This is the Thursday, Aug. 8 edition of Food Crawl, the Star’s weekly food newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every week.
We’re in the thick of summer and outdoor markets have transformed empty concrete spaces and parking lots into vibrant, music-filled food destinations. One such market is Union Summer at the Front Street entrance of Union Station. It’s an enclosed patio space open for lunch and dinner with a rotating selection of food vendors from local restaurants and a stage for live music. Here’s some of what I got, and what you should try:
Trio of tacos from Gus Tacos
This taqueria chain has seven locations across the GTA and now, it’s got a central spot at Union Station. The menu is kept simple: tacos, quesadillas, guac and chips, and churros for dessert. Luckily for us, prices are on par with most other Mexican restaurants in the city (it’s not unusual for pop-ups to have slightly higher prices due to operating costs).
A single taco is $6 but opt for the better deal of three tacos for $15, where you can mix and match proteins. Your options include birria (beef braised in a slightly spicy, tangy and savoury stew); chicken; pastor (grilled pork with pineapple); grilled steak, battered basa filets and sautéed mushrooms. I recommend choosing three different tacos with contrasting tastes and textures. My order was the shredded birria, tender and saucy with a sweet chili heat; the juicy diced grilled pork with an acidic, fruity pop from the pineapple and the fried fish, topped with lots of shredded iceberg for a crispy contrast to the grilled meats.
Where to get it: Find Gus Tacos at Union Summer on Front Street between Bay and York Streets until Aug. 25. This location is not on delivery apps, but its other ones are; check Gus Tacos’ site for info. Each stall is open Sunday to Wednesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday to Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Falafel Burger at Cleo’s
The Falafel Burger at Cleo’s.
Karon Liu/Toronto StarThis offshoot of Egyptian sandwich chain Tut’s specializes in smash burgers, but if you’re looking for a lighter lunchtime option between meetings, try the falafel burger, $8.99. A crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the inside fried falafel patty is topped with tomatoes, sumac-seasoned onions, parsley and a squeeze of tahini on a soft potato bun. With the crunchy texture, creamy nuttiness and herbal, bittersweet zip, it has more of a summery flavour than a beef burger and won’t put you into a food coma on work time.
Where to get it: Cleo’s runs until Aug. 25 at Union Summer. This location is not on delivery apps but the one at 567 King St. W. in on Uber Eats and Door Dash.
The Cocoa Chanel ice cream from Demetres
The Cocoa Chanel ice cream from Demetres.
Karon Liu/Toronto StarThe ice cream offshoot from dessert restaurant Demetres is offering small $3 ice cream cups with two pieces of waffle crisp. Flavours include Double Baked Apple Pie, Lemon Curd Blueberry, Ministry of Mango Sorbetto, Strawberry Blush and Cocoa Chanel. The cups are smartly sized so that no matter how many platters of tacos you’ve had from Gus’s, you can still manage a sample-size worth of ice cream. My choice was the Cocoa Chanel, a rich bittersweet dark chocolate base with brownies and Oreo cookie pieces that offer a satisfying cakey contrast to the creamy dark chocolate. It’s not super out-there, but there’s nothing wrong with leaning into ice creams that have a good track record.
Where to get it: The Demetres stall Union Summer runs until Aug. 11. After that it will rotate out and be replaced with Sugar Daddy Doughnuts, serving hot mini donuts, from Aug. 12 until the end of Union Summer on Aug. 25. The Demetres site also has online ordering information, locations across the GTA, and info on retailers that stock its ice cream.
The Sago’t Gulaman from Bao Mama
The Sago’t Gulaman from Bao Mama.
Karon Liu/Toronto StarWe’ve covered the Filipino-inspired baos from Bao Mama before, so I wanted to highlight something different. The Sago’t Gulaman, $6.95, is a slushie version of the staple hot-weather Filipino drink made of sago pearls and gulaman (agar-based jelly) in a simple base of water and brown sugar. If you love bubble tea, you’ll be on board with this. Despite its brown sugar base, it’s not as sweet as the average bubble tea drink (super sugary drinks and hot weather give me a headache) and I like the dual chewy texture of the sago pearls with the firmer bite of the little agar chunks. It’s perfect for these scorching summer days.
Where to get it: Bao Mama will be at Union Summer until Aug 25. This stall is not on delivery apps, but its other locations are on Uber Eats, Door Dash and Skip the Dishes, which can be ordered directly through Bao Mama’s site.
Before you go, I have a few more recommendations:
• This Toronto food entrepreneur’s ready-made picnics pay homage to her Anishinaabe roots.
Check out these four spots I added to my alternative Toronto Michelin Guide.
• Here are my top picks for takeout under $10 in Toronto.
• Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list is finally out. These are the Toronto spots that made the cut.
• This Mississauga family restaurant radiates retro vibes. Here’s why it stands out.
• This beloved Toronto restaurant serves a weekly Jewish brunch buffet — but that’s not all it’s known for.
Thanks for reading. I’ll see you back here next week.
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