Erika (erika-golem-4)

I love Chinese bakeries! Growing up in Scarborough lead me to a quick discovery of this magic. What more could a kid want other than sweet, golden, glazed buns... leer más I love Chinese bakeries! Growing up in Scarborough lead me to a quick discovery of this magic. What more could a kid want other than sweet, golden, glazed buns and all for about 50¢. That 's economical use of allowance money, that 's what that is. As an adult the nostalgia is real and I still love grabbing a tray and tongs, ready to pick out an array of savoury and sweet treats.<br/ <br/ Ding Dong Pastries sits as the #1 Best Chinese Bakery in Toronto as per blogTO. Plus it 's located in Chinatown. This is all that I needed to hear!<br/ <br/ I visited on a Thursday evening with full intentions of having Chinese bakery as my dinner. Everything about the shop was ticking all of the right boxes. Location in Chinatown? Yes. Dingy questionable storefront? Yup. Interesting cleanliness factor inside? You know it. This is exactly as it should be and the only way that I 'll have it. They 've got a sign posted out front that details their 'all day specials ' as if it could get any cheaper than it already is. Keep your expectations low when entering this bakery. It 's not supposed to 'look like ' anything. And it doesn 't. All you need to worry about are the rows of cases that contain good, good buns. Yes, the plastic cases are murky to look through this just means that they 're doing it right. It should be noted that Ding Dong is a cash only establishment. They do have an ATM in the shop but it 'll likely be out of order. The number one thing synonymous with Chinese bakeries is the tray and tong system. You 'll find a stack of plastic trays and a row of tongs at the entrance of every Chinese bakery and Ding Dong is no different. You grab your tray, grab your tongs, and go about loading up your tray with whatever strikes your fancy! You then bring your tray up to the cash where your bill is tallied and your treats are either boxed or bagged. <br/ <br/ I began to cruise the aisles like a shark. First I wanted to see everything, then I 'd make my selections. All of the usual suspects were present; baked buns, steamed buns, breads, little pastries all sorts of things. Eventually I had a tray full of delicious delights that I couldn 't wait to dig into. I brought my tray, loaded with twelve different items, up to the cash and was charged a whopping $6 for all of it. I proceeded to feed my entire family. Ding Dong has a small seating area with a few glass top tables at the back of the store. The ambiance is great. The stained tiles seem to be clinging to the ceiling for dear life and there are stacked boxes nearby. But if it didn 't look like this it wouldn 't be quite right.<br/ <br/ We began to devour the buns, taking bites of everything! This is what we selected:<br/ <br/ Sausage Bun 50¢ . This one is a real guilty pleasure for me and the one that I truly crave and long for the most. We got three of them because there would be no sharing. This bun has a hot dog inside of it. And this hot dog is wrapped in a golden, sweet, pillowy bun. This version was perfect and it was everything that I dreamed for it to be.<br/ <br/ Steam BBQ Pork Bun 80¢ . I 've definitely had better bao in my day. This one seemed a bit dry, like it had been sitting out all day. The filling was decently good but I would probably skip this one next time.<br/ <br/ Chicken Sticky Rice Cake $1 . We got this in an attempt to even out our selections with more variety. I loved the banana leaf, which truly added flavour and maintained the moisture within. The rice tasted good and worked as a nice little side dish.<br/ <br/ Taro Pastry $1 . This swirly little purple guy seemed special because they sat right at the counter and are slightly more expensive than the rest. It was very good! The taro paste filling tasted authentic and I enjoyed the light, somewhat flaky pastry.<br/ <br/ Sesame Ball Red Bean 2 for $1 . A Chinese bakery staple, you 'll always find these seedy orbs. The pastry is soft and chewy with a red bean paste centre. These are always good.<br/ <br/ Milk Jam Bun 2 for $1 . This sweet bun is glazed to perfection and stuffed with a custard like filling. Just about as good as sweet buns get!<br/ <br/ Vegetarian Spring Roll 3 for $1 . We got three of these because of the deal. I question whether these are actually vegetarian because I swear that we found some meat in these. Crispy and good, I liked that there was something to eat that contained vegetables. I only wish that some kind of dipping sauce had been available.<br/ <br/ Pork Dumpling 2 for $1 . This golden fried savoury pork treat seemed new to me and I enjoyed the lightly crispy outside, the chewy inside, and the tasty pork within.<br/ <br/ Just as we were leaving I noticed one more bun that I wanted to try. Sweet Corn Ham Bun 50¢ . Is that mayonnaise on top? I 'm not sure! I liked the corn and ham but still prefer my favourite hot dog bun the most.<br/ <br/ Overall, Ding Dong Pastry is exactly everything that I wanted it to be. The place is a bit dingy, the lady working wasn 't especially personable, but the buns are legit. There are so many to try and they 've got all of your favourites. I 'll definitely pop in once in a while for a treat.

I happened upon Jamaican Pizza Jerk myself one day while walking around on Commercial Drive. I was staying in the Kensington area temporarily and on an afternoo... leer más I happened upon Jamaican Pizza Jerk myself one day while walking around on Commercial Drive. I was staying in the Kensington area temporarily and on an afternoon stroll I couldn’t help but notice this supremely legit looking little Jamaican spot. I took a peek at the menu and was even more convinced. They even had my favourite Jamaican dish! I was excited to return for dinner.<br/ <br/ We did so on a Friday evening and the tiny place was bumpin’. It’s certainly quite a hole in the wall, but in the best possible way. It feels like a little beach shack cantina in Jamaica. The Reggae tunes were pumping and the walls are covered in Jamaican memorabilia. The vibe is extremely warm and laid back, and if you don’t look out the window to the outside, you’ll probably be able to convince yourself that you’ve been magically transported to Kingston or Ocho Rios. They really only do take out and a handful of people were standing around waiting for their to go containers. There was a steady flow of customers picking up food during our entire visit. They do, however, have one single table available and two seats at the counter, should you prefer to eat in. We chose this option and snagged the lone table and the cheerful and friendly staff were happy to accommodate our eat in situation even bringing our food over to us instead of calling out our order .<br/ <br/ They have a fridge stocked full of “island drinks,” some housemade, and carry many brands that you can find in Jamaica, such as Ting and other Caribbean pop beverages. I was excited to find a tetra pack of Grace Peanut Punch $4.00 and happily grabbed one of those. I also started with a Patty $3.50 , a must. I had wanted beef, but unfortunately they were all out and I had to settle for chicken. If there’s one thing that I remember fondly about the week that I spent in Jamaica, it’s munching on patties while laying on the beach each day. These also remind me of growing up in Scarborough, Ontario shoutout to Fahmee Bakery!! . This particular version was pretty good and obviously homemade. A tad heavy on the pastry side, but the filling was delicious and well seasoned. I loves me a steamy hot pocket of deliciousness! I still would have preferred a nice spicy beef version though. The peanut punch was amazing! It’s literally just peanut butter and milk, almost like a milkshake. How is this not more mainstream?!<br/ <br/ You’ve probably noticed the word “pizza” in this restaurant’s name, and they do make pizzas. They sound pretty interesting too, a Jamaican take on the usual pizzas that you know and love. But I wasn’t here for the pizza. I was far more interested in their more traditional Jamaican style meals. Namely, their Ackee Saltfish Jamaica's National fruit with West African origins $15.50 , the favourite dish that I had mentioned earlier. This dish is made to order which means that while it may take a bit longer, it’s hot and fresh! Served with rice and peas that is cooked in coconut milk and spices, along with homestyle coleslaw. And mine showed up with plantain on top as well! This dish was excellent and just as good as any version that I’ve ever had. The tender ackee had taken on the familiar “scrambled egg” texture and the saltfish was deliciously toothsome and, well, salty! Mixed with some bright and fresh vegetables, I wished that my bites would never run out. The rice seemed a little bit bland, but the sweet fried plantain was a welcome addition. I also enjoyed the coleslaw on the side for a bit of cool crunch. This meal truly was legit.<br/ <br/ I am so happy to know that there’s a place in my city to get real Jamaican food! And I haven’t even tried the Jerk Chicken da realest! yet!! They also offer specialty dishes on certain days of the week, like Oxtail on Wednesdays and Saturdays or Rundown Mackerel on Saturdays. So many more delicious thing to try! I will be back. This place is going to be like a secret that I keep in my back pocket.

Of all of the Asian cuisines, I find that Filipino food is the most difficult to pin down. I 've even been to the Philippines myself and I still have a challeng... leer más Of all of the Asian cuisines, I find that Filipino food is the most difficult to pin down. I 've even been to the Philippines myself and I still have a challenging time describing an average Filipino feast. Lamesa does a great job of explaining it: 'Imagine a native Malay cook with a Chinese roommate who is taught by a Spanish chef and has a love affair with everything American and you will begin to understand the origins and diverse cultural influences of Filipino cuisine. ' This really does sum it all up nicely! I was very excited to visit Lamesa on a recent Friday evening to sample their celebrated take on this island nation 's food. blogTO calls them the #1 Best Filipino Restaurant, Toronto Life has listed them as #82 on The City’s 100 Best Restaurants 2018, and you can catch them in season one of Big Food Bucket List. Lamesa used to have a location on Queen West, but has now consolidated into one restaurant on St. Clair. They do take reservations and it never hurts to make one when it 's an option.<br/ <br/ The space itself is relatively small and designed beautifully. I loved the abundance of plants, woven wooden lamp shades, teal paint, and leafy wallpaper. The entire restaurant feels tropical but in a very polished way. It 's gorgeous. I loved the fresh vibe! We were seated at a bright table next to the window and I especially enjoyed that our entire table top was covered in the Filipino flag.<br/ <br/ To drink? House Punch Calamansi, mango, guava, ginger $3.00), an easy and obvious choice! The most perfect beverage for a summery day! Fresh and fruity, I especially appreciated the use of calamansi, a small, lime like citrus fruit that is ubiquitous in the Philippines.<br/ <br/ Like many Asian cuisines, Filipino food offers a bold combination of sweet, sour, and salty flavours. The menu is to the point, featuring small and large plates, and of course a section for rice. Every single dish sounded expertly prepared and intelligently selected for the menu and we attempted to choose ones that would offer a nice showcase of their top dishes. Note that you will only be given a fork and a spoon to eat with! Our server was friendly and efficient, and before we knew it our food began to arrive. First was the Mushroom Pancit Canton noodle, duxelle, confit garlic purée, sautéed mushrooms.<br/ Be sure to eat pancit on your birthday. Long noodles symbolize long life $16.00), a popular Filipino noodle dish. This was the dish that blew us away. The flavours on this plate were incredible! The rich mushroom flavour was featured prominently, yet classic Asian notes played in the background. The noodles themselves were perfectly delicious. I could have eaten endless amounts of this. This plate is very special and must be tasted to be believed. Excellent!<br/ <br/ Another dish synonymous with Filipino cuisine is adobo. This cooking process involves a vinegary marinate and various proteins can be prepared in this way. We naturally selected the Pork Belly Adobo Smoked pork belly in a soy and vinegar reduction served with crispy dried fish.<br/ In Filipino cuisine 'adobo ' is a braise done with garlic, soy and vinegar $20.00) upon finding it on the menu. Included and not mentioned) were two chicken wings. Another beautiful plate, this elevated dish highlighted the meats wonderfully. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with pork belly, as I find so often that it gets cooked improperly. Not so in this case! This toothsome pork was perfectly crisp and still just tender enough. I loved the sharp adobo sauce and was sure to bathe the pork and chicken in it, soaking up as much as possible. However we did make a faux pas and did not order any rice, with which this should have been eaten.<br/ <br/ Lastly, the BBQ Skewers Grilled pork marinated in soy and 7up.<br/ That 's right. 7up. It gives the skewers a sweetness you 're gonna love $9.00). These were great. Grilled to perfection, the tender meat packed a sweetness and just a little bit of a spicy kick. I liked that this dish was served with some pickled vegetables on the side which helped to cleanse the palette and cut through some of the fat.<br/ <br/ Dessert was a must especially with Halo Halo $8.00) on the menu! A very popular Filipino shaved ice dessert, this has got to be the best version of it that I have ever had! We absolutely loved this fun party in a bowl! Served on a shaved ice base, the toppings can vary. In this case we found all sorts of things; mango, different gelatin flavours, tapioca, ube ice cream and ube flan, crispy bits on top. It was fruity, refreshing, ultra textural, cold, crunchy... Amazing. We especially loved the slice of delicious ube flan on top. This is a dessert to be experienced for sure!<br/ <br/ I loved my visit to Lamesa and can safely say that their Filipino food is the best that I have ever tasted including what I ate in the Philippines. The flavours are big and expertly created, exposing Filipino cuisine to the mainstream. On Sundays they serve a Kamayan Dinner, a communal Filipino feast that is eaten off of banana leaves without any utensils. I certainly want to try this!! Lamesa is a must do!

Vikram Vij is a legend in Vancouver and the city’s most famous celebrity chef. His restaurants are the first and last word in Indian cuisine in this town. On to... leer más Vikram Vij is a legend in Vancouver and the city’s most famous celebrity chef. His restaurants are the first and last word in Indian cuisine in this town. On top of his four restaurants, a frozen food line in grocery stores, four books, and being an investor on the TV show Dragons' Den... He also has a food truck. Because of course he does.<br/ <br/ I knew that I needed to track down this truck after seeing it in enRoute magazine’s Dining Guide 2016, named as Vancouver Magazine’s Best Food Cart 2016, and after seeing them on an episode of Eat St. As with most food trucks, social media is key. If you want to know where to find a truck, you’ve gotta get the tweet! I set out to find Vij's Railway Express on a Wednesday afternoon after they tweeted that they would be located Downtown. I found a parking spot directly in front of the truck which was very convenient. You’ll know the truck as soon as you see it because you won’t be able to miss the bright turquoise colour. There wasn’t a line up so the entire process was extremely quick and easy! The two gentlemen working in the truck were very friendly. They accept all forms of payment which also simplifies things. As with most food trucks, the menu is ever changing. This is another good reason to check with social media, especially if you’re hoping to eat something specific. The goal of this truck is to serve as a creative exploration of the culinary diversity of India. They accomplish this well.<br/ <br/ On the day of my visit there were three menu choices. Each of them sounded very good and I was really close to ordering the delicious sounding cod cakes. However, for my first visit to the truck I thought that it would be wiser to try the Butter Chicken Schnitzel (Crispy breaded Fraser Valley chicken and rich tomato fenugreek cream curry, garnished with mango raita. Served with cumin basmati rice and naan $12.50). Once my order was placed they took my name and my box of food was ready to go shortly after! This was a box bursting with colours and flavours. Right off the bat, you’ll notice the interesting fusion between Indian and Austrian cuisines. I’d never seen breaded chicken used in a curry, but for a food truck something like this makes so much sense. It’s the perfect place to try new ideas. I loved the tender slices of chicken and the breading was deliciously crispy and well seasoned. Throw some fragrant and spicy curry on top that? Yes please! The curry itself was expertly made. I loved the complex mix of spices which brought a bit of heat and a lot of flavour. I really enjoyed the dollup of raita on the side for a bit of a cooling element. The rice and the naan weren’t as exciting. The rice was very plain and the naan was very flat and dense, although it was seasoned nicely. I also used some of their housemade green hot sauce and it was very good. Overall, this was a fun and interesting dish that I enjoyed eating out of a box on the side of the street.<br/ <br/ There weren’t many drinks to choose from and certainly nothing interesting like a chai or a lassi, so that was a bit of a disappointment. The food was pretty solid though. If you happen to come across Vij’s truck in your travels it would be worthwhile to hit them up.

What comes to mind when you think about Pakistani food? You might assume that it 's pretty much the same as Indian food. Although there are certainly some simil... leer más What comes to mind when you think about Pakistani food? You might assume that it 's pretty much the same as Indian food. Although there are certainly some similarities, I tend to describe it as more of an Indian Middle Eastern hybrid, as you 'll see influences from both cultures in Pakistani cuisine. Knowing that Pakistan is sandwiched between Iran, Afghanistan, and India tends to make all of the food pieces fall into place. And the best place to try it in Toronto? Lahore Tikka House in the Little India part of Leslieville is the undisputed choice. You Gotta Eat Here! featured them in their fourth season and blogTO has listed them as the #1 Best Pakistani Restaurant in the city.<br <br I visited on a Sunday evening and certainly the first thing that caught my attention is how massive their property is. The two storey building is huge, plus they have their own parking lot and an entire tented patio area. You cannot miss it. I love all of the motorized rickshaws that they have parked out front which really adds to the authentic and fun vibe of the place. It was a hot summer 's day and we were seated on the patio. As such, I didn 't see much of the inside of the restaurant but from what I understand, they have dining areas on both levels. The colours on the walls are jewel toned and there are several beautiful murals decorating the space as well. The patio outside is draped in lovely sari like materials. The restaurant feels nothing short of palatial.<br The menu is quite extensive and our friendly server was happy to help answer our questions. I was excited to try the special Kashmiri Chai that they make but was unfortunately informed that they didn 't have any. Nor their plain chai. This was disappointing because a beautiful chai done properly is one of my favourite drinks.<br <br One of the first things that happened is a sword was brought around with flame blistered green peppers skewered onto it. I wrongly assumed that these would be similar to shishitos... Instead these peppers were very, very spicy. I managed a few bites and couldn 't continue! However, I loved this special touch.<br <br There is a cute part of the menu that serves up Lahori Street Food and I really liked the idea of this! Unfortunately, we had so many other dishes to order that we couldn 't get anything from this section but I would love to on a future visit. Two sauces were delivered to our table; one hot sauce that tasted like it was based in tamarind and a cool yogurt sauce that was seasoned with warm spices. These were both delicious and perfect accompaniments to every other dish of the evening.<br First to arrive was our Butter Chicken Boneless, red creamy sauce $16.99) from the Karahi Curries part of the menu. A karahi incorporates onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, tomatoes and garam masala spices. I was hesitant to order this because it seemed like such a 'safe ' and 'typical ' choice. But on the other hand, butter chicken is delicious so... Here we are. This dish arrived firey hot and spitting molten lava. The pieces of chicken were large and tender, truly bathed in sauce. The curry sauce was quite thick, which I liked, and it had a certain tang to it that I found to be enjoyable and unique. Probably not the best butter chicken that I 've ever had but still a very good version.<br <br Of course we also visited the Tandoori Naans section of the menu because it would be wrong not to! This flat leavened flour bread is baked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. I could see the cook making it exactly this way through the window. Plain Naan $2.89 each) seemed like the right choice because I didn 't want any other flavours crowding out the other dishes. Although they do offer seven different types. At first we tried to order three of these but our server smartly advised that only two would be plenty. She was right! We could barely finish two because they were so large. Naan is used as a utensil and the diner rips pieces of bread off and uses it to pick up and eat the food on their plate. This version was very simple and uniform maybe even a bit too perfect. I tend to prefer a less refined shape and a bit more chew to my naan but at the end of the day you can 't go wrong with bread.<br <br Next up: Seekh Kababs, the restaurant 's specialty. Known for its spice, we chose one Beef and one Chicken Minced meat infused with coriander, ginger garlic. Grilled on a traditional clay oven and served on a sizzling platter $4.29 each). These certainly did arrive to our table sizzling profusely! I could tell that the meat had been formed onto a skewer, expertly crafted, and then cooked. Each kabab was extremely flavourful and bursting with delicious spice. Both types of meat were very good and I liked that we tried both for a bit of variety. This is the kind of item that you just get because you 're going to want it.<br <br We needed rice curries are always best eaten over rice) and I was finding our meal order to be a bit chicken heavy. Our server suggested looking to the Biryani section of the menu and she was absolutely right. All of our problems were solved with the Lamb Biryani Made from a combination of spices, basmati rice, and meat or vegetable $14.99 for small). Created in the Mughal royal kitchen, this was my favourite dish of the night! The lamb was incredibly delicious, flavourful, and fall off the bone tender. The intricate spicing was just right and this might have been the best way possible to solve our need for rice. Why have I never thought of this before? Biryani clearly needs to hold a bigger place in my life.<br <br When our last dish arrived we 'd almost forgotten that we 'd ordered it! From the Tikka section of the menu grilled BBQ on a traditional clay oven) we were sure to try the Chicken Tikka Boneless chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic and tandoori red paste $12.49). I mean, when a restaurant is called tikka house you get the tikka. This dish arrived as a sizzling inferno as well and let me just say: our table was covered in a lot of very hot and dangerous plates. We managed to survive. This was very likely the best chicken tikka that I 've ever had. The chicken was full of flavour and really embodied a wonderful smokiness. They use the tandoor extremely well at Lahore Tikka House and a visit wouldn 't be complete without a tandoori dish or two.<br <br Lastly, and yes, there was still more; Dessert. I was really looking forward to trying the Lahori Kulfi Made with sweet cream milk and flavoured with cardamom. Available in mango, pistachio and almond $3.99 each), a fun and Instagram worthy ice cream treat. We got one of each! Each was amazing and you can 't go wrong with ice cream on a stick! I had the pistachio one since it seemed like a very classic flavour in Pakistani cuisine. I loved the creaminess and the bit of bite from the pistachio nuts. You could just roll up and grab one of these and you 'd be good.<br <br I really enjoyed my experience at Lahore Tikka House and was grateful for the opportunity to dive a little deeper into the world of Pakistani food. This restaurant is more than just a place to eat. This is the type of place that has a community. I was happy to be a part of it for a little while.

3.5/5 for V Sandwiches. There are two Vietnamese sub places on Whyte Ave in Strathcona and I 've already tried one of them (Nhon Hoa LOVED IT) and was hoping to... leer más 3.5/5 for V Sandwiches. There are two Vietnamese sub places on Whyte Ave in Strathcona and I 've already tried one of them (Nhon Hoa LOVED IT) and was hoping to get to know both spots so that I would learn which one was my favourite. V Sandwiches also has its original location downtown, much the same as Nhon Hoa does, and now these two restaurants are battling it out on Whyte for supremacy. <br/ Right off the bat, I can tell you that V Sandwiches ' location is MUCH nicer, cleaner, and generally more pleasant. You can actually come to sit down and enjoy your food, and 'grabbing 'n going ' isn 't a necessity. The space is made up of tables and booths, and there are plenty of cute Asian/tropical accents all over the place. The counter at the back features the menu on a screen and the people working understand English perfectly well, which does honestly help a bit if you have questions or want to ask about substitutions. We went in on a Friday night and placed our order at the counter, then found a seat at a table and waited for our numbers to be called. The wait took about ten minutes, which seemed reasonable. Once called, we brought the tray to our table and dug into all of the delights before us. <br/ <br/ Starting with Wonton Soup... I knew that this would be a large portion because the price is roughly $6, which is around the same price as their bowls of Pho (and we all know that Pho is huge). If you want to enjoy this Wonton Soup as a starter, you should definitely plan to share it. They provided two smaller bowls so that we could easily ladle the soup into individual portions. The soup was nice and simple, with lots of bright and fresh vegetables. The wontons were plentiful and tasty, but pretty standard fare. Nhon Hoa certainly wins out here, because their wonton soup is some of the best that I 've ever tasted.<br/ <br/ I also ordered a Vietnamese Coffee to drink. It came in a standard to go cup. They also offer bubble tea, but I was more interested in a jolt of energy for the evening. Jolt indeed! The coffee was very strong, but I liked how it was perfectly mixed with condensed milk and tasted quite sweet.<br/ <br/ The star of the show, of course, was the bánh mì, and I made sure to order the 'classic ' sandwich, which also happens to be my favourite at Nhon Hoa. A direct comparison seemed to be the best course of action: Vietnamese Cold Cut Sub. Served on a 9 ' toasted baguette and stuffed with fresh cilantro, onions, house sauce, cucumbers, lettuce, and pickled carrots. This sub was just over $5, plus I added extra pâté for an additional 75¢. It was certainly a good sandwich, and very fresh make no mistake. However I found the flavours to be a little bit lackluster. The baguette was very crusty maybe too crusty. I felt as if most of what I was eating had been only bread. I really liked the pickled carrots, but the rest of the vegetables seemed to get a bit lost, as did the meats. This seemed like it would be impossible, since there was TONS of meat on the bánh mì, but it all seemed to get lost in a sea of bread. The extra pâté provided an extra hit of life, but overall, I didn 't find the same harmony and burst of flavours that I can always count on at Nhon Hoa. The prices are also quite a bit higher at V Sandwiches.<br/ <br/ My deduction is that while V Sandwiches is good, and certainly nothing is wrong with their food, they seem to be offering a more 'Americanized ' experience. Nhon Hoa is far more authentic. I would opt to walk the three blocks east.

When it comes to donuts in Vancouver, you’ll probably hear about Cartems Donuts the most. Pronounced Car TEMS. With their three locations and unmistakable logo,... leer más When it comes to donuts in Vancouver, you’ll probably hear about Cartems Donuts the most. Pronounced Car TEMS. With their three locations and unmistakable logo, they always seem to be where you are, and their Kitsilano location happens to be right near me. At this point, I have visited many times and have tasted many a donut.<br/ <br/ You can see them on season 5 of You Gotta Eat Here! and catch them on the hilarious Day of Gluttony: 24 Vancouver Restaurants in 24 Hours. The Georgia Straight has named them as #1 Best Doughnut Shop 2017 and Westender calls them the #1 Best Donuts 2017. The people have spoken: These donuts are the shit.<br/ <br/ The Kits location is quite spacious with its extremely high ceiling. It’s bright and airy and it almost feels a bit like a donut warehouse. The look is very contemporary and fresh, with pale woods, a massive communal table, pops of greenery, and a very interesting and large honeycomb inspired art installation on the wall. The counter that you order at is only a small portion of the overall space. Each donut flavour is displayed in a glass case and each one looks amazing. You can’t choose just one. They also serve coffee and tea.<br/ <br/ On my recent visit, I stopped in on a Friday afternoon and was ready for the full experience! Their full donut selection was on display and I chose the exact ones that I had come to sample. I also grabbed a Latte $4.25 to drink. Cartems boasts that they get their coffee from Elysian Coffee Roasters, a local roaster. Personally, I have never been extremely enthused about the beverages that they offer. Their chai latte isn’t anything wonderful and I always find myself a tad disappointed in their coffee beverages. I haven’t tried their London Fog yet, and I probably should. The latte that I had on this particular day was fine, but again, nothing outstanding. They do make pretty art on their drinks, however! Mediocre drinks aside, you visit Cartems for a different reason.<br/ <br/ Let’s talk about what’s inside the long red box!<br/ <br/ It’s donuts!!!<br/ <br/ The best thing about these donuts is that they’re made from scratch each day. They proudly use natural, locally sourced ingredients, which are organic whenever possible. They also offer many vegan and gluten friendly choices. Donuts might not be the healthiest... But these are probably the closest to healthful that you’ll come across. You’ll find two styles of donuts available; yeast and cake. Among them, they carry ten different regular flavours that are usually in stock at all of their locations unless they sell out . On top of that, they always offer special monthly flavours, which usually consist of three to four bonus donuts.<br/ <br/ I selected a 1/2 Dozen Our donuts are handmade from scratch by skilled pastry chefs, without the use of pre mix, stabilizers, or preservatives. We make dough throughout the day $18.00 and stuck to the flavours that interested me the most! In order of how much I liked them, here are the donuts that I got!:<br/ <br/ London Fog Stuffie We infuse whipped cream with some fresh ground organic London Fog tea and stuff it inside our yeasted donut. Glazed with our earl grey glaze and topped with stripes of white chocolate ganache, this donut is the ultimate indulgence. <br/ <br/ I think that this is my favourite donut that they sell overall! I love a stuffie. It’s delicious, dreamy, amazing. The inside is so fluffy and creamy, and it tastes exactly like a London Fog. The whole thing is a pillow of amazing and perfect flavours. It’s the donut of your tea loving dreams. Must try!!<br/ <br/ Smoked Maple Walnut A yeast donut topped with our maple glaze and our own spiced walnuts that we smoke ourselves! <br/ <br/ The smokiness of this donut is deliciously amazing. The abundant walnuts add an irresistible crunch and the sweet maple flavour is perfect. It tastes like Canada, in donut form.<br/ <br/ Honey Parmesan Cheese on a donut? Yes! We use honey and pepper in the glaze to give this a perfect tangy/sweet combination. <br/ <br/ This one is just so crazy that it works. It’s also only available on Friday and Saturday. Literal parmesan cheese chunks cover this donut and add a delicious saltiness. Everyone knows that salty and sweet work together perfectly and this is an excellent example of that. Be brave and give it a try!<br/ <br/ Earl Grey Exactly as it sounds, this tasty cake donut is infused with an organic earl grey tea, topped with earl grey glaze and a sprinkling of rose petals! <br/ <br/ This one is touted at their “most popular” donut. The subtle flavour of earl grey is very nice and I especially love the beautiful sprinkling of rose petals on top. It’s very good, but a little bit too plain for my taste.<br/ <br/ Apple Fritter Chunks of fresh apples and cinnamon are rolled into our yeast dough, fried to crispy perfection and then topped with a cinnamon glaze. Best fritter in town. <br/ <br/ I mean, it is a pretty good fritter and I really like the real chunks of apple. But I find this one a bit too dense. There’s a whole lot of hard shell and not a lot of soft insides.<br/ <br/ As a bonus, I also selected one of the specials for the month; the HB J Hazelnut butter glazed yeast donut with blackberry drizzle and hazelnut praline topping. <br/ <br/ Sounds amazing, am I right?? Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped to. I had expected really big and exciting flavours, but it all seemed to get a little bit lost to me. Definitely not as strong as some of their regular items.<br/ <br/ If you are in need of donuts in your life and who isn’t? Cartems is probably the best place in Vancouver to get them. Golden on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside... These are donuts done exceptionally well. Once you’ve figured out your favourites you’ll be craving them all the time. Plus it’s fun to keep track of the monthly specials on social media, and to pop in to try the ones that sound the most delicious and interesting. I visited one more time just before posting this and I think I've figured out my true jam: London Fog $4.00 and London Fog Stuffie $3.75 . A combo made in heaven!

Bagels are a major deal in Montreal. They 're sacred.<br/ <br/ What makes a Montreal bagel a Montreal bagel? They 're a distinctive variety of handmade and wood... leer más Bagels are a major deal in Montreal. They 're sacred.<br/ <br/ What makes a Montreal bagel a Montreal bagel? They 're a distinctive variety of handmade and wood fired baked bagel. Compared to other bagels, they 're smaller, thinner, sweeter and denser, with a larger hole, and is always baked in a wood fired oven. They contain malt, egg, no salt, and are boiled in honey sweetened water before being baked. They were first brought to Montreal by Jewish immigrants from Poland in the early 1900s.<br/ <br/ Without contest, the top places to get authentic bagels in Montreal are St Viateur Bagel my personal favourite and Fairmount Bagel, both named after the streets on which they are located.<br/ <br/ It 's nearly impossible to find a fresh made Montreal bagel outside of Montreal without it being imported from one of the shops in Montreal directly. However, Vancouver 's Rosemary Rocksalt is attempting to accomplish just that. Voted #1 Best Bagel 2017 in The Georgia Straight 's annual poll, this Mount Pleasant based shop is attempting to harness the magical powers of this special bread.<br/ <br/ They now boast six locations in the Vancouver area, spreading the bagel love far and wide. They follow the same steps that are practiced in Montreal: They boil the bagels in honey water, bake the bagels in a stone hearth with an open flame, and then they toss the bagels into the bagel chute. Just like in Montreal. They are extremely focused on producing REAL bagels and I certainly appreciate their efforts. Even their name; Rosemary Rocksalt was not lost on me. While the two most classic types of bagels are the poppy seed the orig and the sesame, St Viateur also offers a specialty flavour; Rosemary Sea Salt. This is very clearly how they chose their name and their signature bagel!<br/ <br/ We visited on a Saturday evening and approached the ordering counter. The space is pretty simple and straight forward, with the bagels on display front and center. Decor is minimal with a cool line drawing mural on the wall. On the menu you 'll find breakfast all day, sandwiches, and bagels. Everything is made with bagels. Why else would you come? Bagel varieties include; Rosemary Rocksalt, Plain, Poppy, Sesame, Multigrain, Everything, and Cinnamon. They also usually have a seasonal feature bagel I love when they do the Rainbow bagels and they offer three types of 'almost gluten free ' versions. It 's always a solid choice to grab a dozen along with some of their made in house cream cheese. HOT TIP: Always eat your bagels ASAP same day preferably. If you 're not able to do this, cut them in half and freeze them immediately. Pop a frozen bagel into the toaster and enjoy! <br/ <br/ Looking for a more 'full meal ' experience, we decided to order two sandwiches and to make one a combo. You can make anything into combo by adding soup, fries, yam fries or poutine and then you 'll get a free drink. I grabbed a Boylan Black Cherry soda because it seemed like the closest thing available to what one would order in Montreal. I really enjoyed that one of the items listed on the menu is:<br/ <br/ A trip to Montreal to get a dozen bagels $2,500.<br/ <br/ Maybe a little bit high but you get the point!! It 's nice to have a fairly comparable option right here in Vancouver!<br/ <br/ The first sandwich, served open faced, was the Steveston Wild BC sockeye salmon, cream cheese, red onion, capers $12.25 named after a small fishing village in Richmond. We ordered this on their signature Rosemary Rocksalt bagel. All of the bagel sandwiches have really great names, fusing together the two cities of Montreal and Vancouver. You can get a Mont Royal or a Mount Pleasant. How about a Whistler? The Steveston is an extremely classic Montreal combo, reminiscent of the iconic Beautys Special only missing the tomato . Right off the bat, I have to say that their bagels are a pretty decent attempt. You can taste the quality and the effort. They 're not 100% on par with the real ones in Montreal but they 're pretty damn close and they certainly serve as a good option all the way over on this side of the country. The biggest difference, I find, is that Rosemary Rocksalt bagels are a bit too gummy. The texture and flavour are pretty good but there 's something a little bit off when you 're chewing them. On the other hand, the salmon here in BC is surely better and fresher than what 's available in Montreal, so they 've got the upper hand on that one! All that being said, I really like the flavour of their Rosemary Rocksalt bagel a lot. It 's extremely herbaceous and the rocksalt stands out beautifully. I like their version of it better than St Viateur 's Rosemary Sea Salt! You can 't really go wrong with the Steveston. I could have used a bit more cream cheese but the rest of the toppings were exactly as I wanted them.<br/ <br/ In making a combo, we selected a Poutine $8.49 . Not the best in town, but they do claim that the fries are hand cut. The cheese curds and gravy were decently good. I didn 't mind this poutine but I wouldn 't go out of my way for it either. There are more solid poutines in town.<br/ <br/ Lastly, the Kitsilano Montreal smoked meat, turkey, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard $11.25 on a Sesame bagel, which I obviously had to try since this is the neighbourhood in which I live! This is a full service sandwich and I liked it a lot! They say that the Montreal smoked meat is 'the real deal!!! ' but I 'm not so sure. I 'm curious about where they source it from. It 's very thinly sliced which really isn 't the Montreal way, however the distinctive notes of flavour that I got from it tasted pretty legit. I mostly enjoyed that this tasty sando was piled high with tons of stuff, the vegetables were fresh, and the condiments were saucy. I would order this all the time.<br/ <br/ Rosemary Rocksalt is a great place for breakfast and suitable for lunch or dinner as well. Their bagels are very good. Certainly far better than anything you 'll find in the grocery store. It 's really nice to have a place all the way over on the west coast that is putting in the time and effort to offer the best product possible. I 'm on board!

You must head to Markham if you 're looking for an authentic xiaolongbao experience this shouldn 't be much of a surprise . And Ding Tai Fung delivers. Named #1... leer más You must head to Markham if you 're looking for an authentic xiaolongbao experience this shouldn 't be much of a surprise . And Ding Tai Fung delivers. Named #1 Best Dumplings by blogTO, I had to check them out. With no affiliation to Taiwan 's famous Din Tai Fung chain, this place is doing xiaolongbao all their own. What are they? Shanghai soup dumplings! Steamed in a bamboo basket called a xiaolong these little pockets of soupy deliciousness are incredible when done well.<br/ <br/ We visited on a Saturday evening and were met with a busy restaurant and an even busier parking lot. The first thing that you notice upon entering the restaurant is the glorious aroma in the air. Next, my eyes landed on the huge glass window into the kitchen where half a dozen cooks were busy filling and pinching dumplings among towers of bamboo baskets. The feeling of the space is exactly what you would expect; a comfortable, decently nice room with minimal decor. We were seated right away at a big, round family-style table complete with a lazy susan in the middle so useful! . Each table is adorned with a pot of hot jasmine green tea, a welcoming way to sip while you peruse the menu. The staff was friendly and graciously answered any of our perplexed questions. <br/ <br/ I ordered an Iced Tea with Milk $3.49 to drink. Served strong and bitter, a small pitcher of sweet liquid simple syrup was included so that I could sweeten the iced tea to taste. Once my drink was a little bit sweeter I really enjoyed this bold and punchy cold tea.<br/ <br/ The menu is long and extensive with many different pages and sections. My advice is to begin with the bao buns and to expand from there. We were provided with a piece of paper and a pen to mark down our order by checking off our selections. Then we simply handed this sheet of paper to the server and waited for everything to arrive!<br/ <br/ Our main item of interest, of course, was the Steamed Soup Dumplings with Crab Meat Pork Filling $10.25 . These were the xiaolongbao that we were anxiously awaiting to taste. Our server removed the bamboo lid and with a flourish of steam six skillfully handcrafted dumplings came into view. Pinched to perfection, we excitedly dove in. Consuming a xiaolongbao properly involves a few intricacies that are helpful to be aware of. First, lift the dumpling by the top of the pinch with your chopsticks and place it into your spoon. Next, poke a hole into the bottom of the dumping with your chopstick to release the hot broth. Allow the broth to fill your spoon and slurp away! Next, enjoy the rest of the dumpling with ginger and sauce. It 's truly a beautiful dining experience.<br/ <br/ These xiaolongbao were the best that I 've ever had! Each one was bursting full of delicious buttery broth. The savoury filling of crab and pork was beautifully seasoned, seafoody and very flavourful. Each bite was like a comforting warm hug and I loved everything about them. Incredible.<br/ <br/ For something non-bao we ordered the Braised Bean Curd with Chinese Mushroom $12.99 . This was nice for something different. The texture of the bean curd tofu was very pleasant and deeply saucy. The meaty mushrooms were a perfect compliment in the glaze-like sauce.<br/ <br/ Not finished with the steamed dumplings, we made sure to also try the Steamed Shrimp Pork Siu Mai $8.99 . A slightly different style of bao from a different region, these ones are decidedly more ornamental. Equally soupy on the inside and bursting with flavour, I enjoyed the plump and sweet shrimp that was positioned atop each dumpling. The pork filling was very good. You can 't go wrong with any/all dumplings at Ding Tai Fung.<br/ <br/ We also couldn 't miss a more fluffy style of bao and ordered the Shanghai-Style Pan-Fried Pork Buns $8.75 . My husband 's favourite, these buns are larger, softer, and like warm pillows. Sprinkled with sesame seeds, these orbs are so easy to bite into and offer a very satisfying texture. The savoury pork nestled within is like a delicious little treasure.<br/ <br/ We couldn 't leave without trying one of their interesting-sounding desserts and decided to go as far away from the 'familiar ' as we could. Sesame-Filled Sweet Dumplings in Soup with Fermented Rice Egg Drop $8.25 . Our server dished our dessert soup into our bowls and I marveled at the fact that I had not seen anything like this before. This dessert was so unique and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to try it! The sweet broth was warm and almost syrupy, but not so sweet that it became too much. The egg within the soup was exactly like hot egg drop soup, which was so interesting to see in dessert form. The dumplings themselves were deliciously beautiful pockets that contained an amazing black sesame paste. I loved the bit of bite to them. I cannot stress enough how different this dessert was the closest thing that it reminded me of is Indian gulab jamun and how wonderfully every unexpected component came together.<br/ <br/ I loved the authentic and delicious experience that I had at Ding Tai Fung! The xiaolongbao were the best that I 've ever had, even better than any that I tried in Vancouver. I certainly want to return to try more types of their bao and I 've also heard that the Shanghai Wonton with Spicy Sauce is very good. A must-do to satisfy your dumpling needs!

Dunn 's is a delicatessen that first opened in Montreal in 1927. They turned into a chain and now have seven locations in Quebec, one in Ontario, and one in Bri... leer más Dunn 's is a delicatessen that first opened in Montreal in 1927. They turned into a chain and now have seven locations in Quebec, one in Ontario, and one in British Columbia. The specialty of the house is smoked meat and they 're very likely your best bet for authentic Montreal smoked meat outside of Quebec. The Vancouver restaurant is located downtown and the entire place is an ode to Montreal with it 's iconic signage, exposed brick walls, and Montreal themed photography and artwork. It certainly feels 'newer ' than the homeland locations because it is but a similar vibe can be found here. Founder Myer Dunn 's photo is right there on the wall!<br/ <br/ We visited on a Friday evening and were seated at a table by the window atop red and black chairs their signature colour scheme. The servers are friendly and the menu is extensive and pretty well matched to what you 'll see on the menu in Montreal. Although I did notice that the prices seemed to be a bit higher.<br/ <br/ Here 's a little bit of smoked meat snobbery for you: In Montreal Dunn 's is viewed as more of a 'chain ' and less as one of the top places to get smoked meat. Not to say that their product isn 't good, but I wouldn 't say that they 're on the same level as Schwartz 's, The Main, Lester 's or Smoke Meat Pete. That being said, having any sort of representation all the way over on the west coast is exciting.<br/ <br/ For those who know, the only acceptable beverage to order while eating smoked meat is black cherry soda. Anything else and you 're doing it wrong! Thankfully the Vancouver Dunn 's is aware of this and I ordered a Black Cherry Fountain Soda $2.50 . It 's the house wine of Montreal delicatessens!<br/ <br/ For our appetizer we instantly ordered up the Latkas Potato and onion pancakes with sour cream $4.00 in the 'add on ' size. These were okay enough. Certainly not up to the caliber of the latkas at The Main in Montreal, but better than nothing. They just didn 't seem 'homemade ' enough for me. I found them a bit too dense, although they were fried and seasoned well. There was no option to order apple sauce with them, which is a bit of a misstep.<br/ <br/ They also have Matzoh Ball soup on the menu... I 'm curious as to how that goes over.<br/ <br/ My husband and I decided to share the Smoked Meat Poutine Made with hand cut Kennebec fries, fresh Canadian cheese curds covered in our original BBQ beef gravy. We make our gravy in house from scratch using roasted beef bones and our signature barbecue spice mix. Served with chopped smoked meat $13.00 also known as the Dunn 's Poutine. This poutine was very good and very legit. The fries were wonderfully golden and crispy, yet had just the right sogginess after sitting in the gravy. It was exactly the right crispy to sogginess ratio. The cheese curds were on point and plentiful. First of all, they were cheese curds and not some other blasphemous type of cheese if you are ever served poutine with anything other than cheese curds, you aren 't eating poutine . And the sauce brune as it 's called in Quebec was quite good with a bit of spice. You can tell that they understand the importance of getting it right. And of course the finely chopped smoked meat on top was piled on thick just like it should be and was full of flavour. I would say that this was a near perfect specimen.<br/ <br/ We also shared their signature sandwich: The Best Reuben in the City Hand sliced smoked meat double stacked in dark rye bread with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island dressing $16.00 with a Dunn 's Original Putters Deli Dill Pickle $1.00 . This is what you come for. At first glance, I was loving the heaping amount of sauerkraut and oozing Swiss. The smoked meat itself didn 't appear to be stacked as high as you would get it in Montreal but what really counts is the taste. And it tasted pretty good. The meat was juicy and flavorful, boasting that signature smokey spicy savoury... special flavour that is unmatched anywhere else. It might not have been quite the same as in Montreal, but for being all the way over here on the other side of the country, it tasted pretty convincingly like authentic smoked meat.<br/ <br/ The pickle was also excellent. Exactly what you want it to be. They also have something called a 'Dill Tomato ' and I want to learn a whole lot more about that. <br/ <br/ It may not have been an absolute perfect experience. But let 's face it: Vancouver is just about as far away as you can get from Montreal without leaving the country 4,500 kms away! . The fact that Dunn 's is here, among the sushi and vegetarian food is at least something. I wonder if the cooks at the Vancouver location are sent to Montreal for training? I would assume so! Plus they serve breakfast on the weekend. Come home to the rich bread cheese meat eating that Montreal teaches you to know, love and crave.