Mother's Day Brunch, Dinner Mississauga and Cinco De Mayo

Here are the Mother's Day brunch and dinner notices for two restaurants in Mississauga: The Waterside Inn and Ten Restaurant and Wine Bar, both in Port Credit. As well, Ten's parent resto -- On The Curve, near Square One -- is celebrating Cinco de Mayo tomorrow (May 5).

First for Mother's Day - if there are any seats still to be had for this busiest of holidays. If you want to take mom out for brunch or dinner, you'd better call now.


The Waterside Inn Mother's Day May 10 Brunch is $43.00 per person, but children under 12 half price, two seatings 11:00 am or 1:30 pm, reservations recommended; Mother's Day dinner runs $48-$57 plus tax and tip. Call 905-891-6225 or see watersideinn.ca


Ten Restaurant and Wine Bar Mother's Day poster above is self-explanatory. See the site at TEN for details for menu, and for the Cinco De Mayo celebrations at On The Curve south side of Square One.


With H1N1 in Mexico, most of the May 5 Cinco de Mayo parties in Mexico had to be cancelled. This may be the closest we'll get to marking one of the biggest Central America holidays.

And after brunch on Sunday, head west along Lakeshore to Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, where the azaleas, magnolias and spring bulbs are in flower. And, no, they are not meant to be picked for a Mother's Day bouquet :-) See pics at this blog post.

Snug Harbour Port Credit Winter Dinner Specials - Free Swan and Lighthouse Views

(See Update bottom of page) Snug Harbour restaurant, located at the mouth of the river and across the bridge from the lighthouse in Port Credit has, arguably, the best location of any of the hundreds of places to eat in Mississauga.

Even if the food was unpalatable and the staff unpleasant (and this is not the case at all!), Snug Harbour views and great patio overlooking the Credit River would still be a huge draw.

There's even a riverside walkway for after dinner strolling -- south towards the lake, or west across the river to Saddington Park, or north along the walkway under the bridge on Lakeshore Road into Memorial Park. During the summertime festivals in Port Credit, Snug Harbour has the best location. You can't buy this type of outdoor ambiance any more. Kudos to whomever grabbed this property up!

Swan Near Lighthouse in Port Credit

As winter ends, and the swans migrate again, someone leaves grain here for the swans, usually a it later in the year. A few of these birds were looking for it in the parking lot.

Here's a video of the swans, geese and ducks on the river ice, backdropped by Snug Harbour.

Swans on Credit River Across From Snug Harbour



-See what I mean about the location? When you're stuck for dinner conversation, just watch the birds! (In summer, the boats, sea-doos, canoes, kayaks and dragon boats.)

Lake Ontario Bay -- Port Credit -- Waterfront Trail

About a ten-minute walk from Saddington Park, where the Waterfront Trail takes you along the Lake past the PetroCanada lands, this small bay was covered in the oddest slushy-looking ovoid shapes. Here's a close up (below):

Close up Ice Lake Ontario Port Credit

If anyone knows how these shapes came to be formed, please let me know. How cool (no pun) are they? Is it simply wave action on melting ice?

Anyhow, getting back to the winter dinner specials: An email from Snug Harbour Restaurant says that from now until March 31, Sundays to Thursdays inclusive, from 5 p.m.to closing, Snug Harbour is offering half-price entrees.

Now if getting fed, and saving money in a place with 'Snug' in its name doesn't take the chill off this snowy winter weather, I don't know what would!

More Info:
Snug Harbour.com

Update November 2009: From Snug Harbour:

Lighthouse Restaurant - Snug Harbour, Girasole, Hook's, Breakwater at Waterside Inn

I'm often asked about the restaurant 'at the lighthouse' in Port Credit, and it's hard to know which restaurant they want. There are any number of restaurants along the lakeshore in Mississauga, though as far as I know, none are right on the lake, and none that are called The Lighthouse Restaurant.

Snug Harbour on the Credit River near the lighthouse

Snug Harbour could be called the 'lighthouse restaurant', since it is located just across the river from the landmark lighthouse in Port Credit. This picture shows Snug Harbour (green roof) and patio overlooking marina and river. Lake Ontario is the thin line of blue on the horizon.

Snug Harbour  Looking Out at Lighthouse

 I took this picture on a late-winter night, and the view is still gorgeous, even when it's not summer.

I often go for lunch or dinner at Snug Harbour, and frankly, its big draw is 'location, location, location'. The food is all right (though the chef did do an amazing chili for the Great Chili cook-Off last year) (and I love their spicy garlic mayonnaise for my chips), but the service is uneven. Sometimes you can sit for ages watching staff have wonderfully long chats among themselves, and other times are served fairly quickly.

Girasole Mediterranean on Lakeshore near lighthouse in Port Credit

And Girasole Mediterranean is just steps from the lighthouse in Port Credit, but in the opposite direction. And while there is a patio out front, there are no water views to be had. As of June 2011, there is a sign in the window advising 'closed for renovations'. This is peak tourist and visitor time in Port Credit, and it's a shame the doors are closed.

Breakwater Restaurant, Waterside Inn

And then there's the Breakwater, in the Waterside Inn. Located on Stavebank Road South, the Breakwater overlooks part of the marina on the Credit River.

Hook's Grille near lighthouse

As of late  summer, 2010, Hook's closed. Over the winter, new owners did extensive renovations, and this location next to the Port Credit library is reborn as Papa Guiseppe's pizza resto. Though I haven't been there as yet, neighbours say the food is very good.

Another new spot in 2011 is Napoca, just east of here along Lakeshore Road. Napoca is the place with the long narrow patio area out front, and specializes in cooking from scratch - and free range chicken. Our meal was delicious, and the staff most friendly.


And there are many more pubs and places to eat, all along this strip east from Mississauga Road along the Lakeshore. Even Ten Restaurant and Wine Bar -- though definitely NOT the Lighthouse Restaurant -- is only a short stroll from Lake Ontario and the Waterfront Trail.

Most Port Credit eateries serve brunch daily or on weekends, or will be happy to accommodate you.

I've posted info about Girasole, Ten, and Breakwater on my Mississauga restaurant pages at Snapshot Journeys mississauga restaurants, and on this blog, many other ones as well - try searching labels for 'port credit restaurants' (sometimes this works, but sometimes I cannot find a thing!)

Or have a look at this Google Map set to Snug Harbour, then enter other restaurant names to pinpoint their locations.


View Larger Map

Helen's Fish and Chips New Owners, Mixed Reviews of Popular Port Credit Restaurant

Helen's Fish and Chips, located on the west side of the Credit River and Lakeshore, just steps from the lighthouse in Port Credit (Mississauga, Ontario) is a place we go to 'just for the halibut' :-)

And in May, new owners took over the long established, family owned eatery. The menu is not all that different from the previous owners (see original post and pictures from October 2007). I've had a few meals since then, with mixed results. Here's what I've found.

On May 15, I ordered the usual halibut special ($9.95) that comes with fries and a choice of salad (I like their Greek salad). The halibut had a different batter on it -- denser, more like a thin cake batter, not greasy, light. The salad had bits of veggies well past their prime, to the point that it was obvious that someone had mixed up the 'Toss' pile with the 'Salad' pile to the detriment of the salad. They'd also forgotten to add the Greek dressing, so I took my plate back to the counter, asked dressing and left the bits of compost (brown lettuce bits and chunks of celery).

We'd tucked into the meal when a man came over to the table, identifying himself as part of the new ownership, saying Helen's is still a family owned business. He apologized profusely for the salad incident, saying they had a new chap starting today who was a little rough around the edges.

We had a nice chat about Port Credit, the menu old and new, Gordon Ramsey as a mutual favourite, the owners' previous restaurants (all franchises, if I recall), their plans for the future (basically, keep on with the same proven menu as before, with less popular items winnowed out), and keeping it as a Cash Only establishment versus adding an ATM. It was all 'Hail, Fellow! Well Met!

And so we decided to give them some time to settle in. In early June we stopped in, as my friend simply had to have some clam chowder. Alas, there is no chowder to be had, so we walked over the bridge to Snug Harbour, where there is plenty of chowder.

From time to time, we stopped into Helen's but only for fries and a drink. Today, it was time again for the halibut special. We had one hour to walk to Helen's, order and eat, and get back to leave for work.

When we got there, I noticed something new on the chalkboard: Halibut Nuggets, with fries and salad, for $5.95, which I ordered. The cheerful girl at the cash said, "Oh, no, it's fries OR salad with the nuggets," so I chose fries. My friend had the full Halibut special, also with fries and Greek salad, still $9.95.

We took our seats while we waited for our food. After an inordinately long time, I went over to the counter to see what was keeping it. Another gal behind the counter was setting up two plates, loaded with fries, and salad. When the cook placed the fish on those plates, she called out, "Number 37." A young chap came up, took the tray and left. Since he had ordered after we did, I asked what had become of our orders, which I repeated down to the exact amount of cash I had forked over.

The order taker looked flustered, said 'no idea' etc. etc. just as my friend came up to the counter, to see what was taking so long. As we were trying to sort this out, the young chap comes back with the tray of food. Apparently he had taken our food in error. No one had thought to check to see if he had the correct order. (Now I am sure he is a nice clean chap who hadn't touched any of our meal, and I didn't want to further embarrass him, but still. I mean really!)

I told the staff that since both those plates had salad, I had assumed they were for another order. "Oh, no - the nuggets come with BOTH fries and salad," said the Plate Preparer.

Okay, long story too long. Sorry. On to the food. The portion size versus the price makes the nuggets a bargain lunch for sure! That's the good news.

Halibut Nuggets, Chips and Greek Salad Special

The Halibut Nuggets special is almost as amply portioned as the full special. The previous salad issues seem to have been solved by the use of packaged salad mix, to which Helen's add fresh tomatoes, black olives and Greek dressing. The fries were fresh, though a little limp - it's so hard to find crispy fries -- but not an issue.

The batter is again the traditional batter, fairly thin and crisp, not too greasy. But see the white area on the piece of fish lower right edge of the plate? Ah that's the not so good part. So eager was the cook to get the meals out fast that cooking times were fudged. About half the pieces were absolutely tasty. Other pieces, that did not enjoy a favourable spot in the fryer, spurted a white gel stuff that prompts immediate spit-out on my part. But there were enough to choose from, and I wasn't all that hungry.

So it seems my love affair with the classic local diner is a little tarnished. I'll give it another try in a month or so, when I need a fix of fish and chips. Let me know if you go, and how your meal was.

UPDATE DEC 2008:It's all good again :-)

Helen's Fish and Chips Nugget style

I had Helen's Halibut nuggets and chips and Greek salad last month for take out lunch, and again last night for an early dinner, and both times, the food was really good. (Whew!) And the dinner size Halibut and chips, too, was perfectly cooked. I still think the Halibut Nuggets meal is the better option; though the price has gone up by a dollar since the summer time, it's still a good deal.

UPDATE March 14, 2009 Just back from Helen's for lunch. The place was packed this Saturday noon! Helen's now accepts debit cards for payment, and has increased the price of the halibut nuggets to $7.95, which still includes Greek salad and a small portion of fries.

Helen's Fish and Chips Port Credit Ontario

July 2008 Updated review at New Owners Helen's Fish and Chips.

One little gem of a diner in Port Credit is Helen's Fish and Chips. You could drive along Lakeshore past the lighthouse every day and still not notice it tucked back behind Starbuck's.

In fact, it was because of a stop for coffee one blustery day last March that I first came across it at the back of the parking lot. When I saw the sign for fish, I forgot about coffee and veered into this little resto below. It's just west of the lighthouse and bridge, on the south side of Lakeshore. Parking in the lot to the left in this photo, or out front as shown.

Now, the quirky thing about Helen's is that it does NOT accept any currency except cash. This means no credit cards, no debit cards, no cheques (checks). No exceptions. (The priciest dish is about $12 or so) Scramble through your pockets and wallet, and come up with hard cash. It's usually worth it.

I say 'usually' because I have had fabulous lunches here, and sometimes less than fabulous (ease up on the oil, fellas!). The fish and chips plate in the picture below is cod with Greek salad. The week before, I had an almost identical meal, except with halibut. I prefer halibut, and will not ask for cod again.

The first time I had the Greek salad, it was so delicious, I couldn't stop eating it; The next time, the dressing was too oily, with none of the classic tang. Chips are not salted, though, for which Helen's is to be commended.

The menu is posted on signs above the open kitchen, with daily specials on the blackboard. There are no substitutions allowed, though if salad is part of the special, you get your choice -- Greek, ceasar, slaw, etc. The menu allows for many variations, though, so you can usually find the combo you want.

Place your order at the counter. If it's really busy, they assign you a number. Get your table as fast as you can, and wait till it's called. If it's not too busy (say, a weekday mid afternoon), take a table and listen for your meal to be called by name.

Helen's also serves liquor, beer, etc, and there's a cozy bar area at the front. Not a late night place by any means -- I think it closes around 8p.m. I'll check when I go by later this week.

And on a blustery day, forget the fish -- try a bowl of steaming hot soup instead!

March 26, 2008 Update:
On Tuesday, April 1, 2008, Toronto's CityTV show Breakfast Televison (BT) host Jennifer Valentyne and crew are filming at Helen's Fish and Chips. Come on down, Everyone!