tygrr_lily's Profile
Toronto bakeries with swiss meringue type frosting on cakes and cupcakes- please help
Try Flour Studio at Bathurst/Eglinton. Their red velvet is amazing. I'm not sure what type of frosting they use (i usually scrape off most of it except for a really thin layer), but their cupcakes are always moist and flavourful. I like them far better than the Bobbette and Belle ones. Have also ordered cakes here that were great
The Campagnolo Thread - Hits and misses?
Yes, the burrata and roasted grape dish is amazing! I had the same reaction, though my bf just thought it was okay. I think I talked about that dish for weeks after and have since tried replicating it at home many times haha
I like the pastas there generally. I think they do interesting things w/ them and I liked them better than the ones I've had at enoteca sociale
The budino was a bit too salty for my taste, but I don't seem to have the same appreciation for salty sweet that other ppl do.
Really like Campagnolo overall and have been wanting to go back
Rijstafel / rijsttafel / rijstaffel dinner at Quince
To be honest, I was a little disappointed but maybe my expectations were too high. I thought it was good value in that there was definitely a lot of food and we were stuffed and were almost rolling out of there, but most of our dishes were overcooked and the meat was very tough (the chicken, lamb, shrimp, etc. our fish was charred almost). Most of the dishes were just okay
We also had to wait an extremely long time between the first and second round. Our server was apologetic and we had no complaints about the service as they were very friendly, but I don't understand why they don't clear the dishes and cutlery with each round? Our plates were pretty gross by the end of it w/ all the different sauces dried on the plate
I'm glad I tried the dinner out, but I don't think I would go again based on this experience.
Other restaurants then Enoteca Sociale, Campagnolo & Tourist spots?
Agreed with Black Hoof, Torito, Libretto and Country General. Add Harbord Room too - all places w/ fun vibes. I like the food at Beast but everytime I've been, it's been pretty quiet
Dating (and dining with!) a less adventurous eater
Beast is head to tail, but they usually have a couple more conventional items too. Like the current menu has beef striploin, gnocchi, and duck confit which are all pretty friendly. I've gone with ppl that really liked it but would refuse to eat at Black Hoof
The portions are also pretty big and heavy - very man friendly :).
Dating (and dining with!) a less adventurous eater
haha I've definitely gone through this as well. Try:
Marben
Harbord Room
Beast
I think bistros are great too. They usually always have steak frites for the less adventerous and will often have more interesting plates as well
COSTCO treasures [Moved from Ontario]
It's with all the other dips, hummus, etc. In the Wilson/Dufferin one, it's right near the walk in produce section
COSTCO treasures [Moved from Ontario]
I always have to get the Skotidakis Jalapeno Greek Yogurt Dip they have at Costco. This stuff tastes amazing with almost anything, but my fave to dip in it is Diva's Delightful Crisps, also found there. So so good
Chowhounds best 10 Resturants in GTA - 2012 version
LIbretto (Ossington)
Marben
Black Hoof
Harbord Room
Campagnolo
Splendido
Beast
Khao San Road
Guu (Original)
Lady Marmalade (if we can count brunch)
Egg yolk ravioli
I saw egg yolk raviolo featured on a show on Food Network and it looked absolutely divine w/ the runny egg yolk mixing into the sauce. I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since!
Is there currently anywhere in Toronto to get this dish? I looked up recipes but as I've never made pasta from scratch before, it seems beyond my cooking capabilities :).
Thanks!
New Year's Eve ideas ? Food related events or unique restaurant spots?
I just bought the Marben deal through Dining Date Night and was able to buy for the 7pm seating... So I think the discount applies to all seatings available (5pm-7pm) as the NYE special had it's own special offer box separate from the usual listing
*edited to say I sent them a quick email to confirm and they've already replied that all the available times are considered first seating and will get the 30% discount :). Good customer service!
Korean fine dining?
first place I thought of was Swish by Han too. I've eaten there a couple times and it seems to fit all the criteria you're looking for. While the food is decent to good, I personally find it very over priced and would rather go to a homier, cheaper Korean place in either Koreatown. But if you want the fancier experience for a date, etc., this place definitely fits.
Also, how about Koko Share Bar on Yorkville? I've never been but it markets itself as a modern Japanese/Korean place and it totally looks like it fits the description of what you want. The mains are all 20+ and there is a wine list on the menu
Guu is fun too but I've only tried a couple of the Korean style dishes. The Korean style ribs were very sub par compared to most other Korean galbi - not much flavour to them and have never reordered them. The cheese and mushroom bibimbap is delicious though and one of my must orders.
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Swish by Han
38 Wellington St E, Toronto, ON , CA
Jacob and Co - what to order?
I'm taking my bf this weekend to Jacob and Co for his 30th bday. What should we order? I know he wants to try one of the wagyu steaks and I will probably get one of the cheaper ribeyes. I've read good things about the ceaser salad and the duck fat fries. Anything else we should try?
Also, what would be a good amount of food to order? We will probably be hitting a bar afterward for the UFC fight so we need to have a bit of room for beer. Also, will he be okay in nice jeans or is it a dressier place?
Thanks! Looking forward to it - though my wallet not so much :)
Sunday Birthday Brunch for 8
I like Origin and Marben for trendier brunches
Not sure when your party is and how much of a party vibe you want, but Nyood has their Le Brunch once a month on Sundays
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Marben
488 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1E5, CA
Nyood
1096 Queen West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H9, CA
Moving to Thornhill - Looking for some local recommendations please!
For Korean food, there's a Seoul House between Yonge and Bathurst off of Steeles. I like the one at Dufferin better, but this one is decent too. They have bbq and a lot of the other soup/noodle/rice dishes.
There's also this Korean-Chinese place called Sunny Dragon in the same plaza as Sababa (yummy falafels and dips) closer to Bathurst and Steeles that makes amazing jajangmyun (black bean noodles), tang su yuk (sweet and sour pork) and Kkanpunggi (sweet and spicy chicken). May have butchered the spelling there. They also have these amazing huge deep fried prawns in that same sauce - not sure what it's called, but they are incredibly tasty! If you've never had Korean style Chinese food, I think this is prob. one of the best in the city.
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Sababa
390 Steeles W, Thornhill, ON L4J6X6, CA
Seoul House
180 Steeles W, Thornhill, ON L4J1A1, CA
1 Part Foodie, 2 Parts Children, 10 Parts Hungry
Hmm maybe Mercatto? They'll take reservations - I think Terroni might be difficult for that.
They also have a wide variety of pizzas and pastas that are decently priced and generally well liked by children - the foodies could have the more expensive and more interesting entrees.
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Mercatto
15 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2E3, CA
Guu -- which location would YOU go to and why?
The Annex one is bigger so I find the wait shorter, and I've gone there for that reason specifically. I like the food at the older one much better, however. I've been to the Annex one a couple of times and it seems like most of the food is deep fried, which after a while, gets pretty gross. The one dish I love here though is the udon carbonara - the kimchi one is pretty good too
The older one has more of a selection of food, I find, and not everything has to be deep fried. I also like a lot of the dishes here a lot more, even if they have them at the other location
So personally, if it's for convenience I'll go to the newer one, but if it's more about the food, the older one. What we usually do is put our name down, then go for a beer somewhere nearby and come back after an hour or so (whatever time the host suggests). Hope that helps!
Lizano Salsa? (Costa Rican Sauce)
Awesome, thanks! I just got back from Costa Rica and fell in love with the stuff as well. Bought a bottle to bring back with me, but I've already been wondering what to do when it runs out
Muscle Masala High Protein Cookies are AWESOME!!
they sound really interesting!
is there an ingredient list on the packaging? sent them an email asking too. hoping there isn't a lot of filler in there as what they have listed in the postcity sounds pretty good so far
Best Cupcakes in Toronto?
Agreed w/ the Flour recommendation - their cupcakes are very moist and flavourful, and they're very pretty as well
The baker often does special holiday cupcakes that are pretty cute - these are some i got for xmas and vday
Sushi Moto Sake and Wine Bar
it is inset in the middle of these long tables... so not really a bucket but more like a part of the table that is filled with ice! it's great for keeping drinks cold! the atmosphere here is a lot nicer than other asian restos in the area, but the prices are a bit higher as well
"cupcake" b-day cake
agreed - Cupcake Shoppe are bland and the frosting all tastes the same.
i agree w/ the recommendation the Wedding Cake Shoppe... soo good! i always really like the ones at Flour Studio at Bathurst and Eglinton. I've ordered a custom cake here and they did a fantastic job w/ it
Help, I have to eat at The Bottom Line -- what am I in for?
Did you end up going, TorontoJo? If so, how did you like it, and do you think it'd be a fun place to go with a group?
I'm trying to figure out a place for my bf's bday dinner. It's on a Friday night with both Leafs and Raptors games playing, and he originally wanted to do it at the Real Sports Bar but they're booked solid already. We're trying to find a good alternative in the entertainment/financial district to catch the games - well, he is. I'm hoping for a place with decent food too!
Food Deal : LAB (on College) $30 for $60 of food/drink - Oct 18, 2010 -(expires in a year)
It was actually your previous endorsement that made me really want to try the restaurant :)
Thanks for the review of the items! The pear risotto immediately caught my eye too. My sister is a vegetarian and i'm counting on her to get the risotto or bibimbap so I can taste them too haha
Any thoughts about the lamb meatballs and goat cheese gnocchi? i think i remember reading mixed reviews about their previous smoked gnocchi on the menu
Food Deal : LAB (on College) $30 for $60 of food/drink - Oct 18, 2010 -(expires in a year)
Thanks for the tip! We have a reservation this Thursday, so perfect timing :)
Does anybody have any suggestions of must orders off of the current menu?
DATE NIGHT
my fave date night we've done recently was lee on king west - the food was awesome and it's a nice fun vibe for a couple with sharing plates. prices are perfectly in your budget, and the portions are actually really filling! we did 4 dishes, dessert, a bottle of wine and we both left extremely satisfied
Thursday Night Suggestions Downtown - Cheap Eats/Drinks?
My girlfriends and I are meeting for dinner/drinks this Thursday night and we're trying to think of a good place downtown (pref. around the entertainment/financial district, a bit wider ok) that has decent cheap eats/drinks. There will be 4 of us, in our mid to late 20s - we're looking for a place w/ a good vibe but where we can still comfortably chat and catch up on gossip. We went to Negroni last time and the food and cheap wine were great, but it was fairly empty and we felt obligated to leave once everyone else did :P
I was thinking maybe Duggan's Brewery... Is it hard getting a table here? I see they're on Open Table and it looks like there's no problem getting a reservation, but i've heard the place is packed?
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm the foodie of the bunch - the others would prob. more appreciate suggestions emphasizing the cheap drinks hah. Thanks!
Can't decide...rec's please
agreed that nota bene and splendido would be tight w/ the $200 budget.
i liked the harbord room, but i'm not sure i'd want to go there for an anniversary, to be honest. the restaurant is fairly small, so you'd be sitting quite near other tables.
if you're open to other suggestions, how about the globe? i went recently w/ my bf, and we spent under $200 for oysters, 2 apps, 2 mains, 1 dessert and half a bottle of wine. they also usually have a few fish selections to please your gf that are quite good. my bf had the lake erie walleye currently on the menu, and we both agreed it was better than my pork main! also, if you reserve for the mezzanine level upstairs, you get a nice booth with more privacy and i considered it to be fairly romantic :)
Romantic Birthday Dinner: The Harbord Room or Grace?
i went to harbord room w/ my bf for my bday this yr and we both really liked it :).. haven't been to grace so can't comment on that
don't know if i'd quite call it romantic, but the atmosphere was cozy and nice, and the food very good. it's also one of those places that you wouldn't look out of place in a dress or jeans, i think
