Tibet Kitchen
1544 Queen Street West
416-913-8726
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and beer: $50

A week from today, the eyes of the world will be on China. Some people will watch with fingers crossed, cheering on their country’s athletes, while others will direct their attention toward the potential political protests that may occur as groups advocating for a free Tibet attempt to catch the attention of the world’s media.

I generally advise TasteTO writers to avoid discussing politics when writing restaurant reviews, but when it comes to Toronto’s Tibetan community and the businesses they’ve created in their new home, that’s a difficult task. Without the political upheaval that has brought over 3000 ex-pat Tibetans to the Toronto area (most of them to the Parkdale neighbourhood), the restaurants and shops that delight us simply wouldn’t exist.

Continue reading Dinner on the Roof of the World »

Spice Route
499 King Street West
416-849-1808
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $135

The newest venture from Liberty Group’s Nick Di Donato and Charles Khabouth of INK opened earlier this month with much hype and ballyhoo. Or perhaps, given its Asian-y everything, I should say Bali-hoo.

Appearing on the surface to be a bit more club/lounge/bar than restaurant, at 8,000 sq. ft. it’s a massive and dramatically designed space. But it’s also warm and engaging with rich natural textures, and live elements of fire and flowing water. Buddhas are placed here and there - sometimes front and centre, at other times tucked away in little wall niches. The central bar features a waterwall, a private lounging area surprises with a huge central table bedecked (yes, bedecked) with rose petals, and the booth seating (if one may call these enormous seating areas “booths”) offers a chic set-up for larger groups sharing several dishes. Overall, it’s a scene of tastefully restrained opulence – it’s smartly sexy, but very user friendly.

Case in point: We unwrap our napkin rolls and discover a pair of dark wood chopsticks and a standard knife and fork. Nice.

Continue reading It’s a Scenic Route, Too »

Matahari
39 Baldwin Street
416-596-2832
Dinner for two with two cocktails, taxes and tip included: $100

On peaceful Baldwin Street, tucked away behind Mount Sinai and a stone’s throw from the AGO, culinary adventures abound. On any given night, Toronto’s wisest foodies are tucking in to any number of cuisines from French to Mexican; Sushi to Indian; and everything else in between. A gem among the choices can be found at Matahari, a Malaysian/Thai restaurant with one of the strip’s loveliest interiors and surely some of its most harried service staff. Despite the peaceful grandeur of the decor, the menu offers a variety of complex and authentic dishes, and makes Matahari a unique culinary destination.

A busy Saturday night at Matahari is a study in contrasts. The calming spa-like décor - a waterfall fall, complimented by soft teal and white walls lined with empowering quotes - does little to soothe the din of a packed house, mostly large groups of twenty-somethings downing colourful cocktails to quell the heat of the curries. Servers are quick to take drink orders, though with the choice of creative drinks such as the Matahari Trance ($8 - Hpnotiq, coconut rum with splash of pineapple juice and soda) and an extensive wine list, divided by varietal and featuring a number of affordable Ontario bottles, such decisions are hard to rush. When finally pressed to settle on food, we face the same challenge: the menu includes Thai standards like Mango Chicken ($15) and Red Chili Chicken ($15), but extends its reach to Malaysian fare such as Nasi Goreng ($13 - fried rice with chicken, vegetables and egg) and Assam ($20 - scallops, prawns, calamari, tomatoes and mushrooms, poached in a spicy tamarind broth). Seafood lovers, vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike will find no shortage of spicy and flavourful choices.

Continue reading Magnificent Malaysian »

The Garden @ Eleven
11 Jarvis Street
416-981-1919
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and a bottle of wine: $150

It’s an ordinary night out with the girls and we decide to try a restaurant getting plenty of mixed reviews of late; Eleven. When we arrive, the sign out front reads ‘Eleven’ so we know we’re at the right place. It’s not until we sit and read the first line of the menu that we realize we’re in a completely different restaurant. With a new chef, a new menu and a new name, owner Steve Lee has once again reinvented 11 Jarvis Street and called it The Garden @ eleven.

Continue reading A Stroll Through The Garden »

Foxley Bistro and Bar
207 Ossington Avenue
416-534-8520
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $120

It’s been over a week now since I visited Foxley Bistro and Bar, Chef Tom Thai’s über caliente restaurant on Ossington, just south of Dundas, and I still don’t know quite what to think about the place.

Arriving just after 6pm on a Wednesday, the room is already close to full. My guest and I are told we can sit where we like, but when we opt for the only standard-height table remaining, we are warned that we may need to shift over and take the chairs closer to the wall in order to accommodate an additional diner who may or may not be joining the party behind us. While I don’t much like the idea of having to interrupt my meal and switch to a chair that is certainly not one that I would choose given my druthers, what am I going to do? Make a scene and refuse? Perhaps this seat-juggling could be avoided if Foxley took reservations. But, alas, they do not.

The menu is an intriguing list of Asian meets Latin. Preparation for my visit has revealed that the food is “Asian tapas”. Sort of. The intention is for guests to share the dishes. Tough luck if you’re dining solo, I suppose.

Continue reading At Least the Food’s Good »

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 »

Jean’s Vegetarian Kitchen
1262 Danforth Avenue
416-778-1388
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and pot of tea: $38

My eating mates and I are not high-brow but we do have high expectations for vegetarian cuisine. Reviews on the website Chowhound allude to delicious grub at Jean’s Vegetarian Kitchen. With comments such as, “the menu is more adventurous than before”, “awesome Thai”, or even, “The William Shatner of Toronto’s dining scene. Just when you think they’re gone for good, they pop up again in an even more delicious context”, reviews more or less glow. Many a vegetarian top-ten holds the name, Jean’s Veggie.

Continue reading Fresh Isn’t Always Enough »

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 »

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 »

Supermarket
268 Augusta Avenue
416-840-0501
Complete dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $80

I really wanted to like Supermarket. But from the outset of our visit, things just didn’t seem to be working well – from the 10 minute wait for our reserved table; the waitress spilling drinks at another table; the table behind us being rushed out while still waiting for food because they needed the table for another reservation; the longer-than-acceptable wait we had for service and for pretty much any food or drink we ordered, to the three comped drinks that they messed up – everything seemed to go wrong for Supermarket.

Continue reading Mediocre Market »

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) »

A sudden craving came recently to mind one day, but there was a problem. I only knew it as ke le bin in Chinese. But it’s neither Chinese, nor for that matter originally Japanese as I later found out. A twist on the French croquette, korokke, is typically made with mashed potato or a thickened white sauce base. Eaten as a snack or an accompaniment to curry and rice, it is found in bakeries, supermarkets, and restaurants all over Tokyo.

Continue reading Craving Korokke »

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) »

Sushi Café Myoung Dong Soon To Fu Korea Restaurant
620 Bloor Street West
416-588-2700
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and Soju; no dessert: $42

Sushi Café Myoung Dong Soon To Fu Korea Restaurant is found in the heart of Koreatown. The steamed up windows show pictures of the many varieties of sushi found inside and boast of a “buy two get one free” special. This is a bit confusing since sushi is Japanese and this, most certainly, is a Korean restaurant.

The interior of this small establishment is a bit aggressive, with bright orange walls and panel mirrors. A single palm tree plant hugs one of the corners. The sushi bar is tucked in the back, but even so, it still seems out of place.

Continue reading Sushi Cafe Myong Soon To Fu Korean Restaurant »

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) »