The Well – Michael Eats

Quick Bites: Chinese Bakery, Milk & Cookies, Rosso Pasta Bar

Published on November 1, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Red bean pineapple bun from Chinese Bakery

I had a red bean pineapple bun from the very generically-named Chinese Bakery (that’s gotta be a nightmare for SEO) and it was totally fine. Tasty enough, but probably about as generic as the name of the bakery. It’s got a good level of sweetness, it was fresh enough, and the red bean paste is nice and chunky (though the bigger pieces of red bean were a bit too firm). The cookie top was very soft and mostly fell off before I could eat it, and the bun itself was a bit dense, but I didn’t dislike eating it.

Chocolate chip cookie from Milk & Cookies

Speaking of fine desserts from generically-named bakeries, the chocolate chip cookie at Milk & Cookies in Kensington Market is pretty good. It’s tasty. It’s a chocolate chip cookie; it’s very, very hard to go wrong there. Nothing here particularly stood out, and the level of salt was a bit overcranked, which kinda overwhelmed the other flavours, but again, it’s a chocolate chip cookie. It doesn’t have to be the best one you’ve ever had to be perfectly enjoyable.

Rosso Bolognese from Rosso Pasta Bar

Quick serve pasta joints seems to be a burgeoning trend in the city, and sure, why not — it’s an easy thing to take on the go, and it’s cheap and satisfying. Or theoretically cheap? My pasta bowl cost $16.99; it’s upsetting to contemplate, but I guess that isn’t particularly expensive by 2026 standards?? Anyway, I ordered the bolognese (“Rigatoni, slow-simmered beef ragù, parmigiano reggiano”), and it was fine. The fresh pasta was nicely al dente (though that wasn’t the case for everyone I went with) and the sauce was tasty enough. I’d compare the flavour to a nicer jarred sauce, like Rao’s, though the ground beef was overcooked and dry. I don’t think I’d come back here given what they’re charging, but I’m not mad I gave them a shot.

Unique Eats at Japan Taco

Published on October 25, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 486 Front Street West, Toronto (inside Wellington Market)
Website: https://www.japantaco.ca/

Japan Taco started as one of those booths you see at various street festivals around the city, and eventually they were successful enough to open a couple of permanent locations. They’ve got one on Queen Street, and now, this one in The Well.

So what is a “Japan Taco”? It’s kind of like a cross between a poke bowl, onigiri, and a taco. It’s interesting.

I ordered the Miso Salmon, which features a sizable piece of miso-glazed salmon, mashed avocado, pickled radish (I think?), sushi rice, and a bunch of other stuff (I can’t find a description of this anywhere online, so I’m not 100% sure what was in there — it was a lot).

The nori shell is what makes this really distinctive. I sort of figured this would be similar to the lightly crispy nori in onigiri, but it has a hearty crisp-factor that I found to be surprising and delightful. And the intense crispiness remained right until the last bite, never sogging up. It has what appears to be panko on its exterior, so I guess it’s breaded and fried?

Otherwise, this was pretty satisfying, with a well-prepared piece of salmon and a bunch of other tasty stuff. The flavour could have been amped up a bit (maybe you’re meant to add soy sauce or dip it in something?), but otherwise I quite enjoyed it.

Quick Bites: Giragi, Barbershop Patisserie, Queen’s Pasta Cafe

Published on August 8, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Lamb Wrap from Giragi

I previously tried the steak wrap from Giragi, and it was stellar. I just tried the vochkhar (lamb), and it was just as good. Clearly, the people in charge of this place know their stuff. As per the menu, this particular wrap comes stuffed with “jajekh, xaviar, pickled turnip, pevaz.” To translate, jajekh is a cucumber yogurt salad, xaviar is an eggplant spread, and pevaz is a mix of onion and parsley. It’s a really, really tasty wrap. It’s so much stuff, and it seems like it should be overstuffed (and technically, it probably is — it’s a mess), but all the flavours work so well together, and the perfectly spiced lamb patties are thoroughly delicious. It’s so good.

Brownie from Barbershop Patisserie

Speaking of things that are obscenely delicious, the brownie from Barbershop is ridiculously good. Like, one of the best brownies I’ve ever had. It’s got an amazingly rich, chocolatey flavour, and the perfectly fudgy-but-light texture has a great chewiness that I can barely even describe. It’s pretty special.

Meatball Sandwich from Queen’s Pasta Cafe

As the name implies, Queen’s Pasta Cafe is mostly about pasta, though they do have a lunch menu with a few sandwiches. I went with the meatball (“Meatballs with Arugula, Mozzarella Cheese and Tomato sauce”), and it was okay. The meatballs were actually quite good, with a nice meaty flavour, a tender texture that isn’t too soft, and a rich sauce. But the stale bun was a bit of a disaster. This is probably my fault, however, for ordering something that isn’t pasta at a restaurant with pasta in its name. Those meatballs would have been boffo on spaghetti, I’m sure.

Tasty Thai Food at Kao Kang

Published on May 17, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 486 Front Street West, Toronto (inside Wellington Market)
Website: https://kaokang.ca/

Kao Kang, which is part of The Well’s recent expansion, is a spinoff of Koh Lipe, a Michelin-noted Thai restaurant downtown.

Michelin-adjacent eats in a food court? Yeah, sign me up.

The guy behind the counter noted that the pad gra prao (“holy basil, chili, green bean, garlic, fried egg on rice”) is their most popular dish, so that’s what I went with. You can get it with either chicken or beef; I went with beef.

I enjoyed it. Was it the best version of this dish that I’ve ever had? No, absolutely not. But it’s still a food court. Let’s temper our expectations here.

It’s very, very sweet, and is kinda lacking in the umami punch that you typically get from this dish. It’s a bit one-note in its flavour, but is thoroughly pleasant, with a mild spicy kick and a perfectly cooked fried egg on top. I don’t think I’d order it again, but I’m not mad I ate it.

A Tasty, Beefy Sandwich at Giragi

Published on January 4, 2026 by Michael NusairLeave a comment

Location: 486 Front Street West, Toronto (inside Wellington Market)
Website: https://www.giragito.ca/

Wellington Market at the Well was already one of the better food courts in the city, but the recent expansion — with places like Bear Steak Sandwiches, Chen Chen’s Nashville Hot Chicken, and The Carvery — makes it hard to beat.

Giragi is another one of the newer places in the food court. It’s an offshoot of Taline, a Michelin-noted restaurant, and yeah, they clearly know what they’re doing.

They serve a variety of meats (and falafel) that you can get in a sandwich or a bowl. I went with the davar (beef) which comes topped with “pickled cucumber, hummus, pevaz, toum, chilli, cilantro, parsley.”

It’s a great sandwich. The first bite is pretty much just sauce, but once you get past that, it’s absolutely crammed with good quality beef. It’s basically a steak sandwich with Armenian flavours, and it’s quite delicious.

That beef, in particular, is just right — it’s cut into fairly sizey chunks, but they’re all tender enough, with rosy pink meat within, that this totally works. They also have a very distinctly smoky flavour from the grill. I liked it a whole lot.