Doma

French-inspired Korean cuisine. Have you tried it before? Not me, at least not until I visited Doma back in December. Doma (Instagram: @domatoronto, Facebook: Doma) is a French-inspired Korean restaurant that meshes French cooking techniques with traditional Korean ingredients and flavours (or vice versa). According to Doma's website, their menu changes every month, which is in line with chef/owner Paul Kim's philosophy of using local ingredients as much as possible. Each month's menu would include Kim's new creations, as well as two to three popular dishes from the previous month.

Located on Clinton and College, the Doma space was previously occupied by Backwoods Smokehouse, and before that Red Sauce, and before that Acadia. The decor is minimalist and simple; clean lines with white walls and light-wood furnishings. I personally find the room a bit bleak. Also, maybe it's the OCD in me but because all the tables and chairs are angled diagonally, I had a really strong urge to move everything so that they would be parallel to the wall.

Anyway, enough about the room, let's talk about the food. I was really eager to try Doma because I always viewed Korean food as a more casual type of cuisine; as in, I've never experienced "Korean fine-dining" or "refined Korean food" before. Which is why I was really excited to try Doma, especially having heard that chef Kim studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa. Combining his knowledge in French techniques with his Korean background, I was pretty sure that Kim would be debuting a refined menu that none of us have ever tried before.

By the way, I love the long and slender cutlery at Doma. They are a more stylish matte black versions of the silver ones you would normally find in traditional Korean restaurants. 

NEXT GENERATION ($13)

Soju, Perilla, Maple, Lime, Ginger Beer

OLD BOY ($13)

Cucumber infused Boodles Gin, Rice Vinegar, Soy, Daikon

My friend and I chose the $65 per person tasting menu which consisted of an amuse, six courses and a dessert. You basically get to try the entire menu with this tasting so I highly recommend getting it.

AMUSE BOUCHE

Steam bun filled with mushroom, caramelized onion and sweet doenjang

Paese Ristorante

"Inspired in Italy, Made in Canada"

Paese Ristorante has been serving Italian inspired food for over 25 years in North York. Owner and operator Tony Loschiavo was three years old when he moved to Canada from Southern Italy in 1965. Growing up with a passion for food and its preparation, Loschiavo’s early start in the restaurant industry was with two acclaimed Toronto restaurants of the time: Fenton’s and Noodles. In 1983, he founded L-eat Catering and in 1989 opened Paese Ristorante (Instagram: @paeseristorante, Facebook: Paese Ristorante). The L-eat Group cultivates a 3,000 square feet urban garden in midtown, producing fruits and vegetables used for their catering events, and everything from tomatoes and chili peppers for the chefs, to mint and lavender for the bartenders at Paese.

I visited Paese for some Italian cooking on a Saturday night. As usual, we started with cocktails.

PAESE COLLINS ($14)

Beefeater gin, lemon, thyme-infused syrup

OLD ITALIAN FASHIONED ($14)

Campari, Maker's Mark bourbon, sugar cube, orange

COMPLIMENTARY FOCACCIA

Tapenade made of tomato, roasted eggplant and red pepper. 

Paese's dinner menu features a selection of salads, antipasti, pastas, pizza, fish and meats, and sides.

GRILLED OCTOPUS ($16)

Potato, grilled escarole, mint, lemon and chill

This was a marvelous appetizer, and it's no wonder that this dish is so popular at Paese. Coupled with an impressive presentation, the grilled octopus here is soft and tender yet still had good texture and chew. The creamy sauce and the hearty potatoes were perfect accompaniments to the octopus.

Feast of St. Lawrence Festival: Dinner Under the Stars

 The inaugural Feast of St. Lawrence (#feaststlawrence) began on Friday, August 12th, with Dinner Under the Stars, an exclusive dinner where one hundred guests gathered on Front Street (between Scott and Church Street) for a special al fresco dinner. Rain was in the forecast so a tent was set up.

Tickets to Dinner Under the Stars was $200 per person. A portion of ticket sales was donated to FoodShare and a charitable tax receipt was issued for a portion of the cost.

Dinner Under the Stars began at 6:30pm with passed hors d'oeuvres, and a wine and beer reception.

Steam Whistle, Norman Hardie 2015 Riesling, Cave Spring Brut 'Dolomite', Tawse 2014 Limestone Ridge Sparkling Riesling

Oyster station from Pearl Diver.

Nota Bene - New Look, New Menu

On February 18th, one of Toronto's most notable and established restaurants, NOTA BENE, relaunched with a new look, menu and concept. After seven years in the Queen West neighbourhood, Executive Chef and Owner, David Lee, decided it was the right time to "evolve and update the restaurant from top to bottom". 

Still located on 180 Queen St. W., one of the main focal points at the new NOTA BENE is the art piece, shown below. Treated with "Shou Sugi Ban", an ancient Japanese process of preserving wood by charring it with fire, the salvaged iron wood tree trunk is showcased at the front of the restaurant with a canopy represented by a 3-D printed installation.

The bar has been extended to accommodate more guests.

We started with a few cocktails and snacks in the lounge.

THE G&T (2oz, $17)

THE GIN - Hendricks (Scotland) - Cucumber, rose, honeyed citrus, juniper

THE FEVER TREE TONIC - Mediterranean - Thyme, citrus, quinine

THE ICE - Large - Slight chill, minimal dilution 

Accord-Ing to Stella: A Weekend in Montreal

Squeezing in a road trip before winter was the best idea ever! Two weeks ago, Jon and I took a road trip to Montreal for three days - Friday to Sunday - where we filled our tummies with food and drinks...a lot of food and drinks. I gained almost five pounds! No regrets though because every calorie we consumed was worth it; we didn't have a single bad meal there.

Thanks to Honda Canada (Twitter: @HondaCanada, Facebook: Honda Canada) we took the 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring to Montreal. This was my first time driving a hybrid and I hope it's not my last. Truth be told I really didn't want to give it back, not only because it was such a nice ride but it was so good on gas.

I'm not sure if you know but aside from being into food I'm also really into cars. I've loved cars ever since I was little. From gawking at cars on the street, spending hours building Tamiya models and watching Initial-D at home, to learning how to drive manual, attending car shows and making the trek up to Shannonville and Mosport with friends, cars have always been a big part of my life. As corny as it sounds I have a special place in my heart for Hondas too. I think it runs in the family! Right now my dad drives an Accord (his third one), my mom an Acura RSX, my brother a CR-V (he drove a Civic and a Prelude before too). As for me, I have a 2003 Civic Si-R. It's an oldie but a goodie.

So, was I stoked that Honda lent me an Accord Hybrid Touring (#AccordHybrid) for my road trip? Hell, yeah! Especially because I know the Hybrid will be amazing on gas The car achieves its excellent fuel economy by basically using three drive modes: EV, Hybrid and Engine. EV drive draws solely from the power of the lithium-ion battery  Engine drive utilizes the 2.0-liter DOHC i-VTEC® Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine, sending power directly to the front wheels for medium to high speed cruising. Hybrid drive blends the two for powerful acceleration and more efficient driving in stop and go traffic than Engine drive.*

*from Honda.ca

With our bags packed and the navi all set up we were ready to hit the road. But first, McDonald's! Every road trip should start with breakfast at McDonald's :) Mad love for their hash browns.

KAKA All You Can Eat Japanese

I don't go for Japanese all-you-can-eat ("AYCE") often but that doesn't mean I don't like it. I have to be in a particular mood though (a ravenous one, obviously) and I need to crave it - I have to be in a I-want-everything-in-my-belly-now! state of mind and want nothing else but to stuff my face with large amounts of uncooked raw fish. Don't judge, OK? Because there's a time and place for everything, food included. Sometimes I long for fancy omakase, and at other times a standard sashimi and maki "love boat" will do. When I'm in no mood to deal with people I'd get a take-out party tray and call it a night. It all just depends.

 When it comes to Japanese AYCE though I feel like I have a love-hate relationship with it simply because I'm ridiculously happy once my craving is satisfied; I feel like I can conquer the world with all that yummy goodness inside me ("conquer the world" usually means "get a really good night's sleep"). But shortly after, more like the moment I walk out of the restaurant, I would hate myself for wasting my precious calories on sub-par, run-of-the-mill quality AYCE food. Life is hard, guys.

But that's all about to change. I no longer have to feel like crap from mediocre AYCE food with KAKA All You Can Eat (Instagram: @kakaallyoucaneat, Facebook: KAKA All You Can Eat) in Markham. I know KAKA doesn't have the most appealing name but heck, if you're looking for a "premium" Japanese AYCE experience then this is the place to be.

Opened for only three months, KAKA located in First Markham Place has already made a name for itself in offering the best AYCE Japanese around. KAKA is packed on most nights so make a reservation to avoid disappointment (by the way, they also offer an a la carte menu during weekday lunch).

KAKA has one of the most upscale and modern decor I've ever seen at an AYCE Japanese restaurant. The sushi bar at the back is particularly impressive and it's definitely a focal point in the 84-seat restaurant.

The Spoke Club

Dinner at The Spoke Club does not happen everyday for me. The reason is simple: The Spoke Club is a members-only establishment and I'm not a member. So yeah, I'm not gonna lie, it felt pretty great when Executive Chef Rob Klunder invited me there for a tasting the other night because let's be real, I don't think I'll ever be able to afford a $1000 annual membership fee there, at least not in the near future. One day perhaps? Never say never? *Fingers crossed*

Even if you haven't heard of The Spoke Club (Twitter: @TheSpokeClub, Facebook: The Spoke Club) I'm pretty sure you have walked by it if you frequent the King West area. It is discreetly nestled in a hundred-year-old building on the corner of King and Portland (the same building as the bier markt if that makes it any easier). The exclusive club has four floors where members can host private functions / dinners, business meetings, enjoy casual drinks and nibbles at the lounge or a nice meal in the dining room. It even has a rooftop patio with a panoramic view of the city and a screening room where members can preview films. Pretty cool, huh? I should also note that when you become a member at The Spoke Club you'll also get access to their reciprocal clubs in New York, Dublin, London, Budapest, Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong. 

Once I arrived at The Spoke Club I took the elevator to the 4th floor. As much as I would like to visit the gorgeous rooms and art galleries the restaurant is really where it's at (in other words I was starving so nothing else matters).

This simple yet elegant space is cozy and welcoming with large gallery windows letting in ample sunlight. The 50-seat restaurant is open for lunch and dinner on weekdays, and dinner on Saturdays.

Rather than serving what's normally on the menu chef Klunder (Instagram: @rkbones) prepared a special tasting menu for us. I'm pretty confident that after seeing my dinner you'll agree that it's a shame that we can't all dine at The Spoke Club:

GUANCIALE CROSTINI
Porter Stout Cheddar, Preserved Brandy Cherries and Triple Crunch Mustard

RACK OF RABBIT

Beet Salad, Blue Cheese, Celery and Candied Walnuts

SNAILS AND SHRIMP IN FILO

Garlic Butter and Pickled Red Cauliflower

Tasting Menu at Buca Osteria & Bar (Buca Yorkville)

16-Course Tasting Menu at Buca Osteria & Bar (Buca Yorkville)

Rob Gentile (chefrobgentile), Executive Chef

Ryan Campbell (bucachefcampbell), Chef de Cuisine

Kris Lee (krisokgunlee), Sous Chef

STUZZICHINI (appetizer)

BOTTARGA - Sea urchin bottarga, senape yogurt

Look at the size of that truffle...we better be gettin' some!

YESSSSSSS!

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

Winter Chef Series with Martin Juneau and Matt Blondin

The Templar Hotel on 348 Adelaide St. W. was host to a series of collaborative guest chef dinners this month. Presented by The Food Dudes and Dan Gunam, the Winter Chef Series brought together Matt Blondin (@chefmattblondin), Executive Chef of MBA Restaurant Group, and a formidable line-up of acclaimed talents from across Canada. The series kicked-off with Blondin teaming up with Canoe's Coulson Armstrong (Toronto), followed by Anju Restaurant's Roy Oh (Calgary), and shortly thereafter Atelier's Marc Lepine (Ottawa), Model Milk's Eric Hendry (Calgary), and Pastaga's Martin Juneau (Montreal). The dinner series ended with Toronto Plate Swap on December 21st, a collaboration between eight local chefs in support of the Children's Breakfast Club (read more about the Plate Swap here).

With only 30 seats an evening, I was fortunate enough to snag a seat on the night when Pastaga's Martin Juneau (@martin_juneau) was cooking in the Templar Ktichen. Ranked #5 on enRoute's 2012 Best New Restaurant list, Pastaga in Montreal's Little Italy focuses on local products, and offers small-plate cuisine in a casual yet upscale bistro setting. Prior to Pastaga, Juneau has spent some time in France and in Vancouver working at the celebrated Lumiere Restaurant. Juneau finished first at the 2010 Montreal's Gold Medal Plates, and went on to win gold at The Canadian Culinary Championships in 2011.

Each tasting menu ($89 pp) in the Winter Chef Series is comprised of 12 courses - four snacks and eight courses - with optional wine pairing ($49).

Chef Martin Juneau and host chef Matt Blondin.

 Here's a look at the exclusive, one-of-a-kind 12-course tasting menu.

FYI, all photos here on after are taken by my good friend, Alex. If you love foodporn, you need to follow Alex on Twitter (@HypeBelly), Instagram (@hypebelly) and his food blog (www.hypebelly.com) because his food photography is amazing.

CURED ORGANIC SALMON

Creamy "charlotte"potatoes, grated salmon jerky

TOURTIERE QUEBECOISE

Served with my mother's fruit chutney

HONEY CARAMELIZED TURNIP TATIN

Shallot, and organic soy pickled shimeji

CRETONS A L'ANCIENNE

On chicken skin w/ black pepper & caramelized eggplant

Pinot Noir Rosé - 2012

Weingut Peter Jacob Kuhn, Rheingau. Germany

A Seafood Feast at Catch

Please people. Do yourself a favour and venture north of Bloor to 744 St. Clair Ave. where you'll find Catch, one of my favourite seafood restaurants in the city right now.

Open Tuesdays to Sundays at 5 PM for dinner and Sundays from 11 AM to 3 PM for brunch, Catch (Twitter: @catch_toronto, Facebook: Catch) is a friendly neighbourhood restaurant serving high-quality, refined seafood dishes at affordable prices. Head chef Matty Cowan (formerly of Simple Bistro) is incredibly original with his menu and brings creative combinations of ingredients, flavours and textures together, showcasing seafood in new and interesting ways. Have you ever had octopus meatballs? Or an octopus-based bolognese? How about a "Fishermans Pie" - a twist on the "Shepherd's Pie" - that's made with lobster, scallops and shrimp? I certainly have not.

Ian Moores is currently making some very tasty craft cocktails at Catch.

The view from my seat at the bar. I love the space here; it's intimate, warm and cozy, and I love the modest open kitchen at the back. I'm also obsessed with that wooden ceiling.

Paying with Tab at Cafe Bar Pasta

Imagine never having to wait for the bill again. Just eat and leave. Kinda like "dine and dash" without breaking the law. Trust me, it does feel weird at first - just getting up and leaving without physically taking your out wallet and paying.

 What I'm talking about is Tab (Twitter: @tabpayments, Facebook: Tab), a mobile payments app for dining. Whenever you're ready to leave after your meal, you essentially do just that: Leave. You will never have to hunt down your server, wait for him / her to bring you the bill, then wait again for the wireless terminal. The Tab app also lets you split bills with friends, which means you will never have to wait for each person to pay (this is extremely tedious when you're dining out with 4+ people and everybody is paying separately) Again, the key point is no more waiting. Time is precious, folks.

To get started with Tab, all you have to do is download the app on iTunes or Google Play, create a profile, and register your credit card information (Tab uses AES-256 encryption). You can even set your default tip % amount in the app. Once you arrive at the restaurant, check-in and input whether you're splitting the bill with other diners or plan on covering the entire bill.

When your server comes over remember to tell him / her that you'll be paying with Tab - and once that's done you are all set. Tab will email you a receipt after your meal. 

I was invited by the Tab payments team to try their app at Cafe Bar Pasta (Twitter: @CAFEBARPASTA, Facebook: Cafe Bar Pasta). I was offered a $30 Tab credit for this dinner.

Once I sat down, I opened Tab on my phone to check-in and create a new tab.

After I placed my order I informed my server that I'll be paying with Tab.

OCTOPUS & BONE MARROW ($15)

Chilled & marinated with balsamic, mint, basil, garlic, chili, served with chicken liver marrow stuffed bone

The velvety texture of blended chicken liver and bone marrow was superb. I also love how this creamy offal concoction was piped back into the bone. I wasn't a fan of the chilled octopus; it lacked flavour and was somewhat rubbery.

Atelier, Ottawa

12-course tasting menu at Atelier ($110)

Optional wine pairing ($75)

Executive Chef, Marc Lepine (bio from Atelier's website):

"After 3 years of culinary school, Marc Lepine spent time working in Toronto, France, and Italy, before accepting his first executive chef position with Bartlett Lodge in Algonquin Park in 1998. Marc decided to move to Ottawa in 2001 with the intent to eventually open a restaurant. He received his sommelier certification from Algonquin College and spent 6 years working as executive chef for the Courtyard Restaurant, where he was twice named 'Ottawa Chef of the Year' by the Canadian Culinary Federation. Marc decided it was time to open Atelier in 2008, and while the restaurant was preparing to launch, Marc went to work with Grant Achatz at Alinea Restaurant in Chicago. In February 2012, Marc was named the Canadian Culinary Champion after winning gold at the finals in Kelowna, BC."

CONFIT RABBIT LEG TERRINE (amuse)

SRIRACHA FOCACCIA (amuse)

"SPLAT!"

Roasted red beet puree, thinly sliced beets compressed in yuzu, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, shallots, purple cauliflower, baby radish, edible flowers, wood sorrel, carrot sprout