Ask Ronen Shnaider why he got into burgers, and the answer is simple, if a little unexpected: “I got religious.” Burgers, apparently, are ideal fare for a strictly kosher restaurant. With that notion in mind, Shnaider opened Burgy’s Goldburger Burger Bar in Thornhill a few months ago.
The donut: once a beloved friend during childhood, it is now considered to be the arch nemesis of an adult diet. That’s not to say that we don’t look back on those days together fondly. We decided to rekindle the relationship when we came across this delectable tote bag by local designer Avril Loreti.
Are you a recent college grad? Unemployed? Single? Or perhaps you’re still looking for your purpose in life? Then you belong on Avenue Q. There you’ll find confused-yet-hopeful fleshy and furry characters spontaneously bursting into song about their dreams, concerns and, uh, porn. But unfortunately, Avenue Q isn’t a real place. It’s actually a Tony Award-winning musical that opened at the Lower Ossington Theatre last week.
This week, we asked Chef Alex Bruveris, Maléna’s current head chef, for his “breakthrough” recipe. Only 23 years old, Bruveris has worked in a number of notable kitchens (including Auberge du Pommier and Enoteca Sociale). His passion for his craft is undeniable: the man has vegetables tattooed on his bicep. Herewith, Bruveris shares a recipe for braised rabbit and explains the significance of this particular dish.
“We’re aiming for the world’s biggest Hall & Oates collection,” Kyle Turner says as he points to a shelf with vinyl reserved solely for the duo. “Though we do have a ways to go.” Turner — along with girlfriend Storm Luu, old pal Rob Moseley and Tamara Salpeter rounding out the bunch — owns Of A Kind, a shiny new store on College Street hawking both vintage fashion and vinyl.
Robert Burns was born Jan. 25, 1759. His birthday is celebrated all over the world. Best known for having written “To a Mouse” and “Auld Lang Syne,” he also wrote “Address to a Haggis,” an ode to Scotland’s notorious national dish. Burns called it the “great chieftain o’ the pudding race,” but if you find it hard to think of haggis as a delicacy, think of it as sheep recycling. In honour of Burns, let’s consider the haggis, which he immortalized with a “grace as lang’s my arm.”
Joanna Chapman-Smith is a charming and breezy folk singer who mixes sounds from around the world in a hodgepodge of delectable musical delights. She’s performed in more than 100 cities in four countries and those travels shine through her music. Recently, she settled in Toronto after a decade-long stint in Vancouver. If you don’t know her yet, you’re in luck: she’s playing at Hugh’s Room tonight.
Sustainability and sale: two words we love to hear when it comes to fashion. Preloved, Queen West’s staple of redesigned vintage, has filled its shop floor with one of a kind samples and warehouse stock to be sold from today until Saturday.
Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes presents an end-of-the-world romance that includes talking dogs and a cross-dressing banker. Warning: despite the usage of puppets, this show is definitely not for children.
Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St., 416-504-9971. Jan. 24 – Feb. 26.
Etobicoke is Ford country. A suburban, mom-and-pop enclave that is home to Toronto’s boisterous mayor Rob and his councillor and big brother Doug. The houses are nondescript post-war bungalows, ranchers and side-splits with wide lots, driveways and actual backyards. It seems like there are more Tim Hortons per capita than most city neighbourhoods, and the big shopping attractions are clustered in strip malls. I’d say it’s leafy and idyllic, but it’s the middle of January and too darn cold. I’m in the belly of the beast on a mission: track down the mayor.
Nerds. They’re practically cool these days. And they’re gathering. Last week, Toronto nerds descended on a local community centre for a monthly get-together of learning and nerdy debauchery known as Nerd Nite. In between pints, they got schooling from brethren on just about anything a nerd may want to know about.
The biggest news of the day, without question, is bound to be the announcement that a $100 hot dog is now available in Vancouver. Too bad Toronto went through this whole thing last year (get with it, Vancouver) with the now-infamous and hugely unsuccessful $100 burger. The two PR stunts are pretty much exactly the same, so why not do the obvious and compare them head-to-head?
