The Old Spaghetti Factory

I've seen the Old Spaghetti Factory in the USA, and in Hong Kong.  Seeing how tacky it looked and how it's always filled with tourists with their backpacks and DSLR's around their neck, I have always said that I would never be caught dead in the Old Spaghetti Factory.  I've also been told by the hubby that the food is just ok and we make better pasta at home.

The night before our half marathon, we had to go downtown to pick up our race packets.  We also needed to cargo-load.  My friend suggested we go to the Old Spaghetti Factory to do our carbo-loading.  The pasta is just so-so, but the garlic butter is amazing and you get ice cream included.  So off we went to eat bread and garlic butter.

I stepped in the door and was overwhelmed by how tacky this place was on the inside.  It was like the dumping ground for a carnival, trains and whatever junk you can think of.  We waited maybe 20 minutes for a table and was seated at the corner somewhere.  I was starving at the time and hoped that our server would come by to take our orders fast.  Nope, no where to be seen.  We waited a very long time and got another server to look for our server not once but twice.  It felt like our server was hiding from us.  He finally came over with our bread and garlic butter, which was very yummy by the way (we all had disgusting garlic breath after), and took our order.  I ordered some Mediterranean chicken dish that came on pasta with a side of mushrooms.  Our salads came soon after.  Nothing special, just iceberg lettuce with some strips of carrots and cabbage.  Our mains took like half an hour to come.  I forget if the 3 of us finished 2 or 3 loaves of bread and garlic butter at the time.  Our mains finally came and we all just ate in silence.  Not because the food was good, but because we were starving.  Inhaled my dish even though my whole wheat pasta was salty, dry and undercooked.  Not al-dente, but undercooked.  

After we finished we waited for our ice cream, we left.  I can now safely say, I will NEVER ever visit the Old Spaghetti Factory again.  My gut instinct was right, it's just a crappy tourist trap.  I really don't know why I'm writing this blog since it really wasn't worth mentioning.  Or maybe I feel the need to warn you readers to not to step foot into this place?

The Old Spaghetti Factory

#54 The Esplanade Toronto, Ontario M5E 1A6 

Kings Taco

One word to describe.  OMG!!!  I don't know much about Mexican food, but I do know that Taco Bell is not real Mexican food and not to go there when i'm craving Mexican food.  I found this place through Chowhound, my favourite restaurant researching site.  Upon additional research through other sites such as Yelp and Restaurantica, I actually started to get a little worried, because of the pictures I saw.  The logo and restaurant frontage looked a bit, well, kiddy and not professional.  I decided to trust the gut instincts of my fellow Chowhounders and off we went.

The hubby and I met my very pregnant former coworker (now mommy) and her husband there for dinner.  Decor inside the restaurant was so-so.  But all you could hear in there was Spanish.  This was definitely a good sign.  I started off with a horchata, a rice based drink with some spices in it, and the boys ordered Mexican Coca-Cola.  I don't know what they put or don't put in the Coca-Cola in Canada and the USA, but it doesn't taste as good.

For a starter, we ordered a half order of guacamole, tasty!  But I wish we knew that we would be getting free chips!  Along with the chips were 3 hot sauces with 3 different levels of spiciness, an onion and cilantro mixture and limes.

Guacamole, Chips, Hot Sauces

For the mains, we ordered tacos asador (4), tacos barbacoa (4), ya vas and the last dish I can't remember.  Everything was super delicious!  Seasoned really well and portions were very big!  Pricing was very reasonable as well.  I was so stuffed!  The best part, CORN TORTILLAS!  I love them.  None of the flour tortilla junk.  I can't eat tasteless flour tortillas anymore.  I had no idea, but tacos are not usually served with salsa.  It's apparently a north american thing.  Same with cheese.  Who knew?

Tacos Barbacoa

Tacos Asador

Ya Vas

Dish I forgot.....

I can't wait to go back again!

Kings Taco
1216 St. Clair Ave. W.,
Toronto, ON
(647) 342-0262

Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday 12pm - 10pm
Friday, Saturday 12pm - 11pm

Camp

This was intended to be a treat/reward for ourselves.  I planned this visit out weeks in advance.  Actually, as soon as I read the article in Toronto Life, I knew I wanted to come here after my first ever half marathon.  What drew me to Camp was not the kitchy, nostalgic factor of the decor and furniture (my parents had the same kitchen table as the table we sat at), but it was for their french toast.  They make a baked french toast using croissants!

So after running the half marathon, we were starving and looking forward to the french toast.  We get there, and we were told that they were sold out.  I was so disappointed I wanted to cry.  You know when you have your mind set on something, and you don't get it?  Its as if my whole world crumbled down around me.  So instead of throwing a child like tantrum and starving, I settled for their breakfast burrito.  The breakfast burrito was a tortilla stuffed with eggs, avocado, beans and cheese.  It came with a side of salad home made salsa, sour cream and a few olives.  Everything was very delicious.  My eggs were nice and fluffy.  Generous portion.  Not sure if it had enough calories to replaced what I just burned, but enough to keep me satisfied.

Breakfast Burrito

Hubby and friend both ordered their sausage special.  This came with a sausage, scrambled eggs, a baked scalloped potato side and some yummy mustard.  I'm not a huge fan of sausage, so I can't really comment, but my hubby and friend loved it.  The potatoes were just so-so.

Sausage Special

I need to come back again for their french toast!

Camp
244 Jane St.
Toronto, ON
(647) 346-2667

Joons

I've heard so much about this place, and how good it is.  And i've been meaning to try for years.  I didn't get a chance till recently.  School was finally done this term, time to relax and catch up with some friends.  The most famous dish from Joons that I kept hearing about is the dak galbi, this dish with rice rolls, chicken, and cheese.  Sounds like a weird combo, Korean food and cheese, but hey, Koreans make good KFC (Korean Fried Chicken).  The dak galbi wasn't anything super special.  It was yummy, but I just kept thinking, I can make this at home if I buy the gochujang sauce (which I already have at home), so I'm not sure i'll be coming back specially for this dish.  The kimchi fried rice was tasty, just the right amount of seasoning.  The stew was good, and light.  Good contrast to the dak galbi.

Dak Galbi

Kimchi Fried Rice

Stew with Dumplings & Meats

Again, the food here is nothing too special, it is good comfort food, or if you have just drank a little too much.

Joons
4852 Yonge St.
North York, ON  M2N 5N2

Uncle Betty's

The name of this place sounds weird.  Uncle Betty.  Usually Betty is a female name isn't it?  This wasn't the only reason why this restaurant caught my eye.  They also make their own donuts!  However, this time I went for a visit, wasn't for the donuts.  Last time my friend went, she brought me back a donut to try.  It was pretty good.  Taste and texture reminded me of those Tiny Tom donuts that my parents used to buy for me and my sister at the CNE.

For my own visit, I didn't feel anything donut related.  That crossed off Uncle Betty's version of the eggs benedict.  Instead of an English muffin bottom, they use one of their home made donuts.  My pick ended up to be Breakfast in a Bowl, which is essentially a breakfast poutine.  Fries topped with eggs, country gravy, cheese and bacon or sausage.  Nothing too special.  Found the country gravy a little bland and the egg whites slightly overcooked.  Hubby ordered a "grilled cheese", which had meatloaf, and mac n' cheese and a side of sweet potato fries.  The idea is awesome!  The meatloaf was pretty tasty, but the mac n'cheese was bland and on the dry side.

Overall, very cute place, great atmosphere, and worth a visit if you're in the area anyways.

Breakfast in a Bowl

Grilled Cheese

Uncle Betty's
2590 Yonge St.,
Toronto, ON M4p 2J3
(416) 483-2590

Summer Hours:
Monday - Friday 9:30am - 9pm
Saturday & Sunday 8:30am - 9pm

Fall/Winter Hours:
Monday - Wednesday 10am - 8pm
Thursday & Friday 9:30am - 9pm
Saturday 8:30am - 9pm
Sunday 8:30am - 8pm