Au Canada Encore: Mangez
For the second day in a row we three went to the Summerhill LCBO for wine and spirits. For the second day in a row we spent copious time in the Tasting Tower. Today I wasn't so much in the mood for it. By the time we were finished in the Tasting Tower and had found our way to yet another cabinet of wine to drool over, I was "over it," in Mike T and Kelly's words. Sorry, kids. I guess my alcohol intake is more focused on the harder, mixed-drinks type of things, rather than how this wine is different than that whiskey. Yesterday I was all into it. Today, I was just, I dunno. I do enjoy my wines though.
We also did a curious trip to the Asian T&T Supermarket in Markham (which, by the route we took, is outside Scarborough which is south of North York which is south of Toronto proper... or maybe it's North. I got all turned around, and so did the driver). It was here that I found a red product labeled "agar-agar", which is not the gook you put in a petri dish, but a sort of gelatinous, edible item.
When the MP3 player Mike has refused to play through the car's radio like it was supposed to, we listened at length to some local affiliate of CBC Radio 1, which played music as well as live field hits at a skating rink, until "Canada at 5" came on... for ten minutes.
Apparently the shootings the other day were related. One of the various (national) newspapers told me so today on its front page, above the fold. Globe and Mail perhaps? Certainly not the National Post, which included "Church told to butt out."
Also big today: Proctor & Gamble is buying Gilette, and Molson and Coors are joining forces.
NOW, TO BUSINESS -- THE FOOD: Flow reminded me of that old Woody Allen joke. Two old ladies are at a swanky restaurant at a resort in the Catskills. (?) One says, "The food is terrible." "Yes," says the other, "and such small portions."
When the main courses arrived they appeared to be small, and I felt like I should be appalled. BUT, once we started eating, it was really good. I had the Braised Beef Short Rib entree on the prix fixe menu (dinner of appetizer, main course and dessert for $30) and it's hard to describe. It wanted to melt in my mouth. It was really tender. SO flavorful. It was very nice.
I also had the Apple, Almond and Arugula Salad that was very tasty. One of the young ladies at our table also ordered this and complained that there were no bright green julienned apple spikes in her salad. We did not mention this to our server; perhaps we were remiss.
Our biggest complaint was the server who didn't seem to be giving us enough attention. We waited for him to take our order. We waited for him to return for a special order for dessert. We waited -- and waited -- and WAITED for him to return so we could ask for the check. Then it took a while for the check(s) to arrive -- and he apologized for a computer glitch. Can't say it was entirely his fault; we asked for the bill to be split onto three credit cards and a wad of cash. A pain, but partly payback for his distractedness throughout the meal. I will say all the orders were correct; we just waited a good deal.
It was also rather loud on the top floor -- from the music being spun on the bottom floor. The ceiling (which the interior designer at the table said needed more of a decoration -- being too sparse or empty) wants baffling.
At least, with a reservation, we didn't wait more than five minutes for a table.
Labels: Originally published
... Scribbled by Bill T ... 1/29/2005 01:52:00 AM ... 
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