I was on vacation this week...

On Tuesday, first on the list was hitting up the much hyped Lady Glaze Doughnuts. I was surprised at how small the shop actually is, in that currently you can really only have 1 person in there comfortably (with the covid restrictions.) The first thing that hits you is the absolutely delicious smell of yeast and fresh dough. The second is the display case of deliciousness. I grabbed a cinnamon sugar & a lemon meringue pie. I'd been craving the pucker that you get from lemon meringue and/or key lime, and this donut didn't disappoint. The lemon curd filling is just on the sweet side of tart, and the little dollop of meringue being toasted was perfect. The cinnamon sugar hit the spot just the way I knew it would and was sweet, without being overpowering. What's unique about Lady Glaze is that they also offer wine and cider for purchase, along with their massive doughnut selection.

My next stop was just down the road at The Munch Box. I will say that I am kinda vanilla with what flavours of doughnuts I like - I'd rather have an apple fritter or old fashioned plain as opposed to a doughnut that eats like a dessert. Don't get me wrong, there is a market for dessert style ones, and they are good, but if I want something light, it's going to be something simpler. Carl has those options at The Munch Box, which makes my heart happy. His shop is on par size wise with Lady Glaze, but has a different variety of offerings. They offer Dole Whip and sandwiches, along with Slushies.

The final stop for the day was at Vincenzo's. I've never actually been before, despite it being in its new location for 11 years now... oops? It truly didn't disappoint though. I'd been missing David's Gourmet since it closed its Victoria Street location 3 years ago. Vincenzo's takes what David's (and Fiddleheads, etc) had and expands on it to the point where it's almost overwhelming (in a good way!). The store itself is deceivingly small from the outside, but inside is almost labyrinthian in size. You have everything you can imaging needing, and more. I was able to get a few spreads, some cheese curds, and both my mom and I got a sandwich for lunch. Everything was so fresh and fairly priced, I can't wait to go back. My only complaint would be that the parking lot (which is shared with The Bauer Kitchen) is fairly tight to get in and out of.

Thursday was a chance to hit up the St. Jacob's Farmer's Market for some fresh meat, muffins and of course, lunch. Back in the mid-90's my mom worked for the Ontario Livestock Exchange ('The Stockyards' for those who know), and we built some quality relationships with some of the vendors who are still there to this day. One of them, is Halenda's Meats (in the Market Building). We love their pork schnitzel, bacon and cabbage rolls. We also had to stop at The Stone Crock Bakery (Market Stall), also in the Market Building. They have a spectacular selection of muffins, pies and tarts. Our last stop, which is a market institution, is grabbing a special at All Things Piggy. Their special is peameal bacon on a bun, with a fried egg and cheese. For the last few years the owners have been trying to sell the stall, so that they can retire. There is a deal currently in the works for someone to take over the location once we begin nearing our new normal, and I truly hope the new owners will keep the kitschy feel of the stall, along with the amazing food choices.

Friday nights are when we have pizza in our house. It's the one night where nobody wants to cook, so we usually order in. When I was growing up, and even now as an adult, we'd always have Little Caesars. Make fun of me all you want, but there is something about the sauce and crust that is just the perfect combination for me. I made the executive decision tonight that we'd branch out and hit up the much talked about Red Swan Pizza on Westmount. Let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. I went in to pickup the order, and the gentleman behind the counter opened the box to explain that for the cauliflower crust, they actually use a 12" pizza, but it shrinks to 10" once it's finished cooking. The smell I got in those brief few seconds, was to die for. The taste reminds me of old school Pizza Hut (y'know, from back in the 90s before they change their sauce/crust combo), and was not greasy (despite looking like it was due to the caramelization of the cheese). It was a huge hit in the house, We will definitely order again.

What are some of your fave local establishments that I should add to my list to try? Hit the comments below and let me know!