We started our lunch with the Gyoza: six deep fried pork and vegetable dumplings ($6.95) and Edamame: steamed and lightly salted Japanese soybeans ($3.50).  The Edamame were plump and delicious and came almost immediately after ordering.  The dumplings were incredible.  Everyone at the table agreed that they were quite possibly the best dumplings we’d ever sampled.  The meat was moist and perfectly seasoned and the pan frying was just right – crispy on the edges but not greasy.  As you can see by the photo, they were quite large and six was plenty for all four of us to enjoy.  I’m fairly certain it’s fair to say that these dumplings were made from scratch at the restaurant.

When the waiter arrived with this tray of Salmon Teriyaki: grilled salmon server over a bed of stir-fry ($12.95), we were all surprised that everything on it was for one person.  Once again, you can see there is an enormous amount of fish and the side dishes were a happy, unexpected surprise.  Our friend who ordered this dish said the fish was cooked a little more than she would have liked but not enough to ruin the meal by any means.  It had just the right amount of terriyaki glaze and wasn’t too sweet thanks to the stir fried bean sprouts that helped balance the flavour.  For just under $13, I thought this dish offered an incredibly generous amount of food.

This is the Chicken Katsu Ramen: chicken bulet served with rice and salad ($10.95).  I’m fairly certain that the next time I visit Maru, I will be going for the shrimp version of this delicious looking soup.  Our friend who ordered this one said the flavours were terrific – light curry without overwhelming the whole dish – and the chicken was beautifully cooked.  There were enough noodles to satisfy but not so much that they overwhelmed the broth.  Seeing as she finished this giant bowl of soup, I would say it was thoroughly enjoyed.

Harvey and I tried the Yaki Ramen: stir fried ramen with chicken and vegetables ($10.95).  It was a difficult decision.  The menu has photos of all the dishes and they all look terrific.  I decided to go with stir fry when I saw it come out for another customer.  It came out sizzling and smelling fantastic.  The flavour was simple – a pretty standard soy sauce flavour with stir fried bean sprouts and scallions on top – good comfort food.  Although I enjoyed it for the most part, I did find it a touch on the greasy side and the amount of chicken it offered was pretty disappointing.  I think I got about 4 pieces and they were pretty tiny – some egg on top might be a good addition to this dish.  I will definitely opt for soup next time.

The restaurant itself is clean and nicely decorated with many remnants of Ristorante Luigina (RIP) as well as Japanese murals and other decorative items placed around the dining room.  The staff were incredibly friendly and greeted us with big smiles the moment we arrived.  One fun touch was the little call button on each table.  We never had to use it but it made us feel very well taken care of.

I will not hesitate to visit Maru again and I hope you will all do the same.  It’s affordable and delicious and most importantly, it’s different.  Don’t be fooled by our order either, there are plenty of options for vegetarians and they also do take out.  Go have a taste for yourself!

Don’t get me wrong, I do not have a huge appetite for waiting and paying extra for a meal that would likely arrive lukewarm and soggy.  But in this day and age, it seems as though we’re increasingly running in too many directions and embracing novel ways of shaving a few minutes off of time consuming tasks.  And for some, cooking healthy meals with locally sourced ingredients and sitting down to eat dinner as a family is one of those tasks that regularly falls off the plate.  Thankfully the entire fast food industry is built on convenience, as evidenced by features including speedy service, drive thrus, and the number of franchise locations in any given city.  Case in point regarding the latter: Division Street at Highway 401.

Back to fast food delivery, which is making a come back and in certain areas of the world it’s big business.  Although the Clown, the King, the Colonel and friends do not offer delivery in Canada, many franchises still provide this service in larger cities such as NYC, and parts of Europe, Asia and South America.  Further, Burger King started testing their very own delivery service in key markets throughout the United States.  While the experiment offered a limited menu, required hungry callers to spend a minimum of $8-$10, and restrained delivery to addresses within 10 minutes of store locations, the reviews thus far have been positive thanks in part to BK’s new delivery packaging technology and the use of thermal bags.

In an electronic age of instant everything — when millions of consumers expect to get what they want at the click of a button — the logic may seem sound. But what about those soggy fries and limp burgers that folks fear go hand-in-hand with home delivery?  Burger King has developed a “proprietary thermal packaging technology,” says Jonathan Fitzpatrick, chief brand and operations officer for Burger King, “which ensures the Whopper is delivered hot and fresh, and the french fries are delivered hot and crispy.”

The grill-to-door Whopper or Big Mac is not coming to Kingston any time soon, and here’s why: if burger delivery was viable, McDonald’s would have likely figured it out by now.  But that’s not to say that the King’s experiment south of the border could be a sign of things to come to Kingston’s test market.  At the very least, local delivery options recently expanded with the addition of Boston Pizza’s very own delivery service, and St-Hubert will soon be shipping rotisserie chicken directly to your door.

Like drive thrus and fatty fast foods, if you’re not a fan of fast food delivery, the best thing you can do is refuse to support it. Do you think it will be a long and lonely wait until the likes of Tim Horton’s starts delivering double-doubles, or would you embrace more restaurants who offer delivery as a convenient alternate to eating in, taking out, and drive thrus?  Please hold the cheese, and drop off a few comments below.

Thanks to amee@work for today’s photo.

We have been sub-letting space at 344 Johnson Street from a failed coffee business and abiding to the terms of an original lease signed in 2001. The original lease contained provisions for 2 renewal terms of 5 years each for a total of 15 years. We assumed the space part way through the first renewal period ending February 28, 2011. Before the renewal date, we made the landlord aware that we wanted to renew the lease but were looking for some changes which would permit us to license the location to a third party if we desired. The landlord took the opportunity to ask for a 40% rental increase, to add a provision for a personal guarantee, and to compel us to replace a broken Furnace and Air Conditioner which would both immediately become the property of the landlord. In addition to this, the landlord wanted us to be responsible for upgrading a sewer line determined by the City to be insufficient to service the building. As a show of good faith negotiating on our part, we paid the increased amount with the expectation that we would negotiate a lease and continued to pay the 40% increase for 11 months to date. Up to this point the landlord was unwilling to concede any points to us and it became clear that the cost of changing the lease was simply too high and therefore we would instead just renew under the old terms and finish off the last renewal term.

Through our lawyer we notified the landlord on November 30, 2011 of our wish to renew under the terms of the original lease and to be given credit for the 10 months of overpayment beginning January 1, 2012 and to submit to arbitration in setting a new rent amount.

The landlord, local real estate agent Hugh Mosaheb of Royal LePage on Queens Street responded December 21, 2011 by sending us an arbitrary bill for Common Costs including the cost of the City sewer inspection and a bill for $500 to be paid to Mosaheb’s 13 year old daughter for sweeping the driveway. (Seriously!)

Mosaheb turned up the heat on Friday December 23 in the afternoon by claiming through his lawyer that we did not have the right to renew the lease and that we were in fact operating on a month to month basis and that he demanded us to vacate the property by January 31, 2012. I immediately informed Mosaheb of how his actions would appear to the public should we release the details through social media. Hugh Mosaheb quickly had his lawyer phone, email and send a letter threatening a defamation lawsuit should any details of the negotiation become public, a threat Hugh Mosaheb repeated in an email.

In my response to his email, I indicated that my main concern was for the jobs of my staff at Johnson Street who deserved to know before Christmas whether they would have any jobs in the New Year. I also stated that I wanted assurances that we could stay until our new location was open so we could transition staff and avoid layoffs. Despite this sincere request, Hugh Mosaheb declined to grant that and is sticking to his demand that we leave by January 31.

The first business day of January I had a discussion with a highly regarded local commercial real estate broker who offered to intervene as an impartial participant in order to secure an extension and perhaps a new lease agreement. Mosaheb indicated to the commercial broker that he would respond in a couple of days after he was informed of the tight timeline required to give staff proper notice of termination. That was seven days ago.

Yesterday afternoon I received a phone call from my lawyer indicating Hugh Mosaheb had dismissed his previous lawyer and engaged a new lawyer to represent him, normally an indication of a bad client, not a bad lawyer. The new lawyer was asking for a meeting between all parties. When asked for clarification we were informed that our leaving the location was not negotiable. While I am eager to engage in a discussion with a reasonable and responsible person capable of making a decision, I am unconvinced that Hugh Mosaheb is capable of meeting my expectations. Mosaheb has taken every opportunity to negotiate in a less than conventional way, from altering digital lease documents without proper notation, stalling negotiations because of poor communication with his lawyer, submitting questionable invoices, showing our space to prospective tenants while we had a valid lease, changing lawyers, ordering eviction the day before Christmas Eve, raising the rent without consent 40%, expecting that we pay the HVAC replacement, and on and on. Further, Mosaheb knows that his arbitrary actions are affecting our staff whom all rely on us to pay their rents, groceries and schooling.

So where do we go from here? Given the lack of good will existing in our relationship, in order to protect my equipment, we will be closing permanently at Johnson Street on Friday January 27 at 8:30 pm.

Mosaheb has been given almost three weeks to revoke his arbitrary eviction notice, has been informed of the devastating consequences to my staff but still stubbornly holds to his demand that we leave the premises.

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Submitted to Kingstonist’s Community Soapbox by: Coffeeco.

For those who have never been to Casa Domenico, reservations are a must, especially on popular nights such as New Year’s Eve, most weekends, Valentine’s Day, Grad season etc… From past experience, I would also recommend that you show up exactly on time, as both early and late comers will be invited to wait at the bar until a table, and the staff are ready for you.  The menu boasts everything you should expect from an upscale Italian restaurant, from Caprese salad to Arancini, pasta Puttanesca to the back by popular demand Tonno Terzetto. Rest assured, in spite of the fact that the menu refers to most dishes in Italian, the mouth watering descriptions are conveniently in English.
Some might argue, rightfully so, that Caesar salad is as far from real Italian cuisine as North Americans can get.  Casa’s Caesar Salad ($7.75) consists of romaine, shaved parmigiano, crisp prosciutto, focaccia croutons, and a very healthy amount of garlic dressing.  Thankfully they don’t sprinkle in whole capers, which seems to be a trend at other local fine dining establishments.  Needless to say, Tijuana’s little secret is well represented by Casa.  However, if Caesar salad isn’t your thing, you can always try out delicious alternatives such as: Insalata Verde, Caprese, Caprino, Pera con Gorgonzola or Bella Mela.
Given the substantial portions and price of their main courses, neither salads nor appetizers are really required at Casa unless you’re going all out.  Being as it was New Year’s Eve, we opted to try the Arancini ($10.00), risotto balls stuffed with porcini mushroom, peas and mozzerella with tomato sauce and basil.  Having enjoyed Arancini at Olivea, and successfully produced it for our family’s Christmas dinner this past year, I was a bit disappointed by Casa’s interpretation. That’s not to say that it wasn’t delicious, but I did find it heavy on cheese and light on Arborio, or whatever rice they use.  I wouldn’t be quick to order this dish again at Casa, but I would recommend you try it to see how their recipe stacks up against your favourites.
Onto the main course, where I opted for the Manzo ($33.00), a grilled AAA beef tenderloin, served atop a carmelized onion potato cake, and swimming in roasted garlic red wine sauce. This is my go-to main course selection at Casa, and although it has never happened, if they were to tell me that it was unavailable, I might get up from the table and walk out. Don’t get me wrong, I know they do pasta and other dishes really well, but ever since I tasted this on my first visit, I’ve never strayed when ordering. Bottom line, if you put Casa’s mouth-watering, perfectly grilled Manzo up against any other gourmet steak in Kingston, you’d likely come away giving top marks to Casa. The crispy onion potato cake and colourful sauce also make this dish really special, giving it a richness that encourages you to savour each and every bite.
My dining companion also ordered her favourite main course dish, the Tonno Terzetto ($32.00). As you can see in the photo above, there are three distinct servings of tuna, prepared as follows:

1. Black peppered tuna (rare), caramelized fennel, tomato oil, citrus mayo;
2. Mustard seed tuna (rare), marinated red onions, potato crisps; and
3. Tuna crudo, capers, extra-virgin olive oil, arugula.

While each preparation offers a unique comination of flavours and textures, I surprisingly enjoyed the mustard seed encrusted tuna above the rest. My wife on the other hand, couldn’t make up her mind which one she liked the best. Needless to say, this dish is great for those who have trouble making up their minds with respect to ordering. It’s hard to believe that Casa removed this dish from their menu for a short while, but encouraging to see it back.

Casa Domenico is a pricey treat that you will likely splurge for on the most special of occasions. Rest assured, that when you decide to take the plunge, your tastebuds will be overwhelmed with soulful Italian flavour, which strikes a perfect balance between conventional recipes and fashionable interpretations.

The Burger/Poutine Wars Revisited

Last August, a handful of new downtown restaurants began to emerge, while each specialized in their own brand of gourmet burgers, poutine and trans fat-laden delicacies. Kingstonist’s poll regarding the burger/poutine wars went on to crown Smoke’s Poutinerie as the most anticipated new establishment of 2010, while this post also received a record number of comments that has yet to be surpassed nearly one year after the fact. Since the initial charge onto the burger and poutine battlefield, we’ve witnessed victories, losses, new competitors and revamped weapons of mass consumption. The Poutine Place was the first joint to lose out, while Smoke’s and Five Guys Burgers and Fries have successfully developed loyal, belt-loosening customers. In recent months, Harper’s Burger Bar nearly doubled the size of their menu and expanded with an outdoor patio, while The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro arrived and has had a full house since opening night. With the new gourmet burger/poutine-era upon us, this week’s poll asks:
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
Many of our readers have commented that these places are overpriced, over-hyped, and thanks to their expansive menus, a bit overwhelming. It’s true that you’re going to pay more at Five Guys, Harper’s, Smokes, and The Works, but then again, the portions are bigger, the ingredients are better, and in certain cases, they have fancier atmospheres than your average fast food chain. For the moment, the burger blitz of 2010/2011 is not showing any signs of slowing down, but just how long can these establishments survive, and what are the long-term implications for local rates of type 2 diabetes and heart disease? Could the pendulum eventually swing back and give way to an anti-burger wave of restaurants catering to those who yearn for slow, local and vegetarian food options?

Which gourmet burger or poutine establishment do you enjoy the most? Are you hopeful that more competitors will join the fray in the Limestone City, or are you optimistic that we’ll get a long overdue gourmet vegetarian alternative? Please drop off your comments and concerns below.

Thanks to edithinthekitchen for today’s burger-tastic photo.

Guide to Late Night Bites

What do most of us like to do after an evening of imbibing and enjoying great live music or a DJ at a local watering hole? If you’re like me, you want to eat! I always found finding good late night food in Kingston to be a challenge unless you’re interested in fast food or chains like The Pita Pit or Denny’s. Through some research I’ve learned that there are a lot more local options available after dark than I originally thought. Here is a list of those places for your convenience.

• Ale House & Canteen (393 Princess St.): I was excited to hear that this place serves food until 2:30am every single night. I’ve never been but I imagine it’s a pretty popular joint with the students once the bars let out. Maybe I’ll try it in the summer.
• Brandees (178 Ontario St.): You can enjoy their full menu until 10pm, from then on there is a “munchy menu” you can order from right until close at 2am.
• Bubba’s (349 King St. and 401 Princess St.): This Kingston staple is beloved by students and locals alike. Get poutine, pizza, burgers and more until 2:30am Mon-Sat. and until 9pm on Sundays.
• El Asador (375 Princess St.): This unassuming little shop in the hub serves up curry wraps and burritos until 12am Sun-Tues and 3am Thurs-Sat. They take a break on Wednesdays.
• Famous King (505 Princess St.): Serving up Lebanese dishes like shawarma and donair, this restaurant seems to change their hours based on busy it is. Sadly I couldn’t find any more solid info for you.
• Fanatics (371 Princess St.): This kitchen’s hours are centered around whichever sporting event is being broadcast. They always serve until midnight but if the game goes longer, so does the kitchen.
• J.A.K.K. Tuesdays (642 Progress Ave.): You can enjoy a pretty straight up menu of pub fare until 11pm Mon-Thurs, 12am on Fridays and 11pm on Saturdays. They close at 6:30 on Sundays.
• Mr. Donair (163 Division St.): Once known as Shawarma Shawarma, this establishment in the hub serves donair and falafel amongst other Lebanese dishes until 2am Mon-Tues, 3am Wed-Sat and 9pm Sun. Mon-Sat they offer delivery until 1am.
• Raxx (665 Development Dr.): This popular township bar serves food every night until 11pm.
• Tango (331 King St.): You can groove and graze at this tapas restaurant until midnight every night.
• The Brass (403 Princess St.): Aw, The Brass, the first bar I ever visited as a wee Frosh. At 10pm they begin running a late night menu that goes right until close at 2am.
• The Iron Duke (207 Wellington St.): These guys tout their local fare with a late night menu until midnight during the week and 12:30am Thurs-Sat.
• The Kingston Brewing Company (34 Clarence St.): You can get a plate of nachos with your White Tail until 10pm Sun-Wed and midnight Thurs-Sat.
• The Loyal Oarsman (724 Bath Rd.): This township restaurant serves up all your favourite pub fare until 12am Mon-Sat and 10pm on Sundays.
• The Mansion (506 Princess St.): This live music hot spot serves their full menu every night until 2am.
• The Merchant (6 Princess St.): You can always find a bite here until 12am but if it’s busy, the kitchen will keep serving up pub fare until close.
• The Pita Grill (371 Princess St.): This restaurant in the hub serves pitas and poutine until 4am Thurs-Sat.
• The Tir nan og (200 Ontario St.): Kitchen hours from Sun-Tues end at 11pm but you can eat until 1am Thurs-Sat. Like a lot of pubs in the area, if it’s busy enough, they’ll serve food later than that too.
• The Toucan (76 Princess St.): Hard and fast rule, if you want food at The Toucan, get there by 10:30pm. The kitchen closes at 11pm but we’ve had a few experiences with things wrapping up early leaving us hungry at 10:45pm.
• Tommy’s (377 Princess St.): The hub’s newest late night addition, these guys will feed you until 11pm Mon-Wed, 10pm on Sunday and are open 24 hours on Fri and Sat! Woo hoo!
• Zappas (178 Ontario St.): Zappas varies their hours based on how busy they are but they’ve been known to keep the kitchen open right until closing time on the weekends.

Thanks to Gerry Balding for today’s photo.

Eleven months of eating dust, bombarded by rockets fired by an elusive, entrenched enemy, and all I can think about is the perfect sandwich. Separated from your family and the comforts of home, one has a great deal of time to build an elaborate sandwich fantasy. Would I ever taste the sweet medley of
bread, meat and cheese again?

Some Background

For the last decade or so, Canadian soldiers have occupied a base in southern Kandahar, the heartland of the Taliban and centre of its power. For several years, Canadians were major players in the multi-national camp, though during my tour the Americans were present in such force this dynamic changed somewhat. The camp housed thirty thousand soldiers, which made dining a logistical nightmare.

To say that the food quality was low would be overly complimentary to the repugnant, unpalatable slop served in the dining facilities. While you may have the dexterity to avoid the razor sharp shards of chicken bone, which lie in wait in your curry, do you also have the stamina to stomach the meatloaf, whose strangely wet, yet chewy texture is enough to ruin one’s appetite after the first chew?

In time the appetite diminishes. Eating stops being a luxury, and becomes another unpleasant chore. Deployed soldiers supplemented their meals with food sent to them in care packages, and whatever they could scrounge from the small shops that grew around the population of soldiers. Apparently the human body can sustain itself for some time on protein shakes, beef jerky and multi-vitamins.

Throughout the ordeal (and the food issue is merely one of a plethora of challenges for a deployed soldier) I allowed myself the indulgence of my sandwich fantasy. In my dreams, my perfect sandwich would be waiting for me on the tarmac on that fated day when my plane returned me to beautiful Canadian soil.

Returning Home

After so long away, with horror stories coming in from Afghanistan all the time, of course my mother convinced me to visit her in Kingston within a few days of being back home in Ottawa. Shortly thereafter, I found myself sharing a too-large pitcher of beer with an old friend at Harper’s. It was one of those moments that you remember forever, when you just have an overwhelming sense of… destiny.

I don’t remember if it was some kind of otherworldly halo that caused me to turn in incredulity towards the server as he brought me my sandwich, or if my brain is just embellishing my memories. What I do remember is a hamburger patty wedged with audacity between two, complete grilled cheese sandwiches. It was the sandwich of my dreams. Greasy enough to compensate for an entire year of lean living, the “Double Down” was a sandwich revelation. Oh Canada, you rich, spoiled, amazing country. How I missed your first world excesses!

Post Sandwich Regret

In dollars, the Double Down was extremely reasonable; in shame, the price-tag was much higher. How many hours spent in a fifty degree gym had I just squandered? How was this experience in tune with my attempts to lead a healthier lifestyle? To return home from conflicted Afghanistan with a new energy, and a new discipline? As my friend assisted me to my feet, he kindly supported me back to his home, where I collapsed onto his couch in a puddle of sweat and self-loathing.

In other news, Mom is extremely happy that I’m visiting Kingston more often.
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Submitted to Kingstonist’s Community Soapbox by: M.J. Jones.

Thanks to Amuse Bouche for today’s photo.

All and all, I think that Arisu is a solid competitor amongst a growing field of downtown sushi restaurants.  The fact that it’s oftentimes hard to get seat at this place speaks volumes about the quality of food, and the friendliness of the staff.  Not only was our waiter patient and helpful while we determined what to order, but he also stepped out from behind the counter to open the door as we left.  It’s a small thing, but gestures such his go a long way to attracting and retaining customers.  I will be back soon.

Both my dining partner and I ordered Vegetarian Pad Thai ($8.50) and, although it was well cooked and fresh, it was a little underwhelming.  I’ve had some fantastic pad thai in Kingston and this wasn’t it.  It was just a little boring with a few pieces of tofu and stir fried green and red peppers with a sprinkling of peanuts on top.  I would have liked more tofu, some egg ad definitely more sauce.  Lucky for me, my friend paid the bill but I was pretty amazed to see that it was over $40.  For two main courses and an app with water to drink, that seemed a little hefty.

A few days ago I decided to give Ly’s another go and to try to be a bit more adventurous with my order.  I decided to go with take out this time.  I placed my order over the phone and discovered that the online menu is out of date (and their website appears to be down right now too).  No worries, I was still able to order what I wanted.  My food was hot and waiting for me when I arrived to pick it up 15 minutes later.  I was once again surprised by the price.  For an app and a main, it came to $18.50.  Once I got it home, I started to feel better about the price, the food looked beautiful.
This is the Chicken Satay ($8.50).  You can also get it with beef or shrimp.  I’m used to satay coming with peanut sauce but this satay had already been covered in sauce when I opened the container.  I wouldn’t have minded my sauce on the side so I could control how much or how little I got.  The chicken was a bit tough and the sauce could use a bit more kick, whether that be heat or just a bit of tamari or soy sauce.  Overall, it wasn’t a bad app but a little expensive for what I got.

This is Vegetarian Singapore Noodles: stir fried vermicelli with tofu, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, onions and a hint of curry ($8.50).  The helping, as you can see, is enormous and it smelled delicious.  Usually I find stir fried vermicelli to be really sticky but these noodles were perfect.  I was thrilled to see that the tofu was grilled rather than fried.  It had a nice crunch but still retained its soft texture in the middle.  The flavour was pretty much what I expected, I used to get a dish like this at the Asian Market at Princess and University when I was a student.  This version was very similar in flavour but could have used a little kick once again.  The veggies seemed to have a sweetness to them that I would have liked more of throughout the rest of the dish.

Overall, I would say my experience at Ly’s has been alright.  When it comes to Asian cuisine in Kingston, the competition is stiff so it’s really important to go that extra mile with every dish.  I would say the biggest thing that needs improvement at Ly’s is the pricing.  I know I can get something of equal or greater value elsewhere for a good $5 less.  I’m not saying I wouldn’t go back, but it probably won’t be my first choice any time soon.  I do know that next time I’ll be sure to ask for more spice in my dishes though.

After coming across VIP’s new website, Harvey and I placed an order for their 3 item special.  The special includes egg rolls and one order of Chicken Fried Rice along with up to 8 items you can choose from a list (price varies based on how many items you choose.  Our special (3) was $25.95).
Our order arrived in good time – less time than they suggested on the phone, however an order of Wonton Soup was missing.  We called and they offered to bring it to us or credit it towards our next order, which is what I chose to do.  The eggrolls were yummy.  The roll itself was the right combination of crunchy but not too hard to eat.  The veggies and pork inside had a nice flavour and didn’t all fall out in one bite.
Our three items included the Mixed Vegetables with Fried Noodles ($6.95 when purchased outside of the deal), General Tao’s Chicken ($7.95 on its own) and, of course, an order of Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls ($7.95 on their own).

The Fried Noodles came with a generous portion of both noodles and veggies.  I love how the noodles are crunchy on top and soften as you dig down and get more sauce.  I’ve had stir fried noodles a lot (love ‘em!) and I think it’s safe to say that VIP would be in my top 5.

The General Tao’s is Harvey’s fave and he always asks them to make it extra spicy.  I’ve always been indifferent to this dish as I’ve found it to be too sweet for my liking, however, with the extra spice and the nice crunch you get from VIP’s version, I usually help myself to a few pieces.

Chicken Balls are my least favourite Chinese dish – I just don’t like the idea of chicken coming in balls…seems unnatural to me.  However, I did try one ball and I have to say, it was pretty tasty.  VIP could probably save a few pennies by reducing how much sweet and sour sauce they send along though.  Ours came with about a full cup’s worth of sauce and we probably used about 4 tablespoons of it.  The number of soy sauce and plum sauce packets was just right though and the fortune cookies tasted fresh and had a slight flexibility to them that made me feel confident that they hadn’t been sitting around for years.

Our grand total for this meal was around $35 plus tip for delivery.  Considering we got two leftover meals out of the deal, I’m pretty happy with that price.  I’ll definitely order from them again and I’m really looking forward to my Wonton Soup next time!