Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Lake House Restaurant - Vineland Station

Ruth and I visited the Lake House Restaurant on St.Patty's Day for lunch with friends in the Vineland Station area. It is easy to find, located at 3100 North Service Road.

This is a superb restaurant, right on the water, overlooking Lake Ontario from the south west. On a clear day, you can see Toronto's CN Tower. This is a very nice setting within short driving range of Niagara Falls.

If you are hoping for a cheap meal, do not stop here. You can expect to pay a minimum of $20/head + beverages. If you are willing to pay the price, you will not be disappointed. Several of us had the hot chicken salad - very good. I understand that their pizza plate is good too. Angela made us feel very comfortable and looked after us with a perfect mix of friendliness and professionalism.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Colossus Greek Taverna - Port Credit & Oakville

Colossus is a well-know Greek restaurant on Lakeshore between Cawthra and Hurontario Streets. We have dined there many times and always been pleased. The decor is perfect. We usually have a hard time deciding what we want and the owner blends 2 or 3 main dishes for us. Very friendly and very accommodating. This restaurant is a little noisier and a little more crowded than some we like, but that's part of the atmosphere. Like all the places where we dine, the wine is fine and the prices are reasonable.
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Sunday, April 13th 2014 - After the Masterworks Oakville concert, we had supper at Colossus-Oakville. Previously, we had only dined at the Port Credit restaurant. The Oakville location (221 Lakeshore E) is more modern and spacious. Also it was noticeably quieter (acoustics not clientele). We were 6 adults and a baby. Service was perfect and very accommodating. Ruth and I had the Faliraki. Everyone said that the food was delicious. The wine (Sarah) was perfect. Value was excellent!! Thank you for a very pleasant meal.

Chelsea Restaurant - Port Credit

The Chelsea is one of our very favourite dining places. It's quite small, located in a heritage house at 7 John St., just south of Lakeshore. This place offers a very cozy, candle lit atmosphere, linen on the table, a limited but delicious menu and personalized, friendly service. Their soup is wonderful, salmon or other fish is incredible, dessert is light (no calories at night)! They offer a respectable wine list but the house red is fine. We have had many romantic dinners here and never been disappointed (with the dinners or the romantic part), except when they are so busy that we can't get in. Thank you Alan.

Solstice Restaurant - Clarkson, ON

I share my time between Cumberland, ON (near Ottawa) and Clarkson, ON (part of Mississauga, SW of Toronto). A regular favourite supper dining place of Ruth's and mine is the Solstice Restaurant, in a plaza on the north side of Lakeshore, just west of Clarkson Rd. This place has a cozy atmosphere, the service is always excellent, the menu varied, the prices reasonable, everyone is friendly. Check it out, but save me a table by the fireplace.

We were back here in the last few days (about March 16). The combo meal deals are very good value. Everything above still applies, but I just want to add that the desserts here are very decorative and to die for! Do not leave without trying at least one.
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Monday, April 14th, 2014 - We ate at Solstice again last night. We started with an incredible mushroom soup, followed with an appetizer plate, then the Rainbow Trout with a half litre of their very nice house red. The service and meal were again excellent. Here is a picture of my trout plate.

Having said the above, I want to add a caution, as much for myself as anyone else. We assumed that we were ordering a combo meal since this restaurant previously served us combination dinners (flat or semi-flat price). I have now made this mistake twice: the first time was in the Church Restaurant in Stratford last June (I think) and again last night. When a waiter or waitress announces a special for the night, I automatically assume that it is for a promotional price. NOT TRUE - some restaurants have started announcing premium plates, as their Evening Specials, at undisclosed premium prices, leading the patron to think they are getting a flat-rate meal. Last night I paid $12.50 each for a "very decorative", small, appetizer plate with unusual cheese and beets. Very pleasant but I felt that the extra $25 was very pricey, considering that the trout was also $25 (each) and included a very nice, and generous, selection of vegetables and rice. Perhaps an exceptional server would have made sure that this time we understood that the "Special" was a la carte and that the appetizer was not required, given the significant portions of the main course. So ... on future visits to Solstice, I will ask for the undisclosed prices and a better description of the "Specials" before I order. This is a practice that I have felt was slightly crass and unnecessary in the past ... times change.
Honestly, this addressed to you restaurant owners, I would prefer to have the "Specials" written down, with prices, so I can study them for a few minutes, rather than try to remember what the waiter/waitress said.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Ottawa's Keg Manor

July 30, 2013

On July 30th, Ruth, Stephen, Kelly and I visited the Keg Manor for dinner. Our server was Tamara (whom we've had before). We were seated upstairs in a very pleasant area. Service was exemplary. A bottle of Santa Carolina wine started us off nicely. Everyone had a different main course (7 oz Filet, Terriyaki chicken, Zesty salmon, Mustard salmon) and everyone was very pleased with their meal. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of service and the quality of the meal.

One strong word of caution. The staircase to the upper level is really dark and needs lighting on the stairs to be safe. One of us almost lost our footing and fell.

Apart from the stair lighting, thanks for an excellent meal!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Mackenzie King Tea Room - Gatineau Hills - Chelsea,QC

On August 2, Ruth and I spent a very pleasant morning in the Gatineau Park near Chelsea, Quebec. We made quick stops at the Champlain and Brule Lookouts, then a very nice walk along the trail to the Lariault Falls. After that, we visited the Mackenzie King Estate and had a very nice mid-afternoon lunch in the Tea Room. About $50 - I considered to be the high side of reasonable value for the soup, sandwich and a pot of tea for two, in a very nice setting. A memorable day!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Stoneriver Dining 2013

June 26th, 2013
On Wednesday, June 26th I hosted a group lunch (10) at Stoneriver. We had the bay window seat, what a wonderful view. They actually opened the restaurant specially for us and it was an excellent event. The setting, food and the service were beyond reproach. We had the usual meet and greet from Helga and Jim. Thank you sincerely for a very nice luncheon!

July 28th, 2013
On Sunday, July 28th, I returned with Ruth for a romantic dinner. We were surprised that at 7pm on a Sunday night, the place was almost empty, but we thought that would work to our advantage. We had the bay window for a spectacular sunset on the river. I love the padded chairs. There was one group in the room to the east of us and another table in the west room, just us in our room - wow. Our waiter was Yvon (as I recall). We chose to have the flat rate Table d'Hote meal which included soup, salad, main course, dessert and beverage for $60, and of course, a glass of red wine (not included in the $60). While the food (beef this time) was very good, unfortunately, the service was not what I have grown to expect at Stoneriver. The waiter seemed unfamiliar with things on the menu, sauces, dressings, etc. When we were finished dinner, and our coffee, we waited for an appearance from our server. After more than 15 minutes, I placed my credit card on the table to let anyone know that we would like to leave. Finally, after more than 5 trips in the hallway, past us, the waiter arrived with the bill. No offer of more coffee. We were the last to leave the restaurant at about 9pm. No visit from Jim or Helga (I've heard that Helga is gone - sadly). I've been on a fixed pension for the last 17 years so, at more than $75 each (plus tax and tip), I do expect exceptional service "always" - no misses.

We ate at the Keg Manor a few days later. The setting is a beautiful old house. The food was very well prepared, for substantially less per head, and the service was what it should be. I hope this unusual experience with Stoneriver was a fluke, so I will, of course, visit them again.

December 31, 2013
Ruth and I chose Stoneriver for our New Year's Eve dinner. It's classy, close to home and a beautiful setting. They offered an early seating with meal only and a later seating with dinner and dancing plus midnight fireworks. We chose the early seating and had a wonderful meal. We had a great table, the service was beyond reproach, the food was excellent and good value. A very nice and memorable evening! Thank you. I bet the late seating was excellent too.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Stone River Dining #3

Tonight we celebrated Kelly's birthday (son Stephen's young lady) at Stone River. This place just gets better and better.

The service was impeccable and the food was superb. Their salad was fresh and delicious. The candied pecans and goat cheese put the salad over the top.

We all had schnitzel - mine was the Neptune and it was perfect. The large plates of schnitzel are trimmed out with perfect portions of potatoes, red cabbage and broccoli. The presentation is true artwork. Honestly, their schnitzel is at least on par with my departed Hungarian Mother-in-law's. And it brings back so many nice memories. I go in, planning to try the beef but as soon as I see that schnitzel on the menu, out goes plan A. OK OK, so next time its beef.

We were seated on the main floor with a lovely view of the river and sunset. We had comfortable, soft chairs (thankyou so much). This nice room, with the view and the fireplace, will have even more appeal during the coming cool winter evenings.

Tonight we decided to have birthday cake and coffee at home, but I know from past experience that the desserts are delicious.

Another perfect evening. My sincere thanks to the owners and staff. I will be back soon.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Fresco Bistro Italiano - Elgin St, Ottawa

Last Thursday, Aug.16, a friend and I popped into Fresco Bistro Italiano, 354 Elgin St. downtown Ottawa, for an unplanned, quick lunch at about 1:45pm. We let our waitress, Amy, know that we had limited time. We both had ice tea and a chicken wrap with fries. Everything about this meal was excellent. This includes the interesting decor, table cloth seating, the pleasant service, the attractively presented food, and the timing. The wrapped sandwich was so large that my friend only ate half, and the rest was promptly packaged to go. As we left, everyone said a pleasant goodbye to us. We were out by 2:30. I definitely will go back.

I should just point out that these were $15 sandwich plates, so not the place to take the kids for a burger, but a good place for a business meet or a few minutes with that someone special. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Stone River Revisited

We revisited Stone River Dining on the evening of June 29. Some of my comments still stand, except as mentioned in this posting. Stairs at this location continue to be a problem. We were a group of 11 with one hip replacement and one knee-brace. We were placed on the lower floor with many steps. I would urge these folks to start every reservation with "Please note that some areas have lots of stairs, so if that is a problem, please tell us know and we will try to accomodate you."

Having said that, we were seated in a truly comfortable, private, quiet, elegant area. Very, very nice! We had a dedicated waiter who was very good at his job and worked the table perfectly. The menu glitches are gone and no more confusion. The food was excellent and our crowd had a variety. Everyone was very pleased. Salads were fresh and crisp, the main course was perfect and dessert was very nice. Timing was good. Once again we had inexpensive wines. The first Shiraz was good, the second was not so good and was promply replaced. Had it been decanted or allowed to breath for a while, it probably would have been ok. The Chard was just fine. We still need cushions for those nice chairs. Maybe I will bring my own.

Thankyou Stone River Dining for fine food and a pleasant evening at a reasonable price.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Stone River Dining near Rockland, ON

We chose to celebrate Mother's Day with a Saturday evening dinner, rather than endure the crowds on Sunday. We were anxious to try a new, higher-end restaurant just opening near us, Stone River Dining. The only other upper end, non-chain restaurant near us, The Heritage in Cumberland, disappointingly failed last year.

The grounds of Stone River Dining are very nice, grassy and still a work in progress. The panorama view of the Ottawa River, at the rear, is very pleasant. There is a nice patio with tables at the rear and I look forward to checking out this area further. There seems to be plenty of parking in various areas around a big circular driveway. We did not find any disabled parking, but that's ok. The driveway itself still needs work. They really need a big sign on both sides of the 80/90kph Highway 174 and lavish pillars at the driveway entrance, to mark the turn and set the tone of this nice restaurant.

The entrance to the restaurant is very nice. Outside there is a gradual ramp and no stairs. Inside its quite a nice, roomy, impressive entrance. Our seating was to the left. While we had specifically asked for no steps, and the reservation taker specifically acknowledged the request, when we were shown to our table, my ailing wife had to navigate 2 steps. We did not explore the entire building because we did not want to intrude on others dining but it certainly seems upscale and quite nice. Unfortunately, like many restaurants these days, there is no carpeting or tapestry to absorb some of the sounds. The area where we sat would benefit from a curtain, or soft wall between the entrance and the eating area. Just to close off the space and quiet down sounds from the entrance and from the serving staff. The noise level was tolerable but louder than I like, with the usual children running around. The table we sat at would have been perfect for 2, a little awkward for 3, and crowded for 4. My opinion. When paying top dollar, I like to feel like I own some real estate. I'm a big guy. The chairs are large, very nice and solid, but hard after 2 hours. Too bad they don't have some padding on them. Maybe later. My wife said that they are slippery.

While we had a reservation, and there was no earlier sitting at our table, the table was not set when we arrived 15 minutes early. The extra place setting (we had reserved for 3) never did get completely cleared, and so the table space was a bit crowded. There was no salt and pepper, nor any candle on our table, even though other tables were set with a candle and salt and pepper. One of our party eventually had to go and get salt and pepper from another table, during our meal. We did not get served any bread and butter, although other tables did.

The menu has a very nice selection but has an awkwardness about it: The main course which includes vegetables and potatoes, can be augmented with a lobster tail ($21) or shrimp ($15). For an additional $10, it can be further augmented with a salad, coffee/tea and dessert. Can I have the $10 option without the $15 option? - No! ..... This is a huge mistake - the answer should be Yes but without a lobster tail or shrimp, the cost is $15 for the salad, coffee/tea and dessert. Add-ons to add-ons is awkward. No domestic beer and prices shown on the menus. Not everyone wants to drink imports at $17 a bottle. The wine menu is good. We had an inexpensive Ontario Chardonnay (Greyhawk) which was perfect with the schnitzel. What I really like about this food menu is that it is not overwhelming with choices. With the exception described above, it is very easy to understand. The other thing that I really like is that for a fixed price I can have a salad, coffee and dessert. Excellent. The menu is presented very well, nice binding, nice pages. The prices are shown for each item, and that can work against an establishment. At first glance, the prices seem quite high, considering other factors. At second glance, they are still high, considering. At third glance, they aren't too bad when you add up the bill.

The add-on salad was very nice, light and attractive with fresh greens and veggies and a nice light dressing. Nice dishware too. When the main course was delivered, it was piping hot. Appearance was excellent. It was delivered with an appropriate flourish. My wife had the Basic breaded Schnitzel. It looked nice and tasted very good It could have been a little crisper. It may have been the butter or something that took the crispness off the breading. Anyway, very good and an excellent portion size. Our son had the Schnitzel Neptune. It was absolutely delicious. Crisp breading. Nice appearance and lots of food. I had the Schnitzel Stone Haus. It came with asparagus across the breaded schnitzel, and a very nice cheese sauce. All excellent! The potatoes were also very nice. My son and I had the shrimp tail add-on. Considering that we paid $15 for this shrimp tail, it was terribly over-priced. It was difficult to get out of its shell and did not amount to even a small mouthful of food. Neither my son nor I would order the shrimp again. Based on the shrimp, I would not even consider the lobster tail at $21. No buns and butter. Why?

For our add-on dessert (part of the $10 add-on, to the $15 add-on) our son chose Black Forest cake. It was excellent. Fresh and attractive and a generous portion. My strudel was likewise excellent. The coffee was hot, fresh and tasty and we were politely offered refills. Very good!

A very nice meal, in a very nice restaurant, in a very nice rural river setting. They have a few wrinkles to iron out, but these should work out ok. The prices are definitely on the high side for a new restaurant trying to build a clientele. That being said, I look forward to my return to try the beef.

Richard Bandla