Mildred's Temple Kitchen

Due to the lack of good food for our NYE dinner here, we decided we have to find a place that's open the next day (Jan 1st) and soon realize that there's none... so we decided to go to Mildred's Temple Kitchen on Jan 2nd since I've a Groupon for $30 for $60 worth Dinner there. I have always wanted to come here back in the summer since they have floor to ceiling window that would be super sunny bright but read about a lot of bad service reviews... so until now in the middle of winter =P

Here are some pics taken outside, love the bridge-like corridor that leads to the restaurant(^_^)

 Drank too much wine during the holidays, so we decided just to order a cocktail (for me) and beer (for him) instead.

Cloud 9 ~ Cazadores tequila with fresh lime & triple sec & cava, blitzed until light & frothy

It was recommended by the server but I really didn't like this, I normally hate too sweet and love sour... but this one is just sour and doesn't really have any other taste, should have just stick with Caesar (just in case you haven't notice from here and here,  Caesar is one of my fave cocktail)

Foie Gras Banana Split ~ one of their Dish du Jour

I just have to order it as soon as I hear seared foie gras (^_^)

We were so surprise at how well the foie gras goes with the banana and ice cream together with the brioche

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Just love these thigh I got from f21, wanted to buy an additional one as backup but it was the last pair I could find =( Goes perfectly well with my Jeffrey Campbell's Lita that I bought back here

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The coat was on sale at American Eagle

The 3 Brewers

After Boxing Day shopping at Eaton Center, we went to The 3 Brewers and it's my 2nd time there. I have always wondered how good is this place since each time I passed by it's packed; then one day without being able to make last minute reservation to the other restaurant that we had in mind and as we pass by, we just decided to give it a try. It's just so convenient to drop by after a day of shopping downtown. It has 3 stories, so it's more probably you'll get a table here than any other restaurant around the area without reservation...

Our First Visit back in July 2010

Since it's a microbrewery-restaurant, we just have to try their beers, so we ordered Et Cetera, it's a 4-oz sample glasses of each beer; blonde, amber, white and brown.



Love the BLONDE ale, so order another 1/2 pint.

Just don't know how to describe it, most of Quebec/Montreal base beer have a very distinct flavor that I ♥

 Duo Formula at $14.50 for a Brewer Special Flammekueche + 1 dessert Flammekueche.

Flammekueche is basically a roll out bread dough with toppings.

It taste totally different that your regular thin crust pizza, I think it's crispier and have more of a cracker feel when bite into it

 Brewer Special Flammekueche ~ Onions, bacon, mushrooms and grated gruyere cheese

Highway 61 - Southern Barbeque

Once in a while I would crave for an all meat dinner and it happen about a month ago. We decided to head down to Highway 61 since I have one of those handy coupon once again and also because I'm always in search of good ribs.

But it wasn't that great in spite of all the good reviews online....

61 Cajun Gumbo Soup 

That was my favorite part of the night, it was pack with sausage, shrimp etc and LOVE how it's served pipping hot and super spicy (I love Spicy) (^_^)

We had the Highway 61 Blonde (so watery) & a Guest Tap which I don't remember the name

Rib Sampler Plate

~ A "half of that" helping of their signature pork ribs, a half rack of baby backs and three Dakota beef ribs. Served with taster of homemade baked beans and coleslaw.

Didn't really like the ribs, it was not fall of the bone and the meat was not really season, all you taste was the sauce. The beef ribs tasted the best since beef have much more flavour on it's own not like pork which usually take on whatever flavour you gave them. But the down side of the beef ribs, it's so big hat it's very difficult to eat and it's a big tougher... Love the bean thou but that's about it (O_o)

I was feeling I should just go to the Montana by my house instead of traveling mid-town for this (or just went next door for Duff's spicy wings)

Auberge du Pommier

This was my Christmas present to him, a Tasting Menu Dinner x2 with wine pairing at Auberge du Pommier. Surprise surprise, this is my first time there given that it's so popular and how much I love anything French. It's just that there's always some newer/smaller/more interesting restaurant that I wanted to try and it has always been push back (love small cozy restaurant that's popping up in Toronto where menu looks more interesting in comparison) =P

Mise En Bouche ~ Charcuterie with wild flavours

pair w/ Cava, a sparkling wine from Spain

I love the display, it's much more artistic looking than your normal Charcuterie platers (like from here).

Too bad it looked much better than it actually taste, but the sauces and the pickled mushroom was very very good. I was also surprise at how well the sparkling wine go with the meat.

(Oh, I have to say it once again, my fave Charcuterie is still Black Hoof's)

 

Saumon Sockeye ~ cured Pacific sockeye on tiny on tiny vegetables with fragrant herb consomme, steelhead roe and grated citrus; paired w/ 2007 Alargo, Spain
The broth was pour at the table from a french press, it was very light refreshing but very flavorful at the same time. But it keep reminding us of Pho (Vietnamese noodle) soup =P

Foie de Canard Poêlé ~ seared duck liver on warm lentilles du Puy with Poached egg, fried brioche, roquette leaves and Vinaigre de Jerez; paired w/ Meiomi, Pinot Noir, California, Canada.

Yummm, every part of this dish just goes well together.

Happy New Year

Didn't have the gourmet extravagant dinner or party for NYE this year... just had a calm & relaxing Dine & Dance at the Hilton's Hotel nearby.

Ok, the change was a tiny bit extreme and I have to say I was a bit bored and wish I went clubbing instead =P 

But after a few drinks, we did have a bit of fun at the end (O_o)

The Big Chill

Feeling unsatisfied after our dinner at Sotto Voce here, we walk around feeling lost... expecting a warm comforting meal (aka pasta = comfort food for me) and not getting that make me feel not complete and empty =( 

Then we pass by The Big Chill which we have pass by a few times before when having dinner around the area and would smell the sweet buttery taste of their waffle, but never went in since we were always so full from our dinner.... so without hesitation we went in this time =P