* salted fried mackerel
* tempura
* sushi deluxe
* chirashi box
* chirashi, top layer (various sashimi)
* chirashi, bottom layer (mixed rice)
* Rikishi
833 Bloor St. W
rikishi
Just west of Ossington, Rikishi is a little Japanese restaurant away from the Bloor St. sushi strip. The food here is well-made, presented nicely and delicious. With only two servers, one sushi chef and one chef in the kitchen, even when it's not busy, don't expect your food to arrive quickly. Service is friendly though, and they do tell you when you order that the food takes time to prepare (fyi: it took close to an hour for our sushi and sashimi). I was definitely impressed by the quality of the food and can't wait to go back.
mom's coconut macaroon muffins
Growing up, my mom used to sometimes make these muffins. I remember my bro and I would just devour them, which is weird, I think, because do most kids like coconut? Anyways, these don't have the typical light crumb texture of most muffins—they're actually pretty dense, like coconut macaroons. The tops get kind of crisp and chewy and that was (and still is) my favourite part.
1 1/3 C sugar
3/4 C butter, room temperature
2 C flour
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 C toasted coconut
5 eggs
1. To toast coconut: place shredded coconut in a large frying pan. Toast on medium heat until coconut is golden brown. You need to keep a close eye on the coconut and continuously stir it as it can burn quickly.
2. Using an electric mixer or by hand, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Stir in almond extract.
3. Fold in flour and coconut by hand—do not over mix. Scoop batter into a muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
caldense custart tarts
There's a Caldense Bakery just down the street from my house, but I try to avoid it. Why? Because their custard tarts are too tempting. However, I gave in last weekend and bought four...then proceeded to eat two immediately...ok, maybe it was three.
* Caldense Bakery
802 Dundas St. W
eastern legend
When I want good Chinese food near my house and don't want to go to Chinatown I go to Eastern Legend at Bathurst and Dundas. They make these delicious homemade dumplings. My favourite are the pan-fried version that are stuffed with pork and chives. They are plump and juicy and need only a dunk in a mixture of soy, vinegar and chili sauce. Another must order for me is the spicy squid. It's always fresh, crispy and tender.
* exterior
* pan-fried pork and chive dumplings
* spicy squid
* chinese broccoli with beef
* chicken and egg fried rice
* Eastern Legend
771 Dundas St. W
eggplant parmesan
I made this all-American eggplant parmesan recently. It was a lot of work, but the end result was awesome and the leftovers made the best eggplant parmesan sandwiches. I'd like to make an authentic Italian version (apparently they skip the whole breading process) when eggplant is back in season this summer.
reverse chocolate chunk cookies
I knew as soon as these came out of the oven that they'd be good. So good that I'd have to eat like five right away just to be sure. Use quality white chocolate (I use Lindt white chocolate wafers)—I find that some cheaper white chocolate tends to be chalky and too sweet rather than creamy and vanilla-y. Recipe here.
ufo restaurant
A quick shot of breakfast at UFO Restaurant (slash Three Star convenience store). Fast, cheap ($5.50, less if you order before 11 a.m.) and just greasy enough—like a diner breakfast should be.
* eggs (cooked perfectly!), home fries, sausage and toast (I appreciated the heavy buttering)
* old school lunch counter
* UFO Restaurant (inside Three Star convenience store)
241 Niagara St.
kim bo
I always forget about Kim Bo, but in the last month I've been twice. We go out for Vietnamese food quite often so it's nice knowing there's a restaurant literally two blocks away. I usually go for the vermicelli or rice dishes...then I usually go into a slight food coma.
* dining room
* Kim Bo
358 Bathurst St.
a night of nabe
While in Hamilton my friend Seema made us Nabe for dinner. This Japanese hot pot was perfect rainy day comfort food. The flavour of the broth was infused by everything in the pot. And there was a lot in that pot: shrimp, clams, cod, scallops, crab legs, tofu, shirataki noodles, braised daikon, mushrooms, cabbage, mizuna greens and leeks. Every bite was a different flavour and texture—so satisfying to eat! For dessert: Vienna cheesecake and blueberry crumble cake from Denninger's. Thanks Seema and Steve for showing us around the city and for the delicious dinner!
* broiled mackerel
* raw nabe
* nabe cooking
* cooked nabe
* tozai sake
this was a new find at the lcbo—it has a nice fruity taste.
* blueberry crumble cake
* Vienna cheesecake
i need to learn how to make this, it was unlike any other cheesecake I have ever had.
a day in hamilton
Over the weekend Joe and I went on a little day trip to Hamilton. I wanted to check out the newly renovated farmers market and also visit our friends Seema and Steve. The market was bustling and larger than I thought it would be. I feel like it has a lot of potential and am definitely looking forward to seeing it when it's overflowing with seasonal produce this summer. Another highlight of our trip: Denninger's. Cured meats, cheese and pretty much any European ingredient you would need is here. I went a bit crazy for the cheap Ritter Sport bars and Haribo candies while Joe pounced on the selection of salami.
* the market is two floors and has everything from meat and cheese to produce and ethnic ingredients.
* fish!
* so many homemade baked goods
* easter chocolate display at Denninger's
* i love Milka bars. it's a weakness.
* i also love Haribo candies.
* this is a lone pickle in a sealed can (i'll post the contents when i open it)
* ritter sport bars (another weakness).
* sweet and horseradish mustard
* joe's meat haul (from left to right): hot cacciatore, venison and beef salami, german style salami, smoked link sausage
* whisky cheddar
After having a taste of this cheese Seema and I both bought some. It's sharp, but slightly creamy and even a touch sweet. Just a bit more complex than an average aged cheddar.
* Denninger's
284 King St. E
Hamilton, ON.
* Hamilton Farmers Market
35 York Blvd.
Hamilton, ON.
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