Review: Tarek's Cafe

Chaos.  Delicious smelling chaos is how I describe the Friday lunch rush at Tarek's.   The soups of the day are Corn Chowder, Split Yellow Pea and a Salmon Chowder.  I ask for a sample of the corn chowder over the din of the crowd without hesitation, always eager to taste someone else's version of my favorite soup.

The decor is unique; I don't know how to describe it.  You can probably find pictures online for yourself.  If possible, grab a seat at an empty table while you wait, the joint can fill quick when the local working population go on their lunch break.

I order a soup and club wrap combo because it is one of the specials and I'm watching my pennies these days.  Also, I know better than to order something complicated during the Friday rush.  Anything complicated or modified is liable to get confused as the order is passed along between 2 to 4 different employees along-side 6 other orders.

The wraps appear to be pre-made that morning (because they're so popular) and pretty standard club material.  Nothing is stale, it's all fresh but unfortunately the contents are just stuffed in the pita so each bite may or may not contain some of each component.  But the soup... The soup is good.  To me the soup is the reason for the trip in, a lot of different notes to pick out.  I like playing that game while I'm eating but it's tough because the flavours are really well blended.


Service is friendly.  We had a great experience here one slow Saturday afternoon where they put a custom dish together for my picky son, but the Friday lunch rush is a different experience.  If you are new to the menu and there is a line-up out the door of impatiently hungry people you could feel rushed and a little confused by it all.  I would suggest a different day and time for first timers but my first meal here was on a Friday at noon so who am I to comment?

I'll be back again soon for lunch.

!Foodie

Review: Mexico Lindo

Mexico Lindo serves home-style Mexican cuisine.  The first thing I always notice is the wonderful smell of spices permeating the air inside, a sign of the delicious Mexican meal to come.  A bowl of homemade salsa and corn tortilla chips are brought to our table shortly after we're seated.

The decor is humble, with local awards for food and business displayed proudly on the wall.  I can only describe the ambiance as honest; a small, local, successful business doing what they love in Fairview.  My wife and I both love this restaurant for what it is.  We're not experts in traditional Mexican food, we have not traveled around Mexico, we're not qualified to comment on what components of this dish or that are traditional or not.

With that being said, this is not Taco Bell or another Tex-Mex restaurant chain food.  Once seated our first question is, as always, if there is any Aqua Fresca made.  There is, today it is made with cantaloupe, our favorite.  We order a pitcher before they run out of it and proceed to review the menu.  My wife decides on the chicken chimichanga and I get the beef burrito meal.  We start in on the tortilla chips and salsa.  The chips themselves are nothing special, just round corn-based transportation for the salsa really.  There are usually 4 different salsas available if you ask about them, Mild, Medium, Hot and Extra Hot.  The hotter you can handle, the tastier it gets but because their target audience is Haligonians, I can't imagine they put out too much Hot and Extra Hot during the run of a service.

Chimichanga with Rice and Beans

Our meal comes out, the food hot to the touch.  The shell of the tortilla on the chimichanga is crispy, inside the shredded chicken, onions and green peppers are steaming.  The diced onions, tomato and sour cream on top are still cool but warming very quickly from the rising heat of the deep-fried chimichanga.  My wife comments the the green peppers seem fresh and flavourful and that the chicken is moist.  No complaints there.  I cut open my burrito.

Beef Burrito

One of the best things about Mexico Lindos is that they don't use ground hamburger.  All the beef versions of dishes I've tried so far use pulled beef and my burrito today is no exception.  The plate comes with Mexican rice and refried beans, the burrito is a large flour tortilla folded up and stuffed with seasoned beef and some more refried beans and topped with salsa and crisp iceberg lettuce.  Like the chimichanga, the burrito normally has a generous dollop of sour cream but I request it without.  I have to cut it open and let it sit for a moment, too hot to eat immediately.  I try the rice and beans while I wait.  The rice is moist but not mushy and the beans have the consistency of a nice oatmeal.  They work really well together on a fork.


All in all, another delicious meal from Ana in the kitchen for a reasonable price.  No surprise there as this is our favourite restaurant for a reason.  We will be back soon, hopefully for lunch to take advantage of their lunch specials.

Review: Fredies Fantastic Fishhouse

Fish and chips.  A maritime staple.  Fredies' Fantastic Fish House is a typical good hole-in-the-wall restaurant.  Located on Oland Crescent in Bayer's Lake Business Park, it can be a little hard to find.  If you don't know where Oland Crescent is, check out a map before you leave to avoid driving past the street.

I've eaten there for lunch a number of times and we've gone as a family as well.  The restaurant only seats a handful, but when the weather is nice there are several tables outside.  The fish has always been very fresh, portions are generous and all for a reasonable price.  The hand-cut fries are good and not greasy.  The seafood chowder is very good, my wife quite enjoyed it.  If you're in the Bayer's Lake Business Park and want fish and chips (or various other deep fried critters from the sea), Fredies is the best choice.  If possible, eat in.  As with anything deep fried, it tends to lose its crispness as part of a take out order.

I'll be eating there again soon.