I should have known. When Nancy Matsumoto puts a new restaurant in her Top 10 list, you should probably go there. That's what she did in 2022 when she ranked Perch in Ottawa as #4 on the Canada's Best New Restaurants list for enRoute magazine. So it was foolish that even after I … [Read more...] about My Best Meal in a Long Time: Perch, Ottawa
Restaurant Reviews
Summerlicious Toronto 2023: Where to Eat in the Last Two Days of the Summer Food Festival
There are just two more days for you to check out Summerlicious and get a god deal on what's usually a pricier meal at a Toronto restaurant. How to choose? I went a bit crazy with Summerlicious reservations this year because there was a gluten-free category and a ton of … [Read more...] about Summerlicious Toronto 2023: Where to Eat in the Last Two Days of the Summer Food Festival
Soif Wine Bar: The Hidden Gem of Gatineau in Any Season
I have a favourite place to eat in Gatineau since moving here this year. Really, it was my favourite place in Gatineau before I moved here, and it's worth the trip from Ottawa (or further) if you haven't been to Soif Wine Bar yet. What you need to know: The food … [Read more...] about Soif Wine Bar: The Hidden Gem of Gatineau in Any Season
Pichai: Excellent Thai and Natural Wine in Montreal
I'd been hearing about Pichai, a Thai restaurant on the renovated St-Hubert street, for ages. People who spend more time and money eating out than me days were saying you couldn't get Thai this good anywhere else in the city. My standards for Thai are high after a few months in … [Read more...] about Pichai: Excellent Thai and Natural Wine in Montreal
Toronto Tripping: Thai, Mexican and a Lot of Ice Cream
The Ontario-Quebec border opened just in time for my WSET Level 3 Sake exam. The two-part exam includes a 30-minute tasting component and a 1h45min written component, and while the course itself had been online (thanks so much to Metropolitan Premium Wines and Sakes for … [Read more...] about Toronto Tripping: Thai, Mexican and a Lot of Ice Cream
Post-Lockdown Terrasse #1: The SAT in Montreal and a Rooftop Garden Tour
When I got the invite for a press event – my first in-person press event since Covid started last year – at the SAT, the Société des arts technologiques in Montreal, with its exceptional Foodlab restaurant and bar, I of course said yes. So no, I didn't pay for my meal (I did … [Read more...] about Post-Lockdown Terrasse #1: The SAT in Montreal and a Rooftop Garden Tour
Travel Resolutions for 2021 and Why I Spent Three Months in Lima, Peru, and Never Saw Machu Picchu
I just read a line about a travel resolution in the AFAR newsletter by senior editor Aislyn Greene. It's actually a quote of another travel writer for the Guardian, Shahnaz Habib, but I think the lineage is important because it shows how this is resonating with a lot of … [Read more...] about Travel Resolutions for 2021 and Why I Spent Three Months in Lima, Peru, and Never Saw Machu Picchu
Chico Malo Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ
"Where was the best Mexican food that you had in Tucson, Amie?" a friend asked me after I recently got back from the southern Arizona city. "Actually, it was in Phoenix," I replied. I've been a couple times to Tucson already and while it does no-frills Sonoran Mexican well and … [Read more...] about Chico Malo Restaurant in Phoenix, AZ
L’Orygine Bistro Quebec City
If you're planning a trip to the capital of Quebec any time soon, there's a restaurant group you should check out – mostly because at least one of its Old Port restaurants will appeal to you. I don't always love restaurant groups, but this one is impressive because of the quality … [Read more...] about L’Orygine Bistro Quebec City
Beau Mont
People have a lot to say about gentrification in Montreal, especially in Parc Ex and Mile Ex, a lot of which ties in loosely to the opening of the Signé Toqué restaurant group's latest restaurant, Beau Mont. There's the Mil campus from UdeM that's expected to increase … [Read more...] about Beau Mont