Extending Beyond My Comfort Zone

From what I can remember, my dad has always roasted prime rib the same way; salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder. He has (many times) recommended my brother and I several recipes that he’s come across and asked us to use them next time.  Sadly next time never came, but I did go beyond the usual salt, pepper and garlic powder to set new boundaries in the kitchen.

This might not be new, but it was the first time I used mustard to marinate a piece of beef. I had a 2 rib prime roast. I followed the basic ingredients and cooking method in this chowhound  recipe; garlic, mustard and pepper.  It turned out perfectly and I made Michael Smith‘s chipotle chimichurri  sauce (similar). The sauce complements the beef really well. I was really impressed!

Photo 2016-04-30, 9 52 27 PM

 

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Wish (it’s a restaurant)

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Come faster Summer! Summer has officially arrived when this blog post goes live (phew). And I had never appreciated sitting on a patio as much as when I had dinner with a long time friend. Just looking at the photo above makes me reminisce about that Thursday night (it was a week ago).  My friend, J, and I haven’t seen each other after the end of first year university..that makes four years. We bumped into each other two weeks ago and quickly arranged dinner plans (I was so excited when he contacted me to make dinner plans..we’re both foodies. And when we settled to try Wish out).

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Can we all take a second to admire the table? I’m not talking about the plate or cutlery setting, but the actual wood itself…my dad and brother claim that it’s been painted over (inset heart eye emoji here). The style is just so warm and comforting. I need this for my future photography with food!

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Before we had decided on eating at Wish (we had other restaurant options to choose from), I was already looking at the drinks menu (everyday)! I don’t go out to eat at fancy restaurants often and when I do, I treat myself to a lavish drink. I seriously wanted to try all the cocktails.

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We were taking a long time with the menu (the waitress had to come back three times before we decided on drinks). I settled with the Breakfast Martini ($14; sounds so grownup!). J had a classic white wine ($11), he played it safe.

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After talking for minutes, we were served some bread and hummus. And can I just state that after eating Wish’s hummus, I change my mind completely. I never liked hummus, and wasn’t a big fan (I don’t like tahini). I don’t think this particular hummus had tahini, but it sure tasted good (now I need to know how to make this!).  The bread was also yummy!

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J had lam rack (4 ribs) that came with peas and potatoes ($29). I had a bit of the lamb (I decided that since I’m on a meatless diet, I would only eat meat on special occasions; click here to get caught up with my current diet).

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I wanted one of everything on the menu but I had to make a choice. Instead of ordering a main, I went with an appetizer and a side; panko onion rings ($8) and sauteed shrimp ($14). I already know what most people are thinking…five shrimp for $14. Had I known, I would have gone with something else. The onion rings were delicious, I love panko! As for the shrimp, besides the (over)price, it was salty (just the shrimp alone). Both came with their own dipping sauce, which I didn’t particularly love or hate.

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Woohoo! We got our dinner a bit before 9pm, I was running late that day and had to meet J half an hour later. But the sun was still up and we enjoyed every second of sitting on the lovely patio.

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The patio benches are all cushioned with square and cylinder pillows. I think this aspect is one of the reasons why Wish attracts so many people. When you enter the patio, there is a square shaped mini water fountain. The bar and alcohol is neatly presented once you enter the restaurant’s inside. The tables and plastic chairs are the same inside (as I recall) but with less lighting. There are actually two patios (side by side). Wish has a warm vibrant vintage but cozy vibe all around. Even the washroom’s decor is classic but not overly in your face.

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The restaurant is somewhat hard to spot…as there isn’t a big Wish sign. Many people who passed by glanced at the restaurant and I could tell that they were trying to figure out the name of this place. On the sides of the patio’s roof (I hope that makes sense).

I would for sure bring friends and family who like this style of dining. I already made a short list of people I know who would enjoy this place. I would love to try the brunch that they serve, I read that it’s packed on weekends. Let me know if you have been here and what you thought of it.

Click here to visit the restaurants website.

*All photos are taken with an iPhone 6.