The Stop's Night Market (2016)

The Stop's Night Market has always been one of my favourite events to cover. Not only does it fulfill every foodie's dream of having access to unlimited food and drinks for the night, but at the core of this event is a philanthropic one. Celebrating its 5th anniversary this year, all the proceeds from The Stop's Night Market will support critical food access and community-building programs offered at The Stop's Community Food Centre. Located in Toronto’s west end, The Stop's Community Food Centre works to increase access to food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and challenges inequality. From its origins as one of Canada’s first food banks, The Stop has blossomed into a thriving community hub where neighbours participate in a broad range of programs that provide healthy food, foster social connections, build food skills, and promote civic engagement. Underlying all of The Stop’s efforts is the belief that food is a basic human right. With tickets that cost $100 per person for all-you-can-eat food and alcohol for the night, it truly is a small price to pay when you think of the impact your money will have on the very people you share this city with that are hungry day-in and day-out.

Inspired by night markets from across the globe, The Stop’s Night Market transformed a unique outdoor space on Sterling Road in Toronto's Junction Triangle neighbourhood over the span of two summer nights in June. This year the night market featured more than 70 of Toronto’s best chefs, 20 local beverage vendors, and more than 35 unique food carts, each created by local design teams.

My recommendation I've been telling anyone that comes to The Stop's Night Market is to come hungry! The last thing you want to happen is to be full after you've tried only a handful of the vendors. There were so many delicious food options this year it was hard to figure out where to begin, but as I got my groove on I certainly developed a rhythm and quickly consumed some tasty dishes all while trying to find the booths that had the shortest line ups. 

Here are some of my favourite dishes of the night!

Richmond Station

Vegetarian Shawarma - Pickled Turnip, Garlic Sauce, Hot Sauce

Tori's Bakeshop

A Homer Simpson Classic - Vanilla Bean, Rhubarb Donut

Pizzeria Libretto

Gnocchi Fritti - House Made Gnocchi, Deep Fried, Topped with Marinara Sauce

Steven Gonzalez On Tour

Choripan - Pork Chorizo, Chipotle Mayo, Slaw + Bun

Seawitch

Box Cut Chips & British Style Curry Sauce

Citizen Catering

Grilled Octopus - Patatas Bravas, Chimichurri, Olives, Espelette, Lemon

Smoke Signals Bar-B-Q

Wings - Smoke, Fish Funk, Bird Chilies, Lemon Grass

I'm happy to conclude that this year's event was another smashing success with $215,000 raised for The Stop's critical food programs! Not only did they satisfy our hungry bellies who took part in the event, but hundreds more of those that are less fortunate and hungry on a daily basis. Here's to hoping that next year we can raise even more money than what we did this year, feeding one more hungry stomach at a time.

Recipe: Drake One Fifty Caesars

We have three exclusive Caesar recipes for all our readers today from one of the hottest restaurants in Toronto right now, Drake One Fifty, the Drake Hotel's chic stand-alone destination restaurant in the heart of the Financial District. These three cocktail recipes is directly from the head bartender himself Gord Hannah who has already mastered the art of cocktail making, and has graciously shared three of his favourite Caesar recipes with us including their Classic Drake Caesar. These cocktails will surely impress your guests the next time you are hosting your very own cocktail party, and the great part to this is that they are super easy to make thanks to the clear and concise directions from Gord below.

Check out the three Drake One Fifty Caesar recipes below!

Classic Drake Caesar

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Vodka

• 1 oz. Carol + Co. Bloody Mix

• Lemon Wedge

• Olives

• Pinch of...

  • Horseradish

  • Clamato Juice

  • Cracked Pepper

  • Celery Salt

Directions: To craft your perfect Canadian Caesar, begin by moistening the rim of your glass with a lemon wedge and then coat with celery salt. Fill your glass half-way with ice and then you’re ready to pour! First, add the vodka followed by the Carol + Co. Bloody Mix and a pinch of horseradish. Top your glass off with Clamato juice and then let the garnishing begin. Trim your Caesar with olives and add crushed pepper to taste. After that, it’s all yours to drink!

Cucumber Gin Caesar

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Gin

• 1 oz. Carol + Co. Bloody Mix

• Lemon Wedge

• Sliced Cucumber

• Cucumber Ribbon

• Pinch of...

  • Clamato Juice

  • Cracked Pepper

  • Celery Salt

Directions:  A new twist on an old classic, the Cucumber Gin Caesar is the perfect drink for summer! Begin by moistening the rim of your glass with a lemon wedge and then coat with celery salt. Ice your glass half-way and add in a couple of cucumber slices. Follow this by pouring in the gin and the Carol + Co. Bloody Mix. Top off your drink with Clamato juice and garnish with crushed pepper and a cucumber ribbon. The cucumber ribbon is a pretty touch that will be sure to wow! To make: peel a thin slice of cucumber and weave through a tooth-pick in an ‘S’ formation.

Cilantro Tequila Caesar 

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Tequila

• 1 oz. Carol + Co. Bloody Mix

• Lemon Wedge

• Olives

• Pinch of...

  • Horseradish

  • Clamato Juice

  • Cracked Pepper

  • Celery Salt

  • Cilantro

Directions: For a drink that truly packs a punch, look no further than the Cilantro Tequila Caesar! Begin by moistening the rim of your glass with a lemon wedge, coat with celery salt and ice. Next, bruise your cilantro by putting it in the palm of your hand and slapping it with the other. This will really bring out the flavour! Add the cilantro into the glass and pour in the tequila, Carol + Co. Bloody Mix, and horseradish. Top off your glass with Clamato juice and garnish with olives and cracked pepper to taste!

Photos taken by Brian Lai.

Cactus Club Café

As much familiarity its name carries out west, I had not previously heard about the Cactus Club Café.  Finding it downtown Toronto was easy, though.  I could not have possibly missed that gargantuan signage hovering the north side of the First Canadian Place.

As I entered what I observed as an adult-contemporary-meets-millennial-inspired space, I was quickly greeted by the hostess. She motioned to the elevator that would eventually transport me to the rooftop.  My thoughts, thus far? Elevator? Rooftop? Fancy.

The elevator doors parted to unveil the roof terrace, and I was welcomed by the open sky and the sunshine beaming down on me. Sunlight is certainly the truest form of lighting that food photographers favour.  Well played, Cactus.

The restaurant name lends itself to its décor, but not quite in the most literal sense.  I do not remember actually seeing the arid environment inhabitant anywhere.  With a name like it, I envisioned hints of cactus green and shades of desert brown scattered throughout the area.  The place fulfilled that imagery.

Much like the rugged exterior associated with cacti, I felt as though the ambience also had a masculine undertone. I spotted television screens, which were simultaneously airing whichever sports game for that season.  If that is not your thing, do not fret – it is not like a whiskey-scented leather couch in your face kind of feel.  The bright pops of colour in the accents (like the throw pillows), helped neutralize that.  Strings of lights were also strewn across the roof to romanticize the vibe.

Viscerally soaking in the environment and layout some more, Cactus Club fundamentally follows the sameness of any lounge.  There is a bar (in the middle), booths surrounding the perimeter, and tables throughout.  Of course, there was music to match – think along the lines of “Ain’t Nobody” redux with some Drake thrown in there. I quite enjoyed the music.  Really, who would not after two glasses of their scrumptious sangria?

Some minutes into the lunch, the restaurant staff decided to put the retractable roof back to use.  The November air was brisk and there was a bit of a chill, so the blankets and heaters scattered all over the area proved to be practical.

The server relayed that we could have specific dishes or alternatively, that they could bring out samples of the menu.  We opted for the latter.  After all, the Chef should know best.

Much to our hungry stomachs’ delight, the servers presented us with a couple of dishes for each of the three courses (as laid out below).

{Starters}

Ravioli + Prawn Trio - butternut squash and mascaropone ravioli, truffle butter sauce, sauteed jumbo prawns, pine nuts. Cost - $14.50.

Tuna Stack - ocean wise albacore, citrus tamari vinaigrette, nori, sesame, avocado, micro cilantro, wonton chips. Cost - $16

To begin the meal, we ate the appetizer edition of the Ravioli + Prawn Trio as well as the Tuna Stack.  I am not one for raw fish, so heaps of that dish went to my plus one’s belly.  I may not have appreciated the texture of the tuna, but I was certainly pleased with the presentation.  It was so delicate, for a second I thought I was participating in high tea with my pinky up.  It was my friend’s second favourite dish.  I enjoyed the butternut squash and truffle butter flavours of the ravioli, but it was like watching a trailer to an upcoming movie – I wanted more than just a taste!  It was teetering that amuse-bouche definition.

{Mains}

Duck Confit - braised lentils, double smoked bacon, soy - truffle vinaigrette, baby frisee salad. Cost - $26

Sablefish - shiitake mushrooms, asparagus, peking duck broth, fingerling potatoes. Cost - $34.

The next portion was probably our favourite part of the meal.  We liked both of these dishes.  Favourite dish of the day – mine was the Duck Confit, while my friend’s was the Sablefish.  The duck dish stood out to me, not particularly because of the duck itself but more so the lentils.  I never would have thought lentils would speak to me as much as it did in that dish.  Other highlight – the fish was incredibly tender.  Probably unconventional, but if I could have paired the fish with the lentils, all would have been right with the world.  I did not care for the soup base for the fish.  I prefer a heartier, creamier soup, and viscosity was lost on this one.  Plus points were given out for the asparagus, which happens to be one of my favourite vegetables.

{Dessert}

Key Lime Pie - freshly squeezed key limes, graham cracker crust, hand whipped cream. Cost - $8.25.

Velvet Underground - warm caramel foam, crunchy sponge toffee, velvety chocolate mousse. Cost - $6.

As for the sweeter side of things, I enjoyed the key lime pie more than I did with the shooter dessert.  My friend and I were of the same opinion on this.  There is just more to savour on the pie, and the shooter was too strong for someone who regularly observes a caffeine-free diet.

{Drinks}

Signature Sangria - fresh strawberries and raspberries, zinfandel, apricot brandy, sprite and a splash of bellini. Cost - $10.50.

My friend and I had the same drink throughout this brunch.  You guessed it.  The Sangria.  It was so thrillingly delicious.  As soon as I had the first sip (gulp?), the experience pointedly reminded me of this drink from another restaurant/lounge type spot, which had been my sole go-to previously.  Not anymore.  Hands down, the fruity drink lover in me proclaimed this a fave for the long-run.

Overall, I had a wonderful time. The food was tasty – though I cannot say I would necessarily go back for the unconvincing price point.  The atmosphere, however – made it a suitable go-to for a lounge-y, sexy weekend brunch.  But hey, maybe it’s the Sangria talking.  Again, well played, Cactus.

Pedestrian Pat

Toronto Food & Wine Festival 2015

Amidst food and wine enthusiasts alike, I found myself soaking up the ambience that radiated at the world-renowned Evergreen Brick Works during the 2015 Toronto Food and Wine Festival. Setting afoot this venue for the first time, I was in awe of my surroundings – traces of rustic-industrial, country-chic and Mother Nature enveloped the entire vicinity.  As someone who is fascinated by both street art and food, I found that this Don Valley gem was the perfect location in marrying these two. Already recognized as the first organization to start building gardens across Canada, the Evergreen Brick Works also champions the coming together of community and food.  At this inaugural event, I witnessed first-hand how this was showcased – just as their motto advocates – with “good food, happy people, and a healthy city”.

Atop the media preview tour that I was there to participate in, we were greeted by our hosts, who gave us the general overview of the then forthcoming event. Spotted in the crowd were celebrity figures Roger Mooking (Everyday Exotic), Brad Long (Restaurant Makeover) and Gail Simmons (Top Chef).  I saw glimpses of how the three-day long event was planned to unfold.  Different sections of the Brick Works devoted to various special mini events, such as cooking classes and demonstrations, and Chef’s Talks, were primed and well-equipped. Lights strewn across in rooms, picnic tables and benches scattered throughout, and food and wine vendors abound, the place seemed ready for the throngs of people waiting to be entertained.

After the tour, with my plus one by my side, we hopped from one area of the Brick Works to the next. Our first stop was a Tutored Tastings session.  For that particular hour, author and wine connoisseur Ana Fabiano presented the history and offerings of Rioja.  Sipping on the five Rioja samples prepared for the audience, the wanderlust in me perked up at the vision of Spain and its vineyards on a screen across of me. Imagine being in the presence of the real deal – how majestic would that be?  Meanwhile, my friend immediately favoured the Faustino V Tempranillo Rosado 2014.  Had she been able to, she would have bought a bottle of this red wine then and there.  I can tell you that the greater part of our wine consumption for the day involved this brand (which continued on to the next part of the agenda).

Heading onward with our food adventure, we proceeded to the central hub of all things food and wine that weekend.  Dubbed as the Grand Tasting Pavilion, it acted as the epicenter of the main event, where the space was abundantly occupied with food and wine stations endorsing the vendors’ respective products.  Following is a sample of this vending population.

Appealing to those craving exotic and unique flavours:

Bombay Street Food

Of Indian origin, this Sev Puri is “a delicious, savoury staple of Mumbai street food.”  Akin to a tostada, crispy puris are topped with potatoes, tamarind and coriander chutneys and fried noodles.

Little Sister

Serving Indonesian fare with this Babi Guling – Balinese roast pork, pickles, peanuts on an ice berg wedge, my palette recognized a celebration of spices.

Black Angus

If you are hunting for some game meat, cupped within is their game toast featuring elk, water buffalo, caribou, and venison.

Dirty Bird

Popularized at the Kensington Market location, this chicken and waffle had a sweet and spicy sauce accompaniment that tickled the tongue.

El Catrin

Chorizo, potatoes, caramelized onions, and a special green sauce all fit in this one bite-sized mouthful.

Rasa

Easily one of my favourites, this simple but hearty piece of shawarma slider with hummus, tabouleh, feta, tzatziki, and pickled things left me both satisfied, but gluttonously wanting more.

Tori’s Bakeshop

Niche to organic and vegan eaters, this seemingly innocent baguette crostini layered with cashew chevre and smoked beets with Maldon Salt packed a delicious punch to my taste buds.

Pulse Restaurant

Quack Taco - this Singaporean duck ensemble, adorned with bamboo intestines, pickled beets, and Pulse’s special samba sauce, deservedly claimed its RSVP’d spot in my belly.

For some seafood fare:

President’s Choice

Bringing a taste of the ocean, a Nova Scotia scallop was atop a bed of butternut squash risotto, topped with pumpkin seed oil.

Reds Midtown Tavern

Scallops, shrimp, cucumber, tomato, sweet onion, and Serrano chili were served with chips

Mata

This swordfish ceviche with corn, cucumber, tomato, passion fruit dressing, and taro chips mirrored in taste the vibrancy of its colours.

For the sweets-inclined:

Green and Black

This UK-based chocolatier serves organic and fair trade chocolates – my plus one particularly fancied their dark chocolate with peppermint oil.

Holy Cannoli

Holy cannoli, it’s chocolate praline cannoli!

Tito Ron’s

Biting into this deep-fried coconut bae lumpia oozed with an explosion of coconut-caramel fusion.

Cluny

Mimicking the daintiness of its name is this rosewood wildflower honey & Riesling Savarine.

More than just wine was represented at the event to quench that thirst:

Just Craft Soda

Flavour combinations include Lemon & Lemongrass, Apple & Ginger, Pear & Vanilla, Cherry & Cinnamon, and Peach & Habanero.

El Catrin

Make no mistake – this tiny glass of margarita was a potent one.

Fire in the Rye

This rye in a can is best served chilled.

Lemon Lily

A Night in Paris tea with a floral aroma

Leaving Evergreen Brick Works with our stomachs full, that day of celebrating food was indeed a great and memorable one worth replicating.

- Pedestrian Pat

*All pictures taken by Pedestrian Pat

Taste of Toronto 2015

Another year has come and gone which means another Taste of Toronto has graced this city once again. In its second year in Toronto (as well as my second year in attending), it has proven to be one of the best and most popular food festivals in this city. If you’re interested in checking out my experience last year and for a more in depth look at what Taste of Toronto is all about, you can read my blog post about it here.

Taste Festivals have been happening in cities all around the world for years and is considered to be the world’s greatest restaurant festival. The festival concept began 10 years ago in London, England, and has rapidly grown into an international event with festivals in 20 cities around the world including Dubai, Amsterdam, Milan, Moscow, Melbourne, Dublin, Mumbai, Sydney, and Johannesburg just to name a few. Everywhere it goes, Taste represents a foodie’s dream come true: delicious food created by the city’s greatest restaurants, world famous chefs, superb drinks and outstanding entertainment, set in stunning outdoor surroundings.

Taste of Toronto had nothing short of any of that this year with many of the top Toronto restaurants participating in this year’s event. Many of the restaurants from last year have all come back such as Richmond Station, McEwan Group, The Harbord Room, Patria, and Guu. Among the new restaurants who participated in this year’s line up which also brought in some star power was R&D (owned by Eric Chong who is the winner of Masterchef Canada Season 1 and Alvin Leung, one of the Masterchef judges), and Morimoto Toronto (owned by Iron Chef and Michelin-starred mastermind Masaharu Morimoto who is set to debut signature dishes from his first highly anticipated restaurant venture in Canada). 

One difference I’ve noticed right off the bat from last year was you needed to purchase your crown card when you load up your money onto it, whereas last year it was free. It only costs an extra $1 so it’s not a huge deal, but something that caught me off guard a bit when I was charged that extra loonie. I also asked them whether you were able to bring in your old crown card from last year to use instead of buying a new one and the answer was you were not allowed. Hopefully with the extra cash raised from this, it can be put to good use when organizing Taste of Toronto next year. 

Here’s a look at all the delicious food I’ve tried at this year’s event. Note that the currency at this food event are called crowns and each crown is worth $1.

Los Colibris

Tostada de Pulpo Grilled Octopus - Basil, Jalapeno, Coriander Oil. Cost - 10 Crowns

The Drake

Grilled Lamb Ribs - Harissa Yogurt, Pea Tendrils. Cost - 8 Crowns

East Coast Fish Fry - Crispy Oysters, Jail Island Haddock, Tartar Sauce. Cost - 6 Crowns

Richmond Station

Station Burger - Beet Chutney, OKA Cheese. Cost - 10 Crowns

Funnel Cake - Vanilla Ice Cream, Stewed Fruit. Cost - 6 Crowns

Morimoto Toronto

Toro Tartare - Caviar, Sour Cream, Wasabi, Dashi Soy. Cost - 10 Crowns

Uni Carbonara - Quail Egg, Smoked Bacon, Parmesan. Cost - 8 Crowns

Weslodge

Fried Chicken - 5 Day Slaw, House Jalapeno Hot Sauce. Cost - 8 Crowns

Byblos

Charcoal Grilled Lamb Kofte - Lavosh, House Pickles, Toum, Green Schug. Cost - 6 Crowns

Little Sister

Babi Panggang Roasted Pork Belly - Fresh Chili Sauce, Bean Sprout, Red Onion Pickle. Cost - 8 Crowns

Winner of The Everyday Foodie’s Best Dish of Taste of Toronto 2015?

Morimoto Toronto’s Toro Tatare! 

Taste of Toronto has always impressed me with how well the festival is organized and the sheer talent it is able to attract with the vendors participating. Hopefully sometime in the not too distant future I may even be able to attend a Taste festival in another country across the world, but for now I am completely satisfied enjoying it in my own backyard. Looking forward to next year to see what Taste of Toronto 2016 may bring!