CFN – I bumped into Angela Youngs from Ground Soap last night at Eight Zero Zero.    Angela is a talented and vivacious young woman who makes some of the finest soap in Canada.  You can tell her passion for her product and feel the care she personally puts into her products.    She’s a true beacon and role model for small business, and has built herself quite a company.   She’s also a total sweetie and nice person.

So when she overheard I was doing a review for Keitha Fisher’s new eatery, Dish Real Food, she quickly asked me not to trash her friend and I saw those tiny and rare worry lines on her face wiggle.

“Angela why do you assume that I’d trash Keitha?”    She mentioned bad blood and I explained that Keitha and I had no “bad blood”.   She and I were on the Farmer’s market board, and when she was hired to run the local trunk sale produce market immediately cancelled our advertising after two successful years marketing the downtown attraction.

Angela repeated the story I’d heard before; that Keitha killed our ads as she was upset that Reg Coffey left the market to move to Long Sault.    So I asked her, as I had others, what that had to do with CFN or the work we’d done for the market for two years?

I also explained that Reg; who’s like a kindly gnome on an extreme coffee buzz reacted to her and Tony Lakroix trashing CFN which Reg is a minority share holder of.

Thus your back ground.   I also explained to the delightful soap maker that if I trashed Real Dish Foods because of something as totally retarded as Keitha’s actions it’d look as bad on me as her decision did on her.

That’s not CFN, and it certainly isn’t me.   Isn’t living in a city small enough feel like a small town fun!

Keitha Fisher, formerly known as the Lunch Tramp for her proclivity to eat lunch at Schnitzels a lot with her downtown friends, decided to open a restaurant with her partner Monique Vermeulena in the former Papa Joe’s.

What’s most remarkable is the speed in which the two were able to open (LINK to before pics)  in light of the delays in Truffles and the new Indian resto on Pitt who have been been held up in opening and lost the Holiday season.   Maybe being friends with City Councilor and Heart of the City honcho Carr has some perks after all?

The partners have created an interesting menu.   I have to admit some of the menu choices on their web site did tantalize me.   I was looking forward to the Roast beef sandwich as I love Carmelized Onions.    The space only seats nine and the girls have positioned themselves menu wise somewhere between Riley’s and Moustache Joe’s.

When I arrived Keitha explained that you pick your pre-wrapped sandwich from the fridge.   Sadly I was late and there was no Roast beef left so I settled for a lovely Chicken, Bacon, and Guacamole sandwich.

I added the small soup, which that day was potato and leek.   My bill for the plate ( I always pay for review meals) was $8.48 including HST.   Ms Fisher explained that she imports her Artisan bread from a baker near Ottawa.  I have to admit that the chicken was moist enough.  I’m not a huge fan of chicken sandwiches, but am less of a fan of Ham.  The chicken was also fresh; not cut deli which I thought was lovely.  The bacon was flavorful and the guacamole was fresh and yummy.

What was missing was some sort of sauce to pull the flavors together.   The freshness was there, but the magic wasn’t quite.   I wouldn’t pan the food, but I wasn’t excited or excessively pleased.   When I do a review I tend to judge it based on expectations.  After all, when we pay a premium to eat that’s what we’re looking for, that experience.

The soup was pleasant as well.   I like my soups, even creamed ones, to have a bit of texture or chunks in them, but that’s a personal preference and not a bad take.   The flavors did come out in spite of the blandness.

There were no garnishes or sides as you can see from the picture.

Real Dish Foods is a walking trade lunch spot.   I would eat there again, but it wouldn’t necessarily be a first choice.   There’s no close parking at lunch as it’s right at the corner of Pitt & Second next to the Fence project that Councilor Carr chose Ms Fisher to lead.

All in all a good beginning.  It should be interesting to see how the two partners evolve the space and choices?

Here are ratings for Dish Real Food.

Presentation 2.5

Value 3.0

Service 3.5

Zing & Wow 2.5

Overall 3.0  out of 5 Red Hats

Have you eaten at Dish Real Food?   Feel free to post your comments below.

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Cornwall ON – Cornwall Ontario has a long tradition when it comes to tasty Chicken Wings.  It goes back to Freddies and their 10 cent wing nights which would draw line ups and sell as many as 20,000 wings in a single night.

I was talking with Paul Lefebvre who was reminiscing about it.  He said that they cooked so many that the wings would literally be frying in chicken fat which gave them that extra special flavour and crispness.

Winners Sports Bar, under the Best Western PLUS Parkway Inn & Conference Centre tries to bring back those traditions of yesteryear.

They don’t do 10 cent wing night, but they do serve about the best chicken wings I’ve had in the city or area.  These are not scrawny wings.   They’re meaty; juice chunks cooked perfectly.

Mine arrived sizzling at the table and I tried three of their sauces, Guiness BBQ, Hot, and Honey Garlic.

Winners is part Man Cave, part secluded spot to have chat or a meeting.  It’s warm, with rich colours,  and the woody decor says sports! There’s a pool table, pop corn machine and interesting nooks and crannies to have a quiet meeting over a cold draught or meet with your friends and have your Hockey Pool draft!

The prices were good too and of course they have a full menu for lunch and evening.    I had a roast beef of jus on crusty bread previously that was very good and they have fresh fries as well to complement your meal or wings.  They had quite a few bar specials as well when I was there.

Here are ratings for Winners Sports Bar.

Presentation 4.0

Value 4.0

Service 4.0

Zing & Wow 4.0

Overall 4.0  out of 5 Red Hats

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The food exceeded my expectations. It was a new menu. Paul said he hasn’t had time to post it on his web page yet so I was excited to see what was offered. After more than a few minutes reviewing the appetizers and entrees (and trying to imagine what they would taste like) I decided on the Panko encrusted Calamari as an appetizer and the Rack of Lamb with peppermint pesto served on Edaneme Bean Quinoa. My wife decided on the Tempura Beef Carpaccio followed by Veal Cheeks “Slowly braised veal cheeks served with gnocchi, skotidakas goat feta & tomato basil sauce.”  The menu was sheer poetry that painted flavours in my head.

Beef Carpaccio Tempura

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Cornwall ON - The really amazing thing about Cornwall Ontario’s growth is that it’s attracting diverse and interesting options.

Traditional Western style Chinese restaurants are on the decline, but you now can find Sushi in Cornwall and some delectable options at J&T Thai and Japanese ( 208 Montreal Road in the Le Village section of Cornwall)

They have a new menu now; a variation of the buffet where instead of walking over and piling up plates of food you get to choose from over 150 menu options.

Three of us visited there last night and sampled some of the offerings.    I like good sushi and wasn’t disappointed.  The Montreal Roll featured above had a luscious piece of salmon draped over rice with all sorts of flavors hinting through each bite until reaching the fried crab cake centre!

There aren’t a lot of places to have fresh seafood in Cornwall so finding a Japanese restaurant like this was a real treat.   The trick is to sample the different options which would take much more than one visit.

The service was fast, friendly and efficient.  I loved the tempura there as well having both shrimp and mixed veg.   I really enjoyed my Vegetable Pad Thai.  Without the heavier flavors of meat or seafood the seasonings really came alive.

The prices are amazing too.   The Lunch Buffet is $12.95 as of this writing and of course you can use the ala carte menu, take out or delivery service are available too.

Here are ratings for J&T Japoneses & Thai  Restaurant.

Presentation 4.0

Value 5.0

Service 4.5

Zing & Wow 4.0

Overall 4.0  out of 5 Red Hats

photos courtesy of Kevin Lamoureux of KAV Productions!

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Ottawa ON – China Town in Ottawa is quite a mix.   You have fancy palaces and then places where people go to eat every day food.

I never like playing tourist.  I like to eat where people eat every day; especially when it comes to ethnic foods.

Royal Treasure Restaurant at 774 Somerset St. West in Ottawa (613 237 8827) is one of those places.

I’ve eaten there before but this was the first time I’ve done a review there.

We were a group of four and sampled a few different dishes.   Warning – the plates at Royal Treasure are not tiny!   They’re huge and as you can see from the Yang Chow Shrimp fried Rice  are quite full.

The General Tso chicken is about the best I’ve ever had anywhere period.  Light, moist and full of flavours.

There’s a tad more vinegar than the norm which gives it a piquantness and tang!

Again, with a small family run restaurant one of the problems you have with good ones like Royal Treasure is seating.

It’s not that it’s that small of a room, but it’s usually full; especially on a Sunday afternoon when we dined.

Along with these first two dishes we added a whole BBQ Duck.

We also had of course some soup and spring rolls before meal time and they were good too.

The cost and value are truly wondrous; especially in Ottawa.

The four of us dined for less than $70.   Parking is right across from the restaurant in a  parking lot or on the street.

Royal Treasure is closed on Mondays and deliver their Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine as well and can be reached at 613 237 8871

Here are ratings for Royal Treasure Restaurant.

Presentation 4.0

Value 5.0

Service 4.0

Zing & Wow 4.0

Overall 4.0  out of 5 Red Hats

A note about our reviews.  Our reviews are based on expectations on the evenings.    If you want us to review a restaurant you can email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com or call our hotline at 613 361 1755

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Cornwall ON – I love doing food reviews especially when they take me to places like Eight Zero Zero in Cornwall Ontario! (off of the Brookdale exit from the 401)

If you’re a meat lover this is where you want to be.   If you love Filet Mignon there is no finer place for many, many miles.   I mean yes, there are some high end steak houses in Ottawa, Montreal, or Toronto, but why travel all the way to those cities when Eastern Ontario has Eight Zero Zero?   Many people actually travel from some of those cities to dine at Eight Zero Zero.

Chef Ahmad Mansori and his staff understand the delicacy of a good piece of meat.   It’s important; especially in a fine dining room for expectations to be met.   Excuses are not part of a dining experience and that’s why Eight Zero Zero is so renowned.

I always like to bring a bit of a posse when I do reviews so that we can sample many of the dishes.

Chef Ahmad is a Saucier.   A Saucier is a mystical artistic form refined in France.    The sauces at Eight Zero Zero are simply what puts them in another class of dining experience.  Our appetizer of Mussels were simply amazing.  You could taste the freshness and it wasn’t drowned out, but enhanced by the world wide spices and herbs that Chef Ahmad uses like a Wizard waving his wand.

And it’s a good thing the bread is warm and fresh too at Eight Zero Zero as you want every drop of the sauce of any of their dishes.  This shrimp was simply perfect and worth having again.

The same for the Escargot.  Our appetizers had our entire table very very happy…but then came the Entrees….

I had the Lamb because my guests were having Filet and Steak and I love lamb especially when prepared well as Chef Ahmad did!   We also had a plate of grilled veggies and portobello mushrooms which really were just a perfect compliment to our meal.   My lamb was with pistachio nut flavorings.

The filet was cooked magnificently too.  Pictures can’t do the flavour any justice.   You simply have to dine at Eight Zero Zero to appreciate the food, the service, and the amazing wine list they had.   We shared a few bottles of a Masi wine; near the bottom of their price list, but still an amazing wine to match up with our entrees.

My only complaint was being able to find an evening when there was seating available.

Eight Zero Zero does a fine job with its layout.  While not a huge space, it’s laid out so that you can have a quiet meal without having noise from other tables invade your evening.

With all the staff and office parties as well as people just needing a bit of luxury during the crazy Christmas season it’s always best to make  Reservations for Eight Zero Zero.

The service was superb as well.

Our server, Bella, had a strong understanding her menu and was supportive without being invasive.

Eight Zero Zero is at 800 Cumberland in Cornwall Ontario. (East on 9th Street from Brookdale Avenue)  Parking is plentiful and free.

To call for reservations the number is (613) 936-0322.

Or you can visit them on the web.

Here are ratings for Eight Zero Zero

Presentation 4.5

Value 4.0

Service 4.5

Zing & Wow 4.5

Overall 4.5  out of 5 Red Hats

A note about our reviews.  Our reviews are based on expectations on the evenings.    If you want us to review a restaurant you can email us at info@cornwallfreenews.com or call our hotline at 613 361 1755

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Cornwall ON - We had a lovely day Saturday.   We went to see Burlesque and had a really good time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC7wQylNjyE

Stanley Tucci stole the movie and Kristen Bell as a Dita Von Teese sorta lookalike with a drink issue was kinda fun, but the magic was Christina Aguilera belting out tune after tune.

Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel

Burlesque’s one failure was that it only hinted the dirty, seedy, jaded desperation and just not caring anymore of the dirty thirties type of Burlesque.  It felt sanitized which it probably was for mass consumption.

Cher did her romp and the carefully photographed scenes worked.  She gave her fan base what they were looking for.

Burlesque is playing at a theatre near you.  It’s definately a theatre big screen kind of movie!

After a few cocktails it was time to eat so the five us headed over to Thum’s Kitchen Thai Cuisine (613-932-5155  - 1615 Pitt St in Cornwall Ontario) and we got to munching.

I love good Thai food.   I love most Asian food and I’d heard some good things about Thum’s.

We ordered the shrimp and pork rolls as well as the Tom Yam soup.    I’m a huge fan of Tom Yam and have had it all over North America.

You can see many different versions of Tam Yam and while Thum’s was good soup it wasn’t quite Tom Yam enough.  The broth was rich and scented nicely, but it was a bit light.

We all had different dishes and the entrees were all excellent and where Thum’s really excels.    The Pad Thai’s were yummy, full of flavor’s scents, and munchie.  The food was very fresh with two of us having mixed seafood.

The highlight was the curry.  I haven’t had curry this good in ages and probably nowhere in Eastern Ontario.  Gentle, velvety, but full throttled with a kick if you like a kick.   I had the duck with seedless grape curry and it was filling and yummy.

We were a bit perplexed by the restaurant charging extra for steamed rice with the curry, but restaurants do things differently sometime.

The service was amazing; fast, friendly, and on the mark.   Our only pause was the value end.    The restaurant seemed a tad pricey, (our dinner for 2 without wine and two appys came out to about $60 with tip; our friends with a litre of wine was about $75) but they did deliver the goods and sometimes that’s worth a bit extra.

I’m going to give Thum’s 3 and a half Red Hats!

Presentation 4.0

Value 3.0

Service 4.5

Zing & Wow 3.5

Overall 3.5  out of 5 Red Hats

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Cornwall ON - It happens once every month or so and it takes a lot of time and love to prepare, but if you’re one of the lucky few to get a seat in the sold out Wine Tastings at Moustache Joe’s you know what I’m talking about.

It’s not easy coordinating a high level of food for such a large group, but Joe Aiello and his family and staff manage to do it every time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd5W4wjGqn0

The tasting this time was all about Italy.  All of the wines were from Italy and of course the food…..

The Hors d’Oeuvres were a mix of cheeses, crab and shrimp cakes, and other tid bits paired with a Santa Margherita Prosecco ($17.95 from the LCBO)

Then a treat, we had Ricotta Gnudi in a rich Chicken and Parmesean broth.    The Gnudi essentially are what would be in a tortellini or ravioli without the noodle casing.   They were quite delicate and the herbs and flavours meshed well with our Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio Verduzzo $(14.95)

What fest of Italy wouldn’t have pasta?  Tonights was Ziti Soprano which was quite flavourful.   Moustache Joe’s Home made sauce always makes pasta a special treat.   It was paired up with a Chianti Classico Riserva from 2005 ($43.95)

To balance the palette a bit and spice things up a very large Shrimp fra Diavolo was presented to us.    The only complaint is that there wasn’t a mountain of them.   They were perfectly cooked, spicy, and flavoured sensationally.

They were matched up with the hit of the night wine wise at our table showing that you don’t have to be expensive to be good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK6iFxB-IcU

The Feudi San Pio Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore 2007 ($15.95) was so good I’ll be searching out for some for our table.

Then it was show time.   The main course which was Veal Rollatini served with some Asparagus wrapped in proscuitto and smashed potatoes.

The Veal was stuffed with spinach, herbs and spices and the potatoes were injected with bits of garlic and a lot of bang.   They were quite tasty and the plate was matched up with a musky Farnese “Casale Vecchio” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 ($12.35)

Chocolate.    How many ways can we enjoy Chocolate?  The fest ended with about five!    The Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse was amazing.  Light, filling, and definitely chocolate.

“Almost better than Sex!”

Exclaimed Lorraine Noé after biting in.     The desert was paired with Giandua Cioccolato e Grappa ($29.95)  A fine Chocolate flavored Grappa.

A lovely evening.  A lot of good chat and lovely food with amazing family like service.    Truly an evening to remember.

Moustache Joe’s won’t be having a wine tasting in December.  Visit them at 109 Pitt Street in beautiful downtown Cornwall Ontario for your business lunch, amazing dinner, Friday and Saturday night Prime rib, or for that very special occasion call them at 613 937 0700 for catering.   Tell them you saw their review on The Cornwall Free News!

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Cornwall ON – There’s a new place in town.  Not like the old place.   It’s got a cool vibe.  It’s sleek and the beverages flow!  I have a lot of meetings in Cornwall with clients, interviewing people, and general mingling, and there are some fine places, but the new Truffles Burger Bar at the Corner of Pitt and Second in beautiful downtown Cornwall Ontario has upped the ante.

It’s a chic mix of comfort food while at the same time being a classy and hot place to meet for a drink after work or at lunch.  At night it goes into high gear with music from DJ Angus changing the vibe.

I’ve yet to be there when the place wasn’t packed and actually had to wait for a table Friday night which is always a good sign.

The food is fresh and different.   It’s not your average burger joint.   The folks at Truffles really have attained something with their menu that offers flavour, value, and taste mixed with the focus of eating local, hand made, anti-biotic free, and organic healthier foods.

From Aligator to Seafood, or even Vegan, there are choices to make each visit interesting.    The European style fries are amazing too and with the right side of mayo take you places I’m not sure potatoes were ever dreamed of going.

The options include sweet potato fries and even a blooming onion.

So far I’ve had a Bison Burger, and the Lamb Burger.   My guests have sampled The Cross Fit burger ( Juicy burger between Portobello mushroom caps) the Texas BBQ burger and of course because he had to try it, the Alligator Burger.

The wine selection is wonderful too, with great flavours again at amazing values.   The red wine from Spain for only $15 per bottle rounded out our meal wonderfully!  Our meal for three with tax and tip was under $75 including alcohol.

We’re going to give Truffles 4 out of 5 Red Hats!

Presentation 4.5

Value 5.0

Service 4.0

Zing & Wow 4.0

Overall 4  out of 5 Red Hats

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Cornwall ON - It’s that time again.   One of the most amazing epicurean evenings in the Cornwall area takes place at Moustache Joe’s.    They host a wine tasting evening that includes a 5 course meal and speaker.  It’s by Reservation only and sells out quite quickly.   Call Joe, Donna, Amanda, or any of the Moustache Joe’s family to book now before you get left out of the August 17th tasting at their fine restaurant at 109 Pitt Street in Downtown Cornwall Ontario!

And Moustache Joe’s isn’t just the lunch place where you can munch on Veal Parmesean, Shrimp & Lobster Lingiuni or a delightful Salmon toasted panini sandwich.    They also do an amazing Prime Rib every Friday and Saturday night and cater to your party or event.  It’s the perfect place to have a lovely dinner with friends and family.  The freshness, and quality of their home cooked meals that consistently hit the mark, and their family service make Moustache Joe’s one of the top restaurants in Cornwall Ontario.

Additional Products
Moustache Joe’s carries a line of italian oils & additional products available for sale individually or as part of our gourmet gift baskets. We even carry italian beverages.

Platters
Are you planning a get together or office party?  They specialize in creating a variety of platters designed to satisfy your needs.  Please give Moustache Joe’s 24 hours notice when ordering platters.
All platters serve 12-15 people

Viva Italia
Mortadella, Italian Salami, Provolone, Bocconcini, Friulano & Black Olives

Gourmet Cheese
A flavorful assortment of imported cheeses paired with juicy red and green grapes.

Mediterranean Panini
Assorted Italian Deli Panini

Traditional Italian
Prosciutto, Genoa Salami, Capicolla, Toscany Ham, Garnished with Imported Olives.

Antipasto
Roasted Red Peppers, Mushrooms, Eggplant, Artichoke Hearts, Bocconcini & Tomatoes

Prosciutto Melone
Assorted melons topped with parma ham.

Garden Vegetable
Variety of fresh vegetables served with house dip.

Fresh Fruit
A variety of fresh, in-season fruit, served with yogourt dip.

Assorted Dessert
Choose from a selection of our delicious varieties.

Hungry yet?  I know I am.   Visit Moustache Joe’s at 109 Pitt Street or to make Dinner Reservations or book your seat for the Wine Tasting you can call them at 613.937.0700 and tell them you saw their ad on The Cornwall Free News!

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