Where to find food in Toronto that your Dominican Husband/Wife likes...

Fiesta Mama

Bronze
Jan 28, 2004
772
60
0
My Dominican husband and I live in a suburb of Toronto, Canada. I just thought this might be helpful for anyone who has sponsored their husband/wife here and is still looking for some of their spouse'sfavourite food here in Toronto. Now I must say that my husband is not all that picky compared to other Dominicans we know, but he still loves me making a good home cooked meal with food he is familiar with from the DR.

Conch - your spouse will know it as Lambi - you can get this at the St. Lawrence Market and the Kennsington Market - both in downtown Toronto. Also, my husband and I just happened upon a new Chinese supermarket near our house in Richmond Hill today (it's on 16th Avenue on the north side, just one light east of Bayview Avenue), and it's found FRESH Lambi as opposed to frozen which they have at other places. They also had a huge variety of fresh fish that they clean for you and you can season and fry at home - almost as good as in Maimon... OK I SAID ALMOST :cheeky:

Queso Blanco (white cheese for frying) - there is a plaza called Plaza Latino on Milvan Rd. which is north off Finch Avenue between Jane and Weston Road. In the back there is a Latino food court and there is a new deli that sells Queso Blanco. There is also a Dominican barber shop where your husband will be able to get his haircut the way he did back home by Domincans. You can also pick-up a copy of "La Guia" at the Plaza which is a business directory for Spanish/Latino businesses in Toronto. There are listings for lawyers, supermarkets, restaurants, driving schools, etc. We've found it most helpful.

Salami like they had back home (almost) - you can get this at most supermarkets. You have to go to the area where the side bacon is sold and buy the whole length of (about a foot) and you can fry it at home. Most Italian salamis are not like Domincan salami so keep looking if you have found hard or spicy Italian salami.

Veggies/Fruit - Yuca and Platano - you can buy both of these veggies/fruit at most supermarkets in Toronto. We find that No Frills and Chinese supermarkets have the best variety. They also carry Christophines (sp?) (called Chayota in the DR), Llautia (they look like a big celery root but are different - your spouse will know what they are).

Coco (nuevo) - in our supermarkets you can buy the brown hard coconuts but some supermarkets sell the big green ones that have the fresh coco jelly inside and in the summer down at Harbourfront there is a place that sells them fresh and will cut them open and put a straw in for you. Go back once you drink the coco water and they will crack it open so you can eat
the jelly.

Juice - my favourvite juice in the DR and one of my husband's is Chinola (Passionfruit) and now there are several grocery stores in the Toronto area selling a brand of juice in tetra boxes called Rubicon. They have Passionfruit, Guava, Mango, Coco water, etc. They are very authentic tasting and cheap.

Spices - the number one thing I buy to cook with that is Dominican is fresh Cilantro and you can get this at almost any supermarket. Also, the dried oregano that Dominicans are used to is sold at a lot of Italian markets/butchers shops dried on the stem and in a plastic bag.

Molondrones/Okra - in Loblaws and No Frills in the frozen section you can buy Dr. Otekar's frozen Okra and they are very fresh and whole. They are great to use in any type of meat guisado or with locroix (rice with spices and meat).

Chicharon - most supermarkets sell salt pork or at a farmer's market you can ask for a big hunk of side bacon instead of slices. Just cut either in chunks and fry and serve with some lime slices.

Avocado - everywhere.

Rum - a lot of the liquor stores in GTA (Greater Toronto area) now sell Brugal. It's authentic... maybe not Anejo but it tastes like Domincan rum as opposed to the other crap (in my opinion) they sell at the liquor store that has a totally different flavour than Domincan rum which has a unique sweet flavour to it.

Dishes - my husban'd "favourite plate" as he calls it has become a broccoli and beef stir fry with white rice on the side. My mom started the tradition by buying on of those packets of pre-mixed seasonings at the supermarket one day for "beef broccoli stir fry" and he's loved it ever since. It calls for onions too but my husband hates onions so I make it without.

Okay, that's just a handful of the things we have found but I thought this might be helpful for some of you who are finding your man/woman craving food from back home.

Good luck and feel free to add things that you and your spouses have found in the Toronto area.
 

KIMMYGIRL

New member
Dec 9, 2005
114
0
0
Thanks so much, I had to print this out and I am sure it will be very helpful! I often shop a NoFrills here in London and I will have to find the items you mentioned.

Thanks M'Frog for thinking of me. I thought that was very kind of you and I will for sure help spread the word!

Kim