Are you tired of reading lofty reviews of restaurants you can rarely afford?

Like most hard-working folks in Toronto, journalist Catherine Jheon wants a bang for her food buck. And she wants something beyond burgers and fries.

Her reviews are listed below in chronological order. Catherine's reviews from 2005 are available at Beyond Burgers 2005.

You can also reach Catherine Jheon with your own dining favourites.

Reviews that aired prior to 2005 have been put in the Beyond Burgers Archive.

Catherine Jheon is a producer with foodtv.ca.

CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites. Links will open in new window.

After ten years of operation, House of Tea is the oldest independently owned loose leaf tea shop in the city. The first thing that struck me when I walked in was how amazing it smelled. This is when I wish we could have scratch-and-sniff radio.

Tea is the new coffee, so the current joke goes. Sales of loose leaf tea are definitely on the rise as more and more people get into tea.

House of Tea sells over 300 kinds of loose tea from all over the world. The owner, Marisha Golla, knows more about tea than anyone I’ve met, and she is very generous with her knowledge. She really takes the time to answer questions and educate her customers about tea and always with a smile.

Name your tea and she has it. And Marisha also makes blends which are unique to her shop. Some of the more popular blends are:

• Camillo – chamomile orange blossom, orange peel, mint, lemongrass
• Chai Masala which is a Sri Lankan chai - assam tea – a black tea with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, basil and black pepper
• Arabian Night – green black tea with rose, jasmine and lotus

Marisha invents them after a lot of mixing and matching and sometimes just by chance.

The teas come in 100, 250 and 500 gram bags. And the teas depending on the blend goes from anywhere between $10 to $103 for 100 grams. The most expensive is for a rare Japanese green tea (Gyokuro).

The tea here is really divine, intense flavours not really possible to duplicate in a tea bag. It pays to buy good tea (which is a logo I read among the tins of teas and exquisite tea sets). I loved the Camillo and the Moroccan Mint. You can even get custom blends made for you by Marisha and she’ll let you smell and even give you samples.

Listen to the review. (runs 5:43)

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2006 Favourites

I can't believe 2006 is over!

I went through all the places I've talked about this year and wow - I did a lot of eating. It was hard to pick just three but I did. And I tried to pick places that serve good fare with a big helping of ambiance.

Siegfried's Dining Room

One of the city's best kept dining secrets is Siegfried's Dining Room at George Brown College.

At Seigfried's you can feast on an elegant three course dinner for under $30. It's half that price at lunch time. We're talking high brow dishes such as quail, pan seared sea bass, duck confit. More from the original review...

Crepes a GoGo

Crepes a GoGo just moved to Yorkville.

Sushi Train opened just a few months ago and have brought affordable conveyor belt sushi to Toronto.

The way it works it that you literally pick what you want to eat off the revolving conveyor belt which chugs by you with plates of different sushi.

I heard it being described it as waiting for your luggage at the airport but way more fun. More from the original review...

Eastern Twist (Downtown)
505 St. Clair West
Open Monday to Friday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday noon to 9:00 p.m.

The only problem with the original Eastern Twist was its location in a nondescript industrial building in Scarborough. The first time I went I got lost for about 30 minutes. So I was pleased to discover that they've opened a second location closer to downtown at St. Clair and Bathurst.

Eastern Twist serves savory dishes from around the world - Iran, India, Burma, Guyana, and Pakistan. The dishes are unique, familiar flavors – lots of curry, coconut based broth, bbq. The food tastes homemade - clean and not greasy - not surprising since it's the food the owner Sadia Cazranee cooks for her family at home.

I recommend the paratha wraps – soft flaky flat bread wrapped with butter chicken, bbq beef, or vegetable curry. I also recommend the Burmese noodle soup and the Khaw-Sway creamy coconut soup with chicken or beef, topped with lemongrass, sliced boiled egg and red onions.

The prices at the downtown location are $1.00 - $2.00 more per item due to the higher cost of rent. Otherwise it's the same menu, the same no-nonsense décor with a fast food joint vibe.

Everything is under $10. They also have creamy lassies made with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Kind of like an Indian milkshake.

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Balkan Bistro
126E McCaul Street
(Across from St. Patrick's Cathedral)
Open every day 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (ish)

Balkan Bistro serves up hard-to-find authentic Turkish fare near the AGO.

There are a lot of places in Toronto serving donair kebobs (which are popular in Turkey) but not many serving traditional Turkish dishes.

The Ottoman Empire (what we today might call the Turkish Empire) spanned over much of Southeastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, so the dishes at Balkan Bistro reflect those regions.

On the menu you'll see pasta, paninis, schnitzels, and kebobs alongside traditional Turkish dishes such as Kadinbudu Kofte (which translates into Women's Thighs).

I wouldn't wish these bloated "thighs" on my worst female enemy. They look nothing like thighs. They are ground beef and rice meatballs coated in egg and fried. Pretty shapeless.

They also have something called Hunkar Begendi. It's veal stew in a tomato base, served on a bed of mashed grilled eggplant with mozzerella and bechemal sauce. I'm not a huge fan of veal, but this dish was delicious, even better the next day.

Despite the unfamiliar cuisine and the owners' inexperience, the place has already garnered a loyal following. The place is very cozy and the open kitchen lets you see the food being prepared. The prices are great and portions are generous. Most entrees come with rice, oven baked potatoes, grilled vegetables and mixed salad. Average entrée is about $8. In fact the most expensive thing on the menu is the veal stew for $10.

They also have real Turkish coffee - the strong and sweet served in demi tasse and homemade baklava.

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Golden Turtle is a Vietnamese restaurant frequented by some of Toronto's top chefs. Susur Lee, for example - he and his family have been regulars at the Golden Turtle for years.

He came to the re-opening four years ago when they opened their current location on Ossington, tasted the dishes and even gave them suggestions. The chef at the Japanese restaurant Ematei is also a regular.

If the top chefs like it they must be doing something right. Susur likes #1 Rare Beef in Noodle Soup - a hearty soup with rice noodles in a broth that has hints of ginger and garlic in the broth. The soups are usually accompanied by fresh basil and bean sprouts and lime wedges.

They have a vegetarian version with tofu which is also popular.

The bun – vermicelli with grilled pork (I love the way Vietnamese do their pork) or with grilled chicken with a spring roll is their top seller especially at lunch time. The Vietnamese pancakes are also popular.

There's a lot of choice with over 100 items on the menu but don't worry. There are pictures on the wall of the most popular dishes so you can't go wrong by picking those.

The prices are very reasonable an extra large bowl of pho or bun (vermicelli) goes for $7.

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Crepes a GoGo
18 Yorkville Avenue
(corner of Yorkville and Yonge)
Open Monday to Tuesday 12:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday to Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Crepes a GoGo served me one of the best crepes I’ve tasted - much better than the ones in Paris. Toronto really is the best for our wealth of ethnic eateries.

The whole experience is special. When you walk in to Crepes a GoGo you feel like you're in Paris. Everyone is encouraged to speak French, there's French music playing, the interior is very traditional French café - wooden tables, panelling, orange walls.

The French staff and by its dynamic owner Veronique Perez shout a big bonjour as you walk in.

The crepe was thin, light and tasty. Crepes should taste good on its own. That’s because Veronique gets her crepe batter custom-made for her. She also uses fresh ingredients.

She has a lot of interesting savory sweet crepe combos - not very authentic French but very Veronique. There's one named after the French soccer player Zidane – blue cheese, blueberries and sour cream, the Quebecoise – scrambled egg, mozzarella and maple syrup, one named after her customer, her kids and of course one after herself the crepe Veronique.

The crepe Veronique includes strawberries, baby spinach and maple syrup. Not a traditional French crepe combo but it works. My only peeve was that the juices from the spinach and strawberries ran down my arms and made the crepe a bit soggy. But that maybe because I’m a slob.

The crepes range from $5.50 to $10! She also makes her own bottled lemon mint drink called Limonana and she has great coffees.

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Esther's Soup Kitchen

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Toronto's Queen of Soups reigns in Yorkville.

Like many of us, I usually eat out for lunch, and I'm always on the look out for a tasty, healthy option on the cheap. And Esther's Soup Kitchen at Bloor and Yonge is such a place.

I love soup! And Esther's soups are top notch. Don't just take my word for it. She regularly gets customers calling in advance to secure a bowl of her rich broth before it runs out.

One of the soups is Mulligatawny with spicy chicken - she makes it twice a week. It's usually sold out by 2:00 or 2:30 p.m.

The soups are made from scratch daily. Esther doesn't put any oil, milk, flour, butter, cream, or cornstarch in her soups. But leaving the bad stuff out doesn't mean bland soup. Her soups have an abundance of flavour thanks to liberal use of ginger garlic, thyme and curry spices thanks to her Sri Lankan heritage.

Her Sri Lankan roots are reflected specials such as the butter chicken and soups like curried pumpkin, curried butternut with apricot, and spicy mango.

For people who aren't up for lots of spice, she has plenty of old classics - chicken noodle soup, potato leek, lentils and chilli. She has a roster of 35 different soups which she rotates five at a time. I've always been a big mixer of soups. And Esther encourages that. Currently her fave is to mix her lentil soup with the yellow split pea.

And over the seven years she's been in business, she has garnered many loyal customers. There are people who have been coming every day for seven years. And I can see why the food is good, and Esther and her sister are incredibly sweet.

The combination of homemade hearty soup and welcoming smiles really does the body good. And in return satisfied customers motivate Esther especially when they tell her how much they love her cooking.

Soups range from $5.30 - $6.60. Lunch specials include chicken curry, roti with curry ($8.65) and a Tandoori sandwich ($5.50).

What I particularly love about this place is that you get your soup in a large soup bowl with real cutlery if you have time to eat in. There are plenty of sit yourself cafeteria style tables near by or you can also sit right at the soup kitchen's counter bar and enjoy the bustle.

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Onara Onara

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Soo jae bi is made from broad pieces of dough - think wide noodles - torn into pieces with hands in a clear broth flavoured with anchovy or chicken or beef. You add soy sauce mixture to taste and hmmm... it's good. Admittedly, there isn't much nutritional value in this dish - it's loaded with empty carbs - but man is it ever tasty.

My mom used to make this dish for my family, so I have fond memories of it. When she recommended a place for good soo jae bi I was excited.

We went to Onara Onara restaurant in Korean town on Bloor Street. You can get a ceramic bowl of soo jae bi or its cousin kalgoogsu - same broth with fettuccini-like noodles instead of the dough flakes.

What's good about this place is the hot pot bowl. You can a ladle and you serve out a little bit at a time and hmmm... delicious. The bowl is deceptively huge. Mr. Yeon Wook Lee, the owner has a lot of students who come to his place and wanted to make sure they don't leave hungry.

As a result, the proportions are huge. One ceramic bowl will stuff two people sufficiently. Soup with handmade chopped noodles (kalgooksu) or dough flakes in a jar with your choice of seafood is $7.00. With anchovies the dishes cost $6.00, and with carrots, $8.00.

If you're feeling adventurous I would try the Chuncheon style makguksu which cold buckwheat noodle dish with vegetables topped with a boiled egg served in a spicy slightly sweet sauce. Mrs. Lee was telling me that they have the best in the city. Her husband is originally from Chuncheon, where the dish originates, taught how to make it by a famous noodle master. That will set you back $8.00 - it's A-2 on the menu.

They also have good chicken cutlet or pork beef cutlet. I would stay away from combos served with beers or soju.

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La Tea Da

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La Tea Da is an an old Victorian style teashop in the Beaches. The place is a labour of love for its owner/tea enthusiast Ericha Cromwell.

When I first walked into La Tea Da and saw the precious china and dainty tea pots I swear I stood up straight and expected to see a very stiff upper lip teetotalling grandma wearing white gloves.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I was greeted by Ericha. Now Ericha - who is of African and Native American heritage - looks more like a funky artist than a granny so I told her how seeing her put me at ease among all the breakable glass.

Ericha is doing it right. This is proper tea service without the pretentious attitude. She wanted to create a friendly place where tea drinkers of all ages and backgrounds could congregate.

So three years ago she quit her job in the world of accounting to pursue her true love – tea! And La tea Da was born.

You can have the cream tea service at $10 per person. That includes two scones with butter, cream and jams and pot of tea. Ericha’s famous for her scones – in fact a British couple with their own tea shop wanted to know how she made them.

If you want to go all out you can have High tea Service $20 per person – La Tea da’s high tea includes finger sandwiches with the crusts removed of course, scones and various pastries and a pot of tea, all served on proper china donated by friends and customers.

She has over 30 different types of tea – made from leaves. Don’t even mention teabags to her! Various green, black tea to caffeine free kid friendly teas. She hosts a lot of children’s b-day party at her place. And no she doesn’t worry about breaking the china - it’s not her style and she says something about tea and her shops encourages good behavior in kids.

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Sushi Train opened just a month and a half ago, and they are bringing the popular conveyor belt sushi to Toronto. They are already popular in Japan, Korea, NY, Amsterdam and Vancouver. The way it works it that you literally pick what you want to eat off the revolving conveyor belt which chugs by you with plates of different sushi.

I heard it being described it as waiting for you luggage at the airport but way more fun. You can sit at the sushi bar or at a booth and wait for the revolving sushi conveyor belt to roll by you. The chefs and the managers and the servers keep a close watch on the conveyor belt so there’s always a good variety.

It could potentially be confusing, so I’ve prepared some pointers for the sushi belt newbie.

1. Take some time to check out the goods. They have lots of items besides sushi. They have a lot of variety... they have maki/sushi/yakitori, dumplings/ fushion rolls. Don’t let your excitement get ahead of you. If you miss it first time it’ll come around again. You can’t put plates back... so think before you grab it.

2. If you don’t see what you want... don’t be afraid to ask the chef... there’s a couple who preside over the sushi conveyor belt.

3. A lot of it is self serve - You help yourself to the mug, the green tea with its own hot water tap, ginger, wasabi located right at your table. There’s complimentary miso soup.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are lots of servers to help you navigate the "train."

5. The plates are colour coded... yellow being the cheapest at $2 and blue being the most expensive at $5.50. You stack them up as you empty them and the servers will tally it all up for you in the end.

They have deals at lunch time so inquire about that. For example if you eat more than five plates the price goes down.An average person eats five to seven plates.

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Urban Herbivore is a vegan café in Kensington Market that serves hearty salads, soups and sandwiches - all made from scratch.

It's the second vegetarian eatery run by owner/chef Stephen Gardner. People may know his other restaurant, the very popular Fressen on Queen Street which has been receiving good reviews ever since it opened six years ago.

Some still equate vegan with tasteless, dry food, but that stereotypical image of longhaired hippies eating granola and holding up peace signs is changing. That's good news to Stephen Gardner who believes restaurants like Fressen and Urban Herbivore will become increasingly popular.

The menu changes daily depending on the season. Great salads such as baby spinach, marinated tempeh, grilled celery root, tofu in cranberry vinaigrette with shiitake mushrooms, huge veggie sandwiches on homemade break with roasted red pepper and sliced yam spinach-walnut pesto and olive-date tapenade. Creamy hearty soups, curried lentils, Mexican black bean which you can get to go in returnable Mason jars.

All salads, soups are $7. They also have fresh juice, baked goodies and lots of take home items as well.

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One of the city's best kept dining secrets is Siegfried's Dining Room at George Brown College.

At Seigfried's you can feast on a three course dinner for under $30. And we're talking high brow dishes such as quail, pan seared sea bass, duck confit. The lunch menu is even more of a deal.

It's so affordable because Siegfried's is essentially a classroom. The front of the restaurant is staffed by George Brown College students from the faculty of hospitality, management and tourism. And the kitchen is run by students at George Brown chef School.

But make no mistake it's a proper restaurant as Jeannine Phrand Theyer the Dining Room Manager stressed. And she should know as one of the teachers she makes sure all students are closely supervised.

I'm happy to report my dessert Almond Waffles with white chocolate and passion fruit mousse with peach and plum compote was feathery light and sweet.

The menu is constantly changing. They have a separate lunch and dinner menu. The week I went they were highlighting Portuguese cuisine. So I started off with greaseless empanadas stuffed with shrimp, followed by Chicken Biriyani - which admittedly isn't very Portuguese but the chicken was moist, basmati rice fragrant all garnished with tomato eggs and cashew nuts. I also had dessert.

Because I went for lunch it was just $12.50! Not a bad deal.

It's amazing considering George Brown chef school is one of the country's most exclusive chef's training program. You may very well be tasting creations by the next Susur Lees or Michael Stadtlanders.

The service is very attentive and very pleasant. My server had only done one previous shift, so there were little things like water spillage (not on me), and misplacement of cutlery. It's hard to get upset at things like that because most of them are young students trying their best.

By the way, they get to keep the tips so tip generously! They are poor if not starving students.

The dining room seats 120. It's cozy and spacious (if a bit dated). Kind of like I imagine the Russian Tea Room might look. There are plans to completely renovate it. The college is in the process of opening another restaurant - a very trendy bistro.

Visit the website to make reservations and check out the menu beforehand.

There's also a great bake shop inside the building as well.

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Cereal bars - places specializing in cereals - have arrived in Toronto. Cerealicious has the claim of being Canada's first cereal bar. It opened in April down at BCE place. They have over 35 different kinds of cereal to choose from - everything from sugary Count Chocula to organic muesli.

It's not a completely new idea. The Cerealicious girls had some reassurance from the success of Cereality, a shop which opened three years ago near the Philadelphia University campus. But when Tara's friend and partner Jennifer Ego first suggested opening a cereal bar in Toronto, Tara wasn't quite convinced.

People get excited about their cereal. According to a Trend Report published by KitchenAID Kitchens for Cooks institute this year, cereal-flavoured milk will be all the rage!

Tara tells me her customers have it for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. They serve cereal on ice cream, in sandwiches and in yogurt parfaits.

If you're not convinced, a second place called The Cereal Bar, just a stone's throw from Cerealicious at the Commerce Court, opened up almost immediately following Cerelicious.

You'd think there would be a rivalry between the two, but Tara insists there's room for both bars which is a testament to people's love of cereal.

The top sellers are Count Chocula, Captain Crunch and Kashi Go Lean Crunch. There are over 30 toppings, including Smarties, nuts, dried fruit, jube jubes, and fresh fruit. But for those who aren't cereal fans, Cerealicious also serves good old fashioned pb+jelly sandwiches. The place plays up the nostalgia factor, decorating in baby blue, pinks, and pale greens.

Tara describes it as very '50s mom's kitchen. In fact some of her customers call her Mom. A container of your fave mix of cereal and your choice toppings will set you back $3.25 to $4.50.

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Raj Veerella's new restaurant Banjara has been open for two months. It's Chef Raj's third relocation in six years. He's had his share of misfortune. The first place he owned was Mr. Maharaja on Balmuto street near the Uptown theatre - the one that collapsed back in December 2003.

Undeterred, Chef Raj opened up at 750 Yonge street called Banjara in September 2003. But he got into some problems with the landlord and was forced to shut down in February of this year.

Luckily for us, Chef Raj picked up and relocated yet again - this time at Crawford and Bloor, west of the Christie Pits, at that once dodgy plaza where Steak Queen used to be.

The place is far from glamorous. It still looks like a doughnut shop despite their best efforts. Chef Raj knows he's got a lot of work ahead. The place needs a major renovation to transform the decor. But Chef Raj seems to be up to the task.

I am definitely a fan. It is some of the best Indian food I've had - not surprising given Chef Raj's credentials. He's worked with some of the best chefs in Toronto including Jamie Kennedy. Leroy Didier is apparently a big fan of his food.

Chef Raj worked in a lot of high-end restaurants, including a 15 year stint at a Japanese restaurant in Bahrain where he learned to appreciate the subtleties in food.

"Subtle" isn't the first word that comes to mind when describing Indian food but with Chef Rah, you can taste it. With the Bhendi Masala you can taste the okra, tomatoes, lemon as well as the bold flavours of garlic, onions and cumin.

He's famous for his butter chicken with its rich creamy tomato gravy. Good for your taste buds not so good for your thighs. I would recommend his vegetarian dishes - Southern India is known for their meatless cuisine. The spinach fry is a dish not often found on the menu. There's no sauce, it's spinach spiked with garlic, onions, chat masala with a handful of lentils thrown in. I liked the okra dish a lot and the eggplant is popular as well. You can't really miss. The prices are great. All hovering around the $9-10 mark.

Chef Raj makes his naan using uses organic flour, honey and rye. With the new location he says hasn't had the time to find good suppliers. But he tells me there are on their way.

They deliver as well. If you want to eat in, just so our listeners know the décor still feels like a doughnut shop gone upscale but there's plenty of parking and they're getting a liquor licence soon.

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Tealish

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Tealish is a new shop devoted to one of the world's most popular beverages - tea, not coffee.

Tealish opened a few months ago. And it's a first time business for Michael Rachmel and Laura Chodola who are in their twenties. These self described tea nerds were tired of people's misperception of tea and tea's second fiddle status to coffee.

Michael was a hard core coffee snob who then saw the light. "There's a lifetime of experimentation out there," he says. "I just love it."

Apparently Michael was drinking lots of sugary coffee drinks and they were taking a toll on his teeth. After looking for alternatives to coffee, he discovered his true love. This is a guy who's crazy about tea and he's not afraid to show it. And that incidentally led to plenty of ribbing from some of his more macho friends.

But the folks at Tealish are definitely injecting a dose of funky fun vibe to all things tea. Tealish has over 75 herbal blends alone. Tea here is served hot, iced, blended with fruit, popcorn and milk for a fruit tea smoothie.

The fruit tea smoothieind of like Strawberry Quick. I wasn't too crazy about it but apparently it's a hit with the kiddies. What I did love was the green tea smoothie which was very tasty - not to mention the health benefits. It's the same price as a Starbucks latte and served in biodegradable cups.

It's a cheery little shop bright green and orange. There's a small counter if you want to stay and have you cuppa tea. They are such a nice young couple I hope the shop stays afloat!

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This season I want to highlight places tipping their hat to the environment in some way. Be it using biodegradable products, specialty shops as opposed to massive supermarkets and eateries using organic and or locally grown produce.

Local produce makes environmental sense. Not to mention it tastes great.

People sometimes complain that it's pricier than supermarket produce but if you shop for what's in season that's not necessarily true. I have to tell you the prices were incredibly reasonable.

And it's such a great scene. I can see why people love the Dufferin Grove Park market. There was live music, people chatting, a welcoming vibe. The market has been around for four years and it's one of the few that operates all year long.

There are currently over 30 vendors selling locally grown produce - tomatoes, mushrooms, corn, watermelon and items such as honey, olive oil, cheese, meats - all locally grown.

But for my purposes, I was interested in the prepared foods - everything from lamb/venison burgers, savory and sweet crepes, meat and vegan rotis and pizzas baked in the famous outdoor wood oven.

These ovens are great! For the pizza they were using veggies and herbs from the community garden nearby.

There was so much good stuff to eat. I stuffed myself. All the food is very reasonable priced, well under $10 all using local mostly organic produce.

The best deal may be at the stall next to the oven. You can get a bowl of soup, slice of pizza - just out of the oven and a slice of freshly baked bread for $4.25 all served on reusable plates and cutlery. I highly recommend our listeners to check it out.

The market is there every Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Near the end of September, they actually move on to the skating rink and when the cold weather comes, they move inside the building next to the rink.

Other farmers markets around the city include the Riverdale Farm Farmers Market, The Village Market in Thornhill, The St. Lawrence North Farmers Market, and another in the distillery district. Get out there enjoy locally grown produce while the weather is still warm.

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Pam's Caribbean Kitchen has a very loyal following thanks to good word of mouth reviews from customers. Pretty great considering they've never advertised.

Pam Singh is the vibrant owner and chef of this hole in the wall eatery. Pam's one of those people you just want to hug. She has a great laugh and a kind word for everyone. I'm sure that's part of the restaurant's success four and a half years later. Remarkable considering since she didn't really know how to cook.

She originally came to Toronto in the 60s as a dressmaker from Guyana who became motivated to cook when she started a family of her own. Cooking was a way for her to instill both her and her husband's culture in her Canadian born kids.

Pam told me that Guyana spices tend to be mellower than the Indian spices. This Guyana Indian fusion results in some substantial and uniquely spiced rotis. She uses herbs like parsley which I haven't seen a lot of in rotis.

Her top seller is the goat roti followed by chicken but she sells a lot of veggie ones. Even vegans can enjoy Pam's fare. With ingredients spinach, squash and chick peas, green beans. She tries to buy organic as much as possible. The rotis are substantial and hover around the $8.

She makes each roti with love and care, which unfortunately can mean long waits. In fact it says on the board it's "Not so fast" food. But it's worth the wait and it sounds like Pam has people telling her that all the time.

I went there before her shop opened and there were people knocking on her window exactly at noon when she opened on Saturday.

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Pizza Pide Turkish Cuisine

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Pide (pronnounced PEE-DAY) is often referred to as Turkish Pizza. It's is a staple Turkish food very popular throughout Turkey. And the only place you can get pide in Toronto is at Pizza Pide Turkish Cuisine in the East end.

Pide is a canoe-shaped flat bread about two feet long - baked with toppings of your choice - so very much like a traditional pizza in a way. There's are a half-dozen toppings to choose from; Turkish sausage, gound beef, pastrami, chicken strips, feta cheese, parsley mushroom, spinach with cumin, garlic and allspice and tomato sauce.

Luckily there are pictures in the restaurant as well on the website to guide you. And according to a sign in the restaurant, all the meat is 100 per cent Halal and comes from a butcher up on the Danforth.

I had the ground beef with baked, sunny side up eggs. It was really tasty and impressive-looking just in terms of the huge size of the pide which comes on a extra long tray.

In fact, the owner says people are a bit surprised when they see the size of the pide. They are all like it's too big, it's too big but they always end up finishing it. Two people can share one easily I would say.

The place looks like a fast food take out place with booth seating. He also has "normal pizza" but by all means... go for the pide.

The price ranges from $7 to $10.

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Banu Iranian kebob and vodka bar has been open for just two months and it's getting great write-ups already… including one in the Guardian by Alex Kapranos the lead singer of Franz Ferdinand.

Behind the buzz is the pairing of a long list of vodkas and great Iranian fare including some unusual meats.

Although it's their first restaurant, the owners are not newbies to the entertaining scene. For the past 25 years they've been holding huge Iranian New Year parties with 1,000 people attending.

You may be thinking that vodka, drinking and partying aren't pastimes normally associated with Iran, but I was told that vodka bars like Banu were really popular in 70s in Iran and Banu pays homage to that time.

Iran used to make a very good vodka. Samira said vodka was a staple in Iran. You'd have truck stops serving vodka paired with the kind of rustic food you'll find at Banu.

They have great appetizers - eggplant, yogurt based dips presented beautifully with pita that's cut into long strips then folded and wrapped together by another piece of pita. Very pretty.

The entrees consist of lamb kebobs, beef tenderloin, prawns... all organic meat from the neighbourhood butcher.

As well they also serve some unusual items like tongue, hearts, and lamb testicles.

I tried the testicles with a male friend and he definitely had a harder time swallowing them. They are sliced into manageable morsels. And they taste kind of like scallops with a hint of bacon.

Banu Iranian Kebob and Vodka Bar is a very hip looking bar. It's all white with teal accents but it's the kind of place you can linger, chatting with the friendly owners and playing backgammon.

The appetizers are around the $10 mark, the entrees, $20 to $25 and there are 15 different kinds of vodka from $7 to $11.

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Oakville has become a destination spot for roti lovers thanks to Kori Siebert of Kori's Roti Stop.

It's a good 30 minute drive from downtown Toronto in the QEW. I eventually found myself in a nondescript sort of industrial looking area... big stores and I was like, man, this better be worth it.

But when I opened the door I was instantly amazed by the hustle and bustle of the place. There were folks happily munching away, shouting out orders, greetings... and a long line at the counter.

Apparently it's like that all the time, but the line moved quickly. As many as 50 people have been known to line up outside the shop for famous rotis.

The rotis are good... fresh ingredients, everything made from scratch.

Kori's rotis have apparently made it to New York, England and even Slovenia. Once a month someone buys 30 rotis and delivers them to Vancouver via plane.

Rotis are the pancake-like flatbreads that wrap curried meats and vegetables. chicken and goat shrimp to vegetarian. The rotis range from $5.00 to $8.50 including taxes.

They also have eight levels of heat - ranging from wussy to suicidal and I have to admit the suicide did me in.

She also sells Doubles - deep fried batter with chick peas served with tamarind chutney. They go for $3.50.

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Dessert Lady

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Summer weather has arrived in Toronto - and what better way too cool off than with ice cream. With that in mind I went to Dessert Lady in Yorkville and met up with Mandy Kan a.k.a the dessert lady herself.

Mandy is a professionally trained pastry chef. She got her papers at the French Culinary Institute in New York. And she did chocolate and sugar work training at the International School of Confectionary Arts in Maryland, she also did a stint at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Florida as a pastry chef.

Now this is high-quality oh-so-bad-it's good dessert. If you're going to treat yourself might as well do it right.

I would recommend the ice cream and the gelati. She has flavours like the pina colada - made with coconut ice cream and oven roasted pineapples - and a candied ginger ice cream made from an infusion that steeps for two days.

There is also chai spiced latte and sorbets such as guava lime, white peach and the "tartiest" lemon gelato ever which I loved. It's $2.75 a scoop - a dollar more extra scoop.

She also bakes homemade cookies, biscotti, and macaroons ranging from $3.50 to $7.

Mandy also makes cakes made to order and individual desserts like rice pudding, lemon, sugar free chocolate mousses. You can get a cup to go for $4.50.

Not to mention the chocolate truffles. Lots of treats to suit every palate.

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Gail's River Cafe offers Thai cuisine with a personal touch that has made the place a favourite in Toronto’s east end.

The restaurant itself is nothing to get excited about. It's rather run down but I was impressed by the chef right away. Gail's got a lot of character and she makes a mean green curry.

Gail serves all-day breakfasts in addition to Thai dishes. She said her westerns are great but I went there for the Thai food.

The green curry is popular along with the mango chicken, cashew chicken, the fresh rolls and the pad thai.

I had the curry pad thai - Gail's twist on the traditional noodle dish. I really liked it. I'm not a huge fan of pad thai but this was really tasty.

The prices are great. Nothing is over $10 and the portions are huge.

If you go during peak periods, expect to wait. Gail does all the cooking by herself.

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Harambe Restaurant is decorated with Ethiopian crafts and paintings, and the equivalent for Ethiopian MTV, music videos projected on one wall.

It was full of Ethiopian faces which assured me about the food. Just when I was starting to feel self conscious thinking I was the only non-Ethiopian there... I was greeted by Doris Purchase who hails from Winnipeg.

Doris was so helpful with the menu and enthusiastic about the place I thought she worked there. But it turns out she's just one of Harege's devoted customers. Not surprisingly, Harambe means meeting place.

The food was great. The owner does all the cooking on top of greetings customers and making people feel at home. It's a one-woman show.

And you know... you can taste that love in the food. I know that sounds cheesy but it's true. The injera (pancake like bread) is the real thing - made with Teff flour imported from Ethiopia.

For meat eaters I recommend the chacha tibs (lamb or beef barbequed in a special hot sauce )or the kitfo (traditionally served raw like steak tartar but you can get it cooked to suit your taste).

Veggies can enjoy ful (five layers of dip with chick peas - just delicious).

Ethiopian breakfast on the weekend is good... scrambled eggs, scrabbled barley and bread. It's familiar breakfast fare but with an Ethiopian twist.

Ethiopian food is all about sharing, so I recommend going with friends and sharing a platter. The helpings are huge and there is nothing over $12.

If you get confused, just ask. The place feels like a community.

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Toronto's first Tunisian restaurant named after that country's beautiful tourist island, Djerba La Douce.

Tunisian cuisine is perfectly suited to a multi-ethnic place like Toronto because it has many influences. Italian, French, Mediterranean, Arabic. So you'll find seafood pastas, crepes, and couscous on the menu.

The dishes have lot of tomato sauce and red chilly pepper or what's called harissa so it's got a nice kick. Lots of olive oil as well.

So it's no surprise that Djerba La Douce has already garnered a loyal following.

The place is very simply decorated but has a great vibe. A lovely mural of a market scene on one wall, hookah pipes and ceramics on the other, and a meticulous clean open kitchen. Too bad about the TV in the corner. That's a pet peeve of mine in restaurants.

Try the couscous, with lamb, veggies, or chicken. The grilled salad (Mushwa) is also popular, and the chef swears the calamari djerbieno is the best in the city.

I really like the Margeuse, which is spicy lamb sausage cooked with julienne potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers and egg in a spicy tomato sauce. The seafood pasta is the chef's daughter's favourite.

The food is very reasonably priced around $10 mark - amazing considering the freshness of the seafood - which the chef shops for daily.

He also has sweets like cookies, baklava and I recommend a pot of fresh mint tea. The tea is served sweet and provides the perfect end to a spicy savory Tunisian meal.

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Camros Organic Foods

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Camros Organic Foods is a friendly family run place that's giving Toronto its first 100% organic vegetarian Persian food. That's rather unique since not many people are familiar with Persian food let alone 100 organic vegetarian Persian food.

The response from both the Persian and Non-Persian community has been very positive. Their food already has a following because they've been participating in different Farmers' Markets for few years including the Dufferin Park…Village Market in Thornhill, Riverdale. The traditionalist may not like this version of the food but Saeed had confidence in his mom's innovative recipes.

The place is buffet style so you can point to what you want. Some of popular dishes are:

Adas Polo - brown basmati rice with Cinnamon, Raisins and Saffron
Rice ball - made with mashed brown rice (most popular dish and Camros)
Lemony beet and carrot apple salad... very yummy
Quinoa salad
Tender chick pea stew

You can choose four dishes for $6.99! Such a great deal. Camros has organic coffees, teas, sodas, all sourced from local vendors. They even have giant organic spelt-oat chocolate chip and almond cookies, brownies made solar-powered ovens. Even their take-out containers and coffee/tea cups 100% biodegradable made from sugar-cane fibre and are chemical-free (available from Green Shift ) . In fact I sneaked into the bathroom which is just for staff, and their cleaning supplies are all biodegradable!

Camros was named after a bird from Persian mythology. The place has a really peaceful bright vibe. There are two small tables if you can manage to nab one and some chairs along the window.

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Artisano Bakery

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Artisano Bakery at Queensway and Islington is a huge new cafe/in-house bakery. Just two weeks after opening it's already getting a lot of buzz from the neighbourhood.

The idea of a cafe combined with in-house bakery to this large a scale hasn't been done in Canada. Think Starbucks but four times bigger. It's kind of like Au Bon Pain in the states. The whole cafe is based on their belief in the goodness of homemade bread.

The bread is tasty. They have two master bakers - both of German Descent with 60 years of baking between them. They start baking at 1 a.m. to make all the breads and pastries from scratch.

They make over 22 different loafs (which are sold individually as well as being used into their sandwiches) and over 25 different pastries... from muffins to Danishes to cinnamon buns. They even make their own croutons. You can see them baking behind a glass door which always gives me a kick.

They also have sandwiches and homemade pizzas and good soups. You can get a gourmet sandwich for less than $10. They had an Executive chef work with them for a year to perfect their gourmet sandwiches. Angus steak & portobello on baguette and prosciutto & portobello on ciabatta, for example.

Artisano Bakery has great coffees. It's big enough so you don't have to feel self-conscious about staying for hours.

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Restaurant Row is the once-dodgy strip in Kensington Market that's now home to some exciting eateries. There's talk of it becoming the next Yorkville. Tons of places have opened up: Torito, Supermarket and Rice Bar.

Rice Bar is the brainchild of Brock Shepherd. He was the chef-owner of Azul; a very popular brunchy place on Bathurst street. He also ran Canteena and the Chelsea Room the Cocktail Bar on Dundas.

The décor is rather minimalist - lots of stuff that used to hang at Azul like the colourful pillowcases.

At Rice Bar you create your own meal. You get to pick your rice down to the garnish (jasmine, brown basmati or rice noodle), and pick your size; small, medium, and large, for $6, $8 or $10.

From there you can add protein choices of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu, and vegetable choices of baby spinach, black beans, or bok choy.

Sauces range from the familiar (green coconut milk curry, lemongrass or a soy, sesame and ginger mix) to the exotic (chimichurri - paprika, garlic and herbs or miso - bbq black olive vanilla and basil).

If this sounds confusing, they have combinations for those who have a hard time making choices - understandable given that you could have 135,000 different combinations.

Rice Bar is 80 to 90 percent organic, from the chicken, eggs and beef to the vegetables. Even the napkins are made from recycled paper.

The day I went there were little kids to CBC celebrities like Sook Yin Lee all happily eating away.

Brock told me he has plans to open a neighbourhood bar in the back of the current Rice Bar. He's constantly adding to the menu as well. He's doing Sunday brunches reminiscent of his Azul days.

This is a man with plans and vision. I mean, the man actually makes his own kimchi.

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Guerrilla Gourmet

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Guerilla Gourmet is an innovative approach to eating out emphasizing organic, locally grown food in an interactive setting. Maria Solakofski is also known as the Guerilla Gourmet. She invites strangers to eat in her home!

For a fixed price of $40 you join a group of complete strangers for a secret fixed menu.

Guerilla Gourmet has been around for two years and it's gone through some changes. The location used to be secret. You'd get an email one day before the day of the dinner telling you where to go. She's given that up for this season.

She said she found herself focusing more on the venue rather than the food. So she's now inviting people into her lovely home in Kensington Market.

Maria is passionate about sustainable agriculture, the slow food movement. It's a way of life for Maria. And that's how Guerilla Gourmet came about.

We were served four courses including dessert. And Maria doesn't plan the menu ahead of time but goes with what inspires her that day.

For example she had locally grown empire apples so she baked with garlic, dried blueberry, pumpkin seeds and hazelnuts. That was served on a bed of hydro baby greens with maple glazed broiled tempeh.

Sunday night's dinner started with japanese tapas, young barley miso soup, grated daikon radish with ginger juice, shitake mushrooms and edamame beans.

The main course was a roasted vegetable medley of baby gold potatoes, beetroot, butternut squash and a sprinkle of soft sheep's cheese.

Dessert was almond milk pudding sweetened with brown rice syrup and topped with spicy stewed kumquats.

She also served wild teas made with raspberry leaf and rose from her own garden.

It was very clean and healthy and quite good. I really liked the Japanese starters. And the almond milk pud wasn't too bad.

Maria's gonna kill me, but I was still kinda hungry after dinner was over. I ate a piece of leftover chicken when I got home. But I am admittedly a big fat pig.

But wait - the dining is only half the experience. I got to dine with 12 complete strangers. At first I was kinda feeling shy, but everyone was so nice and interesting. It was an eclectic mix. There were real estate agents, an author, a holistic/natural therapist, a guitar technician and a treeplanter.

It was a very entertaining way to learn about food and meet people.

Starting this weekend (April 15th) she going to be doing brunch for $25 from 11-2pm. And she has plans to $10 lunches with emphasis on locally and organic grown produce.

Listen to the review. (runs 4:56)

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The Kumomoto is an eccentric oyster. By the time it makes it on to your plate it will have travelled from Washington State to Hawaii (where it is the size of a pinhead), back to Washington State (now the size of a finger nail), to Baja California, to Washington state and finally to Toronto.

The whole journey takes about three years.

The Kumomoto shell is smaller but deeper than the ones we're used to, and it tastes amazing - buttery, with hints of watermelon rines. One kumomoto goes for about $3.75 - but I have to tell you it is delicious! All that travel doesn't come cheap.

There's lot of stuff under $10 at Rodney's Oyster House - chowders, mussels... and the place has a great atmosphere.

Listen to the review. (runs 4:05)

First Break Coffee Shop is a small mom and pop shop run by Vern Bastarache, his wife Jane and his son Blake. It's been around for 17 years.

The shop is tucked away in an industrial area at Carlaw north of Queen. It's the kind of place you wouldn't necessarily seek out unless you worked or lived in the area.

My mom had a snack bar like it in Calgary. I had to help out (which I did unwillingly).

First Break Coffee Shop is a bit run down. The décor is nothing to write home about. But First Break Coffee Shop is the kind of place where they run tabs and greet all the customers by name. This friendliness has paid off in a way you can taste.

One of the customers is a former chef who now contributes gourmet soup to the menu. Smoked salmon, miso soup with wontons, chorizo with roasted sweet potatoes and Thai vegetable mulligatawny (the top seller).

Vern has another customer who makes his brownies for him. The brownies are killer.

I love it. Little shops like this are so hard to come by these days with all the franchises taking over our city. It's nice to know these places exist.

The prices are amazing. The home-made brownies are $2.00. A small soup is $2.25 and a large soup is $3.25. And the best part... that includes taxes!

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Tinto Coffee House

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Tinto Coffee House on Roncesvalles Avenue has only been around for 7 months but has a loyal following.

Tinto means red wine in Spanish and Portuguese - una copa de tinto or un tinto. But in Colombia tinto it’s slang for a cup of coffee.

One theory is that since Colombia doesn’t produce wine but does produce a lot of coffee the word evolved as a result.

Tinto Coffee House sells fair trade coffee. The menu is short and sweet and pays homage to Latin America.

They have burritos, Spanish omelettes, and salads. A lot of thought has been put into the food. For example, the Cuenca Salad is named after a city in southern Ecuador where gold was gathered during the colonial times. The main cathedral has beautiful red marble columns so when the sun strikes you get a red/gold glow. The Cuenca Salad has roasted red and gold beets. Very poetic!

I had the Altiplano Wrap which was chipotle black beans with cheddar avocado in a tortilla served with rice and beans pico de gallo and sour cream with salad on the side for $8.75.

Nothing too fancy was simple but very tasty. I really enjoyed the fresh salsa and the dressing.

Tinto Coffee House is airy and light with high ceiling and white walls and bright orange chairs. It used to be a former yoga studio so it’s very serene. You could just linger here for hours. They also have free wireless access, and good coffee.

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Eastern Twist is a no-nonsense, take-out place serving savory dishes from Iran, India, Burma, Guyana, Pakistan.

I first found out about this place thanks to our listeners. I received a few emails about this place - one of which claimed that Eastern Twist had better butter chicken than Ghandi's Cuisine on Queen Street! Those of you who have eaten the butter chicken at Ghandi's know that's high praise.

Getting to Eastern Twist was not an easy task. When I say it's hidden, I'm not kidding. It's in a nondescript industrial building in Scarborough by the hockey arena. I actually got lost for a good half an hour and almost gave up but I eventually found the place.

It worth the trouble. The food is delicious - it tastes homemade, clean and not greasy… that's because it's the food the owner Sadia Cazranee cooks for her family at home. Sadia is passionate about food and you can taste it at Eastern Twist.

On the menu you'll find paratha wraps - homemade soft flaky bread eaten in India Pakistan Bangladesh, which you can stuff with butter chicken. They have bbq beef kabobs, potato curry, sweet and south chicken from Guyana, Burmese noodles in cream coconut milk, bamboo shoot and chicken, Zafrani Palau, Chelo cheelao rice... and the list goes on.

Now a warning… don't go too hungry because if you go during peak times you could wait 45 minutes to one hour, but it's worth it, given the quality and the prices.

I recommend the paratha wraps ($4 to $7) and the Burmese noodle soup, a creamy coconut soup with chicken or beef, topped with lemongrass, a sliced boiled egg and red onions. That's known as Khaw-Sway and it will set you back $7.

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There's nothing I love more than a good burger now and then. Burger Hut up at Sheppard and Leslie has been serving its tasty burgers for 33 years!

People come all over the city for their famous steakhouse burgers. It was rated as one of the best by by superstar chef Mark McEwan of Bymark. He's the man behind the $40 burgers.

Here a six ounce steakhouse burger with fries will set you back $6. Which is probably why they sell a couple of hundred everyday. It's damn tasty. Good texture, moist with all the fixings... which means if you're like me you'll end up wearing most of it.

Another popular seller here are the boerewors. They are essentially "farmers sausage" incredibly popular in South Africa.

Burger Hut are one of the few places in the city serving boerewors. They are very tasty - served with a sweet chutney like sauce on a hotdog bun. Authentic and delicious.

Burger Hut is a relaxed and completely unpretentious place. There's a lot of bustle in the tiny open grill - lots of bantering between the customers and the two owners who have been friends for a very long time.

In addition to the steakhouse burgers and boerewors they serve thick home made onion rings, souvalaki, veggie burgers and a Greek salad - but the burgers and the sausages are the faves here.

The prices are amazing. You can get a burger, fries and a drink for $8.

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Veda	Back to Top^

If you're not crazy about the "side effects" of Indian cuisine - all the oil and ghee (melted butter), you will be interested in Veda.

They serve fine Indian take-out for those who are more health conscious. The recipes have half the ghee, and most of their recipes don't use oil at all.

You're gonna give up some of the taste. Ghee is what makes the dishes so rich and delicious. Some traditionalists might balk at the idea of no oil being used. But for a low fat version it's not too bad. The spicing is on, but it's definitely missing that zing.

For those with a weaker stomach, it's a good option.

The menu is very simple. There are two Tiffin combos to chose from; one with veggie and mean curries, the second with meat choices (saag chicken and beef madras). They come with plain or spinach freckled basmatic and naan.

There's chick pea curry, veggie curry, dhal and butter chicken or butter tofu - both very creamy and yummy.

All for around $7.

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I have some new dishes to share from a Turkish restaurant called Champion Kokorech. It's the only place in Toronto serving kumpir and kokorech.

You kinda have to see kumpir to believe it. It's a huge baked potato that's loaded with everything but the kitchen sink. Corn, peas, black and green olives, carrots, pickles, cheese, hotdogs, chicken topped with lots of mayo, ketchup...

It sounds bizarre but it's actually not too bad - and only four dollars. If you think that's too funky then you probably won't like the kokorech.

Kokorech is lamb's intestine chopped up, marinated and grilled. It's served on panini-like bread. If you can get over the lamb intestine, it's rather flavourful but admittedly not for the faint of heart.

They have more familiar things on the item such as lentil soup ($3), chicken shwarma, donairs, and manti (tiny beef dumplings).

The place which is modeled after the Champion Kokorech franchise back in Istanbul. It has a fast food vibe with bright yellow walls and booth seating, but with a definite Turkish twist.

They also serve Turkish teas, desserts and breads. The prices are amazing - much cheaper than MacDonald's.

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A Taste for Chocolate

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A Taste for Chocolate is a one-of-a-kind company offering personalized chocolate tastings just in time for Valentine's Day.

I admit to jumping on the chocolate bandwagon in that everyone is predicting 2006 to be the year of artisanal, single origin cacao bean chocolate.

That is good news for Tracey Edelist the woman behind A Taste for Chocolate. This speech pathologist/chocolate aficionado offers personalized chocolate tastings in the comfort of your home.

She comes to your home and tells you a brief history of chocolate, some background on how fine chocolate is made and then you get to sample some fine quality chocolate.

For example there are three cacao beans. First the Forastero bean which makes up 80 percent of the world's chocolate bars. It's an inferior bean found in your every day chocolate bar... which has a lot of sugar in them to compensate.

Then there's the Criollo and Trinitario, a hybrid of Criollo and Forastero, used in about 20% of chocolate.

It's all fascinating. Tracey's passion for chocolate is infectious. And as far as I know she's the only one offering personalized chocolate tasting.

Tracey charges $250.00 for up to 10 people, and $16 for each additional person. A tasting lasts one and a half hours and includes six tastings.

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I've been on the hunt for good Malaysian restaurants in Toronto for a while - without much luck. Then I found out about Restoran Malaysia. I'm so excited about this place.

The food is the best of Malaysia's three major cultures... Malay, Chinese and Indian... using a unique blend of chilies, spices and herbs.

I definitely recommend the roti prata. I believe the only place in Toronto to get Malaysian rotis. That's the Indian influence coming through. The roti looks like a pile of crumpled linen. It's light and elastic. You use your hands to "rip and dip" the bits of the roti in the curry chicken.

One order of the Nasi Gorang (Indonesian fried rice)is enough to feed a family of four.

The satays, made with homemade peanut sauce, are also good. The food is all halal, to accommodate their Muslim customers.

Restoran Malaysia serves pulled teas, which are made by adding evaporated and condensed milk to tea, and pouring it back and forth in a steady stream more than a metre long between two steel jugs.

There are so many dishes to try, and the staff here is very friendly and helpful. The prices are amazing, for the quality and quantity of the food you get.

It's no wonder they have plans to expand.

Listen to the review. (runs 3:40)

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Sunrise Restaurant is Caribbean food's answer to McDonalds. It's North America's first chain of drive-through Caribbean eateries. The first Sunrise opened 10 years ago. Four childhood friends decided to offer good Caribbean fare in a fast food setting.

So instead of burger and fries, you can order jerk chicken, rice and peas, and creamy cole slaw - all for around the same price. All the staples are there; jerk chicken, oxtail stew and kingfish.

They have just opened their third restaurant in the Jane and Finch area. The drive-through means on those cold winter days you don't have to get out of your car. They are directly across from the MacDonalds... whose business they are hoping to steal.

It's a real success story - a source of pride not for just for the four owners but for the entire community.

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Mystic Muffin is a small fast food joint serving middle eastern fare, sandwiches, salads and lots of home baked goods including "world's best apple cake" complete with the slogan "Must be legal eating age for a slice."

The gregarious and entertaining owner is Elias Makhoul. He's as much of an attraction as the food. He has funny stories and a smile for everyone. He puts on quite a show and he knows it.

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Dark City Coffee Company

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Dark City Coffee Company is a 24-hour custom-roasted coffee delivery service that's sure to kick start your morning with a caffeine boost.

Dark City Coffee Company is Toronto's original micro roastery, specializing in custom roasts delivered to your door within 24 hours of your order.

The company was started by David Thompson, who has been in the café biz for almost a decade. He used to own cafés on the Danforth and Forest Hill Village.

David is passionate about his coffee. You can tell by the way he lovingly hand roasts his custom blends in the huge warehouse in Scarborough.

They have over 60 different kinds of coffee, including Fair Trade coffee and varieties from all over the world; Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia. They also make their own blends with funky names like Cherry Bomb and Music for my Mother.

Since they don't have a retail space and they are located in Scarborough, the prices are comparable to buying your coffee in a store.

A pound of fresh roast coffee from Dark City will set you back $14, which is what you'd pay for Starbucks or Second Cup coffee - but you get it delivered to your home. There's one pound minimum order. If you order two or more pounds, delivery is free.

They deliver from Burlington to New Market to Ajax.

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If you didn't find the review you were looking for, check the 2005 archive and the 2004 archive.