Taste of Tibet, Queen West Art Crawl, and Parkdale Gentrification

One of the many Tibetan restaurants in my Parkdale neighbourhood has closed. Taste of Tibet, located between Jameson Street and the mini strip mall that houses a sweet computer repair shop, a laundromat, the Sally Ann thrift store, and the awesomely seedy Parkdale Breakfast on Queen Street West, has brown paper covering the inside of its front windows. No, it's not an installation exhibit on the Queen West Art Crawl. The restaurant is officially closed.

That Taste of Tibet never made it in the Queen West Art Crawl, I believe, raises an important point, and says more about Parkdale gentrification than encroaching condo-developers from Liberty Village would wish to hear. Who selects which businesses are featured in these neighbourhood festivals (not limited to the Art Crawl) and walking tour maps and guides? How are selections made? How are certain co-promotional partnerships pursued with some businesses and why not others? Whose Parkdale is it?

Parkdale, without any doubt in my mind, is undergoing a major re-branding. And yes, I am a part of this process of gentrification, making it a safer neighbourhood for young, up-and-coming twenty-somethings to move in, take up space, spend my money on expensive brunch, and take advantage of the cheap rent and proximity to downtown. But there are certainly other power-holders at play.

Opening up the blogto.com/torontomaps guide that I picked up at a vintage clothing store on Queen Street West in Parkdale, I discover that none of my favourite eating establishments are promoted. Roti Lady? Not there. Taste of Tibet? Non-existent. What about the Vietnamese pho place Tasty Tastebuds and I love so much? Not there either. Many of these eateries have been in the neighbourhood far longer than Poor John's Cafe (not actually for poor people) or Mitzi's Sister (formerly the Tennyson Pub) which are both listed. Where's Happy Time, whose special is always -- gotta love 'em -- fish and chips? Where's Bukuchoy, the Filipino take-out joint on King Street with the best frickin' Saturday special on peanut butter stir fry ever? Whose Parkdale is it? Why are these restaurants excluded from Parkdale's brand image?

Maybe I should make an alternative map to the BlogTO version. In part, this is what this blog should be about: restaurants "undiscovered" (or simply not promoted) by the Parkdale Liberty Economic Development Corporation. Apparently, I have serious work to do. Suddenly, I am realizing that reviewing restaurants is becoming increasingly political.

Yummy Chinese Food in Parkdale

Portions were huge. Food was good. Really, you should check this place out. I am not sure why Tasty Tastebuds and I waited so long.

Yummy Food, located at 1533 Queen Street West, offers free delivery after 4:00 pm, and besides the waste packaging created by take-out food, I would recommend this place as a take-out joint more than a dine-in restaurant.

We dined in, and ordered the house special pad thai and eggplant in yu-xiang spicy sauce. The pad thai featured various meats and vegetables, including shrimp, chicken, mushrooms, broccoli, etc. The eggplant dish in a sweet and spicy sauce would have been good served on a bed of rice. We were not offered water to drink, even though the food was very hot/spicy. For this reason, I can see why this would be a good take-out or delivery place. Your own tap may be readily on hand. In the end, we were so full on our $20.00 (including tax) meals that we had to package a portion to go in a styrofoam container anyway...

Next time I'm looking to treat myself to huge portions of chinese food from down the street, without leaving the comfort of my own home, I'll order Yummy Food. Their menu boasts different dinner for two to five combos as well -- what I'll definitely be trying next. Call to order: 416-588-1333 or 416-588-5664.

It's Harvest Season! What's Cookin' in my Kitchen this August

Last week I made a) spicy pickled peaches using a recipe from a decades-old Women's Day Encyclopedia that I picked up at a thrift store on stuff-a-bag day, and b) peach and pear conserve with lemon which is so sweet and delicious spread on homemade bread. I got the recipe for the latter from the Canadian Living's Country Cookbook, which you can purchase used at BMV Books (471 Bloor Street West). I noticed they had several copies there the other day, when I was hunting for more pickling and preserves recipes.

Yesterday afternoon, I made a fresh basil pesto. I do not happen to own a food processor, so I invited a friend and her visiting guest from Norway-via-Halifax over for a pesto party. My friend and neighbour brought over her food processor (apparently bought at a yard sale for $4.00, which she has been dragging around with her for several years as she moves around the country) and a baguette bought on Roncesvalles. We used fresh basil that I had harvested that same morning from my small community garden plot near Richmond and Augusta. We froze much of the pesto in an ice cube tray for later use, omitting the cheese, because cheese doesn't freeze too well. Later, when serving, I can add fresh parmesan and/or romano cheeses.

During the pesto party, I also prepared a lamb and pumpkin stew. Admittedly, I still had some pumpkin stashed away in my freezer from last season, so it really needed to be cooked. The stew should taste great today. It was infused with fresh mint leaves from my windowsill herb garden.

This week, I plan to pickle cauliflower, trying out another recipe from the Woman's Day Encyclopedia (sadly, I only have the 'P' section, from 'peach' to 'plantain').

I will also be receiving a small food box from FoodShare on Wednesday (only $12.00), so I will have to see what's at my kitchen's disposal by mid-week.

Happy harvest, foodies!

More Farmers' Markets: Sorauren Park and Liberty Village

Every Monday afternoon, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, you can check out the Sorauren Park Farmers' Market in Parkdale. Vendors offer artisinal baked goods, cocoa desserts, empanadas, organic meats, cheeses, and garden-fresh, seasonal veggies. The atmosphere at the Sorauren Park Farmers' Market is festive, with live musical performances, dancing children, and friendly adults lounging on the picnic tables in the shade. Mondays in the park near suppertime is a nice and relaxing gathering of neighbours, where you can sit on the grass and drink a cool apple cider, watching the children play. A little pricier than other farmers' markets, Sorauren Park is more of a community-building block party -- on every week until Thanksgiving.

On Sundays, in Liberty Village, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, the parking lot on the corner of Atlantic Ave. and Liberty St. is a bustling spot for serious market shoppers. This is where I go to buy produce for canning, because I know they'll have everything I need. My favourite stand is the one that offers your choice of five vegetables for $10.00. There, grocery shopping finished. Then head over to the trailer, where you can buy a breakfast bun for a morning snack. I also recommend grabbing a bushel of tomatoes for all of that salsa you've been meaning to make (which can also be preserved for winter) or a basket of peaches for jams, jellies, or cobblers (which you can keep in the freezer, ready for a potluck). I am thinking corn and cauliflower will be my next bulk purchases, for relish and pickles, respectively, yum, yum.

It's harvest season, my friends! Time to eat vegetables, and preserve the tastes of summer! Cold winter months are but a few months away...

Go Fo' Pho: Pho Mi Thuan Loi in Parkdale

Located at 1265 Queen Street West, Pho Mi Thuan Loi is a Vietnamese restaurant (near the LCBO on Brock Avenue) open as late as 11:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays. If you are looking for a not-too-heavy late night snack, pho is the way to go as it begins to grow dusk out. Pho also feels slightly healthier than, say, a nearby Stampede Bison Grill's poutine topped with meat shavings.

Although you should be warned that Pho Mi Thuan Loi does not appear too vegetarian-friendly. I suspect that one of the main reasons their pho is so superbe (soup-herb!) is due to its rich (read: fatty) pork broth. So let's not delude ourselves too much in thinking that pho is completely healthy!

The "Chef's Special" pho is a good place to start. A large bowl is meal-sized, perhaps more filling than a "snack," so if you want to also order appetizers, such as soft-shelled or deep-fried spring rolls, you may want to go for the smaller version. An extra-large bowl is enough for two people.

Around 8 or 9 pm is the best time to go on a Friday night. The place fills up quickly, with patrons speaking a variety of asian languages. Looking around on our first visit, nearly everyone ordered soup, so that's how Tasty Tastebuds and I came across the Chef's Special.

The service has you write down your own order, while you are served several (complimentary) teapots of ginseng tea. The small restaurant is also air conditioned, which is a definite bonus in the summer heat.

In case you are not already sold on trying out Pho Mi Thuan Loi, perhaps the cost will lure you in at only $5.50 for a large bowl of pho. Most mains (and there are an overwhelming 211 combinations listed in their menu for take-out or dining in) are under $10.00.

Why not indulge in Toronto's diverse cuisine? Many international options are located right here, in Parkdale.

Please note: Pho Mi Thuan Loi has inspired Tasty Tastebuds and I to try all of the pho options in Parkdale, rating each one, leading up to our number one favourite. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that we did something similar in the past year with Parkdale roti, recently establishing Roti Lady as the ultimate roti destination in the area, factoring in both affordability and deliciousness. When friends come to visit, and haven't ever had a roti, we now take them to Roti Lady. When friends are looking to experiment with another international menu, we offer up Pho Mi Thuan Loi... until the latter is perhaps outdone by another pho option?

... to be continued!

Historic St. Andrews Farmers' Market

South of the old Queen Street West garment district, and just west of Spadina, hides a new Saturday farmers' market. I use the terms "old" and "new" very loosely, as the "new" St. Andrew's Farmers' Market is actually a blast from the past. It was one of the earlier farmers' markets in Toronto, and now it's back!

Tasty Tastebuds and I had the chance the check out a sneak peek of the St. Andrew's farmers' market a few weeks back, and were pleased to find close to a dozen vendors selling local produce. It is strawberry season, my friends! Time to indulge in the berries that go best with shortcake! We left the market a few weeks ago with Ontario-made beeswax lip balm, and homemade rotini pasta. The pasta was quite incredible. The farmers boasted milling their own grain, managing the entire production line from field to kitchen. We were told that the pasta would keep in our fridge for up to a week, and also could be thrown directly into a boiling pot of water from frozen. We finally did the latter recently, and had some lovely cold pasta salad, topped with fresh garlic greens and other seasonal delights.

The official grand opening of the historic St. Andrew's Farmers' Market is tomorrow. I'm looking forward to strawberries!

The Alex Wilson Community Garden

Tasty Tastebuds and I have a small plot at the Alex Wilson Community Garden on Richmond Street West. We have planted many herbs, including dill, coriander, rosemary, and basil, as well as a few celery stalks, an eggplant bush, and some early arugula greens. We are both very excited about the prospect of growing our own food; this is our first attempt at city gardening!

The Alex Wilson Community Garden is a beautiful space, very tastefully designed by local landscape artists. Some fellow community gardening friends complain about the rectangular, graveyard-like layout of some other community gardens in the city, so we are both quite fortunate to share such a gem.

Unfortunately, the garden of late has also been the site of several acts of vandalism. People have climbed the rain barrels, breaking through the wood boards and mosquito screen covering them, as the barrels were not designed to support human weight. People seem to climb on top of the rain barrels to graffiti the wall beside the garden, even though local residents have actually donated much wall space for graffiti art in alleys in the neighbourhood.

Another, more strange act of vandalism that took place recently was the uprooting of certain prominent plants. An anonymous visitor pulled out a mature lovage plant that was tall and full and quite stunning. It was planted by one of the older members of the community garden, six years ago. The member is now in a nursing home, and is no longer able to tend a plot, so the lovage was left every year to grow into a massive, leafy stalk that may have brushed your side as you walked down the wooden pathway. Pulling out the plant must not have been an easy task. Certainly, at least five minutes had to have been spent yanking and tugging at the firm roots. Who, and why, would someone do such a thing?

I look forward to watching the plants grow as weeks pass...