Toronto

music and more for a cause: projectliftph

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When Rudy Boquila isn't busy being a chef,  he makes music with his band, DATU. On Wed, Dec 4th, special guest Scratch – from The Roots (yes!) is performing live with DATU at ProjectLiftPH #Haiyan  #YolandaPH fundraiser event! 

Here's DATU performing this year at The Canadian Philippine Fashion Week


There will be great food from: Lamesa Filipino Kitchen, Porzia, Sukho Thai  among others.

For more info on the full line-up of amazing performers and participants on Facebook.

Get your tickets here now: 

Please share and support :) 


konektado at lamesa filipino kitchen

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Toronto: Come dine (very well) for a good cause on Dec 2, 2013 at Lamesa. They have has begun an ongoing benefit dinner series called Konektado. The first guest chef collaborating with Chef Rudy will be Dennis Tay of Richmond Station, Keriwa Cafe and Top Chef Canada. Menu details to come. All donations will be going directly to a member of our community who's family was affected by the typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. This dinner will be fantastic. Tell your friends and family. Don't miss this!  

 

4suppers no.4 : sept 22nd at porzia · basilio pesce x jason carter

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The final installment of Porzia's 4suppers is on Sunday, September 22nd at 7pm. Every one of the past three have been incredible. This one featuring a collaboration between Porzia's chef and owner, Basilio Pesce and Chef Jason Carter will be no exception. Contact Melissa Clemente at 4suppers@porzia.ca or call the restaurant at 647-342-5776 to book tickets.

There are only a couple of tickets left! 

toronto food. right now.

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from last night's 4suppers featuring a collaboration between Chef Basilio Pesce of Porzia and Chef Matty Matheson of Parts & Labour
I'd like to preface this post by saying that I don't claim to be a culinary expert of any sort. I am simply someone who has grown up with a deep appreciation for food. I was inspired to write this post following conversations I had with a friend as well as the chefs during (another SUPERB) 4suppers last night. It's also because of other thoughts and observations I've had about the food scene in Toronto. 

The most significant thing I've noticed in the past couple of years after having moved to Toronto from New York is how collaborative and supportive the culinary community is toward one another. I've made more connections in Toronto's food scene compared to when I lived in New York, so perhaps it isn't fair to say. There seems to be a great deal of mind melding and camraderie going on (uniquely) in Toronto than other cities (like New York, Montreal too, apparently). If the same types of collaborations are happening in New York, perhaps I'm just not plugged in. The chefs I've discussed this with in Toronto agree with me. Is New York just too competitive a place in general for the same thing to happen? Maybe? Naturally, there is still competition in Toronto. For the most part, it seems to be a friendly and supportive sort. Toronto chefs seem genuinely excited about what their peers are doing – at least for the most part. The competitive creative energy seems to yield positive results. I witnessed this energy at this year's fantastic Terroir Symposium. I see it in the 4suppers at Porzia (not only because I co-host this event!), in The Group of 7 Chefs, at the many different chef battles at 86'd hosted by Ivy Knight, at Food Truck Eats, at Death Row Meals events, La Carnita's pop-up roots and today at Slurp Noodlefest, etc. I could go on and on. 

What results from these collaborative relationships are dining experiences that are not only incredibly inspired but also really innovative. My friend Socky last night commented that the camraderie is very Canadian. But I'm not sure whether the same energy is happening on this scale in other Canadian cities. What is very Canadian to me is to be shy and humble about the fantastic food that's coming out of this city's best chefs. Is it also very Canadian to wait until people like David Chang or Anthony Bourdain recognize the creative energy and talent that's happening in Toronto for the city to realize it? 

It's the very innovation and inspiration that is making this moment in Toronto a very exciting place to be. Any others in Toronto agree with me?

 

4suppers no.3 : aug 25th at porzia · basilio pesce x matty matheson

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Toronto, be ready for the next 4suppers this Sunday, August 25th when the charismatic Matty Matheson of Parts & Labour Restaurant will be teaming up with Porzia's chef and owner, Basilio Pesce. Chef Matheson is much celebrated in Toronto and known for his spectacular, farm-to-table-meets-modern-bistro dishes. Prepare yourselves for over-the-top goodness this Sunday! 

If you haven't booked your spot, I highly recommend doing so asap by emailing us at 4suppers@porzia.ca or calling 647-342-5776. 

See you there :)  

 

SUPPER 3: 
featuring Chef Matty Matheson of Parts & Labour

----- MENU*----- 

AMUSE 
pork rind, avocado, watermelon
~ 

BREAD & BUTTER / SALAD
rye crisp with smoked goat butter

 baby lettuce
buttermilk sesame
house mustard

~

PORK
smoked belly, ‘nduja, figs & mostardo

~

MUSHROOM
king oyster, scallop, 62 degree egg & dulce

~

OFFAL
lamb sweetbreads, clams & celery broth

~

FRUIT
marinated ontario fruit & ice cream

 

 *subject to last minute changes

4suppers no.2 : july 28th at porzia · basilio pesce x rudy boquila

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Toronto, get ready for the second of the 4suppers series: It's happening on Sunday, July 28th @ 7pm. Chef Rudy Boquila from Lamesa will be teaming up with Porzia's chef and owner, Basilio Pesce, for what is going to be an incredible night. The evening's menu as well as wine and cocktail pairings will be revealed in the next couple of weeks. I highly recommend booking your reservation asap – the spots are already filling up fast. This Filipino-Italian mashup is going to be insanely good (not to mention, close to my dining heart and roots). 

Contact me, Catherine Mangosing (your co-host) or Melissa Clemente at 4suppers@porzia.ca or call 647-342-5776 to book your tickets or have any questions. Otherwise, feel free to drop by Porzia located on 1314 Queen Street West. Let us know if you'd like to be seated with other parties making reservations on this night. Each table can seat up to 6 people together. 

See you there :) 

 

SUPPER 2: 
featuring Chef Rudy Boquila of Lamesa

----- MENU*----- 

SNACKS 

+ Welcome Beer Cocktail

chicken chicaron
pork and fig empanada
horse mortadella

 ~

MERIENDA/ANTIPASTI

+ Champalou Vouvray FRANCE

salted duck egg with tomato
crispy pigs ears with tofu
roasted cauliflower with corn bagna cauda

 ~

ISDA/PESCE

+ Copain Steel Fermented Chardonnay CALIFORNIA

oyster kinilaw
‘nduja stuffed squid with salsa verde

 ~

PASTA

+ COS Rami Inzolia Grecanico ITALY

 cavatelli di sangue , bacala crema & cocoa

 ~

BABOY/MAIALE

+ Bellwoods Bottled Beer Selection - LOCAL

 “kaldereta”
 pork shoulder, liver sausage & romesco

 ~

MATAMIS/DOLCE

+ Sparkling Malvasia with Cherry infused Brandy ITALY

halo halo with semolina barquillo

 

 *subject to last minute changes

 

 


4suppers invitation: june 23rd at porzia · basilio pesce x rob rossi

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I'd like to officially invite everyone in Toronto (+ anyone planning a visit this weekend) to a dinner series I am co-hosting at Porzia called 4Suppers. This Sunday, June 23rd will be the first of four monthly dinners at Porzia Restaurant. Porzia's chef & owner, Basilio Pesce, will be collaborating with Rob Rossi of Bestellen this weekend. It promises to be an exceptional evening. The menu is below and we'll be announcing wine and cocktail pairings later this week. 

Contact me, Catherine Mangosing, or Melissa Clemente at 4suppers@porzia.ca or call 647-342-5776 to book your tickets or have any questions. You can also drop by Porzia located on 1314 Queen Street West. 

Do invite your friends and come dine with us this Sunday :) 
We're all very excited and hope to see you there! 

 

SUPPER 1:
featuring Rob Rossi of Bestellen

----- MENU----- 

CROSTINI
Fava bean & botarga 

BESTELLEN CHARCUTERIE
with pickles & mustard  

RADISH
with smoked ricotta, arugala &poppy seed sour dough  

GARGANELLI CACCIO PEPE
green garlic ash & lemon  

BASS
cinnamon caps, snap peas & marrow  

CAPPICOLA
socca & caponatta  

~

CHOCOLATE “BROWNIE”
with caramelized banana, coconut gelato and earl grey infused ganache

+small cookie give aways for the end of the meal

 

announcement: 4suppers series at Porzia this summer

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Hello, Toronto + anyone planning a visit this summer. I'm very excited to co-host 4Suppers with Melissa Clemente at Porzia starting on June 23rd. Here's the 411 below. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks. Please spread the word and we hope to see you this summer! :) 

~ Catherine Mangosing 

--------------------------
Porzia announces 4Suppers

A summer dinner series in collaboration with local Toronto chefs

TORONTO, ON — Porzia is pleased to announce a new collaborative dinner series with local Toronto chefs, 4Suppers. Taking place at its Parkdale location (1314 Queen Street West), 4Suppers will feature a four-course dinner with wine pairings and cocktails for $70 in advance and $85 at the door. 

Happening one Sunday a month from June to September, Porzia will welcome popular chefs into its kitchen starting on June 23 with Rob Rossi of Bestellen. Also joining Basilio Pesce—Porzia’s head chef and owner—will be Rudy Boquila of Lamesa on July 28, Matty Matheson of Parts & Labour on August 25, and Jason Carter previously of Centro on September 22. 

“4Suppers allows us to showcase local chefs that we’re not only friends with but respect and who are doing great things with food in the city,” said Basilio Pesce. “I’m excited to mess around in the kitchen with my friends and create completely one-of-a-kind menus for the event.”

Porzia looks forward to hosting unique events all summer long in collaboration with well-known Toronto chefs that will bring guests. Tickets are available for purchase at Porzia: 1314 Queen Street West or via email at 4suppers@porzia.ca. For media inquiries or high-res images please contact: 

Melissa Clemente or Catherine Mangosing, 
4suppers@porzia.ca or 647-342-5776

Follow Porzia on Twitter: twitter.com/porziaparkdale

“4Suppers allows us to showcase local chefs that we’re not only friends with but respect and who are doing great things with food in the city,” said Basilio Pesce. “I’m excited to mess around in the kitchen with my friends and create completely one-of-a-kind menus for the event.”


I am love : 40

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A belated post: My birthday this past April was something EXTRA special. I celebrated the big four-oh. What?! YES... be nice. I am still trying to get used to the idea! It was a celebration made more special by dear friends and family, spectacular food, an elegant setting and one amazing cake.

I decided to loosely theme the evening around one of my favourite films of all time, I Am Love. It is easily one of the most sumptuous films ever made. Food – and love – are central themes. I even designed my invites to look like the film's title sequence. If only I had Luca Barcellona as my calligrapher. Chef Jason Bangerter at LUMA created for me a beautiful menu around the theme. It was such an honour to have one of the best chefs in Canada to create such fantastic (and gorgeous) food for my birthday. If that wasn't amazing enough, my dear friend, Chef Rossy Earle created a jaw-dropping, Roasted Butter Pecan Cake with – get this – four layers of dulce de leche. 

It was one of my most special birthdays to date. It was such a beautiful night and exactly how I wanted to celebrate. I only wish my parents who have lived back in Manila for years and more of my dear friends in New York had been able to attend. Everything else fell into place and there was no shortage of laughter. What better way to bring in a new decade. So it's not so bad being grown up ...er, old. ;) 

Many thanks once again to all who shared the evening with me (including my friend Lee from NYC), Chef Jason Bangerter (and the great LUMA staff), Chef Rossy Earle for my amazing cake and Renée Suen for taking and sharing the photos. x 



The AMAZING Roasted Butter Pecan cake with four layers of dulce de leche


All photos above by Renee Suen

A few birthday Instagrams by family & friends' (including my own); left: the Truffle Soup with chanterelle cream and buffalo parmesan that we all LOVED beyond words, middle: my big, beautiful Dulce de Leche cake, right: perfect Roast Sea Bass

The gift bags for my guests included bubbly and popcorn with chocolate pop rocks, peanuts, caramel and Chef Jason's fragrant mix

for sale: rusa bar chairs (design within reach)

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TORONTO: I am selling a pair of these responsibly harvested, bar-height outdoor RUSA chairs from Design Within Reach. These chairs are less than a year old and barely used (and mostly used indoors or in storage). They retailed for $450/each without cushions and I am selling them for only $125/each including Sunbrella cushions in Linen (canvas colour, see second photo below). I am moving and will no longer have a balcony to put these in. View the RUSA Collection at DWR. The bar height table is on sale!

Please email me asap, if interested. Cash only, local pick-ups only. 

 

 

 


standard chair height version shown with the cushions


The RUSA Collection at Design Within Reach

a new surface : the uncarved block

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I have begun the (slow) decorating process of my new Toronto digs. My refusal to settle for crappy furniture has caused a slight delay in filling my place with furniture. Tough when you need furniture, want quality and on a limited budget. Needless to say, the delivery of my custom built table this week had me thrilled. Thanks to Craig Marshall of The Uncarved Block, a beautiful, live edge (or raw edge) table now sits nicely in my kitchen/dining area. Craig even let me tag along with him to shop for the perfect slab at Urban Tree Salvage. The UTS showroom was great and their pricing very reasonable. I highly recommend it if you're looking to have furniture made from local salvaged wood.The final product is precisely what I wanted. It's incredibly well made. Even the non-glossy varnish is just as I requested. It actually brought out the colour variations in the wood, which I LOVE. A lot of the slab's unique character were left in (like saw marks, natural markings). I can't seem to stop touching it! 

Although I had originally intended to have a counter height table made, after sitting and working up high for a couple of months made me realize I much prefer a normal table height. The depth of the table is perfect for my small space. The choice to have a live edge on the table adds to the organic warmth that my apartment needs. So next on the list are the chairs. I know exactly what I want and will be able to get an incredible deal on them, thanks to a designer discount! I will post an update when those are delivered. 

Thank you to Craig and Robin from The Uncarved Block!

p.s. the photos are all taken with my iPhone. I'm having some photo download issues on my camera today.

 

TBD dining

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There has been no shortage of fantastic dining experiences on my calendar of late. Tuesday night's (Oct 11th) was no exception. It was a pop-up monthly dinner organized by Dan & Sukko of TBD. I recently learned about it from Chef Coulson. It is a dining experience set in a different venue with a different chef each month. This week's featured Chef Steve Gonzales (formerly Chef de Cuisine of Origin Restaurant as well as a contestant on the first season of Top Chef Canada). Latin cuisine was showcased – in particular – CEVICHES. We quickly learned that Steve Gonzales is preparing to open his own restaurant in Toronto this year featuring a menu of 60-70% raw ceviche dishes. Our six-course dinner included four different and amazing ceviches. My favourite one had to be the hamachi – though it was a tough call as all of them were pretty fantastic.

To start, it was an intimate evening consisting of 12 diners. We were seated in one of The Drake Hotel's private event rooms just off to the side of the rooftop patio. The crowd consisted of people in the food industry as well as avid foodies and diners. It would be TBD's fourth dinner to date (my first). Dinner was kicked off with a glass of bubbly and an introduction by the guys from TBD and Chef Gonzales' account of what we were about to enjoy. Each flavour-packed course was thoughtfully paired with amazing, innovative cocktails. The night's menu went from cold to hot – warming up through the evening. I loved being surprised with something really fresh and tasty with each course – including a caramelly, pulled pork that had been slow-cooked for 22 hours! The hot chocolate brought back warm memories of Filipino hot chocolate from my childhood. 

What a great night. I am so thrilled to learn about and partake in all the exciting things currently unfolding – in Toronto's food scene. It's so great to meet and talk with the passionate people behind these delicious food and events. I am looking forward to seeing (and tasting) what's next! I would highly recommend signing up for TBD's list to find out what's happening next month. It will undoubtedly be amazing. 

Thank you to Chef Gonzales, Dan & Sukko and Chef Coulson for a wonderful night! 

 

October 11th Menu 
Steve Gonzales / Drake Hotel / TBD Toronto

 

East coast oyster + watermelon + picked ginger

Watermelon Caipiriña

 

Red snapper ceviche + lulo granita

Pisco Sor

 

Hamachi tiraditto + aji amarillo + fried yucca + pickled red onion

Mojito  / Margarita

 

Grilled shrimp and calamari + tomato + aji ancho

Mexican Beer

 

Pulled pork + corn + beans + avocado + tomato + nachos

Colombiana Refajo

 

Dessert

Hot chocolate + buñuelo + cuñape + arequipe

 

an evening at woodlot

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left photo from Toronto Life magazine, right photo is one of my own

Last night, I finally got to try Woodlot, a much-hyped Toronto restaurant that's been open nearly a year. I wanted to see what the hype was all about. I instantly realized all of it is well-deserved. The food is described as "comfort food" but it was not all what I would expect based on that description. The dishes weren't platefuls of deep-fried everything. I would describe it as very fresh, innovative, thoughtful, back-to-the-land type food. It is very flavourful, inventive but not gimmicky. As we ate all the tastiest plates (including a few surprise ones – courtesy of the chef, David Haman), the word EARTHY just kept coming up. It's earthy in the best sense of the word.

I was definitely wowed by all of the food. But if I had to choose, my absolute favourite dish would be the Farm Fresh Chitarrini with corn, ham hock, zucchini, tomato petals and saffron. It was a great balance of creamy, savoury and just enough sweet from the corn. Delicious! Woodlot is perfect place to dine, especially in the fall. The coziness of the food is punctuated by this very warm, unpretentious, lofty space that, at one point, was a garage. At the heart of it is this large wood burning stove (where beautiful bread is made). Interesting fact about Woodlot: their sommelier is also their baker. During the day, the place is actually a bakery and cafe. I also loved that there is an equally well-considered menu of vegetarian dishes and cocktails are also available.

All around an exquisite meal accompanied by wine that also came with impassioned back stories. Even more beautiful that it was an evening shared with like-minded company. What could be lovelier? 

Some of the other Woodlot dishes on Foodspotting: 
Ember Grilled Hen O Woods Mushrooms 
Marinated Grilled Haloumi Crostini with Spiced Chick Pea, Apple Preserve and Basil 
Heirloom Tomatoes & Sheep's Milk Ricotta Tart with Tomato Hibiscus Jam and Arugala

 

nuit blanche toronto: interactive light art + a modern design giveaway

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This weekend, Toronto will be up all night for the annual Nuit Blanche celebrating the city's contemporary art (among other things!). I am most excited about Dashing Collective's interactive art installation in Fort York. A DLYT project called SMILE (aka Socially Motivated Interactive Light Environment). It is a highly interactive arrangement of cubes of light that react to individual users as they move through the space. Part art installation, part social experiement. It'll be interesting how the crowd reacts and how the installation reacts to the crowd. It's a MUST SEE.

Featured in the installation are over three dozen of these lightboxes by Gus* Design Group. It's going to be so beautiful! The photo below is a preview of the installation. Dashing Collective also just announced that they are doing an on-site giveaway of one of these lamps! I know I will want one. Details and map link are below the jump. 

To enter the giveaway: Visit the DLYT art installation in Fort York on Oct 1st BEFORE midnight – precise location here. Enter to win, fill in a numbered ballot on site (only). One winner will be chosen randomly to win one Gus Lightbox (photos below) after the giveaway closes. Contact producer extraordinaire, Mary Anne Ledesma for more info. Come early! See you at Nuit Blanche :) 

 

white after labour day

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A few friends co-organized an official Diner En Blanc (dinner in white) party in Toronto. It was held on Tuesday evening, the 27th of September at the historic Distillery District. It was such a beautiful event. The weather could not have been more perfect for an outdoor event. It was more like a mild summer evening than early fall. 

To give a bit of background on Diner En Blanc, it was started by someone in Paris back in 1986, I believe. It is an elegant picnic held in a venue known for it's history (and not revealed to guests until shortly before). Everyone is REQUIRED to wear white. The original thought behind the white attire was so that the guests would all recognize one another as they gathered in the secret location in a park. Since it's inception, it's become a global, yearly event. Guests bring food for themselves or to share. Everyone is free to decorate their white table elegantly. There are many rules to adhere to for the event to be considered an "official" one. This year was a first in Toronto and attended by nearly 400 guests. 

The white ensembles, tables, food and candles against the backdrop of the Distillery District were irresistible to photograph. The media buzzed around the party like flies. All my photos were taken on my iPhone (not planned). I had the honour of being seated around a few wonderful friends who also happen to be fantstic chefs. Champagne and wine flowed (unfortunately onto many a white outfit, too). So the food was fantastic to boot. It was such a wonderful evening all around. The best party of the summer happened in the fall. One of my favourite moments was around 9pm. We all lit sparklers. At the risk of sounding vomitous, it was pretty damn magical. 


Here's the offficial video of the evening

 

a clean slate

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I can hardly believe that after the massive upheaval my life has undergone this past year, I have finally moved into my own Toronto digs. In more ways than one, this is my clean slate. It's the official start in my new city. What proved to be a stressful process resulted in a place that's precisely what I wanted (and more). It's all thanks to a fantastic real estate agent and serendipity. Not only is this condo/building brand new, it comes with great amenities, it's very close to work and it has the all-important ensuite washer/dryer. The space also has nice finishes. I love how sunny and airy the space is despite it's relatively modest size (under 600 sq. ft + 100 sq. ft of balcony). I now understand the draw of living up high. The big balcony is perfect for admiring the VIEW. And to my New York friends, it's for A LOT less rent than anything comparable in New York City or Brooklyn. Which is amazing. 

This blank canvas is already my newest design project. I cannot wait to decorate it. As you can see, I don't really have any furniture yet! Now that I've decided to start from scratch, the possibilities are endless. All I know right now is that I will keep things very simple and very comfortable. Stylistically, warm modernism is what I am most drawn to. The older I get, the more important quality and craftsmanship become, too. The challenge will always be finding a balance between quality and price. The task of careful furniture selection is probably what I'm looking forward to the most. It's so exciting! So there will undoubtedly be upcoming (fun) blog posts on home design :) 


The west facing balcony presents a view of the lake (to the left)...

...and neighbourhood views (and the sunset!) to the right