review – Page 8 – Michael Eats

Jumping on the Poke Bandwagon at Calii Love

Published on November 12, 2018 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 367 King Street West, Toronto
Website: http://www.caliilove.com/

I’m not sure why, but the poke trend that swept through the city a couple of years ago completely passed me by; this was actually my first time trying the now-iconic Hawaiian dish.

The version you’ll find at most Toronto restaurants tends to have a bit more stuff than the real-deal Hawaiian version, which is basically just raw fish, dressing, and maybe some onions and herbs mixed in.

The “Clever” poke bowl I had at Calii Love, on the other hand, comes with: “Raw Yellowfin tuna, gochujang broccoli, crispy shallot, wakame seaweed salad, jalapeno, edamame, sushi rice, wasabi aioli.”

So I don’t know how authentic it is (not at all, I’m thinking), but either way, I quite enjoyed it. There’s a whole lot going on, but all of the components were fresh and tasty, and the overall balance of flavours was really satisfying.

There was also enough of a balance of textures — the crunchy seaweed, the meaty tuna, the soft rice — that it never felt one-note or monotonous.

It actually reminded me a lot of Korean bibimbap, but with a very different flavour profile.

Sandwich Perfection at Tortería San Cosme

Published on November 8, 2018 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 181 Baldwin Street, Toronto
Website: http://www.sancosme.ca/

I recently mentioned that the sandwich at Egg Bae was fine, but that it was a bit one-note; the flavours and textures were all monotonous, and it was kinda boring to eat.

The Conchinita torta from San Cosme is the exact opposite of that. It’s an almost absurdly well-balanced sandwich.

It was my first time back there since it opened; it was very good then, and it’s even better now. The torta I just had was dangerously close to sandwich perfection.

The sandwich comes with pulled pork, refried beans, habanero onions, and fried plantains.

It’s ridiculously good. All the elements work together in such perfect harmony. There’s the tangy pork (which is super tender, but still has some texture) and the creamy beans, which balance perfectly with the mild sweetness of the plantain. The pickled onions add crunch, and their vinegary bite helps to cut the richness from the pork and beans.

Then there’s the crispiness from the fried plantains, not to mention the amazing bread, which is lightly crispy on its exterior and delightfully fluffy inside.

It’s kind of absurd how good the sandwich is. The contrasting flavours and textures are like a perfectly orchestrated symphony.

And it’s made even better with the house-made pickled jalapenos they have on the counter. These things are so good, with an assertive crunch, a vinegary bite, and a mild spiciness. You assume the sandwich can’t get better than it already is, then you add a few of those, and yeah — somehow it gets even more delicious.

FYI: Tom’s Dairy Freeze is Closing for the Season Soon

Published on November 7, 2018 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 630 The Queensway, Etobicoke
Website: http://www.tomsdairyfreeze.ca/

…Specifically, it’s closing in just over a couple of weeks, on the 25th of November. So you should probably head over there while you still can.

Yes, it’s starting to get a bit chilly outside, so an ice cream joint with no indoor seating probably isn’t too high on your list of priorities. But delicious is delicious — cold schmold.

I just tried the Jack and Jill sundae, which features vanilla soft serve topped with chocolate and marshmallow sauces. The soft serve was as creamy and tasty as ever, and the chocolate/marshmallow combination is a clear winner.

Outstanding (if untraditional) Philly Cheesesteaks at Illstyl3 Sammies

Published on November 5, 2018November 5, 2018 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 300 Richmond Street West, Toronto
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Illstyl3-Sammies-227723081025310/

I’ve mentioned before that it’s surprisingly difficult to find a classic Philly cheesesteak in the city (i.e. just steak, onions, and Cheese Wiz or provolone on a roll).

But if every cheesesteak could be as delicious as what they’re serving at Illstyl3 Sammies, then classic shmassic. Because it’s far from traditional, but exceptionally delicious.

And it’s classic enough. The steak, the onions, and the gooey provolone are all perfect. In particular, the steak is exactly as it should be — it’s super tender, and has enough of a beefy taste to assert itself even among the very assertive flavours of the sandwich.

Specifically, they liberally season the beef with some kind of spice blend (the fennel stands out the most, but there’s definitely a lot going on here), and they add in hot peppers along with the onions. They also top the sandwich with a zesty house-made hot sauce that adds a ton of flavour and a very mild spiciness.

The taste is very far from a classic cheesesteak, but it’s got the three things you’re hoping for: it’s beefy, cheesy, and delicious.

My only real complaint is that the roll was a bit on the dry side, but other than that this was a top-shelf sammich.

Top-Notch Gelato at Piccolina Gelato

Published on November 2, 2018 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 85 Portland Street, Toronto
Website: https://piccolina-gelato-e-altra-roba.business.site/

Piccolina Gelato is a tiny little ice cream shop (it’s about the size of a large walk-in closet) that sells gelato and soft serve ice cream.

Maybe it’s because it’s such a small and unassuming space, but my expectations weren’t particularly high.

I was pretty blown away by how good it was.

I had the chocolate hazelnut, and man, it was good. It was maybe a touch too sweet, but aside from that it was first-class gelato.

The texture was amazing — it was rich, silky, and incredibly creamy. It was profoundly satisfying, and certainly, right up there with the best in the city in that regard.

The flavour was almost as good. It had a very assertive chocolate/hazelnut flavour that was quite Nutella-esque. It also had a very generous amount of nut pieces and chocolate chips that helped to amp up the flavour and the texture.

Honestly, aside from the sweetness thing (a minor complaint), everything about it was great. I really, really enjoyed it.