Toronto's barbaric Central Prison, a place where inmates were routinely beaten and subjected to cruel and unusual punishments, often for petty crimes, is thankfully long gone. The last part of the original Victorian structure is presently at the centre of a development proposal by a local restaurant chain. If approved, the former chapel of the old jail will be repurposed into a bar and grill.

Ironic really given the building's connection to the Roman Catholic faith and the numerous people locked up just beyond its walls for drunkenness.

Looking back on Central Prison, its practices, and inmates is to take a trip into an arbitrary and brutal time when relatively minor transgressions were punished with shocking savagery. The consequences of breaking the law were never so terrifying in Toronto.

The origins of Central Prison can be traced back to the popular mid-1800s notion that prisoners should be put to work while incarcerated. Overcrowding at the Don Jail and several other city institutions led to the creation of this and two other provincial institutions in Kingston and Stratford. A good work ethic and strict rules would surely straighten out society's deviants.

Built in 1871 by its future inmates to plans by official government architect Kivas Tully, the three-storey, 336-cell facility just southwest of King and Strachan included two large workshop areas at either end of its matching wings. Armed ex-police and army prison guards imposed a rigid military style structure within its halls under the stewardship of a former-alcoholic and ex chief of police warden.

A mutually beneficial agreement with the Canada Car Company, an early manufacturer of passenger and freight vehicles for various railway lines in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, part-funded the prison's construction. Railway tracks branched into the prison grounds from today's GO Kitchener line, enabling the finished vehicles to be rolled out and completed at the CCC's own dedicated factory.

An active woolen mill, blacksmiths, furniture shop, kitchen and bakery also produced products for other prisons and for the commercial market. Prison workers also built many of the streets in today's Liberty Village using an on-site brickyard. The income from these projects and sales from the various workshops funded the day-to-day operation of the facility.Although it purported to provide honest rehabilitation, the jail quickly developed a dark reputation as a place of severe beatings, deprivation, and despair. The prison didn't have running water for its first five years - it would take ten years to get electricity. Minor transgressions resulted in whippings, protracted periods in solitary confinement, or "ironings," the practice of shackling men to a wall in a standing position until long after their legs gave way.

According to author Ron Brown in his book Behind Bars: Inside Ontario's Heritage Gaols, "the rule of silence was strictly enforced ... so common were the beatings that the prison was labelled at the time as a 'terror to evil-doers.'"

"Evil-doers" is something of a stretch for the majority of those sentenced to time at Central. Peter Oliver from the Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History in 'Terror to Evil-doers': Prisons and Punishment in Nineteenth-century Ontario says the majority of the crimes that resulted in a custodial sentence at Central were against property.

36.7 per cent of prisoners were being held for larceny, 15 per cent for vagrancy, and 7.5 per cent for drunkenness over the 40 years the institution was in operation. Oliver also writes that assaults were frequently viewed by the day's society as momentary lapses in judgement, where as property offenses were seen as more likely to be premeditated.Successive wardens tried to ease the level of violence at Central but attitudes towards the rehabilitation of offenders was already beginning to change. In 1911, one of the last heads of the jail, Dr. J.T. Gilmour, was praised for allowing prisoners to work without an armed guard. In 1915, the last inmates were transferred to the Ontario Reformatory in Guelph and the building closed, a failed experiment.

After a short period of disuse, the former Central Prison found new life as a military factory and storage facility where it produced airplane parts. Other factories in the area, including the now-demolished Russell Motorcar Company building, produced materials such as fuses and bomb casings for the war effort.

A later Inglis plant, part of which would include a piece of the prison, produced bren guns for use in the second world war and created Canadian icon Veronica "Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl" Foster.

At the end of the first world war Central Prison again found itself vacant. It briefly served as a processing centre for new immigrants and was mostly demolished in 1920. A small chapel at its southern end and a paint shop near the rail tracks were all that remained standing. The chapel is currently the subject of a redevelopment proposal by Pegasus Group, the operator of several local restaurant and bar brands.

MORE IMAGES:Aerial view of Liberty Street - Central Prison is in the centre near the topBomb casings on Liberty StreetSketch of Central PrisonSoldiers at work in old prisonA military tire shop within the prisonView from the east of the rail tracks that once entered the prison yardAlternative view of the tracksDisused warehouse on the old facility.

Images: City of Toronto Archives

Japan isn't the first country that typically comes to mind when thinking about great pasta (or delicious fries for that matter), but this popular restaurant in the J-Town complex is out to give us all a massive re-think.

Read my review of Shiso Tree Cafe in the restaurants section.

Photo by Tanguero Chino in the blogTO Flickr pool

Photo by 416Pictures in the blogTO Flickr pool

This week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. It includes just-opened shows as well as productions that are about to close.

The Normal Heart / Buddies in Bad Times Theatre / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $25-$49
Studio 180's The Normal Heart was one of the most powerful and emotionally-driven productions of last year. Toronto audiences should be grateful for a second chance to catch Larry Kramer's incredible play. It debuted in 1985 at a time when AIDS was claiming the lives of a generation of gay men in New York. As the run last year demonstrated, the play's themes are still relevant over twenty-five years later.

Delicacy / Factory Studio Theatre / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $15-$20
On the heels of the darkly funny Help Yourself at this year's Fringe Festival, Theatre Brouhaha is back with a new production from up and coming playwright Kat Sandler. In Delicacy, two couples that met at a sex club, one of the affluent yuppie variety and the other young, energetic sexpots, try to find the magic a second time. Expect fast-paced wit set before the backdrop of Toronto's glass towers.

Political Mother / Bluma Appel Theatre / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $29-$99
A dance powerhouse that's made stops in just about every continent, Political Mother is the work of UK-based Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter. The critically-acclaimed piece blends modern dance with everything from military drums to electric guitars. The ten person ensemble explores themes of power and war in 70 minutes of energetic steps.

What You Want: Toronto / Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace / 7:30pm / PWYC
Here's an interesting opportunity to be a part of shaping a performance from the very get go. In 2010, Andew Templeton wrote What You Want, a goodbye letter to Vancouver. Two years later, he and his company are members of the Bring the Buzz residency at Theatre Passe Muraille where they'll combine the original show with a sequel called, What You Want: Toronto. Through performance and experiment, they'll invite audience feedback on the new creation.

P-Dale Ep 2: The Next Day is the Hardest Day of All / Unit 102 Theatre / 8:00pm / $15
Yet another followup to a Fringe play, P-Dale Ep 2 is the second story from playwright Luis Fernandes about a four man heist squad who orchestrate their holdups with nothing more than bravado, nerf guns, and a strap on. Episode two, entitled The Next Day is the Hardest Day of All, promises to incorporate new characters and locations along with a little more back story than their first stroll around the block.

Image from Delicacy

The poor Gardiner. Not only is it a gigantic, largely despised eyesore that cuts the city off from its waterfront, it's now falling to bits as well. I recall the troubled story of Toronto's only downtown highway below.

Also this week, the subway stations we could have had. This city has had several east-west relief subway lines cancelled over the decades and I've got a list of every planned, but never built, downtown station. Bummer.

Finally, I profile Veronica Foster, the face of light ordnance in Canada during the second world war.

The image above shows a runner puffing through an uphill climb in Edwards Gardens. Earlier this week the park's management warned that without a funding increase the botanical gardens, also part of the green space, may have to close. A decision isn't expected on new funds for at least a year.

Facts on the GardinerThe Gardiner Expressway hasn't been in anything approaching rude health for some time. Bits of concrete have a nasty tendency to drop off and a new report revealed this week by The Star says the structure is a significant hazard to public safety. Until now we had been assured before everything was A-OK, just flaky. Here's the story.

The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway was built between 1955 and 1966 from the Humber River to Leslie Street, where the road awaited connection to a planned Scarborough highway. Construction cost roughly $110 million and required paving of parkland, demolition of houses, removal of Sunnyside amusement park, and almost the destruction of Fort York (protests persuaded Metro Toronto to adjust the route.)

Starting from the west, the road was completed in sections starting with the stretch from the Humber River to Jameson Avenue. When this section opened in 1962 it lacked median guard rails and other vital safety features. The Jameson Avenue to York Street, York Street to the Don Valley Parkway and Don Valley Parkway to Leslie Street sections were added in the years that followed. The westward extension to Highway 427 was built in 1997.

Thankfully, a major road widening project that would have seen the highway increased to eight lanes between Strachan and the Humber with a feeder lane from Front Street was killed off by the province in the early 1980s.

Then the cracks started to appear. The original pylons, sunk into mud, not bedrock, started to sink at differing rates near the Humber, giving the road a decidedly uneven appearance. The bridges and pylons were repaired at a cost of $100 million.

Faced with an expensive maintenance bill for the most easterly section of elevated road, the city decided to tear down a portion of the Gardiner from the Don River to Leslie Street in 1996. Several disused pylons form an art installation near the highway's former eastern terminus.

The Gardiner's current concrete issues stem from natural processes. Water, oxygen and salt have seeped through the porous surface of the highway and corroded the steel reinforcement bars underneath. As water freezes and expands in winter it separates the outer cladding from the inner structure, resulting in baseball sized chunks dropping to the street below. Right now, the 46-year-old artery's future is looking less than certain.

Lost StationsThe Downtown Relief Line returned to the transit conversation again this week after the TTC released a report calling on Metrolinx to make the project a top priority in its Big Move expansion project. The idea of a subway line to ease pressure on crammed Yonge line isn't a new one - east-west lines south of Bloor have been tossed around in various forms in Toronto since 1942. Here are some of the stations we could have had.

Queen Line

• Trinity Park
• Bathurst (lower)
• Spadina (lower)
• Grange
• York
• City Hall
• Church
• Sherbourne (lower)
• Parliament
• Don
• Broadview (lower)
• Logan

Network 2011 Relief Line

• Howard Park
• College West
• Parkdale
• Exhibition
• Fort York
• Skydome
• St. Lawrence
• Ataratiri
• Queen East
• Gerrard
• Cosburn
• Thorncliffe Park
• Flemingdon Park
• Eglinton East

Veronica Foster, Bren GirlWhile researching posts this week about the adaptive reuse project on the old Central Prison chapel I came across pictures of Veronica Foster, aka "Ronnie, the Bren Gun Girl," smoking and generally looking cool in a machine gun factory.

Foster worked at the Inglis plant in the Liberty and Strachan area during the second world war and became something of an icon, appearing in several poster campaigns that showed female assembly line workers contributing to the war effort in a positive light. She was also photographed in several "glamourous" settings for calendars and other promotional material.

Foster bore a resemblance to the more popular American "Rosie the Riveter" character, a symbol of the female workforce that underpinned the country's munitions production.

The strange newspaper costume, shown below, was conceived for the presentation of "Miss Headline 1946" at a press club event called the Byline Ball at the Royal York hotel. Foster, also a singer and dancer, performed at the event. Foster also made appearances on CBC radio during the 40s and 50s. She seems to have faded into obscurity by the 60s.

What we learned this week...

• Toronto has five municipal golf courses [The Star]
• There's a Canadian cellphone throwing championships [Globe and Mail]
• New parks still happen [The Star]

Photos: "Jogger, Edwards Gardens" by BruceK, "Gardiner" by sevennine, "crowds" by tapesonthefloor in the blogTO Flickr pool, City of Toronto Archives, and public domain.

Junction locals and beer lovers in general have been waiting patiently for the arrival of this pub / brewing operation since word of its existence first started to circulate last year. Well, after lots of red tape and delays, it's finally opened up. And based on my visit, I think this is going to become a very popular place.

Read my review of the Indie Alehouse in the restaurants section.

Toronto graffiti artist Kizmet is back in action with a new solo exhibit this week in the Junction. Running until Oct. 24 from 12-7pm at World Headquarters (2885 Dundas St. W.), the exhibit offers Torontonians a rare look into the world of one of the city's most prolific graffiti-writers.

Thriftier art collectors are becoming more and more interested in works from up-and-coming graffiti scenes like Toronto's, expecting long-term appreciation on paintings that can often be bought for a song. Beyond that, though, a show like this is also intriguing for the degree it brings a decidedly street-oriented aesthetic into a gallery setting. With graffiti bursting onto the walls, there's a visual immediacy that you don't get at most gallery shows.

Known for his signature image of "Radcliff the Raccoon," Kizmet has acquired something of an elevated status in the graffiti world, attaining the most visible spot this summer on Canada's largest ever graffiti mural. He's also known within Toronto's gallery community, having managed a gallery in the Bloorcourt area for several years under another alias.

While stencil artists commonly crossover to the gallery scene, it's rarer to see a hardcore graffiti-writer of Kizmet's caliber do an open gallery show. The work here is rawer than what's been seen at places like Don't Tell Mama Gallery, where artists like Deadboy have shown work.

While stencils can and do impress, arguably more impressive to graffiti watchers is an artist's ability to manipulate a spray can freehand to produce crisp, straight lines, without the sloppy bleeding of paint. The can control and speed required to paint with the kind of precision in Kizmet's raccoon images takes years to master, if not decades.

So if you like graffiti that's immediate and not afraid to tout its roots in the street, this is a show worth checking out.

For more on the Toronto graffiti scene, check out Peter Jermyn's blog at www.TheGraffitist.ca

The Toronto Zombie Walk was bigger and bloodier than ever this year, as thousands congregated at Nathan Phillips Square for some gruesome theatrics. The weather was touch and go for a while, but in the end throngs ofToronto's undead made their way onto the streets for the 10th year of the lurching parade.

After the traditional opening ceremonies and head toss, all manner of zombies slowly dragged their way along the route, showing off plenty of brains, open wounds, an other injuries worthy of a few turns of the stomach. One can only imagine what the tourists in the area thought as the crew passed by. It was quite the anniversary, one expects that interest and participation in the event is just going to continue to rise in the years to come.

Check out the photos below to see how it all went down.

Photos by Bruce Emberley

Photos from the blogTO Flickr pool

Photo by yedman

Photo by Jackman Chiu

Jackman Chiu

Jackman Chiu

Photo by Black_Tux

Photo by Greg David

Greg David

Photo by @pointandwrite

Photo by Billy Wong Photography

Photo by Subjective Art in the blogTO Flickr pool

BOOKS & LIT | Governor General's Literary Awards Finalists
Every year, the best English and French-language works in various categories (including Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry, Drama, Children's Literature, and Translation) are recognized by the Governor General's Literary Awards. This event, now in its eighth year, is a special celebration devoted to those who have been given a highly coveted spot on the shortlist for the Governor General's Award for English Fiction. Tamas Dobozy, Robert Hough, Vincent Lam, Carrie Snyder, Linda Spalding will all be in attendance, and Phil Hall, last year's winner for Poetry will read some of his work. Shelagh Rogers of the CBC will host this event.
Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay West) 8PM $25

MUSIC | TWERPS (Melbourne AU) + ALEX BLEEKER of REAL ESTATE and... @ Silver Dollar
An interesting and eclectic bill tonight at The Silver Dollar Room! Headlining the affair is Twerps, a band from Australia who playfully describe their sound as "janky pop" and have been compared to the Brain Jonestown Massacre. Equally headline worthy is a special TO appearance by the beloved side project of Real Estate's Alex Bleeker, Alex Bleeker and The Freaks, and the glowsticks will likely be whipped out for their set. Locals Professor, and "alt-country pop" band Dress Rehearsal will be rounding out this bill nicely and providing some local support.
The Silver Dollar Room (486 Spadina Avenue) 8PM $7

COMEDY | Toronto Improv Festival
The Toronto Improv Festival launches tonight, celebrating the live performance of improvised comedy with a specific focus on local talent, plus some US talent thrown into the mix. Clinton's is the place to be for the kickoff performances tonight, featuring an all TO lineup: Smash Hit Musical, Jimi and Pete, St. Pierre Plumbing, and 2-Man No-Show will push the envelope of everyone's idea of comedy more than a little bit. The Toronto Improv Festival runs at different venues in town until the 27th.
Clinton's Tavern (693 Bloor Street West) 7:30PM $10

FILM | Red Riot at Rebels With A Cause Film Festival
The 2nd Annual Rebels With A Cause Film Festival begins today at York University. This is a film festival that is not looking to merely entertain its audience but to engage it, by curating content that is socially and politically charged, and 'critical'. Red Riot is a presentation of several shorts, each imparting a spirit of survival and defiance in the face of oppression and hurt. Creators Angela Sterritt, Lisa Jackson, Cara Mumford, James Diamond, Chase Joynt, and others will be contributing to this screening event, that will be accompanied by a panel discussion. The festival runs until October 25th.
York University (4700 Keele Street) 6PM FREE

OTHER EVENTS ON OUR RADAR

• Blitzen Trapper @ Lee's
• Fashion Forward Soft Launch Party - Fashion Week Toronto

Have an event you'd like to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO Toronto events calendar or contact us directly.

For Toronto movie showtimes, view our Movie Listings section.

Photo by Ben Roffelsen in the blogTO Flickr pool

Former Ontario lieutenant governor Lincoln Alexander who died this weekend aged 90 will continue to lie in state at Queen's Park until 8pm tonight to allow mourners to pay their final respects. Alexander, Canada's first black MP and the province's 24th lieutenant governor, was born on Draper Street, close to King and Spadina. Two books of condolence are available.

Doug Ford says he's in favour of adding optional toll lanes to the Gardiner Expressway in an attempt to cover the rapidly increasing cost of maintaining the elevated road through the city. In the wake of a report that paints the crumbling highway as a danger to the public, Ford says adding toll lanes will help pay for the cost of new repairs. Would you pay to use a dedicated toll lane on the Gardiner?

Toronto police say they will make a "major announcement" in relation to the Bloor-Christie sexual assaults investigation at 10 am this morning. According to the CBC, police wouldn't confirm an arrest in the case.

In what might be the least surprising conclusion ever, a new report says cyclists are safer in separated lanes than on the street with regular motor vehicles. According to the Globe and Mail, the research from the University of British Columbia found bikers were ten times more likely to be in an accident on regular roads. Surprised?

The National Post says absenteeism at Toronto's 3-1-1 helpline is down significantly this year. According to the story, roughly 20 per cent of the service's staff were absent on any given day before new measures were put in place.

Churches in Toronto's industrial areas could be in trouble if a proposed bylaw amendment goes through. Roughly 22 per cent of Toronto's places of worship are located in buildings designed as factories and warehouses and it's feared future conflicts could arise over noise, dust and other annoyances from nearby industrial businesses.

Catering an event at the ROM is about to get a whole lot more expensive - the museum is asking companies to pay a $10,000 fee to be placed on a preferred list of suppliers. The catch? The fee doesn't guarantee any work.

GUESS THE INTERSECTION

Check out the "Geary for Mayor" poster on the side of the building. The poster refers to George Reginald Geary, the man who would successfully become leader of the city between 1910 and 1912. Can you place the streets shown here? Write your answers below.

IN BRIEF:

• Blue Jays let manager John Farrell go to Red Sox [CBC]
• Leave us alone, Humbertown residents say [Globe and Mail]

Photo: "toronto misc. - 50" by sarathofkhan in the blogTO Flickr pool.

Live music picks for MONDAY OCTOBER 22 through SATURDAY OCTOBER 27, 2012.

MONDAY OCTOBER 22 / BLITZEN TRAPPER / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $17.50 - $20 / 19+

In the spirit of full disclosure, I'm an absolutely huge fan of Blitzen Trapper. So when I say that this is a must-see show, you may want to take it with a grain of salt. But if you do decide to check these guys out, I just know you won't come away disappointed. For the uninformed, this Portland-based quintet specializes in a unique brand of alt-country with a bit of an experimental twist. It's fantastic stuff, and well worth your time.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 23 / THE XX / MASSEY HALL / 178 VICTORIA / $39.50 - $59.50 / ALL AGES

The xx is one of the most-talked about bands out there at the moment, and while I'm not the biggest fan of their moody and minimalist indie-pop stylings, it's not difficult to see why they've gotten so popular. Since their formation in 2008, they've garnered very consistent critical acclaim, and their latest album, Coexist, has kept everyone mostly happy.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 24 / HEARTLESS BASTARDS / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $18 - $20 / 19+

If you're a fan of stripped-down, bluesy garage rock, this isn't a show that you'll want to miss. The Heartless Bastards are led by frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom, and it's her strong, raspy voice that drives the band's sound. They got their big break when Patrick Carney of the Black Keys passed along their demo, so it's probably not a coincidence that their sound is compared to that of the Keys. And believe me, that's some of the highest praise that a band can get. Futurebirds and Dana Falconberry will offer support.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 25 / DAN MANGAN / THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL / 147 DANFORTH AVE / $32.50 - $39.50 / ALL AGES

Folk singer/songwriter Dan Mangan absolutely brought the ruckus to this year's Festival Music House, and I can say without hesitation that it was one of the finest sets of live music that I've ever seen. The man's stage presence is absolutely ridiculous - he breezes through his music with an air of confidence the likes of which you'll rarely see, and he backs it up with a catalogue that is damn near flawless. And the ladies absolutely love the guy, so this is a show that is perfect for couples. If you need another reason to go, The Rural Alberta Advantage will open. That's a hell of a bill, right there.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 27 / FATHER JOHN MISTY / LEE'S PALACE / 529 BLOOR W / $19 / 19+

Joshua Tillman, formerly of Fleet Foxes, now goes by Father John Misty. He released his debut album under this moniker back in May, and by all accounts it's a beautiful piece of work. He apparently put it together while driving cross-country and munching on shrooms, so, yeah. Whatever floats your boat, right? Le Sera will open.

For more music listings, check out our events calendar.

Looking for tickets? Check out Rotate This or Soundscapes to avoid Ticketmaster robbery.

Have an event you'd like us to plug? Submit your own listing to the blogTO events calendar.

Photo of Blitzen Trapper courtesy of joshc on Flickr.

Things are about to get weird. As a rule of thumb, when a story is pitched and it involves zombies and burlesque dancing, my interest is piqued, naturally. Toss in a pinch of "booze, babes, blood and brains" as is promoted on the event's Facebook page, and I'm all in (forever a sucker for alliteration).

Presented by Fight Brand, which holds various wrestling matches succinctly called Fight!, they mixed things up a bit this time with, well, zombies. So, following a day of the living dead mindlessly meandering throughout Toronto's downtown core, an attentive audience of zombies, zombie enthusiasts, wrestling enthusiasts and one asshole sporting black face packed Tranzac Club in the Annex.

And this is what happens: In the middle of Tranzac, they've set up a perfectly legit wrestling ring. With chairs on all sides, a passionate and eclectic audience looks on, sipping beers as a burlesque dancer behind the ring parades a sign that reads "BRAAAAINS." Following an opening music set by the Yaqubi Bros, four brothers from Scarborough who are influenced by Metallica and Muse, the bell rings. The announcer, who resembles Bill the Butcher from Gangs of New York, says, "I'm being informed that Toronto has been overrun by zombies. Oh wait, I'm now being informed the zombies are here ... and they want to ... wrestle."

For about an hour and a half, a number of zombie wrestlers take on their human counterparts, and wrestle. The wrestling, albeit clearly choreographed, is equally impressive and violent, at times bringing the action into the audience. Featuring the dead and alive, wrestlers such as Ashley Sixx, former WWE fighter, Colin Delaney, and Alex Vega battle it out. The entertainment is filled with comic jabs, like zombies doing the "Thriller" dance and yelling, out of nowhere, "prostitutes."

When one of the human wrestlers tries to suffocate zombie wrestler extraordinaire, "Pyscho" Mike Rollins, the human yells, in feigned horror, "Why doesn't this work?" Zombie Mike retorts, "Because I'm a zombie you asshole!" and continues to pummel his foe. And that's how it goes on, all but one of the humans losing and the undead exhibiting their wrestling prowess and insatiable lust for human flesh.

Halfway through the show, to mix it up, Eve of Destruction, a burlesque dancer in full Mummy garb enters the ring. With metal music playing, she struts her stuff, performs some elaborate and impressive handstands and proceeds to rip off her mummified outfit revealing nothing but tassels and a g-string, naturally.

In the end, the "quarantined" referee wearing something akin to a hazmat suit, turns out to also be a zombie (surprise!) and aides "Psycho" Mike, the reigning champion, in eating his opponent's face.

Zombies win!

Additional Photos

Photos by Brian Morton

Making use of its new Ossington streetside presence, this Toronto interior design firm thought it apt to offer some of its favourite pieces to the crowds beyond its clients. The breadth and selection is kept concise, with a mandate to only offer the best of the firm's beloved.

Read my profile of Williams Craig Design Studio in the design section.

Toronto-raised chef Rob Rossi isn't settling for anything less than perfection at his first restaurant, Bestellen. Growing up in a culinary family, Rossi is all about creating a memorable dining experience for his guests, from communal dinners to off-the-menu items. He shares his motto for running a kitchen, his vision for the restaurant, and how he deals with diners who want to skip his meat-heavy menu.

Did you always want to be a chef?

Absolutely. My uncle used to own a restaurant, so I always saw him in the kitchen and I was always cooking with my mom and it was always something I wanted to do.

What was your first restaurant job?

I think my very first restaurant job was a dishwasher at Pizza Hut, and I was 15 or 16
.
What chef or restaurant job did you learn the most from? What was the most important lesson?

I think the most important restaurant I worked at was the Chef's Table at the Kensington Riverside Inn in Calgary. I just learned about not settling for anything. It's very important to just make the right decisions and not put food on plates that you're not happy with, regardless of the situation.

What are your memories of eating in the city growing up? Did you eat out a lot? What was your favourite restaurant growing up?

I ate at my uncle's restaurant, Cafe Brussels on the Danforth. My mom used to bring me down there on Sunday and we would just have brunch. It was probably my favourite restaurant growing up for sure, because I was a little kid, so anything I saw there I thought was amazing. I grew up in a family where we cooked a lot; we didn't eat fast food, take out, we were always making dinner, always hanging around the kitchen, so for us, eating out was more about being with people than finding a good restaurant.

How did your experience on Top Chef Canada impact your career?

I think it changed my career in a positive way, although I don't really like that people only think about me doing Top Chef. But I know that's the nature of it. It did help me out — I have my own restaurant right now, and it kind of got me here, and made me realize that I could do things myself. It kind of pushed me in the direction of operating a restaurant, and to know that I had the capacity to do so.

I would recommend it to other chefs, but I think it's very important that if a chef wants to go on it, that he can't be too cocky. You just have to be yourself and not worry about other people. And if you're doing it, don't do it just for money. If you want to cook and just experience cooking with other people who you've never cooked with before, I think that's the right approach to do it. And that's kind of why I did it.

What dish do you take the most pride in at the restaurant?

Our menu is evolving all the time, so there's not one singular thing. I think it's more of the concept of what we do that excites me the most. We make everything in-house, and a lot of restaurants do that as well, or they claim to do it, but I think we really take it to the max. I can't really think of anything that we don't make; I hardly buy any dried goods or anything in cans. All the condiments I make myself, all the breads, the charcuterie, the butchering, pickles ... you name it, I make it.

How do you properly cook a steak?

I think all cuts of meat cook differently. I prefer to sous-vide it, and then get a nice good sear and baste it with some butter, herbs and garlic. But I the biggest thing is just seasoning the steak properly and allowing it to rest for an ample amount of time, or else anything that you make isn't going to taste very good.

To what degree should restaurants like yours try to accommodate vegetarian diners?

A lot of people come to the restaurant and they feel like we don't have any vegetarian options, but we do. I always tend to have two items on the menu, but the way I accommodate vegetarians is by going above and beyond. I want them to tell me that they're vegetarian, and this way I can make a menu for them. I don't expect them to pick things off the menu. I always have a house pasta, breads, everything in the house, so I kind of want to treat them, and I don't want them to feel as if they need to choose something and alter it.

But I want them to tell me so I can personally make them something. They're paying the same price as everyone else, so they should get something of quality and something that they can understand and relate to.

If you could spend a day doing whatever you wanted, what would it look like?

I would probably go fly fishing. I love being out, walking around the markets, visiting family, researching food. I'm always visiting farms and I'm always up to doing that. My grandparents own a farm and my girlfriend's grandparents own a garlic farm, so I'm always out picking stuff or talking about stuff or foraging. Those are the things that I really like because they're almost one in the same as cooking.

What's next for you and the restaurant?

I think the biggest thing for me is trying to find new and creative dining experiences. I want something more than just coming in and ordering something off the menu. I like to do things that sort of drive people to come. I do oysters during the week now, and that's just a small thing, but I think that people need reasons to come to a restaurant. I want it to a be a more well-rounded experience for people.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Most underrated ingredient? Rutabaga

Best culinary tool? Microplane

A chef that inspires you? Daniel Boulud

One dish you can't live without? Soon tofu at Tofu Village

Favourite Toronto restaurant? Terroni, Barque, Black Hoof.

What would people be surprised to find in your fridge? Nothing

One food trend that needs to end? I don't pay attention to trends!

Photos by Jesse Milns

The best cheap drinks in Toronto are perfect for those nights when you just want to get... a few decent drinks in you without breaking the bank. What? What did you think I was going to say? The places offering the cheapest drinks in the city don't rival the Ritz in terms of sophistication, that's for sure, but they do usually come with a charming atmosphere all their own. Nevermind drinks you can pay for with loose change — that's the real plus. While some spots on this list offer certain specials on particular days, you can count on any of the bars or restaurants on this here to leave you with a little extra cash in your pockets at the end of the night. Unless you just down twice as many drinks. Here is the list of the best cheap drinks in Toronto.

See also:

The Best Cocktails in Toronto
The Best Beer Selection in Toronto
The best pubs in Toronto
The Best Places to Drink a Pitcher of Beer in Toronto
The best new bars in Toronto 2011

Cat Power, the nom de plume of Atlanta songstress Chan Marshall, doesn't exactly veer into complacency when it comes to recorded material. It's easy to trace the creative evolution from the lo-fi, noise-spiked folk of her first albums and the smoky, mysterious torch songs of 1998's Moon Pix to last month's electronic tinged Sun, which serves as one of the clear highlights of an extensive discography. With Marshall playing nearly every instrument on the record, she weaves a rich musical tapestry that finds her in fine form as a songwriter — a compliment that, unfortunately, cannot be extended to Saturday night's show at the Kool Haus.

The first sign that it would be an off night was the wait for the band. At 11:15 p.m., 15 minutes after Cat Power's posted set time, the house lights dimmed to rapturous applause as Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm" blared from the PA — an appropriate precursor for the emotionally bare songs of Chan Marshall if I've ever heard one. After the song ended, however, the band was nowhere to be found, and an enthusiastic audience quickly became bemused as another 20 minutes would go by before Marshall and co. finally took the stage.

This tour finds Marshall acting as frontwoman for a new five-piece ensemble of deft multi-instrumentalists, but throughout the nearly two hour set, the band's adept take on the majority of the Sun material was hampered by Marshall's apparent disorientation from the events unfolding on stage around her. The set started with a missed vocal cue on opening number "Cherokee" that would set the stage for the length of the show to follow. All throughout it seemed as if there was a disconnect between Marshall and her band, who were, for the most part, much more than competent but also disappointingly listless, unable to feign interaction with the erratic mumblings of their singer.

Marshall's resonant, expressive vocals were a spectral imitation of her usual sonorous delivery, fighting to be heard above a muddy sound mix. The rare forays into her older material tended to fare just as poorly — the new band's take on "King Rides By," first culled from 1996's What Would the Community Think, was transformed into a nearly 10 minute dirge that effectively removed all of the driving tension of the original. Later in the set, the band recreated "I Don't Blame You" into an unrecognizable plod that found Marshall seemingly reimagining the vocal melody on the fly.

This isn't to say it was all bad: towards the end of the set, Marshall strapped on a guitar to play an instrument for the first time all night, alleviating much of the onstage awkwardness with the rollicking Sun closer "Peace and Love." Guitarist Adeline Jasso's caustic riffing was also a highlight throughout, but these small victories were too little, too late for a confounding set that leaned much closer to unsettling than enigmatic.

Marshall seemed genuine throughout the show, appearing engaged and vocally grateful towards the huddled mass of fans in front of the stage — even stopping to individually toss a bouquet's worth of roses into the crowd during the last song of the set. However, having been privy to a 2006 solo Lee's show that ranks as one of the best concerts I've seen, I know that Marshall's capable of so much more. Let's hope that next time she makes it to Toronto, she feels comfortable enough to bring her best to the table.

Photos by Dylan Leeder

One of the city's more established wine-f bars — if that's the right moniker — this Financial District veteran has been reinvented with less fussy food offerings and less stuffy decor. There's even a shuffleboard table! The only thing that remains the same is the location and the massive list of by-the-glass options. Sometimes change is good.

Read my profile of Reds Wine Tavern in the restaurants section.

Why sit around and simmer when you can do something about it? On Sunday, thousands of hungry soup lovers toted in bowls and spoons to support Soupstock 2012. The culinary protest featured 200 top-chefs soup creations to bring attention to the proposed Highland Mega Quarry. At $10 for three bowls it was a stellar liquid lunch. Here are some of the highlights.

Soup #1 - Ribollita by Crème Fraiche
Soup eating is so much better with bread. This veggie-packed soup was like minestrone with bread cooked right into it. The final dollop of sheep's cheese on top added a tart creaminess. It was by far the heartiest soup there. The only thing I'd say is my bowl had a few extra kale stems, but for a rustic soup it's to be expected.

Soup #2 Corn Chowder by Oyster Boy
I was doing a lot of food gawking at this event. But I zeroed in on the soup that had popcorn kernels floating on its surface. This soup mixed corn, oysters, jalapeno, cilantro and popcorn. It reads like the worst combination of ingredients to mix together, but I could have gone for a second helping. The creamy, sweet corn taste went well with the punch of heat from the jalapeno. And mixing in popcorn wasn't a fluke. It was a genius move. I find oysters to be too slippery and soft. The popcorn added crunch and texture. I'm thinking of skipping bread and sprinkling kernels into my next bowl.

Soup #3 Potato Leek Soup by Chef Michael Stadtländer
My final ticket bought me a bowl from Chef Michael Stadtländer, the face of chefs for this event. It's fitting that this soup had the earthiest flavour. It was loaded with veggies, herbs and topped with a deep pink beet puree.

With 200 chefs on board there was a mix of traditional soups mixed in with bold moves. A few notable mentions:

Best Bowl: There was a lot of ceramic floating around the event. But the best was the bread bowl. Buy one bread loaf, tear off the top, fill with soup and enjoy.

Best Fusion: Hooked and Raw Bar's hot and sour soup with carp balls (sustainable fish with a Matzo ball texture).

Best Story: Azzura's recipe for stone soup is based on the famous children's story. But the stone for this batch came right from the Highland farms.

The soup was the perfect Sunday lunch, but its cause is even more important. The land that the quarry would overtake is some of the best farmland in Ontario. It happens to have a ton of limestone underneath it that developers want to blast for. Not only does the project threaten the best farmland and the drinking water of a million Ontarians, it's an eyesore, the size of Orangeville and deeper than Niagara Falls. You can find out more about the plan and the next steps at the David Suzuki Foundation.

Additional Photos