Famoso – The Annex
Posted on July 9, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in The Annex
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2 Stars
- Walk in to Famoso’s new Annex location and there is no mistaking the kind of restaurant you have entered: a popular, loud hang out for students, families and friends alike. It’s a casual place with daily deals (movies, cheap wine on Wednesdays, etc.), TVs showing Blue Jays’ games and young staff working feverishly to keep up with the sit-in and take-out clientele. It’s got a pleasant, relaxed vibe and people seemed to be rather enjoying themselves.
Once seated in our booth, we perused the menu and our lovely server explained how the restaurant works: you write down your order on the notepad provided, bring it up to the counter and hand it in. You can either pay right away or begin a tab. Any subsequent orders can be placed through the wait staff. I assume this method is effective for those in a hurry, but it did seem a little odd considering how often our server checked in on us. She also expounded upon the “red sauce” pizzas made with Campania tomato sauce, fior-de-latte mozzarella, basil and pecorino romano cheese. (The “white sauce”pizzas are made with a garlic and olive oil sauce instead of the tomatoes.)
We opted for the prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella balls for an appetizer, the funghi tartufo and San Andreas pizzas and, for dessert, the dolce and banana dish. As with any self-respecting pizza place, they had San Pellegrino on the menu so got an Aranciata (my fave) and a Limonata. My dining companion kindly took the order the counter while I scoped out the huge place before me. Famoso has really nice exposed brick walls, comfortable booths and, by my count, at least three staff members per table. There are a lot of eyes on tables and not much gets missed. The staff is universally nice, if perhaps inexperienced. It lacked a certain finesse, but made up for it in sweet charm.
Our appetizer arrived and I’m glad we asked for salt, pepper and chili flakes. The mozzarella balls were tasty, but the red sauce (which would appear later on our funghi pizza) was very, very sweet. For my liking, too sweet. A dash of salt and some chili flakes were necessary and helped considerably. I was hoping for crispier prosciutto, too; as a start to the meal, it was pretty average. If you’re going to get an appetizer, I would recommend you try a salad. They looked fresh and tasty.
Our funghi tartufo pizza arrived fairly shortly afterward. It consisted of roasted white mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, truffle oil and parmiggiano reggiano. Again, it was better with the salt and chili flakes. The crusts at Famoso are a bit thicker than is the trend right now, but I liked the chewier texture. I only wish that this pizza had been left in the 900-degree oven a little longer as it needed a little more crispiness to counter the soft, melting cheese that was starting to soak through the crust. (A note: I took a slice of this one home and had it two days later. I have to say, it tasted much better as a leftover!)
Our second pizza – the San Andreas – was a “New World Pizza” with a white sauce, chili-lime marinated chicken and fresh mozzarella. It was then baked and topped with avocado slices, diced roma tomatoes, onion, cilantro, a drizzle of cream and a lime wedge. Certainly not traditional, but pretty darned tasty. The pizza seemed to have stayed in the oven just that little bit longer and had that nice char on the bottom. The lime juice provided a bright flavour and the chicken was tender. (I’d have liked a little more chicken, but that’s a bit of a nitpick. It was a good pizza.) Were I to go back, I would steer my companions toward it if they wanted to try something a little different.
Finally, dessert. This was my favourite dish of the four we tried. A long, rectangular plate of roasted bananas coated in caramelized brown sugar, topped with pecans and caramel sauce and a scoop of ice cream in the middle arrived at the table and my eyes widened. This looked and smelled fantasti and tasted even better. The bananas were piping hot and creamy and contrasted beautifully with the crunch of the sugar and the chill of the ice cream. That dish was devoured in what had to be record time.
Overall, Famoso is…fine. There isn`t anything in particular that stands out but there isn’t anything egregiously wrong with it, either. It caters to a wide variety of tastes so it is sure to be a good option if you are going out with a group with varying tastes or dietary restrictions or preferences. Do not bother with the prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella balls, but do not skip dessert.
- Carolyn
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The Westerly
Posted on May 2, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Roncesvalles Village
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4 stars
- Located at the top of the restaurant strip on Roncesvalles, The Westerly is a cozy neighbourhood spot that is sure to please. The uncomplicated menu features classic dishes done beautifully and just a step or two above others’. Five of us arrived for dinner last week and were greeted the charming co-owner, Tom, who presided over the evening with grace and warmth.
We spent an inordinately long time trying to decide from the 10 appetizers and 10 mains. Each looked better than the next and made our decisions more difficult than usual. While we deliberated, a bottle of shiraz and a custom champagne drink were ordered and a basket of some of the best foccaccia I’ve had in a long time arrived at the table. The crust was crispy and salty and the filled basket did not last long.
After a solid twenty minutes of deliberation, we placed our orders: the romaine heart salad to split two ways; steamed PEI mussels in a grainy mustard butter with a side order of fries; roasted Chicken Supreme stuffed with pulled pork (yes, you read that right) served with bacon & smoked cheddar Israeli couscous; the house burger, made with ground chuck, veal and braised short rib; pan-seared arctic char served atop Israeli couscous with lobster; and roasted halibut topped with salsa verde and served with potatoes and mussels.
When the food arrived, five sets of eyes widened. The plates were beautiful and smelled fantastic. I’m lucky enough to have friends who share, so I got a little of everyone’s meal. While all were delicious, there were a few outstanding bites that I would return for which I would The Westerly in a heartbeat. The Israeli couscous with smoked cheddar and bacon was aromatic and, surprisingly, not heavy at all. The smoked ingredients permeated the little couscous pearls, infusing them with a ton of flavour. Next was the burger which was so tender it nearly fell apart in my hands as I ate it, juice running down my hands. It came with a spicy salsa that cut through the richness of the burger beautifully. Undoubtedly, this is a big crowd pleaser.
Between the two fish dishes, I preferred the halibut. I liked the lightness of the fish paired with the bright salsa verde. There was certainly nothing wrong with the char – it was rich, not overcooked and the lobster-laden Israeli couscous was excellent. The balance and combination of ingredients in the halibut dish, though, really appealed to me and I will likely order it upon my next visit.
Amazingly, we had some room left for shared desserts. I opted to split the warm apple crumble with fresh whipped cream while others went for the lemon tart. The crumble was comforting, filled with cinnamon and topped with large, buttery pieces of crumble. Incredible. Definitely a great end to a meal but I recommend sharing as it is quite heavy – otherwise you may be rolling out of the restaurant, pants unzipped.
I would return to The Westerly, unquestionably. My friends and I had a great time in a charming restaurant in which we were treated well (though there was some miscommunication with a dessert, it was rectified gracefully). If you haven’t been, add it to your list and prepare for a lovely brunch or dinner!
- Carolyn
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Khao San Road
Posted on March 30, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Downtown
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2 Stars
- Here is the best advice I can provide if you’re thinking about heading to Khao San Road:
1. Make reservations. Arrive early. Since it opened, this place has gotten great buzz for providing authentic, flavourful Thai food. As a result, people from all over the city have been flocking to this casual downtown joint for lunch and dinner. (They also do take out orders.) My friend and I arrived at 6pm on a Thursday and the place was already almost full: tables of two and four, plus the larger tables at the front that could be utilized for larger parties or cafeteria-style seating and the bar were occupied by a mix of couples, friends and colleagues from the surrounding businesses. While we waited to be seated, I noticed a sheet of laminated paper at the host’s stand imploring potential, hungry customers to be patient while waiting for a table to become available.
2. Come hungry. Portions are more than reasonable and priced accordingly. We were starving and decided to try a number of dishes and split them between us: cold rolls filled with home-made chicken sausage, lettuce, carrots, mint leaves and Thai basil (Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw); crispy squash fritters (Gra Bong); a curry dish with bell and hot peppers, kaffir lime leaves and the ubiquitous Thai basil (Gaeng Panang); pad Thai; and a house specialty of stir-fried minced beef with holy basil, topped with a fried egg (Pad Gra Pra). We also ordered the only beer available, Singha. Not entirely sure why there is only one, but it’s a light, refreshing beer, and I had no complaints about it.
3. Temper your expectations. The food at Khao San Road is good, yes, but it was not exemplary. It wasn’t bad by any means, but I had very high expectations that were sadly unmet. The exception was the Pad Gra Pra which was very, very good. It’s a house specialty so if you go, you might be best to stick with the items on that particular part of the menu. There was nothing wrong with the food in particular; however, after hearing such glowing reviews from both friends and reviews, I was anticipating more.
Additionally, we found the service lacking. Our order was taken promptly and our first round of drinks appeared in short order. The problems started when food began to arrive at our fairly small table faster than we could eat. I pointed this out to our server who shrugged and kept piling on the plates. Once we had all our food, our server disappeared, a problem on two fronts: we had no room to maneuver and we wanted another round of Singhas. We were able to flag her down eventually and we were served with much reluctance from that point.
Khao San Road is not a bad restaurant by any stretch. The food is better than average but not spectacular. Stick with the house specialties and you’ll likely do well. If you’re going to go in for a sit-down meal, reservations are a must. Better yet, call ahead for take-out and have a couple of beers ready to go at home.
- Carolyn
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Live Organic Food Bar
Posted on February 15, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in The Annex
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3 stars
- “So, are you going to eat a steak first?”
“You might want to sneak some meat in with you.”
“Enjoy your…vegetables.”
These were not uncommon responses from folks when I said I’d be heading to Live Food Bar. I too was skeptical but went along for the ride anyways when a friend suggested we go. While perusing the online menu, I was genuinely stumped as to what I would get. I already eat at least one – but generally several – vegetarian meals a week, so I’m not opposed to eating a meal with no meat. But Live is a vegan, organic restaurant that features recipes without gluten, without sugar and certainly without any animal products which is outside my culinary experience. If you happen to feel the same way, I suggest you go with an open mind as Live has an excellent reputation and it is well earned.
I settled in to the table at the front, which has a great view of the world walking by, of the bright, cheerful restaurant. While I waited for my dining companions, I had a look through the drink list and eventually settled on a bottle Mill Street Organic. (Should I come back in the summer, I will definitely sample the cocktails on the lovely patio!) When the ladies arrived, we ordered a bottle of organic cabernet sauvignon and started going over the menu for the millionth time. It is an extensive list with dishes that should appeal to just about all diners. Appetizers, salads, bowls, mains, pasta, dessert: Live certainly does not lack for choice. The three of us agreed that we wanted to try the chick pea fries, so we ordered those while attempting to make a decision.
Finally, we made our choices: raw sushi with pumpkin & sunflower seed nori rolls and a detox salad; “Bacon Cheese” burger; and tempeh cakes with a warm corn, avocado and white wine salsa. Orders placed, we tucked into our wine and the chick pea fries which arrived shortly thereafter. Crispy on the outside, piping hot and soft on the inside, this non-traditional take on a staple hit the spot, especially with the homemade BBQ sauce on the side.
Our mains arrived in a timely manner, and we hungrily tucked in to them. The sushi roll had a great combination of flavour and texture. I was a little jealous of not ordering that one for myself, but my giant plate of food was more than enough. The tempeh (an Indonesian soybean product) cakes were piled high on top of the wonderful salsa that was accompanied by a spicy chipotle aioli. If you’re hungry, get this dish. It was undoubtedly for the best that I did not order an appetizer, as well as the cakes and sides were so surprisingly good that I was nearly scraping my plate.
As for the “cheese bacon” burger, it passed the taste test. The patty consisted of chick peas and had macadamia cheddar “cheese” and eggplant “bacon.” I can see your eyebrows raising. The eggplant had a smoky flavour and was quite good, though certainly not bacon. The cheese in question was a bit of a head-scratcher, though not unpleasant. The gluten-free bun was nicely toasted and the BBQ sauce was a great touch.
Since we had already gone through much of the menu, we thought we should give dessert a whirl. All the desserts are kept on display in near the back of the restaurant, and there is quite an array from which to choose. We opted for two: the tiramisu and the Black Forrest cake. Now, my Italian friends would be horrified to find a tiramisu without real cream, but it really was quite good with a strong, but not overpowering, taste of espresso. Similarly, the Black Forrest cake was rich, creamy and cut nicely with the cherries on top. No complaints – I certainly didn’t feel like I was missing out.
Live has a great vibe to it and customers were constantly arriving either to have a seated meal or to pick up their take-out orders. The music is at just the right volume and the staff is friendly and accommodating. We were there for several hours and never felt rushed, nor got the idea that we were no longer welcome. Food arrives promptly and with a smile, water bottles are refilled, and the service is relaxed. So take your vegetarian friends, take your carnivorous friends: they will likely all be satisfied. The portions are well-sized and, most importantly, the food is delicious.
- Carolyn
Event: Double Trouble Brewing Launch
Posted on February 6, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Events
Walk into Kensington Market any time, any day and you are going to uncover something fantastic. It might be a new ingredient, a new coffee spot, or in the case of Saturday night at the Burger Bar, a new beer. Double Trouble Brewing Co., headed up by Nathan & Claude, took over the restaurant for the premiere of their new craft beer and invited friends and family to help them celebrate.
Over the course of the evening, easily 200 people popped in to the Burger Bar on Augusta Avenue. Everyone piled in to the small, rustic restaurant that was adorned with cardboard deer heads, beer bottles and pictures from old, black and white movies. Upon walking in, everyone got a Hops and Robbers pin that they could trade in for a pint of the IPA. I squeezed my way through the crowd and got my expertly-poured pint. I found my way over to Nathan for a chat and, as we spoke, we were frequently interrupted by cheerful folks who wanted to congratulate and compliment him, who seemed genuinely happy for the success of Double Trouble.
Double Trouble is a small, local company that has brewed an IPA beer prominently featuring the flavour of hops. “We really wanted to showcase the hops and make a great beer with them,” explained Nathan, half of the brains behind the company. “We also want you to be able to have three or four of them, and not have your mouth dry out.” Indeed, you could certainly have a few of pints of this beer and keep going. The taste changes a bit as you drink it, making it a complex and delicious choice. They’re looking to expand their production and are in talks with larger breweries across the country with the hopes of creating a working relationship with them.
So if you’re in Toronto, keep your eyes peeled for this craft beer. In buying it, you’ll be supporting local boys who are offering a stand out product in a sea of standard. Reports the next day of the crowd blasting through two kegs of the beer is a great indication of things to come!
- Carolyn
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Grand Electric
Posted on January 22, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Parkdale
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5 Stars
- Let me start by saying I am truly a Latin American food snob. I am fortunate enough to know what the good stuff – the real stuff – tastes like, and I resent those who do it poorly. It’s not difficult food to make, but it takes both time and love to create great Latin American dishes, and it frustrates me when I see melted cheese from a jar smeared on store-bought chips that are passed off as “Mexican food” in restaurants. So it was a relief and a thrill to hear that the head chef from The Black Hoof was helming Grand Electric and promised, “Mexican food, craft beer, brown liquor and loud music.”
I met my dinner companion across the street at The Mascot at 5:45 and watched as a line started to form outside Grand Electric. The Mascot’s baristas suggested that we get ourselves over there before the line up got too long, warning us we’d be eating at 9pm if we didn’t get it in gear. We dutifully lined up at 5:50pm behind two parties. Within five minutes the line had extended half a block behind us. At 6:02pm, the doors opened and people flooded inside. We were shown to a table for two and marveled at just how quickly the small space filled up. Tables were gone by 6:05 and the bar was full a minute later. Music blared, servers started making their rounds and Grand Electric was off and running.
The bar is quite the thing to behold. Bourbon-heavy, it is run by enthusiastic and well-informed staff. It towers over patrons and is a great focal point for the restaurant. In addition to bourbon, you can try several craft beers including Churchkey and Canucklehead cask ale. Both are excellent, but if you haven’t tried a cask ale, you should know it’s not carbonated. Don’t let that dissuade you from checking it out, though, as it has a fruity and slightly bitter taste. You’ll be hooked after your first taste.
The menu for Grand Electric located at the back of the restaurant on a giant chalkboard. It is split up into appetizers, tacos, specials and dessert. Given the advanced buzz that’s been generated, we opted to try as many dishes as possible. We had the guacamole and nachos (an excellent test of a Mexican restaurant’s mettle), tuna ceviche, chicken frito appetizers, one of each taco, and in the end, we went for the key lime pie for dessert.
Beers in hand, we eagerly awaited our food which came out surprisingly fast considering the kitchen must have gotten just crushed with all of us arriving at once. First up came the guacamole and chips. The dip was generously salted and had lots of lime juice, essential elements both. Without enough of those two simple ingredients, guacamole falls flat, but this was the best restaurant-made I’ve ever had (oh, and it comes with a huge serving of light-as-air pork chicharron as a garnish; a great aesthetic touch as it towers over the guacamole & chips). The fresh corn tortilla chips were also both well seasoned and delicious.
While still munching away on this, our tuna ceviche arrived. Beautiful pieces of citrus-cooked fish were piled on a fresh tortilla and topped with cilantro and lime juice. My dining companion and I split the tender tuna, staring at each other, and not believing how good such a simple dish could be. The two appetizers were done so well that we were even more eager to try the tacos we had coming our way.
A plate of three tacos was delivered to us, and we hung on every word our server said as she explained which taco was which. The first three were the sweet pork belly al pastor with pineapple, the fried queso (cheese) and spicy arbol chicken. It’s not that spicy, I promise, especially considering some of the other choices. Of these, the only miss was the queso which I thought could have benefited from some salt. Having said that, the other two were simply wonderful, especially the pork belly. We also tried the Baja fish taco, a lightly breaded tilapia fillet topped with bright, fresh cabbage. The textures of the soft tortilla and the crunchy, crispy toppings had us grinning from ear to ear.
Also on the menu that night were shredded beef cheek and cochinita pibil, a traditional Mexican dish of slow-cooked pork cooked in a banana leaf. Both were winners; tender and tasty with some nice heat on the pork taco. A server helpfully suggested we try the homemade sauces to either amplify the heat or cut it depending on our tastes and the particular taco. Given how busy the restaurant was, I was impressed at how calm, cheerful and helpful the serving staff was throughout the night.
Not-to-be-forgotten is the chicken frito dish we ordered: a mound of crispy, fried chicken pieces slathered in a sweet and citrus-y coating and sprinkled with healthy doses of cilantro, jalapeno peppers slices and little, red, evil chile peppers. I like heat, but skipped over the red chiles in favor of the jalapenos. Sweet, sour, spicy, juicy, crispy, hot…there was nothing about this dish that should be changed. Ever. I will most definitely be ordering this one again.
But let us not forget about dessert! When the small glass jar filled with buttered graham cracker crust, rich, tart lime custard and whipped cream topped with lime zest arrived, my friend and I looked at each other and snickered. “This isn’t going to be big enough for two of us,” we commented. We each grabbed a tiny spoon and dug in. Grand Electric has now spoiled key lime pie for me as this was the best I’ve ever had. Rich, tangy, buttery, creamy and utterly delectable, this dessert truly one of the best I’ve had. Though we contemplated getting a second, our stomachs finally caught up to our eyes and we decided to call it a night.
Overall, this was one of the most fun and delicious meals I’ve had in Toronto. The atmosphere is supercharged in the restaurant, filled with happy customers taking pictures of and devouring the food coming out of the kitchen. While you can hardly say that each dish on the menu is truly, authentically Mexican, it hardly matters when it’s this good. A word to the wise: go early or you will be waiting for hours for a seat, but even if you do end up waiting, it’ll be worth it. There is no other place in the city putting out food like this.
- Carolyn
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The Ace
Posted on January 15, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Roncesvalles Village
4 stars
- I am the first to admit that I don’t know Roncesvalles Village well. A friend used to live there many moons ago, but we spent most of our time drinking red wine on her porch until the wee hours in the morning instead of exploring what the neighbourhood had to offer. In recent years, however, the lure of the restaurants lining Roncesvalles Ave has drawn me to the West side of the city more frequently. I never know quite what to expect when I arrive, but I am always pleasantly surprised.
One such surprise awaited me at The Ace. I had heard that the space had been standing empty for ages; even that it had once been a Chinese restaurant. Now headed up by chef Peter McKnight, it has been reopened as a place to stop in for some classic comfort food: fried chicken, burgers, soup, Shepherd’s pie. While the menu has changed, the décor most certainly did not; the new owners have kept as much of the original decoration as possible giving the place an authentic 1950’s feel.
My friend and I settled in for our meal in a booth near the back of across from the open kitchen. When asked what we’d like to drink, I tried to sneak a peek at the taps available only to find that there were none in sight. Well, no taps that I recognized anyway. Our waiter informed us that the fantastic milkshake mixer sitting on the counter served as the taps. A great aesthetic touch behind the bar.
We submitted our drink orders – Mill St. for me, the Ace Manhattan for my friend – and took stock of the menu. Written out on paper were five or six appetizers and five or six mains from which to choose. We pondered several options, but when the waiter announced that one of the specials of the day was a “Christmas burger” the whole plan changed. Ground turkey with stuffing in the middle, topped with cranberry chutney? THIS had to be eaten. As delicious as it sounded, it was actually better than anticipated. It hit all the parts of your palate and it was gobbled up in minutes.
Also sampled were the deep-fried Brussels sprouts with dill aioli and the gorgeous, briny oysters. Both were truly excellent and personified what The Ace is all about: simple food done perfectly. My dining companion and I nearly stabbed each other with our forks trying to get at the Brussels sprouts, something I truly thought would never, ever happen in my lifetime.
If you’re at The Ace, do not miss the fried chicken, which is succulent, juicy and crispy, served with him gravy, collard greens and cornbread (though why the cornbread is served on the gravy is a bit beyond me, as it has the unfortunate effect of making the bread a big soggy after a while). The fresh pasta with tuna, chiles, plum tomatoes and basil was cooked to exactly al dente and the flaked trout with potatoes, radishes and red onions struck a great balance of temperature, texture and flavor.
No matter how full you may be from the well-sized portions, I implore you not to skip dessert. The ice cream in particular is outstanding. Do not miss the oatmeal, stout or chocolate-rosemary concoctions: they are all made in-house and I am not ashamed to admit that I asked for an entire vat of the chocolate-rosemary ice cream to take home so that I could swim in it. Seriously. Do not miss dessert!
By the time we left around 8pm, The Ace had a line up of hungry patrons eager to relax in a comfortable, homey environment with excellent comfort food, attentive staff and a great bartender. I would suggest dressing in layers as it gets quite warm, as evidenced by the perpetually fogged-over front window. Go early or go late or go for brunch. You won’t be disappointed.
- Carolyn
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Tabule
Posted on December 10, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Yonge and Eglinton
5 stars
- What makes for a great neighbourhood restaurant? There are certain essential qualities that it must have: a friendly, knowledgeable staff, a charming host, great atmosphere and above all, fantastic food. Tabülé is unquestionably one of these restaurants. Serving amazing Middle Eastern cuisine, Tabülé is a midtown spot not to be missed.
Tabülé offers fresh, intensely flavoured dishes from start to finish. Over several visits, I have had the pleasure of trying about half the menu and have yet to come across a dish that wasn’t utterly delectable. Normally not a big fan of eggplant, I make exceptions here for the babaganüj, a gorgeous pureéd eggplant dip mixed with tahini, garlic and lemon juice. Additionally, the fried eggplant has great char on it and is finished with a lemon & garlic dressing that adds a bright note to the soft, creamy, rich starter. Not to be overlooked are the fresh, pungent tabülé and the labni which is a yogurt cheese mixed with a healthy dose of garlic and topped with zaatar. Finally, the hot cauliflower appetizer was recommended by the host who did not steer us in the wrong direction. Finished with Lebanese tahini, there were polite fights over who would get the last morsel.
Once you have gorged yourself on the hot and cold mezze (starters), it is time to move on the main event. There is always a fresh fish of the day, topped with the bright house lemon and garlic dressing. The grilled mains all come with heaping portions of rice with crispy onions for texture as well as grilled peppers, onions and zucchini. The kefta is certainly a popular option and a tasty one at that. Consider them Lebanese meatballs, made with a mix of ground lamb and beef, tomatoes, onions, parsley, garlic and lemon juice. Always perfectly cooked, they are steaming hot upon arrival at the table, a little bit pink inside. Also fabulous is the charcoal-broiled shrimp that have been marinated in Middle Eastern spices. Spicy and succulent, they are even slightly better with the squeeze of lemon that accompanies this particular dish. You will not want to share them with your dining companions.
While you are thoroughly enjoying your food, take some time to look around and drink in the atmosphere. The restaurant itself is cozy without feeling claustrophobic and the dining room is host to just about every demographic in Toronto. You will see couples on dates, families, birthday celebrations, even bachelorette parties. On Saturday night, people wait patiently at the bar for a table and are entertained by the belly dancing show at 9pm. Though a little calmer during lunch, Tabülé certainly does not lack atmosphere. Upon return visits, you will notice that you see the same wait staff over and over again – a good sign in a turbulent industry. Hospitality is the name of the game here, and it is done expertly.
Should you have room for dessert (and if you don’t, just loosen your belt a little. It’s worth it), check out the künafa ashta. Lebanese custard is topped with super fine shreds of phyllo pastry, pistachios and rose water syrup. Light and not overly sweet, this dish is a superb way to end a meal and is a paradigm of why Tabülé’s menu is so successful: it combines many elements in a balanced, seamless dish. It is at once creamy, crunchy, a bit tart, a bit sweet and is highly aromatic.
Like the final course of the evening, all the dishes at Tabülé balance flavor and texture and, because of this, the food is elevated beyond the ingredients. Pop in for a meal, or have one delivered to you: either way, you enjoy a hearty, mouth-watering meal that will have you coming back for more.
- Carolyn
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Joe Badali’s
Posted on December 5, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Entertainment District
3 stars
- You’re downtown, you’re headed to a game and you need to grab a bite to eat before you head there. You take stock of your options and think, “These places all look kind of similar – where should I head?” Might I suggest you check out Joe Badali’s, an Italian-themed restaurant on Front St. West, steps from both the Rogers Centre and the ACC. The spacious bar/restaurant has something for everyone, a key to success for large groups that often book parties there.
A friend and I popped in the other day to check out their fall/winter brunch menu. Given our choice of bar, table or booth, we opted for a cozy booth in the middle of the restaurant and were given three menus from which to choose our meal. A bit overwhelming, perhaps, but our waiter explained that one menu was strictly for their new pescetarian promotion where you can choose the fish you’d like and how you’d like it cooked. Feeling like it was a little early for ahi tuna, my companion and I went for the brunch options: I had the eggs benedictano and he had the steak frites, ordered medium rare. To accompany our selections, we ordered the pear and cranberry cider and the maple bourbon lemonade. (Both drinks made by the fabulous bartender, Katie, who also makes mean After Eights and Monte Cristos.)
A plate of house- made bread was brought to the table, accompanied by olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Warm, crusty and soft on the inside, we polished off that complimentary snack pretty quickly while we sipped our delicious drinks. The wait staff is clearly comfortable with time crunches of customers and took into consideration that the tables around us had a short amount of time to eat before they needed to head elsewhere. The service was swift and friendly for them, while it was a little more relaxed for us – though by no means slow or lackadaisical.
When our brunch plates arrived, we were eager to dive in. Neither my companion nor I had been to Joe Badali’s in quite some time and wondered how brunch would stack up. The portions were a good size and, importantly, cooked as they should be. My egg yolks were runny and the Canadian back bacon was a great salty accompaniment. The ciabatta base was a nice touch, as it worked well to absorb the leftover yolk on my plate. The home fries might have been a bit crispier, but the peppers and onions were crunchy contrast to the creaminess of the eggs. As for the steak frites, the steak was indeed medium rare and had been rested properly before being brought to the table. By the end of the meal, only a few pieces of diced fruit were left in our respective cups.
Since we felt like indulging at this particular brunch, we allowed ourselves to split a very generous portion of white chocolate mousse cake with strawberry topping. Not overly heavy, it was actually quite a nice way to wrap up a meal. As mentioned earlier, we also tried the After Eight and Monte Cristo specialty coffees. Topped with whipped cream and a cherry, these were decadent and deliciously boozy. We allowed ourselves a few minutes – and a couple of glasses of water – before attempting to get up.
When asked about the capacity of the place, we learned that Badali’s can hold up to 750 people, making it a great place for large parties. We also discovered that they set up a secluded patio in the summers, blocking off the adjacent parking lot in order to make it a pleasant place to escape the downtown crush. If you happen to be in the area – say, before a concert, a Leafs, Raptors or Jays game – check out Joe Badali’s. You’re bound to find something for everyone at reasonable prices. And if you’re in the mood for a drink, I highly recommend checking out either the maple bourbon lemonade or pear and cranberry cider. Had it been later in the day when we went, I suspect there may have been a few more rounds of these!
- Carolyn
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Woodlot Bakery and Restaurant
Posted on November 28, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Little Italy
4 stars
- I’d read much about Woodlot in the last few months: about the fantastic bakery, the locally-sourced ingredients, the simplicity of the food and decor. Between the personal recommendations and the fawning of the print and online food community, the decision wasn’t too hard to make to try it out. (The fact that it was voted one of the best new restaurants of 2011 by Toronto Life definitely didn’t hurt.)
We popped into Kalendar for a drink beforehand (check out the rojo martini if you go. Most excellent.) and watched the world go by, including the chef of Grace, Top Chef Canada contestant Dustin Gallagher. Mental note: must get to Grace! We wandered over to Woodlot and as soon as we opened the door, the aroma from that spectacular wood-burning oven wafted over us. Figuring that was a good sign, we inhaled deeply and sat down at our cozy table. The restaurant looks like it seats about 50 on the upper floor with room for another 10 or so downstairs at the chef’s table. The exposed brick walls are adorned with native Canadian art as well as knickknacks that lend a cottage-like vibe to the place. The waiters are dressed casually and it is explained to us that there is a standard menu, plus a separate vegetarian menu. I perused it quickly and was impressed to find a nice selection that didn’t fit into the standard roast-veg-or-pasta options.
We ordered a bottle of cabernet franc and eventually settled on three courses: the scallop ceviche with black quinoa, whipped avocado and julienned red cabbage; Red Fife whole wheat papardelle with wood mushrooms and hazeluts; whey-fed pork chop with grilled treviso, tri-tip steak with caramelized onions and side of Jerusalem artichokes.
When the bread basket arrived at the table after placing our order, we jumped right in. My dining companion loves bread and watching his face light up after taking that first bite of the gorgeous Red Fife bread was wonderful! I’d read about this particular grain in Sara Elton’s book, Locavore, and was excited to check it out. It kind of makes regular bread taste entirely pathetic. We’d both had a couple of pieces of the various kinds when the appetizer arrived. The scallops were soft, the avocado was whipped into a lovely, airy bubble and these textures were complimented well with the crunchy quinoa and cabbage. I wish there’d been more of it, but we weren’t exactly going to starve.
Next up was the papardelle which was out of this world. Again, the Red Fife made a huge difference in terms of flavour. The wide, handmade noodles were cooked perfectly and provided much more dimension to the dish than you’d have otherwise. It was a very earthy plate, one that you wanted to hunker down with in front of a fire and never stop eating. I hope that’s on the menu year ’round, because I would have it again and again.
The service at Woodlot is quite good, if not entirely exceptional. Importantly, however, they let you enjoy your meal in peace and the timing in between courses is well paced. We needed a little time between the hearty pasta and giant slabs of meat that would imminently arrive at our table. And giant slabs of meat they were: delicious, juicy, perfectly-cooked pieces of meat. My pork chops had that little layer of fat around the outside that you know you probably shouldn’t eat, but can’t help yourself because you know how good it is. The grilled treviso was a perfect compliment, too. The steak was exactly medium-rare as ordered and was incredibly tender. The caramelized onions were an excellent accompaniment – in fact, I’d eat a whole bowl of those if they sold them. Even the Jerusalem artichokes were great – caramelized and not overcooked.
To say that we savoured every bite is not an understatement. Nothing was complicated (though I have a spot in my heart for complex food) or overwrought: in fact, we saw several dishes come out on wooden cutting boards. Dessert was very tempting, but we passed this time. I’d like to go back in the cooler months as I’m dying to try the marrow-infused whipped potatoes. Of course, I also want to go back so I can eat ALL the bread that’s there.
So there you have it. Great food, cozy and welcoming atmosphere. It’s tough to get reservations on a weekend, but the hostess with whom I spoke to make our reservations was gracious and as accommodating as could be. I will definitely be making return trips here!
- Carolyn
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