Cheap Eats Toronto restaurant guide blog

FAQ Buy Now or Wait For V3?

2012-05-04T15:05:01-04:00

We just got a question from a potential CheapEater, Chrissy:

Is there a new version in the works or should I buy the 4 y.o. version? I don't want to buy it only to realise half the recommended places have shut down or doubled their price in the meantime. Thanks!

Short Answer: buy the old one.

Long Answer: buy the old one and update it with the Red Pen Updates.

We get this question often, thus it’s inclusion as a FAQ, and it’s always a little embarrassing because I want to say a new edition will be available immediately, but that’s just not the case right now.

Work on a new edition will start fairly soon, but it won't hit bookstores for at least 8 months and more likely longer. Trust me I wish it was sooner, but it's not.

Given how we source and vet restaurants we recommend in CheapEats, the major of restaurants we have recommended are still open and running. The prices will have changed, but for the majority they will still be in the same relative price tier when compared to other restaurants in Toronto.

We do our best to keep tabs on restaurants that have closed or moved since our last edition, so when you get the book you can update it immediately by grabbing a red pen and going through the Red Pen Updates on our blog Looking at them all together looks like a lot but there are over 350 recommendations in CheapEats Toronto to start with.

Hope this helps you make a decision.

Vintages Value List Release March 31 2012

2012-03-30T12:11:59-04:00

Hello Again Fellow Tipplers,

We had some recent feedback asking us to tell them what which wines we REALLY liked on the list. We explained how we put this list of recommendations together: we taste the Vintages release every Tuesday during our lunch hour, tasting around 50 wines and then we put together a list of our favourites under $25. We REALLY like all the wines we recommend, BUT we also realize that our lists are getting out of hand with too many to choose from. From now on we will try to commit to keep the recommendations more compact.

SO – we REALLY like these wines:

Sparkling Wine

264572 Joseph Cattin Brut Rosé Crémant D’Alsace (Alsace, France) $17.95

This is an atypical sparkler – rather unusual in fact – but it’s tasty. It has an excellent fizz factor with a raisiny, Amarone-like fruit character. Give it a whirl!

White Wine

240374 Château Roquetaillade La Grange Blanc 2010 (Bordeaux) $14.95

Look for refreshing acidity coming through a clean, crisp, biright finish. Peach pit and grapefruit flavours predominate.

199810 First Press Chardonnay 2010 (Napa Valley, California) $19.95

This Cali stunner features aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, banana, pineapple; fresh fruit shines through on the palate balanced by clean crisp acidity and a hint of spice on the finish. A Cali Chard in all its beauty!

259770 Joseph Cattin Gewurztraminer Hatschbourg 2009 (Alsace, France) $19.95

Oh so beautifully rich and succulent, spring blossoms come to mind – flavors of mango, candied fruit, ripe apricot, tied in with racy acidity following through to a zesty finish. Score 91 (Alison Napjus, winespectator.com)

Red Wine

261867 Fabre Montmayou Reserva Malbec 2009 (Argentina) $15.95

Quite pleasant. It’s dark and woodsy in nature – well-made and well-balanced. Score:91 (Jay Miller, erobertparker.com)

705228 Domaine De La Janasse Côtes Du Rhône 2009 (Rhône, France) $15.95

From another awesome vintage in the Rhône this one is big on flavors of blackberry and spice with zippy acidity keeping it nice and longing for more!

33852 Domaine Grosset Cairanne Côtes Du Rhône-Villages 2009 (Rhône, France) $17.95

We love the Rhone valley. This wine features subtle acidity that provide a tinge of “zing” on the palate. Currant, blackberry and pencil lead are the major flavor players here!

273425 Tamari Ar Malbec 2007 (Argentina) $21.95

Tamari almonds anyone? No Tamari in the name of this big bold and oh so flavourful Malbec featuring big bold dark berries and dark fruit, cocoa, coffee and savory spice. Score 92 (Jay Miller, erobertparker.com)

HAPPY EASTER

Rose & Karen

Ps Don’t forget that the Vintages Value List can be found on www.cetoblog.com

VV List February 18, 2012

2012-02-16T14:33:14-05:00

Hello Again Fellow Tipplers,

We had to call-in sick for the last release – one of our palates was under siege by a nasty cold and the other one found that post-Christmas analysis demands left a bit of a bad taste in their mouth! We are pleased that we were able to attend the last tasting as the theme is “Popular Front- 22 customer favourites”. This had us tasting some great wines of yore and we happily trotted down memory lane. Another funny element of this tasting occurred in the tasting room. We arrived in the room and there were yellow caution tapes strung over the sinks warning us not to use them. We spit in the usual flagon that was then dispensed into a large trash can on wheels – GROSS! The jokes were flying as the province had just made the announcement that they are planning to sell the Queen’s Quay head office to developers to raise much-needed cash. The place really is a “Tear Down” judging by the state of the plumbing!

Sparkling Wine

268540 De Stefani Brut Prosecco Superiore (Veneto, Italy) $17.95

This is a dry, pleasing Prosecco with apple, pear and pie spice notes. A great way to start the party off.

48801 Louis Bouillot Perle D’Ivoire Brut Blanc De Blancs (Burgundy) $18.95

Distinct citrus notes on the lees. Very well-balanced and good length. Score:90 (David Lawrason, winealign.com Aug 2010)

White Wine

141788 Helfrich Pinot Gris 2010 (Alsace, France) $14.95

Off-dry emanating layers of orchard fruit, pear, apple with mineral undertones and fresh acidity.

250696 Principessa Gavia Gavi 2010 (Piedmont, Italy) $18.95

Such a pretty wine here. It’s simple and light-bodied, crisp and refreshing. Enjoy it on its own or with light fare.

Red Wine

724674 Coppi Peucetico Primitivo 2006 (Puglia, Italy) $13.95

Well priced and not shy on flavor cocoa, dark berries and spice are on order in this Italian Primitivo aka Zinfandel (California). Makes for a good mid-week pasta/pizza pairing.

682005 Jim Jim (The Down-Underdog) Shiraz 2009 (South Australia) $15.95

This Aussie number is full bodied and features flavors of ripe black plum, dark berries, peppery spice, and velvety smooth tannins.

166538 Bodegas Lan Crianza 2007 (Rioja, Spain) $15.95

Fabulous Spanish number here. Complex layers of fruit offset nicely by oak and a hint of violets. Balanced AND delicious!

119354 Château Saint-Roch Chimères 2009 (Midi, France) $18.95

A blend of Syrah, Grenache Carignan delivers on flavors of ripe dark plum, black cherry, black currant, licorice and spice, supported by fine tannins. Lay this beauty down for 3-4 years and you will be amply rewarded! Score: 91 David Schildknecht, eroboertparker.com.

50203 Beronia Reserva 2006 (Rioja, Spain) $19.95

LOVE this wine. The Reserva is better but it’s twice the price. Vanilla, cherry, strawberry and hints of chocolate. Score: 90+ (Gordon Stimmell, The Toronto Star, Sep 23, 2010)

212126 McManis Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (California) $19.95

Big and round this Cali cab from the reputable McManis Family offers up dense dark berries, plums, spice and juicy acidity rounding out to an ample finish.

976092 Masi Brolo Di Campofiorin 2007 (Veneto, Italy) $24.95

If the label is a typo – this is good value for a Barolo – but it is “Brolo”. Regardless, this is a decent Italian wine with some age. Look for smoked meat, stewed plums, and tobacco is a lovely dry package.

55228 Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir 2009 (Central Otago, New Zealand) $24.95

YUM! Silky and smooth with all the notes one would expect from an NZ pinot noir. Toasty notes, some cherry, and depth from some smokiness.

* 7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel 2009 (Lodi, California) $24.95

This returning fave was not in the tasting room to taste - none the less it will be released this Saturday. Score 90 Robert Parker, erobertparker.com, drinking well over the next several years.

* this one is for you Valen

ALP

Rose & Karen

ps Don’t forget that the Vintages Value List can be found on www.cetoblog.com

Vintages Value List November 26, 2011

2011-11-25T18:22:28-05:00

Season’s Greetings!

This is the 2nd last Vintages release before Christmas and the holiday wines are hitting the shelves. That is not great news for you bargain hunters as the big guns tend to come out at this time of year and big guns = big $$$. We still managed to taste a few great wines in the value range and we are even including some exceptional wines above the value threshold because they are fantastic and a bargain at the > $25 price point. Besides – it’s pretty darn stressful this time of year and you deserve to pamper yourself with some extra special libations OR they will certainly make a generous gift for someone.

SPARKLING WINE

53215 Belcanto de Bellusi Extra Dry Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCg (Veneto, Italy) $17.95

A decent little sparkly number here. It is ever-so-sweet with some oomph on the end. A great evening starter …

WHITE WINE

82404 Camino Del Inca Torrontes 2010 (Argentina) $15.95

The Torrontes grape makes a very interesting, flavourful white wine. This one is slightly off-dry and quite exotic. It would pair well with spicy food. Score: 90, Jay Miller, erobertparker.com

RED WINE

243923 Chateau Canteloup 2004 (Medoc, Bordeaux) $14.95

Dry, dry, dry with a manure nose that precedes a very well-crafted wine. It has some age and a VERY reasonable price for the maturity.

657601 Benmarco Malbec 2009 (Mendoza, Argentina) $16.95

An intense nose (KAPOW!) and then some pepper, berries and lush, large mouthfeel.

243634 Bird In Hand Two in the Bush Shiraz 2009 (Adelaide, Australia) $17.95

This is an amazing shiraz – not too big, not too small – just right! Look for spice, blackberries and a distinct freshness at the finish.

247163 Mad Fish Sideways Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2009 (W. Australia) $23.95

Smooth and bright with a distinct black olive nose and a large palate – but not at all overwhelming.

191494 Chateau Faizeau Vielles Vignes 2009 (St. Emilion, Bordeaux) $27

Chocolate, coffee, black cherry flavours reside in this bottle of wine from a stellar vintage. Score: 90-92, Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com

ALP

Karen & Rose

ps The Vintages Value List can always be found on www.cetoblog.com

Vintages Value List Release October 29 2011

2011-10-31T15:48:33-04:00

HI!

The busy-ness continues and we had to engage in some speed tasting this week. We slurped and spit at a ferocious pace and it was hard because there are some real gems in this release at a great price!

White Wine

37648 ZENATO PINOT GRIGIO 2010 (VENETO) $13.95

Quite flavorful, features white pear, floral notes, mineral and crisp refreshing acidity following through on a generous finish.

158501 SNOQUALMIE NAKED CHARDONNAY 2009 (WASHINGTON STATE) $15.95

This Washington number is organic, sporting flavors of fresh ripe peach and some graphite, it is off dry and has an oily mouth feel. Pair with mildly spicy dishes.

513705 STONEY RIDGE KASPER VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009 (NIAGARA PENINSULA) $16.95

Home grown, Sauvignon Blanc thrives in a cool climate. This number is winner of the 2010 Canadian Wine Championships. Featuring orchard fruit flavors of crisp apple and pear, refreshingly crisp acidity on a long finish.

680983 KIM CRAWFORD PINOT GRIS 2009 (NEW ZEALAND) $19.95

Kim Crawford rarely disappoints and this Pinot Gris is not shy on flavors of yellow plum, dried herbs and spritzy acidity.

685362 MARC BRÉDIF VOUVRAY 2009 (LOIRE) $20.95

MMM was how my note started – look for ripe peach, pear and mineral flavors, mildly spiced on the mid palate leading out to an ample finish.

Red Wine

677559 FAMIGLIA BIANCHI MALBEC 2008 (ARGENTINA) $14.95

A delicious Malbec at a great price. It is dense and dark but surprisingly smooth. Score 89 Jay Miller erobertparker.com.

18721 VINA TARAPACA GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 (CHILE) $15

This is one of 2 Food & Drink Discovery wines that Vintages has on offer right now. It is a satisfying New World Cab with hints of mint and eucalyptus on the nose, then tons of berries on the palate. Score 90 James Molesworth winespectator.com.

244772 SABOR REAL VINAS CENTENARIAS TEMPRANILLO 2007 (SPAIN) $15

Here’s the other Food & Drink Discovery wine. It is a great value. It has some age, it was made with wines that are > 70 years, terrific flavor and length. Buy it, buy lots – it won’t last long! Score 91 Jay Miller erobertparker.com

38075 FREI BROTHERS RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 (SONOMA COUNTY) $23.95

Quite big and meaty - smoked meat aromas and flavors, dark plum, black currant, spice and earth and a hint of oak. This Cali number will drink well for the next 10 years. Score 90 Robert Parker Jr. erobertparker.com. At this price, age ability and score why not buy a case!

Karen & Rose

p.s. don’t forget you have until Wednesday Nov 2nd to enter the CheapEats Toronto Fielding Winery Giveaway and win a private tour and tasting at Fielding Estate Winery and 2 bottles of their wines. Click here to enter

Giveaway: Fielding Wine Private Tour for 6

2011-10-26T11:52:13-04:00

Earlier this year our post about Quaffing Locally included Fielding Estate Winery, so when they asked if I would be interested in giving away a private tour & tasting for 6 at their vineyard AND 2 bottles of wine I said “Hell yes!”

Fielding Estate Winery is located on the Beamsville Bench which, while a relatively small appellation, has a unique set of growing conditions which provide a natural complexity to the regions wines. It’s well worth a trip to Fielding, especially if you win a tour & tasting for 6! Besides it’s a beautiful season for a roadtrip!

Since the Fielding Wines are great paired with food:

To enter: just tell me your favourite place to enjoy a glass of Ontario wine with dinner in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you order too, that’ll get you a second entry in the draw!

Draw: will be held Wednesday Nov 2nd after 5pm. The winner will be announced and contacted to arrange pickup of their prize pack.

BTW, you must be 19+ years old to win this contest.

Some more information about the prize:

You’ll receive a wine box containing a gift certificate for a Private Tour & Tasting at Fielding Estate Winery for 6 people, valued at $100, and 2 bottles of Fielding Estates Wine:

1 bottle of Red Conception: Fielding’s most popular red wine, Red Conception is a unique blend of premium varietals (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah). Medium red in colour with inviting aromas of dark cherries, blackberry, licorice, cedar-smoke and warm spices. Midweight on the palate with a nice mouthfeel, good acid backbone, and flavours that carry on the finish. An excellent 'food wine' that can easily be paired with a number of dishes.
1 bottle of White Conception: Concentrated and complex aromatics of nectarine, honeysuckle, poached pears, almond, orange zest, brioche and Chinese five-spice. Very good richness on the palate, solid acid backbone, and long spicy finish.

Both wines are $18.95 and currently available at Vintages but in 2012 will be available on the VQA shelves at the LCBO

Some more information about Fielding Estate Winery

Since it’s always good to know a bit more about our Canadian wine regions, here’s a little squib about the Beamsville Bench Sub-Appellation directly from Fielding's site :

The Beamsville Bench is a narrow strip of land located along the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. The land is well-sloped which promotes good air flow to combat disease and extends the growing season well into the fall. The clay loam soil and deep limestone base provide good natural drainage. Cooler and prolonged growing seasons are well-suited to making wines with good acid backbone, intensely concentrated flavours in the berries and unmistakable minerality on the finish.

Giveaway: 2 Pairs of Tix to Toronto Underground Market

2011-10-20T19:07:50-04:00

Last time the Toronto Underground Market sold tickets they were gone before I realized they were even on sale. This time I bought a pair for me and a pair to give away to one of you. But now I’m on the road, so lucky you, I have 2 pairs to give away!

To enter: tell me your favourite place to get lunch in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you order too, that’ll get you a second entry in the draw!

Draw: will be held Friday at 2pm, and the winner will be announced. Tickets will be at the door in your name, so make sure to leave an email or twitter handle so I can reach you!

If you don’t know about the Toronto Underground Market yet, you are in for a treat. Here’s what they say about themselves:

The Toronto Underground Market (TUM) is a social food market for the community to sample the food of Toronto home cooks. It is a venue for budding entrepreneurs to showcase their products. These vendors are not necessarily chefs, although some will be. This is a new kind of community market; not a farmer's market, or a food festival, but something completely unique and new to Toronto.

The driving force behind the TUM is my sheer amazement at the wealth of delicious, professional quality food being made in home kitchens. The TUM will provide an opportunity to let the broader community taste this delicious food that would otherwise only be consumed by friends and family.

Vintages Value List Release October 15, 2011

2011-10-14T14:45:42-04:00

Hello Fellow Tipplers!
Hope you are all doing well and embracing the change of season – whatever that means to you! For us, it means a pretty busy work schedule as we amp up for the busy holiday season here at the LCBO and we get back into the swing of things when people stop taking summer vacation and meetings are full and the ensuing task list fuller! This preamble will be short and sweet, but we thoroughly appreciated being able to taste these past two weeks and there are some beauties on offer this weekend in Vintages :

SPARKLING WINE

163634 OYSTER BAY BRUT SPARKLING CUVÉE (NEW ZEALAND) $21.95
Made from 100% chardonnay this sparkler is packed with flavours of ripe peach, bitter peach pit on the mid-palate and lively acidity. Fresh, lively and quenchable with anything.

WHITE WINE

747600 PIERRE SPARR RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2009 (ALSACE) $17.95
Pretty and nice with an abundance of rose petal and paraffin nose leading to exotic flavours of lychee, pineapple and red grapefruit. This is an absolute beauty and true to its varietal character.

235937 SANTA BARBARA WINE COMPANY CHARDONNAY 2009 (CALIFORNIA) $19.95
Everything you expect in a Cali chard – big and toasty with smooth butter and melon notes.

146746 PENFOLDS THOMAS HYLAND RIESLING 2008 (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) $19.95
Wow was our first impression – exuding spring blossom and pear tones, loads of mouth watering apple, pear flavours and zippy acidity. Score 90 (Harvey Steiman, winespectator.com)

196659 ANDRÉ & EMOND FIGEAT LES CHAUMIENNES POUILLY-FUMÉ 2010 (LOIRE) $21.95
Big on flavours of apple and pear with a hint of smoke and a nice seam of acidity keeping it all in check.

RED WINE

230649 VINEA CORVINA 2007 (VENETO) $12.95
This Italian charmer features flavours of red berry, red cherry and lively acidity with a hint of spice. This is your mid week pasta wine.

164814 SCOPETANI CHIANTI RISERVA 2007 (TUSCANY) $14.95
Old world Italian – aromas and flavours of ripe cherry, red berries, coffee and spice.

246645 SXS STEP TWO SHIRAZ 2008 (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) $14.95
This is a luscious shiraz that is big on blueberry, ripe strawberry and menthol with a good dose of spice. Excellent value here! Score 90 (Wine & Spirits)

104240 GUENOC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 (CALIFORNIA) $17.95
We loved this Cali Cab. Look for dark chocolate, big berry fruit and gripping tannins. It’s not for the timid and it is absolutely delish!

128629 LUIGI BOSCA RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 (ARGENTINA) $17.95
Super, duper cabernet sauvignon. Rich with ripe berries, cassis and vanilla notes. Great nose too.

76331 DOMAINE GRAND VENEUR LES CHAMPAUVINS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2009 (RHÔNE) $18.95
GREAT – that’s what it said when we looked back on the notes. A fab Rhone blend of Grenache, syrah and mourvedre. (Score 90+ Rpbert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com)

243584 TAIT THE WILD RIDE SHIRAZ 2007 (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) $19.95
Look for eucalyptus, licorice notes at the get-go. Jam-a-rama and deep purple aptly describe this one – so if that’s your preference – you will be delighted!

241166 DOMAINE J. BOULON MORGON 2009 (BEAUJOLAIS) $19.95
A lovely French number. Ripe red berries and balanced acidity. It is fairly large for a Beaujolais – but very tasty indeed!

237776 KINGS RIDGE PINOT NOIR 2009 (OREGAON) $21.95
Quite impressive number exuding black cherry and black pepper aromas and flavours rounding out to generous finish.

685263 LUCE DELLA VITE LUCE 2008 (TOSCANA) $99.95
The “value” factor is in question here BUT if you have the coin and love Italian wine – this is spectacular – really spectacular!! The ’08 has not been rated yet but this wine has never received a score below 90 from the Wine Spectator since 2003.

ALP
Karen & Rose

Hello Goodbye to Nyssa

2011-08-30T16:36:11-04:00

It feels like only yesterday Nyssa joined us for her internship and it’s already her last day. Now to be fair it was an exceptionally short internship, but Nyssa got a lot done.

So it seems right to finally introduce her to you so you can say goodbye.

Who are you and where are you from?
I am Nyssa Tilford. I am, I guess, from Vancouver. But have been living in Toronto for the last 3 years.

What do you do at Plethora Press?
I post Photo of the Week and see if any of the restaurants have closed down and if they have I do a Red Pen Update. And I’m working on a secret project.

Where is your home town and what is it's signature dish?
My home town is Vancouver and we have the best sushi outside of Japan.

What is your favourite comfort food?
Let’s go with the cliché of ice cream. Cookie Dough or Brownie Bits or Vanilla or Moose Tracks or like very ice cream flavour there is, except Mint Chocolate. I hate Mint Chocolate.

What is your favourite food discovery?
Oh, Peking Duck. The first week I was in Toronto, Jason took me out for Chinese food, with my new group of friends and we had Peking Duck. They roasted the entire duck with the neck and the head, then sliced it in front of us. It was really tasty! Ironically the restaurant we went to is called the Peking Man up on Sheppard.

What cuisine are you looking forward to trying?
I’ve never had Vietnamese. I’ve never had Ethiopian. I’m pretty much up for anything.

What is your favourite CheapEat in Vancouver and why?
There’s a restaurant in North Vancouver called Tomahawk, my parents used to take me there for breakfast. It would just fit into CheapEats but it’s really good food and one of the best Eggs Benedicts I’ve ever had.
White Spot! I miss White Spot. I love White Spot. They are famous for burgers and fries. They originally started as a diner chain. But my favourite thing on the menu is a beef dip with a caesar salad. It’s SO good.

Thanks Nyssa. It’s been a great month having you in the office, have a great time at Waterloo!

Office Warmed!

2011-08-26T12:30:32-04:00

As you may have already heard, we’ve moved the head office of Plethora Press into Camaraderie. Camaraderie is a great co-working space near St. Lawrence which has just opened up a couple of dedicated office spaces and we were one of the lucky few companies to be able to get one of them. This means great market lunches and a whole new neighbourhood of lunch joints to frequent.

Along with the guys at EventMobi, Tamajii and the great group of people who work for and out of Camaraderie, we had an office warming party on Wednesday night. Yes, the tornado-warning office-warming party.

My friend, and photographer, Pat Anderson was kind enough to take some photos of the brave souls who said “Feh!” to the tornado warnings to come and help us break in our new office space.

Note: Pat also snuck in a photo of my cocktail recipe for the evening. I wonder what other confidential material she photographed… hmmm.

New Red Pen Updates

2011-08-22T22:59:00-04:00

Here are the new Red Pen Updates:

Closed:

Chennai Chef (page 52)
El Camino Mexican Cafe (page 64)
Indochine (page 82)
La Lucciola (page 92)
Musa (page 106)
Thai Thani (page 146)
Yung Sing Pastry (page 154)

For a complete list of all Red Pen Updates click here.

Maple Bacon Donuts

2011-08-22T19:22:00-04:00

The CheapEats Toronto photo of the week is Maple Bacon Donuts at Beast Restaurant taken by Robin.

“It’s a donut with BACON on it, & clearly bacon is one of the greatest things EVER to exist.” – Nyssa the Intern

Add your own photo to the CheapEats Toronto Flickr Group and it could be our next Photo of the Week.

Nyssa Joins The Team

2011-08-19T19:47:27-04:00

Our new intern Nyssa Tilford has been working with us for only 2 weeks, but she's already getting stuff done in a big way. In fact, she has taken on a project that has been waiting for someone just like her to come along. More on that in Sept.

More about Nyssa in her intro post next week.

Welcome to the team Nyssa!

Porchetta with Rapini Sandwich

2011-08-19T18:53:00-04:00

The CheapEats photo of the week is porchetta w rapini sandwich at The Stockyards taken by Gizelle Lua.

This photo was selected as photo of the week because of the bun – it looks so crunchy on top and yet soft inside. And the fillings look oh-so tasty.

Gizelle, was it tasty?

Add your own photo to the CheapEats Toronto Flickr Group and it could be our next Photo of the Week.

WagJag Launches Instant Deals with WagJag Express

2011-08-03T11:16:45-04:00

Yesterday WagJag announced a new approach to deals - WagJag Express is a buy-now, use-now, flash sale approach to deals. In addition, August is $1 WagJag Express month with deals across the city for $1.

Today’s $1 deals (most of which run from 11am-2pm) include: Thai One On, Second City, the {eat}ery, Kama, Ultra Supper Club, Cool Hand Luc, Jetsun’s Burgers, Herbal infusions Tea, Get Spun, Carido-Go, Marcello’s Market & Deli, deKEFIR, 5th Elementt.

If you download the app today – August 3rd – WagJag will donate $1 to The Stop.

We haven’t talked much about deal sites and group buying, but it is certainly polarizing and there are many of them out there demanding our attention – WagJag, Groupon, TeamBuy, FabFind. Some restaurants and vendors say it’s a great way to get new customers, others find the deals are

being used by regular customers to get… well… deals. Many say it’s a high risk gamble to put up an offer since there is no idea how many will be purchased and when they will be redeemed. These factors together can ruin a business.

My personal experience with traditional deals has been pretty hit and miss. A great experience kayaking on the Humber with Toronto Adventures; spectacular failure with a wine making deal which cost us more than the deal itself; and wonderful meals at Bombay Palace, 5th Elementt and Caplansky’s. I won’t even talk about the ones I’ve forgotten to use before they expired. I’m running about 50% success rate on deals, and frankly if I’d just purchased the successful experience full price I’d be just breaking even.

However, WagJag Express is attempting to address some of the major issues we’ve all had with deals in the past, vendors and buyers alike.

It’s flash sale, buy-now, use-now approach is designed to work well for mobile devices since buyers can use the app to check nearby deals they can use NOW. (Yup, geolocation is hip tech these days) Think “where will I eat lunch” and, boom, there’s a deal app for that.

Express deals means buyers won’t have deals expire on them because they forgot to use them, the deals for today have to be used in 2 to 10 hours. Vendors don’t have to worry about when something will be redeemed, because of the short deal window.

I’d love to hear about your restaurant experiences with Deal Sites and Group Buying, and now with WagJag Express (and other Flash Sales.)

Have you tried new restaurants or just gotten deals on ones you know (I’ve done both).
Have you noticed any difference in staff or service when you use a deal? (I’ve actually gotten better service in most places)
What do you think about this new, instant deal?