joey's yorkdale

a few weeks back, the gals and i went out to celebrate the birthday of our dear mrs jw. since none of the ladies had been to the newest joeys to hit toronto, i thought it was a good choice.
the yorkdale location, while still busy, does not have the absurd wait-times experienced at other locations. for us, it was a good choice for a thursday eve. as usual, the atmosphere was trendy and the wait staff were dressed to the nines. i found our waitress to be more attentive than usual, which was a welcomed-treat. we were seated in a comfy booth on the main level, in the middle of all the action. by the time we left, the place was packed and there was a line out the door. there is definitely something to be said for early resos. food was on point, service was good and atmosphere was great. overall, a great eve filled with laughs and good eats.

none of us could resist these delicious yam fries topped with parmesan cheese, with truffle lemon aoili dipping sauce. thanks to mc for sharing.

can't go to joeys without ordering the chinatown lettuce wraps. the appetizer comes with toasted peanuts, fresh veggies and crsipy noodles. well worth jeopardizing your meal by filling up on them.
(special thanks to na of where the locals go for sharing her pic)

super-stoked voda on special 

 meal time

i couldn't resist the blue cheese sirloin, with the fully-loaded crispy mashed potato and seasonal veggies.
those mashed potatoes, in a spring-roll like outer layer, melt in your mouth.

dh ordered the grilled salmon, complete with maple beurre blanc,
crispy mashed potato and seasonal vegetables. she was also a fan of the mashed potato.

the ever-healthy mc ordered the beach salad. strawberries, goat cheese, quinoa, candied pecans,
lemon poppy seed dressing and chicken.

birthday girl jw ordered the florentine raviolo: seared scallops and prosciutto with spinach and artichocke filled ravioli, hold the tomato caper salad. delicious!

highlights of the evening (hey, we were celebrating a bday. desserts are a must!)

my personal fave, the italian donuts. lemon curd and vanilla marscapone cream. the zesty lemon flavour provides excellent balance to the sweet donuts

for jw, the molten lava chocolate souffle. wow.
the lava was piping hot and devoured within seconds. 

last but certainly not least, the 'happy ending'. chocolate decadence with dulce de leche and maldon salt.
very much capturing the 'salty-sweet' combo trend.

we had a great night, and will certainly be back to joeys!

vi pei, oh my

no question about it, this girl loves brunch. and discovering a delicious brunch spot within walking distance from home is quite the finding! the whole (quite critical) group was in agreement: we will definitely return to vi pei bistro (formerly vi vetha)

EC, BC, JW, CS, RK and i went to vi pei in the yonge and lawrence area, on a beautiful sunny march day (a tease by mother nature). there was lots of cousin-chatter and smiles all around. the service was great and the food was fantastic. the menu offered creative options for typical brunch food, plus some interesting specials. the menu was extensive, making it difficult to choose what to eat. all in all, everything was plentiful! the restaurant itself has a plain decor, but what vi pei lacks in atmosphere, they more than make up for with lick-your-plate brunch.  

brunch:

eggs nova 
poached eggs on english muffin over smoked salmon with hollandaise.
served with salad & home fries

salmon omelet
fruit smoked salmon, capers & green onion
with salad & home fries  

3 cheese omeletprepared with asiago, cheddar & mozzarella cheeses
with salad & home fries

eggs benny special
two poached eggs, smoked salmon, brie and hollendaise
served with side salad and homefries

french toast special
brie-stuffed french toast with caramelized
peaches, strawberries and bananas (WOW)
bacon and sausage

note: get there early... the place was buzzing and full by 11.
looking forward to next time!

the stockyards

after listening to all the hype, ap and i checked out the latest bbq joint, the stockyards, for a rare weekday-lunch that could only be scheduled during march break.
inconspicuously nestled between random shops on st clair west, we weren't prepared for a nearly-full house on a tuesday at noon. bar-seating only, we quickly grabbed seats where we had a view of where the magic happens, right in front of the grill. the atmosphere is very comfortable, with a relaxed-country feel and lots of toronto old-time memorabilia. the staff were friendly, accommodating and helpful when it came to decision time. they definitely steered us in the right direction.

notable items:
the meat is so good, definitely due to their 18-hour smoking process
you can order for pick up
they only sell their bbq ribs and whole bbq chickens on tuesdays, fridays and sundays after 5pm

699 st clair west

best ginger-ale in town, hard to find, easy to drink.

ap ordered the slow-smoked BBQ pork with slaw on the side. it was enough for 3 people
add: delicious fries

i ordered the the oak and hickory bbq beef brisket with stockyards bbq sauce,
garlic mayo and carmalized onions.
i barely ate half, but RK enjoyed it for dinner

some of the great memoribila that adds to the country-feel

 the stockyards has a legendary brunch menu that is, unfortunately, only offered on weekends. due to limited seating (only 18 counter seats in the whole joint), i am not sure where all these weekend-dwellers eat, but i am positive they devour every last bite, especially of the much-touted chicken and waffles. oh well, there is always next time!

highly recommend. but get there early to grab a seat!

my name is leslie jones

leslieville dining always tends to be a positive experience. ap + ng, rk + i finally got our acts together and headed downtown for our much-anticipated double date. after waiting in line at a different restaurant, we decided to walk down queen and see what we could find. 
lucky for us, we hit gold. leslie jones is the gem of leslieville. located on queen at the corner of jones ave, leslie jones has a cozy atmosphere with food that will not disappoint. the ever-changing menu uses locally-sourced ingredients, while the old-school, open kitchen showcases chef george wensley's talents.
leslie jones is high on the recommendation list!

complimentary fresh bread and a unique chickpea based dipping sauce

appetizers

rk enjoyed the grilled calamari, marinated with lemon, capers, moroccan olives and chillies
because it was grilled, it tasted fresh and was the perfect appetizer

ng enjoyed the avocado salad with tomato, red onion, coriander, and fresh lime dressing

i guess great minds think alike. ap and i both ordered
the beet salad with ricotta, fresh pear, smoked almonds and greens
it has inspired me to start making beets again

mains

ap enjoyed her eggplant stuffed with spinach, zucchini, basil puree and goat cheese
it looked and smelled incredible

ng enjoyed linguine with scallops, tiger shrimp, mussels,
chilies, fresh herbs, spinach, tomato and white wine

rk can never turn down risotto. it was the daily special, with mushroom and, peas.
ever a critique of the consistency of risotto, he licked the bowl clean.

i devoured my braised beef brisket with dark ale, rosemary, paprika and caramelized onion. the meat was cooked tenderly and the veggies and potato were packed with flavour.

we were (unusually) too full for dessert!
it was a great evening: from the excellent service and vinyl-spinning chef to the local art showcased on the walls, leslie jones never disappoints.
we will definitely be back in the warmer weather to enjoy a drink or two on their infamous patio!