Just a Taste | Fionn MacCool

I actually had not heard of Fionn MacCool until I was reached by their Ontario staff back in October/November. I had friends who had tried it in other cities and gave me pretty good feedback about the pub but I wanted to check it out myself. You may be thinking to yourself "it's just another European pub, what makes it different?" A few things that stood out from my first experience was the size of the entire restaurant, the live music and the friendly/helpful service (thanks Amanda).

We sat down near the window facing 2nd ave. and ordered Original 16's and Kronenbourg to start. After the reviewing the menu on our own and then asking for the advice of our server Amanda we went with the blarney chips, shrimp cake sliders, shepherd's pie mini yorkies and the vegetarian flatbreads. Everything was delicious but our favourite was the flatbread. The savoury dill cream cheese sauce and spice from the jalapeno peppers made the dish addicting (so addicting we ordered it a second time).

To conclude, we will be back. The food, service, Kool & the Gang songs and atmosphere all contributed to making our first experience a good one.

Yours Truly

Huang's World | Chengdu

Eddie Huang's Fresh Off the Boat now called Huang's World is what entices me to travel and experience new culture and land. The way it's documented, his honest opinions and the production from Vice is what makes me want to try offering something similar in a smaller city like Saskatoon. Take a peek at the three parts and check out some other cities that he travels as well!







If anyone ever wants me to document my experience in their restaurant or venue, you can reach me at hellosaskatoon@gmail.com.

Yours Truly

Taste of Saskatchewan | Photo Recap

Just a Taste: Izumi Restaurant

Izumi sits in a residential area within a strip mall on Arlington Avenue. From my understanding they recently had an ownership change and now serve Japanese and Korean dishes. We went for sushi strictly, but my goodness did the other dishes smell and look delicious. They serve sashimi, maki rolls, tempura, teppanyaki, fried chicken, bento boxes and more.  The restaurant was clean, spacious and the servers were friendly and patient with our order taking.

We ordered salmon nigiri, inari and an assortment of maki rolls. All of the food was presented nicely and very fresh! My one complaint would be eating the large rolls, but you definitely get your money's worth at Izumi and I'm down with that. My favourite roll would have to be the specialty dragon roll which is avocado, crab and cucumber with BBQ eel on top.

All you can eat sushi is a gateway to the sushi world, but once you try other Saskatoon joints I promise you that you will be impressed. I'll definitely be back.

Yours Truly

JUST EAT | Saskatoon Promotion (25% Off All Orders)

Just Eat is a food delivery service that allows you to order food from the comfort of your own computer. The good folks at Just Eat and Butter Public Relations gave us a credit to test their service. After creating an account I noticed that their are currently 58 Saskatoon restaurants partnered with Just Eat. Each restaurant has a full menu, an estimated wait time, hours of operation and a flat delivery fee. From Vietnamese food to Indian to pizza, there are options for everyone. To celebrate good food and Summer, Just Eat is offering 25% all orders this Summer in Saskatoon!

I tested the service with the restaurant Spring Roll and was happy with how easy the website was to navigate and select dishes. You can add and subtract items just like that. At the purchase screen you have the option to pay cash or credit. Three of us ate this meal and were extremely full. The discount is crazy and definitely worth the money. When ordering your food online I would suggest writing in the text box that you need utensils and a phone number they can reach you at or else you'll be like me running to the closest establishment at work.

Whether you want to eat in your own home, need a bite at work or are just feeling lazy, Just Eat is a great option for everyone.

Yours Truly

Just a Taste: Calories Restaurant

Long time no see, we're back again and what better way to start if off than a new Just a Taste. This was my first time eating at Calories and I don't know what took me so long to give it a try. The restaurant offers something for everyone from homemade soups, lentil burgers to an assortment of tarts.

Aashna and myself came for lunch and she went with a tomato soup and vegetarian sandwich while I did the California club sandwich with homemade fries. First of all, our server was tight. She knew the menu well and had good input on the menu items we inquired about. When she brought us our dishes we were really stoked on the presentation from the large portions to the colours and neatly stacked sandwiches.

Sure it looks good but how does it taste? The words that come into my mind are good texture and fresh. The club sandwich came on a Earthbound baguette, how could you go wrong with that? The smoked turkey, thick bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and lime jalapeño mayo gave it a savoury taste that kept the sandwich in your hands until it was done. The fries had a good texture with a crispy outside and a soft potato inside. They came with a tasty aioli and house ketchup.

We couldn't stop there either, we had to try the Saskatoon berry lemon cheesecake. It was fresh with a nice lemon zest and Saskatoon berries. The cheesecake was light and paired well with their whipped cream. I don't think you can come here and not try something in their dessert area.

Service was great, portions are large, food is fresh and flavourful and desserts keep you from stopping at the entree. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Yours Truly

Just a Taste: Park Cafe

Location
Park Cafe is located on 515 20th Street.

Environment
I placed an order for take out but analyzed the restaurant as I went to pick up my food. After watching a lot of Diner, Drive Ins and Dives and having family own restaurants of their own, I understand that you can't judge any restaurant before experiencing service and tasting the food. The building is outdated but that doesn't stop anyone from lining up at their doors and filling their seats. The woman who gave me my food was very friendly.

Menu
Before browsing the menu, many have praised their breakfast options and hamburgers. The selection was beyond me from steak and eggs, burgers to salads. There truly is something for everyone.

Food
I went with a cod sandwich with fries and onion rings (shared sides with a friend). The taste was great, the fish had a light batter that you could peel off with a nice homemade tarter sauce. The bun too was soft and proportionate to the cod. It was quite messy, but a messy sandwich is always the best (minus Subway). The fries and onion rings themselves were homemade and delicious, and they give you a large portion.

Conclusion
This place is delicious, I am happy I finally had the opportunity to eat here. The cost per meal to what you receive is fantastic as well, you really get your dollars worth. With the size of menu and things that that caught my eye, I will definitely be back!

Yours Truly

Just a Taste: Browns Socialhouse

Location
Browns Socialhouse is located in Stonebridge on Stonebridge Blvd, it is quite hard to miss.

Environment
Browns kind of feels like a sports bar for all ages. The music is quite loud, but conversations can be held without others listening. When walking into the restaurant you must pass a unique patio in front of the restaurant. Inside the restaurant the bar is the centre of attention with televisions along the perimeter playing different sports. The servers are friendly and upbeat, which plays along with the restaurant quite well.

Menu
A single page made it hard enough for me to order. The menu consists of salads, soups, appetizers, burgers, health bowls and multiple entrees. It reminded me of a State & Main or Moxie's type of place, both the ambience and the menu.

Food
Aash went with the potato crusted halibut and I had the spicy chicken burger. The chicken was great, it had a nice crisp with a good amount of spice and the size of it was appealing too. It came with fries, which weren't my favourite being too meaty. And although I didn't try it, Aash said that the potato crusted halibut was delicious!

Conclusion
I would definitely go back. Browns offers specials like daily drinks, 3pm-6pm wings and pizza nights on Sundays and Mondays. Enjoy a lunch with a co-worker or drinks with friends at Browns Socialhouse.

Yours Truly

Just a Taste: The Granary

Just recently my parents and I went to the Granary for birthday appetizers. I have only eaten surf and turf entrees at the restaurant, so this was a new experience.

Location
The restaurant is located on 8th Street behind the KFC and RBC Bank closer to the Circle Drive overpass.

Environment
The weather was beautiful so we ate on the patio, from my surprise I also learned that minors are able to be seated outside as well. Many tables of four are evenly distributed outside with plants placed strategically to make your experience feel more intimate. The main dining area indoors is great for special occasions, the dimmed lights and professional service is always a pleasure. And you can't forget about their little salad bar, I always loved starting my meal there.

Menu
Like I mentioned previously, I really only focused on the appetizers but steak and seafood options are always mouthwatering. There were about ten options and below you can read about what we selected. A small drink menu of beers, martinis, wines and cocktails is also available.

Food
We started off with complimentary sourdough bread and ordered the crisp crusted calamari, crab and spinach artichoke dip, scallops wrapped in bacon and the salt and pepper dry ribs. The food came quick and was served hot. I also ordered a Saskatoon Berry iced tea that is similar to my favourite Summer beverage, the Long Island iced tea.

The calamari is one of the best in the city, a light crispy batter covers majority of the squid and is complimented by a cucumber dill dip. For those who are turned off by tentacles, you won't see any here! The crab and spinach artichoke dip didn't look appealing in my opinion but tasted great, the portion of dip matched the chips perfectly. Almost everything goes great with bacon, which is why we chose the bacon wrapped scallops, the crispy and soft textures go together great. They came with a side of cocktail sauce, but I found them flavourful on their own. Lastly was the dry ribs, I don't think salt and pepper dry ribs are bad anywhere. These were good, but weren't a highlight of our meal.

Conclusion
Although I don't eat here often, I do really enjoy it. Now I know it's not just a good place for a steak and lobster but you can come here to relax with drinks and appetizers. The service was spot on too, I'm glad we swung by here.

Yours Truly 

Meals Interrupted by Davide Luciano & Claudia Ficca

Just a taste isn't always good conversation, food exploring and point and shoots. Sometimes shit hits the fan and the sitting doesn't end up going as you want... ew.

Art couple Davide Luciano & Claudia Ficca, a fine art photographer and food stylist respectively, teamed up to create uncomfortable settings in elaborate dining table experiences with the "Meals Interrupted" photo series. Feast your eyes on 'honeyed', 'charred', 'soaked', 'tossed', and 'Al Dente' below.

If they were to do an overview of my Meal Interrupted it will be called 'shop till you drop'. The table would be my bed filled with Doritos, empty chip bags and unopened 2 litre Gatorades. Sprinkled throughout the scene my limbs and beer bottle caps. A late night interrupted by a 4AM mission to 7/11.

Davide Luciano - Web/Twitter/Facebook

Claudia Ficca - Web/Twitter/Facebook

the Method to my Madness,

Taste of Saskatchewan 2013

Taste of Saskatchewan may be expensive and busy but that's the price you pay to sample multiple local restaurants. It was good, seeing and eating at both old and new restaurants. I wish that there would be more new restaurants to be honest, I don't know how expensive it is to get a booth but I like to see that ambition from new entrepreneurs. When I go to the Taste of Saskatchewan I try to eat at places that I wouldn't go to regularly or eat those popular dishes you hear everyone speak about. Beneath are some photos of dishes that were ordered.

Yours Truly