The Village Bistro

421 Greenbrook Drive

Kitchener, Ontario

519-208-3233

In her opinion:

Pursuing new and exciting restaurants is a major part of what this blog is about! Trying to find new favourites...places that become staples in our dining repertoire. That is the challenge and unfortunately, it is an extremely difficult challenge in our neck of the woods. We rely a lot on word of mouth and that is the case with our visit to the Village Bistro.

The Village Bistro is located in a sad looking strip mall in a residential area off of Fischer-Hallman Road, but don't let that discourage you. The interior is nicely decorated and inviting. The Village Bistro was actually packed with locals  enjoying their evening meal as we walked in. There was live music playing in the background provided by the acoustic sounds of Paul Schultz. The owner, Keri sat us down and explained that it was a bad night as her kitchen was flooded but it was business as usual. 

Our waitress came over right away to take our drink orders. After checking out their menu, we started with the Antojitos. A delicious spicy, cheesy appetizer made with tortillas and baked in the oven. It was served with a delicious creamy dipping sauce.

This was so so good. The antojitos had a nice amount of heat with every bite. The dipping sauce provided the necessary coolness.

For my main, I ordered the philly cheesesteak sandwich. Unfortunately, there was mix up in the kitchen and I got a pulled pork sandwich instead! I quickly pointed this out to the waitress and she had the kitchen prepare a new sandwich. She also informed me that the pulled pork had been taken off the bill but I was free to take the sandwich home.

The philly cheesesteak was not traditional. It was pieces of tender beef sauted in barbecue sauce with sautéed mushrooms and onions. It was served on some type of flat bread. It tasted really good. The french fries that accompanied this sandwich were awesome. Twice fried and seasoned with a spice mix. Even my picky 8 year old loved these fries.

The next morning I tasted the pulled pork.  And it tasted really nice. There was a sweetness to the sauce which worked perfectly with the tender pork.

Regardless of the mix up, I enjoyed our dinner at the Village Bistro. Turns out I had met Keri once before on a bus in Cuba...don't ask... and it was easy to see this woman's passion in regards to her restaurant. I wish her much luck and success. 

Try the Village Bistro, I don't think you'll regret it.

In his opinion:
Sometimes and almost by accident you do find a nice hidden gem, and by hidden I mean hidden in a residential plaza that you would probably never find unless you are looking for it. This is the case of the Village Bistro nestled in the Kitchener community of Forest Hill.

A cozy place that sometimes boasts live music but always has great hospitality and food. The place sits roughly just over 30 people in 2 levels and is cozy and inviting. Reds, burgundies and wood are prominent throughout the decor and a large bar sits at the far right when you walk in.

To start, we ordered the antojitos appetizer to share and I'm glad we did because not only were they delicious but also the portion was large and plenty to be shared. The antojitos tasted fresh, creamy and the tortillas were just the right amount of crispy to add some good texture. It did have a bit of spice, not much but noticeable.

For my main course. I had my eyes on "Evan's Bottomless Pit" burger. There are plenty of pics of this burger on Facebook and its notoriety is well deserved. It is huge...extremely tasty and hard to get a full bite into for obvious reasons. This burger is not for the faint of heart, size wise nor is it for the calorie counters out there. Two gigantic and juicy patties are the base for this burger and also sports a healthy dose of cheese, bacon and mushrooms. Hard to find a big burger with great taste but this one definitely is one. The fries presented had a dark tone to them but we were explained that it's just the way they are fried. They were fantastic with a little spice.

The Good: Friendly service and a mixed sense of community and nostalgia make this restaurant unique. The food surpassed my expectations and was done extremely well.
The Bad: Some small parts of the restaurant still need to be update from it's last greek incarnation, but mostly the ceiling
The Verdict: If you enjoy good food, friendly neighbourhood atmosphere and locally sourced ingredients, then this place is a must to visit.

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

St-Viateur vs. Fairmount - The Ultimate Bagel Showdown

St-Viateur Bagel        
263 St-Viateur West    
Montreal, QC           

514-276-8044  

         

Vs.     

Fairmount Bagel
74 Ave. Fairmount Ouest
Montreal, QC

514-272-0667

The bagels:

St-Viateur Bagels

Fairmount Bagels

In her opinion:
The hubby and I debated about which bagel place we should visit during our recent visit to Montreal. We had been to St-Viateur before and we had enjoyed it very much, so I wanted to repeat the experience. He on the other hand wanted to try someplace new - Fairmount Bagels. My only concern was what if they weren't as good as St-Viateur bagels? The solution - we would get two bagels from each place and decide which was the best.

Our first stop was Fairmount Bagel. This place was buzzing with patrons waiting in line to place their bagel orders. I ordered two sesame. The small bag that was handed to me was still warm and there was a woodsy smokey smell that lingered along with the toasted sesame smell. We didn't eat them right away. 

We drove the 2 minutes down the street to St-Viateur Bagel. This area is ripe with Hasidic Jews dressed in their shtreimels since it was Sabbath. I love watching these mysterious men walk about on these modern streets as life goes by sticking with their tradition way of life. 

Inside the "Mason de Bagel" as St-Viateur is known, there was also a lot of people waiting for their bagels. I again ordered two sesame but got whipped cream cheese and orange juice as well. These bagels weren't warm and they didn't have the smokey woodsy smell just the sesame smell.

Once inside my car...great precision was carried out to determine which was the best Montreal bagel! Here are the results in my opinion:

Although not warm and chewy like the Fairmount bagel(Fairmount they got brownie points for still being warm)- St-Viateur was the best tasting bagel in my opinion. It was less chewy, had a sweeter flavour from the honey that is used in the making of Montreal bagels and less of the woodsy smokey flavour which I appreciated. It tasted delicious on its own or topped with cream cheese.

Having said that - Fairmount Bagel still makes excellent bagels! I suggest that you do the same thing if you are in Montreal and want to have good bagels - get bagels from both spots and compare for yourself...one thing is for sure...neither will disappoint! Shalom!

In his opinion:
The great debate goes on and on in Montreal about where you can find the best bagel. The two top contenders are consistently the same, St Viateur and Fairmonth Bagel which rule the Montreal bagel world and are consistently the most talked about two by locals and visitors.

As a food blogger that never backs down from a good challenge, we took this on, early in the morning while the bagels were still hot and fresh. We took to the streets of the neighbourhood of Miles End, in the borough of Le Plateau Mont-Royal to try our first contender, St Viateur.

This place is one mean machine of bagel making. Everything inside seems well choreographed and systematic. Everyone knows their job well, they could probably perform it blindfolded and the outcome would still be the same. The result is an amazing bagel with a chewy harder texture on the inside and just the perfect amount of crust to give you a texture blend in every bite. The sesame seeds seem more sporadic in this bagel, not sure if its on purpose but it does work.

The standard for Montreal bagels had been set and now it's time for the competition to step and measure up.

St-Viateur Bagel

Next and only a few blocks down the road, Fairmount Bagel. The other original bagel institution in Montreal. Oh this is getting heated up...

Fairmounth outside looks like a house more than a business but don't let the face fool you into thinking this is not a serious place. One step inside and you feel like an old world establishment that has stayed the same for hundreds of years. The more modernize back of the establishment where the magic happens is a sign that they mean business.

The lineups were larger at Fairmount and  placing an order felt like dealing with the "Soup Nazi" episode of Seinfeld. Wait your turn, move towards the counter, 2 steps sideways then face the cashier and put your order in, in French preferably but they sort of accept English.

The bag in handed to you in the same military fashion as the order and the bagels are still steaming inside. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into that bagel and I almost didn't reach the car without doing it. As I broke it open, the steam and scent of the bagel involved the car like walking into your grandma's while she doing her baking.

The inside is softer than St Viateur but the outside is harder and chewier. The sesame seeds seemed to cover every inch of this bagel and they tasted more toasted than St Viateur. With ever bite, the bagel got better and better until I started wishing we had gotten more. A great bagel and border-lining perfection.

Fairmount Bagel

The Verdict: They are both quite amazing, but on this day my vote goes to Fairmount. I know that is contrary to the "she said" opinion stated above but for me the Fairmount bagel just tastes better and is more flavourful. The truth is that you can't go wrong with either, they are both out of the world good. When in Montreal, do yourself a favour and visit both...tell us which one is your favourite and above all, enjoy. 

Spencer's at the Waterfront

1340 Lakeshore 
Burlington, Ontario

905-633-7494

In her opinion:
We decided to celebrate the last day of March Break in Burlington...a family day spent shopping and eating good food (that doesn't apply to the picky 8 year old that was more excited about McDonalds then anywhere else).

We decided on Spencer's at the Waterfront. We didn't have a reservation but that was no problem as we were shown to a booth right away. After checking out the menu, our waiter Craig came to find out what we wanted to drink. I decided that I wanted to try a Spentini (Strawberry vodka, lillet blanc, POM juice and fresh raspberries).

This was a beautiful cocktail served in a gorgeous vintage glass. It was lovely, you couldn't really taste the alcohol which was fine with me. It was just a lovely mix of flavour.

We decided to share an appetizer. After reviewing the menu...we decided on the Crisp Calamari (chorizo, cilantro and salsa verde). 

I kept saying the word fresh as I ate it. The calamari was perfectly cooked. The chorizo was the perfect accompaniment. But the kicker was the cilantro/salsa verde sauce at the bottom of the plate. A wonderful burst of flavour...freshness which reminded me of spring.

For my main, I decided on the Heritage Chicken (sweet corn risotto, cippoline, leek, chanterelle).

This was served on a gorgeous black stone plate. The chicken was flavourful and perfectly cooked. The cippoline, leek slices and chanterelles were wonderfully executed. But the show stopper was definitely the sweet corn risotto. This was just perfection. So delicious.

Overall, this was a gorgeous meal with wonderful food and service. Craig was a greater server who bent over backwards to make our meal fabulous. When I asked for some bread for our son, he brought over the most beautiful bread platter I have seen in a while with gorgeous Bread Bar bread, tapenade, hummas, olives, honey mustard and butter.

I love this place...after all, this is where I picked to have my 40th birthday...that speaks volumes. Enjoy!



In his opinion:
There are few restaurants in Ontario with a location, view and ambience like Spencer's on the Waterfront. It's an ideal spot...lakeside, near the park and surrounded by the tranquility of the artificial pool and the beautifully landscaped hills.

It has for a while been a favourite of ours but having the Cambridge Mill (same owners and similar menus) 5 min away from our residence makes it that we don't visit Burlington as often as we used to.

When we arrrived, we were led to our booth on the Lakeshore Ave. side of the restaurant but then again there are no bad seats in this restaurant. Our waiter was prompt in greeting us and offered some water while we browsed the menu. After some consideration I picked my drink to start. I ordered the appropriately named "Waterfront" Cocktail: Alize, blueberry vodka, lemonade and fresh blueberries. Tasted as good as it looked, believe me....hardest thing was keeping my 8 year old son away from the vodka infused blueberries.

For starters, we picked the Crisp Calamari (chorizo, cilantro and salsa verde) The calamari was perfectly done and the batter managed not to fall of the squid rings, always a good sign of well done calamari. The chorizo was a punch of flavour even if not too well done (I love it charred). The amazing taste of cilantro and a bit of salsa verde topped off this great appetizer. The bagged lime squeeze was perfect.

The choice for entree was not a hard one...I seldom pass on the opportunity of eating a good French dish, so when I realized they had Duck Confit, it was a no brainer. The confit was very good with the skin not as crispy as I'm used to but inside the duck leg was moist and full of flavour. The polenta was not done in the traditional way, more resembling the Madeira style dish of "Milho" but with sage instead of kale.

Not sure if it was the day or how I was feeling but I ended up missing dessert. There really was no room for it and I felt quite satisfied by meals end.

The Good: Stunning setting, great food and great service.
The Bad: Just a little slow on the kitchen on a not too busy day but nothing too worrisome.
The Verdict: A great place to dine but also amazing for their champagne brunch. Worth the drive to Burlington if you are not already there. The service is great and the food is top notch. The perfect setting and ambiance will round out this amazing experience. Just go...

I give it 4 out of 5 Olives as rating

Riverbend Inn

16104 Niagara Parkway
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON

905-468-8866

In her opinion:
To top off our Fabulicious Saturday in Niagara-on-the-Lake; Edgar, Liz, Jacob and I had dinner at the Riverbend Inn and Vineyard. This is beautiful property that I have admired for a very long time but had never had the privilege of eating here. Fabulicious was the perfect opportunity. 

The inn is inviting and gorgeous. We were shown to our lovely table for four and our water glasses were filled right away. After reviewing the wine menu, I realized that I preferred a cocktail...so I ordered my current go to cocktail...a sidecar. This one was tart and delicious.

Our waitress brought over some lovely Ace baguette and olive loaf for us to nibble on while we looked over the menu. 

After some consideration and debate...I choose the following: 
To start - PEI Steamed Mussels
(White Wine Tia Curry Cream Sauce, Fresh Cilantro)

These mussels were really really good. The Indian flavours were a treat. I love mussels and I love Indian but had never had them together...this was excellent.

For my entree, I had Truffle Brine Chicken
(Apple Pear Chutney, Roasted Fingerlings, Cauliflower Puree)

Flavourful and delicious. The truffle brine made this chicken so moist and delectable. The skin was crisp and succulent. I really enjoyed my main.

For dessert, I had Chocolate Cheesecake
(Fresh Berries)

This was a very good cheesecake. The chocolate flavour was not too overpowering and the cheesecake itself was moist and delicious. I just wished I wasn't so full from our lunch at the Charles Inn because I couldn't even finish this gorgeous dessert.

Overall, I had a really nice dinner at the Riverbend Inn. This is a lovely dining room. The service was attentive and friendly. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this restaurant to anyone.

In his opinion:
A visit to this 4 diamond award winning restaurant had been long overdue. We often dine next door at Peller Estates but seem to always miss its smaller next door neighbour. This was the perfect time to give it a try, especially since it was during Niagara-on-the-Lake's Fabulicious event. 

The inn's old world charm, architecture and ambiance are extremely inviting for the discerning public. Its majestic front columns are the perfect facade for this well appointed building that includes the obvious inn, a vineyard, conference rooms and of course, the award winning restaurant.

The dining room is well decorated with an elegant feel and wonderful view of the nearby vineyards. In the summer the patio is open and helps you get even closer to the grapes. We were seated and given some water and home made bread to start our night. Since I was the designated driver that day, no cocktail or alcohol was consumed. The servers were very attentive and polite.

For my appetizer, I picked the Arugula and Spinach Salad (Ice Wine Butternut Squash, Woolwich Goat Cheese, Honey Roasted Pecans and Beet Dressing) the salad was surprisingly light and very fresh. The roasted pecans shared the spotlight with the goat cheese that provided creaminess and texture to the spinach. The beet juice worked well as a dressing and it was a great start to the meal.

For my main, I selected the Peppercorn Strip Loin (7 oz. Grilled Strip Loin, Saffron Potato Puree, Crispy Fried Leeks and Red Wine Jus). I rarely ever order steak in any fine dining restaurant that I visit so this was a surprise, even to myself. The steak came out medium as I requested and was extremely tender to the bite. The saffron potato puree was delicious and the crispy fried leeks were a good surprise as a steak topper. The vegetables felt a bit overwhelming as mandatory greens instead of a compliment to the meat but were well displayed.

For dessert and not to vary too far off the usual, I picked the Classic Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee. This was a very traditional vanilla creme brulee and I don't say this as a problem but actually as a refreshing way to have it. As so many attempts of variations of this dessert emerge, it's nice to see a very good example of the original dish. A highlight of the meal.

The Good: Good country cuisine and attentive service. Great location and views.
The Bad: The steak dish lacked a certain refinement...felt displaced.
The Verdict: Beautiful location, great amenities and very high standards make the Riverbend Inn a must visit. The restaurant's accolades speak for themselves but the food and service back the awards won and its reputation. A must visit when looking for a great meal in a great setting when in Niagara-on-the-lake.

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

Charles Inn

209 Queen Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON  

905-468-4588

In her opinion:
Winter can be a total drag and that has definitely been the case this winter. So any opportunity to break it up and enjoy amazing food at the same time...well we're all over it. We have taken full advantage of been many foodie events this year including Winterlicious and now Fabulicious. This is Niagara-on-the-Lakes' prix-fix event with $25 3-course lunches and $35 3-course dinners. So we gathered our troops from last year to join us...just Liz and Jacob and made a dash to wine country! 

We started with a lunch at the beautiful Charles Inn and Restaurant which is a part of Niagara's Finest Inns. This is a stately inn which is both beautiful on the inside and out. Their Fabulicious lunch menu was also lovely. We were shown to our table right away and our server, Lloyd came to bring us warm bread and butter and fill our water glass.

After perusing the menu, I ordered a glass of Megalomaniac's Riesling. My favourite white wine varietal and this one did not disappoint. It was a perfect reflection of Niagara region. 

As for my meal I decided on the following:

Caramelized Onion and Cherry Tomato Tart 
(Balsamic Dressed Baby Arugula, Woolwich Goat Cheese)

Crisp Skin Atlantic Salmon
(Buttered Lentils "Du Puy", Parsnip Puree, Mushroom Ragout, White Wine and Chive Cream)

Rich Chocolate Pate
(Raspberry Sorbet, Candied Orange Peel and Creme Anglais)

The whole meat was excellent. The carmelized onion and cherry tomato tart was flavourful and absolutely delicious. The crispy skinned salmon was perfectly cooked and succulent. But the piece de resistance on the plate was the mushroom ragout. So delectable...I could have had just a plate of mushrooms. Dessert was very nice as well. You needed to be a chocolate lover to appreciate the chocolate pate but I'm a chocolate lover. The tartness of the raspberry sorbet was the perfect accompaniment to this delicious pate.

Overall, an excellent experience from the wonderful service provided by our server Lloyd, to the delicious food and wine and of course the fabulous company. Another successful Fabulicious experience!

In his opinion:
There are so many great restaurants in Niagara-on-the-lake that it makes it very hard sometimes to decide where to eat. This was to case when deciding our Fabulicious restaurants this year...lots of choices, great menus and of course great wine.

We chose the Charles Inn because of our previous visit to their restaurant. It was a very pleasant one and we said we would surely return and we did. The Charles Inn also has a spa and inn facilities besides their award winning 4 Diamond Restaurant.

The room exudes  "old world" charm throughout and has a very inviting dining room with salmon red walls and period chandeliers. Even the chairs are a perfect match for the room decor.

I started my meal experience with a Pinot Noir 2010 from In Between the Lines Winery. This was a medium bodied red with some tannins but still a bit young.

For starters, I picked the Celeriac Risotto (Roasted Celeriac, Baby Spinach, Sauteed Mushrooms, Shaved Parmesan, Herb Oil). This dish was delightful and heavily complex in flavours and textures. The risotto was smooth and creamy but given that it was celeriac risotto that was expected. The mushrooms ended up being the gold mine of this dish, rounding out the texture of the risotto in a smooth creamy sauce. The shaved Parmesan was a nice touch to finish the plate but it felt not needed or a bit out of place. 

For my entree, I chose Oven Roasted Supreme of Grain Fed Chicken (Goat Cheese Polenta, Roasted Root Vegetables, Simple Jus). The chicken was cooked to perfection and the skin was properly crispy without coming out in one big piece as it so often does. The chicken was moist and full of flavour. The roasted root vegetables were delicious with just the right amount of doneness to them to give you that firm yet easy to chew bites. The polenta unfortunately didn't feel fresh or wasn't properly cooked. It felt spongy and bland but it would have been a great addition to this dish, had it been well done.

To finish the meal, I chose the obvious dessert of Creme Brulee. I say obvious because there usually has to be something very special as an option for me to pick it over creme brulee. The brulee presented as a ginger, orange and honey scented custard, topped with the usual burnt sugar and fresh berries. The sugar coating wasn't all the way caramelized but maybe because it was a bit thicker than usual. Overall, it was still a good dessert, even if not great.

The Good: great service and a fantastic atmosphere makes this place a gem. The food was presented well and flavours were good. 
The Bad: A few misses (mentioned above) in each one of the dishes can't be a true representation of this 4 Diamond award restaurant. Maybe an off day.
The Verdict: My last visit seemed much more perfect. Although the experience was good, it always seemed like it lacked something, just those little misses in the food. Otherwise, the experience was good. It may have been because it was Fabulicious, I will never know.

I give it 3 our of 5 Olives as rating