My Top 5 Reviews of 2015!

The end of the year is a time for reflection. Looking back at 2015, I reviewed many products. Here are the top 5 reviews! 

5. Is my first review of Batter Berries! Foodie Friday: Batter & Berries Chicago Restaurant Review    It was my first visit to the B&B and I was very impressed.  I reviewed it again later in the year.  You can find that review here. 

4.  OneCoffee- I believe it's still only available in Canada, but it is great coffee and the company is very environmentally conscious.  Biodegradable,Organic Single Serve Coffee Review-Tuesday Tip

3.  G.H. Cretors Chicago Mix Popcorn- Being from Chicago whenever I see anything related to my hometown in Canada, I immediately want to try it.  The Chicago Mix is uniquely Chicago and some of the best popcorn you'll ever have.  Check out the review here. 

2.  I work out because it's good for me and I have to admit, because I love to eat too!  FitnessBlender.com has some of my favorite workouts.  I buy their plans because they are inexpensive and they work.  This year they revamped their website and made it so much better.  You can read my review here. 

1. Pantene Pro-V Hair Care Products- I have really done a lot of damage to my hair.  I honestly believe that these products have saved my hair.  Read the review here. 

There you have it.  My top 5 reviews of 2015 based on the number of views they received.  Please feel free to check out all of my other reviews!  I have plenty more reviews planned for 2016!  Have a very happy new year! 

The Promontory-Chicago Restaurant Review

When The Promontory opened a couple of years ago, I immediately wanted to go. Mainly because it's in my favorite neighborhood, Hyde Park.  Also because of the concept of a restaurant, bar and concert venue all in one place. 

While in my hometown this summer I went there with a couple of friends.  The atmosphere was laid-back. I felt comfortable sitting there chatting with my friends well after the meal was over.  They didn't rush us out.  The staff were friendly and service was excellent. 

The food was very good.  My friend had the salmon and crab cakes. My other friend and I had the lamb burger with chickpea fries.  Yes, chickpea fries!  I had never heard of chickpea fries and was nervous and excited to try them.  The meal was delicious and if I never have potato fries again that would be ok because the chickpea fries were better than I imagined they could be.  

Lamb Burger with Chickpea Fries

I haven't attended a concert there yet, but it seems like every night there is someone performing there.  I like having a neighborhood place where I can just hang out and listen to music on any night.  The concert list is here. 

Salmon and Crab Cakes

The Promontory also gives back to the community with #hashtaglunchbag. On the last Saturday of every month they feed the homeless. Everyone is encouraged to come to The Promontory to help assemble and distribute 1000 lunch bags to Chicago's homeless.  When I'm there next year, I will make sure to attend #hashtaglunchbag.

Celebrate New Year's Eve at The Promontory with their NYE Tasting Menu. Find out more here.

The Promontory is located at 5311 S Lake Park, Chicago, 312-801-2100.

Hours

Dinner Nightly

Sun–Thurs: 5pm–11pm
Sat–Sun: 5pm–1am

Weekend Brunch

Sat–Sun: 9am–3pm

Weekday Lunch

Mon–Fri: 11am–3pm

Box Office

Thurs–Sat: 5-10pm

To find out more about The Promontory, go to their website.  You can also follow them on Twitter,  Instagram or Facebook.

Foodie Friday: Batter & Berries Part Deux!

Batter & Berries Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

The hashtag Batter & Berries use most frequently is #comegetyousome and indeed I did!  I made a second visit there this summer.  I couldn't leave Chicago without visiting the restaurant. Read my first review of Batter & Berries here.

Scallop Omelette

As usual the restaurant was packed, but it only took us 20 minutes to get a table.  Pro tip: Go during the week, the wait for a table is better than the weekend.  I have a friend who went during the weekend and had to wait over an hour for a table.  The cool thing is that now they text you when you when a table is available.  So, you can walk around the neighborhood, but don't go too far.

Benjamin Loose-Leaf Teas

I wanted to try the French Toast Flight, but I saw the burger with onion rings and sweet potato fries on the menu and decided to try that.  I think they should offer samples of their signature dishes.  I would have gotten a sample of the French Toast Flight and then my order.  The food was delicious and the service was outstanding.  I know it was only my second time there, but I will be going back every visit to Chicago because the atmosphere is very welcoming. I felt like I was going to a friend's home to eat.  We saw our favorite server Tim there and he greeted us with a hug.

Batter & Berries Menu

Check out the Batter & Berries menu here. Have you been to Batter & Berries?! Please share your experience in the comments section. To find out more about Batter & Berries follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Toronto Food Review

My husband and I spent five days in Toronto.  It was a chance to have a little vacation and also to find a place to live.  We will be moving to Toronto in July.  Because our hotel didn't have a continental breakfast we ate out for every meal. In this post I will be telling you about a few of my favorites.  We were very lucky to be staying at a hotel downtown.  The hotel was on a street with many restaurants.

Sushi Time 325 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2A4

(416) 977-2222 Sun-Thurs 12:00pm-11:00pm Friday & Saturday 12:00pm-12:00am.  We ate here twice.  The service was quick and food was very good.  The lunch special was an excellent value! 

 

 

Salmon and Avocado Roll

 

Hot and Spicy Asian Fusion 227 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5V1Z5 (416) 792-8877: Garlic Prawns-Delicious with plenty of prawns and the asparagus was done just right!

Garlic Prawns

The Jerk Joint  238 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z7

(647) 748-7011 open daily 11:00am -9:00pm: Jerk Chicken Wrap-Was not too spicy, but full of flavor and it kept me full until dinner.  Colin the guy who made it for me was awesome and gave me many great sightseeing tips! Colin also told me he was creating new dishes to add to the menu.  Can't wait to get back and try more!

Jerk Chicken Wrap

My Kind Of Foodie Town-Chicago

Took this pic on the way to Streetfood Artistry from the L train

As many of you know I'm from Chicago.  I love Chicago.  For me it's the perfect city.  So when I knew I was going home this summer, I made it a point of making sure to try some new foods.  I tried to get to as many places as I could. The weather was perfect this summer.  Not too hot or cold.  Made traveling around the city quite easy.  Unfortunately time got away from me and I ended up not going as many places as I would have liked.

Jerk 312 Fries

Puffs of Doom Puffs

I won a ticket to StreetFood Artistry.   I was excited to go because I wasn't able to make it to the Taste of Chicago this year.  I was a little disappointed that the free ticket didn't include a wristband so I could partake in drinking alcohol and that there weren't more food trucks.  One of the food trucks I did like there was Jerk 312.  I tried the delicious spicy jerk fries.  They were spicy, but not so spicy that I couldn't enjoy them. The Fat Shallot had a a grilled cheese with caramelized onions and spinach.  That was really good.  I only got a half and wished I had gotten a whole sandwich.  The lemon gelato from Gelato D'Oro was refreshing.   Puffs of Doom is a great idea, but I wish I liked them more.  I tried the maple bacon vanilla and peach cobbler.  The peach cobbler wasn't sweet enough for me.  The maple bacon vanilla was ok. I think they would have tasted better warm too.

The Fat Shallot Grilled Cheese

Before my husband and I went to see Book of Mormon which was awesome, we went to an old favorite My Thai. I had the pineapple curry shrimp.  It was delicious. Lots of flavor and plenty of shrimp.  What I love about My Thai is that it's never difficult to get a seat, the food is served quickly, it's inexpensive and good.

Gelato D'Oro Lemon Gelato

Of course I did have some deep dish pizza.  I went to my favorite place Giordano's where it's called stuffed pizza.  I had the stuffed spinach.  It's like eating a piece of heaven.  Giordano's is my favorite place to have pizza.

My favorite pizza stuffed spinach from Giordano's!

I took the kids to Home Run Inn after the last day of camp.  The kids had chicken and burgers.  I had the Wild Rice Orzo salad.  It has wild rice, orzo, nutty wheat berries, cranberries, corn niblets, toasted almonds and bell peppers dressed in a red wine vinaigrette sweetened with Stevia.  It was good, but I think it would have been better served warm.  

I managed to catch one food truck in the Loop.  Flirty Cupcakes never lets me down.  The kids had the oreo cupcake.  I had the Beached Coconut.  It had a thick layer of sweet coconut frosting.  The cupcake was moist.  Loved it.  

Beached Coconut Cupcake

Went to lunch with my friend Paula at Kikuya Japanese restaurant in my favorite neighborhood Hyde Park.  I had the combination platter with salmon teriyaki and California roll.  The salmon was a bit charred the way I like it.  The teriyaki sauce was perfect.  I wish it included more vegetables. California roll was delicious. 


Summer isn't over.  If you are a foodie and are coming to Chicago there are still many foodie events to attend.  Just check out The Local Tourist events calendar.  Also Chicago Gourmet is September 27-29.

Not sure if we will be going home next year. The next time we go to Chicago I want to try more restaurants and food trucks.  I would like to spend all of my time doing that!  A Foodie's dream!