deepcreek's Profile
Olive & Lemon, addio senza rancor...
...though in truth I was never much of a fan. Anyone know anything about the new resto going in at Harbord and Major? Called "Loire Casual Gourmet" apparently...
Grad student supper around U of T-- hypothetical question
Harbord House (formerly Rowers) on Harbord between Major and Brunswick. Great selection of microbrews, good food, reasonably priced -- with at least a few vegetarian options on the menu. No loud music like the Duke or the Bedford (showing my age here...), which might be helpful for group discussion.
rescue my cream cheese frosting
I'm not sure whether it's because: a) I used a too-soft cheese (one of those in a plastic tub, rather than a brick of Philadelphia), or b) it wasn't cold enough, or c) I overbeat it, or d) all of the above...but my cream cheese frosting now has the consistency of melted ice cream, even after a night in the fridge. Any ideas how I can fix it? I have visions of it sliding right down the sides of the cake, pooling on the platter, and drooling onto the floor... And that's just not pretty. Thanks!
Where can I get the best Hamburger Buns?
Some people might find them chewy, but I like a Portuguese Pada or Papaseco for my burgers. If you go to Brisa do Luz (?) on Bloor west of Dufferin, they bake them fresh throughout the day.
Berliner Doughnuts
Purists will dispute this, but aren't Berliners pretty much the same as Paczki, the Polish filled doughnuts? In which case, you might try any of the great Polish bakeries on Roncesvalles.
Abba Herring
I quite like this place, but I can never get out without buying nearly one of everything! And then I end up forgetting what I've bought. Occurs to me suddenly that I probably still have a can of their Norwegian fish balls in my cupboard...(actress/bishop etc.)
Abba Herring
Thanks – I've been meaning to try to get out there. I'm sure Brandt is great, and it's certainly closer than Denninger's (which I truly am fond of). I'm still hoping to find a source closer than Etobicoke...
Abba Herring
I picked up a couple of jars of Abba Herring while at a Denninger's in Hamilton a few weeks back, and remembered how much I like it (I got a garlic cream sauce, and an aquavit marinade with orange peel). Anybody know where I can get more in downtown T.O.?
Farmers' Markets 2008
The Annex is getting a market this year, to be held in the Green P parking lot near Bathurst and Bloor, probably on a midweek afternoon.
Anyone Been to Pastis LATELY?
We ate there this past Saturday. It was hopping – in fact our only complaint was that it was just too noisy to have a conversation.
The food was good and reasonably priced. The wine list, on the other hand, was more high-end than the menu and casual ambiance might lead one to expect, with no bottles under $55 (I'm going by memory here, so correct me someone if I'm wrong). Even the wines by the glass were all around $14+.
The service was wonderful – friendly, fast and efficient, despite the crowd.
We agreed we'd go again if we lived nearby, but don't think we need to make a special trip. I've had better meals at Tati and Midi for the same or less money.
Icelandic chocolate bars
OK – so it's a long shot, but:
Anybody know of a store in the GTA that sells Icelandic chocolate bars, in particular my favourite, "Thristur"? It's basically chocolate covered black licorice, and completely addictive...
Kensington Kitchen Closed
We tried it out last night, and I'm happy to say that Tati has the makings of a great neighbourhood bistro. Two salads to start: roasted beets with greens and almonds, and a frisée with lardons and roquefort. Both delicious, big portions. Mains were pickerel and duck confit. The pickerel was great, with a nice lemony garlic sauce. The confit was good too, but the skin hadn't been crisped – what's with that? Desserts were a chocolate terrine and lemon tart. Terrine was good, but had an accompanying tuile that could actually have tiled a roof. Lemon tart filling was beautifully balanced – lots of citrus, rich but not eggy. Its crust was, alas, merely utilitarian, and not delicious on its own. Lots of wines by the glass, which was great. Prices seemed reasonable: total for 2 (with three glasses of wine) $125 (incl. tip). Service was friendly and efficient – all very smooth, especially given they've only been open a few weeks and were quite busy.
looking 4 martha wright
She has, I'm told, taken a "high paying, low stress, nice hours job with a Toronto family as their private chef ..."
Kensington Kitchen gone
Hadn't eatent there in a decade or more (despite living right in the neighbourhood), so I'm not exactly in mourning over the news, but – anyone know what happened?
And, more to the point: anyone know what's going in?
Source for Fresh Wasabi root (GTA)?
Pacific Coast Wasabi in BC sells fresh sawa (semi-aquatic) wasabi for $220/kilo + shipping - more expensive if you order less.
They also have field-grown (oka) wasabi, for $160/kilo fresh or $110-$130/100 g. freeze-dried, which "lasts forever in the freezer and delivers much of the fresh wasabi flavour with less hassle" [according to an article in "The Art of Eating", April, 2007).
604 351 0969 or wasabia.ca
ISO queso fresco and small flour tortillas (fresh)
OK, not what you're looking for, and not appropriate to this board, but: flour tortillas are ridiculously easy (and cheap) to make at home. You won't get fresher!
Indus Junction on Queen St. West
Agree that Banjara is a decided step up from any Indian food I've ever found in T.O. And agree that it's not much for ambiance.
But it's not in Bloor West Village – just west of Christie Pits, actually, in a former Coffee Time Donuts, latterly Coffee Tip (!) Donuts...
wedding lunch (ceremony + reception) - possible restaurant ideas required
What about The Grill at Hart House? You could rent the Music Room or some other space for the ceremony, have champagne & hors d'oeuvres in the bar, then sit down for lunch in the restaurant overlooking the Great Hall and the HH quad. I know they're OK with the cake – a friend who had her reception there brought one in. Can't imagine they'd kick about the flowers...
Fried Chicken Craving!
It's been discussed on this board before, I think... but what about Ajuker Fried Chicken on Bloor east of Christie? You can have it either 'naked' or with a delicious sticky salty-sweet-spicy Korean sauce. Cheap too!
Great Bakery in downtown Toronto?
The two bakeries I can think of within walking distance that are actually worth the walk are Clafouti on Queen (across from Trinity-Bellwoods park) and the Brick Street Bakery in the Distillery District. Either area is worth a pilgrimage from Church and King, especially on a fine Toronto summer morning. Nice baked goods on arrival merely a bonus.
Anniversary Dinner -- Please Help
We had a great anniversary dinner last night at Matahari Grill on Baldwin Street. It's a nice room, crisp and modern with tablecloths and nice place settings, but it's not at all formal. We felt fine dressed in jeans and shorts. (And shirts). Great service – friendly and professional. We both thought the food was fantastic, and it looks like there would be enough options to satisfy a hungry pair of vegetarians. The cuisine is Malaysian – sort of Thai but with an Indo-Chinese inflection. We're going back before our next anniversary!
-----
Matahari
39 Baldwin Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1L1, CA
Gelatin sheets downtown
Dinah's Cupboard usually has them (Cumberland between Yonge and Bay)...
Wedding Rehearsal dinner ideas?
Thanks for all the great ideas.
A few more details for those who asked: the dinner will be in a small town in Saskatchewan (in the Canadian prairies), so no Whole Foods or anything similar within reasonable driving distance... in fact, no stores at all within half and hour...
And my brother will be my sous-chef, so he's not trying to evade his parental obligations!
Wedding Rehearsal dinner ideas?
My nephew is getting married in a few weeks, and my brother has just informed me that my duties include cooking the post-rehearsal dinner for the wedding party, family and friends (probably about 30 people).
I don't mind, but the catch is: I only fly into town the night before, and will have to do all the shopping and cooking on the day.
We won't know exactly what time dinner will be served, so I need to make something that can sit pretty much indefinitely.
Any suggestions will be more than gratefully received!
Cluck, Grunt and Gone?
What's happening at the corner of Bloor and Walmer? Has Cluck, Grunt and Low Up and Gone?
A place like Batifole, but not Batifole!
Midi on McCaul. Not the city's most wide-ranging menu – but genuine bistro food at a very reasonable price. Or, as suggested elsewhere, Le Paradis.
Anything close to Romanian in T.O
I was at Madera last week for the first time, and will definitely go back. I went with a Macedonian friend, who did the ordering. Everything we had was fantastic, and we tried a lot of different things. He says the food is exactly the way it is in Macedonia. My favourites were the red pepper dip and the beans, but all the meats were delicious too. And the cabbage salad. And the potatoes. And everything else.
UofT area for dinner
Messis at Harbord and Robert (two blocks west from Robarts) would be my recommendation – it's all the things you're looking for, and it's remarkably consistent.
El Jacalo - anyone tried it?? (bloor, just east of dufferin)
We went to El Jacal before Christmas sometime. It is indeed a restaurant, and larger than you might imagine. The service was friendly, the portions were ample, but we found it all a bit underpowered. Or maybe they toned it down for us, thinking we couldn't stand the heat? Our favourite was the carnitas tacos. They also, I remember, sell carnitas by the kilo – which is dangerous information...
