From Toronto’s most beloved duo, Chef Nuit and Jeff Regular—together with Jeff’s brother, Joel—comes an exciting new culinary adventure. While the city already adores their Thai restaurants (Michelin Recommended Kiin, Pai Northern Thai, Tha Phae Tavern, Chaiyo, and Sukothai), this time their hearts (and taste buds) are leading us to the Philippines. Inspired by Jeff and Joel’s Filipino roots and their passion for sharing its rich flavours, Makilala offers more than just a meal—it’s a warm embrace of culture, tradition, and family. Expect bold flavours, bright energy, and hospitality so genuine you’ll swear you’ve just come home.

The word Makilala means “to meet someone/something and to get to know someone/something,” that’s the spirit of openness and connection with everyone and everything. So, whether it’s familiar cuisine or something new, they invite everyone to enjoy and explore all the flavours of Filipino cuisine and culture.

When you first walk through the doors, you’re greeted by a marketplace filled with Filipino goods and art. To the right is the bar, designed to resemble a sari-sari store and named after Jeff and Joe’s parents, Nonoy and Myrna. The long dining room evokes the feel of a traditional Filipino barangay—capturing the spirit of food, family, and friends coming together.

At the far end of the room, a stage anchors the space, ready for entertainment at any moment. On the night we visited, an adorable group of children hopped onto the stage for an impromptu traditional dance, much to the crowd’s delight. As the evening continued, several enthusiastic karaoke fans grabbed the mic while the packed house cheered them on—did I mention this was a Sunday night, and the room was filled with multi-generational families?

We also spotted a private dining area, seating up to 14 people, designed for special celebrations and even Kamayan Feasts—a traditional communal dining experience where large banana leaves are spread out and topped with an abundance of savoury delights, all meant to be enjoyed by hand — yes, we’ll definitely return to try that!

If you’ve haven’t tried authentic Filipino cuisine before, you may be surprised to learn it includes Chinese, Spanish and American influences, but they’ve definitely shaped the flavours and dishes to be very much their own and proudly so! Cooking methods that are often associated with dishes from the Philippines, including adobo and sinigang, can also be found on this menu.

Chef Nuit has been learning directly from Jeff and Joel’s family for over 20 years. She has also spent time exploring regional Filipino cuisine, traditions, and local markets—immersing herself deeply in the culture. The menu at Makilala reflects that passion, featuring classic Filipino favourite recipes like Lumpia Shanghai (crispy, savoury spring-roll style appetizers made with ground pork and jicama), Pancit (stir-fried vermicelli noodles with assorted vegetables, calamansi, and your choice of pork or shrimp), and Lechon (crispy roasted pork).

We also enjoyed the crêpe-like Lumpiang Sariwa wraps (chayote, jicama, sweet potato, lettuce leaves), Palabok (noodles with smoked fish and chicharron sauce, topped with ground pork, shrimp, and smoked mackerel), as well as the Kare-Kare Oxtail—a rich peanut stew with toasted rice, bok choy, eggplant, and banana blossom.

Their Pork Belly Adobo is already a customer favourite, as is the Ginataang Hipon (shrimps in coconut milk, ginger, chillis), but I definitely need to return to try their Sinigang Baboy, a pork belly, tamarind soup made with pork bone, taro, tomato, morning glory (aka water spinach) and bilimbi (Indian taro).

Lechon is always a star when it comes to Filipino cuisine and special occasions. The suckling pig is traditionally spit-roasted whole, slowly cooked over charcoal for hours, which gives the meat its tenderness and the skin that signature golden colour and irresistible crunch.

Don’t skip the house-baked, fluffy milk bread, served with either durian butter or salted-caramel butter—it’s a treat on its own! Definitely save room for the Halo Halo dessert made with red beans, nata de coco, leche flan, milk, ube, jackfruit, macapuno.

The cocktails are just as fun as the atmosphere. Some playfully nod to childhood flavours but with a grown-up twist. The Milo-Tini, with its smooth, chocolatey-coffee notes and creamy texture, is pure nostalgia in a glass. Coconut and ube (one of my favourite flavour pairings) shine in the Buko Breeze, a fizzy, refreshing mix of white and coconut rum. For non-alcoholic options, you can’t go wrong with an Ube Slush, the Pac Man Jab (a sparkling mix of mango, pineapple, and grenadine named after professional boxer Manny Pacquiao, aka PacMan), or a tangy Calamansi Soda.

There’s a lot to explore on this menu and worthy of several visits and their warm hospitality will surely keep this place singing for years to come.

Makilala Filipino Restaurant is located at 105 Church Street, Toronto. Open everyday except Mondays.

The post Makilala Levels Up Filipino Cuisine in Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Pam Brynes: I had no idea you could milk a cat!

Greg Focker: Oh, you can milk just about anything with nipples.

Jack Brynes: I have nipples, Greg, could you milk me?

I thought an excerpt from the movie Meet the Parents would be appropriate for this article, because who doesn’t love the combination of Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. Although it has been proven that anything with a bosom cannot in fact be milked (sorry, Greg), what if I told you that you could milk a hemp seed….right? Mind=blown.

I moved to Toronto just over a year ago. I was a young lassie, fresh out of Windsor, Ont. with three years of vegetarianism behind me. With a new apartment conveniently located on Church and Carlton, the Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens caught my eye immediately. Its shining light ignited the beast of my inner foodie. It took all but one venture into the organic section until I was instantly hooked into the world of veganism. At that moment, the days of running to the corner store for that Neilson 2% milk had long passed.

I found myself spending way too much time staring blankly at the cartons that sat in the refrigerated section, picking out words like “Omega-3!” and “As much nutritious calcium as dairy milk!”. After countless accumulated minutes spent glaring at ingredient lists and researching milk-free brands, I think it’s safe to say that I am now graduated from the sampling phase of dairy-free milks. I can now zip past the crowds of gawking cupcake enthusiasts and screaming children, parade by the deli section, and approach those vegan friendly cartons with a sophisticated mindset- I know what I’m consuming and how it benefits my health.

Controversies over the health effects of soy have been exhausting, but thanks to new advancements in the veg society, kickin’ soy to the curb is far from the sacrifice that it once was. Any veteran of the dairy-free community knows that today the possibilities are endless when it comes to milk substitutes.

Most dairy-free milks can be purchased infused with flavour, however if trying to mind your sugar intake, opting for an unsweetened or original taste could be your best bet. Nonetheless, the nutrients that are derived from them are most important. Supplements are often added to ensure that the same amount of vitamins and minerals found in cow’s milk are consumed.

Although soy, almond, and rice milks are still very popular, new dairy-free options have hit grocery stores and are equipped with substantial health benefits…

• Flax seeds are the best plant source for omega-3 fatty acids, and while sipping its milk you can be assured that you’re consuming no GMO, while fighting depression and reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Coconut milk is famed for its hefty amount of calcium (50% more than cows milk) and is easily digested by the body. It’s high content of medium-chain fatty acids is a great source of energy, helping the body to metabolize more quickly and efficiently.
• Hemp milk contains loads of protein as well as ten essential amino acids. It’s thicker than most dairy-free milks, and has a taste that can be compared to soy or cow’s milk.

Dairy-free milks differ in natural sweetness and texture, and can be used in accordance to the preferred beverages and recipes of ones choice. Whether used as an ingredient to your favourite baking dish, an accompaniment to dinner, or the base of your favourite breakfast cereal. Dairy-free milks go beyond serving people with dietary allergens and vegans – its fresh and hearty taste can be enjoyed by all.

My nightly regime consists of heating up a mug full of Earths Own Almond Fresh vanilla with a pinch of cinnamon on top…and occasionally I’ll toss in the perfect snack to complement it. But most of the time, a good read and that steaming cup of gold truly is the best combination (sorry Ben and Rob).

The post Dairy-free Milks of our Mother Earth appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

It can be hard to find things to do in the winter in Toronto especially when you factor in doing things without technology. The most obvious thing to do when the weather is bad is to curl up in front of the tv or the computer and wait for warmer days. If this is something you want to avoid or you are looking for something to do despite the weather, this is a great outing to escape and unplug.  Three buildings in Toronto’s Downtown that contributed to the name of the street which they reside, Church Street, are all in close proximity of each other and make a great outing. St. Michael’s Cathedral, Metropolitan United, and St. James Cathedral are 3 of the biggest and oldest churches in the country as well as being works of art.

The best way to access the 3 churches is to start at Dundas Station located at Yonge and Dundas. From there you can walk east on Dundas St East to Bond Street. Going South on Bond Street brings you past both St. Michael’s and Metro. United. When you hit Queen Street East you can head East to Church Street which will bring you South to St. James.

ST. MICHAEL’S CATHEDRAL

Built: 1845
Denomination: Roman Catholic
Style: Gothic Revival
Address: 200 Church Street

METROPOLITAN UNITED CHURCH

Built: 1872
Denomination: United Church of Canada
Style: Neo-Gothic
Address: 56 Queen St. E.

ST JAMES CATHEDRAL

Built: 1853
Denomination: Anglican Church of Canada
Style: Gothic Revival
Address: 106 King St. E.

The post Churches on Church Street – A Short Walk, a Lot to See appeared first on Toronto Guardian.