3.5 Star Marjane…read moreCafe is more than a Moroccan cafe. Aside from food and drinks, it also a Moroccan home deco and furniture store. There is no official opening hours for Marjane Cafe... no where in the front of the stores or online. The sole owner, cashier, food server just opens whenever there are customers?! But on weekend he keeps the cafe opens till past midnight. Moroccan Mint Tea ($5) served in a large tea pot with just a taste of honey was quite good, wish there are more minty though! The little puppet like tea pot handle cover was just so too cute!! I couldn't stop playing with it! For food.. we just asked the owner to serve us whatever he recommended...so we ended up having: Chicken Lemon Tajine with Frittata ($12.95) My Yelp friend was served this chicken thigh..maybe he knows that he is a leg person and he was looking for belly dancer?? The potato frittata was a little too heavy for me... but he finished everything... I guess it was not Ok? But he finishes everything usually... Chicken Pastilla with Couscous Salad ($8.99) I love my Chicken Pastilla which is really savoury with taste of both sweetness and saltiness. I love the mixture of almond, pistachio and powder sugar! Couscous Salad with a nice cumin dressing was refreshing for a hot summer day! Marjane Cafe is also a Hookah Bar if you are into Shisha... I wish they have some day beds so I can enjoy a shisha/sipping mint tea while lounging around!

Now I know where to get inspiration if I ever needed Moroccan theme Decor. The Furniture, Tea Pots…read moreand Tagines are part of the environment(for sale too). It's a good thing there's no Moroccan Dessert Heat for sale here as we were already overcooked from the Toronto weather. It's almost like a Turnkey operation as the semi-Kitchen is pretty much right behind the counter similar in scale and equipment as a Starbucks. The Gentleman(+0.5 *star*) working there was absolutely great with HOSPITALITY as if you're a guest at his home rather than a customer. Chicken Lemon Tajine with Frittata ($12.95) Now understand, I don't have too much Tagine experience under my belt however I have had one that exceeded my imagination of the cuisine. That's probably why I felt underwhelmed by the non-Tagine'd Chicken Lemon Tajine. I was expecting sauciness and bread to soak. I believe the price is slightly high for what this dish offers. Chicken Pastilla with Couscous Salad ($8.99) Pastilla, Bastilla. Toemato, Tomaato. It's another one of those dishes I fell was unique and happy to discover somewhere else. This version was slightly smaller and would be nice if it was warmed slightly more. The Coucous Salad seemed overly sour from vinegar which depends on individual taste I guess, since Amy Pataki found it stand-out worthy.

Some destinations earn their reputation through novelty; Lake House Restaurant earns its through…read moreconstancy -- a rare and more demanding virtue. Nestled along the shores of Lake Ontario in Vineland, this storied establishment, housed in a structure dating to 1867, has become one of those places that quietly lodges itself in the memory and refuses to leave. We made the drive -- well over an hour -- for a Sunday brunch, and not for the first time. It is the kind of restaurant one finds oneself recommending without hesitation, not as a curiosity or a seasonal indulgence, but as a benchmark. The setting alone would justify the journey: a sweeping, unobstructed view of the lake from the sunroom and patio that shifts in character with the light, the season, and the mood of the sky above. On a clear day, the Toronto skyline is visible on the horizon -- an almost implausible grace note. But Lake House does not rest on its scenery. The kitchen demonstrates genuine culinary ambition with a menu that draws from Mediterranean traditions while remaining grounded in local and seasonal sensibility. The salmon crab cakes -- a pairing that sounds indulgent and delivers accordingly -- arrive with a pineapple and mango chutney and sriracha aioli that balance richness with levity. The Great Canadian Burger is a study in considered indulgence: brioche, peameal bacon, sweet bacon jam, and spiced maple aioli achieving a harmony of sweetness, heat, and savoriness that lingers well past the last bite. The service matched the occasion throughout. From the welcome at the door to our server Rhonda -- attentive, warm, and precisely calibrated in her pacing -- to the supervisor who moved quietly through the room ensuring that every table was well attended, the floor operates with the kind of seamless, unhurried care that is too often mistaken for effortlessness. It is not effortless. It is practiced and deliberate, and all the more impressive for it. Lake House Restaurant is a destination that justifies the drive, rewards the return, and -- in a dining landscape where so few establishments manage all three -- that is no small thing.

If you enjoy condiments the semolina crusted calamari ($26) comes with four dipping sauces:…read moresweet-curried aioli, sweet chili, basil pesto aioli, and sriracha aioli. It would've been nice if at least one packed a bit of heat, but they're all tame, adding flavour without overpowering the squid. Thankfully, the semolina crust was excellent - crunchy, light, and not oily at all. The portion is generous and easily shareable between two or three people. A newer addition to the menu is the short rib sandwich ($34), and it's a good one. Large chunks of tender, flavourful beef are topped with sautéed mushrooms, crispy onions, arugula, and brie. The cheese adds a creamy richness that makes the sandwich stand out. The menu notes a horseradish aioli, but any zing from it gets buried under the slightly sweet braising sauce, which was too sugary for my taste. I would've preferred it kept more savoury. The sandwich is already quite saucy, and yet more sauce arrives on the side. Good for fries if you choose to switch the salad to spuds. After hearing plenty about the Great Canadian Burger ($29), I couldn't resist splitting one, though I ultimately wish I hadn't. The short rib sandwich is better. The burger is hefty, with a thick beef patty that's overly dense and heavily mixed, giving it more of a frozen-patty texture than the crumbly tenderness of a good homemade one. The potato bun also struggled to hold up against the avalanche of toppings: grilled peameal bacon, cheddar, onion, tomato, arugula, pickle, and two sauces. I'm not sure why the kitchen insists on sweetening everything - the burger comes with caramelized onion bacon jam and a maple chipotle aioli, both quite sugary. If you enjoy sweeter savoury dishes, you'll probably like it. Otherwise, I'd skip the handhelds. On our weekday lunch visit, the restaurant was well staffed and attentive. Even though we never felt rushed, we were in and out within about an hour. If anything, the service bordered on overly attentive... during that hour we were interrupted six times by four different people checking if everything was okay. My suggestion: let the primary server handle most of the check-ins, and only have others step in if things get busy.

We went to The Gypsy Parlor for the first time for open mic night. I love the decor that's like…read morejunk Gypsy, very eclectic, kind of Victorian with cowboy jibes. We sat in the back, not at the bar, and the waitress was still attentive. Usual pub fare on the menu with some twists, bahn mi poutine being one of those. We got fries and chicken wing egg rolls. I will say that the hand cut fries were probably the crispest I've ever had. I usually find hand cut fries soggy, but these were amazing. The drink menu was also eclectic, and they'll make any drink a mocktail, which is good for the DD. Open mic was full of talented weirdos and one excellent duo, so if you're into that scene, check them out!

Gypsy Parlor for brunch on Sunday. I really like it there. I've never had a bad meal and it has…read moresuch a cool vibe. First time for brunch, the staff is always attentive. My Bloody Caesar was perfect with Clamato, a couple of stuffed olives and a large shrimp hanging off the rim. Good menu and I had the pulled pork and sweet potato hash. Nicely seasoned with a fried egg on top. K had the giambotta vegetarian version. We both enjoyed it very much. They had a number of tables going and there is always a few at the bar. The place is a bit eclectic and whoever is doing the kitchen is thoughtful in the preparation and the presentation. This is also a great place to just stop for a drink or two and unwind.

We were just in Niagara Falls for first time and traveling with kids and a dog, all the spots that…read morewere dog friendly didn't have outdoor seating set up yet.. end of March, not in season I suspect. We asked if we could order and sit outside to save our littles legs (lots of walking). Frustration was in the air, I promised them pizza and a break, so I was desperate. Not only did they allow this but they provided outdoor heater to us and we had the most amazing meal. The girls split a cheese pizza and there was not a slice left. They both got some special frozen mango juice drinks that were heaven. I split a shawarma meal with my husband and it was fantastic. I had Arabic hot tea with dinner, perfection. The service was attentive and pleasant. We were taken care of and it ended up being one of our favorite meals of the trip!! Thank you so much for the kindness. Highly recommend.

Service is good but they don't know how to make rice. The beef kabobs were raw inside. The beef…read moreshawarma meat was stinky.

Fantastic Lebanese fusion style food…read more Every dish was fantastic with many mixes of items. Even the vegetarian items were extremely flavorful. Loved the chicken and the beef kabobs Nice weather? Sit outside Extremely nice staff..... owner let me swear in Lebanese and the staff lost it Would definitely come back Highly recommended

I had business Partner lunch on Friday on their patio with the great weather. This was my first…read moretime at the restaurant and have to say amazing experience the service, the food & just overall ownership of the restaurant is amazing very great experience a go to for my next meeting in the area & will highly recommend to my clients & business partners. The best Lebanese food I have had in the GTA ever and I have been to a lot over the years.

Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 Food: We had our office holiday dinner here and 15 people attended. We did a set menu which had 3 courses. The first course was Labneh with bread, hummus, & beef tartare. Second course was Lamb pide & pear salad. Third course was grilled branzino, middle eastern fried chicken, black truffle rice, and thrice cooked fries. Then there was dessert which was chocolate mousse cake & baklava. Because of my many food allergies the main server for our table was very attentive & specific in asking me what I wanted as modifications. For example I got a wagyu beef pide instead of the lamb. Every dish was really delicious, presented well & quite filling. I couldn't eat all of the food. Though I tried almost everything. Service: The pacing of the dishes was quite masterful. They really paid attention to when the food was going to come out. As I mentioned above the main server was very attentive to my food allergies. I really appreciated that as some restaurants aren't as attentive. The food was served family style so everyone could take what they wanted from the serving dishes. The dishes were served in little bowls along the tables with each bowl serving about 4 people. We had asked for one long table so it was a little snug. But we made it work. Ambiance: For dinner the lighting of the space is really dim. LOL. I would have appreciated just a little bit more light. The restaurant is in an old building so to use the washroom you had to go down two flights of stairs. The dining area is small also. But it's a pretty space. As mentioned above we asked for one long table to seat 15 people. I was expecting square tables but it was a bunch of small round tables pushed together. So the tables were really crowded with food from all the dishes. But the servers made sure to take empty serving dishes away as soon as possible. The music was a little loud for me so I had to yell to be heard. The place was packed though. Everyone at our table enjoyed the food, the service & atmosphere. The restaurant is close to Roy Thompson Hall & the other theatres nearby so it's a convenient location as well. It's too bad this place is only open for dinner. I would have loved to see how they would operate a lunch time service. In any case, Byblos was amazing. I would come back here again to try other dishes! Note: Some of my pics of the main dishes didn't turn out so it's mostly desserts that are pictures

Really enjoyed my night at Byblos. The vibe is super chic but not too formal. I love that the menu…read moreis designed for sharing, so you get to try a little bit of everything. Everything we ordered was flavorful and well-balanced. Also loved the cocktails. Great spot if you're looking for something a bit different from the usual dinner places.