Dandylion

Three starters, three mains, three desserts. A total of nine dishes make up the entire menu at Dandylion. Short and sweet. This is perfect because it has never been about quantity with me; actually the more options there are on a menu the more indecisive I get (I believe this applies to most things in life.) In any case, what's more important is quality and no word of a lie, Dandylion (@DandyLionTO) has completely won me over and in doing so, it has now become one of my favourite restaurants in the city. Yep, it's that good.

Just like its menu, Dandylion on 1198 Queen St. West is small, intimate and comfortable.

The 30-seat restaurant is casual and welcoming. The potted plants are such a lovely touch.

Opened in November of last year, chef / owner Jay Carter - who worked under Susur Lee for 10 years (Susur, Lee, Madeline's) and was exec chef at the now-closed Centro - focuses on vegetables at his restaurant; he treats them not as a complement but rather the star of his dishes. But don't worry, carnivores, Dandylion is not a vegetarian spot...just don't expect huge slabs of meat there anytime soon (or ever).

The bar menu features whites, reds and beer. There's no cocktail program.

MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA, TERRA LEMNIA 2012. LIMNOS, GREECE ($48)

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

Easy & Delicious Jammin' Recipes

Have you ever thought of using jam as more than a condiment? More than just a spread on bread? Sure, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will forever be awesome but, for one reason or another, many people fail to realize that jam is also a fabulous ingredient in many recipes! I felt particularly inventive over the weekend and experimented with different flavours of jams, pairing them with foods to create some pretty tasty recipes. Take a look :)

PEACH, PROSCIUTTO AND BRIE GRILLED CHEESE

This super easy grilled cheese is hard to beat. It is simple and quick enough for weekday lunch yet can also pass for the dinner table. I love the addition of the peach jam since it serves as a "glue" between the sweet, creamy Brie and the savoury prosciutto. I made this tasty grilled cheese on Saturday for lunch.

Ingredients

2 slices of bread

1 tbsp of melted unsalted butter

2 oz Brie, thinly sliced

2 tbsp of peach jam

2 oz prosciutto

Heat a large pan over medium-heat. Brush half of the melted butter on one slice of the bread, and lay it down on your prep area, butter-side down. Spread 1 tbsp of jam onto both slices of bread, then layer on the cheese and the prosciutto. Place sandwich in the warm pan butter-side down, and press down every now and then while it cooks. Brush the rest of the butter on the top of slice first before flipping the sandwich. Grill on each side for about 3 minutes each, or until the bread has thoroughly crisped and the cheese has started to melt. Makes one sandwich.

STRAWBERRY BANANA YOGURT SMOOTHIE

If you love strawberries and bananas, you will be delighted with this smoothie. Not only does it taste like dessert it is also extremely healthy. Loaded with calcium, potassium and vitamin C, this perfect combination of fruit and dairy is a guarantee hit in the summer. This glass of cold, refreshing smoothie was exactly what I needed after spending an entire day of running errands.

Ingredients

2 tbsp of plain yogurt

2 tbsp of strawberry jam

1/2 ripe banana (peeled)

1 cup of milk

3 or 4 ice cubes

In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth and frothy. Makes one large smoothie.

ORANGE MARMALADE CRESCENT ROLLS

Whether you're hosting a casual get-together at home or preparing an after-school snack for the kids, everyone will love these delicious and fluffy orange marmalade crescent rolls. With only two ingredients there's really no excuse not to make them! Served warm, I had these light crescent rolls for breakfast Sunday morning with a bowl of cereal. 

Ingredients

1 tbsp of orange marmalade

1 (4 oz.) package of refrigerated crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll crescent roll dough into 8 triangles and spread orange marmalade onto each triangle. Roll up each loosely, starting at shortest side of triangle, rolling to opposite point and curving each into crescent shape. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Makes 8 crescent rolls.

Smucker’s Pairings are a simple, easy way to create delicious food combinations with jam and other ingredients, designed help you discover how flavours mingle together for mouthwatering results. Each pairing has 5 ingredients or less, and is ready in less than 15 minutes. Because with a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good. For specific information on our jam flavours and varieties, please visit www.smuckers.ca 

Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Smucker’s Foods of Canada via Mode Media Canada. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Smucker’s Foods of Canada. 

Amaya the Indian Room

Founded by chef Hemant Bhagwani in 2007, the Amaya Group of Restaurants (Twitter: @amayarestaurant, Facebook: Amaya Restaurant) is a pioneer of progressive Indian cuisine. Steadily growing throughout the GTA, Amaya now has 15 locations, including the flagship Indian Room, as well as multiple Express food court outlets and street locations (you'll also find Amaya's gourmet sauces, chutneys and naan breads at grocery stores nationwide). With two additional locations in development, including one in Ottawa, Bhagwani's goal is to make great Indian food accessible across Canada.

Chef Hemant Bhagwani

The Indian Room has always been known for its upscale, contemporary take on Indian cuisine. Drawing inspiration from his travels and experiences in India, chef Bhagwani offers Indian cuisine made with authentic flavours, innovative techniques, and local Canadian ingredients (the use of local ingredients is more rare to see at Indian establishments). 

I had the opportunity to attend an intimate lunch with chef Bhagwani at the Indian Room several weeks ago. Bhagwani not only introduced to us his new menu, he also talked about his vision to reinvent the Amaya experience with food that blends the newest trends in fine dining and India's vibrant street food culture, with Ontario's best local ingredients and wines.

SUGARCANE MOJITO

AMUSE BOUCHE

FRESH YOGHURT EGG

With pomegranate juice

Boom Breakfast & Co.

Open 7 days a week till 4pm Boom Breakfast & Co is the place to be whenever you're craving something casual and comforting for breakfast, lunch or brunch. With four locations in Toronto and the GTA (808 College St., 1036 St. Clair W., 174 Eglinton Ave W. and 145 Hawkview Blvd in Vaughan) and a large and extensive menu, I'm confident that you'll find something you want at Boom. The restaurant offers a variety of traditional breakfast combos, omelettes, eggs benny, pancakes, French toasts, waffles, as well as sandwiches, breakwiches, breakfast burritos, wraps, and burgers. Craving something more healthy? Opt for a salad and soup...Boom's got that covered too. No breakfast / brunch is complete without a cup of steaming hot coffee, right? Boom has cappucinos, lattes, espressos, hot chocolates, alongside a variety of smoothies, fresh squeezed juice and even booze! (Note: booze is available only at the College and St. Clair location).

 Boom's plush booths, molded wood paneling and cool blue subway tiles give off a very pleasant and modern diner atmosphere. This is their College location.

A good ol' cup of coffee for me. 

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.

Brunch Preview at Earls

Starting this Saturday, August 3rd, Earls on 150 King St. W. (Twitter: @earlskingst, Facebook: Earls King Street) will be offering a brand new weekend brunch service (other Earls locations to start brunch service on Saturday, September 14th). Opening a half hour earlier than weekdays, Earls will serve brunch Saturday, Sunday and holiday Mondays from 11 am until 3 pm alongside their regular menu. Thanks to Jacque from Earls, I was invited to preview their new brunch menu yesterday.

Beautiful day. Perfect weather for a patio brunch.

Earls’ new fresh sourdough bread is really the star of their brunch. Rising slowly and naturally from an in-house grown sourdough starter, the dense, chewy new bread make its début on the brunch menu. Each of Earls restaurants has a starter of their own that they need to nurture and feed twice a day. 

Complimentary house made brioche cinnamon buns brushed with cream cheese icing for each table. 

Daily Bread's Ultimate Food Challenge 2013

I had the pleasure of attending Daily Bread Food Bank's 2nd Annual Ultimate Food Challenge (#ufchallenge) last Wednesday, May 8th. Sponsored by Campbell's, Canadian Pacific, Corus Entertainment and Nutella, the "Foodie Fundraiser" was held at Corus Quay and featured live entertainment, a silent auction, and of course the highlight of the evening - a friendly culinary battle between three celebrity chefs. Over 250 guests had the opportunity to sample gourmet hors d'oeuvres served and prepared by trainees and graduates from Daily Bread's Catering Kitchen as well as signature dishes made by the three competing chefs.

Proceeds from the 2013 Ultimate Food Challenge goes to supporting Daily Bread’s Kitchen, which will provide 170,000 nutritious meals this year to shelters, schools and other meal programs serving low-income children and adults at more than 100 public and social service agencies in neighbourhoods across Toronto.

Below is a recap of the 2013 Ultimate Food Challenge:

COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Over 50 items were being auctioned off at the silent auction.

Toronto Popup with Chef Peter Pietruniak

Toronto Popup,"a culinary creative lab that connects people and innovative talent through their passion for locally grown, seasonally produced organic food" is a monthly popup dinner series created by Juliana Conceicao. Promoting healthy, conscious eating with a focus on using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, Toronto Popup's inaugural dinner took place on Sunday, March 24th. Chef Peter Pietruniak (formerly junior sous chef at Ten Restaurant & Wine Bar now dinner sous chef of the newly opened The Guild Restaurant) created a beautiful five course seafood tasting which featured a variety of fresh and sustainable Ontario lake fish. Committed to making sustainable choices and already a true advocate of local food, Pietruniak's seven course Coast to Coast "C2C" Dinner last year also paid tribute to fresh local produce, meat, and food ingredients. 

When I asked Petruniak if there was anything that inspired his Toronto Popup menu, this is what he said:

"I wanted to again highlight the great Ontario produce in an environment that allows me to create, push myself, and get my mind going. Even if there is a mistake I learn, grow and become a better cook. I like cooking for people, it makes me happy."

After several trial runs with friends and family, Toronto Popup's held their first ever dinner at The Monarch Tavern (Twitter: @MonarchTavern, Facebook: Monarch Tavern).

For $40 per person, this Toronto Popup (Twitter: @Toronto_PopUp, Facebook: Toronto Popup) dinner was an absolute steal! Optional beer or wine pairings were also priced very reasonably at $2 or $4 per course.

I had a couple of cocktails before dinner:

MARE CAESAR - Mare Gin: Infused with Olives, Rosemary and Basil; Lemon Juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, Lemon Pepper Rim

DARK & STORMY - Spiced Rum, Ginger Beer, Soda, Lime, Ginger 

Rosewood Winery's All-Stars In The Vineyard

I had the pleasure of attending All-Stars In The Vineyard at Rosewood Estates Winery (@Rosewoodwine) this past Sunday, August 19. This unique winemaker's dinner featured Rosewood's top award winning wines (as well as their unreleased wines) with dishes specifically prepared by chefs from Ortolan (@0rt0lan), Torito Tapas Bar (@ToritoTapas), Nick & Nat's Uptown 21 (@NNUptown21), and Richmond Station (@richmondstn). Unlike your typical sit-down dinners, All-Stars In The Vineyard lets guests stroll, sip and savour food and wine pairings at the various stations within Rosewood's beautiful vineyard. After attending Rosewood's Bees, Mead & Cheese class last month at Le Dolci and subsequently falling in love with their honey and mead, I was really looking forward to tasting Rosewood's other wines (as well as all the chefs' creations) at this one-of-a-kind event.

Rosewood's picturesque vineyard

Guests were each given a map detailing the location of the four stations.

C2C Dinner Series at Fuel House

I attended Fuel House's (@FuelHouseTO) inaugural C2C dinner last week. C2C, short for "Coast-to-Coast", is a dinner series that focuses on showcasing Canadian ingredients. Chef Peter Petruniak (@ChefPeteTO) of Fuel House is a local food advocate:


"I wanted to do C2C to really show the amazing produce that is grown in Canada.  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.  With C2C I really want to highlight great Canadian ingredients while trying to stay as local as I can."

All Canadian wine pairings.

Daikon Radish & Horseradish Gazpacho - Radish sprout, fresh radish, honey, sour cream, chive

The Burns and Carter Dinner

Both currently in between jobs, chef Jay Carter (@Notjcarter) and chef Daniel Burns (@chefdburns) teamed up this past weekend for a much anticipated three-night-only dinner party (April 27, 28 and 29). For $100 and 30 guests each night, I was told there was over 1,200 names on the waiting list for the event. Not surprising given the chefs' impressive pedigree.


Carter and Burns met and became friends at Susur restaurant over 10 years ago. Carter left Susur to run the kitchen at Lee and has recently left his position as executive chef at Centro. From Susur, Burns went to St. John and The Fat Duck in England where he was a senior chef de partie (it was also during Burns' 18 months there that The Fat Duck earned its third Michelin star). He has also headed the pastry department at Noma in Cophenhagen and ran Momofuku's food lab in New York as the company's research and development chef (he left the position earlier this year).  A remarkable duo, to say the least. 


I was one of the lucky 90 guests to experience the #burnsandcarter dinner on Sunday night. It was held at Mitzi's on College (which closed in February of this year). Two long tables with candles and potted herbs transformed the simple space into an intimate setting. The night's menu was written on the brown banner on the wall surrounding the room. 

 Brooklyn Gin Negroni served at the bar.

The evening featured snacks (potato crisps and crudités), three savoury courses, two desserts with wine pairings.