EVENT | The Social CTV - our visit to the set of Toronto's talk show, The Social

Is everyone familiar with Toronto's new Talk series called The Social?  Co-hosted by four beautiful & funny ladies, Melissa Grelo, Cynthia Loyst, Lainey Lui and Traci Melchor, it's a casual girl-talk session on TV about news, pop culture and lifestyle.  We had a chance to attend a live show as audience on December 18th!

REVIEW | L'Avenue - a popular & delicious retro brunch spot in Plateau Mont Royal area #FSinMontreal

Line ups usually mean that there's genuinely good food or over rated fad that's been hyped up.  L'Avenue is definitely not just a fad and we were willing to wait outside in the cold to find out just how good the their popular brunch is!

Merry Christmas from Food Sisterhood & check out our Holiday Dinner with our friends!

Happy Holidays! We hope you all had a delicious Turkey feast! As usual, we got together with our friends for a Christmas dinner, potluck style of course.  

OPENING | Fonda Lola - offering family style #MexicanFiesta with unique Tequila cocktails

Fonda Lola is a new Cantina in the Queen Street West neighbourhood and I am so jealous of anyone living in that area!  The owners, Ernesto Rodriguez, Howard Dubrowsky and Andrés Márquez created a rustic and warm environment, offering tequila-based cocktails and delicious Mexican dishes that you won't find anywhere else in Toronto.  Fonda Lola is definitely not "just another Mexican restaurant" and here's why...

LAUNCH | Introducing Jack Astor's New #WinterFling Craft Beers & Relationship-Worthy Dishes!

Baby, it's cold outside - so stay inside and head to Jack Astor's for their awesome new Winter Fling festival!  Running until January 19th, #WinterFling is a special holiday event that offers regional craft beers that they usually don't carry.  It's the perfect time to try them out, especially with the delicious food pairings like Asiago Shrimp & Smoked Mozza Ravioli *drool.

REVIEW | Les trois petits bouchons - modern French cuisine to impress your palate #FSinMontreal

For dinner on our first night there, Clara's co-worker recommended that we go to Les Trois Petits Bouchons.  Located on Rue St. Denis it was a short walk from the metro. 

REVIEW | Schwart'z - infamous Montreal smoked meat #FSinMontreal

If lines outside a restaurant is any indication that it's a "must visit," Schwartz's definitely does not fall short. We're sure regardless of what time you pay a visit, you'll probably have to endure waiting outside for a bit! Thankfully, they also have a take out restaurant next to the sit down so if you really are in a rush, you'll still be able to get your smoked meat fix!

REVIEW | Maestro S.V.P. - fresh oysters and extensive wine list in an intimate setting #FSinMontreal

Planning our Montreal trip, I knew Maestro S.V.P. had to be one of the restaurants we visit when I saw their amazing selection of oysters and seafood.  If you follow us, you would know that I'm a huge oyster-fan - Clara prefers them cooked.  Read on to see what we loved about this seafood eatery on Boulevard St-Laurent.

REVIEW | Sizzlo'z Flame Grilled Chicken - grilled, not fried for a healthy, flavourful & delicious meal

It's always so exciting to have new restaurants open in Mississauga that aren't large chain stores so we were super excited to try out Sizzlo'z. From the outside it looks like a fairly large restaurant.

EVENT | iYellow Wine Club - Toronto's social wine club offering interesting & fun classes to explore the world of wine

If you're a wine-lover or looking to learn more about wine, you're going like this post. We were invited to one of iYellow Wine Club's classes last week in their new "wine cave" located on Queen Street West.  We're so happy we attended because the wine class was not only informative, it was interesting and fun!

REVIEW | Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill - date night in style with Lincoln MKZ

As part of Lincoln MKZ`s savour the city marketing campaign (read about the event night at Sassafraz here), we were given the beautiful MKZ for a weekend to drive around town in style and a dining card for a restaurant. Along with a few recommendations and a craving for seafood, we finally decided on Starfish Oyster Bed & Grill for our Lincoln date night.
 

WE LOVE | AM Sweet Cake and Co. - desserts for any occasion!

Cupcakes, cookies, cakes, candy... what do they all have in common? Besides the letter c, they all satisfy our never ending need for sweets.  No meal, party or gathering is complete without some desserts. With so many different options available now such as cupcakes, cakes and pastries, it can be hard to figure out how to really make the end of your meal or party your own. Thank goodness for all the new pop up businesses that specializes in customized cakes and desserts! 

Potluck with Korean Boodaejjigae, Phillipino Adobo, Mini Stuffed Potatoes, Canapes, Egg Tarts & more!

Potlucks are a great way to have a get-together as it takes the stress off one person to prepare & cook everything.  We love potlucks and organize them with our friends quite often. 
Check out our latest potluck on this post!

REVIEW | Mei Nung Beef Noodle House - noodles worth sitting through stinky tofu for!

My usual routine when I visit Markham is to have lunch at Ding Tai Fung for some Shanghai cuisine but a friend recently recommended Mei Nung Beef Noodle House for fresh hand cut noodles.

REVIEW | Hodo Kwaja / 호도과자 - Toronto's first walnut cake bakery offering korean redbean desserts

If you're familiar with many Asian cultures, they tend to have a lot of dessert with redbean paste, such as red bean flavoured ice cream, red bean sherbet, and so forth.  One of the most popular Korean dessert using red bean is none other than walnut cakes.  The First walnut cake bakery in Canada is Hodo Kwaja, located in the Bloor Street and Christie area, which we like to visit often!

EVENT | Gourmet Food and Wine Expo - the biggest food and wine event of the year!

What do you get when Toronto’s foodies and wine connoisseurs all meet under one roof? The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo! Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, it is the largest food and wine event of the year with over 45,000 guests and 1500 different wines to sample.

REVIEW | Gusto 101 - tasty Italian fare in Toronto's King West including a sweet potato pizza!

We absolutely love pizza… and not just the fast food pizzas that you can get but restaurant quality pizzas that make you feel like you’re sitting at a restaurant in Italy. There are classic pizzas such as  Margherita or Funghi but each restaurant will usually have their unique take with toppings that you are unlikely to find anywhere else, like the C’T Mang pizza from Terroni (read the review here). Gusto 101 is no exception and I finally decided to pay a visit!

Image from Gusto 101 website

OPENING | Reds Midtown Tavern - the perfect spot for sharable plates, signature cocktails, local craft brews and a game of shuffle board

Reds Midtown Tavern, newly opened and conveniently located at Yonge and Gerrard, is a great addition to an area that’s relatively void of an upscale, yet casual restaurant. With delicious food, impressive wine list and a focus on local draft beer, it's no surprise the place has been so busy since it's opening and many are calling it their neighbourhood hangout.

OPENING | Pukka - An outstanding venue for Indian cuisine by Chefs Cornel d’Silva, Kirti Singh and Dinesh Butola

Just four weeks ago, the St. Clair West and Bathurst area welcomed its newest resident – Pukka. Pronounced “puk-ka (puck-a)”, owners Derek and Harsh envisioned a “great restaurant that offers Indian food and wine” versus an “Indian restaurant”.  We were delighted to join Vicky (momwhoruns) and other bloggers for a dinner to see what Pukka had to offer!

EVENT | Baby Showers - celebrating a major life event with delicious food & amazing people!

Planning parties are a lot harder than they seem. It’s not just as simple as sending out an invite and hoping all goes well. Here is a recap of the food we had at the recent baby shower I threw for my sister who is expecting her first baby!

REVIEW | Seven Lives Tacos -Kensington Market's new up and coming Taco joint!

Seven Lives is a new taco joint that iss tucked away in Kensington Market. Why tucked away? Because it’s not very noticeable especially on a busy weekend when the streets are filled with people. That’s certainly not stopping them from making some pretty tasty tacos though! 

REVIEW | The Tea Room - Simple Afternoon Tea on Oakville's harbour front

Afternoon Tea has been around for ages but it isn't until recently that it really started to make a comeback. When you think afternoon tea, you usually think of intricate china, pastries and finger sandwiches. A lot of places have elevated afternoon tea by adding sophisticated desserts, mimosas and champagne instead of tea but The Tea Room in Oakville has maintained the simplicity of this afternoon indulgence. 

OPENING | Touhenboku Ramen - the newest Japanese Ramen restaurant on Queen Street offers chicken broth!

At last, a Japanese ramen restaurant on Queen West, the heart of Toronto's entertainment district.  Opening to the public on Wednesday, November 13th, we got the chance to attend their soft launch and see what makes Touhenboku Ramen special among the other ramen restaurants in the city.

REVIEW | BnC Bakery & Cake House - tasty Korean bread, pastries, bubble tea and cake, the list goes on

There's a lot of dessert places in Toronto, but have you tried Korean ones? BnC Bakery & Cake House is one of the few Korean bread retailer & supplier in the Korean community in Toronto and surrounding areas.  They supply their baked goods to Korean grocery stores and shops as well as sell them directly in their 3 'Cake House' locations in Toronto.

REVIEW | High Tea at Shangri-La's Lobby Lounge - live music, cozy fireplace & heart warming tea on a chilly afternoon

The Shangri-La hotel is known for its luxurious and Asian-influenced decor and the new hotel in the heart of Toronto was no exception.  At first glance of the lobby lounge, you see massive paintings, beautiful sculptures, friendly smiles from the servers and a wide burning fireplace, which is where we were seated.  Seeing as everything from service ro ambiance was perfect so far, we had high expectations for our high tea.

REVIEW | The Grille on Queensway - providing delicious breakfast, lunch & dinner 24/7

I've been going to The Grill for years and years but never got around to writing a review on them.  Every time I go there, I'm in the habit of just enjoying my meal there as a customer so I always forget to take pictures!  Read on to see why this is one of my favourites in the neighbourhood.

EVENT | Delicious Food Show Part 2: Eat Kanga, Hot Bunzz, meNu Food Truck, RISE Kombucha & more

Our gastronomic adventures continued at the Delicious Food Show!  Read Part 1 of our visit if you haven't already.  In this post, you'll see that we made visits to some of our favourite vendors and discovered some new ones as well.

EVENT | Delicious Food Show Part 1: Rock Lobster, Samuel Adams, Oyster Boy, Patria, Liko's Hawaiian BBQ & more

The Delicious Food Show 2013 is an annual culinary event that you don't want to miss, especially if you love food. It showcases unique eateries as well as vendors and products that you may not even know existed. On top of all the foodie goodness, are celebrity chefs and personalities such as Mark McEwan and Martha Stewart to name a few!

EVENT | Summer Fresh - healthy, delicious & ready made food that doesn't sacrifice freshness

If you want something to be fresh, make it at home right? That’s always been our philosophy until we had the opportunity to spend a day at the Summer Fresh headquarters in Vaughn, Ontario. 

REVIEW | Bamiyan Kabob - a tasty Afghan dining experience in Mississauga

After trying out a bunch of new restaurants downtown through Summerlicious 2013, it’s time to go back to finding hidden gems in Mississauga. Much easier of a commute to eat, that’s for sure.

I’m pretty certain I can count the number of times I’ve tried Afghan food on one hand. I definitely enjoy it but it isn’t usually the first type of cuisine I think of when I want to go out for dinner. My friend suggested Bamiyan Kabob near Dixie and Eglinton.

LAUNCH | Lincoln X Sassafraz Event #SavourTheCity - introducing the new Lincoln MKZ, the American car redefined

If you've kept an eye out for cars this past week in Toronto, you may have noticed a few Lincoln MKZ sedans driving around. They are currently doing a campaign for people in the city to test drive the cars and experience a meal in some of Toronto's best restaurants. This night was no exception as the event was held at Yorkville's Sassafraz with a three-course meal carefully prepared by chef Webb.

GIVEAWAY | Win a pair of tickets to the Delicious Food Show 2013

We're giving away a pair of tickets to Toronto's best food event of the year - The Delicious Food Show!  With big names in the industry like Martha Stewart, Mark McEwan, Chuck Hughs and more, making appearances to Toronto's local restaurants featuring their delicious menu, there's so much to eat, drink and enjoy.  It's taking place this weekend, October 25 - 27 at The Ex.

REVIEW | Dundas Street Grille - a neighbourhood favourite in Etobicoke for brunch

This is actually one of my favourite brunch places to go for its family & home-y atmosphere, history and simplicity.  There's a lot of brunch restaurants these days with extensive and unique offerings but Dundas Street Grille has remained traditional, which I do appreciate.  It's truly a neighbourhood favourite as my family, friends and I have been going for years!

RECIPE | Chocolate raisin buttermilk scones - perfect for a quick breakfast!

It's no surprise that scones are pretty heavy in fat because butter makes them so light anf fluffy but I found a relatively healthier version of a tasty chocolate chip buttermilk scone from Skinnytaste. I changed it a little to add some raisins to add a little more texture to the scone :)

REVIEW | STACK Smokehouse - a smmmoked experience like no other in Uptown Toronto

If we could physically relocate the Yonge & Lawrence area to the West end, we would! There are so many unique restaurants and boutiques in that area that we love, and Stack is no exception! 

REVIEW | Hokkaido Ramen Santouka - differentiating itself by offering customizable ramen spiciniess & saltiness

There seems to be a never ending list of Ramen joints to try and we are slowly making our way through them. The most recent one on the hit list has been Santouka ramen on Dundas St. E, a few minutes’ walk from Eaton Centre.  Going in, I had some pretty high hopes as I’ve had recommendations from a few friends and even one that had tried the Santouka ramen in Vancouver.

REVIEW | Big Daddy's Bourbon Street Bistro & Oyster Bar - New Orleans Southern style cooking done right in Toronto's Bistro

For my immense oyster cravings my friend recommended Big Daddy's on King St.  She's had great experiences every time she went so I decided to give it a try!  Big Daddy's pride itself on their New Orleans Style cuisine so I was super excited to explore their take on the cuisine.

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!! - turkey, strawberry spinach salad, ox tail soup, cheese bread hack, pumpkin ricotta cheese gnocchi & the list goes on...

Happy Thanksgiving!! It's time for the semi annual turkey frenzy again! The two holidays that make us think of turkey are Thanksgiving and Christmas and as soon as one holiday is over we're already looking forward to the next so we can have more turkey! Here's a quick overview of our Thanksgiving feast this year. 

LAUNCH | Yogurty's two new fall flavours, Yogurty's food truck, Froyo2Go & Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Partnership

Frozen yogurt lovers, unite! Yesterday, the Liberty Village Yogurty's had a Fall launch event to introduce many exciting things that are coming our way!  They were also celebrating their 3 year partnership with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (wow!)  with the launch of a delicious new flavour with 10% of proceeds being donated to the organization.

REVIEW | Kenzo Ramen - Missisauga location fails to wow ramen fans

I was super excited when I found out Kenzo was opening a branch in Missisauga because there are no ramen restaurants there so far.   I would always have to stay downtown after work or trek down just to get a bowl.

RECIPE | Pretzel Crusted Chicken Nuggets

I remember when I was younger, my favourite after school snack was chicken nuggets. It doesn't matter whether it's fast food chain nuggets or the kind your mom buys in a box and you have to bake yourself. I recently had cravings for some nuggets and those store bought ones probably aren't all that healthy for you so I decided to make my own.

REVIEW | Sake Bar Kushi - Midtown Toronto's very own Japanese Izakaya specializing in Kushi

Izakayas (Japanese drinking establishments that also serve food to accompany the drinks) are an onging restaurant trend in Toronto. Sake Bar Kushi, also known as Kushi Izakaya is a newly opened Japanese tapas eatery just a few blocks west of Yonge and Eglinton.  Ever since its opening a few months ago, I have been meaning to try this place as I work in the area.  Last week, I finally made a visit!

EVENT | Abbey's Kitchen Stadium Battle 3 at the Virgin Mod Club with Toronto's Richmond Stadium, Acadia Restaurant, Playa Cabana and Stockyards!

This past weekend, we had a chance to check out Abbey's Kitchen Stadium (#AKS) Round 3 for the first time.  For those who haven't heard of AKS, it's a food competition event designed after Top Chef, Chopped, etc and organized by Abbey Sharp (Abbey's Kitchen) to celebrate the growing food culture in Toronto.  In addition, some proceeds from the ticket and food sales go to a local food initiative, My Food My Way.

LAUNCH | Toronto's newest Drake One Fifty Restaurant with designs by Jeff Stober & menu by Chef Ted Corrado

The Drake One Fifty is on its way... tomorrow! Finally, the much anticipated new restaurant by The Drake, meticulously designed by Jeff Stober is opening its doors to the public on October 2nd with Chef Ted Corrado's signature menu.  Just yesterday, we were invited for a sneak peak of the gorgeous new space, cocktails and some of the menu items. 

REVIEW | Rock Lobster Food Co. - popular Ossington Strip eatery provides creative ways to enjoy your lobster

Who doesn't like lobster, right? Rock Lobster has been creating a stir in Toronto's food scene as the city's very first lobster centric eatery by owner Matt Dean Pettit since its opening in 2011.  It's still seeing long line ups and a huge fan-base with their fresh & creative lobster dishes.

2013 Mid Autumn festivities!

It's always great to have a reason to celebrate and eat good food. Mid autumn festival this year on September 19th, 2013 was perfect for just that. Mid autumn festival or harvest moon festival is very well known in Asia in countries such as Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Korea. They may have different names but it's all celebrated on the same day when there is a full moon. Not to worry though, it's not about celebrating werewolves! 

REVIEW | Abbey's Bake House - a must try spot in Muskoka, Port Carling area

A co-worker of mine picked up a few popular treats from Abbey's Bake House for me to try, while she was at her cottage in Port Carling (Muskoka).  When I finally got my hands on these delicious goodies, I couldn't wait to share some of their most popular and high-demand treats!

EVENT | Getting chocolate-crazy at the Chocolate Tales Workshop in St. Lawrence Market

We have major soft spots for chocolate. Milk chocolate or white chocolate has always been both of our favourites, but with age comes sophistication of the palette we suppose as we've started to embrace dark chocolate as well. As simple as a chocolate bar may seem, there is actually a lot to learn before creating that perfect taste and texture.  Last weekend, we had the chance to explore the world of chocolate!

This past Sunday we tried out one of Chocolate Tales’ chocolate making class. They have workshops at many different locations such as (The St. Lawrence Market, The Mad Bean, Swansea Town Hall, and more). We headed over to the St. Lawrence market location. Each class runs for about 90 minutes give or take, but doors usually open 30 minutes before the class start. I would recommend getting there early so you can get a good seat and be able to sit with whoever you’re going with!

REVIEW | DEQ at the Ritz Carlton - afternoon tea with beautiful presentation & delightful treats

After a long & busy week, all I want to do is indulge in yummy food, whether it be savoury or sweet.  What better way to satisfy both those cravings than an afternoon tea filled with scones, tarts, sandwiches and some mindless chitchat?

This past Saturday (a rainy & gloomy one at that), I headed over to DEQ at the Ritz Carlton in Toronto with one of my friends for an afternoon of pure culinary indulgence.

RECIPE | Hearty Beef Barley Soup to warm you up!

The worst part about cooking or baking for me is the clean up so I'm never one to turn down trying a new recipe that requires minimal clean up and is easy to make! Also with the weather in Toronto starting to cool down, an easy hot recipe is just what I was looking for!