Cheap Eats Toronto restaurant guide blog

C'est What Festival of Local Wineries

I just got the following note about C'est What's Festival of Local Wineries TONIGHT - Wed June 25th.    

I know that C'est What has a reputation for craft beer but our love of all things local extends to wine as well.

On Wednesday June 25 from 5 to 10 p.m. we will be featuring a fine selection of almost forty different vintages for you to sample. Representatives from Calamus, Dan Aykroyd, EastDell, Harbour Estates, Henry Of Pelham, Hillebrand, Reif, Silver Peak Wine Cellars, and Vineland. will be on hand to help you increase your VQA IQ.

Admission is free, samples are $1.50 each or eight for $10 (all taxes inc.)

Cheers, George
C'est What Brew/Vin Pub-Restaurant
67 Front St. E. (at Church)
Toronto, ON

It's short notice, but if their recent Porters & Stouts Tasting was any example, this should be a excellent opportunity to sample a range of wines and learn a little at the same time.

Technorati Tags: toronto, c'est what, wine tasting, local wineries, festival of local wineries, dan aykroyd, calamus, eastdell, harbour estates, henry of pelham, hillebrand, reif estate, silver peak wine cellars, vineland

Tech Update & Apology

First of all,

Apology for those repetitive posts

I'd like to apologize for filling your RSS Readers with those "Quick  Notes".   My intent was to use LoudTwitter to share the CheapEats Toronto twitter updates with you.

But what was initially a quick and easy way to share short notes turned into an RSS-clogging annoyance.  

So I've turned it off, and hopefully that's the last you'll be seeing of that.

Tech Update - @CETO on twitter

However, we are doing occasional twitter updates which might be of interest to you.  If you are on twitter, you can follow @CETO, send comments to @CETO, or even tag your CheapEats tweets with #CETO.

If you aren't on twitter or if you want to track the whole CheapEats Toronto experience on twitter, check out http://twitter.zappos.com/ceot. The guys at Zappos.com/Zappos.ca set this up for us and it's great! (Thanks Zappos!)

Tech Update - New Plethora Press Store for CheapEats

On a less frustrating note, we've successfully launched our new sales site for CheapEats - the Plethora Press Bookstore (Plethora Press is our publisher, who is also us.)

Thanks to everyone who helped get test it out.  Your books are in the mail.

Did you miss out?  Sale extended to May 19th!

If you missed out on the sale, the discount checkout code cheapeater has been extended until Monday May 19th and works for CheapEats Toronto and the just-published CheapEats Ottawa.

Thanks for your patience!

Technorati Tags: CheapEats Ottawa, CheapEats Toronto, books, bookstores, Plethora Press, twitter, ceto, zappos.com, quick notes, apology

Quick Notes

• Hitting the Ontario Brewing Awards this afternoon. Let's hope last year's judging brew-ha-ha was a one time deal.
• Ontario Brewing Awards consumer sampling today, May 6th from 5pm-6pm, Esplanade Bier Markt www.thebiermarkt.com/

Automatically posted from the CheapEats Toronto twitterfeed - www.twitter.com/ceto by LoudTwitter

Technorati Tags: ontario brewing awards, bier markt

Lunch Money Day

Hi guys,

as you might know, I'm on Second Harvest's steering committee for Toronto Taste 2008. (more on that later)  

I just got a note from Second Harvest looking for volunteers for their upcoming Lunch Money Day, so I thought I'd take a moment and spread the word:

On Lunch Money Day, February 21, 2008,  Second Harvest asks Torontonians to brown-bag their lunch and donate the cost of a bought lunch to Second Harvest. Every $5 provides 10 healthy and nutritious meals to people in need, including children, men and women in different programs across the GTA, including at women's and homeless shelters, school meal programs, food banks and more.

Winterlicious - Make Your Reservations

While it may feel like spring out there, it's actually time for Winterlicious!  Reservations start January 10th, 2008. (Yes, TODAY!)

This annual dining event includes not only the standard $15-35 prix fixe menus at restaurants all across the city, but this year we're also being offered the Winterlicious Chef Series.

Check out the restaurants participating in this year's Winterlicious

The Winterlicious Chef Series offers us all the "ultimate dining experience with top local and international chefs".  I.e. no more complaining that Winterlicious is just a Dinner Special with a fancy name and lots of hype. This sizzle comes with steak.

Chef Series Events:

(warning - these are not even remotely CheapEats!)

Almost Ready - Lahore Tikka House

Almost Ready

Check it out! This is the new Lahore Tikka House finally unveiled, though not open yet.

As expected, it's huge. Two stories and a parking lot too.

I can't wait until they open for real. I wonder if they will still have the wonderful patio in the summer, or if those railing on the roof mean they'll have it up there.  I miss summer meals on their patio surrounded by twinkling lights and colourful billowing fabrics.

What's Up With Roy Square?

In response to What's Up With Saigon Sister?, Satish left the following comment:

So Long, Roy
by spotmaticfanatic

I also have heard that the Biryani House in Roy Square is also closing down! Has this something to do with the new condo complex on Yonge and Bloor?

I haven't heard anything about that recently, however the rumour that Roy Square was going to be closed down and converted into condos was flying around in 2002 too.

In fact, it's one of the reason why Debu Saha moved the original Biryani House down to Wellesley.  (Though he hasn't been helming that one since April either.)

The rumour was the primary reason there are no Roy Square restaurants in the first two editions of CheapEats Toronto. By the third edition we figured it was just a rumour and Biryani House, Ritz and The Falafel House all made the book.

I guess we'll have to do a bit more digging for the next edition (which we're starting work on in January).

Please let us know if you hear anything concrete or see signs going up.

International Chef's Day BBQ - Oct 20, 2007

On Saturday, chefs from all across Toronto will be in Yonge-Dundas Square from 11am-3pm as part of the Escoffier Society of Toronto's  BBQ celebrating International Chefs Day.

Come and taste specialty dishes ($1-$3) with all the proceeds going to help Second Harvest deliver fresh food to those in need in Toronto.

October 20th, 2007,
11am-3pm
Yonge-Dundas Square
Admission is free and open to the public.

A little quote from the press release we received:

"This event will not only offer up samples from the Escoffier Society of Toronto's talented chefs but also help Second Harvest at the same time" says Toronto Mayor David Miller. "We have some of the finest restaurants and chefs in the world and I'm pleased that they are lending their talents to this cause."

Technorati Tags: toronto, international chefs day, international chefs day bbq, second harvest, escoffier society of toronto, david miller, food festival, events, yonge-dundas square, chefs

East End Eats Out - Oct 12-28, 2007

Remember last year's Leslielicious?  Well this year it has grown and become East End Eats Out.  From October 12th to October 28th, 2007 select restaurants in Leslieville, the Beach, the Danforth, Cabbagetown and the Distillery present specially created prix fixe menus, wine pairings and taster plates.

Although nothing but the "taster plates" at Pan and SOMA really fall into the CheapEats price range, it still may be worth the splurge since many of the prix fixe are more adventurous than those we've been seeing lately at Winterlicious & Summerlicious.  Besides, some of the prix fixe even include wine - like Ci Vediamo's which has their menus designed "for Red Wine Lovers" and "for White Wine Lovers" also available at $20 without the wine. 

The Ex - Five After Five

Woo Hoo - the CNE has just announced they are offering their Five After Five special again this year!

That means tomorrow, Wednesday, or Thursday after 5pm (and Aug 28, 29, 30) you can get into the Ex for just $5.  (Regular adult admission is $14). 

A great deal if you just want to enjoy the midway lights, hit the food building and wander around people watching.

For a little bit of CNE food trivia, did you know that each year more than:

• 18,000 glasses of lemonade are consumed
• 50 tonnes of butter are used for butter sculptures
• 20,000 lbs of Tiny Tim Donuts are devoured (the ones in the photo are Tiny Tom Donuts so... are another 20,000 of those eaten too?)

For more info: www.TheEx.com  or check out the When the food was "really" cheap! discussion on the CNE Facebook group - Action at The EX!

Technorati tags: The EX, CNE, Toronto, tiny tim donuts, tiny tom donuts, five after five

Masala! Mehndi! Masti! 2007 Festival Food Vendors

I always like to plan ahead, so I emailed the organisers of this weekend's  Masala! Mehndi! Masti! at the CNE asking about what will be served at the festival.  They always have great food and it looks like this year will be no different!

Here is what they sent back: 

No South Asian event is complete without a full range of mouth watering eats. An exciting fusion of food vendors representing cuisines from different parts of South Asia can be enjoyed at Masala! Mehndi! Masti! 2007.

Try our famous Indian street,  outdoor and beach foods such as, bhel puri, pani puri, chat from Bombay beaches,  pav bhaji from New Delhi, patra, dhokra, kachori from Gujarat and of course our mouth watering Indian samosas, pakoda and kebabs.

There will be variety of South Indian food such as idli, vadas and variety of dosas including spring, masala or sada dosas with accompanying chutneys and sambar.

For the veggie lovers, come out and try our vegan food from Gujarat, North and South India. And we cannot forget non-vegetarian food from Hyderabad and North India.

To quench your thirst, taste Indian national drinks such as, Mango Lassi and Masala Chai.

For sweet lovers we will have kulfi, jalebi, gulam jamun and ladoo.

These are just a sneak peek of some of dishes at M!M!M! 2007 festival, but be assured there will be numerous others to surprise you.

The food vendors on site are: Udipi (CETO 148), Komala's, Chandni Chowk (who made those excellent chili pakora last year), Makkah, White Gold Sweets, Bombay Bhel (CETO pg. 44), Ontario Corn roasters, and many more!

Masala! Mehndi! Masti! – The Explosive South Asian Festival celebrates its 7^th year!
Friday July 27 through Sunday July 29, 2007
Free admission events for all ages!
210 Princes’ Boulevard, Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON 

For a full listing of events at Masala! Mehndi! Masti! visit www.masalamehndimasti.com.

 

Note: all photos are from Masala! Mehndi! Masta! 2005.  If you take photos this year, please share them on the CETO flickr group

King Street Crawl - July 26th

Tomorrow night, you can start practicing up for next month's Beer Festival at the King Street Crawl.  Brewers are offering complimentary summer beer-sampling at select restaurants and bars along King Street from Bathurst to Spadina.

July Food Festivals

Just as cottage season kicks in to full force, the city starts filling up with weekend food festivals.  Oh what a choice, do we sit on a dock sipping ice cold beers or wander the street... sipping ice cold beers and sampling the flavours of the world.  Phht... the dock can wait 'til August, I'm going to hit the streets! 

June 29-July 2 - Toronto Ribfest

Woo Hoo - Ribfest! Beer tents, ribs, yum yum yum.  (Note: while it's called "Toronto Ribfest" it's actually in Etobicoke's Centennial Park, near Rathburn & the 427)

July 6-8 - Corso Italia Toronto Fiesta
10 years and still going strong, the Corso Italia Toronto Fiesta is a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to experience the food and culture of Toronto's own Corso Italia. Bands will perform on street corners, patios and balconies playing everything from Classical to Salsa. Food and beverage retailers will offer a mouth-watering selection of tastes and flavours, with promotions and samples of their cuisine.

July 6-22 - Summerlicious
Now in it's 5th year, Summerlicious is still going strong. Prix fixe menus offered for lunch at either $15 or $20, and dinner at either $25 or $35 depending on the restaurant.  Restaurants start taking reservations on June 21st.

This year the Toronto City site provides restaurant listings, neighbourhood listings and a "survival guide" (which is really more a set of rules than anything.) Hey, do you have Summerlicious survival tips?  Perhaps we'll pull together our own survival guide.

July 6-8 - Taste of Lawrence
Lawrence Avenue East will showcase the unique flavours found throughout the neighbourhood, enjoy show-stopping performers, participate in hands-on kids activities, ride the midway into the night, see amazing street performers and much more to be experienced. (yes, this is a canned profile. If you've been to this event, tell us more about it! Especially the food)

July 7-8 - Afrofest
See and hear traditional and contemporary styles of music by dozens of different African performing groups along with top international touring acts.  The festival has grown every year, and in 2007 there will be 3 different stage areas. Come to Queen's Park and discover Africa in the heart of Toronto! (I missed this one last year, and didn't hear the end of it.  Yet, I'm still using a canned profile. If you've been to this event, tell us more about it! Especially the food)

July 8 - PS Mirvish Village
This is the FIRST EVER Pedestrian Sundays in Mirvish Village!  No details on themes yet, but more as it comes.  PS Mirvish Village will be on July 8, August 12 & September 9th.

July 8- Aug 9 - Caribana
Caribana is back for its 40th year celebrating the music, cuisine and arts of the Caribbean region watch for concerts, events, Caribana specials and deals all over the city. The Parade is on August 4.

July 11- Aug 22 - Fresh Wednesdays
Live music and a farmers' market fill up Nathan Phillip's Square every Wednesday. Yum yum.

July 12- Aug 23 - Tasty Thursdays
Toronto restaurants will be featuring select menu items for five dollars or less. In addition to the delicious international cuisine, which includes pad thai, empanada, jerk chicken and jumbo shrimp, each week there will be a free noon hour concert. What a treat! Who's serving what.

July 13  - Toronto Street Treats
From noon until 2pm, Nathan Philips Square becomes a sampling-ground of what could be the next great Toronto street foods (once the new changes to  Ontario's street food vendor regulations hit the street on August 1st.) Restaurants from around the city are offering tasty street food treats for $1-$6.

July 13-14 - Salsa on St. Clair
Showcasing of the very best of Latin life: pulsating music and passionate dancing, skilled craftsmen and fine artisans, fiery foods and world class wines. Take dancing lessons. Brave the jalapeno sauces. Settle in to the cigar lounge. Sing along with the strolling singers. Dress up for the TLN cameras.  (Mondo-man, help me out here... I know you go!)

July 14-15 - Tastes of Thailand 2007 [Nathan Philip's Square]
Celebrate the King's 80th birthday and experience traditional Songkran festival at the Tastes of Thailand.  Food from 10 "Thai-selected" restaurants, cooking demonstrations, Thai fruits, dances, fashion show and kick-boxing demos.  Should be fascinating and tasty.

July 14-15 - International Festival of India
A unique and colourful event you don't want to miss. Free vegetarian feast, exhibits, dances, dramas (of the theatrical kind I'm hoping), yoga and meditation. Even a parade along Yonge and Bloor and travelling over to Centre Island.

July 15 - PS Baldwin
Pedestrian Sundays are expanding to Baldwin Village and Mirvish Village!  PS Baldwin will be on July 15, August 19 & September 16th.

July 20-22 - PartiGras
As a part of a string of jazz festivals in and around Toronto, the annual Parti Gras grooves into the Historic Distillery District for three days.

July 20-22 - Dim Sum Chinese Festival
Dim Sum Festival!  Colour me there!  Lots of wide yummy Chinese cuisine and music, art and more all wrapped up together in a celebration and showcase of Chinese culture. 

July 26 6pm-10pm - The King St. Crawl 
The King St. Crawl is a "summer beer-sampling event" (aka Pub Crawl) and is a satellite event to the Toronto Festival of Beer. You need a passport, which you can generally pick up down in the King St. West District. Get your passport to summer! (And BEER!) Oh... and they offer food too.

July 27-29 - Masala! Mehndi! Masti!
One of my favourite festivals of the summer Masala! Mehndi! Masti! is back at Exhibition Place... yes! Exhibition Place.  Did you miss that move last year? I did.  "Our food vendors feature mouth watering South Asian dishes from Mughlai chicken to South Indian dosas, Hakka Chinese noodles to West Indian doubles!"  Oh boy! That's the kind of detail I try and get for all these events!

July 29 - PS Kensington 

This month's Pedestrian Sunday theme in Kensington Market is Water! Streams of Consciousness. (Pedestrian Sundays are expanding to Mirvish Village and Baldwin Village in July)

July 29 - Brazilfest
Come enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of Brazil at the fourth annual Brazilian Summer Festival this summer. A real Carnival in Toronto, with music, happiness and the unique touch of Brazilian friendship for all.
BrazilFest will feature the best of Brazil's music and dance, reflecting the best of Brazilian culture.  

We'd love to hear what you thought of these festivities, and please let us know if we missed anything in your neighbourhood or any of your favourites!!

 

Technorati tags: toronto, food and drink, food festivals, ps kensington, summerlicious, festival, food events, gta

Sunday's Free Lunch

I recently got this notification via email. 

FREE LUNCH
Everything on the menu
2pm Sunday June 10
Lucky Dragon Restaurant, 418 Spadina
ALL WELCOME

I've checked it out and it looks legit. In fact, it looks like it's partially sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council.

Unfortunately I'm at a conference all day Sunday, so I'm going to miss it.  I hope someone will go and then leave me a note telling me how it went.

---

A bit more info on:
Lucky Dragon
418 Spadina Ave, S of College
pg. 96 in your handy-dandy CheapEats Toronto, where JS says:

... The staff are friendly, service is quick, and the kitchen pumps out consistently great dishes. The eggplant in chile & garlic sauce with minced pork ($6.95) is outstanding, perfectly cooked wedges of eggplant in a spicy, nuanced sauce.  Shrimp with orange flavour ($9.95) is packed with seafood, snow peas and Chinese mushrooms in a thick, sweet sauce with heat. Spicy pork with garlic sauce ($7.95) will make your upper lip sweat, and your lower lip quiver with pleasure.

Technorati Tags: cheapeats toronto, free lunch, lunch, lucky dragon, chinatown, spadina, june 10, toronto, ontario arts council

June Food Festivals

The weather is heating up and so are the barbecues.  It's time to start planning out your summer weekends, and how better to do it than by checking out what food festivals are happening. 

May 31-June 10 - Spring Fever on St. Clair

Prix fixe ($20-$25) restaurant event at restaurants along St.Clair from Bathurst to Dufferin. (participating restaurants)

June 10 - Toronto Taste

Over 50 of the top chefs in the city showcase their culinary creations in tandem with fantastic wine, beer and spirits all in support of Second Harvest. (Tickets $225 each or check out the raffle tickets)

June 10- Strawberries & Asparagus Festival

The first annual Strawberries and Asparagus Festival is a a "celebration of community, greenspace and the environment". There will be Music, Food, an GetSmart Fair, Solar Cook Off and Farmers Market.

June 12 - sip Ontario

The 12th annual celebration of Ontario's award-winning wines is held in the Distrillery District. It's not so cheap but $50 per ticket includes all wine tastings, appetizers and shuttle bus.

June 15-17 - Taste of Little Italy

Closing off College Street between Bathurst & Shaw, Taste of Little Italy will be filled with music, buskers and restaurants offering tastings for $1-$5 until 2am on Friday & Saturday night and until 10pm Sunday.

June 24 - PS Kensington 

This month's Pedestrian Sunday theme in Kensington Market is Fire! Summer Solstice SUNday. (Pedestrian Sundays are expanding to Mirvish Village and Baldwin Village in July, more details to come)

June 29-July 2 - Toronto Ribfest

Woo Hoo - Ribfest! Beer tents, ribs, yum yum yum.  (Note: it's actually in Etobicoke's Centennial Park, near Rathburn & the 427)

More details coming, but please let me know if we missed anything in your neighbourhood or any of your favourites!!

 

Other, not so food related events happening around town in June:

Spring Fever on St. Clair [May 31-June 10]

This the second year for Spring Fever on St. Clair, the week-long restaurant event offering Prix Fixe menus at restaurants across this vibrant but still mostly under-discovered neighbourhood along St. Clair from Bathurst to Dufferin.   

Prix Fixe menus include appetizer, entree and dessert and are priced at either $20 or $25.

Restaurants participating this year include:

Atlas One - 820 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B6 416-656-4817 Café Neo - 782 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B6 416-789-9022  Da Gianni & Maria Trattoria - 794 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B6 416-652-3982  Dave's Gourmet Pizza  -730 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B3 416-652-2020  Dona Luz Pancho Villa - 807 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B9 416-652-7430  El Fogon - 543 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1A3 416-850-8041  El Palenque Casa del Mariachi - 816 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B6 416-653-5593  Ferro Bar Cafe - 769 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B4 416-654-9119

Filippo's - 744 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B5 416-658-0568  Mezzetta - 681 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1A7 416-658-5687  Mi Tierra Restaurant - 828 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1C1 416-654-8886  Nama Sushi - 750 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B5 416-652-0711 Regal Heights Bistro - 1077 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6E 1A6 416-651-2109 The Rushton  - 740 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B3 416-658-7874  Vanipha Lanna - 863 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1C4 416-654-8068  Zemra Bar Lounge - 778 St Clair Ave W Toronto, ON  M6C 1B6 416-651-3123

See also www.springfever.ca

May 27th - Free Burger Day

Okay, okay, it's not officially a CheapEat because it's a huge national chain, but you can't get cheaper than free.

At all participating Harvey's in Ontario
FREE Original Hamburger
Sunday May 27, 2007
10am-3pm

More details

(Thanks for the heads up to Mike K.)

 

Technorati tags: Harvey's, hamburger, burgers, free food, food and drink, food, ontario

Winterlicious 2007

Yes, Toronto's Wintercity Festival is back from January 26-February 8, 2007.  Which means Winterlicious 2007!

This year Winterlicious is offering 2 great ways to enjoy and experience Toronto's vast food scene:

• Winterlicious prix fixe menus;   130 restaurants offering prix fixe menus of $15/$20 for lunch and $25/$35 for dinner. Reservations open January 11th for Winterlicious 2007. Contact the restaurants directly and say you are making a Winterlicious reservation. (American Express holders can book early with their cards)
• Winterlicious Culinary events; a series of eight mouth-watering culinary events including: Cooking Demonstrations at the Calphalon Culinary Centre - Jan 26-Feb 8, The Drake Hotel's Fashion Brunch - Feb 3rd, EDO's Far Beyond Sushi - Jan 29th & Feb 5th, and more.

Come back and let us know what you think of the restaurants you visit during Winterlicious and you could win a copy of CheapEats Toronto.

 

Diwali - Eid Street Celebration

Gerrard India Bazaar celebrates Diwali and Eid every year in the Bazaar. This year these two important holidays happen to occur at the same time of the year.

To celebrate the holidays, the Gerrard India Bazaar has planned Diwali-Eid celebrations for 2pm-10pm from Friday October 20th to Sunday October 22nd.

Gerrard Street from Greenwood to Coxwell will be filled with lights and music, food and shopping. A large movie screen on the south side of Hiawatha Street, screening Bollywood songs.. Henna artists will be on hand along Gerrard St, as will sweet tables where Surati Sweet Mart will be distributing 6000 laddu free. The entire neighbourhood will be adorned with lights welcoming the Festival of Lights.