“Nikkei flavours are rich and colourful,” explains Jordan Sclare, the executive chef of Chotto Matte. “Inspired from both Peruvian and Japanese cuisines, it has a deep appreciation for fresh produce and combines cooking techniques that result in intense flavours, such as robata grill – bringing a smoky taste to the dish.”
It’s that colour and intensity that Sclare hopes to bring back to Chotto Matte’s Jungle Brunch revival. The popular weekend event is back with a new revamped menu, but still brings the same party energy and unique experience to Bay St. “We wanted to offer patrons a true brunch experience, while keeping our culinary identity,” he says. “It was a fun challenge to twist classic brunch dishes with the flavours of Nikkei cuisine.”
Image courtesy Chotto Matte
Nikkei cuisine is a Japanese-Peruvian fusion, offering sushi, bao shitake tempura and oak smoked salmon tostadas alike, alongside a still-evolving cocktail program. The new menu is even more unique, with a renewed focus on one-of-a-kind dishes patrons can’t find anywhere else, inspired by Sclare’s travels and culinary background. “I have extensive experience working with Asian cuisine, plus I have travelled a lot to Peru and Japan,” he says. “I love the flavours of these cuisines as well as the cooking techniques–very skillful. It was great working on implementing these wonderful flavours to brunch icons and rethinking the classics.”
Image courtesy Chotto Matte
Beyond the menu, the restaurant brings a full sensory experience to their Saturday-only Jungle Brunch, complete with bold colours in the interior space and live entertainment, inspired by the Peruvian rainforest. “Chotto Matte is always pushing the boundaries, always looking to create memorable experiences for its guests,” Sclare says. “We wanted the brunch to transport our guests to a fantastic exotic dream, so we worked on an experience that would take all their senses away – from plates to entertainment, they enter the depth of the Peruvian rainforest!”
Chotto Matte‘s Jungle Brunch begins again on March 5, running on Saturdays at 161 Bay St.
As fun as renovating and designing real estate can be, it’s a lot more convenient when a place is move-in ready. Take the unit at 1830-460 Adelaide St. E. for instance. The entire floorplan was newly designed and decorated by Flik by Design, giving its future owner the luxury of not having to furniture shop or overthink paint colours.
The 667-square-foot corner unit comes with one bedroom, one bathroom and a den. It’s a short walk away from everything you could need on Queen St. E. and King St. E. and just minutes from the Distillery District and St. Lawrence Market. Right now, the condo is listed for $699,900.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
This condo comes with a dedicated entryway. The navy blue walls and white ceilings nicely contrast, giving the space a sophisticated feel.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey PhotographyPhoto Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
The den is separate from the main living space, making it the perfect spot for working from home.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
Full height windows border the combined kitchen and living room. The south- and west-facing windows guarantee the condo gets a ton of natural light throughout the day.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey PhotographyPhoto Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
Here’s a look at the sophisticated chef’s kitchen. It’s designed with a custom island, hidden fridge and integrated appliances.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
There’s plenty of space to unwind in the living room. The designer chandelier and yellow curtains give the room a nice pop of colour.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
It would be a pleasure to sip your morning cup of coffee on the spacious balcony.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
The primary bedroom comes with floor-to-ceiling windows with west facing exposure.
Photo Courtesy: Matthew Storey Photography
Marble flooring and white wall tiles give the three-piece ensuite bathroom a modern aesthetic.
This condo is listed with David Stoddard of Re/Max Hallmark Realty LTD., Brokerage.
When the weather gets cold in Canada, many of us gear up for our favourite winter sports for the season. For Crystal Di Rosa, that process involves donning a warm jacket, a hat and gloves – and grabbing her horse.
Di Rosa’s sport is snow polo – a variation of the more popular sport of polo, that is played in the snow and requires specific weather conditions in terms of temperature and snowfall to be played properly. The tricky weather requirements, coupled with the need for regular access to a horse to learn the sport, has made snow polo relatively inaccessible – currently, there are only a few well-known snow polo tournaments worldwide, including the Snow Polo St. Moritz World Cup (known as the birthplace of snow polo) that was held in January of this year.
Di Rosa is hoping to change that. “Horses have been a passion of mine since I was six years old,” she says. Di Rosa started off working for her father’s snowmaking business, Whittier Canada Enterprises Inc., but she soon left the family business to become a riding instructor and running her own farm. When Di Rosa was introduced to polo 10 years ago, she never looked back.
“It matched all of my loves: being competitive, the horses, having a good time and being a team sport. I quickly fell in love with polo, and when I had the opportunity to take over the polo club here, my husband and I did. And that’s how we created DiRosa Polo ourselves,” she says.
DiRosa Polo farm in Mount Albert, just north of Toronto, offers equestrian lessons and polo lessons for beginners, experts and everyone in between – including, now, snow polo. Just a few weeks ago, DiRosa invited women of all ages from four clubs across the province to participate in the first ever all-women’s snow polo event in Canada.
Photo Courtesy: Sophie Le Yu of Le PhotographyPhoto Courtesy: Sophie Le Yu of Le Photography
“I wanted to host this snow polo event to honour my father, who I lost due to COVID-related issues last year. He owned the snowmaking company I grew up with, so snow has been in my blood for my entire life,” DiRosa says. “The opportunity to host a snow polo event isn’t always easy due to the conditions of the snow, but this year with the snowfall that we’ve gotten, and colder temperatures, it gave us this opportunity to be able to host a safe event. I wanted to honour my family’s legacy alongside my dream of promoting the sport of polo for women in the country.”
The event included a peewee and adult category, and DiRosa says the youngest player out there on the field that day was five years old. The choice to include women only was a deliberate one, she says, to highlight the current potential for growth in the sport. “Snow polo is almost non-existent on a larger scale, but men already dominate the polo world already,” she explains. “Women’s polo is currently the largest demographic growing in the sport. All of the women that are currently in the sport are trying to advocate to get more women involved so that we can support the programs in place that are going to help give these women opportunities.”
Photo Courtesy: Sophie Le Yu of Le Photography
Emily Hurst is one of the women who was there for the event that day. Hurst manages Toronto Polo School, also known as Polo Management Services, which runs full year-round polo school. Hurst has organized a few snow polo events before but, because of the specificity of the conditions required to play, had never played herself.
“Crystal gave me a call and asked if I’d be interested in going over to her place for this all-women’s snow polo event, and I said, “Of course,'” Hurst says. “It was really cool, actually having a horse out on the snow and playing. It was really cold, and you need to wear less layers so that you can move and play, but it’s also -14, so that was tough!”
Hurst notes that polo is generally a co-ed sport, and while it’s still dominated by men, more and more women are joining the sport worldwide.
Photo Courtesy: Sophie Le Yu of Le Photography
Di Rosa is hoping this event will set the foundation for future snow polo events. “I would love to see if next winter, we could create a snow polo league that I would be able to open up to anyone locally, even if they have no experience, and everyone could play at different levels,” she says. “Polo is always referenced as hockey on horseback. You couldn’t make it any more Canadian.”
Di Rosa’s event might have already inspired other clubs across the province; soon after her event, the Greater Niagara Polo Club hosted a Canadian Women’s Polo Series snow polo event on Feb. 7.
Hong Shing's Colin Li (centre). Photo: @joshteewhy for Hong Shing
A few months ago, Uber began to take a smaller cut from Toronto restaurants’ delivery fees, presumably to help them stay afloat during lengthy pandemic-related closures.
The changes in fees came as a result of a government of Ontario mandate, which limited the amount that third parties could retain from transactions. Restaurant service fees, before taxes, could not exceed 10 per cent for pickup orders, and couldn’t exceed 15 per cent for orders placed through the restaurant’s website and delivered by a third-party delivery person using the Uber Eats platform.
Now, though, Uber has raised its fees to 38 percent for restaurants, following news that in-person dining can resume at full capacity. Restaurant owners are not impressed at the thought of sacrificing more of their hard-earned cash so soon after re-opening.
“If Uber Eats takes an even greater cut, I can only imagine more restaurants will be calling it quits with them. So many restaurants are on there just to be seen and stay relevant, not even to make money, and now this?” asks Il Covo‘s Ryan Campbell. “All that hard work can’t be worth it.”
“I think it’s funny that Uber Eats takes their big, regular cut while their app and tablets are completely riddled with flaws and glitches,” Campbell adds. “They can’t fix them, and now they want a larger cut? Embarrassing.”
This isn’t the first time delivery companies have pulled such a stunt. Back in June 2021, when restaurants reopened for the summer, Uber and third party delivery companies raised their rates back up to 30 percent from 20 percent, where they had been capped for months.
Doug Ford’s government is showing support for Ukraine in the country’s war with Russia.
To combat the Russian aggression, the provincial government is removing Russian-made products from the LCBO shelves. It may not seem like much, but the LCBO is one of the biggest alcohol buyers in the word, purchasing more than six brands of Russian vodka and importing liquor from 80 countries worldwide. Such a freeze on sales drastically impacts Russian profit.
“As Premier Ford said yesterday, Ontario joins Canada’s allies in condemning the Russian government’s act of aggression against the Ukrainian people and we strongly support the federal government’s efforts to sanction the Russian government,” Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said in a statement Friday afternoon. He then tweeted a similar sentiment.
“The people of Ontario will always stand against tyranny and oppression,” the statement continued. “We will continue to be there for the Ukrainian people during this extremely difficult time.”
Steven Del Duca, the Liberal party’s leader, also wrote a letter to LCBO President George Soleas, requesting the same measures be taken to support Ukraine. “The LCBO is one of the largest purchasers of alcohol in the world. Imported spirits, including Russian vodka brands, are among your most popular products,” he wrote. “I urge you to remove all Russian made products from your shelves until this Russian aggression ends.”
“Any and all means of cutting off Russia’s economy should be considered,” he continued. “Both provincially and federally.” He, too, posted a statement on Instagram.
With rallies and protests happening across Toronto and the world, this move adds Ontario to an increasing list of Ukrainian allies condemning Russia’s violent acts, both nationally and internationally.
It may still be cold and dreary outside, but we’re inching ever closer to spring which means sunnier days are ahead. Celebrate the last of winter with one of several worthwhile events happening across the city, covering everything from art to comedy. Here are seven of the best things to do in Toronto this weekend.
Groove to the Beatles: Get Back
Fans of the Beatles might want to head to Cinesphere at Ontario Place this weekend (Feb. 25 to 27) to catch a viewing of Beatles: Get Back, the group’s last live performance together at the iconic rooftop concert on London’s Savile Row.
Have high tea at Casa Loma
In celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, you can pretend to be royalty and enjoy a traditional high tea at Casa Loma (running through Feb. 27). Sample a selection of premium teas, scones, gourmet pastries and tea sandwiches in an opulent setting, with ticketed seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Check out the Winter Stations
The annual international design competition is back, where participants were tasked with designing temporary winter art installations incorporating existing lifeguard towers in the area. The six winning installations are being displayed along Woodbine Beach until March 27. Why not bundle up and take in some (free) art along the waterfront?
See some reptiles
Whether you’re looking to learn a bit more about reptiles or you’re already in possession of a scaley friend or two, Sunday’s Reptile Expo happening at the International Centre might just be the thing for you. You’ll be able to see some unique species and learn all about what it takes to care for a specialty pet properly and safely.
Get some wedding inspiration
The Modern Bride Wedding Show is happening this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday at the International Centre. Whether you’re in full-on wedding planning mode or just looking for general inspiration, this show has you covered with over 100 exhibitors, wedding experts and consultants, a fashion show of the latest trends in wedding fashion and much more.
Glide to the beat at Cloverdale Rink
Head west this weekend for Eats and Beats at the Rink happening at Cloverdale Mall’s north parking lot Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The free event is happening rain or shine and features the beats of DJ Jayemkayem to get you moving on the ice. There will also be local food trucks and market vendors on hand when you need to fuel up. Some options include Craig’s Cookies, Jerk Brothers, Funnel Cake Dream and The Arepa Republic.
Enjoy some improv
If you’re in the mood for some laughs, Comedy Bar has you covered on Saturday with Off the Rails – an interactive, improvised stand-up comedy show where the comedians make up their act as they go, based on audience suggestions. Will hilarity ensue? Find out for yourself. The fun starts at 10 p.m. and the event is hosted by Sean Carson.
No, Ghost Chicken isn’t haunted. The name doesn’t come from a Toronto lore about spirits haunting a building, but rather about the out-of-this-world spice that comes from the ghost pepper.
As a relatively new business led by John Carlo Zabala and Michael Swirla, Ghost Chicken brings a unique, conscious approach to fried sandwiches.”Ghost Chicken has been around for 2 years, serving our signature OG sandwich from our previous pop up location in Mississauga,” Swirla, the general manager, says. “Starting right before the pandemic has allowed us with time to perfect our recipes.”
“From where we source our chicken, to how each sandwich is prepared, our goal is to bring freshness with each bite to our customers,” notes Zabala, who serves as the brand’s executive chef. All of the chicken served at both locations is halal and locally sourced. “Our chicken comes to us from a local butcher that directly works with a farm, Riverview Farms, so that it can remain consistent across the board. We marinade the chicken in seasoned buttermilk for each specific sandwich. We take pride in our process of marination and ensure a minimum or 24hrs so that the chicken may absorb all the flavours further enhancing its quality, taste, and juiciness.”
Popular menu items include the Nashville Hot, crafted with a special oil made with nine different spices, the Sweet and Sour, a Nikkei-inspired sandwich true to its name, and curly fries, as they’re super rare to find in the city.
Image courtesy Ghost Chicken.
As for the location, it seemed like a natural fit. “Ossington is such a tight knit community and has really grown in the food scene over the years,” Swirla says. “We love that there is so much appreciation for the local small businesses there and everyone is supportive of one another. It aligns with the type of energy that we want for our flagship location.”
You can explore free public art across the city at ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art: 2021-2022. Over the next month, free exhibitions are opening year-long at hubs located at Union Station, Scarborough Town Centre, Downsview Park, and Cloverdale Common, and will feature contemporary art from local and international artists.
As part of the City of Toronto’s 10-year Public Arts Strategy, ArtworxTO hopes to create more opportunities for Torontonians to take art appreciation to the next level and meaningfully engage with art in their everyday lives.
“ArtworxTO is a reflection of Toronto’s diversity and focuses on improving accessibility and engagement with public art right across the city,” said Mayor John Tory in a statement on the ArtworxTO website. “From Etobicoke to Scarborough, downtown to North York, the program will provide artists and institutions with a platform to create more ground-breaking work for all to enjoy.”
Over the next year, attendees can also visit several pop-up hubs, self-guided, mobile public art tours, and events and programming across the city. A full list of exhibitions and events can be found on their website, as well as an interactive map where you can create a custom route to your favourite artwork.
Dupont Street mural by Troy Lovegates (aka Other)
Artwork featured at the various art hubs include HOME(LAND) at Cloverdale Common, a series of three multimedia exhibitions that examines how the idea of land is connected to one’s sense of identity, belonging, and home; Scarborough: The Backbone, will transform Scarborough Town Centre into a canvas to celebrate visual and performing arts through interactive activities; and I am Land, is a three-part exhibition series set to open at Union Station on March 2, that will feature large-scale artwork and investigate how shared memories are made.
Hub north at Downsview Park will feature, IMAGInuity, a dialogue of past and future Black ingenuity, curated by Queen Kukoyi and Nico Taylor of Black Speculative Art Movement Canada. The park will also host a series of new murals, multimedia works, virtual tours and artist talks.
Various art galleries and museums around Toronto will also have works on display including The Power Plant located in the Harbourfront Centre, and the Gardiner Museum located on Queens Park, which will feature an installation entitled Talking Earth, by Santee Smith.
Oretta opened the doors to its second location on February 3, serving up classic Italian fare and modern day classics in the bustling Yonge and Eglinton area. Oretta Midtown offers a menu of pretty, IG-worthy cocktails and some of the dishes you know and love from Oretta’s King West location, with a few additional menu items inspired by rustic, southern Italian cuisine. The new spot’s kitchen is helmed by Chef de Cuisine Darren Couto, the former Oretta King sous-chef.
Without question, Midtown is a seafood lover’s paradise with options like the Branzino Alla Puttanesca (Mediterranean sea bass, caper berries, olive, chili and oregano) or the Involtini di Pesce Spada (sliced swordfish roulade, caciocavallo, pine nuts, focaccia crumble, capers, fennel salad and salmoriglio). The seafood is so fresh, you’ll think you’re on vacation.
If you’re looking for something to share as you and your friends sip on Gran Paradisio cocktails, Oretta has just the thing to transport you to the fresh alpine air of Northwestern Italy’s Piemonte region. Opt for the Grigliate Miste section, which offers two different kinds of grilled meat boards: the Di Pesce (a mixture of different kinds of seafood) or the Di Carne which includes grilled veal, lamb and pork. Of course, tons of pizza and pasta options are available, too.
The interior vibes are as immaculate as the menu, with the same trendy, art-deco interior you know and love from its King West outpost. Awash in purple, orange, pink saffron, blue and olive green, bold geometry and beautiful detailed wall art will have you snapping pics of more than just your meal. Complete with large windows surrounding the entirety of the restaurant, Oretta Midtown is a brighter, airier space compared to its sister spot, complemented by an open-concept kitchen so guests can feel part of the cooking magic.
The interior of Oretta midtown via Instagram.
“Midtown is the perfect location due to the upcoming and developing Yonge and Eglinton area,” says a representative from Oretta Midtown. “We want to bring the Oretta experience closer to those who live on the outskirts of the city, and Midtown has shown to be vibrant and welcoming.”
Beginning March 5th, Oretta Midtown will offer brunch every weekend from 10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. For now, swing by the 2131 Yonge Street spot Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.
If you own a vehicle, car insurance is required by Canadian law.
“Insurance policies are your protection against the unexpected. Each time you get behind the wheel, the opportunity for an unexpected accident is always prevalent. Auto insurance offers the support needed should a problem arise,” shares Jeremy Diamond.
The simple truth is that no one wants to be injured or cause injury in a motor vehicle accident. Personal injury law firm, Diamond and Diamond Lawyers, works with victims of motor vehicle accidents regularly and sees first hand why auto insurance is so important. The firm’s dynamic leadership team, Jeremy Diamond and Sandra Ziskind outline why auto insurance is a must.
Auto Insurance Is the Law
In Canada, the law requires you to carry car insurance. “While you only need to carry the minimum liability limit, make sure your coverage fulfills your needs and covers all drivers in your family. This helps protect you financially should you ever be involved in a serious motor vehicle accident,” says Jeremy Diamond.
The liability limit you choose is how much your insurance will pay you, or the other driver(s) if you are responsible for an accident. If the other driver is not insured, your insurance will kick in to support your needs as well.
Auto Insurance Protects You in the Case of Injury
Many people think that if they are injured in an accident, it is up to the responsible party to pay their bills. In Ontario, it is actually your insurance that gives you accident benefits right away to ensure your day to day expenses as well as things like chiropractors, physiotherapy, social worker, etc. that fall outside of OHIP are covered. “Insurance is there to cover your day to day and medical expenses so you can concentrate on recovering,” shares Sanda Zisckind.
Auto Insurance Protects Other Drivers
Your insurance can also support the person you have an accident with. If you are at fault in a motor vehicle accident, having insurance will help support the accident victim by giving them monetary compensation for their pain or suffering costs, lost income and more.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact Diamond and Diamond Lawyers at 1-800-567-HURT for a free consultation.
About Jeremy Diamond
Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation. Click here to learn more about Jeremy Diamond.
Our food systems are broken, Chris Locke says, and not built to last. As they stand, the industry and the planet will topple. The Marben chef has a solution, one he’s called Sustainuary, and he tapped a bunch of big culinary names to help him.
The group of chefs include The Drake Hotel‘s Laura Maxwell, Ryan Lister of The Rabbit Hole and author Joshna Maharaj, among others. Each will have a sustainably-made dish on their menu for a period of time, be it a week or a month, as a part of Locke’s Sustainuary initiative.
His restaurant, Marben, took the pandemic to revolutionize their restaurant practices, eliminating tips and continuing their sustainable food ethos throughout the menu. “We’re looking at the impact that we have on our immediate community and also on our community of farmers and producers, who we rely on heavily, and keeping that same ethos throughout the menu,” he says. “We’re doing what we can to be to be the best that we can in the traditional sense of having a great restaurant, great food, great, great drinks, but also creating a community and leading by example. We think in terms of creating an industry is sustainable, in the sense that it gives people livable wages, having equitable wages, and treating people with respect and dignity, all important things that need to happen in order for the restaurant industry to continue to survive and thrive.”
Marben restaurant.
Now, Locke is expanding outside of his own restaurant, teaming up with 100km Foods to create Sustainuary, a two-night event, held at Marben, that brings a group of iconic local chefs and activists together to teach Torontonians to cook sustainable meals in the comfort on their own kitchen. “In the summer, just as an idea, I was like, why don’t we do a public awareness campaign on sustainability in our food systems, why it’s broken, what needs to be done to fix it? How we can go about reform?” he says. “It was just an idea at that point. And then I suddenly found myself with some free time.”
The idea came to fruition rather quickly, culminating in the two events as well as a series of Instagram conversations. “It’s full courses in the four pillars of sustainability and our framework,” Locke explains, noting that the pillars are social justice, locality and seasonality, responsible food generation and waste reduction. “So each course relates to one of one of those pillars.” Maxwell and company selected a pillar and built a dish around it, and will explain its importance and relation to each pillar to event guests.
Locke notes that it’s easier than people expect to think sustainably. “I think the first step is just education. Learning about the various issues, learn about where your food comes from,” he says. “And then you can start having an appreciation of the value of food and what are good choices. And that’s where it really stems from.”
The two virtual events are hosted on February 28 and March 7, and the four course dinner is priced at $99 per person. Tickets for the Sustainuary event can be purchased online, and Marben is located at 488 Wellington Street West.
Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation. Click here to learn more about 
