Showing posts with label big breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label big breakfast. Show all posts

Frankie’s Modern Diner (Victoria)

Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2022 by

Before a day of sightseeing, we like to properly prepare ourselves with a hearty meal and Frankie’s Modern Diner seemed like the ideal spot to tuck into a traditional no-fuss breakfast. The large wooden booths provide the mood of a diner, but I can see why they describe it as being modernized with the well-spaced fixtures, whimsical touches, and the French windows that open to create a lovely airy environment.

Normally, I like to keep it simple and order off the menu, but with all the ingredient choices, I opted to create my own omelette ($10) so that I could get pico de gallo paired with spinach (additional $3). The egg was beautifully prepared to a lovely uniform thinness and was filled to the brim with the vegetable toppings.

Unsure about the asiago cream sauce & parmesan cheese the menu describes as covering the home fries, I requested it on the side and found it was more shaved cheese than cream sauce – great for tucking into the omelette for some extra decadence. And you certainly won’t leave hungry with the amount of home fries that comes with the meal, all well-toasted but also overly salted.

Yet, what cinched the meal for me was the ability to choose a pancake or toast as a side… who would pick toast when pancake is an option?! And it was a good pancake to boot – fluffy and soft (but not sticky) with a lovely crust that acted as a barrier against the pancake becoming a syrup sponge as well as creating a pleasant chewy texture. The meal was the perfect combination of an egg-based main with bressert (breakfast dessert) that I love.

Frankie’s had us thinking about lunch not long after finishing our meal as we made our way back to the entrance where their enormous cakes and pies were in full display. If only we were in Victoria for longer, I’d certainly give Frankie’s another visit. 

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Victoria, Canada
 Address: 910 Government Street


 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!

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Bistro Mirepoix (St. Catherines)

Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2021 by

How sweet it is to be able to dine at a restaurant again – not takeout or delivery, but really sit there and enjoy the whole experience of being at somewhere else. My last experience was back in the fall of 2020, bundled up outside desperately getting in a last meal before the winter began. So, I was practically like a giddy child as I settled into a sectioned off table at Bistro Mirepoix. OMG is that a menu? I get to have a conversation over coffee before the meal arrives. Is this real?!

Go big or go home with this first taste of freedom. The pork belly and brie eggs benedict ($20) beckoned, not merely because of the decadence of the dish, but it being something so intricate that I’d never make myself. Despite all this quarantine cooking, I’m not about to start smoking pork belly, whipping up hollandaise sauce, or even attempt to poach eggs. All this I’ll leave to the professionals.

That first bite was just heavenly. The thick slab of pork belly nicely rendered that I could even overlook it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Despite having a golden caramelized crust, it was surprisingly soft and melded into molten egg yolks so nicely. With all the creamy elements, if that slice of sourdough bread lining the plate was toasted more to add a crunchy complement, the dish would be perfect.

I dove into the plate with gusto, dipping the hot roasted fingerling potatoes into egg yolk. How can I make this hour sitting limit last? Try as I might, I couldn’t finish all the starches. This benny is a hearty dish that leaves you full all day.

Thankfully, I had the sense to get a side of greens ($5), the balsamic tossed spring mix really helps cut the fattiness of the pork belly. Without it, the decadence may be overwhelming.

Just one dish will provide enough sustenance for the day, which is perfect for a day out in wine country. Take the classic breakfast ($22) – there’s a big hunk of pork belly, a sizeable sausage patty and baked beans as well. A big breakfast to soak up all the tipples of a wine-fueled day. The restaurant’s proximity to Jordan station and Niagara-on-the-Lake certainly makes it an easy stopping point.

This one meal at Bristro Miropoix felt like a spring awakening – there is a bright future to more dine-in experiences to come. Let the beautiful brunch blooms begin!

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: St. Catherines, Canada
 Address: 64 Court Street


 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:

CLOSED: Uncle Betty's (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 2590 Yonge Street
Type of Meal: Brunch

You’ve likely seen Uncle Betty’s cheerful blue and orange building if you’ve explored the Yonge and Eglinton area. When the Food Network’s You Gotta Eat Here featured them in their program, Uncle Betty’s became known outside of the Midtown crowd.  My friends and I dropped in for brunch (available weekends until 2pm) and didn’t wait more than five minutes for a table.

Their ultimate grilled cheese ($14) is one of the dishes featured on the show. Personally, I don’t think the sandwich is properly named – it’s really more of portable meal than a simple grilled cheese. If you ever felt inclined to have a thick slice of meatloaf, slab of mac ‘n cheese and melted cheese on the go, than this sandwich is for you.


Thankfully, we decided to share this, as having one to yourself would feel gluttonous (we also added bacon for an extra $1.50). It had sweet and savoury elements, with the sweetness coming from the ketchup on the meatloaf. The meatloaf and mac ‘n cheese needed to be hotter to really make this dish better - they were just barely warmed through. Some diners complain that the bread is “toasted” rather than “grilled”. Personally, given the sandwich is so decadent already, I actually preferred that the bread wasn’t soaked in butter.

Betty’s big breakfast ($10) is for those who are indecisive. Comprised of three eggs, toast, choice of meat (bacon, sausage or peameal bacon) a pancake and a side (home fries, fresh-cut fries or green salad) you can have exactly what you want. We opted for scrambled eggs (fluffy but too bland), bacon (nice long strips and crispy) and fresh-cut fries (not particularly convinced these are fresh) with ours. The pancake, what originally drew me to this dish, was way too doughy – thankfully, I had some tea available to wash it down. Strangely, they don’t offer any condiments for the toast, they weren’t even pre-buttered. Luckily, we were too full anyways so ended up leaving the dry sourdough slices behind.


The stuffed French toast ($13) was quite nice. Thick slices of egg bread filled with a ricotta and blueberry preserve mixture. It naturally had a nice sweetness to it so we didn’t even require syrup. Not needing syrup is ideal, as Uncle Betty serves the Aunt Jemima variety. Maybe it’s the Canadian in me, but nothing but maple syrup will do. 


What I may have to come back and try one day is their ice cream donut sandwiches. Made with fresh donuts and all natural ice creams in a variety of flavours, I could just imagine how delicious it’d be. Overall, it’s a good neighbourhood joint, but wouldn’t consider it to be a destination restaurant.


Overall mark - 6 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
  • 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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