I wanted to tell you about Buddha Dog, I really did
I find the idea of a gourmet hot dog hilarious, and also potentially delicious, and I've been to Bark in Brooklyn and I thought I could compare the two. But when I arrived at the Roncesvalles restaurant, I was met with a sign saying the joint would be closing on June 30. It seemed, in fact, that they had gotten a head start: the door was locked and the stools were on the counter.
I still needed to eat, so I headed north. My first stop was Victoria's Bakery and Deli (173 Roncesvalles Ave.). The woman behind the glass counter said if I wanted a sandwich, I should get my own bun from the bins.
I asked what was good and she said they had turkey and ham. I got the ham with havarti and mustard ($5) and a dish of pickled cucumbers ($1.35) and took it to the cute seating area in the back. It was fine - in fact the cucumbers were tart and crunchy and the strips of yellow and red pepper were more than welcome - but I thought I could do better.
That's how I ended up at the Holyland (407 Roncesvalles Ave.), eating the best falafel I've ever tasted.
The Holyland - well, Holyland Foods and Video - has been across from the Revue Cinema for two decades. When the original owner renovated the theatre, he gave two signs (one of which is seen above) to Ali.
"He used to let my customers sneak my food in," Ali remembers. Ali runs Holyland with his wife and didn't want his last name used.
"I don't need no commercial - I've been here two years!" he laughed.
The pair make everything themselves: Eggplant, stuffed vine leaves, the famous falafel sandwich and other hot meals are prepared at the back of the store, while containers of tabouleh, yogurt, baba ghanoush, and turnip pickle line the shelves of the cooler.
"When we do our hot sauce, it takes up the whole basement!" Ali said.
But I was there for lunch. There's no room to eat inside - there are grains and canned goods for sale in the store and boxes piled high in front of the cash - but Ali sold me on the power falafel sandwich ($3).
"There's no eggs, no mayo - you start with good falafel then you add tomaotes, tahini, parsley, you need the turnip pickles for sour...It's very good. It takes half a minute to make."
Thirty seconds later, I was enjoying the best falafel sandwich I have ever had.
The falafel is light and fluffy, neither dry nor leaden nor heavy like
others I've sampled. The tomatoes are bright red and juicy, not pink
and spongy. The sandwich is warm and soft, and I made it to the bottom
of the pita without it once coming unwrapped.
I've got a lot more eating to do before I could call it the best sandwich in Toronto - but I'll be going back to Ali's before I check out any of the competition.