Food Junkie Chronicles

New Menu at The Fuel House

2013-05-17T16:53:00.002-04:00

When Fuel House (Twitter: @FuelHouseTO, Facebook: Fuel House) took over the former "Olivia's" in November 2011, co-owners Mackenzie Chiu and Mike Dolegowski envisioned their cozy, quaint space in Little Italy as a neighbourhood sandwich shop. With a variety of sandwiches, burgers and banh mi on the menu, swiftly followed by the addition of a snacks menu, Fuel House quickly established itself as a friendly and casual spot. Whether you wanted a quick bite to eat or a comfy place to grab a couple of beers with friends, Fuel House is the place to be. When it's a nice day out, you can even choose which patio you want to chill at - the smaller patio at the front where you can people watch, or the larger more private patio at the back, totally up to you.

Last month, Mack and Mike decided to overhaul Fuel House's entire menu. With Rob Julen as the new chef, Fuel House has since then taken on a completely different direction. Sandwiches are now gone and have been replaced by pub-style snacks and sharing plates. From now on, you can expect to see fried chicken, fries, pork ribs, burgers as well as healthy vegetarian options such as salads and slaws at Fuel House (they even have a seafood basket with crab legs!) A larger selection of beers and an updated cocktail list accompanies the menu makeover. Excellent. Just in time for summer :)

Below are some items from Fuel House's new menu:

LAZY SUMMER

OLIVES

PORK RILLETTE & BREAD

RANCH SLAW - ICEBERG LETTUCE, RANCH DRESSING, BLUE CHEESE

POTATO & GREEN BEAN SALAD IN RED WINE VINAIGRETTE

FRIES

SEAFOOD PLATE - CRAB LEGS, POPCORN SHRIMP, GRILLED CORN

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN AND STICKY RIBS

HONEY CAKE

Without a doubt, Fuel House's new menu is fantastic for sharing - buttermilk fried chicken, ribs, seafood platter - all I gotta say is this: prepare to dig in, get your hands dirty and have fun! I thought their seafood plate was the most impressive because aside from raw bars or the occasional buffet, it rare that you will find crab legs on any menu in the city.

Currently, Fuel House is open for dinner only but they are planning to start Sunday brunch at the beginning of June. Follow them on Facebook and / or Twitter for latest updates.

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

The Samuel J. Moore

2013-05-16T11:33:00.000-04:00

The Samuel J. Moore's got it covered - lunch, brunch, dinner, dessert, drinks, snacks, midnight eats - you name it, they've got it. The new bistro at the corner of Queen and Dovercourt is open for business at almost every single hour of every day. Pretty neat, ya?

Being the life of the party (yes that's me) there's always a time and place for late night quick-and-dirty eats (like Poutini's). However ladies, you should know what I mean when I say this: sometimes there's just no way I'm gonna eat standing up after hours in my 3-inch heels. Go ahead and call me high maintenance but know this: when it's your sore and squished toes on the line, you'll thank me for this blog post. Why's that? 'Cause now you'll know that The Samuel J. Moore, an actual sit down restaurant, is serving food till 4 am in the morning, Thursday through Saturday. That's right. You're welcome.

High ceiling, tile floors with a black and white theme throughout the room gives a simple yet classy tavern feel to The Samuel J. Moore (@TheSamuelJMoore). An eye-catching marble-top bar stretches along the back of the entire space. Beautiful.

Templar Sour - Islay, Almond. Citrus. Egg white. Sour cherry ($14)

Also got some bubbly, which of course goes perfectly with...

Oysters!

Snacks ($5 each or $13 for 3)

White Bean. Anchoy. Bread. Olive oil

Devils on horseback

Cornmeal crusted smelts. Remoulade

Gnudi. Cream. Mushrooms. Peas. Caramelized pearl onions. Brown butter ($18)

Haddock, kale, celery root & potato puree

Rapini ($7)

Carrot cake w/ white chocolate cream cheese frosting. Toasted coconut. Candied walnuts. Maple brown butter. Apple chutney ($8)

Formerly of Brockton General, chef Alexandra Feswick (@Alexandfeswick) focuses on using local and seasonal ingredients at The Samuel J. Moore. At the dinner, I particularly enjoyed the devils on horseback - prunes stewed in port, then stuffed with walnuts and blue cheese, then wrapped in bacon and roasted. I kid you not but there was literally a flavour explosion in my mouth (these bad boys were also chef Feswick's signature dish at Daily Bread Food Bank's Ultimate Food Challenge last week). Because I was looking for something light, I opted for the haddock with kale; sitting on an airy, earthy celery root and potato puree, the haddock was lightly seasoned and refreshing, and it was exactly what I wanted. The carrot cake, presented in a glass cup, was creamy and very sweet and had the candied walnuts provided a nice crunch. An overall great dessert for sharing.

Next time when I'm not looking for something light and healthy at The Samuel J. Moore, I'm so gonna order their burger... which I've heard nothing but praises. A hand-chopped sirloin and bone marrow burger on brioche with Stilton cheese, fennel catsup with frites. Seriously? I salivated from just typing that...!

Daily Bread's Ultimate Food Challenge 2013

2013-05-14T13:35:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending Daily Bread Food Bank's 2nd Annual Ultimate Food Challenge (#ufchallenge) last Wednesday, May 8th. Sponsored by Campbell's, Canadian Pacific, Corus Entertainment and Nutella, the "Foodie Fundraiser" was held at Corus Quay and featured live entertainment, a silent auction, and of course the highlight of the evening - a friendly culinary battle between three celebrity chefs. Over 250 guests had the opportunity to sample gourmet hors d'oeuvres served and prepared by trainees and graduates from Daily Bread's Catering Kitchen as well as signature dishes made by the three competing chefs.

Proceeds from the 2013 Ultimate Food Challenge goes to supporting Daily Bread’s Kitchen, which will provide 170,000 nutritious meals this year to shelters, schools and other meal programs serving low-income children and adults at more than 100 public and social service agencies in neighbourhoods across Toronto.

Below is a recap of the 2013 Ultimate Food Challenge:

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Over 50 items were being auctioned off at the silent auction.

Wine sponsor: Peller Estates (Twitter: @PellerVQA, Facebook: Peller Estates Winery)

Beer sponsor: Beau's (Twitter: @beausallnatural, Facebook: Beau's All Natural Brewing Co.)

Guests sampled signature dishes from the competing chefs' restaurants and the Daily Bread Catering Kitchen.

Daily Bread Catering Kitchen

Daily Bread Catering Kitchen's Signature Dish

Ceviche with Popped Corn and Pickled Poblano Pepper

Executive Chef Jason Parsons (@ChefParsons), Peller Estates Winery Restaurant

Executive Chef Jason Parsons' Signature Dish

Icewine Lobster & Basil Ravioli made with Double Smoked Bacon, Brebis Parmesan and Sur Lie Chardonnay Cream

Executive Chef Alexandra Feswick (@Alexandfeswick), The Samuel J. Moore (@TheSamuelJMoore), The Great Hall

Executive Chef Alexandra Feswick's Signature Dish

Devils on Horseback: Prunes stewed in Port, Stuffed with Walnuts and Blue Cheese, Wrapped in Bacon and Roasted

Executive Chef Devan Rajkumar (@ChefDevan), The Food Dudes (@TheFoodDudesTO)

Executive Chef Devan Rajkumar's Signature Dish

Buttermilk Chicken Drummette with Asian BBQ Sauce, Charred Pineapple Salsa, Crispy Shallots

A welcome from Daily Bread Executive Director Gail Nyberg.

ULTIMATE FOOD CHALLENGE

The Judges Panel (from left to right)

Arlene Dickinson (@ArleneDickinson) - Start of CBC's Dragons' Den and The Big Decision

Leslie Roberts (@lrobertsglobal) - Anchor, News Hour and News Hour Final at Global Toronto

Erin Davis (@CHFIErin) - Co-host of 98.1 CHFI's Morning Show

Suman Roy (@Chefsuman) - Executive Chef, Campbell Company of Canada

Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo) - Co-host, CP24 Breakfast / CP24 Anchor

With 20 minutes on the clock, each chef is required to whip up a tasty dish using only their basket of typical food bank staples (i.e. various kinds of canned goods, rice, etc.) and limited fresh ingredients. Chefs are awarded more points if they use as many basket ingredients as possible in their challenge dish.

Guests get to vote for their Fan Favourite.

Times up!

The challenge dishes:

Chef Jason Parsons

Ham, Cheddar and Potato Croquettes

Chef Devan Rajkumar (FAN FAVOURITE)

Vegetarian Slider, Apple-Carrot-Mango Slaw, Homemade Chili Aioli, Melted Cheddar Cheese

Chef Alexandra Feswick (ULTIMATE FOOD CHALLENGE WINNER)

Western Falafel: Mashed Chick Peas Rolled in Pita Crumbs, on a Bed of Sauteed Spinach, Fresh Zucchini and Peppers Salad with Pickled Squash and Seasoned Yogurt.

The night ended with lovely desserts from Dufflet (Twitter: @dufflet, Facebook: Dufflet Pastries) and coffee from Balzacs (Twitter: @Balzacs, Facebook: Balzac's Coffee).

Daily Bread Food Bank (Twitter: @DailyBreadTO, Facebook: Daily Bread Food Bank) distributed over 10.6 million pounds of food last year through more than 200 food banks and meal programs. Daily Bread provides food for an average of 66,000 visits a month to food banks, and more than 3,500 prepared meals every week. The Food Services Training Program is a 16-week training program where individuals facing barriers to employment learn valuable skills for employment in the food services industry. With five full-time professional staff onsite each day to teach and guide the trainees, this one-of-a-kind comprehensive program has successfully fostered job readiness and confidence in our trainees, both professionally and personally.

Mother's Day Brunch at The Ritz-Carlton

2013-05-13T14:01:00.002-04:00

I'm far from being a baller but for one reason or another, I've been having some pretty ballin' brunches lately.

Within the last month, I've had Splendido's new Sunday brunch once and The Ritz-Carlton's Market Brunch twice. This is not normal behaviour. Trust me.

I took my parents to The Ritz-Carlton (Twitter: @RitzCarlton, Facebook: The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto) for Mother's Day brunch yesterday (I took them to Splendido last year.) A couple of weeks ago, I showed my Mom some photos of the brunch at The Ritz Carlton that I had when I went with my friend Gizelle. I also told my Mom, as best as I could in Cantonese, that the brunch was "total baller!" with unlimited oysters, shrimps, fresh lobster tails, and an all-inclusive mimosa, bellini and prosecco bar. She was instantly sold and asked if I could take here there for Mother's Day. Why, of course! So I immediately phoned The Ritz-Carlton to make a reservation but I guess we weren't the only ones with the idea as I was placed on a waiting list. Luckily, a few days before Mother's Day I got a phone call from them informing me of a seating at 2:30 pm. Although I prefer something earlier I wasn't going to pass this up. Noooo way.

So here we are! Below are some photos of The Ritz-Carlton's Market Buffet Brunch that I took during my first visit. Let me tell you straight up that contrary to what you see in the photos below (i.e. on a normal Sunday) the restaurant was packed solid yesterday. And I thought there was a larger variety of baked goods, antipastis, cheese and desserts yesterday (perhaps this is because it is $89 pp for Mother's Day whereas normally it is $79).

Seafood Display

Lobster Tails & Shrimps

PEI Mussels

Shucked Oysters

Sushi Selections & Traditional Condiments

Omelette Station

Eggs Any Style

~~*~~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Cold Cuts

Selection of Niagara Ham Charcuterie

Smoked Fish & Salmon

Lemon, Pickled Onion & Capers

Bakery Selections

Croissants & Vienosseries

Bread Baskets, Grissinis, Olives & Crackers

Flatbread, Savory Pies & Tarts

Cheeses

Selection of Local and International Cheeses

Baked Brie & Condiments

Soup of the Day

~~*~~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Salads

Seasonal Salads with Dressings and Toppings

Selection of Antipastis

~~*~~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

Entrees

Chef’s Choice Fish & Game Meat with Accompanying Sauce

Seasonal Vegetable and Starch

Chef’s Choice Carving Station with Condiments

Looking into TOCA's kitchen from the dining room.

Desserts

Pancakes & Mini French Pastries

Caramels, Truffles & Pralines

Seasonal Fruits & Berries

Chocolate Fountain or Creperie

Macaroons, Pate de Fruit

Cakes, Sweet Breads & Fruit Tart

Both my parents and I loved our Mother's Day brunch experience at The Ritz-Carlton; the food was excellent and our server was very nice and attentive. Even though we had a later seating, there was no shortage of food whatsoever. Everything was constantly being replenished.

My Mom and I were so stuffed from our brunch we didn't even bother with dinner. I honestly think we ate several pounds of seafood + baked goods + desserts. As for my Dad, he was still able to have instant noodles for dinner. I was baffled. Anyway...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Me & Mom at The Ritz-Carlton lobby (not sure why we look so pale here...)

Fishbar's New Menu

2013-05-12T22:53:00.002-04:00

The month of May marks the two year milestone for Fishbar (Twitter: @_fishbar, Facebook: Fishbar). Fishbar on Ossington is a proud partner of Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise Program and serves a seasonally-evolving sustainable seafood menu. To celebrate its second birthday, Fishbar revamped its menu with a host of new and exciting dishes. I was invited to their media tasting last week to sample some of the restaurant's latest plates.

To execute the new dishes and evolution of Fishbar, owners William Tavares (left) and Renata Andreazza (right) have enlisted Chef Miro Lelas. The Croation chef's background includes stints as Chef de Cuisine at Rosewater Supper Club and Catering Chef at Atlantis Pavilions.

The front of the restaurant lets in a lot of natural light. Love that.

The back of Fishbar

"Fish-centric" art.

DRINKS

Octopussy Martini

Vodka or gin, dry vermouth, oyster brine, and fresh shocked oyster

STARTERS

Oysters

Anchovy Crostini with caramelized onions and an olive and lemon gremolata on a thin crostini

FIRST COURSE

Tuna Sashimi with toasted almond and mango slaw, radish, sesame seeds and soy glaze

Ecuadorian Tilapia Ceviche with pineapple and chili salsa and avocado oil

SECOND COURSE

Spiced Lentil Salad with lobster creme fraiche, micro greens and crispy papadum

Wild Pacific Salmon Tartare with pickled cucumbers, hot ginger, tempura vidalia onions and sweet basil aioli

SECOND COURSE REPRISE

Oysters Rockefeller with smoked bacon, arugula, Permod cream and Grana Padano

INTERMEZZO

Apple and Campari Sorbet

THIRD COURSE

Maple Miso Glazed Wild Pacific Salmon with poached teardrop tomatoes, asparagus and sweet pea sauce

Diver Caught Sea Scallops with cumin and coriander roasted pork belly, apple chutney and sesame-soy dressing

FOURTH COURSE

Rowe Farms Grilled "Petite Tender" and Lobster topped with truffle-scented hollandaise sauce

Sicilian Gnocchi with freshwater prawn, shiitake mushrooms, wilted arugula and first cold pressed olive oil

DESSERT TRIO

White Chocolate Mascapone Mousse with espresso soaked lady fingers

Lemon Curd with vanilla cream and shortbread crumble

Caramel and Coffee Gelato with cinnamon foam

served with White Port

I think Fishbar's new menu is a vast improvement compared to its original one. My dinner at Fishbar a year and a half ago wasn't anything spectacular. In fact, my friends and I thought it was good but definitely not great. However, after sampling Fishbar's new menu last week, I can say with certainty that the restaurant is going in the right direction. The new dishes, in my opinion, are much more thoughtful and refined compared to before. Dishes that I wouldn't mind having seconds were 1) the thinly sliced tuna sashimi with a refreshing and beautiful mango & radish slaw, 2) the lentil salad w/ lobster creme fresh in a thin & crispy Indian papadum (great textures here), 3) the apple and Campari sorbet was a perfect palette cleanser, 4) the maple miso glazed salmon (I never order salmon at a restaurant but I'm glad I tried this one 'cause it was really tender and moist..not dry at all), 5) the large and plump scallops with a sweet apple chutney and lastly, 6) the dessert trio, my favourite being the lemon curd which had a creamy tang and a shortbread crunch. It was a delightful dessert in a glass.

Also worth noting is Fishbar's Happy Hour from Fridays to Sundays, 3:30pm to 5pm, with $4 beer and $5 wine specials, alongside $1.35 Malpeque oysters ($16 for a dozen). On Wednesdays, guests are invited to enjoy their own wine with no corkage fee in exchange for a minimum $2 donation to the Ocean Wise Program.

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

The Lobster Trap

2013-05-08T12:04:00.001-04:00

LISTEN UP!

There is only ONE DAY LEFT to get your $30 for $70 worth of Lobster & Seafood Voucher at The Lobster Trap from buytopia.ca.

The last time I was at The Lobster Trap was close to 2.5 years ago, precisely when the seafood restaurant had a promotional coupon going on. Hey what can I say, I love deals and I love seafood. I'm Asian after all.

Our server came over to show us what a 4 lb live lobster looks like.

My friend and I each ordered an entree (each entree comes with garlic bread and a choice of side). We also had a bottle of their house white wine.

BASKET OF GARLIC ROLLS

APPETIZER

COCONUT SHRIMPS ($14)

I seriously really, really like these shrimps. They made a really good impression on me the last time I was there so I decided to order them again. I was a bit nervous that they won't be the same but *phew* they were just as good as I remember them to be. Fried shrimps coated with shredded coconut. Nommmmmm.

JUMBO GARLIC SHRIMPS ($32)

This was my friend's entree. No puny and scrawny shrimps here; theses were some giant plump prawns. Seasoned with garlic, all you need is a squeeze of lemon on these bad boys. No need for the seafood sauce at all.

1.5 LB BROILED LOBSTER ($45)

This was my entree. I really considered getting the 2 lb but I don't know, seems a bit excessive (although I did have a 2 lb lobster all by myself before at The Lobster Trap).

Just like the coconut shrimps appetizer, I remember how tasty my broiled lobster was two years ago (you can choose either broiled or steamed) and yeah, nothing has changed. The broiled lobster at The Lobster Trap is still off-the-hook!

POTATO (side)

GARDEN SALAD (side)

Back to the lobster meatsss! Oh yeah, don't forget to use that warm butter. SO good.

We like to play with our food.

The Lobster Trap is a casual seafood restaurant so don't expect anything fancy (i.e. not much in terms of decor and no white tablecloth service). But what you ARE going to get is some DAMN GOOD LOBSTER!

East End Dinner Club

2013-05-06T17:11:00.001-04:00

The East End Dinner Club is a new Dinner Club created for the purpose of showcasing and supporting the vibrant dining community in Toronto's East End. Spawned partially from Globe and Mail's food critic Chris Nuttall-Smith's negative perception on restaurants in the east end / Leslieville (i.e. from CNS: "It was excellent for Leslieville. But for the rest of the city, just good, and only by a thread" , the East End Dinner Club strives to serve their neighbourhood by bringing to light their many memorable destinations and local talents.

Consisting of a collaborative group of restaurants, business owners and chefs, the East End Dinner Club (@EastEndDinners) hosted its inaugural "East SideTill We Die" dinner on Monday, April 29th at Skin + Bones (@skinandbonesTO). For $100 per person, guests were treated to a six course dinner prepared by six different chefs alongside wine / cocktail pairings.

The evening's wines were all generously donated by Profile Wine Group, The Vine - Robert Groh Agency, and Norman Hardie.

Mark Bolduc from The Vine.

All proceeds raised at the dinner supports FoodShare's School Grown Project and Field to Table Schools to bring vegetable gardens to two local schools and employ high school students in agricultural jobs.

Justin Nadeau and Kate German from FoodShare (@FoodShareTO).

Chefs getting ready (L to R):

Jesse Chingcuangco - Skin and Bones (@skinandbonesTO)

Sean Simons - Goods and Provisions (@GoodsandProvis) / The Comrade (@ComradeToronto)

Dan Patano - Glas (@glaswinebar)

John Sinopoli - Table 17 (@table17) / Ascari Enoteca (@AscariEnoteca)

Deron Engbers - The Curzon (@TheCurzon) / Timeless Food (@timelessfoodto)

It's a team effort! (L to R):

Deron, Sean, Dan, John, Jesse

Amuse Bouche (Skin + Bones)

Crispy Chicken Tails, Sirarcha and Honey Glaze

Cava Reserva Cinta Purpura Juve y Camps, 2009, Penedes, Spain

Bread from Simon Blackwell of Blackbird Baking Co (@bbirdco)

Jesse Chingcuangco of Skin and Bones (left) plating the first course.

1st Course (Skin+ Bones)

Side Stripe Shrimp Ceviche, Olives, Apples, Red Peppers

'Colle Vecchio' Offida Pecorino, 2011, Le Marche, Italy

John Sinopoli of Table 17 / Ascari Enoteca

2nd Course (Table 17 / Ascari Enoteca)

Poached Yellow Perch, Leek and Laurel Broth, Wheat Berries, Baby Beets

Cavallotti / Calamandrana (Asti) 2011 Gavi

Deron Engbers (@TheDeron) of The Curzon / Timeless Food

3rd Course (The Curzon / Timeless Food)

Vanilla Cured Yellowfin Tuna, Confit Veal Cheeks, Gremolata

Les Vins Bonhomme, 2011 El Petit Bonhomme Red

PHOTO BOMB! Deron goofing around.

Sean Simon of Goods and Provisions / The Comrade (left).

4th Course (Goods & Provisions / The Comrade)

Pork 3 Ways - Bacon, Rib and Pigs Head Terrine

Paired with "The Dirty South" - Makers Mark, Maple, Orange, Red Pepper

5th Course (Afrim Pristine of Cheese Boutique)

East and West Coast Canadian Cheeses: Alpindon from Salt Spring Island, and Blue Geai from Sainte-Marie-de-Kent, New Brunswick.

Norman Hardie Niagara 2009 Pinot Noir

The homestretch!

Dan Patano of Glas

6th Course (Glas)

Sweet Carrot Mousse, Milk Chocolate, Orange, Rosemary Sable

Te'Aro Coffee

Happy chefs at the end of the night.

East End Dinner Club's first ever dinner was a huge success on all fronts; both raising awareness of the dining scene in the east end and supporting a great cause such as FoodShare's Field to Table Schools program. I'm really looking forward to more fun dinners in the future :)

#EastSideTillWeDie !!!

Popchips Snacker's Paradise Sweepstakes

2013-05-01T15:46:00.000-04:00

You are missing out if you haven't tried popchips yet.

Not fried nor baked, popchips (@popchips) are popped! They are tasty and healthy with 0 cholesterol and 0 trans fat~

Here's an old picture of me (i.e. w/ long blonde hair) with my favourite popchips flavour :D

If you are a fan of popchips and random beach vacations (who isn't?!) you will be thrilled with this incredible giveaway:

popchips and Esperanza Resort (@EsperanzaResort) have teamed up to bring Metro shoppers across Ontario a chance to win a trip for TWO to the world-renowned Esperanza Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

How to enter:

With the purchase of any 2 bags of popchips for $5, shoppers can swipe their AIR MILES card which will automatically entered them in the contest! That's it!

What the popchips #snackersparadise giveaway includes:

- Airfare for 2 guests

- 3 nights, 4 days at the Esperanza Resort with an ocean view

- Two 60-minute massages at their award-winning spa

- Complimentary fitness classes

- Daily breakfast

- $500 USD in spending money

Total value of the giveaway is approx. $7,000!

The contest is already underway and ends at 11:59:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on May 30, 2013.

See complete contest rules and regulations: snacker's paradise

The Guild Restaurant

2013-04-30T10:01:00.003-04:00

Has it been only two months? Two months since The Guild opened? I was wondering about this the other day because the restaurant, located at 1442 Dundas St. W., seemed to have successfully integrated and established itself as a friendly and popular neighbouhood spot already (it is a packed house there every weekend). I double checked and triple checked. Yes, I'm right - it hasn't even been a full two months, technically speaking.

The Guild (Twitter: @guildresto, Facebook: The Guild Restaurant) served its first weekend brunch on Sunday, March 10th. Dinner service quickly followed a week later on Wednesday, March 20th. Saturday and Sunday brunch, plus dinner from Wednesday through Sunday? Methinks that's pretty impressive for a brand new restaurant. Well chef and owner Mani Binelli (formerly of Centro, Canoe, and Auberge du Pommier) didn't just stop there 'cause a couple of weeks later, he further expanded his restaurant's menu to include a $2 snack menu (with half priced wine) every Wednesday and Thursday, as well as a $30 prix-fixe menu on Sundays.

With such an ambitious offering, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that The Guild is gaining so much positive momentum in such a short period of time. The local spot is certainly off to a fantastic start, and this is confirmed after the very solid dinner I had at the chef's table several weekends ago, all thanks to chef Binelli (@ManiBChef) and Peter Petruniak (@ChefPeteTO), dinner sous chef of The Guild.

My night started off with a few cocktails. Here is bartender Alex James giving us a demo of how he makes "An Orange Cigar".

AN ORANGE CIGAR ($12)

Papidoux calvados, bowmore 12 yr, cinzano sweet, aperol, orange flower water, roasted orange zest.

Props to Alex for his excellent cocktail list at The Guild; my friend Jason and I were really happy with all the cocktails we had (I also took a peek at their brunch cocktail list...they all sound really good too)!

OLD FASHIONED ($8)

Four roses bourbon, raw sugar, angostura bitters, orange zest

A BERGAMOT SOUR ($14)

Orange & cream of earl grey infused tanqueray, st. germain, lillet, simple syrup, lemon juice, egg white

We left it up to the chefs to feed us whatever they wanted...

BRULEED FOIE TERRINE WITH CANDIED KUMQUATS (amuse)

FRIED OYSTERS WITH HORSERADISH CREAM, FENNEL, HEIRLOOM CARROT AND BEET SALAD

SMOKED DUCK BREAST WITH FOIE GRAS, BOK CHOY, BLACK SESAME, BLOOD ORANGE AND CANDIED KUMQUAT

CONFIT DUCK GIZZARDS, MARINATED EGGPLANT, GARLIC SPROUTS, PEPPER PUREE, RADISH

SOUS VIDE PORK TONGUE, POLENTA, DRIED TOMATOES SAUTEED IN OLIVE OIL

ANCHOVY RIGATTE PUTTANESCA, LEMON PEPPER RICOTTA AND PARSLEY SHALLOT SALAD

YUKON POTATO GNOCCHI WITH BRAISED WILD BOAR IN A ROASTED GARLIC PORCINI CREAM WITH RAPINI

CARROT CAKE - 5 SPICE CAKE, WALNUT, RAISIN, CREAM, CARROT MERINGUE, CARROT FOAM

A very solid tasting at The Guild's chef's table. Standouts for me were the tender smoked duck breast with foie gras (I thought the citrus-y tones really brought out and enhanced the overall dish), the sliced sous vide pork tongue on a bed of creamy polenta (the texture on the tongue was amazing), and the anchovy rigatte puttanesca with lemon pepper ricotta (I really liked how the anchovies were incorporated in the pasta resulting in a nice and subtle flavour in comparison to the strong "in-your-face" flavour you expect from cured anchovies).

I also think I need to visit The Guild for brunch soon especially after seeing dishes like these on their menu...

- fresh canestri pasta with butter poached lobster in an aged cheddar gruyere cream and garlic panko;

- fois gras stuffed vanilla french toast, caramel finger bananas, raspberry chantilly cream; and

- omega pork belly, puffed rice, house kimchi and eggs

Ahhhhh seriously mouth-watering!

Kingyo Toronto

2013-04-26T12:30:00.001-04:00

Ramen or Izakaya. Pick one. PICK ONE NOW OR ELSE!!!

Okay I kid :P There is absolutely no need to choose between the two 'cause both are equally awesome! In fact, Torontonians just can't seem to get enough of the pair - Japanese ramen shops and izakayas are popping up left right and centre. They are pretty much invading our entire city! I'm not complaining nor exaggerating. Really ;)

Following the footsteps of Guu Izakaya / Sakabar, Kinton Ramen, Hapa Izakaya, and Ramen Raijin , Kingyo Toronto is yet another Japanese restaurant to descend upon us from Vancity. Opened last December in Cabbagetown and replacing the previous "Stonegrill on Winchester", this Toronto location is Kingyo's first outpost (side note: I'm glad Stonegrill is gone, that place was a complete disaster).

The sign above the restaurant's front entrance is the restaurant's name "Kingyo" written in Kanji (or Chinese Han characters). Kingyo means "goldfish".

Kingyo's (Twitter: @Kingyotoronto, Facebook: Kingyo Toronto) large space can accommodate up to 120 people; a welcoming change compared to other tiny ramen shops and izakayas in the city. Kingyo is spacious and cozy...thanks in part to the warm woods and tall banquettes.

Bright and fun, Pachinko machines from Japan are used as wall decor at Kingyo.

A view of the bar where my friend Jason and I had dinner.

A live "kingyo" on the table (anyone care for some sashimi? :D)

Jason's Asahi and my Kingyo's Japanese Caesar

From Kingyo's large menu, we tried the following eight dishes:

VANCOUVER FAMOUS CHEF SADA'S SEA URCHIN SHOOTER ($7.8)

Shiso, sticky Yamaimo yam, sea kelp, sushi rice, yuzu orange and sea urchin.

RED TUNA & BLACK TIGER PRAWN AVOCADO TARTAR ($10.8)

Wasabi flavoured tartar served with garlic toast

SPICY SOFT SHELL CRAB SUI CHOY SALAD ($11.8)

Spicy shell crab with sui choy, snap peas, dried okra & salty kelp

SALMON OYAKO BATTERA ($12)

West coast salmon & salmon roe "Oyako (family)" battera box sushi

PORK TANTAN RAMEN ($10)

Kingyo's original spicy pork ramen recipe

TSUKEMONO PICKLES ASSORTMENT ($6.8)

Assortment of daily rice bran pickles, house original kimuchi tomato and Osaka style spicy Oi kimuchi cucumber.

EBI-MAYO ($8.8)

Deep fried prawn with chili mayo sauce

UME SEAWEED HOTATE CARPACCIO ($10.8)

Scallop carpaccio with plum & seaweed sauce

A mini vase of fresh flowers and frozen grapes came with our bill. Very pretty and thoughtful!

Our favourites that night at Kingyo were the first three dishes, namely the sea urchin shooters, the tuna & prawn avocado tartare and the soft shell crab salad (although more dressing would've been nice). These three plates were polished, thoughtful, and beautifully presented (I would also add the Japanese Caesar and the assorted crisp pickles to my own "LIKE" list). Everything else afterwards were decent but nothing spectacular. We thought the salmon-to-rice ratio was off in the salmon & salmon roe sushi as there was way too much rice. The ramen had a great springy texture with a nice chewiness, and the broth was spicy and very tasty. However, the bowl falls way short in the meat department. There was not enough pork; any visible pork were tiny morsels of minced pork and very minimal (this is seriously a sharp contrast to the large pieces of pork shoulder / belly that usually comes with, well, pork ramen). Aside from the scallop carpaccio, we steered away from the sashimi - we simply weren't impressed by how all the fish looked. Typically, a sushi bar would showcase its finest selection of fresh fish with gleaming, shiny pieces of thick and delectable fillets and if you happen to be sitting at the bar, the pure sight of all the sashimi would be so visually appealing that it would make your mouth water. Both Jason and I however, did not get this feeling at all at Kingyo's kitchen bar. The sashimi just didn't look that enticing to us.

Despite the hit and misses at Kingyo, I still enjoyed our meal because, well, nothing was actually bad. With its large menu, I'm confident that I will find something else I like the next time I'm at Kingyo. Like I've said earlier, Kingyo's large space works in its favour and serves to differentiate itself from the other izakayas in Toronto (its "noise" level is very manageable as in, you can actually have a conversation with your friends without having to yell).

Sunday Brunch at Splendido

2013-04-23T16:16:00.001-04:00

I remember taking my parents to Splendido (Twitter: @Splendido_TO, Facebook: Splendido Restaurant) for Mother's Day brunch last year, which was the one and only day of the year that the Harbord landmark restaurant serves the mid-morning meal. However, that all changed a month ago when Splendido started its first ever regular brunch service in its 23-year history. From 11am-2pm, you can now indulge in Splendido's two-course brunch, dubbed "The Spread", every Sunday for $35. And if you want to do it up in style, the restaurant also offers large-format communal dishes catered for larger groups for pre-order, such as whole roasted lobes of foie gras with fresh brioche, seafood platters, caviar service and whole sides of house-smoked trout, etc., that will guarantee to tickle your fancy and enrich your favourite Sunday pastime. Oh yes, those who decide to splurge on a bottle of champagne can even put on a show and sabre it at the front of the restaurant ;)

My friends and I ordered a couple of cocktails to start.

MILANO SUNRISE - Tanqueray, Aperol & Fresh Grapefruit Juice ($12)

RUDE AWAKENING - El Jimador Tequila, Averna, Punt e Mes, Khalua, Espresso ($12)

The following assortment of pastries, charcuterie, cheeses were shared amongst the four of us:

Croissant, Scone, Country Bread

Butter, Preserves, Whipped Cream Cheese, Farmhouse Cheese, Cured Ham, Potted Parfait, Terrine & Pickles

We each ordered a different main:

SMORGASBORD

Burrata, French Bread, Tomato Jam, Avocado, Basil, Watercress & Mustard Vinaigrette

EGGS BENEDICT

Brown Butter Bearnaise, English Muffin. Choice of: Avocado or Smoked Salmon or Pork

OPEN FACE LOBSTER SANDWICH ($5 supplement)

Avocado Puree, Celery, Mayo Ginger & Tarragon, Black Pepper & Lime Potato Chips

CROQUE MADAME

French Bread, Pork Belly, Sauce Mornay & Watercress Salad

FRITES & AIOLI ($6)

I couldn't leave without trying their parfaits. Naturally, I also couldn't decide which one to get so I ordered both...

PEANUT BUSTER PARFAIT - Caramelized Peanuts, Chocolate Sauce, Salted Caramel Mousse ($8)

COCONUT MILK PARFAIT - Dulce de Leche, Pineapple Chutney, Brown Butter Crumble ($8)

Go ahead and treat yourself to a lavish brunch at Splendido. I personally think everyone deserves to be pampered once in awhile, even at brunch. There are numerous diner-type brunch spots in the city, but man, it felt real nice to be able to take my time and enjoy a classy brunch at Splendido. I might have to do it again soon...

The Winner of the AfterWorkDrinksTO Tickets Giveaway is

2013-04-22T12:37:00.002-04:00

@nicoleroannef

Congratulations Nicole! =D You have just won a pair of tickets to the AfterWorkDrinksTO 2013 Kickoff Party + $25 in HAILO credits. Please email me at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com with your first and last name and we'll go from there :)

And thanks to all the contestants who participated in the contest.

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #foodieyucontest hashtag from day one of the contest (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person has to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to win a pair of tickets to #AfterWorkDrinksTO http://bit.ly/11gYA4i #foodieyucontest". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for, I checked to see if they follow me on Twitter.

After verifying, I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick three winners from the 44 entries.

Hunt Camp

2013-04-17T11:16:00.001-04:00

My dinner at HUNT CAMP is without a doubt the BEST meal I've had so far this year. Not only was the ~~food~~ feast itself spectacular, the entire dining experience was INCREDIBLE.

HUNT CAMP (@HuntCampTO) is an exclusive dinner series brought to you by the folks at Farmhouse Tavern (@FARMHOUSEtavern). Owner Darcy MacDonell launched the temporary project on January 30th and since then, the dinners have been happening every Wednesday night at 7:30 pm. Running for 13 weeks until April 24th, the intimate dinners only seats six...and YES, I'm proud to say I was one of the lucky ones who managed to snatch up a reservation (it sold out extremely quick)!

Farmhouse's chef Alex Molitz is also the chef of HUNT CAMP.

A restaurant within a restaurant, HUNT CAMP takes place in a cozy dining room in the back of Farmhouse Tavern.

At $150 per person (not including tax & tip), guests get to enjoy a family-style five to six course dinner serving game meats, birds and fish, alongside wine pairings (BYOW corkage is $30).

Dinner started off with Will Larkin (@Will_F_Larkin) pouring us a lovely rose champagne.

HUNTSMAN'S PLATTER

Whole roasted head of rabbit, confit rabbit rillettes, rabbit liver mousse, house made Georgian Bay trout gravlax, trout liver mousse, venison terrine, pheasant terrine, crispy Lake Erie smelts, Kosliks mustard, pickled Ontario vegetables, raspberry parfait with potato chips.

WHOLE SMOKED NORTH ATLANTIC ARCTIC CHAR

Served table side, the Arctic Char was de-boned then re-stuffed with thyme, garlic, and lemon. The entire trout was then cooked over an open flame.

The Arctic Char was served with roasted fennel, raw fennel salad and creamy fennel puree.

SMOKED SQUAB

Foie gras, roast apple, and kale.

VENISON

Venison bone rack with roasted beets, celeriac, and blueberry.

ROASTED VENISON BONES WITH MARROW

VENISON HEART, CUCUMBER, MARROW

Served over toast.

CHEESE

A selection of fine cheeses to end the epic night.

Intimate and interactive, HUNT CAMP will go down as one of the most memorable meals I've ever had. I have nothing but praises for it... I would seriously do it all over again in a heartbeat. Huge kudos to chef Alex for the stellar feast as well as Will and Antonio (@cayonne) for the friendly and attentive service.

FYI: There's already a wait list for next year's HUNT CAMP. Email huntcampto@gmail.com to add your name so you won't miss out!

AfterWorkDrinksTO Tickets Giveaway - CLOSED

2013-04-15T10:26:00.000-04:00

I'm giving away a PAIR of tickets to AfterWorkDrinksTO 2013 Kickoff Party (valued at $40) + $25 in HAILO credits!

Brought to you by Graham (@beachrockinc) and Amanda (@AmandaBlake9), AfterWorkDrinksTO will be kicking off 2013 in style! A not-for-profit-event (with $5 from each ticket sale going to Dress for Success Toronto), you can party it up at #AfterWorkDrinksTO next Tuesday with old friends and new, along with great booze and tasty canapes!

Location: Fynn's of Temple Bar (489 King St. W.)

When: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

Time: 6:00 - 9:00PM

You and your guest will each get 3 drink tickets and:

Innis & Gunn sampling

(Added bonus: Innis & Gunn special pint price thereafter for #AfterWorkDrinksTO guests)

Special #AfterWorkDrinksTO Mount Gay Rum cocktail prepared by Robin James Wynne (@djrobinjames), a Canadian award winning mixologist and Mount Gay rep.

Select Wines wine tasting

Great selection of canapes to pair with your drinks

Live band playing awesome funk and Motown music

PLUS:

Great prize giveaways & swag

Bring your business cards to the event because you'll have a chance to WIN 1 of 2 $25 HAILO credits! Draws to take place at the event.

$5 from each ticket sale will go directly to Dress for Success Toronto - #AfterWorkDrinksTO charity of choice. They'll be doing a prize giveaway for the Best Dressed for Success Attendee so don't change out of your work clothes.

The bar will be offering the following to all guests as part of their regular Tuesday night special:

SHARE PLATE TUESDAYS: Enjoy unique share plate choices | 5-10pm.

$5 Pints of Foundry Cider all day

$5 Select glasses of wine or bubbles | 5-11pm

DINNER FOR TWO: Two can dine with a bottle of wine for $45 | 5-11pm

In addition, the lucky winner of my contest will also get $25 in HAILO credits!

HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter:

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it:

Hey @foodieyu I want to win a pair of tickets to #AfterWorkDrinksTO http://bit.ly/11gYA4i #foodieyucontest

*For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown*

*You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry*

*Contest is tracked by the #foodieyucontest hashtag stream. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up*

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Monday, April 15th and ends on Monday, April 22nd at 12PM.

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner on Monday, April 22nd.

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

To purchase to tickets to AfterWorkDrinksTO, CLICK HERE

Little Anthony's

2013-04-12T13:48:00.001-04:00

Andreas Antoniou, owner of Estiatorio VOLOS, has recently re-launched Little Anthony's with a new chef and an updated menu. A downtown landmark for over 17 years, Little Anthony's is a 150-seat restaurant located in the financial district, directly across from Estiatorio VOLOS at the corner of Richmond and York.

Precisely a year ago, Antoniou worked with designer Marc Kryaciou in revamping the original Little Anthony's (which was founded by Bob Antoniou). After a three-month complete overhaul, the restaurant reopened as the more casual, affordable Italian osteria.

I had the pleasure of attending a media dinner at Little Anthony's (Twitter: @little_anthonys, Facebook: Little Anthony's) on Wednesday night. Replacing former executive chef Aaron Foster, Garth Legree (previously of The County General) prepared for us a tasting of canapes, pasta, mains and desserts. The tasting also featured wine selection from general manager Matt Roulston's well-curated wine list.

Signature cocktail "Milano Sunrise"

CANAPES

Cheese Tortellini

Scarmoza, Saffron Bechamel, Watercress, Breadcrumb

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Gorgonzola Filling

TO START

2011 Soave Classico PRA, Monteforte d'Alpano, Veneto Italy

Shrimp Scampi

Lemon Butter Sauce, Garlic, Fried Bread, Parsley & Arugula Salad

Tagliatelle alla Carbonara

Pancetta, Egg Yolk, Parmigano Reggiano, Parsley, Nutmeg

Pan Seared Scallop

Grilled Radicchio, Marjoram & Garlic Vinaigrette, Smoked Bacon

TO FOLLOW

2010 Chianti Classico, Castello Di Verranzzano, Tuscany, Italy

6oz Flat Iron Steak

Potato Gnocchi, Roasted Mushrooms, Thyme & Peppercorn Sauce

Filetto di Branzino

White Beans, Lemon Al Burro, P.E.I. Mussels, Braised Fennel, Orange

Roasted Capon

Brown Lentils, Crispy Confit Thigh, Glazed Spring Vegetables

TO FINISH

Lemon Sorbet

Tiramisu

Serving simple, modest and classic Italian cuisine, Little Anthony's is a great spot for corporate lunches and pre-theatre dinners. I personally enjoyed the bacon wrapped dates. Moist, sweet dates with creamy gorgonzola and salty crisp bacon, they were fabulous. The large, plump shrimps served on fried bread and finished with a lemon butter sauce were also very tasty. My favourite dish of the night would have to be the tagliatelle alla carbonara - it was so luscious and wonderfully indulgent - Little Anthony's nailed it. The branzino with braised fennel was also superb. Our dinner ended with a refreshing spoonful of lemon sorbet followed by a delicious tiramsu. Both excellent.

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

How to Make Your Next Monday Feel Less Like a Monday

2013-04-11T13:59:00.001-04:00

Simple. Have lunch at JaBistro.

Many people suffer from the occasional bout of Monday Blues. That's normal.

But one way to beat your case of the Mondays is to make a list of things that you are excited about.

For me, this includes splurging on a delicious lunch at JaBistro. It was utterly satisfying!

I assure you that this is a very effective mood-boosting technique. Try it out sometime ;)

Fish Bowl - Chef's daily choice of sashimi, sushi rice - $23

JaBistro Platter (dessert included) - $30

Lunch at Jabistro is available Monday through Friday, 11:30am - 3:00pm

Website: www.jabistro.com

Twitter: @JaBistro222

Facebook: JaBistro

My previous blog post on JaBistro: JaBistro

Burgers and More at West50 Pourhouse

2013-04-10T15:23:00.002-04:00

I became somewhat obsessed with West50 Pourhouse's "Elvis Burger" ever since I laid eyes on the beauty. I kept thinking about it, over and over again.

I was INFATUATED.

The last time I was at West50 was less than a month ago for their new menu tasting and while I was pigging out on all that awesomeness, I managed to notice from the corner of my eye a burger that was being served several tables over (I'm naturally drawn to burgers) and damn, did that burger look GOOD. I was then informed by chef Brendan Prong (@chef_prong) that it was the "Elvis Burger" that I had my eyes on, which has of course:

PEANUT BUTTER

BACON

Not gonna lie, my heart skipped a beat. PB & B?! In a burger?! HIT ME UP! I actually contemplated ordering the burger in addition to everything else that I was already having but thank goodness, I still had a drop of self-control left in me *whew* so I made the wise decision to go back to West50 next time specifically for the Elvis Burger and guess what? "Next time" turned out to be last Saturday night :) I brought along my two friends, Ray and Rian, so obviously there was no way I was just gonna have the burger lol.

With beer pairings for each course, the three of us had the following at West50 (Twitter: @West50Pourhouse, Facebook: West50 Pourhouse & Grille):

ONION RING TOWER ($12.75)

Beer batter, parmesan, chipotle ranch, stout tomato marinara

POLENTA FRIES ($9)

Chipotle ranch, marinara, parmesan

CRISPY FISH TACOS ($3.25)

Catfish, avocado, fresco, sour cream, cilantro

Just some of the beers we had...

LAMB SHOULDER GNOCCHI ($18.5)

Tomato, morel mushroom, buffalo mozzarella, grana padano, basil, fried polenta

BIER WURST & MASH ($21)

House sausage, mashed yukons, fried egg, smoked cheddar, gravy

THE FREE RUN BURGER ($14) + ELVIS ($2.50)

Turkey, dill mayo, pickles, onion, lettuce, hand cut fries + peanut butter & bacon

THE FREE RUN BURGER ($14) + CANADIAN ($3)

Turkey, dill mayo, pickles, onion, lettuce, hand cut fries + pulled pork & onions

Let me start off by saying that I love onion rings!!! And if you do too you need to get the onion ring tower at West50; thin and crispy beer-battered onion rings stacked sky-high...what's not to love? I pretty much demolished the whole tower myself (I'm all for sharing but Rian doesn't eat onions, and as for Ray? Hmmm...okay..maybe I did hog the onion rings :S) I had the polenta fries, the lamb gnocchi, and the bier wurst & mash at the tasting last time so you can read what I thought of those dishes here (sorry I'm lazy)!

Now onto the BURGERS. Wow. All three of us really liked the Elvis Burger because peanut butter + bacon totally works! It may seem kinda odd at first but the amalgamation of "creamy + nutty" from the peanut butter and "crispy + savoury" from the bacon is at an entirely different level when it comes to "texture + flavour" combinations. All I have to say is "Thank you, Elvis!" (by the way chef Prong is seriously thinking about adding in sliced bananas to the burger to make it a true "Elvis"!) I also really enjoyed the Canadian burger, dare I say even more so than the Elvis Burger? Yes! There's just something about really good pulled pork that gets me 'cause you know it, and I know it - a lot of pulled pork is served dry and/or flavourless and/or drenched with sauce! It's true! And the pulled pork in this Canadian burger is just perfect and that's why it's so incredibly tasty (and messy). We finished our meal with a heavenly chocolate lava cake with toasted marshmallow ice cream.

I also need to point out that chef Prong's beer pairings were outstanding. Although I'm no expert in beer nor admittedly, a huge fan of it, I still enjoyed all the pairings because each beer complemented the different flavours in each course extremely well (this is made apparent when I started to enjoy the strong and dark beers too!)

The Happy Hooker

2013-04-08T13:21:00.004-04:00

Far from being a stranger to the sandwich, chef and owner Attilio Pugliese (formerly of the now-closed Italian sandwich shop Tavolino) opened his new venture The Happy Hooker on 887 Dundas Street West last month. Pugliese (@attilio25) is currently serving up a fun, seafood-focused menu at The Happy Hooker - you will find economical and tasty snacks like shrimp corn dogs, fish tacos and oyster sliders, to more filling sandwich options such as the blue marlin burger and the surf n' turf. From sauces to picklings, The Happy Hooker does everything in-house. Pugliese also emphasizes that all his fish comes in fresh daily; you will not find a freezer on premise.

Casual yet warm, The Happy Hooker (Twitter: @HappyHookerTDOT, Facebook: The Happy Hooker) is a very inviting space. I'm particularly fond of the barn wood paneling on the walls and the mismatched vintage metal stools. The "outhouse" a.k.a. washrooms also contributes to the very "outdoorsy" feel to the restaurant.

And look what we have here!

A game of Pacman anyone? It really doesn't get more vintage than this :D

I ate my way through The Happy Hooker's entire menu last week. Actually, I lied. I had 82% of it (I could not fit in the fish n' chips and kale salad).

SHRIMP CORN DOG ($6)

Ground tiger prawns, various spices, cornmeal batter served with lemon aioli, dill mustard, and cocktail sauce.

BUTTERMILK OYSTER SLIDER ($4) (ocean wise)

Lemon aioli, baby arugula, west coast oysters, Tabasco, cheddar cheese, pickled onion.

BLUE MARLIN BURGER ($9)

Organic spring mix, two marlin patties, pineapple habanero salsa, guacamole, coleslaw.

SURF N' TURF ($11)

Jalapeno pesto, organic spring mix, AAA rib eye, four tiger prawns, lemon aioli

PACIFIC COD SANDWICH ($9) (ocean wise)

Lemon aioli, organic spring mix, tomato, basil, capers, red onion

SHRIMP TACO ($3.50)

Adobo chipotle sauce, lime crema, pickled green cabbage, pico di gallo

ORGANIC TOFU TACO ($3)

Sriracha, crema, pickled green cabbage, queso fresco, pico di gallo

GROUPER TACO ($3.50)

Cheddar cheese, lime crema, pineapple habanero salsa, pickled red cabbage, onion, cilantro

CALI BAJA TACO ($3.50) (ocean wise)

Cheddar cheese, shredded romaine lettuce, diced tomato, fried pollock, lime crema, guacamole.

With various Ocean Wise approved sustainable options on the menu, coupled with reasonable, affordable prices, this cleverly named seafood shop is doing it right. Standouts for me that night at The Happy Hooker were the oyster slider, surf n' turf, pacific cod sandwich, and the grouper and cali baja tacos. The juicy, plump oysters encased in a thin, buttermilk batter were decently fried. Served hot and barely containable in a soft bun, this oyster slider was incredibly tasty. The tender slices of rib eye and whole shrimps in the surf n' turf surely offers the best of both worlds! However, for me, it was the combination of the slightly spicy jalapeno pesto and lemon aioli that made this a "good" sandwich to a "great" sandwich. The lemon aioli makes another appearance in the pacific cod sandwich, this time with fresh spring mix, tomato, basil, capers, and red onions. With toppings like these, it was like having a nice, crisp salad inside a baguette alongside a lovely and generous piece of tender pacific cod. Delicious! The grouper, lightly fried and dressed with pineapple habanero salsa, and the pollock, with lime crema and a dollop of guac, were both very good and flavourful tacos.

Don't worry guys, The Happy Hooker will have a liquor license very soon. It plans to serve Ontario craft beer, as well as a selection of bourbons and whiskeys.

Ursa: One Year Later

2013-04-05T12:01:00.000-04:00

Toronto's culinary scene is booming. We seem to have a never-ending insatiable hunger for new restaurants (a staggering 20 restaurants opened in March) and I admit it, it is often very tempting to solely focus on the latest joints and unintentionally, neglect the not-so-new restaurants (with this rate the "not-so-new" restaurants can include those opened for merely six to nine months). In any event, I do pride myself in revisiting restaurants where I've had great meals, and that's precisely why I found myself back at Ursa (Twitter: @ursarestaurant, Facebook: URSA) last month.

Dinner at Ursa a year ago was very memorable. Everything I had that night was well, unlike anything I've ever had before in the city. Brothers and co-owners Jacob and Lucas Sharkey Pearce's background in sports nutrition plays a defining role in Ursa's eccentric, unconventional menu.

Despite the fact that I've taken a very similar picture last year, I couldn't help myself - these LED bulbs are so alluring.

Cocktails = the best way to kick-off dinner (well for me anyway!)

Big ups to Robin Goodfellow (@robandcheese) for these tasty concoctions :D

WHISKEY SOUR ($11)

Alberta Springs 10 Year Rye, Lemon, Lime, Egg White, Barley Malt Syrup

NEGRONI ($13)

Beefeater, Housemade Vermouth, Campari

BREAD WITH HOUSE-MADE CULTURED BUTTER ($5)

RAW ($20)

Hamachi, Hazelnut, Apple, Daikon, Burdock

ELK TARTARE ($18)

Charqui, Bitter Orange, Sumac, Pine Bark, Elk Velvet

DUCK ($26)

Smoked Oat Polenta, Collard Greens, Pearl Onion, Coffeeberry

WILD BOAR ($28)

Toasted Barley, Turnip, Kohlrabi, Quince Mostarda, Lingonberry

ATHOLL BROSE (complimentary)

Robin's description on how this cocktail was made:

"Scotch and ground steel-cut oatmeal sitting together for 2-3 days. Stiffen egg whites, fold in cream, mix in Wildflower honey and then the scotch mixture. Bottle, seal and let Sit for 7 days. To serve: shake 4oz with ice. Fine strain, garnish with shaved nutmeg in a chilled coupe."

FRESH CHEESE, WILDFLOWER HONEY SFORMATO ($9)

SINGLE ORIGIN CHOCOLATE CHANTILLY, PEAR, GINGER, HAZELNUT ($9)

Recently named one of Toronto Life's Best New Restaurants in 2013, Ursa's original and innovative dishes are surely one-of-a-kind. Its use of peculiar ingredients and techniques (i.e. dehydration, fermentation, sprouting) in preserving the nutrients from those ingredients is genuinely inventive. Their whimsical plating is also absolutely gorgeous! In my opinion, Jacob and Lucas Sharkey Pearce at Ursa are, unquestionably, elevating and intriguing the taste buds of many Toronto diners in a very positive way.

Rose and Sons

2013-04-03T13:06:00.002-04:00

The following is a tip for you readers: make sure you schedule an afternoon nap after Sunday brunch at Rose and Sons (Twitter: @RoseandSons, Facebook: Rose and Sons). You'll need it. Guaranteed.

Located on 176 Dupont Street and opened for breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch and dinner, Rose and Sons is a new neighbourhood diner that does fancy comfort food (chef Anthony Rose of Rose and Sons prefers the phrase "country rustic" over "comfort food".) So what is "fancy comfort" / "country rustic", you ask? Well, think rich and hearty comfort food kicked up a notch. Actually, kicked up several notches. As a case in point, let us look at some of the items on Rose and Sons' menu:

Patty Melt Gurger - Grilled cheese, fried onions, fries, chili mayo

Pork Fried Rice - Peanuts, china town sauce, egg, ginger

Happy Pork Plate - Chop, kabanosy, dr bacon, applesauce, mustard pickle

Eggs - 3, schmaltz hash, toast, bacon or sausage pork chop

Griddled Brie Cornbread - Brisket, fried egg, maple syrup, chili sauce

Do you get it now? It's like comfort food on steroids. Or fatty delicious pork heaven.

People's Foods was an old diner that previously occupied Rose and Sons' space. The "Food" part remains intact.

The small 30-seat diner was bustling last Sunday afternoon (i.e. expect lineups).

Semi-enclosed at the front of Rose and Sons is the kitchen...probably one of the smallest kitchen I've ever seen.

A modest bar beside the kitchen.

Bloody Caesar Extra Vaganza - Sour Pickle, Kabanosy ($12)

Roast Chopped Pork - Grits, Poached Egg, Green Sauce ($14)

PLB Special Melt - Bacon, Sausage, Pickle, Fried Egg, Fried Onions, Cherry Jam ($13)

Bread Pudding with Wild Blueberries ($8)

My "a-meal-in-itself-bloody-caesar" was such an awesome start to brunch (I now wish every Caesar comes with a smoky kabanos!) While my friend had the roast chopped pork, I had the tasty PLB special melt; I was particularly fond of the runny fried egg and fried onions (and bread from Thuet is always terrific.) Because I have a sweet tooth, I couldn't resist not trying the bread pudding for dessert (I was actually very full by then.) Available at any time of day, their bread pudding with wild blueberries (optional bacon for $3 extra) was fantastic. Luscious and moist, soft yet still dense, Rose and Sons nailed this classic comfort dish to a T.

Toronto Popup with Chef Peter Pietruniak

2013-04-01T15:21:00.000-04:00

Toronto Popup,"a culinary creative lab that connects people and innovative talent through their passion for locally grown, seasonally produced organic food" is a monthly popup dinner series created by Juliana Conceicao. Promoting healthy, conscious eating with a focus on using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, Toronto Popup's inaugural dinner took place on Sunday, March 24th. Chef Peter Pietruniak (formerly junior sous chef at Ten Restaurant & Wine Bar now dinner sous chef of the newly opened The Guild Restaurant) created a beautiful five course seafood tasting which featured a variety of fresh and sustainable Ontario lake fish. Committed to making sustainable choices and already a true advocate of local food, Pietruniak's seven course Coast to Coast "C2C" Dinner last year also paid tribute to fresh local produce, meat, and food ingredients.

When I asked Petruniak if there was anything that inspired his Toronto Popup menu, this is what he said:

"I wanted to again highlight the great Ontario produce in an environment that allows me to create, push myself, and get my mind going. Even if there is a mistake I learn, grow and become a better cook. I like cooking for people, it makes me happy."

After several trial runs with friends and family, Toronto Popup's held their first ever dinner at The Monarch Tavern (Twitter: @MonarchTavern, Facebook: Monarch Tavern).

For $40 per person, this Toronto Popup (Twitter: @Toronto_PopUp, Facebook: Toronto Popup) dinner was an absolute steal! Optional beer or wine pairings were also priced very reasonably at $2 or $4 per course.

I had a couple of cocktails before dinner:

MARE CAESAR - Mare Gin: Infused with Olives, Rosemary and Basil; Lemon Juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, Lemon Pepper Rim

DARK & STORMY - Spiced Rum, Ginger Beer, Soda, Lime, Ginger

Christina (@ChefXtinaTodd), Kerry, and Peter (@Chef_PeterP) in the kitchen.

COURSE 1: LAKE ERIE PICKLED SMELT

Micro greens, Kozlik's, Sour Cream

Shots already? ;)

COURSE 2: LAKE HURON WHITE FISH

Celeriac, herbs, walnut

Pietruniak at the pass.

COURSE 3: LAKE SUPERIOR RAINBOW TROUT

Cabbage, Apple, Radish

COURSE 4: LAKE ERIE PICKEREL

Carrot, Parsnip, Ham Hock

COURSE 5: NIAGARA WINTER FRUIT

Butternut, Hazelnut, Yogurt

Another wonderfully executed dinner by chef Pietruniak. Everything was well-thought-out: each and every component of every course was put on a plate for one reason: to enhance, showcase, and elevate the natural flavour of the fish. Pietruniak did this extremely well.

The refreshing first course was an excellent start to the evening; the airy, smooth sour cream and the assortment of fresh, crisp micro greens gave the pickled smelt dish terrific texture. The sharp pop of grainy mustard was a fun touch. Next up: the Lake Huron white fish. An all around outstanding plate, it was my favourite course of the night. The white fish's naturally mild (yet delicious) flavour was enhanced by the sweet, buttery celery root puree resting underneath. The bits of crunchy walnut complemented the tender and flaky white fish beautifully. Pietruniak continues to impress in his third course; the rainbow trout's fattier texture and nuttier flavour was cleverly balanced by a fresh array of crisp cabbage, sweet apple and slightly spicy radishes. Although the ham hock broth in the following course could have used a bit more flavour, the Lake Erie pickerel, wrapped in carrot was a very pretty dish. Dessert was surprisingly delicious (I say "surprisingly" because I'm usually all for the rich and heavy, chocolate desserts). I really enjoyed the pairing of the light, tangy yogurt and the naturally sweet butternut squash.

If you are a conscious diner and wishes to support locally grown, seasonally produced organic food, make sure you follow Toronto Popup (Twitter: @Toronto_PopUp, Facebook: Toronto Popup).

The Winners of the Dearie Giveaway are...

2013-03-29T13:12:00.002-04:00

@kristalamb

@c_snapper

@SadieWeinstein

Congratulations Krista, Collin & Sadie! =D You have each won a copy of "Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child". Please email me at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com your mailing address so I can send you your copy right away!

And thanks to all the contestants who participated in the contest.

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #DearieGiveaway hashtag from day one of the contest (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person has to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want a copy of Julia Child's biography "Dearie: A Remarkable Life of Julia Child" http://bit.ly/16LNpUx #DearieGiveaway". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for, I checked to see if they follow me on Twitter.

After verifying, I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick three winners from the 34 entries.

Lunch at Guu SakaBar

2013-03-27T14:23:00.000-04:00

Guu (@GuuIzakaya) fans rejoice!

You can now get your Guu fix at lunch, Monday to Friday, from 11:30am to 2:00pm!

I made my way to Guu Sakabar (Facebook: Guu SakaBar) with a friend last week to check out their lunch menu. The first thing I noticed when I got there was that unlike dinner time, there were no crazy lineups *yay!* and secondly, the entire restaurant was beautifully decorated with hanging lanterns, and red, pink and white paper blossoms. So pretty.

Even the maneki-neko was sporting a pink hat! I soon realized that all this was in celebration of Guu Sakabar's two year anniversary.

My friend and I sat near the back of the restaurant, right in front of these giant sake barrels.

Guu Sakabar's lunch menus.

Sake at lunch. Why not? ;)

GEKKEIKAN (300ml, $8.5)

We had the following lunch items:

SHOYO RAMEN ($9.8)

Soup noodle w/ mixed broth of chicken, kombu w/ BBQ pork, scallion, bamboo shoot & nori seaweed

GYU NABE TEISHOKU ($12.8)

Sukiyaki hotpot w/ beef & veggies served w/ rice, pickles, miso soup, cabbage salad, 2x mini bowl dishes

MAZE MAZE UDON ($7.8)

Natto soybeans, okra & sour plum on udon noodle w/ komba seaweed, dashi soy sauce

SABA MISO TEISHOKU ($12.8)

Miso mackerel w/ simmered daikon radish served w/ rice, pickles, miso soup, cabbage salad, 2x mini bowl dishes

CHIRASHI DON ($14.8)

Sashimi (salmon, tuna, scallop, salmon roe) on sushi rice w/ nori, egg, shiso herb, ginger served w/ miso soup & mini bowl dish

TORI TEN TEISHOKU ($11.8)

Marinated chicken tempura w/ tentsuyu sauce, pink tartare sauce on the side served w/ rice, pickles, miso soup, cabbage salad, 2x mini bowl dishes

I knew I was in for a treat that day at Guu Sakabar, but still, I didn't expect everything to be so good! With a menu that is divided into "set meals", "noodles" and "rice bowls", it's pretty much guaranteed that you will find something you want at Guu Sakabar. Standouts were the charashi don and the maze maze udon; gorgeous, colourful, and tasty, these two dishes are perfect for the upcoming spring / summer weather. However, during the chilly days that we are *unfortunately* still having, nothing beats the warm and comforting sukiyaki hotpot packed with tender beef, soft tofu, veggies and hot broth. Yum. I also need to mention the generous portions as well - from the very filling shoyo ramen for under $10, to the large pieces of crispy chicken tempura which comes with rice, pickles, miso soup, cabbage salad, and two mini bowl dishes - Guu Sakabar does an excellent job at making sure you won't leave hungry :D

Food Network Canada's "Donut Showdown"

2013-03-25T15:14:00.004-04:00

Step aside CUPCAKE, it's the DONUT's time to shine!

Premiering Tuesday, April 2nd at 10PM ET/PT, Donut Showdown is Food Network Canada's (@FoodNetworkCA) newest baking battle show.

Hosted by Danny Boome from The Chew and Recipe Rehab, Donut Showdown (@donutshowdown) features an all-star judges panel, who will decide which fried dessert will make the cut. The judges are Food Network Canada chef David Rocco, Maggie McKeown of Recipe to Riches and Toronto restauranteur Zane Caplansky from Caplansky's Delicatessen (@Caplansky)

Chefs from all over North America will be competing in Donut Showdown, including six Toronto contestants:

Amanda Harmer - Barque Smokehouse (@barquebbq)

Trista Sheen (@tristasheen) - Crush Wine Bar (@CrushWineBarTO)

Rachel Pellet - Emma's Country Kitchen (@emmacountrykitc)

Michelle Edgar - Sweet Escapes Patisserie (@sweetescapes)

Kristen Boates - John & Sons Oyster House (@JohnandSonsTO)

Rachelle Cadwell - Dough by Rachelle (@doughtoronto)

Amanda Harmer

Each episode of Donut Showdown starts with three chefs who will be asked to create the most tasty donut using a mystery basket of ~~usually~~ bizarre ingredients (think "Chopped" but with donuts.) At the end of each week, only one contestant will prevail and walk away with a $10,000 prize.

In the spirit of this new show, I received this Donut Showdown mystery box in the mail from The Food Network.

In the box was a pre-made donut along with a tube of icing sugar and six small containers of toppings. Genius. I'm glad the folks at The Food Network know that I have no clue when it comes to making donuts.

Six very random toppings. Sweet, savoury, crunchy, salty, spicy...

What should I do? Which toppings should I use?

I quickly decided that this will be a pure donut-decorating exercise.

With that in mind, I used all the toppings because obviously, more toppings = more colour = a prettier donut.

Did I make a pretty donut? Yes. At least I think so. It looks like a Christmas wreath. Beautiful.

Did I eat it? Heck, no!!! You crazy?!

Making a pretty donut may not be hard but making one with bizarre ingredients under a time constraint that actually tastes good is no easy task!

My donut was all show and no go, but I'm sure the talented chefs in Donut Showdown will be making some wonderful donut creations! So remember to watch them battle it out on Donut Showdown next Tuesday :D

New Menu at West50 Pourhouse

2013-03-22T14:27:00.004-04:00

The first time I was at West50 Pourhouse & Grille (read post here) I was stunned by its massive selection of beer (over 100 different beers and taps) and was rendered speechless after realizing that West50 Pourhouse (Twitter: @West50Pourhouse, Facebook: West50 Pourhouse & Grille) is actually the biggest pourhouse (i.e. has the largest selection of draught beer) in Canada. I was so impressed. I was then rendered speechless again, literally, from the pure act of stuffing my face with a very tasty, very delectable eight-course dinner (with beer pairings of course.) It was good times. Fast forward nine months later a.k.a. two nights ago, I was back at West50 again to try their new menu. Sheesh! Time flies! So cliche, but so true!

Anyway.

First things first - once I sat down, I knew I had to choose a beer. SO MANY OPTIONS! I admit it, I'm a complete wimp when it comes to beer. I like the fruity stuff! So when our server came over and asked me what I wanted, I naturally said Fruli. She then recommended Liefmans on the rocks (Liefmans is a fresh beer blend with natural juices from cherry, bilberry, elderberry strawberry and and raspberry...honestly, can beer get any fruitier?!) She told me she personally prefers Liefmans over Fruli. After hearing that, I was sold. And guess what? I'm so glad I tried it! Liefmans Fruitesse on the rocks is now my new favourite beer :) It's pleasantly sweet and refreshing...like apple cider...but cherry? I'm also in love with that tumbler.

Beer. Check.

Next up: food.

I asked chef Brendan Prong (@chef_prong) if there was anything that inspired his new menu:

"My inspiration behind this menu was to return to my roots, trying to step away from global con-"fusion" cuisine and back to continental comfort. A lot of the dishes are personal favourites for me and my staff. We worked together to find a happy medium of bar food and upscale comfort. I was very inspired by my ingredients on this menu, I made some major changes in my purveyors and taught myself new techniques, allowing for a more fresh, ingredient-driven menu. The beer bistro concept is hot right now and I want to bring us to the top of that game even if we are far west of the "buzz". With Canada's largest selection of draught beer inside my restaurant I feel I really need to step up my game, and this is just a start."

From West50's new menu:

Chips - Russet potato, sea salt & malt vinegar

Beer Snacks - Maple & brown sugar, spiced garlic

Pickled Vegetables

Charcuterie - Chorizo, Portuguese blood sausage, saucisson sec, hunter sausage, quail & pear pate, guanciale.

Lamb Shoulder Gnocchi - Woodlot mushrooms, tomato, fried polenta, lamb jus, buffalo mozzarella

Polenta Fries - parmesan, chipotle ranch & pomodoro

Bier Wurst & Mash - House sausage, double smoked cheddar, mashed yukons, veal gravy, duck fat egg

Meatloaf en Croute - Veal, pork sausage, puff pastry, parmesan peas, mashed yukons, glace viande

Taking nostalgic memories of childhood, chef Prong's new menu at West50 is largely focused on homey and hearty comfort food. Standouts for me that night were the tender, saucy lamb shoulder with pillow-y, fluffy gnocchi, the crispy-on-the-outside-yet-soft-on-the-inside polenta fries (I realize I have a soft spot for anything served in a skillet) and the meatloaf en croute (puff pastry FTW!) I also had a wonderful dessert trio of luscious chocolate potato cake, chocolate lava cake and pecan pie (sorry no picture due to dim lighting.) Also worth mentioning is the charcuterie board; especially the chorizo, blood sausage and the quail & pear pate. All excellent.

It is too bad that I maxed out my stomach space because I've only touched the surface of West50's new menu. I know I need to go back to try their "Elvis Burger": a 50/50 chuck and brisket custom grind patty with peanut butter and smoked bacon on a brioche bun. Peanut butter, guys. PEANUT BUTTER!!! And bacon. BACON!!!