Gluttony on the go: Toronto, part I

Hi all!
I recently had the pleasure of spending five days in Toronto visiting a friend and taking in the sights. As I am wont to do on all trips, I ate and ate and overate. *sigh* But hey, at least I remembered to take pictures this time!

Day 1: browsing and eating at Kensington Market

JUMBO EMPAÑADAS
Address: 245 Augusta Avenue
Phone: (416) 977-0056 
Style: Latin cuisine, empañadas
Hours: Mon-Sat 9am to 7pm; Sun 11am to 6pm


Smack in the middle of Kensington Market is this little gem. Affordable prices, fresh and delicious food, and a patio deck to bask in the springtime sunshine. Absolutely delightful. I can´t wait to go back again and try their famed corn pie, which has layers of meats, olives, onions, eggs and raisins baked in sweet corn---oh yum!

The place is called "JUMBO empañadas", but we chose to go with the mini ones instead. By all accounts, they are equally delicious and affordable, at only 1$ per piece! (The jumbo ones go for 3.99$ each.) Picture are two beef and two chicken mini ones, with a side of dipping salsa. 

This is the beef one. Absolutely delicious. 

The chicken one. Not as good as the ground beef, but still quite delicious. 

Crisp, fresh and simple Chilean salad. Lettuce, tomato, avocado and onions in a lemon juice/olive oil/coriander vinaigrette. A perfect warm weather side dish. 

And to wash it all down: Mango nectar! (I am absolutely besotted with all things mango and all things nectar, so this is pretty much beverage-nirvana for me...) 

Coming up next: a cheap place for good drinks and mediocre food, TO's infamous street-vendor hot dogs, a so-called specialty burger house and more! 

Churros!

I've been yearning for churros for some time now. Warm, crispy and sugary--who doesn't love churros? Imagine biting into one straight out from the oven, licking off the cinnammon topping and getting to the sweet caramel filling inside... Hmmm....

My friend finally put me out of my misery by bring me to Churros Montreal. We went a little overhead with the ordering and ended up with DOZENS of food. Oopsies.

Churros Montreal
Address: 7497, rue St-Hubert (a few blocks North of metro Jean-Talon)
Phone: (514) 271-6006
Style: hispanic fare (milanesa, empanada, etc.), churreria
Hours: they change from time to time, so be sure to always call first!

(Going overboard, who us?)

(Oh sweet sugary goodness...)

The place also makes some mean empanadas, so be sure to order a few (or, as in our case, a dozen) to taste. They have an assortment of fillings, going from chicken to beef to cheese. My favorite is cheese and ham. The cheese is melted and slightly pungent, the ham is pink and chewy, and the crust is just greasy enough. Overall a deeply satisfying and cozy bite.

(Another boxful of delights!)

(Cheese and ham...yummy and homey!)

Prices are very reasonable and the location is easily walkable from the metro. With Plaza St-Hubert so close by, what girl wouldn't love a full day of shopping punctuated by churro-eating on those on-so-convenient benches? I know that I did!