Taste Of Manila, A Tale of an Epic Fail

The first Taste of Manila in Toronto opened today to a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of mostly Filipinos seeking to reminisce laid back life “back home” with samplings of Filipino food. The unfortunate part is, although the use of the word “taste” hints food, Taste of Manila offered little for the foodie at heart.

There were about ten food stalls, if not less, all serving Filipino cuisine. Taking up about two blocks worth, limiting Bathurst Street to one lane for each direction of traffic, Taste of Manila is a hodge-podge of real estate vendors, insurance agencies, discount clothing, satellite TV offerings and the like. There was also an entertainment stage setup on one end where performers took turns strutting their stuff whether it be dancing, singing or a fashion show. The two day event even promised a visit from a celebrity from the Philippines.

Going back to the food, we strategized a divide and conquer seeing how the lines are really long for the food vendors. One by one, upon reaching, or at least close to the ordering, two food stalls we lined up for has ran out of food. We lucked out in one but can only order fish balls (pictured above) and shumai (pictured below). Other than these two, we couldn’t be bothered to try anything else. People at the lines were getting aggressive in that they jump the lines by pretending to be looking at what’s available. Even the Colonial mindset (in this day in age) from food vendors was practiced in the event; white man gets served first. It was utter chaos and a total turn off.

As much as we like Filipino food, this event was an epic fail as a food event. It failed in that it didn’t showcase savoury, and often considered delicacy, that is Filipino streetfood. Instead it was a collection of existing local Filipino restaurants in the area bringing their menu to a tent. We felt it was a missed opportunity here to highlight what Philippine street food is all about. The food vendors offered combos (often rice with 1 or 2 side dishes) like the ones they offer in their restaurants instead of a sampling of authentic dishes that is more conducive to these types of events. There was no opportunity for legit food event goer to get a sampling of dishes. Instead, the food vendors banked on monopolizing the business by offering a slew of dishes in a combo. One to note is the Kabalen Restaurant’s food tent, which offered a buffet table style service. You get a serving of rice and 2 sides of your choice for $9. In fact, Kabalen was such a turn off for us with just overall bad servers (one decided to be mute to patrons but not to fellow staff) and food running out, that we left the queue. Another one to note was Bella’s Lechon, who wasted an opportunity to advertise their lechon (roast pork) by not serving any at all. Just as bad was Grill Heaven, which has ran out of their own specialty (Filipino style skewered pork and chicken) just as the crowd was gathering. We just don’t think the food vendors and organizers get what a “taste” festival means. If this is the Filipino community’s translation of the word, it is an epic fail.

Overall, Taste of Manila was a big disappointment. Even though attendance was in droves, it just wasn’t up to par with other cultural events in the city. We think the organization missed the boat here on possibly highlighting food from the Philippines. Our hope is, should this continue next year, is a thought out plan that will satisfy the foodie in all of us.

VIP Vietnamese Cuisine

What: House Special and Deep Fried Tofu
Where: VIP Vietnamese Cuisine
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Affordability; $7+

Pointers:
– I admit there are lots of Phó choices in Markham, but VIP is kind of a regular spot for us. I used to work in the area and we’ve always called this place J6…J6 being one of our picks on the menu. It looks like, however that they changed it, so J6 is no more.

– I decided on the House Special since it’s 20 minutes before closing and I can’t make up mind. It’s the perfect Phó if you can’t decide. It has all your meat basics including tripe and tendon, noodles and beef broth. You can’t really go wrong with that. And VIP doesn’t disappoint either. Our Oder came really quick as usual, and flavourful. I didn’t even add hoisin sauce in mine. Quickly dug into it and gobbled up the Deep Fried Tofu, which is also a favourite.

– Overall, a good meal. Check it out when you’re in the area. They have lots of different soups and the old J6 is the curry. If it is back on the menu, get that!

– Thank you to the staff for not kicking us out even tho it was way past their open hours. Much appreciated.

Yummy Indian-Style Street Food Right on Yonge Street!

What: Kathi Rolls & New York Style Rice Platters
Where: TKRE
Cuisine: Indian Street Food
Affordability: $5-$10

We were invited to The Kathi Roll Express (TKRE) to try out some awesome food! It’s a small store directly on Yonge street with big red lettering, and the interior design is creative with a milk crate chandelier and old-school Bollywood posters. Although the back patio isn’t completely renovated, sitting outside was really comfortable, especially with a bit of a breeze.

They make everything from scratch, including the wraps for the Kathi Rolls. Here are the dishes we got a chance to try:

What: Mango Lassi

We really enjoyed this cold drink on a hot summer day. Unlike the mango lassis that other places make where the blended ice eventually melts and dilutes the drink, this mango lassi has a really strong and wonderful mango flavour. The drink itself is thick because of the blended yogurt and pairs well with the spicy food.

 

What: Achari Paneer Tikka Roll

Filled with spicy pickle and yogurt marinated chunks of Indian cottage cheese… Let me tell you, the aromas coming from this roll may cause some serious mouth watering! Although the roll was a tad bit too spicy for us (at one point we felt like my mouth was on fire!!) but we still ate every single bite of it ‘cuz its just that good! There was an abundant amount of paneer chunks, so absolutely no complaints there.

 

What: Lamb Seekh Kabab Roll

This roll consisted of minced lamb, chickpea lentils, and spices bound with an egg. We thought the wrap as a whole was juicy and flavorful but the lamb was still a bit game-y but it was well spiced that the flavour really complimented each other.

 

What: Chicken Tikka Roll

The large chunks of chicken were marinated in yogurt and magical spices and cooked on the grill on a skewer. We went to see where they grill them afterwards and although it wasn’t cooked in the traditional clay tandoor that is used in India, these chunks of chicken was still moist and perfectly cooked. Not only is the chicken tender with a bit of sauce, the onions added a crunch and we were both speechless after taking a big bite!

 

What: Chicken Kung Pao Szechwan Style Roll

At first we were a bit skeptical about this…an Indian restaurant trying to serve up Asian stirfry chicken? My elementary school teacher taught me about prejudice and to never judge a book by its cover. The chef said that his dream is to open an Indian restaurant but how can he serve his favourite dish – Kung Pao Chicken. Well he did it this infusion of cultures! This was honestly the best kung pao chicken I’ve ever had! Infused with Indian spices, this dish was spectacular and the chef did a great job of really getting that Chinese flavour spot on. I wonder if we can just order the kung pao chicken with a bowl of white rice? 🙂

 

What: The Greatest Street Food Platter

Here we have 4 kabobs with rice and yogurt. We wanted an assortment, so on the plate we got chicken, beef, lamb, and goat! The verdict? Chicken was great, beef was really good, goat was perfectly cooked, and the lamb was decent. (In my opinion, the lamb didn’t match up to the others only because it was minced lamb turned into a sausage, and had that lamb-y smell). But let’s go back to the goat. We weren’t convinced it was goat  meat so on our way out, they cooked us another chunk of goat meat and try it again. And we still liked it even on this second taste. All of the meats tasted great on their own however, and even better when dipped in the refreshing yogurt raita with cucumber chunks. The rice was good but would have liked another option, perhaps lemon biryani.

 

What: Peri Peri Chicken

Served piping out, right off the grill, this Peri Peri chicken was AMAZING! Better than “The Best Portuguese Chicken” Restaurant. And that’s all thanks to the wonderful Peri Peri sauce infused with Indian spices. The chicken was very moist and juicy and grilled to perfection. It comes with rice, but we still had rice from our platter that we ordered the chicken by itself. We will definitely be back for more for this one!

 

What: Malai Kulfi Himalayan Style Ice cream

This authentic indian ice cream had a strong almond smell and taste, although saffron is also one of the ingredients. The texture was interesting and foreign to us, as the ice cream was nutty and gritty but also melted in your mouth. Very unique dessert, that’s for sure!

Where’s the butter chicken roll? Well, TKRE doesn’t have a butter chicken dish on their menu because as the owner says “if you want butter chicken wrap, just head to Starbucks down the street!”

TKRE has only been open a month and truly a hidden gem in the sea of restaurants on the Yonge and Bloor Streets area. It is conveniently located across from the Panasonic theatre and is a good pre or post-show meal. Very quick and definitely worth the buck for the flavour that just explodes in your mouth.

Foodie, Eh says it reminds him of his travels to India. He even got excited seeing that Thumbs Up Cola is served here.

Thanks for the amazing food, we’ll definitely be back for more!

A Little Taste of Portugal in a Big Way!

What: Quarter Rotisserie Chicken with Vegetables, Rice and Potatoes
Where: Churraso Portugrill (on Eglinton Ave., GTA)
Cuisine: Portuguese
Affordability: $8+ per meal

Pointers:

– Authentic Portuguese piri-piri chicken!

– The food is really great. If you want an authentic taste, as their slogan says: A little taste of Portugal, this is your place. It mimics local sandwich and grill houses in Portugal you’d likely see in the cities and small towns. You order your good at the counter and they put it together for you; then you sit down to eat and enjoy your meal with a cold refreshing lime drink. Perfect for Portugal summers and after eating a spicy meal.

– I had the mild coz I can’t handle really hot dishes and this was just right. It wasn’t burning my tongue so it was enjoyable. It had a perfect harmony with the rest of the sides; you can select three with your choice of meat. Totally worth it!

– The staff was very friendly and they will explain if you need guidance when ordering. There are choices in what part of the chicken you want and how hot you want it. The place was clean as well and I think you can buy their piri sauce.

– This is a definite “will go back to” place again! Glad my office is near by.

Filipino Power Breakfast

What: “Dasilog”
Where: Casa Manila (North York at Don Millas and York Mills area)
Cuisine: Filipino
Affordability: $10 and up per dish

Pointers:

– “Daing” is the process by which a fish (in this case “Bangus” or Milkfish) has been prepared by applying generous amount of salt and sun-dried or marinated in a vinegar marinade with lots of seasoning including garlic.

– “Dansilog” means a plate combination consisting of fried Daing (as described above), Sinangag (fried rice; in this case garlic fried rice – a favourite), “Itlog” (eggs, usually fried) and sometimes served with “atsara” or pickled unripe papaya.

– The “-silog” breakfast combinations is a common man’s favourite in the Philippines especially by those in the provinces where fresh ingredients can be gathered or bought first thing in the morning at the fresh markets also known as “palengke” or “mercato”. It is common in “turn-turo” type fast food places in the big cities including Manila for the college and labourer-sized appetite types since it is served in generous proportions. (Filipinos are known for their large appetites in the mornings!) Other “silog” combinations include “tapsiliog”, “longsilog” and “tapasilog”.

– Order any of the “silog” breakfast here. Casa Manila serves it all day. Don’t worry; it is not as salty as you might think. Their menu has english translations and the servers are usually happy to explain each menu item to you. They cater to the business office buildings and hotel guests in the area so they are used to it.

– Be prepared to wait! Casa Manila is not for the “Dine and Dash” type.