Shakespeare’s famous saying proclaims, “If music be the food of love, play on.”  It aptly reminds me of Bar Poet, a restaurant that blends top 40 tunes from past and present, an eclectic comfort food menu, and arcade games. And by the end, the 2-hour seating limit flies by and all we want to do stay longer.

The arancini ($15) was seriously good. Made with mushroom risotto, there’s an earthiness to the creamy rice ball that’s stronger than the cheese only versions. But add in sambal cream and chili oil and that hit of heat goes so well with the comforting starter.

Somehow, we ordered a lot of dishes incorporating chili. The NYC spicy rigatoni ($18.95), an item so highly recommended in Google reviews, was surprisingly plain: pasta tossed in a spicy rosé cream with a fine dusting of Parmigiano. While it was tasty, a few spoonsful were sufficient, I can’t imagine having an entire dish to myself.

Even the Dovercourt and Queen ‘sweet’ calamari ($19) had a zing. The menu describes the sauce as being tomato based (pomodoro aioli) but tasted like the spicy rigatoni. Regardless, it’s a flavourful dish as goat cheese, chives and pickled peppers mingles with the squid. Even though the ingredients do detract from the calamari’s crispiness.

Bar Poet is known for their pizzas (all $22). If you like pepperoni, you’ll love the Hot Rod, a pie covered with tiny pepperoni with hot honey creating a sweet, salty, and spicy bite. For me, it was a bit greasy and heavy, but likely wouldn’t bother a pepperoni aficionado.

I preferred Rob’s Favourite Pizza, which sounded like a hodgepodge of ingredients, but they work together so nicely. A white pizza made with alfredo bacon sauce, it combines pulled chicken, brie, kale, spinach, caramelized onion, hot honey, chili flakes, and Parmigiano. Despite all the spicy elements, the pizza was the least spicy of the dishes we ordered, likely the chili and hot honey calmed by the creamy ingredients. Rob knows how to create an interesting meaty pie.

The pizza crust stays dry on the bottom despite an ample number of toppings. While it doesn’t have the requisite crispiness I enjoy, there was a lovely chewy consistency and sour dough finish that makes it tasty even without dipping sauce. Additionally, I love the inclusiveness of Bar Poet’s pizza menu with pies available gluten-free as well as vegan.

Everyone raves about the tiramisu ($9). While it wasn’t terrible, it also wasn’t great. It incorporated too much cream (didn’t incorporate enough mascarpone) and not enough of the espresso ladyfingers. While the Skor bits adds a unique element, left in chunks it was too crunchy and would be better in powdered form.

We were intrigued by the peanut butter espresso martini ($19), which emits a faint aroma of peanut butter but none of the taste. A decent rendition of the drink, it’s really sugary given it’s mostly made with Tia Maria and no vodka. Ultimately, one is enough, and I was glad that I switched to their other cocktails like the white negroni ($19).

Amongst the foliage ceiling and twinkling lights, Bar Poet creates a unique environment. Somehow, amongst the blasting music and Skee ball machines, there’s a romantic aspect to makes you want to eat, drink, and play on.   

If song writers were to remake popular songs to update them for the 21^st century, I wonder how Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song would change. Could chestnuts still be roasting on an open fire? I can’t remember the last time I’ve had roasted chestnuts, especially not during Christmas. And do families really cook anything over an open fire anymore? The closest foods that come to mind are barbequed meats and pizza, but I guess “tomahawks and pizza cooking on an open fire” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Regrettably, you now have a glimpse of my chaotic inner mind.  

Perhaps it’s a tune that Otto Trattoria will consider remaking for their holidays as their wood burning oven is prominently displayed and coaxes every table to get one of their pies.

I like tasting a chef’s skill with a plainer pizza. We tried the burrata pizza ($24), which was covered with tomato sauce, basil oil, cherry tomatoes, and the cheese. The crust had a lovely soft chewy consistency but would have been better if it weren’t soggy in the centre – unfortunately, there was too much tomato sauce. Still, I liked that the chef broke up the cheese and applied it evenly across the pie so that every bite contained some burrata.

The prosciutto & rucola ($22) takes the basic pizza and tops it with a covering of thinly shaved cured ham and arugula. Strangely the chef cuts the crust before topping the pie, so diners need to saw through the prosciutto with a butter knife, which causes the cheese to slide around. One small change of cutting the pizza after covering it with the meat would help make eating this easier. Messiness aside, the paper-thin crust remains crispy and it’s a flavourful bite as you get the fresh tomato sauce, gooey cheese, salty ham, and peppery arugula.

I’m glad Otto leaves their tomato sauce rather neutral so it’s not overly salty. If anything, it allows you to ask for their chopped green chili oil to scatter over top to give it a light heat.

The chili oil also pairs nicely with the rigatoni Bolognese ($24), cutting through some of the heaviness of the meaty beef and veal and helping to flavour the under seasoned sauce. While the menu notes it’s served with rigatoni, the pasta almost resembles an oversized macaroni that really traps the sauce within the crevices and inside. The dish is simply finished with parmigiano and tastes authentic.

While I was taken aback by the square pasta shape used in the shrimp linguine ($23) – surely, more spaghetti than linguine - I’m glad it was homemade and arrived with a lovely chewiness. The white wine, olive oil, and garlic sauce was thickened with a touch of pasta water, so it clings nicely to the noodles. Along with cherry tomatoes and spinach, the dish is fresh and nicely seasoned. I just wish there was more than four shrimp and that they would be cooked less so they aren’t as rubbery.

Yet, nothing surprised us more than the sheer size of the chicken parmagiana ($31) - just the cutlet resembled a dinner plate and was covered with a gooey cheese. Usually, it's a dish you need to eat quickly or starts to get soft. At Otto's, the thinly butterflied chicken breast was lightly coated in bread crumbs so it held onto the tomato sauce without becoming mushy and the spaghetti cooked al dante remaining chewy to the last bite. Trust me, you need to share this dish or be prepared for leftovers galore.  

I was skeptical whether Otto’s calamari fritti ($18) would be good… it came out so quickly after placing our order. They are likely the frozen variety, but nonetheless lightly battered, crispy, and well seasoned. For those wanting some heat, you’ll find it in the aioli.

The more I think about it, the more I like the sound of “pizza toasting on an open fire”… it has a ring that causes a food lover’s heart to sing. Mr. Bublé, maybe it’s time for another Christmas album?

Daphne occupies a great location and has a beautiful dining room, but their hosting operations needs improvement. They seem to seat people upon arrival, rather than pre-planning arrangements based on reservations, which is how we were sat beside the drafty door despite booking a month in advance.

The menu isn’t overly exciting but offers a safe selection so there will be options for all. A light spread of nibbles started our meal:

• Olives ($8) – a variety of olives in a light citrus za’atar oil.
• Bread and butter ($8) – a sizeable basket containing different breads like focaccia, sesame baguette, and whole wheat. They were all soft and fresh and went with nicely with the whipped cultured butter. It would have been even better if the bread was warmed.
• Little gem salad ($20) – your typical salad that resembled a lightly dressed Ceasar. If it had more of the garlic parmesan dressing it would stand out better but did go with the other bites and kept things light.

If you want to visit Flavour Town, hop on the black truffle pizza ($36) train. While the price may take you aback, the pie does contain slices of the fungi, you’ll find them scattered amongst the thinly sliced potatoes. The soft puffy crust was a tad soggy in the centre, but it wasn’t surprising given the egg that oozes over the pie adding a lovely creaminess. The dish was delicious with the addition of taleggio cheese, potato crema, and herbs.

The duck mafalda ($35) was equally flavourful with the crimped pasta pulling in so much of the shredded duck and spicy sauce into its crevices. Although the dish isn’t the prettiest, I loved the powerful punch of the sauce, which has a pesto-feel but still the freshness of a red sauce.  

For those abstaining from red meat, the tuna ribeye ($65) offers a 16oz hunk of protein that’s great for sharing. We’re warned the chimichurri is spicy, so we asked for the condiment on the side. In reality, there’s not a lick of heat but was heavy on the citrus and was really needed to season the tuna, which otherwise is merely sitting in a muted truffle ponzu.

The fish paired well with the sunchokes ($16), the root vegetables well roasted and tossed with sunflower tahini, brown butter, and caramelized honey that created a tasty crust. These would even work well with the little gem salad.

I can see why the cauliflower ($32) is considered a main. An entire head of the vegetable arrives covered with sauces so there’s a heartiness even without protein. Elements like the basil herb sauce gave it a freshness while the roasted grapes some sweetness. Still, it’s a lot for one person so is best shared with a large group.

I would not save room for dessert. If I liked chocolate, the Daphne bar ($16) was tasty, like a tuxedo cake in bar form with its dark chocolate mousse and caramel wrapped in a soft chocolate ganache. Alas, chocolate and I have a difficult relationship.  

We had high hopes for the coconut cream pie ($17), but it resembled a white chocolate mousse rather than pie as the dessert lacked the salty crust element. The passionfruit gel was also too tropical and took away from richness I expected from a cream pie. If anything, it’s pretty to look at.

Strawberry shortcake ($18) is usually one of my favourite desserts, but Daphne’s was terrible… give me a supermarket version any day. The makrut lime cream was overpowering giving the cake a lemongrass flavour and the black sesame adding an earthy nuttiness that didn’t compliment the strawberries.

Behind all the scaffolding on Bay, you’ll find Za Cafe Pizzeria and Bar. It’s a bit of a dark horse, the former Gaberdine’s white walls washed with black, although the worn bar seating remains. The place doesn’t scream warm trattoria or even minimalistic pizza joint, it’s more of an emo Italian restaurant that happens to play energetic dance beats. A great place for after work drinks but would be a shame if you left before having a bite.

Because although Za doesn’t feel like a trattoria, their food is nonetheless comforting Italian fare. The beef carpaccio ($17) lays out large slices of raw beef tenderloin that’s liberally seasoned with salt, lemon juice, and very little oil. While it doesn’t have the drizzles of aioli that typically graces a Canadian carpaccio, there’s tons of flavours from pickled bell peppers, brined caper berries, and thick shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano. It’s a rustic carpaccio and would be even better if the salt was toned down a bit.

The burrata pizza ($21) special had a similar vein, the white pizza foundation just lightly brushed with oil, so the paper-thin crust remained wonderfully crispy and light. While the base was sauceless, the pie was still so flavourful from the herb and garlic base, tons of arugula, bright cherry tomatoes, and a ball of cool creamy burrata that went so nicely with the crispy hot dough. How do we get this special to be on the permanent menu?

I’m glad we tried their house made pasta as the curly strands of casarecce were perfectly done, chewy but still soft – almost like a pasta and gnocchi hybrid. The pasta’s crevices helped to scoop up the shrimp cognac’s ($24) creamy cognac rosé sauce, which was rich but refreshing. We were surprised by the generous portion of six tablespoon sized shrimp that topped the dish, more than enough to go around while sharing.

The pesto green ($17) was also large with plenty of the basil sauce so that it seeps into the tubular garganelli. The small dollops of ricotta were a nice touch, but there needed to be more of it. 

While the seafood spaghetti’s ($28) presentation wasn’t the greatest, the dish contained a decent selection of seafood: shrimp, salmon, calamari, mussels, and clams. Like the other pastas, Za didn’t skimp on the ingredients as there was plenty of it. Often, pasta that’s fresh is best, but on the odd occasion I prefer the dried variety. For spaghetti this is the case, as I found the fresh version too doughy and soft.

Interestingly, Za uses a spicy tomato white wine sauce with the seafood spaghetti. The heat was evident but doesn’t necessarily add to the dish. In retrospect, I would have preferred a traditional non-spicy sauce instead.

The Basque cheesecake ($12) is ideal for sharing as it’s sizeable. While it was well caramelized, that slightly toasted taste wasn’t pronounced… it pretty much tasted like any other cheesecake. Perhaps it’s because the mixture was too dense, not the light creamy consistency you’d expect from a Basque.  

Za’s tiramisu ($9) was a let down. It consisted of a lot of whipped cream and cocoa powder and very little lady fingers and mascarpone. At least it was a flavourful dessert, albeit basic and without a zip of zabaglione, which is disappointing compared to their other rustic fares. 

If you can look past all the construction and darkness, Za Café Pizzeria and Bar is an ideal place for an inexpensive meal or a pre-theatre dinner prior to heading to the Ed Mirvish or Elgin theatres, a short walk from the area. Just bring a friend as deciding between pizza or pasta will be terribly unpleasant. The answer is to just have both. 

Mamajoun specializes in lahmajoun pizzas and wraps – try saying that three times fast. In the west, we may refer to lahmajoun as an Armenian pizza or flatbread. It’s topped with any ingredient, but traditionally tends to be a beef spread made with tomatoes, spices, and herbs.

The restaurant starts with fresh dough that’s flattened into an ultra-thin base before topping it and then cooking in a high heat oven.  With “Pizzeria” being a part of their name, I opted to try two of the pies. First, one that best matched my preference, an Italian sausage and peppers pizza ($15.50 for a small) that’s not traditional but sounds tasty.

Crispy around the edges and soft but not soggy in the centre, this is a thin crust lover’s dream. The toppings are spread very close to the edges so that each bite is filled with cheese, tomato sauce, peppers, onion, and rounds of meat. With so many ingredients it could have easily become too salty. Yet, it wasn’t. Flavourful, yes, but not too overpowering. This was a good start.

Their Armenian pizza ($15.50 for a small) was punchier, the tomato and cheese base also enhanced with a spiced beef spread before being topped with soujouk (a drier and more flavourful sausage) and onions. While I enjoyed the hints of spice on the pizza, I also found it was too soft: the bottom of the crust not toasted enough and aside from the onions nothing to give it texture. It’s also a heavier feeling pizza due to the double meat and cheese. Slivers of bell peppers and mint would be a great addition to this pie.

Where the restaurant stands out is their jouns and at about $5 a wrap, they are also a great value. The Papajoun ($5.50) is like the Armenian pizza, the dough topped with red pepper paste, ground beef, onions, and garlic - it’s spicier but not quite as heavy as there isn’t any cheese.

To the Papajoun I added chicken (supplemental $4), which gave the wrap more heft without additional flavour. Why I prefer a joun is the ability to customize without additional costs. Some pickled turnips, mint, and tomatoes added a freshness to the wrap. While there was already some heat in the red pepper paste, it could have been spicier for me. Be sure to ask for pickled jalapenos or hot banana peppers if you like it spicy.

If you’re lucky, some mante may be available as an off-menu item. Owner Mihran stresses that these are best eaten right away as what makes them delicious are the dumpling’s crispy edges. Armenian mante are so much better than the Turkish and Lebanese versions I’ve tried in the past. The thin dough and crunchy toasted bits are certainly a draw, but I loved that they sit in a savoury tomato and chicken stock sauce with only a dollop of yoghurt. In the past, I often didn’t like the dish because there was just too much yoghurt that it felt like I was eating a yoghurt bowl with bites of meaty dough – sounds gross, huh?

For a sweet ending, the rice pudding ($2.50) was beckoning. The dessert was creamy and thick, adequately sweet, and brimming with cinnamon notes. The cup-sized portion would be a filling ending for one or just enough to share amongst two people.

Mamajoun also operates a small store selling preserves, sauces, and juices. With so many options to choose from, a tasting session would be a great way to feature the items if the restaurant ever wants to branch into special events.

As for now, there’s a host of jerky available to sample while you’re waiting the 10-20 minutes for your order to be ready. These are also freshly made with minimal preservatives, so it’s recommended that they’re stored in a fridge.

If it weren’t for Mamajoun being featured in a Yelp event, I would have never noticed and stopped at the plaza it is located in. Such a shame, as I would have never met the passionate and friendly people operating the restaurant (and jerky business), tasted a filling and flavourful joun, and had mante that I’d order again.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

A fresh salad like their Caesar ($14) pairs nicely and is large enough to share amongst four to five people. The dressing isn’t overly heavy, which compliments the bacon, semi-dried tomatoes, and grated grana padano garnishes.  

But let’s be honest, people are here for their pies. The dough has a sourdough finish and is stretched paper thin yet still arrives well toasted and crispy so there’s no sogginess, not even at the centre. The medium pizza yields six decent sized pieces, but because it’s not overly heavy, you can easily knock back four slices without a thought. It’s best to budget a large pie for two people and two medium pizzas for three.

I have fond memories of their kale and bacon ($21 for medium or $29 for large) and am glad to see it’s a combination they still make. The oven crisps up the kale, so it become almost chip like and there’s plenty of double smoked bacon chunks to even satisfy my carnivore husband. It’s also a nice white pizza (the base made with garlic oil instead of tomato sauce) to have a different flavour from the other options.

If you want flavour, the killer bee ($21 for medium or $29 for large) is a wonderful combination of spicy, savoury, and sweet. Chunks of peppery Italian sausage creates a richness amongst the gooey cheese. While the pizza could become too heavy, the pickled jalapeno and spicy tomato sauce gives it a heat that helps balance out the pie, while honey provides a sweet finish. I can see why this is one of their most popular pizzas.

The margherita ($19 for medium or $26 for large) is a classic and thankfully the cheese is now more evenly distributed than my first experience. Still with the plainer pizza, I would have liked if they finished it off with a sprinkle of sea salt as the cheese less sections tasted rather plain.

I guess it’s an excellent opportunity to add on a dipping sauce and their creamy garlic ($1.50) is the best version I’ve had. It’s certainly garlicky with chunks seen amongst the mayonnaise, but I like the addition of chives that add a fresher finish. It’s also a nice consistency, not too thick so that is becomes a spread, but not too thin either. Just be mindful, it’s a flavourful dip so a little goes a long way.

While North of Brooklyn’s food impressed, their wine did not. The red arrives ice cold and after letting it sit and warm up, it only marginally improves and was still overly acidic. I’ll stick with beer or a fancy pop next time.

If you can dine-in, it’s the way to go - the crispy crust is so intoxicating fresh from the oven. Even so, after sitting in a take-out container for 15 minutes, the pizza was still good. 

Their online ordering platform was also a breeze to use, and the order was finished right on time to ensure it didn’t sit around waiting. Let’s be honest, once it’s done, it won’t last long anyways… somehow, in our family, within minutes a slice just magically disappears.