Restaurant Reviews

Service is a hot topic among those who eat out. Everyone has a horror story and everyone has had great experiences, but unfortunately, it’s the horror stories that are more likely to be repeated and passed on. As someone who eats out a lot, I have a tale or two of service nightmares, and handful […]

There’s a first for everything, and this is certainly a first for me. I’ve braved the Saturday traffic to go deep into the BLIP, behind Jungle Jim’s and the Eastside pool hall, to sample the offerings of Greg and the Mermaids. As we enter, the smiling young man at the counter greets us with, “Is […]

Location, location, location is the real-estate mantra and it holds true, especially for restaurants. Sitting on the second floor of Park Lane Mall, overlooking Spring Garden, the newly opened Luxx has moved into the former home of long-time resident the Birmingham Bar and Grill. Luxx has more than location going for it—it’s co-owned by original […]

There’s a new kid on the Quinpool block, in the former Addis Ababa digs. Dodo’s Cafe and BBQ has brought Mediterranean food, from Greece and the Middle East, to the former home of African cuisine. The interior has been redone in vibrant blues and warm yellows, evoking the sunny skies and deep blue sea of […]

“There’s a very good reason there aren’t any orange juice critics out there,” says Natalie MacLean with a laugh. “Wine appeals to people on several levels: intellectually; at a sensory level; and then there’s the buzz. That very real, hedonistic pleasure that we get from drinking wine. You don’t get that from OJ.” MacLean is […]

Nestled on the end of Hollis, just around the corner from South Street, sits the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it home of Persian take-out, Shiraz. Miss it if you’re colour blind , that is, for the formerly stark white home of a car rental agency is now a striking royal purple that makes the little “Lego block” building a […]

Ah, the produce section of a market—bins upon bins of attractively merchandised, blemish-free, colourful foodstuff; inviting, enticing, alluring and coated in god-knows-what to ensure a safe journey from some exotic land to our tables. As debate rages and concerns spread about pesticides, fungicides and other “–cides,” more consumers are looking towards organic, local food as […]

In more than five years of writing about food for The Coast, I can count on one hand the number of truly amazing meals I’ve had—there have been plenty of great meals and very good meals, but only a few that can only be described as flawless. Such is my dinner at the Italian Garden. […]

Salsa—no other condiment conjures up images of a good time like salsa. A veritable party in your mouth, the perfect salsa is a marriage of tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro and garlic, and jalapeno or Serrano peppers. Fresh salsa is simple and easy to make, but most of us still head to the supermarket when we […]

Sticks Eatery opened in the Hydrostone a few months ago based on a simple concept. That is, as the menu says, “an effort to marry quick and convenient service with great tasting healthy food.” It’s been my experience that frequently the union of “quick” and “healthy” results in bland and boring. Here’s hoping Sticks can […]