Eatdrink #79 September/October 2019

eatdrink: The Local Food Issue & Drink #79 Magazine | September/October 2019 September/October 2019 | 1 

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

A12 th 

Celebrating Our 

N N I V E R S A RY 

I S S U E 

Get Stuffed! 

Fat Olive 

in Dorchester 

FEATURING 

Road Trip Redux 

12 Years of Exploring Our Region 

12 Must-Try Craft Beers 

Explore and Discover 

Mindful Vegan Meals 

Book Review & Recipes 

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007 

www.eatdrink.ca

2 | September/October 2019 

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag 

THE BACON AND ALE TRAIL 

IS A WELL ROUNDED MEAL 

IF YOU COUNT BARLEY 

AS A VEGETABLE 

Bacon and ale are a combination made in heaven, 

includes 5 tastes for just $30. 

- 

Stratford Tourism Alliance at 47 Downie Street. 

visitstratford.ca

eatdrink 

 


eatdrinkmagazine 

@eatdrinkmag 

eatdrinkmag 

eatdrink.ca 

Think Global. Read Local. 

Publisher 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Managing Editor Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca 

Food Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Copy Editor Kym Wolfe 

Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Advertising Sales Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca 

Terry-Lynn “TL” Sim – TL@eatdrink.ca 

Finances 

Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Graphics 

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy 

Writers 

Jane Antoniak, Darin Cook, 

Gary Killops, Bryan Lavery, 

George Macke, Chris McDonell, 

Tracy Turlin 

Photographers Terry Manzo, Steve Grimes 

Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349 

Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Website 

City Media, Cecilia Buy 

Social Media Mind Your Own Business 

Printing 

Sportswood Printing 

OUR COVER 

Fat Olive owners Dino 

and Carla Dassie raise a 

glass in celebration. The 

Dorchester restaurant 

just celebrated its first 

anniversary in August 

© 2019 Eatdrink Inc. and the writers. 

All rights reserved. 

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in Eatdrink 

or on Eatdrink.ca is strictly prohibited without the written permission 

of the Publisher. Eatdrink has a printed circulation of 20,000 

issues published six times annually in each of two markets, for a total 

of 240,000 copies in print. The views or opinions expressed in the 

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Contents 

Issue #79 | September/October 2019 

Publisher’s Notes 

Twelve Years Young 

Milestones and Memories 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

6 

8 

Wine 

A Celebration of Ontario Wines 

Twelve That Are Sure to Please 

By GARY KILLOPS 

37 

Food Writer at Large 

Twelve Inspirations 

Building Community Engagement 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

8 

Restaurants 

Get Stuffed! 

Region-Specific Italian Cuisine 

at Fat Olive, in Dorchester 


14 

Spotlight 

New Hotspots 

Four Noteworthy Additions 

By THE EDITORS 

18 

Road Trips 


A Dozen Years of Discovery 

and Celebration 

Compiled by CHRIS McDONELL 

20 

Beer 


Twelve Must-Try Craft Beers 

By GEORGE MACKE 

33 

18 

37 

14 

56 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

New and Notable 

41 

Theatre 

Which London Life? 

This London Life, at the Grand 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

53 

Books 

Wine Crime 

In Vino Duplicitas 

By Peter Hellman 

Review by DARIN COOK 

56 

Recipes 


by Maria Koutsogiannis 

Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

58 

The Lighter Side 

Let’s Taco ’Bout Picky Eaters 

By DARIN COOK 

62 

58

eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine 

September/October 2019 | 5 

JOIN US 

For Our Famous All-You-Can-Eat 

Thanksgiving Buffet 

Sunday, October 13 11am – 2:30pm 

$32.95 

Call for reservations 

519-430-6414 

And ask about our RESERVE A BIRD 

Take Out Turkey Dinner for the whole family! 

/Blakes2ndFloor 

¦

More to Explore! 


Publisher’s Notes 

Twelve Years Young 

Milestones and Memories 



A 

dozen is a nice round number, 

perfect for roses and eggs, but 

not necessarily meaningful for a 

magazine. Nonetheless, I’m proud 

to celebrate this milestone with this issue 

of Eatdrink. I asked some of our regular 

contributors to focus on “twelve,” as you’ll 

see in our beer and wine columns. Our Writer 

at Large 

Bryan Lavery, 

whom I lean 

on heavily in 

shaping the 

magazine, 

gives us twelve 

inspirations 

in this issue. 

That got me 

thinking 

about my own 

taste 

LONDON 

The - Culinary Guide 

The 2010-11 Culinary Guide 

londontourism.ca 

Restaurants 

Specialty Shops 

Farmers’ Markets 

Food Festivals 

2010 2011 

inspirations, and what the future might hold. 

Back in 2007, when I consulted with a few 

friends and acquaintances about launching 

this publication, I’m not sure we ever talked 

about how the magazine might 

grow over time. The primary 

focus was getting off the ground. 

There were too many hats to 

wear, and not enough time to 

get everything done without a 

lot of late nights and weekends 

in the office. I’m sorry to report 

that not much has changed in 

that regard, yet somehow the 

magazine grew in its number of 

pages and the scope in our story 

subjects. Our distribution area 

grew, and the number of copies 

printed rose incrementally to 

accommodate that. We were 

busy, turning a small profit 

most of the time (this is not a 

charitable venture) and handing out all of our 

print run to interested readers every issue. 

CHATHAM-KENT • ELGIN • HALDIMAND • HURON • LONDON • MIDDLESEX • NORFOLK 

OXFORD • PERTH • SARNIA-LAMBTON • STRATFORD • WINDSOR-ESSEX 

Local Flavour 

SOUTHWEST ONTARIO 

CULINARY GUIDE 

Restaurants • Specialty Shops & Services 

Craft Beer & Local Wine • Farmers’ Markets 

localflavour.ca 

Coming October 2019 

I don’t recall moments of genuine reflection 

until our third anniversary issue, which I 

would say snuck up on us. All of a sudden, it 

struck me that we were not just surviving, we 

were having some success. 

Subsequent years brought further growth, 

and we got the idea that we could take on an 

additional project. Conversations with John 

LONDON’S 

Local Flavour 

VOLUME 7 


Craft Beer & Wine • Farmers’ Markets 

localflavour.ca 

Winston and 

Marty Rice 

at Tourism 

London led to 

our production 

of a local 

culinary guide 

that we called 

Taste London. 

The reception 

for that publication 

was 

2018 

gratifying, and a version of that guide became 

an annual event for Eatdrink. 

We took on another project, for Ontario’s 

Ministry of Tourism, creating a culinary guide 

EXPANDED 

EDITION 

VOLUME 8 

for the newly formed “RTO1” ... 

soon to be known as Ontario’s 

Southwest. Incorporating nine 

different tourism districts, the 

challenges there were almost 

back-breaking, but once again, 

the response was satisfyingly 

positive. 

Over subsequent years, the 

London guide became known 

as London’s Local Flavour, 

reflecting our ongoing interest 

in celebrating and promoting 

the growth of a regional 

culinary identity. And it got a 

little easier to put together. 

In 2018, in response to 

persistent enquiries, we opened 

up our Local Flavour publication to include 

“recommended neighbours.” This was a 

NEW! 

Recommended 

Culinary 

Neighbours


positive step for all concerned, and led directly 

to our current project. 

Local Flavour is now a “Southwest Ontario 

Culinary Guide.” This expanded publication 

will be our strongest yet, covering Southwest 

Ontario, from Essex County in the west, Huron 

and Perth County in the north, Haldimand 

County in the east, and all points in between. 

Among all of the changes that have happened 

with both Eatdrink and Local Flavour, I would 

argue that the most profound differences have 

occurred online. Twelve years ago, we launched 

our website simultaneously with the print 

magazine. We soon added a Facebook page, and 

then opened our Twitter account. As technology 

advanced, we changed with the times, and this 

year we saw over 50,000 unique visitors visit our 

website, with slightly more than half of those 

coming via their smartphones. Instagram has 

arguably surpassed our other social media channels 

in importance. Local Flavour has its own 

dedicated website. Check out localflavour.ca to 

see how we’re using that now. 

What will the next 12 years bring us? I can’t 

wait to find out. 

Peace, 

Boutique Bakery 

Buttercream Cakes, 

Cookies and 

French Macarons 

Wedding 

Consultations 

by Appointment 

145 Wortley Road, London 

Upstairs— above the former Village Harvest Bakery 

bakeshopstudio.com 

In print. 

Online. 

SINCE 

2007 

G 

eatdrink Local Food & Drink Magazine 

Fat Olive 

in Dorchester 

eatdrink 

www.eatdrink.ca 

| 


FEATURING 


12 Years of Exploring Our Region 

12 Must-Try Craft Beers 



Book Review & Recipes 

September/October | 

Celebrating Our 

A N N I V E R S A RY 

th 

I S S UE 

Pick up your free copy wherever 

discerning readers are found, or 

conveniently read the whole 

issue on your computer, tablet 

or smartphone. 

eatdrink 

THE LOCAL FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE 

Get Connected! 

eatdrinkmag 

eatdrink.ca



Food Writer at Large 

Twelve Inspirations 

Building Community Engagement Through Food & Drink 

After decades of working the 

spectrum of restaurant and other 

culinary businesses, I continue 

to be inspired by dedicated indie 

entrepreneurs who embrace the benefits of 

building community engagement through 

food and drink experiences. It is a privilege 

to be able to work at something and with the 

people you feel passionate about, while having 

a platform to be helpful to others. 

In no particular order, here are 

twelve food-related subjects that 

continue to inspire me. 

1 

I have been honoured to work 

with many restaurateurs as 

a friend, consultant or mentor 

since I retired from the restaurant 

business twelve years ago. The 

new wave of restaurants that 

are intentional in their purpose 

make me proud. Restaurateurs 

Brian Sua-an and Jerrah Revilles 

(featured on our January 2019 

cover) come to mind. They have 

been recognized with a rare 

2-star review in Where to Eat in Canada, for 

their 12-seat tasting menu 

restaurant that features 

optional wine pairings. 

2 

Stratford’s Evolving 

Gastro Scene: It 

has been great to work 

with Cathy Rehberg, of 

Stratford Tourism, these 

past 12 years. Stratford’s 

built a solid reputation 

as an innovational, 

entrepreneurial culinary destination for 

years. Stratford’s proprietary hold on gastroknowingness 

never loosens, in large part due 

to the Stratford Chefs School. 


3 

London Downtown Business 

Association’s (LDBA) team have 

successfully positioned the downtown area as 

a premier dining destination, and continue to 

highlight the diversity of our local restaurants. 

Enthusiastic promoters of the downtown 

food scene, they have helped nurture the 

profile and profitability of downtown culinary 

businesses (restaurants, pop-ups, farmers’ 

markets, specialty shops and 

accommodators) by supporting 

the ever-evolving culinary 

community. 

4 

Tourism London was 

initially instrumental in 

helping to launch the Local 

Flavour Culinary Guide in 2010. 

In a city celebrated for farmers’ 

markets, food hubs, culinary 

artisans, and coffee and craft 

brewery culture, it’s evident 

that food and drink innovators 

abound. Working with a strong 

community team, Melissa 

De Luca of Tourism London 

and Joanne Wolnik of Southwest Ontario 

Tourism Corporation have been instrumental 

in raising the profile of 

these businesses and 

are now developing the 

experiential travel market 

in London. Likewise, 

Meredith Maywood has 

been doing the same 

work in Oxford County, 

developing experiences to 

great success. 

Reverie’s Brian Sua-an, Jerrah 

Revilles and daughter Saisha 

Stratford Chefs School Annual Long Table Dinner 

5 

New London 

Restaurants: We’ve 

had many stellar restaurants open in the 

last couple of years. Among them are Craft 

Farmacy, Reverie, Grace, Pizzeria Madre, Los 

Lobos, Hunter & Co, Ivy Ristorante, and The


Little Bird Café. Taverna 1331, Wolfe Pack 

Company Bar, and Through Thick and Thin are 

a few new hot spots that are expected to open 

in London soon. 

6 

Culinary Educators: Fanshawe College’s 

Hospitality Program and teaching 

restaurant, The Chef’s Table, stimulates 

innovation and diversity, provides collateral 

employment, 

and 

contributes 

to creating a 

well-trained 

culinary 

workforce 

that fosters a 

strengthened 

London Training Centre 

culinary 

identity in 

London. The essence of the London Training 

Centre (LTC) narrative is that it achieves the 

whole seasonal cycle of our local bounty. The 

LTC faculty are not only culinary educators, 

but are also farmers, retailers, caterers, food 

artisans, restaurateurs, funders, and local 

food advocates. 

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445172 Gunn's Hill Rd, Woodstock, ON 

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www.gunnshillcheese.ca 

7 


Local Food Initiatives: As a founding 

member of several local food initiatives, 

a proponent of Food Day Canada and of Feast 

On, I am focused 

on creating dining 

experiences that 

extend beyond what 

is on the plate. Since 

launching the Feast 

On program in June 

2014, the Ontario 

Culinary Tourism 

Alliance (OCTA) 

has continued 

growing, evolving, 

and improving the 

program, including 

the creation of a 

Growing Chefs! Ontario 

certification system 

to safeguard the character and reputation 

of authentic foods. It is an assurance that 

products possess certain qualities and 

characteristics, due to terroir or geographical 

origin. Restaurants such as Craft Farmacy, 

Abruzzi, Garlic’s of London, Chef’s Table at 

Fanshawe College, Windjammer Inn in Port 

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Stanley Eddington’s of Exeter, Hessenland 

Inn and Winery in Zurich, Cowbell in Blyth, 

and Woodstock’s SixThirtyNine are among the 

province’s Feast On certified restaurants. 

8 

Global Cuisine: London has plenty of restaurants 

serving globally-inspired cuisine. 

T.G. Haile of TG’s Addis 

Ababa Restaurant 

T.G. Haile of Addis Ababa is a skillful chef at the 

top of her game. 

Her signature dishes 

from the repertoire 

of Ethiopian cookery 

comprise permutations 

of sweet, bitter, 

sour, salty, hot, and 

fragrant. Refined 

flavour contrasts are 

the hallmark of T.G.’s 

cooking. I remain 

an ardent and loyal 

fan of the hospitable 

Heidi and Bill 

Vamvalis, who have 

offered Greek cuisine 

and halibut and chips at Mykonos restaurant 

since 1985. Bhan Mudliar of The New Delhi Deli 

at Covent Garden Market is another favourite. 

100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table 

Hormone & Drug-Free 

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Locally Sourced Ingredients 

Authentic Italian Cuisine 

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Other stand-outs include the Budapest, Lo 

Nuestro, Mint Leaves, and Quynh Nhi. 

9 

Jill Wilcox is a dedicated culinary resource 

— supportive, knowledgeable, and a 

leader in promoting the local food community. 

Wilcox is celebrating 20 years as a 

culinary retailer at Jill’s Table, and 

for nearly four decades has been a 

food columnist for the London Free 

Press. In the spirit of giving back 

to the community, the Jill Wilcox 

Foundation was established in 2012 

to help women and children in 

food-related initiatives. 

10 

Growing Chefs! Ontario is 

a food education hub which 

aims to be an iconic destination 

for food exploration, by forging 

long-term partnerships with food 

literacy program providers, local 

producers, artisans, and other communityminded 

businesses, with an eye on sustainability 

and zero-waste. The social enterprise business 

model, in conjunction with the sponsorship 

program, generates funds needed to fully 

support the Food Education Projects, which 

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11 

Food Trucks are the new incubators for 

culinary innovation. I’m talking about 

the chef-driven, entrepreneurial, 

indie food truck visionaries. The 

food truck scene is growing in 

London, and owner Dee Spencer 

of The Donut Diva says, “We are 

happy to have such a great group 

of professional food truck owners 

who work together and support 

each other. One of our main 

goals within our Association is to 

celebrate each other’s successes 

and be able to offer the city 

of London an amazing food 

truck experience.” Association 

Jill Wilcox of Jill’s Table members include the originals — 

Goodah, Bifana Boys, The Donut 

Diva, Smokestacks, and Rosie’s Streetery, as 

well as newer additions My Big Fat Food Truck, 

Big Daddy Bacon, Grill’EM, Shelbys, Pierogi 

Queen, The Snobox, Maggie Marie’s, and 

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12 

Restaurant Ethics: If an inexpensive 

meal in a restaurant can only be 

achieved on the backs of workers toiling away 

in the kitchen without proper remuneration, 

you should be patronizing a restaurant that 

charges patrons enough to sustain their 

employees with a living wage. Good examples 

of restaurants committed to their employee’s 

well-being are Grace in downtown London, 

the worker-owned Red Rabbit in Stratford, 

and Emma’s Country Kitchen in Toronto. 

Historically there has been a significant wage 

inequality, and substantial occupational 

segregation, by gender and ethnicity in the 

restaurant business. Everyone needs and is 

entitled to equal protection in the workplace. 

More reasons to boycott certain chefs 

and restaurants have surfaced, including 

accusations of abuse, gender inequality and 

sexual harassment. We need change. Now. 

Trust... 

Taste... 

Quality... 

BRYAN LAVERY, Eatdrink Food Editor and Writer 

at Large, is also a partner in the culinary consulting 

business, Lavery Culinary Group. Always on the lookout 

for stories Eatdrink should be telling, he helps shape the 

magazine both under his byline and behind the scenes. 

Freshly home-made in the heart of the community 

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Restaurants 

Get Stuffed! 

Region-Specific Italian Cuisine at Fat Olive, in Dorchester 


The Italian table offers us a 

veritable feast. No single 

characteristic defines Italian 

cuisine — it is an attitude 

and an approach towards food. 

Regional variations, the high quality 

of ingredients, and a time-honoured 

sense of tradition are its mainstays. 

Still, Italian cuisine can be primarily 

characterized by simplicity, with 

many dishes having only a few focal 

ingredients. Traditionally-inspired 

Italian cooks rely on the quality of 

their products combined with an 

allegiance to seasonality rather than 

more intricate preparations, albeit 

with a few exceptions. 

Dino and Carla Dassie opened Fat 

Olive, an Italian-inspired family- 

friendly restaurant, in a small plaza in Dorchester last 

fall. Fat Olive is a paean to the food Dino’s family has 

always cooked and eaten. Carla tells me that they considered 

many locations before they chose Dorchester, 

and more than fifty names for the restaurant before 

they settled on Fat Olive. 

Dino was born into an Italian family. One side 

comes from Calabria, the southern region that forms 

the “toe” of the Italian peninsula. The other side of 

the family is from low-lying Veneto in northeast Italy, 

which faces the Adriatic Sea. He learned to cook from 

his mother Elena, and his aunts. At a young age he 

knew he wanted to open an Italian restaurant. After 

high school he attended Conestoga College, where he 

obtained his diploma in Business Administration and 

Marketing. After college Dino put his dream on hold 

and began driving a truck, but continued hosting large 

parties for family and friends. Family lunch with his 

parents, Elena and Benito, was always a small feast 

lasting nearly four hours. 

Three years ago Dino and Carla attended Goodfella’s 

Pizza School on Staten Island, New York, widely 

considered to be one of the most comprehensive, 

hands-on pizza schools. They were instructed on 

Executive Chef Nolan Darling 

Assistant Chef Adam Gartshore



how to make wood-fired pizzas by pizza 

champions. They were coached on the owning 

and operating of a restaurant. Later chef/ 

instructor David Rosen was engaged as a 

culinary consultant. Carla tells me, “Dino had 

been preparing for this restaurant 

from birth.” 

The kitchen is Dino’s 

sphere, and he and 

Chef Nolan Darling 

translate the 

region-specific 

Italian culinary 

canon 

with a blended 

regional perspective. 

It is an 

Fat Olive owners Dino and Carla Dassie 

interpretation of 

the ever-elusive concept 

of Italian culinary 

authenticity that comprises 

19 geographic regions, each of 

which has many subsets of idiosyncratic aesthetics 

and flavour profiles. The pared-down, 

uncomplicated presentation at Fat Olive hits 

the flavour mark, as each element of every 

dish is combined deftly and with thought. 

Chef Darling spent a decade cooking in different 

kitchens, featuring different styles of 

food, and using a wide variety of ingredients, 

before landing at Fat Olive. His career began 

when he was hired as a dishwasher in a downtown 

London restaurant. He needed the job to 

pay for tuition at the Architectural Technology 

program at Fanshawe College. “After 

a few months of washing plates 

with baked-on cheese, an 

abundance of cutlery, 

silver ramekins full 

of sauces and dips, 

and sauté pans upon 

sauté pans, I finally 

was able to become a 

line cook,” he states on 

his blog mukngrub.com. 

Fat Olive’s menu 

offerings capture the essence 

of Italian cookery. The cuisine is 

intuitive, menu items iconic and prepared 

with locally-sourced and quality Italianspecific 

specialty ingredients, interpreted 

with skill and an eye towards tradition. Like 

many good Italian restaurants, consistency 

and the quality of the menu offerings are the 

hallmarks of the Fat Olive experience. 

For Fat Olive’s rich tomato sauce, Dino 

Front House Manager Sonia Williamson 

and servers Sarah Vanbesien, Jade 

Williamson, and Tia Tessier. 

prefers using Mutti-brand tomatoes from 

the Parma-based Italian company. They’re 

grown in Southern Italy and preserved at the 

height of tomato season when the fruit is at 

its peak. They use several DOP (an affirmation 

of specificity and literally a protected 

designation of origin) types of 

cheese like Piave, which 

is produced in the 

Dolomites area in 

the northernmost 

tip of the 

Veneto region, 

Montasio, a 

nutty, semi-hard 

mountain cheese 

from the Veneto 

region, and Asiago, 

a semi-cooked cow’s 

milk cheese from the 

Asiago plateau. 

Dino sources his pepperoni, 

ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta from 

Metzger Meats in Hensall, which is known for 

carefully selecting ingredients from trusted 

producers who use traditional European 

methods, and also for the latest in food 

processing innovation. Occasionally Gerhard 

Metzger purchases wild boar from Ingrid and 

Fred Des Martines, the owners of Perth Pork 

Products. Seasonal produce is procured from 

Howe Farms, which has been operating in 

Elgin County for five generations. 

Entertaining is Carla Dassie’s forte. Walking 

through the restaurant she stops at a 

table to suggest a small batch 

organic wine, or attentively 

inquire about a 

patron’s meal or wellbeing. 

She converses 

with and listens to 

her customers. She 

champions the art 

of hospitality with 

composure. Sonia Williams 

is the charming and 

knowledgeable front house 

manager who runs the show. 

There is a lot to like on the menu. Fat Olive 

specializes in paninis, strombolis (a cousin 

of the calzone, with the sauce on the inside), 

freshly made pasta, home-made sauces, 

bruschetta flatbread, tiramisu, and cannoli 

with sweet ricotta. Signature dishes include 

a creamy, fresh semolina fettuccine alfredo 

with pancetta, herbs and Parmigiano. There is


Roast Pig with Chefs Nolan Darling and Dino Dassie 

a house-made semolina rigatoni with roasted 

pepper, caramelized onions, goat cheese and a 

balsamic glaze. Crispy-coated Chicken Parmesan 

is served with a side of spaghetti in a rich tomato 

sauce. At dinner the spaghetti comes with a 

Fat Meatball. There is a New York Striploin, 

Hickory-smoked Pork Chop and Salmon Risotto 

with lemon, arugula and roasted peppers and 

balsamic glaze. We love the Forest Berry gelato 

sourced from the Cream Beanery. 

Special and unique Italian wines come 

from a consigner who also supplies some of 

Toronto’s Buca restaurant’s private imports. 

Carla and Sonia are knowledgeable and 

will help guide you through less familiar 

territory on the excellent wine list. There is 

a good and varied blackboard selection of 

craft beer. Fat Olive uses the same love and 

culinary techniques you will find in an Italian 

home kitchen. Carla sums up the Fat Olive 

experience in a few words: good food, family, 

friends, love, and homemade. Be sure to make 

a reservation. 

Fat Olive 

2135 Dorchester Road, Dorchester 

519-268-0001 

fatolive.ca 

tuesday: 4:00 pm–8:00 pm 

wednesday: 11:30 am–8:00 pm 

thursday: 11:30 am–9:00 pm 

friday & saturday: 11:30 am–10:00 pm 

sunday: 11am–2:00 pm / 4:00 pm–7:00 pm 

BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink ‘s Food Editor and Writer 

at Large. 

Left, from top: Mushroom Pesto Stromboli; Fettuccine 

Alfredo; Fat Olive Garden Greens; Sweet Ricotta Mini 

Cannoli; Classic Tiramisu. Photos by Terry Manzo.



on Sept. 15 & Sept. 30 

STREET FOOD 

SUNDAY 

SEPT. 15 & SEPT. 29 

Food Trucks • Vendors 

Live Music • Craft Beer 

Rescues • Vendors 

Craft Beer • Food



Spotlight 

New Hotspots 

Four Noteworthy Additions to Our Culinary Scene 

By THE EDITORS 

IRONWORKS kitchen 

529 Dundas Street, Woodstock 

519-290-0926 

ironworkskitchen.ca 

monday–saturday 9am–11pm 

sunday 9am–9pm 

Downtown Woodstock’s newest addition 

is the recently opened 160-seat Ironworks 

kitchen. 

The name 

is a nod 

to Wood 

stock Iron 

Works, established in 1842 by Homer Pratt 

Brown, who became town mayor in 1861. 

Lunch and dinner menus feature elevated 

comfort food. Signature items include the 

“Homer Brown Burger” and the “Ironworks 

Salad,” as well as plenty of nods to today, 

including short ribs, rainbow trout, lamb 

shanks, chipotle mac’n cheese, and steak and 

frites. The Kids Menu includes a charcuterie 

board! There is even dessert poutine. 

Bocconcini 

1140 Southdale Road West, London 

519-601-7799 

bocconcinilondon.ca 

monday–thursday 11:30am–9pm 

friday 11:30am–10pm 

saturday 4pm–10pm / sunday 4m–8pm 

We’re crazy for the 

delectable gnocchi 

at Radu Rotariu’s 

Italian-inspired 

Bocconcini at 

Southdale and 

Boler Road in Byron. Chef Brian Honsinger’s 

pillowy potato dumplings with braised beef, 

cabernet and wild mushrooms are authentic 

and classic Italian cuisine. Try the ovenroasted 

Tuscan-inspired chicken. There is a 

wood-fired oven for fresh bread and pizza. The 

manicotti is outstanding and the silky, housemade 

tiramisu otherworldly.



The Little Green Grocery 

129 Downie Street, Stratford 

519-305-8544 

thelittlegreengrocery.com 

monday–saturday 8:30am–7pm 

sunday 9am–4pm 

Formerly known as 

Your Local Market 

Co-op, The Little 

Green Grocery recently 

relaunched as a boutique 

grocery store “that has 

everything you need in one 

quaint little space.” At once both a throwback 

to simpler times and a forward-thinking 

enterprise committed to environmental 

sustainability, the store adds a different 

element to the charm of downtown Stratford. 

Fruit and vegetables from local farmers are 

available in season, of course, but in the spirit 

of “one stop shopping,” items such as lemons 

are also available. Similar thinking means there 

are items for vegan, vegetarian and carnivore 

diets. Every day, in-house chefs make bread, 

sandwiches, salads, frozen meals, pastries and 

“healthy bites.” They also make delicious dips, 

spreads and dressings, even ice cream. 

Striving to make “zero waste” easier, there is 

a refill section for items like shampoo, lotions, 

dish soap, laundry detergent, and a number of 

dry goods. Bring your own bags and containers. 

Should you forget, free donated containers are 

on hand. Catering is also available. 

The Tin Fiddler Brew Pub & 

River Run Brew Co. 

146/148 Christina Street North, Sarnia 

226-784-2337 

facebook.com/pg/TheTinFiddler/ 

sunday–thursday 11am–10pm 

friday & saturday 11am–midnight 

Mark Woolsey 

and John 

Tidball are 

partners in 

the new Tin Fiddler 

Brew Pub, located in a 

large historic building 

(circa 1890–1910) in 

downtown Sarnia. 

They have also launched 

River Run Brew Co. after 

gutting the basement and installing fermenters 

and equipment purchased from another craft 

brewery that was upsizing. Initially, they are 

brewing a range of beers exclusively for their 

own pub, and it’s been a challenge to meet the 

demand of enthusiastic customers. 

Extensive renovations to the 12,000-squarefoot 

interior have revealed long-hidden charms 

in the space, highlighted by 16-foot plaster 

ceilings, brick walls and a terrazzo floor. A new 

kitchen and washrooms have been installed. An 

outdoor courtyard, opened last year, got good 

use this summer as a live music venue. The 

food menu includes an interesting selection of 

sophisticated pub food, including a traditional 

fish & chips, onion rings battered with puffed 

quinoa, and lamb tacos.



SPONSORED BY 

Road Trips 


A Dozen Years of Discovery and Celebration 


After a dozen years of publishing 

this magazine, it struck me that a 

roundup of my favourite Road Trip 

stories would be an appropriate 

way to show off some of our stellar writers 

and the amazing destinations that we’ve 

covered. In theory, this was a great idea. In 

reality, as I waded through the archives on 

our website, it became clear to me that this 

roundup wouldn’t serve our readers without 

some editing. It is the nature of the culinary 

industry that excellent businesses come 

and go, and sometimes this happens within 

Elgin County 

eatdrink.ca/an-authentic-taste-of-elgincounty/ 

by Bryan Lavery, July 2016 

A postcard-perfect fishing village on the 

shores of Lake Erie, Port Stanley is known for 

its harbour, colourful heritage buildings, and 

the iconic King George VI lift bridge. Regular 

visitors to “Port,” as it is known by locals, are 

attracted to the village’s dynamic artistic community, 

Port Stanley Festival Theatre, galleries 

and specialty shops. A big draw is the main 

beach, which offers one of the best stretches 

of sandy beach on the north shore of Lake 

Erie and is home to a newly refurbished pier ... 

months of our writing about a destination. 

The first good news, I saw in my overview 

of Eatdrink Road Trip stories, is that the 

vast majority of the hotspots we’ve written 

about remain alive and well and worthy of 

celebration. I have excerpted a great deal of 

the original text. The other good news is that 

these destinations have become even more 

exciting with the addition of new businesses. 

You’ll find some of those listed here, as well 

as links to the original stories that remain 

worthy of your attention. Here’s an enticing 

handful of great destinations. Enjoy. 

Nestled in the heart of Port Stanley, Kettle 

Creek Inn is one of “Ontario’s Finest Inns.” 

Jean and Gary Vedova opened the doors to 

Kettle Creek Inn in 1983, after renovating the 

building. The Vedovas, along with sons Troy 

and Dean, are hands-on. Menus showcase a 

commitment to the area with ingredients that 

are farmed, fished or foraged locally, such as 

the perch and pickerel that arrive in the kitchen 

daily. The Ontario-reared meats are all fresh 

products, and signature dishes include a locallyrevered 

pot pie ... 

The Inn has 10 guest rooms and five luxury 

Picture yourself... 

Relaxing on our patio, 

Enjoying Lunch, Dinner or a snack, 

Staying the evening in a room or suite! 

Main Street, Port Stanley 

(519)782-3388 

www.kettlecreekinn.com 

information@kettlecreekinn.com


suites. Dining options include a parlour with 

a cozy fireplace, an intimate English-inspired 

pub, two dining rooms, a gazebo and a stunning 

garden terrace. Jean tells us, “Guests can prop 

up their feet on their porch or balcony, sip a 

libation and amble down for dinner under the 

gazebo. It doesn’t get much better.” [Update: 

Enjoy new sidewalk patio seating!] 

Port Stanley’s Solo on Main is located in 

the heritage home previously occupied by 

Mickey’s Boathouse. Solo on Main is a familyrun 

business with chef Lauren Van Dixhoorn 

growers & creators of fine lavender products 

DISCOVER. 

INDULGE. 

ESCAPE. 

519-494-5525 

47589 Sparta Line, Sparta 

Wed–Sat 10-5; Sun 12–4 

Mother’s Day to Dec. 20 

steedandcompany.com 

Visit 

Our Website 

• Online Store 

• Recipes 

& much more! 


at the helm. In seasonable weather there is 

a smartly appointed patio and inviting front 

porch that offers alfresco seating and great 

“Port” views. Inside, there is a charming 

walnut bar in the lounge, topped with quartz. 

The casual white-linen dining room with 

its original hardwood floors is decorated in 

warm gray tones and the walls are adorned 

with local art. The cooking is refined and the 

presentation modern and thoughtful... There 

are pickerel and perch, Lake Erie staples, 

either pan fried or breaded. The culinary 

experience succeeds on many levels. 

Just off the main beach in Port Stanley, 

The Windjammer Inn is the former Shephard 

House (1854), built by Samuel Shephard, a 

prominent local grain merchant. Owner and 

accomplished chef Kim Saunders sources 

her ingredients from the large farm network 

in Elgin County. In her eleventh season, 

her personal culinary style is evident on 

the menus, which state the kitchen’s food 

philosophy. “We use Local and Organic, 

Ethically Raised Products as much as possible. 

Thank you to our Farmers!” Saunders, who 

was raised on a farm, grows many of her own 

herbs, edible flowers and heirloom vegetables 

in the gardens surrounding the Inn. Lake 

Erie fresh line-caught perch and pickerel 

are available in season. Think lightly smokeroasted 

Everspring duck breast with ricotta 

herb gnocchi, roasted broccoli and rhubarb 

ginger chutney. Scratch breads, artisanal 

cheeses, fresh farm produce, local meats 

and Saunders’ baking round out the menu. 

In season, the restaurant has seating on the 

newly rebuilt wraparound porch. The Inn has 

three tastefully appointed rooms and two 

separate rooms next door. [Update: Now 

Feast ON-certified!] 

Update: A new hotspot in Port Stanley, 

! 

da 

WindjammerDINE 

The 

STAY 

Recommended in Where To Eat In Canada for 10 years 

Modern Farmhouse Cuisine 

INN 

Join us for Dinner Wednesday–Sunday & Weekend Brunch 

Comfortable Accommodations Year Round 

324 Smith St, Port Stanley • 519-782-4173 • www.thewindjammerinn.com


Two Forks, features a “beachy chic” decor, 

complemented by a gorgeous patio and chef’s 

garden.... Small plates, designed for sharing, 

are made with local ingredients from scratch. 

You’ll find freshly shucked live oysters right 

at the bar, local wine on tap, craft beer flights 

and handcrafted cocktails. (Eatdrink #78, 

July 2019). 

The blooms were harvested a little later 

this summer, but Steed & Company remains 

worthy of a side trip to charming Sparta. 

“Lavender is the same family as mint,” noted 

Suzanne Steed to Eatdrink writer Tanya Chopp 

(Eatdrink #76, March 2019). “If you look at a 

lavender spike, it’s square — and if you look 

at a mint stem, it’s square also. We’re familiar 

with mint’s strong flavour, and lavender’s 

strength is similar. However, lavender has 

the ability to really enhance flavours. We 

have a raspberry-strawberry preserve, and 

lavender picks up the raspberry and helps it 

pop. It also enhances the flavour of our dark 

chocolate, and the vanilla in our ice cream. It’s 

remarkable in that way: it enhances whatever 

you use it with, but adds a floral note.” Steed 

& Co. remains open until Christmas. 

295 Bridge Street, Port Stanley 

NOW 

OPEN 

Scratch Cooking 

Small Plates 

Local Ingredients 

Craft Cocktails 

Local Wines on Tap 

Craft Beers 

226.658.4887 @twoforks295


Chatham-Kent 

eatdrink.ca/festivals-food-and-fun/ by 

Darin Cook, November 2016 

Early Acres Estate Winery’s reds, whites, and 

blushes [there are even a couple of wine blends 

with local fruit on offer] have collectively 

garnered 21 awards for the winery since 

opening in 2012. Located just outside Chatham, 

Early Acres holds monthly summer events 

with local entertainment on its country estate. 

[Update: Their Cabernet Francs may have 

made the biggest impression to date.] 

If you extend your visit into more than a 

day trip, Retro Suites Hotel at the corner of 

King and William Street is the place you want 

to spend the night. Even if this is your only 

stop in Chatham, spending a night here is 

worth it for the architecture and décor alone. 

This boutique hotel, with 52 individuallythemed 

suites, was honoured with 

TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award in the 

Best Hotels section in all of Canada in 2015. 

When dinner rolls around, here are a few 

downtown hot spots. On the street level of Retro 

Suites, with an atmosphere matching the hotel, 

The Chilled Cork is a funky restaurant where 

Chef Leona Williamson cranks out exquisite 


contemporary dishes from the kitchen. 

A short walk down King Street, Mamma 

Maria’s Ristorante has become the area’s best 

Italian experience. The old world ambience 

feels as Italian as the food tastes. “Boasting a 

large menu with a variety of selection to whet 

every appetite, along with an extensive wine 

list, the menu provides for a food experience 

that is second to none.” 

Beyond the downtown core, Spice & Curry 

located on Kiel Drive, is the city’s best-kept 

secret. It’s run by business partners Shelly 

Sakhuja and Chef Gurmeet Singh. Chef 

cheerfully toils in the kitchen sending out 

the aroma of simmering sauces with spices 

roasted and ground from scratch. Shelly 

works the front of house, pleasantly greeting 

and seating guests and delivering steaming 

bowls of curry and baskets of still-warn Naan 

bread. You cannot go wrong with any menu 

options, especially the Tikka Masala and 

Madras dishes, which Chef will adjust to your 

preferred heat level. 

Parks Blueberries on Highway 2 lets you 

turn farm work into fun by partaking in the 

pick-your-own option on 50 acres of fields. 

Simply the finest authentic Italian cuisine available in the region! 

• Family-owned & operated 

• Beautiful patio on Thames River 

• Catering and 2 well-appointed 

private function rooms available 

• Family-friendly (Kids Menu Available) 

From-scratch cooking with 

the best local ingrendients 

231 King Street West, Chatham 519-360-1600 

Open for Dinner Daily / Lunch Monday-Saturday mammamariasristorante.ca


Aside from freshly-picked blueberries, the 

country store is full of preserves, kitchen 

supplies, and handcrafts. You will also want 

to sample the blueberry-filled baked goods. 

Taking that southbound drive further, 

you will reach the fishing village of Erieau 

where Bayside Brew Pub provides craft beer 

and wood-fired pizzas in a perfect setting 

overlooking Lake Erie. The pizzas are the 

crowd favourite and Bayside also throws a 

twist on other pub food like Chicken Wings 

from the Fire, and Beer Battered Onion Rings. 

Update: Sons of Kent Craft Brewing 

Company is downtown Chatham’s destination 

craft brewery. Their 8 Track XPA (5.7% ABV, 

Huron County 

eatdrink.ca/county-bounty-culinaryadventures-in-huron-county/ 

by Jane 

Antoniak, July 2018 

You could call a food and beverage road 

trip through Huron County crop touring at 

its finest ... You might want to start your 

tour in Exeter, a half-hour north of London. 

Eddington’s of Exeter, a Feast ON-certified 

restaurant run by Chef James Eddington, 

offers a true taste of Huron in a heritage 


55 IBU) has garnered special notice in this 

magazine and elsewhere for its strong citrus 

aromas, pleasant bitterness and smooth, 

balanced mouthfeel. Producing premium 

beer using traditional methods and modern 

ingredients, Sons of Kent has an on-site 

tasting room, event space, a bottleshop, live 

entertainment, and a kitchen striving to let 

“your senses run riot ... using local, seasonal 

ingredients to prepare fun, shareable items to 

pair with our large selection of craft beers.” 

Look for the kick-butt Reuben sandwich with 

Schinkles’ corned beef, dijon, and fried swiss 

on Pinnel’s rye and everchanging daily and 

weekly specials. 

building with a welcoming three-season 

patio. Chef literally bought the farm: 25 

acres on Lake Huron provide the freshest of 

ingredients, and he’s having his own beers 

brewed to his high-quality specifications. 

Beach Street Station is a converted heritage 

railway station now situated on the Goderich 

main beach. Open for lunch and dinner, the 

vaulted ceilings and 1907 architecture create 

interesting ambiance, but the large patio 

BISTRO • CONFERENCE • SUITES • SPA 

519-565-2576 

LakeHouseofBayfield.com 

Farm to Table Restaurant 

Fresh Seasonal Menus • 3-Season Covered Patio 

Eddington’s Farm 

A breathtaking 25 acres along Lake Huron 

Eddington’s Culinary Tours 

Once-in-a-Lifetime International Adventures 

Eddington’s Craft Beer 

Exclusive Premium Handcrafted Beers 

Join us on Facebook /Instagram for updates & upcoming events! 

527 Main Street, Exeter ON | 519-235-3030 

30 min N of London | 20 min E of Grand Bend | 30 min W of Stratford 

www.eddingtons.ca


overlooking the beach is also very inviting. 

You might grab a locally-roasted coffee and 

a pastry at the fabulous Cait’s Café on the 

square. Cait and husband Spencer Vail are 

dedicated to using local products, especially 

from Huron County, and have been Feast 

ON-certified. The buttery croissants might 

be enough on their own, but only get better 

with a thick slice of Metzger’s bacon or a slice 

of a local organic tomato. Cait’s the baker 

and Spencer, who served as executive chef at 

nearby Benmiller Inn for six years, calls his 

cooking style “Progressive Canadian.” Check 

out what’s fresh that day. 

Enjoy a refreshing beer tasting from Square 

Brew near the YMCA. [Update: This remains 

Goderich’s only brewery. Enjoy an interesting 

beer in a friendly, welcoming space, or grab 

some to go. 

Just down the road outside Goderich, you’ll 

find the Maitland Market, where you can pick 

up some fresh Ontario produce, organic and 

pasture-raised meats, locally made cheese and 

organic and free run eggs. 

Another stop on the Goderich tour might 

include lunch, dinner or just a great dessert 

at Samuel’s Hotel, situated a few kilometres 

Experience Hessenland Inn & Vineyard 

Where heritage is infused into every vine and vintage 

Join us for one of our 

Signature Events! 

• Thanksgiving Buffet & Dinner 

• 4th Annual Long Table Dinner 

• Novemberfest 

• Weddings, Conferences & Retreats 


from Goderich in Salford. This boutique hotel 

offers wonderful amenities, with a private patio 

and fireplace in every room, and house-made 

gourmet cupcakes in the lobby. Daytrippers are 

welcomed too, and the lunch and dinner menus 

include a strong list of nearby suppliers. 

While in Goderich you shouldn’t miss a 

crème-filled donut at Culbert’s Bakery. It is 

well worth a stop. The bakery typically sells 

out early on weekends. 

For a sit-down meal to celebrate a special 

occasion or for a break from the road, Thyme 

on 21 offers lovely lunches and dinners in a 

historic home just off the square on Highway 

21. Family-owned and operated, this special 

place believes in full service with an easy 

country pace. It is consistently rated a top 

place to dine in Goderich. 

For those who want the country roads 

experience, Highway 21 is a fun way to cruise 

the coast of beautiful Lake Huron. It would be 

ideal to start this tour in Bayfield at Shopbike 

Coffee Roasters, where you get Fair Trade 

coffee or amazing gelato. Fourteen fresh 

flavours and counting ... 

Further south, try the delicious apple-based 

beers at Bad Apple Brewing Co. and Ingram’s 

“Where everyone knows your game” 

New Pro Shop 

Opening Soon! 

Accommodations • Award-Winning Gardens • Private Beach Access 

Vineyard • Dining Room with European & Locally Inspired Fare 

Located steps from Lake Huron between Grand Bend & Bayfield 

Call 519-236-7707 or 866-543-7736 

hessen@hessenland.com • www.hessenland.com 

Reservations required for all events 

18 Hole Golf Course • Year-round Restaurant / Bar 

whitesquirrelgolfclub.com 

7 km north of Grand Bend on Hwy. 21


Apple Orchard, and then for some salty 

goodness in the form of pork pepperettes 

at The Whole Pig in Dashwood, just off the 

highway. While in Dashwood you may also 

want top pop into Hayter’s Farm for some 

turkey products, so bring that cooler! 

As you wind your way back to Bayfield, pop 

into the Bayfield Berry Farm for your sample 

of jam to take home. In season, you can also 

pick up fruits and vegetables. 

Staying the night in Bayfield is always a 

treat and there are more options in the village 

than ever before ... The Lake House of Bayfield 

offers seven spacious guest rooms, some with 

their own balconies overlooking main street 

and all outfitted with antique furnishings. As 

well, there is now a spa onsite and overnight 

packages include spa, dining and golf at a 

nearby course. A small conference space is 

available for meetings, and a lovely backyard 

patio. “There’s a lot of history and character in 

this place,” says co-owner Graham Wallace. “We 

have taken it from fine dining to a lot more 

casual.” Co-owner Chef Cody McWhirter has 

created a tasty menu. The Baron Burger is a 

real treat. It features smoked bacon from The 

Whole Pig on a succulent burger patty of fresh 


ground brisket and chuck beef. There are two 

local beers on tap from River Road Brewing 

and Hops in Bayfield (the Zesty Farmer Pale 

Ale offers a citrus freshness) and a pilsner from 

Stone House Brewing Co. in nearby Varna. 

Bayfield accom mo dations are also available 

at The Little Inn, a historic venue very popular 

with wedding groups and couples looking for 

a getaway. Arguably, it has the most lovely 

breakfast service in the county. 

South of Bayfield on Highway 21 at St. 

Joseph is the Hessenland Country Inn. The Inn 

has five acres of groomed gardens, an emerging 

vineyard [Update: Hessenland’s boutique 

vineyard, Schatz Winery, has now produced 

their first bottles!] and a outdoor pool with 

indoor hot tub spa. If you happen to stay over 

on a Thursday evening in July or August you 

can enjoy the Mongolian Grill. This popular 

summertime tradition gives guests the chance 

to create their own combination plates of fish, 

seafood, meats and vegetables which are grilled 

outdoors by Chef Frank Ihrig and his staff. 

Indoors, there is live music and additional 

foods including spätzle, salad and desserts. The 

meal comes with a glass of wine or beer. 

No stop-over in Bayfield is complete 

Real Food. Hand Crafted. 

Featuring 

Creative Menus 

from Chefs 

Erryn Shephard 

& 

Ben Sandwith 

NEW 

Teacher’s 

Lounge 

Now Open! 

Always Available 

for Caterings! 

Lunch and Dinner 

Seasonal Hours 

Reservations Recommended 

519.238.6224 

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend 

www.finearestaurant.com 

Across from the TD Canada Trust 

TUES–FRI @ 11am • SAT & SUN @ 9am


without popping into neighbourhood pubs 

The Black Dog Pub & Bistro and The Albion 

Hotel. Just look for the line-ups. Yes, you can 

bring your dog to the patio at the Black Dog. 

While there, the enthusiastic bar staff will 

make you an outstanding Caesar or suggest 

one of the 20 beers on tap. You also can 

tap into the knowledge banks of owner Ted 

McIntosh, an expert in the field of single malt 

whiskeys. The food is equally stellar. 

Cowbell Brewing Co., Huron’s awardwinning 

destination craft brewery in Blyth, 

OPEN 

ALL YEAR 

ROUND! 

10am–6pm 

DAILY 

Something 

for 

Everyone! 

Fresh Local Ingredients 

Gluten Free & Vegetarian Options 

Great Selection of Craft Beer & Cider 

Tuesday–Saturday 

Lunch 11:30–2:00 & Dinner 4:45–8:45 

159 Queen Street, St. Marys ON 

519-914-8811 

Follow Us! 


features a beautiful restaurant with indoor 

and outdoor seating, a retail store, and 

entertainment spaces. Long anticipated, 

Cowbell has attracted excited crowds since it 

opened. [Update: Cowbell remains popular! 

Reservations strongly suggested. See our 

story from January: eatdrink.ca/winningtogether-cowbell-brewing-co-craft-beerthat-rings-true] 

Update: White Squirrel Golf Club has 

emerged as another interesting dining locale 

off Highway 21. Open to golfers as well as just 

to those looking for a bite, there’s a newly renovated 

clubhouse (soon to be joined by a new pro 

shop) and an inviting seasonal patio. The yearround 

restaurant/bar focusses on local ingredients, 

and is open for lunch and dinner daily. 

Grand Bend sits just over the Huron County 

border in Lambton County. Worth noting are 

two longtime Eatdrink favourites, Schoolhouse 

Restaurant, run by Chef Gus Merkies, and 

F.I.N.E. A Restaurant, owned by Chef Erryn 

Sheppard. Chef Gus has opened a new Teacher’s 

Lounge on the lower level, perfect for a pre- or 

post-dinner cocktail. This is a great spot for 

weekend breakfasts and lunch and dinner with 

a family-friendly menu with interesting local 

twists. F.I.N.E. is more about, no surprise, fine 

dining, with Chef Ben Sandwith anchoring the 

kitchen with Chef Erryn. Check out our story 

from last May (eatdrink.ca/ mighty-f-i-n-efor-fifteen-years-f-i-n-e-a-restaurant-ingrand-bend). 

Note: Last issue, Bryan Lavery wrote about 

his more recent trip to Bayfield. Check it out 

at: eatdrink.ca/a-guide-to-bayfield-whatwhere-and-why 

Stratford & Perth County 

On the one hand, Stratford is so integral 

to Eatdrink that it sometimes seems like an 

oxymoron to describe a visit as a Road Trip. 

IN-STORE BAKERY 

& GIFT SHOP 

Old Fashioned Sausage 

Smoked Pork Products 

Bacon & Ribs 

Local Artisan Cheeses 

Large Selection of Gourmet Condiments 

Visit Percy, Our 10-foot Pig! 

The Finest Local Poultry Products 

Free Range & Drug Free 

#2146 Highway 7 & 8, Shakespeare ON 

519-625-8194 

www.porkshoppe.com


There are too many Stratford-based stories 

to begin to cite them here, but Bryan Lavery 

took a dedicated visit to Perth County that 

remains a highlight for me. 

eatdrink.ca/a-perth-county-adventure/ 

by Bryan Lavery, November 2016 

Recently I participated in a tour of Perth 

County with Cathy Rehberg from Stratford 

Tourism Alliance (STA) and Agatha Podgorski 

from the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance. 

They know how to set the benchmark of 

industry best practice for culinary tourism. 

We toured the new home of the Stratford 

Chefs School on Ontario Street while it was 

still under construction. [Update: Now open! 

Check stratfordchef.com for the impressive 

list of events.] Double storefront units are 

being repurposed into teaching kitchens 

and a 50-seat restaurant with a great street 

presence. The new facility allows the school 

to merge its teaching operations into one 

campus, and makes it feasible to add an 

additional semester in the summer months. 

Stratford Chefs School is not only known for 

producing great chefs but also entrepreneurs. 

The next leg of the tour included stops and 

tastings at the Black Swan Brewing Company on 

Downie Street. We moved on to Downie Street 

Burgers where we sampled the signature poutine 

with bacon and tomato jam and St. Albert 

cheese curds covered in gravy. Here we also 

quaffed a pint of Black Swan’s Berliner Weisse. 

Next on the itinerary was Mike Heisz’s 

distillery, Junction 56, located in the former 

Pounder Brothers Building beside the Cambria 

Street railway tracks. We toured the distillery 

and tasted Heisz’s award-wining vodka, gin, 

and signature moonshine. You can stop by 

for a taste and a tour Saturdays at 11 am and 

while you are there you can purchase some 

locally crafted spirits for the holiday season ... 

Every Stratford restaurant worth its 

salt has owners and chefs dedicated to a 

balance of principles and procedures in an 

effort to offer a memorable and hospitable 

dining experience. Some restaurants and 

accommodators do this much better than 

others. Mercer Kitchen + Beer Hall + Hotel 

features items that are meant to be shared 

communally and reflect Mercer’s passions 

for the craft beer movement, and for 

building community. Chef prepared a multicourse 

tasting for our party showcasing his 

gastronomic oeuvre. The menu itself is an 

education on Perth County food procurement 

and is designed to appeal to the local 

From our farm to your table ... 

Award winning hand crafted 

alpine style cheese 

Monday to Friday 9am–5pm 

Saturday 9am–4pm 

Stonetown Artisan Cheese 

5021 Perth Line 8 

St. Marys ON 

Fresh Cheese Curds 

Cheese Tastings 

Gift Baskets & 

Gift Boxes 

Cheese Trays 

Fondue & Raclette 

519-229-6856 

info@stonetowncheese.com 

www.stonetowncheese.com 

Homestyle Cooking & Baking 

Family Owned & Operated 

Come in and try our 

FAMOUS BROASTED CHICKEN 

& Homemade Mennonite Meals & Baking! 

Featuring over 17 varieties of homemade pies 

& many other homemade goodies including 

bread, tarts, muffins, cookies & cheesecake. 

All items are baked fresh daily 

& available to eat in or take out. 

Gluten free baking now available! 

Enjoy the scenic drive to the heart of Amish country in Millbank. 

We would love to serve you! 

MON–SAT 7am–8pm Cash or Debit Accepted 

www.annamaes.ca • 519-595-4407


Casual Family-Friendly Italian 

Eat In • Take Out • Patio 

Licensed 

Tuesday–Thursday 4:30–9:00 

Friday–Saturday 4:30–10:00 

38 Erie Street, Stratford 

519-305-3838 

www.aopasta.com 

community as well as visitors. 

We began our second day at Anne Campion’s 

Revel, located in a former feed store off 

Stratford’s Market Square. Its tagline is 

“independent coffee for a revolution.” This 

community hub includes a custom-made 

communal table where we assembled for coffee 

and samples of delicious in-house baking. 

The next part of our trip was through 

gently rolling landscape dotted with farms 

on the outskirts of the historic stone 

town of St. Marys. Here lies the pastoral 

50-acre Transvaal Farm. Cindy Taylor and 

husband Scott McLauchlan are the epitome 

of hospitality and provide an informative 

agritourism experience. Besides meeting “the 

girls,” a bevy of Rhode Island Reds, the main 

elements of this adventure are a tour of the 

farm property by Scott McLaughlan, a lavish 

farm-to-table breakfast prepared by Cindy at 

the guest house, and a tour of the small-scale 

artisan goat cheese plant operated by Cindy’s 

brother, owner and cheesemaker of C’estbon 

Cheese Limited, George Taylor. 

Operations at C’estbon began as a retirement 

project for Taylor 16 years ago when 

he swapped a flock of sheep for a herd of 

Globally inspired Tacos, Tapas, & Prix Fixe 

Every Saturday 10pm - 2am 

A POP-UP SNACK BAR 

@ latenightlao 

Please call 

519.273.5886 

for Reservations 

@themillstoneON 

themillstone.ca 

30 Ontario St. 

Stratford, ON


Toggenburg and La Mancha goats. George 

began crafting small-batch cheese using only 

the milk from his own herd to create his proprietary 

C’estbon chèvre. In time, George relocated 

his goats to a neighbouring farm. The 

goat milk is now delivered from a local producer, 

Hewitt’s Dairy. True artisanal cheese 

can’t be mass-produced and is limited in quantity 

with specific characteristics deemed to be 

specialty in nature. Not a single item leaves 

C’estbon without George’s thumbprint on it. 

Stonetown Cheese on Perth County Line 8 

(Kirkton Road) was our next stop. Stonetown 

is a purveyor of Swiss mountain-style cheeses, 

hand-crafted by master cheesemaker Ramon 

Eberle. Using unpasteurized milk from farmers 

Hans and Jolanda Weber’s herd of Holsteins, 

Eberle creates three types of cheese. We are 

given a tour through the state-of-the-art milk 

receiving area, where the milk is brought to be 

processed and is heat-treated to 65° Celsius. 

The goal of using raw milk is to keep the cheese 

as natural as possible, so that it ripens nicely 

and the flavours improve with maturation. 

In another area the cheese curds are stirred, 

separated from the whey and pressed into 

wheels before they are brined. There are three 

“A fun place to shop 

for housewares and gifts!” 

Sample delicious local eats, 

meet inspiring producers and 

marvel at the tempting array 

of fresh and artisanal edibles. 

From farm to table, pork to pies 

to pints, discover more 

in Perth County! 

restaurants 

farm gates 

• SUPPORTS HEALTHY SKIN 

• SAME PH AS HUMANS 

• HYDRATES AND BRIGHTENS SKIN 

Beekman soaps and skin care 

products are designed on a farm, 

not in a lab. Many incorporate 

fresh goat milk and can be used 

on the most sensitive of skin. 

WATSON’S 

CHELSEA BAZAAR 

84 Ontario St. Stratford 

watsonsofstratford.com 

519-273-1790 

food shops 

Find us, follow us! 

#DiscoverMore #PerthCounty 

@PerthCoTourism 

perthcountytourism.ca


very large and impressive maturation rooms 

for the aging of the cheese. The trio of stunning 

cheeses and other local products are available 

to buy on-site at the farm store. I highly 

recommend a visit for cheese lovers. 

There were additional stops at McCully’s 

Hill Farm and Market for a tour of the bush in 

a horse-drawn wagon and an overview of the 

maple syrup processing facilities, and at The 

Best Little Pork Shoppe in Shakespeare. 

It is certainly invigorating to explore the 

bucolic countryside in and around Perth 

County. Drop by the Stratford Tourism 

Alliance for culinary tours of another kind. 

Self-guided Bacon & Ale Trail and Chocolate 

Trail tours are available all year round and 

tickets are available at the Stratford Tourism 

Alliance. There is also a seasonal Maple Trail 

to look forward to in March and April. 

[Update: The original story referenced a 

great spot in St. Marys, now closed, that is now 

home to Harris Electric Eatery. Chef Jordy 

Carr reached back into the building’s history, 

when it was home to Harris Electric until 

1979. Carr embraces a farm-to-table approach, 

making everything in house, from preserves 

to smoked meats and charcuterie. Chef’s goal 


is to have “something for everyone” with great 

sandwiches and burgers, salads and perhaps 

steak frites or a creative take on Asian and 

Latino cuisines. Leave room for dessert! 

Space does not permit details of some of the 

other invigorating Road Trip stories that 

come to mind. Sue Sutherland-Wood took two 

memorable road trips for us this year, one to 

Elora and a more recent one to Essex County. I 

encourage you to revisit those with us online. In 

fact, we’ve had a number of interesting visits to 

Essex, including visits to Windsor, Pelee Island, 

and deep dives into the EPIC wine region. 

Some of our stories in this column have 

been into the USA, from Buffalo to Cleveland 

to Frankenmuth. Kym Wolfe made memorable 

travels to Niagara-on-the-Lake and Prince 

Edward County for us. Bryan Lavery gave us 

insider looks at Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, 

and Paris ON. Wherever you’re heading, 

I encourage you to run a quick search at 

eatdrink.ca. Happy Trails! 

CHRIS McDONELL is Publisher and the founder of 

Eatdrink. He can be reached at chris@eatdrink.ca 

PATIO NOW OPEN


Beer 


Twelve Must-Try Craft Beers 


BY GEORGE MACKE 

Craft beer exploration is a 12-pack of 

delights in London and area, where 

the microbrewing scene is finally 

coming of age in terms of quality, 

quirkiness, and neighbourhood legends. 

Here are 12 places true beer fans must visit in 

person, to take home fresh tallboy cans or to 

pull up a chair and wax poetic about hops and 

malts with fellow fans. We’ve included the one 

beer from each that you must try. 

Anderson Craft Ales, 1030 Elias St., London. 

Okay, no tall boy cans here. Anderson keeps it 

short with 355 ml cans of the brands that have 

created a buzz, such as Anderson Cream Ale and 

big boy Anderson IPA with its 6.5 per cent ABV 

and 60 IBU. 

But for those 

on a treasure 

hunt, it’s the 

new Anderson 

Brewer’s 

Reserve 

monthly 

series of innovative beers aged in barrels. Anderson 

is known for flexing its fitness cred, from 

running and cycling clubs to beer yoga, and combining 

all of that with flavourful beers consumed 

in moderation with friends for a healthy, happy 

lifestyle. 

Must try: Anderson Brewer’s Reserve 

monthly release. 

Beerlab! London, 420 Talbot St., 

London. The newest entry on the London 

microbrewery scene is the result of hard 

work by two buddies who started brewing in 

a Kensal Park garage. 

This boutique brewery, 

next door to Milos’ 

Craft Beer Emporium 

and a stone’s throw 

from Budweiser 

Gardens, is only open 

a few hours a week (on 

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 

mid-afternoons and evenings, and Sunday 

afternoons). Beerlab’s takeaways are eyepopping 

32-ounce crowlers. 

Must try: Obi Porter. 

Black Swan, 144 Downie St., Stratford. 

Established by a pair of local teachers, 

Black Swan provides 

an education in really, 

really nice beers. A 

recent renewal of the 

brewhouse means 

things will sometimes 

get a little out there, as 

the creative licence has 

been issued. The backbone 

of the brewery is 

the excellent English Pale 

Ale, which in addition to being available at the 

brewery is served at many of Stratford’s fine 

eateries. 

Must try: Holy Mole Stout with Chilis and 

Chocolate. 

Cowbell Brewing, 40035 Blyth Rd., Blyth. 

This is rural Ontario’s most special brewery, 

and it’s not just because of the massive, 

barn-like architecture. It’s also about the 

beer. What you’ve seen from Cowbell at the 

LCBO — brands such as Absent Landlord 

kolsch — are just the tip of the iceberg. 

A self-guided tour takes you above 

the brewhouse floor, and the in-house 

restaurant features wood-fired pizza 

and farm-to-fork menu items aching to 

be properly paired with Cowbell beers. 

Must try: Blended Almanac 2018 

Barley Wine and Almanac 2019 

Imperial Stout. These beers, 

originally released in August 2018 

and August 2019 to mark Cowbell’s 

first and second anniversaries, have 

been blended in a special black tank 

near the bar. A limited quantity of


psum 

RAW. LIVE. LOCAL. ORGANIC. 

SMALL ARTISANAL BATCHES MADE WITH LOVE 

BY REGISTERED HOLISTIC NUTRITIONISTS 

open year round 

23 Main St. 

Grand Bend, ON 

cultureshockkombucha.com 

#loveyourgut 

the rested result will be 

poured in November at 

the brewery. 

Curley Brewing Company, 

1634 Hyde Park 

Rd., London. Paired with 

a vegan cafe (grilled 

cheese with cashew 

mozza, anyone?), Curley Brewing Company has 

four beer recipes. Due to current licensing, they 

are for in-house consumption only. All beers 


brewed here are vegan, which isn’t hard to do in 

the beer world once you eliminate honey browns 

and milk stouts (which have lactose sugar as a 

sweetener). Curley Brewing’s owners got off to 

a choppy start, stymied by zoning in an attempt 

to first open in East London. Then after fixing 

up an old building in Hyde Park they had to 

pack up, take a break, and move a short distance 

away. Now they’re on a roll and deserving of lots 

of West London love. 

Must try: Kettle Bird, a lightly soured dryhopped 

ale. 

Dundas and Sons Brewing, 400 Adelaide 

St. North, London. Home to the one of the 

world’s nicest brewery owners, whose sons 

are actually too young to help the business, 

Dundas and Sons is a 

tiny place, across the 

street from London 

Police Headquarters. 

The impressively 

bearded barkeep’s acts 

of kindness include 

collecting hot weather 

gear and making water available for Old East 

Village folks. And Rob Dundas can brew. He 

has a rotating array of four of his own recipes, 

and taps of friends such as Sons of Kent, 

Anderson, Forked River, and London Brewing. 

Must try: The Way She Gose. 

Forked River, 45 Pacific Court, 

London. Tucked away in two 

units of a London industrial park 

off Clarke Road, Forked River 

makes up for being hard to find 

by brewing delicious beer. LCBO 

patrons will know it by Capital 

Blonde and Riptide Pale Ale, 

two safe recipes that keep the 

cash flowing. But the real magic


is at the brewery’s own bottle shop, where 

creations such as Full City Coffee Porter 

(made with Patrick’s Beans) and a rotation of 

one-offs and seasonals use tricks such as red 

wine barrel ageing. 

Must try: Summers in Rangoon, a 

sessionable IPA brewed with mangoes. 

Herald Haus Brewing, 21 Marketplace, 

Stratford. Remember print journalism? 

The folks at Herald Haus sure do. They’ve 

repurposed an 1890s newspaper office and 

print shop into a go-to craft brewery. The 

building once housed the Stratford Herald, 

which carries on today as the Stratford 

Beacon-Herald. Only 

one beer pays homage to 

newspapers — Dingman 

Dark is a nod to the 

original owner. They have 

a steady core, featuring 

a golden ale and a hopforward 

American pale ale, 

but have not piled on the 

IPA bandwagon. 

Must try: Perth County Conspiracy APA 

Craft Beer 

+ 

Artisan Cuisine 

TAP ROOM · BEER SHOP · EVENTS · KITCHEN 

27 ADELAIDE ST. SOUTH · CHATHAM ON 

Road Trip! 

FAMILY-FRIENDLY, FULLY-ACCESSIBLE RESTAURANT 

and DESTINATION CRAFT BREWERY in BLYTH 

40035 BLYTH RD., BLYTH, ON N0M 1H0 1-844-523-4724 WWW.COWBELLBREWING.COM


London Brewing, 

521 Burbrook Place, 

London. The region’s 

only microbrewery set 

up as a worker-owned 

co-operative, London 

Brewing makes bold 

statements about local 

ingredients, fair workplaces, and fine beer. 

Many miss the quirky, smoky Ode to the 

‘Wick, but beer fans can console themselves 

with the likes of London Natural Lager 

and Southwest Wheat. Frequent visits are 

required to take in the seasonals, highlighted 

by Neighbour Tart. It’s brewed with local 

donated rhubarb each June. 

Must try: Resolution Kettle Sour Series beers 

Powerhouse Brewing, 100 Kellogg Lane, 

London. Located in the former generating 

station of an abandoned cereal factory, 

family-owned Powerhouse Brewing is a key 

part of the Old East Village resurgence. 

Sure, we’re still waiting 

for a Special K or Rice 

Krispies beer, but the 

cereal company has 

no sense of humour 

about such creativity. 

We’re pleased to 

be served the likes of 

Homecoming IPA, the 

brewery’s original beer, in the coolest brewery 

building in London. For those who like to 

pair beer and architecture, note that this 

space was designed by Albert Kahn, aka “the 

architect of Detroit.” 

Must try: Buckley’s Irish Red 

Shakespeare Brewing, 2178 Line 34 (aka 

Highway 8), Shakespeare. Used to be you’d 

head to this tiny hamlet 10 minutes east 


of Stratford for its antique stores and allthings-British 

shop. Now Shakespeare has 

upped its game. Run by a mom-and-pop 

team in a former school bus 

garage, Shakespeare Brewing 

has a compact bottle shop 

and beverage room decor that 

mimics your favourite uncle’s 

living room. A rotating number 

of beers are available in bottles, 

with clever names inspired by 

local lore and label artwork 

inspired by the Bard. This truly 

local brewery uses exclusively 

Ontario-grown hops and barley 

to make its beer. The online shop 

ships via Canada Post and they also do growler 

fills at the brewery. 

Must try: Fryfogal Fox Lager. Named for a 

local stagecoach stop, 4.5% ABV and 18 IBUs. 

Toboggan Brewing, 585 Richmond St., 

London. The yin to the yang of 

Forked River in terms of actually 

finding the place, Toboggan has 

a high profile spot along heavilytravelled 

Richmond Street. It’s a 

brewpub with a brewery in the 

basement, literally below the 

feet of diners, and extra capacity 

offsite to feed cans of Lunatic 

Fridge IPA into retailers. A 

cute Beer and Gear shop makes 

take home beer (and branded 

wearables) a breeze post-dinner. 

Must try: Blackfriars Bridge Vanilla Stout. 

GEORGE MACKE is a craft beer explorer living in 

London.w 

willie’s café 

630 Dundas Street, Old East Village. 

@williescafe



Wine 

A Celebration of Ontario Wines 

Twelve That Are Sure to Please 

by GARY KILLOPS 

Selecting wines for this issue was easy. 

Limiting the number of wines to twelve 

was difficult. I could easily have made 

a list of fifty Ontario wines that I have 

enjoyed over the past year. I am very thankful 

to live in a wine region that is producing some 

exciting and excellent world class wines. There 

are a lot of wines and wineries to discover in 

Ontario. It’s time to celebrate our wines! 

While you don’t need a celebration to enjoy 

sparkling wine, it’s always nice to have a few 

bottles of bubbly on hand to pop for these 

special occasions. Here are three budget 

friendly Ontario sparkling wines to get the 

party started. 

Colio Estate Winery in Harrow produces 

a couple of sparkling wines that are perfect 

for any celebration or really any 

occasion. Both are listed as off dry, 

however they both offer a kiss of 

sweetness, just enough to balance 

the acidity. 

Lily Sparkling Wine (LCBO 

#418657, $17.95) — Riesling is the 

only grape used in the sparkling 

wine. The naturally crisp 

acidity of this grape is perfect 

for sparkling wine. 

Loaded with lemon 

citrus and green apple 

notes this cheerful 

bubbly is a crowd 

pleaser. 

Lily Sparkling Rosé (LCBO 

#536565, $17.95) — A blend of 

90% riesling and 10% cabernet 

franc and light pink in colour. 

Hints of freshly picked 

strawberries lead the way. The 

vibrant acidity leads the way to 

a lingering finish. An excellent 

value for a quality wine like this. 

Pelee Island Secco (LCBO 

#225946, $14.95) — A blend of 85% 

pinot blanc, and 15% auxerrois. 

Expect to taste a little more 

sweetness in this sparkling wine. A 

cornucopia of green apple, yellow 

pear and peach flavours. Light, 

fruity and cheerful. 

After clinking glasses of bubbly 

it’s time to move onto 

some seriously good 

Ontario red wines. 

Coffin Ridge Back 

From the Dead Red 

(Vintages #260463, 

$19.95) — Coffin Ridge Boutique 

Winery is located in Grey County 

near Georgian Bay. As a result 

of the winery’s name it does get 

a lot of attention at this time 

of year. Often its wines appear 

on lists of Halloween wine 

recommendations. 

A blend based on maréchal foch, 

baco noir, cabernet sauvignon and 

merlot, this full bodied dry red 

wine is led by notes of black fruit, 

fresh garden herbs with an earthy 

undertone. 

Hidden Bench Estate Organic 

Pinot Noir (Vintages #274753, 

$31.95) — Niagara’s Hidden 

Bench winery produces some of 

the best pinot noir in Ontario. 

Consistently top quality 

fermented juice. Bing cherry, 

fresh garden herbs lead the way. 

A really elegant and refined 

wine that will please any pinot 

lover. 

Hidden Bench Estate Winery 

was recently named the “Best


Alton Farms 

EST A TE WINERY 

Sip 

HAPPENS! 

LAKE 

HURON 

7 

SARNIA 

21 

WINE 

TASTINGS 

EVENTS 

WINE & 

CHOCOLATE 

PAIRINGS 

Grand 

Bend 

Forest 

5547 Aberarder 

21 Line 

402 

London 

77 km 

5547 Aberarder Line, Plympton-Wyoming 

519-899-2479 • altonfarmsestatewinery.com 

Winery in Ontario” at the National 

Wine Awards of Canada. 

Trius Red (Vintages #303800, 

$24.95) — Niagara’s Trius Winery 

has been producing this red 

blend for over 25 years. A blend 

of cabernet franc, merlot and 

cabernet sauvignon. Black 

current, black cherry, tobacco and 

recently cut cedar notes fill the 

glass. This is a superior 

Ontario red wine that 

always delivers. 

CREW Cabernet 

Franc 2016 (Vintages 

#315945, $22.95) — 

Some exciting times at CREW 

(Colchester Ridge Estate Winery) 

are happening. By the time this 

article goes to press the new 

tasting room and event facility 

should be open to the public. 

With kitchens on both the main 

floor and upstairs, and patios 

overlooking the vineyard, this will


be a destination spot to sip on a glass of wine 

and share a charcuterie board. 

Bernie Gorski, owner and wine maker at 

CREW, has always delivered with his wines. 

Ontario cabernet franc are some of the best in 

the world. This one proves it. 

Henry of Pelham Speck Family 

Reserve Baco Noir (Vintages 

#461699, $24.95) — No other 

winery in Ontario produces a baco 

noir like Henry of Pelham. They 

have set the bar so high many 

other wineries use this one to 

bench mark their own baco. If 

baco noir has never been your 

red wine of choice, once you 

have tasted this one you will 

likely be converted. 

Black berry, blueberry, and 

black cherry. Very silky and 

smooth on the finish. 

Mastronardi Syrah 2016 (Vintages 

#581223, $24.95) — Located in 

Ontario’s Lake Erie North Shore 

wine region, Mastronardi Estate 

Winery has been in operation 

since 2006. The vineyard is home 

to some of the region’s oldest 

vines at well over 25 years. 

Ontario’s cold winters are 

not good for syrah vines. But 

if they survive the cold season 

with little bud damage, the long 

hot summers are perfect for 

exceptional syrah wines. 

Mastronardi’s syrah conveys 

the summer heat. Black pepper and 

spicy notes, dark fruit with a silky 

finish. 

Vineland Estates Reserve 

Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 

(Vintages #582056, $49.95) — 2015 

was a warm vintage, perfect for 

cabernet sauvignon to reach full 

maturity and ripeness on the 

vine. Vineland used an optical 

sorter to select only the best 

grapes for this wine. This is a 

premium full-bodied Ontario 

red wine that is appropriate for 

special occasions. It is tasting 

good right now so don’t cellar it 

for too long. Open and enjoy! 

Winemaking at Its Finest 

Warm up to all the cozy occasions 

this season with the new 

Atmosphere Limited Release 

Australian Whisky Barrel Shiraz 

A perfect complement this holiday season! 

New customers will receive 

$25 off any purchased wine kit until Dec 31, 2019 

Premium quality handcrafted wine 

at an affordable price 

150 Exeter Road, London 519-652-3998 

somersetfinewines.com 

OPEN TUES–FRI 10am–7pm & SAT 9am–4pm 

Wining is Our Business 

invites you 

The Korpan Family 

to visit Early Acres! 

9494 Pioneer Line, Chatham 

519-354-9070 

info@earlyacresestatewinery.ca 

www.earlyacresestatewinery.ca 

Winery Retail Shop Hours 

Thurs & Fri 11am–6pm • Sat 11am–5pm

Small Lot Award Winning Wines 

We invite you to visit Oxley and taste our 

classics (Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir 

& Riesling) and our unique varietals: 

Regent, Wowza & Ripper Red. 

Open daily from 11am–6pm 

www.oxleyestatewinery.com (519) 738-3264 

533 County Rd. 50 E. Harrow, ON 


Weather Rock Cabernet Franc 

(LCBO #558809, $14.10) — This 

has become my go-to red wine. An 

affordable price and delivers quality. 

Produced by Oxley Estate winery 

in Lake Erie North Shore. 

Dark Horse 

Unapologetically 

Sinful Red (LCBO 

#493668, $14.95) — 

Dark Horse Estate 

Winery is located 

in Grand Bend and 

is one of several 

wineries in Huron 

County’s emerging 

wine region. This 

wine is an interesting 

blend of baco noir, cabernet 

sauvignon, and cabernet franc. 

Layers of black and red fruits 

with herbaceous undertone. 

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified 

Sommelier who loves to talk, taste, and write about wine. 

He shares his tasting notes on EssexWineReview.com 

Open daily year round 11am-5pm 

Quality Craft Wines 

Beachfront Picnics 

SOMETHING 

BIG 

IS COMING! 

Reminder: 

Visitors Welcome 

While Renovations 

Are Underway! 

Colchester Ridge Estate Winery 

www.sprucewoodshores.com 519-738-9253 

Enjoy Our Wines, Available at the LCBO 

108 Essex County Road 50 

Harrow ON 

519-738-9800 

@crewinery



The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

New and Notable 

London 

We here at Eatdrink are moving ahead with an 

expanded and updated Local Flavour Culinary 

Guide (Volume 8) featuring the best of Southwest 

Ontario. London remains the geographic hub in a 

larger wheel that will include participants from the 

counties of Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Huron, Middlesex, 

Norfolk, Oxford, Perth, Sarnia-Lambton, and 

Windsor-Essex. This is a natural evolution from 

last year’s Volume 7, when we first opened up the 

guide to businesses outside London. We’re happy 

to report that the 30,000 copies we printed and 

circulated last year were the right amount. We 

distributed them to essential, targeted locations 

like tourism offices, the airport, farmers’ markets, 

and select restaurants, craft breweries, shops 

and cultural hot spots. This year we are excited 

to invite all of our southwestern Ontario partners 

to take part in Local Flavour. Participants must 

be independent businesses committed to offering 

exceptional local culinary products, services, and 

experiences. Please let us know if you would like to 

participate in this guide. We are looking at a launch 

late in October. 

Congratulations to the iconic Arva Flour Mill, 

celebrating its 200th anniversary. Wow! Eatdrink 

will pay more attention to this remarkable 

achievement in our next issue, and finding out more 

about the new Mill House Bakery. The historic 

mill is located in Arva, just north of London, and 

supplies a variety of flours to some of our region’s 

best bakeries and restaurants. 2042 Elgin (off 

Richmond St. N), 519-660-0199, arvaflourmill.com 

An EPIC Wine Region 

that shares latitude, 

not attitude. 

We pride our winery experiences 

as being laid back and fun. Enjoy 

our scenic wine route by taking 

an unforgettable road trip, or if 

you’re feeling adventurous, pedal 

your way around the shores. 

$100 Value 

for Only $25 

Plus, take 

advantage of 

special offers 

and huge savings 

with our new EPIC 

Tasting Pass! 

Find out more at 

epicwineries.com 

#WINERYQG | visitwindsoressex.com



It’s the return of the 6th annual Heeman’s Food 

Trucks of the Farm Event and this year they will be 

hosting 13 trucks. It all goes down over two days 

in the parking lot in front of Heeman’s greenhouse 

September 7 and 8. The trucks will be serving up 

deliciousness from 10am–3pm. This year marks 

the return of some fan favourites, along with some 

trucks appearing at the event for the first time. 20422 

Nissouri Rd., Thorndale, 519-461-1416, heemans.ca 

The majority of London’s food trucks are available 

for catering, and a few operate year-round, such 

Traditional, Real Food. 

Real Good! 

Try our world famous Goulash Soup, Cabbage Rolls, 

Schnitzel, Chicken Paprikash, a Combination Platter, or 

many other mouthwatering Hungarian dishes. 

519-652-9696 

aranka.ca 

aranka.csarda arankacsarda 

7447 Longwoods Road, London ON 

Our beautiful country setting is on Longwoods, the continuation of 

Wharncliffe Road, just outside Lambeth 

More than just a Coffee Shop! 

Gelato 

Breakfast Items 

Soups & Light Lunches 

Homemade 

Baking 

INCLUDING 

Gluten-free 

& Keto 

Homemade Gelato 

Pour Over Coffee Bar Open Daily 8am–9pm 

creambeanerycafe.com 

as Goodah, The Donut Diva, My Big Fat Food 

Truck, and Big Daddy Bacon. There is a little 

something for everyone, including Gourmet Grilled 

Cheese, Mini Donuts with over 30 sugary flavours, 

Portuguese Fusion, All Things Bacon, Tacos, Mac 

and Cheese, Shawarma (Halal), Poutine, Perogies, 

and Ice Cream. A lot of trucks have vegetarian and 

vegan options. A pilot Food Truck Night has been 

launched at the Western Fair Farmers Market lot 

on Wednesdays from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Food 

Truck Association is working with a local producer 

to create a show about food trucks for the Rogers 

Network. The show should be going into preproduction 

soon. facebook.com/londonfoodtrucks/ 

This year’s VegFest — London’s annual “plantbased 

party” — takes place Saturday, November 9, 

10am–6pm, at the Metroland Media Agriplex, Western 

Fair District. A variety of vendors will be offering 

food and drink samples, and all kinds of support 

for a plant-based lifestyle. vegfestlondon.com 

Jill’s Table is celebrating 20 years as London’s premier 

food and kitchenware destination. In 1999, Jill Wilcox 

opened Jill’s Table in a small corner of the newly 

rebuilt Covent Garden Market. Two years later, she 

relocated to her present location, bringing in superior 

products from around the world, showcasing local 

food artisans, providing in-store demonstrations, and 

servicing home cooks and professional chefs with 

speciality food items, cookware, bakeware, and kitchen 

utensils. Jill’s Table is also a gift-giving destination 

that promotes and sells Canadian handmade products 

and creates exceptional gift baskets. 

Since 2009, Jill has been hosting food and wine 

tours to France, Italy and Portugal, and in the near 

future will be adding tours to Ireland and Spain. 

In 2012, Jill started the Jill Wilcox Foundation as 

a way of giving back to the local community with 

100% of all funds raised going to help women and 

children in food-related initiatives. 

Over the years, Jill has been recognized for her 

Quality Coffee 

New 2nd Location! 

22469 Adelaide Rd, Mt Brydges 

226-490-0301 

825 Southdale Rd W, London 

519-652-1607 

PATIO 

OPEN!


leadership in business, with awards including the 

YMCA Women of Excellence, London Chamber of 

Commerce Business Achievement Award and Canadian 

Gift Association Retailer of the Year. This fall, 

Jill is launching her 24th year of cooking classes, 

with a full lineup of demonstration and hands-on 

classes headed by master chef Ran Ai. Jill’s Table 

invites you to join their 20th anniversary celebrations 

on October 2, 3–7 pm. 115 King St. jillstable.ca 

Congratulations to Downtown London’s David’s 

Bistro and Reverie Restaurant, who are both listed 

in the recently released 2019–20 edition of Anne 

Hardy’s Where to Eat in Canada. This annual guide, 

published by Oberon Press and now in its 48th 

year, offers an independent review of some 500 

restaurants in more than 200 cities, towns and 

villages across the country. 

Thursday nights are now a Jazz Night at Michael’s 

On The Thames, with a different jazz ensemble 

featured each week. Join Michael’s for a glass of 

wine, appetizers or dinner BUT be sure to join them 

for the jazz on Thursdays! 1 York St, London, 519- 

672-0111, michaelsonthethames.com 

Chef Josh Sawyer and Elaine Sawyer’s Wich is 

Wich has relocated to Wellington St., south of 

“a gastronomical landmark for over 23 years” 

Fall Food Fest 

Saturday, September 28 10am–1pm 

Celebrate the harvest season at this annual 

family-friendly event. There will be fun 

fall-themed games, a chance to judge and 

taste our Heritage Grain Cooking Competition, 

and a free cooking workshop 

upstairs in the market 

featuring Julie 

Kortekaas from 

Rebel Remedy 

Health Bar. 

Regenerate has also challenged some local 

vendors to try baking using heritage grains. 

Expect many different locally inspired goodies! 

Our 20th Anniversary Celebration! 

Saturday, October 19 10am–2pm 

Join us upstairs on the Mezzanine as we 

celebrate 20 years with a BIG thank you to our 

loyal customers! The day will be filled with 

delicious foods from all of our Market vendors, 

short speeches, a special announcement, live 

entertainment, kids activities and special 

giveaways. Come by and celebrate with us! 

Family Pumpkin Patch 

Saturday, October 26 10am–1pm 

Fun for the kids including crafts, face 

painting, bouncy castle, seasonal 

treats, entertainment, and more. 

Kids — don’t forget to dress up in 

your Halloween costumes! 

Chef-driven Farm-to-Table Cuisine 

Dietary Needs Accommodated 

Lunch Mon–Fri 

Ample Free Dinner Parking Mon–Sat 

Available for Private Parties 

Bistro & Catering 

46 Blackfriars Street, London | 519-667-4930 

blackfriarsbistro.com 

MARKET HOURS 

Mon–Fri 8am–7pm 

Saturday 8am–6pm 

Sunday 11am–4pm 

Mezzanine & Restaurant Hours Differ

“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed 

Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, Eatdrink 

• FAMILY FRIENDLY 

• Vegetarian & 

Vegan Options 

• Takeout 

• Catering 

ADDIS ABABA Restaurant 

Tuesday–Saturday 11am–10pm by reservation 

Closed Sunday & Monday 

465 Dundas Street 519 433-4222 

www.tgsaddisababarestaurant.com 

Beautiful 

Canopied Patio 

NOW OPEN! 


Oxford (once Willie’s Café), serving the same great 

sandwiches (global flavours, exotic ingredients, and 

textural contrasts). Weekend brunch is served both 

days, and dinners Tuesday–Saturday. They also 

offer catering, grab-and-go, and a patio for dining. 

731 Wellington St., 519-860-9424, wichiswich.ca 

The Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) will run October 

23–27 in Downtown London. Screenings will take 

place at Wolf Performance Hall, Fanshawe Good 

Foundation Theatre, Imagine Cinemas, and Museum 

London. On September 12, the 2019 Season Launch 

will announce all the films, film personalities, and 

events coming to FCFF. This is a free celebration at 

Joe Kool’s, followed by Open Air Cinema at Dundas 

Place, where there will be a free screening of “The 

Breakfast Club” and London’s favourite food trucks. 

Forest City 48, a 48-hour filmmaking challenge 

open to everyone interested in filmmaking, will run 

October 18–20. The inaugural Forest City Youth 

Film Festival, a day of seminars for young aspiring 

filmmakers, and screenings of the best short films 

created by Southwestern Ontario high school 

students, takes place Oct. 23. On Oct. 24, Lerners 

Opening Night, a gala event, will be followed by the 

opening night film (TBA) and an audience after party. 

Screenings and industry sessions will be held 

October 25–27. The Networking and Microkeynote 

Party, for local businesses and creatives in the film 

industry hosted by FCFF and London Economic 

Development Corporation (LEDC), happens Oct. 25. 

The FCFF PitchFest is on Oct. 26. Pitchfest winners 

can win up to $10,000 in prizes. On Oct. 27, the Closing 

Night film (TBA) will be followed by an Awards 

Celebration, with winners from all categories and 

competitions announced. forestcityfilmfestival.ca 

Origins Co, a grab-and-go coffee shop, relocated 

from Ann Street to King and Talbot Streets (in the 

space previously occupied by Fire Roasted Coffee). 

Origins serves fresh juices, smoothies and smoothie 

bowls, as well as baked goods with gluten-free 

options. Using ingredients that are ethically 

harvested, non-GMO, and organic where possible, 

it also offers teas, espresso, and bulletproof coffee. 

105 King Street, 519-601-5855, originsco.com 

Blackfriars Bistro & Catering is now also open 

on Mondays for lunch and dinner. Betty Heydon’s 

locally-acclaimed farm-to-table bistro continues 

to wow all age groups and recently celebrated its 

23rd birthday. Chefs prepare innovative, seasonal 

blackboard specials with cutting-edge menus that 

respect tradition. Closed Sundays, 46 Blackfriars 

St., 519-667-4930, blackfriarsbistro.com 

Eduard Nagy and Anita Tasonyi’s landmark 

Budapest Restaurant features a new, elevated


patio with a stunning retractable canopy. Signature 

dishes include a variety of superb schnitzels, 

chicken paprikash, goulash, and Hungarian 

cabbage rolls with a modern flair. 348 Dundas 

Street, 519-439-3431, budapestrestaurant.com 

Olha and Anatolii Prytkova’s charming Happiness 

Coffee and Desserts celebrated its first anniversary. 

The family-owned business bakes all the Europeanstyle 

desserts from scratch, including high-quality 

specialty cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, and 

chocolates. 430 Wellington St., 204-293-9530. 

Willie’s Café continues to grow and thrive in the 

London Food Incubator at 630 Dundas St. Ian 

Kennard has expanded the seating with more tables, 

comfy chairs and a new cozy dining area. There 

is inexpensive municipal parking off Queens Ave., 

and customers are welcome to use the entrance 

accessible from the parking lot. Willie’s continues 

to provide catering services with a focus on office/ 

corporate lunches. williescafeandcatering.com 

Wanting to create “the healthiest most digestible 

bread possible,” owner of The Whole Grain 

Hearth Bakery artisan baker Richard Placzek has 

committed to only using natural sourdough yeast in 

his breads and freshly milling his own flours from 

organic grains. Producing a variety of beautifully 

handcrafted breads and enticing pastries such as 

Red Fife Butter Tarts and gluten-free Spelt Pop 

Tarts, Placzek’s offerings are available at various 

locations, including Covent Garden Farmers’ 

Market and Remark, as well as at the bakery itself 

on Fridays 11–5 and Saturdays 10–3. 958 Leathorne 

St., Unit #3, 519-719-7355, thewholegrainhearth.ca 

Regenerate Heritage Grain Weekend, featuring a 

Rotational Grain Eating Dinner hosted by Fanshawe 

College and a 2-day Bread Camp, is back and has 

expanded to include new grain-focused events. 

Regenerate has partnered with Fall Food Fest at 

Covent Garden Market for a day of community- 


building activities to build a strong narrative around 

five components of grain: Bread, Beer, Distilling, 

Pasta and Pizza. The regional collaboration weekend 

will highlight all these areas to engage consumers, 

chefs and farmers. September 17, 28 & 29. cktable.ca/ 

regenerate-event-weekend-2019/ 

Chef’s Table at the downtown campus of Fanshawe 

College is both a restaurant and a café. Menus 

showcase local suppliers and farmers, with 

staff creating many items such as cured meats 

and preserves. The Chef’s Table gives students 

LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30–2:30 

DINNER from 5pm daily 

432 Richmond Street 

at Carling • London 

ALWAYS 

a 3-course prix fixe 

menu option 

www.davidsbistro.ca 

C’Angelina 

Catering 

Corporate & Family BBQs 

Prepared Foods & Fresh Meats 

Catering that meats your needs. 

426 Third Street, London 

519-204-8189 

c-angelina@rogers.com

Make HAPPINESS 

a part of your day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY BRUNCH 

11am−2pm 

Intimate 

Outdoor 

Courtyard 

Open 7 Days a Week 

Mon/Tues 11:30-10, Wed/Thurs 11:30-11, Fri/Sat 11:30-12, Sun 11-10 


hands-on training and an opportunity to gain 

practical experience. There is an open kitchen, 

wood, exposed brick, and marble countertops, with 

a relaxed and accessible ambiance. The restaurant 

is open weekdays. Lunch: 11 am–2 pm; Dinner: 5 

pm–8 pm. 130 Dundas Street, 519-452-4433. 

Aranka Csárda is a family-run Hungarian 

restaurant on Longwoods Road beside Miller Berry 

Farms just outside of Lambeth. The hospitable 

owners take pride in what they do and serve only 

authentic and quality food, with daily specials such 

as traditional schnitzel, chicken paprikash, and 

cabbage rolls. 7447 Longwoods Road, London, 519- 

652-9696, aranka.ca 

PC Cooking Schools at Superstore offer one-hour 

weekly daytime “What’s for Dinner?” classes on 

Thursdays: Oxford and Gammage 12:30-1:30 pm; 

Oxford and Hyde Park Road 1–2 pm. Both locations 

offer a schedule of evening classes that run 6:30– 

8:30 pm. pccookingschool.ca 

Joan Hepburn of award-winning Joanie’s Pastries 

will be opening her storefront in early September in 

Northridge Plaza (1444 Glenora Drive). This is the 

first gluten-free bakery in London to be certified by 

the Celiac Society. If you haven’t tried her glutenfree 

tarts, cinnamon buns or cookies, you are 

missing out! 519-281-9605, joaniespastries.com 

Stratford 

The stunning new Braai House recently opened 

above Stratford’s iconic Keystone Alley. The menu, 

created by executive chef and owner Anthony 

Jordaan, highlights the amazing flavours that come 

off a South African-style braai, a wood-fired BBQ/ 

grill. The menu is meant to bring friends and family 

together to enjoy great food and atmosphere. 34 

Brunswick St, 519-271-5647, braaihouse.ca 

The Mill Stone Restaurant & Bar focuses on “global 

tacos & tapas,” an assortment of small plates 

inspired by assorted cuisines, a large variety of 

authentic Mexican tacos, and internationallyinspired 

creations such as curries and confits 

(served on fresh handmade tortillas). In addition to 

those all-day menus, there are sandwiches during 

lunch and a pre-theatre prix fixe for dinner. Late 

Night Lao is still going strong Saturdays 10 pm–2 

am. An updated menu recently launched, with new 

delicious snacks to explore. The same menu is also 

on offer during “MexiLao” Sunday lunch alongside 

the taco menu. Looking ahead to the off-season, 

there will be a couple of events focusing on food 

and music, featuring collaborations with other 

chefs from around town and beyond. 30 Ontario 

Street, Stratford, 519-273-5886, millstone.ca


Downton Abbey High Tea at Revival House: Are 

you ready to “Spill the Tea” and talk ALL about the 

amazing Downton Abbey Movie? Come in your best 

Downton Abbey fashion and enjoy tea and tiers 

at Revival House. Sunday, September 29, 2019, 12 

noon–2 pm. $45/person. revival.house 

Check out The Red Lion Room, Stratford’s new 

performance and entertainment venue. Located 

in the Windsor Hotel, the stated aim is inviting: 

“Simple understandable food; support for the craft 

beer movement; delicious value vino; a quiet place 

to relax (even on Mondays). 23 Albert Street, 226- 

766-9818, redlionroom.ca 

The Slow Food Perth County Sunday Market runs 

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Market Square. You’ll find 

local produce, bread, soups, sweets, crafty things, 

lacto-fermented foods, cheese, grass-fed meats, 

and garden seeds. slowfoodperthcounty.ca 

Stratford Farmers’ Market, a year-round market 

operating since 1855, offers fresh produce, crafts, 

meat, and cheese at Stratford Rotary Complex- 

Agriplex, 353 McCarthy Rd, Saturdays 7 a.m.–12 

noon. 519-271-5130. stratfordfairgrounds.ca 

The self-guided Savour Stratford Chocolate Trail 

introduces you to world-famous confectioners 

and bakers. Sample decadent treats and meet the 

makers. Twenty-eight delicious treats will tempt 

you. visitstratford.ca/stratford-chocolate-trail 

Stratford Symphony Orchestra’s 15th Anniversary 

Season opens October 5 with the wonderful 

concert Once Upon a Time, with fairy tale-inspired 

musical compositions from the ages, narrated 

by Stephen Russell from the Stratford Festival 

Acting Company. The SSO’s season opener will 

also feature sopranos Katy Clark and Leanne 

Kaufman from the Canadian Opera Company. 

stratfordsymphonyorchestra.ca 

Around Our Region 

Chef Rob Lampman, formerly of The Kettle Creek 

Inn, and his partner Terrie Collard have created the 

welcoming Two Forks in Port Stanley. A large outdoor 

patio and chef’s garden enhance the vibe. Small plates, 

designed for sharing, are made from scratch with local 

ingredients. You’ll find freshly shucked live oysters 

right at the bar, local wine on tap, craft beer flights, 

and handcrafted cocktails. 295 Bridge Street, Port 

Stanley, 226-658-4887, fb.com/twoforks295 

Solo on Main is a family-run restaurant with Chef 

Lauren Van Dixhoorn at the helm. In seasonable 

weather the smartly appointed patio and inviting 

front porch offer alfresco seating and great Port 

views. The cooking is refined and the presentation 

Gift Cards 

Available 

FINE FOOD FOR FINE PEOPLE 

PRIVATE DINING ROOM AVAILABLE 

G R A C E R E S T A U R A N T 

farm-to-table fine dining downtown 

Certificate of Excellence 

519-652-7659 • HWY 401 & 4 • pastosgrill.com

Buy Less. Choose Well. 

Assorted Chef’s 

Knife Rolls 

High quality, Canadian made 

leather goods and chef accessories 

159 King St. South, Unit 2, St. Marys 

or order online 

haversackleather.ca 


modern and thoughtful. 187 Main Street, Port 

Stanley, soloportstanley.com 

The Vedovas opened The Kettle Creek Inn in 1983, 

after purchasing and renovating the building, and 

the business is now one of Ontario’s Finest Inns. 

Jean, along with her sons Troy and Dean, operate 

this ten-room, five-suite facility that features a 

charming restaurant, gazebo and sidewalk patio. 

216 Joseph Street, Port Stanley, 519-782-3388 

Lola’s Lounge is a former retro diner that has been 

converted into one of Sarnia’s local hot spots. Tania 

Auger, the talented owner, has put her stamp on 

almost every facet of the restaurant, especially 

the food. Auger sources local ingredients in season 

and serves generous portions. Steaks, fresh fish 

— from Purdy’s of course — and big martinis. 110 

Christina Street South, Sarnia, 519-336-8088 

Throughout the year Jane Magri’s Wildflowers 

Farm offers seasonally-inspired events to create 

a sacred space for community to gather, nourish, 

and celebrate all that Elgin County has to offer. The 

barn offers one-of-a-kind experiences and can be 

booked for private functions, from family dinners 

to celebrations. Check out the Fall Harvest Dinner 

on Saturday, Sept 14, 5–9 pm, $60 + HST, with live 

I ENJOY 

WONDERFUL 

COFFEE WHILE 

LISTENING 

TO BUSKERS. 

LOVE THIS PLACE. 

THEMARKETWFD.COM 

TERA D. 

GOOGLE REVIEW


music by Tuerto Loco. 42338 Fruit Ridge Line, St 

Thomas, 226-926-6432, wildflowers.farm/events 

Brenda Daniel of From the Meadow has been 

farming since 1978. She and her husband Dave, 

along with their daughter Heather, grow, harvest 

and manufacture a variety of natural herb products 

on their five-acre plot. They call their MyPick® 

(local farmer verified) business an “adventure” 

and are passionate about creating revitalizing and 

relaxing healing creams, scrubs, shampoos, soaps, 

and more with their own culinary herbs and other 

natural ingredients. Their products are available 

at the “Farmacy” at the farm in Elgin County, 

and at the Market at Western Fair. 3881 Avon Dr., 

Harrietsville, 519-269-3961, fromthemeadow.com 

Affinage 101 at Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese: Wash 

wheels of cheese, learn about aging, and finish by 

creating a few fondues for your group, with the 

cheesemaker Shep Ysselstein. September 7 and 

October 5. 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road, Woodstock, 

519-424-4024, gunnshillcheese.ca 

SixThirtyNine opened its doors in 2005, cultivated 

by Pauline Bucek and Chef Eric Boyar. The modern 

dining space provides a comfortable atmosphere. 

They focus on attentive service and local, 

terroir-driven Canadian cuisine. 639 Peel Street, 

Woodstock, 519-536-9602, sixthirtynine.com 

IRONWORKS kitchen is downtown Woodstock’s 

newest hotspot (see the article on page 18 of this 

issue). Lunch and dinner menus feature elevated 

comfort food, including the signature “Homer 

Brown Burger.” 529 Dundas Street, Woodstock, 519- 

290-0926, ironworkskitchen.ca 

Brewed Exploration at Upper Thames Brewing Co.: 

Calling all hop heads, this is the experience for you. 

Step behind the bar to learn about brewing from 

grain to glass, and even bottle your own beer on 

Sept 21. upperthamesbrewing.ca 

Enjoy a warm and inviting atmosphere with 

counter-service light pub fare at Brickhouse 

Brewpub. Twenty-four taps of Ontario craft beer. 

Half are Upper Thames brews. Onsite brewing and 

retail. 190 Fairway Road, Woodstock, 519-421-2218, 

upperthamesbrewing.ca/brewpub. 

Elio Caporicci’s Early Bird Coffee is Woodstock’s 

first coffee roastery and café. Established in 2018, 

the company wholesales throughout the city and 

has an onsite café serving specialty and standard 

coffees, along with delicious baked goods. The café 

is small and homey and a great spot to grab your 

morning cup or to meet up and hang out for a while. 

Premium coffee from select growing regions with 

an emphasis on sustainability is at the forefront 

Light Alfredo 

Authentic Tomato 

Choose your favourites! 

580 Adelaide St N, London 

519-672-7827 

Quality 

Convenient 

Meals 

Blush 

Meat Sauce 

Family Dinner for 4 only $ 15 .99 

Fresh Pasta (600g) & Store-made Sauce (16oz) 

& Fresh Bread or Buns 

Takes minutes to prepare or have us cook it for $ 21 .00 

MON–FRI 9:30am–7pm • SAT 9:30am–5pm • SUN 11am–5pm 

Full menu available at marshallspastacatering.ca 

FLIGHTS & BITES 

HALF PRICE Sharing Plates & Oysters 

Tuesday–Friday from 3:30–5:30pm 

SUNDAY INDUSTRY NIGHTS 

20% OFF! 

TUES–SAT Lunch & Dinner 11:30am to Close 

SUNDAY Brunch 11am & Dinner 

449 Wharncliffe Road South 

519.914.2699

where art is 

Hey, Cupcake! a piece of cake 

The ORIGINAL 

LONDON CAKERY & 

GOURMET CUPCAKE 

BAKERY 

ASK US Custom Bakery • Walk-In Orders Available 

ABOUT OUR 

“RANDOM 

ACTS OF 

SWEETNESS!” 

CAMPAIGN 

www.heycupcake.ca 

275 Wharncliffe Rd. North 

519-433-CAKE (2253) 

STORE HOURS: Mon–Fri 11–7 

Saturday 10–5 • Sunday 11–4 


of the business. Roasting top quality beans weekly 

ensures that the coffee is always fresh and at its 

best. earlybird.ca 

The Wine Cellar & Cheese Shop: Create your own 

quality wines by batch, at the shop. Find a wide 

variety of exciting local artisan and imported 

cheese. Canadian-made jellies, compotes and 

gourmet crackers are available. 118 Thames St. S., 

Ingersoll, 519-854-5760, winecellaringersoll.com 

Handcraft a dozen gourmet truffles at Truffle Camp 

alongside Cindy Walker of Chocolatea. Learn how 

to use flavours from Southwestern Ontario to create 

a selection of delectable ganache as you step into 

the role of a chocolatier. $75.00 per person + HST. 

Chocolatea, 38 King Street East, Ingersoll, 519-495- 

6020, chocolatea.ca/product/truffle-camp 

The bounty and beauty of autumn is on full display 

at Hessenland Inn & Vineyard. Along with a 

delicious menu offered over Thanksgiving weekend, 

the Inn and their boutique vineyard, Schatz Winery, 

will be rolling out their 4th Annual Long Table 

Dinner on October 5. Enjoy Cocktail Hour with local 

libations and hors d’oeuvres in the vineyard, and a 

5-course dinner with wine accompaniments in the 

Garden Room, including Schatz Winery’s inaugural


vintages. On November 2, German tradition will 

be celebrated once again at Novemberfest — A 

Tribute to Ernst L. Ihrig (Dinner, Dance & Parkinson 

Fundraiser). hessenland.com 

The 1909 Culinary Academy is Canada’s first 

chef training facility with a focus on agriculture 

and the myriad of techniques used to cultivate 

the food destined for your chef-inspired menu. 

The schoolhouse presents a lesson in community 

heritage stewardship. Inside original details 

are everywhere, and include the blackboards, 

decorative tin ceiling, lighting fixtures, trim, doors, 

wainscoting, hardwood floors, and original dual 

entry foyer. Find out more about owner/executive 

chef, Murray Zehr, and the restaurant and training 

opportunities available through the Academy. 5183 

Trussler Road, Ayr, the1909culinaryacademy.ca 

Adventure Farms in Full Swing: Come September 

Snyder’s Family Farm and Leaping Deer Adventure 

Farm are slinging loads of fall fun, from corn mazes 

to farm animals, and loads of tasty fall treats. 

snydersfamilyfarm.com; leapingdeer.com 

McCully’s Fall Harvest Festival: Weekends in 

October enjoy wagon rides, a corn maze, pumpkin 

catapult and more. mccullys.ca 

Have you visited Jordi Carr and Natalie Crittenden’s 

Harris Electric Eatery in St. Marys? This new hot 

spot features the casual charm of a modern pub 

in a heritage setting, with a creative, chef-driven 

regional dining experience. 159 Queen St. E., St. 

Marys, harriselectriceatery.com 

The Pristine Olive from London is thrilled to be 

supplying the newly opened Mindful Market 

and Eco Hub in Blenheim, ON with a fresh supply 

of quality extra virgin olive oils and balsamic 

vinegars. The Mindful Market is a specialty food 

store carrying local/regional foods and eco 

products. fb.com/MindfulonTalbot/ 

Railway City Brewing in St. Thomas is introducing 

Barrel Aged Honey Elixir. They’ve whisky barrelaged 

their classic Honey Elixir to a hearty 7.2% 

ABV, available in 750ml bottles. Double Dead 

Elephant is back, and Train Reaction, a sea salt and 

lime Mexican lager, is a perfect end-of-summer 

quencher. Elgin Harvest is coming Fridays (4–8pm) 

with handcrafted, wood-fired pizza. On Saturdays 

(2–8pm), The Tipsy Pig comes in with their classic 

smokehouse BBQ. It’s Game Night on Tuesdays 

and Beer Cocktail Night happens Thursdays. 

Enjoy a variety of handcrafted cocktails made with 

premium liquor and Railway City’s most beloved 

beers. Live music on Saturday evenings. See the 

website for ticket info. railwaycitybrewing.com 

Modern Skincare Made with Love 

The Forest City’s 

all-natural small-batch 

skincare company 

Locally Handcrafted Curated Boutique 

incense, home decor, DIY supplies, 

jewellery, crystals, tarot cards, eco-friendly 

items and so much more ... 

111 Mount Pleasant Ave., London 

Monday–Friday: 10AM – 6PM 

Saturday & Sunday: 10AM – 4PM 

+1 519 630 5305 

info@purdynatural.ca 

purdynatural.ca 

Boho Bazaar Night Market 

Community is our passion. We support 

and sell local, and create events where 

everyone can gather and grow together. 

Stay updated on events @purdynatural 

@bohobazaarnightmarket


Alton Farms Estate Winery is hosting its Annual 

Grape Stomp Saturday, September 28. Festivities 

begin at 12 pm with the first stomp starting at 2 pm. 

There will be competitive stomps and kids stomps, 

so bring your family and friends! Time trials will 

determine the most productive stomper, measured 

by the volume of juice produced. Stomping fee 

is $5 per entry, with all proceeds in support of 

Bluewater Centre for Raptor Rehabilitation. 

(Raptors are magnificent birds, plus they help 

keep grape-eating bird populations in control!) 

Hot dogs and hamburgers will be available for 

purchase with a portion of the proceeds donated. 

altonfarmsestatewinery.com 

We want your BUZZ! 

481 Richmond Street 

garlicsoflondon.com 

519-432-4092 

Far Out ... 

but we like it that way! 

Do you have culinary news or upcoming events 

that you’d like us to share? 

Every issue, Eatdrink reaches more than 

50,000 readers across Southwestern Ontario 

in print, and thousands more online. 

Get in touch with us at editor@eatdrink.ca 

Submission deadline for the next issue: October 5 

Come for the planes and 

fall in love with the food! 

Enjoy our Patio 

overlooking the 

airport runway! 

Gift 

Certificates 

for all of your 

gift giving 

needs 

MON & TUES: Lunch 11–3 

WED, THURS & FRI: Lunch 11–5; Dinner 5–9 

Weekends: Breakfast 9–12, Lunch 12–3, Dinner 5–9 

Blair Blvd 

London 

International 

Airport 

Crumlin Rd 

Oxford St 

519-455-9005 

katanakafe.ca 

2530 Blair Blvd, London 

Diamond Flight Centre



Theatre 

Which London Life? 

This London Life, at the Grand Theatre 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

Which Thames River? And for 

that matter, which Grand 

Theatre? The confusion between 

“our” London and “the other” 

London is the theme of a new play opening 

this fall at Grand Theatre, London, Ontario. 

Written and directed by Morris Panych, the 

concept has been in the works since 2017. 

“I love the notion of connecting London, 

England and London, Ontario,” says Panych. 

He lived in London, England for two years, 

and he has a connection to our London via 

Dennis Garnhum, artistic director of the 

the story of a man who shows up in London, 

Ontario thinking he is in London, England. 

He is confused because he hears familiar place 

names, such as Covent Garden Market and 

Thames River, yet he cannot comprehend that 

he is not in England. 

The cast includes a ten-year-old narrator, 

Ryan Shaw of Petrolia. He was discovered 

during an audition call in Toronto. “You don’t 

often get to see a person of that age take on 

such a major role,” says Panych. “I couldn’t 

believe how bright he was. He understood 

the humour and nuances of the show. He 

Grand Theatre. Garnhum grew up in our 

London and he set up several opportunities 

for Panych to get to know our city, including 

tours, informal focus groups and visits with 

Tourism London. 

“Aside from all of the names and 

similarities, I think it’s funny that famous 

places you have heard about your whole life 

had a parallel in London, Ontario and when 

you go there they are not the same. I found 

that sweet. I wanted to personalize London, 

Ontario as a place. I always thought it must 

be weird to be from a place that is named 

after a place that is so much better known,” 

says Panych. 

This London Life is a comedy and at times 

farcical. It’s a tale of mistaken location, telling 

Morris Panych (left), writer and director of This London 

Life, coming to London’s Grand Theatre, and (above right) 

Ryan Shaw, narrator. Photos by Mallory Brown 

really got it and it wasn’t like he was coached 

by his parents. He connected with the 

material so well.” 

Beyond the humour, the play also hopes to 

touch on a discovery of what it is like to live in 

the shadow of something else. Panych hopes 

to reflect a London, Ontario that has its own 

personality. “We are all living in the shadow of 

something in this county — the shadow of the 

U.S., of Britain — [some places] in Canada are 

named after other famous places. However, 

second time around gives us opportunity and 

freshness. We can create our own new thing.



A hilarious celebration of our beloved city — 

the “other” London. 

THIS 

LONDONLIFE 

WORLD PREMIERE 

October 15 to November 2 

Spriet Stage 

THIS LONDON LIFE by Morris Panych 

grandtheatre.com 

box office 519.672.8800 

SE A SON 

SPONSOR 

T IT LE 

SPONSOR 

DEVELOPMENT 

PARTNER


That’s what’s great about Canada,” he says. 

This London Life is part of the COMPASS 

New Play Development program. With 

funding provided by Tourism London and 

Carlyle Peterson LLP, COMPASS is dedicated 

to creating and premiering new work at the 

Grand, according to Garnhum. He says it 

is part of the 

Grand’s strategy 

to commission, 

write, produce, 

and premiere 

original plays that 

are relevant to 

local, provincial 

and national 

locations. As 

well, the plan is 

to share plays such as This London Life with 

theatres and stages around the world. 

“A major thread throughout my career has 

been a focus on developing new work. This 

season we are staging new works, such as This 

London Life, which allow us to reflect our city, 

and its people — to show who we are and who 

we want to be,” says Garnhum. 

Panych has his home base in Toronto, which 

is where he workshopped the play before 

bringing it to London and sharing it with 

selected members and friends of the Grand 

Theatre. Panych has a long and successful 

history of writing, creating and directing 

plays across Canada, including productions 

at the Stratford Festival. He is a recipient 

of a Governor General’s award. He is also 

an award-winning actor on stage and TV, 

including roles on The X-Files. 

Currently writing a digital series for 

the CBC, Panych has also been actively 

developing a new production — Frankenstein 

Revived — with David Coulter since 2016 for 

Stratford. “I am delighted to welcome Morris 

back to Stratford as a director,” says Antoni 

Cimolino, Artistic Director. “His work with 

both movement- and text-based pieces is truly 

inspiring.” Frankenstein Revived will be on 

stage in 2020 at the Stratford Festival’s newly 

renovated Tom Patterson Theatre Centre. 

This London Life previews October 15–17, opens on the 

Spriet Stage October 18, and runs until November 2. 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink. 

She is also Manager, Communications & Media Relations, 

at King’s University College in London. 

FOREST 

CITY 

FILM 

FESTIVAL 

forestcityfilmfest.ca 

#fcff2019 

#fcff2019 

Oct. 23-27, 2019 

Downtown London 

See What’s On 

IMPROV 

NIGHT2 019 

Join us for Holiday Improv 

featuring seasoned Second City 

Improv specialists & enjoy 

a night of laughter! 

• Saturday November 30 at 8pm 

• $30 per Ticket (plus HST/Fees) 

• Doors Open 7pm, Show 8pm 

Reserve Tickets 

519-782-4353 www.psft.ca 

PortStanley 

FestivalTheatre



Books 

Wine Crime 

In Vino Duplicitas 

The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire 

by Peter Hellman 

Review by DARIN COOK 

To fool a wine connoisseur with a 

fraudulent bottle, a forger would 

need to know, in equal measures, 

wines that were real and fake. 

Rudy Kurniawan, a 20-something Indonesian 

immigrant living in Los Angeles, had the 

wicked combination of a discerning palate 

for the authentic stuff, and a criminal mind 

capable of passing off the fake. Like a musician 

with perfect pitch, he was described as having 

“virtuoso nostrils” and had a taste for wine 

that could match few others. His tastes were 

so good they eventually seemed too good to 

be true. With an author’s luck, Peter Hellman 

happened to be at a wine auction which led 

him down a journalistic path into the world of 

counterfeit wine. Hellman’s In Vino Duplicitas: 

The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire 

(The Experiment, 2017) profiles this infamous 

wine forger, the victims he duped along the 

way, and the scar he swathed across the wine 

industry. 

After bursting onto the scene of wine 

auctions in 2002, Kurniawan convinced 

everyone he was a top-notch aficionado. He 

brought the world’s best wines to dinner 

parties and 

wine tastings. 

He charmingly 

endeared 

himself to the 

most influential 

characters at 

wine auctions, 

high-end 

restaurants, 

and 

vineyards. 

Not only was he an 

expert taster, but also a shopaholic, 

spending millions of dollars on cases of wine, 

owning several thousands of bottles at any 

one time in his revolving inventory of real and 

forged wines. He did all of this with the skill 

of an extraordinary con man. But when one 

vintner came face-to-face with an obvious fake 

from his own winery, Kurniawan’s unravelling 

began. 

In 2008, 22 bottles of red Burgundy from 

Kurniawan’s collection were pulled from a 

New York auction because the dates on the 

bottles were 37 years prior to when the wine 

was known to be produced. With his 

reputation being tarnished by some 

of the best collectors in the business, 

his sales plummeted; even so, he could 

not stop himself from continuing 

to buy and his credit card debt 

racked up. Suspicions rose further as 

Kurniawan’s supply seemed limitless. 

Where was he getting it all? Collectors 

at auctions started to become more 

cautious in spending their fortunes 

on lots of wine that might or might 

Author Peter Hellman


not be the vintage they claimed to be. For 

oenophiles, the damage caused to the wine 

market by the infiltration of this fraud – “a liar 

in a glass” – was comparable to the duplicitous 

betrayal of adultery. 

Hellman writes that “a great old bottle 

is an expression of the spirit” which is why 

connoisseurs put such high prices on their 

stock and are offended by the deceit of 

forgeries. There are many minute details on 

wine labels, corks and the bottles themselves 

that can tip off a winemaker or buyer that 

a bottle has been forged. But even if all the 

external appearances were accurate, was it 

possible that collectors, who claimed to know 

quality simply based on experience, could be 

fooled by someone who had a better palate? 

Hellman writes: “Push the right buttons in 

people who think they are too savvy to be 

fooled, as the master counterfeiter who is the 

subject of this book did repeatedly, and what 

is billed as the rarest of wines can be sold 

to marks for a far higher price.” Kurniawan 

himself was recorded as saying: “Sometimes 

the experts don’t even know what they’re 

drinking.” Preying on this ignorance was this 


con man’s secret formula for pairing his fake 

wines with eager buyers. 

One particular billionaire collector, 

outraged by the fraud blemishing the 

industry, spent over $20 million to clean up 

the wine trade by pinpointing that forgeries 

were more rampant than collectors wanted 

to believe. These investigations eventually led 

to Kurniawan being charged in the first ever 

criminal prosecution against a wine forger. 

With no precedence for issuing a verdict or 

a sentence, the court case broke new ground 

and, simply by being at that wine auction 

years before, Hellman found himself on the 

cusp of an intriguing legal development. 

Even readers unfamiliar with the intricacies 

of wine tasting or the value of high-end wines 

will be captivated by the subculture that 

Kurniawan was welcomed into, all the while 

intending to sabotage and exploit it for his 

own fortune. 

DARIN COOK is a Chatham-based freelance writer 

who keeps himself well-read and well-fed by visiting the 

bookstores and restaurants of London. 

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR 

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Come experience our fresh, Southern Hemisphere 

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www.thepristineolive.ca



Recipes 


Food is Your Friend 

by Maria Koutsogiannis 

Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

You might think that a cookbook 

is simply a collection of recipes, 

but if you read as many as I do 

you’ll see that they’re usually more 

than that. A cookbook can be a guide to a 

different country or culture, a tribute to an 

author’s heritage or a celebration of family, 

friends or the bounty of the seasons. It is 

often a road map of an author’s travels. Maria 

Koutsogiannis has written a road map of a 

different kind. In her first published book, 

Mindful Vegan Meals: Food is Your Friend 

(Page Street Publishing; 2018) she shares her 

journey through the hell of an eating disorder 

and out the other side to wellness. It’s not 

for the faint of heart or for those offended 

by hard truth or hard language. The road is 

sometimes bumpy and the view is not always 

pretty, but, she assures us, “we eventually end 

up in a happy place.” 

I’d never recommend a book that makes 

claims of magical diets, or wonder foods that 

will solve all your problems if you just put 

them in your morning smoothie. But I am 

interested in people who truly want to help 

others and I admire the courage of those who 

are willing to show their own scars to do so. 

Koutsogiannis had some significant issues 

in her childhood that led to an unhealthy 

relationship with food. She 

now spends her life showing 

people what she did to change 

that, and invites us to see how 

improving that relationship 

can result in an amazing 

change for the better. 

Koutsogiannis is the founder 

of the food and lifestyle blog 

foodbymaria.com and was 

named “Food Blogger of the 

Year” in Calgary in 2017. She’s 

the child of Greek immigrants 

and is able to embrace the 

food culture of her 

childhood while 

maintaining the 

plant-based diet 

she now enjoys. 

Mindful Vegan 

Meals is all 

about making 

delicious, 

nourishing 

food from 

plants and enjoying that 

food to the fullest. It balances taste and 

texture, nutrition and emotional connections. 

It illustrates that food that makes you feel 

good emotionally and food that makes you 

feel good physically can be the same thing. 

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone is a recipe 

she shares from her childhood, a staple at 

her parents’ restaurant in Swift Current. 

It’s a wonderfully rustic soup full of chunks 

of vegetables in a soothing, simple broth. 

The squeeze of lemon at the end brightens 

everything up. It’s the kind of soup you want to 

eat while looking out the window on a cold day. 

Her version of Rice & Dill Stuffed Grape 

Leaves (Dolmades) has one of the best lines 

I’ve ever read in a recipe. When sautéing 

onions, she advises, “You will know they 

are ready when your home 

begins to smell very fragrant.” 

They are a bit more labourintensive 

than most of the 

recipes you’ll find in this book, 

but isn’t that how cooks show 

people that they love them? 

With an entire chapter 

devoted to the Greek 

favourites of the author’s 

childhood, this book is a sure 

hit even if you care nothing 

Maria Koutsogiannis


about a plant-based diet. For the adventurous 

non-vegan, there’s a chapter of sauces, dips 

and dressings that have been “vegan-ized.” I 

have to tell you, I’m a nut for this type of food 

and these look delicious. If, like me, you firmly 

believe that raw vegetables are simply a vehicle 

for dip, you might want to try some of these. 

Photography duties in this book were split 

between the author and Calgary commercial 

photographer Chris Amat. Food pictures are 

primarily done by Koutsogiannis and are warm, 

inviting and colourful. They make you hungry. 

Amat photographs the author and manages to 

capture a feeling of joy and freedom from Maria, 

along with her “take no prisoners” attitude. 

Whatever your feelings about veganism, 

Mindful Vegan Meals is a great cookbook and 

an even better story. In the end, this book 

is about food, love and happiness. Isn’t that 

what all good cookbooks are really about? 

Destination for the food lover 

Featuring specialty foods, 

kitchenwares, tablewares, 

cooking classes and gift baskets. 

TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer 

in London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com 

Recipes excerpted from Mindful Vegan Meals by Maria 

Koutsogiannis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Page 

Street Publishing. Reproduced by arrangement with the 

Publisher. All rights reserved. 

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone 

This soup brings me straight back 

to my childhood. It’s super simple 

because all you need is one pot, 

just over ten ingredients and a bit 

of time to allow the flavours to 

simmer as you get on with your 

day! I recommend you enjoy a bowl 

of this minestrone soup with cheesy 

toast and fresh herbs. 

Growing up we used to always go 

to the restaurant, Kabos, which 

my parents own in Swift Current, 

Saskatchewan, and enjoy a bowl 

of soup, do some child work (make 

coffee, clean tables for fun, fill 

waters). This place was and will 

forever be my second home: a 

place where I learned to socialize 

and to work my ass off, and it is 

where my love for food was first 

born. I am crying just typing this 

because it brings back so many 

memories. Weekends and Mondays 

were vegetable soup. Tuesday’s 

115 King St., London Ontario 

jillstable.ca 519-645-1335 

EatDrinkAd_2019.indd 1 2019-06-18 11:37


soup was chicken noodle. Wednesday was 

lentil. Thursday was bean and bacon. Friday 

was traditional Greek avgolemono (otherwise 

known as lemon rice) soup. It’s safe to say this 

recipe is really special to me and reminds me of 

the good old days. 

SERVINGS: 4–5 

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil 

1 sweet white onion, finely diced 

3 cloves garlic 

1 cup (100 g) celery stalk, finely chopped 

1 cup (128 g) carrot, cubed 

Handful of fresh thyme and oregano, chopped 

2 cups (248 g) zucchini, cubed, 1 inch (2.5 cm) 

thick 

1 cup (150 g) red pepper, cubed, 1 inch (2.5 cm) 

thick 

2 cups (360 g) tomatoes, roughly chopped 

2 cups (200 g) green beans, cut into 3-inch 

(8-cm) pieces 

8 cups (2 L) unsalted vegetable stock 

½ cup (100 g) orzo 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Squeeze of lemon 

Fresh cilantro and parsley 


In a large soup pot heat the olive oil on high for about 30 

seconds. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, 

garlic, celery and carrot and let them cook down for 

about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. When 

the onions have become translucent, add the thyme 

and oregano. Give the mixture a gentle stir then add the 

remaining vegetables—zucchini, pepper, tomatoes and 

green beans. Cook the vegetables down for a few minutes 

on medium heat. 

Just as their colour brightens, add the stock. Bring the 

mixture to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the orzo 

and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste test, and add salt 

and pepper if needed. 

Enjoy immediately with a squeeze of lemon and more 

fresh herbs! 

Did You Know? 

Hot/warm foods help with digestion and 

bloating. When you learn to listen to your body 

and understand why you are craving certain 

foods you gain a stronger relationship with your 

body. In turn, your body will love you back for 

nourishing it so well! 

Rice & Dill Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmades) 

Oh baby, welcome to flavour town. These are 

about to blow your mind and leave your family 

and friends excited to come back around for 

dinner. I realize they are a bit more work than 

most of my recipes but you can’t mess with 

tradition, folks, so just be patient and trust that 

these taste like love in your mouth when you’re 

finished. 

The combination of lemon, dill and silky rice is 

perfect and the tastes complement each other 

well. I highly recommend trying the vegan 

lemon sauce but please note that this recipe is 

traditionally made using eggs, so if you want to 

stick to tradition then call your nearest Greek 

grandma and snatch that recipe off her! 

SERVINGS: 4–5 

30 grape leaves 

1 yellow onion, finely chopped in a food 

processor 

4 green onion stems, finely chopped 

1 cup (9 g) fresh dill, finely chopped, stems 

removed (can also add parsley), plus more for 

garnish 

7 tbsp (105 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided 

1 cup (185 g) white rice 

Salt and pepper to taste 

4 slices lemon, ½-inch (13-mm) thick 

Vegetable stock, enough to cover dolmades in 

the pot 

1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch 

½ cup (120 ml) lemon juice 

Lemon wedges 

Add enough water to halfway fill a medium-sized pot. 

Add the grape leaves to the water and bring to a boil then 

reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes 

or until tender to touch. 

While the grape leaves are cooking, put the yellow onion 

and green onion stems in a food processor and pulse for 

about 30 seconds; you do not want them to be very finely 

chopped, just well-blended. Remove from the processor 

and set aside. Add the dill to the food processor and 

process for about 20 seconds or until very finely chopped. 

If you do not want to use a food processor you can cut it 

by hand. 

When the grape leaves are cooked, drain them and lay 

them in a bowl or on a plate nice and flat so they will be 

easy to roll later. Check for large stems at the base of the 

leaf; if they are long just give them a little chop. 

In the same pot you used for the grape leaves, warm 4 

tablespoons (60 ml) of olive oil and the onion and cook 

over medium heat until the onions are soft. You will know 

when they’re ready when your home begins to smell very 

fragrant.


In a large mixing bowl put the rice, dill and onions 

mixture. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Let this 

mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes. 

In a medium-sized pot put a few grape leaves and the 

lemon slices. 

Now it is time to begin assembling our little beauties! 

Start by holding a grape leaf, stem side up, in your palm. 

Scoop about a tablespoon full of the rice mixture onto the 

leaf. Close the leaf by folding over the top and then the 

two sides. Finally, tuck it in all tight with the bottom. 

Place the dolmades in the pot and make sure that they’re 

very close together to ensure they don’t fall apart while 

cooking. Repeat this step until you’ve used up all the 

grape leaves. Drizzle the remainder of the olive oil (3 

tablespoons [45 ml]) over the rolled dolmades. Add 

enough vegetable stock to just cover the dolmades then 

place a small plate on top (you want the plate to touch the 

dolmades). Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer 

for about 1 hour, or until the rice is cooked. 

Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of juice from the pot to make the 

lemon sauce. If there is not enough juice to equal 1 cup 

(240 ml), add some hot water. 

To make the lemon sauce, put the cornstarch in a bowl, 

then add 1 cup (240 ml) of juice from your pot and stir 

until well combined. Slowly add the lemon juice to the 

mixture and beat like you would an egg. Pour the sauce 

into a pot, heat on high for a minute until the sauce 

thickens, and then serve, poured over the dolmades. 

Sprinkle with the dill and serve 

with some lemon wedges for 

squeezing over the dolmades. 

September/October Events & Highlights 

Sept 13 Chinese Moon Festival 

— Mooncakes & Tea Pairing Experience 

Pre-orders for Mooncakes to take home available 

Sept 19 Songwriter Showcase & Stove-Top Chai (3rd Thursday) 

Sept 21 & 22 Downton Abbey Garden Tea 

Pre-orders for Scones to take home available 

Sept 24 4 Weeks to Flourish 

— Evidence-Based Clean Eating Program Begins 

Sept 28 Matcha & Chanoyu Workshop with Momo Yoshida Walden 

Oct 3 Tea Tasting with Chinese Gaiwan Workshop 

Oct 10 Tea Beginnings – 4 week course 

— Origins, Terminology, Preparation, Tasting 

Oct 17 Songwriter Showcase & Stove-Top Chai (3rd Thursday) 

Oct 18 Petojo @ the Lounge 

— Indonesian Tea Pairing Dinner Experience 

Oct 25 Tea Flight Night — Green Tea & Sheng Puer 

Oct 27 Harvest Afternoon Tea Service 

268 Piccadilly Street (at Wellington) 

519-601-TEAS (8327) • tealoungelondon.com 

WED & THURS 11am-6pm • FRI & SAT 11am-9pm • SUN noon–5pm 

Did You Know? 

Grape leaves are used in 

traditional herbal medicine 

to combat a variety of 

ailments including heavy 

menstrual bleeding, canker 

sores and stomach aches. 

Notes 

You can find grape leaves in 

the ethnic section of many 

grocery stores; they are most 

commonly sold jarred or 

canned. If some leaves are 

larger than others, add more 

rice mixture accordingly. 

You could add up to an 

extra teaspoon when they’re 

a bit larger. At first, your 

grape leaves will not seem 

so tender but as the dish 

sits they begin to tenderize! 

Sometimes, these are best 

enjoyed as leftovers and 

heated before consuming!



The Lighter Side 

Let’s Taco ’Bout Picky Eaters 

By DARIN COOK 

When anyone asks me for an 

example of the culinary stars 

being perfectly aligned I refer 

them to 2016, when National 

Taco Day (which occurs every year on October 

4) fell on a Tuesday. Countless families hold 

regular meals consisting solely of tacos on 

what have become known as Taco Tuesdays. 

With strong preferences for Mexican food in 

our family, however, sometimes one Tuesday a 

week isn’t enough. The spirit of Taco Tuesday 

gets appointed to other days of the week, 

when cravings arise on Margarita Mondays, 

Fiesta Fridays, or Soft Taco Saturdays. 

Another reason we rejig 

our calendars for Mexican food 

is that Jonah, the youngest 

member and pickiest eater in 

our family, has never shied 

away from tacos, nachos, 

quesadillas, or burritos. Having 

them for dinner often is a 

path of least resistance. Even when our pickiest 

eater can be in the mood for Mexican at 

the drop of a hat, National Taco Day colliding 

with Taco Tuesday was a meal made in heaven. 

That Tuesday I got home from work to find 

my wife had ground beef browning on the 

stove. She asked me to take over watching the 

meat, while she chopped tomatoes, lettuce, 

and avocados. The aroma of spices coming 

from the pan was a good sign that tacos would 

be extra delicious on this fortuitous day for 

Mexican food, but as I looked down at the 

meat, I sensed trouble and was struck by a 

terrible realization. 

“Are you insane?” I whispered to my wife, 

pointing frantically in the pan where I had 

spied tiny shreds of carrot and flecks of 

spinach amongst the ground beef. “Are you 

trying to ruin Taco Tuesday? It is one of the 

few things left that Jonah willingly eats. If he 

sees veggies in his tacos, it will be game over. 

We will lose Taco Tuesday. And you decide to 

risk it all on National Taco Day?” 

“I hide veggies in our spaghetti sauce 

and that’s never been a problem,” my wife 

defended herself, “so I thought I would try it 

with tacos.” 

I knew it was a good idea in theory, but 

Jonah’s ability to detect foods he does not 

like was at such a high level that we walked a 

fine line in getting him to ingest any nutrition 

from fruits and vegetables. I stirred the meat 

a bit, realizing it would turn darker brown the 

longer it cooked. It was highly unlikely Jonah 

would notice a difference in flavour if there 

were carrots and spinach mixed into his tacos, 

but if he spied one flash of orange or green, he 

would call it quits on the meal. I considered 

burning the meat to a charred blackness, 

obliterating any chance of 

him seeing a colour that 

did not resemble meat. 

But that could backfire on 

me as well, since he has 

a sensitivity to food that 

he detects to be the least bit 

overdone. My only hope was to 

cook the meat perfectly to hide the 

vegetables. 

With the table set with green guacamole 

and lettuce, red tomatoes and salsa, orange 

cheese, and white sour cream, I nervously 

brought out very dark brown ground beef. 

As expected from our vegetable-eschewing 

son, he used only beef and cheese, snubbing 

the other fresh toppings. The visual test was 

passed, as he scooped some meat into his 

taco shell. Crunching down on his taco, he 

declared, “This taco meat is so tasty.” 

Crisis averted. I was confident that Taco 

Tuesday had not lost its lustre and my 

wife was content that our picky eater was 

consuming a helping of vegetables. It really 

was a Mexican food miracle. And who knows, 

with Cinco de Mayo — an even more festive 

reason to celebrate Mexican food — falling on 

a Tuesday in 2020, maybe there is hope that 

Jonah will take the next step and put fresh 

veggies on his tacos. 

DARIN COOK is a Chatham-based freelance writer.

LONDON’S 

Local Flavour 

VOLUME 7 


Craft Beer & Wine • Farmers’ Markets 

Do You Have Your Copy Yet? 

All profiles also available at localflavour.ca 

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Eatdrink #79 September/October 2019

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