Cheesecake Factory: Miami Florida

After dropping some serious coin at the mall we decided to drop in and have a quick bite. Now here in Alberta, there is a pathetic carbon copy of this place called the Cheesecake Cafe so if you have only ever been there, don't be fooled, this place is quite different in many ways...

Monday evening at roughly 10pm and the place is completely packed. We provided our names and were given a pager. Having been told the wait would be roughly 20 mins we waited patiently until our pager began to vibrate, only to find out we were in for another 10 minute wait in a seating cue. What’s the point to making us wait twice? Regardless, our waiter dropped by quickly to grab our drink orders, which we inhaled instantly. After drinking down 2 pomegranate mojitios prior to ordering our appies and mains, we quickly realized that at $9 each these mojitios would not only be highly addictive but quite expensive. But damn they were good!!!

We ordered the sliders to start, and when they arrived, we couldn't help but notice the sheer size of it. Downing 4 sliders and a mound of fries, we were relieved that we chose it to share. The size of the sliders were larger than average, all in all a larger portion than we expected. More like a main, than an appetizer.

While ordering our second round of drinks we advised the waiter of our chosen mains; the burrito grande and the green chili cheeseburger. On our 3 round of drinks we notice that it's been a while since we ordered our entrees. Looking around we can see people seated after us that were already eating, so we enquired with the waiter how much longer the meals would be, as 45 mins had passed since we ordered. Looking slightly concerned, he said he would check with the kitchen and be right back. Now let me take a moment to describe our waiter, young, tall, handsome with a great smile and personality. And let me clarify here, that I would not have noticed him, however SJ (the secure man he is), made a comment on how good looking the waiter was and how HE could almost have a man crush on him...so of course I now took a good look! [SJ's edit...know your enemy]

Anyhow, I digress. After about another 10 mins, a manager shows up to apologize that we haven't received our meals and explains there was a mix up in the kitchen. He offered us something more to eat...salad, anything, while we wait.....we politely refuse and explain we probably couldn't eat much more. He left assuring us that he is having our meals brought out as soon as possible, and insists we order dessert on the house.

About 5 minutes later our waiter returns with our entrees, his demeanour quite a bit different, no mention of the mix up....very odd. Usually when something happens in a kitchen the waiter goes out of his way to recognize the mistake and ensure the remaining experience is a good one. I can only chalk it up to inexperience, although he was good for the most part, it was obvious he didn't like the fact something had gone wrong and seemed a bit distant until we finished half of our meals. I can't really conclude the exact reason the service changed, could have been he was busy, maybe he just didn't know how to act and assumed that we were not going to tip well....no idea...I will say that the service was good for the most part though, just not the same as prior to our issue with the entrees.

Regardless, we finished as much as we could, as the portions...if you've never been...are HUGE. And I do mean HUGE. My burrito grande was just as the name suggests, GRANDE....and oh so good. Accompanied with guacamole, salsa and sour cream this burrito was sooooooooo good. Although I was stuffed, I actually managed to consume half of it. The green chili burger SJ ordered was equally large. Accompanied with Spicy Fire-Roasted Green Chiles and Onions topped with Crispy Tortilla Strips, Melted Cheese, Tomato Salsa and Chipotle Mayo the burger, onions was very satisfying.

As the manager had insisted that we order desert, we went for...well cheesecake. Unfortunately we were so full we didn't get to eat it, and it "died" in our fridge along with the half of the burrito I couldn't finish. Now I know from experience, the cheesecake here is heavenly, so although we didn't have it on this occasion, we know it would have been great.

We paid the bill, and left a decent tip. As SJ and I left, we were stopped in the parking lot by our waiter. SJ left his cell at the table, and our waiter noticed when he grabbed the bill and ran out to hand it to us. A very nice thing to do. [SJ's edit. Second time I have left my cell phone somewhere. Age is definitely creeping up on me]

The experience on the whole was good. I probably would have appreciated a discount on the bill rather than free food, but regardless, we were treated well, our food was great, and the quality equally good.

SJ and I will definitely return to another cheesecake factory in the future.

Location visited: 7497 Dadeland Mall

Ratings:
Ambiance: Contemporary
Cuisine: American
Presentation: Average
Price: $20/serving
Service: Average
Value: Above Average



The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

The Ground Floor Urban Diner: Winnipeg Manitoba

Arriving 1 hour prior to close, we entered a rather empty restaurant. The ambiance of this place is difficult to explain, but we settled on "upscale casual". Regardless of the label, the atmosphere would be greatly improved by dimming the lights and changing the window coverings, as the venetian blinds tend to cheapen the overall effect.

Drink orders were taken right away by a pleasant and professional waiter. Having been given 3 menus to look at, we chose to stick with the diner menu which provided a list of entrees. The menu mentioned that the entrees come with sides, however the sides were not listed on any of the three menus we looked at. The table also had a jam stand, which seemed out of place given the paintings and music. Now, granted, we were in an hour before close, so maybe that was the reason they were out. But I got the feeling the restaurant isn't quite sure what they want to be yet, as the music, the fixtures, and the paintings, all said "upscale casual", yet the jam stand screamed "Dennys".

We ordered the chicken fingers for a shared appie, which came with a jalapeno ailoi, and SJ ordered the rigatoni with meat sauce and Caesar salad, while I chose the double stuffed pork chop with rice and a Greek salad. Upon placing my entree order the waiter informed us that the pork chop entree took 30 mins to prepare and that he always informs patrons of this prior to ordering. Good practice in setting expectations.

Presentation of the chicken fingers was a bit odd as they were garnished with lettuce, tomato, and a pickle....along with a few peppers skewered on a toothpick. Furthermore the aioli dip came in a plastic container. Those are two things you just don't expect to hear in the same sentence...aioli and plastic container. Just call it as it is....dip. The dip had a hint of honey mustard which was good, but not spicy at all as the description would suggest. The fingers themselves were a good portion. Tender, not over cooked, and lightly battered.

The salads came, and the Greek salad was pretty good. Chunks of feta, piled in a plate with ample veggies....no skimping here. Caesar salad was ok, not too overpowering, although a tad too much dressing. The croutons were homemade and nicely done. Maybe if they had mixed it better in the kitchen it would have covered each leaf adequately instead of drowning the leaves towards the bottom of the salad.

We had held out a lot of hope for the entrees, because we really didn't want to give this place a bad review as they had asked us to anonymously review them....but here we go. The double stuffed pork chop was cooked just like mom used to make...a large bland piece of tremendously overcooked meat with sauce drizzled on top of it. Now in my world, a double stuffed pork chop, means a pork chop that is fileted with stuffing throughout. Here however, the small amount of stuffing that there was, was injected, and only close to the bone. Leaving me with a piece of VERY over cooked pork that was bland and tasted like something that had been sitting in the oven for way too long. Frankly, if this is the amount of stuffing that comes in a double stuffed pork chop, I would really hate to see the "single" stuffed chop. Clearly, the "double" referred to the massive pork chop. This was an apparent example of quantity rather than quality....very sad indeed because the stuffing was rather good, but the amount (2 tablespoons at the most) did not offset the horrid pork chop.

SJ's rigatoni was actually done pretty well though. The pasta was cooked properly, and the meat sauce wasn't too bad. It would have benefited from some more spice however, or even some chili flakes to spice it up a little more. When we requested some chili flakes, the waiter enquired with the kitchen but to no avail, instead offering Tabasco sauce as a substitution.

After digging out the little stuffing available from my ginormous pork chop and using it to offset the lack of taste, we were done...deciding to skip anything else offered.

Overall experience, odd and slightly disappointing. It really does seem that this establishment is not sure what they want to be when they "grow up". The disjointed ambiance and menu, accompanied with a lack of quality in the entrees, would make it unlikely that we would return again. I would only recommend this place if you were staying in the attached hotel and looking for a quick meal, or they give it a distinct identity. Perhaps investing in some resources that could make meals in which quality reigns over quantity. This experience had highlights and lowlights making me wonder exactly how much thought went behind the recent overhaul...they have a bit of work to do yet in our opinion.

Location visited: 190 Smith Street

Ratings:
Ambiance: Contemporary
Cuisine: Canadian
Presentation: Average
Price: $20/serving
Service: Above Average
Value: Average




The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

Cafe Prima Pasta: Miami Beach Florida

Wednesday night at 9pm and the place is still quite busy. The patio
is full so we are seated inside. Upon requesting a seat outside we are
accommodated and are seated at the bar to wait. Having our usual drinks we opt for singles. Now if you have ever been to most places in the US, you will know that they "free pour" the drinks, so a regular drink has the strength of 1.5 or a double...this place is no exception! When our table was ready, the host grabbed our drinks and escorted us to our table. The atmosphere is very cool, you can tell it started off, and has remained, a family oriented establishment. The walls are covered with pictures of famous people who have visited this restaurant, and it lends a very quaint and comfortable feel to the place. In addition, the staff is very friendly and our waiter in particular was very knowledgeable and engaging.

Seated outside our waiter immediately noticing we had drinks, and asked us if we had any questions or if we wanted anything further. I, the water drinker, requested a glass of water with a lemon in it. Shortly after having received our water, a few rolls of fresh bread were delivered. Looking around for butter, we requested some, which came shortly...however, a minute later our waiter dropped by with a unique olive oil mixture that they usually serve with the bread....and WOW was it good! I'm sure we have all been privy to the common practice of dipping bread into an olive oil/balsamic vinegar solution, but this had pesto, chili flakes, and bits of garlic, which was simply an amazing combination... Sooooooooo goooooood.... So we forgot all about the butter and stuck with the dip.

Our appies arrived quickly...crab cakes and bruschetta. The bruschetta had buffalo mozzarella something that I have never had before, but oddly found it adopted the flavor of the brucestta, making the entire dish quite appetizing. Eloquently presented, it came in a plate of three and was perfect. The bread wasn't too hard, just the right toasted consistency and the tomatoes scattered throughout. Our crab cakes were accompanied with a mango salsa/chutney and a small salad. The presentation of the two were great and the taste, out of this world...just the perfect blend of herbs and being on the patio we noticed the location, although off the "beating tourist path", was noisy as traffic passed by. But being off the strip has definite advantages, as this place maintains more of a quaint feeling. If SJ and I had walked away with just our appies we would have walked away completely satisfied.

Dinner arrived and the special that SJ ordered was a tomato bolognese sauce with cream and itailian sausage. Simply amazing! Filling, generous portions, creamy and scrumptious. My veal piccata paired with lemon sauce and capers, and was simply to die for. Not too salty, not too much lemon. The dish was perfect, and the pasta that accompanied it was done perfectly...not over cooked at all...just right.

Finishing off our bottle of wine SJ and I couldn't help but wonder why there aren't many more places like this around, a flourishing family restaurant that serves great food, great quality, and provides that feeling of comfort and home.

At the end of the meal, the waiter brought us a few biscotti cookies...adding to the warmth of the experience. This place is a gem. A cozy little neighborhood restaurant with chefs who prepare wonderful dishes, that are served by excellent staff. It is a must try if you're ever in Miami. If you like Italian food, you're sure to love this place.

Location visited: 414 71st street (Miami Beach)

Ratings:
Ambiance: Romantic
Cuisine: Italian
Presentation: Above Average
Price: $30/serving
Service: Above Average
Value: Above Average



The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

Scoozis :Vancouver British Columbia

Now some places deserve special mention for the experience, the staff and the food. This is definitely a place that has not only left me with amazing memories and a warm feeling, but a place that will definitely see my return. Scoozis, a restaurant that probably needs no introduction to Vancouverites, as it has been around since 1988, is a warm inviting family of staff and patrons. The food is made with love and attention, and the staff a true delight. On this occasion (my first in several years), I was pleased to have the honour of meeting the owner, Michael, a man who went to culinary school in Montreal and has created everything on the menu. His creations are infused with the flavours of the Mediterranean to create something very special.

I can’t explain how comfortable I felt here, as a person dining alone I was provided special attention and the staff made me feel extremely welcome; like one of the family. Those that know me, know that I tend to draw some attention, this could be because of my (often referred to) infectious smile or sweet demeanour, but the experience here will leave me with a friend and a love of not only this place but also the food. [SJ: or possibly because you talk to EVERYONE and you're attractive? jeez Lol]

So in the spirit of reviewing here I go:
Calling ahead to find out if the restaurant served spirits, as the website only mentioned beer and wine, I was pleasantly surprised to find a new friend, wonderful people, and a great time. This Mediterranean restaurant close to my hotel, was not only what I needed after a hard week, but a jewel to find in an industry mainly unconcerned with personalized customer service.

Located on Howe in downtown Vancouver, Scoozis boasts an outside patio and a comfy indoor atmosphere. Seated immediately by the host (Editors note: Michael the owner as I discover later) in the middle of the restaurant close to the kitchen. Speaking in Greek (I can only assume) he proceeds to call me a princess and mentions something in passing about how beautiful I look. Now, in most cases I would assume he was hitting on me, but the way he said it was meant to be a compliment and nothing more. After being seated, Mike, a man I later discover has been working with Michael for 44 years, takes my drink order (of course my usual). Now having been sat by myself in an open area I was feeling a bit left out as the staff were busy tending to tables and passing by to smile. Michael noticing I was ready to order, dropped by and asked me if I was ready. Having looked at the menu and being interested to try something homemade, I ask him if the meatballs were. Immediately as if I had asked a silly question, Michael said he had to show me something and proceeded to grab my hand and lead me into the kitchen and on the stove was a rack of freshly made meatballs. Breaking off a piece to have me taste it he proceeded to ask me if I liked them. Now if you’ve never tasted these meatballs, they are great. Not salty nor overcooked, and just the right combination of garlic, onions and seasoning to make me order that for dinner.

Trusting Michaels knowledge of his menu he brought me half a dozen spicy meatballs, served with hot pita bread, ceasar salad, tzataiki sauce and feta cheese. The dish, a good portion, was filling and delicious. At this point I had a strange feeling that Michael thought I was someone else, as he mentioned he would come back to chat then proceeded to ask if I still worked at the same place. Immediately clearing up the mistake we both had a great chuckle over it, and although I feared the wonderful service would end, it didn’t. As customers continued to pour in he took time to sit and talk, discussing life, the journey to where he is, and taking me on a tour of the restaurant. Adorning the walls of this place are photos of friends and family. Taking the time to show me his journey in life, pictures of his children and the friends that have enjoyed 40 plus years of marriage, it was obvious that not only his food was infused with love, but the entire restaurant, as he surrounded himself with great memories and people.

For desert Michael brought me his version of an apple strudel to celebrate my recent engagement to the love of my life. Covered in honey and garnished with strawberries, pineapple, and cinnamon, this Scoozis version of an apple strudel was simply heaven. Leaving the coffee selection up to him, he brought me a Spanish coffee (which was damn good, topped with cream and a strawberry) and we continued in pleasant conversation between us and the staff. Learning about his past and the journey he has taken to get where he is, I walked away with an appreciation of what life can bring those who believe in themselves and those around them. Scoozies, a place where you can experience a meal and a snap shot into a family...the experience left me with a warm glow (not from the alcohol) about life and love in general.


Location visited: 445 Howe St

Ratings:
Ambiance: Casual
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Presentation: Above Average
Price: $20/serving
Service: Above Average
Value: Above Average




The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

Steamworks Brewing Company: Vancouver British Columbia

Lunch time in Vancouver and where to go? Meeting with a friend I looked around for a place that’s casual and close enough to the office. Steamworks shows up in my internet search, and not having been there before, I decided to give it a shot and invited SJ and my friend to meet me there. JR, my friend, suggests we meet in the lower level as he knows the bartender there and will provide not only personal attention but fun times. Parking beside the restaurant is paid parking and very convenient. For those of you who have tried parking in downtown Vancouver, you’ll appreciate the convenience of this lot, as the entrance is right off of it. Walking in we noticed the decor is trendy and pub like. Walking down the winding staircase to the basement we notice JR seated waiting for us. Almost immediately the bartender, a very pleasant and easy going guy, took our drink orders and began to go through the recommended dishes with a refreshing honesty. All of us decide for fish and chips as they sounded great and were well recommended.

Pounding back a few drinks our meals arrived without delay. The fish adequately portioned and served with a bit of coleslaw and a mound of fries. I would suggest the coleslaw is more of a decoration as the plates all came with a few bites of it, which was good considering the portions of the fries and fish on the plate. However, if you like coleslaw, you should request more than usual, I am sure they would gladly accommodate such a request. I digress, what to say..... the fish, halibut, were beer battered and lightly deep fried. Not too greasy or over battered...there are few places that have passed our "fish to batter" ratio and this is one of them. The halibut, flaky, juicy, and tender, came in great portions...I thoroughly enjoyed all three pieces of them. The tartar sauce that accompanied them was perfect and, we believe, homemade. SJ has only ever had better tarter sauce in one place, and it was in England. We enjoyed the fish and chips so much that we all requested more tartar sauce and our server brought three more portions for us. I have a tendency to only eat a handful of fries, and in this occasion I ate a few more than usual as they were crispy enough without being greasy or oily, and as I liked the tartar sauce so much, I dipped a few to finish the sauce off.

The overall experience was great. Better than what you would expect for pub fare.... the bartender was entertaining, friendly and honest.

JR's presence made our experience memorable, and the food was a perfect choice...not too heavy or greasy. We would highly recommend that if you’re looking for a good place to have a few drinks and some well cooked pub fare, this would be the place to check out. Remember to visit the bartender downstairs, he is funny, enjoyable, and definitely added to the great experience.

Location visited: 375 Water Street

Ratings:

Ambiance: Casual
Cuisine: Pub Fare / Contemporary
Presentation: Average
Price: $20/serving
Service: Above Average * ( this could be due to our overly entertaining bartender)
Value: Average



The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

Stan’s Pizza Joint: Burnaby British Columbia

Tuesday evening, later than usual, we find ourselves searching for a place to eat and one of our favourite restaurants comes to mind. La Vita Bella in Burnaby. This restaurant, family owned and operated is never too far of a hike for us. So believing this place is owed a review, as the last three times we visited it was great, we make the trek out with Italian food on our minds. Parking around back and walking around to the front we notice it was closed. Closed on a Tuesday? Odd day to be closed, especially when both SJ and I felt like some hot focaccia bread with homemade tapenade. Damn Tuesdays!! So staring at the closed sign like two lost puppies and craving Italian we scoped out the surrounding establishments. Located across the street we noticed a place boasting pizza....Stan’s pizza joint...close enough to Italian and fast...being as hungry as we were at this point we would have gone for anything!! Walking into this place, it offers no real character, nothing special, just a few tables and chairs, and a bar located in the back by the kitchen. Really just a typical fast food pizza joint. After taking a peek around for a suitable piece of realty to sit down on, we were greeted by our server. Friendly and efficient, she dropped off the menu and took our drink orders with ease. Arriving a few minutes later with our drinks she took our dinner order... for the only person serving she was very proficient and knowledgeable, didn’t waste time and was polite.

As I mentioned SJ and I were famished, so ordering the medium size of The Joint Full Load pizza, priced at a mere $13.00, didn’t scare either of us. As we waited for our food to arrive a bunch of younger adults walked in and took a table next to us. Watching the TV’s hanging on the walls we collectively laughed at the comedy network, which was cleverly playing to entertain us. When our pizza arrived, the waitress noticed we were missing chillies and parmesan cheese, so she swiftly grabbed two shakers from another table and brought them to us. Gazing upon our pizza, SJ and I couldn’t help but notice it was, just as the menu suggested, LOADED with toppings. Not like other pizza places that mention items on the pizza but give you 10 small pieces to spread evenly on a large pizza....this was loaded and smelled heavenly. Not wasting another moment, we dove in and devoured the first slice. The crust was crispy yet the inside tender and fluffy, kind of like the crust you get when ordering a pan pizza at pizza hut.

The toppings were fresh and as I mentioned before, very plentiful. SJ not being the chicken lover I am, commented that the pizza would have been better without the chicken as it dulled the bite of the pizza sauce. I concurred, that although the pizza was damn good, it could have done with a tad more oomph in the sauce to offset the bland chicken. Leaving the plate almost empty, and with our stomachs about to burst, we rolled out of the joint and wobbled to our car...

Overall experience: Very good. With the combination of an attentive server, a great pizza and a fast meal this place will be visited again should we feel like a good pizza at an amazing price.

Location visited: 4527 Hastings Street

Ratings:

Ambiance: Pizza Joint / Casual
Cuisine: Pizza
Presentation: Average
Price: $13/serving
Service: Above Average
Value: Great



The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics