Nepal India Curry House (Indian)

Nepal India Curry House is at 167 Roncesvalles, near the western end of Queen St. in west-end downtown Toronto. We went for weekend lunch. It’s a low-key interior “hole-in-the-wall“ smaller place. Canned pop not AYCD is $2 which is reasonable. Nepal India offers Hakka dishes in addition to the more usual Indian fare.

Chow mein vegetable noodles were delicious. Samosas were excellent, possibly made on premises, and we both loved them. Palao rice was a bit cold but still excellent with very good seasoning. Vegetable pakora was just fantastic with plenty of flavour. Aloo gobi seasoning was almost certainly the best I've ever had. We also both loved the naan bread which was excellent with a wonderful herbal flavour (oregano?) and a touch of garlic, whatever it is was perfectly seasoned and reminiscent of western garlic bread.

Mango chutney was excellent and fresh. Chana masala was delicious, spicy without being too hot and excellently seasoned. Mattar paneer, like aloo gobi, was just about perfect and among if not the best I’ve ever had. Dal makhani was also fantastic with nigh-perfect seasoning. Fish pakora completed the trifecta of best ever, just perfectly seasoned and cooked and super-enjoyable, more than fish usually is! We loved the butter chicken; Mishy noted how moist it was and how excellent the sauce... could not agree more. She described the chili chicken as fantastic, and this most welcome and surprisingly hard-to-find Hakka dish certainly was, as was the Tandoori chicken with awesome smokiness, fresh and moist.

For dessert, vanilla, mango, chocolate and strawberry ice creams were all delicious, creamy and free of freezer burn... strawberry was fantastic. Gulub jamun was excellent. And the best part: it was only $21 for weekend lunch. Nepal India was already a “10” even without a value adjustment so unfortunately can’t go any higher... it’s an undiscovered gem.

Rating: 10 / 10 + 2 value adjustment = 12 / 10 = 10 / 10

Skylon Tower Summit Suite Buffet (Western)

Summit Suite Buffet is located in the main upper deck of Skylon Tower, a structure similar to the CN Tower but roughly one-third the height (predating the CN Tower by a dozen years), at 5200 Robinson St. in downtown Niagara Falls. It's about a 45 min. walk from the Niagara Falls GO station, so is possibly transit-accessible; I'm sure there are local bus options ie WEGO to reduce this travel time as well, but we don't use them. Access to Skylon Tower via its outdoor elevators is included in the buffet price, this would usually cost $18. The only thing to mention about the decor is the view, which is probably why most people come here... We were lucky enough to get a view of the Horseshoe Falls which is probably the best seat in the house. There is a steady stream of tourists who it appears are just going to the restaurant to check out the view, and if you have a window seat and they're not careful they will barge between the tables to take pictures. It's also very noisy when full as it is a very compact space given the restrictions of the tower. To prevent lineups, the entire buffet including the dessert area is mirror-imaged so that you can approach from either end and still encounter the same food in the same order (note the photo of this effect with the dessert buffet.)

Mishy liked the samosa which had a sweet chili sauce; they were clearly from from frozen, but at least there was the reasonably good sauce nearby to liven them up. Seafood salad was quite good, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Cold deli meats were delicious, including chicken and an Indian spiced meat I have not had before. I loved the charcuterie cheeses, especially the smoked gouda which I have not had in an AYCE before and it was excellent.

Mishy described the prime rib as tough but good. I definitely agree... it was tasty but hard to cut and chew. She loved the bow tie salad, and salad with French dressing, the latter of which she had seconds of and she never does this that I can remember; she mentioned that it had radicchio. I enjoyed it with ranch dressing. I agree that the bowtie salad was delicious, especially the cheese. Meatballs and red pepper cream sauce were quite good, though the meatballs themselves seem pretty standard and probably commercial, the sauce was tasty.

Rice pilaf wasn't the most flavourful, but at least it was fresh. Chicken tenders were delicious, moist and nicely seasoned. Roast chicken drumsticks aka herbed chicken legs were not bad, but (again) kind of blah in the seasoning. Italian pork sausage was good and went well with the peppers. Basa fish was pretty good, the seasoning was a little odd but it was still quite edible. Pasta farfalle aka bowtie pasta with sauce was delicious; it's a basic dish but no complaints there.

For dessert, carrot cake was slightly dry but still delicious and very well seasoned. Walnut tart was excellent although Mishy wasn't big on it. Blueberry tart was good. Cookies were delicious but probably commercial. Chocolate cake square was good. There's no soup and no ice cream, the latter probably as space is at a premium and two mirrored freezers would take too much of it. Weekend lunch is $45. Beware the “APF” which is a 2% municipal "tax" that is quasi-legal; I asked for it to disappear from the bill and it did. I subtract the $18 elevator access fee which I am sure is built-in, leaving $27; my reasoning for doing so is that it could easily be made separate, ie lunch being $27 and one needs to also pay the $18 access fee to get there. Normally this would be a good price, but we also must then consider the exceedingly overpriced $10 AYCD pop cost, which is about $7 too much. Ironically this location is surrounded by casinos at which one can go in, spend nothing, and drink unlimited pop out of the self-serve dispensaries, which makes this all the more excessive. All in all was a not-bad but understated lunch. Having crossed Skylon off our bucket list I don’t know if we would return as there are so many other places that need our attention, but it was nice to have been there.

Rating: 8 / 10  - 1 value adjustment = 7 / 10

Atami Sushi (Japanese)

Amazing that it's been a dozen years since our first review, so definitely time for an update... Atami Sushi is still located at 2200 Rymal Road East in Hamilton, just west of Upper Centennial Parkway. We were able to bike most of the way there from West Harbour GO station along the Escarpment Rail Trail. We went for weekend lunch. There is plenty of booth seating. Disposable chopsticks are used unfortunately, but we brought our own as always. AYCD pop is available for an excessive $4.50, but when we went there it was 30 Celsius and humid, and we biked uphill most of the way, so it was worth it. Soy sauce at table was only slightly salty, brightly flavoured, fresh and savoury. Ginger is dyed pink. Ordering is old-school onto paper templates from the menu. Sadly it took over an hour before any other customers arrived... I don't know why, but was possibly due to the FIFA playoffs at the time keeping most people home.

We noticed that there are some items that are usually on lunch menus that are absent from this one, such as tuna nigiri and cheese wontons. There are still plenty of other good things... especially the beef items! Vegetable salad really was vegetable, a spring mix and other items salad with not much lettuce, with a delicious house orange-ginger dressing, and we both loved it. Mishy thought the miso soup was too diluted, but I tried it and loved it and thought it was quite savoury. Gyoza were top-tier excellent being moist, not oily, fresh and in an excellent sauce. Wonton soup was understated yet very good, featuring white pepper.

Sirloin steak with garlic, and sirloin beef, and beef teriyaki were among the best we've ever had, delicious, savoury, excellent sauce and not holding back on the salt, pepper or other seasonings being perfectly intense to bring out the flavour, and it seemed like quality meat too. Thank goodness they were available on the lunch menu! Mishy said the chicken teriyaki was among the best she ever had, and I was not so superlative but it was still quite good. Shrimp, broccoli, and yam tempura were all excellent, and the sauce was fantastic and had a wonderful flavour. Deep fried scallop aka surimi were very good with a dollop of sauce. There was some amazing seasoning that we both noticed in the chicken skewers which gave them a warm and comforting flavour like pfeffernüsse.

We both loved the Green Dragon roll. Red snapper aka tilapia nigiri had a slightly fishy aroma but was still good. Tamago aka egg nigiri was very good. Butterfish aka white tuna nigiri was excellent, as was salmon and spicy salmon nigiri.

For dessert, we both loved the green tea ice cream; Mishy hadn't even ordered any and just tried some of mine, thinking she was full, and ended up eating almost all of it; it was not freezer burned at all and was very creamy. Mango and strawberry ice creams were also very good and not freezer burned. We both loved the banana tempura. Mocha cake was the same little slab cake found all over southern Ontario. Mango pudding was very mildly flavoured, but creamy and still enjoyable. Weekend lunch is $30.99; this is pretty usual and the overpriced pop only weighs slightly on the outcome. It was a memorably excellent lunch especially with those fantastic beef dishes and we’re hoping it doesn’t take a dozen years for our next return!

Rating: 9.5 - 10 / 10 - 0.25 value adjustment = 9.5 / 10

Original review follows:

Atami Sushi is located at 2200 Rymal Road East in Hamilton, just west of Upper  Centennial Parkway. We happened to Google for ACYEs and it turned up, so we gave it a try... weren't disappointed either!

It has a pleasant atmosphere, though a bit dark for some but I enjoy a darker decor. Some reviewers have complained about the service but it was certainly quite fast when we visited so this problem may have been
resolved.

The soy sauce was good, full of umami and not too salty. This is one of my "barometers" to the quality of the rest of the food. Salad dressing was different and good. The hot and sour soup was excellent; not overpowering with vinegar like most places, but rich and savoury.
However because of this, it's different from the usual so may not be for everyone. Miso soup was good but a little weak; I find it has to sit in the pot for at least an hour after being made before it's excellent so this may have been too fresh. Chicken wonton soup had low salt and a nice savoury taste.

The salmon sushi very fresh and excellent. Tempura was a little heavy and oily at first; the sauce a little weak. We added a dash of the soy sauce and it was much improved. The second tempura order (shrimp) was much better; light and flaky. Salmon teriyaki didn't have skin on it; finally someone got this right. Teriyaki sauce was a bit salty. Spring rolls were very good. Fried tofu had a touch of seasoning on it; nice touch which shows the meals are prepared with care. Chicken curry was crispy and breaded with a parsley sprig, rather than being unbreaded as most curried chicken is, but I still enjoyed it.... different is good! Well, sometimes...

For dessert, we were treated to the best fried bananas we've yet had; thick and perfectly done. The green tea ice cream was good.

Price was $13.99 for lunch. There's also a $20.99 dinner option with sashimi of course, though it's $21.99 on weekends; lunch price doesn't change. They have an eat free on your birthday special, but need six adults to qualify (some other restaurants such as Imperial and
Tucker's Marketplace only require one other full-price adult.) All in all, I was impressed and would return, if not for all the other ACYEs in Hamilton that still beckon.

Rating: 9/10.

Wakame Sushi - Weston (Japanese)

It's been 11 years since I wrote up Wakame for the first time, and I don't even think Mishy was with me then, so it's high time we both were there to give it a rewrite. It's still at 2625-F Weston Road in Toronto, just south of Hwy. 401, in the open mall behind the Great Canadian Superstore, just s. of Hwy. 401. AYCD fountain pop, which even includes Coke Zero, is free, which is fantastic... it wasn’t even watered down. iPad menus are used. There is even free Wi-Fi, with the password right in the menu. Almost all the seating is still booth or bench. Ginger is not dyed pink. Soy at table was fresh, marvellously rich and savoury, and not salty. Wakame still has the same interior with the unique curved wall, although it seems to be a little brighter with added ceiling lights.

Garden salad was fresh and the dressing was excellent, which seemed to have a bit of Thousand Islands but had been improved, although the lettuce pieces were a bit too large. Wonton soup is oddly creamy, which I've not seen before, but Wakame pulled it off beautifully and it was excellent, with a savoury and well-seasoned broth. Miso soup was excellent, savoury and not diluted. Unfortunately the kimchi has that same annoying heat that creeps up on you and stays for many minutes generally ruining the experience so I could only finish one piece of it... why does every place seem to use this these days?

Chicken teriyaki was fantastic with a very good sauce, we both loved it, and I didn’t hear a “rubbery” whatever that is; the pieces were just large enough. Beef short ribs are very good and well seasoned. Poutine... yes, poutine!... just about the first time I've seen this at a Japanese place, was excellent served piping hot with delicious gravy and plenty of cheese curds. Gyoza were excellent, not oily, fresh, seemed to be made on premises, and the filling was delicious including the sauce.

Torched sushi was excellent in a really good sauce with some dark roe, and went perfectly with the soy and brought wasabi. Mishy didn't like the Philadelphia roll for being wrapped in smoked salmon, but I just thought it made it even better. Butterfish (possibly escolar), tai, red snapper aka tilapia (which had had a mild odd dusty flavour), surf clam, salmon nigiri, crab aka surimi, and spicy salmon maki sushi all fresh and very good... I overdid it on the sushi but still had room for dessert.

For dessert, Mishy said that the chocolate and green tea ice creams were excellent and very creamy. I found the same for the mango and vanilla... not a hint of freezer burn. Shot-glass strawberry and mango puddings were both delicious. Strawberry and mango cake squares were the same slab cake variety used all over Southern Ontario at so many places we've been to. Tiramisu cake square was less common and was very good. Service was also very good with pop refills and used dish removals, etc. It was $30.99 for weekend lunch. With the included AYCD pop this is a very good value, and the offerings themselves hardly need adjustment. Other than the too-hot kimchi, we certainly had a memorably wonderful lunch.

Rating: 9 - 9.5 / 10 + 0.5 value adjustment = 9.5 - 10 / 10

Original review follows:

Wakame Sushi is located at 2625-F Weston Road in Toronto, at Weston Road just south of Hwy. 401 in the open mall behind the Great Canadian Superstore.  It's transit-accessible by both the Weston Road and Royal York buses.  I found it by accident while I was biking and planning to go as far north as Steeles then reward myself with a different AYCE, but a new place is always priority!

Wakame has a dark interior and plenty of booths... about two-thirds of the floor space are occupied by them. The decor is very modern and stylish. Unfortunately they use disposable chopsticks. I'm unsure how the tea is as it was a hot day and just stuck to water (which had a welcome slice of lemon.) At least the interior was air-conditioned. The soy sauce was very fresh and not salty; was probably real Kikkoman as opposed to other places who may be putting non-Kikkoman sauce in Kikkoman bottles.

For starters, the miso soup was good but was somewhat dilute. The hot and sour soup was hot but not sour; worst of all it was burnt and I was not impressed. Thankfully it was the only bad item in the meal. The green salad's dressing was fantastic and among the best I've ever had; nicely fresh and crisp as well. Cheese wontons were good, as were gyoza dumplings, and their sauce among the best I've ever had.

On to the entrees, salmon sushi was perfect and fresh with excellent rice not too sweet or sticky (although there was a bit too much of it in proportion to the fish.) Butterfish and shrimp sushi was likewise excellent with good presentation. Spicy salmon sushi was very good and I enjoyed the topping. Red dragon roll was good and accentuated the very fresh cucumber flavour.

Shrimp tempura could have been a bit more lighter/flakier; other deep-fried items here were similar such as the yam tempura, but again the sauce excelled and was tangy and nigh-perfect. Chicken teriyaki's sauce was a bit too sweet but otherwise quite tasty. Curry chicken was breaded as is the Japanese norm; the sauce was flavourful and quite good. For dessert, ice cream in the usual flavours was good and not freezer-burned. Fried bananas were also quite good but again slightly oily much like the other fried fare. Service was very fast, friendly and attentive.

Wakame's weekend lunch is $17.95. Although the food was quite good overall, there were elements that needed improvement. However what was there was done well so it was still a good lunch and the price is not excessive.

Rating: 7-7.5/10.