Posted by Sheryl Kirby in news and media, rag round-up on August 2, 2007 at 8:06 pm
It's Jump Up time and Steven Davey of NOW tries out a couple of local Caribbean joints. First up is One Love Corn, a vendor at Harbourfront's World Cafe, where all the food is vegetarian. Davey's got to realize that not everyone loves the same level of spicy hot that he does though, or review followers might find themselves with a fiery mouthful of One Love Corn Soup, and singed tastebuds. The fire-breathing continues at Diner's Corner where Davey insists a bottle of "suicidal" hot sauce "might be better described as a desperate cry for help. If it's heat you want, douse them in Green's terrific vinegar-based Scotch bonnet sauce. " He's also got a list of other Caribbean or Caribbean-inspired eateries, although doesn't include any of the roti places in Parkdale, where most of the Caribana parade-revellers will be parking (and eating).
Oddly, Graham Duncan's Drink Up column doesn't tie in to the Caribana theme at all, with recommendations for a couple of reds and... Mumm's champagne?
Metro also looks at the variety of dining options associated with the various Caribana-related events this weekend, from the more than 80 vendors along the parade route itself, to the Taste of the Tropics event at the Irie music festival.
Also at Metro, Billy Munnelly gets old skool with some retro wines like Muscadet and Beaujolais, while Rick McGinnis reviews west-end family restaurant Dr. Generosity.
And finally, over at Eye, Kathryn Borel is loving the sticky, smoky delicious ribs and chicken at Cluck, Grunt and Low, and points out how they transcend everything that is wrong with BBQ to turn it into something ethereal:
On one side, lamentable culinary travesty: under-researched meat selection, careless or non-existent seasoning and a general misunderstanding of grill alchemy; cocksure men with “King of the Grill” aprons and dirty tongs; Montreal Steak Spice; maybe some E. coli poisoning.
On the flip side, transcendent meat-coma bliss: a borderline sexual experience of taut flesh, explosive juices and messy, animalistic consumption.
In every possible way, Cluck, Grunt and Low falls into the latter category.
