The Ontario-Quebec border opened just in time for my WSET Level 3 Sake exam. The two-part exam includes a 30-minute tasting component and a 1h45min written component, and while the course itself had been online (thanks so much to Metropolitan Premium Wines and Sakes for … [Read more...] about Toronto Tripping: Thai, Mexican and a Lot of Ice Cream
Restaurant Reviews
Post-Lockdown Terrasse #1: The SAT in Montreal and a Rooftop Garden Tour
When I got the invite for a press event – my first in-person press event since Covid started last year – at the SAT, the Société des arts technologiques in Montreal, with its exceptional Foodlab restaurant and bar, I of course said yes. So no, I didn't pay for my meal (I did … [Read more...] about Post-Lockdown Terrasse #1: The SAT in Montreal and a Rooftop Garden Tour
Travel Resolutions for 2021 and Why I Spent Three Months in Lima, Peru, and Never Saw Machu Picchu
I just read a line about a travel resolution in the AFAR newsletter by senior editor Aislyn Greene. It's actually a quote of another travel writer for the Guardian, Shahnaz Habib, but I think the lineage is important because it shows how this is resonating with a lot of … [Read more...] about Travel Resolutions for 2021 and Why I Spent Three Months in Lima, Peru, and Never Saw Machu Picchu
Chico Malo Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ
"Where was the best Mexican food that you had in Tucson, Amie?" a friend asked me after I recently got back from the southern Arizona city. "Actually, it was in Phoenix," I replied. I've been a couple times to Tucson already and while it does no-frills Sonoran Mexican well and … [Read more...] about Chico Malo Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ
L’Orygine Bistro Quebec City
If you're planning a trip to the capital of Quebec any time soon, there's a restaurant group you should check out – mostly because at least one of its Old Port restaurants will appeal to you. I don't always love restaurant groups, but this one is impressive because of the quality … [Read more...] about L’Orygine Bistro Quebec City
Beau Mont
People have a lot to say about gentrification in Montreal, especially in Parc Ex and Mile Ex, a lot of which ties in loosely to the opening of the Signé Toqué restaurant group's latest restaurant, Beau Mont. There's the Mil campus from UdeM that's expected to increase … [Read more...] about Beau Mont
Montreal’s New Vegan Sushi: Bloom and Ohana
First, I should say that I'm a huge fan of Sushi Momo, the first vegan sushi restaurant in Montreal. It's actually my favourite vegan or non-vegan sushi restaurant in Montreal, mostly from a quality/price perspective because we just don't get the same standard and breadth of … [Read more...] about Montreal’s New Vegan Sushi: Bloom and Ohana
Poincaré: Microbrews, Natural Wines and a Funky Menu of Small Plates Make this the Coolest New Bar and Restaurant in Chinatown
The entrance to Poincaré is easy to miss. It's right next to the family-owned Vietnamese sandwich shop Hoang Oanh Sandwich on the east side of St-Laurent, just south of René-Levesque. But walk up that staircase and you'll emerge into an eden of plants, gravity-pulled microbrews, … [Read more...] about Poincaré: Microbrews, Natural Wines and a Funky Menu of Small Plates Make this the Coolest New Bar and Restaurant in Chinatown
A Ground-Shaking Pop-Up at Raffles Istanbul with Michelin Star Chef Paco Roncero
The pink casing on the right-hand olive melts like cocoa butter as the pulp-free brine inside coats the tongue, a molecular sleight of hand that starts the new multi-sensory pop-up dining experience at Istanbul’s Raffles Hotel by Spanish Michelin Star chef Paco Roncero. … [Read more...] about A Ground-Shaking Pop-Up at Raffles Istanbul with Michelin Star Chef Paco Roncero
Beba: Verdun’s New Neighbourhood Hotspot
Have you heard of Beba? It's the place owned by two Southern Argentinian brothers who grew up in Winnipeg, the place in Verdun that everyone who likes going out in the sud-ouest is talking about recently. It's a neighbourhood spot with a menu that changes just a little every week … [Read more...] about Beba: Verdun’s New Neighbourhood Hotspot