Posts tagged sandwich
Gastronomy and Life's Other Pleasures
Follow me on my gastronomic adventures!
Airport Fare: Heirloom Bakery Cafe at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport
While waiting to depart for our honeymoon, the husband and I decided to have lunch at the airport terminal. There were so many options, we actually had trouble deciding on what to eat! However, we were incredibly intrigued by Heirloom Bakery Cafe - the sandwiches looked fantastic (and we LOVE sandwiches), and who wouldn’t be intrigued by tables with iPads fastened to the tops? That’s right, each table had an iPad for the same number of chairs at that table, so, if it was a four seater table, there were four iPads. Interestingly, you also viewed the menu, ordered your meal, and paid for your meal, all using the iPad!
We decided to split two sandwiches. I ordered the ham, brie and apple panini on cranberry focaccia bread, and it was amazing! I love the combination of flavours that made up the sandwich: the sweetness from the cranberry focaccia, the creaminess of the brie, and the tartness of the apple. The husband ordered the three cheese grilled cheese sandwich, with goat’s cheese and two other cheese that I unfortunately can’t remember. But what I do remember from the bite that I had was that it was delicious and the husband loved it, deeming it one of the best grilled cheeses he’d ever had! It was a wonderfully unexpected first meal of our honeymoon,
Breakfast at Alice’s Village Cafe
This is only the second time that I’ve had the chance to dine at the lovely Alice’s Village Cafe in Carp, but it won’t be the last! My first trip to Alice’s was for dinner, so I was excited to try their breakfast!
I ordered the basic breakfast sandwich, which comes with egg, your choice of bacon or sausage (I chose sausage) and cheddar cheese. It is served with Alice’s in-house made ketchup and a few slices of fruit. The sandwich was great - lots of flavour, and I believe they locally source their meat (but I didn’t ask to confirm). I also adore their in-house made ketchup, which I tasted during my first visit and fell in love. It is so tangy and the spices used to flavour it are spot-on. Unfortunately, the fruit slices were a little dreary and dried out, but I overlooked it due to the deliciousness of the sandwich!
To accompany my sandwich, I ordered a cappuccino and one of their apple cinnamon scones. Both were fantastic - I love the size of their cappuccino: it isn’t too big and isn’t too small, and it its perfect in its ratio of milk to espresso. The scone was impressive with lots of cinnamon flavour and big chunks of fresh apple. All in all, it was a delightful breakfast and I can’t wait to return!
Brunch at Panera Bread
The husband and I decided to take a drive to New York State one recent weekend to do some shopping. We go a few times a year just to hunt for new grocery/food items, and, while there, we always dine at Panera Bread.
I tend to try their new menu items whenever we go because we don’t go that often. This time, they had a new breakfast sandwich which was a flatbread stuffed with turkey chorizo, scrambled egg, potatoes, cheese and veggies and grilled until hot. Yum! We also shared their new muffin, the peach pecan crunch muffin, which was super moist and packed with huge chunks of peach. I also loved the crunchy granola baked into the top of the muffin.
The husband got his usual (the bacon turkey bravo sandwich, the mac and cheese and a cherry cheese danish) and he ate every bite like it was the first time. Sigh. haha
Weeknight dinner: chicken schnitzel on a bun
Growing up, one of my Mom’s staple quick dinners was pork or chicken schnitzel from a favourite local butcher. It came pre-cooked, and it was incredibly fresh and delicious. I loved to eat my schnitzel on a fresh, soft roll, slathered in French’s yellow mustard.
The husband and I have made schnitzel on a bun one of our own quick weeknight dinners. Our favourite local grocery store, Farm Boy, sells fresh chicken schnitzel that is ready to pop in the oven at a moment’s notice. We serve ours on top of fresh toasted buns, and I’ve graduated from a little mustard to lettuce and tomato for my toppings. We made a batch of his (russet potatoes) and hers (sweet potato) baked oven fries to accompany our sandwiches.
The dinners that my Mom came up with so long ago were so simple at the time, but it is funny and heartwarming that it is those memories that are what fuel my own sense of creation when it comes to making dinner as an adult.
Lunch at Bistro Fifty Four
While taking a little bit of time off for the period pre- and post-wedding, the husband and I had a little bit of extra time to dine at a restaurant we had been wanting to try.
We first experienced Bistro Fifty Four at the Kanata Food and Wine Show in November 2012.(see here), and enjoyed the beef bourguignon that we tasted.
The restaurant is actually a part of a golf course, which I did not realize. It was quiet in the restaurant the day we dined (the golf course was not yet open) except for a few other patrons who were mostly retirees, likely due to the fact that it was a week day lunch, and there aren’t any office buildings or businesses nearby.
We were promptly greeted, seated and served, and the food came out pretty quickly too. I ordered the monte cristo sandwich and got the soup of the day, a chipotle roasted corn chowder, as my side. Both were delicious - the sandwich was so moist and fresh, and the soup had a great kick of spice but with lots of good roasted flavour. Both of our dishes were served with a pickle and their in-house made coleslaw, which was very different and tasty as it was made with balsamic vinegar, which gave it a wonderful caramel-type colour.
The husband went for his usual, a club sandwich, but for his side, he upgraded to poutine. But this wasn’t just any ordinary poutine - he got what the menu described as “Newfie poutine,” which was your basic poutine topped with stuffing! As a self-dubbed club sandwich connosseur, he liked both the sandwich and his side very much!
We would definitely return to Bistro Fifty Four; the food and service were great, and we’d like to try more of the menu.
Farm Boy’s fresh to-go counter
I am a huge fan of the Farm Boy grocery store chain here in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario; it is where the husband and I do almost all of our shopping and where you can find some of the freshest and most high quality fruits and vegetables. So you won’t be surprised to learn of my excitement when, recently, one of the locations in my neighbourhood expanded its already fantastic fresh take out food section to include gourmet pizza, calzones, soups, fresh coffee and pastries and other delicious quick lunch or dinner options. I love it when an already excellent business strives to make itself even better and offer its customers new and exciting options.
So far, I’ve only feasted on these new options with my eyes, but I hope to dine on the real thing very soon.
Lunch at Melt
While enjoying Easter weekend in the Market, the husband couldn`t resist stopping to try a sandwich at Melt, a gourmet grilled cheese shop.
The shop is tiny; there are only a handful of seats on which to sit and enjoy your sandwich, but the list of sandwich options is huge! You can choose to build your own sandwich, or you can go with one of the pre-selected options. The husband settled on the Proscuitto, which comes with proscuitto, provolone cheese, and roasted red peppers. For his choice of bread, he opted for rye, and chose garlic butter in which the sandwich was to be grilled.
I did not try a bite, but the husband loved it - it was perfectly grilled, the cheese excellently melted, and the flavours all came together wonderfully. The price is steep: $6.99 plus tax for this little sandwich, but it was nice to give a new place a try.
Breakfast for dinner
I made my patented breakfast sandwiches for the fiancé and I for dinner one recent evening. Fried egg whites, turkey bacon, and havarti cheese served on a toasted sundried tomato English muffin. I also tried making my own hashbrowns, but it is taking me a while to perfect my recipe. This is one of my favourite meals to make and eat!
Lunch at Nectar Fine Tea
I once again had the opportunity to lunch at Nectar Fine Teas one recent afternoon, and it was just as amazing as I remembered it to be! I had not dined there in quite some time, so I was so excited to experience the delicate, dainty dining experience that is their High Tea lunch service.
My lunch began with the savoury course, which consisted of potato and leek soup, a potato tart (with the amazing flavour of tarragon) and an open-faced lemon chicken sandwich with black olive tapenade. All three were so delicious and had amazing depth of flavour.
The second course, the sweet course, consisted of a vanilla and cranberry scone as well as green tea and ginger shortbread cookies, and, of course, jam and clotted cream. This is my favourite part of the high tea experience! The scones were fantastic and I adore their shortbread cookies, especially the green tea flavoured one.
If you are looking for a laid back but delicious high tea lunch, I highly recommend Nectar Fine Teas!
Nectar Fine Teas
1250 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, Ontario
613-759-8327
Week night dinner: slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches
This pulled pork kind of came about as a last minute idea; I had a pork loin that had been hanging around the freezer for a while (and taking up precious space) so I decided to finally do something with it!
I wanted to try a different slow cooker pulled pork recipe than what I had used last time. It didn’t turn out nearly as tender as the first time I made pulled pork. I’m not sure if it was the pork loin (vs the pork shoulder) or if I didn’t use enough liquid or what. I also found it quite acidic and not as sweet as I prefer. It wasn’t perfect for me but it also definitely wasn’t inedible. The fiancé actually quite liked it!
To add some sweetness, I shredded up a Gala apple to make a quick slaw to top the sandwich, which was great. I’ll will definitely make slow cooker pulled pork again, but will take into considerations the lessons I learned when making this one.
Lunch at the Works Burger Bistro
What’s more fun than a Friday lunch with your work bff’s? We went out to the Works Burger to celebrate a coworker’s last day before her mat leave this past Friday, and celebrate we did, with milkshakes all around!
I opted for the brand new (and limited time!) milkshake on the menu, the Maple “Sin-amon,” which is vanilla ice cream, a layer of maple syrup and cinnamon, another layer of vanilla ice cream and topped with crumbled maple cookies. It immediately jumped to the top of my all-time favourite milkshakes list!
For my lunch, I went with my usual, the avocado blt with chicken on a croissant. Perfection in every bite! All in all, another amazing meal at the Works, and the service was on point as well - they did a fantastic job!
Dinner at the Brew Table (Round 2)
While out running errands one recent evening, the fiancé and I decided to stop and treat ourselves to another meal at the Brew Table. We loved our first dining experience there so much we couldn’t wait to return.
Before we even set foot in the restaurant, I knew what I would be ordering. The first time we were there, I had it narrowed down to two choices and so this time I went with my second choice item, and I was not disappointed! I ordered the braised beef ravioli, which, in a ridiculous celebration of carbohydrates, comes served atop a pile of mashed potatoes, surrounded by red wine jus, gorgonzola cream sauce, all topped off with “frizzled” onions (basically little baby strips of fried onion). The beef inside the ravioli was tender and juicy, and the mixture of all of the flavours on the plate combined was like fireworks in my mouth! This dish is unlike anything I’ve ever tried; who knew ravioli served on top of mashed potatoes could be so good!?
The fiancé stuck with his tried and true choice of a salad and a sandwich, choosing to have the caesar salad again (which he thoroughly enjoyed last time) but trying another of their sandwiches, this time the flame-seared chicken sandwich with bacon, roasted red pepper mayonnaise and havarti cheese all on a ciabatta bun. Both were very tasty but he said he’d go back to their club, which he enjoyed the first time. He’s a sucker for a good club sandwich!
Overall, our second experience was just as great as our first, and there are other menu items we would love to try, so we’ll definitely be stopping at the Brew Table from time to time again in the future!
Lunch from Essence Catering
I love discovering new little spots to eat, or, even better, new little spots that will bring the food right to me!
While doing my daily scroll through my Twitter feed, I came across a tweet from Essence Catering a while back introducing their new lunch menu, with delivery available in the vicinity surrounding their offices, which is very close to where I work. I was so pumped! After perusing the menu, I e-mailed my order and, presto, my lunch showed up the next day!
I decided to try their black bean soup (served with salsa, avocado and creme fraiche) and the Asian spiced pulled pork served with bahn mi vegetables and miso aioli. Wow! Everything was so fresh and jam packed with flavour. I was amazed at the depth of flavour of the soup, and the accompaniments were such a delicious addition. The sandwich was bursting with the toppings; the pork was tender and spiced excellently, and the veggies were crisp and fresh.
I would highly recommend ordering lunch from Essence Catering! I will definitely be taking advantage of their lunch menu and delivery again.
Lunch from Di Rienzo’s (a contribution from the fiancé)
For some reason, the fiancé’s office building is riding a big trend of ordering in food on a weekly basis and selling it as a fundraiser. Most often he talks of mountains of boxes of pizza, but more recently he discovered that they were also bringing in Di Rienzo sandwiches for sale.
Our relationship with Di Rienzo sandwiches goes way back; I used to eat there for lunch quite often when I worked nearby, and would bring them home to share. But after relocating elsewhere in the city, we hadn’t made the trip back to enjoy these delicious sandwiches in quite some time. It is quite an interesting place to get a sandwich: the location is essentially a convenience store in a residential area of Ottawa’s Little Italy, but with a full service deli, and freshly made to order sandwiches. It is a unique way to get a sandwich, but you will not be disappointed!
For his most recent lunch, the fiancé chose the ham, chicken, roast beef, spicy salami, marbled cheese, lettuce and mayo sandwich. That’s a lot of meat! And all on a freshly baked roll. He loved it. I might join him next time!
Dinner at the Brew Table
The Brew Table is definitely one of those restaurants that the fiance and I drove by a million times before actually taking the time to stop and dine there. Part of my hesitation was its location; it is housed in the bottom floor/lobby of a Days Inn hotel, and its former inhabitant was a chain pub which will remain unnamed, and of which I’m not that big of a fan.
Anyway, we finally decided to give it a shot, and we couldn’t have been more delighted! Firstly, the interior is cozy, clean and had a totally cool vibe. There are quite a few TVs for sport-watching purposes, if that’s your thing. The service? Amazing! This is what impressed me quite a bit: our server was knowledgeable, attentive, friendly and all around fantastic!
There were quite a few menu items that we were interested in, but for our first time dining experience we both chose what sounded the most delicious to each of us personally. The fiance has a bit of a club sandwich obsession, so he went for their turkey clubhouse and chose a caesar salad as his side. I’ve always been curious about the banh mi sandwich, so I chose that and their zucchini cumin soup for my side.
The food was delicious! Fresh and flavourful, my sandwich had great flavour, as did the soup. The fiance loved his club and caesar. We were both very impressed!
Sadly, we have not yet had a chance to go back, but we definitely plan on it. Next on my must-try list? The braised beef stuffed ravioli, served with frizzled onions, red wine jus and gorgonzola cream atop mashed potatoes! This is definitely a great little neighbourhood spot for comfort food and a cozy atmosphere.
