My parents recently came back from vacation and brought me back Patchi chocolates.
This box were thin dark mint chocolates. The mint was subtle and didn’t overpower each bite. There were also cute logo designs! I love trying out all types of foreign candies.
I’m in love with Cookies & Cream flavoured cake, desserts, ice cream, candies you name it! I saw this mysterious little package at the Korean grocery store and didn’t quite know what it is but I bought it anyway.
When I shook the package I was positive that I’d probably find some weird cookies & cream flavoured gum. However, opening the container revealed little cubes. Cubes of cookies & cream white chocolate. Like they Henry’s chocolate bar. Yum!
Lately, I’ve been letting myself indulge in my food cravings but with one precedent: I have to make it from scratch (or close to it) myself. It seems like a hassle but it is even more satisfying when you get to eat the final product that you made with your own hands.
For example, the other night I craved Japanese ramen (the kind you get at a noodle house, not a package of Nong Shim). I decided to make it myself! I went to an Asian grocery store and picked out noodles, broth, pork and veggies. I cooked and combined all the ingredients and made a delicious bowl of Tonkatsu Shio Ramen. It was a success and in making it at home, I saved money and was more conscious on what was goning in it.
For my birthday we made a reservation to Bent, run by Susur Lee and his sons. This was the second in the line of the Lee family restaurants in Toronto and is known for it’s raw seafood bar.
We started with the Truffled Filet of Beef Carpaccio: garlic potato shoestrings, red onion, Asian pear, braised shiitake mushrooms, Taiwanese vinaigrette. This dish was both beautiful in presentation and marriage of flavour and textures. I loved the addition of pear.
Next came the Vietnamese Seafood Ceviche: shrimp, scallop, octopus, mussels, jalepeno, asian pear, red pepper, celery, potato, vietnamese coriander & lime, chorizo buckwheat rice cake. The spice in it was nice. My favourite part of it was the octopus.
We were totally obsessed with everything about the Carmelized Black Cod: Asparagus (wrapped in bacon), thai ginger squash & carrot puree, lemon chive veloute. The puree was silky and heavenly and the addition of crunchy chickpeas was a nice touch.
We did get one veggie dish to calm ourselves from all that meat. Jerusalem artichockes (which I didn’t know were shaped like mini potatoes) paired beautifully with hazelnuts and goat cheese.
To drink I had the And Also (yes that’s what it is called). It contained Broker’s Gin, Tromba Tequila, Aperol, Lillet Blanc, watermelon juice, cucumber, grapefruit bitters, simple syrup and fresh sours. It paired very nicely with the dishes we ordered.
Nash had the Georgetown Storm containing El Dorado 12 year rum, homemade ginger beer, nutmeg, lime and orange.
Our waiter highly recommended the Wild Banana and Chocolate Chip Cake and we were super glad that we listened to him. It was divine and I loved the vanilla marshmallow that came with it.
Birthday dinner at Bent was totally worth it. It’s a sharing restaurant so it’s recommended that two people have at least 4 dishes. It’s a great place to celebrate or if you’re feeling particularly ballin’.
I’ve been indulging myself in a lot of delicious home-cooked meals lately. It’s just so easy to learn how to make something you’re craving by Googling a tutorial. There are even videos out there that show you step by step instructions.
Lately, I’ve been buying more interesting ingredients such as cornish hens, asparagus, scallops and making Nash and I fancy meals we can eat in the comfort of our own home. That’s what we did for Valentine’s Day!
I love the satisfaction of successfully executing a perfectly cooked meal. Hope to explore more recipes this year. And a bonus side effect: we feel healthier and have lost some weight!
If you’ve got a hunger for game, Antler Kitchen & Bar is a must try. The restaurant prides itself on fresh regional ingredients and wild foods. The restaurant is run by Chef Michael Hunter, who is known for hunting his own food.
I ordered the Spice Ash Crusted Rack of Deer on top of a braised shoulder and parsnip purée. The meat was so tender and melted in my mouth. The purées had a silk texture that made me want to lick the plate.
My cousin who was with me ordered the night’s special, a duo of duck: braised and seared. There was also kale and squash I believe. I stole some bites and it was all very delicious.
To drink I sipped on the Blood Fashioned. I have a new habit of trying every place’s take on the Old Fashioned lately. This one had Blood Orange, Appleton’s Rum, Bitters and Demerara Sugar. It went down easier than most old fashioned but with a decent amount of alcohol!
We definitely couldn’t leave without trying dessert and they had some weird things like “Foraged Cedar Infused Ice”, which we didn’t order. Mostly because paying for wood-tasting ice seemed silly. Instead I went for the White Spruce Scented Ricotta Cheesecake. It was very light and heavenly and did have a hint of forest wood, but it went strangely well with the wild berrie preserve and hazelnut crust. Maybe next time I will go for that ice!
We also had the beautiful Caramel Crab Apple Tart with a smoked cheddar cheese crumble and vanilla ice cream. There was so many flavours in each bite.
A reservation is recommended if you go to the Antler (we did have one) as it filled up even on a weeknight. I’m not surprised though, we loved everything about our meal!
We love tacos and at our local grocery store they sell fresh corn tortillas shelves that aren’t the generic Dempster kind. There are so many in a package for like $2 that sometimes they would expire before we finished them. So what do I do with the older tortillas? Make them into chips of course. It’s super easy!
First you cut them into triangle pieces (or I suppose any shape you wish). Then you rub them with a tiny bit of olive oil. Oil isn’t totally necessary but I find it tastes better and won’t stick to the pan. Then you stick them in the oven for approximately 15 minutes at 350 degrees Farenheit. Voila! Easy tortilla chips for eating salsa or fancy cheese.
Kwan is a beautiful modern Dim Sum and Chinese restaurant at Yonge and St. Clair. We went for the Dim Sum which consisted of traditional dishes that were often presented beautifully. They most typical items from shrimp dumplings, siu mai’s and chicken feet. I didn’t take a picture of everything because I thought it would be annoying to get the table of 10 to stop eating. Hah!
The taro pudding for example was presented as small individual little bites instead of the regular fend for yourself squares.
These deep-fried squid were presented in a bowl that you could eat. In case you were wondering, the bowl tasted like shrimp chips.
These adorable bunnies were filled with cream custard.
We also got some adorable bees with almonds.
We had a pleasant experience at Kwan and were super full and didn’t spend as much as we expected considering how well presented and smaller portion the dishes were. For those looking for a clean, yet still authentic (in terms of taste) experience, Kwan is a splendid spot. Plus you can instagram their desserts!
Did you know these existed? I did not know these existed until I walked into Dollarama today. I bought them and instantly ate them. They taste like you are dipping sticks into melted Reese’s Buttercups, completely with a lumpy texture. My one criticism was that the stick to dip ratio was uneven and there could’ve been way more sticks!
Nash and I recently visited Kothur Indian Cusine’s Yonge Street location. As we waited for our meal we were treated to complimentary papadum and hot sauces.
I had the Lamb Saag which was boneless lamb cooked with onions, tomatoes and fresh pureed spinach. It was very flavourful and meaty.
Nash had the tangy Chicken Vindaloo.
We ate our food with garlic naan, treating it like a slice of pizza!
I couldn’t resist getting a Mango Lassi to have a break from spices. Our meal at Kothur was flavourful and pleasant! This is a great place to fulfill your Indian food craving.
Tiana Feng 