Archive for October 2008
Patisserie La Cigogne
In Bakery, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Chocolates, French, Tea, bread on October 31, 2008 at 9:48 amLocation:
1626 Bayview Avenue, Toronto
Cost: under $10 for a pastry or mini cake
One of my very good friends (with very dependable tastebuds) took us to this charming cafe over the weekend. It’s called Patisserie La Cigogne and it opened on Bayview Avenue in June of 2003.
Thierry Schmitt, the master pastry chef (whose fault it is that our mouths water and our hips widen) studied in Alsace (northeast of France) , which is an area known for “la cigogne” or “the stork”, hence the name of the bakery. He is indeed a master at what he does for these sweets are delectable and gorgeously fashioned.
The “Africa” is described as follows:
“Hazelnut mousse with walnut biscuit that is soaked in rum and finished in dark chocolate.”
Tell me your mouth didn’t water just a little bit (or a lot) after reading and seeing that! It was glorious…a joy. I’m not ashamed to say I savoured every bite!
This here is the “Paradise”.
“An orange flavoured chocolate mousse with Grand Marnier Crème Brlûée filling, finished with sprayed chocolate.”
I wouldn’t dare call it any other name! It was indoubtedly paradise.
Our friend insisted that the croissants at Patisserie La Cigogne are the best in the city. And we all agreed. Flaky, buttery, savoury….oooh, they were to die for!
I instantly sprang up from my seat when I saw that there were only a couple of Paradises left! I didn’t want to miss out on taking one of those home with me. I packed two more croissants to go, as well. I hear the croque madams/monsieurs and the quiches are all very very good, too!
With its cosy and old school decor, Patisserie La Cigogne certainly makes you feel as though you’re in a magnificent cafe in France! It’s as close to that country as I’ll get for now, so I’ll take as many trips as I can get!
PYO: Pumpkin Pickin’
In Halloween, Organic, Outdoors, P.Y.O (Pick Your Own), Road-side, Travel on October 19, 2008 at 1:20 pmLocation:
9365 10 Side Road, Milton, ON
This was our first time visiting Andrews’ Scenic Acres and it seems to be the most popular!
Apparently the home of the Great Pumpkin Challenge!
And the farm itself is quite nice…
Although the ‘haunted maze’ wasn’t very scary at all! Nor much of a maze for that matter!
The pumpkin truck/bus took us out to the pumpkin patches, and the ride there was a bumpy yet enjoyable one!
The pumpkin’ picking part was fun – and the pumpkins plentiful!
We carried two decent sized pumpkins back to the bus and also picked up some tasty strawberry jam on the way out. I’d say ASA is a fun place for the kids and a great way to spend some time together with friends.
Shutow
In Chinese, Toronto on October 17, 2008 at 10:28 amLooks like Swatow was shut down on Monday due to a cockroach infestation!
Arggh!!!
From the Toronto Star:
“Toronto health inspectors on Monday shuttered Swatow, on Spadina Ave. near D’Arcy St., citing “inadequate pest control,” “failure to protect food from contamination,” and other infractions, according to inspection records.
In this case, “it wasn’t rats, it was cockroaches,” said Rishma Govani, spokesperson for Toronto Public Health. She said sanitation was also an issue. “
Also, a notice on Swatow’s window said:
“This establishment is closed by order of the Medical Officer of Health under the authority of section 13 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act”
I believe it was re-opened today after it passed a reinspection yesterday afternoon.
But I will not be going back.
Martha’s Exchange
In Beer, Brewery, Dinner, Fish, Lunch, New Hampshire, Spicy, Travel on October 15, 2008 at 10:33 amLocation:
185 Main Street, Nashua, NH
Cost: approx $9-15 per lunch entree (after 5pm, approx $15-19)
I’ve been to Nashua a slew of times but never dined at Martha’s Exchange on Main Street. Martha’s Exchange has no relation or connection to Martha’s Vineyard or Martha Stewart. It actually began as a sweet shop which simply grew and grew. More of it’s history can be read here.
We made it there for lunch one day and found it quite busy. We only had about 45 minutes for a quick bite so we had to order quickly, although I would have liked to have perused the menu better and also enjoyed a beer with my meal considering it’s brewed on the premises.
Our dishes took a fair bit of time to arrive; turned out the delay was due to a large party of 30 on the other side of our booth.
However, when our dishes did arrive, we were very pleased.
My Mum ordered the Jambalaya ($12).
The Jambalaya was better than I’ve tasted in New Orleans! It’s ingredients being: blackened chicken, andouille sausage, shrimp and fresh veggies sauteed in a spicy marinara sauce. It had a good kick to it (you know how I like it hot!) and was very fresh.
I’d ordered the Almond Maple Salmon ($15)
Fresh Atlantic salmon topped with sliced almonds and baked in a maple butter sauce. Baked IN a maple butter sauce INDEED! My salmon was having a long hot soak in a jucuzzi of butter!!! I’d have preferred it not having quite so much R&R. It was, however, quite tasty but the rice it came with was nothing special.
At one point during our meal the elderly lady in the booth behind us spilled her drink creating quite a commotion (someone may have been enjoying the beer afterall!). It seemed it was her birthday and she was treating her daughter and a couple of other friends to lunch. They all left before she did and the lady told us as she was leaving that she was alright and we nodded and sympathised with her. The next moment my Mum spilled her drink all over the seat as well! Very strange. Perhaps Martha’s is haunted by a playful ghost? The website doesn’t say but you never know……
I’d love to go back to Martha’s and try out the beers and more of the dishes…the menu was quite extensive. I’m also sorry now that I didn’t try any of the sweets from the still existing sweet “shoppe” in the corner of the restaurant! Argh! I hate metered parking!!
Harbord Fish & Chips
In Dinner, Fish, Fish n' Chips, Lunch, Toronto on October 4, 2008 at 7:26 amLocation:
147 Harbord Street, Toronto
Cost:
$8.99 for the Halibut ($11.99 at Chippy’s)
As far as I’m concerned, you can’t go wrong with eating a good meal of fish n’ chips once in a while. And it’s pretty hard to mess up deep fried fish and strips of potato. The real issue is how much you are paying for eating the deep fried goodness. At Chippy’s you pay an arm and a leg and are lucky if you get to rest the other arm and leg on a stool inside the tiny compound (especially if it’s raining outside!); it’s also pretty hard to eat battered fish from a chinese take-out container…..okay, so I guess it’s not that hard to mess up deep fried fish and fries, but don’t get me wrong, I’ll still eat at Chippy’s if I’m ever craving some fish n’chips in the west-end. For the East-enders, the ultimate fish and chips place used to be mom n’ pops’ Woodgreen Fish n’ Chips, which I believe has shut down (can anyone confirm this?). I’d love to try British Style Fish & Chips on Dundas/Coxwell which I’ve heard is superbly authentic.
However, around the Spadina/College area and at Harbord FnC, you can get deep fried goodness for less and a place to rest your whole being (on the picnic tables outside). The joint also feels very sea-shore-ish; with the mom n’ pop serving you piping hot fish atop fresh fries (on paper), which you get to douse with vinegar and salt the way you please, but be cautioned, the tarter sauce comes in wee lil’ packets.
The fish sits fresh and tender inside a wonderful deep golden interior of golden crust, whilst soft, yellow, starchy pods of potato poke out of the breaks in the crispy, skin-covered edges of the chips.
With the right amount of malt vinegar, salt, ketchup and tartar sauce (and a beer if you can manage to sneak it in as we did this time) you’re all set for a trip to fish n’ chip heaven.
