Hot Spot Buffet

As you already know by now, AYCE is a thing again.  In fact, they are coming up with different ways of doing things compared to the past.  Once upon a time, AYCE meant ordering off a checklist and waiting for staff to bring you the items or in most cases, the items did not arrive and/or you got the wrong items and also the incorrect amount.  Well, Hot Spot Buffet on Kingsway has solved that problem by offering most of the items available for Korean-style BBQ and hot pot as self-service (a la Bigway).  Hence, you can get exactly what you want and how much you want every time (keep in mind, if you waste food, it is $10.00 for every 100 grams).

So how much is this AYCE?  For the basic Korean BBQ, it is $24.99 for lunch & late night.  $35.99 for Korean BBQ and skewers for dinner and an extra $2.99 for hot pot.  We had both and it was a lot of food for 2 people.  Probably best to grab some friends and make it a group thing to try more items.  First and foremost, there is a Large Big Way-esque refrigerated display case with hot pot items on one side and BBQ items on the other.  Considering the reasonable pricing, the selection is quite good.

We got roughly everything in for our hot pots with Tender Beef, Basa, Chicken Thigh, Chicken Giblets, Cuttlefish, Beef Aorta, Crab Stick, Luncheon Meat, Quail's Egg and a variety of fish ball products.  As for non-meats, we had Tong Ho, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Wheat Gluten, Wood Ear, Corn, Konjac Noodle Bundles, Kelp, Wintermelon, Bean Curd Stick, Yam Noodles and Dried Instant Noodles.  There was more things available, but we didn't get them.  Nothing amiss with the items as things looked and ate fresh.  

On the bottom of the hot pot ingredients section, we found plates of meat including Lamb, Pork Shoulder, Pork Belly and Fatty Beef.  These cooked up quickly in our individual broths (Mala for me and Mushroom for Jackie).  I found my spicy broth to be mildly hot, but fairly flavourful.  The mushroom was better in our opinion since it was plenty mushroomy while well-seasoned so that it helped flavour the meats.

Onto the Korean BBQ portion of our meal, we got a selection from the display that included Thinly Sliced Beef (plain or marinated), Chicken Wings (different marinades), Chicken, Spicy Pork, Zucchini, Squash, Pork Shoulder (plain or marinated), Mushrooms, Marinated Shortribs and Shrimp.  The BBQ grill was relatively even and cooked things quickly on the high setting.  Need to pay attention as it could burn.  We thought the wings were great being well-marinated and juicy.  Shortribs were great too with a tender chew.  In fact, all the meats were quite good.

There was also a Self-Serve hot and cold food section near the front of the restaurant.  We helped ourselves to Shredded Potato Salad, Pork Ear & Cucumber, Edamame, Pickled Radish and Kimchi.  Across from it, we found some hot dishes in Fried Rice, Spicy Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork and Shrimp & Fishballs.  Right next to that was a warming oven with Fried Glutinous Sesame Balls, Portuguese Tarts, Spring Rolls, Fried Chicken Skin and Chicken Wings.  Next to that, we had some Steamed Dumplings and Bao.  The food was okay but some of it was not hot enough, which diminished its appeal.  Wings were good though.  There was also some dessert and also a soda dispenser.  However, the diet cola ran out and was not refilled.

Of course there was a Sauce Bar with also some seasoning salts above.  Had all of the usual items to create your own custom dipping sauce for hot pot and Korean BBQ.  In addition to the pricing aforementioned pricing, there are also 2 more options including a Premium menu for $45.99 and a Tasting menu for $58.99.  As much as they add some really appealing items to each tier, the basic already includes so much.  I'd stick to that personally.  Overall, we felt the basic was a great value since it included essentially everything.  I do think that one should save their appetite for the hot pot and BBQ and skip the cooked food.  It was fine, but more of a filler than anything else.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Excellent value

- Meats and veggies were vibrant and fresh

- Lots of choice, even for basic

The Bad:

- Cooked food and sides were only okay and the hot food wasn't hot enough

- Soda machine needed attention

Les Faux Bourgeois

Gosh, the last time I visited Les Faux Bourgeois must've been like 13 years ago!  I haven't blogged about it for 16 years...  Well, things have definitely changed since then as it was closed for a bit before reopening in early July.  There has been an ownership change as well as Chef Brent Thornton taking over the reigns of not only Les Faux, but also overseeing the entire Gaia House Hospitality Group (Selene Aegean, Nammos and AMA Raw Bar).  Mijune and I decided to check out what's up at Les Faux since the change.

We ended up doing the Premium Tasting Menu for $105.00pp which includes roughly 5 courses shared between the people participating.  They started us off with some Brioche and Foie Gras with cherries.  Loved the crispy exterior of the brioche giving way to a fluffy interior.  We could pull-apart each bun into 3 separate pieces, which was perfect for accepting the buttery foie gras to form a delicious bite.  Naturally, the sweet and slightly tangy cherry was a perfect compliment.

Next up was the Rotating Ice Plate that featured (for this night at least) 2 BeauSoleil oysters and 2 Sunseekers along with 2 Cherry Stone Clams and Mussels Escabeche.  This reminded me slightly of the Ice Box from Penny in NYC.  Loved the oysters, they were fresh and shucked properly.  The BeauSoleils were sweet and clean while the Sunseekers were brinier but still sweet.  Those clams were a flavour bomb since they were dressed in a brine from the bar, topped with olive and anchovy.  Those plump and buttery mussels were sweet and benefitted from the tanginess and smokiness of the escabeche.  

The Tartare de Boeuf was served as a pretty large portion along with house-made chips.  We loved the chips as they were light and crispy, however, something a bit sturdier would've held up better to the tartare.  With that being said, this was a delicious dish with a heaping portion of tender diced beef that was buttery, yet meaty.  The whole thing was dressed classically with shallots, chives, parsley, cornichons, capers and egg yolk.  On top we found some grated mimolette cheese which added some background sharp nuttiness.

The most stealthily delicious item for the entire meal was the Oeuf Mayonaisse.  This featured a halved lightly boiled egg topped with a brown anchovy mayo, brined olive and kefir.  It was finished off with marinated white anchovy and sturgeon caviar.  Once we got past the soft egg, we to the full hit of the brininess from the mayo.  Beyond that, the anchovy added another layer of brininess and then the caviar did its briny and salty thing.  So much flavour in one to two bites.  Delicious. 

Since we had the Premium tasting menu, we were served the dry-aged PEI Blue Dot Striploin with garlic scapes and padrón pepper.  Sauce au poivre was served tableside.  This was a substantial portion of meat that looked like 10 to 12oz to me.  It was prepared a perfect medium-rare cooked evenly on both sides.  There was a substantial smokiness to the charred exterior and it was seasoned well too.  Steak was succulent and tender.  Sauce was flavourful enough without masking the natural essence of the meat.

The side of Heston-Style Fries were the sexiest thing I've seen, in terms of food, lately.  These thick-cut fries were triple-cooked perfection (made famous by Heston Blumenthal).  Outside, they were so universally crispy while revealing soft and fluffy potato which melted in my mouth.  The addition of dehydrated chicken skin salt added an umami punch as well as some texture.  On the side, we found some creamy and slightly tangy dijonnaise. 

To go with all this indulgence, we were served something that offered balance in the Salade de Tomate with heirloom tomatoes, peaches, anchoïade, bleu d'Auvergne and steak spice.  Loved the sweetness of the tomatoes combined with a contrasting sweetness from the peaches.  Talking about contrast, the salty brininess of the anchoïade and the sharpness of the blue cheese helped compliment the sweetness of the other components.  The use of steak spice was restrained, so that it didn't overwhelm the tomatoes.

Finally, we had a massive Apple Fritter in a St. Leger maple whiskey glaze.  On top, we found some old cheddar from France.  To top it off, we found a large slice of smoky brie.  Although a bit dense, the fritter was just sweet enough with aromatics.  The addition of cheese really worked here with the cheddar having some sharpness while the brie acted almost like a cream of some sort.  It provided creaminess as well as smokiness.  Overall, the meal at this current iteration of Les Faux Bourgeois was a good one.  In keeping with its original ethos of delivering well-portioned and delicious food at a reasonable price, they definitely succeeded here.  I would recommend having the tasting menu as it gives a great overview of the menu.  However, if you just want a casual drop-in dinner, then the Steak Frites for $38.00 is a good bet.

*All food was complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Ample portions

- Well-priced

- Delicious

The Bad:

- You most certainly can drop-in, but reservations are needed as it was packed, on a Monday night...

Published on Main

After enjoying a delicious meal at Elem, we were right back at it the next day at Published on Main.  I've yet to try their tasting menu and this meal, the drought would continue as we went à la carte.  As much as it can cost more money (not all the time by the way), à la carte gives more control over the dishes ordered.  Published is one of our favourites right from day one in its existence.  I still love their original launch menu and many of the subsequent menus up until 2023, hence the #1 ranking in 2022 on Canada's Best 100 Restaurants.  I am looking forward to them ranking in the top 5 again and am always on the lookout for new dishes from them.  This time around, we had some classics as well as some seasonal items.

My prayers were answered when our double-order of Aebleskiver arrived.  I've always wondered why they didn't offer up their tasting menu version of the dish.  Small one-biters that capture the deliciousness without committing to the 3 large ones in the à la carte menu.  These were excellent with a mildly crispy and aromatic exterior giving way to a soft pancake texture on the inside.  The stewed herbs on the inside and herb emulsion on the bottom offered up the herbaceous notes while the generous dollop of caviar added saltiness and brininess.

Next, we had another classic dish in the Chips & Dip.  Other than that time they took it off the menu due to a lack of the right potatoes, this has been on the menu from day one.  Although advertised as "sturdy", these chips were far from being heavy.  However, they more or less stayed in one piece when dipped into the smoked fish dip.  Combined with the sour cream, onions and dill, this dip could be put atop anything and it would taste good.  The cooling smokiness with a bit of tang really lightens up an otherwise perceived heavy snack.

At Published, they have created many different versions of the Dungness Crab.  Last time we were here, they had Sungolds and preserved tomatillos.  For this iteration, we found a flying tiger sauce with serranos, lime, basil and cilantro.  Triangles of crunchy kohlrabi were neatly placed on top with angry bird seeds finishing the dish.  Definitely a bit of spice and lots of herbaceous notes while the tang and brininess of the sauce came though.  But none of it overwhelmed the delicate and fluffy dungeness crab.  

Despite my protests against ordering the Glorious Greens Salad, we ended up with it anyways.  Well, turns out that I was wrong as the salad was rather delicious.  Consisting of 25 different greens and veggies, this had plenty of different textures and crunch.  Furthermore, the greens really had inherent flavour on their own (appealing bitterness as well as sweetness).  We had some sweet crunch from the praline and candied walnuts.  This was all brought together by the tangy and floral elderflower vinaigrette.

Normally, there are never any bad dishes at Published, however, our order of the Kentucky Fried Maitake was a miss.  We've had this dish countless times before and it has always been on point.  Unfortunately, these were fried far too long and/or the mushrooms lacked body.  The result was extremely crunchy batter but no mushroom texture could be found.  Hence, it also ate greasy and despite the delicious garlic scape ranch, it felt like we were eating batter only.

Back to our regular programming with the GBP Gnocchi.  This was a fantastic offering with pillowy small pieces of gnocchi.  Despite being soft, the gnocchi still retained a chew.  Although the sauce was buttery, it didn't eat heavy.  Shallots added sweetness and brightness while the white wine kept things light.  We went for the extra shaved black truffle and it didn't overwhelm the dish.  In fact, it added the proper amount of woodsiness.

The dish I was looking foreword to the most was the Smoked and Candied Sablefish and oh did it deliver.  That fish was a flavour bomb with sweet smokiness that had an appealing saltiness.  It was perfectly balanced by the aerated sweet corn dashi.  We had some charred corn which also provided another layer of sweetness and a bit of smokiness.  Crunch was added in the form of puffed rice on top.  Nice textural contrast.

Bringing things down just a notch or two, we were served the Badger Flame Beets.  These were so plump and juicy being sweet and not exhibiting any earthiness.  To compliment the sweetness, we found a sunflower seed miso underneath that was rich and exhibiting unmistakable fermented saltiness of miso.  Nice balance between salty and sweet while the crunch from the pralines on top added textural contrast.

Ending off the savoury portion of our meal, we went for the PEI Blue Dot BBQ Beef Striploin prepared perfectly medium-rare.  It was well-rested where there was no residual juices on the plate.  Underneath, we found a burnt onion soubise which was buttery and smooth with a touch of smokiness.  We had some chanterelles for both texture and flavour while the potato dumplings were a bit chewy on the outside, but tasty on the inside.

Of course we had to finish off this delicious meal with another day one classic in the Hay.  That aerated hay custard was so light, yet creamy at the same time.  Definite grassiness with mild sweetness.  The green apple granita surrounding it was key for texture and flavour.  The refreshing and cold crunch of the ice complimented the less cold custard.  Secondly, the green apple tang and sweetness provided another layer of flavour to the mild custard.  Lastly, some chamomile provided a bit of floral notes.

We had one more small dessert in the Total Currant Dilly Bar.  This was an interesting creation that tasted like things I would find in the forest.  We found hits of black currant leaf, wood and flowers.  I was thinking fruity when I first saw it and it did have tartness, but the true flavours were the elements of the forest for sure.  Of course there were a few treats accompanying the bill as always in some Brown Butter Caramels and Sweet Tea Pâtes de Fruits.  Once again, a delicious meal at Published where we enjoyed fan favourites as well as some stellar new dishes.  Too bad about the maitakes though.  I'm sure that was a one-off.

The Good:

- In typical Published fashion, dishes were well-thought out where components did not conflict with each other

- Layers of flavour

- On point service

The Bad:

- Too bad about that Maitake dish...

Sun Sui Wah (Main Street)

Boy, here is a Cantonese classic - Sun Sui Wah on Main Street.  It first opened on Main Street in 1988 where Haiyi Seafood Restaurant operates currently.  However, due to their popularity, they moved into a larger location at 3888 Main Street in late 1995, where they still stand today.  They were known for their Squab and excellent Cantonese dishes.  Over time, there has been an increasing amount of capable competitors where some have definitely passed them by.  With that being said, I've had many great meals here and for the first time in years, we decided to pay them a visit, taking my father-in-law out for Father's Day.

As much as the set menus looked great, we didn't have enough people to go for a 10-course meal.  So we ended up doing a la carte.  On that note, they supplied us with menus that we couldn't order from.  Their reasoning?  It was for "advertising purposes".  Honestly, that was pretty weak.  Anyways, we went about getting an eclectic selection of dishes because my FIL can't exactly chew very well.  Hence, we ending up getting a 3lb Dungeness Crab in cream sauce with a yee mein base.  Normally here, we would go for wonton noodles since they hold up to the sauce better, but again, he can't chew it.  No matter, as the noodles weren't too soft and the crab was supremely fresh and meaty.   The meat was bouncy and sweet with classic crab brininess.  Cream sauce was flavourful and buttery.

I was betting that the beef would be marinated enough to be buttery soft in the Satay Beef Vermicelli Hot Pot.  After a few bites, it was indeed tenderized to the point where it was a bit spongy and ultimately tender.  At the same time, there was enough natural meat texture left so it wasn't too artificial.  There was a nice ratio of meat to vermicelli, so it was a fulfilling dish.  The vermicelli was still al dente, but not clumpy.  In terms of taste, the dish was well-seasoned.  Plenty of savouriness with a touch of spice and brininess.  I liked how the hot pot wasn't overly greasy too.

The very softest dish we ordered was the Salted Fish & Chicken with Soft Tofu Hot Pot.  Another solid offering where the saltiness from the fish (and the seasoning) was impactful bordering on salty without going over.  This definitely needed rice as a counterbalance.  We found the tofu super silky, but they were able to keep it from disintegrating during the cooking process.  Bits of chicken were tender and buttery while the amount of salted fish was generous.  Little hits of ginger helped keep things from being too heavy.

One dish that wasn't as soft was the Sweet & Sour Pork.  This was a pretty even mix of meat and pineapple, onions and peppers.  There was just enough sauce to coat each piece of pork, which helped keep things a bit crispy.  The meat itself was only a little fatty, yet still tender and bouncy.  Tangy and sweet, the sauce was quite good, but possibly it could've had just a bit more sourness. 

We ordered one vegetarian dish in the Braised Fried Tofu, Broccoli, Mushrooms and Morels.  This featured soft and almost fall-apart tofu that was was coated in a silky starch-thickened sauce that was just salty enough.  Despite using dried morels, it was still nice to have the earthiness and unique texture of the mushrooms.

We ended up getting the 2 courses of Ling Cod with the first dish being the Stir-Fried Yau Choy with Ling Cod Filets. We asked the vegetable to be cooked a bit longer so that my FIL could eat it.  So I can't really comment on the texture as a result.  However, it was well-seasoned and not overly greasy.  The fish itself a bit crumbly, but tender and fresh.

The second course was the Ling Cod & Tofu Hot Pot.  This was a large portion of the fish bones, belly, tail and fins that were coated in starch and deep fried.  Along with the deep fried tofu, it was finished off with a toss in starch-thickened sauce, onions, ginger and shredded pork.  Once again, the tofu was tender while the fish was buttery and flaky.  Sauce was a bit salty, but wasn't longing for flavour.  

Last item was the Yeung Chow Fried Rice consisting of egg fried rice, BBQ pork, shrimp and gai lang stems.  Nutty and dry, this rice was textbook execution where it was nicely salty and not greasy with discernible grains of chewy rice.  Overall, the meal at Sun Sui Wah was above average and we were satisfied.  Too bad we didn't get to try some of their signature items due to being selective with our dishes.   Prices have definitely gone up in the last 10 years, but that is true across the board.  With that being said, there are other places that I can get roughly the same quality for less money.

The Good:

- Decent eats

- Large portion size

- Despite being busy, the service was quite good

The Bad:

- Prices are on the higher side

- Not sure why we got menus that we couldn't order from

TWK - The Lebanese Sandwich Spot

More often than not, when we are in need of quick eats, we default to the usual fast food joints.  For me, it is always Subway.  Say what you will about the place, but it does the job for me and I get some veggies to go with my sugar-loaded bread and salt-ladened deli meats...  Hmmm...  So maybe, it would be a better idea to find other options.  TWK Lebanese Sandwich Spot on Commercial Drive offers both 8" and 12" wraps that are competitively-priced compared to places like Subway.  In addition, if that doesn't satisfy you appetite, they also have fully-loaded platters for only $17.50.

Before we got to those wraps and platter, we tried their Falafel Pops.  These were deep-fried to order and came out uniformly crunchy on the outside.  Inside, the flavours really popped.  We got strong hits of earthiness, herbaceousness and just a hint of spice.  These were some of the most flavourful falafels I've ever had.  Adding some more nuttiness, the side of tahini offered up moisture too.  Good thing as texturally, the falafels were on the firmer side.

We continued with some more appetizers in the Fattoush Salad and 2 soups.  The salad was fresh with crisp greens, radish and peppers. It came with crispy pita chips and a sweet and tangy dressing.  As for the soups, I loved the Lentil Soup as it was herbaceous and earthy.  Really well-seasoned without being salty.  I liked how it was not overly thick, as some versions I've had are like paste.  The Tomato Soup was supremely fresh with mild-tasting and natural tomato flavours.  It was also earthy and slightly tangy.

We ended up with the Chicken Tawouk and Beef Shawarma Wraps, both in the 12" size.  I would say these would easily be enough food for one person as they were stuffed with plenty of meat.  For the chicken, it consisted of spiced and tender white meat with fries, pickles, coleslaw and garlic sauce.  Nice combination of tanginess, creaminess and earthy-spiced chicken.  For the beef, it had tender beef, parsley, tarator sauce and tomato.  This was bright due to the parsley and also the sauce as it was tangy and nutty.

Something a bit off the board, they also have 2 burgers available.  The first one was the Chicken Burger featuring evenly seared pieces of chicken breast.  The meat was not dry at all and had caramelized flavours.  Love the crispy fried cheese added to the mix.  As for the Beef, it was a pretty robust patty that had natural meatiness.  Combined with the crispy fries, grilled onions and pickles, there was plenty different textures and flavours to go around.

Essentially a deconstructed wrap, the Chicken Tawouk Platter featured grilled chicken, salad, pickles, hummus, fries and a grilled Lebanese bread.  I quite enjoyed eating it this way as the fries stayed crispier and dipping the crispy bread into the creamy hummus was satisfying.  The tender pieces of spiced chicken went really well with the flavourful yogurt dip while the salad featured some of the sweetest grape tomatoes I've ever had.

For dessert, they got Soft-Serve Ice Cream in the form of Rose Water with pistachio and Chocolate.  Really enjoyed the rose water as it wasn't as sweet as one would expect.  It was quite floral and of course nutty from the pistachios.  Chocolate was pretty standard, yet at the same time, wasn't too sweet either.  The soft-serve was decently creamy too.  We also had a Pistachio Cheesecake and it was rich and cheesy while also just sweet enough.  We downed some salty Yogurt Drink while eating our desserts and it was a good match.  Overall, there was some good eats at TWK and well-priced too for the quantity.  Would come back.

 

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post* 

 

The Good:

- Generous portions

- Well-priced

- Menu is focused, but still has a little for everyone

 

The Bad:

- It is mainly a takeout spot, so don't expect a lot of seats