Hawksworth Restaurant (Vancouver)

I finally had a chance to visit Vancouver last month, a city I haven't been to in more than 20 years (I blame the ridiculously expensive airfare). I spent one very chill week in and around Vancity just eating, drinking and hanging out. It was exactly what I needed; I came back home very well rested (7 lbs heavier!) and I didn't feel like I needed another vacation from my vacation (I hate that feeling). Anyway, researching which restaurants to check out naturally became my main mission before the trip. My final list consisted of around 7-8 places, with Hawksworth being on the very top of my list.

Hawksworth Restaurant (Instagram: @hawksworthrest, Facebook: Hawksworth Restaurant) has received an impressive number of awards and accolades since it opened in 2011, some of which include Best New Restaurant from enRoute Magazine, Canada's Restaurant of the Year from Maclean's Magazine, Second Place in Canada's 100 Best list, Chef of the Year, Sommelier of the Year, and Best Upscale Restaurant from Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, etc, etc. The list goes on and on (click here for the full list of awards). So, to say I was "excited" when my friend Mijune of Follow Me Foodie snagged a reservation there is clearly an understatement.

Located in the gorgeous Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Hawksworth serves contemporary Canadian cuisine. The restaurant's menu is seasonal and features local Canadian ingredients. We left it up to Chef de Cuisine, Chris Stewart, to feed us that evening. It's always better that way, trust me.

PUFFED BEEF TENDON (amuse)

Iberico ham, liquefied fat trimmings

Take a look at that iberico. Thinly sliced with a dark-ish red hue and some natural fat infiltration, the 48-month old iberico had a sharp flavour and an oily texture (amplified by the liquefied fat trimmings). The fried beef tendon puff had an intense crunch that quickly dissolved on the palate. Yum. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start the meal.

Wine Director, Bryant Mao, leads the award-winning wine program at Hawksworth. Here is Bryant pouring Mijune and I our first glass.

HALIBUT

Buttermilk poached halibut, fresh peas, pea puree, pea veil, pea tips, pea powder, edible flowers, puffed rice.

Pairing: Little Farm Riesling 2015, Mulberry Tree Vineyard, Cawston, BC. 

So much yes for pea season! Nothing symbolizes the sweet, light, and freshness of spring quite like peas. Underneath the velvety pea puree, the poached halibut was soft and flaky, and the puffed rice added just the right amount of texture to the plate (or bowl). Beautiful flavours, textures, depth and colour. This was a wonderful representation of the terroir of Vancouver, with land and sea uniting to form a perfectly made dish. 

Tasty Tours' Kensington Market Sweet & Savoury Food Tour

Full disclosure. Ever since Audrey, owner and operator of Tasty Tours, invited me out to her Canada Day Sweets Tour in 2012, we have become good friends. Going on five years strong, Tasty Tours has a stellar reputation and runs affordable and intimate food tours in the city (Tasty Tours has earned over 200 reviews with a perfect 5-star rating on TripAdvisor). And if you think food tours are only for tourists, think again. After being out and about in Toronto for much longer that I would like to admit, I still managed to learn something new about the city and hit up places that I've never been to while on Tasty Tours' Kensington Market Sweet & Savoury Food Tour last week. It was a real shocker for me (in a good way) which is exactly why I think Tasty Tours is a great way to explore the city for locals.

Anyhow, I would recommend Tasty Tours (Instagram: @tasty_tours, Facebook: Tasty Tours Toronto) to anyone because Audrey and I are pretty much on the same page when it comes to food and restaurants, so I fully trust all her tour spots :) I have to admit that her Kensington Market Sweet & Savoury Food Tour is my favourite tour so far out of all the Tasty Tours I've been to because: 1) Despite having a sweet tooth, I still prefer food tours that introduce both savoury and sweet stops, which is why I enjoyed this tour more than an all-sweets tour, 2) Audrey always does a terrific job balancing history with fun facts, which is why her tours are both educational and entertaining, 3) Sometimes we would get to meet the shop owner(s) too, so the experience is a very special and intimate one, 4) The tour was well paced with just the right amount of walking in between stops, and 5) I was actually full after the tour! I'm not sure about you, but these points are all very important to me when it comes to deciding whether a food tour is a good one or a bad one.

On this post you'll find some of my favourite spots from Tasty Tours' Kensington Market Sweet & Savoury Food Tour. I purposely left some places out because what's the fun if I told you everything?!

MOO FRITES

After travelling through Brussels and Bruges, Ambrose Lee instantly fell in love with the Belgian fries. After his trip, Ambrose decided to open Moo Frites in Kensington Market, which offers Belgian frites with a wide range of dipping sauces. Ambrose perfects his fries by first cutting them into thick strips, blanching them, then deep-fries and freezes them overnight before deep-frying them again to order. Finally, the fries are tossed with salt before serving.

We each got a Moo Frites poutine in beef gravy drizzled with maple mayo (the maple mayo was special for the tour). I can honestly say that Moo Frites probably serves the best fries I've ever had. Beautifully golden in colour, each fry was very sturdy, not limp nor soft. There's a slight crunch on the first bite, with the inside all light and fluffy. Every bite after the first still retains that satisfying crunch, and each bite just as potato-y as the first. They are just damn good fries. As for the poutine aspect of it, the curds were good but I wasn't too crazy about the maple mayo - it was a tad sweet for me. I actually just want to taste the frites on their own, which is why I'll be heading to Moo Frites (Instagram: @moofrites, Facebook: Moo Frites) tonight after work!

TORONTO POPCORN COMPANY

The Toronto Popcorn Company (Instagram: @topopcornco, Facebook: Toronto Popcorn Company) is a family business started by Joseph and Caramhel Villegas, a young family who immigrated to Canada in 2011 from the Philippines. The Villegas started introducing their popcorn in 2013, travelling to festivals around Ontario offering homemade popcorn from an old-fashioned popcorn maker. They now operate a store in Kensington Market, featuring close to 100 unique and gourmet popcorn flavours.

I had a lot of fun sampling a bunch of different popcorn flavours. Some flavours we didn't know could exist with popcorn (i.e. grape, watermelon, lemon, etc.) We ended up buying a bag of "Cheesy Caramel" which, according to Toronto Popcorn Company's website, is one of their most popular flavour. Their "Cheesy Caramel" popcorn is dangerous; the combination of savoury cheese and sweet caramel is so addictive. We've since finished the entire bag, which just means I have to get more tomorrow after Moo Frites.

Canis Restaurant

It has been a long time since I've been excited about a new restaurant here in the city. Maybe I'm harder to please now that I'm older, but I feel that the Toronto dining scene is pretty stagnant currently when it comes to creativity and offering people new things. As in, do we need another Italian restaurant? Do we really? I'm also tired of seeing gimmicky and/or "instagrammable" foods that do not deliver on taste. Do these "creations" deserve that much attention? And, sorry, I'm just not that into barbecue. Finally, against popular opinion, I want more "fine dining" or "upscale" restaurants, and less "fast casual" restaurants, please! *End rant*

So, let me just put it out there: Canis Restaurant is now one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. Canis, which opened a month ago on 746 Queen Street West, does upscale, yet approachable, Canadian cuisine. Their menu is intricate, thoughtful and original. Canis is good. Real good. 

The interior of Canis is sleek and modern with a bright open kitchen at the back. The modest dining room features mostly concrete, wood and leather.

To start, my friend opted for beer (below) while I opted for a glass of bubbly (not pictured).

WAG THE WOLF HOPFENWEISSE ($14)

Canis' dinner menu is divided into snacks, starters, mains and desserts. I asked chef Jeff Kang if he could just bring out dishes for us since we do not have any allergies and we eat everything. So, here we go!

BREAD (complimentary)

Sourdough from Clark's Bread served with whipped garlic butter, and fresh ricotta & chimichurri. Mix together the cheese and chimichurri, and you'll literally get the best spread ever. The garlic in the butter was a bit too subtle for my taste (I love my garlic) but the sourdough was excellent.

Angelo's Coal Fired Pizza

This was my first coal-fired pizza experience and it certainly won't be my last.

Angelo's Coal Fired Pizza, situated at 106 Front St. E. across from the St. Lawrence Market, opened its doors on July 18th. Originated in Boston, Massachusetts, this spot is Angelo's second location, and is Ontario's first coal-fired pizza restaurant. Angelo's pride and joy is their coal-fired oven, which takes up 32 sq. ft. of cooking space and weighs approximately 10,000 lbs. Co-owner Joe Rizzo told me the oven arrived from California on a flatbed truck and was installed at the restaurant by forklift. 

Co-owner Joe Rizzo

The pizzeria is very roomy at 5,000 sq. ft. and can accommodate up to 124 guests including the bar. There's also a patio out front that seats 32 people. I like the Edison light bulbs, the black herringbone patterned floor tiles, as well as the exposed brick wall, but why do they have to ruin it all with TVs? The space is casual and tastefully decorated, yet the flatscreens scream "sports bar". I'm not a fan.

Angelo's offers 50+ wines from regions of Italy​,​ California​,​ Australia​,​ New Zealand​,​ ​Chil​e ​and France​.​

This mighty TerraLuxe coal-fired oven can reach up to 900 degrees and above, and uses 150 lbs. of the highly efficient, anthracite coal a day.

Upper Deck by Fran's

We've been having quite the summer, huh? That heat! You won't hear me complaining about it though because I absolutely despise winter. I hate everything about the season - the frigid temperatures, the snowstorms, the freezing rain, the drive. Ughhhh. So, if you're like me and are scouting around the city, trying to enjoy the last of summer and chilling on patios, then I highly recommend you check out Upper Deck by Fran's (Instagram: @upperdeckbyfrans, Facebook: Upper Deck by Fran's)

Upper Deck by Fran's, which took over the two upper levels of Fran’s flagship College Street location, is less of a classic diner and more of a casual eatery. Open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, the restaurant's menu focuses on Americana and international flavours. Customers can expect generous diner-style breakfasts and home-style comforts with contemporary twists.

The first floor of Upper Deck by Fran's is fully indoor and features a large wrap around bar.

Take a look at this cool art installation of the College subway station on the way to the second floor of Upper Deck by Fran's.

Tasting Menu at Canoe

Canoe is so good it's ridiculous.

To be fair, my last couple of visits at Canoe were all tasting menus at the chef's rail, which is, in my opinion, a very different experience than ordering a la carte from their dining room. The thing is, if I'm at Canoe, I'm gonna go all out since I'm most likely there to celebrate a special occasion anyway. Needless to say, I do hope that I can call Canoe a "regular spot" one day. I'm definitely not there *yet* but one day :) #Lifegoals, am I right?

 Canoe's tasting menu blows me away every single time, and I feel like the Canadiana-focused restaurant just keeps getting better and better. Sounds almost impossible given that Canoe (Twitter: @CanoeRestaurant, Facebook: CanoeToronto) has been around since September 1995, which is more than 20 years ago! But I truly believe that one can never get bored of eating at Canoe. The restaurant is so innovative, and constantly strives to create new and ambitious plates. It's contemporary Canadian cuisine at its finest.

 This post is, regrettably, two months late. I contemplated just not blogging about it but I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't since the food was so good. The one reason why I thought of not writing about the dinner is because Canoe changed their tasting menu like two days after my visit, which means most of the dishes you see on this post is not even served at the restaurant anymore :( Oh well, bad timing. I still hope you guys will enjoy this post, though!

 My friend took me here for my birthday and we reserved two seats at the chef's rail. Seriously, why would anyone want to sit in the dining room when you can get front row seats to the kitchen? The only "bad" thing I can think of was my constant urge to reach over the counter for oysters the entire night.

Lbs.

Pronounced "pounds" - also an acronym for "Lobster, Burger, Salad" - Lbs. opened its doors last month on 100 Yonge Street at the ground floor of Scotia Plaza. 

There are two entrances to the restaurant; one is from Yonge St., and the other from the Scotia Plaza's atrium, where there's also an indoor patio.

Lbs.' 3,700 square-foot space seats 140 guests. This is the main dining room. It's casual yet sophisticated.

Lbs.' other dining area, this one facing Yonge street.

Té: Asian Fusion on Ossington

Serving Asian fusion share plates, the newly opened Té on the Ossington strip combines traditional Asian ingredients and flavours - specifically those from Korea and Taiwan - into popular North American comfort foods. The result is a very whimsical and innovative tapas-style menu.

Té (Instagram: @te_toronto, Facebook: Té) is open for dinner, late night and weekend brunch. Served on Saturday and Sundays from 11am - 3pm, Té's brunch focuses on classic breakfast/brunch favourites with an Asian twist; think Kimchi and Pork Belly Eggs Benedict, Dark-Spiced Taiwanese Fried Chicken & Egg Waffle, and Bulgogi Burger.

The restaurant is divided into three sections: a round banquette up front, several tables towards the back, and a long bar that separates the two. I admire the decor because I love the use of retro colours and hip style, but at times it could feel a bit too polished and bare. My friend and I picked the coziest spot at Té for dinner, which was the cushioned banquette by the window. Check out this cool light fixture above us.

From the Spanish word for tea, Té offers cocktails that are tea-inspired.

THE CHAI MILK TÉ ($13)

Vodka + amaretto + vanilla chai tea + cream + cinnamon stick + mini tapioca pearls

MANGO BLACK TÉ ($12)

Scotch whisky + assam tea + mango syrup + teapot bitters + dried mango + mini tapioca pearls

Touring The 6ix #FiestaFoodie [VIDEO]

Follow me as I embark on an urban foodie adventure touring The 6ix in my 2016 Ford Fiesta! Thanks to Ford Canada, I had the opportunity to take the #FordFiesta out over the Canada Day long weekend to visit some of my favourite spots in The 6ix:

1ST STOP: CHEESE BOUTIQUE - 45 Ripley Ave. Etobicoke, ON.

The Cheese Boutique has it all. Where do I begin? Actually, I think their website says it best:

"At Cheese Boutique the epicurean wonders never cease. Prosciutto hangs from the ceiling, truffles are available in season, foie gras is a staple, beef is dry aged a minimum 40 days, olive oils are available from 80 different terroirs, jams are made with green walnuts, pastries are baked in-house and chocolate truffles are flavoured with chipotle and bacon. But above all one must visit to experience our astounding selection of cheeses from around the globe, for which “best before” dates do not apply."

I love this place! Every time I'm at the Cheese Boutique I pick several new cheeses to try. My friend and I chose three different cheeses for our wine, cheese & salumi dinner that evening, which looked something like this:

Valdeon - A Spanish blue cheese

Applewood Cheddar - A dense smoky cheddar

Delice de Bourgogne - A French cow's milk cheese

2ND STOP: RANDY'S TAKEOUT - 1569 Eglinton Ave W. York, ON.

Anyway, after our stop at the Cheese Boutique we headed to Randy's Take Out for some beef patties.

We shared one chicken patty and one beef patty at the store, and purchased 12 frozen beef patties to go. So YUMS.

Le Baratin - French Fare on Dundas West

“You don’t need to use your line of credit to eat french!” - Chef Jean Regis Raynaud, Le Baratin

True, that is if you're eating at Le Baratin! Opened nearly two months ago, Le Baratin - which stands for "Smooth Talker" in French - is a small French bistro on Dundas West. Helming the kitchen is classically trained French chef, Jean Regis Raynaud, formerly of Le Paradis. After 18 years of cooking in France, UK, and St. Martin, Jean Regis finally realized his dream of running his own restaurant, where he is able to share his "food philosophy, L’art de Vivre- the art of life, a touch of France here in Toronto”, Jean Regis explained.

Quite often, when people hear the words "French food" or "French restaurant", they immediately think of white tablecloths, pretentious service, lavish menus, and $$$$. So, I'm thrilled to tell you that Le Baratin (Twitter: @LeBaratinYYZ, Facebook: Le Baratin) is anything but those things. The atmosphere at the small bistro is casual and relaxed, and the service is prompt and friendly. Le Baratin is a cozy French bistro, and it's somewhere I see myself going back again and again.

Le Baratin serves classic French fare, with some modern elements incorporated by chef Jean Regis. It is opened for lunch/brunch, seven days a week from 9AM - 5PM, and dinner five a days a week from Tuesday to Saturday, 5PM - 10PM. During the Day, Le Baratin serves dishes such as the Farcou (French spinach pancake), the Croque Monsieur, and the Tartifete (baked gratin with potatoes). The lunch menu offers a selection of salads, omelettes, and original sandwiches such as the Boeuf Bourguignon on a bun.

I visited Le Baratin for dinner last week, and let me tell you right off the bat that it exceeded my expectations. So much so that I've already recommended a handful of my friends to Le Baratin already.

ELDERFLOWER GIMLET (left)

SIDECAR (right)

Armagnac, Cointreau, lemon

All their cocktails are priced at $10. Cheers to that!

TORTE PROVENCALE ($9)

Baked tomato torte with goat cheese & "herbes de Provence" served w/ mixed green salad

This baked tomato tart is the perfect summertime fare, especially when paired with the light green salad. Unlike some other tarts with custard or cream, this torte really showcased the seasonal tomatoes. The crust is nice and flaky, and the goat cheese is superb; I enjoyed the crusty-brown parts on top and the warm and creamy soft inside.

Celebrating Ontario VQA Wines at Winetario

On Thursday, June 16th, I attended the inaugural #Winetario at George Brown College. Presented by Ontario Wine Awards, George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts and iYellow Wine Club, #Winetario showcases the best of Ontario VQA wines including many award winners.

Founded 22 years ago, the Ontario Wine Awards (Twitter: @tonyaspler, Facebook: Ontario Wine Awards) is an annual event that is recognized as "the Oscars" of the Ontario wine industry. The awards recognize VQA varietal quality in 25 different categories and acknowledge winners in Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal levels. There are also distinctive awards given out honouring the Winemaker of the Year, White Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year, Wine Journalism Award, and Best Label Design.

This year, 71 wineries entered 473 wines that were assessed by 30 judges. The awards ceremony was held on June 1st at Niagara College, hosted by celebrity chef and TV personality, Michael Bonacini. Below are all the Ontario Wine Awards winners this year. Find yourself squinting? You can also see the full list here.

After grabbing my wine glass, I made my way to the grazing station. Wine tasting with an empty stomach is never a good idea! A variety of beautiful cheeses, fresh fruits and chocolates were made available to all #Winetario guests.

My friend and I both started our evening with a glass of EastDell Estates Black Label Viognier 2014 from Diamond Estates Winery and a small plate of cheeses and fruits.

Teara Lab: Japanese Fusion Sandwich Shop

Opened less than a month ago on 181 College Street is Teara Lab, the first Japanese fusion sandwich shop in Toronto. Helming the kitchen is chef Frank Liu, who is also responsible for the menu at KAKA All You Can Eat, a popular AYCE restaurant located in Markham.

The modern and casual sandwich shop is conveniently situated across the street from University of Toronto, making it an ideal spot for students, whether it be quick grab-and-go lunches or sit-down meals in between classes.

Which is your favourite ramune flavour? Mine are "Original" and "Melon" :)

At Teara Lab (Twitter: @TearaLab, Facebook: Teara Lab), diners have the option of getting a sandwich or a sandwich combo, which comes with seasoned fries and a drink. Teara Lab's drinks selection is pretty impressive so don't go for just soda. Customers can choose from a variety of fruit teas (passion fruit green tea, mango green tea, fresh watermelon juice), slush (mango or match red bean), milk teas and creamas.

My friend and I ordered a Hokkaido Milk Tea ($5) and a LemonDada ($5). Both were fantastic! I would actually consider just dropping by the sandwich shop for a drink if I'm ever in the area.

Biff's Bistro's Prix Fixe Menu

Back to back Biff's! I know I just wrote about Biff's Bistro (Twitter: @BiffsBistro, Facebook: Biff's Bistro) but I thought it'd be nice to share another one of recent my dining experience there with you guys. Unlike the previous post where I wrote about some of the restaurant's a la carte offerings, this post will only focus on the "Biff's Fixe", or Biff's "3 courses for $37.95" prix fixe menu. 

Looking back on last week's Biff's post, I realized I didn't include any patio photos! Silly me, especially when we are well into patio weather now too. Well, here they are :)

I really like the rustic French charm of the patio. The trees, the details like the mix of textured wicker and leather chairs, the awning, and the patterned table cloths all contribute to the French bistro setting. Super cute!

We didn't end up having dinner on the patio, though, since the reservation was made a couple of weeks beforehand and we weren't sure if it would be warm enough. So, back inside we go...

Complimentary bread

The five of us all decided to go with the Biff's Fixe since it's such a great deal at three courses for $37.95. And to be honest, prix fixes are the best way to go when dining out with a group of friends because it makes splitting the bill so much easier (I'm also the worst at math so this is really important to me).

For Biff's Fixe, diners can choose from four appetizers, five mains and three desserts. Both the appetizer and main includes a vegetarian option. With the five of us, you would think that there would be a variety of dishes ordered that evening, but on the contrary, we all ordered the same appetizer. I guess that's why we are friends :) Mains were a bit better with three different plates, and desserts we picked two out of the three options. The food blogger in me was really hoping that I could try and get a photo of each and every prix fixe dish, but meh, no luck.

APPETIZER

CHICKEN LIVER PARFAIT

with cornichons