Food Junkie Chronicles

Death Row Meals - Sous Chef Edition

2012-02-23T10:45:00.002-05:00

"A First Meal, as your Last Meal" was the theme of February's Death Row Meal. Brought to you by Joel (@foodie411) from Living.Loving.Local, five of Toronto's great Sous Chefs were given the task of preparing their takes on their first cooking memories. In order to give the Sous Chefs some inspiration, they were asked the following:

"Do you remember the first meal you learned to cook as a kid? How old were you? Was it a family recipe? From a cookbook? Something you learned on a cooking show?"

I bought my ticket right away because I thought the event had a really fun and neat concept. I guess many others felt the same way as it was a sold-out event at Keriwa Café =)

Below is a recap of the event...

COURSE ONE: Coulson Armstrong (@Chef_Coulson), Auberge du Pommier (@Oliver_Bonacini)

Luca Gatti - Trish Gill - Kevin Gilmour

THE DISH: Eggs Brouillade + Kataffii Nest + Sturgeon Caviar + Flowers

THE PAIRING: 2010 Sémillon, Rosewood Estates (@Rosewoodwine)

Coulson: "Growing up outside the city in rural farmland, on weekly occasions certain family members would have to make their way into the kitchen coop to fetch some eggs for the weekend lunch. I supposed I got the job more than others. This memory has inspired me to serve an egg in a crispy nest, showcasing my roots growing up, and finishing it off with a generous dollop of caviar for that fine dining aspect of where I'm now in my career".

COURSE TWO: Dennis Tay, Keriwa Café (@KeriwaCafe)

Kevin Gilmour - Dennis Tay - Coulson Armstrong

THE DISH: Rabbit & Foie Gras Boudin Blanc + Elderberries + Pistachio, Red Cabbage + Pear + Red Fife

THE PAIRING: 2009 Chardonnay Reserve, Vineland Estates (@VinelandEstates)

Dennis: "So the back story is this is the first thing my father showed me how to cook. Well, hot dogs that is. He was preparing to leave me alone at the house for the first time (I think I was six or seven years old), and he wanted me to be able to cook something if I got hungry. This is also my first kitchen burn. He told me to make sure the electric coil stove was working by checking the surface next to the burner for heat (it was mad old). Smart me just touched the actual burner"

COURSE THREE: Kevin Gilmour (@KWGilmour), The Drake Hotel (@thedrakehotel)

Gill Trish - Kevin Gilmour

THE DISH: Foie Gras Torchon + Herbed Pain Dore + Chunky Apple Sauce

THE PAIRING: 2010 Dunes (Vidal), Sandbanks Winery (@sandbankswinery)

Kevin: "In 1983 At Bennington Heights Public School in Toronto, my mother bought me The DC Super Heroes Super Healthy Cookbook (I still carry this book with me to every restaurant I work at). I was fascinated by all the "secret" and "invisible" recipes that they had in this book (all an illusion to get young children to eat their fruits and veggies without knowing it). One in particular caught my eye, Batman's invisible banana French toast. My mother used to make this dish for me and cover it in my first two loves, butter and apple sauce. My version of this today is a foie gras torchon (the butter), on a savoury Pain Dore (the French toast) with a chunky apple sauce. Thanks mom!"

COURSE FOUR: Luca Gatti (@lucagatti22), Enoteca Sociale (@EnoSociale)

Luca Gatti

THE DISH: Handmade Orecchiette + Sunday Sugo

THE PAIRING: 2010 Redcoat, Ravine Vineyards (@AlexRavine)

Luca: "Some of my best childhood memories with food is when the whole family got together to make sausages. Ever since I could remember all my aunts, uncles and grandparents came over to my house around this time of year to make them. Me and my dad went to the butchers the night before to get the pork and casings, then the next day all the kids job was to wash the casings as everyone else butchered and ground th meat. At this point the men continued to stuff the sausages while the women started the Sunday sauce, which was the pork trimmings, and the fresh sausages that were stewed in tomato. After all the sausages were done we all sat down together and ate!"

COURSE FIVE: Trish Gill (@gilltrish), Beast Restaurant (@BeastRestaurant)

Trish Gill - Coulson Armstrong

THE DISH: Bone Marrow & Bourbon Bread Pudding

THE PAIRING: 2008 Mead Royale, Rosewood Estates (@Rosewoodwine)

Trish: "I'm doing a "deep dish" French toast. My mom woke up early one morning to find me in the kitchen (3 years old), successfully making French toast. It was the first meal I ever made!"

The Sous Chefs a.k.a the "Rising Stars" of Toronto's culinary community!

Photo credit: Rossy Earle (@PanCanCooks)

Join Death Row Meals' mailing list at deathrowmeals@gmail.com and LIKE them on Facebook so you won't miss out on these great events!

Other Death Row Meals posts:

Death Row Meals - Taco Edition

Fuel House

2012-02-22T09:45:00.001-05:00

I admit it! Fuel House (Twitter: @FuelHouseTO, Facebook: Fuel House) is my second home. I'm currently the foursquare mayor of the place (it was an epic battle between me and some other guy for it but I finally took over...HA!). There was even talk before about having my name engraved on one of the bar stools just so I can legitimately claim the spot as mine (this is not just any bar stool by the way, it is a specific one). Hey, I'm not ashamed of all this because Fuel House is awesome.

Located on Clinton off of College (beside Cafe Diplomatico and across from Acadia) Fuel House took over "Olivia's At 53" in November 2011. It is a quaint and cozy spot - a house to be exact - so it is no surprise that whenever I'm there I feel right at home. You will probably find me at Fuel House having a drink before dinner or a drink after dinner, or actually have dinner with a drink (their Caesars with horseradish are fantastic!). Having said that, it helps that Fuel House's co-owners Mackenzie Chiu and Mike Dolegowski are super chill and friendly~ Thanks guys for always accommodating me...even at times when I sit for hours on end milking that one drink.. stealing your WIFI the whole time....yupyup... thanks =D

Having said all that, this post seems long overdue, yeah? Considering I've been a loyal customer of Fuel House since its inception. So what took me so long? Well like I said , I'm always just so at-home and relaxed when I'm there, I just want to drink / eat / chat / chill...writing a post for Fuel House just didn't cross my mind, which is of course, totally selfish of me because..

EVERYBODY IN TORONTO DESERVES TO KNOW ABOUT FUEL HOUSE!!!

Soooo to redeem myself, I decided to wake up early last Sunday (i.e. 10am) and spend a few hours at Fuel House during their lunch rush to take some pictures for this post =)

Inside Fuel House. Not a big space but it's so comfy, warm and inviting.

Fuel House serves Sapporo and Beau's on tap, and Stella, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, and Kensington Brewery Augusta Ale in bottles (note: they will be rotating Sapporo draft and bottles throughout the summer).

In the Fuel House kitchen we have....

Chef Peter Pietruniak (@food_nirvana)

and co-owner Mike Dolegowski.

See the two thick pieces of bacon? That's the artisanal slab bacon for their BLT sandwich. Insane.

I've tried every single item shown below at various different visits.

Poutine ($5.5) (you can add pulled turkey, pork belly or bacon too)

Bacon Spinach Salad - Sauteed Onions + Red Wine Vinaigrette ($7)

Pork Belly Banh Mi - Pork Belly Confit + Pickled Veg + Cilantro ($7.5)

Korean Tofu Banh Mi - Seared Tofu + Kimchi + Cucumber + Spicy Hoisin Mayo ($7.5)

Pulled Turkey - Pulled Turkey + Coffee BBQ Sauce + Slaw ($7.5)

BLT - Artisanal Slab Bacon + Boston Bibb + Tomatoes + Roasted Garlic Mayo ($7.5)

Fuel House Burger - 100% Ground Beef 8oz Patty + Bacon + Lettuce + Roasted Garlic Mayo + Tomatoes ($10). This one has added cheese...

...and this one has added cheese and mushrooms.

Calamari Po' Boy - Fried Calamari + Pickled Onions + Remoulade ($9)

Soon to be on Fuel House's menu are fish tacos! I got to taste-test a couple that day.

Fish Taco - Salmon + Lettuce + Tomatoes + Jalapeño + Remoulade + Pickled red onions + Cilantro

Fish Taco - Salmon + Wasabi mayo + Pea shoots + Pickled ginger + Cucumber

I have had everything on Fuel House's menu and I honestly like everything! But I'm going to let you know some of my favourites...in no particular order:

♥ Tofu Banh Mi - Surprised? Yes? I AM TOO! You know how I love my burgers so I was extremely skeptical about this (I never order tofu when I'm out) but this has become my new favourite. I'm now converted from burgers to tofu banh mi's....well only at Fuel House anyway
♥ Pulled Turkey - Tender pulled turkey that has been brined for 24 hours then slow roasted with a house-made, coffee-infused BBQ sauce with dijon slaw piled on top...eh what's not to love?
♥ BLT - That thick slab of artisanal bacon says it all.
♥ Calamari Po'boy - I like fried calamari so now that it is in a sandwich with that tasty remoulade...yeah it was an instant hit for me.
♥ Fries - I banned myself from fries at Fuel House for a period of time because I was addicted to it (I would just order fries for dinner with a drink...so bad). I put a stop to it and told Mack to not give me any fries even if I order them because I know I will regret it afterwards and blame him for it. The ban is still in effect O_o

There are many items on Fuel House's menu I didn't get pictures of, such as their entire snack menu (which is currently being revamped) as well as desserts (love their Vietnamese coffee creme brulee). I'll do another post on those later...but in the mean time, go to Fuel House and experience all these amazing sandwiches for yourself!

Enoteca Tasting at Buca

2012-02-20T10:44:00.001-05:00

I was completely and utterly blown away by Buca's (@bucatoronto) Enoteca Tasting this past Saturday evening. My friend and I both agree that the Enoteca Tasting at Buca (which came into existence less than a month ago) is easily one of the best tasting menu that we've had in the city recently; it was such an memorable experience for me and I truly have nothing but praises for it.

What made it so great was not only the food, which was phenomenal, but also our server / bartender, Thomas...he was fantastic! He did an excellent job in describing all the dishes and interacting with everyone at the bar; he was friendly, attentive, and it was evident that he was passionate about what he was doing...and I love that~

The Enoteca Tasting is exclusively offered at this eight-seat bar beside Buca's main dining room.

Our bartender, Thomas. He took care of us the entire night.

We left it up all up to Executive Chef Rob Gentile (@ChefBuca) to bring us out various small plates and appetizers. I remember Thomas asking us at the very beginning whether we were hungry; my answer was "YES" (when am I ever not hungry?!) Sooooo get ready guys because we ate a LOT! By the way, very important, there were different wine pairings through out the night as well but I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the wines =(

Crudo - Smoked raw rainbow trout fillet with artichoke, juniper caper and liquorice bruton syrup ($18)

Terre Di San Mauro (Calabria) - Sweet calabrese olive oil, raw b.c. spot prawns and sorrel ($10)

Poggio Antico (Toscana) - Peppery tuscan oil, albacore tuna "sott'olio" and house brined raw olives ($10)

House made bread to soak up all that delicious olive oil~

Panella - Crisp chickpea polenta with proscuitto, tuscan pistachio and quebec empire apple "mosto cotto" ($8)

Coniglio - Crisp rabbit legs finished with colonata salt and lemon ($14)

Boulate - Sicilian rolled dumplings with porcini mushrooms, pecorino and pregiato truffle

Nodini Ripieni - Buca's crisp nodini filled with stracciatella cheese, mortadella and pesto genovese ($8)

Salumi - Special selection of 3 types of house cured meats exclusive to buca enoteca served with preserves ($18)

Thomas hand-stretching mozzarella ^_^ Like pulling bread dough, the point of this process is to manipulate the mozzarella just enough to improve elasticity but not so much as to toughen it.

The mozzarella was soaked in water for four minutes.

Mozzarella - Fresh stretched to order mozzarella with condiments ($26)

Left to right: Sicilian olive oil (from calabria), pesto, in-house salted anchovies, honey (from gaspe, quebec)

Vongole - Shucked nova scotia clams alla carbonara ($14)

Burro E Uova - Il forteto butter, cured duck yolk and pregiato truffles ($14)

L'ottobratica (Calabria) - Sharp calabrese olive oil, 76% raw chocolate and clay pepper ($7)

Uva E Ricotta - Fresh ricotta di bufala, warm grapes, meyer lemon, cured fennel and saba ($9)

Castagnole - Warm bite sized italian doughnuts filled with dulce de leche ($12)

*DROOLS*

I really enjoyed everything that night...everything! All the plates we had were simple yet extremely delicious. However, having said that, I did have a few favourites...

♥ Smoked raw rainbow trout: the artichoke and juniper capers brought out the smokiness of the trout...it was a burst of flavours in one bite!

♥ Raw B.C. spot prawn: loved the texture of the prawn and the "fruity" tasting olive oil that came with it.

♥ Sicilian rolled dumplings with porcini mushrooms: mini cinnamon bun lookalikes but instead of cinnamon, think super fragrant mushrooms.

♥ Mozzarella: hand-stretched mozzarella done right in front of you? Can't beat that! Being able to try the different condiments with the mozzarella was really fun and interesting (I really loved the maldon salt mix on the mozzarella).
♥ Cured duck yolk with truffles: Ehhh....egg and truffles...'nuff said.
♥ Doughnuts filled with dulce de leche: refer to last picture =D

Thank you Chef Rob, Thomas, and the Buca staff for taking such good care of us. Bravo!!!

My Interview with "Culinary Legend" Chef Grant Soto

2012-02-13T10:03:00.016-05:00

Where do I begin?

My first encounter with Chef Grant Soto was back in early January when I was at the airport in Utah waiting to board my plane to Wyoming for a business trip. With a few minutes left to spare, I took out my phone, checked Twitter and saw this:

"Chef Grant Soto followed you"

With a mention from him to me:

"Come visit my restaurant!"

Interesting. I then checked his profile:

"Toronto, Canada: Executive Chef / DJ / Fashion Designer / Co-Owner of Gravitas Restaurant. Culinary Legend. Before me, Charcuterie was just meat."

My first thought was "LOL! Is this for real?" Anyway, before I had time to look him up it was time for me to board so I quickly replied "Sure. Would love to!".

Sometime after I landed, I Googled "Gravitas Restaurant Toronto". Search came up with nothing. Hm...maybe the "Gravitas" is too new? I then tried Googling "Chef Grant Soto". Also nothing.

Shit...I think I've been had! O_o

Whatever, not holding any grudges, I continue to follow Chef Grant Soto on twitter. Why? Simply because his tweets are raunchy, gross, yet hilarious! Best thing is that he's local so he occasionally pokes fun at Toronto chefs, restaurants and the industry. I no longer cared that he is a fictitious character...it actually became why I love him even more (Amy Pataki professed her love for Chef Grant Soto in today's Toronto Star).

Chef Grant Soto'sTwitter avatar

What caught my eye though were a few times he tweeted about food bloggers, specifically Asian food bloggers. Being one myself, it is no surprise that I found those tweets extra amusing (for those who may not know, the majority of food bloggers in Toronto are Asian females...don't ask me why). Here are some of Chef Grant Soto's tweets re: food bloggers:

I decided to contact Chef Grant Soto on Twitter because I was extremely curious about what he thought of the food blogging community in Toronto. We talked on the phone for an hour....

Me: "Both your publicist and Julia Child's spirit encourage you to charm / court bloggers. How do you feel about that?"

GS: "I feel great about it. I went on an “acid vision quest” recently, I try to go on them 14 to15 times a year. It is important to cleanse your spiritual palette; I transcended time, space and flavour. At the end of the tunnel of light, Julia Child appeared before me. It was her, but not her, you know? I think she had her tits done in heaven. But I wasn't complaining because she looked good and who am I to judge if someone wants a procedure to feel better about themselves? So anyways, she hovered above me and said in her regal and wobbly voice "Embrace the food bloggers, young man, traditional media influence is eroding…and stop staring at my tits.”"

Me: "Interesting. And has it been working?"

GS: "I think so. Listen, I’m in the bubble of celebrity. It can be hard for me sometimes to see through this fame tornado I’m in. I’m told it is going well and that’s good enough for me. I always believe the positive things people I’m paying tell me."

Me: "You once said you have three weaknesses: Chouquettes, Wild Turkey bourbon and Asian Food Bloggers. Can you explain a bit more about that?"

GS: "I had a wild night in Sudbury where I combined all three. Ever since then it has been just sense memory. When I get around any of the three I’m a goner. It is the reason we’re talking on the phone right now and not in person. I've been advised by my lawyer to “take a break for Gods sakes” from Asian food bloggers."

Me: "But how do you feel, generally, about Asians (particularly Asian females) being the majority of food bloggers in Toronto?

GS: "I think it’s great. It must be cultural. These bloggers have been helped me develop a

sense of intimacy with a new audience, specifically women. I went through a hard time last year when my SOTO BRAND “Ladies Hygienic Douche" was protested. Women objected to my face being on the actual douche and I can’t tell you how hard that was. I took it quite personally. It was a product I believed in and it served an important purpose. I really had to take a step back

and ask myself "Why I wasn’t connecting with women consumers? Why wouldn't a woman want to clean her vagina with my face?" I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t communicating my sensitive side to women. Building relationships with some of these female bloggers was a way to show that I am sensitive, I do have feelings, and I want that to be conveyed through every product I manufacture and endorse."

Me: "That's so sensitive of you. Have you had any good or bad experiences with Asian female food bloggers you would like to share?"

GS: "I did have one bad experience last year. An Asian female food blogger ate in my flagship restaurant “Gravitas” and did not enjoy herself. She went so far as to go beyond just criticizing the restaurant and take personal and professional swipes at me. I’m the spokesman for the National Bacne Association. It’s a role I take very seriously, speaking out for men with back acne. My role as spokesman has taken me all over the world and has made me a goodwill ambassador for the UN. I just got back from Africa and I have to say it was a real eye opening experience. Bacne has ravaged the backs of men all across Africa. They just don’t have the meds! It’s certainly opened my worldview. She mocked my role as spokesman and ambassador saying and I quote “The parsnip puree tasted like puss, no doubt a specialty for Chef Grant Soto considering the charitable foundation he’s associated himself with.” She crossed the line, plain and simple. My food is one thing but insensitivity and prejudice like that just sets the cause back years."

Toronto Star's restaurant critic Amy Pataki's love letter to Chef Grant Soto

Me: "I'm sorry to hear that, Chef Grant Soto, I hope you know that she is not representative of the food bloggers in Toronto. Any tips you want to give to food bloggers in general?"

GS: "Yes, give yourself over the experience of the restaurant. Leave you’re preconceived

notions about dining at the door. Especially when you eat at my restaurant. Eat what I give you. Do what I say. If I invite you into the wine cellar you should come. If I begin to awkwardly massage your shoulders don’t tense up. If I strip naked and begin rubbing soybean oil over my body don’t scream and run away in horror. Go with it. It’s all part of the dining experience! You’re not there to critique the restaurant, you're there to share your experience with your readers. Comments like “Is that as big as it gets?” and “Are you going to stop crying?” doesn't help my process as a chef. Just ride the wave."

Me: "Fair enough. What goals have you set for yourself that you still haven't reached?"

GS: "The big one for me is the opera I’m writing about Emilio Estevez. It traces his life and his amazing career. It covers the “Young Guns” 1 and 2 era through “Men at Work”, “Judgment Night” and of course climaxing with the “Mighty Ducks” series. He’s had such a rich and storied career that I felt the only way I could properly celebrate him was musical opera. I plan to workshop it and preview it in London next year before I bring it over for North American audiences."

Me: "Good luck! By the way, how did the "tweet-up" in your bedroom go the other night?

GS: "Not good, once all the Asian food bloggers realized that the event wasn’t exactly “food related” and that I was attempting to jump start an orgy they left! I was heartbroken. I ended up watching “Downton Abbey” with my pants around my ankles, eating some bad cotechino sausage and passing out in my bean bag chair."

Me: "Haha! Hey, where was my invite?"

GS: "The last time we saw each other you threw hot jus in my face for smelling your hair without your permission. If I had known you’d forgiven me, believe me you would have been invited. I had a platter with goldfish crackers and hot rods. It was classy."

Me: "Looks like I missed out then. Do you have a favourite food blogger in Toronto?"

GS: "Answering that puts me in an awkward position, allow me to say this, I’ll always have a weakness for Asian girls with big appetites. Oh and Amy Pataki".

*****END*****

My interview with Chef Grant Soto was an eye-opening experience for me. I now understand a lot more about him and gained some valuable insight into his thought process as a chef as well as an individual.

elle m'a dit

2012-02-10T10:05:00.002-05:00

My friends Cindy, Adrienne (@peppercornpoppy) and I really enjoyed our dinner at elle m'a dit (@ellemaditoui) several weeks ago. It was Cindy's suggestion to try elle m'a dit and as always, her picks never disappoint =)

I had a good feeling about elle m'a dit even before stepping inside mainly because I have a soft spot for restaurants in quaint houses; they give me this warm, cozy, safe fuzzy feeling inside (ok maybe not fuzzy). It's kinda like going home but in this case, going home to eat... Alsatian food.

elle m'a dit on Baldwin St (left), its huge mural on the right (right)

elle m'a dit opened in June 2011 and serves "modern Alsatian cuisine". Chef Gregory Furstoss was born in Alsace (a region in the northeastern part of France) and was a sous chef at Bistro and Bakery Thuet before opening elle m'a dit with his wife, Tory Yang (the two met at Bistro and Bakery Thuet).

Several tables surround the bar on the ground floor. It is a very intimate and romantic space.

The second floor is where the main dining room is. The simple and uncomplicated decor continues here with the white walls and red trim accents. The "wine list" is written on the big chalkboard.

A very meat-heavy menu at elle m'a dit.

Sour Crown - Chambord, apple sourz, pineapple juice (1.5oz, $8.50)
Pimm's Queen - Pimm's No1, quince syrup, lemon juice, sprite (2oz, $8)

APPETIZERS

French Onion Soup: Grilled bread, gruyere cheese ($10) - It looked promising but we didn't end up liking it at all. The toast was burnt and for one reason or another, the soup tasted burnt as well (or maybe it was supposed to be that way? "Smoky"? Not sure). There was a lot of gruyere in it though which was great.

Hand Chopped Bison Tartar with Crostini ($15) - Tasty but nothing special.

Traditional Tarte Flambée: bacon, onion, fromage blanc, gruyere cheese ($10) - With six styles of tarte flambees available, we chose the traditional one. This was the thinnest flatbread I've ever had in my life! With its super crispy edges, this tarte flambée was as thin as a cracker. We all loved this...it was so addictive.

MAINS

Sauerkraut: Grilled pork loin, pork belly, smoked sausage, fingerling potato ($21) - SO.MUCH.MEAT! Not complaining as this was actually our favourite entree. I really wish it came with some veggies though; I know there is sauerkraut but it just didn't' cut it - whether it was because there was too little of it or it tasted bland - I wanted something else to balance out all the meat here.

Braise Beef Tongue: Purple sweet potato gnocchi ($20) - The dish was very flavourful but I thought it lacked texture; everything was soft and I couldn't tell the difference between the tender beef tongue and the soft potato gnocchi.

Baeckeoffe & Salad: Alsatian meat casserole, beef, lamb and pork with potato ($19) - Delicious and tender meat all sealed inside layers of potatoes on top. Real good comfort food here (with a side of salad! Yay!).

DESSERTS

Chocolate Bomb & Roasted Banana Ice Cream: Dark chocolate mousse, hazelnut dacquoise, toasted house made marshmallow, chocolate genoise, hazelnut crunch ($10) - You know how sometimes when a dessert plate comes with several kinds of desserts there's always something you're just not crazy about? Well not here because I loved everything on the plate. These are not your standard, everyday desserts, especially the roasted banana ice cream and hazelnut crunch....WOW =D

Apple Tarte Flambée: Sliced apple, cinnamon sugar, cinnamon fromage blanc, baked in oven. Alsatian traditional dessert ($7) - I thought the flatbread here was not as thin as the flatbread earlier but it was still very good. I also felt great eating this, you know why? It was delicious yet so thin and light, it was like I wasn't eating anything fattening at all. Wonderful!

I highly recommend elle m'a dit because it serves really good food, really good Alsatian comfort food that you can't find anywhere else in the city (I heard elle m'a dit is the only Alsatian restaurant in the city). If and when you do go, make sure you order the flambée and the pork belly / pork loin / sausage plate!

Pizzeria Libretto - Danforth

2012-02-08T09:30:00.002-05:00

My favourite place for pizza in Toronto is Pizzeria Libretto (@PizzaLibretto). I know there is a constant, never-ending debate about who has "the best pizza in Toronto" but seriously, who cares? At the end of the day, everybody has different tastes and I personally like Pizzeria Libretto the best. I admittedly have not tried every pizza place in Toronto but so far, Pizzeria Libretto is my favourite.

I started Food Junkie Chronicles back in April 2010 and one of my very first blog posts was about my love for the duck confit pizza at Pizzeria Libretto (still my favourite pizza there!) I haven't been back to Pizzeria Libretto for quite a while so I was really excited when I heard about their new Danforth location (@pldanforth).

My friend and I went to the Danforth location exactly a week ago around 7pm. We didn't make a reservation because it was a last minute decision to go. The restaurant was completely full and we were lucky to get the last two seats at the bar (it would've been more than an hour wait for a table).

The decor at this location is very modern, very "industrial" with the exposed piping, black and white walls, shiny concrete floors and the multi-coloured lights. This location is a lot more spacious than the Ossington location, which also has a more cozy and warm ambiance.

Two wood burning ovens at this location compared to only one at Ossington.

Our server asked whether we wanted bread. My friend said "no" while I said "yes"... I'm such a bread fiend O_o

Cheese Agnolotti: Pickled mushroom, mushroom broth - Chef Rocco(@ChefRoccoTO) brought this out for us. It was a perfect start to our meal; the mushroom soup was light yet flavourful...very appetizing.

Pork Skewers - Another dish Chef Rocco brought out for us. I love all the herbs, spices and seasoning. The meat was also very soft and juicy...it soaked up all the amazing flavours.

Gnocchi Fritti Lemon: Lemon, chives & sour cream ($5) - Love gnocchi, love fried stuff...perfect!

Arancini: Braised lamb neck, tomato, mozzarella, mint & spicy aioli ($9)

Very very tasty rice balls filled with braised lamb neck, melted mozzarella, and tomato. LOVE the spicy aioli...I wanted to lick the plate.

Pizza Fritta: "Porchetta", chinotto bbq sauce, chili & arugula ($8)

Exclusive to the Danforth location, this Pizza Fritta completely blew us away. Really...how can anybody NOT like this? Thick slices of fatty pork belly slathered in a sweet & tangy BBQ sauce, topped with fresh arugula, and then all that on top of a piece of pan fried pizza dough. I can have this again and again.

Apple & Fig Salad: Blue elizabeth cheese, croutons, cider, white balsamic vinegar ($10) - I like everything in this salad. Period.

Nduja Sausage Pizza: Tomato, garlic, oregano, basil, mozzarella, stracciatella ($17) - Spicy sausage and fresh mozzarella that is tangy and creamy, along with Pizzeria Libretto's signature tomato sauce, this pizza was delicious.

Brussels Sprouts Pizza: Bomba, garlic, balsamic, bufala ricotta, mozzarella ($16)

Since this pizza is not available at the Ossington location, I knew I had to try it. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of Brussels sprouts (I don't hate it I just don't prefer it) but surprisingly, I still liked it (probably because of all the cheese and balsamic =D). Note that this pizza has a white sauce instead of a tomato-based sauce (my friend liked the nduja pizza more because of this).

My friend and I both went into a food coma afterwards =P Thank you Chef Rocco for taking care of us!!!

I can't wait to go back and have that Pizza Fritta again................

Luma - Winterlicious Tasting Menu

2012-02-06T09:56:00.002-05:00

I love tasting menus! I really, really do =) I wish every restaurant in Toronto offer tasting menus... things would be so much easier for me (I usually want to try everything O_o).

Leaving it all to the chef, tasting menus offer small portions of several dishes as a single meal. Before the meal begins, your server will ask whether anyone has allergies and once that is settled, dishes will start coming out. Nonstop (well not really "nonstop" but it usually feels that way after awhile).

I've had several tasting menus before but last Thursday was my first time trying a Winterlicious Tasting Menu. I had dinner with three lovely ladies, Nicki from View The Vibe (@ViewTheVibe), Val (@ValTorontoGal) and Sandy (@sassygirlcanada) and thanks to Executive Chef Jason Bangerter of Luma (@chefbangerter), we were completely spoiled from our multi-course dinner. With smaller portion size, we got to taste every single item on Luma's Winterlicious menu (except for the pan roasted chicken because we were just too full). Our dinner lasted almost four hours! Good times =D

APPETIZERS

Chicken Liver + Foie Gras Pate - Chicken liver parfait, foie gras terrine, braised veal tongue, confit duck tongue, braised pork head torchon, pickles, mustard, and earthy kolrabi purée.

Winter Root Salad - Iceberg lettuce, shaved roots, crispy wheat berries, smoked bacon and mustard dressing.

Roasted Beetroot Soup - Blue cheese, walnut and apple.

Where is the soup, you ask? Well, Chef Bangerter came out and personally served us the beet soup =)

MAINS

Seared Albacore Tuna - Braised sunchoke and heirloom bean salad, red wine rosemary vinaigrette

Grilled Flatiron Steak - Butter whipped potato, oyster mushrooms and truffle creme fraiche

Sandy and Chef Bangerter.

DESSERTS

Chocolate Bread + Butter Pudding - Butterscotch and shaved white chocolate

Cinnamon Rice Pudding - Preserved kumquat and nutmeg

Apple + Buttermilk Panna Cotta - Maple granola and apple compote

My favourites of the night were the following: APPETIZER - the chicken liver and foie gras pate - anyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for liver and foie gras; MAIN - the grilled flat iron steak - this was everybody's favourite as it was extremely tender and flavourful, and finally; DESSERT - the chocolate bread + butter pudding - we all loved it so much we scraped the plate clean.

In Luma's kitchen: Executive Chef Jason Bangerter

Chef de Cuisine Brent Maxwell on the right (@BrentMaxwell)

A big thanks to Chef Bangerter, Chef Maxwell and the rest of the Luma team for such a wonderful dinner ^_^ By the way, Winterlicious ends on February 9!

Dish Duel Has Officially Begun!

2012-02-05T19:36:00.001-05:00

It has started guys... Dish Duel has finally begun and I am stoked!!!

You may be wondering "What the heck is Dish Duel?" Or even "What does Dish Duel have to do with me?"

Well, Dish Duel has asked 16 restaurants in Toronto to present their best dish for an online winner-take-all tournament. Me and the Dish Duel blogger team, consisting of Jacob from RestoInTO, Amy from Amy's Food Adventures, and Jess from Where Jess Ate, will be visiting the 16 restaurants, tasting and rating each dish on taste, presentation and originality, for a total score of 25.

And this is where you come in. You, yes YOU, will be able to vote ONLINE starting February 18 for your favourite dish. I strongly encourage you to take this chance to visit and taste these amazing dishes for yourself before February 18!

Recognize any of these dishes? If not, visit Dish Duel to get the deets!

So you should be able to guess what I gotta do for the next two weeks, right? I will be going to eight different restaurants for dinner, anonymously, tasting and rating each restaurant's dish. I started my Dish Duel adventure yesterday at Ascari Enoteca and had their Casarecce Pasta with homemade sausage, pepperonata, tomato, pepperoncino and roasted fennel =) AHHHHH seven more restaurants to go baby!

I'm pretty sure you may not recognize me after Dish Duel as I may look like this:

OK I'm exaggerating. More realistically, how about this? BEFORE and AFTER Dish Duel:

$%$#!!!

I'm pretty sure none of you feel sorry for me though.

Anyway, remember to vote! Tell your friends, your family, your colleagues..whoever! The more votes we get, the more restaurants will love it =) Which can only mean one thing....more Dish Duel tournaments in the future (FYI restaurants are already contacting us about the next one!)

***LET THE GAMES BEGIN***

^_*

Scarpetta

2012-02-03T08:53:00.003-05:00

Located within the Thompson Hotel at King West, celebrity chef Scott Conant's Scarpetta (Twitter: ScarpettaTO, Facebook: Scarpetta Toronto) is an upscale and trendy Italian restaurant. Through Scarpetta, Scott Conant (a James Beard Award winner who reached celebrity status as a judge in Food Network's Chopped! and Top Chef) said he wanted to offer Italian food where "rustic Tuscany meets urban Milan".

To me, the decor at Scarpetta is definitely more "urban" than "rustic"; it is sleek, cool and contemporary.

A very cool bluish glow by the windows.

My friend and I went all out and ordered way more than necessary for the two of us. We started off with Scarpetta's bread basket.

It came with mascarpone butter, eggplant caponata and citrus-infused olive oil.

Probably one of the best bread baskets I've ever had.. My fav was the Stromboli - fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, genoa salami and soppressata - I could eat it all day. If all bread came stuffed with meat and cheese, I would be a very happy girl ^_^

APPETIZERS

Tuna "Susci" - Marinated Vegetables & Preserved Truffles ($18) - Cute presentation (reminded me if maki rolls) with a very unique interplay between the tuna and veggies.

Yellowtail - Olio de Zenzero & Pickled Red Onion ($18) - The glistening fresh yellowtail was soft and went together beautifully with tang from the ginger oil and red onion. Very nice and I liked it more than the tuna.

Braised Short Ribs of Beef - Vegetable & Farro Risotto ($16) - I enjoyed the farro risotto underneath more than the braised short ribs because although very flavourful and tender, I found the short ribs to be a bit on the dry side.

Creamy Polenta - Fricassee of Truffled Mushrooms ($15)

I now understand why this is one of Scarpetta's signature dishes - it is the best polenta I've ever had - so buttery and creamy! The combination of smooth polenta, earthiness of the mushrooms and the pungent white truffles won me over.

MAINS

Black Cod - Baccala Montecato, Gaeta Olives & Concentrated Tomatoes ($35) - Black Cod is one of my favourite fish and Scarpetta does not disappoint. It was so good I wish there was more of it!

Spaghetti - Tomato & Basil ($24) - Scott Conant's famous spaghetti really deserves a more exciting name. Sweet yet slightly spicy with a touch of cheese, the tomato sauce was stellar; it literally coated each strand of spaghetti better than any other sauce I've had. The pasta was cooked al dente; chewy yet not under-cooked (ok maybe a bit too chewy for my taste but that's just me).

Mediterranean Branzino - Mussels, Salsify, Tuscan Kale & Salsa Verde ($29) - Lightly seared with a slightly crispy skin, I really liked the Branzino. I think I liked this dish even more than the Black Cod because I like kale and salsa verde =D

DESSERT

Petit Four Platter - Selection of Bite Size Flavour Explosions ($11) - I love the whimsical and playful presentation! The best thing about this platter is that you're bound to find something you like =)

Amedei Chocolate Cake - Burnt Orange-Caramel Gelato & Expresso Sauce ($11) - I'm a big fan of chocolate cake but wasn't crazy about this one; I thought it was a bit dry and not rich / moist enough for me. The burnt orange-caramel gelato was tasty though.

In Scarpetta's kitchen...

Sous Chef Jesse Chingcuangco and Chef de Cuisine Michael Hunter (@Chef__Hunter) plating the "Roasted Organic Chicken - Chestnut spaetzle, braised cabbage & fegato sauce", one of three entrée choices from Scarpetta's Winterlicious menu.

Pastry Chef Ella Herrera plating the "Honey Roasted Pear Wrapped in Crispy Filo - Cinnamon Gelato", one of three dessert choices from Scarpetta's Winterlicious Menu.

Given that my friend and I ate like pigs, I must admit that our dinner was pricey (believe me it is not everyday that I indulge the way I did that night or I would be broke lol). However, we both really enjoyed the dinner, with my favourites being Scarpetta's signature dishes (i.e. polenta and spaghetti), the yellowtail, branzino, and the petit four platter.

I also need to point out that Scarpetta's Winterlicious Menu, priced at $35, includes the choice of Creamy Polenta as an appetizer and Tomato & Basil Spaghetti as an entrée, which are regularly priced at $15 and $24, respectively. Just sayin' =D

Chef Nick Liu's Last Service at Niagara Street Café

2012-02-01T09:47:00.001-05:00

My favourite taco (and also the winner) at the Death Row Meals Supper Club's Taco event last month was Chef Nick Liu's (@ninjachefnick) Crispy Octopus and Jicama Taco with Smoked Paprika Caponata, Chorizo Bacon and Spicy Tomato Aioli. I really enjoyed the taco because I thought it was unique (i.e. the jicama "tortilla" ) and in my mind, scored the highest overall in terms of originality, taste, and presentation. I was thrilled when Chef Nick said that he would be adding the taco to Niagara Street Café's menu. Sweeeeet~ As I've never been to Niagara Street Café this would be the perfect opportunity to go try the restaurant (and of course stuff my face with tacos =P).

However, panic sets in when I found out a couple of weeks later that January 29 was gonna be Chef Nick's last service at Niagara Street Café! I immediately started checking my calendar and phoning friends (OK more like texting friends) to see who would be available as my Niagara Street Café dinner date. Well, I obviously made it *whew* right on the night of January 29 too.

As you can imagine, it was a very, VERY busy night at Niagara Street Café last Sunday. Everybody wanted to be there to experience Chef Nick's cooking one last time at the restaurant. So thanks, Chef Nick, for letting me into your kitchen (since I know I was in your way most of the time).

Here's my friend Rian (@mommy_instincts) and I waiting to be fed at Niagara Street Café =P I warned Rian and her hubby, Ray, ahead of time to not eat (or eat very little) during the day because I knew there would be a lot of food for dinner. Well I was right (ha!) because dinner was indeed epic...with 11 courses! It was a no-menu meal where we ate whatever Chef Nick brought out and it all started with...

Bread: Served with Sherry Vinegar Caramelized Onions.

Course 1: Crispy Calamari and Jicama Taco - Smoked Caponata, House Cured Bacon, Spicy Tomato Salsa Aioli.

Course 2: Miso Roasted Parsnip Soup

Course 3: Water Buffalo - Pickled Kiwi Berries, Lamb's Lettuce and Pressed Lemon Yogurt

Course 4: Spicy Black Bean Escargot - Asian Slaw, Rice Wafer, Shiitake Chips, Cold Pressed Soy Oil

Course 5: Crispy Frog Legs - Lily Bulb, Crispy Fingerling Potato Chips and Salsa Verde

Course 6: Korean Crab and Sweet Bread Po'boy - Tomato Salsa, Kim Chi Pickles, Salt and Pepper Chips

Course 7: Japanese Bolognese - Rare Beef Tataki, Soba Noodles, Tomato Consomme

Course 8: Roasted Nagano Pork Loin - Chive Pancake, Asian Cucumber Salad, Soy Glaze, Smoked Apple Hoisin Sauce

Course 9: Smoked Pickerel - Purple Potato, Gamjatang

Course 10: Crispy Confit Tongue - Smoked Plum Purée

Course 11: Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Thank you, Chef Nick, for such a fabulous dinner. Although I didn't get to "stuff my face with tacos", my friends and I truly loved all your dishes; we really enjoyed the various Asian influences and the bold flavours! We thought everything was original, unique and delicious~ I wish you all the best in your future endeavors (and don't keep us waiting too long with the new restaurant, OK? =D). I also want to say a quick thanks to Anton (@antonpotvin) (owner of Niagara Street Café) for his hospitality that night; you really have a great wine selection (we still can't stop thinking about that Riesling)!

For those of you who may not know, Chef Steve Gonzales (@latino5spice) will be the new chef at Niagara Street Café starting... TONIGHT! Salsa anyone? =P

1800 Degrees [VLOG]

2012-01-30T14:25:00.002-05:00

Back in December before I left for my Hong Kong trip, I had a lovely steak dinner with the View The Vibe (@ViewtheVibe) ladies, Nicki and Michelle (@MichelleVTV) at 1800 Degrees (Twitter: @1800DegreesTO, Facebook: 1800Degrees). Located on Bloor West in Etobicoke, 1800 Degrees gets its name from their signature broiler that literally cooks steak at a temperature of 1800 degrees Fahrenheit (or 982 degrees Celcius). Impressive :)

Family owned and operated, 1800 Degrees have won the title of "Best Steak in Toronto" for 2010/2011 by Dine.TO as well as the "Platinum Award Steak, Gold Award Seafood" award for 2010/2011 by Bloor West Villager News.

I was the first to arrive that night and took the opportunity to take some pictures.

With seating on both sides, 1800 Degrees is a very spacious restaurant. It also has a modern yet warm decor; all the cushioned seating gives an inviting and cozy atmosphere.

Chef Hugo Ferreira and his team at 1800 Degrees prepares all dishes in-house which includes their USDA Prime Steaks (aged 35-40 days) and fresh seafood.

View The Vibe's vlog of our ladies' night out! Note that I had to leave early and could not stay for the very delicious Bourbon Creme Brulee (Nicki texted later that night saying that I missed out)...bummer =(

Knowing that we wanted to share everything, the 1800 Degrees kitchen separated the starters for us. Very nice of them to do that.

APPETIZERS

Pan Seared Sea Scallops - Truffled Parsnip Puree, Chive Oil - I thoroughly enjoyed this starter. The scallop was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The parsnip puree, which I was initially iffy about, complemented the scallop really well.

Classic Steak Tartare - Prime Filet Mignon, Sauce Grabiche, Capers, Quail Egg, Garlic Toast Points - Another great starter...also helps that I love steak tartare! It was fun pouring the quail egg over the tartare (don't judge but I do love playing with my food =D).

Classic Shrimp Cocktail - Jumbo Shrimp, Vodka Cocktail Sauce, Pickled Fennel - These shrimps were fresh, big and meaty. An interesting touch adding pickled fennel to the cocktail sauce.

MAIN

USDA Prime Filet Mignon (6oz) with Seasonal Vegetables and Peppercorn Sauce - All steaks are served with vegetables & a choice of potato and sauce.

I think my steak came out rare instead of blue rare (which I ordered). However, the filet mignon was still very tender and juicy. I actually would've liked it even better if it was seared a tad longer for a "crustier" texture on top.

SIDES

Organic Beer Battered Onion Rings - Thick pieces of onion inside with a crispy batter. YUM.

Lobster Bearnaise Poutine - 1800 Degrees' take on the poutine, substituting cheese curds / gravy for a rich bearnaise sauce with lots of lobster meat on top. Definitely an interesting and unique "poutine" but I couldn't get my mind off the fact this poutine didn't have cheese curds or gravy =(

DESSERT

Watch the vlog =P

Since my pictures did not capture the vibe of 1800 Degrees (my bad for taking pics when the restaurant wasn't even opened yet) you need to check out View The Vibe's video of 1800 Degrees on a bustling night!

*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*

More Than Just Ice Cream at Cool Hand Luc

2012-01-27T09:51:00.001-05:00

Cool Hand Luc (Twitter: @CoolHandLucTO, Facebook: Cool Hand Luc) located on 545 King St. W. is a cute and colourful ice cream shop that opened back in June of last year. While many ice cream shops in Toronto cut down hours or shut down completely during the winter, Cool Hand Luc steered away from the norm and launched a "Winter Menu" that offers fresh soups and custom grilled cheese (with weekly features and specials). I was invited by Cool Hand Luc to try out their Winter Menu last week.

Before I go on, I need to point out Cool Hand Luc's back-wall! For those of you that have been there you will know exactly what I'm talking about. This mural... I just can't get enough of it! I literally stood in front of it for five minutes just admiring it...it's so adorable! I especially love the blob of purple ice cream vomiting Mike and Ikes. And the face on that peanut butter cup? Hilarious! =D

Currently, all of Cool Hand Luc's ice cream are sourced from Bobcaygeon-based Kawartha Dairy and their vegan friendly,100% natural, fat-free fruit sorbets come from Solo Fruit in Montreal. However, this will all change this summer as owner Luc Essiambre hopes to produce at least 50% of their ice cream, and by 2013, Cool Hand Luc will be serving exclusively their own homemade ice cream.

Ah this is what I'm here for, Cool Hand Luc's soups and grilled cheese~

Luc works along side executive chef Catherine Hall in creating their vegan soup menu; it is produced off site to maintain 100% vegan / vegetarian consistency. Luc hand makes all the purees and meat-based soups / chili on a weekly basis.

Here is Luc making our grilled cheese~ My friend Julia and I told Luc that he can decide the grilled cheese toppings for us :)

My Combo: Small Soup, Deluxe Grilled Cheese (Basic Grilled Cheese + 2 Toppings), Pop / Water ($9.50)

I opted for the chili because I love having it when it is cold outside. I really liked this chili because it was thick with a lot of ground beef, not too "tomato-y" and had a little bit of kick to it as well. It was really hearty and substantial, a great choice if you like chili or a thick soup.

My deluxe grilled cheese was made with cheddar, tomato and bacon with white bread. I enjoyed it as it was light, easy to eat and not greasy at all. The bacon was done just right - cut to small pieces and not too salty - and with the tomato and cheese, the whole sandwich tasted really good.

Julia went with the same deluxe combo but she chose the chicken noodle soup. She said her soup had a good amount of chicken, noodles and veggies.

Her deluxe grilled cheese was made with cheddar, tomato and avocado with white bread (she didn't want any meat in her grilled cheese).

Cheese, tomato and avocado may seem like an odd combo but it works! Julia really enjoyed it. I took a bite as well and I gotta admit, it was pretty darn good. I think I like it even more than my bacon grilled cheese. I think it's something to do with the texture of the avocado with the melted cheese that made really tasty.

After the satisfying chili and grilled cheese, I was pleasantly full. However, there was absolutely no way I was going to leave Cool Hand Luc without eating ice cream! I went for the "Bear Claw" since I was craving chocolate. I highly recommend this flavour if you are a chocolate fan.

With so many grilled cheese places popping up in Toronto offering super fancy grilled cheese at ridiculous prices, I'm happy I can resort to Cool Hand Luc for a good quality, classic grilled cheese at $3.50 (and f you want something more, get the deluxe grilled cheese at $5 for two more toppings...nothing crazy). The best value, in my opinion, are the combos. I mean I'm no "grilled cheese connoisseur" but all I know is that I was very happy and satisfied with my deluxe grilled cheese, chili, and drink, all for under $10 =D

*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*

Winter Hours: Monday - Friday: 11AM - 7PM, Saturday: 12PM - 4PM, closed Sundays.

Summer Hours: 11AM - late night, 7 days a week.