Grace

the buffet is absolutely delicious. lots of vegetarian options as well. their potato masal is unbelievably good. the tandoori chicken is a little dry. their rasmalai was so yummy. it’s always crowded except for the 15 minutes after opening so the food is always fresh.

delicious sashimi and tempura. it’s a little pricey, a little more than tachibana for example. but the sashimi is very fresh and yum. service was good. they don’t open for lunch on some days though. it’s sparsely decorated and the tables/seats aren’t the most comfortable but when food’s that good, who cares?

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The food is pretty good here – typical Asian fusion food. Pad Thai, Mandarin Chicken Salad, etc. While good, there isn’t anything exceptional about the restaurant’s food. The tropical drinks are both delicious and fun to look at. As is the decor – it’s very nicely decorated but it doesn’t mean you have to dress up to be allowed in. The downside of Big Bowl is the ridiculously long wait to get a table, regardless of if you show up early or call ahead. The service is just as bad. It’s not so much that the wait staff is rude but they completely neglect you once your order has been taken. It’s definitely not a good place to go if you’re on a time crunch.

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So I didn’t eat many of the delightful looking desserts or buy all of the absolutely scrumptuous pre-packaged chocolates.. but I did get the hot chocolate. Which was enough to make me want to go back even though it was a long walk.. although you can enjoy it by walking along the waterfront. There were 3 hot chocolate options, milk chocolate, dark and a spicy version. The hot chocolate was rich and just sweet enough without overpowering the cocoa flavor. I didn’t try the spicy hot chocolate there but I’ve had it elsewhere – it’s delicious. It’s not spicy the way we think of tabasco sauce spicy where it burns and you need water.. anything to make it better. But it’s a bit of spiciness at the end of your sip that is just enough so you notice it but not overpowering. The hot chocolate was perfect for a windy day and there are some stools and chairs where you can hang out with friends before you step out into the cold.

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Have you ever been forced to make a decision between 2 entrees and you don’t know which one to go with? Or if you should get that appetizer? At Candela, there’s an option of getting half of an appetizer and half of an entree, or half of 2 entrees. It’s a nice option if you want salad but you also want the calamari.. or the ravioli.. or whatever else is tempting you. The food is very delicious with a variety of cuisine, Italian cuisine might be the most prevalent but then there are also pan-Asian dishes on the menu.

The decor is very romantic, medieval meets urban is the best way to describe it. And as it’s name describes, there are candles all over the restaurant. While waiting for your table or party, there are very comfortable couches available for you to lounge and order drinks at. The drinks are very good – the French martini was delicious.

Unfortunately, there are a few downsides to Candela. The waiting area isn’t very large so if you have a big party, it’ll get a little cramped. Likewise, Candela isn’t set up for big parties (i.e. over 5) There isn’t enough space to accomodate a large group – unless you only want to be able to talk to the people directly in front and next to you. The music is also slightly louder than you’d expect for such a romantic setting.