There’s certainly no shortage of new restaurants in Toronto. This means that my tummy is very happy and very busy too!

Here’s a few that I’ve checked out lately:

a) The Kathi Roll Express: They just opened up their second location at 1753 Avenue Road which is great news as it’s about 2 km’s away from where I live! They offer take out and seating for about 6 people. What did I order? A Kathi Roll,  Chaat Papri, Mango Lassi and More!! ps I’m in love with the Chaat Papri. Please (oh please) order this dish!

b) Schmaltz Appetizing: Have you heard of Fat Pasha? Rose & Sons? Well Smaltz Herring is brought to you by the same guy – Anthony Rose. I adored the name and when I heard they had a “GefilteWich” Sandwich – well I HAD to go. (that’s just the way I roll). I also bought the chopped liver to take home and it got the thumbs up. ps not a restaurant – more of a take out counter.

 c) Loaded Pierogi – once again I love the name and the concept. Talk about COMFORT food at it’s best. This restaurant opens today (Nov 5th) and I have no doubt that they are going to be busy! Bye bye Poutine – Hello Pierogi.

 d) St. Andrew Poultry: This business has been around for decades but recently re-branded and now offer catering, a snack bar, take out and more. I’ve already blogged about it but wanted to blog about it again…that’s how much I love this place. As you can see from the photos, they offer more than just chicken!!

For More Information:

Kathi Roll Express …692 Yonge St or 1753 Avenue Road, Toronto – Twitter: @TKREToronto

Shmaltz Herring…414 Dupont, Toronto – Twitter: @ShmaltzHerring

Loaded Pierogi …9 1/2 Church St, Toronto – Twitter: @LoadedPierogi

St. Andrew Poultry…17 St. Andrew, Toronto – Twitter: @StAndrewPoultry

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Toronto is pretty lucky to have a Filipino restaurant like Lamesa…right on Queen St. W! Not only do I love the location but I simply adore eating at a restaurant that serves food that I could never (ever) make at home.

The “Hand to Mouth” dinner was Unique with a capital “U”.  Our meal featured – no cutlery and no tablecloth but PLENTY of food that was beyond flavourful.

The meal consisted of Sauces (4 different types), Salads, Proteins (5 different types) and Sides (4 different types). Here’s a photo that demonstrates how the sauces appeared on our table. For a complete list of what was served, please click here.

Each dish came out (one by one) till the table was FULL. I patiently waited thru this process as I simply wanted to dig in! It was worth the wait. Can you tell there was no shortage of food?

This type of meal was definitely a treat and I’m eager to bring friends and family here for several reasons:

-It’s FUN

-It’s a unique experience

-The food is uber flavourful.

The Hand to Mouth Dinner is now being served EVERY Sunday and costs $40 per person. For reservations please email info@lamesafilipinokitchen.com. PS Vegetarian options are available.

For more information:

Lamesa Filipino Kitchen 669 Queen St. W, Toronto 647 346 2377

Facebook: www.lamesafilipinokitchen.com

Twitter: @LamesaTO

Disclosure: My meal was complimentary however all opinions are my own

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I recently visited Montreal from Aug 3 to Aug 10. What a treat for both my tummy and my eyes! I’m actually going to dedicate TWO blog posts to the “food” part of my trip. Does that give you an indication of how much food I ate? LOL

Here’s a list  of restaurants that I tried.  Sadly I didn’t make it to Joe Beef as they were closed. Sniff.

Garde Manger:  What did we order? The lobster poutine, Foie Gras with brioche and a blueberry sauce, and the Walleye. We sat at the bar in the back and loved both our food and the cool yet casual vibe of this restaurant. PS almost went back another night for the Foie Gras dish – it was that good.

Au Pied Du Cochon; This is my 3rd time to this restaurant in the past 7 years and I keep ordering the same thing! Foie Gras Poutine and Cromesquis Foie Gras (basically deep fried squares and when you pop them into your mouth – foie gros oozes into your mouth). This visit I felt like I need to add some vegetables to balance the meal and it didn’t disappoint.

L’Gros Luxe: Noticed that they had a poutine sandwich on the menu AND deep fried avocado. Didn’t take me long to add L’Gros Luxe  to the list of restaurants I wanted to check out. There’s a reason why they just opened their second location…great food, great prices and friendly staff.

Olive & Gourmando: This restaurant seems to be packed ALL the time. I went an hour before closing and it was still full of customers (minus the line ups). It was a good strategy not to go for breakfast or lunch seeing as I’m not fond of line ups. The waitress told me that #24 on the menu is a popular salad so I ordered it. It was SO pretty and SO tasty. Just what I needed. I can see why this is a popular spot for tourists and for locals.

Brit & Chips; One night I was looking for a casual restaurant that wasn’t far from Old Montreal and this restaurant fit the bill. Just perfect.

Ceviches: Oh what a treat to discover this restaurant. Love. Love. Love this restaurant. Again – another casual restaurant and exactly what I was looking for. I wish there was a restaurant like this in Toronto!

Just so you know – I followed three blogs that were instrumental in helping me decide which restaurants to go to!

1. www.mtlblog.com

2.www.willtravelforfood.com

3. www.shutupandeat.ca

For more information:

Garde Manger 408 Rue St. Francois Xavier, Montreal (514) 678 5044

Au Pied Du Cochon 36 Avenue Duluth Est, Montréal  (514) 281-1114

L’Gros Luxe  3807 St-André  514-447-2227 OR 150 Bernard Ouest  Mile End 514-507-8883

Olive & Gourmando 351 Rue Saint Paul Ouest (514) 350-1083

Ceviches 152 Rue Napoléon, Montréal (514) 419-6391

Brit & Chips 433 Rue McGill (514) 840 1001 or 5536 Cote-des-Neiges, Montreal (514) 737-9555

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I know..I know….I’ve posted three restaurant reviews in a row. I promise next week there will be NO restaurant reviews K? However bear with me for my last restaurant review K? I attended a media event for Portland Variety and they really nailed it with some spectacular presentation and flavours. Not to mention…they serve coffee that is WICKED.

Ok let’s start from the beginning.

The front of the restaurant serves breakfast (coffee and pastries etc) …take out lunches (sandwiches etc) and after work there is this INCREDIBLE spread of  tapas.  I mean INCREDIBLE…with incredible prices too. There’s also dinner!!

Now let’s talk about the food that is served during dinner. Top Left:  Chickpeas in a creamy sauce, Top Right: Smoked Octopus, Iberico Chorizo, Smoked Tomato, Olive Oil, Lemon. Bottom Left: Crispy Pork Rinds that I wrapped up and put in my purse (no joke).  Bottom RIght: House Made Ricotta with Honey, Hazelnuts and Pear

I’m in love with all the sauces. I could marry them!

I didn’t taste any of these cocktails but I sure did want to take a photo of them. One drink was prettier than the next drink!

Naturally I didn’t have any battery left to take photos of the desserts but I beg of you to try to beignets. (I haven’t begged before but seriously – Im begging you this time).

As for the coffee. It’s not to be missed. Milton (one of the co-owners) made me a spectacular Americano. It was so good that I had one at the beginning of my meal and one at the end of my meal. This is NOT something I do on a usual basis – especially at night.

ps..Notice how gorgeous the machine is? Well, there’s only 2 in Toronto and he spent a week in Delaware learning how use it!

Congratulations to Portland Variety. I can’t wait to return.

For more information:

Porland Variety  587 King St. W, Toronto (416) 368 5151

Twitter: @PortlandVariety

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I’ve just returned from a “girls night out” where we checked out a new restaurant that is conveniently located right next to St. Lawrence Market. It’s called  Market Street Catch. Please note that the owner  also owns Buster’s Sea Cove which is located inside of St. Lawrence Market.  This is code for “this will be a great place to order fish”.

I love the fact that it’s an open kitchen and you can see the fish that’s going to be in your meal!!

As for the menu – it’s listed on the wall. Here’s PART of the menu. Not sure why I only took one photo ..forgive me!

I couldn’t decide what to order so I asked the manager. He recommended the grilled octopus and he was right – it was perfectly grilled. Not chewy  or tough at all!! I ordered it on a salad but you could order it with fries too.

My friend, ordered the fish taco and she was pretty happy with her meal too.

Next time you are in the mood for fish – this would be an ideal restaurant.

For more information:

Market Street Catch, 14 Market St, Toronto ON 416 363 2020

Twitter: @marketst_catch

Facebook: www.facebook.com/makretstreetcatch

Website: www.marketstreetcatch.com

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The other day, I received a last minute invite to check out the Grand Opening of Touhenbokus Ramens’ newest location at 2459 Yonge St. I didn’t mind at all, as I live about  2 km’s away and was curious to visit. You see, I was invited to the Grand Opening of their first location (261 Queen St) where I indulged in some ramen – but  this particular invitation was inviting me to sample their tapas and cocktails. I was intrigued to say the least. (ie …no ramen?)

When you enter the restaurant, you immediately notice the “more upscale” decor than their Queen W. location. I really think they did a great job with the space…just the right amount of classy and hipster. (does that make sense)?

I then found out that there’s TWO menus. A lunch menu (with ramen options) and a dinner menu that will be served after 5 pm. (ie tapas and cocktails).

Indeed I sampled a cocktail that was off-the-chart-amazing.  It’s called the KINGYO (remember this) and it’s made with Shohu, mint, hot peppers and soda. What a unbelievable combination. I would order this again in a heart beat. Talk about refreshing.

I also sampled the food. Something tells me that I will be returning to try the Godzilla’s Egg! (see above menu)

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After reading a review of Bar Buca by Amy Pataki in the Toronto Star, I knew that I wanted to visit this restaurant STAT. She gave it 3.5 stars out of 4, so I put Bar Buca on my radar and off I went for lunch. I was a bit nervous that it  was going to be busy so I was cautious and arrived at 11:30 am. It was a good move.

The space has a few shared tables and a bar as well.(capacity 38).  I like watching the ‘action” so I plunked myself onto one of those high backed chairs!

The menu is divided into small bites, cold plates, hot plates, fried, stuffed focaccia and skewers. Love it. It’s perfect for sharing ….and priced between $3 and $14.

So what did I order? Let’s put it to you this way – TASTY STUFF.

Specifically: POLIPO – baby octopus, soppressata, crema de palate. What you really need to know is that it was perfectly prepared.

We also ordered: CARCIOFI CRUDI – raw artichokes, buffalo yogurt, bottarga, senape. In other words: More Perfection

Based on a few reviews, I knew I would be ordering the PORCHETTA SANDWICH (roast tuscan pork, mascarapone, apple mostarda, agliata). What you really need to know about this sandwich is that it is MASSIVE. So glad we split it!

Last but not least – we ordered the BRUSCHETTA which is described as: duck yolk, beech mushroom and truffle. Again – DELICIOUS.

Conclusion: This restaurant offers some well executed dishes in a cool atmosphere with some decent service. Not to mention that the menu appeals to me as it’s certainly not an ordinary menu. Not even close.  I know I will be returning one morning with my macbook… to try their coffee and pastries. I have no doubt that I’m going to be impressed. Most likely I will be making it for dinner one day too. Clearly I’ve become a quick fan of Rob Gentiles’ style. (who is the Executive Chef).

For more information:

Bar Buca 75 Portland St. Toronto 416 599 2822

Hours: Monday to Friday 7 am to 1 am, Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 2 am.

Twitter; @barbucatoronto

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I went to this restaurant when they first opened but for some reason, I never went back. This often happens for no other reason than my perpetual curiosity to keep trying new restaurants.

However, a few weeks ago I dined at Bi Bim Bap…. 3 times in one week. I initially went with a friend who has mulitple allergies (and they were all too accommodating) and then returned with my boyfriend and then returned again when my mom was visiting from Ottawa. It also helps that this restaurant is less than a kilometre from my apartment!

Bi Bim Bap is located on Eglinton between the Allen and Bathurst. It looks like this from the outside.

When you sit down, you will notice a little red “call button” which comes in handy when you want to ask the waitress a question or need something!

What sets this restaurant apart (besides the call button) from other Bi Bim Bap restaurants that I’ve been to?

-They are totally understanding when it comes to allergies. Infact there’s NO shellfish in any of their dishes.

-The quality of the food is outstanding. You might be paying a few dollars extra but it’s worth it.

-The owner, Sam and his staff are super friendly.

-My food (which arrives in stone bowl) was still  STEAMING 20 minutes after it arrived at the table. Seriously.

What did I order?

MUSHROOM BI BIM BAP  –  A mix of 9 different varieties of mushrooms, stir fried (TO PERFECTION) and served on top of Bi Bim Bap vegetables. ($13.99).  There are other varieties on the menu but I prefer the vegetarian option. Go figger.

I hope you get a chance to check out this restaurant one day soon. It’s a neighbourhood favorite for a good reason!

For more information:

Bi Bim Bap  950 Eglinton Ave W, Toronto 416 787 7423

Hours: Monday: closed, Tuesday to Saturday 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday 11 am to 8 pm. Closed All Holidays.

No facebook page or twitter presence 🙁

Disclosure: My meal was compensated however all opinions are my own

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I grew up eating smoked meat. Infact, I remember my dad bringing home a package of smoked meat for my sister & I as well as a package of smoked salmon for my mom …every Sunday morning! My relationship with smoked meat had a break for about 20 years but guess what? I’m back on track with smoked meat again. I’m not eating it regularly so trust me, I’m no expert. I think I visit a deli once a year…even though I don’t live far from many of them. Deli’s like Pancers, Yitz’s, Centre St. Deli, Caplansky’s are all close by including Ben & Izzy’s.

This restaurant opened up almost a year ago and I’m pleased to say that I finally went! It was on my list for a LONG time.

The space is not what I expected for a kosher restaurant along Bathurst St. I was impressed…it was much brighter, cleaner and trendier than I had anticipated.

Even though there are plenty of options to eat at Ben & Izzy’s – I knew what I would be ordering!! (see the top left corner?)

Our sandwiches looked like this…

Naturally…..Cherry Coke,  Cotts’ Cherry Soda and Vernon’s are available.

Again, I’m no “deli” expert but I certainly enjoyed my meal and would certainly recommend it to my friends who are looking for decent deli!!

ps Check out their website. It’s awesome!

For more information:

Ben & Izzy’s Deli; 3513 Bathurst St. Toronto, ON 416 787 3354

Hours: Sun: 12 – 9 | Mon & Tues: 11 – 8
Wed & Thurs: 11 – 9 | Fri: 11 – 2

Twitter: @benandizzys

Facebook: www.facebook.com/benandizzys

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Seeing as it was my birthday the other day, I thought it was only appropriate for me to check out a new restaurant!! Wouldn’t you agree?.

The chosen restaurant: S. Lefkowitz, which is owned by Ezra Braves who also owns Ezra’s Pound. (also worth checking out if you haven’t been). I’ve known Ezra for years as I used to supply him with Boylans back in the day when I was a food sales rep. When I heard about the opening of this restaurant, I thought to myself “What a brilliant idea”.

The menu certainly appeals to me. Take a peek. Notice the line at the bottom of the menu: We use only organic chickpeas, meat, tahini, eggs & olive oil. Ezra has always been committed to serving organic food (as much as possible) as well as operating a restaurant that is environmentally friendly as well.

Of course, I tried the hummus. My initial thought was: OMG IT”S WARM. My next thought was OMG IT’S DELICIOUS.

Then I tried the Labneh. My initial thought was: I’m so glad I’m eating alone so I can eat the whole plate. (which I did). It was creamy and silky and perfect.

I can’t wait to go back on a weekend with a group of 5 friends so we can try all 5 types of hummus….AND more labneh.

Congratulations Ezra on your new concept. I have no doubt that this restaurant will be embraced by Torontonians.

Congratulations Ezra!

For more information:

S. Lefkowitz 923 Dundas St. W, Toronto, 647 346-8448

Hours: 10:30 am  to 530 pm every day. CLOSED MONDAYS.

Twitter: @hummuslefkotwitz (love this username)

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