RH Courtyard is probably one of the lesser-known restaurants at Yorkdale Mall. Yet, it’s a beauty. A man-made garden patio tucked into Restoration Hardware so that a trip to the toilet will have you distracted with furniture envy.

Crème fraiche was added into the RH scramble ($22), but it’s still a simple dish of scrambled eggs with chives. I’m glad our waitress warned us the eggs are cooked to a soft runniness - I increased the doneness to “medium well” and they arrived creamy and tender without any of the gross liquid yolk.

If only the menu stated the scramble comes with grilled sourdough we would have foregone the artisanal prosciutto ($25). While there was nothing wrong with the board, it was also not exciting. A bit boring in presentation, it incorporated slices of prosciutto, chunks of parmigiano Reggiano, and “seasonal fruit” that was really a bunch of grapes. At least the baguette was warm and crispy, even though there weren’t any spreads, not even a plate of olive oil for dipping.

While the price of the side green salad ($10) was a bit steep, the citrus vinaigrette really helped cut through the heaviness of the meat, cheese, and eggs. Plus, it ended up being a great complement to finish the generous half avocado that accompanies the eggs.

You’re able to customize the matcha latte ($7) to be hot or cold. The cooler version was refreshing for the spring and had a lovely deep green tea flavour.

Do yourself a favour and skip the chains when you’re at Yorkdale. Dine at a place that doesn’t feel like you’re in a mall; more like you’re in the gardens of an aristocrat’s mansion. 

With a name like Pink Sky, I’m expecting a café, bubble tea shop, or maybe even a candy emporium. What I’m not expecting is a seafood restaurant. Hence, I’ve walked by the storefront on many occasions but never seriously planned a visit. I chalked it up to a place to be “seen” and party, but not for real meal.

Remnants of the former Weslodge are still apparent: the expansive bar and (on occasions) the unobtrusive DJ spinning beats on the second floor. Yet, Pink Sky has a coziness to it that feels different. The ease of making reservations, not being rushed with seating limits, and sit-a-while comfortable chairs – there’s even an element of hospitality that the former restaurant was missing that exists now.

If you’re in the mood for some light bites, their menu includes a selection of hot and cold appetizers that are great for sharing. For a simple crispy calamari ($24) the appetizer was tasty, the light breading incorporating salt, pepper, and sumac adding flavour so the spicy mayo wasn’t even required. And if you’re feeling adventurous, take a bite of the deep-fried lemon slices, my friends found this surprisingly tasty.

The beef tartare ($22) needs more than four pieces of too oily toasted sourdough to go through meat mixture. Yet, it had a lovely freshness from the bits of apple and tarragon incorporated into the recipe. Still, it’s not overly heavy in comparison to the predominantly seafood focused menu.

I preferred the beef to the tuna tartare ($26), which contained so much puffed rice that I half expected the dish to go snap, crackle, and pop. What little fish remained was completely drowned out by the watermelon and other ingredients.

Pink Sky offers a host of fish on their menu. The whole branzino ($85) was disappointingly small for the price and contained too many stray bones. And while I enjoyed the crispy skin, it might have sat under the broiler for too long as it was slightly overcooked.

Personally, I’d skip the branzino and go for the grilled salmon ($32), which also had a lovely crackling skin but was still flaky and moist. Served as a nice thick slice, the main was surprisingly filling despite it being sparsely served with sautéed spinach and grilled fennel. The dish was a little salty, especially with the lemon butter sauce. Be careful to dip and not pour.

Without any grains, you could augment the fish with a side of frites ($9) to share. They’re hot, thin, and crispy… my kind of fries.

Indeed, the best bang for your buck would be the fish and chips ($32) that arrives as a ginormous piece of beer battered haddock. While the breading was too thick for my tastes, you certainly won’t leave hungry since it also arrives with a generous portion of thick cut chips.

In fact, pair the fish and chips with a wedge salad ($21) and you’ll have enough food for two. The starter uses almost an entire head of iceberg lettuce slathered in a rich and tangy buttermilk ranch dressing, topped with cherry tomatoes, grilled corn, fried onion, and huge chunks of bacon that should be called pork belly pieces. The salad normally also contains blue cheese, but we had it removed and the salad was still hearty and flavourful.

Another sharable dish is the truffle lobster mac and cheese ($46) that has a cheese pull that’d make any dairy lover swoon. Big tubes of rigatoni were tossed in a spicy pickled jalapeño cheese sauce and topped with bread crumb and chives. It’s an interesting decision to include the jalapeno, I found it balanced out the truffle oil, which can sometimes be overwhelming. If anything, it just needed more lobster as there wasn’t much to go around.

Pink Sky’s seafood risotto ($34) has a spicy tomato sauce base, so the dish ends up tasting like a cioppino risotto. It’s a twist that I don’t mind given I love the hearty seafood stew but could be disappointing if you’re expecting a more traditional saffron taste. All in all, it incorporated a passable portion of seafood (mussels, shrimp, and whitefish) although the mussels could have been fresher.

Located in the bustling area of King West, Pink Sky is an ideal pre-clubbing dinner destination. Their varied menu means you can choose a lighter dish to avoid sporting a food belly or go big with the fish and chips to soak up the liberations to come. One thing is for sure, it isn’t a frilly café, you’re coming for the food.  

Miss Fu in Chengdu. I don’t know who this Miss Fu is, but she sounds like a cool person I’d want to know. If the restaurant’s food is any indication of her personality, she’s spicy and you should be careful… if you cross her, you may get a skewer in the back.

Serving Sichuan dishes, I warned them that my tolerance for spice was only a medium level. And in case it was too much, I kept a large mug of peach slush ($4.99) on hand to cool things down.

You’ll find heat in plenty of the dishes including the deep-fried tofu with garlic sauce ($5.99). Served super hot, they cubes were crispy outside and soft in the centre, soaking up the spicy soy sauce. They were delicious, just watch out as the sauce will squirt out during the first bites.

Despite the sparse amount of sauce covering the dandan noodles with ground pork sauce ($8.99), it was hot! Containing the Sichuan numbing chili, they heat quickly builds on the tongue and after two bites I had to take big slugs of the slush. It’s surprisingly spicy for being listed as a one chili dish on the menu, the chilis not even mentioned in the description – it’s simply listed as containing ground peanuts, sesame, preserved mustard greens, and green onions. You’re warned now.

The noodles did pair nicely with the smashed cucumber salad ($7.99), where the chunks of skinless field cucumbers were tossed in a salty sesame oil with just a hint of chili sauce. It’s cool crunchiness even lasted until the following day.

What Miss Fu is known for is their skewers, arriving in a hot metal bowl and cooked through (this is not a hot pot restaurant). They’re served two ways: in a combo ranging from $24-$26 with enough food for two people or a la carte where you select from four soup bases ($7.99 - $8.99) and add on individual skewers ($0.99 - $2.99).

Of the two we tried, the seafood skewers in chicken broth with a medium level of heat was my favourite. The spices were just enough to flavour and cover the shrimp, fish tofu, fish cake, and lobster balls we had without it being overwhelming. Admittedly, the fish tofu, cake, and lobster balls were run-of-the-mill varieties you’d often find in supermarkets, but they were still tasty.

For those who’d rather stay away from anything spicy, the tomato soup is a great alternative. We opted to pair it with beef skewers, creating a classic tomato and beef combination.  If you order the savoury tomato soup, I suggest getting a bowl of rice to smother the thick soup in.

The beef slices were too tenderized for my tastes and the beef balls lacked flavour, but the cheese ball was interesting with a doughy exterior that’s like a fish ball filled with a creamy white cheese.

Miss Fu substituted the “spicy sauce” in the pork wontons ($7.99) with a neutral chicken broth studded with dried shrimp. It was lovely, having a creaminess that reminded me of the soup from fish noodle restaurants. The wontons are better than the ones you’ll find at the chop suey restaurants – much bigger and plumper.

Despite being stuffed I couldn’t help but have a handful of the glutinous rice balls with black sesame paste ($4.99). Tossed with soybean powder and slathered in a brown sugar syrup, they were pops of flavour and a great way to end the meal.

I’d imagine the restaurant gets busy during weekend dinners, but it was quiet during our Friday lunch, so our server had plenty of time to converse with us the explain the dishes. Given this was my first experience with Sichuan skewers this extra bit of attention was greatly appreciated. Miss Fu, I’ll be sure to give you a call next time I’m in Chengdu. 

In a neighbourhood filled with sushi eateries, it’s difficult for Issmi Japanese Restaurant to stand out. They offer a menu filled with variety, affordable prices, decent food, and friendly service; yet, in the Lawrence Village area this isn’t enough to be busy. I guess you can add ‘ease of securing a table without a reservation’ to the benefits of dining at Issmi.

The meal’s highlight was the rice paper roll ($20), a great option for those watching their carb intake as salad greens fill in for sushi rice. Stuffed with crab salad, spicy tuna, and shrimp tempura it’s a surprisingly hearty and creates enough flavours that it didn’t taste too healthy.

Pair the maki with an avocado salad ($9) and miso soup ($3) and you’ve got yourself a complete meal. I’m glad Issmi doesn’t skimp on the avocado, there’s plenty of it fanned across the simple green salad tossed with Issmi’s sesame and soy house dressing. And while the miso soup wasn’t overly exciting, it’s also not an expensive add on, arriving nice and hot.

There are also several sushi dishes that don’t break the bank. The Matsu sushi ($25) contains a well stuffed dynamite roll that rival most in the neighbourhood and 10 pieces of nigiri. The nigiri was where Issmi falters a bit: the rice not seasoned enough and some of the fish felt a touch dry. Still, these are just slight nuances that could easily be overlooked.

In another neighbourhood, Issmi would likely be a strong contender for becoming a local go-to. Unfortunately, they’re operating in a competitive area where there are some exceptional choices. In a pinch, when my favourites are closed or fully reserved, I’ll remember Issmi. For a backup, they’re a great safe option.   

If you enjoy bold flavours, Azura’s tasting menu ($128 per person) will have your tastebuds in a tizzy. And since the restaurant serves a blind tasting menu, your taste buds won’t know what’s to come as they’re introduced to spices, herbs, and sauces galore.

Focused on foods from the Mediterranean, the canapés begin with a Moroccan flair. The beet tart was beautiful to behold but also surprisingly bitter for a dish made with sweet root vegetables. The beets did little to stave off the bitter bite from the rhubarb harissa paste and small white flowers. The geraniums also made the tart much too floral tasting. As beautiful as it was, it was a disappointing start.

The avgotaraho moved the menu in the right direction, a crispy piece of panisse topped with labneh and red mullet roe. It’s creamy, salty, tangy, and messy to eat. I’d recommend making the panisse based thinner and wider so it becomes more of a two-bite canapé and would also allow the panisse to taste less dense.

Progressively things became tastier, the cigar looking concoction revealing a smoked cannoli stuffed with albacore tuna. It’s a delicious burst of smokiness balanced with acidity and a host of spices.

To end the canapés, a shrimp mousse piped into choux pastry, which had a sweet and savoury element. I loved the bright ingredients of pickled rhubarb and preserved citrus that helped lighten the umami-laced cream, Chef Adam should consider using this mousse in the beet tart.

Despite the scallop being overpowered by the date and pomegranate vinegarette, it was nonetheless prepared beautifully, so clean and luscious. Covered in creamy avocado and topped with salty fried okra and chili slices, it’s a starter that offers so many flavours and textures.

We’re told the halibut is inspired by one of Chef Adam’s favourite late-night snacks - the shawarma. While the fish could be cooked a touch less, it’s meatiness really held up with all the spices, tahini, and the cauliflower and couscous (?) medley. Who would have thought that fish would make for a great shawarma?

The celeriac was seared until it developed a lovely, caramelized crust emitting a slight smokiness. At once creamy a slightly crunchy, the root vegetable paired nicely with the earthiness of the blue foot mushrooms and refreshing watercress puree. This was one of my top three dishes of the evening.

Yet, the best dish of the meal, the one that had me swooning for more was the Iberico secreto. It’s described as a cut from the neck to arm pit area of the prized Spanish pig that’s known for it’s marbling. Having had Iberico in ham and sausage formats on numerous occasions, why has it taken me so long to have it seared?

Absolutely incredible, the crispy skin and fat makes the protein almost seem duck like but without any gaminess and even juicier. It’s a dish that’s only found on the full tasting menu (not the condensed version) and with the constantly changing offerings, a treat when the ingredient can be sourced.

Chef Adam should consider reordering the menu if a guest adds on the wagyu course (supplemental $55). After the incredible Iberico the beef was boring. My slice was also chewy given it was overcooked and had a muscle fibre running through it. If anything, the wild French asparagus and andouille stuffed morels delighted me more than the beef.

As we near the end of the savoury courses, an entire feast arrives with the venison leg tagine.  The protein was served with dishes of preserved lemon, smoked cucumber and eggplant hummus, olives, pita, and smoked sweet potato. We’re told to divide the pita into four and have the venison with each of the accompaniments individually.

My advice: create small bite sized “tacos” and have the meat with everything all at once. Otherwise, it just tastes too plain. I found the venison too lean and would have liked something that had a bit of fat or gelatinous cartilage incorporated into it – perhaps chunks of brisket or mutton? And I’d just skip the streusel sweet potato all together.

While I enjoyed the asparagus, it’s procession in the menu seems out of place. The vegetable was augmented with bold sides: porcini paste, kefalograviera cheese (like Parmesan but lighter), and something very peppery. If anything, the vegetable would have been nicer before all the meat dishes (it’s pepperiness highlighting the flavours to come) and the sweeter and lighter celeriac creating a better flow into desserts.

With tasting menus, I often find the desserts to be decent at best but not overly memorable. The fig newton could be considered one of those dishes – tasty but safe. A lemon poppyseed cake that sandwiches fig jam, there’s a really comforting quality to the dessert and is perfect for those who like a dessert that’s not overly sweet.

Yet, the last mortadella blew me away and was my second favourite dish. Firstly, it had me fooled – I was so sure it was a piece of meat on the bread. In reality, it is ruby chocolate studded with pistachio and shaved serrano ham. Moreover, there’s some sort of powder that looks like cheese but is so wispy light and creamy. Sweet, creamy, nutty, savoury, and tangy elements all combine to make for an incredible last dish. Give me more desserts like this any day.  

In fact, I should just have ended it on a high and not had the last bite of “Ferrero Rocher”. Hard and dense, there’s no crispy or creamy elements that you’d expect with the famed dessert. Azura needs to make these smaller or better yet, end with something more Mediterranean like a square of baklava instead.

In earlier posts on Gastro World, I’ve been complaining that Toronto’s tasting menus are morphing to become too Euro Japanese. At Azura you won’t find a lick of this – thank God! In fact, it’s one of the most unique tasting menus I’ve had in a while. A theme that continues into the wine offerings from little known regions. Combined with their friendly down-to-earth service and I’m smitten with Azura. I can’t wait to go back, but that Iberico secreto better make an appearance. 

I know this sounds counter intuitive, but when a restaurant is plastered all over social media it makes me want to try it less. Too much promotion leads me to think the hype is paid for and I start doubting the restaurant’s ability to attract diners for their flavours.

Dear Saigon’s most photographed item is the Dear Saigon pho ($22.99). The restaurant knows how to draw in the camera: a large tower displaying the dishes’ ingredients, a sizzling stone bowl, and a hulking beef bone that’s protrudes in its full glory. I had my doubts on ordering it, but then felt obligated to see if it really is worth the extra six dollars.

Firstly, the tower: they need to make it more structurally sound. To get the individual layers out, you’ll need to hold onto the wobbly light-as-air tower or otherwise risk having it topple over. Ultimately, it’s a bit kitschy with the only benefits being it takes up less table space and does allow diners to gradually add the raw beef slices to control its doneness.

In terms of the stone bowl, while it arrives rapidly boiling, this starts to lose steam in under 30 seconds. Add in the noodles and half of the bean sprouts and the soup sits as still as a pond on a non-windy day. In fact, I was nervous whether it’d still be hot enough to cook the beef slices, so I jammed them all in at the start. Luckily, the remaining warmth was enough to gradually cook them through, and the beef did stay tender longer, which was a nice touch.

Moreover, the broth stayed hot until the end. Dear Saigon’s soup was just salty enough and was hearty but still fresh. While the noodles started off as a sticky clump, they quickly loosened in the soup and resisted getting soggy. Point goes to the stone bowl.

Lastly, the beef bone. Perhaps the best distinguishing feature as it’s an ingredient not offered with the other pho. For me, this alone was worth the additional $6. Since it arrives in the soup without any sauce, I worried it’d be tasteless. For me, it was flavourful enough solo, but if you need tje extra oomph there’s hoisin and hot sauce available. Meaty and tender, I ended up sharing the beef bone and was still stuffed. If you’re hungry, order the Dear Saigon pho.

If the beef rib doesn’t do it for you, the house special pho ($18.99) was satisfying. While not overly exciting, it contains the requisite favourites – rare beef, brisket, tendon, tripe, and beef balls – with plenty of noodles, herbs, and bean sprouts. The broth wasn’t as beefy but still had a comforting quality. I sense some diners may find it bland, but I found it satisfying and liked that it wasn’t oily.

Dear Saigon’s appetizers were also decent. The chicken wings ($13.50) are covered in a honey glaze that’s best eaten hot while it’s still runny. Very crispy with just a touch of heat and savouriness, it reminds me of a milder honey garlic deep-fried wing.

Wash your hands as the deep-fried spring rolls ($8.99) are extremely difficult to pick-up with chopsticks – even my mom was stumped. Utensil challenge aside, they’re uber crispy, and I enjoyed the combination of vegetables, beans, taro, and little bits of shrimp.  

Despite holding off on trying Dear Saigon because I felt it was over hyped, I’m glad I eventually gave in. Their menu is extensive including a variety of appetizers and even Thai dishes for those not in the mood for pho. But who goes to Dear Saigon for pad Thai? Give me a bowl of noodles with a massive bone any day. 

One thing’s for sure: your meal won’t be bland at NeNe Chicken. There’s sauces and seasonings and anything labeled as spicy really unleashes some searing heat.

Take for instance the spicy fried chicken skin ($8.95), which looks unassuming and has the texture of a tortilla chip mixed with pork find. The dusting of spice starts off tasting like nothing more than a barbeque chip, but slowly builds as it coats the tongue and leaves a lingering sting. It’s an interesting “snack”, but too rich for me. The dish is best ordered amongst a table of six or more, so everyone gets a handful.

It’s a similar story for the tteok bokki ($18.95), which starts off almost sweet until your mouth starts burning after two rice cakes and a mouthful of the shredded vegetables and kimchi. Still, I enjoyed the chewiness of the carbs, and the dish contained a generous portion of fish cake. If anything, it could have used more green onion to provide a pop of freshness.

Thankfully, the boneless soy garlic chicken ($21.99 for a medium) offered some respite. Hot and fresh from the fryer, the chicken was very juicy with a touch of crispiness in its coating. While the soy garlic was a little sugary for me and could use more garlic, it was a welcomed change from the spicy dishes.  

I’d recommend paying the extra $1.95 for pickled radish as it’s an ideal condiment to cool the tongue and cut through the greasiness of the fried dishes. NeNe Chicken is a heavier meal, so sharing is best, especially if you want to try a bunch of different items. And if anyone comes that can’t handle the heat? Well, maybe you just mock them… NeNene booboo.