Eating on the road: Blackhorn Steakhouse in Scarborough

Scarborough is a community that is often the first stop for new residents and citizens on their Canadian journeys. As such, the face of Scarborough is often changing and so is its food. Today, you don't have to go too far to find quality biryani, kebab and shawarma. But scratch beneath the surface and you can also still find the tastes of an earlier Scarborough tucked into unassuming strip malls and industrial areas. German deli, Scottish fish and chips and, as I tried on my last visit, a steakhouse also specializing in seafood and Greek delicacies.

The Blackhorn Steakhouse is at Ellesmere and Warden, not far from a Costco whose $1.50 hot dogs still call my name. This night, though, I had my culinary sites set higher.

As mentioned, they do have a lot of Greek specialties developed to cater to what was once a very large Greek community in Scarborough, from Greek salad and a Greek variation of bruschetta to saganaki and slouvaki. At it's heart though, it's a steakhouse and I was there for the steak.

After a perfectly reasonable Caesar salad to start (I was trying to behave myself a bit or I would have gone with the cheesy, sinful goodness of saganaki), I went with the NY strip, medium-rare with garden veg (hold the potatoes) and a side of mushrooms (because it's not steak without mushrooms).

A delicious meal cooked perfectly, and I was more than filled up without carby potatoes. The steak was flavourful and juicy, and the mushrooms well-seasoned. And while prices are going up everywhere, it still beats The Keg.

Glad there are still places like this in Scarborough for when I need a break from the biryani.

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Eating on the road: Pantheon in Toronto

During a recent visit to Toronto I has the opportunity to dine with friends at Pantheon in Toronto's Greek town on the Danforth. I always enjoy Greek food and have been here before, although this choice was the product of careful research and due diligence amongst our friend group.

The restaurant seemed much smaller than we recalled it being from our last visit, pre-pandemic. It wasn't until we left that we realized they had given up half their floor space to a cookie bakery. Definitely not Greek, but tasty -- I had sampled it a few months prior.

Also subject to much deliberation and consideration was my entrée selection. And in the end, although I have enjoyed the Bifteki in the past, I decided on this day to get the mixed grill.

This includes lamb chops, chicken souvlaki and sausage as proteins. All were excellent. And quite filling; I had about half the plate and brought the other half back to the hotel for a future breakfast. The veggies were fine, very buttery, which probably reduced the healthiness a smidge.

The eagle-eyed among you may notice I haven't referenced the Greek potatoes. The Greek are renowned for their potatoes, and Pantheon is well regarded for their preparation. As my doctor wants be avoiding foods like potatoes, white pasta and rice, I asked for my potatoes on a side plate and they were enjoyed by my dining companions.

All in all, a delicious night on the Danforth.

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Eating up the Hill: How to get a decent gyro from the Parliamentary cafeteria

You need to have your expectations set realistically when you visit the Parliamentary cafeteria, given the limitations of a mass fast-service cafeteria setting. That said, there are some things they do well, like pastas and stir fries. Gyros would be on the other list, but friends, it can be saved.

The first time I had the gyro (one of the specials in the six-week rotation) I was very disappointed. They took a cold, not particularly soft pita, cut it in half, and put a decent enough amount of gyro meat, as well as onion, tomato and lettuce, between the now two pieces of bread and served it like a sandwich, greek salad (with real feta, mmm) and taziki sauce on the side.

No no no. It was messy and difficult to eat, and the pita hard and near inedible. Won't be having this again, I decided.

But six weeks later, not feeling the other options, I had a thought, and decided to try the gyro again. But this time, with some special handling instructions which the staff were happy to accommodate.

"Could you warm the pita up on the grill for me?" I asked. Not a problem.

A few minutes later. "Please don't cut the pita in half. Just, you know, fold it over." This one seemed to throw them for a bit more of a loop, but they complied.

And I was left with, for a cafeteria, a perfectly good gyro. Heating the pita makes all the difference, and the fold over is how it's meant to be eaten.

It won't make you think of Greece, but it will get you to dinner.

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