Brock Shepherd knows a thing or two about cocktails. The owner of the Kensington restaurant Rice Bar (and formerly of Azul, Canteena Wine Lounge, and The Chelsea Room) has done cocktail consulting, which included coming up with the drink menu at Izakaya, and won a contest in 2005 for creating the ROM’s signature cocktail-the Pink Trillium.

At Rice Bar, Shepherd puts his creativity at work with Asian-influenced concoctions like the Boozy Float (prosecco, cherry sake, liquid nitrogen frozen yogurt) and Turks and Spice (shochu martini with saffron, cardamom, and orange, served with Turkish Delight).

Continue reading Brock Shepherd Talks Cocktails »

RaviSoups
322 Adelaide Street West
647-435-8365
Lunch for two with all taxes, tip and coffee: $25

With Environment Canada predicting a damn cold winter (not exactly their words), I’ve been trying to make a list of small comforts that will help me brace the frigid temperatures. One of the first things to make my list is RaviSoups, a new-ish weekday lunch place run by Ravi Kanagarajah, formerly of Mildred Pierce. Being up a few stairs on a not-too-exciting stretch of Adelaide, it’s hard to spot - but take note! It shouldn’t be missed.

The space is small and narrow, and the walls are covered in small black and white tiles that remind me of a bathroom. Luckily the yummy smells coming from the kitchen remind me that I’m not in the loo. The large chalkboard menu, which echoes the script on the outside sign, lists six soups (three vegetarian, three non-veg, $6.99-$7.99) and four wraps, plus a variety of espresso drinks. The menu is partially seasonal, and the fall/winter soup selection reflects hearty, earthy flavours like butternut squash with duck confit and corn chowder with crab. Along with the savoury offerings, there are yummy-looking, in-house baked goods (the lemon chocolate chip cookies stand out).

Continue reading A Soup-er Place »

Halloween and Easter are two holidays where there’s a large return on candy, but none can compare to the sheer quantity of candy available at Christmas. There are the standards - candy canes, chocolate lollipops, foil-wrapped chocolate balls, and red and green jelly beans - and then there are the more nostalgic and limited edition treats that make everyone feel like it’s Christmas as much as all those classic TV specials. Here are some festive finds - both old and new - I came across downtown.

Continue reading Christmas Is For The Sweet-Toothed »

Fiesta Farms
200 Christie Street
416-537-1235

I love buying groceries - it represents freedom (I can get whatever I want!), the thrill of the on-sale find, and even a bit of luxury (I deserve the $8 cheese this week!). But the lustre can wear off, especially in the winter months when the produce is uninspiring and trekking through snow with overloaded bags is a huge pain.

Luckily I’ve found a way to stay inspired even though the temperature is dropping: Fiesta Farms. It’s Toronto’s largest independent grocery store and is like a health food store, farmer’s market, and foodie destination rolled into one. It’s been getting major props (NOW, CityBites) since partnering with Local Food Plus, an organization that certifies farmers and processors, and helps get sustainable food to consumers. I finally got a chance to check out Fiesta Farms a few weeks ago and felt like I had stumbled across one of the city’s best kept (although maybe not anymore) secrets.

Continue reading Fresh From the Farm »

House of Tea
1015 Yonge Street
416-922-1266

Marisha Golla, owner of House of Tea, knows her stuff when it comes to the steeped beverage so many people love. She’ll tell her customers green tea only needs a minute and a half to steep, and that it shouldn’t be brewed in boiling water (let it cool down for a minute or two). She’ll inform them of what type of tea would be good for fighting a cold (sage), and will kindly warn them not to drink caffeinated blends after 6 pm if staying awake all night isn’t their thing.

Continue reading A Full House of Tea »

Saving Grace
907 Dundas Street West
416-703-7368
Brunch for two with all taxes, tip, coffee and a muffin: $40

The first time I went to Saving Grace, I was sceptical of it’s ability to charm me. It felt overly trendy with its minimalist birch tables and spherical Ikea lights, and too pricey - as a fairly new Toronto brunch-goer, I thought paying ten bucks for a plate of eggs was ridiculous. But I should have known by the line-up to get in and the jam-packed tables inside that there was a good thing going on. Despite the wait, there’s rarely any other brunch spot these days that I feel like hauling ass to on a Saturday afternoon.

Continue reading Eggs With a Healthy Side of Hipster »

When I was little, I was all about the grilled cheese. In particular, my grandma’s grilled cheese. Every visit to her house meant gooey goodness in the form of heavily buttered Wonder Bread and cheddar (the real stuff - not a Kraft Single in sight), paired with Heinz and baby dills. Even though she never makes them for me anymore, my memories of those childhood lunches are warm and fuzzy. So when I noticed some gourmet grilled cheese offerings around town, I was tempted to see if they could become a grown up version of my favourite comfort food. The tasting began!

Continue reading Grilled Cheese Goes Gourmet »

Mill Street Brewpub
55 Mill Street
416-681-0338
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and beer: $75

On the surface, the Mill Street Brewpub in the Distillery District is a warm, comforting bar-restaurant with a focus on their own independently-brewed beer and the charms that come with it. This image is perpetuated by the display of massive distillers, a comprehensive selection of Mill Street brews (many of which aren’t found in other bars or the Beer Store) and a decor consisting of large wooden beams, low lighting and cozy tables. But after a few minutes of taking the place in, it becomes clear that Mill Street Brewpub is having an identity crisis. While it’s based around a well-loved Toronto microbrewery and spews the image of “local” and “independent”, the place is run by F.A.B Concepts Inc., a company that also manages such large-pub operations as The Foggy Dew, Pour House, and Murphy’s Law. In other words, Mill Street Brewpub is battling between indie cred and sharing a corporate bed. Too bad you can’t please everyone.

Continue reading Pub With a Split Personality »

The Toronto International Film Festival has the city playing host to a bunch Hollywood hotshots, and there’s a buzz all over town about who’s eating (and drinking and partying) where.

In all it’s rich chi-chi glory, Yorkville is the centre of TIFF hobnobbing. It’s where TV chef Mark McEwan chose to launch the highly-anticipated One (116 Yorkville Avenue) on the ground floor of the Hazelton Hotel. Last year’s TIFF debut hotspot was Kultura (169 King Street East); One is definitely the place to be in 2007. With a luxurious patio complete with leather couches, pristine shrubbery and elegant black umbrellas, this hot ticket is serving up $14 cocktails (make sure you nurse that one) and shared dishes (including a very expensive and very gourmet burger) that will be served family style (aka self-serve).

Continue reading Eat, Drink, and Be Starstruck »

Last year, a friend of mine living in Chinatown told me her grocery bills were reduced by almost half, largely thanks to her year-round access to dirt-cheap fruit and vegetables. So when I moved to a Chinatown apartment in July, I was excited that the bounty of Spadina & Dundas was minutes away from my front door. After several shopping experiences in the area, I’ve learned a few key things. There are crowds almost all the time. The cashiers are always lightening-fast. It’s hard to track down an unbruised tomato. It’s REALLY cheap. (Case in point: For just a few cents short of $10, I scored 4 lemons, 2-200 gram bags of shallots, a guava, 3 spartan apples, a pint of grape tomatoes, a bunch each of cilantro and scallions, 3 avocados, a zucchini, 3 bananas, two handfuls of sugar snap peas and a persimmon. Whew!)

Continue reading Produce-Hunting In Chinatown »

Bar Nazareth
969 Bloor Street West
416-535-0797
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and soft drinks: $21

Consuming a meal with no utensils is, well, a bit strange, but it’s all part of the fun of going out to an Ethiopian restaurant. And as I learn at Bar Nazareth, eating this type of cuisine is more about the experience of communal dining than the food - although the food is pretty darn tasty.

Hidden away on the stretch of Bloor, west of Ossington, Bar Nazareth is a small (we’re talking 6 tables) Ethiopian eatery with a kitschy charm. While the exterior looks run down, the inside is cozy and intriguing. The walls are lined with mirrors and faux brick, and the glass-topped tables show intricately-patterned fabric underneath. The only downfall is the two large TVs on either end of the room, which are distracting and oversized for the space.

Continue reading A Finger-Lickin’ Good Time »

Niche Coffee & Tea Company
1364 Danforth Avenue (plus one other location)
416-466-2547
Cost of tea and dessert for two with all taxes and tip: $10

I hate to admit it, but I’m a Starbucks regular. There’s something to be said about the chain’s consistency, their generally friendly service and the convenience of never being more than a block or two away from one. And really, up to this point, I’ve never found an ideal alternative that’s close by. But a few trips to the independently-owned Niche Coffee & Tea Company has me gradually changing my loyalties. And because I enjoy a good cuppa tea just as much as an Americano (and it’s minus the jitters), I was thrilled to taste Niche’s Earl Grey - many cuts above the new-age, guru-approved Tazo crap they serve at the ‘Bucks.

Continue reading Tea Done Right »

Cynthia Beretta tells me she was raised on garden-grown food by an Italian mother who was “ahead of her time” when it came to eating organic.

The key to spotting trends must run in the family. When Cynthia and her husband Mike bought their first farm in Wingham, ON, in 1993 and converted it to organic to raise their livestock, there wasn’t much public awareness about a green lifestyle. But after moving to a bigger farm in King City and experiencing an organic craze about three years ago, the business at Beretta Organic Farms is booming.

Continue reading An Organic Kind of Life »

It was a busy day down at the Distillery District on Sunday with the Nissan Toronto Ten-Miler and 5K race going on. Wading through the runners, I finally made it to the Farmer’s Market and found it pleasantly calm.

Continue reading Beans, Greens and Pristine Tomatoes »

Madeleines, Cherry Pie and Ice Cream
1087 Bathurst Street
416-537-3131

When the weather turns hot, it’s inevitable that all my sweet-tooth cravings get satisfied by ice cream and I forget about other forms of dessert. But a trip to Madeleines, Cherry Pie and Ice Cream has changed my mind - after all, why not have your pie and ice cream, too!

With exposed brick walls, high ceilings, long white drapes and a fireplace, Madeleines, Cherry Pie and Ice Cream creates a French-country sanctuary for pastry lovers (not to mention a romantic place for dates). Freshly-baked pecan pies are being carried out minutes after we walk in the door, and it’s fun to linger over the jars of cookies and baskets of croissants that lead up to the counter.

Continue reading Fruit-Filled Pies a Summer Treat »