In Toronto:
Food truck advocates all thought that parking the trucks (with permission) in a privately-owned parking lot was completely legal. Turns out there’s a weirdly obscure by-law on the books at city hall and the food truck Food Cabbie has been warned to move from their spot in a lot on Mutual Street. Oddly, someone at city hall issues the truck a permit in the first place. There’s already lots of fuss about this one, with petitions circulating. Full details, plus threats to leave Toronto by petulant and histrionic food-truck lovers, at BlogTO.
Chef Howard Dubrovsky, owner of L.A.B. Restaurant (651 College Street) announced this weekend via Twitter that yesterday (Sunday, March 11th) would be their last day of business. A closing party will take place at the restaurant on Thursday evening.
You should go:
During Toronto Fashion Week, piles of local businesses and restaurants (Malena, Brassaii, The Shore Club and more) are taking part in Stylicity until March 25th. They’re offering discounts, prix fixe menus and specials. One catch – the promotion requires you pay with MasterCard.
Beware the pints of March – The Brewery Market is back on Sunday, March 18th with special beers from Amsterdam Brewing, including the release of Tempest Imperial Stout, a porter brewed with Dark Horse coffee and cacao nibs (mine, all mine, you guys can come and drink something else!). There will also be food from Buddha Dog, plus marshmallows. Free admission, food and drink tickets are extra. 1pm – 5pm at The Stop‘s sheltered garden at the Wychwood Green Barns (601 Christie Street).
Paese Ristorante (333 King Street West) hosts Battaglia Cocktailia, a weekly cocktail competition featuring a different spirit each week. Drop by on Wednesday, March 13th at 8pm to see local bartenders and mixologists create drinks featuring Jameson Irish Whisky.
In other food news:
It seems Marilyn Hagerty is having the last laugh. For all of the food snobs who shared and tweeted the Grand Forks, ND reviewer’s piece about the local Olive Garden with commentary like “earnest” or “hilarious”, poking fun at the 86-year-old lady, regular readers of her column have been enlightening the food media as to the sub-text of her piece. Turns out, the fact that she tried very little and talked more about the decor than the food meant that she didn’t really care for the place. If you can’t say something nice… [CHOW]
Should Monsanto have been able to predict that their products would become weed and pest-resistant? [NPR: The Salt]
Harper wants free-trade agreements with the rest of the world, but might have to give up the supply management systems that protect the dairy and poultry industries to get it. But would that necessarily be such a bad thing? Or would it open up the industry for smaller local farmers who have been shut out? [Globe and Mail]
The world’s strangest desserts. [Travel & Leisure]
Can spices have a positive effect on triglycerides? It might explain the lowers rates of heart disease in cultures that eat lots of fat but also eat plenty of spicy foods. [NPR: The Salt]