Campagnolo - BEST Meal Ever

It was a bold statement.  I knew it the minute it came out of my mouth but it was true and I couldn’t deny it.  I had just had the BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE.  Crazy right?  Maybe I was still hazy from the "out of this world" meal I just had but the fact is that I’m still thinking and talking about it.

Campagnolo has been on my list of places to eat for months.  After being on every “Top Restaurant” list that the city puts out including Canada’s 50 Best Restaurants, there was no way I couldn’t try out this place and it had to be soon.  Thank god for my lovely friend SB for suggesting it instantly when we were trying to figure out a place to go eat good food and catch up.  The owner apparently created the concept as an homage to his nonna’s Venetian cooking keeping all aspects of the food and drink, simple, authentic and ridiculously tasty.  This lovely little gem is located at the North East corner of Dundas and Euclid and is only open for dinner 5 days a week.  Reservations are HIGHLY recommended.

The restaurant itself is very cozy with printed wall paper, wood ceilings, booth seating and dim lighting.  You walk in and the place may seem empty but within minutes there is not one vacant seat.   The wait-staff is super attentive and friendly and I love how the bend down to be at eye level when speaking with you. 

 

I had read a blog a while ago where they spoke so highly of their Spaghetti that I already knew going in that I had to have it.  So on the menu for this evening was:

Appetizer:  Fresh Burrata Cheese with Roasted Grapes and Toasted Bread

Mains:  House-Made Spaghetti All’Amatricana and Wild Boar, Spare Rib, Meatball and Tripe Ragu with Soft Polenta

Dessert:  Salted Caramel Budino – pudding with crunchy toffee chocolate bits

I don’t’ think my pictures or description will do it justice but I literally wanted to lick my plate clean.  The Burrata appetizer was a plate of fluffy, cloud like cheese spread over toasted bread and drizzled with olive oil and toasted grapes.  The saltiness of the cheese and the sweetness of the grapes was the ultimate combination.  I probably could have easily ate two of these servings on my own.  Great sharing plate though.

 

I ate EVERY bite of the Spaghetti.  The sauce was fresh, you could taste the delicate herbs, it had a bit of kick to it which I loved and had small tender bits of pork which weren’t overwhelming as you at but added an amazing texture and saltiness to the dish.  Simple is sometimes clearly the way to go.  The Wild Boar dish was quite heavy and was A LOT of food but again, you just wanted to eat EVERYTHING.    One thing I will say (also because I asked) this place is probably not extremely vegetarian friendly as they won’t accommodate adjustments. There are two veggie options and one fish option on the menu.   Most of my friends are not big meat eaters and will usually stick to chicken which is hardly on the menu so unless you’re willing to expand your meat eating horizons, this may not be the place to dine.

 

 

The dessert.  Good god the dessert.  I basically told the waiter that I work down the street and that he may find me at the bar during the week just having this dessert.  Whoever decided to mix salt and caramel is a genius.  The pudding was sweet no doubt but I have a big sweet tooth and didn’t mind at all.  The crunchy and light toffee/chocolate wafers also added the perfect texture to the dish.

 

Bottom line – don’t come here if you’re scared of meat or paying for amazing tasting food.  Who wants to go again???

http://campagnolotoronto.com/

832 Dundas Street West
416-364-4785

Bazara - Sushi on Ossington

One of the most interesting parts about trying new places or going outside of your comfort zone is the feeling of not knowing what to expect.  I love walking into a new restaurant or bar and just taking in the sights and sounds while deciding if I'll end up coming back one day.  Trying to keep "my list" up to date is hard but with the help of Toronto Life, dineTO and other bloggers/sites I can at least try and keep up.  My lovely friends who keep me in the loop are also a HUGE help.

This past week I read about a  new Sushi place on Ossington called Bazara and everyone knows I LOVE my sushi.  So when RM and AC brought up a Friday night outing, I knew we had to try this place out.  Ossington is of course the area in the city that has the most buzz about it right now with new resto's opening up almost weekly and smaller more intimate bars bringing in the non-club district crowd.  All in all its a win-win situation.

Immediately when you walk in to Bazara you don't feel like you're in a typical sushi place.  Its intimately lit, plush booth seating, exposed brick walls and a GORGEOUS chandelier in the middle of the room.  Really great atmosphere for small groups or a one on one.

They don't have a drink menu ready which made ordering drinks a little bit difficult.  We went with a bottle of wine to keep things simple and because we didn't feel like complicating things for the waiter.  Their menu is made up of Chinese, Thai and sushi dishes but turns out that their true speciality is sushi and some of their special rolls.

On the menu for the evening was:
- Chicken Gyoza
- Vegetable Tempura
- Riceless Spicy Tuna and Avocado
- Spicy Salmon Sushi
- Trio Roll
- Hamachi Roll
- Butterfish Sashimi

We also ordered the Bazara roll (their house roll) which never arrived.  Sad.  Its made of smoked salmon, avocado, cucumber, seaweed and black rice so we were all super excited to try it.  Check out this picture to get a visual - MUST TRY! http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/opening-daily-dish/2013/02/11/bazara/

The food was SUPER delicious and everything tasted really fresh.  The tempura and gyoza didn't feel over fried and the sushi rolls had enough special ingredients to make them different from your typical rolls but not overwhelming so you can't decipher what you're tasting.  After ordering, we thought we got too much food but it was the perfect amount for three people.  The prices are also super reasonable which makes you want to try EVERYTHING on the menu!

 Chicken Gyoza and Vegetable Tempura

 Spicy Tuna and Avocado Riceless Roll (tasted like a salad!)

 Spicy Salmon Sushi Pizza

Trio Roll

Will definitely need to head back soon if not to just the Bazara roll but also try their sweet potato tempura topped with spicy tuna and the deep fried ice cream.

Any takers?

Location:  188 Ossington (Dundas and Ossington)
Atmosphere:  8/10
Service: 8/10
Food:  8/10
Price:  $$

Winterlicious 2013

I know people have their mixed feelings about Toronto's Winterlicious and Summerlicious events.  They don't get the same level of service, food quality is not as great, limited selection and lack of availability.  I get it.  I've probably said all those things myself at one point or another but the honest truth is that its the one time that I feel people actually make an effort to make plans, book a reservation and come out for dinner.  Sad but true.  Most of my experiences have been mediocre to great, nothing awful but nothing super fabulous either.  The one place that definitely stands out more than others is Trevor Kitchen. The food was fabulous, service was amazing and a great reason to try a place that's been on my list!

So Winterlicious 2013 is here, officially starting on January 25th.  As usual I've gone through the restaurants and made my short list of the places I want to try.  Can't wait to start booking them in!


Bella Vista – College Street ($25 Dinner) - BOOKED
Bohmer – Ossington ($45 Dinner)
Hush – King West ($25 Dinner)
Jump – Financial District ($35 Dinner) - BOOKED
Mildred’s Temple Kitchen – Liberty Village ($35 Dinner) - BOOKED
Noce – Queen West ($35 Dinner)
Sazerac – King West ($25 Dinner)
Scarpetta – Thompson Hotel ($45 Dinner)
Trevor Kitchen – Wellington East ($35 Dinner)

New Year, New Adventures

This post is clearly 3 weeks late! I actually said to myself that I want to make sure I give my blog more attention in 2013 and low and behold I let 3 WEEKS go by without one peep.  Not the best way to start a new year and try to accomplish a resolution.

So with my favourite motto in my head - better late than never - here I am giving this blog the love and attention it so deserves.  Here is what I solemnly swear to my few but very loyal readers.

At LEAST, one official blog post a week including 3-4 weekly Facebook page content posts.

What I hope to do this year is to discover more about the places I love to go not just to eat but to hang out, grab a drink, relax and just do the things that I love to do.  When I first started writing I wanted this to be a lifestyle guide.  A way for me to document all the things I enjoy doing while also challenging myself to do things that might be outside my own comfort zone.  Somewhere along the way it turned out to be more of a food blog and let's be honest, I love to eat so really its not surprising at all.  I'm also making it a commitment to myself to write about different things - what I love about the city and maybe even what I don't.

Alright, time to start promising and start doing! 

Electrifying Mexican Delights

After starting to pay attention to the dining scene in Toronto you realize that just like fashion we go through our own ebbs and flows of trends.

There was a time when everything was “Enoteca something”.  Then there was mixology which I still don’t completely understand.  Gastro-pub invaded the city for time period which I loved and now it seems to be a trend towards authentic, eclectic and DELICIOUS Mexican food.  From the likes of Playa Cabana, La Carnita and Grand Electric leading the charge, we finally have more options than just Burrito Boyz for our Mexican food fix.

 I’ve been to La Carnita and loved it – review here: http://torontoismine.blogspot.ca/2012/08/la-carnita-fusion-of-food-art-and-music.html and Playa Cabana is still on my list.  I did however get to check out Parkdale’s ever popular Grand Electric.  Just from the lineup that forms outside night after night it was clear this place was building a reputation of its own.  It’s a small little place with hip hop music blaring from its windows and the second you enter its doors you know you’re embarking onto something special.  We got to sit outside in what I like to call their backyard because it’s probably not big enough to be called a patio but feels cozy enough to feel like you’re in your own backyard.  Except you probably don’t have a huge lit up menu like this in your backyard:

 

Ambience Check.  Hip-hop music check.  Cute backyard check.  And really strong tequila drink which I can’t remember the name of (obviously) CHECK!

 

And then came the food.  SO good, so messy and doesn’t matter who you’re with, you’re gonna lick your fingers and the plate CLEAN!

From the selection we decided to go with Baja Fish Taco, Spicy Arbol Chicken, Corn Supreme and Beef Cheek – I was too scared to try the beef cheek, won’t even lie.  Something about the words cheek, belly and other body part names in my food that just throws me off.

 
Everything was to die for.  From the tender tilapia to the smoky heat in the sauces and the fresh citrusy flavors of onions and coriander.

We also tried the special of the night which was sweet and sticky ribs which fell off the bone and made me realize that it had been a LONG time since I had good ribs.

 

 

The line ups in these places really don’t amuse me but I guess it always comes back to the old adage of good things come to those who wait.

Will definitely have to head back to a) figure out what the name of that drink was and b) enjoy the little backyard patio before winter invades our city.

Till next time!

Nothing much on their website:  http://www.grandelectricbar.com/

Follow them on Twitter:  @grandelectricTO

Smith – It’s all in the details

It’s the small things that matter.  Probably one of my favourite life mantras which seems to become more relevant the older I get.  It’s not the expensive piece of jewellery, it’s sending your favourite flowers.  It’s not the fancy dinner but the home cooked meal.  It’s not the 3 hour conversation but the text message to say “I miss you.”.  No matter what it is, the small things ALWAYS matter.

Smith Restaurant located in The Village seems to be one of those places that focuses on the small things if you can make the effort to notice them.  The name comes from the blacksmith themed décor and since opening in 2011 it has quickly become one of the must go-to brunch spots in the city.  Since summer was in full effect on our visit we had to take advantage of their adorable and amusingly romantic back patio.  Its a nice enough place to make you feel special but cozy enough to make you feel right at home.  Even their menu is inspired by traditional comfort foods and traditional  home cooking.

 

One of the first things that I took notice of was how their menu was designed as the morning paper.  Small thing, amazing thing.  There aren't a huge number of things to choose from but the minute the waiter mentioned homemade vanilla whipped cream I was sold – clearly.

 

On the menu for this lovely afternoon with my Sha Sha – Smith Breakfast (two eggs any style, choice of bacon, sausage or pea meal,  hash browns and toast) and the Daily Smith Waffle which today was toasted almond with the homemade vanilla whipped cream.

 

 

Simple, comforting and delicious!  Literally the waffle disappeared in about 5 minutes.  Melt in your mouth DELICIOUS.  Dessert or breakfast? Who knows!

The prices are great, the wait staff friendly and attentive and the food is DAMN good.

Definitely need to go back and get a Smith Benedict in my life.

They also do dinner which again seems to be inspired by good ol’ home cookin’ with a side of style.  Think Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Meat and Potatoes (aka Steak, crispy fingerlings and Chimmichurri aioli), Creole Catfish, Classic burgers and Mint Lamb.

Only negative thing I can say is that the menu isn’t very vegetarian friendly.

For more information:  http://www.553church.com/

La Carnita - Fusion of food, art and music!

Looks like my real life commitment issues are overflowing into this blog as I noticed the last time I wrote was a month ago.  Art imitating life.  Go figure.

I was scrolling through the photos on my phone and realized that I've been to some pretty cool place over the last month and shared them with no one.  Awful.  So here I am on the afternoon of a lazy long weekend Monday trying to play catch up.  Kinda wish I was on a beach instead.

The buzz around La Carnita was absolutely palpable.  The first time I heard about the Mexican pop up was when I went to the Toronto Underground Market Street Food Block Party.  Say that ten times fast.  Their fish tacos were delish and then before I knew it the little pop up resto "popped up" a few blocks down from my office.

Between the reviews from co-workers, crazy Tweets and pictures that literally induced mouth watering reactions, I knew I had to plan a visit.

I showed up with my dear friend on a Saturday night and based on their no reservation policy put our name down and had to wait 45 minutes which I actually expected so it didn't come as a shock.  Once inside it was a sensory overload of conversation, music and abstract wall murals and art. I didn't know whether to keep following our waiter to the table, stop and look at the art on the wall or start two stepping to the hip-hop beats.

We sat down, ordered some kick-ass margaritas and tried to figure out what to eat.  Oh and LOVE the slight references to hip-hop on their menu, ie their list of BALLER CHAMPAGNES.

On the menu for tonight - Ceviche, Mexican Street Corn, Tacos (In Cod We Trust and Chorizo) and a Coconut Paletas.

The street corn was what I was most excited about - I mean look at it! It was drizzled with Mexican creama, queso anejo and arbol and ancho chili powder.  I don't think I actually know what most of those mean but it basically comes down to a creamy sauce with some heat inducing spices.  Delish.

The ceviche was fresh and was a cool, refreshing starter, not something I would get again but glad I tried it.  The tacos literally disappeared before we could even speak.  I had the Chorizo which had a spicy kick to it and the Cod was flaky crunch with green apple and cabbage.

We finished off our meal with a Coconut Paleta (read Popsicle) which obviously didn't even make the cut of a full picture.

The best part of La Carnita is that every time you go back you can go and try something new. The price point is affordable, the atmosphere is buzzing and its a perfect spot for any occasion.

Can't wait till the next time!

For More info visit: http://lacarnita.com/

Or follow them on Twitter @la_carnita