There has been an influx of west coast imports as of late to Toronto, including Miku, Shameful Tiki Room, and Cactus Club. Another one joining the ranks is popular Vancouver sushi chain/lounge, Ebisu. They will be opening sometime this month (date is TBA) with a similar concept as their Vancouver locations in downtown Toronto. Ebisu on Queen will be taking over the former Sushi Queen space located at 204 Queen St. West. Ebisu on Queen aims to offer an extensive menu of delicious food and drinks set in a lively sushi bar lounge.

Ebisu Japanese Restaurant originated from Vancouver, as its first location opened in December 2006. There are currently two locations in Vancouver and one in Richmond, along with two restaurants under the Kamei names. What is Ebisu? Ebisu translates as "Yebisu" - meaning the fisherman's god of fortune and good luck. Ebisu is the only one out of the Seven Gods of Fortune to originate from Japan.

Photo Credit: @EbisuonQueen

Upstairs of Ebisu on Queen will be a hair salon called Muse Salon, also from Vancouver. Muse Salmon is an all-in-one beauty shop designed for your styling needs. They use the best products and equipment in the industry to provide a great hair experience. In addition, they also carry Japanese straightening and perm solutions available exclusively at MUSE. Ebisu on Queen was still under construction during my last visit, so I had the opportunity to get my hair done. So instead of tasting the menu, I got to fully experience what Muse Salon was all about.

Bye bye long hair!

I met my hair stylist who trained and worked in Tokyo for several years, so she had years of experience. We started the appointment off by discussing what style I wanted, and then it was off to wash my hair.

The chair was comfortable, so it made the hair washing and head massage much more relaxing. I was a little hesitant at first, as it has been years since I had short hair. However, I decided to let it be, and just went along with a bob haircut. Overall, I had a really good experience at Muse Salon, and was happy with my haircut.  

My bob hair cut =)

Chatime Canada is celebrating their 5th birthday with a series of drinks called "Twilight" to commemorate the day on September 8, 2016. The new line of all-natural teas are made from Butterfly Pea Flower & Hibiscus Flower. What is great about the new drinks is that no artificial colors, no preservatives, and no extra sugar are added. Additionally, the tea drinks are "full of antioxidants with health benefits to memory, circulation, and eyesight" making them a healthier alternative if you're craving something sweet.

 ** Photo Credit: All photography taken by Janey of (@myetherealm) **

The four new colorful drinks are as followed:

Coconut Daydream
Hibiscus Sunset
Starry Lemon
Grapefruit Blush

“The grapefruit blush, full of blue and red hues, is reminiscent of the first break of dawn.  The combination of tangy grapefruit with the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea transforms this drink into a beautiful pink sunrise.”

Bloggers also got the opportunity to taste several treats from Bake Code, and Chatime Bites from Menu Food Truck. Additionally, Chatime has also partnered with Christopher Siu of Daan Go to create several macarons for sale. The macaron flavors include roasted milk tea, Japanese pudding, maple lap cheung, chen pei tiramisu, and bitter melon peel.

Social Media

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chatimecanada/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChatimeCanada

Website: http://chatime.com/

Disclaimer: The food provided in this post was complimentary. However, all of the opinions expressed in this review are of my own.

The 3rd Annual Destination Thailand Event will be taking place at Yonge-Dundas Square on September 10, 2016. The all-day event will be showcasing sensational performances (Muay Thai & Thai dances), hands-on activities (Thai massage & crafts), and vibrant Thai cuisine. It is the largest Thai festival in Canada, and will be hosted by the Royal Thai Embassy who are based in Ottawa. The event aims to provide an ideal opportunity to discover the culture of Thailand right in the heart of downtown Toronto.  



I had the pleasure of being invited by Rey (@eatnmingle) to the media preview of the upcoming Destination Thailand cultural food festival. The media preview took place at the Thai Trade Centre at 31 Gloucester Street in Toronto. The center is currently not open to the public, so it was an honor that they opened it for us to attend the preview. 

Date: September 10, 2016
Venue: Yonge and Dundas Square, Toronto
Hours: 11 am to 8 pm
Admission: FREE (rain or shine)

 

The Royal Thai Embassy also runs a certification program called "Thai Select", where they reward the authenticity of the Thai foods prepared in restaurants. The designation identifies restaurants that are 60 percent authentic Thai foods, employ the same or similar cooking methods used in Thailand, and import ingredients from Thailand. There is a total of 88 Thai Select restaurants bestowed in Canada; a certification of truly authentic Thai cuisine. 8 of them are participating at this year's Destination Thailand 2016.

Bangkok Garden
Pai Toronto
Golden Thai
Linda Modern Thai
Soi Thai
Thai Noodle
Patchmon's Thai Dessert
Stratford Thai Cuisine 



During the media preview, we learned a lot about the upcoming Destination Thailand 2016, what Thai Select is all about, and were treated to an assortment of Thai dishes that will be available at the event on September 10th. It was also a pleasure meeting Daovipa Leekumjohn (Minister Counsellor) and Nuit Regular (Thai Select Ambassador) who are pictured below. Both women were passionate and enthusiastic when talking about the food and culture of Thailand. 



As previously mentioned, we were given the opportunity to taste test a variety of authentic Thai dishes. Thai cuisine embodies a lot of flavors and textures, and the dishes from the Thai Select restaurants clearly demonstrate what Thai food is all about. Some of the dishes just harmoniously blend spicy and sweet/sour flavors together. Overall, it was nice trying dishes other than Pad Thai, which is my usual order at most Thai restaurants.

Toasted Cashew Chicken - with Thai spice from Bangkok Garden

 

Rice -  toasted cashew chicken, vegetarian emerald curry from Bangkok Garden



Moo Nam Tok - Thai style grilled pork jowl in sour and spicy sauce from from Pai Northern Kitchen



 Gai Ping - grilled chicken thigh with tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice and roasted rice from Pai Northern Kitchen



 Moo Nam Tok | North Eastern Thai style grilled pork jowl in a sweet & sour tamarind sauce | Gai Ping - grilled chicken skewer, tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice from Pai Northern Kitchen

 

Golden Thai Tempeh & Tofu Satay - with peanut sauce from Golden Thai



Massaman Lamb Curry - with rice from Golden Thai

 

 Lemongrass Chicken - with Sang Gua & homemade sriracha from Linda Modern Thai

 

  Modern Beef Salad - with palm sugar syrup, mint, pickled onions from Linda Modern Thai

 


 Khao Kha Moo - pork hock stewed in soy-based broth, star anise, cinnamon, cilantro root, garlic, white peppercorns, jasmine rice, blanched gai lan, pickled mustard greens, hard-boiled egg, chilli vinegar sauce from Soi Thai


 Kha-Nhom Chun - coconut layer cake from Patchmon’s Thai Desserts & More



Sweet Tapioca with Coconut Cream , Thai Flower-Shaped Cookies, Pineapple Cookies, Thai Spicy Pork Cookies from Patchmon’s Thai Desserts & More

 


Ta-Goe -  pandanus leaf wrapped around young coconut meat, coconut cream, sweet corn, tapioca pearls and Kha-Tuu - steamed, sundried, pan-fried rice, coconut from Patchmon’s Thai Desserts & More

Destination Thailand 2016 Passport

Thank you to both Rey (@eatnmingle) and the Royal Thai Embassy for having me at the media preview. It was a wonderfully planned event with lots of delicious eats, and rather informative.

I had the pleasure of attending the first annual Feast of St. Lawrence Festival that took place between August 12 to August 14. The "Dinner Under the Stars" dinner kicked off the Feast of St. Lawrence
 in spectacular fashion with a fine dining event under the stars. One hundred guests gathered together at a continuous 100-foot table on Front Street (between Scott and Church Street) and was served a delicious 5-course meal. The meal was prepared by chefs from some of the top restaurants in the St. Lawrence Neighborhood including Biff's Bistro, Hawthorne Food & Drink, The Hot House Restaurant, Omni King Edward Hotel, Pearl Diver, The Sultan's Tent and Woods.

The event brought people together through a shared love of food, and it also helped to raise awareness for FoodShare Toronto, a local Toronto charity that supports healthy eating and creates access to fresh food.

Hors d'Oeuvres

House Cured Salmon Gravlax - mustard crème fraîche, Belgium endive, radish (Biff's Bistro)

 Oyster Station (Pearl Diver)

 

 Shooters of Pear Vichyssoise - with a hint of stilton (Hot House Restaurant)

Pairing some of the appetizers with a glass of Cave Spring Brut ‘Dolomite’ Norman Hardie 2015 Riesling

The Dinner Under the Stars at Feast of St. Lawrence was an amazing event filled with endless wine, great company, and delicious food. Thank you so much to St. Lawrence Market for hosting a fantastic event, and having us.

 Disclaimer: The food provided in this post was complimentary. However, all of the opinions expressed in this review are of my own.