Here's today's handy round-up of all the food & drink news in the Saturday papers...
The Reviews
- In the National Post, Gina Mallet eschews the usual review this week and instead offers a screed on how restaurants are just too damn loud nowadays. (Normally, this would be the point where we accuse her of being a cranky old fusspot, but since we actually agree with her, that would be kind of hypocritical...)
- In the Toronto Star, Amy Pataki reins things in a bit after last week's bloodletting, and finds a number of nice things to say about Beast even though the review as a whole leans toward the negative.
- In the Globe & Mail, Chris Johns apparently got tired of waiting for Scarpetta to open, so he kills some time reviewing the Thompson Hotel's other restaurant, 24 hour diner The Counter. (Not yet online.)
The Rest
Post:
- Margaret Swaine likes three juicy Aussie wines from today's Vintages release.
- Malcolm Jolley grills up some zucchini for a rustic homemade variation of a more elegant dish prepared by Chef Frank Dodd at Hillebrand Winery.
- Melissa Leong asks chef Roger Mooking what he would do to improve Toronto's street food scene.
- Adam McDowell looks into the unlikely transformation of Cognac from "an old fart’s drink" to a trendy nightclub tipple.
- Nathalie Atkinson checks out the sharp and shiny goods at Knife, a recently opened Japanese knife shop on Queen Street West.
- Vanessa Farquharson looks at the other side of the milk battle - i.e. not the folks fighting for the right to drink raw milk, but the companies who are trying to get more people to buy the ultra-pasteurized stuff that will stay good for months.
- Bonnie Stern has some recipes using Dwight Schrute's favourite vegetable.
Star:
- Gord Stimmell lists his five favourites from today's Vintages selection, including an Ontario chardonnay, a Washington State merlot, and three from down under.
- Corey Mintz learns that basement dwellers aren't so bad after all as he invites some over for dinner.
- Linda Barnard enjoys a new take on an old standby as she sips a cocktail made with Beefeater 24, a new gin that features the flavours of tea and grapefruit peel.
- Julie D'Aprile checks out the newest trend in NYC: bars that specialize in single spirits, from tequila to rum to brandy.
- Susan Walker visits Venturi Schulze, a family-run winery on Vancouver Island that sticks to Slow Food principles.
Globe:
- Beppi Crosariol puts the spotlight on some great wines from the often overlooked regions in Southern France.
- Lucy Waverman saves us a trip by sharing recipes from three of the hottest restaurants in NYC.
- Mark Schatzker asks chef Scott Conant about his freshly opened Scarpetta, and how he feels about the negative reaction to his "Open Letter to Toronto" that preceded the restaurant's arrival.
- Ian Brown continues eating his way across Canada, this week trekking from Winnipeg to Saskatoon and finding food both good (pie at Wilson's Place) and bad (a burger from Brahma's Grill) along the way.
- Kim Linekin tells us how her journey through the pubs of Ireland looking for a couple of tasty pints and a bit of craic ended in a way she didn't expect.
