Restaurant Blog: A Prelude
This restaurant blog is meant to promote restaurants in and around the GTA which aren't widely known yet. This blog is also meant to act as a sort of personal recommendation on behalf of myself for readers wishing to look for an alternative dining fare other than what is offered by established restaurant franchises. I am in no way commercially affiliated with these restaurants and will be providing my honest opinion. Enjoy!
To see a more extensive list of my restaurant reviews, visit me on yelp
Banh Mi Boys
If I had to describe Banh Mi Boy's food in one word, it would be AMAZING! Firstly, I think it's important to mention that Banh Mi Boys (BMB) is not your traditional Vietnamese submarine shop as the name would imply, rather, it is a westernized Vietnamese sub shop. BMB is one of many Asian-fusion restaurants that have recently surfaced in the GTA which offers customers a new and exotic dining experience. BMB serves a menu of commonly found lunch items in both western and eastern cuisine, but with the added twist of combining them together to form a unique and original brand of savory fusion cuisine. To put it simply, BMB revamps common lunch items such as french fries and sandwiches. Examples include Kimchi fries which can be regarded as a delectable alternative to poutine or chili fries. Another example would be the meatball banh mi sub or pork belly steam bao which are similar to sandwiches found at local fast-food restaurants, but with the added exception of an Asian flare. To top off it off, BMB adds cilantro as well as pickled white radish, carrots, and cucumber to their sandwiches which I consider to be a delectable alternative to the usual lettuce and tomato fare. The pickled toppings add a savory sweet and sour taste which really compliments the sandwiches.
I remember the first time I stepped into BMB restaurant, I was a bit apprehensive at first about trying the food as I wasn't sure if I would like it or not and thought that I could be possibly wasting my money. But the second I sunk my teeth into a banh mi sub, those apprehensions quickly turned into delight as I realized that I have just found a great and new restaurant that I would become a regular customer of. With money in mind, it's worth mentioning that all food items come in at a bargain price with lunch-goers being able to purchase a filling meal for $10 and under. Those looking for a light snack can also purchase many food items for $5 and under as well. I also need to mention that long lineups are to be expected at BMB which isn't due to the slow service at all, but due to popular demand. If you are looking for a great, and dare I say, better alternative to the usual burger and fries lunch fare, be sure to check Banh mi boys out. I'm sure you'll love it!
Banh Mi Boys
392 Queen St. West (Queen & Spadina)
Lucky Red
From those that brought you Banh Mi Boys Sandwich shop now brings you Lucky Red restaurant. Lucky Red is a spinoff of BMB restaurant, but nonetheless, it does not detract in any way or form from its predecessor in terms of quality and novel tasting fare. Lucky Red picks up where Banh Mi Boys left off by offering food enthusiasts a unique Asian-fusion dining experience. A notable difference between Lucky Red and BMB is that it is more of a bar and restaurant establishment whereas BMB is more of a fast-food lunch spot. I also have to note that Lucky Red does serve alcohol whereas BMB does not and is open until the late hours of the night to serve night owls or nightclub goers. I was fortunate enough to sample a wide variety of dishes and platters at Lucky Red through an EatNMingle dining event.
The food items that stood out for me would be the Ham Bao Ger, Lucky Red Fried Chicken, and Nacho Koreano. The Ham Bao Ger is what you would expect from what the name would imply, the Asian-fusion version of the classic hamburger. To be more exact, Lucky Red's version of McDonald's Big Mac sandwich. The Ham Bao Ger tastes strikingly similar to the Big Mac minus all the calories. Lucky Red's Fried Chicken was delicious, to say the least, and something I can see myself binge eating on with a side of beer while watching a ball game. Lucky Red's Fried Chicken has a familiar but unique taste to it as it has a salty but sweet seasoning, unlike any fried chicken I've ever tasted before. My favorite dish would have to be the Nacho Koreano as it takes Asian-fusion cuisine to another level. I would describe the Nacho Koreano as being a cross between a fried pork dumpling and a nacho platter that you would commonly find at any bar. In other words, if pork dumplings and nachos had a baby, Nacho Koreano would be it. What stood out about the Nacho Koreano is that Lucky Red blends the comforting familiarity of bar nachos with the novel taste of fried dumplings to create a delectable new dish. I have to note that as I'm writing this blog, I'm feeling eager to visit Lucky Red again as soon as possible since I feel like I've only scratched the surface in sampling their whole menu and I'm craving to try out more. In short, if you like Banh Mi Boy's restaurant, you'll also love Lucky Red!
Lucky Red
318 Spadina Ave (Spadina & Dundas)
www.luckyredshop.com
The Clubhouse Sandwich Shop
This review is made especially for all the vegetarians out there. As I was walking around the Spadina and College area looking for somewhere to eat, I came across The Clubhouse Sandwich Shop. I've never been to the restaurant before but it had a quaint look which intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot. As I was perusing through their blackboard menu, what caught my eye was their basil marinated fried tomato sandwich. I've never heard of a sandwich based on a fried tomato before but I was in the mood to try something new so I was eager to test it out. It's worth mentioning that I'm an avid meat lover so trying out a meatless sandwich for me is like venturing off into uncharted waters. As I took a bite out of that fried tomato sandwich, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious a meatless sandwich can be! The fried tomato was nicely battered and had a delicious crunchy texture and taste. What really topped the sandwich off for me was the delicious blend of roasted eggplant, avocado spread, and goat cheese toppings. Those three toppings added a very creamy flavour with a hint of salt which really enhanced the flavour of the sandwich. All I can say is that I didn't feel like I was eating some bland vegetarian concoction, but something very delicious and flavourful. I would highly recommend trying out the basil marinated fried tomato sandwich, even for the self professed meat lovers out there.
The Clubhouse Sandwich Shop
455 Spadina Ave. (Spadina & College)
www.clubhousesandwichshop.com
Blaze Pizza
