voracious's Profile
Harissa sauce in Scarborough?
Just back from Arz, where there is a whole shelf devoted to harissa. Thank you!
Do all Costcos carry the same things?
BTW the Scarborough Costco had cans ot macadamia nuts the last time I was there, worth it to stock up as they are so much cheaper than anywhere else.
Harissa sauce in Scarborough?
Does anyone have a source for Harissa sauce in Scarborough? Southwest Scarborough if possible.
Thanks!
Bloor Street Diner
Wish I had read this before I ordered a Cobb salad there! If anything it was less impressive than in the original post -- and I think it is now $17. Yet the place was buzzing after 5 pm.
Overpriced, underwhelming and unaccountably popular. For God's sake don't order the coffee, it's truly wretched.
Decent afternoon tea in Toronto?
Finally got out to Annona at the Park Hyatt -- you are right, it's wonderful! And not very busy, considering it was right before Christmas on a Friday. An interesting assortment of sandwiches, good scones and a sizeable pot of cream -- not real Devon cream I think, but at least not the dime-sized portion you often get. The desserts were really fresh and plentiful enough that we had to take some home with us. There was a good selection of teas and I had one I really liked: a smoky variety called BC Forest tea that was similar to lapsang souchong but perhaps even smokier. I've been trying to track it down online but so far haven't been able to find it.
Service was friendly and attentive and we were given a "Christmas present" of Annona cranberry conserve to take home with us. I think this will be our new go-to spot for tea. Delightful.
german store in toronto
Vienna Fine Foods would be my recommendation too, though not convenient if you're not in the east end and/or don't have a car. I haven't been that way in a while, but there is a store on Roncesvalles called the Old Country Shop. They don't really have much in the way of food products but should be able to satisfy your German chocolate cravings -- especially at Easter when their front window is a sight to behold.
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Vienna Fine Foods
1050 Birchmount Rd, Scarborough, ON M1K 1S4, CA
ViPei Bistro - Has anyone been?
I've never been disappointed with anything on the menu at ViPei. Brunch and breakfast items are a good bet; SO likes their Indian King pasta with chicken so much he has it every single time.
BTW they are opening a new location at 3101 Kingston Road, the same strip as Bye the Bluffs diner.
Hy-Tea in Pickering
There is a Groupon today for a place called Hy-Tea in Pickering -- has anyone tried it?
Scarborough Gems
Not necessarily, they have a wide range of meats, some marinated, some not, all pretty pricey. I've been told it's Mennonite beef, not sure about the chicken. There is also a small selection of gourmet foods and they make their own sausages. Last time I was there they carried Maple Dale Cheese, which I like and which I don't see a lot of other places.
Re your earlier question about Seraphia -- there is a small table inside, and one outdoors. Yesterday we took out some potato salad with basil mayonnaise and some orzo with roasted vegetables and they were sensational, especially the potato salad. The owner is a third generation chef and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of New York.
Scarborough Gems
Thank you, I will definitely try the bakery. I also keep meaning to visit the tea room in the same mall ... there are not a lot of tea options in Scarborough!
Scarborough Gems
Has anyone tried the new (to me) restaurant/cafe called Seraphia in Cliffcrest Plaza? It looked promising but I didn't have time to go in.
Decent afternoon tea in Toronto?
I'm so glad to hear about Annona's tea -- I've been wondering whether it's a good option. Will definitely check it out.
I recently went to tea at the King Edward Hotel and was disappointed. Nothing was too terribly wrong, but it was served in the lobby where generic piped-in music makes it feel like a cheap chain hotel, and the decor is similarly unsuited to the age and majesty of the hotel. I know people have complained at being seated inside the restaurant, but IMO that would have been preferable. An over-priced and chilly experience.
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King Edward Hotel
37 King St E, Toronto, ON M5C, CA
Scarborough Gems
This thread always makes me hungry. I wanted to mention the foule madammas at Arz Bakery, a middle eastern food store on Lawrence west of Warden. It's a middle eastern fava bean dish that makes a wonderful breakfast on a frosty day. They also serve some toothsome Lebanese pastries and good Turkish coffee. The cafe is in the far n/w corner of the store; you can also find sensational olives, nuts, lebneh and excellent French pastry (though a little stale the last time I tried it). Did I mention home made ice cream? No. Because it's freezing out!
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Arz
1909 Lawrence Ave E, Toronto, ON M1R, CA
West Scarborough brunch?
Vi Pei is a great place for brunch, though it can get busy on weekends. The menu is very similar to Vivetha's. A note about parking: Vi Pei is in a strip mall next to a tropical fish store that is very territorial about its parking spaces. Better to park on the street than take one of these spots.
semla / semlor in Toronto?
I just called the Kingston Road bakeshop about semla and the person who answered the phone didn't know what it was. She suggested I try Hansen's Danish Pastry Shop on Pape (which is closed for holidays until Tuesday, Feb. 2).
CORRECTION:
Oops, sorry, I called the wrong place -- The Beaches Bakeshop does indeed sell semla! It was the Danish Style Cakeshop (also on Kingston Road) that didn't know what they were. My bad.
Food-grade bags for Christmas goodies?
Does anyone have a source for reasonably priced food-grade bags, cellophane or similar? The ones at Bulk Barn are tiny and expensive, plus covered with icky designs. On the other hand, zip-lok bags just don't seem festive enough ...
Vienna Meats? or similar deli in Scarborough?
Thanks, Wahooty! I've been back, and it looks exactly the same. I told them it was so amazing that they didn't change anything, and they said that wasn't true -- "we're going to change the floor." Got some almond paste to make rhubarb tart ... so happy.
good macarons, seriously.
Oh no! This has reawakened the old Laduree longing, which was at one point so intense that I tried making my own from this recipe:
http://cherrapeno.blogspot.com/2008/05/chocolate-macarons-with-caramel-cream.html
The taste was great, the texture less so. But maybe it was too humid the day I made them.
I agree with Santeria and West ender -- the macarons in the basement cafe of the AGO are sensational! They had pistachio the day I was there. I've been thinking about them ever since.
Vienna Meats? or similar deli in Scarborough?
Thank you BokChoi -- I went to Kmicic because I was also looking for some other European deli foods for Easter. But in future I will try Metro for this.
Vienna Meats? or similar deli in Scarborough?
I did get some, at the Polish deli called Kmicic at Warden and Ellesmere as per your earlier recommendation. Thanks for the tip! It's a great place. They have several kinds of kielbassa, vats of two different kinds of home made pickles, and another of sauerkraut.. Also wonderfully fresh plum donuts that didn't even make it out of the parking lot.
I will definitely check out Diana's Seafood too as it's closer to me. And not too far from Arz, by my reckoning?
Vienna Meats? or similar deli in Scarborough?
Does anyone have any information on Vienna Meats at Birchmount and Eglinton as to when they might be reopening? They had a spectacular fire in December and have been closed ever since. It's a huge loss to their wide community of deli addicts, especially at Easter when they would typically feed our need for German chocolate bunnies, ladybugs and eggs.
Failing that, can anyone recommend a good European deli accessible to southwestern Scarborough? Specifically, I'm looking for pickled herring and that fake red and black caviar that comes in little glass jars, a.k.a. fish roe. I already tried Grumbel's, and they had neither. I'm trying to avoid having to make the long trip back to Roncesvalles, but I guess I can do that if I have to ... I also need some good kielbasa.
C5 – a room with a view and Afternoon Tea too (lengthy review + pics)
Sorry you had that experience, Rabbit! It never feels good. However, thanks for the tip about the Park Hyatt, it's a good alternative.
C5 – a room with a view and Afternoon Tea too (lengthy review + pics)
It's unfortunate, because otherwise I would have been back in a New York minute ... as it is, I'll probably hold off for a while. I have a membership to the ROM, so might have become a frequent customer. Maybe shoulda joined the AGO instead! :)
C5 – a room with a view and Afternoon Tea too (lengthy review + pics)
I had tea there on Friday -- the $25 version -- and it was very good. The online menu is indeed not current -- the "sandwich" layer of our three tiers consisted of a ham and smoked gouda profiterole, and two squares of glazed puff pastry: one with smoked mackerel, and one with caramelized leek. The second tier held two scones (I agree, they're not what come to mind when I think of scones, but I preferred them -- much flakier and less doughy), an apple square and a brownie. On top were two bowls with pineapple preserve and devon cream. The portions sizes for these were really a bit ridiculous -- the devon cream was artfully balanced on the tinest possible dessert spoon inside the bowl, and there was only slightly more of the preserve. This was for two people. Come on, guys -- devon cream isn't *that* expensive! All the food was excellent and, though the portion sizes were small, the quiche starter was substantial enough that the meal felt balanced and sufficient. Service was prompt, efficient and friendly.
My only quibble would be that when I made the reservation, I requested a window table. Instead we were shown to a table in the middle of the room. When I asked if we could sit next to the window, the hostess said, "No, I'm afraid that isn't possible right now." I assumed that the empty window tables were reserved for others. However, they remained vacant the entire two hours we spent there! Who were they expecting, the Queen? *sigh* It would have been nice to be able to enjoy what was really a very nice experience without feeling slightly aggrieved. It would have cost the restaurant nothing to have accommodated our request, and would have bought a more than proportional amount of goodwill. Instead, it seemed purely capricious and a little insulting.
Combermere/Barry's Bay Area
Thanks, that's good to hear. I'm sorry, MargieEv, I've never been to the Combermere market. Some of the links say it's Saturdays from 8-12, while others say it's open Mondays and Tuesdays as well: http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/MarketDetails.cfm?uMarketID=41
Please report back if you go ... I hope the weather is fine for you.
Combermere/Barry's Bay Area
I'm so happy to see this thread! We will be up in that area soon. Madonna House is definitely worth a visit - FYI it's closed Sundays. My favourite restaurant in Wilno is The Station House (I think it may be called the Red Canoe Lounge now, but I could have that wrong), which is a bit pricer than the Wilno Tavern but excellent. If the weather is nice, their outdoor patio out back has a lovely view. Further east, the Golden Sands in Deacon has been revamped by new management and the food is supposed to be very good.
Sol de Oro, anyone?
Things are really looking up in my neighbourhood - there's a new Mexican restaurant called Sol de Oro on Kingston Road near Midland, across from the No Frills plaza! Be still mine heart ... Has anyone been yet?
I need good food in the Midland & Kingston Rd., Toronto [Moved from Canada board]
There's an application for a liquor license in the window of what looks like a Mexican restaurant-to-be on Kingston Road -- same block as JJJerk, Cosy Hungarian and Vincent's Place. Things are looking up.
