The best part of being a foodie in Kingston is the access to independently owned restaurants that prepare thoughtfully curated dishes using locally sourced ingredients.

Being close to an abundance of rural land gives our community easy access to farmers. The philosophy of eating fresh and local seems trendy, but Kingston chefs have been relying on local farmers since before Netflix foodie documentaries like Chef’s Table.

I take a seat on the patio of local hotspot Juniper Cafe to have a chat about local food with Bella Bistro co-owner Kevin Lapeer. If anyone knows the importance of the farm-to-table movement – it’s him. Lapeer and his colleague Paul Muller do everything they can to support local farmers, featuring their produce and proteins in a long list of specials, daily.

And there’s no better place to discuss eating local than at Juniper where owners Amber Thom and Jamie Hodges provide locally-sourced ingredients as much as they can.

Lapeer explains while admiring Juniper’s waterfront view, “They [Juniper Cafe] do a great job with as much local as possible. The food is great, homemade and fresh which keeps the philosophy.”

Lapeer is passionate about sourcing local ingredients for many reasons. “As an owner of an independent restaurant with people that rely on us to pay their bills, I feel it’s necessary to help other local small vendors do the same thing – it’s good for the economy, it’s healthier, it’s better for the environment.” And best of all, local ingredients enhance the flavour of any dish. One taste of a Bella Bistro special and you won’t question it.

I discover there is one thing many restaurants that support local farmers have in common, they use Wendy’s Mobile Market. Run by Wendy Banks and Rick Trudeau, this dream team can be credited for these establishments’ fresh farm-to-table meals.

“They source local, small independent farms and they provide us with a weekly list of what’s available through the local farms,” says Lapeer.

Wendy’s works with more than 70 producers and being farmers themselves, they understand the priorities and significance of the job. “It is important for us to connect the farmers to restaurants to help keep the farming community sustainable and vibrant. This will help our farming community grow again,” says Banks.

“It gives us food security and assurance that our area will have healthy local food that we can trust. In turn, we can provide the restaurants with great tasting food. It helps them source local food easily,” she adds.

Gokhan Cifci, owner of Tango Nuevo raves about the service.”It’s very difficult in the restaurant business to get a local farmer’s produce and vegetables – consistency is very important but Wendy’s does that perfectly,” he says.

If you’re on the hunt for a locally-sourced meal, look no further than the restaurants Wendy’s serves:

The Ivy Lea, Riva, Rivermill, Juniper Cafe, Red House West, Red House, Old Farm, John’s Deli, The Elm Cafe, The Grizzly Grill, Amadeus Cafe, Olivea, Casa, Tango Nuevo, Stone City Ale, Atomica, Chien Noir, The Yacht Club, Aqua Terra, Woodenheads, Days on Front, Bella Bistro, Bayview Farm, PanChancho and Pasta Genoa.

As I sit at the high table waiting for Tango Nuevo owner and manager Gokhan Cifci to arrive, I scan the room and take in the beautiful space located just north of Brock street on King Street East. Rich dark brown finishes, exposed limestone, beautiful light and an intricately detailed ceiling make me feel at ease instantly. Cifci later describes the space he opened in July 2013 as relaxing and romantic and I couldn’t agree more.

Even the food is romantically ­inclined with fusion tapas (meaning small plates) to share influenced by cuisine around the world – and when I say “around the world,” I truly mean it.

To give you a taste of the variety on the menu, a few examples: Asian Pork Ribs with ginger soy, honey and anise glaze (Cifci’s favourite); Jamaican Jerk Tacos with braised and pulled pork in a jerk sauce, grilled pineapple salsa and a red cabbage slaw (or Greek Octopus with greek feta, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes and oregano), served with grilled baguette and featuring Spanish oro bailen picual olive oil from Kingston Olive Oil Co.

I’ve just listed three completely opposite geographical locations, so what’s the common factor that ties them all together? The team at Tango Nuevo use as many local foods working with Wendy’s Mobile Market that connects restaurants with local farmers.

“They deliver to downtown twice a week and it’s a great program and they do a great job. It’s very difficult in the restaurant business to get a local farmer’s produce and vegetables – consistency is very important but Wendy’s does that perfectly,” says Cifci.

If you’re ever curious about which items specifically come from local farmers and where they are located, check the chalkboard at the back of the restaurant on the left-hand side for a detailed list.

The globally-­inspired and locally harvested meals can be enjoyed with close family and friends in a new intimate space recently launched by Tango Nuevo, called La Bodega which is Spanish for cellar. Perfectly named considering the space is home to around 700 bottles of high­ end wine – 60 international and 10­ to 15 local.

Cifci is very proud of the thoughtfully­ decorated space that seats eight to ten people (or fewer – and a charge will apply).

“We thought a lot about everything before we did it. The chairs, concrete, table top, some wine glasses are crystal. We ordered new china coming from England – handmade pottery plates. It has its own sound system for guests. We are going to have projectors for daytime meetings.” says Cifci.

The exclusive wine list and expensive pottery are not the only perks, guests can enjoy either a tapas menu for $65 or a chef­ tasting menu for $87. And did I mention it’s sound proof?

Welcome to the relaxing vacation mecca of Prince Edward County.

Those who have visited The County already know it’s a hidden gem amongst southeastern Ontario. With rolling hills, hundreds of kilometres of lush green shorelines, beaches and wineries – PEC is a place you’ll never want to leave.
The limestone-rich soils of Prince Edward County are making a mark in Ontario, with serious winemakers settling down and making The County the fastest growing wine region in the province. But with over forty wineries in the Prince Edward County, it can be difficult to plan the perfect tour to suit your taste.

But fear not! Prince Edward County’s most beloved sommelier, Ian Nicholls, brings us County Sips – a chance for the enthusiastic wine taster to receive a fun (yet unpretentious) guided tour through some of the finest wineries in Ontario.

I was delighted to spend a full day on a guided tour with Ian. A veteran in the hospitality industry with over 25 years of experience, Ian possesses an effortless ability to put guests at ease while ensuring that everyone on the tour is comfortable and excited about the day – his infectious energy, enthusiasm and love for wine is contagious. Within the hour bus ride from Kingston, I had already made several new friends and couldn’t wait to make our first stop at the biggest cheese show in North America – The 2016 Great Canadian Cheese Festival.

The Great Canadian Cheese Festival hosts hundreds of artisans from all over Canada with tastes and sips to compliment the incredible varieties of cheese. Ian made this a magical experience for all of his tour guest, and graciously took us through the busy crowd; pairing delicious local wines with yummy local meats and cheeses from the region. It was obvious that Ian was not only incredibly knowledgeable of the wine selection but also remarkably loved and respected by all the local artisans.

After a few hours of enjoying the busy cheese festival, Ian brought us to the beautiful and relaxing Sandbanks Winery in Prince Edward County. Here I had a dreamlike experience as I sat in the sun in the Sandbanks’ Adirondack chairs sipping on a refreshingly delightful Summer Love spritzer. I couldn’t believe that just an hour from downtown Kingston, I could be overlooking the rolling hills of a local vineyard, picnic in a beautiful outdoor gazebo tasting bar – and, be amidst some of the finest wines of the region.

Leaving Sandbanks Winery was difficult. However, as we pulled into the forested nook of the Three Dog Winery, my interest was again piqued and I couldn’t wait to get off the bus. Within moments, owner Sacha warmly welcomed us into the picturesque and cozy comforts of the wooded winery. I immediately felt at home. Sacha explained that the winery was named after their original three retrievers and that she wanted the winery to be a “place where you can grab a bottle of wine and take your dogs for a walk down the beautiful trails of Three Dog Property. Grab a spot in the shade and have a picnic. Relax.” Relax? That we did.

As the day winded down, we all sat around the deck sharing in Ian’s recommended reds of Three Dog chatting, laughing and snacking on a delightful charcuterie board of local tastes. As I looked around at all the content faces, I felt grateful to have experienced a County Sips tour with Ian. His expertise and natural charisma were the perfect pairings to make this a wonderful day for all.

I can’t wait to return to the county next summer and bring my friends to meet Ian and enjoy another County Sips tour.

Welcome to the new #LunchKingston series, dedicated to exploring unique eating places that will excite your taste buds! Kingston offers an eclectic range of cuisines, unique in Eastern Ontario. I’ll feature some of the best for you to discover on your next trip to this amazing city by the lake.

It’s rare to find a good Asian restaurant outside of the larger metropolitan cities – but Royal Angkor on Princess Street in Kingston delivers a culinary punch for those seeking the vibrant flavours of Thailand and Cambodia.

Small and unassuming from the street front, this restaurant is hopping at lunch with many local regulars dining in or taking out. And no wonder – all the dishes are made from scratch with pungent spices and fresh ingredients. Everything is made to order and that can take a bit of time if one is hungry – but it’s worth the wait.

They offer a number of starters, like the Cambodian spring rolls which pack a lot of chicken and are quite dense and crispy. Served with a sweet Thai dipping sauce, and topped with a dusting of peanuts, it’s a nice alternative to your typical fish sauce. And don’t be fooled by the size of the traditional soups like Tom Yum and Coconut Chicken, because they are a meal into themselves. It’s likely a good idea to split a bowl for a starter.

Curries are a staple on their menu (offering a range of about 12), from red to green and mild to hot. Smartly, the menu uses red chili pepper symbols to indicate the heat level. The Green Curry Bamboo delivers excellent heat and is generous with the chicken and light on the coconut milk – a welcomed change to the heavier curries often found in other establishments. The slivers of bamboo shoots and flavourful eggplant rounded out this dish.

Most popular among the rice dishes, according to the server, is their Golden Chicken. Chicken thighs are slow cooked in a hot and sour red curry topped with green chilli. This dish is tied with the Thai Panang Curry. Somewhat similar to the former dish, but with the addition of coconut milk and fresh basil.

On the noodle side, they offer four rice noodle dishes. A Thai staple that I believe gauges the chef’s talent, is the sauce in the traditional Pad Thai. The use of tamarind balanced with the sweet is the key stabilizer of this dish. And Vath Sin, the chef of Royal Angkor, hits a home run with a well- balanced portion of plump shrimp and juicy chicken with noodles that are well sauced and perfectly cooked.

The ambiance might be lacking for die-hards, but the décor is inviting and tidy – and the service is friendly and efficient. But the big draw here is the food, and every dish stood out as a fine example of Thai cuisine. According to their website, the restaurant was voted among the Top 500 BEST restaurants in Canada by “Where to eat in Canada” – and they have a faithful following. Regulars were excited to tell me stories of their favourite dishes. What will be yours?

Royal Angkor
523 Princess Street
Lunch 11:00am – 3:00pm
royalangkor.ca