Let Down at Locus Lounge

Waking up naturally on a sunny Sunday with no particular plans in mind is the ideal condition for growing brunch dates. Even though I adore Cafe Medina to no end, my curiosity and aversion to block-long line ups on the most popular brunch day of the week led me to Locus Lounge! The place exudes a dark, gothic vibe when it comes to its decor, so I was very surprised to learn that they served brunch.

Locus Lounge has quite an extensive brunch menu, so it took us a while to finally decide what we wanted. First up was the Huevos Rancheros. I was expecting a hearty mess of ingredients thrown together but their version was surprisingly light and refreshing. I would have liked the salsa to have more kick in it but overall this dish managed to keep me on my toes without being too overbearing. 

Huevos Rancheros $13

A New Favourite: Siena Restaurant

Tucked just ever so slightly away from the hustle and bustle of Broadway and Granville sits Siena, a nice little neighbourhood gem. The space is small but inviting, with its use of wood and its handwritten chalkboard of the daily specials. Unfortunately, since we had a later reservation, many of the special items were already sold out.

Nonetheless, Siena's staple menu still had many things that caught my eye. I'm always a little iffy when it comes to pork tenderloin because often times it can end up being tough. This was certainly not the case as the pork came out to be melt-in-your-mouth good. Even though the portion did not look intimidating, I'm sure I would have been satisfyingly full if I had polished this off on my own.

Grilled Natural Pork Tenderloin $25

CraveTO: Senses Ignited

The CraveTO event was, in my opinion, a huge success. It was my first time at Wychwood barns and I love the venue. The last food event I had gone to was at Evergreen Brick Works, so I was mainly comparing this event to that.  I really liked that Wychwood barns had lots of places to seat, whether it be the grass, concrete steps or plastic tables and chairs on the sand. 

When we arrived at 7, there was a fair amount of people, but it got more crowded as the night went on.

Our first stop was to grab a drink at Dillon's. I did not know about them before this event, but the cuteness of their set up and the pastel colours immediately drew my attention.

Dillon's Distillery has 4 signature spirits, and their gin and rye were featured that night. We got to choose between Rhubarb Blossom and Honey Rye Lemonade.  They were very generous with the alcohol and almost half of my small plastic cup was rye. Although a bit strong for me, the drink tasted very good. I liked the citrusy flavour and freshness. 

Asada was at the top of my to-try list for this event. For the night, they offered 2 selections, chorizo or pulled pork, in burrito or taco form. The burritos were pre-rolled so I went for the tacos as I wanted to see the ingredients.

I was fully expecting to like the chorizo more, but pulled pork won my heart instead. Probably because of all the sauces and toppings, the chorizo's savouriness was overpowered.   The pulled pork taco on the other hand was perfect. The BBQ sauce was an ideal balance between savoury and sweet.

The staff also showed me other items on their menu in-store. She definitely succeeded in getting me to want to venture out to the store one day!

CraveTO: Ignite Your Senses

One of the main reasons why I have learned to love Toronto is because of how multicultural it is and how much the city embraces that.  The CraveTO event that I was invited to this Friday is the perfect example. This upcoming food event features unique independent street vendors selling various types of food and cuisines. The event lineup also includes craft beers and Toronto DJs. What better way to enjoy food than with music and beer?!

CraveTO is an outdoor festival showcase of Toronto street food, craft beer and DJs.The event
was created to promote Toronto’s cultural movement towards local food and drink, and
showcase the creators driving this movement.

Event Information:
Date: Friday May 30, 2013. 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Venue: Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie Street
Tickets: $16.75 each. Buy tickets here.
How it works: Tickets are for general admission. Beer and food offerings will be additional at around $5 each.

Here are some of my top picks to try:
Asada: I have never tried their food, but I will never say no to tacos and burritos...more guacamole please!
Food Dudes: Speaking of tacos, the fish tacos at the food dudes are amazing. Must try.
Oyster Boy: This one should be self-explanatory. Oysters will always be a yes.
Sweet Sammies: I had tried their ice cream sandwiches at a previous food event, and they are a must! Dessert doesn't get better than this.
Tocino Boys: Filipino food is new territory for me, but sweet bacon and chorizo sounds very enticing.

For a full list of the line up, visit http://craveto.com/lineup/.

I am very much looking forward to this event, and am excited to be attending with a fellow food blogger at Chew Street!

High Tea at Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La

The Lobby Lounge is located right by the entrance in the lobby (hence the name, probably) of the Shangri-La Hotel. As soon as you enter, you can hear the elegant sounds of live piano and feel the warm and tranquil vibe. The area is very spacious with many large comfortable couches holding many cushions and pillows. 

The $40 per person (before taxes and gratuity) high tea menu is predetermined and includes a selection of desserts, sandwiches and scones, with your own choice of teas from an extensive tea list.