DINNER January 25, 2009

So, I haven’t been eating out much this year and it’s not just because of this whole economic crisis. I’m actually getting married in May and am hoping to shed the forty odd pounds of deskfat I’ve put on since joining the work force in 2004 so that I can squeeze into the old wedding dress (figuratively speaking, of course). Still, there are a few restaurant outings that can’t be missed. Reservoir brunches are a weekend  recurrence and the odd Sunday night Lebanese outing where the mezze hide the tablecloth and the wine is served by the liter tend to make a regular appearance as well. Mea culpa.

When it comes to Lebanese, I feel like I have the lay of the land. Aux Lilas is too purple to be a regular frequentation, but Daou (the Ville St-Laurent location) and Alep serve great Lebanese food (OK Alep is technically Syrian but its close enough). Apart from  these heavyweights there is the odd bright spot but nothing that, in my mind, can serve as a legitimate excuse to while away a Sunday evening. Continue Reading…

DINNER January 24, 2009

Bistro Unique has been a neighbourhood mainstay in increasingly trendy Rosemont for over twenty years but its Italian menu focused on pasta and pizza is still not on the radar of many local foodies. The decor (at least in the front room) is plain but honest: wood tables, black chairs and a long grey marble backed bar dominate the room. Modern art displayed for sale on the wall clashes with the trattoria feel. The terrace is reputed to be nice, but a bone chilling January evening meant this was no time to investigate.

Bistro Unique features a mind numbing selection of pasta dishes all of which are made fresh on the premises. Many of these are regional specialties you won’t find in your average neighbourhood Italian joint such as pansoti con salsa di noce . This Ligurian specialty consists of  little “belly-like”  raviolis stuffed with bitter herbs set off by a walnut and cream sauce. Homemade stuffed pasta  is always a million times better than the tasteless stuff you buy at the grocery store and Bistro Unique is, I guess unique, for having so many varieties.  They also have a big selection of pizza and when you add it all together with appetizers, seafood and meat mains and desserts you could peruse War and Peace in the time it takes to digest the menu. Continue Reading…

DINNER January 16, 2009

It would be easy to dismiss Miga as another one of those pan- Asian slop shops. You know, the type of restaurant that offers sushi, chow mein and pad thai to the non-discriminating and culinarily challenged. While the restaurant is ostensibly Korean, the menu displays a distinct Japanese influence in the tempura dishes or the tonkatsu like breaded pork. There are also a number of offerings that stray far  from the canon of Korean cuisine with its emphasis on vegetables, heat and clean flavours. Rather, many of the dishes are finished with a sweet, mildly hot creamy sauce that seems to have been designed to please the holy trinity of the American palate.

Miga Tofu: Korea's Response to General Tao

But there is more to Miga than meets the eye. Look past the Japanese flourishes and the sweet and spicy sauce that rears its head occasionally and there are some serious Korean classics including spicy jjimdak, vegetarian ssambap and a boatload of satisfying hearty soups, never mind mainstays like bibimbap and kalbi. In addition, the service is as friendly as service gets and the Mom and Pop vibe permeates the place.

Fried  vegetable mandu (dumplings) are a little bland and over crisp but not unpleasant, while an order of the Miga tofu, thickly breaded and deep fried tofu cubes topped with the sweet and spicy sauce were tasty in a General Tao kind of way but not enough to have me eat more than half the order (in all fairness, it was a big plate).

Bibimbap: Tasty

Main courses are quite authentic and provide a lot of bang for the buck. The bibimbap was very tasty with rice softer than I’m used to but an addictive combination of pickled cucumber and carrot, shredded lettuce, beef and a perfectly fried egg. Kalbi was a little greasy but tasty and a steal listed as a $7.50 special for a huge plate served with rice and a Korean style coleslaw–cabbage with a generous topping of creamy, vaguely Thousand Islandish dressing. The outlier was the aforementioned tonkatsu-like “viande panée” a crisp fried pork cutlet topped with the sweet and spicy sauce and served with the same sides as the kalbi. I would love to be a hater but this dish, traditional or not, is seriously addictive in the great tradition of fried diner food. And maybe that’s what Miga is– a Korean diner. It serves some of the classics along with simple fried comfort food in an unpretentious manner.

Kalbi: A Steal of a Deal

Miga serves up some pretty tasty grub at prices that are definitely recession friendly. When an order of kalbi costs as little as a couple of nasty pieces of pizza with fries at a take-out joint, you know this restaurant could do some serious business. Plus, it now has a BYOW licence so you can bring your favourite tipple as well.

Cost: Approximately $35 with tip .

Miga
432 Rachel E.
514.842.4901

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