Squash Poutine (Oddseoul)
cheese curds, curried gravy, kewpie mayo, kimchee
Oddseoul was the best place I ate at in Toronto, and its squash poutine was the best thing I ate in Toronto. The cubes of squash were shockingly crisp.
Bulgogi Cheesesteak (Oddseoul)
O.S. Wings (Oddseoul)
Its wings were shockingly crisp too – and portioned generously.
Tongue on Brioche (The Black Hoof)
"Pop 'n Chips" Blood Pudding (The Black Hoof)
blood terrine with ketchup chips and dr. pepper gastrique
Horse Tartare (The Black Hoof)
YOLO.
I've actually eaten raw horse before – horse sashimi at a hotel in China.
Foieberry Shortcake (The Black Hoof)
I didn't expect the foie gras to be cooked, and berries with cooked foie gras is a clunky pairing, but I was reminded of how incredible cooked foie gras tastes.
Also: I didn't expect to see a restaurant kitchen equipped with a single-oven electric range.
Pig Face Fries (Grand Electric)
I couldn't really discern pig face. If I didn't know that they contained pig face, I would've guessed that they were polenta fries deep-fried in rancid oil.
Hand-Cut French Fries (Big Smoke Burger)
Best fast food chain fries I've ever eaten. A New York City location is opening soon. Yes!
Station Burger (Richmond Station)
lettuce, beet chutney, aged cheddar, milk bun, rosemary fries, jardiniere
I had to try Top Chef Canada season two winner Carl's restaurant. His burger was fine. The accompanying fries, though… [drools]
Cranberry Onion Turkey Fiesta Burger (Hero Certified Burgers)
With a name like that, I had to try it. It was alright.
Did a hero certify the burgers? Or did, like, a notary public certify Hero's burgers?
Kalbi Beef Taco (Banh Mi Boys)
Korean barbecue wrapped in Indian paratha flatbread and dressed like a Vietnamese sandwich – multi-cultural awesomeness.
Kimchi Fries (Banh Mi Boys)
spicy pulled pork, sweet mayonnaise, green onions
Plain mayonnaise as the only sauce was a struggle.
Peameal Bacon Sandwich (Carousel Bakery)
"Toronto's iconic sandwich." I imagined a panelle sandwich with strips of bacon, but no, it's just a basic pork sandwich.
Crack Rolls (Electric Mud)
milk buns, smoked butter (salty whipped butter laced with pork fat drippings straight from a southern pride smoker)
More like Crack Butter.
Shrimp and Grits (Electric Mud)
gulf shrimp, smoked cheddar grits, corn truffle bbq sauce, smoked ham hocks
More like Killer Ham Hocks and Some Other Shit.
Beef Brisket Sandwich (Electric Mud)
montreal-style smoked brisket, molasses bbq sauce, chipotle mayo, provolone cheese, onions
More like "Holy Cow!" Sandwich.
Pork Side Ribs (Electric Mud)
heritage pork done carolina-style, thai glaze
Eh…not so good. Resistant – and sour!
Fried Bologna Sandwich (Home of the Brave)
bologna, house-made american cheese, toasted pistachios, spicy sour cream
Home of the Brave is an America-themed restaurant in Canada. The employees wear shirts emblazoned with Benjamin Franklin's "Join, or Die" cartoon.
I had to psych myself up to eat bologna with American cheese, but was reminded of why I consumed so much of both as a child.
Kentucky Fried Handshake Sandwich (Home of the Brave)
fried chicken, mayo, iceberg lettuce, louisiana hot sauce
The foot is just for show. You're supposed to cut it off before eating the sandwich.
Red Velvet Funnel Cake (Home of the Brave)
Alas, the banana split –
Banana Split (Home of the Brave)
deep-fried corn-flake-crusted banana, chocolate ice cream, vanilla bourbon ice cream, strawberry ice cream, cream cheese icing, caramel, chocolate sauce, chocolate-covered corn flake clusters, bourbon cherry
– was unavailable.
Oatmeal Cookie with Dark Chocolate Chunks and Toffee Pieces (Sweet Flour Bake Shop)
"Made-to-order cookies in two minutes" – select a dough base, select mix-ins, and wait. A unique business. Shame that the cookie was mediocre.
Chocolate Apricot Rugulah (Phipps Bakery)
Eat this, not that.
OMG's Dark Chocolate Clusters (Shoppers Drug Mart)
chocolatey graham clusters with almonds and toffee bits
Terrible name, addictive treat. I'm currently figuring out a way to import them.
"Dynamite" Chocolate Tablet (Nadège Patisserie)
A chocolate bar with Pop Rocks, eh?
Ovaltine Cheesecake (Lamesa Filipino Kitchen)
malt chocolate whipped cheesecake with a brown butter polvoron crumble
[pause]
HO. LEE. SHIT.
I can mail you candy from shoppers drug mart.