Tag Archives: doughnuts

SUMMERLICIOUS 2019: $33 steak dinner @ The Oakwood Hardware

So, we’re hanging out at The Oakwood Hardware, this funky neighbourhood joint just a few bus stops away from Eglinton West. I had never been to, or even heard of this place before, but their Summerlicious menu looked pretty legit — we’re talking steak and shrimp, and shrimp and steak, all for just 33 bucks, bro!!!

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But first, let’s talk about these green chili corn fritters. Dem deep-fried dough boys are back with corn, a little green onion, with some tangy jalapeno crema on top — I could slam, like, 22 of these…but we still gotta save room for the main course:

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OK, first of all the steak is cooked perfectly — a nice medium rare. You’ve got three decent-sized shrimp on top, a little chimichurri, some tasty fries and a few veggies on the side, for added colour, I guess. This definitely hit the spot. But of course, because this is Summerlicious, you gotta have room for dessert!!!

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Now dessert is where they definitely kick it up a notch. In the back you’ve got what they’re calling Strawberry Fields — it’s a scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream, a whole lotta matcha and a strawberry ice cream float, with cotton candy around the rim. That dish is so outta bounds…if you like strawberries. But me, I had to go with the black forest doughnuts:

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Dude, this has gotta be the best dessert I’ve had all month — I’ve still got a few Summerlicious dishes to go, though. The doughnuts are baked like a cake, and then you’ve got a lotta chocolate sauce, sour cherries and some whipped cream on top… You could put this on a flip-flop, and it would still taste good!!!

 

Beef brisket for brunch, bro!!!

So, we’re hanging out at Smith, this funky little joint up around Church and Wellesley. Even though the name of this place doesn’t really stand out, they sure pack ’em in on the weekends for brunch, with dishes like pistachio waffles, huevos rancheros, smoked salmon benedict, and this meaty monstrosity in Flavourtown, the beef brisket hash:

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OK, let’s break it down. What you’ve got are big, meaty chunks of braised brisket, marinated for two days, on a bed of potatoes with poached eggs, cheddar cheese and pico de gallo. This place takes Denny’s and kicks it up about three notches! The beef is super tender, you’ve got a little yolk porn going on, and the potatoes are big ‘n hearty–I even had to cut some of ’em in half!

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Now, just cuz we’re eating brunch, doesn’t mean I don’t still have room for dessert. Especially when they’ve got these homemade doughnuts…Dude, this is body by homemade doughnuts! These Timbits on steroids are topped with apple cinnamon sugar, and come with a side of lemon cream–I’d put that on a flip-flop!!!

FRONT STREET FOODS: Ice cold coffee and donuts, bro!

Now, I don’t always drink coffee, but when I do, I make it cold as ice. This is normally a nitro-brewed beverage, but apparently they were all outta nitro today:

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Either way, they poured it nice ‘n slow from the tap like a Guinness, and served it over ice. You could still see the cold steam coming off the cup, son! And hey, it was smart of Front Street Foods to stick this place right next to a mini donut stand. Dude, this is body by mini donuts!

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They make these cake holes fresh to order right in front of you, so I got to watch the batter go through the automated frying process, which was pretty awesome. If I had one of those in my kitchen, I’d probably weigh, like, 400 pounds or something. And at the end of the line, they toss ‘em in cinnamon sugar, which is sweet, but not too heavy. Normally, these things are just loaded with sugar, but this place doesn’t go overboard—actually, if anything, I probably couldda used a little more sweetness.

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