Hanmoto: An Izakaya-Style Snack Bar in Little Portugal

Opened a little bit more than a month ago in Little Portugal is Hanmoto, a modest izakaya-style snack bar from the team behind OddSeoul on Ossington. Unlike OddSeoul, which specializes in Korean-American style small plates, owner and executive chef Leemo Han is serving Japanese-inspired snacks at Hanmoto.

Tucked away on Lakeview Avenue just off on Dundas West, Hanmoto is discrete and very cozy. To the left is the main room with the kitchen, bar and 80% of the seating (above) and to the right is the remaining 20% seating (below).

All the tables were already taken before 6:30pm on a Wednesday night so we took the remaining two seats at the bar. Even better. I am really diggin' the vintage, grungy-garage decor here, by the way.

The drinks menu at Hanmoto consists of mainly beer with a few cocktails, sake and two wines by the glass (one red, one white).

Bar Fancy

Bar Fancy (@BarFancyTO) is not fancy. It never was and it never will be. The one-month old snack bar on 1070 Queen St. W. may have a lavish gold facade but I beg you, don't let that metallic glow or its name fool you. Am I being too harsh? Not one bit. Actually, owners and chefs Jonathan Poon (@J6poonTo) and Jesse Fader want Bar Fancy to be anything but fancy. They serve fun and tasty snacks with cheap drinks at the new neighbourhood bar.

Forget trying to find a door at the front. Instead, walk through the left alleyway (you can't miss the bright neon tiger sign) and the second door on your right is where you're supposed to be. 

Continuing with the ironically "not-at-all-fancy" theme, the interior of Bar Fancy is pretty cozy with warm woods, candlelight and splashes of stainless steel. There's no gold in here! It's a laid-back place with mellow vibe. Take a look at that teeny tiny kitchen.

There are a few reds and whites by the glass, each priced at $11 for a 5-oz pour, and several beers. No cocktail menu though - if you want something just ask. The first time there I had a glass of white and an Old Fashioned, the second time I opted for beer.

Dieu du Ciel! Rosée D'hibiscus

With Poon still in the Chantecler kitchen (he is the chef and co-owner of the successful Parkdale restaurant) Fader runs a one-man show at Bar Fancy (Fader was sous chef at Chantecler). The short snack menu at Bar Fancy is comprised of classic bar snacks as well as several new creations (we were told that more plates will be added as things settle in). Except for the ribeye, I've tried everything on the menu during my two visits: 

1/2 DOZEN OYSTERS ($16)

Real Sports Bar & Grill: New Menu Tasting I

In the heart of Toronto's sports and entertainment district and located right beside the Air Canada Centre, Real Sports Bar & Grill is impressive. Real impressive. Here's the kicker though: I don't even play sports. None at all. But I watch sports! That must count for something, right? But even then it's rare... I mean, I watch the Olympics and the World Cup but really, who doesn't? There's no way getting around it, I'm just not that into sports. But trust me once you step foot into Real Sports (Twitter: @RealSports, Facebook: Real Sports) all that goes out the window. The place has that "Wow" factor, you know I mean? With its 25,000 square foot space, 199 screens and 39-foot high-definition projector (the biggest one in any sports bar in the world) it's no wonder that ESPN voted Real Sports as the #1 sports bar in all of North America.

(Photo by Real Sports)

Having said all that, I found myself at Real Sports last week; not for a World Cup game but for a menu tasting (of course it's food-related.) I was one of the lucky ones chosen to taste some of their new menu items - a sneak peek of what will soon be available at Real Sports come Friday, August 1st (#RSBGSneakPeek). Recently joining the Real Sports' kitchen is chef Matthew Sullivan (formerly of Skin + Bones). He took the time in between courses to explain to us his new menu.

Here's a look at what you can expect starting August 1st at Real Sports:

COPPER KETTLE MUSSELS

I really enjoyed the spicy broth here. I've had my share of steamed mussels with bland and flavourless broth so this was very welcoming.

CHICAGO DOG

This massive Chicago dog is prepared just right (i.e. no ketchup).

Toronto Popup with ESÉ

Peter and Ryan, the duo behind the L.A. style Mexican popup ESÉ, create dishes that reflect the unique style and flavours of the culinary landscape of Los Angeles and the Southwest. Born and raised in L.A., Ryan relocated to Toronto to be with his "esé" Peter (esé is a Spanish slang term for comrade, pal or friend). To alleviate his homesickness, Ryan began cooking the style of Mexican food that he grew up with. Looking to tradition for inspiration, both Ryan and Peter take pride in making everything from scratch — from the complexity of a slow cooked sauce to the routine of hand-pressing their own tortillas. Authenticity is important to the duo but showcasing their ability to be creative and whimsical is just as important. Before long, Ryan and Peter, or ESÉ (Twitter: @ESEsuavecito Facebook: ESÉ), found themselves participating in pop-ups around the city including the Toronto Underground Market, The Junction Flea and The Stop's Night Market.

Toronto Popup (Twitter: @Toronto_PopUp, Facebook: Toronto Popup) featured ESÉ two Sundays ago at Monarch Tavern. The $40 five-course dinner, with optional wine or beer pairings, evolved around Mexican small plates or antojitos ("little cravings"). Below is a recap of the ESÉ Antojitos dinner:

Peter double checking his eggs before they are served.

UNO

ARPEGE EGG

Coddled yolk, housemade chorizo, goat cheese mash, tortilla spear

Toronto Popup founder, Juliana, with Ryan and Peter giving a toast to start the evening off right.

Halton Wing Festival 2013

Brace yourselves everyone.

What I'm about to tell you is FOR REAL. 

There is an ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT WINGS festival coming up that you would NOT want to miss.

What: Halton Wing Festival

When: Saturday October 5th, 2013. Doors open at 5:30 pm 

Where: Country Heritage Park - Gambrel Barn at 8560 Tremaine Rd. Milton, ON

Why: In Support of the MS Society of Canada, Halton Regional Chapter 

Tickets: $35.00 for ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT WINGS

Click HERE to purchase tickets

The Halton Wing Festival is a fresh new community festival based in the Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills area. Motivation for the event has been driven by a need by community organizations in the Halton region seeing a decline in involvement from younger community members in recent years and current fundraising events failing to peak the interests of those demographics. 

All proceeds raised through ticket sales, sponsorships, and other events leading up to and at the wing festival will help support client services at the Halton Chapter of the MS Society. There will also be a donations box on site at the event for anyone who wants to donate more!

AS FOR THE WINGS...

Your entry fee for the event includes ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT WINGS (while supplies last) made by 7 local vendors. These wings also will be up for 3 possible awards:

1. Judge's Overall Favourite;
2. Judge's Exotic Choice Flavour; and
3. People's Choice

I'll be joining the Honourable Mayor of Milton, Mr. Gordon Krantz, on the judging panel at the event!

So guys come out to the Halton Wing Festival next Saturday, October 5th, to stuff your face with wings and support a great cause!

Click HERE to purchase tickets

For more information on the Halton Wing Festival:
Twitter: @WingFestival
Facebook: Halton WingFestival

The Whippoorwill Restaurant and Tavern

At the corner of Bloor and Lansdowne is The Whippoorwill (Twitter: @WhippoorwillTO, Facebook: The Whippoorwill Restaurant & Tavern), a new brunch / happy hour / dinner / bar spot that took over Bloordale Pantry last November. Co-owners of the new rustic restaurant are friends Shawn Creamer (also owner of The Dakota) and chef Tyler Cunningham (formerly of Mildred's Temple Kitchen). In a span of ten days, the duo transformed the previous Pantry space into a homey, retro restaurant that has now attracted the attention of the Bloordale brunch crowd (brunch is available from Friday, Saturday and Sunday). My friend Karen, who lives in the neighbourhood, invited several of her friends, including moi, to The Whippoorwill for dinner recently. Why? Because Karen fell in love with the restaurant ever since it opened and really wanted more people to know about the fantastic food and cocktails there.

The red booths, red bar stools and the black and white checkered floors give the space a very cool, vintage vibe. 

An old Detroit tire shop sign is now part of the bar at The Whippoorwill.

At the back is a painting of The Dale, the restaurant which occupied the space before Bloordale Pantry.

Hawker Bar

No doubt in my mind that the hearts of most Asians in Toronto skipped a beat when news of a Singaporean restaurant was set to open in downtown. Heck, I was pretty ecstatic myself given that when it comes to legit Singaporean or Malaysian food, the place I fall back on is always Restoran Malaysia in Richmond Hill. Meh, the thought of not having to drive uptown for a nice, heart-warming bowl of laksa was enticing enough to make me lose sleep. OK. Not really. But close enough. 

Hawker Bar (@HawkerBar), its name stemming from hawkers or hawker centres (i.e. open-air complexes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia housing stalls that sell a variety of inexpensive food), is tiny. I went early at 6pm to grab a table for four as Hawker Bar doesn't take reservations. Evidently nobody was there yet but hey, better safe than sorry (FYI it was slammed by the time we left).

A nod to street grub, the vibe at Hawker Bar is casual and simple (nothing says casual more than tree stump stools!)

Hawker Bar's menu written on cardboard.

SNACKS

The four of us did not order the whole menu, but close enough :)

Son In Law Eggs - Soft boiled then fried, chili jam, Prik Nam Pla ($6)

Hopgood's Foodliner

Formerly from the Hoof Café (which is unfortunately no longer in existence), chef Geoff Hopgood (@chefhopgood) opened his own restaurant in February. Located in Roncesvalles along with popular spots such as The Westerly and Barque, Hopgood's Foodliner focuses on contemporary renditions of chef Hopgood's childhood favourites...comfort food from the Maritimes. The restaurant is named after a supermarket chain owned by chef Hopgood's family in the east coast.

Hopgood's is divided into two dining rooms by an open kitchen in the middle. Designed by chef Hopgood's younger sister, Sarah Hopgood, the restaurant has an industrial-themed decor: dark grey walls, white brick walls, exposed ducts, and metal bar stools. 

Regular menu items can be found on the chalkboard. Our server recited about eight specials to us that night.

Evaporated milk cans and Triscuit boxes on display. 

Diners, Drive-ins and Dives Road Trip - Grover's Bar & Grill

My boyfriend and I left Toronto after work on Friday before the Family Day long weekend. We didn't leave work early so we fully expected the rush hour + long weekend traffic. After about a 2.5 hour drive, we checked into our hotel in Buffalo and immediately headed over to Grover's Bar & Grill, in East Amherst, New York, for our first Diners, Drive-ins and Dives ("DDD") stop. Thank goodness Grover's was close to our hotel because we were both extremely hungry by then O_o


I'm going to start off all my DDD road trip posts by posting the DDD episode of when the restaurant was featured. I strongly recommend that you watch the videos because for each DDD place we visited, we purposely ordered everything that was featured in the show. I assure you that you will appreciate my blog post so much more after seeing exactly what ingredients were used, how the food was made, and what exactly I was eating =D