98 Aroma in Chinatown

Sorry for being MIA for the last little while. I was in Tokyo for two weeks and then needed a week after coming home to recover from jet lag and to get back into the groove of things. Anyway, I've returned and I hope you guys missed me! :) I will be sharing some of my Japan travels on the blog soon too, but before that, I want to write about my experience at 98 Aroma (Instagram: @98aroma, Facebook: 98 Aroma), a Northern Chinese restaurant I visited for dinner a couple days before my Japan trip.

The first thing I noticed about the restaurant was its interior. Traditional decor executed with a modern touch, 98 Aroma differentiates themselves instantly from all the other Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. Without even having to taste the food, you know they are striving for something different. In photos, the blue mood lighting may seem a bit much but in real life they work well. It's too bad the exterior of 98 Aroma doesn't match its upscale interior - it needs a lot more work, in my opinion (sorry I forgot to take photos of the outside).

I really like the look of these booths.

98 Aroma brings forth refined Northern Chinese food. Its menu consists of some popular Northern Chinese dim sum, such as scallion pancakes, dumplings, and pan fried steamed buns, as well as many traditional dishes that most of us may not be familiar with or have heard of before.

SUMMER BREEZE ($9.99)

I normally don't care for salads but 98 Aroma's signature salad served with carrots, lettuce, cabbage and topped with fried shredded taro was a winner. Mix all the components together with their sweet vinaigrette and you'll find yourself loving every bite. Or, at least, I did.

Back at The Spoke Club

Dinner at The Spoke Club is always a treat, especially when you have Executive Chef Rob Klunder (Instagram: @rkbones) cook for you. I was all set for another visit since the last time I was at the members-only restaurant was more than six months ago (truth be told, I heard through the grapevine that chef Rob had a new menu out so the eager beaver in me wanted to check that out ASAP).

Seeing that my brain is usually fried by the end of the work day I knew doing a tasting would be my best bet because at times, deciding on what to order can be a very strenuous process for me. I'm sure questions like "What should I order?", "Should I have this, that, or both?", "Can't I just order everything?", or "Is this too much food?" have killed plenty of brain cells. Considering that I'm not getting any younger and keeping my brain in top shape is priority, I usually get around this by asking the chef whether he/she can prepare a tasting for me; a smaller, tasting portion of selected dishes from the menu (sometimes the chef may bring out several off-menu dishes too). Some chefs do this, some chefs don't. Either way, if you're ever interested in doing a tasting you can always ask when you're making a reservation. Anyway, having chef Rob tell me "I'll keep on bringing food out until you tell me to stop" was literally music to my ears. Just make all the decisions for me, please and thank you, chef! I'm not sure about you but I always trust that the chef knows best. After all, it's their food and they're in charge of the kitchen. They are in their element so they must know what's good.

So that's essentially what happened at The Spoke Club (Twitter: @TheSpokeClub, Facebook: The Spoke Club). Chef Rob fed me until I couldn't handle another morsel of food. Here's what I had:

TARO CHIPS

Artichoke Dip

CAST IRON BAKED BRIOCHE

Cafe Paris, Parmesan Snow, Shaved Black Truffle

VEGETABLE POT STICKERS

Marinated Tofu & Vegetables, Lime Soya Dipping Sauce, XO Sauce

CRISPY TYPHOON CHICKEN

Tender Chicken, Spicy Soya Ginger Glaze, Ripe Mango, Chilies, Scallions

Antler Kitchen & Bar

Who's got game? Antler's got game. Literally.

I had dinner at Antler Kitchen & Bar with a couple of friends just before the new year. I had a feeling our meal would be good but not this good; I didn't expect it to knock my socks off or anything but it totally did! Antler is now one of my favourite restaurants in the city.

With the aim to showcase local Canadian cuisine, Antler (Twitter: @antlerkitchen, Facebook: Antler) focuses on sourcing regional ingredients, Canadian sourced farmed-raised game and foraged foods. Chef Michael Hunter, formerly of Scarpetta and Reds Wine Tavern, broke away from the corporate kitchen earlier this year and alongside Jody Shapiro, a filmmaker/photographer friend of Hunter's, the duo opened Antler in October. 

My friends and I sat at the chef's rail where the great outdoors, specifically deer skull from the first buck Hunter shot, was right above us. The chef's table at Antler fits three people perfectly; it was a bit of a tight squeeze for the four of us but we managed.

Raised on a horse farm in Caledon, Hunter (@thehunterchef) has been passionate about foraging and hunting wild game ever since he was a little kid. "I’m inspired by the seasons and what I find when foraging and hunting. Food simply tastes better when it is freshly harvested because it’s growing in its natural habitat. I am and always have been a strong, vocal advocate for wild game, conservation and hunting. Animals should be free to roam and free from cramped pens. This means they are healthier for us because wild game is therefore free from growth hormones and unnecessary antibiotics." Hunter describing his style of cooking in an interview with Butter PR.

Chef Hunter caught me taking a picture of him. What does he do? He takes his phone out and starts taking pictures of me taking pictures of him. Ha!

EDO-ko

I was invited to EDO-ko (Twitter: @EDORestaurants, Facebook: EDO Restaurants) last week for their mid-January media event. If my memory serves me right, this visit marks my first time ever at an EDO restaurant (little did I know the first EDO opened in 1986!) So when I received this exclusive invitation I thought it was the perfect opportunity to check it out. EDO has a total of four locations: EDO-ko on Spadina, EDO on Eglinton, EDO at Bayview Village and EDO at the Hilton. 

The dinner event was hosted by EDO CEO & Founder, Barry Chaim, and EDO Executive Chef Ryo Ozawa:

BARRY J. CHAIM - CEO and Founder

Barry Chaim, a graduate of McGill University in Montreal, received a Japanese Government Mombushu Research Fellowship to study at Tokyo University in Japan in 1973. In 1986 Chaim made a financial investment in founding EDO, a Japanese restaurant in mid-town Toronto, while in the spring of 1996 he took over direct management. In 1998, EDO received recognition as one of Gourmet Magazine's "America's Top Tables". A Fellow of the Ontario Hostelry Institute since 2002, Chaim was named Asian Restauranteur of the Year in 2012 by the Cambridge Food and Wine Society, the first non-Asian to receive this recognition. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Toronto.

RYO OZAWA - Executive Chef

Born, raised and educated in Fukuoka, Japan, Ryo Ozawa, after 10 years of training and work in Japan, specializes in classical French cuisine (Seiyo-Ryori). Ozawa attained the senior rank of Teaching Chef and has won national and international competitions, including first place in the Canadian Culinary Cup (2002), a Gold Medal in individual competition at the IKA/World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt Germany (2012), and a Glenfiddich Award from the Cambridge Food & Wine Society as Asian Chef of the Year (2013). Ozawa combines Japanese essence and western influences in EDO's menu, and excels when challenged to present his omakase (chef's choice) menu.

Executive Chef Ryo Ozawa and CEO & Founder Barry Chaim

At the dinner, Chaim explained to us that EDO is not a sushi restaurant but a Japanese restaurant that offers sushi. He told us that cuisine in Japan is divided into two streams - Washoku and Seiyo-Ryori. Wa-Shoku is the traditional method of cooking that includes tempura, teriyaki, kaiseki, sushi, oden, and sukiyaki, etc. Seiyo-Ryori is the combination of European (mainly French) sauces and influences on Japanese methods and standards, evolving constantly into new dishes with the same or different ingredients. Chef Ozawa was trained in Seiyo-Ryori, never having professionally prepared sushi in Japan. Chaim described chef Ozawa's approach as not fusion but a "careful consideration and combination of an ever-evolving unique style".

We were treated to many dishes that evening, from cold and hot appetizers, tempura, to sushi, specialty maki rolls and grilled mains.

KYU- MAKI ($7)

Avocado, cucumber slivers & sweet inari wrapped in delicate cucumber skin, rice vinaigrette

SALMON TAR-TARE ($13)

Avocado, Tem-bits, cucumber, tobiko, green onion, nori squares, Dynamite Sauce

Byblos: Eastern Mediterranean in King West

One of my favourite spots right now, one that I can't wait to go back to, is Byblos (Facebook: Byblos, Twitter: @ByblosToronto). Serving Eastern Mediterranean cuisine in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District, the upscale 120-seat Mediterranean restaurant by Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji of Icon Legacy Hospitality and Ink Entertainment was recently ranked #5 in Globe & Mail's list of "Top 10 new Toronto Restaurants of 2014" (the restaurateurs also own NAO Steakhouse, Weslodge, and another one of my favourites - Patria). Byblos' Executive Chef Stuart Cameron (@chef_stucameron) focuses on making ingredients in-house and sourcing as many products as he can from the Middle East. 

"Using time-honored classic cooking techniques and modern methods, Executive Chef Stuart Cameron has created dishes that showcase the regionally-specific spices and flavours of the Eastern Mediterranean seaboard. The menu is a true coastal and cultural mosaic, served family style in a convivial atmosphere."- Byblos

The 2,000 sq. ft restaurant opened its doors in March of last year in the 170-year-old Storys Building. I was eager to sit in the main floor dining room (which I heard is gorgeous) but unfortunately, the main floor was closed off. Upstairs, the large dining room has shiny gold and copper panels, aged white walls, and oiled wooden floors flanked by Persian style rugs.

The large bar area.

The Byblos menu is divided into "small", "large", "sides" and "rice", and they are all meant to be shared family-style. The four of us shared five small plates, two large plates, one rice dish and five desserts:

CRISPY EGGPLANT ($12)

Tahini Aioli + Bayildi Sauce + Basturma

DaiLo: Restaurant & Dim Sum Bar in Little Italy

After what seemed like an eternity awfully long time, chef Nick Liu, formerly of The Niagara Street Café, finally opened DaiLo last month. Located on 502 College Street beside Mexican taco spot La Carnita, the Asian Brasserie - which was to be called "GwaiLo" initially - encountered some tough times when it was supposed to open two years ago. With potential locations falling through, investors pulling out and business partner Christina Kuypers departing the venture, Liu's aspiration to open his own place seemed increasingly uncertain. Regardless, even without a kitchen, Liu still generated a ton of buzz for GwaiLo with his creative pop-ups and dinners (write-ups on those dinners can be found at the end of this post). He successfully captivated local foodies' palettes with his modern twists on traditional Asian cuisine. The dish that made a lasting impression on me two years ago was undoubtedly Liu's Whole Fried Trout and I'm thrilled that this stunning dish has finally found a permanent home on DaiLo's menu...but more on that later.

It has been quite a journey for Liu and thankfully, all that is now in the past. With co-owners Anton Potvin (who owned The Niagara Street Café), Jen Grant and David Dattel, Liu's much anticipated Asian fine dining restaurant is once and for all, a reality.

DaiLo (Twitter: @DaiLoTO, Facebook: DaiLo) is open for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday, 5:30 PM to 2:00 AM. DaiLo is the 80-seat, main floor restaurant while LoPan is the casual, 55-seat cocktail and dim-sum snack bar on the second floor (and it's certainly not your everyday dim sum like "har gow" and "siu mai"...think Big Mac Bao). My four friends and I had dinner at DaiLo a few Fridays ago so all the photos here are of DaiLo, not LoPan.

The room is distinctively Chinoiserie with a mixture of European and Chinese artistic styles and design.

Oh Geul Boh Geul, Korean Restaurant in North York

Whenever I crave something soup-y I default to Vietnamese pho (did I ever tell you that if I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life I'd choose pho?) Although it's extremely rare there are times when I just don't feel like pho especially when it's super cold outside. When the windchill makes it feel like it's -30 I long for a thick, rich soup; a soup with depth, a soup that'll warm me up from the core (does that make sense?!) Tofu stew, kimchi stew, pork bone soup...they do exactly that. I mean c'mon, they are all served steamin' hot! You literally need to sit there and wait until the bubbling dies down just so you won't burn your lips off. But man, the first sip of that hot soup is so comforting - it makes me go "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh....." every time. You know what I mean, right? You do. Korean stews seriously soothes the soul. When it's summer the hotter temperatures deter me from ordering stews but I still enjoy other Korean dishes, especially their cold noodle (mul naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon).

Prior to this particular visit to Oh Geul Boh Geul I usually, if not most of the time, order my own thing at Korean restaurants with minimal sharing of dishes. It's an in-and-out ordeal for me; I'd sit down, order, eat my stew and go. It's safe to say that this visit to Oh Geul Boh Geul changed that because 1) there was 10 of us, and 2) the sheer number of people at the table allowed us to eat family-style, something I've never done at a Korean restaurant before (when I say "never" I'm excluding those so-called Korean BBQ joints run by Chinese peeps). So obviously, this was also the first time I've consumed so much, and so many varieties, of Korean dishes in one sitting.

Unless you've never been to a Korean restaurant you should all be familiar with the fact that you get Korean side dishes (banchan). Even if you dine alone there's still a chance that side dishes will invade your entire table. So awesome. Some restaurants are more generous with their side dishes than others but rest assure you'll always get something to munch on. 

Oh Geul Bo Geul is a Korean restaurant in North York that serves good homey Korean food. Their decor is nothing to write home about; it's casual and nothing fancy, but what it does have a 1-up on is their covered, back patio with TV which is great for summer nights.

Without further ado, let's dive right into the food. Actually, wait. I want to quickly give a shout-out to the guys at Popup Markets (Twitter: @marketspopup, Facebook: Popup Markets) for providing the booze that night. Shown below are the 905 Lager and Summertime Saison.

GRILLED MACKEREL (Godeungeo-Gui)

DUMPLINGS (Mandu)

Deep fried dumplings served with soy sauce.

Sake Bar Kushi (Kushi Izakaya) in Midtown

Sake Bar Kushi opened quietly this past summer on 257 Eglinton Ave. just east of Avenue Rd. The restaurant, with a name which boldly states its specialties as being kushi and sake, is actually selling itself short. How so? Well if taken literally, one would think that the restaurant offers merely kushi (Japanese for skewers used to hold / pierce food for grilling and frying) and sake...but don't be fooled guys! After my dinner at Sake Bar Kushi (Facebook: Sake bar Kushi) last week I realized that this midtown Japanese restaurant offers much, much more than just skewers and sake...

...But more on that later. Lets take a look at Sake Bar Kushi's decor. I love all the dark wood here, every bit of it. I know some of you may think it's too dark but really, it works, especially with the long straight lines and wide panels. The warm lighting also brightens up the space so it's not dark at all and is in fact, quite cozy. The statement piece in the room is definitely the communal table in the middle which separates the semi-private booths on both sides. The display of sake and beer bottles dividing the table is also attractive and fun.

I call this wall "The Great Wall of Kushi"!

Following the The Great Wall of Kushi will lead you to Sake Bar Kushi's party room at the back. With three long tables stretched across, the room can comfortably accommodate 30 people. This is really great for birthdays and private parties.

Crown Princess Fine Dining

In my opinion, unlike uptown Markham or Richmond Hill, where you will find a lot more average priced, middle-ranged Chinese dim sum restaurants, there are only two types in downtown Toronto, which are basically the two extremes: the cheap and the pricey. The cheap, semi sketchy-looking, hole-in-the wall dim sum joints offer traditional dim sum plates at bargain prices, and are typically located in Chinatown (or the general vicinity of Spadina and Dundas). The other type, the pricey, extravagant "fine dining" Chinese restaurants have fancy dim sum during the day and multi-course dinners at night (and often doubles as wedding banquet reception halls on weekends). These high-end restaurants often have over-the-top decor and aside from traditional dim sum, they also offer new creations and sometimes creative takes on traditional ones. They are also generally very keen on presentation and service.

Just by the picture below, you can probably tell that Crown Princess Fine Dining belongs in the latter category of dim sum restaurants. There are chandeliers on both the ceiling and the walls, where you will also find large fancy-looking paintings. The crown moldings, pillars, and the granite / marble bar completes the entire elegant ambiance that Crown Princess is striving for.

Fancy teapots and tableware at Crown Princess with porcelain rests for your spoon and chopsticks.

Dim sum are listed as either small ($3.10), medium ($4.30), large ($5.30), XL ($6.30) or Special / SP (no idea how much).

Recipe For Change 2013

FoodShare Toronto (Twitter: @FoodShareTO, Facebook: FoodShare Toronto) is Canada’s largest community food security organization. Founded in 1985, FoodShare works with communities to improve access to healthy, affordable, sustainably-produced food through community-based programs and policy recommendations, with a vision of Good Healthy Food for everybody. FoodShare's programs, which reach over 155,000 children and adults per month in the City of Toronto, include fresh produce sourcing and sales, childhood nutrition, hands-on food education from junior kindergarten to grade 12, a healthy school cafeteria model, gardening, composting, cooking, and urban agriculture. 

FoodShare’s annual Recipe for Change event, presented by GE Cafe Appliances, is a celebration of food as well as supporting FoodShare's work. This dining event raises funds to teach school aged children how to cook, grow food, compost and more. It also raises needed consciousness as to why teaching children these skills are important, in that they can become food conscious, competent and literate. 

Thanks to Mary Luz Mejia of Sizzling Communications, I was invited to Recipe for Change last night, which took place at the historic St. Lawrence market. The event consisted of 30 chefs, 30 VQA wines and 9 local beers. All the chefs created plates that showcased their own creative vision, combining foods and flavours to form a small meal.

Here is a recap of what I had last night.

Hooked: Cooke's Cove, PEI, and Leslie Hardy & Sons oysters - Served with house made horseradish, Ontario Riesling mignonette, Hooked hot sauce and fresh lemon

Chococrepe: Savoury pulled pork mini crepes and vegetarian mini crepes.

Momofuku: Momofuku brisket on a steamed bun with mustard, cabbage, and horseradish

FRANK at the AGO: Vegan fava puree with sunchokes and winter vegetables

Palais Royale: Rosemary smoked duck breast served with a mousse of duck confit, and a blueberry and raw chocolate coulis

George Brown Chef School: Savoury bread pudding with seasonal root vegetables and house made pickles

Fidel Gastro: PeKing Elvis sandwich  a butter grilled pita featuring spicy orange duck meat, green onion and the King's secret sauce

Guu Sakabar Never Disappoints

Guu Sakabar's menu and specials posted outside

When it comes to izakaya (i.e. a Japanese drinking establishment which serves food to accompany drinks), I always default to Guu. Although there are several newly opened izakayas in downtown Toronto, I somehow find myself at either Guu SakaBar or Guu Izakaya whenever I have a craving for izakaya. And because these 'izakaya cravings' do not happen that often, when they do, I want to make sure that I will be completely happy and satisfied after my meal, which is is precisely why I always end up at Guu (@GuuToronto) - I've never left Guu disappointed. The food there is consistently good, their awesome vibe never ceases to amaze me, the staff is always friendly and cheerful, and last but not least, I find myself practically rolling out of the restaurant, beyond full with a grin on my face, every single time :)

This time was no exception. I took a friend to Guu SakaBar recently. He has never been to Guu before (I know, shocking!) so I felt that it was my duty, as a friend, to take him there (OK I admit, I was also having an izakaya craving at the time).

To experience the full "Guu experience", I find it best to sit at the bar. Despite the fact that it can get a bit loud, I strongly encourage those who haven't been to Guu to try it out (you can always sit in the tatami room next time...only available at Guu SakaBar though!)

I had the GUU CAESAR (obviously) with Yuzu pepper infused vodka, clamato ($6.5) 

My friend had ASAHI ($7)

Between the two of us, we had the following: 

KURAGE - Marinated jellyfish ($4.5)

Kinton Ramen

RAMEN FEVER!
Toronto has this right now we will continue to have this until...? Meh, who knows and who cares? I'm simply thrilled that more and more ramen places are popping up...it is about friggin' TIME that somebody puts a stop to the Ajisen-Kenzo ramen duopoly in downtown Toronto. I'm confident that I speak for the masses; we welcome you Kinton Ramen (Twitter: @KintonRamen, Facebook: KintonRamen), with open arms! Actually, our arms will stay so wide open that we will gladly fit FOUR more ramen restaurants by the end of the year, namely: Santouka, Momofuku's Lucky Peach, Raijin Ramen and a ramen shop by cook Chris Jang from the Ossington restaurant, Yours Truly (source: Toronto Star: Ramen soup competition heats up in Toronto). Exciting times ahead, guys. Exciting times.

First Guu Izakaya, then Guu Sakabar, now Kinton Ramen, Guu is slowly but surely expanding its empire in Toronto. Much like how the two izakayas were when they first opened (and sometimes even now) expect constant line-ups out the door at Kinton (it wouldn't be RAMEN FEVER any other way right? :P) No reservations, obviously.

Gold pigs behind the bar. Kinton sure loves their pork!

A very long and narrow space, the kitchen bar begins from the front of the restaurant all the way down to the end of the open kitchen. There are two communal tables; one at the very back of the restaurant and one near the entrance.

My friend and I sat at the communal table at the front. We had....

Cold tea ($2)

Gyoza - Japanese pork dumpling ($3.5)

2012 Chinese New Year's Eve Feast

Let me start off this post by wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year! I wish you all a healthy and prosperous Year of the Dragon! And it doesn't matter if you're not Chinese, you will still get this blessing from me ^_^


Before I jump into what I had for my Chinese New Year Eve's dinner, I want to share with all of you my Chinese horoscope for 2012 - it is actually really really shitty and goes something like this [with my thoughts inserted in pink]: 


"You are prone to losing money, so avoid any gambles or guesses [I don't gamble...whew]. Since you are also prone to accidents and legal troubles, take it easy at work and do drive carefully [it seems like I am prone to many bad things]. Your regular income should remain stable ["should"?]. If you are a surgeon, butcher, soldier or police officer, you will do well [I'm neither of those so guess I won't be doing too well]. Work that involves finance or gambling are not good paths for you [again, I don't gamble]. Only hard work will bring you money. If you want to succeed, put in more effort [I promise I will not be a slacker]. Choose saving over gambling [alright enough with the gambling!]. Quarrels and arguments can be expected, so be patient and keep an open mind [this one may be tough lol]. If you are single, forget marriage this year [Haha CHECK!]. Beware of surgeries [WTF?!]. Your digestive system could bother you [NOOOOOOOOO!]."


Holy crap! Is there anything good for me this year? Should I just write-off 2012 right now? O_o Thank goodness I'm not superstitious or else I would be losing sleep every night over this. So yeah, I will ignore that...completely =P


Sorry I digress...back to food. It is pretty much standard that my Mom will cook a very elaborate meal for the family every Chinese New Year Eve (I blogged about last year's CNY dinner too). She usually starts prepping several days before to make sure everything goes smoothly the night of the dinner. 


I got a couple of kitchen shots. Here we have oysters in the deep fryer. Cute fryer, huh? ;) 

Roasted pork belly right out of the oven. Crispiest skin EVER! So much crispier than the ones in Chinese restaurants, I guarantee it! Honestly, the best roasted pork belly comes from my Mom's kitchen. Period!

With the five of us - my parents, my brother, my sister-in-law and I - there was plenty of food to go around. It was complete indulgence! ^_^ We had the following dishes:

Lemon Chicken with Shallots and Ginger - This dish is very tangy and appetizing, I especially enjoyed the shallots which soaked up all the sauce. Just so you know, eating a whole chicken during Chinese New Year symbolizes a proper beginning and end to the year (here are a list of dishes that are staple to a Chinese New Year's dinner)

Vegetable Plate - Like I mentioned in my post last year, I really like this veggie dish because it has so many textures and flavours; there are bamboo fungus and shoots, bean curd sticks, tofu, mushrooms, "fat choy" and dried lily flowers. Although it may not look it, I assure you that it is very appetizing =P

Deep Fried Oysters - Thinly battered, hot, crispy and the juicy oysters inside *drools*! Every time my Mom makes these I go crazy....cholesterol level through the roof!

Stewed Chinese Black Mushrooms with Fish Belly and Sea Cucumber - My Mom always uses the biggest and thickest Japanese mushrooms for this dish :) I love fish belly and sea cucumber as they are both very soft and tasty.