Gilead Cafe

It has been a while since I reviewed any restaurants. Mainly because waiters at fancy joints tend to frown on the whipping out of a camera during the meal. It elicits eye-rolls and huffs and frankly my palette isn't good enough to make the judgement worthwhile.

But this morning I had something so tasty I had to talk about it. On Fridays I treat myself to breakfast or lunch out and having had the pastries at the Gilead Cafe a try I thought I should try some of their other fare as well.

I order the yogurt with granola, hazelnut, honey and preserves and when I saw the serving size I bought a pain au chocolate as well (hey its a treat!). I got the office and dug into the yogurt and immediately realized there was no way I was going to be able to finish it in one sitting.

The yogurt was lovely and thick and the granola nut mixture added just enough crunch to make it satisfying. I believe the yogurt is actually made with coconut milk which would account for the texture. It was divine and is currently sitting half-finished in the fridge, waiting for my afternoon snack. At $4 its not a bad deal considering everything is made in house.

The recommendation to go the Gilead isn't actually a shocker, since it was the hip cafe when it opened and it still is but sometimes you need to hear it from a friend (like me, am I your friend?) before you try it yourself.

Coming soon - whole wheat pizza crust, better than any delivery.

Indulgence Redefined

On Wednesday the new restaurant Four opened. Since the SIR corporation is not hip to my influence on the food community (hey Osgoode Hall Cafeteria posted my review!), I was not invited to the official launch. But Biz Bash was and you can read their initial thoughts here.

Everything on the menu is fewer than 650 calories, making it ideal for someone such as myself who usually feels guilty after eating out.

I promise to post a review as soon as I can, though I assume the bookings are already stacking up if SIR's other restaurants are any indication.

Girls Night Out - Weezie

True confession, I am still friends with a good deal of the people I knew in high school.  Not just Facebook friends, but the kind of friends you can call when you have to be bailed of jail.  I consider this one of the proudest parts of my life.  My network of friends is varied and spread across the country. 

Now the ladies pictured above are not ones I knew in high school.  I met them in my first year of university, and we are still very very close.  But life is busy (careers, marriage and the other trappings) so we don't get to sit down just the four of us and kibbitz as often as we would like.

The last time we went out to dinner the conversation was stellar but the food was, well, not.

So this time we wanted somewhere that was comfortable and consistent. 

Initially I suggested Terroni, they have a new trendy location but the same great food. 

However, when I went to make a reservation I was told that they don't take reservations after 6pm on Fridays.  Well, I knew that the place would have a line up out the door by the time we got there and we would be forced to cram by the bar.  

Then Kinnon suggested that we hit up Weezie, a place that I had totally forgotten about. And we couldn't have been happier with the results.  I started with the poutine topped with braised beef and gravy.  Wonderful and hearty, exactly what I needed on an extreme cold alert day.

My main was actually another small plate, the beef tartar with toasts.  Forgive the picture, the flash gives it that extra touch of well, redness. But it tasted so good, with just the right amount of spice.  It (along with every else's mains) was gone within seconds. 

With a great menu filled with adaptations of comfort food, Weezie is a great place.  Other dishes consumed that evening were the Mac and Cheese, Burger and Steak Frites.   It is located at 354 King Street East (at Power) and I would recommend reservations, especially if dining on a Friday or Saturday night.  In addition to fun girls nights it is also great for a date, you can ask for the "romance" table to make it extra special.

The Winterlicious Post

There are two schools of thought on Winterlicious (and Summerlicious). One is that it is a great thing, giving people the chance to explore restaurants they may not be able to afford normally. It breaks down social barriers and makes the Toronto dining scene not seem so "snobby."

The other school of thought (mainly from those in the industry), is that it is like suffering two successive weeks of non-stop root canals. In other words, it is pure hell. Waiters get lower tips, restaurants are booked solid and instead of getting to be creative in the kitchen chefs are stuck with churning out the same few dishes each night.

I understand both schools of thought, but I still participate. In some ways I use it to pick and choose which restaurants I want to go back to and pay full price. And I am lucky to have friends and a boyfriend who are "good drinkers" and "good tippers," so we do it up right.

This time around I was only able to make it to one (work, dear friends, work) and luckily it was a gem.

As you can tell from above it was the iconic Bistro 990. This is the kind of restaurant that is ideal for Winterlicious, it has a fun history of celebrity attendance and a great atmosphere that makes you feel special just being there. Bistro 990 has a menu of classic bistro fare with a provencal influence. I went with folks who appreciate a good meal.

To start we were split half and half. Jenny and I each had the Bistro Pate with Quince and Red Onion Marmalade. It came with an ample basket of bread crisps and was rich and dare it say it creamy. The Marmalade helped to cut some of the richness.

Homer and Meg had the Mushroom soup, which was hearty and had a nice dose of cream. Thankfully the baguette kept coming in order to sop it up.

For the mains we all opted for the AAA Flank Steak with Blue Cheese, Mash and Bordelaise Sauce. We felt no guilt about ignoring the other option of Tuna Nicoise as it was so damn cold outside. The only thing that would do was red meat. The steak was great but the real star was the Blue Cheese Mash, the next time I make mashed potatoes I am definitely going to try to replicate this.

By this point my control tops were begging for mercy but I had to soldier on because it was dessert time. Again we were spit with Meg and Jenny ordering the Individual Pavlova with Raspberry Mousse and Chantilly. It was nice and light and probably what I should have ordered. I instead went for the Chocolate Ginger Pot de Crème, which was accompanied by a biscotti that also had ginger flavour. It was creamy and rich and put me over the edge.

Accompanying the meal was a nice bottle of Cote du Rhone which was affordably priced at $39. While we were there I had a look at the regular menu and to be honest it wasn't out of this world. I would go back for a fancy dinner any time.

I hadn't been out for a fancy dinner in a little while and I love the occasion of it. There is still a week left so if you can get in anywhere make a night of it, even a Wednesday night.

Be well and tip well.

Eye Weekly Poll

I hope that you will go and vote in the Eye Weekly Reader's Poll for the best bars and restaurants.

Polls like these can help smaller restaurants gain exposure and maybe even give you an idea of a new place to try.

Hit the Link!

Prohibition/Booze: What's in a Name?

Much like the rest of Queen East I was intrigued in watching the signage change leading up to Prohibition's soft opening. I thought it was a PR stunt at first, but it was then reported that the name change was actually due to an order by the AGCO.

The story goes that the licensing officer “found that the name implied promoting the immoderate consumption of liquor.”

Unfortunately, the name is one of the only interesting things I can say about this self-described gastropub. While the drinks are delicious and plentiful, the food did not entirely live up to the restaurant's hype.

We started with the Calamari ($8.95), which had good texture and flavour. The spicy dip added punch – a great bar snack.

The next dish was the Chicken ($12.95). While the presentation was great and the chicken was quite tender, the sides left something to be desired. The kitchen had switched out the listed green beans for asparagus (without notifying me). The other side of mashed potatoes arrived at a temperature much colder than the chicken and asparagus. Pouring the side of gravy over them warmed them a bit.

We moved on to a more whimsical dish, the Grilled Cheese ($8.95 plus $1.50 extra for a Caesar Salad). The sandwich was described as having apple smoked cheddar, but it essentially tasted just like regular cheddar cheese. The salad gets points for using real bacon, not bacon bits, but it was coated in too much parmesan and dressing to the point of being soggy.

I have been to Prohibition a few times, and each time they seem to be out of something – be it cheese, onion rings, or, at points, entire appetizer dishes (which to me says some items are coming in pre-fabricated).

The wine and beer selection is impressive, something one would expect at a place originally named Booze. I wouldn't give Prohibition a complete miss, but come for a drink (or two) and stick to the lighter fare. But for the love of God do no get the antipasto plate totally over priced and not even worthy of a photo.

Osgoode Hall Cafeteria

When it was recommended that I check out the Osgoode Hall Cafeteria, I braced myself for what I thought would be reminiscent of cafeterias from my past. I pictured food that only a lunch lady could love, full of fun loving trans fats.

Thankfully the Osgoode Hall Cafeteria is nothing of the sort. When I speak of the cafeteria I am not talking of that other little known gem the Osgoode Hall Restaurant this truly is a cafeteria meant for more day-to-day dining than a special occasion lunch. The Executive Chef Adam Foley oversees the food for both, accounting for good quality at cafeteria pricing.

The only hurdle to overcome is actually finding the cafeteria. You enter through the door labeled Law Society of Upper Canada accessed via the laneway on the east side of the building (between Osgoode Hall and Nathan Phillips Square).

Once inside you turn right at the security desk and proceed down the stairwell to the cafeteria, simply follow the signs and you’ll get there. There are no security checkpoints along the way.

The cafeteria itself is bright and basic, with plenty of seating and a few added armchairs for comfort. The large screen TV blares CP24 so that you can keep current while you eat.

The cafeteria serves both breakfast (8:30 am-10:30 am) and Lunch (12:00pm-2:00pm) from Monday to Friday. There are good deals and quality food to found at both services.

On the day I dine for lunch I select the Hot Value Meal ($7.00), which includes the protein main, starch/vegetable side, soup or salad and a drink. Today’s special is Chicken with Wild Mushroom Sauce, Penne Pomodoro and Blond Onion Soup.

The food is simple but executed wonderfully. You truly are getting bang for your buck at this restaurant. Indeed, I get 2 chicken breasts in my order. There is some inexplicable cheese on the chicken, which could have been omitted, but otherwise the chicken is incredibly moist and the sauce is seasoned perfectly.

The penne also serves as the vegetarian hot meal option; the sauce is light with chunks of real tomato, so it doesn’t overload the fairly creamy sauce of the chicken.

The hot specials change daily, as do the soup and salad offerings (Sandwiches $4.00, Salads $2.50). If you are in the mood for a sandwich they have all the regular options (made fresh), which can be ordered a la carte or as part of a combo.

Breakfast offerings include hot specials in addition to muffins, bagels etc. They also happen to make my favourite fruit salad ($2.50), containing more strawberries that you can shake a stick at.

If you are looking for a healthy and fresh alternative to the fast food cuisine in the area I encourage you to check out the Osgoode Hall Cafeteria.

The first post, so important. So crucial.

This blog will talk about all things food, restaurants, recipes, cookbooks, you name it.

It was mainly (though not entirely) started after I had a falling out with blogTO about my photos for the restaurant reviews I was posting.

That and I had some issue with the content they were producing. But I digress, if you want the whole story just let me know in the mean time...on with the show!