Model Milk

What can I say about Model Milk? It is hands down my favourite restaurant in Calgary. Since opening in 2011 I have been there a number of times and the menu is different every single time. Sometimes I see an item that I want to try the next time I go there but it's already disappeared from the menu. I swear that's how they keep you coming back!!

Tonight's date night features:

WEATHERVANE SCALLOPS  XO Broth, Brassica Cracker, Prawn Salt

WILD PACIFIC SABLEFISH  Potato Crust, Clam and Pea Broth, Tokyo Turnips

WILD PACIFIC HALIBUT  Poached, Sesame and Soy Broth, Sidestripe Prawns

Just like before my taste buds were blown away!!!! I guess the trend for this evening was seafood in soup broths. First we started with Scallops in a XO broth and it was DELICIOUS, possibly the only way I ever want to eat scallops again. Then the mister had Sablefish while I dined on the Halibut. I'm a bit picky with fish cause I never know if it will be too fishy but halibut is usually a safe bet. Both fishes were perfectly cooked and moist. The pea broth that came with the sablefish was light and fresh tasting while the soy broth that accompanied my halibut was a bit heavier because of the butter base. The first couple bites were great but near the end the butter flavour was overpowering, not to fret the shitake mushrooms and raddish were a great change of flavour.

The only thing I don't like about this place is how dang popular it is. It is nearly impossible to get a decent reservation time at this place unless you are calling a week in advance and that's IF they even take your reservation. They usually don't take them at peak dinner hours (6pm-9pm) so you might have to try your luck with a walk in. If you are lucky you'll walk in just when another table is clearing up. And don't decline a seat at the kitchen bar. It's quite entertaining watching the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen. Plus you get to see all the food as it comes out allowing you to make mental notes of the items to try next time. :)

The Grand Opening of Bywoods on St. Clair West

Bywoods
760 St. Clair West
Toronto, ON M6C 1B5
416-658-0460

Date Visited:  April 16, 2014

Bywoods is the latest in the slew of new trendy restaurants such as Pukka, The Crest, and Emma's Country Kitchen transforming the St. Clair West neighbourhoods of Wychwood, Oakwood and Corso Italia.

The menu is heavily Italian influenced and the service is friendly but noticeably nervous to get things right.

Bacon Caesar ($10) - Yum!

Our waiter recommended the Arugula & Crispy Bocconcini with oven dried grape tomatoes, toasted pine nuts & balsamic dressing ($13) as an appetizer but it was disappointing.  The slightly crispy batter of the bocconcini didn't adhere well to the mozzarella and it was cold on the inside, not something I would expect from a hot dish.  We also only received five bite-sized mouthfuls which I found to be a bit steep for the $13 price tag.

We also ordered the Pan Seared Scallops ($16) with grilled chorizo, avocado mash, mixed greens, black olives & jus.  The scallops were perfectly cooked and they worked well with the buttery avocado mash.   The chorizo was too overpowering though and we had to eat it separately to prevent it from ruining the other flavours.

The Strozzapreti ($16) with bolognese & shaved grana padano was ordered as one of our mains.  The bolognese sauce was meaty and delicious but it could have been a tad less acidic.  We would have enjoyed a more 'al dente' strozzapreti too.  

The Moroccan Spiced Lamb ($24) with apricot, smoked potato puree & spinach was our other main.  The lamb was cooked medium rare as ordered.  It was juicy and each delicious bite had the right balance of fat content and gaminess.  The sweet and acidic apricot sauce was a good accompaniment especially for the leaner portions of the lamb.  The potato puree was creamy and was uniquely reformed into the shape of a skinless potato.  The spinach was still firm and not overcooked.

There are some hits and misses at Bywoods and hopefully they will work out the kinks as they move forward.

The grand opening of Bywoods was April 14, 2014.

Kwan Dim Sum & Chinese Cuisine

Kwan

1496 Yonge Street

Toronto, ON 

416-901-6618

Date Visited: December 27, 2013

Kwan is one of the latest restaurants to pop up in midtown at the heart of Yonge and St. Clair.  It is located at the former site of Didier, serving upscale Chinese cuisine in an area previously devoid of any good representation. 

Kwan's interiors have a contemporary feel with rectangular motifs throughout. 

During the day, Kwan serves up dim sum. Who better to open up a dim sum joint than Debbie Lui, the former restaurateur and mastermind behind Royal Tea House?

During the evening, Debbie Lui has given the reigns of the restaurant to head chef Ronny Lam, of former Lai Wah Heen fame. 

Our evening meal started with a standard offering of Peking duck ( 2 courses - $48). Pancake wraps, cucumbers, scallions and Hoisin sauce accompanied our carved duck pieces with crispy skin. 

Bostonian lettuce was served with our second course of minced, stir fried Peking duck instead of the usual ice berg variety.  Although softer than ice berg, the lettuce was the perfect exterior to wrap the crunchy minced duck mix filling to yield delicious bitefuls. 

Next, a Crispy Shrimp Ball ($6) was served.  The exterior batter was crispy and not greasy.  The piping hot interior had minced shrimp wrapped with whole shrimp - how can you go wrong?  Great shrimp flavour and a sweet plum sauce to compliment it. 

A glass with sliced carrots in it and an edible "floor" on top of it elevated the shrimp ball for presentation but those components didn't really do much else taste wise. The "floor" that the shrimp ball that was resting on wasn't very appetizing.  

Seafood Pumpkin Soup ($8) - Great for a cold winter day!  A rich and creamy bisque-like soup with pieces of crab meat and scallop. The seafood wasn't fishy like you might imagine in a preparation like this.  Delicious. Is this Chinese cuisine?  It's quite innovative!

Scallop Cakes ($20) - Each cake comprised of mashed up scallop wrapped in a crunchy seaweed wrap. Another dish served piping hot and drizzled with a layer of decadent truffle oil!  Another imaginative dish!

Asparagus with Bamboo Shoots ($20) - Crunchy asparagus topped with delicate, melt in your mouth bamboo shoots. 

The seventh dish served was Red Wine Short Ribs Casserole ( $36) - The most memorable dish of the night. This dish ate like a stew. The short ribs were so tender and fall off the bone - no doubt a product of the acidity of the wine.  The wine also was responsible for the deep, complex flavours in the dish. A must try!  Again, am I having Chinese cuisine here?

Grouper Fillet with Kwan's XO Sauce ($20) - This dish had some heat which is always welcome. A subtle crust on the outside of this fried grouper and tender on the inside.  The snap peas still had their snap if you will.  A tad too much oil overall but cooked for the right amount of time. 

Pan Seared Noodles with Seafood ($18) - Kwan's take on Cantonese chow mein?  This noodle dish is loaded with seafood - no complaints there. Delicious sauce makes you come back for more but just a bit much since you lose the crunchy parts you traditionally get with Cantonese chow mein. 

Last savoury dish was XO Seafood Fried Rice ($18). 

For dessert?  

A glutinous sesame ball sat atop a jello-like coffee flavoured square. 

The verdict?  

Kwan is a welcomed addition to midtown.  It features refined Cantonese style cuisine with a few inventive surprises along the way!  Back for dim sum?  Absolutely. 

Nomé Izakaya

Nomé Izakaya
4848 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON M2N 5N2
647-347-7937

Date Visited:  April 16, 2013

Intro
Another week and another Izakaya place!

Ambiance
A wall of Saporro greets you at the window front of the restaurant.  Once inside, the restaurant is decorated with Japanase artwork, wooden tables, and is dimly lit to set the mood.

Service
Friendly servers are knowledgeable with the menu.  They were great at up-selling the Monday special which was a Japa-Burger and a pitcher of Saporro for $20.00 (or a pint for $11.00).  Good deal!  Everyone also at the table received a complimentary Malpeque oyster to promote their $1 oysters on Tuesday and Wednesday.

When our order for the oysters arrived, we received Malpeques rather than the Kumamotos; but, there were no hassles sending it back to the kitchen.  Our servers were gracious to pour us ice water all around the first round; however, subsequent attempts consisted of leaving a pitcher of water on the table with no ice and allowing us to pour ourselves.  It wasn't busy either.

We were celebrating a fellow foodie's birthday and so we ordered cheesecake.  We were disappointed when the cake came out without a candle initially.  But, they redeemed themselves by bringing back the cake with a  massive flaming candle!  Perhaps they read our minds? The thought was there.

Food

Japa-Burger ($8.80)

Japa-Burger ($8.80) - Nomé’s original homemade sliders made with sliced rib eye meat and topped with tomato, spring mix, onion, smokey bbq sauce and garlic seasoning.

The rib eye meat was tender and marinated well - good flavour.  The barbecue sauce brought everything together.  A good overall slider - especially when a plate comes with a pitcher of beer.  We got 3 specials to satiate our hungry and thirsty party.

Kumamoto Oysters

Kumamoto Oysters
$3.50 each $21 - 1/2 Doz. $40 - Doz.  Mildly fruity and sweet, with a rich buttery texture.

The delicious Kumamoto oysters came with a variety of sauces - hot, seafood, horseradish, ponzu, basil pesto, and garlic.  Great selection!  It's hard to mess up oysters at a restaurant; after all, all they have to do is  shuck them fresh but I just wish that our oysters were chilled a little more.

Kumamoto Oyster Sauces!

Deep Fried Pork Belly ($6.50)

Deep Fried Pork Belly ($6.50)
Deep fried marinated pork belly with sea weed paste.

We all know that I am a pork belly fan and so I was super excited to try it fried.  Unfortunately, the pork belly pieces tasted "heavy."  There was too much oil on the batter.  The onion and sauce on top were its saving grace - it would have been a complete disaster otherwise.  I wouldn't order this one again.

Sashimi Salad ($8.80)

Sashimi Salad ($8.80)
Fresh vegetables and assorted sashimi with a house sesame dressing.

Great light salad - simple and the sesame dressing brings everything together.

Marinated Short Rib ($9.30) 

Marinated Short Rib ($9.30)
Arguably Toronto’s BEST marinated beef short ribs immersed in our secret blend of spices.

These ribs were succulent.  They were marinated well.  I wouldn't say they are the BEST marinated beef short ribs in Toronto as per their menu description but they are definitely solid ribs.  The ribs seem like they are slathered in the Korean chili sauce that is ubiquitous in Korean markets.

Unagi Risotto ($8.80)

Unagi Risotto ($8.80)
Creamy risotto, topped with bbq eel.

This risotto is terrible!  The rice needs to be more "al dente."  This slop tasted like porridge and the eel was fishy!  I would not recommend... and NEVER order it again.

Buttered Scallop & Shrimp ($8.80)

Buttered Scallop & Shrimp ($8.80)
Baked scallop and shrimp, simmered in garlic butter.

How can you go wrong with shrimp and scallops sitting in a garlic butter sauce?  Great taste and it was a good idea to add those crunchy bits on top for some texture.  The scallops could have been baked longer to allow for a crispy edge.

Takoyaki ($5.50)

Takoyaki ($5.50)
Deep fried octopus ball served with tonkatsu sauce, mayo.

This was a pretty standard offering of takoyaki.  Nothing remarkable to report.

Black Sesame Edamame ($5.00)

Black Sesame Edamame ($5.00)
Steamed edamame mixed with black sesame sauce.

Good idea but the black sesame sauce was too sweet for the peas in my opinion.

Chicken Wings ($8.00/lb)

Chicken Wings ($8.00/lb)
Deep fried chicken wings served with Nomé’s original hot sauce or garlic teriyaki sauce or sweet chili sauce.

Rainbow Natto ($5.00)

Rainbow Natto ($5.00)
Japanese sticky beans with diced salmon sashimi, 2 kinds of Japanese pickles, wonton skins, green onions & fresh egg yolk.

Overall
There are some hits and more misses with this restaurant.  Nothing to get too excited about.  If I go back, I'd go just for the specials!