Mushrooms, parmesan, and olive oil make up Gusto 101 chef Daniel Mezzolo’s favourite flavour combination, so it’s probably no surprise that his mushroom fettuccine ($17.50) is the most popular dish at the restaurant (101 Portland St., at King W.). “I’m from the north (of Italy) where there are a lot of marshes and forests. The climate is really good for growing mushrooms because we get lots of rain and warm weather,” says Mezzolo, who moved to Canada four years ago from Italy’s Friuli region (which is also famous for prosciutto).

For this dish, Mezzolo sautés a combination of mushrooms (usually porcini, oyster, and cremini, but sometimes also shiitake or chanterelle depending on what’s available), adds shaved parmesan to give the delicate mushrooms a sharp, salty punch, some parsley and thyme, and then finishes it with a drizzle of olive oil. The noodles are then tossed in a light cream sauce with truffle paste for some lunch-time decadence.

Goes great with: The second most popular dish, the cavolo nero (kale salad, $13.95) which sees often tough kale leaves finely chopped and slightly tenderized by a zesty lemon vinaigrette and topped with currants, toasted pine nuts, and shaved pecorino. Enjoy it on the restaurant’s new giant rooftop patio, which has a retractable glass roof so it can be open year-round.—Karon Liu

After nearly 40 years, North York sandwich institution Belly Buster Submarines (3447 Yonge St., at Teddington Park Ave.) is expanding with the first of what may be a slew of new locations in Ontario. By the middle of June, a new Belly Buster will be open in the former Asakusa sushi restaurant space (389 King St. W., at Spadina, pictured above) with the same menu as the original location and serving lunch, dinner, and late-night eats (until 3:30 a.m. on weekends).

The main difference with the new spot is the addition of salads (“It was something I wanted to do at the other location but limited space kept me from doing it,” says Belly Buster owner Chris Passilidis, who took over the sub shop in 2004 after working there for three years). Twin brothers Jian and Page Magen (who run Magen Boys Entertainment) and Michael Kimel are the new co-owners and will be in charge of the expansion. (Jian’s been a Belly Buster devotee for 20 years.)

The new staff at the downtown location, which is about the same size as the original Belly Buster, is currently training at the uptown spot, and equipment, like fridges and microwaves, is expected to arrive at the new place this week. It will seat about 15 people inside, plus another 10 on a little front patio.—Karon Liu

Name: Pancho y Emiliano.
Owner: Jose Luis Lopez, Serena Prontack, and Carlos Rivera.
Cuisine: Mexican.
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market.
Signature: Tacos, burritos, tostadas, and tamales.
Price: $3.50–$6.75
Open for: 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.

Assessment: A new restaurant has opened in Kensington! It’s Mexican! Surprise! In what was previously a shoe store, the neighbourhood’s newest Latin-American spot (to add to the growing roster) offers more seating than some of its peers, which is a bonus because not everything made here can be eaten on-the-go.

All three owners hail from different regions of Mexico, and this is reflected in the menu. Giant tamales wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed with chicken, pork, veggies, or jalapenos are a steal at only $4 each. Ceviche and avocado tostadas ($4.25) are refreshing, but a little difficult to eat with plastic cutlery. And, of course, there are tacos—chicken, steak, beef barbacoa, chorizo, and a veggie option ($3.50 for one and $6 for two).

The real draw, however, is the gargantuan fish taco ($5.75) that just might be the biggest of its kind available in the city right now. Two generous pieces of battered fish are scattered with tomato and onion, then slathered in something that, strangely enough, tastes a little like Big Mac sauce—but it works. The restaurant’s hot sauce—which comes to the table in a cauldron-shaped bowl—goes with everything, so do your taste buds a favour and drizzle it over your entire order.

Assets:

• Two people can get seriously full for less than $25.
• A mini cauldron full of hot sauce that tastes great on everything.
• Seating! Which shouldn’t be so exciting, but in Kensington, it is.

Liabilities:

• Plastic cutlery doesn’t cut it (literally).

Bottom Line: Did Kensington need another Mexican restaurant? Probably not, but with fish tacos this big, we aren’t complaining. —Rebecca Fleming

200 Augusta Ave., 416-925-8454.

Chef Anthony Rose is opening a separate 60-seat barbecue restaurant behind his Rose and Sons diner (176 Dupont St., at Davenport) this summer. The yet-to-be named outdoor eatery (that was originally meant to be the diner’s back patio) will be open seasonally, for about five to six months of the year, depending on the weather.

Rose says it’s not barbecue in the southern sense (as in, the successor to the popular Drake Hotel BBQ pop-up he did years ago) but rather it’s more like a grill-up at a friend’s backyard. A separate kitchen and bar—to be housed in shipping containers—is currently being built along with a deck and awning.

“I love southern barbecue and I appreciate it being done in the city, but I want to get back to what I was doing growing up,” says Rose. “I didn’t know much about southern barbecue, but at the cottage we’d throw some charcoal on. So when I say barbecue, I’m including shrimps on the barbie, whole grilled fish, links of sausage. It’s more like quick, rather than slow barbecue. We’ll have a smoker, but the only thing that’s coming out of there will probably be ribs or chicken wings. We’re also trying to get a turkey fryer in here.”

The idea to have a separate restaurant came when Rose realized that the back patio was too far from the kitchen, making it difficult to keep up with service, so the decision was made to come up with a different concept and build a separate bar and kitchen, which will have a 60-inch grill with a spit.

The backyard will be accessible via a walkway beside the restaurant. Rose and Sons chef Chris Sanderson will extend his duties to this new place, which will be open for lunch and dinner, and is aiming to open in July.—Karon Liu

PHOTO: DAVID COOPER/TORONTO STAR

Alright, so most people have probably spent enough time at the LCBO this week stocking up. Still, there’s one more good reason to visit your local branch: Lemon Hart Demerara Rum, of which (perhaps thanks to yesterday’s hoarding frenzy) there are only about a dozen bottles left downtown.

Granted, this rum would produce even more excitement if it were the 151 version, which tiki types hoard to make over-the-top over-proof cocktails, but this version is still worth picking up—it’s a rich, strong rum with coffee and caramel flavours battling it out for dominance. And at only $26.70, it’s a bargain, since it will add dimension and depth of flavour to any number of your summer cocktails. Plus, if we support the new Lemon Hart (the label has existed in various incarnations since 1804 and is now Canadian-owned) maybe the LCBO will eventually let us have the coveted 151.

So take a trip to the LCBO today—it should be highly entertaining, what with shelves laid bare and everyone madly re-stocking. Keep hoarding, starting with Lemon Hart. —Christine Sismondo

LEMON HART DEMERARA RUM 323915 | Price: $ 26.70

Just a few doors down from the Annex’s Harbord Room is its new sister restaurant THR&Co. (97 Harbord St., at Spadina), which will officially open for dinner tonight.

Co-owner and Harbord Room chef Cory Vitiello spoke a bit about the new venture at last night’s soft opening. The spacious restaurant (which has 62 seats as opposed to Harbord Room’s 36) is a partnership between The Harbord Room’s proprietors Dave Mitton, Chris Shiki, Vitiello, and former sous chef Curt Martin (now head chef at THR&Co.) and bar manager (and Grid Bar Star) Liz Campbell.

“The biggest problem at the Harbord Room is accommodating all the customers, because it’s so spatially limited,” says Vitiello. “We also built up a strong working relationship with our partners here, who’ve been with us since day one, and we always knew we wanted to do a project together somewhere down the line.”

A year ago the owner of Messis (the space that THR&Co. took over) told Vitiello that he was selling the restaurant and gave them first dibs at snatching it up. “We didn’t want someone else to come in and take the spot that we’d oohed and ahhed over for the last five years, so that was the catalyst to getting it going.” He describes THR&Co. as a more family-oriented, neighbourhood restaurant with lower prices (mains are in the low $20 range) and adds that it’s not meant to turn into a loud bar at night (the last dinner seating is 10 p.m.).

As for the food, it’s predominately Italian with some Spanish and North African influences scattered in (“Curt’s a big flavour guy,” says Vitiello). The kale salad comes with an unexpected twist as raw leaves are tossed in a chermoula vinaigrette with paper-thin slices of carrot, fennel, pickled goji berries, and citrus segments ($11). A side of carrots comes with dates, paroles, and maple gastrique ($6). Lamb neck osso bucco is punched up with harissa and a fried currant and pine nut gremolata ($23). There are also pizzas with toppings like nettles and ricotta ($14), crumbled merguez ($14), and buffalo mozzarella ($13), starters like beef heart tartare with a cured duck yolk ($12), and pastas, like a spicy squid ink spaghetti with a generous helping of charred squid ($13 for small, $19 for large).

The restaurant is closed on Sundays and is waiting for its patio licence. There are plans to start lunch and brunch service at the end of summer, but as of now it is dinner only.—Karon Liu

Name: Bushi Udon Kappo.
Chef: Koki Oguchi.
Cuisine: Japanese.
Neighbourhood: Midtown.
Signature: Udon noodle soup.
Price: $7.50–$10.50 for bowls of soup.
Open for: Lunch and dinner everyday.

Assessment: In the last year, Toronto diners have gone unequivocally (some might say irrationally) crazy for ramen. Yet throughout this period, very little has been said (or written) about udon, ramen’s less trendy (but no less delicious) cousin. Perhaps proof of the fickle nature of food trends, Japanese noodle house Bushi Udon Kappo opened two months ago to little fanfare. But make no mistake: the food here is good. In fact, these piping bowls are just as warming, hearty, and delicious as anything put out by one of the city’s excessively popular ramen joints.

Decorated simply with a handful of dark tables and chairs, neutral-coloured walls, and a sushi counter at the back, the restaurant won’t be winning any awards for its design. Luckily, chef and co-owner Koki Oguchi has focused his attention on what really matters. Made in-house, the thick wheat udon noodles are the restaurant’s main attraction, and they appear in over a dozen hot and cold soups. The deep-fried tofu bowl ($8.50) has sweet, crispy ribbons of the pressed soy product swimming with the chewy noodles in a thin broth accented with soy sauce, bonito flakes, and dried anchovies. It’s much lighter and less salty than tonkotsu or miso broth. The winning dish here is the curry with beef and vegetables ($10.50), a thick, spicy soup with shaved beef and chunks of fried onions that almost resembles a curry from Southeast Asia. If you find it’s getting a bit warm out for hot soup, the restaurant’s large menu has plenty of side dishes, including sushi, sashimi, tempura, and grilled seafood, which make for decent accompaniments to udon, or solid meals in their own right.

Assets:

• The food is good, and lineups are not an issue (for now).
• Take-out is an option for nearly everything on the menu (including the soup).
• Service is fast without being rushed, meaning Bushi Udon makes for a great quick lunch or dinner meal.

Liabilities:

• Even if you’re crazy for noodle soup, this is inarguably cold-weather food, and summer is coming.

Bottom Line: Proof that hype isn’t everything, Bushi Udon makes great Japanese noodle soup in an unpretentious setting. —Jacob Rutka

1404 Yonge St., 416-323-9988, bushiudon.com.

The bento box is always a good option for sampling a bit of everything on a restaurant’s menu—a concept chef Susur Lee has used to create the new Bent-O Box special at his sons’ restaurant, Bent (777 Dundas St. W., at Markham).

Available for $35 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (after that it’s $42) until June 8, the special meal takes bits from the regular menu to make a tasting platter for two (or one really hungry patron), and starts with a little espresso cup of hot coconut curry shrimp soup. The impressively-sized plate then arrives with pickles, oyster shooters bursting with salty salmon roe, little lobster tacos in crispy shells, and a tuna and watermelon ceviche served on top of a Chinese donut fritter. There’s also pressed octopus with Mediterranean influences of pomegranates and lentils, a spicy white snapper, clam, mussel, and calamari ceviche with Peruvian chili, and salmon gravlax on a Japanese omelet. Dessert is a mango panna cotta, a play on the similarly-flavoured pudding that’s a staple at Chinese restaurants.

“Summer is about lighter food and right now a lot of seafood is in season,” says chef Lee. “The Bent-O box lets customers know more about the restaurant and our strengths like crudo, sashimi, and ceviche.”

Goes great with: A summery yuzu-basil mojito ($15), which has a bit of sweet acidity that complements the seafood and enhances the delicate fish dishes. Still hungry? Try the delectable braised spiced short ribs ($22) with black garlic and truffled parsnip puree.—Karon Liu

UPDATE, MAY 15: Due to popular demand, the Bent-O Box special has been extended until June 8th. This post has been updated.

Popular King West fish house (and Grid Pick), The One That Got Away, will open a second location at 2392 Bloor St. W. (at Armadale) in what used to be a Mamma’s Pizza. Owner Phil Sato says the concept and menu will remain the same, but with the addition of kid’s meals to cater to the neighbourhood’s smaller appetites (of which there are many).

With Queen Margherita, Marky and Sparky’s Smokehouse, and now TOTGA opening in the ‘hood, it seems as though Bloor West Village is finally experiencing a much needed culinary renaissance. The restaurant’s second location is slated to start serving haddock and chips (among other pescetarian delights) in early June. —Rebecca Fleming

Name: Amanda Hamer.

Occupation: Pastry chef at Barque Smokehouse.

Age: Undisclosed.

Marital Status: Single.

Ideal Toronto date: I like a man who is tall, handsome, and charming, but a little edgy. After a couple of phone convos and flirty text messages, my date and I would meet on a warm summer evening on King West at Joe Mama’s for cocktails and a bit of live entertainment. The cocktail list there is marvelous. I’d let my date order my drink for me, hoping that he’d pick something fruity but with a sour twist, like the Isaac Hayes cocktail. If all is going well and I sense he’s adventurous, we’d hop in a cab and roll on down to Live Organic Food Bar—their menu is amazing and they offer an array of gourmet, gluten-and-sugar-free vegan dishes to recharge and cleanse your body, mind, and soul. The portions are generous and I’d suggest that we share the raw sushi. It’s made with sunflower seed and cilantro paté, fresh carrots and cucumber, then rolled in nori, and served with a maple miso glaze, pickled ginger, and spicy mayo—the spicy mayo is unbelievable. Live’s BLT and coconut-wrapped samosas are good, too! There’s nothing more appealing to me than a man who takes care of his body, inside and out. My date would learn that I have a passion for food despite being gluten-intolerant (and that I can still whip it up and throw it down in the kitchen). For dessert, I’d have him try my favorite, the Almond Dream sweetened with agave syrup. Yum!

Talk to me about: Memorable movies, growing up a ’90s kid, music, photography, spirituality, anything comical, and comfort food that warms the soul.

My blow-your-socks-off dish: This would be my dulcé de leché candied pecan donut. It starts with double-raised yeast dough that’s deep fried till it’s golden brown. That, or my chocolate coconut banana cake covered with cream cheese icing—it’s sinfully good!

Deal-breaker: Bad hygiene (Yuck!), close-minded individuals, guys without a sense of humor, heavy chain smokers, and grown men who play video games.—Rebecca Fleming