Chopstick Foods: take-out

Location:

3300 Danforth Avenue
Scarborough, ON
416-691-2104

Take-Out & Delivery
Tues-Sat: 4 PM- 1AM

Cost: under $50 for chicken balls and five mains

If you've ever had Chinese food cravings at midnight and wondered who to call....call Chopstick Foods. Mr. Chopstick himself will deliver your Foods, before he closes. And he's been open since 1955.



Not only will Chopstick Foods cater to you (and your friends') bizarre night-time cravings, but you'll remark at how incredibly fresh the food is! For under $50 you'll have plenty to chew on by way of midnight snacking with lots left over.



It all goes down very well with a lovely glass of home-made sangria. Why, how did you know it was a girls night in?

You'll even consider having Mr. Chopstick over during regular business hours.

Bonjour Brioche

Location:

812 Queen Street East, Toronto

Hours: Tues to Fri: 8 -5
Sat: 8-4
Sun: 8 - 3

Cost: an average dish is about $8 (and it's CASH only)

This is the view you're guaranteed to get when you're lined up outside Bonjour Brioche on a busy Saturday or Sunday morning for breakfast/brunch. Yes. It gets that packed. Somehow that and the curt service doesn't seem to put off patrons who show up every weekend for a bit of breakfast or a quick take-away baguette or tart. I know I haven't been put off. In fact, if you're lucky enough to score a seat in this crowded establishment and shrug off the no-nonsense behaviour of the wait-staff, you'll find yourself eating (and eating well) in one of the best breakfast nooks in the city.



Croque Madame: toasted brioche layered with ham and gruyère and topped with a fried egg



Croissants: chocolate, almond and custard....all were very good and not overly buttery or eggy tasting.



Freshly squeezed orange juice, a nicoise salad, a sandwich of some form (I don't remember which kind my friend ordered) and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (topped with chives, creamy horseradish and caviar).



Cheesy quiche with a mixed greens salad and a toasted and buttered baguette.

Next time I'll have to try the french toast which seemed to be on most people's plates! It's hard not to notice when their meal could practically be mine when seated so close!

So, if you don't mind being tightly packed into the small (and warm) space, Bonjour Brioche is well worth a visit. Speaking of which, It seems the last two times I've been has been in April of '06 and '07....I'd say it's about time for another visit.

The Boiler House is smokin'

Address: 55 Mill Street, Toronto, (Distillery District)
Cost: $30 pp for brunch (live jazz included)

Brunch served from 11am - 3pm on Sunday only
www.boilerhouse.ca

One of our early anniversaries landed on a beautiful Winter's Sunday which we celebrated by brunching at The Boiler House in the Distillery District.

A high vaulted ceiling and bright airy light greeted us as we walked in. We were also greeted by the hosts who helped us out of our coats and hung them on the clothes rack off to the side. The bare bricked walls and raw wooden booths are offset by the bright purple seating at the far end of the room. The interior is minimal playing up on the rugged, steel style of the old warehouse with its iron beams and concrete floors, making them much a part of the decor as the delicate white orchids perched upon the wooden booths.



We were seated at one of these said booths which, although not uncomfortable, wasn't especially cosy. The once airy ambiance now felt drafty and cold. No matter, food should warm us up, right?!


Brunch had been set up in a little alcove not far from where we were seated, so we sauntered over to set our sights on the menu!



Oh and were our sights ever satisfied!

There was an incredible array of breakfasty and lunch items. A wonderful omelette stand (made to order) and then a generous spread of bacon, sausage, prime ribs, ham, home fries, scrambled eggs, eggs benedict, crepes, hot pasta, croissants, bagels, waffles, custard tarts, danishes, muffins, fruit, smoked salmon, tomato & boccocini, shrimp, potato salad, pasta salad and mixed greens salads.....AND....a dessert table with assorted cookies, tarts, mini-cakes and other treats. PLUS coffee or tea.





All while being entertained with a wonderful jazz band just above us.



Incredible, ya? Yes.

The only complaint we did have was that the service wasn't the best (I know, you're thinking "but Atims, didn't you serve yourselves?) Yes, but when we actually NEEDED someone (like, you know, to pay the bill?) it was difficult to get his attention! We even had to go over to the bar/cash to pay! *grumble*

Still, we were thoroughly stuffed by the end of it all and had an enjoyable anniversary! I'd definitely recommend The Boiler House to family or friends (or first dates!) for brunch 'cause not only do you get a tasty meal but you get to walk around in the beautiful Distillery District afterwards...what better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

65 Degrees Steakhouse

84 College Street
Toronto
(416) 588-7377

www.65degrees.com

Cost: $150-200

Toronto's Little Italy has just enough restaurants to properly befuddle those looking for a place to dine. In this case, "those" meaning us. We knew what we were looking for. Somewhere not too crowded, somewhere romantic and somewhere with a solid menu...but after a good amount of trekking back and forth in the rain, our growling stomachs took charge and we settled on 65 Degrees Steakhouse.

I kind of wish we had kept walking...or starved.

Our check list?  Not too crowded. Check. Romantic. Chec---er...what's with the giant big-screen TVS?  Solid menu?  We must have really been hungry.

We were certain we wanted seafood of some form and the lobster gnocchi came highly recommended so that, along with a Halibut dish is what we chose.

The photographs are terrible, I admit, however, I don't feel entirely bad about them being poor representations of the food.



Lobster gnocchi

The lobster gnocchi wasn't unpalatable by any means, however, it wasn't mouthwatering either.



Halibut

I'm a huuuuuge fan of fish. And spice. There's nothing better than spicy, flavourful fish.  This was far from spicy OR flavourful.



Dark and white chocolate cheesecake

I've had better chocolate cheesecake packaged in a cardboard box purchased from Dominion to be honest, so this was definitely nothing memorable.



A lychee martini and a glass of red (I wonder if it was served at 65 degrees?) rounded off a very passable meal. If only we had passed on this place.

****Update***** 65 Degrees has closed down.

Latitude Wine Bar and Grill

Address:

89 Harbord Street
Toronto, ON M5S 1G4
(416) 928-0926

Cost: $100+ for two

Latitude is one of those hidden gems you find every once in a while. This one is tucked away on the South side of Harbord Street, just West of Spadina.



The owner, Eduardo Barillo has created an ambiance perfect for romance...the orange walls and dimly lit interior is warm and inviting and Eduardo himself is most welcoming. It seems to be a family run affair with a young gentleman who looks to be Eduardo's son taking our order, but not after Dad has expressed precisely what is on the menu so that you are thoroughly confused as to what to order.



We finally decide to try the pomegranate chicken and spicy salmon and are pleased with our selections as they arrive (albeit after a long wait) hot and mouth-watering.



The chicken/green pepper/pomegranate dish is incredibly tasty...the pomegranate adding fresh bursts of sweetness to the tender flaky chicken which is tucked into succulent cases of green capsicum.



The spicy salmon is not spicy enough for my palate but is still flavourful, complimented by the light mixed green salad and vinegary dressing drizzled decoratively on the plate.



For dessert we pick the 'home-made' ice cream cake on Eduardo's recommendation. It's perfect for splitting in two and is absolutely divine! Sadly, there's none left to take home!



By this time we're completely stuffed and ready to roll into bed, but not until Eduardo has a cordial chat with us and graciously helps us into our coats. He treats us as if we are his own who will be missed until the next visit.

It's evident that Latitude dishes out Mexican fusion with as much love as one would find back home.

PYO: Apple Picking in Milton

Location:

6063 Fifth Line
Milton, Ontario

An apple a day.....is what I've been having ever since we went apple picking on Sunday at the Willis Family Fruit Farm in Milton.





Jonagolds, Golden Russets, Empires, Courtlands and Mutsus were all ready to be picked...and pick we did.









I think it really does make a difference picking your own fruit - the apples are crispy, juicy and delicious and the Empires are still waiting to be made into an apple crumble!

Inerja? Inraje? Inreja?

Went for Ethiopian food last week for the first time! Woo! That's some interesting flavours I must say. The spongey 'injera' looks a bit like south indian 'appam' and tastes like 'dosa'. How cool. Our first choice was Addis Ababa on Queen, which, to our dismay, was closed that day for renovations. Our second choice took us to Yonge and College on a quest to find The Ethiopian House Restaurant (finally finding it tucked away on Irwin St. just north of Wellesley), but it was worth it. The interior was cosy and the mango and guava juice luscious. Our veggie platter came lined with an injera 'pancake' and topped with seven veggie curries, salad, a small dish of spicy green sauce and a side of injera folded like a napkin. The use of fingers to eat is nothing new to me as indian food often requires the use of the hand as a utensil, but sharing a plate is not something I do everyday. It's not unlike sharing a plate of nachos or a bowl of popcorn though; you have to wait your turn. It was a pleasant experience and we were fully stuffed by the time we got to the injera at the bottom of the dish. I would have liked to have tried their chicken, but they only serve that as a lunch special which means we'll be going to Addis Ababa next time for their signature doro wat.

Mothers like belly-dancing!

'Tis true.
I took my Mum and her two friends to 'The Sultan's Tent & Cafe Moroc' for a special surprise Mother's Day lunch. Having been there about eight years ago, back when they were located at Bay and Yorkville, I remembered having a good time even then. After being marked for demolition (to make room for, what else, a hi-rise) and relocating to Front and Church, 'The Sultan's Tent" now boasts a better chef and an exotically authentic ambiance.
Arriving ten minutes earlier than our reservation time, we were warmly welcomed and seated in a cosy corner of one of the many beautifully decorated tents. John, our tall and handsome waiter dressed all in black, was cheerful and competent, not wasting any time coaxing us to try their pomegranate-fruity cocktails, which we found to be quite tasty albeit too little.
The menu consisted of a prix-fixed Mother's Day three-course meal with much to choose from in each category. John recommended us each ordering a different appetizer and sharing; a great idea which worked out quite well. We ended up with a lot pita, hummus, and pureed eggplant, which was all very good, but not as good as what I ordered, "Maftoul" - hand rolled "Moroccan Cigars" or pastry filled with beef, cashews and raisins. Yummy! (erm, yes, I caved, I am no longer trying to be a vegetarian).
For our entrees, John warned that the "Chicken Marrakesh" would be a very heavy meal. He was right, as two of us found out.

My Mum got the "Couscous Royale" which consisted of chicken, lamb and sausage with Moroccan root veggies and of course, couscous. (I am not a huge fan of couscous).

The "Salmon Shermoula" was pretty much just salmon with basmatic rice, those root veggies again, oh, and would you care for a huge dallop of green sauce?

 

While the entrees weren't amazing, I didn't mind because I looking forward to dessert. John insisted that we wouldn't want to miss their special pomegranate and cranberry ice cream cake. He was right. It was absolutely divine!

The highlight of the meal was, of course, when the lights dimmed and the music swelled, for here came, hips swivelling, arms undulating, the belly-dancer! I quickly discovered that she was too swift for my camera, and missed plenty of exciting opportunities to capture her sword-balancing acts. The low-lighting also posed a problem for my Nikon Coolpix 5200. Surprisingly, I was able to capture some interesting moments.

We were also treated to mint tea, poured by a very skilled tea-pourer.

 

The ladies were gifted with pink roses and our doggie bags too. With full bellies (there would be no more belly-dancing that night, that's for sure) and memories of exotic North Africa, we stepped out into the bright May sunshine, and headed over to Rainbow cinemas to catch "Friends with Money".
The verdict? Belly-dancing is enjoyed by everyone ("Friends with Money", not so much) and the Sultan's Tent is highly recommended!