise on my credit card bill! Also, it showed me that BIXI isn't what I'm looking for/need. I'll need to borrow a bike from a friend for a day or something, not be on the clock.
Still, I'm glad to have taken advantage of the free ride. The bikes are easy to ride and the service is convenient. What I don't like, the the time restriction, but if your plan is to use BIXIs for their purpose, the time wouldn't be an issue.

Notkins

Notkins is a seafood restaurant. While we went for dinner, I would probably return for the Oyster Bar. My main dish wasn't too memorable, but the oysters were good. The decor is chic, although it does seem to give off a Bay Street (ie. financial district) vibe. It seems like an after work drinks kind of place.

Price point: mid

Food (presentation/plating): 3/5
Food (taste/flavour): 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance/decor: 4/5

Would I return again: yes (but I might try other places first)

Mandy's

I really like salads. Call me silly, but I'm happy to spend money on a good salad. I know it's just a bunch of veggies thrown together, but there are so many possible combinations of ingredients and some salads are ok, whereas others can be awesome. There's nothing better than an awesome salad.
Mandy's is a cute restaurant that does gourmet (they said it, not me) salads. It's catering to the yuppy girl. Everything from its decor (cottage-y, cute, California) to some of the products that can be bought (boxed water - barf). Also, they have a location that's at the back of a women's apparel/lifestyle shop on Laurier. It's probably best as a take-out place because it's super busy around lunch. In fact it's only open during the daytime and closes before dinner. The portions are quite large...and in pretty bowls! (They know their demographic!)

Price point: low-mid (I mean, it's on the upper end of price-points for salad)

Food (presentation/plating): 3.5/5
Food (taste/flavour): 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance/decor: 3.5/5

Would I return again: yes

Mikado

Mikado is a Japanese restaurant on the (fancy) Laurier Ave. strip known for its sushi. It's quite large and the ambiance is leaning towards a traditional (at least, my interpretation of it) Japanese venue. Simple, with clean lines. The food was a little bit inconsistent. The fish was good, but the rice was cold. I was surprised that they had disposable chopsticks.

Price point: mid

Food (presentation/plating): 4/5
Food (taste/flavour): 3.5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance/decor: 3/5

Would I return again: maybe  

Les Enfants Terrible

Les Enfants Terrible is a restaurant that I flagged when I first decided on the area in which I currently live, that I wanted to check out. In nice weather, there is a large terrace (FYI, that's QC-speak for patio) that is ALWAYS busy. There's frequently people just hanging out nearby waiting for a table. Bernard is a bougey street where people like to mill about and be seen, and since I love people watching, it seems like a perfect restaurant to watch the world go by.
The food is decent, as is the service. So the big appeal of the place is still the location and vibe (of the surrounding area). It's a predictable and reliable place to dine. It's good for dining on a sunday when many other restaurants are closed.

Price point: mid

Food (presentation/plating): 3/5
Food (taste/flavour): 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Ambiance/decor: 4/5

Would I return again: yes 

La Belle et la Boeuf

La Belle et la Boeuf is known for its burgers. They have burgers ranging from the simple, to the "epic". I had a burger with peanut butter and bananas. It sounded too crazy not to try...and it was REALLY good! It's a pretty loud restaurant drawing folks who want to eat, but also those who like the drink. It's definitely a fun outing and depending on the type of burger you get, it can get kinda messy!

Price point: low-mid (I mean, it's on the upper end of price-points for burgers, but cheap in terms of general side-down places)

Food (presentation/plating): 3/5
Food (taste/flavour): 4/5
Service: 2/5
Ambiance/decor: 2/5

Would I return again: yes (I'd be sure to make a reservation)

Cartel

The menu of Cartel looks awesome. The food...nothing too special. I had heard that the tacos were good and they looked decent on the plate, but they didn't seem to have much flavour. I wonder if the point was that you were to put the hot sauces that were provided on the table. Still, I think a taco on its own should have a decent amount of flavour and that the sauce would just improve or bring out those flavours.
In addition to the tacos, I was intrigued by the Chifa. I don't think that I'd ever encountered Chifa before. A Peruvian and Chinese combo? Interesting. What we ordered was decent, but nothing special.

Price point: low-mid

Food (presentation/plating): 3.5/5
Food (taste/flavour): 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance/decor: 4/5

Would I return again: yes, but I'd try other places first.

Burger Royal

You want good/crazy burgers? Go to Burger Royal. If you like simple burgers, they have it. If you like all the fixings, they have that too. They also crazy burgers that I appreciate because who wouldn't want to have a friend egg in your burger? Or mac and cheese? You can also choose the size of your burger and there is the option of going gluten free by having your burger in a lettuce wrap. I like that they serve the burger on top of a little wire pedestal (of sorts). I mean, it's a little stand that allows the oil and excess sauces and toppings to fall out and onto the plate below so that your burger bun doesn't get soggy or whatever. The burgers are yummy.
The poutine is nothing special. I wouldn't get it again.

There's nothing terribly wrong with the restaurant, but if I'm using the same scale as other places that are fine dining, then I have to be fair in that the service staff don't dote on you, and it's clearly a fast food place. I mean, it's everything you'd expect a fast food place to be and it does the job well, so I'm really not complaining about it.

Price point: low-mid (I mean, it's on the upper end of price-points for burgers, but cheap in terms of general side-down places)

Food (presentation/plating): 3/5
Food (taste/flavour): 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance/decor: 2.5/5

Would I return again: yes

Piano Piano

At the end of last year, Splendido closed. Chef Barry was ready for a new adventure. Recently, Piano Piano opened in the space. The place was completely redone and seems to have a King West kind of vibe (to me, King West mean schmoozy, yuppy, trying a little too hard). The menu is markedly different from, well, fine dining tasting menu. Simple foods, but quite good. Pizzas and pastas seemed to be the main staple. The price-point is obviously more accessible.

The tenderloin carpaccio was probably the standout dish of the evening. The plating was messy, but I think that was the point. I mean the plate was FULL. I was disappointed by the cavatelli carbonara, but it could be because I've only eaten carbonara (spaghetti) once before and it was in Florence in this tiny little restaurant and it was the BEST. THING. EVER. And so, ever since then, I've built up carbonara in my head and probably as time passes, it gets to be even more of a thing. Everything else that we ordered was good. The quality was quite good, but nothing mindblowing.

The front of house mentioned that they were doing quite well as a new restaurant. The place seemed quite busy. From young professionals to folks dining for a special event, and some older clientele. I always like to see a mixture of diners. The service was a little spotty. We needed to flag people down a couple times and they didn't seem to follow up after service as I thought they should have. Maybe growing pains of a new restaurant?

Nice moment: The front of house remembered my brother and I from the Splendido days. I only dined at the restaurant twice (and years apart).

Price point: mid

Food (presentation/plating): 4/5
Food (taste/flavour): 4/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance/decor: 3.5/5

Would I return again: yes

Dandylion

I went to Dandylion awhile back. It was a low key restaurant, but with a really cute vibe. Kinda of whimsical with wood and concrete walls, flowers and plants and mirrors. It reminded me of NYC somehow. It was one of the best meals that I've had in a long time.

Price point: mid

Food (presentation/plating): 4.5/5
Food (taste/flavour): 5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance/decor: 5/5

Would I return again: Definitely!