Toronto visitors and residents have a classy new reference for dining out in Canada's largest city. First distributed in the Globe and Mail in November, DINE Magazine is also available in print at major bookstores and for free viewing on-line.
Publisher and editor in chief is Sara Waxman, author of numerous food articles and restaurant reviews in newspapers and magazines, for the past 25 years. Her partners are Peter Roston, chartered accountant and chief executive officer, and Jay Mandarino, president of C.J. Graphics.
WHERE TO EAT IN TORONTO
The glossy 124-page Toronto restaurant guide looks like the culinary version of in-room magazines found in five-star hotels. It wouldn't look out of place on a coffee table.
DINE Magazine is published annually, but every three weeks Sara Waxman plans a web update on what's happening in the Toronto dining scene.
The premier issue features in-depth articles about chefs (Jamie Kennedy), wine (perfect pairings with food suggested by Donald Ziraldo), interviews with restauranteurs (Franco Prevedello) and culinary indulgences (chocolate).
RESTAURANT GUIDE
Restaurant categories span the spectrum from French and Italian cuisine to East Meets West and American Casual. There are additional sections for supper clubs and catering.
DINE Magazine's tag line is 'Sara Waxman tastes and tells' and, indeed, she does. For each restaurant, Waxman describes the ambience, décor and food and introduces readers to the chefs, owners and restaurant managers.
Her Toronto restaurant reviews include practical information like addresses, phone numbers, opening hours and websites. Some reviews feature menus and lists of signature plates.
A handy glossary defines foods and culinary terms from abalone to zabaglione.
As culinary photographers, we appreciate good food photography when we see it. Editorial images of dishes, selected by graphic artists, Heather Cooper and Eric Graham, are mouthwatering.
FOOD AND WINE
Sara Waxman is an avid locavore. DINE Magazine's lead article on Terroir-based Gastronomy reflects her support of chefs who serve food grown within a 100-mile radius of Toronto.
DINE reflects Sara Waxman's passion for good food and wine. For anyone looking for a Toronto restaurant, a specific style of cuisine or an atmosphere geared to a variety of occasions, the magazine is an indispensable guide.
It's impossible to thumb through the magazine (or click-through the website version) without generating a list of must-try Toronto restaurants.