Food blog review: Diary of The Food Whore

How can you not be intrigued by a food blogger whose tag line is Gracefully turning tricks since 1999. This anonymous, pickle juice swillin' caterer blogs about food, clients and life in general. I'm looking forward to trying "Collard greens - Food Whore style".

"Pork fat is brilliant stuff. Let's be honest, a dirty gym sock cooked in pork fat would be a nice meal."

Brilliant indeed.

One of seven is going to like The Food Whore

Restaurant Rant: Bobby C's Dockside

We've been pretty quite here in Foodies for the last few weeks, as life has been a bit overwhelming lately, between work and all sorts of kid stuff. During last weekend's rush, a bunch of us left the annual dance recital headed for a bite in the sun. Bobby C's Dockside is a big place in the marina in Bowmanville. Being surrounded by boat yards and industrial units, the scenery approaching the place is less than stellar, but at least there is a nice patio overlooking the pier. On previous visits, the service has been less than stellar, but I figured that it would be hard for them to screw up a few pitchers (or more) and a few pounds of chicken wings. WRONG!

First of all, the patio was full, but the outside hostess said there was loads of room inside, so there would be no problem seating all of us (I think there were 14 or 15 of us). WRONG. They sat 6 of us at a table in an empty section at one end of the restaurant & the remaining group were put in a party room at the other end of the building. The manager explained that all the tables around us were reserved. No worries...just bring us beer & food & we're good to go. While we waited about 20 minutes for our pitcher to arrive, we were treated to the stunning view of a chubby hostess cruising around the place with 2 inches of ASS CRACK! When she bent over to set a table I think I saw some of that cutlery the bar was missing...

A tiny appetizer plate of wings and a chicken quesadilla came at the same time as the pitcher, but well over an hour later, there was no sign of dinner. This was when we noticed that the other group had already left, on their way back to the recital. Now, we started to panic as we realized that we may be late getting the kids on stage. I grabbed the manager and told him that we weren't pulling a dine & dash, rather he was comping our beer & apps to make up for the non-existant service. I made a point of mentioning the other table that had come with us, who had already eaten and left. Little did I know...

When we arrived back at the school, we found the others in the cafe, tucking into Subway! It seems they too had only received drinks & had done a runner. They didn't really run, they tried 4 times to get service, but the service never came. They also announced their departure. I've NEVER bolted from a bill before, but I also don't think I've ever had service that sucked so badly. We won't be going back.

Restaurant Review: Regina's Cathedral Village Free House

Regina's Cathedral Village Free House

Ok, so I work in Regina. I don't live there, but commute there on a weekly basis. At first, I thought to myself, "who the hell did I piss off to end up here?!", but man, have I ever changed my tune. In addition to having some of the friendliest, genuinely nicest people I've ever met, Regina has some true culinary gems.

I'm a bit of a creature of habit, so I make the rounds of my favourite restaurants each week. On Mondays, I usually end up at the Cathedral Village Free House, at 2062 Albert Street.

They've got a great, casual fare menu; I'd like to say it's pub food, but it's up at least a couple of notches. At least.

I am a creature of habit, as I mentioned earlier. So, when I hit the Free House, I usually go for their pizza. All pizzas are thin crust and available in 9" or 12" sizes. Oh yeah, they're cooked in a wood oven, the best way to do it, in my opinion. My personal favourite is the Tandoori Chicken pizza. There is just the right amount of spice and the mango and cilantro make this a simple yet exotic pizza. I can't get enough of it.

I've recently discovered the Cappicola and Tomato pizza - for me, it's the basil pesto base (instead of the traditional tomato sauce) that really makes this special. Roasted tomatos don't hurt either. A new favourite? We'll see...

The Free House also has specials sheets that seem to be renewed every 6 to 8 weeks. Usually, there's a trout special included: the last one was Trout Vindaloo. If there's anyone from the Free House reading this: put it on the regular menu! Just the right amount of heat is balanced nicely with the fatty fish that's cooked medium rare; they also had a mango raita on the plate that was wonderful. Mmm...I may have to go to the Free House for the second time this week...but I digress.

The Free House has the usual suspects too: good selection of beers on tap and a fairly standard, non-intimidating wine list that's reasonably priced.

When I'm on the road, I try to seek out small local spots that offer quality food at a decent price. For me, the Free House hits it: great food cooked with interesting ingredients, good prices and a cool vibe. If you're ever in Regina, I strongly suggest you check it out. You'll be glad you did.

More to come from the wilds of Saskatchewan.

Mooby

Mad About Mango

After my last posting, you’ll probably conclude from this entry that I’m a mango freak. I much prefer the term fanatic – it seems so much less spooky…! Mango is amazing and so versatile, especially in summer, but sometimes troublesome to deal with, unless it’s perfectly ripe. It’s nice that mango is now available frozen at most grocery stores, and the quality is exceptional for most culinary purposes.

Salsa doesn’t always have to feature tomatoes!! Until tomatoes are at their best in the late summer/fall, this salsa is perfect for casual summer get-togethers, and a welcome change from the ordinary. Choose a sparkly/carbonated beverage (or a classic margarita!) to go with it!!

Mango Strawberry Salsa
300 g mango flesh (fresh or frozen), coarsely chopped
6-8 medium-sized ripe strawberries, coarsely chopped
½ lime, juice only
2 green Serrano (or, if unavailable, Jalapeno) chillies, stemmed and finely chopped
½ medium red onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour prior to serving.

Serving suggestions:
Cucumber slices (thickly cut, and hollowed out with a mellon baller – fresh and crispy!)

Grilled Citrus Jalapeno Shrimp (coming soon to Foodies!!)

Notes:
I love a good, fresh mango, but definitely go for the ease of frozen if time is of the essence or quality is questionable!

I always opt for the ease of using a food processor (if you have one) to chop… well, just about anything!! To avoid mushiness, however, I recommend chopping softer ripe fruits (and fresh herbs) by hand. As for the chillies and onion, go to town with the f.p.!!

I've only discovered in the last year or so that mango is a lesser-known (and thankfully less common) allergen; strawberries too. So be sure to ask your guests about any known allergies ahead of time…!

Enjoy!!

~ One of Seven