The Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, despite being an appliance akin to those you’d see on a late night infomercial, is brilliant for making meals. Stews, sauces, Chicken, Veal… there are recipes for anything you’d be in the mood for. There are cook books entirely dedicated to the Slow Cooker, and websites (like this one or this one) listing some of the best meals you can prepare.

This great site shows a new recipe every few days and in 2007 had a recipe a day for a full 365.  The Slow Cooker Chicken and Sweet Potato Southernwestern Stew is a great meal both in terms of taste (delicious) and servings (more than enough to go around). Most of the stuff I’ve had in a Slow Cooker goes ideally with rice or noodles.

Another good thing about the Slow Cooker? Put it on in the morning and it slowly cooks through out the day in time for dinner or lunch, hence the name Slow Cooker. If you’re out all day at school or work, a meal’s ready for you when you get home, with little to no hassle.

I fully recommend the Slow Cooker to give you eat-in nights something a little different. It’s just as tasty as it is convenient.

859 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6G 1M4

(416) 531-1538‎

I went to lunch with my two sisters and mom today at this cafe in the dovercourt and bloor street area. My middle sister recommended it as a new trendy spot that her and her girlfriends come to do homework (free internet) and have nice teas.

When I first entered the cafe I found it hard not to giggle at the amount of people who were taking advantage of the free internet (and not eating or drinking). The menu was written on a chalk board, it was short but interesting; a tell tale sign that they do only a few things but do them well. My mom and my oldest sister got Tuna Sandwhiches which came with avacado, sundried and fresh tomato, lettuce, rosemary and mayo. They both boasted on how delicious they were. My middle sister got a salad that I didn’t get the name of nor does she remember nor was it clearly written on the chalk board. Her only comments about it were that it had ‘too much goat cheese’ which was evident at the massive inch thick globs of goat cheese left on her plate, she wasn’t impressed.

I got the Old White Cheddar Sandwhich which came with bacon, tomato, avacado, lettuce, rosemary, mayo on seven grain bread. It was really good.

Each of our plates came with thinly chopped carrots and cucumber with a light salad dressing sprinkled over top.

All in all I wasn’t TOO impressed by the whole experience at Saving GiGi. If your looking for a place to have a tea or coffee and get some free internet or do some work then it’s a nice ambiance, but to bring a hungry family of four for a meal I would steer clear.

I went to eat at Clintons with my sister on the first sunny day i’d seen in months through our dark winter. I’ve dranken but never eaten at this spot located just east of Christie and Bloor in the heart of little Korea. It turns into quite the bumpin time on saturday nights.

The inside is almost cottagey with wooden panelling on the walls, pictures of the northern ontario and muskoka themed ornaments scattered througout. The service was quick and pleasant (expected as the place was near empty). On the nights where i’ve dranken hear i found it quite the opposite espescially in the back area (dancefloor) where the party was happening.

I ordered John-Boys Greek Pita which is grilled chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and tzatziki sauce on a warmed up pita. It came with a side of french fries and a ceaser salad. The pita wrap was pretty good except the i felt the veggies were cut too thick (it was like they halfed the cucumber), but it was still tasty. The french fries were crispy, thin and salty. No complaints.

My sister ordered the roasted veggie and goat cheese wrap which consists of goat cheese, roasted red peppers, goat cheese, pesto, lettuce, tomato and cucumber on a warmed up pita. She substituted her french fries with sweet potato fries which she highly recommended to me.

Clintons is a nice spot for a quick lunch or a night out for some brews.

416-534-7751

My friend and I went to this resto mid day for a quick bite to eat and catch up. We’ve both been here a few times so we kind of knew what we wanted to ‘maximize’ our experience. Naturally we’d sit in the heated and covered (with a nice glassed roof) back patio. The service was friendly, fast and well accomodating.

With both an extensive eat in and a take out menu you won’t be let down no matter what your tastes fancy. I ordered the Homemade Charbroiled Burger which is a 1/2 pound of lean ground beef, grilled and served on a sesame seed bun topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, relish, pickles, mayo, bacon and cheddar cheese. It came with a ’side’ (a whopping serving) of french fries. This meal was amazing. I would argue one of the best burgers in the city. It will leave you overstuffed and happy (if that’s what your going for and who isn’t going for that?)

My friend Hil had the Grilled Salmon Salad which is a sesame ginger marinated Atlantic Salmon fillet, grilled and served over a bed of field mix, roma tomatoes and crispy Tortilla strips and topped with a tangy citrus and olive oil vinaigrette. I had my hands full the whole meal and didn’t get a chance to try her’s but she boasted about how good it was and I trust her judgement….she’s HUGE. joking <3

Anyway, we were both impressed by whole experience and recommend Utopia greatly

Quick Tummy Time

374 Yonge Street

Quick Tummy Time is an unassuming Shwarma place. It is located just South West of Yonge street near Gerrard. This place, at first glance, is questionable and some people may decide not to take the risk. This is however, a huge mistake. The lunch specials which go on surprisingly late in the afternoon, are $5.99 for a variety of different plates (I guess they know the 12 o’clock lunch is a thing of the past).

Regardless, the people at the counter were very quick and there were no ‘substitution rules’ or fees. The Chicken Shwarma plate included salads (cabbage, lettuce, tomato, pickled beets), it also included rice and potatoes that were well cooked. The Chicken came straight off the rotator. The individual didn’t mind adding humus, garlic sauce and amazing hot sauce, this is definitely sure to give joy to colleagues-coworkers-classmates. For a bit extra, there is a wide variety of pops and ‘jumex’ juices.

Quick Tummy Time also offers discount card (buy 10, get 1 free) and a student discount of 10% for those who it applies to. The Felafels are also fresh, I noticed them being fried while I was ordering, definitely worth a try next time. Overall, I was satisfied, despite the initial appearance of the place, its definitely worth checking out for those cheap lunches… you won’t be disappointed.

Run of the Mill Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

French’s Mustard Recipe:

http://www.frenchs.ca/en/recipes/recipe-grilled-smoked-meat-and-cheese-sandwich.shtml

Obviously, disregard the “French’s” in recipe, as you can use any brand of yellow mustard for this straight forward Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich. The mixing of the mustard with the mayo is pretty good as opposed to putting them on seperately. Also, don’t forget the butter! Such a minor ingredient that made a world of difference. The cheese type can easily be substituted but I recommend keeping it swiss.

Of corse, the classic Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich is:

Smoked Meat

Gourmet or Hot Mustard

on

Rye Bread

Maybe with some cheese. Every deli will make their smoked meat their own way and there are a million recipes for the online, but if you’re looking for a quick snack there are even smoked meat “packages” you can buy to reheat (either on the stove or in the oven or even… microwaved). Such as Dunn’s Famous Smoked Meat packages, using the recipe from the resto of the same name.

Dunn's

I personally, if I’m not using the recipe I linked to above, use a French bread bun with mayo, mustard, a mixture of cheddar and swiss cheese and some salt and pepper. I take what I can get when it comes to the meat it self as finding a great combination of spices can take a while.

The Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich is a great meal for a snack or lunch. You can never be too sure in this city when it comes to deli (especially considering the Jewish population, T Dot Deli is underwealming), but experimenting with recipes can be a great idea.

647-351-0507

Chef: Brett Pottruff

We arrived at the restuarant at around 9 o clock and were greeted by a well spoken, well groomed middle aged male host (I only mention this becuase I found it strange but refreshing. He reminded us of the butler in Mr.Deeds… ‘vedy vedy sneaky’). The restaurant’s atmosphere was pleasantly calming as it had a dark tangerine colored paint on the walls with tasteful ornaments and paintings planted throughout. The ceiling was peaked with beams and thatched with a nice wicker styling (a cheap way to cover up pipes? Creative). The open style kitchen gives the somewhat docile restaurant a friendly and excited feel and is framed by a chalk board that has quotes from famous chefs written all over it.

The service throughout the night was very good. Our server was very well informed about the menu’s contents and had suggestions for our particular tastes. We had Caesers to start which were really delicious and complimented with crispy sliced bacon bits. I ordered the Branzino which is a whole grilled Mediterranean Bass with extra virgin olive oil and a side of seasoned vegetables. The Bass was amaaazing. It came with a grilled lemon to squeeze which made it extra moist. My seasoned veggies were good (I learnt that I really don’t like Rapini though. Call me a bitter taste snob. Luckily my girlfriend has a more mature pallate and finished them up).

My girlfriend ordered the Gnocchi in a Lamb ragu which she supplemented for a rose sauce. I don’t usually like Gnocci as I find it too thick, a little dry and filling but unsatisfying, but this dish changed my mind completely. I was astounded at how flavourful and moist it was. She had a plan on taking the rest of her meal home becuase she was full but after I tried one bite I couldn’t stop until it was gone (I think it was a fair trade off for my rapini).

We were both too full for dessert which in my mind is usually a good sign. All in all, I would highly recommend Agostino for a couple or a group of friends (the back of the restaurant is more social) as it was delicious, friendly and not too detrimental on the wallet.

ONE PLUS ONE PIZZA

361 Oakwood Avenue (at Rogers Road)
Toronto, ON
(416) 656-0656

One Plus One Pizza is a neighbourhood pizzeria available for both pick up, delivery and a slice to go.We grabbed the pick-up special consisting of two pizzas, wings, pop and garlic bread for only about $25.

Since this isn’t exactly five star dining, there isn’t much to be said regarding service. The staff prepared the food as quick as you’d except pizza and wings with no complaints on our end.

The pizzas were a Thin Crust Pepperoni and a Thin Crust combination of Red Pepper, Red Onions and Feta Cheese, a pizza I’d never of ever contemplated ordering without trying first, but since than have been hooked. The pizza is delicious and puts most of the other “Best Pizza Joints In Toronto” spots to shame. For a quick slice I’d recommend the Hot Pepper pizza, if you can handle that sort of thing, otherwise, give the red Pepper/red Onion/Feta combo a shot.

The wings were dripping with Honey Garlic sauce and finger licking good. Every sauce available for the wings is standard fare but done right. In the past, I’ve found myself ordering nothing but wings and filled myself up.

However, my only complaint is the garlic bread. It’s bland and stiff and you’re better off making your own if you like it with your pizza.

With the prices relatively low (especially compared to other places in the area like Pizza Pizza and Domino’s) and the quality of the food (…especially compared to other places in the area like Pizza Pizza and Domino’s), I high endorse One Plus One Pizza as one of the best spots to grab late night food or a quick bite.

Tel: 416-977-2333

Hours: Monday-Saturday
11:00am till 7:00 pm
Web: www.cornedbeefhouse.com

Not being a diehard fan of  the ‘abnoxious overpacked sandwhiches’ thing OR corned beef i decided to try a place on Adelaide that i heard if you were to induldge in such things, this is the place to go to. The diner is old fashioned inside and out which gives it a ‘homey’ feel- a place that isn’t trying to be anything then what it is. You can sit up at a bar (where there were some regulars talking about how embarassing Canadas loss to USA in mens hockey the night before was) or you can grab a table, i grabbed a table.

The menu was simple – full of smoked meat sandwhiches and simple side dishes. I ordered the Corned beef combo on an onion kaiser with french fries. The staff were friendly and informative of what they do best. I was pleasently suprised by my ‘abnoxious overpacked’ corned beef sandwhich as it was full of flavor, moist and if i were to guess how the pros like it, this is what my imagination would resinate. The dijon mustard gave it the perfect amount of bite and the onion flavoring from the bun balanced everything out nicely. I have a soft spot for the perfect pickle and The Corned Beef House offers with there corned beef combo (probably all their sandys) a kosher delectable that i was happy to munch on between bites of my beast of a sandwhich. The french fries made the wait for the food a little longer then you’d like for a place where your trying to grab a quick bite to eat and i found them super greasy (good? or bad?….uhhh). All in all if i’m in the area again i’ll go back as the prices were reasonable and the food left me full and smiling.

740 St.Clair Avenue West

Toronto Ontario

416-658-7874

parties@therushton.com

Open for Lunch(11:00) and Dinner (5:00) Everyday

The Rushton is situated on the North side of St.Clair, one block west of Christie on the corner of Rushton and St. Clair. Both the outside and the inside are aesthetically pleasing as the entrance boasts a metallic artwork of the restaurant name and the inside is detailed with nice brick walls, interesting artwork and clever lighting.

I arrived with my girlfriend at around 10:30 on a Friday, calling ahead to make sure they were still serving food (they were taking orders till 1045). We were seated quickly in the 3/4 full restuarant and the service level presented itself immediately with us being asked for drinks (they came quickly) and gave us as much time as we needed to sift through the somewhat ecclectic menu.

After some debate we ended up getting a Caeser with Grana Padano and Herbed Croutons to split to start – we both throroughly enjoyed it. I ordered the Salmon with an Anis-orange twist reduction and supplemented my recommended black rice and split pea side with the garlic roasted mashed potatoes. I loved my meal all around. The Salmon was soft and the orange sauce gave it the perfect amount of tang.

My girlfriend felt like steak and after we asked ten questions to the very personable server about the Steak-Frites he recommended a New York Striploin (that they didn’t have listed on the menu) so she went with that. It came in a really nice dark wine/Sauteed Mushrooms sauce and Asparagus and Jerusalem Artichokes (these don’t look or taste like the artichokes i’m used to they look more like potatoes and taste like it too) on the side. The mouthfulls I had of her plate were delectible and she seemed to enjoy it as well.

After we were both stuffed we decided to split a creme brulee with a Tahitian Vanilla Bean Custard with a torch fired caramel crust. This dessert was complimented with freshly cut Strawberries and Blueberries and was absolutly fantastic.

All around I was pleased with what I got from The Rushton. Its a nice environment to bring family or romance. It represents the up and coming tastes that are appearing everywhere along St.Clair West.