Sunday, May 27, 2007
Requiem for Lalot?
I could not believe my eyes when I drove by Lalot (n/e corner of Bathurst & Queen) and saw its windows papered over. I called their number but it's disconnected, so I am afraid it appears that one of the best - if not the best - Vietnamese restaurant has closed. It's a sad day for Toronto. The Reluctant Chef and I are in mourning. We always sent our friends and out-of-town guests there, and tried to eat there whenever we could. But despite their fantastic cuisine and the friendly service, the place never seemed full. Perhaps it's the location. Regardless, we will miss it and hope we'll see a reincarnation soon.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Weezie's
It’s come to my attention that I’ve dined at our local resto several times without writing about it! I think this is the epitome of what happens when one has a lovely local spot… it’s so perfectly blended into the community no one gives it a second thought. We think it was always there (not true; it’s new since last year) and that it always will be (possibly not true due to the low prices).
I’ve been there several times. The cottage pie – oxtail ragù served over garlicky potato mash – is the best comfort food in this neck of the woods. Fries are perfectly salted and despite my best intentions, I cannot stop eating them. Cornish hen and the burger are great, especially when you don’t have to spend much more than if you actually went to the butcher and prepped it yourself. Potato leek soup was light even though it had a bit of cream in it.
The chef often serves some of the dishes herself; service is slow because there is only one other employee. But it’s a cozy atmosphere and some wine and crusty bread helps with the wait. The best thing about this place is that it is simply a neighborhood place – inexpensive, serving comfort food – the kind of place to which one can stroll leisurely and have a nice, satisfying meal. Apparently Weezie’s will try to stick it out in the tough restaurant biz with its low prices as a foil to the Distillery District and the higher-end places further west on King. I hope the neighbours keep it in business.
I’ve been there several times. The cottage pie – oxtail ragù served over garlicky potato mash – is the best comfort food in this neck of the woods. Fries are perfectly salted and despite my best intentions, I cannot stop eating them. Cornish hen and the burger are great, especially when you don’t have to spend much more than if you actually went to the butcher and prepped it yourself. Potato leek soup was light even though it had a bit of cream in it.
The chef often serves some of the dishes herself; service is slow because there is only one other employee. But it’s a cozy atmosphere and some wine and crusty bread helps with the wait. The best thing about this place is that it is simply a neighborhood place – inexpensive, serving comfort food – the kind of place to which one can stroll leisurely and have a nice, satisfying meal. Apparently Weezie’s will try to stick it out in the tough restaurant biz with its low prices as a foil to the Distillery District and the higher-end places further west on King. I hope the neighbours keep it in business.
Death in the Afternoon at The Drake
Where can one have a late - and I mean late - brunch? At The Drake, of course! They serve theirs until 4pm. Now that's what I call an accommodating kitchen.
I've always loved The Drake. The RC and I find it to be consistently reliable. And The Drake always manages to surprise just a little bit. Case in point: the best thing on the brunch menu is actually a cocktail called Death in the Afternoon. How about that name to jolt you out of sleepiness (without a cuppa java)? It's champagne and Absinthe. It's effectively a dare, so we try it. A slight herbal, cough candy aftertaste but honestly, it's quite appealing. Go ahead and try it -- apparently today's Absinthe won't kill you.
The breakfast burrito is a huge favorite, judging from the orders all around us. The RC chooses the sausage filling, which is delectable. The day's fritatta is delish - who would know that mushroom and arugula could be so flavourful? Our next-couch companions have a Cobb salad, which they are very pleased with. Another stand-out item is banana pancakes, and there are the usual egg dishes as well as fruit and yoghurt. However, the menu is not just brunch-y things; there are burgers and sandwiches to tempt you, in case you are the type that cannot eat eggs or pancakes after noon.
The really great thing about The Drake is that you can eat anywhere: the cafe, the streetside patio, the lounge while listening to live music, and the upstairs patio (Sky Yard open after 1:30pm on weekends). After brunch, a nice walk along Queen to visit the galleries is a nice way to spend the afternoon. Or book yourself a room and...
I've always loved The Drake. The RC and I find it to be consistently reliable. And The Drake always manages to surprise just a little bit. Case in point: the best thing on the brunch menu is actually a cocktail called Death in the Afternoon. How about that name to jolt you out of sleepiness (without a cuppa java)? It's champagne and Absinthe. It's effectively a dare, so we try it. A slight herbal, cough candy aftertaste but honestly, it's quite appealing. Go ahead and try it -- apparently today's Absinthe won't kill you.
The breakfast burrito is a huge favorite, judging from the orders all around us. The RC chooses the sausage filling, which is delectable. The day's fritatta is delish - who would know that mushroom and arugula could be so flavourful? Our next-couch companions have a Cobb salad, which they are very pleased with. Another stand-out item is banana pancakes, and there are the usual egg dishes as well as fruit and yoghurt. However, the menu is not just brunch-y things; there are burgers and sandwiches to tempt you, in case you are the type that cannot eat eggs or pancakes after noon.
The really great thing about The Drake is that you can eat anywhere: the cafe, the streetside patio, the lounge while listening to live music, and the upstairs patio (Sky Yard open after 1:30pm on weekends). After brunch, a nice walk along Queen to visit the galleries is a nice way to spend the afternoon. Or book yourself a room and...
Live @ Courthouse
It was a sad day when the Toronto veteran jazz institution, Montreal Bistro, closed last year, so it’s especially heartening that Liberty Group took over the Courthouse on Adelaide Street East and has turned it into a jazz club.
At this time, Liberty Group’s plans are coming along but not yet fulfilled. Right now, the club space is open. Their kitchen serves a few small plates but the focus is certainly on the entertainment. The Reluctant Chef and I decide to stop in on the weekend. Of course, we are starving as we always are! We order several of the dishes: lamb kebabs, bruschetta, panini, and mushroom quesadilla. My main comment is: Is there a chef in the house? The lamb kebabs are best, if I can even use that word; but served on over-salted arugula and certainly not homemade chutney. The mushroom quesadillas, which could use salt, are bland. The panini is tasty but only because it is so salty! The fries are passable. The wine list is pedestrian. But the talent on stage is pretty good.
Apparently Terroni is moving into the space downstairs and is rumoured to be trying something more than pizza and pasta with this new outpost. Our waiter tells us that the idea is to send people upstairs for the jazz, but that the Courthouse will only be taking reservations at that time as they expect demand will soar. We certainly hope they are right. At midnight the last set was done; the house did not fill up for the last (11:30pm) set, which surprises us. In other jazz towns, like Chicago or New York, midnight is the last official set and lineups are around the block. Toronto is a sleepy town, so best of luck to Liberty Group!
At this time, Liberty Group’s plans are coming along but not yet fulfilled. Right now, the club space is open. Their kitchen serves a few small plates but the focus is certainly on the entertainment. The Reluctant Chef and I decide to stop in on the weekend. Of course, we are starving as we always are! We order several of the dishes: lamb kebabs, bruschetta, panini, and mushroom quesadilla. My main comment is: Is there a chef in the house? The lamb kebabs are best, if I can even use that word; but served on over-salted arugula and certainly not homemade chutney. The mushroom quesadillas, which could use salt, are bland. The panini is tasty but only because it is so salty! The fries are passable. The wine list is pedestrian. But the talent on stage is pretty good.
Apparently Terroni is moving into the space downstairs and is rumoured to be trying something more than pizza and pasta with this new outpost. Our waiter tells us that the idea is to send people upstairs for the jazz, but that the Courthouse will only be taking reservations at that time as they expect demand will soar. We certainly hope they are right. At midnight the last set was done; the house did not fill up for the last (11:30pm) set, which surprises us. In other jazz towns, like Chicago or New York, midnight is the last official set and lineups are around the block. Toronto is a sleepy town, so best of luck to Liberty Group!
The Burger Shoppe
Yup. I’ve been delinquent with this blog. Apologies. April was a month where we just wanted to eat at our fav’s. I cannot count how many times I crossed the threshold of Kultura or Terroni. I am all fav-ed out, so here are a few new – and not so new – places I’ve been to lately.
One of the places that jolted me out of my routine is a tiny little storefront take-out/eat-in on Queen East called the Burger Shoppe. It’s run by two brothers, Mustapha and Said; the former is a Drake alumnus.
Think burger = fast food? Not at this joint. The burgers never make me feel like I’m some econo-model car that’s miraculously bloated into a mid-sized sedan after being in the shop for a lube job. The burgers here are lean, all-beef patties that melt in your mouth. I think the ultimate is the Shoppe burger, topped with caramelized onions and horseradish mayo. They also have a veggie burger and an all-organic one. Super fresh and super fast. It’s usually possible to nab one of the dozen seats too; customers tend to wolf down the delectable treat and no one lingers. This is a little piece of burger heaven…. Never thought those words would cross my lips, but there you have it!
One of the places that jolted me out of my routine is a tiny little storefront take-out/eat-in on Queen East called the Burger Shoppe. It’s run by two brothers, Mustapha and Said; the former is a Drake alumnus.
Think burger = fast food? Not at this joint. The burgers never make me feel like I’m some econo-model car that’s miraculously bloated into a mid-sized sedan after being in the shop for a lube job. The burgers here are lean, all-beef patties that melt in your mouth. I think the ultimate is the Shoppe burger, topped with caramelized onions and horseradish mayo. They also have a veggie burger and an all-organic one. Super fresh and super fast. It’s usually possible to nab one of the dozen seats too; customers tend to wolf down the delectable treat and no one lingers. This is a little piece of burger heaven…. Never thought those words would cross my lips, but there you have it!
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