Vietnamese in Kitchener: Pho DNK

Rare Beef Pho @Pho DNK

When we got to the Christkindl market in Kitchener, it was way past noon. We were hungry and we didn’t want to line up for sausages in the cold. Across the city hall, we saw a Vietnamese place. It didn’t take much to convince us that enjoying a nice, steaming bowl of Pho while seated in a warm and relatively quiet spot would be the kind of lunch we would rather have.

The girls got their usual rare beef Pho while hubby and I got our fave Satay 
noodle soup. Grandma got some crispy noodles. They were all good and at reasonable prices. They didn't look like much and definitely not a feast for the eyes. However, the broth of the Satay noodle soup was quite good. It had just the right spice and thickness. The noodles were not bad at all. Hubby got the beef while I got the seafood. They didn't skimp on the meat nor the seafood and we were pretty stuffed after. 

Satay noodle soup @ Pho DNK

I also got a taste of Grandma’s noodles and they were quite tasty. 

Crispy noodles @Pho DNK

It was a nice clean spot with good value-for-money food and fast and friendly service. Definitely a good decision for us!

Christmas spirit, German style at the Christkindl Market

Main stage, ice rink and huts @ Christkindl, Kitchener City Hall

The fam and I kicked off our holidays by trekking to Kitchener to check out the 20^th anniversary of the Christkindl Market in Kitchener. Memories of the market in Germany came flooding back as I saw the Gluhwein hut on King St., off of the city hall. 

Gluhwein hut @ Christkindl Market

Warm mulled wine hit the belly and smells of apple fritters and pretzels filled the air 

Apple Fritters @Christkindl Market

Soft pretzels @Christkindl Market

as the carolers sang of cheer. 

Carolers @Christkindl Market

The Haribo mascot handed out gummy bears (such as the ones I hoarded from Aldi years ago). Even the angels of the market’s Christkindle spread greetings (and handed out more gummy bears!!).

Over 90 vendors sold many delightful crafts and goodies.

Christkindl Market

Christmas pyramids and other crafts @Christkindl Market

more vendors outside Kitchener City Hall @Christkindl Market

I would have loved to bring home the beautifully handcrafted Nutcrackers and Christmas Pyramids.  I also would have spent hundreds, if not thousands! So we just admired these. We did buy a lot of treats, of course, like Christmas Stollen (with marzipan!), strudel, and many other German goodies. Of course, we got some smoked sausages!

German goodies from Christkindl Market

And if the holiday treats were not enough to put you in the mood for Christmas, there was a live Nativity scene, puppet show, and dancers.  Choirs, bands, and performers on the main stage serenaded those who were lined up to enjoy some sausages and schnitzels.

Pulled maple taffy @ Christkindl Market

Model trains @Christkindl Market

It was a great event and worthy of being one of the Top Festivals in Ontario. Thousands of other people must think so, too. As it was packed! We didn’t stay for the horse carriages in the evening, but we will be back!

We're not fat, we're curvy! -- getting some Fatburgers in Canada

Fatburger @ Thornhill

DD#1 and I were not really looking for a burger place. We were, however, looking for a place to get a quick lunch so we could get on with our shopping. Up in Thornhill, I discovered that there was a Fatburger branch. As the LA chain’s only location in Ontario, we had to check it out. Fatburger was founded in 1952 and has locations in almost 20 countries.

Fatburger @ Thornhill

There were several sizes of the Fatburger and you can find other fast-food options—fries, onion rings, milk shakes, etc. We both got a small Fatburger with cheese. Upon ordering, you decide what you want added (or removed) from your burger. Only then will they cook the burgers. They had a nice poster up explaining why things might take a little longer than usual—they cook the burgers to order and they don’t microwave the patty.

small Fatburger @ Fatburger Thornhill

Small was a good portion for us, especially since at that time, we just had breakfast a couple of hours prior. The beef was juicy and flavourful and the burger was packed. It was pretty good, though not the best burger I’ve had. It was better, though, and therefore, more expensive than your usual meals at other burger joints. $20 for 2 small Fatburgers with cheese plus a pop was not exactly a value meal. It was a good place to hang out and service was good, so it may be a better option if you are looking for something fancier than the usual.

Our (Short) Chocolate Trail at Stratford

Chocolate Barr's in Stratford

We went to two of the three chocolate shops in Stratford before catching a show. Yes, this small city has three chocolate shops! We didn’t have much time but it would have been great to go on the entire Stratford Chocolate Trail featuring 25 restaurants and shops that offer a range of cacao-based goodies. They do love their chocolate! We checked out Rhéo Thompson and Chocolate Barr’s. The third chocolate store was Rocky Mountain, which we can access closer to the GTA, so we no longer went here.

Rhéo Thompson bars and Dark Chocolate Mint Smoothies

At  Rhéo Thompson, I got some  Dark Chocolate Rhéo bars as well as Dark Chocolate Mint Smoothies. Twice the price at the theatre concession stand, these are melt-in-your mouth goodies that are hard to resist. The dark chocolate for both the bar and smoothies were not bitter and were very smooth.

Chocolate Minties and truffles from Chocolate Barr's

At Chocolate Barr’s, we got some fruit jellies (just because) and more mint goodies!! The fam LOVES mint chocolate. We got milk chocolate covered minties and an assortment of truffles—strawberry cream, chocolate covered cherries and coffee cream. So divine. Because we like milk chocolate more than dark, we really enjoyed their mint chocolate. Every bite was savoured and enjoyed as much as the Mint Smoothies we had from London. While each bite was heavenly, it was also a reminder that we were almost running out. I wonder when we can go back?!

According to their tourism site, at Stratford: "come for the chocolate, stay for the plays.” It truly is a destination for chocoholics. 

Pre-Show Dining: Stratford Thai Cuisine

For our lunch before the matinee at Avon Theatre in Stratford, we decided to check out Stratford Thai Cuisine. We came just in time, with the restaurant opening only a few minutes before we arrived. By the time we were well on our way with our meal, the place was packed and there were folks already waiting for the next available table. Whew. Just got lucky without reservations! With lovely chandeliers and linen tablecloths, I almost did a double take, thinking they would be very pricey. At about $11-15 per dish, it is quite comparable to Thai Basil.

Service was prompt and the food was delicious. We started off with shrimp Tom Yum soup with lemongrass, lime leaves, fresh chillies, mushrooms, tomatoes and spring onions. They also had some broccoli in there, which was the only thing that threw me off. It was on the sweet side but DD#2 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. They didn’t scrimp on the shrimp either.

We then shared, family-style, our traditional favourites--Curry Pad Thai, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Beef Red Curry. We also tried the Chef Recommended Crispy Garlic Chilli.

The Curry Pad Thai was really good and was one of the best I’ve had recently. The noodles were beautifully sautéed with the egg, tofu, bean sprouts, ground peanuts and chicken. The added curry gave a nice punch.

Curry Pad Thai @ Stratford Thai

The Pineapple Fried Rice was a nice all-in-one dish with stir fried jasmine rice, cashew nuts, pineapple chunks and peppers. It was a bit on the small side to share, but we all got to have a spoonful or two.

Pineapple Fried Rice @ Stratford Thai

The Beef Red Curry was just ok for me. While the beef was tender, the curry was not thick enough, nor was it spicy enough for me.

Beef Red Curry @ Stratford Thai

The Crispy Garlic Chilli was surprisingly nice—like a twist on the Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken. The diced fried chicken was very tender and moist, lightly battered and sautéed in a rich chilli garlic sauce.

Crispy Garlic Chilli @ Stratford Thai

Our orders were just right for our party of 5 (with 2 kids). We had to save space for dessert as we were planning to check out some of the chocolate shops nearby. Would definitely come back next time we catch a show!

Apples to Apples: Spirit Tree Cidery and Apple Factory

Spirit Tree Cidery

The fam always looks forward to my Apple Crumble pies which I only bake in Autumn. We say these are even better if we picked the apples ourselves! As I also wanted to check out the goodies at Spirit Tree Cidery, we decided to go apple picking at their orchard. They charge per bucket or reusable bag ($20)—you cannot use your own unless to transfer your pickings later on. Each bucket cost $7.50 and yields about 14 or so apples. Please don’t make me estimate how many pounds that is equivalent to. We went for our favourite Golden Delicious and Honey Crisp varieties. A wagon ride takes you to the beautiful rows of apple trees.  The apples were deliciously sweet-tart (according to a source :P) and nicely-sized and the trees were full. Perfect for picking!

After we were done picking our apples, we headed to the store so I can get my loot—got all sorts of hard cider and hubby and I are slowly trying them out. The sparkling pear non-alcoholic cider was a hit with the kids. The apple cider, though, was a bit on the sweet side. Still, the kids enjoyed it. We also tried some of their baked goods. The Normandy Apple bread was nice with bits of apple inside. We also enjoyed the Leek and Asiago scones which were very flavourful and had a great texture! They also have a bistro which we will definitely check out next time! I heard they have some woodfired pizza on Friday/Saturday nights. There were really many things to see and try here!

goodies from Spirit Tree Cidery

As we mostly got drinks, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out Apple Factory. It was along the way anyway! They sold all sorts of produce, meat, and baked goodies. They even have a puppet show (Jamboree) running every so often for the kids.

Apple Factory--only remembered to take the shot when we were in the car already!

We don’t really like pumpkin pie much but good thing that I decided to try theirs. We are converts! Maybe it is acquired taste, but we really enjoyed their pumpkin pie with some whipped cream. I passed on the apple pie, of course. We did get some divine lemon blueberry coffee cakes (gone in an instant) and yummy date squares. Well, the holiday season has started, so might as well enjoy with all the eating that is to come!

goodies from Apple Factory

Casual dining at Pickel Barrel

It’s been a while since we last ate at Pickle Barrel. A bit tired of the food court, we went to Pickle Barrel in Vaughan Mills for some casual dining.

I got the chicken and waffles which I shared with DD#2. 

Chicken and Waffles @Pickle Barrel

DD#1 had a kids’ meal where she had upsized her drink to a milk shake. 

Strawberry Milkshake @Pickle Barrel

Chicken tenders kids' meal @Pickle Barrel

Hubby got a PB Burger complete with fried onion ring and bacon as well as a side of fries. 

PB Burget @Pickle Barrel

Grandma got a Lobster Grilled Cheese sandwich.

Lobster Grilled Cheese sandwich @Pickle Barrel

Hubby’s and Grandma’s meals were both good. Not out of this world but good, nevertheless. My chicken had a nice crispy skin but the meat was not as tender as I hoped it would be. It was nicely spiced, though. What I did love was the waffles. I loved that there were bursts of corn kernels and jalapenos as I bit into syrup-infused waffles. I would probably order this again (and hope that the chicken will be better next time).

 Price ranges from $15 and up but the serving was quite significant. We were stuffed. 

Bungeoppang:Korean street snacks at the Red Bean Waffle House

Red Bean Waffle Ice Cream

 After we went for Korean BBQ, we had to have some Korean dessert. A tiny place in the same Yonge-Steeles complex as Kobi, this unassuming snack place turned out to be such a wonderful discovery! They don’t only serve red bean waffles, but they also serve other snacks like rice cakes, squidballs and dumplings.

Red bean waffle (Bungeoppang) is a popular street snack in Korea. It is a fish-shaped waffle which is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It is filled with red bean paste. 

Since we were full and we just wanted to try, we only ordered the red bean waffle ice cream. For $5, you get two scoops of ice cream with sprinkles and a chocolate stick in a fish-shaped red bean waffle. It was good and we really enjoyed it. They gave a generous serving of the ice cream and the red bean waffle was nice. It tasted fresh but it would be nice if it were warm. Still, since the hot waffle would easily melt the ice cream, I'll take it as is. The red bean paste did not overwhelm the waffle so if you are looking for that red bean taste, it might be better to just get these at Korean supermarket instead (sans the ice cream).

The presentation was beautiful, service was pretty quick and the price was ok. It is a great place to get some dessert. They only have a couple of tables, though, so be prepared to eat outside. We will be back to enjoy this again!

Better with cheese: dinner at Kobi Korean BBQ

Kobi Korean BBQ

Along with the restaurant name signage, there were a couple of other signages boasting of Kobi Korean BBQ’s specialties: Chicken and Cheese and Pork Belly. So, we no longer complicated our lives by ordering anything else. For either of those, there is a minimum of two orders so it was good for our party 5. DD#2 wanted dumplings so we ordered those as well.

The place was packed as it was a Friday night but we got a seat at the patio. It turned out to be a good thing as the smoke from the grill was not confined as we imagined it would be in the airconditioned area. However, as with any BBQ, we were resigned to smell like smoke at the end of our dinner, which we did.

The side dishes (ban-chan) came first along with fluffy steamed egg. We also got soup which was ready to boil in the middle of one grill. We had two grills as one was to be used for the pork belly and the other, for the chicken and cheese.

We got the pork belly ready to cook along with some lettuce for wrapping and a ton of onions to go with the dipping sauce. We started cooking it right away. The only way you can go wrong with this pork belly is if you burn it. It was wonderfully cooked, so we all enjoyed it-- ahem ahem..

BBQ Pork Belly @ Kobi BBQ

The soup was delicious but it got boiling hot and we didn’t know how to get the bowl out.  We couldn’t turn off the grill as we were still cooking the pork belly. In the end, after we turned off the grill, we had to let it cool down before we got to enjoy it.

soup @ Kobi BBQ

The spicy chicken was already cooked and came in a circular grilling pan with cheese around it. The grill was used practically just to melt the cheese. The chicken was nicely flavoured, a good combination of sweet and spicy. The additional richness from the gooey cheese brought it up a couple of notches.  Anything with melted cheese is good, right? It was like a different kind of fondue.

Spicy Chicken and Cheese @ Kobi BBQ

Anyway, service was okay considering how busy the place was and the food was good. It was pretty pricey though at almost $20 per order (with a minimum of two orders for the grilled items we ordered). I can say it was such a hit with DD#1 that she is already asking when we are coming back. I think we will come back very soon.

Sweet. Spiked. Savoury: gourmet delights by Von Doughnuts

Von Doughnuts

So what do you do when your co-worker opens up a box of oh-so-pretty doughnuts for you to try? Well, you just have to get one…or two!

From Von doughnuts, I tried both the Crème Brûlée and Sangria. The Caramel Salt ‘N’ Pepa and Kabobs looked good, too, but I had to share. Oooh and they were so worth all the calories that the alarm bells in my belly warned about. Von doughnuts are said to be trans-fat free, so it is not so bad, right? Yeah, yeah.

Another thing to justify this treat is that their doughnuts are baked fresh daily and all their toppings and fillings are made from scratch. The fun thing about these doughnuts is that they don’t have common flavours.  Their slogan captures their offerings: sweet, spiked and savoury. They have Milk Chocolate Whiskey, the Sangria I’ve tried and Honey Bourbon Cruller for spiked. They have a Burtle (bacon and Turtle chocolate) and Sappy Pig (again with bacon) for savoury. And of course there were all the other sweet goodies—Cookie Dough, Chocolate Malteser, Raspberry Cheesecake and so many more. They change up the offering per day.

I really liked the Crème Brûlée. The burnt sugar on top provided the crunch on the light and airy doughnut. The custard was smooth and creamy. It was really like having a crème brûlée! 

Crème Brûlée @ Von Doughnuts

The Sangria used a red and white wine glaze which was also good but if I didn’t know it was sangria, I wouldn’t be able to guess. The strawberry jam swirl did give the right tang to balance the sweet, fluffy doughnut. 

Sangria @ Von Doughnuts

I loved the decadent flavours I don’t usually get in other shops and the light texture of the doughnut itself. Of course, the price is almost twice the fancier Timmy’s options (some flavours have an upcharge—perhaps for the alcohol shot?) , but an indulgence every now and then is necessary, at least for my sanity. The size was pretty big, too.

Cannot wait to check out their store at Danforth. I am so sure that my fam and I will have a hard time picking which ones to try from all the beauties!

UPDATE: We found ourselves in the Danforth one Saturday and they were almost sold out at 1pm. We only managed to get Kabobs. They were mini versions of yumminess. We especially liked the triple chocolate. Blueberry Lime and Caramel Salt 'n' Pepa were also good.

Von Kabobs @ Von Doughnuts

‘Nanas for Nanashake

Nanashake bar

I came across a write-up on a new dessert place serving up vegan frozen dessert so one lunch break, my friends and I decided to give it a try. Note, we are not vegan and it really doesn’t matter to us that it is dairy-free, gluten-free, and that they use agave syrup instead of sugar! But a healthy frozen dessert? Why not?! Our waistlines will love it!

The banana-based frozen treat came with 5 flavours plus the original and they also had Nana Pops.  We sampled pretty much all of their flavours (except the original): chocolate, minty chocolate, strawberry, rosy pistachio, and spicy date. As I really like minty chocolate, that is what I got. It was delicious! There was only a slight hint of banana and it was full of minty chocolate flavour! I couldn’t have asked for a better 220-calorie chocolate treat that I could have in more than two bites! My friends also enjoyed their rosy pistachio and chocolate desserts.

Minty Chocolate Nanashake

A single serving was just right and pretty filling. At $4.99 each, extra for toppings and espresso shot (if you wanted an Affogato), it was comparable to the price of bubble teas and gelatos.

Pizza cones at Yummy cone

Yummy Cone in Thornhill

My pizza monster DD#2 is always on the lookout for pizza. So, one afternoon, we checked out Yummy Cone over at Yonge and Steeles. We got a combo of pizza cone, drink and tornado fries.  We brought home the tornado fries to share with the fam. The tornado fries were a bit on the bitter side, with a burnt aftertaste and was not thoroughly enjoyed.

Tornado fries @ Yummy Cone

What we did enjoy was the pizza cone we had in store. It took a while for the pizza cone to be served--be prepared for some wait. They only made the cones to order. We ordered a meat lover (Pepperoni, Bacon, Sausage, Beef, Cheddar Cheese & Mozzarella) but some mushrooms made their way into our cone. Not a biggie for us, but may be an issue for some.

pizza cone @ Yummy Cone

It was not an out-of-this-world pizza but a nice change to a favourite. The cone itself tasted like it was made from waffle batter and not the traditional pizza crust. That, for me, made it more delicious. Combo meal was a little over $8 + tax and it was quite filling.

Le Canard no. 2073: Duckling à la Rouennaise at Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade

Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

I’ve seen the Pressed Duck of La Tour d’Argent in Paris featured in a few magazines and TV shows. I didn’t get a chance to try this when hubby and I went to Paris many years ago and the next trip will not be for many years yet. Imagine my excitement when, on our trip to Mont Tremblant, I discovered that one of the Master Canardiers in the world has a restaurant in Québec! Chef Olivier Tali, originally from France, is the vice-consul of the Ordre des Canardiers in Québec and owner of Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade. I made reservations and ordered the Duckling à la Rouennaise in advance.

We were warmly greeted upon our arrival in this quaint dining room by the Laurentian Mountains. While the patio was lovely, it was a bit chilly so we decided to be seated indoors. As hubby and I had already pre-ordered our meal, the girls and Grandma chose from the menu. They have Discovery menus (or set menus) as well if you can’t decide what to get from the À la carte menu.

For appetizers, the house served us a wonderful mango and shrimp salsa with a savoury whipped cream topping. 

Mango salsa,  Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

We were also served bread with balls of regular and sun-dried tomato butter. 

Sundried tomato butter, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

Both were delicious and made us anticipate our main course even more.

Only hubby had the space to get another appetizer. He had the Mediterranean fish soup served with rouille (a Provençal sauce), croutons and grated cheese. I had a taste (as the server said I must try this) and it was lovely.

Mediterranean Fish Soup, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

We were then invited to watch Chef Tali demonstrate how to make the Canard à la Rouennaise using a 300-year old recipe originating from Rouen. The chef presented a roasted duckling, locally grown, from which he took off the breast. He placed the remaining carcass in the beautiful 100+ year old duck press to extract blood and juices. The girls were thrilled to be helping the chef on this. 

100 year old duck press, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

Using the extracted blood, he made a sauce combining this with butter, portwine, Cognac  and a little bit of lemon juice. He also used foie gras butter to thicken the sauce. We all got a teaspoon to try the sauce and It.was.heavenly.

Preparing Canard a la Rouennaise, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

We then went back to our table as he finished preparing our meals. Grandma ordered the Tiger Prawns with creamy sauce and garlic flower

Tiger Prawns, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

while DD#2 ordered the Duck confit with raspberry coulis. From my understanding, this would have been a second course in some Parisian restaurants serving the pressed duck, but here it was served and ordered separately. The leg quarters were tender and juicy and the coulis was perfect for the duck. The fam obviously and generously gave me a taste!

Duck confit, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

DD#1 ordered another house specialty, Mediterranean bouillabaisse (using sustainable Pollock and shrimp) and also served with rouille, croutons and grated cheese. While it was good, I've had better bouillabaisse (though not as authentic). I know it is quite hard to prepare but I did not find it as tasty as the other dishes. As DD#1 kept asking to have a bite of our dishes instead of devouring hers, it was probably underwhelming for her as well.

Mediterranean Bouillabaisse, Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade @ Mont Tremblant

However, it was our pressed duckling which was just divine. The duckling was so tender and the sauce was beautifully rich. Each bite just melted in my mouth with bursts of Foie gras singing in my taste buds. The side dish of ultra-light pommes dauphine (crispy potato puffs made of mashed potatoes and savoury choux pastry) was so delightful.

 Laurentians’ Duckling à la Rouennaise at Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade

While we were full, we couldn’t pass up even sharing a Tarte au Citron with babaco (sourced locally from the greenhouses of Les Serres d’Arundel) sorbet on red fruit coulis. It was a perfect palate cleanser to cap our wonderful meal.

Tarte au Citron,  Restaurant Le Cheval de Jade

The duckling sourced from the farm 'Canards, Delices et Pommes' in Prévost was also numbered. We signed a register to attest that we had duck number 2073. So as we were eating dessert, Chef Tali presented us with a certificate with the number of the duckling to prove our culinary experience—just like tradition in La Tour d’Argent which began in the 1890s.

Food was superb and the service was very friendly, not at all snobbish. Chef Tali visited each table even though the restaurant was full (and on a weeknight!). This was one of the best meals we have ever had! A wonderful experience overall. Highly recommended.