Here’s a round-up of the food & drink articles in Toronto’s papers today…
National Post:
- Gina Mallet finds that restaurant revisits can be worthwhile, as Cava impresses her much more now than it did when it opened in 2007.
- Margaret Swaine enjoys three California wines from today's Vintages release.
- Malcolm Jolley celebrates the onset of spring with sweet maple sugar.
- Adam McDowell admits to a general disinterest in vodka-based drinks, but still finds the Grey Goose Sunset to be a "highly drinkable, if not remarkable, cocktail".
- Susan Semenak reveals that much of what is sold as extra-virgin olive oil may not be as extra-virgin - or even olive - as the labels claim. She also asks the owners of a fine-foods importing company for tips on how to avoid falling for fraudulent EVOO.
- Bonnie Stern finds much better treats than Rice-a-Roni in San Francisco.
Toronto Star:
- Amy Pataki is back from vacation, and tries to erase the memories of the horrible food she experienced in Barbados with meals at Bacchus Roti and Pho Phuong.
- Gord Stimmell finds the usual assortment of overpriced wines in today's Vintages release, but manages to uncover a few good values as well.
- Corey Mintz has fellow food writer and chef Eric Vellend over for dinner, where it's proven that freshly cooked risotto will beat out partially pre-cooked every time.
- Linda Barnard savours a Bluebery Geyser, one of the signature cocktails of this week's Taste of Iceland festival at the Drake Hotel.
- Emily Mathieu discovers that coconut water contains all of the good stuff found in Gatorade and other sports drinks, but in a more pure and natural form.
- Vanessa Lu profiles Karen Hutchinson, a farmer and food activist in Caledon.
- Leslie Ferenc reports that the cold weather in Florida that has destroyed much of with winter tomato crop is spelling good news for Ontario's greenhouse vegetable growers.
- David Rider talks with Sean Basinski, director of Manhattan's Street Vendor Project, who offers an opinion shared by most Torontonians: the "Toronto A La Cart" street food project is a complete and utter disaster.
- Muhammad Lila reiterates the above by visiting NYC - a city that does street food right - and devouring a delicious meal served up by Islam Elsayed, aka "The Halal Cart Guy".
- Eric Vellend profiles chef Nuit Regular of Sukhothai for his "Chef's Showcase" column in Starweek magazine (not online).
Globe & Mail:
- Joanne Kates is the last of the three Saturday reviewers to visit Paramour, and her opinion closely mirrors that of Amy Pataki: the remarkable service offered by manager Adly Gawad balances out the inconsistent food.
- Beppi Crosariol recommends some reds for upcoming Easter celebrations.
- Lucy Waverman finds that the best way to get fourth-graders interested in healthy food is to get them involved in preparing it.
