Hoof Café

Two weekends ago, The Black Hoof (@TheBlackHoof) owner Jen Agg tweeted one of the best news that Toronto brunchers have been waiting to hear since Hoof Café closed back in 2011. Brunch hours will be from Thursday to Saturday 10am to 3pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm at Hoof Raw Bar (right next to Black Hoof). This pass weekend we arrive at around 1:15pm and was expecting a lineup but the place was half empty; maybe because news haven't gone out yet or we were really lucky.

 It took me all the willpower not to order the Foie Toast (def next time)

Sam James Coffee $8

Isn't the camping mug and cow creamer so cute

Zakkushi

Went to Zakkushi (@ZakkushiCarlton) around 2 weeks ago when it  just open and they didn't even had a sign up or liquor license yet. Zakkushi is a Japanese Style pub with 3 successful Vancouver locations has recently open it's door on Carlton St.

The restaurant is best know for it's kushiyaki (skewer meat) cooked over binchotan which is a white smokeless charcoal made from Japanese Oak

It's mid size with around 70-80 seats

Red Wine Tavern

It's always very difficult to get reservation for my Birthday dinner since it's the holiday seasons, all the party room or big tables are taken... I finally managed to make reservation at Red Wine Tavern (@redswinetavern) for their chef's table which hold up to 15-16 people which was exactly my party size.

Located in First Canadian Place, they had recently gone through a major revamp with complete renovation of the space, menu and chef. The new executive Chef is Ryan Gallagher, Top Chef Canada contestant and the former sous chef of Lynn Crawford's Ruby Watcho

It's my first time here but that's the only choice I had for such a large party.

Love the light bulbs above our table but the yellow tint make taking picture a pain (>_<) Sorry for all the yellowy pictures here.

JaBistro - Part 2 [Japanese]

Went back to JaBistro (@JaBistro222) again by end of December since was craving for more of their yummy sushi (see my last post here) and thought I would share with you more food porn (^_^) which mean this will be a quick post.

Ryozeki Yamahai Sake, Akita $80

It have a smokey flavor with a long finish

Snack ~ Today's Bite $7

~ Pork Belly, Bruschetta & Smoked Salmon

Thought both the pork belly and smoked salmon was delicious, the bruschetta topping was less than impressive plus the bread was just too try and slice way too thin

Saba ~ Cured Mackerel  $15

Le Bremner (Montreal)

Le Bremner (@lebremnermtl) was plan B because Garde-Manger was fully booked months in advance. Both are celebrity chef Chuck Hughes's (@chucksdayoff) restaurants. There's no signage whatsoever and if I didn't have the address, I would easily walk by thinking it was a nightclub.

It have a very warm and cozy atmosphere and love the old bare brick walls.

 Vintage-y  looking chandelier above our table
.

Flocon Espresso (Montreal)

After our breakfast at St-Viateur Bagel here, we walk around and was trying to find a good coffee place since the coffee we had wasn't that good and me & Ben wasn't satisfied being the coffee addict that we are. After another not-so good latte, we found Flocon Espresso and decided to give another try since it smelled so good while passing by.

Walking in, I love it already since this definitely look like the type of cafe I would go to in Toronto

 Finally founf my cup of latte, with a darker roast it was just so satisfying (^_^)

Saving Grace

 I finally made my way to Saving Grace for a late brunch back in December and only decided to go in because there wasn't a line which is quite often (usually 1/2 to 1 hour wait). We were told that there will be a table soon and was ask to sit down within 5mins but then we were told that the table was taken by someone else... so we were back by the door and then we were ask if we had our name on the clipboard that was hanging by the front door... why weren't we told when we came in?!? Good thing there was a few table leaving since some people apparently came back with their name already on the clipboard... let's just said if there was a longer wait I would have left.

 The menu consists of a variety of egg dishes, French Toast, sandwiches and salads w/ some special on the blackboard, more or less a variation of the regular menu.

They were really good at refilling coffee, we probably end up have 2-3 cups each

 French Toast w/ caramelized bananas & maple syrup $4.50 for 1/2 order

 After having a bite of this I regretted immediately of not ordering the full order of this, this was so amazingly good ♥♥♥ I loved how they use baguette and how it was only lightly washed with egg instead of being soaked with a custardy texture.. great flavorful bread and light enough to let the caramelized banana be the start.

Rose and Sons

Come this time of year when it get dark so early I prefer to go for a more satisfying lunch/brunch instead of dinner. So we decided to head to Rose and Sons (@Roseandsons), the newly open diner by Anthony Rose, the ex-chef of the Drake Hotel for brunch this past Saturday.

The space was bright, inviting and unpretentious just like their food. Made up of a few communal booths and bar stools, with white tiled wall and a long mirror to give illusion of a bigger space (heard there'll be a patio come summer which will double the seating)

With the tiny open kitchen at the front, the yummy smells just envelop you as soon as you walk in (^_^)

St-Viateur Bagel & Café Mont-Royal (Montreal)

Another food fill day in Montreal after all the good eats here, here & here the previous day... and what better way than starting our morning with some freshly made bagels at  

St-Viateur Bagel & Café at the Mont-Royal location.

 Open 24/7, St-Viateur Bagel offer hand rolled bagels that are boiled in honey water and cooked in a wood fired oven. Montreal style bagels tends to be thinner, sweeter and with larger holes than New York style bagel that we are used to.

 The menu is quite extensive and you get to choose the type of bagel you want (poppy seed, sesame, cinnamon etc), choice of spread or soup or salad.

Verdict :

It was nice & warm with a toasted crispy exterior and a chewy inside 

(w/ the kind of chew that stick to your teeth slightly)

Everyone compare St-Viateur Bagel to Fairmount Bagel, so def have to try the latter next time I'm in Montreal to compare

Other posts from this trip :

Schwartz's

juliette & chocolat

Au Pied de Cochon

Flocon Espresso 

Le Bemner 

Pink Rose

This was the outfit I wore for my Birthday date with Ben, this was a all-day outfit... 

we went from Brunch to shopping to dinner. Would have prefer to wear a dressier outfit for dinner at Cafe Boulud here but I tend to have difficulty deciding on an all-day outfit during winter time.

Any tips for that? Since during the day, we tend to go to rather casual places and won't be able to go back home to change since we live uptown.

Outfit Details :

T-Shirt - H&M; Skirt (sale for $5) - Charlotte Russe; Cape - ASOS; Boot - UO;
Bag - Louis Vuitton (from Holt Renfrew) 

Ramen Raijin

Ramen Raijin (@ramenRAIJIN), another Vancouver ramen emporiums Kintaro and Motomachi recently open following Santouka (see my post here) which is another Vancouver favorite.

Named after the god of thunder, Ramen Raijin occupies a much larger space compare to the other ramen joints in Toronto.

Gyoza $2.50

 They offer both tonkotsu (pork bone) broth as well as in the rarer toridashi (clear chicken) broth in shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt) or miso flavours