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jimthemoonshark · 5 years

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Boris

Boris folded his arms, huffed and puffed and harumphed.

He ruffled his hair and started murmuring a few lines of Kipling.

Finally, with a flourish, he plonked both elbows ostentatiously on the polished oak of the table and let his head slump into his hands.

Nigel, Michael, Jacob, David and Aaron, continued their discussion around him, oblivious to his apparent discomfort as they debated the latest developments in their ongoing quest to enrich themselves at the expense of everyone else.

Boris felt powerless with nothing to contribute.

The light of attention shone elsewhere and he seemed unable to entice its warmth back into his orbit.

Fortunately, the hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on his Eton education had not been completely in vain and his initiative soon presented him with an innovative, imaginative and viable strategy to move forward and achieve his goal.

Lunch at the Connaught with lobbyists from the arms industry had been particularly lavish and he had needed little encouragement to indulge himself fully, much to their delight.

The men responsible for billions in arms sales to everyone from Saudi to Israel, Azerbaijan to Venezuela, had lapped up his anecdotes of picaninies with watermelon smiles and laughed like drains at every Churchillian parallel he'd drawn with himself.

They, it seemed, truly understood and appreciated him for what he was.

Just as his house master had relentlessly drummed into him, Boris utilised the tools at his disposal and pushed his chair back from the curved expanse of the table.

He brought himself into focus, visualising his goal, and exerted the necessary pressure.

At first nothing happened, but Boris was nothing if not tenacious in his determination when he'd set his mind on a personal target.

He redoubled his efforts, furrowing his brow and reflexively muttering some encouragement to himself in latin.

"Nil satis nisi optimum"

And there it was, success.

Boris felt his buttocks and the underside of his thighs grow warm.

He lifted one cheek slightly from his chair allowing a vibrant raspberry to resonate against the green leather of the seat and reverberate around the room.

A pungent odour now began to seep through the immaculately cut navy pinstripe wool of his trousers.

There it was, notes of last night's filet mignon with the creamy red wine mushroom sauce, mingled with this morning's spicy sausage, bacon and black pudding combo.

Boris closed his eyes and visualised his rectum, consciously relaxing his sphincter and pushing down with his diaphragm, searching for the telltale aromas of today's chateaubriand and bearnaise sauce.

Attention had been decisively seized and a stark silence had now taken grip of the room.

Boris didn't need to peek to know that all eyes were now firmly on him.

Brazenly, he took his copy of the Telegraph from the table before him and used it to waft the aroma dramatically upwards to his nostrils.

He luxuriated in its richness, bathing in the sheer opulence it represented, knowing the oiks around him could never appreciate such divine pleasures.

He half opened his eyes slowly so as to gaze at his colleagues through his fine blonde lashes, the light from the windows behind them flaring into halos, beatifying them in their incredulous regard for him.

He felt invincible, a colossus, forget Churchill, he was Alexander, no, better yet, he was Xerxes crushing the revolt in Babylon, all would fall before him.

Just as he was imagining the desolation of his foes upon the battlefields of antiquity, Boris's sphincter went into spasm and filled his Hamilton and Hare cotton boxer shorts with several pounds of foul faecal sludge.

The defecatious excretion forced its way between his buttocks and through every nook and cranny coating the underside of his thighs and making a break for it up his arse crack to the waistband of his exquisitely tailored trousers and seeping up the hem of his shirt.

The stink became unbearable, even for Boris and he began to register the alarm on the faces of those closest to him as they realised what had happened. Jacob Rees-Mogg, unable to contain himself, burst into hysterical laughter.

Michael Gove piped up, barely able to contain his glee, "Nigel, Nigel, it appears Boris has shat himself"

Farage’s rage was barely concealed as he held Boris’s gaze across the table, nose twitching at the offence of the stench.

Eventually, he could bear the stare no longer.

Boris raised himself to his feet with practised determination.

"I categorically refute this piffle and poppycock and I am outraged at the insinuation that I would evacuate my bowels in such an irresponsible and uncontrolled manner, let alone in such esteemed company and at such an inopportune moment"

Just as he momentarily wondered whether he might get away with it, he felt a chunk of excrement detach itself, peeling away from the hairs on the back of his thigh and bouncing down his trouser leg to come to rest on the thick green carpet at his feet.

He looked down to verify for himself that this had incontrovertibly happened and took a moment to compose himself.

If Eton had taught him anything it was to think on his feet.

He took a deep breath, immediately regretting it, and gagged.

Recomposing himself, he launched into his final desperate gambit.

"It may indeed be that I have befouled myself before you, but I have done so only to demonstrate the determination I have, above all of you here gathered, to ensure that Brexit can be a success. If we can only apply the necessary measures of British grit, determination and stiff upper lipness, we can overcome all obstacles and extricate ourselves from the mess in which we find ourselves, beholden to the whims of Brussels bureaucrats with their banana bendiness proclamations and onerous vacuum cleaner regulation and I will prove this if you will allow me to take my leave and, upon my return, I shall demonstrate what I shall henceforth christen the clean trousers initiative in which we wipe away the clinging manure of the single market, cleanse ourselves of the stench of unencumbered mass immigration and enclothe ourselves with the crisp white cotton briefs of free trade and the freshly pressed flannels of British enterprise."

He held Nigel’s gaze once more and made to gather his papers to leave.

The silence seemed an eternity.

And then, as one, everyone stood to applaud him.

But he knew it.

He knew it in his heart.

Brexit would be shit.

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sorenamstrup · 5 years

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Digtquiz #1

12. oktober 2016

Da Elming så begyndte at eksperimentere med digtquiz-konceptet og hurtigt droppede det igen, så skrev jeg til Thomas og bød mig selv til. Jeg skrev til Thomas for at få Elmings mailadresse, så jeg kunne tilbyde Elming at lave hans digtquiz-segment, men Thomas foreslog, at jeg i stedet lavede den til ham. Og sådan blev det!

Her er den første #digtquiz fra podcasten Week 5 - 2016. Quizzen kommer efter ca. 30.30...

http://www.nflshowet.dk/2016/10/13/week-5-2016/

Og så havde Elming i øvrigt fundet på den samme quiz til Thomas...

#digtquiz #nflshowet

Tro på det Claus, alting giver mening Selv en digtquiz i forening Med NFL Showet og Qvortrup Og digtpusher Amstrup Geniet fra Foxboro Stjal søndag fjerdepladsen, oh no Top tre er derude – men hvem? Og kan du mon også navnkundige nummer fem? Det handler om head coaches og regular season sejre Svar rigtigt og vi med Chili/Bearnaise dig fejrer Er svaret forkert eller bare ikke ret Må du iføres en Aaron Rodgers cheese head Ja, ja, Claus, alting giver mening I Qvortrups og Amstrups quiz- og prosaforening!

SVAR (head coaches - all time regular season wins): 1. Don Shula, Baltimore Colts og Miami Dolphins (328 regular season wins) 2. George Halas, Chicago Bears (318) 3. Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys (250) 4. Bill Belichick, New England Patriots (227) 5. Curly Lambeau, Packers (1919-1949), Chicago Cardinals (1950-1951), Washington Redskins (1952- 1953) (226)

#digtquiz #nflshowet

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instantdeerlover · 4 years

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11 Great Burgers You Should Eat Right Now added to Google Docs

11 Great Burgers You Should Eat Right Now

Years of excessive exposure to meat, gherkin, and cheese has meant we’ve earned the very official title of Expert Burger Eaters. Yes, it’s 100% legit, please don’t look it up. And as expert burger eaters, we’re going to tell you about some of the best burgers we’ve eaten in London recently. Trust us when we say that you’ll want to know what every single one of these tastes like.

Sorry—looks like you screwed up that email address

INFATUATION NEWSLETTER Get our newest guides & reviews first,

plus more restaurant intel you won't find anywhere else. ATL ATX BOS CHI LDN LA MIA NYC PHL SF SEA DC Subscribe Smart move. Excellent information will arrive in your inbox soon. Do you have friends and family who also eat food? Enter their emails below and we’ll make sure they’re eating well. (Don’t worry, we won’t subscribe them to our newsletter - they can do that themselves.) Help Your Friends No Thanks Well done. You’re a good person. All good. We still like you. Want to quickly find restaurants on the go? Download The Infatuation app. the burger spots Giulia Verdinelli The Compton Arms £ £ £ £ British , Pub in Islington ££££ 4 Compton Avenue

If you haven’t heard of the cheeseburger that Four Legs make at The Compton Arms, then where have you been? This burger is an outstanding piece of beefy, buttery, craftsmanship. It’s all meat, cheese, sauce, and gherkins: no lettuce. And that’s just how we like it. If you’re not into McDonalds-style burgers, you may not like this. In which case, you may not like us. Sorry not sorry.

Giulia Verdinelli Beer + Burger £ £ £ £ Burgers in Hackney ££££ 464 Kingsland Rd

We’d love to tell you how often we order Beer and Burger but our doctor might be reading this and at our last check-up we said we’d try this thing called ‘moderation’. But we can tell you that, err, it’s a lot. Like, a lot. Our go-to order is the cheeseburger. It’s slightly charred, a little moist, and sloppy in a deeply satisfying way. Honestly, we might just order one now.

Red Iron Burgers ££££ 280 High St

This American diner on the High Street in Uxbridge isn’t for those times when you ‘could have’ a burger. It’s for those times when you want a burger that will result in unbuttoned jeans. Don’t let the hefty menu here distract you. You want their signature Red Iron Burger. It’s got layers - yes, layers - of melted cheese, a juicy beef patty, house burger sauce, jalapeños, and it comes with a generous side of thick cut chips. You can get it delivered here or call 01895274624 to order for collection.

Giulia Verdinelli Meatliquor W1 £ £ £ £ Burgers , Diner in Fitzrovia ££££ 37 - 38 Margaret Street

Right, bear with us, because you’re about to get a glimpse into our deeply indecisive nature. Decisions? Very, very tricky. Especially when we’re asked to choose between Meatliquor’s cheeseburger and their Dead Hippie burger. One, a classic of the genre, super cheesy, with plenty of red onion - just the way we like it. The other, spicy with two beef patties fried in mustard. We love them. We cannot choose. And neither should you, try them both.

Mac And Wild £ £ £ £ British in City ££££ 9A Devonshire Square

Ah, The Venimoo. Mac and Wild’s burger is arguably the power couple of patties, with a beef patty and a venison patty in one glorious seeded bun. But it’s not just the meat collab that makes this guy so special, it’s the thick bearnaise sauce, caramelised onions, and the fact that you can add candied bacon. Be warned, she’s pretty big, but we’re fans of any burgers that require a little jaw gymnastics.

Giulia Verdinelli Jim's Cafe £ £ £ £ Clapton , Hackney ££££ 59 Chatsworth Rd

Jim’s is a biker café in Clapton that makes a low key destination burger. It’s a double patty and cheese set-up. Perfectly pink and juicy, all yellow and melted. There are some gherkins and onion going on in there too, all neatly packed between a toasted sesame seed bun. Simple sounding, but much harder than you think. For £11 with fries, this thing’s a steal.

Giulia Verdinelli Blacklock £ £ £ £ Steaks in Soho ££££ 24 Great Windmill St

The burger at Blacklock is - whisper it - a secret. Although, like most secrets in secondary school or on reality TV, this one made the rounds pretty quick. Why? Because this burger is fantastic. Experts in all things meaty, Blacklock’s big burger is an obvious winner, and the seeded bun is especially good. We’re all very pro the gherkin ratio, which leans towards heavy but isn’t overwhelming.

Karolina Wiercigroch Burger And Beyond £ £ £ £ Bar Food , Burgers in Camden , Canary Wharf , Shoreditch ££££ Giant Robot

Burger and Beyond make deceptive little buns. They’re palm-sized and filled with charred but juicy smash patties. You’ll look at one and think, I can put away two. Au contraire our bun-loving friend, these little fellas are rich, smeared with smoky or burnt butter mayo, and dripping in American cheese. Of course you could just get a single patty, but where’s the fun in that?

Karolina Wiercigroch Chick 'N' Sours ££££ 390 Kingsland Rd

Is it a fried chicken burger, or a fried chicken sandwich? What’s the difference if it’s in between bun? Does anyone even care? The K-Pop from Chick ‘N’ Sours is the answer to all of these questions. Not because it talks or has erudite opinions, but because once you’re eating a perfectly crispy but still juicy chicken thigh that’s smothered in gochujang mayo, you won’t care at all.

Stax ££££ 1.7 Kingly Court

What Stax diner lacks in square feet, it makes up for in great food. The classic cheeseburger is everything you want from a burger. Toasted brioche bun? Tick. Not one, but two beef patties? Tick. American cheese, gherkins, crispy onions, and chips on the side? Tick, tick, tick.

Karolina Wiercigroch Patty & Bun ££££ 54 James St

Do not let Patty & Bun’s success and spread across London fool you into thinking that these guys do not make London’s most reliably delicious burgers. Seriously. Aside from having the greatest burger name, well, ever, the Ari Gold is an always 8/10 cheeseburger. The Smokey Robinson, with a pile of caramelised onion and bacon - no lettuce - is surefire way to our heart. FYI they also have a brilliant DIY kit.

LDN Guide: 10 New Sandwiches To Try Across London Read

via The Infatuation Feed https://www.theinfatuation.com/london/guides/best-burgers-london Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created July 31, 2020 at 05:42PM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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travelworldnetwork · 5 years

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Belgian fries. Photo: Shutterstock

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French fries did not, in fact, originate in France. Just ask the Belgians. They'll tell you. Historians have traced the origins of "les frites" back to Belgium, where they say villagers were getting their fry on as early as the 17th century.

At the Frietmuseum in Bruges, the self-proclaimed world's first museum devoted to fries, tough topics are tackled head-on. What is the secret of making good fries? Where does the potato come from? Is it OK to mix tomato sauce with mayonnaise?

With more than 300 years to perfect the humble hot chip, Belgium now reigns as the shining star of fried starch, the culinary capital of carbs. Statisticians estimate the annual consumption of potatoes at a whopping 85 kilos per Belgian. The other delicious food groups well-represented in the national diet – chocolate, waffles and beer – give some idea of the pleasure-seeking priorities in this part of the world.

Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium.

Wherever you go in Brussels, Antwerp or Bruges, no-frills friteries can be found, serving hot, fried potato sticks for a few euros. Smothered with truffle mayonnaise, doused in spicy andalouse sauce or squished inside a sausage-filled baguette, they are the staple food of choice from dawn til dinnertime and beyond.

Now, thanks to Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman, potatoes are posh. The Dutchman's inspiration for his chain of upscale cafes specialising in gourmet fries was simple. Since so many people already love chowing down on hot chips, it was time to respect the crispy snack and elevate it to a starring role.

Herman's battle cry might be: Respect the potato! It took him 18 months to find the right variety of spud, the Agria, a perfect blend of crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

His Frites Atelier chain opened in 2016 to instant success and now boasts locations in the Netherlands and Belgium, where the restaurants in Antwerp and Ghent resemble trendy bars. The in-store soundtrack is curated by a celebrity DJ. With interior design that leans heavily on white marble, subway tiles and pops of bronze against charcoal paint, the cafes could be shops selling $90 candles.

Chefs in fresh whites sprinkle sea salt with a dash of finely chopped seaweed onto just-cooked fries. They fly out, whether served plain for the classicists or bathed in fresh sauces that range from the predictable – French Bearnaise, ketchup – to the decadent such as classic mayonnaise with shavings of rich truffle.

The seasonal menu features a changing roster of dishes, all built atop a pile of fries. Kimchi-loaded, or bearing the weight of a hearty Flemish beef stew, or mixed with the flavours of Indonesian satay, the fries are always the star. Something tells me low-carb diets won't be taking off in Belgium any time soon.

TRIP NOTES

Kristie Kellahan travelled to Belgium as a guest of Visit Flanders. See visitflanders.com.

frietmuseum.be

visitflanders.com

Wherever you go in Brussels, Antwerp or Bruges, no-frills friteries can be found, serving hot, fried potato sticks for a few euros. Photo: Shutterstock

fritesatelier.com

FLY

Etihad and Qatar Airways both offer one-stop flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Brussels. From there, Antwerp is a 30-minute train ride and Bruges is just under an hour. See etihad.com, qatarairways.com, raileurope.com.au

STAY

Hotel Rubens Grote Markt is in an ideal location, just steps from Antwerp Market Square on a quiet side street. The room decor blends luxe touches (velvet, marble and shiny bronze) with the comforts of home. See hotelrubensantwerp.be

The Frietmuseum, a museum in Bruges, dedicated to showcasing the history of potatoes and the production of Belgian fries.

In Bruges, Monsieur Ernest combines the cosy touches of a small lodge with the design sensibilities of a stylish international hotel. See monsieurernest.com

CARB LOAD

Restaurants, kiosks and vans serving fries are found everywhere in Belgium. For a delicious, fancy fries experience, seek out chef Sergio Herman's "frites ateliers" in Antwerp and Ghent. See fritesatelier.com

from traveller.com.au

#Travel Guide

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thelustinglife-blog · 7 years

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I’ve not updated the blog in a while and this Copenhagen post is well overdue….so today I’m sharing the places we visited in Copenhagen. We decided to book a last minute trip for a long weekend in the city, so I’ve put together a list of the places we stumbled across/ visited during our stay that are worth a visit.

Day 1: Round Tower, DØP, Rosenborg Garden, Lo Jo’s Social

We arrived at the airport early afternoon and after a short 15 min train journey from the airport into the city centre, we’d managed to reach our hotel within 20 mins as it was conveniently situated on the train station’s doorstep. Win! I’d recommend skipping the expensive transfers/ taxi if you’re staying centrally as it was around just £3 each to get to our hotel from the airport.

After dropping our bags, we headed straight out into central Copenhagen to make the most of the rest of our day. So, first we headed straight for the iconic Rundetaarn/ Round Tower to take in the city views & get our bearings.

Then we grabbed an incredible hot dog from the truck right next to it’s entrance. DØP has earned a name for itself as the ‘go to’ for the luxury version of the traditional hot dog. Hot-dog trucks are dotted everywhere in the city but this one has gained popularity as ‘the one to find’ during your trip. I second that…it was delicious!

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the surrounding area, grabbing a coffee from a cute, nearby bookstore & wandering around the Rosenborg Gardens. It was pretty chilly so it was more of a whistle-stop tour around the area as it started raining, so we took shelter in nearby bar, Lo Jo’s Social.

Lo Jo’s was a great, little find on our first chilly afternoon/eve and we ended up spending our whole eve in there listening to jazz & sampling their mini, slider burgers & some of their finest gin cocktails!

Day 2: Amalienborg Palace, Frederik’s Church, Kastellet & The Little Mermaid, The Tower -Christiansborg Palace & Nyhavn

On our first full day in Copenhagen, we started with pastries from the famous Andersen Bakery which was conveniently situated opposite our hotel! These were really good, especially the custard filled ones! I’d definitely recommend paying Andersen’s a visit at least once during your stay.

Then we set off to visit some of the wonderful sights and museums across the city, the Tower – Christianborg Palace was our first stop to take in the view of the city, followed by a short walk to Frederik’s Church & Amalienborg Palace in the middle of the elegant area of Frederiksstaden.

The whole city is filled with such beautiful architecture, so it was nice just mooching along the streets and getting to take it all in on foot, instead of speeding past on a bike! Especially when on the street just before & after Frederik’s Church, I found lots of amazing interior stores to look in whilst James found the Tesla store to geek out in!

It’s quite easy to make your way around Copenhagen by foot or by bike…I’m not the greatest cyclist (I was nicknamed Bridget Jones due to my previous attempts on a bike) so I was relieved to spend the morning getting around on foot.

But James forced me to brave the bike during the afternoon (queue unflattering bike pic above) so we could get a bit further a field! You can find rent-able ones in racks all around the city and it’s super easy to register as a new user & rent a bike by the hour via the handy tablet/ GPS attached.

So once the power assist kicked in….yep, I was literally hurtling along the waterfront shakily & erratically guiding us to Kastellet – The Star Fortress by bike! It was such a pretty place to wander round (but cobbles/ winding paths meant I spent most of the time walking my bike around the pretty surroundings) but I would definitely visit here with a picnic in sunnier months.

Once we’d ditched the bikes…. after a whole hour of me crashing into people, falling off and generally riding like I was drunk, we carried on along to visit the iconic Mermaid statue to take some pictures & fight our way through the endless crowds before it was time to get some lunch.

So we headed back along to Nyhavn to grab some food and soak up our picturesque surroundings. We both opted for the traditional, Danish open-sandwiches (smørrebrød) of course & a beer… which was a bit more expensive along the harbour front but it was very tasty!

I loved it here, surrounded by the ‘postcard’ scenes you associate with Copenhagen. Although we’d originally planned to take a boat tour from the harbour, it ended up being a bit too chilly. So instead we spent the rest of the afternoon listening to some live music nearby & wandering around the city’s Strøget area.

The sun made a brief appearance, so armed with more beers we basked in the sunshine in sheepskin lined deck chairs (hell yeahh… I’m definitely stealing this idea for our garden.)

At the edge of the Strøget area/ top of Nyhavn, there is a tiny bar that opens up here each day which was really quirky! We spent a good hour or so here after spotting it on our travels, but as the sun faded away and the weather turned – we headed back to the hotel. I’d definitely recommend finding this little gem on your visit!

Like typical tourists, we then had a nap in our hotel….venturing out at 9pm, staving and in search of food! A tip, book somewhere to eat. When it’s a busy weekend & it’s already late, finding somewhere to eat in Copenhagen is hard! We roamed around in circles for a good 40 mins (literally… our phones gave up & kept leading up back the way we’d just come repeatedly with lots of places having no availability for walk-in’s.)

But we did eventually find somewhere and I’m actually glad we got lost, as this place ended up serving the BEST steak I’ve ever eaten..served with truffle shavings, fries, salad & melt in your mouth Bearnaise sauce. We both agreed, hunger aside that this was hands down the best steak we’ve had and it was a great end to the evening.

We washed our steaks down with some pretty epic Espresso Martinis & sadly I was so hungry a) I didn’t get a picture of my meal before I devoured it & b) neither of us can remember which restaurant it was! (We have a receipt from there somewhere though, so I will definitely update the post with the place’s name asap when I find it.) Then it was time to head back to our hotel – full, happy & sleepy.

Thanks for reading part 1 of what to do in Copenhagen, stay tuned for part 2… featuring my new, favourite interior store + lots of interior pics to drool over!

What To Do In Copenhagen – Part 1 I've not updated the blog in a while and this Copenhagen post is well overdue....so today I'm sharing the places we visited in Copenhagen.

#adventures #city break #cityguide #copenhagen #drink #food #interiors #travel #what to do in copenhagen

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vivianrhopper85 · 7 years

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Woods

Located in the St. Lawrence Market area of downtown Toronto, Woods restaurant is the culinary namesake of Chef Bruce Woods (whose resume includes stints at Modus, Brassai and Centro) and his partners, Byron Messier and Robin Singh. It's located at 45 Colborne Street, a thruway notable for several historic buildings built during the reign of Queen Victoria. The site was formerly occupied by Colborne Lane, which served up modernist cuisine and was run by Chef Claudo Aprile.

Woods Restaurant opened its doors in 2013. Chef Woods is no longer with the eatery that bears his name, and is now Executive Chef at C Prime in the Century Plaza hotel in Vancouver. The Chef now in residence is Carlos De Veyra, previously the Sous Chef at Modus before coming to Woods.

Decor

The decor has a distinctive woodland theme, from the thick wood beams to the hardwood floors to the tree branch designs on the booth cushions along the walls. The tables and chairs are all made from handsome medium toned wood, adding to the rustic and earthy flavour of the establishment. Parties of up to 12 people can be accommodated in the dining area, while you can also opt to enjoy a drink and/or your meal at the spacious bar area.

This enormous bar dominates the front area of the restaurant as you come in, with several branches punctuating the back wall that has an almost mesmerizing undulating texture. The front and back windows offer up plenty of natural light, while the myriad hanging light fixtures help out with the lighting duties when the sun retreats below the horizon.

Atmosphere

Woods has a bright and airy atmosphere which fits perfectly with the name. The smell of the wood and the rousing aromas of the food make for a memorable visit. They also only play Canadian music, which is audible but not overpoweringly so, to permit pleasant dinner conversation. Everyone from the maitre'd to the servers were exceedingly friendly and helpful, even taking our coats when we arrived and helping us put them back on when we departed.

Menu Range

Woods' tagline is "Local, Sustainable, Canadian." And indeed it is. Locally sourced and prepared foods figure largely in their menu offerings. For example, the sockeye salmon comes from British Columbia, Alberta provides their bison stock, their lobster comes by way of Nova Scotia and their dairy products are procured from all across Ontario. They also seed and grow their own lettuce and sprouts in house, the only restaurant in Canada to do so.

Their appetizers range from $10 for the Soup of the Day to $11 for the Organic Ontario Green Salad, which comes with Icewine vinaigrette, semi-dry tomato, watermelon radish, pecans and toscano, all the way up to $120 for the Sustainable Canadian Sturgeon Caviar, served with buckwheat blinis and traditional garnishes.

The entrees go from $22 for the 6 oz. Prime Beef Burger, which comes on a sesame milk bun, with aged cheddar, onion jam, and house condiments, to the Bison Shortrib, with mashed potato and roasted root vegetables, for $39. For an additional $8, you can add on sides of Crispy Kale or Frites to your meal.

Desserts will cost you $11, except for the Artisanal Cheese Plate, which is $15 for three pieces to $20 for 5 pieces of cheese.

The meal was also supplemented by freshly baked slices of bread at the beginning and some fantastic homemade peppermint marshmallows at the end, that almost took the place of an after-dinner mint.

Appetizers

For the appetizer, I decided to sample the Wild Digby Scallops, which come with roasted corn, tomato, cilantro and salsa verde, and was a feast for the taste buds for $21.

My dinner companions had the Soup of the Day, which was a Cauliflower cream soup for $10, and the Oysters, which cost $3 per oyster. Both of them were thoroughly delighted with their choices.

Main Course

For the main course, I tried the Yellowfin tuna, which was delicious and expertly prepared medium rare. It was dressed with potatoes, french beans, taggiasche olives, quail egg, and a delectable anchovy black olive aioli. Quite a treat for $28. My fellow diners ordered the Roasted Everspring Farms Muscovy Duck Breast for $28, which came with tatsoi, shallot, sourdough, crispy confit, dried cherries and duck egg bearnaise, and the Pacific Halibut, with creamed leek, wild mushroom, sweet peas, confit potato and basil butter, for $32. A hearty two thumbs up from both of them on their entree choices.

Dessert

For dessert, my companions ordered the Espresso Creme Brulee, with milk chocolate cremeux, roasted chestnuts and crystallized white chocolate crumb, and the Apricot Tart, with saffron mascarpone, almonds, honey and cardamom ice cream.

While I'm usually a die-hard chocolate guy, and the Woods Smore featuring Chocolate Mousse, Graham crumb, chocolate streusel and meringue chocolate ganache caught my eye, I decided to go a different route and went for the Carrot Cake, topped with whipped cream and a side scoop of cardamom ice cream. The cake was moist and flavourful, while the icing wasn't too sweet. The whipped cream and ice cream added a nice sweeter contrast to the cake. I'm glad I changed my mind. All desserts are handcrafted by pastry chef Nicole Douglas.

Drink Options

Since I was driving, I had a couple of Coca Colas, which set me back the sum of $4 each, along with the copious amount of ice cold water on offer throughout the evening.

Their wine list features primarily VQA wines, and their many of their cocktails contain Canadian rye. My friends ordered the Woods Caesar and the Canadian Manhattan, drinks that they both raved about. In a nice touch, the latter drink, the Manhattan, had a touch of maple syrup in it, thus making it a "Canadian" version of this tried and true bar staple. Both drinks cost $10.

Service

The service was very attentive and friendly. Our server, Lorne, was very knowledgeable about the menu items on offer and was quite cordial throughout the meal. Our every culinary want and need was attended to promptly and with a smile. Great job, Lorne, and all the wait staff at Woods.

Feeling afterwards

A thoroughly delicious and well-prepared meal, without feeling overstuffed or bloated afterward. My only gripe might be that the portions were a little small, but otherwise, I can't complain. Everything else gets a big thumbs up from my friends who joined me for dinner and myself. A great place for an afternoon or evening/late night meal on Colborne Street.

For groups or private functions, they have a lovely room downstairs that one can book in advance. This area can accommodate up to 15 people and has a flat screen TV and computer. For a smaller party, you can also opt for the Chef's table, located right in the kitchen.

For a group larger than 15 people, the entire restaurant can also be reserved for a minimum spend. For any of these options, just contact the restaurant directly.

MR00KV

from News And Tip About Real Estate http://jamiesarner.com/toronto-restaurant-reviews/woods/

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