Hiding out among Dovercourt’s hodgepodge of houses, Julie’s Cuban is a wonderful little neighbourhood find. Those lucky enough to stumble upon it after sunset can’t help but be enchanted by the glow of the twinkly lights beckoning from inside. There, against a backdrop of Cuban beats and a wall heaving with tchotchkes, locals tuck into fresh ceviche or arroz and frijoles, dreaming of Havana.
Pale straw in colour with a lime tint; a bouquet of crushed elderberries with a grassy note; medium-bodied, crisply dry, gooseberry flavour with a lemony finish.
Everyone loves to talk artisanal pizza, but sometimes, a night in with some delivery ’za is where it’s at. Chef Grant van Gameren tells us which delivery goods check all his boxes.
Only hardcore calendar pedants really believe that the days between Labour Day and Sept. 21 are summer. That’s until a heat wave hits, like the one we had this week, and our air conditioners are forced back into service for one last, weezy victory lap.
TIFF is well under way — or so we’ve heard — and between the star-sightings, screenings and, well, screams, a cocktail is a welcome respite from the madness. At The Beverley, Toronto’s swishiest new boutique hotel, guests nibble on eats from chef Eric Wood against a cool backdrop of silver and grey.
The life of a gross food columnist is not always peachy. Every time I think I’ve found something gross, it ends up being delicious. The sense of failure, really, is unbearable. Well, this week I got serious. I literally (as in actually) ate Toronto garbage. Garbage, for God’s sake. And the stupidest part about it is that I enjoyed it. I feasted on it. Relished it.
For almost 30 years, All The Best Fine Foods has supplied Rosedale with gourmet products and prepared food. Now the shop is opening a second store this October at 483 Church St., in the space that was previously About Cheese.
A stunning Riesling from winemaker Marlize Beyers. Pale straw colour with a floral, minerally nose developing petrol notes; medium-bodied, crisp lime and grapefruit flavours with racy acidity.
Spain has made its presence well known in Toronto as of late, but for at least one night this month, Spain is getting a taste of Toronto. On Sept. 20, chef Grant van Gameren and some colleagues — Brandon Olsen (chef de cuisine at Bar Isabel), Mike Webster (head bartender at Bar Isabel) and Colin Tooke (of Grand Electric and Electric Mud BBQ) — are hosting a pop-up dinner at Caravelle, a restaurant in Barcelona.
There is a very wide gap between good and bad cider, with not very much in the middle. Unfortunately, too much of the latter finds its way onto bar tap lists simply because it’s an alternative to beer and it doesn’t have gluten.
Fans of longstanding Jamaican spot The Real Jerk were outraged last year when landlords evicted the business seemingly out of the blue. But The Real Jerk’s team vowed to come back, and it looked like they would be setting up shop at a new condo nearby until residents got flustered about the liquor licence application. Now the restaurant has secured a new location, and it’s apparently ready to open soon.
Right in the heart of soon-to-be TIFF central sits The Cocktail Parlor. A swishy new addition to the libations scene, this upscale watering hole is fit with an awe-inspiring bar and a novella of a cocktail menu. Denizens are bound to receive an impromptu history lesson from head mixologist Wes Galloway, who possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of all things booze-related.
