Author Archives: thesouplady2

Odaki – Lousy All you can eat Sushi in a Great Location


Unlike the Aikwawa – reviewed elsewhere in this Blog – the Odaki is centrally located on the Main. (For non-Montrealers who follow my Blog – that’s St. Laurent street. It’s called the ‘Main’ because when Montreal was younger – this was the dividing line between East (French) and West (English) Montreal. And all the immigrants would end up here. It’s a very cool street – worth a visit. But I digress)

The Odaki is on the ground floor – essentially right next door to Moishes Steakhouse. In fact – that’s why we ended up there – we wanted to go to Moishes – but with out reservations – it was a no.

So right off the bat they were in trouble. And totally not their fault either. We were looking for meal A – and getting meal B.

But naturally – the Odaki didn’t know that. They greeted us warmly, and sat us in the window seat, protected from the draft from the door by a folding rice paper screen. It was a relatively private spot – very nice. But it also put us a bit out of sight/out of mind. So service got slow as the restaurant got busy.

I ordered my normal – Spicy Tuna – deciding that for just one roll, there was no point going for the all you can eat special at $23. My partner decided to order a bit of this and a bit of that – to the point that we actually would have been better with the all you can eat. Oh well – next time I bring this partner – I’ll be better prepared for a mega meal.

Beside my spicy tuna – which was actually quite good – the rest of the courses and maki selections were a disappointment. The Udon noodles looked like a grey shapeless mush, the rolls were plopped down in front of us without explanation, and they were all pretty similar – and very bland. Oh well – what can you do when it’s choice B. It’s hard to find something good to say – service was at best ok, food wasn’t great, and it was expensive.

Oh well – now we know to make reservations at Moishes!

Odaki on Urbanspoon

Yes – I am staring at you


Confession time – we are a one car family, and I’m not the one with the car. That means I’m often on the bus/metro going to and fro. Which I love. It gives me time to think – and right now – it is giving me time to ‘blog’.

I love watching people – and yes, sometimes I stare. So when you spot someone kinda watching you – ever wonder what they are thinking?

If it’s me – I’m wondering if you like the music you are listening to thru those ever-present headphones, I wonder if your blue nail polish goes with that purple scarf. I wonder what is in your shopping bag – and if it came from the store that it says it did. I wonder how you can lift that big purse or heavy-looking back-pack. I consider your earphones – why are you still wearing earphones that look like ear mufflers when those ear buds give better sound? Must you have a bluetooth in your ear so you look like a cyborg? Or do you want to look like a cyborg – so you wear one? Are you really reading that newspaper – or just looking at the pictures and checking out the headlines? Are you ‘rocking’ your outfit, or did you just throw on anything this morning? Are your shoes/boots unlaced for a reason? Maybe your shoes don’t fit – or maybe it’s a fashion statement. If it’s a fashion statement – what does it say? I’m so cool that if my shoes fall off, it’s not a problem?

I wonder about %’s – What % of the people I see have ear-phones plugged in? (lots) What % are overweight (not so much here in Montreal). What % are young, What % are old, What % are male, What % are female. And why are there so many young people traveling – shouldn’t they be in school? CEJEP or University?

Sometimes I’m just wondering when you last combed your hair. In Montreal, in winter, seeing someones hair is a bit of a treat – we tend to the hat/hood/cover-up motif. So today, with the sun out – most people are letting their hair show – and it’s kinda nice.

And sometimes I’m thinking about the bus – how does the driver always know where to go and where to stop. I was once on a bus that got lost – it was so weird. The passengers were trying to tell the driver he had taken a wrong turn – and to his credit – he owned up to the fact that it was his first time on our route. He really was lost. But I have other questions about the bus – does the driver care if he’s on time? Does he care that I always say thank you and have a good day when I get off? Does she think about the fact that it’s really unusual to have a woman bus driver. Does she sometimes worry for her safety – at night, alone, on the bus, way out in the suburbs? Or is downtown more scary? What would he/she do if there was a fight on the bus? Would it make a difference if it was a he or a she?

So – next time you spot someone staring at you on the bus or in the metro – Smile. If it’s me – I’ll smile back. Promise.

Le Petit Tokebi – Get the Bibimbap – it’s Awesome


The Petit Tokebi is one of those hole in the wall restaurants that without directions and a referral – you’d never find. Well – what can you expect in a city with over 5000 restaurants – not all of them can be on the ‘Main’.

I always look forward to my Bibimbap dinner here – it’s a tiny space, the service is lovely – if a bit hard to understand, the menu is simple, but never disappointing.

Even the parking is free. How can you lose? And it’s walking distance to Loyola, right on Sherbrooke Street, perfect for a quick meal before the theatre or a concert meal.

Tea is free, and presented as soon as you sit down – the price is very reasonable, and the food surprisingly good.

Back to Bibimbap. This is a typical Korean main meal. It’s served in a sizzling bowl (really really hot in the case of the Tokebi). The meal starts with a bowl of Miso soup – which I would have enjoyed more if they had waited a bit before serving my Bibimbap. My sizzling bowl was filled to the rim – a nutty rice mixture at the bottom, then portions of meat and vegetable on top – crowing the dish is a raw egg. You mix everything together – give it a bit of time to ‘cook’ – and then enjoy.

Koreans don’t generally use forks. They use metal spoons, and metal chopsticks. The reason for the metal, I’ve been told, is their penchant for cooking at the table. If you’ve got a really sizzling dish or bowl – you want to use something that isn’t going to melt!

They also LOVE hot sauce. I’m not such a fan – so it’s great for me that they put the hot sauce right next to the bowl – then you can add more or less as your taste buds can stand.

The meal ended with a nice (and free!) bowl of green tea ice cream. Not the best green tea ice cream I’ve ever had – you really need to serve it a bit less ‘cold’ – but a nice way to end the meal.

And all that food for under $15. What more do you need – good service, nice location, and filling, well cooked, delicious food. I guess that pretty much explains why I keep coming back.

Le Petit Tokebi on Urbanspoon

Petit Tokebi (Le) on Foodio54

Happiness makes you fat – I don’t think so!


Happiness – Couples – and Weight Gain

It’s my happy marriage that makes me fat – at least as reported by Misty Harris for the Postmedia news. Oh – I really take an exception to that argument – and the lousy study Misty used to back up her reporting.

Here’s a subject that really makes me angry – People who really should know better publishing studies that just don’t make sense.

My newest ‘moan’ – Andrea Meltzer, assistant professor of psychology at Southern Methodist University in Texas latest study. Apparently her team studied 169 newlywed – followed them for 4 years – and reported that the more ‘satisfied’ couples gained more weight.

The headline – Does my marriage make me look fat? – sub-headline – Study: link between weight, happiness.

Last line of the article – “If you take one of those happy marriages that go on for 20, 30, 40 years, it could potentially become unhealthy.”

So based on a study of 4 years (no kids, still in honeymoon mode) – we are predicting what will happen after the same couple has been married for 40 years. Are you kidding me? What kind of evidence could they have that allowed for that kind of thinking.

And what does that tell me – fight with my husband more, it will keep me thin? Great message there folks.

Andrea – you should be ashamed of yourself. The study isn’t bad – but it doesn’t say anything about long term impact. There are studies out there that show that on average everyone gains some weight after age 20 – and I will bet that my readers will agree there. So now you are trying to blame that on being happy.

Honey – it’s not the huge piece of cheesecake that made me fat – it’s because I love you.

I don’t think so. Not long-term. Not even close.

Portovino – Lousy Italian – but such a lovely restaurant


It had been a long time since we’d last eaten at Portovino – and while my memories of it weren’t great (All I could recall was that it was BYOB and noisy) – we were hungry – it was there, we stopped.

When I walked in – my first thought was – I should come here more often. It is such a pretty restaurant in such a crazy location – right next to a Tim Hortons off highway 40. Yes I know that it part of  a tiny chain (I think there are 5 of them), but this one is the one in between my office and downtown Montreal.

http://www.portovino.ca/ – Check the one located at 1200 Trans Canada Highway – Dorval.

We were seated promptly, the waiter seemed nice, the meat presentation – while weird-looking (come on guys – hunks of meat wrapped in plastic on a board – no decor, no veggies, no nothing – this is not appetizing) was fast and efficient.

But this is supposed to be an Italian BYOB – so we opted for the Italian food. I got Lasagna Della Casa (I love a good Lasagna), my partner ordered the Scaloppine Di Vitello Al Piccata Limone. That’s thin slices of veal in a lemon sauce.

We should have gone to Tim Hortens.

The Lasagna was a huge portion (I brought about 1/3 home) – and it was bland, bland, bland. I mean – honestly. How can you not do Lasagna right. And $18. No vegetable, no salad, no nothing. My partner’s Piccata Limone was not quite as terrible, he did get a bit of pasta on the side – but it was bland and it was tasteless and it certainly wasn’t worth the price.

Sorry Portovino – the wine might be good (we brought it ourselves) – but the food was awful. It’s going to be a long time before I come back – probably about how long it will take me to forget this very unfortunate meal.

Ristorante Portovino on Urbanspoon

10 Quick tricks for greater Happiness


10 Quick Tricks for Greater Happiness

This list comes in part from one of my favorite magazines – AARP. No – I’m not joking. I find the content reasonably well researched, and quite interesting. But since not all of us are lucky enough to qualify to get this magazine – I’ll help you out!

Trick 1: Live in the right place. Ok – that’s a bit hard to change if you got it wrong – but you can make things better by taking a daily walk around your neighborhood. Why? Because people with dogs have to take daily walks – and thus are more likely to know their neighbors – and knowing your neighbors makes the place you live a ‘happier’ place in general.

Track 2: Get rid of some of your financial worries. Nothing interferes with happiness like worrying about money – so it’s not a surprise to hear that getting rid of those worries is going to make you happier. Pay down your mortgage a bit faster (even $5 a week mounts up over time), invest in health insurance (one less thing to worry about), and here’s a trick my best friend uses – pay for things with cash. Draw out what you need for the week and make it last. If you run out of money – no shopping till next week.

Trick 3: Don’t waste the best part of the day – the Morning. Study after study has shown that getting a good breakfast (low-fat, but filling) boosts energy through the day, and 30 minutes of exercise every day – even just walking – raises your feelings of well-being for the next 12 hours.

Trick 4: Turn off the TV. There’s nothing all that good on it anyway – and you could spend the same time out meeting your neighbors or at least getting exercise. As a step in the right direction – try moving the TV to a less convenient location – for sure it doesn’t belong in the kitchen. If its harder to watch – you are less likely to do so, right? Of course right!

Trick 5: Call a friend. Every day. Put aside time to chat – it will always make you feel happier.

Trick 6: Fall in love. Ok – maybe not a quick trick – but studies have definitely shown that couples are generally happier than singles plus they live longer. Although I’ve heard comedians joke that it just FEELS longer!

Trick 7: Having a faith – regardless of which one will make you happier. Or at least – it is statistically likely to allow you to live longer. I’m going to guess that having a faith pulls good numbers because it matches some of the other ideas – you make friends, you might even find a match. I’m just guessing on that though.

Trick 8: Make one place in your home a positive place – put up pictures of loved ones – display objects that remind you of happy times. And make the place a hallway that you often go thru or a place you spend lots of time. I put my ‘good feelings’ in my kitchen/eating room. And catching sight always reminds me of things I’ve done that made me happy. The more you see things that make you feel good – the better you’ll feel.

Trick 9: Get a pet. Not again a particularly practical suggestion for everyone – but if you can mange a pet – it does pay back on the increased happiness scale! No pets? No problems – I get my ‘hugs’ from my grand-kids. So much love in small packages – and best of all – you can hand them back for the tough jobs – like doing homework or worrying about how they are doing in school.

Trick 10: Give in order to Get. Studies have shown that people who give tend to be happier. Of course it might be working the other way – happier people tend to be givers. But either way – clearly giving in order to get definitely works on happiness.

So – nothing you probably couldn’t have figured out for yourself – exercise, use your time wisely, deal with the stuff that worries you, and share your feelings with friends – or a pet. The keys to being happier are well within the ability of all of us to find, to hold, to use. So get out there and get happier!

Gibby’s – Easy to recommend for the consistency – Year after Year


The challenge – come up with a suggestion for family, friends, out-of-towners that want a good meal, in surroundings that say – old Montreal. One easy choice is Gibby’s. The room is so lovely – stone walls, wooden floors, gleaming silver, white tablecloths, and sparkling glasses. It’s beautiful. And so ‘special occasion’ friendly. The free valet parking is handy, and the signature Bloody Caesars never disappoints. We actually once went in Uniforms and dresses that would have been in fashion in 1812. It totally worked.

But cheap it’s not. The meals – which are basically complete – come with your choice of appetizer including a nice size salad, the main course which is short on veggies, but long on Monte Carlo potatoes, and a palate cleaning sorbet. My ‘Gibbys Cut’ Ribsteak was huge. I shared it with my grand-daughter, and even so felt totally stuffed for hours afterwards. A note on sharing at Gibby’s, they charge for the privilege, but they also give you an extra potato, and an empty plate. So it works. My husband had the Single sized Beef Wellington which was delicious.

For dessert my husband ordered the Key Lime Pie – it was very good for a Canadian version – no artificial whip cream and nice and tart. My grand-daughter loved her creme brule – I thought the portion was a bit too large.

Bottom line – choosing Gibby’s is safe. Your out-of-town guests will love being in Old Montreal – and the free parking is a nice bonus. Plus if they aren’t busy, the valets will kindly suggest that you take a walk after dinner – leaving them in charge of the car. Nice.

Gibbys on Urbanspoon

Gibby's Restaurant on Foodio54

Mahalia Jackson Musical – Just Great – Seriously Great


Mahlia Jacson Musical – Segal Centre – Renee Lee Shines in this Gospel Feel good

I totally enjoy watching and listening to Renee Lee. There is something about her willingness to put it all out there that is completely appealing to me. She is a delight. We should be proud that she calls Montreal – home.

I’ve seen her several times over the years, although I did not have the luck to see her in Lady Day. So when I knew she was doing Mahlia Jackson – I was totally going to go. For the Segal Centre – the stage set was relatively bare. A ‘mock’ stained glass window in center stage, that became the statue of Abraham Lincoln for the March, some chairs and tables that stood in for her various homes. Even the supporting parts were minimized – one man to play all the men in her life, one woman to brilliantly play all the women in her life. The big spurge – and to my mind the least capable singers on the stage – were the Gospel Chorus.

My biggest negative about this otherwise top-notch production was the sound. A musical is all about sound – and because we were seated slightly to the left of center stage, the sound seemed to come from behind us when Renee used her microphone. This is quite disturbing, as you can well imagine. A bit like a badly synced movie – the mouth moves, but the sound is delayed. Since hearing Renee sing was probably the number one reason for us all to be in the audience – having sound this dis-jointed was a serious problem.

But Renee’s rendition of Summer Time convinced me that she can overcome anything.

A quick comment on the supporting performers – with the exception of the gospel choir (who really needed to have had more coffee before they walked on stage), they were quite good. The ‘male’ (the always great Tristin D. Lalla) gets to do Martin Luther King’s – “I have a dream” speech, while the scolding female parts were played with a great deal of conviction by a newcomer to me – Adrienne Mei Irving. Since her name is shared with that of my daughter – I’m sure I’m going to remember her in the future.

Bottom line – the Mahalia Jackson Musical is a great vehicle for Renee Lee. I’m really glad I got to see it – and when (not if) it returns – I hope you do too. And Segal – if you read this – FIX THE SOUND SYSTEM.

Just not great – Centaur Theatre does Leonard Cohen – oh dear!


Last night I spent almost 2 hours alternating between – “wow, that’s cool” and “Boring.. Totally boring”

The cause of my bipolar response – Centaur Theatre’s production of “Dance me to the on/off of Love” There were moments of brilliance interspersed with long periods of pointless but beautiful movement which left me wondering what was the point.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Leonard Cohen’s music and poetry. He is capable of flights of ideas that leave his listeners stunned in the wake. But this piece of theatre didn’t build up Leonard’s music and song – it deconstructed it. Tore it apart to create some interesting visual effects, but left me feeling sorry I’d spent the money and time to be there.

First though, let me describe the piece. Set on a completely dark stage, most effects are done by playing with lights and about 30 skulls. Musicians double as the singers, or singers double as musicians, it’s hard to tell because sometimes the music is deliberately performed off-key and breathless. My favorite pieces, and remember that in between I often dozed off (not good, Centaur – not good) were Sisters of Mercy, I’m your Man (performed with stick whips – very neat), Ring The Bell, and ‘the encore’ piece – “Coming Home”. Bottom line – Jacques Brel is Alive and Living in Paris (Mainline) or the Mahalia Jackson Musical with Renee Lee at the Segal Centre are much better bets. There is juist too much filler between the good parts in this peace for me to recommend you going to see it.

A slight disclaimer – the theatre was about 1/2 full – which isn’t good. But of the people there – plenty really seemed to enjoy the piece, including yelling out “Bravo” and giving the performers a standing ovation. Go figure. I guess that’s what makes horse races.

Aikawa – Great Japanese – and yes, it’s affordable if you order carefully


I love going to the Aikawa off of Sources in Dollard. They have a really good lunch special that if I’m feeling rich or being treated is my “go to” option. Not cheap of course, but great quality and very filling. Soup, Salad, and a scrumptious selection of maki’s for one blow you away price. Yum.

Home

But it’s dinner at the Aikawa that really excites me. The Sushi menu (I’ll admit to never having tried anything off the normal menu) is divided into several parts – in the normal price range option are the standard offerings – California Rolls, Vegetarian Rolls, and the like. Order these and you’ll get one larger platter of offerings – with a quick guide to which maki is which.

But on the backside of the list are the special rolls. At $17 each they are not cheap – but boy are they good. Beautifully presented individually as a visual treat, they range from the truly outstanding to the completely spectacular. I’m totally in love with their version of Sushi Pizza, the Besame Mucho is a must try, the Volcano – served smoking of course – is a visual treat. And the list goes on and on. The only loser was ‘Lips’ – so do avoid that one.

To give you an idea how often I’m at the Aikawa – they know me by face if not by name.

Check out their website – the ‘Gallery’ features photos of all the special rolls. They don’t tell you which is which – but theyi are all magnificently and lovingly photographed.

To eat cheap at Aikawa – avoid the special rolls. But to eat well at Aikwawa – those rolls are the way to go!

Aikawa on Urbanspoon

Aikawa on Foodio54