World Premiere of Lovable

At the Bloor Theatre
Originally uploaded by Maria in Toronto.

Last night we went to the world premiere of Lovable, a documentary by Alan Zweig.

The movie is light, funny and makes a point. My part doesn’t come up until about an hour into the movie.
When I came up someone in the audience whistled (OK, OK, it was James). I talk about how I have raised my expectations and I have set barriers to intimacy, and sometimes when I lower my barriers I get hurt, this was the saddest part in the whole movie (remember that I gave that interview 2 years ago, though!).
I also talk about knitting and chicken wings! It is so me, everyone laughed, especially in the balcony. I’m pretty sure some people that I know were up there.
I didn’t remember, but Alan asked me to model my sleeveless tops, and they edited the whole thing, me modeling and stuff, into the interview.
At the end there are short takes of each of the women that gave the interviews, and that’s where I look the cutest.
And yes, I had a credit at the end of the movie, which means I will be on IMDB, lots of coolness points for me!!
After the screening there were questions and answers, it was lots of fun, and then Alan asked all the women that had been in the movie to stand up, and the whole theatre applauded us.
After my big screen debut, a celebration was in place, so we went to Paupers across the street.

We had a couple of pints but no chicken wings (I have cut down on chicken wings a lot lately).
All in all, lots of fun surrounded by good company and good friends.

5 facts about me: fact #2

2. I love food: The chicken wings, the burritos, all the recipes, the garlic blog. I just love eating.
I love seafood, I love steak. I am always thinking about my next meal. It runs in the family: I have made at least two trips specifically for eating. When I was little that my grandparents took me and my sister in a special trip to Veracruz just to eat. We took a plane from Mexico City and stayed for one night, only activity we did was going out to eat (seafood, by the way). We once stopped over in Guadalajara just to eat tortas ahogadas, mmmh, so delicious and EXTRA SPICY!
When my grandfather died some years ago, it was a Monday, he had already planned all his meals for the week. He had planned where he was going to eat, with whom, and what he was eating. We had to cancel it because the man had died. So yep, I got the love for food in my blood.

The chicken wings: Originally I didn’t like chicken wings, I thought it was a piece of skin and bone. Oh, was I mistaken. The problem is that I hadn’t tried GOOD chicken wings. It all changed about 4 years ago. I could not get enough chicken wings. I would like any chicken wings, even the crappy ones from Pizza Pizza. Not anymore. After I did the search for the best chicken wings in town I started having extra delicious chicken wings. Now I don’t like them that much, except if they’re really good. I upped my standards. People often ask me where are the best chicken wings in town, I have a veredict that I published a few months ago:

• For the best Buffalo style wings in town, you should go to Duff’s Famous Wings. The problem with Duff’s is that it’s like a eat and run kind of place. The chicken wing experience is not only about the wings, it’s about sitting with friends, having a couple of pints or pitchers and relaxing. Duff’s doesn’t invite you to do that, but their wings are amazing.
• If you want to have a nice time, in a pub atmosphere, really good bar food (not only the wings, but the nachos are delicious), have several different beers on tap, you should go to Hemingway’s. I really really love their wings, and they have the best patio in town (all year long too!).
• If you want to have an original chicken wing experience go to Allen’s.

The burritos: I wanted to start making burrito reviews for the blog, but I went as far as reviewing only one place, Big Fat Burrito in Kensington Market. Some of the attendants at Stitch ‘n Bitch at Lettuce Knit on Wednesdays ask me what I’m going to have for dinner. Really, is this question necessary? I always have a burrito. They are really good, but recently the burritos have been less than stellar. Last week I stopped at Burrito Boyz for a steak burrito and it was so much more delicious than at Big Fat Burrito, this coming from someone who has a burrito every week. Some people have suggested New York Subway (yeah, they have burritos there) and Burrito Bar. I have to go take a look.

The recipes: I can cook almost anything from scratch, I guess the only thing I won’t make is paella, it’s too complicated. I enjoy sharing my recipes and taking pictures and explaining how to cook and make difficult/challenging recipes. I will keep posting recipes as they become available or when I make something different/interesting.

So yeah, I love food.

Previously: Fact #1: My blog’s name.

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Still the best chicken wings

I just came back from Hemingway’s. They still have the best chicken wings in Toronto, but now I know the secret. You have to ask for MEDIUM chicken wings. In the menu they say they have barbecue and hot, but if you ask for medium they will make a concoction of both the barbecue and hot sauces. Now that’s delicious. The chicken wings are still dry so you can get as much sauce on each wing as you want.
Still the best buffalo style wings. Go, get them!

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Dora Keogh on the Danforth

Capon wings
Originally uploaded by Maria in Toronto.

Manhattan capon wings from Dora Keogh (or Allen’s, they share the kitchen, or at least the menu). They are still the best chicken wings in Toronto. They have a delicious tangy sauce, not quite Buffalo-style but really good. They are served with blue cheese dressing.
Dora Keogh is one of the most authentic Irish pubs in Toronto, more because of the ambience and draft beers than the menu (I don’t think they have chicken wings in pubs in Ireland, or do they?) You have to actually stand up and get your beer, and order your food, just like in the UK and Ireland.
The place is amazing and we had a great time. The caesar salad was also delicious, it included real shaved parmesan cheese. I loved it!

Here I am with James, we were having so much fun, but then he abandoned me to go to like 3 other parties.

And here are Joey and Chandra:

At the end we had a great time and really enjoyed our dinner.

Chicken wing review: Sneaky Dee’s

Finally, the much awaited chicken wing review for Sneaky Dee’s is here. Lots of people had been telling me to go and check out the chicken wings at Sneaky Dee’s, on the southeast corner of Bathurst and College. So last week Adina, Joey and I went for a bite (and a couple of pints, of course).

We were so hungry that we ordered the large order of hot wings. I don’t know if the waitress got confused, but the wings were pretty sweet and not hot at all, we think maybe she brought us the medium wings and not the hot. The large order had 30 wings, and it was funny that she said that she had never seen someone have the large order of wings.

And of course our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, so we also had an order of nachos and some beef fajitas (after all it was a Tuesday, half-price fajitas day).
The most original thing about Sneaky Dee’s wings is that they come with a sour cream and avocado dip, pretty delicious.

The wings were pretty good but not the best I’ve had. Of course now that I have given a veredict that if you want to get the best chicken wings in Toronto you should choose among Hemingway’s, Allen’s on the Danforth or Duff’s Famous Wings, I haven’t been able to have wings that are really to my liking (and that’s why I concluded that I make the best chicken wings in town).

Here are the ratings:
Sauce choice: Mil, medium, hot, suicide.
Saucyness: 3 out of 5 (they were pretty nice and saucy).
Sides: carrots and celery sticks.
Meatiness: 3.5 out of 5.
Price: $8.55 for the small, $16.55 for the medium and $23.50 for the large order.
Number of wings: 30 in the large order, so I suppose it’s 10 in the small and 20 in the medium order.
Dip: avocado and sour cream dip.
Side included: yes
Wetnap: yes
Overall: 3.7 out of 5
Thumbs: up

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Chicken wing review: The Banknote

The Banknote is an amazing bar located on the corner of King and Bathurst. It used to be a bank a long time ago and it is such a nice building.

Last Sunday I was down in the dumps so I decided to call Sass and go for a chicken wing fix.

We ordered the wings and ribs combo (which is on special for the winter, $11.95) with cajun wings, and a small order of hot chicken wings. She always has the cajun wings so I decided to try them out, but I also needed to have the hot wings for the ratings (my 3 readers may remember that I always order the hot so that I can compare chicken wing joints).

I really liked the originality of the cajun wings, they are breaded and taste a bit like KFC chicken (but not crappy), and with a special seasoning.
The hot wings were really hot, I would actually classify them as suicide level hot.
Here are the usual ratings:
Sauce choice: Barbecue, medium, hot, cajun
Saucyness: 2 out of 5
Meatiness: 3 out of 5
Sides: veggies (carrot and celery sticks)
Dip: Blue cheese
Price: $8.95 for the small and $15.95 for the large
Number of wings: 10 in the small order
Wetnap: yes
Fried or grilled: fried
Comments: really hot
Overall: 3.1
Thumbs: up

I have to make a special mention about the ribs. The wings were fine, but the ribs, they were just AMAZING. Believe me, my dear readers, I know my ribs: my sister and I have been rib fanatics for 20 years or more. I have been to ribs festivals in Toronto and always found them lacking something. At the Banknote the ribs are unbelievable. They are so tender they fall off the bone, they have just the right level of tangy barbecue sauce. They are definitely the best ribs in the city. You have to go and try them out. No, really.

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Manhattan Capon Wings at Allen’s

Antonia swore you could find the best chicken wings in town at Allen’s on the Danforth (143 Danforth Ave, just east of Broadview Stn, south side), so we went to check it out last night.

(Blamb, Antonia, Sharky and I checking out the chicken wings at Allen’s).

We had a really nice time and very good food. We asked for two orders of Manhattan Capon Wings to start and a Caesar Salad and some sweet potato fries to share.
These chicken wings are not buffalo style, they are covered in sauce but it’s a different sauce, not your usual concoction of Frank’s Red Hot, butter and vinegar. There is only one flavour of wings, the Manhattan Capon wings, you can’t have barbecue, you can’t have honey garlic, but you don’t need to, they are just amazing.

They are a really good size (not too big to be gross, not too tiny either).
I can just say one thing: the best wings in town. It probably has to do with the difference in sauce, they are original, they are different, they are so good.
Here are the ratings:
Sauce choice: Manhattan capon wings
Sauciness: 4.5 (out of 5)
Sides: no sides
Meatiness: 3.5 (out of 5)
Price: $8.95
Number of wings: 8
Dip: blue cheese
Wetnap: yes
Fried or grilled: fried
Overall: 4.8
Thumbs: up

I will still be doing chicken wing reviews, but I have a veredict:

• For the best Buffalo style wings in town, you should go to Duff’s Famous Wings. The problem with Duff’s is that it’s like a eat and run kind of place. The chicken wing experience is not only about the wings, it’s about sitting with friends, having a couple of pints or pitchers and relaxing. Duff’s doesn’t invite you to do that, but their wings are amazing.
• If you want to have a nice time, in a pub atmosphere, really good bar food (not only the wings, but the nachos are delicious), have several different beers on tap, you should go to Hemingway’s. I really really love their wings, and they have the best patio in town (all year long too!).
• If you want to have an original chicken wing experience go to Allen’s.

(Coming soon: the Banknote, great chicken wings, but superior ribs, the best in town, actually).

I have been on a search for the best chicken wings in Toronto. I have also been to some places in other cities:
* The Duke of Gloucester
* The Anchor Bar (in Buffalo)
* Duff’s Famous Wings
* St. Louis Chicken and Ribs
* Harbour Sports Grille
* Gordon Biersch (in San Diego)
* Chick’n Deli
* Scratch Danial’s
* Hemingway’s
* The Black Bear Pub (in Ottawa)
* The Wheat Sheaf
* Betty’s
* The Duke of Richmond
* Traders Bar and Grill

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Traders, original flavour for their chicken wings

I always wanted to go to Traders Bar and Grill, at the Sheraton Centre (123 Queen St. West). I finally did during the holidays and ordered the chicken wings. As usual, I ordered for the hot wings. They were quite good, and had an original flavour to them (not your usual Frank’s Red Hot + vinegar concoction), they were kinda sweetish, but still hot (though not very and I would have thought they were mild or at the most medium, not quite hot). It’s really cool that the bar has real-financial information on ticker tape.

Here are the ratings:
Sauce choice: Mild, medium, hot
Sauciness: 2.7 out of 5
Sides: Carrot and celery sticks
Meatiness: 2.8 (not extremely big, which I, and my stomach, appreciated)
Price: $13.00 for an order
Number of wings: 10
Dip: Blue cheese. Pretty good dip.
Side included: yes.
Wetnap: Originally they didn’t bring us wetnaps, until I asked for paper napkins (because it’s not convenient to eat chicken wings with cloth napkins), when they brought the paper napkins they brought wetnaps too.
Comments: Sweet taste and not very hot.
Overall: 3.4 out of 5
Thumbs: up

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The Duke of Richmond, amazing chicken wings

On Friday a bunch of us went to the Duke of Richmond to say Merry Christmas and have some dinner and pints. We had lots of fun and decided to order the chicken wings.

Here are the ratings:

Suace choice: Mild, medium, hot, suicide, honey garlic.
Sauciness: 4.25 out of 5
Sides: Carrots and celery sticks
Meatiness: 3.5 out of 5 (an adequate size for normal/healthy appetites).
Price: $10.95 (the fries are an extra $2.00, but they’re really worth it, they are some of the best fries in town).
Dip: Blue cheese
Side included: Carrots and celery sticks are included, fries are extra.
Wetnap: Yes.
Fried or grilled: Fried
Other comments: These are some of the best fries in the downtown core. I remembered they were good, this time I classify them as amazing.
Overall rating: 4.8 out of 5
Thumbs: Up.

Other chicken wing reviews:
* The Duke of Gloucester
* The Anchor Bar (in Buffalo)
* Duff’s Famous Wings
* St. Louis Chicken and Ribs
* Harbour Sports Grille
* Gordon Biersch (in San Diego)
* Chick’n Deli
* Scratch Danial’s
* Hemingway’s
* The Black Bear Pub (in Ottawa)
* The Wheat Sheaf
* Betty’s

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Chicken wing review: Betty’s

I live really close to Betty’s, on 240 King St. East just east of Sherbourne. I had never eaten the chicken wings there, but more than one person had told me that they were really good. I finally went earlier this week with my neighbour Callista.
The bar left a really good impression on me. It was packed even though it was a Tuesday, and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. There are two main halls and the ambience was really friendly. I ended up talking to the guy on the table next to me and running into a doctor from the hospital on the table on the other side of us. I will definitely be frequenting that bar more, I am liking it better than the Richmond Rogue, but I’ll talk about that one some other time.
The chicken wings are advertised on the menu as fried AND grilled, and I was curious about it, the technique sounded like a promising one. Unfortunately they did not appear to be grilled, only deep fried. Don’t get me wrong, that’s how chicken wings are cooked almost everywhere, but I was a bit disappointed about the lack of grilling, since they had made a specific mention about them.

Here are the ratings:
Price: $9.95 for an order of 10 wings= 1 pound.
Side included in price: Yes.
Sides: Fries, carrot and celery sticks (definitely well-served, with all the necessary sides, and the fries were fantastic).
Number of wings: 10.
Meatiness: They were pretty big but not gigantic, 3.5 in a scale from 1 to 5.
Dip: a thick dip made probably of sour cream and some seasonings.
Saucyness: 4.2, they were pretty saucy and I liked that!
Wetnap: Yes, several wetnaps were brought to us, and also a little bowl to put the bones after eating the wings. This should be standard but in lots of places they don’t do it. It speaks well of Betty’s wings.
Fried or grilled: In the menu it said they were both fried and grilled, but in reality they were probably just fried.
Overall: 4.25 on a scale from 1 to 5.
Thumbs: Up.

I am on a search for the best chicken wings in Toronto. I have also been to some places in other cities:
* The Duke of Gloucester
* The Anchor Bar (in Buffalo)
* Duff’s Famous Wings
*St. Louis Chicken and Ribs
* Harbour Sports Grille
* Gordon Biersch (in San Diego)
* Chick’n Deli
* Scratch Danial’s
* Hemingway’s
* The Black Bear Pub (in Ottawa)
* The Wheat Sheaf

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