Thursday
What foodies and avid diners alike have been waiting for since Carl Heinrich was crowned victor on the second season of Top Chef Canada has finally arrived. Richmond Station, Heinrich’s latest project with business partner Ryan Donovan, has a ticking schedule now, and is serving up a mix of technically sophisticated cuisine with farm fresh ingredients. Check it out before the masses start flocking.
One of the season’s highest anticipated affairs, Operanation 9: Sweet Revenge takes over the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts tonight. A luxe, indulgent, and theatrical evening awaits as the Canadian Opera Company rolls out all the stops for this annual fundraiser. Meet some of the city’s tastemakers while gallivanting about the complex and getting your own Sweet Revenge.
The annual Toronto After Dark Festival debuts tonight for nine nights of wicked horror flicks. This year, all screenings take place at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, and you can see 11 different features and over 25 different short spooky flicks during the fest. It’s a perfect way to start to get in the Halloween spirit.
Friday
The city’s got a bit more old school glam with the recent opening of Michael’s on Simcoe, found at 100 Simcoe Street. Replete with 1920s style banquettes, crystal galore, and white linen tablecloths, Michael’s a meat lovers dream. (It has its own meat aging unit in-house.) The owner, Michael Dabic, knows steak – he was the GM at Habour 60 – and the menu’s a mix of haute steakhouse and contemporary Italian. Talk about a perfect start to your Friday night…
If you’re looking for decadence Friday night, look no further than the Chocolate Ball. Chocolate aficionados, chocoholics, and interested foodies will gather at Roy Thomson Hall for the 7th annual event, this year themed Cocoa Cabaret. The event supports Breast and Prostate Cancer initiatives, so it’s a lavish and luxe night out while getting to raise funds for an amazing cause.
Saturday
The 1oth Annual Toronto Zombie Walk sees hundreds of Z-boys and gals taking to the streets to march in a faux living dead collective. This year they’ve partnered with the Heart and Stroke Foundation – which ironic when you think about it – to help raise awareness for the cause. As a participant or spectator, this is one you just have to see to believe.
Riverside WALKFest is on Saturday, inviting you to explore the glory that is the Riverside neighbourhood. Through six guided tours – design, culinary, art, historic, dog, and dance – you’ll get to discover all the intricate innards of the Queen East neighbourhood.
Saturday dinner calls for revamped fare. A ‘redefined’ REDS Bistro, now called REDS Wine Tavern, has finally reopened after months of anticipation. REDS was always a favourite spot for us at Notable, and now, with a brand new interior that’s updated to modern aesthetics – with a bit of rustic charm, of course – a new Executive Chef (Ryan Gallagher from Top Chef Canada), and an updated menu including drool-inducing items like triple cooked smoked chicken wings, chicken pot pie with foie gras gravy, and bacon and lager mussels, there’s even more reason to make this a regular spot on your nights out.
KITCH Bar sees Strange Pursuits taking over on Saturday night. KITCH is an awesome spot – though a bit out of the way – that boasts about 15 different types of nachos, and an abundance of other goodies. It’s an amazing space for dance nights, too, and Saturday sees rap and beyond with wickedly weird vids and DJ Stew Innes laying the beats.
Sunday
On Sunday, skip your typical brunch and head over to Soupstock. This event will see 120 of Canada’s finest chefs banning together to raise funds for the campaign to stop the Highland Companies’ proposed Mega-Quarry in Melancthon Township. Using an ever-so apropos dish for the season, soup, the one-day Soupstock at Woodbine Park will see over 100 variations being served up with a portion of all proceeds going to the campaign, and performances from artists like Jim Cuddy and Jesse Cook.
End Sunday on a high at The Drake Hotel. While there’s never any necessary reason to go – it’s pretty much always fab – the Drake just launched their newest menu (and new fantastic cocktail menu as well) on Thursday night. This means you’ll get to enjoy the glory that is the Drake’s culinary and drink programs all with a new and notable twist. PS Plingo’s in the lounge Sunday night. Just sayin…
Photo courtesy Michael’s on Simcoe