Turkey Drum at Brewsters

My first trip to the Meadowlark Brewsters in quite some time led me to order something off of the Irish-inspired special menu. It was a turkey drumstick - a whole drumstick grilled with crispy skin, a drizzle of a lemon aioli, and a slightly spicy barbecue sauce on the side. The meat was tender and juicy, coming away from the bone with only the use of a fork. The side of apple fennel slaw was a disappointment, though - it tasted pretty much like run of the mill slaw with a few apple slices thrown in. An additional small side of a starch would have rounded out the meal nicely - perhaps some tater tots?

Vegging Out: Padmanadi

A business lunch brought me to Padmanadi this week. I ordered off of the lunch menu and was surprised with a starter bowl of carrot ginger soup. The flavours were delicate, with the carrot providing sweetness and the ginger not overpowering.

I was in need of a veggie meat fix, so ordered an appetizer of bean curd drumsticks. The "skin" was crispy and tasted rather authentic. The moist insides did not taste totally like chicken, but the texture and flavour were heading in the right direction.

The lunch menu consists of a number of Padmanadi's most famous main courses teamed up with rice, vegetables, and spring rolls. My generous portion of sweet and sour veggie pork filled whatever room I had left. Plenty of rice absorbed the delicious sweet and sour sauce. The spring rolls added some extra crunch.