u/bbqporklomein

Was saddened that Seven Lives in Kensington Market closed earlier this year. Especially loved the gobernador since they started as a stall in the Augusta mini food hall way back when. So was excited to learn they recently reopened as Tres Piggies. Instead of seafood based tacos they’re now focusing on various cuts of pork (carnitas)! They’re offered as tacos, tortas, or with beans and rice.

It’s $15 for three tacos and chose stomach (buche), shank (chamorro), and tongue (lengua). Each taco was loaded with meat on top of their house made corn tortillas. All were very tender and juicy. Also liked how each cut had different accompaniments, such as the buche had black beans while the tongue had pickled peppers and carrots.

Definitely look forward to trying the other cuts of carnitas.

Second time eating at the newish Hongdae Banjeom in the Annex on Bloor east of Bathurst. They specialize in Korean-style Chinese food. What brought me back are their house made noodles. Still thinking of the jjamppong noodles with seafood in a fiery broth ($16). Love how pleasantly stretchy and chewy the noodles were.

Tonight I had the jjajangmyeon ($12). Same amazing noodles but with black bean sauce and pork. Appreciated how the savoury sauce was not too thick nor salty. And there was a nice natural sweetness from all of the cooked down onions. The chopped pork belly was very tender. Just wish there was a bit more! But the pillowy mini mandu dumplings ($10 for 12) provided the pork fix I wanted.

Definitely want to try more of their Korean takes on other Chinese classics such as sweet and sour pork, fried rice, dongpo pork, mapo tofu…..

Was about to step into Bathurst station but remembered Aki Donburi is so close by. Always forget about this great little spot for Japanese rice bowls. I usually get the buta don. But need a little break from pork. So got the unagi don ($25 includes miso soup). Lots of delicious sliced eel layered over an omelette on top of the nicely cooked rice. Like that the savoury sauce is not too sweet. As usual, perfect meal in a low key local spot.

For the last month I’ve been on a bifana eating crawl throughout Toronto. Started when I had the iconic Portuguese pork sandwich at Cafe Belém (College location) that was eye opening. Feedback from that post and others on this subreddit led me to a delicious journey of bifana. Here’s roundup of 6 sandwiches in order of preference which matches the order of the photos. Keep in mind that I’ve never eaten bifana in Portugal. So definitely not an expert on authenticity. Just a guy who loves pork.

#1 - Bonsi
This popup parked outside Caledonia Bakery had my all around fave. The classic style had a nice little kick of piri piri in the sauce permeated the pork. Hefty portion. $14

#2 - Cafe Belém (Oakwood)
Close second. Best roll for sure. Pork had nicely fatty pieces. Topped with matchstick potatoes added nice crunch without detracting from the pork. $12

#3 - Garrafeira Bottle Shop
Thanks for this subreddit I was led here. The standout was the wine-forward sauce that had a nice kick. $12 (with side of matchstick potatoes)

#4 - Bairradino (No Frills plaza)
This Lisbon-style bifana had a lighter sauce. But the slow cooked onions and peppers adds a nice sweetness to the thick cut pork cutlets that were nicely grilled. I got the mild sauce that lacked some zing compared to other places. Next time will get spicy. The roll didn’t hold up at all to juicy fillings. $12

#5 - Elviras
Definitely the coolest location. It’s in a shipping container tucked into a back lane off Queen East. It’s also unconventional with the pork cut into large dices. Liked the roasted flavour. Unfortunately this was a bit lost with the addition of mustard and cheese. However this was heftiest sandwich I had. $17 (includes fries)

#6 - Saudade
Only available occasionally, their bifana is the least traditional I’ve had. It’s really like a schnitzel with how there’s a coating to the pork. Nice tomato heavy sauce. I enjoyed it but it simply wasn’t what I was expecting. $13

That’s it for now. There are still a bunch of places that I need to check out. I’ve been posting about each place on Instagram with the hashtag #gilberteatsbifana if you want to follow as I continue on my bifana journey.

I was excited to see Sumaq open a downtown location. But when I had their shawarma I was underwhelmed. Found even their highly touted veal to be dry. The only standout was the tanoor bread they make in-house.

Last night I saw that they finally have their charcoal grill up and running with an expanded menu. So tried their lamb tikka plate. At $27 it’s a bit pricey for a fast casual spot. But the platter is quite substantial with two skewers of lamb, rice, garlic potatoes, fatoush, pickles, grilled veggies, and a fresh made tanoor.

The lamb was great. Very flavourful from the charcoal grill. And quite tender. The best part was the mix of fatty pieces with leaner cuts. My general pet peeve is that restaurants use meat that’s too lean. But the fat here added so much to my enjoyment. Also adding to the deliciousness was the amba sauce ($1 extra). First time having this tangy and zesty sauce. Paired so well with the grilled lamb. Great suggestion by the server.

I noticed the uncooked prepared lamb kebabs. The ratio of lean ground meat to fat looked right up my alley. Definitely looking forward to trying that next time.

Went up to the burbs to take my dad out for a Father’s Day lunch. He’s in his 90s but still has a very healthy appetite! He wanted dim sum so went to one of our usual spots near him. But my family was surprised to see what we knew as Royale had changed to Zumyan Fine Dining since we were here last year. This is on Silverstar Blvd just south of Steeles. It was busy but didn’t have to wait long since we got there’s just before lunch prime time.

My dad likes to keep to the classics. So no crazy 21st century dim sum with gold flakes, charcoal, or salted egg yolk dust. Ordering from the menu it seemed like things are the same from before the rebranding, including the prices: S$5.20, M$6.20, L$7.20, XL$8.20. Also note there’s a $2.50 tea charge plus an automatic 11% tip that they clearly point out. I guess this is the usual now.

Got all my dad’s faves including siu mei, chicken feet, lotus wrapped sticky rice, turnip cake, and so on. Some standouts include the very plump har gow and very buttery and flaky chicken tart. I was so happy to see they still had red rice roll with shrimp sausage which was unique to the previous place. So had to sneak this more new age item into our order. Love how the sausage is deep fried so there’s the texture contrast of crispy snap inside of the silky rice roll.

Everything was delicious. Not the fanciest dim sum place. But especially as someone who is used to dim sum downtown it’s always eye opening how much better even “average” places are in Scarborough, Markham, and Richmond Hill.

(Edited to add location)

Made the trek up to Moru right at Yonge and Eglinton. They specialize in katsu of all kinds including pork, beef, shrimp, and fish served with rice or udon noodles. The featured special tomahawk pork chop was incredibly enticing!

But settled on getting curry rice with rosu pork ($28 + $1 up charge for rosu). The thickly cut pork loin was incredibly tender and juicy. And the curry was very rich with a nice little kick. The included cabbage, pickles, and miso soup helped cut through all the richness. Definitely worth the trip to midtown.

Head’s up tip: initially couldn’t find How to get to Moru. Enter the building lobby next to Salus then up stairs to mezzanine level.

Perfect way to end such a hot muggy day is with a sundae! I’ve only had their dairy based soft serve ice cream at Super Serve on Dundas at Kensington Ave. Love how creamy it is. But the special sundae flavour ($7.95) they have currently has a passion fruit and cocoa twist base that happens to be vegan. Can’t believe it’s just as creamy and very tasty. And the toppings of chocolate chip cookie crumbles and slightly salted caramel sauce balances everything. So glad ice cream season is in full swing now.

Noticed that Megumi Mazesoba just opened a second location on King West at Peter. I’ve never been to their original spot on St Clair, so was excited to give them a try tonight.

In addition to mazesoba (brothless ramen) they have donburi and appetizers like gyoza, takoyaki, and okonomiyaki! ($13) So had to start with this. Compared to Okonomiyaki House, the only place I’ve had this in Toronto, Megumi’s is about 80% smaller in diameter, but a bit thicker, fluffier, and not as greasy. Very tasty. Glad to have another option downtown.

Then on to the main event. Lots of mazesoba options like pork, unagi, and chicken. Plus lots of customizations like type of noodle (ramen, udon, soba, gluten free), spice and salt levels, etc. I got the namesake Megami version ($23) that comes with chashu and ground pork on thin ramen noodles. So porky, so good. Though the noodles were a bit softer than I’d like. It was quite saucy, so was grateful that they offered a complimentary tiny bowl of rice. Just enough to nicely soak up the remaining sauce. And a great way to finish the delicious dinner.

Also appreciated how attentive the owner/manager(?) was. Since they are currently opened, she wanted to make sure the food and experience was all good. Definitely will be back to try more of the menu. Great addition to the neighbourhood.

Rarely have breakfast. Especially at White Lily where I usually order their hot turkey or meat loaf plates. But today I decided to make the trek to Queen East just past the DVP for their “standard” breakfast ($21) of silky scrambled eggs, a super plump sausage, crispy hash browns, and a thick slice of rye toast. Nothing fancy. But everything was high quality, well executed, and delicious. Made sure to save room for a salted caramel cruller ($4.50), one of the donuts featured today. Glad I didn’t skip breakfast today.

(Edited to correct cruller spelling and add price)

Nice to see Disco reopen at Ossington and College after closing their location on Queen West. New space is very fun and colourful. Being such a gorgeous afternoon had to get a double scoop ($9) to better enjoy it. On top was the orange earl grey with lots of orange rind. This paired nicely with the banana walnut chocolate chip on the bottom. Disco isn’t the creamiest ice cream, but like how it is not too sweet so the natural flavours come through.

Have been wanting to try Hero Dumpling on Yonge just south of College for a while. Glad I did. What immediately stood out were the combos. Chose one that came with a choice of pan fried dumplings (10pcs), mini wontons in soup (16pcs) and a can of pop for $15. I was also enticed by the bbq duck spring rolls ($8 for 6 pcs). It took around 15 minutes for the food which was a bit long for a fast food counter setup. But everything came out piping hot. The dumplings were nicely fried and tasty. The wonton soup had a pleasant peppery bite. The spring rolls could have been crispier. But the duck filling was delicious. With the combos this beats Juicy Dumpling for value I think, but definitely for taste.

Thanks to a redditor who pointed out that 555 Boat Noodle opened a 2nd location that I somehow missed. It’s tucked into a small spot right at the corner of Queen West and John St. Enjoy them at their location on Yonge near College. Got my usual order of pork noodles with wonton noodles ($19 med size). Love the pork triple play of sliced, ground, and meatballs. The pork broth is pleasantly light with a hint of sweetness. Happy to have this location close by.

I’ve been to the OG Cafe Belem in Little Italy a bunch of times. But always on the weekend when it’s packed. I usually get a few classic Portuguese bakery items to go, like a shrimp rissois, bacalhau fritter, pastel de nata, etc.

But I had the chance today to go when it’s quiet and could easily get a seat. So finally got a bifana ($12), one of their made to order sandwiches. Good amount of pork slices piled onto a fresh and crusty roll. The pork was very juicy with some nice amount of fat mixed with lean meat (next time I will ask for more fatty 🐷!). A great touch is the addition of match stick potatoes adding a fun crispy element. Definitely want to get the carne asada sandwich next based on the beauty on display.

After trying my first FIFA special flavour Bacon Poutine and loving it had to go get more. The only other flavour the store closest to me had was Cheese Soufflé. I love cheese flavoured snacks in general. But I was skeptical how different these could be from other cheese flavours. The very pale appearance definitely added to my worry. Oh man! So pleasantly surprised by the strong aroma and strong flavour. There was a nutty and slight funk reminiscent of gruyère or emental. Definitely a big notch above Cheetos.

Saw someone else posting about another FIFA flavour, manchego. I wonder if these are actually the same flavours but named differently depending on the country. I’ve included a shot of the ingredients just in case anyone else is curious.

In general excited to try more from this limited series and seeing people post about their experiences.

First time seeing this limited edition series for World Cup. At a Dollarama in Toronto they had cheese soufflé representing France and bacon poutine for Canada. So it was my patriotic duty to get a bag of bacon poutine. Pretty good. Strong smoky bacon flavour upfront. Very similar to Hickory Sticks. Then a good amount of cheese comes through. Then a background savouriness hits with hints of onion that provides the gravy note. Would definitely get again.

Has anyone spotted/tried other World Cup flavours? Googling the other flavours I want to try Polish kielbasa, English fish n chips, and Argentina chimichurri steak.