Husband and wife team Jad Sfeir and Tara Tang felt there was a gap in Toronto’s food scene. When it came to high quality steak options, there are many but are often at a hefty price point. Their idea was to make a really delicious steak meal where steak lovers won’t have to drop a week’s worth of their food budget in one sitting.

Having travelled the world, and as restauranteurs, they were drawn to the charm of this popular go-to dish found across Europe and North America. French Bistro style meals that are casual and not fussy.  The best ones they discovered didn’t have overwhelming menus. They were inspired by the focus and attention to details. The “less is more” approach is a concept they love. That, paired with the warm and inviting hospitality we experienced here at J’s Steak Frites, will quickly make this spot a popular one.

Steaks here are seared to the diner’s liking. Like Sfeir, we prefer our steaks done medium rare but if a diner insists on well-done, he tells us they will respect that. “That’s really the only decision they will have to make at our restaurant,” said Sfeir. The perfectly seasoned 10 oz Canadian AAA grade steak (per person) comes to the table on it’s own platter served with a side of the house-made buttery Bernaise sauce (made with a balanced hint of spices) and deliciously addictive thin and crispy fries.

Did we mention fries are unlimited? Sfeir rolled by our table three times to check on our fries situation and at one point said “you must have more,” to which I couldn’t resist as a fry addict. However, my friend Libby politely declined to which his response was “I can’t hear you,” and tossed a few more on her plate as we laughed.

At $49, in our city, for a steak dinner is already a decent price point but it’s not just steak and fries! The meal also comes with a basket of fresh baked bread and an equally fresh green baby gem lettuce salad in a housemade lemon vinaigrette topped with candied walnuts.

Then, there’s dessert, if you have space and the bandwidth to make one more decision (pro tip: do it!). It is a serious treat here as we learned Tang is also the house pastry chef and Cordon Bleu trained. She also owned her own cake and pastry shop “Taramissu” in Ottawa before moving here to Toronto. An eyes-are-bigger-than-my-stomach moment caught us by surprise as the dessert trolley (a nod to old school steak houses, for sure) displayed four offerings that night.  The selection was an over-the-top 5 layer deep and deliciously moist Chocolate Cake, a bountiful classic French Baba au Rhum, a fresh and pretty raspberry “Macaron”, and a beautifully presented Mille-feuille. The Chocolate Cake was calling for us and it was definitely more than one person could handle especially after a satisfying steak dinner. We decided to share one dessert at our table, not wanting to over indulge or waste any food. Desserts start at $14.

If you love your meal to be accompanied with a luscious red wine, there’s a well-thought out selection from Bordeaux or a Malbec from Argentina that are available by the glass ($13 and up) and a Napa Valley Chardonnay ($15 and up)– other reds (Chianti, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Tempranillo, Merlot Syrah, Barolo, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon), sparkling, rose, and whites are also available by the bottle. If you want to start with a cocktail, they have a four on their menu as well. A tasty choice is their  “Twilight” is a citrusy option that is little sweet and a hint of tarty ($18). Again, the wine, cocktail program is focused. There is one beer option currently –Kroenbourg 1664 ($10).

J’s Steak Frites is currently opened for dinner service in their 30-seat establishment from 5 pm to late (Wednesdays to Saturdays) and from noon to 8 pm on Sundays. No reservations required at this time. There are some thoughts of eventually rolling out to offer take out but one step at a time. They want to do everything right.

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Owner and vegan, Roger Yang’s first restaurant Awai is a high-end take on vegan food featuring a tasting menu meant to appeal to more adventurous foodies. Away Kitchen is a bit more relaxed, designed for the casual, every day diner. He told me Away Kitchen is for everyone interested in healthy, seasonal cuisine.

We start off with the garlic knots, a crunchy snack served with a pair of dips and a great share item with friends or coworkers. As a non vegan, I’m immediately impressed by the richness of the bread and the buttery taste. Our second starter is a fondue made with cashew, hemp and a white wine reduction. It’s a rich and delicious share plate, served with raw veggies and sweet sliced grapes for your dipping pleasure.

For mains, we double up on the pie and have a pot pie and a pizza pie. The mushroom pot pie comes adorned with a thick gravy of mushroom and tamari. It is a satisfyingly hearty winter plate, reminiscent of a country kitchen and filling enough to ward off the cold.

The pizza is a complete shock, not quite like anything I’ve tasted, and it is definitely the highlight of the meal. In the centre of a bubbling, perfectly fired crust is a combination of sweet, caramelized pineapple and meaty jackfruit on a subtle, but smokey sauce that is closer to a grill or barbecue glaze than a marinara or pommodoro.

The pie is so tasty that I help myself to a second slice, before it sinks in that I’m eating a vegan take on what used to be considered a cheese-based dish. I hadn’t even noticed. The pizza is fantastic and delivers on owner Roger Yang’s boast that their kitchen can hold its own with any pizza in Toronto. Vegan or not, it doesn’t matter when Away’s team is putting out food this delicious.

Away Kitchen on Queen is located at 536 Queen Street West, just east of Bathurst Street.

Visit their website for more information.

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I’ve continued to visit and then lived in the area and things sure have evolved. Fashion giants like H&Ms and other stores started popping up in the area. What happened? “My” Queen Street was always a destination where shopping went beyond the shopping mall and stores I couldn’t find elsewhere…or at least collections that were exclusive to a few shops.

I stepped into the new NEON shop with much curiosity last week– just west of Spadina past the many eateries that seemed to have sprouted overnight here. The recently opened store (Canadian owned!) is treasure trove of those “tried and true”. Forever brands that have managed to have staying power and has seen a recent breath of life thanks to a renewed global interest in authentic street style.

In fact, I learned they’ve sourced many of the pieces from observing styles on the streets of Japan and other fashion forward cities around the world. My eyes popped when I saw Anello bags here. I had not seen the brand elsewhere in the city. When I asked how they decided to bring the label here, the staff mentioned this brand was noticed in Tokyo and their buyers did their due diligence snapping up photos of what regular people were wearing doing their everyday things. Whenever they spotted something different on the streets there and also in New York, LA and Europe they made notes. and did their research to bring these items into NEON. What caught my attention on this particular Anello bag was the minimalist design but attention to details. Hard to explain but that’s what grabs me. It’s the subtleties in the piece that shows confidence. They aren’t screaming anything but those who know…just know.

I poked around the store for a couple of hours rediscovering some well-loved brands. I noticed a decent selection of the Vintage 70s collection designs by Levis, Fjall Raven, Converse, Bomber Jackets by Alpha Industries who designed the MA-1 jackets and yes, Dr. Martens among others.

Despite the shop being located in a tourist zone, there are definitely some great hidden finds here. There were a few #gottagetem Toronto inspired items from Main and Local. By the way, their slogan is “souvenirs and gifts that don’t suck”.

There are also collaboration pieces with Montreal’s art-based crew Le Cartel found here that are hoard-worthy with limited runs.

Beyond the clothing and shoes there’s oodles of nik-naks and furnishings that are up for sale. The staff tell me that if it’s not nailed down, it’s for sale. Vintage pieces and retro design items from doorknobs to steel chairs to wooden tables and ladders can be had and at affordable prices.

NEON definitely makes a statement in urban culture and style. You can explore at your leisure in Toronto at 501 Queen Street West.

Visit their website for more info.

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With a menu from Chef Ryan-Wilson Lall that teeters on the edge of experimental, there are plenty of delicious flavours to sample and combine. For starters, the salty bacon of the carbonari ravioli was joyously juxtaposed with the creamy mascarpone filling and the soft. Then of course we had the subtlety of spiralizer zucchini with a soft seabream, served seared and with skin on for a contrasting crunch.

My personal favourite dish of the evening was the plate full of k-beef ribs served with a delectable homemade spicy kimchi that left just the right amount of heat in your mouth, cooled down by a few strips of apple. Delicious, delicious, delicious.

Speaking of delicious, the strip loin was quite the treat! It arrived as part food, part art instillation as it arrived with a hot rock specifically to boil the jus as it ran down its groove, allowing it to release some glorious aromas before being drizzled on the rarer than rare meat, further cooking it.

Initially excited by the description, I did think that the sour cherry duck breast carrot purée, roasted parsnips and baby turnips (although beautifully presented) could have packed a greater punch; the cherries didn’t seem in the least bit sour to me and the purée was indistinguishable as carrot based. That said, the dish blended colours beautifully and was still, by all means, a good duck entrée.

Can you turn up the chance for dessert when dessert is tres leche waffles with strawberries and whip cream? Ha, of course you can’t. Despite the starch of a waffle and the heaviness of a helping of cream, the dish felt light and seemed the perfect summertime desert.

ENTICE COCKTAILS FOR ADDED FUN

You might be wondering what to drink at Entice? You can’t go wrong with a cocktail. The Gateway to OT is similar to a mojito but has Remy Martin VSOP, Domaine de Canton (a ginger liqueur), ginger beer and muddled mint, it also comes in a very stylish copper mug. Or perhaps you may like a red wine to compliment your duck or steak; in which case I recommend a glass of the chianti.

Those in the area may be interested to know that Entice has a pretty awesome digital bar. Yes, digital bar. As in it can play movies. You can go in, have a casual cocktail and maybe even a bar snack of the glorious beef ribs and watch the bar. Amazing.

So head on in for dinner and drinks in the venue that is pretty much as cool as its neighbourhood.

Visit the Entice website for more information – http://enticelounge.com

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