The Week in Yum Oct 25-31

Oh, what a fine week in Yum it has been. It was off to a great start on Friday when I found a box of Nando's Piri Piri sauces on my doorstep just as I was about to make my lunch. My Bubble Chicken Vermicelli Soup quickly became my Piri Piri Bubble with Vermicelli Chicken Soup .






On Saturday, I ventured out in the pissing rain to the Ex to attend the Delicious Food Show. I was supposed to don my Gastropost hat in order to assist The Feisty Jack during their cooking demo in the GE demo kitchen , but the Feisty Jack had to cancel so , instead, I just walked around and checked out the show.

the last legs of a delectable looking Paella from Patria

yummy looking buns from Hot Bunzz

It was small but it was nice to see lost of local talent and not just a ton of corporate exhibitors. There was a jumble of food trucks inside, as well as lots of places to grab a snack. The Food Network had the main stage and brought in TV food stars like Martha Stewart and Chuck Hughes but I didn't see anyone that day - to be honest, the stage was tucked back off to the side and it was kind of dark and I couldn't really see who was on stage so I didn't try too hard.

Lots of fun food vendors, free tastes and cheap wine and beer but the only thing I actually purchased were two stuffed, deep fried rice balls from me.n.u . These things are so delicious I can't believe I haven't tried them before. I had some sort of spicy korean tofu ball with kimchi and a chicken version called "angry birds". The rice balls are super crispy on the outside and there is a just enough gooey, mild cheese along with your chosen filling on the inside, kind of like an asian arancini. Each version is topped with it's own sauces and garnish and it truly was the most delicious looking thing I saw there, hands down.

me.n.u menu

the best balls ever

A really nice vendor passed me some olive oil and olive pate from Spain and now I can't find his card. The award winning Finca La Torre 1260 that he gave me to try is off the hook as far as olive oils go and I need to find him so I can let him know when I write about it. If I could put it in an IV and mainline it, I would.

if you find yourself at Bathurst Station, grab a patty, you can thank me later

On the way home from the food show, I had to grab a piping hot spicy beef patty from the bakery inside the Bathurst subway station because they really are one of the best patties in the city and it's not like I am in the Bathurst station all that often. Patty bliss.

Tom Yum Ramen might not be all that Japanese but it sure is delicious

By the time I got home, I was actually hungry, which is weird considering I spent the afternoon at a food show but I didn't actually eat much. I had a few tiny tastes of products, I ate half of each rice ball but threw the rest out ( I KNOW!) because I am crazy, not because they aren't crazy good and a beef patty. That was it all day and so by about 7:30 I was ready to eat my own foot. As soon as I walked in the door Shack requested ramen but didn't want to drive downtown. After a bit of research I found a place up at Warden and Shepperd called Ajisen , a chain with over 200 restaurants, worldwide. I was a bit skeptical but it turned out to be quite fine indeed. Reflecting the fact that they can found in China, Singapore, Thailand etc, their menu isn't actually an authentic Japanese selection but that is okay with me because it means I got to have a tom yum ramen and it was spicy and flavourful and I was very happy with it. Shack has actually been back at least once since Saturday (that I am aware of). Because it wasn't enough to chow down on a big bowl of ramen, we had to stop y Demetre on the Danforth so we could split a big slice of chocolate brownie cheesecake. Not my thing, really, and way too rich for any of us to ever eat by ourselves but it split three ways nicely, it's opened late and it's good late night people watching.






On Sunday, The Kid wouldn't get out of bed so we abandoned him and went to check out the Junction Flea at The Brickworks. After running into friends, I talked one of the them into having the chicken bahn mi sandwich from FeasTo. Good golly, Miss Molly that was a tasty sandwich. Why have I never had anything from these guys before? The dumplings looked crazy good but the line up was kind of long and by the time I decided I wanted to go back for them, I was ready to move on but the next time I see them somewhere, I am eating ALL THE THINGS.

Next time I am eating the dumplings

the feasTO chicken bahn mi

After leaving the Brickworks, we called another couple of friends we haven't seen in ages and met them at This End Up, one of our favourite spots in town, where we feasted on sandwiches so good that I hate to just call them sandwiches. Shack always labours over the menu before ordering the rare roast beef sandwich. Every time.You know,  rare roast beef sandwich sounds so boring but this thing is anything but. One friend, Sugar (yes, Shack and Sugar, I know, I know) had the Better Mac - what a big mac would be if a big mac was made from all fresh ingredients and his girl had the fish tacos. She took one look at them and said "wow, these are not what I was expecting when you asked if I wanted to get tacos. If I had known they would look like this I wouldn't have said no"

They make pretty much everything on site, including the ketchup and hot sauces and it makes all the difference in the world We shared smelts, pork rillettes (off the specials menu) and korean chicken wings and everyone left so happy and full that I felt like if I didn't eat again for a week, I would be okay with that.

All of this and we haven't even finished the weekend yet.

This certainly isn't MY mom's chicken, thankfully

On Tuesday, I was working with my great friend and fellow hair and makeup artist, Ivy Lam . As luck would have it, we were literally right around the corner from The Galleria Supermarket at Don Mills and York Mills so the minute we wrapped, we high tailed it out to her smart car to get some bird. The Galleria is a really wonderful Korean Supermarket that is also home to a great lunch/take out counter and one of their specialties happens to be fried chicken, served with a side of addictive gochujang sauce. Ivy has been trying to make me eat this chicken for years but you have to wait a good 20+ minutes for it.  They only make it to order and I always forget until AFTER I have finished my grocery shopping and I don't want to wait around. I am actually really happy that my virgin voyage with Mom's Chicken was actually with Ivy Lam and it was every bit as delicious as promised. I brought the leftovers home for dinner and there was still enough left over for The Kid to take in his lunch.

They make their own tofu, roast their own sea salted nori sheets,  carry fresh asian noodles of all shapes and varieties,  sport a wall of various kimchi's, both home made and pre packaged and is my number choice if I need anything even vaguely Korean. Do yourself a favour, get  out to Don Mills and York Mills, order the chicken, shop while they cook it (they give you a beeper and will let you know when it's ready) and then tuck in.

Omg, we are only at Tuesday and I am going into a food coma just writing this.

round 1 of my smoky meatloaf

 Wednesday, I made a new meatloaf for my boys. For this one, I used smoked paprika and tried to do a bit of a Spanish thing but I couldn't find quince and real , dried chorizo so the recipe won't be up until I do but it was certainly delicious and I can't wait for round 2 with rest of the ingredients.

smoky meatloaf on a cheese bun for The Kid's lunch

Thursday was Halloween so we ate candy.

that's Sebastian, Black Butler to you

Okay:

fave pin of the week: because GNOCCHI

fave facebook share of the week:  Because she is trying too hard and kind of full of crap at the end of the day

fave instagram of the week:  BOO

fave tweet of the week:

Candied ginger is surprisingly easy to make. Just boil your ginger and your sugar until they're crystallized + chewy: http://t.co/5kcAoV6VmS
— Food52 (@Food52) October 30, 2013