Parkdale Roti Ranking (to Date)

1. Roti Lady
2. Mother India
3. Bacchus
4. Ali's Roti
5. Chicken Curry Plus Roti

Best Burro Burrito!

Went to see a movie the other night at The Royale Cinema, with forty minutes to spare before the start of the film. Ran across the street to Burro Burrito, located at 615 College Street, attracted by the steamy condensation on the windows. Warmth!

I had my doubts of what Burro Burrito would deliver. Tasty Tastebuds and I make black bean burritos at home quite often, topped with homemade canned salsa. Homemade salsa!

At around $17.00 (tax and pop included) Tasty Tastebuds and I scored a bean burrito and three soft-shelled meat tacos. The tacos were delish! Then the burrito dazzled! Bean paste, rice, corn, fresh tomato, lettuce, guacamole, pico de gallo, fresh parsley, and likely other condiments -- the more condiments, the merrier -- comprised the giant wrap.

Very filling, Burro Burrito's burrito put my home cooking experiments to shame. Try it, and you may also be inspired to improve your home-style recipe.

Organic Food Conference Alert

Canadian Organic Growers Presents:
Visionary Farmers and Consumers Annual Conference
Growing and Eating for Nourishment: Nourishing the Future
Saturday, February 21, 2009
89 Chestnut Street, University of Toronto Conference Centre

If you care about the foods you eat, how visionary farmers grow for quality, and the enormous benefits of organic, then this conference is for you.

Panels include: Growing for Nourishment, Living Organically, The First Strawberry, Your Meat, Nourishing Community, Importing DDT, Preserving and Canning, Traditions: Lost and Found, Pregnancy and Organic, Organic Restaurants, and The Canadian Pantry.

Keynote addresses by Margaret Webb, Ann Clark and Carlo Leifert.
For more information contact Tanmayo Krupanszky at tanmayo@idirect.com

PS. An organic conference panel on importing DDT sounds particularly scary. I'd call it: "Panel of Doom."

Stampede Bison Grill

Captain Hunger and I went for a burger, poutine and milkshake at Stampede Bison Grill (located at 5 Brock Avenue) after a long wait at the LCBO. We were not there long before engaging in a chat with one of the owners of the restaurant who was more than pleased to fill us in on where the bison meat comes from for their burgers. The co-owner informed us that it is farmed outside of Peterborough, and comes directly from the source to the restaurant. I have only ever had bison meat once before (in steak form) and was looking forward to trying it again as a burger.

The Stampede Bison Grill burger was the best I have had in years. The bison meat is very lean, the patty was a good thick size and the taste distinct from other burgers I have had. The poutine was made with real cheese curds (a must in all poutines), vegetarian gravy and fresh cut fries. The poutine was also really good, and Captain Hunger especially thought the crispy fresh-cut fries were perfect. It is nice to know that a real poutine can be found in Parkdale. The milkshake was nice 'n thick, served with the straw sticking straight up in the creamy drink.

Overall, there were no complaints about the meal or facilities. Really friendly, really good burger and poutine, and a clean washroom (upstairs). Stampede Bison Grill will be revisited anytime I want a cheap burger in Parkdale.