Black Forest Pastry Shop

Location:
184 Lakeshore Road East
Oakville, ON L6J

I'm happy to announce that I have found possibly the best apple pie, ever.

It exists at Black Forest Pastry Shop in Oakville and is only $12.99!







After popping it into the oven for a few minutes, it came out flaky yet melted in the mouth. The apples were cooked yet crispy with just the right amount of cinnamon.


The other things on hand at the bakery: Red Velvet Cupcakes amongst other tasty treats.

Local Feature: Harlem Underground

Location:

745 Queen St W, Toronto

www.harlemrestaurant.com/underground

With a wall-mural/graffitied glass hallway and red interior walls, Harlem looks like how you'd expect a restaurant in Harlem to look: cultured-chic, friendly and somewhere you'd want to spend a few good hours with friends and wholesome Southern cooking.










Cajun Tempura Fried Okra
$4.95

Of all the fascinating side dishes on the menu ( fried plantains, candied yams, bacon mac n' cheese, collard greens,) we had to try the deep fried okra.  Arriving piping hot, and with plenty enough to go around, it did not disappoint.  Granted, okra is not for everyone...the slimy texture and odd taste is certainly something to acquire.  I, for one, love okra and have had it in many forms, so this was just another lovely treat for me.


Harlem Benny Poached eggs, chili-garlic greens, atop a sausage and grits flap jack along with cheesy hollandaise
$10.95

R who had this dish, was worried that the portion size and the density of a grit flap jack would be too heavy since she'd already eaten breakfast, but the flap jack was light and the eggs perfectly poached.



Mile High Jawny Toast Three egg-dipped thick slices of egg loaf drizzled with maple syrup, crushed pecans and fresh fruit
$10.95

OMG you guys.  Undoubtedly the best FT I've had to date!  THICK, yet fluffy slices of bread and an absolutely mouth-watering, nutty, berry sauce on top.  While splitting this dish with A who ordered the fried chicken and waffles, I ended up with a smorgasbord of salty (fried chicken) and sweet (waffles and french toast) goodness on my plate (usually how I like to eat things - all on one plate) which was wiped clean with the last bite of toast. 


Southern Fried Chicken & Waffle With a Chipolte-corriander-lime maple syrup
$11.95

Speaking of the Fried Chicken and waffles, does four pieces of chicken sound enough to you?! Thank goodness we were sharing!  What portions are these, my friends?  Amazing!  The chipotle-corriander-lime maple syrup was an excellent accompaniment to the waffles (which unfortunately lacked that fresh-out-of-the-waffle-iron heat).



Yam & Yukon Potato Hash Topped with a sunny side up egg cooked with spicy sausage, served with biscuits and greens
$9.95

We all agreed, the potato hash was incredible!  Especially with the spicy sausage.



Veggie Omelette Sweet peppers, onions, mushroom and spinach
$8.95

N who got this dish said even with the cheese it was a tad bland for her taste.

And none of us cared much for the sweet potato biscuits accompanying the omelettes.  They weren't warm or soft enough and had the texture of a scone; fairly dry.  I think with everything else going on in the dish, the side biscuit came cross as rather plain in comparison.  Regardless, I wish it had been better 'cause there's nothing like a hot biscuit!

Still, with any personal requests (ie. cheese in the omlette, collard greens instead of spinach) there were no hesitations to comply, in fact suggestions were made to accommodate dietary concerns, if possible.  Our server, Jen, imparted just the right measure of attentiveness without being intrusive.

Oh, and a shout-out the to the low-ceilinged washrooms, which we figured is the "underground" part of Harlem Underground. We all emerged from it as if we were the (recently rescued) miners. (Yay, miners!) :)

But in all seriousness, HU is such a wonderfully warm and friendly place, I would not hesitate to return. And with a group of seven, the verdict was unanimous: come hungry, and leave content!

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.

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.

Stoney's

Location:

323 Kerr Street, Oakville

Cost: Sunday Brunch approx $9 per entree

After all the hoopla and hype over Stoney's; we finally made it for brunch on Sunday and I have to tell you...I am a little bit disappointed.

Okay, so you stand in line, make your order, get a number, pick up your own drinks, seat yourself and your food is brought to you. I get it guys, I get it. But I have to ask why.



Why must you make your own tea/coffee and gingerly navigate your way to a table through the throngs of seated patrons? Perhaps even spilling some hot tea on the way to the outdoor patio? I feel that if I have to make my own tea standing at the milk/sugar counter in a restaurant on a Sunday morning, I might as well have stayed at home and done the same. Likewise, having to clear dirty utensils from the table shouldn't be on my morning list of things to do...at a restaurant. And if you're already getting the food brought to your table; why don't they just take orders at the table?

Also, running out of soy milk/lactose free-milk is not really acceptable when you're only open from 9am to 3pm on Sunday.

Our meals took a very long time to arrive (and we came after the breakfast crowd) that by the time they did arrive our hot drinks were cold and there were no offers made for refills. And while the service is friendly, we still had to call out for clean utensils to our server as she walked away after plunking our plates down (without even a glance) and also requested salt and pepper which was forgotten until we asked a second time. We also had to return to the front counter to remind them about the forgotten banana bread we'd ordered (more on the taste of the banana bread later).

So, before you get your underpants in a knot, let me just say that I don't consider myself a brunch snob although I am somewhat of a French toast connoisseur having cooked variations of it myself since I was, maybe twelve, and with it usually being my sole order at breakfast/brunch places all over, I can confidently say this:

The French Toast at Stoney's is just...okay.

On the positive (or maybe for some, negative) side, it is massive. The presentation is nice and the price is good for that much French toast. The plate was literally stacked with three huge slabs of bread. I say bread because it was literally too thick for the eggy-ness to fully penetrate the bready centre.



I dislike cutting into French toast only to find dry bread staring back at me. Admittedly the coating of brown sugar and cinnamon was tasty, but it wasn't enough coating and the too few fruits (although I did like the surprise of star fruit) on top of the mountainous "slabic" toast and teeny cup of maple syrup on the side was simply unjustly proportioned to the bread. However, I will happily admit that the side of bacon I got was perfection, although it's hard to screw up strips of fried pork.



The frittata was good...I'm hugely into artichokes so that part was great. Ordering egg whites didn't make it any less greasy...(this coming from someone who ordered bacon on the side, I know) and the mixed greens salad might have been better with the dressing on the side, but I suppose we should have ordered it that way.



Lastly, having to brush away the wasps and flies at our table (even before the food came, likely because the table hadn't been cleaned before we sat down) we had to eat quickly when our food finally did arrive. Argh, certainly not very relaxing the way a Sunday brunch should be.

And that home-made banana bread ($2.50) I told you about earlier? Don't do it. Absolutely no banana taste and oily to the core. No nuts even! Possibly the worst banana bread ever (best banana bread is still the one from the road-side stall in Maui).



There you have it guys...Foodhogger's Stoney's experience.

Undoubtedly some people's favourite joint to brunch, but overall, I'm not a fan of the system they have there...too much work involved for a lazy Sunday morning. Perhaps I'd go again for a sandwich or pizza at lunch where their cafeteria system would work. It's a good thing it's in the 'burbs...a place like Stoney's wouldn't survive in the city on that sort of system. Fusaro's in Toronto also has a cafeteria style system, but it's during the week and for lunch...they know better for brunch on the weekend...it's full table service; just how people want to eat on a Sunday, otherwise what's different than cooking up some french toast at home?

Zimbel's Cafe

Location:

410 Adelaide Street West

In place of Mosaic, there now is Zimbel's Cafe! It must be hard for them to get everyone's attention being hidden away in such a quiet street as Adelaide especially with Timmy's on the other corner and Le Gourmand and Starbucks dominating the Richmond/Spadina area. However, I think business will pick up 'cause they're really good!

They've done a great job with the interior design - love the Eames furniture - and photography on the walls. They also are a catering company and cater all sorts of events from Weddings to Corporate Lunches to Film Sets and have been in the business since 1981.





(Above photo courtesy of Andrew Zimbel)

The teas are from Language of the Leaf and yummy (pricer than Le Gourmand though but it's loose-leaf and Le G is known to mix up my Earl Grey with Earl Grey Green tea and not have the water hot enough sometimes).



The food is tasty at Zimbel's, as well. From the muffins, croissants and the banana bread (with sunflower and cranberries = excellent!) to their lunch menu (I had the salad with grilled chicken once), it's all very fresh and good.

And the service, although still novice, is getting there.



Great place to try out instead of your usual coffee/tea train destination!

***My friend who recently tasted the "knee buckling" brownie had this to say about it:

"To classify its deliciousness and sugar power, I'd say it was a spectacular punch to the back of the head, kapow!" - Mack Carruthers

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! ;)

New Timmy's!

Blue Mountain Bistro has shut-down and a shiny new Timmy's HAS OPENED TODAY in its place!

It's got a great corner; north-east of Spadina/Adelaide.

BRB, gotta go get me some timbits.

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 :)