[Toronto] Azure Restaurant & Bar

Location Review
225 Front Street W
Toronto, Ontario
Phone:416-597-8142
Menu




Azure Restaurant & Bar has been around for quite some time. Located in the InterContinental Hotel (@ICTorontoCentre), the restaurant prides on delivering a modern Mediterranean fare using the best Canadian ingredients. The truth is, I've been here before. Around half a decade ago I visited during for a fixed-prix Summerlicious menu. I don't exactly remember how the dinner went, but the fact that it barely left a memory probably means it was nothing to write home about.

Fast forward to the present. When I was informed that Azure had been undergoing a full restaurant revamp (read lunch, dinner, dessert and bar menu face lift to be released), it struck some interest in me. I wonder how it is now? The only way to find out, was to make a visit to the restaurant and try the Summerlicious (@liciousTO) menu once again.

[New York] Bogota Latin Bistro

Location Review

141 5th Ave
Brooklyn, NY
NY, United States
(718) 230-3805
Menu




HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well...not really. But that definitely was the appropriate phrase to keep near the tongue when I stopped by Bogota Latin Bistro (@BogotaBistro) for dinner, last new years eve. Located in Brooklyn near the newly constructed Barclays Center, it was a logical dinner choice to precede the Jay-Z and Coldplay NYE concert occurring later that night.

New Year's Even gear, compliments of Bogota!

[Niagara] Days of Wine and Chocolate - Day 2

After having such a great experience from Day 1 of the Days of Wine and Chocolate festival (read about it here!), My boyfriend Rob and I continued onto the mission to visit as many participating wineries in the Niagara on the Lake area. Long story short, we would fail at this mission, but it was a great time regardless!

---

PELLER ESTATES WINERY
Andrew Peller Signature Series Ice Cuvée | Candied Bacon and Chocolate Sponge Toffee

Peller Estates Winery

Peller Estates is a rather common wine found in the LCBO, but actually seeing the winery was quite a memorable experience. Even with a blanket of snow covering most of the property, pulling up to the winery was breathtakingly grand. I got a tingly sensation just driving up the long pathway leading to what could only be described as a castle. Well worth a visit!

[Niagara] Days of Wine and Chocolate - Day 1

Niagara on the Lake is definitely one of my favourite places to plan a spontaneous getaway to. Sitting on a perfect escarpment for growing wine grapes, the area is abundant in local wineries both big and small. I've been out here a couple times, but only ever in the summer where the open vineyards are so scenic and inviting. That got me thinking, what exactly happens here during the winter time?

Turns out there is much to do in the winter, even when there aren't grapes growing anymore! In the spirit of Valentines day, 28 wineries in the Niagara on the Lake region (@NiagaraWine), collaborate to bring a Days of Wine and Chocolate event. For $35, a touring pass is provided which gives you access to each of the wineries during the weekends of February. In exchange for a stamp in your touring pass booklet, you'll receive a small chocolate inspired treat, along with a carefully selected wine pairing. Each pairing allows the winery to showcase the flexibility of their signature wines. I initially thought it would be a lot of desserts to consume, but the portions are quite manageable. Not to mention, they aren't all sweet, either! There A handful of wineries decided to make savory chocolate treats. One even cooked up a pot of peanut butter pulled chicken! More on that later.

Days of Wine and Chocolate

If I lived closer to the Niagara region, I would probably return every weekend with my touring pass and attempt to visit every winery. Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. With 28 tastings, one car, and only 2 days, we settled on cruising down one street per day, crossing off as many wineries as we could.

And so, here are the samplings from Day #1 of Wine and Chocolate.

[Toronto] Harbour Sixty Steakhouse

Location Review
60 Harbour Street
Toronto, ON
(416) 777-2111



Habour Sixty has been on my list of restaurants to try for a while, but seeing as it's not an inexpensive meal I've been holding off. To a point where I almost forgot that I wanted to try it. That is until a month ago when I wrote up my review on Jacobs and Co. People started asking me how it compared to  Habour Sixty, and it was like a lightbulb lit-up in my mind. I thought to myself "I must make time to try this!" And so I did, and the rest is history.

[Yorkville] Moroco

Location Review:
99 Yorkville Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
416-961-2202

MENU

Last week Danny (@Danny_MB) Cammi (@CammiPham), Melissa (@star_chronicles), and I had a girls night out at MoRoCo (@MorocoChocolat)! Nothing beats going for some fancy food and chocolate fondue :)