CONTEST - Win a Dinner for Two at Touro Brazilian Steakhouse & Bar (Valued at Over $100!)

If you read my last post below, you'll remember seeing the time I had a delicious tasting at a Brazilian Steak House, so today I have teamed up with Touro Brazilian Steakhouse & Bar to give one lucky winner a chance to win a free dinner for two (including one drink each)! It's basically the exact same thing that I experienced! This is a premium dining experience where you'll have access to all the best cuts of meats known to man. The best part is that it is also all-you-can-eat so make sure you bring your appetite with you. If you're afraid you won't get your veggie in-take don't you worry because they also have an amazing Appetizer/Salad Station stocked with all sorts of veggies, soups, various hot and cold appetizers, and even a nacho bar!

To have a better idea of what this dining experience is all about, read all about it in my last blog post below. The winner will be able to choose their own preferred date and time for dinner (pending availability of course). This prize is valued at over $100! Here is how to enter:

Rules:

1) Follow 3 Accounts - My new repost account @theeverydayfoodies, my original account @theeverydayfoodie and @tourochurrascaria on Instagram
2) Like this picture on Instagram
3) Tag at least one friend in the comments below (each tag is 1 additional entry)
4) Optional: Repost this picture for a bonus 5 entries (remember to tag me so I know you reposted)
5) Optional: Visit my website (congratulations, you're already here!) and comment on the post by leaving your Instagram handle and letting me know what your favourite cut of meat to eat is!

Deadline to enter is at 11:59PM EST on May 28th, 2017. 1 random winner will be selected and contacted by DM on Instagram the day after.

New Spring Menu At Aroma Espresso Bar & Contest Details

You read that word right. Spring. It means that winter is now behind us. The snow has melted. T-shirt weather is on the horizon, and a brand new spring menu is now at Aroma Espresso Bar! Aroma Espresso Bar is spicing things up a little this year with the launch of brand new menu items and making some tweaks on some old favourites. With the launch a few days ago on April 18th, the new spring menu features a Harissa Tuna Sandwich and an option to add Spirulina (a natural algae powder) to a variety of drinks.

Harissa Tuna Sandwich

My personal favourite off of this spring menu is the new Harissa Tuna Sandwich which packs the heat but nothing that is too overbearing on your taste buds. Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste and used here as a hearty spread and foundation for this sandwich. It's stuffed with albacore tuna, hard-boiled egg, tomato, red onion and pickle, and served on a hearth-baked soft sesame and semolina bun, with a side of Kalamata olives.

Warm Grilled Chicken Salad

Aroma has always made some very delicious salads and I can definitely thank them for getting me into quinoa these days, because I got obsessed with it only after having their Quinoa Salad here. A popular choice among customers before, their new Warm Grilled Chicken Salad now comes with roasted garlic, eggplant, and roasted red pepper. A fantastic upgrade to an already great salad.

Beverages are of course what many go to Aroma for primarily, so it wouldn't be a new spring menu without some great new and innovative drinks. Spirulina shots are available for a limited time and you can add them to an Ice Lemon Mint or any other fruit smoothies or juices. Spirulina is rich in natural nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and a great source of iron. Instead of taking an espresso shot, next time change it up at Aroma and take a healthy dose of Spriulina in your drink instead. And yes, it will indeed turn your drink green!

An Aroma signature, the Ice Lemon Mint is also featured on their spring menu and of course you will find all their other beverages and food you have already come to love including those addictive chocolates!

To celebrate the launch of their new spring menu, I want to give you all an opportunity to win a $50 gift card at Aroma! Don't just take my word for it, have a taste yourself. Head on over to my Instagram page HERE and enter! The deadline to enter is this Sunday, April 23rd, 2017 at 11:59PM EST. A winner will be randomly chosen and contacted the day after.

For 5 bonus entries to the contest, leave a comment and your Instagram handle below and let me know what your favourite thing to get at Aroma is! Good luck everyone!

CONTEST - Win a $100 VISA Gift Card with Meridian Credit Union

I have teamed up with Meridian Credit Union, an Ontario financial institution to help 1 lucky winner get a kick start on their savings goals and win a $100 VISA gift card! We all know you work hard everyday to earn those dollars, all to have it disappear on your next meal out. To help you save on your next meal or to even put aside the extra $100 in an investment, follow the rules to enter below. Note this giveaway is only open to Ontario residents.

Rules:

1) Follow me @theeverydayfoodie and @MeridianCreditUnion on Instagram
2) Like this picture on Instagram
3) Tag at least one friend in the comments on Instagram (each tag is 1 additional entry)
4) Optional: Repost this picture on Instagram for a bonus 5 entries (remember to tag me so I know you reposted) 
5) Optional: Visit my website (congratulations, you're already here!) and comment on the post below by leaving your Instagram handle and saying what you would use the $100 for to get a bonus 5 entries

Deadline to enter is at 11:59PM EST on March 12th, 2017. 1 random winner will be selected and announced the day after!

CONTEST - Dewars' Scotch Egg Club (Win Two Free Tickets!)

How do scotch eggs and whisky cocktails sound? Pretty good right!?! To celebrate Robbie Burns Day, join the fun at Dewars' Scotch Egg Club this Wednesday night where six renowned chefs across Canada will compete for the title of the best scotch egg! The Scotch Egg Club will take place in cities across the globe and is designed to celebrate two of Tommy Dewar’s great passions: whisky and chickens.

Guests will get a chance to eat and judge each of the finalists' scotch eggs to crown the ultimate winner! The best part of it all is that each scotch egg will also be paired with a Dewar's cocktail. This one night only event will be hosted by acclaimed Scottish chef James Forest.

Event Details:

What: Dewar’s Scotch Egg Club
Where: Tommy’s Egg Kitchen, 667 King Street West, 2nd Floor
When: Wednesday, January 25th 2017 from 7 P.M. - 10 P.M.

We are giving away two free tickets for you and a friend to attend this event!

Here is how to enter:

1) Follow @theeverydayfoodie on Instagram
2) Like the picture on Instagram
3) Tag at least one friend in the comments on Instagram (each tag is 1 additional entry)
4) Optional: Repost this picture on Instagram for a bonus 5 entries
5) Optional: Leave your Instagram handle in the comments section below HERE on this blog post for a bonus 5 entries

Deadline to enter is at 8PM EST on January 23, 2017. 1 random winner will be selected and announced shortly after.

Good luck!

Teriyaki Experience 2.0. Enter Here For Your Chance To Win an $800 Gift Card!

Teriyaki Experience has come a long way since my days of undergraduate studies at McMaster University. When it came to deciding what I wanted to to eat before heading back to my dorm room, many times I would find myself lining up at Teriyaki Experience in our student centre to pick up a bowl of freshly made steamed rice, a helping of their signature veggie mix, my go-to protein of chicken, and of course that was all drenched in their famous teriyaki sauce.

Back then Teriyaki Experience was quite simple. The toughest decision when ordering was just figuring out which protein you wanted to have which was a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, or a mix of two. As simplistic as the menu was, customers were still lining up in droves because of the pure quality of its dishes. There's also a fun factor involved when placing your order here because the line cooks literally make your food right in front of you. You can hear the sizzling of the meats, smell the aromas of the veggies, and see the steam rise to the ceiling. Teriyaki Experience already had a great foundation to work with, and backed by customer loyalty and just sheer great tasting food, they are about to evolve into its next phase. Teriyaki Experience 2.0.

Chicken Sandwicchio with Edamame Beans

Currently rolling out at 3 locations in Ontario so far (Sherway Gardens, Toronto Eaton Centre, Dorval in Oakville), Teriyaki Experience 2.0 comes with a brand new look and menu. You will notice immediately that they now have new, sleek, and modern looking menu boards. All the employees are also sporting a brand new uniform that resembles a chef's jacket, and if you ever need to take your food to go their take-out packaging has also been revamped.

One of my favourite changes to version 2.0 is their partnership with the French-Asian patisserie, Bake Code. I have a large sweet tooth, so the offering of a variety of desserts like Japanese cheesecake, cream puffs, and rolls are definitely a welcome addition. I personally also really enjoyed the Pineapple Chicken which is part of their new Signature Meals. The pineapple chunks mixed into the rice and veggies really gives the dish some sweetness that none of their other offerings do adding a real exotic flare to it. A big bonus of their new Signature Meals is that they also come with two pieces of gyoza dumplings, another personal favourite of mine. It's hard to dislike anything that gets deep fried, and these gyoza dumplings are no exception.

Teriyaki Experience 2.0 Changes Overview

Made in Japan: Tea & Sweet Shop - Teas

• Sencha and Genmaicha organic loose leaf tea made the traditionally Japanese way (steamed) as opposed to many green teas, which are actually from China (pan-fried)

• Loose leaf teas flown directly from Japan

• Genmaicha green tea has roasted rice!

Made in Japan: Tea & Sweet Shop - Desserts

• Famous fluffy Japanese cheesecake

• Black sesame roll

• Green tea matcha cream puff pastry

• Green tea matcha roll

Upgraded Signature Meals

• Different veggie cuts so the meals are more Instagram-worthy

• Comes with gyoza dumpling

• Bigger veggie portion

• Famous Chicken Teriyaki is now a Signature Meal

Design-Your-Own-Bowls

• Rice and noodle bowls can be customized to guests’ taste

Sushi

• Made fresh everyday

Bento Box

• New menu product – get a bit of everything!

You may be wondering why Teriyaki Experience is making all these changes to its brand. They are actually celebrating 30 awesome years of being in business and to thank all of their customers for their support, Teriyaki Experience wants to give you a chance to win a free meal every week for a year (grand prize will be in the form of an $800 gift card which accommodates one meal per week for fifty-two weeks). All you have to do is enter by clicking HERE to register. The grand prize winner announcement will happen on Wednesday, December 5th in the afternoon via their corporate social profiles.