REVIEW | Pi Co. Pizza

We all know that there's a LOT of options when it comes to pizza in Toronto. We haven't even come close to trying all of them as there's a new pizza shop popping up every few months! There are obviously differences - gourmet, brick oven, fast food, DIY, gluten-free, thin/thick crust, etc. the list is endless. When it comes to Pi Co. it's the perfect compromise in between all of that. It's a custom pizza that's authentic and cooked in minutes in a brick oven. The best part is that it's fast!

LAUNCH | \MoRoCo Chocolat

One of Toronto's ritzy neighbourhoods, Yorkville wouldn't be the same without its popular luxury chocolat boutique, MoRoCo Chocolat.  Tucked away on Yorkville Ave., this whimsical spot not only offers amazing chocolate, but also has brunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and did I mention cocktails? 

I've been to MoRoCo on several occasions this year, whether to pick up some macarons or meet up with a friend for brunch, since my last post on MoRoCo. This post in particular features their new cocktail and dinner menu items for the season that I was invited to preview two weeks ago.

LAUNCH | Café Boulud

Same great location, attentive service, and a beautiful hotel you enter through called the Four Seasons. So, what's different about the newly renovated Cafe Boulud? For one, it's the newly designed space that is modern and cozy;  another is a wide range of new menu items that is traditionally French but with influences that Chef Daniel Boulud soaked in from cooking and dining around the world in different cultures.

  

EVENT | Brunch In The City with Canola Eat Well at Windsor Arms Hotel

Both Clara and I are big fans of brunches and we're not ones to ever pass up on an opportunity to do so. A week ago, I received an invitation for a "Brunch In The City"at the Windsor Arms Hotel, hosted by Abbey Sharp and Chef Christine Tizzard, so of course I said yes!  I went with an empty stomach and curiosity about what I'll be learning about Canola Oil.

REVIEW | Trattoria Nervosa

Italian is probably my favourite cuisine as I simply cannot live without pasta - well, it's a close race between Italian and Korean. One of my go-to spots in Toronto for Italian is Trattoria Nervosa, tucked away in Yorkville. It's one of those places that I revisit often and order the same dishes so I assumed I wrote a blog post about it previously but I was wrong! I will share my favourite dishes at Nervosa - the ones that I always order - in this post.

REVIEW | The One Eighty

If you're a Torontonian, there is no doubt that you know about Panorama - the lounge that was at the 51st floor of the Manulife Centre in Yorkville.  I've been there a few times and yes, although it has the fantastic views of Toronto and it's a romantic spot, the food offering was lacking and after just a couple of visits, I never went back.  To my excitement the venue has been reinvented as The One Eighty. What makes it different than its former venue? There's a bigger focus on the culinary experience, an elevated cocktail menu the space itself has been revamped to be both fun and luxe.

REVIEW | NAO Steakhouse

A good steakhouse is like a needle in a haystack .You know it's there but it's so hard to find. Steak on its own seems like a simple concept, a piece of meat that doesn't require much seasoning and just heat to cook. Yet people everywhere ourselves included have struggled to cook that perfect steak.

Thankfully there are great steakhouses around in Toronto that save us the trouble of slaving over the stove. NAO Steakhouse in Yorkville offers an extensive meat selection as well as other dinner entree options that's not just steak!

LAUNCH | MoRoCo Chocolat welcomes Chef Eyal Liebman & exciting new menu

MoRoCo Chocolat is known as a popular dessert boutique that specialized in chocolates, located in Yorkville.  I've been there a number of times for their amazing French macarons, high tea or chocolates - oh, I also had brunch there once but it wasn't memorable. When we were invited for a relaunch of their dining menu by their new chef, Eyal Liebman (founder of L is for...) we were intrigued as to he will elevate the dining experience to this dessert focused boutique!

REVIEW | The Tea Room at Windsor Arms Hotel - wide range of teas, delicious sandwiches & the best scones!

It' been a while since I indulged in an afternoon tea, so when my friend suggested going to the Tea Room at the Windsor Arms, I was on board.  I have heard great things about their tea services but also read some not-go-great reviews, so I was excited to try it first hand myself.

REVIEW | The Good Press - Yorkville's new organic, cold-pressing juice bar

Cold-pressing has been around for decades but it wasn't until late 2012 - early 2013 that Toronto started catching on to this new "trend" and saw a boost of juice bars dedicated to providing one-bottle meals full of super-foods.  Yorkville welcomed The Good Press to their swanky neighbourhood this season and is quickly becoming a go-to for a quick snack or even a meal alternative.

EVENT | Carens Wine & Cheese Bar - Yorkville's hidden gem for a great selection of wine & cheese

We were invited for a blogger night at Carens Wine & Cheese Bar, situated in Yorkville.  A wine & cheese bar is quite perfect for the luxurious neighbourhood to stop by after shopping or after being pampered at a Spa nearby.  We've never been here or heard of it as it's not really noticeable as you walk along Cumberland Street but so glad we had the chance to get a taste of what they're all about.  We think we found great spot to come for a glass of wine (or a bottle) and a delicious cheese board with girlfriends or on a date!

REVIEW | Café Boulud - prix fixe Sunday brunch at Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel

The prestigious Four Seasons Hotel opened its doors in October 2012 but we still haven't dined there!  Thought it was about time to change this so, last Sunday, my girlfriends and I met for some long overdue Brunch at the Café Boulud inside the hotel.

REVIEW | Over Easy - loved the famous potato hash, but not so much the slow service

I walked by Over Easy Restaurant, a popular brunch spot in the U of T neighbourhood, many times in the past but never had a chance to eat there.  Finally, I headed over there for brunch recently.  

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.

LAUNCH | Windsor Arms Hotel Restaurant - Yorkville's newest spot 'The Living Room' provides luxurious comfort

We LOVE going to new places and trying new things so we were both super excited to be invited to the launch of Windsor Arms Hotel's newly renovated restaurant - The Living Room. When we first heard about the chic new space, we were very intrigued because the name certainly doesn't sound like a restaurant.

REVIEW | Ciao Wine Bar - a good place for Italian & wine in Yorkville

I've been to Ciao Wine Bar a few times and had both good and not-so-good experiences. However, I always find myself returning here and recommending this Italian Restaurant/ Wine bar to my friends. For the most recent dinner I had there with a girlfriend, we had a great time with some delicious pizza, pasta and wine.

  

Image from Ciao Wine Bar

REVIEW | Annona at the Park Hyatt Yorkville - Afternoon Tea that hits all the right notes

 As a post-birthday meetup, my friend and I decided to go for some Afternoon Tea since we were meeting at an awkward mid-afternoon time.  Luckily for us, Annona at the Park Hyatt Yorkville had tea service starting at 3pm, which was perfect.

Park Hyatt is located on Avenue Road and Bloor St., which is one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Toronto.  There's so many shops and boutiques to check out before tea time at Annona.

REVIEW | Sassafraz - winterlicious 2013 in the heart of Yorkville

For those of you who are not familiar, Winterlicious is a culinary event in Toronto that happens during the winter months (stating the obvious, here) where restaurant and cafes offer a prix fixe menu.  Being foodlovers, we weren't going to pass up this opportunity to try new restaurants and revisit old favourites!

Monica had the chance to visit Sassafraz, a well-known restaurant in the Yorkville neighbourhood for lunch last weekend with some friends.