veggrl

The AGO is opening soon... they always did a stellar brunch. I believe it was both a Saturday and Sunday thing.

Anyone know where to find chestnut flour in Toronto? Tried Puseteries with no luck. Thanks

Again, these are problems that should be addressed with a manager at the time, not with a note after the fact. These could be the faults of a server, and management should be informed immediately. Just curious, how much time has elapsed since you let them know of your bad experience?

Did you speak to a manager about this charge? Maybe it was just the waiter trying to get the cheque higher. If I ever have a problem in a restaurant I much prefer to talk to a manager about it to see how they will solve my complaint. Then if I still feel that they didn't follow through I will post negative comments on the internet. As for charges in splitting an appetizer... it totally makes sense. Usually there is more garnish added and is also made to look a little larger, sometimes splits just look plain silly. There is also the added cost in the dish pit for extra plates. Honest, hard working restauranteurs don't always deserve the negativity that anonymous posts can generate. My 2 cents.

Was looking through my bernardin canning book and wanted to do a corn relish but the recipe calls for cleargel. A type of cooking starch, does anybody know where to buy it in Toronto? Thanks so much.

They do love their salt there, you'd think it would have been resolved by now. I've been at the kitchen bar and watched the cooks give very generous additions of salt before sending the plates out. I love salt but...

Bymark and Canoe are also the two hardest places to get reservations at. I was referring to the many other restaurants that don't do the event quite as well.

Over hyped is all that comes to mind. The way restaurants make $$$$ during this event is to do as many covers as possible. So no doubt you'll be rushed in, fed and rushed out. All the while the kitchen is over taxed and the servers are running to keep up with demand. Save your money and choose one restaurant and enjoy it at full price. It's better to buy one good quality thing, than a few cheaper ones!

I've read the review and all the going's on on chowhound... I think the chowhounders have to understand that Ms. Kates gets paid for her opinion. I think she has good knowledge of food, and fairly reviewed the place after 2 visits. Having never eaten at Sado I can't comment on the food but her complaints sound valid... uni is a beautiful thing if fresh, and horrid if not. She had the horrid and wrote about it. Many chowhounders have absolutely slammed places at length (their opinions), but seem to take this one personally since she mentioned the site. she found a differing opinion of it and did her job. The heart warming tale of donating a portion of his liver is very nice. But while he's away from the shop everything must remain perfect, or close the doors. If I go to any restaurant and pay full pop I expect to get the best that any given place can offer, I don't see discounted prices when the chef is on vacation,or is sick. If the regs. on chowhound stop to think about it, Ms. Kates must take their opinions seriously or she wouldn't have been so let down and shocked at the seemingly terrible experiences she had there. It did not read like a vindictive review, just a bad one, and it has been said in the past "there's no such thing as bad publicity".

My ideal Sunday would be Lai wah heen for some dim sum then sushi Kaji on the Queensway for the most amazing omakase dinner ever. Now I just need to win the lottery...

This thread reminds me of one of the best soups I've ever had. It was in Piedmonte abouut 15 years age. I can't remember how to spell it but to sound it out I would say tofaia(in a beautiful Italian accent of course). It was prepared in an earthen ware crock in the oven over a long cooking time, but what really got me was the chunks of parm. rind that had stewed in the pot till they were very soft, but still al dente. This may all seem very vague but would anyone happen to know this soup? If so any recipes?

If one chooses to not dine at any restaurant that pays the kitchen staff well below minimum wage one would have to avoid just about every fine dining establishment in the city. It is common knowledge that cooks get paid a daily wage, $85.00-$100.00 pre tax for very long days- usually 12-14 hours a day. While some feel that's called an appreticeship, apprentices in any other trade are paid quite well, by the hour. It appears some of Susur's ex cooks left the establishment bitter(which is very common for cooks), and felt the need to report him. Cooking is a very difficult profession, and may seem romantic to some to say they would wash dishes to learn how to make beautiful food,but do this for $600-700 for 2 weeks work and then try to pay rent. I agree it is an investment in your future to learn from the best but unfortunatly the wages really don't increase a whole lot further down the road. There is a serious shortage of cooks willing to work hard for the low wages and soon the industry will suffer, if it isn't already. When one looks at the income difference between the front of the house and the back it is quite staggering. A waiter in a busy fine dining restaurant will earn upwards of $1000.00 a week clear, while the cooks will earn less than half that for much longer days. The business has been this way for a very long time and with any luck things will change- we can only hope so.

A friend of a friend of my best friends uncles neighbours dog walker gave me this info, and he knows alot of people! Please give me a break, spreading rumours is not what this board is all about. Everyone has a past and may have done unsaintly things, but is it Marc's past antics that draws people to eat his food? I hope not, he is truely gifted, and we as adults should be able to form our own opinions as to wheather or not spend our hard earned dollars at his restaurant.

Chefs work long hours, chances are they need a day off while the restaurant is still open. Owning 2 places is one thing but unless the place is closed 2 days in a row(thus losing sales) the chef is going to be absent from the place at some point.

Really?!

Splendido is open on Sunday's and is a good night to go. Usually lot's of restaurant people there on that day. Sunday's are slow in the city and restaurants want to have a full day off to relax, thus the limited openings. But stick with Splendido and you'll be happy.

I don't think you could go wrong with susur's place. Every time I've been there the food has been innovative and intelligently prepared. Yes you'll pay for it but my dinner for 2 at Splendido was also $500.00. I don't think you can compare the two restaurants as far as food and service goes. The fact that the owners are also the chefs is a very good sign. David and Susur are both extremely driven to offer the customer the best food and service possible. Splendido could easily be compared to West in Vancouver with regards to style and calibre of cooking. Both chefs trained classically in top London restaurants. Susur on the other hand has a style of cooking I find truely unique, food that can't be found anywhere else. Too bad it's only 1 dinner, since there are some(not many) good options. Marc Thuet's restaurant is also due to open soon- a wild Alsatian chef who is very gifted at the stoves.

If a trend is just a passing fancy, and a restaurant menu a reflection of a chefs style and personality, then would trendy food not be the product of a schizophrenic chef?

It's funny that when someone receives such continuous critical acclaim that there are people who can't accept it. Yes, Chris Macdonald IS alot to digest, and can be a little crusty around the edges. However; he is the SOLE proprietor of one of the most consistant restaurants in this city. He will never rest on his laurels, or stop trying to push the envelope that much further. There's no flash or glitz in his cooking, just top quality ingredients that do warrant higher prices as the end of the day. One must pay the price for real 30yr. old balsamic, not the stuff most places reduce in a pot to look like the real thing. And if people don't want or understand real products that cost $$$, then don't waste anyones time, money, or effort by going to these places. People who do not understand food and dining will never understand ANY high end restaurant and the prices they charge.

Even so, the food there is not designed(I use that word on purpose) for a refined palate . I think of it as food for the cosmo drinking, cigar and cigarette smoking sullied palates of the club scene. How the likes of Avalon, with such subtle and harmonious flavours, can be in the same league as Rain diminishes the ranking. Rubino even admits it in his show when saying someone can't taste the difference b/w organic or not after he's added all the seasonings that he does.

All I can say in response to the list is "Rain"?????????????? Someone doesn't watch the food network!

I don't know why everyone is so on Kates' case when the Toronto Star's food critic is writing the kind of reviews she does. Yes, kates has her favorite Boys whom she loves, but for the most part they are pretty talented chefs. Pataki, on the other hand has no writing style. One could get pretty drunk if you played the old drinking game of having a shot every time she used the word "fishy". I think the Globe and the Post should give their food writers a huge raise and thank their lucky stars they have writers who know how to write, and have food knowledge to boot.