Lucky Dip – Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

In Toronto:

Chefs on the move: Dustin Gallagher is leaving Grace (503 College Street) to travel, and will be replaced by Kevin Castonguay, formerly of Woodlot. Sous chef Misha Nestreneko takes over the stoves at Marben (488 Wellington Street West) now that Carl Heinrich has left to open his own place.

William Serre from Acadia Restaurant (50C Clinton Street) and Andrew Wilson, Chef de Cuisine at Colborne Lane (45 Colborne Street) took top honours last night at the Nella Cucina Discovered Culinary Competition.

I keep hearing  the voice of Tichina Arnold from the TV show Everybody Hates Chris, but L’Unita Enoteca (134 Avenue Road) can now boast “my restaurant has 7 desserts!” Mike Angeloni (who has previously done pastry for Spendido and the Hoof restaurants) has created a dessert menu of Italian favourites; doughnuts, cannoli, biscotti… yum.

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Lucky Dip – Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

I’ve been attempting to avoid any and all 9/11 stuff for a variety of reasons but this one I just can’t let alone – 9/11 memorial wine. A wee bit of the proceeds go to charity, so that makes it okay, right? Eesh. [Globe and Mail]

Sweet merciful crap – I knew it was a growing trend but I’m a bit terrified by the “breastaurant”, also known as a “bra and grill”. These are restaurants where female servers wear scanty outfits in hopes of tips from drunken bozos. How very incredibly pathetic – for both the girls who work there and the sad losers who frequent the places. [Eater]

Too many markets, not enough farmers? Toronto’s had this problem for a few years now. [Grist]

You know them (hopefully you’re not one of them) – those people at the next table who screech and howl and make it impossible to think straight. So what do you do? And what should the restaurant do about disruptive customers? [The Guardian]

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Lucky Dip – Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Remember how excited we all were when Toronto announced a policy to buy local food for government services like schools, seniors’ homes, jails and daycares? Yeah… here come the Fords, and nothing is safe anymore. [Toronto Standard]

It’s Pride weekend people, and you need to know where to eat. Steven Davey’s got a list of new places along Church that you need to check out. [NOW]

You know, there’s lots of weird shit for sale in Kensington Market, but moonshine, out of a bakery, no less, has got to take the cake. [Toronto Star]

The quandry of the quarry. Your food could be at risk. [The Grid]

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Lucky Dip – Monday, June 27th, 2011

I’m pleased to see a food-centred blog on Moneyville, and savvy-shopper-type tips on how grocery stores manipulate shoppers are useful and important. But for the life of me, I don’t get point #1 and the disjointed logic the writer uses. Having grown up with family members who worked in a grocery store, I’m pretty sure that the produce misters are there to keep greens like lettuce from wilting and drying out, not to make them look better so you’ll buy more junk food. [Toronto Star: Moneyville]

Big, wide rock fingers to Joshna Maharaj for not only talking about how chefs need to be involved in food activism but for getting out there and doing it. Maharaj is working with Scarborough Hospital to make patient meals there more nutritious – and delicious. You rock, lady! \m/_  [Globe and Mail]

My friend Jodi’s Great-Grandma used to make moonshine. And much hilarity ensued. [Nostrovia!]

I’ve been contemplating writing a piece on how restaurants can utilize social media, but this one says everything that I would have. Like, OMG – ditch the crap flash website and get yourself a WordPress site. [Zester Daily]

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