Rabbit's Profile
What is shortenin' bread??
Like in the song "mama's little baby loves shortenin' bread"? I did a quick google search but came up with conflicting answers and didn't know how to sort truth from fiction... so I thought I would ask the hounds.
Anyone??
west end TO resto
Is Mildred's Temple Kitchen too far east? They have parking since you'll both be driving and they do a reasonably good lunch (patio space should be open soon).
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Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Avenue, Toronto, ON M6K 3S3, CA
Good restaurant in toronto to go out with another couple
I thought of Quince too... although I haven't been there in a long while either.
The Rushton, Malena or L'Unita, the Universal Grill??
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Universal Grill
1071 Shaw St, Toronto, ON M6G3N4, CA
L'Unita
134 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON M5R2H6, CA
Rushton
740 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M6C1B3, CA
Cafe / Espresso Bars that use Rice Milk
I know this is gross, but which cafes and/or espresso bars use rice milk?
I am on a restrictive diet for the next few weeks and I can't have dairy or soy or almond milk so this is the only choice. Help!
Salt Wine Bar a real find! tapas for canivores. We will be back!
I'm going to sound like a dissenting voice on this thread, but I found Salt very disappointing.
On the positive side, the room is beautiful and our service was excellent all night (kudos to the busy barkeep since we ate at the bar). On the not-so-positive side, the food...
I thought this place was originally billing itself as a wine bar, but there were only five selections of red by the glass, and they were out of one. I ended up drinking a $15 Portuguese red, the most expensive of the options, and it was fine. They do have a nice cocktail list (some silly names aside) and they looked nicely executed with fresh squeezed juice. On another night, I would have been tempted to try a marg.
We started with the pata negra and I knew we were in trouble when it came out on a long rectangular plate with two very thin slices of flat bread. The presentation was just too precious. We asked for some bread and were told that we could buy some baguette, which came with some (mediocre) hummus. Given that this place is spitting distance from some of the best Portuguese bakeries in the city this silly little baguette was a mockery and paying for maybe three inches of bread was insulting. The garlic shrimp were nice and fat, but while this dish is traditionally a big, buttery mess (and more delicious because of this), Salt sent out their shrimp in a line of five specimen down the same over-sized plates. They tasted OK. Same goes for the cod croquettes which were a bit mushy. Sardines and oyster mushrooms (two separate dishes) were both served on toast which made our order seem a bit redundant. Both were again merely OK. Frites were actually quite good, but we only ordered them out of desperation because we needed some food to sop up the vino. $125 in we were still really hungry and not interested in seeing the churros sanitized and pg-rated, so we trundled off to the Drake bbq where we are becoming regulars.
In short, when I go to Torito I want to head back to Spain. The food is authentic, satisfying, fun and interesting. At Salt the room is gorgeous and the menu looked right, but it felt like the food had been simultaneously gussied up and yet dumbed down (and yes, I recognize that the pedigree is technically more Portuguese than Spanish). I would not recommend since I think this place is style over substance.
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Torito
276 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T2L9, CA
Enoteca Sociale or Campagnolo ?
We made our first visit to Enoteca last night. The meal was thoroughly enjoyable save one hiccup, and we look forward to returning.
We arrived without a reservation and were offered a seat at the communal table or the bar. We opted for the bar since we often prefer to bar to table anyhow. Our server was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and personable and offered excellent hospitality all night... especially in his wine recommendations (we worked our way through about three different varieties of by-the-glass pours).
Mr. Rabbit opted for the $45 tasting menu (5 courses plus your choice of contorni) and I ordered three dishes of my own (anticipating some picking from his plates). We started with two kinds of bread, a rosemary loaf and some country bread and Mr. Rab's antipasti came out - a grilled cheese sandwich avec sardine, some olives, eggplant, and a little arugula salad. It was a pretty plate with a nice melange of flavours and textures and a very respectable portion size.
Mr. Rab's pasta was a sweet potato ravioli with brown butter and sage. It was delicious, but perhaps too dessert-like for some. He swapped halfway through for my papardelle with sausage and olives. The pasta on both plates was relatively delicate and light even while the sauces had suitable grativas. I would order either of these dishes again.
My main was oxtail with polenta. The meat was rich and delectable, although I am often frustrated by some of the pick and pecking involved with getting all the meat from oxtail (this is a personal comment, no slight on the preparation). Mr. Rab had a braised pork shoulder in a tomato sauce with white beans along with a salad of beets, greens, and some stracciatella with balsamic - a tasty salad, and again good portion sizes all around.
We supplemented Mr. Rab's cheese course with a Quebecois blue. The cheese board came with toasts, honey, pecans and a house made jam. And finally we had an olive oil cake with poached pears and fresh whipped cream - a light but satisfying finish.
The cheque came to $160 with tax before tip and felt well worth it.
There was really no sour note in the whole meal... except for a bit of weirdness instigated by another patron. The house was pretty full and at a nearby table of six one chair seemed to be occupied by an apple laptop. This computer sat open and running on the table for pretty much the entire meal. One of the party would check it periodically. At one point there was an exasperated hunt and pecking for an outlet. I found this extremely annoying. Somehow having this intrusive bit of technology in my face slowly turned my stomach sour and by the end of the evening I was downright annoyed. I have (mostly) learned to deal with the rude reality of pathological texters at restaurants, but having a computer parked on a table was just too much. It definitely changed the energy in the room for me, and much for the worse. Perhaps it's because I'm parked in front of a computer for most of the day, but having one glaring at me at dinner was icky. It felt like someone smoking a cigar just across the way.
I still look forward to going back to Enoteca, but this incident did make me wish that management had stepped up to protect the loveliness of their establishment and to shelter us from people who Don't Know Better.
comfy *and* really good?
Tutti Matti, Noce, and Malena all seem like good suggestions. I also think Le Select might suit if you're OK with French. Starfish is an old standby for me too.
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Tutti Matti
364 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5V1R7, CA
Le Select
432 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V1E3, CA
Noce
875 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J1G5, CA
Romantic Dinner - - Staying at the Sheraton on Queen St
Maybe Mistura for high-end Italian, although I'm not positive whether it's open on Monday. It is a reasonable cab ride from your hotel. I also like L'Unita and Tutti Matti (the second is a reasonable walk from your hotel, but it gets mixed reviews around here).
For French I like Le Select, but it's a neighbourhood bistro-y spot and perhaps not as occasion-worthy as you might like. I do think it's romantic (ask for a booth). Le Select is also a short cab ride or a 15-20 minute walk from the Sheraton. I would describe it as both tasty and cozy. I love drinking champers at the zinc bar to start.
And what do you mean by "herb air"... I'm guessing that you're talking about those newfangled hipster outposts, non?
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Mistura
265 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R1J9, CA
Le Select
432 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V1E3, CA
Live Lobsters - West End/Etobicoke?
Can anyone recommend a good fish market where I can buy live lobsters in the west end / Etobicoke?
We want to do lobster cocktail for Christmas eve and I need to source the crustaceans. We've recently moved and I would like to find a fish market close to the new homestead.
Gift certificate for a wine-knowledegable Toronto restaurant
Eight is a the bar at the Cosmopolitan, which is a little boutique hotel in the downtown core. Location would be great for your sister. It has prices probably comparable to Red's. It's not my personal favorite, but I have had some pretty luck there all the same.
Wine Bar is the former Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar. Kennedy is a local "celebrity chef" and he was doing the small plate thing at his wine bar before small plates were really a thing around here. It used to be one of my favorite restaurants in town, but I haven't been since ownership changed
Unless your sister is into exploring new neighbourhoods, I would probably pick something that has the convenience factor of popping by after work since Leslieville (Swirl territory) and Parkdale (CT territory) are both significant jaunts. Caren's is less so because it is on the subway line.
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Jamie Kennedy
9 Church St, Toronto, ON M5E1M2, CA
Gift certificate for a wine-knowledegable Toronto restaurant
Excellent choice... I forgot about Caren's!
Gift certificate for a wine-knowledegable Toronto restaurant
How old is your sister... and do you know where she lives in Toronto.
A $75 gift certificate at Cafe Taste (www.cafetaste.ca) or Swirl (www.swirltoronto.com) would actually be a pretty decent night. These are shabby chic sort of neighbourhood spots in the west and east ends of Toronto, respectively.
Crush Wine Bar (www.crushwinebar.ca) is more upscale and also in a more central downtown location. Red's (www.redsbistro.com) has a very corporate feel, but they have a have a big list and if she's a Bay Streeter then $75 would still get her a couple of glasses and a nice appetizer or two.
If you wanted to go the restaurant/wine bar route you could check out Enoteca Sociale (www.sociale.ca). The newly re-opened Salt Wine Bar is also getting pretty good press.
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Cafe Taste
1330 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6K, CA
Enoteca Sociale
1288 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J, CA
Crush Wine Bar
455 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1K4, CA
decadent, funky business lunch
What about Origin (I haven't been yet, but reports are generally positive)?
Nota Bene has a less corporate feel that those corporate-type restaurants, especially if you sit in the bar area.
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Nota Bene
180 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 2A1, CA
Nice Dinner with kids downtown, where to go after the Nutcracker?
Second JennaBean's suggestion. And Le Select is not un-fancy... there are no paper napkins, you can get an excellent bottle of wine, and the kiddie menu respects that children can eat real bistro food and not just chicken fingers and macaroni. I think it's a great choice!
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Le Select
432 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V1E3, CA
Winterlicious 2011 menus are out
I agree that Mistura has a nice menu. Red's also has a good lineup. But both of these spots are on the $45 list. I'd rather just throw in an extra $20 and get what I really want on a non 'licious night.
93 Harbord also looks quite decent with real items from the real grown-up menu.
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Mistura
265 Davenport Rd, Toronto, ON M5R1J9, CA
French or Italian restaurant close to the CN Tower / Royal York Hotel?
French - Biff's or possibly Le Select (which is not too far from the tower).
Italian - Tutti Matti or Mercatto on Bay.
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Tutti Matti
364 Adelaide St W, Toronto, ON M5V1R7, CA
Le Select
432 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V1E3, CA
Mercatto
15 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2E3, CA
Mildred's Temple Kitchen - What a Disappointment
We were there last Saturday and sat at the bar for an early dinner.
We had the octopus appetizer in spicy tomato sauce, which was really great... fat bits of seafood and two generous pieces of nicely toasted bread. Mr. Rabbit had the burger, which was perfectly respectable. I had the steak, which comes with a baked potato and bbq sauce - again satisfying and nicely done. These are admittedly unimaginative choices, but we were having a back-to-basics night. We finished with the apple cake, which was really nicely done with ice cream and a goat's milk dulce de leche.
The cocktail list is interesting and nicely executed, the space is pleasant, and our service was very good. I was pleased (not blown away, but perfectly satisfied). After our evening I also considered the Groupon coupon but we have a new baby so we are having trouble getting out and about these days and I don't want it to go to waste.
Toronto - Lunch on Saturday
I second CC's rec for Mercatto, which I also much prefer to Terroni. In short, it's more "grown up."
Finally, while I do not think it's all that great Le Papillon might work for your group.
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Mercatto
15 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2E3, CA
Le Papillon
69 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E1B5, CA
Looking for Pub in Downtown Core to take out of town customer
Yep... second JennaBean's rec for Q&B.
I haven't been to PJ O'Brien in a long time, but it might be another non-Firkin option.
Looking for a good restaurant around the Drake Hotel
Mildred's Temple Kitchen takes you off the Queen Street strip, but it is only 10-15 minutes walking or a 5 minute cab ride from the Drake. It has a slightly different vibe than the WQW/Os restaurants... especially on the 905-weekends.
The winter menu at the Drake actually looks pretty great. We are going to try to get there soon to check it out.
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Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Avenue, Toronto, ON M6K 3S3, CA
Caffino (King and Dufferin)... any information?
We had someone suggest Caffino for a celebratory dinner with the family. We heard it was great, but I'm uncertain as to the reliability of our source. I can't find much information on the place around here. The menu seems boring to me, but if the execution is excellent then perhaps I'm overlooking a spot where fairly basic dishes are done well. Anyone??
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Caffino
1185 King St W, Toronto, ON M6K3C5, CA
Saturday afternoon date... cocktails and snacks (Parkdale/Queen W.)
We ended up at the bar at Mildred's Temple Kitchen and had a good evening.
The room was quite empty when we arrived, but they had a nice crowd by the time we left. The octopus appetizer is fab - really fat seafood and a slightly spicy tomato sauce with grilled bread. I had steak with a baked potato, which is not all that exciting but was exactly what I wanted... sometimes I just need a slab of protein. Mr. Rabbit had the burger and he was totally satisfied. We split an apple cake for dessert, which came with a memorable dulce de leche sauce. Very pleasant service at the bar. It wasn't something new for us, but it's a reliable standby and a good choice in the area which we do often recommend to others. Very respectable bartending with some interesting cocktail options too.
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Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Avenue, Toronto, ON M6K 3S3, CA
Looking for a good restaurant around the Drake Hotel
Price, atmosphere, type of food... if this is in conjunction with the birthday celebration you might consider Nyood.
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Nyood
1096 Queen West, Toronto, ON M6J 1H9, CA
Saturday afternoon date... cocktails and snacks (Parkdale/Queen W.)
The Rabbitz are getting out of baby jail and going on a date without our new third wheel!!
We're looking for a spot for late afternoon cocktails and snacks today. I would love to try someplace new and I'm looking for a few venue suggestions.
Geography: Parkdale, Queen West, Ossington... possibly Liberty Village or Roncy.
Atmosphere: the kind of place where you can sit at the bar and linger... perhaps something not unlike the Drake (but not the Drake). Not interested in places where style prevails over substance.
Price: doesn't matter
Food: We're looking for apps and snacks rather than dinner, but this will probably be in lieu of dinner so the menu needs to be a bit substantive. Good mixology would be a great bonus.
The catch: a lot of places don't open until 6:00 and we're heading out earlier... 5:00-ish.
Thanks in advance for all feedback... Rab-bit!
Grocery Shopping Around Simcoe Street and University Avenue
I just moved from Simcoe and University. It feels like there should be a reasonable shopping option in the immediate area... but the fact of the matter is that there is a lot of great stuff within 15-20 minutes and nothing-much in the direct vicinity. Here are your options:
1. The St. Lawrence Market and the Metro on Front are a 15-20 minute walk and have everything you need. The North market on Saturdays is particularly delightful.
2. Chinatown is 10-15 minutes and good for some fruits and vegetables and Asian grocery items. Kensington is about five minutes further afield and good for fruits, veggies, natural and organic food products, and some meat/fish (depending on your taste).
3. The Fresh and Wild at King and Spadina (across from your closest LCBO) is not-always so fresh and typically wildly expensive, but it does in a pinch.
4. The aforementioned Longos or Sobey's (either at Queen's Quay or Spadina and Gardiner) are other grocery chain options.
Otherwise, you're stuck with sundries at the quickie mart at University and Simcoe, the convenience store at Queen and John, or miscellaneous stuff in the path. During the summer you have a Thursday market at King and John and a Wednesday market at City Hall.
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St. Lawrence Market
92 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E, CA
which resto to try next?
I was going to suggest Malena too. And toronto.com just posted their top ten for this year in case you're looking for more inspiration.
Places to Drink Solo?
Caren's Wine Bar in Yorkville is pretty cozy too... and they actually do a nice cosmo with fresh lime as well (forgive that SATC made this lovely drink a cliche).
Places to Drink Solo?
Any hotel bar... lots of diverse clientele for excellent people-watching and the bartenders are used to pouring for solo travelers.
My favorites are Avenue at the Four Seasons and the Roof at the Park Hyatt. Bonus points to these two for snacks! I also second the Library Bar... it's everything a bar should be.
The zinc bar at Le Select is another favorite.
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Le Select
432 Wellington St W, Toronto, ON M5V1E3, CA
Park Hyatt
Toronto, ON, Toronto, ON , CA
Need a celiac friendly restaurant
My aunt has celiac disease. We called ahead and spoke with the receptionist at Mildred's Temple Kitchen and apparently the chef has a relative who is also celiac so he is knowledgeable and aware of issues surrounding celiac disease. Especially if you called ahead I suspect they could accommodate and tailor entrees to accommodate your guest. They were very kind and responsive to us on the phone.
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Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Avenue, Toronto, ON M6K 3S3, CA
Beau Lieu? Looking for info on new Ossington bistro??
Finally made it to Beau Lieu!
We had a very pleasant meal and I'd recommend it as a decent choice along Ossington. Beau Lieu less scene-y and hip than some of the other spots on this strip, which we found refreshing. The room has a relaxing vibe with simple decor, dim lighting (my grandma would think it's too dark... but I don't), and French music playing at a level still hospitable to tete-a-tete conversation.
We started with a kir royale (pour moi), a bottle of their house red (a Latour pinot noir... serviceable), and some homemade baguette, which was a real treat.
The appetizer list didn't do it for me (mostly soups and salads), but Mr. Rabbit ordered the escargot, which were a classic presentation with garlic, butter, wine, and mushrooms. They smelled fabulous and Mr. Rab was pleased with his app (I can't eat snails so I can't comment firsthand).
We both ordered veal from the main menu, although there was a board of about half a dozen specials. Mr. Rabbit's sweetbreads were a very generous portion served with a side of pasta and some veg. The "red and green" sauce had a pleasing bright and verdant flavor and he finished the plate. I had the veal with apples and mushrooms in calvados sauce, plated very prettily with veg (green beans and cauliflower) and potatoes. Again, the serving was generous but not at all overwhelming and the flavours were satisfying for a November night but not too rich. Both entrees were $26 and reasonable value for the money.
I had read about BL's desserts (the tartes, in particular). We tried the blueberry, a daily special, which was served as a small individual tart versus a slice along with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. The blueberries were impressively fat and succulent, and while the tarte was good it didn't knock off my socks (like the fantastique tartes at Jules).
BL is a nice addition to the strip and we're happy to have some authentic French bistro cooking in the neighbourhood. I expect we will be back, but not before we try a few of the other options (we recently moved to this area and we're still exploring our new locals).
The restaurant was quiet, but it filled up as the evening wore on (we were there on the early side). Service was warm, efficient and genuinely French (for whatever that's worth).
www.beaulieubistro.com
