This week on DineSafe, Tung Hing Bakery on Gerrard Street East was shut down for the second time in less than two years. I think there's a lesson in there somewhere; let's hope Tung Hing finds it. This time around, the Chinese bakery was caught with more than a dozen infractions, all of which resulted in that wonderful label "gross unsanitary conditions." Joining Tung Hing on the DineSafe hit list this week is I Love Sushi on Queen West (again), and DineSafe newbies Fusaro's and La Palette, which both previously sported impeccable health and food safety records. Here are some of the DineSafe highlights this week.

On Steeles Avenue, close to the large T&T Supermarket on Warden Avenue and not far from Highway 404, sits a bland two-storey building complex with a sad-looking fountain in front of it. This medium-sized unit is Metro Square, a Chinese mall built in 1997, with a more community-minded bent than Pacific Mall. In other words, think Eglinton Square Mall as opposed to Eaton Centre.

Italian bakeries in Woodbridge are not a rarity. Being of Italian heritage myself, I'll let you in on a little secret--we prefer our sweets to be less, uhm, sweet (a gross generalization, I'm sure). Although you can find the occasional take on baklava or various versions of the classic chocolate cake and apple pie in most of these bakeries and pasticcerias, you must try scrumptious staples such as the tiramisu, cannoli, amaretti cookies and sfoglia-based cakes and pastries (a crispy yet airy dough).

The desired taste results in Italian dessert world are creamy and cheesy (ricotta, mascarpone) or boozy (Amaretto, Marsala, Brandy & Vermouth are regulars) and nutty (oh yes, we love nuts!).

Sweets from the Earth was around long before vegan eats became 'mainstream' (mainstream in Toronto, that is). Poised to soon celebrate its 10th birthday, this all-natural, vegan, and nut-free bakery began humbly in the apartment of Montreal native Ilana Kadonoff.

Thursday night, 33 brewers from across Ontario gathered at the Six Pints Beer Academy (75 Victoria St.) for the 9th Annual Ontario Brewing Awards. The brewers were vying for top prizes in 24 different categories, including Beer of The Year and Newcomer of The Year.

As co-organizer and host Roger Mittag of Thirst for Knowledge Inc pointed out, the evening wasn't about "micro vs. macro," but rather about people who love beer being recognized for their talents.

There's a silent war being waged throughout Toronto's restaurant scene, and the battle is happening below the guise of that cheery-seeming Saturday dinner reservation for two.

Toronto restaurants were once ruled by a monopoly of sorts, with only one major service provider offering online reservation capabilities. That provider was OpenTable, and if you've ever made a dinner reservation for a Toronto restaurant through the web, you've probably used it. No doubt about it — OpenTable has the Toronto upper hand with hundreds of area restaurants signed up to its service.