Toronto - May 2010 - Day 5 (Special Date with Hot Dog and Pho!)

It has been 4 years since I last returned to Toronto and even during my years in Toronto, taking the subway to downtown wasn't something I would do regularly for many reasons. This time around, I took the subway to downtown for a day trip with my mom and I realized that nothing and i mean nothing has changed over the past 4 years with the subway.

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 4 (Buffalo Wings Attack!)

For those who haven't been to Toronto before, it is good to be informed about its huge Chinese community. One can survive without speaking a single word of English as long as you know Cantonese or Mandarin. With that taken into consideration, there are actually quite a number of established Chinese restaurants around town ... well, mostly uptown in my opinion. One might be shocked to hear that I (and many others I know) find that many of the Chinese restaurants in Toronto (or Vancouver from what i heard) are of excellent quality, perhaps better than many in Hong Kong. (NB: I am not talking about places that serve sweet and sour chicken balls or stir-fry mixed vegetables) Consistency is a key factor and perhaps because of the rather concentrated Chinese community the quality can be maintained; in other words, survival of the fittest and restos in Toronto are quite dependent on returning customers. Lucky Toronto!!!

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 3 (A Sunny Sunday Walk)

A few years ago I left Toronto for many reasons, one being that I found the life style a bit boring at times. A few years have passed now and only after a few days I started to question why I left because I quite enjoyed the the weather, atmosphere, friendly smiles and leisure activities as simple as a Sunday walk in a park. What happened? I am not too certain what happened but I think it is a different perspective into the understanding of work-life balance perhaps.

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 2 (Wedding Day, not mine of course!)

What happened to Day 2 you ask? Well, it was the wedding day for my friends V & E and it took me a while to sort out all the pictures! The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding! It was held at the Hart House at the University of Toronto. There are quite history behind the Hart House but the stone structure and timbered ceiling have captured my heart already. The main dining hall for the banquet reminded me of Harry Potter the movie. It looked very much like the great hall indeed!

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 3 (Brunch)

Day 2 was my friend's wedding day and it was a fun day and night indeed! The weather was perfect, though a bit chilly later into the night, but a few glasses of whisky did the trick! A few of us spent the night at the Park Hyatt Toronto so to avoid getting back uptown in the middle of the night. If I did not mention before, the hotel bed was indeed heavenly!

By the time my friends and I woke up, it was almost time for lunch, but the extra hours of sleeping in was worth it! Since it was a Sunday (Day 3 of my Toronto trip), we were all being a bit too lazy and went to the resto downstairs for a leisure breakfast / brunch.

Toronto - May 2010 - Day 1

The first thing I wanted after a 15-hour flight wasn't something fancy but rather something sweet and simple, something I missed very much! First stop: Tim Hortons! I missed the Double Double Coffee! The Double (Cream) Double (Sugar) Coffee wasn't strong at all but it was the memories, the childhood / teenage memories that matter the most! Forget about espresso for the time being, I grew up with Timmys!

Qiao Tei Chili Crab 橋底辣蟹 (Under the Bridge Spicy Crab)

I am not a spicy person (in many ways I am not), but I am always up for it when it comes to food ventures! This time my cousin K who are still visiting as I type this review, love crab so much that she can do the entire one herself! (I am sure she can!) She isn't the spicy kind of person as well but according to her, chili crab is one of the two spicy food she is willing to eat no matter how spicy or how swollen her lips are after the meal.

Food Photography

Sh!ok

When it comes to Hainanese Chicken Rice, I honestly don't know anyone who hates this dish, almost all can recall a memorable experience with this dish. We didn't come here just for the Hainanese Chicken, which I love to eat in every possible opportunities, we are here to try out some of their signature Singaporean specialties.

Food, It's all about Sharing!

Eating is more than just to fill your stomach full, it has more to it. Food is best to be shared, with someone you care, love and perhaps respect. A meal is an experience, a memorable one if lucky and an equally memorable if you are unlucky. 

Kraze Burgers

Don't expect great privacy because Kraze Burgers is situated in the middle of the level and basically without any walls or windows, just like an open area. Well, no that there is anything wrong with it, quite the contrary actually because I liked the environment, the casual atmosphere which us perfect for a burger joint in my opinion.

Pee Long Thai Restaurant 隆姐泰國美食館

Sometimes I tried to find excuses to eat certain food but honestly I don't think I need any excuses for good and yummy food right? I took my cousin who arrived in Hong Kong for just a few hours to this Thai resto in Kowloon City. She likes crab so crab she got!

Coffee

I consume coffee on a daily basis, often more than one cup a day. I enjoy drinking coffee and I feel a peace of mind when sipping my espresso or cappuccino alone or with a few friends. Does the caffeine actually work on me? I am not too certain about that, at least no longer, but it somehow becomes a habit for me or perhaps I needed the peaceful moment every few hours. How about you? 

Liberty Private Works

Like to take this opportunity to say thanks to D who organized this wonderful dinner gathering so I can meet many new foodie friends whom I wanted to for a long while. It was my pleasure to meet them all! There were quite a number of buzz on this place over the last few months and I finally got the chance to try. The entire venue was pretty cozy, can only fit about 10 people along the bar top table around the kitchen.

Wah Heung Yuen 華香園 / Tak Fat Beef Ball 德發牛肉丸

I was bored on a Sunday afternoon and took my camera for a little adventure.Not really an adventure per se but wandered around the TST area in search of meaningful moments to capture. In order to proceed, I needed energy hence food! I pass by the Hai Phong Road quite often but I never knew that there is an Dai Pai Dong 大牌檔 / cooked food stall within this semi-abandoned wet market. Call me ignorant if you may but I just didn't know it existed. As you approach the end of the wet market area, the surrounding starts to get noisy and you start smelling the aroma of deep fried items. At the end of the pathway, the staff of various food stalls would (over)-welcome you, inviting you to their outlets.

Applegreen

I really enjoyed my meal here and already am looking forward to my next visit. I should have visited this place earlier so I would have another casual dining favorite in the Causeway Bay area. There were hits and misses but my overall experience was a very pleasant one. Atmosphere was causal, bright with very spacious seating arrangements. Service was excellent particularly to diners who takes pictures of the food. How so? I will explain later.

WunSha's Kitchen 浣紗廚房

Based on the name of this place, I thought it was a traditional kind of Chinese restaurant or private kitchen without much renovation or so-called decor, but I was wrong! Floor to ceiling window occupies its entire front and the interior ceiling is more than 10 feet high. Decor is definitely contemporary with conformable lighting and seating. Lesson of the day, never judge a restaurant by its name.