Culinary News September 2017

BRYAN LAVERY

Los Lobos, now open at Talbot and Albert, is the latest creation from London brothers Justin and Greg Wolfe, proprietors of The Early Bird and Wolfe of Wortley. Exuberant decor sets an exciting “Modern Mexican” vibe. Platos pequeno (small plates) predominate on a menu of gourmet Mexican-inspired fare with contemporary twists. The menu features tacos and burritos but also covers a take on classics with the focus at the bar being on cocktails, blended margaritas, tequila, mezcal and bourbon. Fb.com/LosLobosLondon

Air Canada’s EnRoute magazine announced the longlist for Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2017 and London’s Wolfe of Wortley in Wortley Village made the list. Congratulations Gregg & Justin Wolfe! Read our story “The Big, Bad Wolfes: The Wolfe of Wortley in London” www.eatdrink.ca/wolfes/

A new multi-use attraction to be known as 100 Kellogg is being repurposed from the former Kellogg’s factory in London. The complex will include Silver Stacks Brewery named for the factory’s iconic smoke stacks. Silver Stacks will feature a 25-hectolitre brewhouse, tap room and retail store, and will be one of the anchor tenants. Silver Stacks Brewery is the evolution of a craft brewery that was opened in Tobermory in 2014 by Matt and Kristin Buckley. Eight years ago, the former police officers relocated to Tobermory, purchased a pub and opened Tobermory Brewing Co. The new brewery will produce beer for the original brewery as well as the Silver Stacks brews.

Anderson Craft Ales just celebrated its first anniversary. The popular craft brewery recently added an outdoor patio, expanded their draft system to get seven beers on tap, and added a dedicated nitro line (for those creamy texture that Guinness made its reputation on). Food Truck Fridays at the Old East brewery have been a particular hit with fans. www.andersoncraftales.ca

Michael Naish and Justin Belanger are set to open Storm Stayed Brewing, a brewpub that will inhabit the space once occupied by The Cove restaurant at 169 Wharncliffe Rd. S. www.stormstayed.com

The word on the street is that Beer Lab London at Milos’ Craft Beer Emporiumwill soon open in its own premises next door. www.pubmilos.com

Milan Karac, formerly of Kantina Café and Black George, closed Ritual Café in mid-August. Restaurateur Erin Dunham and chef Matt Kershaw of The Other Bird restaurant group in Hamilton have taken the space for their latest project. The partners plan to open Hunter &Co., a cocktail bar that features hot food, as well as charcuterie and oysters. The restaurant will take a little bit of their inspiration from Rapscallion Rogue Eatery (offering culinary connoisseurs a full nose-to-tail experience) and a little bit of Two Blacksheep (offering oysters, charcuterie, salumi, cheese and pickles, carefully crafted cocktails, awesome wine and delicious craft beer) two of their popular Hamilton-based hotspots. www.otherbird.com

Reverie will be an intimate “tasting menu” restaurant on Piccadilly St., just west of Richmond St., that will showcase the skills of its chef, Brian Sua-an, who owns and operates the restaurant. With just 12 seats (four deuces, and four seats at a counter), the 500-square-foot space is tucked away in a small mall. Sua-an briefly staged at Rene Redzepi’s NOMA and its sister establishment 108 Restaurant operated by NOMA alumnus chef Kristian Bauman. The draw of the minimalist Reverie is a Canadian-focused five-course tasting menu. Reservations are required. www.reverierestaurant.ca

The Forest City Cookbook, featuring 120+ original recipes from London’s culinary community, has surpassed the halfway point of their crowd-funding campaign with over 500 books pre-ordered. To guarantee yourself a copy, you must pre-order through the Forest City Cookbook site (until December 2017). Once the funding campaign is closed, there will be no other way to purchase a book — no second print run  — so order your copy today! www.forestcitycookbook.com

This year’s VegFest — London’s annual “plant-based party” — takes place Saturday, November 11, 10 am–6 pm, at the Metroland Media Agriplex, Western Fair District. A wide variety of vendors will be on site, offering food and drink samples and offering all kinds of support for a plant-based lifestyle. Admission is $5 (children 12 & under are  free) and parking is free. www.vegfestlondon.com

The Tea Lounge is launching Afternoon Tea Service on Sundays. Guests are also invited to a ‘’Moon Festival Tea Party’’ on Sunday, Oct. 1. Moon Festival is a traditional Chinese festival where family gets together, very much like Thanksgiving. Moon cakes are round pastries and one of the hallmark traditions enjoyed during Moon Festival. Guests will be served several different Chinese teas in the traditional Gongfu set on big Gongfu tables, paired with different styles of Moon cakes.

Michelle Pierce Hamilton, RHN (Registered Holistic Nutritionist) & Certified Tea Sommelier, is leading a 4-week clean eating workshop called ‘’Get Ready to Flourish,’’ Wednesdays nights from 7–9pm, Sept. 6–27. Another talk by Pierce Hamilton on the health benefits of tea called “Tea: A Super Food” will be held Wednesday Oct. 4, 7–9pm www.tealoungelondon.com

Chef Josh Sawyer and Elaine Sawyer will be rebranding Wich Is Wich in October as “a proper sandwich and supper shop.” The restaurant will also be open evenings, Thursday to Saturday, beginning October 12, with a playful but intelligently curated menu. Lights will dim and the focus shared with great wines and cocktails. A series of “pop up” themed suppers will begin with “1920’s Sicily” in November. www.wichiswich.ca

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra and Chef Andrew Wolwowicz’s new venture Craft Farmacyaims to be the ultimate neighbourhood restaurant featuring local craft beer and an oyster bar with rustic style food. Look for great wines, lots of sharing plates and fabulous house cocktails. The restaurant is now slated to open in October. Fb.com/CraftFarmacy

Stratford

Chef Angie Mohr’s southern low country-inspired SAV Eatery and Smokehouse opened this summer on Wellington Street. It is open Tuesday–Sunday, 11:30–9pm. The response so far from both locals and visitors has been overwhelmingly positive. www.saveatery.com 

Beginning the last week of August, The Red Rabbit will be open on Sundays and Mondays for lunch only. Part of their philosophy of fair wages and benefits for their staff involves “a commitment to balancing work expectations with our personal lives. As we are passionate restaurant people, sometimes we forget how important the balance is.” Nosh Monday returns November 6 (taking reservations starting in October). On Sundays, The Red Rabbit recommends trying their sister resto Okazu for dinner. www.redrabbitresto.com

The Mill Stone features a small seasonally-inspired all-day menu with small plates, bolstered by a rotating selection of feature dishes with a focus on lighter and healthier fare. A curated list of delicious tacos has been a massive hit this season. Look for cocktails on tap and in bottles, homemade bitters and fluidity between the kitchen and the bar with globally-inspired flavours and locally-sourced ingredients. www.themillstone.ca

The Prune and Bar One Fifty One will stay open past the festival season. It will be open weekends for October and open for private groups and Christmas parties until January. www.theprune.com

Revival House will participate in the province-wide LCBO promotion “Taste Local Love Local” from Sept. 10–Oct. 7. The initiative showcases restaurants that pair local VQA Ontario wines-by-the-glass and Ontario craft beers with local fare. More than 150 restaurants across the province are participating in this year’s campaign. Revival House features a wine list full of VQA Ontario wines and proudly serves local produce from local-area farmers Vegiscape, Kawathoolei Farms, and Loco Fields with locally produced cheese offerings (three varieties!) from Monforte Dairy on the Revival House cheese boards. More info on the French-rustic inspired menus can be found at www.revival.house.

Revival House will host the Songwriter’s Circle on October 20 at 8pm, featuring performances by Ron Sexsmith, Emm Gryner, Dayna Manning and Jason Barry. Prix-fixe menu will be on offer and dinner reservations are recommended.

LIVE at Revival House “String Bone Presents” 2017-18 concert series returns with some very exciting Canadian songwriters welcomed to the stage. See the ad in this issue on page 12 or go to www.stringbonepresents.com

HOPS and HEELS: Craft Beer Night for Ladies will take place Friday, Nov. 10. The event invites women to enjoy craft beer sampling with 10 Ontario breweries, a meet-&-greet with brewers & reps, Revival House hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment and more. $45. Limited tickets available online.

Revival House High Tea — Afternoon High Tea is now offered monthly on the last Sunday of the month with seatings from 2–4pm. Each Revival House High Tea afternoon features three distinct blends of Sloane Fine Tea served on beautiful Royal Albert china from the Miranda Kerr collection. The tea menu complements house-baked scones and preserves, both sweet and savoury, along with sandwiches and other dainties, perfect for any special occasion. Tickets are available on-line on or before September 24 at 12 noon. $45/A, $25/CH (Under 12 years of age). www.revival.house

Savour Stratford: Forage and Feast — It’s mushroom time and we will be celebrating the season with a foraging trek along forest trails in and around Stratford. Then return to Stratford for an upscale lunch of wild edibles in season. VQA Wines, craft beer from local breweries and samples of Puck’s Plenty Nettle beer will also be available. September 3, October 1 and 22 from 9:45am–2pm. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Stratford Tourism Alliance. www.visitstratford.ca/event-details?event=1052&recurring

Stratford’s Farmers Market — Meet local producers every Saturday 7am–12 noon at the Stratford Agri-plex. Crafts, fresh produce, meats, sauces, jams, cheese, bread, cupcakes, muffins, pies, shortbreads, bacon on a bun, and more are ready for you at this weekly market, one of the longest running in Ontario. www.stratfordfairgrounds.com

Slow Food Sunday Market — Enjoy select produce, bread, soup, sweets, soap, healthy treats, crafty things, lacto-fermented foods, cheese, grass-fed meats and garden seeds Sundays 10am–2pm. Located in Market Square beside City Hall. www.slowfoodperthcounty.com

For the first time in the School’s 34-year history the Stratford Chefs School is offering hands-on cooking classes and learning experiences devoted to the dedicated home cook. Running until the end of September, all classes are held in the state-of-the-art Stratford Chefs School Kitchens at 136 Ontario Street and range in cost from $40 to $75. Classes range from 1 to 3 hours in length and are offered at a variety of times and days over the week. Participants roll up their sleeves and tie on an apron to actively learn a unique menu or cooking technique. Other classes include Wine Tastings and Knife Skills. No matter your skill level, the goal is to engage, entertain and educate. Upcoming classes include: Preserving, Curry, Stuffed Pasta, Risotto, Thanksgiving Pies, and Perfect Wines for Thanksgiving.

Stratford Chefs School Dinners start on October 24. Between October and March each year, Stratford’s most cherished culinary secret is the School’s Dinner Series. As part of their training, students rotate through kitchen positions to produce new menus daily under the guidance of the School’s faculty of esteemed local chefs and guest chefs from across Canada and around the world. Dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday. www.stratfordchef.com

The Stratford Chefs School is proud to announce its 2017/18 selection for the Joseph Hoare Gastronomic Writer in Residence is celebrated chef and author Andrew George Jr. Author of Modern Native Feasts: Healthy, Innovative, Sustainable Cuisine, and a member of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, Andrew George Jr. will take up the residency in late October of this year. Chef George will present a free public lecture, “Eating Words” in partnership with the Toronto Public Library on October 23 at the Palmerston Branch Theatre. Seating is limited. sweinrauch@torontopubliclibrary.ca

This October, the Stratford Chefs School and DigiWriting Book Marketing Agency(producers of the Stratford Writers Festival) bring you Appetite for Words: A Literary Festival with a Culinary Twist! from October 27–29. At literary dinners, food is matched with an author’s readings, so participants can actually taste the words they’re hearing. A cocktail tasting inspired by great works of literature is also an anticipated event. During workshops, participants can build their skills and increase their knowledge of both the culinary and literary arts. From a literary picnic-style farm lunch to a wine tasting seminar, whet your appetite for literature! Chef Andrew George Jr will appear as a chef and presenter at the culinary festival. www.digiwriting.com/appetiteforwords/ 

Savour Stratford Culinary Trails: The Pumpkin Trail returns, starting September 1. Treat yourself to six fall flavours for just $25 +HST. If you love pumpkin, choose from 26 delicious tastes. Relish traditional pumpkin pie and pumpkin spiced coffee and tea. There’s Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, Thai pumpkin soup, pumpkin apple butter, creamy pumpkin fudge and a warm pumpkin tart … just to name a few of the tempting offers. Satisfy your pumpkin cravings before October 31 when they become pumpkin carvings. www/visitstratord.ca/pumpkintrail

Around Our Region

Bring your family to the scenic McCully’s Hill Farm to join the fun at the Fall Harvest Festival! Enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, a corn maze, pumpkin catapult, pedal tractor pull, face painting, crafts, barrel train, sand mount and visit the pumpkin patch. October 7–9 (Thanksgiving Monday), 14 & 15, 21 & 22, 28 & 29, from 10am–4pm. www.mccullys.ca

St. Marys Farmers Market — Downtown St. Marys gets fresh as local food producers and unique artisan vendors convert the Jones Street Parking Lot into the place for homegrown goodness and homemade specialties. Open Saturdays until October 28, 8am–12 noon. www.stmarysfarmersmarket.ca

Looking for a different beer for Thanksgiving? Railway City Brewing suggests their Hoptoberfest Vienna Lager — a new seasonal release made with fresh whole cone hops, available only in the St. Thomas retail store while supplies last. www.railwaycitybrewing.com

Celebrate the autumn season at the Drumbo Fair with homemade pies, a fun farm, candy toss, pony rides, musical entertainment and more. September 22–24. www.drumbofair.com

Oxford Corn Mazes are opening in Oxford County! As of September 9, all three corn mazes in Oxford will be open. Get lost in the tall stalks at Leaping Deer Adventure Farm (Ingersoll), Norwich Optimist Corn Maze (Norwich) or Snyder’s Family Farm. www.tourismoxford.ca 

Opening Weekend at Snyder’s Family Farm includes delicious homemade treats from the bakery, wagon rides and more agricultural fun. Kids are invited to join the “Pup Party” and meet their favourite Paw Patrol characters. September 2–4. www.snydersfamilyfarm.com

Half Hours on Earth, a small batch brewery located in Seaforth, was recently named the number one new brewery in Ontario by The Ontario Craft Beer Guide. www.halfhoursonearth.com

Cowbell Brewing Company in Blyth has opened to acclaim. The destination craft brewery with a state-of-the-art brewing facility and farm-to-table inspired restaurant is anticipated to be a key attraction and economic driver in the region. 2018 plans include a working farm, complete with barley, hops, an orchard and an accessible vegetable garden for the restaurant. Future plans include a natural outdoor amphitheatre (with a capacity for 15,000) to host music, culture and athletic events. The bar has 30 taps, including 25 Cowbell beers and one rotating tap dedicated to other Huron County brewers. Chef Alexandre Lussier sources products that are mostly inspired by the local terroir. Suppliers include Metzger Meats, Little Sisters Chicken and Burdan’s Red Cat Farm & Bakery. This is also both the world’s first carbon neutral brewery and the world’s first “closed loop” brewery. A closed-loop brewery means that Cowbell sources the brewing water from an on-site well, and the used water is then returned to the ground through Cowbell’s own wastewater plant. This means there is no impact on the municipal water system or negative impact upon the environment. www.cowbellbrewing.com