Posted by Sheryl Kirby in news and media, on the web, wide, wide world of web on July 28, 2008 at 4:31 pm

The big news on the Toronto dining scene this week is, of course, the opening of Nota Bene on Queen Street West.  While critics from mainstream publications sneak in under pseudonyms, Suresh of Spotlight Toronto thought to show up, camera in hand and be the first one to shoot the food and give a quickie preview.

At Torontoist, Catherine's "review" of STEAK creates a fuss as the comments section fills with critique because it turns out the meal is comped. This is not an uncommon practice, but there is some hair-splitting as to whether it's appropriate. (Incidentally, here at TasteTO, a "review" is always anonymous and is always paid for, whereas a "profile" is a situation where we meet the chef and restaurateur and the meal may or may not be comped.)

Christine at Canadian Living has Phase 2 of the building of an outdoor oven - there's also a link to Phase 3, and 4; while Lisa of BlogTO has a piece on iYellow Wine Club and Tim reports on the demise of Daddy-O's on Roncesvalles.

Noelle at Gremolata writes about edible flowers, while Ivy Knight has more (no... really, she's got enough to write a book of her own) on the book Bottomfeeder and the issues around sustainable seafood.

Elsewhere on the web, Serious Eats is reporting that filmmaker David Lynch is marketing his own line of organic coffee. No word on whether it's "damn good" or not, or whether Lynch will be marketing organic cherry pie to go with it. And the Washington Post is covering the ongoing WTO negotiations about the world's favourite fruit - bananas. Closer to home, the Toronto Star has an interesting article about the potential of cassava crops in Africa.