August 23, 2011

Albatros pub

It's no secret I heart food, but I would say by far, some of my favourite foods are ones made to comfort.

When I first started working, I remember going across the street to a small Polish cafe where a teeny, tiny Polish grandma would prepare the most amazing culinary delights. This was when, as a 23 year old girl, I discovered pierogies and schnitzel. It was here that I learned to take breaks from work and take some time for myself - even if it was only for a few minutes.

It's been nearly a decade, I'm no longer 23 (actually, I can reverse the digits), at a different company and well, the Polish cafe is now a Chinese sandwich place. The only thing that remains? My love for pierogies and schnitzel.

This past weekend, I got to relive some of my culinary memories at Albatros Pub on 3057 Lakeshore Blvd West, in Etobicoke. My good friend brought me here for a couple of beers (Czechvar) and a LOT of delicious, delicious food. We had a platter for 2, and on it were 3 different types of boiled pierogies (though my friend insists pan-fried would be MUCH better), filled with cheese/potatoes, meat and mushrooms. Sour cream is a must (go big or go home, right?)

We also had schnitzel (drool) which wasn't oily at all, potato pancakes (mmm...), coleslaw, beet + horseradish slaw and boiled potatoes (which were okay). The platter was sprinkled with dill throughout, and rather than being over-powering, actually pulled the different elements of the platter together. 

Warning: I loved the decor because it's very eclectic. My friend thought it was cheesy. Apparently it looks like Santa exploded around the holidays. Mental note: must go back around the holidays.

Restaurant rating: Definitely worth an extra hour or two at the gym.

(Apologies for the lack of pictures, but it was too dark.)

Freshii Frozen Yogurt

I've been gorging myself on frozen yogurt from Freshii since May. Every week, at least twice (okay, fine...3 times), I, along with some of my colleagues have faithfully made the trek to Freshii at 35 Bloor Street East (trek might be an exaggeration of distance, since it's literally downstairs in my work building).

I have to say, this is THE best frozen yogurt I've ever had in my life. It's creamy and sweet, with a texture that's similar to soft ice cream. The best part of it all? It's literally only 100 calories or so for the small yogurt. My favourite toppings are double strawberry. If you haven't tried this, I strongly recommend you do so.

Restaurant rating: Definitely worth an extra hour or two at the gym. (But it's TOTALLY not necessary).