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All stories relating to Patios

The Dish

Read All About It
August 26, 2009 | 9:29 am

3 Comments

Robot chefs, 10 best American restaurants, Whole Foods boycott

Meal-o-matic: is this the future of food?

Meal-o-matic: is this the future of food? (Photo by Bonnie Burton)

• Chinese restaurant chain I Robot is being picketed by chefs who say their robot counterparts—which each do the job of five humans—are putting them out of work. The restaurants in Guangxi province need only one lonely food chopper to stock ingredients; the robots prepare whatever the waiter punches into a computer. Manager Huang Xianghao had discouraging words for the disgruntled chefs: “The robot chefs are more efficient and hygienic. And they don’t complain.” [Austrian Times]

• Bon Appetit has named its favourite 10 new American restaurants and recommended dishes to try at each. Manhattan didn’t make the cut, but Brooklyn’s No. 7 represented the five NYC boroughs with its pumpkin seed–crusted tofu. The clam and calamari seafood stew got Mado of Chicago on the list, alongside Hungry Mother in Cambridge, The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland and Bar Jules in San Francisco. [Canadian Press]

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Urban Decoder
July 9, 2009 | 11:47 am

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The other day, a smoker lit up right beside my eight-month-old on a patio. Isn’t there a law against that?

In the past few years, smoking near wee ones has become as socially unsavoury as bombing around in a Hummer, and neither Obama’s private puffing nor a slick gaggle of Mad Men can bring it back. But while city hall has banned the harmful habit near wading pools and playgrounds, uncovered patios are still fair game, meaning, child or
no child, if you wind up seated near a du Maurier diehard, the options are few. Option 1: Politely ask the offending smokestack to butt out. Many smokers are parents, too, and even those who aren’t will generally be accommodating, provided you ask nicely (snooty insinuations of non-smoker superiority will probably get that “butt out” request thrown right back in your face). Option 2: Find somewhere else to enjoy eating and drinking al fresco. Since 2006, Ontario patios with a roof or an awning are required to be smoke free. Option 3: Ask for a new table—just be willing to pack up if one isn’t available. For the 18 per cent of Canadians who cop to at least the occasional nic fit, patios are one of the few remaining venues at which to seize vice with both hands.

• Question from Veronica Hume, The Beach

Wondering about the waterfront? Curious about construction? Perplexed by politics? Ask the Urban Decoder a question here.

The Dish

Restauran-TO
July 1, 2009 | 10:36 am

3 Comments

Get outside: More new patios open in Toronto

Al fresco: Toronto patio season is in full swing (Photo by IntangibleArts)

Patio season is in full swing (Photo by IntangibleArts)

With the summertime gods finally smiling, we took another look around town for patios that have sprouted up this season. Here, five brand new places to satisfy the craving for fresh air and fresh fare.

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The Dish

Restauran-TO
May 11, 2009 | 2:06 pm

2 Comments

The new patios of summer ’09: Fresh grazing grounds for outdoorsy appetites

Queen Street in patio season (Photo by LexnGer)

The new leisure class: Queen Street will benefit from some of the city's new patios (Photo by Alexa Clark of CheapEatsToronto.com)

With spring heating up into summer, we scoped out some new (and renewed) terraces that will get a beer-drenched baptism this summer. From east to west, here are six of the hottest new patios.

Oddfellows
Opened in September, this Queen West newcomer has yet to see a balmy season. The space faces Shaw Street and offers views of the sprawling CAMH grounds, seats about 12 and stays open for cocktails until 2 a.m. (though the kitchen closes at 11). A new spring menu arrives just in time for picnic chic, with such fresh dishes as venison tartare to usher in the season. Rest assured, regulars: the house favourite, bison rib-eye, is still on offer. 936 Queen St. W., 416-534-5244.

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The Dish

Restauran-TO
April 27, 2009 | 12:00 pm

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Open season: A look at some of the city’s best patios

Springtime, and the living is easy (if you can get a table) (Photo by Giulio Nepi)

Springtime, and the living is easy (if you can get a table) (Photo by Giulio Nepi)

This past weekend proved that double-digit temperatures are all Torontonians need to get patio season going. We checked out some of the city’s most popular terraces to see what’s open so far in 2009, and how these places are celebrating the al fresco season.

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The Dish

Bottoms Up
April 2, 2009 | 12:57 pm

2 Comments

Beer: The new wine

Beer is coming to dinner (Photo by: Tambako The Jaguar)

Beer: it's what's for dinner (Photo by Tambako the Jaguar)

Forget the chardonnay—beer is Toronto’s new dining partner. We’ve been watching the beer-pairing trend since it popped up over a year ago, with aficionados telling the world that hoppy brews are complex enough to replace wine at meals. Beer’s appeal got a serious boost from the downturn, when pint pairing suddenly made good economic sense. Now, with patio season just around the corner, we took part in a pairing seminar to get the skinny on the craze. Here, some expert tips for the ale sommelier in training.

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The Dish

Bottoms Up
March 5, 2009 | 12:33 pm

6 Comments

Starfish’s Shucker Paddy brings some more Irish to the east end

Patrik McMurray stands before yet-to-be-completed Ceili Cottage in Leslieville (Photo by Signe Langford).

Patrick McMurray stands before yet-to-be-completed Ceili Cottage in Leslieville (Photo by Signe Langford)

Leslieville must have the luck of the Irish. The east-end neighbourhood will be home to two new Irish pubs this spring: The Roy, at 894 Queen Street East, and the Ceili Cottage, at 1301 Queen Street East. The latter doesn’t look like much right now, but the bones are there. And according to proprietor Patrick McMurray, champion oyster shucker and owner of Starfish, they are good bones. The space was last an unremarkable auto body shop, but the building itself dates back to the 1850s. McMurray is now peeling back the layers of paint, paper, motor grease, plywood and cement in order to create the Irish cottage of his dreams. “My wife and I often came down to Sweet Bliss Baking Company, across the road, and when she ran in for cupcakes, I’d sit in the car and stare at the place. I could see the outline of my Irish cottage under those bricks. One day, I was sitting and staring and there it was, the ‘For Rent’ sign.”

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The Dish

Restauran-TO
February 4, 2009 | 3:11 pm

1 Comment

The patio season battleground is outside Future Bakery’s front door

Will the Future be tamer? (Photo by ShiftOperations)

Will the Future be tamer? (Photo by ShiftOperations)

Being knee-deep in winter, we are just starting to fantasize about Toronto’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it patio season. The time for debating patio season, however, is already upon us. Last Monday marked its start, with an Annex community meeting to discuss the patios at Future Bakery and The Labyrinth. The agenda of the meeting was not as ominous as predicted. Instead of angling to shut the patios down, the meeting focused on filling some licensing gaps as the patio licences are transferred to the establishments’ new owner, Sumit Kapur (including conditions on hours and noise levels).

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