Night It Up! 2011

My favorite picks from NIU! 2011:

1. Takoyaki - I tried 3 booths. Must say the Osaka one is the best - not floury, unlike the other ones. Would be even better if it had bonito flakes.

2. Coconut Sago Drink w. Lychee - debated if I should try this for the longest time. It’s supposedly made with fresh coconut juice, coconut milk, sago and fresh lychee. The lychee bits tasted like the aloe from bubble tea places. Very refreshing, enough sweetness and not too heavy.

3. Mango Supreme 楊枝甘露 - My favorite dessert/drink of NIU! I had two cups of this :) Fresh, fruity mango with mango bits, some pomelo on top and sago.

4. Skewers (not pictured) - I have never been a skewers fan but I tried 3 stalls and I must say Mongolian Hot Pot 小肥羊 has the best beef and lamb skewers - tender, juicy and flavorful meat. The other stalls I tried were on the dry side.

5. Taiwanese fried chicken and fried squid balls, Mama Bear Smelly Tofu (not pictured) - yum! Better than their smelly tofu

Special mentions:

I believe “Tornado Potato” was new this year and quite a hit with 3 (or more) stalls. The potatoes from this booth was on the soft side (like a potato), while another booth had crispier potatoes (like chips).

Pineapple juice - Apparently there were 7 stalls selling fresh pineapple juice. I tried 2 of them and must say this one is better - fresh pineapple taste, not foamy, and unique with the ‘popping boba’ (tapioca shaped, reminds me of fish egg texture, but sweet). However, it is extremely expensive at $8 each and with very little juice. 

Waffle on a stick, ROFL Waffles - "Creme Brulee" flavor - vanilla icecream, creme brulee sauce, supposed to be torched sugar but I think they gave me peanuts instead. The waffle was good but a bit dry. It was the denser type of waffle rather than the eggy, fluffy type. It was a bit difficult to eat while trying to get through the crowd as the icecream fell off the waffle and melted quickly but it was a nice sweet treat. 

Summerlicious: Canoe

Summerlicious 2011
July 24, 2011
$25 Lunch
66 Wellington St W, 54th Floor
Toronto Dominion Bank Tower

Contemporary yet warm atmosphere overlooking downtown Toronto


The complementary bread was soft and delicious plain, with butter or paired with the lemon chickpea spread.


I couldn’t resist ordering a drink ($10). It basically tasted like chocolate milk with alcohol – sweet, with a kick.

Appetizer - New Farm Green Salad: Nam Prik Cucumbers, Toasted Sesame Seeds & Avocado Dressing.

Entree - Pan Fried Great Lakes Walleye with Snow Peas, Rutabaga Slaw & Caper Horseradish Vinaigrette. It was so delicious. I enjoyed every part of the dish as it used all the ingredients I love. I was hesitant to order white fish because often it turns out dry and bland, but this one was cooked perfectly with a nice crisp skin. The texture of the fish is similar to sea bass, but perhaps with even more oil, making it moist and flavorful. The fish was paired with green beans and pea shoots, which I enjoyed since I love green leafy vegetables, but my mom thought the stems were too thick. The rutabaga slaw was crisp and gave a nice tangy flavour to complement the fish. The portion size was quite generous – I was full after one piece and it really is a good deal given the price and quality.


I had one piece of the Wellington County Flatiron Steak and it was so tender with prominent beef flavour.


Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi


Dessert - Canoe Pecan Tart with Cherries & Crème Fraîche Ice Cream. I’m not a big fan of tarts (or their dessert selection), but the pecans were good alongside the icecream and berries. Mom and sister thought it was a bit too sweet and heavy.

While savouring my meal, I realized it definitely is worth it for $25 lunch to try more high-end and well-known restaurants compared to $20 for average restaurants. You get what you pay for and more, in terms of food quality, service and ambience. Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Canoe and it definitely lives up to its hype.

Summerlicious: Bier Markt

Location: 58 The Esplanade
Price: $20 lunch + $7 drink
Cuisine: Beer Cuisine, Bistro, Belgian Brasserie


Sitting outside


Beer cocktail: Frugli with strawberry + prosecco


Appetizer: Oysters on the Half Shell
Beausoleil oysters with Stiegl Radler vinaigrette (grapefruit beer, cider vinegar, shallots)
Fresh and sweet, perfect with the vinaigrette


Markt Fish + Frites
Panko crusted fillet of sole - perfectly crispy, hot & tender fish. Delicious on its own, with a squirt of lemon or a touch of tartar sauce.


Naval Orange Creme Brulee - turbinado caramel, house made whipped crème
The orange flavor stood out very nicely. Is creme brulee supposed to have a cream-like consistency and a hard thin layer of sugar? Personally, I prefer the custard to be a bit more solid with a sprinkle of caramelization  rather than having an entire hard layer.

Although the dishes were standard, they were well executed and tasty.

Recipe | Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcake:

1/4 c coconut flour
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c corn oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs

Combine dry ingredients. 
Blend eggs, oil, sugar. 
Blend dry into wet. 
Fill 1/4 c in each tin
Bake at 375F for 20-22 min.

Supposed to make 10, but ended up making 7.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 c strawberry cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 c icing sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter til smooth. Add icing sugar in 2 additions, beat until smooth.

Makes enough for 12 cupcakes.  

One of my coworkers is allergic to gluten, so I decided to try making gluten-free cupcakes. It tastes the same as regular cupcakes. These were so moist and delicious, I ended up eating most of them myself.