not taipei: TORONTO - downtown, part i

The last time I went to Toronto was a few years ago in 2007 and I can barely remember what I ate- bar food, hotel food and some expensive dim sum. Oh, I did make it to Mother's Dumplings in Chinatown, but everything else is mostly a blur.

So this time when I went last month, I was determined to eat up a storm in Toronto. Thanks to Yelp, awesome readers from my Facebook page (thanks guys!!) and more food blogs than ever to research from, I had lots of new flavors and a shortlist of places to eat at if I ever go back to Toronto again!

MESSINI AUTHENTIC GYROS - strongly recommend



Of all the spots in Greektown on Danforth to choose from, we headed straight to Messini, which was the only one that still packed a crowd at 4pm in the afternoon. The above picture should say it all- a huge pita stuffed with lamb, tomatoes, tzatziki and then french fries!!! I've never seen that before elsewhere, but man was it genius. When I ordered the gyro sandwich, the waitress asked if I wanted pork, chicken or lamb. When I ordered the lamb gyros pita (C$5), she warned me it would be more fatty than the other meats. I was a bit confused, but I understood why after eating it. Unlike many gyro places where the meat is ground up and processed into a slab and then sliced into strips from the spit, the lamb here was real chunks of roasted lamb, stringy and browned, reminding me of carnitas. If you don't like lamb, then order chicken or pork because the lamb here is quite strong in its smell and taste.

The other thing I couldn't resist was the greek fries(C$3.95) which were fried rounds of potatoes topped with feta cheese.



The servers are quite busy running around, so you will have to work to wave them down. But once your food comes, you should definitely leave full.

ACCENTS RESTAURANT at SUTTON PLACE- recommend



I probably wouldn't have eaten here if I didn't have food and beverage credit from staying here, but their food is solid. The creamy Sweet pea risotto with scallops (C$17) had huge, perfectly seared scallops and the great flavors. Their eggs benedict were quite nice too. The feel of the hotel and restaurant are a bit old school, but it's amusing to admire their walls of headshots of celebrities who have stayed there.

WRAP and GRAB- strongly recommend



The chicken shawarma from Wrap and Grab was hands down one of my favorite meals on this trip. It was strongly recommended to me by reader Vicky, so I knew I had to give it a try. It was my first time trying shawarma, though it reminded me a lot of Doner Kebab in Taipei, this was so much more. Along with the meat and lettuce, you can also add garlic sauce and hummus which gives it a creamy, zesty flavor. The flavors seemed to have melded together when they heat it up, and the effect was like a super long wrap in a pressed panini. Wrap and Grab has two locations and there are a ton of shawarma places on every other block, all over downtown, but I'll never forget my first time. Just don't get tempted by the samosa- even after toasting, it wasn't crispy or good.

FRESH- recommend



Reader Olivia strongly told me to try out Fresh so that I could understand what she was looking for in Taipei- sorry Olivia, I'm not sure there's anything like it here! Fresh offers a completely vegetarian/vegan menu with salads, appetizers, wraps, burgers and fresh bowls. Fresh was completely packed when I stopped by for dinner, but it was about a 10-15 minute wait for four people.

My favorites included the cornbread and hummus (C$2.50) and gluten free cashew cookie. Appetizers included quinoa coated onion rings, (C$5) veggie egg rolls (C$8) and sweet potato fries (C$6).



I'd choose the salads over the soba, which varied depending on what sauces and toppings you mixed in. The Fresh bowls are quite expensive, at about C$9-13 for brown rice and C$14-15 for soba noodles. We tried the chopped caesar (C$8) which had crunchy tempeh, edamame, sun dried tomato, jicama, red pepper, napa cabbage, pine nuts and salad greens. If you're hungry, go for the dinner set at C$21, which includes a small appetizer, smoothie, fresh bowl and cookie.



If you're going to go for dessert, definitely pick the cashew cookie over the chocolate chunk, which was a bit dry in comparison. The cashew cookie was surprisingly moist, and reminded us of the texture of the chinese almond cookie.



breakfast buffet from COURTYARD MARRIOTT, DOWNTOWN TORONTO



My favorite thing about the breakfast buffet at the Marriott Courtyard was the make your own waffles set up. The batter came out of a spout and you poured it in to the mini-waffle iron, flipped and waited. I cooked mine a little longer, hoping to have some crispy edges and they didn't turn out half bad.

I have more eats coming soon!! Crepes, waffles and more...

MESSINI AUTHENTIC GYROS
445 Danforth Ave
Toronto, ON, Canada
(416) 778-4861

ACCENTS RESTAURANT at SUTTON PLACE
955 Bay Street
Toronto, Canada
(416) 324-5633

WRAP AND GRAB
170 Dundas St W
Toronto, Canada
(416) 595-9727

FRESH
326 Bloor St W
Toronto, Canada
(416) 531-2635
www.juiceforlife.com

YONGE STREET GRILL
at COURTYARD MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN TORONTO
475 Yonge Street, Toronto
(416) 924-0611

taiwanese/street eats: i strongly recommend XING LONG HANDMADE COLD NOODLES

XING LONG HANDMADE COLD NOODLES
or XING LONG SHOU GONG LIANG MIAN
No. 2-1, Lane 333, Roosevelt Rd. (Or LuoSiFu Rd)
(02) 2363-0429

hours: 11AM- 11 PM

$

Kid friendliness: limited tight seating; can get stuff to go

Visit reviewed: 10/6/2010



Down any random alley in Taipei, you'll inevitably find something delicious to eat. Down this random alley in Shida, I followed my gut and followed my nose. I smelled the sweet distinctive smell of stinky tofu. Sweet to some, unbearable to others. This alley, like a lot of others, was like uncovering a treasure map of eats- a run bing vendor, a pepper bun stand, a soy tofu vendor, and a row of xiao chi or small eats.

But one stood out from the others- it was bustling, there were people waiting in line and it was the source of the stinkiness! If I didn't have a lunch date right around the corner, I would have did a tasting course with a sample from each different place.



Besides stinky tofu, this place is also known for their cold sesame noodles and hot noodle soups, based on the orders and wall of fame. There's not a lot of room to sit- some right in front of the food, and about 10 seats in the back.Everything is under NT$50 or US$2.



I grabbed a plastic stool near the front, next to the wall of magazine and newspaper reviews blown up for show. While I was waiting for my stinky tofu to be freshly fried, I watched the lao ban scoop up dry noodles from a huge silver bowl and spoon an assortment of sauces atop to complete a plate of cold sesame noodles and a short line form for to-go orders.



The wait was worth it. The crispy skin of the each piece of stinky tofu was broken in the center, and stuffed with finely diced garlic and garlic juice. It was like the pungency of the garlic cancelled out the pungency of the stinky tofu and made one harmonious bite. (Ha ha! Okay, I can't imagine what stinky tofu garlic breath smells like to the non initiated, but just bring some mints for afterwards.) Topped with sliced cucumber and a side of pickled cabbage for more crunch, I added some of the chili sauce that was available on the table.



So now I have new daytime spot to go to for stinky tofu lovers while mourning the my recent discovery of the disappearance/closure of Yong Kang Kou on Yong Kang Street. I'm definitely coming back to this alley for more.


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chinese/breakfast: i recommend FU HANG DOU JIANG

FU HANG DOU JIANG 阜杭豆漿
at Hua Shan Market, 2F
No. 108, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 1
(02) 2392-2175

MRT: Shandao station

hours: 5:30AM- 10:30AM

$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted. room for strollers and family seating

Visit reviewed: 9/22/2010



I've never seen so many people in line for Chinese breakfast before checking out Fu Hang Dou Jiang, so of course, while waiting in line, my expectations grew. From where the picture above is taken, I'm near the end of the line looking at the front of the line, and you can't see the people in between us, snaking between the stairwell and open kitchen.

Fu Hang Dou Jiang is one of those places that you'd never find unless you knew someone that knew it was there. It's tucked on the 2nd floor of a local market and doesn't have an obvious storefront for passerbys. Once I made my way up the stairs, I was amazed at the long wait. It was a weekday morning around 10AM, and it was about a 20-30 minute wait. At least you can admire the process when you get closer to the front- the freshly made you tiao and sao bing get baked and fried and toasty.




The menu is mostly in Chinese, though up front there are some picture menus with English.



Most of the traditional Chinese breakfast menu items are available here including sweet soy milk (warm or cold) or dou jiang, salty soy milk (hot), fried doughnuts or you tiao, sao bing or sesame flatbread, rice balls or fan tuan.



One thing that is different here is that the sao bing is available in a thicker or thin variety. The hou bing or thicker flatbread is more chewy and doughy, but still has a crispy exterior.



The hou bing has a slightly sweeter and chewier taste than the thinner sao bing (NT$18). It had a distinctive taste and would make for a hearty breakfast. You can get it by itself (NT$25), with egg (NT$35) or with you tiao (NT$45). I had a bite of my friend's breakfast, but I got the regular sao bing you tiao (NT$38) which was crispy and flaky, but wished the you tiao was crispier.



The salty soy milk seemed to have a strong soy sauce flavor and was a tad salty for me. But I liked the cold soy milk (NT$22) which they will serve in a bowl with a spoon if you eat there instead of to-go unless you request a cup and straw.



The end verdict? A solid spot for Chinese breakfast, especially for those in the neighborhood, but be prepared for the lines. I can't imagine how crazy it could be on the weekends! The good thing about the lines is that you're likely getting a fresh out of the oven hou bing or sao bing because of the turnover and stuff isn't just sitting there like most places. I guess they remodeled in recent years though so that the space is more modern and nice with lots of room for families and larger groups. Give it a try if you want something different from your usual spot, are up early or out late, or want to show someone that you know where the locals eat!


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CLOSED! dessert: i strongly recommend SWEET TOOTH

a/o 5/2011 CLOSED- owner moved shop home, so check FB page for updates/catering info.

SWEET TOOTH
No. 9-2, Lane 13, Pucheng St.
(02) 2369-0689

MRT: Taipower Building or Guting

website: Sweet Tooth's FB page

hours: Tues-Sun 12PM- 10PM, Mondays 5PM-10PM

$

Kid friendliness: small space and no high chairs, but lots of kid friendly desserts available

Visit reviewed: 10/5/2010



It's true that when one door closes, another one opens.. But who would have thought that instead of tacos, I'd be getting brownies and honey ice cream? After a recommendation from reader Ginny to try out Taco Bar in Shida, I made a date with a few fellow Mexican loving friends to check it out. But apparently Taco Bar isn't open for lunch as some internet blogs reported... when we got there a little before noon, its main door was closed with a metal gate and the whole alley off of Pucheng St was quiet.



So after trying to figure out what to do, the small sign for "Belgian ligne waffles" and cute storefront caught our eye. We spotted the owner inside and asked about Taco Bar and she said that she thought it opened later, like in the afternoon. I think she saw our distress and invited us inside to check out her shop because we were curious about her waffles.



The cozy nook seats about ten people and has a cheerful decor, with colorful framed drawings of animals and handpainted walls. Open for about a year, Sweet Tooth is a good spot for afternoon tea snacks and offers a brunch menu on the weekends.




While the waffles wouldn't be ready until later (the dough, which included pearl sugar, was still rising), she offered us a taste of her banana cake with rose cream. All of the her menus are currently in Chinese only with no pictures, but Ariel, the owner, is happy to suggest and explain her treats.



It was moist and muffin-like, and not too sweet and the handmade rose whipped cream offered an interesting complement to the banana cake.



But for those with a serious sweet tooth, you have to check out her brownies (NT$60). They were gooey and thick just like the kind I like to bake at home... the texture was not too cakey and not fudgey.



You could make any of the desserts ala mode with the honey ice cream. One of the most popular waffle combos is a waffle with a scoop of honey ice cream.



There's also teas and coffee- the fruit tea was fragrant and a good balance to the sweetness of the brownie. She also sells larger loaves of the banana cake and brownies for NT$250 and gives discounts for larger orders.

I'll definitely be back to try out the Belgian waffles, and maybe the nutella banana toast, which she said she would be trying out- two pieces of toast with nutella and banana sandwiched in between, and grilled on the waffle iron. And maybe try out Taco Bar when it is actually open, or Exotic Masala House, a few doors down, or the Korean restaurant across the street. As always, there's too much to eat in Taipei.

snapshot: new stuff spotted at COSTCO

Spotted on my Costco run today! A megapack of Korean ramen noodles with curry including the diced potato, carrots etc. I was super tempted by this, and will try it on my next trip.

Jalapeno muenster and chipotle jack cheese slices. If you've ever bought cheese in Taipei, you know how expensive it can be. A small chunk of smoked cheese at Breeze's supermarket is about NT$100. So that makes this a bargain at NT$285, even though I'd probably rarely pay US$10 for cheese in the states. I really like Finlandia's Colby, Jack, Cheddar and Swiss pack so I bought a pack of this to try.



And...Tigreat premade crepes, coming in butter and sugar or chocolate fillings. I was tempted by this too, but I resisted. Has anyone tried this or bought premade crepes before?



Stuff picked up on this trip- Kirkland pesto, grapes, apple strudels and a giant jar of Korean citron tea.

snapshot/revisited: i strongly recommend the chocolate marshmallow cake at VVG BISTRO

VVG BISTRO (or HAO YANG)
20, Alley 40, Lane 181, Zhongxiao E. Rd, Sec. 4
(02) 8773-3533

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

$$-$$$

Visit reviewed: 9/22/2010

It's been awhile since I've been to VVG Bistro and written about it (FOUR years!). It's kind of fun to look at old reviews and old photos- not only is it a snapshot of the blog at the time, but also of the restaurant. My visit this time was a lot better than the last- the service, the portions and the overall experience.

Usually I end up at VVG Table for their brunch set on the weekends, but I'm glad I got a chance to revisit the OG VVG.

They still have some of my favorites there- the roasted chicken dome, the pesto and bread and various linguine pastas- but what I want to talk about is the chocolate and marshmallow cake (NT$220)!



Those of you who live in Taipei know that a good chocolate cake is hard to find here. Of course, everyone has a different idea of what makes a good chocolate cake good, but if you are a chocoholic then you shouldn't be disappointed.

The top part is rich and dense like eating a huge oversized truffle with the airy marshmallows for contrast, but since dark chocolate was used, it wasn't overkill sweet. The bottom part is a moist cake that you can eat separately or together with the top. I scooped a bit of each along with the vanilla ice cream to make the perfect bite. The slice is big enough that I shared it with three other people and still had enough satisfaction.

western/chinese: SUGAR CAFE

SUGAR CAFE
No. 4, Alley 27, Lane 216, Zhong Xiao E. Road, Sec. 4  (moved a/o 10/2011)
No. 406-1, Ren Ai Rd, Sec. 4
(02) 8771-4210

hours:11:30 am - 9:30

$-$$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted

Visit reviewed: 5/4/2010



When my friend picked Sugar Cafe as the lunch spot for our girls' lunch, I thought she chose it because she had been before and wanted us to try it- after all that was the regular M.O. for our lunch dates. But when we got there at 11:15AM to a closed location, we questioned her choice- 'Is this place open? Haven't you been before?' We then found out not only that it doesn't open until 11:30AM (as many places in Taipei can't seem to open before noon), but that she chose the place because she thought the pictures of the food looked good from its Facebook page. Good one, VC.



Once the door lifted, I had a slight sense of dejavu and it wasn't until I got inside and checked out the menu that I realized that this was formerly the location of Yogurt Me. It turns out the owners totally revamped from the inside out- basically reinventing and reutilizing the space and using the Yogurt Me yogurt as a dessert or side for afternoon tea. I think it was a smart move- no one wants to go to a froyo place for sandwiches and breakfast, but people will go to a cafe for froyo. Plus it was just a better designed space, post revamp, moving around the previous "kitchen/yogurt counter" to the back and making way for more seats.



Anyways, if you had never been to the previous incarnation, you'd just see it as a cozy space with warm colored walls and seating areas.

But unfortunately, Sugar Cafe didn't serve any of the desserts or waffles my friend had spotted- instead during lunch hours (before 1:30PM), only the lunch menu is served. Back in May, it was only in Chinese, but it looks like a new English/Chinese menu was introduced over the summer as well as a menu change. The old menu had pastas and rice dishes, but the new menu includes burgers, sandwiches and fried rice.

So I left it up to my friends to order- the menu has both Western and Chinese offerings- so we got a sampling of both.



Complimentary shredded cabbage while we wait for our mains.



When Spaghetti with tomato meat sauce (NT$160) arrived to the table, a few of my friends complained about the pungent smell that accompanied it. When we inquired, they said it was the cheese, but I must admit, it was quite strong smelling for parmesan. I tried a few bites and there was nothing wrong with it- it had the familiar slightly sweet tomato sauce, but one of my friends was so turned off by the smell, she didn't dare take one bite.



The other dishes we ordered were the fried pork chop with rice and the fried chicken with rice which looked the same, with the crispy slices of meat, neat side of rice and trio of vegetables, egg and sprouts. While I enjoyed the bites of pork chop, it was weird for me to eat this along with the spaghetti and it felt sort of like bian dang food served up on a nice plate.



Some fresh oranges to complete the meal- but just makes me wish I had some frozen yogurt!



I would have liked to try the dessert/afternoon tea menu, as the lunch menu wasn't unique enough to call me back, but it could probably be a decent place to eat for people who work or live nearby and want a quick bite to eat. It's too bad that Sugar Cafe doesn't serve breakfast and desserts all day long (that are featured on the sign outside)- it might bring it a wider audience if it did.


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snapshot/not taipei: HSINCHU SHAVED ICE

Sometimes I get emails asking where to eat in cities other than Taipei, and I'm sad to say that I'm pretty unhelpful in those areas. I don't often venture outside the city and when I do, it's with relatives that know where they are going and I don't get a chance to look at street signs or understand where we are going. I'm sure that experience is familiar to many of you- when you travel with relatives, sometimes you don't even get to see the menu (or if you do, I'm not understanding it because it's all in Chinese) or pay the bill.



Anyways- I didn't want to let that stop me from sharing some of the places I've eaten at outside of Taipei and also use it as a chance to ask those of you reading who live in these cities/areas to share some of your favorite places (and addresses/phone numbers) for people who might be looking for information online in English for those cities!

So in this case- Hsinchu!

Didn't have much time to explore since we were coming after a meal, but of course if I see shaved ice, we're going to eat shaved ice! This place had a huge sign near a busy area of food stalls and on a hot day, a lot of customers. Mango shaved ice (NT$120) is always one of the more expensive things on the menu, but the serving was big. The ice melted quickly in the early summer heat and it tasted a bit like the mango was soaked in a syrup which made it overly sweet.



So any readers from Hsinchu or visited there before- where should I go the next time I'm hungry in Hsinchu?

news: CLOSED restaurant updates & A8 Shin Kong Mituskoshi revamp

Walked around the A8 Xinyi Shin Kong Mitsukoshi food court today for the first time since its revamp in July. It's a bit fancier now, with a glossier look and some new additions- Subway, Hielo frozen yogurt, Richard Blanc bakery, Coldstone ice cream and what seems to be new sushi and teppanyaki places. Also an interesting addition- a pizza place called Skinny Taj Pizza with some traditional pizzas as well as some fusion. Noticeably gone is Good Day, which seemed a little lost previously on the opposite side of the food court near all the Japanese snacks. But now the food court extends and circles around the whole B2 floor. When I get back from LA, I'll explore it some more and do a full post.

After catching GOING THE DISTANCE last night, I thought I'd wander over for crepes at Suzette forgetting that NYNY is pretty much emptied out and being redone (rumor has it- for a new H&M in Taipei?!?). So the whole row of Starbucks, Mister Donut, McDonalds and around the corner, Suzette, are all gone (not to mention the NYNY food court). The website hasn't been updated, so don't know if it's moved elsewhere or if it's gone for good. Does anyone know?

What else has closed this year?
-Citizen Cain which is now a place called Cubano, which I heard has quite good Cuban sandwiches!
-La Casita
-California Grill at the Dun Hua location
-Famous Larry's NY Pizza
-Blue Spice Thai (we barely knew you!)

Any other updates that I should add to this list?

There's quite a bit of change in the 101/Taipei City Hall MRT area- the addition of the Taipei City Hall bus station center and addition/extension of the MRT station there has another food court-looking space to explore. Later this year (or next?) will also add the Le Meridien and W Hotel to this busy Taipei area. Looking forward to seeing what restaurants open up in those hotels.