Toronto cheeseheads - including your humble reporter - are quite familiar and enamoured with the curdish delights produced by Ruth Klahsen and her team at Monforte Dairy. We were saddened when word spread last summer that an astronomical rent increase would be forcing Klahsen to close down, and then overjoyed when it was announced in the fall that she'd managed to negotiate a lease extension of a year while she purchased and prepared a new location for a move in 2010.
Unfortunately, though, the lease deal fell through, and production at her Millbank facility will be shutting down this month after all. However, this doesn't spell the end for Monforte, as Klahsen is going ahead with her plans to reopen next year, and has come up with a novel way of raising the $1,000,000 she needs to do so: she's selling 2,000 shares at $500 each, with the promise that each investor will be repaid with $750 worth of cheese, spread of over the first 5 years of the new business. For more information on how to help the new Monforte Dairy become a reality, call 1-877-437-5553 or 519-595-7920.
The midtown location of Cluck Grunt & Low closed for "renovations" a few months back, and now it looks like those "renovations" include a change in name, and possibly ownership, as a sign in the window is announcing that it will be reopening in February as Highway 61 (1620 Bayview Avenue). BBQ and pulled pork addicts needn't worry, however, as they'll still be serving meaty, Southern-style favourites.
Thirsty Leslievillians will soon have two new places to get their drink on. As we noted in our last instalment, Kubo Radio is no more, and their vacated space will soon be occupied by The Roy Public House (894 Queen Street East), where the dozen taps will include a combination of UK imports and local craft brews, and Sundays will feature a Coronation Street brunch. A couple of blocks east, Patrick McMurray of Starfish and oyster-shucking fame is set to open The Ceili Cottage (1301 Queen Street East), which he promises will be a true "Irish local", featuring 20 beers on tap (including 6 stouts!), Irish food (and oysters, of course), live Irish music and plenty of craic. Watch for both pubs to open in March.
Speaking of oysters, John Belknap, a long-time server at Rodney's Oyster House, has struck a deal to open his own spot called Rodney's By Bay (56 Temperance Street). The menu will feature the same selection of oysters and other seafood delights that have made the original Rodney's popular for over two decades, although Belknap will also feature a lunch menu with more reasonably priced options, and several non-seafood dishes. A March opening in expected.
Popular breakfast and brunch spot Eggstacy (1255 Bay Street) was suddenly shuttered just after the new year started, with a notice in the window saying something about the owners getting an offer they couldn't refuse. We're not sure how that should be taken, but it looks like the space will soon be another location of Ginza Sushi.
Another early victim of the new year was the Dinah side of Wanda's In The Kitchen With Dinah (1057 Mount Pleasant Road). While Wanda Beaver will be continuing to sell her baked goods at the location, Dinah Koo has closed down the retail prepared foods side of her operation and will be concentrating on her Koo & Co. catering business. And over near St. Clair and Christie, Marc Javet and Mark Wilson's prepared meal shop Marcket Fine Foods (672A St. Clair Avenue West) has bitten the dust as well.
Bloor Street near Dufferin has been turning into a mini-Latinoville in the last couple of years, with a number of Mexican and Central & South American restaurants and groceries opening to cater to both recent immigrants and curious gringos. The latest addition to the neighbourhood is the third location of La Tortilleria (1009 Dufferin Street), known for their amazingly fresh tortillas and the tasty tacos that they make with them.
Those who think that working on a farm sounds like a great way to spend a few months should get in touch with Chick-A-Biddy Acres near Peterborough, where they're looking for two apprentices to help out for the upcoming growing and harvest seasons. These live-in positions include work in areas including greenhouse operation, field work, livestock care and produce sales. Interns work five-and-a-half days per week from May to October, with weekly trips into Toronto on behalf of the farm. Besides learning about sustainable farming, the benefits include a private room, library access and a stipend of $100 per week. Contact Sherry Patterson at chickabiddyacres@gmail.com or 705- 696-3506 before February 27 to apply.
Finally, the popularity of their traditional tourtiere and sugar pie over the holidays have inspired the folks at A Taste of Quebec (55 Mill Street, Bldg. 36) to keep them available through to the end of February. The duck and pork tourtieres ($30) are made by the in-house staff headed by chef J.P. Challet, while the award-winning sugar pies ($16) are imported from Baie-St-Paul, Quebec. Pre-orders and reservations can be placed by calling 416-364-5020.
If you have a scoop to share about the local food & restaurant scene, please let us know so we can include it in a future edition of T.O. Tidbits.
