Global Flavours In Hamilton

I’m convinced I love food because it has the ability to transport me to another realm. The visual feast, the aromas, the unique flavour profiles that dance on my palate — everything somehow harmoniously comes together to create a feeling (sometimes fleeting) of visiting a foreign land. Although I’m often abroad fulfilling my wanderlust, there are gaps between my trips where I look to food to quench my travel bug. The experience can be as brief as a sip of espresso or as prolonged as a multi-course meal accompanied by live entertainment. Whatever the case, I’m always on the hunt for tasty international cuisine that whisks me away — so when my friends at tripcentral.ca invited me to devour some ethnic food in Hamilton (their home base and one of my fave culinary scenes), I jumped on board the epic, 10-stop food tour. Here is a recap of the gluttony that took place…

Hawaii – Pokeh (35 York Boulevard, Hamilton Farmers’ Market) – Say aloha to our nation’s first poké bar! I was so excited to finally see one of my fave Hawaiian dishes on a Canadian menu. I’m talking fresh ahi tuna cubes (beautifully-seasoned and marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil) served on a bed of rice. We went for the Spicy Bowl which also had green onions, cucumbers, house-pickled jalapenos, spicy QP mayo and sesame seeds. The bowls are fully customizable so you can get creative with the over 20 different toppings and sauces. I’m trying the cucumber noodles next time!

Portugal – Wild Orchid (286 James Street North) – Love seafood? If yes, get yourself to this resto asap and order the Arroz De Marisco. Made with Portuguese rice, the traditional dish (prepared in a cataplana) marries all of my favourite sea creatures together in a light pimento and tomato sauce — black tiger shrimp, lobster, crab, calamari, scallops, mussels… you name it! What I loved most about this place? You can taste the pride in the cuisine. That’s probably because the owner, George, has been cooking up a storm in the kitchen for two decades.

Mexico – We made two fiesta stops to salute the country that so many Canadians flock to annually. First up was The Mule (41 King William Street). The vibrant resto is the kind of place I could lounge at for hours sipping on bourbon and tequila-based cocktails while daydreaming of Tulum… Oh, and stuffing my face with tacos. Lots and lots of tacos — the traditional kind and unique takes (they even have one with my fave Cypriot cheese: halloumi). Bonus for all those with dietary restrictions: their food is 100% gluten-free AND they offer vegetarian and vegan options too!

Our second Mexican stop was at Mezcal Tacos & Tequila (150 James Street South) – a resto I first visited just before its official public opening. I predicted back then that they would be the talk of the town and should’ve put money on it: this place is rammed every time I visit the hammer! Great ambiance (dark, loud, fun) and a floor-to-ceiling bar filled with the best 100% agave tequilas — could a gal ask for more?! Well, yes: food. Something these guys take very seriously. They cook with a conscience, use local produce and source the best products they can get their hands on. Oh and they make all their pickles, smoked cheeses and salsas onsite.

England – Except for Kenneth (189 Ottawa Street North) – Ah yes, the good ol’ English Isles. That’s the inspiration behind the comfort food served up at this charming resto. The ever-changing menu features lots of tasty dishes, but we went for Ken’s Shepherd’s Pie — the meat was perfectly seasoned and topped with a pillow of mashed potatoes…

Italy – With such a vibrant Italian community in Hamilton, there is no shortage of traditional or contemporary restos around town. I’ve dined at a dozen or so, but have ambitious plans to try them all! On this #HamOntFT tour we made two stops — the first being a return visit to NàRoma Pizza Bar – (215 Locke Street South). Served al taglio (by the rectangular slice), these guys combine two distinct styles of pizza-making (from Naples and Rome) to create some incredible pie. It’s all about the dough here: hand-kneaded (as it should be), made with quality ingredients and given 72 hours to rise. I fell in love with the Brie e Prosciutto this time around — mozzarella, triple cream brie cheese, prosciutto, fig jam, caramelized onions, arugula and reduced balsamic. Yum!

Our second Italian stop was at La Piazza Allegra (180 James Street South) where award-winning chef, Mark Farrugia, has been whipping up traditional family recipes with a contemporary twist since 1997. The menu is updated frequently to feature seasonal ingredients, the bread is fresh and the pastas are cooked to perfection. We tasted the chef’s homemade Ravioli Vesuvius during our visit. Appropriately-named (Mount Vesuvius has produced some of the largest volcanic eruptions in Europe), it bursted with a sea of yolk as soon as the tip of my knife grazed its centre…

Brazil – Brown Dog Coffee Shoppe (211 Locke Street South) – While I didn’t spot any Brazilian eateries in the hammer (please do reco if you know of any), there is one joint serving up Brazilian coffee (I hear they also occasionally make a Brazilian carrot cake). So in an effort to transport myself to the south american country that’s been on my bucket list for years, I inhaled the beautiful aroma of their freshly-ground coffee and indulged in a little daydream. Speaking of indulgence, I also got my paws on their much-loved apple fritters. Made fresh throughout the day, they were the best I’ve ever had. Run, don’t walk to devour these heavenly creations…

France – Aberdeen Tavern (432 Aberdeen Avenue) – Ah yes, my favourite restaurant in Hamilton. The food, the ambiance, the service — everything screams quality at this neighbourhood gem. These guys understand hospitality and execute every fine detail with finesse. Although I’ve had my share of meals at the resto, I’ve actually never made it to the dessert course (which I’m now kicking myself for). On our hop around the globe with tripcentral.ca, they wowed the group with the most delightful lemon meringues, profiteroles and financiers. A mini escape to Paris…

Japan – Eat Ramen (35 York Boulevard – Hamilton Farmers’ Market) – The goal: bring traditional ramen to Hamilton. The chefs: Brandon Jackson and Matthew Pigeon (yup, more Toronto talent in the hammer – the two met while working at Bymark). The result: piping hot bowls of savoury broth, perfectly-cooked alkaline noodles and locally-sourced fresh meat and produce. No shortcuts here — these guys make their broth from scratch using roasted pork, chicken bones, kambu, dashi, soy, mirin and saki. Grab a stool and slurp away at this new farmers’ market resto…

That sums up our epic, 10-stop food tour. I’m excited by the energized food scene and can’t wait to try more ethnic food in Hamilton! For that, I need your help. You guys gave me some amazing recos via comments in response to my previous posts — many of which I’ve visited since (from Mulberry Street Coffeehouse to Memphis Fire Barbeque Company). I’m now on the hunt for global flavours so please share your fave spots so I can check them out. There must be some good Thai, Indian and Middle Eastern out there. For now, I’ll dream of the Chunky Churros ice cream I devoured at Henry Brown’s Small Batch Ice Cream Company and pretend I’m back in Spain strolling around La Rambla…

The tour featuring ethnic food in Hamilton was coordinated by tripcentral.ca and Hamilton’s Economic Development Office. Our meals were complimentary. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own. Check out #HamOntFT for our social shares!