Murray Street Restaurant – Ottawa, Canada
Murray Street Restaurant (Kitchen | Wine | Charcuterie)
110 Murray Street (Ottawa’s Byward Market)
Ottawa, Ontario
613-562-7244
After a night of booze, we had a late start in Ottawa the next day. So what better way to wake up a hang over than with food! Brunch it was! We went back to Byward Market looking for this out of the way gem. It was very nondiscript and we almost missed it. The Murray Street Restaurant (on Murray Street!), is right next to the Byward Market with a large Pig with a M on the glass door.
Murray Street Restaurant Byward Market Ottawa Canada
Apparently this place was started by Paddy Whelan and Chef Steve Mitton, formerly of Social Restaurant & Lounge. Social is a very swanky Restaurant & Lounge right by Byward Market. When I say swanky, its swanky, dress up! Anyway, here’s a sneak peak.
Murray Street Restaurant Ottawa Breakfast Cassoulet
More after the jump!
Las Vegas Pearl Restaurant at MGM Grand (Chinese Food)
Pearl Restaurant at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (Chinese Restaurant)
Executive Chef: Kai-Wa Yau
Hours of Operation:
Sunday – Thursday, 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday, 5:30pm – 10:30pm
This restaurant located within the MGM Grand (inside where all restaurants are) is a Four Diamond Restaurant. Top notch in terms of decor, service, food as well as prices. We just had to try this Chinese restaurant to gauge whether it really is top notch or not. The cuisine is mainly Cantonese with an influence from Shanghai and a hint of Western flavor in certain dishes. Notice the hours of Operations. All the Four Diamond awarded restaurants are open for dinner only. Reservations are suggested but not necessary. When we went, it was not very packed.
Las Vegas Pearl Restaurant at MGM Grand (Chinese Restaurant)
More after the jump!
Fortune Cookies in China & Explaination of General Tso’s Chicken
Fortune Cookies
General Tso's Chicken
The New York Times Diner’s Journal has a great article about Fortune Cookies in China. The original story is by Jennifer 8. Lee who does a great job explaining all about the Fortune Cookie and other “Chinese” dishes like General Tso’s Chicken. Both being more American or Chinese American rather than authentic Chinese dishes.
Introducing Fortune Cookies in China
Jennifer 8. Lee’s explaination of General Tso’s Chicken below.
General Tso’s Chicken is a dish I have always told people in America that it doesn’t exist in authentic Chinese cuisine. Many of the dishes on the menu of Chinese American restaurants are not authentic either. General Zuo is known as a great a warrior in China, in America, he is known for Chicken. The dish itself has become an icon of Chinese Food in America just like the Fortune Cookie and noone will take that away.
For another interesting article, head over here.
Masu Masu Asian Fusion Restaurant
Masu Masu Asian Fusion Restaurant
1116 Avenue U
btw 12th St & Coney Island Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11223
Avenue U, aka little Chinatown, is filled beyond filled with half-assed boring restaurants. If you live in this neighborhood like I do, you’ll know that the foods here aren’t the best. They taste what they’re supposed to taste like, but there’s just no creativity at all. Or they just plain suck.
With a lot of Japanese sushi bars popping up all over the neighborhood, it seems like none of them can be distinguished. Most of them have non-Japanese chefs making sushi, which absolutely grinds my gears, and the food seems to cater to americans or tourist. What happened to specialty rolls? What happened to creativity and love for food?
Well, Masa Masa is the answer to my prayers.
This is the only restaurant on avenue U, the gravesend neck road area, that tries to be hip and trendy. Thank you!! Most restaurants that you’ll see here don’t really try that hard to impress people with decor. I can understand because people here are simple and they don’t have the time to pay attention to those little details. Service and food is most important to the restaurant owners here. While that’s great, I think it’s time to get with the times.
I came here with the boyfriend after a morning run, and we were craving for dumplings. I am a huge dumpling fan and will almost eat any kind of dumpling as you will see in my prior and future posts.
Pork Dumpling
Never have I seen a dumpling that has such a thin, transparent-like skin. Dip this baby into the accompany soy sauce and your mouth will scream like it’s in heaven. I do have to admit that I was pretty excited because of the way it looked. Look how cute it looks! Unlike the ones that have thick skin and are incredibly doughy, this one doesn’t make you feel as guilty eating it. I really enjoyed this appetizer and absolutely craved some more. The pork is moist and tender and accompanied well with the lightly pan fried dumpling. I swear, you can pop a million of these in your mouth and still crave for me.
My rating: 4/5
Recommended!
Specialty Roll:
It’s been a while since I’ve eaten here and the name of this roll slips my mind. It contains medium well salmon, avocado, cucumbers, seasoned with sesame.
Price: $11.50
This roll is absolutely fantastic. The presentation alone is worth the price, especially in this neighborhood. I like the fact that the salmon is not completely raw, so it gives it a semi-rough texture which I truly love.
Highly recommended!
Rating: 4/5
If you want to order this roll, why don’t you print the picture and show it to the waiter/waitress? haha
California Roll
Price: $4.50
I will always love the Cali roll when it’s done right. I hate it when sushi makers skimp out on my dam rice. I probably said this a million times, but it’s true! I love the presentation and the size. The rice was not too hard, which is the way I like it.
My rating: 4/5
Recommended!
Salmon Roll
Price: $4.50
With a roll done right like this, what can go wrong? It’s a classic.
When you stop by the neighborhood, be sure to pay a visit. You won’t regret it!
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Loading ...Sunway Cafe Chinese Diner
39-07 Prince St
(Near 39th Ave, 7 train to Flushing)
Flushing, NY
After watching Simpsons The Movie at the glamorous College Point Movie theatre, the bf, bf’s brother, and I were craving for food. We left at about 10:30 pm and tried to figure out what the hell we were going to eat. No, not Wendy’s or White Castle again. For once, we were all sick of fast food and thought that we needed to sit down tight at a civilized place with plates of real food. Since we were on a tight budget, we decided to head out to Flushing for some cheap ol’ Chinese food. The bf’s younger sweet 16 brother, Alvin, suggested that we go to Sunway. He swears that it’s the best place ever and claims that he’s been there over 20x. It must be dam affordable if he goes there religious. With growling tummies and a loose wallet, the bf and I decided that we should hit this joint and find out.
If you’re in Flushing, you have to be blind not to see this restaurant. It’s smacked right in the middle of Flushing, literally a block away, and it’s right on the corner of Prince and 39th Ave. We got there around 11pm and had to wait on line because there were so many people waiting for a seat! Outrageous! Well, it’s better than it being deserted because then it would get creepy, like in manhattan’s Chinatown.
After about 10 mins, we got seats right under the plasma tv. The baseball game was playing, but not like anyone was paying attention to it. Most of the people here were younger kids that looks really fobby. A pack of young teenage girls were giggling in the back of the restaurant, and a good sprinkle of older fobby guys were sitting in the middle chatting it up like gangsters.
Anyways, after we were seated for like 10 mins, a waitress came to us and asked what we liked to drink. Let me tell you, the best part of the menu are their drinks. I’ve never seen anything more colorful and cocktail-like in my whole entire life. They serve an array of bubble teas and mixed fruity drinks. I opted for the Phoenix Sunrise drink, picture below, because it sounded so kickass. When the drink arrived, I was oh so impressed by the color because it looks like how it sounds and it tasted very sweet, which I love. I can taste mango and orange. Exactly what they put their drink is beyond me. And Alvin got the mango smoothie, which to me didn’t look anything special. The taste wasn’t that great too.
Alright time for the chow part of this blog.
Rice noodles with duck, wonton, and choy sum
Price: $3.75
I wished they gave more rice noodles. Apparently Alvin didn’t finish this bowl due to the dim sum that we ordered, which I will get to. I did have a taste of the duck and wonton and to me, it wasn’t anything special. I grew up eating this stuff, and I figure as long as the taste doesn’t get worse it’s fine by me.
My Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended: Yes especially if you never had this before, or you’re craving for delicious duck and noodles.
Rice noodles with braised beef
Price: $3.75
Again, what’s up with skimping with the dam rice noodles?? I ordered this thinking that this dish can absolutely cannot go wrong, but it did. I’m pissed as hell with the skimping, but to give me the hard ass part of the beef and a few pieces of meat is not cool with me. The broth tasted pretty good, but I’m not feeling this skimping part.
Rating: 2.5/5
Not Recommended
Dim Sum!
Price: $2.25/each
Beef wrapped with Rice Noodles (In Chinese, it’s called Ha Chern)
Malaysian Spongcake
Ha Gow (Shrimp covered with thin rice paper)
Pork Bun
I give them props for having dim sum at this hour. These didn’t taste bad at all. If you are craving for dim sum late night, I’d definitely recommend it.
BBQ Spare Ribs
Price: $5.25
This is the cheapest piece of meat that I’ve ever seen. There’s not a lot of meat and this is the most oily thing that I have ever eaten. I didn’t really like it and wouldn’t recommend anyone ordering this.
Remember, you pay for what you get. The food is decent here and it really gives a quick fix for a staving stomach. The drinks here are absolutely phenomenom. People were ordering it here like crazy. I really recommend that. Alright, I’ll leave you with the health inspection results from the city.
SUNWAY CAFE
39-07 PRINCE STREET, QUEENS 11354
Violation points: 9
Inspection Date: 09/14/2006
Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
Sanitary Violations
1.) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
2.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
