NEW: Jimmy’s Coffee

Went to Jimmy's Coffee and got some Earl Grey (Mighty Leaf brand) and a banana caramel cake/bread - which was tasty but greasy.

Banana caramel cake

My tea has a funny aftertaste, which I can't pin-point, tastes like the cup?
Still, I like this place - it's cosy and they have a lovely sunny patio out back. Reminds me a bit of Moon Bean in Kensington although it's a lot newer and also trendier.
Love the photographs of all the Jimmy's on the walls.

And considering our old fave Le G is now shut down due to rent evasion, we'll be back!

Over Easy & The Coffee Mill

Locations:

Over Easy 208 Bloor Street West, Toronto

www.overeasyrestaurants.com

Coffee Mill 99 Yorkville Ave, Toronto

www.coffeemillrestaurant.com

Our girlie gatherings usually revolve around food;  specifically, brunch!  What better way to start the day.

This time, our choice brunch location was Over Easy since the plan was to check out the latest addition to the ROM (mainly, The Lee-Chin Crystal addition) after brunch.

I think it's quite safe to say that brunch is easily unscrew-up-able.    Am I right?

And while nothing was screwed per se, there was certainly nothing memorable about eating there (except for the company).

I do have one gripe, however.

My tea was lukewarm.

I truly dislike a lukewarm tea which brings to mind A Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams where he describesa perfect proper cup of tea.

I've noticed lukewarm tea all over the city - ya know, that "hot" water from that hot water machine just doesn't cut it.

Anyway, here's some of what was eaten.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="512" caption="Eggs and chicken sausage $6.99"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="604" caption="Spanish Omelette $9.99"][/caption]

I must say, the pots that the hot drinks came in were  loads of fun!

After a blustery walk from the ROM, all we wanted was a warm hideout and a hot drink to warm up our hands.

Starbucks was full, and the next best idea was the Lettieri but before we made it there, we found The Coffee Mill!

Interior of The Coffee Mill

Nestled within the shops at 99 Yorkville is the quaint old (est. 1963!) hideaway for just these types of gatherings.   The pastry selection got us all salivating, so a chocolate cake and an apple (or was it rhubarb ?) strudel, it was.

Chocolate Cake

Strudel

Interior

As far as copy coffee shops go, this one has the cosy part down pat.

Oatmeal!

If you're looking for some good ol' fashioned hot oatmeal in the city on these cold mornings, Le Gourmand's Irish Oatmeal with berries and maple syrup, is $4.50 +tax and is big enough to share between two.

Today's came with strawberries and bananas (instead of blueberries) and raisins.

Spice Safar

Location:

270 Adelaide St W, Toronto

www.spicesafar.com

In the heart of downtown Toronto you'd be hard pressed to find a sexy lounge with a decent menu to offer. And let's be honest, a menu is one thing, an actual edible tasty meal is another. Fear not, I've found the place that has it all. It's called Spice Safar. It's a lounge, restaurant, cafe, bakery and high-end boutique. And it not only promises a luxurious experience, it delivers.



Nevermind that it was by invitation that we "journeyed" to the new Spice Safar location at Adelaide and John. We were ready to shell out for the night out, but thanks to executive chef Matthew Sullivan and the friendly crew running the place that evening, we were treated to a couple of couture mixology drinks and a full out taste of everything on their menu!

At $15.95 for a fancy mixology drink, you may think that the price tag is quite hefty but the unique concoction with modified molecular ingredients is surely a million light years away from your standard cosmo or lychee martini.

So it was incredibly hard to choose from the drinks menu with all the ingredients being so different and intriguing. We finally decided upon the Lavender Sour (vodka, lavender tea, cane juice, ginger, egg white) and the Blue Hemingway (rum, fresh cane sour, mint, hose bitters & flaming absinthe).

Their absinthe is made in-house and just watching our drinks being made was enough entertainment for the night (not to mention the fire show we got later on!)



The Lavender Sour and Blue Hemingway was served on a wooden trays along with a glass of sparkling water and grapefruit mousse to cleanse the palate. The mousse was so light and airy; I'd be happy just having my palate cleansed. Forever.



Miguel Aranda, Spice Safar's mixologist who fares from the Big Apple was away that evening but his apprentice Florian expertly concocted our drinks; making my Lavender Sour sans the egg white (something they're still working on perfecting and I have to admit I was a little bit relieved). The Lavender Sour was lovely - bringing to mind all things Hawaiian; distinctly tropical and refreshing.

The Blue Hemingway was crisp. My sharp yet, I suppose, inferior mixology-taste buds detected it to be a cross between mojito and absinthe. It was a lot easier to drink and more enjoyable than the Absinthe House Frappe we had at the Old Absinthe House in New Orleans.

Next were the dishes, mainly tapas style fare, starting with the special of the day, the executive chef's version of bruschetta: polenta topped with cheese and garnished with pea sprouts and grated endive and sprinkled with a Spanish olive oil (imported weekly).



Next was the Chicken Satay, marinated in Malaysian chili lemongrass sauce and grilled. Finished with a soy chili coconut glaze. $8.95



So you're thinking, how hard is it to mess up chicken skewers, right? Well, to compare let me remind you of the half-cooked meat sticks at Elephant & Castle. At Spice Safar? Great presentation and tasty to boot!

Mini Burgers - 3 Dry aged ground top sirloin patties, served on in house made poppy seed buns, with a cherry tomato relish, smoked gouda cheese and a fresh thyme and truffle aioli. $11.95



I could have eaten just the buns alone; they were so good! Add in the Kobe beef and the relish...these mini sliders were little bundles of joy (I say little out of context for the portions were quite generous).

Next up: the dumplings, chicken with fresh ginger $8.95 - pan seared and finished with yuzu juice and soy sauce. Filled with market vegetables, sweet and Yukon gold potatoes and sesame seeds.



Just looking at the photograph now, I'm reminded of the succulency and texture of this dish. Loved it...wanted want more!

Tagine - braised lamb shank, market vegetables, sultana raisins, Safar-inspired Moroccan spices. Served with peach chutney and grilled flatbread $9.95



I am admittedly not a lamb eater, however after the first bite (and then subsequent irresistable bites) ascertain they did something right; not only was the meat tender, the gravy was savory. You lamb-fans will love this dish; it's undoubtedly fresh - this I know because it reminded me (I know, I'm constanty reminiscing of past meals) of the organic lamb I ate growing up in Africa.

At this point we were already stuffed, and then to finish off Matt & Jaclyn brought out a lovely cheese platter!

Cheese charcuterie plate (for 2) - local artisanal cheese, served with a roasted almond and pistachio paste, seasonal fresh fruit, dried figs, in house made sour dough bread and marinated vegetables $19.95



If memory serves me well, there was a blue cheese from Guelph, and pasturized cows milk from North Bay and BC topped with pears, blueberries, kiwis and figs. So, you know how blue cheese stinks? This blue cheese was something else - no offending smell and such a mild taste (I even forgot my lactose-intolerancy for a while).

The pistachio paste and olive tapanade were both amazing! There were three degrees of Spanish olive oils, beginning with mild to a more peppery blend. Soooo good. And that bread! MMM.

Later we were impressed by Flo's amazing fireshow and absinthe shots. Smooth...both the show and the shot.



We'd like to thank (l-r) executive chef Matt, Jaclyn, Florian and Riyad for showing us a great time and letting us take photographs to remember the experience!



Here's a little excerpt on Matt Sullivan from their Facebook page:

The executive chef responsible to introduce the SpiceSafar food experience to Toronto has recently returned from a culinary journey on the Old Continent. Matthew not only worked at high-end gastro-pubs in Glasgow, Scotland, but he had the privilege to work with the most influential chef in UK’s history, Heston Blumenthal in his 3-star Michelin landmark restaurant. The Fat Duck has been voted by most critics as one of the two best restaurants in the world and is on the leading edge of molecular gastronomy. This extraordinary experience alone has fully prepared Matthew for the task of leading the team introducing the SAFAR couture comfort food to our Toronto audience. His creative flair, first rated skills in food sciences and his great wine knowledge all make him the perfect guide to take us all on truly flavorful epicurean discoveries.



Spice Safar is an innovative, elegant and aesthetically pleasing space with a concept unique to Toronto's restaurant scene. Can't wait to go back!

Rude Service @ Whole Foods (Whole Hearth), Yorkville

Location:

87 Avenue Road, Toronto

Cost: Hot chocolate $2.99 (mint shot $.50), cooked sushi combo 6.49, avocado roll $5.99

To clarify; this review is not about the Whole Foods Market in Yorkville....which I actually like very much and can't complain about. Instead, this post is in regards to the absolutely disgraceful service we received at the Whole Foods cafe, Whole Hearth (located on the street level of Avenue Rd.) one afternoon after a day at the spa.

It's very surprising that such a location as this in Yorkville (or anywhere, for that matter) would have staff like this employed.

Imagine this, if you will. Three perfectly relaxed women, sauntering into the cafe for a mid-day snack after a leisurely few hours at the Nova Spa across the street. Each picking a sushi snack tray from the freezer section and standing at the cashier ready to pay.

At once we notice how our server is incredibly short with us...ringing in my friend's sushi while impatiently gesturing for mine as well. I tell him we want to order a hot chocolate which he doesn't even acknowledge, still waving for my sushi tray. I try to tell him that my sister and I will be sharing our hot chocolate (my friend had also ordered a hot chocolate) but it goes unacknowledged (although appears on the receipt).

We take our sushi to the table (sans hot chocolate) and begin to eat, all the while looking to see if our hot chocolates are being made. Instead he seems to be occupying himself with other tasks and then begins moving around from one end of the cafe to the other.

At one point, my sister stops him mid-walk and asks about our hot chocolates to which he snaps, "In a minute, I'm not going in that direction..", meaning he was heading away from the coffee counter. Seriously?

Finally..and I mean by this time, my friend has already finished her sushi, he plops down her hot chocolate whereas ours is nowhere to be seen. So again, my sister begins to ask for an extra cup for the hot chocolate (assuming he plans to bring it) to which he rudely retorts, "In a minute, after these customers". So now they are other customers waiting, but weren't we also waiting?

Eventually we receive our drink (and the second cup) but are not happy with it (besides the manner in which it was produced, it didn't taste all that good either).



Later he returns with some 'leftover samples' from the bakery - some pizza which he shoves in front of our faces without explanation so I ask what kind of pizza it is, veggie or meat (my sister is vegetarian). His response? A classy, "chicken!" and then whips it away from me offering it to my friend who helps herself.

Wow.

As we get up to leave, we're barely out of our seats and gathering up our things when he comes over and starts moving the tables apart. I was practically still sitting in the chair. Yikes!!

My sister and I were appalled and even my usually zen-like friend was amazed at his actions.

Forget Whole Hearth, we sure got a WHOLE lotta attitude! What a horrible person to keep employed. Shame on you Whole Hearth.

TRAVEL: Montreal : Les Glaceurs

Location:

453 Rue Saint-Sulpice
Montreal, QC

www.lesglaceurs.ca/

We just happened upon this cute pink cafe on our walk through Old Montreal and boy were we happy we did! Our friends C&K hadn't been to this ice-cream/cupcake place before either, so it was a real treat for all of us.



There were many gorgeous cupcakes; it was so hard to decide!

So, much like the Seinfeldian black and white cookie, we went with the vanilla cupcake and the brownie cupcake.





Iz..how you say...pretty, non?

And damn, that frosting was kickass!

By The Way Cafe Round 2

Location:

400 Blor St West, Toronto


Cost: Approx $20

www.bythewaycafe.com

Recently went to BTWC again for a friend's birthday brunch gathering.

The french toast stuffed with apples and brie sat very well with the birthday girl.



(I ordinarily flock towards french toast, but can't do brie and didn't feel like regular french toast that day - *gasp* I know).

Instead, I ordered the omelette with chorizo, jalapenos and onions (minus the cheddar). I still can't believe it comes with a Montreal bagel, too!



I was really glad for the spicy chorizo and jalepenos in the omelette 'cause otherwise it was lacking a bit of something...some herbs? Thyme? Oregano? The other girls who ordered omelettes said the same of their omelettes..that it was missing a little somethin'.

My friend ordered the burrito...which was quite good although again, needed a little hot sauce in my humble opinion.



My veg friend who couldn't eat eggs that day was at a loss of what to order that didn't have eggs in it...waffles would have been a better choice than the baba ganough that she ordered with pita. As an appetizer shared between..many...it would have been great, but as a meal for one it faired well below average and the eggplant tasted a bit burnt or if you'd rather, overly smoked. A definite disappointment.

Something a little more veg friendly for breakfast instead of salad and other more lunchy-type options would be better. Possibly the waffles are the only thing that qualified in this case.

The OJ, on the other hand, was splendid.

And the cheesecake seemed to be a hit amongst the others.



Looks like the baba ganough isn't deflecting the customers at all; BTWC is a much happening place...with a constant stream of patrons flowing in and out. With their lovely, sunny patio and friendly service, it surely is a nice brunch spot in the Annex.

Lola's Commissary

Location:

634 Church Street, Toronto

Cost: Approx $25 pp

www.lolascommissary.com

I think seeing "sexy potatoes" on their online menu (although I think it's actually "sexy sweet potatoes"  on the menu) is what sold us to eat here. That, and the recommendation from a friend at work whose paintings also hang in the restaurant :)
Our gaggling girlie troupe landed on the (beautiful) Lola patio for brunch this past Sunday and never before have we been able to so freely enjoy a brunch in such a large group (8).  Mil"dread"'s wouldn't seat us, other brunch places don't take brunch reservations but at Lola's Commissary (open 6 weeks, now), it's not a problem. 



We took a while perusing the unique menu and daily specials which were such a mix of dishes that we had to take another few minutes to decide. 



 In the meantime we got some drinks...


The service is friendly and accommodating. The food is fancy brunch fare (a tad pricey but tasty to boot) and gorgeously presented!

As usual I got the (straight up - challah bread dipped in egg custard) french toast due to my loctose-intolerancy and not being able to stomach the cheesecake french toast.  I also got a side of fresh fruit ($6) and a side of sexy potatoes to share around ($6).



The other items ordered were as follows.

Multigrain waffles with a side of berries, dense and filling...



The egg white frittata (goat cheese, mushrooms, spinach and hemp pesto)

 

Eggs Lola: poached eggs, ancho chicken, torillas, avocado, creme fraiche



Lobster and goat cheese omlette



Roasted trout with quinoa and tabouli



 Beef hash brunch feature

 

Therese DeGrace (executive chef) came out to greet us which was super. She's wonderfully warm and took the time to chat with us, which was really pleasant and so uncommon in the city!


The interior of Lola's is sort of industrial chic with brick, wood, high ceilings and tall windows. 



The paintings in the dining hall lend a certain mellow sweetness to the vibe with the upstairs catering to more of a loungey atmosphere with funky retro seats and laminated fantastical art on the walls.



Even the washrooms are spa-like and immaculate, with artwork adorning almost every surface (including a wall outside the restaurant).



The complimentary Nutella Cheesecake dessert was delish and perfect split eight ways.


Lola's is a definite must-try in the Bay/Bloor area - the patio alone will make you want to spend your whole afternoon there. We certainly did! And unlike so many other places in the city, our patronage was welcome! We're already planning our return!

Wanda's Belgian Waffles

Location:

331 Yonge Street, Toronto



I love that this is called a cafe, yet there's barely enough standing room for two! Meant to be more of a street vendor (order through the window) this little 'cafe' serves up the best waffles I've ever had from the street! Forget morning breakfasts and brunches, you can pick up a tasty hot waffle after a horrible dinner at Salad King and be totally content.



Run by a father and son team:



I've read some complaints about the sanitary conditions of the joint (not washing hands after taking money) but when we went and as you can see in the pics, gloves were worn throughout.



Sure it's a bit messy and gooey if you order the ice-cream and strawberries on top, or if you wait a bit too long to eat it (like in our case but still damn tasty!):





I'd say it's a marvellous way to grab a fun treat split between friends!

Dark Horse Espresso Bar

Location:

215 Spadina Ave., Toronto

Cost: $3.50

I have coffee breath.

That said, a coffee junkie, I am not. Rather, I am content hanging out with the Earl. Earl Grey. In fact, I feel as though it must have been me who single handedly finished all the tea bags at Le Gourmand 'cause they were all out last week.

So, when it comes to coffee, I am a novice. I am familar with...let's see.....Nescafe...Maxwell House...Bru. Give me a 'French press' and I know not what is required of me. Until today, that is.



Dark Horse Espresso Bar really IS an espresso bar. Hardly a tea on the menu. There was English Breakfast and a 'mystery' tea (the friendly cashier explained that it was fruity) but right then I didn't care to explore that unknown territory. Instead, I felt drawn to explore even lesser known territory (for me) and chose the featured coffee on the menu, which was Ethiopian, French pressed.



If you're a coffee drinker, this will all sound awfully tiresome to you but the process of waiting 3 min and then plunging the press was all new to me.



We were told that the Ethiopian coffee would be best tried on its own, without milk or cream, at first, to really appreciate it's sweet flavour. I did, and instantly needed large doses of sugar and lactose-free milk. Then it really was sweet.



It was nice to sit back in the lounge upstairs and gaze upon the many locals who had set up camp (with laptops) at the two large communal wooden tables.



Each of them working furiously away with French presses, large mugs and little plates of delectable treats beside them.



It's only been open for a few weeks, but already DHEB has become a welcome, local hang-out for the espresso addicts in the neighbourhood.

I'll be back there soon myself. Afterall, an unsolved mystery awaits.

** Update ** Went there again last Friday, and they had a wider selection of TEAS (INCLUDING Earl Grey!) -  the teas are loose-leaf,  from David's Tea (on Queen) and generally good.  The EG wasn't the best, but it was nice to have it come in a french press.

Frugal Fare #2: Mini Bar

Location:

116 Spadina Ave., Toronto

Cost: $1-6

Mini Bar is #2 in Foodhogger's Frugal Fare in the city!



It may be mini, (literally a hole in the wall on Spadina, south of Camden on the West side) but Rachel & Susan (pictured) are doing a splendid job serving fresh sandwiches ($3), sushi ($5.75), edamame ($1.50), miso soup ($0.95), tea, coffee, juice, bagels, fruits, candy and more from the depths of this tiny shoppe.



The two ladies are wonderfully warm and friendly and speedy!

Their straight-forward menu:





 My tuna sandwich for $3.50; delicious & home-made tasting:



Mini Bar's fantastic, but don't go, 'cause it's a hidden gem in the city and we want it all to ourselves! ;)

Future Bakery & Cafe

Location:

483 Bloor St. W., Toronto

Cost: $10-15

Speaking of cake...

Future Bakery's Kahlua Truffle Cake is to die for....or to share with friends.



Great little cafe in the Annex, to hang out with the people you love until the wee hours of the morning...or until 2am, when they close :)