This is the Thursday, June 20 edition of Food Crawl, the Star’s weekly food newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every week.
pc28¹ÙÍøis amid a food hall renaissance as giant indoor spaces lined with stalls of the non-fast-food variety are serving a distilled version of the city’s cuisines. Perhaps the busiest one right now is the new Wellington Market at The Well retail complex on Front Street. For scientific purposes, someÌýStar staffers spent a recent lunch rush at the marketÌýto time how long it took to get their orders, and to share what they ate. Here are four more recent things I recommend.
The Cilantro Dog atÌý
The Cilantro Dog at Japadog.
Karon LiuThe Vancouver-based Japanese-style hot dog chain caused a case of FOMO for many Torontonians when it first opened in the mid-2000s. Finally, nearly two decades later, the first pc28¹ÙÍølocation opened at The Well offering hot dogs topped with ingredients like cream cheese, shredded nori, teriyaki sauce and kewpie mayo.
Perhaps the most unlikely topping can be found in the Cilantro Dog, $9.58, an all-beef hot dog topped with a Bolognaise-esque ground beef sauce with sesame flavour and a pile of marinated cilantro in a plain bun whose job is to simply hold everything together. The usual, divisive zing of the cilantro is tempered by its garlicky, sesame-oil marinade, making it akin to the ubiquitous marinated translucent seaweed salad and more harmonious with the other toppings.
Where to get it:ÌýÌýis stall no. 13 on the Wellington Market map displayed at the main entrance at 486 Front St. W. It is currently open every day 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. As of now this location is not on delivery apps.
The Cod and Chips atÌý
The longstanding fish and chips shop at Trinity Bellwoods relocated to The Well with its original menu largely intact. There’s the halibut, haddock and fried cod as well as jalapeno popcorn shrimp, and something new for the location: shucked oysters. But for something tried-and-true, there’s the cod and chips at a very reasonable $14.95, which also comes with your choice of sauce like tartar, gravy, curry, garlic or pepper mayo (there’s mushy peas as well). The batter is light and crispy while the cod is perfectly flaky and moist with an almost milky flavour. The fries are also piping hot and go great with a creamy garlic mayo.
Where to get it:ÌýÌýis stall no. 11 on the Wellington Market map displayed at the main entrance. It is currently open every day 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is on Uber Eats and Door Dash.
The Strawberry Collins atÌý
The Strawberry Collins at the Pier.
Karon LiuIn the centre of the food hall is a standalone bar called The Pier offering pints, mocktails and cocktails, the latter starting at a decent $12. The place sees traffic for those who can have a tipple at lunch time, but it’s after-work when the bar really picks up and serves as a casual precursor to the evening (heads up for anyone wanting a semi-casual first-date idea). With most bars having non-alcoholic options nowadays, the Strawberry Collins, $10, is a refreshing hot-weather cooler consisting of non-alcoholic gin, lime juice, raspberry syrup, mint and soda water. It’s fizzy, fruity, sour and with an herbal grassy finish, and best sipped slowly to let the ice melt and mix with the drink; otherwise, the strong sour notes make it hard to pair with food.
Where to get it:ÌýÌýis no. 31 on the Wellington Market map displayed at the main entrance. It is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. It is not on delivery apps.
The Date and Cardamom Cookie fromÌý
Among the host of counter-service food stalls is this Middle Eastern full-service restaurant on the edge of the market. While the hall has multiple cookie stalls, East Tea Can’s date and cardamom cookie, $4.50, at the front grab-and-go counter is worth stopping for after a meal. It’s on par with the current trend of ultra-fluffy, chewy, cake-like cookies but I like the use of dates — a nice flavour change from the default chocolate chips — and a pinch of floral, sweet cardamon to yield a not-too-sweet cookie that pairs well with tea or coffee. For lunch options, hot and cold mezze, grain and salad bowls, grilled skewers and manakeesh are also on the menu.
Where to get it:ÌýEast Tea CanÌýis no. 8 on the Wellington Market map displayed at the main entrance. It is open every day 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There is an additional location in Mississauga at 3115 Winston Churchill Blvd, Unit 1 at Laird Road. Takeout can beÌý.
Before you go, I have a few more recommendations:
• Check out these four spots I added to my alternative pc28¹ÙÍøMichelin Guide.
•ÌýHere are my top picks for takeout under $10 in Toronto.
•ÌýCanada’s 100 Best Restaurants list is finally out. These are the pc28¹ÙÍøspots that made the cut.
•ÌýThis Mississauga family restaurant radiates retro vibes. Here’s why it stands out.
•ÌýThis beloved pc28¹ÙÍørestaurant serves a weekly Jewish brunch buffet — but that’s not all it’s known for.
Thanks for reading. I’ll see you back here next week.
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