King Street Social Kitchen & Bar + Hyatt Pool Program

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King Street Social Kitchen & Bar | InSearchOfYummyness.com

370 King Street West, Toronto
416-343-1234
TorontoRegency.Hyatt.com

Last Friday I attended a media event, hosted by fellow blogger Mary Tang, at the Hyatt Regency in Toronto. Mary invited seven other bloggers to join her at the King Street Social Restaurant (inside the Hyatt) so that we could try the Summerlicious menu. 

We ate all kinds of yummy food, from Pan Roasted Rock Snapper to Fire Charred Rib Eye Steak, and more desserts than anyone could possibly eat. I can eat a lot, but we literally tasted every appetizer, main course and dessert from the Summerlicious menu and I was bursting at the seams by the time we were done.

Throughout the meal the Executive Chef, Wesley Boodhram, explained that most of the dishes are farm-to-table, and locally sourced. Chef Wesley is obviously passionate about creating good food from local ingredients, and it shows in his cuisine. 

Here are a few of my favourite dishes from the tasting:

Toasted Portabella and Brie from King Street Social Kitchen & Bar | InSearchOfYummyness.com [Read more...]

Sweet Citrus Tarts

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This post is sponsored by Tenderflake.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Sweet Citrus Tarts | In Search Of Yummy-ness | #tenderflake #picnic #dessert

“Hey, do you want to have a picnic on Centre Island?”

I had to stop and think for a moment. A picnic? When was the last time I went on a picnic?

“Ok, I haven’t been to Centre Island in while.”

“Woohoo! I was hoping we could do something different!”

That was my conversation with my friend Sarah from the other day. Sarah and I only hang out a couple of times a year because we’re almost never free at the same time. She works three jobs, and I’ve been working 2-3 jobs over the past few years, so you can imagine what a scheduling nightmare that is.

Anyhow, when she suggested that we go on a picnic, I was pleasantly surprised. Usually we meet up at a certain chain restaurant that I no longer care for, and to be frank that has become pretty boring. So now we’re aiming on having our Centre Island picnic in early August. Hopefully! Until then, I’m trying out recipes that are picnic friendly!

Sweet Citrus Tarts Recipe | In Search Of Yummy-ness | #tenderflake #picnic #dessert [Read more...]

New Product: Voortman Cookies ‘n Creme Wafers

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Voortman Cookies 'n Creme Wafers | InSearchOfYummyness.com

I’ve been enjoying Voortman wafer cookies since I was a little kid. Back then my favourite flavour was Vanilla, but now I have a new favourite: Cookies ‘n Creme.

These light wafer cookies have an addictive sweet and salty flavour that I can’t get enough of. Seriously, I can eat through half of this package in one sitting! Not that I recommend doing that… (everything in moderation). They also pair nicely with a warm cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.   [Read more...]

Sparkling Blackcurrant Floats

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Sparkling Blackcurrant Float | InSearchOfYummyness.com | #recipe #icecream

When the heat of summer has me dreaming of snow, I know it’s time to whip up a cool treat. Ice cream floats are one of my go-to summer desserts because they are indulgent and fast to put together.

This fruity float is made with Ribena, which is a concentrated blackcurrant drink that’s popular in the Caribbean. If you can’t find Ribena then try using purple grape juice or grape soda instead. [Read more...]

Lunch at Old Mill Toronto (Summerlicious 2014)

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The Old Mill Toronto | InSearchOfYummyness.com

21 Old Mill Rd, Toronto
416-207-2020
www.oldmilltoronto.com

I had high expectations when I went to the Old Mill for lunch today. First of all, my aunt got married there several years ago, and I was impressed with the food at the wedding. Secondly, this fine dining restaurant has been in operation for 100 years so you figure the food must be good.

Yeah… not so much.

I will say that I still love the architecture of the Old Mill building. This gorgeous heritage boutique hotel has beautiful brickwork and fantastic landscaping. The dining room itself is cozy, although it’s really dark in there. But you’re not reading this review to hear about bricks or lighting.

The Old Mill's Dining Room in Toronto | InSearchOfYummyness.com

One quick note before I get started though. I know that Summerlicious menus don’t always reflect the quality of the restaurant. I am aware that some restaurants put together a less-than-stellar menu just so they can fit into the prix fixe restrictions, which is a shame (check out this article from Toronto Life). Yet there seems to be plenty of restaurants that manage to serve scale downed portions of the same delicious food that they serve all year.

The Summerlicious event is supposed to “offer residents and tourists the opportunity to sample a wide variety of diverse and innovative cuisine through prix-fixe menus.” (from Toronto.com). Personally, I use Summerlicious as a way to try new restaurants without having to pay a lot of money. If I really dislike the food during Summerlicious, I’m not likely to return to that restaurant. 

So with all of that in mind, I’m going to say that while the food I ate today might not have been their best work, it was the experience as a whole that made me not want to return. By the way, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t go to this restaurant. Just because I didn’t like something doesn’t mean that you will have the same opinion. Ok, enough justification, on with the food comments! [Read more...]

Dinner at Paese Ristorante (Summerlicious 2014)

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A Review of Paese Ristorante | In Search Of Yummy-ness

333 King St. W., Toronto
416-599-6585
www.paeseristorante.com

I was a bundle of stress yesterday. I’m going to attribute this to the fact that I had very little sleep the night before, and I’m dealing with a chest cold. I just couldn’t get my act together at all yesterday. First, I took forever to finish an article that I was writing for Food Bloggers of Canada. Then, I spent half an hour trying to make myself a sandwich for lunch. Don’t ask me how… I’m talented that way. Of course, that meant that I had less time to get ready before catching my bus ride to Toronto, and by the time I got to the GO station I was agitated and tired.

At least the bus ride was uneventful. I spent my time watching YouTube videos in an attempt to relax a bit. Once I arrived at Union bus terminal I messaged my friend Tori, since we were meeting up for dinner. She asked me to meet her at the corner of York St. and Front St. If you know me in real life, then you know that my sense of direction is worse than terrible. I found myself on Wellington staring hopelessly at the map on my iPhone, and ended up having to get Tori to give me directions via text message. I’m fairly certain that she wanted to beat me with my phone when I found her :P

Anyhow, my evening improved significantly once we arrived at Paese Ristorante. We went to try their $35 Summerlicious dinner menu, and I can’t tell you that we were not disappointed.  First of all, I have to say that I really love the decor in this restaurant. It’s fancy enough to feel special, but not stiff or pretentious. You could easily go there for date night, or just to have a casual lunch with friends. [Read more...]