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04/04/12
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.
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04/03/12
The smell of The Big Fish hits us before we walk in. It’s one of those vinegary, greasy-good cooking smells, the kind that makes your mouth water. Taking over the old Bon’s Submarine spot, The Big Fish opened last week at Queen and Spadina, adding to the strip’s growing list of fast food hot spots that blow the remaining chain restaurants out of the water.
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04/02/12
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.
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04/02/12
Named after Italian racecar legend Alberto Ascari, Ascari Enoteca 26 is a bit of a throwback to the ‘50s. Aiming to provide an experience similar to a classic Italian enoteca, the restaurant creates a space and ambiance that speaks to the enthusiasm that Ascari had for food and wine.
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03/30/12
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.
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03/30/12
Mention Argentinean wine and people immediately think of Malbec. But the Mendoza Valley also produces some Cabernet Sauvignon at attractive prices. This Cab has an expressive bouquet of blackcurrant and cedar. Medium-bodied with juicy cherry and currant flavours, it’s a wine that punches above its weight in terms of price. Food match: lamb chops or grilled sausages.
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03/29/12
As Ossington continues to be a prime culinary destination south of Bloor, its comparatively underwhelming north-of-Bloor side just got a boost with Actinolite. Opened March 28, the new restaurant is the long-awaited project of husband-and-wife duo Claudia Bianchi and Justin Cournoyer.
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03/28/12
Pancakes and waffles at breakfast tables in the province may go dry and lonely this year. According to the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association, the unseasonably warm temperatures over the past few weeks had sap flowing earlier than expected, resulting in output that’s down at least 50 per cent in parts of the province.
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03/27/12
After catching word that Queen Margherita Pizza is set to open a second location near the Junction this fall, we got in touch with co-owner John Chetti. Apparently, he and his partners have cemented a deal with Stefano Ferrara, who Chetti refers to as the “God of pizza ovens,” to come from Naples and personally build and install a pizza oven at the new location.
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03/27/12
The Beach’s newest bakery, Tori’s Bakeshop, is all vegan, all natural, refined sugar-free, occasionally gluten-free, organic where possible and entirely eco-friendly. Owner Victoria Vaccher, a vegan herself, made sure of that.
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03/26/12
If there’s anything that humanity has learned from swine, it’s that pork pairs well with just about anything. Waffles are no exception. Proof? Every other week at Porchetta and Co., patrons line up for owner Nick auf der Mauer’s new porchetta and waffles dinner special.
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03/26/12
With warm, summery weather making its fleeting presence known, it’s the time of year when restaurant menus begin to shift to lighter, fresher food — away from wintery stews, soups and meats — and showcase the first of the season’s local ingredients. Early fiddlehead and ramp seasons will soon be upon us, not to mention lobster season on the East Coast.
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03/23/12
Otta Zapotocky has been working in restaurants all his life. During his childhood in the Czech Republic, his mother, who worked as a chef, would wake him up at 5 a.m. every morning so he could go to work with her before school. In Toronto, he spent two years as general manager and sommelier at Nota Bene and has also worked front of house at Malena and L’Unita. Last month, he opened L’Avenue as a French-inspired bistro on Bayview.
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03/23/12
Yes, it’s costly — but once in a while you’ve got to spoil yourself and taste a wine at the top of its game. Dense purple ruby in colour, it offers an elegant nose of blackberries and spice. Medium- to full- bodied on the palate, it has that firm, dry, majestic flavour of mature Sangiovese. Food match: osso buco or veal chop.
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03/22/12
Food lovers in Little Portugal are a lucky lot these days, with a cluster of new spots having recently opened a stone’s throw from each other near Dundas and Gladstone. The latest, This End Up, joins neighbours Midfield Wine Bar and The Federal on the strip.
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03/21/12
Celebrity chef Bob Blumer is setting up shop in Toronto next week, promising patrons at The Drake a “unique” pop-up dining experience — replete with beef short ribs served in a toilet bowl. Blumer is perhaps best known for his TV shows, but he’s also written a number of cookbooks over the years. Herewith, Blumer shares one of his breakthrough dishes — Caesar salad — adapted from his Glutton for Pleasure cookbook.
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03/21/12
The curtains are drawn tight over the windows at Reither’s Fine Food International. After 23 years of providing Church Street shoppers with meats, seafood and other edibles from all over the world, owner and Austrian master butcher Peter Reither has decided to close the deli and specialty food store.
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03/20/12
Named after food service centers found in movie studios and military bases, The Commissary, Leslieville’s newest eatery, is looking to bring affordable meals and a bit of vintage charm to the neighborhood. With its ‘30s-style lighting fixtures and reclaimed wood bar, décor is dominated by repurposed and recycled items.
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03/20/12
After three years at the helm of classic English pub The Queen and Beaver, Jamieson Kerr and executive chef Andrew Carter are embarking on a new venture: The Oxley. Located on Yorkville Avenue opposite the Hazelton Hotel, the new restaurant will cater to the area’s clientele with a slightly more upscale play on what the duo currently has going on at their Elm Street location.
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03/19/12
Taking over the old Ocampino Restaurant at Dundas and Gladstone, Midfield Wine Bar and Tavern opened its doors last month after much anticipation from Toronto wine lovers. A joint venture between well-known Toronto sommelier Christopher Sealy, formerly of Union, and local business owner Giuseppe Anile (who, until recently, owned Marquee Video and is a former manager at Bar Italia), Midfield features a wide selection of wine by the glass or bottle.
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03/19/12
Later this month, RaviSoups will be opening a new location on Dundas West. The new venue, unlike its takeout-driven counterparts, will feature a dining room for 40, complete with communal table and a patio for 25. No word on menu specifics yet, but the restaurant will still serve its signature soups and wraps. Owner and chef Ravi Kanagarajah also plans on putting together a full Southeast Asian-inspired evening menu, as well as a brunch menu.
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03/19/12
Doughnuts are making a big comeback, and they’re nothing like the boring ‘ol chocolate dips, Boston creams or Timbits of the classic coffee shop. Just as Krispy Kreme once sparked an obsession in the city (raise your hand if you drove all the way out to Mississauga just to line up for a box of original glaze), Glory Hole Doughnuts have come to redeem the doughnut for Toronto.
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03/16/12
This weekend, St. Lawrence Market will host the first ever GradsMarket, a reverse job fair where recent graduates of Toronto culinary schools can flaunt their wares for potential clients. Founder Yulia Vasilyeva, inspired by her own transition from student to budding entrepreneur, decided she wanted to create an event where students could gain exposure and meet others in their industry.
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03/16/12
At this year’s Wine and Cheese Show, you can find wine that’s fine and choose cheese with ease. Options are almost endless, so we certainly don’t expect you’d find yourself in this situation. Still, it can be a bit overwhelming, so here is a primer on how to delve into cheese and wine, at the show or on your own.
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03/16/12
It hasn’t even been a year since Rodney Bowers opened Hey Meatball! in Little Italy, but we’ve just received word that a second incarnation of the popular food shop is already in the works. Bowers has secured a location at 91 Roncesvalles Avenue, where he hopes to open a new Hey Meatball! in about six weeks.
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03/16/12
Thomas Bachelder used to make wine for Ontario’s Le Clos Jordanne winery. Two years ago he struck out on his own to make Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in three different regions — Ontario, Oregon and Burgundy — under his own label. All three Chardonnays have just been released at Vintages. The one that’s drinking best at the moment is Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2009. Food match: salmon or pheasant.
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03/15/12
The area around Dundas and Dufferin is seeing a flurry of action these days, with several new restaurants and bars having opened or opening soon: Midfield Wine Bar & Tavern, Nono’s and This End Up. Earlier this month, The Federal opened up for daytime service in the old Zoots Café space, with plans to expand to dinners in the near future.
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03/15/12
Smock, which calls itself a “café and wonder workshop,” is a work in progress. In around six weeks, the large, airy location on Roncesvalles will be transformed into a family-friendly café-cum-creative space, but for now the wooden counter is still rough and the unfinished floor is littered with paint and tools.
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03/14/12
Little Italy has been on the upswing as of late, with restaurants like Acadia, Woodlot and Frank’s Kitchen having set up shop in the area over the last few years. Still, College Street appears to have just lost one of its more interesting options: Live and Breathe.
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03/14/12
This week, we asked Chris Kalisperas, executive chef at Brassaii, to tell us about his breakthrough dish. While Kalisperas calls Toronto home, he spent a few formative years (cooking-wise, at least) in Cyprus. After returning to Toronto, Kalisperas spent time in the kitchens at Flow and Centro before settling at Brasaii. Here, Kalisperas shares a recipe from his childhood.
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03/14/12
There are few things I remember dreading more in life than participating in “breakfast and tell” while in kindergarten. After Suzy, in her OshKosh B’gosh overalls, finished sharing the details of drowning her Frosted Flakes in chocolate milk, it was my turn to stand up and tell the class that my mom made me some sort of soupy rice (congee) to go with an a.m. helping of wooly, dried, shredded pork (rousong), sardines in tomato sauce and pickled bok choy.
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03/13/12
The world’s first Harvey’s restaurant, which was built in Richmond Hill in 1959, has been torn down to make way for condos. And according to the National Post, not too many people were up in arms at the prospect of losing the place.
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03/13/12
Unbeknownst to many, the Indian subcontinent is a superb producer of omelettes. There, it’s a ubiquitous street food, made spicy, often served atop bread. It’s traditionally a bit harder than other omelettes, with herbs, chilies and chopped veggies mixed into the egg rather than folded in. For those looking to try a classic Indian omelette in Toronto, the Danforth’s Aravind restaurant recently did what few Indian restaurants in the city have done: it began serving an Indian brunch.
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03/13/12
Walking into Parkdale’s Chantecler, the new Canadiana-fusion joint that’s opened up in the old Mangez space, you’d think it had been there forever. Named after a chicken breed native to Canada, the 26-seat Parkdale bistro has a warm, comfortable feel that’s accentuated with sophisticated attention to detail.
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03/12/12
It’s fair to say there’s been some major buzz in the Toronto blogosphere about Ursa, the new restaurant on Queen West that’s opened in the old Bar One space. Much of the ado surrounds the fact that the super-healthy menu, which includes probiotic delights such as homemade kefir, Kombucha fermented tea and house-cultured walnut yogurt, also happens to be super-tasty.
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03/12/12
Call them “nasty bits,” “non-traditional cuts” or straight-up “offal.” This week’s cheap of the week is one of my favourite of the strange cuts and easily one of the most approachable: pig ears.
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03/09/12
Don’t confuse the Montepulciano grape with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano produced from Sangiovese grapes in Tuscany. It’s more on the rustic side. Dense purple-black in colour, this wine has an earthy, blackcurrant nose and a chunky mouth feel. There’s good concentration of black fruit flavours here and an intriguing spicy note. Terrific value. Food match: spaghetti puttanesca or fresh Parmesan cheese.
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03/08/12
The bartender is in at The Drake Hotel. At least that’s what the new sign in the dining room says. The perpetually hip venue has just opened a cocktail bar in the corner of its dining room, which boasts an extensive lineup of drinks, like the Hanky Panky (gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet Branca, $14) and the Boulevardier (bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth, $14).
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03/08/12
“It’s essentially a dive bar — but with good craft beer,” says Katie Whittaker, owner of Kensington Market’s latest, well, dive bar. On the same strip of Baldwin Street that houses Detour Bar and the Hot Box Café, Thirsty and Miserable is in good company. Named after a tune from Black Flag’s (then) controversial 1981 album, Damaged, the bar offers up a mix of local, Québécois and Belgian brews in a laid-back atmosphere.
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03/07/12
Bob Blumer, host of the Food Network Canada series Glutton for Punishment, is about to embark on his next adventure, World’s Weirdest Restaurants. The series follows Blumer as travels the world to sample some truly strange culinary destinations. We caught up with the television host to talk about his new show and his March 26 pop-up restaurant event at The Drake Hotel.
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03/07/12
This week, we asked Ariel Coplan, Nyood’s brand new chef, to tell us about his breakthrough dish. Coplan, born and raised here in Toronto, learned his craft under the tutelage of Lorenzo Loseto at George Restaurant. After working at Café Grey in New York City, and Number One — a Michelin-starred restaurant at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh — Coplan returned to his hometown with his eyebrows intact (more on this below). Herewith, Coplan shares his favourite jerk chicken recipe with us.
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03/06/12
Oreo cookies turned 100 today. That’s right — the first Oreo was sold on this day in Hoboken, New Jersey, in 1912. Does anybody actually care about that? Well, Colin Mochrie made an appearance at the Toronto Eaton Centre to celebrate the occasion today, so the answer is, yes, some people actually care. Either way, now is a good time to indulge in some useless Oreo trivia. Below, five ways that the sandwich cookie has influenced our culture.
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03/06/12
Here is how I know that I live in one of the most civilized countries in the world: if I want to have a newborn piglet wrenched from its loving mother’s teat, slaughtered, rubbed with salt, injected with brine, roasted for four hours and placed on a platter purely for my own enjoyment, all that I have to do is call Bestellen restaurant.
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03/05/12
Anthony Rose, The Drake’s executive chef for the last six years, is to leave the famed hotel to open a restaurant of his own. Though he chose not to reveal any details about his upcoming endeavor, he did tell The Grid, “It’s just time to move on. In my career, I like to stay at places for a while and what I’ve done with The Drake over the last six years has been amazing, but I’m just ready to do something different.”
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03/05/12
Last Thursday evening, a swarm of hungry foodies took over St. Lawrence Market, wining and dining their way through Recipe for Change, FoodShare’s biggest shindig of the year. Bringing together 30 of Toronto’s finest chefs — including Aaron Joseph Bear Robe, Brad Long and Rocco Agostino — the event raised over $50,000 for food literacy in schools, which aims to broaden the culinary horizons of Ontario’s youth.
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03/05/12
New to Toronto’s finicky crêpe circuit is Chococrêpe, a café and crêperie that opened near Queen and Bathurst a few months ago. It brings to mind Café Crêpe, which opened over a decade ago across from the (then) City TV and Much Music building, before big brands began to take over Queen Street, pushing the artsy crowds west. Chococrêpe is this decade’s response to the new West Queen West crowd.
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03/05/12
It’s no secret that Toronto is completely inundated with espresso bars, but at least two downtown areas have managed to avoid indie oversaturation: the Financial District and the Entertainment District. Sam James plans to tap into the former with an upcoming shop on the PATH, and Dark Horse Espresso Bar has ventured into the latter with a fourth location, which officially opened on John Street this morning.
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03/02/12
These days, it’s difficult to tell whether Toronto is more obsessed with tacos, hamburgers, Neapolitan pizza or espresso. A case could be made for any of them, but those who need proof that tacos are hip need only pay a visit to Grand Electric. In the time it takes to get a seat there, one could just as easily migrate all the way to the east end, where a new taco joint has opened up in the former digs of Le Rossignol.
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03/02/12
Roncesvalles’ new East Coast-inspired Hopgood’s Foodliner may have a sparse dessert menu of only two items, but its crispy toffee bar ($8), which comes in a brown paper package tied up with string, is a sweet and salty delight that stands on its own. We caught up with executive chef Geoff Hopgood, who told us the secrets behind his chocolate bar (turns out, it has a lot to do with blended Rice Krispies, a paint sprayer and a delectable chocolate sauce).
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03/02/12
This is a pleasant blend of Carignan, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Ruby colour with a spicy floral nose of blackberries; medium-bodied, elegant, fine mouth feel, dry and spicy. Food match: beef casserole, old cheddar.
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03/01/12
Leslieville Cheese Market & Fine Foods, the popular gourmet food shop that first appeared on Queen East around six years ago, will be opening a fourth location later this month on Donlands Avenue.
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03/01/12
Lately it seems like anyone who’s anyone has a blog. And 11-year-old Ryan Storm is developing quite a following with his food blog, Ry’s Ratings. Since age 8, Storm has been trying out restaurants all over Toronto and reviewing his experiences. We recently spoke with him to get his views on eating organic, the best places find it and what an 11-year-old connoisseur does for fun.
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03/01/12
Recently opened at Bay and Elm, Sliced is a new gourmet sandwich shop hoping to change the way Toronto views lunch. “We’re looking to change the stigma that fast food is a bad thing,” says chef Nabil Zakaria.
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