This mouthwatering $12.79 Vietnamese pork chop special is the best thing I ate in Toronto this week
Long gone are the days when a university student in the downtown core could get by on $2 hot dogs. Still, there are lunch deals to be had that offer better bang for your buck than the usual fast-food chain route. Every weekday, BeLeaf Vietnamese Cuisine, just outside College Subway station, features a different lunch special priced at $12.79, a rarity for a sit-down restaurant these days. On Mondays, it's the Pork Chop Rice: a generous cut marinated overnight with lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce before hitting the grill. The result is sweet and salty with a slight acidic finish, tempered by a subtle bittersweet char. The plate comes with steamed rice (perfect for soaking up the pork's juices), a bowl of light vegetable broth, and a crispy vegetable spring roll. 'It's healthy, satisfying, affordable, and comforting — the kind of meal you can enjoy any day without feeling heavy,' says owner Alice Wu.
Wu recommends first-timers try the House Special Pho, $15.99, featuring classic slices of rare beef, brisket, beef tendon, tripe, and bouncy beef meatballs. 'The broth takes over 12 hours to make,' she explains. 'It has layers of flavor from beef bones, spices, and herbs.' For students looking for an affordable first-date idea, the dinner combo for two is a great deal. For $43.49, you get your choice of two mains — like pho (vegetarian option available) and chicken rice — plus two drinks and a shareable appetizer such as spring rolls, mango salad, or lemongrass fish cakes. Other weekday lunch specials at $12.79 include chicken with vermicelli on Tuesday, pork vermicelli on Wednesday, chicken rice on Thursday, and mixed vermicelli on Friday. The drink menu also features increasingly popular Southeast Asian-style coconut-and-coffee combos. The iced coconut coffee, $6.99, is a luscious dessert drink made with coconut milk and a shot of espresso — the coconut milk adds a rich, nutty sweetness that elevates it beyond plain cream.
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Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Cision Canada
Denison Announces Closing of US$345 Million Convertible Senior Notes Offering
TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2025 /CNW/ - Denison Mines Corp. (TSX: DML)(NYSE AMERICAN: DNN) ("Denison" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced offering of convertible senior unsecured notes due 2031 (the "Notes") for an aggregate principal amount of US$345 million, which includes the upsized offering of US$300 million and the exercise in full of the $45 million option granted to the initial purchasers of the Notes (the "Offering"). PDF Version View PDF Denison's President & CEO, David Cates, commented, "Denison is humbled by the overwhelming support we received from the convertible note investment community for this offering of a 'US-Style' convertible note with a cash-settled capped call overlay – a novel transaction for a Canadian-domiciled and TSX-listed company. Any conversions of the Notes, prior to the maturity date of September 15, 2031, may be settled in cash, Denison common shares, or a combination of both, at Denison's election. With an annual coupon rate of 4.25%, the Notes are estimated to save Denison over US$100 million in interest payments over the life of the instrument when compared to the range of expected interest payments associated with traditional project debt financing alternatives. Additionally, the purchase by Denison of the capped calls helps protect the Company against increases in the conversion settlement value of the Notes, and the potential equity dilution associated therewith, by significantly raising the effective conversion price for the Notes from the US$2.92/share initial conversion price of the Notes up to the US$4.32/share cap price of the capped calls. Overall, the proceeds of the Offering put Denison in an excellent financial position to make a future final investment decision ("FID") and to commence construction, following the anticipated receipt of upcoming regulatory approvals, for the Company's flagship Phoenix In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan." Summary of the Offering Approximately US$333 million of net proceeds after deducting the initial purchasers' commissions and other fees and expenses. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. and Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. acted as active bookrunners. Cash interest coupon of 4.25% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 th and September 15 th of each year, beginning March 15, 2026. The initial conversion rate for the Notes is 342.9355 common shares of Denison ("Shares") per US$1,000 principal amount of Notes, equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately US$2.92 per Share (approximately 35% premium to the closing price of the Shares at the time of pricing on August 12, 2025). The effective conversion price of the Notes is increased up to US$4.32 per Share (~100% premium to the closing price of the Shares at the time of pricing on August 12, 2025) after giving effect to the capped call overlay option strategy, whereby Denison purchased cash-settled call options with a strike price equal to initial conversion price of the Notes (US$2.92) and with a cap price of US$4.32. The purchase price for the capped call transactions was approximately US$35.36 million. Conversions of the Notes may be settled in Shares, cash, or a combination of Shares and cash, at Denison's election. Additionally, Denison will have the right to redeem the Notes in certain circumstances and will be required to repurchase the Notes upon the occurrence of certain events. The Notes may only be converted by holders prior to June 15, 2031 in certain circumstances, and may be converted by holders after June 15, 2031. The Notes will mature on September 15, 2031. Any Notes not converted, repurchased or redeemed prior to the maturity date will have their principal amount repaid by Denison in cash at maturity. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for expenditures to support the evaluation and development of the Company's uranium development projects, including the Wheeler River Uranium Project and general corporate purposes. Further information concerning the Notes and the capped call transactions, including illustrative settlement scenarios, may be found on the Investors - Presentations page of our website at The indenture for the notes and form of confirmation for the capped call transactions have been or will be filed by the Company under its profile on SEDAR+ at and on EDGAR at and it is recommended they be read in their entirety for a fulsome understanding of the Notes and capped call transactions. Additional Information The Notes issued in connection with the Offering and the Shares issuable upon the conversion of Notes will be subject to a statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation. The Notes and the Shares issuable upon the conversion thereof have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), registered under any state securities laws, or qualified by a prospectus in any province or territory of Canada. The Notes and the Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act. The Notes were offered only to "qualified institutional buyers" (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act). Offers and sales in Canada were made only pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes or any other securities and shall not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy, or a sale of, the Notes or any other securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE American LLC neither approve nor disapprove the information contained in this press release. About Denison Denison is a uranium mining, exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has an effective 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. In mid-2023, a feasibility study was completed for the Phoenix deposit as an ISR mining operation, and an update to the previously prepared 2018 Pre-Feasibility Study was completed for Wheeler River's Gryphon deposit as a conventional underground mining operation. Based on the respective studies, both deposits have the potential to be competitive with the lowest cost uranium mining operations in the world. Permitting efforts for the planned Phoenix ISR operation commenced in 2019 and are nearing completion with approval of the project's Environmental Assessment ("EA") received from the Province of Saskatchewan and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission hearing dates set in the fall of 2025 for Federal approval of the EA and project construction license. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture ("MLJV"), which includes unmined uranium deposits (with the mining at the McClean North deposit via the MLJV's Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction ("SABRE") mining method having commenced in July 2025) and the McClean Lake uranium mill (currently utilizing a portion of its licensed capacity to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement), plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Joint Venture's Midwest Main and Midwest A deposits, and a 70.55% interest in the Tthe Heldeth Túé ("THT") and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake Property. The Midwest Main, Midwest A, THT and Huskie deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Taken together, Denison has direct ownership interests in properties covering ~384,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin region. Additionally, through its 50% ownership of JCU (Canada) Exploration Company, Limited ("JCU"), Denison holds additional interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada, including the Millennium project (JCU, 30.099%), the Kiggavik project (JCU, 33.8118%), and Christie Lake (JCU, 34.4508%). In 2024, Denison celebrated its 70th year in uranium mining, exploration, and development, which began in 1954 with Denison's first acquisition of mining claims in the Elliot Lake region of northern Ontario. Follow Denison on Twitter @DenisonMinesCo CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain information contained in this press release constitutes 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of the applicable United States and Canadian legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'potential', 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes', or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will' 'be taken', 'occur' or 'be achieved'. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: statements relating to the Company's expectations with respect to the Offering, the anticipated use of proceeds, and the capped call transactions; expectations that the Company will be able to realize on proceeds from the capped call; expectations for the Company's projects, including potential for a FID, permitting and construction of Phoenix; and expectations regarding Denison's joint venture ownership interests and agreements with third parties. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 28, 2025 under the heading 'Risk Factors' or in subsequent quarterly financial reports. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being, exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation. SOURCE Denison Mines Corp.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
This mouthwatering $12.79 Vietnamese pork chop special is the best thing I ate in Toronto this week
BeLeaf Vietnamese Cuisine's Monday Pork Chop Rice Special, $12.79. Karon Liu/ Toronto Star Long gone are the days when a university student in the downtown core could get by on $2 hot dogs. Still, there are lunch deals to be had that offer better bang for your buck than the usual fast-food chain route. Every weekday, BeLeaf Vietnamese Cuisine, just outside College Subway station, features a different lunch special priced at $12.79, a rarity for a sit-down restaurant these days. On Mondays, it's the Pork Chop Rice: a generous cut marinated overnight with lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce before hitting the grill. The result is sweet and salty with a slight acidic finish, tempered by a subtle bittersweet char. The plate comes with steamed rice (perfect for soaking up the pork's juices), a bowl of light vegetable broth, and a crispy vegetable spring roll. 'It's healthy, satisfying, affordable, and comforting — the kind of meal you can enjoy any day without feeling heavy,' says owner Alice Wu. Wu recommends first-timers try the House Special Pho, $15.99, featuring classic slices of rare beef, brisket, beef tendon, tripe, and bouncy beef meatballs. 'The broth takes over 12 hours to make,' she explains. 'It has layers of flavor from beef bones, spices, and herbs.' For students looking for an affordable first-date idea, the dinner combo for two is a great deal. For $43.49, you get your choice of two mains — like pho (vegetarian option available) and chicken rice — plus two drinks and a shareable appetizer such as spring rolls, mango salad, or lemongrass fish cakes. Other weekday lunch specials at $12.79 include chicken with vermicelli on Tuesday, pork vermicelli on Wednesday, chicken rice on Thursday, and mixed vermicelli on Friday. The drink menu also features increasingly popular Southeast Asian-style coconut-and-coffee combos. The iced coconut coffee, $6.99, is a luscious dessert drink made with coconut milk and a shot of espresso — the coconut milk adds a rich, nutty sweetness that elevates it beyond plain cream.
Toronto Sun
06-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
Rooms Coffee a Toronto gem that endured many obstacles
In our How Canada Wins series, we look at a favourite cafe that many residents and visitors may not know about A server makes a latte at Rooms Coffee in Toronto. Photo by Rooms Coffee / Instagram From the outside, a small sign advertises a coffee shop at a nondescript two-storey industrial building on Dupont St. near Ossington Ave. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But after walking up a few steps and opening a door on the left, you enter a Japanese-style cafe dotted with paper lamps, plants, and wood accents. There is an eclectic food and drink menu by day, and whisky and cocktail bar with a booming high-end audio system by night. Rooms Coffee is the brainchild of Nigel Wang. He, with help from a business partner and other collaborators, transformed an empty space he was alerted to into one of the few high-fidelity listening bars that have popped up in Toronto in recent years. It's a truly unique and intimate space in the city, which is inspired by Japan's post-war jazz kissa, a place where patrons could grab a cheap drink and listen to the latest bebop and cool jazz releases from the U.S. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While the cafe is open during daytime hours, in the evening it transforms into an event space for dance parties involving vinyl DJs, live music, chess and movies. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Firstly, this project is a pure labour of love, brought to life through the collaborative efforts of many talented individuals,' Wang said. 'Secondly, it's all about music.' Designing a space where he could visualize his ideas and interests into drawings on paper was a challenge. And then COVID-19 struck. 'No one could do much of anything, but the project wasn't truly paused,' Wang said. 'We took a year or two to refine the design and concept. Things kept evolving as we delved deeper. 'This is what a passion project is all about — it's not a matter of setting something up and walking away. It's about consistently making it better, even if just a tiny bit.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He faced significant challenges along the way and a variety of hurdles before he could finally invite customers inside: ongoing pandemic restrictions, zoning changes, construction delays, running out of money, obtaining a liquor licence, and numerous city inspections. 'There are probably many other things I can't remember because I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this project,' Wang said. He waited until the fall of 2023 to celebrate the official grand opening of the cafe despite the soft launch months before. The nightly events have evolved over the years to its current schedule of Monday night chess, movies on Tuesdays, and live music Wednesdays. Dancers move to the beat during a party at Rooms Coffee on May 31, 2025. Photo by Spiro Papuckoski / Toronto Sun On Thursday nights, vinyl DJs spin records as people chat at tables and relax on sofas. Parties are featured on Fridays and Saturdays where dancers can move to disco, funk, soul, and Japanese city pop. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Sundays are a more laid back affair, with a rotation of DJs playing mellower sounds. 'Many people have played a crucial role in bringing this place to life, and I can't express enough gratitude to them,' Wang said. 'The trust they've placed in this space is the only reason it shines today.' In a recent post on Instagram, Wang said 'casual' is the word that best describes the cafe. 'The ultimate goal of everyone involved in this program is to offer you the most easy-going, casual experience — with, of course, good sound, good food, and good energy,' he wrote. With everything that is going on every week, Wang said it may be overwhelming to people new to the space. But he stresses the relaxed atmosphere is the goal. 'We hope everyone treats this space as an extension of their own living room — a place where you feel completely free to interact with the energy we've created here.' Read More Columnists World Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Opinion
