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Toronto Food Events: Mac N Cheese Week, Rare Birds, Home Grown Dinner Project, Pork & Corks

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Smacznego TorontoToronto Food Events rounds up the most delicious events, festivals, pop-ups, winemaker dinners, supper clubs and other food related happenings in Toronto this week and next. You can find us here every Friday morning.

THIS WEEK

  • The second annual Mac N Cheese Week takes place March 7 to 13 across Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. Participating Toronto restaurants include Cheesewerks, Let's Be Frank, The Senator and four others who will be offering up cheesy specials priced between $12 and $20.
  • Luma (350 King Street West) hosts Rare Birds in honour of International Women's Dayon Tuesday, March 8 from 6:30 p.m.. The multi-course dinner priced at $65 per person will showcase food and beverages from some of Oliver & Bonacini's talented female chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and suppliers.

UPCOMING

  • Nella Cucina (876 Bathurst Street) hosts chef Charlotte Langley for a workshop dubbed Hot Stock, Classic Chowders & Lessons in Quick Bread. Taking place 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 the workshop is priced at $250 per pair (meaning you'll be sharing a stock pot).
  • The Depanneur (1033 College Street) presents Smacznego!, an authentic Polish dinner by Maria Rozynska on Saturday, March 12 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The evening of authentic Polish food accompanied by traditional Polish folk music is priced at $50 per person and will feature dishes including pickled herring, borscht, potato pancakes with goulash and more.
  • New pop-up dinner series, The Home Grown Dinner Project debuts on Sunday, March 13 at Actinolite (971 Ossington Avenue). The innovative 5-course tasting menu with wine pairings is priced at $120 per guest and will be cooked and presented by rising chefs from the kitchens of Actinolite, La Société, Drake One Fifty and Rhum Corner.
  • Jump (18 Wellington Street West) presents Pork & Corks, a collaborative nose-to-tail feast from chefs Luke Kennedy (Jump) and Christine Mast (Canoe) on Friday, March 18. Tickets are $80 for the course menu paired with Irish whiskey cocktails and quarter ounce whiskey tasting.

Know of a Toronto food event coming up? Email liora@blogto.com

Photo from The Depanneur website.


The Best Dry Cleaners in Toronto

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dry cleaners torontoThe best dry cleaners in Toronto are celebrated for not only their ability to remove stains, but also for their bonus features such as free delivery, toxin-free premises and always having top-notch customer service. Whether its cleaning your favourite shirt for a day in the office or preserving your wedding dress after your big day, one of these spots should be your go-to.

Here are the best dry cleaners in Toronto.

Creeds (390 Dupont Street)
Creeds prides itself on being Toronto's main 'couture dry cleaner.' It can get pretty pricey, with a dry cleaned shirt starting at $18, but Creeds' faithfuls would argue the prices are worth the quality. 30-years in the biz has given them their reputation of reliable results and offering a range of speciality services, including handbag restoration. Bonus: This spot doubles as a coffee bar.

Riverdale Cleaners (746 Broadview Avenue)
Riverdale distinguishes itself from the rest by being a "100% toxin-free cleaner" in the east end and specializing in perc-free wet cleaning. If money is a main concern, look no further as dress-shirt cleaning starts as low as $4.95 and free delivery service is offered to all within Toronto borders and they are even known to make exceptions for those who live a bit further.

Canadian Dry Cleaners (1597 Queen St E)
Located in Leslieville, Canadian Dry Cleaners has a reputation in the neighbourhood that can be credited to being around since the 1920's. Their promise for same-day service and fair prices (shirts starting at $5.00) keeps customers coming back for more. Their refusal to use perchloroethylene is another perk that makes this shop a favourite.

Del-Ray (586 Parliament Street)
This Cabbagetown cleaner has been around for about half a century and bills itself on offering both traditional hand-cleaning services and 100% non-toxic wet cleaning services. Along with having seasonal specials, customers can become a member giving them better discounted services and access to a 24-hour drop box to drop off dirty laundry whenever convenient.

Bestway Donlands Cleaners (249 Donlands Avenue)
With all the cleaning done on site on the corner of Donlands and Mortimer, this cleaner offers same-day cleaning service and one-hour service repairs and alterations. There's also a big on-site parking lot.

King West Village Cleaners (1000 King Street West)
King West Village Cleaners' regulars will tell you that after your first visit to this cleaner you can be sure that Wayne and his employees will remember you and most likely the service you last received. The friendly demeanour of the staff will draw you in, but its the great cleaning results and fair prices that will keep you coming back.

Brite Star Cleaners (193 Roncesvalles Avenue)
Brite Star Cleaners has been in the business for almost 50 years. The shop offers one-hour dry cleaning service, along with the usual list of services including shirt laundering, alterations and repairs, carpet and drape cleaning and wedding dress preservation. All the dry cleaning is done on site using strictly environmentally-friendly products.

Victory Cleaners (544 Queens Street West)
Located at Bathurst and Queen, Victory Cleaners has been in the industry for over 70 years. This cleaner not only excels in standard cleaning, but they offer multiple perks such as: eco-friendly cleaning, same-day service, free parking and free pickup and delivery service to customers in the surrounding Queen West area.

New Way Cleaners (1100 Yonge Street)
Rosedale has seen this cleaner grow to become a main community staple over the past 80 years. New Way Cleaners offers specialty services such as seasonal storage for luxury fabric items and thorough cleaning for leathers, suedes and furs. Free delivery and pick up services are available for customers in Rosedale and parts of Forest Hill.

Photo of Creeds by Jesse Milns.

10 signs you live in Leslieville

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leslievilleLeslieville might be most famous for its brunch, doll house and indie cafes, but for those of us who live here there's some essential truths we've come to know and accept.

Here are 10 signs you live in Leslieville.

1. You never brunch at Lady Marmalade because the line-up is too long.

2. You have kids.

3. You hate when the streetcar turns at Broadview.

4. You've come to appreciate the redeeming qualities of Gerrard Square.

5. You pray for someone to open a local restaurant that isn't a pub.

6. You either love or don't understand the appeal of Stratengers and Jim's Best Western.

7. You don't drink Starbucks.

8. You accept that the neighbourhood's main tourist attraction is the crazy doll house on Bertmount.

9. You're waiting patiently for a better LCBO.

10. You don't understand why they have to paint over the iconic Leslieville mural.

What did we miss? Add more signs to the comments.

Photo by dtstuff in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Thousands turn out for massive Toronto snowball fight

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Toronto Snow BallStudents at the University of Toronto held their second annual snowball fight yesterday, and about one thousand merry-makers showed up to take part in what looks like the best mid-term stress-buster ever.

As the Toronto Star reports, organizers wanted to shatter the record for the biggest snowball fight ever, though they didn't quite beat the epic Seattle battle of 2013, which saw 5,834 people lobbing snowballs at one another.

Regardless, students took over King's College Circle and had some good old fashioned wintertime fun. Check out the photos and video below.

Toronto snowball fightPhoto by @chngbn.
Toronto snowball fightPhoto by @sywettian.Toronto snowball fightPhoto by @pjjaz.Toronto snowball fightPhoto by @jessafonso.Toronto snowball fightPhoto by @joyoioi.Toronto snowball fightPhoto by @coco_chenyue.


Lead photo by pjjaz on Instagram.

Tiny new Toronto bistro an ode to the South of France

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chabrol torontoThis small boîte of a French restaurant is a lovely, relaxed space to enjoy top-notch classic comfort foods from the south of France. This charming spot somehow manages to make everything from scratch in a miniscule open kitchen, and spoiler alert: it's all delicious.

Read my profile of Chabrol in the restaurants section.

Bellwoods Brewery expanding to third location

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Bellwoods Brewery TorontoToronto's Bellwoods Brewery is opening up a new space in the north end of the city at 20 Hafis Rd. Located inside an old Ace Bakery warehouse, this incoming spot will include a brewery and a bottle shop, but no brewpub.

According to a blog post on Bellwoods' website, the company's previously announced second location at 950 Dupont Ave. is about one year behind schedule. The brewery writes that it had always planned to open a third outpost, partly as a storage facility.

"With Dupont construction behind schedule by almost a year due to landlord delays, we've been forced to take the third facility early and install an actual brewery in it, in a desperate attempt not to run out of beer," says the aforementioned blog.

The new Bellwoods Brewery at 20 Hafis Rd. should start cranking out beer late this summer.

Photo via @bellwoodsbeer on Instagram.

The 7 Wonders of Toronto

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cn towerToronto has often been mentioned in the conversation about Wonders of the World thanks to the CN Tower, but what about in a local context? Beyond our most famous landmark, this city boasts numerous other natural and technological wonders, from feats of engineering to ancient glacial shorelines.

These are my picks for the 7 Wonders of Toronto.

CN Tower
The CN Tower has been voted one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World, so it's little surprise that it makes a Toronto-specific list. It's the tallest free-standing structure in the Western hemisphere and the third tallest in the world. The city is also unrecognizable without it.

Scarborough BluffsScarborough Bluffs
Part of the glacial Lake Iroquois shoreline, the Scarborough bluffs extend 90 metres at their highest point across a 15 kilometre span. Few people know this, but the current day Toronto Islands were formed by sediment eroding from the Bluffs that formed a peninsula that was eventually flooded into an island.

Prince Edward ViaductPrince Edward Viaduct
Surely the most beautiful bridge in Toronto, the Bloor Viaduct was a feat of engineering in the early 20th century when it was built to link the east and west sides of the city together. The forward-thinking design meant that Toronto was ready for a subway in 1918, even if it didn't arrive at the bridge until 1966.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan MandirBAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Built out of thousands of pieces of hand-carved Italian carrara marble in addition to Turkish limestone and Indian pink stone, the Toronto BAPS temple is a stunning example of traditional Hindu architectural principles. It's the type of building that inspires wonder and awe.

Leslie Street SpitLeslie Street Spit
I suspect that people who haven't live in Toronto for very long tend to forget that the Leslie Street spit was built out of various forms of landfill in the 1970s. For a place that started out as a glorified garbage dump, it is now one of the city's most alluring natural environments, complete with over 300 different bird species.

Casa LomaCasa Loma
It's impossible to wander by the Gothic Revival castle hovering above Davenport Road without wondering about how and why it was built. One of architect E.J. Lennox's masterpieces in Toronto (along with Old City Hall), Casa Loma is only slightly older than a century, but it seems like something out of a fairytale. Alas, the ending wasn't happy for Sir Henry Pellatt.

SkyDomeSkyDome (Rogers Centre)
When the SkyDome was unveiled in June of 1989, it was hailed as the "8th Wonder of the World" -- and for good reason. No sports stadium came close to the technological sophistication of a place with a moving roof, a hotel overlooking the field, and a JumboTron screen that was three times bigger than any other at the time. Take a look at the roof opening or closing and pretend you're not impressed.

What makes your list of Toronto wonders? Let us know in the comments.

Photos (in order) by Tom Ryaboi, syncros in the blogTO Flickr pool, Gary Baker, Steve Chui, Aida DaSilva, Waterfront Toronto, and Heather G.

10 beautiful photos from the snowfall in Toronto

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Toronto SnowIt's been a snowy week here in Toronto and as result our social feeds have been flooded with tons of stunning photos. You shared your photos with us by tagging us and using the #snowTO hashtag.

Here's a round-up of beautiful photos from the snowfall in Toronto this week.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @buzzbuzzhome.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @ohcaecilla.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @vincentdemers.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @ohcaecilla.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @garycumminsphoto.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @garycumminsphoto.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @kidoctober.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @ashtontekno.

Toronto SnowPhoto by @stilez.

Top photo by @_nateanthony.


Toronto buildings among best Canadian architecture

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Best Toronto BuildingToronto has no shortage of stunning buildings, but seven new ones have made the OAA's shortlist for its annual Design Excellence Awards. This accolade celebrates the top Canadian projects designed by Ontario architects. A jury whittled down the 20 finalists from 200 submissions based on creativity, context, sustainability, good design/good business and legacy.

Here are the 7 Toronto buildings that made the shortlist.

1. Grange Triple Double (top photo), Williamson Chong Architects. Photo by Bob Gundu.

Best Toronto Building2. Daniels Spectrum, Diamond Schmitt Architects Incorporated. Photo by Lisa Logan.Best Toronto Building3. George Brown College Waterfront Campus, Stantec Architecture Ltd. and KPMB Architects. Photo by Tom Arban.Best Toronto Building4. Harbord Towns, Superkül Inc. Photo by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio.Best Toronto Building5. Toronto Public Library Scarborough Civic Centre Branch, LGA Architectural Partners Inc. and Phillip H. Carter. Photo by Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio. Best Toronto Building6. Skygarden House, Dubbeldam Architecture + Design. Photo by Shai Gil.Best Toronto Building7. Aga Khan Museum, (Moriyama & Teshima Architects and Maki and Associates). Photo by Gary Otte.

Which building is your favourite? Let us know in the comments.

The top 5 new dessert places in Toronto

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dessert torontoDessert in Toronto need not just be a final course at dinner but a destination in its own right. This round-up includes restaurants and bakery cafes that welcome diners to stop in just a coffee (or digestif) and a slice of cake.

Here are my picks for the top new dessert places in Toronto.

Cocao 70
The haven for chocoholics is an ideal destination following a stroll through the Distillery District. The menu here offers sweet fixes like chocolate peanut butter pizza, banana splits and flaming fondues.

Dolce 21 Dessert House
The dessert house located at Pacific Mall is serving up peaks of soft serve ice cream topped with puffs of cotton candy, honeycomb and red bean mochi. Even the espresso menu gets creative with options like the cookieccino and lavendar honey lattes.

Beiruti Grand Cafe
French Mediterranean fare is the specialty of this cafe off Sheppard near Vic Park and coffees and crepes are the thing to get. Find familiar favourites like crepes dusted with cinnamon sugar or folded around Nutella and bananas plus unique offerings like a crepe with ashta (Lebanese clotted creme) decorated with berries, pistachios and honey.

Kekou Gelato
The Asian gelato shop on Queen West is open all year round (where as the outlet on Baldwin only operates seasonally). Aside from cones and cups loaded with scoops of HK milk tea and black sesame gelato, look forward to Vietnamese espresso, whoopie pies, custard brulees and a rotating selection of soft serve ice cream flavours.

Millie Patisserie & Creamery
Delicate crepe cakes in flavours like matcha, vanilla bean and tiramisu are the main attraction at this dessert house on Oxley. Other house favourites include the cream puff sandwiches featuring house gelato on choux puffs.

What did I miss? Add your favourite new dessert destinations in the comments.

Photo of Dolce 21 by irene.s2 on Instagram.

Toronto's newest dive bar is a kitsch paradise

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Swan DiveThis new dive bar will be an immediate hit for lovers of quirk and kitsch. It's not retro so much as outfitted in a hodgepodge of eclectic vintage items. While the decor might be quirky, you can get classic cocktails here (think Gimlet) as well as comfort food like grilled cheese sandwiches.

Read my review of Swan Dive in the bars section.

The top 10 brunch in Leslieville and Riverside

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Leslieville brunchLeslieville and Riverside really excel at brunch. Both neighbourhoods come alive when offers of fried eggs and fresh pastries are on the table. Lineups are a common sight at some of the most popular spots, but easily avoidable with an abundance of backup options that certainly don't disappoint.

Here are my picks for the top brunch spots in Leslieville and Riverside.

Bonjour Brioche
The scent of buttery pastries baking is a seductive force at this Riverside brunch haunt. You'll find the place bustling on weekends as family and friends congregate over fresh viennoiserie, sweet and savoury tarts, and plates of smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and rosti potatoes.

Lady Marmalade
Weekend brunch crowds swoon over Moroccan scrambled eggs, build-your-own-bennies, and a.m. poutine built on hash browns and smothered with cheese curds and hollandaise or miso gravy. Lineups are to be expected.

Okay Okay
Settle into a booth at this cozy diner for all-day breakfasts including three different takes on eggs Benny that forgo English muffins in favour of hash browns. Those who like to start the day with something sweet should opt for the Elvis is King Toast, a PB & Banana sandwich dipped in egg and then fried up on the griddle.

YAYA
This sunny week-round brunch spot serves up a selection of daytime staples including soups, salads, sandwiches and a range of breakfast standards with a twist. Highlights include the french toast stuffed with mascarpone and ricotta and the breakfast grilled cheese with egg.

Edward's 1290
The all-day menu at Edward's offers a broad range of dishes that teeter between breakfast and lunch. Highlights on the menu include the avocado toast toped with a single over easy egg, poached eggs over curried lentils with lamb sausage and paratha bread, and the cheddar sage biscuits served with smoked bacon and baked beans.

Hastings Snack Bar
Polish breakfasts are served Thursday through Sunday at this recently revamped luncheonette. The Eastern European morning meal starts with a pair of farm fresh eggs served with a parowka (Polish wieners), fried potato pancakes, and fresh rye bread with butter.

Saturday Dinette
Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at this charming diner on Gerrard at Logan. The eclectic weekend menu offers a little something for everyone, ranging from light fare like herbed poached eggs and shakshuka to indulgent options like biscuits and gravy or classic fried egg breakfasts with cheesy grits.

Ashdale Brunch & Espresso
The all-day menu at this Queen East eatery showcases a broad range of breakfast standards, salads, sandwiches and wraps. Breakfast sandwiches, two-egg breakfasts, and waffles are on offer daily. On the weekends, Ashdale breaks out the crowd-pleasers like the avocado eggs Benny and steak and eggs.

Brooklyn Tavern
Find this cozy local on Queen East celebrating weekends to the fullest with a menu of brunch favourites including hearty huevos rancheros, waffles paired with cinnamon-spiced apples and Cubano 'n' egg croissant sandwiches.

Skin + Bones
Sunday brunch at this neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Leslieville features an enticing array of dishes like pastrami Benedict, duck confit hash, mushrooms on toast, and spicy fried chicken and waffles.

Add your favourite Riverside and Leslieville brunch spots in the comments.

Photo of YAYA by Hector Vasquez.

Toronto startup makes it easy to redesign your home

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Furniture TorontoIt's not always easy to find furniture that'll look fabulous and fit into your tiny Toronto apartment. That's why two entrepreneurs started Four Walls, an online service, which sells "rooms in a box" to those looking to furnish a small space.

"We always found it challenging to really furnish out our condos," say Mike Van. He co-founded Four Walls with Karen Lau, who has a background in design, to make the decorating process easier for people.

Van and Lau went on CBC's Next Gen Den -- a spinoff of the popular Dragon's Den -- this season. While the three Dragons didn't make them an offer, the Four Walls' concept intrigued them.

Since launching in May 2015, Van says he and Lau have furnished about 50 rooms in the GTA and also in New York.

To use Four Walls, furniture seekers can go online and browse through a variety of pre-designed bedrooms and living rooms suitable for spaces as tiny as 90 square feet - furniture packages for small living rooms, for instance, start at $2,199. While the rooms appear rather simple, Four Walls also sells various accents, including throw pillows, prints and rugs.

Van says he and Lau source furniture from all over the world to help transform drab condos into bona fide homes. "We feel like in order to really enjoy coming home," says Van, "And enjoy living in your space, you really have to love the furniture that you have and be able to do that at an affordable price point."

Photo via Four Walls.

The Best Tobogganing Hills in Toronto

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tobogganing torontoThe best tobogganing hills in Toronto make the mountains of snow more enjoyable for both sledding tots and taboozing adults. With plenty of steep inclines in our city's parks, you've got more than a few options to choose from for post-blizzard entertainment. Note: if you're planning on heading elsewhere, make sure tobogganing hasn't been banned by the city.

Here are the best tobogganing hills in Toronto.

Christie Pits and Bickford Park
Christie Pits and Bickford Park offer numerous sledding options whether you're looking for a thrill or a gradual gradient. The hill just east of the skating rink on the north side of Christie Pits is the busiest and steepest spot. If you're looking for something a little less adventurous, there are plenty of options over at Bickford or at the southern section of the Pits.

Riverdale Park
Riverdale Park is split in two by the DVP, with the west side acting as the smaller sibling to the eastern hill. This is the better park if you're looking for something less steep (and also less wide). It's certainly a better hill for younger kids, and there's a staircase on the side making climbing to the top much easier. Riverdale Park East is a more thrilling ride.

Withrow Park
This Danforth park is another great spot on the east side. While it's still a steep hill, it's far shorter than some of the other black diamonds on the list and has a set of stairs on the side to make the trek up less of a fitness regime.

Crestview
Crestview (or Linus Park), located near Earl Bales Park, has a wide hill with a gentle slope. Sandwiched between two schools, this hill is a good spot to ease yourself into tobogganing if you're a newbie.

High Park
While a large majority of High Park's hills are banned, tobogganing is still permitted in Howard Park and Parkside Drive, where you can enjoy a pretty thrilling ride. There are also a few smaller hills nearby where you can set up a jump or two.

Trinity Bellwoods
The hill at Trinity Bellwoods may be a beginner run compared to some of the other options on the list, but it's one of the more conveniently-located spots. Come here if you're looking for a few quick runs before a day or evening spent on Queen St. It's also good for the kiddos.

L'Amoreaux Park
This is Scarborough's best kept secret, with little traffic frequenting the spot. Located in the Toronto hydro corridor, L'Amoreux offers a narrow hill with a longer run-out than many others, so there's no chance you'll run into obstacles below.

Gladhurst Park
Gladhurst Park can be found at the southeast corner of Eglinton Flats. It has a fast, steep, curved run to satisfy those looking for a thrilling ride. The entrance is just off of Astoria Avenue with street parking available.

Chapman Park
Chapman Park is the spot to go to in Richmond Hill, with a popular toboggan hill that starts from Hunter's Point Park and leads into the area with the hill. While it's not the widest slope out there, it's an unobstructed hill with a nice long run-out, so you don't need to worry about colliding with the fence enclosing the baseball diamond at the bottom.

Rennie Park
Rennie Park at Ellis and the Queensway is the spot to embrace all things winter. There's a skating rink and a hockey pad, but the Rennie Hill, located on the southwest side of the park near the school, is the place to go for a relatively steep sled ride with wide open terrain.

Photo by Keith Armstrong in the blogTO Flickr pool.

With contributions by Meghan Jeffery. Photo by Greg Washington in the blogTO Flickr pool.

5 types of food trucks we want to see in Toronto

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toronto food trucksFood truck season in Toronto is right around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited. Already this year we have seen the introduction of two types of trucks we've never seen before - a lasagna truck, and a stuffed chicken wing one is about to launch. But what else is Toronto missing?

Here are five types of food trucks I hope to see hit the streets of Toronto.

Sushi
Yes, it's true. Toronto doesn't have a sushi food truck roaming the streets. Winnipeg has Waki Temaki, so why can't we have sushi available curbside? To any inspiring truck owners out there: think about bringing this to the 6ix.

Vegan
Time after time I go out for a food truck lunch with my vegan friends and as they take a look at the menu board, they quickly learn there's nothing for them to eat. I've witnessed vegan trucks in other cities but nothing of the sort here. Toronto is not shy to vegan eats, but when it comes to mobile offerings we're seriously lacking.

Pierogi
Eastern European pierogi trucks have made it big in cities like Victoria, Winnipeg and Calgary. Unfortunately these little morsels of deliciousness have yet to surface here. Fingers crossed this summer someone changes all that.

Meat Pies
It's only a matter of time before a meat pie truck lands in Toronto. As proven by Edmonton's Meat Street Pies and Vancouver's Aussie Pie Guy, these savoury pastries make the perfect street food. They are handheld, extremely filling, and easy to chow down on the go.

Bagels
This past summer Toronto got its first breakfast food truck. If you can get eggs benny on the city's streets, why not bagels? Montreal has its fill of bagels and smear thanks to St-Viateur Bagel, so here's hoping Toronto gets a copycat.

What type of food trucks do you want to see hit the streets of Toronto this summer? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of Calgary's Perogy Boyz Food Truck


The best & worst neighbourhood nicknames in Toronto

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toronto neighbourhoodsToronto is a city of neighbourhoods and naturally, many of these areas have their very own nicknames - we've even bestowed them on certain intersections across the 6ix (sorry). But, like most monikers, not all of these cute little epithets are endearing. Some are even downright awful (hi, Blansdowne).

Here are my picks for the best and worst neighbourhood nicknames in Toronto.

BEST

Roncy
This one's guaranteed to be divisive. Sure, some people hate this short-form for Roncesvalles, while others claim the neighbourhood's real nickname is Ronces (I can't pronounce either properly, so that's why I'm sticking with Roncy), but it's the best way to shorten what is admittedly an awkward neighbourhood name.

Yonge & Eg
Unlike other intersection-related neighbourhood names, this one isn't completely lame (ahem portmanteaus likes Av & Dav and Blandsdowne). Instead of referring to a tiny microcosm, Yonge & Eg symbolizes a vibrant area that's currently experiencing a massive condo and retail boom. Also, it's better than Yonge & Eligible (see below).

Scarberia
I'm going to get in trouble for this one, but there's something about it that rolls of the tongue. And, more poignantly, it refers to Scarborough's suburban roots. This a place with a unique identity. Just look at how long it's taken city council to actually make a decision about how to replace the aging RT line.

WORST

Blansdowne
Come on, this one sounds like it blends bland with down, which is just sad. This one is due for immediate retirement.

The Village
The Village is way too vague and can refer too many different places throughout the city. When a friends texts, "I'll meet you in the village!" they might be referring to Church and Wellesley, Forest Hill or even Bloor West. In the words of Justin Bieber, "what do you mean?"

Upper Beaches
This newly minted neighbourhood name draws ire from Beachers (note, never call the Beaches "the Beach"). The so-called Upper Beaches is located north of Kingston Road, roughly between Woodbine and Victoria Park.

DuWest
Few people refer to Dundas West by this cutesy nickname, and for good reason. It doesn't roll off the tongue particularly well, so let's just stick to Dundas West - it's not that hard to say.

Yonge & Eligible
Yes, there are lots of young professionals here, but this name needs to die.

The Danny
This one's kind of cute and endearing, but only if you're naming a puppy or an infant. "The Danny" makes the Danforth sound far less desirable. Whatever happened to Greektown?

What would you add or remove from the list? Let us know in the comments.

Photo via Margonaut in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Inside the new tiki bar on Toronto's east side

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tiki bar torontoThis tiki bar is a quasi-kitschy delight, with great decor and fruity tropical drinks served in frozen pineapples. Try your luck and hope you get in on one of their monthly surprise pay-what-you-can Global Street Food Hour nights to sample their tasty house-made fare.

Read my profile of The Shore Leave in the bars section.

Why takeout in Toronto is more popular than ever

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takeout torontoIt's never been easier to get takeout in Toronto thanks to a host of delivery apps - such as Foodora, UberEats, Door Dash and Favour - as well as grab-and-go pick up services like Ritual that now dominate our city's restaurant scene.

But how do these apps affect local eateries - and the people who refuse to download them?

Vegetarian restaurant Fresh, a local mini-chain, has been doing takeout for years. But apps, specifically Foodora and UberEats, let customers get grain bowls and quinoa onion rings delivered straight to their doors.

Business manager and partner Barry Alper says these apps have helped supplement Fresh's brisk takeout service; he estimates that this line of business is up 10 to 15 percent now. "It's a much more efficient way of managing our takeout," he notes.

On some nights, however, takeout lines are longer now that Foodora and UberEats have caught on across the city. But Alper stresses that dine-in customers are always the priority; his restaurants shut off the delivery apps whenever they feel like restaurant service is being compromised.

That's what Jerk Joint owner Sharon Slack does as well. She joined Foodora, UberEats and Ritual over the past few months and noticed a marked increase in her business. "It gives us a lot of access to new customers," she says.

When perusing through these services, either on a smartphone or desktop computuer, it's easy to shuffle through restaurants, which cover a wide variety of cuisines - it's like walking into a virtual food court of sorts. Foodora alone, for instance, works with more than 300 Toronto restaurants. It charges customers a $3.50 delivery fee and maintains a $15 minimum per order.

Yet for Slack, fulfilling orders for delivery can sometimes have an impact on the hungry office-workers who venture into the Queen Street Market at lunchtime. She's now looking to grow her team so that everyone can get her jerk chicken quickly.

Elsewhere on Queen West, it's common to walk into empty eateries and see employees furiously filling up orders for delivery and pick-up.

This happens from time-to-time at Mi Taco. "There have been times that it's almost too much with the delivery," says co-owner Vanessa Caschera. But just like Fresh, she and her team have learned to turn off the apps when they're flooded. "You don't want it to affect your actual face-to-face service with people," she explains.

Caschera's currently using Foodora, Door Dash, Just-Eat and Ritual, though most of her digitally based business comes from Foodora. Overall, she's happy with how they're working. "I'd say it's definitely helped us through the winter. We love it, they keep us really busy."

Photo of Mi Taco by Jesse Milns.

The top 21 brunch in Toronto by country

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Brunch TorontoBrunch in Toronto need not be limited to just bacon and eggs. There's a whole world of morning foods readily available in this city, which means your taste buds can potentially start the day in a different country every weekend.

Here's my picks for the best brunch in Toronto by country.

AMERICAN
For a taste of the southern US, head to The Stockyards where the smokehouse Sunday brunch menu boasts biscuits with sausage and gravy, fried chicken and waffles, and griddle cakes topped with whipped citrus butter and maple syrup.

BRAZILIAN
Mata Petisco Bar in Parkdale serves a brunch menu where Brazilian and Canadian influences mingle. Highlights include rabanada (Brazilian-style French toast) and breakfast poutine loaded with guava BBQ pork, cheese curds, poached eggs and hollandaise.

CANADIAN
The Sunday brunch menu at Bannock features all sorts of traditional Canadian faves including a spin on eggs benedict that comes with shaved peameal bacon, brunch poutine and eggs served with bannock and duck fat potatoes.

Brunch TorontoCHINESE
Get your yum cha on at Kwan from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The dim sum restaurant prides itself on its wide variety of fresh-made dumplings, steamed buns, bite sized pastries, egg tarts and congee.

CUBAN
The weekend brunch menu at La Cubana is packed full of chorizo empanadas, chimichurri steak and eggs, and pineapple glazed pork belly with sunny side up eggs. Ensuring that no one leaves hungry, most morning meals come with rice, beans, tostones and slaw.

EGYPTIAN
Maha's is home to the Cairo Classic, a breakfast platter featuring fava beans and an entourage of hard boiled eggs, falafel, tomato feta, salads and balady bread. Other house favourites include the sunny eggs and foole, basturma scramble and a date grilled cheese sandwich drizzled with honey.

FILIPINO
Get your silog breakfast fix at Lamesa where the Filipino staple includes a choice of boneless bangus, pork belly tocino, or pork longanisa with cassava hash, fried eggs, salad and garlic fried rice. Those who prefer a sweet start should opt for the eye-popping ensaymada French toast.

ENGLISH
Proper Brit style fry-ups at The Old Laurel are the ultimate greasy feast. Expect a plate packed with fried eggs, rashers, bangers, black pudding, baked beans, grilled mushrooms, tomato, bubble and squeak, and fried bread.

FRENCH
Bistro brunching at Le Select is a lavish affair featuring fluffy croissants from Rahier, foie gras on French toast and Provençal pastry tarts inspired by salade nicoise.

INDIAN
Saravanaa Bhavan boasts locations in Scarborough and Mississauga where a South Indian breakfast buffet is served weekends between 10 a.m. and noon. Get there early to take full advantage of the AYCE menu featuring dosa, utthappam and poori along with vada (savoury lentil fritters), rava kesari and rava kichadi (sweet and savoury semolina dishes), and potato masala.

IRISH
The weekend brunch at Ceili Cottage features fresh shucked oysters and full Irish breakfasts loaded with bacon, sausage, black and white pudding, fried eggs, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes.

IRANIAN
Takht-e Tavoos is the place to fill up on Persian delicacies like kalleh pacheh, dizi sangi and paneer boroshte featuring fried eggs over halloumi with smoked salmon, potatoes and a medley of olives, tomatoes and fresh herbs.

ISRAELI
Israeli and Jewish influences collide on the menu at Fat Pasha. Find seasonal features like steaming bowls of shakshuka, falafels slathered in tahini and skhug, and beet cured gravlax on toast with labneh and hard boiled egg.

ITALIAN
Pizza for breakfast? Gusto 101 does it right with the pizza all'uova, a pie topped with speck and baked eggs. Other favourites on the brunch menu include lemon ricotta pancakes and a sweet potato and spinach frittata.

Brunch TorontoJAPANESE
Kasa Moto in Yorkville offers a Tokyo-inspired brunch menu that features salmon tataki on toast, bincho grilled steak and eggs and breakfast bento boxes.

MEXICAN
Huevos rancheros, bolillo buns loaded with scrambled eggs, bacon and avocado, and burritos stuffed with bacon, eggs and queso are all on the brunch menu at Milagro's three locations.

PAKISTANI
Shaheen Tikka serves breakfast on weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Specialties include poori with chana masala and halva, and haleem, a slow cooked porridge of lentils, grains and lamb served with naan or kulcha.

Brunch TorontoPOLISH
Hastings Snack Bar is a luncheonette that serves Polish breakfasts Thursday to Sunday. The humble but delicious morning meal features fried eggs, parowka (a Polish weenie), potato pancakes and rye bread.

SCANDINAVIAN
Karelia Kitchen is a Nordic smokehouse in Bloordale where the brunch menu boasts potato pancakes with hot smoked trout, horseradish gravlax and a poached duck egg. There's also Finnish style French toast made with pulla.

SPANISH
Graze on pan con tomate and thinly sliced jamon at Patria while waiting for orders of tortilla de patatas and sweet Spanish toast to arrive at the table.

TRINIDADIAN
Windup on College Street is the place to enjoy bake and saltfish, oxtail Benedicts and short rib peppa pots swimming with cassava dumplings.

What did I miss? Add your favourite international brunch spots in the comments.

Lead photo of Maha by Jesse Milns.

The top 5 free events in Toronto: March 7-13 2016

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free events torontoThe top free events in Toronto this week will have you kicking off your St. Patty's celebrations early. The parade lands on Sunday this year, so make sure to dry clean your finest green-hued get-up beforehand. There's also a pre-summer event at Sugar Beach featuring all the fixings of a Québec-style sugar shack happening, if you're in the market for something sweeter.

Here's a roundup of free events in Toronto this week.

MEGA CRAZY CRAZY FRENZY (March 8)
Head to the Garrison on Tuesday for a cost-free comedy show. Dylan Gott, Borana Makri, Jeremy Woodcock, Hisham Kelati, Jhanelle Dennis and Dena Jackson will be providing the laughs for the evening.

Tell Me Something Good (March 8)
If you want your week to take a bit of a scandalous turn, head to Tell Me Something Good at the Gladstone. The storytelling event features tales that range from the cringeworthy to downright sexy.

SKETCH Open Studio (March 11)
Head to Artscape Youngplace on Friday for an evening of performances, exhibitions and more. Entertainment for the evening includes: Right to Dance (with Ill Nana / DiverseCity Dance Company), Express Yourself, The SKETCH Band, Vocal Revolution, Sonic Lab, Beat Boxing with Unity Charity and Street Voices among others.

Sugar Beach Sugar Shack (March 12-13)
Sugar Beach is being transformed into a Québec-style sugar shack for the second weekend of March. There will be events like maple syrup tasting, performances by Stef Paquette, Mélanie Brulée, Amélies et les Singes Blues, and a Choir!Choir!Choir! sing-a-long. If you need a break from sugary treats, you can grab some savoury fare at one of the local food trucks on site.

St. Patrick's Day Parade (March 13)
St. Patrick's Day falls on the 17th, but you can start celebrating a few days early with the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. Got a longboard in your possession? Join the Sk8 Patrick's Parade of Longboarders - it kicks off just before the floats start moving.

Have a free event you'd like to plug? Submit it to our Toronto events calendar using this form.

Photo of Sugar Beach by Lori Whelan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

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