Lucien

Voted as One of Canada's Top Ten Best New Restaurant in 2008 by enRoute magazine and the Best New Restaurant in 2008 by Toronto Life Magazine, Lucien is quite impressive on paper. Although it has been almost three and a half years since then and a lot of things can change during this time, Lucien remained on my list of places to try in the city because I wanted to see what the hype was about...back in 2008. I say it this way because I'm not sure if it's just me but I feel like Lucien has fallen off the grid somewhat. I never hear anybody talk about Lucien anymore...like ever. People know it's still there but the restaurant itself is just so...quiet.


Lucien was certainly really quiet, literally, when my boyfriend and I went about a month ago on a Saturday night around 6:30pm. Given, Buskerfest was going on right outside the restaurant so I'm sure that detered some diners as a lot of the streets were closed off. There were only 2-3 tables when we arrived.

The restaurant is long with the bar taking up most of the space on the right with seating on the left and the kitchen at the back. The large mirror at the bar tries to open up the narrow space. The dark brown wooden floor, bar stools, chairs and tables, with deep dark red curtains and black screen was just all a bit too gloomy for me (I tend to like cozy places). I don't like wooden floors at a restaurant either but that's just me.

The pretty chandeliers gave the room a bit more warmth.

Lucien has a tasting menu but it was a bit too pricey for us, especially because we weren't there for a special occasion.

Brioche and bread sticks. I like the variety.

APPETIZER

Bincho Grilled Octopus - fingerling potato, house-made chroizo, pimento, arugula, olive ($17) - I thought it was really unique and pretty with the octopus sliced so thinly at the bottom as I've never seen octopus presented this way before. The overall dish is very light in terms of flavours, if anything the only really savoury thing on the dish was the chorizo but it was still good since I could really taste the actual octopus.

See how Chef Scot Woods of Lucien prepares this appetizer. 

The Winner of Beck's T.O.ktoberfest Tickets Giveaway is...

@jennluvs2dance

Congratulations! =D You just won a pair of tickets to Beck's T.O.ktoberfest at Liberty Village taking place on October 1st & 2nd! I will be sending you a DM soon letting you know the details regarding tickets pickup. Congrats again and I hope you and your +1 will enjoy all the festivities, entertainment and food :) 

 Thank you to the 19 contestants who participated in the giveaway! 

Chef Jason Bangerter Pays Homage to Chef Paul Liebrandt [VIDEO]

I was really disappointed when I found out that Chef Paul Liebrandt and Director Sally Rowe would not be present at TIFF Bell Lightbox for the opening night of A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt as all flights out of LaGuardia, NYC were cancelled due to weather earlier  yesterday. I was excited about meeting them and I had a list of questions prepared too =(

What lifted my spirit was the fact that I still had a chance to try the dish that Executive Chef Jason Bangerter of Luma recreated specifically for opening night of the film - a signature Paul Liebrandt dish. So instead of going home after work, I dropped by Luma and chatted with Chef Bangerter.  Watch as Chef Bangerter describes all the elements of this exquisite dish.

What strikes me immediately was the texture and flavour of the Kona Kampachi, a game fish farmed in Hawaii as a domesticated alternative to wild tuna. This was my first time having Kampachi and its texture reminded me of tuna, but even more thick and dense. The piece of Kampachi was actually very meaty and substantial =) Flavour wise, because the fish was cured and lightly dusted with Vandouvan, it was savoury and had a really slight hint of curry. Everything about the Kona Kampachi, from the way it was prepared to how it taste, was unlike anything I've ever had before...and I loved it! Paired with the foie gras chantilly, the sweet verjus jelly, and the slight tartness of the kiwi, this appetizer was incredibly outstanding and very unique. I'm so happy that I got to try it ^_^

Cured Kona Kampachi with Foie Gras Chantilly, Sorrel, Verjus Jelly & Ontario Kiwi

Although this dish was created specifically for the opening night screening, Chef Bangerter would be happy to recreate it for anyone who is interested in trying it. All you have to do is tweet him at @chefbangerter with your request (with a few days notice).

330 King St. W, TIFF Bell Lightbox, Toronto, ON M5V 3X2

O&B Canteen: 647.288.4710   Luma: 647.288.4715 

oliverbonacini.com | www.twitter.com/oliver_bonacini | www.twitter.com/chefbangerter

A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt has a runtime of 68 minutes and is rated 14A. Click here for showtimes at TIFF Bell Lightbox

Disclaimer: The dish in this video was complimentary. Opinions are my own and I was not paid to produce this video. 

If you like what you see, please subscribe to my YouTube channel! Thanks so much ^_*

The Winner of the #AMOT Opening Night TIFF Tickets Giveaway is...

@neerajGap

Congratulations! =D You just won a pair of tickets to A Matter of Taste's opening night screening tomorrow @ 7:30PM at the TIFF Bell Lightbox! I will be sending you a DM soon letting you know the details regarding tickets pickup. Congrats again and I hope you and your +1 will enjoy A Matter of Taste.

I also want to say a big THANKS to the 25 contestants who participated in the giveaway! 


To ensure my followers that I am 100% honest when I say the winner is picked RANDOMLY, I will always show you guys how I went about tracking each contest. 


Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #AMOT stream from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first ballot entered right after the contest went live. An entry ballot was given for each contestant that tweeted "I want to win a pair of tickets to A Matter of Taste at TIFF BLB http://bit.ly/pPODKq  #AMOT". I then checked to see whether or not each contestant follow me on Twitter (see contest rules here). I used the "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick a winner for me.

And that was how I tracked and determined the winner for this giveaway. The End =)

Beck's T.O.ktoberfest at Liberty Village [GIVEAWAY] - CLOSED

LIKE BEER? LOOOVE BEER?

IF SO, YOU BETTER NOT MISS THIS!

WHAT: For the first time ever an authentic Oktoberfest experience is coming to Liberty Village with traditional German music, food and Schuhplattler dancers (the German consulate will be attending as well). Original Oktoberfest beer brands Spaten and Lowenbrau join Beck’s to headline the experience.

WHEN: Saturday October 1st 11:00 AM - 1:00 AM 

&

              Sunday October 2nd 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM 

WHERE: SCHOOL Restaurant, 70 Fraser Avenue, back parking lots 

PRIZES: A round trip flight to Germany will headline the daily prizing along with Bavarian hats, steins and a signed Torsten Frings TFC jersey (current Toronto FC and former German national team player).

Photo: www.mlssoccer.com

HOW MUCH? : Tickets are $10 and available at http://guestli.st/70428. A portion of the entry charge will go to support the German International School and Hopewell Children's Home. All online ticket purchases will receive a commemorative T.O.ktoberfest stein. Toronto FC fans will receive half price entry with presentation of October 1st game ticket vs. New York Red Bulls.

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS HERE!

I'm giving away a pair tickets to Beck's T.O.ktoberfest! All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what your favourite beer is along with your twitter handle. I will be picking a random winner from random.org.

Contest ends Friday, September 30th @ 12PM and the winner will be announced shortly after on Twitter.

GOOD LUCK! ^_^

A Matter of Taste - Serving Up Paul Liebrandt [GIVEAWAY] - CLOSED

UPDATE: In honour of the debut screening, Executive Chef Jason Bangerter of Luma will present an appetizer from A Matter of Taste - Cured Kona Kampachi with Foie Gras Chantilly and Wild Sorrel Leaves. The dish will be available in the Luma dining room and the BlackBerry Lounge.


I was asked to preview the screener for A Matter of Taste - Serving up Paul Liebrandt. 

SYNOPSIS

A Matter of Taste takes an intimate look inside the world of an immednsely talented and driven young British chef, Paul Liebrandt. At 24, he was the youngest chef to have received 3 stars from the New York Times for unforgettable and hyper modern dishes such as "eel, violets and chocolate", "espuma of calf brains and foie gras," and "beer and truffle soup." 

Critic William Grimes likened Paul to "a pianist who seems to have found a couple of dozen extra keys." Conversely, Gourmet critic Johnathan Gold called Paul's food "the result of a failed science experiment." He soon became a chef critics loved or loved to hate

The film is a straightforward behind-the-scenes portrait of Paul and reveals the creative process, the extreme hard work, long hours, and dedication it takes to be a culinary artist and have success in the cutthroat world of haute cuisine in New York City. Exploring the complicated relationships between food critics, chefs and restaurant owners, the film delves into the life of an uncompromising, thought provoking, young chef ahead of his time.

A Matter of Taste was selected as one of the eight films for SXSW 2011 Documentary Competition (from a total of 808 submissions). Each film is a World Premiere. Watch the short trailer below:

MY THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed A Matter of Taste, a 70-min film about Paul Liebrandt, who is truly an amazing figure - both a chef and a food artist. His sophisticated dishes are out-of-this-world (!!!) and it was really fascinating watching him in the kitchen. Liebrandt is also a very funny guy - he is bold, quirky, and inventive, but he is also very shy and socially reserved. One of my favourite things in the film were the interactions between him and his girlfriend...they are so cute together! The film basically follows Liebrandt's up and down career in NYC's treacherous restaurant business, and I really felt for him at the beginning when he was working at normal bistros and restaurants that did not allow him to showcase his incredible talent. My favourite part of A Matter of Taste was definitely towards the end, when Corton opened and all the staff's, owner's and Liebrandt's anxiety over when exactly Frank Bruni (New York Times food critic at the time) would come and visit (as his reservations are made under a false name). The question "How many stars would Frank Bruni give? Two? Three?" was all they cared about and lived for. I thoroughly enjoyed A Matter of Taste and I would recommend it to anyone who loves and appreciates food.

**Liebrandt now co-owns the Tribeca restaurant Corton with owner of Nobu, Drew Neiporent. New York Time's food critic Frank Bruni gave Corton three stars. Corton is one of only six New York restaurants to have two Michelin stars.**

I will be attending A Matter of Taste's opening night at TIFF Bell Lightbox. I will also be interviewing Paul Liebrandt and director, Sally Rowe. 

WANT TO JOIN ME ON OPENING NIGHT? 

I'm giving away a PAIR of tickets to A Matter of Taste's opening night screening on Thursday, September 29th @ 7:30PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox. All you need to do is follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter and tweet the following exactly as shown:

I want to win a pair of tickets to A Matter of Taste at TIFF BLB http://bit.ly/pPODKq  #AMOT

The contest ends on Wednesday, September 28th @ 12:00PM. The winner will be decided randomly by from random.org. I will be announcing the winner on Twitter shortly after the contest ends.

GOOD LUCK! ^_^

If you're interested in watching A Matter of Taste, click here for TIFF show times.

Grazie Vaughan

I haven't been to Grazie in maybe, 5-7 years? I'm, of course, talking about the original Grazie location at Yonge & Eglinton. I remember that location was always so packed and crowded. I also remember I needed to yell just so that the person sitting across from me could hear me.  I guess I haven't been back because I hardly hang out in that neighbourhood anymore (I used to work close by) and it's also not the easiest to find street parking there (I know there's a Green P beside it but still). Basically, visiting Grazie again was never a priority for me especially now that I work in downtown.


I was happy when I found out Grazie opened another location at Vaughan Mills awhile back. Although I wanted to go try it out I never got around to it. Long story short, I finally went to Grazie Vaughan on Tuesday because my friend Dan (@deguzzi) organized a dinner there.


Dan really likes Grazie Vaughan (he is currently the mayor on foursquare) and I think it's safe to say that all 9 of us who were there on Tuesday really liked the food too.


The long table there was reserved for us.

I was overwhelmed by their huge menu. So many choices...

Zenato Ripassa - Full bodied dry with rich & velvety fruit flavour ($55)

Several people had wine while I had my extra spicy Caesar.

A basket full of bread for our 10 hungry stomachs.

Chili oil for dipping.

As usual, I can only comment on what I had and show you pictures of what other people had.

APPETIZER

Bruschetta Pizza - Olive oil, fresh garlic, mozzarella, parmigiano cheese, fresh tomato, garlic & fine herbs ($10.75)

We all shared this appetizer. I've never bruschetta pizza before but I thought this tasted just okay; I would've liked a bit more herbs and cheese. I also prefer the traditional bruschetta on open slices of grilled bread because the toppings-to-bread ratio is better this toppings-to-pizza ratio (i.e. too much pizza for the amount of toppings).

Baked Goat Cheese Salad - Goat cheese, roasted peppers & grilled eggplant wrapped in phyllo pastry served with an arugula salad in a sherry vinaigrette ($12)

Graham (@beachrockinc) had this salad all by himself. He really liked it and polished it off within within minutes. The presentation was beautiful; each slice of tomato was cut exactly the same and lined up perfectly.

Yelp Eats! Week [VLOG]

Nicki from View The Vibe (@ViewTheVibe) and I were invited to Yelp Eat's launch party on Tuesday at Boehmer. Yelp Eats! is a week long event from September 19-25, where every $30 you spend at a participating restaurant the restaurant will in turn donate $10 (with a maxiumum of $60 per table) to the Daily Bread Food Bank (@DailyBreadTO)

Reserve now at one of these 5 participating restaurants as this is a perfect way for foodies to enjoy our city's best restaurants while supporting an amazing local hunger relief organization.


Boehmer: www.boehmer.ca
Nota Bene: www.notabenerestaurant.com
The Corner House: www.cornerhouse.sites.toronto.com
Czehoski: www.czehoski.com
Volos Estiatoria: www.volos.ca


Note: Reservations are not required but highly recommended. 


As for the launch party at Boehmer, I honestly can't say much about the food as Nicki and I arrived late =( However,  what I can say is that I love the decor at Boehmer. The two enormous chandeliers, the never-ending bar, the paintings and artworks on the walls and the huge open space was all very inviting. I feel very modern and cool just being there lol~


Here is Nicki's Eye on the Vibe blog, a short and sweet video where we got to speak with the Community Manager at Yelp.ca, Vivek Srivastrava (@yelptoronto), and Boehmer's Manager, Derrick Grand Pri.

Omakase Box Giveaway [VIDEO] - CLOSED

Omakase box and Food Junkie Chronicles have joined forces for this awesome giveaway!

For those not in the know, the Omakase box ninjas, with their foam swords and candy wrappers stars, hand picks a selection of 5-6 unique snacks each month and it is their life's mission to deliver them right to your door!


Omakase box has been featured in Toronto Star and their treats are in such high demand that people are placed on a waiting list. The good news is that if you follow @omakase_ninja on Twitter and LIKE their Facebook page they will from time to time, give out secret codes so that their loyal followers can skip the the waiting list =D

I'm giving away ONE September Omakase box to the lucky winner of my contest. Watch the video to find out exactly what yummy treats are inside ^_^

HOW TO ENTER

1) You must be following both me (@foodieyu) and Omakase box (@omakase_ninja) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown: 

"I want to win a FREE Omakase box from @omakase_ninja http://bit.ly/nGNAEO #OBOX10" 

(You can only tweet this once)

THIS EARNS YOU ONE ENTRY BALLOT

3) To increase your chances of winning, include the hashtag "OBOX10" in any of your snacks or treats-related tweets (i.e. "I love snacking on chips #OBOX10" or "Craving ice cream right now #OBOX10"). You can also retweet other people's tweets that are snacks or treats-related (make sure the "OBOX10" hashtag is included). Each tweet / retweet earns you ONE extra ballot and you can tweet / retweet as many times as you wish. Again, you MUST have completed steps 1) & 2) for any of your tweets or retweets to count.


***CANADA ONLY***

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Wednesday, September 21st and ends on Wednesday, September 28th at 12PM.

I will announce the lucky winner on Monday, October 3rd.

GOOD LUCK! ^_^

Please remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up to date with all my contests!

The Bellevue

My friend Cindy and I went to The Bellevue one Sunday for brunch. The Bellevue is located in Kensington Market at the corner of Bellevue and Nassau. During the week, we were brainstorming different brunch places; we wanted to go somewhere that 1) we both haven't been to, 2) was known for good brunches and 3) a place that did not have massive lineups. 


I remember when Cindy suggested The Bellevue to me she asked me if I was okay with it as it is not your typical brunch place. I didn't understand what she meant so she sent me a menu that she found online. After taking a look I was very intrigued because some stuff on their brunch menu was very...different. I told Cindy I was up for trying this place out.


When we arrived at The Bellevue the tables outside were already full. We reluctantly sat inside at a long table that faces out (we were sitting where the girl with the short blonde hair was in the picture above). Behind me was the bar and the specials were listed out on the small chalkboard. There was more seating in the room beside ours but in general The Bellevue is still very small but cute place.

After we ordered, we noticed an empty table outside so we quickly went for it =)

The Unusual - 2 eggs sunny side up, sanagan's summer sausage, kimchi, daily cheese, oven roasted beets, fruit. Woodlot multigrain ($12). This is what Cindy said about it: 

"It was certainly Unusual, kinda reminded of  me what I do when I'm at home by myself, just open up the fridge and eat whatever is in there lol.  I liked it though and would get it again.  It's a strange combination of food but it all went together oddly well.  I really liked the kimchi…dunno why, but kimchi makes everything tastier.  All of the things on the plate was of decent quality, no complaints.  It was fun and weird, I liked it." 

She also said that the sausages were on the leaner side.