Would you like to buy the sauce?

Sarah Musgrave, The Gazette, Saturday, December 21, 2007

A growing number of sit-down restaurants are bottling their wares and catering to takeout urges
One of the buzzwords of the food scene of the 2000s - or "the noughts," as this first decade of the new millennium is sometimes called - has been flexitarianism. To wit, this year saw the release of a cookbook called The Flexitarian Table, which, according to its subtitle, suggests ways to accommodate the tastes of "vegetarians, meat lovers, and everyone in between."

Sure, it's a fancy way of saying flexibility, but looking back on this year's dining experiences, the idea applies in a wider sense to the restaurant scene as well. Some of my best meals were at eateries that are not just sit-down dinner destinations but also offer takeout or boutique products, or places that serve up the standards of a particular cuisine but also a list of unusual house specialties as well.

So here are this year's top addresses - in no particular order, except alphabetical - for anyone flexible enough to swing wildly from tiny bistros to big-man barbecue.

Su is one of the reasons Verdun is on foodie neighbourhood watch; sometimes gems pop up in the area. In this case, the decor is at best demure, but the Turkish fare is made with care in the hands of its female chef, Fisun Ercan. It's a good place to reflect on the Ottoman influence on many cuisines. Beef-stuffed ravioli known as manti, slathered in an acidic yogourt sauce, is one such thought-provoking dish. There's plenty beyond grilled meats to catch the interest at Su, particularly the mezzes, or small tasting dishes, which range from simple cheeses to eggplant dips, and provide a good reason to keep munching on more of that homemade bread.