Category: Life

I spent my university –um, polytechnic – years steps away from Yonge and Dundas and it sure isn’t what it used to be. Remember Rockwell’s Jeans, Sam the Record Man, Mr. Sub and when the Eaton Centre actually had an Eaton’s?

Image: Pedro Szekely

Despite the fact that I live downtown, I don’t get to that (vastly different) corner much anymore — certainly not daily — as I did when Rick Astley was burning up the pop charts. But I was there very recently to see a move. (Argo — it was okay — I didn’t love it). After the movie, I was hungry and suggested Salad King — a long time Ryerson haunt — to D., who wondered aloud if it did indeed have good salads.

Not especially. In fact, it only has two salads on the menu: Green Mango Salad and Green Papaya Salad. I could not explain is rather incongruent name. So I looked it up.

When the owners of the restaurant opened their original location (just a few steps away in the Empress Hotel building at Yonge and Gould) they did indeed serve salads and, sandwiches, but soon switched to Thai food. I don’t actually remember this from my J-School days — they were well into the new menu when I arrived on campus.

Not surprisingly, it was mostly full of people who were not too concerned about their RRSPs. Yeah, it looked like pretty much wall-to-wall Ryerson students. I wish I could say I was suddenly transported back in time to my youth. But it wasn’t the same. This place is much bigger and now they even have table service.

But the food was the same — not the best Thai food in the city, but tasty enough and still quite cheap. I don’t think it will be a new regular dining spot, but it was fun to revisit.

Later we walked by the condo I lived in 18 years ago — 18 years ago! —and I was once again shocked back to reality. Next week is my birthday and I have been an adult for a very long time.

You really can’t go back to Salad King and there are no more records for sale.

The weekend I resisted oysters, pork belly, foie gras and a few other delights including the love of my life, cheese.

I skipped the oysters — while others indulged — because I think I may have developed an intolerance. It was very hard, but I am pretty sure no one saw the tears in my eyes. The thing is: I love oysters. They are one of my favourite foods and the thought of not eating them again fills me with sadness. I debated having just one — how much suffering could one cause? No matter, I was so strong. (I did eat a bunch of the horseradish to placate myself — thankfully no one commented on that rather bizarre behaviour).

And the other things, well, rich foods can spoil an otherwise fun evening with my (hard to ignore) weeping. Sometimes I indulge and I am just fine (except for cheese – that relationship is over for the most part). But other times rich foods are a less delightful experience …and I had a feeling this would’ve been one of those times. My stomach — and other outside voices of reason — were speaking to my brain and I listened.

So what’s the plan? A life of sadness?

Nope, because there is still so much to live for. (And not just food, yo — but today I have food on my mind.)

This weekend there was also one of the things I love most in the world.

Yes, meatloaf.

All is well.