Eatdrink #42 July/August 2013

38 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
The BUZZ ... new and notable
The latest word on local chefs, restaurants, farmers’
markets, food shops, and culinary events. Send tips
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There is nothing like “dining al fresco” when the weather
really heats up, and London has superb outdoor dining. There’s
a very strong café culture in the city, with a diversity of outdoor
culinary experiences for everyone. In the summer, you can enjoy
dining at a sidewalk café, in a secluded courtyard setting, under
a pergola, or on a roof top patio or charming side-street terrace.
London city staff continues to study how best to turn
curbside parking spots into seasonal outdoor patios for
restaurants and bars across London, an opportunity that
is available downtown again this year. The Early Bird
and Kevin and Denise Greave’s Jambalaya were part of
the successful initial pilot last year and are up and running
again this year. It also seems likely that boulevard patios
will expand into Old East Village. Restaurateurs and some
politicians hope it will help invigorate Dundas Street, one of
the core’s critical stretches of commercial properties.
Downtown, Gregg and Justin Wolfe of The Early
Bird diner and Rob D’Amico and Dave Lamers of Abbruzi
Ristorante, and in the Old East, Jeff Pastorius of The Root
Cellar are all proponents of the city looking at fresh alternatives
for boulevard cafes, such as placing tables and chairs against
their buildings and constructing pedestrian boardwalks that
would wrap around the sidewalk (in a parking space) as other
cities have successfully done. Restaurateurs like Long Phan of
Tamarine by Quhyn Nhi would like to see the buses moved off
Dundas Street to accommodate boulevard patios.
Across the street from Tamarine, Joe and Sheryl Duby
of Blu Duby are putting the final touches on their sidewalk
patio as we go to press.
Chef Danijel (Dacha) Markovic of London’s Kantina
Restaurant scored a victory in the ninth round of the
Discovered Culinary Competition at Nella Cucina in Toronto
and is now steps away from winning a cooking experience of a
lifetime in Spain. Markovic moves on to the semi-finals of the
event, a two-day match pitting 16 chefs from across the country
on July 13th and 14th. Four finalists will compete for the grand
prize: an all-expenses paid trip to spend a week cooking at a
Michelin-star rated restaurant in northern Spain.
Uber-restaurateur/caterer Jess Jazey-Spolestra of The River
Room Café and Private Dining and North Moore Catering
is in the planning stages for the Rhino Café in the premises
previously occupied by the gift shop at Museum London. Jazey-
“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed
Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, eatdrink magazine
growers & creators of fine lavender products
DISCOVER
Steed & Company Lavender, part of a
45-acre horse farm just outside of Sparta
INDULGE
in our unique handcrafted lavender products
ESCAPE
in the wonderful scent and
calming powers of lavender
519-494-5525
47589 Sparta Line, Sparta
buds@steedandcompany.com
Open Wed-Sat 10-5; Sun 12-4
Mother’s Day through Christmas
www.steedandcompany.com
Afternoon
Music in the
Lavender
July 13-14 & 27-28
Lavender Fairy
Festival
August 10
• Vegetarian
Options
• Takeout
• Catering
• Reservations
Recommended
ADDIS ABABA Restaurant
Tues–Fri 5–1pm • Sat 12–1pm • Sun 2–1pm
465 Dundas Street 519 433-4222
www.tgsaddisababarestaurant.com