Caroline Aksich, Author at torontolife.com « Page 2 of 5 torontolife.com

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Introducing: Fidel Gastro’s new food truck, the roving home base of the rebel without a kitchen

(Image: Caroline Aksich)

Matt Basile launched his Fidel Gastro’s business last year as a roving pop-up operation. Yesterday, for a crowd of 300 or so, he graduated to a food truck at the RBC Food Truck Plaza on Front Street. Basile first dreamed up Fidel Gastro’s after quitting his copywriting job. Surrounded by food his entire life (he worked in butcher shops as a kid), he knew that he wanted to engage with the food industry, but was reticent to open a restaurant because of the huge potential losses. With a little support from Toronto Underground Market founder Hassel Aviles, Basile decided to spin himself as a “rebel without a kitchen” rather than as a cook in need of one.

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The Dish

Openings

August 23, 2012 | 4:01 pm

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Introducing: the big new location of Sanagan’s Meat Locker, down the street from the old one

(Image: Caroline Aksich)

When Kensington Market’s European Quality Meats and Sausages decided to leave the space it had occupied for five decades, many were worried that the beloved boho quarter was going the way of Yorkville. Independent Market entrepreneurs aimed to keep the building in the family, so to speak; European Meats owner Larry Leider sold the space to the owners of Essence of Life, who looked around for a viable tenant. They approached Peter Sanagan, who had been making do with his tiny space on the corner of Augusta and Baldwin for years. Sanagan embraced the opportunity to upgrade from 400 to 5,000 square feet, and made the big move 11 storefronts down the road.

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The Goods

Stores

August 2, 2012 | 12:34 pm

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Introducing: Bridge and Bardot, Dundas West’s upcycling emporium

Bridge and Bardot at 1138 Dundas St. W. (Image: Caroline Aksich)

Although the name of Dundas West’s newest vintage boîte alludes to the 1960s French sex symbol Brigitte Bardot, Bridge and Bardot isn’t as focused on worshiping the past as it is on building a bridge that connects past fashions with current trends. Owners Rose Broadbent, Gagan Bassi and Gurjeet Kaur Bassi don’t only meticulously pick clothes that they themselves would wear, but they also embellish them with studs and patches in an effort to anchor them in the present. Shorts that may have caused eyes to roll in the past are given new life with some simple alterations and a subtle dye job. Gagan, Gurjeet’s younger sister, laughs about how hard it is to part with some of the pieces: “we spend so much time on each one that you end up getting attached,” she says. But despite being a shop of antiquities, Bridge and Bardot isn’t reminiscent of grandma’s closet—there are no misses. The small, but carefully curated selection of garments ranges in style from spiked glam rock to Bollywood glamour to subdued classic styles.

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The Dish

Openings

July 24, 2012 | 1:03 pm

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Introducing: 417, the Danforth’s newest resto-lounge (from a longtime Greektown family)

(Image: Rouzbeh Heydari)

After running the Danforth Foodland grocery store for 30 years, the Pavlou family began to notice the decline of their neighbourhood. Restaurants were shuttering, and the strip was losing its night-time vibrancy—which is why when Eleni Gountanos (née Pavlou) noticed that Davos (formerly Myth) had closed, she decided to take a stab at injecting some vigour back into the Greek quarter that she grew up in. “I want to make the Danforth a destination,” she exclaims over the thumping soundtrack at the opening party for 417, the Danforth’s newest resto-lounge.

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The Dish

Openings

July 18, 2012 | 5:03 pm

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Introducing: Beer Academy, downtown’s new brewery, education centre and tasting room for hopheads

(Image: Caroline Aksich)

After Duggan’s shuttered its downtown brewpub last year, it felt as though the wind was knocked out of the sails of the burgeoning Ontario craft beer movement (the opening of Bellwoods Brewery went some way in reversing that). Late this June, however, Beer Academy opened in the very Romanesque building that Duggan’s vacated, and their team of brewers and beer sommeliers are adamant that Ontario craft beer is here to stay. We went down to Victoria Street to take a look.

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The Dish

Food Events

July 7, 2012 | 10:30 am

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for July 9 to 15

The Fringe Festival will be reprising The Stop’s Night Market with its Power of Food Day on Wednesday (Image: Yves Freypons)

Monday, July 9

86’D With Ivy Knight: Party like a Maritimer by enjoying shellfish provided by Confederation Cove Mussels and Rock Lobster Food Company. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly aperitivo italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
An Introduction to Wine Appreciation: An LCBO-led tasting and lecture that will demystify the wine world. This degustation will focus on the four principal wine categories: white, red, sparkling and fortified. Kingsway LCBO, 2946 Bloor St. W., 416-239-3065. Find out more »
Five-Day Kids’ Summer Cooking Camp: A five-day camp that runs Monday to Friday, hosted by The Chef Upstairs. July 9 to July 13. 516 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-9221. Find out more »
Locavore Food Camp: A different five-day program that offers city kids a variety of hands-on opportunities designed to increase their physical fitness and help them understand the importance of making healthy food choices. July 9 to July 13. Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave. Find out more »

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The Dish

Food Events

June 30, 2012 | 10:30 am

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for July 2 to July 8

Farmer’s market season has arrived (Image: Kevin Ho)

Monday, July 2

86’D With Ivy Knight: Check out a double bill at the at the Drake Lounge. First, a throw-down for the ultimate hangover cure: the Bloody Mary versus the Caesar. Second, a watermelon-eating contest. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: A weekly aperitivo italiano with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »

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The Goods

Stores

June 27, 2012 | 4:39 pm

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Introducing: Anice, where almost anything in the world can be fashioned into a piece of jewellery

Anice, Brittany Hopkins’s new jewellery boutique on the periphery of Kensington Market, is a modest 310-square-foot space with a lot of natural light. The bijou shop—spangled with light-refracting gems, brass cogs and general eye candy—is named after Hopkins’s grandmother, a petite but fearless woman who made her mark through statement accessory choices. “She was absolutely adorned all the time, and I was totally fascinated—and that’s what fuelled my childhood obsession with jewellery,” explains the loose-locked Hopkins, who moved from Edmonton to Toronto four years ago to study goldsmithing at George Brown.

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The Dish

Food Events

June 25, 2012 | 2:07 pm

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The Stop Night Market recap: the alley behind Honest Ed’s becomes a sweaty, delicious mess

Last Wednesday, the Stop decided to throw a summer solstice party in the alley behind Honest Ed’s—the by-day parking lot was transformed into a nighttime carnival with lights, lanterns and balloons spangled overhead. The 27 food vendors were paired with 27 design teams, adding an extra injection of whimsy to the event, as the vendors dished up their wares from custom-built food stalls. While every stall had its own unique details, there were a few standouts, including the Brockton General’s cardboard Pegasus and Cowbell’s ice-block stall (the envy of every sweaty attendee).

The sold-out fundraiser, which raised over $57,000 for The Stop’s anti-hunger programs, was a huge success: 1,000 lucky Torontonians celebrated the summer in true bacchanalian style, indulging in a bounty of treats from some of Toronto’s most celebrated restaurants (including Woodlot, Yours Truly and Ursa) and breweries (including Lake of Bays, Steamwhistle and Muskoka).

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The Dish

Food Events

June 23, 2012 | 10:30 am

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Weekly Eater: Toronto food events for June 25 to July 1

On Wednesday, Le Dolci hosts a Mommy and Me cupcake class (Image: Karolyne Ellacott)

Monday, June 25

86’D With Ivy Knight: Cool down and enjoy a sundae bar with Boreal gelato. The Drake, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042. Find out more »
Jamie Kennedy’s Local Food Movement Dinner: Enjoy an early summer menu accompanied and inspired by Niagara’s Pondview Estate Winery. This gastronomic series features hors d’oeuvres and a four-course meal of seasonal goodness. Gilead, 4 Gilead Pl., 647-288-0680. Find out more »
Candy-Making Seminar: Stephanie Duong of Keo Confiserie (who once worked at a three-star Michelin restaurant in France) instructs you in the delicate art of candy-making. Hosted by The Cookbook Store. Rosemill Kitchen Studio, 1 Yorkville Ave., 416-920-2665. Find out more »
Piola’s Monday Night Mixer: Piola’s weekly Aperitivo Italiano, with cocktail and beer specials and complimentary snacks. 1165 Queen St. W., 416-477-4652. Find out more »
Summer Pasta Making: Join chefs Scott Savoie and Shahir Massoud (Lupa, Teatro) for an all-encompassing pasta-making lesson that starts with dough and ends with sauce. Culinary Adventures Company, 201 Weston Rd., suite 101, 416-565-1730. Find out more »
The Slice is Right: Chef Paula Bashford lets her class in on the secrets to making delicious summer pies. Those secrets will include different dough recipes and techniques and the mysteries of flavour pairings. Dish Cooking Studio, 390 Dupont St., 416-920-5559. Find out more »

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The Dish

Openings

June 12, 2012 | 4:49 pm

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Introducing: De la Mer, the Bayview fishmonger’s outpost on Roncesvalles

(Image: Natalie Swiercz)

“Would you like to enjoy an oyster while you browse?” De la Mer co-owner David Owen asks a tot-toting Roncesvalles mom, while his partner, Blake Edwards, tends to the queue of customers that stretches to the end of the narrow shop shortly after opening. De la Mer is the second outpost of the duo’s Leaside location. The fishmonger has become a fast favourite in the quickly gentrifying neighbourhood, due in large part to the highly knowledgeable staff, who are more than happy to offer tips on cooking their wares. The complimentary perks, such as free citrus, fresh horseradish and dill, don’t hurt either.

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The Dish

Openings

June 4, 2012 | 3:57 pm

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Introducing: Smock Café, the new Roncesvalles spot for coffee, kids and crafting

Smock on opening weekend (Image: Yves Freypons)

One day prior to its opening a couple weeks back, a mosaic of pint-sized hand and nose prints adorned the glass front of Smock, Ronvesvalles’ new tot-focused café. “It’s like the kids knew this was going to be a space for them,” says owner Sara Wood. While child-friendly cafés aren’t new to Toronto (Lil’Bean N’ Green, Playful Grounds), Smock takes the concept even further: there’s no charge for kids to play with the toys, but should parents want some downtime to gab and sip espresso, they can ship the kids off to the craft corner, where, for $8, a facilitator will make sure they’re occupied. For those interested in more than a drop-in craft session, Smock is also offering summer courses in things like print-making (for 4- to 7-year-olds) and Campanimation, a chance for 8- to 11-year-olds to make their own short stop-motion films.

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The Dish

Food Events

May 31, 2012 | 12:28 pm

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The Stop’s first Beer Garden of 2012 brought out over 200 for Muskoka beer and Indonesian tacos

Over 200 people gathered for the first Stop Beer Garden of the year (Image: Natalie Swiercz)

Despite threatening clouds, over 200 hundred people gathered at Wychwood Barns No. 4 this past Sunday afternoon for this year’s first Beer Garden event hosted by The Stop, the food bank and community hub. Last year’s series raked in over $30,000 for The Stop’s anti-hunger programs, and this year they’re hoping to raise even more. And they’ll probably meet with some success: after all, how many other opportunities are there to turn beer-drinking into feeling philanthropic?

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The Dish

People

May 15, 2012 | 4:44 pm

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An afternoon with Chuck Hughes and 19 excitable kids at The Stop’s after-school program

Chuck Hughes leads the cooking class at The Stop’s after-school program (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)

Yesterday afternoon, Chuck Hughes took a break from promoting his new cookbook, Garde Manger, to join 19 eager kids in a cooking class at The Stop’s after-school program at Wychwood Barns. Upon his arrival, three enthusiastic youngsters took Hughes on a tour of the Stop’s facilities at the barns (the organization was one of Canada’s first food banks and has since expanded into a community hub with a wide-reaching mandate that includes community gardens, food markets and advocacy). Some highlights of Hughes’s kid-led tour included handling compost and worms and ogling the now-in-their-prime seedlings that were about to be shipped out to west-end community gardens. We couldn’t resist tagging along.

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