Fall Menu Preview at Earls Kitchen + Bar

I was invited to Earls Kitchen + Bar's new fall menu tasting several weeks ago at their 150 King Street West location (@earlskingst). In case you are not aware, all of Earls' menus are designed by a group of talented, award-winning chefs called the "Chef Collective". Here's a quick introduction about this group of elites.

It all started this summer when Earls (Twitter: @earlsrestaurant, Facebook: Earls Restaurants), a Vancouver based, family owned restaurant group, opened a brand new Test Kitchen in Vancouver. Although the kitchen is not only open to the public, it asks for feedback as they test new dishes - it is the first chain restaurant in North America to let the public in on how they create unique new dishes and methods those dishes are created with. 

(Photo Credit: Earls)

Instead of working with a small team of in-house culinary development chefs with guest chefs and chef consultants contributing a menu item, or with a “celebrity chef” putting their name on the entire menu, Earls decided to hire some of those consulting chefs to work for the company, some full time, some part time, but to have all of them work together collaboratively. Their talents are vastly different, yet equal, as are their positions in the kitchen. They noticed dishes that started with a brilliant idea from one chef could be elevated even further by another, or the reverse, a complicated fine dining recipe one chef brought to the table could be simplified and reworked to make a great Earls dish. Chefs working together brought new ideas, new cooking techniques, new ingredients and new inspiration into Earls Test Kitchen, so instead of a group of chefs working individually, it was a group of chefs working collectively. 

Meet the Earls Chef Collective

A series of Earls Chef Collective videos.

These awesome chefs flew in to Toronto to join us for the menu tasting and I had such a great time chatting with chef Dawn and chef Hamid during dinner! Anyway, enough about the chefs, right? Here's a look at what I got to taste that evening:

CRAB & LOBSTER ROLL

Lobster & prawn salad, capers, parsley, lemon, aioli, grilled brioche

BBQ PORK BUNS

Hoisin hot sauce, cilantro, roasted peanuts

The Albion Rooms, Ottawa

Thanks to my friend Don's recommendation, I stopped by The Albion Rooms for lunch when I was in Ottawa last month. I was only in town for four days so I had to make the best of my road trip. If you're ever heading to the O dot and looking for dining options, do what I did - check out Don's food blog foodiePrints or hit them up on Twitter at @foodiePrints - you'll soon realize that Don and Jenn knows everything food related in Ottawa! When I told Don where I was staying and that I wanted some lunch options in the area, he quickly suggested The Albion Rooms.

Opened at Novotel Ottawa Hotel in April 2013, The Albion Rooms serves up rustic yet contemporary, farm-to-table Canadian cuisine. According to the restaurant's website, chef Stephen La Salle (@TheSKLaSalle) of The Albion Rooms calls his food “Contemporary Country Canadian”:

"...he pulls in different contemporary elements of Canadian cuisine with a country rustic style to produce plates that are modern but familiar. In paying homage to “Albion” (our British settlers) Chef Stephen plays with subtle British undertones in the food that will definitely stand alone."

 When I walked into the restaurant, I quickly learned that La Salle will be one of ten chefs participating in Ottawa’s regional Gold Medal Plates on November 17th! Founded in 2003, Gold Medal Plates is a prestigious, national culinary competition where chefs from 11 cities across Canada compete to win gold, silver and bronze medals.

The Albion Rooms (Twitter @TheAlbionRooms, Facebook: The Albion Rooms) was also ranked #5 in Ottawa Magazine's Best New Restaurants 2013 list.

The beautiful bar is most definitely the focal point at The Albion Rooms. However, the restaurant also houses a cozy lounge area, a large outdoor patio and a modest dining room.

Weslodge for Wagyu

The Cutting Board at Weslodge is a beautiful thing; if you haven't had it yet you should really consider ordering it the next time you're there (read about the Cutting Board here). But if you can't make it on a Sunday or Monday for the elaborate meat board or if all that meat is a bit too daunting to you, the next best thing on Weslodge's menu is their Australian Wagyu Bavette with Chimichurri. Never thought I would like it as much as I did but dayam! It was good!

Bavette, a French-style cut, is another name for "flap" steak. It is a small cut from the bottom part of the sirloin that has a character much like flank or skirt steak.  Although less tender than fillet the Bavette, when given a quick hot sear, is known to pack intense meaty flavour and a surprisingly delicate texture. The cut works especially well with a strong flavoured condiment - such as chimichurri in this case - and the clear, rich pan juices also contains a lot of flavour. 

AUSTRALIAN WAGYU BAVETTE WITH CHIMICHURRI ($34)

Aside from the Australian Wagyu Bavette my friend Shayma, from The Spice Spoon (@SpiceSpoon), and I also shared the following plates:

BEEF TARTAR & FOIE GRAS MOUSSE ($14)

Pickled Mustard Seed + Egg White Pearls + Crispy Capers + Sour Dough 

DUCK BACON & EGG ($12)

Truffle Vinaigrette + Fingerling Potatoes + Duck Egg

The Forth in Greektown

Located at 629 Danforth Ave. just south of Pape is The Forth, the newest project from chef Chris Kalisperas (formerly of Brassaii) and his investors, The Signature Group. This ambitious new restaurant is a multi-story, 8,000 square foot space decked out with copious lighting and enormous floor to ceiling windows. With two separate dining areas - one on the main floor and the other on the second floor - the entire restaurant can accommodate up to 160 seats. Suffice to say there's ample seating here.

Despite the fact that chef Kalisperas' background is Greek and The Forth (Twitter: @TheForthTO, Facebook: The Forth) is in the heart of Greektown, you won't find anything Greek on the menu. Rather, The Forth offers contemporary Canadian cuisine with Mediterranean influences. Kalisperas also emphasizes on sourcing locally and seasonally (which usually means the menu will change often). 

 A massive wine wall separates the kitchen and the first floor dining room.

Oh, and forget the stairs. Take the elevator to the second floor where you'll find more seating space and a lounge area. There's no doubt about it - you can really feel the grandeur and elegance of the The Forth once you're up here. Take note of the cool duo projection screens showing black and white historical photos of the city (they are also visible from the main floor).

Sunday Brunch at Langdon Hall

After spending most of Saturday afternoon strolling around the hotel's property, then treating ourselves to a fantastic Chef's Tasting Menu in the evening, you may wonder what we ended up doing Sunday at Langdon Hall (Twitter: @Langdon_Hall, Facebook: Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa). How about the same thing all over again?! Well not exactly, but close enough. 

Feeling rejuvenated after a great night's sleep (in our beautiful room nonetheless) we woke to marvelous weather; there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Taking full advantage of this and the few hours we have before checking-out, we took one last excursion on the estate's herb and water gardens, fields, and manicured lawns. 

We would rest on the benches between our walks every now and then just so we can take a mental picture of the gorgeousness surrounding us. Life could not be better at that moment.

. 

Oops, actually it can! Enter Sunday brunch, outside, underneath a big beautiful tree, with a view of the Langdon Hall gardens!

STAR FRUIT MARGARITA ($18)

Star Fruit Syrup combined with Cointreau and Sauza Gold

MOCKTAIL ($6.50)

Cucumber and Beet Syrup Soda

Café Boulud Yet Again

This marks my fourth post on Café Boulud (Twitter: @CafeBouludTO, Facebook: Cafe Boulud Toronto & d | bar) which will now be tied with Splendido as being the most blogged about restaurant on Food Junkie Chronicles. I know it's redundant to blog about a restaurant that many times but hey, this is my blog and I can do whatever I want. Heh, just kidding! Actually, no, not kidding...

But honestly, I shouldn't have to bring my big a$$ camera with me. There's really no need for me to write yet another post on Café Boulud (it should be obvious by now that I love the place). However, I still spend hours on my photos, writing and editing because I want to share with you all the incredible things they're doing there. Simple as that.

So if you're interested in what I have to say about Café Boulud yet again, please read on :)

We started off with some cocktails (and mocktail). We also ordered a bottle of 2010 Thirty Bench Riesling ($62)

DARK & SPICY ($16)

Barrel aged, hot pepper rum, pear juice, ginger beer

NOT NORMAL ($9)

Mocktail (sorry I forgot what was in it)

BREAD BASKET

CHEESE GOUGERES

There has been a few changes to Café Boulud's dinner menu since the last time I was there, so more the reason to write about them again, right? Okay, I'm gonna stop defending my decision.

NOVA SCOTIA LOBSTER SALAD ($26)

Iceberg lettuce, marinated quail’s egg, cucumber, avocado cream, marie rose

Omakase at Sushi Kaji

Occupying the last stretch of an ordinary strip mall in Etobicoke is Sushi Kaji, a small Japanese restaurant known for their long-standing impeccable quality, inventiveness and commitment to excellence. Yeah the restaurant may not look like much from the outside (it could easily pass for a typical sushi joint or AYCE restaurant on Bloor St.) but we all know that looks can be deceiving, right? Well, damn right 'cause even after 14 years Sushi Kaji remains as one of the best restaurants in the city (notice I said "restaurant" not just "Japanese restaurant"). Whether Sushi Kaji is indeed the best or not, in whichever category, is irrelevant because food is so subjective. However, what I can confidently say is the following: the dinner I had at Sushi Kaji two weeks ago was the best omakase I've ever had in my life (so far).

From Wednesday to Sundays, 30 diners each night will have the opportunity to experience one of two set dinners prepared by chef Mitsuhiro Kaji and his team. Omakase is the only option at Sushi Kaji - you won't find bento boxes, teriyaki or California rolls here.

So aside from the fact that Sushi Kaji doesn't offer an a la carte menu, what makes this Japanese restaurant so special? The simple answer is chef Mitsuhiro Kaji himself. Chef Kaji has been making sushi ever since he was 13 years old. For more than 10 years he apprenticed under many different master chefs all over Japan. Since immigrating to Canada in 1980, Kaji has opened eight different sushi restaurants. In May of 2000, he finally opened his very own Sushi Kaji.

Just as important as chef Kaji himself, the quality of ingredients also plays a crucial part in Sushi Kaji's success. Chef Kaji believes that the secret of good sushi is to always select best ingredients, and never compromise on quality. Kaji's Japanese supplier flies fish from Tokyo bay within 24 hours after it has been taken from the water. Kaji serves fish in the evening that he has purchased the same morning, never keeping fish overnight. Other ingredients such as vegetables, condiments and even garnishes are also exclusively imported from Japan. 

Chef Kaji's attention to detail is commendable as well. He uses different kinds of vinegar during different seasons: a soft and sweeter vinegar in the summer and a slightly more bitter one in the winter. As for soy sauce, chef Kaji prefers to make his own from scratch with dried bonito because he finds regular soy sauce too salty.

Once we sat down at Sushi Kaji the first thing I did was order sake; there's absolutely no way I can fully enjoy an omakase meal without sake! I had my favourite type of sake that evening: nigori.

SHOCHIKUBAI NIGORI SAKE 375 ml ($25)

A Globally-Inspired Sunday Brunch at Marben

After taking over the helm at Marben a year ago and replacing Carl Heinrich as executive chef, Rob Bragagnolo (@RobBragagnolo) has successfully reinvented the previously meat-centric restaurant on 488 Wellington St. W. into one that offers diners a more sophisticated Mediterranean fare. Bragagnolo, a Torontonian with an Italian background, has spent the last 10+ years working in Spain and travelling across the world. With an impressive stint in Mallorca and a passport full of stamps under his belt, Bragagnolo is determined to share his love for international cuisine at Marben.

I visited Marben (Twitter: @MarbenResto, Facebook: Marben) two Sundays ago. It was a last minute decision (as well as a very late one) so the Sunday brunch rush was already over when we arrived.

 The Marben's brunch menu begins with the following statement: "A collection of my favourite brunch dishes from my travels around the world". I was excited just from reading that.

My brunch consisted of the following four dishes (it's a bit excessive I know):

TANGIERS ($14)

2 poached eggs on spiced cauliflower, quinoa salad, beetroot humus, baby kale & parsley

The Cutting Board at Weslodge Saloon

I was invited to Weslodge (Twitter: Weslodge, Facebook: Weslodge) on Monday for the launch of their Cutting Board, an impressive meat platter featuring a selection of grilled meats and poultry. Available on Sunday and Mondays from 5pm onwards, discerning carnivores at the popular King West restaurant can share a platter of succulent beef, pork, lamb, and poultry which have been aged, marinated or slow-cooked to delicious perfection. Served as part of a special pre-fixe menu The Cutting Board is, in my opinion, very reasonably priced at $29 per person. 

We started the evening off with a welcome cocktail.

BARREL AGED NEGRONI

Bombay Sapphire Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth blend, orange oil. Aged in American Oak. Rich bitter grapefruit, deep toasted orange peel with a subtle spiced vanilla oak finish.

Next up, my favourite appetizer from Weslodge: their Scotch Egg. Wrapped in a layer of tasty chorizo then coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried, this Scotch Egg has a beautiful bright yellow yolk that's still runny in the centre. The addition of sweet and tart tomato jam alongside black truffle elevates this traditional English canape from good to amazing.

SCOTCH EGG

Chorizo + Tomato Jam + Black Truffle

And here it is, Weslodge's Cutting Board:

CUTTING BOARD

Crispy Hen + Lamb Ribs + Duck Sausage + Dry Aged Ribeye + Pulled Pork + Cuban Slaw + Baked Pasta + Jalapeno Biscuits

With The Cutting Board, Chef de Cuisine Kanida Chey wanted to showcase the best of what they do at Weslodge. "Our goal is to cook really familiar foods using the best ingredients made in-house and do it with a level of technique that isn’t typical. It’s an approach that allows us to reinvent the classics and highlight the extraordinary flavours of the premium meats we have always been serving our guests.” said Chey, “The meats we chose for The Cutting Board are premium quality, prepared with the same level of technique we approach all of our dishes, but now guests can sample our best cuts on one beautiful board.”

Milestones' Homestyle Chefs' Tasting Menu

It is always a pleasure attending a Milestones media dinner (this is my third one). Not only do I get the opportunity to taste a bit of everything from Milestones' newest menu, I also get to order as many bellinis as I want (I know it sounds stupid but I've been a sucker for their bellinis since the beginning of time...I'm obsessed with those fruity slushies!) In all seriousness I'm always eager to try Executive Chef Jason Rosso's new creations. Ever since chef Rosso joined Milestones as corporate chef I've noticed a significant change - a very positive one - in the restaurant specifically when it comes to embracing global cuisine. Being Asian, I particularly enjoy the Asian influences in Rosso's plates. His Spicy Thai Basil Stir-fry and Grilled Japanese Tuna Tataki from last year's Summer Chefs' menu, and his Vietnamese Bun Cha and Galbi Style Rib Steak from the most recent Inspired Chefs' menu are all examples of fusion dishes done well (these dishes also demonstrate Rosso's creativity and genuine passion for exotic ingredients and flavours). In this particular Milestones' Homestyle Chefs' Menu tasting, chef Rosso took us on a culinary journey, treating our taste buds to the bold flavours of South Asia all the way to the Mediterranean.

It is somewhat embarrassing to admit this but I had two bellinis before dinner last week at the Milestones located at Dundas Square. Yeah TWO bellinis. This is what I get for arriving way too early, I mean what else is there to do besides downing cocktails? Speaking of cocktails there's word on the street that Milestones (Twitter: @MilestonesCa, Facebook: Milestones) is in the process of revamping their cocktail menu to include classic cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and the Moscow Mule. I'm so excited about this! *GASP* I foresee myself cheating on the bellini...

MILESTONES' ORIGINAL BELLINI

A frozen blend of premium white rum, peach liqueur, sparkling white wine, topped with Boone's Sangria

Along with our cocktails we were served these beautiful canapes:

APPETIZERS

CHEFS CHOICE CANAPES

Prime rib adobo poutine with smoked gouda*

Gouger of cheddar and poached egg mousseline in puff pastry

Atlantic smoked salmon rosette with tarragon goats cheese and fried capers

Wild mushroom and truffle bruschetta on parmesan cracker

Chorizo and mozzarella fritters with smoked paprika aioli*

*Available on Milestones' Homestyle Chefs’ Menu

After cocktails and apps we were ready for dinner! Below is chef Jason Rosso (@jasonrosso) giving us a brief intro about the new Milestones' Homestyle Chefs' Menu (he also came out in between courses to explain each dish).

Lamesa Filipino Kitchen's New Menu

I still have very fond memories of the tasting menu I had at Lamesa Filipino Kitchen a year and a half ago. I remember describing it as a "rock-solid meal" which is why, to this very day, I still recommend this Queen West restaurant to my friends whenever they are looking for something different. Something unique.

Responsible for putting modern Filipino cuisine on the culinary map here in Toronto are second generation Filipinos Rudy Boquila and Les Sabilano. With Lamesa, the duo has successfully combined traditional tastes of the Philippines with modern takes and local ingredients. As Sabilano puts it Filipino food, the Lamesa way, is “all about taking a regional approach to Filipino food. Each of the 7000+ islands in the Philippines has developed their own style based on their customs, surroundings and what is locally available. For us, Toronto is just another island. Our style is shaped by our environment and where and how we grew up.”

Last week, I was invited to Lamesa's (Twitter: @LamesaTO, Facebook: Lamesa) new menu launch where I sampled numerous dishes spanning their brunch, dinner and late night menus. Aside from the updated menu, Lamesa's bar also received a dramatic makeover (check out how the bar was before). I personally love the new bar especially the psychedelic glow in the background. Pretty trippy :) 

Speaking of bar, I enjoyed several cocktails that evening. My favourite would be this classic hip hop inspired Lolo Cool J cocktail which consisted of ginger, bourbon, pineapple and cinnamon syrup, lemon juice, and ginger ale.

Live music throughout the night courtesy of DATU. These guys are fantastic.

Here's a look at what I had at the media tasting (note that these are all sample sizes specially made for the evening):

CRISPY PATA (brunch / dinner)

Deep fried pork trotter with pickles and housemade dipping sauces

Lot St: Locally Driven, Ontario Proud, Toronto Inspired

Did you know that in the early 1900's, Queen St. was called Lot St.? Paying homage to the neighbourhood's history, Lot St., which opened in August of last year, has also used "LOT" as an acronym for what diners can expect at their Queen West restaurant:

Locally Driven

Ontario Proud

Toronto Inspired

I was not at all surprised by the clever wordplay. Head chef Peter Pietruniak (@ChefPeteTO), who took over the Lot St. (Twitter: @LotStreet Facebook: LOT St) kitchen in September, has always been an advocate of local food. Petruniak once told me...

"Even before getting into this profession, I always try to eat local and make the effort to look for grown-in-Canada products. I also try to avoid eating at major chain restaurants. Supporting local has many benefits; it helps local farmers and small businesses, as well as reducing carbon footprint.  I will take a fresh Ontario peach over ANY tropical fruit; it is fresh and not ripening on a truck as it crosses the border.  I have read about many chefs who try to really show what their country has to offer. The best chefs Adria, Keller, and even Edward Tuson at Sooke Harbour House on Vancouver Island want to know where their ingredients come from.  Every chef should want that and every chef should know that food doesn't just come from the back of a truck."

There are both warm and cool tones at the restaurant. Reclaimed wood and exposed-brick keeps the room warm while the stainless steel and copper pipes elements give an industrial feel to the space.

We sat at the bar last Friday night. Chef Pietruniak was working away just 5 ft from us the entire evening.

Soos: Modern Malaysian Resto/Bar on Ossington

Soos (Twitter: @soostoronto, Facebook: Soos) is a family-run Malaysian restaurant on 94 Ossington Ave. Prior to opening the resto / bar in October of last year, the Soo family owned and operated Matahari Bar & Grill, a Malaysian restaurant on Baldwin St. for 13 years before selling it several years back.

In the Soos kitchen are Tricia Soo and her son, Zack Soo. The mother and son duo creates small plates incorporating Malaysian ingredients and flavours as well as globally inspired plates. For those of you looking for "authentic" or "traditional" Malaysian cuisine (i.e. food that you will find in Malaysia) you will realize that Soos is not the place for that. As their website states:

"We are not your typical street style Malaysian restaurant. We specialize in Malay-Nyonya (the Chinese influence in Malay cooking) flavours with a contemporary twist. "Malay-dian", if you will...Our mission is to introduce the complex and delicious flavours of Malaysian-Nyonya cuisine by incorporating them into small plates and snacks...."

I thought it is a good idea to emphasize this before y'all start telling me "You know this is not real Malaysian food" or "I'm Malaysian and this is not what I grew up with" and so on and so forth :)

Below is Soos' main dining room. I like the simple black and white stripped wall bearing the bold family name - it's very sleek and modern. Hard to miss are the giant spiky lights resembling the rambutan, a tropical fruit native to Indonesia and Malaysia.

Additional seating at the bar and along the opposing wall.

At the back of the restaurant is The Malacca Room (named after the Portuguese colony). The semi-private dining room seats 12 people.