Ken Oh

The stretch of Dundas between Eaton Centre and St. Patrick’s is constantly popping up with new restaurants, and Ken Oh joined is one of its more recent additions. Closer to St. Patrick’s, the eatery is one that I’ve passed by multiple times but never went in until now *cue dramatic music* Just kidding guys, this was not a scene from a horror movie, but as a true horror-phobe it did bring to mind something a lot more appealing to me.

The decor is simple but really unique. From the style of the restaurant logo to the menu and the paintings that adorn the walls, Ken Oh is an ode to Japanese manga. Despite not knowing any of the characters on the walls, I appreciated the artwork. There was also kanji written on the walls.

Side note: If anyone recognizes them, let me know who they are! 

Menu

Their menu is quite simple. There’s curry and fried udon but the main dish is “8-Shape Bowls”, which are essentially two bowls that have udon on one bowl and a rice don in the other. My friend ordered the Buta Don while I ordered the Cyakodon (Chicken and Rice) Don and subbed out the chicken with tofu. There was sadly a lack of vegetarian options. Tip for the vegetarians: the mapo tofu don is not vegetarian! When I asked the server for recommendations she told me to get the chicken don and substitute it with tofu instead. I’m not sure what other substitutes are available, but I think the only vegetarian item on the menu is the Omelette Curry although I didn’t double-check with the waitress.

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Cyakodon (right)

I started with the udon for some warmth on a cold day. I love udon, but I found these ones a little too soft, without the chewy texture that I love. The main turnoff detractor, however, was the broth. It simply tasted overwhelmingly of soy sauce. The udon was topped with shredded radish and green onions. There were also a few small bits of kelp in the broth.

In contrast, I loved the tofu and egg don, which was like eating comfort food. Warm slightly sticky soy sauce infused rice and soft tofu. It was the perfect combination. I’m a huge fan of caramelized onions and felt that the dish could have done with a bit more since I tasted the first strand when I was already halfway through the bowl. However, the flavours melded really well together. There was egg binding the whole thing together, and the yolk was soft and delicious.  I was not a huge fan of the udon, but I would come back just to eat this. I polished it off easily and could have eaten more despite it being a good portion.

Buta Don

The buta don contained the same udon in one bowl, and then rice topped with pork and a mount of shredded ginger in the other. Despite a mild taste on its own, the taste of the ginger made its way into the pork, which was sliced thinly and flavourful. The dish didn’t really stand out to me, but my friend enjoyed it. That being said, I may not be the best critic of meat dishes since I don’t eat it on a regular basis.

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Verdict:

The concept of the 8bowl is cool but I would love to have the option to just eat the don, which I loved while I found the udon to be just so-so. They also have limited veggie options, but I would be open to coming again and asking the waitress again for help since her recommendation proved to be so good.

In addition to the excellent recommendation, we ended up staying for around two hours talking and never felt rushed to leave. As I mentioned at the beginning, I also really loved the decor and the artwork covering the walls.

 

Would I come back? For the don.

Presentation: 3/5

Portion Size: 4/5

Taste: 3.5/5 for the food

Service: 3/5

Price: $15-20 per person

 

Check out pictures of the artwork and more below:

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My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

Ramen Isshin

Now that it’s winter, all I crave is warm dishes. However, what some of you might not know now is that I’m not exactly the biggest fan of ramen. I tend not to go that often because of the lack of veggie options, and would much rather go eat other food. However, let me just say right off the bat, this ramen place gets bonus points for being able to cater to meat and non meat eaters alike.

Ramen Isshin is right off Bathurst and College, and there was a waitlist for tables when we got there despite it being almost 2 p.m. We were all starving, but thankfully the interior served as a nice distraction. In particular, they have an amazing mural that takes up an entire wall and more of the restaurant. I was so curious about the painting that I asked our server about it, who said that he painted it. Sadly, he told me he was joking after seeing my shocked face.

We were lucky enough to sit right below this majestic dragon, part of the beautiful wall mural.

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MENU

I loved their menu, for both the design and content.

It’s printed on thick, magazine style paper which makes it nice to flip through. But best of all, its extensive and the vegetarian options aren’t just an after thought. They have four veggie ramen options in addition to the usual choices of different soup bases and snacks. More impressively, they even have a page that tells people what they can/cannot order with various allergies/dietary needs.

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FOOD

 

Spicy Vegetarian Red Miso Ramen (top left)

My vegetarian ramen came with sliced bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms and wok fried ground tofu that I seriously thought was meat at first because of the texture. Despite the name, the miso soup wasn’t very spicy. It had a spicy flavour to it without any kick. The noodles were the same for each dish, chewy with a good texture and portion. Compared to the other broths, this was a lot less rich but good nonetheless.

Black Sesame Tan Tan Noodle (bottom left)

If you’re expecting traditional Chinese tan tan noodles, you’ll be disappointed. These are ramen noodles  but with a strong flavour that may be reminiscent of the name. As a neat touch, it came with a mini bowl of black sesame to grind into the bowl. The broth was very meaty, and almost thick. I couldn’t taste any spice but my friend said that there was a slight spice flavour that built the more you ate. Disclaimer: She also dug in before I took a shot, this was not how it came plated not to worry.

Isshin Red Miso Ramen (top right)

As you can see from the shot, this bowl came stacked with ingredients. We were all pretty surprised by how much toppings they gave, which seems like almost more than the amount of noodles. Included were bean sprouts, julienned carrots, wood ear mushrooms, chives, green onions and the slices of pork belly on top. This was a miso soup base like the vegetarian one, but it was a lot heavier and really strongly flavoured. My friend said it was too salty, although I couldn’t really taste it when I tried it. If you’re looking for a light meal, this is not the dish for you.

Cabbecha Cha Siu Salad (bottom right)

The salad came first and it was a great appetizer. The pieces of cabbage tasted fresh and crunchy, with a hint of sesame and a certain smokiness to it from the dressing. The cha siu, however, was surprisingly lacking in flavour compared to the cabbage. It was served cold and had a nice bite to it but not much taste to it.

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Verdict:

I surprisingly liked this place. With the exception of Marutama Ramen in Vancouver, I hadn’t  found a ramen place that I really liked until now. But in addition to the good food, I was really impressed by their menu and the care that was put into making it easier for people with different types of food allergies/dietary preferences can feel at ease. It’s these things that make places stand out. Although our server wasn’t fluent in English, he was nice and inquired after us while we were having our meal.

Would I come back? Nice decor, kind people, good food. Esther is coming back!

Presentation: 3/5

Portion Size: 4/5

Taste: 4/5

Service: 3.5/5

Price: $15-20 per person

Vegetarian approved! 

 

For more photos, check out the photo gallery below:

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My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

Alchemy Coffee

Happy New Year!

I’m in my final year of university now and just like that, my last ever first semester has passed me by. It’s been a crazy couple of months, and I’m thankful to have this winter break to relax and catch up with friends.

On this snowy day, I ventured up into the suburbs to catch up with a friend who I met two summers ago taking a dance intensive. Although we’re at different universities, we still meet up on breaks to catch up. We headed to Markham to try Alchemy Coffee, a new place that serves drinks as well as various brunch items.

I loved the decor of the café. Dark varnished tables, a blackboard menu up on the wall (with red ribbons to add a holiday touch) and a wall made up of different coloured planks nailed on top of each other added a rustic touch and cozy feel to the place. However, the reflective black counter with its stainless steel coffee machine and the lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling on metal rods gave it a modern touch. It is quite small, with around 25 seating capacity. It was filled when we went around 1’clock but funnily enough, I bumped into a friend that was finishing up their meal and they kindly gave us their seats when they left.

The menu is written in chalk on a blackboard on the wall, and you go up to the counter to order and pay. They then bring the food to your table. Ever a sucker for eggs benedict, I ordered the roasted veggie eggs benedict along with their new chai latte while my friend got the smoked salmon eggs benedict and a peaches and cream latte.

Our drinks were the first thing that came, followed shortly by the food.

Chai Latte (left)

I love chai, and chai lattes are one of the items that I always end up ordering. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one. Alchemy gets their chai from Chaiwala I believe, which is made in Toronto. I’m a big fan of supporting local businesses, but I found the aftertaste of the cardamom too strong and even with honey added the flavours didn’t meld well enough for me.

Peaches n Cream Latte (right)

My friend also added honey to her latte, which she said tasted like milk before the addition of sweetener. I tried the honey-sweetened version, which was refreshing but very mild. It tasted like milk flavoured with a hint of peach, which came as a sort of aftertaste on the tongue. I like that it wasn’t overly sweet, but I think I would have preferred to be able to taste more of the actual tea in the latte, not just the milk.

Roasted Veggies Eggs Benedict

I loved the idea behind the roasted veggies benedict. It is so creative, and it’s the first time I’ve been to a restaurant where the vegetarian option for eggs benedict has surprised me. Hollandaise sauce, poached egg, and below that a layer of shredded carrots, carmelized onions, sliced beets, brie, and then the traditional english muffin to finish. Cutting into it, the yolk was perfectly runny. At first bite, the sweetness of the onions really came through, and I thought the flavours really worked together, with the creaminess of the brie melting into the other ingredients. Although it said roasted veggies on the menu, I couldn’t really taste the distinction.

The salad was fresh, with a sweet vinaigrette that my friend and I both enjoyed. I felt a little conflicted about the home fries, roasted and halved fingerling potatoes that I initially felt really optimistic about because of how soft they were on the inside and easy to eat. But the contrast that I would expect, of a crispy exterior and fluffy interior wasn’t there. Rather, the soft texture was overly moist. I’m not sure how they did their potatoes, but if I hazard a guess I would say it was overboiling them in the initial stage and then under roasting them in the oven, which is the method I use to roast potatoes. But if they didn’t pre-boil the potatoes, then perhaps they just roasted the potatoes with too much oil so that it soaked into the interior, a much more unpleasant thought.

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

My friend enjoyed her smoked salmon eggs benedict, which came with a generous amount of smoked salmon as well as kale and portobello mushroom. She did mention that the smoked salmon was the overwhelming flavour but that she could taste the mushroom as well. I love salmon, so I enjoyed the piece that I tried, but found the coarse texture of the kale to be quite the strange addition to the mix.

Overall, I enjoyed our lunch date at Alchemy.

There was not much interaction with the people working there, but I found the service to be friendly. There’s also a corner where you can grab your own lemon water with a cute water dispenser on hand as well as stacks of glass cups.

Despite the lack of service, I found the prices to be up-to-par with other more upscale brunch restaurants in the city. But in spite of that, and the mediocre drinks, I think what makes this place special and would make me want to come back, is the ambiance.
We spent around two hours just sitting there and chatting while we ate and it was the perfect place to catch up. Around us, there were people with laptops studying as well as others meeting with friends.

For people who live in the Markham area, or for those willing to drive there, I think it’s a great spot. However, due to its location, I don’t think that I would be willing to go there on my own, especially since there are equally great chill spots downtown. I don’t drive, and just the distance and time it would take to get there would mean that it would be a planned trip, not a spontaneous trip to grab coffee with a friend or such that I could imagine this cafe would be great for.

 

Would I come back? Yes, if I was in the area.

 

Verdict:

Presentation: 3.75/5

Portion Size: 3.5/5

Taste: 3.75/5 for the food, 3/5 for the drinks

Service: 3/5

Price: $20-25 per person

 

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My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

Portland Variety

If you look up things to eat in Toronto, you’ll probably at one point or another stumble upon a list of brunch places. So naturally, when my friend’s boyfriend came to visit from NYC, we decided to head to Portland Variety after church to check out their brunch selection.

It’s right at the corner of King and Portland, and when we got there around 1 there was already a crowd of people milling around the hostess area waiting to be seated.

After leaving a phone number with the hostess, we waited around 20-25 mins. The front room of Portland Variety is a café, which has a chalkboard menu as well as a glass display of baked goods. There is no seating, but there are two tables, so we grabbed one and ended up passing the time playing Pokemon Go.

The time passed by quickly, and then before I knew it, I was getting a call from the hostess. As she was leading us into the dining area, my eyes were drawn to the gigantic skylight in the middle. It gives natural light to the room and adds a wow element. When you enter, there is a bar area to the right, and then the rest of the space has dark wooden tables. At the centre, the skylight bathes the people sitting in the centre table like a halo. It sounds dramatic, but it really is gorgeous.

They also have a patio outside with bright yellow awning to protect diners from the sun. Because of that, all the tables on the left were cast in a yellow tinge that was partially combatted by the natural light from the skylight.

Once seated, we quickly decided what to eat since we were all pretty hungry. Their brunch menu is pretty straightforward, and has a good selection of sweet and savoury dishes, some with unique names that I’ve never heard of. They have cocktails as well on the side for those wanting to start their day with a kick.

Unfortunately they ran out of Eggs Benedict, so I ordered the Fried Egg Bravas off the recommendation of the waiter, who said that it was the most similar thing.

Although there was quite a long waiting time for the waiter to take our order, our food arrived pretty quickly. My three friends ended up starting without me though, because although it arrived quickly, they forgot to omit the bacon bits from my dish. It wasn’t a big deal, but surprising since I had a long discussion with my waiter about not eating meat, and he was the one that told me to order this dish w/out the bacon. By the time my meatless edition came out I was pretty hungry, so the below shot is of the original 😛

I really liked my dish, which was definitely one that you had to mix together for optimal taste. The main component of the dish were potato chunks, which  were crispy and piping hot.  A bit dry and bland on their own, they were vastly improved eaten with the mayo drizzled on top and the slightly spicy tomato sauce layered on the bottom that I wished there was more of. Finally, it was topped with two fried eggs liberally sprinkled with paprika and garnished with micro greens. Cutting into the runny yolk and letting it drench the chunks of potato was the best decision ever. The runny yolk helped combat the dryness of the potato and made the entire dish delightfully flavourful from the generous amount of paprika. Scraping aside occasional clumps of mayo, I devoured the dish.

One of my friends got the Huevos, which arrived in a cute bowl on a wooden board with a few pieces of crispy pita sticking out of the layers of refried beans, scrambled egg and a generous amount of guacamole that the micro greens hide in the picture. Much like my dish, this was a mix of different ingredients that were made to be eaten together. The first impression I had was of how smooth everything was, the soft scrambled egg, the guacamole and the beans as well as how the hint of greens really made a difference to adding freshness to the dish. After swallowing, the spice from the beans hits your palate, a surprising but not unpleasant aftertaste. My friend also said it was very filling, and that she enjoyed it.

She also got a Vitamin C Elixir, which was actually from Fresh. It came in a glass with a wooden stirrer with a few pieces of fruit on it. I really liked the bottle that the elixir originally came in, as well as the wooden stirrer, but the drink itself was.. interesting. It tasted like carrot juice, strongly flavoured with lemon juice with an unpleasant spicy aftertaste from the cayenne that kicked in afterwards. She said it felt like her insides were getting cleaned out while drinking it, and took it as a personal challenge to finish the entire bottle (which she did!).

One of my friends ordered the Brioche French Toast, which came on a huge plate, with two square pieces of french toast stacked one on top of the other and an array of condiments in a semi-circle. There was smooth and sweet strawberry sauce, chopped up bits of strawberry, maple syrup, and a whipped cream cheese enhanced by lemon juice that was my favourite. By itself, the brioche was fluffy, with a spongy texture, and already good. But it was amazing with the whipped cream cheese, which was light and flavourful.

Lastly, my friend’s bf got the Smashed Avocado Toast. Half of the plate was filled with assorted fruit while scrambled eggs filled up another quarter. The plating was quite interesting, with the avocado filling sandwiched between two pieces of sourdough. We were quite surprised by how generous they were with the avocado. However, everything was under seasoned, and the creamy, smooth texture of the avocado spread made the blandness even more noticeable. Compared to the eggs in the Huevos, these were a lot more well-cooked and hard. He ended up not being able to finish the toast because the blandness combined with the pureed texture was too much.

I pass by Portland Variety all the time, but it was my first time actually checking it out. Other than the Smashed Avocado Toast, I think all of us were pretty pleased with our dishes. One of my go-to dishes for brunch is Eggs Benedict, so I think I would want to try that next time. I also liked the presentation of the dishes and the decor of the restaurant. However, we all felt a bit iffy about the service. We waited a very long time for our waiter to take our order and there were a bunch of little things that added up to less than stellar service. Flying droplets of water every time he poured water, dropped utensils, and the bacon situation. He was very nice, but maybe having an off day.

 

Would I come back? Yes.

 

Verdict:

Presentation: 3.5/5

Portion Size: 4/5

Taste: 3.75/5

Service: 2.75/5

Price: $20-30 per person

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

Sabai Sabai

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you might have seen one of my recent posts where I mentioned that one of my summer goals is to brush up on my Thai. And I guess I tend to go extremes sometimes, because I did absolutely nothing until this week, where I finished an entire Thai lakorn (drama) in 5 days and started learning how to read the Thai alphabet. This is why I was extra excited when plans changed and I was able to make it to dinner with my friends at Sabai Sabai right in the midst of my preoccupation with all things Thailand.

Sabai Sabai is just south of Dundas and Church, right by Ryerson University and just a 5 min walk away from Dundas subway station. Sabai means happy but it also translates to a feeling of contentment. And the reason for two of them is because in Thai, words often get repeated for emphasis.

Although it’s so close to my school, I had never actually been. The sign of the restaurant out front is not particularly eye-catching either, and I glanced up at the awning to make sure that I was at the right place. Inside, it was dim and the atmosphere felt a bit chaotic, with loud music blasting. Thankfully I spotted my friends right away, where they were seated at a table surrounded by cute decorations. Right next to where I was sitting were containers being used as decoration. Gilded miniature bowls that reminded me of temples sat next to woven sticky rice containers and above a row of bamboo cups. It was a bit random and endearing at the same time.

Since we came in a group of 6, we decided to order  a bunch of dishes to share. Their menu is split up into three categories: sides, small plates, and large plates. They also have an entire vegan menu on the flip side of their regular one, which has an extensive selection. After much deliberation, we each picked a dish, and then waited eagerly for the food to arrive.

Sides/Small Plates

The first to arrive was the minced pork lettuce wrap. The name of the dish is pretty self-explanatory–it came on a wooden board with lettuce leaves on one side and a dish containing the minced pork mixture as well as fresh mint leaves. I didn’t try this dish since I don’t eat meat, but one of my friends said that it was savoury and slightly salty. She liked it but found that it had too much basil.

We ordered the squash fritters upon the insistence of one of our friends, who had them the last time he came and said that eating these made him want to buy a deep-fryer for his place. They came in a tangled mess, strands of squash bundled together and deep-fried to crispy perfection. The sweetness of the squash came through, and I would have eaten them even without the tamarind peanut dip which added a salty contrast.

Just as I speared a piece of the deep-fried fish with my fork, and was about to dig in, I saw a long dangling strand, stuck to the deep-fried batter. I have had many unfortunate incidents with finding hair in my food, so I thought this was just another one on the list. However, after talking to my waiter who took away the plate of fish, a Thai gentleman came by to explain that it was actually a strand of fiber from the banana leaf rather than an actual human hair. So, with a new plate of fried fish placed in front of us, I did the honours of trying it out. Crisp on the outside, still hot, and with a nice flaky texture, the fish was pretty delicious.The tangy sauce added flavour to the simple dish.

We did, however, remove all the banana leaves that were used to decorate the dishes after that.

Main Dishes

Although we ordered two curries, both were vastly different from each other. The fish panang curry (left) was extra smooth, creamy from the coconut milk, and flavourful without being spicy. The pieces of fish had a melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the pairing of the flavours and textures made this my favourite dish of the night. The massaman curry (right) on the other hand was a lot sweeter with a strong taste of beef that was evident even without eating the meat itself. To me, it tasted like a soup version of beef gravy. It had chunks of potato and roasted peanuts as well as the beef, which my friends said was very tender. A few of them also commented on how much they loved the roasted peanuts.

The street-style rice noodles were full of flavour, with a good amount of sauce that kept the noodles from sticking to each other. There were bits of minced chicken interspersed in the noodles, which made it pretty hard for me to pick out the meat, but I loved the crunch from the beansprouts and it had a nice kick to me, making it the spiciest dish that we ordered. I felt like the spice only kicked in later for me though, and my initial impression was that it was quite salty.

The vegan khao soi was the only item off the vegan menu that we tried, and its actually the one that I chose. Khao soi is one of my favourite Thai dishes, because I first had it in my childhood when I was living in Chiang Mai. Now that I don’t eat meat, I typically ask for tofu and veggies substitute. When I saw that there was one available on the vegan menu with tofu, it was an instant no-brainer decision for me.

It was not a good one.

I think I didn’t fully realize what vegan khao soi would entail when I ordered it, and so my high expectations fell incredibly short once the dish arrived. From white al dente strands of garnish to the soft consistency of the rice noodles, every component of the dish was different. What I love about khao soi– the chewiness of the egg noodles, the crunchy contrast of the noodle garnish, the explosion of creamy, spicy, rich flavours, they just weren’t there. Other than the difference in texture that using egg-free ingredients made, the flavour of the dish fell flat and it was just really really disappointing. One of my friends joked that the dish wasn’t good because no animals died to make the dish. While I don’t think that’s true, I think next time I’ll stick to getting the normal one and just ask for a tofu/veggie substitute. On the plus side, it did have a lot of veggies.

Lastly, we ordered bowls of rice and coconut rice to go along with our dishes. The rice was average but I found the coconut rice a really weird texture and it was too creamy for me. However, I typically don’t eat coconut rice so I can’t really compare to others.

Overall, I did like the restaurant and I think it’s a definitely plus to come in a group so that you can try more dishes. With groups of 6 or more, they charge an automatic gratuity of 18%. Our group ended up staying around 2 hours for the meal, and they didn’t rush us or make us feel unwelcome. After having been to all the restaurants that Chef Nuit opened (Pai, Sukhothai, Sabai Sabai), I think that Sabai Sabai actually has the best setting for a large group, with plates to share and a cozier setting. However, it was hard to hear other people sometimes because the music was so loud.

 

Would I come back? Ka. (Yes)

 

Verdict:

Presentation: 3/5

Portion Size: 3/5

Taste: 3.5/5

Service: 3.5/5

Price: $20-30 per person

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

 

Taste of Toronto 2016

Taste of Toronto is an annual food festival that’s held every summer at Fort York, with this year’s going from June 23-26. It’s part of Taste Festivals, which holds food festivals worldwide, and the festival brings together restaurants, chefs, and a whole lot of foodies which makes for a crazy experience.

However, it is one of the food festivals where you have to pay for admission. General admission tickets start at $19, but go up if you are buying them the day of or closer to the festival. And they only count for entrance to one of the four sessions, without any food perks. However, one of my friends scored free tickets through work, and asked me if I wanted to go with her, which I happily agreed to.

Instead of using real money to pay for food, the festival has its own currency called Crowns. $1 = 1 Crown and you purchase a card for a dollar which you then fill with Crowns. At each food vendor, you simply tap the card against a reader and it deducts the money. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive looking at the prices of the dishes, which are typically 6-10 Crowns each, but my friend and I bought 40 Crowns for us to share and it ended up being more than enough.

So, without further ado, on we go to the food!

First stop: Sweet Cider  – Brickworks Ciderhouse (6 Crowns)

I was super thirsty when we got there, so I went to grab a drink. There was two options and I got their sweet cider, which was very refreshing, without a strong alcohol taste. I was really impressed by the huge selection of alcohol the festival had, from beer to cider to wine from all over the world. I feel like there were as many alcohol stands as there were food ones.

3.5/5

Second stop: Salmon Fried Rice – the Drake (6 Crowns)

The salmon fried rice came on a bed of two lettuce leaves, topped with cilantro and fish roe. This year, the Drake’s theme is Drake x Chinatown, and the fried rice fit to theme, tasting like something that I would find in a typical Chinese restaurant. Generous chunks of well cooked salmon, peas, and fried egg were incorporated in the rice, which was done well but very oily. I’m not sure if the lettuce leaf was purely ornamental, but I found that it did wonders for the oil factor. When I tried eating the rice wrapped in the lettuce leaf  towards the end, it took away the oiliness and added extra texture and freshness that I found really appealing. I also particularly liked the extra crunch that cut up sugar snap peas provided, and the saltiness of the fish roe eaten with the rice. However, I would have preferred to have found a little heat in the dish, which had the Drake’s own XO sauce in it, but was lacking in any spicy flavour.

3.5/5

Third stop: Olive Oil Poached Tuna – Little Sister (10 Crowns)

This was one of the more expensive items that we tried, but it was worth it. It had four slices of thick cut poached tuna stacked on top of a pile of coleslaw and sprinkled with  crunchy pieces of quinoa and an extra drizzle of oil. Completing the creative plating was three small piles of avocado purée.

Eating this dish was a constant experience of being surprised and discovering new textures and flavour combinations. It was really fun picking apart the separate components and discovering what was coming together–the hint of lime in the chilled tuna, the smooth texture of the fish against the ultra crispy grains of quinoa, and the added extra kick that the olive oil gave to everything that made me take another look at the ingredients. There was a generous drizzle of the oil on top of the fish, and the pile of coleslaw at the bottom was drenched in it. Yup, it does say olive oil but it looked and tasted more like chilli oil to me. While delicious, at times the spiciness overpowered the dish, especially regarding the coleslaw which just tasted like the oil. Placed on the side, the avocado purée made for pretty plating, but didn’t really add anything to the dish. Despite that, I would happily eat it again just for the different textures and explosion of flavours.

4/5

Fourth stop: Brussel Sprouts –Rasa (6 Crowns)

This quick snap taken on the grass and the plain name of the dish do not do it justice at all.

Still warm deep-fried brussel sprouts, crispy around the edges…smothered in creamy cauliflower cheddar sauce that almost tricked my tastebuds into thinking that I was eating cauliflower…Contrast that with the other dressing, a sharp tangy scotch bonnet vinaigrette(?), add the smoky flavour that resulted from the deep-frying, and the two of us finished the plate in considerably less time than it took for us to wait in line.

One of the only times I will concede and say that unhealthy really does taste delicious.

4.25/5

Fifth Stop: Tuna Poke –Avocados from Mexico (2 Crowns/each)

Surprisingly, one of the cheapest things that we bought at the food festival was our favourite. I’d never heard of Avocados from Mexico, so I asked one of the people working there. She said that they were literally hired to promote avocados from Mexico (hahaha). I don’t know if I’m sold on Mexican avocados being better than California ones, but their booth was definitely a success.

Made with salmon, mayonnaise, sriracha, and sesame oil, the avocado salmon poke was placed on top of a cracker with an ice-cream scooper and topped with avocado purée. It was super creamy and the fish tasted fresh, with black sesame seeds adding that bit of texture and the taste of cilantro coming through at the end. It was messy to eat, but so satisfying and such a steal at the equivalent of $2. However, the avocado didn’t make much difference to me, and I could only taste the flavour of the sriracha without the heat. I feel like they could have omitted it without affecting the quality of the dish since it didn’t really add anything.

PS. Since my friend doesn’t like avocado she got hers without the purée but also loved it!

4.5/5

Sixth Stop: Avocado Popsicle –Avocados from Mexico (2 Crowns)

We actually left the booth in search of other eats, but had to come back for more. I opted to try the avocado popsicle this time, while my friend got a repeat order of the deliciousness that was the poke.

I love making adding avocado to smoothies and ice-cream at home, so I know from experience how creamy and amazing avocado is in desserts. However, the popsicle was definitely not what I was expecting. It had vanilla ice-cream, spinach, lemon juice and avocado and tasted pretty good. However, I didn’t really get any of the creaminess I’m accustomed to from avocado-based desserts. It was icy and in essence tasted like vanilla ice-cream in popsicle form. Not bad, but nothing out of ordinary.

3/5

Although I liked both items that I tried from the booth, I’m not sure that they actually were successful in promoting Mexican avocados. Rather than the flavour of the avocados coming through, it seemed more like they were incorporating it into other foods in subtle ways. I’m sold on their food but not on the avocados they were trying to promote.

Seventh Stop: Sassy Sangria –Creekside Estate Winery

Our last stop was for some sassy sangria from Creekside Estate Winery. It was conveniently located near the avocado booth, and there were wooden tables in front of the booth, which was what initially drew us there. At this point we were both super full, tired and really just looking for a place for us to use the last of our Crowns. As we were sitting, we saw them pouring out the sangria and it was love at first sight.

Unfortunately, the sangria was 5 crowns and we only have 4 left. But lo and behold, the world is a good place, because the people working there were super chill and let us have it anyways. (Thanks friends!)

The sassy sangria was made with a base of peace juice, rosé wine, and chopped up fruit. This was poured into a cup of ice, with peach juice soda and fresh mint added to it.

Literally the first thing I said when I tried it was, “Whoa this is dangerous.” I couldn’t taste the alcohol at all, only the sweet peach flavour of the sangria. It was refreshing and fruity, the perfect solution to lasting through the hot weather.

3.5/5

Overall, I had a really great experience at Taste of Toronto. Through the festival, I discovered a lot of new restaurants and tried different dishes that I might not have otherwise.

However, you definitely have to be choosey with what you are getting. What me and my friend ended up doing was going through the restaurant guide to see which dishes sounded good, and then going to the booth to see what the dish looked like before ordering it to make sure we weren’t disappointed. Thankfully we liked all the ones we tried, but we went with three other friends and they got some dishes that ended up being discarded halfway.

By chance, all of the dishes we sample came from places that I had never heard of, which I find really great. There were a lot of well-known restaurants that were there as well, but I think a lot of them had meat dishes that I couldn’t eat and I also didn’t really want to try anything that I could get ordinarily.

One of the only regrets I have is not going to see any demonstrations. There were a few famous chefs there, and workshops going on throughout the day, but we ended up staying for around three hours and then leaving. It was hot and some of the lines for food were very long so that just eating took a while and by the end we were both tired. Surprisingly, we actually had trouble finishing our Crowns. We shared all our dishes, and by the time we had 10-12 left we were already full. Refunding Crowns is a hassle and there is a service charge of $3.50, so I would definitely recommend sharing a card (each card costs $1) with a friend and adding money as you go rather than putting too much in at one go.

 

Summer is all about the food festivals, and this one didn’t disappoint.However, I’ll definitely be taking with me all the strategies I learned for next year and I’m excited for more festival explorations to come!

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

 

The Grilled Cheese

There’s no better time to explore the city than summer, and among Toronto’s vibrant neighbourhoods, Kensington Market stands out as one of the places that for me is quintessentially Toronto. During the summer, the front of thrift stores are lined with racks of clothes, colourful banners and decorations hang overhead, and a mishmash of people roam the streets. It’s a popular tourist spot where  you see both out-of-towners with their backpacks and camera straps as well as locals.

(Fun Fact: It’s actually a National Historic Site in Canada.)

It then seems quite inevitable (and almost natural) that my trips to Kensington Market have increased significantly since the summer started. Oftentimes, I’ll go to the area for food and just explore rather than having a particular spot in mind, and this day was no different.

The Grilled Cheese is one of those places that I always pass by, but had never actually gone into. It’s hard to miss, with its huge sign in chunky orange letters, and it’s just west of Nassau St and Augusta Ave, which is the main intersection in the neighbourhood.

In fact, there’s a story behind the ‘NEW OWNERS’ banner. Those of you who keep up to date on news might have heard of the place last year, when Global News broke a story alleging improper business practises and such. The Grilled Cheese was actually closed for awhile but opened again 11 months ago, hence the banner.

The space is a mixture of rustic wood furniture and eclectic antique finds with a dose of chill vibes. A row of ketchup cans sits on a shelf over the doorway as decoration, and there’s a shelf structure overlooking the seating area that takes up the top half of a wall. Items on the shelf include: jars, a miniature motorcycle model, old records and lanterns. The ceiling is covered in glass panels, which confused me until I realized that it was not in fact the ceiling, but a garage door! Cue excitement.

I only know of one other eatery that operates out of a garage space, but I love the concept!

There’s also a long picnic table at the front of the store for those who want to sit outside but I would definitely recommend sitting inside.

On the far right side of the space is the counter, where you order, pay, then find a seat where they’ll deliver you the food. A huge blackboard with a list of the grilled cheese sandwiches sits on the wall for easy viewing. However, they also have a new menu, which from a quick browse revealed options to build your own grilled cheese sandwich as well as grilled cheese french toast, which might be interesting to try out sometime for an indulgent breakfast. After ordering, we grabbed one of the booth seats with a gorgeous wooden table and waited for our food to arrive.

Tada! Here are our sandwiches, in recyclable containers topped with checkered wax paper.

I ordered the Roman Holiday, which the girl manning the cashier said was the most popular vegetarian option. There’s multigrain or sourdough which you can choose from, and again based on her recommendation I opted for multigrain. On first bite the bread was toasty, crisp, and still warm. It went really well with the bitterness of the arugula, mixed in with the strong taste of the black olive pesto. Something I really appreciated was that although the sandwich had tomato, it wasn’t soggy at all. The bread stayed crisp, and there was a good portion of filling inside without it overflowing, which made for relatively tidy eating. The different types of cheeses (asiago, mozzarella, provolone) were nicely melted, but I couldn’t really taste any different flavours or distinguish them from each other. However, I really liked my sandwich and ate it pretty quickly since we were both hungry. Each sandwich also comes with a generous handful of kettle chips and half a pickle.

The chips were crunchy, salty, essentially just your typical chips. I wasn’t really in the mood for chips though so I ended up only eating half and then throwing the rest away. I also seldomly eat pickles, so I tried a bite and then left it. It was a decent size though, really sour, and not as crunchy as I would have expected.

My friend opted to build her own sandwich, starting with the basic Standard grilled cheese which has cheddar, mozzarella, and back cheese and adding avocado. She also liked her sandwich, and said that the avocado was perfectly ripe. I only tried a bit of her sandwich, but thinking of her sandwich brings me back to the days when I used to make brie and avocado sandwiches at home. Major yums.

I don’t typically eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches, but I really liked the Grilled Cheese. Although I could taste the butter on the bread, the sandwich wasn’t greasy and it tasted like something I would make at home. The sides I could have done without, but the prices were reasonable and it was worth it even though I didn’t end up finishing either of them. I also had a really nice conversation with the girl who was working at the cashier. The atmosphere of a place is just as important as the quality of the food, and the friendly service was definitely a plus.

Would I come back? Yes indeed.

Verdict:

Presentation: 3/5

Portion Size: 3/5

Taste: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Price: $7-15 per person

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

 

 

Heavenly Bite European Café Bakery

I really feel that this summer has been about reconnecting with old friends and forming new friends. Just last month, one of my close friends from Hong Kong came to visit Toronto and we spent a couple days exploring the city together. On his last day here, we went to the ROM and while there I bumped into another old friend who I hadn’t seen in two years. She happens to live (kind of) close to me. Because of this, for the first time ever, I’m reviewing a place in Newmarket!

(Background: My parents live in Newmarket, but I mainly review places in Toronto since I’m usually downtown most of the time. This may also be because I am geographically challenged and do not know how to navigate around Newmarket without a car. And for those of you not from Ontario, Newmarket is a town north north north of Toronto.)

Heavenly Bite is located at Leslie and Davis, at the plaza with the McDonald’s and Scotiabank. Warning: It is a little hard to find. I was using Google Maps, but I still spend a good five minutes trying to find the place. If you can’t find it at first, don’t lose hope! As I learned when I walked in the door, another tip is that it is located behind Scotiabank.

My friend and I went for lunch around 1’clock in the afternoon on a weekday and we were the only people in the bakery when we arrived, save for the woman manning the cashier who I believe is the owner. The outside is unassuming, but once you walk in, the interior is cozy-looking and brightly lit with wooden tables and no-nonsense chairs of the same material. The cafe is filled with shelves of knick knacks and there are paintings on the wall which add to the homey feel of the place.

After sitting down for a little to catch up, we walked up to the counter at the back of the cafe to place our orders and decide what to eat. The two glass displays where the register were both filled with baked goods. The one on the left had an assortment of cookies, including all gluten-free ones on the first shelf, while the other one had cupcakes and pastries as well as whole cakes.

While my first impression of the place was great, once we approached the counter I had my doubts. The cookies on the top three shelves were all covered in cling wrap, and for good reason. The inside of the display had insects flying around inside looked like ants with wings. At the very bottom of the display there were three baskets with baked goods inside, and the insects were freely crawling over them as well as the glass front. Put off but still wanting to try the desserts, I opted to try a piece of baklava while my friend got a coconut rice cookie, both of which had been cling-wrapped.

Since it was lunchtime, we also glanced at the chalkboard menu on the wall beside the register. They have a soup and sandwich menu, with different soups every day, all of which were vegetarian which I appreciated. There was also the option to have both in a combo. The lady who served us mentioned that the soups are made from scratch. However, this time, my friend and I decided to stick with just having sandwiches. She ordered the cranberry chicken sandwich while I stuck with the safe option of an egg sandwich.

 

Our food arrived shortly after, with our sandwiches in cute plastic baskets and our cookies together on a plate. When paying, I was surprised at how much the baklava cost (~$4 ), but once it arrived, I realized that it came with three pieces. However, it quickly became evident that the sandwiches were the star of the show.

The filling of the sandwiches were put in between halves of delicious nine-grain ciabatta buns, super satisfying and leaving us both full. My egg sandwich had boiled eggs mixed with mayonnaise and Italian herbs, with pieces of lettuce giving some crunch. The filling was generous, and I loved the extra flavour that the herbs gave. However, it was the texture of the egg salad that really drew my attention. The yolks were mashed really well, and the majority of the salad was smooth, save for the chunks of egg white interspersed that overall gave it a unique and pleasant texture. A simple sandwich, but one that was made really well.

My friend loved her sandwich as well, which had cranberries, chicken, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. In particular, she commented on the smoothness of the chicken and said it wasn’t dry.

After finishing the amazing sandwiches, we took a break and then tried the cookies.

(The ciabatta buns that our sandwiches were made out of, sitting on one of the shelves.)

The rice coconut cookie had a strange texture, airy at first bite but quickly becoming chewy and with a very strong coconut flavour. There was also shredded coconut in the cookie, and my friend found it too sweet for her taste.

My baklava was dense, drenched in honey, and had a mealy texture that was hard to chew. In general, the pastry was really strange, dense instead of flaky and almost sickly sweet. Rather than layers of pastry, there was the top of the pastry which came off easily and then the inside which resembled almond meal. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out what the cinnamony, strong, floral taste was, but the inside was specked with dots of black. I finally went up to the counter to ask, and found out that the spice she used was cardamom. Since I have only had baklava a handful of times and am unfamiliar with cardamom, I feel as though I can’t accurately judge how good this baklava was. However, both my friend and my mom who I brought the last piece home for didn’t like it.

(Snap of behind the counter where the preparations are made.)

Overall, I’m conflicted about the café bakery. I think that I would definitely come back for the amazing sandwiches, but I would be hesitant to try any of the other cookies or pastries. In particular, I would caution people away from the baked goods that aren’t cling wrapped. The insects really made me question the hygiene of the place. However, precautions had obviously been taken as evidenced by the cling wrap.

In our two hour stay, there was only one other couple that came in to eat lunch as well as another lady that came to look at potentially ordering a cake. The place doesn’t seem to be very busy, and that is a shame considering how good the sandwiches are. But maybe that doesn’t quite negate the sight of seeing flying insects in the display.

Would I come back? Yes for the sandwiches and maybe to try some of the soup that the other couple was so happily eating!

Verdict:

Presentation: 3/5

Portion Size: 4/5

Taste: 4.5/5 (sandwiches) 2/5 (cookies) = 3.25/5

Service: 3/5

Price: $10-15 per person

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

 

Eggspectation

Happy Saturday!

I know it’s been a while since my last post, but summer is finally here & with that, lots more time to spend on exploring the city and its eeeeeats! One of my summer goals is to write more on this blog and to start adding to the recipe section, so I’m excited for that!

This week the weather is finally starting to look like it’s summer again. After the sudden hail we had last Sunday, I’m super thankful for the sunshine. And what better to do during patio weather than brunch?

Eggspectation is located right behind the old city hall, in Bell Trinity Square. For those less familiar with downtown, there’s also an exit in Eaton Centre on the second floor near the Indigo Bookstore that opens onto Albert Street, where the restaurant is. If the name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you passed by the old location at some point, which was on Yonge Street next to Eaton Centre.

It was my first time at this location, which has been open for around 2 years I think. From the outside, it looks very unassuming. They have a large patio section, filled with metal tables and large umbrella for shade. I only had a quick look at the inside before we opted to sit outside but it seemed nicely decorated. Since it was so nice, we quickly opted to sit outside. Once seated, we were quickly greeted by our waiter, who gave us menus.

The menu has a large variety of items, with a page each dedicated to Eggs Benedict and omelettes and then another for those who like sweet things in the morning like french toast and buttermilk pancakes. There’s also sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and salads on the menu.

I ordered the Eggs Benedict Florentine while my friend ordered the Southwest Sunrise omelette, both of which came with a few pieces of fruit and their Lyonnaise style sliced potatoes.

The Eggs Benedict came on a still-warm plate, with a good amount of hollandaise sauce on top of the poached eggs and English muffins. Shreds of Gruyere cheese adorned the dish, adding more flavour. The spinach was slightly overcooked, but I loved how easily the muffin was to cut through and eat. However, the shredded cheese never fully melted and I could barely taste the paprika sprinkled on top. It was a decent Eggs Benny, but was vastly overshadowed by the potatoes, which were soft on the inside, sliced the perfect thickness and flavoured with bits of herbs. Absolutely phenomenal.

My friend’s omelette had different types of cheese and chunks of crunchy pepper inside, which you could taste in a single bite. However, it was cooked until the eggs were well-done. While I typically don’t like runny eggs, the omelette lacked fluffiness and tasted very ordinary, like something I could make at home. Something it didn’t lack was excellent presentation, with the omelette being particularly pretty due to the sliced avocado adorning the top, surrounded on each side by sour cream and salsa.

 

Overall, I had a good experience at Eggspectation. My favourite was definitely the potatoes, but the rest of the food was decent and the portion size for the price was reasonable. Both of us were actually unable to finish our food because of how much there was. While unremarkable, the service was pretty quick, and it was really nice sitting outside, which I would recommend for those who decide to check out the place. Most of the good brunch places I can think of are found on the east and west side of Toronto, so Eggspectation is at a prime location.

 

Would I come back? If I was in the area and craving brunch.

Verdict:

Presentation: 4/5

Portion Size: 4/5

Taste: 3.5/5

Service: 3/5

Price: $10-15 per person

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

 

Arepa Cafe

I’ve been trying out a lot of places along Queen West ever since my church relocated, and this particular Sunday was no different. I’ve passed by Arepa Cafe numerous times, but never actually knew what the word ‘arepa’ was. For those of you who, like me, are unfamiliar with South American food, arepas are actually from Venezuela and are buns made from cornmeal.

Arepa Cafe is smack dab in the middle of the stretch of Queen West in between Bathurst and Spadina, and specializes in arepa sandwiches. Walking in, the very front of the space is filled with tables, but at the back is the counter and this gorgeous hanging piece made out of dangling airplanes that adds something special to the place.

Since we didn’t have that much time for food, we quickly got a table and looked at the menus, which are colourful and come folded in half. While the main food is arepas, there are also a bunch of appetizers as well as desserts and salad options. I was really impressed by the large variety of vegetarian arepa options. I ordered the Capresa, which had grilled fresco cheese, tomato and basil while my friends tried out other various (meat-filled) sandwiches.

One of my friends also ordered the green plantain tostones to share, which was one of the appetizers. They arrive perfectly lined vertically on a square plate, with a side of herb mayo. Perfectly crispy and topped with bits of salt, the tostones were sliced thinly and had a nice bite to them without being overly hard. They weren’t too sweet as well, which I appreciated. However, I could have done without the herb mayo, which wasn’t that flavourful and didn’t add much to the appetizer.

Since I had ordered the Capresa based on my waiter’s recommendation, I didn’t really know what to expect. However, I loved my arepa. The thing that struck me the most is that it was so fresh. The basil leaves, the juicy tomatoes, the fresco cheese are paired together so well and I felt like I was eating a freshly-made salad  in sandwich form. The second thing I noticed was the cornmeal buns were still warm. They added a nice contrast to the cold ingredients inside. It also came with a little container of coleslaw which was crunchy and delicious as well but not particularly memorable. There were a couple of squirt bottles on the side which I really enjoyed and used liberally, but I forgot to take pictures of them. I think there was garlic mayo as well as three sauces of different spice levels.

Although my visit was quite brief, I would definitely come back to check out the rest of the menu. As I was paying for lunch, the glass display full of desserts caught my eye, so I’m thinking that a future visit will involve those. 😉

Would I come back? Yes sir.

Verdict:

Presentation: 4/5

Portion Size: 3/5

Taste: 4/5

Service: 3/5

Price: $10-15 per person

 

My rating system:

1/5 = horrible

2/5 = bad

3/5 = average

4/5 = good

5/5 = amazing

PS. I know it’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been really busy with school and other photography things, but I’m really excited to get back into sharing about food. To close, here’s a shot of my friend’s amazing looking arepa–fully dressed and dripping with deliciousness.