Melissa F.'s Profile

Pretty much like any other sushi place in the annex.  the interior is nicer than sushi on bloor, but same level as big sushi.
What I dislike to the nth degree is the tempura flakes they put on EVERYTHING..but i've come to know that as a general quality of sushi in toronto that is a really distasteful practise.  

Helll, if I could find a cheap sushi place that didnt' use tempura flakes as filller all the time, that itself would deserve an extra star.

I totalyl thought this place would be gross but everything about it is pretty awesome.  Its got a nice clean interior- comfy restaurant.  And the lunch specials are cheap.  and it IS BIG sushi.
I'd give it 4/5 if I didn't come from Vancouver (where we're almost snobbish about the availability of raw fish)
= )

*this review isn't based on the pho.
i, infact hate pho.

But everything about this place was about right in terms of the dishes they do offer.  I got the vermicelli with bbq beef and spring roll.  about 7$.
The place is clean, but sterile.  but you don't come to viet places for the decor

It is a great place for the neighbourhood, but for my viet fix i would rather go to ginger in the village any day.

I feel bad only giving it 3/5, because in terms of the neighbourhood, qualiyu and price it really should be at least 4.

but given that i don't live in a viet food desert, i'm judging it based on viet restaurants in general.

I hate thin crust but this place does it quite well.
Libretto really does deserve better, but my personal taste buds can't give it anything above an "a-ok"

I had the sausage pizza- it was very well prepared, simple- not too much- just delicate.  
my dining partner got the sandwhich combo for his lunch - his description made it seem pedestrian.

Got the budino desert.  Gotta be on the top 10 list of all deserts of all time for me.  That being said, I would not come back for JUSt the dessert.

Had a double long espresso that was good but not an amazing espresso.

bill came up to 50ish for a filling lunch for 2 people.

I'm not likely to come back- the food was good but nothing I'll ever crave-
I would, however, introduce friends to this place if they had never tried it before.

The room is VERY nice. the restaurant itself is cozy, and extremely well decorated to give the type of ambience i WANT to be in.  but again, the food isn't somehting I will ever, personally crave.

definitlely come to try but indifferent in coming back.

oh, and in terms of comparing it to Terroni.  I would say the food is slihgtly better at Terroni's but the service is 100% better at Libretto.

I am sitting here RIGHT NOW
why do I love reviewing placewhile i'm still in them?  

ok, super cozy place.  long room full of a 30s/30s crowd studying.  music is good without being distractingly good.
nice selelection of loose leaf teas.  dessert case a.ok.

and, of course, free wifi.
there are only plugs on the front and end of the room, but plenty to keep a combination of laptop zombies and people actually socializing.

Interesting concept but the room is stale and the lights much too flourescent to have ANY type of good ambience.
The burritos are LARGE but it is mostly filler- with LOADS of rice or noodles.
I have to say that the rice is fairly bland, but the noodles are quity tasty.
All meat options taste pretty much the same- but the FISH is pretty darn good.
I say two stars just cuz.. I really have experienced a better burrito.

SUCH a great cafe- the type of indie coffee shop you love to spend time in.
cozy, small, options of communial tables and your own.
I approve.

kind of THE most lacklustre cafe you will ever find.  Th eplace looks like a barbar shop turned coffee stand.  very little space with 3 bar stools at the front and a bench on the side.
funny enough, it's quaint to love.

The drink menu is small and direct (which i love)
and the coffee is soooooo good.
had an americano black, so i could really taste the quality of the espresso.
it was soooooo good.  the crema had a chocolatey quality to it that would even fulfil a chocolate craving for me.

the barista is charming and the clientelle is a bit hipster-douche but kinda lovely because it's an "everybody knows your name" type of cheers-feel.

highly reccommended.

had the pala paneer and chicken..something.
really very good.
the palak dish was on the milder side of spices, but they made it at a good level spice- they let you choose.  i chose hot, as opposed to the hottest choice, "very hot"
it was spicy enough to be tasty but not too spicy to overpower the flavour.
the chicken was VERY good.
I suggest you eat the meat dishes here..the spices seem to pack more punch.

just shy of a five star place, for me.

fact: i love free stuff.
pumpkin ale, fish and chips, mini pulled pork, goat cheese salad rolls and yummy smoked salmon appies. and lets not forget that delish sticky toffee pudding.

yes,..i heard many saying they would come back to harbourd house and I'm glad everyone adores this place as much as i do.  I just hope they don't crowd me out!  I wanted to keep it my little secret.

Thank you so much to kat for the organizing and swag and I'm a huge fan of the new peeps i had the privilege of hassleing tonight (i.e. under-age kate and chris' vodka-water-lime wife).

and most wonderfully, got to meet the owner of harb house and i now feel like they should be playing the theme song to cheers whenever I walk in this place.

Still love the HH, and don't forget to try the cask, people!