Foodie Fortnight: the top six food events for January 21–February 4

Foodie Fortnight: the top six food events for January 21–February 4

The popular spicy garlic noodle bowl at Kinton Ramen (Image: Emma McIntyre)

In this edition of Foodie Fortnight: a winter craft-beer celebration, half-price ramen bowls and a morning of pampering at The Drake.

Roundhouse Winter Craft Beer Festival
A limited supply of tickets will be available on-site at this outdoor (!) craft-beer fest. Parka-clad attendees can sample pours from Ontario breweries like Flying Monkeys and Beau’s while snacking on bacon sandwiches from Leslieville’s Rashers and cinnamon-dusted pastries from the Beaver Tails stall.
Jan. 25. Roundhouse Park, 255 Bremner Blvd., craftbeerfest.ca

Half-Price Ramen
Ryus noodle bar, the Baldwin Village rameneria, is having a two-week blowout sale in celebration of its anniversary. Piping hot ramen bowls are 50 per cent off—which puts them under five bucks before tax.
Until Jan. 31, Ryus Noodle Bar, 33 Baldwin St., 647-344-9306

Free Ramen!
Feeling competitive? Kinton Ramen’s Mega Ramen challenge is not for the weak-willed (or weak-stomached). Finish a fully loaded $30 “mega” bowl of shoyu ramen in 15 minutes or less, and it’s on the house. (Word of warning: the noodle bowl comes topped with pork shoulder, pork belly, a slow-poached egg and veggies).
Jan. 28, Kinton Ramen, 51 Baldwin St., 668 Bloor St. W., facebook.com

Guilty Pleasures Brunch at The Drake
The theme of this event is pampering. Guests are greeted with a custom cocktail, encouraged to snack on a brunch buffet of bacon sandwiches and French-toast fingers, and given manicures and makeup touch-ups at an on-site beauty bar. Forty fashion vendors will also be there to satisfy any early morning shopping urges.
Feb. 1. $49. The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen St. W., 416-531-5042, toronto.ca

Sweet and Salty Feast at Beast
The concept behind this four-course tasting dinner from The Tempered Chef’s Bertrand Alépée and Beast’s Scott Vivian is intriguing: for each course, each chef will use the same basic ingredients to create two completely different dishes—one salty and one sweet.
Feb. 3. $60. Beast, 96 Tecumseth St., toronto.ca

Toronto Tea Festival
Chat with tea sommeliers, observe an authentic Chinese, Korean or Japanese tea ceremony and sip all kinds of herbal concoctions at the city’s first festival devoted to steeped beverages.
Feb. 1-2. $15. Toronto Central Reference Library, 789 Yonge. St., teafestivaltoronto.com