GTA – Page 72 – Michael Eats

An Amazing Turkey Sub at Good Behaviour Submarine

Published on August 14, 2022August 14, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 342 Westmoreland Avenue North, Toronto
Website: https://goodbehaviourto.ca/

The last time I went to Good Behaviour, I tried a couple of the hot subs, and found them to be tasty, but not much more than that; they were a bit too one-note rich. Well, clearly the cold subs are the way to go, because I just tried the turkey and it was very, very good.

The turkey, as per their menu: “smoked turkey, smoked gouda, grainy mustard, salsa verde, pickled artichoke, iceberg lettuce.”

The key here is that, unlike the hot subs, there are a variety of tastes and textures — the meaty turkey, the creamy cheese, the crispy lettuce, and the sharp mustard and salsa verde are a winning combo. It seems like a lot of lettuce, but it’s nicely dressed, so it adds a ton of flavour, not to mention the very satisfying crunch and freshness.

It’s a great balance of flavours that’s all held together by a fresh, tasty bun; it’s a seriously top-notch sandwich.

I also got a scoop of ice cream, because it’s an ice cream shop, so of course I got some ice cream. I got the coconut cream pie, which is rich, creamy, and thoroughly coconutty, with tasty cookie chunks interspersed throughout.

Sticky Bun Perfection at Sticky Bakery

Published on August 10, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 621 Saint Clair Avenue West, Toronto
Website: https://stickybuns.ca/

I was thinking recently about how much I miss the Prairie Girl Bakery, which served the best cupcakes in town for years, and then became a tragic victim of the pandemic. A quick googling revealed that the owner has subsequently opened a new place which, as you might surmise from its name, specializes in sticky buns.

I’m not sure why it’s not getting more hype, because it’s seriously, seriously good.

They serve a stellar sticky bun. It’s sweet, saucy, and perfectly moist. The pastry itself is ultra-fluffy and delightful, and the cinnamon/caramel flavour is right where you want it to be.

I just checked their website and apparently the default version has pecans, which I either didn’t see or they didn’t have when I visited. Clearly, I’m going to have to go back, because it seems pretty clear that pecans would enhance this thing.

I also tried the version topped with cream cheese frosting, which was very good, though I have to admit that I preferred the plain. The frosting was tasty, but the sticky bun was already so incredibly delicious on its own that the cream cheese kind of just got in the way.

Seriously though, pecans?? I need to go back ASAP.

A Pleasant Cheesy Scone from Prairie Boy Bread

Published on August 3, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 201 Geary Avenue, Toronto
Website: https://www.instagram.com/prairieboybread/

I mainly came to Prairie Boy to try the double-fermented multigrain sourdough, which Toronto Life recently called one of the best loaves of bread in the city. And yeah, that’s a serious loaf of bread; it’s dense, hearty, and has a delightfully aggressive sourdough flavour, with a sour tang that’s almost too intense (tang for days!). It’s very good.

(Alas, I completely forgot to take a photo, so you’ll have to use your imagination; it’s round, rustic, and seriously seedy.)

I figured I’d try one of their pastries while I was there, so I went with the cheesy scone. I wish they had heated this up, or served it fresher, because it was a bit clammy. But aside from that it was quite tasty, with a nice buttery flavour and a good amount of cheese.

Also, I don’t think this bakery has any affiliation with the sadly departed Prairie Girl Bakery, but man, remember that place?? Because I do. RIP.

Decent Ice Cream at West End Waffles and Scoops

Published on August 1, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 499 Runnymede Road, Toronto
Website: https://www.instagram.com/westendwafflesandscoops/

I generally don’t pay much attention to ice cream shops that don’t make their own ice cream, but I figured I’d give West End Waffles and Scoops a shot. They serve Shaw’s Ice Cream, an Ontario-based company that seemed like it might be a bit more interesting than the usual Kawartha or Nestle.

Outside of the ice cream, I think West End Waffles and Scoops makes pretty much everything else from scratch, including waffles, sauces, cookies, and cones. I went pretty simple, however, and just got a scoop of Grammy’s Cupboard, which features a vanilla base with brownie pieces, cookie dough chunks, and peanut butter swirled throughout.

It’s not bad. It’s not on the level of the better places in the GTA, but the ice cream is nice and creamy with plenty of tasty mix-ins, and a clear step up from something you’d find in a supermarket freezer.

Quick Bites: Churnt Up, Nord Lyon, Canada’s Wonderland

Published on July 27, 2022 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Cinnamon Toast Crunch ice cream at Churnt Up

I decided recently that if I eat something I don’t particularly enjoy, I’m not going to write all that much about it — I think there’s enough negativity in the world, and I’d rather spend my energy focusing on stuff I like rather than stuff I don’t. That being said, I’ll say that Cinnamon Toast Crunch is a great flavour for ice cream, and I’ll leave it at that.

Strawberry croissant at Nord Lyon

The strawberry croissant at Nord Lyon is named after the bakery; it’s always a safe bet to order a restaurant’s namesake dish, and in this case, the croissant has a nice buttery flavour and a healthy amount of sweet strawberry jam. It was pretty stale when I tried it, but maybe you’ll have better luck?

Funnel cake at Canada’s Wonderland

It turns out that Canada’s Wonderland is actually pretty boring for food — at least half of the eateries are locations of Pizza Pizza or Subway, and the rest all serve stuff like burgers and chicken strips, with almost none of the over-the-top carnival-style fun you might expect. But! They still serve funnel cakes — topped with soft serve and a chunky strawberry sauce — and they’re just as good as you remember. No… better. If there’s a better combo than fresh fried dough, creamy ice cream, and sweet strawberry sauce, I’d like to hear about it.