Snarf's Profile
Shakey's Bloor West
Another establishment named after a former Leaf, which, after a succession of owners, has become a decent neighbourhood sports bar quietly serving some of the best basic pub food in the city. The burger is juicy from being properly cooked well chosen and ground meat, and the attention to spice and detail on the balance of the menu is very good.
"New" Little Anthony's at Richmond & York
Laughed at the comment in the second link, a lawyers blog, that a negative was a 'golden years' crowd. Nothing worse than an angry hipster.
Latest Charlie Burger
Reminds me that a few short years ago, they were decried here as a scam that might not be cleanly. Kudos for trying a menu like this. Were it not already a splurge year to date, I would ante up. Anyone going?
tacos within walking distance of kensington market area
Who is doing Perola's back these days? Last time I went, it was the gent from Mexicanada, and read somewhere recently that that had changed again.
Bulk green peppercorns
If you are referring to pickled ones in jars, I have bought some at House of Spice, and seen them in T and T, good sized resealable jar (quart?) for what should be well under 10$. When you get them in such a large quantity you feel less constrained with having some fun with them. Good success with them in spice pastes or bbqs.
Zee Grill - (relatively) kid-friendly?
Run by decent people. But there are 3 year olds, and then there are 3 year olds.... I would check the menu, then call them to see if they have flexibility if you need to vary anything. Don't recall the menu having many options that the average kid would go for. Pizza place on same block might be better option, though quite loud at that time.
Oropomodoro - Wood Oven Pizza in Windsor and on a trailer at a festival near you in Ontario...
I think this trailer was at the Bloor West festival last summer/fall.
Any great porchetta places in GTA
Locomotive on Dundas West in the Junction. Beautifully tender, nice availability of toppings and options.
Dinner at Haisai, Singhampton near Collingwood
Background: Haisai is a restaurant and bakery in Singhampton, a small village near Collingwood. It is part of an apprenticeship program that Michael Stadtlander runs that also includes Eigensinn Farm, and involves a farm to table education for the apprentices, and a more involved culinary path. The current chefs who are following the culiary path are Jorg Neth and Marita Gomez, who were previously working for Alfred Klink, a Michelin-starred chef with a lengthy career in some of the better European hotels, and one of Stadtlander's early mentors.
The restaurant consists of one large room with a rustic fireplace, handmade furniture, and decoration that evokes Spanish surrealism, with a bit of an Ontario twist.
The greeting is effusive, the menu daily and prix fixe, with four or five courses for $75 or $90; and the ingredients are for the most part sourced, grown or raised locally. The grown or raised locally probably has something to do with the pricing, as much of it comes from the farm.
After a simple oyster amuse, the charcuterie tray arrived. Lightly braised beef heart slices over wilted red cabbage, crusted deep-fried head cheese on a bed of simple greens, pork fat (called ironically schmalz) with onions and croutons balancing the texture, and a terrine of duck liver on smoked beef tongue in a gelee of gewurtztraminer. Firing on all cylinders in terms of presentation, taste and variety at this point.
Will flesh out the rest of it through edits, but wanted to get it started.
Trio Wood Fired Pizza, Yonge and Lawrence
I haven't been to Trio in a number of months, so can't comment on any price increases on the wine list, but I can put my two cents in about another relatively newish place called Falasca on Yonge south of Eg, same block as the Trek store. Their menu has none of the escalating dishes or wines that take a meal way out of the budget, and the pies are pretty special. Thin crust that doesn't get too mushy in the middle, nice selection of Bruschetta for starters, a few fritti and some pasta dishes, Some might find the wine and beer list (3 Italian brews and one of each colour and texture in the wine department) a little light, but the food quality makes up for it in my mind. Same folks own the gelato shop across the street. Lunch is by the slice only, full menu at dinner.
Where to buy great Andouille & Chorizo Sausage in Toronto?
Segovia Meats has been mentioned for Chorizo. They are Colombians who make many varieties of South and Central American styles of chorizo, as well as a Mexican. They are uncooked, and uniformly delicious. Many of the smaller Mexican cantina style places in the city make their own chorizo that they will sell as well, such as El Trompo. For dried, smoked styles, Pimenton carries a couple of varieties, including one that is made from Iberico pigs, and a small place in Sharbot Lake does a nice version that is available from some small purveyors such as Easton's (I think places like Olliffe also carry them, but the snob premium is huge).
Hankering for paella and spanish Iberico
Decent paella at Torito. Pimenton has some sausage made from Iberico ham, but you might want to try some of the other high end places to find the ham itself.
La Societe Bistro
I wanted to like this place. Really. From the eager reception you get without a reservation in the heat of Sunday brunch (together with an abbreviated five minute wait), to the very attentive waiter with the CBC Parisen accent (you may remember him from such other accents as Smiling Keg Guy, Terroni no Substitutions, and Would You Like that Supersized?), you know that they have been trained to make you feel like taking a crowbar to the recession clip on the wallet and strapping on a multi-course Gallic feedbag. The presentation of the place is beautiful, and the attention to detail goes a long way, but seems to stop somewhere between menu design and execution. The ingredients are right for the classic French Onion soup, but the cheese combination seems to bland, and melted, rather than baked. The burger (yes, I did. Hell, if it's on the menu, they should be prepared to stand by it) was perfectly cooked, but it was going to dry while still healthily pink (too lean?). The counter point of the undersized brioche bun left one handling either knife and fork, or bare-handing the meat, neither of which seemed right.
The crowd seemed to be many groups of families or glammed up post-hipsters who appeared to be genuinely enjoying the scene. Maybe this is the new Fran's.
Where are you still eating that you were 20 years ago and is still good?
Comes down to value. Their list is posted, and contains many reasonable treasures. If you have some of your own, your savings could be huge. If you would be bringing in something current, you are looking at around three times markup.
Where are you still eating that you were 20 years ago and is still good?
Off slightly on the dates. Mistura opened in 1997. Massimo was still at Prego in 91.
ISO Best Pasta Sauce commonly available in Toronto
Yes, they do, but it's not in the regular rotation, and their sauces are only available select days of the week.
Fresh green peppercorn
I've seen jars of green peppercorns on the stem. They're not in oil, and the pickling seems extremely mild if that's how they're preserved. I think I got them at the House of Spice on Augusta, and the price per jar was fractional of the price for the expensive little cans.
Susur used to use fresh pepper berries in some presentations, if the above won't work, you might give them a shout to ask their sources.
Jane Update?
Have been spending more time in the junction lately, have a few discoveries, and looking for more.
Mad Mexican - Their production facility is behind a storefront a few doors down from Annette. They are mulling over plans to consider something else in the area, and are encouraging locals with discounted products that the nice young lady in the office in the front will sell. When you consider that their salsas go for as much as 10$ per at the more expensive parts of town, the discount prices here are very decent.
On Cue - One of the last billiard halls in the city, with a bar at the front, and a kitchen that puts out Ukrainian staples on request. Haven't tried the food, but the selection of microbrews puts this ahead of most of the pubs in the area easily, and they play good blues.
Patisserie 27 - Very minimal signage, on Jane doors north of Annette, they make lovely looking french pastries, baguettes, some artisanal breads, and respectable croissants and pain au chocolats. (the one with caramelized banana is a nice surprise).
There also appear to be a few new places, such as an unlicensed Mexican, and a coffee shop south of Annette worth checking out.
Pubs 2011
I'm guessing you haven't actually been, as you're completely off the mark.
Il Posto- anyone been
The food is very good, nicely executed with good presentations. Very competent with fish and seafood, very nicely made house stuffed pastas, and some of the desserts are still made by the original owner herself. They are also generally very accomodating if you want to sub ingredients or sauces, or have a particular request. On the higher end of the scale for Italian, but not so much when you think it's Yorkvllle. Good, well chosen wine list, and waiters who have been there for years and provide classical efficient service.
ISO Shark Fin Soup
Are there any places that use the Shan Tong broth in other preperations? My perception of shark fin is flavourless cartilagey nastiness. If I want to crunch cartilage, I'd rather go shopping on boxing day.
Michaelos Fine Foods
On Eglinton, next to the Unicorn. Drove by today and noticed the signage. Has anyone been?
Okko fine foods - where Autogrill used to be on Eglinton
Pretty good for what they are trying to do. Nice looking meats, selection of daily prepared foods, and a sandwich counter that has a number of fresh selections that they will also toast or press for you. Meat prices way below the Healthy Butcher, and the prepared food looks better.
Good meatballs
Pasta Pantry on Yonge north of Davisville. Beefy, spicy, with good tomato sauce. Pastisissima also has nice ones that are a mixture of meats.
toronto's best/most authentic paella....
Torito does a nice one.
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Torito
276 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T2L9, CA
Haliburton Highlands
Key point, last time I was there, Arowhon wasn't licenced, so one needs to bring one's own. Would be horrible to dine on good food without wine.
