A Makeover Done Right

There's no better feeling then taking a chance on something and having it work out. Whether its a new hair cut, a paint color, a short skirt or even love, its never easy to take a risk and be able to reap nothing but benefits. I guess that's partly where this blog came about - taking chances on new things and discovering my surroundings and maybe even in the process, discover more of myself.

BUT before I start spewing out any more "Sex and City" intro material, let's get to the topic at hand. Like I said, taking a chance on something is never easy. Especially when it comes to nightlife. Saturday nights are about letting go, forgetting about the trials and tribulations of the week before and dancing the stress away. So the last thing you want is to try something new and be let down. I think that's why we typically opt for the tried and true options because we're guaranteed a good time. This Saturday proved that theory wrong. By chance I came across this article about how Brassaii had recently renovated and was now trying to compete with the lounge/club filled King West strip with DJ's on weeknights and Saturdays. Keeping with my motto of trying new things I thought, why not? I had been to Brassai before for dinner and was underwhelmed with the menu and venue so I was excited about the possibility of a new spot but nervous it could flop.

Brassaii is tucked away in a hidden (but not creepy), romantic alley/courtyard at King and Spadina and has a spacious patio/outdoor seating adorned with beautiful greenery and twinkling lights. The entrance is by no means hard to miss with its large staircase and oversized doors. Upon entering you're greeted by a suprisingly upbeat bouncer and ladies who will check your coats at no charge. I remembered Brassaii for being an extremely long and somewhat narrow space with a minimalist theme for decor. Very stark white with metal and chrome finishing. This is no longer the case my friends! The new renovations now combine a cafe, wine cellar, dining area, bar and lounge all in one. With the addtion of plush cozy seating, dimmer lights and heart wrenching artwork (Love Me Until I'm Me Again), Brassaii has truly proved that a makeover can be done right.

A back to back bar now splits the once narrow dining area into a seating lounge area in the front and a sit-down dining area in the back. If you don't take the time to walk through upon entering you may think this is all Brassaii has to offer. Luckily we walked through. Off to the right of the bar is a smaller hallway which leads to the room where the party is in full effect. Think Ultra meets Spice Route. A room which houses nothing but a large bar and bottle service booths also leaves enough room to bust out your best moves on the dance floor (or be followed by a French-man speaking to you in Francais all night). No long waits at the bar even at the busiest point of the night- and best of all - King West drink prices are NOT in effect! $7-8 for mixed drinks and shots makes for messy messy nights.

Overall I had a fantastic night surrounded by beautiful people (the crowd wasn't so bad either lol) and listening into great music in a venue which in my humble opinion will be raising the standard for nightlife in Toronto.

Looking forward to when the weather gets better and the patio area will more than likely be swinging. Possible birthday venue? I think so!

Address: 461 King West
Parking: Street parking - or park on Wellington and use the alley way to walk through to King West
Cover: None
Dress Code: Ladies get your dress one, gents leave the runners at home
Age: 25+
Lounge Nights on Tuesdays-Saturdays
Website: http://www.brassaii.com/

Don’t Knock the Local Talent

I get it. Downtown Toronto is “where it’s at”. The nightlife, the culture, the events – they’re all downtown and I have no problem venturing down there. BUT that doesn’t mean that suburbia doesn’t have its own plethora of places and events to discover. One of which I randomly stumbled upon (literally) on Sunday night. After a messy night consuming rounds of shots in the double digits at a wedding (classy girl) I was no doubt craving something that would make the spinning stop. The weather decided to stop being depressing so it only made sense to take advantage and get a dose of Vitamin D. Off I went with my partner in crime to Milton and ended up at a little pizzeria called Portabellos. Very cute and quaint place with an outdoor patio and conveniently connected with other little shops, dessert places and cafes.

On the Menu:
House Salad – Mixed greens with a Balsamic Vinaigrette
BBQ Chicken Pizza (10”) – Mozzarella, chicken, tomatoes, onions, cheddar topped with BBQ sauce
The Big “O” Cookie Dough – half baked gourmet, cookie dough in a 6” pan topped with three scoops of vanilla ice cream. We opted for half chocolate chip/white macademia

House Salad pretty average – nothing out of the ordinary and the white onions were WAY too strong. Not helping the hangover. When the BBQ Chicken Pizza came to our table it almost looked TOO good to eat! It was a piece of art the way they drizzled the BBQ sauce on top and how all the ingredients were held together with the double dose of ooey gooey cheese. The actual pizza itself was not so bad either. Not a doughy crust but not wafer thin either – just a solid balance between the two. Now for dessert. I get now why they call it the Big “O” – and that’s about all the details I’ll divulge on that subject, the dessert however was by far one of the most satisfying and delectable desserts I’ve had in a while. A warm half baked cookie dough base warm enough to melt the three oversize scoops of ice cream to create the perfect blend of sweet heaven. You have the option of chocolate chip or white macademia nut - of course we we want halfsies. I suggest you share this one because it’s pretty rich and there’s no need for guilt after that kind of indulgence. Ladies and gentleman I’ve found my dessert!

On the Menu NEXT TIME:
The Big “O” Cookie Dough – that’s all THIS girl needs!

Address: 1580 Derry Road East #103
Parking: Located in a plaza so plenty of parking
Dress: Casual
Price: Cheap
Overall Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Once you go Italian...

Here's a perfect example of a restaurant that’s been around forever, one that I’ve driven by about 100 times but NEVER eaten at. For my first culinary adventure I ventured out to Vivoli on College Street with 4 of my besties for some good ol’ Italian eats. Vivoli boasts being a trendy-chic combination of a restaurant, pizza bar, café and rooftop patio. The famous wood-burning oven adds authenticity to their pizza and the glowing embers make the atmosphere warm and cozy. Along with a heated roof-top patio which plays Latin, funk, house and lounge music, Vivoli seems to have all the ingredients for the perfect night out.

We arrived for about 8:00 on Friday night without reservations since they don’t take them after 7. We lucked out with parking – green P around the corner and street parking. Being a party of 5 we didn’t have much trouble getting a table after a short-lived game of musical chairs. The advantage of this College street hot spot is the multitude of options for an after dinner drink or dancing escapade.

On the Menu:
Pitcher of Sangria
Insalata di Vivoli – baby spinach, raddicchio, mixed berries, toasted pecans, goat cheese tossed in a bittersweet ice-wine dressing
Grilled Calamari – grilled calamari marinated with garlic, parsley and XV olive oil
Linguine Genovese – with chicken in a fresh basil cream pesto sauce
Rigatoni Contadina – with chicken and mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce
Piccante Pizza – Pomodoro, mozzarella, Italian sausage, garlic, roasted red peppers and hot peppers
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake – traditional South American style caramel cheese cake on graham crust topped with chocolate

In one word, the food was FLAVOURFUL, you could literally taste each of the ingredients they listed in their descriptions. After a week from hell all I wanted was a big glass of Sangria and unfortunately was a little disappointed – tasted watered down and not enough fruit! The Insalata di Vivoli’s combination of sweet berries and sour dressing was a perfect way to start, the dressing was fabulous and anything with goat cheese makes my day. Calamari seems to always be a fan favourite when it comes to appetizers and I’ll always take a nibble if someone orders it. I’ve learned my lesson – MUST BE BREADED. The grilled texture just doesn’t work for me. Of the two pasta choices I was a fan of the Rigatoni Contadina over the Linguine Genovese. As hard as I try, I just can’t seem to enjoy pesto. The white wine cream sauce and mushrooms weren't too heavy and made a perfect companion to the chicken and pasta. The Piccante Pizza was by far the prize winner in my books, although as long as there’s Italian sausage involved it usually wins me over! (mmm love me some Italian sausage lol). It had a great kick to it, hence being dubbed the Piccante, the crust was just thin enough and baked to perfection. The manager was hospitable and seemed to take kindly to 5 girls laughing, giggling and gossiping in the corner so before we knew it a tray of 5 shots (Swedish Berry shots?) was making its way to our table. After a quick toast we put in the order for the waitress recommended Dulce de Leche Cheesecake. GOOD LORD – caramel topping, cheesecake center and graham cracker crust. I usually find cheesecake on the heavy side of desserts (probably because I order it all to myself) so sharing it with 4 other people was a brilliant idea. Needless to say, walking to the car was somewhat painful and trying to fit into a dress the next day was a struggle. PURE INDULGENCE.

On the menu NEXT TIME:
Bruschetta (just for you LF)
Agnalotti – pasta stuffed with butternut squash in a basil sauce
Annalisa Pizza – pomodoro, goat cheese, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes Apple Caramel Cheese Cake (we were so sad NM)
Must experience the rooftop patio

Address: 665 College Street
Parking: Green P around the corner/Street parking if you’re lucky
Dress: Casual/Dressy
Price: Average
Ratings:
Ambience – 8/10 (cold by the door and the rooftop had an odd smell to it)
Service – 9/10 (the no reservation policy could mean long waits on weekends, free shots can always make up for it!)
Food – 10/10 (no complaints when it came to the food, drinks, 2 apps, 3 mains and a dessert was the perfect amount for 5 people to share)

Channelling My Inner Explorer

I’ve lived in two major cities in Canada during my 27 years of life, and when I was moving from one to the other I was saddened by how little I had discovered and experienced in my own home town. I plan trip after trip and take countless vacations to uncover the hidden secrets of cities around the world but never take the time to become familiar with my own home town. Why don't I take the time to experience why tourists come to visit MY city?

Where’s the best pizza in the city? Who serves the most potent sangria? What’s the best rooftop patio? Where’s the best spot to people watch? Where’s the best place to take over the dance floor?

I’ve challenged myself (and some unsuspecting friends) to discover our city! To eat at those restaurants we drive by 100 times and never go into. To order food we’ve never tried before. To venture to areas we’ve never discovered. I’ve challenged myself to try everything ONCE, to make THE CITY MINE!

It only made sense to document my explorations so I could look back and enjoy the memories and of course all the new adventures!

And so a non-blogger begins to blog…