Balans Brickell: Miami Florida

Wednesday after having being woken up early it the morning due to unauthorized construction in the apartment above us and not having a good frying pan or cooking utensils, we venture out for food. Just down the road from our rental is Mary Brickell square which boasts several cute restaurants and cafes. Since our morning trek includes starbucks we have passed this quaint establishment a few times and today decide to give it a shot. Arriving a bit later than usual for breakfast we are instinctively provided lunch menus. With nothing specifically jumping out at us, we enquire if they are still offering breakfast, the hostess acknowledges that breakfast is still available and brings us two menus to review. The chorizo con papas immediately catches my eye, and at 7.95 it boasts two eggs, chorizo sausage, salsa and potatoes...so I decide to give it a try. SJ opts for the breakfast burrito listed at 9.25 and adds chorizo for an additional 2$. Adding two mimosas to our meal for $8 each we enjoy the outdoor atmosphere and the fan that is (thankfully) strategically pointed in our direction.


The service, efficient and fast, lead to our food arriving rather swiftly after our order.


SJ's burrito looked rather appetizing. A large flour burrito delicately drizzled with sour cream and accompanied with salsa. The first bite was great, eggs and cheese well mixed, not too little cheese not too much egg. My plate, with the scrambled eggs, looked rather large, more than the typical two eggs. The salsa provided was fresh and suited the dishes well. The only thing I can say about my meal was the potatoes and chorizo sausage were VERY greasy...so much that I could see the oil collecting at the bottom of my plate, and although I usually enjoy crispy potatoes, I don't enjoy them soaked in oil. There is a distinct difference between crispy and over fried. To top it off, the chorizo was so hard my fork could not penetrate it....honestly. Having had chirozo several times, SJ and I know that it can be prepared differently. So harder than others is somewhat understandable, but these were way over cooked. SJ's chorizo was also hard and barely edible. It may have been the late breakfast order, because it really seemed like these had sat under a heat lamp or on the side of the grill for several hours. The mimosas we ordered were good however and the eggs done well....I mean how can you screw up eggs right?? Well, unless you happen to go to a certain resort in Cuba...but that's a story for another time.


Our waitress was attentive and friendly. However based on this experience, the potatoes and chorizo being sooooooooo oily and hard, I would definitely not return for breakfast. I would however give it another try but stick to the lunch menu and stay away from brunch....

Location visited: 213 SE 1st St. (Mary Brickell Village)

Ratings:
Ambiance: Cafe
Cuisine: International
Presentation: Average
Price: $15/serving
Service: Average
Value: Below Average




The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

The Velvet Glove: Winnipeg Manitoba

11:30am at the Fairmont Winnipeg and I wander into the Velvet room while looking for a place to work before I catch my flight out.
Greeted by a friendly and professional waitress who is forewarned of my intention to stay for awhile, she takes my drink order. Being 11:30am, I decided that my usual double may be too much for the time of day, and opted for a single. The waitress explained the lunch special and hurried off to grab my drink. The ambiance here is that of modern elegance and the music playing in the background is trendy, mellow and just loud enough to add to the ambiance. After looking at the menu which is filled with light food fair, I decide upon the Baker’s Dozen Adobo Chicken Wings. You probably wonder why chicken wings? Well SJ and I have been in this lounge a few times this week and every time we have opted for something different, and seeing as SJ makes the best wings I have ever tasted I didn’t want to get the wings here. This being said, as we have been soooo busy and between places SJ has not had the opportunity to make chicken wings in quiet sometime, so I am CRAVING wings...thus I succumb to ordering them when he is not around... =P As the place was empty with only one other patron seated, my drink arrived swiftly and my order taken.

Arriving quickly the first bite of my wings was surprising. The chicken was tender and juicy, not spicy, like one would imagine...quiet enjoyable. Garnished with carrot sticks and celery this dish was an adequate size and perfect to nibble on while I remain at the lounge for my extended stay. Could it have been my craving for wings that made this taste so good? I doubt it..... Let me be clear, these are not your typical wings, not doused in sauce, but rubbed with spice and accompanied with a rich blue cheese dressing. They were far from spicy, and had an almost sweet aromatic flavour to them.

Although the lounge got very busy for the lunch crowd, with almost every table filled, my waitress still working alone, managed to effectively tend to everyone and bring me another drink.

Almost 2 hours into my seating in the lounge the place slowed down a bit and I debated internally on ordering desert...not because I was hungry, but just because I was tiring of drinking and had been eyeing two of the deserts listed on the menu from the first day we walked in for drinks... when prompted if I wanted another drink, I opted for a latte and a vanilla cheese cake... had to get a desert and sober up a bit before my next round of drinks with SJ. The vanilla cheesecake was presented very well with pieces of strawberries and drizzled strawberry confection over a pile of whipped cream. Having only a few bites I decided it was good, typical not exceptional...pretty much what you could get at any store.

Oh, one other thing...the bar nuts that they serve. Out of this world!!! Regular peanuts but with a cracked pepper and lime coating that made for an addictive taste. Very good.


11:30am at the Fairmont Winnipeg and I wander into the Velvet room while looking for a place to work before I catch my flight out.
Greeted by a friendly and professional waitress who is forewarned of my intention to stay for awhile, she takes my drink order. Being 11:30am, I decided that my usual double may be too much for the time of day, and opted for a single. The waitress explained the lunch special and hurried off to grab my drink. The ambiance here is that of modern elegance and the music playing in the background is trendy, mellow and just loud enough to add to the ambiance. After looking at the menu which is filled with light food fair, I decide upon the Baker’s Dozen Adobo Chicken Wings. You probably wonder why chicken wings? Well SJ and I have been in this lounge a few times this week and every time we have opted for something different, and seeing as SJ makes the best wings I have ever tasted I didn’t want to get the wings here. This being said, as we have been soooo busy and between places SJ has not had the opportunity to make chicken wings in quiet sometime, so I am CRAVING wings...thus I succumb to ordering them when he is not around... =P As the place was empty with only one other patron seated, my drink arrived swiftly and my order taken.

Arriving quickly the first bite of my wings was surprising. The chicken was tender and juicy, not spicy, like one would imagine...quiet enjoyable. Garnished with carrot sticks and celery this dish was an adequate size and perfect to nibble on while I remain at the lounge for my extended stay. Could it have been my craving for wings that made this taste so good? I doubt it..... Let me be clear, these are not your typical wings, not doused in sauce, but rubbed with spice and accompanied with a rich blue cheese dressing. They were far from spicy, and had an almost sweet aromatic flavour to them.

Although the lounge got very busy for the lunch crowd, with almost every table filled, my waitress still working alone, managed to effectively tend to everyone and bring me another drink.

Almost 2 hours into my seating in the lounge the place slowed down a bit and I debated internally on ordering desert...not because I was hungry, but just because I was tiring of drinking and had been eyeing two of the deserts listed on the menu from the first day we walked in for drinks... when prompted if I wanted another drink, I opted for a latte and a vanilla cheese cake... had to get a desert and sober up a bit before my next round of drinks with SJ. The vanilla cheesecake was presented very well with pieces of strawberries and drizzled strawberry confection over a pile of whipped cream. Having only a few bites I decided it was good, typical not exceptional...pretty much what you could get at any store.

Oh, one other thing...the bar nuts that they serve. Out of this world!!! Regular peanuts but with a cracked pepper and lime coating that made for an addictive taste. Very good.

Overall experience was great. I did not feel rushed, the waitress was friendly and accomodating and the atmosphere good.

Location visited: 2 Lombard Place

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




The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

Hamilton Beach Grill: Vancouver BC

Out for dinner with a couple of friends and they suggest the Hamilton Street Grille. Coinciding with the annual “Dine out Vancouver” event, we decide to give it a shot. Now if any of you have participated in Dine out Vancouver, it’s a local opportunity to taste the best cuisine that Vancouver has to offer at affordable prices. There are many restaurants that participate, and the Hamilton Beach Grille was one of them this year.

Most participating restaurants will also offer their regular menu as well, in the event that you don’t find anything off the special menu to your liking. Having been told by our friends who were accompanying us that it was one of their favourite restaurants we decided to give it a shot. The restaurant’s design was funky and eclectic with open beamed ceilings, and soft lighting which added to the overall charm of the establishment.

SJ and I, having reviewed the dine out menu, decided to order from the regular menu...I mean isn’t the premise of this blog so we can give the “man on the street” review? That wouldn’t be possible ordering from the Dine Out Vancouver menu knowing it should be the best of the best, specially prepared to entice return visits...plus nothing quite jumped out at either of us (lol). For appies we chose phyllo prawns and black and blue ahi tuna. These were presented well and tasted perfect. The prawns accompanied with mascarpone, crab, sun-dried tomato stuffing and a roasted garlic tomato sauce, was succulent and very enjoyable. The Ahi Tuna seared rare accompanied with wasabi and ponzu sauces, was equally enjoyable and these two appies set a very high expectation for our entrees. I decided on Cavatappi (a spiral pasta) with house-made chorizo sausage covered with a tomato cream sauce, while SJ choose the Mushroom Risotto, which (as described in the menu) came accompanied with braised leeks, parmesan cheese and truffle butter. SJ was rather unimpressed to discover zucchini pieces and onions scattered throughout the dish when it arrived...which were not mentioned in the menu nor mentioned by our waitress (who, to her credit was on her first day of work...so we won’t mention how disjointed the service was and just assume she has improved or moved onto another establishment).

The Mushroom Risotto although cooked perfectly was bland and not nearly as creamy as SJ would have expected. This dish came topped with deep fried onion frazzles which SJ claims made the dish bearable. My pasta, which was overcooked, lacked sauce. The dish was largely unimpressive, sausage dry, and also overcooked. Now I may be picky, but I sort of expect pasta to come with some sauce. This was quite reminiscent of pasta that had been cooking too long, along with a sauce reduction. If that’s what they were going for, they succeeded.... SJ and I were rather disappointed as the appies were so great...obviously we both chose mains that left something to be desired.

For desert we were convinced to try their Ginger Bread pudding....and we were glad. I am not a fan of ginger bread, but this dish, served warm and sprinkled with ginger then topped with ice cream was absolute heaven. SJ and I devoured it without hesitation.

The overall experience had highs and lows. The appies amazing, the mains disappointing and the desert heavenly. We may visit this establishment again to test out other mains, but with Vancouver being a city with so many chefs, amazing and surprising restaurants, we may not get around to it. There’s a lesson to be learned here in that exact vein. With the decline of service levels as a whole, and in a competitive landscape such as most urban centers are, you really only get one shot to impress, or conversely, disappoint. Something to keep in mind.

Location visited: 1009 Hamilton Street

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




The Meal Truth - Undercover food critics

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