Earlier this year, celebrity chef and television host Anthony Bourdain hinted that he’d likely be checking out Toronto as part of his new show, The Layover. Well, he’s made good on his word and has been spotted at various spots throughout the city (and also chumming with F*cked Up’s Damien Abraham).
At a recent Vintages release tasting, I was mightily impressed by this Riesling from down under. It’s a fruity, medium-bodied wine the colour of straw. The bouquet is redolent of apples, minerals and honey, with a floral grace note. Ripe and full on the palate with honeyed lime and grapefruit flavours, it’s a style of wine that will go well with spicy dishes.
If you wear a fedora, flex your muscles for no reason, sport a chinstrap beard and have $666 to blow, then chances are you might want to try the Douche Burger: the latest sensation from New York City food truck 666 Burger. Wrapped in three Benjamins, topped with gold leaf and stuffed with caviar, lobster and champagne-smoked cheese, this creation is a jab at all the other douche burgers out there (you know the ones).
You may not know it — or even like it — but Jen Agg has changed the way Toronto eats. She is the matriarch of the Black Hoof empire, which has shaken Toronto’s culinary foundations and spawned some of the city’s hippest and hottest chefs.
With the king of crustaceans normally holding court as one of the most expensive menu options citywide, it’s not often you’ll find a bargain on this decadent aquatic dish. But with lobster prices tumbling, the timing is fortuitous for Lobster Love, a one-night event at the Evergreen Brick Works on July 19.
An impressive number of breweries have opened in Ontario in the last year or so, but on top of their quantity, it’s worth marveling at their diversity. And of the new crop, Bellwoods Brewery on Ossington is possibly the best.
Here’s an Australian Chardonnay that has lots of flavour at a very affordable price. It’s pale lemon in colour with a nose of apple and tobacco leaf. The sweet, spicy fruit has a whisper of vanilla oak, nicely balanced with lemony acidity. Good value, and it’s on sale at the LCBO until July 22.
Dîner en Blanc, the 25-year-old “secret dinner party” from Paris, is finally coming to Toronto on August 9. While a copycat version of the event took place last fall in the Distillery District, this marks the first time that the real deal will be touching down in Toronto. For those hoping to join in on the fun, there are a few things to know about the monochromatic pop-up event.
The backyard BBQ can be tricky terrain for vegetarians; here are three sizzling ideas for a meat-free feast
Word has it that ex-Drake chef Anthony Rose has some big plans up his sleeve. The ambitious chef-cum–entrepreneur plans to open not one, not two, but three new Toronto eateries in the next two years under the banner of his new restaurant group Rose and Sons. While the exact concept behind the new ventures has yet to be revealed, Rose is emphatic that simple food and a good atmosphere will be the name of the game in his upcoming resto trifecta.
Toronto’s penchant for pop-ups seems insatiable, and this week a new concept that’s temporarily setting up at 99 Sudbury is showcasing a cuisine that often gets overlooked in this city: Peruvian.
From Guu to Don Don Izakaya to the upcoming locations of Nejibee and Kingyo, it’s safe to say that izakayas are well on their way to overtaking sushi joints as Toronto’s favourite Japanese culinary transplant. And soon there will soon be a new contender competing for izakaya supremacy in Toronto, with beloved Vancouver chain Hapa Izakaya set to touch down in Little Italy this August.
