Last week I had the pleasure of attending the unveiling of Canada’s Best New Restaurant presented by Air Canada. Every year, I love reading the list in EnRoute magazine and adding them to my travel wishlists. At this year’s event, the top 10 of 30 contenders were present serving up their signature dishes, which ranged from snails to wedge salad. Two Toronto restaurants represented. One of my favourite spots in the city Aloette, and Giulietta, the new restaurant from Chef Rob Rossi of Bestellen. Tasting bites from the other 8 restaurants seriously made me want to visit cities I’d never thought of before, like Edmonton and Picton.

Disclaimer: Thank you Air Canada for inviting me to attend this event. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

My favourite bites of the evening were from Avenue (Regina, SK), Aloette, Sand and Pearl (Picton, ON) and Bündok (Edmonton, AB). Avenue’s dish was a delicious combination of tuna and pork belly while Aloette’s classic wedge salad was a perfect balance of textures, creamy dressing and crunchy pumpkin seeds. Sand and Pearl’s booth was constantly swarmed for their braised back ribs topped with crab and freshly shucked oysters. I admit, I took a few return trips for both the oysters and crab. Bündok’s offer was two slices of lightly cured sea bream topped with a citrus chili oil that packed a lot of heat and acidity. I loved the balance of the fish and oil, this was another booth where I went back for seconds.

The restaurant that took top honours was The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, ON), who served up BBQ sea snails, skewered with a branch on real shells. Their presentation was creative and the dish itself unique. I enjoyed the chewy texture of the snails, which were excellently seasoned. Located in the Niagara region in a modern farmhouse, The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette is quickly becoming a destination in of themselves. There is only a set menu offered (5+ courses) that changes daily centered around locally sourced ingredients. I expect their reservations to quickly fill up despite the non central location.

This year’s event also highlighted Canada’s Best New Bars. Unfortunately I had to duck out early (to get home for Alivia’s bedtime) and missed out on that part of the evening. Even more places to add to my ever growing list of places to visit.

To learn more about all the restaurants and how they were ranked, visit https://canadasbestnewrestaurants.com/en/.

Since moving to Richmond Hill, Alivia and I have spent lots of time at Hillcrest shopping, walking and napping. The mall is currently going under a $90M renovation that includes a cosmetic face lift to the interior, updated modern entrances and a slew of new stores. Hillcrest’s transformation began in 2015 with the expansion of The Bay and the opening of Sporting Life and H&M. Today, the mall is already home to some of my favourite stores like Aritzia and Miniso. Tomorrow, there will be even more to love and I am seriously worried about my shopping budget.

Disclaimer: Behind the scenes tour of Hillcrest was organized by Matte PR. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to tour the new north wing, which will house HomeSense, Marshalls, Old Navy and Indigo. HomeSense and Marshalls opened on Sept 18 with Old Navy to follow in October and Indigo in November. Being a true pillar of the community, Hillcrest will be hosting a donation drive collecting housewares, toiletries, clothing and toys for Sandgate Women’s Shelter in support of domestic abuse survivors. Donations will be accepted from September 22nd to October 5th at the centre court display setup in partnership with HomeSense.

Another newly opened store I love is Westcoast Kids, which carries the cutest and some of my favourite baby brands like Uppababy, Louloulollipop and Babybjorn. They also host great events for parents like sleep clinics, product launches and CPR classes.

Also, Uncle Tetsu just opened!

Our tour ended with a visit to the Hillcrest honey bees, who live on the mall’s rooftop. The two hives produce honey flavoured by the neighbourhood and changes every year. We had the chance to get up close with the bees and taste the fresh honey.

Hillcrest’s transformation ensures that they remain the shopping destination in Richmond Hill and even beyond. I’m excited to see how the space continues to grow and what else is in store.

(Photos by @kaileemandel)

It may not feel like it, but we are officially one week into summer. Although the weather in Toronto has been fickle, after months of winter and a long cold spring I’m ready to enjoy as much of the city as I can, rain or shine. Stephen and I dropped by this year’s Wine & Spirit Festival at Sugar Beach to check out Moxie’s Grill & Bar‘s Lemonade Pop-up Patio!

This summer, Moxie’s is bringing the patio to you and serving up glasses of their house-made Hard Lemonade at events all over the GTA. I had the chance to taste the drink myself at the Wine & Spirit Festival. Each refreshing glass was made with fresh, hand squeezed lemon juice, a splash of soda water for the bubbles and a shot of vodka for the fun.

The bright yellow pop-up patio was a full setup that included two bars and a live DJ. I also loved the two jumbo tower stacking games, which brought out our competitiveness with strangers and crashed spectacularly. Two areas were set up with patio furniture where we lounged and sipped on our lemonades under the sun umbrella. This was key as the sunny evening quickly turned dark with rain pouring down. Despite the rain, the staff of Moxie’s kept the party going, moving the DJ to under the awning of the patio and making sure everyone’s cups were full.

Moxie’s Lemonade Pop-Up Patio will be at the Port credit Yacht Club next on June 24th as a part of the Toronto Area Hospice Regatta from 2pm to 6pm. Next, they’ll be at the GWN sports Regatta at Marylin Bell Park on July 15th from 11am to 6pm.

Be sure to check them out and #SqueezeSummerHard.

To share a taste of summer with my followers, I’ve partnered with Moxie’s Grill & Bar to giveaway a $150 gift card to one lucky winner, valid at any location in the country! Head over to my Instagram account and enter now! Contest ends July 4th, 2017.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Moxie’s Canada. In exchange for this post, I have received perks in the form of products and/or compensation. All opinions on this blog are my own.

As the weather warms up, Toronto comes out of hibernation and the season of summer events begins. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend Cuisine & Cuvee, in support of Providence Healthcare, with Karen and we spent the night sipping drinks and nibbling on tasty bites. This year’s event was held at Rebel and turned out to be an even bigger and better party. The only thing better than an awesome event is one also for a great cause. Providence Healthcare is a leader in Toronto for providing rehabilitation, palliative, and long-term care with a history dating back to 1857. Cuisine & Cuvee is just one of the many events the Providence Healthcare Foundation runs annually to help raise funds to support Providence Hospital, their long-term care facility and day programs. I was honoured to be invited to attend and cover this year’s event.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

This year’s event featured over 30 savoury, sweet and beverage stations. On the stage, when the DJ wasn’t in charge, talented live performers entertained the lively crowd. After our first round (or two) through the savoury food stations, we ventured upstairs to the VIP area with access to the outside balcony with a stunning view of the Toronto Skyline. I have to admit, being able to access upstairs was a nice perk, especially as the crowd grew. When we returned for a few more bites, most booths had a long line.

14 savoury food vendors fed the crowd with delicious morsels from cheese to grilled cheese to scallops. I absolutely loved the seared Diver Scallops being served by E11even with a truffled celeriac puree, honey mushrooms and bacon jam. Another stand out plate was Locale Mercatto’s Cavatelli with Smoked Ontario Trout, amazing. Pilar’s Catering set up a full Roast Beef carving station and Summer Thyme Bites’ Gourmande Grilled Cheese was buttery and cheesy. What’s wine without cheese? Bothwell Cheese and Pasquale Bros satisfied all of my cheese needs with their spread, conveniently set up on opposite sides of the room, so I was never out of arm’s reach of a cheese platter.

On the beverage side, there was a wine bar with pouring bottles from 4 wineries and a host of beer and liquor vendors. My favourite was Boodles Gin, which was smooth and sweet. Wyborowa Vodka, Lost Craft Beer and Jack Daniel’s were mixing caesars, cocktails and a boozy lemonade. Steam Whistle was also on hand along with Dixon’s Distilled Spirits and Arbonne. Of course, I had to grab another watermelon slush from Tropic Love! Coconuts and Pineapples were also available. To satiate our sweet tooths, there was Mint Oreo ice cream made with liquid nitrogen from Ice Volcano Ice Cream and Holy Cannoli’s famous cannolis.

Aside from food and entertainment, the event also had a raffle (including tickets to a Leafs game in the Executive Suite for 12 people!) and a silent auction to raise funds. The silent auction was one of the best I’ve seen with lots from iPads to Tiffany Jewellery to a catered dinner for 10 by The Food Dudes. There was also a fine wine auction that included bottles ranging in value from hundreds to thousands.

As food vendors wrapped up service, their tables were packed away one by one until the dance floor was clear, making way for the group of eager partiers (myself included).

I fell in love with raw oysters about 5 years ago. The treat was fairly costly and as a new grad, my friends and I would often visit restaurants specifically for their oyster deals; buck-a-shuck nights were well researched. When The Hubby and I started dating, we went to a seafood night at one of his friends’ that included freshly shucked oysters. It was like a lightbulb going off, we could shuck oysters ourselves at home for way less than $1 each! Since then, fresh oysters have become a regular appetizer whenever we host friends, celebrate special occasions, or if the craving hits.

The first time we bought oysters to shuck at home, it was a pretty scary and nerve wracking experience. We watched lots of Youtube videos. After attempting to open one, I left the rest to The Hubby and settled into my role of eater. Today, I’m more comfortable with a shucker but I wish I’d known about Oyster Boy’s Shuck U program earlier! I had the opportunity to participate in the 2 hour course and learned plenty about oysters and how to shuck them safely while sipping on sparkling wine and feasting on our hard work.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Oyster Boy is one of the best seafood restaurants in Toronto and offers a wide selection of oysters from both the East and West coast. On weekends, the restaurant runs their Shuck U program in the afternoon, which teaches participants about oysters in the first hour, and then turns hands-on during the second. Classes cost $55 and have a max of 12 students, keeping the course intimate with lots of interaction with the staff. Everyone gets a platter of 18 oysters and leave with their own shucker and Oyster Boy t-shirt or toque.

During our class, the VP of Atlantic Shellfish was there to talk about how his company cultivates oysters in the wild. Atlantic Shellfish is a major supplier of east coast oysters including the popular Malpeque oyster. It takes about 4-6 years for an oyster to make it to market and babies start at about the size of a pinkie nail. Today, oysters are available throughout the year and fisherman go out in ice-breaking ships to harvest them when the water freezes over.

Chris is the head oyster shucker at the restaurant and shared a few more facts about oysters before showing us his technique. Oysters are an important keystone species, that does an unbelievable job at filtering water. Oysters are being introduced along the coast in the US to help restore ecosystems. The flavour of an oyster depends on their merroirr (similar to a wine’s terroir but with regards to the water). Water flow, salinity and the feed available all change the taste of the oyster.

After learning all about oysters, Chris showed us his “wiggle wiggle pop” technique for getting into the hinge of the oyster and how to leverage the shucker against the shell itself to open. I found the 18 tuxedos we were provided were all quite pretty and easy to open, much easier than some I’ve battled at home. The staff was very helpful and circled the area offering help and tips if needed. For stubborn oysters, I liked how the staff helped but didn’t take over. Safety was first and foremost with staff making sure everyone was pointing their shuckers down and bracing the oyster with folded tea towels.

Shuck U was super fun, entertaining and informative. I found the 2 hours flew by and the oysters were delicious. The Hubby and I had a great time and the class was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. Oyster Boy also makes a very tasty Caesar topped with a high mound of horseradish, a perfect companion to the first hour.

Destination Thailand is Canada’s largest Thai festival and will be held this Saturday (Sept 10th) at Yonge and Dundas square. The all day event, running from from 11am to 8pm, celebrates the country’s cuisine, culture and of course Signha beer. Organized by the Royal Thai Embassy and the Thai Trade Centre, the event will feature delicious food from Toronto’s top Thai restaurants. All of the restaurants are Thai Select certified, a mark of authentic Thai food around the world. Globally, there are 1429 Thai Select restaurants and 88 are in Canada. 8 of these restaurants will be at Destination Thailand including my favourite, Pai Northern Thai Kitchen.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

I had the chance to visit The Thai Trade Centre in Toronto last month and preview some of the tasty food that will be available at this year’s event. From curries to desserts, each vendor showcased their take on classic Thai dishes. I started my food journey at Pai, where Chef Nuit plated up Chicken Skewers with Grilled Pork Jowl and Sticky Rice wrapped in a banana leaf. The skewers and sliced pork jowl were grilled right before serving, which meant the amazing aroma of grilled meat filled the air. My mouth watered as I eagerly watched my plate come together.

Soi Thai was serving up Khao Kha Moo, a stewed pork hock dish, over rice with a side of pickled veggies and half a hard boiled egg. This bowl was savoury, hearty and the pork hock wonderfully tender. I liked the contrast of the acidic pickled veggies to the super rich hock.

Bangkok Garden offered a Vegetarian Curry and Toasted Cashew Chicken, while Golden Thai had a pot full of creamy Lamb Curry and fried Tempeh Skewers. Linda Modern Thai’s chef put together bites of Beef Salad and Lemongrass Chicken. Both of these dishes used fragrant herbs and were strong in flavour.

To me, the most interesting dishes I had tried that night were the selection of sweets from Patchmon’s, a shop specializing Thai desserts. These included cookies, layered cream pots, and custards. Patchmon imports many of their ingredients directly from Thailand and all of their desserts are handmade by the owner. Some of the flavours heavily featured were coconut, taro and tapioca. I loved the Sweet Tapioca with Coconut Cream and Steamed Flower with Coconut Filling.

With dance performances, muay thai demonstrations, Thai massage, refreshing Signha beer and amazing food, the 3rd annual Destination Thailand event will bring an authentic taste of Thailand to the heart of Toronto.

Whenever I travel to a new city, I like to include a few walking tours early in my itinerary. All of the past tours I’ve been on were informative and fun. Walking around a foreign city with a well-versed guide gives me the chance to get my bearings, learn some interesting facts and ask for food recommendations. When Bria of Food Nook Tours contacted me about a walking food tour in Roncesvalles, I realized it would be a great way to explore Toronto as well. My interest was also piqued as I know there’s a ton of great food in Roncesvalles but rarely visit the area myself. Spending an afternoon with Bria checking out some neighbourhood gems sounded like a lovely time.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

As a guide, Bria was friendly and engaging. On our tour, The Hubby and I were joined by another media person, her BF, and a family with two kids. Bria expertly shepherded our group of 8 at a comfortable pace through 5 stops making sure everyone had time to grab samples and take photos without any lulls. She was sure to point out which stops could double as a washroom break and tried her best to keep us in the shade when possible. I liked how she introduced the tour with a short speech on the history of the neighbourhood and pointed out popular restaurants and shops as we walked.

The 5 stops on our tour that sunny afternoon were all local businesses that I would frequent if I lived in the area:
Chocolateria – A chocolate shop that had an amazing selection of housemade chocolates and ice cream. We had the chance to sample a plethora of chocolate dipped goodies including my favourite, chocolate dipped chips. The mix of sweet and salty was perfect. I also spotted a selection of chocolate frogs near the cash.

Fantail Bakery and Cafe – Run by native New Zealander family members and named after a bird from their home country, Fantail serves up flakey baked goods and savoury snacks. Each owner is an artisan specializing in their own media (fashion, painter, woodwork) and worked together to create Fantial. We had the chance to sample their amazing chocolate croissant and vegan brownie. The cafe was cozy and would be a nice spot to sip a latte and enjoy a cookie.

The Mercantile – A specialty food shop with a wide array of spices, treats and kitchen gadgets. Our time at the fully stocked shop was spent trying out Meredith’s Ginger Syrup, a potent elixir, and browsing. The Hubby and I found whole dried chipotle pepper, which we’ve been looking for all over the city.

De La Mer – This is the fish market’s third location and based on the steady stream of customers while we visited, a popular spot in Roncesvalles. In addition to their selection of fresh fish, De La Mer also sold smoked and candied salmon, both of which we sampled.

Barque Butcher Bar – Concluding our tour, we stopped at Barque Butcher Bar to grab a chicken wing and sample their spices and BBQ sauces. Being the middle of the afternoon, the restaurant wasn’t too busy and our group had a chance to mingle with each other and Bria.

Overall, Food Nook Tours in Roncesvalles was an afternoon well spent exploring and eating. The tour lasts from 1 ½ hours to 2 and kicks off at 2:30pm. Priced at $30 per person, it would make a great gift for a family activity. To me, the tour focused on highlighting and introducing local businesses, not necessarily eating a ton of food. The samples at each stop were a good snack but I would recommend eating lunch before hand.

North York has a lot of restaurants and new spots continue to pop up everyday. Even with the influx of new players though, Nome Izakaya has remained one of my favourite neighbourhood spots. I can’t resist their $1 oyster specials and their Sake Sangria. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, as they’re always full and I’ve been turned away many nights looking for a walk-in table. Just in time for summer, Nome’s long-awaited roof-top patio was opened in May. I was invited to check out the new space and throw back a few oysters with other Toronto bloggers and Instagramers. With the bar mixing up cocktails, a sake tasting station, and a nonstop flow of samples from the kitchen, Nome showed off their patio by throwing an amazing party.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Walking into the restaurants, guests were directed upstairs to the new second floor and welcomed with a slushy margarita. The space was half covered and half open. The covered area was near the front of the restaurant and where the bar was located. Padded leather benches lined the walls and a standing table occupied the centre of the room, perfect for mingling. On the wooden patio itself, one corner housed an oyster bar and there were plenty of tables and seating.

I had the chance to try a ton of cocktails that night and each glass was colourful and most importantly, boozy. Garnished with fresh mint and fruit, every cocktail was also as photogenic as they were tasty. My favourite included the Soho Singapore Sling, Sumo Sour and Lychee Ice Tea.

Throughout the night, there was steady stream of freshly shucked oysters that were slurped up as soon as phones stopped snapping. The piece de resistance of the evening though was a giant, gorgeous platter of sashimi that included multiple fish flown in straight from Japan and artfully plated. I managed to snag a optimal seat in front of the feast that spread across 3 tables. Each piece was fresh, sweet, and melt in your mouth soft. Spectacular.

Other menu items I really enjoyed was the Beef Sashimi with a balsamic sauce, the Bulgogi Tacos and Wara Yaki (lightly seared, smoked salmon). Classic menu favourites sampled included grilled Tiger Shrimp, Tuna and Avocado Tartar and Japaburgers. Nome’s new patio is a perfect spot for the summer to unwind after work or celebrate a special occasion.

Bento Sushi began in 1996 as a small takeout shop in downtown Toronto. Today, they’re an essential feature of most grocery stores and is Canada’s largest sushi company with over 450 locations throughout North America. Bento’s california rolls are one of my favourite grab and go lunches. Every year, Bento challenges their chefs to get creative with their Sushi Champion Competition. Chefs are encouraged to stretch their imagination and submit new roll recipes to the contest. The top 6 rolls are chosen by region and the finalists are gathered to face off in a live event with a panel of judges. I had the chance to attend this year’s competition, themed the Bento Sushi Hungry Games and spent an afternoon munching on delicious sushi creations.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

During the competition, the finalists had one hour to plate their roll for judging and prepare enough to feed a hungry audience. I had a chance to watch each rolls come together from start to end, chat with the chefs from each district of course, enjoy some delicious sushi from Bento. Each time a new sushi platter was brought out, the first pieces to disappear were the BBQ eel and salmon. I had to keep reminding myself to save room to for the main event, at least one piece each of the 6 finalists.

Once the hour of cooking was up, the panel of 4 judges (including Bento Sushi’s Director of Product Development and a MasterChef Canada finalist) tasted each contender and contemplated pretty seriously. The winning roll will become available at Bento locations for a limited time and the winning chef would receive a cash prize, so the judging was intense. At the same time, guests at the event voted for the people’s choice award.

The 6 rolls up for the championship were:
District 1: Sukhe Lee, British Columbia – BBQ Bulgogi Roll with Nuts (bulgogi beef, shiitake mushroom, cabbage, pickles, mixed nuts)
District 2: Sarina Yoth, Quebec – Maple Apple Crab Roll (crab, apple, maple syrup, tobiko)
District 3: Haruo Oikawa, New York – Haru Roll (tuna, tempura shrimp, unagi, jalapeno peppers, tartar and unagi sauce)
District 4: Mei Zang, Ontario – Prosciutto Roll (prosciutto, basil, tomato, lettuce, balsamic vinegar, feta cheese)
District 5: Huang Yan Fang, Ontario – Shrimp Roll (tempura shrimp, ebi shrimp, avocado, fried onion)
District 6: Hao Mai Vu, Manitoba – Torch Lobster Roll (torched lobster, scallop, pineapple, chili, avocado, teriyaki sauce)

My favourite, and the people’s choice winner was the Torch Lobster Roll. I really liked the sweetness of the pineapple combined with the fresh torched lobster and scallop. I also liked the Maple Apple Crab Roll for a similar combination of sweet and savoury. The avocado added a creaminess to each bite and the chili a touch of heat. Bothe the Bulgogi Roll with Nuts and Prosciutto Roll were inventive and used ingredients I don’t typically associate with sushi.

After quite some deliberation, the judges announced the winning roll to be the pretty pink Haru Roll, that was also packed with flavour. Each had crunch from the tempura, heat from the jalapeno and creamy from the tartar sauce. I had a great time tasting all of the rolls and can’t wait to see the Haru Roll in stores.

Who doesn’t love soup? Especially in the winter and for free. From February 2nd to February 21st, Campbell’s has launched a pop-up soup restaurant, The Cantina, on Queen St W serving up complimentary bowls of 4 soups created by Chef Matt Dean Pettit of Rock Lobster kitchen. In addition to soup, Chef Matt or one of his crew from Rock Lobster will be on-hand at The Cantina from 12pm-1pm and 6pm-7pm sharing tips and tricks to spice up Campbell’s soup products at home.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

All four soups being served at the Cantina start with a base of Campbell’s soup products. Chef Matt has then added his own flare and interpretation to create delicious soups inspired by the multiculturalism of Toronto. There is also a fully stocked garnish bar, where guests will be able to customize and personalize their bowls.

Every guest will be invited to try out all four soups. They are:
1. Spicy Vegetarian Ramen – light and refreshing
2. Creamy Tomato Black Bean Taco Soup – rich, sweet and tangy, best topped with the deep fried taco bits
3. Thai Chicken & Rice Khao Soi – savoury and spicy, best topped with a fried wonton strips
4. Roasted Beer Can Cream of Chicken Soup – creamy and pleasantly spicy! This was my favourite

At The Cantina, Campbell’s has also set up a social media mosaic wall. Guests will be given a sticker and invited to place it on the wall. For every sticker, Campbell’s will be donating a can of soup to the Daily Bread Food Bank of Toronto. 1 sticker = 1 can of soup, up to 15,000 cans!

Until February 21st, be sure to stop by The Cantina to slurp up some good soup and place a sticker to support a great cause. #WeAllSoupTO