This new website encourages people to support local delivery

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3:40 pm

not ubereats — North of Brooklyn Pizzeria is one of more than 80 restaurants on the platform

It’s cold outside and with Ontario also currently under a mandatory provincial lockdown, placing an order for delivery is safer and more convenient than going out to pick up your food yourself.

It’s no secret that Toronto’s restaurant scene has suffered heavy financial blows due to COVID-19. The service fees charged by third-party delivery apps, like SkipTheDishes and UberEats, haven’t improved the outlook for restaurants forced to rely on revenue from takeout only.

Just before the holidays, a new non-profit platform that connects Torontonians to their favourite eats was launched by two locals who wanted to do their part to help the restaurant industry stay afloat during these tough times.

Not-UberEats.com (no affiliation to UberEats) showcases restaurants across Toronto that do their own delivery in-house. Restaurant owners simply enter their data and submit their business, and, once approved, can host their menu and restaurant details on the site free of charge. Not-UberEats.com thus encourages customers to order directly from restaurants, helping them to avoid the third-party delivery service fees that cut into their profits.

More than 80 restaurants have signed up to the platform to date, and founder Randy Singh and co-founder Gamaliel Obinyan say the demand is soaring. North of Brooklyn Pizzeria, Lambo’s Deli, and Ramen Isshin are just a few of the restaurants currently listed on Not UberEats.

“We sent the app out to close friends at the end of December and we received a ton of positive feedback and reshares,” says Obinyan. “The momentum kept building, leading to a much wider audience than anticipated. We’re honoured and humbled by the response we’ve received.”

“It was a spur of the moment decision to highlight that there are alternatives to the current mediums that we’ve all grown accustomed to,” Singh adds. “Initially, we mainly just wanted friends and family to use this, but we were surprised and encouraged that so many people were looking for something like this.

You can check out the ever-growing list of Toronto restaurants on the Not UberEat’s website.

Popular U.S. hot chicken chain launches its first Toronto location

By

Jessica Huras

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12:35 pm

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Dave’s Hot Chicken has officially arrived in Toronto to warm up our winter with its spicy Nashville chicken. The new Parkdale outpost, which takes over the former home of Pete’s Corner Grill, is the L.A. fast-casual concept’s first location outside of California.

Blair Bitove, director of business development, first discovered Dave’s Hot Chicken while studying in Los Angeles. She worked with her father, John Bitove, founder of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, to bring the popular franchise to Canada.

“I think what sets us apart is we use the tender meat from the chicken, which is the best part of the chicken,” says Blair. “Our flavouring is very different from what people are used to. It’s a mix between a dry rub and a sauce.”

Dave Hot Chicken’s simple menu features chicken tenders and sliders, which come in seven heat levels ranging from “no spice” to “reaper.” Sides include crinkle fries, cheese fries, kale slaw, and mac ‘n’ cheese. Blair says the restaurant will soon also launch a secret menu with only-in-Canada items, such as chicken poutine. A craft beer lineup focused on neighbourhood brewers is also in the works.

The Bitoves have plans to open more than 30 Canadian Dave’s Hot Chicken outposts over the next year. Blair says the next two locations, found just south of Yonge and Eglinton and in the Leslieville area, will hopefully open their doors before the summer. Each location will also feature a mural by a Toronto artist that pays homage to its unique surrounding neighbourhood.

Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Parkdale location is currently open for takeout and delivery. A dine-in area will launch when lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Seven tips for safely staying active this winter season

By

Jarrod Daley

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11:22 am

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See all posts by Diamond and Diamond Lawyers

Staying active throughout the winter can be difficult. With the weather being unpredictable and offering many colder days and evenings, the importance of making sure you are being safe, both indoors and outside is of paramount importance. Diamond’s dynamic leaders, Jeremy Diamond, Sandra Zisckind, and her brother Isaac share their tips for making this a safe and active winter season.

1. Dress Appropriately for the Weather

Sandra Zisckind advises people to wear the right clothing when spending prolonged periods of time outdoors on the colder days of winter. She says, “always be prepared for cold weather, you never know when the temperature may drop. Wear layers, proper footwear, appropriate shoes, and always have a thick pair of gloves”.

2. Pack Snacks and Food

Always pack enough to keep your energy up and to stay hydrated. A hot chocolate can help with your temperature and water is key for hydration. Fruit and other healthy snacks will help ensure your sugar levels stay topped up and keep hunger at bay.

3. Exercise with Best Practices in Mind

Pay close attention to any instructions and suggested best practices for your at-home workout equipment. Jeremy Diamond suggests “over the winter months, when working out and keeping fit indoors, always make sure your equipment is set up and stored properly.” Doing so will ensure you stay safe around home and avoid any unnecessary trips to the emergency room.

4. Use Appropriate Safety Gear When Working Out

Always make sure to use proper safety gear to avoid injury. For example, use wrist protectors and back support when lifting weights as well as knee pads and sunscreen for outdoor activities like hiking or skiing. Whether you’re inside or out, make sure to keep yourself protected. The cold weather can make you more susceptible to injuries so you should always do your best to stay protected.

5. Always Rest In-Between Workouts

Be sure to stretch and rest your muscles between your home workouts, just like you would if you were in the gym or at the track. Isaac Zisckind recommends to “reference certified sources for workout tips when possible as this will help you to prevent injury from self-guided workout regimes”.

6. Stay Safe When You’re on the Ice

Recreational sports on ponds, such as ice skating and family hockey games should always be accompanied by relevant safety checks. For example, to check if the ice is frozen enough for you to tread on it safely, you should aim to verify its thickness. A layer of three inches or less is unsafe and should be avoided. If you’re planning on heading out on the ice, you should aim for a minimum of six to eight inches at least.

7. Always Supervise Children When They’re Outdoors

Proper adult supervision for children when they are getting fresh air and taking part in outdoor activities is essential. For example, when building igloos or structures, make sure there’s always an adult present. Pond safety is important. Teach children how to stay safe on the ice and recognize signs of danger. Always supervise them when they’re on or around the ice.

About Sandra Zisckind

Sandra Zisckind is a lawyer who was called to the Bar in 2003 and practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation in Toronto.

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.

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Tips for keeping employees motivated through the second wave

By

Jarrod Daley

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8:38 am

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The new year, and winter months can be tough on employees’ mental health, especially amidst the unprecedented situation of a global pandemic. As employers, we should all make a conscious effort to support our teams by providing advice, reminders, and regular check-ins. At Diamond & Diamond, our goal is to ensure that our employees feel that they are supported in terms of their needs to work remotely as well as ensuring they have the support needed to keep producing amazing work. Our own, Jeremy Diamond offers some ideas on how you can support your employees heading into the new year.

Remind Your Employees to Break up the Working Day

Jeremy Diamond reminds of the importance of breaking up the working day even when working from home. He says, “encourage breaks, midday walks, fresh air, etc. throughout the day as these are just as important when working from home as they are when working from the office.” Taking a break from the screen, even just for half an hour, is a fantastic way of perking up during a long day in the home office.

Encourage Your Employees to Use Their Vacation Time.

Using vacation time may seem unnecessary if they can’t travel, but the mental break is still needed. Having free time during these unusual times is great for helping your employees feel refreshed, recharged and keeping them motivated. Unwinding with a series that they haven’t had a chance to catch up on or spending some time with their loved ones is essential over the holidays and new year.

Create Structure for Your Employees

Promoting a regular routine while working from home is vital to keeping your employees motivated and focused, especially when the routine of going into the office is missing and daily distractions may be present. Jeremy Diamond advises bosses to “host regular team check-ins AND to offer employees resources to help make a more ergonomic workspace when working from home.” Most importantly, Jeremy suggests to encourage employees to log off in the evenings. This is especially important as the lines between work and home life can become blurred while working from home.

Provide Your Employees with a New Year “Refresh”

Allocate a budget for your employees’ home offices. Provide them with similar items to what they’d have access to in the workplace. For example, pens, notebooks, decor, lamps for lighting, items for office organization, or, if you have enough room in your budget, new tech such as extra screens, laptops, desks, etc. Helping freshen up their office space lets them know that they’re still very much your employee and will help dispel any negative feelings or unrest they may be experiencing.

Host Monthly Events

Monthly events can dramatically help you boost your employees’ morale. Giving them something to look forward to that isn’t work related can help ease any tension within your team. A virtual “Summer in January” party can replace any holiday or new year celebrations you’ve missed out on, or give them something to look forward to. You can also plan outdoor activities that are able to be enjoyed with social distancing measures in place. For example, skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing, and hiking are all great ideas.

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.

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Canadian designer pivots to launch world’s first anti-viral scrubs

By

Nikki Gill

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2:53 pm

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Designer Nina Kharey of fashion brand Nonie has launched a line of medical scrubs called Folds. The fashion-forward scrubs are made from recyclable and sustainable materials while also being anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antimicrobial.

Kharey has an engineering background and worked with a lab in Europe to create the nanotechnology material for the scrubs. After crowd-sourcing from several health-care professionals, Kharey made three tops for women, two for men, and various bottoms, including joggers.

Kharey decided to launch this line of scrubs as part of a passion project and to do her part in the fight against COVID-19.

“It is my belief we should be supporting medical practitioners, who save lives and put their health at risk every single day, with the same care and attention we have for our superior athletes. These scrubs have forward-thinking design and are also the world’s first fully recyclable sustainable scrubs, taking into consideration the end of life of garments,” Kharey stated in a recent press release.

Folds scrubs boasts longer-lasting material (the company claims that the scrubs last twice as long as regular scrubs) and can be returned to the company for recycling. Folds will turn old scrubs into new scrubs through its recycling program resulting in a highly sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturing model.

“We are making a distinct effort to help protect people while saving the planet,” says Kharey.

Kharey’s Nonie brand manufactures luxury womenswear that has caught the eye of Meghan Markle and various social influencers. The new Folds brand aims to bring the same luxury feel to medical wear through four-way stretch and scrubs that move with health-care workers.

Folds officially launches on Feb. 3, which is National Women’s Physicians Day, but items are currently available for pre-order through the brand’s website. Shortly after the launch the women’s items sold out, demonstrating the need for comfortable scrubs that are also protective.

In addition to the scrubs, Nonie also launched a line of sustainable, ethically-made and reusable face masks in 2020.

Brian Gluckstein on six ways to create a spa-inspired bathroom

By

lindsaylow

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11:37 am

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Catch Brian Gluckstein on Cityline, where he is a regular guest expert, shop his collection, GlucksteinHome, at Hudson’s Bay and follow him @briangluckstein on Instagram.

It’s a new year, and I think a resolution we can all benefit from is incorporating more self-care into our routines — and there’s no better space to do that than your own bathroom. I’ve always loved designing spa-inspired bathrooms because they invoke a pleasant sense of calm and serenity. They create a great environment to really slow down and unwind. If you’d like to add a relaxing spa feel to your bathroom for an indulgent self-care retreat, follow these steps to achieve the look.

Opt for a soothing palette

Keep it neutral, with a Zen, clean white palette, or earthy with shades of grey or taupe. A monochromatic look creates a sense of calm. Collect samples of the finishes you’re thinking of using to see how they work together and buy tester pots of paint to see how they read in your bathroom. Seeing a colour online or in the store is so different than seeing it in your space.

Bring in texture

When you’re working with a neutral colour palette, texture is essential. You’ll want to be sure to vary up all those soft, neutral hues with some beautiful texture that not only looks great, but feels great too. Tumbled stone tiles offer a beautiful, aged look, and I love honed countertops because they bring a softness to the space and hide fingerprints particularly well. Plastered walls and live edge shelves are other great ways to add natural texture.

Incorporate spa products

Of course a spa-inspired bathroom is never complete without luxurious products. One of my favourite ways to slow down at the end of a long day is with some soothing bath products. Make a ritual of treating yourself to moisturizing lotions, invigorating body washes or a soak in the tub with calming bath salts. Keep things cohesive with a bath accessory set, to house your everyday basics like toothbrushes and soaps.

Add cosiness

Never underestimate the power of a great towel. To elevate your bathroom experience, consider plush towels to wrap yourself up in the winter, waffle towels to add extra texture or lighter weight Hammam towels in the summer for a spa-inspired look. Don’t forget a robe, slippers and bath mat, too, which will make even the most modest of spaces seem that much more indulgent.

Hang serene art

I believe art is the soul of any space, and this still rings true for the bathroom. Art is often overlooked in this space, but as long as you have good ventilation or get the piece laminated, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it in yours. To get that serene, spa-feel, opt for a Zen piece of art, like a landscape of a sea or forest, or an abstract painting that ties in your chosen palette.

Update hardware

Last but not least is the hardware. For a spa-inspired bathroom, I love using matte black, hand-forged iron or classic nickel for pulls, handles and faucets. Hardware is an opportunity to add some incredible contrast or bring in pieces with a rich history that will bring character to your space.

A top Queen West diner is getting a second Toronto outpost

By

Jessica Huras

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4:04 pm

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Beloved Queen West diner Aloette is set to open a new location in the coming months. Sister to upscale French restaurant Alo, which regularly ranks among the top restaurants in the country, Aloette first opened its doors in 2017.

A more casual concept than Alo, Aloette is known for its menu of fancified diner fare, which includes dishes like fried chicken with yuzu honey and a burger topped with griddled Beaufort cheese.

Patrick Kriss, the chef-owner behind Alo Food Group, which also includes Alobar Yorkville and wine bar Salon, recently posted an Instagram photo teasing the second Aloette’s opening.

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The photo features a building exterior with signs reading “Aloette coming soon.” The new restaurant will reportedly take over the Liberty Village space previously occupied by Garden Gangsters.

Alo Food Group has been quick to pivot its restaurant concepts amid the extended dining room shutdowns over the past 10 months. Alo was among the city’s first fine-dining restaurants to pivot to a pre-fixe takeout program when it launched Alo at Home last April. Alobar is offering similar multi-course takeout meals, along with a small à la carte menu via Uber Eats. The original Aloette also continues to be open for takeout and delivery.

According to Aloette’s website, the second restaurant will open sometime this spring in Liberty Village.

Lobster’licious returns to Scaramouche

By

Jessica Huras

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2:16 pm

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Iconic Toronto restaurant Scaramouche is bringing back its annual Lobster’licious prix-fixe event in takeout form. Running yearly since 2009, chef-owner Keith Froggett says Lobster’licious originally started as a response to Toronto’s Winterlicious event. “We didn’t feel that the parameters of that worked for us, so we tongue-in-cheek started this Lobster’licious thing and it became the success it has been,” he explains.

Froggett says that in years past, the event offered diners a choice of appetizers, mains and desserts. To simplify Lobster’licious for takeout, however, they’re offering a single, three-course menu this year.

This week’s menu includes lobster bisque, butter-poached lobster with house-made cavatelli pasta, and passionfruit curd with pistachio crumble. Froggett adds that they will likely rotate in different, lobster-focused menus in the coming weeks as the event progresses.

Like the rest of Scaramouche’s takeout program, the Lobster’licious dinner is available for pick-up via Tock. Last year, Scaramouche began offering takeout for the first time in its 40-year run in response to the extended dining room closures.

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The restaurant temporarily closed when dine-in was first shut down last March. “For the first two and a half weeks, there were two or three of us coming in every day and systematically cooking everything that was in the fridge and donating to food banks,” says Froggett. “Once we got all of that inventory taken care of, we sat down and thought about things. It became obvious even at that point this was going to be an extended shutdown.”

He adds that the success of his son Benn’s takeout rollout at his Halton Hills’ restaurant the Glen Tavern inspired the Scaramouche team to attempt something similar. Scaramouche chef Carolyn Reid says the pivot to takeout has been challenging, but the team has been able to streamline the process by combining the menus of Scaramouche’s main restaurant and its more casual pasta bar and grill. “We’ve blended the two menus to keep both sides happy and to be able to offer our top sellers,” says Reid.

“We’re very careful with how we craft the menu and how well things will travel,” adds Froggett. “The challenge is trying to stay true to the quality of cooking that we’ve always offered.”

Lobster’licious is on now until Jan. 30 and Froggett says they plan to continue offering their standard takeout program via Tock until dine-in reopens. “We’re taking it one day at a time, one week at a time,” he says. “The camaraderie within the kitchen is really positive. It’s remarkable how people have adapted.”

Ontario’s top basketball coach Tony McIntyre on finding love and building his own team with seven kids

By

Nikki Gill

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1:58 pm

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tony mcintyre — Tony and Suzette McIntyre

It’s no secret that Ontario has been churning out NBA stars in the last few years. A new CBC docu-series this month called Anyone’s Game is highlighting one of the world’s top basketball development programs right here in Ontario, where many of these stars are getting their start: Orangeville Prep.

The series follows the high school players in the 2019-20 team as they hope to follow in the footsteps of dozens of graduates before them and receive NCAA Division 1 scholarships. At the centre of the team is coach Tony McIntyre. He is admired and respected in the world of high school basketball and along with his wife Suzette, he cares for the players as if they’re his own kids.

Not to mention, he and Suzette also have seven basketball playing kids of their own, one of which is Tyler Ennis who played at Syracuse University and was drafted in the NBA first round in 2014. Here Suzette tells the story of how this basketball family came to be.

How they met

We met at Humber College Lakeshore in Toronto. Tony was taking law enforcement and I was taking social services. I had seen him several times walking in the school and thought he was cute. I actually saw him like a scene out of a movie across a crowded room. We then ran into each other by coincidence at a nightclub in downtown Toronto. We talked and exchanged numbers and started talking on the phone.

The first date

Our first date was to Red Lobster for dinner. It was a nice dinner and seems to have previewed the future as we spend a lot of time in restaurants. We also went to a club with some friends to go dancing that night and a fight broke out. Tony and I decided to walk two hours back to Tony’s house to get his car to drive me home. It was a great opportunity to get to know each other better.

The proposal

The proposal was both expected and unexpected. We had been talking about it, but the time and place was unexpected. One of our favourite restaurants was Olive Garden. We went for a nice dinner and I had left to go to the washroom and came back and saw a ring on the table. That’s when Tony asked me to marry him. I was shocked and happy all at the same time.

The wedding and honeymoon

We got married on July 27, 1996 at the Brampton Baptist Church in downtown Brampton. We had all of our family and friends at the ceremony and the reception. We left for our honeymoon the very next day. We flew to California to go on a seven-day Carnival Cruise through Mexico. Everything was amazing until three hours into the cruise when we had an emergency on the ship. We all had to go to our muster stations and wait. While waiting the captain announced that there had been a report of a bomb on our ship. It was obviously scary and even more real being that a bomb had gone off at the Atlanta Olympic Games the day before. We returned to shore safely and the police and the bomb squad checked the ship. Based on our feelings we decided to not get back on the ship. We stayed at my aunt’s house in California for a couple of days instead and then spent the rest of the honeymoon in Las Vegas.

The kids

We have seven beautiful children and four grandchildren. Our children’s names are Brandon, 31, Dylan, 29, Tyler, 26, Brittany, 22, Dominique, 16, Tyylon, 11, and Bryyson, 5.

Balancing careers and marriage

It’s been very hectic in our lives balancing our careers, our marriage and our seven children. We always made a master schedule of events and split up to get everything done each day. We would try our best to rotate tasks so none of our children felt that they were not supported equally. Tony coaches basketball so it also made things even more difficult at times, but also easier at times in which he was coaching our children. Balance was key and although we didn’t make a lot of time for each other we knew it was a commitment to our children that we were making the sacrifice for. We now spend a lot more time having date nights and dinners with each other or going to the movies when we can.

Shared interests

We both love to drive and travel. We plan road trips and try to make the most of basketball tournament trips to see the areas we travel to. We also recently took up plants. It was weird, we both felt the need to have plants in the house at the same time. He loves different palm trees and cactus plants and I love snake plants and common house plants. The plants make our house feel so much more lively and welcome. Tony actually talks to them and plays music for them.

Secret of success

Our secret of success has been God, love, compromise, patience, self-sacrifice and the vision of the bigger picture.

Life after retirement

For Tony, it would be sand, beaches, boats and beers. For me, I imagine life after retirement filled with travel, visiting our children, watching our grandchildren play and grow up.

All six episodes of Anyone’s Game will be available to stream on CBC Gem beginning Jan. 15.

How to respond to kids who are not following the stay-at-home order

By

lindsaylow

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11:42 am

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Parenting columnist Joanne Kates is an expert educator in the areas of conflict mediation, self-esteem and anti-bullying, and she is the director of Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park.

“What you gonna do, report on me to the government?”

Do we have a snitch line? If we had one, I’d be tempted.

Why? Because COVID family politics are making parenting adolescents look like a walk in the park. A tea party with the queen at Buckingham Palace. A date with Nicole Kidman. Really.

Because parents of teens and young adults are struggling with fear, pain and frustration. When they break COVID precaution protocols, we literally fear death. If they bring COVID home to us, we are at great risk. The pain is because we are incredulous — and sad — that they don’t seem to care enough about our well-being to limit their socializing. And the frustration is about communication.

A friend has been telling me since fall that his son at Queen’s University isn’t partying at all…. And that he only sees his girlfriend and his roommate. And that they also isolate. And that none of them see anybody else. Yup. And I’m the tooth fairy.

The high stakes today make family politics appallingly challenging. University students have a right to come home. Or do they? Young adults, the same. We know more young adults than ever are living at home. How do we talk to them about COVID? My experiences are that the younger gen experiences us as “interrogating” them when we inquire re their COVID precautions.

Do they care about the rules? Yes, but not as much as they do about seeing friends. The rules do not motivate them to batten down the hatches. Do they care that their socializing endangers others? Yes, but not enough to follow the rules. A recent New York Times article reported that “since the end of August, deaths from the coronavirus have doubled in counties with a large college population, compared with a 58 per cent increase in the rest of the nation. Few of the victims were college students, but rather older people and others living and working in the community.”

It gets worse. New U.S. research shows that young adults there are dying of COVID in far greater numbers than previously thought.

So what do we do? First seek to understand. If your relationship with your young ones is strong enough to have difficult conversations, start asking questions. (If it isn’t, learn how to strengthen it.)

Ask them questions. If your content and tone are 100 per cent non-judgy, and it’s your lucky day, they’ll tell you not what you want to hear, but their truth.

Which is that socializing is their oxygen. Life without constant connection with their friends is no life at all. Pre-COVID, we believed young people spent too much time online and not enough in person and that screens substituted for face-to-face connection. If we’d been correct, they’d be happy social Zoomers now.

But they’re not, and they wilt without frequent hang time with friends.

So how to manage the chasm between our need for safety and their need for socializing? If they don’t live in our house, we tolerate loneliness. It is unfortunately that simple. If they want to come home, we get to set our boundaries. And we must. In my house, this sounds like: “Yes, after you isolate for 14 days.” It sucks. More for us than for them. But it sucks less than getting COVID.

If they live in our house and refuse to stop socializing, I don’t know anything else to do but set major boundaries. Because the fight is not winnable, and losing it can have such tragic consequences. Sometimes parents have to make unpopular decisions. I would, with respect and love, tell my adolescent offspring that, while I understand their need to see their friends, it’s not safe for me, and I know they would never forgive themselves if they brought COVID home and there was a bad outcome. So I would tell them, we, the parents, are going to do what we must to stay safe.

Which is that they move to the basement if we live in a house. Or not enter common space unmasked if we’re in an apartment. We deliver meals to their threshold. And pick up used tableware there. No handy bathroom? Designate a COVID one. No shower? Take sponge baths. My house, my life, my decision.

This new pizza joint specializes in Canadian-style pies

By

Jessica Huras

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2:15 pm

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Mel’s Pizza is bringing a distinctive new style of pizza to Toronto. Pre-pandemic, Toronto chef Matt Sullivan went on a pizza research journey that took him from Windsor to Chicago, Brooklyn, Detroit and beyond. When COVID-19 hit, Sullivan focused on using his newfound pizza knowledge to create “a Canadian-style, nostalgic pizza” that would be well-suited to takeout and delivery. “A lot of different styles of pizza don’t really work for delivery. You have to have it when it comes fresh out of the oven,” explains Sullivan.

The pies at Mel’s Pizza feature a thin crust that’s crispy yet fluffy, made from dough that’s fermented for four days. The pizzas, all of which come in 16-inch sizes, are topped with organic mozzarella and sauce made from Bianco DiNapoli organic tomatoes. “We use really quality ingredients,” says Sullivan. “It’s crafted, thoughtful pizza.”

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Some toppings pay homage to Canadian-made pizzas. For example, the Windsor pizza, which is inspired by the city’s iconic hometown pizza, is topped with tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms and chopped pepperoni. “A lot of Windsor expats are getting it and love it,” says Sullivan.

The Satellite, topped with tomato, mozzarella, ham, pineapple and bacon, is named for the Chatham restaurant where the Hawaiian pizza was invented in 1962. Mel’s Pizza also offers calzones and classic toppings like cheese and pepperoni.

Mel’s also regularly offers special secret pizzas by sharing a password via Instagram stories. Diners who order a standard cheese pizza and enter the password in the comments section of their form will receive the secret pizza instead. Recent secret pies have included a taco pizza topped with beef short rib braised in chipotle peppers, peperoncini, red pepper and shaved cotija cheese; and a clam pizza topped with clams in garlic butter and clam liquor, spicy vodka sauce, mozzarella and bacon.

Mel’s Pizza is currently available for delivery via Uber Eats, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes. Sullivan says they hope to eventually transition from a ghost kitchen to a brick-and-mortar restaurant when lockdown restrictions are lifted. “We have a pretty good following with a lot of repeat customers and we’re getting busier every day,” he says.

How to make Marked’s ceviche

By

lindsaylow

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1:59 pm

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“The Marked ceviche is our take on a traditional Peruvian ceviche,” says Dan Maltar of Marked restaurant‘s ceviche recipe. “We make our Tiger’s Milk fresh by blending a piece of hamachi with ginger, celery, garlic, shallot and lime juice.”

Ceviche Ingredients

80 g fresh hamachi (cut into 1.5 cm cubes) (you can substitute any fresh white fish)
25 g avocado (cut into 1.5 cm cubes)
70 g Tiger’s Milk (recipe below)
1 pinch red finger chili (minced)
1 tbsp Peruvian popcorn (you can use fresh-cooked corn as a substitute)
1.5 g sweet potato (cut into 1.5 cm cubes)
1 pinch Maldon salt
1 tsp salsa criolo (recipe below)
1 pinch cilantro cress (you can substitute cilantro leaves)
1 pinch popcorn sprouts (you can substitute with other sprouts like pea shoots)

Tiger’s Milk Ingredients

1 thumb-sized piece shallot
1 thumb-sized piece ginger (peeled)
1 thumb-sized piece celery
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch kosher salt
1 thumb-sized piece of hamachi
½ cup lime juice
1 ¼ cup water
1 ¼ cup ice cubes

Salsa Criolo Ingredients

½ cup red onion (minced)
1 jalapeno (deseeded and minced)
50 ml lime juice
1 pinch kosher salt

Method

To make your Tiger’s Milk, place all the ingredients in the blender and purée until smooth. The consistency should look like a slushy.
Mix the ingredients for the salsa criolo and let marinate for 4 hours. You can make this up to one day ahead.
Peel and cut your sweet potato and steam for 6 minutes or until tender. You can also toss them in oil and roast them in the oven. Let the potato cool while you cut the rest of your ingredients.
When you are ready to serve, marinate your fish in the Tiger’s Milk for 5 minutes or so with the fresh chilis. Place the marinated fish in the middle of your serving plate and garnish with cooked corn, cubed avocados, steamed sweet potatoes, cilantro and sprouts.
Drizzle some of the salsa criolo around and over your mound. Finish with Maldon salt and high-quality olive oil.