eat – Tiana Feng

Valentine’s Day at The Stockyards

February 21, 2013March 27, 2013Food, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a Comment

Since we are still underemployed, we decided to have a low-key Valentine’s Day. We put aside fancy dinners to something that was both affordable and delicious. So I decided to search “pulled pork” in yelp and discovered The Stockyards: Smokehouse and Larder. We’re totally suckers for comfort food and when we sat down in front of this sign, we knew we were in the right place.

Their menu had burgers, fried chicken, and of course the slow-cooked ribs and pulled pork.

I ordered the Cider Braised Pork Sandwich ($11). The pork was braised in cider and served with sauteed kale, caramelized onion, apple, fried sage. There was a garlic mayo sauce as well as some cider juices. I added some shoestring fries.

The sandwich was delicious and a lot more filling than the portion size makes it look. It was chocked full of meat after all. There was a nice acidity from the cider and very different from the usual BBQ sauce soaked type of pulled pork sandwiches.

Nash ordered The Green Chili Pimento Cheese Burger $9 with fries. The burger had lettuce, cheddar, mayo, pimento and jalapeno. It was very juicy and had a nice kick to it.

Who says you need to drop $200 on Valentine’s Day on food that you might not entirely understand? All I need are things that are delicious.

Fusion Hot Dogs and Manic Coffee

May 19, 2012April 2, 2013Food, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a Comment

I found Fusia Dog one day when I was wandering downtown. We decided to try it. Located in the Entertainment district, this mini joint puts an asian fusion twist on the hot dog.

I ordered the Fusia Dog which had kimchi, daikon carrot salad and coriander wrapped in a paratha. For a hot dog, it was very light and refreshing. There was a wasabi mayo that had quite the kick. For some reason I thought the hot dogs would be over $10, but it was only $6.95. I finished it in less than 5 minutes.

Nash ordered the Boston Dog. It had more American toppings with baked beans, cheese, crispy bacon and fried onions. I stole a bite and it was delicious and surprisingly not too heavy.

It was another concert night and since we finished our hot dogs way too fast, we decided to hit up another local coffee joint. We ended up at Manic Coffee at College and Bathurst. I ordered a mocha.

It’s amazing, how many coffee joints there are in Toronto that aren’t chains. I think I’m going to make an effort to support more little places. Not only are they cheaper than Starbucks, but can be more delicious too!

Rotis and Gelato Mochaccino

April 18, 2012April 2, 2013Food, Life, Restaurant Reviews3 Comments

As I previously mentioned, I want to eat at least 25 new things this year. I wasn’t sure about how to go about it, but then I realized Toronto is full of culturally unique restaurants that are worth the visit. So instead of opting for burgers and poutine all the time, I will venture into the unknown.

Yesterday, I tried out Bacchus Roti Shop located in the Parkdale area downtown Toronto. A roti is a type of south-asian wrap but it also consumed in areas such as the Southern Caribbean and Guyana. I ordered the jerk chicken roti which also contained spinach and squash. At $12.50, it was deliciously filling with a fiery kick to it. Nash ordered the shrimp roti with spinach and cheese. It had a nice creamy texture to it.

After dinner, we had a ton of time to kill before door times for a concert. Instead of searching for the nearest Second Cup we decided to try one of the local coffee shops. We ended up in The Boreal Gelato Company. I ordered a mochaccino and they made it with a scoop of chocolate gelato! It was had a lovely aroma and chocolate taste. We also got a hazelnut gelato that was to die for. It was like Ferrero Rocher (my favourite chocolate by the way) in ice cream form!