667 The Queensway

(416) 251-5877

www.antoniosroyalpizzeria.com

Pricing: Average

Cuisine: Italian

Type: Casual Dining

Rating:

Atmosphere: 9/10

Food: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Antonio's is located in Etobicoke and if you're coming from Downtown Toronto, it's a pretty long drive. But once you walk in, that fatigue will go away and you'll be captivated by the inside of the restaurant. It's small and has less than 10 tables but its' decor is very detailed. It's modern but also homey.

As appetizers, we started with Bruschetta and Caesar Salad. They were very generous with the toppings for the bruschetta and that really paid off. It wasn't swimming in oil but the bread was soaked a quarter way through, just the way I like it.

Below is the Penne Salmone, penne with a rose sauce and salmon as their main ingredients. If I didn't have a pizza, this is what I would've ordered. For $14, it was a big serving.

Although you can't tell from all the sauce it's swimming in, this is the Lasagna; homemade pasta with mozzarella, parmigiano cheese, veal, pork and beef. I was told it was heavenly and the best they've ever had. That's a pretty big statement, anyone care to back this man up?

Pizzas taste the best when you have them at an authentic Italian restaurant. It's fresh and tastes homemade as opposed to the generic stale ones you find at Pizza Pizza. So a handful of us took advantage of this opportunity but I want to make it clear that I may have gotten the names of one or two of them mixed up. Since there were four pizzas and it was cut into four pieces, we all traded slices.

The first one was what I ordered, La Strega. It's pesto in tomato sauce with mozzarella, grilled chicken and zucchini. It was hot, fresh and tasted great. The only thing I would've liked more of was a thicker crust. Having a good crust to topping ratio makes it so the pizza isn't too salty.

The Tropo Hot is tomato sauce with mozzarella, hot soppressata, hot sausage and hot peppers. I'm someone who can't eat spicy foods and while it was hot for me, it was mild for others.

The Venezia has no sauce but it does have grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, feta cheese, garlic, rosemary, artichokes and mozzarella. I would've loved to try this one but unfortunately, I'm allergic to artichokes (something I don't mind) so I couldn't exactly eat it but a lot of people liked this one.

The Tropo Nice has tomato sauce with mozzarella, fresh Italian sausage, mushrooms and roasted red peppers. It's almost identical to the Tropo Hot except for a few extra ingredients. That and the fact that it's not spicy.

For dessert, I ordered the Tiramisu but I felt that it was lacking in something. It was a little bland in my opinion.

The Cheesecake was a lot better and had a great texture. Even though I didn't order it for myself, I kept picking at it and ate a big chunk of it.

We arrived at 6 p.m. and were one of the few people there. But as time passed, the restaurant quickly filled up and became alive. You may have to wait quite a bit though because it's just the owner and another woman but they try to make up for it with small talk. They're very friendly and are genuine as well but our meal took longer than expected because of all the waiting.

163 York Boulevard

(905) 889-7898

Pricing: Average

Cuisine: Korean/Japanese

Type: All You Can Eat

Rating

Atmosphere: 7/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 5/10

Chako (what people usually refer to it as) is the all you can eat place to go to if you live uptown because while there are AYCE sushi places, there aren't many Korean BBQ ones where you cook your own meat AND have sushi.

Most people go for their late night option which is between 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on the weekdays and starts at 10:30 p.m. on the weekends. It's cheaper than dinner ($6 less) and you don't get the special items like sushi and ox tongue but you do get your fix of BBQ meats and seafood.

It looks great inside, nice and polished, but getting a good server here is pretty much a coin flip. A majority of them don't want to be there but the last time I was there, my server was a plain looking girl with black glasses and black hair tyed in a ponytail. She was polite and nice about everything. I will warn you that the older gentleman at the front desk is obnoxiously rude and ignores you but I'm certain he's the manager. You're going to have to deal with him until you get a table. 

Start your meal off with some Seaweed Salad, probably the best salad there is out there! You'd be surprised how many AYCE places don't have it. There are also many other appetizers to choose from including miso soup and the various side dishes.

Their Sushi is only available during dinner but don't worry, it's just a nice bonus. If you came for sushi, you wouldn't have gone here. You can choose from California, Spicy Salmon, Futomaki, Tamago, New Mexico, Cucumber, California and Shrimp Hand Roll.

You get everything in little trays and if it's not enough, you can always ask for more. You also get a small bowl of rice to accompany everything. I usually come during dinner time because even though it costs more, there are just so many more options.

For meats, you get Sliced Beef, Short Rib, Ox Tongue, Chicken and Sliced Pork. For seafood, you get Tiger Shrimp, Calamari, Fish Fillet and Mussels. Nobody seems to finish the greens but they give you the Green and Red Peppers, Zucchini and Pineapples anyways.

It tastes pretty good at first but after awhile, everything starts to blend together. I find it's like that with every Korean BBQ place though since most of them marinate all their meats the same way.

You also get unlimited desserts! Most people only get one after a meal like that but you only live once right? Take your pick from Green Tea Ice Cream, Mango Ice Cream, Mango Pudding or Red Bean Pudding.

It's nice once in awhile but I wouldn't go more than once a month, all that iron can't be too good for you.

*Experiences may vary*

You may have heard the name tossed around here and there, especially if you live around Toronto but if you haven't, Tasty Tours is their name and they are a walking tour dedicated to sweets!

The tour is about two hours and takes you to various places around Kensington Market where you get a sample of their delicious products. Along the way, you learn interesting facts and pieces of history that you may or may not have known.

We started at Ding Dong Bakery and that was where we met the rest of the pack and our guide Audrey. Everyone was very friendly and I'm glad because I've heard horror stories when it comes to tours. We "tried" an Egg Tart and it wasn't bad. However, I've eaten a lot of these growing up so I think my opinion is biased.

The next stop was Cora's Kitchen, my favourite one throughout the whole tour. It was a great day so they set up a table outside. Everything looked delicious and I wanted to buy everything! But I had to control myself.

We tried Mini Cupcakes in Chocolate with a Creamcheese Frosting. We actually had a choice between two different flavours but between chocolate and vanilla, my choice was made. It was so moist and the frosting was so smooth.

I wanted to try something different as well so I bought the Bacon Butterscotch Cookie and Chocolate Chip Cookie, two recommened items. They were hard, crunchy and heavenly. There could've been more bacon bits though, in my opinion.

Next is Chocolate Addict and they specialize in chocolate truffles. We all got to sample a piece and I chose the Chocolate Mint. It was pretty good but I don't find truffles in general too special. Maybe the creamy centre but you can find that in regular chocolate as well. They also sell chocolate drinks and double as a candy store.

This stop was an interesting one. It's one building but consists of various vendors in an open space. You could say it's a Latin Food Market, except for the Korean vendor at the front. You get one churro from Pancho's Bakery and I got a Churro with Chocolate Sauce, it also comes in caramel or strawberry. The one pet peeve I have with churros is when the fried dough is so hot, that the sauce melts and gathers at the bottom. I burned my tongue quite a few times.

One of my favourite stores in Toronto, let alone Kensington Market, is the Blue Banana. They carry things that you wouldn't find anywhere else and it's always interesting to walk around and see what treasures they hold. So I was really excited when we walked in and learned that the Blue Banana is made up of many individual vendors. That's why almost everything you find in there is so unique.

Butter Baked Goods in Vancouver have a display of Homemade Marshmallows in the store. They are denser than the ones you find in grocery stores and also come in various flavours.

The last stop of the tour was where all the British confections were. If you ever wondered why the Brits are stereotyped for having bad teeth, it's because the sugar levels in their candy is sometimes twice, or even three times as much as ours. I have a sweet tooth but sometimes the taste of the chocolate gets lost in all the sugar; like the Cadbury Flake.

I didn't include any facts in this post because if you go on the tour, you'll learn all about it then. I recommend going at least once and bring a friend or partner. It's no fun by yourself.

I'll be going on their Chocolate Tour as a special guest, watch out for that post in the near future :).

516 Danforth Avenue

(416) 466-8158

www.panonthedanforth.com

Pricing: Pricey

Cuisine:Greek

Type: Restaurant

Rating

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 10/10

*This post does not have the best photos. Some of these have been altered in regards to brightness and bluriness.

I organized a get together around Winterlicious 2012 and had it at Pan on the Danforth, a place that I have always wanted to try. Unfortunately, it was dinner time and because it's a bit on the fine dining side, there is dim lighting. But I have tried my best to provide photos where you can see what they have to offer. Most of the main dishes are fine though so don't worry about them.

The appetizers that most of us went with were the Mydia Santorini (Mussels) and Floured Calamari. The mussels were great but too short-lived. One of my friends actually didn't make it until later so we ordered for her but her mussels sat there for quite some time. The manager, seeing this, took the plate and brought out a fresh one later on. That's great service.

You'll see that the calamari is cut thicker but most of us agreed that we would've liked it in smaller rings because eating 10 smaller ones feel better than eating five bigger ones.

I got the Bifteki Olympus, whick is ground beef baked with a feta cheese filing served with greens and fries. I thought the sides were better than the beef patties but someone mentioned that the deliciously crispy fries tasted like Costco fries. I can see the similarity but they are seasoned differently. Pan has an extra seasoning.

This is the Plaki, a braised grouper fillet in a yogurt tomato sauce with vine tomatoes over garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. The fish was chewy and didn't stick together while the sauce gave it a nice touch. 

The Arni Kotsi Yiouvetsi is what I would've gotten if I could have a do-over. It's essentially a braised lamb shank with herbs and veggies served over orzo. It was seasoned beautifully and had so much going on that you got your money's worth.

The Roasted Breast of Chicken was too dry and while it was stuffed with cream cheese, basil and sundried tomatoes, it wasn't tender enough. The white rosemary mushroom cream was delish though; and the mini potatoes were cooked to perfection.

Almost everyone at the table went for the Galaktoboureko as their dessert. I think what appealed to us was the custard wrapped with the layer of phyllo. Two things that sound amazing together but fall short because of its' blandness; it lacked in flavour and the custard was not sweet enough.

I would come back for their service but I don't know if I would pay full price for some of the dishes that we tried that day. If I remember correctly, an appetizer alone is about $15. With Pan, I believe it's all about what you order. If you guys have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

76 Gerrard Street East/589 King Street West

(647) 349-3294/(647) 347-3294

www.loudawgs.com

Rating

Atmosphere: 8/10

Food: 7/10

Service: 8/10

Lou Dawg's opened up their Gerrard Street location not too long ago to take advantage of the student market. It's located right by Ryerson University and if you show your student card, you get 10 per cent off! You order at the cash and take a seat while they prepare your food. They bring it to your table and when you're done, you leave it at your table as well but make sure it's all in one place out of respect.

They're known for their comfort food and while they offer a wide range of ways you can mix it up, there are some things I would never order again. 

For example, these are their Slow Smoked Dry Rub Wings and I am not a fan of the dry rub. It has an odd taste and leaves a strong after taste in your mouth. It's not lathered on so it's bareable but if you want to enjoy your wings, I suggest the Slow Smoked Wet Wings (pictured below).

The wet wings taste a lot better and are packed with flavour. I think they were trying to do the same thing with the dry ones for those that didn't like to get their hands dirty but it was just too overwhelming. If you're going to eat fingerfood, where's the fun if your hands stay clean?

The St. Louis Style Ribs are pretty thick and have more than enough meat. However, there is a thick layer of dry rub sauce underneath the wet sauce. Unlike the wings, it's layered on and after one or two ribs, it's just too much. Even my boyfriend, who's never hated a dish, didn't like this one.

For this 3 Meat + 2 Sides Meat Combo, we have the Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken and Beef Brisket with a side of Potato Salad and Coleslaw. The sandwiches are definitely their strengths; they are tender and have just enough sauce. All are great but if you only want one, go with the beef brisket. The potato salad and coleslaw have honey mustard so there is a tangy kick. It's different but is a great change up in flavour.

This is the 1 Meat + 2 Sides Meat Combo with the Pulled Pork, Fresh Cut Fries and Deeeelicious Deep Fried Pickles. The fries aren't anything special but they are crispy and hot. I hate pickles but fried pickles seem to be all the rage now so I decided to try them. They taste like regular pickles with a batter shell. If you were never a big fan of pickles in the past, I wouldn't recommend getting them.

This 2 Meats + 2 Sides Meat Combo is with the Pulled Pork, Beef Brisket, Fresh Cut Sweet Potato Fries and Meaty BBQ Beans. These two are probably some of the best sides. The sweet potato fries aren't as crispy as the regular fries but I like it a lot more but I could be biased since I usually favour them more. The beans are great as well, a nice balance of sweet and savoury.

It's a cozy place to hang out and grab a bite. You can stay as long as you'd like and they recently finished their outdoor patio on the second floor, just in time for sunny weather!

When I interned at Chatelaine, I saw these cookies everywhere; they were featured on various menus, lists and Christmas posts. Around the same time, I received a recipe card in the mail from them telling me to subscribe (even though I already had). If any of you are Rogers' customers, you probably got it as well. I advise you to make it because it's rich and isn't too sweet.

For those that didn't get the card, here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 112 g dark chocolate (about 4 squares), chopped and melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup icing sugar

After melting the dark chocolate squares, whether it be over the stove or in a fondue pot, put it aside so that it can cool.

In a small bowl, whisk the almonds with the cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

Beat butter with the brown sugar in a large bowl or the bowl that comes with a standing mixer. It should take about three minutes or until it's light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Stir in the cooled chocolate.

Fold in the almond mixture until it's well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refridgerate until the dough is firm enough to roll, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Position the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and put them aside. In two separate small bowls, place the granulated sugar and icing sugar into each. Scoop the dough and roll into tbsp-sized balls.

Coat it with the granulated sugar first, then the icing sugar. Place them on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart. 

Bake them in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating the sheets halfway through, until the cookies crack. Remove from the oven and let it cool for two minutes. They will look undercooked but will continue to bake on the sheets.Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze up to one month.

They are small so you won't feel guilty eating them. That and it's almost all dark chocolate! The little spot in the photo above is nothing to worry about, it's just the almond extract :). I promise you'll love them!