A state of food on the move
[attach]7516[/attach]Gourmet Gringos, a popular Mexican and Latin American food truck, now serves its delectable fare — tacos, empanadas, churros, burritos — in-house on Bathurst Street south of St. Clair Avenue West.
Krystian Catala and Terry Nicolaou, best friends since high school, and executive chef Arturo Gress Cardenas are behind the business, which took home the People’s Choice award at the annual awesTRUCK food truck event in 2013.
“We want to educate people about what Latin food is,” Catala said in a recent interview with the Town Crier. “Let people try different flavours of Central and Latin America and have people embrace the Latin culture.”
Although most of the menu items, including the best-selling beer-battered fish tacos, were Gress Cardenas’ creations, the recipe for empanadas were passed down from Catala’s Argentinean grandmother.
They also have a kids’ menu.
Second location
Going on 20 years in the baby gear industry, Karen Judd’s Bayview Avenue based Moms to Be and More is set to open a second Leaside location on Feb. 20.
From nursery furnishings to strollers, car seats, clothing and toys, Moms to Be and More – The Best of the Best will feature the top-selling products in each category from brands such as Natart, Bugaboo, Bravado, Graco, Peg Perego, Kushies and Baby Bjorn.
United we dine
A tasty Mississauga staple now also has a home in midtown Toronto. Union Social Eatery, known for hand-crafted flatbread pizzas and gourmet burgers, opened in January on St. Clair Avenue, west of Yonge Street.
The eatery also serves salads (from cobb to ahi tuna) and main dishes like pad thai, curry and banana crusted coconut chicken.
There is an extensive gluten-sensitive menu as well.
Posh to go
Oliver & Bonacini, the established company behind restaurants like North Toronto’s Auberge du Pommier, has launched O&B Caters, a new directto-venue catering service.
Co-founder Michael Bonacini, a judge on CTV’s Masterchef Canada, was on hand Feb. 6 at the launch party at Jackie O Floral
Affairs and Event Design.
The new venture brings the Oliver & Bonacini cuisine to any location or venue in the city.
Floral laurels
The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association bestowed honours on Sheridan Nurseries’ Toronto Garden Centre as the garden centre of the year for 2013. North Toronto store manager Amin Datoo accepted the award at the annual gala in January.
A class act
Fish Street Market and Open Kitchen on Yonge Street at Albertus Avenue plans to run its first cooking class with chef Anthony D’Ambrosio on Feb. 23, with Sunday classes being offered on an ongoing basis.
Last month D’Ambrosio announced plans for a summer food and catering truck.
Moving on
Restaurant and catering company Hannah’s Kitchen has relocated two doors south of its old location on Yonge Street near Soudan Ave. The move marks the debut of the eatery’s extended hours until 9 p.m.
Owner Brian Kennington is one of several local business people featured in Created by Everybody: Entrepreneurs and Artisans Continued from Page 5 of Midtown, a photography exhibit by David Ticoll, which launched on Feb. 6.
Each street-level business portrayed in the show was located in a building slated for redevelopment at the time photos were taken.
Meet and greet
New owner Suzan Challis will be host to a ribbon cutting ceremony March 4 for the Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa franchise in Leaside Village Plaza.
The event kicks off at 4:30 p.m., with ribbon cutting at 6 o’clock.
The spa offers services from facials and waxing to hot stone
