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The final instalment of the Toronto diaries! Our last full day in the city was my birthday, so you know we had to eat lots of good food and yummy treats to celebrate.
First pit stop was for chocolate chip cookies ($3.95 each) at Le Gourmand. This busy cafe is known for having some of the best cookies in Toronto. Maybe it's because we didn't eat them right away but I thought they were pretty average cookies. The dough does taste really buttery but they felt overbaked and a bit dry.
Another bakery we stopped at was Blackbird Baking Co. in Kensington Market. This bakery sells a variety of breads and pastries. It's important to go early for the best selection!
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I got a canele ($4.00) and a pain au raisin ($4.00). The canele was probably the best out of the other places I tried in Toronto. The crust was crispy and the inside was moist. We didn't get to eat the pain au raisin until the next day so it did dry out a little bit. I'm sure a few minutes in an oven would have helped.
For an actual breakfast, we stopped at Egg Bae, also located in Kensington Market. Egg Bae is a casual eatery that focuses on gourmet breakfast sandwiches. There are five sandwiches total, all prepared using free-range eggs and their housemade egg buns. We got the seaside bae ($11.00) which had soft scrambled eggs, house-cured salmon, potato chips, pickled shallots, arugula, and herbed mayo. True to their name, they prepare their eggs really well. Soft, fluffy, and perfectly cooked. We also got a side of their tater tots with bae sauce ($4.50) which were a great crispy, salty accompaniment.
Next on our itinerary, we headed to Yorkdale Mall. It's quite a ways out from downtown Toronto but I never expected it would take an hour through traffic to get here.
Lots of high-end stores in Yorkdale but of course my focus is on the food. This is the Kit Kat Chocolatory where you can customize your own Kit Kat or buy exclusive limited edition flavours. A good spot for gifts but probably not something I would buy for myself. Unfortunately, they've since closed down.
More cookies! This time from Craig's Cookies. I tried the pride cookie ($3.00) which is their regular chocolate chip cookie filled with rainbow chips. This was like a gourmet version of Chip's Ahoy! which was one of my childhood favourites. It was thick, soft, and gooey with bits of crunch from the rainbow chips. I liked it much better than the cookie at Le Gourmand.
For dinner, we deviated from our original itinerary after getting a craving for peking duck ($78.00). We went to BAO in Chinatown which is a modern and sleek looking restaurant. The peking duck arrives on the prettiest plate alongside hoisin sauce, sugar, green onion, and cucumber. The duck is expertly sliced with nice, crispy skin. Rolled into a crepe, each bite was rich and succulent.
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The peking duck also comes with the duck bones (right), stir-fried with ginger and green onion. Glad they don't let any parts go to waste but it really is chewing on duck bones.
Another dish we ordered was the diced beef with black pepper and garlic ($23.00). The beef was tender and covered in a sticky, sweet and peppery sauce. We were all taken aback at the whole cloves of garlic that comes with the dish. They probably outnumbered the beef pieces. Rice is a must with this dish.
One last look at the CN Tower walking back to the hotel. On this night, it was illuminated orange for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The next morning, we only had time for breakfast before heading to the airport. We walked down the block to French Made, a cafe located in the Bisha Hotel. A wide variety of pastries, cakes, and grab and go sandwiches/salads.
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I can't comment on their coffee but the almond croissant was decent. Flaky and buttery. I did wish it had a bit more almond filling on the inside.
And that's a wrap on Toronto! After 6 days, I feel like we barely scratched the surface on what the city has to offer. I don't think I'm in any rush to go back, but I'm sure our paths will cross again.
- CT
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