The Church Key Bistro-Pub

Yesterday for brunch we could not resist heading to our favourite spot in London. Maybe I've said that before? Well, Church Key is our favourite brunch restaurant. With weddings coming up and lots of travel plans, it made sense to stay in and save money... then we read the menu for this week. Every week, Church Key offers up usually about 5 different and often very unique brunch items. We have probably been about ten times and never ordered the same thing, yet been super satisfied every time. The $4 mimosas are a brunch staple. This week was really hard to decide what to get, but I went with the Pad Thai Pancake. This was an amazing meal, just look at all that pork belly! The tamarind gravy was so rich and delicious, I could not get enough. The prawns reminded me more of lobster than shrimp, they were so buttery and meaty. Every single bite was an explosion of flavour, so clearly I finished the plate and left feeling extremely full.

Pad Thai Pancake - Rice noodle rosti stuffed with shredded carrot, cabbage, beansprouts and pork belly, topped with fried prawns, green onion, crushed peanuts, fried egg & tamarind gravy

Scott was very torn between the Octopus Pepperoni Cheese Pizza and the Venison Mortadella, ultimately being unable to resist the Venison. The meat itself actually tasted like an elevated mortadella (one of the best deli meats, in my esteemed opinion as a former Deli Expert). The pistachios had us guessing to remember what these little green things were in the meat, but ultimately flavour gave them away. The foie gras was rich and delicious, but how could it not be? Scott was raving about the blackberry gastrique with the pancakes, only offering up one bite. The mushrooms were the surprise. I am not sure what they were roasted in, but they were so meaty tasting that it was hard to believe it was just mushrooms. This was our first exposure to purslane, and it wasn't a great one. It is a sour weed that didn't make its way into our hearts, being the only thing left on the plate when all was finished.

Venison Mortadella - Italian venison sausage with Sicilian pistachios and foie gras served on sweet corn pancakes with roasted wild oyster mushrooms, wild purslane, and blackberry gastrique

One of the things we look forward to at Church Key is the pastry basket at the start of the meal. Each Sunday morning, the Chef bakes off a collection of pastries that are almost always creative and impressive. When we came for our first brunch here, we were in the middle of binge watching The Great British Bake Off (if you haven't gotten into it, now is the time - the 7th season has just started!). What this really meant was I came into the pastries with a heightened appreciation for lamination of dough layers in a croissant. I was so impressed! So many defined layers, so rich and buttery. This basket, while very different in composition, still gives me to opportunity to pretend I know what I am talking about when it comes to pastries. They have really figured out croissants here, There have been several different flavours, and this cheese one was perfection. The cheese was salty and delicious, present in every bite. While served with butter, none of the pastries needed it since they were each perfectly seasoned. The Chocolate Bouchon was so rich and full of chocolate that a little bite is all we needed. The Lemon Loaf is one we have had and loved before - so much lemon flavour with sugar crystals on top. We saved it for last since we knew it would be delicious. Scott really liked the Coco-Nutty Bar, while I preferred the Maple Pecan Financier.

Pastry basket - Butter Cheese Croissant, Raspberry Olive Oil Muffin, Maple Pecan Financier, Coco-Nutty Bar, Chocolate Bouchon, Lemon Loaf, & Date Square

Service is always great, with two servers that seem to be the ones holding it down each visit. The owner is always present and visible, either behind the bar, serving tables or helping to clear plates. With brunch set as $25 per person, and ever-changing menu items, we have to restrain ourselves from going every week. Brunch is only served from 11-2:30 on Sundays, and you are competing with the church crowds, so reservations are definitely recommended.

Likes: The creativity and attention to detail
Dislikes: ... I got nothing
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: Definitely, honestly at the next chance I get. I love looking at the brunch menu on Saturday and getting excited for Sunday morning. I love taking people here to try out what is on offer.

Mexican Quinoa

Here is a super easy vegetarian dish that makes for an easy dinner and heats up well as a tasty lunch! This recipe (found here) is really simple, with everything cooking together in one pan. I finished the last of it for lunch today, and it was even better than it was last night.

To make it, you will need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 jalapenos, diced
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup black beans (from can, drained)
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup corn kernels (from can, drained)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• sour cream for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium high. Add garlic and jalapeno, cook until softening.
2. Add quinoa, vegetable broth, black beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin. Stir to combine, add salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let simmer until quinoa is cooked through (~30 minutes).
3. Stir in avocado and lime juice. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and enjoy!

See? Super simple. If you aren't used to working with jalapenos, be careful. Cut off the tops, then slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and ribs using a spoon. Once you are finished seeding all the jalapenos, slice and dice them up. When all the jalapenos are in the pan, wash you hands thoroughly with lots of soap. The juice will burn any open cuts or your eyes, so some people prefer to use gloves. If you like it a little spicier, feel free to leave some seeds in the mix or add some more aggressive hot peppers. I found 6 peppers was pretty strong, and the sour cream at the end was necessary for cooling. When it comes to avocado, leave it in the lime juice until it is ready to add to the pan to keep it from oxidizing (turning brown).

Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna

Saturday night I decided to make a Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna (originally found here). It worked out really well, and as of Monday after lunch, it is all gone. I actually ended up making two, since there was so much involved. You start by making a cream of mushroom soup, then assembling the lasagna, followed by baking. In the end, you get a cheesy, creamy baked pasta that is super satisfying.

To make it, you will need:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 375 g box of oven-ready lasagna noodles
• 454 g ricotta (small container)
• 600 g frozen chopped spinach (2 x 300 g packages), thawed & drained
• 400 g shredded mozzarella (about 3 packed cups)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 454 g cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 cups milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• pinch of nutmeg
• salt & pepper, to taste

The real pain was prepping everything, from chopping a whole pound of mushrooms, to thawing and draining the spinach, and shredding all that cheese. I also cut my noodles dry by scoring with a knife then snapping along the score line to fit in an 8 x 8 square baking dish.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, and onion. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Whisk in flour with a fork until lightly browned (an actual whisk will just get filled with veggie bits, trust me).
4. Gradually stir in milk while fork-whisking constantly until slightly thickened. Just when you think it may never thicken and this is your life now, it will.
5. Stir in 1 tbsp of basil (a third of what you chopped), nutmeg, and oregano. Stir in salt & pepper to taste, remove from heat.
6. In one 9 x 13 baking dish (or split across two 8 x 8 dishes like I have done), spread 1 cup of the mushroom soup. Cover with lasagna noodles in a single layer, half the ricotta, half the spinach, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/3 of the Parmesan. Repeat with a second layer of soup, noodles, ricotta, spinach, and cheeses. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles, and the remaining soup, topped with cheeses and remaining basil.
7. Bake for 40 minutes, soup will be bubbling. Broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheeses on top.
8. Let sit for 15 minutes, and enjoy!

We ended up with two decently large lasagnas, and like I said, they are all gone now. The mushroom soup was really hearty on its own, and I would be interested in it alone on a crisp fall day. This was a really tasty and satisfying vegetarian dish where I didn't miss the meat.

The Good Fork

On Sunday, we eat brunch. On Sunday in Toronto it is really hard to decide where to go since brunch has become so hot. A good guide is to stay local since there are so many great neighborhood spots. Airbnb means I am no longer restricted to the downtown core, and now get to explore and eat more like a local when I visit (yes, that's another Airbnb recommendation - you should really try it). We decided to try out The Good Fork, a really busy place that had a huge wait. Luckily, they offer to text when your table is ready, so we were able to go a couple doors down to a Timothy's for tea and coffee while we waited for our table. If you are in a rush, this is not the place for you, but then again, maybe Sunday Brunch isn't for you. I ordered the Fork Scram, which was perfect. I was in love with every single bite with the creamy creme fraiche and dill, and of course smoked salmon! The puff pastry was cooked to perfection, and the scrambled eggs made it feel like a great start to the day. The home fries were a huge disappointment. two of us ordered them as sides and were not thrilled. There was very little seasoning or character involved. Covered in ketchup, they were fine, but better home fries would have made this breakfast exceptional.

Fork Scram - puff pastry, two scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, whipped chive creme fraiche, fresh dill, and home fries

Once we had a table, service was pretty good. I just can't believe it was over an hour for a table. We definitely went at peak brunch time. If you are in the area, I really do recommend this dish. It was so refreshing and tasty. The pastry wasn't too heavy, and the dill was just right.

Likes: Every bite was heavenly.
Dislikes: Except the home fries - so boring.
Food: 4/5
Service: 4.5/5
Would I go again?: Probably not. It was good, but not wait-for-over-an-hour good. There are plenty more brunches to try.

The Pie Commission

On Saturday I headed to Toronto to celebrate the upcoming wedding of one of my best friends. But first - meat pie! I am so glad savory pies are making a comeback, they are so satisfying.After noticing The Pie Commission on Instagram, I had been meaning to visit at some point and Saturday lunch I made it happen. The pies come in a little box, and I was somehow convinced I would need a side, so I also ordered fries. I ordered the Braised Beef Rib Pie, which comes with beef braised in veal stock, sweet potato, and mushrooms. The pie filling was so good, I would love to eat this pie on a cold day, but it was just as good on one of the hottest days of the year. The pastry was flaky and delicious, and the pie was so filling. I should have really tried to eat the pie by hand, like it was meant to be, but instead I tried with the little plastic fork and knife. It was a bit of a mess, and real cutlery might have been an improvement. Really though, it is a hand pie, what was I thinking? I didn't have much room for fries, and proceeded to forget them in the car.

Likes: Flaky pastry, savory goodness inside.
Dislikes: The fries reminded me of Swiss Chalet, maybe that's a good thing for you.
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: Yes, I really want to try some of their other pie flavours.

Campus Hi-Fi

Sundays are made for breakfast, or brunch, or a big dinner... okay, food in general. We decided Sunday morning to head out to one of our newly re-opened favourite spots, Campus Hi-Fi. They had suffered a pretty big and expensive kitchen fire back in March, and I have been scoping out the location for the entire duration of renovations waiting for a sign they were back in business. Yesterday was our second time back since the fire, and it was everything we were hoping it would be. I ordered The Godfather Eggs Benny, and changed out the home-fries for poutine. I had no chance of finishing this, it was an enormous portion. I love the Hollandaise sauce, and the goat cheese made each bite so creamy. Nothing was out of place and I would order this every Sunday for the rest of my life if I could.

Godfather Eggs Benny - Goat cheese and crumbled sausage in tomato & spinach sauce, with poached eggs covered in Hollandaise sauce served with fruit and poutine

Scott ordered what used to be my staple - Shawn's Breakfast Poutine. While his came with toast that he loves to smother in jam, mine came with the fruit and had all the makings of amazing eggs Benedict. I am pretty sure this means I won this round of breakfast. You also can't really tell how deep this bowl of poutine goes. Don't worry, he was full!

Shawn's Breakfast Poutine - Fries topped with mozza cheese curds, bacon, gravy, 2 poached eggs, and Hollandaise sauce

While we may not be back next weekend, we will definitely be back - hopefully before all the students get back and make it busy again! There was no line at all, maybe people haven't realized they have re-opened yet. On weekends in the school year, people are regularly lined up out the door. The service was typical, and pleasant. We got our breakfast a lot faster than I thought we would. My biggest complaint is that they only accept cash or debit, since I typically don't carry cash and love using my MasterCard.

Likes: Poutine is amazing for breakfast. Eggs Benedict are perfection. I love the addition of goat cheese.
Dislikes: I need to use my credit card at every opportunity, and am sad this wasn't an option.
Food: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Would I go again?: Definitely. as soon as the guilt of poutine breakfast wears off.