Foodie | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

Foodie: Southern Accent

1 October, 2009 Nelia

I’m not sure about you, but I’ve been stuck in a food rut lately. Same types of food, same restaurants, same old. Boring! And seeing how I love food and eating, I’ve decided to try new things and explore new places. Good goal, no? Recently, when le boyfriend and I were trying to figure out where to eat, I remembered hearing about the restaurant called Southern Accent – Cajun cuisine in a quirky Victorian townhouse setting smack in the middle of the Annex. Sounded interesting, and upon inspecting the menu and the story on the restaurant’s website, I was definitely intrigued!

Finding the place is a little bit tricky, but as long as you know that it’s off Bathurst, and located on Markham Street, you should be fine. The décor is very Mardi Gras meets…George Rodrigue! Beads, feathers, weird puppets, Doug the Travelling Dog’s corner, masks, glitter, tarot cards (psychic readings take place every evening), paintings, funky colors…it’s all there, and makes for a pretty cool dining experience! And though the ambiance is different, the main attraction is definitely the food!

We ordered the Cajun Jambalaya and Fish of the Day (Spicy Halibut). I also wasn’t going to leave without trying some of their Corn Bread, and man, it was so freaking yummy that I even forgot to take a picture! The Jambalaya was not too spicy, but had a bit of a kick and came with a small piece of blackened chicken, which left me baffled at the fact that they don’t offer a full-sized Blackened Chicken on their menu, because it was very tasty! And while I was a little disappointed at the lack of blackened fish/chicken, the Halibut was nevertheless very good, and without the strong fishy taste that I do not like.

Overall, our Southern Accent experience was pretty great! We enjoyed the food, the cool décor, the service, and the corn bread! And Cajun was indeed a nice change from my regular Italian-Asian-Chicken Wings-Sushi rotation. And while I loved the place, I’m curious to know what your Southern Accent experience was like (if you’ve been). Yay or nay?

More pics after the jump!

[Read more…]

Foodie: Samovar Room

1 September, 2009 Nelia

I have to admit that when it comes to bar hopping, I always stay within my comfort zone (Yorkville, or King St. W.), so when I heard about the opening of Samovar Room in Cabbagetown (51A Winchester St.), I jumped at the opportunity to explore Toronto a little more. The area is a host to many lovely-looking cafes and restaurants, and I will definitely be going back to explore those little hidden gems. As for the Samovar Room, Al and I thouroughly enjoyed our visit! I am not a great judge of drinks, so according to the expert (Al), the Cosmos were great…and I can attest that the champagne with strawberries was yummy! As was the food! We were served traditional Russian “zakuski” all through the night, which included various types of sausage (kolbasa), salmon rolls, delicious rye breads, and even Russian pizza! Perhaps I am a bit biased, but having been raised on those traditional foods myself, I definitely enjoyed every single item I ate!

I loved the propaganda posters on the walls, the paintings, and the hats worn by the bar’s staff! And the service was great too! The place was packed, but we still got to try every single hors d’oeuvre, thanks to our super attentive server! After a few drinks, my friend and I were itching to dance, but had to go home before the fire-eating go-go dancers had begun their performance, it was a Thursday night and we both had to work the next day. Boo!

So if you are looking for a new place to grab a drink or two with friends, definitely check out Samovar Room! Surprisingly, Cabagetown was not at all a hassle to get to! Just take the streetcar East on Carleton St. and you’re there in no time!

More pics of Samovar Room after the jump!

[Read more…]

Foodie: MoRoCo Chocolat

10 August, 2009 Nelia

Have you been to MoRoCo yet? If not, go right now! Not only do they sell fresh mouthwatering macarons and chocolates, this Yorkville restaurant also serves adorable non-desert-looking deserts! I really like their Burger and Fries with Raspberry “ketchup”…Yum! This was my second time trying it, and the novelty still has yet to worn off! Next time I’ll be trying their “Spring Rolls”; they sounded delicious, but the Burger is simply more photogenic. Plus, the sugar cookie fries are soo good with raspberry coulis! I’m actually thinking of making this myself. I’ll substitute the chocolate mousse patty for a brownie, and perhaps add fruit to the equation. Maybe kiwi instead of lettuce, bananas for cheese, and strawberries for ketchup? Hmm…If I do end up making this, I’ll post the end result here. Anyway, the point is – if you’re looking for a new place to try, check out MoRoCo, with classy ambiance and yummy deserts, it surely won’t disappoint!

Foodie: Petite Thuet

20 July, 2009 Nelia

I love macarons! Love them! Can eat a million of them at once! Not the North American “macarooooons”, not the ones of the coconut variety (although I find those tasty also)…No, not those! The French macarons are the ones that I love! Those that know me, would know that I am always on the hunt for those little delicious cookie-type pastries. One time, my boyfriend even had his friend spend hours and hours searching for a tiny macaron shop in Montreal, so that she could bring some back for me (thanks, hun!). In short, I love macarons! So imagine my delight, when Jo and I discovered this little gem of a place smack in the middle of Toronto’s financial district! The place that made my heart go pop is called Petite Thuet (apparently named after the chef that makes everything in the shop). Not only do they sell macarons, but the best of charcuterie, paninis, and some amazing-looking (and tasting) French pastries. They also sell Boylan sodas (mmm, Black Cherry!). I think I’m in heaven! The downside is that the place is a little pricey for my usual lunch-run, so I’ll just have to try and pace myself. And even though most of the macarons that they sell aren’t as good as the ones at Moroco, the black currant ones were to die for!

[Read more…]

Foodie: Southern Accent

Foodie: Samovar Room

Foodie: MoRoCo Chocolat

Foodie: Petite Thuet

WHO IS NELIA?

Subscribe to Blog via Email

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

LET’S GET SOCIAL!

Subscribe to Blog via Email