Fusion Indian Buffet and Cafe Lounge

855 King Street East
Cambridge, ON

519-650-5400

In her opinion:
Cambridge has a new Indian restaurant...that makes this girl very happy.  Indian cuisine is easily one of my favourites. I love this type of food with its exotic spices and flavours. Fusion is a buffet restaurant and unlike many buffet restaurants, they have not sacrificed flavour and freshness for quantity. It is located in the Preston area of Cambridge. This is a very large space divided into two areas...a buffet restaurant and a cafe lounge area serving Indian snacks and beverages (they have a liquor license). 

The food selection is extensive. There is a fabulous selection of food to pick from including favourites like butter chicken and curry goat to more exotic picks like rogan josh and chicken karahi.  

I went up twice to the buffet for main courses. My first plate included curry goat, chicken wings, vegetable korma, beef rogan josh, chicken karahi, rice, samosa and naan. I was very impressed with the flavours of the food. It tasted freshly made, well seasoned and delicious.

On my second trip up I had the fish pakora, lamb vindaloo, rice, mixed vegetable and a delicious shrimp Jaipuri. The fish pakora was so incredibly good. The lamb vindaloo was exceptional. 

I was very impressed with the overall experience. There was an excellent selection to pick from, the food was fresh (we saw the chefs continually bringing out new dishes to refill the buffet items) and it tasted great. I must say that their tandoori chicken is one of the best I have ever eaten. It was also very nice meeting Heidi (the manager) who made our visit very pleasant. I'm extremely glad that Cambridge has another Indian restaurant to choose from. Namaste!

In his opinion:
Usually when lovers of Indian food hear about an Indian buffet they usually run for the hills or simply dismiss it as "Canadianized Indian" or "fast food Indian'. For the most part they are right. This is not the type of food that can be made quickly or without a certain dose of labour and love, and still end up with a great product.

Thankfully, there are some exceptions, some restaurants that combine good Indian food and serve it buffet style. This new restaurant, Fusion located on Preston's King Street in Cambridge is indeed one of them.

As you arrive through the doors you will be stunned with the amazing square footage that this buffet restaurant boasts. I don't mean like it has many table on top of each other that you can hear everyone's conversations, I mean you can almost play indoor soccer in this space. Upon the surprise of the size, you soon will be surprised again finding out that adjacent and connected through the back, the restaurant continues with the same length as the buffet side, in their alcohol licensed Cafe and Lounge.

The buffet is quite extensive, maybe the most extensive one that I have ever seen with many stations, choices and great layout. The prices for the buffet are beyond good for what you are getting but most importantly for the quality of food that awaits you. The highlight at first glance are the 2 "live stations" in which someone makes the Naan Bread right there in front of you and also the station where the Chicken Tandoori is made, one of the best I have ever have, I must admit.

The stations are well divided, with items ranging from appetizers, main dishes, rices, desserts and salads. Almost every traditional Indian dishes are here, and well represented, including some extra special ones like Lamb Vindaloo and Rogan Josh beef. Overall, there is no shortness of choice and indeed something for everyone, regardless if you are Indian or have only selected dishes you like.

The restaurant also sells a "take out box" from the buffet for a modest $6.99, as well as a catering services which I'm sure will be very popular, very soon. We had the pleasure of talking to the manager, Heidi. She was very pleasant and excited about this new family venture.

I enjoyed all the dishes that I tried and especially their naan bread that was extremely fresh and soft. Highlights for me were the Chicken Tandoori (really amazing), Fish Pakora, Punjabi Kharis (Boona) and vegetable pakora. I highly recommend that everyone  take their time while enjoying the buffet, given the amount of selection.

The Good: Good Indian food, in buffet format for only $8.99 for lunch and $11.99 for dinner, you just can't beat that. Great friendly staff helps the atmosphere and the feeling of "welcome".
The Bad: Not sure Preston is ready for such a large Indian restaurant but I have my fingers crossed that it does very well.
The Verdict: Go try it, it's well worth the price and more. A great Indian buffet is hard to find, but we are lucky enough to have it in our city.


I give it 3 out of 5 olives as rating

The Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe

115 Dundas Street
Cambridge, Ontario

519-623-0948

In her opinion:
I was pretty excited when the Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe opened up in Cambridge...its fourth location (they have St. George, Paris and Waterdown locations as well). I heard that their apple fritters were to die for...well that meant we needed to go and try them. I had originally wanted to go for fritters and coffee only, but when Sunday came and lunch time hit, why not go for a meal instead.  

Walking into this eatery and frittery, you are welcomed by a warm interior, nice furniture and a wall of food...an apple fritter observation area, a muffin display case, and a long bar where you can sit and watch the open kitchen at work. This is indeed a welcoming space...it is large enough to have a large screen with a comfy sitting area.  Overall, the type of place where you can hang out reading and enjoying a coffee, sit and enjoy the company of friends, have lunch or dinner with the family or surf the net with their free wifi. 

As I indicated, we went for lunch...not knowing what to expect, I  was pleasantly surprised to find a very nice lunch selection. I ordered a diet coke to start. I decided to have the "Quiche du Jour" served with a side salad, bacon or ham. Today's quiche selection was sun-dried tomato, onion, spinach and feta. I choose the "Mama Mia" salad. This consisted of cranberries, cashews, feta, raspberry vinaigrette on spinach.

The quiche was light and fluffy. It reminded me of a similar quiche that I had at Angelina's in Paris, France. Just really really good. The flavour was perfect. I'm glad that I went with the Mama Mia salad. This salad was packed with amazing flavour and textures. It had the chewiness of the cranberries, the crunch of the cashews, the saltiness of the feta and the sweetness of the vinaigrette. A really enjoyable salad.

We ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and a freshly squeezed orange juice for our son. I asked that the grill cheese be made on white bread and that instead of including both the Monterrey  and cheddar cheeses that it normally comes with, that it just be made with cheddar.

Let's say that this was delicious sandwich...unfortunately, not processed enough for our super picky son. He ate a quarter of it and said he was done...like I've written before...there's no accounting for taste.

To end our meal, we had to have the apples fritters of course. So I decided to order "Hot and Cold" - three fritters served with ice cream. I was super excited to this dessert.

In a word...excellent! The apple fritters are absolutely out of this world good. They are light, fluffy and flavourful. The apple has the right amount of crunch to it...with the ice cream...I can honestly say I have found my new obsession. So so wonderful.

Overall, this is a very nice new addition to Cambridge's coffee house scene. The food is really good and the fritters are outstanding. We will definitely return.

In his opinion:
It seems to me that specialty coffee places are popping up everywhere these days. It seems that not that long ago, we were stuck having Tim Horton's horrible tasting coffee that only becomes drinkable with its trusty sidekick "cream". Thankfully, things have changed and the choices are plenty.

The Brown Dog is a little different then your average coffee shop. It boasts a very spacious room, with multiple seating areas including a media room where movies are playing non-stop on a big screen and also a kids corner to satisfy the young ones.

The menu is quite extensive and blends the usual coffee shop amenities with some delicious options for lunch or even dinner. Then there are their famous apple fritters that are delicious on their own but much better with a scoop of ice cream.

This day we decided to actually go for lunch and make a meal of it (no pun intended).

I got myself a vanilla latte and a montecristo sandwich. The latte itself was good, maybe not Starbucks good but good nevertheless. Foamy, tasty and with cinnamon sprinkled on top. The montecristo sandwich was actually much better than the coffee. The bread was panini toasted, with multiple layers of delicious ham, almost non-existent cheese and with a layer of spinach which was a nice touch. It tasted fresh and delicious.

Of course we could not leave the Brown Dog without having their specialty fritters, including their now famous apple fritters. We ordered some to have right there, with a side scoop of ice cream and also some to take away. The fritters are indeed very good, arriving warm and freshly made. My only remark is that the apple slices stay a little too rigid (uncooked) for my taste, but it provided a good contrast in texture to the soft dough of the fritters.

The Good: Great choices of food, good coffee and amazing fritters. 
The Bad: The space is a little too large, you feel that even though it's warmly decorated, it still feels a little cold, warehouse like.
The Verdict: Great addition to Cambridge's coffee scene. The free wifi will surely attract the laptop and tablet crowd. The owner is very pleasant and the staff courteous. Overall, a very good place for coffee, fritter or lunch.

I give it 3 out of 5 olives as rating

Dundee Diner

1166 Queen Street
New Dundee, Ontario
519-696-3645

*As of January 19, 2014 this little gem closed forever...a very sad day in the foodie world!

In her opinion:
So it's a new year... that means, new restaurants! We wanted to try something new and therefore turned to our favourite source for restaurant reviews...Urbanspoon! After going through the list of area restaurants, I decided that Dundee Diner in the heart of New Dundee needed a visit from Tips are Included!

This is a diner in its truest sense...old advertisements on the walls, red booths and regulars (including George who we met today! This really is a little gem! After we took our seat we were quickly greeted by Maggie - the owner's daughter and the restaurants only waitress!

She took our drink orders right and proceeded to fill them quickly. After looking over the menu, I decided that I wanted to try their "Michigan Hot Dog". It's described on the menu as "two hot dogs covered with meat sauce. Served with coleslaw and French fries". I also ordered a side of gravy to go with it.

This is pure comfort food. I love hot dogs as my darling husband pointed out to me today. I have never had a "Michigan" hot dog! It was two delicious hot dogs with soft buns like I like them covered in a delicious well seasoned meat sauce. It was served with really good fries. I need to send a special shout out to the gravy. It was really really good. These are huge portions. I didn't quite finish the whole thing but I certainly tried. 

Now, our super picky son - yeah, the one born to foodie parents that hates food was with us today. He kept staring at the dessert case. 

He finally spoke up. He said, "I want the white cake with the cherries on top". I thought it was a white cake so I asked Maggie what it was. She informed me that it wasn't cake but instead it was their "Skor Montreal Style Cheesecake". So we ordered a slice for Ethan thinking that he wouldn't like it and we would end up having to finish it.

Well, Mr. Ethan started eating and he kept eating. He actually ate a fair portion of this absolutely delicious cheesecake. Keep in mind that this was a huge piece. When he was done, he said, "That was fantastic!". I don't think you could get anymore praise then that...this is a kid that does not like food! When I had a chance to eat some...it was outstanding. Smooth, sweet and delectable. So yummy!

Overall, I really liked this place. It is a good natured type of place where you will be made to feel welcome, the portions are huge and the food is really really good.  We will definitely be back...especially for that fantastic cheesecake. Check them out on Facebook.

In his opinion:
The small town diner where the decor is circa 1950's, the customers are the daily regulars and the food is homemade style can be found in almost every small to medium size town in North America. Some of them are worth the visit and others fall a tad short on the delivery.

This gem in New Dundee is the perfect example of the ones that are worth a visit. Family owned and run, it is very welcoming with a bright familiar atmosphere that keeps you returning and usually staying a while.

This restaurant is only 12 minute drive from our house and shines as the place to visit in the small town of New Dundee. It is easy to find on Queen Street and has a constant flow of town regulars and some people from the neighbouring cities as well, it seems like a "where everybody knows your name" establishment.

The sign outside boldly states that they have the "Best Hamburgers and Ribs in Southwestern Ontario". That's a confident statement to say the least and one to be argued by the purists. Regardless of the self-accolades, I decided to see for myself about the level of the food and approve or disprove the claims.

We were greeted by our waitress, Maggie (the owner's daughter) and put in our drink orders while browsing the menu. Lots of familiar homestyle dishes, some Greek selections to honour the owners heritage and also some items with names that seemed creatively selected.

I decided to stick with the basics and try their Louisiana Burger off the "Traditional Favourites" section of the menu. I had seen it briefly mentioned online and it seemed like an easy way towards verifying the banner claims of "the best". 

As we sat there waiting for our food we witnessed the owners interacting with all the customers, most of them seeming to be locals and regulars to the restaurant. We also found out that it is a place where folks in town gather to watch sport events, from football games to Wrestlemania events, the ladder advertised on a small sign by the bar.

The food was served and the first observation is the portion sizes are crafted for hungry bellies. My hamburger was served with coleslaw, excellent tasting gravy on the home cut french fries. The hamburger itself is a bacon cheeseburger smothered in their famous BBQ sauce and usually topped with fried onions, which I declined due to my cooked onion phobia.

The bacon was extra, extra crispy but the soft, juicy patty smothered in BBQ 
is surely the main attraction of the burger. It tasted very good but the fries were way to large for my stomach. Always a sign of a good meal when you can't finish it due to size.

I also need to highlight the desserts. In our sights and practically calling our our names throughout the meal, there are a selection of desserts behind glass. A variety of homemade cheesecakes and pies and they all looked amazing. While eating, we ordered a slice for our son who had noticed the cheesecakes even before we did. He had his portion of it as we finished our meals and we helped him finish it. Well...almost helped him finished, but we couldn't due to the enormous size of the slice. All in all, it was amazing and single-handedly worth the drive to New Dundee for it.

The Good: Great atmosphere, engaging staff and tasty, huge food portions await everyone that walks in. 
The Bad: We didn't get a chance to try any Greek dishes, or the famous ribs but there is always the next time.
The Verdict: Well worth the drive to New Dundee unless you are already in New Dundee, but in both cases, the owner staff, the food and the amazing desserts are plenty to make you go try this restaurant. Can't agree or disagree with the "best burgers" claim in the banner but it was indeed a very tasty burger.

I give it 3 olives out of 5 as rating

Cambridge Mill - Take 2

130 Water Street North

Cambridge, Ontario

519-624-1828

In her opinion:

Last year as we sat enjoying our New Years Eve dinner, we decided to start this blog which has brought a lot of fulfillment and enjoyment to our lives. So it was fitting that we returned again for New Years Eve!

We were seated promptly in a lounge room table. Our server, Angela was awesome. She was very attentive and friendly. She took our drink orders - a glass of Riesling for myself and a glass of Chianti for Edgar.

To start, I ordered the Seared Sea Scallops with Crispy Pork Shoulder. It is described on the New Years Eve menu as being served with "smoked carrots, parsley and orange vinaigrette".

This was extremely delicious. The scallops were huge! Succulent and perfectly cooked. The crispy pork shoulder was a very pleasant surprise. Crispy, moist and flavourful. The accompaniments were perfection. The carrots and orange are a match made in heaven. I was very pleased with this appetizer.

For my main, I ordered "The Arctic Char with Potato Gnocchi". It was accompanied with mussels, chanterelles and roasted carrots.

This was an exceptional piece of fish. The Arctic char was cooked perfectly. The skin was crispy, the fish moist and tender. The potato gnocchi was soft, fluffy and delectable. It was served with a caper sauce which added the right amount of acidity. I really enjoyed the black olives, Brussels sprouts and tonnes of capers that were scattered on the plate.  This was a flavour explosion on the plate. So so good.

I was pretty full after this amazing meal but I wanted to end the meal off right. So I ordered a coffee and the "Chocolate Nemesis" for dessert! This is a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sorbet.

I love chocolate and raspberry. It reminds me of trips to the Westdale TCBY when I was McMaster! The cake was moist and delicious. The centre was molten chocolate heaven. I loved the lightness of the sorbet and how it balanced the density of the chocolate cake. Just excellent.

I enjoyed our New Years Eve dinner very much. It thrills me to know that we have this caliber of food in Cambridge. The Cambridge Mill should be very proud of themselves for producing excellent, high quality food!

In his opinion:

The return to the place where the food blog idea started seemed inevitable. Exactly one year and 100  posts later, I find myself commemorating a full year of blogging about my favourite passion...food!

I returned to Cambridge Mill for New Years Eve for the second year running and arrived with my typically high expectations. The restaurant and its surroundings seemed more refined, more regal. Maybe due to the fact that last year's New Years was their first and a mere 6 months after their re-opening but nevertheless, it looked very nice and welcoming.

We were shown to our seats in the lounge room but when my wife asked if we could have any other of the empty tables around us, we were told that there were no other tables available, even though the very same table that we desired sat empty for the full time we were there. Not a great start to the night for sure.

We were greeted by a very attentive waitress, Angela who promptly took our drink order. Chianti was my choice for the meal and it was actually very good. We were served three types of bread, olive, multi-grain and white baguette with whipped butter. We also had two separate managers visit our table to ensure all was good and that's a show of good customer service.

Browsing the menu was fun but I found myself undecided. Inevitably I  had picked the dishes that seemed to be calling my name and realized that both of them had scallops in them, so I decided to change my appetizer for a better contrast on my palate. 

My choice of "pork belly poutine' seemed like the perfect way to start the night. It sounded delightful and just the kind of start to a meal I needed. Fresh cut fries, melted Pine River cheese curds, jus and hollandaise sauce. The succulent perfectly cooked little squares of pork belly were the perfect topping and the dish was extremely tasty.

For my entree, I ordered "Fresh Orechiette with Seared Scallops" - a pasta dish from the 'Land and Water Section" of the menu. At first glance I cannot hide the fact that the huge scallops served made the plate very appetizing even before a single bite. They were also perfectly seared, very fresh and tasty as well. The orechiette pasta was cooked beyond al dente but worked well with the softness of the scallops. The mid texture of the double smoked bacon, as well as the feel of the kale in between it formed a formidable mix of textures. Thrown in the mix were also roasted parsnip, pickled mustard and seed vinaigrette.

As I glanced over the very limited dessert menu for that day, I found myself not ordering any dessert for me, and instead had my customary espresso that was made a bit too weak. I got to taste my wife's dessert and although very tasty, would not have been my first choice.

Overall, the food was great, I left full and happy with the quality of the food.

The Good:Great meal and a wonderful atmosphere. This restaurant has what it takes to continue to gratify its customers with a delightful meal experience.
The Bad: Having 3 burgers on the menu from $21-24 is a bit presumptuous, almost arrogant to say the least. In many 4 Diamond star restaurants in Toronto there would be at least some foie gras to justify such a price. Let's hope that this doesn't turn into a theme in which people would shy away due to overpricing on "regular" dishes.
The Verdict: I love having Cambridge Mill down the street from my West Galt home and truly appreciate all the work that the Ciancone family put into this historic landmark in Cambridge. It is exactly what we needed to elevate our  eclectic but sporadic food scene.


I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 Olives as rating

Yaxche Maya Cuisine Restaurant

5th Avenue and 22nd Street
Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

In her opinion:
The best part of traveling for me is getting to try new and interesting culinary experiences! I love Mexico. I especially love the Mayan Riviera! The reason for this is probably because this was my honeymoon spot! The Mayan Riviera is wonderful, from its culture, to its food and its people! So given an opportunity to experience real Mayan cuisine...I jumped.

Although we stayed at an all-inclusive resort near Akumal with amazing food, we researched a little about a fabulous place to have lunch in Playa del Carmen. Yaxche fit the bill perfectly.

We arrived as the restaurant was opening. We opted to sit inside as it was extremely hot in Playa and our son loves the comfort of air conditioning (as does his mama!). We had prompt, attentive service right away. Our waiter quickly took our drink orders and returned within a few minutes with our order of two Coronas and a bottle of water for our son. He also brought out some fresh tortilla chips and 3 different types of dips (garlic cream, habanero and a axiote dip). These were very good.

After looking at the menu, I ordered Massewal (Yucatan Lime Soup) to start. It is described on the menu as a smokey chicken broth flavoured with regional lime, tomato, onion, herbs, chicken and tortilla strips.

This soup was absolutely delicious. It was presented at the table by two waiters. One placed my soup bowl in front of me with chicken, tomato, onion and tortilla strips and the other poured the delicious broth over top of the bowl contents. The soup was perfection. I could taste the smokey chicken and delicious lime flavours working perfectly together. I liked the crunch of the tortilla strips. 

The chef visited us during our meal and explained a few of the ingredients used in the cooking. It was super informative. The chef surprised us and had the waiter bring out an amazing amuse bouche of turkey cooked in a black paste. It was really delicious.

Our mains finally came out. I had ordered the "Shrimp Mayitas" which is described on the menu as the founders creation. It consisted of  "grilled shrimp fajitas marinated in axiote". It was served with guacamole, black bean soup and tortillas.

This was absolutely delicious. The shrimp was perfection.  It was a really well executed dish. I enjoyed this main very much. The flavours were extraordinary and it was my idea of pure comfort.

I was too full for dessert but Edgar decided to order some and of course I shared. It was very good but I will let him describe it in detail.

Overall, this was a great meal. I was glad to leave the resort and try some really good Mayan food.  I recommend this place to anyone visiting Playa Del Carmen.

In his opinion:

When you talk about Mayan Riviera, Mexico and food in the same sentence one would usually think all-inclusive food, local fruit or taco stands but rarely do we think 5 star dining! 

We knew we would be there for our holiday and decided to research one place to have a great meal in between the great food supplied at our 5 star resort. I say great food because one of the a la carte restaurants in the resort rivaled any upscale restaurant we have ever been to.

This post is about trying amazing food in a world renowned restaurant in the sort of "tourist" town that Playa del Carmen (PDC) has become of late. It is definitely not about resort food. After some research and contemplation we decided to make reservations at Yaxche Restaurant located in all places, the "Ultra Americanized" 5th Avenue in PDC.

Offering upscale slightly modified Mayan cuisine, Yaxche Restaurant is a 5 star Diamond award winning restaurant, receiving this award every year since 2010. It is a gem of Mayan cuisine that carries the flagship for this food style that is unfortunately in rapid decline throughout Mexico.

The restaurant's decor is contemporary but with many Mayan touches throughout. The service is very attentive, the waiters knowledgeable and both chefs came out to speak top us, including bringing us their secret spices and explaining them in detail.

So what to order in a traditional Mayan cuisine restaurant? The menu items are very exotic and unfamiliar to anyone outside the Mayan culture, the description provided in English made it a much less confusing experience.

We ordered 2 coronas...I know...I know....Corona is the tourist beer but I had been drinking XX (Dos Equis) all week long that Corona was a good alternative and welcome change.

The waiter also brought us some fresh tortilla chips and 3 dips, all different and all very tasty. They were habanero, axiote and garlic cream dips and one better than the other.

The chef started us with a complimentary amuse bouche (small bite size hors d'ouevre) which consisted of cooked turkey in a black paste, served on fresh soft corn tortillas.

I started with the chef's main dish, a promise that it was a dish to satisfy even the most discriminating tastes. Conchinita Pibil is axiote and sour orange cooked pork wrapped in plantain leaf, then baked. Traditionally, Conchinita Pibil was buried in a pit with a fire in the bottom to cook it. Pibil actually means "buried" in Mayan language. It is served with sauteed red onions and bean sauce and the soft corn tortillas to wrap it all in. It was an explosion of flavours, an intense spiciness of the pork that worked perfectly with the bean sauce and the sweet onion taste.

For dessert, I ordered the Mayan Brownie. Mayan Brownie served with an exquisite pumpkin ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce scented with Xtabentun. The brownie was super soft and melted in your mouth but it was the pumpkin ice cream that stole the show with its soft and spicy flavours.

The Good: Intense flavours, great atmosphere and great service in the Mayan Riviera. The upstairs dubs as a fancy cocktail lounge.

The Bad: It is all the way in Mexico after all and being located right on 5th avenue makes it too touristy for some. 
The Verdict: Great upscale dining in the heart of "Americanized" Mexico. A taste of Mayan cuisine, done with style and panache.

I give it  3 1/2 out of 5 olives as rating

Bannock

401 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario

416-861-6969

In her opinion:
I love Sunday brunch. It's one of those little luxury that I truly enjoy. So given an opportunity to have brunch at one of Oliver and Bonacini's newest restaurants, I'm super excited. I only wish that our region had more places like this!

We went in without a reservation and there was no problem seating us right away. I ordered a "Mighty Canuck" which consisted of Polar Ice Vodka, maple lemonade, maple syrup and a sugar rim to start.

This was outstanding. I am a lover of vodka and lemonade and when you add a truly Canadian touch of maple syrup, it goes to a whole new level. A very nice brunch drink!

We ordered the Bannock Box for our super picky child. This consisted of "garlic and herb bannock and an assortment of O&B artisan breads". It was served with a romano bean and soy spread.

This was a little too gourmet for Ethan and we ended up having to ask for regular butter. This was a very generous portion and we ended up sharing with a homeless person on our way home. They also appreciated O&B's breads.

For my main, I ordered "Brisket and Boiled". This consisted of corned brisket hash, soft boiled eggs and smoky tomato catsup. 

I really enjoyed my main. The hash was full of flavour and absolutely delectable. The eggs were cooked to perfection.  It came with a piece of bannock and it was just perfect.  I thought the catsup was excellent. Overall, a very delicious main.

I was much to full for dessert but I know for a fact that they have an excellent selection. I would recommend Bannock to anyone who loves truly Canadian comfort!

In  his opinion:

When a new restaurant is named after a traditional Scottish flatbread, one would expect the food/theme to follow suit. Well, in this case it actually refers to the indigenous adaptation of that bread so, some of its appeal has to feel "native". Let's not forget that this is the newest jewel from Oliver & Bonacini's restaurant empire so, chic meets homely was more like the final result. The food is Rustic Canadian "Canadian comfort food" actually, served in a relaxed, cozy atmosphere and the location couldn't be better.

I have had very few, if any bad experiences at any O&B's restaurants and a preview glance at Bannock's menu online made me realize that was not about to change. The menu has traditional Canadian dishes such as poutine, boiled dinner, Ontario venison and fried bologna and eggs.

We actually went for Sunday Brunch this time so the options are different but equally appetizing. The menu reads with brunch and lunch specialties and is topped off with choices of fresh pressed apple cider or maple lemonade just to name a few of the very enticing drinks.

One look at the menu and one item popped up right at me, as if it was talking its way into my stomach. It seemed that it really spoke my language and resembled love at first sight, and later on at first bite. I'm talking about none other than Roast Duck Poutine Pizza. Yes, you read it right...it does not get better than this as far as combination is concerned.

When it came to the table, it looked as good as it sounded. Flat bread style pizza with shredded duck confit, semi-melted cheese curds over freshly cut fries and topped with beefy gravy. I nearly had a foodgasm as it tasted even better than it looked. It is a home run dish for anyone that loves those combined toppings.

The pizza was a good size and very filling so I got to bring home half of it. It surprisingly tasted very well that evening just with an oven warm up.

I would like to point out the obvious that the "gym crowd" might not be the regulars at this place but they should at least try it on one of their "treat" days. The food is heavy, portions are big and calories need no counting at this establishment. 

The Good: Great location, very nicely decorated and caters to the crowd that appreciates good food. Food portions are good and menus are very thoughtfully created.
The Bad: Given it's location, hard to find seats sometimes and service can get chaotic.
The Verdict: A very nice addition the the O&B family, creating Canadian flare for the downtown crowd. I still need to go and have lunch or dinner to experience the rest of the menus but thumbs up for the brunch one.

I give it a 3 out of 5 olives as rating.