Jake

^Excellent. I think I'll check into this later! Thanks for the info.

Awesome, Marlene! Aeroplan, was it? Hmmmm. But what I really, really need is a larger leC for braising than I currently have. I bet they don't do open stock, hmm?

Adam & Jack, lmao, thanks for the humour! Indeed, Adam, I agree with you about haggis, for those that eat sausage, there is little to be squeamish about with haggis. Endy', I believe they are open at lunch, but I have no idea of how busy it is. I've only been once and don't know the area well at all. I think they are closed Sunday and Monday. edited for spelling

Arz or Nasr Foods on Lawrence east (just west of Warden) or any other Middle Eastern shop. Downstairs at the St. Lawrence market.

Aye, Jamie. Everyone should try it once (go for it Sadistick, you might be pleasantly surprised - do you eat tripe, sweetbreads etc?) Funny thing about customs, they really do seem to get pissy about meat smugglers! Where are your favourite places on this side of the pond for haggis, bacon and the like?

I'm told they did, and everything worked out in the end. Perhaps it was just an off night for the servers in question.

Almost an exact replica, Adam....my thanks! Of course, now I'm hungry... The owners are ex-pat Scots and have taken great pains to keep things authentic to satisfy the ex-pat clientele. Frank apparently makes his own Ayrshire bacon for sandwiches as well.

Wolfchef - It was still in it's casing, lightly battered (similar to fish batter) and deep fried as one piece. Ended up looking like a fat sausage, they are individually portioned. Sorry, I didn't expect to be there and didn't have a camera. SB - no stick, luv, sorry! KevV - good haggis is imho a thing of beauty. Bad haggis, well you can only imagine, trust me. As for canned, I think I'll pass, but do let us know if you try it and live to tell about it! edit to correct fact that "it" was in it's casing, not "I"!

We had the pleasure of dining at High Street Fish & Chips last night for the first time based on a friends reccomendation. Although out of the way for us, worth it for the star of the evening: Deep fried haggis Oh was this good, an excellent specimen, peppery, full of flavour with just the barest crust of batter Also had halibut & chips, excellent, real old fashioned genuine fish & chips and very good homemade coleslaw. The condiments on the table are real malt vinegar and brown sauce. Heaven on a plate, if not for the arteries. High Street is run by Frank & June McNie, who used to own McNie's Fish & Chips in Etobicoke until they sold it a few years ago to take a break and run a B&B in Niagara. All I can say is thank God they came back! We had a lovely chat with them after the meal and will definitely be back. (June's shortbreads are not to be missed and I understand her steak and chicken pies are fabulous too) High Street is located on Underhill Dr., north of Lawrence, east of the DVP in a small strip plaza. Maybe not convenient, but worth it. Other than around Robbie Burns day I haven't seen haggis or black pudding and such on a menu in Toronto in awhile.

Have you been there a lot, or recently? Friends, whose judgement I normally trust, were there recently and said while the food was good, the service was awful enough to change the tone of the evening.

What kind of bread are we having Marlene? I need some ideas as all my faves needed to be started last night, and I didn't do it 'cause I was too busy playing with the new puppy. I note that Susan started hers last night even with everything going on. Very impressive ladies, and just to add my two cents worth (although I have no right as I do smoke) it is never a failure to slip a bit, all the cigarettes you didn't smoke are the success.

You are positively clairvoyant, Ms. Kates. ← Yeah, it's a constant. But she's not wrong on this topic. (I don't really care about whether someone takes my coat or not - but indifferent (not necessarily even inept when attention is (finally) paid - although there is no shortage of that either) service is the rule rather than the exception here. And at all levels of dining, in my experience. That just should not be the case). Exceptions, of course, abound. If this thread grows legs, I hope that examples of exemplary service will come to the fore. And that egulleters and others reading this will check out those establishments. And, now, back to my rant. George Brown has courses in Culinary Management that deal primarily with front of house. Where are those people going? What are they learning? Are they - if slowly - improving the service in Toronto and area restaurants? Why don't the restauranteurs here give a shit about decent service? (No doubt many do - at least in the abstract, but service in TO restos remains circumspect at best.) Who, if anyone, will rise up and be our Danny Meyer? Can I highjack this thread into a broader commentary on service in TO restos (Anna N? Jake?). If not, I think it deserves its own thread. Cheers, Geoff Ruby ← I would think we can continue talking about Toronto in this context, but I also agree that perhaps a separate thread on great service in Toronto would be an excellent idea. I have to say, personally, I find service in Toronto to be lacking much of the time and I'll qualify that by saying I have worked both FOH and BOH over the years. In NYC I became accustomed to good service most of the time, often in Toronto I am surprised by a waiter knowing/having sampled the menu, even in better places, let alone the courtesy and politeness one might become accustomed to in other cities.

Welcome, Tyatt. Thanks for the info. Look forward to your posts in the forum.

Do you need some more? I could pop another tube in the mail....

Marlene, what Susan said about the green beans, blanched and in the skillet with butter, and add some good Dijon and some chopped chives as well. Yummy, and the mustard would be a nice foil to the short ribs richness. As for the smoking, good for you all. And Brooks too. I've been debating it for awhile. Last time I quit, I quit cold turkey, lasted for 2 plus years. While it may have been purely psychological the one thing I did when I wanted one was drink ice water with a sh*tload of lemon slices/juice in it. Don't know why, but it worked for me. Hardest time, cocktail hour. Best of luck.

Bump. Best place I've found to buy pure (100%) pommegranite juice is the St. Lawrence market, downstairs grocery at the back $4.99/litre.

Pizza for dinner last night, but too hungry for pictures. It was a different one, but I had a craving: brushed the dough with some good evoo, added some "truffle relish" basically finely chopped "summer" truffles in oil with spices and soem mushrooms, covered that with carmelized red onion, smoked duck breast, baby arugula and an excellent mozzarella. Yum. Even the SO, who insists on tomato sauce loved this one!

Well, apparently we frequent the same places when in Kensington! I like La Perola for Latin ingredients as well, and I always buy my eggs from the egg lady down there. I have to be near there later today, I definitely need eggs, and probably an order of Tacos Al Pastor as well! Thanks for posting a picture of your Dad's place, will have to stop in for a drink soon. Perhaps you could add some info about it on the board, with full disclosure of course!

Normally, I can take it as a compliment, or ignore it. However, in one instance it was impossible. I was down in Florida a couple years ago visiting family, about 30 or 31 at the time. Popped into the local Albertsons for a couple things and some cold beer. Headed up to the checkout and was asked for ID. I was not particularly surprised or bothered. However, I live in Canada, more specifically Ontario. I handed over an Ontario drivers licence, which is a laminated card with both picture, address and birthdate clearly displayed. The cashier took one look at it, leaned over the counter, grabbed my arm (she was HUGE) as hard as she could and started yelling for the police! As luck would have it there was an off duty officer who came running over to help. The cashier is still hanging on and I'm ready to belt her (however, I'm not very big) and with her other hand throws my ID at the officer and tells him it's fake and she wants me arrested!!! WTF?!? Said officer calmly looks at the ID, PRIES the moron's hand from my arm and informs her that the ID is not fake, it's Canadian. The manager is now there and apologizing and the cashier is still demanding the officer arrest me for not telling her I was a "furrinur". I'd had it, I was pissed and just wanted to go home. I asked the officer if her grabbing me and leaving a red mark constitued assault, believe me the manager got me out of there right quick! Sometimes you just have to wonder!!

^Au contraire, estufarian. I love Indian Food (especially home cooked when I am lucky enough to get it) and Trimurti sounds like something I will try. Onion Bhajia can be awful at many places, like lead, but when it's good, it's heaven. Look forward to trying something new. My biggest complaint about a lot of the Indian in Toronto is that it is run of the mill and/or greasy. I find there are certain different dishes I order at different places. I used to love the stuffed naan at Royal Kashmir on Yonge, and the channa masala, but it's gone now.

I don't particularly like Indian Rice Factory, in fact, the meals I've had there have been only so-so, no reason to go back. Cuisine of India is really good, been there when I'm in the area. Siddartha on Gerrard is one I frequent and has always been excellent. KevV, not sure what you mean by the food being "straight ahead"? and you're probably right about Brampton having some good places, but it is a little too out of the way for me most days.

Interesting. Just for my point of reference, what are your other Indian faves, and how spicy do you eat your vindaloo? I've been told the ones at Bombay Bhel are quite bland....thoughts?

Great post missdipsy! I, too, mix my colemans/keenes with cold water for "english" and with hot for "other"! Why do I do this? My mother did! No idea why, I'm sure she'd never even heard of chinese mustard when we were young, but no lunch/sandwich/meal was ever complete for her father without it.

Thanks for your replies, guys, sorry I've been absent, unavoidable business trip. So, to answer some questions, Mo Pancers is on Bathurst, north of Wilson, West side in a strip mall. Definitely a Jewish deli, and I do agree with Mark, I like real Jewish deli. I order the corned beef here usually and have never found it dry. I have never been to Zuppa, but I guess I should add it to my list and see. I forgot about Yitz on Eglinton. Went there about a year ago, wouldn't return. Meat was bland, cole slaw was watery/oily, soup was a bowl of grease. Any others we've missed?

Could you elaborate on that dip? With a recipe if possible....I too will be rooting for Pittsburgh (they've been my team for years and years) and will be hosting a get together. Anything that is "like crack" ought to be a good addition!