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

Jackpot Chicken Rice

Hainanese Chicken Rice (or "海南雞飯" in Chinese) is a dish of Chinese origin from early Chinese immigrants from the Hainan province in southern China. One would usually find the dish associated with Hainanese, Malaysian, Singaporean (it's considered as one of the national dishes of Singapore), Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. Therefore, there are many regional variations of this popular dish, from differences in preparation and cooking styles, to the various condiments and accompaniments served with it. I am, by no means, an expert on Hainanese Chicken Rice, but what I do have are very fond memories of it. Back when I was a toddler living in Hong Kong, my family and I would often have dinner at a homey Thai restaurant near where we lived, and we would always order their Hainanese Chicken Rice. It was one of their signature dishes and it was damn delicious. My Mom made it several times at home, too. Her version was fantastic too, but the dish required a lot of time and effort so it's not something that she would make often. It has been awhile since I've had Hainanese Chicken Rice and I miss it (which reminds me, I remember having a terrible version of it here four years ago).

So, imagine my excitement when I heard about Jackpot Chicken Rice, a restaurant specializing in Hainanese Chicken Rice! Chef Craig Wong of Patois and Jamaican restaurant Ting Irie in Dubai, took over the former Lucky Red space in Chinatown and opened Jackpot Chicken Rice three weeks ago. The restaurant's menu features Hainanese Chicken Rice, Roast Chicken Rice, and Tofu Mushroom Rice, along with several side dishes and add-ons.

A very eye-catching mural of a chubby baby grasping a huge watermelon surrounded by gigantic pink roses just as big as he is.

Colourful colanders lanterns hang from the ceiling.

To my disappointment, Jackpot Chicken Rice (Instagram: @eatjackpot, Facebook: Jackpot Chicken Rice) did not have their liquor license yet when I visited so I couldn't try any of their cocktails (their Chinese Old Fashioned and Hainan Long Island caught my eye). But no worries, they are now licensed :)

KAFFIR BROCCOLI TEMPURA ($5)

The tempura batter was light and not oily. Dressed in a creamy lemon-kewpie mayo then finished with cilantro and lime leaves, everybody at the table really enjoyed this broccoli side dish (this and the Baby Fish Fry are listed under "side dish" on the menu but they are really appetizers since they came before our chicken rice).

Revisiting KAKA All You Can Eat Japanese

It's been almost a year since my last visit to KAKA, an all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant located at First Markham Place (read about my experience at KAKA here). Since then, KAKA All You Can Eat (Instagram: @kakaallyoucaneat, Facebook: KAKA All You Can Eat) has introduced several new items on their already sizable menu, and I was invited back to the popular AYCE spot to have a taste.

I started the meal with Mio Sparkling Sake, a very light and bubbly sake.

The newly introduced items include three varieties of poke salad bowls and two types of tacos. I applaud KAKA's effort in offering the trendy poke to their menu but I was not crazy about them. In general, the poke bowls were under-seasoned and had too many competing ingredients. In my opinion, the best poke bowls are often the simplest ones with cubed fish seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sweet onions, then finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or scallions. That's it. I thought KAKA was overly ambitious with the number of ingredients. The tacos, on the other hand, were quite delicious. I would order them again.

POKE SALAD

JALAPENO POKE

Salmon, avocado, jalapeno, tomato, onion, garlic chips

CITRUS SOY POKE

Salmon, nori, sesame, avocado, cilantro, green onions, tempura bits

YUZU PONZU POKE

Butterfish, cucumber, avocado, sweet egg, green onion, melon, yuzu sauce

TACOS

FISH TACO

Asian slaw, avocado puree, chipotle mayo

SHRIMP TACO

Pico de gallo, avocado puree, wasabi mayo

After the poke and tacos, we continued to make our way through the KAKA menu. Highlights for me were the Ox Tongue Skewer, Chicken Meatball Skewer, the very creamy Bacon and Mushroom Carbonara and the Grilled Okra.

Ox Tongue Skewer

Butternut Squash Soup (new)

Chicken Meatball Skewer (new)

Bacon and Mushroom Carbonara Udon (new)

Berrylicious. Farm Fresh - An Interactive Culinary Workshop with #CanolaConnect

Last Wednesday, I was invited to Berrylicious. Farm Fresh., one of eight FARM TO FOOD canola oil inspired culinary workshop series presented by Canola Eat Well, a joint partnership between Alberta Canola and Manitoba Canola Growers. The interactive event, hosted by Joey Salmingo and led by chef Cory Vitiello of The Harbord Room and Flock Restaurants, provided guests with an opportunity to connect to the farm, learn more about canola oil, and get inspired in the kitchen. This #CanolaConnect culinary workshop took place at the Bosch Luxe Studio on 334 King St. E., a beautiful, posh kitchen featuring professional Bosch appliances.

Chef Vitiello (right) uses canola oil everyday in his roast chickens and salads at Flock, as well as in his famous burger served at The Harbord Room (click here for recipe). Chef Vitiello taught us two recipes that evening: romesco sauce and hush puppies.

Romesco is an almond and red pepper-based sauce that originated from Tarragona, Catalonia, in Northeastern Spain. Ingredients include tomatoes, roasted red peppers, shallots, onion, espelette pepper, almonds, garlic, paprika, sherry vinegar, salt and canola oil. Placed in groups of two, we were encouraged to make the sauce without a recipe, so we all just went with it. We used our instincts, experimented with the flavours along the way, and hoped for the best. After chopping up all the ingredients, we placed everything into a pot to simmer away. I was happy to learn that there is apparently no right or wrong romesco sauce because many variations of the sauce exist out there. Whew!

A friendly competition among us naturally occurred since the winner of the best romesco sauce wins a dinner for two at The Harbord Room! Despite learning that there are many variations of romesco, I also learned that an excellent romesco sauce is one that balances the following three flavour components the best: smokiness (paprika), heat (peppers), and acid (sherry vinegar).

Lunch at Little Fin

I made my way to the financial district a couple of weeks ago for lunch at Little Fin (Twitter: @Little_Fin, Facebook: Little Fin) located at the Dineen building. First thing I noticed was suits everywhereee! Did you know I used to be one of them? Well, not literally in a suit but I was in finance ever since I graduated from uni until two years ago. I remember the rat race from Union Station every morning, and getting lost in The Path, and climbing that never-ending corporate ladder like it was yesterday.

Ah, memories. Anyway, back to Little Fin! This small seafood shop from The Chase Hospitality Group (the same people behind The Chase, The Chase Fish & Oyster, Colette and Kasa Moto) focuses on gourmet salads, fish sandwiches, and lobster offerings such as lobster poutine, lobster grilled cheese and lobster rolls. Little Fin is very small but there's still seating available...not many but it's there (more seating in the summer with the patio). It gets really crowded during lunch so a lot of people also do take-out there.

If you're in a hurry you can always grab one of these salads and eat at your desk ;) That day Little Fin had a cumin, carrot and chickpea salad for $3.50, and a radicchio and panzanella salad for $4.

Little Fin is also partnered with UberEATS, the newest door to door delivery service launched three days ago in Toronto. 

'SHIPWRECKED' SALAD ($12)

Poached shrimp & creamy avocado dressing

I really liked this salad. The crisp greens were well-dressed with a light and creamy avocado dressing. There was also a hard-boiled egg...plenty of shrimps too!

New Winter Cocktails at The Keg Steakhouse + Bar

Contrary to what some of you may think I actually really like The Keg. I go there whenever I feel like having a tasty piece of steak. I go with friends and family for casual dinners and for special occasions. The thing I like the most about the steakhouse is that it is very consistent - it doesn't matter which location I go to I know I'll be served their warm house-made sourdough to start, that their French onion soup will be just as cheesy as the bowl I had last time, and that their twice-baked potato will always be my favourite side. I also know that with my steak I would be sipping on a decently-priced glass of wine in a nice, comfortable dining room, and I would leave content and full all without putting a big dent in my wallet. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for supporting independent restaurants but truth be told, there's nothing that can replace The Keg in my mind.

Anyway, you know how I mentioned I like having wine with my steak? Like most people? ;) Yea, although I love cocktails I always stick to wines at The Keg, this is because I've tried a few of their cocktails on several different occasions and they were all less than stellar. They were either too sweet, not boozy enough, or both. So, when The Keg invited me to their new King West location (Twitter: @TheKeg, Facebook: The Keg Steakhouse + Bar) for a cocktail tasting I was game. I was really curious to see whether their cocktails have improved 'cause in my opinion, there was really nowhere to go but up.

In celebration of the new season, The Keg has introduced 10 brand new cocktails and martinis. Between my friend and I, we tried five cocktails and one martini:

BOURBON MAPLE MARTINI (2oz, $11) - Woodford Reserve bourbon, maple syrup, fresh lemon and cranberry juice.

GINGER DARK AND STORMY (2oz, $11.5) - Gosling’s Black Seal rum, ginger syrup and fresh lime juice, simple syrup and a splash of ginger ale.

CRANBERRY MOJITO (2oz, $11.5) - Havana Club 3 Year Old rum, fresh lemon and lime juice, soda and muddled mint, cranberries and sugar.

CRANBERRY SMASH (1oz, $7.5) - Woodford Reserve bourbon, Chambord, Jägermeister, cranberry juice and simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and muddled cranberries.

KEG NEGRONI (3oz, $12) - Hendrick's gin, Aperol and sweet vermouth.

HONEY VANILLA MANHATTAN (3oz, $12) - Jack Daniel’s whisky, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey liqueur, red and white vermouth, Galliano and house-made drunken Bing cherries.

There's no question that The Keg has stepped up their cocktail game. You can now find pretty trendy cocktails and martinis there. One of my favourites was their spicy twist on the Dark and Stormy (made with fresh ginger) and albeit a bit sweet, I also enjoyed their Bourbon Maple Martini and their Cranberry Smash (I'm a bourbon girl). Both the classic Negroni and Honey Vanilla Manhattan seemed a lot boozier than I remembered ... which is, of course, a very good thing.

So. Much. Booze. NEED. FOOD!

Although I frequent The Keg I've never written about them. To be honest, I don't find writing about steaks particularly interesting which is why I've never blogged about The Keg, Ruth's Chris, Jacob's & Co., or Harbour Sixty. But I guess this is the perfect opportunity to do so! Because aside from the cocktails we also tried a new appetizer and a new cut of steak...

TUNA TARTARE ($15)

Sesame-soy seasoned Ahi served on fresh avocado

This was my first time having the tuna tartare at The Keg. Introduced in November 2014, the starter consists of well-seasoned ahi tuna cubes on a bed of smooth and creamy avocado served with crispy wonton chips.

TABASCO® - Feed Your Original With The Original

TABASCO® - the hot and spicy legendary pepper sauce that's made exclusively from tabasco peppers, vinegar and salt. I don't think there's anyone on earth that haven't heard of the household name; it's almost like saying you haven't heard of McDonald's, or Coca-Cola, or Disney. Yeah, I went there, only 'cause I see TABASCO® Sauce as the king of all hot sauces. It may not be the hottest hot sauce out there but TABASCO® is the real deal. It's the "original" pepper sauce that everybody knows of and I bet that almost every single home and restaurant owns a bottle of it in the kitchen. Damn, the fact that TABASCO® was founded over 100 years ago in 1868 is incredibly impressive too. That in itself says something, right?

When you think of TABASCO® Sauce, or even just hot sauce in general, it's usually an afterthought in that one would usually add a dash of it to a dish that's already been prepared and ready to eat. However, that perception went straight out the window when I was invited to the exclusive TABASCO® Feed Your Original With The Original event last week.

Here, let me put all this into context for you. It all started when TABASCO® (Instagram: @tabascocanada, Facebook: Tabasco) sent Canada's hottest Chef collective, The Group of 7 Chefs, down to Avery Island, Louisiana, the birthplace and home of TABASCO®, to immerse them in the culture and heritage of the island, and inspire them as they planned their original dish, one that uses TABASCO® Sauce as an ingredient. I suggest you take a few minutes and watch this short film documenting the Chefs' amazing adventure in Louisiana!

The Chefs returned truly inspired, and on Tuesday, July 7th, each of the seven chefs prepared a dish using TABASCO® Sauce in the most creative way, and guests that evening had the opportunity to be first-to-taste and savour these original creations. 

The #feedyouroriginal Group of 7 Chefs:

Mr. Tonkatsu

Hailed as one of the most popular “western style” Japanese food in Japan, "tonkatsu" are thick slices of pork that are breaded and deep-fried in a manner similar to German schnitzel. The term "tonkatsu" comes from the word "katsu" meaning cutlet and "tonkatsu" meaning breaded and fried cutlet (not to be confused with “tonkotsu” which is pork bone broth). In Japan, tonkatsu are usually served as a set meal with shredded cabbage, a bowl of rice, miso soup and pickles. The slices of tonkatsu is accompanied by tonkatsu sauce - think Japanese BBQ sauce - which can either be drizzled over the tonkatsu or poured on the side for dipping. Tonkatsu is a very common dish that can be found at a variety of restaurants across Japan because 1) it's tasty, and 2) a regular tonkatsu dish typically cost around 800 to 1500 yen (or $8 to $15 CAD). Very affordable. Tonkatsu is also very popular in Korea as the dish was brought to the country when it was under Japanese rule from 1910-1945. Over time, Korea developed its own styles and interpretations of tonkatsu (i.e. cheese katsu, kimchi cheese katsu, sweet potato katsu, etc.)

With the basics out of the way, let me now introduce you to Mr. Tonkatsu.

Opened earlier this year at 520 Bloor St. W., Mr. Tonkatsu specializes in *surprise* tonkatsu! While tonkatsu is by far the most popular katsu dish on the menu, Mr. Tonkatsu also serves other katsu variations made of chicken, fish, and beef. Also available are katsudon (tonkatsu and eggs cooked in seasoned dashi over rice) and katsu burgers (sandwich with tonkatsu as filling, weekday lunch only) as well as fried chicken and tempura.

A few shots of the Mr. Tonkatsu space. At the front are two large communal tables occupying the right side of the restaurant.

Splendido Tasting III

The Tasting at Splendido

Victor Barry, Chef

POPCORN, BEET AND BLOOD MACARON, FOIE TART

CAVIAR POTATO (served in caviar tin)

Northern Divine Caviar, White Chocolate, Potato Ice Cream

POTATO DASHI

Northern Divine Caviar, Potato Croquette, Creme Fraiche

Schnitzel HUB on Yonge

Can you name a few popular Eastern European dishes? I can. Schnitzel, beef goulash, bratwurst, cabbage rolls, perogies, blinis, beef stroganoff, borscht and vodka (yes I said vodka) It's certainly not an impressive list, especially coming from a self-proclaimed "foodie" but what's even worse is that I've had very little experience eating any of those dishes. I think unless your family is from Eastern Europe, it's safe to say that most Torontonians have very little exposure to Eastern European cuisine in general. Aside from the perogi, where we have a handful of popular downtown restaurants (i.e. The Saint tavern and Richmond Station) serving their take on the Polish dumpling, it's not an easy feat to find traditional or modern twists on Eastern European classics. So, does that mean we have to make a trip to Australia, Hungry or the Czech Republic for some wiener schnitzel? Nope. All you gotta do is venture north of Bloor to Yonge and St. Clair. You can do it, guys.

Aside from my meal at Hungarian restaurant Country Style on Bloor Street more than three years ago, Schnitzel HUB (Facebook: Schnitzel HUB, Twitter: @Schnitzel_HUB) is most likely the only Eastern European restaurant I've been to since then. I know, it's sad but did you know, my Country Style post is the third most popular post of all time on my blog? Amazing.

With its first location in Thornhill, owners Yan and Rita Khalfon opened their second Schnitzel HUB at 1415 Yonge Street in November of last year. I visited the new midtown bistro during the Christmas holidays.

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.

A Saint Lucia Dinner with Top Chef Fan Favourite Chef Nina Compton

Winter is technically still one month away but I seriously don't remember the last time I felt this cold in November, nor do I remember ever being stuck in traffic for three hours from the city's first snowfall of the year (and that's snowfall not snowstorm). Methinks it's gonna be a long winter. Then again, at least I'm not in Buffalo.

Ah, what a perfect segue into the #SaintLuciaNow Dinner in the Moonlight. No, I wasn't in Saint Lucia last week (oh how I wish I was!) but I was invited by Saint Lucia Tourist Board (@saintlucianow) to attend a dinner last Monday at St. James Cathedral's Deanery hosted by Saint Lucia's Culinary Ambassador, chef Nina Compton. 

If you're not familiar with Saint Lucia, it is one of the Windward Islands of the West Indies, nestled halfway down the Eastern Caribbean archipelago. Saint Lucia is known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions, including the signature Piton Mountains, a tropical rainforest, and one of the world's few drive-in volcanoes. The island's culturally rich offerings include the bustling marketplace in the capital of Castries, quaint fishing villages along the coastline, and the annual Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival. I also want to add that it's currently 30 degrees there. Just take my money and get me a ticket to Saint Lucia STAT!

As for the food, Saint Lucia’s culinary profile is diverse from upscale dining to street food. Saint Lucia has some of the finest grade of cocoa in the world and sources fresh food from their land and sea offering - a true farm to table experience. And who is better to educate us about Saint Lucian cuisine than Saint Lucian chef Nina Compton?

Celebrity chef Nina Compton (@nina_compton) is the daughter of Sir John Compton, the late Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, and was the runner up and fan favourite on the most recent season of Bravo’s TV’s Top Chef. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Compton began her professional journey at Daniel in New York City, working and learning alongside Daniel Boulud and Alex Lee. She has trained in French, Caribbean and Italian cuisine, and is a self-proclaimed "gnocchi queen". Compton recently left her post as Chef de Cuisine at Scott Conant's Scarpetta at the Fountainbleau Miami Beach to take some time off to travel. At the Saint Lucia dinner, Compton shared with guests a delightful meal inspired by her native Saint Lucia, but first things first, a drink is in order. Compton gave us a quick demonstration of her signature cocktail, the Cocoa Tea Martini. 

CHAIRMAN'S RESERVE COCOA TEA MARTINI

Kujira Japanese Cuisine

Promising Japanese fusion cuisine and, according to its website, where "Eastern flavours meet Western modern fusion", Kujira on 12 Cumberland Street opened its doors a little bit over two months ago in upscale Yorkville. Chef Kevin Hyunki, formerly of Nomé Izakaya, helms the kitchen in the new 56-seat restaurant. Kujira's detailed menu starts with soups and salads, followed by sushi and sashimi, and ends with cold and hot tapas from the sushi bar and kitchen, respectively. All in all, Hyunki's plates are pretty, innovative and unique. Keep in mind that Kujira (Twitter: @JapKujira, Facebook: Kujira Japanese Cuisine) is not an "izakaya" (i.e. a drinking establishment that serves small cheap plates of food to accompany drinks) but an eatery serving Japanese tapas, or shareable plates, that can be enjoyed with a group of friends. Needless to say, Sapporo and sake are always welcomed.

Tucked in a few steps below street level, floor-to-ceiling glass panels open the restaurant to its modest patio out front. Kujira is no doubt an excellent spot for people watching in the summer :)

The natural woods - from the floors, wall paneling, to the custom tables and chairs - give a warm and cozy feel to the restaurant.

Don't you love the detailing on this teapot?