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The latest restaurant buzz, including what’s opening, what’s closing, and where to eat, drink and be seen

Opening

February 3, 2012 | 9:31 am

Introducing: Playful Grounds, the new kid-friendly coffee shop in Little Italy

Kids and coffee, together at last (well, sorta) (Image: Karolyne Ellacott)

Playful Grounds has only been open a few days, but the kid-friendly College Street café is already garnering plenty of attention from the neighbourhood. Indeed, when we dropped by, one mother looked around incredulously before asking, “When did this open?” The shop is the creation of Davina Cheung-Brown and Tera Goldblatt, who met at a local drop-in centre. “We wanted to create a place that has everything moms need,” Goldblatt told us. “Drop-in centres are life savers, but we wanted an adult place that can accommodate kids—rather than the other way around.” Tired of getting the hipster brush-off in regular coffee shops, the duo decided to open a café that welcomes kids but can still appeal to adults.

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Deathwatch

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February 2, 2012 | 3:40 pm

Real Jerk landlord seeks to overturn injunction, calls judge’s decision “astonishing”

In what’s turning into the Toronto restaurant story that just won’t die, Bill Mandelbaum, the new owner of the Queen Street East building that houses The Real Jerk, has sent a note out to Toronto media lamenting the court’s decision to grant the Caribbean restaurant an injunction against its earlier eviction notice. Here’s what he had to say:

TO THE TORONTO READERS

The Courts decision on Monday was surprising and and quite disappointing in the judicial process.

It was obviously based on sentiment, not law.

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Restauran-TO

4 Comments

February 2, 2012 | 3:21 pm

Ever-hungry/lazy 20-somethings lead brisk growth in the restaurant industry

“Quick-service restaurants” account for 64 per cent of food service in Canada (Image: Simon Law)

When they’re not bellyaching about adulthood and posing for Instagrams, it seems 20-somethings enjoy dining out—a lot. According to a new report from market research group NPD, Canada is witnessing a spike in restaurant traffic, due largely to people in their late teens and early 20s. People aged 18 to 24 played a large part in a three per cent traffic increase over the last two quarters. What’s more, the group writes that “visits to Canadian restaurants are forecasted to grow nearly two per cent per year between 2011 and 2016.” Okay, that might not sound like much, but that growth will apparently “surpass the projected 1.2 per cent annual growth of the country’s population.” The millennials are driving this growth partly because of their love of what the NPD calls “quick-service restaurants,” a delightful euphemism for fast-food joints. The group says fast-food restaurant QSRs account for “64 per cent of the overall food service landscape.” Which makes it one fatty landscape indeed.

Deathwatch

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February 2, 2012 | 10:44 am

The Real Jerk wins the right to stay put (Injunction: 1; Eviction: 0)

(Image: Amber Dawn Pullin)

The eviction saga that cast Real Jerk owners Ed and Lily Pottinger as Davids against Bill Mandelbaum’s Goliath is over (for now, at least). A judge has granted an injunction that will allow the Caribbean restaurant to stay at the corner of Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue until the end of the year, though Ed told reporters he would be looking to move before then: “I just wanted a little more time to relocate, and I now have that. Whatever happens from now on, I’m going to be looking for a new place…hopefully in the neighbourhood.”

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Pantry Raid

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February 1, 2012 | 4:35 pm

Have some Alkanater brand Tahina in your fridge? Check the date—it might have Salmonella in it

(Image: CFIA)

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency sent out an alert yesterday warning that certain batches of Alkanater brand Tahina were being voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer, Phoenicia Group, for potential contamination with Salmonella. Just as in last week’s Neilson milk recall, the contaminated Tahina might not actually look or smell funny—but that doesn’t mean it can’t make you very, very sick. The CFIA warns that salmonellosis can lead to everything from fevers, vomiting and nausea to abdominal pain and diarrhea (although no one has reported getting sick just yet). In other words, keep away from any Tahina with the UPC code 6 92551 00002 0 and the expiration date 5/7/2013. It turns out, this isn’t the first time this particular product has been recalled either: a similar notice was posted in September of last year. Yikes.

UPDATE: The CFIA has posted a followup to its initial alert. Apparently, if your tahina has “Lot: TT3N-281011” printed on it, you can breathe easy (i.e. your jar is not affected by the recall).

Restauran-TO

3 Comments

February 1, 2012 | 3:08 pm

Old-school downtown Italian spot Little Anthony’s to receive Volos-like facelift

After successfully transforming Mediterra into the upscale Greek spot Estiatorio Volos, Andreas Antoniou has turned to another of the Richmond Street eateries formerly run by his restaurateur father, Bob. Little Anthony’s Italian Ristorante will re-open in March as Little Anthony’s Italian and Bar, in an overhauled space and with a new menu. “It’s similar to moving from Mediterra to Volos,” Antoniou told The Dish. “We want to take traditional dishes and present them in a clean fashion with really nice flavor combinations.”

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Opening

5 Comments

February 1, 2012 | 12:00 pm

Introducing: DonDon Izakaya, downtown’s new spot for authentic Japanese bar food

A healthy strike of the taiko drum greets each customer (Image: Gizelle Lau)

When we first told you about DonDon Izakaya last summer, it was slated for an October opening, but as such things go, it wasn’t until early January that the Japanese restaurant opened quietly after nearly 10 months of renovation. Located on the second storey of an unassuming building at Bay and Dundas, DonDon took over the space once occupied by One Up Restaurant & Lounge. Despite the slightly inauspicious upstairs location, it’s already drawing customers (the big wooden entranceway probably helps), but not quite the mad lineups of its izakaya forbear, Guu—a least not yet.

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Pantry Raid

26 Comments

January 31, 2012 | 4:35 pm

La Palette brings back the horsemeat

La Palette’s horsemeat hiatus didn’t last long—viande chevaline will return to the menu at the Queen Street bistro as of this week. Co-owner Shamez Amlani stopped serving the French delicacy late last summer after the Toronto Star exposed questionable sourcing in the horsemeat industry, but he didn’t let the matter drop. “We’ve spent the past six months doing as much research as we can,” he told Post City. “We’re very certain that we’ll be serving our customers high-quality meat.” So what makes him think the meat is now safe? One reason could be that President Obama recently lifted the American ban on horse slaughter, meaning American workhorses would no longer be mixed into the Canadian food supply. We have a hunch this isn’t the end of the story, though—horsemeat, like shark fin and raw milk, always seems to stir up controversy. Read the entire story [Post City] »

Restauran-TO

10 Comments

January 31, 2012 | 4:19 pm

Ottawa-based cult chain The Works sets out to become the Second Cup of burgers

(Image: The Works)

The Works, the popular chain of gourmet burger joints that started in Ottawa in 2001, has announced a downright Manifest Destiny–like plan for national expansion: 50 new locations across the country. The chain already has locations in London, Kingston, Ottawa, Guelph and Oakville, and three others under construction—including one on the Danforth set to open in May. It’s an impressive spread for the company, which, by its own admission, developed “a cult-like following among burger connoisseurs in Ottawa.” Among those connoisseurs: Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, not to mention former Montana’s president Andy O’Brien, who took over The Works last year along with two of his vice-presidents. Michael Bregman, the former owner of Second Cup, is one of the company’s new directors, which suggests The Works might soon be the Little Burger Place That Could.

Rumours & Rumblings

3 Comments

January 31, 2012 | 3:48 pm

Nota Bene team to open new restaurant at Queen and Church

Waiting for Nota Bene (Image: PJMixer from the Torontolife.com Flickr pool)

Yesterday evening, Shinan Govani broke the news that the team behind Nota Bene—Yannick Bigourdan, Franco Prevedello and chef David Lee—was getting set to open up shop due east from their fine dining mainstay at Queen and University. Rumours of a Nota Bene “clone,” however, turn out to be a little exaggerated. Instead, Bigourdan told The Dish, the unnamed restaurant will have a somewhat different concept, something that’s now being ironed out between the partners. They’ll have some time: the new place, which will be located in a currently empty 7,000-square-foot space at 111 Queen Street East, right near George and B Espresso, isn’t scheduled to open until early next year. It’s also located right beneath the Toronto Life offices—which means we’ll be watching developments closely.

Opening

11 Comments

January 31, 2012 | 11:54 am

Introducing: Bloke and 4th, King West’s newest big, shiny resto-lounge

What was once M:Brgr is now the 7,000-square-foot, 400-seat Bloke and 4th (Image: Signe Langford)

At the end of May 2011, the Toronto outpost of Montreal’s M:Brgr shut its doors after a very brief run (perhaps they didn’t sell enough $100 burgers). Now that space at King and Spadina has been taken over by five first-time restaurateurs, all in their 20s, each from a different field and all exuding a preternatural confidence about their new venture. In short order, they took an upmarket burger joint and turned it into a stylish 400-seat resto-lounge: Bloke and 4th.

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From the Print Edition

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January 30, 2012 | 4:14 pm

New Reviews: The Playpen and Pizzeria Libretto’s outpost on the Danforth

A first-rate pizzeria and a ’70s resto-lounge

Pizzeria Libretto star ½
550 Danforth Ave., 416-466-0400
Rocco Agostino and Max Rimaldi, the team behind the west end’s Pizzeria Libretto and Enoteca Sociale, are approaching the status of restaurant imperialists with their third spot. The new Danforth location is a less frenetic version of their wildly popular Ossington Avenue pizzeria. Tables span two floors, so the space feels less cramped, and the owners have made the merciful decision to take reservations. Luigi Encarnacion, former executive chef at the ROM’s c5, is in charge of the kitchen, and his fine dining experience shows in the appetizers, like delicate crab ravioli in a ridiculously rich sea urchin and chanterelle cream sauce. There are two wood-burning ovens manned by young pizzaiolos turning out Libretto’s signature blistered, charred and chewy Neapolitan pies. One superb variation brings smoked tomato sauce, caramelized onion, pork belly and bomba, a spicy Italian relish. Aggressively attentive servers clear plates before they’re clean. An excellent list of affordable Italian and Ontario wines. Mains $10–$18.

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Bottoms Up

4 Comments

January 30, 2012 | 3:15 pm

Toronto man (allegedly) gets rich selling booze to fake diplomats

If recent reports are to be believed, the glamorous, booze-soaked life of an official diplomat can only be outshone by the glamorous life of an LCBO employee. Francois Agostini, along with the help of a part-time waitress, allegedly stole more than a million dollars from the LCBO—and he did it by exploiting a program he oversaw for the liquor board that provides booze to diplomats without tax or duty at a savings of up to 40 per cent (who knew?). Over the course of six years, Agostini allegedly conjured fake sales to fake diplomats. An LCBO affidavit says that “approximately $1.6 million worth of product was shipped to the Toronto warehouse…but the proceeds were not remitted.” That product, according to the board, was then sold out of the back of a truck in Stouffville. The LCBO says they’ve fired Agostini and made drastic changes to the diplomat program to prevent future scams. Meanwhile, we’re sure some booze-swilling attachés are more than a little sore at Agostini for blowing their cover. Read the entire story [Global] »

Deathwatch

2 Comments

January 30, 2012 | 11:19 am

The Real Jerk calls in the lawyers (well, one of them) to fight eviction

Ever since the The Real Jerk’s new landlord told the Caribbean resto to close up and move on, owners Ed and Lily Pottinger have shown they’re as good at marshalling community sentiment as they are at serving up jerk chicken and roti. First they went the protest and online petition route. Now the pair has hired a lawyer to seek an injunction that would delay the eviction. “I’d prefer to sit back and relax and run my restaurant,” Ed told the Toronto Star, “but if it means it may be taken away from me, you’ve got to get savvy quick and come out swinging.” Lawyer Albert Formosa had better work swiftly—the eviction notice, served by Bill Mandelbaum of Buckingham Properties, tells the restaurateurs to skedaddle by January 31. Which is tomorrow. Read the entire story [Toronto Star] »

Restauran-TO

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January 30, 2012 | 9:19 am

Windows by Jamie Kennedy set to open in Niagara Falls this February

Jamie Kennedy and chef de cuisine Ross Midgley (Images: Jamie Kennedy Kitchens)

Back in May, we reported that Jamie Kennedy was lending his expertise (and perhaps more importantly, his name) to a fine dining restaurant on the 14th floor of the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel, to be called Jamie Kennedy on the Falls. The restaurant is now set to open sometime in the next month, under a new name: Windows by Jamie Kennedy. “We’ve been told mid-February,” Jamie Kennedy Kitchens spokesperson Jo Dickins told The Dish. Partner Canadian Niagara Hotels has already started the search for staff to work under chef de cuisine Ross Midgley, with Tony Aspler running the wine program. The restaurant hopes to draw GTA residents familiar with Kennedy by sticking with his famously locavore philosophy—but we’re sure the views of the falls won’t hurt either.

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