Thai Ivory Cuisine
Variety: Thai
Address: 1067 Bedford Highway
Date Visited: Sunday, April 29, 2012
Orders: Spring Rolls, Cashew Chicken, Vegetarian Pineapple Fried Rice, Chicken Pad Thai
Taste: 10 + 9 = 19/20
Portion Size: 10 + 9 = 19/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Service: 10 + 10 = 20/20
Bonus: 2
Minus: -
Final Grade: 96% (Excellent)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: Our anniversary plans were hindered by a nasty cold, so we delayed our soiree a couple of days. Instead of heading downtown, J suggested that we try this establishment on the Bedford Highway, as he'd heard good things about it. We braced ourselves, as we were aware that it was attached to the Stardust Motel - one of the many drive-in crash pads along the Bedford Highway. Entering the restaurant, however, we immediately felt as though we were somewhere far away. The decor and tranquil atmosphere was wonderful - from the beautiful water fountain topped with a stone Ganesha statue and filled with water and dry ice, the gorgeous ivory tusks and charming Indian Barbies adorning the walls, and hell, even the floor was impressive. This place deserved two bonus points right off the bat for silencing our initial skepticism. The menu was solid, and contained photos of many of the unfamiliar dishes. The spring rolls were very tasty, and the addition of corn seemed both unusual and delightful. Our three mains were delightful, particularly the Cashew Chicken. - the only thing we would have appreciated would have been some tofu in the Chicken Pad Thai, which is fairly common at every other Thai place we've visited. Still the fresh vegetables were a very nice addition - the crispness of the green beans went very well with the dish. If Chabaa Thai is the gold standard, Thai Ivory Cuisine is going to give them a run for their money. We'll be back!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Review #35 - Boneheads BBQ
Boneheads BBQ
Variety: BBQ
Address: 1014 Barrington Street
Date Visited: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Orders: Beef Brisket Plate with Dirty Rice & Chili, Half Rack of Baby Back Ribs with Salad and Fries
Taste: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Portion Size: 10 + 10 = 20/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Service: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 85% (Excellent)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: T was busy again, and longtime friend A was in town before heading around the world again, so we went out for some Southern BBQ. I'd been to Boneheads before and did not leave disappointed, and was pleased that the experience was similar today. Whereas it was dinnertime, I decided to pick a plated meal instead of just a sandwich - beef brisket, which came with cornbread, coleslaw, and a couple of sides (I picked Dirty Rice and Chili). It was a good thing I was hungry, because it was a TON of food - borderline Man Vs. Food quantity. The brisket was incredibly tender and very well seasoned, and all three of Boneheads' signature sauces worked well on it. The Dirty Rice was a little bland and the chili was pretty salty, but across the board, it was a solid feed. The "vinaigrette" on A's salad was suspiciously thick, but the food was enjoyable and his ribs were "Finger Lickin' Good." Interestingly, as I posted on Twitter the following morning, I actually had a really rough night after scarfing down the BBQ - meat sweats, night terrors, and T didn't exactly appreciate the nasty smells that were emanating from my pores throughout the night. I'd call that one hell of a brisket!
Pardon the soap box rant, but here's my only complaint about this dining experience: "service" is not really an applicable category at Boneheads - you have to go up and get your food (or stand around waiting for it), which to me equates it to a fast food restaurant or indoor food cart. That's fine, but you're not expected to leave a gratuity at Taco Bell or Bud the Spud. Nobody has a gun to your head, but whereas you have to pay when you order, it always feels awkward to hand the credit card machine back with no tip. I know that these folks work hard, and I'm notoriously frugal as is, but tipping at a place where you're not actually served or even checked on is like tipping at a buffet - you don't have to, but if you're like me, you feel like a jerk when you don't, and I don't think that's fair. I'll still be back again - T wants to try it - but that's the one reservation that I have about this place.
Variety: BBQ
Address: 1014 Barrington Street
Date Visited: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Orders: Beef Brisket Plate with Dirty Rice & Chili, Half Rack of Baby Back Ribs with Salad and Fries
Taste: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Portion Size: 10 + 10 = 20/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Service: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 85% (Excellent)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: T was busy again, and longtime friend A was in town before heading around the world again, so we went out for some Southern BBQ. I'd been to Boneheads before and did not leave disappointed, and was pleased that the experience was similar today. Whereas it was dinnertime, I decided to pick a plated meal instead of just a sandwich - beef brisket, which came with cornbread, coleslaw, and a couple of sides (I picked Dirty Rice and Chili). It was a good thing I was hungry, because it was a TON of food - borderline Man Vs. Food quantity. The brisket was incredibly tender and very well seasoned, and all three of Boneheads' signature sauces worked well on it. The Dirty Rice was a little bland and the chili was pretty salty, but across the board, it was a solid feed. The "vinaigrette" on A's salad was suspiciously thick, but the food was enjoyable and his ribs were "Finger Lickin' Good." Interestingly, as I posted on Twitter the following morning, I actually had a really rough night after scarfing down the BBQ - meat sweats, night terrors, and T didn't exactly appreciate the nasty smells that were emanating from my pores throughout the night. I'd call that one hell of a brisket!
Pardon the soap box rant, but here's my only complaint about this dining experience: "service" is not really an applicable category at Boneheads - you have to go up and get your food (or stand around waiting for it), which to me equates it to a fast food restaurant or indoor food cart. That's fine, but you're not expected to leave a gratuity at Taco Bell or Bud the Spud. Nobody has a gun to your head, but whereas you have to pay when you order, it always feels awkward to hand the credit card machine back with no tip. I know that these folks work hard, and I'm notoriously frugal as is, but tipping at a place where you're not actually served or even checked on is like tipping at a buffet - you don't have to, but if you're like me, you feel like a jerk when you don't, and I don't think that's fair. I'll still be back again - T wants to try it - but that's the one reservation that I have about this place.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Reviews #34 - Jerusalem Cafe
Jerusalem Cafe
Variety: Mediterranean
Address: 6015 Lady Hammond Road
Date Visited: Saturday, April 14, 2012
Orders: Kufta, Makluba, Kunafa
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 76% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: T was busy working (on a Saturday), so I recruited my lawyer friend, S, to join me for lunch at the Jerusalem Cafe. T and I lived just around the corner from this place but never got around to going - which is a shame, because it was pretty good. Walking in, this former video store had a great atmosphere - it didn't really feel like we were in Halifax anymore. Unfortunately, the restaurant was pretty empty, perhaps because it was gorgeous out, and also maybe because there was no lunch menu. As a result, the prices were pretty steep. The food, however, was very tasty and unlike anything we'd ever had in Halifax before. The Kufta was a soupy meat and potato tahini broth served with rice. Wasn't much to look at, but it was pretty tasty. The Makluba was an interesting looking rice, chicken, potato and peanut pile served with a tomato and cucumber salad, which was also very tasty. The server/chef recommended that we alternate rice/Kufta and salad/Makluba, which was a great idea. We also tried the Kunafa for dessert - a bright orange shredded dough and cheese dessert. "Interesting" pretty much sums it up. Much like local Indian food restaurants, the portion sizes weren't massive, and again, the prices were a little steep for lunch, but it was definitely worth a try! Will bring T back for a visit someday.
Variety: Mediterranean
Address: 6015 Lady Hammond Road
Date Visited: Saturday, April 14, 2012
Orders: Kufta, Makluba, Kunafa
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 76% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: T was busy working (on a Saturday), so I recruited my lawyer friend, S, to join me for lunch at the Jerusalem Cafe. T and I lived just around the corner from this place but never got around to going - which is a shame, because it was pretty good. Walking in, this former video store had a great atmosphere - it didn't really feel like we were in Halifax anymore. Unfortunately, the restaurant was pretty empty, perhaps because it was gorgeous out, and also maybe because there was no lunch menu. As a result, the prices were pretty steep. The food, however, was very tasty and unlike anything we'd ever had in Halifax before. The Kufta was a soupy meat and potato tahini broth served with rice. Wasn't much to look at, but it was pretty tasty. The Makluba was an interesting looking rice, chicken, potato and peanut pile served with a tomato and cucumber salad, which was also very tasty. The server/chef recommended that we alternate rice/Kufta and salad/Makluba, which was a great idea. We also tried the Kunafa for dessert - a bright orange shredded dough and cheese dessert. "Interesting" pretty much sums it up. Much like local Indian food restaurants, the portion sizes weren't massive, and again, the prices were a little steep for lunch, but it was definitely worth a try! Will bring T back for a visit someday.
Reviews #33 - Vinnie's Pasta Bar
Vinnie's Pasta Bar
Variety: Italian
Address: 5361 Inglis Street
Date Visited: Monday, April 9, 2012
Orders: Sicilian Sausage, Garlic Chicken
Taste: 6 + 8 = 14/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 6 + 8 = 14/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 74% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: The Sicilian Sausage should have been called the Saltilian Saltsage. There was a lot of potential there, and the sausage itself was quite good, but the sauce was difficult to enjoy. The host seemed very uninterested in serving us, and their bread knife was barely passable as a knife at all, making it pretty tough to get at the delicious pastry. The Garlic Chicken was pretty good, and nobody left hungry.
Variety: Italian
Address: 5361 Inglis Street
Date Visited: Monday, April 9, 2012
Orders: Sicilian Sausage, Garlic Chicken
Taste: 6 + 8 = 14/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 6 + 8 = 14/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 74% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: The Sicilian Sausage should have been called the Saltilian Saltsage. There was a lot of potential there, and the sausage itself was quite good, but the sauce was difficult to enjoy. The host seemed very uninterested in serving us, and their bread knife was barely passable as a knife at all, making it pretty tough to get at the delicious pastry. The Garlic Chicken was pretty good, and nobody left hungry.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Review #32 - Pizza Delight
Pizza Delight
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 5680 Spring Garden Road
Date Visited: Friday, February 17, 2012
Orders: 9" Pizza & Caesar Salad, Panzerotti w/Caesar Salad & Garlic Fingers
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 2
Final Grade: 78% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We were thinking about visiting the new Pizza Delight on Spring Garden as we passed by someone handing out Pizza Delight coupons on the corner. Sold. The place looks amazing - much more chic than when it was Mexicali Rosa's a couple of years back. Our server was quick and quirky, though the food took a little too long to come out, and the cooks screwed up the order - the pizza toppings were in the panzerotti and the panzerotti toppings where on the pizza - hence the minus points. (The cooks were clearly the culprits because the bill was right). Anyway, Pizza Delight is a little formulaic - hard to screw up (unless you read the order wrong), but the taste is usually pretty consistent. And, you can't go wrong with a free bread grill!
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 5680 Spring Garden Road
Date Visited: Friday, February 17, 2012
Orders: 9" Pizza & Caesar Salad, Panzerotti w/Caesar Salad & Garlic Fingers
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 2
Final Grade: 78% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We were thinking about visiting the new Pizza Delight on Spring Garden as we passed by someone handing out Pizza Delight coupons on the corner. Sold. The place looks amazing - much more chic than when it was Mexicali Rosa's a couple of years back. Our server was quick and quirky, though the food took a little too long to come out, and the cooks screwed up the order - the pizza toppings were in the panzerotti and the panzerotti toppings where on the pizza - hence the minus points. (The cooks were clearly the culprits because the bill was right). Anyway, Pizza Delight is a little formulaic - hard to screw up (unless you read the order wrong), but the taste is usually pretty consistent. And, you can't go wrong with a free bread grill!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Review #31 - Jungle Jim's
Jungle Jim's
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 189 Chain Lake Drive
Date Visited: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Orders: Headhunter Burger, Beef Nachos
Taste: 8 + 4 = 12/20
Portion Size: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Presentation: 8 + 7 = 15/20
Value: 6 + 7 = 13/20
Service: 7 + 6 = 13/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 69% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: On Tuesday Nights, the price of kids' meals are based on their height. So, cheap parents with short kids were in abundance this evening, but none were particularly poorly behaved. The Nachos were poorly tasting, though - pretty bland across the board. J had defeated the Headhunter Burger challenge before (a huge, tasty double bacon cheeseburger with a ton of fries), and had a voucher for this one half-off, but there was no second voucher on the line so he didn't try to scarf it all down, keeping half of the burger for tomorrow's lunch. The waitress lost a point for screwing up the bill and not fixing it. Hmph.
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 189 Chain Lake Drive
Date Visited: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Orders: Headhunter Burger, Beef Nachos
Taste: 8 + 4 = 12/20
Portion Size: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Presentation: 8 + 7 = 15/20
Value: 6 + 7 = 13/20
Service: 7 + 6 = 13/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 69% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: On Tuesday Nights, the price of kids' meals are based on their height. So, cheap parents with short kids were in abundance this evening, but none were particularly poorly behaved. The Nachos were poorly tasting, though - pretty bland across the board. J had defeated the Headhunter Burger challenge before (a huge, tasty double bacon cheeseburger with a ton of fries), and had a voucher for this one half-off, but there was no second voucher on the line so he didn't try to scarf it all down, keeping half of the burger for tomorrow's lunch. The waitress lost a point for screwing up the bill and not fixing it. Hmph.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Review #30 - Woody's Bar-B-Q
Woody's Bar-B-Q
Variety: BBQ
Address: 159 Hector Gate
Date Visited: Sunday, February 19, 2012
Orders: Corn Nuggets, Fried Dill Pickles, Brunswick Stew, Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mac 'N Cheese, Sloppy Woody Sandwich with Bar-B-Q Beans, Banana Pudding
Final Grade: 87% (Excellent)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Disclaimer: To be completely upfront, we received an invitation to attend the "Friends and Family Day" pre-opening party for the new Dartmouth Crossing location of Woody's. This invitation was clearly intended to drum up word of mouth, so we promised ourselves that we would go in and provide a purely objective review of this visit. As such, because the meal was free and the wait staff was clearly on their best behavour, we've omitted our usual five categories (Taste, Portion Size, Presentation, Value and Service) in favour of a straight up final grade.
Notes: Our first Dartmouth review! We were served a trio of appetizers - corn nuggets (kind of like mini deep fried corn fritters - an interesting and tasty mix of crunch and goo), Fried Deep Pickles (with light and corny batter, which complimented the saltiness of the pickles) and Brunswick Stew (a hearty soup that wasn't too heavy). Then we moved on to our mains: the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich was good on its own, but even better after we added the four varieties of BBQ sauce available on the table - particularly the Tangy Mustard. The Mac 'N Cheese wasn't the greatest, as the noodles were a little overboiled. The Sloppy Woody Sandwich was quite good, and no extra sauce was required, as it was already coated with just the right amount of "secret sauce" (not a kind available on the table), and the Bar-B-Q Beans were nice and tangy, with a modest sprinkle of meat for good measure. We were just about ready to roll when we were brought a Banana Pudding for dessert. The words "banana" and "pudding" don't do this thing justice. It really should be given a sexier name, as we would normally never order something like this, but are we ever glad we gave it a chance. So incredibly flavourful - chock full of banana chunks, pie crust, pudding and whipped cream. So simple, but so perfect. Give it a whirl - you'll be glad you did. All in all, a great meal, albeit a little salty. Regardless, we'll be back.
Variety: BBQ
Address: 159 Hector Gate
Date Visited: Sunday, February 19, 2012
Orders: Corn Nuggets, Fried Dill Pickles, Brunswick Stew, Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mac 'N Cheese, Sloppy Woody Sandwich with Bar-B-Q Beans, Banana Pudding
Final Grade: 87% (Excellent)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Disclaimer: To be completely upfront, we received an invitation to attend the "Friends and Family Day" pre-opening party for the new Dartmouth Crossing location of Woody's. This invitation was clearly intended to drum up word of mouth, so we promised ourselves that we would go in and provide a purely objective review of this visit. As such, because the meal was free and the wait staff was clearly on their best behavour, we've omitted our usual five categories (Taste, Portion Size, Presentation, Value and Service) in favour of a straight up final grade.
Notes: Our first Dartmouth review! We were served a trio of appetizers - corn nuggets (kind of like mini deep fried corn fritters - an interesting and tasty mix of crunch and goo), Fried Deep Pickles (with light and corny batter, which complimented the saltiness of the pickles) and Brunswick Stew (a hearty soup that wasn't too heavy). Then we moved on to our mains: the Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich was good on its own, but even better after we added the four varieties of BBQ sauce available on the table - particularly the Tangy Mustard. The Mac 'N Cheese wasn't the greatest, as the noodles were a little overboiled. The Sloppy Woody Sandwich was quite good, and no extra sauce was required, as it was already coated with just the right amount of "secret sauce" (not a kind available on the table), and the Bar-B-Q Beans were nice and tangy, with a modest sprinkle of meat for good measure. We were just about ready to roll when we were brought a Banana Pudding for dessert. The words "banana" and "pudding" don't do this thing justice. It really should be given a sexier name, as we would normally never order something like this, but are we ever glad we gave it a chance. So incredibly flavourful - chock full of banana chunks, pie crust, pudding and whipped cream. So simple, but so perfect. Give it a whirl - you'll be glad you did. All in all, a great meal, albeit a little salty. Regardless, we'll be back.
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