Tag Archives: Fusion

Azul

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 181 Bathurst Street
phone number: 416-703-9360

Azul was my introduction to the Toronto brunch scene, so it must have some good qualities. A trendy little restaurant in the Queen West area, just north of Queen on the east side of Bathurst; Azul serves up a bevy of meals from brunch to dinner. They also have a wide juice selection which to my memory I have yet to sample. One thing I do like about Azul is their coffee. Besides being delicious, it is served in a large thermos-like container so you can re-fill yourself instead of waiting on the staff.

This time around, I had the Eggs La La, which were poached eggs on a crusty bread with avacado and tomatillo salsa. It came with a sparse amount of potatos and a tasty side salad. I like when brunch is served with salad, since it balances out the heaviness of the rest of the meal. The eggs were good, though nothing stood out as a great combination of taste that other brunches have provided. Lawrence had the Eggs Azul which were similar to the La La but was served on corn bread, an interesting and tasty choice. Definitely recommended, though hardly the best that Toronto has to offer.

http://www.toronto-underground.com/index.html?/food_drink/local/fusion.html
http://www.martiniboys.com/pages/reviews/azul.htm

Hello Toast (Now called Toast on Queen- Nov 2005)

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Now called Toast on Queen- Nov 2005
993 Queen Street East
phone number: 416-778-7299

I had feared a long wait to get into Hello Toast at 12:30 on a Saturday, but after 10 minutes we found ourselves a half couch/half seat table in the back room. The decor was quite interesting, with toasters jutting out of the wall above the door leading to the kitchen and artwork placed outside the window on the exterior wall of the adjacent building. Looking around, I noticed many people sipping on Bloody Caesars. My friends were quick to inform me that this is the drink of choice for hangovers.

I, as well as the majority of my crew ordered the omelette of the day. This consisted of caramalized onions, aspagarus, mushrooms, smoked salmon, melted goat cheese, and sweet chili sauce. It also came with potatos and side salad with a raspberry vinagrette. The omelette arrived on my plate oozing at the seams with creamy goat cheese. I was expecting it to be a bit spicy due to the chili sauce but instead it was very sweet from the combiniation of the cheese and chili. Delicious. The potatos were quite standard and it was nice to balance the meal with the salad.

Unfortunately, my brunch cohort’s omelette was missing goat cheese and another member of our party asked the waitress for a plate of goat cheese to compensate! This slightly embarassing situation didn’t mar what was an overall tasty meal (at least for me anyways).

http://www.torontounderground.com/food_drink/local/brunch.html

http://www.martiniboys.com/pages/reviews/hellotoast.htm

Saving Grace

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907 Dundas Street West
*new phone number (July 2005)*: 416 703-7368
old phone number: 416-899-9186

Saving Grace ranks up as the best brunch place I have eaten in Toronto and it all boils down to one item on the menu. No matter what one says about decor, ambience and wait time (not that there is a problem with any of that here), the most important factor in a restaurant is still the food. Saving Grace kicks ass in this respect.

The menu item I am refering to is the toasted raisin bread sandwich with avacado, old white cheddar cheese, lettuce, and rosemary mayonaisse. To be honest, I was not even the one to order this delectable treat (I lost again), but my brunch compadre was fortunate enough to make the correct choice. One bite of his sandwich sent me over the edge. Since that time, I have tried, with varying degrees of success to imitate this fine specimen of food; however, nothing I do comes close to wonders that are this sandwich.

Other notes on Saving Grace would be the amusing waiter who kept refering to me and my friend as “babe” throughout the meal. I liked this touch. The closeness of the tables provides a very residential touch to the smallish room, and allows you to check out the orgasmic expressions of all who taste “The Sandwich”.

Other reviews on Saving Grace:

http://www.toronto-underground.com/index.html?/food_drink/local/cafes.html

http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_05.11.00/foodanddrink/food.html

Fressen

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478 Queen St. W.
(416) 504-5127
64 Oxford Street
(416) 927-1231
web site: www.toronto.com/profile/187540

 

A small restaurant, only opened for lunch 11:00am-3:00pm and then open again for dinner 5:00- late. I went here for my 28th birthday dinner and I really enjoyed my evening.
The restaurant is designed in an Asian and tropical rainforest motif. Very soothing and relaxing and the waitress describes all the entrees as “beautiful” The food is pricy. Entrees are from $15-$20 and the portions are not big. The presentation is tasteful and minimalist. The food is creative and flavourful but more on the blander side (not spicy).

They claim to be a “natural” restaurant thus you cannot order Coke or Pepsi or any soda product. First round of water is not free. The request for tap water is acceptable once a bottle of Evian is ordered at first. The seats are very comfortable and the ambiance is casual to dressy. The overall theme is a calm and soothing retreat from the bustling city. The dishes are uniquely vegetarian. None of the dishes even attempts to emulate a meat dish. For my birthday dinner I ordered the roasted vegetables with tofu and seitan. It was really good and did not taste like your typical tofu stir fry, like in most vegetarian restaurants. Food was fresh and presentation was key.

The only drawback is the wait and the tiny portions. The staff at Fressen believe in taking their time. They believe that their clients should enjoy their whole dining experience. The bread is healthy and freshly cut but the portions are quite skimpy. Nonetheless I would highly recommend this place for a special occasion once a year.

Hot House Cafe

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35 Church
(416) 366-7800
This super trendy, fusion restaurant is located in Saint Lawrence Market, at the corner of Church and Front. The place contains a medley of popular Italian dishes, specialty Asian influenced stir-frys, and Cajun fare. Brunch is $15.95 and consists of a buffet of an assortment of different kinds of food- not restrictive to brunch food. The place is quite expensive and although food is good, it’s nothing unique or special.

I went there in late summer 2002 and I ordered the Oriental Cashew Stir-fry which was amazing. It was not too oily, but had a lot of vegetables and was served on a beautiful large dish with cashews. It was $12.95.

Below is a review of many of the items served at HotHouse Cafe. Some appetizers include the Steamed P.E.I. Mussels($8.95), Deep-Fried Calamari ($6.95), Coconut Shrimp ($8.95), Louisiana Crabcakes ($7.95), and Devilled Brie ($8.25).

Salads include the House Greens ($3.95), Caesar Salad ($3.95sm / $7.95 l), Greek Salad ($3.95 sm / $7.95 l), Oriental Spinach Salad ($3.95 sm/ $7.95 l), Sun-Dried Pesto Chicken Salad ($8.95), Salade Gourmande ($8.95- Mixed Lettuce, Crumbled Goat Cheese, Walnuts, Roasted Red Peppers & Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette), and the Warm Chicken Salad ( $8.95)

Burgers and Sandwiches are served with salad, soup, or HotHouse fries. Burgers include the Char-Grilled HotHouse Burger ($7.95) – w/ bacon and melted cheddar ($8.50), w/ sauteed mushrooms and mozzarella ($8.50), w/ goat cheese & roasted red peppers ($8.95), w/ black pepper, caramelized onions, gorgonzola cheese, and pesto mayonnaise ($8.95). Sandwiches include the grilled vegetable sandwich – ($9.25), chicken parmesan sandwich ($9.95), HotHouse chicken club sandwich ($8.95), New York steak sandwich ($12.95), and the “Mojo” Pork Loin Sandwich ($8.95)

HotHouse serves up a large variety of pasta dishes. They are served with a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread. Pastas include linguine bolognese ($7.95 / $10.95), lasagna al forno ($10.95), HotHouse penne ($7.95 / $11.95), smoked chicken ravioli ($13.95), cajun shrimp fusilli ($9.50 / $12.95), jambalaya ($9.50/ $13.95 -consisting of shrimp, chicken breast, spicy Italian sausage, peppers, red onions, chili peppers & herbed tomatoes), pollo pesto fusilli ($8.95 / $12.95), and fettuccine puttanesca ($9.50 / $13.95), roasted garlic penne ($9.50 / $13.95), linguini alla manarolo ($ 8.95 / $13.95), and penne alla nonna penne ($ 8.95 / $12.95)

Gourmet mini pizzas include the il diavolo ($10.95)- consists of chicken, spicy Italian sausage, diced jalapenos, garlic, tomato basil sauce & mozzarella, the frutti di mare (sounds like seafood of the ocean) ($11.95), consists of shrimp, scallops, roasted red peppers, pesto, and asiago cheese, the americana ($9.95), salsicce ($10.25)- with spicy Italian sausage, red onions, roasted red peppers, olive oil, asiago cheese & fresh herbs, the calabrese ($ 12.95) with tomato basil sauce, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, Italian salami, virgin olive oil, and gorgonzola, and the margherita ($10.25)- with olive oil, fresh sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, asiago & parmesan cheeses, with fresh basil

Main entrees are the principle dishes. They are more expensive, larger, and more substantial. Main entrees are served with a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread and a choice of baked potato, sundried tomato & roasted garlic mashed potato, or rice pilaf & fresh vegetable of the day. Some main dishes include grilled New York sirloin ($18.95), the grilled New Zealand rack of lamb ($18.95), the supreme of chicken ($16.95), grilled atlantic salmon ($16.95), veal con senape ($19.95), Thai noodles- (like Pad Thai) ($13.95), five-spice chicken stir-fry ($14.95), and 12 oz. Rib Steak ($19.95)

Some Vegetarian entrees include the Cheese Cappelletti ($7.95 / $11.95), the Oriental Cashew
Stir Fry ( $12.95), the Butternut Squash Ravioli ($11.95), and the Penne and Portobello Alfredo ($11.95)

All desserts are $6.25. Some desserts include the HotHouse Cheesecake, Chocolate Utopia Cake, Super Caramel Crackle, Tiramisu, Baked Deep-Dish Apple Pie, Chocolate Chip Banana Cake, Mixed Fruit Torte, Gelato Fresco, and Tartufo.

Dessert wines include the Framboise, Southbrook Farms from Ontario ($5.95), Cave Springs “Indian Summer” Late Harvest Riesling from Ontario ($6.95), Iniskillin RieslingIce Wine from Ontario ($8.95), and the Galiga e Vertrice Vin Santo from Tuscany ($8.95)

HotHouse can get really crowded on the weekend and weeknights. The ambiance is trendy and chi chi poo poo. It’s spacious with a lot of comfortable, spacious, non-congested seating. Dining area sits over one hundred people.

The Sunday brunch, offered between 10am-3pm offers a buffet and live jazz for $15.95.
Traditional brunch fare like fresh eggs, bacon and sausage, or have the breakfast chef prepare a “designer” omelete. In addition, other brunch items include the hip of beef, seafood specialties and Italian favorites. HotHouse brunch also offers salads such as the baby shrimp salad, Greek salad, pasta salad, and traditional garden salads. Further, the buffet also includes a selection of cheeses, fresh fruits, bagels, croissants and muffins. Last but not least, HotHouse Sunday brunch also has a dessert buffet, including a vareity of cakes, tarts, and pies, all basked by the in-house Pastry Chef. They accept every card under the sun.

For more information , visit http://www.hothousecafe.com

Magic Oven

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 6 Wellesley St.W.                                                                                                             T:416.929.7888                                                                                                                         

798 Danforth Ave.
T: 416.462.0333

127 Jefferson Ave.
T: 416.539.0555

270 Dupont St.
T: 416.928.1555

788 Broadview Ave.
T: 416.466.0111

The place contains a funky variety of pizza combinations, with health in mind. It offers a variety of specialty pastas, salads and chicken wings. Owned by an East Indians, the place has non-mainstream varieties of pizza that depart from its Italian roots. Magic Oven’s focus is on take-out so don’t expect wonderful ambiance. We usually eat across the street by the grassy area next to Broadview subway station.

They deliver as far as Woodbine (going east) and as far as Yonge (going west). and Eastern (going south) and Summerhill (going north). Pizza varieties differ in colour, flavour, spice, and ethnicity. The menu is online at http://www.magicoven.com/menu/MagicMenu.pdf. The pizzas are come in Organic Spelt and Gluten free varieties and contain Organic Non-Dairy and Rennet Free Cheese. Some are Dairy Free and Vegan. The pizza I ordered was extremely healthy.

It was made thinly with organic spelt flour and sauteed spinach. artichokes, olives, sun dried tomatoes, green and red peppers, and onions, without any cheese. That is the slice of pizza I chose. There are a large selection of soft drinks, juices, desserts, and East Indian and West Indian speciality sodas. Most of the food is made before your eyes, with the exception of some of the popular pizza slices. There are many options for the vegetarian and the vegan.

Rhodes (changed to Didier)

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03/2007-changed to Didier
1496 Yonge Street
(416) 968-9315

A cool jazz bar and bistro. Serves oysters, calamri, mussels, chicken, fish, and other meat dishes. My friend had a hearty bowl of mussels in a tomato sauce and his mother had a plate of calamari. I ordered a plate of grilled vegetables. The service was prompt but the waitress was pushy, not accomodating, not flexible, and very rude. I would never go back to Rhodes in my life.

The prices are high and the live entertainment is way at the back of the restaurant in the smoking section. The front of the restaurant is far removed from the music and so it was difficult to enjoy the live show.

The decor is quite lovely with stained wood, beautiful wall furnishings made of wood and the pub (in front) was furnished with beautiful leather chairs and the bar was a deep mahoganey wood. The back of the restaurant was difficult to see but it looked spacious, smoky, and contained about 20 dining tables. My grilled vegetables were very tasty, in skewers with a balsamic viniagrette, but the portions were too small and there were no vegetarian meal options. My friend thoroughly enjoyed his plate of mussels and his mum enjoyed her calamari. The bill came out to $65.00 for three people: RIP OFF FROM HELL!

Fresh by Juice for Life

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Old location:
521 Bloor W, (416) 531-2635

894 Queen Street West
416-913-2720

New location on Bloor Street West :
326 Bloor Street West
416-531-2635
147 Spadina Avenue
416-599-4442

 Web site: www.juiceforlife.com, now (2009)- http://www.freshrestaurants.ca

Funky, colourful, cool, totally vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurant in the Annex, and another satellite location on Queen West. The food is expensive and completely vegetarian or vegan. The decor is trendy, busy, tables close together with little room to move around. The ambiance is funky and trendy. The tables are plain and the seats are hard and slightly uncomfortable.

There is a wide selection of fruit and vegetable juices and power smoothies and if you choose to dine alone, you can eat at the bar. I usually order a Power shake like the Chai Chiller, or the Date Almond Super Powershake, or the Blueberry Dreams. All shakes contain vanilla soy milk, bananas, other fruits, some protein and vitamin supplments, and other ingredients. I have been a frequent visitor to Juice for Life and I have always loved their shakes. 16oz shakes are $4.95, Super powershakes 16 oz are $5.95 and the larger sizes are $8.95 and $9.95 respectively. For my meal, there are items like a variety of funky salads, similar to Montreal’s Cafe Santropol and a variety of soups, salads, chili, veggie burgers, and fabulous, unique, and funky rice and noodle dishes. They also serve alcoholic drinks like beer and wine.

There are spicy Thai veggie burgers with Thai peanut sauce smothered on a veggie burger, and a variety of red bean, black bean, and Indian style chick pea wraps. If you want to add tofu steaks or a side of grilled tempeh, it costs an extra $1.00.

The average price for lunch and dinner entrees are the same $7.95-$10.95 and that’s expensive for a rice or noodle dish. Most of the dishes comprise of rice and a medley of vegetables. Some dishes I love are “The Beach”, “The Buddha”, “Ninja”, “Dragon” “Green Goddess”, “The Warrior”. There are a variety of delicious wraps: “The Kathmandu Wrap”, “The Black Bean Burrito”, “Red Bean Adzuki Wrap”, and the “Grilled Vegetable Wrap”. It’s important to add grilled tofu steaks or grilled tempeh if these dishes do not offer them. The grilled tofu and grilled tempeh is “to die for.” Some of the dishes are distinctly Asian and some are Indian in flavour.

The restaurant used to have a more “political” feel, that is, animal rights propaganda used to be placed on the walls and there are some anti-meat posters alongside the juice bar. Since opening its first restaurant on Bloor near Bathurst in the Annex (in 1995) the animal rights propaganda has literally disappeared over the years. As of 2004, there are other “Fresh by Juice For Life” locations at Queen near Spadina, and Queen near Shaw (where the old brunch place “Triple X” used to be. Since 1995, the Juice for Life has since changed brands to “Fresh by Juice for Life” and has basically become mainstream, with proper tables, booths, and fancy mirrors and cool and funky artwork on the walls.

There are a couple of booths in the back but most of the restaurant are composed of tables. The restaurant staff are eccentric and funky and most of the clientele are students or artists in their late 20’s. The food is fresh, portions are decent, but the prices are high for the type of food in this trendy, hip eatery.

Grapefruit Moon

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968 Bathurst Street
(416) 534-9056

Grapefruit Moon is a neighbourhood spot north of the Annex, at Bathurst near Dupont, owned and operated by the Moon sisters. They have a liquor license. It?s friendly, relaxed and has a warm neighborhood feel. Music, food, service and prices are all affordable.

It has a limited menu with a few selections. Only contains between three to five tables and serves home cooked food. Serves mostly vegetarian selections and the menu is quite small but there is much diversity in the selections.

Some vegetarian options include carrot ginger soup, quesadillas with choice of fillings, organic salad, veggie burgers, TLT’s – tempeh, lettuce and tomato sandwiches.

Funky, artsy decor and nice outdoor terrace (summer). Special brunch available on weekends. Highly recommend for the couple seeking a quiet intimate setting.

Insomnia

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563 Bloor St. W., 416-588-3907

Located right in the Annex at Bloor and Bathurst, this bistro/bar/cafe is named for its late, late hours. The kitchen cooks till 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. “Tapas” here means caesar, mesclun and Greek salads, along with crab cakes, soup and calamari. My friend ordered a thick tortilla soup and he said it was very tasty. I did not eat anything but I did take a look at the extensive menu.

They serve many French dishes, like an eight-ounce strip loin with peppercorn ($17.00), Mediterranean dishes (capon stuffed with spinach, peppers and chèvre which is $16.00) and Asian (curried mussels are $8). As you can see there are no vegetarian healthy dishes for me, so the hell with them. They do serve pasta dishes ($13.00–$15.99) and thick-crust pizzas ($11.00–$12.00).

Generous desserts are led by a flourless chocolate cake known as the Climax ($6.00). Prices are way too high for me and there are not enough vegetarian dishes but I may try this place again in the near future.