The gift: Holiday Blend Coffee. Te Aro makes delicious coffee, and this coffee will be more than just tasty! Every bag sold sends a gift of one dollar to Coffee Kids, a non-profit organization that works with coffee-farming families in Latin America to improve their lives and livelihoods.

Where to get it: Crafted by Te Aro, 135 Ossington Ave.

Price range: $15

Who would like it: Coffee lovers and people who believe in helping others this time of year.

Gallery TPW tops the Art category as Best Independent Art Gallery citywide and for Queen West.  Show & Tell Gallery won the same category for Dundas West.

Not surprisingly, our neighborhood had a few Citywide Winners in the food category: Pizzeria Libretto for best pizza, The Dakota Tavern for best bar and pub, The Lakeview for best diner/greasy spoon. All three are also the tops in the Dundas West neighborhood. Pizzeria Libretto, The Lakeview and The Dakota are repeat winners in these categories – they were voted Toronto’s best in 2010.

2011 is a good year for The Dakota Tavern, which won a second award as the Best Blues Club city-wide.

There are many more winners now that they’re awarding every category in every neighborhood, so to see if your favourite is there, just look up Dundas West or Queen West. Congrats to all the winners!

Fishbar has announced they are extending their hours, starting next week. Lucky you if you are around the Ossington area during the day, as you will now be able to dine at Fishbar for lunch and happy hour! This is all according to their Twitter feed:

_fishbarFishbar

Lunch will be from 11:30-2:30 and Happy Hour goes from 3:30-5:30!!!

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_fishbarFishbar

Some fun news: Starting next week we’re open for lunch (Tues-Fri) and hosting a Happy Hour every Thurs-Sun!!! Enjoy

More Than Pasta announced new hours AND a special event. As of September 26, More Than Pasta will be open 7 days a week from 11AM-7PM. Plus, they will hold an Open House on Sunday, October 2 between 1P-4P. Everybody is invited to drop in and sample some new products, like their new high quality pasta lines, cold salads, and hot take-out meals.

Boehmer is organizing a fundraiser to help Eigensinn Farm back on their feet after a recent fire. Happening on Sunday, October 23 at 2PM, the meal will be created by eleven chefs including Paul Boehmer, John Higgens, Jamie Kennedy, Hiro Yoshido, Anthony Rose and others, plus 12 wineries, Creemore Springs beer and a jazz band. Cost per person is $275 including tax but not gratuity. Call Noboyu at Eigensinn to book 519-922-3128, cash or cheque only.

We look forward to the next business to take over the location.Will someone bring sushi into the neighbourhood?

Other neighbourhood rumours: The now closed dentist’s office next to Churchill on Dundas is rumoured to be a new restaurant led by one of Mark McEwan’s sous-chefs from Bymark. Also on Dundas, the old location of The Tampered Press, The Communal Mule, north of Trinity Bellwoods Park, is going to be filled with a pet supply store moving into it’s location.

Note: Correction – it wasn’t Tampered Press that closed, but The Communal Mule. Tampered Press is alive, well and still serving great coffee! (apologies to anyone who listened to my mistake)

We’ve tweeted about this one, but it’s worth repeating here: The much lauded new restaurant, Fishbar, offers a weekly special each Tuesday called #flexyourmussels. This is one for the tech-savvy – you need to check in on Foursquare to get a big bowl of mussels for $8. They are also doing an oyster special called UncleWillyWednesday on Wednesdays: pay for 9, get a dozen.

Another weekly deal is Delux‘s $1 oyster Tuesdays – lasting through the end of July. That’s right, all oysters for $1 all Tuesday at Delux.

More Than Pasta is expanding their offerings, with a special event coming on July 28 from 6-8:30PM. World renowned Culinary Olympic Gold Medalist, Executive Chef Roderick Strike will be cooking a special prix fixe 4 course dinner including wine showcasing their wholesome product and healthy ingredients. Cost per person is $75. Contact gabriellaAThollywood-foodsDOTcom

In a city that loves the stuff, BQM Burger’s “Poutine Throwdown” is sure to attract hungry mouths and curious onlookers. This event is scheduled for July 27 at 7PM. Wear a bib!  (?)

Summerlicious started on Friday, and Watusi at 110 Ossington is participating in the $25 dinner. See the menu here.

More prix fixe menus: Bohmer is beginning a summertime prix fixe tonight which will run Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It’s a three course $35 menu: there’s a sample one posted here. This is in addition to their previously mentioned 5-7 menu of drinks and nibbles. Toronto’s favorite pizza place does a mean prix fixe too: Pizzeria Libretto now offers a $25 locally inspired 4 course menu for dinner, and a $15 3-course lunch, both with pizzas!

New chefs have been announced or begun work at two Dundas Street West restaurants: Enoteca Sociale announced that Chef Matthew Demille is joining their team, and nearby Brockton General may have lost Chef Guy Rawlings (he’s not going far!), but they’ve gained Alexandra Feswick, most recently of Earth.

See what I mean about lots going on? Now all that’s left is to decide where to eat!

The good news is that most of the businesses which opened a year ago are still going strong.

Joe Fuda opened his photography studio, Oz Studios, over a year ago, and marked the anniversary by publishing his own book. LAB Consignment has been open for just over a year, sharing it’s space with Silver Falls Vintage.

Goed Eten also opened this time last summer, and has changed quite a bit from a late night spot to it’s current status as a popular brunch and lunch eatery. Telegramme Prints and Salt Wine Bar will also celebrate a year on Ossington later this summer.

So Happy Birthday, Crafted, and many more to come!

I spoke with Gabriella, the passion behind the growing enterprise, and she answered the questions for our Business Profile series.

If the photos are whetting your appetite, More Than Pasta is located at 121 Ossington, just south of Argyle.

What’s your business?

PRODUCING A FRESH, UNIQUE PASTA PRODUCT
•       High Protein;

•       Low Calories;

•       Low Carbs;

•       Diabetic Friendly (Low Glycemic); and

•       High fibre content;

•       Premium High End Packaging & Product;

•       Using only the  finest, all natural ingredients.

*All our raw materials are purchased in Ontario
“It’s a win-win for all: fresh food for our customers and support for Ontario Suppliers

How is your business unique?

More Than Pasta is produced the old fashioned way – artisan style with an original Italian pasta machine. This beautifully crafted process kneads and works the dough to create a truly homemade pasta experience.
More Than Pasta is lovely textured pasta that is porous and absorbs the “gusto” – the flavour of the sauce.

How long have you been in business here?

Opened in March 2011

What drew you to be here on Ossington?

The eclectic group of businesses tucked into this distinctive and diverse neighbourhood

What changes have you seen on Ossington since your business has been here?

More diversity in terms of new businesses. Lots of weekend ‘visitors’ to the community.

How do you see your business and Ossington five years from now?

As part of the neighbourhood. Supporting community events, welcoming new businesses, active in Business Associations.

What is your favorite spot on Ossington, other than your own? and why?

PARAMOUR – THE SERVICE IS  EXCEPTIONAL, THE FOOD IS SPECTACULAR, AND  CHEF LAURA MALIN IS FABULOUS. SHE ONCE USED OUR MORE THAN PASTA PRODUCT  TO CREATE A WONDERFUL DISH FROM HER GRANDMOTHERS RECEIPES AND BOTH OF US BEING ITALIAN, WAS ONE OF OUR FAVORITES, PASTA CON IL TONNO EH POMIDORO DI LA NONNA   (GRANMOTHER’S TOMATO BASED TUNA & PASTA)

Our first stop most mornings is for coffee. Crafted by Te Aro has a lovely back patio that not many people seem to know about. Again this weekend, there were lots of empty seats in the east facing space.  They are open all day, and serve soups, sandwiches and baked goods in addition to the caffeinated beverages. There are about as many outdoor seats as there are inside, so you’ve got a good chance of enjoying the fresh air here.

Just down the street from Crafted, Rua Vang Golden Turtle Vietnamese, has a big corner patio on Argyle Street. It may be the well-priced pho, but I think the outdoor environment also draws the crowds. My favourite part about this patio is the quote painted on the wall: “In the infinite moments it takes to read this you’ll have lived forever”. Those are some heavy thoughts to chew on while sipping their delicious Pho.

See you outside!

Every morning while waiting for the bus I drool over the weekly specials. Now at the end of the day, I can get my hands on them. The other week it was a lasagna with lobster or something, and just reading the sign made me hungry for it. Sounds good, doesn’t it? More Than Pasta continues to change their menu based on their customers’ preferences. They are in the process of adding hot take-out items to the menu, a line of sauces, and you can also pre-order lasagnes, cannelloni or salads with assorted stuffing choices – lobster/crab/veal/grilled veggies, etc. for 6-10 servings.

Eagle’s Nest is on the south side at 1199 Dundas Street W, just next door to The Garrison, and serves coffee and espresso drinks, pastries, and ice cream. As it was the morning, we had some coffee and pain au chocolat. The pastries come from Circles and Squares, which supplies a lot of the fine coffee shops in Toronto with tasty treats, and they were tasty!

There were at least 12 flavors of ice cream available for scooping into sugar or wafer cones, including Caribou Tracks, Heavenly Hash and Espresso Robusto. It’s the perfect time of year for ice cream, and not a lot of places to get it nearby. Stop in and say hello to friendly owner, Claudio, and try some for yourself!