Thought I would do a round up a few yummy menu items that have caught my attention these days.

For example

1. The new Tuna Harissa Sandwich from Aroma Espresso Bar.  

Inside this tasty sandwich you will find: two slices of tomato, sliced red onion, sliced egg, a tangy pickle, chopped tuna and the harrisa. I’m in love with the entire combination of flavours.

2. Taco.TO (170 Spadina)

Their vegan tacos caught my attention. Just perfect…both the taco and the price too ($4.45 each).

3. The Kelp Salad from Nut Bar. (1240 Yonge St) Totally healthy and totally refreshing.

4. This $3 Vietnamese Sandwich that I purchased (and devoured in my car) on Gerrard St. East. Yes – you read correctly it was $3.

7. This new Lebanese Bakery and Cafe called Republic. (25 Nelson). Absolutely adored Their turkish coffee and their Hen’s nest too. Definitely going back.

8. Anything from Planta!!  (1221 Bay St). I’ve been to this vegan restaurant twice and it continues to impress me even thought I’m not a vegan. Sadly no photos to share as I always seem to go at night. #bloggerproblems

9. The chopped liver from Harbord Bakery. (115 Harbord) The best part of my job is that I get to meet great people who love food as much as I do. Here’s a photo of the owner of Harbord Bakery and I, enjoying a sample of their freshly made chopped liver. It was perfect. 

Toronto has no shortage of great food to discovery.

Happy Eating!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are time when I have a craving for something really specific. Here’s a list of restaurants where I satisfy certain food cravings.

a) Craving Chicken Wings? Head to The Wingery. TRUST ME..they have the biggest chicken wings you’ve ever seen. Click here to find a location near you.

b) Craving Chicken? Head to Jackpot Chicken Rice (318 Spadina Ave). Delicious. Delicious. Delicious.

c) Craving Dim Sum? I’m a fan of Dim Sum King (421 Dundas St. W)….carts, a massive space, and it’s cheap ‘n cheerful.

d) Craving Matcha? Head to Tsjuri. You won’t be disappointed.

e) Craving Poke? Check out Cali Love   (367 Queen St. W) News Flash: They are just about to open a second location.

f) Craving something sweet? Cant help you. LOL.

g) Craving something totally different? Head to Junked Food Co. (1256 Dundas st. West)

h) Craving Soup? Mother’s Dumplings (421 Spadina Ave) has you covered. Best use of $5.15.

i)  Craving Pizza? Za Pizzeria.( 402 Bloor St. W) This place is a gem. Please check it out.

j) Craving deep fried pickles? Just go directly to Leslieville Pumps. (929 Queen St East)  Seriously.

i) Craving a salad? Aroma Espresso Bar has numerous salad options to satisfy any craving.

 

 

j) Craving something healthy? Yam Chops (705 College St) has no shortage of options.

K) Craving Pierogis? Have you tried The Saucy Pierogi (1282 Dundas St. W) Handmade pierogis. I swear.

L) Craving to Cook at Home? Head right over to HelloFresh. I’m loving this service (which is now available throughout Canada) Stay tuned for a dedicated blog post about using this service for two weeks.

L) Craving Indian? You MUST go to Ji. (760 St. Clair Ave W). This place has won my heart for Indian Gastropub type of food.

M) Craving Crispy Squid? Head to Jamie’s Italian (Yorkdale Shopping Centre). I loved this dish so much that I ordered another serving.

N) Craving Cheesesteak? Check out Philthy Philly’s. (multiple locations). No other word to describe this other than the word: YUM

I’m sure I missed a lot more categories but I don’t want to bore you. Perhaps one day I will finish off the list (O to Z). LOL

Happy Cravings!!

Seeing as I did a blog post about eating my way thru Toronto, I thought it would only be fair to write a blog post about the variety of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) that I’ve discovered in the last few months.

1. SoCIAL Lite

This new drink is right up my alley as it’s the first ever ready-to-drink sparkling vodka cocktail that has no sugar, no sweetener and no artificial ingredients. It’s made with a blend of premium Canadian vodka, soda and 100% Natural Flavours. What’s most impressive, each 355mL can is a mere 80 calories and is gluten-free. Hello Summer!

I love the story behind the drink: Theses entrepreneurs wanted to drink on a Saturday night and still be able to run on Sunday mornings.

2. Root Beer is the latest trend with alcoholic drinks these days and finally I scored these two products at the LCBO on Yonge Street/Summerhill. The brand on the left (Crazy Uncle) disappeared from the fridge before I got a chance to try it, and the brand on the right (Dusty Boots) is Root Beer with Beer and produced by Crazy Beard Brewing Co. right here in Toronto. I tried the Dusty Boots and I liked it…A LOT. Then again I’m a root beer fan so I was pretty sure I was going to like it. Read more about the guys behind Crazy Beard Brewing Co. here!

3. Fresh – This apple glow ginger is beyond refreshing. Had a sample of it at an event and will certainly be buying this in the future.

4. The Iced Aroma or Lemon Mint at Aroma Espresso Bar is another summer time favourite.

Aroma Espresso Bar is also running a cool summer time contest (with Simon & Schuster Canada) where you can win free coffee for a year as well as some great books. Enter soon as the contest closes July 15th … K? Ps the name of the contest is Read, Chill, Repeat – LOVE IT.

6; Smoothies!

This weekend I enjoyed the Wimbledon finals while sipping Smoothies made with Genuine Health Fermented Greek Yogurt Protein +. This Canadian product has no GMO, vegan, soy and gluten free.

I grabbed some Almond Milk Breeze and some berries – added the Fermented Greek Yogurt Proteins+ and before you know it, I had a satisfying Smoothie. I’m also a fan of the Fermented Greek yogurt proteins+ Cherry Almond Vanilla bar. Check out all their products here.

Here’s to Staying Hydrated over the Summer!!

I’ve just returned from a trip to Ottawa. I hadn’t been there for a little over 4 months so I was a bit out touch with the foods scene, but not for long as I posted on facebook: “Where should I eat?” and as always my foodie friends in Ottawa were happy to help.
Here’s a recap of what I discovered;

Datsun  (380 Elgin St) – This is a new trendy restaurant on Elgin St and is owned by the same owners as El Camino. It’s one busy restaurant …even at 10 pm. We ordered two dishes and both were incredibly flavourful. Next time, I need to go with a larger group so I can try more dishes.

We started off with this most satisfying bowl of ramen.

2. Aroma Espresso bar – This a popular coffee chain in Toronto, New York and Israel now has a location in Ottawa. It’s located at Landsdowne Park (300 Marche Way – #109) which has been developed into quite a bustling part of town. What did I order? I tried the new cold pressed ginger and tumeric drink. This beverage (which is available hot or cold) hit the spot and was a great alternative to (another) cup of coffee.

3. Urban  Juice Press  (340 Parkdale Unit B Entrance on, Spencer) I had just purchased beer at Beyond the Pale and as we were turning the corner saw a sign and parked the car again. Loved the space and the organic juice that we purchased. These cold pressed juices can be the perfect pick me up in the middle of the day!

4. Origin Trade Inc. (111 York St) – This new coffee/lounge blew me away. Someone really put some thought into decorating the space. Plus my coffee can best be described as “smooth” with no bitterness whatsoever.

Other discoveries:

This local kombucha that is made in Smith Falls. (purchased at Herb and Spice on Bank St)

2. This local kimchi that I purchased at the Ottawa Farmers Market.

But besides eating my way thru Ottawa, the real reason I went to Ottawa was to celebrate my friends 50th birthday and to hang out with my mom. I’m so lucky to have both of these women in my lives.

As always, I love visiting Ottawa. Hoping to return in May for the Tulip Festival and to discover more great food.

I’ve been a fan of Aroma Espresso Bar, since they opened their first Canadian location in 2007. They now have 25 locations in Toronto and 150 locations world wide!

I must admit I keep returning to Aroma for these two reasons: I love the mug that my coffee is served in, and I love the piece of chocolate that comes with my coffee. I know it sounds shallow but it’s the truth!

I’m also fond of the food that they serve. I probably like this dish the best. It’s called Shakshuka. Described as: Two sunny-side up eggs, on top of a rich warm tomato and pepper sauce. Served with Tahini and your choice of freshly baked bread. Can you say “YUM”? 

Their sandwiches are ALL  divine. In my humble opinion, their sandwiches are all fabulous due to the BREAD. There is something about their bread that sets it apart from others!

 

When I’m not inhaling shakshuka or a sandwich..I’ve been known to order a salad too. Always fresh and always tasty!

Now that the cooler temperatures have arrived, I know I will be enjoying Aromas’ satisfying soups as well.

It’s interesting to note, that everyone time I give a friend an option to meet at Aroma or another coffee shop, they always choose Aroma as they want to eat. I never disagree.

It’s also interesting to note that Aroma was one of the first restaurants who were “twitter” friendly back in 2010. #impressed.

For more information:

Website: www.aroma.ca

Twitter: @aromaespressobar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AromaCanada

 

 

 

I have no idea how I got introduced to the Halumi Sandwiches at Aroma Espresso Bar but it’s the only thing I have eaten there , despite knowing that their salads are fantastic too. I also enjoy their coffee, but once in a while I crave their Halumi Sandwich.

I have a feeling that I like this sandwich so much cause no one else makes it!! If I had to break it down even further, I would say that Aroma has all the right elements for making this sandwich perfect:

-unique ingredients (halumi, a pickle, lettuce, tomato)

-the right thickness of FRESH bread (white, multigrain or whole wheat).

I have been to a few Aroma locations in the GTA (thanks to the perks of being a sales rep!!) – the Promenade Shopping Centre, Bloor St, Yonge/Eglinton and Rutherford Plaza too. Next on my list is to visit their latest location at Don Mills Centre. I like the space and feel of Aroma so much that I once inquired about renting the Bloor St. location for a party (it was declined – but that’s ok – we rented Steam Whistle and had a great party there).

So next time you are looking for a unique sandwich – check out Aroma Espresso Bar, K?

Locations:

Aroma Espresso Bar  500 Bloor St. W.

Aroma  Espresso Bar 2300 Yonge St (Yonge/Eglinton)

Aroma Espresso Bar  1090 Don Mills (Don Mills Centre)

Aroma Espresso Bar  9320 Bathurst (Rutherford Plaza)

Aroma  Espresso Bar 121 King St. West (Standard Life Building)

I hear buzz that an Aroma is opening in Forest Hill Village. Stay Tuned!!