Iron Cupcake Toronto

I'm not a huge fan of cupcakes but one of my closest friends, Stephanie, is. (In fact, there's a crazy personalized NYC cupcake tour posting that still needs to be written...) So when I heard the Liberty Village cupcake shop, For the Love of Cake, was hosting Toronto's first Iron Cupcake competition, and that the secret ingredient was going to be beer in honour of St. Patrick's Day, I decided we should go.

It was chaotic and packed but we somehow wound up relatively close to the front of the line when they started handing out the mini cupcakes. This is how it worked:

• Each person had a ticket with 4 of 16 numbers on it, and so you were judging four of sixteen cupcakes.
• The other side of your ticket listed all 16 numbers, and you judged visually who you thought had the most aesthetically pleasing cupcake display, aligned with the St. Patty's Day theme of green.

Cover was $5, and it included the four mini cupcakes plus tea was being given out for free. I felt a little jipped because apparently No. 4 had some sort of accident. My friend heard "baking accident"; I heard car. I hope it wasn't car.

The one in the upper left-hand corner was No. 15 and the ultimate judges' winner. It was also the one Steph chose as her favourite -- I think mainly because the cream cheese topping really pushed that particular cupcake to a higher state of deliciousness. The one in the upper right-hand corner, No. 16, was People's Choice and had my favourite visual presentation.

The baker called it "Morning After St. Patty's Day." As you can see, there are little Guinness "cans" spread around the bed and even a mini Advil box on the nightstand. Now that is some serious creativity and theme dedication.

We also liked this cheese spread one, though it's difficult to make out the cupcake in this shot. (It's underneath the pretzel sticks.)

For the most part, all the cupcakes we sampled were very good. It was funny to sit on a floor, at a little table, swapping these mini baked goods and trying to debate the finer points of why one may be better than the other. Except for one of Steph's cupcakes, I couldn't really taste the beer component in any of them. But I think it would be fun to experiment next time I whip up my own batch.

Throwndown at Mesa Grill: Winner?

Sunday Brunch: Mesa Grill (102 5th Avenue, www.mesagrill.com/newyorkcity)



I love Bobby Flay. I really do. I get that some people aren't over the standing-on-cutting-board Iron Chef original fiasco, and some never see him ever lose on Throwdown, but he cooks so damn well. Every time one of his Food Network shows ends with the black screen and writing of him owning Mesa Grill, I always think to myself or say out loud, "I want to eat at Mesa Grill." And so I did.

Here's the thing: Even though I hyped it in my head from television, reading scores and scores of New York Times dining reviews, made me realize I was going there for the food, yes, but for the star power as well. Just as I did at Morimoto in Philadelphia. But whereas Morimoto lived up to his name (I met him there after all!), Mesa Grill did not.

The decor seemed strange. Kind of cheap and tacky actually with the fake flames overhead to ... do what ... ? Give a southwestern theme? I felt like I was in Calgary. Service was pleasant but oddly hurried for a relatively non-busy Sunday brunch/lunch hour.



We ordered fresh juice to start. It was great. Very fresh. For $4.50 (all prices in USD). Is that really how much fresh juice costs?

The bread basket was an interesting mix of sweet raisin breads, which were really more like cakes, and little jalapeno scones. For entree, I saw a server carrying Bobby's version of eggs benedict, which I had to have -- two poached eggs on top of cajun chicken with sweet potatoes in an ancho chile hollandaise sauce ($14). It was very filling. And everything was cooked nicely -- egg perfect consistency of runniess; chicken & sweet potatoes tender; hollandaise sauce velvety. But midway through, everything started coming out too sweet, which I thought was weird for a dish that really, seems like it should be more spicy.

It was nice to go, and the meal did it job, and the prices were not too bad, but I couldn't help feel I missed an opportunity to discover a local New York gem of a Sunday brunch place.

NY Labour Day Weekend Saga: Chelsea Market & Amy's Bread

Friday Breakfast: Chelsea Market, Amy's Bread (75 9th Avenue, www.chelseamarket.com)
Upon 9 a.m. arrival, after dropping our bags off at the Upper West Side hostel and changing, my first choice place to go to was Chelsea Market, where they film Iron Chef America. Somehow I thought I would stumble across Kitchen Stadium and Bobby Flay, or even Alton Brown -- hell, I ran into and chatted up Kevin Brauch at The Drake Hotel once -- but I settled on tomato foccaccia from Amy's Bread instead. After a 12-hour overnight bus ride, it was the best US$2.25 R&R ever.

Chelsea Market itself was very cool with lots of posh bakeries, a high-end milkshake shop, a seafood-focused grocery store and plenty of tables for enjoying a cup of coffee -- but it was all practically empty. Maybe because it was 10 a.m. on a Friday of a long weekend?

I guess I'll never know. While it was fun to check out, I have no pressing need to return next time I'm in Manhattan. Unless, of course, I land a spot on the judges' table for Iron Chef!

Morimoto

723 Chestnut St.

Philadelphia, PA

(215) 413-9070

www.morimotorestaurant.com

Head Chef: Masaharu Morimoto

Date visited: Friday April 10, 2009

Average prices (USD): Apps $16-30; mains $20-50; sushi/sashimi/maki $8-16; omakase $80, 100 or 120

Huge modern space of soft wood, high ceilings, plastic dividers that glowed different colours, white leather chairs and a small open sushi kitchen in the back with a bar for seating. Service was nearly flawless. Waiter knew the menu superbly, always checked in to see how we were enjoying our orders and very accommodating (picked up Amber's cellphone for her from awkward place; offered to take a photo of us with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto; gave us edamame on the house when our sushi order was delayed). Couldn't believe Morimoto was actually there. He was working the front room a bit. Talked with us for a bit and took pictures. Later, bowed when I complimented him on the black cod, and put flowers in our hair!

Dinner was delicious. Only disappointment, the cocktails - white pear for Amber, cilantro gimlet for me. Started with black cod miso. Broiled and it was buttery, slightly sweet and extremely moist. Then had $50 chef's combination of sushi, and two maki rolls. All fishes were delightfully super fresh and pure tasting. Sushi rice was plump and finely made. Nagiri was the best. Maki rolls were okay. For dessert, a yuzu meringue tart with diced mango in a raspberry sauce for garnish. Perfect sweetness combined with citrus. Meringue was light, smooth and creamy. Everything so beautifully presented. Would definitely return if I had the chance.

Rating out of five stars: ****1/2

Image courtesy of backwardshat.com