40 h. ago Here's what replaced Toronto fine dining restaurant that closed in under a year

A fine dining restaurant in Toronto has closed its doors after less than a year, and it's already been replaced.Sigh. We know that not everything's built to last, but we had a good feeling about short-lived farm-to-table restaurant The Lost Land.A collaboration between Larry Feldmeier, chef de cuisine at Chicago's Oriole, a two-Michelin-star force, Pidapipo Gelato owner Edison Xue, and chef Cesar Karanapakorn of Judaline and Florette, the restaurant came with some serious promise.Still, it opened quietly to mixed reviews before, just months later, shuttering just as quietly as it arrived.It's not all bad news, though, because, just as swiftly as The Lost Land came and went, it's already been replaced, and its usurper looks just as promising.Now, the space at 146 Yonge St. is home to Bar Filo, a stylish Italian cocktail bar and restaurant, which opened its doors at the beginning of September.The name Filo, the Bar Filo team told ...

Other

4 d. ago Chef left one of Toronto's top restaurants to start his own place and it opens soon

A Toronto chef who cut his teeth at one of the city's Michelin-recommended restaurants is finally breaking out on his own later this month.It's been nine months since a devastating fire forced Vela, a celebrated eclectic restaurant with an affinity for Asian flair, to close its doors, and there's still little word on when it'll make its comeback.While such a roadblock could easily be enough to thrust even the most time-hardened of chefs into despair, for Vela's then-executive chef and partner, Marvin Palomo, it marked a new beginning.No, we won't use a phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes analogy here, but if ever there were a time for it, it would be now.Palomo told us that after the fire at Vela, the opportunity to open a restaurant of his own presented itself, and he immediately "jumped at it."Now, Palomo's next chapter is nearly ready to open. It's called Liliana, and it's due to be a perfect nexus of all his career experience thu...

Culture

4 d. ago Famous Toronto chef opens latest restaurant in iconic building

A prolific Toronto chef and restaurateur is breathing new life into a historic building with his latest venture, which just opened its doors.The Financial District just got a whole lot tastier. And no, for once, that doesn't mean that another steakhouse just joined the neighbourhood.Rather, it's The Frederick, the latest venture by visionary Toronto chef Cory Vitiello, that's causing all the buzz, and despite its sister, The Chase, resting a few floors above The Frederick, there's nothing stuffy about it.Vitiello has a storied history on Toronto's food scene, from serving as the chef at the once-cherished Harbord Room to later acquiring The Chase and establishing The Chase Restaurant Group.Now, he's got something entirely new up his sleeve.Revitalizing the historic Dineen building, The Frederick is a reimagination of the classic bar and grill concept with rich colours, polished finishes and a timeless energy that translates directly from its interio...

Other

9 d. ago Toronto bakery famous for its Jamaican patties shuts down again

A Toronto bakery known for its Jamaican patties just closed down despite a recent boost in popularity — but it's not goodbye forever.Even if the name means nothing to you, and even if you don't consider yourself a patty lover (in which case, your Toronto resident card will be revoked post haste), there's a high likelihood that you have been exposed to the spicy, flaky creations of Fahmee Bakery.If you've ever travelled through Bathurst, Warden or Islington subway stations, for example, and been immediately blasted with the scent of buttery pastry crust and scotch bonnet, you know exactly what Fahmee Bakery is all about, regardless of whether you succumb to the olfactory temptation and pick up a commute snack or not.The bakery, which was founded in Scarborough in the 1970s, is perhaps best known for supplying the aforementioned subway stations with their fair share of fuel, but also sells them fresh out of its brick-and-mortar location.With legend stat...

Other

1 week ago Today's letters: Iconic city buildings, like Barrymore's, deserve better

Wednesday, Sept. 3: Is a pot shop the best we can do for a once-famous music venue, a reader asks. You can write to us too, at letters@ottawacitizen.com

Other

2 w. ago Toronto getting new restaurant that puts a luxury spin on Korean comfort food

A new Korean restaurant is opening in Toronto this fall, putting comfort food and swanky experiences all under one roof.Sure, Toronto is already home to what seems like an infinite number of Korean restaurants, but being something of a set of Korean cuisine connoisseurs ourselves, we always get a little thrill when we know there's a new one on the horizon we'll soon get to try.This fall, the newest to enter the scene will be NOPO Korean Bistro, a brand-new venture from seasoned Toronto chef Gabriel Jeon.For his part, Jeon has a storied history spanning 15 years on the Canadian culinary scene, including a stint as a sous chef at an Italian restaurant, but a decade of his experience has been dedicated to perfecting the art of Korean cuisine.This fall, he's finally getting the chance to put all he's learned in the spotlight with his very own restaurant.Jeon will be joined by a crew of five talented chefs, all well-versed in both Western and Korean cuisines and toge...

Other

2 w. ago Stray cat living in abandoned Toronto landmark rescued ahead of impending demolition

A cat that became somewhat famous for taking up residence in Toronto's defunct McLaughlin Planetarium has finally been rescued ahead of the building's quickly approaching redevelopment, giving locals who've been caring for him a chance to breathe a sigh of relief.A handful of dedicated residents have been paying regular visits to 90 Queen's Park Crescent for years now to tend to Cheddar, a stray orange tabby that, if you're lucky, you may have spotted at some point hanging out beneath the long-shuttered institution.But, while the feral feline has happily accepted food, bedding and even the occasional scratch from some of those looking out for him, he's resolutely kept his distance from most humans, making his capture near-impossible (and his future, uncertain).That is, until this week.Toronto nonprofit New Cat City was able to succeed where other organizations had tried and failed, working with one of Cheddar's...

Events

3 w. ago Restaurant review: House of Dawn Steakhouse chef drills deep into the details of beef

'Steaks will never lie to you,' says chef James Yang. 'It’s a simple ingredient that you don’t have to explain. That’s the magic of it.'

Other

last month A Toronto home that's been in the same family for over 100 years just hit the market

Toronto's Lawrence Park is famous for its stately multi-million dollar homes, manicured lawns, and more history than your average block in the city.But even among the area's grand old properties, 213 St. Leonards Ave. stands out for quite a unique reason: it's been in the same family for over a century; 102 years, in fact, according to its listing agent."We still have the original blueprints inside," says agent Michael Silverberg.A view into the dining room. He adds that the house is an original Tudor revival, and has "such great charm." "It's got the original facade, original brick around the fireplace and original floors," he tells us.An aerial view of the property. Sitting on a 50-foot-by-150-foot south-facing lot on one of Lawrence Park's most prestigious streets, it's pretty evident from one look that the home oozes heritage. The original front facade. The timeless exterior style that ...

Other