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I had quite the adventure yesterday with a good friend of mine, which included some great foods at a restaurant not to far from campus. The adventure began when Dave (an engineering friend of mine) and I ventured west on Harbord past Spadina into the area known as the Annex. I've never actually walked west of Spadina into this area in all my years at UofT and was surprised by the establishments and the ambiance of the atmosphere. It felt like a lesser known part of Toronto, hidden with many interesting restaurants ranging from the high-end elite to the bargain hunters.
As we were walking and with my growing anticipation for food (enhanced by my growling stomach), Dave was telling me not to be shocked or surprised by the exterior of this restaurant. He informed me the restaurant may look structurally unsound and more like a make-shift shed than the well-established restaurants that we were passing by on the way there. Now, with that unsettling thought in mind, I was hesitant to continue my journey...wanting to just stop, turn around and head back the other way to more established restaurant like McDs, BK, or maybe..just maybe some Chinese truck food.
Nearing our destination, I didn't notice the building, but Dave insisted it was there.."just around that building", he said. I was still confused as I didn't notice any establishment....and as we passed a building that was overshadowing it...there it appeared, Harbord Fish and Chips. Dave was right about the exterior being unappealing with its roof sinking on one side, peeling paint exterior, and an interior that could barely fit 6 people (including the 2 employees working there!). I was reluctant to go in at first but was assured by Dave that the food was top-notch.
Dave told me their servings of food were huge, especially the fries which was almost a pound! We decided to order 2 pieces of Halibut (choice between Halibut or Haddock) and a single serving of fries. The single serving of fries was large enough to feed two hung men like us, and hence there was no need in ordering two servings. The menu was very simple and concise, consisting of 2 types of fish, chips, and fried shrimp. The restaurant was VERY tight and "cozy", with only 3 stools and a make-shift ledge as tables. When you entered the establishment, you were immediately faced by a counter separating you and the 2 industrial sized deep-fryers that they operated. Given the small area of the restaurant, they also featured 2 park benches in front for those wanting to enjoy their meal on a nice sunny day. I've been told majority of the patrons come for the takeout experience more than the dine-in, as they wrap all their food in unprinted newspaper, followed by another exterior wrapping of printed newspaper (in this case, the National Post ) just like that of the British.
We watched as our food was being prepared before us, absorbing the aromas of fried fish in its unique egg batter, and the fresh cut fries that were being served with it. The serving of halibut was huge, filling the entire surface of the golden-fries embedded basket. The lady was very generous giving us ample servings of tartar sauce (one of my main criteria for good fish and chips) to go with our meal. Dave and I decided to settle into one of the make-shift ledges and sat on the bar stools, shoulder to shoulder (literally), to enjoy our meal. I'm not a connoisseur in fish and chips but the food I had sitting before me was amazing. The halibut was perfectly deep fried with just the right amount of batter encompassing it. The fresh cut fries affixed with their potato skin were crisp and steaming hot, served with the usual salt, pepper, ketchup, and vinegar on the side.
All in all, it was a very satisfying meal which really hit the spot, and it was of great value with everything on the menu $10 and under. Despite the humble exterior of this restaurant, it really is one of the hidden jewels of the Annex which will satisfy anyone looking for a quick meal. And as the saying "you can't judge a book by its cover" is true...you really can't judge a restaurant by its exterior. Cheers!
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It's that time of the season again...and for most people, they don't really care for Formula 1 but YES, it is a sport. I am very eager to see the competition this season. Many questison are running through my mind, such as: How will Renault defend their title this season? Who's going to be the serious contenders for the title this year? Will most teams be up to par in engine reliabitliy given FIA's new implementations? Is Bridgestone going to have redemption this year on Michelin? How will the United States welcome back F1 racing after last years debacle? Looks to be a great season..can't wait!
In terms of team loyalty, I shall be boosting my two favorite teams: McLaren Mercedes and Honda as usual. Nice to see Honda powering two teams this year, with Super Aguri joining the ranks, but I still see more potential in team Honda's existing infrastructure and their leading man Jenson Button. McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 is the most gorgeous car out there on the track. By far, it has the coolest paint job and stems away from the tradition red white and black McLaren colors. The MP4-21 is a true photogenic beauty and I hope it goes as fast as it looks. A little worried about Mercedes engine reliability on the new V8s but I have my trust in the Germans.
Interesting to see Michael Schumacher's (aka Schumi) decision about his career next year, whether to continue with F1 and if so, whether or not he's still going to be with the Scuderia group. Much of this decision will be contingent on the 2006 season and how much Ferrari is in contention with the rest of the pack for the title. After a dissapointing 2005 season for Ferrari and Schumi, this season will definitely be the make-or-break decision for this well accomplished driver.
On a side note: A Little bit of Canadian pride still exists in me, being hopeful that Jacque Villeneuve can salvage as much of his remaining years in F1 will allow him too. Interesting to see how he will be at Sauber (his behaviour more than anything), now having BMW as a heavy-weight engine provider. Hope Villeneuve still has that fighting and aggressive style that he possessed battling Schumi before during his prime in the late 90s. He WILL need to prove himself worthy again with BMW Sauber or he'll probably get the boot.
Villeneuve during the pre-season Testing.
Well, much to contemplate still, so without further adieu start your engines and let the season begin  .
How gorgeous is that McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - Check out That Paint Job!
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| Finally, the bleeding has stopped! Four days after my wisdom
teeth extraction, I finally see improvement. Sorry folks, no
pictures of the puffed up cheeks as the swelling has started to
subside. My left side is still more swollen and i'm finding the
discoloration due to the bruising very annoying. Kinda funny how
most people lose weight from their post-operative recovery, but I think
I stayed the same. Tried to maintain my caloric intake as much as
possible not giving into the pain. That's where all the soft
desserts and ice-cream come into play.
Best part of getting your wisdom teeth out is getting to drink
smoothies all day and eating ice-cream. Thanks to Stacey for
providing me a nice adequate tub of ice-cream which she initially
refused to eat with me. She has kept me company throughout this
ordeal and I'm so blessed to have her. So if you're reading
this hunny, thank you  . Also get
to spend countless hours watching TV and sleeping while being drugged
up on the painkillers. Great way to spend the last couple days of
reading week.
Now it's back to business as usual. Gotta get ready for my
Investments midterm...hope it turns out alright. Really need
faith to get me through this final stretch of the semester. And
on that bombshell, time to get cracking again.
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| So for the people that know me, one of my dreams is to drive an F1 car
on the street. Or pretty much a road-going F1 racecar with a
moving Pit-crew. Alrite...I agree, the whole moving pit-crew is
stupid but alas...My dream has come true.
Two former employees at McLaren (I assume are engineers) which were
endowed with much of McLaren's racing knowledge and experience has
spun-off to start their own venture: Freestream. The car is known
as the T1 and has a limited production run for only 25 lucky clients
each year.
Their purpose was to engineer a no-compromise F1 car for the
street. It even uses a 2.4 Litre V8, spec-ed like that of the
2006 F1 Season by the FIA (with the removal of the 3.0 Litre
V10s). With a quick glance at the car, you can clearly see the
obvious F1 cues in its aerodynamic
form and mid-engine layout. Couple that with the fighter jet style canopy
roof leading to the overhead air intake, creates an awe inspiring
silhouett at any angle.
With performance numbers that match the Arial Atom and Veyron in
acceleartion (0-60), 3G cornering capabilities, and 200+ mph top speed,
this vehicle will make a proud successor to the McLaren F1. Mind
you, it might not have a top speed of 250+ mph like the Veyron, but put
this car on a track or a winding road in the Alps and the T1 will
out-maneuver that heavy Veyron effortlessly. The T1 weighs in at a mere 1025 lbs, and an output
from the V8 of 480hp will more than likely suffice. And given that it
also has half the cylinders and displacement (Veyron using the
Volkswagon's W16 engine...excessive 16 CYLINDERS vs. 8 in the T1) the
T1's power
to weight ratio is also that much more impressive. Enough said, time to
enjoy the serene beauty of the T1. Cheers!
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| McLaren-Mercedes for Constructors Championship!
One more race left in the MOTHERLAND...Chinese Grand Prix. F1 Fever, Catch It, Keep It.
The Iceman - Kimi Raikkonen
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