Cheap Eats Toronto restaurant guide blog

VV List Release Saturday July 5, 2008

Hello Everyone!

We trust this newsletter finds you all doing very well and enjoying the full onslaught of summer. We hit the tasting room the day after Canada Day and found an interesting selection of quaffers. The theme of this week's release is "HITTING THE HEIGHTS" – featuring Malbec from Argentina. Bordeaux is Malbec's birthplace, where this fine grape is used as an auxiliary blender. As a stand-alone grape from Argentina – the result is a full-bodied wine with plentiful fruit and silky tannins. We are recommending two of the Malbecs on offer, but have a plethora of other tasty tipples to recommend.

WHITE WINES

707158 Zenato Lugana San Benedetto 2007 (Lombardy – Italy) $15.95

This is one of our returning faves showing delicate floral aromas with peach, citrus and melon flavours. Delightfully crisp and refreshing, enjoy solo or paired with light summertime dishes.

669531 Michel Gassier Les Piliers Viognier 2007 (Midi – France) $18.95

Half the juice for this Viognier was fermented in new French oak and the other half fermented in stainless steel featuring subtle aromas of candied fruit and hints of vanilla, with apricot, peach and tangerine on the palate and an ample finish.

Vintages Value List for Saturday October 27, 2007

Greetings Everyone!

The “good deals” at Vintages are getting a bit scarce as we head into the holiday season. You will notice a slight price creep as the holiday season draws nigh. We muddled through the tasting and at the end, had quite a few reds to recommend and one lone white. The theme of the release is “the wine list – PERFECT WINES FOR PARTIES BIG AND SMALL”. We are definitely heading into the social season – cocktail parties, dinner parties, holiday parties and the like. You can always refer to the Vintages Value List when faced with the “what wine should I bring?” dilemma. If you do want to spend a bit more, we recommend a visit to a Vintages location and talking to one of the Product Consultants. They are extremely helpful matching wine to food and budget. Don’t be shy – these folks are passionate about their jobs and wine and offer reliable, credible advice when it comes to wine selection.

WHITE WINE

D’Arenberg The Olive Grove Chardonnay 2006 – McLaren Vale Adelaide Hills, South Australia (702845) $16.95

Apple and plum nose with flavors of yellow plum and a distinct green olive finish.

RED WINE

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2006 – Limestone Coast, South Australia (673897) $19.95

Loads of jammy raspberry and cherry with nice juicy acidity. This makes an awesome sipper!

Vintages Value List for Saturday September 29, 2007

Greetings All!

The theme of the upcoming release gave us a feeling of great promise, as the wines featured in this release are from the Rhone Valley, Provence and Midi. The beautiful, sunny, breezy weather that greeted us when we set out to walk over the LCBO Sensory Evaluation Room didn’t distract us from this optimistic state either! We were particularly hopeful because the wines from this region usually offer good value for the $$ with the exception of wines from the northern Rhone Valley.

The Rhone is home to the Syrah grape – known as Shiraz in New World wine producing regions. ‘Hermitage’ is one of the most famous (and expensive) sub-appellation from this region.

Farther south in the valley is the famous Chateau-Neuf-du-Pape. CNdP can contain up to 13 grape varieties and thus each wine from this sub-appellation offers distinct differences. CNdP’s neighbour – Cotes-du-Rhone offers a greater value proposition and there is one recommendation for CdR below.

The real values appear as one travels farther south to the regions of Provence and Midi along the Mediterranean. Here the reds are usually blends and offer a variety of styles – from smooth and light to big and bold.

We talked about the release on the walk back to work and decidedly chose four wines that really stood out:

Top 4 Picks

40220 Gundian Albarino 2005 (Spain) $16.95

Albarino is a white grape indigenous to Spain. There is a definite pear nose that segues to a citrus palate. This is a biggish wine with a slight hint of oak. This one was thoroughly enjoyable and pleasant.

36988 Jean Bousquet Malbec 2005 (Argentina) $12.95

A terrific blend of barnyard and fruit. Cherries, blackberry and chocolate predominate the palate. It is a great value that goes down easy – it’s OK to swill at that price!

644047 Langmeil Three Gardens Shiraz/Grenache/Mourvedre 2005 (Barossa Valley, AUS) $19.95

JAMARAMA!!! It has a good, long, sweet finish with lots of different flavours going on before you get there. Rob Parker gave this one a 90 – won’t last long!

925453 Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Shiraz 2005 (S. Australia) $19.95

Cassis and smokiness stand out in this intense, opulent wine. Rob Parker gave this one a 92 – it won’t last long either!

The First Word on Food

Sunday October 22nd, that's tomorrow, will find me chatting about food with Lisa Moskaluk on CIUT's The First Word. [Listen online between 1pm-3pm]

The theme for the show this week is food and while I don't know who else they've got scheduled in, I suggested a handful of other guests who I know have something to say on the subject. 

Who'd I suggest? 

• Anne Pieponen - a CheapEats contributor who is opening a new bar/resto on College Street West just west of Dovercourt;
• Gurth Pretty - who just published Canadian Artisanal Cheeses, how cool is that?
• Johan Maes - the chef behind le Petit Dejeuner, yum yum yum!
• Stephen Chan - the managing director of the Bright Pearl who is pretty active in promoting Chinatown West and has helped with a couple of guides on dim sum.
• Karen Viva-Hayne - owner of Viva Tastings a small but growing catering company that has just opened a storefront.
• and since the Diwali-Eid celebration at the Gerrard India Bazaar, I thought it might be cool to have someone in to talk about the food of the season.

Reading this?  Think YOU should be on this list?  Tell me why and what your favourite food topic is.

Tags: ciut, lisa moskaluk, cheapeats, gurth pretty, canadian artisanal cheeses, le petit dejeuner, bright pearl, johan maes, stephen chan, karen viva-hayne, viva tastings, gerrard india bazaar, food  alexa clark

Epicure Cafe

Recommended by: CEOT contrib - GO

"Love working lunches at the Epicure when visiting Toronto. Imaginative sandwiches with salad and fries (why doesn't everyone do that?). Feels like a thirties European cafe...really...even if the menu wanders into the trendy.  If they have the blackened catfish sandwich, go for it!"

Epicure Cafe - 512 Queen St. W - 416.504.8942 
pg 49 cheapeats toronto 2003/04

What do you think?

Avenue Open Kitchen - reader reco

Recommended by: reader - TQ

"There's a lot to choose from and not all of it is 'greasy spoon' grub but all of it is good! The classic diner atmosphere is great and the best is introducing it to friends."

Avenue Open Kitchen - 7 Camden - (pg 26 cheapeats toronto 2003/04)

What do you think?

Bloor-Jane Restaurant - reader reco

Recommended by: reader - LH

"I have been going to this places for years. Great the morning after a night on the town. They serve breakfast all day and it's cheap. The breakfast special- eggs, bacon, toast, home fried and coffee all for $5. They have great pancakes as well and BLTs. Whatever you do order something with bacon - it's the best I have ever tasted- extra crispy! It's a very popular place for a late weekend Breakfast, so either show up really early or later in the afternoon. Service is fast and generally friendly. "

Bloor-Jane Restaurant - 2434 Bloor St.W.

What do you think?

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Dundas Pizza - reader reco.

Recommended by: reader - AP

"The pizza here is amazing, and it's ridiculously cheap. There's also interesting topping options (bamboo shoots!), and the owner likes to joke around with his customers."

Order the: "Pizza! I like broccoli and feta as toppings. The chicken skewers are also very tasty." 

Dundas Pizza - 3088 Dundas St W. 

What do you think...

Amma Takeout - reader reco

Recommended by: reader - SR

"Incredibly cheap food; we've fed four people full to groaning for $9. It's takeout only, and it gets queued out the door at dinnertime."

Try the: "Kothu roti; eggs, chilis, onions, curry and flatbread all chopped up and fried together. The usual mix may well be too spicy for you; ask for mild."

Amma Takeout - 723 Kennedy Rd.

What do you think?