Location:
5801 College Ave., Oakland, CA
Zachary’s pizza is the BEST!!!
Or, so I’ve heard from everyone who lives or has ever lived in SF, but alas, it was closed due to the Easter holiday.
Boo urns….I will have to wait until next time I’m in SF to try the famous deep-dish pizza!
Location:
265 Queen Street West, Toronto
Cost: $10-15 per entree
Trimurti is one of the other Indian restaurants on Queen street nestled somewhere in between Babur and Little India Restaurant AND India Palace (all of which I’ve eaten at, at some point or another). This was my first time trying take-out at Trimurti (sitting in wasn’t any better).
I ordered the chicken biryani ($10.95), which although tasty was a tad on the greasy side. Lahore Tikka House’s chicken biryani is still better (but nothing beats Mom’s!).
The butter chicken ($11.50) came looking more red and tomatoe-y than buttery; and those who ordered it agreed that it wasn’t the best they’ve had. It’s a huge quantity that arrives in the take-out container, and doesn’t include rice, so be sure to get a separate order of rice ($2.95).
Someone else got a Mulligatany soup ($3.50). The literal translation in Tamil for mulligatany is “pepper-water” but the variation at Trimurti was made with lentils and chicken, which was a bit strange.
The pakoras ($3.50) were overly greasy and not very flavourful.
Trimurti definitely has some competition being one of the three indian restaurants on Queen Street. I’d say, opt for Little India Restaurant or India Palace (which are both very good) when trying to decide which Indian place to try on the busy South side of Queen Street. Or better yet, save your taste-buds for the trip to to the East side and enjoy a veritable feast (albeit in a portable) at Lahore Tikka House.
Location:
Langdon Hall, 1 Langdon Drive, Cambridge, ON
Cost: $27.00 per person, plus applicable taxes
The correct definition for Afternoon Tea is:
“a light meal typically eaten between 3pm and 5pm, originating in the UK and consisting of loose tea served in a teapot and accompanied with mini sandwiches, pastries and cakes served in a tiered stand.”
That’s precisely what we wanted when ‘Afternoon Tea with the Ladies” was planned.
After a bit of research was done for tea places in Toronto, I finally discovered that Cambridge’s Langdon Hall offered a desirable spread of goodies in a gorgeous setting, and it then became our destination for not only an afternoon of tea but a full day’s outing.
After carefully synchronizing our two vehicles to travel together (in light rainfall), eight of us (lovely maidens) arrived early for our 2pm appointed sitting. Langdon Hall offers Afternoon Tea at 2 and 4 o’clock.
Although I had requested for all of us to be seated together, we still found ourselves directed to two tables of four at opposing ends of the room. However, the staff were gracious enough to rearrange the tables and chairs so that we were finally sitting down together.
I imagined sitting at a giant round or rectangular table (for eight) at elbow-level but we were in fact seated in a veranda at tables closer to knee-level instead. Nevertheless, the table settings, decor and natural sun-light (finally) pouring into the room were all distinctly charming and all of us were quite pleased.
The menu at Langdon Halls consists of the “Traditional Afternoon Tea” for $27 (plus tax) and the “Langdon Hall Royal Tea” which begins with a glass of champagne followed by the traditional tea for $49.00 (plus tax). We opted to take the traditional route and the vast selection of teas (English Breakfast, Rose, Pear) kept us engrossed in the menu for quite some time. I picked my all-time favourite, Earl Grey and all the teas (loose-leaf) arrived first; in pretty flowered tea pots (served by a, contrastingly, burly male waiter). The tea, with the honey and sugar cubes provided, couldn’t have tasted any better!
Then came the tiers!
First tier: Four each of cucumer/radish curry swirl sandwiches, apple chutney pastries, shrimp puffs and salmon squares/tarts. The curry sandwiches were especially tasty.
Second tier: was a assortment of Madeleines and scones galore! With the Devonshire/clotted cream and jam, these were divine.
Third tier: the lemon cakes, chocolate macaroons, shortbread cookies and blueberry tarts, were all very decadent.
It was all very very tasty and beautifully presented!
After our delicious tea party, we headed off onto the Langdon Hall grounds to take in the sights. The outdoor pool, croquet field and massive vegetable garden were beautifully tended.
Afternoon Tea at Langdon Hall is especially great for girlie get-togethers. Whatever the celebration, the surroundings make the trip to Cambridge worthwhile.
Update: The Just Us! Cafe in Halifax has just become a penny-free zone! Read more.
Original post: July 27, 2007
Whatever happened to the original Tequila Bookworm locale? Well, it’s been replaced with Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op – Canada’s first Fair Trade coffee roaster believing in “people and the planet before profits”. Justly, the cafe only sells products (Coffees, Teas, Sugar and Chocolates) which are 100% certified Fair Trade and Organic. When you walk in, you are reminded of Tequila Bookworm’s old layout, only now everything is shiny, brand new and more airy. The square tables in the front are filled with patrons enjoying some java after work, the music is new age, and the staff behind the counter are young, hip…and novice. 
After learning that their chocolates are created (handcrafted) in their own chocolate factory in the town of Hantsport, in Nova Scotia, I knew I had to give one a try. 
The Midnight Mint, is a 42g, $2.99 organic, dark, smooth, melt-on-your-fingers slab of chocolately goodness with a hint of peppermint. In other words, ’twas rather delectable. 
Not only do they have chocolate, coffee, tea and sugar, Just Us! serves salads, sandwiches, soups, martinis and other specialty drinks, not to mention baked goods created in their own bakery. Naturally, I had to try the brownie. The vegan brownie came highly acclaimed over the regular brownie by the girl behind the counter. Oh, were we ever disappointed! Lovely as it was to look at, its spongey texture was more akin to cake than brownie and the taste more suited to those who prefer their desserts on the low end of sweetness (and to those who like ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda). 
Word on the street is that Just Us! serves the best espresso in town. I, unfortunately, cannot attest to this, for when it comes to coffee, I am most certainly a lightweight, and won’t even bother to deny it. I will have to return to Just Us! with my seasoned-espresso-drinker friend to find out how great the coffee really is. 
Teas, on the other hand, I can appreciate. The lemon honey tea was absolutely delicious…it had a wonderful scent to go with the soft, sweet flavour. The ‘chai’ was very good…not like some other teas where it’s mostly all strong spice. They don’t carry lactose-free milk, but they do carry Harmony Organic milks in whole, skim and half & half, with soy behind the counter. I was suprised to see that they serve dairy-free cappuccinos as well (made with soy milk). What’s lacking in Just Us! for now is that personality that the aged, lived-in coffee houses have, but I think in a few years it’ll be a great joint for those who really do care where their java comes from.
