Well, if Fryslan is coming to Toronto, then what Fryslan wants, Fryslan gets.
I don't frequent five star restaurants. The two times I've been, I was disappointed. I mean, when I pay over $100 for a meal, I don't want mediocre food. So these are my favourite restaurants. I like them because they serve great food, they have good ambiance and they are affordable.
Lee Garden - 331 Spadina Avenue - My all time favourite Chinese restaurant after all these years. I have never had anything I didn't like at this restaurant. Their beef tenderloin with avocado and cashew, and shrimp with spicy eggplant are must haves.
Ferro - 769 St. Clair Avenue West - Trendy Italian restaurant. Always too noisy but I have loved everything on the menu. If it weren't for the noise, this would be my favourite restaurant. Their magic mushroom appetizer is a must have.
Le Paradis - 166 Bedford Road - French restaurant offering wholesome food with substance, frequented by the elderly Rosedale crowd looking for an inexpensive meal in a comfortable setting. This is one of The Man's favourite.
Thai Basil - 467 Bloor Street West - Exquisite Thai cuisine beyond the common pad thai and mango salad. I love their duck curry with grapes.
Salad King - 335 Yonge Street - Despite its name, this is actually a Thai restaurant right across from Ryerson University. It's a student eatery of good food at reasonable prices. You may have to share tables, but the tables are clean and chic. It's like they have a mass feeding system of quick and efficient service. It's an experience.
JTime - 394 Bloor Street West - The Boy's favourite Japanese restaurant. I like their spider roll, nagimi, and grilled salmon belly. I also like the items on their specials menu.
Oyster Boy - 872 Queen Street West - The Boy's favourite food is oyster. We come to this restaurant once a year on The Boy's birthday. We sit at the tables with the tall stools and order 5 dozen oysters, salad, chowder and fries. The meal costs the three of us over $200 but it's worth it. If you don't eat 5 dozen oysters, the meal could be considerably less.
I invite everyone to offer your favourite eating spots, and maybe special places here to help Fryslan and his wife enjoy Toronto all the more.
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5 comments:
Thank you so much Sylph.
Lee Garden for sure, because.....
it's Chinese. The wife likes to go to Le Paradis, so both we do.
Well, being the foodie that I am and food snob to some of you, I have to contribute my 2¢.
Sylph's choices are indeed excellent. In fact, I've been wanting to try Le Paradis.
BREAKFAST
Aunties & Uncles - 74 Lippincott Street - a unique little diner with interesting and flavourful breakfast choices. No bacon and eggs available here. Decent espressos.
Avenue Diner - 222 Davenport Road - a breakfast place right out of the 50s. Old Coca-Cola paraphernalia, red & white checkerboard tablecloths, good lattés, the occasional local celebrity. An excellent greasy spoon.
Must try Dim Sum at a Chinese restaurant for brunch or lunch.
Sky Dragon - 280 Spadina Avenue - the restaurant is on the 3rd floor of the Dragon Mall at the southwest corner of Dundas and Spadina, right in the heart of downtown's Chinatown. Har Gow and Sui Mei are the the staples. Chicken feet and tripe if you're more adventurous. The steamed watercress with spicy soy dipping sauce is excellent.
LUNCH
Mother's Dumplings - 79 Huron Street - a recent discovery. A literal "hole-in-the-wall" basement restaurant where they make the dumplings fresh. A few local chefs go there all the time. Their steamed dill with pork dumplings are fabulous. Good wholesome food, not expensive at all.
California Sandwiches - 244 Claremont Street - home of the best veal sandwiches in Toronto. A line-up whenever you go. You'll usually find Toronto policemen there. Add "the works" (cheese, mushrooms, onions) to your sandwich. Have some olives and a Brio as well. Nothing goes better.
DINNER
The Golden Thai - 105 Church Street - Toronto's favourite Thai restaurant. Always busy, food consistently fantastic. In Bangkok and Phuket, they tone down the spices for the tourist. Here, restaurants want to promote the foods they have back home. You won't be disappointed.
SPLURGE
Susur - 601 King Street West - home to Toronto's purported highest high-end restaurant. Be prepared to spend $400 for dinner for 2. If you go, make sure the chef is there.
Bymark - 66 Wellington West - home of the $40 hamburger. Pricey but apparently, really good. I've personally never had the pleasure.
I love the Tango Palace. It's still there and it's still great.
If you're looking for interesting things to do, I always tell visitors to go to the Kensington Market. European market history turned funky. A lesser known tourist attraction but to me, one that represents Toronto's multiculturalism the best.
Have a Jamaican patty from the Patty Hut, a sausage from the European Meat Market or an empanada from the Peruvian meat store.
Aunties and Uncles is okay, I guess. But it's a bit threadbare. For a real treat you'd want to go to the Belgium/Canuck restaurant Le Petit Dejeuner on King Street Saturday morning and then walk over to the St. Lawrence Market area to visit the marche aux puces (flea market) and then across the street to the food market for some spciey sausages and great people watching.
Then I would walk east on Front Street towards the wrought iron building (for a special view of the city and the CN tower), then eastwards to Yonge Street and down to the Toronto Island ferries for a ride to the islands (and another great view of the city). But don't get off. Take the ferry ride directly back to the city and walk up to visit the CN Tower.
Three great views and a breakfast to fuel them.
The reactions of all of you are overwhelming and we would like to say thank you for that. We are sure Toronto ( downtown ) will be a pleasure for 6 days , then we go on to Montreal , Kingston , and Stratford. Canada here we come.
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