All posts tagged restaurants

Good Hotel Food

by Kato on May 23, 2010 in Food & Restaurants, Travel Notes with No comments

logoGood Hotel Food in Downtown Toronto

Bb33 bistro and brasserie at the Delta Chelsea (33 Gerard Street West) is much overlooked. Every meal I’ve had there has been outstanding – for food and service. And I love the gigantic ‘countryside’ murals. I know that a lot of out-of-town visitors stay here, so check it out. Clearly the style, talent  and enthusiasm of  F&B director, Elayne Bassett leads the show. Email Elayne at elbassett@deltahotels.com to join the Bb33 Wine Club and to hear about wine-themed dinners. Tell her I sent you!
www.bb33.ca

Super Bowl N’Awlins Style

by Kato on February 6, 2010 in Events, Food & Restaurants with 1 Comment
Tomorrow, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7th, Toronto’s favourite Cajun restaurant is going sporty to cheer on the Saints. Watch the game on a cinema-size screen and kick up your taste buds with gumbo, jambalaya, hush puppies and all things hot ‘n spicy. Should be fun and a good intro to Mardi Gras season coming up on the 16th. Pre-game action starts at 5:30.

Southern Accent Restaurant, 595 Markham Street, Toronto M6G 2L7 Bathurst subway, Markham Street exit
416 536 3211 www.southernaccent.com

Tasting in Prince Edward County

by Kato on August 16, 2009 in Travel Notes, Wine Picks with 1 Comment

dunes-vidalbaco-noirTASTE the COUNTY: I haven’t talked about Prince Edward County (PEC) this year so let’s catch up. FYI: In my book, Billy’s Best Bottles Wines for 2009, read my recommendations about what to drink, where to stay and eat, and what to do in the County.

County red at the LCBO: SANDBANKS 08 Baco is a great mix of tasty fruit and something rustic, gutsy. Classic Baco. As Canadian as Neil Young. Have with family BBQs. Especially burgers. Sandbanks 08 Baco Noir, VQA Ontario #110049 $14.95

You may also want to check out Sandbanks off-dry, easy drinking 08 Vidal (#110031 $12.95). And join owner Catherine and the picking crew at harvest time – guaranteed good fun. www.sandbankswinery.com

Fantastic County White at the wineries: HUFF ESTATES winemaker, Frederic Picard, has produced the best Pinot Gris ($19.95) VQA PEC, I’ve ever tasted from Ontario. Shades of the top PG from Friuli in Italy – fresh, confident and tingling with nervy energy. If it were any purer it would be in a monastery. Five start aperitif and an oyster lovers best friend. I like to see Federick’s wine as the role model for the  Ontario style – elegant, understated and a lot like the best wines of Europe.
P.S. Other wines to explore at Huff are the super refreshing 08 Dry Rosé ($16.95) and the somewhat expensive, elegant 07 South Bay  Chardonnay ($30). www.huffestates.com

Carmela winery has new owners, a new winemaker, and a new name, CASA-DEA. The best part is the wines are now much better.
The 07 CD Rosso, Gamay/Zweigelt, VQA PEC ($14.95) is lively, earthy, funky and the style of red I’ve been waiting to see from an Ontario winery. A true local. Our version of a bistro wine. A great partner for food. The 08 Riesling VQA PEC ($17.25) is classic austere, dry Riesling that will delight the fan. Age a year or two. www.casadeaestates.com

vickiePicnic supplies, books, coffee and hot dogs on Main Street in Picton
Picnic is an upscale food shop operated by Karin and Mike Potter of  Harvest Restaurant. You’ll want to buy everything. I suggest you start with the free range, rotisserie chicken. 613-476-4404 www.harvestrestaurant.ca
Across the street is the gorgeous Books & Company offering the best of new and old books and Miss Lil’ys Café offering tasty baked goods, sandwiches and damn fine espresso. www.pictonbookstore.com
Also on Main Street is the wonderfully innovative Buddha Dog. The humble hot dog elevated to gourmet status. A must visit.

More County wine news in a few weeks.

If in London…

by Kato on July 7, 2009 in Billy's World, Food & Restaurants with No comments

stjohn1One of my most favourite bar discoveries was here. But you gotta hop a plane to London. First off, let me tell you we’re not talking London Pub here nor a swoosh designer place. The bar at St. John Restaurant is unique in that the space is a covered alleyway so it feels like you’re sitting on a narrow European street.

To your right is the restaurant’s bakery, opposite is the bar and behind you is the restaurant itself. The whole place is painted white so bottles of wine, loaves of bread and blackboards jump out inviting you to have it all. And I tell you I did.
On a Thursday evening I took up position at the bar and helped-out passing drinks to the after-work folks who turned the place into one great party scene. On Friday I returned for a quiet lunch – a little apprehensive that the place may not work in this context, but it did. St John has ‘the bones’ as they say – it’s perfect with or without crowds. As with all good bars the drink and foods are the owners picks. A dozen or two little-known wines from the south of France. Which is what you need to partner the unusual cuts of meat – or ‘nose to tail dining’ as it’s called. But if you’re not up for pig’s head, bone marrow, or ox heart, there’s more regular salads and sandwiches. Everything I tried was delish. The main thing is you are invited into new territory… and isn’t that what going out is all about? A young staff will gladly sample you any wine, and then sell you a bottle or two to go too at retail. All prices are reasonable for London. The restaurant itself is next door, up a few steps and watching the customers come and go is just another part of the fun of hanging out at my bar.

I struggled at first to figure out why St. John bar feels French. There’s no French décor as we know it, but maybe it’s the sound of corks popping and of human interaction.That’s French!

www.stjohnrestaurant.com

Best Fish Sandwich in T.O.

by Kato on June 2, 2009 in Billy's World with No comments

If you’re around St. Lawrence Market, check out the one and only! It’s right at the back of the market beside Alex Cheese Shop.

Buster’s Sea Cove
93 Front Street East
Toronto, ON M5E 1C3
(416) 369-9048

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