Teriyaki Experience 2.0. Enter Here For Your Chance To Win an $800 Gift Card!

Teriyaki Experience has come a long way since my days of undergraduate studies at McMaster University. When it came to deciding what I wanted to to eat before heading back to my dorm room, many times I would find myself lining up at Teriyaki Experience in our student centre to pick up a bowl of freshly made steamed rice, a helping of their signature veggie mix, my go-to protein of chicken, and of course that was all drenched in their famous teriyaki sauce.

Back then Teriyaki Experience was quite simple. The toughest decision when ordering was just figuring out which protein you wanted to have which was a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, or a mix of two. As simplistic as the menu was, customers were still lining up in droves because of the pure quality of its dishes. There's also a fun factor involved when placing your order here because the line cooks literally make your food right in front of you. You can hear the sizzling of the meats, smell the aromas of the veggies, and see the steam rise to the ceiling. Teriyaki Experience already had a great foundation to work with, and backed by customer loyalty and just sheer great tasting food, they are about to evolve into its next phase. Teriyaki Experience 2.0.

Chicken Sandwicchio with Edamame Beans

Currently rolling out at 3 locations in Ontario so far (Sherway Gardens, Toronto Eaton Centre, Dorval in Oakville), Teriyaki Experience 2.0 comes with a brand new look and menu. You will notice immediately that they now have new, sleek, and modern looking menu boards. All the employees are also sporting a brand new uniform that resembles a chef's jacket, and if you ever need to take your food to go their take-out packaging has also been revamped.

One of my favourite changes to version 2.0 is their partnership with the French-Asian patisserie, Bake Code. I have a large sweet tooth, so the offering of a variety of desserts like Japanese cheesecake, cream puffs, and rolls are definitely a welcome addition. I personally also really enjoyed the Pineapple Chicken which is part of their new Signature Meals. The pineapple chunks mixed into the rice and veggies really gives the dish some sweetness that none of their other offerings do adding a real exotic flare to it. A big bonus of their new Signature Meals is that they also come with two pieces of gyoza dumplings, another personal favourite of mine. It's hard to dislike anything that gets deep fried, and these gyoza dumplings are no exception.

Teriyaki Experience 2.0 Changes Overview

Made in Japan: Tea & Sweet Shop - Teas

• Sencha and Genmaicha organic loose leaf tea made the traditionally Japanese way (steamed) as opposed to many green teas, which are actually from China (pan-fried)

• Loose leaf teas flown directly from Japan

• Genmaicha green tea has roasted rice!

Made in Japan: Tea & Sweet Shop - Desserts

• Famous fluffy Japanese cheesecake

• Black sesame roll

• Green tea matcha cream puff pastry

• Green tea matcha roll

Upgraded Signature Meals

• Different veggie cuts so the meals are more Instagram-worthy

• Comes with gyoza dumpling

• Bigger veggie portion

• Famous Chicken Teriyaki is now a Signature Meal

Design-Your-Own-Bowls

• Rice and noodle bowls can be customized to guests’ taste

Sushi

• Made fresh everyday

Bento Box

• New menu product – get a bit of everything!

You may be wondering why Teriyaki Experience is making all these changes to its brand. They are actually celebrating 30 awesome years of being in business and to thank all of their customers for their support, Teriyaki Experience wants to give you a chance to win a free meal every week for a year (grand prize will be in the form of an $800 gift card which accommodates one meal per week for fifty-two weeks). All you have to do is enter by clicking HERE to register. The grand prize winner announcement will happen on Wednesday, December 5th in the afternoon via their corporate social profiles.

Nota Bene - New 4 to 7 Menu

An upscale, fine dining restaurant offering food for $4? Now you don’t hear that statement everyday. However, Note Bene which was named Canada’s best new restaurant in 2009 by Toronto Life is doing just that by launching their new 4 to 7 menu meaning that from Monday to Friday between 4PM to 7PM, you can get bar snacks for only $4! 

Even with its affordability of just two toonies, don’t automatically think the food is cheap, because what you can get on this menu should by all accounts be priced higher. From what you will see below, Executive Chef David Lee has crafted bar snacks that are simple yet refined with touches of gourmet elements that will bring you back to the fine dining ambiance that Note Bene provides. 

Below are the 10 bar snacks that only cost $4 if you drop in between 4PM to 7PM on the weekdays, and then only $7 from 7PM till close. Please note that this menu is not offered on weekends. 

Cumbrae Farms Beef Sliders

Harvarti Cheese + Maple Bacon

Salt Cod Fritters

Kimchi Mayo

Truffle Popcorn

Parmigiano

Burrata Pugliese

Grilled Miche, Olive Oil

Calamari A La Plancha

XO Sauce + Coriander

Calabrese Olives + Cheese

Rosemary + Garlic

Shoshito Peppers

Lemon + Maldon Salt

Porcini Arancini

Truffle Aioli + Parmigiano

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Smoked Oyster Mayonnaise

Belly Buster Slider

Pork Belly, Frites, Ketchup, Pickle

No meal is complete without some liquid gold.

Cava

Pares Balta - Penedes, Spain

Stella Artois

If you’re in the area after a long work day in downtown Toronto, definitely drop by for these bar snacks. What I would suggest is to come down with a friend and order the whole menu! Since it’s only $4 per dish, to have all 10 items you are only going to have to pay $40. I split the entire menu with my friend and in my opinion the portions are perfect for two people to enjoy. 

I just wanted to thank Nota Bene for inviting me down to try this menu out. It is extremely refreshing for a well established, fine dining restaurant in the city to still cater to the customers who are on a tighter budget, but still appreciate good food in an upscale, sleek, and contemporary setting. Now I’m just hoping this trend catches on and other restaurants start creating $4 menus. One can only hope right?  

A Taste of India: Tandoori Flame

I will admit my taste buds are not too familar with Indian cuisine beyond curry and samosas, so when you get invited to eat at the largest Indian Buffet & Restaurant in North America, of course my natural reaction was “Hell Yes!” That’s right folks, Tandoori Flame offers such a wide variety of delicious and exotic dishes that no other Indian restaurant in Canada or even our lovely neighbours down south can claim that they are literally the king of the jungle in sheer size and variety of Indian cuisine. 

Tandoori Flame offers over 150 delicacies spread over 14 000 square feet and with a capacity for more than 500 guests. Their first location opened up in Brampton, Ontario but now they have recently opened up their second location in Mississauga, Ontario as well.

This grand buffet covers the largest tasting in Indian food where the choices just seem endless. From Gol Gappas, Butter and Tandoori Chicken, Biryani, Samosas, Fala Fal, a significant variety of vegetable and non-vegetable Tandoori Kabobs, Tikkas and Curries, plus a huge dessert selection to finish it all off, Tandoori Flame is truly an all in one buffet. 

When I arrived at the restaurant, I was immediately in awe at how beautiful the decor and architecture looked outside and inside of the building. The entrance was extremely inviting with its outdoor lights all lit up that were hanging from its wooden walkway. Inside there are also many sculptures within the restaurant to really showcase its Indian hertigage, with other parts having a very rustic and even modern feel to it such as the white brick walls where my guest and I were seated for our dinner. It’s a great blend of traditional meets the modern age.

Another observation of mine was just how clean this place was. You would think with so much food coming in and out of the buffet kitchen, the buffet tables or floors would be somewhat messy (and understandably so), but not here. Everything from the stainless steel counter tops to the floors were extremely well maintained and cleaned creating an even more enjoyable eating experience. 

With all that being said, lets take a visual look at what Tandoori Flame has to offer, their 150 Indian delicacies in all its glory. 

We have here some naan, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, samosas, chick peas, papadum, yogurt, rice.

Here we have some jelabi, ice cream, mango pudding, gulab jamon, and waffle for dessert.

Tandoori Flame is a great introduction to Indian cuisine for anyone like myself who may be unfamiliar with the food as you instantly get exposed to so many different types of Indian delicacies all at once. The fantastic thing about buffets is that you can try a little bit of everything. If you don’t like one aspect of the food, don’t eat it again. If you do like it, go all in and have as much as you like.

The Mississauga location is also halal which is also a driving factor for many people who are on a more strict dietary regimen as Tandoori Flame caters perfectly for the more health conscious minds as well. Tandoori Flame truly offers a grand buffet in pure, authentic Indian fashion. A restaurant perfect for all occasions!

BUONANOTTE TORONTO - NEW MENU TASTING

Guest Blogger Edition

When someone says ‘Italian food’, the first thing that comes to mind for me is ‘feast’.  Well…truthfully, that comes second after ‘yum’.  Put those together – *voila* – yummy feast.  Naturally, when I was invited to a media event to sample Buonanotte Toronto’s summer menu, I was excited.

Mind you, the extent of my knowledge regarding Italian cuisine (aside from the meals I’ve had at Italian restaurants in the past) only reaches as far back as intel shared with me by my Italian friends and of course, my severe like for anything pizza and pasta.  At the end of the day, I revert back to one primal belief – food makes me happy.

Following is a visual depiction of the 13-course meal that unfolded that night.

Keeping up with the Italian norm, the dishes neatly classified into one of the following:

Antipasti

Prosciutto D’Anatra

This duck prosciutto accompanied with some fresh figs, onion jam, truffled honey, and Pecorino Romano generated the most buzz around the table.  The juxtaposition between the freshness of the figs and the cured meat proved to pair quite well.  Immediate reactions put this atop the best tasting dish list.

Carpaccio di Pesce Spada

Swordfish Carpaccio with Squid Ink Bread Crumb, Serrano Chili, Lemon and Olive Oil

Radicchio Alla Griglia

Grilled Marinated Radicchio with Orange Segments, Walnuts, Parmesan, and Balsamic Dressing

Polipo Grigliato

My favourite component of the night was this grilled octopus.  It was tender with a nearly melt-in-your mouth texture for a tentacled food.  It was served with fingerling potato, chorizo sausage, black olive, cherry tomato and saffron aioli.

Capesante al Tartufo

Seared Scallops with Truffled Cauliflower Puree, Sautéed Asparagus, and Crispy Leeks

Pizza e Pasta

‘Nduja e Rapini

Failing to read the menu prior to this dish’s arrival at our table, I assumed a bite of cheesy sundried tomato goodness awaited.  What met my mouth was this equally-as-tasty white pizza topped with fresh basil, ‘Nduja Salami, oven-roasted rapini, Fior di Latte, and EVOO D.O.P.  MVP goes to the salami.  For those unfamiliar with this Italian meat, ‘Nduja is spicy.  This fiery number is not for the gastronomically meek.

Scarola E Pomodorini

White Pizza with Fresh Basil, Escarole, Black Olives, Sundried Tomatoes, Fior di Latte and EVOO D.O.P.

Prosciutto E Funghi Bianca

Though very similar in foundation to the other two white pizzas with fresh basil, this was my personal favourite dish of the night.   The addition of Buffalo ricotta, ham, Champignon mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano and EVOO D.O.P. created a complete package to me.  Each slice was like a triangular piece of elevated, home sliced goodness.

 Ravioli di Aragosta e Granchio

Homemade Ravioli with Lobster, Crab and Lemon in Lobster Bisque

Fazzoletti All’uovo di Pesto Genovese

Fazzoletti Pasta with Pesto, Fresh Pine Nuts and Baby Basil

Carne e Pesce

Salmone Arrosto con Spugnole

Roasted Salmon with Morels, Fennel and White Wine Butter Sauce

Vitello alla Siciliana

Excitement on the guests’ faces was evident with this sous vide veal tenderloin dish. Supplemented with sautéed mushrooms, spinach and Marsala sauce, I swear I heard faint ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ around me.

Pollo Toscano

Roasted Chicken Breast with Grilled Panzanella and Marinated Pistachios

Don’t want to feel left out? Hurry on over to Buonanotte Toronto!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming…

- Pedestrian Pat

*** All photos taken by Pedestrian Pat ***

Paramount Fine Foods - Yorkville Soft Opening

A little over a month ago I wrote about a new halal sandwich shop called Fresh East (read all about it here), which is a health-conscious deli that serves up Middle Eastern subs and shawarmas. This new sandwich shop is actually a new spin-off franchise from the very restaurant that I will be blogging about today, Paramount Fine Foods.

Paramount Fine Foods is renowned in Toronto for its award-winning shawarma and assorted menu of healthy halal dishes. They are also Canada’s fastest growing halal Middle Eastern restaurant chain. The company sources only the freshest products for its authentic recipes and all of their restaurants have been certified halal by the ISNA Halal Certification Agency. Last month, Paramount Fine Foods opened its newest location by bringing exotic flavours of the Middle East to one of the most trendiest and most luxurious part of the city, Yorkville.

Me and my guest were invited to its soft opening the weekend before it opened to the public where we were able to enjoy a set menu on the house. The free meals were a part of a soft launch charity initiative, allowing customers to enjoy the menu and were encouraged to tip generously. Paramount Fine Foods tallied the tips and matched each amount, donating all proceeds to the Jesse Ketchum Jr. & Sr. Public School; a culturally diverse, Yorkville institute.

I’ve actually been to their Mississauga location in the past and much like many of their other locations across the city it has a very casual and laid back atmosphere. Once you enter the restaurant you would walk up to the counter and order off the menu hanging above the cashier, much like what you would do at any fast food joint. The cashier would then give you a number to bring back to your table and once the food was prepared, the servers would come find your number and bring you your food.

As this new location is in Yorkville, filled with many high end shops and restaurants galore, the new location will feature an upscale sit-down dining experience with an open concept kitchen and a wood-burning oven unlike any of their other restaurants before. You will be greeted by a friendly hostess at the door when you walk in who will bring you to your table, and the wait staff will take your order and serve you your food and drinks where you are seated like what you would expect at any high end restaurant. This change in style will allow Paramount Fine Foods to cater to the high end clientele that will be in the area looking to grab a delicious bite to eat.

Now off to the good part. The food and drinks!

Cocktail Juice (mixture of fresh mango, strawberry, and banana, slightly sweetened with sugar); Paramount Special (layers of fresh strawberry and mango juices with mixed fruits, topped with fresh strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, almonds, crushed pistachio, ashta cream and honey)

Moutabbal (grilled eggplant, blended with tahini sauce, drizzled with virgin olive oil)

Hummus with Chicken (choice of chicken or beef, drizzled with virgin olive oil)

Chicken & Beef Shawarma (a mix of chicken and beef shawarma, served with garlic sauce and tahini, with choice of french fries or white rice, a side of lettuce, tomatoes, mixed pickles)

Mini Mixed Grill (grilled skewers of striploin beef, shish tawouk and kafta served with grilled tomatoes and onions, served with a piece of spicy bread, with a choice of french fries or white rice)

Kinafe (cheese pastry drizzled with sugar syrup and sprinkled with pistachios)

The new location in Yorkville is open right now on the corner of Bay Street and Cumberland. Paramount is the first full service halal restaurant in Yorkville so it definitely will be leaving a mark on its community, opening up tourism by catering to halal and health-conscious diners. If you are not near this Yorkville area, don’t worry as there are 15 other restaurant locations in Southern Ontario where at least 1 of them is bound to be close to where you live. However I will have to warn you, it may not be as pretty as this one.