Dineen Coffee Co.

Cafe: Dineen Coffee
Address: 140 Yonge St.
Phone: 416-900-0949
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30 AM - 7 PM, Sat-Sun 8 AM - 6 PM
Website: www.dineencoffee.com

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: No

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Syrup made in-house
- Offers Mocha Ganache
- Locally sourced roaster in GTA

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Vegetarian and gluten-free only
- Local suppliers for ingredients and food

Interior

Review

My Order: Medium Iced Vanilla Latte, $4.55 & Ginger Molasses Cookie, $2.05

Awhile back, I was contacted by the app/site developer for NeighborsCircle on Yelp. He wanted to learn about why Yelp and the Elite program were appealing to the users (I've been a Yelp Elite for a couple of years now). He invited me out to coffee so we could chat. I chose to have our meeting at Dineen Coffee Co., a popular cafe downtown near Queen Station.

When I arrived in the afternoon, it was packed with people. Most of their customers are from the Financial District, since the cafe is in the area. I do like the feel of the cafe. I love how open and bright the space is because of the windows. The setting is more stylish and upscale, comparative to most Toronto cafes that usually opt for the cute and quaint interior.

I think it's a super nice cafe, great for those working in the downtown core. They also have a nice patio for when the weather is warmer.

[Event] Delicious Food Show 2014

Ever heard of the Delicious Food Show? No? Then you get to hear about it for the first time today if you haven't already!

"The Delicious Food Show is a 3 day food-lovers event designed to engage the consumer in a delicious, all food, lifestyle and entertaining experience featuring hundreds of exhibitors, cooking demos, tastings, hands-on workshops, book signings, and appearances by Food Network and international celebrity chefs."

The event runs from October 17-19 where you get to watch your favourite chefs, check out yummy exhibitors, and more! It's foodie heaven for sure! If you want tickets or more information about the show, check out www.deliciousfoodshow.com.

Image by Butter PR

#DFS14
Twitter: @DeliciousShow
Facebook: /DeliciousFoodShow
Instagram: @deliciousfoodshow

[Launch + Product Review] Shopbake.com

Hate making that long trip to your favourite bakery? Wish there is a way to get all the sweets for the party or wedding in an easier fashion? Look no further with Shopbake.com! Shopbake.com is a new Canadian online marketplace for all things baked. It's like Etsy, except all edible goods! The site launches today and anyone can sign up to sell their baked goodies.

To help spread the word and check out some participating shops, I was sent an adorable gift box full of sweets to try. This box finally satisfied the crazy cravings I had for chocolates! I decided to give my thoughts on everything in the box, so you know what to try out!

Review

Chocolate Chip Cookie by Cookie Scoop: The cookie was soft and yummy. I have tried other chocolate chip cookies that I would prefer over this one, but it was still enjoyable.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cake Truffle by Petal Dust Bake Shop: This was absolutely delicious! Despite the small size of the cake truffle, each bite packed a punch. It was very decadent and would fulfill a chocolate lover's craving instantly!

Milk & Cookies Sandwich Cookie by Petal Dust Bake Shop: The cookie sandwich was slightly hard by the time I ate it (which was a couple of days after receiving the package), but I still liked the concept of it. I think it would be better fresh.

Baby Macs by Dollop Bakery: All of the baby macaroons were hard and unsavoury. I guessed they were no longer fresh by the time I tried them, which was a disappointment.

Chocolate Fudge Mason Jar by Short & Sweet Cupcakes: By far my favourite item in the box! The mason jar sealed the freshness of the cake inside. I loved the different layers of the cake in the jar. The middle was the yummiest and gooiest of them all!

Chocolate Lollipop by Branded Bites: This company makes chocolate lollipops with any business logo or picture of your choice on them. The chocolate lollipop tasted like any basic chocolate in my opinion. Though I liked that the chocolate was in lollipop form and was perfect for any company event.

My recommendations: Cake Truffles from Petal Dust Bake Shop and Mason Jars from Short & Sweet Cupcakes!

Jelly Modern Doughnuts

Restaurant: Jelly Modern Doughnuts
Address: 376 College St.
Phone: 416-962-2053
Store Hours: Mon pre-order pickup + delivery, Tues-Thurs 7 AM - 6 PM, Fri 7 AM - 7 PM, Sat 10 AM - 7 PM, Sun 11 AM - 7 PM
Website: www.jellymoderndoughnuts.com

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: No

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Gluten-sensitive options available

Review

Doughnut of Choice: S'mores, $2.75

If you read my review for Kensington Krawl, you would've found out that was the first time I visited Jelly Modern Doughnuts. I have been eyeing the store for a couple of years now ever since I saw it, but never had the chance to stop by. After my food tour, all attendees were given a coupon for a free doughnut and coffee. I eagerly came back to claim the coupon with a friend of mine.

The first time I was there, I tried the S'mores doughnut. For this visit, I took a stab at the Salted Caramel. I loved both doughnuts but I preferred the S'mores a bit more. My friend got hooked after eating his Coconut doughnut and ended up buying half a dozen for his roommates afterwards! He ended up coming back later on every time he passed by.

I highly recommend Jelly Modern Doughnuts if you love gourmet desserts. Every bite is worth it!

i deal coffee (Sorauren)

Cafe: i deal coffee
Address: 221 Sorauren Ave.
Phone: 416-364-4563
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 7 PM, Sat 8 AM - 7 PM, Sun 9 AM - 7 AM
Website: www.idealcoffee.ca

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: No

Interior

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Yes to all

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all
- Baked goods made in house
- Uses Prairie Boy Bread

Review

My Order: Latte, $3.57

I was surprised to find that Balluchon Raymond Inc. was closed and in place of it was another i deal coffee location. As expected of an i deal coffee cafe, it was super packed when I arrived. I contemplated on leaving because it was so full, but luckily a seat freed up before I did.

Compared to Balluchon, they changed the layout of the cafe just a bit. There were more tables and chairs to accommodate to the number of customers, though they kept the exposed brick walls and counter the same. They also have a patio open during the warmer weather as well.

You can find the standard i deal coffee menu here and their typical offerings. If you are a fan of i deal coffee and is in Roncesvalles, definitely take a look at this location.

[Product Review] Zpirit

Company: Zpirit
Website: www.zpiritfood.com

Review

Product: Zpirit
Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free?: Yes to all

Spiced Pear & Vanilla, Pineapple & Sage, Mandarin & Mint, Peach & Basil

An acquaintance reached out to me, asking if I would be interested in reviewing naturally infused water products from the company he is working for. Obviously, I said yes! I am always open to trying new products because I like discovering new favourites!

Zpirit currently sells four flavours of their naturally infused water, only 30 calories per bottle. The unique aspect of Zpirit is that all the drinks have actual fruit pieces in them! I thought this was a cute spin from most naturally infused water brands out there in the market. I got to try their entire line and these were my thoughts in the order I drank them:

Pineapple & Sage: This was the first drink I tried and was my least favourite. It had a pineapple taste but I wasn't sure if I was detecting the sage in there, since I was unfamiliar with how sage tasted like. Despite the drink tasting like pineapple, there was something about the flavour that I wasn't particularly fond of. It felt bland. I was afraid that the other drinks were going to be similar, but thankfully not!

Peach & Basil: The second drink I tried became my second favourite out of the bunch. The peach flavour had a nice kick to it and I gulped it down a lot more quickly than the Pineapple & Sage. I am a fan of peaches, so it was no surprise that I liked this one.

Mandarin & Mint: In this drink, you can taste both the mandarin and the mint, which is a nice balance. It didn't stand out compared to the three in my opinion, but I think this could be a favourite for others.

Spiced Pear & Vanilla: Hands down, this is my favourite flavour out of the four! At first when I tried it, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a favourite over the Peach & Basil. As I continued to drink the Spiced Pear & Vanilla, it reminded me of tea. This flavour would be perfect in tea form and many tea lovers would definitely enjoy this drink.

The one thing I was disappointed with all the drinks was that the fruit pieces didn't have any flavour left by the time you eat them. I think all the juices are sucked out from the fruits once infused with the water. So you get textured, but flavourless fruits to chew on at the end. Overall, Zpirit is a good brand to try out if you are a fan of flavoured water or trying out healthy drink alternatives. I highly recommend the Spiced Pear & Vanilla.

Currently, Zpirit is available only in Ontario and Quebec in selected stores. Big retailers you can find Zpirit in are Longo's, Whole Foods and selected Loblaws. Zpirit is in many independent cafes and stores, such as Cafe 260, Wanda's Pie in the Sky, Lettieri, and more!

Have you tried Zpirit yet? If so, which ones? Do you have any favourites?

Thank you to Zprit for the products provided for this review! :)