Get ready, the LCBO has some new drinks this summer!

Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2016 by
We’ve finally had a couple of sunny weekends and lounging on patios and BBQ parties are returning! I can’t wait, it’s the perfect time of the year to be in Canada; where the weather is hot but not so stifling that you can’t stay outdoors. Of course, safety precautions are in order: sunscreen to avoid getting burnt and plenty of drinks to stay hydrated.

Luckily, the LCBO has you covered with new drinks hitting the shelves this summer. Over May, I had the opportunity to attend two launch events to try the ready-made-drinks before it arrived in stores.

SoCIAL LITE (http://www.sociallitevodka.com/)


For those who know me, aside from wine, my go-to drink is a vodka water with lime – it’s not fancy but is refreshing and seems like a smart choice to consume water with alcohol. Truth be told, it may have something to do with too many sugary Mike’s Hard Lemonades in high school or the better but still sweet Pure Source and Vex of first year university. I’ve grown tired of downing all that sugar and the awful hangovers it leaves you with the next day.

So, when I heard about SoCIAL LITE, a sugar-free sparkling vodka drink, I was intrigued. Started by Dan and Kevin, two friends who wanted a healthier alternative to pre-mixed drinks, they began mixing up concoctions in their own kitchens and using friends and family as focus groups to perfect the recipe. Eventually they came up with two flavours using natural ingredients: lime ginger and lemon cucumber mint.


Having tried both they were very easy drinking despite using no sugars or sweeteners, which means each can is only 80 calories! The lime ginger is the closest to my go-to vodka water with the ginger adding a calming property to the drink. But, I could easily switch to the lemon cucumber mint if the LCBO ever stocks it (for now they will only be carrying to lime ginger for $9.95 for a four pack) as it’s extremely refreshing and makes me feel like I’m drinking at a spa. The only danger is its taste – the can kept emptying so easily!

Mill Street Brewery’s Hard Root Beer (http://millstreetbrewery.com/)


Being a hard root beer, this drink is of course sweet, so I don’t see myself having more than two at a time. But, this product is perfect for those days that I’m craving a really satisfying drink, something you just sip and enjoy.

Already growing in popularity in the U.S., Toronto’s Mill Street Brewery is making their own hard soda combining root beer with their Vanilla Porter bierschnaps. The resulting drink is reminiscent of root beer but not quite as sweet and has a stronger more adult flavour than a typical A&W: there’s an earthiness to the drink with hints of cinnamon and licorice peeking through.

Available at the LCBO for $14.85 per 6 pack, the hard root beer even comes in the iconic glass bottles. These would be great for parties and likely make some interesting root beer floats!


Congratulations to Canada’s drink industry for coming out with some fantastic new products. I, for one, am happy that it’s no longer all about wines and craft beers – delicious products but I love variety! Pre-mixed drinks are making a comeback and I’m glad there’s at least two wonderful additions this summer.

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Kaibo Beach BBQ (Grand Cayman)

Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2016 by
Kaibo beach BBQ

Every Tuesday, Kaibo Restaurant invites you to dine barefoot (most people don’t) on the beach. It’s a beautiful set-up and as the ferry approaches the beach I couldn’t help thinking this is what vacations are all about. Sure, I knew the food wasn’t going to be fantastic, but when you have a setting like this, some flaws can be ignored.


Yet, the food wasn’t bad and the operations well organized. After disembarking the ferry, staff greeted us with treys of rum punch on the beach – a sweet Malibu rum, orange and cranberry juice cocktail. Sipping the drink, we waited a short while before being seated, a rather spacious one for our table of three.

Kaibo was already 80% full by the time we arrived; you don’t have to take the ferry and some stay at places nearby or spend the day at the small but pretty beach before continuing onto dinner. Since people arrived and were seated at different times, there wasn’t a long line-up at the buffet and dishes were hot and available.


There’s plenty of proteins to choose from, I tried everything:
  • The BBQ chicken was moist, brushed in a sweet caramelized glaze.
  • Pick your piece of jerk pork carefully as with various cuts the all-meat ones are tougher. I found a smaller thick piece with the bone-in and that was succulent. Yet, the jerk sauce was too mild and I had to add hot sauce. Kaibo: consider offering warmed jerk sauce on the side as sriracha and Tabasco doesn’t have the same flair.
  • Similarly, even though the Cayman style fish has scotch bonnets in the recipe, the most prominent flavours was from the tomatoes and onions.
The oxtail and goat curry were impressive and had me going back for seconds; paired with rice and beans I was utterly satisfied. The oxtail, stewed in a tomato-based beef sauce, is comforting and the cartilage softened and jellied. Meanwhile, the goat curry was spicy enough and simply melted off the bone.


Aside from the proteins there was a small selection of salads (potato, macaroni and a green salad with a great ginger vinaigrette), buttery corn, chocolate chip cookies and Tortuga Rum cake.


The all-you-can-eat BBQ is CI$25 for adults and CI$12.50 for children aged 3-12, the 30-minute ferry to and from Seven Mile Beach (pick up in Camana Bay) an additional CI$20. I suggest making a reservation as the restaurant was full during an April visit (we were able to secure one the day before).

Throughout dinner, Bonafide played a wonderful mix of Caribbean and top 40 songs, all the while encouraging diners to dance. Shortly after dinner there was a resort-like limbo competition and *shudder* conga line – even the cute children leading the line wasn’t going to persuade me to join the human chain, my friends and I manage to stay out of it and instead entered the bar area to play foosball.


The night ended with dancing on the beach and taking in some beautiful views. The memories of under seasoned jerk and conga lines fade away. After all, how can you visit the Caymans without dining under the stars?

 Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: North Side, Grand Cayman
 Address: 585 Water Cay Road

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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

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CLOSED: Bombay Street Food (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2016 by
Bombay Street Food Toronto
Seema and Amreen Omar’s new permanent location is stunning and  inspired by the older Iranian cafes found in Mumbai. I’ve never visited India, but if the cafes consist of bright airy spaces, a mix of beautiful patterns and motifs, interesting trinkets sitting on shelves and ornate light fixtures, I can see why they want to bring this laid back vibe to Toronto.


Bombay Street Food started as a travelling eatery in 2014, served in farmers’ markets and festivals across the city. The pair were offering smaller street food dishes inspired by what’s found in Mumbai, where diners mix and match offerings to make a meal. They were a hit and attendees kept asking for more, until finally this May the sister-in-laws quit their corporate jobs to dedicate themselves fully to the restaurant.   

Not to leave their roots, Bombay Street Food continues to source much of their produce from farmers’ markets (hence the vegetables in the salads and vegetarian dishes changes with what’s in season). They also want to follow tradition by concocting their own spice mixtures and using 100% halal meat.

A chaat is essentially a savoury snack that’s found on street stalls across India. With three types on the menu, we shared the dahi puri ($7.95), a thin deep fried bread with a cracker’s texture, filled with stewed potatos & lentils, and topped with cooling yoghurts & refreshing chutneys. Ideally, order these separately to snack on before returning for the mains, as you’ll want to eat them before the crispy shell gets soggy.


The dahi puri went well with the thick mango lassi ($4.95), a yoghurt smoothie blended with mangoes; I appreciated that Bombay’s version is left natural and not sugary.  

Although the masala haddock ($12.95) had a vibrant yellow hue and smelled amazing, the fish was relatively mild and definitely needed more salt; sadly, there was a disconnect between what I saw and tasted. Nonetheless, the broiled fish was cooked well retaining a flaky moistness and there was enough flavours in the daal chawal rice that it was an enjoyable meal.


The daal chawal is fantastic and of the three sides the most unique and delicious. I loved the soft lentil stew topping the basmati, spices and herbs mixed throughout and the intensely caramelized onions on top.  The gunpowder fries were also good with the hit of spice that lightly lingers, but needed to be hotter and crispier.



A popular dish at the restaurant is the chicken frankie ($11.95), a juicy mild chicken curry combined with red onion and cabbage for crunch, bits of egg to soak up the juices, and coriander and lemon juice to add a refreshing element. Bombay Street Food makes the roti fresh as an order’s placed so the wrap is chewy and hot with a lovely toasty crunch. It’s good … just close your eyes, take a bite and be prepared for the delicious juices to ensue.


And while we’re sitting in a place inspired by Iranian cafes, we had to try their baked goods before leaving – truth be told, the space was just gorgeous and I wanted to sit around longer. Made for people who don’t like overly sweet desserts, the khaari biscuit ($3.95) is flaky and slightly savoury. The layered biscuit is puff pastry without the oiliness. Yet, once it’s dipped in some cutting chai ($3.95), an aromatic tea with cardamom, milk and sugar, the biscuit changes and morphs closer to a dessert.


Oh and for those planning a birthday party, bridal shower or engagement festivities: Bombay Street Food is available Sunday for private events. What a great space to use! Just know you’ll also be supporting two fierce entrepreneurs - they’ll likely be at the restaurant, but you’ll also see pictures from their India trip screened onto the wall and framed family portraits in the corner.



At last, Seema and Amreen is off the streets and into bricks-and-morter, I’m sure their steadfast supporters are happy. For me, I know where to go for a good frankie with rice. Maybe afterwards I can cozy up in a quiet corner and relax. Eating street food has never been so tranquil.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

Disclaimer: the above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in the mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 828 Bay Street

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

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Celebrating the Queen's 90th with afternoon tea at the Fairmont Royal York

Posted on Monday, May 23, 2016 by
Fairmont Royal York afternoon tea

First of all: is it high tea or afternoon tea? I had incorrectly thought high tea was simply the frou-frou name for the same event. When in fact, according to About Food, afternoon tea is actually the more elite social gathering of the two. Since it happens in the afternoon, the foods served are lighter; small cakes and sandwiches, essentially the items we traditionally link to the occasion. Whereas, high tea occurs in the evening when the working masses are done for the day: meals are heavier, even including items such as fish and meat pies. Hopefully, that assures you I’ve named the post correctly.

The Fairmont Royal York is a great place in Toronto to indulge in afternoon tea. The hotel, a historical landmark to our city, is rich with architectural elements and the elegant touches that makes having tea there an experience.  


Not to rest on their laurels, Executive Chef Robert Mills recently re-vamped the menu, taking inspiration from properties across the world – including the Savoy in Britain – while maintaining some tried and true favourites such as their signature Chantilly Swan. Interesting fact: this pastry was inspired by the hand painted ceiling in one of the hotel’s ballrooms.


My favourite part of their new menu are the sandwiches, made with different breads and topped with plenty of varied ingredients:
  • Vibrantly coloured grilled vegetables sitting on a soft pretzel spread with hummus, great for the summer months.
  • Encapsulated in airy brioche is smoked turkey breast slightly sweetened with cranberry aioli and a crunchy chicken salad mixed with caramelized pecans for added texture.
  • The smoked salmon mini bagels are cute and dainty, the essence of afternoon tea sandwiches.
  • Even the traditional cucumber sandwich is jazzed up by being served open-faced in a beautiful fan and the cream cheese spiked with pink peppercorn.
Yet, Chef Mills understands when to leave things alone, which is the case when it came to the scones. The recipe has been used in the hotel for decades; these freshly baked biscuits simply require plenty of silky Devonshire cream and preserves to spread on top.


The top tier holds a tempting selection of pastries: aside from the cream puff swan there’s also a rich dark chocolate truffle torte, cute meringue tart and a chocolate cup filled with refreshing guava cream with fruits.      


In celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, I was lucky enough to get invited to experience afternoon tea inside the ROYAL SUITE … the same place the Queen herself (and consequently Prince Harry just the week prior) stays in when they visit Toronto.

With two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a comfortably sized living room complete with fireplace and full dining room (perfect for private dinner parties), the Fairmont Royal York is the official royal residence. In fact, the family even stores personalized furniture at the hotel, which gets moved into the suite before they visit.  


Alas, staying at the Royal suite is by invite only; under normal conditions it hosts other world leaders (Bill Clinton) and an array of celebrities (Leonardo Di Caprio, Justin Bieber, Helen Mirren and Vin Diesel).

As a special treat, Chef Mills served a chocolate biscuit cake (not normally part of their afternoon tea menu), the same cake served at Prince William and Princess Kate’s wedding. Chocolate lovers would swoon with its luscious smooth dark chocolate interior, crunchy bits of cookies along the circumference and silky sweet ganache on top.


It’s a rich cake, but went particularly well with the Librarian Liberation whiskey chai tea, a bespoke blend made at the hotel that smells faintly of whiskey but packed with the taste of exotic spices (cardamom, cinnamon and cloves). The tea is so flavourful it didn’t need milk or sugar.    


Afternoon tea ($50 per person) is normally served in the hotel’s Library Bar (near the lobby) on Saturday and Sunday with 12:00, 12:30 and 2:30 seatings. After the filling meal, stick around for the complimentary tour at 2:00 and 4:00 where you’ll be whisked around the hotel, learning interesting details and even visiting areas not normally accessible to the public (including the hotel’s rooftop that houses over 300 honey bees and herb garden)!

The hotel has come a long way since it started as its own city within Toronto – spoiler alert from the tour: Royal York use to have a connected golf course, bank, 12,000-book library and even hospital beds on site!

Nonetheless, in a world that’s always changing, sometimes it’s nice to embrace tradition, slowing down and simply relaxing over a cup of tea. The fact that the tea comes with three tiers of delectable sandwiches and pastries? You deserve the royal treatment.  

Disclaimer: the above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will still provide an honest opinion.


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 100 Front Street West

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Library Bar - The Fairmont Royal York Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Let's Get Social Party at the Intercontinental Toronto

Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2016 by


With its prime location along Front Street, the Intercontinental Toronto Centre has always played host to tons of corporate functions and events. The décor for these proceedings has just become more modern as the hotel redid their Ballroom to incorporate a steely grey palette highlighted with clean white and silver accents.


To showcase the new space, the Intercontinental threw a Let’s Get Social Party inviting Torontonians to experience the entire bottom level space including a cool minibus photo station, food stations, dessert buffet, candy bar and freshly made waffles!


To promote mingling eats were served through food stations, encouraging attendees to move throughout the room and strike up conversations with other guests at cocktail tables. One popular station was the seafood corner containing freshly shucked oysters and a large sushi spread.


With tons to sample, my favourites for the evening were the beef empanadas with a light cinnamon spice and beautifully crinkled edges as well as the juicy thick chicken breast sliders topped with tropical salsa.


The braised BBQ brisket perched on a disc of crumbly corn bread had to be the most artfully plated.


Yet, it was in the smaller area beside the Ballroom that I saw the most joy amongst the adults: oh the smiles as they laid eyes on the spread of cakes, tarts, macaroons and chocolates! Luckily, I snapped the picture upon arrival, as the dessert was thoroughly ransacked by the end of the evening with guests going back for seconds … and thirds.


For my husband, I left with a take-out carton from the candy bar. Although, I may have also filled it with peanut M&Ms and Fuzzy Peaches, two childhood favourites, for myself.


What a great idea to throw a full blown event to show off the newly renovated space. With the full set-up you really got a sense of what a great corporate celebration the space could accommodate – is it too early to start planning for the holidays?
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 225 Front Street West

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Agua (Grand Cayman)

Posted on Saturday, May 21, 2016 by
Auga Grand Cayman

Agua’s menu sounds like the United Nations of the food world: tons of Peruvian specialties, European influences, dishes incorporating Asian ingredients and comforting Italian pastas. The all-encompassing commonality between the selections is the predominantly seafood-based choices, which isn’t surprising for a restaurant named as ‘water’.

Their ceviches (CI$13.50 each) are popular, it seemed every table was graced with one. With five choices, the two we selected were pretty similar: you would think a classic Peruvian (clasico Peruano) and Thai recipe would be different, yet both incorporated the classic lime juice base, red onion and cilantro. The coconut milk added to the Thai version did give that dish an edge, resulting in the ceviche having a lovely creamy finish.

Auga Grand Cayman: cevicheAuga Grand Cayman: ceviche

Both were good: tender large cubes of fish incorporating enough flavour without being overpowering – you could taste the citrus without a lingering burning sensation. The lackluster wonton chips could use some improvement: not crispy enough to really withstand scooping and much too oily leaving a sheen on your tongue that detracts from enjoying the ceviche’s tastes.

I had my doubts when reading the description of the tuna tartare (CI$14.50) … sweet and sour sauce AND truffle oil? Two very different ingredients that in my mind had nothing to do with tuna. Admittedly, the truffle oil was a tad overpowering, but overall everything worked. The tuna itself was left in large enough pieces to not drown in sauce and the mixture ended up being slightly sweet with a mild chili finish.

Auga Grand Cayman: tuna tartare

The tower was also pretty, the tartare perched perfectly on a bed of diced creamy avocado. If only there was a taro chip for scooping; with all the flavours something salty and crunchy to tie everything together would have been nice.

We moved into warmer waters for the mains, my Peruvian mixed grill (CI$28.50) consisting of a perfectly cooked fillet of mild white fish topped with shrimp and calamari rings. Yet it was the buttery aji panca pepper sauce that made the dish: the Peruvian pepper offering a mellow heat, smokiness not unlike chipotle and a slightly sweet finish. If I weren’t feeling full from the rather large appetizers, I would have eaten every drop of the sauce with the steamed rice.

Auga Grand Cayman: Peruvian mixed grill

I was glad to see that Agua’s lobster and shiitake ravioli (CI$27.95) was more than a handful of pasta. There were about a dozen, each filled with a mushroom mascarpone and also containing broth so the stuffed pastas had an almost dumpling quality. On top was a healthy portion of cubed lobster finished with a chive butter sauce.

Auga Grand Cayman: Lobster and shiitake ravioli

The first meal of the Cayman Island’s trip was delicious and the restaurant’s prime location along Seven Mile Beach a convenient draw. Thanks to our host for introducing us to the place, Agua set the bar high for the other meals to come…

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman
 Address: West Bay Road (in the Galleria Plaza)
 Website: http://www.agua.ky/

 Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!

Is That It? I Want More!

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