Definition of a Food Critic

FYI all, here is what's to come and what you will absolutely be provided with!

"The terms food critic, food writer, and restaurant critic can all be used to describe a writer who analyzes food or restaurants and then publishes the results of their findings."

"Food critic" and "restaurant critic" are in practice synonyms, although there is still a distinction to be made. Both suggest a critical, evaluative stance that often involves some kind of rating system. The distinction, if any involves the range of possible investigation. "Food critic" has a more contemporary vibe, suggesting that restaurants, bakeries, food festivals, street vendors, and taco trucks are all fair game."

Medina Cafe

556 Beatty Street
Vancouver, Canada

On a misty Vancouver morning, my partner and I decide there's no point in rushing around to enjoy the city's outdoor activities today...this morning is about food. When going to a new city, one is obligated to do some form of cuisine research on their own, so after Medina Cafe popped up a few times in reviews and travel blogs, I decided this was a must try.

Now readers, as you're aware I've tried many a brunch in Toronto...but let me tell you this: Medina Cafe has taken brunch to an entirely new level, with an off-the-wall menu full of innovation. I've never had a love this before...

Don't be expecting the regular bacon n' eggs, so if you want some greasy spoon you'll have to go elsewhere. You can, however, enjoy the omlette of the day...and because I like my eggs in the morning, that's what I decide to go for. Oh, but this isn't just any omlette, friends. Baked with roasted potatoes, Canadian white cheddar and pattypan (or a fancy word for baby zucchini) in a beautiful single-sized cast iron pan, the usual fried and flipped omlette can't hold a candle to this. Topped with a small garnish of green beans and tomato and served with fresh foccacia, this was truly the most flavoursome breakfast dish I've ever had.

If you're feeling a little more adventures you could go for the Libanais breakfast: fried eggs over perfectly braised short ribs, roasted potatoes and a garnish of greens, taking your tiresome eggs/meat/and potatoes way off the map.

Finally, for a small sweet treat afterwards, I have to try their Belgian waffles. All I have to say about that was: it felt like I was back in Brussels. Soft, moist and perfectly sweetened, it was an excellent finish to a flawless brunch experience. Medina Cafe is an absolute must if you're in Vancouver.

Go Fish

Granville Island
Vancouver, Canada

When travelling, there's nothing better than having an acquaintance in a city as it's easy to be mislead. So, when in Vancouver I ask my old travelling compadre: what's something classic, something I absolutely must eat while in Vancouver? And her abrupt reply is "Go Fish".

Thus, on a typically partly sunny/partly cloudy afternoon of hiking, we make our way over to Granville Island to try the infamous Go Fish. When seeing that this place is quite literally a shack, I immediately think: this can only be good. The line-up on a Saturday is about 30 minutes long, plus add another 30 minutes until your food is ready. But once again, this can only be good.

A fairly simple menu consisting of fish n' chips let's you choose what type of fish you'd like: Pacific halibut, cod, salmon and so on...

You'll also be able to find specials of the day, like a Qualicum Bay scallop sandwich or white fish tacos.

In order to be fair, I simply must order a couple of items, so I go for the classic cod fish n' chips and the fish taco's as well. I don't know if it was the waiting in line, the sunny day by the ocean or the fact that this place was just damn good, but this was the best piece of fried goodness I ever put in my mouth.

The cod was melt-in your mouth fresh, and not overly battered or overly greasy. The fish taco's were creative and just as fresh, with a nice kick to them. Truly just plain fun to eat. And yes, I did eat it all.

Go Fish is a must try if you're in Vancouver - the shack is quaint, the food is just plain good and if you get a nice seat on a bench looking over the ocean, you're all set.

Cava Restaurant

1560 Yonge Street
Toronto, Canada

Who doesn't love tapas? You order 10 items on a menu and get to try them all. The meal lasts forever because the small plates come out from the kitchen slowly but surely, leaving you plenty of time to chat with your partner. The mediterranean's definitely know how to do it right when it comes to eating and enjoying good company.

After knocking off Embrujo Flamenco and Torito tapas restaurants, of course the next on the list is the highly acclaimed Cave Restaurant situated in midtown Toronto. Upon entering I'm seated at a perfect corner table for two, however am quickly finding that I can't hear a word my compadre is saying as this restaurant is so loud. But, I brush it off...this is exactly how it would be in Spain, right?

Our server is fantastic and right off the bat describes in detail the specials of the day in a friendly and vibrant manner. I don't need him to ask for our drink preferences as I already know what I need to try: sangria. For me, this is the key to a good Spanish restaurant and if anywhere in Toronto can offer a glass of sangria that is even half as good as the ones I've had on the Las Ramblas in Barcelona, then they've won my vote. And, unfortunately this one falls flat. Tasting more like fruit punch than a fruit soaked dark red wine, I drink it down anyway because, well, who doesn't like fruit punch? Moving on to some real wine and getting into the food...

Of the many items that were tasted: eggplant queso fresco, clams and chorizo, spanish cheese's and iberico ham, nothing stood out as particularly splendid. The eggplant, though tasty was quite greasy; I found the clams to be gritty and chorizo dry and tasteless; the iberico ham was beautiful though, cut superbly to melt-in-your-mouth...but generally a restaurant doesn't cook their own ham so I can't give Cava any brownie points on that dish.

Cava has consistently been highly regarded as one of the best tapas restaurants in Toronto, however I would have to disagree. None of the dishes stood out in terms of flavour or presentation and the biggest disappointment of course, is the faux sangria. I would recommend both Embrujo Flamenco and Torito over this midtown spot.

Globe Earth

1055 Yonge Street
Toronto, Canada

After trying to get a reservation for two on a Saturday night for the past three weeks at Globe Earth, I finally manage to get myself and my partner a 7pm seating. As you can imagine, my expectations are now quite high, as any place this busy has to be worth it.

Not only is this 'any place' but it's also a partner to the famous Globe Bistro on the Danforth which has won rave reviews (including mine) in the Toronto foodie scene for years. The idea here at Globe Earth is "think global, eat local" where Chef Kevin McKenna takes local ingredients and turns them into simply delicious meals.

Sometimes having a partner restaurant can be hard, as everyone is comparing. Upon entering Globe Earth I find the decor to be cold and dark, not what I would expect of a restaurant marketed to a 'local' crowd. But, the food is the important thing.

I select the cookstown cellar salad to start which is very fresh and light, as well as beautifully presented. My partner goes for the pig bits which is a melange of pate, rillete and, well, pig bits of course. Served with old fashioned mustard, and for $5 a plate, this was probably one of the most flavourful (and reasonably priced) pates I've had in the city.

Moving on to the main courses, however, I found myself disappointed. I go for "Canada's Finest Plate" which is supposedly the freshest of the day, and of course, when a special is offered, it's generally the tastiest item on the menu so there was no contest in making my choice. I was displeased to find that my $30 local yellow perch came with a sad - what I would call a decoration - of turnip puree and some asparagus and potatoes that were in fact cool-to-the-touch. My plate was screaming out for more pizzazz in terms of flavour, and not to mention substance as well. My partner went for the beef cheeks which sadly, were also unimaginative, served on a heaping pile of blue cheese mashed potatoes which were overwhelming to the palate.

Thank God dessert came to the rescue though, so it wasn't all a disaster! I would go back to Globe Earth again if only for the creme fraiche panna cotta. Silky smooth and perfectly set, it really was the highlight of the meal. And it's always nice to save the best for last and leave on a good note.

I expected more from Globe Earth as I've had fantastic experiences at its sister location on the Danforth. Ultimately, Globe Earth fell short with it's unwelcoming ambiance and lackluster (not to mention overpriced) dishes.

The Queen and Beaver Public House

35 Elm Street
Toronto, Canada

There are some evenings when you just want something different. The usual burger or Italian pizza just won't do. So, after searching through listings in Toronto Life Magazine, The Queen and Beaver seems like just the thing.

Nestled in a cozy corner on Elm Street, The Queen and Beaver is the perfect location when you want a couple of easy beers and a nice start to your night. Stepping inside only confirms this declaration, as you'll find that the owners have flawlessly recreated a quintessential (however upscale) English-style pub. The forest green walls are shelved with antique tea cups, and even the napkins on your dark oak table in the grand front foyer exude old-fashioned charm.

We're promptly greeted by our server, who delivers the specials of the evening with a friendly attitude. Immediately ready for a beer (as, what else would you have in a pub?), I am a little disappointed to find that the selection is not the greatest. There are a handful to choose from, however only one from England, and the rest are actually Canadian. I suppose, though, that one has to respect when a business owner support his local breweries. So moving on...

Everyone knows that England is not known for its fine cuisine. Most of the country's traditional dishes are very heavy, fatty and lacking in flavour. So when someone puts as much effort into the ambiance and innovation in the dishes as The Queen and Beaver does, you can't help it if your expectations are high.

To start, a shared appetizer of a mushroom and tarragon tart topped with a coddled egg. All I have to say is thank goodness that tart was befriended by the egg, as everything else within was fairly tasteless and dry.

I decided to go a hearty, meaty main, and selected the pork chop with pea dumplings, while my partner went for the oh-so-cliche "bangers n' mash". The pork chop itself was beautiful, the cut was perfect and well prepared to a medium temperature. Yet the sauce that accompanied it was over salted, which paired with the pork made for an almost-too-salty dish. Although edible, it could have been better. Speaking of edible, the pea dumplings, unfortunately, were not. I supposed what started out as a very imaginative idea ultimately tasted like (and even more sadly looked like) green play-dough. The dumpling lacked completely of any flavour resembling fresh peas, and the texture was truly gummy.

And lastly, the bangers and mash were nothing out of the ordinary, but really - what can a person expect when eating sausage and mashed potato? The plus on this plate was a nice gravy, which of course is somewhat of a religion in England.

If you're looking for a place with a great atmosphere to have a few beers, you certainly won't be disappointed with The Queen and Beaver. Who knows, the traditional old-England decor and ambiance in this restaurant is so well done, it might even be almost enough to forget about the food.

Tati Bistro

124 Harbord Street
Toronto, Ontario

My friend and I find ourselves on a cold winter night waiting in the front door of The Harbord Room unable to get a table for at least 30 minutes. Cold, hungry and in dire need of a glass of wine we decide to run across the street to Tati Bistro and have a drink at the bar while our table here potentially becomes available.

Upon entering the charming Tati bistro however, the aroma of delectable food is so overpowering that we decide we simply have to stay. See ya later Harbord Room!

The scent of home cooking is only the sort that a French bistro can accomplish, and one glance at the menu confirms this assumption. Only the classic French dishes are served here, and I mean classic. Even Le Select or Le Paradis don't offer up these traditional plates: pot au feu, cassoulet, bouillabaisse, and the more common great French options like soupe a l'oignion and bavette.

Our waitress had a talent at describing the menu, ensuring upon delivery of our choices that our high expectations were met. I may take back what I'm about to say one day, however of all the French restaurants I've tried in Toronto, Tati Bistro presented me with one of the best French dishes I've ever had in this city. I chose the rabbit basquaise, which in all honestly could not have been more flavourful. The two legs of rabbit, meat falling off the bone, rested in a stew-like sauce of tomatoes, roasted red peppers and potatoes. Light but powerful French flavours oozed from the sauce making this so simple and satisfying, completely relieving me of the last of the cold winter chill in my bones.

I never thought of dining at Tati Bistro, as to be honest, the name always threw me off. I wasn't sure if it was Indian, Moroccan or what. After digging a little deeper though, Tati is actually the equivalent of "auntie" in English. It all starts coming together now...to create a quiet, European hideaway on the Harbord strip serving up truly, the French classics.