Open/Closed for the week of November 10-16
What a week! There have been openings almost every day. This is highly unusual for this time of year. And yet, there are many more to come later this week and early next month!
And the closings sadly continue. Luckily, there are a ton of exciting events to look forward to, as well as other food and restaurant news, so let’s get started!
Open:
Dandylion
1198 Queen St. W.
This new spot features dishes by Chef Jason Carter, who is most notably known from Centro. We'll have a sneak peek for you later today.
Ovest Cucina e Vineria
788 King St. W.
This stunning spot has an in-house salumeria, pizza oven and seafood-centric dishes made by Chef Luca Stracquadanio (Terroni in LA). We’ll have a closer inside look coming your way soon.
Pizzeria Libretto
155 University Ave.
The long-awaited third location by Chef Rocco opened Monday morning and boasts two floors and a snack menu.
Wilbur Mexicana
552 King St. W.
Wilbur M. is offering a limited menu of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, fajitas and beer. Come Monday, more dishes and drinks will be added.
Vino Rosso Bar + Restaurant
995 Bay St.
Taking over from shuttered Portobello (see below), this new spot offers wine and live entertainment.
Soon:
Breaking news! Rumour has it that Owner/Chef Zane Caplansky of Caplansky's Delicatessen is softly opening a BBQ joint in the Monarch Tavern on Clinton St. on Friday. There was no response to repeated requests for comment.
Closed:
Bruda closed on College. Does this mean that Alan Vernon is almost always right?
Ortolan
Portobello on Bay is no more.
New Chef:
Geraldine now has a new Exective Chef. Alex Molitz announced his new position after having worked at Farmhouse Tavern and then heading to Hinterland Wine for a spell.
Maple Leaf Tavern is a shoddy spot across from Gerrard Square in the east end. It’s been closed for what seems like forever, so the news of it being renovated and reimagined, along with Chef Eric Wood at the helm in the kitchen, is pretty exciting. It’s arriving early 2015. Chef Wood also been named the head chef at Port, a Durham Region restaurant.
New Title:
Past chair of Restaurants Canada (formerly known as the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association), Donna Dooher - Owner/Chef of Mildred's Temple Kitchen - will take on the role of Interim President and CEO until a new one is appointed. This comes just weeks after the announcement of Chef Dooher as the new national chair for Taste Canada.
Events:
Last night’s Gold Medal Plates was an exhilarating display of hard work and talent by Toronto chefs. Check out our Instagram page for all the highlights from the night and this year’s winners.
Tomorrow is the beginning of Bourbon Week in Toronto and Ottawa. Cheers!
The 4th annual Veggielicious starts tomorrow and goes until the end of the month. Coordinated by The Toronto Vegetarian Association, this event is like Winterlicious for vegetarians, featuring prix-fixe meals, as well as special deals at bakeries, cafes and restaurants throughout the GTA. Some of the participating restaurants include Belmonte Raw, Glas, Lola’s Kitchen, Magic Oven, Pero, and both locations of Tabule.
Saturday is the grand opening of Wahlburgers, which means Mark, Donnie and Chef Paul are likely to be coming to town to celebrate!
Santa Claus is coming to town via his parade on Sunday. Neat fact: The Toronto parade has been going since 1905.
The official launch of Canadian Women in Food happens on Tuesday. The organization is a “national social enterprise designed to promote women-owned businesses connected to the food and beverage industry, to cultivate the positive energy that comes from women supporting women, and to stir up the spirit of female food entrepreneurs by creating opportunities for economic growth."
Ristorante Boccaccio, Buca, Cafe Boulud and TOCA are just some of the many restaurants in the city celebrating white truffle season. If you're a truffle nut, now's your chance to experience the best of the best!
And in case that's not enough to keep you busy, check out this month's calendar of events.
And lastly:
Are you in a cooking rut? These grocery delivery services complete with chef-inspired recipes ought to help!
Read why you have to butt out come January.
Find out why restaurants are opening rather quietly across the city.
It's still technically fall, so check out the season's best cookbooks, all by Toronto writers and chefs.
Finer dining is still very much alive, so should you wish for a elevated dining experience, check out our Distinguished Guide, a carefully curated list of upscale restaurants.
And if you can't get enough eggs benny, check out our brunch guide for some great options.
Don't panic, but there are just a few weeks until the holidays. Luckily we’ve put together a holiday guide to help you plan your family and work events and functions.
Dine.TO is proud to be a sponsor of this year’s KitchenAid Cook for the Cure Culinary Showdown! Read all about this year's celebrity chefs and help us raise money for this important cause.