To T.O.: The Rest

When I look back at our Toronto trip, it seemed like all we did was eat! So though I’ve already recapped some of the best meals during our visit, I wanted to capture all of the other great restaurants and food-related experiences we had that week.

Crown Princess

For whatever reason, I was really intent on having dim sum in Toronto. Though Chinatown or Markham might have been the ideal neighbourhoods to locate a suitable restaurant, because of our activities to follow brunch that day, Amanda and I tried to stick to the downtown area. After some digging on Chowhound, we decided on Crown Princess.

Is this just the lobby?

While we didn’t expect it to be busy on a random Tuesday morning, we didn’t anticipate having the restaurant to ourselves either. It was all the more odd because Crown Princess is perhaps the most sumptuous Asian restaurant I’ve ever dined in – from the plush velvet chairs, chandeliers and marble wall coverings to the embroidered tablecloths and patterned china, it felt like we were in store for a very lavish private tasting.

Interior

Not your typical Chinese teapot

Prices were on the high side ($3-6), but not outrageous. Between the two of us, we decided to share four plates. My favourite was the har gao, easily some of the best dumplings I’ve had in some time – the shrimp was plump, and the wrapper was nice and thick. The rice noodle roll was also quite good – the greens added some dimension to the dish, while the pork inside had been diced with uniform consistency – it was clear that these dishes had been made with care.

Har gao

Rice noodle roll

The barbecue pork buns were great as well, with springy, fresh dough. The final dish was interesting, though the English translation of “fried shrimp” probably needed more detail – we expected battered shrimp, but instead, were presented with shrimp and fruit in a cream sauce wrapped and fried.

BBQ pork buns

Fried shrimp

Service was attentive (difficult not to be for the only table in the restaurant), and it was enjoyable for a light lunch. I’m sure the experience as a whole would have been much different had we been amongst other diners though.

LCBO

Ontario still hasn’t moved to a private liquor retailing system, and I’m sure there are pros and cons about this. Walking through an LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) store, however, there seemed to be one big advantage to having a provincially-controlled chain: better marketing of homegrown products.

Go local

It was great to see shelves of Ontario product proudly displayed under a “go local” banner. While many liquor stores in Edmonton do make it easy to locate Canadian wines, this seemed to be one step further.

Local beer

Nathan Phillips Square Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ markets in Edmonton are confined to late afternoon, evening and weekend hours. However, the trend in other large Canadian municipalities seems to be opening up markets during the day, especially in high density areas. Calgary has experimented with their Downtown Green Market on Stephen Avenue, and in Toronto, we encountered a vibrant, well-stocked farmers’ market in front of their City Hall in Nathan Phillips Square.

Nathan Phillips Square

Farmers’ market

In the shadow of City Hall

It wasn’t ideal conditions for a farmers’ market – although tents sheltered the vegetables from the sun, nothing could stop them from wilting in the +40 degree humidity. The heat just radiated from the pavement, and on a day like that, the shade from trees would have been a welcome respite.

Zucchini blossoms

Beans

Berries

Asparagus

Corn

Basil

Meat truck

A hive!

Still, it was great to see so many people out picking up fresh produce on their lunch break, all while enjoying live entertainment.

Fresh Wednesdays

Amanda and I had a lunch reservation that afternoon, but I couldn’t resist buying a basket of raspberries in an effort to cool off. It was definitely handy to have the water truck on-site so we could wash the berries!

Water truck!

Berries

Rosedale Diner and Nadege

While in Toronto, I was able to meet up with Maria for lunch one day. Originally from Sarnia, she had been living in Edmonton for the past few years, but returned to Toronto for a work contract. She steered us to Rosedale Diner, a charming restaurant in Summer Hill.

The menu was made up of comforting dishes, and as soon as I saw the duck confit poutine ($17) on the menu, I knew I would pass up their prix fixe Summerlicious courses. I was disappointed that the Quebec cheese curds didn’t squeak, and that the fries were over-dressed, given they were saturated by the time I started to dig in, but I enjoyed the duck. Maria had ordered the lamb burger and surprisingly, was asked how she wanted it cooked!

Duck confit poutine

Lamb burger

The service was slow (and probably seemed even more so to us because we made the mistake of choosing to sit by the window on the hottest day of the year), but I was glad Maria had chosen Rosedale in part for its location.

After lunch, we wandered over to a quaint row of specialty shops – a high-end grocer, a butcher, a bakery, and a dessert shop. Nadege specializes in the venerable macaron, and though I was beyond full, I had to try one.

Beautiful works of art (love the mini macarons on the Marie Antoinette!)

I bought a salted caramel macaron ($2.10), and while the salty-sweet flavour was spot on, the meringue shell was not – it crumbled almost immediately when I bit into it.

Macarons

Smoke’s Poutinerie

My sampling of poutine in Toronto wasn’t confined only to Summer Hill. After taking in Wishful Drinking at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Mack and I wandered over, hungry, to Smoke’s Poutinerie.

I ordered the Montreal poutine (shaved Montreal smoked meat, dill pickle, mustard, $6.99), to see how it would stack up against my favourite dish at La Poutine. I think Edmonton wins this round – I again encountered cheese curds that didn’t squeak in the least – it had to be more than coincidence at this point, right? I also preferred the meat diced – easier to ensure a bit of the smoky meat in every bite.

Montreal poutine

Mack’s Hogtown poutine ($6.99), with double-smoked bacon, Italian sausage, sautéed mushrooms and caramalized onions was much better, consistency-wise.

Hogtown poutine

Le Petit Dejeuner

When travelling, Mack and I always try to seek out a local diner for brunch. On this occasion, it was a little more difficult – because of time constraints, we had to find one within walking distance of our hotel, as we had to depart for the airport in the early afternoon hours.

Le Petit Dejeuner was our destination, and it seemed to be the right choice as a line-up formed outside the restaurant soon after we were seated. The interior was a bit of a mash-up, with warm wall colours that clashed with the aquamarine vinyl booths, but for brunch, the disharmony worked.

Interior

I ordered Gal, two eggs, toast, potato rosti, apple coleslaw and bacon ($9.75). The scrambled eggs were particularly creamy, and I loved the crunchy rosti, which would have been perfect with just a little more salt. Mack also enjoyed his eggs benedict with peameal bacon ($12.95) well enough.

The Hungry Gal

Eggs benedict with peameal bacon

Because we saw it on the menu, we had to try their liege waffle as well, made with red fife wheat. It was served cold, which we weren’t used to (Eva Sweet had made sure of that), but it was dense and crunchy with pearl sugar throughout.

Liege waffle

In all, I had a great time in Toronto. And I’m happy to say, I’ll be back there very soon – next week, in fact, for a work conference. I’m already looking forward to the food!

Calgary Steak-Out: Ox & Angela

In addition to commemorating the Stampede’s 100th Anniversary this year, Calgary also co-holds the title of Cultural Capital of Canada in 2012. As a result, Tourism Calgary is seeking different ways of marketing their city, including how to highlight their burgeoning food scene. So for two days in February, Tourism Calgary invited several food bloggers to join them for “a new take on steak”, showcasing how five local restaurants are interpreting the old standard of meat and potatoes. Mack and I were fortunate enough to be a part of this group (which included Calgary bloggers Julie van Rosendaal, Gwendolyn Richards and Dan Clapson), and took part in a junket that saw our accommodations and meals covered. It was a first for both of us, and while we acknowledge that we no doubt received special treatment (which colours the experience in a way that no average dinner could live up to), the trade-off in access to the chefs and behind-the-scenes exposure made it worthwhile. Thanks to Tourism Calgary for the opportunity!

Established in July 2011, Ox & Angela is the second venture from Kelly Black and Jayme MacFayden of Una Pizza fame. Had it not been pointed out to us, however, I’m pretty sure we would have walked right past it. The plain white exterior does not at all connote the warmth and chic comfort that awaits inside.

Ox & Angela

Ox & Angela is divided into two personified rooms: the “Ox” lounge is all dark wood and unfussy, and with the large flat screen on one end, could be mistaken for a high-end pub. “Angela” was explained to us as Ox’s companion was complete with classy, feminine touches such as a wall of framed mirrors. We were seated in Angela, without the distraction of the streaming Superbowl coverage and with a view into the kitchen. I loved that the dining areas had a story – it suggested that the food would be made with just as much care and thoughtfulness.

Angela

Given the intention of this tour was to turn the stereotype of a typical plate of steak and potatoes on its head, Ox & Angela was the perfect place to start because diners aren’t presented with just one dish. Purporting the tapas style of sharing small plates, our meal consisted of steak, accompaniments and a number of side dishes.

I really enjoy this way of eating, as it enabled us to sample a wide variety of tastes, and in many ways, felt more like a night out as opposed to just having dinner. As well, in the context of our motley crew, sharing food helped facilitate conversation and familiarity.

Family style

The Spring Creek Ranch flat iron steak was front and centre, served with a mojo verde and a lemon aioli. The meat itself was moist and full of flavour on its own, but it was great to be able to dress up our steak in whatever way we wanted.

Flat iron steak

Mojo verde and lemon aioli

Without a doubt the patatas bravas (which translates to “fierce potatoes”) was the all-around favourite, creamy with the inclusion of the lemon aioli, and finished with a smoked paprika ketchup.

Patatas bravas

For me, the close second was the kale, braised with sherry vinegar, sultanas and toasted panko. Kale is already one of my favourite vegetables, but the preparation made me fall in love with it all over again – the bit of sweetness and crunch livened up the greens. Mack really enjoyed the tomato bread, which was simply grilled sourdough rubbed with garlic and tomato (something we were told that the Spanish typically eat with steak). Scallions were given a similarly straightforward treatment, grilled, tossed with sea salt, and topped with a salsa romesco. Like most of the menu, the sides featured simple ingredients executed brilliantly.

Braised kale with sultanas and toasted panko

Tomato bread

Grilled green onions with a salsa romanesco

No one could pass up dessert, especially because churros were involved. Deep fried to a crisp, but still doughy on the inside, the churros were served with dipping chocolate, and were as fun to eat as the dinner that preceded them. Mack ate more than his fair share!

Churros!

Ox & Angela was such a delight. Even though it is barely six months old, it was clear that the restaurant has a strong identity and holds true to its Latin inspirations. Without hesitation, I would return to Ox & Angela again – for the food and for the experience.

Ox & Angela
528 17 Avenue SW, Calgary
(403) 457-1432 (ext.#1)

To T.O.: Summerlicious Adventures

Summerlicious, Toronto’s bi-annual prix fixe dining event and warm weather counterpoint to Winterlicious, puts Edmonton’s Fork Fest and Downtown Dining Week to shame. I realize it’s not exactly fair to compare our mid-size city’s efforts with those of Canada’s largest municipality, but the sheer number of restaurants (150 restaurants, all told), at every price point, in each quadrant of Toronto, that participate in the festival was mind-boggling.

My experience of Summerlicious made me consider planning my future travels around the event; it encouraged us to sample restaurants that I likely would not have otherwise – both in terms of high-end dining and in choosing lesser-known establishments.

In all, I sampled four Summerlicious menus (notably, Lee Lounge did not participate, cheekily naming their menu that week “Susurlicious”). We did have to make reservations in advance, though we did luck out with at least one known cancellation.

Jump

Jump was my entry point into the Oliver & Bonacini empire in Toronto. With the exception of Olive & Bonacini Cafe Grill, all of the O & B establishments are distinct in name and menu, and vary in level of formality and price, from the cafeteria-style O & B Canteen to the casual upscale Bannock to Canoe, their five-star crown jewel.

Nestled in the financial district, Jump was definitely a business lunch paradise – we were among only a few tables not in office attire. That said, we weren’t treated any differently, and after we arrived, were promptly led to a cozy wooden booth in the heart of the restaurant.

Jump

I loved the open concept kitchen, which seemed to give the restaurant a continuous sense of movement, with servers streaming in and out of the space with ease. The dining room also felt very warm, helped by the score of windows and skylights – it would be interesting to see how the atmosphere would change after nightfall.

Interior

The 3-course, $25 prix fixe menu provided quite a few options – our choice of four appetizers, four entrees and three desserts. My wild & tame mushroom soup, with no less than six kinds of mushrooms, had good depth and texture. And though they made do without butter or cream, a dollop would have gone a long way. Amanda’s watermelon and goat’s milk feta salad was gorgeous, summery and fresh.

Wild & tame mushroom soup

Watermelon and goat’s milk feta salad

We both couldn’t pass up the pulled pork for our main. It wasn’t the most elegant dish to eat, but then again, we weren’t on a business lunch! It was damn delicious, with flavourful mesquite barbecue sauce and pork that nearly melted in our mouths. The side of bagged kettle chips cheapened it a bit, however.

Pulled barbecue pork

It’s been a while since I’ve had panna cotta as smooth and silky as Jump’s. Their butterscotch version with salted caramel was just perfect, subtly sweet with a salty finish. Amanda also enjoyed her amaretto chocolate marquise cake – it was her favourite dessert that week, and even now, months later, is something she still thinks about.

Butterscotch panna cotta

Amaretto chocolate marquise cake

Jump was a great introduction to O & B. And it wouldn’t be long before we experienced them again.

Canoe

That same day, we had called Canoe (the most recommended Summerlicious restaurant on Chowhound) on a whim to see if we could get a last-minute reservation, as they were completely booked up on Open Table. Lucky for us, they had a cancellation, and we were able to snag a table early that evening. Sure, it meant we had to eat supper only two hours after completing our lunch, but Amanda and I were up for the challenge.

Located on the fifty-forth floor of the TD Tower, Canoe had an absolutely amazing view – we spent the first few minutes agog at the sights outside the window, including the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Billy Bishop Airport and of course, Lake Ontario.

The view

Service was professional and friendly, and matched the sleek but understated room. At first, we thought we’d be in the minority ordering off the $45 prix fixe menu, but seeing the same dishes coming out of the kitchen, we knew others were also taking advantage of the great deal. We had the choice of three appetizers, three entrees and three desserts.

My deconstructed salad featured Ontario bufala mozzarella, and it was a revelation: creamy, with so much inherent richness. It contrasted the fresh pops of peas and celery very well – I didn’t even mind the crab! Amanda wasn’t sure about the cold smoked whitefish and chilled potato puree, but she liked it in the end. It was also her first brush with edible flowers.

Ontario bufala mozzarella salad

Purdy’s smoked whitefish

Although I enjoyed my pan-roasted Great Lakes pickerel, the sides on my plate were the real star of the show – I loved the sweet corn and corn puree underneath. Amanda’s dish had mine beat, however – her slow-cooked Ontario pork loin was so tender, and even better, the Israeli couscous made us rethink that grain. Apparently, it had simply been cooked with mirepoix and stock, but tasted like so much more.

Pan roasted Great Lakes pickerel

Slow-cooked Ontario pork loin

Our dessert was a bittersweet chocolate terrine was made up of vanilla marshmallow, Barrie Hill Farms strawberries and basil crème anglaise. I wasn’t a huge fan of the divergent textures, from the spongy top to the sorbet-like layer underneath.

Chocolate terrine

As a whole, Canoe provided us with a great evening out – the view alone was worth the price of dinner, but at just $45, it was without a doubt our best deal in Toronto that week.

Trevor Bar & Kitchen

Many of my friends have relocated to Toronto in the past few years – I met up with two of them at Trevor Bar & Kitchen to catch up over dinner. Janice’s coworker had recommended this restaurant, though at first glance, it wasn’t the ideal location on a muggy evening, with no air conditioning and too many lit candles to boot. On any other trip, the dinner at Trevor would have been near the top of my list, but because we dined at so many exceptional restaurants that week, it ended up in the middle.

My favourite thing about my mozzarella and tomato risotto were the bits of melty cheese inside. The rice had been cooked well, and I liked the tomato flavour throughout.

Mozzarella and tomato risotto

The second course, a barbecue duck ravioli was a good fusion offering – the sauce, a thin broth, was a welcome, if unexpected, surprise. Presentation-wise, it didn’t seem to have been plated with much care.

Barbeque duck ravioli

I ordered the sorbet for dessert primarily because I wanted something cool, but it turned to a soup almost immediately. It was still refreshing, though less pleasurable to eat.

Sorbet

Though I imagine Trevor Bar & Kitchen would be a great spot to grab a post-work cocktail and a casual nibble, with the breadth of restaurants Toronto has to offer, I doubt I’d return straightaway.

The Drake – “Summer School”

Chef Anthony Rose’s restaurant, located in The Drake Hotel, was my favourite restaurant experience of the entire trip. The Drake, a hipster boutique hotel in West Queen West, had created a lot of buzz about their pop-up restaurant series, which rotated concepts every few months. In many ways, because Rose is the in-house chef, I’m not sure it would really qualify as a pop-up, but I loved the idea that some of the decor would at least change with each incarnation.

Interior

In July, The Drake was transformed into a “Summer School”, complete with kitschy accessories that I was unabashedly giddy over. Everything from the duotang menus, scantrons and Rubik’s cube salt shakers on the table. Offering a menu of 3 courses for $35, a taste of their retro dishes also didn’t break the bank.

Giddy

No matter what though, Mack and I agreed that we had to indulge in their too-cool “juice box cocktails”, which were actually served in tetra paks. Who knew drinking from a straw could be so much fun?

Cheers!

Amanda and I both chose dishes off the prix fixe list, but Mack decided to select from the regular menu, and opted not to order either an appetizer or a dessert. Amanda thoroughly enjoyed her creamy salad, not hard to do when two of her favourite things – shrimp and avocado – were stars of the dish. I also loved my alphabet soup, thicker than I anticipated, but slightly sweet and rife with perfectly cooked pasta.

Salad

Alphabet soup

Amanda and I both ordered the fried chicken for our main – it was the best choice we could have made. The chicken had been de-boned, making it easy to eat (bonus!), but was still moist on the inside with a crispy shell on the outside. It was further enhanced with a dollop of wildflower honey on top. The side of cabbage slaw was light and refreshing, and although Amanda was full, nothing would stop her from finishing the rustic mashed potatoes on the plate, as buttery as they were.

Fried chicken

Mack’s entree was comprised of an absolutely massive lobster roll ($27), which contained one pound of lobster! While the first few bites were good, Mack said it was much too heavy for one person. Besides that, the dish came with four sides. His favourite was the macaroni and cheese, with the pickled cucumbers and red onions a close second.

Conquer that!

All through dinner, I was most looking forward to dessert. Passion Flakie (sold in the same section as Twinkies, I realize), was one of my favourite childhood treats, and I was excited to see how Chef Rose would elevate it. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations – Amanda’s was underbaked, and mine was overdone. I would have also preferred the whipped cream and fruit layers to have been more silky smooth.

Passion Flakie

As a whole though, we had a great time that night. The setting, the service (our waiter seemed to genuinely love his job), and the food helped create something special.

To T.O.: District Diversity

One of the things I liked most about Toronto was the diversity of neighbourhoods – it was great to be able to take in such a variety of areas even in the short amount of time I was there. I know there were many neighbourhoods I just didn’t get to – I look forward to exploring them on my next visit!

North York

On my first night in Toronto, Amanda and I stayed in her ‘hood of North York for dinner. What blew me away around Yonge Street was just how dense it was (the 2006 Census recorded a population of 635,370 in North York, only about 100,000 less than the entire population of Edmonton in that year).

High rises

With high rises all around us, it was a reminder of the kind of amenities that can bloom around that sort of density. One great example was a complex with a Loblaws on a ground floor, entertainment and shopping above that, and condo towers on top – and all connected to a subway station across the street.

Amenities galore

Unfortunately, it was clear what was the priority means of commuting in that neighbourhood: given the number of storefronts that lined both sides of Yonge Street, there was a dire need for crosswalks in smaller intervals. Instead, we saw innumerable pedestrians jaywalking across the five lane road.

Inhospitable Yonge Street

West Queen West

Although Amanda currently lives in North York, her dream neighbourhood in Toronto is West Queen West. An eclectic mix of boutiques and lofts, I could easily see why she’d want to move here.

Picturesque walk-ups

The Spice Trader, a great little shop

Cookie from Dufflet – tasted like a Reese peanut butter cup!

Harbourfront

On those hot and humid days, there was nothing better than standing out by the lake, taking in the cool breeze.

Feeling refreshed

I didn’t get to do this as often as we would have liked during that week, but I did really enjoy the stroll on the boardwalk we did get to take that night!

Out on the lake

Chinatown

Our trek through Chinatown was brief, and focused – Amanda and I spent most of our time trying to track down something for our Mum.

Gorgeous murals

Yum!

We also didn’t wander past the tourist-driven shops, a shame because I know it would have been a great area to eat our way through.

Couldn’t resist a picture of sushi-bobbleheads

Kensington

Kensington, with its hippie sensibilities, reminded me of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury (though maybe not as rough around the edges). I loved the colourful homes-turned-shops, with wares spilling into their yards and onto the sidewalk. The area actually closes its streets once a week as well for “pedestrian Sundays”.

Charming

Judith Deutsch Park

One of the most rewarding byproducts of exploring a city on foot is the things you end up stumbling upon. Judith Deutsch Park was a fun example of this, a narrow playground we came across on our way from Chinatown to Kensington.

Amanda loves to exercise!

The playground was made up of sturdy metal versions of popular gym equipment – everything from an elliptical to resistance machines.

Whee!

It just seemed so random, but was such a neat interactive little pocket that definitely livened up a dreary strip of pavement.

Distillery District

Historically, the Distillery District dates back to 1832, and represents the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America. The area was purchased by developers and re-opened in 2003, offering a mix of cultural and retail experiences, as well as residential options.

Distillery District

Without a doubt the neighbourhood itself is picture-perfect: the area is enclosed, bastion-style, with brick and stone walls. Paired with the cobblestone, pedestrian-friendly streets, it was no surprise when we saw a wedding party traipsing through for photo opportunities. The Distillery has also been home to all sorts of interesting events, including food truck festivals and Toronto’s first Diner en Blanc.

Photo op

They had some interesting outdoor sculptures as well, which nicely juxtaposed the historic backdrop.

Arts market

Straight out of War of the Worlds

It was a great area to browse – an outdoor arts market was set-up, in addition to some funky gift and houseware shops. We especially enjoyed the art on display at Cube Works, all constructed entirely out of Rubik’s cubes.

Shopping

KD!

Only limited by their imagination…

We decided to grab a coffee at Balzac’s, which seemed to be a top-rated café in Toronto. We were puzzled, then, to encounter a sign that warned that no photography was permitted inside the shop. We had to wonder about this policy, especially for a third-wave coffee shop – wouldn’t they want the publicity from coffee addicts posting candid photos taken of their drinks?

Balzac’s

Mack defied the signage and snapped a quick photo of the interior, which was quite striking. The coffee, on the other hand, wasn’t a highlight.

For lunch, we stopped inside Mill Street Brewery, a microbrewery known for their organic lager (it can be found in Edmonton). The restaurant side was comfortable, serving up predictable, but comforting pub classics. Amanda liked her turkey club, and Mack’s beer-battered fish and chips were decent. My chicken pot pie was all right, though I could have done without the side of mushy, thawed peas and lead potatoes.

Mill Street beer

Inside the pub

Turkey club

Chicken pot pie

We stuck around for the free tour inside the small on-site brewery, which is now mostly used for R & D purposes (at that time, for example, they were trying out an Italian rice brew). Our guide reinforced how small they were in comparison to some of the big fish in the industry – what Mill Street produces in a year can be replicated by Labatt in eighteen hours.

Cheers!

Although it was a stunning neighbourhood to visit, I was hoping our food and drink experiences would match the grandeur of our surroundings.

Waterfront Night Market

A festival can be considered a temporary neighbourhood, which is how I thought of the Waterfront Night Market. It was such a serendipitous moment when I wondered aloud to Amanda whether or not Toronto hosted any night markets similar to the one found in Richmond, BC – then promptly stumbled across a poster advertising the Waterfront Night Market taking place that weekend.

As we didn’t have a car, we decided to take the free, advertised “fun bus” from City Hall down to the festival site (which happened to be the parking lot of the downtown T & T Supermarket). Apparently organizers didn’t learn from the previous year when similar problems happened – they again only had three buses, resulting in massive wait times. Although we waited an hour for the promised ride, they did avoid a #funbusfail.

The fun bus, living up to its name

When we reached the festival grounds, it was busy, but not quite as packed as I remember the Richmond equivalent to be.

I’m sure the smoke could have been seen for miles

It was clearly a food market, with merchandise vendors outnumbered ten to one. The hawkers in particular were entertaining, and reminded me of some of the Asian markets my family and I had visited long ago.

Meat on a stick

And though we had dinner not long before, we indulged anyway. To do so, Mack did have to get over the overpowering aroma of both stinky tofu and oyster omelettes though.

The bane of Mack’s existence

Thirst-quenching

The strawberry ice drink I ordered (featuring fruit popping pearls) had the consistency of ice cream!

The tornado potato was unfortunately not crispy

In addition to the vendors, there was a live music stage and an NBA tournament going on – the sights and sounds were almost overwhelming!

I’m happy we made our way to the night market – it was definitely something we wouldn’t have been able to experience at home.

To T.O.: Tourism 101

Out of all the blog posts I write, I most enjoy recounting my travel experiences. If you are a regular reader, however, you know that this category is the most neglected. Because they are the most time consuming, I tend to procrastinate on them, a habit that is becoming worse as the years pass (I still haven’t finished writing about San Francisco, a year and a half later!). I hope to turn the tide with a short series on a week-long trip I took to Toronto in July 2011 to see my sister Amanda. Mack joined me there towards the end of my trip.

This wasn’t my first time to Toronto; I visited a friend for a few days back in 2006. It was a brief stay, but I managed to hit up some of the attractions that I had on my list at that time, including the Bata Shoe Museum and Casa Loma. This time around, although it really didn’t matter where we went, Amanda was game to look at her adopted city from a tourist’s perspective, and I was able to take in quite a bit of what Toronto had to offer.

Watching the Blue Jays

I’m not much of a baseball fan, but I’d never been to a Major League Baseball game before, and tickets were cheap – rail seats at the top level of Rogers Centre were just $10. It was also a beautiful night to be outside, not too muggy, with a breeze to cool things off just right.

Rogers Centre

The view of the CN Tower

All smiles!

The Seattle Mariners were in town, but the real star that night was Roberto Alomar, who watched the game from one of the sky boxes – he was in town to prepare for his entrance into the Hall of Fame at the end of the month.

Roberto Alomar!

I loved the jumbotron, and as a non-fan, being able to keep track of the players and their batting record so far that night – it really made it easier to get into the game. The other noticeable differences between this game and Capitals games I’d been to was the lack of aggressive beer sales in the stands and no “entertainment” between innings – mascot runs or little league pitchers or the like.

Batter up!

That said, I didn’t expect that number of extended innings – after runs in the first and second, it dragged on, scoreless, until the eighth, when tie runs resulted in extra innings. Five additional innings to be exact. Finally, after 14 innings and four and a half hours, Rajai Davis stole two bases and scored the winning run.

Finally

Being Part of a Live Studio Audience

I’m never really home during the day to watch CityLine, but I knew it was a lifestyle program, and that they filmed with a live studio audience. It seemed like it would be a fun way to spend a morning.

Holding room

After a short pep talk in the holding room, the audience (99% women) was herded down into the studio. Host Tracy Moore (a bombshell in real life – it’s hard to believe she had a baby a year prior) was gracious, welcoming everyone and making sure the audience felt comfortable.

With Tracy after the show

The topics explored in that particular episode (which would be aired exactly one week later), weren’t really of interest to either Amanda or myself – children’s activities, resistance training, pet safety issues and random kitchen tips – but it was interesting to see how the production crew had to scramble to arrange the different sets in the tight space.

Filming a segment on de-seeding tomatoes

And really, it was worth our time just for the parting gifts! We each received a $50 PetValu gift certificate and Body Shop package. Thanks, CityLine!

Experiencing the Humidity

Of all the weeks I could have gone, I ended up choosing the heat wave Toronto experienced last summer. Walking out of Amanda’s basement suite on the hottest of those days (in the morning, no less!), my camera lens literally fogged up when I took it out to snap a photo.

Seriously

Given it was +48 degrees with the humidity, people weren’t only joking about being able to fry eggs on the sidewalk – they were literally doing it.

Checking Out the View from the CN Tower

The mothership of tourist attractions in Toronto wasn’t really on my radar those first few days. But after seeing the CN Tower from almost every angle over the course of the week, we decided to just take the plunge…or rather, ascent.

The glass floor

As expected, the views were breathtaking, especially on such a clear day. Given it was the hottest day of the year, the outdoor platform/wind tunnel was also not a bad place to be.

Lake Ontario

Toronto from above

Visiting the St. Lawrence Market

Named by Food and Wine Magazine in 2004 as one of the “World’s 25 Best Markets”, we knew we’d have to check out the St. Lawrence Market on a bustling Saturday morning.

Outdoor arts and crafts vendors

Their produce was a sight for sore eyes – at that time in Edmonton, we didn’t have the same variety in our markets yet.

Ontario peaches (we noticed that there was a real emphasis on “Ontario” vs. “local”)

Multicoloured zucchini

Beans

Garlic scapes

The market was spread over several buildings, and was absolutely massive. The main building featured two levels, packed with permanent vendors that would enable anyone to do all of their grocery shopping in one trip. It reminded us of farmers’ markets in Calgary – imports like cheese and olives were permitted.

Rice vendor

Seafood

Whole pig, anyone?

Peameal bacon was everywhere in Toronto!

Yum…baked goods (yes, we indulged)

Great use of QR codes – links to the vendor’s recipes

Given how the market was such a tourist attraction, it was curious that there was no information table in sight – as a result, we couldn’t locate the one vendor we were looking for: Ewenity, a dairy cooperative which sells sheep’s milk ice cream.

We also ended up stopping into the St. Lawrence Market again on Sunday. The smaller building had been converted into an antiques fair. We didn’t buy anything, but we did did peruse the tables, and came across a Lucky Strike tin!

Antique fair

We had no idea Lucky Strike was a real company (we really miss Mad Men)

Taking in a Show

Toronto stages attract some big names, actors I wouldn’t have the opportunity to see in Edmonton. One example of this was Carrie Fisher, whose show, Wishful Drinking, was playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre that week. Based on her memoirs of the same name, Fisher discusses her family, personal life, career and mental health issues.

Wishful Drinking set

Mack and I are both fans of Star Wars, and though that part of her film career was referenced quite heavily in the play (i.e. the “social contract” she signed when agreeing to put on that metal bikini being that she would remain that shape for the rest of her life), we learned a lot more about her. She had many funny witticisms and wry observations (the most entertaining portion was “Hollywood 101”), and involved the audience at times as well. Fisher had a casual way about her, and it was clear that she was very comfortable with herself, her past and her ghosts. I’m glad we were able to go!

Dining with a Celebrity Chef

Or at least, dining in the restaurant of a celebrity chef. One of the only restaurants I had bookmarked prior to the trip was Lee Lounge. In March, I was fortunate enough to be invited to an Element of Taste with Chef Lee at NAIT, during his Chef in Residence tenure. He was humble, and from all reports, was a respectable teacher in the kitchen – I wanted to see if his restaurant lived up to the hype.

We arrived a half our before our reservation (the skies opened up just as we arrived), but were seated right away – later diners wouldn’t be so lucky, as the place was packed by the time we left. The interior was very dim (apologies in advance for the poor photos), but was tastefully decorated, with red accents and a wall-sized family photo at the entrance. And yes, Chef Lee was in the house! We saw him a few times checking in on things in the dining room.

The only blemish to our visit was the waitress – she pushed certain dishes (such as the Singaporean style slaw) much too hard, to the point where we felt guilty when we didn’t order it. All it did was communicate to us that it must have been his most profitable item.

But other than that, it was a note-perfect experience. The spicy crisp tofu was our favourite – well crusted on the outside, and silky smooth on the inside. The sauce also played between sweet and savoury flavours quite well.

Spicy crisp tofu

Mack in particular was looking forward to the cheeseburger spring roll (a single one for $7). It should have been pre-cut, but was flavoured with great spices, and really, we loved the idea of simulating a cheeseburger in another form. It begged the question – what other spring roll possibilities are out there?

Cheeseburger spring roll

The asparagus and green bean salad was wonderfully balanced – the vinaigrette first presented itself as tangy, but smoothed itself out. We also liked the braised beef ravioli, with thin skins that didn’t overwhelm the beef, and a slightly sweet finish.

Asparagus and green bean salad

Braised beef ravioli

We finished our meal with a banana cake, served warm, melding the fruit and chocolate in smooth and creamy bites.

Banana cake

We would recommend Lee Lounge – there is no doubt the care that goes into the food. That said, it wasn’t my favourite meal that I had in Toronto – I’ll be writing about that in another post!

A White Christmas in Yellowknife

Mack and I spent a week in Yellowknife in December, ensuring we did, in fact, get a white Christmas. It was a low-key holiday, however, which is exactly what we both needed.

With Mack’s brother Thom

Two years ago (my first time up north), we checked off many of the “touristy” items off our list, so this time around, we spent most of the time with Mack’s family indoors.

The family includes a multitude of pets (miss you, Kotah and Traz!)

Noteworthy was the hospitality provided to us on the flights. In spite of the journey only taking an hour and forty-five minutes, we were provided with full meals both ways! On the return leg, this meant a full turkey or roast beef dinner. Mack wants me to mention that it was typical airplane food, but I was so floored that we were served anything above pretzels that I didn’t mind.

Thanks, First Air

We did do some wandering, on one of the warmer days while we were there (-16 or so). We took a walk around downtown, exploring some of the paths around City Hall.

It’s snowing!

Serving up Yellowknife’s hollow, artificial Christmas tree

I couldn’t help but stop in Le Stock Pot a few times over that week, the most adorable bakery/deli I’ve ever seen (the owners used to have a larger kitchen supply store, then a market, but they downsized earlier this year). Their pricing might have been inconsistent (a croissant cost $2.50, a pain au chocolat $0.60), but I loved what they were able to cram into the little storefront. The bakery even supplies fresh bread to the local Shoppers Drug Mart.

Le Stock Pot

We did our best to bring back something home with us, and stumbling into Javaroma, we found a coffee shop that roasts its own beans.

We especially liked the “Made in NWT” sticker

We didn’t bring back this, erm, unique chicken in a can that we found at the grocery store, however.

A 3 pound can!

Although many restaurants were closed during the break, we found that Le Frolic, a local French bistro, was open for brunch on Christmas Eve. Mack’s Dad had good things to say about their lunch and dinner, but hadn’t yet tried their brunch – so we thought it might be a nice meal to have together.

Interior

It was empty save for two other tables, but it was festive enough, nicely decorated with garland and Christmas lights. It turned out their brunch menu consisted of six different eggs benedicts. Needless to say, we were disappointed – the eggs were inconsistently poached, leaning towards hard yolks instead of soft ones. The skillet potatoes had also been cooked with hot sauce – something that wasn’t mentioned on the menu (when we asked our server about this, even she seemed surprised).

Eggs “Benny” with back bacon ($13)

Eggs “Arctic” with smoked arctic char

Although the brunch didn’t meet our expectations, it was enjoyed in good company, which is all that really mattered.

Thanks again to Martin and Patti for their hospitality, and for making our holiday so relaxing!

Day 6 in San Francisco: Food Truck Harbour

Given the wealth of City Guide tour options available, we had wanted to fit at least one more in – I was hoping the second go-around might erase the disappointment of our Chinatown experience. We ended up choosing the City Scapes and Public Places tour, mostly because the meeting location was only a few blocks away from our hotel.

Thankfully, our guide Paul seemed better informed than our previous escort, but as a whole, the tour still seemed less packed with information than the walks we partook in both New York and DC.

It was really interesting to learn about POPOS, however: privately-owned, public open spaces. It is specified in San Francisco’s building code that the trade-off for the construction of a high-rise building is the creation of some sort of usable public space on the land – whether that is a square, a balcony, or park.

Atop the Crocker Galleria

In the two hours, we toured nearly a dozen of the spaces (there are sixty all together in San Francisco). Some of them, such as the one located on the fifteenth floor of a building, were like little hidden gems, that only those “in the know” would be cognizant of (you can check out a map here).

The gem at 343 Sansome Street

The view

There were others – such as the redwood park (which was my personal favourite of the bunch), that could easily be mistaken to simply be a green space amidst towers.

Redwood Park

Water feature

Life imitates art

Some of the POPOS, such as the greenhouse in Citigroup Centre, featured seating, as well as food service – fantastic for the business crowd at lunch.

The only downside to the open spaces, however, is that the regulations specify that POPOS only need to be accessible during weekday business hours – so anyone wishing to take advantage of them in the evenings or weekends are out of luck (we tried to access Citigroup Centre on a Saturday, but the gates were locked up tight).

During the tour, we had passed by the San Buena Taco Truck parked on the street. Given that it was the first food truck we had stumbled upon in San Francisco, we made sure to remember where it was so we could hit it up for lunch.

San Buena Taco Truck

The line was steady, and given it was made up mostly of the area’s office workers, we knew we had probably made a good choice. The menu included burritos, tacos and tortas, but from the orders made around us, we knew a burrito was the way to go.

Mack hearts burritos

For just $7, each of us received a wrap absolutely packed with chicken (though carnitas and beef were meat options as well). It had been expertly bound – the perfect kind of street food – and with moist, flavourful chicken interspersed with beans, rice and heat to taste – it was without a doubt the best thing we ate in San Francisco.

The only thing I really remember from my previous visit to San Francisco was walking across the Golden Gate Bridge with my family, but it isn’t exactly a pleasant memory. It had been one of those drizzly, blustery days, cold and miserable for any tourist, but particularly for us, given the night before, we had been in the +40 climes of Asia. Fortunately, the weather on the day that Mack and I chose to visit the bridge was perfect, and did much to ensure my future associations with the Golden Gate were positive ones.

Misty, but bright

A quick bus ride got us to the San Francisco side of the bridge. The forty-minute windswept walk across yielded unparalleled views of the city and the activities in the bay.

Mack and the city

Queen of the bridge

The barges just kept on cominng

The traffic on the bridge was also a little unbelievable – the cars did not stop flowing. It was on that day that we christened our version of Punch Buggy – Punch Prius! At some point we had to stop counting because it was getting ridiculous.

The bridge

A reminder

We walked the length back to the San Francisco side, and hopped on a bus that took us closer to the city centre. The line terminated at Fort Mason, where we were directed by the driver to transfer to a different bus. Given it was already the dinner hour, the fact that there was a Safeway at the terminal seemed to be a blessing. We picked up some food and headed to the park for a picnic supper, a relaxing way to refuel and rest our weary feet.

Dinner of champions

Residents were out in full force, enjoying the setting sun as we were. And like so many other parts of the city, it was picturesque without even trying.

The marina

Satisfied, before heading back to the hotel, we thought we should explore the area. Peeking over the hill side drop, we encountered a gaggle of people down below in the Fort Mason parking lot – what was going on?

So many people!

It turned out we had stumbled upon the first Off the Grid, a “roaming mobile food extravaganza.” This was the largest of their weekly events, and sees thirty food trucks gather alongside a full-service bar and music.

Music amongst the madness

That night, the twenty food trucks offered food ranging from cupcakes to empanadas to ramen. But it was challenging to even browse the offerings – the line-ups were massive (and really, too large for the space), with the longest gathering centered around Chairman Bao, a truck offering, among other things, pork belly buns.

Just some of the food trucks

Empanada stand

The line at Chairman Bao

It was really unfortunate that we had already eaten our meal – what better way to sample food trucks than at such an event? We made room for a few things though – a trio of dumplings we purchased for $2 were hand-rolled in the tent, and were very tasty.

Dumplings!

I was also swayed into buying a dulce de leche creme brulee. It was okay, but not worth the $5.

Creme brulee

Though we didn’t eat much, Off the Grid was amazing to see. Everyone there was just so darn excited about food, and that energy was contagious. It’s crazy to imagine that something like that happens on a weekly basis, but in a city like San Francisco, food trucks aren’t a fad, but a core of their food culture. Look for it if you’re travelling to SF!

Off the Grid

We ended our evening back on a bus, ready for a good night’s sleep at the hotel. Gearing up for a Saturday trip to the Ferry Market, we would need it.

Day 5 in San Francisco: “Top Chef” Thursday

Things we loved in San Francisco:

Two Buck Chuck (Seriously. Wine for $2 a bottle in North America?)

Consumer warning labels in stores (how’s that for awareness?)

Scramble crosswalks (coming soon to Edmonton)

Something else we loved? Sleeping in. We decided to give ourselves the benefit of a late start on day 5, as we felt recovery was in order after two consecutive early mornings.

The day as a whole was a lazy one – without any concrete plans besides a dinner reservation and a late show, it felt freeing to be able to wander without direction. So after grabbing a coffee from Peet’s, we spent the morning shopping at Union Square.

Union Square

It was easy to get used to that kind of shopping experience – stores densely packed together, all accessible from street-level, with crosswalks at every block. Sure, some of the stores we visited have locations in Edmonton also, but only locked inside a mall or car-driven complex.

Pedestrian-friendly shopping

We eventually walked over to the Yerba Buena Gardens, which, on first glance, appeared to be the city’s outdoor bedroom. We lost count of the number of people idling on the grass, enjoying the shade and the soothing sound of the water features.

Yerba Buena Gardens

Waterfall

I had read about there being a century old carousel at the Gardens, and, like my giddy stint at the Musee, I couldn’t pass up a visit.

Carousel!

Mack initially wasn’t as keen on reverting back to his childhood, but even he enjoyed circling the wooden animals to select his steed. And at only $3 for two rides, it was well worth it!

Whee!

Mack gets in the spirit of things

I knew we were near ‘Witchcraft, one of Tom Collichio’s casual sandwich outposts, and given we were to later dine at another restaurant connected to the Top Chef series, it just seemed fitting to stop there for lunch.

Interior

At 2pm, we found the restaurant nearly empty – perhaps we just missed the lunch rush? ‘Witchcraft wasn’t in the most inspiring location (it faces a parkade), but the interior definitely tried to make up for it. We loved the floor-to-ceiling windows, the second floor loft-style seating, and the stylish prints featuring antique kitchen equipment.

Mack

From what I had read about the restaurant though, I really thought the menu would grab me. But somehow, the sandwich combinations didn’t excite me at all. I ended up with the grilled cheese sandwich and soup of the day, while Mack chose the BLT. Our lunch for two (with one drink) cost $23.

My grilled cheese was good (solid bread foundation, nice combination of cheeses), but the soup was better (great texture and depth). Mack liked the BLT well enough (especially the bacon), but thought the tomato overpowered everything.

Grilled cheese and soup

BLT

The side of Tim’s Chips ended up being our favourite part of the meal – kettle-style, they were just the right thickness to offer both a satisfying crunch and a rounded flavour from the frying oil. Best of all, they didn’t have any additives.

Tim’s Chips

It’s something to be said when the package of chips stands out the most – so all told, ‘Witchcraft was a bit underwhelming for both of us.

A brief sojourn back to the hotel had us ready for our trip’s most anticipated meal. While watching the second season of Top Chef Masters, both Mack and I fell head over heels for Chef Hubert Keller. His personality and modest nature outshone his competitors: where others put ego first, Chef Keller always seemed to let his food speak for itself. So we knew a visit to SF wouldn’t be complete without reservations to Fleur de Lys.

The restaurant was just a ten minute walk from our hotel, allowing us to build up an appetite for the multi-course meal. When we arrived, we were whisked inside a sumptuous room, lined with curtains and complete with a tented ceiling. Most of the tables were arranged like streetside Parisian cafes – facing inwards instead of towards one another. It really felt like we had stepped into another world.

Unlike our experience at Gramercy Tavern in New York a few years back, when I was afraid to even take out my camera, it didn’t seem out of place at Fleur de Lys. Most of the diners were our age, and nearly all of them were snapping pictures of their experience. Also, through the curtains, I spotted a television set tuned to Food Network – of all shows, Top Chef Masters was on!

We chose the $82/person 4 course meal, which of course, with wine, was much more than that. Given that we were provided with several options for each course (starter, seafood, meat, dessert), the price seemed reasonable.

The vegetable ragout with truffle oil was a bit underwhelming to me, though the egg was poached very nicely. Mack enjoyed his Maryland soft shell crab, but had a bit of trouble determining how best to eat it, given the crab had been deep fried whole.

Vegetable ragout

Maryland soft shell crab

My salmon (sustainably raised, of course) was well cooked, and I loved the accompanying broccolini. The dish also marked my first ever encounter with porcini flan, and I have to say, I quite enjoyed the savoury version. Mack’s dish of prawns ended up being just a singular prawn, albeit one that was pretty tasty, and one that he enjoyed more as it was served alongside pork belly.

Sustainably raised salmon

Wild jumbo prawn with brioche crust

The duck, moist as ever, was a play on duck l’orange, served with fresh orange segments. I wasn’t a fan of the spetzle though – they were bland. Mack equally enjoyed his filet mignon, though not surprisingly, he devoured the lobster truffled mac & cheese (stuffed into a brioche bun!) first.

Muscovy duck breast, grenadine pickled onions

Seared filet mignon

We both absolutely adored the dessert course. My chocolate souffle was easily worth the additional $6 charge, light and fluffy on top with a satisfying and rich centre. Mack’s plate was a whimsical play on burger, fries and shake, with slices of kiwi standing in for pickles.

Chocolate souffle

Fleurburger

The restaurant saved the best part for last – towards the end of our meal, Chef Keller came out to meet all the diners! I’m pretty sure everyone in the room knew who he was, but he still made sure to introduce himself at each table, “Hello, I’m the chef here”. Mack didn’t want to wash his hands afterwards. #fanboy

With Chef Keller

Our dinner at Fleur de Lys was a memorable experience, though only partially because of the food. We were so happy to have met Chef Keller!

We didn’t plan it that way, but the 19^th annual San Francisco Fringe Festival happened to be running the same week we were there. Of course, we had to take in at least one show.

The fact that Edmonton is the home of the second largest Fringe Festival in the world is so often bandied about that I think Edmontonians take it for granted. At least, I know I do. So it was a shock to me that San Francisco, an enviable city in so many ways, could not even hold a candle to our fabulous theatre festival.

With just three venues and a total of 42 shows, the scale of the SF Fringe was much, much smaller than Edmonton’s Fringe. Show times were also confined to evenings on weekdays and the venues weren’t clearly marked. It also probably didn’t help that their theatre district was in the shadiest part of the city that we’d come across thus far (the aforementioned neighbourhood that we were warned by hotel staff not to walk through).

The biggest difference, however, was the lack of a festival atmosphere. The festival grounds are one of the biggest reasons Edmonton’s Fringe is the place to be in August. The buskers, the food, the music and the activities are all such an integral part of the Fringe now that it is difficult to consider what it would be like without it.

We chose Star Crossed Love based on the description on the website, and had pre-purchased our tickets online (just in case). There really was no need – granted, it was a 10:30pm show on a Thursday night, but for a supposed “pick of the Fringe”, the dozen people in the audience was disappointing, to say the least.

Star Crossed Love

The premise of the theatre company is the showcase of badly written scripts. That is to say, all of their productions are culled from rejected Hollywood screenplays, performed on stage verbatim. For example, any time a character nodded, the actors would nod in exaggerated fashion. As you can guess, some of the actions got old fast, but others, including “lovers a long time” (where the couple looked to be bored of one another) were amusing.

The script itself was indeed awful – an over-the-top, implausible, rags-to-riches tale where the heroine ends the show up on stage, accepting an Oscar. But wasn’t as funny as it could have been, and for that reason, wasn’t that entertaining. We did want to commend the actors though – they really committed to the roles, and tried their best to wring every bit of unintentional humour from it.

We made our way back through the Tenderloin and retired to our hotel for the night. On to the next day!

Day 4 in San Francisco: Touring Wine Country

Though we wanted to explore some of the Bay area’s wineries, we wanted to avoid renting a car if at all possible – besides taking advantage of public transportation, it would ensure we wouldn’t have to worry about driving after one too many glasses of wine. And, well, our wine palates are not exactly finely tuned, so neither of us were that particular about which wineries to hit. Mack took on the task of researching group tour possibilities.

In his exploration of Napa Valley shuttles, he uncovered a plethora of terrible websites (sure, they may not be directly connected to the tech world, but it was a little ironic given its proximity to the start-up capital of North America). Most seats were priced in the $75 to $100 range, only some of which were “all inclusive” of entry fees and tastings. We eventually settled on the Wine Country Tour Shuttle, which was competitively priced, but more importantly, would pick us up from the centrally-located Ferry Building.

Wine Country Tours (and Tom!)

We met up with our driver and tour guide Tom at 8:30 that morning, and all 38 of us boarded a comfortable bus for the journey. Our fellow passengers spanned age and countries of origin – some were from as far away as South Africa and Switzerland. Tom, a retired schoolteacher, was a fantastic guide, affable, knowledgeable, but light in his delivery. Though not in the same league, after a poor experience with an incompetent Contiki guide in Europe, I knew that the leader would make or break the excursion, so it was particularly comforting to be in good hands.

Our only complaint about the tour was why the organizers didn’t make it an all inclusive tour. I’m certain adding even $25 to the overall price that would help cover entry to and tastings at the first winery wouldn’t have deterred anyone from selecting this company. It just seemed silly that after booking the tickets online that we had to have cash on hand at all for something other than wine purchases.

Besides that, we had a lovely time. Our first stop was V. Sattui, which, curiously, boasts the only deli in Napa Valley (even more curious was the fact that they kept reciting this fact as if it was the biggest selling point of V. Sattui). We had read online that goods in the deli were quite expensive, so being the “clever” travellers we were, we thought to kill two birds with one stone by bringing along the tasting pack we had purchased the day before at Cowgirl Creamery (and thus having the perfect excuse to try their cheese).

V. Sattui

Well, it turns out our planning was unnecessary, given the tour provided us each with a $10 credit to spend in the deli. It did bolster our lunch offerings, however, and meant we were able to round out our meal with meat and bread as well. Being a beautiful California day, it was an afternoon made for an outdoor picnic.

The spread

After lunch, we headed to the tasting room, where we had to jostle for a spot at the counter. Though the tasting fee wasn’t included with the tour, it was a decent deal – 5 samples for $5. We ended up picking up a bottle of Gamay Rouge – V. Sattui wines aren’t available in stores, and it’s rare that Mack and I find a red that we both like.

Tasting room

Samples

Our second stop was probably my favourite of our entire tour, even if the ambassador of Domaine Chandon had the air of a used car salesman – I had to give it to him, the man knew how to make a show of opening pressured bottles.

Ever the showman

Domaine Chandon is known for its sparkling wines, of which we were able to try three. We bought a small bottle of Classic Brut to remember the winery in all its lush, green glory.

Cheers!

Domaine, with its garden-lined paths was what I thought most of Napa would look like. In actuality, the vineyards actually looked quite bleak – sure, the vines themselves were green, but driving past large segments of yellowed grass between wineries that had seen better days, it was a visual reminder of California’s dependence on irrigation.

The vines at Domaine Chandon

Franciscan was our third stop, notable for its bore of a guide, but also for the freedom we had to taste grapes fresh off the vine. It was also the winery with the priciest bottles (in the $60 range), which meant our hands stayed in our pockets.

Franciscan

Mmm…grapes

We also had to take an obligatory photo on the Rutherford Bench – which actually refers not to a literal bench, but the area that Franciscan falls in that is ideal for grape production.

The “Rutherford Bench”

Our last stop was the Whitehall Lane Winery, which helped demonstrate why the Wine Country Tour Shuttle was so popular – it showcased different aspects of the wine-making process, from grape to aging. At Whitehall, we were ushered into the production facility, which included some time in their enormous barrel chilling space, filled from floor to ceiling with 1100 barrels.

So many barrels!

After too many wine samples (with a constant longing for accompanying bread or cheese), our way back to San Francisco was a welcome one – a breezy, refreshing ferry ride from Vallejo across the Bay.

Bye, Vallejo!

Dinner wasn’t gourmet, and in fact, the grease probably helped with the detox. We crawled back to the Westfield Mall, and dined on overstuffed pizza ($4.99) from Bristol Farms. I am still amazed Mack managed to make his way through his meat lover’s monstrosity.

More meat than you should handle

What would day 5 have in store for us? Well, a Top Chef Masters sighting for starters!

Day 3 in San Francisco: The Land of Queues

Given that tourism is San Francisco’s number one industry, it’s expected that line-ups are rampant at all major attractions. On day three of our trip however, it was also a theme at most of our dining choices – not surprising given the city’s reputation of good food.

The day started off quite overcast, threatening rain. But nothing would stop us from completing our first mission that day: eating a hearty breakfast. Knowing there was no food service at Alcatraz, I thought it would be best to fill up before heading off to the island, and everything pointed to Mama’s on Washington Square.

The plan was to arrive right when the café opened at 8, but though we hoofed it, we found that a line of a half dozen hungry patrons had already formed outside the restaurant at 8:20am (darn those ‘Friscans and their early starts!).

The line-up when we left

The restaurant had an odd set-up that eliminated the need for waiters – it was efficient but cruel. Instead of ordering after being seated, Mama’s is set-up so that diners line up alongside their open kitchen, watching the line cooks at the flat top and the baker at his station. It was hard enough not to salivate, let alone quell hunger pangs.

The baker at work

After about a half hour, we made it to the head of the line, placed our order with the cashier, and were led to a cozy table. In no time, after two sips of the disastrously bad coffee (really, the only poor thing about Mama’s) our food was brought to us, piping hot.

Western Italian omelette

My Western Italian omelette ($10.50) was packed with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and pancetta (which was unfortunately not crispy). The eggs were noticeably fluffy though, and the portion extremely generous. The potatoes were also well-prepared. Mack enjoyed his eggs benedict with roasted tomatoes ($10.50) – difficult not to when it is served with crackly bacon.

Eggs benedict

Service was warm (the servers made sure to wish those leaving with a “thank you”, even as they bustled to clean tables and seat other parties. Be sure to check it out if you’re looking for a good brunch in San Francisco!

Then we were off to Pier 33, to hop on a ferry to cruise to the cursed, storied prison. We had pre-purchased tickets on the website, but it turned out on that gloomy day that advanced planning wasn’t necessary.

Though only five minutes away from Fisherman’s Wharf, it seemed like a world away – instead of a carnival atmosphere, it felt muted and bleak (the miserable weather didn’t help much either). Waiting for our turn on the ferry also felt a bit like herding cats, between the barricades, divided line-ups and stern National Park staff.

Bye, mainland!

After a quick but rocky fifteen minute cruise, we were there. Alcatraz is larger than life, immortalized on the silver screen, and with more myths than you can shake a stick at.

Cell tiers

And yet, Alcatraz held its own during our visit. I think it mostly had to do with the audio tour – voices of former inmates, prison staff and families who lived on the island guiding us through the building, explaining the day-to-day grind, the isolation wards, the insurgent movements. The background noises as each scene was being described – the tinkering in the lunch room, the shouts in the cell blocks – coupled with the physicality of walking through the spaces, really made the history come alive.

Shower area

A single cell

Mack behind bars

Kitchen (with shadows indicating where sharp objects should go so it was easy to know if something was missing)

The only tickets that had been sold out for weeks were for the night tours. After our day trip, I was glad we didn’t have the chance to visit after dark – I’m certain I wouldn’t have been able to handle the chills.

Burned out warden’s residence

Yes, it was that windy

Back on the mainland, Mack was already anticipating our first taste of In-N-Out Burger, the famed west coast fast food chain. There is much to admire about In-N-Out: they pay staff a living wage and they are committed to using only fresh ingredients (never frozen beef, potatoes they peel in-store).

Our order of two combos was speedily prepared (they had separate order and pick-up counters), and cost only moderately more than their quick-serve counterparts ($13). The meal looked appealing, and tasted okay, but I couldn’t see what the hype was about – the burger was on the greasy side, and though Mack liked the fact that you could salt the fries on your own accord, he still preferred McDonald’s fries.

Our meal

Coit Tower was next on our agenda, another tourist destination within walking distance of Pier 39. Another fairly steep hill meant we almost immediately worked off the grease consumed at lunch, but I didn’t mind it – I loved any opportunity to explore the residential neighbourhoods, fascinated by the lack of space between houses, and the steep garage gradients.

Coit Tower

Coit Tower stands 210 feet tall. The price of the elevator ride to the top was $5, operated by a young man who joked that he took the vertical route 1264 times a day. Though not the highest structure in the city, it did provide a panoramic view, and perhaps more interestingly, a peek of some of the rooftop luxuries afforded in a city with a mild climate – pools, gardens, patios and the like.

Downtown SF

Piers and the Bay Bridge

We also discovered just how small the world is – we ran into another Edmonton couple at the top, who were vacationing in SF as a part of their honeymoon.

Thanks to Allison for taking this photo!

At the base of the Tower are beautiful murals, depicting various scenes of life. I liked this one:

Orange picking!

On our way to the Embarcadero, we stumbled across the Filbert Steps. It was one of my favourite discoveries, and to me, more of a must-see than Lombard Street.

More green than your eye can see

Flowers

It was gorgeous – lush, bursting with flora and fauna, it felt like we were taking a tour of someone’s private garden. Similar to Lombard though, residential houses lined the tiered levels – it still strikes me as peculiar to have a tourist attraction on your doorstep.

Tiered garden

People live here!

We made our way down the stairs, and to the Ferry Building. We knew we would be back to this hub of produce, food and drink again, but I had wanted to see it on a sans-farmers’ market day.

Most of the shops were near closing, so we didn’t have much time to browse. After picking up a pound of coffee from Blue Bottle, we swung by Cowgirl Creamery and picked up a $20 tourist pack of cheese. It included three varieties and a cheese knife, which we thought would be perfect to take along with us for lunch during our winery tour the next day.

Cowgirl Creamery

Just before they closed their gates, we ducked into Boccolone for their infamous “meat in a cup” salumi cone ($3.50).

Salumi cone from Boccolone

For dinner, we had decided upon The Slanted Door, a friend’s recommendation – it is a restaurant known for its modern take on Vietnamese food, and sourcing of local products and ecologically-farmed meat. We didn’t have reservations, but given it was a Tuesday, we didn’t think we’d have any problem getting in. We were wrong.

The dining room was full for the evening, and the lounge was packed. Though seats were available in the lounge, we were told only an abbreviated menu would be available to us there – in order to access the full menu, we’d have to snag a seat at the coveted bar (something that was a bit comical to us, since the bar was literally two steps away). The lounge servers were great though – they took pity on us and offered us tips on how to get seats at the bar – and thankfully, after some hovering, we were successful.

Service was excellent – our bartender/server was friendly and easygoing, and was a touchstone of calm in the frenzied restaurant (over the course of the evening, the lounge became standing room only, with a group of patrons immediately behind us trying to have a conversation over the din).

Slanted Door served me the best milk tea I’ve ever had

Our friend had recommended the daikon rice cakes ($12), something I probably wouldn’t have ordered on my own. I’m glad we did – the texture was fantastic, browned and crispy on the outside, with an almost fluffy interior. And I’m not usually a fan of daikon, so props to the chef!

Daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms and shallots

The cellophane noodles with green onion and Dungeness crab meat ($18) was portioned well. The noodles were diner friendly, cut short for easy consumption, and the dish as a whole was perfectly seasoned.

Cellophane noodles with crab and green onion

I had read much online about the shaking beef ($32), a Vietnamese dish made from marinated filet mignon seared at very high heat. The meat, served with watercress, red onions and lime sauce, had a firm crust, but was nice and tender inside. Though we weren’t sure it was the showstopper it was meant to be, we did enjoy it.

Shaking beef

It’s worth noting that the receipt had a handy tip breakdown, listing amounts for 15% and 18% gratuities, based on our cheque total.

While Slanted Door was definitely a made-in-San Francisco experience, I’d recommend a reservation for a more leisurely dining experience.

Goodnight, San Francisco!

After dinner, we retired to our hotel, gearing up for a full day of wine.

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