Té: Asian Fusion on Ossington

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

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

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

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

THE CHAI MILK TÉ ($13)

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

MANGO BLACK TÉ ($12)

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

Tweak Your Tea: Cocktails with Pure Leaf Teas

Pure Leaf teas, brewed from real tea leaves, has just launched a new line of unsweetened teas in Canada. Pure Leaf's Unsweetened portfolio - Unsweetened Black Tea, Unsweetened Green Tea, and Unsweetened Lemon Tea - contains 0 sugar, 0 artificial sweeteners, and 0 calories.

To celebrate the launch, Pure Leaf (Instagram: @pureleafcanada #pureleafcanada, Facebook: Pure Leaf Iced Tea) invited me to be part of their #TweakYourTea campaign, where I was given the task of creating Pure Leaf tea combinations that show off my individual style.

It didn't take me long to figure out what my style is when it comes to beverages because I LOVE cocktails, especially cocktails with whisky, vodka and rum. So, why not make tea cocktails?

BLACK TEA BOURBON COCKTAIL

Place honey, bourbon, orange slices and fresh mint in a medium bowl. With the back of a spoon, muddle all the ingredients together. Once the mixture is pressed and flavours are extracted, add Pure Leaf Unsweetened Black Tea and stir. Pour the strained, sweet and boozy tea over ice and you're done.

ICED GREEN TEA COCKTAIL

Muddle lime juice, fresh mint, and sugar (you can use raw or sweetener) together in large glass until the leaves bruise lightly and the flavours release. Add ice until glass is about 3/4 full, then pour in white rum and Pure Leaf Unsweetened Green Tea. Stir well and garnish with mint. Truly refreshing.

LEMONADE ICED TEA

In a glass, mix together honey, lemon juice, vodka and Pure Leaf Unsweetened Lemon Tea. Top with a bunch of ice. Enjoy.

Get creative and try using teas in your cocktails. My Pure Leaf Unsweetened Tea cocktails all tasted really cool and fresh. Best part is they were so easy to make! Great for those summer house parties ;)

*This is a sponsored post*

Lahore Tikka House

Opened in 1996 with just a few tables and chairs, Lahore Tikka House is a renowned Halal restaurant in Toronto. The iconic eatery in Gerrard India Bazaar offers Pakistani and North Indian food, and serves as a core for the South Asian community in the city. 

I haven't been to Lahore Tikka House (Facebook: Lahore Tikka House) in a really long time, at least not since I started my blog. What I remember about my last visit was that it was during the summer, and I was eating very delicious food with a group of friends. We were seated underneath a pitched tent in a parking lot, eating with plastic utensils and paper plates. I remembered having a lot of fun. Well, the tents and trailers are long gone now, replaced with this large, two-level stucco building. Talk about humble beginnings!

Anyway, back to present time. It was a Saturday night around 7pm when we arrived at Lahore Tikka House and sure enough, the restaurant was completely full. Although it seemed quite busy the wait wasn't too bad; the eight of us were seated upstairs after about a half-hour. I didn't have a chance to check out the the first floor but the second floor is brightly decorated with a very ethnic touch.

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Once we were seated we were given a paper menu, and a small white board and marker to write our orders on.

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

Dufflet High Tea

After 40 years in the bakery business, Dufflet Pastries' name is now synonymous with delicious and creative desserts and cakes in Toronto. The reputable bakery now boasts three retail cafés and a wholesale division that supplies over 500 restaurants, cafés, hotels, caterers, grocers and specialty gourmet shops throughout North America. Using only premium ingredients, with no hydrogenated fats or oils, no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives, each Dufflet (Twitter: @dufflet, Facebook: Dufflet Pastries) product is handcrafted from scratch, never made from a mix. I must say, this is all very impressive! Speaking of being impressed, I had the opportunity to try some of their gluten-free chocolate fudge tarts back in September (the Dufflet Gluten-Free line was a finalist for the 2013 SIAL Innovation Award). I mentioned in the blog post that I'm always skeptical about gluten-free products (in that they won't taste as good as the original version) but I was completely blown away by those Dufflet tarts! They were rich and decadent, and never in a million years would I have guessed they were gluten-free.

I was invited by Dufflet recently to try their High Tea. Available every Sunday from 1PM to 5PM exclusively at the Dufflet beach location (Facebook: Dufflet Beach), guests can enjoy a selection of sumptuous desserts and canapés from Dufflet Pastries paired with a premium selection of Sloane Teas.

This 24-seat café is open seven days a week and offers a wide selection of signature cakes, pastries, pies, cookies, as well as light lunches and specialty beverages for eat-in or take-out. 

They also have a lot of cute greeting cards, gourmet candy and chocolates for sale at the café.

Afternoon Tea Inspired by Charlie & The Chocolate Factory at One Aldwych, London

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children's book by British author Roald Dahl. The novel details the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka. For those of you who haven't read the book I'm sure you would have seen, or at least heard of, Tim Burton's film adaptation of the book in 2005 with Johnny Depp as the quirky Willy Wonka. In spite of the movie being almost a decade ago I still remember it being weird on every level (a good kind of weird). The stunning visual effects and witty scenes, the lovably sweet or humorously rotten characters coupled with dark humour made this dazzling movie an unforgettable one for me. So when I found out that I'll be having an afternoon tea inspired by the classic tale at One Aldwych I was thrilled. Absolutely thrilled.

My friend, Mijune, and I were so excited about tea we didn't even bother going up to our rooms after checking in at One Aldwych (Twitter: @OneAldwych, Facebook: One Aldwych). We had our bags sent up while we made our way to Indigo Restaurant, one of the two restaurants at the hotel. 

Our table right by the railing overlooks The Lobby Bar downstairs. 

Guests can choose either the standard Afternoon tea (£34.50) or Afternoon tea with a glass of Lallier Grande Réserve Champagne or a smoking Cocktail Charlie (£45.00). Mijune and I  opted for the Cocktail Charlie and boy, it was really something else. Brought over to the table with smoking dry ice furiously bubbling from a clear glass teapot, the cocktail is then poured into a tall and skinny martini-shaped glass. I loved the effect and presentation of this whimsical cocktail because it is a spot-on portrayal of the peculiar, bizarre story. Although the concoction resembled something more like a science experiment than a cocktail it was really delicious and easy to drink. What an awesome way to start afternoon tea!

COCKTAIL CHARLIE

Dalmore whisky mixed with Grand Marnier Cherry, chocolate bitters, grapefruit juice and cherry syrup. Topped with Champagne.

Afternoon Tea at The Royal Horseguards, London

I had the pleasure of staying at The Royal Horseguards (Twitter: @horseguardsLDN, Facebook: The Royal Horseguards Hotel) for a night during my stay in London two weeks ago. When the taxi dropped my friend Mijune and I off at the front I honestly did a double-take. Seriously? I'm actually staying here? The place was so grand, so stunning. The Royal Horseguards is simply breathtaking! It's safe to say that I've never stayed at a hotel as majestic as The Royal Horseguards. This five-star luxury hotel with its glittering chandeliers, outstanding views and fully refurbished Victorian elegance is marvelous. The interior combines the grandeur of a Victorian castle with contemporary style and design. And here's a cool fact: The Royal Horseguards actually served as the headquarters of the Secret Service during the First World War!

I know for a fact that my pictures don't do the hotel justice but hopefully it'll still give you an idea of how beautiful the place is...

Gorgeous chandeliers can be found throughout the hotel.

The Royal Horseguards' elegant lobby.

It was also at The Royal Horseguards that I had my first afternoon tea experience in London. I was really excited for it because more than anywhere else, London is synonymous with Afternoon Tea! There's no argument that the post-lunch, pre-dinner treat is a British institution.

London Calling High Tea at Shangri-La

Executive Pastry Chef Nicholas Patterson from soon-to-open Shangri-La at The Shard in London made a guest appearance at Shangri-La Toronto last week (Twitter: @ShangriLaTO, Facebook: Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto). Known for his wealth of patisserie experience and accolades, chef Patterson brought to Toronto - all the way from the U.K. -  his best selection of signature pastries. Chef Patterson's London Calling High Tea menu (#londoncallingslto), which debuted on January 13th at the hotel's Lobby Lounge, is priced at $40 per person and is served daily from 2pm to 5pm. And don't worry everybody - this High Tea menu will continue to be offered well after the chef Patterson's departure on the 19th.

Named ‘UK Pastry Chef of the Year’ at the Craft Guild of Chefs’ awards in 2008, chef Patterson - prior to joining Shangri-La - was most recently head pastry chef at Claridge’s, where he created some of London’s most eye-catching edible gift items and awarded the Tea Guild’s ‘Best London Afternoon Tea’ in 2006 and 2011. He also spent two years between Paris and Tokyo as Chef De Poste with the renowned French Pastry Chef, Pierre Hermé. 

Shangri-La's 90-seat Lobby Lounge.

The Lobby Lounge is very spacious. It still manages to be very cozy though with all the leather sofas and chairs, and of course that incredible fireplace. I also love the natural light coming in through those large floor-to-ceiling windows.

 Large statement paintings and sculptures can be found throughout the lounge.

Sabai Sabai

Being a huge supporter of Khao San Road, I knew it was only a matter of time that I would make my way to Sabai Sabai Kitchen and Bar (Twitter: @sabaisabaito, Facebook: Sabai Sabai Kitchen and Bar). Nuit and Jeff Regular, formerly of Khao San Road, parted ways with the restaurant early last year to open Sabai Sabai on 225 Church Street in November. Teaming up with the couple is Jason Jiang and Seng Luong, who became friends with the Regulars after being regulars (ha!) at Sukhothai's original location on Parliament (Nuit and Jeff continues to operate the two Sukhothai locations).

I really like the decor at Sabai Sabai. With colourful paper lanterns hung up high and vintage artwork on the walls, the space feels roomy, bright and festive.

I had dinner with my friends Carmen (@carmenhungry) and Grace (@foodinthecityTO) that evening. I ordered a lychee slushie ('cause I always prefer booze) and it was everything I hoped for: cold, refreshing, slush with a sweet taste of lychee and Soho (the Soho came through a lot more compared to the Vodka and Limoncello). It was wonderful.

Thai iced coffee ($4), Thai iced tea ($4)

Lychee Slushie - 3 oz (Vodka, Soho, Limoncello), lychee ($10)

Sabai Sabai's menu items are all meant to be shared so we ordered eight dishes followed by dessert:

Crispy shrimp chips with tamarind dip ($4)

FRANK - Discovering the Taste of Italy

Back in May, I was invited to Art Gallery of Ontario's (Twitter: @agotoronto, Facebook: AGO - Art Gallery of Toronto) Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art exhibition which took place from March 16 to June 16. Yeah I know this post is long overdue...so sorry guys!

(Giotto di Bondone,  Italian, about 1266 – 1337, The Peruzzi Altarpiece, The North Carolina Museum of Art)

Presented in partnership with the world renowned J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art was a large-scale exhibition that brought together an unrivaled collection of more than 90 paintings, including Giotto’s five-panel Peruzzi Altarpiece, two painted and hand-written copies of Dante’s Divine Comedy and Bernardo Daddi’s Virgin Mary with Saints Thomas Aquinas and Paul, along with numerous manuscripts, sculptures and stained glass from the 14th century.

(Left: Bernardo Daddi, Italian (Florentine), about 1280 – 1348, The Virgin Mary with Saints Thomas Aquinas and Paul, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles) 

(Right: Bernardo Daddi, Italian, Triptych with the Crucifixion, National Gallery of Scotland) 

 Subdivided into various themes, the exhibition explored how the Florence's burgeoning economy of the time fostered a unique demand for artworks both religious and civic, the collaborative nature of artistic production, the workshops of artists and a closer look at the stories behind the works and their subjects and insight into conservation research.

(Pacino di Bonaguida Italian, active 1302-1340, Tripytch with the Crucifixion, the Lamentation, and the Ascension of Christ, The ALANA Collection) 

Sasha Suda, the coordinating curator led the tour and provided a lot of insight and anecdotes that we wouldn’t otherwise have known about had we been left on our own. Thanks for the great tour! It was refreshing to hear from someone who is so connected and passionate about the works in the gallery!

A huge thank you goes to Sasha Suda, assistant curator of European art at the AGO, for guiding us through the fascinating exhibit!

(Left: Puccio Capanna, Italian, Madonna and Child with Angels and Female Saints, Musei Vaticani)

(Right: Master of the Dominican Effigies, Italian, Pentecost / Leaf from the Laudario of Sant'Agnese, The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles)

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).

Sukhothai on Wellington (Soft Opening)

Sukhothai's second location on Wellington and Church (Twitter: @sukhothaifood, Facebook: sukhoTHAI) is set to open today. Along with Khao San Road, Sukhothai's first location on Parliament has always been a favourite of mine when it comes to Thai food (see blog post here) so I'm really excited about this new location. Why? Because: 1) this new location is just more convenient for me to get to, 2) the Wellington location has over 100 seats, which is many times larger than the Parliament location, and finally 3) this new location will also have a liquor license (which the Parliament location does not have). W00t!!!

I was invited to Sukhothai's soft opening yesterday for lunch. Here's a snapshot of the space; the restaurant was still doing some last minute renovations when we were there.

I confess. We pigged out:

THAI iced tea ($4)

Shrimp chips with tamarind dip ($4)