The Buzz: Culinary Community Notes

Culinary Observations

Many restaurants had a busy start to 2025, partly due to the tremendous success of Londonlicious, which exceeded expectations for participating restaurants. With the two-month HST tax holiday on various food items and dining from mid-December 2024 to mid-February 2025, many places saw a significant increase in sales. Still, American-led tariffs on Canadian products and retaliatory measures threaten many businesses, particularly those in the restaurant industry. All restaurateurs must take the changing economic landscape seriously due to unjustified tariffs, reprisal measures and the inevitable fallout.

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) removed more than 3,600 American-made alcohol products from its shelves as part of its first round of retaliation against U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods. Freeing up the interprovincial sale of alcohol will be a significant step forward for Canadians. Like many concerned restaurateurs and Canadian citizens, I am happy to see the provincial and territorial governments finally band together to strengthen our economies. I am relieved to see proposed commitments to labour mobility, mutual recognition and the removal of Canadian Free Trade Agreement exceptions. A more substantial internal trade infrastructure will undoubtedly increase Canadian product availability, innovation, sustainability and security.

Like many other business owners, I remain dedicated to reflecting our patriotism and provincial and national identity. However, the constant threats of tariffs are already driving operational costs up, disrupting supply chains, periling the workforce, and reducing hard-won but scarce profitability after COVID-19.

Like many other restaurants, I have stopped purchasing and using American products. This will not significantly impact the Blackfriars Bistro menus, because we focus on local products, but we have doubled our commitment to regional and farm-to-table practices inspired by the Slow Food philosophy. This global movement promotes workers’ rights and local, sustainable, high-quality food and beverages. I have proudly advocated this more ethical approach
for restaurants for over 25 years.

We will continue to source specialty and artisanal food products from Mexico, England, Italy, France and Spain for retail in our adjoining Emporio (pantry, larder and bakery), but always with a focus on sustainability and supporting local economies.

As a Rainbow Recognized business, we know we can not sit on the sidelines and be silent about the loss of 2LGBTQI+ rights, the rollback of DEI policies in the United States and the inevitable human rights and economic dangers ahead. Join those of us who are supporting Canada, our allies and those affected by this tyranny.

Bryan’s Tasting Notes

For me, a usual Saturday or Sunday morning begins at Billy’s Deli, a downtown London landmark for decades. I am a devoted fan of their potato latke breakfast: golden-brown crispy potato pancakes served with a choice of ham, bacon (four slices), Oktoberfest sausage or Montreal Smoked meat, two eggs (your way), toast, jam, sour cream and house-made apple sauce. Lately, Billy’s has been running a smoked salmon eggs benedict latke “blackboard breakfast special” on weekends. For lunch, specialty deli sandwiches like the classic Reuben and Montreal smoked meat are made with a quarter pound of meat, warm and sliced off the brisket. Billy’s also is known for its Mennonite-inspired baking. They follow tradition for the best flavours for their signature seasonal “schmecky” pies. billysdelirestaurant.ca

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra, owner of North Moore Catering, Craft Farmacy and Bear and Frankie’s in the Covent Garden Market, has another new restaurant project. The zero-food-waste 200-seat California-inspired Los Olivos in Riverbend features imported Santa Ynez Valley olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting experiences, consignment wines, premium dog treats, local honey and house-made preserves, and other signature items. The menu features starters such as Octopus Crudo with pecorino, lemon pesto aioli, olives and olive oil crostini; Pie Ear Salad with chickpea puree, mache, parsley red onion, charred lemon vinaigrette, jalapeno and freeze-dried corn; Wasabi encrusted Abori Tuna with greens, tomatoes, cucumber, daikon, scallions, sesame seeds and ponzu vinaigrette. Mains include Tagliatelle all’ Amatriciana with guanciale, pecorino, egg yolk, house tomato sauce, herbs and roasted garlic; Grass-fed Flat Iron Steak with smashed potato, ezme, chermoula and seasonal vegetables; Lake Erie Pickerel; Ontario Duck Breast and Seared Scallops. There are separate Old Fashioneds, Negroni, and Espresso Martini lists in addition to the craft cocktail menu and substantial wine list. losolivos.ca

Ironwood Kitchen + Bar’s menus, curated by Chef Nicolas Valin and his skilled culinary team, focus on from-scratch, sustainably sourced local ingredients that highlight the rich flavours and cultural mosaic of innovative contemporary Canadian cuisine. The genuine farm-to-table menus feature small and large plates, showcasing a shareable culinary experience with plenty of plant-based and vegan options such as Oyster Mushroom Steak with Ontario carrot puree, roasted red skin potatoes, charred green beans, carrot top chermoula and jus lié; Holstein, ON-sourced, mustard-rubbed Lamb Loin with onion fritters, a tomato medley, snap peas, whipped feta and a buttery Café de Paris sauce. ironwoodkitchenandbar.com

Mori is a warmly welcoming, modern, minimalist izakaya serving exceptional sushi, sashimi classics, delicious riffs on perfect Japanese noodles, and deftly cooked rice. Many people agree this is the best place for maki sushi and sashimi in London. We love the super crispy tempura, featuring high-quality seafood and exceptional skewered vegetables coated in a light batter and fried perfectly until golden. The name MORI translates to “forest” in Japanese. Mori’s sister store, Roll Roll, is a popular sushi takeout spot that delivers texture and taste. moricanada.com

Shiki, with its classic but old-fashioned sensibility, has been many Londoners’ go-to spot for Japanese food since 1987. An attentive staff enhances the overall experience. There is a good selection of rice and donburi, nigiri sushi and sashimi, noodles, temaki, tempura, karaage and tonkatsu. shiki.ca

Rebel Layne is Justin and Jennifer Wolfe’s latest venture, an accessible Italian-inspired concept in the former Company Bar in Wortley Village, beside Mori. This casual and well-curated noshing restaurant focuses on familiar hand-made pasta dishes with a twist, such as Campanelle Alla Vodka, Cacio E Pepe Bucatini, Pecorino Romano with Toasted Pepper, and a classic Rigatoni Bolognese. Plenty of tried-and-true treasures such as thinly sliced beef carpaccio, steak tartare, arancini, burrata, panzanella, and Caprese salads round out an extensive well-thought-out menu. They also feature excellent stone-oven pizza and inspired quenching craft cocktails. rebellayne.com

Sagi of Wortley showcases a repertoire of global culinary offerings inspired by travels and cultures that have influenced owners Breanne Lidster and Nam Nguyen. The culinary oeuvre at Sagi of Wortley is not expressed in or identified by a single set of flavours but is a melting pot of the Asian diaspora. One thing that unites the fusion of disparate Asian traditions is emphasizing textures and bold, vibrant flavours, which they excel at. Try the Soba Dan Dan with ground pork shoulder, soba buckwheat noodles, mustard greens, Szechuan chili oil, bok choy, roasted sesame paste, cashews and green onions. Another favourite is the Fried Lemongrass 1/2 Chicken with kaffir lime and lemongrass marinated roaster chicken, jasmine rice, green onion and ginger dipping sauce, and seasonal vegetable. sagiofwortley.com

Pizzeria Madre offers walk-in dining and takeout and does not take reservations. Restaurateur/chef Matt Reijnen and restaurateur/service professional Jessica Washburn continue their virtuous legacy of naturally leavened, bubbly-edged, thin-crust pizza. Expect seasonally inspired toppings such as the Bianco Verde with taleggio cream, aged mozzarella, cavolo nero, spinach, marinated artichoke, garlic breadcrumbs and Parmigiano; and the Mushroom pizze with red curry cream, fior di latte, maitake and cremini mushrooms, basil, red pepper and scallions. The owners continue to mesh with the culinary world’s reverence for good pasta and pizza, which is authentically and gastronomically Italian. Other menu highlights include Cavolo Nero with shredded Tuscan kale, pickled currants, toasted hazelnuts, pecorino cheese and lemon-garlic vinaigrette. pizzeriamadre.com

Lucy’s Pizza & Cocktails is one of Richmond Row’s new trendy restaurants where the crowd skews young. This urbane yet unpretentious Italian-inspired hot spot features a stylish dining room with high-top seating, neon, and a white marble-clad bar. Lucy’s talented mixologists serve innovative craft cocktails and an espresso martini flight on Friday nights. The open-concept kitchen features perfectly scorched Neapolitan-style pizzas like the Diavola with tomato, mozzarella, spicy salami, pepperoncini, olives, roasted red peppers and hot sauce. Menu items include P.E.I. oysters, grilled octopus, lobster roll and crispy Bang Bang Shrimp in a spicy signature sauce. @everyoneloveslucys

ANNDining is slightly off the beaten track in a quiet corner of downtown London. It offers free parking, a seasonal patio, spacious indoor dining, drop-dead gorgeous cuisine — gourmet pizza is their specialty — and sensational craft cocktails. As avid travellers, the owners feature globally inspired cutting-edge cuisine such as Humbolt squid with warm olive, chickpea, fregola salad and salami vinaigrette; birria dumplings with smoky ancho oxtail broth; juicy shredded beef and cheese filled dumplings with salsa roja; and tempura fried Brussels sprouts, furikake (Japanese spice blend), miso, bagna cauda and takuan (Japanese pickle made from daikon radish). anndining.com

Vietnamese Cuisine

The brilliance of Vietnamese cooking lies in adapting foreign influences to develop a distinctly unique and subtle cuisine with contrasting flavours and textures. Salty ones balance sour flavours, and chillies and ground pepper heat temper sweet notes. There is a dependence on rice, noodles figure prominently, and there is a wealth of fresh herbs, fruit and vegetables. Traditionally, the Vietnamese serve rice in bowls with chopsticks. Meat is an accompaniment rather than a central offering.

My introduction to pho 25 years ago, and standard for comparison since then, have been the delicious concoctions served at The Vietnam Restaurant, with a fragrant undertone, accompanied by thin slices of rare beef. The Vietnam is across from 100 Kellogg Lane complex, and Long Duc Ngo has been the hands-on proprietor of this long-established, well-reviewed Vietnamese restaurant since 1994. The kitchen offers a selection of accessibly-priced noodles, rice and pho. The substantive menu includes superb spring rolls, sizzling hot pots, and many iterations of seafood and chicken dishes. Favourites include Pho’ Dac Biêt, a special combination of beef, rice noodle broth with rare and brisket beef, beef balls and tripe with fresh herbs. The cold rice paper roll known as Gõi Cuôn is a perennial favourite. It comprises noodles, shrimp, pork, lettuce, mint and Thai basil, making this savoury appetizer easy to dip in a thick sauce of peanuts and soya. vietnamrestaurant.com

Established in 1996, Thuân Kieu is family-owned and operated. Over the years, it has developed an ardent and devoted fan base for Chen’s (or Chu’s; he goes by both) hands-on approach, his ability to remember his regulars by name and the excellent food.

The ambitious menu offers a range of traditional/non-traditional Vietnamese dishes that read like an encyclopedia. Some dishes reach out to other parts of South Asia.

The restaurant was in cramped premises at Huron and Sandford Streets for years before moving to Highbury and Huron. Due to its updated high-concept business model, it has lost some of its intimacy, but they still zealously create quality Vietnamese cuisine using traditional cooking methods. The service remains attentive, but when it gets crowded — and it does — patience is required.

The appetizer to order is the Bò Lá Lot; the parcels of grilled lemongrass-infused beef wrapped in betel leaves are exceptional. thuankieu.ca

The new Vietnamese kid on the block is Kenny Chan’s Pho Ngon Dat Viet, in the premises formerly occupied by Tru and Rio at Ridout and King Streets. It will build a formidable reputation for its crunchy spring rolls alone. Fresh shredded ripe mango and prolific baby shrimp in a salad served with prawn crackers is deliciously fresh and enhanced with fresh herbs like mint, Thai basil and cilantro. Suon Bò Nuong is tender, marinated, succulent, thinly sliced, bone-in Vietnamese short ribs (I can’t buy them for this price from my butcher) that are out of this world, served with glutinous rice and both a fried egg and a thin slice of cha trung hap (a flavourful steamed egg meatloaf). Offered in three generous sizes, Pho Ngon Dat Viet’s main dish is pho, a traditional Vietnamese bone broth with rice noodles and thinly sliced meat, often beef or chicken. phongondatviet.ca

The French introduced thin white baguettes with an airy crust to Vietnam. Combined with Vietnamese stuffing, these became a popular street food called bánh mì thit. Bánh mì is just the bread, whereas “thit” implies meat or savoury fillings. Bami Gara and Bánh mì Express on Richmond Row are among the best places in the city to experience the perfect fusion of flavours in an authentic bánh mì sandwich. bamigara.ca; banhmiexpress.ca