(no title)

320. Tofu Village

So as many of you know, I lived in Korea for a year. As you would expect I became a Korean Cuisine elitist. Upon returning to Toronto I was deflated by the mediocre offerings available in the city. I missed the true Samgyeopsal experience and affordable prices for just about anything (2 dollar beer and a huge galbi bbq for 10 dollars was the norm). I have ventured to several Korean restaurants in the city whenever I am feeling a bit nostalgic for Seoul food. My favorite to date is Korea House contrasted with the garbage coming out of places like Yummy Bar-B-Q.

Tofu Village located in the heart of Toronto’s Korea Town was recently featured in Toronto Life as one of the top Korean spots in the city worth visiting. I ordered items on the menu which people had raved about online: the chapchae simple stir fry and Soon Tofu. Tofu Village has great service and is a cheap and cheerful spot to enjoy a selection of traditional home cooked Korean dishes but still has me on the search for an elevated Korean dinning experience. To be continued…

We enjoyed:

Chapchae

Beef Bulgogi

Pork Soon Tofu

Fried Dumplings

Beef Bibimbap

Tags: korean, the annex, tofu village, Toronto

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Food Love

Canadian Beef Spring Dinner Party

29 May

So, I’ve had a “piece of meat,” sitting in the freezer desperate to be devoured. It had been sitting in the coldest corner of my apartment for some time. I received five cuts of beef at the Ultimate Meating with Canadian Beef in October and over the course of the Fall and Winter had been using them up in my kitchen. My last remaining cut was a massive striploin roast. So back in April I got to scheming…

On Friday I returned from a five week press trip of Europe. A day before I departed for Iceland (back in April) I attended The Dietrich Group’s Paris 1994/Gallery at Worldstage. So before I left I thought it would be a great idea to throw a welcome home party for myself (who doesn’t) slash celebration for Paris 1994/Gallery at Worldstage. It’s funny how one piece of meat can bring a group of engaging personalities together.

I contacted Canadian Beef and agreed on throwing four dobbernationLOVES Canadian Beef dinners throughout the year (one for each season) to celebrate the gloriousness that is beef while taking care to pay homage to Canada’s four distinct seasons.

The dinner was held at Darryl and Mike’s house on Queen Street East in Leslieville. Mike and I had discussed a menu before I left focusing on Latin flavours. The menu evolved, as all creative processes should. Our focus for Spring was on fresh herbs, citrus, rhubarb, asparagus and of course whipped cream.

As guests arrived we had three cocktails prepared. I made one of my favorite patio drinks from Italy “The Aperol Spritz” as well as Frangelico Caipiroska which packs a punch. We also boiled down some rhubarb with a bit of sugar then strained it, juiced it and simmered it into a reduction which we served in champagne glasses topped with cava.

The evening was a great success. The beef came out of the oven and sliced perfectly. The intense heat from jalapeno and punch in the face from excessive garlic in my chimichurri had peoples eyes bulging. Most importantly, it was so nice to catch up with everyone on a patio! The birds were tweeting and my memories of a cold and lonely winter had long gone. We finished the evening off with jar cakes made with lemon pound cake stuffed with raspberry jam and topped with lemon curd and whipped cream. Spring has sprung.

The Feast:

Frangelico Caipiroska

Aperol Spritz

Rhubarb Cava

***

Nachos

guacamole, pico de gallo

Quinoa Salad

corn, peppers, cilantro

Quesadillas

shiitake, asparagus, goat cheese, poblano cream

Sirloin Roast

chimichurri

Beans and Cream

Lemon Jar Cake

filled with raspberry preserve topped with lemon curd and whipped cream

Tags: canadian beef, dinner party, the dietrich group, Toronto, worldstage

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Food Love

319. Berber Lounge

28 May

This past winter I had the pleasure of taking a few of my friends to enjoy the lively atmosphere at Moroccan inspired belly dancing dinner and show, The Sultans Tent. During my visit I peaked down to their basement which is home to the funky BerBer Lounge. Their management advised me that they would be launching a new menu at BerBer so was thrilled to check out what they were serving up in this unique space in Toronto’s St Lawrence Market neighborhood.

I invited my friends Lucky, Steph and Vanessa along for the ride. I arrived a few minutes before the rest of the group so that I could take pictures of the exterior and interior of the restaurant. Berber is one of those spaces where you open the front door and are quickly captivated by an unexpected ambiance. The entire interior is decorated with Moroccan art, stools and wood paneling. I honestly felt as though I had just stumbled into a restaurant in Rabat…a bit of escapism in Toronto’s East End. The bar and lounge area at the front of Berber is the perfect spot to take someone on a date (take note)!

At the table, over the course of the next three hours we were served their entire menu. Chatting with the ladies we all agreed Berber would be an excellent spot to take someone from out of town or for a special occasion (read: to impress someone on a first date). The food and drink is reasonably priced, its the atmosphere they have created here that really makes Berber a romantic spot.

While the Sultan’s Tent’s menu is predominantly inspired by foods from Morocco, the Berber menu (as you can see) offers a broader snap shot of northern African cuisine and tastes of the Mediterranean. The two must have’s here are the Cambozola fritters (I ordered us an extra two before our dessert because we were so obsessed with these oozing balls of cheese) and the Chicken Supreme which is stuffed with a rich combination of gouda and caramelized onions.

We enjoyed (* notes my favorites):

Blue BerBer “Champagne” Cocktail

Pondview Gewurztraminer-Riesling, Niagara *

Puerta de Alcala Crianza, Spain *

EastDell Riesling Ice Wine, Niagara

***

The Signature Anti-Pasto

artichoke, smoked salmon, olives,

Celeriac Soup *

all spice, smoked gouda

BerBer Country Salade *

greens, pear, spiced caramelized walnuts, red onions, grapefruit, pommery dressing, rice paper basket

Cambozola Fritter *

walnut encrusted fritter, arugula, fennel, blonde frizee, champagne raspberry vinaigrette, heirloom beets

Chef’s Selection

poached moroccan octopus, scallops, shrimp, green lentils, scallions, cirtus mint vinaigrette, roasted peppers and orange

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Supreme *

stuffed with smoked gouda and caramelized balsamic onions, saffron mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables

Bifteque BerBer

flat iron steak, crispy pancetta confit, roasted brussels sprouts, mini white potatoes

Osso Bucco

Sicilian Ciopinno

mussels, calamari, white fish, tomato broth with capers and black olives

Stuffed Pepper and Polenta

vegan friendly option, quinoa stuffed pepper seasoned with lemon-thyme served with chickpea ragu and grilled polenta

Lavender Creme Brulee *

Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake

Tags: berber lounge, st. lawrence market, Toronto

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Food Love

Banrock Station Pink Moscato

26 May

The Banrock Station Pink Moscato displays fresh, aromatic notes of citrus and melon with a touch of sherbert and musk. On the palate, fresh melon and sweet floral characteristics are present. The natural fruit sweetness is balanced with the fresh acid finish and the gentle spritz gives the wine a refreshing finish.

The winery is doing a great job at selling more than just wine, they also spread a good message. With every Banrock Station wine sold the winery donates to environmental projects around the globe: Norway Polar Bear tracking, Sweden Wetland restoration, Netherlands Reintroduction of otters, Australian Wetland Restoration and Water Conservation and in my home country of Canada they are Restoring Salmon to Lake Ontario (which I can see from my work desk right now!) You can see an interactive globe with their complete list of projects HERE.

Banrock Station makes excellent wine worth checking out. I am most pleased by their commitment to supporting environmental initiatives around the world (focusing on the regions where their products are sold and enjoyed). It is so fantastic to see a wine brand giving back to the people and places which enjoy its products. #high5

Tags: australia, banrock station, pink moscato

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Drink Love

318. Smith

25 May

I can often be caught ranting and raving about how my neighbourhood, The Gay Village is a bit of a barren culinary wasteland. This past winter on one of those Friday nights where you find yourself totally exhausted after a long work week I called up my friend Mark and asked him if he was peckish. I was hungry and wanted to get out of the house and socialize but was too lazy to venture too far from home as I knew I was fatigued from a consuming week. I suggested we visit Smith as it had been open for over a year and I had heard good things about their cocktails and brunch.

I dare say Smith is the only restaurant on the Church and Wellesley strip worth telling people about. I was actually pleasantly surprised when reading through the menu that they were current and in the know on foods that are in fashion. Too often I find myself sitting in the Village at a restaurant which is serving up outdated dishes such as “strawberry and goat cheese salad,” so 1998!

I really enjoy the restaurants ambiance. It is quirky yet refined and a perfect spot to go on a date. I also love how their menu is featured in a newspaper style format (also a fan of their font!)

We enjoyed:

Millionaire Cocktail

Knob Creek Bourbon, Grand Marnier, egg white, home made grenadine, lemon juice, nutmeg

Fettuccini with Duck

capers, mint, grana padano

Harissa Roasted Chicken

frisee, eggplant, dates and chickpeas

Tags: church and wellesley, Smith, Toronto

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Food Love

317. Tutti Matti

23 May

I was so pleased to spend my last day at Planeterra enjoying lunch with my coworkers Liz, Kelly and Jeff. I had been wanting to check out Tutti Matti for some time as it is literally a stones throw from the G Adventures building at Adelaide and Charlotte Street. It was a sunny spring afternoon and my heart felt a bit bittersweet. Just like Spring where one day will be bitter cold and another a hopeful tease for summer…leaving any job is always hard. I had worked with a great team and spent most of meal contemplating my future and remembering the many fond memories from the past two years. We all held up out glasses and cheered to a fresh start for Dobbernation!

Tutti Matti’s service was painfully slow especially since the restaurant was not even half full. My ravioli was mediocre, the butter sauce was soupy as the pasta had not been properly strained before being added to the dish. Jeff enjoyed the short ribs and Liz’s salad looked fresh. Kelly complained that her hand rolled pasta Pinci looked a bit like worms which she found unappetizing. We all started with the FAGottini (obviously we had to, right?)

We ordered (* notes my favorites):

Fagottini Fellini

chickpea flour crepe stuffed with cipollini, Italian cheeses, truffle honey

Insalate della Principessa

baby spinach, bufala mozzarella, pine nuts, prosciutto, grilled apple, dried balsamic fig, saba vinaigrette

Pinci

hand rolled pasta, stewed eggplant, tomatoes, red onions, fresh chili, capers, briciole

Ravioli di Zucca

roasted squash and amaretto cookie ravioli, butter sage sauce

Costole di Manzo

beef short ribs slow roasted in Italian beer, oranges, rosemary and garlic

Tags: italian, Toronto, tutti matti

Comments Leave a Comment
Categories Food Love

316. Enoteca Maialino

21 May

Last month I was invited to a media tasting at Parkdale’s new Sicilian inspired Enoteca Maialino located on Queen Street West a stones throw from Roncesvalles. As always I was the first to arrive. It was cold and wet outside so I dropped my coat and bag off at the door and spent the next few minutes taking pictures of the restaurants interior. As media arrived everyone was big smiles, hugs and kisses. It is always nice to sit at a table with other food writers to catch up and chit chat.

We all started with glasses of prosecco and then sampled cheese and salumi. Chef Roberto Marotta who hails from the Sicilian port city of Milazzo was introduced and spent the rest of the evening showcasing his favorite dishes on the menu.

We enjoyed (* notes my favorites):

2008 Colline Teatine Bianco IGT, Nicola Di Sipio, Abruzzo

2010 Cerasuolo D’Abruzzo DOC, Nicola Di Sipio, Abruzzo

2008 Nero d’avola “Chiaramonte,” Firriato, Sicilia *

2010 Moscato d’Asti, DOCG *

***

Salumi

la mortadella e il tartufo, testina di maiale, wild boar salami

Formaggi

taleggio, ragusano dop, pecorino ennese

Parmigiana in Vetro

36 month parmigiano mousse, roasted eggplant, guegino tomato sauce, olive oil, mandranova cerasuola