Category Archives: canadian

Vegan adventure at Mythology Toronto!

29 Monday Jul 2019

Posted by in canadian, comfort food, healthy, Toronto restaurant, Uncategorized, vegan

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I’ve been incorporating a lot of plant based meals into my diet lately, from tempeh, tofu, beans, and even Beyond Meat. I love that there are so many options now, and it seems like more people are willing to try these yummy plant proteins! Personally, I love that I get my protein fix, and also don’t feel too heavy after eating a meal. Which is why I was so excited when I got invited to Mythology (formerly Mythology Diner) on Queen West, a Vegan spot from the team behind Vegandale.

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First impressions of the renovated space is that it’s modern, but also really cozy and intimate. I liked the little accents of gold all around the place, to the cool looking menu that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland! My sister and I both started with the Acai cocktail, which was so delish! I love any sour drink, and this was really well made, with Cachaca, lime, cane sugar and acai juice. I would definitely order this again!

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To start we had my favourite dish of the evening: Calamari with king oyster mushroom, garlic cornmeal crust, tartar sauce and lemon. This was surprisingly really amazing! They really got the juicy texture down, and there was a nice crunch to it too. I also wondered how they were able to create circular calamari-like shapes from the mushroom. WOW! So good and I would highly recommend this.

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We also tried the Charcuterie Board, featuring pickled local vegetables, carrot gravlax, mushroom pate, crostini, berry compote, Dijon, lemon ash cashew goat cheese, cornichon and candied pecan. This dish had very interesting flavours. I really enjoyed trying out everything on the board, and combining each of the pate/cheeses onto the crostini. To me the standout was the cashew goat cheese!

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I had the Mushroom Ravioli, which had handmade ravioli, mushroom duxelle, porcini cream sauce, wild mushroom, green pea, hazelnut crumb, baby greens, garlic chips, truffle lemon vinaigrette and porcini dust. I really enjoyed the strong mushroom flavours and the incorporation of the greens into the dish – I like that it’s a really light option compared to usual heavy ravioli dishes I have had in the past.

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My sister had the Coq Au Vin, with braised seitan chicken, garlic confit mash, pastrami carrots, rapini, and prune demi glace. Although she wasn’t too big of a fan of the texture, she liked the flavours of the dish!

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For sides, we had Panisse, a fried chickpea flour cake, topped with cultured parmesan and aioli. This was really yummy and had a great texture that reminded me of yucca fries. We also had their super fresh House Salad, with a light tahini dressing.

Unfortunately I was too full to try any dessert, but we thoroughly enjoyed the meal! Everything tasted so fresh, and all dishes were so beautifully presented! Mythology is now open for dinner, so make sure you drop by for their delish Vegan dishes!

Mythology
1265 Queen St W,
Toronto, ON M6K 1L5

A day on the Asparabus!

06 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by in canadian, comfort food, toronto, travel, Uncategorized

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Every day I am constantly so amazed at the beauty of this wonderful, strange and magnificent world that we live in. I always make it a point to look out from my 19th floor condo balcony, where I can gaze for a long time at the vast sky, with clouds that seem to endlessly stretch across it, and to the buildings and houses below me and beyond. It makes me feel so small… such a tiny part of this massive world! And it also reminds me of how everything – how life – has it’s rhythm: the cycle of seasons, of change, arriving, departing, coming to life and fading away. And still, the world keeps turning.

It’s spring, which means it’s asparagus season – the first crop of the spring harvest! I’ve always loved asparagus, which is slightly bitter, sweet and very earthy compared to broccoli. Such a unique and delicious flavour! I was lucky enough to be invited by The Foodies Group and Asparagus Farmers of Ontario to join a full day tour on the Asparabus, an initiative that aims to help raise awareness on supporting local farmers. I try to buy local as much as possible, and as a home cook, I love how you really can taste the freshness of the product, not to mention feel good about supporting Canada!

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First stop was the Welsh Brothers Farm, where I got to see first-hand how asparagus is harvested on their field, which was around 6 years old. I found out that the spears grew directly up from the ground (they thrive in sandy soil), and they are harvested by hand with a chef’s knife. This labour intensive process is the reason why asparagus is a bit more expensive than other vegetables. I even got to break off a spear and try it right on the field, so delicious and fresh!

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Inside the production facility, each asparagus spear is sorted by the workers, with the help of a camera that determines the color, thickness, and is then divided into different spear sizes. I was told that the thickest size is great for the BBQ, so definitely pick those up instead of the thinner ones (which are better for salads)!

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We visited the Bonnieheath Estate Lavender & Winery next, a beautiful and lush property full of trees and a huge vineyard. This is where we had an outstanding, delicious farm to table lunch featuring local asparagus, prepared by Chef Tracy Winkworth from the Liaison College Southcoast Chef School.

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The feast was all a blur (I was in heaven) – and I was so impressed at how Chef Tracy integrated asparagus into dishes in really unique ways from risotto, to chimichurri, pesto and even guacamole. She also made some BBQ ribs, with strawberry as an ingredient in the BBQ sauce… WOW!

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I am so grateful to have met such passionate farmers – how lucky they must feel to be eating such a fresh vegetable right from the field! I was able to try some asparagus from their farm which I cooked at home, and it was so flavourful, tender and extremely juicy! You should definitely buy local and support Ontario asparagus farmers any chance you can get!

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Insane seafood bridge at Yunshang Rice Noodle

14 Thursday Mar 2019

Posted by in asian, canadian, chinese, review, reviews, toronto, Toronto restaurant, travel, Uncategorized

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I always love trying out new cuisines, flavours, and food! I find it so fun and feels like a mini adventure to see how other cultures prepare food (and to taste it of course!). A small part of me always feels like I’m taking a little trip overseas when I try anything new. This is why I was so excited when I got invited to taste a few dishes from Yunshang Rice Noodle, opening tomorrow (March 15) in North York!

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A bit of backstory – they are the largest Chinese rice noodle chain in North America, serving up Yunnan cuisine (which I have never tried before). They do have a few locations in Toronto, but this is their first North York location. When I spoke to the manager, he mentioned that they make it a point to source fresh and natural ingredients. They use a lot of bones as well to make the broth really tasty – like pork, ham, chicken, and beef. And guess what, the bones are boiled for more than twelve hours, and made everyday with no MSG or other artificial flavours! This made me so excited to try the dishes, and they didn’t disappoint!

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Up first was a jaw dropping, Instagram worthy dish – their exclusive “Yunshang Bridge Rice Noodle”, made specifically for this location and only available for two weeks. There is so much served here, from Canadian Atlantic lobster tail, oyster, sea scallop, beef slices, and sooo much more. At first glance you may be overwhelmed with so much food, but it’s really simple! The idea / cooking technique for this and the other rice noodle soups is that boiling soup will be served to you in a super hot stone bowl, and then you would drop these ingredients in, basically cooking them. Here, I tried the tomato sauce, which had more of a sweet and slightly tart taste.

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Here’s some more deets on what this comes with: Canadian Atlantic lobster tail, fresh French Kiss oyster (sourced from Diana’s Seafood), sea scallop, shrimps and crab sticks. It also comes with other ingredients like beef slices, fish cakes, ham, enokitake, Chinese lettuce, and egg tofu.

Hot deal: For their grand opening tomorrow (March 15) to March 16, the first 100 people will get this bridge for free, starting 6pm each day! No purchase required, first come first serve, and the giveaway is only available at the North York location.

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I was also able to try two yummy sides, fried Chicken Wings and Popcorn Chicken (yes I love everything fried) – both so delicious, flavourful and juicy. You really can’t go wrong with these. I loved the spices that were used to flavor both dishes, although if you had to ask me I preferred the Chicken Wings more. It was just so juicy!

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I also got to try their Oriental Rice Noodle with Curry Coconut Sauce. I really enjoyed this broth over the Tomato sauce version. To me, this reminded me more of a Malaysian Laksa and I liked how the meat tasted with this type of flavour profile over the tomato broth. It also came with ten little sides that you would drop into the soup to cook as well.

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Definitely give them a try for a unique and delicious experience.

One last tip: they give free refills for the rice noodles!

Yunshang Rice Noodle
Unit 5 – 5285 Yonge St.
North York
http://www.yunshang.ca

Southern Brunch Indulgence @ The Carbon Bar

28 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in american, barbecue, BBQ, breakfast, brunch, canadian, comfort food, toronto, Toronto restaurant, Uncategorized

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It’s finally summer, and in fact this Canada Day long weekend is about to have super hot weather at over 35 degrees C!!! I can’t wait, I live for this! Summertime calls for lazy weekend brunches (RIGHT?!) and let me just say, I just visited the perfect southern inspired brunch spot this past weekend! I am still dreaming about the suuuper refreshing Blood Orange Mimosa…and pretty much everything that I ordered at The Carbon Bar. From the apps to the mains, the dishes were really well made, plated beautifully and indulgent!!

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If you’ve been following my blog for awhile now, you’ll know that I LOVE comfort food, and The Carbon Bar is really comfort food at it’s finest. My best friend and I started off with Smashed and Fried potatoes (with kimchi, parmesan and green onions) and Jalapeño and Cheddar Pork Sausage – both so delicious! The potatoes were crispy, cheesy and super rich in flavour, and well balanced because of the kimchi. The sausage on the other hand was deliciously tender, succulent and cheesy with a nice amount of spice. I really enjoyed the fact that these sausages were made in house!

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Up next were the Buttermilk Pancakes + smoked bacon, with wild‎ blueberries, Ennis Farm maple syrup, and lemon yogurt – SO YUMMY! The buttermilk pancakes had a delicious lemon flavour to it, and were really light and fluffy. This is a hefty portion, but I highly recommend it if you’re craving for some delicious pancakes. The highlight of this was the juicy, thick cut bacon, made in house as well. You really can’t go wrong with that!

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Who doesn’t love juicy and succulent fried chicken?! Their version of Chicken ‘N’ Waffles featured buttermilk fried chicken, citrus crema, chili + honey + garlic sauce, and it was absolutely amazing! The chicken was really well seasoned, and super crunchy! The waffles were also on the crisp side too, and tasted delish with the honey + garlic sauce.

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OK now for my favourite dish. At this point, I had already mentally unbuttoned my pants, and basically was in food heaven. I really loved the Huevos El Carbon, served with warm tortillas, black beans, two eggs sunny, Manchego cheese, chorizo, guacamole, charred pico de gallo, coriander and a charred lime. This is the dish that I highly recommend and would definitely come back for. It’s a fun dish – you can build your own tortilla the way you want it, and is also perfect for sharing. I really liked how the rich flavours of the beans, chorizo, and egg were well balanced with the freshness of the coriander, lime and charred tomatoes. Topped off with some guac, it was perfection! My mouth is legit watering as I type this!!!

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So, have you called them to book your spot yet!? Well when you do, don’t forget that they are offering a FREE mimosa if you snap a photo sharing your brunch experience + tag @TheCarbonBar! Definitely take advantage of this, their mimosas are bomb!! I truly enjoyed my brunch at this super chic spot, the service was also amazing – you won’t regret going!!

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The Carbon Bar
99 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M5C 1S1

An e11even (almost) summer feast + patio!

20 Sunday May 2018

Posted by in canadian, comfort food, review, reviews, toronto, Toronto restaurant, Uncategorized

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Ahhh, my absolute favourite time of the year is coming up, which (fingers crossed) means tons of sunny days and hot weather!! I grew up in the Philippines, where the weather goes up to 40 degrees C, so I really live for the summertime! Here in Toronto we’re already getting a bit of that summer weather, and I was lucky enough to be invited to sample a few dishes and drinks from the newly opened patio at e11even. I was REALLY looking forward to it, after being very impressed by how delicious the food was from my last visit.

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Let me tell you right now that my experience exceeded my expectations – I got to try some super delicious dishes and tasty cocktails! I’m already thinking about my next visit and cannot wait!

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The first dish that my boyfriend and I tried was the Crab Cake. Beautifully presented, the crab cake was crispy, with huge chunks of super fresh crab. It was so tasty and delicious, especially with the tangy mustard remoulade and the slaw, both adding flavours and textures that really elevated the appetizer. Our meal started off on the right note, and I had a feeling it would only get better!

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Well, I wasn’t wrong. The weather was perfect at 20 degrees C, not too hot with a light breeze; the perfect weather for cocktails. I first tried their Aperol Spritz, which was executed very well, with the right balance of flavours and sweetness: a mix of Aperol, rhubarb liqueur, Prosecco and a splash of fresh orange juice. Delicious and absolutely refreshing! My second drink was their Georgian Mule, a unique spin on the Moscow Mule, made with Peach Ciroc, Amaretto, Ginger beer and Lime. Okay… I am in LOVE with this drink. It’s a surprising first sip, with sweet fruity flavors that really complement the Ginger beer and lime. I would happily drink this over and over!!! This is a must order, and one of the reasons why I’m going back to this spot very soon.

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I got to try a few other mains, starting with the Albacore Tuna Sandwich. At first glance, you’re hit with super vibrant colours that just screams summer — it’s an open faced sandwich with an Asian slaw, yuzu aioli, and topped with sesame seeds. I loved that this dish was very light and fresh, it’s the perfect size for lunch. The fries that accompanied this were really tasty thin cut fries that aren’t too crunchy (my favourite kind) and nicely seasoned too!

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The Maple Burger with Guinness cheddar was delicious, huge (tall) and juicy, topped with shredded lettuce, tomato and diced pickles. Overall, it’s a really solid burger, and I loved how the thick slices of double cut bacon adds another layer of texture and flavour to the dish.

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When the server dropped off the 10 oz Steak Frites with peppercorn sauce served with Truffle Parmesan Fries, I knew that I was in for a real treat!! I mean, WOW, just look at how beautifully presented this dish is! And yes, I’m still dreaming about it. It’s a perfect medium rare steak that’s well seasoned, very juicy and tender, and is wonderful paired with their peppercorn sauce. The peppercorn sauce tasted so rich and was bursting with savoury beef flavor, similar to au jus, and I couldn’t get enough of it. The Truffle Parmesan Fries totally wins in the sides department too. It’s HEAVENLY – crispy fries with a strong truffle taste, tossed with grated Parmesan cheese and some parsley. Tip: make sure you dip the fries in the peppercorn sauce, you won’t regret it!!! I’m legit still dreaming about this dish. It’s A MUST GET and one that I will order over and over again!

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I didn’t think the meal could get any better, but it did! They served us one of their classic desserts, Sticky Toffee Pudding, and my mind was blown. This is one of the best desserts that I have had in a long time. The texture of the warm pudding was exquisite, very light at first bite, then your taste buds tingle with the incredible toffee flavor (think heavy caramel notes). To top it off, this is served with vanilla bean ice cream which adds a layer of creamyness and goes extremely well with the rich and sweet caramel flavor. This is a dish I would 100% recommend, definitely do not leave e11even without ordering it!

Another incredible meal yet again at e11even, and what I loved most is that they delivered in quality and freshness with both the dishes AND the drinks. I can’t wait to go back and I encourage you to visit and take advantage of their patio this summer!

e11even
15 York St
Toronto, ON M5J 0A3