September 2012
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09/28/12Chef & Me: autumn romance in Niagara-on-the-LakeAutumn has always been a favourite season of mine. A time of apple crisp and pea coats with collars turned up, the months preceding the first day of snow are ones that I like to relish at a lazy pace, often from the comfort of my living room window watching the leaves fall. For Chef though — and consequently for me it seems — September and October constitute harvest season, i.e. massive work months. |
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09/28/12First Look: Gangster Burger, a new indie hamburger joint on Queen WestWhat do you get when two guys from the tattoo industry with a can-do attitude — but zero experience in the food industry — decide to open a burger joint pretty much on a lark? You get Gangster Burger, a takeout spot that opened up two weeks ago at Queen and Portland. Among its first customers was rap star Drake. |
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09/28/12Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: a crisp Aligoté that’s a nice change of pace from ChardonnayIf you’re looking for a change from Chardonnay, try another Burgundian grape variety called Aligoté. Only this Aligoté is grown in our backyard — at Château des Charmes in Niagara. Its 2010 Aligoté is a pale lemon colour with an earthy, apple and peach bouquet and a citrus note. The wine is medium-bodied, crisply dry, full on the palate and mouth-filling. |
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09/27/12First Look: Dr. Augusta’s Samitorium, Kensington Market’s new gourmet sandwich shopAfter meeting some six years ago as cooks at Canoe, Chris Bobbitt and Vlad Vujovic often spoke about opening up their own sandwich shop. “We came up with the idea over many tasting menus and plenty of beers,” laughs Bobbitt. Now, six years later, Dr. Augusta’s Samitorium is just what they’d envisioned. Taking over a corner lot at the edge of Kensington Market, the black-and-white tiled space offers up a tight, sandwich-laden menu. |
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09/27/12First Draught: a German wheat beer from the world’s oldest breweryThe best way to win bar bets with non-Germans this week is probably by making a wager as to which month most of Oktoberfest takes place. The two-week Bavarian beer-fest has already started, having opened on Saturday to take advantage of sunnier days and milder nights. So, to celebrate Oktoberfest, we’re taking a look at the Kristall Weissbier from Weihenstephan, which bills itself as the world’s oldest brewery. |
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09/26/12Chef Matthew Sullivan is heading up the menu at Skin and Bones, an upcoming Leslieville restaurantSince leaving his gig as executive chef at Maléna and L'Unità, chef Matthew Sullivan has been focusing his energy on Boxed, his pop-up concept. But we’ve now found out that he’s been appointed as chef at an upcoming Leslieville restaurant called Skin and Bones. Details are scarce, but we do know that it’s going to be a large, wine-focused restaurant set inside of a historic warehouse. |
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09/26/12Table Talk: Joanne Kates reviews BentA family business is a very complicated creature. The older generation desperately wants the younger generation to succeed. The younger generation desperately wants the older generation out of their face, but they know (some days) that they need them. The older generation wants to trust the younger to do well and do right, but trust isn’t usually an entrepreneur’s strong suit … so they meddle. And if they’re Susur Lee, they meddle deliciously. |
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09/26/12First Look: the Hula Girl espresso truck, Toronto’s new mobile coffee barWhile other food trucks compete for the food market, Elias Vastis and his Hula Girl truck are concentrating on dessert and beverages — especially the ones that involve coffee. |
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09/26/12Drink This: Campagnolo’s Viuda BlancaOccupying an unassuming corner lot on Dundas West, Campagnolo is one of the neighbourhood’s go-to joints for Italian fare. Outfitted with wooden accents, terra cotta tiles and a chandelier or two, the restaurant fills tables with folks eager to gobble down goods from the ever-changing menu. |
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09/25/12The Hogtown Cure is opening this fall as a locavore-friendly deli and café in Little PortugalWest-enders are about to get a new purveyor of locally-sourced deli meat, produce and grab-and-go grub. Chris Schroer and Steve Ireson, along with another business partner, have just signed a lease at 1484 Dundas West and hope to open The Hogtown Cure as a deli and café by mid-November. |
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09/25/12Soul survivor: a profile of chef Francisco AlejandriAt the end of August, Francisco Alejandri cleared out the remnants of his tiny food stand from Kensington Market. He didn’t have much equipment there to begin with — some portable burners, a food processor, a small deep fryer — but the process wasn’t easy. He was heartbroken. He had been running Agave y Aguacate there for nearly two years, an operation widely considered to have provided the best Mexican food in the city. |
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09/25/12Toronto’s Best Sandwiches: Olliffe’s roast beef sandwichAfter 35 years in the butcher biz, Olliffe knows what it’s doing. Owners Sam and Ben Gundy oversee Summerhill’s purveyor of top-notch meats, while head butcher Erica Jamieson — recently the subject of a Maclean’s piece — helps run the team of butchers. A complete reno three years ago freed up more space for the wide selection of meat, which includes Ontario elk, Quebecois Cornish hen and Australia Wagyu beef. |
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09/24/12Guy Rawlings is opening an event space and “food lab” in the west endChef Guy Rawlings, who has spent time in kitchens such as Cowbell, Lucien and, most recently, Bellwoods Brewery, is opening a food-centric event space in the west end. Rawlings piqued curiosity over the weekend by tweeting that he had signed a lease for a new project. |
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09/24/12Sabai Sabai Kitchen is opening soon on Church Street, offering Thai food from chef Nuit RegularHere’s news for the legions of Sukhothai and Khao San Road fans: chef Nuit Regular is going to be heading up the menu at a new Thai restaurant on Church Street called Sabai Sabai Kitchen. |
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09/24/12After 18 years, Ambassador Chinese Cuisine calls it quitsOne of GTA’s best-loved Chinese restaurants closed its doors for the last time yesterday, after nearly two decades in business. Richmond Hill’s Ambassador Chinese Cuisine confirmed the closure on its website and over the phone, but no reason has yet been given. |
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09/24/12Cheap Eat of the Week: El Trompo’s weekend pozoleBrisk weather is always a perfect excuse to get back into the hot, warm comfort foods that, for some reason, seem to go out of fashion during the warmer months. Mexican pozole is one such dish: hearty and soulful to the very last spoonful. |
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09/21/12Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: a light and fresh Riesling that’s a great match for Asian cuisineSüssreserve is grape juice that is added to wine after it has been fermented to add a touch of sweetness, a traditional practice in Germany. This wine is straw coloured with a greenish tint. The nose is honey and citrus fruits. |
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09/20/12First Draught: Cameron’s Rye Pale AleUntil four or five years ago, the only grain used to brew beer was barley. Alright, obviously that’s not true. Beer has been made with wheat for centuries (especially in places like Germany and Belgium) but it wasn’t until recently that wheat beers found a place in the North American spotlight. Now it’s rye’s turn to make a place for itself on the list of cereals that are used to make beer. |
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09/20/12Smoke BBQ House is bringing southern-style cooking to Harbord and ManningSmoke BBQ House is looking to bring some down-home, southern-style barbecue to Toronto when it opens at 536 Manning this October. Led by owner Francesco Grandi and executive chef Tony Gallippi, the new joint will also feature some creative twists. |
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09/19/12David Chang is apparently a playlist tyrant, for realsiesThe wait is over. The first Canadian outpost of chef David Chang’s Momofuku empire opened today and a mean bowl of ramen isn’t the only thing Torontonians should be anticipating. Beyond notable fare, the chef recently told Australian Gourmet Traveller that the music selection is another memorable feature of his international set of restaurants, and he should know — Chang creates the unique playlists for each of his restaurants himself. |
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09/19/12Table Talk: Joanne Kates reviews StackUptown’s answer to Roncy’s Barque Smokehouse … isn’t. Funny (to me) how popular Stack became the second it opened in the spring. So don’t show up without a reservation at prime time unless you want to wait. |
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09/19/12First Look: 25 Liberty, the latest addition to the Liberty Village neighbourhoodAfter months of serious renovation and a bright new facelift, 25 Liberty has opened on the busy corner of Liberty Street and Atlantic Avenue. The airy and open restaurant hopes to distinguish itself from what was there before — Liberty Bistro — with a predominately grey colour scheme and pops of colour from orange leather banquettes. |
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09/19/12Drink This: Weslodge Saloon’s StreetcarWeslodge, a recent addition to the King West restaurant strip, is the work of club kings Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji. Known individually for their fervid approach to décor — La Société’s hand-tiled floor comes to mind — the pair paid no less heed to this latest project. Done up to the nines in taxidermy and tufted banquettes, this is the sort of place where one can spy on suits shrugging off the workday and clutches of single ladies sipping on classic libations. |
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09/18/12The Danforth is about to undergo a slider revolutionIt looks like Greektown is getting a new addition. Three’s Company Catering and Cafe at 673 Danforth has closed, and it’s making way for Slider Revolution. |
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09/18/12First Look: Tallboys, a new west-end craft beer barThis has been the summer of craft beer bars in Toronto: Bar Hop opened on King West, Indie Alehouse is set to open in the Junction, and Bloorcourt Village now has Tallboys Craft Beer House. |
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09/18/12Toronto’s Best Sandwiches: Café Plenty’s tuna niçoiseInspired by the café scenes in London and Paris, Café Plenty is a slice of Europe in the heart of Toronto. Owner Melissa Patterson’s charming spot aims to satiate lunchgoers’ craving for good, honest food, tempting the hungered with freshly made salads, tartes, galettes and sandwiches. |
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09/17/12Spice up your life with Crescendo, a new spice storeToronto is about to get oiled up and spice-rubbed down. The German-based company, Crescendo, opened two locations this month in Davisville and the Distillery District, bringing unique and high-quality oils, vinegars and spices to Hogtown. Posted at 04:06 PM | Permalink |
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09/17/12First Look: I Went to Philly, a steak sandwich sanctuary on Yonge StreetLast year, the Stevenson family went on a trip to Philly. When they came back, husband Jack Stevenson quit his long-time job in car sales. Wife Julie Stevenson decided to venture into the world of business after being a housewife and raising three now-grown kids. And sons Frankie and Peter went to work for mom and dad’s new family business full time. |
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09/17/12First Look: Sansotei Ramen, the latest player in Toronto’s Japanese noodle sceneToronto’s ramen scene is getting serious. First there was Aji Sai and Kenzo, then Guu and Kinton Ramen. Joining the fray any day now will be Momofuku Noodle Bar, hailing from NYC, and Raijin, representing Vancouver. And it would be amiss to overlook Sansotei Ramen, which nearly slipped under the radar, having opened a few weeks ago to little fanfare or announcement (we blame TIFF). |
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09/17/12Cheap Eat of the Week: a traditional poutine — layered with extra cheese curds — from Poutini’sIt’s a classic, recurring problem. A dilemma, even. One that’s as enduring as Coke versus Pepsi or Mac versus PC. A predicament that we’ve all faced around midnight, as the hunger pangs or munchies increase while wandering down West Queen West, desperation beginning to set in: Poutini’s or Smokes? |
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09/14/12First Look: Seven Lives, a new Mexican spot in Kensington MarketA few weeks back, we broke the news that the beloved Kensington Market stall, Agave Y Aguacate, had shuttered its doors. Fortunately, those hankering for more Mexican fare didn’t have to wait long for their fix: Seven Lives, offering up So-Cal and Tijuana-style grub, has just set up camp in its place. |
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09/14/12Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: Martín Códax Albariño 2010This wine comes from the Rias Baixas region of Spain that neighbours Portugal’s Vinho Verde area. It’s straw in colour with an aromatic nose backed by mineral notes. The flavour is all peaches and melons with a spicy twang and a long, crisply dry finish. This wine is medium bodied and very satisfying. |
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09/13/12First Draught: A sister beer for the stormy Tempest from Amsterdam BreweryToronto's Amsterdam Brewery announced the big news this week that they're moving the bulk of their brewing operations to a new facility in Leaside and will be opening a 900-seat restaurant next spring. The retail spaces in both the uptown production facility and the upcoming waterfront brew pub will feature more room for experimental beers like our subject this week, Calm Before the Storm. |
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09/12/12First Look: Johnny Jackson, a new cool and casual nightspot in Little Italy“We’ll get them drunk, and then we’ll feed them!” laughs Rick Cowan, co-owner of Johnny Jackson, Little Italy’s most recent nightlife addition. Joined by Arthur Kinney, the biz partners have done their rounds in the city’s bar scene for a fistful of years. Now intent on offering something different to the area’s barflies, the pair aims to be an unpretentious addition to the landscape. “We’re not going to pretend we’re fancy chefs,” notes Cowan. “We just want to serve the good stuff.” |
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09/12/12Drink This: Church Aperitivo Bar’s Cain & AbelSitting pretty in a former Slavic Pentecostal church, the aptly named Church Aperitivo Bar has been wooing west end cocktail enthusiasts since opening this past February. With its lengthy bar and cavernous feel, owner Sandra Cassaro has maintained the sanctity of the space, offering up a daily selection of Italian antipasti and stuzzichini to those who pop in for a drink. |
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09/11/12First Look: Stuft, taking street meat to new heightsFood trucks, we were told, would take Toronto's street food to the promised land of culinary diversity beyond the hot dog cart. The rules of self-referential irony demand that at least one of those trucks tips its hat to what came before by serving an advanced version of the hot dog. With their custom-blend sausages and homemade sauces stuffed into a toasted bun, Stuft is just that truck. Posted at 05:02 PM | Permalink |
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09/11/12First Look: Doppio Zero, a new Neapolitan pizza joint and Italian eatery on EglintonOpen for just over a week, Doppio Zero marks chef-owner Nick D’Elia’s return to his old Forest Hill stomping grounds. After manning the Italian side of the ‘hood for some 20 years with eateries including Sette Mezzo, D’Elia took a bit of a sabbatical and headed north. Opening Woodbridge’s Market Lane Pizzeria, it wasn’t long before he felt Eglinton West’s pull once again. “I decided to claim rightly what was mine,” he laughs. |
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09/11/12Toronto's Best Sandwiches: the curry chicken salad sandwich from The FederalSince opening back in March, The Federal has become a well-known destination for the west end brunch crowd. Matching a homey interior with comforting grub, the eatery is the creation of friends Zach Slootsky, Duncan MacNeill, Joe Zabukovec and Adam Janes—most of whom still work other gigs on the side. |
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09/10/12Little Italy readies itself for more meh coffeeIf youʼre invested in the ʻbuy local' movement - or just a proud Indie Coffee Passport carrier - grabbing a cup of joe in Little Italy may not be your go-to destination for caffeine refueling anymore. Not only has that Seattle Behemoth opened two spots in the ‘hood, but we’ve also learned that a new Presse Café is setting up shop on College Street. |
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09/10/12Cheap Eat of the Week: a creamy tres leches cake from Playa CabanaIt’s been over a year since Playa Cabana graced Toronto’s quasi-Yorkville-meets-Annex area of the city (pre Grand Electric and La Carnita, mind you) but it wasn’t until (gulp) a few weeks ago that I finally made the five-minute walking journey to chef Dave Sidhu’s urban plant of a Mexican beach cabana. |
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09/07/12Dlish Cupcakes expands to YorkvilleToronto’s dedication to overindulgence continues with news that Queen West’s Dlish Cupcakes will be opening a new location in Yorkville. To celebrate the opening, the shop is creating a new limited edition flavour, and fans are encouraged to make suggestions on Dlish’s Facebook page. Our favourite one so far? Cheeseburger. (But props to the obligatory shout-outs to bacon.) The new shop is slated to open later this month at 848a Yonge Street. |
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09/07/12Walima Cafe moves north; new Moroccan joint opens in its placeMoroccan favorite Walima Cafe is reopening after moving from its original home on the Danforth to a new location at 1943 Avenue Road. The doors will officially open early next week. East-end residents haven’t left in the dark, either: Sahara Nights Moroccan Lounge has taken over Walima’s old space at 1450 Danforth, offering shisha, kabobs, burgers, sandwiches, desserts and more. |
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09/07/12Tony Aspler’s Weekly Wine Pick: Domaine Sigalas Asirtiko Athiri 2010Grown on the island of Santorini on vines that date back 50 to 200 years, this wine, made from two local Assyrtiko and Athiri varieties, reminded me of a Viognier. Golden straw in colour, you can smell its volcanic soil behind the melon and citrus aromas. It’s richly extracted, with an unctuous mouth feel and flavours of melon and peach, that finishes dry. |
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09/06/12First Draught: Creemore Springs AltbierEach German city specializes in its own style of beer. Remarkably, most of them are lagers, which to the brewer means beer that’s bottom-fermented at cool temperatures and then kept in cool storage. To the drinker, it means clear and crisp flavours. Düsseldorf’s altbier is a sort of hybrid exception to this rule, so it makes sense that when Creemore Springs decided to brew its first ale, it was an alt. |
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09/06/12St. Clair West’s Hardys: a Hogtown Brasserie gets smokedJohn Hardy wanted to take Toronto by storm. The American expat was confident that he’d make his mark on the city’s barbecue scene; he even opened his restaurant, Hardys: a Hogtown Brasserie, a stone’s throw from barbecue stalwart The Stockyards. One year later, though, the restaurant has closed. |
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09/06/12The Eaton Centre gets some banh mi actionAfter catching word on Twitter that Queen West’s Banh Mi Boys would be opening a second location at the Eaton Centre, we called co-owner David Chau to find out more. He confirmed that a second location is in the works at the Eaton Centre’s Urban Eatery. The best part: while the menu will be largely the same, Chau said there will likely be a few surprises, too. The new location is expected to open early next year. |
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09/05/12The holy ramen empireRenowned chef David Chang — ever heard of him? — has expanded his Momofuku empire to Toronto. Of course, that’s only news to those who have been living under something decidedly stone-like for the past year. The resultant buzz has turned Toronto’s foodsters into a throng of screaming Bieber girls, but is Momofuku going to revolutionize the city’s restaurant scene? Probably not. It already did that several years ago. |
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09/05/12Drink This: 3030’s Perfect StormWhile the Junction has long been cropped out of Hogtown’s nightlife map, 3030 is here to prove that it’s worth a visit. Under prohibition until as late as 2000, the west-end hood is known as a décor-lovers destination. So when Jeff and Jameson Kelly opened their bar this past May, residents let out a collective whoop. Seeking to become more than just a local watering hole, the joint has plenty of tricks up its sleeve: pinball tourneys, brunch, live music and more. |
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09/04/12Toronto’s Best Sandwiches: a vegan-friendly “cheeseburger” from Live Food BarDupont Street’s Live Food Bar is one of the city’s original havens for vegans. Opened in 2002, the eatery is the work of siblings Jennifer and Chris Italiano, who strive to offer vegan food that appeals to everyone. With menu staples including sushi, Caesar salad and a black bean burrito, it’s easy for non-vegans to pinpoint some normal-sounding items, but veg-lovers can rejoice, having the pick of the litter for once. |
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09/04/12Ossington’s Goed Eten packs it inIt’s not too often that one hears of a restaurant closing on the Ossington strip these days, but brunch spot Goed Eten has served its last waffle. A message from Goed Eten’s Twitter account announced the closure, and we also confirmed with a former Eten employee. Owner Johan Maes will apparently concentrate his efforts on his other restaurant, Le Petit Dejeuner. |
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08/29/12Table Talk: Joanne Kates reviews Hoof Raw BarSince Grant van Gameren hoofed it from The Hoof last year, it’s not been clear whether (now sole) owner Jen Agg has the creative vision to sustain and renew the brand. A mixologist by trade, she was never going to have it easy with the departure of her wunderkind chef/partner. The Black Hoof itself is not, in my view, as fabulous as it was under Grant. |
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08/28/12The Double Deuce Saloon closes; new resto-bar set to open in its placeQueen West dive bar The Double Deuce Saloon has closed, and the venue has new owners who plan to open a bar and restaurant in its place. The bar was opened by The Harbord Room’s Cory Vitiello and his partners in 2009, but it changed hands shortly after. It closed for good about a month ago, and the space’s brand new owners — who officially take over in September — hint that the new venue will feature a “food twist uniquely original to Toronto.” |