I’ve never met a person who didn’t adore a good market – farmer’s, antique, indoor, outdoor – they are a beloved pass time in countries far and wide. I’ve also never met a person who didn’t love a good dining experience, whether young or old, we tend to love food, especially when cooked by someone who does it for a living. Our Canadian cities are riddled with markets and countless delectable restaurants, and two Toronto newcomers are the Toronto Flower Market and Lisa Marie, respectively.
If you’re a flower lover, mark August 10 and September 14 in your calendar. Toronto’s first outdoor flower and plant market featuring product from local Ontario greenhouses runs every second Saturday in the summer months. Hosted at popular and versatile West Queen West venue, 99 Sudbury, the market boasts a myriad of fresh florals, from sunflowers, to gerbias, roses, peonies, all at low prices. Rather than buying from marked up florist shops or big grocery stores, you’re purchasing directly from the grower, a unique feature of the market.
Here’s what’s currently bringing a punch of beautiful colour to my apartment, for $18 total:
The new kid on the West Queen West block, perched just East of Tecumseth, in a retro, multi-purpose space, is Lisa Marie. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you spot the oversized Elvis portrait on the wall, and high industrial chairs overlooking the wide open front window. Lisa Marie serves three purposes; it is a full-service restaurant, a production kitchen for the owner’s food truck, Priscilla, and a mini-market selling fresh meat and sauces.
The restaurant features a Cicchetti menu, the Venetian interpretation of tapas, with delicious bite-size options such as deep-fried pizza, eggplant in a jar, pork belly cheese thang, turkey wings, tuna rolls and much more. Every option is fresh, tasty and well priced for the proportions, allowing you to experiment and try a lot of the menu.
Pictured: Eggplant in a Jar and Deep Dried Pizza
On to dessert. I don’t even know where to begin. If you find yourself in the vicinity of Lisa Marie, pop in for the greatest dessert of all time. Better yet, get on the streetcar right now, call and make a reservation for tonight, do SOMETHING to get your behind to Lisa Marie to order “Elvis in a Jar”. You will not be disappointed.
It would be an understatement to say that Elvis in a Jar ($6) was a group favourite – we couldn’t stop talking about, and still haven’t. What’s in this magical, heavenly dessert you ask? Maple syrup/rum french toast, peanut butter cream, warm bananas and …bacon. I know, I know. It’s what I picture at the top of the stairway to heaven…too much? Sue me.
In a nutshell, there’s something new and exciting happening in dear old TO, keep checking back for more!
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