Best gourmet pizza: The real deal on Ossington

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Pizzeria Libretto

Utter the name ‘Ossington’ these days, and you likely think trendy, hip and maybe a little daunting. With bars like The Ossington and Watusi, and restaurants like Union, Pool and Delux, looking down at the strip from the down-and-out intersection of Dundas Street and Ossington Avenue, it’s hard to know what hot spots are fading trends and what will endure and become neighbourhood staples.

Now that the hype has faded significantly, Pizzeria Libretto, which promises ‘real Neapolitan pizza,’ has come out a clear winner. It’s affordable, it’s beyond delicious and the relaxed, communal atmosphere welcomes all.

Libretto combines high-quality Italian ingredients with locally-sourced, fresh cheeses and produce. Share the mixed marinated olives to get the palate warmed up. Every pizza option is a good one, but if you like your pizza with sauce, make sure you choose one with tomato. The wild mushroom pizza is a white pizza and is the best vegetarian option, but the hot pepper option with home-made sausage is the star of the menu. If you’re still hungry, all gelati and sorbetti are made in-house, and worth a try.

Skip the Montepulciano in favour of a southern Italian wine. Try Sicily’s Angelo Nero d’Avola or Li Veli ‘Orion’ Primitivo of Puglia. These deep reds pair beautifully with gourmet finger foods.

No reservations means you could end up waiting for a table. Luckily, the hostess will happily take your cell number so you can have a drink somewhere else along the strip. You’ll get a phone call when your table’s about 10 minutes from being ready.

221 Ossington Ave., 416-532-8000

10,000 kits and counting for volunteer

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A RECENT MEETING at the Bargains Group Ltd. ended with staff members talking about something other than the discount clothing business where Jody Steinhauer works. One of the company’s interns came forward and confessed he’d been homeless for the last six years.

Jody Steinhauer has been helping homeless people in the city brave the elements for more than a decade. In winter, she works with Project Winter Survival, where she assembles and distributes kits with sleeping bags and winter gear. In summer, she works with Project Water, where she helps distribute bottles of water to the homeless. The reality that one of her own employees had been on the receiving end of their charity efforts hit very close to home.

“[He said,] ‘Thank you. I wouldvhave died without you. You have no idea the impact the kits make, and I had no idea that I was working for the company responsible,’” Steinhauer recollects. “We all started bawling…. That gave me the goosebumps to know that one of these people is in our company, to know that it’s gone full circle.”

To date, more than 10,000 survival kits have been distributed to shelters and outreach programs across the city as part of Project Winter Survival. And with the help of sponsors, over one million bottles of water have been donated through Project Water.

“They are both massive projects, and people don’t understand the amount of work that goes into them,” Steinhauer says. Since she and the rest of the staff at the Bargains Group devote a lot of time and effort to the projects and often work on them during regular work hours, Steinhauer says they won’t hire someone who isn’t enthusiastic about helping out.

Project Winter Survival grew out of a previous endeavour called Project Warmth when Steinhauer began a hunt for pledges and sleeping bags over a cellphone.

Twice a year, alongside a slew of volunteers, the company organizes two accumulation and packing days and aims to put together more than 2,000 kits per year. Through a $25 cash donation (which goes entirely to covering the cost of non- donated items like the sleeping bag and backpack), they are able to provide kits worth around $140, which include essential items to keep people warm in winter like hats, mittens and scarves.

“That gave me goosebumps to know that one of these people is in our company.”

“These are vital because funding has been cut to shelters,” she says. “[It’s] one of those few projects where you really engage those giving and those getting the kits … you can actually see where your $25 goes.”

When Steinhauer was told that more people die of dehydration in the summer than they do of cold in the winter, she says she was shocked.

She immediately started planning Project Water, which has grown to be so successful that plans are currently in the works to expand it across Canada.

Steinhauer says she’s committed to the projects until there is no need for them, which she say she sadly doesn’t see happening any time soon.

“This is a big city, this is Toronto, this shouldn’t be happening,” she says.

Post City Magazines salutes Jody Steinhauer and the Bargains Group Ltd. for improving the lives of Toronto’s homeless.

Rolling in dough

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IT’S HARD NOT to feel downright giddy when entering Charles Imperiale’s cheerful corner spot filled with display cases of pastries and sweet treats. Especially after taking in the ho-hum signage from the sidewalk — uncharacteristic for this trendy North Toronto strip.

Happy yellow walls are accented by bright white trim around sizable square windows. The rich dark stain of the hardwood floor is echoed in the wood tables and chairs made comfy with dark blue padding.

Open glass cases display the pastry chef ’s creations, all classics of the French patisserie: pain au chocolat, brioche, croissant, tart au fruits frais and the like. Fruit-topped tarts and cakes dominate the display, idyllic for those who don’t want to spoil lunch but a disappointment for chocolate addicts.

Need something more than a pre-noon nibble? Sebastien’s offers two daily sandwiches ($6.95) and three daily quiches ($7.75), served with salad.

“CHEQUE PLEASE”

PATISSERIE SEBASTIEN
3306 Yonge St., 416-544-0333

Lunch for two excluding tax, tip and alcohol:

$20

On this day, the ovens weren’t working at daybreak, so most breads aren’t available for sandwiches, but a croissant alternative does the trick. Thick slices of juicy Black Forest ham call out to carnivores, in balance with nutty, sweet Gruyère. A light spread of Dijon brings the sandwich together. Although the croissant isn’t as airy as most (it’s almost breadlike in consistency), it’s buttery without tasting greasy, and the crust is light and flaky.

A dainty dosing of red vinegar–based dressing enhances the plate’s refreshing side salad of mixed greens, black olives, crisp gourmet pickles, halved baby tomatoes, romaine, radicchio and endive. Bonus points for the pretty plate presentation and portion control.

The same superlative salad accompanies an individual serving of quiche. The earthiness of mushrooms is expertly balanced with crumbles of sharp goat cheese in fluffy egg filling. Sadly, the pastry cup, although flavourful, is a bit hard.

For something sweet to finish, fabulously fresh strawberries, raspberries and blackberries battle it out for balance over a delicious pastry tart cradling cool, creamy custard.

There may be as many beverages to choose from as there are pastries or light lunch plates, but one of them piques curiosity: cocoa barry hot chocolate, made with Barry Callebaut chocolate, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa. I’ll be heading back when the warm weather turns wintry for a comforting cup.

Other hot drinks may sate caffeine fiends (espresso, cappuccino, café au lait, teas), but today, strawberry-banana-orange juice hits the spot.

Our friendly server scored serious bonus points in the eye contact department, but she failed to find a balance between hovering and being MIA.

Difficult summer for North York residents

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THE LAST COUPLE of months have been quite challenging. First, there was the strike, which affected all of us. And for most homeowners, the trouble went way beyond the work stoppage because it was difficult to get garbage, recycling and yard waste collected.

Our office received calls well into September from people asking why yard waste was still sitting on the lawn. In each case, we contacted the solid waste division to rectify the situation. They did, but in the end, we were as frustrated as you.

As things slowly started getting back to normal, Ward 10 residents were faced with the collapse of Finch Avenue West between Dufferin Street and Wilmington Avenue. This has played havoc with the normal traffic pattern in the area and forced a detour through a normally quiet neighbourhood.

My senior executive assistant, Nancy Oomen, has worked with our transportation operations staff to minimize local impact by motorists using the detour to go around the site. If you are affected, we appreciate your patience and understanding. The necessary repairs are quite extensive, because the storm sewer underneath the road collapsed, and a lot of work needs to be done to ensure the road will be stable and can carry vehicles safely. Our engineering division has set a completion time of mid-October.

On a positive note, on Sept. 16, Nancy Oomen and I attended a ceremony for the new Bathurst Street Jewish Community Centre. We have a lot to look forward to: a brand new theatre, fitness centre and daycare facility, just to name a few. The centre will be open to everyone and is located in the heart of Ward 10. The project is part of a vision appropriately named the Tomorrow Campaign.

For details, visit www.tomorrowcampaign.com.

Creating a better Vaughan for the future

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IN THE TIME leading up to the end of a term of office there is sometimes a chance to rest on one’s laurels. In Vaughan, we don’t have any time to rest — we have so many projects to grapple with in the next 13 months before the next election.

The projects vary from huge ones involving different levels of government, such as the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway that will be routed from Downsview station through York University to what we are planning to be a new downtown for our city. And of course — finally! — we are building our own hospital at Major Mackenzie Drive and Highway 400.

On a smaller scale, soon you will see the benefits of our successful application for infrastructure funds as roads and more are renewed.

Next spring we will open our new LEED gold certified City Hall and civic centre. It’s a huge achievement that reflects our commitment to the environment and improving the administration’s efficiency.

Our planning projects that will guide us into the future are well on their way to completion. These projects are led by our new official plan. Take a look at the Vaughan website to see the exciting vision being developed.

It’s important to note the more ordinary tasks that we have before us. We opened 10 new parks in the city in 2008, and we will continue to make Vaughan a place people will want to live because of our green spaces and recreational opportunities. We’re moving ahead on projects to expand our park, trail and community centre systems.

And while we are working hard to support our growing municipal needs, we are managing tax dollars responsibly. Our value for tax dollars cannot be beaten by any other municipality. Vaughan has the lowest property rate in the GTA.

Subscribe to the “W5 Update” at www.vaughan.ca/enews.

Reflecting on the past, looking to the future

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HE WAS JUST, dedicated, compassionate, intelligent, meticulous. These are just a few descriptors of our recently departed colleague and friend of Thornhill — regional councillor Tony C. Wong. With his untimely passing in June, council lost one of its most dedicated members. I thought it was important to take a moment to reflect upon the man and powerhouse politician we were privileged to know and work with.

In sitting down to write this piece, I was struck by the fact that at first blush this article wasn’t an idea or a debate. Then I realized that it was entirely about an idea, perhaps one of the most powerful and important ideas of all: that a person can do amazing, inspired things when motivated by a strong sense of justice and fairness. This was the essence of Tony Wong.

Always a strong voice for Thornhill and our issues, he helped to shape our community in so many ways as councillor and MPP for Markham. His hallmarks were to work to inspire others, collaborate and lead. He focused on issues of social justice, economic development, diversity and the environment.

He excelled in the areas of affordable housing, and he championed diversity as our strength. He helped establish the anti-smoking ban and reduced pesticide use on town property, culminating in one of strongest pesticide bylaws in the province. He fought to protect natural areas like Settlers Park and Pamona Meadow. Transit was a priority, and he fought widenings and opted for progressive options, always with his eye toward a greener future.

In September, council appointed Coun. Joe Virgilio to fill Tony Wong’s seat. I know that Coun. Virgilio will display the heart and fairness qualities that Coun. Wong possessed. His vision will live on in our actions and our hearts.

Angels don’t wear pyjamas: they inspire

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CHRISTINA DOYLE, A survivor of a rare form of bone cancer who once thought she was on death’s door, is now a happy mom, teacher and singer, living life to the fullest in her Richmond Hill home. Fifteen years after experiencing trauma most never endure, Doyle is giving back with the launch of her motivational recording Angels Don’t Wear Pajamas. A portion of each copy sold will go to Princess Margaret Hospital.

Doyle, who is also a country music musician, tells the story of her journey with bone cancer. But she hopes to reach many types of people.

“I wanted it to help encourage a troubled soul, whether someone is facing a divorce or has just lost their job,” Doyle says. “Of course you are screaming and yelling and pounding the counter asking, ‘Why me?’ But in the end, I wanted people to have a cushion to fall on.”

“Of course you are screaming and yelling and pounding the counter asking, ‘Why me?’ But in the end, I wanted people to have a cushion to fall on.”

Doyle hopes to offer support that she was unable to find during her struggle with cancer. Unlike the breast cancer community, which “offers lots of support, as a bone cancer survivor, I was really on my own.” Doyle was one of only four individuals in the world diagnosed with her kind of bone cancer.

After discovering that the tumour in the femur area of her left leg was malignant, Doyle felt helpless. She was barely leaving the house, fearful of friends and neighbours witnessing her limping around. Her faith, she notes, “came in the form of a five-foot-three-inch, 76-year-old woman: my mother.”

“So what if you die?” her mother asked. “Didn’t you have a nice family? Didn’t you have children, a nice husband, a thriving career?” Doyle’s mother reminded her how fortunate she was. “And I started to live in the moment,” Doyle says. “To really look at life, just today.” Doyle had surgery to put a stainless steel prosthetic in her leg. That prosthetic saved her life.

The strength Doyle struggled to find is now what she hopes to offer up to many others with Angels Don’t Wear Pajamas. This audio CD is not just about Doyle’s journey, but rather about inspiring others. She says she hopes the recording will be distributed to other countries and translated into other languages in the future.

“Pain is pain no matter what language it comes in,” she says. “I want to reach as many people who might, or will, need it.”

Doyle will launch the CD at Indigo in Richmond Hill on Oct. 25.

Post City Magazines salutes Christina Doyle for working to support and encourage others who are battling cancer or struggling with other issues.

Susur protege finds new home

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HEAD CHEF DOMINIC Amaral left Susur Lee’s Madeline’s this sum- mer after nine years, opting for a change of scene from Asian fusion to authentic Italian as sous-chef at Zucca Trattoria (2150 Yonge St.) under chef and co-owner Andrew Milne-Allan.

Zucca’s managing partner, Blair Aspinall, says he’s thrilled with this latest addition to the kitchen, having first met Amaral when he was a sommelier at Susur several years ago.

“Andrew has spent the past 14 years guiding this restaurant, and he is really devoted to region- al Italian cuisine based on sea- sonal and local produce,” says Aspinall. “He’s a great leader, and then having Dominic come in here and bring his organization and enthusiasm makes him a great asset to the team. He’s great in the kitchen, a great guy, and we love having him here."

West Coast eatery hits the big smoke

Popular, B.C.- based casual dining chain Joey Restaurants opened their first Toronto outlet last month at Shops at Don Mills.

Joey Don Mills features a globally inspired menu, designed by executive chef Chris Mills, with menu items including signature dishes ahi tuna taco, lobster grilled cheese and panang prawn curry bowl.

“Joey Don Mills is where west and east finally collide,” says Jeff Fuller, president and CEO of Joey Restaurant Group, “offering Toronto’s discerning crowd the hippest new hot spot in town.”

Joey Don Mills is located at 15 O’Neil Rd., 416-445-6391.

Culinary institution closes up shop

Last month Yorkville’s legendary Four Seasons’ restaurant Truffles closed its doors after almost four decades of service, reflecting once again the challenge of maintaining an upscale eatery within the current trend toward casual dining.

Once the go-to spot to sample the fare of celeb chefs such as Tawfik Shehata, Rodney Bowers and Patrick Lin, management said the customer base at Truffles had dwindled over the past several years as the demand for high-end service ebbed, and the current economic downturn was the final nail in the luxury resto’s coffin.

Word is the new Four Seasons hotel, now under construction at Bay and Scollard Streets, will have only one large dining room with a more casual atmosphere.

Locals hit stores with hot, new cookbook

“We are not celebrity chefs,” says Lisa Gnat.

“We are perfectionist June Cleavers, two sisters who share a love of food, family and fun…. Bite Me is a celebration of all those things.”

Bite Me was something of a labour of love for the authors, sisters and Forest Hill residents Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat. After they failed to find a publisher, they decided to go the self-publishing route.

The book, priced at $29.95 and clocking in at 272 pages, with design from the fine folks at Bruce Mau Design, is now avail- able in Chapters and Indigo stores nationwide, and a website is in the works.

“Their [the publishers] concern in the age of celebrity chefs was that we didn’t have the profile,” says Albert. “They told us to go build our profile and then come back.

“We sulked for a weekend, but it has really been a blessing in disguise. In the end, we wouldn’t have to adhere to any cookbook rules, and we could create a book we loved and believed in.”

The book, which covers everyday meals designed for busy families that don’t want to shop at a dozen different stores to find obscure ingredients, is filled with jokes, pop culture references and a playfulness not normally associated with the genre.

French chef awarded prestigious title

Toronto’s Didier Leroy, owner and chef of Didier at Yonge and St. Clair, was awarded the title of Maitre Cuisinier de France, recently. Bestowed by an association in France, Leroy says that there are just 330 chefs with the title.

Leroy came to Toronto in 1988 plying his trade in Michelin-starred restaurants in France. After working in a number of fine restaurants around town, including the Fifth, he opened Didier five years ago. Despite a rough year, he says he “can’t complain.” The award follows the Medal of the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole Leroy received three years ago, one of the highest honours of the French government.

“It was most special because cooks decide this,” says Leroy. “It is about what you achieve outside of France and that you represent where you come from and where your roots are.”

Didier is located at 1496 Yonge St., 416-925-8588.

Scuttlebutt

Paramount Fine Foods (7315 Yonge. St., 905-886-4600), Thornhill’s newest Middle Eastern eatery has opened at Yonge and Centre streets in the former location of Friendly Greek. The sit-down restaurant offers the expected shawarma and the like, as well as a large array of desserts, salads and take-out.

Late last month, it was announced that Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar was sold to Ted and Mary Koutsogiannopoulos (Ted is the former owner of Joy Bistro in Leslieville) along with new co- owners Scott Vivian, chef at the Gardiner location and Rachelle Cadwell, pastry chef of the Gilead Café. The new ownership group takes over this month when the restaurant changes its name to just The Wine Bar. Hank’s, the café next door, is also included in the deal.

In other JK news, you could spend a week in Tuscany with the chef during the Petraia Sessions, a culinary adventure (www.lapetraia.com).

Local resident Ryan Grossman may have tapped into something big. He is the man behind a plan to bring a century-old Swiss chocolate to Canada just in time for the holidays. Beschle Chocolatier Suisse will debut at Yorkdale Mall this month. Beschle was founded in 1898 in Basel, Switzerland, and includes a collection of truffles, bars and some out-of-this-world hot chocolate.

Little Korea at Kazan

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THE ROOM AND detailing suggest that this is a place to be reckoned with. Decor aside, though, the flavours and assemblies offered here — good but certainly not great.

The restaurant is divided into two parts: teppanyaki and Korean barbecue. The more chic teppanyaki space is made up of iron plate cooking stations surrounded by seats. Here, the chef not only cooks and serves, but he also puts on a show with chopping, cropping, flipping, flopping, and even juggling ingredients and utensils.

The grey booths on the Korean barbecue side are padded and high backed and offer tryst-friendly privacy, each with a grill resembling an inverted hubcap embedded into the table.

The barbecue menu divides into Korean cuisine standards (22 items such as soups, stews, ribs and stone pot meals), table cooking hot pots, Korean à la carte dishes and noodle bowls.

Chap chae could feed a small vegetarian army, which might explain the steep $19.95 price tag. Plenty of pleasantly crisp zucchini, slices of red and green pepper, shredded carrot, scallions and mushroom pieces top the cellophane noodles. Sesame seeds add textural variety. While the vegetables themselves satisfy, the chap chae base, stir-fried in soy, sugar, chili and not enough sesame oil, leaves something to be desired. The noodles are gummy, and after a few minutes, they congeal into a solid mass.

"CHEQUE PLEASE"

Kazan
9625 Yonge St. 905-737-9999
Dinner for two excluding tax, tip, and alcohol:

$50

Soondubu jjigae is described on the menu as “a spicy red stew with soft tofu, vegetables and beef,” but what arrives doesn’t taste like it reads. True, yes, a clear, red-hued broth suspends super-soft tofu, yet the only identifiable vegetables are cabbage and onion, and the teeny beef pieces taste bland.

Kazan’s redeeming main dish comes in the form of yangneum galbi ($24.95). Our server brings two generous strips of raw meaty short ribs plated on bushy Boston lettuces, snipping them tableside. She reaches under our table to light the grill (well, hello there!), and we’re left to our own devices.

It seems we can’t go wrong. No matter if we leave our meat too long, the morsels remain tender and yielding, thanks, no doubt, to the marinade of sweet and savoury red pepper sauce.

Dakbulgogi ($16.95) is to be assembled the same way. Although it’s labelled on the menu as “spicy,” there’s not much sass to the reddish sauce slathered on raw chicken breast strips. Button mushrooms (beware the dry heat they contain when cooked this way) and crisp scallions constitute the dish’s “vegetables.”

Accompanying these two à la carte options are the usual battery of Korean side dishes: not-too-killer kimchee, pickled radish, green beans with cabbage, jalapenos and slices of raw garlic; slices of fish cake; pickled crunchy cucumber; and miso soup.

Creating civic pride in Richmond Hill

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IT SEEMS AS if the beginning of time since Richmond Hill’s Town Hall was on Yonge Street, right in the middle of the then village. It was a time before the Region of York, online services and a time with a smaller population. The village was a place where most people knew each other and often knew many of the village staff. As it grew, so did the staff required.

In the early 1970s York Region formed. The village became a town and its boards moved outward in all directions. As the population grew, so did the amount of staff. Several departments had to rent space at various locations around the town. Clearly, having the staff in different places was a logistical problem, so the council of the day purchased 225 East Beaver Creek Rd.

This building now houses all staff, and in fact, this building yields some extra space, which we rent out to earn extra revenue.

Based on current numbers, it will be 15 to 20 years before we would even need to consider looking for extra space. More residents are demanding online services, so for many, we have eliminated the need to visit Town Hall at all.

If we build a new Town Hall on Yonge Street, will that create a culture where one knows administration staff and knows one’s neighbors? Can a change in location create a sense of pride and community? Do we disregard the estimated cost of close to $100 million? Or, is it better to build a civic square at Yonge Street and Major Mackenzie Drive where people can gather and celebrate milestones with council?

Perhaps civic pride starts with you and me and has nothing to do with buildings and locations. Maybe a council that demonstrates responsible financial spending brings about pride in a community. My mind isn’t made up yet. I am looking forward to hearing from constituents on this issue.

Plant a tree — with the town’s help

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LIKE IT OR not, summer is over. While leaves are changing colour, it’s time to look around the house and outdoors to think about how we can improve our conservation practices.

Starting this fall, in partnership with the Region of York and Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), the town will provide trees to residents at an affordable, subsidized price through the backyard tree planting program. For between $100 and $200, you will not only get a tree with planting service but also a qualified arborist for consultation. The arborist will recommend the tree species and where to plant after considering soil conditions, light and other factors that affect the growth of the tree.

Trees provide shade, reduce storm water runoff and wind impact and, of course, help clean the air and beautify your home. The program offers a good deal, and I encourage you to take advantage of it.

Now that the province has banned the use of cosmetic pesticides, it is in your interest to learn more about pesticide-free alternatives. The town holds workshops on organic lawn care, to help residents with alternative lawn care practices. As well, the town holds the healthy yard program once a year, to promote the planting of native trees, shrubs and plant species on your own property. This program is very popular, so you should sign up early.

Indoors, you may wish to enroll in the “peaksaver” conservation program and get a free touch screen programmable thermostat. As you may know, the Canadian and Ontario governments provide grants for home renovation or retrofit. To learn more conservation and community information, you are invited to the Ward 6 community fair on Oct. 25. Details at www.godwinchan.com.

Biana Zorich and Marc Thuet's blog: From turkey to truffles

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On a weekend that most are talking turkey we’ll turn our attention to truffles. Yes, it’s that time of year when these tiny, top-priced tubers turn otherwise frugal-minded chefs, like my husband, into literal truffle hogs (more on that in a minute).

On Tuesday, Wanda, the truffle lady as she is known in kitchens across Toronto, paid us a visit bringing with her a fresh import. Legendary in their own right, truffles are renowned as one of the world’s most expensive foods. "White diamonds," as they are sometimes called, carry a distinct musky flavour that can be used to enhance dishes ranging from omelettes, fresh pasta, risotto and beyond.

Its shavings can also be used to grace a salad such as the wild Labrador green tea gelée that my husband recently prepared to lead an eight-course tasting menu at a client’s home in Rosedale last weekend. Using 150 grams of the ‘fancy-pants fungus,’ (at a cost of $6 a gram — which is a reasonable rate this season compared to years past when prices peaked at more than $12 for a taste) the dish was a huge hit.

Over the course of our many years in the business, we’ve developed some amazing relationships with farmers of all sorts. While most reside close to home, a select few are from far away. One such relationship is with the Zigante family from Istria in Croatia.

For generations, this family has been hunting and selling white truffles. The deep forests of this region house the perfect conditions for nurturing young white truffles to peak size, flavour and aroma during late fall and early winter. The legendary truffle hogs have now given way to specially trained dogs as the preferred hunters (it seems the dogs are less likely to eat their findings and can be trained to better sniff out the source). But it’s a skill so refined, that only few have this remarkable talent.

For decades, the Zigante family has successfully distributed white truffles across Europe and North America. In fact, 85 per cent of Zigante truffles are sold to the Alba region of Italy. Ironically, these truffles are then sold to America as Alba truffles (long-regarded as the Rolls Royce of truffles).

“It’s an honour to cook with such delicate produce,” I overheard Marc tell a customer earlier this week. “I spoke to the Zigante family and they told me that the little dog who found these truffles is named Clinton — he did a great job. They are just so ripe and beautifully aromatic… the whole restaurant envelops the fragrance when I cook with them.”

Taking advantage of the short season, Marc has decided to feature a white truffle tasting menu through November upon request. Given their rarity, reservations must be made at least three days in advance and you must specify your wish for the “white truffle menu.” Always based on what’s fresh that day, here’s a look at a special menu we served earlier this week. CLICK HERE.

World-renowned executive chef, Marc Thuet, and his wife and business partner, Biana Zorich, will be blogging weekly for PostCity.com about their new show and restaurants.

“CHEQUE PLEASE”

PATISSERIE SEBASTIEN3306 Yonge St., 416-544-0333

Lunch for two excluding tax, tip and alcohol:

$20

West Coast eatery hits the big smoke

Culinary institution closes up shop

Locals hit stores with hot, new cookbook

French chef awarded prestigious title

Scuttlebutt

"CHEQUE PLEASE"

Kazan 9625 Yonge St. 905-737-9999 Dinner for two excluding tax, tip, and alcohol:

$50

PATISSERIE SEBASTIEN
3306 Yonge St., 416-544-0333

Kazan
9625 Yonge St. 905-737-9999
Dinner for two excluding tax, tip, and alcohol: