UAG Dines Out

Hong Fa Restaurant 462 Prince Street, Sydney      This month UAG spent an evening at Hong Fa Restaurant - February is such a tough month what with the cost of all of our monthly bills going up and up, we decided to have a cheaper outing. This decision attracted our largest number of members yet!  There were ten of us for dinner on Friday night. And how was our cheap night?  Were we disappointed in our decision to go downtown instead of uptown?       Not at all! Although none of us spent more than twenty dollars, and that's with dessert and a tip, we each had a wonderful meal. The atmosphere was relaxing, the service was not terrible, and the food, well, the food was delicious. The servings were so generous that several of us had a lovely lunch the following day. Here are the two appetizers that were ordered: Fried Wontons Hong Fa makes the best deep fried wontons - there is just no argument on this.  And look at the gravy b...

KIJU'S RESTAURANT 50 Maillard Street Sydney, NS Entrance seating area  Kiju's. You have just sucked in your breath, haven't you? Yes, Kiju's, known as the "Hit or Miss" restaurant; if you asked twelve people what they thought of their visit to Kiju's, six would tell you that it was a delightful experience and six will tell you that they would never return. Funnily enough, there are two Google reviews, and only two reviews, online and they illustrate exactly this split in opinion. Some of the UAG members that attended this month's outing had been before - and yes, one had had a very nice time and one was going to give it one more try.  So what is the problem at Kiju's? One of the spectacular views from this building Kiju's is located in the very centre of things; it is easily accessible from town or from the highway, with excellent signage, appropriate for a restaurant that sits in a well-designed conference centre just next...

THE CASINO 525 George Street, Sydney Across from where the liquor store used to be Not exactly as shown What a fun evening! Six of us met at the dining room of the Casino for an evening of good food, laughter, and just a bit of gambling. The Casino was decorated for the holidays, so it was a lovely way to end out the year of UAG gatherings.  Being a gambling establishment, however, there are some things you should know: 1.  the Security Guards are not allowed to have a sense of humour. My joking about checking my ID did not solicit a kind response and my request to take a photo of the Christmas tree in the entrance was dismissed with a lecture about the legalities of cameras inside the main doors.  No smiles, no chuckles, no Christmas spirit there, I'm afraid. 2.  Friday nights during hockey season are extremely busy times in the dining room. It appears that all of the fans eat here first, disappear shortly before the game starts and then c...

THE OLD TRIANGLE 424 Charlotte Street Sydney, NS The Old Triangle on a crisp fall evening This evening's outing reminded me of how much the city of Sydney has changed since I was a young woman working downtown, popping into the Tweed & Hickory, grabbing a sandwich at Ike's, and Christmas shopping along Charlotte Street, long before the Mayflower Mall opened.  Charlotte Street has seen so many changes, yet it manages to still draw people downtown. The owners of The Old Triangle recognized the value of this location and opted to bring the franchise to Sydney.  So what did we think of the transformation of Smooth Herman's to The Old Triangle?        For those of you who remember dining at Smooth Herman's (oh, remember their Caesar Salad?), you will find that everything is where it was.  The renovations have simply opened the front area, spruced up the restrooms and refreshed the main dining areas. Most importantly, however, this is...

THE CEDAR HOUSE Restaurant and Bakery 899 Hwy.105, Boularderie Wall of home-made goodies The Cedar House. Even the name of the restaurant brings a smile.  For me, the Cedar House is the place that I stop on my way to Halifax to pick up a bag of large home-made cookies to have with my travel mug of hot tea.  Or it's the spot where we stop on our way home because we are just too tired to cook a meal or perhaps to pick up a dessert for later or a loaf of fresh bread for the morning.  But tonight, eight friends were making the Cedar House our destination. And what do friends talk about on their half-hour drive to a restaurant? Well, not what you would expect - we talked about what it's like for women to work out west in the oil fields (it's great) and gravy. Yes, before we even left work, we were told about the gravy.  The Cedar House is well-known it seems for its gravy, and in fact, regulars know that their Hot Turkey Sandwich is the best of a...