Jerome Robinson, better known in Toronto as the Heartbreak Chef, brings us to three of his favourite spots for eats in the city in a new TasteToronto video series called Hidden Gems.
Hidden Gems brings viewers along with some of Toronto's top chefs and industry icons to showcase their most beloved, unique and sometimes underrepresented spots in the city. With thousands of restaurants, bars and cafés in Toronto, some can often be left forgotten, but are serving up some of the city's best dishes.
In the series opener with Robinson, the Heartbreak Chef takes us to three of his most beloved spots––from coffee and croissants at Mallo Coffee & Bar, delectable house-made patties from Randy's Take Out, to Toronto's first authentic izakaya experience at Guu Izakaya in Parkdale.
At Mallo, Robinson goes over his daily order that he makes on his walk to work at his restaurant, the Heartbreak Chef on Dundas West, which includes a simple iced coffee with milk and one of their butter croissants––which he mentions are "definitely the best in the city."
His next stop takes us to Little Jamaica–– a strip of Eglinton Avenue West between Allen Road and Keele Street––which boasts dozens of Jamaican-owned businesses, including the local hit Randy's Take Out. Robinson, like many others in the community, grew up around this neighbourhood, and is fond of not just the amazing food, but other aspects as well, including the community, the ability to get a haircut and just vibe outside.
Finally, Robinson takes us to the lively Guu Izakaya in Parkdale, the restaurant that neighboured his previous Heartbreak Chef location before moving to Dundas West. Guu Izakaya, while it has had a complicated relationship with its predecessors when they revamped the franchise in 2016, pioneered the first true, authentic Japanese izakaya experience in Toronto when it originally opened.
Tune into the new series on YouTube, and join us on our journey as we uncover the best hidden gems in Toronto with the city's best chefs and restauranteurs.
