A new Asian food festival is coming to the GTA
In the wake of coronavirus-fuelled discrimination, restaurants from all over the GTA are banding together to combat slow business with Asialicious, a new city-wide food festival.
A riff on Toronto’s Winterlicious, Asialicious is set to feature more than 100 Asian restaurants in Markham and across the GTA.
Asialicious was launched by Dr. Ken Ng of the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham (FCCM) and Catherine Hou of the Chinese Cuisine & Hospitality Association of Canada at a press conference in Markham last week.
Born out of Markham’s desire to bring business back to Chinese-run shops and restaurants, this festival was initiated to debunk the coronavirus rumours and misconceptions that have been circulating since the virus was declared a global health emergency by the WHO.
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“The outbreak of the coronavirus has hit our industry very badly. We can feel the hurt,” said Hou.
The mayor of Markham, Frank Scarpitti, is adamant that Markham’s Asian restaurants and small businesses need the support of their community and are safe places to dine.
“There have been a number of local restaurants and businesses that have seen a decline. This is a way of supporting them,” said Scarpitti. The Markham mayor went on to congratulate the restaurant industry, “for coming together to help deliver the message that it’s low risk, catching the virus.”
“It also gives people an opportunity to really go out and enjoy truly some of the best Chinese restaurants in all of North America,” he added.
Last stop on the night shift Grandma’s Home with Catherine Hou Prez Chinese Cuisine & Hospitality Asscociation of Canada & Dr. Ken Ng Chair of FCCM We are encouraging everyone to go out and support Chinese restaurants #Asialicious Together We Win! pic.twitter.com/xXNc465jq8
— Mayor Frank Scarpitti (@frankscarpitti) February 5, 2020
Asialicious, which starts Feb. 14 and runs for two weeks, will showcase Asian food from across the continent. Each restaurant involved is set to implement its own promotions and deals. The festival will also include some contests and giveaways from certain restaurants, so keep your eyes on the Asialicious Instagram for details.
Beloved spots like Magic Noodle, Yu Seafood, Shinta Japanese BBQ among others are getting involved to show their support of the Chinese-Canadian community and to put people at ease in the wake of the social media attacks and xenophobic behaviour.
Since the festival was announced last week, restaurants from across the city have been joining the ranks every day.
This festival is not only to draw customers back into these restaurants but also to celebrate the rich and diverse Asian-Canadian culture in Markham and the GTA.
Five date night spots to try for Valentine’s Day this year
The shortest month of the year is upon us, and that can only mean one thing: cupid is logging some serious overtime hours. In a city like Toronto, there is a myriad of ways to get creative with this holiday of love and overpriced roses. But the classics, like a romantic dinner, are classics for a reason. So in the name of mood lighting, clinking wine glasses, and gazing lovingly into the eyes of a decadent piece of cheesecake (or your loved one—whichever), we’ve taken some of the pressure off of everyone’s favourite diapered matchmaker and rounded up five date night ideas for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner.
Maison Selby
Maison Selby is a charming French bistro inside the historic Gooderham House at Sherbourne and Bloor. There is a room for every mood in the century-old building, from the dimly-lit bar to the intimate, wallpapered Rose Room and Parlour. If you want a little more privacy, a quick walk downstairs and a push of a nondescript white-tiled wall will transport you into Sous Sol, a clandestine little speakeasy offering $10 cocktails and light snacks. For Valentine’s Day, Maison Selby’s prixe fix menu offers four to five courses for $78 a person and includes a venison tartare, lamb en croûte, chocolante fondant cake and more.
The Gladstone Hotel
The Gladstone Hotel is going all out this year with live music, a four-course prix fixe dinner ($95) and a complimentary glass of bubbly. Executive chef Akshay Shastry has curated a Valentine’s Day meal that might make your heart skip a beat. Where the likes of braised rabbit and butternut squash risotto are just the opening act before mains of shrimp, beef tenderloin, and a finale of mousse tartes steal the show. There’s also more to do with your date here than eat. Try arriving earlier than your reservation to explore four floors of art exhibits, like the hotel’s limited time Love (Actually) photography exhibit.
Baro
Baro’s intimate King West space is, of course, celebrating this day of love in style. The main floor dining room will host a four-course menu of Latin-inspired eats, and they’ll also be featuring some special themed cocktails. To celebrate both of the high holidays that call February 14 home, Baro’s throwing an entirely different party for Galentine’s Day upstairs, complete with gift bags, DJs, and a five-course menu. Reservations are a must, as this is bound to fill up.
Annabelle Pasta Bar
Annabelle Pasta and Negroni Bar is a beautiful and intimate two-storey spot for perfect handmade pasta. In addition to their regular menu, Annabelle cooks up three handmade pasta dishes each night for just $12 a plate. This is all based on their founding philosophy that incredible pasta shouldn’t break the bank. The ambiance of Annabelle is perfect for romance and the staff are passionate about the space, treating everyone like a VIP. Reservations are usually a no-go at this Davenport gem, but they’re making an exception to help your date night run smoothly.
Xango
Xango opened on King West last fall, and in addition to being a beautiful space, the food and staff make it a must-visit. Celebrity chef Claudio Aprile (MasterChef Canada) is but one of the heavy hitters behind this spot, so you know the dishes will be artful and delicious. There are several chic areas to cosy up in and the food aims to impress. The whole fried branzino is a must ($36), and a few of the dishes even come with a side of spectacle in the form of dry ice accompaniment. Be sure to end the date with the gorgeous, towering, smoking chajá: an Uruguayan cake filled with dulce de leche and peaches.
The Toronto fashion moment you missed at the 2020 Oscars
About halfway through the 92nd Oscars last night, actor Utkarsh Ambudkar performed a freestyle on stage to recap the show — that performance had a little-known Toronto connection. Ambudkar, who is best known for his roles in The Mindy Project and Pitch Perfect, was sporting a Sandy suit by Toronto stylist Sandy Gill.
Gill took to Instagram to share how her work ended up on the 2020 Oscars stage saying, “We had a very short timeline to make it and get it into his hands in L.A. That meant late night calls, triple checking the measurements and a lot of praying that the international shipping would be reliable.”
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Gill also notes that she worked with Brampton retailer Sahiba Fashions to put the look together, as she often has for her Sandy suit creations in the past. Gill and Amar Singh of Sahiba Fashions created the Sandy suit in 2015 out of an idea to create a power suit for women in a powerful fabric. Both Gill and Singh are South Asian and felt the fabrics they saw their mothers, aunts and grandmothers in to be a perfect fit.
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Since then, the suit has popped up on public figures such as Humble the Poet as he accompanied Lilly Singh at one of Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s wedding events, Beena Patel (comedian Hasan Minhaj’s wife) at the NRDC Night of Comedy and entrepreneur Nabela Noor.
In her Instagram post, she also says, “What people wear to the Oscars means a lot and I’m so honoured Utkarsh chose my work to be in on stage.” She concludes the post saying, “This suit is my love letter to my heritage, my obsession with art, and my desire to make people feel great and more confident about themselves,” followed by information on how to get a made-to-measure Sandy suit by emailing [email protected].
Legendary Toronto Chinese restaurant announces closing date
Long-running Chinese restaurant Sea-Hi Famous Chinese Food announced that it will be closing for good at the end of the month on Feb. 29.
The restaurant posted the information on its Facebook page stating that the restaurant has been in business for 59 years.
“We know the restaurant will be missed,” the statement read. “We hope to see you and your family one last time before our doors close on Feb 29th.”
With a very heavy heart, we announce that Sea-Hi Chinese Restaurant will be officially closing on February 29, 2020….
Posted by Sea-Hi Famous Chinese Chop Suey Restaurant on Sunday, February 9, 2020
The restaurant’s Facebook page has quickly filled up with comments both long and short reflecting the impact Sea-Hi has had on the community and the greatness of its chicken sticks, amongst other popular menu items.
“Been going since it opened, had my first beer there at 15 years old, chicken sticks, hot and sour soup, plum sauce and dried noodles, CLASSIC, will be missed,” read one post.
While another commenter wrote, “Why do you have to close? Such great great food, chicken soup, San Francisco dry ribs, honey garlic chicken, chicken sticks, your fried rice, all of beyond compare!! Any chance you would share your recipes? ?? …they need to carry on your legacy of great flavour!!”
The restaurant is a hotbed of activity come Christmastime, and heading to Sea-Hi on Christmas Day was a long-held tradition for many Torontonians. To that end, a couple of years ago, a charming documentary film Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas was recorded at the restaurant with many top artists singing holiday tunes including Steven Page.
There is likely to be a rush on chicken sticks this month, so be sure to head up to Bathurst Street a few blocks south of Wilson Avenue for one last visit before Feb. 29.
Toronto Raptor Serge Ibaka’s best off-the-court moments
These days it seems like there’s nothing Serge Ibaka can’t do.
The Toronto Raptor sunk a game-winning three-pointer Wednesday night to break the franchise record with a 12-game winning streak. He also recently became the first NBA player in history with 500 three-pointers and 1,500 assists.
But basketball isn’t the only thing this Raptor has going for him. The power forward is known for his style, his culinary skills and his social media presence. So we thought it was about time to recap some of the most genius Serge Ibaka moments that have happened off the court.
Scarf wars 2020
Serge and OG arguing fashion forever pic.twitter.com/7PxkWRoSum
— Faizal Khamisa (@SNFaizalKhamisa) February 3, 2020
On Avec Classe, Serge Ibaka’s new YouTube series with Holt Renfrew Men, he invited fellow Raptor OG Anunoby to Holts to help him up his fashion game. The episode turned into a roast when OG started to claim that he put Ibaka on to fashion and scarves in the first place. This sent the internet into a frenzy and coined the now-viral phrase, “what about scarves?”.
This then led to the pair duking it out in their respective scarves before Wednesday night’s game.
I’m dying. Serge and OG forever. “What about scarves?!?” pic.twitter.com/NfyJif44rV
— Faizal Khamisa (@SNFaizalKhamisa) February 5, 2020
When he posted this viral video
Aside from the fact that this video went viral almost instantly, it showed the world a different and more “fun” side of the quiet star player.
The time he served the Bench Mob lamb brains
Serge is known for his culinary wiles on his YouTube series, where he brings guests on to chat and to eat some pretty interesting dishes. On one episode of the show, Ibaka had his teammates Fred Van Vleet, Normal Powell, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Delon Wright, better known as the Bench Mob, come on to chat about the upcoming 2019 season and enjoy a platter of brains spread on toast. Most of the teammates agreed the meal was pretty terrible, but Siakam later told the Bleacher Report, “It’s about eating nasty food but also bonding and talking about important things, which is cool.”
The time he surprised everyone at Rol San
#SergeIbaka was spotted at Rol San after the big #Raptors win Saturday night #WeTheNorth #Toronto pic.twitter.com/YfuivO7V1b
— blogTO (@blogTO) May 27, 2019
Ibaka received a standing ovation when he surprised everyone at his favourite late-night Dim Sum spot after advancing to the NBA Finals in 2019. It’s a known fact that Serge loves Rol San’s fried rice and can be spotted there enjoying a post-game bite.
The time he asked the team how hungry they were
Fun Guy Kawhi only wants alcohol and desserts all the time ?
(via @sergeibaka) pic.twitter.com/BXsP9chh4b
— ESPN (@espn) June 19, 2019
Most of the team shouted for pizza and tacos but “fun guy” Kawhi came up with this gem of an answer.
Finally, his show-stopping style
Religion #kitendi #mafuzzystyle #avecclasse #pfw #parisfashionweek pic.twitter.com/XteVsgx9zz
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) June 21, 2019
Serge Ibaka is known for his style and his game-day looks. The six-foot-ten Raptor is always standing out in high-end threads from designers like Valentino, Balmain and Gucci. The Raptor is also the face of Nobis, Canada’s premier outerwear brand. He doesn’t like to brag but he told Avec Classe that he doesn’t just dress, “he does art.”
An ’80s-themed ice fest kicks off in Yorkville this weekend
You might just see an ice sculpture of Madonna at this year’s Bloor-Yorkville Ice Fest in the village of Yorkville Park. Ice Fest takes place this weekend on Feb. 8 and 9, and all the ice sculptures on display will be inspired by the music, art, film and fashion of the ’80s. It’s the perfect way to introduce your kids to the classics of the decade, while you savour the nostalgia yourself.
The free event goes down from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday along Cumberland Street and Bellair Street. The ice festival will feature live ice-carving demonstrations and more than 70,000 pounds of crystal-clear ice.
Look out for ice sculptures of all your favourite ’80s icons in the main exhibition located beside the big rock in the Village of Yorkville Park. You’ll find Madonna, Andy Warhol, Eddie Van Halen and an Elton John silhouette there. Aside from the icons, ice sculptures will also include a boombox, leg warmers and heels, and a roller skate because what’s more ’80s than that?
The best part? There is a designated photo area that will feature a Back to the Future–themed sculpture, complete with a DeLorean.
When the chill of winter gets in your bones, head to the Icefest lounge to warm up. There will be a photo booth there and a DJ spinning some tunes. For those looking to really get involved, take part in the scavenger hunt that will be taking place in the shops and attractions throughout the neighbourhood. Participants have a chance to win a $1,000 cash prize. Head to the Bloor-Yorkville BIA tent on Bellair street for more information.
Aside from all the ice, there will be vendors there from Auntie Jo’s Kettle Corn, BeaverTails, Davids Tea, Prince Edward’s Fries, Yorkville Crepes and the Wine Rack for those looking for some snacks and sips.
Toronto architect launches wearable art pop-up at Bayview Village
Local architect Antonio Tadrissi is bringing Dust of Gods — a sustainable fashion movement he created — to Bayview Village this month. The pop-up will open this weekend and run until Feb. 21.
So what exactly is Dust of Gods? It’s essentially a line of one-of-a-kind wearable art. Tadrissi takes pre-loved clothing in good condition and repurposes the items by “dusting” them. That’s where the sustainability factor comes into play — the philosophy of the brand is that sustainable fashion can only be achieved through repurposing items already in our closets.
Those looking to get their hands on a piece by Tadrissi should head to Bayview Village for their next shopping trip. Shoppers who spend $1,000 in a single day at the shopping centre will get the opportunity to bring one item to Tadrissi for a consultation. Accepted items are jackets, shirts, pants and bags. Once the consultation is complete, the item will be “dusted” on-site and can be picked up within seven to 10 days at the concierge desk.
The current Dust of Gods collection focuses on jackets that have been collected from local markets to vintage warehouses in countries all over the world. Each piece is cut, styled, painted and embellished to become a wearable piece of art. Tadrissi also takes on many private commissions from Raptors T-shirts to plaid shirts. The pieces also commonly feature the saying “In dust we trust.”
Tadrissi’s pieces are highly coveted and retail for approximately $2,500, so this opportunity is not one to be missed. Tadrissi, who originally was on a path to becoming a scientist, honed his creativity through his work as a designer, architect, sculptor and entrepreneur. Before discovering his calling, Tadrissi was studying molecular biology and biomedical engineering. He is now an internationally renowned artist and owner of architectural firm Prototype Design Lab. He also has a few famous fans including T.O.’s own Drake.
