Isabella's Salmon Teriyaki

1 fillet salmon
1/4 light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy
1 clove garlic
1 piece ginger (1 inch piece)
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Add canola oil to a non-stick fry pan at medium heat. Sear the fillet for 1 minute on each side and set aside. Add garlic and ginger to pan and saute for 1 minute. Add light and dark soy, and honey to pan and simmer till mixture has thickened (approximately 5 minutes). Cut salmon into bite size pieces (2 inch cubes) and add to simmering sauce. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove garlic and ginger. 

A Delux Birthday Dinner....

Nothing like finding an excuse to gorge at a fine local place, especially when it's a hotspot in the trendy Dundas and Ossington area. We were celebrating a belated birthday dinner... OK, it's beyond belated. Belated to the point where it could be next year's birthday dinner, but I digress. Delux is one of the many gems in the urban hipster area that is Dundas and Ossington. The street is sprawled with young professionals looking to be seen and seeing those who don't want to be seen. Delux certainly fits that vibe.

A cozy loft environment engulfs you as the maitre d leads you to a small yet elegant marble table. Exposed brick walls and steel beams are the main backdrop along with art deco lighting and a large wooden winerack behind the bar. Delux offers a modest but tasty menu. We shared a friture of white fish with remoulade, roasted pears with bleu and arugula salad, and a charcuterie of duck breast with confiture. The white fish were light and delicate but with a bright seafood flavour, brought out further with the accompaniment of fried capers and parsley. The roasted pears were coaxed out of boredom with a sprinkling of coarse salt and the bleu de vain slices. The charcuterie of duck was beautifully presented but lacked the deep curing flavours of properly prepared salumi.

The mains followed a similar path of excellence and average. The cubano sandwich and frites was beautifully executed. Thin shavings of ham with melted cheese and grainy mustard are enclosed with crispy buttery bread. Frites came out golden and delicious. The roast chicken on the other hand didn't meet up to the menu description's hype. The flesh of the bird was cooked perfectly, however the skin was not crisp but rubbery. The chorizo sauce lacked the depth of flavour the sausage typically provides in terms of colour and spice.

The meal did end on a upswing when Delux's signature "milk" and cookies came to the table. A row of hot out of the oven chocolate chip cookies centre the table. Each bite of the cookie had rich buttery and chocolaty flavour. And what can pair with such a delectable dessert other than a cold glass of milk? This dessert is a must order on any visit.

Delux is one of those neighbourhood restaurants that will outlast any trend.

Sashan's Lean Eats...part one

Tex-Mex Salsa

1 Red Pepper

1 Small Can Corn

1/2 Red Onion

1 Clove Garlic

1 Avocado

1/2 Can Black Beans

2 Tomatoes

Cilantro

Juice of half a Lime

1 tsp Cumin

1/4 cup Olive Oil

Drain and rinse black beans well and set aside. For the red onion, finely mince and place in ice water while preparing other ingredients, this will take the aggressive raw bite out of the onion. Finely chop red pepper and tomatoes. Rough chop avocado. 

Drain the red onion, as dry as possible. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. As for the cilantro and olive oil, this is your personal taste so add as much as needed. 

This goes well with seared chicken breast or seared flank steak.

The Caffeinated Black Stallion

Dark Horse Espresso Bar is my favorite coffee spot in Toronto, hands down. The java they serve up is the some of the smoothest and intensely flavored lattes and espressos in the city. But on top of that, it's the whole environment where you can spend a good hour sipping your coffee that makes this place.

The scene has a cool lofty New York feel about it. The room is a converted art gallery, with wood beams on the high ceilings, exposed brick, and glossy hardwood floors. There are two big communal tables for people to have idle chit chat, although it's usually filled with Queen street hipsters managing their iTunes on their Mac books.

Okay, so the coffees aren't cheap. The lattes and cappuccinos start at $3.15, and as for regular coffee, you can only get that in a french press. This is one of those places where you certainly pay for quality. The barristas take their time pouring out the rosettas on your latte, and as a result you do have to queue up after you've paid. So if you can put up with the hustle and bustle of the joint, you'll certainly be treated to something special.

http://www.darkhorseespresso.com

Honorable mentions: Mercury Espresso Bar, Fresh Start Coffee

Get-out-of-dog-house-free recipe

For you Sashan, use it wisely...

Thyme Chicken and Mushroom with Penne

3 boneless chicken thighs

1 pack button mushrooms (sliced)

3 large shallots (minced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 to 2 cups penne

salt and pepper

Pat dry chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Coat a medium sized saute pan with vegetable oil (ie - canola, safflower) and brown chicken on a medium-high heat. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Once cooled, slice chicken into half inch slices. Reduce heat to low-medium and add shallots and mushrooms to pan. Lightly salt and pepper and continue cooking until liquid has evaporated from the pan and the mushrooms have browned lightly. Add thyme. Bring heat back up to medium-high. Add chicken to the pan and add white wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half and then add cream and simmer for five minutes. Reduce heat to low and add butter. Salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain pasta but reserve the water the pasta was cooked in. Add cooked pasta to the pan and mix. If the mixture is too thick, add the reserved pasta water a bit at a time until mixture loosens to your liking.

Optional: Garnish with chopped chives, parmasean cheese,  or additional pepper.

Serves 2