May 2018 - Eat Your Broccoli!

May 27, 2018

Eative Film Cafe

I wanted to try something different for breakfast. As my sister would say, funky breakfast. I was considering a south Indian place, but it turned out that they didn’t open until 11am even though they advertised a breakfast menu on their website. In our travels through Kensington Market the previous day, we noticed the Eative Film Cafe. Japanese cafes and such seem to be on trend in Toronto these days so we were eager to check it out. We noticed the Japanese breakfast options on the menu, in addition to the classic ones.

We arrived before the horde did at 10am. Order at the counter and they deliver to your table. I was intrigued by the purple rice balls. So I chose the Tokyo omelette. I added some extra avocado. It came with a side of miso soup. I also ordered an Americano. I was quite impressed with the rice balls. I prefer a healthy breakfast. The flavour was a subtle one of wild rice. It went well with the omelette.

My sister enjoyed the Sapparo breakfast. It came with a side of coleslaw and tangy mayo. It seemed like a good combination.

This cafe is also known for its 24K gold flake ice cream, which is another item that is trendy in Toronto. They also carry cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, which is in demand. The waits are up to 3 hours at their only location in Toronto.

They also have classic breakfast, weekend brunch and Japanese street food. Well worth another visit.

Tokyo Omelette
Roasted Seaweed, Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Mushroom, Sun Dried Tomato, Grilled Onion, Avocado served with Japanese Onigiri (Multigrain Purple Rice Ball) & Miso Soup

Sapporo Breakfast
Tamago Yaki (Rolled Scrambled Egg), 2 Sausages, 2 Onigiri (Purple Rice Ball with Seaweed), Miso Soup, House Salad

A selection of Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes

May 27, 2018

Lamesa Filipino Kitchen

I remembered walking by Lamesa Filipino Kitchen at least 4 years ago, at the tail end of my last trip to Toronto. I promised myself, that I next time I visited, it will be on my list. Well, I’m finally here.

I’m not too familiar with Filipino food as I’ve only have it a handful of times. But I’m fascinated by all Asian food. This is an elevated version of Pinoy cuisine.

We started with the Lamesa salad. The crispy 5 spice tofu partnered very well with the freshness of the salad and the tangy dressing. Next up was the pancit molo. It is traditionally wontons in a chicken broth soup. This version had pan fried dumplings with ginger laced broth. It reminds me of the sauce that accompanies Cantonese style steamed fish.

The chicken adobe came with crispy chicken and roasted garlic in a soy vinegar sauce. It was quite tasty. The veg pinakbet is a Filipino vegetable stew. The crispy polenta added some texture. Both of us really enjoyed the garlic fried rice. I will have to try to make that one at home.

Good service, great food. Definitely a must try.

LAMESA SALAD
5 spice tofu, mango, zucchini, cucumber, curry pinipig, coconut vinagrette

PANCIT MOLO
pork and shrimp dumplings, poached egg, spring dashi, ginger scallion oil

CHICKEN ADOBO
seared marinated chicken thighs, soy vinegar jus, confit garlic, chimichurri
VEG PINAKBET
crispy polenta, cashew “cheese”, tomato, spring vegetable ragu
GARLIC FRIED RICE

May 23, 2018

Pai Northern Thai Kitchen

It’s been a long time since I last went to Toronto. For the next few days, I’m planning to hit up anything unusual that I can’t find in Calgary. It shouldn’t be too hard. My sister recommended Pai Northern Thai Kitchen, an award winning Thai restaurant.

We started off with the Grabong. They were deep fried squash fritters. The presentation was eye-catching. The fries were deliciously crisp and paired well with the tangy tamarind sauce.

My sister recommended the Khao Soi, which is egg noodle with curry. They describe it as a golden curry. To me, it tasted like red curry. But the difference is the multiple layers of flavour. It definitely tasted scratch made with fresh ingredients. The fried noodles were a nice touch too.

My sister had the Khao Pad Thamada, which is fried rice. It was pretty good, but the Khao Soi was outstanding.

The place seems to cater to the younger set. Noise carries and the decor is very casual with Thai influences. If you like Thai food, this is a definitely a must try.