Full House Desserts brings Hong Kong Desserts to Canada

 FROM HONG KONG TO CANADA - A taste of Full House Desserts

Tucked inside the main level of the fairly new Emerald Condos is a tiny world of various tiny retail and food shops of mostly Asian origin you can get all kinds of different food like Poke, Japanese cheesecake, Indian food,  Jamaican patties and more.

One of the new businesses that just opened in August is FULL HOUSE DESSERTS,  this is a tiny little take out Hong Kong dessert shop that comes from a very popular Hong Kong franchise with over 500 shops in mostly Hong Kong.  I checked out 3 of their cold dishes.  The Mango Sago, and the Mango and Durian Pancakes.

Mango Sago

The Mango sago is a bit like a cold smoothie, soup kind of dessert.  According to Wikipedia Sago is: Sago /ˈseɪɡoʊ/ is a starch extracted from the spongy centre, or pith, of various tropical palm stems, especially that of Metroxylon sagu. It is a major staple food for the lowland peoples of New Guinea and the Moluccas, where it is called saksak, rabia and sagu.

The Mango Sago has a milky texture with chunks of mango and I believe there is also some pomello in it.  It is served in a plastic container and you eat it with a spoon. Imagine a mango lassie with some small chunks of mango and that's sort of what the taste and consistency is similar to.

Mango and Durian Pancake

We also tried the Mango and Durian Pancake.  The container comes with 2 in a small plastic container.   It's a handmade Hong Kong pancake that is stuffed with whipped cream and chunks of mango or the Durian fruit.

Durian fruit is known as one of the stinkiest fruits in the world and is not common to the North American diet but is very popular in Asia.  It is definitely and acquired taste.  I preferred the mango one of course because it was more familiar and sweeter.  It's a very soft and delicate dessert.  My friends 3 year old wasn't sure what to make of it.  She thought it was play dough and didn't believe it was a pancake.  

Full House Desserts

They also have Hot sweet soups like Walnut and Black Sesame.  There is also cold soya bean or grass jelly.

The 3 desserts we tried cost about $27.

Visited: Sept 23, 2018

FULL HOUSE DESSERTS

4750 Yonge St SUITE #121, Toronto, ON M2N 0J6

Phone: (416) 730-9121

Website: http://www.fullhousedesserts.com/


*Disclaimer - The dessert samples were complimentary and the last photo are from Full House Desserts but the other images and opinions are my own. #spon.

Syria A Living History at the Aga Khan Musuem

World Premiere of Syria: A Living History
October 15, 2016–February 26, 2017

I have wanted to visit the Aga Khan Museum for a long time. It's been open for 2 years now and it's an incredible structure with nothing like it in North America.  In a area of Toronto with mostly office and industry this Museum really stand out.  I was lucky to be able to visit the Museum this week for a tour of the Syria: A Living History Exhibit and also a look through the beautiful gift shop and a dinner at Chef Mark McEwen's curated restaurant Diwan where we dined on a flavourful array of Syrian dishes.   

Some of the dishes sampled were:

Lamb meatballs braised with sour cherry sauce, Fattoush salad, RedLentil soup, Pickled turnips and labneh, "Tarator" salmon crusted in walnuts and topped with pomegranate seeds, Lahana salad with cabbage and beets and a vegetarian filled phyllo pastry.

The exhibition brings together over 5,000 years of art highlighting the contributions that the diverse cultures within Syria — Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Ottoman, and Arab — have made to world heritage. A collaboration of museums and private collections in Europe, North America, and the Middle East with 48 artifacts displayed.

 Exhibition highlights include:

·       *   An eye idol from Tell Brak, Syria, carved around 3,200 BCE;

·       *   A stele with a depiction of a prayer from Tell Halaf, Syria, (10th–9th centuries BCE), still bearing the   marks of a Second World War bombing raid in Berlin, Germany;

·       *  Contemporary works by Elias Zayat (b. 1935) and Fateh Moudarres (1922–99) that merge personal   experiences with reflections on modern-day Syria.

Lion’s Head

Historic Syria, 9th–8th centuries BCE

Ivory, carved

With permission of the Royal Ontario Museum © ROM.

Additional programming highlights include:

·       An illuminating symposium on Syria’s art and architecture (October 29, October 30)

     Co-organized with Professor Nasser Rabbat, Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture, MIT

·       Lectures with leading scholars (November 10, November 13) Featuring Dr. Ross Burns, historian and author of Monuments of Syria and Damascus – A History, and Jens Hanssen, Professor of Arab Civilization, University of Toronto

·       Showcase performances with Syrian artists (October 29, November 26, November 27, December 11)
With artists such as vocalist Lubana Al Quntar (Syria’s first opera singer), composer Kinan Azmeh, and visual artist Kevork Mourad

Lion’s Head

Historic Syria, 9th–8th centuries BCE

Ivory, carved

With permission of the Royal Ontario Museum © ROM.

   

       Backgammon/Chess Box

    Syria, 19th century

Wood, wood veneers, bone, and mother-of-pearl; inlaid

With permission of the Royal Ontario Museum © ROM.

The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, has been established and developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The Museum’s mission is to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the contribution that Muslim civilizations have made to world heritage while often reflecting, through both its permanent and temporary exhibitions, how cultures connect with one another. Designed by architect Fumihiko Maki, the Museum shares a 6.8-hectare site with the Ismaili Centre, Toronto, which was designed by architect Charles Correa. The surrounding park was designed by landscape architect Vladimir Djurovic.

HOURS:

Monday: Closed

(except holiday Mondays)

Tuesday: 10 am–6 pm

Wednesday: 10 am–8 pm

Thursday–Sunday: 10 am–6 pm

COST:

General Admission*

Friends: Free

Adults: $20

Seniors (65+): $15

Students:* $12

Children & Youth (6–13): $10

Family Package:* $50

LOCATION:

The Aga Khan Museum is located at

77 Wynford Drive, close to Don Mills

Road and Eglinton Avenue East in

Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Please visit

agakhanmuseum.org for directions,

parking information, and TTC routes.

General Information:

416.646.4677

Girls night out at Paese Restaurant

Blogger Girls Night Out

Location:    Paese Ristorante, located on 3827 Bathurst Street (just north of Wilson Avenue)

Date visited:  August 6, 2016

Website:  http://paeseristorante.com/

Instagram @paeseristorante

My blogger pal Natalie (http://www.cookingquidnunc.com/) and I were invited to go for dinner at Paese Restaurant in North York.  I live in North York so it was nice to go to a dinner pretty close to home.  We brought along fellow blogger Shuang (http://www.theteleporta.com/) and my friend who lives within walking distance of Paese.  Normally Natalie and I attend larger blogger media dinners with about a dozen other bloggers trying to get their photos and food in within a limited amount of time.  This time we had a great Girls Night Out and took our time and all ordered different things so that we could sample a lot from their menu.  

A nice touch was that they seated us near the window.  This is an important thing because the rest of the restaurant had lighting that wouldn't have been flattering for food photos.  We really wanted to get some great photos because the food was presented so beautifully.

We shared this amazing Seared Scallop dish with grapefruit segments and shaved fennel.   This really is a classic pairing that works together to elevate the whole dish.   We really loved this dish and my friends were amazed at how good the fennel was.  I wasn't because I have done this before and it really makes the fennel shine.  The Scallops were perfectly seared and tender and seasoned to perfection.

We also shared the Polenta Fries.  We could have easily eaten an order of these each.  They were better than fries with a whole lot more flavour and crispy on the outside and creamy inside.

As my main I chose the Veal Scallopini.  For some reason I thought this would be breaded but it was just pan seared and served with a lemon beurre blanc sauce and green beans, grilled fennel and a piece of charred corn.  The veal was like butter.  I hardly needed a knife to cut it.  The whole thing was skillfully put together.

For Dessert I chose the Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie and Affogato.  I really wanted the cherry chocolate cookie.  It had some sea salt on top.  Some people like that but I don't think it needed the salt.  It wasn't overly sweet and with the espresso and vanilla ice cream it was just enough.

And there was a whole lot more.  Some of the other things we all ordered were from (l to r):

Braised Lamb and Green Beans,  Seared Salmon with tomato salsa and fennel,  Mojito's and wine, A dark and white chocolate terrina,  Goat cheese and leek ravioli, charred broccoli, Charred Octopus, Foccacia bread and white bean spread, Pomegranate gelato, strawberry cheesecake, Caramel pudding.  And in the mix is Natalie taking a photo of her dish while Shuang quenches her thirst.

We all really enjoyed our meal and the place was really nice.  We had our own little private section because most of the people were seated on the other side.  They didn't know what to make of us when we tried to take photos of the inside of the restaurant. I think they thought we were nuts so we stopped taking photos so we wouldn't get them in any of them.

PAESE is starting a contest for you to EAT. SHARE .WIN on Social Media that you can enter starting August 15 and it ends on September 1st, 2016.

SHARE a photo of your Favourite PAESE meal on INSTAGRAM using the Hashtag #PaeseXO and don't forget to follow @paeseristorante on Instagram to see what everyone is eating.

A winner will be chosen on September 1st to WIN a Dinner for TWO at PAESE Italian Ristorante

If you go to Paese for the first time make sure you tell them that you read about it on my Blog.  I am sure they will take really good care of you.

Get away from the crazy downtown lineups and parking tickets and eat in North York where you can enjoy a relaxing meal and hopefully get a spot in their parking lot for free.

Aroma Espresso opens Kosher cafe

Aroma Espresso Bar is a Cafe that goes above and beyond what a lot of cafe's do.  They really listen to their patrons and provide a place and food that they are looking for.

Aroma was founded in Jerusalem in 1994 and in 2007 they opened in the Annex on Bloor St. in Toronto.

This month they listened to their customers in the Jewish community and opened a Kosher Aroma Espresso Bar on Bathurst Street just north of Wilson Ave in North York.  This area has a high density of people that follow Kosher practices so it is a really great thing that they are now able to meet up with friends and family in a space that serves their needs.

I dropped in this week on my way home to check out the space and pick up an Ice Aroma, one of my favourite things there to take it to go.  It's a good thing I planned to take it to go because every seat in the place was taken.  It was a monday night even, so obviously this is something people are happy about.

What I really like about Aroma is the Mediterranean menu of fresh made in house dishes.  They have fresh salads, the chopped salad is a great one in the summer.   They also bake fresh bread on site and serve up massive slices with their fresh sandwiches.  They also make fresh Mint using real mint tea and not the stuff in tea bags.  I doubt you will find that at any other chain coffee house.  Also their Ice Lemon Mint is also made with the fresh mint.  I love to have these in the summer when it is really hot outside.

They have also launched a new BOLD coffee recently. Although I haven't tried it yet I am sure it fills the need of coffee lovers who like choices.

Their Hot Chocolates are made using real chocolate.  You will find actual melted chocolate at the bottom of the cup.  No pre packaged powder mixes. They also have delicious pastries to go with your teas, coffees and hot chocolate or cold drinks.

There are about 20 locations in Toronto and ever growing.  They will be opening one very close to me soon on Yonge Street near Mel Lastman Square.  I am sure it will be a busy place and I am sure I will stop in with friends.

For locations near you check out their website: Aroma Espresso Bar with this link.

And for a bonus when you order your drinks they give you a tiny piece of chocolate.  Who doesn't love chocolate at the end of their meal.

Boneyard Grill opens second location in North York

Boneyard Grill opened it's second location recently in North York on Avenue Road just north of Lawrence Ave W.  Their first location is in Thornhill.

I checked out the new Avenue Road location with some food blogger friends.

Don't expect a light meal when you go to Boneyard Grill.   It's literally a stick to your ribs kind of food with the Ribs being their main dish but they have a mainly meaty based menu.

The food is simple but tasty.  It's classic football party style food.  

We tried an array of Miami Ribs, Burgers, Chicken wings, fries, Onion Brick (rings),  Pulled Pork and Coconut shrimp.

They do have salads and steaks and some other items on the menu but we didn't sample any of them so I can't tell you much more about those dishes.

I enjoyed the Onion Rings or Bricks as it is called on the Menu.  Lightly battered crispy stack of thin cut onions.  I have been craving Onion Rings lately for some reason so these hit the spot.

I also liked the thin cut Sweet Potato fries.  Very crispy and well seasoned.  I am not a fan of heavily salted sweet potato fries as I like the sweetness of the sweet potato to shine through and these ones had a nice balance.

The burger sliders were simple but tasty.  No fancy gourmet toppings on these.  I added some onion rings to my sliders and that gave them a nice crunch.

The Pulled Pork was also very good with a great BBQ sauce flavour coating the meat.   Tip.. eat them quickly before the buns fall apart.

The ribs were really tasty too.  Their BBQ sauces are great and they also have some great dipping sauces for the wings and the fries.  The Mango one was delicious.

We had a fun night stuffing our faces.   We were all very stuffed and rolled out of the restaurant.

Wear your stretchy pants and don't wear an expensive fancy white shirt... be prepared to get messy and enjoy some great grub with some friends.

Whole Foods opens Food Blogger Heaven in North York

Today was like Christmas for me.  Why?  Well, because the Whole Foods at Yonge and Sheppard in the Hullmark Centre finally opened.  It was slated to open at 8am this morning.  I got in line at about 7:15am because the 1st 100 people received a Goodie Bag.  I met up with a couple of friends who got in line just before I got there and was joined by another friend just before the store finally opened at 8:45am.  There was a breaking bread ceremony and a live band playing outside just before they opened the store.

They also handed out free coffee, cupcakes and bananas to the people waiting outside in the windy and chilly lineup.   Sadly, there was a double line and when it was time to enter the people at the back of the line rushed in and tried to merge with the front of the line.  Luckily there was really no reason to rush in as there were plenty of samples all day for everyone and if you weren't in the line with the first 100 people you wouldn't have received a paper that gave you a gift bag on the way out.   You snooze you lose in this case.   So for those of us that got up early and waited in line we were richly rewarded with a very generous bag of food and samples.   I was even luckier because I got a $15 gift card for posting something on Instagram prior to the opening and as it turned out when I went to get my customer service to get my gift card they called the marketing person who was a girl named Janice whom I had met about 3 years ago at a blogger conference when she told me about the opening then.  I never expected to see her at the store a few years later but was pleasantly surprised.

I instagrammed up a storm of all these photos while I was waiting in line and then when I got in the store.  Once I got into the store I ran into fellow blogger and North York neighbour Libby who was as excited as I was about the store opening.  We madly roamed around the store taking photos and drooling at the sight of all the fresh beautiful aisles of food.

This Whole Foods store is the best one I have been to yet.  The only thing that is a bit lacking from the Yorkville Whole Foods is the giant cheese station but it makes up for it with a large and well laid out space.  It's a gorgeous store and my friend remarked that it had a New York feel about it.

What I personally love about the store is that it will accommodate all the single condo dwellers who don't cook or don't have space to stock a full pantry of food.   You can shop European style and pick up fresh meat, fish and vegetables and cook on the same day or you can purchase a single serving of pre prepped hot foods or the massive salad bar.   There is also a stir fry station and pizza and sushi counters.   Any diet is accommodated in this store.  One of the friends I was with is lactose intolerant and he picked up some lactose free cheese.  I was talking about one of the lactose free cream cheeses and one of the store staff pulled one out and scribbled something on it and said to take it to the cash and that it was on the store... free... I thought she was pulling one out to sample.   WoW was I surprised at that.  I know it was the first day but unbelievable service and everything was as good as it could be.

If you read my blog often you know that I don't give praise easily and like to tell it like it is.   While Whole Foods isn't a bargain grocery store like say No Frills, it is a quality store and you really do get what you pay for in freshness and a clean store and community contribution as well.

This week part of the proceeds of sales will be donated to 5 North York charities.  I love that it supports the surrounding community.   Those people that can afford to shop at Whole Foods are supporting those who might not be able to by contributing to community services like North York Arts and the North York YMCA and the Library and others.

To me this is a win win grocery store.  As a Food Revolution Day Ambassador I am really happy to support a company that promotes Organic and healthy products and fresh local food as much as possible.   While there is not perfect grocery store this one comes pretty close for me.

If you are a foodie like me don't go to the store hungry or you will buy out the whole store.

I am not a bar person but this will probably become my favourite local hangout from now on.

And on the plus side I tried their coffee this morning and had the Mocha and it was the best coffee I have had in this whole area.

So hopefully I will see you at Whole Foods if you are in the North York area.


Happy Shopping Foodies!

And this is all the stuff I got in the Goodie Bag that I got on my way out of the store. Worth the lineup.