h2o's Profile
ISO stracchino cheese in GTA
Best to call in advance it seems. They didn't have any, was told the batch for the week didn't work out. But the still warm fresh ricotta was great. Didn't find the variety of Italian products inspiring but the deli meat and cheese selection was decent.
ISO stracchino cheese in GTA
Fantastic! I have to go to Vaughan this weekend so will definitely stop by.
ISO stracchino cheese in GTA
Preferably downtown. Have tried Whole Foods, Pusateri's, Fiesta Farms, All the Best.
Isla Mujeres eating - trip report
Yes, that's the road. And if you want to try the small place on Juarez it is across the street from the municipal office (blue paint).
Isla Mujeres eating - trip report
We stay in the same area. Heading south from there it is on the major north/south street inland from the caribbean side road that runs along the east side of the lagoon. Part of the road is divided with a large meridian, it is near the south end of that road on a north east corner. When we asked people in the street they described it as the green restaurant (it has a green door). I seem to remember La Gloria English School nearby. Hopefully that helps! It really was fantastic food and a lovely family running it. After you get your food you can take it up to the counter where there is a variety of hot sauces and sides (great potatoes) to add. It was the closest we could find to the taco stands that used to be at the ballpark.
Isla Mujeres eating - trip report
Adding random recent (Jan 2012) experiences.
Favourite ceviche: Cockteleria Minninos (a few minutes north of the ferry dock). We tried 3 others along the same strip and it stood out so we went back a number of times. Ok at Picus and Bally-hoo and less than ok at Velasquez.
Olivia: Went twice. Very good Mediterranean. Decent wine selection (for Mexico), good cocktails. Good service. We seemed to prefer the appetizers over the mains for more flavour and vegetables. Excellent harissa.
Lola's: Good service but disappointing food. Everything seemed to have overly sweet sauces and very toned down flavours. Even the drinks were too sweet. That said, the seniors in our group enjoyed it.
Desi y Raul's: At the south end of the colonia, a bit difficult to find but worth seeking out. We had fabulous sopa de lima, sopes and tacos. Very inexpensive. One of our favorites.
Jax: Went to watch NFL playoffs otherwise it should have been avoided. Service was dismissive and far from friendly. "Famous burger" was edible, fish tacos were not. Very cheap tequila evident in the margaritas.
Villa Rolandi: Strange to have good Italian food in Mexico but it was quite good. Lovely view on the water. Excellent wine list with a really good prosecco. Fresh pasta had great texture, carpaccio and ceviches were very fresh and well seasoned. Great service. A bit spendy but we thought it was reasonable for what we got.
Playa Tiburon: Whole grilled fish on the beach. Ask what the fish of the day is. Around $15 per person, we ordered for 3 for 6 people and couldn't finish it. The sides included tortillas, cabbage salad, rice and spaghetti. Next time we would ask for only the tortillas and salad.
Zama beach club: A good place to spend the afternoon if it is windy or cloudy on the north beach. Decent drinks, good ceviche and guacamole.
Loncheria San Martin: The second stall at the loncherias by the market. We had breakfast or lunch here frequently. My favorite chili rellenos. Another good breakfast place was La Cazuela M&J, good fresh juices, the spinach cazuela and crepes were favourites.
La Lomita: Not as good as previous visits. Greasy chili rellenos, bland guacamole. We did have a good whole fried fish here though.
El Peublito: At the south end by garrafon park. Nice service and cute location but disappointing food. Shrimp was freezer burnt, chicken tacos on stale flour tortillas.
Soggy Peso: We happened to go on rib day (different bbq served every day). Excellent, Texas style. Good sides. Fantastic and very potent margaritas. Freddy was very helpful in arranging a reasonable half day fishing trip.
A random place on Juarez just south of the main square, no name that I could tell. There was a bright orange handwritten sign in the window advertising food. Small place filled mostly with locals getting take away. Excellent breakfast and panuchos. Also had a very good spicy empanada.
Taqueria Medina: Fast service, good for a quick bite. Pork tacos and the nachos were favourites.
Rhubarb plants
The garden centre at Fiesta Farms had them on Sunday.
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Fiesta Farms
200 Christie St, Toronto, ON M6G, CA
Source for Marcona almonds?
Do any of these locations have raw marcona? I've only found the roasted ones at Whole Foods.
Visiting Colombo, Sri Lanka
Some suggestions that were given to us by someone from Sri Lanka before a recent trip:
Terrace at the Mt. Lavinia Hotel (service is a bit slow but the view of the sunset is breathtaking!) Also, there is a restaurant located on the hotel's private beach called Seafood Cove.
A unique Sri Lankan restaurant called Nuga Gama located at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel on Galle Road in Colombo 3.
A Sri-Lankan fusion restaurant called The Gallery Café and Bar located at 2 Alfred House Road , Colombo 3.
Authentic/basic S/Lankan fare can also be found at a restaurant called Raja Bojun located directly opposite the Cinnamon Grand on the "sea side".
If you want to check out the artsy crowd you can drop in at the Barefoot Café which serves light meals and has live jazz music on Sunday afternoons
Chowhound's Own Top 10 Restaurants of GTA
Kaji
Starfish
Harbord Room
Beast
The Atlantic
Rebozos
Le Select
Foxley
Black Hoof
Chiado
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Foxley
207 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J2Z8, CA
Chiado
864 College Street West, Toronto, ON M6H 1A3, CA
Le Select
432 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V1E3, CA
Harbord Room
89 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1G4, CA
The Black Hoof
928 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J, CA
Organic Herbs in Toronto or GTA? (Preferrably bulk)
Whole Foods has bulk herbs, some are organic. They also carry many organic spices pre-packaged. You may have to go to a healthfood store for the licorice root though.
Best Butcher for Steaks?
Second this. They look impressive but also taste amazing cooked bistecca fiorentina style.
Cheapest price for Raw / Fresh California Olives in Toronto
Sobey's on Dupont has them currently for $30 a case.
Cheap Champagne to buy in Toronto
Some sparkling options by the case:
http://www.wineonline.ca/shop/results/?cid=1&spid=9&price=&wsid=11&sid=&gid=&mid=&btls=&vin=
Places to eat and foodie spots in Elora / Fergus
It has been 2 years but we had a very good dinner here:
http://www.eloramill.com/dining.php
Menu emphasized locally sourced ingredients, especially the protein. There was also a good little food/health shop on the main street of Elora that sold local products, sorry can't recall the name though.
Where can I get a case of Italian canned tomatoes on the cheap?
Lady York Foods
http://www.ladyyorkfoods.com/home.php
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Lady York Foods
2939 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON , CA
Reykjavik Iceland Report
Any updates on restaurants in Reykjavik? I'm looking for a fancier spot for one dinner but it is for a milestone birthday that falls on a Sunday. I had picked Orange until I saw their opening hours. I can't find the hours for 3 Frakkar which would be another option. Any others to consider?
Also curious about the best shops/markets for picking up food products to take home (and eat there). We're staying centrally in the city but will also have a car for a few days.
ISO: Paesano canned tomatoes
Lady York Foods
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Lady York Foods
2939 Dufferin Street, Toronto, ON , CA
ISO: Large shred or 'chip' coconut
Tutti Frutti, a healthfood/bulk store in Kensington Market, carries it. I bought some as recently as last weekend, it seems to always be in stock.
Where can I find a middle eastern-style sandwich of potato in a pita?
Sarah's on Bloor close to Brunswick has fried potatoes. You can get a veggie sandwich with just potato instead of the combo with eggplant and cauliflower.
Double Zero Flour for Pasta Making
Fiesta Farms or Diana Grocery on St Clair are 2 reliable sources. Fiesta Farms often has a variety of brands.
Best downtown-ish cheese shop?
Second About Cheese on Church. Nancy's Cheese on Dupont is also very good. Nancy is very helpful with combinations and pairings for cheese plates.
Best place to buy organic fruits and veggies
Fiesta Farms has a wide selection of organic products, not sure how prices compare though. They also carry a lot of local produce.
ISO: Gentian Extract
I bought it at Noah's a few months ago, found it in the herbal tincture section. Brand is St. Francis.
http://www.stfrancisherbfarm.com/product.aspx?ID=188
Ottawa - ISO nice, but not formal
Next door to Domus, if you are inclined to a Spanish meal:
http://www.navarrarestaurant.com
I ate there recently, it was one of the best meals I've had in Ottawa. Wellington Gastropub is also great.
Parmigiano Reggiano and Porchetta
Try pasquale brothers.
http://www.pasqualebros.com/index.php
yonge and eglinton date suggestions?
Had a nice meal recently at LoLo.
http://www.lolorestaurant.com/index.html
Valentine Cookie Recipes?
Does anyone know if the butter should be chilled or room temp for this recipe? Thanks.
Embarking on a Food Tour of Southeast Asia
Very good point! I do live in Toronto and we eat at Vietnamese restaurants often. I tend to stick to my familiar favorites but I'll take Anthony's list and see if I can try some dishes. I had planned on doing it the other way around... try it first at the source. My DH travelled extensively in Vietnam and laments that it never quite tastes the same but that's probably more of an issue of freshness and context.
