A mere four hours drive from where I reside, Toronto always holds the promise of adventure and escape from the everyday. It’s a juggernaut of money, culture, sports and beautiful people. And for a few times a year, I make it my personal playground!

Some restaurants in Toronto far exceed their peers. Amid all if its 8,000 dinning establishments, David Chang’s Momofuku is my favourite. The Noodle Bar in particular. It’s tucked neatly next to the Shangri-La Hotel on University Ave.

Let’s talk about the food. Ah, the food. The Momofuku Ramen has shredded pork shoulder, creamy pork belly, green onions, a soft poached egg and fish cakes floating on tender noodles and submerged in the most delicious broth. The clam noodles included said clams, scallions, miso, noodles, the delicous broth as well as a heaping spoonful of chilis. If you are heat-averse, this isn’t the dish for you. The Momofuku Pork Buns are what foodie-dreams are made of. Fluffy pillows of bread enveloped around soft pork belly, stuffed with pickled cucumbers, scallions and a dollop of hoisin sauce. Upstairs is Momofuku Milk Bar which is more of a glassed-in walk-in-fridge than a bar. Still, it contains Crack Pie, a lavish object of my desire. Believe me when I say that I would shatter the glass walls to get my hands on that pie. Once you start eating this rich-sweet-salty-buttery-silky pie, you won’t be able to stop. I am for sure, addicted.

momofuku ramen – pork belly & shoulder, fish cake, egg

steamed pork buns – pork belly, hoisin, cucumbers, scallions

Crack Pie

Chocolate Malt Cake Truffles

Another gustatory obsession of mine is Chipotle Mexican Grill. The ingredients are laid out in front of you so you get to choose the perfect combo to assemble the perfect meal. Take for instance the burrito bowl. Served in a bowl (hence the name, clever, eh?) you get your choice of cilantro-lime rice, pinto or black beans, meat (braised carnitas or barbacoa, adobo-marinated and grilled chicken or steak) or guacamole, salsa and cheese or sour cream. Chipotle describes it as “a burrito in a bowl and filled with dreams.” Speaking of burrito, the Chipotle Burrito is also what dreams are made of. A flour tortilla stuffed with your choice of the above burrito-bowl ingredients. Not sure why Chipotle has not yet expanded to Ottawa. My friends and family could keep the company afloat with our healthy appetites alone. Chipotle, come to Ottawa, already!

Burrito Bowl

Burrito

Eating out is grand but eating-in can be just as satisfying. Especially when someone else is doing the cooking. Lucky for me, my pal’s family is always up for playing gracious hosts. One night we were served a savory dish of Kale with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Meatballs alongside a spectacular Mango-Coconut Quinoa Salad. I loved everything but went back for seconds for the salad. Dressed in sweet balsamic and lime juice, and loaded with tons of fruits and vegetables, this salad was a standout. There’s something about the kindness and thoughtfulness put into a meal that makes everything taste better. Not to get all lovey but I’m lucky and grateful to have these people in my life, if only for a few weekends a year.

Kale with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Meatballs

The real reason behind our TO escapde was to be amongst my beloved Red Sox who were in town to play the Jays. It was my first ball game of the season. I love the sights and sounds of baseball. The crack of the bat, the scent of hot dogs in the air, the cheering fans. It was cool to see Big Papi and Peddey. And the Sox won both games. Good times. Although the poor guy sitting near us who got carried out on a strecher by the medics may have had a bit too much of a good time.

Other than seeing the Red Sox win, the highlight of the trip was taking in the breathtaking Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, located adjacent to the CN Tower.

The Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is 12,500-square-metres with 5.7-million litres of marine and freshwater habitats from across the world. The website states that the aquarium has more than 13,500 exotic sea and freshwater creatures, comprising more than 450 species.

Everywhere you looked it was a fish frenzy. The most stunning part of the aquarium was the Dangerous Reef exhibit, which has a 96-metre-long moving sidewalk (the longest in North Amercia) through an acrylic tunnel deep below the 2.84-million litre Shark Lagoon, a habitat occupied by 3 to 3.7-metre-long sand tiger sharks, largetooth sawfish and green sea turtles. It felt like we were submerged in the ocean. Sick. Yes, I’m gushing but upon visiting, you’ll understand. The aquarium is a wonder all to itself. You must go. NOW!

And that with that, a fitting end to our Toronto excursion. Lots of fantastic food, kind family, the Sox, and a very cool aquarium. Thanks T Dot. Till next time!