Meet Jimmy and Ricardo, my lunch buddies!
It started with a quick errand to Queen St West. On the way there from campus, I spotted the Market 707, a spot on Dundas & Bathurst where several food kiosks have been set up serving some very tasty food. I decided to stop there on my way back to campus for a quick lunch. After parking my bike and walking down the ten or so kiosks and marveling at the variety I felt attracted to the choices at Kanto, serving Filipino food. I had never had Filipino food and decided to give it a try. Soon enough a few Filipinos showed up and lined up alongside me, a sign that the place might be actually good. I chose a Palabok – cornstarch noodles in a shrimp sauce served with chicken, tofu, and shrimp that looked very appetizing.
After placing my order I sat at a small table with four chairs in front of the kiosk. The two men who were behind me at the line asked if they could join me since there were no other tables around. We soon began to talk – Jimmy is Filipino and his friend Ricardo is Venezuelan. Jimmy introduced me to the wonders of Filipino food and we talked about the history of the Philippines, politics and society in Venezuela, Brazil today, the amazing food available in Toronto, and life in Canada. I was late to go back to work but I didn’t care – it was one of those moments that enrich our lives.
