Open/Closed for the week of July 6-12
his week's Open/Closed includes the launch of the long-awaited Pan Am Games, the continuation of Summerlicious and so many new restaurants and events, you’re going to need another weekend to recover from this one.
Here is the very latest:
Open:
Burrito Boyz
74 Dundas St E.
The fourth location opens at Dundas and Bond, giving visitors and neighbours alike a chance to dig into burritos and quesadillas boasting chicken, steak, veggie soy, sweet potato, bean and cheese, shrimp, haddock or halibut and customized with your choice of toppings.
Carens Rosedale
1118 Yonge St.
You heard it here first - the second location of Carens opened last night! And you’ll be pleased to know – their famous mac and cheese is still on the menu. Woo woo! I’ll have a closer look soon.
Corks & Platters Wine Bar
2220A Queen St. E.
If you can’t get enough of Ontario wines – specifically from Niagara Region, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie - this new cozy spot in the Beaches is just for you. Platters, perfect for pairing with your vino, of cured meats and cheeses are also available.
Maman Toronto
First Canadian Place
100 King St. W.
How lucky are we? The SoHo bakery that opened last year has made Toronto its home for just their second location. The menu features dishes and desserts from the South of France. And you thought Uncle Tetsu’s was popular.
Miss Thing’s
1279 Queen St. W.
Parkdale gets a gorgeous Pan Asian restaurant with fab cocktails by Reed Pettit. The menu features "interpretations" of classic Pan Asian and Polynesian dishes. Which means yes, there’s a lot of pineapple throughout. But that’s a good thing.
Wenona Craft Beer Lodge
1069 Bloor St. W.
If you don’t have a cottage or live near a lake, I’ve got good news – Wenona Craft Beer Lodge’s grand opening was last night, so now you’ve got the perfect spot to relax, have a drink and enjoy some grub like it’s a long weekend. Hello staycation.
Closed:
Crush Wine Bar has closed, leaving a humungous spot available in one of the busiest neighbourhoods.
Closing:
Table 17’s last service is this Saturday. But this is probably not the last you’ll see of them. Keep an eye on our social media for more.
We were the first to break the news – Amaya the Indian Room is closing. Their last service is Sunday, July 26th, but don’t worry, owner Hemant Bhagwani is cooking up an exciting new project for that same location. Stay tuned.
No official word yet, but the sign is gone from Sliced on Queen East and contents have been moved into the middle of the room.
And Velvet on Queen is closed due to a death in the family until further notice, but all signage has been removed and the windows have been papered over.
Events:
Summerlicious continues, so check out our Summerlicious Guide to help navigate the over 210 restaurants and menus.
Should you be looking for something a little more on the wild side, La Palette is offering a 3-course prix fixe "Scandalicious" menu for the next few weeks featuring foie gras, horse tenderloin and absinthe creme brûlée for $50.
Tonight head to the third annual Summer Craft Beer Festival where you can celebrate all things brewed at the Liberty Market Building Galleria at 171 Liberty St. E.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the Pan Am Games. Check their website for schedules of events and venues.
The Junction Farmers’ Market presents the Junction Night Market this Saturday night from 7-11pm. Enjoy local foods and drinks including the farmers’ market, local restaurants, breweries, cideries and wineries. As if that weren’t reason enough to go, all proceeds go towards helping community members gain access to fresh and healthy food.
This Saturday and Sunday, Taste of Downsview features live music and lots of food in sprawling Downsview Park.
Celebrate Toronto Bastille Day this Sunday. Festivities at David Pecaut Square will include French fare. Ooh la la!
Head to wine country this Saturday as George Brown College's Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts embarks on its first Wine Tour to Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Bench. Meet the owners and producers in the region including Southbrook Vineyards, Vineland Estates, and Dillon's Distillery. Included in the tour: a 3-course lunch at Vineland Estates, as well as transportation.
Canadian BBQ gets its due at this Sunday’s Spotlight City Events Northern BBQ fest, presented by Kensington Brewing Co. This free event has a limited capacity, so arrive early. Food items are $5-7.
News:
The 2015 Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival launched on Tuesday. But don’t worry, the parade doesn’t happen until August 1. Stay tuned for food coverage.
Former Corner House owners Michelle and Herbert Barnsteiner will be in the kitchen and front of house at John & Sons Uptown until the 26th for Summerlicious.
Chef Dave Mottershall, aka Chef Rouge, is hoping that his successful popup Loka Snacks can become a 25-30 seat restaurant. A Canadian ingredient-driven one at that. To make it happen, he’s launching a compaign on Kickstarter today at 10am. With endorsements by big name chefs (Rob Gentile of Buca, Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station, Nick Liu of DaiLo and celebrity Chef Michael Smith), this could be the first Kickstarted restaurant in Toronto. The goal? To raise $25K, which in restaurant terms isn’t very much. Watch the video and make your pledge now. In return, you get rewarded - $10 gets you an ebook, pledge $20 and your name goes on artwork at Loka, $40 and your perk is atee. If you’re in Toronto, for $100 you'll receive a tasting menu before Loka opens, and for $350, you get two seats at opening night. One thing to know about Kickstarter – if Chef Mottershall doesn’t make his goal, he doesn’t get to keep a dime of money raised.
And lastly:
With the Pan Am Games launching tomorrow, this week’s Best Of features the top 5 restaurants around Athletes’ Village.
Fat City Blues transports you all the way to New Orleans. Take a peek inside in this week’s Reveal.
Though many Toronto restaurants have been closing as of late, some are coming back in another form.
This month’s Drinks column boasts recipes of refreshing cocktails from The One Eighty, home of one of the most epic views in the city.
Chef Corbin’s awesome column this month reminds us of the power of pickling, jamming and freezing.