A Large Selection

Saturday morning, I thought to spend my last day exploring The Leslie Spit, an East-End area that I have never visited. But I had no warm-weather clothes as I came down to Toronto in mid-March. I didn't fancy doing a 2-hour hike in heavy jeans. I instead used my time to pack because I had bought extra stuff during my stay such as a sleeping bag and an inflatable mattress.

In March, a new, West-End sushi joint/fish market called Oroshi was getting buzz. So I finally headed there to get take-out dinner. Strolling through Bloorcourt and Bloordale, everyone was out in force to enjoy the warm weather: drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, shoppers, patio diners (or just drinkers). East-End neighbourhoods like Riverdale had some good businesses and was convenient (East Chinatown, Little India) but they were really only as busy as Ottawa (i.e., not very). True big city liveliness was an order of magnitude more vibrant.

Earlier in the morning, I ran into one of the renters on the main floor. Originally from the U.K., he had only been in the country for 13 months. He appreciated the quiet (from both his roommate and the neighbourhood), but there might have been some ambivalence. Toronto can feel a bit cold and stand-offish and maybe he wanted more connection and excitement. As I walked down Bloor and enjoying the people-watching, I should have told him to "Go West".

Last week, the trees were still mostly bare but now they were in full foliage. Going through Dufferin Grove to get to Oroshi on College St., I missed the green canopy of this park. And yes, all the people having picnics, park hangs, and playing frisbee added to that fun vibe.

At $63.36 ($49 + tax + tip) for the omakase dinner, this wasn't a cheap sushi meal. On the other hand, with 12 nigiri pieces and 1 hand-roll, there was a good amount of food. This was higher-quality fish than at typical/average sushi places including a progression of pieces from lean to fatty tuna. I couldn't really tell if there was a difference with "dry-age" fish except for one selection that had a distinctive smokey flavour.

I liked it a lot but I'm on the fence about the value. It was about twice as expensive as a comparable "high-end" option at standard sushi joint. Yet because it was take-out, it suffered from some minor problems. Although Oroshi was cheaper than a truly high-end place, you might consider saving for the latter. Even if you get scolded for not eating sushi at the "right time".

Shell Kitchen

During my sublet, I didn't become a regular at the trendy places on Gerrard. Many of them are bars and coffee shops so not in my wheelhouse. Instead, I frequented long-time or POC-owned businesses. I was saving some of the hipper ones (Gardel, Anglr) for my relative but we ended up mostly eating take-out at home because they preferred the novelty of a Turkish pide or a tasty Indian curry.

With Saturday being my last day, I dropped by Great Burger Kitchen for lunch. It wasn't here when Jones and Gerrard was mostly Chinese businesses. I saw it decade ago when I first visited the area and with its contemporaries no longer there, GBK deserved an honorary OG status. Given the age of the staff, it likely provided employment for the teens in the neighbourhood.

The burger of the day was a veggie burger ($9.50). That wasn't so special since all burgers of the day were only $0.50 cheaper than the regular price. I got some regular toppings like lettuce, mustard, ketchup and a sautée mushroom premium topping ($0.75/each). With leftover fries from a fish and chips shop, it was a filling lunch but not a great one. These veggie burgers often attempt to emulate the texture and taste of a beef patty and always fall short. A veggie burger must be its own thing to be successful.

Old-Ages Show

Friday night, I headed over to Lee's Palace to see 80s band The Pursuit of Happiness. Given how early and full all-ages shows have been, I was disappointed that TPOH's older fans weren't there until later. So opener Command Sisters played to a sparse crowd, especially in the pit by the stage.

I stumbled upon them through an online stream during the pandemic. So I was curious to see how they were in person. These Albertan sisters were also excited to play live after 2 years. Their songs were mainstream pop with a touch of rock, courtesy of Sarah Command on guitar. Charlotte did mostly synth and lead vocals with a bit of acoustic guitar and bass (Britney Spears' Baby One More Time). I thought they sounded best when they leaned into the rock side (Rain On My Parade, Feel Good).

Their set felt a bit off for two reasons: the artificial banter and the use of backing tracks. We all could see that it was a small crowd: that happens with up-and-coming bands. So hyped-up language ("How's everybody doing tonight?! Yeah, we're so excited to play Lee's Palace!") just sounded forced. Have they been coached on "proper media-speak" by their label Universal Music?

Second, a full band trumps backing tracks. I know they are a duo but given the talented indie scene in Toronto, couldn't they find subs for a local gig? I've been to many shows where musicians like Felicity Williams (Bernice), Kieran Adams (Diana), or Ivy Mairi formed the backing band for a show. I know the Command Sisters were currently living in the East-End after a few years in Scarborough. I wondered if they have never connected with Toronto's musical community who are clustered in West-End neighbourhoods?

TPOH fans might come late, but they come from everywhere: Ottawa, Chicago, Rochester. Moe Berg's running gag for the night was to tell the audience multiple times that there was enough time for 1 or 2 more songs. Well just 1 more song became a 16-song set including Gretzky Rocks, Food, Heavy Metal Tears. But it was music from their debut album: She's So Young, Hard To Laugh, and Beautiful White that got the loudest cheers. They ended with their biggest hit "I'm An Adult Now" which, given the age of the audience, was more appropriate than ever ("I'm sitting in a room with a bunch/Of people whose necks and backs are aching").

Hand In My Pocket

I've only been to Handlebar in Kensington Market a few times. I wasn't put off by its grungy interior but rather the sense that most people were there to socialize and not to listen to the band. No doubt Handlebar was low on Luna Li's list of favourite venues.

I wasn't surprised that the volume of chatter grew during Emilie Mover's set. But I hadn't expected to hear my favourite singer ever again so it was still a treat for me. She was chill and relaxed, having just returned from visiting for the first time her uncle's eco-lodge in the Dominican Republic. Mover recommended a May vacation (also a first) away from Toronto because you leave when it's cold but you return to warmth. And you can also continue the tan you started on your trip.

She went through some old tunes (Be So Blind, Dorothy, Chove Chuva) and new/unreleased ones (New York City, Purpose). Thanks to gentle prodding from a friend in the audience, Mover gave a bit more background details to her songs. For example, 14C was inspired by the 6-months she lived at 14th and Avenue C in New York. With a new beau in her life, she played some positive love songs (as opposed to her usual disappointment with love).

Handlebar was packed by 10 p.m. with nary a mask in sight. But that wasn't the only reason I didn't stay for Curt James' set. I don't do late nights anymore. Which was also why I didn't go to Sate's return to the El Mocambo. Her set wouldn't even start until 11 pm. That was the official time so who knows when she would have actually gone on stage.