As the weather warms, many choose to celebrate the season of fun in the sun and outdoors by taking their meals outside. Portable and delicious, the sandwich is an excellent food choice for such outings. My search for an ideal balance between a wheat-based shell and its glorious fillings has resulted in many noteworthy finds that would make any man (or woman) swoon. Sample any of the treats below for complete satisfaction.

The tender and moist slow roasted beef brisket ($6.50) takes 5 days to prepare at Black Camel (Rosedale Location: 4 Crescent Road). Choose to pair it with the house made Black Camel BBQ sauce, and/or any additional toppings (i.e. roasted sweet red peppers) for an extra $0.75.

Continue reading Which ‘wich? »

Bliss Restaurant & Bar
5875 Airport Road
Mississauga, ON
905-678-5433 or email bliss.torontoairport@hilton.com

With its faded blue shell, passersby may not know that the Airport Hilton has recently completed phase one of its transformation into a contemporary and innovative space. Although these new changes may appeal to business and leisure travelers, food enthusiasts would be more interested in the new in-house restaurant and lounge. Designed by Cecconi Simone Inc., the open design of Bliss Restaurant & Bar incorporates the warmth of muted earth tones. The addition of personal TVs imbedded into the banquettes and sheer linen dividers help provide a sense of privacy to those who want to escape from their busy surroundings.

Continue reading A Blissful Discovery by the Airport »

The thought of noodle soups may baffle many as the weather starts to warm up, but there’s nothing easier to eat during this transition stage. When dreary forecasts loom, a steaming bowl or plate of slippery strands in an aromatic broth hits the spot; when the sun beams lap at your brow, cold noodles and their springy textures do more than refresh the palate.  Toronto may not have an abundance of hawker stands like many SE Asian cities, but it does boast numerous eateries, both high- and low-end, that showcases this carb-y delight.  Below are a few noodle based courses that I had the luxury of consuming in the past year.

Hiro Sushi’s (171 King Street East) Soba Sunday offers authentic Japanese handmade buckwheat noodles made by Soba Canada may be topped (clockwise from upper left) with ikura (salmon roe), grated yamaimo (Japanese yam), snow crab, oroshi (grated daikon radish), fried buckwheat crackers, or just-done-Oboro tofu. Made with buckwheat cultivated from Manitoba, these toothsome strands are served cold. However the meal ends with a pot of hot soba water that can be seasoned with dashi.

Continue reading Using Your Noodle »

Bakery18
Atrium on Bay, 20 Dundas Street West, lower level
416-979-7168

In the land populated by doughnuts, coffee, or the ubiquitous bagel, a young player rises up to open minds and stomachs with new possibilities. Bakery18 is a two-year old business run by the granddaughter of the creator of Jin Cheng Bakery Ltd. (3636 Steeles Ave E Unit 138) that originated in Taiwan nearly 60 years ago. At its helm is the youthful and bubbly co-owner/store manager, Vivian Chen, who has helped to open three stores in the family business empire.

Continue reading The Smell of Sweet Success »

Tokyo Grill
582 Yonge Street
416-968-7054
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and 2 non-alcoholic beverage: $35 (cash only)

At the corner of Yonge and Wellesley, tucked between a Chinese restaurant and an adult video store, sits an unassuming, pink-trimmed eatery that has been a trustworthy refuge for homey comfort food. Tokyo Grill is one of the few Japanese restaurants run by Japanese folks in the city. It has a tightly packed dining area that is separated into two halves by a narrow kitchen. Stay in the traffic heavy front to get cozy with a neighbour’s table and enjoy the chill of the outside wind blowing through the well worn entrance doors or head to the private-feeling, nearly secluded back room.

Once seated, friendly and ever polite servers pass out quaint laminated menu cards. The lack of raw fish or sushi may surprise many, however the kitchen excels in the preparation of day-to-day dishes found in many Japanese homes. Vegetarians can note the many non-meat choices; the health conscious may choose to substitute their meals with brown rice ($1 extra). And if proof of authenticity is required, a quick glance up from the lacquered table reveals the vast number of language students of Japanese descent bonding over steaming bowls at this home away from home. Jazz FM enthusiasts may appreciate this station’s airtime over Tokyo Grill’s speakers; those who love Christmas may find last year’s garland still hanging from the ceiling.

Continue reading The Simple Comforts of Home »

It’s time to wax poetic about one of my favourite pastimes. There is no greater sense of excitement for a snacker than to scour the supermarket shelves for scrumptious treats; this is even more thrilling when those items are from SE Asian snack vendors or supermarkets. From cookies to candies, chocolates, nuts and pastries, to crackers and chips, or even dried fruit, vegetable and protein matter, these pre-packaged delights may bring comfort to those familiar with the flavours or have others question their inventive origins. Perhaps it’s time to take another trip to the stores lining Spadina, those that dot the insides of Market Village and Pacific Mall, or are a beehive of activity for grocery shoppers (T&T Supermarket). Take a quick look at what can be found in the aisles!

Continue reading Got the Munchies? Head for the Aisles SE Asian Style »

Strolling along Toronto’s busy streets and gazing into the hundreds of store displays around this time of the year reveal one thing: Love is in the air - the love for food that is! As chocolatiers package their wares into boxes tied with red satin ribbons, bakers pump out anatomically-incorrect shaped cakes, and restaurateurs busy themselves with set menus featuring love themed his-and-hers combos, those who wish to celebrate the day and step beyond the Valentines Day trap may find it a challenge, especially if the loved one is a foodie.

What options are there besides the holy trinity (we’re speaking of roses, chocolates, and a candlelight dinner)? Is there an alternate suggestion that can be pursued without the need to endanger the slotback pig? To examine this further, I asked a group of food enthusiasts what they would constitute as their ideal Valentines date or gift. Our kind participants were able to provide a host of ideas guaranteed to sweep a food lover off his or her feet. After all, they do say that the best way to a person’s heart is through the stomach.

Continue reading A Food Lover’s Guide for the Ultimate Valentines Day »

Tasty Exposuer: Jewel-like crystal dumplings from Chiu Chow Boy Restaurant (3261 Kennedy Road, Scarborough) allows diners a glimpse of the sweet treasures hidden inside before breaking though its chewy steamed skins.

Snacking is a favourite pastime of mine, and like many fellow snackers, I’m always on the lookout for new things to eat. The GTA hosts a number of great establishments dedicated to the art of snacking - a fact that both my tongue and tummy appreciate. This is the second part of a series dedicated to freshly made snacks from East Asia. Part 1 focused on grilled and fried munchies that you could really sink your teeth into, while this post places focus on sweet endings. Dedicated to entice Torontonians with a sweet tooth, the following highlights features an alternative to the standard meal-enders of coffee and pastries. It’s time to ready those taste buds for more tempting treats, from dessert soups to fruity bubble tea, the options seem endless.

Continue reading Snack Time Feature: the Search for Fresh East Asian Treats (Part 2 of 2) »

Gyoza from Sakawaya Japanese Bistro (867 Danforth Avenue). These flat pillow-like pan fried critters are filled with a juicy meat filling.

A recommended healthy lifestyle consists of exercise and frequent small meals. Not one to argue with the growing influence of health gurus, the latter tip brings smiles to the faces of munchers like myself. I love to snack - actually that is an understatement in itself. Let me correct myself. I love to snack A LOT, and although I do enjoy the variety provided by the typical North American big box grocery store, I find greater satisfaction in the fresh East Asian snacks provided by independent vendors in our fair city. This two part series showcases some of the highlights of what could be found while strolling the Toronto Night Market, or Asian food courts and plazas that dot Richmond Hill, Markham and Scarborough. Part tummy satisfier, part visual spectacle, there is never a dull moment when one is on the search for great eats. Follow your nose, look for the long line ups, and peek at the displayed samples at each stall for a taste surprise. See what all the hype is about and join in the on the fun.

Continue reading Snack Time Feature: the Search for Fresh East Asian Treats (Part 1 of 2) »

The start of every New Year is associated with feeble attempts to make resolutions; vows that are often guaranteed to last no longer than a glorious scoop of Solferino’s (38 Wellington Street East) pistachio gelato under the hot summer sun. Of course this fact doesn’t excuse one from accepting challenges. There should still be a willingness to step outside of one’s comfort zone, especially if it involves good eats. A New Year means new beginnings, and what better way to approach 2008 than to do so with a ready stomach. Listed below are 10 food related tests to tantalize the taste buds and open the palate. It isn’t difficult considering that there are 12 months in a year. Really, that’s less than one feat to conquer per month. By the end of the year, the budding foodie residing within will truly be able to stake claims of having been there and done that.

Continue reading Daring Food Challenges for the New Year »

Marinated duck’s tongues are finger lickin’ good and can be found at Dynasty Chinese Cuisine (131 Bloor Street West) or The Grand (655 Dixon Road, Etobicoke), the later serving them encased in aspic with wolfberries.

This is the second part of a series dedicated to dim sum. In part 1 dishes served in steamed wrappings were featured. This post will focus on the bites that are braised, baked and fried. So grab a cup of tea and be prepared for another feast.

Continue reading An Ode to Dim Sum, Part 2 (of 2) »

A perfect snack or mini-meal. Pan fried radish cakes are tossed in a hot pan with spicy XO sauce. The former, a slightly gelatinous cake, is mildly sweet and its pillowy soft interior is dotted with specks of salty Chinese dried sausage and shrimps, the latter, is a luxurious and fiery combination of conpoy, cured ham and red chillies. This version of “stir fried turnip pate with supreme spice sauce” can be found at Dynasty Chinese Cuisine (131 Bloor Street West).

Dim sum means “to touch the heart,” and like Spanish tapas, is composed of many small dishes. Similarly, these bite-sized treats can be served hot or cold; they are also steamed, baked or fried. Originally a Cantonese custom dating back to the Sung Dynasty (960-1279), dim sum is linked to the Chinese tradition of drinking tea. Hence the term “yum cha” (to drink tea) is often referenced when partaking in this mid-morning meal.

Continue reading An Ode to Dim Sum, Part 1 (of 2) »

K & K Tropical Fruit
298A Spadina Avenue
416-979-3435

When daylight hours get shorter and the temperature stays below zero, I find myself longing for the warmth of the summer sun that graced us only a mere season ago. Our city might continue its trudge through the dirty snow, but a quick trip to K & K Tropical Fruit can add a splash of colour to cure those winter blahs. Situated just on the northwest corner of the chaotic Dundas and Spadina intersection, this jewel is a much loved haunt of locals and non-locals alike. In fact, no advertisement is needed as their high quality fruits speak for themselves.

The first noticeable thing about K&K is the welcoming sight of its neatly arranged produce. A quick glance at the bountiful tables reveals its second charm: the variety of fruits available! Beside the market staples of apples, oranges and bananas are the many items with origins from South-East Asia or South America. K&K imports exotic fare year-round from Thailand and Vietnam, including piles of those thorn-covered and notoriously pungent durians, plastic mesh wrapped pomelos (the giant cousin of grapefruits), and the bulb-like dragon fruit. These strange looking treats take shelter inside the store during the cold winter months next to shelves overflowing with exquisite cases of mangosteens (aka the king of fruits), bundled up branches of lychees, trays of hairy rambutans, jackfruit and guava. Sometimes featured specials will highlight the orb-like persimmon, a tower of jumbo Fuji apples, luscious and firm white peaches or an excellent selection of ready-to-eat sugar-centric papayas.

Continue reading A Mid-Winter’s Trip to the Tropics (With Much Change to Spare) »

What do you get when a group of people trek across the city for a sole purpose? In Toronto, it could mean a host of things, but for people with food on the brain, it suggests good eats. Some circles label themselves as a food aficionado meet-up group, while others are classified as an elite band of foodies. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a handful of local food enthusiasts who have been brought together by our common interest, tastes, and apparent obsession with photo-documenting what we eat.

Whatever our background, training, culture and degree of separation, it was our eagerness to find tasty treats (and to do so with others), that brought us together. Online and offline messaging, a couple of dinners, a food project and excursions to source rare treats later, we find the planting of a seed for friendships centered around the art of consumption. An open invitation to others who also professed a love for all things edible resulted in amalgamation of our scattered selves into a grand dozen this past April.

Continue reading A New Definition in Group Dining »

(A Trio of squares, from front to back: chocolate dipped cardamom pistachio cookies, Pierre Hermé’s sablés à la noix de coco (aka coconut biscuits), and chocolate dipped candied ginger cookies.)

Baking is a great way to share that warm fuzzy feeling of giving from the heart. As the holiday season fast approaches, those of us who are slaves to the kitchen can feel the clock ticking on our holiday baking projects. Brainstorms, plans and checklists are made for the treats that will fill our homes with delicious scents and end up filling many happy tummies. Every year I venture to package a number of special goodies to spread a little Christmas spirit. This year is no exception, but instead of ruining the surprise to my dear family and friends, I’ll share the scrumptious offerings I’ve made in the past.

Continue reading A Taste of Holiday Cheer: Sugar and Spice Is Definitely Nice »