Browsing: Restaurant Features

Kay’s Deli

February10

The advertising business has been very good to me.  I have made a comfortable salary and had the satisfaction of being instrumental in promoting some very important messaging.  Recently, I have enjoyed pulling back from my media buying responsibilities a little bit and have had the opportunity to fill my time with writing and teaching.  I especially enjoy having the time to mentor students who have decided to pursue an advertising and communications career.  I have no doubt that the talented woman that I meet with on a fairly regular basis will do exceptionally well in the business.

She is located at the downtown campus of Red River College and so we are often looking for convenient, somewhat quiet and delicious places to meet.  Kay’s Deli  foots the bill in all respects.

I choose this savoury Reuben sandwich that was perfectly grilled on marble rye bread.  As any Seinfeld fan will tell you, a good loaf of marble rye bread is a hard thing to find – but a precious treat to enjoy if you’re lucky enough to find one!  You can just imagine how much fun the bakers must have swirling the doughs together.

My protege choose the mango chicken wrap.  I think that she was pleased with her choice but to be honest, we were so entrenched in our conversation, that I think that I forgot to inquire.  Some foodie, I am!

Kay's Delicatessen on Urbanspoon

Kath’s quote:

Um, excuse me, I – I think you forgot my bread.”
Bread, two dollars extra.”
“Two dollars? But everyone in front of me got free bread.”
“You want bread?”
“Yes, please.”
“Three dollars!”
“What?”
“No soup for you!”
– George and the Soup Nazi, Seinfeld

Joey Polo Park

February9

The weekend of D`s birthday was a non-stop celebration of family, food (and sport).  Polo Park was centrally located for everyone coming from different directions and we always know that there will be plenty of parking.  But in truth, Joey  Restaurant was not very well set up to accommodate our large family.  They sat us at two tables that we could not push very close together because there was a ornamental feature on the banquet sitting that prevented us from doing so.  Everyone else in the room were parties of two and three or four, having a nice, quiet Sunday lunch.  So, we will remember this for future gatherings.

But the food was really quite stunning.

Daughter #3 and I opted for the Beach Salad: a grilled chicken breast, goat cheese, strawberries, candied pecans, all tossed in a lemon poppy seed dressing.  We both thought that it was fantastic.  I had to ask her what the quinoa was…

Daughter #1 choose the Butter Chicken and Nan bread.

And Daughter #2 the Chicken Souvlaki and Sweet Potato Fries.

The guys both chose burgers and the birthday boy selected the Cashew Chicken Stir Fry comprised of Asian veggies, a red lemongrass curry, toasted cashews, steamed noodles and topped with cilantro and a wedge of lime.

He was perfectly satiated by his stir fry but just for good measure, he also wanted to sample their roasted root vegetables which he quite enjoyed (but thought that the ones that I roast at home were better).

We were so full from lunch that we had to decline dessert.  As a result, our lovely server absorbed the charge of D`s veggies, instead of treating him to dessert.  We thought that this was a lovely gesture.

Joey Polo Park on Urbanspoon

Kath`s quote: “The joys of the table belong equally to all ages, conditions, countries and times; they mix with all other pleasures, and remain the last to console us for their loss.”  – Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

For Play Sports Bar

February3

 

What do you get a NFL crazed fan who is celebrating a monumental birthday on the same weekend as the NFC and AFC championship games?  I knew better than to schedule any birthday festivities on that Sunday in spite of the fact that we typically do mark the occasion with a Sunday supper.  There was a time when he and his brothers would assemble in Fargo ND for the weekend!  So the date is pretty much etched into my brain. 

The Skybox at 4 Play was the perfect solution.  We arrived right at 2 as kick off was occuring for the first game.  The room which has a maximum capicity of 50 is appointed with big leather couches, a private washroom, a fireplace, one ten foot  TV screen and two huge plasma TVs and best of all, our own bartender/server.  People came and went all afternoon at intervals perfectly paced so D could keep track of the plays and his guests.

In between games, the staff bought out all the fixings for the cakes that I had brought along.  A entourage of well-wishers, who weren’t all that interested in the games arrived at that time.  Some just stayed long enough for a bevvie, others ordered a bite of supper before heading out.  There was less of a crowd for the second game which was absolutely fine because there was a great deal of interest in how the Giants were playing and the ultimate outcome of the game.

Anyone who ordered food was very, very impressed (sorry I was having too much fun, to take any food shots).  Fresh cut fries accompanied most choices and the nachos were piled high with all the trimmings.  Our bartender was the perfect host.  All I had to do, was sit back and watch D enjoy his special day of sport with family and his buds.

On event days (Jets, Superbowl)  the cost of the room is $500 and on days other than event days the cost is $250. Money well spent (imho).  You can get all the booking details on their website.

4Play Sports Bar and Entertainment Zone on Urbanspoon

Kath’s quote: “They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us.”-William Shakespeare

 

 

 

 

Dinner at Mise Bistro

February2

The Friday evening was D’s birthday and even though I had plenty of other celebrations planned, we couldn’t let the night pass without a dinner out together.  We had decided upon another Corydon restaurant but were so turned off by the harried server that wanted to rush us to a table and then leave us there until more staff came in, so we kept walking and decided that Mise Bistro would be a far better choice.

 When we arrived it was still happy hour and we were delighted by the choices of glasses of wine that were on special. When it came time to order our dinner, we had a difficult time making our minds up because so many dishes caught out eye.  So, instead we decided to take advantage of a three course offering for the special price of $38.  Recipes are modified to grazing portions and were just our cuppa tea.

Our first taste was of cornmeal crusted pickerel with roasted peppers and potatoes and tomato concasse.  Strictly speaking, concasse is a French term describing a peeled and seeded tomato that has been chopped to uniform dimensions.  Perhaps because of the mini portion, the tomato was not as described but the overall impact of the flavour combinations was sublime.  Mind you, we love local pickerel so much that as long as you don’t do anything to overcook it, we are content. 

 Our second nibbles were of this grilled prawn and chicken breast on a bed of  jasmine rice, snap peas, mango chutney and raw cashews, topped with a spring of cilantro.  Mango, cilantro and cashews are all favourites of ours.

Lastly, these prawns were sauteed in brown butter and came with delicate gnocchi, broccoli, crispy pancetta, toasted almonds and shards of Parmesan.  Distinctive from the previous dishes, we were more than content.

 

It was a birthday celebration after all and so we also ordered dessert.  Consistent with the small plates that we enjoyed throughout our dinner, we chose the Dessert Trio for the conclusion of a fabulous dinner.  We each got a taste of apple and goat cheese strudel with cinnamon creme fraiche (my favourite), Grand Marnier creme brulee and a chocolate brownie with burnt almond toffee ice cream.  This and every dessert offering come in at $8.  Everything on the menu was well-priced but the dessert trio, especially so.

Michael was our waiter that evening.  He was cordial, efficient and obviously loves his work and the offerings at Mise.  We spotted this table by the window, and think that we will request it on our next visit because we will definitely be back. 

 Mise on Urbanspoon

 Kath’s quote: “The French approach to food is characteristic; they bring to their consideration of the table the same appreciation, respect, intelligence and lively interest that they have for the other arts, for painting, for literature, and for the theatre. We foreigners living in France respect and appreciate this point of view but deplore their too strict observance of a tradition which will not admit the slightest deviation in a seasoning or the suppression of a single ingredient. Restrictions aroused our American ingenuity, we found combinations and replacements which pointed in new directions and created a fresh and absorbing interest in everything pertaining to the kitchen.”-Alice B. Toklas

Black Hawks-Chicago O’Hare Airport

January31

The world is such a small place these days.  When we were on our way home from Isla Mujeres earlier this month, I bumped into Laura (who I have written about often in this space), at the Cancun airport.  We embraced and got caught up on each other’s time away as well as some of the projects that we are mutually working on back home.  Then we compared travel itineraries.  We were heading back to Winnipeg and she and her husband had the same destination but were routed through Houston.  Our connections went quite smoothly but they missed their connection, had to overnight in Houston and then rework their route.    The very next day, they too were in Chicago O’Hare airport.  Had I blogged about our meal earlier, perhaps they would have been able to use the info.  A small world, indeed.

As soon as we deplaned, we were on the lookout for somewhere we could watch the Jets game, as well as a spot that served a good selection of locally brewed beer.  Blackhawks fit the bill on both fronts.

The team behind Stanley’s Southern Food with 2 other locations in downtown Chicago, has partnered with the Chicago Blackhawks to open this airport eatery in terminal 2 at O’Hare. Decorated with Blackhawks memorabilia, the restaurant offers items based on the original six NHL cities -including a New York sandwich, Montreal sandwich and a Chicago one that’s packed with spicy Vienna all-beef polish sausage, grilled onions and mustard.

D had the Toronto burger (did they intentially make this look less impressive than the American team’s?)

The Son had the Elvis Presley Burger.  He claimed it was so good that you didn’t need any condiments.  And he should know-he’s a burger aficionado.

My burger was also named for one of the original six.  I can’t for the life of me remember which one right now.

I was underwhelmed with my choice.

Several Stanley’s staples are also on hand, including the restaurant’s mac and cheese.

 

Daughter #3 choose this impressive shaved turkey Reuben. 

 

 Turned out the Jets game wasn’t on (we had the date wrong) but the local beer and most of our food choices made up for it.

 Kath’s quote: “Throughout history, the Poles have defended Europe. They would fight, and – between battles – they would eat and drink.”-
E. de Pomiand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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