JAM goes organic …
Av Atikian from JAMCafe (195 Carlton) has just announced that he’s now featuring organically raised quail and squab from CRO Quail Farms in Niagara. High quality, locally raised and organic – a very nice presentation. JAM continues to offer “No Corkage Sundays” – bring your own bottle of wine and JAM will open and pour it for you at no charge.
JAM has one of Cabbagetown’s prettiest patios so plan your visit when it’s a dry, clear summery day.
By the way, Ontario regulations forbid us from bringing our own homemade wines into restaurants for these programs – a real shame for those of us who love our $2 bottles of 2009 Chateau Wellesley.
Diggity Dog
Every month, Marilyn visits Pet Valu (240 Carlton) and gives your favourite pet a pawdicure (nail trimming). She'll be there on Saturday. Just $10 gets this treat for your friends.
Epicure brings in more Niagara cheese
The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament) once again has Niagara Gold Comfort Cream artisan cheese in stock. It’s from the Upper Canada Cheese Company and it’s made with milk from Guernsey cows. Patty also has a new shipment of her seven-year-old white cheddar from Quebec (she had to restock after our purchase!) She’s selling it at $4.99/100 grams - a great price for a great cheese. Epicure is open all weekend so you can handle last minute items even on Monday.
Cabbagetown’s own street food
Elsewhere in Toronto, food carts selling more than just hot dogs and greasy sausages have been popping up here and there on street corners and public squares. No need for them here.
For the past few weeks, we’ve been conducting a personal survey of quick lunches and finger food from our own local establishments. These lunches are outdoor stand-up and bench specials.
With summer’s nice hot weather at hand, here’s a list of our fun lunchtime spots where you can grab a cheap-and-cheery meal, take it outside, find a perch and enjoy yourself thoroughly.
Up at Wellesley and Parliament, Krishna (585 Parliament) has a delicious mixed curry meal – usually four vegetable curries combined with chicken, fish or lamb - plus a crispy pappadom. All sitting on a big bed of rice. Good for two people if you like to share. $6.
Next door at 589 Parliament, Absolute Bakery has sandwiches, soups, curried meat rolls, samosas and baked goods. Various prices, all inexpensive.
In the middle of our area, St Jamestown Deli (516 Parliament) usually has two or three soup choices (very garlicky gazpacho – yummy), a huge range of sandwiches, buns, breads and garnishes. They also have chilled, chopped melon and other fruit in small lunch-size containers. Your appetite is the only barrier against escaping for well under $10. They have a nice outdoor patio.
At 248 Carlton, Daniel et Daniel bring a decidedly sophisticated style to lunch. As a big plus, they also have outdoor benches where you can sit and munch while you watch across the street as the slaves at the BIA work their fingers to the bone. Sandwiches in chewy rolls, soups in three sizes and desserts to die for. About $10.
The Epicure Shop at 473 Parliament has daily lunch specials (soup or tossed salad with your choice of sandwiches in breads or Kaisers) at $5.99. Get a lunch card – for every eight lunch specials, you’ll get one free. And Tuesday is homemade pizza day - $1.99 for a slice.
2-4-1 Pizza (451 Parliament) always has delicious slices ready to go. Lunch business is very brisk so the slices are always fresh. These are big pieces of pizza – about $3. We’re hidebound traditionalists so pepperoni is always the choice. They have lots of others as well.
Falafel is a headliner at Mamma’s Deli (415 Parliament – just north of Gerrard). You can have it as a sandwich or for a bit extra, as a full falafel dinner (about $7.50). We always take the full dinner complete with hot sauce.
Don’t forget Tim Horton’s, Subway, Mr Sub and Pizza Pizza. They’re topics for another day when we’ll work our way through our favourite franchises. We’ll also be doing a detailed study of restaurants and pubs – but they’ll be a winter project.
Congratulations to Jet Fuel 
In blogTO, Dar Mustafa describes our landmark coffee shop as “…rock ‘n roll. Not folky or indie or garagey but like, the old fashioned kind. The kind that drives a Harley.” (519 Parliament) It’s a great review and you can read it here: http://www.blogto.com/cafes/jetfuel
This week at Barracuda
Barracuda’s manager, Graham, has a nice line of hand-blown Mexican glassware available in a variety of shapes and colours. Prices range from mugs at $9/each (4 for $32) to fruit bowls at $35. In between, there are juice glasses, shot glasses, wine glasses, martini glasses and various pitchers at moderate prices. Drop in for a quick browse. (527 Parliament)
Toronto Kiwanis Boys & Girls Club
Program staff are now being hired for the After School & Evening Teen Program. Applicants must be over 16 years old, have some experience with children and youth aged 6 to 18, show good supervision and planning skills, and possess current first-aid and CPR qualifications and High Five PHCD. There are a variety of positions open at three of the downtown Clubs for the 2009-2010 school year. The Cabbagetown Club is located at 101 Spruce Street. For more information, contact Jessica Lawlor at jlawlor@believeinkids.ca Send a resume and covering letter by August 7.
