About Thyme

Address: 3457 King Street, Vineland, Ontario L0R 2C0, Canada

Phone: 905 562 3457

Why we dined here: We needed a lunch spot before journeying to Balls Falls, so we rounded up the best rated restaurants around the area and ended up with About Thyme.

In a Nutshell: The Bistro Poutine da bomb - hands down the best poutine I've ever tasted! 

We decided to visit About Thyme after seeing its ranking in TripAdvisor and the glowing reviews. This was a spectacular find and definitely exceeded our already high expectations. Our party of three shared the following dishes:

1.) Mussels of the Day (small) - I definitely agree with the reviewer that the mussels & fries here can beat out the ones in Belgium. In fact, I much preferred it over the ones I had in Chez Leon in Brussels. The mussels were very fresh and juicy. The cream of leek and smoked bacon sauce was flavorful. Also, the small is actually quite big in size and would be enough for 2 to 3 people for sharing as an appetizer.

2.) Charcuterie Plate - If you love meat, you will enjoy this plate. You get a good variety and quantity of cured meats.

3.) Pork & Beans - The pork belly was very tender and melt-in-your-mouth. The only complaint we have is the fattiness of the pork belly.

4.) Bistro Poutine - The most memorable dish of our meal, hands down! This is different from the regular poutine in that it uses foie gras sauce instead of gravy, aged cheddar instead of cheese curds and it's topped with duck confit. Yes, it is a poutine fitting for royalty. That dish is worth the trek to About Thyme from Toronto any day. It's the best poutine we've ever had and we've had our fair share, even journeying to Quebec where the dish originated.

If you're within the area or within driving distance of Lincoln, this bistro should be in your To-Eat list. The closest comparison to a Toronto establishment that comes to mind is The Black Hoof. I enjoyed the dining experience at About Thyme more since the ambiance was more laid-back, less cramped, and the service was more attentive.

Specials of the Day board

Chips and Mayo that came with the mussels

Mussels of the Day (cream of leek and smoked bacon sauce)

Pork & Beans

Charcuterie Plate

Bistro Poutine (drooooool!)

Ethiopiques Restaurant

Address: 227 Chruch Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1Y7, Canada

Phone: 416-363-0884

Website: http://www.ethiopiques.ca/

Why we dined here: WagJag had a voucher promotion for Ethiopiques and we were curious to try out Ethiopian food.

In a Nutshell: A unique dining experience, especially the coffee ceremony!

Ethiopiques was a very welcome surprise for us. We would never have stumbled upon this place on our own. The reason for our visit was really just to use up the WagJag voucher we bought ($20 for $50 worth of food). We ordered a Meat Platter, Gored Gored (Tender beef fillet) and Goden Tibs (Lamb short ribs). The meal was more than enough for 3 starving yuppies. We still had a bag of take-out after we stuffed ourselves to the brim. It was our first time eating Ethiopian cuisine. We liked the exotic flavor from the variety of spices. Some dishes had a spicy kick to them so have your water handy. The food is served with injera (similar to rolls of airy crepe/pancake). You use the injera to eat the foods with your hands, without the use of the spoon or fork. So that was also fun!

We also requested the coffee ceremony after reading the reviews in Yelp and Googling about the ceremony. Apparently, coffee originated from Ethiopia. They bring out the roasting pan when they're roasting the beans and shake the pan in front of you so you can whiff the intense aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans. The host will bring the jebena (clay coffee pot) to your table. Then, she will slowly pour the coffee to the small porcelain cups. Sugar is provided for you to sweeten the coffee to your taste, but not milk. The coffee is meant to be drank black. A basket of popcorn is also included for you to munch with your coffee. It was definitely a memorable experience and great way to cap off the night :)

Meat Platter + Goden Tibs + Gored Gored

Coffee Ceremony