Finding Decadence in Durham

I am a foodie, kind of.  I live in Durham, Ontario. 

If you are reading this blog, I'm sure you are familiar with the little pocket of communities just a little east of the City of Toronto.  Close enough to get a little culture but far enough away that it is sometimes hard to find enough of that culture here in the outskirts.  Most Durham communities are "bedroom ones", where commuters into the city find themselves in the evenings and on weekends - often missing some of the great cuisine one would find during the weekday lunches and corporate gatherings.  This leads to a vast number of foodie sites and restaurant review sites with unanswered forum posts about Durham: "Where do I find great Mexican food in Oshawa?", "I'm moving to Brooklin, are there any great dining spots around there?"  If you Google these posts, you'll find the same handful of restaurants mentioned again and again and once you've dined there, where do you dine?  I am hoping to fill that void, even just a little.  Not only that, I am looking for suggestions - unique ones.

When I say that I am foodie, kind of.  I am.  I do have to warn you though, I feel there is a great deal to do with being a foodie outside of fine wine and $50 steaks.  Don't worry, I will "go there" too but I will explore greasy little joints and grocery store items that bring a little decadence to my life in Durham. 

I often find neither as I visit restaurant after restaurant as part of a part-time job I find myself working.  None of them are decadent.  I will eat, pay the bill, and not return again unless I'm paid to do so - I review to make sure they are presenting themselves the way they should.  They offer quantity, value and sometimes high prices - but no decadence and not a lot of "heart".  There are too many dining establishments around like this. 

What is decadence?  I think it has everything to do with quality and luxury.  Sometimes the two go hand in hand and sometimes they don't.  To me, finding decadence makes life feel luxurious wherever you find it.  I can compare it to having recently ate gelato at the Cafe de Paris in Monaco but I can also compare it to driving a half hour for a good, cheap dozen of farm fresh eggs. 

So, that is the decadence I'm looking for.  Some luxury, some quality, sometimes both - here in Durham.  When I find it, I want to share it.  I hope you enjoy it!