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Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Macaron Day Toronto!
Just a quick reminder that today is Macaron Day Toronto!
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Monday, January 7, 2013
New Year's Resolution
My new year's resolution is to be consistent with blog updates. It frightens me that it has been almost a year since my last posting. They say that with age comes wisdom; but in this case it would be more precise to say that maturity is what gives that perspective to see the wisdom. This whole blogging business is not as easy it looks. I have so much respect for all the time and effort they put in as I realized what is really required to make it work. It is to become a habit for me put finger to keyboard and put it to print.
So much has changed in the last year I hadn't realized something that I had been doing just on the side had grew into a singular almost obsessive compulsion. In this year I want to strike a balance to dedicate more time blogging and to keep true to my original intentions. Here in this corner of the internet was and still will be an archive of the places I've been to and experiences that have elapsed. There is no one else I should worry about except for myself nor should I push myself because of what other bloggers have done. In hindsight, that was one of the factors that had made me saddened and depressed about blogging. So many great blogger scribing their fantastic exploits in far away places with such ease and finesse. What would my blog have to offer? Why would that matter now; I say to myself after having a new perspective. This is a community and not a competition. I hope that my contribution to the community has helped someone out there with my nascent blogging skills.
As for the next new year, I must remember to have a backup plan as not all plans will pan out as you would hope. New year's eve of 2012 had a bumpy start but it ended well I'm glad to say. So many people cancelled last minute that I had to other choice but to fend for myself until the party. Needless to say it was extremely hard to find a place to eat that wasn't already booked for the night. Twitter really saved the night as I checked the feeds for who's still take in stragglers such as myself on a night like this. At the same time I can't help but wonder if I wasn't on twitter then how would I have found out the info. Many defacto spots I go for food had not posted any updated on their webpage and solely rely on tweets communicate with customers. Websites for these places should not be neglected especially for those that still don't twitter or facebook (Yes, there are people out there that don't use them). After an exhaustive search and many, many long rides on the red rocket I had found the destination of this trip. Next destination: Don Don Izakaya.
The sight and smell of grilled meat had slowly cheer me up, warmed my cheeks and stoked my appetite. Greeting my arrival they strike the taiko drum and annouce a new guest had arrived. I love the sound of that drum and would love to learn it one day!
No new year's night would be complete without at least a bit alcohol. Starting off, I had ordered the DonDon Original Hot Hot Sake. It had a fruitier and sweeter taste and less of an alcohol kick which had lead to an early buzz before the food had arrived. Today's special was Nishin Noodle as it was a cultural tradition in Japan according to the bartender.
It wasn't too busy a night as I wondered what was taking so long for my food to arrive. The alcohol was running low and the buzz was coming on quicker than I had expected it. I took action and asked the bartender to check on my order. There was to be no food as the order hadn't gone through. This could have been a simple oversight. Once the food had arrived I was a much happier person. However it was not the noodle that arrived but the crispy fried shrimps was the first to the table.
Bartenders must be some of the most perceptive people in the business. When he noticed that my order came out of sequence that he spoke to the floor manager right away. These couldn't stay in my hand long enough as I swallowed them whole, head and all. My mouth just loved the tender juicy shrimp contrasting with crispy shells and the slight briny taste enhanced by the shio salt.
The manager personally delivered the noodles as he explained in more depth the tradition behind these noodles and profusely apologized for the delay. "Cool!" As I thought to myself in which it is just like the Chinese tradition as well. In the bowl was a classic konbu dashi (dried kelp broth) with lengthy buckwheat noodles, dried soya sauce fish and garnished with scallions. After tasting the noodles I felt that they had relieved my fear that this could have been over salted. Meanwhile the noodles still had a touch of firmness which is how I like them to be texturewise .
From then on the manager personally delivered each place after the noodles. Aside from the bacon, I couldn't tell the difference between the oyster and the mushroom wrapped inside. The taste of the oyster just lost to the mushroom as the both also had similar textures. Splashing them with a squeeze of lemon helped with the saltiness of the cured bacon. It wasn't very memorable at all.
Following the bacon skewers was the grilled pork with scallions seasoned with shio salt once more. A fellow blogger had mentioned that their food was a bit too salty. The lemon again had did its job again in controlling the salt. Pork belly in any form is already a delight but when it is grilled it becomes all kinds of wonderful. It is an intense pork taste from the grill with just the salt alone.
What is the calorie count you say? To appease my conscious since haven't the faintest idea, I order what looks to be the least sinful of desserts. Again it is something simple and yet pleasing. Although it is called plum wine jelly; there will be no buzz from the alcohol inside. It was fun to have jello again just with enough plum wine to make it something more sophisticated.
For tonight it was the service that was impressed me more than the food. Both the bartender and the manager was on point once they saw that there was a little wrinkle for my service. It was just under an hour before the countdown as I make my way to the party happy reaffirming that good service can always turn things around.
So much has changed in the last year I hadn't realized something that I had been doing just on the side had grew into a singular almost obsessive compulsion. In this year I want to strike a balance to dedicate more time blogging and to keep true to my original intentions. Here in this corner of the internet was and still will be an archive of the places I've been to and experiences that have elapsed. There is no one else I should worry about except for myself nor should I push myself because of what other bloggers have done. In hindsight, that was one of the factors that had made me saddened and depressed about blogging. So many great blogger scribing their fantastic exploits in far away places with such ease and finesse. What would my blog have to offer? Why would that matter now; I say to myself after having a new perspective. This is a community and not a competition. I hope that my contribution to the community has helped someone out there with my nascent blogging skills.
As for the next new year, I must remember to have a backup plan as not all plans will pan out as you would hope. New year's eve of 2012 had a bumpy start but it ended well I'm glad to say. So many people cancelled last minute that I had to other choice but to fend for myself until the party. Needless to say it was extremely hard to find a place to eat that wasn't already booked for the night. Twitter really saved the night as I checked the feeds for who's still take in stragglers such as myself on a night like this. At the same time I can't help but wonder if I wasn't on twitter then how would I have found out the info. Many defacto spots I go for food had not posted any updated on their webpage and solely rely on tweets communicate with customers. Websites for these places should not be neglected especially for those that still don't twitter or facebook (Yes, there are people out there that don't use them). After an exhaustive search and many, many long rides on the red rocket I had found the destination of this trip. Next destination: Don Don Izakaya.
The sight and smell of grilled meat had slowly cheer me up, warmed my cheeks and stoked my appetite. Greeting my arrival they strike the taiko drum and annouce a new guest had arrived. I love the sound of that drum and would love to learn it one day!
No new year's night would be complete without at least a bit alcohol. Starting off, I had ordered the DonDon Original Hot Hot Sake. It had a fruitier and sweeter taste and less of an alcohol kick which had lead to an early buzz before the food had arrived. Today's special was Nishin Noodle as it was a cultural tradition in Japan according to the bartender.
It wasn't too busy a night as I wondered what was taking so long for my food to arrive. The alcohol was running low and the buzz was coming on quicker than I had expected it. I took action and asked the bartender to check on my order. There was to be no food as the order hadn't gone through. This could have been a simple oversight. Once the food had arrived I was a much happier person. However it was not the noodle that arrived but the crispy fried shrimps was the first to the table.
Bartenders must be some of the most perceptive people in the business. When he noticed that my order came out of sequence that he spoke to the floor manager right away. These couldn't stay in my hand long enough as I swallowed them whole, head and all. My mouth just loved the tender juicy shrimp contrasting with crispy shells and the slight briny taste enhanced by the shio salt.
The manager personally delivered the noodles as he explained in more depth the tradition behind these noodles and profusely apologized for the delay. "Cool!" As I thought to myself in which it is just like the Chinese tradition as well. In the bowl was a classic konbu dashi (dried kelp broth) with lengthy buckwheat noodles, dried soya sauce fish and garnished with scallions. After tasting the noodles I felt that they had relieved my fear that this could have been over salted. Meanwhile the noodles still had a touch of firmness which is how I like them to be texturewise .
From then on the manager personally delivered each place after the noodles. Aside from the bacon, I couldn't tell the difference between the oyster and the mushroom wrapped inside. The taste of the oyster just lost to the mushroom as the both also had similar textures. Splashing them with a squeeze of lemon helped with the saltiness of the cured bacon. It wasn't very memorable at all.
Following the bacon skewers was the grilled pork with scallions seasoned with shio salt once more. A fellow blogger had mentioned that their food was a bit too salty. The lemon again had did its job again in controlling the salt. Pork belly in any form is already a delight but when it is grilled it becomes all kinds of wonderful. It is an intense pork taste from the grill with just the salt alone.
What is the calorie count you say? To appease my conscious since haven't the faintest idea, I order what looks to be the least sinful of desserts. Again it is something simple and yet pleasing. Although it is called plum wine jelly; there will be no buzz from the alcohol inside. It was fun to have jello again just with enough plum wine to make it something more sophisticated.
For tonight it was the service that was impressed me more than the food. Both the bartender and the manager was on point once they saw that there was a little wrinkle for my service. It was just under an hour before the countdown as I make my way to the party happy reaffirming that good service can always turn things around.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Bare Bones
In the new year I find myself in a new neighborhood with my new job in the area near Yonge and Sheppard in North York. There are some familiar names and some new ones to explore in the restaurant scene here. The wintery winds and falling snow really made me yearn for a bowl of hot comfort. I trekked the roads onto the first location that came to mind. At the doorsteps of Joons, I feel like a Japanese salaryman looking for solace in repast after a stressful day of work. Steamy windows obscuring toasty patrons enjoying themselves. Across the floor I sees students and young professionals talking about their day. Clarity slowly came to when my noses can smell all that delicious table side cooking. Settling in my cozy little corner I let my mind de-stress from my day as I have already made my choice for dinner. The aromatherapy washes over my mind and body as I wait for the side dishes before the main course. It didn't take long as my meal was delivered just as my stomach clamored for nourishment. It didn't take long for the food to arrive thankfully.
The side dishes that had accompanied the meal was very generic. These are the usual suspects line the dinner lineup. Only one thing that was memorable was the mashed potato for reasons I will reveal later.
It is always nice to see effort putting into presentation for something as simple as a plate of dumplings. Sitting atop a bed of shredded lettuce are these dumplings fanned out and streaked with hot sauce. Each dumpling looked as if they were clones of each other which only confirmed the suspicions I had after I bit into my first one. Tasting the void of flavor only confirmed to me that they were hibernating in a freezer awaiting their scalding destiny. What was that saying about style and substance again?
Coming to the main course I wanted to give them one last chance at redemption. First impression of this was that it was going to be worth it after struggling with all the disappointment. Don't let looks deceive you as the meat in the pictures was about all the meat I found in my meal. Perhaps I may have viewed this dish all wrong in the past. It is called Pork Bone Soup so why am I saddened to see there is so little meat on the bones. In the soup base I observed that there was a transparency that I'm not use to in this dish. The taste was very flat as there wasn't much flavor within it except for a sourness. Do you remember when I said that the mashed potatoes was the only memorable dish of the night? The reason why it was memorable was because of the absence of the spuds in the bowl! My guard was totally down for this one, two rapid assault combo in the gut.
Shock and disbelief was still fresh in my mind next morning whether or not the events of the previous night had actually transpired. All the table cooking happening around me last night has started to make me re-evaluate what I should order the next time I come back.
The side dishes that had accompanied the meal was very generic. These are the usual suspects line the dinner lineup. Only one thing that was memorable was the mashed potato for reasons I will reveal later.
It is always nice to see effort putting into presentation for something as simple as a plate of dumplings. Sitting atop a bed of shredded lettuce are these dumplings fanned out and streaked with hot sauce. Each dumpling looked as if they were clones of each other which only confirmed the suspicions I had after I bit into my first one. Tasting the void of flavor only confirmed to me that they were hibernating in a freezer awaiting their scalding destiny. What was that saying about style and substance again?
Coming to the main course I wanted to give them one last chance at redemption. First impression of this was that it was going to be worth it after struggling with all the disappointment. Don't let looks deceive you as the meat in the pictures was about all the meat I found in my meal. Perhaps I may have viewed this dish all wrong in the past. It is called Pork Bone Soup so why am I saddened to see there is so little meat on the bones. In the soup base I observed that there was a transparency that I'm not use to in this dish. The taste was very flat as there wasn't much flavor within it except for a sourness. Do you remember when I said that the mashed potatoes was the only memorable dish of the night? The reason why it was memorable was because of the absence of the spuds in the bowl! My guard was totally down for this one, two rapid assault combo in the gut.
Shock and disbelief was still fresh in my mind next morning whether or not the events of the previous night had actually transpired. All the table cooking happening around me last night has started to make me re-evaluate what I should order the next time I come back.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Viet-Nom!
For the longest time this place has been haunting my mind. You know what I'm talking about right? That elusive song in your head, that for the life of you, just can not recall the name of it. That oppressive heat at the T&T Asian Night Market was just pounding on my body and cooking my brain. Even the lake shore breeze could not save my appetite from being cooked well done. I know there were some places that I really wanted to try. In retrospect, I must have taken those pictures to remind myself later to search them out. One of these places did not come full circle until I read the article from The Grid and reinforced by Cheap Dude's post.
It took a few tries before I finally got to their brick and mortar location near Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. I wanted to order everything but there was no way I can finish it all myself. After some hard thought I whittled down the selection to one sandwich and taco. The place is pretty spartan but functional. This is still a soft open when I was there so it is understandable why things look almost barren. I couldn't help but notice the really nice burberry coat and boots this attractive girl was wearing. I have to distract myself some how before the food arrives. ;)
After reading those articles I decided to get pork belly banh mi and kalbi tacos. I can't say no to pork belly. What else would go with an Asian taco except naan bread! Quite often I have naan bread that are dense and takes an effort to bite or tear off. To my delight these were softer, thinner and lighter that made eating it much more enjoyable. The kalbi taco was dripping with sauce which is not a bad thing at all. This kimchi still had a bit of a crunch and maintained a spicy heat that nicely matched the slightly sweet kalbi sauce. Those pickled vegetables inside didn't have the harshness from their vinegary soak. I find that is the biggest sin when the marinade is so strong that all the other flavors are lost. Everything is made fresh ,and mostly in house, in case you haven't taken a peek at the links especially the bread!
Polishing off the taco, I didn't think the banh mi could be better. Boy was I wrong! The pork belly worked its magic again. I'm pretty sure I didn't see him put any butter on the bun. My mind was really boggled where this rich and smooth texture was coming from. Then it dawned on me as this creaminess must be from the pork fat literally softening into a buttery spread from all the long hours of of braising. Gone will be the days of the margarine and unknown pate between the buns. Speaking of buns I have had enough experiences where there is confusion between a nice crust and day old bread. That hard and jagged feeling is bruising the roof of my mouth. Well that didn't happen here so I thank them and my mouth thanks them too. You can see the the nice crust and feel it yield as you bite in to reach the soft bread underneath.
This was so good it is worth going back again and again. As a person that is leaning heavily as a meataterian I would have liked just a bit more meat. Pricing wise it is higher than the street version you get up a bit on Spadina. The quality here is worth spending that little bit extra. Next time I think I will get 3 tacos since it doesn't feel like I ate as much bread although I could be completely wrong. Food only get better when it is nice and messy. Excuse me while I off and practice a few sets of Triple D Hunches before I go back for another round.
It took a few tries before I finally got to their brick and mortar location near Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. I wanted to order everything but there was no way I can finish it all myself. After some hard thought I whittled down the selection to one sandwich and taco. The place is pretty spartan but functional. This is still a soft open when I was there so it is understandable why things look almost barren. I couldn't help but notice the really nice burberry coat and boots this attractive girl was wearing. I have to distract myself some how before the food arrives. ;)
After reading those articles I decided to get pork belly banh mi and kalbi tacos. I can't say no to pork belly. What else would go with an Asian taco except naan bread! Quite often I have naan bread that are dense and takes an effort to bite or tear off. To my delight these were softer, thinner and lighter that made eating it much more enjoyable. The kalbi taco was dripping with sauce which is not a bad thing at all. This kimchi still had a bit of a crunch and maintained a spicy heat that nicely matched the slightly sweet kalbi sauce. Those pickled vegetables inside didn't have the harshness from their vinegary soak. I find that is the biggest sin when the marinade is so strong that all the other flavors are lost. Everything is made fresh ,and mostly in house, in case you haven't taken a peek at the links especially the bread!
Polishing off the taco, I didn't think the banh mi could be better. Boy was I wrong! The pork belly worked its magic again. I'm pretty sure I didn't see him put any butter on the bun. My mind was really boggled where this rich and smooth texture was coming from. Then it dawned on me as this creaminess must be from the pork fat literally softening into a buttery spread from all the long hours of of braising. Gone will be the days of the margarine and unknown pate between the buns. Speaking of buns I have had enough experiences where there is confusion between a nice crust and day old bread. That hard and jagged feeling is bruising the roof of my mouth. Well that didn't happen here so I thank them and my mouth thanks them too. You can see the the nice crust and feel it yield as you bite in to reach the soft bread underneath.
This was so good it is worth going back again and again. As a person that is leaning heavily as a meataterian I would have liked just a bit more meat. Pricing wise it is higher than the street version you get up a bit on Spadina. The quality here is worth spending that little bit extra. Next time I think I will get 3 tacos since it doesn't feel like I ate as much bread although I could be completely wrong. Food only get better when it is nice and messy. Excuse me while I off and practice a few sets of Triple D Hunches before I go back for another round.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Neighbourhood Gem
Even with all the holiday madness we all need to take a break and grab a bite to eat. A bit here and a nibble there help makes the day better. I just got to remember to not let go too much or there will be much regrets come January.
This was a good time to reward myself for finishing my Christmas shopping early. On Christmas eve I couldn't help but to cozy up in front of the radiant heat and aroma of the shawarma broiler at Folia Grill. Really, it is akin to being seated at the chef's table as I was sitting that close. It is an added bonus when I am just steps away from my home. These small local places really deserve our support when they have such a great product.
This isn't the first time I've been here and they have been hitting the mark each time I come to feed my cravings. They have a simple menu and from the two items I have tried I think they nailed everyone of them. The item I always get is the pork belly souvlaki sandwich. Another patron that came right after me ordered just the sticks. He was dumbfounded when he was told that it would take 15 minutes for it to cook. Those sticks weren't going to be worth the price of a parking ticket so he ask it to be wrapped and took them home...raw. That was definitely food for thought when I heard that. Was he also in a rush for the holidays?
Everything was made by hand as I watched the cook happily humming to Christmas carols while dipping and cooking my zucchini fries. If there was such a thing as guilt free fries then these are it! Lightly battered, crunchy, starch free, and guilt free batons that filled the plate which was accompanied by a spicy herb aioli. Easily the plate can be shared with two or three people and they were delicious!
Here is the star of the show! Pork belly is something I don't think I will ever get tired from eating. It's the wonderful properties that the fat imparts to the meat to make it taste so much better. The comparison is like having a t-bone steak and any other cut of meat. It was the tastiest and juciest souvlaki sandwich I've had. Personally I didn't care for the french fries inside since it feels like a filler that detracts from the taste. I like my hand held food messy and the fries are acting like a sponge by cleaning up the mess. Some people may appreciate this since they don't want their hands or themselves smelling like food. All I can say is to each their own.
This was a good time to reward myself for finishing my Christmas shopping early. On Christmas eve I couldn't help but to cozy up in front of the radiant heat and aroma of the shawarma broiler at Folia Grill. Really, it is akin to being seated at the chef's table as I was sitting that close. It is an added bonus when I am just steps away from my home. These small local places really deserve our support when they have such a great product.
This isn't the first time I've been here and they have been hitting the mark each time I come to feed my cravings. They have a simple menu and from the two items I have tried I think they nailed everyone of them. The item I always get is the pork belly souvlaki sandwich. Another patron that came right after me ordered just the sticks. He was dumbfounded when he was told that it would take 15 minutes for it to cook. Those sticks weren't going to be worth the price of a parking ticket so he ask it to be wrapped and took them home...raw. That was definitely food for thought when I heard that. Was he also in a rush for the holidays?
Everything was made by hand as I watched the cook happily humming to Christmas carols while dipping and cooking my zucchini fries. If there was such a thing as guilt free fries then these are it! Lightly battered, crunchy, starch free, and guilt free batons that filled the plate which was accompanied by a spicy herb aioli. Easily the plate can be shared with two or three people and they were delicious!
Here is the star of the show! Pork belly is something I don't think I will ever get tired from eating. It's the wonderful properties that the fat imparts to the meat to make it taste so much better. The comparison is like having a t-bone steak and any other cut of meat. It was the tastiest and juciest souvlaki sandwich I've had. Personally I didn't care for the french fries inside since it feels like a filler that detracts from the taste. I like my hand held food messy and the fries are acting like a sponge by cleaning up the mess. Some people may appreciate this since they don't want their hands or themselves smelling like food. All I can say is to each their own.
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