Portovino is a lovely Italian 'ristorante' where the bread is served hot (read: gooey on the inside and toasty on the outside), meats and fish are brought table side for your choosing, and the pasta is so divine, that it would satisfy eve the most critical palates (seriously, have you ever met someone who wasn't impressed with the Duo di Mare dish?? A sprinkling of dill on a a giant scallop is the stuff of dreams). The only con I can think of that denies this superb restaurant a perfect score is the service on weekends. They seemed understaffed the one time I visited on a Saturday night, resulting in very slow service, some plate mix-ups, etc. However, we were a big group, and the several times I've eaten here on weekdays and weeknights, I've had nothing short of a great experience. In short, if you happen to have had a lovely day of shopping at Carrefour Laval and are feeling peckish - treat yourself to a fabulous meal at Portovino. And don't forget: "Portovino" translates as "Bring Wine"...so make a quick stop at the SAQ before dining!

positive

wow, wow, wow. words cannot accurately describe the heavenly experience I had tonight at Noca... I was convinced to check the place out by Gabi K's review...and I was not disappointed, in the least. Jamie and I made reservations(pretty necessary at a place where, at 6:00 on a Tuesday evening, it was jam-packed), and were greeted by the chef, who was friendly and accomodating and lead us to a nice half-booth in the back. we started with the Foie Gras Tarchon(I've been dying to try foie gras since I was a kid watching the British show "Chef" lol)...it was better than anything I'd imagined...melt-in-your-mouth butteriness, a bit salty, and wonderfully creamy when spread on the crunchy-but-soft brioche toastinis...it came with a pineapple jam that was equally divine with the foie gras, and with the brioche... we also had the Sweetbread Fricassee...the sauteed sweetbread morsels were tender and tasted almost like seafood...it was a delicious dish, but the overlying flavor was of the bacon infused throughout the sweetbread and greens...very good, but a little oily for me. our server, Robert, suggested the Riesling(tasted like honey and citrus, with a lovely spike on the tip of the tongue) to pair with my foie gras, and my entree--the Day Scallops, and I thanked him heartily for the suggestion. the Day Scallops were seared, the salt they were seasoned with seemed to showcase the inherent sweetness and butteriness of the scallops themselves...they were so tender and succulent, and perfect with the creamy mushroom risotto and bacon-sauteed broccoli rabe...during this course, I finished my Riesling and tried a glass of the Super Tuscan, a rich red wine that smelled of butter, with plump-fruit flavors, which grew subtly bitterer on the back of the tongue(I finished that wine with several bites of Jamie's tender, juicy Prime Beef Rib-Eye--I'd been craving steak for ages) for dessert, we had the complimentary(vanilla-infused) cotton candy. the last time I had this lovely confection was 6 years ago, when my Dad took me to the Barnum & Bailey Circus...and maybe my memory serves me wrong, but Noca's may have been the best cotton candy I've ever had...it melts on your tongue in a matter of seconds, and it's impossible to stop eating... Jamie had the 'Cookies and Milk'--malted vanilla shake with thick, soft, melty chocolate chip cookies(more like blondie brownies filled with chocolate)...I didn't try any, but he loved it. and...I've been waiting for this part: I ordered the Cheesecake, Dissected(I think that's what it was called)...it may be the BEST dessert I've ever had...maybe even the best dish I've ever had...it consisted of 3 balls of what tasted suspiciously like sweet butter in cheesecake form(each about the size of a large gumball), surrounded by graham/pastry crispy crumbles(sweet, but salty)...the plate was drizzled generously with a lemon creme sauce, and dotted about were pure lime-vanilla gelees(each very small and PACKED with pure tang and flavor)...it was completely decadent, yet deceptively light...an experiment in flavors with every bite, and I will never forget it or get over it...it was heavenly, that's all there is to it. I paired it with the 20-year Tawny Port(simply because I'd never tried port lol)...it was seductively sweet at first taste, but was much too much like bourbon to suit my taste--burned all the way down. luckily it came in a tiny, delicate, stemmed dessert flute) anyway, bottom line: Noca is a bit pricey, but worth every dollar---the service is friendly and helpful without being patronizing, the atmosphere is boisterous, yet cozy, and the food is...well, the food is to die for. we're heading back for Valentine's Day...making our reservations this week :)

positive

I love the hot dogs from the hot dog truck so I had to try out their Short Leash restaurant. And it's amazing!!! The food is still awesome! They even have delicious donuts too. But what sets this place apart from any other place i have ever been to is the fact that even though this place is so busy one of the owners, Brad, still remembers me and makes my experience personal and not just like another customer.

positive

The idea is great and what inevitably will get you to try Oink Cafe. The hostess staff and most employees seem to have better things to do than be at work. I ordered the BLT. It is listed as one of their specialties. The waitstaff asked what type of bacon I wanted as they offer eight flavors. I stated Applewood, but changed my mind and said, bring whatever you recommend. The BLT came out in three layers of blah wheat bread. I'm pretty sure it was a 99 cent loaf of bread and the bacon had no flavor at all. The manager came around and asked how our lunch was, I told him it was okay. He said just ok and I told him my thoughts; the meal was rather bland. He said, hopefully, they can impress better my next visit. They won't have that opportunity. Where we can order bacon everything from specialty store, don't eat here if you want some Jimmy Dean packaged bacon.
negative