Past visits to Cresta (formerly Pastizza) involved sit down meals consisting of plenty of carbs and a drink or two. At their media event this month, my perceptions changed as tables were cleared and the dining room transformed into a spacious cocktail party. With their corner lot and floor-to-ceiling windows, the atmosphere was airy yet still warm and inviting as the smell of food permeated from the open kitchen.

Indeed, there were still carbs; after all, to have attendees not try their crispy light pizza would be a shame. The heirloom tomato version was reminiscent of a margherita – tomato, cheese and basil – except augmented with onion and olives. The funghi was just as delicious as I remembered, the wild mushrooms pieces further drizzled with truffle oil.

The scallop crudo was brilliantly presented, the seafood simply topped with citrus juice and coriander. A surprising twist was the garlic chip on top, providing a sweet earthy finish to the otherwise bright canapé.

Having had their beet salad, I enjoyed their take on the dish for the event skewering the colourful beets with the vegetable’s greens. In fact, I enjoyed it more as the smaller pieces allowed a lovely crust to develop, the sweetness further enhanced with the lemon thyme dressing.  

Of course we had ample opportunity to sample the restaurant’s wines, cultivated from the Cresta Ridge in California. The pinot noir kept the red lighter as to not overpower the food, yet still complimented the tomato sauce and beef.

I certainly had my fair share of the beef tenderloin, soft meaty slices of medium rare steak wrapped around thinly sliced roasted potatoes, garlic and a cherry tomato. A lovely pairing for the wine.

The roasted shrimp paired with an empty ravioli was also delicious … what a great one bite hors d'oeuvre smartly served with a fork. In a spoon, was my first taste of Cresta’s creamy mushroom risotto – it’s hard to go wrong with fragrant truffle oil and shaved parmesan.

Seated in the quiet dining room of Vertical, located on the third level of First Canadian Place, the overlooking view of the elevators provided an interesting people watching vantage point: a glimpse into their lives before rushing off to other destinations following work.

The last time I’d been to the restaurant was years earlier, for lunch, a failed pomegranate kale salad that was too seedy and tart to be satisfying. If it weren’t for That’s The Spread and winning a gift card from their online contest, I may have never returned. And that would be a shame as the dinner menu by Chef Pasquini is good – Italian based dishes that are a far cry from the salad of the yesteryears.

Plenty of thinly sliced finocchina, capicollo, and 24-month aged prosciutto di parma were given in the assorted salumi ($20), a starter that’s great for sharing. The finocchina, a Tuscan salami, was a tad fatty for me but was luckily my husband’s favourite. The leaner neutral capicollo was a better bet and we both enjoyed the prosciutto, which was flavourful without relying on salt.

Accompanying the meat was a small bowl of crunchy pickled vegetables and great grainy mustard, though what it really needed was bread or crostini. After referring back to the menu for the post, I now realize you can request complimentary ciabatta; a reminder from our server would have been nice as I’d certainly would have benefited from one.

My main, a beef tenderloin ($42) was a thick chunk and well prepared – a good sear and left medium rare inside. The splash of salsa verde studded with Jerusalem artichoke, over salted swiss chard and cubes of deep fried polenta made for a beautiful spring-coloured presentation.

Although their mains do have garnishes, it’s not substantial so you’d likely need a supplementary side. We shared the brussel sprouts ($9) which were simply tossed with a good quality olive oil, lemon and a hefty portion of garlic.

The ravioli ($25) were deliciously filled with a smooth parsnip puree mixed with shredded braised short rib and then garnished with a dusting of scorzone black truffle, which goes so well with the creamy sauce.

Given the main courses were rather small, we certainly had room for dessert. The warm doughnuts ($10) were a great way to end: six plump soft pastries that were thankfully not oily. The coffee dipping sauce was rather weak and could benefit from a bit more espresso, but the doughnuts had enough cinnamon sugar coating them that they were tasty on their own.

As a warning, the portions at Vertical certainly don’t follow the Italian tradition of abundance. Nonetheless, after the dessert, we were satisfied without feeling overly stuffed. The dinner was much better than my last visit. After all, I’ve finally learnt Homer’s lesson – you don’t make friends with salad. 

When it comes to a quick breakfast, food court establishments have generally been the go-to and sometimes only option for eaters. For those working or residing in the Toronto downtown core, you now have another choice: Little Fin is currently opened earlier and serving breakfast weekdays from 8-11am.

All are freshly made and in under ten minutes I was presented with a piping hot (Egg) White Wrapper ($5.50); all prepped to go should a dash to the office be in order. In my case, I chose to give myself a break and enjoy the wrap at Little Fin – they have a few tables and numerous bar stool seats in the store.

Wrapped in the well-grilled whole wheat tortilla was an egg white omelette, fresh spinach (normally kale) and a hash brown that added a great crunch. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting the “healthy” sounding breakfast to be very flavourful, but the layer of soft goat cheese and drizzle of slightly spicy sauce (it seems to be the same as what's on the po’boy) made the wrap delicious!  

It was a tough decision first thing in the morning. After seeing the chicken and waffles sandwich ($6.50) on Instagram, the thick piece of fried chicken with the waffles as the “bread” was calling to me. And I was really hungry so the the Ultimate Brek-Fin Sandwich ($7) would have also been nice: slices of peameal bacon combined with a fried egg, hash brown, cheese, avocado, tomato and lettuce on a toasted sesame bun.

Yet with a beach vacation around the corner, I refrained myself and was thoroughly satisfied with the egg white wrap. For those who’d like seafood for breakfast, Little Fin also offers a smoked salmon bagel ($6).

Additionally, to celebrate the launch, Little Fin is running a contest:

When Danna and Adam Caldwell opened their first Menchie’s store in LA, little did they know the frozen yoghurt establishment would become a worldwide name! With a rotating 128 flavours – in April a new one, Skor, will soon be available – customers are able to mix and match the yoghurt bases with more than 50 toppings to create their own custom blend. Moreover, their gluten-free, vegan and Kosher options ensures most dietary restrictions can be accommodated.

Toppings range from fresh fruit (berries, a tropical selection and melons) to candies (chocolate and gummi bears) and other interesting choices (sprinkles, cookies and cheesecake). My favourite are the mini peanut butter cups and popping boba, although not generally part of the same cup.

Not to rest on their laurels, Menchies continues to develop new products including custom made cakes and real fruit smoothies … so you won’t feel guilty about stopping into a store before noon.

This spring Menchies is encouraging Canadians to SMILE! After all, the sun and warm weather will soon be gracing us and enjoying the outdoors is but weeks away. A contest is launching March 28, 2016, where participants digitally scratch and win various instant prizes. Afterwards, you’ll receive a pin number to enter towards the grand prize: a 7-night round trip for two to the 5-star Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa in the Mayan Riviera!

Additionally, check back in a few weeks as Gastro World will also be giving you a chance to win a VIP pass to Menchies - holders are entitled to any cup of frozen yoghurt (no dollar limit)! The perfect way add as many toppings as you want, to create a masterpiece that’s worthy of making you smile.

Good luck everyone!

When I hear a restaurant’s doing “Canadian” food right, they peak my interest; not only to support my national cuisine, but also to develop a deeper understanding of what it’s about. Certain items that are synonymous with Canada: tourtière, poutine and lobster are distinctly Quebecois or from the Maritimes. Antler’s menu incorporates numerous Ontario offerings from the large province’s forests and lakes.

The wild mushroom tarte tatin ($10) looked beautiful, the dark foraged mushrooms lightened with a vibrant sorrel walnut pesto and frisee salad. If only the mushrooms were softer, rather than having an almost deep fried quality, to set it apart from the already flaky and crisp puff pastry.

When meat is fresh and of high quality, preparing it simply is the way to go. Skewers of charcoal grilled chicken thigh and duck heart ($9 for two skewers) were tasty – the chicken oh so succulent and the duck heart much lighter than expected.

Reviews have praised Chef Hunter’s handling of venison and it’s certainly well deserved. The spice ash crusted rack of deer ($39) was fantastic, the thick chop well seared but left rare so the lean meat remained tender and moist. Sitting underneath was a hefty portion of flavourful braised pulled shoulder meat and a smooth parsnip purée: delicious even by itself. For those who are worried about the venison being gamey, it’s no stronger black angus.

The skin on the pan seared rainbow trout ($28) was done to perfection – crackling and lightly seasoned. Despite being a thinner cut, the trout was succulent: Antler cooks fish right. To balance the other heavier dishes, the charred kale, wilted swiss chard, celery root purée and bright salsa verde were a blessing.

I had my doubts about the chestnut gnocchi ($21), not being a fan of sweet mains (the dish contains brown butter and almond brittle). Yet it was scrumptious, the earthy fluffy gnocchi each having a well seared crust. Diced roasted squash, brussel sprout leaves and shaved parmesan kept the dish savoury.

The daily special, a duck duo ($35), incorporated a decently prepared duck breast – a large portion but the skin could have been further rendered. Yet, it was missing an important part to the dish: the duo. We even double checked to see how we’d expect the aforementioned leg to be served (incorporated into the lentil mixture on the side). Despite every one of us combing through it meticulously – squash … brussel sprout … lentil … kale … not an ounce of leg was found.

Ely, our server, was so funny and charming that I’ll begrudgingly look past the absent duck leg and incorrectly charged bottle of wine ($60 on the menu vs. $75 on the bill that wasn’t discovered until the writing of this post). Antler’s atmosphere is laid back and friendly, not unlike the Canadiana persona.  

I was hoping to try Canadian geese – through following Chef Hunter on Twitter realize these large waddling traffic inducing fowls are approved for hunting. Unfortunately for me (but luckily for the geese) it was out of season and not available on the winter menu. Oh, and ladies, Chef Hunter is certainly not hard on the eyes; if you’re in luck (like we were) he may just make an appearance to the front of the house.