After several years of showcasing simple, sometimes rustic cuisine, Toronto’s restaurant scene may be about to embrace a little extravagance. That’s according to Donna Dooher, exec chef at Mildred’s Temple Kitchen and chairperson of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association.
This very attractive bubbly from B.C. is grown on the highest vineyard in the province. It has a pale straw colour with an active mousse.
As buzz around this weekend’s anniversary of the Titanic sinking moves into “fevered” territory, a number of Toronto eateries are marking the occasion by reviving some Edwardian fine dining. Perhaps most likely to give you the feeling of elegance from that gilded age (you know, before all that stuff with the iceberg) is an afternoon tea at Yorkville’s upscale Windsor Arms Hotel (18 St. Thomas St., 416-934-6022).
St. Lawrence Market’s popular fish joint, Buster’s Sea Cove is launching a food truck, to join the ever-growing list of mobile dining options in the city. Starting this month (the date hasn’t been finalized) hungry downtowners will be able to get their lunchtime fish and chips from a blue-green Buster’s truck at Queen and Jarvis.
For many Toronto flyers, the words “airport dining” conjure up images of poking around in a pile of limp coffee-shop sandwiches or ramming some fast food in their mouths on the way to the gate. But that may be about to change. Pearson Airport has just announced a huge revamp to its dining options, with plans for eight new restaurants from some of the Toronto’s finest chefs.
Good news for Toronto’s cooking-averse party hosts — Parkdale hotspot Parts & Labour has started a catering service. Offering what it calls an “eclectic” selection of nibbles, the service is aiming to bring street-food style to the city’s party scene.
A mature blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Cabernet. We don’t often see wines of this vintage at the LCBO and certainly not at this price. Dense purple in colour, this Spanish wine has an oaky, red berry and cedar nose, but it still retains its youthful spicy, red cherry flavour thanks to its lively acidity.
Beau’s All-Natural Brewing Company puts out a seasonal beer every three months, and this spring they’ve released an India Pale Ale that they’re calling the Beaver River I.P.Eh?
Agave y Aguacate may be a bare bones stall in Kensington Market, but owner-chef Francisco Alejandri is putting out some of the best Mexican food in the city. It’s not surprising, considering his resume: he trained at the Stratford Chefs School and worked at Splendido, Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar and Torito. We asked him for the dish that helped spark his passion for cooking.
After 20 years, College Street cocktail bar Souz Dal will be relocating. But not to worry, it’s just moving down the street. After lease negotiations feel through, owner Sid Dichter decided to merge the bar with his other venue, Sutra Tiki Bar, at 612 College Street.
It looks like celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy has shuttered his Dundas West grocery store Provenance Regional Cuisine. Known for its locally sourced and sustainable foods, Kennedy took over the tiny shop at Dundas and Palmerston last September from original owner, Alex Johnson.
Last year, Leslieville fixture Red Rocket Coffee announced it was leaving the area due to rising rent costs. Now, the space at 1402 Queen Street East is papered over with a rather cryptic “coming soon” sign featuring a portrait of Nikola Tesla. What does it mean? That Serbian franchise Rakia Bar is coming to town, of course.
