Restaurant Comings & Goings

[Eug]

Paramount Fine Foods across from The Eaton Centre took up the old Superior restaurant site. It has some nice beef and ground beef kebabs, but the chicken was a bit dry. However, moutabbal and the kishek with awarma manakeesh I had were very nice. The moutabbal and hummous went great with the nice warm balloon shaped pitas that were toasted on one side. Stay away from the Arayess plate though - quite dry.

It's nice having a sit down middle eastern restaurant downtown, even if they do need to work on a couple of their dishes. Also, some of the stuff came on plastic plates, while others came on stoneware. Odd.

 

[Bayer]

Paramount Fine Foods across from The Eaton Centre took up the old Superior restaurant site. It has some nice beef and ground beef kebabs, but the chicken was a bit dry. However, a lot of the appetizers and the manakeesh I had were very nice.

It's nice having a sit down middle eastern restaurant downtown, even if they do need to work on a couple of their dishes. Also, some of the stuff came on plastic plates, while others came on stoneware. Odd.

I also like their food, though the lighting is a bit extreme. Good place to wear sunglasses at night.

 

[marathe]

I also like their food, though the lighting is a bit extreme. Good place to wear sunglasses at night.

Their commercials on 680 are the WORST thing I've ever heard on the radio. And I'm in a car that plays 680 all day, so accordingly I do not make this statement lightly.

 

[samsonyuen]

Has anyone yet tried The Gabardine on Bay at Richmond? Very positive reviews from friends, although I haven't yet personally tried it.

http://www.torontolife.com/daily/da...opub-in-the-middle-of-the-financial-district/

Wanted to go today, but got caught up at work, so made a quick visit to Clipper Café. Maybe next week...

Earl's in the Sun Life building looks open today (York and King).

 

[samsonyuen]

Went to Gabardine yesterday. Really interesting hipsteresque atmosphere in the Financial District. Mac and cheese decent, cheeseburger pretty salty ( I think it's the cheese they use in both cases). The fries are very good. Never went to Blue Stone, but this one was full at 12 sharp.

 

[Eug]

Their commercials on 680 are the WORST thing I've ever heard on the radio. And I'm in a car that plays 680 all day, so accordingly I do not make this statement lightly.

Heheh. one of the reasons I had avoided it originally was because the commercials were so bad... Or were they? Cuz I actually remember Fuad (or however it's spelled).

BTW, the Kooy Brothers snowblower commercials are similar their style and annoyingness.

 

[FAC33]

Heheh. one of the reasons I had avoided it originally was because the commercials were so bad... Or were they? Cuz I actually remember Fuad (or however it's spelled).

BTW, the Kooy Brothers snowblower commercials are similar their style and annoyingness.

Along with "Dum-de-dum-de-dum-de-dum, doo-Dodds, doo-Dodds".

But they do stick in my mind, much like gum on the bottom of a high-school cafeteria table.

 

[drum118]

I see the landlord has close KFC/Taco Bell on Young St that was lease by Puck and Wing next to Tims at Richmond.

 

[khris]

Young St? Where's that?

 

[marathe]

Heheh. one of the reasons I had avoided it originally was because the commercials were so bad... Or were they? Cuz I actually remember Fuad (or however it's spelled).

BTW, the Kooy Brothers snowblower commercials are similar their style and annoyingness.

Yep, you can call us anytime except Sunday.

Why's that Kooy guy?

Because I'll be in church. Hardyharharhahr. gaaah die in a fire.

 

[urbandreamer]

Young St? Where's that?

It's in Uptown Waterloo. Not much to do there except see baroque music in this really intimate Victorian house. There's a Tim Horton's nearby for the less cultured....

 

[gabe]

Pizza Gigi, shut down !

A well-known Toronto pizza joint has been shut down and the owner faces 15 charges for allegedly selling drugs out of his pizzeria.

Police officers descended on Pizza Gigi, at 189 Harbord St., near Bathurst, just after 1:30 a.m. Monday with a search warrant, a day after opening a drug investigation.

Police said they found $1 million worth of marijuana, half an ounce of crack cocaine, MDMA, Oxycocet and OxyContin inside.

Owner Salvatore Crimi, 57, faces charges including traffic in marijuana, possession of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance.

Pizza Gigi has been operating in the same location for more than 30 years and has built up a reputation as one of the best pizza places in Toronto. It was voted as one of NOW magazine’s Top 5 pizza places in Toronto, despite a sparse decor that consists of little more than a dying palm tree.

Andrew Graham had been a customer at Pizza Gigi for the last 15 years, and said he got a slice about three times a month. “They are the best pizzeria in the city hands down,” he said, adding he was in denial that they were closed.

Graham, 30, a DJ and producer, was at Pizza Gigi for a slice of Sicilian vegetarian around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, taking a late night break between parties. When “Sammy,” as Crimi was known by customers, saw him at the back of a line of about 15 people, he took Graham’s order first.

“They appreciated loyal customers,” Graham said.

Pizza Gigi is located across the street from Central Technical School and is also popular with University of Toronto students.

Several Pizza Gigi enthusiasts were lamenting the loss of the restaurant on Twitter. A few even started the hash tag, #WasThatReallyOreganoOnMyPizza?

According to Pizza Gigi’s corporation records, their business name expired on Jan. 1. 2011. Businesses have 60 days to renew a name, once it is expired.

Crimi has owned the property where Pizza Gigi stands since 1987.

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/938846--pizza-restaurant-shut-down-after-drug-charges-laid?bn=1

 

[NIL OMNI]

That space used to be occupied by a pub whose owner famously said she couldn't stay in business because there were "always" pan-handlers scaring away customers. I suspect it was the mediocre food for gourmet prices that scared people.

The chef has worked at some fantastic places and the menu looks great (I am now craving their mac&cheese). I walked by recently and was amazed to see how bright and airy the space looks now compared to its prior occupant's decor. I am sure they will succeed.

Mercatto may need a facelift to stay competitive, though they still have that tiny patio!

Managed to try The Gabardine today with a buddy. They don't take lunch reservations but the approximately eight people ahead of us were seated within less than 10 minutes and when we asked for a better table than the one that we were eventually shown, we weren't given any attitude at all and were graciously relocated. Place was packed (@1PM ish). Nothing like the dark pub atmosphere from before, quite bright, neutral colours. No nonsense wooden tables and chairs, painted tin ceiling tiles, interesting lighting fixtures over the bar, no table cloths but linen napkins (nice). Action in the kitchen can be seen in the back through a generous pass through window and counter just beyond in the eating area used for final preparation. Place is smallish but cozy. Pretty tight wait staff, organized. Our waiter, despite being very busy, was attentive and actually seemed genuinely nice (how often do people actually give you eye contact with their smiles anymore in Toronto?). Lots of energy in the place (happy people making money I guess). My friend liked his Deviled eggs but they appeared unremarkable visually. He also had the pulled pork sandwich and said it was delicious (not sopping wet as in some places, easy to hold). Oddly came with a salad though instead of fries. Their fries are really belgian style frites but with the skin still on. I had the bacon cheese burger (with a slice of beet, which I'm told is very common now but which was new to me) and it was reasonably sized (oversized burgers can be messy to eat) and quite good - not overcooked, juicy, tender. Several good beers on tap, including Sapporo! My only complaint about the meal was that I found the fries to be too salty - I was parched for literally hours after. Unpretentious little place. By 2:30PM the place had emptied out of the lunch crowd and if you wanted to linger you could probably have a nice liquid afternoon there. I wouldn't hesitate to return to try out more of the menu.

 

[Riverman]

Managed to try The Gabardine today with a buddy.

Where is this spot? Always looking for new haunts.

 

[Bayer]

Where is this spot? Always looking for new haunts.

372 Bay St., just south of Richmond. I had dinner there tonight; great rabbit rillettes, interesting beef stroganoff (great quality beef) and a "burnt marshmallow" ice cream sandwich for dessert. The place was absolutely packed, which was surprising considering the location. I am familiar with one of the owners, who used to be a server at nearby Mercatto. Looks like a winner to me.