REVIEW | Holiday Feasts made easy with RealFoodToronto and Toronto Don Valley Hotel

Christmas 2014 has come and gone and our bellies have finally had time to rest so we can reflect on our holidays this year! With a combination of work parties, friends gathering and the traditional Christmas day family dinner, we can safely say we need a rest from prepping food for a large group of people. Thankfully, we had some help this year from Real Food Toronto and Toronto Don Valley Hotel! 

REVIEW | BarFish Cocktail & Lounge

Blowfish Restaurant & Sake Bar on King West has extended their space to launch BarFish, their new cocktail bar & lounge.  With tasty drink creations by resident award-winning mixologist Nishan Nepulangoda and BlowFish menu favourites, we can see this new addition quickly become a hot spot in the King West neighbourhood.

 

GIVEAWAY | Win a $50 Gift Card for Elephant & Castle's New Winter Menu

In the spirit of the holiday season, we've partnered with our friends at Elephant & Castle once more to giveaway a $50 gift card! It's the perfect opportunity to get a bite of their new Winter menu, featuring 5 delicious items to warm you up in this cold, cold, city.

REVIEW | Schnitzel Hub

If vodka, Biergarten or Eastern European food means anything to you then Schnitzel Hub is the place you want to be. The diversity of cuisines has expanded in the St. Clair and Yonge area with Schnitzel Hub's second location. 

REVIEW | Ovest Cucina e Vineria

Ovest Cucina e Vineria, a cantina inspired Italian Kitchen has recently set roots in the ever growing King West District. With its wide pane windows, it definitely sparks interest to anyone walking by to take a peek inside to find out whats going on. Oh, and we forgot to mention, it's also a wine bar, meaning this might be the next go to place for anyone that wants to grab a drink during happy hour or on the weekend. 

EVENT | A taste of Saint Lucia with Chef Nina Compton has us dreaming about a getaway to the tropical island!

What comes to your mind when you hear about Saint Lucia? Of course the obvious would be the sunny climate, rainforest, their famous cocoa and beaches and ocean... but what about their diverse culinary profile, street food, and Top Chef finalist & fan favourite, Chef Nina Compton? We had the pleasure of getting a taste of Saint Lucia with a menu inspired by Nina's native, Saint Lucia and cocoa.

GIVEAWAY | For 3 weeks, ZOMATO treats you with a $50 gift card to your fave restaurant!

If you haven't downloaded and started using the coolest new app for foodies called Zomato, you're missing out! I mean, even though we've been to many eateries in Toronto, there are times when we just can't decide! That's when we open our Zomato mobile app and choose options near my location that "speak" to us, whether it's part of the 'Trending This Week' or simply the closest spot to me at that point for convenience. To celebrate the launch, we're partnering with our friends at Zomato to give away a $50 gift card to your restaurant of choice on Fridays for the next 3 weeks!

LAUNCH | Tea Lattes and Tea Cocktails using David's Teas Winter Collection

With just over a month until Christmas, I'm sure everyone's planning their holiday gift lists and get togethers with friends and family - we're no exception!  After visiting David's Tea's new & improved location on Queen West (they've moved a block East), I'm super inspired to recreate their tea cocktails and tea lattes using some of their festive Winter Collection teas!

EVENT | Get a Taste of Icelandic Cuisine with 'An Evening In Iceland' at Luma November 16!

Iceland has been one of the places I want to visit for a long time! Since Icelandair upgraded its service Toronto to be available year-round just last year as well as the recently launch of year-round flights from Edmonton in March, it's all I've been seeing on advertisements in the city!  Even though I don't have any upcoming trips planed to go to Iceland, I'm happy to have participated in Toronto's 4-day festival, Taste of Iceland happening through November 16.

WORKSHOP | Sausage Making Class at The Healthy Butcher on Eglinton!

Recently named 'Best Butcher in Toronto' by Now Magazine, the Healthy Butcher just may become your go-to butcher shop for organically & locally-sourced meats as well as sustainable seafood!  It's no surprise that The Healthy Butcher caters to those that 'live to eat' as they're passionate about food themselves. In fact, they're so serious, that they offer educational and fun workshops on roasting, knife skills, butchering and lots more...

GIVEAWAY | Win a pair of tickets to the VIP Night of Gourmet Food & Wine Expo!

The biggest food and drink event of the year is back, marking it's 20th year! We had a blast at last year's Gourmet Food & Wine Expo (read our recap here) and we're happy to giveaway 2 pairs of tickets to our amazing readers to attend this year. With hundreds of food and wine vendors, you definitely will need to wear comfortable clothing to get a taste of everything you want!

Enter to win a pair of tickets to the November 20th VIP Preview Night, valued at $90!

EVENT | A porkalicious Ontario Pork Food Tour with Foodies On Foot!

Last week, we were on a very interesting food tour hosted by Ontario Pork and organized flawlessly by Foodies on Foot. This #Porkalicious event took us foodies for a wild ride (on a pork party bus) around the city to 4 restaurants using Ontario Pork for some of their delicious menu items. It's an understatement to say that by the end of the tour, we were "porked-out" but it's one food tour we'll never forget!

REVIEW | Valdez Restaurant - Celebrating the launch of #ZomatoToronto with Latino street food

Do you love sharing restaurant reviews, food photos and exploring the growing food culture in Toronto? If you said yes to any of those things,  Zomato is an app your should have on your mobile! Read our post about what Zomato is & how it works here.  Zomato Toronto officially launched on October 21st, so we had dinner at Valdez for some Latino street food to celebrate! 

EVENT | Healthy Planet launches 2 new hearty soups: Kawartha Chicken Noodle & Thai Chicken Soup

We're sad to finally admit it but winter is fast approaching and that usually means soup consumption for us is at an all time high. Lucky for us, Happy Planet has just introduced two new soups: the Kawartha Chicken Noodle Soup and Thai Chicken Soup.

REVIEW | Get ready to pig out at Pig Out BBQ, the newest BBQ joint in The Annex

Patio season is sadly over with the weather getting colder everyday but that doesn't mean you can't have your BBQ ribs! Pig Out BBQ, a popular BBQ joint offering affordable and delicious BBQ ribs, wings, briskets and more. Lucky for us Torontonians, they just opened a new location on Spadina Ave. at Harbord St.!

Three birds in one meal with The Original Turducken by Echelon Foods!

Turkey dinners usually come twice a year for us - Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a torture to have to wait from January to October to eat turkey again and count down the days until this bird makes it on the dinner table once more. This year, Echelon Foods sent us a Turducken to try out. The Turducken is almost like the Lochness monster, everyone talks about it but so few have seen it. Essentially, it's a chicken, duck and a turkey - all in one.

NEWS | Spooky & Halloween-y Specials at Toronto Restaurants & Bars to check out!

Want a fun night out to celebrate the spookiest day of the year but want to avoid the clubs full of under-aged teenagers? This is for you - we've compiled 10 restaurants and bars in Toronto to check out for Halloween-themed menus, fun costume contests and more!

REVIEW | Patois - Get a little taste of everything on the menu with The Whole Shebang!

I'm down to try any restaurant that allows you to order the entire menu and Patois' Jamaican Chinese fusion menu definitely sealed the deal. It's certainly nice to have a restaurant that's open on a Monday and takes reservation in the Dundas St. West neighbourhood.

REVIEW | Playa Cabana on Dupont offers generous portions of delicious Mexican staples

I've been a fan of Playa Cabana's Barrio Coreano since its opening (read review here) but didn't have a chance to visit their original location on Dupont until September this year. Thank goodness that I did because I can't stop thinking about their jar of jabanero sauce and scrumptious tacos!

EVENT | Our Recap on the Delicious Food Show 2014 - what we ate, drank & loved!

The 3-day Delicious Food Show, perfect for food lovers in Toronto is back for 2014. Unlike other culinary shows that happen in the city, what I like about DFS is that it's not massive and overcrowded but has a good number of exhibitors and features an impressive list of celebrity chefs, cooking demonstrations and workshops - talk about interactive! I returned this year and left with a full stomach once again.

Taco de Pollo by Milagro Cantina

REVIEW | Bywoods - rustic ambiance & modern mediterranean cuisine on St. Clair West

I'm not often in the St. Clair West area but every time I'm there, I wonder why I'm rarely there.  This under-rated neighbourhood is home to many delicious restaurants to be discovered, one of them being the recently visited Bywoods, a creation by Tony Cappellano of Boom breakfast chain.  This dinner-only restaurant offers a Mediterranean-inspired menu that isn't too traditional.

WORKSHOP | cooking class & family style dinner with Mama Rosa at 7 Numbers Restaurant

I've seen or heard about 7 Numbers Restaurant and its delicious authentic Italian dishes it offers for as long as I can remember.  Recently I was invited to a cooking class & dinner with the woman behind the delicious food - Rosa Marinuzzi - of course I didn't hesitate to attend.  There are two locations in Toronto: one on the Danforth and one on Eglinton ave., the restaurant I visited.

LAUNCH | New menu & kitchen program with premium whisky at The Emmet Ray

Ever since its doors opened in December 2009 on College St., The Emmet Ray remains as comfortable and inviting as it was 5 years ago. While the atmosphere has stayed the same, they have recently launched a new menu and kitchen program which is sure to impress regulars and new diners.

REVIEW | Sunday Brunch at Lisa Marie (Fidel Gastros) tucked away in Queen West

Located in the heart of Toronto's fashion district on Queen West lives Lisa Marie, a restaurant, snack bar, event space or in my case, a delightful brunch spot.  Created by Matt Basile, known for his popular food truck, Fidel Gastro, this quaint & welcoming eatery offers innovative and delicious menu that is sure to impress.  Recently, I made my first visit for their Sunday brunch service.

LAUNCH | Esquinas De Argento Wines now available at LCBO - a taste of Buenos Aires!

The Argentinian wine brand, Bodega Argento has launched a new pair of wines called Esquinas De Argento this month! What better way to celebrate an Argentinian wine launch than with delicious food, Argentinian graffiti artist and a steady flow of the new wines?  That's just what we did at El Almacen located in the Queen West neighbourhood.

 

GIVEAWAY | Win a $25 Gift Card for Bywoods Restaurant

We had a wonderful dinner experience at Bywoods Restaurant recently and want to share it with you! Located in the quaint St. Clair West neighbourhood, the restaurant combines old world flavours in new & exciting culinary creations. We're giving away a $25 gift card to a lucky winner to indulge in the delectable dishes that we had the chance to.

EVENT | Food Phone-O-Graphy Class with Henry's Cameras - tips for your next best #foodporn photo!

You guys probably know that we like to take photos of everything we eat or drink (just check out our instagram: @foodsisterhood). Because a lot of our photos are taken at random times of the day, we often use our cameras on our phones to take the food photos, meaning it's not high quality photography. Thank God for Henry's Phone-O-Graphy classes because I attended one last week and left with some awesome tips and tricks to taking better drool-worthy food photos with my phone!

REVIEW | Bryan's BBQ - Korean AYCE with more restrictions than options

A group of us went to eat at Bryan's BBQ after we discovered Joon's Restaurant (read about it here) was closed every second and fourth Tuesdays. There are a ton of Korean restaurants in the Bloor and Christie area but Bryan's happened to be across the street and they had an all you can eat barbeque so we decided to give it a try.

Photo from BlogTO

REVIEW | Han Ba Tang - tapas menu with traditional Korean ingredients & a modern twist in North York

Han Ba Tang (HBT) is a newly opened Korean fusion tapas restaurant and bar in the bustling Yonge and Sheppard neighbourhood.  With a read parking lot and steps to the Sheppard TTC station, it's in a very accessible location.  If you're in the area often, you probably already drove past or walked by the new addition  And, if you haven't already noticed, Han Ba Tang doesn't have a typical storefront sign and it's actually for a very good reason.

GIVEAWAY | Win a Yogurty's Gift Card & Try the New Pink Velvet Flavour in Support of CBCF

Yogurty's have been one of our favourite places to get frozen yogurt in Toronto. Other than the wide range of serve-yourself yogurt flavours, an abundance of unique toppings and their loveable mascot, Froyo the bear, we love how supportive and involved they are with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF).  Yogurty's has launched a special Pink Velvet Flavour for which 10% of proceeds will be donated to the cause until October 31st!

RECIPE | Summer Fresh Roasted Garlic Hummus Sesame Noodles & WIN our GIVEAWAY!

We told you about our love for SummerFresh's wide range of hummus when we made a visit to their headquarters last year. This time around, though our post is to show you how hummus can be used in a super quick and easy recipe that isn't necessarily using hummus in the typical form of dips and spreads.  Instead, I decided to use the hummus as a sauce to one of my all time favourite sesame noodle recipe! Introducing Monica's Roasted Garlic Hummus Sesame Noodles! We also have a giveaway for Summerfresh products too.

EVENT | Bent Restaurant launches new 5-course Vegetarian Tasting Menu September 9 - 20!

For a limited time only, Bent Restaurant is serving up a delightful 5-course vegetarian tasting menu from September 9 - 20. After getting a taste of what the menu is all about with a workshop on how to make a meringue, we are certain you won't ever say vegetarian dishes are boring anymore! 

All photo taken by Alex Tsang @Tsangzilla

EVENT | Celebrate Ontario Wines with LCBO from September 14 - October 11 #TasteLocalLoveLocal

With the sunny summer coming to an end, I can't help but feel a little sad about patio season being over. Well, that's until I found out about LCBO's celebration of local Ontario Wines, available in stores from September 14th to October 11. They call it, Taste Local, an annual event during the harvest season, which features Ontario wines from each wine region district, allowing wine lovers to taste and discover a new favourite.

OPENING | Chatime opens a new location in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood for more 'Good Tea, Good Time'

My favourite bubble tea brand, Chatime has its opened doors to their latest store, located in the Annex across the street from the St. George subway station. This location will be especially convenient for the UofT students nearby. I got a sneak preview of the store last week and ended up leaving with more love for Chatime and discovered their hidden gem drinks.

REVIEW | Marben Restaurant on Wellington for dinner with some foodies from Zomato Toronto

Marben Restaurant has always been on my list but for some reason, I have yet to try - so when Zomato's foodie dinner was at this restaurant, I was beyond excited.  Marben is well known for its farm-to-table menu that is constantly evolving, and mostly catering to the after work crowd in the King West neighbourhood.

NEWS | TIFF Promo at Luckee Restaurant offers a unique dim sum experience, including afternoon tea!

It's the very first day of TIFF 2014 and what better way to start off than to talk about some drool-worthy specials at some of our favourite restaurants? TIFF is Toronto's liveliest and the most star-studded event in the film industry so it's no wonder why chefs are bringing their best dishes forward.  Luckee is no exception and one of our most anticipated - we love Chef Susur Lee's take on TIFF with his own 'production' called - Spotlight Dimsum.

NEWS | Zomato is launching in Toronto: What it is & How to use it for the full Zomato Experience

There's a new foodie guide app coming to Toronto: Zomato! The name is definitely catchy but what makes Zomato different from the other apps we're already using, like Urbanspoon and Yelp? Zomato's guide focuses on providing users information on delivery, dining out, cafes & even nightlife in major cities world wide in India, New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal, Chile, United Kingdom... and many more. I think it's safe to say if you're traveling to those cities, you can count on Zomato for your gastronomic adventures.

EVENT | Food Sisterhood at The Ex - Toronto's annual event for the whole family #CNE2014

It's that time of the year again - time to go to The Ex (Canadian National Exhibition)! This festive annual event that takes place by Toronto's waterfront welcomes Torontonians and tourists of all ages with music, games, entertainment, rides, food, marketplace for local vendors as well as a casino. Check out the photos from Monica's visit earlier last week.

REVIEW | Touhenboku Ramen's new location at Yonge & Eglinton

It's not too long ago that Japanese Ramen became all the rave in Toronto's food scene and ramen specialty restaurants were popping up within the city. Last winter, we got a taste of Touhenboku Ramen on Queen St that differentiated themselves by offering chicken broth (read review). We had a great experience there with their various offerings and when the news came that a second location was opening at Yonge & Eglinton, I was more than excited to try it!

EVENT | Pizza & Gelato Party at G for Gelato in the St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood - what a blast!

We've always been told not to judge by a book by its cover and we shouldn't judge a restaurant by its name either. G for Gelato - gelato and espresso bar definitely offers more than just that!

OPENING | Montreal's popular PoutineVille opens in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood

The arrival of Poutineville to the Annex means that we can finally have all you can eat poutine and a heart attack - just kidding! We don't mean a real heart attack but Poutineville's infamous 15 lb. poutine called 'The Heart Attack."

GIVEAWAY | Win tickets to the Delicious Food Show 2014: Oct 17 - 19 in the Direct Energy Centre!

The annual show that features the best in cooking, food and entertaining, the Delicious Food Show is back at the Direct Energy Centre from October 17th through the 19th.  We had a blast last year at the show (read 2013's recap here) discovering local vendors, watching live cooking demonstrations and of course, eating our hearts out. We can't wait to go back and we're giving away a pair of tickets for a lucky winner to share the fun experience! Sharing is caring, right?

Image courtesy Delicious Food Show

OPENING | Much anticipated DaiLo (not GwaiLo) opens on College & Bathurst with #sickasianfood

Ever since my first bite of the Big Mac Bao I had at YumChaTO earlier this year, I was intrigued by Chef Nick Liu's way of cooking "New Asian Cuisine." With a bunch of pop-ups and participation in various events in the Toronto food scene, Nick Liu is well know to many foodies. When it was announced that he will finally have a basecamp, a kitchen to call his own, we were eagerly awaiting the opening. DaiLo is located on College St., a block West of Bathurst St.

  

Photo Credit: Mauricio Calero, MJCPHOTOGRAPHY