CHARCUT (Calgary)

Listed as one of Canada's Best New Restaurants in 2010 by enRoute Magazine, CHARCUT Roast House is a carnivore's dream come true (i.e. my dream come true). I'll begin this post by saying that my dinner at CHARCUT was spectacular and truly memorable. It rocked my world. Yes, it did.

Located in the swanky Hotel Le Germain in downtown Calgary, I had the unforeseen pleasure to dine at CHARCUT (Twitter: @CHARCUT, Facebook: CHARCUT Roast House) a couple of weeks ago. It was "unforeseen" because Air Canada decided to have a wildcat strike the morning of my Maui trip...how ridiculous! With our flight to Maui cancelled, my friend and I had to spend the night in Calgary (after waiting for 10 hours at Pearson) and was rescheduled to take a flight to Maui the next morning from Cowtown. I actually did not even think of going to CHARCUT until someone on Twitter reminded me of it (I was evidently tweeting my frustration about having to go to Calgary haha). Chef Connie DeSousa at CHARCUT tweeted me back right away and invited me to drop by CHARCUT. And so I did! I basically made my reservation on Twitter and found myself at CHARCUT several hours later. Never underestimate the power of Twitter, people.

Chef Connie was one of the three finalist on Season One's Top Chef Canada along with chef Rob Rossi (Bestellen) and chef Dale MacKay (Ensemble), with chef Dale ultimately winning the inaugural competition.

Chefs and owners John Jackson and Connie DeSousa.

At the pass *drools*

Old Lahaina Lu'au (Maui)

A lu'au is a Hawaiian meal / feast which features traditional Hawaiian food, music and hula, a dance accompanied by chant developed in the Hawaiian Islands by Polynesians who originally settled there. I think going to a lu'au is a must if you're visiting Hawaii for the first time. Although it was quite pricey ($98 per person) it is a once in a life time experience.


We went to Old Lahaina Lu'au (@oldlahainaluau) which is supposedly the best luau in Maui. It has great reviews from TripAdvisor, The New York Times, Frommer's Maui, Zagat Survey, and has been featured in National Geographic Traveler and The Travel Channel. It is a sold-out show every night at Old Lahaina Lu'au.

Gorgeous evening for a lu'au.

So serene. Wish I was still there...

You must watch this video! I captured some of the most intense booty-shaking moments at the lu'au that night. Actually, it's the most intense booty-shaking I've EVER seen in my life so far. AMAZING!

Green Living Show Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away FIVE pairs of tickets to this year's Green Living Show.

A pair of tickets is worth $30!

The Green Living Show is Canada's largest green consumer show and will be coming to the Direct Energy Centre for three days starting Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 15.

For the first time ever, the Green Living Show introduces Farmers' Market, where you can meet and purchase from from local farmers, producers and artisans. As well, for its fourth year, you can sample more than 20 incredible gourmet dishes at Farm Fresh Fare where local talented chefs prepare dishes containing fresh, Ontario-grown ingredients. Click here for the list of chefs and vendors participating in Farm Fresh Fare.

HOW TO ENTER

1) You must be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown: 

I want to win a pair of tickets to the Green Living Show! http://bit.ly/I9sYY8 #foodieyugls #gls2012

*Limit one entry per person*

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Monday, April 9th and ends on Wednesday, April 11th at 12PM.

The lucky winner will be chosen randomly from random.org and I will announce the winner on Thursday, April 12th. 

GOOD LUCK! ^_*

Le Dolci Giveaway - CLOSED

It is contest time again =D

I'm giving away one FREE "Introduction to Cake Pops" class at Le Dolci on

Sunday, April 15th, from 1-3pm. 

This class is worth $80!!!

Learn how to make Cake Pops from Lisa Sanguedolce, owner of Le Dolci.

 Photo credit: National Post

Cake Pops are fun to make AND eat. Great for any occasion

HOW TO ENTER

1) You must be following both me (@foodieyu) and Le Dolci (@LeDolci) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown: 

I want to win a free Cake Pops class from @LeDolci ! http://bit.ly/I5OgQ5 #LDcakepops

*Limit one entry per person*
**Contest is open to residents in Ontario only**

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Thursday, April 5th and ends on Thursday, April 12th at 12PM.

The lucky winner will be chosen randomly from random.org and I will announce the winner on Friday, April 13th. 

GOOD LUCK! ^_*

Le Dolci 

Website: www.ledolci.com

Facebook: Le Dolci Cupcakes and Cakes

Twitter: @LeDolci

Email: info@ledolci.com

Phone: 416.262.3400

GwaiLo's Sneak Preview Dinner

Has it been two months already? Two months since I had an 11-course dinner on chef Nick Liu's last night of service at Niagara Street Café? To answer my own rhetorical question: yes. Yes it has. Time flies *sigh* but lets move on...

After four years as Executive Chef at Niagara Street Café, chef Liu's (@Ninjachefnick) new project, GwaiLo (@GwaiLoToronto), is a soon-to-be Asian brasserie that will feature traditional Asian cuisine with the incorporation of modern techniques and adaptations from a wide range of Asian influences. Chef Liu's business partner Christina Kuypers (@deKuypers) (formerly The Black Hoof, Splendido and The Drake Hotel) will be running the front of house. Although with no location secured as yet, the GwaiLo team has already hosted two preview dinners and several pop-up events, all of which have created quite a buzz for the up-coming restaurant already.

I was invited to the first of two GwaiLo preview dinners a couple of weeks ago. With a six-course meal which was hosted on the second floor of Niagara Street Café (soon to be Edulis) I had a chance to taste what's to come at GwaiLo.

Chinese Fried Bread 

Congee and XO dipping sauce

Double Happiness 

Jim Beam 6yr, Amaro Montenegro, pineapple shrub, ginger

Course One: Crispy Silken Tofu

Smokey miso broth, toasted nori

Death Row Meals - Olde Hunters Feast II

Woot!!! I attended my third Death Row Meals (#DeathRowMeals) event last Sunday at Beast Restaurant (@BeastRestaurant) .  The theme this time was "Hunters Feast II":


"A year ago a concept was created by two lovers of food and drink, and a meal was held to celebrate this passion. Death Row Meals has come a long way, and this meal tonight will bring us full circle back to February 28, 2011. The Olde Hunters Feast has produced a wild boar prosciutto that we will be enjoying tonight throughout our meal, and is a result of the nose-to-tail philosophy of Death Row Meals and the chefs we involve in our events. Made with love, and paired appropriately we present the second installment of the Olde Hunters Feast."


Since I missed "Hunters Feast I", I was determined not to miss this one! For this second installment, Death Row Meals has reunited chefs from last year's event as well as the addition of a couple of out-of-town chefs =)


Here's a recap of the event...


It still amazes me how all six chefs can fit in that tiny kitchen.

COURSE ONE: Nick Benninger, Nick and Nat's Uptown 21 (@NNUptown21) - Waterloo

THE DISH: "Hunting Trip Gone Wrong" - Slow poached duck egg, trail mix, boarsciutto, foie granola, crab apple verjus, forest edibles.

THE PAIRING: 2010 Riesling Reserve, Rosewood Estates (@Rosewoodwine)

Green Living Show

The Green Living Show (Facebook: Green Living, Twitter: @GreenLivingPage), Canada's largest green consumer show, will be coming to the Direct Energy Centre for three days starting on Friday, April 13 to Sunday, April 15th. It will feature thousands of amazing eco products and services as well as a diverse selection of demonstrations, live presentations and activities.

From over 400 exhibits at the Green Living Show, the two attractions that really caught my eye are the Farmers Market and Farm Fresh Fare.


Farmers Market
Everyone loves their local Farmers' Market, yes? This year for the first time ever, the Green Living Show introduces a collection of Toronto Farmers’ Market managers and vendors coming together in one place to create a unique Farmers Market for the Green Living Show. Meet and purchase from local farmers, producers and artisans, and also learn how farmers' markets in your community are making local and sustainably grow food more accessible. 

Farm Fresh Fare
Sample more than 20 incredible gourmet dishes at Farm Fresh Fare, now in its fourth year, where local, talented restaurant chefs prepare dishes containing fresh, Ontario-grown ingredients. Part of the proceeds from Farm Fresh Fare ticket sales go to Evergreen's Children's Food program and Slow Food Toronto's Learning Garden Programs. Tickets are $2 each, dishes cost either 1 or 2 tickets.

Some of the new generation of young chefs participating in Farm Fresh Fare include:
- Chef Alexandra Feswick (@alexandfeswick) from Brockton General (@BROCKTONGENERAL)
- Chef Graham Pratt (@Grahamplatt) from The Gabardine (@TheGabardine)
- Chef Aaron Joseph Bear Robe from Keriwa Cafe (@KeriwaCafe)
- Chef Fabio Bondi from Local Kitchen and Wine Bar / Bar Salumi (@LocalKitchen)


Other vendors include:
- Chefs Luis Valenzuela (@chef_valenzuela) and Alan Vanti of Torito representing their own venture, Texturas 
- Splendido representing The County General (@CountyGeneral)
- Hey Meatball, with another location opening in Roncesvalles this summer
- New this year is Delight Ice-cream and Chocolate Shop in Parkdale (organic / artisanal)
- YU Ranch / Le Select Bistro serving Texas longhorn wild beef 
- Kernal Peanuts teams up with 100km Foods and Brockton General to produce peanut butter and toasted peanut and quinoa salad.
- Only out of town restaurant: Owen Sound’s Rocky Raccoon Cafe
- K2 Milling, the new flour miller on the scene is an old mill in Tottenham (organic / artisanal) 
- LPK’s Culinary Groove's vegan sweet potato donuts (vegan / gluten free) as well as a lot of other vegan show vendors
- Merchants of Green Coffee will roast coffee at the show.

Attendees to the Green Living Show receive FREE ENTRY when you bring electronic waste for recycling courtesy of Samsung Electronics Canada. In 2011, show visitors brought in over 40,000 lbs of e-waste! See list of accepted electronic waste here.

Ticket Prices
Adults: $15
Seniors (65+): $11
Students (with valid photo ID): $11
Chidren 12 and under: Free, must be accompanied by adult
Group Rate (15+ persons): $10 / person
School Group Rate (10+ students / teachers): $6 / person

Show Hours
Friday, April 13 – 10 AM – 9 PM
Saturday, April 14 - 10 AM – 9 PM
Sunday, April 15 – 10 AM – 6 PM


I'll be giving away FIVE pairs of Green Living Show tickets next week!!! Stay tuned for details =D

Mama's Fish House (Maui)

Mama's Fish House. When my friends mentioned going there, by the name of it, I seriously thought it was a local, casual, even hole-in-the-wall type of restaurant (must be the "Mama's" part..I don't know). Wow, was I ever wrong! When I went to their website, I noticed that not only did they take OpenTable reservations, they also had printable PDF menus. Mama's Fish House is also associated with "Inn at Mama's" which has beachfront cottages and garden cottages. Impressive and totally unexpected. Well, on my part anyway.


Everything was confirmed when we arrived at Mama's Fish House. Stunning scenery.

Originally a home on a private beach, there were sculptures, tiki torches, and tropical flowers along the walkway to the restaurant.

There's no doubt you're in Hawaii at Mama's Fish House...the decor says it all.

Star Noodle (Maui)

After a day on the beach yesterday, we headed back to the condo. While my friends went shopping in Lahaina afterwards I decided to stay back and take it easy. I also took on the responsibility of finding a place to eat for dinner.


I came across Star Noodle on Tripadvisor (ranked #10 in Lahaina) and with pretty decent reviews on Yelp (4/5 with 509 reviews) and Urbanspoon (92%), Star Noodle seemed like a good choice. Its website also indicated that Star Noodle's Chef Sheldon Simeon has recently won "The People's Best New Chef" in the Northwest & Pacific region from Food & Wine Magazine. Their online menu shows tapas-style plates with a mix of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai ingredients, and with chef Simeon's Hawaiian background, I was excited about Star Noodle.


Star Noodle is located at a really remote area away from all the tourist-y shops and restaurants in Lahaina. 

Food & Wine Magazine displayed at the entrance.

 A long communal table in the middle with smaller tables surrounding the perimeter. 

Geste Shrimp Truck (Maui)

I'm in Maui! First thing my friends and I did once we got off the plane was visit Geste Shrimp truck, a very popular food truck located about 10 minutes away from the Kahului airport on Kahului Beach Road. 

My friend Cindy and I shared the Hot & Spicy ($12) and my other two friends shared the Spicy Pineapple ($12). Both came with a dozen shrimps, crab mac salad & rice. Now that I look at the menu again I think I should have gotten the "Combo Plate"...only $2 more but with a hot dog too!

  Honestly, $12 with a crab mac & cheese and rice? That's literally less than $1 for some of the freshest shrimps in the world! Amazing.

Shown below is the Hot & Spicy (Spicy Pineapple looks exactly the same but with tiny pieces of pineapple in it). Best.Shrimps.Ever!!! They were all extremely plump, tender and fresh...literally finger lickin' good! Prepare to get your hands dirty though because they have their shells on. We all liked the Hot & Spicy more than the Spicy Pineapple (that is, if we had to choose). The crab salad was also fantastic; it had big pieces of crab meat and cleansed our palette between bites of spicy shrimps.

Google "Geste Shrimp Truck" and you will see all their stellar reviews on Yelp.

We are already thinking of going back to Geste Shrimp before we leave for the airport and try their Hawaiian Scampi or Lemon Pepper (and possibly the hot dog too).

Anyway, if you ever find yourself in Maui, hit them up! =D