Angelina's

You know when you watch movies at Cineplex and they have those ads pointing out rude people like Harvey Hogger, Tommy Texter or Suzy Seat Kicker?  Well, I'd like to add a Tammy Table Troll (sorry if I insulted all the Tammys out there).  You see, we were waiting for a table at Angelina's and witnessed 2 ladies occupy a table for 4 prior to us arriving and after us leaving (that would put it at 3 hours, more on that later...).  Anyways, we did end up getting a table and set off to use another one of my many Groupons.

For myself, I decided to try their Seafood Benny featuring smoked salmon and baby shrimp.  Smothered in a enough Hollandaise that hid almost everything underneath, the sauce actually ate rather light with a mild flavour and lack of acidity.  The poached eggs were perfectly runny while the smoked salmon was generous in portion.  That included the good amount of buttery baby shrimp, which were a bit salty.  We weren't fans of the potatoes though as some were undercooked.  The fruit was attractive and fresh though.  Viv continued the fruit theme with her Berry Pannekoeken topped with strawberries, blackberries and blueberries.  This was also served with fresh whipped cream and a berry compote.  Thin and fairly light, the pannekoeken was nicely textured and mildly flavoured.

My daughter decided on the Smoked Salmon and Spinach Pannekoeken with Edam cheese.  This was fairly straightforward with the same light and thin pannekoeken topped with melted cheese, fresh spinach leaves and smoked salmon with a side of Hollandaise.  This was pleasant enough with little fanfare.  Going more heavy duty, my son had the Bacon and Eggs Pannekoeken.  This was a pretty savoury with salty bacon which went well with the syrup and pannekoeken.  Of note, the prices of these items were about $3-$5 less than De Dutch.  However, the one thing that annoyed us was the time it took for our order (over 45 minutes!).  That was the same for others too as we observed, which would mean that the ladies hogging the table were definitely there for over 3 hours.  I digress.  Overall, we liked the food at Angelina's, just be prepared to wait. 

The Good:
- Friendly people
- Decent eats

The Bad:
- Food took forever
- Parking is scarce 

Dutch Wooden Shoe

We woke up today with the munchies and without food in the fridge. Originally, we were going to take Whipping Girl's advice and try Fantastic Restaurant. Apparently they have all-you-can-eat Dim Sum. If this makes some of you cringe, I hear ya because we have been to Fantastic before. It was a long time ago and we were not overly impressed. Maybe it's better now? I'm not even sure if AYCE Dim Sum is a good concept since there are quite a few inexpensive Dim Sum places. Well, it was a moot point because we ended up going to the Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe instead. When I had asked Donna Chang where she wanted to eat, the Dutch Wooden Shoe was near the top of her list. Apparently, Whipping Girl had wanted to try this place as well; but she had already turned down the offer for some morning eats. She was choked that we went without her. She learned her lesson - never turn down a dining opportunity!

The Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe resides at an old De Dutch Pannekoek House location. The menu and concept of the restaurant remains quite similar to De Dutch; but with a few different twists. In addition to some fusion Pannekoeks influenced by Mexican and Italian cuisine, there is a certain Indonesian flair as well. I can only surmise that the Dutch colonization of the East Indies has some influence. Consequently, you see things like Nasi Goreng and Bahnmi Goreng on the menu. I went along with this and ordered the Nasi Goreng which was a Pannekoek filled with Indonesian fried rice and ham topped with a fried egg. Spicy Peanut Sauce, Hot Sauce and salad were served on the side. First off, let me say I've had Nasi Goreng and this was no Nasi Goreng. With that being said, if I just accepted it for what it was, the Pannekoek with the side sauces was pretty darn good. Definitely something a bit different. On a side note, they actually messed up my order and made a Vegetarian Pannekoek instead. The HORROR! Well, not only did they quickly fix my order, they gave me the vegetarian one for free. I poked at it and gave some to my daughter; but I really didn't eat it. Viv had the Boeren or Farmer's Pannekoek. Piled on top of the Pannekoek were 2 Eggs, Ham, Bacon, Smoked Sausage, Hash browns and a side of Hollandaise. Almost exactly the same as De Dutch, this particular breakfast is a good amount of food. However, it is $3 cheaper here and practically the same.

Vandelay opted for the Windmill Waffle which was topped with Smoked Sausage, Spinach, Tomato, Fried Egg, Hollandaise and Edam Cheese. He generously gave me a sample so I could try it. The waffle was a perfect balance of crispiness and softness. Combined with all the ingredients on the plate, this was one delicious breakfast. Donna Chang went for "THE" French Toast with Apples. Presented beautifully on the plate, with a side of baked apples, the french toast was delicate. The nicely baked apples were slightly sweet and a bit tart, an excellent compliment to the buttery egg toast. I normally do not make a big fuss about my son's food because it is either quite standard or he doesn't really even eat it. He's a really picky eater. Today, he chose the Dutch Wooden Shoe Shaped Pannekoek with Chocolate Sprinkles. Nothing really exciting you say? Well, he finished the whole darn thing! This is significant because he NEVER finishes his food. Suffice to say, it was a major event, at least for us. Well, if even the pickiest of eaters ate all of his food, albeit not a lot, it bodes well for the restaurant. The adults of the table concurred because the food was indeed good. With slightly lower prices than De Dutch and serving essentially the same things with a few twists, how could you not be happy? We sure were!

The Good:
- Something different from the usual breakfast fare
- Reasonable prices compared to the De Dutch
- Good Portions

The Bad:
- Seating arrangements are a bit cramped