Meetings by McEwan

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Meetings by McEwan

I welcomed the opportunity to have an early morning breakfast with one of Canada's most dynamic and celebrated chefs, Mark McEwan. The exclusive invitation was held at the luxurious Hazelton Hotel to celebrate the launch of Chef McEwan's latest endeavour, Meetings by McEwan. The novel program aims to create memorable corporate meetings and events by Chef McEwan which are catered by his restaurant, One, in spaces that are both elegant and sophisticated. 

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Tea Time with Pure Leaf's Tea Master

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Tea Time with Pure Leaf's Tea Master

Entertaining during the summer makes me think fondly of barbeques by the poolside and decadent garden tea parties. A staple in summer entertaining, iced tea is a classic drink that can be enjoyed by all ages as a respite from the scorching heat and humidity of the summer. 

I was invited to the Canadian launch of Pure Leaf Iced Tea, where I joined Lipton tea master, John Cheetham for guided tea tastings. During a scrumptious luncheon in a beautiful setting, Cheetham explained how tea leaves are picked at their peak and are hand-selected for their smooth and robust flavours. With his expert knowledge and his extensive experience of having tasted up to 500 cups of tea per day in Sri Lanka, Cheetham is one of the very few tea masters skilled in the art of blending and tasting. His travels have taken him to tea estates in Kenya and Argentina, where he has seen firsthand how tea is cultivated. Cheetham is focused on creating iced teas with the perfect balance of aroma, body, and flavour. 

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Smoque N Bones

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Smoque N Bones

The Big Smoke has been set aflame with the opening of a new barbeque joint, Smoke N Bones. ChefAlex Rad and his kitchen staff meticulously prepare southern comfort food for hungry customers. I had the chance to sample a few of his culinary creations and was most impressed. 

To create the flavours of authentic barbeque, Chef Rad uses a Southern Pride smoker to infuse meat with hickory smoke. The aroma of the meat, smoked for well over 12 hours, is wildly intoxicating. Once I took my first bite of the succulent pork ribs, I was hooked. While the meat does not effortlessly fall of the bones, there is a lot to be said for its distinctive taste. Tender, juicy, and bursting with flavour, the hickory smoke completely penetrates the ribs, and the result is absolutely delicious. It is unnecessary to slather the accompanied barbeque sauce onto the meat, as the flavour is bold and perfect on its own. 

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Byblos

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Byblos

Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji are royal mavens in the hospitality industry. They have the Midas touch when it comes to the restaurant business, with the likes of Patria and Weslodge as their hip and happening hot spots on King West. Their newest venture, Byblos opened this month with great fanfare. Byblos' menu is the brainchild of executive chef, Stuart Cameron of both Patria and Weslodge fame. He has created unique Eastern Mediterranean infused fare and is mainly concerned with providing fresh ingredients and fine dining with flair. 

His Georgian inspired dish, the cheese acharuli with quail egg, brioche and za’atar is reminiscent of Turkish pide. The brioche base cradles brined feta and halloumi cheeses accompanied with spicy harissa. The dish does not possess a distinctive flavour, as all of the cheeses meld together and the textures are lost due to the small portion. Nevertheless, the little nibble was very delicious. 

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