http://www.blogto.com New listings of restaurants, bakeries, cafes, bars and grocery stores in Toronto. Copyright 2009 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT1 Listed in Bars

The Dakota Tavern is a subterranean throwback to the dusty saloons depicted in classic American westerns. The walls are littered with guns, mounted horns, boomerangs, band posters, and snowy Canadian hunting scenes. Guests can't help feeling like John Denver's about to saunter in, guzzle a warm-up whisky, and have his way with a guitar. The vibe is refreshingly alpha male; all weaponry, foot stompin', and heavy drinkin'. I dropped by there last week for a grilled cheese and a stiff Caesar - my hangover cure of the month. The burly bartenders were having a lazy start on account of the previous night's staff party. We got to talking about various ways to cure the morning after headache. I learned of a new miracle product called Pedialyte that is sold as a hydrant for infants. One shot of it will fix up a hangover faster than Bronco Billy Anderson can rope a calf. These invaluable tidbits are the sort of lessons taught at the Dakota daily. You could really be one of the great drinkers of our time if you came by often enough. The Dakota is arguably Toronto's only noteworthy live country music venue. You can feel pretty sure you're going to be shown a good time here any night of the week. They always have a live band going and the food ain't too shabby. The menu is made up of the usual pub fare; meat, meat, meat, and mac 'n' cheese. I'm a bit wary about the mystery fish tacos, but I haven't had the balls to brave them, so don't take my word. They could be a bloody delicacy for all I know. Sunday brunch (12-3) is the best time to dine at The Dakota. They do a stellar all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch. For $12 guests plop down at the big communal table and order platter after platter of sausages, eggs, pancakes, bacon, coffee, juice, etc. The food just keeps coming. The regular Sunday bluegrass band whips the whole event up into a frenzy that's even better than church. Judging by the number of families that show up to the Sunday brunch, The Dakota has been stealing St. Helen's business on the regular. As I sipped my Caesar at the bar I witnessed two very dapper young gentlemen desperately trying to take part in The Dakota machismo. One had a band he wanted to tackle the stage with. The other was looking for work as a bartender. Both were respectfully turned away; but it just goes to show, The Dakota recipe is working. People love it here. The husky staff, stellar tunes, and fun vibe keep 'em coming back for more. The Dakota Tavern's got Canadians going country. Writing by Jennifer Toole]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/dakotatavern http://www.blogto.com/bars/dakotatavern Bars Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

The Stockyards is an unassuming new barbecue restaurant specializing in southern-style slow cooked meats that opened a couple of months ago on St Clair West, just west of Christie Street.

The restaurant's narrow front is so inconspicuous that we almost walk right past it on the sweltering night that we stop by for dinner. As it turns out, The Stockyards is geared towards take-out as restricted space doesn't allow for more than about ten people to be seated at a time. Upon entering we're greeted with the divine smell of a griddle busy with custom-made burgers and pitchers of both the home-made mint-infused limeade and tropical fruit punch to sample.

We help ourselves to the takeout menus as a steady stream of people file up to the counter and stroll out gleefully clutching smoky-marinade scented meat housed in bio-degradable containers. The menu looks so good that between the three of us, settling on what to order feels like working out a treaty. Our indecisiveness dissolves when we spot an orange highlighter-macheted menu taped up next to the till. "That means we're out" our server grimly confirms as we regroup to pick from the five items left on the menu.

Realizing that slowly marinaded meat can't be quickly replenished an hour before closing time on a busy day makes the situation more disappointing than annoying.

I'm promised that the fried chicken is worth the 20 minute preparation time so we grab refreshing limeades and swivel stools while we wait. My porchetta sandwich with sautéed rapini ($10.50) shows up first, served in an iron skillet. It takes me approximately one bite to decide that I'll be coming back to this place. A lot. The mix of pork loin, crackling and belly gives the meat a perfect combination of textures from tender to crisp. The bitterness of the rapini offsets the fennel flavour of the meat and just enough garlic aioli stops the ciabatta bread from being remotely dry.

My friend's classic burger with fries ($9) ups the ante even more. As it was his second pick he wasn't particularly excited by it but the burger is thick, juicy and perfectly cooked. House made ketchup and mayonnaise make it even better and the fries are crisp without being brittle.

The Caprese sandwich ($9) is equally impressive. The melted mozzarella filling is smothered with tomato jam, basil and encased in warm ciabatta. Pretty soon we're all switching skillets, keen to try everything coming out of the kitchen. We're pretty full by the time the fried chicken combo ($12) arrives but the anticipation is so great that we go ahead anyway. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk for hours before cooking and it shows. The meat is unbelievably succulent while the batter stays crunchy and surprisingly light despite the oiliness. Even someone that only ever orders chicken wings to chase beer pitchers should try the fried chicken here. It's really that good. I'll definitely be back soon for one of the rib nights (currently limited to Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays). The whole pit smoked BBQ chicken special doesn't stand a chance. Photos by Emma McIntyre]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/stockyards-smokehouse http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/stockyards-smokehouse Restaurants Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Café Polonez is one of the final Polish strongholds left in Roncesvalles and a restaurant I always find myself coming back to. If I weren't Asian, I reckon I would be Polish. Beets, celeriac, poppy seed and cabbage are almost second nature to me. Even my most beloved Asian juicy pork dumplings, could be easily substituted for the quintessential pierogi. After a lovely morning stroll around the park, I head over to Café Polonez for lunch and am reminded of just how much I enjoy this place. The renovations have given the laid back family restaurant a more polished touch with antique Warsaw maps and warm wood furnishings. With a steady flow of Polish grannies attesting to its authenticity, along with friendly neighbourhood locals, little has changed about Café Polonez in an ever evolving area. I have made it a custom to always order soup. There are never any surprises, just home made goodness with every spoonful. Barley soup is the pick of the day and lives up to every expectation.This hearty soup with diced carrots, celery, potatoes and barley grains in a milky broth is simple, as it is wholesome. Their rotating daily specials are a great option for those who are overwhelmed by their extensive menu. Wednesdays are my favourite, as they devote an entire day to potato pancakes with sour cream for dipping! But, I am craving pierogi and order a half-portion of an assorted savoury platter ($4.75). This is a far cry from the pierogi that most people dig out of their grocer's freezer. They are freshly made and stuffed with: shredded pork, cabbage or potato with cheese. The dough is fresh and ever so delightfully chewy. A "half-portion" of their Wiener Schnitzel ($9) arrives with a landscape of sides spilling over the outer parameters of the plate. Mountains of buttery mashed potatoes dusted with fresh chives, tangy coleslaw, shredded beets, steamed veggies, tasty sauerkraut, overflow the plate. The schnitzel is crisp without being oily, tender and well seasoned. Accompanied with a sunny side up egg, it could easily rival any monster weekend brunch. There's a real sense of care and pride at Café Polonez. As soon as you step through the door, you feel it in the hospitality of the staff, the meticulously clean upkeep of the dining room and their dishes that stay true to tradition. Healthy comfort food in a welcoming surrounding for less than $10 is what keeps Café Polonez on my roster of surefire favourites. Photos by Stephen Chung]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/cafepolonez http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/cafepolonez Restaurants Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

Visiting T.A.N cafe felt like re-uniting with an old MySpace friend, when I made my way over there last week. A few months back, I had helped Melissa hang pictures for her photography show, and got to know the place almost inappropriately well. Just like those couple of times I stayed at my high school until 11 pm, there is something about being in a public establishment when the public is gone that feels kind of weirdly intimate and... intrepid. Even more thrilling still was the shortbread that awaited me; shortbread which had been given as a reward for mounting frames. Shortbread for which my love was so intensely memorable, that a re-encounter with Chris behind the counter brought a spark of recognition to his face... "oh, right... you guys were really into the shortbread, weren't you?" "The shortbread" in question, would be that of World Class Bakers. The size of saucers, and bursting with cranberry (or chocolate, if you swing that way), I feel as though somebody has finally listened to my cookie dreams and made them flesh and blood (butter). Similarly bespoke, seem the delicious, raisin-free(!) and flaky-crusted butter tart that is provided by... you guessed it: Circles and Squares Bakery. Man, those guys get around, and I'm not complaining. The list is rounded out with yet even more selection from Sweets of the Earth, who serve up some truly delicious-looking vegan goodies. The lure of the cashew cookie was enough to make my eye momentarily wander, until I remembered that my body runs on butter. T.A.N. Coffee roasts their own beans on site, which are singularly-sourced and fairly-traded. They have a number of blends displayed on their shelves, and even some thematic garments & gear for sale. The "Expresso Junky" t-shirt wins extra hard for their creative spelling - the latter word adopting my (and William S. Burroughs'?) favourite. As I mentioned, the space also doubles as a gallery, whose very successful usage I have witnessed. It holds a surprising number of people, and has plenty of wall space; deep crimson wall space that sets a vibrant, dramatic field for a variety of art works. Along with the TD Jazz Festival performances this past weekend, the website also lists various lectures and exhibits on its roster, often with an activist angle (a model which the aforementioned show certainly fit). The super-comfy digs allow both the steady circulation of crowds, but also encourages those of us who wish to sit and percolate on an overcast Thursday. On benches with crushed velvet cushions, no less. The cozy area in the back (a precursor to a lovely patio that I didn't know about/couldn't use anyway as 'twas raining) had stayed particularly vivid in my mind, being the focus of my previous visit's tasks. How psyched we were to find it unoccupied, this little private coffee den where our caffeine-riddled voices freely bounced off the walls. We savored our buttery treats for what seemed like hours in a kind of lovely, rare isolation that felt like home. Add to that the wood-paneled kitchen table (not unlike my mom's old one), and some very familiar-seeming dishware (not unlike the ones my great-aunt still has), and everything felt kinda frozen in time. It somehow seemed appropriate that in this sepia-tinged room was where I received a call telling me Michael Jackson had passed away. How surreal to walk onto Queen Street and be bombarded by the news we'd been missing for the past couple of hours, coming from the mouth and car stereo of every passerby. I only mention this, T.A.N. Coffee, because to not do so would seem dishonest. Our ordinary afternoon took a sad turn, and became downright historical, but have no fear: our relationship is just that much stronger. And in this post-MJ world, I need your shortbread now more than ever. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/tan-coffee http://www.blogto.com/cafes/tan-coffee Cafes Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

Augusta House is the newest venture from the former owner of White Orchid on Dundas (now Zed), and just like White Orchid, the parties are eclectic and run the gamut from Hip Hop to Disco and Retro and everything in between. It's in the middle of the market, which keeps out the tourists and the rif raf. I'm pretty sure it was once a boozecan after hours, but it's always hard to tell the locations of those places during regular hours.` Conveniently located on the middle of Augusta, halfway between Dundas and College street and on the second floor of a house-like building, Augusta House. It's one part restaurant, opening at 5PM Wednesday through the weekend, one part club, with a variety of local DJs keeping the dance floor hopping until 3AM. The layout is simple, a square at the top of a narrow staircase, stage for the DJs at the front, bathrooms at the back, tables and chairs and a bar which is the focus. I mean, what bar doesn't have the actual bar as the focus? The beauty of Augusta House is that it's generally full with downtown people. I would say it's 19-30, with people from the market, Queen West scenesters, those used-to-be hip-hop, now I ride fixed gear and listen to electro in flat caps, and people escaping College Street on the weekends. It's not massively publicized and that's one of its qualities. It's the kind of place where you'd have to live here to know. And it seems that everyone who does go, respects it as such. Drinks are not expensive and neither is the food, and neither are lacking in quality either. The service is the kind you'd expect from a family joint, and the flow of the room is easy. In a nutshell, Augusta House is where the cats from the Boat a few years back graduated too when the party ended. Writing by Anna Von Frances]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/augusta-house http://www.blogto.com/bars/augusta-house Bars Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

"This is our special starving artist blend," says Tobias Wang with a gigantic grin. "It's the strongest coffee I've ever had! It's the strongest coffee anyone's ever had!" One of the owners of the new Bloor and Lansdowne café/bar/waffle place, Tobias hands me the package of grind and tells Alyssa and me to smell it. "Doesn't that smell strong!?" It does. I ask if this is what he used to make our iced Americanos, and his smiling face adopts the slightest look of concern. "No, we don't really use that blend. It makes you shake." Alyssa and I take our (mellower) iced coffees to the back patio. The outdoor space is shaded from the sun and most signs of industry save for a sliver of factory visible through a crack in the awning. This sliver serves as a reminder of where we are: Paton and Lansdowne. Factories comprise the (once) desolate walk north of Lansdowne subway station. When Alyssa lived in the area (and when I was crashing on her couch for months on end) we made the walk daily and it was so boring. Tobias seems all too familiar with this walk. "It was terrible," he says. "The whole time you're like 'when am I going to be home?'" Tobias and his business partner, Bryan Jackson, were looking for an office space for just one day when they came across this place. They had worked in the area before, and found the coffee options there lacking. "We would go out to grab a coffee and end up at Bloor and Ossington," says Tobias. Initially the plan was to have a workspace, with an espresso machine in the corner. But the place had such potential that Starving Artist turned into a bigger venture. Most of that venture translates into waffles of various kinds. They serve desert waffles, brunch waffles, mini waffles, mini burgers on mini waffles and waffle shaped experiments (i.e. waffle shaped rice with green curry chicken). "The waffle is the template," says Tobias. Right on. I go for the waffle benny ($9) and Alyssa chooses the Starving 4 Waffles special: four mini waffles with butter maple syrup ($8). Our plates arrive to the covered patio with greens and fruit salad - top-notch fruit salad that includes cranberries! The waffles are light and fluffy and go well with the rich Hollandaise and caramelized bacon. Caramelized bacon! Alyssa polishes off her top, syrup-drenched waffle and asks for more maple. Tobias brings some in a little cup and notes that in the future, he thinks he'll always provide customers with their own cup of syrup. "It gives the people more fun," he says. Alyssa has tons of fun with her supply. She soaks all the waffles and can barely finish them. The outdoor patio is so comfortable that Alyssa and I stick around long after we're done our breakfast. While enjoying our second Americano, plastic bottles and empty milk bags begin to fall onto the canopy at a rate of about one item per minute. They seem to be coming from the apartment above. We can't see anything, but we hear a child's voice and speculate as to what's going on. Tobias and Bryan come outside to join us and we tell them about the falling recycled material. We laugh. They laugh. They've both gotten to know the kid, and tell us how cute and smart he is, like he's a favourite nephew that is always doing hysterical things like throwing recycling on people. It's endearing. The four of us stay out in the sun talking about art and freelancing and the guys' plans for Starving Artist. They want live music, late Fridays and a liquor license (for which the wheels are already in motion). They want to put art out on their fence by the sidewalk, improve that walk from Lansdowne station for good. It's inspiring. "The whole point of Starving Artist is an artistic hub," says Tobias, "a network, you know what I mean?" Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/starving-artist http://www.blogto.com/cafes/starving-artist Cafes Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

Self-proclaimed as Toronto's hottest gay bar, Woody's has been living up to its name since springing to life in 1989. Famed for its weekly Best Chest and Best Ass contests, Woody's keeps things spicy by playing non-stop soft porn on TV sets throughout the bar. I always get a little turned off by this part: not because I'm a prude, but because so much of the titillating wall-action is filmed in barns. Plaid shirts and bare assed rough and tumble on haystacks may seem sexy, but I've been in enough barns to know a thing or two about hay rash, and I always feel bad for the panting, pant-less actors, and their calamine days to come. Hay rashes aside, Woody's is a fully urban phenomenon. "Located in the heart of Toronto's Boystown", Woody's is, according to General Manager Dean Odorico, a "neighbourhood spot". Think neighbourhood the way Sesame Street taught it: a mishmash of characters, both colourful and bland, from drag queens to leather guys with all sorts of straight folks, trans, bisexuals and lesbians in between. But, you know, it is called Woody's and it is in the Village, so while the entire rainbow dances here, the crowd is predominantly male. Possibly the only gay bar in town where big jugs are a feature attraction, Woody's keeps the social lubrication flowing by serving $13 pitchers all the time. With some of the highest beer sales in the city (in the top 5, according to Odorico), that's a lot of lube. Other attractions include Sunday nights with Miss Conception, with her Broadway and Stage to Screen Show starting at 6pm. On a recent Sunday the talented and locally revered entertainer brought the house down with a timely and hilarious impression of Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle. My affair with Woody's began 10 years ago, when it turned out that all my highschool crushes were gay. Woody's is the place where I first developed some sorely needed gaydar, and where me and my former flames danced and laughed and grew into fearless, fun-loving urbanites. Woody's hasn't changed at all in the last 10 years, and it doesn't need to. With enough space for 600 party people of all stripes, this Toronto hotspot has its third leg firmly planted on the path to legendary status. Writing by Devon Scoble]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/woodys http://www.blogto.com/bars/woodys Bars Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Baked Goods

On our way to the Wedding Cake Shoppe, Melissa muses, "imagine one of us was going to pick out our wedding cake right now?" The thought is more jarring to me than it probably should be. I thought we were just going to get some cupcakes. But it does serve the purpose reminding me that our destination is actually wedding cakes first, cupcakes second, which would be evident to most people (though I have a very selective consciousness) in the moniker. And what cakes they are! Many examples of these works of art dot the store, light up the window display and peek out from behind rows of the fresh-baked personal-size versions I am so fixated upon. Some impossibly ornate, some with modern patterns and colours that I have always wanted in my food, but nature wasn't kind enough to give me. But it (nature) did allow this bright and lovely place to practically land on my doorstep a few months back, sneaking its way into my not infrequent moments of "weakness"- or, as I prefer "(in desperate need of) sweetness". The second I saw the signage go up, I knew that this was exactly what my neighbourhood and I needed. The array of buttercreams is breathtaking; colourful and comprehensive, it's hard to narrow down a choice- even when taking home a half-dozen. I have done this more than once, and yes, I do share them with others; people like my roommate who literally exclaimed, "they're so light!" with his first bite. Mm-hmm. The cake is miraculously moist, living up to the expectation that the purveyors truly know what they are doing and can work a brand of magic that is impossible in your mortal kitchen. This happens less often than you may think. So this is why my coconut cupcake enjoyed on this Friday afternoon is the third- yes, third- that I have had this week. I lament my lack of imagination to Melissa, "I keep coming back to the coconut," as though it were out of my control. Melissa says, "if it ain't broke..." Ms. Coelho, owner and cake artist extraordinaire, overhears and now knows that her establishment and I go way back. She seems pleased, and I seem sheepish, which seems right. The coconut proceeds to work its chewy voodoo on me, while Melissa (predictably) goes for the Chocolate Toffee, like a pro. Melissa digs in, "wow, it's so light." Indeed they are; light like happiness. Almost as if answering my subconscious toffee jealousy, we are suddenly presented with a sample of cookies and chocolates provided by Christina of Les Fetes Sweets, sold here as well. Tiny toffee cookies melt in my mouth so divinely, that know I have to try the chocolate-chip specimen, the base of which is so perfect to me (chewy, nutty and oat-y), that I accidentally consume some of the chocolate and don't even mind (I have a life-long, uncorrectable aversion to chocolate, for which I am very sorry). Our Americanos from I Deal Coffee give our table of sweet things the balance it needs. Somehow, my dietary concerns are serendipitously taken care of, as the chocolate treat I am given is of the white variety. This is good news. By this time, I am convinced that a wedding is just an awesomely huge party with an awesomely huge cake. A cake more beautiful than any of my possessions and guarded by action figures. I could get into this. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/bakery/weddingcakeshoppe http://www.blogto.com/bakery/weddingcakeshoppe Baked Goods Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Krepesz European Palascinta Cafe is a new spot on Kensington's cafe-happy Augusta Ave. Specializing in Hungarian-style crepes, it features an interior as sweet and comforting as its culinary creations. Decked out in bridesmaid yellow, the cafe is stenciled with trees, birds and telephone poles stretching toward a distant horizon, and suggesting communication with a more innocent time. Bright and sunny, the décor is as charming and playful as a 1950s party dress (or maybe I've just been spending too much time on www.etsy.com lately.) The menu is simple and stylish too. Unfortunately I do not find these qualities as endearing in menu form. Crisp and streamlined with plastic letters on smooth metal, it looks fab, but offers little by way of explanation. I inquire about the Vegetarian Crepe, and am told it comes with spinach, tomato and feta cheese. Unfortunately my server forgets to mention that it's also slathered in sour cream, and what was supposed to be a teeny little diversion from my new lactose avoidance plan turns into a full-on dairy assault. Delicious? Sure, but my aching stomach and long-suffering boyfriend would've appreciated a heads-up on the dairy. If he has to sleep in the Dutch oven tonight, you owe him an apology, Krepesz! Similarly, but less controversially, the Chicken Crepe conjured thoughts of grilled chicken breast, but was actually ground chicken in a mild paprika jus--tasty, but unexpected. Sparse explanations aside, the crepes themselves are divine. Stretchy and soft, smooth and just a little sweet, they're everything crepes should be. Although I was a little non-plussed by the aforementioned Vegetarian Crepe, I also recognized that sweet crepes outnumber savoury by a ratio of 2:1. Clearly I didn't order the house specialty. My friend said she'd come back, and so would I, but I wouldn't get the Vegetarian Crepe again. The feta was super salty, and there was a smidge of crunchy dirt in my spinach. Likewise, the Chicken Crepe was good, but not great. With Hibiscus across the street offering amazing savoury crepe fillings that are both better and cheaper, I just don't see the point. However, if the heavenly shells are any indication of the quality of sweets on offer for desert crepes, then I'll return for those. I'm not sure I've done Krepesz European Palascinta Cafe justice. Service is friendly, the atmosphere is just lovely, and the place is really, really new. Krepesz may need a little time to iron out the kinks in their fillings, but their crepes are off to a sweet, smooth start. Savoury Crepes: $8 Sweet Crepes: $7 ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/krepesz http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/krepesz Restaurants Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

Todo Fusion Resto-bar opened on Ossington seven months ago by owner Jose Carlos and is an obvious extension of the various vintage stores he currently owns across the Toronto area (including Vintage Mix directly across the street). Being a fan of vintage culture, with an appreciation for the bizarre, I have developed a soft spot for Todo during my many visits. During a recent pit stop, I move past the beckoning piano, in front of the funky lamps sitting atop what could have been my Grandfather's dresser, and sit down at a table in front of a working black and white television. I order a pint and settle in. But somebody was watching me... Looking around for the cause of my discomfort, I soon discovered the culprit sitting atop a shelf full of figurines. Perched on the edge, with an elbow poised to drop from the top, was Randy Macho Man Savage. Having been out the previous night and in no condition for a wrestling match, I tipped my glass in a friendly gesture and hoped the lovely Elizabeth would be along soon to put him at ease. Turning back around, my eyes followed the brown walls, jumped over the vintage decorations, and landed on the piano. Knowing patrons are allowed to play the piano as they like, I searched my bag for Mozart's 'Piano Sonata No. 16' sheet music, but to no avail. I wondered if instead I should go pound out Yankee Doodle Dandy but quickly decided my pint was more important; maybe next time. While on this particular night the bar was on the empty side, I have seen and heard of various events happening at Todo. From live music shows (including a semi-regular Opera singer and a flamenco guitar player), to art shows, magazine launch parties and fashion shows, Todo really can be different any night of the week. It almost seems as though Todo is the community centre of the Ossington bar scene, with the motto 'if you have an idea and the organizational skills to plan it, we will probably host it'. This is great for up and coming artists looking for a space to showcase their talents, but can also lead to lighter crowds on nights like this one where no event is planned. Adding some Asian flair to the character of Todo is "Sushi Friday's" - the one night a week they bring in a specialty chef to satisfy the sushi desires of all who stop by. I have never tried this myself, but cannot think of a better way to try the bar's signature Saketini cocktail. I'll just make sure I have nothing important to do before noon the next day. The most popular nights at Todo seem to be the regular Friday and Saturday bar nights where just about anything can go down - from a techno dance party, to patrons battling the WWF vs. Hello Kitty figures while a flamenco guitar plays softly in the background. I've never been here on a weeknight but I wouldn't mind trying it - if nothing else they have free Wifi I can hook up to while I sip on a glass of wine or one of the five beers on tap. Writing by Kelly Burroughs]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/todo http://www.blogto.com/bars/todo Bars Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

On a typical night at Magpie, if there is such a thing, a small crowd of smokers can be seen from blocks away hanging out in front of the tiny pub. The crowd acts as a flag for the neighborhood bar that, in true Dundas West style, appears reluctant to display any clear form of advertising. A blanket of thick black paint hides the sign inherited from the locations previous owners. The bar's name appears only on a small piece of wood hanging behind the front window. The lighting is dark, the decor cluttered. Beer and soda signs are scattered along the walls amongst lobby cards and nature photographs. Persian rugs and warm colored lampshades give the bar a cozy feel. Magpie is the home you never knew you had. The bar is owned by White Cowbell Oklahoma guitar player Graham McIntyre. His common law partner owns Musa, the restaurant located a few stores west that has become famous for its hearty Mediterranean portions and comfortable atmosphere. Eclectic randomness appears to be Magpie's protocol. Whenever I pass by on my way home, I always make a point of looking through the window to see what scene the bar is playing host to that night. Sometimes people fill every square inch of the room, while on other nights the only patrons are a lone couple sharing an intimate conversation over a pint. Patron's ages range from twenty to fifty. Magpie seems to welcome anyone who has an appreciation for good beer, engrossing conversation, diverse music, or a strong sense of community. The beer selection is extensive. Bottles of Innis & Gunn make a regular appearance amongst the ever-changing landscape of the fridge that stands behind the bar. A chalkboard lists eleven local craft brews that are currently available on tap. The names and their prices ($5.50-$6.50) are written over smeared eraser marks, a testament to Magpie's constantly fluctuating beer selection. If hard liquor is your thing, they also carry a variety of whiskeys. Twice a week musicians set up their instruments in the corner of the bar. Thursdays primarily showcase rock bands. Sundays tend to be more relaxed, profiling musicians whose genres range from folk to jazz. Other past events have ranged from showings of The Big Lebowski to projecting election night newscasts on the big screen. I will always fondly remember the half full bar sitting in complete silence for twenty minutes as we watched Obama deliver his victory speech from Grant Park, Chicago. For the past three and half years Magpie has been a place for the community to gather and collectively share the moments of their lives. Writing by Eli Budd]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/magpie http://www.blogto.com/bars/magpie Bars Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

The newly crimsoned exterior of the George Street Diner is a welcome and arresting sight for anyone who finds themselves around the King East area in a famished state.

The recent paint-licking is the latest in a series of changes made since Ash Farrelly, formerly of The Senator took over ownership of the place in 2007. It follows a slight interior tweak and a menu reworking that reflects Farrelly's Irish nativity. A welcome slant on the traditional diner breakfast line-up (an Irish breakfast with toasted soda bread and Belfast Ham is offered alongside its Canadian counterpart) gives the George Street Diner a special point of difference in a neighbourhood relatively sparse with breakfast/lunch options for under $10.

On days when I don't feel like giving my appalling grasp of French time in the exercise yard at the marvelous Le Petit Dejeuner, it's nice knowing that Gaelic alternatives await just past the acting English channel that is Adelaide St East. Other changes include a switch to using fair trade, organic coffee, adding home made lemonade and making in-house desserts like the excellent Dublin apple crumble. Extended summer opening hours are until 9 p.m and a new dinner menu includes a $21.95 three course special.

The friendly staff often get overwhelmed at peak times; this isn't a place to go for brunch if you're in a hurry, but the laid-back atmosphere seems to be enough compensation for regulars who know what to expect. I've even seen one guy that prompted apologetic servers 3 times for his breakfast pass his 30 minute breakfast wait by adding a favourable customer review to Googlemaps via his iPhone.

Given that the recent days of elliptical sunshine have left me feeling like a cat determinedly stalking a ray of light across a wooden floor, I decided to see how amenable The George Street Diner would be to park-destined take out on a fleetingly bright afternoon. Luckily we arrive just after the mass exodus of George Brown students and be-suited business lunchers that occupy every booth on weekdays between noon and 2 p.m. Our food is made, paid for and packed up to go in under 10 minutes.

My vegetarian friend goes for the board special of Fattoush salad ($9). The salads here aren't the usual dieter demurs that are mandatory inclusions on most diner menus. The fattoush is a base of mixed greens piled high with peppers, tomatoes, falafel, warm pita triangles,capers and egg, finished with an ample drizzle of tahini dressing. Apart from the falafel component being a little hard the salad is viable competition for any of their other more meat-centric offerings.

Recent late NXNE nights have left my stomach militantly opposed to all non-greasy food so a grilled cheese with tomato and side salad ($6.50) pretty much orders itself. The combination of doughy egg bread and plentiful cheddar hit the spot even though the inclusion of what seems like an entire tomato has created a sort of Trojan horse sandwich that spits out slices with every bite. Our considerate server must have been wise to this when she included a fistful of napkins and I feel pretty lucky, as a messy eater, to have incidentally boxed up the messiest item on the menu. Anything that buys me one more visit while I still have the illusion of dignity is fine with me...

Photos by Peter Lusztyk.]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/george-st-diner http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/george-st-diner Restaurants Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

Any bar that lets me have my say in music is okay in my books. If you're a deejay in Toronto, you've seen my face before. Mine is the face that keeps popping up over your turntables to ask sweetly if you have such-and-such song. So when I walked into the Curzon on a quiet Tuesday evening and was asked by the bartender if there was anything in particular I wanted to hear - or if I wanted to play my own iPod - I was instantly sold. This might be the best bar in town, folks. Formerly the dark and haunted-looking Queen Medical building, the Curzon's transformation of this forbidding Leslieville building into a hip, welcoming bar is like an analogy for the whole burgeoning neighbourhood. The room is spacious and eclectically decorated with hanging chandeliers and auctioned-off estate furniture from Frontier Furniture. The medical building's old ceiling tiles are given new life on the walls and along the standing bar in the centre of the room. The atmosphere is comfortable; stylish but unaffected. In fact, the bar treads the line between lounge and pub so well that it's the perfect destination for nearly any occasion: a first date, a night with friends, rum and cokes in the afternoon - even bridal showers and private parties. A short menu of tapas and snacks keeps drinkers fed, but isn't large enough to stop local restaurants like Leslie Jones and Gio Rana's from sending patrons over for a drink while they wait for a table. I didn't have my iPod on me, but the friendly bartender was batting a hundred when I asked for something "sunny afternoon-ish" and he played some quiet jazz. It's not always quiet at the Curzon though. On Friday and Saturday nights they have a live DJ, Sunday is Karaoke night, Monday is Industry Night for service industry folks with a penchant for house music, and on Tuesdays, an early acoustic set is followed by big-name DJs trying something smaller after weekend appearances at places like CiRCA. There's no patio, but space for one has already been designated along the side of building on Curzon St. Visit after work for a pint and a tasty snack in the $7 to $10 range, or later on to keep company with friendly crowds. The bar is open every night from 5pm and attracts Leslieville locals, music fans, and clubbers on their down time. Writing by Jessica McGann]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/curzon http://www.blogto.com/bars/curzon Bars Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

For years, The Communist's Daughter at Ossington and Dundas was one of those hidden-gem spots that people in the know loved to be in the know about. Cozy, candlelit and powered by body heat, it's a hole in the wall in the best possible sense of the term. Fans of the the tiny haunt will tell you that its casual atmosphere, excellent jukebox selection, and signature pickled eggs are what keeps them coming back for more. Word is out by now, though, so even without a proper sign, there's no shortage of drinkers. The atmosphere is friendly and intimate, but with room for only eight small tables it has to be; the clientele's on top of each other by about 9pm. The decor is either reminiscent of the older, lingering social clubs that still pepper dusty neighbourhoods like Dundas's west end, or the kind of working-class dive bar you could see yourself frequenting alone if you liked to tell bartenders your troubles, depending on your frame of reference. Think Legion Hall with romance. I like to think it's the way I would've wanted my bedroom to look when I was 20 - bohemian, artistic and homey - but better, because there's a bar and the patrons make judicious use of the jukebox's eclectic jazzy/indie/classic rock selection. Christmas lights are strung from the ceiling to give the otherwise dark room a warm glow. Vintage crokinole boards hang on the wall and are available for play. Over the bench at the back, a framed portrait of an unhappy looking child never fails to draw the attention of pensive tipplers. Outside, the facade is misleading, as the six-year-old bar is still crowned with the outdated signage of the venue's previous incarnation, "Nazare Snack Bar". Owners Paul Emery and Trish Welbourn incorporated much of what was left of the Portuguese diner into the bar, including leaving the original sign up, which can get confusing for first-time visitors. A chalkboard sign hanging in the window tips would-be customers off to its true name. Hipsters, locals, artists, students, and blue-collars alike come for no-nonsense fare like Molson Stock Ale and pickled eggs. Wine comes in red or white, and is served to the brim in the kind of glass your grandmother might have served you milk in. A short menu in the $6 to $7 range is scrawled on a chalkboard on the back wall: hummus plate, salami sandwich, beer cheese sandwich, salami and cheese plate, lupine olive plate. The apple blue cheese sandwich is a bit overwhelming, even for a cheese lover like myself. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, live bands play in the window alcove at the front of the bar, making things even cozier in the remaining space of the rest of the bar. Two guitarists and a bassist bust out Django Reinhardt tunes on Saturdays with sporadic accompaniment by the bartender. Sundays, Toronto punk legends John Borra and Sam Ferrara play a folky, acoustic set. A friend of mine used to frequent the Communist's Daughter on a fruitless mission to seduce Ron Sexsmith, who could often be found - friendly, but disappointingly appropriate - seated at the bar. The name of the bar will sound familiar to fans of Neutral Milk Hotel, whose song "The Communist's Daughter" inspired the designation. It also somehow perfectly captures the bolshevik vibe of this laid-back imbiber's oasis, where everybody's your comrade and the limited seating must be shared equally by all. Writing by Jessica McCann]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/communists-daughter http://www.blogto.com/bars/communists-daughter Bars Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

La Paloma, in the west end of Corso Italia, sits across the street from a cemetery and strikes me as an odd place for a gelateria. However, one taste of their gelato is enough to make me realize that location is of little importance. The spacious store is flooded with sunlight, which reflects off of the smiling faces of patrons young and old. Porcelain gelato sculptures are placed beside soccer memorabilia, which clutter the shelves behind the wall-to wall display case housing the rainbow of goodies. Everything is a tribute to the Motherland and a testament to the great gelato legacy. My love affair with gelato began years ago in Florence. Under the advice of a local, my travel companion and I wandered tirelessly through the narrow backstreets of the city on the hunt for Perchè No, said to be the best gelateria in Tuscany. Our search led to the creamiest, most intensely flavourful gelato that I have tasted to date. I continued to seek out my initial "high" back home in Canada, but was disappointed time and time again. That is until I meet Sal, the gelati genius behind La Paloma. Trained as a tailor, Sal quickly realized his passion for gelato and spent a good part of the past forty years trying to capture the tastes from his Sicilian childhood. Along with his son, he achieves just the right balance of creaminess and authentic flavour in his variety of classic favourites to keep customers flocking at all hours of the day. When I ask whether gelato is just Italian for ice cream? Sal quips: "North American ice cream? Nooo!" I learn that since ice cream is made from whipping cream, air gets trapped during the churning process rendering the consistency much lighter. Gelato on the other hand, is made from milk and natural ingredients, which makes it substantially denser. According to Sal, gelato is much "healthier", because it's made from all natural ingredients. I'm not sure about the health merits of gelato, but I am willing to suspend my disbelief for the moment being as I devour a mountainous pistachio-coffee mixed cone ($4). The pistachio's distinct buttery quality compliments the aromatic tartness of the coffee. It is rich, velvety and bold in taste. Between the three of us, we try both variations of Pistachio (Siciliano & Real), Walnut, Lemon and Coffee. There is a unanimous moment of silence in our huddle. We are all in a frantic rush against time to consume every last lick before it becomes a wasted, drippy mess. With over seventy flavours including many sorbet and soy options to choose from, my memories of Florence begin to fade. I will definitely head straight to one of the four La Paloma outlets across the GTA for a bit of Italian nostalgia and my next "pick-me up" treat! ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/lapaloma http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/lapaloma Restaurants Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

I had a feeling about you, Sideshow Cafe. The name (obviously) was what did it for me straightaway. However, I tend to be wrong about these things, so I tried to keep my expectations in check. Thus, your name and all of its freaky promise was put on the back-burner of my mind, nearly forgotten. It has since been replaced with a number: "1300" and a crossing street: Greenwood. This, I know, is where I am to get off the (College) streetcar that I take everywhere, everyday, but never this far East on Gerrard. I am excited. I keep eyes peeled for the typical markers, signals of a new hotspot. That being new and hot... well, anything, really. With nary a music or clothing store, nor independent grocer in sight, I am taken aback when two signs simultaneously catch my eye: "free wi-fi" and "circus lessons", on adjoining storefronts across the street. This is when my belly gets that twitchy feeling - the feeling that I had arrived, and that the destination was already sparking my imagination. The feeling that when they say "sideshow", these guys might actually mean it. I find this incredibly refreshing, as people rarely mean anything anymore. Rest assured that they so do. Super-nice Erica behind the counter tells me that the cafe's been open for under two months, but the building dates back to 1914- when it was the site of an actual circus(!!). By this time, the info is not exactly shocking, but thrilling nonetheless.This fact is played upon with a confident subtlety; you can practically feel the history vibrating in the walls and it speaks for itself. A few carefully chosen and casually displayed knickknacks convey this vibe. The tinny (in a good way), old-tyme (pronounced "time-y") music brings it home hardcore. In my head, it is coming from of an antique radio, but in reality, I can see that the culprit is a trusty modern-day Macbook, which I somehow still like anyway (being the whiny PC-user I am). The aforementioned "circus lessons" are courtesy of the place next door, which is really just an extension of the cafe (or probably vice versa), a few steps by the cash register leading up to a door. A semi-costumed, stilts-carrying member of this troupe comes in and uses these stairs to enter a presumed rehearsal space while my curiosity kills me. My friendly server also goes in at one point, and I all I can think is: "what is going on in there?!" The excitable child in me, with a flair for sequins and curled mustaches (on other people, and as sported by the co-performer outside) absolutely has to see and know. The grown-up coffee drinker realizes that these guys are probably very busy and working very hard and that the term "circus" is entirely commonplace to them, though it is clearly not to me. I decide against making a scene. Luckily, my Americano ($2) courtesy of Alternative Grounds, is good enough to re-direct my attention to the matter at hand, and the choice of treats is wide-ranging enough to occupy my restlessness. I ask for a recommendation, but deep down I knew it had to be the lemon/raspberry square ($2). Everything looks very homemade; the saran-wrap disturbing my snack's aesthetics, but preserving the crumbly goodness which is, admittedly, a little light on the lemon. Very sweet, as she warned me, but naturally so. Everything about this place feels natural. Such a theme could, in many other establishments, seem a little contrived. But these guys pull it off beautifully, and genuinely. The space is small-ish, but very inviting; clearly old and paint-chipped, but it feels fresh and vibrant. It has- and this is not a compliment I throw around very often- true character. Sideshow Cafe is effortlessly cool, which you should know is the only real kind anyway. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/sideshow-cafe http://www.blogto.com/cafes/sideshow-cafe Cafes Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

Troubadour, a term coined in the Middle Ages to refer to French and Italian poets and musicians, is also the name of one of Toronto's newest hidden gems. Besides being an intimate live music venue, The Troubadour is a simplistic, charming bar with a very cozy atmosphere. Located in The Junction, the bar was opened in 2007 by 30-something owners Kristy Hollidge and Alain Richer (a French musician himself), who have created a quaint little space that serves the community of the Dundas and Keele area, giving them a place to call home away from home, have a bite and a pint, and listen to performances by many great local bands and artists. It's a Thursday night, and the band (a creative ensemble of songwriters called Us and Others) is setting up gear and instruments in the front room, placing themselves around the Robert-Johnson-era piano that sits against the wall, check-1-2-ing as the patrons sip their microbrews and their French Onion Soup, a Troubadour specialty. As I drink my Creemore, taking in the sights and sounds, I notice the Christmas lights that adorn the walls of exposed brick, two red lampshades framing the bar, ceiling fans turning in slow motion, and the promise of a soon-to-be-here weekend lingering in the air. Framed photos by local photographer Matthew Marigold hang on the wall - a series of clowns boozing it up (apparently friends of the bar, and other people from the Junction community who offered to have their faces painted), all on sale in support of the Contact Photo Festival. The friendly waitress/bartender, Clare, is kind enough to answer all my questions, even though she's working alone and serving the now-packed room, calling many of them by first name and never skimping on the smiles. The Troub (as it's affectionately known) offers a very hearty menu - pub fare with a home-cooked twist - at a very reasonable price. The most expensive entree is less than ten dollars. On Mondays, the bar hosts Homecooked Monday's - a special night of hearty comfort food. They even have a kids menu, affectionately titled "Little Munchkin Food" (Munchkins get a free bowl of vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry!) For those just in for a pint, the bar also offers a wide variety of local microbrews, a great selection of bottled beers, and monthly features. And for those with musical aspirations and a bit of guts, Sunday nights are open jam nights, so bring down your instruments! The Troubadour will celebrate its two-year anniversary in October; here's to many more years to come. The bar serves one of Toronto's most up-and-coming neighbourhoods, and is building a loyal fanbase of regulars, some of whom return several times a week, even if it's just to stop in for a quick drink and a friendly hello from the staff. Writing by Andrew Hanna]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/troubadour http://www.blogto.com/bars/troubadour Bars Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

The Senator has always struck me as downtown Toronto's open secret. Tucked just off of Yonge-Dundas Square on Victoria street, this gorgeous diner is the perfect antidote to the chain-gang of generic restaurants that line Yonge. An anecdotal whip-round among friends or colleagues usually leads to "oh, that place...I've always meant to go" or "Where is it?" followed by "Really?" The self-proclaimed 'oldest restaurant in Toronto' has been operating under its current guise since 1948 and until a few years ago housed a jazz club counterpart 'Top O' The Senator' above.

Well known to hotel concierges and diner aficionados alike the Senator is packed with pre-theatre crowds most nights until around 8pm. After that it takes on the appearance of an abandoned 1940s movie set with just the odd couple of people (admittedly, I'm usually one of them) lingering to drink.

The Senator bridges the gap between bistro-style upscale diners with traditional decor and other Toronto greasy spoon hallmarks like Mars Diner. It's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus popular Sunday brunch.

The dinner line-up offered is traditional North American home-style cooking with a little embellishment (we're talking a $16 blue-cheese burger) but as is often the case with diners you pay in part for your surroundings. In this respect The Senator doesn't disappoint. The interior retains its authenticity without being kitschy. The is service so welcoming and sincere that it's as much of a reason to visit as the decor.

The only notable limitations are that there is very little in the way of vegetarian options and nothing but house salad for vegans. The fixed booths also mean that large parties would have to pick teams and split up accordingly. We settle in and start with the crab cake with tartar sauce ($8). It's more of a crab-stick cake but doesn't suffer too much for that once smothered with tartar. My friend orders the fish and chips with tartar sauce ($18). The fish is crisp without being too oily or over-battered and the inclusion of coleslaw helps lessen the usual starch overload involved. For variety, I forgo my perma-choice of the Wicked burger and settle on the homemade meatloaf with mashed potatoes and smoked tomato sauce ($18). It's easily the best meatloaf I've ever had - succulent without being fatty and moist enough that I don't have to ask for a water refill. The Wicked Burger with blue cheese and bacon ($16) is hard to turn down and I try not to stare jealously as my lucky companion takes his down with enthusiasm.

I've had the desserts a few times before and they're of the bought-in-but-pretty-good variety. An off-menu basic chocolate sundae is usually irresistibly appropriate but this time, to be thorough, we order a selection.

The rice pudding ($4.95) is suitably creamy and benefits from our server thoughtfully attacking it with cinnamon for me. A lemon tart ($6) arrives looking photogenic but is a pretty dry and unremarkable.

The brownie with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce ($6) is a hard combination to get wrong and quickly disappears leaving only smiles behind.

As I'm paying I talk to the server about the 'open 24hrs' sign that remains unlit outside. She tells me it'll stay that way because it's always quiet in there after 9pm. Enjoyable as it's been, exiting into the comparatively jolting bustle of Yonge-Dundas Square before dark while the staff lock up behind us is inevitably a bit of a downer. Across the way Hard Rock is still packed. Photos by Peter Andrew Lusztyk]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/the-senator http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/the-senator Restaurants Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

Confession: I went into BarChef with a bad attitude, having already decided that I wouldn't like it. Touted as Toronto's answer to "cocktail culture" (whatever that is) and boasting drinks in the $20 range, neologisms like "mixologists" on BarChef's website were just the homemade maraschino cherry on the dry Manhattan of my disdain. As a no-frills drinker who sticks to beer and dive bars, I have a natural aversion to trendy hotspots. Especially when it seems like the words "trendy hotspot" might actually have been written into the business plan. That said, my friends and I sat down to a round of cocktails off BarChef's $8 Recession Menu and one boozy, refreshing sip of my My Tie, with its perfect, harmonious blend of rum, fresh orange, homemade almond orgeat, and soda, quickly had this dour pragmatist singing the praises of barchefery (neologism mine). Everything at BarChef is made by hand, or done the hard way; from the rows of medicinal-looking jars on the counter housing the bar's pharmacopeia of homemade bitters and syrups, to the 20 lb ice block from which chunks are hand-chipped as needed. Every good chef knows that quality ingredients are the first order of business and we had to agree that our drinks - respectively the My Tie, the Four-Seven-Two made with bourbon and homemade cola bitters, and the Elixir with vodka and homemade grapefruit bitters - were the best we'd ever had. Although we'd planned for one cheap drink each and a quick exit, we were unable to resist the temptation to have another, exciting round. After the reasonably-priced but profoundly impressive Recession Menu, the Sweet or Sour Menus are a logical next step up. These drinks are slightly fancier and, of course, more expensive. I could've put away ten or twelve of the bananas-foster-tasting Caramelized Banana, a $12 concoction of salted butter, coconut puree, banana and spiced rum, if my wallet would've allowed it. My friend sung the praises of Van Gogh's Downfall, and assured me that the bitters, orange blossom water, lemon, cloves, and star anise were the perfect complement to absinthe's strong taste. The fourth menu category is the Molecular Menu, Barchef's true specialty. Drinks on this menu range in price from $20 to $45 and are mixologized (I think I've really got the hang of this) with the focus on experimentation and presentation that are characteristic of molecular gastronomy - the scientific study of chemical processes that occur in cooking (i.e. What would happen if we blowtorched this egg white?). Our knowledgeable waitress won us over to it by bringing us a round of Mojito Raviolis to sample; a blend of mint, lime, sugar and rum contained in a tiny gelationous bubble that burst delightfully in our mouths with a pop. A Freestyle off the Molecular Menu was the next drink to visit our table, but I found the spicy Sidecar-inspired seafoam, dense egg-white topping, and decorative plate of burning hickory chips to be overwhelming and even a bit silly. We asked the waitress to take the hickory chips away while fanning the smoke out of our faces. Turning our pockets out to pay the bill, we had to admit that the drinks were beyond good and the experience was fun, even if the atmosphere was a bit overstyled for our tastes. The room is long and dark, with tall tables and high chairs in the back and a lounge area in the front. The bar boasts live DJs on Friday and Saturday night, which I'm told get busy, and the rest of the time it's whatever's on the iPod - an unexpected mix of R&B, classic rock remixes and hits through the ages. There is a small menu of reasonably-priced snacks, from edamame and fries to oysters. Expect to keep company with older drinkers with a taste for the finer things, the style-and-status-conscious King West set, and loyal followers of the bar's co-owner and award-winning mixologist, Frankie Solarik. Writing by Jessica McGann]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/barchef http://www.blogto.com/bars/barchef Bars Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

I've been waiting a long time for Poutini's House of Poutine to open. When I found out that a new poutine place was opening on West Queen West, I was on the case like cheese curds on gravy. I followed Poutini's Twitter feed and monitored their website. I avoided eating other poutines in an effort to keep my palate fresh and my arteries open. Like a virgin bride anticipating her wedding night, I spent weeks imaging what it was going to be like, how it would taste, and how I would feel after. For you see, like most poutine lovers, my affection borders on the fanatical, a culinary obsession so deep I easily ascribe magical powers to this simple, three ingredient dish. Now, there's a real risk to getting too excited about big events. As the ever quotable Oscar Wilde once said, "Niagara Falls is the bride's second great disappointment". By the time Poutini's announced their soft opening last Friday, I'd gotten myself so worked up that I worried they'd play awkward groom to my blushing bride, failing to meet my heightened expectations. But, mon dieu! this is no ordinary poutine. With gravy gently coaxed from roasted bones, thickened with buttery roux and evenly distributed throughout a generous pail of fresh, French-fried PEI potatoes, Poutini's main dish is a knockout. While franchise poutines toss curds and gravy atop fries like frantic afterthoughts, Poutini's presentation is delicate, gently ensuring each squeaky curd and spoonful of gravy span the depth of the bucket, and rendering every morsel a fresh delight. Maple Dale Cheese Farm curds provide auditory evidence that this is a serious poutine, squeakily serenading taste buds and French (Canadian)-kissing teeth before joining their brethren in a holy trinity of deliciousness. I strongly believe that poutine is the quintessential Canadian food, a flavourful link that, deftly served, can unite the solitudes of French and English Canada. And though I admit this may be a stretch for some, Poutini's poutine is at very least a neighbourhood-builder. My friend and I sat on the bench outside--sadly Poutini's has standing-tables only--and quite literally EVERY person who passed mentioned the poutine. Several drivers and motorcyclists stopped to ask about it, too. We met a lot of new people that night, and even though each conversation stole precious moments from me and my poutine, I appreciated the sense of communion and shared interest in a common dish. Once I'd scraped my bowl clean, I spent a few minutes with friendly manager Katie "Squeaky" Laliberte, who explained that community building through gravy, cheese and potatoes is an intentional goal. A family-operated business, Katie, her husband and his brother all live in the neighbourhood and agreed they would feature local artists in this gallery-turned-poutinerie. They welcome artists to stop by and talk about displaying their work. They're also eco-conscious, scoring bonus points with me for ladling their generous portions into biodegradable containers, and serving them with compostable cutlery. A simple menu of classic poutine, vegetarian poutine, and baked potato poutine keeps it easy for the Lalibertes to make their dishes super fresh, with curds delivered every second day and all gravy made from scratch. "Squeaky" also informed me that Poutini's delectable gravy is still in development, as the Lalibertes search for a new roux to make the thick sauce a little more transparent, and allow the roasty meat flavours greater play. I'm not sure how they could make this heavenly dish any better, but I applaud their efforts, and look forward to a lifetime of gloriously saucy nights together. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/poutinis http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/poutinis Restaurants Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

The Painted Lady has been my favourite bar on the Ossington strip this year, which all started when I ended up there on Easter Sunday only to hear a DJ spinning the very best of '90s hip-hop. At first it seemed odd that a bar looking like it was uprooted right from pre-Katrina New Orleans would have a hip-hop night, but when you take in account that a) on any given night the music here varies from Hendrix to Springsteen to Arrested Development, and b) owners Nicky Potter and Sam Papatragiannis are actually themselves uprooted from New Orleans via South Africa and Scarborough, respectively, then the combination makes sense. The idea for a bar actually came from living in New Orleans, when they wanted to open a place where all the hookers could mingle with regular folk (outside of the brothel I guess). It seemed the next best thing was a bar across from a former strip club on Ossington, and naming it after the infamous "painted ladies" of New Orleans. Not to mention the practicality of it, as both Potter and Papatragiannis live above it and simply wanted a bar they would love to go to. From its dark-finished wood, beautifully ornate bar stocked with liquor from classy (nice scotch and tequila) to crazy (plans to get absinthe - the real stuff you can't get at the LCBO - are in the works for the coming months) and the wall of around 50 or so paintings and photographs of various women, they've created a space that is as welcoming as your local dive bar, but impressive enough to bring a first date. Be sure to get there early though for a coveted spot on the small front patio or the open air sofa, as it fills up around dinner time. Speaking of food, the menu is more than your typical bar as well, with everything homemade and, for the budget-minded, nothing over $10. There's the pulled-pork with original bbq sauce, the skewered Korean kabobs or the white trash nachos (Fritos, homemade chilli and Cheez Whiz, which looks a lot better than it sounds) to highlight just a few. The 12 taps offer a good assortment of Canadian microbrews like Mill Street, as well as some staples and obscure euro imports, like the wheat ale Weihenstephan, to round it out. They've even had a mixologist (AKA fancy bartender) design an assortment of signature drinks (2 oz for $12.50), the most interesting being the Painted Pink Lady, with gin, brandy, lemon juice and an egg froth on top. Regular cocktails are $8.50. With plans for a backyard patio, as well as new summer hours to cater to the weekend brunch crowd, the Painted Lady is definite must-stop venue on any Dundas West/Ossington bar crawl. Writing by Jesse Kinos-Goodin]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/painted-lady http://www.blogto.com/bars/painted-lady Bars Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

I must have walked by Margret dozens of times during the three years that I lived in the Junction, always wondering what the tiny, inconspicuous red neon lit sign that read Margret in the window actually meant. A couple years ago it was a seedy gambling/hooker den by the name of Common Ground, so it wasn't a stretch of the imagination that this was either an advertisement for, or at least a remnant of, a former employee. Then last summer curiosity finally caused me to venture in and I was immediately mad at myself for not going sooner (although, Margret did only open about a year and a half ago). First of all, a bartender/DJ was sitting behind the turn tables spinning everything from Roy Orbison to Tone Loc, a black and white film was playing silently on the projection screen at the back wall, and the mismatched furniture straight from your parent's rec room was full of a solid representation of everyone that lived in the Junction - hipsters drinking tall cans of beer, grimy artists in the corner sectional, likely from the Academy of Realist Art next door, pants still covered in paint, and a table of women in their 40's and 50's with glasses of wine. I've since moved from the Junction but thought it would be worth the trip back to see how things changed. It was nice to see that they hadn't. The decor was still the same - one wall, bare concrete minus what looks like a few vinyl bomber jets ironed on to it. The other wall a full on shrine to ever yard sale an 80-year-old couple has ever had. Think dog portraits, lots of them, painted on canvas, on black velvet and even crocheted into blankets. They're mixed in with a thorough assortment of pictures of Mack trucks, eagles' heads and of course your poor man's Group of Seven landscapes. And that's just the start. One of the owners, Chris Brown, a 37-year-old music producer, prides himself on his yard-saling and value-villaging techniques, and is constantly adding to the kitsch wall. The effect is surprisingly pleasing in that "it looks cool because it's not trying too hard" sort of way. If Brown and co-owner Jill Rooksby bought Margret with the goal to create a cool bar that had the vibe of your favourite perverted uncle who still lives at home in the basement but has a wicked vinyl collection (and I mean that in the best way possible) then they've succeeded. Not to mention there are plans for a fully licensed patio, just as soon as the permit is granted, and while they don't serve proper food per se, Brown says they will be serving things like grilled cheese, olives, and "anything under $3." And if all that sounds like what you're looking for in an up and coming neighbourhood bar, then Brown's plans to take out the taps in order to make more room for more tall boys (there are already at least a half dozen to choose from) make it that much more perfect. Writing by Jesse Kinos-Goodin]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/margret http://www.blogto.com/bars/margret Bars Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

There is a feeling of optimism inside The Communal Mule, and it's contagious. Peter Primiani, new owner and staff of one, has just finished telling us that business at his new dundas west espresso bar had been "pretty good - I can't complain" when scores of people begin to pour in and out. Pretty good indeed. The recession's got nothing on new endeavors in this town (especially on Dundas, it would seem). Alyssa, Johnnie (whose stomach can't handle coffee) and I hit up Peter's new establishment on Wednesday after a sandwich and poutine. (It was Caplansky's one-year anniversary; they were selling three-buck pints!) The Communal Mule is a sunny place with vintage movie posters on the walls and a killer beat. Before taking up in the espresso business, Peter was one half of the DJ duo Peter and Tyrone, evidence of which can be found in the turntable set-up and steady tunes coming from his laptop in the corner. The main deal at the CM is the coffee. Peter's wants to know if I've tried Intelligentsia or 49th parallel coffee before. I tell him I've not, and the look on his face tells me I'm about to be enlightened. He crafts a couple of Americanos ($2.50) for Alyssa and I, and they're beautiful. Even Johnnie is impressed. "Those look rich," he says. "How are they so glossy?" The crema is thick (and glossy) and it all goes down dark and intense with a smooth aftertaste. Johnnie's chai latte ($3.75) is sweet and refreshing and sits well in his stomach. The chai is organic, as is the milk. Harmony comes to our table in a glass bottle (the one with the affectionate cows on it) for the coffee and my companions eye it, greedily. I know they want to chug the whole thing but Alyssa makes do with an appropriate splash. The cookies, muffins and scones come courtesy of Circles and Squares, the elusive baking entity supplying (what seems like) all the new cafes these days. I had a (raisin-free) butter tart, so rich and sweet with amazing crust. Alyssa chose a pumpkin muffin. It was light and fresh and she keeps talking about it. "Mmm remember that pumpkin muffin?" Peter is considering expanding the menu to include more pastries or lunch items, but cautiously. He doesn't want to take attention away from the coffee. We sat around one of the huge wooden tables for some time, flipping though Peter's collection of art magazines ("you gotta take a look at Monocle") and listening to Alyssa talk about her latest career move. Caffeinated, she talks fast and loud. "It's this coffee," she says. "With this music, I'm getting all euphoric." I look at Peter in his successful new espresso joint and feel pretty optimistic myself. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/communal-mule http://www.blogto.com/cafes/communal-mule Cafes Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

On an appropriately grey Parisian day, we head to Le Paradis to see what all the fuss is about. Luckily, we arrive early enough to be the first ones there and settle at the front of the house. Despite it being a damp Monday evening, Le Paradis fills up quickly and many are left waiting for a table. A closely guarded neighbourhood secret, patrons exchange familiar nods and are welcomed by staff on a first name basis. We, on the other hand, seem to be the only outsiders. Our server is competent, but the friendliness is forced and we can't seem to shake off the feeling that we are not very welcomed here. Perhaps our reluctance to order wine with our meal is marking us as the odd ones out at this exclusive block party? The ambiance is charming, but the dining room is dated with its cliche black and white posters, checkered linoleum floor and a painted seascape mural in the back room (an ode to the owner's Southern French roots). The open concept kitchen is inviting, as is the bar where many patrons who are unable to get a table dine. Le Paradis certainly captures the sort of casual allure of Parisian bistros, but disappoints in food and service. Their prices are quite reasonable with most mains ranging from $14- $17, along with a changing three course menu at $20. To start off, I order the white bean and basil soup ($4). What arrives instead is lukewarm water with a medley of diced carrots, celery, beans and dried basil. I grow increasingly skeptical of a restaurant that avoids fresh herbs, particularly when it is headlining the dish. The Rustique salad ($6) is not much better. The overpowering garlic dressing drowns the wilted frisé salad, while the fried lardon bacon is rock hard, as are the whole wheat croutons. Our mains are met with more success. The steak in peppercorn sauce ($17) albeit on the smaller side, is tender and well seasoned. The duck breast ($17) with its pink meaty center scrumptiously contrasts the crispy skin. The cherry-kirsch sauce, however, is too sweet and lacks the complexity of superior liqueur based sauces. The frites are delightfully crunchy and the green beans are crisp, though the portions are rather stingy. With many restaurants offering competitive set menus at around the twenty-dollar mark, I'm not completely convinced that Le Paradis is a real bargain. To the further dismay of our server, we skip out on dessert. At this point, we are unable to redeem ourselves and leave on a low note. As we walk out, the ambiance inside is increasingly convivial and many more couples file through the front door. We are left in a daze, feeling as if we missed out on something. Photos by Judy Nguyen. Exterior photo by Tatiana. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/leparadis http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/leparadis Restaurants Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

In the midst of my weekend shopping a couple months ago I ducked into The Ossington for some sustenance and shelter from the cold. The beautiful barista Danielle warmed me from the inside out with a Bailey's-spiked Americano. Danielle and Jimmy Mills, the DJ du jour, were contemplating the evening's set list. They had a sweet mix of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and funk lined up for their Saturday night crowd. It was the calm before the storm. Manager Pat Colosimo was looking cool and collected behind the bar. When I commented on the 'calm before the storm' vibe he corrected me. 'This is more like when the thick black clouds gather together and start spitting rain,' he explained. Pat was juggling late booze deliveries and a last minute request to host a party for all the staff members of The Drake Hotel, The Beaconsfield, and The Kitchen. As I watched Pat take care of business in his nonchalant but caring way, I realized something. The Ossington is Ossington's next best thing. Located in the old Gallery 61 just north of Queen on Ossington, the newish bar is appropriately dedicated to 'Keeping the Art on Ossington.' The place is staffed with a core group of the neighbourhood`s most flagrant working artists. Danielle the beautiful barista is a photographer. Jubal Brown, the barman, does weird and wonderful audiovisual art. He gets to show off once a week at his theme night called Intervention Monday. From heavy metal to Elvis, you never know what will surface at Jubal`s party. Thursday is another safe bet for a good time at The Ossington. It's the bar's busiest night and is unofficially called The Shit Show. At The Shit Show artist friends are invited to take over the sound system and iPod DJ the night away. The resulting organized chaos feels like your best friend's neighbourhood house party without the Parcheesi or stale pretzels. I wasn't the only one looking for shelter on that chilly Saturday night. Lawrence, one of the poverty-stricken locals, popped in for his daily Americano on the house. Danielle greeted him warmly and accepted a cigarette as payment. Lawrence comes by the bar every day for his coffee. He has been known to pay in pre-packaged chicken breasts and vintage clothes on good days, but tobacco is his usual currency. A strong pulse beats away beneath The Ossington's slick designer decor. West-enders will appreciate this pretention-free, community art hub with drinks and dancing to boot. Lawrence is only one of the many locals who call The Ossington a home away from home. Writing by Jennifer Toole]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/the_ossington http://www.blogto.com/bars/the_ossington Bars Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

The Barn has always been my favourite club on Church St. There is something so seedy in all the sexiest ways about it. From the name down to the location to the actual space itself, The Barn has never had a style or a preference or a trend, it's just "The Barn". It's one of those places that everyone has been. Straight, gay, boys, girls, leather, bears, trolls, twinks, lezzies, everyone has had at least one good night at The Barn. I'll give you the Cole's notes of the sadness that has pervaded in recent years: original owner, Janko Naglic was murdered in October of 2004 and the community was left in total shock. Later, it all came out that The Barn was actually on tough times and Janko was barely holding it together and it shut down for much longer than anticipated. In 2007, they opened their doors for Halloween to a packed crowd, with a newly repainted exterior but mostly the same on the inside. Of course, the infamous painting of two cowboys with their arms around each other is still on the South wall. Well now it's been re-branded, which is a whole other story than just a coat of paint. The Barn, once the best cruising spot on Church is back and taking no prisoners. It's completely re-done. Black and red is the new colour scheme throughout. The first floor is still loungy and the bars and dance floor are in the same spots, but there is a fresher, lighter feel to it, with a hot entrance instead of merely just a door and comfy couches to complete the laid back feel. On the second floor there are new satellite bars and more black and red decor. The second floor smoking patio is still accessible from here. And then there's the third floor. On top of a dance floor and another bar there's something new and special kids. Two words sum it up perfectly: sex maze. There was always a dark back room for getting it on, but now there's a legitimate maze complete with glory holes, nooks, dim lighting, crannies, an iron cross and more red lighting. Never a better hot mess did anyone ever see. What else is new? The summer lineup is looking dope. In addition to an already rammed College Night on Wednesdays with DJ Summation and Fridays with residents Mark Falco, Deko-ze, Jamal and Jay Force, new Thursday, Hustler with Matt C looks pretty nuts. For those of you who remember Matt C from back in the Industry days he's baaaaack, for the summer at least. New Saturday, There Goes The Neighborhood, hosted by Matt Sims combines east and west with DJs Vivi Diamond (Thunderpussy), Vaneska (CiRCA/StudioTo), Shane McKinnon (Foxhole), Real Talk and Doctor Baggie. Long story short, The Barn is most definitely back on track and here's a little prediction: I bet it'll be the hottest spot on Church this summer. Writing by Anna Von Frances]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/the_barn http://www.blogto.com/bars/the_barn Bars Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

When I first heard the name "F'Coffee", I wondered what-the-F my friend was saying to me, but I was too tired and hungry to care. Visiting this friend's friends in one of the stylish studio spaces across the street, I had been promised a satisfying lunch at a place nearby that would make up for the long, hard work day we'd had. If there is a sure-fire way to soothe the ravenous beast inside of me, it's to present it with a less than two-minute walk to the place where the food be. Such astounding proximity sure started mine and F'Coffee's relationship on the right foot, and the sign out front promising a beer & grilled-cheese combo for less than five bucks cemented a union made in heaven. We happen upon another mate of the aforementioned studio, who seems to have spent the better part of her day there. Laptop out, food remnants about, and a giant mug containing coffee dregs, are all tell-tale signs. Not to mention a great familiarity with the staff which immediately rubs off on me. "What a nice little hang-out," I think to myself, feeling thrust into their community. I then proceed to lunch there on two other occasions within the span of about a week and a half. We devour multiple sandwiches (with multiple cheeses inside) and daytime beers while the sign still permits, knowing things this good never last. The beer and sandwiches are still there, and no, I don't mind buying them the old-fashioned way. There's a rather extensive and tempting list of varieties, though it's always hard for me to resist my first love- being a combination of Smoked Mozzarella, Cheddar and Havarti on sourdough bread. ($5, though I think a bit extra for all that cheese...). Ridiculously, it wasn't until months later that I finally tried their coffee; an Americano which, my friend belatedly warns me, is "kind of jittery "--perhaps implying that this jittery girl start with something a little less potent. Well, potent it was, but jitter I did not. Very strong, but very smooth, I even heard a customer candidly call it "the best coffee in Toronto" with his own mouth. Such a powerful bean begs for some sweets, and I suddenly became hyper-aware of the fact that I haven't even so much as glanced at their baked offerings (this being what happens when I fall victim to sandwich-vision). It was high time for a cookie, but I had sadly missed the early-day array, and was left with chocolate chip as my only option. This would have been fine if it weren't for my irrational hatred of the stuff. Bummer. I have heard great things about them, though. These days, it seems that whenever I'm out gallivanting, F'Coffee isn't far away; in the midst of a visit to the Riverdale Art Walk last weekend, or on the way to my roommate's work place this afternoon, I turn my head and it's there. I think it may be stalking me. A close look at the sign finally reveals the "hidden" piece of the name "puzzle" in the "fine print" above: "there's always time...(a-haa!)". " F'Coffee." This fabulously lazy philosophy, expressed in an equally-so diction is almost too awesome for me to bear. It also seems rather appropriate (for the place itself), very necessary (for those who have yet to learn), and would probably make a fitting epitaph for yours truly. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/fcoffee http://www.blogto.com/cafes/fcoffee Cafes Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

My first thought when contemplating the arrival of Mattino, the new Italian/Mediterranean restaurant occupying the space left vacant by the April demise of Supermarket offshoot Mini-Market on the north west corner of the patio quadruplets at College and Clinton, is undoubtedly 'why'?

As I don't find myself encountering too many CIBPA-manned culinary under-representation protests on College I wanted to see how Mattino would fit into the existing Little Italy eatery shuffle.

Owner Rachel Wang has strategically created an enclave that acknowledges the strengths of surrounding stalwarts by wisely creating it's own niche of tweaked traditional Mediterranean fare with an emphasis on light (but by no means meanly portioned) dishes with a $20 price ceiling.

We start with the polenta fries tossed in shaved reggiano and fresh thyme ($7.95) which are fluffy enough to collapse upon a tentative spearing. The accompanying piquant lemon aioli and stealthily flavorsome tomato basil dip both cause breaks in conversation while they're chased around their respective dishes.

The crispy calamari strips ($10.95) are exactly that, thoroughly though lightly battered without rubberizing the squid. A lemon-dill dip aioli again provides a welcome flourish, though the red pepper puree seems pretty pallid compared to the aforementioned tomato alternative. My cohort's choice of the $12.95 glass of wine and seared scallop special proves to be the victual peak of the evening. Four meaty, seared to perfection scallops intermingle with whale sized caper berries, charred peppers, chickpeas and pancetta. So tasty are they that despite the easy calculation involved, four fairly courteous people have difficulty deferring to the socially polite sharing called for.

Deciding to sample one of the salads before moving on I opt for the warm forest mushroom salad ($9.95). The warm, caramelized red onion and mushroom compote atop mixed greens melts the generous sprinkling of pecorino to the perfect extent.

My fellow diners opt for entrees of salsa fresca rigatoni ($15.95) and mixed mushroom risotto ($17.95). The rigatoni comes tossed with asparagus, field tomatoes and fresh beans. This dish in particular cements my impression that Mattino is at its best when it comes to dealing in the deceptively simple. The vegetables all retain their distinct textures and flavors without being undercooked or descending into mush.

As a dedicated fungi fiend I personally found the risotto lacking in overall flavor and creaminess. Someone that finds risotto too rich in general would probably enjoy the respite from dairy overload.

The two desserts available, a homemade tiramisu and cafe crema catalana (both $5.95) greatly appeal to the need for an espresso-leaded kick to stave off the usual soporific effect of round three. Unfortunately, neither really does the trick. The tiramisu is an overly sweet pick up merchant that staggers towards you with chronic marsala breath before passing out at your feet.

The crema catalana is essentially a Catalan take on creme brulee (the waiter elects to describe it this way). Which, while by no means bland, lacks the richness that would usually cause me separation anxiety from my spoon. Grappa and some crema-laden espresso with mini biscotti end things on good terms. In all honesty, Mattino probably isn't going to divert anyone from their fallback Italian spot anytime soon. It's clearly geared towards commitment to dinner rather than idling away the evening with 2 drinks or sharing pizza (make that eating pizza, it's conspicuously lacking from the menu). With that in mind, my overall impression was favorable. The service was swift and friendly without being over-familiar though, admittedly, our table was one out of only four occupied. What Mattino is rather conducive to is a light, reasonably priced single course that will enable a wander rather than a bloat-induced waddle along College in either the direction of The Big Chill or Dolce Gelato. Your gait after that point is your own business... Photos by Peter Andrew Lusztyk]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/mattino http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/mattino Restaurants Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Reggie's on King is just the place for folks who like quality bread, local ingredients, inventive flavours and long lines. Sandwich haters and line-veto-ers need not apply. In all fairness, I've only heard rumours about Reggie's super-long lines. The day my friend and I visited, the queue was, in his words "not too bad" for lunchtime. Unfortunately, a "not too bad" line at Reggie's still warrants a 5-minute wait to order, plus another 10 minutes for preparation. For sandwiches. It's a good thing those sandwiches are mighty tasty. We both opted for poultry, choosing a Duck Confit and Smoked Turkey sandwich respectively. The Duck Confit was fashioned with generous slabs of brie cheese, wilted grape tomatoes, Dijon mayonnaise, and the eponymous fowl all on thick, chewy baguette. Tart slices of Granny Smith apple were not julienned as advertised, but nevertheless added zingy panache to the sweet, cream, and spice combo of duck, brie and Dijon. Although the Duck Confit is certainly one of the most interesting sandwiches since Hillel the Elder's 1st Century B.C.E. version (apple, nuts, wine and bitter herbs on matzoh), the Smoked Turkey was the favourite at our table. Thick slices of soft fresh-baked bread with chewy crust were oozing creamy mayonnaise and tart cranberry chutney, and singing a flavour symphony that more than compensated for a toothsome but slightly dry turkey. Reggie's employs creativity and quality ingredients, but quite literally at a cost. I generally like to keep my lunch spending low, but at 7-9$ per sandwich--sans sides--I'll be saving Reggie's for payday. They do offer a daily special: $10 for a sandwich, fries and fountain pop, but you know, it's $10 + tax. For a sandwich. Still, you get what you pay for, and in this heyday of mass-produced sandwiches, Reggie's is laudable for its efforts to use locally sourced, preservative-free ingredients. Meats are roasted in-house and smoked locally at Joy Bistro, and all breads come from local artisan bakeries. Owner Bryan Burke has been quoted as saying that he avoids using preservatives, as "they bring people down". It's a shame he hasn't applied this principle to Reggie's beverage selection, which is dominated by fountain pops, sugared-vitamin waters and commercial juices. Still, in the long history of sandwiches, from Hillel's matzoh creations, to the Earl of Sandwich's first bread-and beef version, to the school lunches of the 20th century, Reggie's is making a respectable mark with its tasty innovations. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/reggies http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/reggies Restaurants Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

Arlene Levin is looking out for your best interests. The owner of Rebas Café and Gallery, in the Junction, serves baked chips - not fried - and doesn't keep diet pop in the fridge. "It's bad for you," she says, matter of fact and end of discussion like. She also slots her musical guests (about twice a month) in the mid-afternoon, so everyone can get to bed early. "If you stay up late, you lose the day." Alyssa and I listen to this paraphrased proverb - early to bed, early to rise - like no one's ever told us that the day is valuable. I sip my organic coffee ($1.60) and make a note to exercise more self-control, especially when it comes to sleep. There is wisdom in every corner of this place. While we wait for our food, Alyssa and I flip through The Affirmation Book, a collection of life advice authored by Ms. Levin and published by her company, SoundWorks. We're also handed a coffee card (the seventh coffee is free) with an uplifting message from the universe written on the back (it's kind of like a fortune cookie, but better). I have the strength, power, wisdom and love to successfully handle whatever comes my way. Alyssa deserves to have fun and enjoy herself and she does. Amen. In this case, what eventually comes my way and Alyssa enjoys is our food. By the time the dishes are placed before us, we're starving because we'd spent forty-five minutes checking out the great patio, meeting "the" dog (Reba!) and talking to Arlene Levin before even ordering. Alyssa is having a wild salmon burger ($5.75) and I, a roasted chicken sandwich ($5.50). Both come on a Panini from Dough Heads Bakery and we've opted to make them both "a plate," meaning for an extra buck fifty we get coleslaw and veggies sprinkled with poppy and sesame seeds, plus some (baked) chips. The coleslaw was created before our very eyes. We even saw the cabbage being chopped up. And for my sandwich, I actually watched Arlene Levin haul a whole chicken out of the fridge and pull off pieces of meat for the grill. Along with grilled onions and green peppers, I had pesto and havarti added to my sandwich on the fly and after talking out her options, Alyssa added some cheddar to her burger. At Reba's you are allowed (encouraged, even) to be intimately involved in the construction of your meal. No ingredients are set in stone and Arlene Levin emphasizes that she aims to accommodate all dietary needs. "In a perfect world, what would you like to eat?" No one's ever asked me that question, so I have to think about it for a while. But Steve, the regular customer who takes a seat beside us, has it all figured out. He comes in most days and orders his own creation of chips, veggies, an omelet and toast. Arlene has dubbed it "Steve's big ass breakfast." It's not on the menu, but it will be soon. While awaiting his big ass breakfast, Steve chats to us about the Junction and how much it's changed in the twenty years that he's lived in the area, recalling the long awaited end of Junction prohibition (in effect until a few years ago!) and ensuing development. The sale of alcohol has really improved the area, he says. "When I moved in it was kind of a slum." Steve loves his usual breakfast so much that he shows us a photo of it that he keeps on his laptop. About ten minutes later, the real thing arrives in front of him. Alyssa and I decide to make our exit. We've hung around Rebas way longer than we had intended and we're full to the brim with our delicious sandwiches, unable to finish all our crunchy coleslaw and baked chips. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/rebas http://www.blogto.com/cafes/rebas Cafes Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Along the desolate stretch of Dundas between Bay and University, there is no shortage of grimy restaurants with misspelt signs. Japango might be the only exception to this dingy neighbourhood with its surprisingly authentic atmosphere and impeccably fresh sushi. Judy and I manage to escape the frigid cold and are warmly welcomed by the eager staff, while we squeeze into a cozy nook by the window. This teeny tiny restaurant barely manages enough space to cram in its 8 tables, but is inviting nonetheless with soulful jazz tracks and the soft murmuring of servers in their mother tongue. Inside, the vibe is low key and captures the essence of any typical neighbourhood sushi joint in Japan. We sip on bottomless cups of warm rice tea and chomp on crisp salads while awaiting the feast to come. We're hungry, cold and in serious need of some nourishment. Feeling a bit under the weather, Judy orders Chicken Udon ($12.99). As she digs into her steaming bowl of juicy noodles in piping-hot broth; garnished with dried seaweed, snow peas, plump white meat and green onions, she is instantly brought back to life!

I opt for their signature sushi dinner, which arrives with a rainbow assortment of fresh fish and six scrumptious California rolls ($18.99). I am reminded of what a truly delicious California roll should taste like- Crisp cucumber, crackling bits of red caviar and surimi that frays with each bite, all snugly wrapped up in seaweed with a thin coating of rice sprinkled with sesame.

Though we're both comfortably full at this point, Chef Ken persuades us to sample their daily sushi special, which varies according to different fresh fish in season. Much to our delight, a platter of expertly executed sushi is presented to our table. Like colourful soldiers marching two- by- two, we are impressed by the artistic presentation (heads and all). Bamboo leaf is commonly used to keep the fish fresh and not just to make the dish look pretty. Rather than stuff their patrons full of rice in an attempt to make up for bland, tasteless fish, Japango delivers remarkably fresh slivers of Spanish Mackerel, Bonta Ebi Shrimp, along with slightly charred Red Snapper on no more than a tablespoon of tasty sushi rice.

Normally packed with dreary looking public servants at noon and a more eclectic crowd come dinnertime, reservations are helpful particularly during the weekday rush. With a loyal following of sushi fans, it is no wonder that Japango continues to receive rave reviews ten years on and now offers a second location in Clubland named Yuzu. In between mouthfuls of Bonta Ebi sushi, the newly revived Judy sums up our experience at Japango best by exclaiming: " This is unlike any sushi I have ever had!" Photos by Judy Nguyen]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/japango http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/japango Restaurants Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

Savoury Grounds seemed like a nice place to take my mom (and my sister) on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Rather, it seemed like a nice place to implore my mom to take her unable-to-drive daughter(s), who needed to get back to the city (from Brampton), stat. Located out of the central downtown core, I figured this excursion would be a piece of cake for my rush hour-phobic and GPS-challenged family. Well, I figured wrong, but what better way to soothe one's nerves than with a strong, fresh-roasted and steaming Americano and an easily-obtained (thank God) parking spot? After an hour of misunderstanding-fueled motor mayhem: nothing, I say. Savoury Grounds welcomed me and my Mom (and sister) with open arms. Around for eleven years, it's a settled and well lived-in space; a nice change of pace from the hugeness and newness I've been seeing so much of lately. The regulars quietly flow in and out, a diverse group widely ranging in age, but seeming to share a demeanour: relaxed. My metropolis-wary mother takes great comfort in this fact, remarking upon the cafe's lovely "rustic" quality, and claiming to feel "like I'm far from the city...until I step outside." I can almost hear the backed-up highway traffic in her voice. We dig into into our perfectly-grilled Panini (a decent, but very basic Turkey & Havarti- $5.45) and respective drinks. Though my tea-loving sister takes joyful notice at their selection of "Numi tea!', it's just no match for a pomegranate, blueberry and Acai smoothie ($3.95). My willpower is also no match for the giant cranberry, blueberry and coconut muffin ($2) that will soon follow (nor should it be). When the rush quiets a bit, we chat with the staff about the 2 other locations in the city. Though this is the centre of their savoury universe; the place where they roast all their own beans at the rate of every 48 hours, ensuring a reliable, crazy-freshness that can even be ordered to your door. The roasting would be even more frequent if it weren't for the excessive smoke they'd inflict upon their neighbours, she adds. The image of a coffee cloud (a part of the process which I'd never considered) just about blows my mind, and I immediately want to ask how awesome it smells...but I refrain. She notices me admiring some poetry on the wall and proudly tells me "one of our regulars wrote that. Every so often she comes in and replaces it with a new one." This is the kind of thing that I just eat up, and I find myself feeling envious of anyone possessing such a comfort level with their favourite hangout. After nearly an hour though, we're not doing bad ourselves. My mom and sister casually shout across the room, from table to counter about sugar-free syrups for my mom's steamed milk ($2.75, large), and at least two of us patrons sing "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" under breath, but in harmony. The staff are unfazed, and even in on both "conversations". That's just the kind of place they've got here. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/savoury_grounds_kingston_road http://www.blogto.com/cafes/savoury_grounds_kingston_road Cafes Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Bars

There's something afoot on Dundas West. Traditionally the place you went to get a Portuguese tart or some other kind of fix, the last few years has seen a steady stream of bars and food joints inching steadily west. And while the strip still has enough dollar shops and dives to keep its ghetto-chic credentials, a week can't seem to go by without another opening in the old car repair district. Launched last year west of Dufferin, the Henhouse plants its flag even further afield and declares 'Here be no dragons'. Run by Katie Sketch and Jenny Smyth formally of Vancouver rock outfit The Organ, this little bar is already ticking a lot of the right boxes. For two people who didn't know anything about opening a bar except that they wanted to do it, the former Organist's have done an impressive job of making this former crack den cozy. The interior is a mash-up of styles much indebted to the schools of Value Village and craigslist - think lots of lamps and knick-knacks your granny used to have. The shabby-stylish aesthetic works and this labor of love feels like it's been here longer than just a few months. At the bar things are kept simple. Don't expect cocktails but with Cameron's Lager on tap for $5.00 why would you? Beer enthusiasts will be pleased with the selection of local brews (Cameron's Pale, Mill St, Creemore) plus the usual wines, spirits and mixers. The small kitchen currently turns out a rotating menu of cheap and cheerful soups such as Shrimp Bisque, Minestrone with Pesto and Black Bean w/ avocado sour cream, and the all-you-can-eat pancake brunch sounds pretty hard not to like. Drawing a mainly local clientele, the friendly staff ensures a relaxed, comfy atmosphere. A jukebox filled with owner Sketch's personal collection covers everything from Dionne Warwick to Joy Division, and the cheap beer guarantees patrons will have shrapnel to swing to. In-between all that drinking and djing you may have occasion to visit the washrooms. Wall-papered with old high school yearbooks, it's nice seeing all that 70's hair en vogue again back in the bar, and a pleasing reminder that some things never go out of fashion. Things like a local with cheap beer, good food and friendly staff. Things that seem to be popping up more and more along Dundas West these days. Writing by Daniel Kuseta]]> http://www.blogto.com/bars/henhouse http://www.blogto.com/bars/henhouse Bars Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Lou Dawg's has a curiously rustic menu. Specializing in meat, other kinds of meat and more meat, this newish King West sandwich joint is not the place to take vegetarian friends or fancy people. Who should go to Lou Dawg's? Diners who like the taste of campfire--not liquid smoke, or chemically fabricated hickory zest--but genuine, smoky, "I hate white rabbits" campfire flavour. The taste is so authentic that I had to smell my jacket 30 minutes after leaving, surprised I wasn't carrying the tell-tale effluence. Despite Toronto's recent carnivore craze, Lou Dawg's is only the second smoke house to open downtown (the other is Phil's). Spacious and tavern-dark, Lou Dawg's is decorated in wood-plank panels and a stone facing that reminds me of a Bruce County highway, a jagged square hewn through limestone peninsula, and a sure path to campgrounds, cottages and, of course, BBQs. Lou Dawg's looks and feels like a mid-range family dining establishment, so I was surprised to discover they'd opted for counter service instead of full-service dining. I was equally astonished by the quick delivery of my meal: barely had my lunch friend and I started chatting before the waitress was calling our names. We ordered a Pulled Pork Sandwich ($6), Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich ($8), Garden Salad ($3), Blackbean Corn Salad ($3) and Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffin ($2). Unfortunately there were no muffins on hand, but our friendly staffer quickly offered a replacement (Meaty BBQ Beans-$3)--with no quibbles over the extra $1. Both sandwiches were big enough to feed an average lunch eater, unless this average lunch eater was a) determined to have some veg with every meal and b) a glutton. Since I'm both, I shelled out the extra moola for sides, compromising my Cheap Eats lunch rules ($10 or less for a full lunch, $15 and under for dinner) but satisfying my (now distended) belly. The Pulled Pork Sandwich was perfect: soft, smoky, and smothered in a sweet, slightly piquant house-made sauce. I would recommend this sandwich to any pulled pork aficionado, although I won't order it again myself. One bite of Lou Dawg's Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich had me hopelessly devoted like a prom queen to the high school badass: it smokes, it's saucy, and I know it's bad for me, but it's also unbearably tender. I'm smitten, and can't imagine choosing any other sandwich. Rounding out the cast of flavours, the Blackbean Corn Salad came dressed in Chipotle Lime Sauce, giving refreshing contrast to heavy meat mains. Meaty BBQ Beans followed the theme of the sandwiches, and were rich, tender, and (surprise!), smoky. The Garden Salad was super fresh, but curiously covered in a Smokey Balsamic Dressing that was a bit too acidic and, well, smoky. A lighter contrast to the mains would've been nice, but I don't suppose it matters all that much, since meat is the feature at Lou Dawg's, and the meat is amazing. Lou Dawg's has been open for just a few weeks, but if they continue producing this level of quality BBQ, I'm sure they'll manage to keep the home fires burning for a long, long time. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/lou_dawgs http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/lou_dawgs Restaurants Sun, 31 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

The Common, a beloved little cafe just east of Dufferin on College, is terrific evidence of an evolving neighbourhood; one that has changed a lot in recent years but still manages to maintain its low-key charm and tight-knit vibe. Back in the days when Ossington was just a bus that I took home, not a whole lot was happening over on this end of College Street. Five years later, the neighbourhood is something of its own destination, and the result is a never-ending bloom of cool-looking storefronts that bring the bustle in spades. The Common is cool, and has been bringing it for awhile now. It's so cool in fact, that when I first stumbled upon this place years ago I felt some trepidation about going in. Finally, one winter, I mumbled my way through a take-out order, feeling overwhelmed by such things as: 1. Absence of menu on the wall 2. Absence of personal comfort items (read: sandwiches) 3. Abundance of people intensely typing on their Macs and consequently, a lack of empty seats, which felt something like rejection to my silly self. Since that day, I have snapped up one of those coveted spots more than once, with rapidly increasing frequency and enjoyment. Still no menu to be seen, however the staff behind the counter did qualify this for me once with "...but I can make you pretty much anything you want." Hard to argue with, that. On my most recent visit I went straight for the fruits of their retro Elektra espresso machine. I'm not gonna lie - rich and delicious Americano ($2) served in a tall Picardie glass did taste better than those conventional mugs I drink from at home, and I appreciated the opportunity to dictate my own water pour-age. Pots of amber-hued brown sugar, standing alongside organic milk and cream, felt luxurious, and looked even more so sinking into my friend's frothy and heart-adorned cappuccino ($3). I have a bit of a thing for shortbread, so the scant snack choice between these buttery biscuits ($1) and a coconut cookie ($1) did not trouble me in the slightest. Fresh, yummy and eaten too quickly for me to even realize (as in, who took the rest of my cookie?). The interior is simple and comfortable with plain white walls and a winding vine, accented by a fun collection of drawings and snapshots behind the counter. If the wall menu was sacrificed in favour of that awesome vintage Laura Secord signage, then I'm not complaining. Long wooden benches and tables give the room a kind of unavoidably communal feeling; which on this day ended up working out quite well considering my coffee date just happened to know the two girls sitting at the opposite end of our little slice of table in the corner. She also knew the girl behind the counter. I tell you these things because it rendered the name of the place very appropriate, whereas before it may have seemed sort of presumptuous; I mean, for seemingly appearing outta nowhere at College and Dufferin. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/thecommon http://www.blogto.com/cafes/thecommon Cafes Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Baked Goods

"Listen, I'm a pie man," says Tim McConvey, owner of the new Pie Shack in the Beaches. "Me with no pie is like an Esso with no gas." He looks at my friends and me with an expression bordering hysterical excitement and deep regret. There is no meat pie for us to try today at Pie Shack (regretfully), because less than a week after opening, the staff cannot keep up with insatiable customer demand (exciting, especially for a man pushing pie). "I have had to quadruple my order and it is still not enough!" Tim is ordering from Erez and Keren Hadad, the husband and wife team gracing his shop with their pie making skills. They are "perfectionists," Tim reveals, citing the day last week when there was no rhubarb pie because Erez "went to the market and didn't like the looks of the rhubarb." This is the kind of story I like to hear. As disappointed as I was about the lack of savouries - the steak, mushroom and ale or the pork and caramelized onion pies - I scope out the sweet selection (apricot, pear, and peach the day that we went) and feel certain I'm in the good hands of some discerning bakers. My people take a seat at one of the unfinished wood tables with three coffees (from Dark City) and a pot of earl grey tea for the caffeine adverse (bless ya, Johnnie, and your sensitive stomach). I take up the menu/info book and peruse the "fun facts" on the back of it - pie related statistics, like eighty-nine percent of Canadians have eaten pie in bed, and three in five people have eaten an entire pie by themselves. "Hm," I say, and "interesting." The pie man notices what I'm up to. "Do you ever watch Letterman?" he asks. "He does this thing where he makes up stupid statistics. I was watching the show one night and I thought, 'I could do that!'" "Oh," I say, mildly disappointed. "So all of these are made up?" Tim beams. "One hundred percent." The pie arrives at our table. We're offered vanilla ice cream on the side, and told to help ourselves to more coffee... because the refills are free! (I feel my life significantly improve at the mention of free refills, not just because I can have another cup today, but also because I suspect that this is becoming a trend all over the city.) Each of our slices (we've ordered at least one each of apricot, peach and pear) contain fresh, gigantic pieces of fruit. And the crust is something else. It is amazingly flakey and light, fresh and buttery. "I usually don't like pie crust," quips Alyssa (that's right - she came along too). "But I like this." And be sure it's sitting well in Johnnie's sensitive stomach. The other half of Tim McConvey's team is Daniel James, and his energy somehow matches the pie man's. "I forced my way in here," he tells me of their partnership. "I knew this place was going to be big." The two of them tell me about their future plans: late nights in the summer (they're already open until midnight on some nights), an antique bike for deliveries (which Daniel has already dubbed "the slicer") and a liquor license (so they can make "pie-tinis"). Most notably, the pair have made plans to construct a mini pie shack (a dog house) out on the sidewalk, for a dog named Campbell who hangs out in the back alley. (And in this establishment, doggie bags go by the name "Campbell bags.") We say our goodbyes and make promises to return for some savouries. The supply logistics will be worked out by then, we're promised. On the way out, Alyssa notices a fishing lure hanging from a shelf in the display case. She snaps some photos of it. "You like that?" says Tim. "I brought it here from home." He points out some photographs on the wall, the (communal) ipod dock, and the antique pie safe (where people used to put their pies, to keep them safe). "Everything here is from home. My place is completely empty right now." Dude, that's one hundred percent commitment. Good luck to you (as if you need it). Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/bakery/pieshack http://www.blogto.com/bakery/pieshack Baked Goods Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

Dark Horse Espresso Bar has expanded where space is concerned, centralized where location is concerned, and is the opposite of dark (...where light is concerned). The new home of this Queen East original sits just north of Queen on Spadina, where it has carved itself out a commanding presence on this busy strip. Presently, some scaffolding obstructs what appears to be a lovely facade, and it also led me to underestimate the actual size of the place. Once inside, it's a different story. Hardwood as far as the eye can see, and high, beamed ceilings soaked up the uber-sunny day and projected it everywhere. The floors gleamed, the windows radiated and rainbows literally danced on the walls. Magical. The communal tables that I have heard about, and seen around, are here in a big way. Two huge specimens flank the bar and were filled to capacity. We headed up the stairs, to an elevated and somewhat secluded sitting area, where there are some smaller versions of the same deal.Tables that can accommodate like, five people but can and will also seat one. Until guys like us come along and do what we must do: sit across from a stranger. I'm not gonna lie, it does make things more interesting. In light of their grand-scale interior, Dark Horse keeps things relatively simple as far as treats go, offering the usual coffee delights and a nice variety of baked goods. The Circles and Squares Bakery makes a second consecutive appearance in my life, being the providers of scones (including the one I've been dreaming about since last week), brownies, and muffins that are wrapped like delicious little dough bouquets. I carefully chose a butter tart, mostly because those geniuses- lo and behold!- thought to make them sans raisins. This is what my raisin-hating life has been waiting for all these years, so we thank you graciously. The butteriest butter tart I have ever tasted, meaning the filling was smooth and melt-y as hell (and so was the shell). I washed it down with a rich Americano ($2) that more than lived up to its namesake (Dark), with a hypnotizing swirl of crema on top. We made ourselves rather comfy, hidden up in the back for a good two hours. The aforementioned table style can lead one's conversation to alternate between self-consciously low tones or attempts at entertaining the person sitting across from you. About an hour in, our duo became a trio (the addition of a non-stranger, I'm afraid) and the conversation moved somewhat into the latter territory. Subconsciously, of course, and to little avail. By this time, I was in dire need of lemonade ($3), and my friend was on his second iced latte ($3.75). The lower the sun dropped, the emptier the tables grew, the more I was unable to ignore the uncanny resemblance of this place to the dance studios of my distant past. The appearance of one Mr. Jonathan Richman over the speakers, and I found myself snapping photos in some kind of ecstatic but dignified dance. Lemonade that is (finally!) just sour enough will do that to ya. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/darkhorsechinatown http://www.blogto.com/cafes/darkhorsechinatown Cafes Tue, 26 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

Why Hibiscus Cafe doesn't charge more for its delicious treats is one of Toronto's greatest mysteries. It seems to me that healthy food is like bikini material: the less there is, the more you pay. But for some reason Hibiscus Café has decided to buck the trend of overcharging for animal-optional, gluten-free delights, opting instead for reasonable prices, good service and a pleasant atmosphere. Masochistic fans of hipster pretense and unfriendly service are advised to quit eating and head to American Apparel instead, because while Hibiscus Café is bang-on the trend meter with its super healthy fare, the service is anything but snotty. Excited by the full page of crepe selections on Hibiscus' small but varied menu, my lunch companion and I both ordered buckwheat-flour crepes: hers filled with mushroom, spinach and mozzarella cheese, and mine with basil, tomato and goat cheese. At $5.50 each, we had a little room in our budgets for more, requesting beet soup and a strawberry soymilk smoothie respectively. My cup of soup arrived first, accompanied by a homemade cracker of apple, zucchini, and sunflower seeds. I was expecting a lot less for $2.75, but gladly accepted the generous steaming mug of sweet beets and roasted roots. I'm still finding it hard to believe that this incredibly smooth, immensely flavourful dish was completely dairy free, but my server confirmed it twice. At least I think he did. He was talking, saying something like "Blah blah blah dairy free" while I was intoning, "But it's sooooooo creamy". My cracker was equally inspiring, unique for being plant-based, grain-free, house-made and delicious. Sweet apple, earthy zucchini and rich sunflower seeds have been joined in holy dehydration to create a union that is strong enough to withstand a good soup-dunking, but delicate enough to delight all on its own. The strawberry soymilk smoothie ($3.50) was just as yummy, providing an evenly blended mix of fresh strawberries and sweet soymilk. Barely had my love affair with the beet soup begun when Hibiscus Cafe's signature buckwheat crepes arrived, delivering a kiss to my taste buds and a blow to my culinary ego. Many times have I tried to master the gluten-free pancake, but somehow the buckwheat flour always leads me to produce thick, heavy hockey pucks. Not so these crepes, which are flavourful enough to add pizzazz to the dish, but light enough to let the fillings take center stage. And, oh the fillings! Basil is treated with the cavalier panache of lettuce, shredded and tossed liberally throughout the crepe. No mere accoutrement, the basil competes for stage time with a creamy goat cheese and luscious tomato slices. Roasted eggplant pesto spread thinly across the crepe's surface ensures that each bite delivers a savoury blend of fresh deliciousness. The mushroom, spinach and mozzarella crepe is excellent, too. Despite being totally raw, mushroom slices are thin enough to add earthy tones to verdant spinach without overpowering. Mozzarella is light and soft, and the roasted eggplant pesto repeats its flavourful dance across crepe and tongue. Although I was initially put off by Hibiscus Cafe's lack of green salad and their dark, pokey bathroom, they won me over in the end. For food this good, I will gladly abstain from my beloved mesclun mix and suffer the indignities of walking through the kitchen to get to the loo. Hell, for these flavours, I'd probably be willing to suffer poor treatment, slow service and dirty looks, but I'm grateful I don't have to. For their fresh, innovative fare, excellent service and ability to be both super-cool and super-delicious, Hibiscus Cafe has earned my undying affection, and taught me that sometimes love can be spelled C-R-E-P-E.]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/hibiscus http://www.blogto.com/cafes/hibiscus Cafes Sun, 24 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

Naco Café and Gallery is a place where babies meet. Well, it's a place where people from the neighbourhood meet, but the Naco neighbourhood is full of babies. At some point when I wasn't looking, Brockton Village transformed from a stretch of Dundas I avoided at night into a community of artists and young families (as places one avoids at night tend to do). Alyssa and I went to check out this new, happening, Mexican-food-serving-café and gallery last week. As we got close, Alyssa realized Naco was less than a block from where her friend, Marina, lives with her family (which includes one of the cutest babies I've ever "met"). She called Marina up to join us and we got to experience Naco with a regular - well, two regulars if you count the baby (Paloma!).My first impression of Naco was that it was a comfortable, good-looking place. The café is purple from top to bottom with bar seating and one large (and purple) table. Beyond the café area, Naco stretches back through a narrow doorway into two additional rooms of paintings, photos and books, including a space to view slides. At the very back, the establishment spills out into a fantastic backyard patio, the look of which makes you ache for summer and beer. Incidentally, they're currently vying for a patio liquor license (for which they're accepting donations - go team!).Experiencing Naco with (or as) a regular felt important because the place is full of them. Everyone seems to know each other. In the few minutes it took for food and coffee to arrive at our table, tons of Marina's friends came inside to grab a coffee or say hi (about half of these friends were Paloma's... they were babies... one little boy even shook Paloma's hand, but I'm not sure if this signifies that they're already good friends, or just meeting each other for the first time). One of those friends was Julian Calleros, owner of Naco. He came over to hold Paloma and tell us about Naco, in good spirits and obviously happy to finally have it open. He tells us about the desserts (courtesy of Wanda's Pie in the Sky and HungerWorks), the homemade hot sauce (crafted by Julian himself) and the Mexican cuisine (made on the spot, often with fresh, seasonal ingredients).Speaking of hot sauce and Mexican cuisine, I ordered a chicken tostada ($5), which I loaded with hot sauce. Alyssa eyed the whole thing skeptically. "I think I prefer soft," she claimed, and I encouraged her to go with her gut. She came back with two ham and cheese quesadillas and black bean soup ($7.50 in total). The soup was a hit all 'round the table. Marina had tried it before and vouched for it immediately. Alyssa urged me to try a bit, specifying (and ensuring) that I got a spoonful that included cheese.My tostada was deceivingly filling. It looked tiny but was stacked up high, an elaborate thing more layered than I expected with shredded chicken and hunks of avocado. I enjoyed every bite of that textured, tasty combo. Once Alyssa was happy and full, she revealed that the real reason she didn't want any of my tostada was that she doesn't like avocado, at least not any more. She recently had a bad experience at a Mexican restaurant - what a shame. Lucky little Paloma, who I'm sure has had very few bad experiences (although she was teething that day and I imagine that's pretty rough) was at that moment munching on some avocado provided by Julian and his staff. Naco is a place where babies are happy. But Alyssa and I, we were pretty happy ourselves. We split a piece of orange cheesecake by Hunger Works ($4) and it was perfect: rich and creamy with hunks of citrus and a shortbread crust. Downed with a couple of Americanos ($2 each), we're satisfied.Marina and Paloma pack up to go (that avocado was nice but it's time for some real dinner) and Alyssa and I follow. On our way out, Julian gives us some postcards advertising the next art opening and reception scheduled at Naco. It strikes me how well the place would suit an evening event, something to do with the purple walls. Our final words with Julian reveal (in celebratory tones) that Naco has recently become licensed (so far only on the inside... tricky process). Julian and Marina are happy to tell us, and we're happy to hear it. Naco is a place where everyone is happy. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/nacogallerycafe http://www.blogto.com/cafes/nacogallerycafe Cafes Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Eating at Get Real reminds me of Michael Pollan's maxim: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. I think that this is good advice and that Get Real does a bang on job helping me take it. I come to Get Real Cafe on a sunny afternoon, bringing a vegetarian friend for company. (This reminds me of nervous P.C. assertions from the 90s. Well, no I'm not a vegetarian, but my neighbour is). But seriously, I eat meat, but not too much. My friend eats none. We get along just fine. I order the daily special, a potato frittata that surprises with soft slices of thick potato and sweet potato, blue cheese and sharp cheddar, all snuggled in a soft pillow of fluffy egg. Generously graced with fresh dill and dill seed, this dish combines several of my favourite flavours in a novel take on an old classic. I love it! My friend orders miso soup and two salads: beet and chickpea. The soup is a veggie-laden riff on the standard miso, colourful and highly textured with celery roots and leaves, carrot and seaweed shreds. Thin noodles add substance but not too much starch, and a fine balance of miso paste allows earthy mushroom undertones to enchant. Both beet and chickpea salads are laced with a pungent vinaigrette that is a little too strong for my taste, but as my friend cheerfully asserts, "I've had many a bland chickpea salad, and this is not one of them!" She loves the dressing, and quite literally eats it up. The key ingredient at Get Real? Freshness. Made-to-order, each dish at Get Real is a timely reminder that healthful eating can be delightful. Add a smiling server and a sunny dining room filled with vivid abstract paintings, and I'm ready to amend Pollard's maxim: Eat--at Get Real. Not too much. Mostly plants. Lunch for two: $26 including tax and tip.]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/getreal http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/getreal Restaurants Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

"Te Aro," as it revealed itself through a Google-mapping, does not mean "I love you" in Spanish after all. Of course, I jest. But I also, upon my first couple of lazy reads, was positive that this hot, new café I was searching for was, in fact, called "...te amo?... or something?" In actuality, the meaning was much further linguistically and geographically than I would have ever guessed, one that satisfied my desperate need for something exotic and balmy on this cold, Monday, "holiday" morning. Named after a New Zealand suburb, this spacious and spanking-new addition to the ever-changing face of Leslieville is modern and sleek yet comfortable , with a glorious patio space that is so sprawling it feels more like a parking lot (in a good way; such a good way), or at least a very big drive-way. Who can compete with that? Working on everyone else's holiday, waking up at 6 am, and braving a five-degree-Celsius Victoria Day should be unbearable. And unbearable it all would be, if not treated as novelty and peppered with things like decadent, leisurely hour-plus meditations in joints like this. Strong Americano ($2) and an exceptionally moist maple and oat scone ($2.50) from Circles and Squares Bakery sustained me, body and soul (seriously), through the long morning that followed. Fresh sandwiches made possible by the usual, yummy, ethical and health-conscious suspects (Rowe farms, Fred's Bread), could have taken me into the afternoon with a ham and cheese croissant ($4.50), or BLT ($5.50), had I only let them. A chalked greeting out front to "Come say hi! [we're new]" carries the promise below, in fine print, that the coffee is "fresh, air-roasted in Leslieville." The shelves inside boast pounds of eponymously-branded beans, bagged with the same cheerful aesthetic as the wall-painted descriptions of various blends, cutely named: "big-bro", "little-bro" and "easy-mate"(from strong espresso to Swiss water decaf, respectively). The friendly demeanor permeates everything, and little touches like a water pitcher and glasses, magazine collection, and a couple of prominently-placed high-chairs all strengthen this air of hospitality. Had duty not been calling, I would have pulled out the ol' laptop and stayed for hours. The steady flow of regulars, after a mere two weeks in business, seemed to feel similarly, and were a testament to the awesome rapport between the staff and their customers. In bonding with my server over our holiday work schedules, I asked how she felt about Toronto, moving here two years ago. "I love it!" she responded without hesitation and more enthusiastically than I've heard in ages. Damn right. The relative serenity of this day's streets, looming warmth after frost (it was the coffee, I tell ya), and a new face in a familiar landscape sent me off to work feeling similarly blessed: Te amo, Toronto. Te amo, Te Aro!]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/tearo http://www.blogto.com/cafes/tearo Cafes Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Baked Goods

Better and Better bakery is just the thing I've been looking for - that is, a good place to work, close to my house with cheap coffee, free internet and a delicate balance of noise and calm (I don't want to be bored... but I don't want to be distracted). I have tried the overpriced café across the street (the noisy one), and the tiny library branch a few blocks away (the one with no wifi... God bless 'em). I have even tried the bakery seating section at Loblaws. I wandered into Better and Better last week to ask them how long they'd be open, and they offered me a free sample of banana bread. I've been in there three times this week and there are always free samples of banana bread, sometimes with chocolate (this is the one I recommend). They'll even slip a sample onto your plate with the bagel or croissant that you ordered. Just three weeks after opening, B&B already has a steady stream of regulars, really steady, and they're all buying banana bread. I took a whole loaf ($10) of it home the other day. Those samples are a delicious trick that leave people powerless to resist. They even come in a muffin size for $1.25 (in case you don't want to commit to an entire loaf). I'm certain the banana bread will lead to way more regular customers and ultimately, the end of the delicate noise/calm balance. In the meantime, B&B is a perfect place to hang around and do work in. The wifi is reliable, the space is comfortable and the coffee is good. They brew Reunion Island coffee: quality but not too pricey. (Reunion makes a chocolate raspberry brew, good with cream, the only flavoured coffee I have ever enjoyed.) Alyssa and I went in there Saturday morning. We arrived drenched from a sudden and violent downpour (which began the second we stepped outside and stopped the second we got inside). Getting rained on while getting to a bakery has become a reoccurring event... In any case, a fresh and chewy bagel, toasted with cream cheese ($1.85) plus that ubiquitous choco-banana sample put us in pretty good moods (baked goods improving out moods is also a reoccurring event). We sat comfortably at a bar table by the window, stared out at Honest Ed's and sipped Reunion Island Colombian brew ($1.60) until we were dry and warm enough to trip home. I returned a couple days later, un-drenched, and sat inside comfortably for a couple hours with tons of coffee and wifi, and a giant butter croissant ($1.45). Every morning since, I have woken up with Better and Better on my mind, especially since I know those free samples can't last forever. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/bakery/betterandbetter http://www.blogto.com/bakery/betterandbetter Baked Goods Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

The Unicorn is more pub than restaurant, but has recently harnessed its magical horn to a whole new type of economic wonder: the recession lunch special. Now, I know a lot of people are upset about the R-word - recession being a monster as ugly and real as unicorns are beautiful and mythical. But for a cheap eats reviewer like me, life really doesn't get much better. When else could I enjoy a satisfying lunch on a sunny pub for $8 (including tax and a decent tip)? The Unicorn has responded to plummeting stocks, unprecedented job loss and shrinking mutual funds in two ways. One: they still serve booze. Two: from Monday to Friday they offer $5 lunches. Why? Says the signboard outside, because "we care". Now, I'm all for warm fuzzies as much as the next person (maybe more than the next person, if the number of times I've watched The Notebook is any indication), but I'm pretty persnickety when it comes to food. It is, after all, my job to get judgy, and I eat enough to know that a lot of magic can happen on a low budget, and that cheap simple treats are often the tastiest. But, let's face it - $5 for a full meal in a nice location is really, really cheap, and I'd been pretty skeptical about whether The Unicorn would live up to my high low-brow standards. Then I had lunch here. I arrived with a friend on a Friday, which is $5 Fish and Chips Day. Happily, I can report that we both thought the meal was pretty good. The fish, although small, was crispy enough to withstand multiple dousings of vinegar and retain its crunch. The coleslaw was bland and lightly mayonnaised, but super crispy and very fresh. The fries were classic grocery store fare, cooked from frozen, bland and boring, but generously portioned. It's not the kind of lunch I'd write home about, unless by writing home I meant writing about it on blogTO and hoping my mum would read it. (Happy Mother's Day, Mum! I love you!) Basically it was good, not great. Oh, and it was $5. Although not the best fish and chips I've ever had, it wasn't the worst either. I might not go back for the fish and chips, per se, but I will likely return to try another of the recession lunch specials: Mushroom Omelet (Mondays), Chili (Tuesdays), Pizza (Wednesdays), or Hamburger (Fridays). According to my waiter, they're all tasty and served with generous sides. Although I, ever the frugalista, ordered water with my meal, my fancy celebrity writer friend got a Corona with his. We both laughed when we realized the beer cost more than the meal ($5.20)! A frugal foodie, I'm happiest when I can get really amazing food for really cheap, but as a general bargain lover and gal about town, an afternoon on a sunny patio with a great friend, decent food and a bill of less than $10 also makes me happy. After all this, I can honestly say I believe in The Unicorn. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/unicorn_pub http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/unicorn_pub Restaurants Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

I wish the new Ezra's Pound had come along a few years earlier. When I was living at Dundas and Bathurst, the only sign of life on that strip was Saving Grace. A few solid establishments had been there for years (Café Braziliano, Musa), but west of Manning wasn't looking too good and development was essentially nil. I moved away before all the new clothing stores, cafes, pubs and salons really dug in their heels. These days, a trip around those parts is like walking through a glorious urban experiment on neighbourhood migration. Alyssa and I were near the area on Saturday, taking in some Contact with friends. We had lunch in one of my old haunts, California Sandwiches, where we got full on veal and sausage. Drowsy, we thought about some coffee to get us home, and had the delightful convenience of finding ourselves in close proximity to Ezra Braves' new digs - just west of Clinton on Dundas. "Braves - like the Atlanta Braves," he tells me. I'm jealous. Ezra Braves has an awesome name and an awesome café. Actually, he has two awesome cafes (of the same name). The first Ezra's Pound is (near my current house!) at Dupont and Spadina and always hopping. The second Ezra's seems to have followed suit, just one month into business. The first time my Contact entourage walks past (on our way to get veal), the place is completely full. "Dundas is to Queen what Dupont is to Bloor," says Ezra, citing the similar artsy crowds and welcoming neighbourhoods. When we return (after the veal) they're forty-five minutes from closing and the place is quiet, almost empty save for a sweet little family enjoying the goods and Ezra's company. These guys make pleasant conversation while we sprawl out on a table with jackets, camera gear and a daily paper. It starts to rain outside. Excellent. We're going to wait it out in here and I couldn't be more comfortable. While our coffees are being crafted on a good-looking espresso machine, we discuss what makes a good café in this city. The collective agreement narrows the criteria to three simple things: stellar coffee, lazy tunes and clever decor (not to be confused with lazy decor and clever music). We put a mighty check next to all three. Ezra's Pound has 'em and then some. Our coffees turn out smooth and strong. Alyssa has a (really crafty and attractive) cappuccino ($3.71), smooth and light as they come. My Americano ($2.62) goes down strong and easy. It puts me in a good mood. In fact, I'm downright peaceful. Alyssa, on the other hand, has not had any coffee for a week and a half (some kind of healthy experiment... go Alyssa go....) so she's not feeling peaceful after her cappuccino - she's feeling grreat! The coffee is a grand feat because Ezra Braves roasts his own organic, fair trade beans. He gets them green and ensures they come environmentally sound. "We have strident environmental policies," he says. All the take-out gear is greenshift, and local product is used whenever possible. The goods are baked on site, including the baguette on which you can have peanut butter and jam for a few bucks. We choose a couple of soft and buttery cookies ($1.90) and rugalach ($0.92), and go at them slowly to the tune of The Stones and The Velvet Underground. We're not having lunch (as much as I wish we were), but Alyssa enthusiastically looks over the options. "I could not be more on board with these menus," she says. They're constructed out of old record covers, ranging from Crosby, Stills and Nash to Raffi. The Raffi menu is actually autographed on the front and our minds our momentarily blown. Way to go Sarah! "Used things have energy," says Ezra Braves, referencing the menus, the old glass bottles that he fills with water for our table, and the front counter, tastefully constructed out of repurposed doors. There is an old payphone around the corner and a front of elevator buttons on the wall that deceivingly appears to be in working condition. The rain dies and Ezra's starts to close down. We follow the family outside and I catch site of the 7-11 that I used to frequent when I lived here, before the plethora of Dundas west options. Luckily we're headed home to Dupont, the Dundas of the north, complete with its own Ezra's Pound. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/ezras_pound_dundas http://www.blogto.com/cafes/ezras_pound_dundas Cafes Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Bahn Mi & Che Cali (BMCC) has long been my go-to spot for random Vietnamese desserts. I'm not always sure what's being scooped into my take-out containers, but I know it's always tasty. Although initially daunting (I don't speak Vietnamese or read Chinese, and those are the dominant languages on the menu), I've found that an adventurous spirit is well rewarded here. Translated as "Sandwiches and Sweet Desserts", BMCC offers an impressive selection of both. Paninis filled with pickled veggies, cilantro and a choice of meat or tofu are priced at a recession-friendly $1.75. A wide array of hot dishes are also available from the hot trough, and at $4.75 for three choices plus rice or noodles, they leave plenty of room in my wallet for dessert. The hot dinners are pretty good and the sandwiches are alright, but I generally stick to Nguyen Huong Food Co. next door for savoury snacks. Although BMCC has a small dining area, and next door doesn't, Nguyen Huong's sandwiches are moister and fresher, and their spring rolls come with a better selection of sauces. I most recently stopped at Bahn Mi & Che Cali, lured by the "Now Serving Pho" sign hung outside. A bowl full of their cloudy, protein-speckled broth and chewy, old beef only confirmed my practice of choosing sweets when I grab food here. It's the place I come for containers filled with coconut milk and an exotic array of seemingly incongruous ingredients. Chick peas, seaweed, white fungus, agar agar jelly, tapioca and coconut milk, together? Delicious. Add another mixed container of lotus seeds, kidney beans, and tapioca-flour jellies, and I will happily slurp away the day. It's not the place for meat-and-potatoes folks or people with serious allergies. But for culinary adventurers, BMCC brings the random delight of Vietnamese street food tourism to the Toronto scene. It's taken me dozens of trips to learn the ingredients in these coconut treats (although I could've learned a lot faster if I'd used useful guides like this one). Still, I prefer experience as my teacher, and worry that if I'd known my dessert was a mix of fungus and seaweed, I might not have tried it. Thankfully, these sweet treats are now a regular part of my diet, and only doctor's orders could keep me from them. One thing I know for sure: these delightful gems are best bought in threes. At $1.75 each, they're always sold on a buy-2-get-1-free rate, so the smartest thing to do is try 3 different flavours and share with friends. Just do like I do, and don't tell them it's fungus until after they've devoured it. Other recommended treats: chewy coconut crusted tapioca flour strips in a rainbow of colours; dense cassava cakes; sweet, sticky-rice filled crepes; and light, custard filled profiteroles. Treats range from $1.75-$3.00.]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/bahnmichecali http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/bahnmichecali Restaurants Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Baked Goods

I'd heard of Altitude bakery, but didn't know it was in Leslieville until we were walking past it. It was a rainy day. There were only few people on the street and many of the stores were closed, including the one we had originally come to check out. We walked to Queen St. from the subway because we missed the bus and the next one wasn't due for a half hour. By the time we made it to Leslieville, we were both in pretty bad moods because our plans had been thwarted and we were hungry and rained on. I wanted to blame public transit. Well, I didn't want to blame public transit, but I didn't want to blame myself. Then we remembered Altitude and backtracked to the tiny bakery - which had a lot riding on it. There's no room to eat inside Altitude (or take photos) so we made up a box (and bag) of baked goods to take home with us. Along with plenty of cakes, tarts, cookies and croissants, they also offer bagels from Fidalgo and loaves of bread from Dough Head Bakery (I've never heard of this bakery, but it sounds good on account of the name). They also bake some lunch items in-house like mini spanokopitas and samosas. But we wanted sweets. We were generous (to ourselves) with three tarts, two cookies, a rum ball and a big chocolate cupcake with pearly sprinkles in pastel colours sprinkled on top. This shiny thing ($2.50) caught Alyssa's eye as soon as we stepped foot inside and it was an event when she finally consumed it a day later. "I am going to eat the cupcake now," she announced. I don't usually like cupcakes because they're too light and fluffy, but Alyssa's cupcake (of which I managed a bite) was so dense and moist that it was still tasted fresh a day later. The icing was really thick and dark chocolatey. Before I had eaten a single sweet out of the box, a guest in my home tried to steal the almondine tart ($1.65). Luckily, I caught him and managed a few bites before it was gone. This was my introduction to Altitude tarts, and it was great. The almondine was light, with a fruity bottom layer and a sweet, almond filling like marzipan. The sour cream apple tart ($1.65) was smooth and fresh. All the tarts had a nice crust, not flakey, but thick and buttery. I particularly enjoyed the butter tart ($1.65). In retrospect, I suspect there was chocolate in it. Luckily, this didn't occur to me until after my friend who hates chocolate (but loves shortbread) had happily enjoyed a piece (aside from picking all the raisins out... she really prefers shortbread). And what a great rum ball I had ($0.75)! When I cut it into pieces, it filled the room with the smell of booze. I appreciate this. Too many rum balls don't taste like rum. I'd eaten the French Kiss triple chocolate brownie cookie ($1.25) on the way home from Altitude on the streetcar. It was definitely triple. In the short time it took me to eat it, that cookie filled me with so much chocolate that I fully regained my good mood. It was as though I'd never missed the bus or been rained on, and I was no longer upset with the TTC. The streetcar came in less than a minute, and was speeding across Queen St. in a timely manner. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/bakery/altitude http://www.blogto.com/bakery/altitude Baked Goods Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Eating at The Grill Pit makes me wish I was somewhere else - outside on a picnic. Not that there's anything wrong with its minimalist decor: it's a take-out joint, and an impressively clean one at that. So what if it's only got two tables? The Grill Pit serves the kind of food that's meant for green grass and sunny days: spit-roasted hens, BBQ ribs, rice pilaf, saucy roast potatoes, and romaine salad. Luckily Christie Pits is a stone's throw away, making The Grill Pit the perfect place to pick up picnic supplies. And the food? It's pretty good. Honestly, I find it hard to get really excited about BBQ chicken. Yeah, it's good. BBQ is always good. But for me, it's like watching an old episode of Friends. It's saucy and balanced and well-done, but there's nothing new here. Well, almost nothing: the piri piri sauce is pretty kickin'. But I don't go to BBQ joints for nouvelle cuisine. The Grill Pit's not dishing out any surprises, and in this case I'm happier for it. I will say this: the dark meat is better than the white. The chicken is roasted long enough to bring the dark meat to perfect juiciness, but this happens at the expense of the breast, which is a little dry. It's nothing a few dips in hot sauce can't fix, and who knows? This place has been open just shy of a week, so there's plenty of time for them to work out the kinks. Happily, the Pit's side dishes need no improvement: potatoes are roasted to soft perfection, peppery rice offers a surprising burst of herby flavour, and fresh romaine salad comes with house-made tomato or red wine vinaigrette. At $7.50 for a ¼ chicken dinner (dark meat) with two sides, or $8.00 for white meat, this meal is a stretch for the belly and a break for the wallet. The economy may look dreary, but delightful weather is upon us, and I don't mind. Cheap lunch and bright skies? Bring it! ]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/grillpit http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/grillpit Restaurants Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Cafes

The Remarkable Bean turned my Saturday afternoon from a thumb-twiddler to something more special than I had bargained for. If the name is a boast, I'll go ahead and condone it - two thumbs up with a smile full of cheddar broccoli savoury muffin. The day was gorgeous, so the line was long - most stepping in and out for a coffee on the go, although there's a nice amount of seating inside. I couldn't resist the aforementioned scone ($2.52), looking so sassy by the cash register, and paired it with a cappuccino ($2.67 for a small). I took a seat and stared at the gorgeous old Leonard Cohen photos on the wall. A host to art shows every couple of months, Remarkable Bean displays the art and photography for continuing enjoyment (or creepy staring, a la me). The place, open for 15 years, has somewhat has of a cult clientele in the Beaches, and for several valid reasons. One, they bake everything on location. When any of those babies come out of the oven, you can smell it on the street and WHAMO! Instant lineup. Two, they serve fair-trade, organic brews and wear their social conscience on their sleeve, acting ethically, being environmentally responsible. The third (and best!) reason is that The Remarkable Bean roasts all their coffee on site. As in, right in the store front. As in, the owner gave me front row access to the roasting process, opening up a bag of raw beans and demonstrating the process in intriguing detail. They import fair-trade beans from numerous countries including Colombia, Ethiopia and Papa New Guinea, and prepare new batches every 1-2 weeks (after that, the oils in the beans start to go rancid). The process takes about 10 minutes from raw to toasty, and the room fills with an amazing aroma as the beans turn a chocolaty brown. Once the beans are cooled, they're either sent to the front for daily consumption or divided into bags for selling in shop. The leftover mulch from the bean is used for composting. Everybody wins! After that amazing display, I walked out to the sunny sidewalk to see a crowd of pleased coffee drinkers socializing outside. If The Remarkable Bean is a landmark in the Beaches, there's a reason - they're serious about their brew. ]]> http://www.blogto.com/cafes/remarkablebean http://www.blogto.com/cafes/remarkablebean Cafes Sun, 26 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Baked Goods

I want to have more money so I can purchase the stuffed Portobello mushroom from Patachou. It looks so delicious, so overflowing. At eight bucks, it's not an impossible dream, but it is not going to fill me up. Alyssa and I came up to the St. Clair Patachou (there's another one on Yonge St. I hear) for breakfast. But it's 11am already and I'm starving. The stuffed Portobello is big for a mushroom but small for breakfast. I can't even split it with Alyssa as a breakfast add-on because there's eggplant in there and she's allergic, unfortunately. Fortunately, there are lots of other delicious looking things to choose from at Patachou (has been depuis 1978 according to the door and windows). And most of them are not eight bucks. Everything looks so good that Alyssa and I take too long to choose, in my opinion. Though the girl serving us doesn't seem to feel that way. She doesn't seem to mind at all, and while I worry our indecision is getting annoying, she maintains a good attitude, even offering us extra info (the cheese croissant is good warmed up, the bostock is the best, etc.). We eventually decide on a cheese croissant and bostock. We also split a piece of their vegetarian pizza and each have a coffee. A buck fifty gets you a bottomless cup! Personally, I consider free refills on coffee to be a basic civility, but in this town it's almost a novelty and I'm really excited. I've had so many croissants from Patachou over the years that they've become comforting to me - especially the cheese croissant ($2.35). Alyssa and I split one down the middle and I regret how fast my half is eaten. I covet Alyssa's! But I have one half of a piece of pizza ($7.50 served w/ salad) to distract me. The crust is thin, dense and doughy. Crispy edges curl up around cheese, black olives and mild home made sauce with slices of tomato, basil and clusters of Parmesan. It's delicious, light for pizza but really tasty. I eat my half as quickly as I ate the croissant (well, proportionate to size). Alyssa has barely started her half. She's busy talking, and I try to concentrate on what she's saying, but the pizza in her hand is distracting. I drink my bottomless cup until it's time to split the dessert. It's nice inside Patachou - small, clean and French. A couple of regular customers quietly take a meal beside us while Radio Canada plays in the background. Aside from top-notch croissants and French desserts and pastries, Patachou offers lots of lunch items, take-away frozen entrees, homemade jars of jam and ACE bakery baguettes. The quiet atmosphere and coffee refills make Patachou ideal to hang around in. Alyssa also thinks it's nice to hang around in, evidently. She's really taking her time with that pizza. Finally we get to the bostock ($2.65). I've never had this before. It's brioche dipped in orange blossom syrup and topped with ground almonds - a subtle and bready dessert. It's airy with tiny, sugar-glazed pockets and completely fills us up. Everything we've had for breakfast was bread-based, and most of what we've had involved cheese... excellent, we've had a great breakfast. But surely it would have benefited from the addition of some Portobello. Photos by Alyssa Bistonath]]> http://www.blogto.com/bakery/patachou http://www.blogto.com/bakery/patachou Baked Goods Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT Listed in Restaurants

Aris Place has been grilling souvlaki for the Roncesvalles crowd for over 34 years now -- so you know they've got to be doing something right. I've passed their all day breakfast sign on the street, time and time again, 'til finally this week it won me over and I swung in with a friend to see what old Aris is all about. We are seated amidst the wooden tables in the main area of the diner (past the bar/souvlaki grill), and are immediately drawn to the beautiful black & white historic photos of the area that grace the walls. Pulling ourselves away and back to the menu, we marvel at the deals to be had here. A cheeseburger is a mere $3 and the same "Big breakfast" special we'd pay $10 for at Fran's is about $7 here under the "Mega Breakfast" title . As tempting as both were, we decide on the Chicken Souvlaki (on a bun) along with the one piece Fish and Chips dinner. The Souvlaki dishes are available on a pita, bun or as a full dinner. Nothing is going to take you over the $10 range, even the full out large souvlaki dinner. Our meaty souvlaki on a bun with a side of fries is $6.95. Everything on the plate is pretty good, particularly the chicken: juicy and sizzling off the grill. The hotdog-ish bun is less than thrilling, but we'll take half the blame for flaking out and not going for the authentic pita on this one. Pictured at the top, the Fish & Chips dinner (1-piece or 3-piece options) comes with potatoes, salad, and a side of garlic bread (not pictured) for $7.25. I ask for fries and gravy instead of potatoes, and it's a no-hassle substitute. Nice. Despite its tubular shape, the fish is the real deal, chunky and unprocessed. It's also a good sized piece -- I can't imagine how anyone can handle eating the three piece dinner! A packet of Tartar sauce is a nice touch, though you'll probably want to get more than one. The salad was pretty standard but notably fresh and a nice big portion. The fries were also solid but the gravy-to-fries ratio was a little off. Only the top pieces were hit. Don't be shy with the gravy, Aris! All in all though, a good meal for the money and the service was so friendly, we'd come back for the coffee alone. Of course, between you and I, I'll most likely be back for the Mega Breakfast -- but you knew that already. Food photos by Tanja Tiziana]]> http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/arisplace http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/arisplace Restaurants Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 PDT