April 2009

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Oxtail On The Corner

April 21, 2009 in West Indian, Yonge-Bloor by Plato Putas | 1 comment

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One of the wonderful things about Toronto is the many options for West Indian food. Deciding which spot has the best food is still up for debate, but best presentation is hands down at Diner’s Corner (3 Gloucester Street, just east of Yonge).

The small oxtail dinner is displayed on a white square plate and includes several dishes: tender oxtail with plenty of sauce, requisite rice and peas, a colourful salad and a festival (fried dumpling) on the side (all for $7, large is $9).

The restaurant’s ambiance is cozy and intimate, and while the tables feature linen tablecloths, the prices are incredibly reasonable. Plus, if you’re ever looking to get plastered, the rum punch tastes like a “quadruple.” I suspect they pour in a shot of fruit punch and fill the rest of the glass with rum. (Note: the fruit punch alone is a highly recommended non-alcoholic beverage.)

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Where do you think the best West Indian food in Toronto can be had? Leave us a comment and we’ll check it out.

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Seek And You Shall Find

April 20, 2009 in Croatia by Plato Putas | 1 comment

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While traveling in Zagreb we came across a mom-and-pop restaurant called Mimice (Ulica Nikole Jurišića 21), a hidden gem located a short distance from the main square. Apparently, it’s one of the oldest fast-fish joints in the city and clearly a Croatian institution since we found ourselves to be the only non-locals in there.

Ordering lunch was tricky because the staff spoke very little English, if any at all. We admit, we were a little timid about placing an order with the woman sitting at the walk up cafeteria-style window, and resorted to the ol’ point-smile-’n-shrug, but it worked! We were handed some bread and a plate piled high with freshly deep-fried ribice, which means “little fish.” After a generous squirt of lemon juice, we used toothpicks to spear and pop the entire fish into our mouths. Crispy, salty, citrusy goodness! To this day, we still reminisce about this memorable meal.

Traveling and eating in Croatia is extremely affordable. I’m not sure what this would cost in North America, but over there, this delicious lunch set us back a whopping $2.

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Pringles Are For Wankers

April 19, 2009 in Product Review, Snack, potato chips by Plato Putas | 8 comments

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Unless you’re from Britain, it’s unlikely you’ve tried these potato chips. Actually scratch that, they’re called “flavour potato crisps.” Walkers are made from 100% British spuds, have no MSG, no artificial colours and…wait for it…temporarily come in six unconventional flavours: Crispy Duck and Hoisin, Fish and Chips, Chilli and Chocolate, Cajun Squirrel (what!?!), Onion Bhaji and Builder’s Breakfast (egg, bacon, sausage and beans). Walkers is currently running a campaign asking people to vote on which crisp flavour should remain on the shelf.

Looking for a streetcar snack and hoping for a chip that would taste like delicious peking duck, I grabbed a bag of the duck crisps from the Nutty Chocolatier (2179 Queen St. East). It tasted like smoky barbecue and soy sauce with a woodsy aftertaste. Not entirely appetizing, but that didn’t stop me from eating most of the bag.

Who’s up for Cajun Squirrel? Let us know which flavour you’d like to try. Pip pip!

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Spanish Tomato Toast

April 17, 2009 in Spain by Plato Putas | 8 comments

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Try a simple international snack and whip up some toast, Spanish style. Rub raw fresh garlic over cripsy toasted country-style bread, chop a tomato in half and then smash it up! Smear and squeeze the pulp and seeds onto the bread. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and finally drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Olé!

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Three Meals in One: Introducing the Chivito

April 14, 2009 in Sandwich, uruguayan by Plato Putas | 3 comments

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During our trip to Argentina, we were supposed to do a side trip to Uruguay where my main goal was to try the country’s national dish: a Chivito. But we fell so in love with Buenos Aires that we never made it over. Instead, my dear Uruguayan friend Denise served as my chivito guide in Toronto and took me to La Pasiva (896 Wilson Ave between Keele and Dufferin). I was assured an authentic experience since this is the lone Canadian branch of a restaurant chain based in Uruguay.

A chivito is a sandwich that contains a fried egg, lettuce, tomato, olives, cheese, mayonnaise and grilled “lomo” (tenderloin steak). The Canadian version (Chivito Canadiense), which we ordered, adds peameal bacon into the mix. It is essentially breakfast, lunch and dinner piled high on a fresh bun, served with a side of fries. Each bite feels like a mash-up of all your favourite everyday foods. It is one delicious heart attack-inducing guilty pleasure.

And while it may look incredibly plain and basic, do not underestimate the pizza at La Pasiva. In addition to creating what’s possibly the world’s best sammich, those Uruguayans know how to make an unforgettably good rectangular pizza pie.

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La Pasiva / 896 Wilson Ave, Toronto
416 636 6555

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