TasteTO.com

This is my first article on www.TasteTO.com :D

http://www.tasteto.com/2007/10/06/big-on-burek/

Happy Harvest Moon Festival

Moon cake - remains old school in Toronto - thank goodness!

I got a call from my Dad wishing me a happy "zhong qui jie" or Harvest Moon Festival, which for most families here may mean going out for dinner or getting a giant pile of tin boxes filled with the Chinese version of fruitcake that will probably still be there next year, and if it's individually wrapped with that tiny packet of preservative, can be re-gifted.

Back when I lived in Taipei, there was sometimes a day off in there, along with other odd traditions to mark that beauteous eerily full moon and its historical/mythical origins. I'm sure 20 years ago when my parents lived in Taiwan, it was unheard of to have makeshift barbecues in the street, or to have your children wear festive pommelo peels as hats. Although your work will probably give you a box, no one seems to really want to eat any moon cake. It's more fashionable to round up your friends for an impromptu barbecue, maybe up at Bitan Lake, cooking up skewers of pork balls coated in Korean bbq sauce.

Stores are still stocked with fancy packages of mooncake, but they aren't the Lurch - y traditional types. Very popular are the small balls of flaked pastry - similar to the suzhou style (versus the thicker, egg-washed dough) with a thin layer of red bean, green bean, or lotus seed paste covering a giant bright globe of salted duck egg. There are now almost countless varieties of mooncake fillings and casings from jelly, glutinous rice, to a something you might liken more to a tartlette crust.

In fact, as I recall, last year at a very brief stint teaching english at a kindergarden, after a "fashion" show where these 6 year olds with their various self-styled hats posed on a runway comprising of some pushed together tables, they gifted me with a large box of decorative mooncakes. Whimsically shaped, there were flowers, bunnies, and more! But as I bit in, expecting some lotus seed paste, or maybe red bean, I was sadly disappointed. Mango jelly? Green tea? This was reverse culture shock. It was like eating a plate of "spaghetti" made with ramen and ketchup. I tried to appreciate it, I mean, free sweets are by nature a sweet deal right? But longed for the traditonal cakes of my childhood of cakes made in, yes, Scarborough.

Although, out of the box, the best surprise was the "cinnamon" flavour in a very untraditonal buttery pastry coating (no lard here) that tasted just like apple pie (highly appreciated by a girl who had to spend $5 on a box of imported Kraft Dinner out of home-sickness).

The worst? Candied dried scallop filling! Not being able to read these characters, my roommate (who doesn't know the names of any food in any language - except for fried chicken) informed me that it was an ingredient that was a popular sweet snack for Japanese school kids. So, I bit in - then spat it all out just as quickly - having expected a sweet bite, well it was sweet, but a fishy sweet, literally - she all of a sudden remembered what it was called, "Scallop! Dried scallop - that's it"

Ew....

Thankfully this year, gold old Scarborough and Markham bakeries come through as does Costco! My sister prefers the lotus seed paste flavour - which to some may still be an acquired taste, but hey at least it's not dried seafood.

Utopia

586 College Street
(416) 534-7751


Description: very chill, small place - a bit too cozy - with a charming back patio, brisk service (water refilled every minute), lots of veggie/vegan options (veggie burger, crispy fried tofu, or grilled tofu)

Price: Around $10 sandwiches, burgers, and wraps

What we ordered:

Breakfast Burrito: big, with a rich filling of sausage, and chedder cheesy soft buttery scrambled, or freshly deeply green looking baby greens well dressed

Veggie burger, fries & wasabi mayo: on a foccacia-esque bun flecked with herbs - a bit on the dry side, maybe day old, but definitely from a nice bakery - a thick char fragrant satisfying flavourful soy patty served with red onion, dill pickle slice, tomato, and lettuce - so huge I couldn't finish it. Flavoured mayo options ho-ya! Comes with a choice of giant side of hand cut fries so good I had to bag the rest

Mezes Greek Restaurant

456 Danforth Ave (near Logan)
416-778-5150


Description:
Busy on a Thursday night with a constant line-up, stylish enough for a date, casual enough for family dining, friendly and just right attentive service. Known for their self-titled name, large variety of mezze to share

What we ordered:

Small dip platter (hummus, tzaziki, baba ghanoush & spicy feta - creamy, flavourful, addictive - you'll need an extra order of the hot buttered thick pita rounds)

Grilled Calamari (perfect! Just slightly crisp exterior, smoky grill flavour, sweet oh so tender squid, goes great with the tzaziki)

Grilled Eggplant (a large whole eggplant - it's skin missing, having been presumabley charred and removed, silky, lovely spread on the pita, accented with bhaba for a double eggplant kick)

Chicken Souvlaki and Fried Calamari dinner (comes with a typical salad of ice berg lettuce, some crumbled feta and a couple of olives, skip it and save room for the small toothsome rings of calamari; rice and potato as well are ok, standard but not worth taking up room from the meat and seafood)

Prices: Mezzes mostly under $10, more for seafood and meat, meals around $15

Note: overpriced wines! 32.95 for a bottle of Yellow Tail Shiraz?

The Tulip

1606 Queen Street East (at Coxwell)
416-469-5797

Description:
It's been around since 1929 and is still a beloved neighborhood diner with line-ups out the door at all meal times for a reason.

On the Menu:
breakfast, steak, hot sandwiches, 2 kinds of spaghetti, cheap bottles of domestic beer

What We Ordered:

Peameal Eggs Benedict (huge serving, greasy sliced homefries, points off for packaged Hollandaise - apparently the same kind they use at Victory Cafe)

Open-faced Turkey (nice gravy - goes great with the homefries)

Burger (plain, but filling, fries extra - from the freezer, but the extra crispy battered kind)

Spaghetti (on the daily special menu -cheap- huge again, but your basic store bought sauce & pasta)

Prices: Under $10, except for the steak

Going back?

Yes! Steak!

Note: all day breakfast is advertised, but we're told this isn't the case

Eggspectation

220 Yonge Street (at Shuter) Toronto Eaton Center location
(416) 977-3380
www.eggspectation.ca

It was more than 10 years ago during a crazy weekend in Montreal - a first with some of my teenage friends during an trip which included: narrowly escaping a 20 car pile-up on the 404, buying beer at some grotty club expecting hip hop but getting instead then unknown Backstreet Boys (or at least that's what we think) performing which caused us to leave in a huff (this isn't hip hop!) - and eating a giant satisfying breakfast (what's a mensch?) at the booth beside Aidan Quinn on location for that dreadful film "The Assignment".

But today, what stands out in my mind was a desire to go back and have at the giant plate of potato latkes, bagels, and more. So, when I heard it became a giant chain and there was one in Toronto, it was on my list of haftas.

Finally years later, we made a double date for brunch. Warned by D that there was usually a line up, we made sure to get in there to leave our names asap. They wouldn't seat us until all of our party arrived.

I was delighted by the multiple offerings of bennies (their Signature Eggsbenedict menu) and opted for the California because it sounded partly healthy, boasted a combo of asparagus and spinach, smoked salmon, and gruyere atop whole wheat toast.

There was no giant bread basket, although we did get served a basket of toast which seemed to come with everyone's order.

My plate had a lax presentation effort and paltry everything - like not even a decent slice of the salmon or more than a couple of bites of spinach. The hollandaise was rich and tasty, again, just a touch, this dish overall more of a diet plate then a Sunday treat eat out. The toast became soggy and was unappealing. The only thing decent was the coffee refills.

Although now they serve lunch and dinner, I'd rather try Cora's again.

The Veggie Challenge

Inspired by a recent visit to the 2007 Vegetarian Food Fair held at Harborfront Centre two weeks ago, I signed up for one week veggie challenge.

Why?

It all started six years ago. I was watching an episode of the X-Files and eating leftover shiu mai for dinner. As the events of the episode unfolded, merely the opening sequence before the show intro, I spat out the suddenly offensive dim sum and cringed. Somehow the image of a 300 hundred pound man sitting atop a blood-soaked motel room bed, his body having housed a child-sized Indian man simutaneously experienced with the taste of pork fat drippings in my mouth created a sudden realization: you are eating dead flesh.

Disgusted by anything flesh, I went almost vegan for 2 weeks (eggs completely grossed me out), but I continued to consume dairy. I eventually went the lacto ovo route finding it too difficult otherwise because at that time I thought salty beans were disgusting (I was used to red and green bean soup desserts) and soy cheese at that time tasted like solid margarine (although I have yet to try today's non-dairy cheese products).

Then I moved to Taiwan.

Quite popular are the "veggie buffets" scattered throughout Taipei. Due to the prevelance of Buddhism, many Taiwanese will occasionally eat vegetarian meals; the restrictions similar to a yogic diet. The Chinese Buddhist vegetarian diet is exclusive of meat and seafood (of course), dairy, garlic and onions. This was important to remember when dining out at "western" style places when I requested a dish be vegetarian. They would ask if you ate "complete vegetarian" or "healthy vegetarian" because if you agreed to the prior, they wouldn't serve you anything with garlic or onion. Hence, asking for a veggie pizza at Domino's, you might get your pizza sauceless or substituted with ketchup!

Most of the Vegetarians I met were usually westerners. It seemed the Taiwanese didn't really understand why one wouldn't want to eat animals, especially since they eat every part they can including ears, tongues, feet, and eyes. Not only would mention when you ordered that you didn't want "meat", you'd have to specifically say you don't want cow, pork, chicken, or fish. It seemed to be true in most Asian countries I'd visited. Once in Seoul, I asked my friend to order me something as he read and spoke Korean. The only thing I could have was the noodle dish. We reconfirmed with the waitress that it didn't have meat. When I dug in, I immediately knew something wasn't right. It was noodles alright, but jammed in an intestinal casing. Ew. We complained, but they still insisted, "it isn't meat."

It seemed difficult for people to understand unless you brought in the religious context, or they assumed you were doing it for that reason. It was believed that you could pray for things you wanted or wished to happen, and in exchange make a sort of bargain to eat vegetarian for a certain duration. Let's say, "I'll eat veggie for a week in hopes I get this new job." So, some restaurants will serve mock-meat dishes whimsically, painstakingly putting a glutin protein on a real bone to simulate a drumstick. Since a majority are part-timers, they didn't find this offensive or contradictory.

I frequented these restaurants often. They are buffet style in that you serve yourself, and then pay for your food by weight. Sometimes they offer all you can eat after prime time for the steal of a mere 2 or 3 dollars. Although my favorite was deep fried oyster mushrooms with spicy basil, I did choose the mock meats having acquired a taste for soy meat from many a packet of Yves Veggie dogs. (I once found them at with glee at a high end grocery store to pay an exorbitant $8.30 Cdn!)

Not having a real kitchen to cook for myself, and tired of eating the same things, I started to eat seafood. Then I broke down one day and ordered a steak. I blame it on the fake meats!

For two years, I could easily detect even a whiff of chicken broth used in a seemingly meatless dish, and couldn't stand it. How was I able to go from that to 10 oz steaks?

I think it was the mix of being around former veggies who raved about going back to meat due to the difficulty of eating right in Asia, and the scandal that 70% of all mock meats in Taiwan had meat juice or oils as flavouring agents.

In any case, I always promised myself when I moved back to Toronto that I'd be veggie again because it was one place you could do it quite easily and affordabley.

I was hoping for new ideas from the annual Vegetarian Food Fair held by the Toronto Vegetarian Association. They provided helpful pamphlets, guides to local eateries and restaurants, as well as a starter kit for those willing to try their 1 week vegetarian challenge.

When I signed up, I thought, sure no sweat. Maybe it will be a good way to kick start a true lifestyle change. Sampling the various products (or trying to, as they had quite a turn-out), I discovered many new foods that I hoped would be readily available at your average grocery store.

Favourites:

Tofurky line of slices and sausages: absolutely delicious and makes Yves taste like cardboard (although, some might say it doesn't need the help, as one vegan disdainfully said to me, "I'd rather eat a real hot dog than a veggie dog!)

So Soya trail mix: crunchy, nicely spiced with variations that include chocolate chips. Even better than the soy, black bean, raisin, pepita mix you can find at Chinese grocers.

Chocolate mint soy cream: the strong flavours masked the soy (unlike the limp mango flavour) and had a rich smooth texture.

Not soy good

Tofu kebabs: Shrink-wrapped marinated tofu slices (they have a store at St. Lawrence Market) which were a bit too salty and really not worth the price. You can buy your own firm tofu and marinate it yourself for a fraction of the cost. However, the wrap with curry flavoured tofu, lettuce, red onion, and poppy seed dressing was super delish.

Food Stalls:

The Indian and Hare Krishna were surprisingly bland. There are loads of restaurants throughout Toronto that serve standard dishes like chana masala or various dals. Maybe they were vegan though, and missing the ghee? Except that the HK halava (my first taste of this buttery semolina and raisin concoction) was rich and addictive.

There were many more I didn't get a chance to taste: sushi, dim sum, Jamaican patties, not to mention the plethora of sweets: cakes, cookies, bars. Also of interest were specialty services such as weekly deliveries of organic groceries, or gourmet vegan prepared meals.

With this seemingly vast array of tasty, heart-healthy options, wouldn't it be easy?

As I poured over the Vegetarian Starter Kit, I noticed that what they were promoting was more of a vegan diet, suggesting that you also go dairy and egg free. If you've read my blog before, you'll note that the only thing I order for brunch is Eggs Benedict. And as I've mentioned, I love cheese.

Looks like this isn't going to be as easy as I thought. Good thing I like beans now. As I slowly make the transition to first, a L-O level, (baby steps!), I will be trying out and rating veg products.

Victory Cafe

Like a paint by numbers meal, it looked good but was only the passable copy of an original.

Eggs Florentine, at $9.99 is not bad, but I've had far better for less. Cooked textbook with all the right textures looking neat and presentable, just like the picture on the box of a frozen meal, unfortunately, along with its dull pasty innards. The potatoes were crispy, looking nicely brown with sprinkles of colorful bell pepper, but were glorified tater tots with neither fun nor taste. The canned beans were as a pleasant a surprise as a tooth cavity. I wondered why the waitress mentioned that the eggs came with home fries and asked if that was ok, then specifically repeated it again 30 seconds after, when I placed my order. Yet no mention of the beans--which I would think people might more likely object to. The hollandaise sauce was, well it just wasn't hollandaise, despite appearances. Actually, it tasted like instant Knorr cream of potato soup.

It was just "ok". For the same price you could get something much better, especially with the plethora of choices in the Bloor Annex neighborhood alone. At least the Benny, costing the same, had thick, glistening slices of peameal bacon. Doesn't frozen spinach still cost a dollar a pound at the grocery store? But, I suppose a sunny day, sitting on the patio with super smiley service can compensate for a sub-par meal.

Victory Cafe Famous Pub & Eatery
address: 581 Markham St.
number: 416-516-5787
website: www.victorycafe.ca

Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar

It was a special occasion and this was a befitting setting. Our table of 16 had gathered for a celebratory 30th, seated at a very large and handsome communal table on yet another Sunday afternoon, in anticipation of a great meal. Over the years, I have in a way followed Jamie Kennedy's career - at least reported in the Toronto Star - way before the food network or the linkage of celebrity + chef. So it was with much excitement that I would finally dine at one of his establishments, not to mention the birthday, and brunch of course.

The brunch price fixe menu is $20 with a choice of two dishes. It is a meal that has been turning more highbrow these days, with our brightest local stars extending that trend of making the casual into the sublime (remember $50 hamburgers?). But most of us are adamantly clinging to our low rise skinny jeans as we chow down our $10 diner eggs, still as skeptical of spending our week's grocery money on one mid-day meal as we are of relinquishing tapered for high-wasted wide-legs. As one of our table commented, "I don't even understand this menu". I however, was happy to explain what a confit or even what a ragout meant (hint the spaghetti sauce); just as much as I took this dining experience for what it was, a special once in a while treat.

And treat it was! Lamenting my addiction to fries with mayo, I felt not a whit of guilt as I plunged hot, crispy golden fries into lemony garlicky homemade mayonnaise. (Our guest of honour informed me later that JK is famous for his fries - Yukon Frites $5). The bread plate, was meh - skip it. It might have been homemade, but it was just mostly plain white raisin bread with blah jam. I would think for $5 a plate, they could afford to give tables a demi-baguette from Ace Bakery instead and still profit nicely. Service was great - friendly, informative, and well paced - impressive as we were a large group. They even offered to plate the chocolate ganache cake one of our party brought with berries (but at $3 a pop).

The nice thing about JK Wine Bar is the post tapas sense of sharing. Yes the artfully presented dishes are small, but in a big group setting, at least you get to taste a lot.

The smoked salmon blinis looked and tasted wow: intense salmon fresh flavour as deep as its coral flesh, punctuated with fresh herb salad, pickled onion, and airy creme fraiche with its spongy, nutty, buckwheat base.

I also had bites of the chorizo side (meaty and fried crisp), the tender and saucy pulled pork, and the luscious melt in your mouth pain perdu.

Surprisingly, the duck confit salad (with frisee and poached organic egg) wasn't that special. The bitterness of the green had no point. The meat was more leathery than crisp (although apparently duck would make a good jerky), and the egg could've just as well been a no show. Actually, most of us at the table thought it was goat's cheese at first, which I think could have been a better ingredient. Mmm... if it was warm goat's cheese over the frisee with crisp skin and robust meat...

We couldn't resist peeking at the dinner menu. With its promise of artisan cheeses (also available at brunch), oysters, and other goodies, I immediately tried to think of of what other occasions were coming up.

It will probably take a few more trips before I agree with one comment made by someone, who, after offering JK wb as a recommendation and having the querier respond that he'd been there. "Ah, then it's ruined anywhere else." But, definitely, I would say as the b-day girl opined, "They know what they are doing."

Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar
address: 9 Church Street
number: 416-362-5586
website: jkkitchens.com

Edward Levesque's Kitchen

photo from TorontoLife.com review of Edward Levesque's Kitchen

It was a good thing we'd gone before the mixed reviews on chowhound.com. which ranged from terrible food and crummy service to it's a favorite, I love it!

ELK had been the other option at my "going away" brunch when we'd chosen Le Petite Dejeuner due to it's closer proximity. However, as I'm moving into Leslieville, it seemed a good place to spend a relaxed Sunday afternoon.

It was not until after we'd left that the others in my party admitted they were pleasantly surprised that the exterior was in no way indicative of the charming interior - small but spacious, bright like a buttercup, with real linens - and immediate seating. Calling earlier, D was told that they don't take brunch reservations but it wasn't too busy so it wouldn't be a problem getting a table. Upon arrival, we snagged the last empty table, thankfully, big enough for four.

While we perused the small printed menus, quality coffee came swift and hot. Impressive was the "daily" selection coupled with the brunch only options. It was difficult to just pick one because everything looked excellent. There seemed to be one of my favorite ingredients in each selection. Finally, since it was brunch, I needed to have poached eggs, so I opted for the version atop chipotle corn bread with sausage and home fries. Although a deceptively small portion, it was very rich and filling. And exactly what I wanted. Never before have I had more perfectly poached eggs, fluffy white giving way to an almost caramel thick yolk. Its smoothness oozed nicely into the buttery, softly sweet smoky corn bread that crumbled into the salty spice of the chorizo sausage - a flawless foil. The potatoes tasted as good as they looked; homey and handsomely brown and uniform, tender and with a nicely seasoned crisp shell. I couldn't finish it all without help (maybe because I'd scarfed down a whole order of fresh baguette and butter).

I didn't try two of the parties selections, the tantalizingly sounding lamb-burger with olive spread, or the omelet with smoked fish and salad, but both orders were polished off with aplomb. I did however, have a bite of the banana french toast, which was nicely springy, dense, with the banana a fragrant highlight to the silky custard infused bread.

During the whole meal, I raved and couldn't wait to be a local scenester, stopping by once a week to try to the falafel, or dinner mains, or well, everything.

On our way out, Edward had us twittering at a quip, feeling for a moment that we had really been his guests.

Lunches are under $10, dinners under $30, not including drink, taxes, or tip.

Edward Levesque's Kitchen
Address: 1290 Queen Street East
Phone: 416-465-3600
Lunch: W-F 11am-3pm
Dinner: TUES-SAT 6pm-10pm, SUN from 5:30pm
Brunch: SAT-SUN 9am-3pm
website: www.edwardlevesques.ca