07.28
2010
This summer, I had quite a few adventures in the quest for good food. In the area of sweets, some of the more memorable are:
Saffron Passionfruit White Chocolate Ice Cream at Xococava
(St. Clair area in Toronto)
The smoothness and "round" texture and taste of the passionfruit really gave it a fresh feel to it and would easily be my favourite ice cream here (maybe on par with Berthillon in Paris)
Earl Grey cake at La Bambouche in Toronto
At $4.75 a slice, it seems a little pricey, but the smooth texture, great tea taste, and it being not too sweet just hits the spot. This cake, along with the green tea cake at Yogi Berry (on Yonge Street in North York) are my two choices.
Bread and Bretzel
Upon stumbling on a local food blogger, Congee, You're My Baby's post about the availability of fresh egg tarts from a local bakery, I've been visiting Bread and Bretzel to sample an assortment of Chinese baked goods. Part of the mystery of this bakery is that they have a German facade and you really have to ask them what they have in terms of the Chinese buns and no-fixed prices. The first time, I received 6 coconut buns for $2. Upon inquiring about egg tarts, they suggested I call in, so they baked me a fresh dozen for $5 (at which point, the older lady seemed to disapprove the price he charged me). This time, I got 6 red bean buns for $5. When remarking that he charged me $2 last time, the answer was that because they were end-of-day bread (which seemed reasonable since I just showed up and asked what they had left). It's too bad that only the coconut buns are half decent; the egg tarts uses typical tart shells (not egg tart pastry shells) and the red bean buns lack filling and are slightly too sweet. Perhaps I should visit St. Jacob's market just to see what they sell there (and to get a better feel for the actual prices).
Cold Stone Creamery
Elena's recent post prompted me to share about my unintended visit to Tim Horton's in Cambridge. Every time I visit this Tim Hortons, it's because I'm early for an appointment in the plaza behind it. This time, I noticed that it had a Cold Stone Creamery inside! Not only does this Tim Hortons have a Cold Stone Creamery, it serves CHEDDAR cheese bagels! Ever since noticing that Timmy's don't carry the sun-dried tomato bagels anymore, I have had yet to find a better alternative, until this visit to Tim Hortons.
And because I had time to linger, I decided to ask about the prices of the ice cream, since I could not see the prices posted anywhere! The first lady I asked didn't know, so she had to ring one up to find out. But that seemed a hassle, so I got up and asked the manager for the prices, but the answer was more along the lines of "it depends" (on what you get).
So, I sat down and started working, reviewing a coworker's wireframes, and the manager wanders over and asks if he answered my questions sufficiently. He had noticed that I was writing notes and wonders if I was a mystery shopper! I wasn't, but I sure wanted to chat more about the ice cream - turns out, the prices don't show on the LCD menus until after breakfast (who would want ice cream for breakfast? :P), that each additional topping costs about $0.75 if you don't go for a signature feature, and that his personal choice (even before thinking of adding Cold Stone Creamery into his Tim Hortons) for quality is that Cold Stone Creamery seems to be better than Marble Slab (Elena's post seems to confirm that as well). He also told me where there was one in Kitchener, and printed out a sample receipt for me to compare it to Marble Slab prices (not with the coupons though!). I didn't buy any, nor did he offer me a sample to try that day, but now at least I know that Cold Stone offers a birthday club so I will try it then!
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06.24
2010
I am very much a believer that service makes or breaks a good dining experience. In fact, I would argue that whether you have good or bad food, the service contributes to the overall impression of the restaurant and would be a factor in deciding whether one would return again.
The Bauer Kitchen
For example, take The Bauer Kitchen: we had our first visit back in March. The food was good (at least the gnocchi and the calamari was - I can't remember what I had!), but what made it stand out in our books is the excellent service when it came to correcting a mistake and making it right.
Simply put, TBK messed up: the tip of their olive oil bottle had ended up in j.w's dish. Some of you may be shaking your head and saying that this is unacceptable for this type of a restaurant, but we understand that accidents do happen.
Not only had the server apologized, she went to the kitchen to identify it. Then, she returned with the manager, who too apologized, explained what it was/where it came from, asked if j.w was okay, took the dish off our bill, plus offered dessert on the house (for the both of us)!
So, despite the incident, what could have been a very unpleasant experience has left us very impressed at the service and we have recommended this restaurant to others as a result (especially since the food itself was pretty good). It's also on our list of revisits.
The 41
On the other hand, another new restaurant in town, The 41 Gastropub leaves much to be desired. The menu has some interesting choices, prices are moderate, and the food is okay: a tad salty the first time, but we decided to give it a second chance earlier this week. And, well, maybe it's the name "pub" that let's them get away with it, or maybe it's just the server (we had her twice), but she gives the impression that she doesn't want to be there. Not only do we have to ask for the weekday feature (not on the menu), I caught her checking her phone at the bar during this and our first meal (maybe she's tweeting on @thefortyone account?!) but that signaled to me that she was bored. What surprised me is that when I told her that I found (chewed on) a piece of string in my half-eaten pork and pineapple taco, she responded with "[eew] gross" and promptly dropped it on the floor. Seriously?! That's all? no apology, no "would you like another one?" (until j.w prompted and asked me whether I wanted another) or "let me find out what that is..." - at least take the piece of string with you and discard it when your customers aren't looking.
So, as good as the marketing and social media channels are, we are hugely disappointed and will likely visit somewhere else next time.
It's funny, because if this happened at an Asian restaurant, we wouldn't be impressed, but we'd only be surprised if they apologize or make up for it in other ways. Like when I found a piece of metal scouring pad in my pho, or a soggy clothesline peg in our veggies and nothing was really done about it....maybe it's the whole mentality that cheaper places simply don't care.
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01.19
2010
Update: Skipperloo has informed me that Sushi Na Ra is closed - something about not meeting lease terms. He tried to go on Sunday, February 28, 2010.
Update 2: We visited the location that was formerly Sushi Na Ra on May 27, 2010 ; it is now called Tomu Sushi. They have been open for 3 months, and are complete new owners. Tomu Sushi has less Korean dishes but the two that we did try did not leave us feeling overly thirsty or too poor. Will return.
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When Lucy told us that there was a new Korean restaurant in town (Erb near Amos), it piqued my interest as she had mentioned "Korean BBQ". Maybe this time it would actually have that option (instead of the restaurant in Kitchener which is called "Korean BBQ" but it doesn't appear to have that option). We had the opportunity to go after church for lunch one day and it seems to offer some pretty authentic Korean dishes (and yes, even Korean BBQ). The fact that it was open on the day we visited is a pleasant surprise, since many small Korean restaurants are closed on Sundays.
Sushi Nara
347 Erb Street West
Waterloo, Ontario
519.746.1566
Date of visit: January 3, 2010
Restaurant
The name of the restaurant is slightly deceiving; they serve more than sushi. In fact, I would venture to say that their Korean dishes likely taste better than their sushi.
We think that this restaurant was the bakery that used to be in this place. They made an effort to renovate it into a Japanese-style restaurant - with some individual booth-style rooms, and an open concept sushi bar area. The unassuming exterior looks like a quick take-out place, with some enlarged photos posted on their windows and typography that doesn't make it look authentic at all.
I'm not sure that I like the wood panelling decor, and if you look around, the green chairs look like they come from an old Canadian-style Chinese restaurant. Particularly if it's a chilly day, I would avoid sitting in the rooms as the dividing walls are merely there for looks - the cold draft from the doorway just goes right to where you are sitting.
Regarding authenticity: they serve you complimentary tea and the water comes from a typical cooler that you see in many Korean restaurants. One sign that it is a Korean restaurant (instead of Japanese) are the flat metal chopsticks, which are very prevalent in Korea. It's also a good sign when you see Korean customers walking in and sitting down to order (in Korean) as well!
Meal choice, food quality
Most of us ordered something different, which were under $10 each on average. I picked a dish I couldn't pronounce (had rice vermicelli, beef brisket in a spicy broth which came with a bowl of Korean rice). I was slightly disappointed in the lack of meat, but the portions itself and the size of the side dishes (like the bean sprouts, potatoes and kimchi) and the salad that came with the order is quite filling. In addition, the food itself was quite tasty (not sure if it was MSG or just the portion that made me take a Sunday nap after). Lucy recommends the stone bowl bibimbap there, but we are in agreement that we probably don't want to order the seafood house noodles again because we find the soup a little too thick (whether they actually used corn starch or not as a thickening agent is another matter). However, I must give them credit - that bowl had a lot of seafood. Also, it's too bad that the enlarged poster on the exterior windows don't match the actual seafood udon (different dish) at all.
The Korean style dynamite sushi rolls were tasty as they had some rice vinegar in the rice. They're not too wide, so one could easily pick up a piece and eat it in one bite. Plus, the ratio of filling to rice seemed about proportionate.
Conclusion
Considering Korean food around here is mediocre on average (the best being Korean BBQ in Kitchener I would say), I think this deserves a second try - the price isn't too steep, plus, I do want to try the Korean BBQ.
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01.10
2010
Wrong boarding pass, delayed flight, no potable water, and misdirected luggage.
Because of the great experience with WestJet last year with holiday travel, I decided that I didn't want to risk it with Air Canada and convinced my husband to fly WestJet. I told him that WestJet had the 24-hour no-penalty refund policy, plus that they would take care of you should anything happen with our holiday travels (unlike their major competitor who stranded their passengers last year). Had I known what ended up unfolding, I might have kept my mouth shut, as he now prefers AC.
Wrong boarding pass
Upon checking in on Christmas Day, we were warmly greeted by the WestJet agent at the counter, who was still in good spirits despite having to work on Christmas day (something was said about being a WestJet owner!). Perhaps it was Christmas day or our general chit chat that may have distracted him, but after he printed our boarding passes (I guess because only I had mine on my BlackBerry but j.w didn't), j.w happened to look down and noticed we weren't sitting together. I pointed it out to the agent, who gave a diplomatic response that essentially meant "don't look at me - that's what the system gave me". I was certain that we booked our seats together when we had checked in online, but as I was about to say something, j.w looked at his ticket again and asked, "Who is Allison Wong?"
For some reason, the WestJet had printed out the wrong boarding pass; it's likely that Allison's name was the first name that showed under Wong. Funny thing is that j.w turned around and lo, and behold, the next in line was Allison and we knew her! (yes, the agent was surprised too). By the time we waved her over, he had already ripped up her boarding pass. She wasn't even going to Vancouver; she was bound for Calgary! At least they caught it - I mean, what would happen if it was only noticed during security...or worse, at the gate or on the plane?
Delayed flight
With that out of the way, we went through security without incident and waited at the gate for (to me) the standard holiday delays - this time for 2 hours. The plane had been caught in Edmonton for deicing, from Kelowna. When it finally arrived, we were moved to a different gate, and Allison had long departed. Because of the rush to move people off and on the plane as they were behind schedule, I have a feeling that's why they forgot to refill the potable water.
No potable water
Yes, in mid-flight, the WestJet attendant announces over the speakers that a strange occurance had happened: they had seemed to run out of potable water; they must have forgotten to refill it in Toronto. What that meant? No more water in the lavatories to wash dirty hands, and no more coffee or tea. Instead they would provide you with hand wipes or bottled water to rinse your hands. I opted for the bottled option, followed by my own hand sanitizer. Still, it felt very unhygenic (especially if you had to come out of the lavatory to get the bottled water).
Misdirected luggage
Once we landed, the luggage came very quickly. Well, one of them did. When one suitcase didn't show up and I asked someone if all the luggage was out, I was directed to the baggage counter. Thankfully, I had kept my luggage tags/claim stickers but it was too late when we realized that no, I was not Allison Wong (due to the check-in mistake!). And yes, my suitcase was waiting at YYC (in Calgary). With promises to deliver it to us first thing the next day, I was happy that at least they were able to locate it.
In the morning, a call came asking if we were willing to pick it up for a $100 WJ credit in exchange, which was a very nice gesture on WestJet's part. What they failed to tell us was that we had to book a flight within 90 days for a trip within the year. As I didn't have plans at the time to travel anytime soon, I was a little annoyed that they didn't tell us the catch when we picked up the phone since it takes us almost an hour to get the luggage and come back. Thankfully, I remembered that I could try and apply the credit to my return flight - which they accepted! Yaay!
Epilogue
J.w says that he's not about to choose WestJet again if Air Canada is an option. Me? I just booked with WestJet again to attend a friend's wedding in May :). I must say that I'm not very thrilled at their new reservation system (Sabre). I like their online reservation (and refund) system, but their phone wait times are RIDICULOUSLY long (1.5-2 hours) even after midnight EST, and when you do finally connect to an agent, and they transfer you, it disconnects you! Otherwise, if you try to call the Wedding and Convention line to try and book a seat using a wedding discount code (which by the way, is great when it works), all you get is "all circuits are in use; please try again later" instead of being put in the queue. However, I have learned that WestJet gets social media: if their response times on the phones is as great as their responses on Twitter, I think you would have more happy customers. Now if this was my first time with WestJet, I might jump ship, but why do I still choose WestJet? Generally, it's because of their attitude towards customers - they seem to care...and it sure beats the alternative choice.
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12.04
2009
In short? Simply amazing! It is rare that I have a double and consecutive post about a restaurant (and a chain restaurant at that), but our lunch experience at Oliver and Bonacini Cafe and Grill (Waterloo) today tops my charts.
Oliver & Bonacini Cafe and Grill
Conestoga Mall
550 King Street North
Waterloo, ON
519.772.0783
O&B's website
If service is a way to create buzz, it sure worked!
When I called to book a lunch reservation for our FTC Christmas lunch (self-formed Food Tasting Club at work), the gal remembered who I was after I said my name (which brings me to think that even if a restaurant used a CRM database to look up your name, it can certainly add a personalized touch).
Parking is somewhat of a nightmare at Conestoga Mall at the front entrance, and as mentioned before, having no access from the mall means that one only has a few rows of parking to choose from if you prefer a close spot. Anyway, on our way to our original table, one of the FTC members piped up and asked if we could sit closer to the kitchen because he wanted to see the bustling kitchen while we enjoyed our meal. And because of that remark, we ended up getting a personalized tour of the kitchen at the end of our lunch!
Our first server (the one who pronounces all the dishes in its proper Italian form) recognized me from two evenings ago, which amazed me (perhaps it was my BlackBerry smartphone sitting on the table, in the same fashion as before). Turns out, this is his 6th year at O&B and he's just on loan to Waterloo - we would normally find him at the Bayview Village location in Toronto.
Upon paying, I found out that the menu prices include tax. That is a pleasant surprise! One of our foodies ordered a lobster bisque to start, and maybe it was because the rest of us didn't order an appetizer, but it seemed like there were at least 5 servers asking if he was finished with his soup when he paused (for long periods of time) or when he didn't mean to push the bowl away. Is there such a thing as "too much" service? We called it "cruise ship" service (we were talking about cruises and it was quite comical after the third time). Plus, upon returning your credit card, they try to address you by name.
I did try the Al Parma pizzetta and I must admit, it reminded me of pizza in Italy. Crust wasn't too crunchy/hard or thick, and it had a thin layer of sauce, but plenty of prosciutto. The seared yellow fin tuna salad (background of above photo) looks really good (and many pieces too), but for $21.95, it'd definitely be a splurge for me.
Touring the kitchen was certainly a highlight: Kevin, our server, pointed out the sous chef, head chef (Steve), and O&B executive chef (Markus). The executive chef is in charge of all O&Bs, but I guess he's ensuring O&B Waterloo has a smooth start. The kitchen is pretty large in size: with areas for the pizza (with its fire-oven), salads, and sandwich making, the prep section along with oven for fresh baked bread (coming soon - right now they're using ACE artisan bread, which is a great choice), and the dishes area. The server tells that each cup of coffee is made with fresh ground beans and brewed by the coffee maker, which is worth more than his car (hrm, what car?). The side wall is lined with walk-in fridges and fridges).
To top all of this off, Peter Oliver (the Oliver in O&B) was walking around the restaurant chatting with the patrons. At this rate, Wildcraft better watch out: it sure has some competition close by because these guys get it.
Now, here's to hoping that we can book the team Christmas lunch here...
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12.03
2009
When chain restaurants and stores that are only in Toronto (or in bigger cities) come to Waterloo, it's significant. To me, it's a statement that puts Waterloo on the map, in line with bigger cities.
Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill
Conestoga Mall
550 King Street North
Waterloo, ON
519.772.0783
O&B's website
Date of visit: December 2, 2009
Restaurant
Oliver & Bonacini's was scheduled to open in Waterloo early December (though the mall sign said Spring 2010), but they had already been open for 6 days on our visit. I had neither visited an O&B before nor their sister (and famous) restaurant Canoe in Toronto, but they also partner with SOMA, a place that offers quality gourmet chocolate in the Distillery District.
O&B seems to cater to the young professional crowd, much like Wildcraft does. The interior is casually grand, with modern dim lighting and color, along with high ceilings and edged corners. The dark and light wooden chairs add to the "cafe" feel, but there's a feel of space limitations: the entrance foyer is tight, the tables are close to each other, and the meeting/party room has a glass divider that makes it look like a fishbowl (or aquarium to be more accurate). Whether it's a space issue or for another reason (like the demographics), there is no access from inside the mall though, which has its disadvantages as well.
Meal choice, food quality
The menu offered a variety of food choices (but maybe more leaning towards Italian dishes), along with a reasonable range in prices. Most of the dishes are under $20. After much debate on what to try, we decided on the spice & pepper fried calamari to share as an appetizer, followed by a duck, pineapple and coriander bruschetta and a mushroom soup for myself as a main, and the mac&cheese for him.
After taking our order, we were served with two complimentary mini bread buns (ciabatta?), which were hot, soft, and moist. This definitely helped minimize the wait time between this and the appetizer.
The calamari was at the right texture: neither too chewy nor rubbery with light flakes of batter. However, I would likely try the grilled calamari next time (cheaper too!) as this plate was a little too salty and I wasn't a huge fan of the Indian spices (cumin?) they used despite it being light so that it wasn't overpowering.
The mushroom soup - this was unlike any other mushroom soup I have had. I'm used to cream of mushroom or a mushroom broth, but instead, it was as the server described it: thick, mushroom puree soup. Tasty, though I wonder if it would still be as good with less salt (though the calamari was much saltier)
The bruschetta (or "brus-k-etta" as the other server distinctly pronounced it Italianized?), was flavourful. My tasting companion commented on the strong smoky smell of the sauce, but it didn't hit your tastebuds when you ate it. Instead, the fresh chopped pineapple added a great contrast to the flavour. The toast might be less crumbly if it wasn't so crispy but I liked the fact that it was in bite-sized portions.
And, the macaroni and cheese thankfully tasted nothing like Kraft Dinner. This was more of a homemade baked variety: topped with breadcrumbs, (what could be canned) peas, and melted goat cheese; quite filling too.
Service
When our main server wasn't always around to serve us, another one would be available for our table. Our main server seemed to be very knowledgeable with the menu (and surprised at my knowing of SOMA) and the items on it, and instead of being put off, actually thanked me for my feedback (re: the calamari being on the slightly saltier side). There was a longer wait between the appetizers and the main, but I must commend their service: one server knew I had an intolerance to onions, but our main server didn't. Yet, our (main) server made sure to check with me and let me know that the mushroom soup had onions in it (though I don't think he realized that raw green onions are part of the onion family).
Conclusion
Closer towards the end of the evening, I asked my companion if this Oliver & Bonacini's is like the one in Toronto, and from the sounds of things, the themes and overall brand is definitely consistent. It's a place to try on Mondays and Tuesdays, especially if you like $4.95 cocktails (which are normally priced at $9.95). I would probably try their lunch menu next time, such as a pizzaette or even their grilled calamari.
Above: the "fish bowl". Apologies for the poor quality of the photos; I didn't have my camera on me and had to use my mobile phone.
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11.29
2009
I didn't think that there would come a time when I would have little to blog about - but sadly, it seems like I come here less often despite my time spent online hasn't really decreased but anyway...
During my time Europe, I came across some creative product experiences, such as encouraging people to not litter in Barcelona:
Amusing how the seagull just happened to walk under the sign
Or, a sign showing how many parking spots are left in Monaco and a way to prevent others from stealing your spot:
These designs may be simple, yet they seem quite effective (at catching your attention at the minimum). How does design play out in our everyday products?
* * *
$20 Product #1
Consider the Kitchenaid kettle:
The design is great - the silicon handle keeps it from getting hot and the wide mouth makes it very easy to clean. Plus, the base is one unit, so that it's seamless and prevents dirt from getting between the cracks. The spot has some holes so that ideally, the kettle would whistle when the water is boiling. Maybe I don't know how to use a whistling kettle properly, but the first one I bought from Canadian Tire didn't whistle at all so I exchanged it. Then, I read somewhere that I should ensure that the lid is shut so no steam escapes except through the spout, but it does anyway. Well, the kettle is far from being "loud and clear"; if it does whistle, you can hear it trying only if you are standing beside it. For $20, I can let it slide, but I wouldn't recommend anyone buying this product at the regular price ($65?). One would think that a name brand product like KitchenAid deliver better quality, but I was wrong. At least
I wasn't the only one with this problem.
* * *
$20 Product #2
Nintendo seems to know what they were doing when they introduced the Wii Fit Plus.
For those who have the original Wii Fit and the board, think of it as a software upgrade. For the same price as the kettle ($20), it's worth it - despite rendering your original Wii Fit useless. When you first put in the disc, it prompts you install a software update, which may explain some of these features:
06.14
2009
Update: March 9, 2010 - it appears the Le Gourmand LG3, as reviewed below is now closed, as explained by Toronto Life.
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My last post about our tasting adventures in Toronto ended with a mention of Le Gourmand.
Le Gourmand (LG3)
2177 Yonge Street (near Eglinton)
Toronto, ON
Phone number not listed for this location, but follow them on twitter
Date of visit: June 2, 2009
Restaurant
On the way back from Quince, we happened to glance across the street and saw the sign for Le Gourmand, which looked like an expensive steakhouse. When we peered through the glass window, we realized that it felt more like a gourmet, European-style cafe. After taking a look at the menu that's posted on the side of the glass door and realized it was within our budget and that the menu
(PDF) looked appetizing enough, we tentatively decided on this place for the following night. Grace went home to do some research online, but came up with limited information since it is relatively new. We both knew that every time a fresh batch of cookies came out of the oven, they would
tweet it. With a restaurant that's keeps up with the times (BlackBerry + twitter) and the rave reviews of their nookie cookies, how could we pass up the chance?
Inside, it looks like a deli cafe, where you can order at the counter (to go) or they serve you at your table. The place isn't big so the seating arrangement is somewhat tight, but there's a lot of natural light that comes in through the windows, which is supplemented by candles when it gets darker out. I just hope the ant that was (and he is no more) crawling on the window sill was just a one-time occurrence.
Meal choice, food quality
Grace ordered the Charcuterie mix platter ($18), which is really just a very expensive tray of smoked gourmet cold cuts that you don't normally see anywhere else. This is paired with some bread crackers, which are slightly crisper than the bread they also serve before your meal. I don't think I'd order it on its own, but to share it with my Mint Tagliatelle (braise lamb with mint pasta for $19), it was perfect. Actually, it would've been good with wine, but that wasn't in our budget.
Some of the smoked meats were more salty than anything, but the speck, which the server highly recommended was indeed very tasty (not that he had to try very hard to convince us of anything). The mint tagliatelle was a broad pasta dish that had mint herbs inside the pasta, which gave it a great texture, making the noodles seem handcut. Normally, I don't like ordering pasta because I feel that it's something I can make at home or that it's really inexpensive to buy, but the herbs and lamb with the pine nuts were a nice touch, and the tomatoes were really sweet; everything just went together very well. I only wished that it was served hotter instead of being lukewarm.
We ended our meal by sharing a berry consomme for dessert ($7) - the iced lemongrass with yogurt and fresh berries (and edible flower petals too) - also recommended by our server. We wanted something light, and we certainly got that. I was pleasantly surprised that it tasted so good, with the ingredients that looked so (inexpensive and) easy to make. And, we ended dessert with the $1 nookie cookies, a tiny little chocolate cookie that is loaded with an umfph - tastes like you bit into a brownie that melts in your mouth. Definitely for those who like sweets, but not really for me.
Service
When the server wasn't always around to serve us, another staff would be available for our table. The server, David, obviously is well-known in the neighbourhood, as he would walk outside and wave to the people across the street (further research online suggests that maybe he is the manager). He took the time to describe the stuff on the platter and made some pretty good recommendations. I found it a little unconventional that one would wear a hat inside, but maybe it was because it was the beginning of the shift as that was later removed (we came before dinner started). Grace and I thought that he reminded us of a mutual acquaintance we know (Nate T), which got us wondering how he was doing...
Conclusion
I would make a second visit if I'm ever in this area again but not necessarily as a regular, if only for the pasta alone.
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06.10
2009
A friend asked me if I had dream job, what would it be? Sadly, I couldn't come up with anything, except that if I was to be a mom, I'd be a good one (and it's not like I want kids!).
So I've been thinking that if I had the talent, the time, and the funding, I would like to be a photographer, capturing candid expressions of the moment and making still life come to life. Better yet, combine it with my foodie tendencies and out comes a food critic! Too bad everybody these days are photographers and foodies.
Anyway, onto my recent Toronto adventures...
Grace and I had two nights to try some local eats around the Yonge/Eglinton area. We were going to try Lime (pan-asian fusion) but after having Spring Rolls at the Yonge and Eglinton location, I had no desire to eat anything like it for awhile (and if that was my first time at Spring Rolls, I would not have gone to any of its other locations - let's just say that the pad thai was unnaturally pink/red).
Our first stop:
2110 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
416.488.2110
Date of visit: June 1, 2009
Restaurant
Quince is a little restaurant on Yonge just beyond the busy strip. They're famous for their homemade gnocchi, the quinoa salad and their wood-fire oven. The menu isn't too extensive but the food is worth trying, especially if you like gnocchi (I think Grace will now compare gnocchi everywhere else against this).
Meal Choice, Food Quality
A basket of bread is served as a complimentary starter, with a hummus style dip (with cilantro and what tasted like cumin). Both the gnocchi and the wood-oven chicken dishes were under $20, and portion sizes are reasonable. I'm always wary of ordering pork and/or chicken as sometimes, the middles are dry, bland, or both. Surprisingly, despite the size of the chicken, the white meat wasn't dry (though it was less flavourful than the dark meat); I enjoyed the seasoning and did not find it too salty.
We completed our meal with a warm apple tart tatin and a iced passion fruit mousse ($8 each). However, I found that because the mousse was iced, it kind of tasted like ice cream, and the dark chocolate was slightly overpowering the passion fruit taste.
Conclusion
Their sample Summerlicious menu looks appetizing and I'm glad we tried this place over Lime, but if I was to pick to visit a restaurant in this area again, I'd choose Le Gourmand (LG3) for their uniqueness in food choice instead - our next adventure.
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03.16
2009
SushiStar
450 King Street East
Kitchener, ON
519.584.2341
Date of visit: March 15, 2009
Restaurant
Sushistar seems to have taken residence in a former Coffee Time at the edge of downtown Kitchener, next to some auto shops, run down buildings, and older businesses (just down the street is a Portuguese bakery that took over the old Harvey's). If you're not looking for it, you can easily miss it. Their branding needs work: the sign identifies themselves as Sushistars, but the menus say Sushistar. The place is small but the bright contemporary decor is a great contrast to the exterior and suits the young, busy crowd.
Because of the size, reservations are recommended. When making a reservation, pick a easy to remember name as they had trouble spelling my first name, so I gave them Wong which they had no trouble hearing.
Meal Choice
Unsurprisingly, the menu items have misspellings that one might see on engrish.com but nothing that isn't understandable. With a variety of food choices from the kitchen and the sushi bar to choose from, the lunch prices at $13.99 (weekends - 5% off cash discount) is fairly reasonable (and close to Ye's if I recall correctly). Dinner, with sashimi offerings is at $21.99 on weekends ($1-2 less on weekdays). One can also order a la carte, but having the all-you-can-eat (AYCE) would be the reason why one would come here.
Food Presentation and Quality
The presentation of the sashimi at each table were artistic and different depending on the number of pieces the table ordered, but I personally enjoyed the taste and quality of other selections more at this place, like the seaweed salad, sushi pizzas (better than Hockey Sushi in Toronto), medium-rare short ribs (very tender and juicy), grilled egg plant, tempura pumpkin and tempura banana (read: deep fried banana with chocolate sauce). Sushi rolls are not presented as nicely as Ye's but to make up for it, the quantity of stuffing to rice ratio sure beat Ye's. We liked how the rolls weren't mostly rice and the portions were small (6 pieces per roll), so that you could order more variety of food.
The ice cream seemed a little old as it had ice crystals in each scoop, but one could choose from a choice of green tea, mango, vanilla, and red bean (save the chocolate sauce from the tempura banana). I would pass on the mango salad (mostly lettuce) and the teriyaki octopus next time.
Service
As with many AYCE places, orders tend to be missed or dropped but they were not stringent about the eating time of 1.5 hours. Besides, I would rather them miss a order than to give us food that we didn't order. The server takes down your order so you don't need to give them a piece of paper and can check on whether the kitchen or the sushi bar has any more of your orders that are outstanding, but during the busy times, you may need to flag them down to get more tea or to take more orders. The food does come pretty quickly, even the kitchen food.
Unlike Ye's, they do not include a "mandatory" tip with a group of 6 or more, nor do they have a sign that says tip: >=10% (which I believe Ye's took down).
Conclusion
Like with most sushi places in Ontario, especially if opened by non-Japanese (which is likely safe to say always if AYCE), my standards are lower. However, if Sushistar keeps up with its service and quality, we will finally have some competition with Ye's. This is one business that has potential to help bring business and more customers to the downtown core.
< Newer | Older >
03.15
2009
There's something about playing with a group of musicians that beats playing on your own.
Your piece doesn't sound like much by itself, but once you play with the rest of the group, the music really sings; you become a part of the experience, the bigger picture.
A number of us attended Video Games Live at the Centre in the Square on the weekend. I never imagined the number of video games I would've actually recognize (and previously played) - very nostalgic. I wonder if the KW Symphony actually enjoyed playing the pieces, considering the audience would likely be different than the cultured crowd. Don't get me wrong, people dressed up, but instead of a night out to the orchestra, it was in costume. I'm sure a night out at the symphony doesn't usually have the crowd hollering and cheering mid-song either.
I like this idea, bringing entertainment into the arts culture, thereby introducing a different group of people with the symphony - balanced with media, including Skype, videos, video gaming action, and interaction with the audience. Guests included Split Atom (a team from EA / Need for Speed) and Martin Leung (piano player that doesn't play with flat fingers even blind folded) However, like many, I felt that the electric guitar after the intermission was too much; the noise from the guitar seemed to drown the music and it felt like the host was trying to show-off a little too much.
But, we concluded that we enjoyed it overall and that it was a fun experience. And if they ever wanted to use it as an avenue to bring more people to buy tickets to more performances by the KW Symphony, it just may have worked (especially if it's at reasonable prices). Next up? Perhaps Movies Music in May for $20.
< Newer | Older >
03.12
2009
I find that very few companies do customer service right, but the online ones that do, really leave a lasting impression. Here are two of my favourites:
Moo, a UK based company, prints photos into a variety of paper mediums (media...) including booklets of stickers. Their emails and packaging slip (that allows you select reason of displeasure) added a really nice touch to ensure customer satisfaction.
Hello,
I'm Little MOO. We've spoken before, I'm the piece of software that
manages your order with MOO.
I've done a Very Bad Thing.
Don't worry - your StickerBook will be fine, but I might've lost the
information that tells the real life people at MOO what colour cover
you ordered for your StickerBook.
I might only be a piece of software but I am embarrassed and I do
feel like a bit of an idiot. If you do get the wrong cover for your
book, please accept my apologies and know that someone has fiddled
with my insides and fixed them, and it won't happen again.
In the meantime, I hope you love the Stickers you ordered.
Very best wishes, and sorry again,
Little MOO.
The booklet came fine :)
Clearly Contacts is an online (Canadian) store that sells contacts and prescription glasses (their American counterpart is CoastalContacts.com). I've tried them for the first time recently and am very pleased with their service and product. They were helpful in answering questions on the phone without a long wait and the best part is that they let you purchase a product without having to pay upfront until you receive it. By the way, I'm going with them in the future when it comes to purchasing a complete pair of glasses (with a recognized brand, high index, anti-glare lenses, made-in-Japan titanium frames) for under $50 CDN including shipping. Even beats the quality of the stores in Hong Kong (bought a
pair for $60 CDN IN-STORE that had the wrong prescription, incorrect focal distance, and poor quality lens resulting in distortion)!
---------------
I would say that the service design of these two companies are well done, which is why they are good experiences in my books. Which brings me to ask, how many of us actually expect to (or prefer to) speak to a customer representative when calling for support? I know when I dial any number, I have the desire to talk to someone on the other end. I don't like listening to the menu options or entering my PIN or account number (and having to repeat it later). Yet, I've been told that customers don't mind having their questions answered by a telephone recording, as long as it helps. Call me lazy, but I almost always try to press 0 (or see if I could pretend that I don't have a touch tone phone) to see if I can bypass it all and speak to the operator. Perhaps it would make a difference if I had to wait 3 hours to speak to someone vs. a few minutes (I would simply hang up and try again later or look for help online).
< Newer | Older >
02.20
2009
I'm so glad that WestJet travels to/from YKF, as WestJet is now my preferred choice (over AC - assuming the price difference isn't too much). They have gone above and beyond as I didn't expect this at all especially since the delays were due to the weather and were relatively short (in contrast to Air Canada)); what a great surprise!
From my travel agent (content edited to protect details):
Dear [b.p.],
On behalf of WestJet, I would like to apologize for the interruption in your
travel plans on Wednesday, December 24, 2008. We realize that delays are
inconvenient and can potentially affect the rest of your travel itinerary.
We acknowledge the delay you experienced while traveling with us, and hope you
understand that WestJet will continuously endeavour to bring you the most
reliable service offered in the airline industry.
You are a valued guest, and we would like to make it up to you. To
thank you for your loyalty, and ask you to fly with WestJet again, we
have set up a Future Travel Credit (FTC) for you in the amount of
$189.00 CA. We hope this gesture shows that we are serious about keeping your
business. This credit will not only ease the cost of your next trip, but it
gives us the opportunity to provide the reliable, friendly and affordable
air travel experience that is WestJet.
When you are ready to book your flight, please visit our website at
westjet.com (credits can be added by telephone after your credit card
booking is completed), contact your travel agent or call our Sales Super
Center at 1-888-WESTJET (or 1-800-538-5696) toll free or 250-5839 (in Calgary).
Thank you for your understanding and patience. If you have any
questions or concerns you would like us to address, please feel free to use
our Interactive Feedback Corner at westjet.com.
Sincerely,
Executive Vice-President - Operations
< Newer | Older >
12.22
2008
King Street Trio on University
65 University Avenue East
Waterloo, ON
519.884.1507
Date of visit: December 19, 2008
As we were going to King Street Trio for our team's Christmas lunch, one of my colleagues asked me how it was. I paused and said, "it's hit or miss - especially at lunch."
Restaurant
The restaurant is dim, with a dark interior and high ceilings, giving it a more upscale, modern look. They seated us near the washrooms, but thankfully there is a long hallway before you get to the washroom doors so you don't really notice. Yet, throughout the meal, there was a cold draft throughout even though we weren't by the doors. The restaurant didn't look too busy but there were a few small tables of people for lunch.
Meal Choice
We were presented with a set menu (Menu 2 ~$30). Being the adventurous one, I ordered the Supli di Riso to start, with the braised Angus beef fettuccine, followed with the chocolate crepes. I figured since they specialized in Angus beef, their pasta choice would be safe since I'm not a big fan of shrimp, and I was afraid the chicken would be dry.
Food Presentation and Quality
While we waited for our meals, they served us fresh (hot) sun-dried tomato bread with a antipasto/oil/vinegar dip. This time, the bread was fresh and hot - very moist and soft on the inside with the crust just crunchy enough. (I had it before when it was cold and hard - definitely a different experience). We knew we were in for a wait when they served us another round of bread between our appetizer and our entree.
The portions are big: the mozza balls (suppli di riso) were described as being "small" but they were sizable, and the pasta was the size of a dinner portion. Unfortunately, the supli di riso tasted rather bland and was served lukewarm.
The entree was unimpressive: the pasta noodles soggy; I like them al dante, just right; and the meat tasted like it was stew but a little dry in parts but fatty in other parts. That being said, the green beans in the pasta dish were sweet and crunchy instead of overdone and soggy. I finished maybe 1/3 of it and didn't even pack it up to take home.
The dessert was tasty, but the chocolate crepes tasted somewhat starchy, but the trio was the chocolate ice cream in the chocolate crepe (x3) with chocolate syrup drizzled over it. The pumpkin cheesecake had a nice pumpkin flavour but the texture was more like cake than cheesecake.
Service
Table service was pretty good - they gave us new plates of dipping oil/vinegar and fresh bread, and topped our glasses with water whenever it was full. Yet, for a set menu, I would expect food service to be quicker. I would figure that by limiting the patron's choice to one of 2-3 items, the kitchen would be able to push out more in bulk and thus be more efficient and quicker. I cannot believe that it took almost 2 hours for our meal from start to finish for a Friday lunch.
Conclusion
This time was definitely a miss. But, after talking to another group who also went for their lunch, they too had a similar experience, so maybe it's more of a consistent miss. I don't know if I've had a good experience at lunch there yet. It's a shame because their dinner fare fares much better (bad pun), especially with the live music. But, comparatively, I would recommend King Crab Oyster Bar and Grill instead.
< Newer | Older >
07.04
2008
CUT
Steakhouse + Urban Grill
5120 Salter Street
Halifax, NS
(902) 429-5120
Date of visit: June 7, 2008
Originally, j.w had wanted to try Onyx (looping music warning), which placed was reviewed in Where to Eat in Canada. However, Onyx was booked for a private function that night, which allowed
us to sample their sister restaurant, CUT instead.
Restaurant
CUT opened its doors in November 2007. If j.w didn't know
that the staircase leading to the Steakhouse was behind the
steel doors, I wouldn't have seen it. The Steakhouse has a
very contemporary atmosphere and even with the lights dim, it feels
very warm and inviting. There is a private balcony available for a table of
two (reservations recommended), which gives you a view of
the Brewery Market and a partial harbour view. A gas torch lamp
on the the balcony offers some warmth, but if it's still
too cold, blankets are available upon request. We were the
first guests to try out the new balcony so perhaps that is
why we did not see an umbrella to shade the table and its
guests from the sun, or maybe nearby trees may provide shade
depending on the time of the day.
Meal Choice
After looking at the menu (PDF), we decided on
the beef carpaccio ($12) to start, followed by a petit filet
mignon for me ($28) and a manhattan for him ($29). I wanted to try the Kobe beef, but I couldn't justify $80 on a single serving of steak.
Because
I've never been to a true steakhouse before, I was rather new
at the whole experience. The server comes out with a plate of
raw meat, surrounded by some vegetables on the side, to
explain the various cuts and the marbling. When that happened, I immediately thought of the the servers in Chinese restaurants where they bring out the
flopping fish or the wriggling crab for the guests to inspect
and approve of the size.
And like a true steakhouse, the meat comes a la carte; one must order starch and enhancements on the side. We chose to share the bordelaise sauce ($4), grilled steak tomatoes ($5) and ventured to try the wasabi-yuzu kocho butter bone marrow ($5). We paired the meal with two glasses of lapostolle (red wine), followed by a creme brulee for dessert and champagne to celebrate.
Food Presentation and Quality
To start our appetite, we were served some bread and breadsticks, along with some veggies and dip. The beef carpaccio appetizer was really good - not too salty and just the right size to fit on the fork and in my mouth without making a mess. If beef could melt in the mouth, that's what it would feel like - along with the steak.
The steaks were served on contemporary looking (white) plates, drizzled with some sauce (a reduction?) on the side. Mine was prepared just as I had hoped - medium rare (pink throughout but not rubbery). [I had a poor experience at King Street Trio (Waterloo) prior to this where my medium rare came out looking and feeling like it was rare (bouncy) but the servers just told me that's the way a medium rare was done.]
Both steaks were tender and flavourful - and because I'm not a big meat eater, the 6oz of it fit nicely in my stomach. If we didn't have the sauce, we'd be okay.
Four people could have easily shared the butter - it came out looking like layered jello or gelato. I still don't understand why one would pair butter with steak, but we did it. The grill tomato gave us the vegetable balance that I was looking for - big enough to cut and share and not too mushy.
The drinks were not too dry and the champagne had a nice fruity taste - it's a shame that we were in a rush so I didn't get a chance to enjoy and finish neither that nor the creme brulee.
The cook chose to make the creme brulee in a shallow square dish. I prefer this way because I really like the crunchy topping of creme brulee and it feels like there's more to enjoy. Fresh berries accompanied the creme brulee.
Service
Working as a tag team, two servers alternated throughout the evening so that we were never forgotten. Each one was sociable and smiled throughout; I enjoyed the interaction with them. Upon departure, we were given a mini banana loaf as a gesture of thanks (for the visit).
Conclusion
While a local friend recommends Himachi Steakhouse, I would say that CUT steakhouse is also fair game. The prices (comparing to Ontario and BC dining) are reasonable for the quality and service they provide. I would love to try CUT Urban Grill for lunch - I'm sure j.w would enjoy their Lobster Poutine ($9).
< Newer | Older >
03.11
2008
Sweet Dreams Teashop
14-170 University Ave W
Waterloo, ON N2L 3E9
(519) 747-2442
Towards the end of my frosh year, I had my first Canadian experience of bubble tea when DJ Rumble brought me some from TO along with an Ikea dresser for me (I had my first ever bubble tea in HK). I'm not a big fan of bubble tea here in town because of the amount of powder or artificial flavoured syrup that goes into the tea to get your taste (often masking the tea flavour). But, I've recently discovered that at Sweet Dreams Teashop, you can order chilled gourmet loose leaf teas (a variety of flavours), request it half sweet with tapioca (bubbles), jellies, or by itself for the same price as the ordinary bubble teas. The tea taste is there, along with other floral or fruit hints (depending on the tea) without the added powder or artificial syrup. I think I will be revisiting this spot more often now for a cool, refreshing drink.
Side note
The other day, I was browsing online to look for housing and discovered to my surprise that Yukiko's Cafe Bistro was for sale. I tried to look online to find out more, but hopefully, it's just the property that's being sold and not the actual place as I find it quite enjoyable to visit.
< Newer | Older >
01.29
2008
Vegemite. I wonder if it tastes a bad as black bean/potato chips (??) from Bolivia/S.America that Boy was joking about bringing back. The first taste of the Vegemite reminds me of old cheese, mixed with fermented black beans (like black bean sauce), and way too salty for me. An awful aftertaste is then left in my mouth - makes me feel like puking. How do Aussies and New Zealanders make it more palatable, much less even like it?
Maybe they would've tasted better if I ate them before the best before date (24 Sep 07). Regardless, I have 3 more snack packs up for grabs if anyone wants to try them. I'd say that if you haven't had them before, it's worth a try - c'mon be adventurous! I'm not sure how it's "bright" though. By the way, thanks Becks.
< Newer | Older >
12.23
2007
Juno. Worthwhile see. The houses, the trees, the weather gave a Canadian production feel to it. The trees look West Coast-ish. The homes, the "Glacial Estate" stucco homes remind me of common houses I see in Coquitlam, parts of Surrey, etc. The give-away? Coquitlam Centre. Has an indie film, Napolean Dynamite feel. Great lines, music pairing, and contrast.
< Newer | Older >
12.07
2007
I will not be revisiting Sakura Island anytime soon. The first time, the chef was away, so I had wanted to come back to try some of their Korean dishes. Today, we tried to order the ddeok gook (rice cake with beef and broth) and the waitress said, we don't have this (or the ddeok mandu gook - with dumplings) nor will we have it in the future! Why is it on the menu then?!
And the Sakura Spicy roll was a small, 6 piece spicy salmon roll with crispies (like Ye's) for $8.95!
< Newer | Older >
11.19
2007
Ye's Sushi
583 King Street North
Waterloo, ON N2V 2E5
(519) 888-6066
To conclude this three-part series, we end with our thoughts at
Ye's Sushi - Waterloo (King Street and
Northfield Drive).
What are your impressions of Ye's Sushi (Waterloo)?
Tim: Ye's feels like any other restaurant out
there, without much of a Japanese feel.
Deanna: This place has a very roomy, bright open feeling
to the restaurant. Decor was very contemporary and up-to-date. The
ambience of the restaurant at lunch almost borders on a
cafeteria-like style, and the price is reasonable.
Stephanie: And the interior is very nice with many
windows. The layout is very spacious, with a lot of room to easily
accommodate a large group.
What dishes stand out for you?
Stephanie: Everyone in our party had the all you-can-eat
lunch ($13). What impressed me was the selection of food
choices - favourite was the dynamite rolls.
Emily: I looked at their a-la-carte menu, but it seems
like it is a better deal just to order the all-you-can-eat (since 1
roll starts at $5); plus, you can finish your meal with green tea
ice cream. I almost always order their 8 piece rolls (king roll,
rainbow roll, dragon roll), which generally seem to be their
specialty. There was this one roll we had that I really liked
(similar to a California roll but with fish roe, crispy pieces, and
salmon), but when we inquired what it was called, the servers
didn't know and just said that it was a dynamite roll.
Tim: I like the menu. There are lots of different dishes
to choose from but the servings are quite big so you can't really
try everything that you want, unless you come with a big group (or
hungry appetites!). Presentation is exceptional. The dishes served
actually look like the pictures on the menu.
Deanna: The crispy rolls, rainbow rolls and the mango ice
cream stand out. The food was fresh and was presented quickly on
cute Japanese dishes.
Stephanie: Seeing the sushi come on porcelain plates
rather than the traditional wood trays was a nicely added
touch.
Tim: The food was very tasty, especially the dragon
rolls. The California rolls however were not good at all; they were
possibly the poorest tasting California rolls that I have ever
eaten in my life. The California rolls were cut much bigger than
expected. I also thought the inclusion of the spoon with the miso
soup was a bit awkward (miso soup usually doesn't come with a
spoon).
Would you recommend this place?
Deanna: The service was fast and efficient and
businesslike. Not too much chitchat between my group and the
servers. You place your food order on paper and hand it to the
server. We went at lunch time (party of 11) and there were a lot of
servers. Dishes were plunked down quickly and picked up just as
quickly. Felt a bit too interruptive at times, but perhaps it was
because I was sitting at the end of the table and this seemed to be
where the server put most of the food that our table ordered. The
people sitting on the end of the table had to pass all of the
dishes down to others.
Emily: They also gave us a roll we did not order and
insisted that the unagi (eel) was crab, but they did end up taking
it back.
I do not particularly like all-you-can-eat sushi places as I
find that you sacrifice quality for quantity. While
Yummyaki's (Northfield Drive and Davenport Road) is still my
preferred choice for all-you-can-eat sushi rolls in Waterloo, I
find that Ye's has a greater selection of menu items.
Stephanie: The wait staff were quick to bring our food
and clear the plates, but I had a really hard time trying to make a
reservation because of a slight language barrier. I found the sign
by the tip jar stating a tip of 10% a bit rude, but other
than that everyone was polite.
Tim: On their grand opening day, the service was not very
good. It took my party of 4, 45minutes before our names even got to
onto the waiting list. Staff continually ignored us. A bunch of
stuff that we had ordered never came. The food we did actually
receive did come quite quickly. I would go there again and
recommend it to others in this area because I had a terrible
experience with Yummyaki's; Ye's seems to be the other
all-you-can-eat sushi alternative in Waterloo.
Stephanie: I would definitely come back again. If you
want to try out different types of sushi, it's a good place to come
with a group of people for all-you-can-eat. Just be wary and
only order what you can eat because you are charged $1 for every
piece you leave behind.
Related posts:
< Newer | Older >
11.08
2007
Sakura Island
255 King N
Waterloo, ON N2J 4V2
(519) 886-1812
We continue this three-part series with Sakura
Island (King Street and University Avenue).
Stephanie recommended this place for us to try and even though she
could not join us for lunch the day we went for this review, she
shares her experiences with us as well.
What are your impressions of Sakura Island?
Simon: Upon entering the location, I found that the place
was very neat and traditional. Dim lights suggested a relaxed area
for enjoyment purposes. The interior was elegant but the giant
portable air conditioning unit in the front entrance somewhat
changed my opinion of it.
Deanna: The decor is nice and the ambience is inviting.
In 5 seconds we were greeted with a prompt hello and the greeter
proceeded to tell my group that the chef was sick and most items on
the menu would not be available. Not so good for my first visit,
but I was willing to overlook this.
Stephanie: I love the new look of Sakura Island. They've
renovated and the new interior is much more elegant. The booths now
look much more solid and the rock wall is a nice feature.
What dishes stand out for you?
Stephanie: I've been to Sakura Island several times and
each time I've been very pleased with the food. The spicy tuna
rolls are a favourite of mine; but be careful, they do pack a
punch.
During my last visit, I had a chicken teriyaki bento box. The
bento box special came with salad and soup, teriyaki chicken with a
generous portion of sauce, rice, and some sushi rolls, which is a
lot for lunch but it is also very good.
Simon: Because the head chief didn’t show up for
work the day of our visit, only sushi was available. Thus, out of
the colorful menu, we only had a variety of three different
selections. This was rather disappointing, but if this was a one
time thing, I could bear with it.
Deanna: Emily and Simon each ordered a nigiri (sushi on
rice)/maki combo ($12) and I chose the maki (sushi rolls) combo
($12). The food was well presented and fresh and tasty and each
combo came with a salad, making the size of the meal quite
generous.
Simon: The food was great! Although the portions were
small and the service was draggingly slow, the food was very tasty
and absolutely fresh. The sashimi was fresh and had no indication
of being over-frozen. The maki roles were small, but the seaweed
was crisp and enjoyable. Each piece of sushi, although small, fit
perfectly in my mouth, and had the perfect proportion of rice,
fish, and wasabi.
Stephanie: The sushi definitely seems nice and fresh; the
rice stays together, and the wasabi was good and hot.
Emily: Plus, the salad that came with the sushi/maki
combo did not have the creamy, Thousand Island dressing that many
other places use for their Japanese-style salads. The sushi
actually had wasabi in the rice, and the wasabi was a nice, fresh
green color (sometimes I wonder about the brownish wasabi that
other places serve).
Would you recommend this place?
Simon: Service was slow, friendly but slow.
Stephanie: When I went last time for lunch, they only had
one waitress for the whole place and she was running around from
table to table trying to keep up. But overall, we were still done
in a timely manner. On one of my dinner visits, there seemed to be
enough wait staff and the chef even gave the table some free
sashimi to sample.
Deanna: And once we placed our order from the three
choices on the menu, the food was prepared and presented quickly.
Despite the lack of menu choices due to the chef being sick, I am
willing to go back again when the restaurant has all menu items
available. There were quite a few menu items that interested me and
I would like to try the Korean menu.
Emily: I remember coming here as a student and thinking
that the prices were much too pricey for what you get. I would want
to try the Korean dishes next time, like the rice cake soup
(ddeok gook) since I have a lot of trouble finding that
around here (the owners at Ichiban once told me
that it’s more a dish for their Lunar New Year).
Simon: Great food, nice atmosphere, and good seating. If
you’re not feeling cheap, this place is a great place to
enjoy a conversation with someone. You get plenty of time while
waiting for your food, and you can enjoy the food ever so slowly. I
would come for a second visit someday.
Stephanie: I would highly recommend this place to anyone.
So far it's still my favourite place for sushi in the area.
Editor's note: Upon another visit, the server told us that do not offer the rice cake noodles anymore (and maybe some of the other items as well if my memory serves me correctly). If not, why do they even bother having it on the menu?
< Newer | Older >
11.02
2007
Tokyo Ichiban
465 Phillip Street, Unit 1
Waterloo, ON N2L 6C7
(519) 747-7688
Update
Last visit: August 20, 2010
Since this entry, it appears that the quality of the food has degraded with the same (high) prices. The portions are smaller, the noodles are soggier, and the teriyaki sauce seems to be thicker (corn-starch like). The charashi don/hwe dup bab is served with salmon end pieces and imitiation crab meat instead of the variety that I'm used to elsewhere. I'm sadly disappointed. However, they do advertise that they do not use MSG, which is a plus, and they do get busy especially on during lunchtime on a weekday. I don't plan to return anytime soon though.
---
Original Review
Waterloo has become quite a multi-cultural city, offering many dining options from a variety of ethnic groups. Even though the authenticity of the foods are at times questionable, some places are worth a second glance.
Over the next few weeks, a few friends will be joining in to share their dining experiences with you. The lunch pick? Japanese cuisine.
I have noticed that most Japanese restaurants in town are managed by either Korean or Chinese folks. This is true for Tokyo Ichiban (Korean), Sakura Island (Korean), Ye's Waterloo (Chinese), which range in size and specialty.
Let's begin this three-part series with Tokyo Ichiban (Phillip Street and Albert Street).
What are your impressions of Tokyo Ichiban?
Deanna: Tokyo Ichiban (affectionately known as Ichiban) seems to cater more to the take-out crowd. So, it isn't surprising to see that many of its customers are from the surrounding businesses.
Tim: Ichiban is pretty small as it only seats about 12 people, but I had a pretty good first impression. This place reminded me a little of a restaurant that I like to go to when I am in Vancouver.
Emily: Many Korean-Japanese restaurants tend to offer Korean dishes and Japanese food with a Korean twist; and Ichiban fits the description. They also advertise that their food is MSG free, which is always nice and they have some reasonably priced lunch specials.
What dishes stand out for you?
Tim: I've ordered many different dishes, including the bibimbop (I call it bimmybob even though I know for a fact that it is wrong). I haven't been disappointed yet - except for the California rolls; I have yet to find a place in the KW area that serves a good California roll.
Deanna: I almost always get the vegetarian roll or smoked salmon roll. Both are quite good. The food is always made fresh. I pre-order so that it is ready for pick up. The presentation is very typical for take-out sushi. Eight pieces laid out in a take-out box.
Emily: Although I would prefer less oil in the hot dishes, I still like their spicy chicken yakisoba (stir-fried noodle dish). While their rolls are on the slightly pricier side ($8 for 8 pieces), my place of preference to get a spicy salmon roll is at Ichiban. The spicy salmon roll actually has chunks of salmon in it along with avocado and other ingredients with a spicy sauce like kochujang; most other places serves the roll with “processed” salmon bits with spicy mayo inside.
Would you recommend this place?
Tim: The prices are a bit on the expensive side but I personally think it is worth it because the service is fantastic. I would definitely recommend this place to others. I enjoy the food and the people there are very friendly. I do make a habit of going there at least once a week. Ichiban is my personal favourite restaurant here in Waterloo.
Deanna: The service is always welcoming, the prices are reasonable, and the food is always fresh and tasty. I order take out from Ichiban approximately once every two weeks. They always know who I am and I am always greeted with a smile and a hello. This has become my work neighbourhood sushi place.
Emily: I completely agree. Ichiban is Japanese for "best"; and Tokyo Ichiban does hold up to its name; it is also one of my personal favourites for Korean-Japanese food in Waterloo.
Editor's note: Since this review, Tokyo Ichiban is under new management/ownership. I do notice that they appear to leave certain ingredients out now from their take-out bibimbap, and the portion sizes seem to be smaller, but time will tell.
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08.15
2007
I've always seen these healthy drinks on the shelves of grocery store fridges, but I had never attempted to purchase one. With the original price at $4.50 for 900 ml of liquid, it seems a little steep. But, at 49 cents for 900 ml, who were we to complain that the best before date was on the very same day?
At 900 ml, the drink itself is HUGE; it would take me an entire work day to finish it. The green drink is a little non-appealing in colour, as it looks like grass and dirt. But, the drink is very fragrant - with tastes of passionfruit and banana. And, definitely healthier than most sweet drinks! The red drink looks more appealing, but it has the consistency of home-blended beet and carrot juice and it tastes and smell fragrant. Initially, I thought it tasted a bit earthy (like dirt), but I think it's the taste of pomegranates and bananas (I'm not a big fan of pomegranates or bananas in drinks, but I enjoy eating them), which was actually quite good!
Would I purchase any of them again? In a heartbeat - at 49 cents. I probably wouldn't buy it at retail cost.
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02.23
2007
Over the past few weeks, I had a chance to eat at two different Indian restaurants for their buffet lunch with a few of my friends.
A brief comparison, with some comments, is below:
Restaurant
Masala Bay [MB] - a small restaurant with Indian/Southeast Asian colours and decor
Classic Indian [CI]- a small restaurant that gets full really quickly - caters to business crowd for weekday lunches; has a "kitchen" feel
Meal Choice
[MB] The lunch buffet seems to have raised in price; it's a little over $12 now, but the food variety is quite plentiful (especially for lunch) and a range of vegetarian selections is offered:
- Fruits and salads
- Samosas, nan bread
- Various meat and veggie curries including eggplant, chick peas, goat or lamb?, beef, chicken (incl. butter and tandoori chicken)
- Dessert
[CI] Price for the lunch buffet is $9.49, with a limited selection of food (but for lunch, you really don't need that much) and some vegetarian options:
- lentil spiced chips, deep fried potato samosas (with dipping sauces like chilli yogurt, spicy mango chutney), and crispy onions appetizers
- Chickpea curry, eggplant curry, beef curry, and chicken curry
- Lentil soup (made my throat itchy because of the puree and spices) - this one won a "healthy" award of some kind and they sell it by the jar
- Chai Tea (with a lot of spices)
- Dessert
Food Presentation and Quality
[MB] The curries and dishes in general were quite flavourful and did not taste nor look the same (I find that to be the case sometimes). They ranged from mildly spicy to a medium spicy (in terms of "hot/tingly"-wise). While the meat was tender and the sauces did have a good meat/veggie ratio - as opposed to mostly sauce), I did find certain pieces of the butter chicken (or was it tandoori?) a little to dry - perhaps it was because it was sitting under the heat lamps for too long (tho the curries were heated in buffet trays). As with most Indian cuisine, I tend to be very particular on which spices I like, and which I do not - so not everything appealed to my tastes.
[CI] The meat was not as tender as I had hoped, and the sauces were quite mild. The one thing I've noticed about buffets is that the sauces tend to just drip together, so after awhile, you just taste the same (though I suppose I could've tried a different dish each trip). The nan bread was soggy because it was put inside a pot (water condensation) and thus was chewy, but oddly enough, I liked the crispy deep fried onion appetizers (thoroughly cooked and they were in bits and pieces). For many of the sauce/curry dishes, I found that I had to dig around in the sauce, before I could scoop up some meat or vegetables. Lunch overall was flavourful (especially after, when you walk back into the office and your clothes smell like the spices)
Service
[MB] I've noticed that buffet places tend to have minimal service, but they do dutifully come and collect your finished plates when you go up for another serving of food. However, I did notice that the lady behind the counter was just sitting behind her laptop for the majority of the time (and it seemed, rather...rude?).
[CI] Dishes were taken away when you were busy getting more food, and I really liked how the curries and other available options would be refilled, even when that selection was not running low - so you could always have a supply of freshly made/ready food
Conclusion
[MB] For $12 lunch, I think I would only return every so often, but of all the Indian buffets I've tried, I've enjoyed the food at this one the most.
[CI] I haven't decided I would return again when I can pay $2 more for a better experience (and atmosphere).
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12.17
2006
31 Manitou Dr
Kitchener, ON N2C 1K9
(519) 748-0504
I can't remember how I first heard/read about this place, but I have it on my list of eating places to try in the Kitchener-Waterloo Cambridge region. I took a look at the reviews online with the Kitchener-Record after trying the place but after looking around the site,
their review sounds very similiar to
another review of a similar type of place.
Restaurant
If we did not have the address of the place, we would've driven right by it without a second glance. Nostra cucina, Italian for "our kitchen", is a small sandwich and deli shop situated in an industrial area, which I assume serves its surrounding patrons (it's open later during the weekdays but is only open for lunch on Saturdays). As we walked in, we were greeted with the smells of the food in the kitchen. Because of the limited facilites, there were only two sit down (bar type) high tables, which maybe sits four to eight in total. In the hour (or less) that we stayed to enjoy our lunch, I noticed that a number of people came in who were either family friends or very familiar customers, including some kids which brought in a sense of nostalgia as I spent most of my latter elementary school and all of my high school years with my family running a local sandwich and deli shop. I came to recognize the repeat customers and they knew us, as we, the children, would be helping here and there or to eat (do homework, and to wait for a ride home).
Meal Choice
Initially, I was kind of at a lost on where the menu was or what to order, because the people in front of us seemed to know what they were having or were just picking up an order of lasagna ($23 for a small pan - made with handmade noodles). I found a menu on top of the deli case, which seemed to list many varieties of panini and pasta, until I realised that there were two copies printed on one sheet of paper. With approximately 10 sandwich (panini) choices, salads, and the pasta of the day (during weekdays only), it still has some variety for choice.
I ended up ordering the mixed Italian pressed panino which had "moradella, genoa salami, hot capocollo, mozzarella, tomato and marinated greens" ($5.75 - all prices plus tax) with a Italian lemon soda (Sanpellegrino Limonata $1.25).
The very hungry j.w ordered the veal parmesan panino ("lightly breaded tender veal, hot macina ppers, sweet roasted red peppers, sauteed mushrooms, sweet red onion & homemade sauce piled on a European bun with mozzarella or provolone") ($6.75) and tried the
TrueBlue blueberry juice ($1.99) which by the way he loves, considering one of his favourite fruits is blueberry.
We ended up sharing our sandwiches, so that I had half of his, and he ate half of mine (which I think is a great idea especially when trying something new as I can then develop a fuller experience/more complete impression).
Food Presentation and Quality
After years at a sandwich shop, I can tell you that I generally don't prefer cold sandwiches (if you eat that every day, you'll likely think so too). Although I prefered the veal parmesan sandwich (it was served hot with a warm tasty sauce), the pressed panini was definitely less "messy" and was still tasty. The "marinated greens" in the panini turned out to be a fancy term for lettuce (with some sauce/dressing). The warm, pressed panini gave it a great lightly toasted texture. Funny, I just saw too long ago that a "pressed panini" was just sandwich in a bun that was pressed down in a "sandwich maker" type of grill (all along, I thought the bread was flatter). And, although the sandwich did not seem to have 65g of deli meat in it (which by the way, I could never really finish but that's how we served ours), it was quite filling.
Service
Like our sandwich shop, the place was a self-serve type: you walk up to place your order, pick your drink, napkins, etc. on your own. The lady who took our order seemed to outgoing (with smiles) and casually laid back (but with service) and just told us to take a seat when we told her we were eating in. Perhaps, I'm used to a bigger city style, but I liked how there was no pressure to pay immediately and that we could just pay after we finished our meal.
Conclusion
After our meal, she offered a menu for us to keep, which we took. Overall, lunch was quite satisifying, and j.w kept thanking me for taking him there :). Perhaps it's because I'm used to serving sandwiches averaging $3.95-$4.95 years ago, so I still find it hard to pay $6-7 for a sandwich nowadays, but I would keep this as a place to visit on a Saturday for lunch every so often.
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11.28
2006
140-100 Regina Street South
Waterloo, ON N2J 4P9
519-747-4261
A new visit in my area:
Restaurant
A friend wanted some cake so originally it was between Yukiko's Cafe or Sobey's. I then remembered the reviews for Cafe Bon Choix, a little tiny shop that I've been to for breakfast that seem to have fairly good reviews for dessert. We've had our breakfasts at work catered by them, and I can't get enough of their cinnamon buns. Because we didn't have dinner yet, we decided to enjoy a meal coupled with dessert. The decor resembles a simple soup and sandwich and catering shop (the type that our family owned), and because it seems to be connected to offices in an office building, they had a couple of small business parties. It won some reader's choice recognition for the local paper (The Record) for 2005.
Meal Choice
I decided to try their savoury crepes to see how they would compare to the crepe place at Waterloo Town Square and at a small place in the Distillery District in Toronto. The ham and cheese melt with mushroom sauce for $7.25 came with a choice of soup du jour, garden salad (with choice of dressing) or fries. My friend had never heard of savoury crepes before, so maybe it's just another fusion idea. She had a peppercorn steak for around $14 which came with stirfry veggies, rice and a choice of side as well.
For dessert, we both had a slice of cake ($4.50) - mine was the brownie bottom, chocolate mousse and another layer of chocolate (cheesecake?) while hers was a oreo cookie bottom with white chocolate cheesecake and strawberry puree in the center. The price of a slice of dessert compared to Yukiko's is much more reasonable (it's close to $7 at Yukiko's but I think theirs is a slightly bigger portion and have more selection to choose from).
Food Presentation and Quality
The soup du jour was cream of chicken, which didn't sound too appealing so I chose the garden salad with the mandarin-kiwi vingarette dressing. The salad was a good size, but I was disappointed to find the red cabbage on it (I don't particularly like that purpley stuff that is on cheaper salad mixes) and the dressing was less fruity tasting than I expected.
The crepe tasted better than the place in uptown Waterloo but I think the one at the distillery still wins my tastebuds. Nevertheless, the cheese and the cream sauce made it quite filling. While the steak dish didn't look as fancy as steak places (nor do the prices reflect those places), it did come out rare as requested, and the meat was quite tasty (their marinade?), juicy and tender.
I finished the entire slice of chocolate cake possibly because the portion size was manageable and the cake itself was not too rich (though I found the white chocolate one much sweeter). But, I don't generally have a sweet tooth so I tend to choose the fruitier choices of desserts.
Service
Seeing that we were two of the three people at the place when we arrived, followed by two business parties, we had attentive service - taking away our plate pretty much as soon as we were done, explianing the selection of desserts. However, I was slightly disappointed that she did not offer to refill our waters or offered tea or coffee to go with our dessert.
Conclusion
I haven't decided whether I would come back for dinner nor is this a favourite on my list, but I would add this to my list of options for a bite of dessert.
Update: I removed the accent aigus and the circumflexes from the French names as it conflicted with the RSS
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11.27
2006
W, as in Wicked.
Wicked, the musical is now probably one of my favourite productions/performances(from the list of Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Lion King (great costumes), and Stomp (original), and smaller productions including Into the Woods (great plot and songs), Guys and Dolls, and Seussical). What I liked about Wicked? Mostly the humor and the acting/singing for the cast didn't seem bored at all (for what must be their X performance). Most of the house gave the performers a standing ovation - though my mother remarks that more and more people give standing ovations these days. I really liked how they played out the story, but it is based on a book. Parts of the show reminded me of Willy Wonka (and the Chocolate Factory) - the colors and the songs of Emerald City - which I didn't really find too original.
Four of us went downtown (Toronto) on Saturday to enter our names in the lottery to see Wicked for $25 each (retails for $99 for the matinee show, and $110 for the evening). Only one of our four ballots were chosen (among 40 available seats/20 pairs) and I was the date (thankfully, the show was sold out when Joseph wanted to go on his birthday) :). We had the first left upper box (Box D) at the Canon Theatre. The box seat allowed privacy (reminds me of movies where the rich go to view operas) and you could see the details of the costumes, their expressions, the microphones and even parts of the orchestra and the conductor, but one third of the stage was blocked by the speakers. I would recommend that if paying full price, Orchestra seats might have a fuller view (as it is the same price). Ladies, I would suggest you do not use the lavatories during intermission. The line ups were insane; it went around the entire upper floor (though the usher did remark that the Canon Theatre did have plans to build another one).
W, as in Wiimp...wait...Wii.
On Friday night, a few of us were playing Wii Sports (some tennis, and mostly boxing). Two days later, my right arm felt like it just suffered from a flu shot (localized soreness). I didn't think it was related to Wii playing until another girl came up to me and told me her right arm, shoulders, and upper back were too (like mine). Haha, we're wimps.
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11.21
2006
140 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON N2L 6J3
(519) 888-7982
Every so often, I think about starting a food review blog, because I enjoy trying new places around town. I usually argue my way out of it because:
- my blog does not currently support categories and tags
- others have quite some extensive experience already in this area
- i am too lazy to provide a review of every place i visit
- i don't carry a camera wherever I go (no cell phone camera either) so cannot illustrate my meal
Alas, I must ask you, is there a price you are willing pay to meet with a friend, or a few friends? Am I too cheap when I say no because I don't want to spend money eating out with them? Do I miss the opportunity to catch up with them if I don't go? Maybe it's a delicate balance.
Restaurant
Last Saturday, an out-of-town friend called me out to join them for dinner at Mel's Diner. I don't particularly like Mel's, but maybe it's because all I ever get there is their Mel's Favourite (Breakfast). I agreed because they came from out of town and I would miss the opportunity, but I can tell you that I had a really hard time giving up my $8.99 + tax + tip ($11+).
Meal Choice
To be fair to Mel's, I decided to try an item off their regular menu (and not eat their breakfast). I figured since it was highlighted in red (as opposed to most of their black ink), it must be a popular pick. I ordered the Original B.Bop [read: beef dip] - shaved roasted beef on a toasted garlic buttered bun with melted swiss cheese, served with au jus for dipping. Since I like beef dips, and other places generally serve them, I thought it would be a great choice to compare.
Food Presentation and Quality
I chose garden salad as the side. The salad came with a choice of dressing [raspberry vinagrette (tasted like cough medicine)] and consisted of pure romaine lettuce (browning on the edges), some tomatos and either cucumber or green peppers [I cannot recall]. Perhaps, I associate romaine lettuce with sandwiches and catering tray/plate lining and thus do not really expect it as a salad. The gravy was not very salty, which is actually quite good as some restaurants tend to overdo it on the sodium, but a layer of oil/fat topped the liquid (perhaps suggesting that it was true au jus). The beef sandwich itself came in a toasted hot dog bun, with garlic butter and some roast beef and the cheese on the bun was hardly melted.
Service
By the time we were all finished, half the table left because they paid cash, but the rest of us had to wait a very long time for the waitress to notice us [someone finally flagged her down]. Perhaps, I did not have a good impression to start seeing that they took a menu away [understandably I suppose if they were low on them] and everyone got a glass of water except for me [so I had to drank someone else's] and our pitcher of water never got a refill. I'm not sure what happened to our ketchup either as before one of the girls' homefries came, one of the servers took our ketchup away.
Conclusion
I can probably make something better at home for a lower cost. Often, that's the case, but usually the atmosphere or the service makes the cost more worthwhile. Sadly, I remember why I prefer Benny's or Duke of Wellington for breakfast now.
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01.09
2006
The Change-the-World Project: Grocery Gateway
Note: This critique is a part of a rhetorical theory assignment (April 2002).
Thus, some terms may be confusing or unfamilair to the reader. Feel free to
contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Introduction
The idea of changing the world through an individualistic effort
or action suggests a challenge. Thus, the idea of a 12-week project sounded
extremely intimidating. How would one insignificant individual, as I, affect
the world? Although the scope of this particular project is by far no means
of making any difference to the environment or people around me, my efforts
has changed my views of start-up online-based companies; thus, changing my
own little world.
Briefly, the problem only became slightly disproportioned because I refused
to allow a small mistake slip through the corporate system. The scenario occurred
as follows: I ordered some grocery items online. One of the items did not
arrive with the delivered goods. Upon questioning, the company neither promptly
nor effectively resolved the situation. Additionally, I ordered an item with
expectations falsely impressed upon me by the company's website, which thus,
increased my dissatisfaction with the company. What Grocery Gateway does not
know is that others have likely experienced minor grievances against the company,
but has not resolved the repeated mistakes. Although in one e-mail, the statement
says, "Many Customers do not let us know what we can do better, they
simply stop using our service," one must realise that some customers
are content with the company's mistakes. In fact, Grocery Gateway delivered
an extra jar of honey to my friend's place that they did not pay for, and
for our place, a package of pâté that neither my housemate nor
I purchased. The mishaps are likely due to the drivers of the trucks or the
shipping crew for being careless in packaging matching items with orders.
My cake may have ended up as a bonus for another, just like the honey or the
pâté had for us. Although the attempt to rectify an error ended
as a success, I am not entirely certain that my trust in online-based companies
has not mildly degenerated.
Method(s)
Dialogical conversation did not occur in-person. I primarily
used the telephone and resorted to e-mail as a secondary means of communication
to place complaints and resolve any misunderstandings on both sides. However,
much of the rhetorical techniques used will be discussed in the Analysis.
Analysis
Because this case deals with a company, much of the discussion
will be analysing the ethos of Gateway
Gateway. By applying Aristotle's theory on rhetoric, I will discuss how
it uses the appeal toward its customers. From the three appeals, logos,
ethos, and pathos, ethos seems to be the most applicable
in this exigency. Aristotle believes that the character of a speaker is almost
the controlling factor of effectiveness and is projected through the speaker's
speeches and through text (Aristotle 37). Unlike deliberative appeals, ethos
is similar to artistic appeals as the character of the person is evaluated.
Aristotle establishes that a good ethos is created through a good sense-practical
wisdom or phronesis, good character-virtue or arete, and good will-eunoia
(Aristotle 121). Book II expands further on topics of ethos in different
types of people. Kennedy defines the Greek word to predominantly mean, "'moral
character' as reflected in deliberate choice of actions [or words]" but
can also mean "qualities, such as the innate sense of justice or a quickness
of temper, with which individuals may be naturally endowed and which dispose
them to certain kinds of action" or the "trustworthy character of
a speaker as artistically created in a speech" (163). The following criticisms
against Grocery Gateway
highlight some aspects that contribute negatively to its ethos. The
discussion will also provide suggested ideas to improve its credibility and
trust by its customers.
In this scenario, the company, Grocery Gateway, represents the speaker. The text or the speeches brought forth
is represented through the e-mail response team, customer representatives,
and the company's website. Understandably, the ethos of the company
is truly tested when an unsatisfied customer questions the credibility of
its services and products. However, most people tend to remember more wrongs
than rights, and upon closer analysis, the standardization of the company's
professional demeanour is the flaw that negatively contributes to its ethos.
E-mails
I believe that Grocery Gateway tries to show good character (arete) by attempting to identify
with the audience , through their words in the automated e-mail response(s).
Firstly, the company admits their wrong by saying, "Please accept our
sincere apology for the inconvenience we have caused by failing to deliver
your order as requested." Furthermore, Grocery Gateway tries to use a pathetic appeal by writing, "We certainly
share in your frustration as a result of the experience with your last order.
You joined us to simplify your life, not complicate it." The automated
or pre-written e-mails are a solid idea in terms of efficiency and good sense
(phronesis). The automated response notifies the customer that his or her
e-mail has reached the company's office. These two formats of e-mail may have
worked effectively if the process were previously thought through and executed
well.
Yet, the e-mails create a false premise for promises. One automated
e-mail asserts, "We will provide you with a response within 24 hours."
A reply to my original e-mail of displeasure, however, did not arrive until
close to 48 hours after the automated response. Furthermore, a quick analysis
of the bodies of each e-mail indicates that Grocery Gateway's technique to save time and efforts on the probability of reiteration
of similar responses cost them in professionalism. The cut-and-paste method
is apparent as sentences in the company's e-mails contain incorrect capitalizations.
Additionally, one may also question the level of education the representatives
at Grocery Gateway
has received. Understandably, if the company is not Canadian-based, a fair-as
opposed to good or excellent-command of the English language may be forgivable.
However, spelling mistakes and other grammatical errors are littered throughout
the bodies of the different e-mails. Granted, my e-mail is not up-to-par grammatically
or in clarity, but quite frankly, I am not risking my reputation with the
company as I do not rely on Gateway
Gateway to meet my financial needs.
To be more effective and to build ethos, a quick proof-read
or an edit would improve communication, understanding, and degree of professionalism
upon both parties. If one is using a word-processing or e-mail application,
the company might invest in one that has the option to highlight minor grammatical
errors. For example, Microsoft Word underlines this sentence in one of Grocery
Gateway's e-mail to alert the writer of its error: "In order to try
to make up for the inconvenience,We will get a customer service representative
to contact you to get your credit card information."
Customer Representatives
Gateway
Gateway practices good sense (phronesis) by having its customer representatives
utilize standard verbal phrases, much like the following greeting: "'Gateway
Gateway, this is ______, how may I help you?" The brief introduction
allows the customer to identify that he or she has called the right place
as the personal "Hello" to answer the phone by a company may leave
one momentarily puzzled. On the other hand, a customer, like me, will most
likely ignore the representative's introduction or forget the person's name,
unless the customer representative uses the introduction in a sincere, unscripted
manner. One may only take the "how may I help you?" question as
a cue to explain the reasons for why she or he called to risk being placed
on hold or to deal with an incompetent customer representative, in hopes to
resolve an issue.
Once again, however, the good sense is counterbalanced by the
lack of knowledge on the behalf of the company through the customer representatives.
Like the e-mail, one should not verbally quote a response-time of "half
an hour" if the company cannot meet its approximations, which may sound
like an insincere promise. Furthermore, if Gateway
Gateway lacks technological resources, a customer representative as a
person, should explain the reasons in asking for credit card information instead
of sounding extremely surprised in at my inquiry, as if one expects everyone
to pay with a credit card: "But I didn't pay by credit card. How is that
going to work?" to which the representative asks, "Oh, you didn't?
If you didn't, then what did you pay by?" A customer does not generally
know what occurs behind the cubicles of the customer representatives, but
one will easily come to realise that each customer's account information is
stored in an electronic database file as keys echo the representative's typing
in bringing up corresponding data. With that in mind, Gateway
Gateway's employees should not sound incompetent. Having researched Gateway
Gateway's privacy policy for this case study, I now realise that the company
does not keep electronic copies of credit card information, which is the reason
why the company calls its customers for the necessary information. However,
with today's technology, I would expect that the choice in the form(s) of
payment should be recorded in the database of a customer. Perhaps, Gateway
Gateway also shows good will (eunoia) by not further inconveniencing the
customer in asking one to return a product. One could argue that by telling
customer to discard the product instead of returning it, there is an implication
that keeping, reselling, or giving away the product is a viable option. Furthermore,
the credit for my cake on my account is still active, even after my cheque
of refund has arrived. I am not too certain whether this is an act of goodwill
or merely yet another generous mistake on the company's part.
Website
Other factors that contribute to Grocery
Gateway's credibility may be the professional layout and design of the
company's website. Professionally, the structure and organisation for the
majority of the website contains a solid ethos. There is consistency
in layout and design, and navigation is user-friendly. One suggestion to improve
navigation may be the availability of direct hyperlinking. Currently, Gateway
Gateway uses URL framing to identify its site and maintains the same address
throughout its pages, which serves to be frustrating for advanced users of
the Internet, especially if one is interested in direct navigation. The major
areas of improvement could be resolving usability issues, especially in the
ability to support various web-browsers. Surfing through Gateway
Gateway is flawless with Internet Explorer, and almost error-free in Netscape.
In using Netscape, Gateway
Gateway returns one blank page, but with constant testing of its website
on this browser, once the error is found, it should be easily fixed. As the
error does not seem appear to be severe, I hypothesize that tests are not
often performed on a routine basis. Gateway
Gateway exemplifies good sense (phronesis) in wisely placing a disclaimer
if it detects the using of Opera, yet another web-browser . Although one can
continue to surf the company's website even after a notice of warning, the
disclaimer provides a caution and explanatory response for the customer's
frustrations in not being able to properly log-in with Opera.
Minor modifications to product descriptions may be expanded
upon, to avoid misleading a customer in purchasing the wrong item in the case
of similar products. Noxzema cream is one example : Gateway
Gateway adds a comment in the Plus model to separate the differences from
the regular product; however, one neglects to do the same for the Olay product.
With almost identical graphics in both cases, one would be easily misled into
thinking that one product is similar to the other. However, in comparison
to the e-mail response team and customer representatives, one would attribute
Grocery Gateway's
website as having the greatest ethos, which would most effectively
target its audience. Marketing techniques are successful using this medium,
as it is through the website that the company gains its customers .
Conclusion
From my experience with Gateway
Gateway through e-mail, telephone, or its website, the most effective
and successful means of presenting a case or complaint is through e-mail.
Although inefficient in receiving a timely response, e-mail appears to be
the most effective form of communication. E-mail allows the customer to state
everything in one breath, without interruptions, and gives time for the customer
to think through the ideas that he or she wants to communicate across. Regrettably,
I resorted to a secondary means of communication, e-mail, before successfully
arriving at a satisfactory resolution. If this experience accurately reflects
my rhetorical effectiveness as a rhetorician, I may need to improve my teché
as a rhetorical orator as my written communication proved to be more effective
than my verbal skills.
To avoid a negative customer review of the company's product and services,
Grocery Gateway
could apply the theories of Aristotle in its philosophy of thinking. Companies,
such as Grocery Gateway,
should apply the theories of pathos and Aristotles' analyses on how
minds work, to understand what causes one to be angry, indignant, etc. so
to understand and better serve its customers. A company may further support
its ethos through the use of contemporary techniques and pathos.
Because Grocery Gateway
is still a young company, there is time to improve and restore its ethos.
As a solution, Gateway
Gateway may invest in hiring someone who has experience and knowledge
in good marketing techniques with background in classical and/or contemporary
rhetoric.
Because my first experience with Gateway
Gateway impressed a poor ethos on the company, I certainly do not
recommend their services to others and will likely need evidence of good ethos
before reconsidering purchasing anything from this company. Although Gateway
Gateway employs good sense, character, and will, its weaknesses counteracts
against the company's ethos. Unless such a company continually takes
the effort to investigate and change what is needed in order to serve its
customers in a more professional manner, the company's ethos will continue
to suffer.
< Newer | Older >
01.09
2006
On
Gap Inc. Retail Stores
Websites on Clothing Retail:
http://www.oldnavy.com,
http://www.gap.com, http://www.bananarepublic.com
Note: These three websites are from the same company, http://www.gapinc.com.
Browser Compatibility
(this is an addition to the original
critique, which was written in December 2001)
Gap Inc.'s retail sites seem to render best in Internet Explorer.
From a quick usability test with Netscape, none of the three sites have any
problems with the particular browser. However, with Opera, an JavaScript error
alerts the user that JavaScript is only compatible with versions 4.0 or above.
Excuse me? As an tester, one might use Opera 6.1 to test Gap but true enough,
the same error appears at the Men's section. Furthermore, the JavaScript alert
is written in lowercase letters, without correct capitalisation, which negatively
affects the company's ethos. Old Navy does not do any better with Opera;
the rollover effects are ineffective with Opera as the mouse virtually "erases"
the navigation menu. If Gap Inc.'s sites are not compatible with less popular
browsers, such as Opera, one highly doubt that such sites are text-browser
friendly, such as with Lynx.
Audience
Gap Inc., an American-based company, is amongst the leaders of specialty
retailers around the world. Consumers contribute to the company's profits
by making purchases from one or more of these highly recognised stores: Banana
Republic, Gap (including GapKids, babyGap, etc.), and Old Navy. Although each
brand name, and thus, a distinctive store, belongs to the same company (Gap
Inc.), the three stores target different audiences. Although primarily retailing
in clothing, Gap Inc. also offer accessories and personal care products, with
every brand in its own style and quality. Most consumers would agree that
Banana Republic holds the highest quality, sophistication and class in fashion,
whereas the middle to lower end of the line is attributed to Gap and Old Navy
respectively. Product differentiation is reflected in various areas of store
and promotional design. Generally, designs for Old Navy are geared towards
the younger generation, and gradually progresses toward the career-oriented
consumers with Banana Republic products. Thereby, Gap Inc. is a product family,
as one can grow up with products from its company.
Product differentiation is not only reflected in Gap Inc.'s retail stores,
but is also seen across their online stores through design choices. As with
most websites, each has areas of weaknesses in design and usability. However,
to counterbalance minor drawbacks, attributes and strengths contribute to
the rhetorical effectiveness in communicating information of the sites. Design
choices will be analysed in separate sections to discuss the three sites in
greater detail.
Structural
Design
Navigational design is a substantial portion of structural design, as it
provides an interface for the backbone. Each site follows a similar structure
of a persistent (global) navigation (Krug 62) and if one draws a sitemap of
site hierarchy, one can classify the websites as being multi-levelled overt
taxonomy structures (Kress and van Leeuwen 88). In all cases, the superordinate
(Kress and van Leewuwen 83), or the homepage, is slightly different than the
rest of the navigational layout and structure (Krug 109).
Homepages serve a greater purpose in addition to aesthetics. The homepages
have a function to not only promote specific sections of the site through
graphical saliency (Kress and van Leeuwen), but also to allow a user's quick
navigation to various sections for a better browsing experience (Krug 98).
Although the homepage provides navigational choice for a user, if the menu
is not clearly defined, one may get lost at the first page. An example of
this is shown by Gap, as it does not readily differentiate the subsections
from the main sections: babyGap separates to Baby Boy and Baby Girl in the
same spot as the previous menu. However, Old Navy clearly distinguishes each
baby section by colour and typeface.
Perhaps these sites follow too closely to the design of a catalogue (see
Metaphoric Design), which would hence be the reason for failing to implement
a search feature to help visitors find specific items. Many retail stores
contain searchable databases of available inventory, yet these online stores
lack this function. However, much like Krug's example (an older version of
Gap's website), the sites contain distinctive identifiers including site IDs,
sections, subsections, utilities, and indicators to mark one's place (Krug
61), which serves as a map and a frame to allow one to browse the contents.
This technique, when implemented well, may be more effective in perspectives
of marketing strategies, as browsing often increases a visitor's chance of
purchasing another item prior to exiting the store. Additionally, designers
seem to keep users with 800x600 screen resolutions in mind as much of the
central pages are surrounded with negative "white" space, which
allows for an optimal experience as users browse throughout the online stores.
A frame at the bottom of the page leads a customer to gapinc.com and to other
related pages. However, without the proper guiding of hyperlinks and with
large graphic images, one might get lost in trying to figure out where the
"entrance" into the online store is located.
Page titles are apparent in Gap and Banana Republic, which are often defined
by large graphical banners that act like street signs for visitors (Krug 72).
In contrast, the clear identity of a page title is lacking in Old Navy, possibly
because it seems to be a part of the breadcrumb (Krug 78), instead of being
distinct enough to separate itself from the rest of the trail marker, which
may cause users a sense of displacement.
Banana Republic's vertical expandable menu conveys sophistication, which
adds ethos, through the use of JavaScript. Gap achieves the "classic"
look by its conventional use of tabs and Old Navy distinguishes its style
with underlined links (harder on the eyes (Krug 93)) under a vertical navigation
menu, contributing to its clashing and wild character. Although Gap follows
convention, it fails to make obvious the direct hyperlink to babyGap (babygap.com).
However, this might be an intentional design choice, as the company may want
users to browse through other sections during their visit, thereby increasing
the chance of more purchases. Often, like this case, hyperlink design closely
associates with structural design.
Hyperlink Design
For users of the worldwide web, these sites may seem relatively simple to
navigate through. However, more thinking accompanies each click, as the majority
of the hyperlinks do not follow conventional guides, such as underlines or
guiding words, to focus users in purchasing items. One would be able to tell
that a hyperlink is present through a change in the mouse pointer icon, but
that would only result in more searching, guessing, and/or assumptions (Krug
15). The primary means of conveying hyperlinks in these sites is through the
use of graphics (images and textual graphics). Sites that are catered to a
younger audience also incorporate pull-down (drop-down) menus. Additionally,
Banana Republic and Old Navy uses JavaScript rollovers to indicate a presence
of hyperlinks.
Pull-down menus are used in Gap and Old Navy (stores of "classics"
and "flair"), which are of much debate as it gives a sense of a
depth. On the other hand, one needs to scan, which requires time to mentally
shift through lists of one-lined descriptions and guess at the options.
Using JavaScript with hyperlinks becomes a disadvantage when users try to
open links in new windows to avoid exiting the site. Only certain users would
notice (in the status bar) that there already exists an open (new) window
command in the code (e.g. clicking on the Gap gift box graphic pops up a new
window). To perform the same action only brings up a "This page cannot
be displayed" error, which is a very frustrating task and as a result,
may mislead the user to think that the page does not exist.
In the more interactive sites such as Gap or Old Navy, the e-mail text field
operates similarly to Krug's examples of a search field (16). For a novice,
one may be unclear as to where to enter the e-mail address, but would know
to press the "Submit" or "Join" button.
Like street signs (or section IDs), breadcrumbs provide users with a sense
of direction (Krug 75). Each uniquely uses indicators (arrows) to "mark
the spot" (page) as well as to incorporate a colour change of the hyperlink
name. Subtly, these sites use conventional means to convey visited and unvisited
hyperlinks. Some links are set to be underlined in a cascading style sheet,
even if the user's browser settings has the underline preferences turned off.
If, for example, the hyperlink setting were set to hover instead of showing
as underlines in Internet Explorer, Gap would show the underline links as
the mouse hovered over the hyperlinks. Unvisited links (blue) in Gap and Old
Navy differs from visited links (grey), whereas for Banana Republic, it makes
no such distinction. In Banana Republic's thinking, it may imply that all
hyperlinks are going to be hyperlinks, no matter if one has visited them or
not, which gives credibility to its visitors. Because websites generally load
from the top to the bottom, with larger images last, the site ID and the location
of the navigational bar are strategically placed, not only so that loading
would be faster, but also because many hyperlinks would hypothetically load
first if they are text based instead of being graphical text.
Textual Design
San serif fonts are used across the online stores. For emphasis, large caps
and italics at the Gap distinguish certain text from the rest. Much of each
site's text is graphical (either as its own image or a part of a graphic),
and thus has a greater salience than non-graphic based text, which aids in
capturing a visitor's attention. In addition, designers opted to use American
spelling to accommodate the largest audience and because the company is based
the in United States.
Headers and titles generally are larger, bolder, and contrast with the background,
which catches the eye of the visitor and perhaps adds to the concept of street
signs and breadcrumbs (Krug 75). However, some textual descriptions assume
too much from the visitor. Intermediate users would understand to click on
the graphic to find out more about Gap's "Click for coupon" statement,
but a beginner might just click the mouse anywhere on the page expecting that
a coupon to appear.
Graphic Design
Because the focus of retail stores appeals to consumers visually, much of
their advertising is based on marketing concepts. Online stores are often
a means of promotion and self-advertising, which is effective by not having
to distinguish itself from other ad banners (Krug 94). Graphics, along with
text, are merely signifiers of the signified (reality) (Chandler Ch 2). Many
graphics are designed to have users want what is shown on the images, and
consequently, to make a purchase online or at a local store. Colour schemes
and the choice of subjects are different aspects that contribute to this design.
Old Navy uses solely clothing to sell their items with the exception of the
baby section, which purposely perhaps stands out the most, as there is a greater
modality for photographs as type of media (Kress and van Leeuwen 170). Photographs
portray reality and real-life situations, whereas items of clothing are merely
inanimate objects. The photograph of a baby's eye gazing out at eye-level
with the camera lenses establishes a connecting relationship with the viewer,
a gaze of demand, which establishes equality through the angle of the camera
lens (Kress and van Leeuwen 154).
Perhaps Gap and Banana Republic do not have a strict economical budget in
comparison to Old Navy, as a variety of people in different poses, sporting
goods from the store, are readily seen across the sites with the participants'
gazes in a demand or an offer (Kress and van Leeuwen 154). Although Banana
Republic does not sell products that are targeted toward the younger generation
(i.e. children and youth), the photograph on the homepage has a resemblance
of a young family unit, which creates a sense of unity and harmony, establishing
a sense of welcome to all consumers.
A multitude of people from various ethnic backgrounds and the colours of
the site create a sensory and naturalistic coding orientation (Kress and van
Leeuwen 171), which visually appeals to the general public. Many of the medium
and close shots of people are taken at a frontal angle, involving and intimacy
of the viewer and the participant (Kress and van Leeuwen 155). There is no
sense of power, authority, or an impersonal relationship to detract the visitor
from the site as participants in the photographs generally involve the viewer;
most of the poses are not (non) transactional actions (Kress and van Leeuwen
74). Gap's front page, however, is quite interesting in that participants'
gazes are not directed at the lens, but instead, are somehow involved in a
non-transactional reaction (Kress and Van Leeuwen 74).
Many graphics reflect the fast approaching season and the festive holidays
of Christmas, including Old Navy's images of Christmas tree ornaments. Additionally,
models are geared with snowboards (Gap) and sport warm clothing, which suggest
the approaching winter. Such gear provides atmosphere and background setting
for winter clothing (Kress and van Leeuwen 75). One can assume that much of
Banana Republic and Gap also deviate from standard colours (e.g. blue and
white for Gap) and instead, uses a strong, persistent red colour scheme that
matches the season. However, Gap and Old Navy maintains its original colours
to a degree. Gap's blue and white is present in its site ID and Old Navy's
colours seem to clash throughout, fitting to what consumers may be familiar
with at the stores. Even though red is the season's colours, Banana Republic
uses red earth tones, possibly to relay the "safari" feel of the
company's original themes. Furthermore, younger audiences are often attracted
to a higher saturation of colours and colour diversification, which then becomes
a greater means of modality for them. The more mature audiences, on the other
hand, tend to identify with the colour modulation of dichromatic colours and
a lower level of colour saturation as the homepage of Banana Republic or the
GapBody section of the Gap site seem to emphasize (Kress and van Leeuwen 165).
The alt text that shows up when a mouse hovers over an image is generally
useful in providing a functional description of what the graphic says, especially
for those who use text-based browsers (e.g. Lynx on UNIX). Banana Republic
seems to intentionally leave out alt text for graphics that serve no function,
such as the one of the family at the front page. Other navigational graphics
include the use of arrows, icons, buttons and tabs, and are discussed in the
sections of structural and semiotic design.
Multimedia
Design
Perhaps the designers omitted multimedia effect such as sound, video or animation
due to the fact that each site is graphics-heavy, which would mean that loading
a page would take more time, especially for users who have a slow connection.
The closest medium to animation would be JavaScript rollovers. Rollovers are
often used in Macromedia Flash animations, yet can also stand alone. Even
though Krug mentions that rollovers are often twitchy because of pop-up text
(113), Banana Republic and Old Navy avoid using pop-ups or uses it minimally
in navigational design to make its sites are more attractive. In the case
of pop-ups, the technique is used effectively as the textual description of
Banana Republic's letter logos (e.g. W for Woman) are short and that they
are located near the pointed graphic (Krug 113).
Metaphoric Design
There is a common controlling metaphor present across the sites. One cannot
help but notice that the website designs resemble store catalogues, which
in turn is modelled after a department store. Much like a catalogue, each
online store contains various sections and many graphics that model what is
trying to be sold.
Icons are visual metaphors of real items. The shopping bag is a highly effective
and recognisable icon. Many retail sites (e.g. Chapters) utilise the shopping
cart concept, and yet if one shops for clothing, one would rarely wheel around
a shopping cart, but rather would have hands full of department store bags.
Although Banana Republic uses the bag concept, Gap and Old Navy's implementation
of this metaphor is more familiar, especially since Gap uses its own "bag".
Each site also has a sample of the items colours by reproducing a colour palette
or a swatch. Banana Republic tries to reproduce the texture and the colours
as closely as possible like an "art watercolour palette", allowing
one to view the colour samples (as available in the store) in a separate window.
Semiotic Design
Navigational icons are more semiotic representations as compared to being
metaphorical. Such include buttons and arrows, indicating that certain areas
are clickable, which directs a user to more information. However, semiotic
design may overlap with metaphoric design, such as the idea of the "shopping
bag". With the "shopping cart" concept, users readily look
out for, transfer and apply the "proceed to checkout" purchasing
technique to similar ideas like a shopping bag.
Attributes such as the types and styles of clothing classify the distinct
brands, setting each of them apart from the other, which contributes to the
product family of Gap Inc. Such possessive attributes are a part of exhaustive
analytical processes where store models are the carriers that sport the brands
wear, or the possessive attributes that identify them as being as fashionable
(Kress and van Leeuwen 107). One would classify these images as analytical
processes as they are neither narrative processes nor are they classification
processes as an independent site (Kress and van Leeuwen 93).
Rhetorical Design
Like most companies, Gap Inc.'s primary goal is to be financially stable:
to do well and to make a profit. A strive to excel is reflected on each website
by attempting to get users to make purchases. A secondary goal may be for
the company to collect as many e-mail addresses as possible for future marketing
and promotional means. One way would be to promote a sense of belonging by
allowing one to freely choose whether they want to "join" the hype
or not.
Rhetorical design reflects every aspect of design, which may mean that Old
Navy might not get as many purchases as Banana Republic, or the Gap, because
much of its site content is scattered, whereby in the process, scatters the
communicative effectiveness. Old Navy's navigation is even under a different
system: clothing goods are categorised by occasion, not by type, and there
are many different hyperlink systems present in every page. On the front page
alone, Old Navy implements rollovers, graphics, pull-down menus, buttons,
and customized (through cascading style sheets) and standard hyperlinks (underlined
text). Moreover, Old Navy changes its promotional feature every week, extending
a new appeal to the audience. However, the temptation to buy might be dependent
on the age of the visitor. Perhaps, Old Navy appeals to the younger generation,
as there are more options for interactivity.
As a recommendation, since online stores are popular not only in America,
perhaps Gap Inc. should consider extending their service to other countries
(like Chapters does), to generate even more revenue. Through a detailed analysis
of Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic's websites, benefits seemingly outweigh
or, in the least, balance minor design flaws. Thus, one may assume that the
websites of Gap Inc. are rhetorically effective and contain successful choices
and decisions of design.
Works
Cited
Chandler, Daniel. (1994). Semiotics for Beginners. [WWW Document]. URL http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html.
Kress, Gunther and van Leeuwen, Theo. (1996). Reading Images: The Grammar
of Visual Design. New York: Routledge.
Krug, Steve. (2000). Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability.
Indianapolis: New Riders.
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06.30
2005
36 Northfield Drive East, Unit 1
Waterloo, Ontario
N2L 6A1
Tel : 519 880 9788
Ben Thanh is one of the better (Thai-)Vietnamese restaurants in the KWC area, maybe even better than anything I have anywhere else. Recently, they opened up a new branch in Waterloo. While I would not hesitate to go to the other BTs, this one serves food that is only mediocre (not bad, but not exceptionally good either and the prices are comparable to the Cambridge BT as the prices there - minus drinks - have gone up in price as well) and offers poor quality of service. If this is what I experienced the first time I have ventured a visit to a BT, I would have written them off long, long ago.
A group of 9 arrived at BT for a "quick" lunch at noon. The restaurant was undoubtedly full, but we were willing to wait the estimated 15-20 minutes. Time ticked, and soon enough, it came to 45 minutes before I piped up and asked if we would mind requesting to sit at separate tables, not that no big tables were available; those tables were reserved for a 1 pm seating for 16.
To pass the time while we were waiting, we decided to write down our orders first. Usually, what happens is one can write down all orders onto one bill and pay separately at the front. When they found out that we wanted to split up, they gave us a separate order sheet each person. So, we scrapped our original order sheet, and marked off our choices on the form and gave it to the server when we sat down.
I figured ordering noodle in soup was the best bet since those tend to come out the quickest (a pot of soup is ready at hand in the kitchen, just like Hon's). As the curry bowls and stir-fry and drinks came, I was stuck waiting...and waiting. The knowing pressure that I had a meeting to lead at 14:00 didn't quite help. I finally asked one of the server if mine was still coming, and she said, yes, yours should come in a few minutes. More than a few minutes passed before she returned and told me that she didn't have my order, even though I, and others, knew very well I put it in her hand when we sat down.
I likely would have been less outraged if they said they would check, instead of saying, "yes, your order is coming" as a immediate, scripted response as if they knew it was coming. So, I told her I didn't want it anymore as I was in a hurry. She asked if I would like any appetizers instead. At first, I said no, but then seeing that people at my table were still eating (and not to mention, by then, I was quite hungry), I asked her how long would it take. She confidently said, "Oh, not long. About 5 minutes." OK, fine. 15 minutes passes before she returns with my rolls. Everyone is done eating by then. I paid for my takeout (as I had to rush to my now postponed meeting), and left them without a tip.
I plan to avoid that BT for a very long time.
< Newer | Older >
06.27
2005
So, I have been car shopping lately, and frankly, I am amazed at the stark opposites in level of service some dealerships offer:
The first dealership we visited was Waterloo Mazda. Aside from having a very poorly designed website, where they mislead you to believe that you must fill out contact information to book a test drive so that they can confirm the appointment. Why book with the form if they don't even contact you? Thus, my friend resorted to calling them to book an appointment. Upon arrival, we had to wait a good 15 minutes before someone looked at us and asked if we could be helped and still another 5-10 minutes before the sales lady came over to sort out the logistics before letting us sit behind the coveted Mazda3. When returning, the sales lady informed me that they were closed/closing, and if I wanted to discuss prices, I would need to speak with the person whom I booked the appointment with (yes, the sales guy wasn't even working during our appointment). While vehicle is a great value for price for the power and features you get, I have concluded that I am writing off Mazda (oddly enough, the poor quality of service seems to reach even to Vancouver, where my parents test drove a Mazda as well). If I cannot get good service with them, how will I trust them to maintain my car?
The Heffner Toyota offered fantastic service. Once you walked in the door, the guy I wanted to see came to help us immediately. Without having to see our drivers licenses, we walked away with a Corolla in our hands. He offered to calculate the prices for us so that when we get back, we can see our options right away. I can't seem to get past the "family" feeling of this car, so I think I will pass on it based on its looks (and lack of power to price ratio).
Mitsubishi Motors managed to sit us down after the initial two test drives. The sales guy is quite successful in convincing me that I want that car, albeit slower in acceleration/less HP than the Mazda3 (it's not the 2006 Eclipse - that vehicle is sure hot). At least, it does feel like there's more leg room even in the backseat and that there is more of a view from the inside out. Without getting any sort of committal answer from me, they took the extra mile to even check whether the colour(s) I desired in the car I was test driving were still available in that model/year. One irk: is it because of stereotype for the basis of why a sales person would shake the male's hand first during introductions? Hello - I'm the buyer, not the guy. Wow, he called me to follow up on the sale! No wonder he received the Employee of the Month award in May.
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