Local Zoning

Sometimes I promise myself to return to a business to try something else but stuff happens. But with things winding down, I did make it back to Frank's Pizza House on Sunday to try his calzone, especially since BlogTO (or at least Tanya Mok) recently considered it in the top 10. I have never visited the Corso Italia neighbourhood on a quiet day so it was surprising how empty it felt. Many Toronto areas do slow down by Sunday evening but with 6 lanes of traffic (4 for 2 cars and 2 for the TTC streetcars) on St. Clair, it seemed almost desolate compared to the cozier Little Italy along College St.

I ordered online a baked calzone ($9.95) with some toppings ($1-2/each): black olives, hot peppers, onions, and capers. I arrived just as I received a text message that my food was ready. Settling in on a park bench near Earlscourt Park, I was flabbergasted by its size. This was an excellent calzone: a crisp crust with a hint of salt filled with plenty of gooey cheese. The toppings added little bursts of flavour but I didn't detect any capers though. Also, I didn't really taste anything but dough and cheese until the last 25% of the calzone.

This was my (minor) problem with the meal. Perhaps a price of buck or two means that a proprietor simply can't afford to use that much ingredient. And the sloshy inside will likely settle at one end so you'll end up with uneven stuffing. If so, I would be happier if the calzone was smaller with a cheaper base price. That way, every bite will include the toppings.

Art Of Noise

On Saturday, I decided to make a short visit to The Music Gallery for day 2 of their X Avant XVI Festival. Over the course of 8 hours, various artists will explore drone music, as a "sonic washing" with the idea of "sustained tone as a healing modality". This might be the brainchild of the centre new Artistic Director. In fact, I had encountered them about 2 years ago during my month-long yoga training. Despite 8 hours of class, Sanjeet Takhar was still up late organizing and attending raves. So they seemed good fit with this organization known for its experimental music programming.

I arrived at the midway mark just as Short Bloom was starting their set. Over a cycling, drifting sonic palette, they played around with various accents and short sustained melodies, mostly from an electric guitar. Since there wasn't much to watch, I laid down on one of the mats and focused on my breathing. Near the end, there was a section that had a lively bounce but in general, it was perfect music to enter into a meditative state.

I sometimes complain about the lengthy gap between band sets. They solved it by simply having two stages and blending one set directly into the next one. It certainly fitted with today's intent. But Kat Estacio's material was harder to zone out to. Using several effects pedals, they looped sounds of struck bowls, gongs, and cymbals over electronic buzz and glitches. I didn't mind the gurgling boops, beeps, and clacks but the repetitive clanging got a bit much. For some reason, I felt like I was in a scene from Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times.

I left before the end of this set in search of dinner. I thought about returning for the conclusion but decided it would likely put me to sleep (given my lack of nighttime energy).

You Do You

I met up with a friend on Friday to celebrate their birthday. Originally, I wanted to take them to Soos or another restaurant on the Ossington strip. Mostly to show its lively bustle compared to when they lived downtown and this area was Vietnamese and Portuguese businesses. But every place I called beforehand was full-up so we needed luck for a walk-in spot. They were late though and we would have lost our hypothetical reservation anyway. Also, the drizzle that turned into pouring rain would have killed the patio vibe.

In any case, they had a hankering for sweet pancake from Hodo Kwaja so we headed to the wallet-friendlier Koreatown. We chose Doo Roo Ae which was almost directly across from Hodo. Looking over the menu, we opted for the Spicy Tteok Bokki with cheese ($15.95) because they had seen it in Korean dramas, LA Galbi ($26.99), and Gam Ja Tang (pork-bone soup) Hot Pot ($29.99).

The tubular rice cake strips had a satisfying chew and the melted cheese added richness. The beef ribs was fragrant and though good, they could be more tender. I've only ever had Gam Ja Tang in a bowl so was impressed when they brought out the portable gas stove to cook/reheat it in a deep pan. But I didn't like it as much. A lot of the soup boiled away, leaving the meat exposed and made for a drier dish. Part of the enjoyment is slurping up the spicy broth. But the main draw of a Korean restaurant for me was banchan or the set of pickled and fermented side dishes that came with most meals. Doo Roo Ae didn't disappoint and my favourite part of the entire meal was sampling all 8 sides.

In a few days, their sister was heading to Texas pretty much on a whim in my opinion. How else to explain someone making the decision over a single month to sell all their belongings for enough funds to "move to the U.S.". Canadians can't actually work there or even stay for more than 6 months. Without a work visa, how could this be a permanent relocation? But then again, this person has always gravitated toward get-rich-quick schemes.

The Sum of It All

I was at The Monarch Tavern on Thursday for my first live indie show since March 2020. With individual tables scattered throughout, it had a loungy look different from its more neighbourhood bar vibe (though The Monarch was never a dive like The Silver Dollar). This socially distanced set-up was more fiction than fact since you share tables with other people and there was plenty of mingling. But since vaccination proofs were required, as well as being masked if you walked around, it felt safe enough.

Nyssa was the opener and her set of queer Americana was taken mostly from her album Girls Like Me such as Go Away Evil and Misty Morning. She also debuted some new material like The Mystery about a "pansexual love triangle". With her hair now dark instead of platinum blonde, there was a Carole Pope vibe with her look. Nyssa was compelling enough to get an encore call from the audience (Champion of Love) which reminded me of her last equally fun set at this venue. So much so, in fact, that Sir Babygirl asked Nyssa to tour with her in the U.S. after that show.

With Tallies first song, I immediately thought of The Cranberries. Sarah Cogan's singing had a slight lisp that sounded oddly like an accent to me. Yet even after that brain-fart, my impression didn't change. With a pulsing bass and shimmery guitar chords floating over top, their songs from their debut album had that same wistful pop feel. I was tired (even 10:30 pm was now past my bedtime) but Tallies' music contained enough interesting details (despite no straight-up hooks) that I stayed until the end.