Buca

Buca has been on my list of places to go since it opened back in 2009.  Finally I had the opportunity to visit Rob Gentile’s now infamous and still wildly popular restaurant in the heart of King West.  Between raving co-workers and friends and a few mixed reviews, I was excited to finally get the chance to make my own opinion on this traditional Italian resto.

Buca is located in the back alley way just east of Portland next to Mexican restaurant Valdez (the old Cheval and an AWESOME spot for tequila!).  Upon entering, you are taken down a slightly winding staircase and enveloped with brick walls, dark wood dim lighting and the smell of all things delicious.  I found out that it was old 19^th century boiler room which would explain the simple and clean décor and setting.

 

We were a little early for our reservation so we parked ourselves at the bar which is in the front foyer (best way to describe it) and proceeded to order the only Prosecco based cocktail.  Obviously amazing and delicious.  Our party arrived and we were seated and started to pour over the endless options on the menu.  We all decided to share the Salumi Di Buca (meat plate) and asked if the chef could select the options.  We also shared the Nodini (warm bread knots in olive oil, rosemary, garlic and sea salt).  I wasn’t a huge fan of the meat plate, to be honest I’ve had better and the bread knots could have been softer but they were still a great small dish to share with the table.

 AC and I shared the Prosciutto pizza and I think my most favourite part was that it came with scissors to cut!  Again, I feel like it wasn’t the best pizza I’ve had but definitely nothing wrong with it.

 

 

The BEST part of the entire meal was by far the dessert.  The tiramisu was to die for.  I may or may not have wanted to bathe in it.  Three of us shared it and from the first spoonful the only thing we kept saying was “Oh my god!”

 

Overall, Buca was an okay experience.  Its highly possible that I didn’t order the right things so I would definitely give it another shot.  There’s a duck egg pasta that View The Vibe wrote about which sounds and looks amazing!  http://viewthevibe.com/toronto-restaurants-buca-on-king-west/

The place is beautiful and really nice for small groups or a one on one.  I will need to go back if only for that tiramisu.

Till Next time!

Buca
604 King Street West
www.buca.ca

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)

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

Cheers to the Weekend - June 29-July 1

The smell of BBQ is in the air, the beaches are packed and the city is buzzing.  Long weekend is in full swing and there's SO much going on if you're not whisking yourself away to the cottage.  Whether you're celebrating PRIDE or Canada's birthday there's something for everyone in the city this weekend.  Check out my short list!

Pride Guide Courtesy of She Does The City - http://www.shedoesthecity.com/your_2012_pride_guide

Digital Dreams Music Festival (wish I had tickets!)

Toronto Jazz Festival (Nathan Phillips Square)

The Thompson All White Party (Sunday)

Happy Birthday Canada!

Cheers to the Weekend - June 16-17

Summer is in full effect and there’s so much going on this weekend! Of all the weekend that I need to go home and put in some family time!

The weather is going to be beautiful and there’s a little something for everyone.

A few of the highlights (and likely where I would be spending my time!)

Opening of La Carnita (Love me a good taco!)

Opening of Bar Hop on King West – craft beer bar with 24 beers on tap and another 50 by bottle/can

Friday Night Live @ The ROM – the revealing of the world’s largest dinosaur – Futalognkosaurus

Luminato – its wrapping up this weekend so it’s your last chance to take in the best of music, art and literature around the city

Taste of Italy – one of my FAVE taste events of the summer – College street comes alive with music and the best in Italian eats!

Whatever you get up to this weekend be safe, have fun and enjoy!!

Loving Long Weekend

It's May 2-4 Weekend which means only one thing- the official kick off to those long awaited summer months.  From here on out its nothing but sunny skies, open toe shoes, summer dresses and patio hopping!  I can't wait!

It's been a long week and I'm fortunate enough to get Friday off for every long weekend in the summer - thank you advertising and hello 4 day weekends :)

There's plenty to do this weekend and here's a few things that you can do and hopefully I'll be checking out too!

Friday Nights @ The Rom - The Out Film Festival
Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees
Marben Fridays  - 90s Hip Hop and R&B
Artisans at the Distillery - Outdoor arts and crafts showcase
Ward Island - Picnic Time

Enjoy the long weekend everyone and most of all be safe!

Friday Nights Live @ the ROM

Remember those grade school field trips to the museum that we all dreaded and just used as an excuse to get out of the classroom and create trouble with our friends?  Well believe it or not but the museum is now actually a hot place to be!

Thanks to the Royal Ontario Museum they're giving us a chance to relive our childhoods but in a more adult way.  Introducing Friday Nights Live @ the ROM!  Every Friday from April 20th to June 22nd, the museum keeps its doors open beyond regular hours from 6pm to 11pm and features the best in the city's food, drinks and cultural programming.  Cover is only $9 and food and drinks start from $5.

This is exactly the kind of event I looked for when I wanted to try different things in the city and explore those places that were always on my list but I never got around to going to.

Low and behold a perfect chance to visit the ROM and not feel like I'm 12 again.

For more information on the weekly event themes visit:
http://www.rom.on.ca/fridays/

On my list to check out:
May 11 - Photography
May 25 - Toronto Live
June 8 - Music
June 22 - iDrum presents Gondwana Beats

Khao San Road

So let’s start off with the apologies. I’ve said it once and I’ll probably say it few times.

“Life got busy. I forgot to blog. But I always remembered to eat.”

The bright side of the whole situation is that in my absence I actually didn’t venture out to try anything new or do anything particularly out of my comfort zone. So really you didn’t miss much. But I’m back and this first excursion was totally worth the mini hiatus.

Everyone has their go to foods – pizza, sushi, pasta, shwarma. The meals you know at the end of the day will satisfy your appetite and won’t fail you when the cravings hit.
A lot of people’s go to food is Thai. Its never been that way for me. Of course I’ve enjoyed my fair share of Thai Basil Chicken and Pad Thai but when it came down to it, I could do with out it.  The flavorless “ketchup” based pad thais, goopy and thick curries and most of all dry stir frys were not at the top of my list.

Until I took a walk down Khao San Road (not literally – but maybe one day!).

My workplace also supports my food craze and they have an International Supper Club where once every few months we try and get together to try out a new cuisine or restaurant in the city.

When I found out that we would be heading to Khao San Road I was beyond thrilled because I had been hearing about this place since they opened up just last year.. Rave reviews paired with my lack of excitement for the cuisine were going to make this an interesting night.

Khao San Road is located on the corner of Peter and Adelaide in a small space that you would probably miss while walking by if not for the bright little neon sign. We found out that on any night the standard wait could be from 15-45 mins and this was no surprise since at 9PM on Tuesday the place was packed.

The setting doesn’t boast anything over the top – long wooden dining tables for bigger groups and small tables for couples along with a long bar for those who can’t be bothered to wait for a table.

They have one beer on tap (SINGHA) which is a cold and refreshing compliment to the abundance of flavor and heat the food brings.

What I ended up indulging in on this visit (as there will be more) are:

Starters:
Gra Bong - Fried squash fritters battered with red curry paste, shrimp paste and lemongrass
Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw - Fresh Rolls filled with home made chicken sausage, lettuce, carrots, mint leaves and Thai Basil, served with Tamarind, garlic sauce topped with peanuts and Thai coriander
Tao Hoo Taud Samoon Prai - Garlic Tofu - Nuggets of fried tofu breaded in a crispy garlic and fresh kaffir lime coating served with a sweet and tangy garlic sauce (we had the chicken version as well but Tofu was better)

Pad Thai (Street Style) with chicken
Pad Kee Mao - stir fried rice noodles with fresh green chili and fresh garlic, long green pepper, bamboo shoot and Thai Basil laves
(the above dishes can all be served with Tofu, chicken, beef or shrimp, ask the staff for the best combo)

They don't lie when they say this is the best Thai food in the city.  I have found a new love for Thai food but I can never eat any where else except here.  There is nothing more to be said except the the food is dripping with flavour, fresh ingreidents, heat made the way you want and most of all authenticity which seems to be lacking in today's Thai cuisine.

Another dish that I plan to have next time which I only had a taste of this time around was the Khao Soi - egg noodles in a coconut milk enriched curry, garnished with crispy noodles, green onion and lime.  Can be served with chicken or braised beef.

Highly recommended to go with a group of people so you can all order different things and sample.  Truly a gem of the city.

I will be back soon and there will be more photos - if I can be patient enough to take them.

Address: 326 Adelaide West (Adelaide and Peter)
Parking: Plenty of street parking or a lots
Price: $$
Food: 9.5/10
Ambiance: 8/10 (simple and quaint)
Service: 8/10 (very attentive, quick and accomodating)

It’s All About Sauce Distribution

I’m on the hunt for a few things this summer (food wise – lol) - the best sangria, the best pizza, nicest patio and of course, my personal favorite, the best wings in town! During the good ol’ days of Laurier, wings were always a standard part of my weekly dining – Morty’s wings anyone? So it’s only natural that I find myself a new spot and introduce the wing night back into my life. Wings and beer on a hot summer day, love it!

On this particular warm and balmy Tuesday I find myself at Duff’s Famous Wings on College. Have I mentioned how much I love working on this street? My two buddies VK and AB, also fellow wing connoisseurs join me after a 2 week planning session of trying to get together. Why and when it got so hard to meet up for wings and beer I have no idea! We lucked out because Tuesday turns out to be Duff’s wing night - $6.75 for 10 wings with the purchase of drink. We got there for about 7ish and there was about a 10-15 minute wait for a table. Once seated we noticed that not only was the line-up starting to lead out on to the street but that it was constant for the entire 2 hours that we were there. Good sign I would say.

The first thing I noticed was that although the flavors were pretty standard they were all measured on a SHU scale. What’s a SHU scale you ask?
“ The Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) is the standard for measuring the heat of a pepper. It is a measurement that involves adding sugar to a solution until one can no longer taste the pepper. The wing sauces SHU values used on the chart have been carefully estimated to represent the degrees of heat and are based on the SHU of a cayenne pepper.” Educational and delicious!

The chart:
0 – Plain
0 – Honey Garlic
0 – BBQ
800 – Mild
1,500 – Mild Medium
8000 – Hot Honey Garlic
8000 – Spicy BBQ
10,000 – Medium
23,000 – Medium Hot
35,000 – Hot
150,000 – Super Hot
500,000 – Death
850,000 - Armageddon

I’m a medium girl, not too spicy but definitely not mild. And yes I was talking about my wing flavor preference ;)
On this day I decided why not up the ante a little and go for the Medium Hot. Definitely do-able. I may even try to raise my own stakes and go for the Hot next time.
We decided that the criteria which wings should be judged should be different then other food. Quantity, size of wings and sauce distribution (that was VK’s personal contribution, he’s very passionate about good sauce distribution).

Duff rates a solid 8.5/10 across the board – 10 wings in a serving, good sized (not too big and not too small) and ample amounts of sauce which makes for great sauce distribution.

Definitely up there in the search for the best wings in the city, although apparently I’m missing out by not having tried the New York Butter wings at Turtle Jacks….

Address: 558 College Street, 416-963-4446
Parking: Plenty of street parking
Price: $

Chilling in Distillery

I officially LOVE the Distillery District. From the cobblestone streets to the twinkling lights in the trees and the live jazz music playing in the center of the square, it truly is a little piece of Toronto which is probably so underappreciated but has so much charm and personality. Depending on how you choose to spend your time here, it could feel like New York City’s Soho, LA or the historic streets of any European city, but luckily its all Toronto and all ours! The area is a combination of restaurants, café’s and businesses all housed in beautifully restored industrial buildings that combine modern design while keeping the history of the area alive.

“The Distillery District is a national Historic Site with an incredibly rich history. The site was once The Gooderham and Worts Distillery, and represents the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America”

The night was perfect, a gentle warm breeze in the air, three besties out to spend some good ol’ QT together and of course indulge in some great food, potent drinks and great conversation. Love you monkies!


We started out our night at the Pure Spirits Oyster House and Grill. The first thing we all noticed was how HUGE and spacious their patio was. Apparently voted as one of Toronto’s Best Patios, it doesn’t make for a good people watching venue but definitely caters to large groups or small intimate encounters. The menu is full of fresh seafood infused options which even non-seafood lovers like me will find delectable. I had unfortunately already had dinner so I was only checking out the drink menu but TR opted for the a fish that I can’t remember and for some reason is not on their online menu and BK went for Summerlicious – Ahi Tuna Tartar with Banyuls vinaigrette and a spicy avocado salad, Tagliatelle with goat cheese, arugula and sundried tomatoes and the chocolate Trio.

Note to Kultura – looks like ordering off the main menu and Summerlicious IS possible.

Even though the wine took forever to arrive (so long that we cancelled), my mojito was lacking in taste and the waiter looked like he wanted to stab us with a fork – the food was DELICIOUS. I’m not a huge seafood fan, everyone knows this, but from what I sampled and tasted it was fresh, full of flavor (but not so much to take away from the dishes) and appropriately portioned. Tina’s fish was draped in a smoked salmon sauce which was new to the both of us and sat on a bed of soft and flowy mash potatoes. The Ahi Tuna Tar was SO good and although the pasta was pretty standard, we all know my love for anything with goat cheese.


On the menu for next time:
Smoked Pacific Salmon Flatbread
Chili Tiger Prawns
Olive Crusted Chilean Sea Bass

Address: 55 Mill Street, 416-361-5859
Parking: Big Lot right out on Mill Street, street parking if you look around
Price: $$$
Service: 6/10
Food: 8/10
Ambience: 9/10




With our bellies full but still no wine consumed by the girls we decided to hop and skip (maybe literally) across the restaurant to The Boiler House. IS THIS PLACE FOR REAL? As you walk down the aisle which is lined with life size lit up planters from the outside entrance, you look to the left and there’s a full sized bar with tables full of people chatting and drinking away and then you look to the right and there are GORGEOUS cabana tables with huge beds all sectioned off with flowing white drapery and dim lights. There are also smaller but still cozy couches for smaller groups. The DJ blends a great mix of smooth 80s and 90s R&B and soul which creates the perfect backdrop for chilling with a drink or a romantic, relaxing night out. With martinis and wine in hand we sat back and just took in the atmosphere and were in shock that this place was not packed. Apparently it was an off night and on a regular Saturday its bumpin’! Definite re-do in store!

Note: Heading out for their Sunday Brunch which is voted Best Brunch by Toronto Life magazine, made-up of an all you can eat buffet and live jazz. Can’t think of a better way to spend lazy Sundays!

Update (08/11): The Brunch is great! Not necessarily the greatest diversity in the food, pretty much your basics but a HUGE selection ranging from breakfast favourites to lunch items. They even had a waffle bar although the chef had FML written all over his face. The best part of this brunch was by far the ambience - live jazz music, the hustle and bustle of the massive space that is the Boiler House and of course the bottomless cup of joe which is perfect after a Saturday night debacle :)


Address: 55 Mill Street, 416-203-2121
Parking: Big Lot right out on Mill Street, street parking if you look around
Price: n/a
Service: 8/10
Food: n/a
Ambience: 9.5/10

SUMMERLICIOUS IS HERE!!!

Visit http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/se/restaurants.nsf/Summerlicious?Openform for all the participating restaurants and menus. On my short list:

Domani Restaurant and Wine Bar
The Drake Hotel
Edo
Eight Wine Bar and Restaurant
Joy Bistro
Jump
Kultura
La Fenice
Latinada
Matisse
Rosewater
Senses
Trapezzi Supper Club
The Roosevelt Room
Trevor Kitchen and Bar
Tutti Matti
Ultra Supper Club
Vaticano

:)

Follow up Post - Toronto Life has made up their own short list of the best Summerlicious venues:
http://www.torontolife.com/features/best-summerlicious-2010/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=WeeklyDishnewsletter&utm_content=1041135938&utm_campaign=WeeklyDish-June222010&utm_term=BestofSummerlicious