It Starts With Some Moscato…

What am I up to with Moscato and paprika?

Stay tuned. =)

Niagara Food And Wine Expo Part II

Walking into the venue, I was not sure what to expect. There were different booths set up, line ups were forming, and we were not sure where to start. We soon discovered, it was just fun to walk up to anything random and get a sample. In no particular order, my night of food and drink….

Spiked pineapple juice.

Yep, original, I know.

Camel sliders. Lean meat. Interesting.

Chocolate!

Foodtrucks!!!

Pork tongue fritters, chili mint relish, dukkah – an Egyptian side dish made with herbs, nuts and spices. Savoury and spicy.

Pulled pork parfait. My fave.

Beer!

Shaved chocolate cake. Delicate.

Late night eats at The Famous. Spinach dip and focaccia.

I love me a morning breakfast buffet!

Fro-yo sweet treats.

My souvenir.

Good times. Good drinks. Good eats =)

Someone Made It, I Ate It – La Carnita

The good weather is finally here in Toronto. With this comes walks around Toronto and patio dinners and drinks. This eve’s dinner comes courtesy of La Carnita located on College St.

This non descript hole in the wall is quite the talk of the town and I had to see what the fuss was about.

The weather was awesome, so happily, we were able to sit outside on one of two patio table set ups. I’m sure the atmosphere was different inside with the loud music and slightly dark interior, but I was here to eat good food and catch up with peeps, so being outdoors was welcome.

Already loving this place, they had Malbec on the drink list. 2011 Malbec, Zorzal. Deep fruit flavour, dry. I’d drink it again.

Tortilla chips dusted with ancho chilli powder, to start, with guac, salsa and Mezcal chipotle liver pâté. I was not a fan of the liver pâté but the the rest of it was terrific, light and fresh. I would have been happy eating platters of this alone.

Next up, tacos. Lots of tacos….

My choices, In Cod We Trust (fish taco) and Beef Cheek (shredded beef)

Voltron sauce, lime crema, pickled red cabbage, green apple & cilantro.

Ancho braised cheek, lime avocado, green cabbage, pickled jalapeño & crispy shallots

Omg, omg, DELICIOUS! DELICIOUS! I wanted more, but dessert was calling.

So, I was a bit of a glutton and ended up having all three desserts on the menu. Churros with housemade cajeta…

Cookie paletas…Oreo and chocolate chip cookies frozen in condensed milk and some other chilly goodness. A Mexican Popsicle of sorts.

And lastly the tres leche cake with Ontario fruit. Yummy raspberries.

I was in food heaven. Hands down the best meal I’ve had in a while. I now see what the fuss is about and why people wait on the sidewalk to get a table inside. Well made tacos using fresh ingredients that taste and look amazing. Simple desserts that hit the sweet spot. Friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff that make you feel welcome.

Fantastic. I’m going back. =)