Brennius's Profile
Bohemian Gastropub is actually quite nice
I found the schnitzel to be the best thing on the menu so far, it seems like they're overreaching on some of the other dishes with odd flavour combinations on the plate. Still I'm looking forward to a few return trips when the weather gets cooler. I don't know about Austro-Hungarian being the "next food fad" (Austrian is quite different from Hungarian... remember the old Blue Cellar Room?) but it's definitely stick-to-your-ribs cooking.
Alphonso mangoes yet?
Amen to warlock's advice.
Just a heads-up: if you go to K&K on Spadina at Dundas, they'll try to tell you that the Ataulfos are Alphonsos. (K&K otherwise has nice Asian fruit.)
Has anyone used "Restaurants On The Go" for delivery? Your comments please.
I think it's telling that so many of the restos on orderit.ca don't merit a mention here on Chowhound. You can do so much better dining in this town. Only in the Indian food category do they have half decent restaurants but the problem we found is that the food from some of those places (e.g. Host) didn't travel well - arrived congealed and in smaller portions than at the restaurant.
Should add that they do have Asian Legend, which isn't that bad.
a goldin's @ free times cafe vs. caplansky's tasting
Caplansky's wins for me, based on taste and texture. The Goldin's at the Free Times seems to be losing something compared to when I've had it off a full brisket.
BTW I'd hardly describe the Free Times -- longtime bastion of folk music and homey stick-to-your-ribs Jewish cuisine -- as a "dive bar". Judy would plotz.
Has anyone used "Restaurants On The Go" for delivery? Your comments please.
We stopped ordering after the last experience - 90 minute wait and the food arrived nicely refrigerated.
And just try getting off their mailing list; despite many calls we're still getting multiple mailings.
Oh Boy Burger, Queen and Portland
Agree with you totally. This place is very close to where I live and I had my hopes, but one visit dashed them.
I could understand if staff at a new place were a little shaky with knowing the menu combinations, but with terrible patties, criminal overcooking and people who really shouldn't be employed where food is being prepared, it's clear that management there isn't up to this. Back to Craft Burger.
Caplansky's: What the @#$%^&*?!!!
Love the tongue there! Not since Switzer's on Spadina closed over 20 years ago have I had a decent tongue sandwich. Caplansky's has their own spin on this classic, but it's great.
Roasting time for a brined turkey
The extra time doesn't matter; it's not like we have to do anything during the process.
Tried the dry brining approach, but we found it made the bird too salty (our experience was like the one described here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111300427.html?nav=rss_print/food)
We don't put the immersed turkey in the fridge, it simply goes into an insulated picnic cooler with ice cubes.
Roasting time for a brined turkey
> "If anything, it takes less time..."
That was the point I was making. It SEEMS to take less time with a brined bird. Though maybe there are other factors at work.
Ours are always wet brined but then rinsed and left to dry thoroughly in the fridge for at least 18 hours before the oven.
Roasting time for a brined turkey
Nope, I meant one fiver fiver.
And then you let it rest covered for a half hour and thigh temp goes to about 162-164 in our experience.
This very site has a recipe with those same parameters:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10739
You'll often find the turkey police telling you to do things like roast it to 165 and even 175.
Ignore. These. People.
Roasting time for a brined turkey
Is it just me, or is the roasting time shorter for a turkey that's been brined (vs. a non-brined turkey of the same weight)?
We usually brine, and I find it knocks 1 to 2 mins per pound off the cooking time (i.e. until 155 degrees is reached in the inner thigh).
Applebee's sliders really liking them
hbird, if you like them at that location, don't be put off by other posters reprising a 5 month old gripe. I find that Applebees varies a lot by location, and even though they're not a favorite of mine, our family put away many orders of sliders while capitulating to the matriach's Applebees craving in Mass. this summer
Buster Rhino's Authentic Southern BBQ - Whitby
Heading out there this Thursday just for the special! Thanks for flagging.
Gotta say that, even though you can debate the quality, one of the best foodie developments in the GTA this year has been the emergence of some authentic (or trying-to-be-authentic) southern Q joints. I can remember when there was only Phil's.
Where to buy bitters downtown
What brands do these grocery stores carry other than the ubiquitous Angostura, as the OP asked? e.g., Peychaud's?
Best French Fries?
Why would you say Toronto? There are over 200 Swiss Chalet locations coast to coast including Buffalo NY.
Their fries can be great or awful depending on location and how busy they are. At least they're fresh cut (not frozen) -- I've never forgiven their sister chain Harvey's for abandoning Swiss Chalet-style fresh-cuts during their nosedive into profound and total mediocrity.
My real message here is, chains are the weakest of all on good french fries. Find, stroke, cultivate and reward your local indies that understand that fries come from fresh Russets, not the freezer. Speaking only for Canada, it seems to be an Eastern Canadian thing (like the Coke/Pepsi divide) - central and Western Canada seems to tolerate frozen fries while the Atlantic and Quebec would heave them back in yer face.
Bigliardi's closing Sept. 26
Definitely a throwback to an earlier time. Sort of like the long-gone WInston's.
Speaking of old-school steakhouses (like, PALEOLITHIC old-school), has Carman's re-opened yet? They were "renovating" this summer but the place was so tired I wondered if they'd even re-surface.
I have to admit, however, I've had a few scotch-soaked, carnivorous evenings at Carman's.
CRAFT BURGER
Sounds disappointing .... must be a quality/consistency thing, as I've never had a patty there that anyone would consider dried up or little. Craft is consistently solid for me (2x/wk) though definitely not worth going out of your way for. I never get fries or rings so can't comment. The cook staff there doesn't seem terribly professional or into their food so maybe that explains the hit-or-mioss.
Tamworth Pigs
Thanks for all this good info. Ironically (as we're close to Healthy Butcher on Queen) we actually ended up placing an order for a half carcass directly from another producer.
Tamworth Pigs
Does anyone know if Perth Pork Products' Tamworth pigs ever show up at the quality butchers or farmer's markets downtown?
So I went to Caplansky's finally
Gotta admit, as someone who hates to go north of Bloor, I'm secretly glad that the people who are welded to their cars are kept from venturing downtown. Call it constructive congestion -- my happiest, most chowish days are Kensington Market's pedestrian Sundays.
I figure Caplansky's new location is now a 12 minute walk from my house rather than 15 at the Monarch - woohoo! The big question is, since he'll have a bigger kitchen (how could he NOT?), what else might he add to the menu! Latkes? Soups? Tongue? Desserts? Or will he keep it purist? As for the Monarch I guess I'll go back to the time honoured system of bringing up a panzerotti from Bitondos or a veal from San Francesco.
best burgers in T.O.
Burgers can be a bit subjective but I'd say Craft Burger over Apache and Johnny's. Barberian's has come close at lunch. The Craft at King/Portland is better than Yonge/Cumberland. Check out the Craft Red.
Rumour Re: Winterlicious
It was a great meal, although we blew the "bargain" element of 'Licious by adding on the lobster poutine - which was so worth it! Everything was executed perfectly. Faves were the risotto appetizer, the salmon main and the goat cheese panna cotta.
I don't care if I never set foot again in a...............
If the food is prepackaged and (evidently?) pre-salted, how does that work? Not that I'd eat at an Applebee's even at gunpoint.
Favorite The Office food moments
...and Michael has a glass of red wine next to his big platter o' lobster.
Burrito Boyz or Chipotle?
After 100's of visits to Burrito Boyz and a dozen to Chipotles, I'd say Burrito Boyz no contest. Get the halibut and make sure you shout it out when you enter, to save time. The tunes and the tude are fine. If you're forced into Chipotles, go for the carnitas, refuse the nachos and yell at them for offering just one overpriced choice of size.
What was your favourite restaurant that went downhill after they solidified their status
I kinda miss the long-gone cluster of Hungarian spots on Boor. Like the Blue Cellar Room.
What was your favourite restaurant that went downhill after they solidified their status
Having lived on both sides of the border, I don't think any of those chains, on either side, have edible food, The word I get from the fast food fans in my family (they have been written out of my will) is that KFC in Canada is worse than KFC U.S. -- hard to imagine -- because of the Scott's history, but for the rest of the chains, the Canadian side is generally better quality.
But speaking of actual restaurants, Southern Accent in its early days was great, before the owners got tired of their original menu. Though I can;t agree at all with an earlier post that said Alice Fazooli's first incarnation was better. Remembering an unfortunate alligator app in Alice's first year, I'd still rank Southern Accent higher.
Also, The Boulevard Cafe on Harbord was actually quite good once upon a time.
Disappointed with Caplansky's
I'm a Caplansky's fanatic, but I do have to agree, the salt has been dialed up a little too much lately for my taste. As has been noted, Mr. Caplansky warmly welcomes feedback, so we've put in our two cents. There was a period there where he had perfected the cure (getting it even-colored throughout) and at the time it was lighter on the salt. We'd love it it went back to that.
Any discussion about "authenticity" and comparisons with Montreal and Schwartz's are decidedly beside the point and cause me to tune out instantly. This is uniquely Zane's interpretation, and it's superlative. The rest of you: train fare to Mtl is $123.90 return -- bon voyage eh.
Who's got Clover?
Manic Coffee, 426 College (just E. of Bathurst).
And eventually, every Starbucks in town, as Starbucks has acquired the Clover manufacturer.
