Golden Cook Caribbean Restaurant Reinvents Itself in New Toronto

Golden Cook Caribbean Restaurant and West Indian Store has been a fixture on the Lake Shore Blvd. strip of the south Etobicoke neighbourhood of New Toronto for many years.

Located just west of Islington Ave., it has always had good food, but until very recently you could only enjoy this as takeout. The spot consisted of a service counter and then a couple of aisles of assorted West Indian groceries and sauces.

After shutting down for a few weeks it has now reopened with a new dining area so that you can enjoy the fall-off-the-bone oxtail, the delicious goat and all the other dishes they have to offer dine in.

They do still have a grocery section as well so you can pick up some extras on the way out.

The oxtail in gravy is better than ever. Incredibly moist it can be had, as is true with all the dishes,  with plain rice or rice-and-peas.

The goat dinner is to my mind really a house specialty. It has their own unique saucing and is some of the best curried goat around. 

 Ackee and Saltfish is a Caribbean classic that is seen by many as Jamaica's national dish, and Golden Cook's version does not disappoint with its blend of salty and fruit flavours.

Some fried plantain on the side. Golden Cook also makes terrific dumplings.

A good menu is often a focused one and Golden Cook does all of its staples very well. Over years of trying what was on offer I have never had a dish that was a miss. 

All of the main dishes that we had ran from $10 for small to a high end of $17 for the large oxtail. The portions are very generous and service is quick and friendly.

Golden Cook is located at 2955 Lake Shore Boulevard W just west of Islington Ave. It is open Monday to Friday 10 am - 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 6 pm  (416) 259-3003. It is on the 501 streetcar line and just steps from the end of the Islington South bus route. 

The Cottage Years: A nostalgic photographic exhibit about the historic Etobicoke community of Long Branch

The Cottage Years is a show being held at Humber College's South Etobicoke campus that combines local history, photographs and art. It "provides a nostalgic trip through photo albums of years past as a means of exploring the tourism industry that shaped the community of Long Branch 135 years ago. The exhibit brings together photographs, maps, artifacts, and illustrations from across seven decades of local history set alongside paintings of Etobicoke Creek by local artist, Pat Rice."

Long Branch was an early satellite community of Toronto and is now a part of Etobicoke. It was centered around Long Branch Ave. (which still exists) and was known for its beaches, cottages and summer attractions.

There are some incredible photographs and the Exhibit Guide -- which is free as is the show itself -- is remarkably comprehensive providing a considerable amount of historical context and information.

Among the many exhibits are photos of the great historic houses of the area, cottages on stilts to spare them from flooding, a tiny little newlywed's cabin, recreational grounds, and photos of early streetcars and the boats that would take 40 minutes to ferry travelers to downtown Toronto.

One bit of local history that I had never heard of was the story of the Pleasant Valley Mobile Home Park which had 367 permanent residents at its height in the late 50s.

To me the most striking photo is the powerful, though tragic, shot of the Long Branch Hotel fire in 1958.

Here we look at some of the pieces you will find. See the end of the post for details on the location and hours of the show which ends September 28.

The show is on the 3rd floor of the Humber College Student Welcome and Resource Centre, 2 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive which is at the southwest corner of Lake Shore Blvd W, and Kipling.

It is on the 501 streetcar line and the 44 Kipling South bus route. 

The show runs until September 28 and is open to the public. While you are visiting be sure to check out the spectacular Sam Smith Park that is just to the east and south and that is one of Toronto's waterfront gems. You could even make a trip to the amazing Whimbrel Point. 

Hours:
Monday
10:00-16:30
Tuesday
10:00-16:30
Wednesday
10:00-18:30
Thursday
10:00-16:30
Friday
10:00-16:30
Saturday
10:00-14:00
Sunday
Closed

"We won't allow our future to become a budget cut" - Photos from the student walkout strike in Toronto

"We won't allow our future to become a budget cut" -- Lakeshore Collegiate Institute Student Council President Nathaniel Laxer.

Tens of thousands of students from hundreds of schools across Ontario walked out on Thursday, April 4 to protest the vicious cuts to education being made by the government of silver spoon tool of the corporate class Doug Ford and his minions. 

One of these student strikes occurred in South Etobicoke, Toronto and saw hundreds walkout from Lakeshore Collegiate Institute (LCI) and Father Redmond Catholic High School. They marched along Kipling, Lake Shore Blvd. and ended by protesting at the Police College on Birmingham.

These amazing pictures were taken by LCI student and striker Randy Mena Leon (who can be followed on Instagram @randall.is.my.handle). 

"Never forget and never forgive a government that would do this" Laxer said and its true.

We cannot forget this. The cruelty and attack on our province's young people that these cuts represent can never be forgiven. 

A huge rally is planned at Queen's Park in Toronto this Saturday, April 6.