ICEWINE FESTIVAL

Misc. Photos #1

Travel Tips & Places To Try

 Whirlpool Aero Car     
Niagara Falls             
What A Ride
****  
If you have no fear of heights and you want a great view of some Rapids and the Whirlpool on the Niagara River then this is the ride for you. It is a great way to get some really nice photos of the area, and is extremely nice when in the fall the trees are changing colours. Being above the river really gives you the magnitude of the force of this great river. Well worth the stop when visiting Niagara Falls.

Pepper Tree Spice Company
Port Stanley
Put Some Spice in Your Life
*****
If you are looking to spice things up at meal time this place is the place to go. Lots of herbs and fine spices to choose from for sure. If you are looking for something in particular then feel free to ask questions as they will be more than happy to guide you down the ol spice trail.

Sparta House Tea Room
Sparta
Hidden Gem
*****
This place has a large menu for delicious food and treats and teas. If you like to go fro country drives then you should check this place out for a nice lunch or dinner. The food is great , the decor is something to behold with over 450 tea pots on display. You are going to love this place and enjoy the drive to get there especially in the fall with the leaves changing colour.


Main Street Taqueria
Port Stanley
Mexican Food Lovers Rejoice
*****
If you are looking for some really great authentic Mexican food in Port Stanley then this is the place to go. Tom Gudgeon the owner/chef has brought his chef training to Port Stanley to delight your taste buds with his truly Mexican food delights. Prepared fresh daily from his quaint little Mexican shop you will not be disappointed.

Shaw’s Ice cream 
Saint Thomas
Creamy Smooth
*****
If you enjoy ice cream treats you are going to love this place. This dairy bar has been making high quality ice cream treats for some time now and they really know their stuff. My wife and I have tried ice cream treats at quite a few places over the years when we travel and we would have to say this place serves up one of the very best quality treats. Enjoy

The Pineapple Room
Port Stanley
Truly Amazing
*****
You will not be disappointed with the quality of the food and the friendliness of the service. The decor of the room is delightful to say these least and the chef/owner will cook up for you a culinary delight that you will want to tell all of your friends about. Enjoy. P.S. My mouth is watering just thinking of this place ;)

Moore Water Gardens
Port Stanley
Lots to choose from
****
We stopped in for a visit to see what they had and to take some photos of their place. Though it was at the end of their season we were able to get some great photos of their ponds, flowers, and koi . I would highly recommend a visit to this place if you are looking for water lilies and aquatic plants as they have very large selection and are more that happy to answer all of your questions. They have been around since 1932 so they really know their business.

The Harbour Merchant Coffee Company
Port Stanley
Great Way To Start The Morning
****
During our visit to Port Stanley we took in the Harbour Merchant Coffee Company.
You will find the coffee is very good and the pastries to go with that are great. Take a moment to stop in and enjoy some fresh brewed coffee and some yummy treats.

Sav  Eatery + Smokehouse
Stratford
Foodies Beware
**
While in Stratford and taking in the sights we stopped at Sav Eatery & Smokehouse for lunch. My wife being from Memphis and I having judged BBQ competitions for 5 years we were looking forward to some good ol Southern BBQ. While the place was very clean and nice looking that is where it all ended for us. Their menu is very aggressive to say the least with alot of different items listed. The problem we found with the food we ordered was that it was poorly done. For starters we ordered the Hushpuppies and the Deep fried pickles. The Hushpuppies were very dry, not much flavor, and seemed to be overdone. The Deep Fried Pickles were really over done as they crunched like a cracker when you bit into them. Total disappointment there. As for our mains we both got the Brisket. It was a little on the dry side even with whatever sauce they served it with. We found that it tasted more like roast beef with sauce than a brisket cut and the smoke ring was very hard to find. Even their slaw we felt was below par for something so easy to make. I am sorry to say that we would not recommend this place to folks who are wanting a really good Southern style meal.


Chocolate Barr’s
Stratford
Can You Say Chocolate
*****
While my wife and I were taking in the views and shops in Stratford we came across this lovely shop. If you are foodies like my wife and I, and you have a love for chocolate, this is the place for you. The chocolates and gelato that they make on site here are out of this world. The chocolate making here has to be the best quality I have ever had. The staff are there to answer any questions you may have and are friendly to talk with. We will be back.

Holiday Inn Express
St. Jacobs
Above & Beyond
****
My wife and I were finishing off our holidays with a visit to the St Jacobs market so we booked a room at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Waterloo - St Jacobs which is about a three minute walk from the Market. When we arrived we were greeted by the front desk and directed to our room promptly. The room was very clean and fresh and was stocked with soaps, shampoos, etc. The staff that were cleaning our room during our three day stay were bang on and did a great job. There was a breakfast area that we went to every morning and were greeted by great staff there as they kept things clean and stocked while patrons ate. If you like pancakes you are going to love the little machine they have that makes them for you at the touch of a button. The only negative that we could tell was that the shower floor in our room could use a re-coating and our jetted tub was only large enough for one person at a time. Our stay was totally enjoyable and the beds were great to sleep on. A special thank you to Naushad Ismail the General Manager who was kind enough to send us an item that we had left in our room by accident when we checked out. Thank you for your understanding and great service.

Cat’s Kitchen + Bar
Niagara Falls
What A Great Time
*****
We found this place to have all sorts of great things happening there, with specials all through the week. The service was very good and the food they served us was great. I know that we will be back again for another great meal.

Cow’s
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Fun Place
****
This place is for people that love cows and have a good sense of humor. They have all sorts of fun clothing with catchy phrases on them, and please don't forget to try some of their great ice cream as it is delicious. Enjoy

The Drawing Room @ The Prince of Wales Hotel
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Dracula Tea A Bust :(
*****
My wife and I have been coming to afternoon and themed teas for a few years now, and I must say that their teas and edible treats are just the greatest. Our server this time was Olivia and she was just the best and took care of all our needs and was great at her job. We have tried Afternoon Teas, Candlelight Teas, the themed Alice In Wonderland Tea, and now the themed Dracula Tea. All of them were just great except I am sorry to say the Dracula themed tea. When they did the themed Alice in Wonderland tea, they had the servers in costume to look like Alice and a Gentleman dressed like the Mad Hatter that played his part very well. He would mingle from table to table talking to the people having tea, he would read short bits from his Alice in Wonderland book, and we even had him come to some tables to pour the guests a cup of tea from time to time. The tea I felt was a great success with all who were there enjoying the atmosphere that the Alice's and Hatter had brought them. The Dracula tea I felt was nothing like the previous experiences. While the tea, food and service was very good it lacked a lot, and was I'm sorry to say a disappointment. The servers were not in any sort of costume that would have you think of a Dracula themed tea, and the young lad wearing a nice costume jacket had no cape, makeup, and did not really talk or interact with the people present even when he was around which was not too often. I feel that if you are going to do themed teas in the future then you have to go all out and bring your A game to have all enjoy and talk about their experience for weeks/months/years, how great a time it was. Serving Blood Orange tea and a few edible treats that looked like Bats and Coffins did nothing from setting an atmosphere even though they were delicious treats to eat.

Country Fresh Donuts & More
Niagara Falls
Can You Say Yummy
*****
This place is known by the locals as the best place around for some homemade soups and the icing on the cake or should we say donuts are just the best to be had for a very reasonable price. Enjoy

Hambrgr
Hamilton
Gotta Love Burgers
****
Found a new Burger place on our road trip to Hamilton. Their onion rings and burgers rock. Their menu has a lot of great choices to choose from and the prices are very reasonable. Would like to have tried some other things there but were just too full. I guess that means another road trip from Niagara Falls is in order. The only negatives we found was the house music was too loud so you had to talk too loud to your dining partner, and their seat were not very comfortable.

Jack & Lois
Hamilton
Secret Patio In Back
****
Four of us went for lunch and had it on the patio. If you enter from the back it is around the corner, through a small parking lot, and through an opening in a chain link fence. I said to one of my friends that we might have to come up with a secret handshake to get in. It is great place to eat when the weather is nice. The food that we had was great as usual, but we did have some things to nit pick about. My wife and I drive in from Niagara Falls to eat here every now and then, and our friends drive in from Kitchener so we would like the experience to be bang on so to speak. Here are our thoughts. Food was great, servers were nice enough but they could sure use more of them, they could also use more kitchen help as it was fairly busy when we were there but had to wait about an hour for our food. Not that great when you have some hungry people to feed, and they never brought out any chips like they have in the past to munch on while you wait, we did see some folks get up and leave due to the wait time we figured. The speaker they have for the music needs to be put in a different location rather than on the bar. If you are sitting at the table next to the bar, the music level being there makes it very hard to hear what people are talking about at your own table. It just needs to be moved to a different location not right in your face. Slap a coat of stain or varnish on the patio furniture would be nice to maybe. Other than the long wait times their food is bag on the money. Oh and maybe have a few more choices of beer from different micro breweries.

Firemen’s Park
Niagara Falls
Hold Your Events Here
****
This park has been going for some time now and I have seen it grow and improve over time. They have summer Blues concerts and a lot of other types of events throughout the year. This would be a great place for the Niagara Region to hold their annual staff picnic as it is a central location and Firemens Park could use the revenue to help upkeep and improve the park.

Zappi's Pizza and Pasta, Italian Eatery
Niagara Falls
Nice Little Place to Have a Bite
****
This place is a little on the small side but the food is very good and the pizza rocks. I found that the service was a tad on the slow side and not very attentive even though it was not overly busy. The food is great though and I will be going back again.

Queen Victoria Park
Niagara Falls
Changes With The Seasons
****
This area park is always lovely to see first for me before I visit the Falls. The Niagara Parks take very good care of this area with changing out the flowers during the different seasons. Keep up the good work Folks.

Table Rock Welcome Centre
Niagara Falls
 Expensive 
***
Some areas of this building are nice and have some interesting things to read or see, but I find that there are way to many gift shops that are selling some items that are cheaply made but are asking big money for. Be wise and pick and choose carefully what souvenirs you would like to take home.

The Horseshoe Falls
Niagara Falls
A Beauty Totally To Enjoy
*****
To see such beauty and understand the power of what you are seeing will leave you in Aww. It is truly a sight to behold and even though I live in Niagara Falls I never grow tiered of see this wonder of the world. Only three things upset me when I chance to tour by the Falls to take in their wonder. 1. Idiot people that stand on the wall or straddle the railing while taking photos when there are a lot of signs warning not to as we have lost a few people over the Falls that have lost their footing ( smarten up people). 2. People who stop their cars on the street next to the falls to take photos when it has signage that says " No Stopping " as it makes for traffic jams. 3. The installation of the new zip-line attraction. If you are driving by you can see the cables passing in front of the view of the Beautiful American and Bridal Veil Falls Hence taking away from the beauty of that Falls are. I would still recommend people to come and explore the World Wonder as it is a sight to behold.

The Big Sizzle
Niagara Falls
No Way To Run A Business
**
The Big Sizzle I am taken back by is the location on Portage Road in Niagara Falls. While their burgers were very good, their handmade shakes rocked, the fries not bad, hours of operation suck. The mall sign say they are open from 11:00 til 9:00 But today March 29/17 at 4:50 it was locked up tight and no lights on. In the window there was no sign with hours of operation and no reason why they were closed. Poor business practices in my books. Plus there is a high school that is close by so if they advertised a special burger and price for them they could make a fortune during the school year. Two doors down from them is a Sub shop that is literally jam packed with kids in there for the lunch hour. Too bad guys as you dropped the ball here and lost my future business.

Magnotta Winery
Beamsville
If You Miss Out You Lose
*****
My wife and I get a pair of Icewine Discovery passes every year for the last ten years, to celebrate the great Icewines of our region. When we went to Magnotta this year as it is one of our favorite Wineries to visit. The reason for this is we like to try different wines from different wineries and try the food they have chosen to pair it with. Magnotta I feel out did themselves this year. They had a really fantastic Icewine that they paired with a bowl of Chili that rocked. The wine was smooth and delicious with a great finish, and the Chili had just the right amount of heat to it to make it great. They also have an Anniversary Sparkling Icewine that is equally good. I highly recommend you try this place, as their prices for these great tasting wines is a great deal. Enjoy

The Thirsty Cactus
Dundas
Decor was nice but that where it all ended
*
While my wife and I were doing a Foodie road trip and we ended up in the quaint town of Dundas. There are some really nice shops to look around and a few restaurants to try. We decided to give The Thirsty Cactus a try which was a big mistake. We were seated promptly and the servers seemed nice. The menu had a fair number of items to choose from which was nice, but I guess we just picked the wrong items. First off they brought us a free small bowl of nacho chips with some sort of cheese sauce over it. It was ok but nothing special to write home about and I would pass on it due to the mystery cheese sauce. Then our soda order came which was very bad as the syrup and carbonation did not blend well and it had very little flavour. I thought that I would order their pulled pork over fries that they had, as I use to judge BBQ competitions in Ontario back in the day and I love Southern style BBQ food and who doesn't love fries. The pulled pork was tender but really needed a better sauce to spike it up or no sauce and showcase the flavour of the meat. The fries were horrible as they arrived lukewarm, were overdone, and lacked any kind of flavor on their own. We ordered a different soda and the waitress said she changed out the tank and it should be better. It wasn't. I noticed that when I first opened my menu to look at what I wanted to eat that the page had some rice stuck to it and it was not clean at all. This should have been my first clue to get up and leave, but we were hungry and wanted to try this place. I would not advise anyone to eat at this place until the kitchen gets it together and the wait staff clean all items in their station.


The Drawingroom At The Prince Of Wales Hotel
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Had a Mad Hatter of a time
*****
My wife and I were very lucky to have been able to visit the tea room when we did, as the were having a Mad Hatter tea party which was such fun. We have been to the tea room quite a few times in the past for afternoon tea and even an evening candlelight tea one time. It is just so nice to sit back and enjoy some tea, great food, and great conversation as the world rushes bye. The Mad Hatter tea party was especially great, as they had the servers in Alice in Wonderland costumes and the Mad Hatter even showed up to help pour tea for us sometimes. I cannot say enough of how great the tea, food, and staff are at this place. You will have to make a point to try this place on your next visit to Niagara on The Lake.

Bellevue House National Historic Site
Kingston
Great History
****
I think any history buff would enjoy looking around this place, as it has a lot of things to look at from that era. The girl that greets you inside the front door is very knowledgeable about the house and the famous family who resided there. Well worth the time to stop in and look back in history a bit.

Fardella's Bakery
Kingston
Visited the King's Crossing Fashion Outlet Location
****
While visiting Kingston on a sightseeing trip we happened upon this little gem and had a supper and a breakfast there. The staff that we talked with were very friendly and knew their way around a kitchen. For our supper visit my sister and I ordered the Turkey Club Wrap, Hot Smoked Meat Sandwich, and an order of Poutine. All the ingredients seemed very fresh and well put together. When we returned the next morning to try their breakfast we ordered the Bistro Breakfast Wrap and Old Faithful. Again the food was top notch and it was hard saving room for the fresh baked goods that they have on display as we had to try some of these also. The bad part for us was that our hotel offered us a all you can eat breakfast buffet every morning which was part of our room price, but we opted for this little gem. I highly recommend you trying this place as they offer great food and the prices are also very fair I thought. The only thing I would change at the King's Crossing location is to turn your table rows the opposite direction so that customers may see the morning news that is on without breaking your neck to see it. :) Kudos to the staff here as you are doing a great job.

 Pan Chancho
Kingston
You Will Love This Place
****
This place you are going to love. They have a wide variety of quality baked goods and treats and the restaurant has food to die for. If you are lucky enough to have great weather, please try your meal out on their great patio. The food here is very fresh and high quality, and there is a good bang for your hard earned dollars here. Plus there is all sorts of treats to choose from in their bakery to take home with you. Enjoy!!!!

Kingston Glass Studio & Gallery
Kingston
Good place to visit
****
This place has a lot of really nice pieces to look at for sure. I think that you will have a great time looking and shopping for that special someone here. Lots of crafts on display by local artisans and great quality pieces. Well worth a look see when in town.

Tango Nuevo
Kingston
Sounds Great But Not
**
Decided to stop into this place to get a bite to eat on my recent visit to Kingston. The decorum was very nice but am sorry to say that is where it ended for me. Lots of food items to choose from on the menu but not very much bang for you hard earned dollars. I thought I would try the Turkish ravioli for 11.00 and change wrong choice. When it arrived at our table it was rated just good on taste and poor on the size. It was 6 of the smallest thin ravioli with next to no filling I have ever seen in my travels. Not worth your hard earned money. Also on the way out of the restaurant I saw one of the staff treat a young looking University couple rudely. They were asking for a table for two, the staff member now said that it was past 5:00 and they needed a reservation. The place was half empty at this time. They asked if the could sit on their outside patio and the wait staff member just turned her back and walked away from the couple without answering their question. My friends and I will never set foot in their again due to these reasons.

Antique Alley
Kingston
Great Place
*****
I found upon my visit to Antique Ally that the shop owner was very easy to talk to and very helpful. The place really is down an alley and once inside you will be amazed at how well laid out this shop was and the wide assortment of things she has for sale. I think you will enjoy visiting this place when you are in Kingston next.

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
St. Catharines
Total Disappointment
**
Do you work hard for your money and expect to have good service and food when you go out to spend it, don't go here. I was taking my wife out for breakfast as we liked Perkins for its choice of food and quality. We were seated and given our menus and that was about it. The place hardly had but a few tables with patrons, so not busy by any means. Our waitress never came to see what we would like for a beverage or if we were ready to order. We sat there for close to ten minutes and still no service ! Like we work hard for our money and we always tip well when eating out, which is quite often. Enough was enough and we got up and walked out to spend our money at another restaurant. I doubt very much we will be back, as it just leaves a bad taste in ones mouth being treated that way. So Long Perkins.

Harbour Diner
Hamilton
Thought We Found A Good One ?
**
We discovered this little gem just last year and thought it would be a great place to grab a bite to eat with friends after sailing. Not so I am sorry to say. The staff there seem really good with the service they provided and friendly, but the quality of the food seems to be hit and miss. The first time we had their pork steak breakfast there it was fantastic. It was a pork chop with corn meal around the outside and was so tender you could cut it with a fork. Any time I have tried to order it since they served us a piece of Canadian peameal bacon which to me is NOT a pork steak. Too Bad. Now I find that after trying other things on their menu that the food is not consistent in taste or quality. Their meatloaf that was to die for is now to stay away from I find as it never seems to be the best quality it use to be, as it was dry and lacking spices and flavour. We had a glass of coke with or meal that was poured from a plastic bottle and seemed off tasting and flat. It would be better to serve a can of soda with a glass of ice. After we have found that the quality of the food served for the price is not consistent we will not be returning.

Evelyn's Sandwich Factory
Welland
GREAT SANDWICHES
*****
This is a place to go if you want a great sandwich. They use fresh ingredients, fresh bread and do it up right. The place doesn't look like much inside and out but they can really put a sandwich together. There is only a couple of tables to eat at, so when I go with my wife we get it to go and eat them in a park somewhere or sit by the canal. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who likes a great sandwich. They also will put together platters for parties and the such.


Merritt Island 
Welland
So So Picnic Time
***
My wife and I have had quite a few picnic/fishing times at this park in the past and they were nice. Now that they are doing an expansion to the water plant there it is not so great as they have taken a good section of the park to pile dirt and have a fence up around it. There was a small dock there to put in your canoe/kayak in but it is almost under water now and needs to be replaced by a much larger dock so people can use it. They have a washroom on site which is nice, but on a busy day they seem to not keep up with it to see if it is stocked with toilet paper and kept clean. The walking trail is very nice and the children s play area is nice also. I feel that it could be such a nice park if they had more picnic tables, garbage cans, and took better care of the place. Needless to say that will will now use Firemen s park in Niagara falls as it is well taken care of.

Hilton Garden Inn
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Very Very Nice
****
My wife and I stayed in their room with jetted tub for our Anniversary night on their Romance Package. The hotel was very clean and well put together. The staff were very accommodating and even allowed me to put up an Anniversary greeting for my Wife on their electronic sign at the entrance to their property. We have had jetted tubs in other hotels over the years, but this one was very quiet which is very nice for a change. The only thing that I would change if I were them, is to put a small bistro table and two chairs in the room so that you can sit and have some snacks/meal, play games, more comfortably. The exercise area and pool seem to be kept in good shape, and breakfast made to order was delicious. Thank you staff for a job well done.

Queenston Heights Park
Queenston
Room To Run
*****
This park not only has a lot of history behind it, but it has a lot of wide open spaces to run and do. There are huge picnic shelters to use and spacious washrooms. A great place for the family to come and have a good time outdoors.

Wine Country Cooking School
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Wine Country Cooking School
*****
My wife and I did this for our Anniversary treat to each other and had just the greatest time. The staff were top notch and the ingredients we used were very fresh. The meal we had to make for ourselves turned out very good, and the wine we had to drink was bang on parred with the meal. I would not hesitate to take another class in the future. Thank you Jane and Joe for a wonderful time, and to all the ladies that washed up all of our dishes and kept us stocked with good eats.

Scotiabank Convention Center
Niagara Falls
Icewine Connoisseurs Beware
**
As usual the Scotia Centre seems to want to nickel and dime their guests at their events. The token pricing and parking fees are way out there and should be changed. I realize that you are in this to make money, but come on now lets get real. The dessert vendor for example at your festival is charging 1 token for a truffle. That is $3.25, are you kidding me. I saw a bottle of water at another for the same price 1 token $3.25 just ripping people here and there. I can buy 24 bottles for about the cost of one at your venue. Why not lower the prices so that more people can partake in your Festivals/shows. Doing this would definitely grow your exposure and bottom line. Instead of only having 2000 show up to your festival/shows you could draw 5000/10,000 people as more would be able to afford such an outing. Just think of how big it would grow when you have all those people talking about it rather than the select few. Word of mouth and social media these days is what will make or break events like this in the future. Good Luck in the future as you are going to need it I feel. Myself, friends, and family will not be returning in the future until there is a drastic change in the value we receive for our hard earned dollars, and we will make it known to others just how we felt about such an event at this venue and the value you will receive for your money spent.

Harbour Estate Winery
Jordan Station
What A Deal
****
This is the place to check out during the Niagara Icewine Festival to get more bang for your buck. Harbour Estate Winery usually puts some of their Icewine on sale this time of year. They produce some pretty good product and sell it during their sale at a reasonable price. Definitely worth stopping in for a taste and a purchase. Enjoy !

Anna Mae's Bakery & Restaurant 
Millbank
Good Eats
*****
The wife and I decided to make the long trek from Niagara Falls to Millbank for some really good eats. Thank goodness we went earlier in the Saturday. When we got there it was about a 15-20 minute wait to be seated, and this place is a good size. The wait was ok as there is a lot of baked goods and handicrafts to look at while we waited. The first thing you must do as soon as you arrive, is to write your name and where you were from on their sign in sheet along with the time as this is how they call you to be seated. The soups, buns, veggies, Broasted chicken, desserts were fantastic. The only thing I found was the roast beef dinner I had was lukewarm, thin slices on the dry side, and they could have had thicker slices and a little more of everything. Make sure you take your time in the bakery area as they have great product there for sure. Also go early enough as the baked goods do sell out sometimes and you won't want to miss out. We will be back again for sure.

Napoli Ristorante & Pizzeria
Niagara Falls
The Best
*****
My wife, visiting sister, and I decided to go out to dinner and try a new place we had never been before. We chose Napoli and were pleasantly surprised. The décor was on the rustic side and was clean and inviting. The wait staff were very helpful and professional to say the least. We all decided to order our own personnel pizzas to share with each other. My wife and I have lived in Niagara Falls for about 9 years now, and have been looking for a place that makes a good pizza. We must say that this place has the best we have come across in that time. The crust was thin, not over sauced, and looking at the bottom of the crust it was cooked to perfection. The only thing that I would change would be to put a touch more toppings on them. Thank you Napoli for making us some great pie.

Niagara Skywheel
Niagara Falls
And The Big Wheel Goes, Round And Round
****
This is a great ride for the whole family. The view of the Falls and Clifton Hill are pretty great from up there. The gondolas are air conditioned for the summer and heated for the colder months. The only down side I found is that I wish they would take you around a few more times. The lights on it at night time are pretty great to see from a distance to. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed.

Boston Pizza
Niagara Falls
So Sad
**
On a recent visit to this location I am sorry to say that we were very disappointed with a few things there. Since they have opened this new place and put it in a strip mall it has kind of lost some of the ambiance it use to have as a stand alone building. We were seated in the dining area promptly which was good, but soon after we heard very loud music coming through the speaker system. We find out that it was like an open mike night there. Interesting. This went on for a little while but luckily they turned off the speakers in the dining area which made it nice as you could still hear the music but not near as loud. We ordered our pasta dishes and an appetizer and found that the appetizer was ok but seemed to lack that wow taste factor for some reason. After eating a third of my pasta dish I was very upset to find a long hair sticking out of it. If there is one thing that really grosses me out when eating is finding a hair in my meal. I don't care that they take it off my bill or offer me something else, it is just out right gross. My wife and I are foodies at heart so we eat out quite a bit during the week and feel that the chefs/cooks should be looking over their dishes carefully to see that it is plated right and with no hair before they send it out of the kitchen. It seems this chain is falling apart lately, as we went to the St. Catharines location first to find out that their slushy machine was still not working at the bar to make some drinks during a very hot weather period. We were at that location three weeks previous and it was broken then. If I was a manager there I would do whatever it took to have it working or replaced as when we left that site they not only lost out on our bar tab but meal to. I think Jim has to get off of Dragons Den and pay a little more attention to how his companies are running. There are a lot of restaurants out there so time to choose another I am sorry to say.

The Great Canadian Midway
Niagara Falls
Looking For Fun
****
This place has a lot of great games that I know you and your kids will enjoy. Lots of fun so enjoy.!!!

Hornblower Niagara Cruises
Niagara Falls
Something for your bucket list
*****
We did this with the family when they came to visit us from Tennessee and had a great time. The wait time to board the boat was not too long which is nice, and the walk to the boat was short. You have to be prepared to get a little wet even wearing the plastic covers they give you. The wind and the mist at the base of the falls is pretty amazing to say the least. Lots of great photo ops along the way, but you must prepare to cover your camera when you get closer to the bottom of the falls because of the mist. They offer an evening cruise on weekends to see the fireworks over the falls which must be just fantastic, as they are loud and lots of them. They charge a little extra for this trip but I feel it would be well worth the price.

St. Lawrence Market
Toronto
Fresh and wonderful food
****
This is a very good market to visit while you are in Toronto. They have so many choices of vendors to choose from, and lots of great deals to be had. Well worth the visit, and there is a parking area right across the street which is handy.

Cafe Amore
St. Catharines
Think Twice
**
My wife and I went here for lunch on May 31st and will not be back I am sorry to say. We have had poor service here in the past when it wasn't very busy, but decided to give it another go. After being seated it took a few minutes for the waitress to come to our table and fill our glasses with which seemed to me room temp tap water no ice. It then took 5 minutes or more for her to come back so we could place our appetizer and drink order. We ordered a small pizza from their wood fired oven for our appetizer which was very nice. Before it came I noticed that the small plate beside me was very dirty, so I put it on the empty table beside us. Appetizer came along with some large plates to eat it on. My wife's plate was ok, but again my plate was very dirty on top. As I tried to wait patiently for our MIA waitress to come back I put this plate along with the other dirty plate on the table beside us. In doing so I felt something on the bottom and look to find bit of food there. GROSS. My wife had to go and tell the waitress I had a dirty plate as our food was getting cold and no sign of her. Our meal came which were pasta dishes and they tasted ok for the most part. Before we left I used the men's room, big mistake as it was disgusting. Paper towel dispenser was empty with a roll of towels sitting in water on the sink. Urinals, walls, floors were dirty and looked as if they were painted by a 5th grader. Filled out the comment part of our bill and was going to put it in their comments box on our way out. Surprise, the box was on a wine barrel by the front door covered in dust, and was so full of slips that I could barely get our slip in. They really must think a lot of their customers comments I thought. My wife and I class ourselves as foodies of a sort and eat at a lot of restaurants in Niagara and Toronto every month, so we know what we feel is good service, good food, clean eating places. I must tell you to stay clear of this place as there are far nicer, cleaner and good food places eat at out there to spend your hard earned money on.

Niagara Food & Wine Show
Niagara Falls
Niagara Food & Wine Show Disappointment
***
My wife and I have been going to these shows out of interest and trying to support local vendors there. Last year 2014 it was a fairly good show with lots of food, wine, misc. vendors and a line of food trucks just outside of the building. Prices were a little on the high side I thought for some things but all in all I felt that it would grow into a great show in the future. How wrong I was on that one. This year 2015 we found that a lot of vendors that were there last year with good products did not come back for whatever reason? The prices seemed higher this year to try stuff then they were last year? There were it seemed a lot less vendors this time which makes you wonder what went wrong and why is it not getting bigger and better? This year there were no food trucks at all outside, which I felt was strange? Why not? And what really shocked me also was the great amount of Micro Breweries there were this year, what is with that? The name of the event is The Food & Wine Show, not The Food & Beer Show. Bottom line here I guess is that it is another Niagara Region try at something new with little success. I do not think my wife and I and our friends will be attending next year unless there is a drastic change to the shows makeup. Unless there are drastic changes for the better I could not recommend this show to anyone. Sorry

Lone Star Texas Grill
Toronto
This Place Is Happening
*****
My wife and I were in Toronto for our Anniversary to celebrate and take in some of the sights. We decided to have a supper at the Lone Star Texas Grill and were pleasantly surprised. Even though it was on the weekend with two major sports events happening and the place was busy, we were able to get some seats after about 5 minutes. The service was extremely good, the food was great and the raspberry margaritas were to die for. Our wait staff was totally great and the manager Amy "Roadrunner" Woodhouse that spent a fair bit of time tending to our needs also was just fantastic. The next time we are back in Toronto we will be there again for supper.

 Ripley's Aquarium Of Canada
Toronto 
Truly Something To See
*****
This place is truly Amazing and well worth a visit. There are so many lovely fish to see and things to do. Some areas have a moving sidewalk which goes very slow and you can step on and off with no problem. The 800+lb. Grouper is something to see and he is so big and so ugly he is cute. I would suggest to take at least 3 hours to go through or longer as there is a lot to look at. The only things that we did not enjoy were the parents with children that just let them run crazy around people yelling or screaming and disturbing the enjoyment of others. The other was the gift shop area. We found that most of the stuff they had for sale was very cheap looking and made junk for children, which is ok if you are into that sort of thing. I thought that they would have had some nice good quality souvenirs that one could purchase, but really found nothing like that. I was very surprised that they did not have any DVD's for sale that show off their facility and fish as I would have thought this would have been a good keepsake to buy. All in all I would visit again in a heart beat.

The Strathcona Hotel
Toronto
Good Location
***
The wife and I took a trip to Toronto to take in some sightseeing and celebrate an Anniversary. We were booked in at the Strathcona as it was close to a lot of things we wanted to see and do. We were able to check in early which was nice, and the desk staff were very pleasant. The lobby and rooms were very clean and the place seemed to be kept well which was nice also. We found three things in the room that put us off a little bit and they are as follows. The wall mounted TV was located on the side wall at the foot of the bed, so to watch it comfortably you would have to have your head at the foot of the bed. Poor location. The bathroom soap, shampoo, and conditioner came out of a dispenser mounted on the wall beside the sink and in the tub area. In order to get this out you had to squeeze the bottles. My wife found this hard to do since the bottle is a stiff plastic and I found it not that easy also. The shower pressure was very poor and needs to be corrected. We were on the top floor so this may have something to do with that, but felt that the rain shower head should have had more volume or pressure. Other that these things we found that it was a pleasant but not great place to stay.

Joe Feta's Greek Village
St. Catharines
Not A Very Good Experience
**
The wife and I have been there a couple of times before and it has been just ok. This visit was not very good at all and we might have to look for a new place. The waitress that seated us at our table just tossed the menus on the table and took off. Later she seemed to have calmed down some, but not a good start. My wife ordered the chicken souvlaki and I had the pork souvlaki. The bruschetta was good, the fries not bad but the souvlaki had a lot to be desired. My wife said that hers seemed ok, but my meat was on the cool side to say the least and the sauce on it was a little strange. While we were eating I was looking around at the décor and cleanliness of the place. It looks pretty tired and I think it could use a makeover or at the very least a very good cleaning. Later that night the meal came back to haunt both my wife and me. We both became very nausea to the point were my wife threw up and I was close to that point also but did not. I feel that it had to do with the sauce on our meals as it was the same on both dishes. Needless to say I highly doubt that we will return here again and would not recommend it to anyone.

Niagara Fallsview Casino
Niagara Falls
Bring Your Wallet
****
This place is something to see for sure. There are a lot of shops, restaurants, and machines to take your money :) When we do go we set a limit on how much we are willing to lose. Always play within your means. And like my loving wife say. " Casinos are built with losers money". I always like that one :) When I win 200.00 or better I always feel like I have taken a piece of it home with me. It is a fun venue to visit for sure. I would recommend this for a fun evening out.

Druxy's Famous Deli
Niagara Falls
Not Worth It
**
The wife and I are foodies at heart and are always looking for a great sandwich place in the area. We thought we would try this place out as we had a Groupon to cut the cost a bit. The décor was not the greatest, and we felt that the sandwiches were not great at all. The buns seemed to be not that fresh, and the toppings were not very plentiful to put it nicely. I would not recommend this place to anyone. Sorry

White Water Walk
Niagara Falls
That's Alot Of Water
****
This is something to see for sure. I don't remember the cost to visit here but it is very reasonable. The river here is very narrow and the speed of the water is amazing. You figure, all the water coming over both the Horseshoe and American Falls has to pass here. The rapid areas you will see will show you just how much power this river has. One warning ! Keep back from the waters edge as it is very dangerous and you need to give it the respect it is due. Bring your camera for a lot of great photo ops. Enjoy

Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory
Niagara Falls
Fond Memories
****
I brought my wife of 14 years here, to ask her to marry me. It was a lovely setting with thousands of butterflies flying free around us, when I had her sit on a park bench to ask her to marry me. It is a lovely place inside with lots of plants and of course butterflies. It is warm and humid so it is best to dress accordingly. They tell you to wear some bright coloured clothing as it attracts the butterflies which is true. The only down side I have found now, is that on top of the admission charge they now charge for parking which is a shame. Otherwise it is a great place to visit.

Lina Linguini's-Pasta Grille
St. Catherines
Good Food Lousy Atmosphere
***
My wife and I enjoy the Angel Hair pasta when we are at Lina Liguini's but are finding it hard to return due to the atmosphere. The place seems to be getting very very tired and dirty. On one visit our table was so rocky that the waitress could not stop it from happening with a stack of bar coasters under the legs so we had to move tables. The chairs are not that comfortable if you are looking to relax and enjoy the meal you are eating. On our last visit we were seated in the front right of the restaurant near the glass wall with the cars painted on it. When the light hit the glass at a certain angle all you could see is disgusting filth. It looked as if kids had thrown food on it or drinks had been splashed on it and run down the wall. It totally ruined an otherwise nice meal, and started us thinking what must the rest of the place be like for cleanliness. My wife and I are foodies who love to go out and eat good food but also enjoy a clean environment in which to eat it in. I don't know if we will be returning which saddens me.

St Jacob's Farmers Market
St. Jacobs
Lovely Market
****
I was so saddened to hear about the fire that leveled the place earlier this year. They have put up a temporary building on the same site but it is not the same I am sorry to say. I hope that they are able to get things in order soon to rebuild and that they make it a little larger than the building that burned. With the crowds that they draw to the old and temp building you have to go pretty early or it is very hard to get your way through the crowd. I still feel that it is one of the best markets that I have been to over the years. Well worth the visit and don't forget to check out the antique mall and factory outlet across the street from the market and the quaint town of St. Jacobs which is about a 5 minute drive down the highway. All worth while spots to visit and shop.

Waterloo Central Railway
Waterloo
Part Of History
****
This is a short trip but fun to experience as there are not too many steam locomotives left running these days. The only sad part is that we hear they are thinking of doing away with this trip as they want to use the tracks for the new LRT for Kitchener/Waterloo once it is finished. This will be a great loss if they decide to go this route. So enjoy it while you can.

West Montrose Covered Bridge (Kissing Bridge)
West Montrose
Nice Photo op
****
There are not too many bridges left like this so it is worth the trip to see. The only down side is that it would be nice if there was a small park to sit and have a picnic at.

The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
Waterloo
Keg - An Amazing Experience
*****
We visited here on a Friday and the place was buzzing. The entire decor and atmosphere felt amazing. Food was simply amazing especially the baked shrimps. Loved them!
Service was always available and ready whenever we needed it.
Truly enjoyable evening

Sand Sculptures Exhibition
Niagara Falls
A ONCE IN A LIFETIME VISIT
*****
The craftsmanship of these sand sculptures is truly amazing, and the detail of these sculptures is second to none. I would highly recommend people to go and see this amazing work of art before it is too late. Well worth the visit.

Butterball's Restaurant
Jordan Station
Lousy Customer Service
*
My wife and I were doing the Icewine Festival route and decided to stop in for something to eat. We walked in and seated ourselves and waited for service. The were three customers in a small dining room off to one side and one gentleman at the counter. We saw two staff while we were there one of which was chatting up the guy at the counter. Not once did any staff acknowledge that we were even there. Not so much as a good morning, hello, or we will be right with you, nothing. My wife and I sat there for a good 5 minutes until we had had enough. We had no other choice but to take our business elsewhere as we were not about to eat at a restaurant that treats a customer that way. We work hard for our money and enjoy eating at different places for the experience and classify ourselves a good tippers, so we could not see ourselves being treated that way. We would not recommend this place to anyone seeking a good dining experience for their hard earned dollars.

AG
Niagara Falls
Superb
*****
My wife and I went here for our Anniversary and found that the food, wine, and service were excellent. The décor I would change a bit but everything else was bang on. I would go back there again in a heart beat.

Quesada Burritos & Tacos
St. Catharines
There are far better places to eat than this one
**
We had a Groupon for this location and thought, great. We have eaten a few times at the one in Niagara Falls but the Groupon deal was just for the St. Catharines location only. First of all they were understaffed and only had two people working there which was very slow service. Second it seemed that they didn't know what each other was doing with orders. They told us that their delivery guy did not come that day and they were out of sour cream for our orders. Now if it was me working there I would have gone to my local food store and bought some tubs of sour cream so that my customers would have some. I got my order before my wife's order was ready so I sat and waited for her so we could eat together. She ordered a chicken Quesada which took them at least 10 minutes to make. Once she got it and sat with me we started to eat. I guess you figured that mine was cold by now but oh well what can one do. We both started to eat and we both found that the orders we placed had next to nothing for chicken it them. Very disappointing to say the least. Now we wonder was the very small amount of chicken in our orders because we paid for most of it with Groupon or are they just cheap?? We would not go back to this location ever again.

M.T. Bellies 
Welland
It Use To Be Good :(
**
My wife and I had a chance to go back for a meal to M.T. Bellies, as we had been there a couple of times in the past and enjoyed their food. Sometimes it pays to not go back if you had a great experience the first time, as you will have good memories of the place to look back on. I should have taken my own advice I guess. We found when we got there that the glass in the front doors was filthy with hand prints, and the entrance looked pretty beat up. We were seated and given our menus to look at, and then we placed our orders. The place looked tired and wore out to say the least which made me wonder. It took a long time for the starter we chose to come out and they were not busy at all. Maybe 6-7 tables with customers. Other people were seated and had their orders taken as we were trying to wait patiently for our order to come. Well needless to say some tables that came in after us got their food first which I will never understand, as our order was plain and simple. When it finally arrived it looked as if it were just thrown onto the plates with no pride from the kitchen at all on presentation or quality. I touched my fries with my hand and they were stone cold so I had to send it back. When the order came back it was hot but my wife and I felt that the quality of the food was long gone from this establishment. We ate our meal with not much attention from the waitress except for her to bring me a $5.00 voucher to use the next time we were in for the cold fries. I did not except the voucher which surprised her until I said we would not be back. I find some restaurant owners and staff get complacent with their jobs or just plainly loose passion for it. Dining our and spending ones hard earned money should be a positive experience I feel but sometimes it is just not meant to be. Even the carpets looked as if they could have used at the very least a good shampoo or replacing. It use to be a good place but no more I'm afraid.

Rothesay House Heritage Inn Bed & Breakfast
Harbour Grace, Newfoundland
Harbour Grace Elegance
*****
My Sister and I had the pleasure of staying 5 days in the lovely heritage Rothesay House B & B. This place has a lot of history behind it and George will do his best to talk with you about all of it if you ask him. There is nothing finer than having your morning coffee or evening glass of wine out on the front porch overlooking Harbour Grace. The owners George & Lynn will make you feel right at home and part of the family. Lynn will also cook up some fantastic breakfasts and dinners while you are there. If there is anything you need to know about the area or places you want to see while you are there George is your man to talk to. Ask him to doctor one of his maps for you, as you will find them very helpful. One of the places that I was happy and sad to visit close to town was the airstrip where Amelia Earhart and numerous other pilots took off from back in the day for their trans Atlantic fights. To me this place is part of aviation history I would think. When we arrived there we parked in a small lot with garbage everywhere, walked through a small opening in a fence, read a small plaque that is in need of cleaning or repair, and then gazed down a beautiful grass runway. The town or Government could do so much more with this place as it is I feel a spot in Aviation History. I know that you will enjoy your stay at the Rothesay House B & B . You will love to hear about the history of the house and area. You will enjoy using this place as your home base while visiting Newfoundland as it is close to a lot of wonderful areas and sights. And you will love trying all of Lynn's great breakfasts and dinners. Ask her about her homemade bee-less honey Mmmmm. Great Time, Great People, Great Place.

The Country Corner Restaurant
Brigus, Newfoundland
Down Home Excellence
*****
On a recent trip to the Rock my Sister and I took in a lot of wonderful sights, people, and great food. One of these stops was at the small town of Brigus Newfoundland. The little shop called The Country Corner is well worth the trip to that area. They have a quaint little souvenir shop with all sorts of great things to buy and see. And in the back of the store is a very clean and quaint café for a lunch stop. The food here is top notch and the service is fast and friendly. They claim to have the World Famous Cod Chowder here and I would have to agree with them. Their special that we ordered was the richest and creamiest cod chowder I have ever had, along with a nice warm bun and a blueberry crisp with ice-cream for dessert. It was all to die for. My Sister and I loved it all so much that we had to make a second trip to this lovely little town just for lunch. Well worth stopping bye for.

JASMINE CHINESE CUISINE
Niagara Falls
Great Little Place
*****
My wife and I have been to this place quite a few times now in the last year after finding the place. It is kind of hidden back in a strip mall but once there you won't be disappointed. The service is so very friendly and the food is very good quality for the price. I know you will love the place as we do once you try it. Just a quaint place to have a great meal. Enjoy

Gage Park
Hamilton
Brings Back Memories
****
This is a great place to let your kids run wild. My sister use to take me there when I was a child and we had great times. Lots of grass areas to run a play, a rose garden, water feature, special events during the summer, concerts, and a great place to throw a blanket and have a picinic.

Royal Botanical Gardens
Burlington
Eden
*****
This place is massive with lots of site and things to see and do. The plants and water features are beautiful and well worth the visit. Worth the drive.

Devil's Punchbowl Falls
Stoney Creek
It's A Long Way Down
***
This place has been around for ever it seems, as I use to bike there when I was a kid. It is something to visit but isn't all that great. There is a large area of land around the parking area that I wish they would develop into a nice park and picinic area. The steel tower cross that is on the site is something to see, and you must read the story on on the plaque that is with it.

Memphis Fire Barbeque Company
Winona
Mmmmmmm BBQ
****
This place turns out some pretty darn good quality BBQ. The portion sizes are pretty good and the price is not too bad, but best of all their BBQ is really good. If you like milkshakes with your meal then this place makes a great one. The decor is not too bad but I feel they could bump it up a notch. The service is also fast and friendly. The table layout is good also as there is lots of elbow room for eating and sauce flinging. Check it out as I know you won't be disappointed.

Avondale Dairy Bar
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Closed for the season :(
****
This place has excellent icecream and the portions are huge. The only things that are on the minus side are. You have to go out of the building and around the side to get to the washrooms ( this is not nice if it is raining), they could spruce up the place a little inside and add some more tables and chairs, they could clean the eating area a little more often, it would be great if they would sell say some burgers, fries, and hotdogs maybe, and the sad part is they close over the winter months. I must say again though that their icecream is very good and one day I will build up my courage to try one of their monster banana splits with my wife.

Mandarin Restaurant
St. Catharines
Meet You There
*****
This is our favourite Asian restaurant. It is always clean, the food is hot and lots of it, the service is always right there for you, they have a huge selection of food, the decor is nice, and gives you an all around pleasant experience.

 Chile & Agave
St. Catharines
Ole`
****
The food was fresh and made well, I believe from scratch. The decor could be kicked up a notch to give it a bit more Mexican feel. The service was good with pleasant servers. The hot sauce is REALLY HOT :) but good. The bathrooms though are in great need of a makeover and need to be renovated asap.

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar  
St. Catharines
The Best
*****
My wife and I have been dining at The Keg locations for years now. The St. Catharines location is the one we love the best so far. The quality of the food is excellent, the service is very good as they make you feel right at home, and the decor is very nice. If you ever have an issue they will take care of it right away and make things right. Just and all around great place to spend an anniversary, birthday, or a romantic night out.

Lancaster Smokehouse
Kitchener
GREAT SOUTHERN STYLE BBQ
*****
If you are looking for some really good Southern Style BBQ this is the place for you. I use to judge bbq competitions for about 5 years here in Ontario, so I know what to look for. The quality, and quantity of the food we received was great for the price. If you are planning on going there on the weekend it would be wise to phone to make a reservation, as we had a 40 minute wait without one. This place is just rockn out with live blues music to in you are so inclined. Give them a try and you won't be disappointed.