DrewStar's Profile
F'Amelia - new pizza joint in Cabbagetown
Yep, some things just don't make sense. Based on my dinner there I would rate it 2 stars maximum on the Toronto Life scale.
Fusilli
Googs definitely likes Fusilli. There are threads on Chowhound where he/she swears by the place, but my experiences differ. Diametrically opposed. If you know wha't is in the area of Queen St E and River ---- basically Fusilli, Dominion, Weezies and Gilead Cafe/Bistro. The only one I would recommend is Gilead depending on what you order. Even though it is JK Cafe/Bistro, depending on what you order it may be good or dodgy. Once had salmon (slime), wild asparagus, and potato (very old -- cooked a few days previously) appetizer. Thanks for that culinary delicacy JK.
Where do I buy Almond Paste in Toronto?
I purchased almond paste at the Bulk Barn to make the top layer of a fruit cake recently.
Ravioli rolling pin
I've never tried the rolling pin. I get great results with the ravioli trays -- makes 12 at a time and less hassles with air bubbles.
Yung Sing on Baldwin - GONE?!
That's a shame. I really enjoyed the tofu bun. It was more expensive than the other ones, but made for a healthy and tasty lunch.
PETER'S CORNER has been replaced by SOUVLAKI EXPRESS. Is this a good thing or a bad thing people?
Okay. I will give Fusilli another shot and order your suggestions. Third try may be the charm.
PETER'S CORNER has been replaced by SOUVLAKI EXPRESS. Is this a good thing or a bad thing people?
Perhaps I should have narrowed my comment to focus specifically on the Queen-Parliament nexus.
Sukho Thai is good for a 12-seater spot (12 seats sounds about right, if memory serves).
Weezie's is quite lovely on a summer evening looking out at Little Trinity Church as the sun sets. Food's not bad, but not stellar, in my opinion.
Gilead Cafe makes for a leisurely lunch. Very good poutine and salads. Haven't tried dinner service.
Fusilli Restaurant I know you're a fan of. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one.
Even with the rampant condo development, the Queen-Parliament corner is still not happening in terms of restaurants. Basically Magic Oven (empty whenever I look in the window), Dominos and Subway. Perhaps it's just geography that affects the entire area --- Regent Park to the north, Richmond and Adelaide slicing through, Don River to the east, massive West Don Lands construction, homeless shelters, St.Paul's church and the schoolyard next door, Marty Millionaire, etc. --- not really that many spots to put a restaurant.
Regarding "Souvlaki Express," perhaps I shouldn't pre-judge. But anything with the word "Express" (other than a bus) lessens my anticipation.
PETER'S CORNER has been replaced by SOUVLAKI EXPRESS. Is this a good thing or a bad thing people?
Sounds like a bad thing to me Googs. I hoped that when JK opened Gilead Cafe, others would jump into the fray and take a shot at opening a 'real' restaurant in the neighbourhood. Perhaps in the future when things gentrify a bit more.
Mövenpick Marché is Coming Back!
I had a well-made rosti with smoked salmon and creme fraiche at Marche. In general, the place was fun to go to with a group of friends. Part of the fun was hunting around for the best items at the various stations, then getting back to the table and comparing notes. The food was pretty good, at least back in the early 1990's when I was going there.
Edible Rice Paper
Thanks blui. I will check that out. Can you tell me what the size of the sheets were?
Edible Rice Paper
Does anyone know where I can buy some edible rice paper? I would like to make some nougat, and the paper helps keep things a little more contained. If you know somewhere in downtown Toronto that would be great. Thanks.
Spendido disappointing, disappointing, disappointing
I've heard of blue fin tuna and big eye tuna but not "blue eyed tuna." Personally I don't think you should take offence at the waiter describing the type of tuna you are getting. There are certainly variations in the species.
For what it's worth, I had a very good meal at Splendido back before the changeover. However, David Lee was not in the kitchen the night I went. Could have been Victor Barry at the helm. I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your experience there.
New Zealand honey.
In the basement of St. Lawrence Market South building there is a great honey stall called Honey World (http://www.stlawrencemarket.com/shopping/vendors/honeyworld.html) that sells just about all kinds of honey. It is of the finest quality and the owner is happy to let you sample all of them if you want. He has some excellent manuka honey there.
Also surprisingly you can get manuka honey under the President's Choice label at Loblaws and its affiliates. I figured manuka honey was a strange and rare item, then I found it on the shelf at No Frills. That said, I believe the honey for sale at the St.Lawrence Market is superior in terms of its medicinal properties (also more expensive).
Olive oil from Crete in Toronto
I believe there is a seller of olive oil from Crete in one of the middle stalls of St. Lawrence Market North.
Harlan Clark
A few days ago I poached some eggs purchased from the Clarks. I barely had to do a thing and they came out perfectly. Amazing fresh eggs. Thank you for everything Harlan Clark.
Where to find pork cheek in downtown toronto?
I've purchased guanciale at Cumbrae's on Church St.
I found it in the cooler in the back left corner of the shop.
Good Restaurant/Bistro near the OPERA HOUSE on Queen Street???
There are many restaurants very close to the Opera House. Just do a search on 'Leslieville.'
How about Lil' Baci (892 Queen St E) for a quick pizza and a drink?
The best AUTHENTIC Italian in Toronto?
'Authentic' is a bit tricky.
I was in Italy and had some fish with potato puree that had ginger in it. That was considered to be somewhat daring. Is that authentic Italian cuisine? It was made by an Italian chef, in an Italian seafood restaurant, and enjoyed by tables of Italians. If a chef in Toronto serves mashed potatoes infused with fresh ginger as a starch under a piece of fish, would it be considered inauthentic and too fusion?
The best AUTHENTIC Italian in Toronto?
How about Zucca? The menu partakes of different regions of Italy, so for example you could have a Tuscan app followed by a Sicilian main with perhaps a dessert from Piemonte. Even though different Italian regions are represented on the menu, the food is true to the spirit of each region, and Chef Andrew Milne-Allan frequents the farmers' markets (I've seen him at Riverdale on many occasions). I've enjoyed the food there and you can't go wrong in my opinion.
Truffles is Closing!
An article on this in The Star:
http://www.thestar.com/living/restaurants/article/687333
Produce at Farmer's Markets really from farmers?
Nice!
Which raises an issue I've had with the local 100-mile(km)-diet. I don't want to eat turnips all winter, and I enjoy eating tropical fruit often. And shrimp sometimes. Etc.
With peak oil and other problems either here now or on the horizon I don't know how feasible this will be in the future. Our diets may have to change drastically. Strange days indeed.
Produce at Farmer's Markets really from farmers?
You're right. If there are no regulations governing the selling of 'organic farm-fresh produce' there should be. That said, I think commonsense has to come into play here. I would pass on the shrinkwrapped english cucumbers -- I don't think a legit farmer at an outdoor market would go to the trouble of shrinkwrapping the produce. For me I look for the ugly imperfect stuff. Heirloom tomatoes are a good example. If there are a good amount of blemishes and malformations then that's most likely the real deal.
I recently went to the Riverdale Farmers' Market and purchased some ugly but tasty heirloom tomatoes (beauty being in the eye of the beholder), and some zucchini that were a mottled green and yellow. I've never seen anything like them in a supermarket and to me that is a good sign.
Aso take the time to talk to the person behind the counter. If they are scammers it is usually obvious. Some dirt under the fingernails is usually a good sign too!
ISO dried mango strips
Chinatown.
I've seen bags of dried yet supple, sweet, orange-coloured mango strips in many Chinatown grocery stores.
Best of the Farmer's Markets
This year I'm growing four heirloom varieties in pots on my deck. Black Krim, Blondkopfchen Cherry, Red Pear Cherry, and Zapotec Pink. I purchased seedlings from Urban Harvest ( http://www.uharvest.ca ).
The first black krim started rotting from the bottom much to my chagrin, but I ate the good part and it was delicious. The Blondkopfchen cherry tomatoes are ripening now and soon there will be a pretty decent crop of those little yellow beauties. The Red Pear tomatoes are starting to ripen quite nicely. The Zapotec is a rare variety from Mexico and takes a long time to ripen. Not too prolific so far but it is more of a late season tomato. It has deep vertical ridges in the flesh.
Growing your own, especially on a deck entails lugging bags of soil home, and lots of care. The yield may not be great but there is a real sense of accomplishment and connection to the food when you grow a few humble veggies yourself.
As far as the flavour goes, I've always found heirloom tomatoes from the farmers' markets to be tasty. That said, a good ripe Ontario field tomato is also hard to beat.
ISO Samphire / Salicornia
Wilty is not so good. Ideally there should be a succulent, salty crunch to this sea vegetable. I got it from Forbes Wild Foods at the Riverdale Farmers' Market.
I don't think McEwans should be selling wilty produce for top dollar IMO.
ZUCCA PRE FIX MENU
Absolutely. It seems to work well for them. Most of the people in the resto were ordering the prix fixe (at least by the number of pastas coming out of the kitchen)!
ZUCCA PRE FIX MENU
Fair enough. Even if the savings are marginal, I do think that 3 courses of homemade tasty food is worth 25 bucks. I've had a fresh tagliatelle special with chanterelles and speck (if my memory serves me correctly), an interesting salad and a handmade dessert and it was awesome.
It wasn't too slow either. Perhaps it was a function of the prix fixe, but some of those 'slow' nights were rocking. Seems like people are on to a good deal.
ZUCCA PRE FIX MENU
Yes. Any pasta they are offering including specials and the handmade ones. The only element that is the same for everyone is the mixed salad at the beginning.
Considering the work that goes into some of the handmade pastas (and the desserts) this is a bargain.
ZUCCA PRE FIX MENU
Mixed Salad : Any Pasta On The Menu : Any Dessert On The Menu
A great deal.
Seabeans?
There was a recent thread on this subject which might help:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/616984
