While out shopping last weekend, we made a pit stop at Holt Gourmet on a whim. I originally just wanted a drink, but could not resist the beautiful displays of colourful pastries! We had a mango chocolate tart, as delicious as it looks, and a slice of peach almond pie. The mango chocolate tart was indulgent yet not too sweet, and the pie was just heavenly, I loved every bite! Next time you're out on a shopping trip and need a snack break, stop in at Holt Gourmet (1 floor below main) and have your pick of sweets, pies, and other savoury snacks in the modern, spacious cafe.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Delicious Pastries at Holt Gourmet
While out shopping last weekend, we made a pit stop at Holt Gourmet on a whim. I originally just wanted a drink, but could not resist the beautiful displays of colourful pastries! We had a mango chocolate tart, as delicious as it looks, and a slice of peach almond pie. The mango chocolate tart was indulgent yet not too sweet, and the pie was just heavenly, I loved every bite! Next time you're out on a shopping trip and need a snack break, stop in at Holt Gourmet (1 floor below main) and have your pick of sweets, pies, and other savoury snacks in the modern, spacious cafe.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
WINTERLICIOUS: The Chaos That was Toula
Tony and I had our first Winterlicious outing to Toula on Friday night. I forgot how crazy Winterlicious restaurants can be, because we arrived for our 7:30pm for our reservation and the restaurant was PACKED. I don't imagine that Toula is normally that busy, known more for the view than the food (situated on the 38th floor of the Westin Harbour Castle). The hostess told us there would be a bit of a wait because patrons were staying beyond their 2 hours; while I was ok to wait, I am generally put off by that excuse. While I understand they cannot force people out, it is up to the restaurant to manage the situation and gently remind patrons their reservation is up. There is some good news to this story: Toula understood how to manage the chaos that seemingly overwhelmed them. Waiting patrons were offered glasses of champagne for the wait, a small but welcome gesture to make up for the inconvenience of waiting despite a reservation; bread and water also arrived as soon as we sat down, which helped ease the wait to place our order. The waiter was friendly and by all means making the best of the situation and the effort is appreciated - we want to know people are trying!
Despite the initial wait, our food did come quickly. I think on a normal night, Toula is probably better quality than we had, they seem to have the right foundation - reliable, and accompanied by an amazing view of the city. I had a seafood salad to start, with giant prawns and scallop, and Tony had a mushroom salad with polenta. For mains, I had tagliolini with lobster, and Tony had lamb. My pasta was just average with little discernable pieces of lobster, but I could tell the pasta was fresh. Tony's lamb was quite delicious, but not extraordinary. We could tell the base quality is there but it seemed the food was being produced en masse in the kitchen, sacrificing a bit of quality and perhaps any uniqueness.
Toula probably did not do itself any favours participating in Winterlicious as the crowded restaurant took away from the fine-dining charm, but they held their own and managed to feed everyone promptly. For $35, the food was acceptable, and in the end, we can't say we were disappointed, just not amazed.
Despite the initial wait, our food did come quickly. I think on a normal night, Toula is probably better quality than we had, they seem to have the right foundation - reliable, and accompanied by an amazing view of the city. I had a seafood salad to start, with giant prawns and scallop, and Tony had a mushroom salad with polenta. For mains, I had tagliolini with lobster, and Tony had lamb. My pasta was just average with little discernable pieces of lobster, but I could tell the pasta was fresh. Tony's lamb was quite delicious, but not extraordinary. We could tell the base quality is there but it seemed the food was being produced en masse in the kitchen, sacrificing a bit of quality and perhaps any uniqueness.
Toula probably did not do itself any favours participating in Winterlicious as the crowded restaurant took away from the fine-dining charm, but they held their own and managed to feed everyone promptly. For $35, the food was acceptable, and in the end, we can't say we were disappointed, just not amazed.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
A Classic Dining Experience at Pangaea in Yorkville
Tony and I were hunting for a place to eat Saturday night and ended up at Pangaea in Yorkville. Walking into the restaurant, I was greeted by a beautiful Hermes Kelly bag from one of the patrons near the door, and on our way to our table, I came across a beautiful grey Chanel sweater on another patron - this gives you an idea of the regular crowd! I'm not sure how long Pangea has been around, but it's as "classic" Yorkville restaurant as any.
To start, I had pork rillette (a spread) served in a mason jar with mini toasts - delicious and homey! We've noticed a number restaurants using the mason jar as a means of serving meals lately, like the poached egg and lobster we had at The Modern in NYC, so I suppose it was very "on trend." Tony's lamb sausage was served on a bed of stewed vegetables and was very flavourful. For mains, I had pheasant served with wild rice and mushrooms - the accompaniment was surprisingly delicious and really made the meal. Tony's liver was grilled and served with stewed lingonberries, it was savoury and exceptionally well done - it's rare to find liver in a high end restaurant and we really enjoyed it. For dessert, I indulged in a light yet delicious banana coconut cream tart and Tony had panacotta with grapefruit. I think my tart was more unique, with a delicious pastry crust and coconut ice cream ball and caramelized bananas.
Pangaea is not a cheap night out but the food quality definitely has a standard - I trust that any meal I have there would be solid. The menu offers many choices and the service was also exceptional - we were seated quickly, given menus and specials right away, and the sommelier made his way over to help us with choices without asking. We mentioned that we were looking to try some new wines we might like to have at our wedding and not only did he recommend 2 great wines by the glass, he also gave us some tips on what to buy, how much, and how to budget. The extra steps in customer service are always much appreciated!
To start, I had pork rillette (a spread) served in a mason jar with mini toasts - delicious and homey! We've noticed a number restaurants using the mason jar as a means of serving meals lately, like the poached egg and lobster we had at The Modern in NYC, so I suppose it was very "on trend." Tony's lamb sausage was served on a bed of stewed vegetables and was very flavourful. For mains, I had pheasant served with wild rice and mushrooms - the accompaniment was surprisingly delicious and really made the meal. Tony's liver was grilled and served with stewed lingonberries, it was savoury and exceptionally well done - it's rare to find liver in a high end restaurant and we really enjoyed it. For dessert, I indulged in a light yet delicious banana coconut cream tart and Tony had panacotta with grapefruit. I think my tart was more unique, with a delicious pastry crust and coconut ice cream ball and caramelized bananas.
Pangaea is not a cheap night out but the food quality definitely has a standard - I trust that any meal I have there would be solid. The menu offers many choices and the service was also exceptional - we were seated quickly, given menus and specials right away, and the sommelier made his way over to help us with choices without asking. We mentioned that we were looking to try some new wines we might like to have at our wedding and not only did he recommend 2 great wines by the glass, he also gave us some tips on what to buy, how much, and how to budget. The extra steps in customer service are always much appreciated!Thursday, January 14, 2010
How to Winterlicious! Jan 29- Feb 11
Winterlicious reservations started this week! I was among the eager and started making phone calls on Tuesday thanks to American Express Front-of-the-Line (sidebar: it is a great AMEX benefit!). Reservations opened to the public today, and sure, many of the most popular restaurants might be full already, but there is likely still a good-value foodie opportunity for you.
When we first moved to Toronto, we were excited by the bi-annual promotion of dining out via Summerlicious and Winterlicious; however, we were also overwhelmed by the number of participating restaurants! In both Vancouver and Calgary, I had a really good sense of what was a good deal and which restaurants were worth booking; but here in Toronto, there are so many restaurants I am unfamiliar with that it was simply daunting to review all the menus and decide which were worth calling. I figure others out there might share my experience, so here is how we do Winterlicious, after 3 seasons of taking advantage:
1. Look for value: We like Winterlicious, and any good variation in other cities, because it is a good opportunity to try restaurants at an affordable price. Restaurants offer a mix of lunch and dinner menus at different prices. Some restaurants are worth the $35/$45 menu, others are simply re-packaging the regular menu at normal prices - I believe that misses the point of Winterlicious and we generally avoid these offerings. Restaurants should create menus that highlight the character and flavours of their food to visitors at great value - this is the opportunity to entice loyal patrons! Knowing a restaurant's regular menu (which is often available on-line) can help you find worthwhile experiences.
2. Filter: There are over a hundred restaurants - the keen may look through every menu but I simply don't have the patience. I look for well-known restaurants that I may not have tried before, those that have been recommended by friends where I have not had a chance to visit, and sometimes I simply "judge a book by it's cover" by randomly viewing menus of restaurants that have interesting names. I always look for at least one item that I would LOVE to eat - if there is nothing that excites me immediately, I move on.
3. Be flexible: Certain restaurants are exceptionally popular (Canoe, North 44 etc), so be flexible with your dates and times if you are dying to try it out during this period. It may also be hard to book a table for 6 of your friends - if you MUST check a popular place out, you are probably better off trying for smaller parties. There is a wide array of restaurants participating in Winterlicious that you may have never heard of or intended to try so be open to new experiences and you may surprise yourself.
4. Be social: We always leverage Winterlicious as an opportunity to meet up with friends - it's always better to share food with others! With prix fixe menus, it is easy to manage expectations with food costs - no one will be surprised by menu prices and everyone takes part in the experimentation so no one has to be responsible for finding the "right food" for everyone. The downside, however, is that there are limited selections, and as I mentioned, large parties can be hard to come by. We've always managed to make reservations for 4 so pair up!
5. Timing: This really depends on your style, but I recommend spacing out your reservations. Dining out should be a fun, social experience - the last thing you want is to pack your schedule and barely recall the meals you have had. We normally target 2 to 3 restaurants based on quality and value vs maximizing # of restaurants. This also give you flexibility over the week to secure reservations at popular venues.
We love to eat so we have enjoyed both Summerlicious and Winterlicious. Even if you are not into scouring the menu or researching best deals, check out the site if you just need a place to eat from Jan 29 to Feb 11 - we've often landed on some good restaurants just by chance. This year, we'll be checking out Toula (at the Westin) , Trevor's Kitchen (we have been before, but the menu was enticing), Auberge du Pommier, and possibly a return to North 44. Check out menus here and let me know of any great places you find!
When we first moved to Toronto, we were excited by the bi-annual promotion of dining out via Summerlicious and Winterlicious; however, we were also overwhelmed by the number of participating restaurants! In both Vancouver and Calgary, I had a really good sense of what was a good deal and which restaurants were worth booking; but here in Toronto, there are so many restaurants I am unfamiliar with that it was simply daunting to review all the menus and decide which were worth calling. I figure others out there might share my experience, so here is how we do Winterlicious, after 3 seasons of taking advantage:
1. Look for value: We like Winterlicious, and any good variation in other cities, because it is a good opportunity to try restaurants at an affordable price. Restaurants offer a mix of lunch and dinner menus at different prices. Some restaurants are worth the $35/$45 menu, others are simply re-packaging the regular menu at normal prices - I believe that misses the point of Winterlicious and we generally avoid these offerings. Restaurants should create menus that highlight the character and flavours of their food to visitors at great value - this is the opportunity to entice loyal patrons! Knowing a restaurant's regular menu (which is often available on-line) can help you find worthwhile experiences.
2. Filter: There are over a hundred restaurants - the keen may look through every menu but I simply don't have the patience. I look for well-known restaurants that I may not have tried before, those that have been recommended by friends where I have not had a chance to visit, and sometimes I simply "judge a book by it's cover" by randomly viewing menus of restaurants that have interesting names. I always look for at least one item that I would LOVE to eat - if there is nothing that excites me immediately, I move on.
3. Be flexible: Certain restaurants are exceptionally popular (Canoe, North 44 etc), so be flexible with your dates and times if you are dying to try it out during this period. It may also be hard to book a table for 6 of your friends - if you MUST check a popular place out, you are probably better off trying for smaller parties. There is a wide array of restaurants participating in Winterlicious that you may have never heard of or intended to try so be open to new experiences and you may surprise yourself.
4. Be social: We always leverage Winterlicious as an opportunity to meet up with friends - it's always better to share food with others! With prix fixe menus, it is easy to manage expectations with food costs - no one will be surprised by menu prices and everyone takes part in the experimentation so no one has to be responsible for finding the "right food" for everyone. The downside, however, is that there are limited selections, and as I mentioned, large parties can be hard to come by. We've always managed to make reservations for 4 so pair up!
5. Timing: This really depends on your style, but I recommend spacing out your reservations. Dining out should be a fun, social experience - the last thing you want is to pack your schedule and barely recall the meals you have had. We normally target 2 to 3 restaurants based on quality and value vs maximizing # of restaurants. This also give you flexibility over the week to secure reservations at popular venues.
We love to eat so we have enjoyed both Summerlicious and Winterlicious. Even if you are not into scouring the menu or researching best deals, check out the site if you just need a place to eat from Jan 29 to Feb 11 - we've often landed on some good restaurants just by chance. This year, we'll be checking out Toula (at the Westin) , Trevor's Kitchen (we have been before, but the menu was enticing), Auberge du Pommier, and possibly a return to North 44. Check out menus here and let me know of any great places you find!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
We've Moved! www.JenIsEating.com
For anyone that has been following this blog over the last year - we've moved! In an effort to make it easier for you to find my frequent foodie adventures I've created a simpler domain to remember and share: www.JenIsEating.com.
Feel free to browse through the archives, I've made some revisions as I moved the content, including added links and images for easier reference. Please change any subscriptions or bookmarks you may have to the old blog, http://muchadoaboutfoodandtravel.blogspot.com, it no longer exists. If you are following on facebook, the full blog has archive and tags such as places and cuisine for easier search so take a peek!
Eat Away! And Happy New Year!
Feel free to browse through the archives, I've made some revisions as I moved the content, including added links and images for easier reference. Please change any subscriptions or bookmarks you may have to the old blog, http://muchadoaboutfoodandtravel.blogspot.com, it no longer exists. If you are following on facebook, the full blog has archive and tags such as places and cuisine for easier search so take a peek!
Eat Away! And Happy New Year!
2009 Year In Review: Best Meals On The Road
Tony and I have had an exceptionally busy year travelling and eating - we practically live at the airport! If you can believe it, we've been to Asia, Miami, Vancouver, Vegas, Paris and NYC all in the past 12 months. As the year draws to a close, now is a good time as ever to look back on the delicious meals we've had and the wonderful places we've been!
Vancouver May 09: Vancouver is one of our favourite places in the world to eat. Toronto has more variety, but Vancouver has the best value, and we love it particularly for the fresh seafood and sushi. In our last trip there, we were introduced to a new ramen place: Motomachi Shokudo. It is a healthy alternative to Kintaro's fatty pork ramen, made instead with all organic materials including organic chicken based broth. The highlight was the very unique bamboo charcoal ramen, said to be good for the digestive season.
Vegas June 09: We love Vegas not because we are gamblers but because it is the ultimate foodie haven. One of our favourite restaurants is Shibuya at the MGM - the sake menu is unmatched and the cooked tapas are a wonderful mix of flavours. The dish that always leaves us pining for more is the lobster and scallop in uni butter. It was so delicious we had no shame asking for a spoon to eat the remaining sauce with rice - apparently that's how the staff eat! Who knows how they are not overweight if that were true, but maybe the waiter was just trying to comfort us :P Another favourite is brunch at Thomas Keller's Bouchon. It is probably the best brunch we have ever had. Most memorable was our friend's corned beef hash! Who knew corned beef hash could be SO delicious.
Paris Oct 09: We had such great food everywhere we went I can hardly pin-point the favourite, but one of the most memorable was the lunch we had at Priori in gallerie Vivienne. The soup was hearty and delicious, and the little cafe was quaint and beautiful. I felt like I could sit there all afternoon. Our meal at Cafe Marly was also pretty unforgettable, sitting under the arches of the beautiful Louvre, I happily inhaled the king crab and guacamole starter followed by a delicious prawn risotto. Our favourite dessert was undeniably the mango panacotta we had at Coup d'Etat. We regret not making a final trip there to take one for the road. I guess there is always next time!
NYC Dec 09: Can't deny that one of our most memorable eating experiences is at the exclusive 14 seat Momofuku Ko. Our food was unique and delicious, watching the extensive preparation of our 12 course meal by the chefs was part of the great experience. One of my favourites and highlight for the night was the shaved foie gras served with riesling jelly and lychee - so original and tasty.
Japan Dec 08/Jan 0
9: We spent holidays last year in Japan/HK/Philippines. The best meal we had in Japan was definitely the chirashi we had at Tsukiji Fish Market - the tuna was incredibly fresh (tun
a tastes amazing and nothing like in North America), and the uni was sweet and rich like butter. We still lick our lips thinking back to that meal. Had I not been so full I think Tony would have been happy to line-up again and have another bowl. The wait is worth every minute! We weren't allowed to take photos in the small 10 seat restaurant, but here's the menu board outside for a look at what we got to taste. Yum!! Other memorable dishes was a custard we had at a Hokkaido restaurant and these amazing egg and chicken rice bowls we had in the market in the Kyoto Train Station. I cannot wait to go back and eat some more!
9: We spent holidays last year in Japan/HK/Philippines. The best meal we had in Japan was definitely the chirashi we had at Tsukiji Fish Market - the tuna was incredibly fresh (tun
a tastes amazing and nothing like in North America), and the uni was sweet and rich like butter. We still lick our lips thinking back to that meal. Had I not been so full I think Tony would have been happy to line-up again and have another bowl. The wait is worth every minute! We weren't allowed to take photos in the small 10 seat restaurant, but here's the menu board outside for a look at what we got to taste. Yum!! Other memorable dishes was a custard we had at a Hokkaido restaurant and these amazing egg and chicken rice bowls we had in the market in the Kyoto Train Station. I cannot wait to go back and eat some more!Miami March 09: We were in Miami for March Madness this past year, and had the pleasure of eating at Joe's Stone Crab. All the food there is delicious, but you simply cannot go and pass up the sweet and succulent meat of stone crab claws. It was so amazing we went back before we left for the airport - we never want to miss an opportunity for a meal! It is a must stop in Miami, I think we'd go back JUST to eat there.
Vancouver May 09: Vancouver is one of our favourite places in the world to eat. Toronto has more variety, but Vancouver has the best value, and we love it particularly for the fresh seafood and sushi. In our last trip there, we were introduced to a new ramen place: Motomachi Shokudo. It is a healthy alternative to Kintaro's fatty pork ramen, made instead with all organic materials including organic chicken based broth. The highlight was the very unique bamboo charcoal ramen, said to be good for the digestive season. 
Vegas June 09: We love Vegas not because we are gamblers but because it is the ultimate foodie haven. One of our favourite restaurants is Shibuya at the MGM - the sake menu is unmatched and the cooked tapas are a wonderful mix of flavours. The dish that always leaves us pining for more is the lobster and scallop in uni butter. It was so delicious we had no shame asking for a spoon to eat the remaining sauce with rice - apparently that's how the staff eat! Who knows how they are not overweight if that were true, but maybe the waiter was just trying to comfort us :P Another favourite is brunch at Thomas Keller's Bouchon. It is probably the best brunch we have ever had. Most memorable was our friend's corned beef hash! Who knew corned beef hash could be SO delicious.
Paris Oct 09: We had such great food everywhere we went I can hardly pin-point the favourite, but one of the most memorable was the lunch we had at Priori in gallerie Vivienne. The soup was hearty and delicious, and the little cafe was quaint and beautiful. I felt like I could sit there all afternoon. Our meal at Cafe Marly was also pretty unforgettable, sitting under the arches of the beautiful Louvre, I happily inhaled the king crab and guacamole starter followed by a delicious prawn risotto. Our favourite dessert was undeniably the mango panacotta we had at Coup d'Etat. We regret not making a final trip there to take one for the road. I guess there is always next time! NYC Dec 09: Can't deny that one of our most memorable eating experiences is at the exclusive 14 seat Momofuku Ko. Our food was unique and delicious, watching the extensive preparation of our 12 course meal by the chefs was part of the great experience. One of my favourites and highlight for the night was the shaved foie gras served with riesling jelly and lychee - so original and tasty.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Guu is guuud!
At long last, Guu has arrived in Toronto! I cannot believe that up until now, there has not been a modern Japanese tapas place like the many delicious ones found in Vancouver. Months ago, I had heard that Guu would soon open here, and I was thrilled to discover that on my first night of holidays, Guu has opened at Church and Gerrard!!
The restaurant is boisterous, social and friendly - even more so than I remember of the Guu locations in Vancouver. There are small tables and share tables and also plenty of seats around the bar, where we ended up sitting tonight. We loved our location, facing the bar tender, Jin, who was a hardworking adorable Japanese guy. He turned out drinks all by himself quickly and calmly - when I asked what his favourite drink was, he decidedly told me "beer." I was hoping he might recommend one of the fancy drinks he had concocted during the night and I would quickly order one. Our waiter was also super friendly, who with his charming smile convinced me to have a "big mug" sapporo, on special for $7! Tony had vodka with Japanese red bull, and also a vodka soda with fresh grapefruit that was very popular. They actually serve the grapefruit, but our lovely bartender squeezed the juice for us.
The star of the show is of course the great food -
tapas mostly ranging from $5 to $7, cold, warm, fried, stewed, and grilled. We had some specials from the menu: sweet shrimp sashimi, which the kitchen fried the heads for us after - the bartender said "you guys know how to eat shrimp, " and uni (sea urchin) sashimi, which was sweet but still can never compare to what we had in Japan. We also had some old favourites: kimchi udon with spicy cod roe and ebi mayo. Some new items on the menu we tried included oden, a delicious assortment of slow cooked fishcakes and tofu, stewed pork belly, and grilled squid. Although full of beer and delicious food, we made room for dessert - I recommend the almond tofu for something pallet cleansing, and absolutely the banana tempura with chocolate sauce and banana...very indulgent.
I can't say enough how excited we are that Guu has finally opened - on it's first night it was packed mostly with Japanese people (a good sign!), and possibly other loyalists like myself from Vancouver. It's fun, lively, inexpensive and delicious - perfect for any occasion. I am sure we will be regulars, so anytime you want to meet over a beer or sake, ring us up for a visit to Guu :)
The restaurant is boisterous, social and friendly - even more so than I remember of the Guu locations in Vancouver. There are small tables and share tables and also plenty of seats around the bar, where we ended up sitting tonight. We loved our location, facing the bar tender, Jin, who was a hardworking adorable Japanese guy. He turned out drinks all by himself quickly and calmly - when I asked what his favourite drink was, he decidedly told me "beer." I was hoping he might recommend one of the fancy drinks he had concocted during the night and I would quickly order one. Our waiter was also super friendly, who with his charming smile convinced me to have a "big mug" sapporo, on special for $7! Tony had vodka with Japanese red bull, and also a vodka soda with fresh grapefruit that was very popular. They actually serve the grapefruit, but our lovely bartender squeezed the juice for us.The star of the show is of course the great food -
tapas mostly ranging from $5 to $7, cold, warm, fried, stewed, and grilled. We had some specials from the menu: sweet shrimp sashimi, which the kitchen fried the heads for us after - the bartender said "you guys know how to eat shrimp, " and uni (sea urchin) sashimi, which was sweet but still can never compare to what we had in Japan. We also had some old favourites: kimchi udon with spicy cod roe and ebi mayo. Some new items on the menu we tried included oden, a delicious assortment of slow cooked fishcakes and tofu, stewed pork belly, and grilled squid. Although full of beer and delicious food, we made room for dessert - I recommend the almond tofu for something pallet cleansing, and absolutely the banana tempura with chocolate sauce and banana...very indulgent.
I can't say enough how excited we are that Guu has finally opened - on it's first night it was packed mostly with Japanese people (a good sign!), and possibly other loyalists like myself from Vancouver. It's fun, lively, inexpensive and delicious - perfect for any occasion. I am sure we will be regulars, so anytime you want to meet over a beer or sake, ring us up for a visit to Guu :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)