tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-156020102009-07-15T09:37:44.758-04:00Reviews of Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and Toronto RestaurantsSapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-41194423833875989472009-06-15T16:10:00.013-04:002009-07-04T15:11:19.622-04:00

119 Harbord Street Toronto, Ontario 416-850-8330 www.loirerestaurant.ca Once in a (very long) while we're able to get away and venture into the big city of Toronto to sample the latest culinary trends. Sadly, it seems that the era of fine dining in Toronto is coming to a close with many high end establishments falling victim to the shrinking expense accounts (and employment, for that matter) of

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com0http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2009/06/loire-casual-gourmet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-77490636783738013922009-05-04T12:31:00.006-04:002009-05-06T14:34:27.362-04:00

668 Erb St. WestWaterloo, Ontario N2T 2Z7519-888-8288www.kitchenwok.caBeing new parents and all, our opportunities for fine dining are few and far in between. It feels like we've turned in our foodie credentials, and any opportunity to eat out (anywhere!) is a luxurious indulgence these days. Out here on the west side of Waterloo, there aren't many choices other than strip mall Chinese take-out

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com0http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2009/05/kitchen-wok.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-16386192511664424522009-04-11T22:12:00.003-04:002009-04-11T22:36:00.867-04:00

(519)579-7059119 King Street WestKitchener, Ontario, N2G 1A7(519) 885-181275 King Street SouthWaterloo, ON N2J 1P2(@Waterloo Town Square)http://www.matteroftaste.ca/We heard a lot of good things about "Matter of Taste" soon after its opening at the Waterloo Town Square. On my first visit I ordered a cappuccino. The drink was absolutely superb but what really surprised me was the creamy, pretty

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2009/04/matter-of-taste.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-18846730828946671962008-08-26T18:27:00.006-04:002008-08-26T23:03:20.756-04:00

Benjamin's Restaurant & Inn1430 King Street North, St. Jacobs, ON Canada N0B 2N0(519) 664-3731Benjamin's Restaurant and Inn is located at the north end of "downtown" St Jacobs. Although I never quite understand why St Jacobs attracts so many tourists, it is indeed a small pretty town. There are unique shops and studios, and plants in the planters are so perfect they almost look unreal. Most of

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2008/08/benjamins-restaurant-inn.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-37757585942246707202008-07-01T22:55:00.015-04:002008-07-02T10:22:29.694-04:00

203 King Street South, Waterloo, Ontario (between Allen and John)(519) 568-7373http://www.sabletine.com/TripleQ and I have frequented Sabletine since it was first open. I could have posted a review of this patisserie a few months ago; however, there's always a voice whispering in my head, "Why not write about it after you try everything?" Ahem, what a sweet goal!It is reasonable to assume that

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907 Victoria NKitchener, Ontario(519) 744-1050http://www.kingcraboysterbar.com/King Crab is the younger sister of King St Trio, a restaurant that has been in Kitchener-Waterloo for quite a number of years. With an experienced sibling, it has the chops to be a good restaurants, but is just missing out on that intangible je ne sais quoi that makes a decent place good. Let's see if we can figure out

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2008/03/king-crab.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-5243691436075142152007-12-17T14:38:00.000-05:002007-12-19T10:25:14.631-05:00

703 Belmont Ave W(519)576-5796http://www.villagecreperie.ca/After our unusually critical reviews on All About Crepes, we sometimes wonder if our expectations were set too high. So when we heard about the opening of Village Creperie, we decided to give it a try.If a restaurant's appearance can speak for its personality, Village Creperie strikes me as a slightly reserved, down-to-earth, yet chic

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20 King St. East, Kitchener, Ontario | (519) 571-0073During our recent trips to Ye's we had noticed that the quality of the food had taken a turn for the worse, not to mention an implicit hike in prices (canned pop was no longer included in the all you can eat price). This, combined with the fact we had gorged ourselves far too many times in an effort to get our money's worth, led us to try Niko

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com4http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/09/niko-niko-roll-sushi.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-22005543673333849942007-09-27T14:46:00.000-04:002007-09-27T14:55:19.584-04:00

It has been quite awhile since our last review, but never fear, dear reader, we are still alive and dining. A couple of months ago Baby Martini joined the family which put our restaurant outings briefly on hold. We will be training her in the art of fine cuisine as soon as possible as to avoid reviewing places like Chuck E Cheese and East Side Mario's. Look for some more reviews coming in

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/09/baby-martini.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-21080708415003055432007-04-23T00:22:00.000-04:002007-04-23T00:33:41.393-04:00

450 Columbia Street West, Waterloo, ONCatering (519) 888-6868Express Store (519) 888-9818http://www.wokwagon.comEvery time I pass by Columbia and Fisher-Hallman / Bearinger, I can't help but to take a quick look into the parking lot, see if I can spot the "Wok Wagon". Eh, no, not the store, I am talking about the little white truck with the "Wok Wagon" logo and contact info.The first time I

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14 Charles Street West, Kitchener | (519) 744-2075www.ellisonsbistro.comLast month we went to Atlantis at Paradise Island, Bahamas. We couldn't help but to compare the food we had over there with Ellison's, and I must say that the Caribbean cuisine in the resort didn't impress us much. Ellison's Bistro, to us, is a hidden gem in K-W area. We initially learned about this place through word of

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com2http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/02/ellisons-bistro.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-12166083622027155702007-02-08T22:33:00.000-05:002007-02-10T18:04:10.242-05:00

425 King St. North, Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 2Z5 | (519) 885-0117It's almost impossible not to have a huge buzz surrounding the opening of this new restaurant. With a lavish new building that catches your eyes even in the middle of the cold, dark winter, the veterans behind Charcoal Steak House and del Dente are attempting to bring a new upscale dining experience north (or is that west?) into

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com9http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/02/wildcraft.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1169699336338667652007-01-24T23:25:00.000-05:002007-01-29T22:54:45.311-05:00

244 Weber St North, Waterloo, Ontario, N2J 3H4 | (519) 772-1122A couple of days ago a colleague insisted on going to this new place he previously remembered driving by. Of course, he didn't know the name of the place nor the type of food it served, but at least he knew where it was (corner of University and Weber). Turns out it was Johnny Fresco, which about two months ago took over the space

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com8http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/01/johnny-fresco.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1169616676835846862007-01-24T00:30:00.000-05:002007-01-24T00:31:16.846-05:00

31 University Ave. East, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 2A2 | (519)888-0088I can't believe we never write anything about China Garden. How can this be? We have had numerous meals from this restaurants ever since we first came to Waterloo. I still remember "the good old days", biking to China Garden for a bowlful of congee with dough fritters. We are no longer students and we've switched our main

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com3http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/01/china-garden.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1169003830645831592007-01-16T22:03:00.000-05:002007-01-16T22:21:48.240-05:00

75 King Street South, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 1P2 | (519) 886-9378After giving this place a scathing review, I felt like I should give them a second chance and returned once again for lunch. I must admit, the plating and presentation was much improved over their first efforts, but the menu wasn't changed at all and featured the same oddly priced list of crepes. Portions were still small,

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com5http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/01/all-about-crepes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1169002385516376922007-01-16T20:16:00.000-05:002007-01-16T21:53:05.606-05:00

http://www.thaisun.ca/75 King Street South, Waterloo, ON N2J 1P2 | 519-747-9006After what seemed like an interminable 6+ month wait, Thai Sun is finally open, capping off a small row of shops and restaurants on the newly built Willis Way. I visited the place for lunch a few days after shortly after the opening. The decor was very contemporary, with flowing curves, designer oriented highlights

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com5http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2007/01/thai-sun.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1166675709248329152006-12-20T23:33:00.000-05:002006-12-21T10:04:52.856-05:00

http://www.rundlesrestaurant.com/9 Cobourg Street, Stratford, Ontario, Canada N5A 3E4 519.271.6442This is another review which seemed to take forever to complete. The menu we had was way back in the summer/fall season so for sure the menu has changed now. In fact, the restaurant might not even open at this time; many restaurants in Stratford are closed between December and March.One thing

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com3http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/12/rundles-restaurant.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1164483915312481632006-11-25T14:43:00.000-05:002006-11-25T15:17:30.926-05:00

http://www.kegsteakhouse.com/42 Northfield Drive East, Waterloo, Ontario | (519) 725-4444We've been to the Keg several times, with friends or by ourselves. There's nothing really "wow" us but we haven't had any unpleasant experience either. Few days ago we were out running errands. It was very late by the time we were done. I complained to J that I was so HUNGRY that I could eat a cow. So…the

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/11/keg-steakhouse-bar.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1161317710380892732006-10-19T23:17:00.000-04:002006-11-25T14:45:37.753-05:00

92 King St. South, Waterloo, Ontario | 519.725.3440Back when I was a student at UW, Janet Lynn's was often quoted to me as Waterloo's top restaurant, both in terms of price and quality. It was a place where I heard you could blow hundreds of dollars on a single meal. That seemed like a ridiculous amount of money to spend on food to me and a decadent waste. So during my last work term, I was

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/10/janet-lynns-bistro.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1161139744899577372006-10-17T22:48:00.000-04:002006-11-25T15:52:39.476-05:00

http://www.20king.com/45 King Street West, Kitchener Ontario | 519.745.8939We visited 20 King several times, even before they moved to the current location. I refused to go back after one visit few months ago. One of us ordered Chef's special, the first two courses came with identical garnishes. I understand how hectic it could be in the kitchen but HE~~~LLO! It is chef's special. What kind of

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com0http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/10/20-king.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1159243720228968582006-09-26T00:06:00.000-04:002006-09-26T00:08:40.243-04:00

We decide to go to Europe and use up all our vacation days this year. To us, as usual, "to-eat" list is just equally important as the "to-visit" list. After doing lots of reading (the official sites, menus, forums and reviews), all of sudden, the fine dining places in this area don't seem THAT expensive any more. We'll see if this becomes an incentive for us to dine out more after the trip.

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com1http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/09/another-journey.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1157695605785872822006-09-08T02:04:00.000-04:002006-11-25T14:46:24.786-05:00

http://www.langdonhall.ca/1 Langdon Drive, Cambridge, Ontario, N3H 4R8 | 519-740-2100Langdon Hall is a special restaurant in our memories; we went to this restaurant the day J proposed to me. There have been different chefs since then (e.g. Chef Shantz left Langdon Hall and opened his own restaurant, Verses). the current chef Jonathan Gushue started in November 2005, he previously worked at

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com3http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/09/langdon-hall.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1156993690380795452006-08-30T22:58:00.000-04:002006-08-30T23:18:58.316-04:00

1177 Central Parkway West, Unit 1, 2, 3, Mississauga, ON L5C 4P3905-896-8862 (On yellowpage.ca, the phone number is listed as 905-896-2747)We went to Cameron for dim sum over the weekend. Despite the fact that we showed up around two o'clock, we still waited for good 30 min before being seated. Feeling slightly frustrated by the limited dim sum choices in town, I decide to share a (recent)

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com2http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/08/nice-meeting-you-restaurant.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1155522564208281682006-08-13T22:26:00.000-04:002006-08-14T22:30:03.450-04:00

103 King St. W., Kitchener, ON N2G 1A9 | (519) 568-7566A friend told us that there was a new all-you-can-eat sushi place in downtown Kitchener, so we decided to check it out. We didn't go with high expectations, after all, what quality should you expect from an all-you-can-eat place? It turned out to be a decent restaurant; a great place to go with a bunch of friends (especially if they are

Sapphire Martinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10071558059648598304noreply@blogger.com8http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/08/yes-sushi-japanese-restaurant.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602010.post-1153878382873353412006-07-25T21:30:00.000-04:002007-01-20T10:04:30.843-05:00

A few new spots have opened since my last posting in February, mostly due to the Waterloo Town Square reconstruction. Hopefully a few more places will come along when the KPMG building opens, including a new LCBO (although not exactly a lunch spot per se).Gourmet Pizza (Waterloo Town Square)A decent pizza place, similar to Fratello. Eat in, take out. Just putting the word gourmet in the name and

TripleQhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05715558893998643396noreply@blogger.com8http://sapphiremartini.blogspot.com/2006/07/uptown-waterloo-cheap-lunch-roundup-ii.html