Cluckin’ on: the venerable Chick ‘n’ Deli returns, revitalized and renamed

11:03 am

With a freshly-painted rooster perched atop of what once was the Chick ‘n’ Deli, locals can stop wondering what happened to their long-standing chicken institution. The newly-named People’s Chicken is now open for business. After 30 years under its previous moniker, restaurant and rooster alike received a well-earned refresher prior to re-opening to the public last Thursday.

Operator of the popular nightspot, Steve Amuno, says that the response so far has been positive for the restaurant, now complete with a new interior, patio and extended dance floor.

“Last Thursday (the opening) was really busy. Friday was good, Saturday steady and Sunday extremely busy,” he says. “We think it can only get better from here on.”

The initial plan was for the renovations to take two months, but it ended up taking nearly four, casting doubt as to whether it would open its doors again.

“[People] got angry when the renovations started taking longer,” Amuno says. “There was a delay in what we wanted to do, so for the first two months, the place sat with papers on the windows.”

But why the name change?

“I can’t even tell you how many [phone calls] I’ve gotten with people asking why we changed our name,” Amuno says. “It encourages curiosity.”

“We wanted to open the door to everybody, so changing the name around, we feel will attract a lot of people.”

Located half a block south of Eglinton along Mount Pleasant Road, the restaurant hasn’t altered it’s focus from its two main staples that kept it in business for three decades: chicken and music.

“Most people know us for the chicken wings and the live music. We’re one of the only restaurants in the city that has live music seven days a week,” Amuno says. “This place can be packed.”

The wait seems to have been worthwhile, as interest continues to grow with passers-by regularly stopping to see the main board out the front of the property, which displays the weekly bands, including veterans of the live music circuit, Robbie Lane and The Disciples.

With summer quickly dwindling away and patios soon to be dismantled across the city, anyone who wants to check the new place out may want to do it while the sun still shines on the patio (and the rooster).

People’s Chicken, 744 Mount Pleasant Rd, 416-489-7931

Bittersweet symmetry: a look at the origins of one of Toronto’s favourite cocktails, the Negroni

10:08 am

People are particular. This is why an entire vernacular exists solely for ordering drinks: dry, perfect, stirred, shaken, neat or stuffed. Roll your eyes and call it high maintenance, but sometimes, it’s magic. Case in point: just such an exacting set of taste buds were supposedly responsible for the creation of Italy’s classic bittersweet aperitivo, the Negroni.

Legend has it that around 1919, over the polished bar of the Caffè Casoni (now the Caffè Giacosa, owned by fashion mogul Roberto Cavalli), a discerning Florentine count named Camillo Negroni asked the barman, Fosco Scarselli, to omit the soda in his mellow Americano and amp up the popular cocktail by blending Campari and sweet vermouth with gin instead. Having just returned from a romp in jolly old England, Negroni’s discriminating tastes had no doubt been enchanted by the spirit of the English.

Scarselli took matters into his own hands and garnished the “Negroni” with a slice of orange in an effort to differentiate it from its lemon-accessorized precursor. Negroni’s twist on the Americano surged in popularity, and soon the aristocratic family was bottling and distributing pre-mixed cocktails to sate a raging national thirst for its namesake aperitivo.

Despite its Tuscan origins, the Negroni is much more than a fair weather refreshment. The bittersweet toothsomeness of this timeless palate-whetter is an ideal accompaniment for afternoon nibbles and an excellent precedent to feasts of the Italian persuasion, or otherwise. Straightforward in its composition — equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred on the rocks with a generous twist of orange — well-made Negronis can be elusive. It’s one of those simply-constructed cocktails, like the Manhattan or Old Fashioned, that takes a steady, loving hand and a dash of je ne sais quoi to mix properly.

Do be warned that when the unicorn of Negronis is uncovered, addiction may ensue: Count Negroni purportedly downed up to forty cocktails a day. Maybe he justified his relish for the cocktail with an attitude similar to that of Orson Welles, who drank Negronis like water and famously reflected, “The bitters are excellent for your liver. The gin is bad for you. They balance each other.”

Scoop some bottles from the LCBO — Campari (now $23.95 for 750mL), Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth ($12.95 for 1000mL) and a good quality gin like Plymouth ($26.95 for 750mL) — and try your hand at mixing this iconic Italian drink at home. Want someone else to do it for you? Mosey down to Buca on King West for classic ($10) and “sbagliato” ($14) (“mistake,” in Italian, topped with prosecco) versions, or to Bar Salumi for four different takes on it ($10).

Buca, 604 King St. W., 416-865-1600; Bar Salumi, 1704 Queen St. W., 416-588-0100

Grab of the Week: a loose, easy-fitting dress by nümph

7:59 am

The transitioning wardrobe is a tricky one. What do we wear when the days are hot, the nights are cold, the flowers are still in bloom but the leaves are changing? These questions — along with style, fit and colour palettes — can be all too confusing, clouding the mind with conflicted outfit choices. The result is often heavy jackets worn over light-weight dresses, socks and sandals: you know what we’re talking about.

This nümph dress can be worn bare-legged with sandals during the day, or layered with tights and a jacket at night. From the loose, easy fit to the colour-blocks of burnt orange, it is oh-so-perfect for right now.

$110. Available at Lavish & Squalor, 253 Queen Street West, 416-599-4779

A hard day's night: getting into the barbecue business isn't so easy

2:23 pm

It’s opening night at Hardys: A Hogtown Brasserie, and owner John Hardy (the III, according to his business card) is cool as a cucumber, even if he’s in a bit of a pickle. His brand new barbecue joint is rammed; it’s bursting at the seams, and servers can barely keep up. Hardy doesn’t appear phased, even as local barbecue legend Darryl Koster gets a table.

Hardy, as it turns out, is new to the whole front-of-house thing. This is his first restaurant, and aside from a brief stint as a line cook at Little Italy’s erstwhile Langolino, his hands-on restaurant experience is virtually nil. But Hardy grew up with barbecue. Hailing from Washington, D.C., he has family roots that trace back further south (his grandmother lives in a pre-civil war era house in Virginia). Hardy recalls eating smoked wild turkey every Thanksgiving; Virginia hams were a family favourite.

Still, in the months it’s taken to get his St. Clair West restaurant up and running, Hardy’s starry-eyed confidence (some would say cockiness) has been tempered by the constraints of reality. Gone is the wood-burning smoker he wanted to use — the one he built himself out of oil drums — due to health code regulations. Instead, he’s using an old rotisserie retrofitted with a smoke generator, since not everyone can afford both a restaurant renovation and a top-of-the-line Southern Pride smoker like you’d see at Barque Smokehouse. Especially someone fresh out of university, as Hardy is.

Hardy admits he doesn’t exactly have a “purist’s” machine, like the wood-burning smoker at The Stockyards just down the street. On top of that, he wants to distill his own liquor for marinades (it’s in his blood; his great grandfather was a bootlegger during the prohibition era) but, again, red tape rears its head. And then there’s the issue of mitigating his own tastes with those of his customers: “Torontonians like their ribs to be fall-off-the-bone,” he says. “I think it should pull back a bit.”

“Smoking meat is a labour of love.”

If there’s anything the newly-minted restaurateur is lacking, though, it’s not keenness. The man is about as meticulous as they come. He lives a few doors down from the restaurant with his pit master and two cooks; they’re here at nearly all hours of the day.

“Smoking meat is a labour of love,” Hardy says. “I’m here at 4 a.m. pulling beef out and checking temperatures.” He’s glad to do it, but finding a head chef with similar zeal has been a problem: Hardy has gone through several of them.

Everything at Hardys — rubs, marinades, brines — is made from scratch, as it should be. Ingredients include organic Belted Galloway beef, as seen in the smoked burgers ($10). For the mac and cheese ($6), Hardys uses aged cheddar, cold smoked for 25 solid hours with a mixture of apple and cherry woods; the pasta is tossed with a jalapeno-based barbecue sauce. For an extra $3, it’s topped off with pork loin that’s house-cured for a week, then sliced, diced, deep-fried and caramalized in a whisky glaze. Speaking of whisky, the restaurant goes through a 60-ounce bottle of Jack Daniel’s every two days for its glazes.

Hardys brines its whisky-glazed chicken ($11 for a quarter) twice for juiciness; the pulled pork ($11 for a sandwich) is injected with an apple pilsner reduction that’s mixed with spices; it’s then smoked for 14-hours, during which time it’s hit with a mop sauce every few hours. It’s no wonder he’s here tweaking things at ungodly hours of the night: barbecue is tough business.

Then there’s the ribs. “Ribs are really difficult,” he admits. Currently, they’re marinaded overnight and smoked for seven hours. All of it is a work in progress. “Will it continue to mature? Of course,” Hardy says.

And, with The Stockyards, Barque and other restaurants barbecuing at the top of their game — not to mention the impending presence of Buster Rhino’s Southern BBQ downtown — progress is probably on everyone’s agenda.

Hardys: A Hogtown Brasserie, 992 St. Clair W., 416-901-4100

Rumour mill: is Grant van Gameren leaving The Hoof? (Updated)

12:26 pm

If The Black Hoof’s twitter account is to be believed, Grant van Gameren is leaving the highly regarded restaurant. This intensely disheartening message was just sent out a few minutes ago:

“Its been AMAZING feeding all you over the years!BUT, I am no longer affiliated with the Black Hoof. Please follow me @grantvangameren PLS RT”

We tried getting ahold of him to no avail, and we assume that just about every other food-type in the city is looking for him too.

We’ll update as more information becomes available.

Update: Toronto Life reports that Van Gameren is, in fact, leaving The Hoof. Apparently he and co-owner Jen Agg had been discussing the possibility for a while. Agg tells Toronto Life that major changes are not expected at the restaurant since chef Brandon Olsen has been running the kitchen for the past few months anyway. Plans for Black Hoof and Company have been put on the back burner.

Lorne Pancer gets back into the deli biz

12:00 pm

Last winter, much to the surprise of many North York residents who had been frequenting the place for years (and in some cases, decades), Lorne Pancer decided to sell Moe Pancer’s Deli, which his grandfather opened in 1957. Now, months later, he has opened a new eponymous deli in Richmond Hill. We spoke with him about his decision to get back into the pastrami business.

When did you open?
We opened almost two weeks ago, on the 19th. We’re brand spankin’ new!

So you sold the old place on Bathurst at the end of the year. What brought about that decision?
One of my partners moved to Florida and my sister was diagnosed with cancer. And they were my partners. So we just felt that it was time to let it go. I wish the other deli all the best. I wish them great success.

And so what inspired you to open a new spot?
Something I always wanted to do was open up in the north end of Toronto. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. It’s in my blood, this business. And the client base has moved up here as well. My generation — we’re working on the fourth generation now — has moved up to this neck of the woods, so to speak. And I wanted to be in the business still.

Are the recipes the same? We heard that you sold those along with the old Pancer’s Deli.
Right, the recipes were sold. We have created our own. I’ve taken in a partner, Frank Houston. He is also a chef, he’s won awards for his cooking, he’s created a line of seasoning. He’s a wonderful complement to the family. We’re good buddies and we just thought it would be a good marriage.

So has he developed new takes on the old classics?
We are still traditional, but we have tweaked recipes and made our own seasonings and stuff.

So what’s different about the menu?
Deli menus are pretty much deli menus. We have added certain things. We put a sandwich on the menu that’s one pound of meat. It’s called the “Second Deli Sin.” Also we’ve created some different club house sandwiches. There’s healthier items, wraps, pita pockets to cater to the new generation. We have a variety of different products and items.

What is your favourite item on the menu?
My favourite item on the menu is always going to be pastrami on an onion bun. Always always. I’m a Pancer, pastrami’s in the blood line.

Do you have any plans to open up other locations in the future?
Yes, we do. In about a year.

How do you like the new neighbourhood so far?
We love it, it’s so wonderful, all my childhood friends live here. I see people I grew up with daily. And we also deliver from here, which we never did at the old deli.

Do you deliver all over the GTA?
We have a delivery region that’s within the parameters of the sales agreement with the owners of the old deli. It’s a large area.

And what is the dine-in atmosphere like?
It’s a new look for a traditional deli. We’ve got oak panelling on the walls. We have chalk boards running down the walls that people can write messages on. We have a chalk drawn menu and we had a local artist come in for that.

And how has business been in the first couple of weeks?
It’s been great. Dreams do come true. I’ve been dreaming about doing this for a long time.

Pancer’s Deli Emporium, 9960 Dufferin St., 905-417-1719

Band of the Week: Darren Eedens

8:03 am

There’s dust on these songs. When Darren Eedens sings, it’s like stumbling upon an old record at your grandparents’ house, pulling it out, wiping off the years and dropping the needle in the groove; the Harry Smith Anthology comes to mind. But make no mistake: these songs are as informed by the past as they are a product of today (certain songs betray a bit of a Dave Matthews influence).

We met up with Eedens to talk about roots music as he prepares for the release of his three-part album, Cardboard Caribous and Artificial Trees, on Sept. 1 at Clinton’s.

I notice a strong old-time, traditional element in your music that you don’t hear much these days. Is that a natural sound for you, or is it the type of thing you have to study up on by listening to old music like the Harry Smith Anthology to get right? 
Traditional music is where it all began; simple, raw, storytelling, finger-pointing songs. If you are in a rock band you need to realize this. The blues, roots and folk are worthy of a thank you; a big one. There is no studying involved, just a whole lot of respect. When I pick up an instrument it comes naturally, but only because I know and love the reasons why we do what we do.   Different songs feature different instruments as the focal point.

How many instruments can you play and how long have you been playing for? 
This is a real hard question to answer without sounding like a dick. I play a bunch of instruments, and I write on those too. I own less, because I’m hungry. I have been playing for a while and writing for about the same amount of time. See? Dick.

 Is it just you on the record or are there co-conspirators? Are the people on the records the same as your backing band when you play live? 
There are other people playing on the record for sure. I mean, I’m only one person. A huge amount of respect goes out to Sydney Galbraith for producing, performing and all-around being awesome on the record. I could not have done it all alone, as much as I wanted to.

The Cardboard Caribous EP online now is volume one. Are the other two volumes out as well?
For sure, all three are available online. They are intended to be sold as a set, but if someone prefers one of my songs over the rest they can buy one disc. It’s broken down into three sets, the first being more energetic folk roots, the second more tame — with some mandolin — and the third being banjo only. I waited two years between albums, which I will never do again, and so I felt the need to put out three at once. If I didn’t make it a challenge to myself I would have become too bored to do it at all.

  Any plans to put them onto one album in the future?
To be honest, never. These are never, ever going to be on the same record. I separated them for good reason, and they will always be that way. I do feel that maybe one day I will pick my favourite five or six songs and put them on one LP, but that will strictly be a special edition thing, and probably only on vinyl. Saying that, though, you will much sooner find a new EP before an album of previous songs. The new solo EP is already in the works.  

How’d you hook up with Treestump Records? How’s that relationship treating you? 
[Laughs.] I own and operate Treestump Records. I release my records, and soon, the records of others. You can catch a Treestump showcase in Toronto once a month at various venues. Lately we have been holding them at Mitzi’s Sister on Queen West, and they have been a huge success.

  Any plans to tour with the records in the near future? 
Lots. I’ve toured a lot with my previous album, of course, and this one will be no different. I don’t think I will be touring through the winter; froze my ass off too many times in the past. But all three volumes will be toured for everyone’s listening pleasure.

Recommended Track: The Wall

Ty Trumbull is a Toronto writer. He works as an editor at 680News and can be seen playing banjo with his band, The Sure Things, every Monday at the The Dakota Tavern.

TNT is adding a boutique and a shoe shop to its Eglinton West collection

2:45 pm

With the success of its recent Hazelton Lanes revamp, TNT is refreshing its collection of Eglinton West shops for next spring. The clothing retailer has bought a two-storey building next to the Eglinton Grand, giving it another 7,000 square feet, for a total of 16,000 square feet along the popular shopping strip.

Founder Arie Assaraf tells us that the newly-purchased space, to be called "TNT Boutique," will be devoted to contemporary designers, with menswear and a 1,200 square foot VIP room on the second floor.

Next door, in the space where TNT Blu currently resides, TNT will be opening a dedicated shoe shop. Fashion-forward footwear will range from Dolce Vita to Miu Miu. TNT Blu will be expanded into the space currently occupied by TNT Woman.

"Every space is going to be defined, and also, what I love is every location has its own flair," he says.

TNT Gallerie will continue to focus on high-end designers such as Isabel Marant and Jil Sander, while TNT Blu will continue to focus on denim and denim companions.

"The whole objective for us as a brand, and for me as a brand, is to basically capture the woman’s closet," Assaraf says.

The five most, er, intriguing elements of Doug Ford’s waterfront plan

2:07 pm

When Doug Ford revealed his plan for the Port Lands, jaws dropped, people fell out of their chairs and the city suffered another mini-earthquake. Well, maybe not quite. So far, only a few details have surfaced from Ford’s “vision,” but if they’re any indication of what’s to come, our waterfront is on the fast track to becoming very, well, interesting. Below, the potential Fordifications that we’re most excited about.

1. The monorail. So what if Lyle Lanley ended up being a crook? The chances of Toronto becoming the next North Haverbrook are slim at best. Besides, when has a monorail ever been anything but awesome for Toronto? And, as every SimCity player knows, monorail is by far the coolest mode of transportation.

2. The ferris wheel. Let’s be honest: the London Eye has been the top wheel for far too long. With the CN Tower having been knocked out by Dubai, it’s high time for Toronto to have the world’s biggest something. Even if it is a ferris wheel (and no, the world's biggest ice cream cake doesn't count).

3. The mall. Ford is right: where else can one shop besides the Eaton Centre in this city? Certainly not Queen Street, and definitely not Yorkville (yeah, we’ve never heard of those places either). And why support local businesses, when we can have another huge wave of American chains, like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s, hit Toronto?

4. The Hearn generating station. An old coal plant is exactly the kind of spot where you’d want to play soccer. Or catch a game of lingerie football, starring a certain someone’s daughter.

5. A beach at Cherry Street. Well, never mind the one that’s already there. We’re guessing the new one will be – what else? – bigger and better. Ideally, the biggest in the world.

Trending in Theatre: The Price, Dreams Really Do Come True! (and other lies), Peter and the Wolf, The Winter’s Tale, The Panel Show

9:18 am

As the season winds down, now’s a great chance to either catch that old show you haven’t seen in a while (The Winter’s Tale) or take in a new show, like the latest one from those crazy clowns over at Second City. Because let’s face it: summer’s basically over, and there’s no better way to fight the sadness than with laughter. As Shakespeare said: “He that is giddy thinks the world turns round.”

The Price

This play by acclaimed playwright Arthur Miller explores the belief that “you can’t buy love,” or maybe it’s “money can’t buy happiness.” Regardless, two estranged brothers meet to sell their father’s possessions, only to realize the price of one’s decisions far outweighs any price of furniture.
Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 55 Mill Street, 416-866-8666. Aug. 29–Oct. 6

Dreams Really Do Come True! (and other lies)

If a night of honest fun is what you’re after, then you’ll enjoy the latest offering by Toronto’s best comedic actors, who won’t hesitate to tell you that you probably won’t win the lottery or lose the baby weight, and maybe you should have a Plan B after all. But then again, they’re actors, so who are they to judge? They lie for a living.
Second City, 51 Mercer Street, 416-343-0011. Aug. 30- Dec. 31

Peter and the Wolf

Imagine if Peter grew up and met up with Wolf again, and they had a couple of drinks and reminisced about the good ol’ days. Well, this is essentially that story.
The Theatre Centre, 100-1087 Queen Street West, 416-538-0988. Sept. 3–Sept. 11

The Winter’s Tale

This is your last weekend to catch a little Shakespeare in the park. The Winter’s Tale is widely considered one of the Bard’s “problem plays:” is it a drama with some comedy, or a comedy with some drama? It’s anyone’s guess, but there’s royalty, shipwrecks and, of course, misunderstandings a-plenty, so bring a blanket and enjoy.
High Park, 1873 Bloor Street West, 416-367-8243. June 28–Sept. 4

The Panel Show

Come out for the pilot session of this new variety show and watch it take flight. Described as part comedy show, part quiz show and part live chat, it’s a take on the old panel shows (think What’s My Line? and Match Game). And even if the $1-million cheque is a gag, the laughs will be genuine.
Barcade Theatre, 812 Dundas Street West, 416-617-4973. Aug. 30

This Week in Sound: k-os, Peter Bjorn and John, Neil Young, Beirut

11:05 am

Convicted genre-transgressor k-os (September 2 @ CNE) wishes that he knew Natalie Portman. Is she in Toronto for TIFF? Can somebody make this happen for the guy? After navigating some mid-career controversy, the Torontonian crossover maestro has spent the past few years doing that other thing musicians do — you know, making songs. His next album, slated to be released in 2012, boasts as its title one of the most amusing Dylan puns we’ve heard lately: Black on Blonde. What’s next, Highway 401 Revisited? (Sorry.)

Peter Bjorn and John (September 2 @ Lee’s Palace), best known as the cackling folk purveyors who brought you the most annoying song of 2006 disguised as the cutest song of 2006 (otherwise referred to as that whistling hipster song) will be lugging their burlap sack of pop gems to Toronto this week. It’s the perfect opportunity to a) tell your friends that you’re busy with work and sneak off to indulge your musical sweet tooth or b) impress that girl with the square-framed glasses you’ve had a crush on.

Is it still cool to like Neil Young? We feel like our friends might mock us for caring, but director Jonathan Demme (whose last feature-length, Rachel Getting Married, demonstrated a keen ability to be extremely moody for 114 minutes straight) will premiere the third film in his Neil Young trilogy at TIFF this year. The film will feature reverb-y concert footage from Massey Hall, spliced with scenes of Neil Young touring Ontario (and, hopefully, not saying anything quasi-racist).

And, finally, after delivering a shimmering pair of sold-out gigs at the Phoenix (which we reviewed, i.e. slobbered with blatant music-geek hyperbole, here), Beirut’s Zach Condon is gracing the cover of this month’s Exclaim. Condon scuffs his baby-faced image by discussing skateboarding, the difficulty of putting words to his music (he’s elsewhere admitted to not being much of a “lyrics guy”) and generally not liking authority figures. Down with the man.

Toronto style gets a taste of London and Melbourne with The Fitzroy Boutique, popping up this fall

2:35 pm

After years of fashion passion and world traveling, childhood BFFs Angela Pastor and Julie Buczkowski are living their dream: they’re opening up a clothing boutique together. Starting this fall, the two will open Fitzroy Boutique as a seasonal pop-up shop that focuses on affordable, exclusive and international styles.

“Toronto has great high-end boutiques,” says Pastor. “We wanted to do something different.”

After living in Melbourne and experiencing Australia’s unique style, Pastor moved to London, where she was welcomed by pop-up shop popularity. It was clear that once back in Toronto, her only choice was to combine the two.

Fitzroy Boutique will first pop up at 162 Cumberland Street from Sept. 7-30, but will change locations every season. “We want to try out different neighborhoods,” says Pastor.

The one thing that the duo wants to avoid is the curse of the chain store (think H&M, Zara) where everyone ends up wearing the same thing. That won’t be happening here. “We have a small number of each piece so not many people will buy the same thing.”

Names such as Brandy Melville from Italy, Boyod from L.A. and Ladakh from Australia are just a few of the brands that can’t be found anywhere else in Toronto, but will be sold at Fitzroy. Along with these exclusive labels, the shop will also sell the organic and recycled clothing line Threads for Thought and local, handmade accessories from Psalms.

While anything in Toronto with ‘boutique’ in the name is usually pretty pricey, Fitzroy’s price tags will not exceed $200. “We want to be really accessible … prices range from $40 to $180.”

The Aussie/London inspired boutique will shelve a variety of styles from relaxed and Bohemian to edgy and rock n’ roll.

Fitzroy Boutique, 162 Cumberland St., Sept. 7-30.

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