Taste of the Food Terminal

Posted by H.

“Taste of the Food Terminal” is an event that is open to the public only once a year.  If you’re fresh obsessed with produce, this is an inside look at where the freshest fruits and vegetables can be sampled and purchased.

The Ontario Food Terminal is the “stock exchange” for fruits and vegetables, where prices are determined by supply and demand and can change daily. The terminal is the only fresh produce wholesale market in Canada, and the third largest in North America.

The greatest part of the event is that all proceeds went to Foodshare (a non-profit community organization whose vision is Good Healthy Food for All).

The $10 per person admission included a large salad and water for lunch.  Parking was free.

The event was fun but there were some frustrating points: entry into the parking lot was extremely disorganized, even for advance ticket holders.  A lot of the produce that was on display was not for sale and the complimentary salad “looked” better than it tasted.  On the upside, I received autographed pictures of Gary Leeman and Mark Osborne (former NHL players), and had my picture taken with them.  They were both very friendly, approachable and down-to-earth guys.

I’m not sure if I would return next year, but it was definitely something different to experience.

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Archeo – Restaurant Review

We absolutely love going out for Sunday brunch, and I think we’ve tried almost every restaurant in the GTA.  This year for our anniversary, we wanted some place different; not too casual and definitely not too formal.

I came across Archeo while searching for a reasonably priced brunch.  Archeo is located right at the entrance to the Distillery District and is the sister restaurant of the Boiler House.  We’ve dined at the Boiler House many times and while it is larger, with a live jazz band, it’s under renovation until May.

Our first impression when we walked inside was WOW!  We loved the look and rustic feel of the restaurant.  It had an open concept, high ceilings, wood pillars, concrete flooring and exposed brick walls. The patio door was also open which gave the place a nice “spring” feeling.

We felt miles away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Toronto.  This is how we always feel when we’re around the Distillery District; it’s like being on a mini vacation.  The architecture is outstanding and offers many photo ops for photography lovers.

Exterior/Interior:

The buffet (currently $19.95 per person) includes tea or coffee.  There weren’t as many choices as the Boiler Room or our go-to place, Hot House Restaurant & Bar, but there was still plenty to choose from.  This is a place that focuses on quality over quantity.

The Executive Chef, Timothy Miles, was very helpful in providing a description of items that were available on our visit:

• Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese
• Home Fries with Caramelized Onion
• Perogies with Cheddar Cheese
• French Toast
• Bacon
• Farmers Sausage
• Cheese Tortellini with Rose Sauce
• Steamed Seasonal Vegetables
• Eggs Benedict
• Butter Chicken
• Basmati Rice
• Mixed Beans, Chick Pea and Artichoke Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetables with Dark Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Mixed Green Salad with Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing
• Potato Salad
• Macaroni Salad with Arugula Pesto
• Greek Salad
• Cherry Tomatoes and Pearl Bocconcini with Pesto
• Peel & Eat Shrimp with Seafood Sauce
• Cheese Platter
• Antipasto Platter
• Smoked Salmon Platter
• Omelet Station
• Carved Peameal Bacon
• Carved Roast Eye of Round

Desserts/Pastries:

• Apple Danish
• Cherry Danish
• Butter Croissants
• Chocolate Croissants
• Mini Bagels
• Vanilla Sponge Cake with Layers of Chantilly Cream & Fresh Strawberries
• Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake
• Peanut Butter Cream Pie (Individual Tarts)
• Chocolate Mousse Shooters
• Madagascar Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee
• Chewy Raspberry Coconut Squares
• White Chocolate & Toffee Blondie Bars
• Fresh Fruit

Buffet Items

When it comes to reviews, keep in mind that what one person thinks is fantastic, another may describe as awful.  There are so many variables involved.

We’ve been to so many buffets that we know some items just don’t taste as well when they’ve been sitting under heat lamps.  The amount of times that the warming trays are opened and closed can really affect the temperature and taste of foods.

The food at Archeo was quite enjoyable. The Eggs Benedict was runny, just the way it should be, the bacon was crispy, the scrambled eggs with cheddar were soft and fluffy, and the cold salads were all tasty; we really liked the potato salad.  I can’t believe we forgot to try the peel & eat shrimp, fresh fruit and danishes.  We’ll have to visit again!   But, on to the cravings … desserts!

Their croissants were flaky and buttery! No hint of shortening here! As we were standing near the dessert table, Shaq, the General Manager suggested we try the chocolate croissants which just came out of the oven ….. could my head have turned any faster? All the desserts were the right size as well, a good excuse to try more than 1, or 2, or 3 …

I had to have a conversation with the pastry chef because my taste buds failed me on one of the desserts. I took a bite of this heavenly tart and could not describe the flavor. At first I thought it was coconut, no wait, banana cream …. no.  I thought, I know this flavor, but there was a small amount of peanut butter mixture in the middle that really threw me off. We asked to speak to James, the pastry chef, who was more than happy to tell us. I told James that his desserts were sublime! As for the tart, it was pastry cream! I never would have guessed.

The chocolate mousse was not overly sweet and I believe it was made with bittersweet chocolate; very creamy and decadent. The crème brulee …. was gone! I’m not surprised it lasted longer than a few seconds on the dessert table! I panicked (okay, that’s being dramatic), and then asked one of the servers …. who promptly brought out 2 crème brulees! The chocolate cake was moist, not too light or dense, just the perfect taste and texture …. yes, I had a second piece. The crème brulee, are we back to that again? This is one of my favorite desserts (next to cake), and I was happy to see and taste flecks of vanilla bean; delicious!

All the desserts are made in-house which is fantastic, compared to some other places that bring in their desserts from outside bakeries.

Pastries/Desserts

What’s On Our Plates

Our server Carrie was very friendly and super attentive.  She even had some great suggestions for the rest of our afternoon.

If you’re looking for a reasonably priced Sunday brunch buffet with a great atmosphere, give Archeo a try!  It’s the perfect place to dine.

Folia Grill – Review

I read about Folia Grill’s amazing pitas, but was a bit hesitant when I saw their limited menu.  Don’t let that fool you.

The place is quite small, but we’ve never had a problem finding a seat.  The staff are friendly, helpful, and they do care about serving good quality food.  The portions are the same each time we’ve been there; even after 1 year.

Their pork souvlaki and chicken gyros are absolutely delicious, or as H would say, “scrumptious and lip-smacking good!  The meat is “very” tender and flavorful!

Left: Pork Souvlaki Pita, Right: Chicken Gyro Pita

Pork Souvlaki Pita

Chicken Gyro Pita

One little tip I’d like to share after embarrassing myself twice.  Place a large open napkin on your lap, and with your fork, take out some of the meat before you attempt to bite into the pita.  The meat is so generously packed in with a few crispy fries that it will most definitely end up on your lap!
I asked about the spices, but I got the feeling it was a secret since I received some vague feedback.  I did detect Herbs de Provence in the pork souvlaki.  I asked if oregano was one of the spices, and was told no (hmmm).  I also detected red wine vinegar as part of the pork marinade. This means I’m going to have to experiment at home!

The thick pitas are brushed with butter, and grilled until nicely toasted.  We always ask for extra crispy pitas.  They’re very generous with the meat and tzatziki sauce!

The zucchini fries sound very interesting, but each time we’ve eaten at Folia Grill, we could barely move.

The pitas are $5.25 each.

It’s definitely our favorite place for pitas and souvlaki.

Note:  Be careful of the toothpick at the bottom of each pita

5 Guys (Burger & Fries) – Review

H loves a good burger and fries, so we decided to try out 5 Guys.  The place was very clean, and had an open kitchen.  There were actually 5 guys working behind the counter!

H also liked the free salted/roasted peanuts.

The burgers are made with 100% fresh never frozen ground beef, and the standard burger comes with 2 patties.

The fries were very similar to New York Fries.  What we didn’t like was the soggy buns, due to being wrapped in foil.  It made for a huge and messy burger, and I don’t mean that in a good way.  The meat was also very bland.  I know some would prefer it this way; to taste the actual beef.  Even though we limit our salt intake, I was tempted to sprinkle some on.  I bit of seasoning would have been nice.

I would suggest asking for the burger to be kept open, and not wrapped. A steamed and soggy bun ruined an otherwise “okay” burger.

Hamburger – $6.69
Bacon Cheeseburger – $8.69
Fries (Regular) – $3.69
Fries (Large) – $4.99
Drinks (Regular) – $2.19
Drinks (Large) – $2.39
Toppings – Free
Peanuts – Free

Our bill for 2 burgers, fries and drinks with tax was approximately $30.00; a bit steep in our opinion. We weren’t impressed, and I’m not sure if we’d return.

Our favorite burger and fries is actually across the border, at Red Robin, but that’s quite a drive!

On to the next craving …………..

Bravo – Restaurant Review

When H and I visit Buffalo, we always stop for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory or Red Robin, but on this trip we decided to switch it up.  We haven’t dined at Bravo for quite some time.

We’re members of “Club Bravo,” and I received an email for a complimentary dessert to celebrate our anniversary.  What I liked was the generous 30 days we were given to redeem the offer.

I emailed the restaurant in advance for a reservation and received a very quick response.  Brady Graham, the General Manager, was very accommodating and looked forward to our visit.

Since we arrived early, I was able to snap a few discreet shots of the restaurant.  The service was very efficient, and Brady came to our table to meet and thank us for choosing Bravo.  He checked on us a few times during our lunch as well.

H and I loved the complimentary focaccia bread with flavored olive oil.  The bread was hot and fresh.  The dipping oil is a mixture of olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, thyme and salt.

I couldn’t decide on an appetizer, so our server suggested the Crispy Shrimp Napoli.  She said the calamari is quite typical, but only Bravo makes this delicious shrimp appetizer.  We’ve tried this dish a few times in the past, and it was just as good as we remembered.  The shrimps were large with a crispy coating, deep fried, and served with green onions, lemon butter, and a charred tomato Napoli sauce.

I ordered the Fettuccine Bolognese.  Everytime we dine at Bravo I intend to order something different, but I absolutely love their bolognese sauce.  I’ve made this at home, but our server informed me they use Burgundy wine (not white wine).  I’m definitely going to make this again.

H ordered the Chicken & Pesto Spaghettini (grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, basil, spinach and tomatoes in a pesto cream sauce).  He loved it!

Focaccia Bread

Crispy Shrimp Napoli

Fettuccine Bolognese

Chicken & Pesto Spaghettini

We were quite full, but I definitely had room for our anniversary dessert, Tre Dolce.  Its smaller portions of Bravo’s three most popular desserts: Tiramisu, Torta di Cioccolata, and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding.  Wow, Wow and Wow!  I could have eaten this dessert by myself, but of course I shared.  And, I do NOT like to share desserts!  I could see H really liked the Tiramisu, so I focused more on the other 2 desserts!!

Tre Dolce

Torta di Cioccolata

Tiramisu

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

We had a really great lunch and I’m already thinking of returning!  We’ll definitely dine at Bravo again (and again).

The next morning, I received a lovely email from Brady, the General Manager, thanking us for our visit, and to be sure and contact him before our next visit.  He assured us he would take care of us.  I have no doubt!

If you’re ever in Buffalo, treat yourself and dine at Bravo, and tell Brady that Ruby says hello!