Ici Bistro - French Food in TO

Last night was my BIG Birthday.. won't say which big one, you can guess which milestone it was for yourself. To celebrate I went to ICI Bistro for dinner with 3 friends, one of whom is friends with one of the Owners and Chef JP Challet. While I really wanted to go to Paris for this milestone birthday that wasn't in the cards so the next best thing was to have JP cook some amazing French Food for us in his little Bistro. Yes it was a very little corner neighborhood restaurant with only 24 seats on the corner of Manning and Harbord. I have met JP in the past and we have been talking about going to his new restaurant since it opened but this was the first chance I had and I was glad it was at the same time as my birthday. We started off with these amazing goat cheese and caramelized shallot tarts..mmmmmm.. so good. Then we ordered a few share plates, Charcuterie, Steak Tartare and Croquettes. I loved the Croquettes.. potato goodness. Then on to the mains. My friend ordered the Lamb chops, my other friend ordered the Beef and I ordered the chicken which was the best piece of chicken I have had in I don't know how long. So moist and just enough flavour with a side of haricot vert and a potato galette.

Then JP created a beautiful plate with Happy Birthday written on it and little cups of white chocolate filled with cherry liquered cherries.

While one of my friends was chatting away and didn't notice JP signed a copy of his One Pot Cookbook for him. He was really pleased about that. Now 3 of us have autographed copies of his book that I hope we can cook a recipe together once I move to a new place.

It was a great dinner and JP and staff were great hosts.

Only thing I was sad about was that it was too small to invite more friends so we had to meet up with the rest of my friends for Desert at Moroco in Yorkville. But it was a good nite all in all. Go to ICI Bistro and tell them Linda and Via sent you.. you will enjoy it.

Even Fast Food can be Good

Yesterday was McHappy Day at McDonalds. You are wondering why a Foodie is talking about McDonalds? Well it's because McDonald's does some things right like Mc Happy day where they collect money for the Ronald McDonald Charities from their proceeds sold and donations collected. I know most of McDonald's food can be really bad but it also tastes really good sometimes so everything in moderation. You don't need to go Super Size Me everyday on it but having it the odd time is ok. So yesterday I stopped by for breakfast and picked up an Egg McMuffin.. one of the lower calorie breakfasts but killed it by adding the homefries and an Iced Coffee. The iced coffee is only $1 now so it's cheaper than juice and when you are unemployed you think about this kind of thing.

I decided to clear out all the pennies in my car and donate it for McHappy Day and at least my pennies will add with other people's pennies and do some good for people that need assistance from Ronald McDonald house.

So I hope some of you bought some Big Macs and donated some money too yesterday.. It's ok to eat at McDonalds sometimes... Even if you are a Foodie.

Parisienne cafe

Toronto is a city with diversity and we can find almost anything to eat in this city but try and find somewhere to go after you have dinner so that you can have tea or coffee and a little desert with friends to celebrate an occasion and there isn't much out there unless you want to be done by 10 or 11pm. I thought we were a cosmopolitan city? All you can do is go to a bar and drink alcohol after dinner it seems, so what if you don't drink alcohol but want to hang out with friends after 10pm during the week? Where do you go? It's my Birthday this week and a friend has arranged to go to a small but highly popular restaurant owned by a friend but only a few of us can go for dinner so I was looking for a place to meet up in the Annex afterward but it seems that Toronto is sorely lacking in this area. We can go grab a quick coffee on the run or we can go and get drunk but that's about it.

What's missing in Toronto? Well I think we need more European style casual cafe type of Parisienne style places where you can sip on a glass of wine or tea or coffee while enjoying a pain au chocolate or a macaroon or some other tasty pastry or cake while having relaxing conversations with friends... just like you imagine the Paris cafe's to be like. So I wonder why someone hasn't thought of doing that here? The closest thing to that is Moroco in Yorkville but for some reason my friends don't like going there.

If I was an entrepreneur with some cash to blow I would open such a cafe in the hear of town and make it a late night alternative to going out and getting drunk with friends. I am past the age of rowdy partying with friends and just want to chill and chat over some great deserts and a great tea or coffee. Is that too much to ask for in this Big City?

Now if anyone knows any secret places like this please let me know and the rest of the people in Toronto so that we can enjoy it too.