Morris East
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 5212 Morris Street
Date Visited: Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Orders: Nacho Special, Margherita Pizza
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: 2
Minus: -
Final Grade: 82% (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 all dressed up for a fancy holiday party and didn't really want to head home to make a boring stir-fry, so we decided to stop into Morris East for a bite. It was Nacho Night and they had a special on a platter that had some intriguing items - roasted garlic, oven-dried tomatoes, chicken, blue and mozzarella cheeses - so we gave that a shot, and added a margherita pizza to ensure that we didn't head home hungry. The nachos were, again, intriguing and quite tasty, albeit there was too much salt on the chips themselves, causing J to down an entire carafe of water. T is a salt fiend, though, so she was in heaven. Bonus point from each of us on the creative ingredients. The pizza was good but nothing particularly special. While the price tag was a little high for our liking, the quality of the food was good and the atmosphere was a nice cap to our soiree.
Final Verdict: Creativity and atmosphere make it a solid option in the south end.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Review #43 - Cheese Curds
Cheese Curds
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 380 Pleasant Street
Date Visited: Friday, November 30, 2012
Orders: Legendary CC Porker with onion rings, BBQ Triple Bacon Burger with poutine
Taste: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -1
Final Grade: 83% (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: This was J's third visit, but T's first - first to any gourmet burger joint in Halifax, that is. They've seemingly sprouted up all over the place in the past year or so, with no signs of stopping. Upon entering, the server was very enthusiastic and charismatic, attempting to build rapport right off the bat. T thought this was cool, but J thought it was borderline annoying - he was there for the burger, not the chit-chat. Cheese Curds burgers always take a while to make, but that's probably because they're made fresh. They're worth the wait. J went for the double decker classic CC Porker, which was massive and required utensils. No knives available, so he made do with a couple of forks. Solid burger, onion rings were coated with buttermilk batter and drizzled with honey. Good stuff. T is a poutine aficionado, and gave this one an instant 10. The burger...not so much. You see, in his attempt to build rapport, the cashier would not rest until she ignored the menu board and looked at the photos of the burgers above the grill. Unfortunately, she's not the type who like a whole bunch of extras on her burger, so the Triple Bacon one looked the "most" normal. Had she had a chance to look at the menu board, the plain Black Angus Beef Burger would have been her weapon of choice, and she would have left happier, and with a few extra coins in her pocket. Hence the minus point, and the docked taste score. Although the gourmet burger craze is a welcome one in Halifax, we both find that the burgers are a little too expensive. Clearly, they're no McDonalds, but they're still a little pricey for our liking. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience, and as good of a reason as any to take a trip over to Dartmouth!
Final Verdict: A little pricey, and kinda hard to focus, but worth the trip.
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 380 Pleasant Street
Date Visited: Friday, November 30, 2012
Orders: Legendary CC Porker with onion rings, BBQ Triple Bacon Burger with poutine
Taste: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -1
Final Grade: 83% (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: This was J's third visit, but T's first - first to any gourmet burger joint in Halifax, that is. They've seemingly sprouted up all over the place in the past year or so, with no signs of stopping. Upon entering, the server was very enthusiastic and charismatic, attempting to build rapport right off the bat. T thought this was cool, but J thought it was borderline annoying - he was there for the burger, not the chit-chat. Cheese Curds burgers always take a while to make, but that's probably because they're made fresh. They're worth the wait. J went for the double decker classic CC Porker, which was massive and required utensils. No knives available, so he made do with a couple of forks. Solid burger, onion rings were coated with buttermilk batter and drizzled with honey. Good stuff. T is a poutine aficionado, and gave this one an instant 10. The burger...not so much. You see, in his attempt to build rapport, the cashier would not rest until she ignored the menu board and looked at the photos of the burgers above the grill. Unfortunately, she's not the type who like a whole bunch of extras on her burger, so the Triple Bacon one looked the "most" normal. Had she had a chance to look at the menu board, the plain Black Angus Beef Burger would have been her weapon of choice, and she would have left happier, and with a few extra coins in her pocket. Hence the minus point, and the docked taste score. Although the gourmet burger craze is a welcome one in Halifax, we both find that the burgers are a little too expensive. Clearly, they're no McDonalds, but they're still a little pricey for our liking. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience, and as good of a reason as any to take a trip over to Dartmouth!
Final Verdict: A little pricey, and kinda hard to focus, but worth the trip.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Review #42 - Hamachi Mura
Hamachi Mura
Variety: Sushi & Thai
Address: 540 Southgate Drive
Date Visited: Sunday, October 21, 2012
Orders: Thai Spring Rolls, Beef Pad Se-ew, Chicken Masaman Curry
Taste: 4 + 5 = 9/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 3 + 3 = 6/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -4
Final Grade: 55% (Marginal)
(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 loves us some Thai food. In fact, two of our top three reviews to date come from Thai restaurants. Unfortunately, Hamachi Mura currently finds itself in the bottom three on our scoreboard. Neither of us had been to a Hamachi restaurant before, although we'd heard very good things, and had enjoyed some of their fine cuisine in the VIP Room at Halifax Rainmen basketball games. Hamachi Mura and its sister restaurant, the Mediterranean-themed Son Vida are the only restaurants in the vicinity of our home in the Larry Uteck Boulevard area, and we were hoping that it might become our new "go-to" dining option close to home. The fact that we got a discount coupon in the mail only helped its cause, and after a long day, we decided to stop in to give it a try. We ordered the Thai Spring Rolls to start, and they were hot, fresh and tasty. Off to a good start, but it all went downhill from there. In short, the Beef Pad Se-ew, one of T's all-time faves, was an epic fail. They got the "ew" part right - the rice noodles were mushy, the beef was stringy, the egg was just plain icky, the vegetables were barely cooked and to make matters worse, the dish smelled very strange, too. We flagged down the waitress and informed her of the problem and to her credit, she offered to get us a new order, but we asked for another recommendation instead. She suggested the Garlic Ginger Beef, so that's what we went for. However, it took nearly 15 minutes for the order to come back, leaving our other order to get cold. Said other order was one of J's faves, the Chicken Masaman Curry. Mysteriously, it was made with sweet potato instead of regular potato, which frankly was not a solid choice. It was also served with a random bowl of extra masaman sauce, which was kinda weird, but whatever. The whole thing was far too salty, but passable. At long last, the Garlic Ginger Beef arrived, which was edible, but that's about it. A run-of-the-mill stir-fry, it relied far too heavily on salt, yet the meat itself was neither well-seasoned nor well-prepared. T referred to it as "a bit of salt water poured over some vegetable with big sticks of ginger." To add insult to injury, the pre-coupon bill came to over $50 (without gratuity), and that was without anything other than water to drink. Needless to say, we were not at all impressed. On the scorecard, T insisted on two negative points "for the experience, period," and J echoed that sentiment. We've been far more satisfied with the fare at Thai Express in the Halifax Shopping Centre, and have walked away from there with change in our pockets. Although we walked in hoping for the best, we went home very disappointed with this dining experience, which T aptly summed up by saying: "We were bound to get an unexpected fail someday."
Final Verdict: Stay home and make it the right way for 1/6 the price.
Variety: Sushi & Thai
Address: 540 Southgate Drive
Date Visited: Sunday, October 21, 2012
Orders: Thai Spring Rolls, Beef Pad Se-ew, Chicken Masaman Curry
Taste: 4 + 5 = 9/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 3 + 3 = 6/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -4
Final Grade: 55% (Marginal)
(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 loves us some Thai food. In fact, two of our top three reviews to date come from Thai restaurants. Unfortunately, Hamachi Mura currently finds itself in the bottom three on our scoreboard. Neither of us had been to a Hamachi restaurant before, although we'd heard very good things, and had enjoyed some of their fine cuisine in the VIP Room at Halifax Rainmen basketball games. Hamachi Mura and its sister restaurant, the Mediterranean-themed Son Vida are the only restaurants in the vicinity of our home in the Larry Uteck Boulevard area, and we were hoping that it might become our new "go-to" dining option close to home. The fact that we got a discount coupon in the mail only helped its cause, and after a long day, we decided to stop in to give it a try. We ordered the Thai Spring Rolls to start, and they were hot, fresh and tasty. Off to a good start, but it all went downhill from there. In short, the Beef Pad Se-ew, one of T's all-time faves, was an epic fail. They got the "ew" part right - the rice noodles were mushy, the beef was stringy, the egg was just plain icky, the vegetables were barely cooked and to make matters worse, the dish smelled very strange, too. We flagged down the waitress and informed her of the problem and to her credit, she offered to get us a new order, but we asked for another recommendation instead. She suggested the Garlic Ginger Beef, so that's what we went for. However, it took nearly 15 minutes for the order to come back, leaving our other order to get cold. Said other order was one of J's faves, the Chicken Masaman Curry. Mysteriously, it was made with sweet potato instead of regular potato, which frankly was not a solid choice. It was also served with a random bowl of extra masaman sauce, which was kinda weird, but whatever. The whole thing was far too salty, but passable. At long last, the Garlic Ginger Beef arrived, which was edible, but that's about it. A run-of-the-mill stir-fry, it relied far too heavily on salt, yet the meat itself was neither well-seasoned nor well-prepared. T referred to it as "a bit of salt water poured over some vegetable with big sticks of ginger." To add insult to injury, the pre-coupon bill came to over $50 (without gratuity), and that was without anything other than water to drink. Needless to say, we were not at all impressed. On the scorecard, T insisted on two negative points "for the experience, period," and J echoed that sentiment. We've been far more satisfied with the fare at Thai Express in the Halifax Shopping Centre, and have walked away from there with change in our pockets. Although we walked in hoping for the best, we went home very disappointed with this dining experience, which T aptly summed up by saying: "We were bound to get an unexpected fail someday."
Final Verdict: Stay home and make it the right way for 1/6 the price.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Review #41 - Applebee's
Applebee's
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 278 Lacewood Drive
Date Visited: Friday, July 27, 2012
Orders: Mozzarella Sticks, Rib-let Platter, Provolone-stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccine
Taste: 6 + 7 = 13/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 9 = 16/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus:-
Minus: -
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 looking for a place to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, so we stopped into Applebee's. Be careful what you ask for...we got to WATCH it, but the TVs were on mute and pop music blared on the speakers. Though, it was kinda funny to watch a horde of people in industrial revolution-ish costumes performing their choreography to Carly Rae Jepsen. Anyway, we ordered the "2 for 25" special, which meant that we got an appetizer and two mains for a decent price. The mozza sticks were generous in number (8 - we expected 4 of 5) and were pretty big, too. Not a bad start. T's meatballs weren't particularly cheesy, and the pasta was. The Rib-lets...J probably wouldn't order them again. While they BBQ sauce was tasty, they were a little too charred and far too much work for the amount of meat that was on them. The service was solid - quick, friendly and not overly intrusive. Good stuff.
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 278 Lacewood Drive
Date Visited: Friday, July 27, 2012
Orders: Mozzarella Sticks, Rib-let Platter, Provolone-stuffed Meatballs with Fettuccine
Taste: 6 + 7 = 13/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 9 = 16/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus:-
Minus: -
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 looking for a place to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics, so we stopped into Applebee's. Be careful what you ask for...we got to WATCH it, but the TVs were on mute and pop music blared on the speakers. Though, it was kinda funny to watch a horde of people in industrial revolution-ish costumes performing their choreography to Carly Rae Jepsen. Anyway, we ordered the "2 for 25" special, which meant that we got an appetizer and two mains for a decent price. The mozza sticks were generous in number (8 - we expected 4 of 5) and were pretty big, too. Not a bad start. T's meatballs weren't particularly cheesy, and the pasta was. The Rib-lets...J probably wouldn't order them again. While they BBQ sauce was tasty, they were a little too charred and far too much work for the amount of meat that was on them. The service was solid - quick, friendly and not overly intrusive. Good stuff.
Review #40 - Lion's Head Tavern & Grill
Lion's Head Tavern & Grill
Variety: Pub
Address: 5833 Sullivan Street
Date Visited: Sunday, June 17, 2012
Orders: Sheppard's Pie, Braised Beef on Grilled Cheese, BLT
Taste: 4 + 6 + 7 = 17/30
Portion Size: 8 + 7 + 7 = 22/30
Presentation: 8 + 7 + 7 = 22/30
Value: 7 + 6 + 7 = 20/30
Service: 6 + 7 + 4 = 17/30
Bonus:-
Minus: -
Final Grade: 65% (Satisfactory)
(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)
Housekeeping: In honour of reaching 500 followers on Twitter, we selected one of them, @GrapplinGraboid of local punk act The Graboids, to co-review a meal with us. Whereas our regular scorecard is based on 100 points (50 each), we just added another 50 and the final score was out of 150 instead.
Notes: The Lion's Head is a friendly neighbourhood tavern. While it has a certain charm, this wasn't quite reflected in terms of quality of the meal and service. J's Sheppard's Pie tasted like mushy salt and not much else. It's kind of hard to screw up a BLT, but T's sandwich was more of an LT - one measly strip on each side of the sandwich. And the beef on GG's sandwich was really fatty, though what was edible was tender enough. Although the meal was passable, the service was the pits (not uncommon based on previous visits to this joint). Not only was the server particularly indifferent toward us, but there was also a lengthy 15 minute delay between order and arrival time. Our frustration was amplified by seeing most of the meals sitting on the counter waiting to be picked up, the few other patrons who had ordered after us being served first, and the two cooks in the kitchen standing back and chatting. Would we return another time to grab a beer and watch a game on one of the big screen TVs? Sure. Would we make a point to stop by for another meal? Unlikely.
Thanks to The Grapplin' Graboid for joining us. Check out his band at www.facebook.com/thegraboids.
Variety: Pub
Address: 5833 Sullivan Street
Date Visited: Sunday, June 17, 2012
Orders: Sheppard's Pie, Braised Beef on Grilled Cheese, BLT
Taste: 4 + 6 + 7 = 17/30
Portion Size: 8 + 7 + 7 = 22/30
Presentation: 8 + 7 + 7 = 22/30
Value: 7 + 6 + 7 = 20/30
Service: 6 + 7 + 4 = 17/30
Bonus:-
Minus: -
Final Grade: 65% (Satisfactory)
(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)
Housekeeping: In honour of reaching 500 followers on Twitter, we selected one of them, @GrapplinGraboid of local punk act The Graboids, to co-review a meal with us. Whereas our regular scorecard is based on 100 points (50 each), we just added another 50 and the final score was out of 150 instead.
Notes: The Lion's Head is a friendly neighbourhood tavern. While it has a certain charm, this wasn't quite reflected in terms of quality of the meal and service. J's Sheppard's Pie tasted like mushy salt and not much else. It's kind of hard to screw up a BLT, but T's sandwich was more of an LT - one measly strip on each side of the sandwich. And the beef on GG's sandwich was really fatty, though what was edible was tender enough. Although the meal was passable, the service was the pits (not uncommon based on previous visits to this joint). Not only was the server particularly indifferent toward us, but there was also a lengthy 15 minute delay between order and arrival time. Our frustration was amplified by seeing most of the meals sitting on the counter waiting to be picked up, the few other patrons who had ordered after us being served first, and the two cooks in the kitchen standing back and chatting. Would we return another time to grab a beer and watch a game on one of the big screen TVs? Sure. Would we make a point to stop by for another meal? Unlikely.
Thanks to The Grapplin' Graboid for joining us. Check out his band at www.facebook.com/thegraboids.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Review #39 - Indochine
Indochine Banh Mi
Variety: Vietnamese
Address: 1551 South Park Street
Date Visited: Thursday, June 14, 2012
Orders: Spicy BBQ Chicken Tacos, Buddha Bowl
Taste: 8 + 6 = 14/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Bonus: 1
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: Neither of us had ever had Vietnamese food before, but this was a decent start. T's Buddha Bowl didn't have much flavour, but made her feel good (and healthy), hence the bonus point. J's tacos were interesting and tasty, but could have used a little extra sauce. Both meals were a little heavy on the bean sprouts, but otherwise, not a bad start. We look forward to another visit!
Variety: Vietnamese
Address: 1551 South Park Street
Date Visited: Thursday, June 14, 2012
Orders: Spicy BBQ Chicken Tacos, Buddha Bowl
Taste: 8 + 6 = 14/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Bonus: 1
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: Neither of us had ever had Vietnamese food before, but this was a decent start. T's Buddha Bowl didn't have much flavour, but made her feel good (and healthy), hence the bonus point. J's tacos were interesting and tasty, but could have used a little extra sauce. Both meals were a little heavy on the bean sprouts, but otherwise, not a bad start. We look forward to another visit!
Review #38 - Cantina Mexicana
Cantina Mexicana
Variety: Tex Mex
Address: 1551 South Park Street
Date Visited: Monday, June 11, 2012
Orders: Pork Burrito, Beef Burrito with chips & salsa
Taste: 7 + 3 = 11/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 7 + 7 = 14/20
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: "This one is probably going to end with vomit. I don't see how it can't." This is what T said after her first burrito. It certainly didn't help that they didn't take her onion allergy seriously (hence the negative point). To be fair, the Pork Burrito was tasty, but the Beef Burrito was nasty, even to a burrito connoisseur like J. The rice was nothing more than Uncle Bens and they didn't mesh well with the beans. Would have benefited greatly from some nice Mexican Rice. It also didn't help that the chips were totally stale. The place is only a few weeks old, so maybe they'll improve with experience, but they're off to a pretty rough start, by our account.
Addendum: The proprietor, via Twitter, has taken exception to my statement that his staff did not take the onion allergy concern seriously. To be clear: his staff did attempt to guide us through onion-free options, but unfortunately, they made a mistake. I stand by the statement, score, and negative point - people with dietary sensitivities need to be able to trust that the people who make their food know what they're talking about, or at least to admit when they're not sure so that the onus it put on the customer.
Variety: Tex Mex
Address: 1551 South Park Street
Date Visited: Monday, June 11, 2012
Orders: Pork Burrito, Beef Burrito with chips & salsa
Taste: 7 + 3 = 11/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 7 + 7 = 14/20
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: "This one is probably going to end with vomit. I don't see how it can't." This is what T said after her first burrito. It certainly didn't help that they didn't take her onion allergy seriously (hence the negative point). To be fair, the Pork Burrito was tasty, but the Beef Burrito was nasty, even to a burrito connoisseur like J. The rice was nothing more than Uncle Bens and they didn't mesh well with the beans. Would have benefited greatly from some nice Mexican Rice. It also didn't help that the chips were totally stale. The place is only a few weeks old, so maybe they'll improve with experience, but they're off to a pretty rough start, by our account.
Addendum: The proprietor, via Twitter, has taken exception to my statement that his staff did not take the onion allergy concern seriously. To be clear: his staff did attempt to guide us through onion-free options, but unfortunately, they made a mistake. I stand by the statement, score, and negative point - people with dietary sensitivities need to be able to trust that the people who make their food know what they're talking about, or at least to admit when they're not sure so that the onus it put on the customer.
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