Culinary Observations
The Middlesex London Food Policy Council (MLFPC) is a key player in our region›s food system. It is crucial to recognize and support individuals, groups and organizations that contribute to a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system. Whether they’re growing food, reducing waste, supporting food access or educating others, the MLFPC provides guidance, resources and recognition. The Food Champions, a diverse group of local leaders — farmers, educators, restaurateurs and organizations — are at the forefront of creating positive change through food. They are the local connectors, doers and changemakers working to build a better food future. mlfpc.ca.
Speaking of local Food Champions, On the Move Organics has been a significant force in our local food system for the last 17 years. Unfortunately, they ceased operations in June, leaving a voidin our regional resilient and community-rooted food system. Jeff Pastorious and Ellie Cook forged strong relationships with small-scale farmers, increased access to locally grown organic food, demonstrated the viability of bicycle delivery in London,
Ontario, and helped spark the beginnings of a food-sovereign community shaped by partnerships. Their closure serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by local food initiatives. As On The Move Organics evolved, they became the gold standard in exploring ways to advance the bar, including farmers› markets, the Western Fair Market Juice Bar, The Root Cellar, creative composting experiments, cargo bike delivery, the home delivery program, the Zero Waste Club, and LOLA Bees environmental education. Throughout its iterations, they’ve prioritized ways to reintegrate waste, reduce our carbon footprint, and prioritize people and the planet in every business decision.
It is disheartening to report that excellent restaurants, such as Angie Murphy’s celebrated Grace Restaurant and Chef Nicolas Valin’s farm-to-table Ironwood Kitchen + Bar, have recently closed their doors. Radu Rotariu’s Bocconcini closed at the end of April, citing impending tariffs and inflation as the reasons for its closure. Rotariu remains a partner alongside chef Sebastian Dumitru in Five87 Bistro, located at 587 Oxford Street East, in the space previously occupied by the former Ivy Restaurant.
Earlier this year, the Italian-inspired restaurant Dolcetto transitioned to new ownership after 13 years under the leadership of formidable decades-long restaurateur Dino DiFruscia.
Michelle Pierce-Hamilton’s Tea Lounge has changed hands, with chef and hospitality professional James Smith now at the helm.
Yaya’s Kitchen is expanding its operations and opening a café in the former Rhino Lounge space at Museum London. Yaya’s Café will carry their admired and celebrated ethos into this new daytime venture, serving handcrafted beverages, pastries and small plates while exploring and honouring African and Caribbean foodways. yayaskitchen.ca
The summer version of London’s iconic restaurant festival, Londonlicious, returns from July 18 to August 10, with a renewed focus on farm-to-table cuisine and community. londonlicious.ca
Kipps Lane Fish & Chips
Jacqueline Arp and her friendly outgoing staff continue to make Kipps Lane Fish & Chips worth a visit. Started in 1972 by Arp’s father John — affectionately remembered as “The Codfather” — the restaurant is best known for its famous halibut fish and chips. Although industry-wide challenges affecting price and availability are an issue for halibut, excellent quality seafood is still very much on the menu, along with burgers, wings and assorted sandwiches, as well as Shaw’s ice cream. kippslanefish.com
Jess Jazey-Spoelstra, owner of North Moore Catering and co-owner of Craft Farmacy and Bear and Frankie’s in the Covent Garden Market, recently opened Los Olivos in Riverbend to rave reviews. losolivos.ca
Indian Cuisine
Indian cuisine is a vast and sophisticated subject. India’s states and territories differ cuisine-wise as much as, if not more than, the regional cuisines of other countries. Caste, culture, religious doctrine, geography and climate have all played a role in preventing the emergence of a truly definitive national Indian cuisine. Despite the diversity, coalescing threads surface on closer inspection. Living in England 30 years ago, I was struck by the emergence of authentic regional Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants and the elevation of these unique cuisines to be as elegant, sophisticated and refined as any other cuisine. I became deeply familiar with this style of restaurant cooking during two separate stays in England. Going out for an “Indian” or a “Curry” or getting an Indian “takeaway” had become a national pastime. The idea of a curry is a definition
imposed by the British on India’s cookery to describe any spiced dish under the generic term “curry.” Historically, Indians referred to their dishes by specific regional names.
Chef/owner Patson Massey has opened a new iteration of Massey’s Fine Indian Cuisine beside Los Olivas in Riverbend. Massey demonstrates his expertise with a dazzling approach to spices, bestowing flavours to significant effect.
A variety of vegetarian offerings and classic favourites such as smoky-spiced baingan patiala (stir fried eggplant), everything tandoori, butter chicken, naan and various exotic accompaniments. These are early days, but Massey’s never disappoints. masseys.ca
Mexican and Latin American Cuisine
When we replicate dishes from another culture without honouring their authentic preparation, we risk undermining the cultural significance behind the cuisine. This lack of respect can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and contribute to social inequality, a concept known as culinary cultural appropriation. By appreciating the roots and traditions of authentic cuisines, we celebrate their richness and foster a deeper understanding and respect for the cultures they represent.
There are regional differences among the 31 Mexican states, including their subregions (Oaxaca alone has eight). Add the capital, Mexico City, and the diversity expands even further, bringing the total to 32 vibrant regions rich in gastronomic heritage. We can compare Mexico’s intricate variety of cuisines to the diverse regional cuisines of Italy, Spain and France, where each region and sub-region boasts its specialties and time-honoured cooking techniques.
Ivano Poblano
The organic and Mexican-inspired Ivanopoblano Restaurant’s specialties include quesadillas, huevos rancheros, corn-bean tacos and excellent grilled cheese sandwiches. In the kitchen Ivano Santana-Barnes is guided by his mother’s former tutelage and inspiration, and alongside his partner, Christopher, serves some of London’s best organic Latin-inspired food in a cozy house at the corner of Wharncliffe and Emery Streets. ivanopoblano.com
The focus at Los Lobos is on platos pequeños (small plates) and sensational craft cocktails. Think modern Mexican flavours with innovative riffs and ideas, and lots of cool Mexican imagery and local references. The dining room and bar are painted floor to ceiling in stunning colourful murals and one-of-a-kind art installations by Toronto artist Stu Andrenelli. There are plenty of colourful motifs and indigenous Mexican folk art featuring skeletons, skulls and crosses. It is the kind of iconography we are accustomed to seeing associated with Mexico’s Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Tacos predominate on a menu of gourmet Mexican-inspired fare with a modern twist. The menu shares a love for tacos but also offers a take on classic dishes. We love the chilaquiles (corn tortillas cut into quarters and lightly fried) with mole. There are also chicharrones (fried pork bellies or pork rinds) served with chipotle aioli or mole. The crispy cornmeal-battered jalapeño rellenos,
Los Lobos
stuffed with Monterey Jack and served with red salsa or mole sauce, are sensational and never disappoint. The selection of tacos is excellent. The cocktail list features craft cocktails prepared with fresh ingredients, homemade mixers and premium liquors. The bar serves up ice-cold cervezas, smooth tequila, mezcal and bourbon-focused cocktails, as well as blended margaritas. loslobos.ca
True Taco is an authentic Latino comedor that has been serving London since 2009. It specializes in authentic Mexican and Salvadoran street food and is located in The Market at Western Fair District. truetacolondon.com
Pupusas are emblematic of El Salvadorian cuisine, like tacos are of Mexican cuisine. Corn flour pancakes are stuffed with various ingredients and then toasted on a griddle, served with curtido (spicy fermented cabbage slaw) and tomato salsa, and traditionally eaten by hand. I was first introduced to the pupusa 25 years ago at Trails End by my brother, Gary. Pupuseria Rosa’s Latin Food is the go-to spot for the best pupusas in London, as well as some of the finest tacos in the city. The birria taco is outstanding. pupuseriarosaslatinfoodon.com
Che Restobar in London
Marvin Rivas has designed an atmosphere that conveys exactly the right message about Che Restobar: it’s sexy and urbane, yet casual and spontaneous, but it’s also personable and the core commitment to Latin American cuisine isn’t blasé in the least. The ever-changing menu blends Latin American tradition and ingenuity in true style. cherestobar.ca
Farmers’ Markets
Ontario’s local food system is essential to the province’s strong economy. When we know where our food originates and support those who grow, harvest and produce it, we strengthen our communities, support a sustainable environment, create employment opportunities and bolster local economies.
Farmers’ markets have been a tradition in Ontario since before Confederation. However, the term “farmers’ market” is used broadly to describe various operations that sometimes offer a more diverse range of products than a strictly defined producer-only farmers’ market.
Sometimes, shopping at a farmers’ market supports local farmers, so long as you employ a liberal definition of the term local. [ed. note: see sidebar on page 38] At other times, strict guidelines ensure that a producer-only market
consists primarily of farmers selling directly to the public the goods they have produced on their farms.
There are differing ideas about what constitutes a farmers’ market. In some cases, the definition is also a matter of municipal concern. In London, Ontario if more than 50 per cent of vendors are the primary producer of the goods they sell all vendors are exempt from the Ontario Food Premises Regulation. However, food vendors are still responsible for providing safe food, including ensuring all food is from an approved source.
Farmers’ Markets Ontario (FMO) represents the province’s farmers’ markets, which meet and maintain stringent standards. The organization focuses on assisting the development of community-based farmers’ markets, which it defines as seasonal, multi-vendor, community-driven (not private) organizations that sell agricultural, food, art and craft products, including home-grown produce, homemade crafts, and value-added products, where most vendors are primary producers. FMO also administers the MyPick verification program, visiting grower’s farms and verifying that what a grower is selling is produced on his or her farm. Farmers’ Market Ontario lists 180 member markets across the province of Ontario. There has been an increase in the number of farmers’ markets, community markets, municipal markets and privatized markets across the province, with the total now estimated to exceed 350. What better time to support Ontario products by buying Ontario-grown produce?
