Ritzy Tea

Good grief! Have we really not been out for tea since 2009?? Yikes. I guess that's what happens when half the group is busy parenting vast hordes of children (vast hordes to a spinster = 1 or more). I think we've had some afternoon teas at home with the husbands and kids since then but none of our memories are what they used to be so don't ask me when and how many.

This afternoon, we all gathered again at the Ritz-Carlton for afternoon tea at noon. The usual funs were had but spoiler alert: I am leaning towards not returning.

Of course, the hotel is beautiful and the tea aesthetic was similarly spectacular. A lit tea box with comprehensive descriptions, Le Creuset teapots to keep the tea hot and the food itself was beautiful.

Photo credit: M. Kim

The tea itself is from Sloane Tea in Toronto. I stuck with my old pal, the Darjeeling, and was not disappointed. However, the other teas were just okay. We had the Heavenly Cream, Oolong and Earl Grey. I didn't see the advertised Spa My Blend by Clarins anywhere on the list.

I'm adding one of these Le Creuset puppies to my weight lifting programme Amazon wish list. I suspect the 22-oz size (2 oz more than a Starbucks venti) is sufficient for a spinster.

The sandwiches on the "wellness" tea menu are listed as:

Furikake Crusted Itsumo Tuna: Avocado, Pickled Daikon Relish, Togarashi Mayonnaise, Sesame Brioche Roll

Ham & Cheese: Aged cheddar, ham, parsley butter, multigrain bread
Sumac Eggplant Mini Pita; Hummus, Grilled Halloumi, Mint, Flash Pickled Cucumber
Smoked Turkey: Aged cheddar, cranberry relish, whole wheat wrap
Mushroom and Asiago Quiche

And the desserts include: 

Chocolate and sundried fruit mendiants
Apple, cranberry and oatmeal crisp
Coconut milk, chia seed pudding
Organic whole wheat, carrot and orange cup cakes
Battenberg 
Freshly Baked Raisin Scones

With preserves and Devon cream, naturally. 

Photo credit: M. Kim

I had similar sandwiches which accommodated my dietary restrictions but my desserts were a bit different. The coconut milk chia seed pudding and apple cranberry oatmeal crisp are worth trying to repeat at home.

So let me tell you what lost them points:

1. Slow service. We waited to order our tea. We waited for sandwiches. We waited to have both hot water and cold refilled. We waited to pay our bills. Lots of waiting. The staff could have been more attentive. Maybe they weren't because they knew their tip would be automatically added to the bill?

2. Small portions. I mean, I get this is haute cuisine but I'm used to feeling full after tea. Maybe "wellness" is Ritz secret code for starving yourself post-holidays.

3. Although they did a wonderful job of accommodating my dietary restrictions (eggs and dairy), they didn't actually call me back in response to the voice mail I left earlier in the week. Had we been able to have a conversation, I could have told them that I can eat butter and perhaps have tasted a scone. Apparently they were good.

So, for the price point of $44 for afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton, I don't feel my expectations were met. I can't recommend it unless the venue and the tea are more important to you than responsive service and feeling satiated.

Ladies, did I miss anything?

Lola's Commissary, 634 Church Street

Last Sunday, before heading to the One of A Kind Show, I had brunch with some friends at Lola's Commissary at Church just south of Bloor (Hayden). It was my first time so I decided to check out the brunch menu ahead of time to make sure there were at least a couple of options for me. I phoned to ask whether the multigrain waffles were egg-free (they aren't) and talked to the owner/chef, Therese.

Since I phoned ahead, she suggested vegan French toast. Now, I haven't had French toast in maybe 20 years and I really miss it. When she said that she could do it, I was so thrilled and excited that she had agreed to accommodate my allergy. Therese said she had a background in nutrition so I figured that she must know what she's talking about.

Turns out, she does. Absolutely. She made the French toast with vanilla and tofu and served it with a compote of strawberries, rhubarb and beets (okay, not crazy about those) and bananas. The toast was amazing, not too sweet and very much like the French toast I remember. Except, perhaps less sweet than my mother used to make - this is a good thing! The compote was tangy and the bananas balanced it all out perfectly. And, if you love coffee, the decaf soy latte was so good I almost had another. It was definitely a brunch to remember!

I would love to phone her and talk to her some more about vegan breakfast foods. Perhaps she has some other tasty treats up her sleeve?

http://www.lolascommissary.com/

Cafe 668

I had yummy Vietnamese dinner last night. I'll be honest. Vietnamese is not my favourite but this was not pho style food. It was more Asian fusion than any vietnamese restaurant than I have ever been to.

I went with an old friend and her friend to Cafe 668 on Dundas west of Bathurst last night. We got there late and stayed until close. The food was excellent although service was a bit slow. The owner, Han, is the waiter and bus boy and cashier and sommelier. His wife cooks. But the food was every bit worth the wait.

We split three appetizers and three entrees.

Appetizers: Summer Rolls, "Veggie Duck" and pan fried dumplings.

The summer rolls were fresh and tasty. If you enjoy vietnamese cold rolls, try these. They won't disappoint. I'm not usually one for veggie duck but I do enjoy bean curd sheets and these pan fried treats were very similar to the texture of duck. The pan fried dumplings were just good. I mean, how can pan fried dumplings not be good?

Entrees: Spicy pad thai, spicy fried tofu and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms.

The pad thai was quite spicy so go easy on that if you're not tolerant of mild spices. The faux meat was not convincing because it lacked taste but the rest of the dish was good. The tofu was good and stir fried broccoli and mushrooms were excellent. I can't remember the last time I saw such green broccoli. It was crunchy and very flavourful. There was a good variety of mushrooms which were fun to eat. We almost ordered an extra side of rice but we ended up with leftovers so it was a good thing we decided to hold off. Apparently the black bean eggplant is good too but we held off because my friend is allergic to eggplant.

I would like to go back and try one of the specialty drinks. My friend and I each had a glass of wine and her friend had oolong tea. The wine list is small but adequate. And last, but not least, dessert was divine. "Mango Heaven" is a deep fried mango pastry served with creamy coconut.

Don't let the name of the place get you lost. They're located at 885 Dundas at Euclid but they used be located at number 668. Lots of metered street parking. The ambiance is nice and, if you can swing it, ask for the table at the top near the aquarium. It's a saltwater aquarium and the starfish dances for you if you watch him long enough.

This place was definitely a big hit with this non-vegetarian. Total with tax and generous tip was $100 for three (with two drinks and one shared dessert). Cash and debit only.

Fresh - Good old standby, visit number 5 (I think)

I have been to Fresh a number of times before. They have three locations in Toronto, of which I have been to the ones on Bloor and on Spadina. Although the place started as a juice bar, I have never been disappointed with the food. I have tried the yam fries, the Baby Buddha, the Baby Warrior and the black bean burrito.

It's all vegetarian and they are really great about accommodating food allergies. None of the staff give you attitude if you have questions about ingredients and you can substitute out dairy and soy and gluten. One of the things that I love is the 1 L carafe of water with lemon slices which automatically appears when you sit down at every table.

Last weekend, I went for lunch with a vegetarian friend and we both enjoyed our meal. To be honest, I don't remember what she ordered. I had the egg-free banana pancakes. I haven't eaten pancakes for years and I was so very happy to be able to eat them at Fresh. I ordered the kids portion (2 pancakes) but my order arrived with three. I didn't say anything to the waitress but she realized her error and corrected the bill. She didn't bat an eyelid when I said I wanted to take them home. (I don't have maple syrup at home so I ate them the next day with Nutella and oh they were so good fresh out of the toaster oven). And their take out containers are biodegradable! I also ordered the decaf latte with soy milk and it was excellent. The entire meal made me feel very happy.

I always leave feeling full and wishing I could sample more of the menu in one sitting. In fact, I know what I'm having next time I go back.

Caveats: the place is always busy and it's not where you want to go if you want a quiet, romantic ambiance. Also, I always spend the afternoon feeling a bit gassy, which is only to be expected if you substitute meat protein for beans! Lunch for two was less than $40 after taxes. Don't linger, there is always a line up of hungry people waiting for your spot.