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Poppie’s Fish & Chips || London, UK

Poppie's is considered a London institution for the good old fish & chips.

No fuss and casual stand within the Old Spitalfields Market - we ordered the classic regular haddock with chips.

The cod is the other classic that you can try on their menu.

Huge portions for the "regular" size, the batter was hot and crunchy, flavorful, and mixes perfectly with the soft & fresh haddock piece.

Chips were the fat fries and it complimented so well with the fish.

Need to try when you're in London! (There were lots of good food stands at the market - I recommend sharing one fish & chips if you want to try other foods at the market!)

 Website: http://poppiesfishandchips.co.uk/

Location: Camden & Old Spitalfields Market - tasted in Spitalfields Market, London UK Food:  Fish & Chips Ambience:  Casual, Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.2 nom noms out of 5  

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The Palomar || London, UK

The Palomar is a restaurant inspired from modern Israeli cuisine.

It was on my list of places to try in London. We didn't make a reservation, but having stumbled by while we were visiting Soho right before dinner time, we knew we had to try and grab a spot. (There was a small line already , and it was about 20 mins before they opened for dinner).

App dish ^

Luckily Palmoar has a few spots reserved for customers on a first-come first-serve basis, and with a party of 3, was able to accommodate us. The 20 min wait (the wait before the restaurant opened) was worth it.

We shared our dishes - generally speaking they were tasty and full of flavour. Atmosphere was cozy, trendy, modern-diner environment and a happenin' vibe.

Challah bread - warm & fluffy

Fattoush salad - Tomato, cucumber, za’atar, sumac, pita croutons, brazil nuts & homemade labneh refreshing taste

Polenta Jerusalem -asparagus, mushroom ragout, parmesan & truffle oil- popular dish that tasted a bit like softened mashed potatoes with deliciousness goodies on top

We also had some specials of the day - these included lobster, fish, cooked with Isralie-inspired ingredients & influence. Good & exquisite taste; the waitress will describe these dishes in much greater detail. Prices were also reasonable relative to London standards.

Website: http://thepalomar.co.uk/

Location: Soho- London, UK Food:  Israeli Ambience:  cozy, modern diner setting, happenin' vibe Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.1 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Campechano || Toronto

Campechano is a small, casual Mexican taco joint located in King West.

The place is cozy with Mexican-inspired art over the restaurant, and it makes you feel like you're transported into an authentic taquiera in Mexico.

Known for their home-made tortillas & their tacos, we tried the folllowing tacos:

(their menu is small and you can probably try the whole menu in probably 2-3 visits)

Tortillas for all of the tacos were consistent and had a great, fresh texture

beef flank: juicy & tender, lots of beef flank

shrimp: spicy taco, & a mix of sweet & savoury flavour, sort of like a citrusy zest to it, since they have small pineaple cubes in this taco

chorizo: a bit salty but unique in that they mashed the chorizo and grilled it so its like a crispy breakfast-y type of taco

chicken: tender chicken drizzled with their sauces

Their guac was good - they had pomegrenate seeds on top which adds a flavorful sweet punch to it.

Drinks include agua frescas (heard the hisbiscus tea is good but they did not make it the day we visited), and your typical Latin drinks - margaritas & sangrias.

They only had one dessert - flan with caramel, which is like a cheesecake with caramel sauce.

Website: http://www.campechano.ca

Location: King West Food:  Mexican Ambience:  trendy/hip yet casual, cozy Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.1 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Song Cooks || Toronto

SongCooks is a Korean restaurant focusing on traditional Korean dishes, as well as Korean-Chinese dishes.

Owners really know their dishes well and they try to raise awareness of a number of unique Korean dishes besides the few famous dishes known in “food-courts” to their guests.

You can sit in regular tables or sit in traditional Korean seating where you can take off your shoes and cross your legs while eating.

There are a couple of Song Cook’s restaurants around the GTA area-  just FYI they are not related!

Order some soju (I personally like the soju wine), and share some dishes amongst the table!

We ordered the bibimbap (Classic rice dish),  seafood pancake (delicious),  delicious noodles (can’t go wrong with any of their delicious noodles with thick sauce), and had amazing pork wrapped in specialty aged kimchi.

 Overall, a great experience and dishes were flavorful and delicious.

 Website:  http://www.songcooks.com/

Location: Yonge & Finch area (Uptown) Food:  Korean Ambience:  Hustle & Bustle, family friendly, traditional Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.0 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Luma || Toronto

Luma is one of Oliver & Bonacini’s restaurants, located on the 2nd floor of the TIFF Bell Lightbox in the Entertainment District.

It focuses on temporary Canadian cuisine and is a great place for pre-theatre dinners and special occasions.

The space is large and has simple but high-end décor.

We visited during Summerlicious – taste was good and fresh but portions could be a bit bigger!

 WATERMELON + BEET SALAD  spiced redskin peanuts, mint, pickled onions, watercress

-       Refreshing appetizer with lots of beets and packed with juicy watermelon

SMOTHERED PORK LOIN green tomato, cucumber and crispy bacon relish, pickled mustard seeds, runner beans, crushed yams

-       Hearty and meaty dish; eat the pork loin with the relish and yams – makes it more flavorful

CORNMEAL-CRUSTED FISH CAKE + PICKLED SHRIMP cherry tomato and corn salsa, peanut romesco, fennel

-       Flavorful and beautiful presented.

SALTED CARAMEL PUDDING  fudge brownie, pecans, banana

-       Delicious and sweet dessert to end off the 3 course meal; the pecans add a good texture and crunch to the pudding.

Website:  http://oliverbonacini.com/Luma.aspx

Location: Entertainment District Food: Modern Canadian Ambience: Upscale, Fine Dining, pre-theatre Price: $$$ Nom Noms: 3.8 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Citta || Toronto

Citta is an Italian restaurant with a focus on pizzas, pastas, and libations.

Located in the growing yuppie neighborhood of Cityplace, it’s a trendy restaurant and after-work place to unwind.

They also have a lovely patio.

burrata crostini: tomato + basil + caramelized onions + house grilled bread

Ordered the burrata to share and it was great with the warm grilled bread.

Pizzas were good; thin-crust pizzas and good amount of toppings; ordered the following:

Cosenza : tomato + soppressata + mushroom + peperoncini + fior di latte + basil

san pietro : prosciutto + pear + arugula + gorgonzola + honey + fior di latte

-          I liked this dish because it has both sweet & salty within the pizza

spaghetti al limone: lemon + spinach + capers + red onion + olive oil + parmesan

-          Interesting dish and you can taste the lemon-sour flavor of this dish, the capers adds a ‘soury’ kick to it as well.

 Website:  http://www.cittatoronto.com/

Location: Cityplace Food:  Pizza, Pasta, Italian Ambience: Upscale Casual, Contemporary, Relaxing, Trendy Price: $$ Nom Noms: 3.9 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Pizzeria Libretto || Toronto

Pizzeria Libretto is a well-known Neapolitan pizza joint in Toronto. They  recently opened a location in the Financial District, and have the same taste as the original.

Thin slices, crispy crusts, and lots of toppings,

These are some of our favorites:

Duck Confit, with Bosc pear and mozzarella cheese

Nduja Sausage, with Nduja Sausage, Tomato, Garlic, Oregano, Basil, Mozzarella, Stracciatella

Order one of their bianco pizzas (no tomato sauce) for a variety.

They have specials of the month – those are great as well!

One whole pizza should fill you up, but it’s better to order different pizzas and share amongst the table

Website:  http://pizzerialibretto.com/

Location: Financial District Food:  Neapolitan Pizza, Italian Ambience: Upscale Casual, Contemporary, Relaxing Price: $$ Nom Noms: 3.85 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Myers + Chang || Boston

Myers + Chang is a trendy, Asian-fusion restaurant in the hip South End neighborhood of Boston.

Dishes are meant to be shared, and the place has a lively and buzzing atmosphere.

Lots of dishes with an Asian-fusion twist- from Chinese, Korean, Indonesian influenced dishes. Lots of variety and the dishes we tried were on point!

Belly buns : pork was tender and the bun was soft & moist

Szechuan noodles: Noodles were delicious and had a tender texture – great sauce and spicy that adds a bit of a kick to this dish.

Nasi Goreng: Traditional Indonesian rice dish that has plenty of spices and flavor. Highly recommend!

Chicken & Waffles: Easts meets West in this dish – Chicken was like a Korean-fried chicken, while the ginger waffles were great! I wished there were more ginger taste to the waffles but still very good. Their “secret” sauce was good too.

Website:  http://www.myersandchang.com/

Location: South End Food:  Asian, Asian Fusion Ambience: Trendy, Upscale Casual, Friendly, Lively Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.0 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Island Creek Oyster Bar || Boston

Island Creek Oyster Bar is a swanky, upscale seafood eatery in Commonwealth Ave in close proximity to Fenway Park.

Located inside a hotel, it is a great place to relax, unwind, and indulge in some fresh oysters, seafood, and creative libations.

We were there after a Red Sox game and it was busy, but we were still able to get a table.

Definitely order oysters (place is known for oysters).

Lobster Roe Noodles braised short rib, grilled lobster, oyster mushrooms, Pecorino à delicious noodles in lobster roe. Lots of lobster taste, but portions were small for the price!

Massachusetts Striped Bass: ricotta gnocchi, grilled zucchini, chorizoà beautifully done bass – flavor not too powerful so you can taste the fish. There wasn’t that much chorizo.

Website:  http://islandcreekoysterbar.com/

Location: Fenway / Back Bay Food:  Seafood, Oysters Ambience: Upscale, Trendy, Romantic, Price: $$$ Nom Noms: 3.9 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Atlantic Fish Co. || Boston

Atlantic Fish Co.  is a classic and traditional Seafood restaurant located in the bustling & touristy Boylston  Street in central Boston. Seafood is obviously their specialty.

Get their fresh daily catch – there’s lot of different types of fish to choose from- from filets, haddocks, salmons, to catfish and cod. You also get to choose how you want your fish cooked à grilled, broiled, fried, pan-seared, blackened or baked with garlic breadcrumbs. These also come with 2 sides (sides include things such as potatoes, asparagus, and fries.)

Website:  http://atlanticfishco.com/

Location: Back Bay Food: Seafood Ambience: Classic, Traditional Price: $$$ Nom Noms: 3.9 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Yankee Lobster || Boston

Yankee Lobster is a casual, no-frills restaurant located in the Seaport District of Boston.

Don’t be fooled by its casual and assumed décor, space, and location – it is one of the best places for seafood in town!

The place is a bit out of reach since it’s on the Eastern end of Seaport District. You can take a bus from downtown or walk (which we did) from downtown, which takes bout 20-25 mins.

We ordered the lobster by the pot & by pound (1.25 lbs), which came to about $25USD which comes with corn and fries. We also ordered the lobster macaroni & lobster roll – so fresh and delicious as well!

The lobster was the highlight tho. Very simply made, it’s cooked in a pot but their catches are so fresh and delicious they don’t need to do much to the lobster itself. Make sure to crack open all the lobster meat out to get the most out of it, and dip it in their fat butter juice/sauce!

Website:  http://www.yankeelobstercompany.com/

Location: Seaport District Food:  Seafood, New England cuisine Ambience: Casual, Market Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.1 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Alden & Harlow || Boston

Alden & Harlow is a bustling & rustic restaurant occupying a semi-basement floor in Cambridge near Harvard Square.

The menu strives on American dishes with a focus on ingredients from the North East/New England coast.

We were there on a Sunday evening and it was packed. Although it’s a large restaurant, reservations are recommended!

Wanted to try the Secret Burger but by the time we were there (around 730pm) it was already sold out! I recommend going earlier if possible before they sell out items from their menu.

Overall, the food was great and had lots of flavor. Portions are great for sharing.

Fried Smelts: Crispy Lemons & Hot Peppers, Parsley & Garlic Aioli à crispy and fresh and one of the lighter dishes we ordered

Moosabec Farm Mussels: Corn, Basil, Fregola à Great flavor and “sauce” added by the resto’s chefs. Highly recommend!

Seared 16-hour coppa: Smoked Radish, Sorrel, Cherry Vinaigrette  à Simple dish with great texture of the fish

Chicken fried local rabbit: Celery, Apple, Blue Cheese, Chili Oil à an interesting dish with a bit of a “game” taste to it. The celery, apple, and blue cheese surrounding the rabbit add a good contrast to the actual meat. Eat it all together!

Crispy Berkshire Pork Belly: Farm Pepper Caponata, Walnuts, Anson Mills Grits à One of my favorite dishes here! Juicy, tender, and lots of fat. Very tasty.

Octopus: The seasonal octopus was also very good – chewy and tasty with good portions. The garnishes that come with it are also good – eat them with the octopus!

Website: http://aldenharlow.com/

Location: Harvard Square in Cambridge Food:  American,  New England cuisine Ambience: Rustic, Trendy, Bustling Price: $$-$$ Nom Noms: 4.0 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Ippudo || NYC

Ippudo is the famous Japanese ramen hotspot in NYC. A couple of locations now in Manhattan, but we visited the one in Midtown West.

Had their delicious pork bao, which is juicy. Bun was soft. Portions were a bit tiny, but nonetheless good.

Their shio ramen was good! Their hand-made noodles were done to a hard yet chewable texture. Shio broth/soup is delicious and salty as well, but not too salty. Pork slices were on the tiny side... if only they added more meat to the bowl!

it’s no wonder why that even after a few years since it opened, long lines still exist.

Website: http://www.ippudony.com/ Locations: 2 - 1 in Midtown, 1 in East Village Food: Japanese, Ramen, Authentic Ambience: Feels like Japan, packed, loud, fun Price: $$ Nom Noms: 4.1 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Untitled @ the Whit || NYC

Untitled at the Whitney Museum is the ground floor restaurant at the newly opened Whitney museum in the Meatpacking District.

Serving modern American dishes with simple, unaccented décor while utilizing lots of natural sunlight, this restaurant is promising and matches perfectly with the atmosphere and feel of the museum.

Lunch & dinner have pretty much the same menu.

We went there for lunch and they have a lunch special where you can combine one app and one main dish for a cheaper price than if you were to order separately. Some dishes don’t apply, but this was a great way to taste what this new restaurant is all about.

 Dishes were a bit on the smaller side, but the great taste makes up for it.

Overall a good experience – would have to try other dishes next time!

The menu is seasonal so dishes will be ever changing.

 Ceviche

What a fresh appetizer – ceviche was light, sweet.  Mix it with their sauce to give it a bit of a kick!

 Fish w/ bak choy & onions

Asian dish with an American twist – simple and well done fish, seasoned well without empowering the true taste of the fish. Bak choy absorbs the fish juice so its great.

Website: http://www.untitledatthewhitney.com/ Location: Meatpacking District Food: Contemporary American Ambience: Upscale Casual, Trendy, Chic Price: $$$ Nom Noms: 4.0 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Byblos || Toronto

Byblos is a Mediterranean focused restaurant with upscale but intimate decor located inside a historic building. Spanning two floors, the top floor is the main restaurant while downstairs has more of a bar/lounge feel.

Dishes are meant to be shared, so gather a good-sized party to divulge in contemporary dishes on classic Mediterranean inspired ingredients. Try as many dishes as you can - portions are just right but the prices are on higher end of the scale.

Generally, each dish was presented beautifully with lots of flavour and texture, without losing their classic Mediterranean essence of the dish. Some highlights include these dishes: - eggplants : good appetizers to start the night off - Turkish dumplings: neat dumplings like an asian/Middle-Eastern fusion. Smaller size than chinese dumplings! - Slow braised ontario lamb --> huge lamb thats cooked to perfection and had the classic Lamb/gamey taste - Whole Boneless Branzino - great texture and finish, and tastes fresh. - Jeweled Basmatic Rice: must order one of their rice dishes as the restaurant is known for producing famous rice dishes. This is the crown jewel of the rice dishes. Light and floral flavoured, it was very unique. This "lighter" tasting dish was good as complements to some other heavy and saucy dishes we ordered.

Their desserts were great as well; menu not posted on their website as of this time, but ask them to take a look at the dessert menu after you finish your main meal!

Website: http://byblostoronto.com/ Location: Entertainment District Food: Middle Eastern Ambience: Modern, Upscale, Trendy, High-end Price: $$$ Nom Noms: 4.0 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Le Bouillon || Omaha

Le Bouillon is a French restaurant located in Omaha's Old Market. Restaurant is spacious and beautiful and has rustic and beautiful decor.

This classic restaurant has great service and food is great. Definitely a must-try when one visits to Omaha!

Jamon Serrano: Spanish ham --> thin slices and salty. Great.

Salads --> grab one of these refreshing salads to complement large plates!

Cassoulet: Cool dish that involves sausages, ducks, smoked pork, with braised white beans. 

18 oz Beef Tenderloin: Large portion! Very juicy and meaty dish - great for sharing.

Grilled Wagyu Skirt Steak: Tender and juicy thinly cut pieces with awesome potatoes to go with it.

Website: http://bouillonomaha.com/ Location: Old Market Food: French Ambience: Classic, Romantic, Spacious Price: $$ - $$$ Nom Noms: 4.0 nom noms out of 5  

[derricious88]

Blue C Sushi || Omaha

Blue C Sushi is a local favorite known for its delicious Japanese food, happy hour, and drinks. We were there for happy hour and were seated in the awesome patio overlooking the Old Market district.

We ordered the salmon cocktail special which was delicious. Lots of salmon and great taste, with a cool presentation.

We then ordered quite a few dishes from their happy hour menu.

Grab some sashimi, various rolls (such as volcano roll and hawaiian roll), several nigiri, and sip on some special cocktails.

The portions were large and the price is affordable. It feels upscale casual and trendy.

Surprisingly delicious food in Omaha! They are now expanding into a few locations in Texas and also coming soon to Chicago.

Website: https://bluesushisakegrill.com/menu/ Location: Old Market (Omaha) Food: Japanese Ambience: Upscale Casual, Trendy, Friendly, Affordable Price: $$ Nom Noms: 3.8 nom noms out of 5