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Noodles or rice? What a tough call - to me at least. And being quite indecisive when it comes to choosing where & what to eat, it's not an easy decision for me. Luckily, Cristina & Jon (@CJ.noms) and Jeff (@jeffahlei) made it easy for me when they invited me over to try out the newly opened MeNaMi in North York. It has received some buzz since it's opening as a popular Japanese Udon & Sake bar in that neighbourhood. The restaurant is a sister restaurant to Han Ba Tang (read review here ), just a few blocks down on Yonge Street. You will notice the similar hip and welcoming atmosphere but don't expect the same type of food. MeNaMi is all about authentic Japanese udon and marrying it with western taste for some of the dishes. As for cocktails, the team got pretty creative with the names: Matcha Drunken Tea & Sailor Moon Gone Wild, anyone? My favourite was the Thai Iced Tea Cocktail.     Thai Iced Tea Cocktail | Beef Tataki Seaweed Salad Smoked Salmon with Par...

Ah, the power of social media, or maybe it's just my #FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) but I've noticed many visits to the Aga Khan Museum lately on instagram. I was obviously intrigued and curious about what this museum exhibits, so when I was invited for a lunch at the Diwan Restaurant located inside the museum, I didn't hesitate.   Prior to my visit, I've mostly seen people taking photos outside the museum, which I attempted above (haha) and not so much of the food. I didn't know what to expect really, other than the fact that Chef Mark McEwan's has recently joined as the manager of food & beverage services. The cuisine is an infusion of India, North America and the Middle East, offering lunch service everyday except Mondays from 11:30 A.M. through 2:30 P.M. In the evenings, Diwan caters to themed dinners and private events. There's actually an upcoming event on March 12 - details are at the end of this post! Lamb Kibbeh Toasted pine nuts, golden raisins,...

We made our way to Francobollo Posto Italiano   towards the end of last year to satisfy our cravings for Italian food. If you guys remember, we went to  Terra   in November and loved everything from the decor, meal and right down to the service. We had just as high expectations for  Francobollo  being the newest addition from the  Substance Food Group.  How do we describe the interior of Francobollo other than elegant and sophisticated? As a smaller restaurant, it really made our dining experience more intimate and perfect for celebrating those special occasions. They also have a second floor that can accommodate larger parties and really gives the feeling of privacy. As much as we can continue to write about the interior, we were ultimately there for the food which was just as great. Make sure to hear all the daily specials if you want to try something new that might not be on the menu! Cuori d'Anatra   Pan seared free range duck hearts, roasted ...

Although we're still a little confused about summer in Toronto this year, there are days where I would love for nothing but a nice cold drink on a patio and there are days/nights where I wish I could crank up the heat in my house. For those hot and sweaty days, there's really nothing like a cold drink or a cold dessert to cool you down - I'm talking about some Taiwanese crushed ice desserts and milk teas! Sweet O'Clock is like a mix of a sit down dessert space and take out. If you're looking for a quick drink, take out is probably your best bet but if you're looking for one of the desserts, we would recommend grabbing a table to sit down and enjoy the desserts as fresh as they can be. They specialize in Taiwanese desserts and hand make all their taro balls, which is a must try if you've never had it before. One of their signature dishes is the Supreme Mango Crushed Ice. At first glance it just looks like chopped mango and ice cream but it's all on top of...

Han Ba Tang  (HBT) is a newly opened Korean fusion tapas restaurant and bar in the bustling Yonge and Sheppard neighbourhood.  With a read parking lot and steps to the Sheppard TTC station, it's in a very accessible location.  If you're in the area often, you probably already drove past or walked by the new addition  And, if you haven't already noticed, Han Ba Tang doesn't have a typical storefront sign and it's actually for a very good reason. We live in a city with rapid modernization and while we love it, sometimes we forget and lose little bits and pieces of history.  HBT  has decided to preserve a little bit of history by keeping an old barber shop sign that was around from before World War II! Before you walk by and wonder why they don't have a sign, stop and take in and imagine what was there decades ago and then walk-in for some delicious Korean fusion tapas! This concept of old-meets-new and "traditional with a modern twist" from the restaura...