With all of the dreadful news and miserable weather we’ve had to endure in recent months, it might seem like finding a bright spot on the horizon is meteorologically impossible. Fear not, however, for the many sweet spots on Main Street can brighten the hopes and heighten the pheromones of all SAD and tired folk. You just have to know where to look. Here are 10 sweet finds.
Lisa Lou's Chocolate Bar
One of the newest edible arrivals on Main Street, Lisa Lou’s is the brainchild of pastry chef Lisa Gardin. The little shop joins block neighbours Campagnolo, Torafuku, Bodega, Pizzeria Farina and Kobob Burger, and, as the name might suggest, offers everything chocolate. Gardin makes everything from ice cream sandwiches to truffles to chocolate bars from scratch, including “Sue,” a chocolate bar with sour cherry, pistachio and crispy rice. Don’t forget to check out the bon bons. lisalouschocolatebar.com
Lisa Lou’s Chocolate Bar owner Lisa Gardin making hot chocolate | Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Kul Cup Organic Soft Serve
I’ve always had a special fondness for soft ice cream. It brings back that childlike feeling of happy innocence…okay, maybe I wasn’t so innocent. Nonetheless, soft serve is finally available at somewhere other than McDonald’s or Dairy Queen. On Main Street, you can find it at Kul Cup. Made from all-organic ingredients, this very smooth and creamy ice cream comes in more than 20 iterations, with toppings ranging from fresh pineapple and organic granola to black sesame, honeycomb, macarons, espresso and even mini-wheat breakfast cereal. kulcup.com
Organic, honeycomb-flavoured soft-serve ice cream from Kul Cup on Main Street | Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Earnest Ice Cream
Located just off Main on Quebec, this popular ice creamery serves up classic flavours that are rich, organic and delicious. While the salted caramel is a personal favourite, you shouldn’t miss the matcha or oatmeal brown sugar. Vegans, take note: the vegan chai is excellent and there are also another three rotating vegan flavours to choose from. earnesticecream.com
Trafiq Café
The Chunky Monkey bread alone is worth a visit. What started out as a way to use up day-old croissants now requires a special batch to be made just to meet demand. These thick slices of what is essentially bread pudding are heavily laced with dark chocolate and banana puree, plus a rich ganache. For something lighter, try a slice of the lemon-lavender cake with lavender whipped cream. For floral palate enthusiasts, there’s nothing better. trafiq.ca
Trafiq owners Shauna MacNeil and her husband Sergio Salamonovitz. Trafiq's signature Chunky Monkey bread | Photo: Dan Toulgoet
French Made Baking
Just hidden off Main on Kingsway is this charming little bakery run by French pâtissiers and husband-and-wife team David and Catherine Introligator. Organic flour and free-run eggs (from Rabbit River Farms) are standard, as is Valrhona or Cacao Berry chocolate. Don’t look for bread here, apart from some really good baguettes. Instead, focus on the macarons. Flavours like blackcurrant and violet, rose and lychee, and passionfruit and vanilla are part of the regular line-up, while seasonal offerings have included rooster-shaped jasmine macarons for Chinese New Year. Don’t miss the afternoon tea with the housemade croissants and hazelnut spread. frenchmadebaking.com
Lucky's Doughnuts
What goes better with coffee than a doughnut? Especially a big, scrumptious PB&J from Lucky’s, located inside 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. The brash, bold flavours of the doughnuts here keep a steady stream of regulars lining up day and night. The aforementioned PB&J is exactly what it sounds like, a magnificent square of raspberry jam-filled dough topped with a salty-sweet peanut butter glaze. The crème brulée is another standout, but it’s the apple-bacon fritter, with large chunks of apple and a gluttonous amount of bacon, all dressed with a maple glaze, that gets my heart – and cholesterol – soaring. luckysdoughnuts.com
Cartems Donuterie
A doughnut is a doughnut is a doughnut, right? Well…not quite. Cartems specializes in the denser cake doughnuts, although yeast versions are also available. If you can, snag a honey-parmesan or three. The pepper gives this salty-sweet combo a nice kick. Cartems also usually has around eight to 10 vegan and/or gluten-free options at any time, including a stellar smoked maple-walnut. cartems.com
Goldilocks
This popular Filipino bakery has been around for over 30 years, but only arrived on Main Street recently. If you’re looking for a good version of an ensaymada, a popular sweet brioche baked into a muffin shape and topped with grated cheese, this is the place to go. It’s also one of the few places in the city where you can find an ube (purple yam) cake. The Goldilocks version uses an ube chiffon with ube jam and whipped cream. Other specialities include cassava, leche flan, and a sweet sticky rice pancake called bibinkang galapong. Get it topped with ube or chocolate ganache for kicks. goldilocks-can.com
All India Sweets & Restaurant
It may have moved across the street into a slightly smaller space, but this long-standing icon of Little India is still a Main Street institution, known for its vegetarian buffet and – more importantly – for its amazing selection of Indian sweets. Try the gulab jamun, fried milk balls soaked in honey syrup, or the jalebi, fried coils of dough made from lentil flour and dipped in sugar syrup. For something more savoury, try the ras malai, a drier, milky ball often topped with pistachios. allindiasweetsrestaurant.com
All India Sweets owner Steve Ram with assorted buffet treats, including the ‘gulab jamun’ fried milk balls | Photo: Dan Toulgoet
Sweet Revenge
Sometimes, all you want is a slice of old-fashioned pie or cake. Sweet Revenge has been on Main Street for 16 years and counting. This tiny room specializes in desserts “like grandma used to make” and delivers deliciousness in every slice of chocolate pudding cake, berry trifle, and white chocolate cheesecake. Even better, it’s licensed, meaning a cocktail or glass of moscato or plum wine is yours for the asking. sweet-revenge.ca
Anya Levykh is a freelance food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
