eh "Bizzy" B.'s Profile

Recently opened/re-opened in the spot once held by Myth, and then the Legion Sports Bar.  High ceilings, big fireplace, pleasant menu with decent prices.

Overall, a mess on the management side of things.   We won't be going back unless we hear about some significant changes in how things are run.

Fabulous entertainment by performers representing Hannan's Bellydance Studio and musicians from Layali El-Sharq.  Props to Nada, Abigail, Joe and Oksana.  

A couple of really great waitresses - a special shout out to Christina who did her best to take care of us.  Another set of wait staff wasn't observed to do any work during the 3+ hours we were there.

The food, once we got it, was mostly good.  45 minutes after ordering, the $6 dip platter was serviceable - the flat bread and hot feta dip were the best parts.  The hummus was almost unrecognizable from being overly smoothed, the tzatziki wasn't bad, taramasalata fine, the baba ghanoush was there. Small servings of each - not the sampler size we're used to from old-school Danforth standards like Asteria.   The grilled calamari was very good - and served with a different, much better tzatziki than was used in the dip platter.  The word on the crab cakes and fried calamari was that they were good.  

An hour and a half later, entrees for 4 at our table of 6 arrived.  Another half hour later, the final entree and side arrived.  The piri piri chicken got good reviews, the bbq duck pizza was good (fig and walnut were great touches), and the margherita pizza was quite good.   The pizza crusts were very good - light and puffy-crispy.  The side of pommes frites was good when it finally arrived.  However, one of our companions wanted salt for the fries.  He ended up going to the bar - the bartender went to the kitchen, came back out, got a shot glass, went back into the kitchen and came back with a shot glass of salt.  The fries were cold by that time.

Two hours and forty-five minutes for basic appetizers, some pizza, chicken and fries.  Should have been forty-five minutes to an hour. Max.

The menu is good and simple.  The food is good.  The wait staff that is working is helpful, though over-worked.

The place was horribly disorganized, probably not even ready for a soft opening.  The manager strutted around, chatting up young women when he should have been making sure that there was better communication between the kitchen and wait staff.  He seemed more interested in getting the lighting right than in overall customer care.  

Whoever was responsible for the videographer should reconsider things.  Not much point in having live entertainment when the videographer is blocking the view for some portion of the audience the entire time - and distracting for everyone the entire time.

We left Christina a significant tip, as we expect her to be looking for another gig shortly.

2.5 would reflect my feeling more closely than 3, but I'll stick with 3 because the staff is fast and friendly.

I end up at the Noodle Bowl 5 or 6 times a year when I'm in the area to go to a concert.  Go to BMV first to pick up a couple of $1 books and some c.d's, then head over to the Bowl.

I'm not going because it's the most incredibly wonderful Asian food in Toronto.  

I'm going because it's fast, it's hot (other than the Thai mango salad, which I quite like - nice and tart), and it's not going to taste too weird for my friends with more delicate tastebuds.

In the three or so years we've been going, no one's ever got sick after eating here, so that's definitely a recommendation in the world of near-Spadina Chinese restos.

Mango salad, noodles in a bowl with soup, or noodles on a plate with sauce.  It's reliable.