Another weekend is upon us. Finally, right? From pop-up dinners to a night for the boys, the latest bar and restaurant to hit the scene, two music fests for the lyrically inclined, and an oyster lover’s dream, we’ve got the goods on what’s, well, good this weekend…
Thursday
One of our favourite restaurants, Habits Gastropub, is hosting a not-oft-seen whisky pairing dinner tonight. For only $35, enjoy a deluxe five course comfort feast – done gastropub style of course – with five whiskeys to pair. Whether you’re a steadfast lover of the brown liquor, or a neophyte looking to open up your palette, this is guaranteed to be a tasty treat.
Sorry ladies, this one’s just for the gents. Lifford Wine’s annual Boys’ Night Out event takes over Evergreen Brick Works (550 Bayview Avenue) tonight for an evening of all things ‘dude’: hot cars, boats, golf, fine wine, steaks, live entertainment, oysters, motorcycles, music, fashion, bbq, auctions and so much more. All proceeds from this must-attend event benefit Prostate Cancer Research.
Friday
This weekend (July 12th through 15th) at 99 Sudbury, Peru Gourmet Canada is hosting Restobar Peru, bringing the flavours of the South American country to the King West neighbourhood. Featuring celeb chefs, eclectic recipes, tapas and ceviche galore, Resobar Peru comes at a great time to excite the city’s foodies and neophyte noshers alike. Peruvian cuisine is underrepresented in Toronto, which is partly why Peru Gourmet Canada is looking to impress diners with some amazing regional dishes (like Peru’s famed national dish, ceviche).
Halloween in July is the Monarch Tavern‘s ode to Friday the 13th. Turning the space into a ‘haunted house’, guests are invited to toss on their ghoulish garb for a one-night creepfest. It’s an out of the box approach to Friday funday, but hey, that’s notable in and of itself.
A new bar on Dundas West is encouraging you to lift your spirits. Get Well Bar opened up just a couple weeks ago, showcasing a rather tight craft beer selection on tap, interesting decor that’s one part trendy, one part off-beat, vintage pinball and gaming machines, and live music. Stop in for Friday night drinks late-night and be on the cusp of the buzz of this new joint.
Saturday
If you’ve been spending any time in Kensington lately, you may have noticed the just-opened Le Ti Colibri. Boasting French West Indies Cuisine – like a Creole burger with deep fried bun, or a Creole quiche – this new spot is vibrantly coloured and wholly island-thoughts-inducing. Check it out for Saturday’s late brunch.
The SoundClash Festival is on this weekend at the Harbourfront Centre, giving homegrown talent a venue for showcasing their musical skills. This three-day ‘sonic journey’ is a genre-bending music fest that highlights artists who are pushing the envelope and contemporary music on culture. Performances by the six short-listed SoundClash Music Award artists, the Braggin’ Rights DJ Dance Battle and so much more are part of this weekend’s event.
Want more music? Edgefest 2012 is this weekend at Downsview Park. The favourite radio station amongst rock lovers, 102.1 The Edge’s annual fest features performances by The Sheepdogs, Billy Talent, The Dirty Heads, Silversun Pickup, and so many more.
Chef Leor Zimmerman’s new restaurant, Quinta at 1282 Dundas Street West, is Iberian cuisine with a farmhouse style. Using French techniques – with influences from Portugal and Spain – Quinta’s menu features four apps, four mains, and three desserts, focusing on expediting perfectly-executed dishes over offering a broader selection. Satuday night dinner and drinks – the cocktails are Canadian-inspired – were never so quinta-sential.
Sunday
In case you haven’t noticed, the city’s foodies have imbued Toronto with an obsession for oysters. This Sunday, in the alley beside Rodney’s Oyster House on King West, the 24th annual Ontario Oyster Festival will set up stage, with bivalves galore, ping pong from SPiN, live music, and the oyster shucking competition. All proceeds benefit Environmental Defence.
If you can make it out to the Markham Civic Centre on Sunday, the last day of Night It Up! is sure to be an awesome event. An outdoor night market in the style of those from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other Asian destinations, NIU will feature over 100 food and merchandise vendors selling everything from street cuisine to street trinkets. In its 11th year, Night It Up! hopes to have a higher attendance record than last year’s 100,000 visitors over just two short days.
Photo courtesy Rodney’s Oyster House