Paramount Fine Foods - Yorkville Soft Opening

A little over a month ago I wrote about a new halal sandwich shop called Fresh East (read all about it here), which is a health-conscious deli that serves up Middle Eastern subs and shawarmas. This new sandwich shop is actually a new spin-off franchise from the very restaurant that I will be blogging about today, Paramount Fine Foods.

Paramount Fine Foods is renowned in Toronto for its award-winning shawarma and assorted menu of healthy halal dishes. They are also Canada’s fastest growing halal Middle Eastern restaurant chain. The company sources only the freshest products for its authentic recipes and all of their restaurants have been certified halal by the ISNA Halal Certification Agency. Last month, Paramount Fine Foods opened its newest location by bringing exotic flavours of the Middle East to one of the most trendiest and most luxurious part of the city, Yorkville.

Me and my guest were invited to its soft opening the weekend before it opened to the public where we were able to enjoy a set menu on the house. The free meals were a part of a soft launch charity initiative, allowing customers to enjoy the menu and were encouraged to tip generously. Paramount Fine Foods tallied the tips and matched each amount, donating all proceeds to the Jesse Ketchum Jr. & Sr. Public School; a culturally diverse, Yorkville institute.

I’ve actually been to their Mississauga location in the past and much like many of their other locations across the city it has a very casual and laid back atmosphere. Once you enter the restaurant you would walk up to the counter and order off the menu hanging above the cashier, much like what you would do at any fast food joint. The cashier would then give you a number to bring back to your table and once the food was prepared, the servers would come find your number and bring you your food.

As this new location is in Yorkville, filled with many high end shops and restaurants galore, the new location will feature an upscale sit-down dining experience with an open concept kitchen and a wood-burning oven unlike any of their other restaurants before. You will be greeted by a friendly hostess at the door when you walk in who will bring you to your table, and the wait staff will take your order and serve you your food and drinks where you are seated like what you would expect at any high end restaurant. This change in style will allow Paramount Fine Foods to cater to the high end clientele that will be in the area looking to grab a delicious bite to eat.

Now off to the good part. The food and drinks!

Cocktail Juice (mixture of fresh mango, strawberry, and banana, slightly sweetened with sugar); Paramount Special (layers of fresh strawberry and mango juices with mixed fruits, topped with fresh strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, almonds, crushed pistachio, ashta cream and honey)

Moutabbal (grilled eggplant, blended with tahini sauce, drizzled with virgin olive oil)

Hummus with Chicken (choice of chicken or beef, drizzled with virgin olive oil)

Chicken & Beef Shawarma (a mix of chicken and beef shawarma, served with garlic sauce and tahini, with choice of french fries or white rice, a side of lettuce, tomatoes, mixed pickles)

Mini Mixed Grill (grilled skewers of striploin beef, shish tawouk and kafta served with grilled tomatoes and onions, served with a piece of spicy bread, with a choice of french fries or white rice)

Kinafe (cheese pastry drizzled with sugar syrup and sprinkled with pistachios)

The new location in Yorkville is open right now on the corner of Bay Street and Cumberland. Paramount is the first full service halal restaurant in Yorkville so it definitely will be leaving a mark on its community, opening up tourism by catering to halal and health-conscious diners. If you are not near this Yorkville area, don’t worry as there are 15 other restaurant locations in Southern Ontario where at least 1 of them is bound to be close to where you live. However I will have to warn you, it may not be as pretty as this one.

Tea of the People - Organic Barrel Aged Tea

Ever since moving out on my own I have developed a strange addiction with teas, so at my house right now I probably have over $100 worth of different tea flavours from various companies. Even at work I have a large box of teas that I drink daily. The second I arrive at my desk I make sure that I have a hot cup of tea ready to carry me through the day. With all the tea that I consume, I thought I knew it all, but with thanks to Joshua Caplan, Founder & Chief Activist Officer of Tea of the People, he introduced me to his own tea company and its one of a kind organic barrel aged tea. 

Tea of the People is a Toronto-based loose-leaf tea company that is on a mission to drive the tea space in a healthier, more socially conscious direction. In a tea market where options are almost endless, there’s a unique opportunity to elevate both the quality and authenticity of tea. This is where Tea of the People come in as they have proudly developed Canada’s first barrel aged organic tea! 

The barrel aging process consists of hand-blending organic, single estate tea, fruits, herbs and spices together and placing the blend into charred white oak wood barrels to age in a wine cellar for 3-5 months. The result is a rich, complex tea with a hint of oak unlike any other. 

However, I think the most distinguishable part of Tea of the People from all the other tea companies out there is how they are trying to do some good in this world, to make a change and a difference in people’s lives. Tea of the People is about Joshua’s mission to demonstrate that business can be used as a tool for good. Each month Tea of the People donates 5% of its profits to a new entrepreneur or non-profit that is leveraging scalable technologies with regard to solving issues in poverty alleviation, education, public health and climate change. Notably, through Watsi, a healthcare crowd-funding platform, Tea of the People funded a 12 year-old girl’s ear surgery. Paid for with a portion of their profits, Chantha, a sweet heart of a kid from Cambodia, will keep her ability to hear. Now this is the kind of company I can get behind! 

Below are two of the teas I was very excited to try. They both have a very earthy taste to them thanks to its organic ingredients and its barrel aging process. The ingredients used are of the utmost quality resulting in a refined cup of tea every time you drink it. 

1) Organic Barrel Aged Madagascar Cocoa x Mint Rooibos

2) Organic Barrel Aged Silk Road Chai

Tea of the People has now been picked up by Loblaws at select Ontario locations (click here to find out which Loblaws location is closest to you). If you are not in Ontario or close to a Loblaws to pick these teas up, please visit their website to place your order as they currently have 8 different offerings right now for you to choose from. 

I would like to invite you all to come join this tea revolution where their innovative teas are always made with a higher purpose: to make the world a better place. When you drink Tea of the People - you empower the people! Get yours today! 

EPICURIOUS TORONTO DINING DECK

Calling all Toronto foodies! Do you like good food? How about good food while dining out at some of your favourite local restaurants? Or how about getting an incentive to try out new restaurants that you may not have heard or tasted before? Do you also like to save money? How about saving lots and lots of money, maybe somewhere in the region of $400? If you said yes to all or even some of that, this product the “Epicurious Toronto Dining Deck” is for you!

For only $20 you get access to save $400 spread over 40 restaurants across this great city! Some of these restaurants include city hot spots like Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, Parts & Labour, Geraldine, East Thirty-Six, and Cheesewerks, just to name a few. A full list of restaurants can be found here. 

How To Use:

1. Pick a card

2. Spend $25 or more (before tax and gratuities) at that restaurant

3. Receive $10 off your final bill

This deck literally pays for itself just after two uses. I can’t believe this product hasn’t blown up yet, but I’m sure it will very soon. If you are not a foodie yourself, this is a perfect gift to give to someone that is. Or better yet, give this as a gift to a person who you know will bring you out to dine at all of these restaurants. I got all your bases covered on this! 

Along with the 40 “coupons” you get in this $20 dining deck, you also receive 10 Food Tour Cards that give you a discount to various food tours organized by Culinary Adventure Co. 

Also conveniently enough, on each card has a description of the restaurant and its cuisine, their address, phone number, website, their social media accounts, and also if they serve lunch/brunch, dinner, or both. 

If $20 is out of your budget or if you think visiting 40 restaurants is too much, the $10 Mini Deck has also just been launched recently. For only $10, you will get 10 restaurant cards and one tour card all randomly selected from the standard deck. 

If you do not live in Toronto or frequent Toronto restaurants, these same great deals are coming to other cities across Ontario as well including Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Burlington, and Barrie. Visit here and enter your email address to subscribe for updates until it launches! 

Please note that these restaurant cards all expire at the end of the year so it is best to buy it as soon as possible to give yourself the most time to enjoy all the restaurant possibilities. 

Click here to place your order now for the Epicurious Toronto Standard $20 Dining Deck or the $10 Mini Deck! 

Fresh East - A Middle Eastern Twist on the North American Sandwich Shop

Throughout the years people of Ontario have had the chance to dive into the world of Middle Eastern cuisine through the very successful restaurant chain Paramount Fine Foods. I was first introduced to Paramount around four years ago by a good friend who brought me there for the very first time while I was still working in Mississauga. I have loved it ever since. 

The fresh, healthy, and authentic flavours that Paramount Fine Foods prepares is what makes them the juggernaut of Middle Eastern cuisine it is today. With its growing popularity year after year Paramount Fine Foods is expanding its locations to other provinces in Canada and also into the United States and Dubai later this year. What is even more exciting is not only is it opening up more locations in North America, this year it has also created a new spin-off franchise called Fresh East, a health-conscious deli that serves up Middle Eastern subs and shawarmas. 

Fresh East tops the good old-fashioned sub with a splash of authentic Middle Eastern flavours through its new quick-serve restaurant concept, where diners can try the savoury flavours of the Middle East and customize the sub or shawarma to their liking. On the menu is a wide selection of freshly baked breads, fresh produce, halal deli meats, and authentic homemade secret sauces. Fresh East is also the first halal-certified quick-serve sandwich shop, catering to halal and health-conscious diners. 

Much like the success of Paramount Fine Foods serving up Halal meats, Fresh East will be no different as it will surely act as another go-to place to get your halal meats into your diet. Halal is essentially meat (excluding pork, meat from any carnivorous animals or birds of prey) that has been prepared according to strict Islamic guidelines. These guidelines require that the meat must be prepared in a specific way where the animal must have been fed a natural diet that did not contain any animal by-products. Doing so allows the maximum amount of blood to drain from the animal’s body, since blood in meat makes it more susceptible to rotting which will also negatively impact its taste. As a result, halal meat tastes better, is healthier and stays fresh longer giving Fresh East a competitive advantage to other similar sandwich shops who do not focus and sell halal meats to their customers. 

A few weeks ago I had the chance to go to Fresh East’s second location inside the food court at the newly renovated Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga, Ontario (the first one opened up last September at Western University that focused more on the student population). After meeting with the manager, he provided me with two of the most popular subs which are the classic halal cold cuts and chicken shawarma. Much like Subway, you can choose from ordering a 6 inch sub or a foot long (12 inch). You then choose your meats, cheese, toppings, and sauces to go along with it. To make it a combo you can pay an extra $2.65 and you can add a drink, two cookies, two pieces of baklava, or chips. 

As Fresh East is centered around serving Middle Eastern cuisine, you can expect the staples here as well such as falafels, kafta, chicken and beef shawarmas, tabbouleh/fattoush salads, lentil soup, and even a yogurt drink. One unique set of dishes I saw here were their “Sandwich In The Bowl.” I’m sure we have all experienced in the past just how messy eating a sandwich or shawarma can be with all the toppings and sauces dripping down your hands as you take your next bite. Well this Sandwich In A Bowl solves that problem. You can order a beef shawarma, roast beef, shish tawouk, kafta, among an endless list of other possibilities all in a bowl form, mess free! Fresh East also has breakfast covered by offering various forms of Egg n’ Cheese in a 6 inch sub or croissant. 

What I would recommend here? Definitely get the classic halal cold cut sub here. It is packed with so much flavour. I normally stray away from cold cuts as I tend to find them a bit bland and boring to eat, but my taste buds were blown away with this one. You really can taste the difference through the freshness of their halal meats. The baklava pastries are also delicious and a great addition to have as your side. 

Fresh East officially opened for business last month and two more are set to follow in the GTA this fall as well as additional U.S locations. Keep an eye out for Fresh East in the coming years as I am sure more and more locations will be popping up in a neighborhood near you. 

UPDATE:

Fresh East’s newest location is now open near Yonge and Dundas Square (334 Yonge Street), just north of Dundas and right across the Ryerson Student Learning Centre. Now is the perfect time if you are in the downtown area to try Fresh East and their Middle Eastern subs and shawarmas!

Special Thanks

Fresh East

& Company Resto Bar - New Menu Tasting

When a new menu gets curated for a restaurant, a new crop of hungry restaurant goers usually comes along with it. I was fortunate enough to be included in this new crop and got invited to try the new dishes out at &Company Resto Bar in Mississauga situated near the largest shopping mall in Ontario, Square One. &Company Resto Bar was established back in December of 2011 and has become a go-to destination in Mississauga. The full experience starts with an evening of dinner with friends and transitions into nightlife at 10pm where cocktails, a DJ, a dance floor, and a bouncer at the door is all to be expected. Everything from their menu to their nightlife events is meant to bring people together so it is fitting that their slogan is “Life’s Better When You’re In Good Company.”

This new menu was entirely created by their new Executive Chef Ron Stratton who was recently hired just this past November. He has over 20 years experience working in kitchens and fine dining restaurants all over Canada. The menu centres around “fine familiar” cuisine, showcasing a distinctly elevated take on some very familiar dishes. 

My friend and I were led to our tables and we started off with a glass of red and white wine. If you’re hoping to catch a live sporting game while you eat, &Company Resto Bar has that covered with the many televisions installed all over the restaurant. As their name suggests, it has a great mix of a sheek and upscale restaurant combined with the laid back vibe of a bar. 

We eventually looked over their menu and picked our two appetizers, two mains, and one dessert to try. Check it out. 

Crispy Thai Calamari

Flash-fried calamari with pickled vegetable salad and green curry coconut veloute. Cost - $15.00

Duck Confit Poutine

Hand-cut Russet chips topped with Brome Lake duck leg confit, marinated curds, tarragon gravy and onion crisps. Cost - $18.00

Hickory Smoked Burger

8 oz. AAA beef patty stuffed with hickory smoked mozzarella, topped with crisp bacon, sunny side egg, rustic tomato ketchup, and lemon aioli, “Fred’s” brioche bun with a side of root chips and signature dip. Cost - $27.00

USDA

In-house dry aged 10 oz. steak with Ontario goat cheese scalloped potatoes, ratatouille vegetables and veal jus. Cost - $36.00

Lime & Meringue Tart

Lime curd with milk chocolate ganache and flure de sel meringue. Cost - $14.00

As a foodie who grew up watching Gordon Ramsay on Hell’s Kitchen and Masterchef, one of his signature dishes that he makes and talks about on his TV show is a beef/salmon wellington. I have always been so intrigued with this dish as it incorporates puff pastry that is wrapped around the beef or salmon and then baked. It is something I’ve always wanted to try and the good news here is that on this new menu, Salmon Wellington is on it! Unfortunately for me that night it was already sold out by the time I arrived, but since I’ve been searching high and low for this at a restaurant I’ll definitely be back just to try that.

The presentation of each dish was just spot on as the dishes almost looked too beautiful to eat. My favourite dishes I had from that night were the Crispy Thai Calamari (I’m a sucker for coconut), the Hickory Smoked Burger (the patty was so juicy and tender which was also elevated by the sunny side egg), and the Lime & Meringue Tart (holy presentation batman, the dessert is just stunning). 

If you ever find yourself having worked up an appetite shopping across the street at Square One, head on over here to &Company Resto Bar to refuel with your closest friends and family. The food, service, and ambiance is second to none and of course the company you bring along is even better because as we all now know, Life’s Better When You’re In Good Company. I couldn’t agree with that more. 

Special Thanks

&Company Resto Bar

Basel Kawar