Lahore Tikka House: 1365 Gerrard St.

After some good reviews from friends, finally got around to trying the Lahore Tikka House at 1365 Gerrard St.

It looks like they have bought the place next door and are renovating it into a nice new restaurant. In the meantime don't be put off by the plastic chairs and tables and the cheap wood panelling (actually gives the place a homey feel).


To the food...there were 4 of us and we were all hungry so we decided to share a bunch of dishes

Chicken Tikka Breast: a large breast cut into 5 pieces served in a small cast iron pan on a mound of onions. Chicken is cooked in the tandoor oven so is super smokey. Outstanding.

Butter Chicken: Very similar to the Tikka chicken but with a little more spice and served in a creamy sauce. Also very good.

Vegetable Biryani: A heaping plate of rice, big enough for 4 with lots for leftovers. tender basmati rice with spices, onions, chunks of green peppers and whole dried chilis (watch out for these unless you have a cast iron stomach).

Aloo Gobi: A nice mix of Potatoes and cauliflowers in a fragrant sauce also served in mini cast iron pan.

Chana Masala: Tender chick peas cooked in the same sauce as the Aloo gobi. Goes well with the freshly made naan from the tandoor oven.

Palak Paneer: warm spinach mixed with cheese. Nice contrast to the other menu items ordered.

Mango Lhasi: Freshly made drink of mango, yogurt and ice...good for quelling the spices in the food.

Almond Kulfi: Pakistani version of an ice cream bar. Made with milk and ground almonds. Cooling way to finsish off a meal.

Damage: For 4 people the bill came to $100 with tip. A bit more expensive than similar restaurants, but we had enough left overs for another meal for two (which we took home and will enjoy again tonight).

This is a great family restaurant. Service is quick and super attentive. Although Pakistani food can be super spicy, we found that the heat was not overly excessive. Can't wait to try the place when they move into their new digs.

Jumbo Empanadas: 245 Augusta Ave

Empanadas are the South American equivalent of Hot Dogs...sold on every corner, cheap and pretty tasty.

Jumbo Empanadas(245 Augusta Ave, halfway between Dundas and College)has been around for years and serves good food at a good price ($6 empanadas). The decor ain't much -tiled floors, metal chairs, seating for 12, but people come here for the huge empanadas not the ambience.

Back to the food - The empanadas are egg washed pastry delights stuffed with cheese, beef or chicken. I go with the chicken, which is shredded and mixed with onion, black olives, hard bolied egg and served hot from the oven with some mild salsa on the side

My dining partner went with the beef which was also shredded, but seemed to lack the extras contained in the chicken version.

Menu also has some salads (Chilean salad with avocadoes, tomatoes, lettuce for $4.50) and something called corn pie which looked like a casserole with a polenta-like topping I'll try it next time).

View Larger Map

Prague Restaurant: 450 Scarboro Golf Club Road

Was in the mood for some comfort food so headed over to the Prague Restaurant in Scarborough.

Overlooking the Scarborugh Golf and Country club, this place feels like you've just stepped into a foreign country. Run by a nice Czech couple, the restaurant is located on the extensive grounds of a Czech-Canadian Seniors condo complex (so you know the food is authentic Czech grub).

Has a nice big patio that overlooks the golf course - a great place to sip a Pilsner Urquell, but as we were there for a family dinner we opted for the dining room.

Inside is all natural wood and huge windows which overlook the country setting.

Foodwise, went with the Bohemian platter for two which features roast duck, ham, sauerkraut and red cabbage, roast pork, schnitzel and dumpling for $28 (could easily feed 4). Hot and tasty. Washed it all down with some czech beer and a bottle of Reisling. Service was outstanding too.

Prague is a bit off the beaten track but well worth the drive

http://www.praguerestaurant.com/

Yueh Tung: 126 Elizabeth St. (2nd floor)

Yueh Tung is a downtown Chinese Food institution. I've been going there for at least 20 years myself. It's the go to lunch place for City Hall staff, lawyers from Osgoode Hall, Cops, journalists covering the courts or city hall and students.

Although open for dinner, it's primarily a lunchtime spot. Its drawing cards are cheap and plentiful chinese food (a huge plate of chili chicken on rice for 1 person runs about $8) and extremely quick service . Yeuh Tung is usually lined up out the door at noon, but the line moves quick (quicker if you're willing to sit at a communal table with 8 strangers. Known for its tangy sweet and sour soup and chili chicken (photo 1 above). Other recommendations are the beef in black bean sauce (photo 2) and the chicken with cashew nuts.

Yueh Tung, 126 Elizabeth Street (upstairs on second floor)



View Larger Map

Kuni Sushi Ya: 20 Baldwin St.

Forgot my lunch from home so decided to join Mrs. Biter for lunch at Kuni Sushi Ya on Baldwin Street.

They have lots of lunch specials in the $8 to $12 range. Ordered the Kuni Sushi Sashimi Special (six california rolls, 2 tuna, 2 salmon, 2 halibut, 1 red snapper) for $11.99.

Mrs. Biter is not into the whole raw fish thing, so she chose from their cooked menu...teryaki Bento box for $10.99 (teryaki chicken, salad, tempura shrimp and veggies, and some super good fried tofu). Oh Yeah all entrees come with a nice miso soup and complimentary green tea. Everything served hot (except the sashmi)...especially the tea, which requires either a high tolerance for pain or a pair of asbestos lined gloves to drink since it comes in the traditional handle-less mugs

Place has been renovated lately...soyonara 80's peach walls...replaced with tasteful brown tones, dark wood and comfy seating

Apparently Samuel L. Jackson came here too...check out his autograph on the wall (do all celebs walk around with Sharpies for just such occassions?) There may be better sushi in the city, but for the price, you'd be hard pressed to find it. NOTE*** Check out Yung Sing Pastry next door to Kuni Sush Ya for outstanding meat filled buns at very cheap prices.

Kuni Sushi Ya, 20 Baldwin Street, Toronto


View Larger Map

Mothers Dumplings: 79 Huron St.

Was in Chinatown with Mrs. Biter and was in the mood for dumplings. Years ago I used to go to the Dumpling House on Spadina, but ever since the rat incident I haven't gone back (go figure). Instead, wandered over to Huron street to check out the always reliable Xianmao Dumplings...but it's closed.

Third choice turns out to be the charm...Mother's Dumplings 79 Huron Street.

To say this place is small is an understatement. The 5 tables in the main room are full, so we're seated in the backroom by a very nice waitress who speaks no English. Backroom is pretty much the kitchen (you're separated from the cooks by a bamboo screen). It's cool though watching them making and cooking the dumplings right in front of you.

They have a pretty big menu of dumplings, done lots of different ways: fried, steamed, boiled. Ordered the steamed pork buns (excellent), some boiled shrimp with greens (greens a bit bitter for my taste) and some boiled pork dumplings which were really good. Also ordered an egg pancake that was fried and served piping hot, and some baby bok choy. This meal could have easily feed 4 people (we took the leftovers to go).

Total cost for the meal was about $20. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

View Larger Map

Johnny's Hot Dogs: Queen @ Bay

I like a good hot dog from time to time, but try to keep my habit to a mimimum...1) because they're full of fat and chemicals (mmmmmm, nitrates) and (2) some of the people manning the hot dog carts look like they just escaped from an episode of Survivor. Not so with this lady.

Johnny's Hot Dogs at the corner of Queen St. West and Bay St. is my go to hot dog cart. The lady manning the grill is super friendly, wears a crazy hat with a bun on top and always gives me something extra...usually a hunk of Polish sausage added to my hot dog.

She keeps her cart super clean and never uses the same hand that she handles money with to handle your dog (very important).

I've been going to this cart for years. I think her husband (Johnny?) ran it but then passed away and she took it over. Regardless she's a class act and Toronto should be proud to have her as a vendor

View Larger Map