The Senator: Toronto's Oldest Restaurant

When it comes to food options there is really not much "personality" or "character" happening in the Yonge & Dundas area. Most restaurants at or within walking distance from Dundas Square / Eaton Centre are large chains - Joey's, Hard Rock Cafe, Milestone's, Johnny Rockets, Spring Rolls, The Pickle Barrel, Baton Rouge, etc. Next time you find yourself in the vicinity I highly encourage you to take a very short walk (three minutes from the Eaton Centre at most) to 249 Victoria Street because tucked away and hidden in the shadows of all those corporate giants you will find the Senator, the city's oldest restaurant (Twitter: @TheSenatorTO, Facebook: The Senator).

The Senator is Toronto’s oldest restaurant, dating back to 1929 when it was just a house at the very same address. Since then it has became a Toronto landmark under the guidance of Bobby Sniderman. Bobby purchased the Senator in 1984 after a successful run at Sam the Record Man.

The restaurant is focused on using locally sourced ingredients as much as possible (i.e. beef from Cumbrae’s Farms and organic milk from Sheldon Creek Dairy). They also have a commitment to only use organic wherever possible. The Senator makes their own fresh-squeezed orange juice, stocks, sauces, and batters.

By the way it's funny how new restaurants these days strive for the retro / diner look while the Senator achieves this effortlessly. Love it!

Sake Bar Kushi (Kushi Izakaya) in Midtown

Sake Bar Kushi opened quietly this past summer on 257 Eglinton Ave. just east of Avenue Rd. The restaurant, with a name which boldly states its specialties as being kushi and sake, is actually selling itself short. How so? Well if taken literally, one would think that the restaurant offers merely kushi (Japanese for skewers used to hold / pierce food for grilling and frying) and sake...but don't be fooled guys! After my dinner at Sake Bar Kushi (Facebook: Sake bar Kushi) last week I realized that this midtown Japanese restaurant offers much, much more than just skewers and sake...

...But more on that later. Lets take a look at Sake Bar Kushi's decor. I love all the dark wood here, every bit of it. I know some of you may think it's too dark but really, it works, especially with the long straight lines and wide panels. The warm lighting also brightens up the space so it's not dark at all and is in fact, quite cozy. The statement piece in the room is definitely the communal table in the middle which separates the semi-private booths on both sides. The display of sake and beer bottles dividing the table is also attractive and fun.

I call this wall "The Great Wall of Kushi"!

Following the The Great Wall of Kushi will lead you to Sake Bar Kushi's party room at the back. With three long tables stretched across, the room can comfortably accommodate 30 people. This is really great for birthdays and private parties.

The Winners of the Labor Day Screening Passes are...

@Nighat81
@dchu76
@stardchiu
@sakurazakiii
@debsterbread

Congratulations! Each of you have just won a pair of tickets to the advance screening of Labor Day on Wednesday, January 29 at 7:30pm at Scotiabank Theatre! Please email me at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com with your first and last name and I’ll let you know how to redeem your tickets.

Thanks to the 30 contestants who participated in my giveaway. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #LaborDayContest hashtag from day one of the giveaway (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to win a pair of advance screening passes to LABOR DAY http://bit.ly/1ig6BkQ #LaborDayContest #LaborDayMovie". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the giveaway. Once the giveaway was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is a list of people who qualified for the contest:

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick 5 winners from the 40 entries.

London Calling High Tea at Shangri-La

Executive Pastry Chef Nicholas Patterson from soon-to-open Shangri-La at The Shard in London made a guest appearance at Shangri-La Toronto last week (Twitter: @ShangriLaTO, Facebook: Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto). Known for his wealth of patisserie experience and accolades, chef Patterson brought to Toronto - all the way from the U.K. -  his best selection of signature pastries. Chef Patterson's London Calling High Tea menu (#londoncallingslto), which debuted on January 13th at the hotel's Lobby Lounge, is priced at $40 per person and is served daily from 2pm to 5pm. And don't worry everybody - this High Tea menu will continue to be offered well after the chef Patterson's departure on the 19th.

Named ‘UK Pastry Chef of the Year’ at the Craft Guild of Chefs’ awards in 2008, chef Patterson - prior to joining Shangri-La - was most recently head pastry chef at Claridge’s, where he created some of London’s most eye-catching edible gift items and awarded the Tea Guild’s ‘Best London Afternoon Tea’ in 2006 and 2011. He also spent two years between Paris and Tokyo as Chef De Poste with the renowned French Pastry Chef, Pierre Hermé. 

Shangri-La's 90-seat Lobby Lounge.

The Lobby Lounge is very spacious. It still manages to be very cozy though with all the leather sofas and chairs, and of course that incredible fireplace. I also love the natural light coming in through those large floor-to-ceiling windows.

 Large statement paintings and sculptures can be found throughout the lounge.

Labor Day Screening Passes Giveaway - CLOSED

Enter for your chance to win 1 of 5 PAIRS of advance screening passes to LABOR DAY on Wednesday, January 29th at 7:30pm at the Scotiabank Theatre!

From the director of "Up in the Air, "Young Adult", and "Juno", Jason Reitman's new film “Labor Day” centers on 13-year-old Henry Wheeler, who struggles to be the man of his house and care for his reclusive mother Adele while confronting all the pangs of adolescence. On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and his mother encounter Frank Chambers, a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home and later is revealed to be an escaped convict. The events of this long Labor Day weekend will shape them for the rest of their lives. 

 

Labor Day hits theatres January 31st!

HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter:

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I want to win a pair of advance screening passes to LABOR DAY http://bit.ly/1ig6BkQ #LaborDayContest #LaborDayMovie

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #labordaycontest hashtag stream. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Monday, January 20th and ends on Friday, January 24th at 12PM. 

Five lucky winners will be drawn randomly from www.random.org. I will announce the winners on Friday, January 24th.

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

Website: www.labordaymovie.com

Twitter: @paramountcanada, #LaborDayMovie

Facebook: Labor Day Movie

Running Time: 111 Minutes

Food Styling and Creating "The Greatest Pie-Making Scene in Cinema History" in Jason Reitman’s New Film "Labor Day"

You know the expression "eat with your eyes"? It is 100% true. When a dish is visually appealing it immediately becomes more appetizing (whether it actually is or not is another matter). How food looks is one of the first sensory criteria that we all use to make decisions as to whether or not we want to eat it. This is especially important when it comes to food presented in advertisements, cookbooks, menus, and movies. When people cannot smell, touch or taste food - all of which are important factors in one’s decision to choose to eat something - it is absolutely critical to make food as attractive and visually delectable as possible...and this is where "food styling" comes in.

Meet Susan Spungen, food stylist in Jason Reitman's new film, Labor Day starring Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. Spungen is no stranger in the film world - her first foray into feature films was as the Culinary Consultant and Food Stylist on the popular Julie & Julia, where she did everything from consult with director Nora Ephron about what food should appear in the film, to training Amy Adams and Meryl Streep how to cook onscreen, to making it all look delicious. Since then, she has been the Food Stylist on the hit movies It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep as well as Eat, Pray, Love, starring Julia Roberts.

Susan Spungen spent hours coaching actors Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet on pie-making for their roles in Labor Day

She was charged with the responsibility of creating “The Greatest Pie-Making Scene in Cinema History" in the Golden Globe-nominated drama. "I baked cases upon cases of peaches, pounds upon pounds of dough," says Spungen in her interview with O, The Oprah magazine, "Styling on movies is grueling, but worth it when the food gets a close-up."

 From what I have read so far it seems like Spungen has nailed it in Labor Day - the intimate dessert scene where Brolin instructs Winslet on how to bake the perfect peach pie has been compared to pottery scene involving Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in 1990's Ghost!

Gattlin Griffith, Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet in Labor Day

A HOT, STEAMY and SEXY PIE-MAKING scene that evokes memories of the FAMOUS POTTERY SCENE in GHOST? I can't wait to see this!

Josh Brolin is Frank and Kate Winslet is Adele in Labor Day

Here are some of Spungen's pointers on food styling:

"I go mad for color. Right now, not enough green or purple can find its way into my food." Spungen advises treating large white plates as a canvas: "Look at food like a painting. Think about the composition." When plating a main course, she says, a good rule is to place the protein at 6 o'clock and then group the rest, with little negative space. Garnishes (herbs, microgreens) add freshness. Above all, she warns against getting too fussy. "Simplicity and elegance do go together," Spungen says. "I'm a big fan of dishes that look effortless. That means relaxing your hands when plating. Don't be afraid to gently toss food onto the plate, so it looks like it just landed there." 

All I've mentioned so far is this movie's intimate pie-making moment which is obviously just a fraction of the entire film. Labor Day, for which Winslet received a Golden Globe nomination for the best actress in a drama, is much more than that; it's a film about love, passion, and betrayal. Here's a synopsis of the movie:

"The movie Labor Day centers on 13-year-old Henry Wheeler, who struggles to be the man of his house and care for his reclusive mother Adele while confronting all the pangs of adolescence. On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and his mother encounter Frank Chambers, a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home and later is revealed to be an escaped convict. The events of this long Labor Day weekend will shape them for the rest of their lives."

Want to attend the advance screening of Labor Day on Wednesday, January 29 at Scotiabank Theatre? If your answer is "YES!" then keep your eyes peeled for my giveaway on Monday, January 20 where I'll be giving away 5 PAIRS of screening passes!

*This is a sponsored post*

2014 Lincoln MKZ Test Drive + Pop-Up Dinner by Chef Matt Kantor [VIDEO]

A test drive followed by a 3-course complimentary dinner? Two of my favourite things of all time (cars + food) together at one place in one night? YES! Please sign me up! Thanks to the Lincoln Motor Company (@LincolnMotorCA) several friends and I had the opportunity back in October to test drive the all-new 2014 Lincoln MKZ. After a few laps around the block we were then treated to cocktails and a pop-up dinner at 99 Sudbury prepared by chef Matt Kantor (@mattkantor) of Bero Restaurant (Twitter: @BeroRestaurant, Facebook: Bero). 

When I arrived at 99 Sudbury there were a fleet of Lincoln MKZs parked at the front, ready to be driven. I naturally gravitated towards the white one...

I must say the Lincoln MKZ is a pretty sexy car. Given that it's probably double the size of my Civic it was still very easy to drive and maneuver around. I also like the car's slick lines~

Here's my friend Adrienne trying out the MKZ's Active Park Assist feature. I'm still amazed at this technology - it really makes parallel parking such a breeze. All she needed to do was control the shifting, accelerating and braking and voila, the car has parked itself.

French Dining at Le Papillon on Front

Nestled in an Old Town Toronto building, Le Papillon on Front (Twitter: @PapillonOnFront, Facebook: Le Papillon on Front) provides a relaxed yet sophisticated bistro setting in which to enjoy causal French food. The restaurant's menu calls on classic French favourites such as French onion soup, crepe and duck confit alongside contemporary seafood, steak and pasta dishes. Here's a fun fact: Did you know Le Papillon opened Toronto's first creperie in 1974? That's 40 years ago! Knowing that countless restaurants open and close within a year's time these days makes this tidbit even more fascinating.

Le Papillon on Front's large interior is warmed by its cozy warm tones.

My friend May and I went for dinner before the Christmas holidays (hence all the festive decorations).

BLOODY CAESAR ($7.25)

Mega Kinton Ramen Event [VIDEO]

From Monday, January 6th to Thursday, January 9th, Kinton Ramen (Twitter: @KintonRamen, Facebook: KintonRamen) held its first ever MEGA KINTON RAMEN EVENT. Participants must eat (and keep down) a bowl of MEGA RAMEN in under 15 minutes. Successors are comped the price of the MEGA RAMEN and lifetime bragging rights. If you fail, you must fork over $30 plus tax. Contenders must also sign a waiver before competing.

This mammoth bowl of ramen (pictured left) consisted of:

Kinton Shoyu Ramen x 1 

Noodle x 2

Pork Shoulder x 6

Pork Belly x 4

Seasoned Egg x 1

Nori x 1

Beansprout x 3

Is there such a thing as RAMEN SWEATS? 'Cause there is now!

Even though a few friends have showed interest in paying me to do this challenge (whaaaaaa?) I was more than happy to just sit on the sidelines and film my two daring friends, Mack and Melvin, as they attempt to take on the MEGA RAMEN. Watch their journey as they devoured what seemed to be endless amount of hot noodles and bean sprouts! Perhaps after watching this video you will consider participating in Kinton's next MEGA event? :)

 Remember I said contenders had to sign a waiver? Kinton's waiver had some hilarious wording (the bold parts) so I included it here: 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Must be 18 years of age or older.

Complete in 15 minutes, or pay the full value of the Mega Ramen ($30).

Sharing is not caring for this challenge.

You're on your own. If you vomit, please mop it 

No standing or leaving your seat for the duration of the challenge, 

so no washroom breaks!

"Completion" means nothing left in the bowl and nothing left in your mouth.

No dying or passing out. Don't push yourself too hard. 

Limited to 3 attempts per day... for your health.

Participants acknowledge there are risks associated with this event 

which include, but are not limited to personal injury, risk of illness and 

possibly death, risk of loss or damage to personal property.

Participants upon entry and signing this form hereby agrees to 

waive and release Kinton Ramen and all affiliates from any liabilities of 

any kind arising from this event.

Participants also hereby swear that to the best of their knowledge 

they are physically and mentally fit to enter the Challenge.

I acknowledge and agree to these terms and conditions.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kudos to all the ambitious contenders who braved this extreme challenge, especially those who completed it! Below are the "wall of fame" detailing the successors' names and times: 

From Kinton 1 (51 Baldwin St): Champion - Michael Chua - 10:27

Photo Credit: Kinton Ramen

From Kinton 2 (668 Bloor St W): Champion - Harry Ngo - 8:33 (WTF?! I bow to you!!!)

Photo Credit: Kinton Ramen

Destingo: Casual Italian on Queen West

Opened six months ago in July, Destingo currently occupies the former Pavillion space on 741 Queen St. W. (FYI the furniture store has now been relocated to 42 Gladstone Ave). Open seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, this new Italian eatery means business! For breakfast expect to find homemade muffins, eggs, bacon, pancakes, omelettes, eggs benny, etc. whereas for lunch and dinner the menu turns casual Italian with salads, pastas, pizzas and meat and seafood mains. 

The shades of grey, deep brown, rustic green and the overall decor at Destingo (Twitter: @destingoTO, Facebook: Destingo) reminds me of an Italian villa 

I like Destingo's large and roomy bar but definitely not a fan of those flatscreens.

Touro Churrascaria: Brazilian Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Touro Brazilian Steakhouse & Wine Bar (Twitter: @tourosteakhouse, Facebook: Touro Steakhouse) off of Hwy 7 and 404 in Richmond Hill is currently York Region's only Brazilian Steakhouse. Touro offers the traditional Brazilian Steakhouse "Rodizio" service where guests get served an unlimited supply of beef, pork, poultry, lamb and seafood at table side. Each guest is given a medallion (shown on left); flipping it to the green side signals servers to come over to your table and carve you meat, and flipping it to red means you're currently experiencing "meat sweats" and want a break.

I have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse before my visit to Touro. I've certainly heard a lot about them through my guy friends whose eyes would literally light up once they start talking about all-you-can-eat meat. "It's a glorious thing," they would tell me. I believe them. 

Anyway, to give you a better idea of the vibe and atmosphere at Touro I've included a 90-second View the Vibe video of the Brazilian steakhouse. It's definitely worth a peek!

As mentioned in the View the Vibe video, Touro also serves an a la carte menu. Available at the bar and lounge areas, their a la carte menu offers barbecued meats as well as vegetarian options.

Touro boasts a self-serve Enomatic wine lounge - the first of its kind in Ontario.

Dessert Tasting at Richmond Station

This was pretty incredible. Five courses of plated dessert from Pastry Chef Farzam Fallah (@Farzam_Fallah) of Richmond Station (Twitter: @richmondstn, Facebook: Richmond Station). Although their dessert offerings have changed since this visit in November (sorry for the late post!) I still want to share the parade of intricate and beautifully prepared desserts from that evening with you. Feast your eyes, my friends.

MILK CHOCOLATE CHEESE CAKE

Cranberry, salted chestnut, mint 

(Chocolate delice, chocolate pebbles, chocolate soil) 

BUTTERSCOTCH POACHED APPLE CRUMBLE

Ginger bread, walnuts, wormwood ice cream

HONEY AND MILK KULFI

Preserved peaches, almond cake, Tonka panna cotta, milk paper, rosemary cure

The Winner of Brunch on Boom is...

@magscheung

Congratulations, mags! You have just won a $30 gift card to Boom Breakfast & Co! Please email me at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com and I'll let you know the details on how to redeem your gift card :)

Thanks to the 71 contestants who participated in my giveaway. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #boomfoodieyu hashtag from day one of the giveaway (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to win Brunch at @Boom_Breakfast! http://bit.ly/1cavg5b #boomfoodieyu". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the giveaway (duplicates were removed). Once the giveaway was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is a list of people who qualified for the contest:

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick the winner from the 143 entries.

Ruffino Winetasting and Pizza Making Event at Queen Margherita Pizza

With the awfully cold weather happening right now many food and wine enthusiasts turn to preparing hearty casseroles, roasted meats and slow-cooked dishes for dinner and pairing them with robust and flavourful red wines to complete a perfect, comforting evening. Honestly, what can possibly beat that when it's -30 degrees outside? Italians (Canada's fifth-largest ethnic group) have been doing just that for centuries - enjoying their favourite winter dishes with a bottle of Ruffino, one of Tuscany's most beloved wine producers.

Ruffino's place in the history of Italian winemaking is deeply rooted, dating back to the late-1800s when its first winery was founded. Then, in the early 1900s, Ruffino was appointed official wine supplier to the royal Italian court. Their Chianti Ruffino and Riserve Ducale were also among the first wines to be exported from Italy during that time, introducing Italian wine to the world. In 1984, Chianti became a legally appellated region; the first DOCG designation was given to Ruffino Chianti and this wine became the first to sport the official pink seal. With six Estates within the Tuscan region of Italy and 130 years of winemaking history, Ruffino can be considered the benchmark for Tuscan wines. Ruffino wines are currently available in more than 85 countries. 

I had the pleasure in attending a special Ruffino winetasting and pizza-making media event at Queen Margherita Pizza (Twitter: @qmpizza, Facebook: Queen Margherita Pizza) in Leslieville.

Ruffino's global brand ambassador, Beppe d’Andrea, gave us a brief introduction on the history of Ruffino, as well as on Chianti:

"Italians in Tuscany drink Chianti to complement classic dishes such as braised beef, pasta with meat sauce like lasagna or roasted veal. With higher acidity levels, Chianti augments the robust flavours associated with these traditional Italian dishes as well as many Canadian fall favourites. While Chianti is ideal for hearty fare, it is still light enough to enjoy with something fresh and simple like a Margherita pizza. Ruffino Chianti is incredibly versatile when it comes to food pairing. It makes great everyday wine."

We tasted four Ruffino wines: