Nutella what?
My BIL brought us this incredible Godiva Hazelnut Chocolate Spread from Portugal....it's am.az.ing. I'm currently munching on a slice of toast slathered with the stuff (and a bit of mango jam!) and it's sinfully divine.
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! ;)
Location:
591 Markham St. Mirvish Village, Toronto, ON
Cost: $28 incl tip
www.butlerspantry.ca
How fitting a name for a place that serves everything that could possibly exist in a Pantry! (On a side note: A butler's pantry was commonly used for the storing, cleaning and counting of silver by the butler...).
Whatever the name, this cosy nook in the Annex serves brunch until 4pm.
And forget the Butler, who's the chef? His pantry must be huge! There's such diversity to the 2 page menu, that we're too confused to know what to order. There are a lot of indian inspired dishes which made us question who the chef was. Apparently the owner is from Bangladesh and married to an Egyptian lady and they hired a chef who was working in a palace in Egypt! He must have been well versed in international foods 'cause although the brunch side of the menu is simple...Eggs Bene, French Toast, Omlettes, Scrambled Eggs, Scones....it's the other side that amazes us: Bul go gi, Tandoori penne, Biryani, Seafood Quiche, Jambalaya, Khowsway (a Burmese dish) , Shepherd's Pie, Veggie curry pie, Moroccan Veg Tajine! And the list goes on...with loooooads of vegetarian options included! It's incredible...we wanted to order it all!
We especially wanted to try the Zuchini pancake but learned they were out of it but our server also confided that she enjoys it paired with a beer as a greasy pub meal since it's very similar to potato pancakes (latkes). Worked out well then 'cause I don't like latkes.
We finally decide on the chicken bastilla pie and the french toast.
Another thing to note is that the main dishes (except for a select few) are served with a fresh garden salad and Butler's famous dressing (pictured below).
Also, and as you know by now, a must for me is an Earl Grey tea, which arrives in a lovely ceramic teapot. The loose-leaf bagged ORGANA tea is divine...almost candy-like in its sweetness.
It doesn't take long at all for our food to arrive!
The Butler's French Toast at $7.25 (side of bacon - $1.25) is a steal! Such a humongous portion ; it's ideal for sharing. It comes with two thick slices of bread, a generous helping of fresh fruit and dallops of whipped cream. The toast is not at all soggy even though the maple syrup has already been drizzled on top. It's just the perfect consistancy. A must for anyone who, like me, loves french toast.
The Chicken Bastilla Pie is a popular order and we wanted to try their version of the famous Moroccan dish - which is pastry stuffed with chicken, omlette, cinnamon & almonds. For $10.25, it's a hearty meal for one; which we split into two. It was very tasty, albeit on the salty side. Traditionally the cinnamon appears on the top of the pie along with powdered sugar...but in this case it was incorporated into the filling, which was nice but altogether a bit too "cinnamony".
The salad it came with really balanced out the saltiness of the pie and the "Butler's Famous Dressing" was fantastic!
Looking more like a gravy than a dressing, it had a nice sharp taste to it and paired really nicely with the onions in the salad.
The next time you're strolling around the Annex, keep the Butler's Pantry in mind.
Location:
548 King Street West, Toronto
Cost: $8.50 average
www.zoesbakerycafe.ca
A great girls get-together should revolve around (I think) good food and drink....if those two components aren't there, it's almost as if one of your girlfriends is washing her hair.
Our plan was to meet at Zoe's for lunch and despite the TTC strike everyone was able to make it out (mostly thanks to my considerate friend and her fancy new wheels).
Zoe's is on King street near Brant; it's hard to miss the giant black signage on the front and side of the cafe.
During the summer climate bright red umbrellas line the sidewalk in front of the cafe, under which enthusiastic patrons munch on enormous gourmet sandwiches and hearty salads.
Being slightly lower than ground level, the interior of Zoe's is dimly lit although there is enough light streaming in through the many windows to make you feel warm and cosy. For a quick bite during the week there are round tables and high chairs in the front room and for longer, leisurely lunches there is additional seating to the right of the counter. Further down the hallway is a giant conference room (not pictured) for lunch meetings as well.
If you're not one to break out in goosebumps at the slight bite of something cold, you'll enjoy biting into the sandwiches at Zoe's. I, for one, prefer my sandwiches toasted. I like toasty bread slices, melting cheese, warm grilled chicken----you get my drift.
Alas, I failed to reveal this to our server when we placed out order, so what I ended up with was a cold Cajun chicken sandwich.
CAJUN CHICKEN sandwich
house-made mango chutney, pea sprouts, citrus aioli & mixed greens on 10-grain
Don't get me wrong, it was quite tasty. The mango chutney was an especially great addition to the sandwich. If only it were hot. But, why didn't you just ask to get it toasted, you ask? Great question! Thanks for asking. I think my problem wasn't just the bread not being toasted...everything was cold. It would have had to have been microwaved (mmm....microwaved bread....) and that didn't seem much more appealing. At least we had warm chicken quesadillas!
CHICKEN QUESADILLAS
filled with Cajun chicken, julienne bell peppers, red onions & cheddar
This was a hit with all of us. I think mainly because it was served hot and the cheddar had melted into a gooey mass over the chicken, pepper and onions.
AVOCADO sandwich
tomatoes, shaved granny smith apples, pesto aioli & mixed greens on 10-grain
There were no complaints from my friend who ordered this although I wouldn't be likely to order it next time as it's very close to what I made myself for lunch yesterday (but toasted, thank you very much).
CHICKEN WRAP
Cajun chicken, roasted peppers, cheddar, pesto aioli, shaved fresh apple & mixed greens
I preferred this over the cuban chicken sandwich...somehow wraps are easier to eat cold than giant sandwiches. Or maybe that's just me?
GRILLED PORTABELLO MUSHROOM sandwich
julienne roasted peppers, herbed chèvre, tomato pesto & mixed greens on 10-grain
My vegetarian friend seemed to enjoy this immensely....and 'roasted' makes me think it was warmer than my sandwich...
Zoe's has Illy coffees, a variety of teas and fresh juices (Good ol' OJ pictured here...in a bottle....which turned out to be great, actually).
For a Saturday, I expected there to be more of a lunch crowd, however the few patrons who trickled in for a sit down lunch had fully emptied out by 3pm. Our server also proved to be quite absent-minded leaving me to trek back and forth with requests for cutlery, water and finally, after she'd disappeared altogether, the bill.
Location:
170 S. Market St. Suite 110,
San Jose, CA
Cost: ranges from $1.50 +
www.bijanbakery.com
After a much needed breakfast at Il Fornaio, we remembered (from having passed by it the night before), that Bijan Bakery had a magnificent array of desserts and pastries and both agreed we had only enough room to share a small treat.
I don't think I have ever seen so many pastries in my life! We got there when there was hardly a line-up but we took so long to decide what we wanted (read: overwhelmed with choices) that by the time we were ready to order a line had grown.
There were chocolate chip, almond, raisin, and various other cookies, baklava, marzipan, cinnamon buns, twists, strudels, biscotti, cookies with fruit centres, mousse pastries in a variety of flavours, cream puffs, fruits tarts, cheesecakes, eclairs, chocolate covered strawberries, napoleans, tiramisu, black forest...and....so much more!
We decided upon an apple tart (boring, I know, given all the selection! But anything else would have gone to waste since we were short on time and had already over-eaten at breakfast!)
Warmed, the apple tart wasn't bad, but it didn't blow my socks off. I should have tried their specialty Princess Cake (alas, if I had been plugged to trusty ol' Chowhound I would have known to do so!) They also serve soups, salads and sandwiches!
Bijan Bakery and Cafe certainly leaves MUCH to be desired....
Location:
302 South Market St.
San Jose, CA
Cost: less than $30 for two
www.ilfornaio.com
Redemption, baby!
Il Fornaio was easily the best breakfast we had on our trip. After barely eating the day before we were ecstatic over the prospect of breakfast!
The Hotel Montgomery's desk clerk suggested we breakfast at Il Fornaio which was literally down the street, so we decided to give it a try.
We found it situated inside The Saint Claire, a gorgeous 1920s boutique hotel.
The enormity of the restaurant is not fully conveyed through these two measly photographs. With high ceilings, buttery walls and toast-coloured seating (okay, that may just be my stomach talking) Il Fornaio had a superb ambiance for breakfast and all things edible.
FILONE CON RIPIENO PICCANTE $8.95
Filone bread stuffed with eggs, sausage, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes and Tabasco topped with cheese (in my case, cheese on the side). With a glass of Arancia (Orange juice) $3.50
The Babelfish translation for this dish is: "TRADITION WITH FILLING PICCANTE" (anyone?)...whatever, it was delicious and it's something I plan on creating myself one of these days!
UOVA PIACERE $5.95
Two eggs (we chose egg whites only) , any style, grilled potatoes and onions; toasted filone bread.
Yes, "EGGS APPEAL TO" appealed to me very much, thank you Babelfish.
Beautiful china like this was filled with coffee and my usual, Earl Grey tea.
Overall Il Foranio gets huge props for its lovely ambiance, friendly service, great prices and tasty dishes! In fact, we would have gotten some pastries from there too but we'd heard that Bijan Bakery & Cafe boasted an enormous array of delectable treats, so we decided to head over there instead.
Address: Two locations:
152 Spadina Ave., Toronto
20 Bloor St. East Unit R1-2, Toronto
Cost: $3+
www.legourmand.com
As I sit here writing this, I can hear thunder rolling in the distance and can feel a cool breeze on my skin. Perfect weather for some tea and cake, I think to myself. Although, anytime is 'perfect time' for tea and cake for me. Which is why, almost every week for the last two years, I've ended up at Le Gourmand Grocer Caf? sometime after 3 pm for my tea (and by tea, I mostly mean cake) break.
It must be the banana bread pudding which always brings me back, either for it's generous proportions or combination of flavours. One thing is certain, it's definitely best eaten fresh as I've learned after receiving the slightly hardened corner slices mid-afternoon. Still, when it's good, it's delicious; the bread soft with mashed banana and a crust thick with chocolate chips and icing sugar.
It's a tie for 'second place with the mini nocci cookie and the chocolate 'bomb'. While the nocci may be small, it's a crumbly mouthful of glorious chocolate, suitable for one.
The chocolate 'bomb', on the other hand, is suitable for two. Covered in a dusting of icing sugar, it appears robust on the outside but is in fact a delicate explosion of dark chocolate mousse on the inside. Still, it leaves you wanting something more. It needs an extra punch of something - Cardamom? Mint? Raspberry? Orange? Hazelnut? Chilli? Something.
Next on my list is most definitely the chocolate chip walnut cookie. It's quite simply, the best cookie in the world. Yes, that's what I said. After all this, there's still much to be had at Le Gourmand. The croissants are good although not great. The raisin croissant is decent; flaky but a little on the eggy side for taste.
The blueberry scone is delicious, but ask to have it warmed and buttered to really make it worthwhile.
The lemon poppy seed muffin is not terrible, but perhaps better when fresh out of the oven in the morning. I must say, it was a nice compliment to the "Taylors of Harrogate Lemon & Orange Tea"; a wonderfully invigorating tea.
I was unlucky with my chocolate raspberry tart I ordered one afternoon, which melted by the time I got home (it was a really hot day), but I'm glad to say it still tasted good. Although I am a fan of the occasional Turkish Delight of the rosewater kind, the mastic Turkish Delight was not to my taste. I found the flavour to be sickeningly sweet with an overwhelming aroma that wouldn't go away afterwards. During the summer season, they serve a selection of gelatos which, according to owner, Milton Nu?es, is brought in from La Paloma Gelateria & Caf? in Toronto. However, I have to say apart from the hazelnut chocolate, the gelatos are quite disappointing. The raspberry flavoured gelato tasted like a "maybe it's Maybelline's", while the mango had a very tart after-taste.
If you have time, you can sit in a cane chair under the high-ceiling with fans circulating lazily above you while you sip your tea and gaze up at the giant wall of goodies on one side of the cafe. They have a wide selection of chocolate bars, teas & coffees (Illy, Dean & Deluca); olive oils, pastas, sauces, vinegars and other products, which can be made into gift baskets if you so desired.
Le Gourmand's prices are a little on the high side, but the atmosphere is nice and the service is pleasing when you get an experienced staff member. The separate queues for ordering food versus drinks can be confusing if you've never been there before but because everyone is so friendly you'll find you aren't annoyed when you leave with your brown bag full of goodies.
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?