KAKA All You Can Eat Japanese

I don't go for Japanese all-you-can-eat ("AYCE") often but that doesn't mean I don't like it. I have to be in a particular mood though (a ravenous one, obviously) and I need to crave it - I have to be in a I-want-everything-in-my-belly-now! state of mind and want nothing else but to stuff my face with large amounts of uncooked raw fish. Don't judge, OK? Because there's a time and place for everything, food included. Sometimes I long for fancy omakase, and at other times a standard sashimi and maki "love boat" will do. When I'm in no mood to deal with people I'd get a take-out party tray and call it a night. It all just depends.

 When it comes to Japanese AYCE though I feel like I have a love-hate relationship with it simply because I'm ridiculously happy once my craving is satisfied; I feel like I can conquer the world with all that yummy goodness inside me ("conquer the world" usually means "get a really good night's sleep"). But shortly after, more like the moment I walk out of the restaurant, I would hate myself for wasting my precious calories on sub-par, run-of-the-mill quality AYCE food. Life is hard, guys.

But that's all about to change. I no longer have to feel like crap from mediocre AYCE food with KAKA All You Can Eat (Instagram: @kakaallyoucaneat, Facebook: KAKA All You Can Eat) in Markham. I know KAKA doesn't have the most appealing name but heck, if you're looking for a "premium" Japanese AYCE experience then this is the place to be.

Opened for only three months, KAKA located in First Markham Place has already made a name for itself in offering the best AYCE Japanese around. KAKA is packed on most nights so make a reservation to avoid disappointment (by the way, they also offer an a la carte menu during weekday lunch).

KAKA has one of the most upscale and modern decor I've ever seen at an AYCE Japanese restaurant. The sushi bar at the back is particularly impressive and it's definitely a focal point in the 84-seat restaurant.

The Winners of the Pure Spirits Oyster House Gift Card Giveaway are ...

@IamSamCheng

@JackieeMan

@sleepydex

@jdawg099

Congratulations! You've all just won a $90 gift card to Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill, one of the best places for seafood in in Toronto! Please email me your first and last name along with your mailing address to foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com. Remember to check-in and share you experience with Zomato :)

I also want to say a big THANK YOU to Zomato for sponsoring this contest and the 102 contestants who participated! 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #fjczomato hashtag from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "The world is my oyster! @ZomatoCA @foodieyu I want to win a $90 gift card to @spiritspure oyster house! http://bit.ly/1JXdkcP #fjczomato". Each person could tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for, I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) and Zomato (@ZomatoCA) on Twitter. Below are the 211 valid entries:

.I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick four winners for me:

Stella Artois' Sensorium

When I introduce myself to someone I'm mentally prepared for three possible scenarios:

Me: "Hi, my name is Stella. Nice to meet you!"

---

Scenario #1: "Hi, my name is XYZ. Nice to meet you too!"

Scenario #2: "STELLAAAAAAAA!!! You know, like from SEINFELD? I bet you get that a lot."

Scenario #3: "Ah, Stella! Like the BEER!"

True story. And mind you if I'm feeling particularly confrontational I may respond to Scenario #2 like this:

"You know, Elaine in Seinfeld was actually doing an impersonation of Stanley, played by Marlon Brando, in the play "A Streetcar Named Desire". So technically speaking the "Stellaaaa" thing did not originate from Seinfeld" 

Oh, but I digress.

Given what my name is and Scenario #3 happening more than you know, how can I possibly turn down an invitation to the exclusive global premiere of Stella Artois’ Sensorium? It's essentially my beer after all!

For a limited time from September 10-27, Stella Artois’ Sensorium (#Sensorium) will be taking place within the "Sensorial Dome", a temporary three-story projection dome erected specifically for this special event located at 525 King St. W, 

For $125 pp, this sold-out event consists of a five-course dining experience paired with Stella Artois and is led by Michelin-star Chef Richie Farina, former Executive Chef at Moto in Chicago, along with a team of sensorial experts who will amplify each course based on the five senses.

Guests were offered a glass of Stella Artois (Twitter: @StellaArtois, Facebook: Stella Artois) to start things off.

Win a $90 Gift Card to Pure Spirits Oyster House with Zomato - CLOSED

To celebrate the start of this year's oyster season I'm giving away FOUR $90 GIFT CARDS to Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill courtesy of Zomato, my favourite app in finding the yummiest foods in the city! Used by millions of people every day in over 10,000 cities across 22 countries, Zomato's mission is to ensure that nobody has a bad meal. Personally, I love using Zomato because the app has all the information you'd ever need to make an informed choice about a restaurant. With curated collections, nearby searches and full menus available for every restaurant, Zomato makes your eating choices that much simpler!

When it comes to oysters, you either love 'em or hate 'em. For me, I absolutely LOVE them. Whether they are raw, baked or fried, the bivalves are so satisfying (especially the freshly shucked ones with their sweet, briny liquor!) Oysters are in season right now as they are best consumed in the colder months from September to April (because they reproduce in the summer) but are generally available all year round as well. Below are some of my favourite ways to eat oysters (clockwise from top left): Raw, fried and stuffed into a po'boy, charbroiled and baked. Simply mouth-watering.

If you love oysters as much as I do then you must enter my contest! Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill (Twitter: @spiritspure, Facebook: Pure Spirits Oyster House) in the Distillery District is continually recognized as one of the best places for seafood in Toronto, Pure Spirits serves up some amazing food, particularly the fresh oysters flown in daily from around the continent and abroad. Think beautifully balanced Malpeques, melon-accented Kumamotos and meaty Fanny Bays. Yum! And if you're not a fan of oysters there are numerous other seafood options at the restaurant, including fresh fish, mussels and lobsters, as well as pastas and steaks. 

HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) and Zomato (@ZomatoCA) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

The world is my oyster! @ZomatoCA @foodieyu I want to win a $90 gift card to @spiritspure oyster house! http://bit.ly/1JXdkcP #fjczomato

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #fjczomato hashtag. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream it means there is no entry from you. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up

4. Gift cards are not valid for alcohol.  The gift certificates expire on December 15th, 2015. 

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Thursday, September 10 and ends on Thursday, September 17 at 12PM. Four lucky winners will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winners on Friday, September 18.

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

The Winners of the Fran's "Since 1940" Cookbook / Graphic Novel Giveaway are ...

@taylor40906
@verycutekitties

Congratulations @taylor40906 and @verycutekitties! You have each just won a copy of Since 1940: Recipes and Stories from Fran’s Restaurant, an 82-page, full-colour, cookbook / graphic novel from Fran’s Restaurant! Please email me your first and last name along with your mailing address to foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com.

I also want to say a big THANK YOU to the 27 contestants who participated in the contest. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #fjcfrans hashtag from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to win a copy of Since 1940 the cookbook/graphic novel from @fransrestaurant! http://bit.ly/1U1ATeH #frans75 #fjcfrans". Each person could tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below are the 65 valid entries:

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick two winners for me:

Fran's "Since 1940" Cookbook / Graphic Novel Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away TWO copies of Since 1940: Recipes and Stories from Fran’s Restaurant, an 82-page, full-colour, cookbook / graphic novel from Fran’s Restaurant!

Since 1940 takes readers on a journey through Fran’s (Twitter: @fransrestaurant, Facebook: Fran's Restaurant) 75-year history, from its roots as a family diner to its debut at Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition ("CNE") this year. Cartoons illustrate colourful moments in Fran’s not-so-distant past (including the creation of the Caesar Milkshake which, sadly, did not make it to the menu). Home cooks will enjoy preparing classic, updated and contemporary food and drink recipes including Pomilot Sauce, a popular 1980s condiment that topped pancakes and waffles.

Since 1940: Recipes and Stories from Fran’s Restaurant is priced at $20 and is available from August 21, 2015, at Fran’s CNE booth in the famed Food Building and all Fran’s locations. The cookbook / graphic novel will be available in bookstores, online booksellers and direct from the publisher at www.friesenpress.com/bookstore in October 2015.

HOW TO ENTER

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

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I want to win a copy of Since 1940 the cookbook/graphic novel from @fransrestaurant! http://bit.ly/1U1ATeH #frans75 #fjcfrans

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #fjcfrans hashtag. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream it means there is no entry from you. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Monday, August 24 and ends on Monday, August 31 at 12PM. 

Two lucky winners will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner shortly after.

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

The Winner of the Little Caesars Prize Pack Giveaway is...

@magscheung

Congratulations @magscheung! You have just won a a Little Caesars prize pack which includes a Little Caesars gift card to try The Bacon Wrapped Crust DEEP!DEEP!™ Dish Pizza as well some sizzling bacon-themed lifestyle items for a total value of $100! Please email me your first and last name along with your mailing address to foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com.

I also want to say a big THANK YOU to the 76 contestants who participated in the contest. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #FJCSTS hashtag from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "#SavourTheSizzle before it's too late! Send me a $100 @LittleCaesars prize pack @foodieyu! http://bit.ly/1Jd49nh #FJCSTS". Each person could tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below are the 134 valid entries:

.I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick a winner for me:

The Winners of the 2015 Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival Giveaway are...

@EldoLai

@KevboM26

Congratulations @EldoLai and @KevboM26! Both of you have just won a pair of tickets to the first annual Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival taking place from Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20 at the Evergreen Brick Works! Please email me your first and last name along with your mailing address to foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com.

I also want to say a big THANK YOU to the 79 contestants who participated in the contest. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #FJCTFW hashtag from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to WIN a pair of tickets to @TOfoodandwine! http://bit.ly/1HHRjwd #FJCTFW #TFW15". Each person could tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below are the 147 valid entries:

.I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick two winners for me:

Little Caesars Prize Pack Giveaway - CLOSED

Is this sweltering heat getting to you? With only a few weeks left of summer to enjoy I sure hope you're not complaining!

By default, as Canadians we love the summer almost as much as we love bacon, and that's why Little Caesars has extended their exclusive The Bacon Wrapped Crust DEEP!DEEP!™ Dish Pizza - a large 8-corner DEEP!DEEP!™ Dish pepperoni and bacon pizza with a crispy crust wrapped in three and a half feet of bacon - until September.

Little Caesars is encouraging every one of us to #SavourTheSizzle before it's too late, whether that means indulging in a Little Caesars The Bacon Wrapped Crust DEEP!DEEP!™ Dish Pizza, soaking up some rays on the beach, going camping with the family, or all of the above.

To help you #SavourTheSizzle I'm giving away a Little Caesars prize pack. The prize pack includes a Little Caesars gift card to try The Bacon Wrapped Crust DEEP!DEEP!™ Dish Pizza, as well some sizzling bacon-themed lifestyle items for a total value of $100!

HOW TO ENTER

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

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

#SavourTheSizzle before it's too late! Send me a $100 @LittleCaesars prize pack @foodieyu! http://bit.ly/1Jd49nh #FJCSTS

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #FJCSTS hashtag. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream it means there is no entry from you. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up
4. Contest is valid in Canada only.

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Monday, August 17 and ends on Friday, August 21 at 12PM. 

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner shortly after.

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

2015 Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away TWO PAIRS of tickets to the first annual Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival taking place from Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20 at the Evergreen Brick Works. Each pair of tickets is valued at $72!

Over the course of three delectable days, the 2015 Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival (formerly Delicious Food Show) will showcase the expertise, creativity, and excellence of the world’s most renowned culinary, wine, and spirit virtuosos. Attendees will delight in programming that features fan-favorite, local and international celebrity chefs, highlights exceptional culinary destinations, exposes epicurean delicacies, cooking classes, tutored tastings, and special events that brings the world of wine and spirits to local palates.

Perhaps one of the most anticipated features of the festival includes appearances by fan-favourite local and international celebrity chefs, such as food expert Gail Simmons (Top Chef), Australian TV star Curtis Stone (All-Star Academy), culinary heavy-weight Tyler Florence (Great Food Truck Race), famed restaurateur Daniel Boulud (Daniel, Café Boulud), Canadian darling Chuck Hughes (Chuck’s Day Off), multi-talented Roger Mooking (Chopped Canada), Top Chef Canada judge Chef Mark McEwan, award-winning wine personality Mark Oldman, Chopped Canada judge Antonio Park, and libations expert Anthony Giglio (Wine Wise Guy).

Here's FIVE more reasons to visit the 2015 Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival!

1. Curtis Stone, Tyler Florence, Gail Simmons, Chuck Hughes, Roger Mooking, Mark McEwan, Antonio Park and many more will be taking to the stages for demos, talks and workshops throughout the three-day event
.


2. You’ll be able to sample, sip and savour all the flavours from 130 purveyors of premium products, fine foods and beverages from Ontario, Canada and around the world in the open-air Grand Tasting Pavilion – presented by PC Black Label.

3. For the first time ever, Cochon 555 is bringing its flavour-packed marquee events series to Canada allowing guests to sink their teeth into over 1400 pounds of expertly prepared pork dishes by the hottest chefs including Chuck Hughes, Matty Matheson and more.

4. Expert-level educational workshops welcome legendary masters like Kevin Kent (Knifewear), Tetsuya "Ted" Iizuka (Soba Canada), and Antonio Park (Park Restaurant) to share their knowledge regarding time-held traditions like knife skills and soba noodle making.

5. Canada’s Best New Student Chef will be crowned after an exciting and unique cooking competition called Taste Canada Cooks the Books. Some of the brightest up-and-coming culinary talents from schools across Canada will gather in front of a live audience in the Miele Kitchen to make a dish from a well-known Canadian cookbook, with the author on stage.

Enter my contest now for your chance to win a pair of general admission tickets to the first ever Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival (Twitter: @TOfoodandwine, Facebook: Toronto FOOD & WINE) valued at $72. The tickets will give you and your guest access to the Grand Tasting Pavilion and some celeb chef events!

HOW TO ENTER

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

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I want to WIN a pair of tickets to @TOfoodandwine! http://bit.ly/1HHRjwd #FJCTFW #TFW15

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #FJCTFW hashtag. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream it means there is no entry from you. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Thursday, August 13 and ends on Thursday, August 20 at 12PM. 

Two lucky winners will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner shortly after.

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^