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Lobster reinvented
Toca
181 Wellington St. W., 416-585-2500
Lobster’s great and all when it’s done in the usual high-end ways, but it’s rarely better than when it turns up in humbler dishes, like the Fancy Fish and Chips at Toca, in the new Ritz-Carlton hotel. The “fish” in the dish is sweet, meaty, perfectly cooked lobster chunks wrapped in hot, light, golden, mouthgasmically crunchy tempura beer batter. Sure, it’s fancy lobster. But the best thing about it is that it’s also not. $21 for a small, $32 for large.

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Emerald ash borer: Charlie Sheen’s not the only destructive force coming to Toronto (Image: USDA)

Toronto may have narrowly escaped snowpocalypse this winter, but the city is now facing a summer threat: an invasion of the city’s ash trees by the emerald ash borer beetle (or, if you prefer, “ashpocalypse”). According to OpenFile, the pretty penny-sized bugs have been devastating trees in southwestern Ontario for a while now and made their way to Toronto in 2007—flourishing mostly among the concentrations of ash trees in the northern and eastern parts of the city. So is ashpocalypse as over-hyped as snowpocalypse? Toronto’s Parks and Environment Committee doesn’t think so; it recommended the city set aside $1.139 million to deal with the infestation, a proposal that’s being debated by city council today. 

Chair of the Parks and Environment Committee, councillor Norm Kelly, says its possible that the nearly 160,000 ash trees in Toronto could be gone within the decade if the city doesn’t deal with the brooch-esque borers. The critters originate in Asia and were probably brought to North America in poorly treated wooden packaging. While adult beetles nibble on ash leaves, their larvae burrow and feed beneath the tree’s bark, disrupting water and nutrient flow throughout the tree and eventually killing it. Once a tree is infested, there’s little choice but to cut it down.

One preventative measure against the infestation is injecting TreeAzin, a pesticide made from a naturally occurring compound, which provides some protection against the beetle. This type of treatment costs $300-$400 per tree and has to be repeated every two years. “We need to either find a pot of money from our own resources or get the federal government engaged to pay for some advertising,” city councillor Paul Ainslie told OpenFile. What remains to be seen is if city council thinks trees are gravy. Stay tuned.

• Toronto can kiss its ash goodbye [Toronto OpenFile]

Turn off your bright lights: Camp 4 (Image: Jon Sufrin)

When the Ossington strip is too packed to go bar-hopping (or even to open new bars), it’s time to spread the party elsewhere. For the owners of Camp 4—named after a rock-climbing base camp at Yosemite—that means Dundas West: close enough to still be part of the Ossington scene, but far enough away to give hipsters some breathing room.

Camp 4 is a bar in transition as it tries to accomplish the not-so-small task of differentiating itself from such nearby hot spots as the Communist’s Daughter and the Dakota Tavern. An ardent dedication to simplicity permeates, right down to the cocktail menu. Patrons can sip three takes on the old-fashioned (bourbon, rum or tequila, $13), while the whiskey-heavy liquor selection is refreshingly free of anything fluorescent. “There’s not going to be any Hpnotiq,” says co-owner Joseph Tanner. “No blue drinks.”

True to Ossington style, old is gold at Camp 4. The bar top is made of wood planks reclaimed from Mennonite barns, with seating in the form of vintage bowling benches and school chairs. The lighting is kept ambient with 100-year-old, hand-spun lampshades of translucent milk glass.

Local favourites are on tap, including Beau’s, Stonewall Light Lager and Michael Duggan Number 9. DJs spin anything from doo-wop to glam rock to chillwave. The goal is to create a comfortable, attitude-free and ruggedly simple vibe. Just don’t expect any Smirnoff Ice.

Camp 4, 1173 Dundas St. W., 416-546-6780, camp4.ca.

Arpi Magyar became a culinary star in the kitchen at Splendido, and now his catering company, Couture Cuisine and Event Artistry, delights palates at more than 150 weddings a year. His dos and don’ts for the big day.

Photograph by Vanessa Heins

How much of the wedding budget should be for food and booze?
About 60 per cent of a wedding budget should be devoted to the food, booze, staffing and rentals. But I never know what they’re spending on everything else—a bride can spend $10,000 on a dress.

Where should couples splurge?
Most people should spend an extra $500 to $600 on better wine. It makes all the difference, and it’s only the equivalent of two flower arrangements.

Where should they save their money?
Don’t serve wedding cake as dessert—it never looks good on the plate, and most of them aren’t that tasty. Get a small, symbolic cake and serve a plated dessert. My favourite thing to do is an assortment of samples: a crème brûlée in an espresso cup, maybe a miniature molten chocolate cake, and a quenelle of raspberry sorbet.

Has the recession changed the way people cater weddings?
For sure. Fewer cheese plates. They’re a luxury item—at the end of the night, after the coffee and dessert—and at $9 a person, that can mean spending thousands of dollars just on cheese. People are also shying away from more expensive main courses. I’ve done fewer veal chops this year and a lot more poultry. Playing it safe with beef, chicken or salmon is always smart.

Then how do you get creative as a chef?
I’ll put extra things on the plate that aren’t on the menu. I get these beautiful micro-herbs, like cilantro, mint and
basil sprouts, which taste fantastic and look great. It changes the whole dish.

Have you noticed any trends at weddings?
People are opting for more cocktail receptions instead of dinner. But they can be tricky; if people are coming at 7 p.m. on a Saturday, you have to feed them well. Six canapés per person isn’t going to cut it.

What do you love most about catering weddings?
I like the challenge. We catered an event for an Iranian family, so I had to study Persian food. When the grandma comes up to you at the end and says, “Your rice is better than mine,” that’s the best. I’ve been cooking for 40 years, and I still love getting that kind of compliment.

Any insider tips for making the wedding meal go smoothly?
Keep the speeches to a minimum. They really screw up the timing of the kitchen. If a speech goes longer than three minutes, get the band to start playing.

More from the Toronto Life Wedding Guide >>

After the excellent donburi bowls at this tiny Yonge and College spot, we may never go back to the bento box

The place: Patience is a virtue here, where service is slow and slightly disorganized. Hunger pangs are stoked by the promising scents wafting from the back kitchen into the tiny ochre room up front.

The crowd: Suits and post-workout diners from the nearby YMCA. Regulars trickle in after the lunch rush for one of the room’s 19 seats, and a steady stream of takeout orders moves at the same slow tempo as the staff.

The deal: The menu lists a number of cheap lunch options, including daily specials for $8.95. We splurge on the traditional family-style donburi bowls, which are more expensive but easily feed two people.

The dish: Our meal starts with a complimentary cup of belly-warming miso dotted with scallions and tofu. Instead of the lifeless iceberg lettuce common in lunchtime sushi rituals, we receive crisp ruffles of mixed greens, shredded cabbage and carrots dressed in a tart ginger dressing. Chirashi don ($17) is a generous pile of gossamer sashimi, including buttery raw Hokkaido scallops, silky ahi tuna and a fiery nugget of chili-infused minced yellow fin tuna that steals the show. It’s all stacked on perfectly seasoned sushi rice and sided by the chef’s delightfully syrupy homemade soy sauce.

The time: 48 minutes whether you’re in a rush or not.

The cost: $22, including tax, tip and bottomless cups of green tea.

Solo Sushi Bekkan, 3 Grosvenor St. (at Yonge), 416-925-3388, solosushiya.com/solo_sushi_bekkan.

Peanut brittle from Sudbury's Sinfully Deelicious (Photo via sinfullydeelicious.com)

It’s no secret that corporate sponsorship is one of the most competitive sports at the Games, but a few independent brewers, bakers and farmers made the cut at the Ontario House in the Olympics Pavilion. Alongside the Coke, Minute Maid and Timothy’s coffee, there’s enough Ontario nosh to satisfy any locavore.

Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company: Lug Tread Ale
Based in eastern Ontario, Beau’s is more familiar to residents of Ottawa and Kingston—that is, until the family brewery made it into Ontario House. Its Lug Tread Ale, a lager-ale mix, is being served on tap and in a beer–and–Balderson cheddar soup.

Great Lakes Brewery: Canuck Pale Ale
This craft brewery, the pride of Etobicoke, is known for its pumpkin ale, which took Toronto’s beer scene by storm in 2008. The Canuck Pale Ale was created specially for the Games, although the name and skis on the logo are a more subtle nod to the Olympics.

Black River Cheese Company: Maple Cheddar
This Prince Edward County dairy is on board with the maple craze that took hold in Toronto last year: it mixes its cheddar with local syrup and maple sugar. The cheese is served alongside Vaughan’s Bella Casara brie and the ubiquitous cranberry-covered goat cheese logs from Mississauga’s Celebrity International.

Sprucewood Handmade Cookie Company: Cheddar Shortbread
Despite the small staff at Warkworth-based Sprucewood, it managed to churn out 40,000 cheddar shortbreads a day during the run-up to the Games. Baker Mark Pollard, who’s expecting a huge surge in demand for his cookie line this summer, is doubling his staff.

Sinfully Deelicious: Peanut and Cashew Brittles
Sudbury’s Sinfully Deelicious is the only Northern Ontario company to make the cut. Beyond her buttery brittle, owner Cindy Babcock seems to be a master of public relations—she has an upcoming appearance planned on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.

King Cole Ducks
Aurora-based duck farm King Cole is a hit in Asia but has yet to catch on at home. (On average, Canadians consume only six ounces of duck a year.) With any luck, the duck spring rolls, smoked duck breast and duck shepherd’s pie on the Ontario House menu will turn Canadians on to the delicious bird.

Thomas Keller at his first Toronto appearance (Photo by Renée Suen)

A crowd of 450 (including top Toronto chefs Ted Corrado, Mark McEwan, Bonnie Stern and Donna Dooher) gathered at the Toronto Reference Library on Monday night to hear from Thomas Keller, who was in town to promote his new cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home. In the book, Keller, the only American chef to receive Michelin stars for two restaurants (The French Laundry, Per Se) at once, reveals recipes from Ad Hoc, his restaurant in Yountville, California, which serves a different prix-fixe menu every night. We wrangled some alone time with the chef to talk about his culinary empire.

It’s your first time in Toronto. Will you be exploring much of its culinary scene?
Unfortunately, I got in late last night and am leaving early tomorrow morning, so I won’t really get to see much this time. The one restaurant that is on my list is The Black Hoof, which I heard from a friend is very good.

What are your plans after the book tour?
We just opened our third Bouchon, in Beverly Hills, so for the next year and a half, we’ll make sure it gets the foundation it needs to thrive.

There are six restaurants and three bakeries in the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group. How do you decide where you open a restaurant?
Cooking is about product and execution. When you go somewhere that is not your own country—for example, Toronto—it’s hard to control. I’d really have to learn where the food comes from before being comfortable to open up a restaurant there and feel confident that it’s going to be good. I always say that if I’m going to be a brand, I want to be Hermès—it’s a company that has extraordinary integrity, doesn’t compromise on quality, is respected for what they do, and they haven’t really diverged from their main source of business, which is leather and scarves.

What restaurants have impressed you most?
I have great respect for the extraordinary chefs around the world, including big names like Grant Achatz of Chicago, Heston Blumenthal and Fergus Henderson in the U.K.

What do you think about food trends?
I’m only against trends because the true definition of a trend is something that has an end. So why would you want to be trendy? Why is arugula in this year and out next year? I mean arugula’s still arugula—it’s great! It’s been around forever. There are certain trends that are very important, don’t get me wrong, but the overreaching definition of trend is something that, when you apply it to food, doesn’t make sense.

What are your favourite dishes?
The idea of a beautifully roasted chicken is compelling—the aroma, the flavours. Who doesn’t love roast chicken when it’s done really well? Sometimes I have great anxiety when I see a steak, an omelette, roast chicken and tripe on a menu. There are so many good things that I don’t know what to choose. So it’s almost better not to have any choices when I order.

Is that the premise behind the chef’s tasting menu?
Sure. Luxury to me is about not having to make the choice. Going to a restaurant, just sitting down and having the chef cook for you is great. When I go to dinner at my colleagues’ restaurants, I never see the menu or the wine list, and it’s just a wonderful experience.

If you had to create the ultimate dinner party, who would be there and what would be on the menu?
I’d like to have my parents; [the late chef] Fernand Point—he was an icon not only in our industry, but somebody who has continued to inspire me; Harry Truman, who was our last great president and somebody I really respect; and Audrey Hepburn, an extraordinary woman not just in her beauty but in her thoughtfulness and compassion. I’d serve simple food: probably a garbure (a rustic French winter soup), a great salad, a roast chicken of course, and whatever vegetables were in the earth, then something lemon and something chocolate.

• Read this week’s lunch pick >>

• See past Weekly Lunch Picks >>

• The rainy summer hasn’t just sucked for cottagers—it’s been bad for tomatoes, too. Many plants in the province have developed a fungus that flourishes in soggy fields. The blight, known as the Black Death, the same one that caused the Irish potato famine, has made tomatoes scarce across the province. [Globe and Mail]

• An invitation to dine out as a guest of the New York Times restaurant critic may sound like a good reason to grovel. But Frank Bruni, his last-ever review now behind him, dishes on how crazy invitees can get: food hoarding, pouting, and giving up the host’s true identity to the maître d’ are just a few common antics. [New York Times]

• Food lovers without the good luck of having a couple of hedge fund–managing friends can still become restaurateurs—on Facebook, that is, where the app Restaurant City has been rapidly gaining followers. Users choose the decor (including turrets and indoor rivers) and then buy and trade ingredients to make a menu. Just like at el Bulli. [LA Times]

• Visitors to the legendary Alain Ducasse’s new cooking school in Paris expected instructions on first-class, Michelin-star cooking. But they didn’t expect tips on what to do with leftovers, like turning fish trimmings into the much more spectacular-sounding sea bass tartare. Even top chefs appreciate the one-pot, five-minute meal. [Telegraph]

Come together: after nearly a year of delays, Union opens on Ossington Avenue (Photo by Davida Aronovitch)

Inside Ossington Avenue’s long-awaited Union restaurant, diners find a Parisian oasis. The room smells of fresh baguettes, and Gilles Vigneault’s “Champs Élysées” floats over fin de siècle accents and a brasserie-style horseshoe bar. A look at this soothing atmosphere reveals nothing of the struggle chef-owner Teo Paul had in putting it all together, though readers of his Opening Soon blog, hosted here on torontolife.com, know better.

While most upstart restaurateurs air inevitable frustrations behind closed doors, Paul floundered publicly. Union was first slated to begin service last September, but building and permit complications pushed back that date by almost a year—much to the growing frustration of Paul and his readers. But since opening in early July, the new west-end hot spot has been met by giddy reviews.

“What we’re trying to do is clean and simple,” says Paul of Union’s short but robust menu of local, seasonal dishes. Such regular offerings as a homemade charcuterie plate and Scotch Mountain prime rib are rounded out by daily specials that are in line with Paul’s commitment to nose-to-tail dining: a hanger steak frites served with an egg is a cut from the same cow as the prime rib. Union sources much of its fare from its namesake farm in Grey County, and Paul has been working with the Brick Street Bakery to replicate boulangerie-worthy bread. In addition to lunch and dinner, the spot serves a classic French breakfast of coffee, croissants and tartines that’s already drawing an early-bird crowd. “It feels great,” says Paul of the response. “I was worried, but I think people get it.”

Decor is three parts old Europe, one part hipster chic. An ornate chandelier hangs above the U-shaped bar, where Paul hopes to cultivate a casual vibe. For the voyeur, a counter seat offers a prime perch for watching the dinner theatre unfold in the kitchen. Rustic exposed brick is offset by a playful Barbara Klunder mural. The pastoral scene is Roald Dahl meets enchanted forest. Opposite, a gilded mirror reflects the soft light from frosted orbs overhead.

In order to get to this point, Paul was happy to have writing as an outlet. “I never felt completely lost because I had that blog,” he says. “I just didn’t read the comments.” And though the trials of running a restaurant are ongoing and far from over, he’s still optimistic. “It’s all worth it, for the moments.”

The first thing regulars noticed were the chipper sky blue walls (we also spotted trendy new high-top tables and swanky lights at the bar), but the real shock likely came at the end of the meal. The bills are now about half of what they used to be.

The lower prices are part of the plan to keep customers coming back rather than just for anniversaries and birthdays. “We want to be a destination for foodies, for oenophiles, for the business community,” says Cattalo, “but also a place where people can drop by without having to commit to staying for three hours.” That’s why the tasting menu has been cut, at least for now.

Barry’s fresh pasta, which he prepares daily at 4 p.m., is the new focus. The most popular on opening night was the maltagliati with octopus, olives and capers (appetizer, $15; main course, $25), but Cattalo’s favourite is the pappardelle with braised pulled local rabbit and artichokes ($17, $27), inspired by a version his father made.

The pair plan to serve more wines by the glass but promise the selection of bottles won’t suffer. Cattalo and Barry have purchased the entire stock from previous owners David Lee and Yannick Bigoudan (now of Nota Bene) that Cattalo helped collect during his eight years as manager and sommelier.

While he’s excited at the prospect of adding some esoteric vintages, he says the champagne trolley has been retired. “Drinking champagne is for when times are good and the money is flowing,” says Cattalo. That won’t be anytime soon.

Chocolate, the silent killer (Photo by Daniel Catt)

• A 29-year-old man died Wednesday after falling into a vat of chocolate at a New Jersey candy factory. Not the most dignified way to go, but definitely not the worst. [Huffington Post]

• Oscar Mayer III has passed away at 95. (No, we didn’t know there really was an Oscar Mayer either, let alone three of them.) In his honour, the Chicago Tribune has compiled a list of other notable food products named after people, real and fake. Biggest surprise? There really was a Chef Boyardee. [Chicago Tribune]

• Jamie Kennedy may be struggling with an overextended business empire, but his 19-year-old son, Micha, is doing just fine, selling fresh, organic fries at the Riverdale Farm and Brick Works farmers’ markets. Things are going so well, in fact, that he’s planning another location. Tread carefully, young Micha. [National Post]

• Double-doubles take Manhattan? Thirteen Dunkin’ Donuts outlets in New York City will soon become Tim Hortons, as Timmy’s makes a push to expand in the U.S. Sure, the coffee’s mediocre and the pastries are bland, but we can’t help but feel a little swell of national pride. [Nation’s Restaurant News]

• The energy drink racket hits a weird new low. Malaysian authorities have confiscated 900 boxes of Viagra-laced coffee that were being sold as energy drinks in Kuala Lumpur. [Fox News]

Find out where>>

Hot off the grill: steak burgers, chorizo hotdogs and pulled pork sammies (Photo by Karon Liu)

When the publicist said the biggest name who had RSVP’d for the InterContinental’s SkyLounge patio opening last night was Rick Campenelli, we expected it to be a long evening—especially when said ET Canada host failed to show up.

No matter. The shindig gave us (along with a bevy of networking industry types and unnaturally tanned, unnaturally blonde recession/fashion/style-istas) the opportunity to sample the TIFF hotspot’s new recession-friendly Thursday grill menu.

Jian Ghomeshi surveys the crowd (Photo by Karon Liu)

Served straight off the barbecue, the protein-heavy selection consists of small plates ($3–$4.50) of skewered shrimp, wild boar burgers and lamp chops, along with a few veggie options, including grilled asparagus and vegetable brochettes. An heirloom tomato and watermelon salad was a refreshing accompaniment. We quenched our thirst with a good cause: Ernestine’s Elixir, a fruity Hpnotiq-lychee liqueur concoction ($1 from every cocktail purchased this summer will be donated to the Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter).

We did spy Jian Ghomeshi in his trademark graphic tee, blazer and jeans, chatting away about books and his favourite Keith Richards quotes, but that’s where the quasi-A List sighting stopped, folks. It was straight to the end of the alphabet from there.

But, who needs stars when there’s mixed grill to be had? The privacy of the courtyard patio (don’t let the name fool you, it’s not on the roof), the affordable menu and noble fundraising efforts (though alcohol isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to helping an abused women’s shelter) makes the SkyLounge an ideal post-work oasis.

The interior of Union, May 1, 2009 (Photo by Teo Paul)

We were hoping to be open by May 5, at the latest, but the usual happened. One guy held up another guy from finishing his job, so yet another guy has to wait for that guy to finish so he can get done what he has to get done—and then everyone needs more money. It drags on and on. I don’t recommend gutting a place and trying to build a restaurant from rubble and dirt. Who knew such a sweet little spot could demand so much? It’s been tough to hold on to the spark that shot me into this thing when it feels like it’s just spitting me out. It bangs up your faith because you start thinking it’s you that’s making it take so damn long. It’s lonesome waiting for something to begin. You’re out in the wind with just self-doubt and a bunch of expectations to keep you company.

Even though there are days I wish I were somewhere else, somehow I still feel I am in the right spot. This place is about forgiveness. No matter what pain and agony have gone into building it, this is still the place that’s going to give me a shot—a moment, a chance—to put something I believe in out there. I am not a builder, or a plumber, or a painter, or an electrician, or a metalworker, or a gas man. I’m the last guy who gets to do his job in this restaurant. The longer I have to wait, the deeper in doubt I get, and the farther I am from where I’ve been and what I’ve done and where I want to go. I am doing all I can to hold on to that one note I want to kick this place off with and build around.

Nobody really knows what I am about to do. Nobody knows how I got here. Nobody knows my certainty and the way I see it coming together. I can write about it, explain it, get drunk and wave my arms around about it. But until I get my shot, it’s just me, one guy, trying to explain himself enough to put it together. The closer I get to opening, the more tenuous and strained it starts to feel.

My mom called me from Switzerland while I was writing this and said, “I’m worried about how you’re going to do the potatoes. I woke up at three in the morning thinking about it. If you do them the way you said, I don’t think it will work.”

I said, “I know. They’ll be too soft.”

Then she went on and said, “I’ve been testing it. You just need 25 minutes to do it right.”

Then she said, “Are you excited?”

I said, “I don’t think excited is the word.”

I think I’m nervous. I’m nervous about what’s about to change and happen and where it will lead. I’m nervous about not getting across what I’m trying to do. I’m nervous about losing what has led me here and the places and people I used to know. I can’t just get up and find them now. I’m dug in; they’ll have to come find me.