Greetings from your “Taste Buds” team Natalie and Joie Lamar. Welcome to our new blog, where we bring you the latest and greatest dining news from the Toronto area and beyond.

Let’s begin by giving you a bit of background on us. We first met in Feb. of 2000 and it has been a whirlwind relationship ever since. In fact, we’ve since exchanged vows three separate times over the course of the last 15 years, at different locations around the world. Our passion for each other does not compete with our love of food, travel and the arts, but we certainly keep them all forefront in our life together as well. The drive for the perfect menu combined with the perfect experience had burned in each of our hearts so much, that we created the concept of our first restaurant and business together on a napkin over a meal.

Natalie and Joie

So what are our credentials, besides hunger, drive and ambition? As mentioned, we owned and operated a very successful fine dining restaurant, Mojo Vino, in Durham region. The first of its kind in the area; all organic, wine, tapas and live jazz two times a week. It was an extraordinary but exhausting foray that made us more compassionate for the restauranteur in general, while also much more particular about every aspect of the experience. We have traveled the world in search of the gusto of various cultures, consistently reawakening our palates.

Natalie created some of the most revered desserts in the business for our own restaurant and various functions, so we decided to showcase her talents by opening ‘Natalie, the Dessert Diva’. Her organic, carefully baked and uniquely flavoured cheesecakes are still a huge catering and private function success. Now five years later, we are more than ever the consummate foodies wanting to share our experiences with theBUZZ readers.

Our goal is to be  food experience critics. Dining out is a full sensory venture. We as consumers, pun intended, invest our emotions in these outings. There is always something relevant in our lives that is tied to eating out, as simple as needing a rest, and sometimes as complicated as a marriage proposal, with all of the celebrations and romantic dates in between.

Whatever the case ‘Taste Buds’ will report fully on every positive and happening establishment within the GTA and beyond. Sit back and allow us to take you on some of the best culinary and dining adventures, by way of theBUZZ!

About the Author

Joie Lamar recently released her first novel 'Mambo Lips' to rave reviews, and is working on volume two of the series titled 'Salsa Hips' which will be out in November 2015. Natalie is famous for her ‘Dessert Diva’ cheesecakes and especially busy during the spring season baking for numerous long term clients and new celebrations. They both enjoy travel, writing, food and the arts.