To celebrate the launch of Zomato in Toronto, the company has been inviting bloggers from all over the city for meet-ups at some great restaurants (ie. Pai). The events are small, under 20 people and really gives everyone a chance to meet each other, put a face behind Twitter handles and share a great meal. Over dinner at The Harbord Room, I had the chance to meet some awesome Toronto food bloggers and the conversation was restaurant-centric.

Disclaimer: All drinks and dishes were provided free of charge. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

The Harbord Room assembled a special set dinner with wine pairings that was an excellent sample of their menu. Local, seasonal ingredients were highlighted each wine complimented the course. We started with a chestnut and chorizo soup, topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and sheep’s milk cheese that was thick, savoury and nutty. This was a great fall dish that was filling and had rich flavours.

Our second course was a refreshing grouper ceviche with coconut, basil, papaya, avocado, cashie and radish. The abundance of toppings kind of buried the grouper itself. I liked the nuttiness from the fresh radish and the bottom layer of avocado cream. For our entree, we were treated to a roast Quebec partridge pot pie with a duck fat crust, wild mushrooms and topped with a thin slice of foie gras. Served alongside this decadent creation was cauliflower gratin and charred squash with pomegranate. Personally, I found this course too rich. Compared to the previous grouper, the pot pie was on the heavy side, lots of fat, gravy and while delicious, I needed breaks in between bites. The slice of foie gras also added to the richness of the fish. I love foie gras and even for me the dish all together was a bit too much. Between the two sides, the cheesy, garlicy cauliflower gratin was amazing.

Dinner ended with a glass of Barbeito Malvasia, a sweet wine, paired with a complicated dessert. There was a scoop of ox blood plum ice cream and ginger snaps, on top of a baked pumpkin custard, topped with candied walnuts. I enjoyed the tartness of the ice cream and the sweetness of the walnuts. As for the custard and ginger snaps, they didn’t do much for me.

Overall, each dish at The Harbord Room was complex, built layers of flavour and the wine pairings showed off an impressive cellar. It was a great meal at a classic Toronto restaurant to celebrate a great new service for Toronto foodies. In the short time since the Zomato team has been in Toronto, they’ve truly worked to explore the city’s food scene and culture. I’m excited to see how they continue to expand and evolve.

Chef Nick Liu’s long awaited restaurant, DaiLo, found a home this summer in Little Italy in the space previously occupied by Grace restaurant. I was lucky enough to tag along with Monica from The Food Sisterhood to the media preview. We had the chance to explore the restaurant, sample a signature drink in the upstairs bar, Lo Pan, taste appetizers from the menu, and enjoy a seven course meal featuring some of Chef Liu’s favourite, #sickasianfood creations.

Disclaimer: All drinks and dishes were provided free of charge by the restaurant. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

The night started in the upstairs of the restaurant, Lo Pan, a small bar that will feature a limited food menu. The walls were painted emerald green and decorated with gold stencil art of Asian motifs like koi fish and pagoda towers. Lucky cats occupied a shelf behind the bar and old fashioned bird cages hung from the ceiling. In the main dining area, decor continued in the Asian vein with red wood, lacquered tables, blue patterned china, and a large wok lighting fixture. Beaker vases with fresh flowers adorned each table. I loved how the restaurant design clearly paid homage to Chinese culture while being subtle and modern.

Two signature cocktails were served that night, The Tom Yum Booze and Five Spice Dark and Stormy. Both drinks were inventive and had definite Asian influences with lemongrass and five spice infused rum. While the five spice rum was a subtle flavour, lemongrass was the highlight of the spicy, sour Tom Yum Booze. Before dinner, appetizers like Big Mac Boas and Hakka Wontons circulated Lo Pan. All the dishes were so popular, the plates cleared as soon as the servers arrived and rarely made it past the entrance. I squeezed into the crowd but was too late to get my hands on a bao.

Once we moved downstairs and settled at tables, dinner began with a traditional lion dance performance to bring luck and good fortune. Of the 7 dishes we had that night, for me, 3 were unforgettable, 2 were memorable and the last 2 were good but not quite to my taste. Each dish was distinct, and a modern update of traditional Asian flavours. Cilantro, green onion and sesame were used generously as garnish. My favourite dish of the night was the Whole Fried Trout, beautifully filleted into bite size pieces, fried with a light batter and served with a trio of sauces. DaiLo’s menu shows off slow braised meats, tender seafood and unique cooking techniques such as the delicate eggnet that covers a salad of pomelo, bean sprout, green papaya and nut crumble. Chef Liu’s fusion perspective shine best through his inventive dishes like the Crispy Octopus Fresh Roll, which uses a slice of raw jicama as the wrapper.

Tasting Menu

Smoked Trout Betel Leaves (2/3)

satay peanut sauce, fried shallot

Eggnet Salad (2/3)

green papaya, pomelo, bean sprout, nut crumble, coconut caramel dressing

Crispy Octopus Fresh Rolls (3/3)

red braised pork, Asian garnish,, sambal mayo

Sweet and Sour Pork Hock (3/3)

po po’s original sauce, crispy shallot, garlic and nuts

Singapore Curry Cauliflower (1/3)

purple fingerline potato, garlic scapes, raisin, nuts

Whole Fried Giggi Trout (3/3)

nam jim, green curry aioli, soy glaze

Asian Banana Split (1/3)

caramelized Thai banana, six-spice ice cream, roasted sesame ice cream, spiced chocolate sauce