Authentic And Affordable Home Style Italian

It's true that 90% of the North American population must be on some sort of diet or weight loss program by now and I'm sure that the sales of salad and vegetables are at an all-year high.

It's also true that many people are starting to feel the pain of holiday shopping. After the holidays so many of us receive our December statements and hesitantly open the envelope to see these huge numbers looking at us. I'm sure you must have the same reaction I do and you must always wonder how it is possible that you could have spent so much money in only a few weeks. Once the shock of holiday shopping has calmed down and you realize it will take more than a few weeks to lose all that weight you've put on over the holidays, you'll most likely realize that as some point in the near future you'd still like to go out for dinner once in a while.

It's true that a lot of people are going to pack a lunch in the hopes of cutting back on their food spending and some might consider fast food restaurants (and I'm referring to both sit-down fast food restaurants and those take-away/take-out ones) as a great way to eat out without spending too much money. Since I don't eat at fast food restaurants, I'll usually save my dining-out budget for restaurants that leave a memorable impression.

Now, a local eatery such as a local bistro will NEVER be as cheap as a fast food restaurant but you won't spend nearly as much as higher end restaurant and you'll end up with a delicious meal at a great price.

Local eateries use fresh ingredients in the preparation of their meal something you won't see in fast food joints and local eateries actually employ chefs that have a sense of consciousness when it comes to the food they prepare and serve.

I was really not in the mood to cook the other night so I decided to head to a local eatery called Le Gourmand to taste their new food concept.

I've known Le Gourmand from my days as a food critic because owner Milton Nunez has created the most authentic French style café in the city and serves the best coffee I've ever tasted. Don't even think of getting me started on their freshly baked cookies, which honestly are so outrageously delicious they should be banned from human consumption because they are addictive. I travel about 45 minutes from my home to the original Le Gourmand café and let me tell you that I've travelled that far in the middle of winter when only Le Gourmand café and baked goods would do to calm my craving. I love that coffee that much!

When Le Gourmand opened a new eatery concept near my home and decided to expend their usual breakfast, brunch and lunch menu to dinner, I was eager to stop by and taste their fare.

Even when I used to review French restaurants for a living, I used to always find that I gravitated towards smaller bistros than restaurants (and I do the same when I'm in Paris). Now don't get me wrong, I have my list of favourite restaurants in the city, but I will visit my favourite eateries and bistros far more often because the price/quality ratio is unbeatable.