Display Comb 4

/ featured media, post meta, title, read more link and full content

Just really good Italian fare at Destingo

Grilled calamari with caramelized onions, kalamata olives, capers, local grape tomatoes, roasted garlic

Located in trendy Queen West just a block west of Bathurst (right next to the Raq n’ Waq pool hall), Destingo Kitchen + Bar is a comfortable, cozy and casual Italian restaurant. The word “Destingo” is a playful abbreviation for “destined to go“. In the winter season, it’s a very intimate space and in warmer weather it’s sure to be a trendy hot spot having a large terrace equipped with patio umbrellas and outdoor heaters as needed. Large doors on either side of the entrance swing wide open, bringing the outdoors right inside. Relatively new, it opened in the fall of 2013, taking over the furniture store, Pavilion.

After visiting for a grand opening event and then also for a brunch, my third experience at Destingo was for dinner and it was quite a memorable one at that complete with attentive service and a great selection of wine by the glass (more about that later). Owner Monika Vacca is the former co-owner of Vaticano restaurant in Yorkville with former husband/executive chef Felice Vacca.

I heard a few good things about the prosciutto di buffala (proscuitto and buffalo mozzarella) but I didn’t get a chance to try it myself due to being busy with other amazing antipasti such as the grilled calamari and sautéed wild shrimp. You can’t go wrong with a lot of the dishes given the care and attention to detail into each and every serving. At the reasonable price points, the quality and value you get might just exceed your expectations. You can also choose to order the pasta dishes as gluten free, if you so desire.

All desserts are made in-house including their signature tiramisu and boy, that’s how you end a meal: great dessert and aromatic drip coffee.

While the food and service take centre stage, another interesting attraction is the enomatic wine system behind the bar. This is where bottles of wine are kept freshly sealed in a wine dispensing system so that you can try premium wines by the glass without having to pay for the whole bottle.

So, in staying true to authentic Italian fare while not being afraid to modernize with an enomatic wine system, you can really taste and appreciate all the effort that goes into the entire experience even down to the house-made desserts conveniently near all the action in Queen West. I’m looking forward to revisiting in the summer for patio season! Check out our photos below.

For breakfast options, they’re open 7 days a week starting at 7am including smoothies and other healthy options and free drip coffee or tea with every breakfast entree.

For brunch service, they’re conveniently open on Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 3pm. Check out this starter I had:
Brunch

WINTERLICIOUS
Available for this season’s Winterlicious, check out their lunch and dinner prix fixe menu.

By the way, if you’re interested in enomatic wine systems, I’m told by a representative at Bevtech that the largest commercial enomatic wine system in the GTA is at the Touro Brazilian steakhouse. And even bigger ones are in Montreal. The only home version dubbed “Enoliving” that I saw featured at the Delicious Food Show is not available in Canada yet but hopefully soon!

Destingo is located at
741 Queen St. West
Toronto, Ontario
M6J 1G1
(647) 748-3113

For more info visit www.destingo.ca

Check out their video of the making of Destingo restaurant.

SEE ALSO
Touro Brazilian Steakhouse offers a premium dining experience worth repeat visits
Eclectic Chic: The Guild Restaurant
The taste of Pukka
The Tastes from What’s in the Table 2013 in support of The Stop CFC
The 6 course chocolate dinner with Eyal Lieberman

A few holiday themed fashion shows

To celebrate the holiday season, here’s a look at some Christmas and holiday-themed fashion shows including a look back at the family-friendly retailer, Target, on the runway at Toronto’s World MasterCard Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 at David Pecaut Square.

Here’s the link to the Target fashion show

Here’s a Christmas segment in Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2007 including Selita Ebanks and a performance by Seal.

Also check out this classic Victoria’s Secret fashion show from 2005 with Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes, Behati Prinsloo, Candice Swanepoel, Chanel Iman, Erin Heatherton, Lily Aldridge, and Lindsay Ellingson. (40 mins long)

A compilation of Christmas themed fashion on the runway by Fashion Channel.

And just because, here’s highlights from the recent Victoria’s Secret 2013 featuring the $10 million dollar bra and performances by Fall Out Boy and Taylor Swift

A look at the boutique Hotel St. Germain at Maple Leaf Square

  • December 24, 2013
  • sports, Travel, venue
  • Comments Off on A look at the boutique Hotel St. Germain at Maple Leaf Square

Founded in Quebec, there are two Hotel Le Germain locations by the Groupe Germain in downtown Toronto and they boast being the pioneer of the boutique hotel concept in Canada. Nestled in between the Air Canada Centre, Real Sports Bar and the restaurants, Aria and E11even, you might not have noticed the elegant boutique Hotel St. Germain at Maple Leaf Square. But if you’ve ever been to a Leafs game or any big ticket concert at the Air Canada Centre, you would know it’s a bit of an ordeal trying to get out as everyone goes home or goes to fill up the nearest bars. Hotel St Germain’s PLAY Lounge is another convenient, easily accessible option with plenty of TVs set to a warmly intimate and modern atmosphere serving up local draught beer, wine by the glass or bottle and specialty cocktails like maple bacon caesars.

Available for lunch and dinner with creations by Chef Ken Zess, the menu features Canadian ingredients with interesting choices such as quail, bison burgers, or even a “Chef’s Creation” with whatever is fresh that day.

Some of the suites and meeting rooms have a great view of Maple Leaf Square and even large terraces to enjoy the lively vibe right in front of the Air Canada Centre. Cheeky, sports-themed names for the boardrooms included the Offensive Zone, Defensive Zone and the Penalty Box. In the suites it was interesting to see the glass showers with views from the bedroom for exhibitionists and photographs hanging above the bed featuring Leafs or Raptors players. Even the hallways have nice touches such as fresh apples and hot tea free for the taking. It’s all about the details.

Address
75 Bremner Blvd
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 0A1

St Germain hotel packages:
Romantic Getaway starting at $354
Getaway starting at $315
Shoot and Score starting at $534
Game on! starting at $431

For more info check out www.germainmapleleafsquare.com

A view overlooking the ACC

A view overlooking the ACC

Clean and modern designs in the suite

Clean and modern designs in the suite

MORE PHOTOS

The Mercer Street location also boasts interesting features include a putting green on the roof and a chef that was a contestant on The Food Network’s Top Chef Canada (David Chrystian).

SEE ALSO

The New Executive Suite at One King West: The Fifteen Hundred

The New Executive Suite at One King West: The Fifteen Hundred

At Kardinal Offishall’s “Free the City” party with Nelly Furtado in support of Free the Children

Nelly Furtado
  • December 21, 2013
  • charity, culture, party
  • Comments Off on At Kardinal Offishall’s “Free the City” party with Nelly Furtado in support of Free the Children

While December is relatively quiet for special events in Toronto compared to other months due to the holidays, one thing the rest of us staying in the city get to look forward to is Kardinal Offishall’s annual Christmas bash.

This year’s event, entitled “Free the City” was the 15th annual party held at Muzik with Nelly Furtado as a co-host in support of the Free the Children charity. Kardinal travelled to Kenya last year to visit the Free the Children projects firsthand. Inspired by his travels there, Kardinal’s goal is to raise enough funds to send 10 inner city youth there to volunteer and help the Free the Children communities in Summer 2014.

Elusive tickets to this event were won and distributed by Mr. International himself over Twitter. Radio station Flow 93.5 and DJ Lissa Monet were others that gave out tickets and luckily we were also able to do a giveaway (thanks Ashley and Sarah!).

In attendance we had Nelly Furtado, Maestro Fresh Wes, Karl Wolf, Shawn Desman, Stacey McKenzie, Lyriq Bent, Jessica Tyler, Sitara Hewitt, the Toronto Argo cheerleaders and many many more. It was great to be able to rub elbows with them all. The DJ Lineup included Starting from Scratch, DJ Lissa Monet, Court Jester, DR. Jay, and D’BANDIT.

Marc Kielburger, co-founder of the Free the Children charity, was on hand to talk about the charity he started with his brother Craig when they were kids. Live auction items were up for grabs including dinner at Ki with Kardinal Offishall, Nelly Furtado and Marc Kielburger.

It was a great night and Kardinal Offishall is always a great entertainer and host.
Click here to learn more about Free the Children

Kardinal Offishall dancing on stage

Kardinal Offishall dancing on stage

 

Kardinal Offishall, Karl Wolf, Shawn Desman

Kardinal Offishall, Karl Wolf, Shawn Desman

Nelly Furtado with Jessica Tyler on the left (Degrassi) and the Argos Cheerleaders

Nelly Furtado with Jessica Tyler on the left (Degrassi) and the Argos Cheerleaders

Maestro Fresh Wes, Karl Wolf

Maestro Fresh Wes, Karl Wolf

Karl Wolf

Karl Wolf

Nelly Furtado, Rachel David

Nelly Furtado, Rachel David

Stacey McKenzie, Lyriq Bent

Stacey McKenzie, Lyriq Bent

Jackie P, Karl Wolf

Jackie P, Karl Wolf

MORE PHOTOS

All proceeds from Kardinal Offishall’s Christmas Party provide youth from inner-city areas the opportunity to volunteer in communities assisted by Free The Children in partnership with Me to We.
Click here to learn more about Kardinal Offishall’s goals in Kenya and donate

SEE ALSO

Estelle, Kardinal Offishall

Kardinal Offishall’s 14th annual Christmas Party

Scuba Claus and his elves dive into Ripley’s Aquarium

  • December 20, 2013
  • lifestyle
  • Comments Off on Scuba Claus and his elves dive into Ripley’s Aquarium

Today Santa Claus or rather “Scuba Claus” and his merry elves made their inaugural dive at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Ray Bay to feed the sting rays, giving them treats of mackerel.

Santa Dives will occur daily at 11:15am, 3:15pm and 5:15pm daily until December 24th.

And don’t forget the aquarium is open 365 days a year from 9am to 9pm even on Christmas Day and New Years Day!

Visit the website for more details
http://www.ripleysaquariumofcanada.com/

Our photos from today’s dive

1 … 248 249 250 251 252 … 313