This Week in Food: Aft, Fiore, Darwin Bistro & Bar, Jelly Modern Doughnuts, Marky & Sparky's Smokehouse

This Week in Food rounds up the week's food news, restaurants openings and closings, chef movements and upcoming food events in Toronto. Find us here every Friday morning.

OPENING & CLOSING

• Aft, a self-billed kitchen and bar has opened in the old Toucan Taco Bar space at 686 Queen St. East in Riverside. The short, moderately-priced menu features burgers and other comfort food.
• Italian bistro Fiore is set to reopen after lengthy renovations at 4 Temperance Street on Monday, March 4th. The new menu will feature a varied selection of salads, sandwiches, pastas and desserts.
• La Casa Del Cafe plans to open a retail cafe at 774 College Street (next to Monocle) as soon as this April. This will be the first location for this Woodbridge-based importer and roaster who plans to offer Latin American pastries and a mini market of pantry items.
• Papered windows at 651 College Street indicate that Darwin Bistro & Bar is soon-to-open in the former site of Little Italy's L.A.B.
• Menchie's continues its quest for global fro-yo domination, and is slated to open a new location near Yonge and College which will take over a former discount clothing store at 474 Yonge Street.
• Marky & Sparky's Smokehouse is gearing up to open soon in the Junction at 520 Annette Street.
• Calgary's Jelly Modern Doughnuts will open a franchise of their gourmet doughnut bakery café this April at 376 College Street in the former Vinny Massimo's Pizza and Pasta space.
• According to PostCity, Torito will be opening a sister restaurant near Queen and Shaw in late March. Few details are currently available, but Torito's chef says tapas will remain a focus at the new spot.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• The Depanneur (1033 College Street) and Mike Pace host a Drop-in Dinner tonight, Friday, March 1st, featuring sweet potato and ricotta gnocchi with figs and pancetta. Dinner is $12 and available on a first come first served basis.
• Slow Food Toronto hosts a Pancake Social at the Campbell House Museum (160 Queen Street West) on Saturday, March 2nd at noon.
• The Ontario Wine Society presents the Toronto Annual Dinner: The Grange of Prince Edward County at Biagio Ristorante (155 King Street East) on Monday, March 4th at 6pm. Tickets are $85 for OWS members and $95 for non-members, and feature an hors d'oeuvres reception and four course menu with wine pairs.
• Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill (33 Yonge Street) hosts a Winter Bites Patio Party featuring live DJ, cocktails and bites (while they last) on Tuesday, March 5th from 5pm to 9pm.
• Dishcrawl presents a gluten-free edition at 7pm on Wednesday, March 6th with a 4-stop tour of St. Clair West between Bathurst and Dufferin. Tickets are $60.
• Celebrate Tsiknopempti (Burnt Thursday in Greece) on Thursday, March 7th from 6:30pm to 10pm at Cool Brewery (164 Evans Avenue). Tickets are $45 to enjoy a Carnival Feast featuring grilled meats and Greek street foods.

CHEFS

• The Drake Hotel has announced Ted Corrado (C5) is joining their team as new Corporate Executive Chef overseeing research and development at 1150 Queen Street West, as well as at the soon-to-open Wellington, Ontario outpost, the Drake Devonshire Inn.

OTHER NEWS

• Marben has changed-up its monthly family-style beast roast held on the last Sunday of each month. Dinner is still $25 per person but will now feature a different beast (say duck, pheasant, or venison) each month.

Photo courtesy of Jelly Modern Doughnuts