Monday, February 25, 2019
Voila French Bistro and Wine Bar
10135 E Via Linda
Ste C120
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Companion and I went to this Bistro for dinner. Personally, I felt that I was at a small Bistro in Paris near the Champs Elysees.
I started with a dish of piping hot escargot. They were loaded with lots of garlic and parsley and were wonderful. Some have complained that the snails are on the small side, but the small ones are much more tender and flavorful than the giants. I used some of the wonderful hot bread they brought to soak up the liquid in each divot and washed it all down with a lovely glass of Beaujolais. Companion enjoyed a big bowl of onion soup with croutons on top as well as a goodly amount of melted cheese.
For my main course I had assorted seafood and fish in choucroute. For those who don't know, choucroute is actually of German origin and comes from the Alsace-Lorraine region. It is characterized by serving your order with sauerkraut. Unlike typical American sauerkraut, this is much more delicate and compliments the food well.
Companion had a nice plate of boeuf bourguignon, which was a special of the day. Companion stated that the meat was so tender than no knife was needed.
Dessert was also special. I had a Grand Marnier souffle that was so light as to be considered to be ethereal. You took some to your mouth, and it just disappeared. Companion had a apple crumble with ice cream.
I don't know what kind of coffee they use, but it was delicious and was a finishing glory to this wonderful meal.
Service is unrushed and everything is clean. Needless To Say, the food was outstanding.
I give out very few 5 stars, but this was definitely one of them.
C-Lovers
C-Lovers
7670 Vedder Road
Chilliwack, BC
I have had the pleasure of eating here numerous times. It
is a smallish restaurant that serves an assortment of fried items.
Their special of $14.99 for all you can eat fish and
chips runs all day every day, and cannot be beat! If you prefer a different
type of fish other than white fish, they have Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Salmon,
Prawns, Oysters, and Chicken. I’m pretty sure this will satisfy just about any
fish lover.
Also on the menu are Onion Rings (a huge plate of them)
Zucchini Sticks, Battered Mushrooms, and my favorite, Deep Fried Pickles.
Available sides are a creamy coleslaw, mushy peas, chowder, and for the young
crowd a deep fried hot dog.
The all you can eat includes all the pop you can drink,
or for a few dollars extra you can have a sleeve of beer with your meal. Also
available are assorted beers both domestic and imported.\
I like my fish with malt vinegar, and it was no problem
for them to provide it to me.
The place is clean, service is excellent, and food is hot
and excellent value.
4 stars
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Rock Springs Cafe
35900 Old Black Canyon Hwy
Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
This did not hold up to all the hoopla that others have said about it. After I and the others I had with me ate a fair sampling of pies, we all had the same conclusion, which was that the pies which may have been different in past times were just not worth the money now.
The crust on the apple pie was fair at best, the apples were over cooked, the pie had far too much lemon in it, and the seasonings we're off. At almost $25 a pie, save your gas and money and go to a local Village Inn.
3 stars
Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
This did not hold up to all the hoopla that others have said about it. After I and the others I had with me ate a fair sampling of pies, we all had the same conclusion, which was that the pies which may have been different in past times were just not worth the money now.
The crust on the apple pie was fair at best, the apples were over cooked, the pie had far too much lemon in it, and the seasonings we're off. At almost $25 a pie, save your gas and money and go to a local Village Inn.
3 stars
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Salmon House on the Hill
2229 Folkestone Way
West Vancouver, BC V7S 2Y6
Canada
Companion and I arrived for dinner @7:30 and were seated immediately at Table #1 at the glass windows in front. Our bus person arrived quickly and provided glasses of water with ice. Our waiter arrived a bit later.
I started with a Caesar salad which contained fried capers, grana padano cheese, a nice dressing and very crispy bread rounds. Companion had spring rolls which were nicely cooked to a golden brown, but the dipping sauce seemed a bit odd . It contained a lot of chopped chilies and had an odd flavor instead of the usual sweet chili that is usually served.
For the main course, I had smoked sable fish. It was served with roasted Jerusalem artichokes, baby squash, baby carrots, all of which were perfectly cooked. In particular the Jerusalem artichokes were beautifully roasted. The dish had nice flavor and a good sauce. Companion ordered a Salmon trio consisting of Chinook, Sockeye, and Coho. It was served with baby carrots, baby squash, slices of pepper, and small cut potatoes. Of interest is that each type of salmon was seasoned with a different seasoning and was served over a maple glaze.
My dessert was problematic. It was described as being a green tea Panna Cota with Chantilly Cream, Matcha green tea, and fresh berries. Most of the dish was not as described on the menu. The "Panna Cota" was nothing like any Panna Cota I have ever had. It had an odd texture, and had a lack of Matcha flavor. The Chantilly Cream was nicely created, but the berries, while pretty, were so thinly sliced as to contribute no flavor to the creation, though visually, they were very nice. The cut up blackberries were disturbingly ugly and took away from the harmony of the dish. Topping the dish was a bent tuille, which had nice flavor, but did not have the crispness that a tuille should have. Companion had a Maple Walnut Tart with Caramel and Walnut gelato, topped with spun sugar, walnuts and a sliced strawberry. Companion enjoyed the dessert.
Cudo's to our bus person for excellent service. Cudo's also to the chef who cooked the fish to perfection.
Dings for the salad being cut into too large pieces to be easily eaten.
Dings for the waiter who took almost 15 minutes for our check.
Dings for no toilet paper in the ladies room.
4 stars for excellent fish, and great table busser.
West Vancouver, BC V7S 2Y6
Canada
Companion and I arrived for dinner @7:30 and were seated immediately at Table #1 at the glass windows in front. Our bus person arrived quickly and provided glasses of water with ice. Our waiter arrived a bit later.
I started with a Caesar salad which contained fried capers, grana padano cheese, a nice dressing and very crispy bread rounds. Companion had spring rolls which were nicely cooked to a golden brown, but the dipping sauce seemed a bit odd . It contained a lot of chopped chilies and had an odd flavor instead of the usual sweet chili that is usually served.
For the main course, I had smoked sable fish. It was served with roasted Jerusalem artichokes, baby squash, baby carrots, all of which were perfectly cooked. In particular the Jerusalem artichokes were beautifully roasted. The dish had nice flavor and a good sauce. Companion ordered a Salmon trio consisting of Chinook, Sockeye, and Coho. It was served with baby carrots, baby squash, slices of pepper, and small cut potatoes. Of interest is that each type of salmon was seasoned with a different seasoning and was served over a maple glaze.
My dessert was problematic. It was described as being a green tea Panna Cota with Chantilly Cream, Matcha green tea, and fresh berries. Most of the dish was not as described on the menu. The "Panna Cota" was nothing like any Panna Cota I have ever had. It had an odd texture, and had a lack of Matcha flavor. The Chantilly Cream was nicely created, but the berries, while pretty, were so thinly sliced as to contribute no flavor to the creation, though visually, they were very nice. The cut up blackberries were disturbingly ugly and took away from the harmony of the dish. Topping the dish was a bent tuille, which had nice flavor, but did not have the crispness that a tuille should have. Companion had a Maple Walnut Tart with Caramel and Walnut gelato, topped with spun sugar, walnuts and a sliced strawberry. Companion enjoyed the dessert.
Cudo's to our bus person for excellent service. Cudo's also to the chef who cooked the fish to perfection.
Dings for the salad being cut into too large pieces to be easily eaten.
Dings for the waiter who took almost 15 minutes for our check.
Dings for no toilet paper in the ladies room.
4 stars for excellent fish, and great table busser.
Friday, May 25, 2018
Pasta Brioni
4416 N Miller Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Companion and I visited this restaurant during Arizona Restaurant Week. Pasta Brioni has been in business for many years, and has had a good reputation.
We started out with an appetizer of Calamari Fritti. The calamari was properly fried and was nice and tender, though the marinara sauce was a bit watery and lacking in tomato taste. Rolls were also brought out and were served with a compound butter made with sweet butter.
Next were our salads. We both ordered the Caprese Salad, which had nice pieces of mozzarella, thick slices of tomato, and balsamic vinaigrette along with a chiffonade of basil.
For the main course, companion ordered lobster ravioli and I ordered linguini pescatore. This is where we ran into problems. The ravioli was much more al dente than it should have been, though the flavor was fine. The linguini was actually under cooked thought the seafood in it was definitely over cooked. The other problem was that the sauce was thin and watery with virtually no tomato flavor. I don't like to post about problems with food, but this was definitely in need of help and was not finished by me.
Dessert was Mascarpone Cheesecake and Flourless Chocolate Cake. Once again, I got the short end of the stick. The cheesecake had a funny flavor that I did not care for. The chocolate cake was like a big slice of chocolate fudge and is to be recommended.
Service was good as was cleanliness.
Overall, this meal was a disappointment. I can only hope that it was this meal and not a regular meal of the restaurant.
3 stars
Prado
Omni Hotel & Resorts
4949 E. Lincoln Drive
Scottsdale, AZ
In keeping with my tradition of visiting restaurants during Arizona Restaurant Week, we visited Prado. Prado is a Spanish themed restaurant located in the hotel.
Companion and I arrived at 6:30 and were promptly seated. The hotel has valet parking, however your ticket will be stamped by the restaurant which will give you free parking.
Restaurant week features a prix fixe menu which in this case was $44 per person. I started out with a roasted beet salad set with frisee greens, balsamic vinegar and some blue cheese. The beets were nicely tender and were beautifully sweet. Companion had a mini loaf of bread filled with Brie cheese and served with a lemon curd. The mixture of flavors was wonderful. We also ordered their crispy Calamari which was absolutely fabulous.
For main courses, we both ordered the Paella. Companions was cooked nicely, and mine was mush. Instead of properly cooked socarrat which is the crispy rice that should be on the bottom of a good paella, I had mushy rice and peas. The maitre d came over to our table and asked how the dinner was. I told him honestly that it was fair. He offered to take the dish back and change it for something else, which I appreciated but declined to do. However, it should be noted that he did let the chef know about this problem. Without the socarrat, paella just isn't paella regardless of how good the flavor might be.
For dessert, companion ordered the Crema Cata, which is very similar to a creme brulee. Companion pronounced it very good. For myself, I ordered the Berry Crumble, which was loaded with berries and was quite tasty with a ball of vanilla ice cream on the top.
Dings - The dining room was on the noisy side due to the bar being in the same area with a T.V. set blaring and showing a game in which many were cheering. It would be nice if there were some way to separate the bar from the dining room.
There is a guitar player in the front of the dining room trying his best to be entertaining. Unfortunately, the bass notes carry throughout the dining room but the melody is totally lost.
The restaurant is clean, and service is excellent.
4 stars for cleanliness, service, and outstanding appetizers.
4949 E. Lincoln Drive
Scottsdale, AZ
In keeping with my tradition of visiting restaurants during Arizona Restaurant Week, we visited Prado. Prado is a Spanish themed restaurant located in the hotel.
Companion and I arrived at 6:30 and were promptly seated. The hotel has valet parking, however your ticket will be stamped by the restaurant which will give you free parking.
Restaurant week features a prix fixe menu which in this case was $44 per person. I started out with a roasted beet salad set with frisee greens, balsamic vinegar and some blue cheese. The beets were nicely tender and were beautifully sweet. Companion had a mini loaf of bread filled with Brie cheese and served with a lemon curd. The mixture of flavors was wonderful. We also ordered their crispy Calamari which was absolutely fabulous.
For main courses, we both ordered the Paella. Companions was cooked nicely, and mine was mush. Instead of properly cooked socarrat which is the crispy rice that should be on the bottom of a good paella, I had mushy rice and peas. The maitre d came over to our table and asked how the dinner was. I told him honestly that it was fair. He offered to take the dish back and change it for something else, which I appreciated but declined to do. However, it should be noted that he did let the chef know about this problem. Without the socarrat, paella just isn't paella regardless of how good the flavor might be.
For dessert, companion ordered the Crema Cata, which is very similar to a creme brulee. Companion pronounced it very good. For myself, I ordered the Berry Crumble, which was loaded with berries and was quite tasty with a ball of vanilla ice cream on the top.
Dings - The dining room was on the noisy side due to the bar being in the same area with a T.V. set blaring and showing a game in which many were cheering. It would be nice if there were some way to separate the bar from the dining room.
There is a guitar player in the front of the dining room trying his best to be entertaining. Unfortunately, the bass notes carry throughout the dining room but the melody is totally lost.
The restaurant is clean, and service is excellent.
4 stars for cleanliness, service, and outstanding appetizers.
Monday, April 23, 2018
Shaanxi Garden
67 N. Dobson Road
Mesa, AZ 85201
I had heard of the noodles served at Shaanxi Garden as was anxious to give them a try. Five of us arrived at 6:00 to have dinner. Ordered for appetizers and shared were Gizzards and non-spicy Squid.
Both appetizers were covered in a grainy spice that was not very tasty. I had ordered Soybean Milk which helped to clear it from my palate.
Next was Oil Seared Noodles, which were acceptable at best. The Oil on them was not spared and served as a reminder of my having eaten them the next morning.
Another of our party who loves hot and spicy food ordered Fiery Pao Mo. He claimed that it was anything but fiery and did not finish eating the dish, stating that it had a funny flavor and had lots of granular seasoning on it.
The Biang Biang noodles were nicely cooked, but were only available in a few incarnations. The restaurant seemed to be out of many items from the menu.
As for drinks, one of our party ordered the QQ jelly, pronounced it as "OK", but did not finish it.
The venue is nicely decorated with music in the background from a live band.
Service was fair, with our waitress having a number of mix ups on orders due to language problems, though one cannot hold that against the restaurant.
The restaurant was clean and bathrooms had proper supplies and cleanliness.
3 stars for cleanliness, atmosphere and serving authentic Biang Biang noodles as advertised.
Mesa, AZ 85201
I had heard of the noodles served at Shaanxi Garden as was anxious to give them a try. Five of us arrived at 6:00 to have dinner. Ordered for appetizers and shared were Gizzards and non-spicy Squid.
Both appetizers were covered in a grainy spice that was not very tasty. I had ordered Soybean Milk which helped to clear it from my palate.
Next was Oil Seared Noodles, which were acceptable at best. The Oil on them was not spared and served as a reminder of my having eaten them the next morning.
Another of our party who loves hot and spicy food ordered Fiery Pao Mo. He claimed that it was anything but fiery and did not finish eating the dish, stating that it had a funny flavor and had lots of granular seasoning on it.
The Biang Biang noodles were nicely cooked, but were only available in a few incarnations. The restaurant seemed to be out of many items from the menu.
As for drinks, one of our party ordered the QQ jelly, pronounced it as "OK", but did not finish it.
The venue is nicely decorated with music in the background from a live band.
Service was fair, with our waitress having a number of mix ups on orders due to language problems, though one cannot hold that against the restaurant.
The restaurant was clean and bathrooms had proper supplies and cleanliness.
3 stars for cleanliness, atmosphere and serving authentic Biang Biang noodles as advertised.
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