Italian Sandwich at Tony's Pizza

This Italian hero was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. Stir-fried chicken with onions and peppers, with fresh tomatoes and seasonings. I skipped the cheese. #yegfood

A post shared by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 19, 2017 at 11:02am PDT

I was at Tony's Pizza last week for an event with an organization I work with, and decided to try something on the menu I had never had before. I noticed an Italian sandwich made up of a stir fry of one's choice of chicken, veal, or Italian sausage, with peppers and onions, served on a torpedo bun with mozzarella and topped with fresh tomatoes and seasonings. I chose the chicken and skipped the cheese. The filling was incredible, as the peppers and onions were brought to a point of tenderness and sweetness that resonated on my palate. The bread was fresh and crispy, lightly toasted. And, it was HUGE. I want this again, and I want it soon!

Hakka Noodle at Naanolicious

Naanolicious is well known as my go-to place for post-libation nourishment on Saturday evenings. I had the opportunity to try a few bites of the Hakka Noodles, an Indo-Chinese fusion vegetarian dish that is essentially a vegetable stir fry in a spicy, savoury sauce with elements of teriyaki and ginger. A very bold flavour, if I ordered this for myself I would add chicken and ask that the heat be turned down just a touch.

Smoked Meat Sandwich at Culina Muttart

Smoked Meat Sandwich, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I went to the Muttart Conservatory last week to take in the new Lunar New Year feature display. I also wanted to meet someone for lunch, so it just made sense to dine at Culina Muttart.

I had been here once before for brunch, but that was a couple of years ago. The small lunch menu had a number of sandwiches, soups, salads, and a few mains. I opted for a sandwich with a side of salad, in this case the smoked meat, and the salad was the sweet and spicy slaw.

The sandwich was piled high with fresh, lean smoked meat. The bread was a panini that was so fresh, literally every bite was crunchy. I skipped the cheddar, and could have done with less of the spicy mustard (I will definitely tell them to go easy next time).

The slaw was a meal in itself, and reminded me of a teriyaki stir fry, except cold. The vegetables were crunchy and fresh, and it was an excellent pairing with the sandwich.

$11 for a sandwich and side is a reasonable price to pay for an excellent, fresh, delicious lunch. I can't wait to come back and try another sandwich or one of the mains.

A Stir Fry Adventure at Viphalay

Viphalay (the 95 Street location) is conveniently located near where I had a meeting last night, so I went there for supper with a newbie to the Thai and Laotian goodness served there. We both had a stir fry and shared. I had the orange cashew chicken, with lots of crunchy cashews, tender strips of chicken, and colourful red and green bell peppers, prepared in an orange sauce. The sauce was very subtle in flavour, with the hint of citrus accented by the cashews.

On the other side of the table was a basil stir fry with beef. The beef was ground, and the rustic tecture made me think it was done by hand. The flavour of the basil penetrated the dish, as did the spice from the chili flakes. Slivers of bamboo shoots absorbed a lot of the flavour, and diced snap peas added crunch. Overall this was a very flavourful, powerful dish that is definitely meant for sharing.