Michael Eats

Hot and Fresh Mochi Doughnuts at LaMochi

Published on July 7, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 3272 Midland Avenue, Scarborough
Website: https://lamochisweets.com/

Though I’ve had a decent amount of mochi doughnuts in my life, I don’t think I’ve ever had one that was hot and fresh out of the fryer like they serve at LaMochi, and let me tell you: it was delightful.

I ordered the black sesame doughnut, which comes with a decent amount of a sweet, mildly nutty sesame glaze. It complemented the slightly chewy doughnut quite well. But the freshness of the doughnut was the star of the show.

I don’t know if they always serve them this way or if I just got lucky, but it was so good. You can’t go wrong with basically anything that’s freshly fried, and that’s definitely true here. The exterior was lightly crispy from the fryer, and the inside was fluffy and warm. The distinctive chewiness was there, but a bit less pronounced than your standard mochi doughnut (I’m guessing the mochi’s chew-factor becomes more pronounced as it cools).

Tasty Detroit-Style Pizza at Renaissance Pizza

Published on July 3, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 809 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Website: https://www.renaissancepizza.ca/

Did Toronto need another Detroit-style pizzeria? No, probably not. But does it really matter when the pizza being served is delicious? Again, no, it does not.

They have a bunch of tasty-looking pizzas on the menu at Renaissance, from the traditional (pepperoni, fennel sausage) to the not-so-traditional (tandoori paneer, duck confit). But if you’re ordering by the slice, you’ve got two options: cheese or pepperoni. I went with pepperoni.

It’s a great slice of pizza. As is traditional with Detroit pizza, the sauce comes on top of the cheese; interestingly, it’s applied post-bake and is (I think) completely uncooked, giving it a vibrant, garlickly freshness that contrasts nicely with the heavy cheese and greasy crust.

It also has that classic Detroit-style crispy cheese all along the edges, which is as delightful as ever.

My only issue is that I think it’s possible Detroit-style pizza shouldn’t be served by the slice; in this case, at least, the bottom of the pizza lost its delightful crispiness, which is a big part of what makes this type of pizza so great.

Every other element here was so tasty that this wasn’t a deal-breaker, but I’d definitely just order a whole pizza next time, rather than risk getting another soggy slice.

Quick Bites: Apricot Tree Cafe, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Gouter

Published on July 1, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Apricot Breakfast from the Apricot Tree Cafe

The Apricot Tree Cafe seems to be quite well regarded, so maybe it’s just not my thing, but I got the Apricot Breakfast (“Smoked salmon, poached eggs, dill sour cream, Apricot Tree salad, toast”) and it mostly left me puzzled. Nothing on the plate was bad — in fact, the smoked salmon was actually quite good, and the eggs were well prepared, with a nice runny yolk. But none of the individual flavours particularly cohered in any meaningful way, so it basically just felt like random stuff on a plate. Also: the toast came unbuttered (with no butter on the side, either!), and get out of here with that.

Classic vanilla bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes

True to their name, Nothing Bundt Cakes sells bundt cakes, bundt cakes, and more bundt cakes. They’re available in various flavours like chocolate, lemon, and red velvet (among many others), and they’re all topped with cream cheese icing. They have full-sized cakes, but their specialty seems to be smaller versions that are about the size of a very big cupcake. I went simple with the classic vanilla, and it was tasty enough. This place is apparently a chain with hundreds of locations, and yeah, that tracks. It basically tastes like if Little Debbie came out with a line of bundt cakes. I have a soft spot for junky treats like that, so I enjoyed it — but at about seven bucks per individual cake, it might be a bit overpriced for what it is.

Blueberry tart from Gouter

I had a raspberry croissant that I really did not care for the last time I visited Gouter; however, I just tried a blueberry tart from their Etobicoke location, and I think maybe they’re better than I gave them credit for, because the tart was quite good. The shortbread crust was buttery and had a nice texture, the custard filling was creamy and not too sweet, and the blueberries and crumble topping were thoroughly tasty.

Tasty Pizza at The Fourth Man in the Fire

Published on June 30, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 832 Dundas Street West, Toronto
Website: https://thefourthmaninthefirepizzeria.com/

The Fourth Man in the Fire was started by Shant Mardirosian of Burger’s Priest fame, and while it probably isn’t quite as great as the Burger’s Priest was when it first opened, they still serve some tasty pizza.

I tried the Meatball and Peppers Pizza: “Tomato Sauce, Whole Milk Mozzarella Blend, Fresh Mozzarella, Homemade Meatball, Fresh Peppers.”

The pizza they serve here is similar in style to places like North of Brooklyn and Badiali, though with a lighter, airier crust. The crust is slightly lacking in substance, but it’s got a nice char and a light crispiness that’s quite delightful.

As for the toppings, it’s kind of like a meatball sandwich in pizza form, and all of the components are quite good. I wish the peppers had been cooked a bit more; I think they put them on the pizza uncooked, so they’re still quite crisp. This kills the meatball sub vibe a bit, as I don’t think I’ve ever had a sandwich like that with raw peppers. Still, it mostly works.

Chinese Fast Food at Bingz Crispy Burger

Published on June 28, 2024 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 3401 Dufferin Street, North York (inside Yorkdale Mall)
Website: https://www.bingzcanada.com/

Bingz is a Chinese chain that sells a variety of sandwiches made with a crispy, flaky bun, along with a handful of side dishes.

I went with the signature pork, and it’s delightfully simple — it’s just braised pork shoulder on a bun. That’s it. Want any condiments? Go somewhere else!

It’s quite good. It’s very no-frills, but the pork is meaty, flavourful, and super tender. The crispy bun is a good mix of flaky/crispy and chewy, and suits the pork perfectly.

(Also, this probably goes without saying, but this thing is absolutely not a burger in any appreciable way, making the name a bit of a head-scratcher.)

And it’s only six bucks, which is actually a pretty great deal; they manage to cram a decent amount of meat into that thing. For something from a food court in a mall, it’s way better than it needs to be.