The Week In Yum Nov 1-7

The Wren - look at that little surprise at the bottom of your beer glass


This week, we went back to Ajisen on Saturday with friends who were ramen virgins and I had the tom yum beef. It was just as good as last time which is encouraging because it means it is pretty consistent. I hate it when I eat somewhere and it's really good and then I go back a few times and it's never that good again. The ramen seemed to be a hit with the friends so everyone left full and happy.







Sat night, Shack couldn't watch the Leafs get pounded one minute longer so we went out for a drive, hoping to find some Diwali action in India Town. It must have been too late because there wasn't much going on so we continued to drive around when I remembered that I really wanted to check out The Wren on the Danforth. I am happy to report that the place was jumping. Great cocktails, really interesting list of beers and food that looked and smelled delectable. We had already eaten so we just had some tasty guacamole as a snack but I am hoping to drop in this weekend, either for dinner or for brunch. The menu is kind of funky southwestern and it looks likes it's full of yummy choices, the portions are generous and the prices are affordable. It's got a very Leslieville/west end vibe going on which is sooooo needed in our end of the city.

I had an Apple-Fennel Gin and Tonic - tanquery, pear bitters, house made apple fennel tonic with some pickled fennel and I could easily see myself making this my regular cocktail. It had a hit of bitterness, which I love in a cocktail and Shack ordered the Ginger Bean-  Spiced box whiskey, a splash of apple juice, house made ginger syrup and Beaus Lagered Ale over ice. His drink one was a bit too sweet for me but he loved it. The decor is really inviting and funky with one wall sporting exposed, worn away brick with an old, hand painted cola sign on it that they exposed when they ripped out the drywall while renovating.

 I only wish it was in The Beach so that we could easily walk there but at two subway stops away, I will take it.



Sunday we made a three cheese lasagna with a modified version of the Marcella Hazan tomato sauce with great success.









Want to see something sad? A friend offered to bake a pie for every once of her friends who would get a flu shot so look what we did Sunday afternoon so we could have three pies?
THREE PIES PEOPLE!










Monday was a lunch date with my friend Kate who wanted to try something other than Pho for lunch. This was perfect because I wanted to try out the thai food at a newish restaurant on kingston road just east of warden, Jatujak.



We ordered pad thai with NO spice for Kate and she was happy that it was mild but still full of flavour, perfectly cook, not clumpy or slimy or red with ketchup like too many of the other local places.
My green curry chicken was so delicious that I actually kept eating long after I was full and had to call him over to take it away and pack it up before I exploded like a gold fish with a bottomless box of fish food clasped firmly in his hot little fins.  I think it's the tastiest thai I have had in the east end since Jean closed Jeans Fine Food and Catering up on the Danforth and I can't wait to order take out for The Kid.





Tuesday, Hogtown Smoke finally opened for business on Queen St E in The Beach! Woohoo! We have eaten their tasty bbq from their food truck but now we can eat it whenever we want in their brand spanking new brick and mortar joint. I got the mixed sampler and chose Carolina pulled pork, the brisket and a Patron smoked chicken, baked beans and slaw.
Happy.




Wednesday I went shopping with one of the MVPs and introduced her to my favourite Korean grocery store, Galleria Supermarket. She was excited to try out some new things and we are planning to go back this weekend to shop and eat lunch. I will report back next Friday.




Thursday, I worked on my first real tv commercial in well over a decade and then ran off to a fundraising cocktail party thing, courtesty of Gastropost,  at Ruby Watchco with Chef Lynn Crawford to get people on board for Cook for the Cure. I got there too late to enjoy the food so I took my date and fellow blogger, Ms Planet Byn, across the street to Picnic Wine Bar to not drink wine. I wish I could have a lovely flight of wine but I was driving and had just finished a 13 hr work day so I had to settle for a coffee but our bartender gave me the most delicious expresso simple syrup to ramp it up and it was so tasty, I almost felt like I was having a cocktail anyway. I hadn't eaten a ton at work (set catering gives me terrible gas if you must know and out of respect to my fellow crew members, I try to keep that action to a minimum. Bet you wish you didn't ask) so I ordered a wee tapa style treat and Byn had the flourless chocolate cake. My little albondigas were super spicy and smoky and were the perfect late night snack. The dark chocolate cake was served with a sprig of rosemary which didn't sound appetizing at all but Ms Byn swears that it was the perfect accompaniment to the cake and she was surprised that the rosemary didn't overpower the cake. I, myself, wouldn't know since she gobbled it up before I could steal a bite. In fairness, I did the same with my little meatballs and didn't offer her a bite. We both clearly really needed exactly what we ordered.
terrible low light picture of a delicious flourless chocolate cake with rosemary


Fave pin of the week:  who doesn't want to make their own sweet chili sauce?

Fave facebook share of the week:  Very handy with holiday season coming up

Fave instagram of the week: must.eat.now

Fave food find of the week: no link to it, but the inhouse nori with sea salt made at Galleria

Fave tweet of the week:


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