Showing posts with label baklava. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baklava. Show all posts

Sibel (Toronto)


Having taken over a defunct credit union’s banking location, Sibel’s dining room offers soaring ceilings that creates an airy comfortable environment. Its large bar and modern décor provides a swanky vibe to the place – it’ll likely become a popular destination for corporate parties, milestone birthdays, and showers buyouts.

The Turkish focused menu offers an array of dips. We started with the fatteh ($10), one that I’ve never had before. The pressed yogurt reminds me of a thinner labneh. Covered with oil, which the menu describes as infused with garlic and shallots, it tasted liked nothing except for the roasted cashews on top. The dip really needs more spices or seasonings to add interest.

Luckily, the starter arrives with complimentary feta, butter, and hummus. Ultimately, with some feta on the fatteh it helps augment the flavours with a bit of saltiness. Maybe Sibel just likes to shy away from salt, as their hummus was also served neutral so tastes like nothing more than blended chickpeas with a bit of oil.

Even the Turkish babaganoush ($9) was also relatively tasteless. There wasn’t the expected smokiness from using grilled eggplant any any onion, garlic, or parsley was muted. If anything, the sweet and tangy pomegranate glaze stood out the most.

The best thing about the dips is having the pita. Freshly prepared in a wood burning oven, it was sizzling hot and delicious. Sprinkled with an everything bagel seasoning, it thankfully adds a bit of zest to the plain dips.

Sibel’s fried kubbeh ($14) was surprisingly fluffy in the centre, the mixture of beef, bulgur, onion, walnuts, and spices crumble onto the plate upon breaking through the crispy coating. Dipped with pistachio it’s beautiful to behold and tasty, just a rather small portion (two per order) for the price.

The mixed kebab platter ($38) is a great way to try several proteins:

  • Despite the lamb chop being cut thinly and being overdone, it was still tender and well seasoned.
  • In comparison, the cubes of filet were done a perfect medium rare but wasn’t as flavourful. While not necessarily bad, I’d recommend you having these first, so it doesn’t seem as plain.
  • The full adana kebab was juicy and mixed with enough spices so it’s flavour without being overwhelming.
  • Lastly, the chicken wings were done well, cooked through without becoming dry and having a nice char on the skin.

Overall, for incorporating so many different types of proteins with bones and different cooking times, the platter came together well. Made to feed a sumo wrestler, it’d be a lot of food for one, so is ideal for sharing. Aside from all the proteins, there’s also a bed of deliciously saucy bulgur, fluffy white rice, bread, shredded cabbage, onions, spicy grilled peppers, and half a tomato. It’s not a lot of vegetables, so if you want something to balance out the proteins, pair this with a salad.

On another visit, I stuck with just the adana kebab ($34) and it was equally juicy. It’s just surprising that by itself you don’t get much more of the kebab despite the main being almost equally priced to the mixed kebab platter. In my books, the mixed platter is a much better deal.

At least that had more sides than the shrimp kebab ($35). It was almost comical how noticeably smaller it was than the other two mains, served with only bulgur and a roasted tomato. You'll only want to order this if you're in the mood for a very light meal. At least the shrimp were sizable and cooked well. 

Their pide are a great option for any pizza lovers. A thinnish chewy toasted bread forms the base and the chicken fillet pide ($24) was filled with a healthy portion of mozzarella and chicken. It was enjoyable, but a little plain since there were scant amounts of other ingredients listed on the menu (mushrooms, olives, and tomato). I would have liked more of the vegetables to balance out the dish.

Their display case of desserts will beckon you to take a closer look. Warning: once you get there it’ll be very difficult to say no.

If you don’t mind the sugariness, the triliche ($11.50) is an ideal option for sharing. The moist cake was soaked in the sweetened condensed milk mixture until it had a pudding consistency. Topped with caramel or strawberry, we likely should have gotten strawberry as the caramel’s sweetness mixed with the already sugary cake was a lot. Still, I enjoyed the caramel’s depth of flavour.

Sadly, the baklava ($10) must have been sitting around for too long after being precut and plated. The bottom layers were completely fused together so the honey mixture had a glue-like consistency. It’s a shame, as there were ample amounts of ground pistachios within the pastry that gave it a lovely richness. On a return visit, a fresher version of the dessert was better, but didn’t have as many pistachios. I guess you can’t win with the baklava.

Sibel’s dining room has a lovely modern feel, but the hulking television screen suspended on the ceiling was almost too modern. It kept showcasing a loop of footage from the Maldives. While beautiful, the tropical scenes were out of place – something sultry like whisps of swirling smoke may be more appropriate. I guess the enormous screen will be useful for hosting viewing parties for final sporting events or even broadcasting something during private events. Who wouldn’t want to see their slide show in all its full glory? 

In a nutshell... 
  • Must order: mixed kebab platter
  • Just skip: baklava 

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1997 Avenue Road


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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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Toronto Beach Club (Toronto)

Thank you to Jjjiffy for this image

In high school, when I used to frequent Ashridge’s Bay, no one arrived dressed-to-impress to walk along the boardwalk. That’s all seemed to have changed now that Toronto Beach Club has opened. Walk past the bouncer and you’re transported into a well-healed tropical paradise; where the volleyball courts disappear behind foliage and it seems normal, even essential, to pop some bubbly on the beach.

You can’t go wrong with one of their hot mezze that comes with a grilled pita to start. The bread arrives hot and fresh, puffed to perfection so that it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, dusted with spices. They accompany the smoked eggplant ($16), a decent portion of warm soft legume that would have been amazing if the walnut and olive relish weren’t so sour that even the pomegranate molasses’ sweetness couldn’t balance it out. Maybe it’s me, but I prefer my eggplant savoury.

Their jamon iberico ($36) was sliced into respectable sized slices, the prized pig’s cured slightly sweet essence bursting on the tongue. Not quite a melt-in-your-mouth as what you’ll find in Spain, these were nonetheless tasty and worth a nibble if you appreciate a good charcuterie.

Of the three starters the sea bream crudo ($21) was my favourite. Thick meaty slices of white fish topped with citrus caviar (segments of finger lime) and chili sitting in what looks like a fiery olive oil but is rather delicate. The crudo was perfectly seasoned and wonderfully tasty, a lovely summery dish to enjoy while sitting outdoors.

Toronto Beach Club’s lamb chops ($45 for the half order shown) were cooked perfectly. So, it’s such a shame that they were too salty and requires some tableside knife skills. The seasoning needs to be toned down as the outer chops made me reach for water and since the marinated yogurt was also salted, together they were way too much. It’d be nice if the kitchen also considers the table size when finishing the dish: our four chops were only cut in half for a 3-top, which means you need to portion them yourself when they arrive. It likely helps the meat retain its heat and juices better, but it’s also a bit difficult to cut through the chops on a big platter with all the yoghurt and garnishes. The age-old joke of “how many people does it take to…?”, let me just say it is not one.

Thank you to Parv for this picture

Where they really excelled was the grilled seafood. Their fileted black sea bass ($36) had such a lovely, charbroiled exterior and was still delicately done inside. While it comes with a choice of sauce (we chose the harissa butter), it’s fantastic by itself.

Sides need to be ordered separately and are more than sufficient to share amongst three. The French fries ($12) are a safe choice – nice and crisp, dusted with oregano and salt and comes with truffle aioli for dipping. Yet, what really caught our attention was the grilled broccolini ($19): cooked until crisp and covered with pecorino-ramano, pangrattato, and calabrain chili creating such a lovely almost creamy sauce with a hit of heat to end. Do get yourself some greens.

Just make sure to save room for dessert as their baklava ($12-$15) is a must. I love that it wasn’t soaked in syrup, rather the perfect amount to add sweetness but still leave the puff pastry crispy and not oily feeling. The two pieces are sandwiched between a frozen cream layer. If this isn’t the ultimate ice cream sandwich, I don’t know what is. The strawberry crostata ($12-$15) paired nicely with it – the pastry a cross between a shortbread and cake and topped with ample sweet strawberries and a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.

We all agreed that dinner at Toronto Beach Club is probably the most ideal time to visit. The temperature is not overly warm and it’s such a lovely experience to transition from evening into night. There was even a live Spanish band performing during our Wednesday visit, the women’s lovely vocals the perfect addition to the meal.

Thank you to Parv for this image

While the after-meal service can get a little backed up, the entertainment and atmosphere kept us happy while we waited for the verbal dessert menu to be presented. Wait aside, even with the pandemic you won’t feel rushed at the restaurant, the two-and-a-half hour seating times is sufficiently long enough to leisurely enjoy the meal. I certainly won’t be visiting Greece or the equator anytime soon. Until then, Toronto Beach Club will give me the tropical fix I need to transport myself out of Toronto. 

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1681 Lake Shore Boulevard East


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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The Kasap Turkish Cuisine (Dubai)


As you’re sitting on The Kasap’s patio and taking in the man-made views of The Pointe, it feels like you’re somewhere Mediterranean, maybe even Turkey, just somewhere far from desert life. The restaurant should be thankful there’s such a great outdoor atmosphere as sitting on the lowest level of the patio also means you’re forgotten and service is slow at best.

Once we were able to get an order in, the food arrives at a quick pace; in no time a dish of vibrant babaghanoush (AED22) arrives with soft toasted pita. While the dip was refreshing, the eggplant flavour was masked by the other vegetables and it could really use more salt.


In general, most dishes were under seasoned. The minced beef Turkish-style flatbread (AED49) screamed for spices – parsley, salt - anything to cover the meat’s gaminess that was so off putting I couldn’t have more than a slice. How is beef even gamey, surely this must have been mutton?


If anything, what impressed me most about the dish was the presentation: the long plank placed on can so other dishes could be placed underneath. Such a genius idea for efficient space use that must make city planners swoon.

Thank you to J for this photo

The most flavourful dish was the adana kebab (AED58), the tender and juicy skewers have a hit of spice that really sneaks up on you. We used our fair share of the yoghurt and pickled cabbage to help calm the heat.


It also went well with the kale and pomegranate salad (AED34), which was tossed with bits of bulgur and a simple lemon and olive oil dressing. The kale just needed a good massage to break down the tough fibers.


Where I was happy with The Kasap’s restrained flavours was with the baklava (AED32). Normally, it’s a dessert that’s so sugary it makes my teeth ache – figuratively, not literally. The Kasap’s was still infused with plenty of honey but it was sticky without being too sweet. I also liked the liberal sprinkling of pistachios, which adds such a nice nuttiness to the dessert.


If all else fails, eat elsewhere and visit the restaurant for a drink. They offer a wide selection of juices, the Kasap special (AED29) a fruity blend of passionfruit with apple and orange. All our drinks tasted great, if only they arrived colder.



That’s when we could have really gotten the tropical experience of icy drinks, blue waters, and tons of sunshine. After all, with the Atlantis in the background, you could even daydream about being transported to Bahamas. Desert, what desert?

Overall mark - 6 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
 Address: The Pointe
 Website: http://thekasap.ae/

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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Menthe et Couscous (Montreal)


There’s something seductive about Moroccan food… maybe because my first experience was at a popular tourist destination in Toronto where the so-so food is accompanied by belly dancers. Even without the entertainment, walking into the cozy Menthe et Couscous and settling onto their jewel toned bench, I knew I was in for a treat.


Moroccan cuisine is known for incorporating a variety of spices aiming to meld with the food rather than overpower. Of course there’s a ton of flavours, but nothing’s so spicy you need milk, sour that your eyes water, etc. Rather it’s the spices combined with freshness of herbs that makes it so tantalizing. Just walk into the dining room and the scents will coyly play with your nose.   

Normally, anything with ‘salad’ in the title is a quick dismiss, but the description of the Tunisia mechouia salad ($9.25) was so intriguing that I had to try it. First off, the dish is hearty and nothing like the leafy green variety. A medley of grilled vegetable is crushed into a thick paste - when spread onto a pita the topping resembles a less tangy bruschetta. I was a bit taken aback with the flaked tuna and olives topping the dish, yet the meaty tuna, peppery grilled vegetables, and briny olives actually were delicious together. The pita was rather hard, but also holds up against the saucy mixture so you can consume the starter rather cleanly.


For the less adventurous, the chicken brochettes ($19.50) are a safe choice. Essentially grilled chicken skewers, at Menthe et Couscous they’re not overly charred and rather juicy for white meat. The nutty tahini and house salad combining mushrooms, cranberries, walnuts, and a pomegranate dressing makes it different, but hardly wildly seductive.


What will get your mouth moaning is the tajine. Unfortunately, the dome covering it was taken away before I could snap a picture, but it’s essentially a cone shaped lid that helps braise and steam the contents – as the steam rises it’s captures in the vessel and drips back down into the base so the flavours aren’t lost.


The resulting lamb tajine ($23.95) is similar to stew but a whole lot more flavourful and since it uses less (if any) broth, the meat and vegetables’ natural flavours shine through. Additionally, the vegetables still have a bite to them so aren’t mushy like stew. Served with a large bowl of moist couscous topped with softened chick peas and cranberries, the grains are great for spooning the tajine’s juices onto … the gravy like sauce so good I would happily just have a bowl of couscous and plain sauce.

Menthe et Couscous’ warm dimly lit dining room makes you want to sit and relax after dinner. Wanting the experience to last longer, we caved in for the baklava ($3.95 each). I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the ultra-sweet dessert, but Menthe’s is dry enough to hold and uses just enough honey for sweetness. The baklava was a great ending without the heavy oiliness that normally follows the dessert.


Their green tea with mint ($2.95) is also perfect for easing the stomach after a filling meal – after all the indulgences the aromatic slightly bitter tea is refreshing and soothing. The restaurant certainly doesn’t skimp on the herb (there’s an entire sprig in the teapot) and serves the tea traditionally by pouring it highly so bubbles temporarily form and burst to release an intoxicating aroma.


Even without the discount being offered, a meal at Menthe et Couscous is affordable. The mains are pretty sizeable, so the two mains with a salad were more than enough to satisfy. Additionally, they have a bring your own wine program with no corkage fees, so you don’t mind opening another one… so you stay just a bit longer … oh seduction.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was offered at a discounted price. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.


How To Find Them
 Location: Montreal, Canada
 Address: 361 Rue Émery

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this:


Menthe et couscous Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

CLOSED: Sofra Mediterranean Cuisine (Toronto)

Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 5025 Yonge Street
Type of Meal: Dinner


Sofra Mediterranean Cuisine opened this year and looks rather unassuming from the outside. The “restaurant” is mostly a bright take-out area with a few tables scattered inside and out front. At first, I dismissed it as another fast food place, akin to Shawarma Max or Pita Pit. But, after walking by a few times and finding it busy at all hours, we were intrigued and stopped by for a late dinner.


As a warning, although you can be served while dining-in, it seems much quicker to just go inside and order at the cash register. It took less than five minutes to order, pay and pick our toppings and then brought over the finished plates to our table.

After seeing the size of the chicken shawarma laffa ($7.45; almost a foot long), my husband and I decided to share. In the end, we each still had a wrap the size of a regular Z-teca burrito. This was my first experience having laffa bread and found it had the chewiness of freshly baked naan but the thickness of a soft pita. The consistency is slightly denser, perhaps due to it being made from chickpea rather than wheat flour.



With tons of topping to choose from, we decided to let the lady put whatever she thought would be good (which ended up being everything). Unfortunately, I can’t remember all the ingredients but lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red cabbage, babaganoush, tahini, hummus, toum (garlic sauce) and skhug (hot sauce) were just a few of the things inside. The chicken was tender and there was decent portion of it. And while there were so many sauces, none of them were overpowering and worked well to complement each other. My husband and I both agreed it was one of the better shawarma wraps we’ve ever had.



Seeing a pile of baklava ($3.50) sitting on display, we couldn’t help but have one for dessert. Although it was soaked in a buttery syrup, we found it was at least not too sweet. Of course, it contained some customary chopped nuts, but Sofra’s also seemed to incorporate a fig paste as well.



With other locations across the GTA, Sofra is not exactly the one-off Mom & Pop shop we originally thought. Based on the pictures on their website, the North York site seems to be the most casual as the other locations appear to be more restaurant–like. But, even though it was small, it felt cozy, especially with the welcoming attitude of all the staff. 


Overall mark - 7 out of 10



Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog

____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!