A soon-to-open Toronto restaurant is coming under fire for the imagery reportedly being used in recent publicity materials.
Uncle Ray’s Food & Liquor, a restaurant with a “Southern-inspired” menu, is helmed by restaurateur Yannick Bigourdan (Splendido, Nota Bene and the Carbon Bar) and chef Michael Angeloni (Grand Electric), along with industry veterans Adam Teolis and Dan Kennedy.
The restaurant’s Toronto location is set to open on Jan. 17, on the heels of a Hamilton outpost which opened in December.
Food writer and CBC contributor Suresh Doss shared a press release from the new restaurant on Twitter yesterday, expressing concern over its use of ape imagery to promote its Southern food menu.
Dozens of commenters took to Twitter to consider the racial implications of the press release including well-known hip hop artist Cadence Weapon as well as local city councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam in whose ward the restaurant is located.
They included everything from black culture… except for the people. And they put an ape in there to top it off! Yannick, Michael, Adam + Dan are here to elevate black American cuisine. Finally! ? https://t.co/8k27jDwu2T
“Off the charts openly racist. Disgusting,” responded Shree Paradkar, columnist at the Toronto Star.
According to one commenter, Uncle Ray’s also shared a similar image featuring an ape on their Instagram, but it has since been taken down. But there was a screen capture that showed the post.
When better to start a new diet or health plan than in the new year, after the caloric onslaught of the winter holidays. We are lucky in this city to have every kind of restaurant for every kind of diet, but it can take a bit of research. Here are just a few to get you started.
Go pro paleo at Antler
No to be confused with the similar keto diet, a paleolithic diet comprises mainly fruits, nuts, lean meats, fish and vegetables. That means no dairy nor legumes nor grains (which emerged only in the last 10,000 years with the agricultural revolution). Essentially, the diet mimics that of our earliest Homo habilis, which sourced not just locally but with knife and spear. These days, a prehistoric diet can be enjoyed without actual hunting and gathering and is surprisingly healthy.
Antler, the animal-inclined restaurant that was, for a time, subject to vegan protests, provides a range of paleo-friendly mains and starters that favour Canadian provenance. There are options for almost every kind of eater, including vegan, but it is locally sourced protein that people cross the picket line for. About 99 per cent of what Antler serves comes from Ontario, with a few items from Nunavut, B.C. and Alberta. Much of the menu is gluten-free, which works for the paleo diner.
Chef Michael Hunter says the venison dish is a popular item. Once a month, the restaurant gets a whole deer from Bruce County, and the cut is served with a stew of braised neck and parsnip purée, in keeping with their dedication to nose-to-tail dining. (Antler, 1454 Dundas St. W.)
Maintain a meat-free diet at by CHLOE.
A fully vegan meal that wasn’t just a pile of chickpeas on a bed of leaves or a vaguely orange-hued veggie patty, crumbling in its bun, used to be difficult to come by. Thankfully, good vegan options have become ubiquitous in a society coloured by climate change-related doom, health-consciousness and consumer activism. It was in this environment that by Chloe. a New York–based chain of fast-casual vegan meals, made its Canadian debut at Yorkdale this past September.
With 16 locations across New York, Boston, L.A., London and, now, Toronto, the chain has become a plant-based escape from the mall food court. Although most diets, especially veganism, are often calorie restrictive, at by Chloe., diners can indulge in such comfort meals as a tempeh-lentil-chia-walnut burger or or a mac ’n’ cheese blanketed by a sweet potato–cashew-based cheese sauce and studded with shiitake bacon. But the real draw at by Chloe. isn’t, in fact, the savoury meals. Although most baked goods typically incorporate animal byproducts including butter, milk and eggs, by Chloe.’s seasonally changing baked doughnuts and cupcakes offer a luxuriously sweet treat, cruelty-free. (by CHLOE., 3401 Dufferin St.)
There are a million reasons why someone would choose to abstain from alcohol consumption, any time of the year, ranging from religion to health to alcohol’s impact on social enjoyment. If you’re considering going alcohol-free in January, a good place to start would be PrettyUgly, the late-night spot from Robin Goodfellow that offers a menu of complex and sophisticated Prohibition-friendly mixed drinks.
Gone are syrupy sweet and effervescent “mocktails” (a term Goodfellow abhors) that footnote drink menus across the city: in their place is a six-item list of “placebos” that matches the ambition of your average mustachioed mixologist’s cocktail menu.
According to Goodfellow, the Placebo menu was introduced early on at PrettyUgly, and the reason was simple: He has friends who don’t drink alcohol for personal reasons, and he wanted them to enjoy the space as much as anyone else who walks into the bar.
“And they’re really picky people,” he says.
“We decided to put our brains to work and make a bunch of drinks that didn’t taste like martinis and Negronis but still had that same essence, a little bit more classy.”
In other words, refined drinks that capture the feeling of a big clear ice cube clinking around in a glass but aren’t just facsimiles of traditional cocktails; drinks that are smoky and herby and flavourful, made with purposely concocted ingredients like nomaro (PrettyUgly’s own non-alcoholic version of the strong, bitter amaro liqueur). And beginning in the new year, the bar will be introducing new health-conscious alcohol-free drinks, made with naturopathic doctor-approved herbs and ingredients that turn the drinks from simply unharmful to healing. (PrettyUgly, 1237 Queen St. W.)
Keep on your keto diet at 7Numbers
The demands of a no-carb, low-sugar, high-fat regimen often lead to an awkward and complicated configuration of mains and sides when dining out.
Keto dieters swap out carbs for veggie sides drenched in olive oil or cheese sauce where available, all while avoiding root vegetables and most fruits. This usually makes the prospect of dining Italian (traditionally lusciously carb heavy) a non-starter.
But 7Numbers has a keto-friendly, gluten-free and vegetarian option worth booking that reservation for. Their zucchini lasagna is made with layered slices of grilled zucchini, mozzarella and romano cheeses, and mushrooms under a velvety tomato sauce.
The zucchini lasagna started as an off-menu item but has crept into the books at the restaurant’s Eglinton Avenue location. It has quickly become popular among regulars, according to Rosa Marinuzzi, owner, chef and resident Italian grandmother. Unsurprising, because a forkful of the remarkably filling pile of veggies and cheese leaves the diner craving nothing else. (7Numbers, 516 Eglinton Ave. W.)
When eTalk correspondent Lainey Lui strutted down the stairs to the red carpet at the Golden Globes on Sunday night, people couldn’t help but stare. As she told the CBC, it was because her dress was “spectacular and eye-catching.”
Lui’s rose-ombre floor-length pleated gown, with cut-out sides and a thigh-high slit that would make Angelina Jolie blush, is the brainchild of Toronto-based Indigenous designer Lesley Hampton.
The piece hails from Hampton’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection. Entitled “The Preface”, the collection represents themes of healing and self-actualization. Hampton uses romantic cuts and bright colours to inspire self-happiness, self-confidence, and self-love to the individual wearing her pieces.
She believes that the indigenous community has a lot to offer when it comes to mainstream fashion.
“It was incredible to be able to represent the Indigenous fashion community and hopefully pave the way for other celebrities to shop Indigenous and see what Indigenous artists can do, whether it’s more traditional or more modern contemporary work,” Hampton told the CBC.
The polyester-blend dress that Lui wore will set you back between CA $1,000 – $1500, but it comes in a variety of sizes, lengths (knee-length or floor length), and colours (ombre rose or black pleather).
She even got a shout out from her alma mater George Brown. She graduated with a Fashion Design and Techniques diploma in 2017.
Congratulations to Lesley Hampton, designer of the hour at the Golden Globes ‘2020’! She’s a @georgebrowngrad making waves with a worthwhile cause and amazing creations. Check out our article on all the press her dress at the Golden Globes is making – https://t.co/pZJDSwzs5Vpic.twitter.com/4mnt6gSnAv
Hampton’s brand widely embodies inclusivity and wider perceptions of beauty that encourage body-positive advocacy. Collections are available for purchase through her website.
The former home of a beloved Parkdale bar may be turned into a seven-storey mixed-use tower. Long-running Parkdale favourite the Cadillac Lounge closed its doors last July after almost 20 years in business. Now, a developer may be applying to rezone the iconic bar’s one-time address.
The current proposal could include a seven-storey (plus mechanical penthouse) mixed-use building with hotel suites, event and retail space, and townhouses, as well as underground parking, according to the councillor’s site.
A pre-application meeting will be taking place on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Parkdale Library Basement Auditorium, giving the community a first look at what the developer is proposing for the site. The meeting will include a presentation from the developer, followed by a Q&A led by Perks.
Considering how dramatically a seven-storey building would change the low-rise cityscape of Parkdale, it will be interesting to see how the community responds next week.
Musical comedy The Boy Friendis set to premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto this March, starring Kelsey Grammer, best known as Dr. Frasier Crane, to lovers of ’80s sitcoms.
“I’m delighted to be in The Boy Friend,” Grammer says. “I look forward to being a part of this charming and funny musical. I’m very glad I get to work again with the team at Menier Chocolate Factory.”
Kelsey Grammer starred as Dr. Frasier Crane for 20 years originally in the TV series Cheers, before his loveable character was spun off to its own series, Frasier, which ran for 11 years and won four Emmy Awards. The show has been on the reboot rumour mill for a while, but it looks like it will be coming back for another round of sitcom glory in 2020.
In addition to acting, Kelsey Grammer also directed more than 30 episodes and sung the show’s famous theme song, “Tossed Salads and Scrambled Eggs.”
Grammer is a classically trained actor who began his studies at Juilliard. His classmates included the revered Broadway star Mandy Patinkin, with whom he would eventually costar in a workshop production of Sunday in the Park.
Grammar will be making his Canadian stage debut as Lord Brockhurst in The Boy Friend.
The production is described as a “deliriously happy and joyful musical comedy about young love, middle-aged love and older love.” It is coming to Toronto directly from a sell-out season at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London, England.
The Boy Friend will be performed from March 29 to May 3, 2020.
Animal rights activists stormed into the famed Joe Beef restaurant in Montreal this weekend disrupting a Saturday evening dinner service.
The protest was captured in a video posted to Facebook by Gabriel Prince, who claimed to be a member of animal rights activism group Direct Action Everywhere. The group is headquartered in California and widely known for staging numerous animal rights protests across Toronto.
In the video, protestors can be heard chanting, “It’s not food, it’s violence,” while others can be seen holding up signs that read, “Animals are not food,” and “We want animal liberation now.”
A speaker can be heard speechifying to the diners inside the Little Burgundy restaurant.
“There are no moral and ethical justifications to patronize the killing and exploitation of two trillion animals this year alone,” he said. “We demand that animals be free of all exploitation.”
Direct Action Everywhere
JOE BEEF, RESTAURANT
11 Janvier 2020
Montréal,Qc
#TVAnouvelles, #Journaldemontréal
Activist: J’ai clairement oublié des activistes mais taguez vous, s.v.p 🙂
Un gros merci à tous et toutes pour votre implication ?
After a few minutes, Joe Beef staff members can be seen escorting the group out of the restaurant, where they continued to chant loudly before eventually dispersing.
Owners of the Joe Beef restaurant did not yet respond to requests for comment.
Parkdale is about to get a new wine bar from the hottest team in the restaurant game right now. Nice Nice wine bar sees chef and restaurateur Jonathan Poon (Paris Paris, Superpoint, Favorites Thai BBQ) and his team creating a cosy new neighbourhood wine and burger space in Parkdale. Yes, wine and burger.
Nice Nice wine bar opens tonight, Jan. 10, at 269 Dunn Av. This will be Poon’s first space in Parkdale since helming the kitchen at the acclaimed French bistro, Chantecler.
After creating the new IG handle yesterday, Nice Nice’s account quickly became active with photos of the new space.
Last night, Poon and his team had friends and family to come by and experience the new space, posting many snaps on their Instagram story to gear up the rest of Parkdale for the Jan 10th opening.
Nice Nice wine will feature a curated bottle list from Grape Witches, Kyrsta Obyn. The Grape Witches have helped to create many exquisite wine lists in the city, including the eclectic list at Paris Paris.
Poon has also teamed up with Dundas West’s, Extra Burger for the new project. “We’ve teamed up with Extra Burger to bring fine wine and late-night burgers together at last,” says Poon.
The kitchen at Nice Nice will be pumping out fresh burgers, along with a selection of bar snacks.
The new space will boast a causal vibe and laid back atmosphere where patrons can experience a unique wine selection while scarfing down on some of the city’s best double patties.
For many of us, the new year brings a sense of adventure and optimism as we look forward to new beginnings and growth in the areas of health, wealth, business and pleasure.
But for some couples, January also brings increased tension, stress and conflict, as we adapt to new routines and decompress after the holiday season.
Kerry* and Sohail* have learned from years past and have planned ahead to adjust their behaviour.
“January has always been the worst,” explains Kerry. “I blamed him for years and was resentful because I felt he didn’t help with all of our holiday hosting — from Diwali to Christmas to New Year’s — and we hosted everything. But then I realized that I was forcing it on him and then getting mad at him for not pulling his weight in something that he didn’t want to do in the first place.”
The couple says every January seemed worst than the last.
“There was a year when we were so angry at each other that I don’t think we had sex for four months,” Sohail adds. “I always said I didn’t care about the holidays and if Kerry wanted to host that it was on her. Now I understand that if she loves hosting, and my family appreciates it too, I should want to take part in some way.”
This year, the Junction couple is starting 2020 on the right foot with a tech-free, kid-free weekend.
Starting 2020 with a tech fast — even just for one day — is one resolution that will ensure you make time for real connection.
Every time you check your phone, you risk sending your partner the message that there is something more important or enticing online than what they offer in person. And technology, despite having the potential to enhance connection, also leads to conflict. Over half of couples say they fight about phone usage and this affects their levels of affection, warmth, intimacy and desire for sex.
Although a tech-free resolution is likely to enhance your relationship and reduce conflict, not all new year’s resolutions result in greater harmony.
Many couples find that tension and conflict arise in response to disruptions to old routines. When one person carves out more time to go to the gym, take a course, meditate or learn a new skill, the other can find the shift threatening and respond with judgment, interference or a general lack of support.
If your partner is making space for growth in 2020 — emotionally, practically, physically or spiritually —consider what you can do to support them. A wealth of research suggests that partnered (and social) support increases the likelihood of following through with personal, business and financial goals.
If you find yourself judging or resenting your partner for their new year’s resolutions, you might want to consider how you might be using (or avoiding) your feelings to sabotage their success.
Be honest with yourself about how you feel. Does their new focus make you feel jealous, insecure, threatened or inadequate? Let them know how you feel, but ultimately take responsibility for your own emotions. Consider what you can do differently to find fulfillment on your own instead of looking to them as your primary source.
If you find yourself feeling generally cranky or gloomy under the cold grey skies, you’re not alone. Winter months can bring a decrease in social connections, more time indoors, less exercise and depressed moods. Some couples report that they fight more in the winter because they feel cooped up. If this is the case, look for opportunities to take indoor activities outside.
Warm up under the stars as you ice skate at the Bentway or Evergreen Brick Works; go for a hike to the lighthouse at the Leslie Street Spit; or take a walk through the Distillery District to take in the Toronto Light Festival (Jan. 17 to March 1).
If you’re looking for a cool date night activity, check out Terra Lumina by Montreal-based Moment Factory. They’ve created an immersive multimedia show and night walk at the Toronto Zoo.
Whatever your resolutions, start 2020 on the right foot by prioritizing your relationships. Do one thing to make your partner or another loved one feel important and appreciated. Pour them a tea, leave a chocolate on their pillow, make them a smoothie, change their windshield wiper fluid, give them a long hug, warm up their socks, or surprise them with tickets to a show. Don’t delay. It’s not too late to start the new year right.
*Names have been changed and relationship details have been shared with permission from all parties.
Netflix might be most sacred in January. After all the indulgence over the holidays, a few hours in front of the screen doesn’t seem all that bad. Maybe the content gods know this, too. You might have slept through the Irishman last year (tsk, tsk), but between Netflix, Prime, and Disney+, it’s virtually impossible to complain about what’s streaming in 2020.
These are the binge-worthy shows you need to catch this month.
The work of RuPaul and Micheal Patrick King (writer of Sex and the City), this new series premieres on January 10th with the co-creator taking the lead role as sassy drag queen, Ruby Red. Our lead character has saved $100,000 to open up their own drag club until the money is stolen. A plan’s devised to earn the money back by touring across the country in an old-school RV. Hijinks ensue. Each episode includes a performance by the Queen herself, and many who featured on the much-loved Drag Race series.
The gal-pal team, Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) are back. Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series returns on January 15th with 13-new episodes that capture what life is like on the edge of retirement and undying love. It’s Golden Girls with a pulse. It’s great. Only two more seasons to go.
After Troop Zero’s premiere last year at Sundance, Amazon snagged rights to this dramedy about a young girl (McKenna Grace) who wants so badly to have her voice recorded so it can be sent to space. She forms a group of misfits from her small town in Georgia and hopes that the stars align. Premiering on Prime January 17th, this much-buzzed film comes courtesy of British duo Bert & Bertie and stars Viola Davis, Jim Gaffigan, Mike Epps and Allison Janney.
Further evidence of Amazon’s newfound commitment to stand-up (so long dominated by Netflix), Russell Peters’ new stand-up special Deported will bring old fans back to his best early material. While you’re scrolling, hit up Rob Delaney’s Jackie, which is also set for release on January 17th. Comedy junkies will also want to check out Jayde Adams’ Serious Black Jumper and Ilana Glazer’s The Planet is burning, both of which were released earlier this month.
Women’s perspective’s matter, especially when it comes to serial killers. If you’re looking for a new take on the unspeakable, then this might offer new insight into the worst of the worst. Follow along as Ted Bundy’s former girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer (also known as Elizabeth Kendall), and her daughter Molly, reveal their version of the deranged man. Produced and directed by CBC journalist Trish Wood, the five-part series offers a lens into the events that took place through Elizabeth and Molly who have been silent for 40 years. Released on January 31.
Disney+
The biggest titles on Disney this month includes the live-action film Aladdin (January 8) featuring Will Smith as the genie and the Lion King (January 28), among many others that will keep you up all night binge-watching.
Although the Paradise Theatre has been up and running since December, cinephiles and foodies alike have been hotly anticipating the opening of food and restaurant side of the film hub. But the wait appears to be over as Bar Biltmore and Osteria Rialto are set to open their doors with the cocktail lounge debuting on Jan. 11 and the restaurant close behind on Jan. 14.
Named to commemorate the Biltmore Theatre in Rexdale where owner Moray Tawse spent much of his childhood, the Biltmore name holds sentimental value to the Paradise team.
Conceptualized by mixologist and budding restaurateur Robin Goodfellow (Bar Raval, PrettyUgly), Biltmore will focus on spritzes, sours and negronis, while also featuring small bites and a rotating raw bar.
The Art Deco bar at Bar Biltmore
Next week, Osteria Rialto, the Paradise Theatre’s flagship restaurant will also be open to the public.
After much speculation, the Italian restaurant from executive chef Basilio Pesce (Canoe, La Banane) and chef de cuisine Ryan Baddeley (Bar Isabel, Bar Raval) will open on Jan. 14.
Rialto was designed to piggyback off the Paradise’s Art Deco interior, with its brass accents and modern flare, but is differentiated by wooden and rustic features and the hand-painted floor details.
A booth at the Paradise’s Osteria Rialto
The menu at Rialto was inspired by Pesce’s Southern Italian heritage. Incorporating flavours from Roman, Emilian, Tuscan and Ligurian regional cuisine.
Focussed on ingredients and driven by local produce, Pesce has enlisted the help of Toronto’s acclaimed pasta makers, Familglia Baldassare to be the key supplier.
With dishes such as tonarelli ‘nduja carbonara and Tuscan sausages cooked in Chianti wine, this new spot will add a vibrant new culinary touch to the Bloorcourt Village dining scene.
