Brunch with Jack & Lois

Yesterday we got together with some friends for brunch at "Jack & Lois" at 301 James Street North, just north of Barton. Open for a little over a year, this place is a popular addition to the James Street North neighbourhood with their funky style and tasty food. It's kind of like old fashioned diner food, but much better.

 There's a wide selection of gourmet burgers that come alone ($7 - $11) or as a platter with slaw and soup ($10 - $14), parmesan sandwiches available in veal, chicken or vegetarian ($12 - $13) and the all day gourmet breakfast ($7 - $12).

Two of my friends opted for the "Hummingbird" breakfast which is "2 eggs your way, hash browns,  grilled American cheese fingers, 2 choices of meat OR (veg option) 2 stuffed angels & fresh fruit". That was some mighty fine looking bacon.

 The peameal bacon were big slices and too much for one person to eat all on their own. Luckily another diner at our table was able to assist. All breakfasts came with sliced fresh fruit and big chunks of hash browns. We were amused to learn that the "grilled American cheese fingers" were grilled cheese sandwiches that came with the meals. That was a lot of food. The breakfast items were declared to be delicious.

 The "Lighter Side" breakfast featured "Balkan yogurt w/ a side of organic granola, two egg omelette & fresh fruit".

 As we were nearing the lunch hour I chose a sandwich from the Parm options. "The Chancellor" features "breaded free range, grain fed chicken breast cutlets, Chef’s red sauce, asiago, basil, butter fried mushrooms, caramelized onion on an ‘Ace’ bakery baguette". Wow!!! This was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. It had everything I like in it and the flavours blended together beautifully. It comes with a side Asian slaw and Spicy Thai soup. This was wonderful and filled me up for the rest of the day.

The "Soprano" is "8oz of fresh hand pressed, seasoned beef, fresh basil, tomato, asiago cheese, balsamic caramelized onions on a garlic toasted ‘Cake & Loaf’ bun".  This photo is actually from my lunch there two weeks ago. This was a truly great burger. Beautifully seasoned meat that was full of flavour.

 The "Mona Lisa" grilled cheese is a "variation on the classic grilled cheese crafted with bocconcini, asiago, caramelized onions, fresh basil & tomatoes, balsamic vinegar".  Yum!

 The interior of the restaurant is an eclectic design style with a chandelier on the ceiling and 3D pictures of kittens, vintage record albums and funky wallpaper. If you look closely, you 'll notice that there is an autographed photo of Canadian actor William Shatner over the bar. Owner Eric Bowden works in the film industry in Toronto and got a chance to meet Shatner so this photo is a personal momento. Another nod to Bowden's interest in the film industry is the placement of movie scripts at the tables next to the menus. I could imagine us sitting there reading out scenes from the "Inglorious Basterds" script we found at our table. Platters are served in empty film cannisters adding to the theme.

 

 There are specials made fresh daily and the menu claims that they have "a King’s ransom of the finest Hot Sauces hand selected by the Chief of Fire from the molten underbelly of a flavour volcano located on the Equator". That's pretty impressive!!

Hours are Sundays 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, closed Mondays, Tuesdays 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM and Wednesday & Thursday from 11:00AM - 9:00PM, Fridays 11:00AM - 9:00PM and Saturdays 9:00AM - 11:00PM. We didn't get a chance to check out the patio that is now open but we'll be back for that for sure. Yet another tasty reason to visit James Street North.  For more info, visit http://jackandlois.com/

Game Night

 I love to play board games. Getting together with a group of friends to have a fun and social game of "Lords of Water Deep" or "Settlers of Catan" is both relaxing and entertaining. When I heard a few months back that Hamilton would be getting its own board game lounge I was thrilled. There are several of these popping up in different cities and one of the better known ones in the GTA is "Snakes and Lattes" in Toronto where you pay a minimal cover charge and get access to all the various board games in stock and a table to play them with your friends. Usually snacks and beverages are available for purchase. It's a great idea. It's basically a coffee shop with a theme, and a great draw for those looking for a fun night out but too young to go to a bar or just people who want to try out different games before purchasing them.

After waiting for several months to get through the process of opening a business, the doors of Gameopolis, Hamilton's first board game lounge, officially opened tonight at 223 King Street East. Owners Nick and Jessica are boardgamers themselves and saw a need for this kind of business in Hamilton. Tonight some friends and I went to try it out and got in a couple of good games of "King of Tokyo" in honour of Pacific Rim opening at theatres this weekend, plus "Flashpoint" which is a firefighter game where you have to rescue people from a burning house before it collapses. We also  tried some card games with "Flux" and "Smash Up" which combines wizards, ninjas, pirates, dinosaurs and more. Oh my! Other than "Flux", I'd never played any of these games before and they were a lot of fun and easy to catch on!

Gameopolis has a great variety of games, boasting over 550 in stock. There's also something for everyone as one table had a young child playing Hungry Hippos and others were trying out "Ticket to Ride" and "Small World". There were the familiar games we all know from our childhood like Monopoly, Clue, Mousetrap, etc. There are also a whole slew of movie and tv themed games such as Star Wars Monopoly, the Price is Right, a Grizzly Adams board game and more than a few that made me feel much older than I think I am. I even saw a Hardy Boys board game. You're also going to see one or two that you've never heard of before that may seem a little intimidating, but give them a chance. There are some wonderful adventures to be had in that wall of cardboard and plastic.

One thing that may surprise you is that instead of the traditional unhealthy diet associated with gamers, Gameopolis has some healthy options. Salads are available as well as nutritious sandwiches and dips. There are still traditional items like mini chocolate bars and desserts, but it's great to be able to make healthier choices. I asked for a glass of water at one point I was offered the option of a refreshing glass of cucumber water and it was these little touches that made this place stand out.

 

The cover charge is $5 for unlimited play and half price for children under 10 or for anyone on Tuesday evenings. What was great about this experience was that so many people were doing their own thing but they were so clearly having a lot of fun and were happy to recommend their games when asked. The atmosphere was friendly and casual and we'll definitely go back. Check out the website for Gameopolis at http://www.gameopolis.ca for a full list of games waiting to be played or just drop in as they're open Sunday - Tuesday & Thursday: 12pm - 10pm, Friday & Saturday: 12pm - 12am and closed on Wednesdays.

Seven Sundays at Gage Park

You just know it's going to be a fun night in Hamilton when you combine a hot summer night, food trucks and a free concert in Gage Park. I couldn't begin to count how many people came out for the first in the "Seven Sundays" concert series taking place at Gage Park every Sunday evening throughout the summer, but I'm guessing 300 - 400 would be a good estimate.

 
People were so friendly and chatting with each other while waiting in line for dinner from either Willy's Hotdog Wagon or Karma ChaMEALeon, the vegan food truck.

There was also an ice cream wagon serving soft serve cones and sundaes plus a snow cone stand, although there was a refreshing cross breeze across the park and it was very comfortable. Karma ChaMEALeon was serving Veggie tacos, Sunshine burgers, Vegetarian Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches and veggie corndogs. These came with sides of coleslaw or fries.

At 7pm, the band for the night took the stage. The Dinner Belles are a six-piece group that are a little bit folk and a little bit country and a whole lot of fun. Their music was lively and the crowd was tapping their feet throughout and some even got up to dance.

One favourite of mine was when they did a rousing rendition of the Kooky Country classic "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road". I'll be humming that one for a while. Shortly after 8pm there were a few raindrops but people just pulled out their umbrellas and carried on. It never did start to shower and the band played until 8:20pm which is a very reasonable hour for those in attendance and those who live in the neighbourhood surrounding the park.

At one point I wandered over to the Gage Park rose garden and I could easily hear the band from there so it was nice to be able to move around and still enjoy the show. It was great to see people of all ages come out and having fun outdoors.

The concert series continues every Sunday evening in July and August with the food trucks at 6pm and the evening's band taking the stage at 7pm. It was confirmed at the end of the night that for the entire month of August, films would be shown at 9pm following the concert. For the full lineup or more info, please visit: http://sevensundays.ca/  Coming up for the rest of July, the featured acts will be:

July 14 - The Silver Swing Big Band
July 21 - Dawn & Marra at 7pm followed by Terra Lightfoot at 8pm
July 28 - Matthew de Zoete

The Writing's On The Wall

Normally I don't particularly care for graffiti, however when done right it can be really beautiful and add spots of visual interest to urban areas. While walking downtown this afternoon I came upon a few outdoor areas where the walls have been "enhanced" with graffiti/art and I think they look much better for it. Let me show you what I saw all within a two block area.

On the outside wall of the Tivoli Theatre on James St. N. just north of Wilson St., the blank wall has been converted into an amazing space with fantastic imagery by local artists as part of the Tivoli Theatre Street Art Project. At the end of June, over 30 local artists came out to be part of this initiative to provide an outlet for local artists to engage in legal graffiti and inspire the community. On the main wall facing James Street, you are greeted by a rabbit riding a giant turtle and taking a turn around the corner to the left will show you even further wonders. A narrow alleyway is completely covered on the lower part on the right side and you can walk straight through to Hughson Street in this outdoor art gallery. To learn more about how the initiative started last year, and its goals, visit http://gallery.mailchimp.com/26b04914611ffd07dc1fb85c6/files/Tivoli_press_release_10_22_12_small.1.pdf

If you follow the alley through to Hughson Street and turn right you'll see The Living Rock at the corner of Wilson and Hughson. In the parking lot behind the building is what is left of an art project from the 1990s that is now being partly reclaimed by nature and partly covered for practical purposes. However the graffiti art is still a big part of this urban environment, adding colour and personality to the area.

Walk across the parking lot and back towards Wilson and you'll see that on the side wall of Dr. Disc, on Wilson Street near James St. N., is a bold mural that was done last year by a Montreal group called En Masse. Assisted by some local artists this was commissioned for Supercrawl in September.  The mural will likely be replaced by something else at some point, as some parts are starting to peel off due to water damage. It will be exciting to see what might come next. If you're interested in seeing other work done by En Masse, visit their website at http://enmasse.info/

Nations Fresh Takeaway Dinner

Normally I would not consider doing a review of takeout food from a grocery store, however this situation is a bit different. Tonight I decided to try Jackson Square's new grocery store, Nations Fresh Foods, and their prepared foods for supper and the results were tasty and interesting.

At 5pm on a Saturday afternoon the place was packed. This could be due to the fact that a Rush concert is taking place at Copps Coliseum tonight and all the other places to get food in the area were full to overflowing. However I don't think that was the case because there were a lot of people who did not look like your typical Rush fans buying actual groceries, not just takeout as I was. I'm glad to see this because it brings people and cash into the downtown core. What I'm most pleased about Nations Fresh is that their prices are competitive to other grocery stores in the area. Also, when I compare what we paid for supper tonight to what we'd pay for delivery we actually saved money. For two people and a selection of eight different items we paid less than $25 and there are leftovers for tomorrow.

From the buffet where items are sold by weight I got some of the pork ribs. Three medium sized pieces weighed in at about a half pound and came to $3.77 . The ribs were very tasty and had some sort of an Asian seasoning. I could definitely taste soy sauce and there were delicious spices without too much heat but a very nice flavour. There was no fat or gristle in the pieces that we ate and they were nice and meaty.

 

These beautiful deep fried shrimp purses were very good. Filled with chopped shrimp they were not greasy and had a nice crunch when you bit into them.  I didn't use the package of Miracle Whip because that would have been too rich for my tastes and they were fine as is. $2.79 for four.

The chicken dumplings were plump and full of delicious chicken.  Lightly pan fried after being steamed, they were soft without being too doughy. $2.29 for three pieces.

 

 Not everyone is a fan of eggplant like I am but when I saw that there was a stuffed eggplant dish I had to try it. The baby eggplants were baked and had a meat filling which looked like cooked ham. I didn't care for the meat filling but the eggplant itself was very good. I paid $2.29 for six pieces.

 

Also for $2.29 you get a container with six torpedo shrimp. They were nothing special but were tasty.

 I really liked that there were some prepackaged vegetable salads that you could just grab to add to your dinner. This is seaweed salad. I've never eaten this before and it had a nice flavour although the consistency is a little offputting at first as it's sort of gummy when you chew on it. $2.79 for a container.

 

 We both really liked the Sweet & Sour Carrot and Turnip Salad. It had a vinegar dressing, but was really fresh and not overpowering like some coleslaw salads you might try. $1.99 for a container. I highly recommend this. It's healthy and very tasty.

 

These are "Green Tea Cakes". I assumed that because they were in the hot foods counter that they were savoury, but when I bit into one I discovered that it contained a slightly sweet red bean filling. Very delicious and I almost thought it was a chocolate filling at first. These were so good that I ate two. They were priced at $2.29 for three cakes.

So now I'm very full and have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. I'll definitely go back again because there's just so much to try and there is so much variety. We joked that if the zombie apocalypse happens that's where we're heading because you could survive for years off the food they've got there. 

Happy Canada Day

Happy Canada Day! I hope you had a great day and did something fun and interesting. I personally went to the harbourfront area and took a cruise on the Harbour Queen while watching the fireworks taking place at Bayfront Park. This was a great way to avoid the crowds and have a prime viewing spot for photos or just enjoyment of the occasion. It was an unusually chilly night but we braved the cold winds for a fun and different way to cruise.

I've done the daytime cruises on the Harbour Queen before. Stunning views and fresh lake breezes are so relaxing, but the evening cruise was lots of fun too and you could not have chosen a better view for the fireworks displays. I loved how the fireworks reflected on the water and that's just not something you can see from land. It's a completely different perspective.

 The Hamilton Harbour Queen itself has been a mainstay at the Hamilton harbour since 2005, and in addition to lunch and dinner cruises it hosts regular dance parties and other special events. Upcoming special events during the rest of the summer include:

Saturday, July 13 from 10pm - 12am - 80s night dance party.
Friday, August 16 from 8pm - 11pm - “Rock’n the Harbour” Dance Party  Cruise with Rock’n Ray Michaels
Saturday, August 31, September 14 & 28 - Rock n' Roll Dance Party

For more information on the Hamilton Harbour Queen and purchasing tickets for upcoming events, visit http://www.hamiltonwaterfront.com/2011/11/11/special-events/ or visit their ticket office at the Hamilton waterfront.