Ora Tapas and Lounge

Ora Tapas and Lounge is a fairly new tapas style restaurant tucked upstairs on the second floor of a commercial building located in the heart of Markham Ontario.  This very stylish and sleek restaurant is located in the back of a darts and pool hall where it had about 10 tables and a mini bar on its side.  Although there were not that many tables present, we noticed that only one other table was occupied on that Friday evening. 

Renkon Chips

Their menu consisted of a 3 set course meal ($35.00) and an a la carte style type menu and since we had about 8 people there that evening, we decided to go with a 3 of the set course meals and about a dozen a la carte selections.  After ordering, there was a bit of a wait before the first meals arrived despite the quiet evening.  There were no bread given but they did offer some lotus root or renkon chips for us to munch on which we waited for appetizers and entrees to arrive.  

Avocado Salad

Caesar Salad

The first two dishes to arrive were the Avocado ($9.00) and Caesar Salads ($8.00).  Both were well prepared and quite delicious to munch on.  The Caesar Salad had a bit of a twist to it in that there was an edible shell that held the salad together.  Both salads had just enough condiments and neither salads were over dressed.  There was plenty of avocado in the Avocado Salad but truthfully both salads came in as advertised.

Valentine Oysters

Cherry Stone Oysters

Raw oysters immersed in ice were next to arrive.  We went with two types of raw oysters that evening which were the Cherry Stone Oysters ($2.50 each) and the Valentine Oysters ($3.00).  Both were well prepared, well shucked and nice and cold when served.  Personally I liked the Valentine Oysters more as it was more solid, more creamier and had much more meat to it.  Either way, one could not have gone wrong with either one as they were both very good.  One of us did have a very bad tasting oyster. It appeared that it had gone completely bad.  Most places probably would have said too bad so said but not these guys.  They brought the bad oyster back and brought out a new raw oyster.  That was good customer service where the staff certainly earned some admiration points for it.

Mushroom Mix Soup

There were only two soups offered on this evening which were the Potato Leek Soup ($7.00) and the Mushroom Mix Soup ($7.00).  I hate to say it but one was amazing while the other was so-so.  The Mushroom Mix Soup was hands down one of the best soups I have ever had.  One could taste the mushroom aroma running through one's nose as one was slurping the soup.  It hit all the taste buds in all the right way.  The Potato Leek soup was rather disappointing.  There was no taste to it at all.  It was rather bland and paled in comparison to its Mix Mushroom counterpart.  I suggest one add some table salt to it to bring the Potato Leek some life.

Potato Leek Soup

The Beef Carpaccio ($10.00) was next to arrive.  There was some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of it and it was served with some greens.  The meat was a little dry, lacked any significant taste and just didn't seemed right.  After eating a couple of pieces, we figured that the problem was a lack of olive or truffle oil in the beer carpaccio.  Although there was truffle oil served on top of it, there might not have been enough of it to really draw the flavor out. Even a touch of olive oil to it might it have been all one needed to bring it altogether.  It just seemed like it was lacking something.

Beef Carpaccio

I'm not a 100% as to the name of the next dish but I will call them the Lamb and Duck Skewers.  The duck skewers were actually immersed in a berry sauce.  Both skewers were actually very good.  The meats on both of them were very juicy.  The lamb really had a good lamb taste to it and stood out on its own.  Both dishes were very good and well worth the price.

Lamb and Duck Skewers

The Salmon Tartar Guacamole ($9.00) presentation alone garnered some high marks.  A mixture of cilantro, tomatoes, and fried shallots along with the salmon were placed in pieces of fried wonton wrappers.  The entire dish gave one many different angles and flavors and nailed many of the different taste buds all at once.  I was very satisfied with this dish as it was well prepared, well presented and tasted fabulous.

Salmon Tartar Guacamole

The Pan Seared Scallops ($22.00) arrived next.  The scallops were perfectly done and what impressed me the most was the presentation of it in that although there were only three scallops per dish, they were able to find a small, medium and large scallop and present it in a desirable fashion.  The scallops all had the perfect bounce to them and the outer part was perfectly seared.  The only draw back was that there was only three per dish and at $22.00 per dish, it might deter some from ordering it.

Pan Seared Scallops

My favorite of the evening was the Bone Marrow ($7.00).   The Bone Marrow was pureed with some garlic and thyme and it was done to the point where the combination was very smooth and very fine.  What really made it the whole dish better was that when one placed the bone marrow mix on top of the garlic toast that came with the dish, it actually made the dish completely into a masterpiece.  Everything came together and despite the dish being a little bit on the fatty side, it was certainly well worth the price and one of the best dishes of the night.

Bone Marrow

Mushroom Phylo

The Pork Belly Sliders ($7.00) came afterwards and they looked pretty good.  Each piece of pork belly was placed between two pieces of bun and served like a hamburger.  Although the pieces were a little fattening, the meat was soft and juicy and was absolutely fulfilling.  The buns came in handy in that one probably would not have enjoyed the pork sliders if they were eaten alone, however the buns absorbed some of the fat and made the overall dish much more desirable.  The fries were also very good and blended well with the Pork Belly Sliders.

Pork Belly Sliders

The Mixed Seafood Linguini ($21.00) came in next and it came in as advertised.  The linguini was not too creamy and the shrimps were huge.  The scallops again were not very chewy and again had the perfect bounce and texture to them.  Again the price once again may deter some people from trying this dish.  At $21.00, the overall bowl was not that big despite the rather large scallops, mussels and shrimps that came with it.

Mixed Seafood Linguini

The Ribeye Steak ($16.00) came next.  Again like the Potato Leek soup it lacked some seasoning to it.  The meat itself was a little fatty despite having it prepared medium to medium rare.  A recommendation, when one added table salt to the steak, the piece of meat literally came to life.  It tasted very good after the salt was added to it and brought the whole dish together.

Ribeye Steak

The Spicy Garlic Butter Shrimp($13.00) caught my attention right from the beginning even though it was not something that we had ordered from the beginning.  Since a couple of us were still hungry, I made an executive decision and made the order and I was certainly not wrong.  The best way to describe the taste was that it was like having a bruschetta type mixture placed on top of some buttered grilled shrimp.  At first I was a little hesitant as to what it was going to taste like, but after having a piece, this was probably my second favorite dish of the evening.  This mouth savoring dish did not disappoint at all.  Again, the mixture of all the ingredients initiated all the taste buds all at the same time giving one a taste of sourness, sweetness and saltiness all at once.  I was purely amazed by this dish where my only regret was that I didn't order it the first time around but luckily our still emptied stomachs allowed us to get to into it the second time around.

Spicy Garlic Butter Shrimp

The second last dish to arrive was the Rack of Lamb ($21.00).  As one could see from the pictures, the meat was perfectly done.  It was cooked to medium rare and was nice and red on the inside and perfectly seared on the outside.  Just like the piece of lamb on the skewers, this piece of lamb had the perfect lamb taste to it.  Oddly enough, no salt was needed to bring the taste out as the lamb as it was perfectly seasoned from top to bottom. 

Rack of Lamb

The night started slow and a couple of dishes appeared to lack taste but as the night grew longer, it seemed like the dishes got better and better.  Tapas style type foods are small in substance and high in prices which may deter some of my readers from ever trying it however if you do want to try this style of food, then this place was definitely a place that one should not pass up on.  The waitresses were all very good and as I mentioned, there were definitely a couple of dishes that really opened my eyes.  I would take some points off for the blandness in the Beef Carpaccio and Steak but that's about it.  Everything else was spot on and perfect in many ways.  Overall I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Ora Tapas and Lounge
7850 Woodbine Ave. Unit 228
Markham, ON

905-604-6672

Pho 88

A new Pho 88 had opened up recently down in the south end of North York and my family and I were hungry for some rice noodles so it was almost like a perfect match made in heaven.  Pho 88, whose many franchises dot various locations in the city of Toronto, opened up a new one in the northwest side of Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue.

When we step foot, the place was a wee bit quiet as there were only two tables filled.  With a nice long bar table and stool on the left, many big booths on the right and various tables in the centre, this place could easily fill a hundred people.  Mind you the day we went was on a holiday and although it was lunch time, I think most people chose to stay indoors that afternoon. 

We sat down and looked at their menu.  It was pretty much the same menu as all the other Pho 88's in the city of Toronto.  After a couple of minutes, I went with their $8.00 special which was a small Special Pho, Spring Rolls and a soft drink.  One other member in the family ordered a Vermicelli with Pork and Spring Roll which was pretty much similar to what I had ordered except mine was in a soup base. 

Special Pho

When my food arrived, the first thing I said was "I think ordered a small" to the waiter and to his reply " this is a small "  I was a little surprised and how much noodles was in this bowl.  Usually at the other places, there were far fewer amounts of noodles in the bowl but this was quite a bit I have to say.  The Special Pho basically consisted a little bit of everything from tripe, tendons, and war beef.  What really made this noodle soup taste really good was the soup base.  It was well seasoned and enlightened the entire bowl of rice noodles.  With a bit of hot and Hoisin sauce, the entire bowl of rice noodles was a welcome relief for the a very hungry stomach.  The Vermicelli with Pork and Spring Roll was also massive by my standards, so much so, that the person who ate it was so full that almost half of it had to be boxed up and taken home.  She said it too was very tasty and she thoroughly enjoyed the entire bowl of vermicelli.  She too wondered why there was so much but like me, we were certainly not going to complain. 

Vermicelli with Pork and Spring Roll

The spring roll itself was a pretty good as well.  My daughter actually ate three-quarters of it. She said it was really good and with the one nibble that I got a chance to try, I had to concur with her assessment.  The roll was crunchy, the carrots, the meet and vegetables all nice and fresh on the inside and even though there were two pieces of spring roll, there was still a bowl of vinegar to dip your spring roll in . 

Spring Rolls

Overall, I was very happy with the noodles.  The waiter made sure our table was clean before we sat down and kept clearing our table constantly throughout the meal.  There were plenty of parking outside and they have not one but two big screen televisions behind them so that their patrons could keep up to date on the latest news and sports.  It certainly stood out and I would certainly visit the place again somewhere down the road.  Overall I give it a 4.0 out of 5. 

Pho 88
900 Don Mills Road Unit 9, Toronto, ON M3C 1V6

(647) 341-8899

Congee Time

A friend and I were looking for a quick bite to eat and stumbled upon Congee Time in the heart of North York.  We got there around noon around and the place was only about 1/4 full.  Not sure what we were getting ourselves into, we decided to order a couple of dishes just to see what this place was all about.  We decided to go with the Fried Vermicelli Singapore Style ($7.25) and the Fried Turnip Bean Curd with Spicy Salt ($4.25).

Both dishes arrived roughly the same time.  The fried turnips were cut into small cubes and there were about two dozen of them in the bowl.  There was also some hot sauce that came with the turnips.  The turnip cubes were crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside.  They were seasoned pretty good and certainly filled one's stomach up.  The only thing I found peculiar was that there were some small bits of scrambled eggs mixed with the turnips. As well, there was one and only one piece of shrimp added to the dish which I thought was also pretty odd.

Fried Turnip Bean Curd with Spicy Salt

The Fried Vermicelli Singapore Style however was not as good as the turnips in that it was a little bland despite on the flavors that were mixed into it.  Despite the curry, cucumbers, shrimp and onions, the dish really lacked any major flavor in it.  The noodles were a little dry and and the cucumbers and shrimp didn't help with the taste or with moistening the noodles.  The one positive about this dish was that there were certainly plenty of noodles on this plate as the price one paid certainly went pretty far in terms of what was being offered. 

Fried Vermicelli Singapore Style

The fried turnips were good however the fried vermicelli really lacked the zest of a really good tasting chow mein.  I was expecting the seasoning and flavors to be stronger however this was not the case.  Even the lemon ice tea that was given to me lacked the sweetness in it.  Service was fine that afternoon and there was plenty of parking in the parking lot.  The restaurant's food was slightly above average at best and it showed.  Overall I give it a 3 out of 5. 

Congee Time
5817 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario

416-225-6688

Yokohama Japanese Cuisine

Yokohama Japanese Cuisine is an all you can eat restaurant that has been opened for approximately one year now.  It's fancy interior along with its fancy menu and selection process on "ipads" offers a uniqueness of this restaurant compared to all the other all you can eat restaurants.  We had about eight of us who decided to venture out that evening and with three kids we required a long table.  We of course had to make reservations and notified the restaurant with our special arrangements.

Once we were settled into our seats, we were given one ipad for the whole table.  On this device, it listed all the different types of dishes that they had to offer including a picture of each of the selected items.  The device was easy to use with a tap or two of the finger to indicate how much of each dish you had wanted. Since it was the weekend, the price per person that evening was $25.99 with 2 pieces of raw oysters included in that price.

We ordered a whole pile of food from the menu.  From sushi to sashimi, to udons and ribs, to crab legs and tempura, we took full advantage of the all you can eat process.  When the dishes were brought to our table, the portions looked a tad small.  For example, there were only two crab legs per plate and we had ordered like 8 of them.  The crab legs appeared to have little meat in them and the legs themselves were not big at all. I always wondered that if one knew that a table had ordered so much of one item, why not put it all on one big plate.  Eight different sets of plates arrived and it wasn't as if the plates were completely covered in the crab legs and to place that on the table that wasn't that big that big to begin with, space unfortunately was certainly of an issue.

Truthfully the food itself was overall average at best.  There were no spectacular dishes or dishes that people at my table really desired or wanted.  The chefs do get props for trying to enlighten their dishes with fancy designs and art work.  The sashimi and sushi were simple dishes with the usual tuna and sashimi.  As mentioned before the crab legs were small with little meat in them.  The ribs tasted good but were somehow  cold by the time it arrived at our table. One of the better dishes that was brought out to the table was the eel pizza. A bit of roe sprinkled on top of the eel and then placed on top of what I will call a sushi sandwich.  The combination looked somewhat appealing and it did capture all the right tastes in this dish. 

Sashimi

The most interesting dish I found was the tuna tartar.  Often at times this dish is served with the tuna raw in the middle and nicely seared on the outside.  The one they brought us was shaped like a dome which was fine however one could not make heads or tails with it soon afterwards.  It was thick with rice covering three-quarters of the bottom and the top was covered with what almost appeared to be "tuna spread".  It tasted like tuna however it was probably one of the first times I had it this way.  It didn't appear to be very appealing as many of the table said they were glad that this was all you can eat and not a la carte.

Tuna Tartar

 My other pet peeve of the night was that one would think with the "new" technology in the method of selecting of the food with the ipads as opposed to paper, one would think that every single item we selected would have arrived.  However, this was not the case as parts of our selections were missing each time we ordered.  Having said that, other than a nice visual effect, there was really no advantage with going with the ipad method of selection.

Octopus

The biggest pet peeve of the night was the fact that after sitting there for 2 hours or so, and not until we asked the server about it, that we found out that there was in fact no raw oysters to be served that evening. For us that was disappointing because the menu clearly outlined it and if they were going to charge us a higher price on the weekends because of it, then we would expect to get the oysters or at least a fair substitute for it.  By virtual of no compensation, it was almost like a money grab.  Charge more money for the same selection of food as that of the weekday.  When we asked the waitress about it, she actually snapped back at told us it was not her fault and that we should take it up with upper management.

Overall, as you can see, the service was so-so and the food was average at best.  Despite all the glitz and glamour, it was really difficult to really say a whole lot of great things about the restaurant itself. Hard to say whether I will make a return visit to this place anytime soon.  Will probably wait a while and see if conditions improve.  Overall I give it a 2.5 out of 5.

Yokohama Japanese Cuisine
7050 Warden Avenue
Markham, Ontario

905-940-8818