It's that damn Duff's. It's so hot right now ($6.75 plus tax) - Duff's Famous WIngs @ 558 College St.

I thought I'd redeem myself after my post about salad, so I ate 5 chickens worth of wings.

On Tuesday nights, Duff's sells 10 wings for $6.75 with the purchase of a beverage. Now these aren't any puny, brag to your friends that you can eat 37 wings, chicken wings. These are some hefty mo-fos, and are borderline drum sticks. I can barely finish one order, so I'd recommend you start with that, and then build upon it if your gut can handle it


There isn't an assortment of flavours. Duff's keeps it simple with hawt sawce (emphasize the "w"), and some variations of bbq and honey garlic. Their hawt sawce is rated on a scale of mild to armaggedon. Each rating corresponds to an SHU (Scoville Heat Unit). I think mild is about 5000 and armageddon is about 80 000. The numbers mean nothing to me, but it gives you some idea of how hot it can get. I'm guessing if the hottest rating is named after the apolcolypic battle with Satan, it must be pretty damn hot.

I always go with the medium. Its spicy enough to make you sweat a bit, without damaging your insides. The wings are also served with celery and your choice of dip (blue cheese is the best). The fresh, crisp celery is a nice complement to the hot wings, and also tricks you into thinking you're eating somewhat of a balanced meal.

All in all, the wings are amazing, and probably the best hot wings I've had. It can get busy on Tuesday nights, but it's definitely worth the wait.


View Larger Map

Tasty Bird Feed ($8.50 plus tax) - Urban Herbivore @ 64 Oxford Street

Merriam-Webster defines hippie as: a usually young person who rejects the mores of established society (as by dressing unconventionally or favoring communal living) and advocates a nonviolent ethic; broadly : a long-haired unconventionally dressed young person.

That sure as hell kills my dream of being a hippie. I get my haircut at least once a month and I'm about as conventionally dressed as a Gap commercial. But sometimes, I'll light incense and eat organic alfalfa sprout sandwiches while I read the works of Eckhart Tolle. So maybe I'm a semi-hippie... or perhaps a sippie.

The old saying goes, "you are what you eat". A trip to Urban Herbivore will have you reevaluating your stance on tie-dye. This place is like, far out, man. They have a nice selection of salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, and juices.

I went for the grain bowl. You can choose your favorite grain as the base. I didn't know what spelt was, and I've had quinoa once before, so I made the safe decision of the quinoa-red lentil mix. You then can choose 6 toppings. They have a fresh and flavourful array of choices. In my case I chose barbecued tofu, roasted yams, green beans, red onions, beets, and roasted red peppers. The grain bowl was delish. It's a fresh and wholesome way to satisfy your senses that doesn't involve things with legs.
The grain bowl costs 8.50 plus tax, and is well worth it. I thought I had a huge appetite, and I could only finish half, leaving me with another meal for later.

I'd recommend the bbq tofu as a definite topping. Its the closest thing to meat for those of you who need that. And with that, I'll leave you with a corny joke:

Why did the tofu cross the road?
To prove he wasn't chicken.


View Larger Map

Mmmm Smokey Beef ($11 plus tax) - Caplansky's @ 356 College St.

Kensington Market is considered Toronto's cultural centre; an eclectic mish-mash of Vietnamese, Jamaican, Chinese and European establishments, to name a few. A short stroll through the bustling marketplace will open your eyes to the wonderful co-existence of a variety of cultures. What many people do not know is that Kensington Market actually used to be called the Jewish Market. It was founded in the early 1900's by European Jewish immigrants. Over time the market was settled by other immigrants, and the Jewish community slowly moved into other parts of Toronto.

Today, Caplansky's Delicatessen has a presence in the market thats about as strong as its horseradish mustard, which packs a mean punch. Caplansky's is a Jewish Deli that is famous for its smoked meat sandwiches, amongst other Jewish fare. The smoked meat is phenomenal. You can choose medium or fatty. As you would anticipate, fatty is... well fatty and juicy. I decided on the medium, and was quite pleased with my choice. The meat is cut into thick juicy pieces, and is nicely marbled. The brisket used for the smoked meat is rubbed with spices, cured for up to three weeks, and then hardwood smoked, resulting in a tender and flavourful cut of beef. It is presentled simply on rye, and you can apply whichever mustard you fancy: horseradish, garlic honey, deli, or plain. I went with all of the above and it was quite enjoyable. For $11 you can get the 7 oz. sandwich and a side of either salad, fries, poutine, or soup. The poutine looked amazing, but I did my coronary artery a favour and went with the salad.

Having grown up in Montreal, I've had my fair share of highly acclaimed smoked meat from places like Chenoy's and Schwarz's Deli. Montrealers are almost snobs when it comes to their city's famous dish. I know Montreal Smoked Meat has a nicer ring to it than Toronto Smoked Meat, but I think Caplansky's has the potential to give Montreal a run for its money.


View Larger Map

I Saw the Swine (4$ plus tax) - Kom Jug Yuen @ 371 Spadina Ave.

Don't come near me because I think I have swine fever! Fever for the tantalizing barbecued pork at Kom Jug Yuen that is.

A friend mentioned seeing a pink neon construction paper sign outside of a quaint Chinese restaurant on Spadina that read: "Best BBQ Pork in North America -4$". Well, I didn't believe him, so I decided to go and see the sign. I saw the sign, and it opened up my eyes, I saw the swine.

Upon entering this unassuming, small Chinese restaurant you are most likely going to start making some assumptions. Well don't. Because you don't know anything, and even if you did it wouldn't stop me, or anyone else who's tried the bbq pork here from going back.

The walls are lined with pictures of dishes they serve as well as neon construction paper signs (similar to the one that first caught my friend's attention) that list prices for restaurant specials. The decor is... interesting. My favorite work of art is the painting of the flying ponies. But, I digress.

Back to the topic of interest. Promptly after you are seated, one of the friendly staff at the restaurant will bring you a complementary bowl of soup and some hot tea. The soup is fairly simple; it consists of a nice broth, some potatoes, carrots, and on some occasions, what I am guessing is pork. It does a great job of whetting the appetite for the bounty to come. If this is your first visit to Kom Jug Yuen, I would definitely recommend the dish they claim is the best in North America.

For 4$ (yes 4$!) you get a plate of steamed rice, topped with a generous amount of bbq pork, along with some steamed greens. My goodness the pork... It is so so tasty. It is amazingly moist and flavourful. The seasoning they use finds its way to the centre of every morsel. The best part has to be the glaze. It is sweet, yet savoury, and a perfect red hue. With your serving, you're likely to get some end pieces. Consider them the "red smarties" of your meal. Save them until the end and then relish in their chewy, candied, perfection. I think I'm salivating as I write this and I just had the stuff less than two hours ago. The meal is topped off with some fresh orange slices and a fortune cookie. Recap: Tea, Soup, BBQ Pork/Rice/Greens, Orange Slices, Fortune Cookie. $4.

I have no idea how the meal is only 4 bucks. It blows my mind. If I was to buy the pork and cook it myself I doubt it would be any cheaper, and nowhere nearly as good. I'd just end up with a sticky kitchen.

Amongst the media frenzy of swine flu news, I've read articles on how the present swine flu epidemic is causing pork prices to plummet because of the mass ignorance and lack of awareness in the general population. People think that they can get swine flu from pork and thus aren't buying it. Call me a twisted optimist, but maybe there is an upside to this whole "end of the world" flu thing. As long as these dummies think they'll get the swine flu from spareribs there will be $4 bbq pork at Kom Jug Yuen. Go get it before this all dies down.


View Larger Map

Something like a Pho-nomenon (7$ plus tax) - Pho Hung @ 350 Spadina Ave.

Pho - Some speculate that the name comes from the French word feu (fire), as in the dish pot-au-feu, which similarly to pho uses the French method of adding charred o­nion to the broth which enhances both colour and flavour. Some people believe the origin of the word to be the Chinese currency fen.

Fen or feu, this delicious Vietnamese dish has kept me coming back to Pho Hung for at least a weekly visit. I've sampled from the menu, ordering the likes of Bun cha (vermicelli noodles, grilled pork and some spring rolls), and a variety of Pho bowls, and I think I've finally decided on my fave meal.

Number 2 on the menu, Pho with rare beef, is a simple dish in complicated times. Comprised of a sizable serving of thinly sliced rare beef, al dente vermicelli noodles, and a perfectly seasoned broth, this bowl of goodness is definitely a soup that eats like a meal.

You also have the option to deck your pho out with crispy bean sprouts and fresh basil. Last but not least, if you fancy your pho a little spicier, douse it with the readily available sriracha and hoi-sin sauce each table comes equipped with. I don't like to talk politics, but when it comes to sriracha, I'm liberal.

Just when you think things couldn't get any better you get the bill - 7$ plus tax.

I never really agree with most ratings so I'll spare you the ambiguity. I won't be using ratings on this blog. If I'm writing about it, it means that I think it's good. Check out Pho Hung and see for yourself, I think you'll enjoy.


View Larger Map

Are you a student? Are you cheap? Do you like food?

If so you've come to the right place.

I've recently moved to Toronto to start grad school.

I heard Toronto has great food.

I'm on a quest to find cheap and tasty meals.

If you have any suggestions feel free to pass them on.