10th review: Salad King - $

Hi again Foodies!! SpoonfulofReviews brings you another review this week on the great King of Salad... okay maybe there's so such thing but this review is on the Salad King restaurant, located in Downtown Toronto on Yonge St. (close to UofT, St. George campus)... 

So getting straight into the good stuff: Salad King is  a Thai restaurant... I think. They are definitely Thai influenced but I wouldn't call this joint an authentic Thai restaurant- it's more modern, or commercialized rather... walking in it's a blast of colours and smells to the senses... I was seated rather quickly in a booth of this small, vibrant restaurant with a really young crowd. I was told by a friend of mine that ordering from the Salad King for the first time is really a hit-or-miss kind of game. You sort of have to do your research because there are some items on the menu that are really great, and others that completely miss the mark... Trying to be completely unbiased despite the warnings of my friends I decided to order whatever sounded good...

I ended up ordering the mango salad to start, the mini-shrimp spring rolls as an appetizer, and the Green Curry Chicken and Islamic noodles, as an entree, and finally the lychee ice cream for desert. 

So my eager server, was nice enough and was quick to bring me my orders. Starting with the mango salad, I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't thoroughly impressed either. It was tangy and lacked sweetness, which I feel it desperately needed for me to thoroughly enjoy it. It wasn't the worst precursor to a meal I've had and I wasn't about to let the mediocrity of this salad taint my expectations for the dishes to come. Anyways, next was the mini-shrimp spring rolls. These were actually good- I liked these a lot- then again I'm a big fan of shrimp so this could be my own biases taking the spotlight, but they were well cooked, not too chewy and flavoured well. Then came what I was most looking forward to- the green curry chicken and islamic noodles... So the green curry chicken was decent enough. I feel like it lacked a little flavour- it needed some more spices or something... it was just a little too bland for my liking... but the Islamic noodles definitely saved the meal. These were very good- nothing incredible but definitely good... Lastly the lychee ice cream was a nice ending to an okay meal- it definitely was my favourite part of the entire experience.

Overall SK needs to step up their game. They've got a nice restaurant, central to many students both from Ryerson and UofT, and the atmosphere reflects downtown adequately, with it's colourful decor and youthful clientelle, it's modern and chic. However the food didn't reflect this for me. The food was adequately proportioned- as I couldn't finish my meal and had to take a doggie bag home- and they're also well priced- I spent just under $20 for my meal, not to mention the great service they have, however the food didn't stand up to these great points. Either it was a little too dry or bland, or tasted just okay- there was nothing special about anything I ordered or anything that made me excited in the anticipation of a future visit. I would recommend SK to the busy student who is looking for a nice little place in the busy heart of downtown Toronto, for a quick, inexpensive meal with some classmates or friends, who isn't expecting a whole lot for a little money. Other than that I wouldn't really recommend Salad King at all... and also- why is it called Salad King when 85% of their menu options are meat or actual entree dishes??

SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com - Overall Rating (out of 5 stars) for Salad King:

Service:    ¶¶¶¶  

Food:                     ¶¶

Experience:         ¶¶¶ 

9th Review - The Burger's Priest - $

Hey fellow food lovers! SpoonfulofReviews is back yet again with another review- any takers for what this week's review was about? I don't know why I keep asking when it's already been given away in the title of this post! So this week's review is based on the good, ol' fashion burger- something most of us who have grown up in a Western country can recognize and appreciate. So I decided to scope out The Burger's Priest, a Toronto joint located on Queen St. E. So let's get into the deets:


The Burger's Priest focuses on simplicity. Walking into the restaurant it's perhaps the first thing you notice. No gimmicks, no flashy lights or signs, no over-the-top decor. Just a plain looking restaurant that shouts "all-american". TBP is such a simple, tiny restaurant, so I guess it's expected that you walk in, place your order, pay and leave, rather than eat in... their simplicity is such that they even serve their burgers in brown paper with no logo on it... something about the simple presentation just make it seem way more authentic. 


Walking in and noticing how tiny the place was, I started to wonder if that was a reflection of the size of burger I was going to get. I ended up ordering a veggie burger since I'm not a beef-eater- no offense to any beef-eaters out there... Now I've had my share of veggie burgers. They aren't always horrible as they're made to seem, but then again they aren't always the best either so I was a bit skeptical. So I ordered my burger- oh and I should mention the girl taking my order was so friendly and patient, and when I had ordered a coke with no ice with my order, and received a coke with ice and told her about it, she apologized profusely and was so quick to get me exactly what I had ordered. Anyways, back to the burger... So as I waited for my order, I took note of just how many people were coming into TBP- this place has quite the reputation on the east end... Finally when I got my burger I sort of let out this half- laugh because it was so much bigger than I was expecting. Now that's a burger- McDonald's who?... anyways- the size was impressive, and definitely the infinite amount of people popping in and out was a testament to just how great these burgers were, but the real test was how it tasted...


Let me just say- I don't think I've ever truly had a burger until I had that veggie burger. It was incredible... it was juicy, and greasy, and just crumbled in your mouth... it's one of those things you just can't describe- you need to have it to understand where I'm coming from... I wish I took a picture- but I was too busy enjoying it to have been bothered with immortalizing it with a picture... The veggie burger isn't your typical veggie burger- i.e. ground soy chunks and artificial flavours... rather its a portobello mushroom, stuffed with cheese and covered in a batter and bread crumbs... this is an intense burger... a must try- even for those carnivores who claim to have allergies to vegetables!


The fries were also very good but the burger is the star of the show... and the fact that TBP offers patrons gluten-free and vegetarian options is an added bonus as I've often found it somewhat difficult to find great tasting vegetarian cuisine in Toronto- even as multicultural a city as we are... As most of the burgers on the menu do feature beef patties, I decided to ask a few customers who had ordered after me how they found the beef burgers... they claimed that they were to die for... one guy even said when he dies, he'd like one of those burgers to be buried with him... so whether you're a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore, I'm sure TBP has a burger that'll suit your preferences. They are definitely worth a try and I highly recommend them!

SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com - Overall Rating (out of 5 stars) for The  Burger's Priest:

Service:    ¶¶¶¶  

Food:                     ¶¶¶¶¶

Experience:         ¶¶¶¶ 1/2 

8th Review: Pizzeria Libretto - $$

Welcome back to SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com! This week I bring you yet another exciting review of another great find in Toronto! As the title of this post has given away the latest restaurant to have been reviewed by SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com is the Pizzeria Libretto located in the heart of Little Italy and bordering Portugal Village. I guess it's about time a review on pizza came along- it is after all a staple to many youths... and who doesn't enjoy pizza? And better yet, if it's authentic how can you resist?!


So let's get straight into the good stuff. PL can be found on Ossington Ave. in Toronto, and seems to rarely have a disgruntled customer. I went in on Saturday and of course to no surprise the place was jam packed. But it was a nice busy atmosphere and the staff was so welcoming and worked quickly to find me and my tiny entourage a booth. Once we were seated and brought the menus, I knew before opening it what I wanted... Pizza duh... But like every pizza joint in this city- corporate owned or individual restaurants- there are TONS of options when it comes to Pizza... 


So we started with the fried zucchini fritters, and ordered a pizza with basil leaves and ricotta cheese... The  food took approximately 20 minutes to hit the table- not bad at all... the fritters arrived at the table first and were gone in a blink of the eye- they were amazing! They were nice and crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside, literally melting in your mouth- a delight for anyone's taste buds. Given such an outstanding precursor to the main meal, needless to say my comrades and myself were looking forward to our ricotta cheese-basil leave pizza... when it came to the table it wasn't very appealing to the eye... it looked like someone had overcooked a thin crust, put some strained tomatoes on it, sprinkled whole basil leaves and placed a dollop of ricotta cheese in the centre of the pizza... however we weren't about to let it's appearance deter us from accurately judging how great it might be... unfortunately I was disappointed yet again... the thin crust was floppy and the tomato sauce, though warm was runny... not to mention, the ricotta cheese was cold and tasteless. It goes without saying that this was somewhat disappointing... it seems like many in the restaurant were enjoying their meals however, so perhaps we didn't pick such a great entree this time around... We had decided to pass up on dessert the disappointing ricotta cheese- basil leaf pizza deterred us from doing so...


Regardless, the service was great though I felt the restaurant was a tad over-crowded so thumbs up on that note... This restaurant definitely has superb appeal given its' authentic dishes and location and I would still recommend it to anyone who was looking for authentic Italian cuisine... I would however steer them clear from the entree I had chosen... I guess there's always a chance of a swing and a miss when it comes to reviewing restaurants- thankfully it's been pretty good so far- fingers crossed... well until next week- stay safe, and eat well!!

SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com - Overall Rating (out of 5 stars) for Pizzeria Libretto:

Service:    ¶¶¶¶  

Food:                     ¶¶¶

Experience:         ¶¶¶

7th Review: Raw Aura Organic Cuisine - $-$$

Hello yet again! SpoonfulofReviews is back with- yes you guessed it- yet another review about an excellent restaurant right here in the T dot. So what was it this time? Well as the title of this post has given away, this review is based on the service and cuisine of Raw Aura Organic Cuisine located on Lakeshore Rd. East - major intersection: Lakeshore Rd. East & Elizabeth St. North. RAOC is a tiny little spot, almost bistro like, amid many other restaurants and shops along Lakeshore Rd. East, but it's just one of those places that you'll keep going back to after that first taste...  Before I give away too much, let me give you a little background on this Vegan/gluten-free/dairy-free gem of a place...

Raw Aura aims to provide its patrons with familiar foods but they've managed to tweek it so that it's nutritious, flavour-packed, and incredibly healthy for you.  They don't serve meat. Or dairy, or anything with gluten... Nor do they cook anything above 43 degrees Celcius... Doesn't sound very appetizing I know, but don't discredit them before you've tried what they have to offer.... So what exactly do they have to offer? They offer their customers raw food of course... They serve their cuisine a raw state as it retains digestive enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are usually lost in the heating/cooking process most foods we consume endure, which in turn doesn't make it as healthy for us as we are led to believe... Raw foods are better for digestion, and the flavours are fresh and pure and stand out on their own. RAOC aims to serve only organic foods that are harvested in a responsible way that helps to promote environmental sustainability... So not only do you leave RAOC feeling energized by your meal, but you can also leave knowing that you've aided in reducing our environmental footprint... Okay I know what you're saying at this point- that's cool and all but enough with the jabber- tell me about the food- so lets get into it...

So upon entering RAOC I couldn't help but notice how tiny it looked which would perhaps not be best suited for larger groups, but don't let that stop you from trying out the food at RAOC. Once I'd been seated and handed a menu I was surprised at the list of menu items... It didn't seem possible that they'd have appetizers like nachos with no "real" cheese... And by real I'm referring to dairy cheese... They had quite a few familiar menu items and I couldn't seem to grasp how it'd be possible to make some of these dishes- like the pizza- without a dough crust, or dairy cheese, or pepperoni for you meat lovers out there... Being a big pizza lover I decided to give this one a shot... I ordered the nachos and the pizza... As I waited I noticed a woman beside me who'd just received her order... I asked her what it was she ordered as it looked delicious... She replied that it was the "beet ravioli" and proceeded to eat her meal which by the look on her face seemed like it was excellent... I'll probably try that the next time I visit this establishment...

Approximately 20 minutes later, and I had my meal in front of me, nachos complete with non-dairy cheese and all the raw fixings, and my pizza... Let me just say I didn't think raw food could be prepared in such a way to exude so many flavours but RAOC definitely found a way to do so... This was by far one of the best meals I'd ever had and I couldn't believe it was all raw. Everything was flavourful and I felt healthier by just eating it (lol)... And then there was dessert... First let me say that if you're not crazy about the idea of eating raw-meatless-dairy-less foods just try a dessert... It will change your life... I couldn't decide between the banana chocolate cake or the mint ganache cake... I ended up choosing the mint ganache cake and made a mental note to come back for the banana chocolate cake because it sounded amazing... Anyways I took my first bite of the Mint ganache cake and couldn't believe how good it was... It doesn't seem possible that it was completely vegetarian/vegan, dairy and gluten free and taste that amazing... Yes I had my cake and ate it too... I highly recommend the dessert above anything else!

And of course they get bonus points for doing their part to preserve the environment and for having friendly service. My only criticism would be that it's not an ideal location for larger groups... But other than that it's totally worth a try- you won't be sorry!

SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com - Overall Rating (out of 5 stars) for Raw Aura Organic Cuisine:

Service:    ¶¶¶¶  

Food:                     ¶¶¶¶¶

Experience:         ¶¶¶¶¶