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The Star's "Eaters' Choice Awards"
Eaters' Choice Awards
Poll finds food-loving Torontonians have wildly different tastes
JENNIFER BAIN
FOOD EDITOR
Let's call the inaugural Eaters' Choice Awards a smorgasbord.
When we put out the call for votes in 40 food and drink-related categories, we had no idea what kind of response we'd get. The e-mails came in a steady stream, along with a few snail-mail entries. But most people found it easiest to vote online at www.thestar.com.
Sorting through hundreds of responses, we realized that food-loving Torontonians have wildly different tastes, making it almost impossible to award top honours based just on numbers.
So we present our absolutely unscientific but utterly delicious awards. Sometimes the readers pick the winner. Other times we weigh in or offer multiple winners.
But whether you listen to us, or follow your own impulses, may you eat and drink well in 2003.
BEST COFFEESHOP
READERS' CHOICE: Second Cup, Starbucks and Tim Hortons (need we say more?).
EDITOR'S PICK:
"This coffee falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move ... things remembered arrive at full gallop ... similes arise, the paper is covered with ink; for the struggle commences and is concluded with torrents of black water, just as a battle with powder."
Honoré de Balzac (1799-1859)
Not only is Balzac's Coffee impossibly gorgeous, with its high ceilings, stunning chandelier and split-level seating, it sells micro-roasted, Fairtrade beans. The Stratford coffeehouse named for history's greatest coffee lover, French writer Honoré de Balzac, has come to the Distillery district of Toronto (55 Mill St., east of Parliament St., 416-207-1709, www.balzacs coffee.com). Enjoy Balzac's in peace now before the Distillery (www.thedistillerydistrict.com) officially launches in May.
STREET FOOD OF OUR DREAMS
Toronto cannot live on street meat alone. Indeed when we asked readers what street food they'd most like to see in Toronto other than just hot dogs, they came up with an enormous wish list. Some of it's shown on our cover illustration, but it includes samosas, frites, Belgian waffles, Asian noodles, souvlaki, hot pretzels, Beaver Tails, churros, crêpes, real lemonade and peameal bacon sandwiches.
Provinces like Quebec and B.C. have cool street food, so what's the deal here? Under Ontario Food Premises Regulations, any "mobile preparation premises" must meet restaurant standards (this means you'll see a few vans hawking Chinese food and other meals downtown). The only exception to this regulation is for hot dog carts that reheat a "pre-cooked meat product in the form of wieners or similar sausage products served on a bun." How outdated is that? Enlightened eaters have tried to change this ridiculous provincial regulation — which aims to keep hazardous foods off our streets — to no avail. But things are up for review this year, so speak out.
BEST CANADIAN BEER
READERS' CHOICE: Creemore Spings Premium Lager
Beating out the big bottles in this category is Creemore Springs Premium Lager, one of Ontario's own outstanding beers, brewed in the pretty village of Creemore (www.cree morespings.com). This amber lager, with just a little bit of a fruity flavour, was the original beer put out by the 15-year-old brewery (the seasonal Urbock was added in 1996). And it's still going strong. The brewery, as a whole though, is going stronger. A favourite in the draft end of the biz, it expects to double its bottle output over the next five years. Based on what our readers had to say — and we're in full agreement, it's a great beer — we're beginning to think that's too modest of a goal.
FOOD DUDE JON FILSON'S PICK: Amsterdam Nut Brown
In this lager-dominated country that we live in, brown ales like Amsterdam's fine Nut Brown (www.amsterdam beer.com) aren't always an easy sell. And that's a shame, because this Toronto microbrew is a great beer to either broaden your palate or just sit down and knock back. Beer aficionados would say it has hints of coffee and chocolate. But here's the English version: Nut Brown is a smooth, rich beer while you're drinking it, and it's got the aftertaste of a Hershey bar. Somehow it all works. A fun one to try if you haven't.
BEST BUFFET
READERS' CHOICE: Mandarin (various locations, www.mandarinbuffet.com).
EDITOR'S PICK: The "Bella! Did Ya Eat?" Jewish Sunday brunch at the Free Times Café (320 College St., 416-967-1078) . Kudos to a buffet that offers good eating (not just gorging) plus live music (Klezmer, Yiddish cabaret, etc.) under the welcoming embrace of owner Judy Perly. Your $15.95 gets you more than 40 items, including lemony cheese blintzes, potato latkes with cinnamon-spiked applesauce, gefilte fish, salmon patties, challah french toast, fresh fruit, dried figs and apricots and more. And dessert's no afterthought — it's a meal in itself.
BEST MEALS
BEST DIM SUM: Ambassador Chinese Cuisine (280 West Beaver Creek Rd., Richmond Hill, 905-731-5570). Ding Tai Fung Shanghai Dim Sum (First Markham Place, Hwy. 7 east of Woodbine Ave., Markham, 905-943-9880).
BEST PIZZA: Amato Pizza (238 Queen St. W., 416-591-6661 and other locations. President's Choice lactose-free vegetarian pepperoni pizza with melted topping.
BEST ROTI: Most voters shunned this category, so here's a definition. Take a whole wheat wrapper, stuff it with curried meat or veggies and you've got a roti. Try one at Caribbean restaurants and takeout spots like the Real Jerk (709 Queen St. E., Toronto, 416-463-6055) and Malhotra's Exotic Flavors (3100 Ridgeway Dr., Mississauga, 905-607-8058) .
BEST VEGETARIAN BURGER: The Nature Burger at Lick's (www.lickshomeburgers.com). Any veggie burger at Fresh by Juice for Life's three restaurants (www.juiceforlife.com). These patties are stuffed with barley, millet, sunflower seeds, almonds, garlic, beets, parsley, red onion, carrots and spices.
BEST COOKWARE STORE
READERS' CHOICE: Three spots take top honours. Kitchen Stuff Plus (various locations) for providing fun and affordable goods. Canadian Tire (various locations) because, as Ed Ritter writes: "If you can't find it there, you don't need it and can't afford it." And Cayne's Super Houseware Store (112 Doncaster Ave., Thornhill, 905-764-1188, www.cayneshouse wares.com) for its discount brand names.
EDITOR'S PICK: Tap Phong Trading Co. (360 Spadina Ave., 416-977-6364) for industrial pots and pans, breathtaking Japanese and Chinese plateware, and every gadget you'll ever need. But to see how the upper crust cooks, check out Williams-Sonoma, the place for people with way too much money, and the rest of us who just like to gawk.
MOST POPULAR INGREDIENT
There's a great cookbook called Everything Tastes Better With Bacon. Well, Star readers would argue that Everything Tastes Better With Garlic. Voters were effusive in their praise of the once shamefully stinky cousin to leeks, chives and onions. "Garlic — and this is not just for the year 2002," writes Tanya Filipek. "This is the all-round best ingredient ever." Not only is garlic becoming a staple, people are preoccupied with garlic presses, mini garlic graters and garlic peelers. The peelers, made of rubbery material in various shapes, sometimes succeed in separating cloves from skin, usually protect your hands from nasty odours, and always manage to give you leverage to open jars. If only they could fix your breath.
BEST GADGET/BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCE
BEST GADGET UNDER $30: This was the year of silicone. First, cooks gravitated to heat-resistant spatulas, vowing never to go back to plain rubber when the silicone version doesn't melt. Then they coughed up $20 for a Starfrit silicone oven and barbecue mitt (this one's from Cayne's). It's waterproof and can handle heats of 572F without melting. This means you get protection from your barbecue and pots of boiling water or. Plus you can toss it in the dishwasher.
BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCE: KitchenAid's stand mixer is the hands-down fave (www.kitchenaid.com).
FAVOURITE TORONTO RESTAURANT
READERS' CHOICE: If there's one thing readers can't agree on, it's a single favourite restaurant. The votes are too numerous to mention, but here are a few: YoYo's Restaurant, Caffino Ristorante, Susur, Pho Hung, Simon's Wok, Swan, Mildred Pierce, Centro, Chopan Kebab House, Red Lobster, Spring Rolls, the Keg, Hello Toast, Old Mill Inn, Swiss Chalet and Young Thailand.
EDITOR'S PICK: Café Crêpe, 246 Queen St. W. (at John St.), 416-260-1611. This fashionable, fledgling Queen St. spot delights with its savoury or sweet crepes. What's best, Nutella hazelnut spread with sliced banana ($5.25) or lemon juice and sugar ($3.50)? You be the judge. You can get your bundle of joy to go, or lounge in smoke-free splendour in the back. Best of all, the staff are attitude-free.
MOST CHILD-POSITIVE RESTAURANT
READERS' CHOICE: McDonald's.
EDITOR'S PICK: Japanese restaurants, like Sushi Time Japanese Cuisine (394 Bloor St. W., 416-323-2288) will stimulate their palates and culinary curiosity. Kids adore wrangling chopsticks, eating sushi (usually with avocado or cucumber instead of raw fish) and tempura, picking away at sushi pizza and ordering special boxes that compartmentalize their foods. "Chopsticks make everything taste better," says manager Odi Tang. "We like the kids and they like to come here." They might even let your kid come watch while they scoop out green tea or red bean ice cream.
BEST JAMAICAN PATTIES
Torontonians have a continuing love affair with patties. Beef, chicken or vegetable. Mild or spicy. It doesn't matter what you like as long as you have a favourite type and brand. But it seems that most people are loyal to Michidean's Ja Patty (1-888-527-2889). Dillon Wong, born in Jamaica to Chinese parents, named the business after his first two children, Michelle and Dean. As luck would have it, 29-year-old Michelle's poised to take over a mini-empire that supplies 7-Eleven and Bay stores, select subway stations, the Real Jerk restaurant and the shop now at Michidean's original location, Top Taste (758 Dovercourt Rd.). Dillon Wong figures his success revolves around his use of fresh ingredients over artificial flavours. But if you read the box you'll learn something that may surprise vegetarians: vegetable patties are not vegetarian because the pastry uses beef suet. Intrepid patty lovers should check out the Michidean bakery (Units 27 & 28, 7725 Birchmount Rd. at 14th Ave. in Markham, 905-946-0708) where 12 patties sell for $8. Is it worth the drive to save a few coins? That depends on your passion for patties.
OVER-RATED? UNDER-RATED? OR JUST ANNOYING?
MOST OVER-RATED FOOD OR DRINK: Roasted garlic, chipotles in adobo sauce, fast food, foie gras, martinis, refined sugar, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, bottled water, bubble tea, chardonnay, curry, diet pop, fresh ground pepper, sushi, water and schnitzel.
MOST UNDER-RATED FOOD OR DRINK: Butter tarts, green tea, raclette cheese, soy milk, retro desserts (cupcakes, white cakes, banana pudding), street dogs, sweet potato fries, Canadian beef, cheap wine, Korean barbecue, fresh peanut butter, water, rice, Indian food, lentils and farmer's market vegetables.
MOST ANNOYING FOOD TREND: Wraps, comfort food, low-fat eating, martini menus, foot-high presentation of food (a.k.a. architectural food), Atkins diet, food critics, fusion food, fresh figs and undercooking vegetables.
BEST CANADIAN FOOD SHOW
Readers know Michael Smith as "that chef from down east with the checkered pants." We now think of him as the ginger ale chef. That's because the host of Food Network's Chef At Large and The Inn Chef is splashed all over Canada Dry ginger ale bottles these days (see picture below) offering to prepare dinner in your home if you win the contest. Yup, this guy really means it when he says he's devoted to Canadian cuisine. Chef At Large is a welcome change from other recipe-weary shows. The Culinary Institute of America grad traipses around the country insinuating himself into food experiences as a pref chef. One show he's helping Senses cater at the Shaw Festival, the next show he's learning to fly fish at a remote lodge in Labrador. This show doesn't just make you want to cook something, it makes you want to get off your couch to see and taste our fabulous country.
BEST BAKERY
Famed for its baguettes as well as its philanthropy, Ace Bakery has a devoted following. Some loyal eaters go straight to the main bakery (1 Hafis Rd. at Lawrence Ave. W., North York, 416-241-3600) for fresh goods or to sit at the communal table in the small café. Others check out www.ace-bakery.com to figure out where Ace bread is sold. "Customers send e-mails saying things like `I was in a store and I don't think those guys are treating your bread right,' or `I picked up a baguette and it's great,'" confides co-owner Linda Haynes. "To me that's one of the greatest things." Ace Bakery makes bread from 17 doughs and ships it to Loblaws, gourmet shops, neighbourhood stores, restaurants and hotels from Toronto to Sudbury, and Windsor to Ottawa. The company, founded by Haynes and Martin Connell, turns 10 in March. It has always donated 10 per cent of its earnings to charity (a group headed by Connell that provides credit and savings services to self-employed people in Canada and the developing world). Now it's going to dole out the money across Ontario to community-based food programs instead.
FOOD PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Maybe it's because he came to Toronto twice last year. Or maybe it's because he's just so cute. Either way, there's no question that Jamie Oliver, the so-called Naked Chef, has charmed Canadians. "Jamie Oliver — cute as a button and his recipes work," writes Nancy Johnson. Or, as Debbie Kucheran puts it: "Jamie Oliver. No explanation, details or examples required here." We agree. Like him or not, his food is great.
BEST SNACKS
Snack lovers never run out of new options. Christine Lim voted for freshly made Little Egg Cookies (above), made from a sweet, egg-based batter at kiosks in Market Village and Pacific Mall in Markham. Lim's also mad for what she calls "egg wafer rollups" (they're pictured on the top of page F1 and look like hollow spring rolls). Ding Dong Snack Shop (First Markham Place, 3255 Hwy. 7 E., east of Woodbine Ave., Markham, 905-947-9716) is paradise for those seeking gourmet shelled chestnuts, bulk licorice olive slices and spicy mini cuttlefish. We also found green tea pumpkin seeds in First Markham Place. Indian snacks — like Surati's spicy fried split chickpeas — are gaining popularity. And pretzel lovers don't need to be told how great Beigel & Beigel baked, kosher pretzels with sesames from Israel are. We got a bag at Dickie's No Frills at the Golden Mile shopping centre.
BEST ONTARIO WINES
Wine writer Gordon Stimmell reviews the readers' picks on a 100-point system.
UNDER $9
Pelee Island 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon $8.95
A blend of Ontario and imported grapes, the nose presents cedar, persimmon and sour cherry aromas with a hint of spicy mace. Flavours are mainly sour cherry with green plum infusions, very earthy with overripe cherry on the finish and a lingering bitterness at the end. LCBO # 326421.
Value: Fair
Rating: 83
UNDER $10
Jackson Triggs 2001 Chardonnay $9.25
This non-VQA blend of imported and Ontario grapes shows floral melon and pear aromas with slight oxidative notes in the background. On the palate, nice pear and green apple flavours in a mellow delivery which finishes with sharp pear skin. LCBO # 328518.
Value: Good.
Rating: 85
UNDER $13
Henry of Pelham 2001 Baco Noir $12.25
A popular red made from Ontario grapes, the nose shows cooked plums, blueberry and smoky cherry notes. Lilacs, black cherry and ripe summer plum flavours. A robust-style red with lots of mouth-filling fruit. It has bigness, but lacks finesse. LCBO # 270926.
Value: Very good.
Rating: 88
BEST DRINKS
ALCOHOLIC DRINK: Oh Canada we drink a toast to thee — with Kittling Ridge's Oh Canada Maple Liqueur. It doesn't get much better than pure Canadian maple syrup mixed with Canadian whisky into a uniquely Canadian liqueur. Grimsby-based Kittling Ridge (www.kittling ridge.com) advises us to serve this beverage over ice as an after-dinner liqueur, or add to coffee, hot chocolate or eggnog. You can also brush it on sausages, pork or ham just before serving. We turned to the Martini Club, a Toronto-based cocktail catering company, for recipes. For a Maple Martini, add 1 ounce vodka and 1 ounce maple liqueur to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir well until chilled, then strain into a martini glass. For a Maple Mudslide, combine 1 ounce maple liqueur, 1/2 ounce Kahlua, 1/2 ounce Bailey's Irish Cream and 2 ounces milk or cream to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until frothy, then strain into a glass filled with crushed ice.
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK: Sure green tea, mango lassis and bubble tea are all the rage. But San Pellegrino Limonata wins top honours for its tart take on lemonade. Once found in select Italian shops, this sparkling beverage is widely available. Salut!
BEST CANADIAN COOKBOOK
WINNER: Anything by Anne Lindsay, the woman who "has been helping Canadians find healthier ways to enjoy good food for 25 years." She analyzes the calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, sodium and fibre in her recipes, tallies up the Glycemic Index in a book geared to diabetics and offers advice on reducing your risk of cancer through your diet. Her five cookbooks are all bestsellers.
RUNNERS-UP: Anything by Bonnie Stern, Rose Reisman or Canadian Living.
BEST COOKING CLASS
Readers applaud the continuing education cooking courses at George Brown College (www.gbrownc.on.ca). There's a great selection of classes and they're reasonably priced, a mixture of lectures and hands-on cooking in a classroom kitchen and — best of all — you get to take home all the food you make. But people also get a kick out of learning from television by watching Food Network. Recipe seekers scour www.foodtv.ca, www.epicurious.com, www.marthastewart.com, www.veg web.com and www.allrecipes.com.
BEST CHIPOTLE RECIPE
Okay, so we think chipotles in adobo sauce should rule the food world. We keep using them in recipes, and readers keep asking us what they are and how to use them. Latin American supermarkets and some major supermarkets sell small tins of chipotles. Purée the chilies and sauce, and then add it into everything from scrambled eggs and salsa to pasta and meat marinades. Thanks to everyone who sent in original recipes. We picked reader Kris Sharpe's pasta because it's easy, delicious and uses fresh ingredients. Enjoy.
Chipotle-Basil Pasta
Sharpe whipped up this pasta the first time she bought chipotles. We've streamlined the recipe a bit, and given you the option of adding cream (it's great either way).
796-mL can diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 tbsp puréed chipotles in adobo sauce (to taste)
4 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
3 green onions, trimmed, chopped
1 cup 35 per cent whipping cream (optional)
1 lb (500 g) fresh pasta (such as linguine or spaghettini)
Salt, black pepper to taste
In medium saucepan, bring diced tomatoes to boil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chipotles. Cook 2 minutes. Add sundried tomatoes, basil and onions. Cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 20 minutes. Stir in cream, if using.
Meanwhile, in separate pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta as per package instructions; drain. Add pasta to sauce. Toss. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 servings.
BEST BUTCHER
EATERS' CHOICE: With scores of nominees from Oakville to Whitby, it's impossible to pick just one Eaters' Choice. But honourable mentions go to Bloor Meat Market, Bruno's Fine Foods, Kabul Farms, Meat on the Beach, Stuart Carroll Meats, Royal Beef and Whitehouse Meats and Cumbrae's for multiple votes.
EDITOR'S PICK: Cumbrae's Naturally Raised Fine Meats, 481 Church St., 416-923-5600. Owner Stephen Alexander is a third-generation butcher from Australia whose spotless, nine-year-old shop "is an exact transplant of our stores back home." Who knew raw meat could look so plump and delicious? This is the place to go for game birds, boneless duck breast, venison, air-chilled chickens, Ontario pork, Ontario Dorset lamb, pre-salé lamb from Quebec and Canadian Angus, dry-aged beef. Cumbrae's is all about forging relationships between the butcher and the farmers. Alexander figures 90 per cent of his products are from Ontario and Quebec. And if all that doesn't entice, try the pheasant and pistachio terrine or duck and green peppercorn sausage.
BEST FISHMONGER
When it comes to fishmongers, the ones at St. Lawrence Market have earned our trust. Especially Mike's Fish Market (416-368-0876). It's the one that's decorated with fishing nets, lobster traps, a ship's wheel and a seagull. The store's owned by Allseas Fisheries Inc. "We have the best cutters in the market - our head cutter Filippo Pasquini has been in the market 35 years," says manager Chris Buurman, a former sous chef at Monsoon. "We're really tight with our customers." Buurman now offers up Papa Chris' Famous Banana Roast. It's a dinner party-sized Atlantic salmon stuffed with shrimp, scallops, onions and herbs and wrapped in a banana leaf for $12.99 a pound. For smaller appetites there's cleaned squid, lumpfish caviar, gravlax, bacon-wrapped sea scallops and fresh-cooked lobster.
FAVOURITE FOOD CHARITY
This award's a dead heat between the Daily Bread Food Bank (www.daily bread.ca) and Second Harvest (www.secondharvest.ca), a perishable food recovery program. Lots of other charities collected runner-up status, but reader Susan Daniels put it best when she voted for "anything that encourages the `haves' to donate to those less fortunate than themselves."
FAVOURITE FOOD EVENT
READERS' CHOICE: Taste of the Danforth, the annual August street party that turns Riverdale's main drag into a frenzy of fun, sun, souvlaki and music. Watch www.tasteofthedanforth .com (now under construction) for details. Word of warning: take the subway.
EDITOR'S PICK: The Empty Bowls extravaganza at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. Potters craft beautiful bowls and professional chefs whip up pots of soup. People wait patiently in line every June for the chance to pick the bowl of their dreams, and then visit various soup stations around the museum. Proceeds go to the Anishnawbe Street Patrol to help Toronto's homeless. To mark the event's 10th anniversary, they've put together Great Soup, Empty Bowls: Recipes From The Empty Bowls Fundraiser (Whitecap, $19.95). Jamie Kennedy is the executive editor, but Hiro Yoshida, Masayuki Tamaaru, Michael Stadtländer, Susur Lee, Suzanne Baby and others dish out recipes. Call 416-586-8080 for details.
BEST SUPERMARKET
Readers voted for all the usual suspects in this category — Loblaws, Dominion, Longo's and even newcomer Whole Foods Market. But reader Kris Sharpe made such a convincing argument for Dickie's No Frills at Golden Mile (Eglinton Ave. E. at Victoria Park Ave.) that we checked it out. "Because of the demographics here, they carry a lot of wonderful things. The fruit is always fresh and there is lots of selection. It makes it so you don't have to go to specialty shops. Right now I am enjoying beautiful, sweet and juicy grapefruit at three for 99 cents." Sure enough the store was a multicultural buffet with plantain and yucca alongside mangos, halal meats, Herdez Mexican salsas and sauces, mole paste, Tiger Malt from Barbados, Jamaican-style Irish Moss drink, boxes of Patty King patties and halawa. All this, at great prices, plus some of the President's Choice line of goodies, too. No frills, perhaps, but lots of thrills.
Additional articles by Jennifer Bain
Eaters' Choice Awards
Poll finds food-loving Torontonians have wildly different tastes
JENNIFER BAIN
FOOD EDITOR
Let's call the inaugural Eaters' Choice Awards a smorgasbord.
When we put out the call for votes in 40 food and drink-related categories, we had no idea what kind of response we'd get. The e-mails came in a steady stream, along with a few snail-mail entries. But most people found it easiest to vote online at www.thestar.com.
Sorting through hundreds of responses, we realized that food-loving Torontonians have wildly different tastes, making it almost impossible to award top honours based just on numbers.
So we present our absolutely unscientific but utterly delicious awards. Sometimes the readers pick the winner. Other times we weigh in or offer multiple winners.
But whether you listen to us, or follow your own impulses, may you eat and drink well in 2003.
BEST COFFEESHOP
READERS' CHOICE: Second Cup, Starbucks and Tim Hortons (need we say more?).
EDITOR'S PICK:
"This coffee falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move ... things remembered arrive at full gallop ... similes arise, the paper is covered with ink; for the struggle commences and is concluded with torrents of black water, just as a battle with powder."
Honoré de Balzac (1799-1859)
Not only is Balzac's Coffee impossibly gorgeous, with its high ceilings, stunning chandelier and split-level seating, it sells micro-roasted, Fairtrade beans. The Stratford coffeehouse named for history's greatest coffee lover, French writer Honoré de Balzac, has come to the Distillery district of Toronto (55 Mill St., east of Parliament St., 416-207-1709, www.balzacs coffee.com). Enjoy Balzac's in peace now before the Distillery (www.thedistillerydistrict.com) officially launches in May.
STREET FOOD OF OUR DREAMS
Toronto cannot live on street meat alone. Indeed when we asked readers what street food they'd most like to see in Toronto other than just hot dogs, they came up with an enormous wish list. Some of it's shown on our cover illustration, but it includes samosas, frites, Belgian waffles, Asian noodles, souvlaki, hot pretzels, Beaver Tails, churros, crêpes, real lemonade and peameal bacon sandwiches.
Provinces like Quebec and B.C. have cool street food, so what's the deal here? Under Ontario Food Premises Regulations, any "mobile preparation premises" must meet restaurant standards (this means you'll see a few vans hawking Chinese food and other meals downtown). The only exception to this regulation is for hot dog carts that reheat a "pre-cooked meat product in the form of wieners or similar sausage products served on a bun." How outdated is that? Enlightened eaters have tried to change this ridiculous provincial regulation — which aims to keep hazardous foods off our streets — to no avail. But things are up for review this year, so speak out.
BEST CANADIAN BEER
READERS' CHOICE: Creemore Spings Premium Lager
Beating out the big bottles in this category is Creemore Springs Premium Lager, one of Ontario's own outstanding beers, brewed in the pretty village of Creemore (www.cree morespings.com). This amber lager, with just a little bit of a fruity flavour, was the original beer put out by the 15-year-old brewery (the seasonal Urbock was added in 1996). And it's still going strong. The brewery, as a whole though, is going stronger. A favourite in the draft end of the biz, it expects to double its bottle output over the next five years. Based on what our readers had to say — and we're in full agreement, it's a great beer — we're beginning to think that's too modest of a goal.
FOOD DUDE JON FILSON'S PICK: Amsterdam Nut Brown
In this lager-dominated country that we live in, brown ales like Amsterdam's fine Nut Brown (www.amsterdam beer.com) aren't always an easy sell. And that's a shame, because this Toronto microbrew is a great beer to either broaden your palate or just sit down and knock back. Beer aficionados would say it has hints of coffee and chocolate. But here's the English version: Nut Brown is a smooth, rich beer while you're drinking it, and it's got the aftertaste of a Hershey bar. Somehow it all works. A fun one to try if you haven't.
BEST BUFFET
READERS' CHOICE: Mandarin (various locations, www.mandarinbuffet.com).
EDITOR'S PICK: The "Bella! Did Ya Eat?" Jewish Sunday brunch at the Free Times Café (320 College St., 416-967-1078) . Kudos to a buffet that offers good eating (not just gorging) plus live music (Klezmer, Yiddish cabaret, etc.) under the welcoming embrace of owner Judy Perly. Your $15.95 gets you more than 40 items, including lemony cheese blintzes, potato latkes with cinnamon-spiked applesauce, gefilte fish, salmon patties, challah french toast, fresh fruit, dried figs and apricots and more. And dessert's no afterthought — it's a meal in itself.
BEST MEALS
BEST DIM SUM: Ambassador Chinese Cuisine (280 West Beaver Creek Rd., Richmond Hill, 905-731-5570). Ding Tai Fung Shanghai Dim Sum (First Markham Place, Hwy. 7 east of Woodbine Ave., Markham, 905-943-9880).
BEST PIZZA: Amato Pizza (238 Queen St. W., 416-591-6661 and other locations. President's Choice lactose-free vegetarian pepperoni pizza with melted topping.
BEST ROTI: Most voters shunned this category, so here's a definition. Take a whole wheat wrapper, stuff it with curried meat or veggies and you've got a roti. Try one at Caribbean restaurants and takeout spots like the Real Jerk (709 Queen St. E., Toronto, 416-463-6055) and Malhotra's Exotic Flavors (3100 Ridgeway Dr., Mississauga, 905-607-8058) .
BEST VEGETARIAN BURGER: The Nature Burger at Lick's (www.lickshomeburgers.com). Any veggie burger at Fresh by Juice for Life's three restaurants (www.juiceforlife.com). These patties are stuffed with barley, millet, sunflower seeds, almonds, garlic, beets, parsley, red onion, carrots and spices.
BEST COOKWARE STORE
READERS' CHOICE: Three spots take top honours. Kitchen Stuff Plus (various locations) for providing fun and affordable goods. Canadian Tire (various locations) because, as Ed Ritter writes: "If you can't find it there, you don't need it and can't afford it." And Cayne's Super Houseware Store (112 Doncaster Ave., Thornhill, 905-764-1188, www.cayneshouse wares.com) for its discount brand names.
EDITOR'S PICK: Tap Phong Trading Co. (360 Spadina Ave., 416-977-6364) for industrial pots and pans, breathtaking Japanese and Chinese plateware, and every gadget you'll ever need. But to see how the upper crust cooks, check out Williams-Sonoma, the place for people with way too much money, and the rest of us who just like to gawk.
MOST POPULAR INGREDIENT
There's a great cookbook called Everything Tastes Better With Bacon. Well, Star readers would argue that Everything Tastes Better With Garlic. Voters were effusive in their praise of the once shamefully stinky cousin to leeks, chives and onions. "Garlic — and this is not just for the year 2002," writes Tanya Filipek. "This is the all-round best ingredient ever." Not only is garlic becoming a staple, people are preoccupied with garlic presses, mini garlic graters and garlic peelers. The peelers, made of rubbery material in various shapes, sometimes succeed in separating cloves from skin, usually protect your hands from nasty odours, and always manage to give you leverage to open jars. If only they could fix your breath.
BEST GADGET/BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCE
BEST GADGET UNDER $30: This was the year of silicone. First, cooks gravitated to heat-resistant spatulas, vowing never to go back to plain rubber when the silicone version doesn't melt. Then they coughed up $20 for a Starfrit silicone oven and barbecue mitt (this one's from Cayne's). It's waterproof and can handle heats of 572F without melting. This means you get protection from your barbecue and pots of boiling water or. Plus you can toss it in the dishwasher.
BEST KITCHEN APPLIANCE: KitchenAid's stand mixer is the hands-down fave (www.kitchenaid.com).
FAVOURITE TORONTO RESTAURANT
READERS' CHOICE: If there's one thing readers can't agree on, it's a single favourite restaurant. The votes are too numerous to mention, but here are a few: YoYo's Restaurant, Caffino Ristorante, Susur, Pho Hung, Simon's Wok, Swan, Mildred Pierce, Centro, Chopan Kebab House, Red Lobster, Spring Rolls, the Keg, Hello Toast, Old Mill Inn, Swiss Chalet and Young Thailand.
EDITOR'S PICK: Café Crêpe, 246 Queen St. W. (at John St.), 416-260-1611. This fashionable, fledgling Queen St. spot delights with its savoury or sweet crepes. What's best, Nutella hazelnut spread with sliced banana ($5.25) or lemon juice and sugar ($3.50)? You be the judge. You can get your bundle of joy to go, or lounge in smoke-free splendour in the back. Best of all, the staff are attitude-free.
MOST CHILD-POSITIVE RESTAURANT
READERS' CHOICE: McDonald's.
EDITOR'S PICK: Japanese restaurants, like Sushi Time Japanese Cuisine (394 Bloor St. W., 416-323-2288) will stimulate their palates and culinary curiosity. Kids adore wrangling chopsticks, eating sushi (usually with avocado or cucumber instead of raw fish) and tempura, picking away at sushi pizza and ordering special boxes that compartmentalize their foods. "Chopsticks make everything taste better," says manager Odi Tang. "We like the kids and they like to come here." They might even let your kid come watch while they scoop out green tea or red bean ice cream.
BEST JAMAICAN PATTIES
Torontonians have a continuing love affair with patties. Beef, chicken or vegetable. Mild or spicy. It doesn't matter what you like as long as you have a favourite type and brand. But it seems that most people are loyal to Michidean's Ja Patty (1-888-527-2889). Dillon Wong, born in Jamaica to Chinese parents, named the business after his first two children, Michelle and Dean. As luck would have it, 29-year-old Michelle's poised to take over a mini-empire that supplies 7-Eleven and Bay stores, select subway stations, the Real Jerk restaurant and the shop now at Michidean's original location, Top Taste (758 Dovercourt Rd.). Dillon Wong figures his success revolves around his use of fresh ingredients over artificial flavours. But if you read the box you'll learn something that may surprise vegetarians: vegetable patties are not vegetarian because the pastry uses beef suet. Intrepid patty lovers should check out the Michidean bakery (Units 27 & 28, 7725 Birchmount Rd. at 14th Ave. in Markham, 905-946-0708) where 12 patties sell for $8. Is it worth the drive to save a few coins? That depends on your passion for patties.
OVER-RATED? UNDER-RATED? OR JUST ANNOYING?
MOST OVER-RATED FOOD OR DRINK: Roasted garlic, chipotles in adobo sauce, fast food, foie gras, martinis, refined sugar, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, bottled water, bubble tea, chardonnay, curry, diet pop, fresh ground pepper, sushi, water and schnitzel.
MOST UNDER-RATED FOOD OR DRINK: Butter tarts, green tea, raclette cheese, soy milk, retro desserts (cupcakes, white cakes, banana pudding), street dogs, sweet potato fries, Canadian beef, cheap wine, Korean barbecue, fresh peanut butter, water, rice, Indian food, lentils and farmer's market vegetables.
MOST ANNOYING FOOD TREND: Wraps, comfort food, low-fat eating, martini menus, foot-high presentation of food (a.k.a. architectural food), Atkins diet, food critics, fusion food, fresh figs and undercooking vegetables.
BEST CANADIAN FOOD SHOW
Readers know Michael Smith as "that chef from down east with the checkered pants." We now think of him as the ginger ale chef. That's because the host of Food Network's Chef At Large and The Inn Chef is splashed all over Canada Dry ginger ale bottles these days (see picture below) offering to prepare dinner in your home if you win the contest. Yup, this guy really means it when he says he's devoted to Canadian cuisine. Chef At Large is a welcome change from other recipe-weary shows. The Culinary Institute of America grad traipses around the country insinuating himself into food experiences as a pref chef. One show he's helping Senses cater at the Shaw Festival, the next show he's learning to fly fish at a remote lodge in Labrador. This show doesn't just make you want to cook something, it makes you want to get off your couch to see and taste our fabulous country.
BEST BAKERY
Famed for its baguettes as well as its philanthropy, Ace Bakery has a devoted following. Some loyal eaters go straight to the main bakery (1 Hafis Rd. at Lawrence Ave. W., North York, 416-241-3600) for fresh goods or to sit at the communal table in the small café. Others check out www.ace-bakery.com to figure out where Ace bread is sold. "Customers send e-mails saying things like `I was in a store and I don't think those guys are treating your bread right,' or `I picked up a baguette and it's great,'" confides co-owner Linda Haynes. "To me that's one of the greatest things." Ace Bakery makes bread from 17 doughs and ships it to Loblaws, gourmet shops, neighbourhood stores, restaurants and hotels from Toronto to Sudbury, and Windsor to Ottawa. The company, founded by Haynes and Martin Connell, turns 10 in March. It has always donated 10 per cent of its earnings to charity (a group headed by Connell that provides credit and savings services to self-employed people in Canada and the developing world). Now it's going to dole out the money across Ontario to community-based food programs instead.
FOOD PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Maybe it's because he came to Toronto twice last year. Or maybe it's because he's just so cute. Either way, there's no question that Jamie Oliver, the so-called Naked Chef, has charmed Canadians. "Jamie Oliver — cute as a button and his recipes work," writes Nancy Johnson. Or, as Debbie Kucheran puts it: "Jamie Oliver. No explanation, details or examples required here." We agree. Like him or not, his food is great.
BEST SNACKS
Snack lovers never run out of new options. Christine Lim voted for freshly made Little Egg Cookies (above), made from a sweet, egg-based batter at kiosks in Market Village and Pacific Mall in Markham. Lim's also mad for what she calls "egg wafer rollups" (they're pictured on the top of page F1 and look like hollow spring rolls). Ding Dong Snack Shop (First Markham Place, 3255 Hwy. 7 E., east of Woodbine Ave., Markham, 905-947-9716) is paradise for those seeking gourmet shelled chestnuts, bulk licorice olive slices and spicy mini cuttlefish. We also found green tea pumpkin seeds in First Markham Place. Indian snacks — like Surati's spicy fried split chickpeas — are gaining popularity. And pretzel lovers don't need to be told how great Beigel & Beigel baked, kosher pretzels with sesames from Israel are. We got a bag at Dickie's No Frills at the Golden Mile shopping centre.
BEST ONTARIO WINES
Wine writer Gordon Stimmell reviews the readers' picks on a 100-point system.
UNDER $9
Pelee Island 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon $8.95
A blend of Ontario and imported grapes, the nose presents cedar, persimmon and sour cherry aromas with a hint of spicy mace. Flavours are mainly sour cherry with green plum infusions, very earthy with overripe cherry on the finish and a lingering bitterness at the end. LCBO # 326421.
Value: Fair
Rating: 83
UNDER $10
Jackson Triggs 2001 Chardonnay $9.25
This non-VQA blend of imported and Ontario grapes shows floral melon and pear aromas with slight oxidative notes in the background. On the palate, nice pear and green apple flavours in a mellow delivery which finishes with sharp pear skin. LCBO # 328518.
Value: Good.
Rating: 85
UNDER $13
Henry of Pelham 2001 Baco Noir $12.25
A popular red made from Ontario grapes, the nose shows cooked plums, blueberry and smoky cherry notes. Lilacs, black cherry and ripe summer plum flavours. A robust-style red with lots of mouth-filling fruit. It has bigness, but lacks finesse. LCBO # 270926.
Value: Very good.
Rating: 88
BEST DRINKS
ALCOHOLIC DRINK: Oh Canada we drink a toast to thee — with Kittling Ridge's Oh Canada Maple Liqueur. It doesn't get much better than pure Canadian maple syrup mixed with Canadian whisky into a uniquely Canadian liqueur. Grimsby-based Kittling Ridge (www.kittling ridge.com) advises us to serve this beverage over ice as an after-dinner liqueur, or add to coffee, hot chocolate or eggnog. You can also brush it on sausages, pork or ham just before serving. We turned to the Martini Club, a Toronto-based cocktail catering company, for recipes. For a Maple Martini, add 1 ounce vodka and 1 ounce maple liqueur to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir well until chilled, then strain into a martini glass. For a Maple Mudslide, combine 1 ounce maple liqueur, 1/2 ounce Kahlua, 1/2 ounce Bailey's Irish Cream and 2 ounces milk or cream to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until frothy, then strain into a glass filled with crushed ice.
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK: Sure green tea, mango lassis and bubble tea are all the rage. But San Pellegrino Limonata wins top honours for its tart take on lemonade. Once found in select Italian shops, this sparkling beverage is widely available. Salut!
BEST CANADIAN COOKBOOK
WINNER: Anything by Anne Lindsay, the woman who "has been helping Canadians find healthier ways to enjoy good food for 25 years." She analyzes the calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, sodium and fibre in her recipes, tallies up the Glycemic Index in a book geared to diabetics and offers advice on reducing your risk of cancer through your diet. Her five cookbooks are all bestsellers.
RUNNERS-UP: Anything by Bonnie Stern, Rose Reisman or Canadian Living.
BEST COOKING CLASS
Readers applaud the continuing education cooking courses at George Brown College (www.gbrownc.on.ca). There's a great selection of classes and they're reasonably priced, a mixture of lectures and hands-on cooking in a classroom kitchen and — best of all — you get to take home all the food you make. But people also get a kick out of learning from television by watching Food Network. Recipe seekers scour www.foodtv.ca, www.epicurious.com, www.marthastewart.com, www.veg web.com and www.allrecipes.com.
BEST CHIPOTLE RECIPE
Okay, so we think chipotles in adobo sauce should rule the food world. We keep using them in recipes, and readers keep asking us what they are and how to use them. Latin American supermarkets and some major supermarkets sell small tins of chipotles. Purée the chilies and sauce, and then add it into everything from scrambled eggs and salsa to pasta and meat marinades. Thanks to everyone who sent in original recipes. We picked reader Kris Sharpe's pasta because it's easy, delicious and uses fresh ingredients. Enjoy.
Chipotle-Basil Pasta
Sharpe whipped up this pasta the first time she bought chipotles. We've streamlined the recipe a bit, and given you the option of adding cream (it's great either way).
796-mL can diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 tbsp puréed chipotles in adobo sauce (to taste)
4 oil-packed sundried tomatoes, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
3 green onions, trimmed, chopped
1 cup 35 per cent whipping cream (optional)
1 lb (500 g) fresh pasta (such as linguine or spaghettini)
Salt, black pepper to taste
In medium saucepan, bring diced tomatoes to boil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and chipotles. Cook 2 minutes. Add sundried tomatoes, basil and onions. Cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 20 minutes. Stir in cream, if using.
Meanwhile, in separate pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta as per package instructions; drain. Add pasta to sauce. Toss. Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 4 servings.
BEST BUTCHER
EATERS' CHOICE: With scores of nominees from Oakville to Whitby, it's impossible to pick just one Eaters' Choice. But honourable mentions go to Bloor Meat Market, Bruno's Fine Foods, Kabul Farms, Meat on the Beach, Stuart Carroll Meats, Royal Beef and Whitehouse Meats and Cumbrae's for multiple votes.
EDITOR'S PICK: Cumbrae's Naturally Raised Fine Meats, 481 Church St., 416-923-5600. Owner Stephen Alexander is a third-generation butcher from Australia whose spotless, nine-year-old shop "is an exact transplant of our stores back home." Who knew raw meat could look so plump and delicious? This is the place to go for game birds, boneless duck breast, venison, air-chilled chickens, Ontario pork, Ontario Dorset lamb, pre-salé lamb from Quebec and Canadian Angus, dry-aged beef. Cumbrae's is all about forging relationships between the butcher and the farmers. Alexander figures 90 per cent of his products are from Ontario and Quebec. And if all that doesn't entice, try the pheasant and pistachio terrine or duck and green peppercorn sausage.
BEST FISHMONGER
When it comes to fishmongers, the ones at St. Lawrence Market have earned our trust. Especially Mike's Fish Market (416-368-0876). It's the one that's decorated with fishing nets, lobster traps, a ship's wheel and a seagull. The store's owned by Allseas Fisheries Inc. "We have the best cutters in the market - our head cutter Filippo Pasquini has been in the market 35 years," says manager Chris Buurman, a former sous chef at Monsoon. "We're really tight with our customers." Buurman now offers up Papa Chris' Famous Banana Roast. It's a dinner party-sized Atlantic salmon stuffed with shrimp, scallops, onions and herbs and wrapped in a banana leaf for $12.99 a pound. For smaller appetites there's cleaned squid, lumpfish caviar, gravlax, bacon-wrapped sea scallops and fresh-cooked lobster.
FAVOURITE FOOD CHARITY
This award's a dead heat between the Daily Bread Food Bank (www.daily bread.ca) and Second Harvest (www.secondharvest.ca), a perishable food recovery program. Lots of other charities collected runner-up status, but reader Susan Daniels put it best when she voted for "anything that encourages the `haves' to donate to those less fortunate than themselves."
FAVOURITE FOOD EVENT
READERS' CHOICE: Taste of the Danforth, the annual August street party that turns Riverdale's main drag into a frenzy of fun, sun, souvlaki and music. Watch www.tasteofthedanforth .com (now under construction) for details. Word of warning: take the subway.
EDITOR'S PICK: The Empty Bowls extravaganza at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. Potters craft beautiful bowls and professional chefs whip up pots of soup. People wait patiently in line every June for the chance to pick the bowl of their dreams, and then visit various soup stations around the museum. Proceeds go to the Anishnawbe Street Patrol to help Toronto's homeless. To mark the event's 10th anniversary, they've put together Great Soup, Empty Bowls: Recipes From The Empty Bowls Fundraiser (Whitecap, $19.95). Jamie Kennedy is the executive editor, but Hiro Yoshida, Masayuki Tamaaru, Michael Stadtländer, Susur Lee, Suzanne Baby and others dish out recipes. Call 416-586-8080 for details.
BEST SUPERMARKET
Readers voted for all the usual suspects in this category — Loblaws, Dominion, Longo's and even newcomer Whole Foods Market. But reader Kris Sharpe made such a convincing argument for Dickie's No Frills at Golden Mile (Eglinton Ave. E. at Victoria Park Ave.) that we checked it out. "Because of the demographics here, they carry a lot of wonderful things. The fruit is always fresh and there is lots of selection. It makes it so you don't have to go to specialty shops. Right now I am enjoying beautiful, sweet and juicy grapefruit at three for 99 cents." Sure enough the store was a multicultural buffet with plantain and yucca alongside mangos, halal meats, Herdez Mexican salsas and sauces, mole paste, Tiger Malt from Barbados, Jamaican-style Irish Moss drink, boxes of Patty King patties and halawa. All this, at great prices, plus some of the President's Choice line of goodies, too. No frills, perhaps, but lots of thrills.
Additional articles by Jennifer Bain
