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| - *3.5 Stars*
I'm not sure about the Grand Hotel and Suites - it seems like one of those hotels that hasn't really kept up with the times. I never even knew they had a decent restaurant/lounge until my dad brought it up!
Citrus has a lovely (and fairly large) side patio that is divided into smoking and non-smoking. The smoking area is uncovered which means you will get plenty of sunshine, while the non-smoking area is covered and there are even these doors that slide up and down to block the wind. It's all very chique - white chairs, white table cloths...almost a South Beach cool vibe.
I was early and asked if I could sit down at the table to have a drink - not a problem at all. They have decent wine selections by the glass and I started off with a glass of Pinot and because I was hungry, ordered a California hand Roll. I was soooo happy to see that they had a Japanese menu (rolls), but the actual thing was such a let down. Basically, you get a roll, like the shape, like literally. I'm used to a Cornucopia shaped hand roll, but Citrus does things differently. Filling and thick, but that's about it.
For appetizer, I had a lovely refreshing salad and I absolutely loved my main which was a tomato risotto with a fried egg on top. OMG! It brought me back to my Filipino days when I used to have fried egg and rice with Sarap Sauce (Filipino version of ketchup). It is a filling dish, but man does it hit the spot!
I think this is a lovely, hidden gem of a place. The patio is not facing directly onto Jarvis, but onto a quiet side street so it's a piece of tranquility in the middle of the city. I noticed that there were many people having drinks at the bar inside, so it can be a nice business-meeting-drinks place as well.
I don't know if I would come out of my way here, but I really had a good time. Service was friendly and accommodating and the food was good!
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