redhead's Profile
Bar or pub near Massey Hall
How about walking up to bay and dundas to check out the new don don izykaya? Sounds fun!
Recession Deals?
just wondering if there are recent updates to this older thread..would love to find a mid-week holiday party spot for a small group that was reasonable price wise...
Marben's Pig Night - Oct 30
Did the piggie night tonight..feeling VERY full at present. It was our first time to Marben and we were really impressed! Sat at the "chef's table" which was fun and made for a different dining vibe. Ate waaaay too much food (leftovers for lunch). Man, those fries rock. When we salivated over the cabbage rolls we saw being prepped for an upcoming special, they gave us one for dessert! Taxes in, a lot of food and 3 drinks = 80.00. We thought it was great value. The space itself is also really lovely..it was packed too!
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Marben
488 Wellington Street West, Toronto, ON M5V 1E5, CA
Finally - a neighbourhood spot to satisfy my roti/curry chicken cravings!
We finally got around to trying Caribbean Dutch Pot - which I believe used to be on Gerrard E (?). It re-opend just south of Danforth, on Broadview perhaps just this summer. We've walked by it many times coming home from Yoga, but tonight seemed like a good night to finally stop in - cooler weather results in roti and curry cravings! Huge portions (roti and large curry chicken dinner for under 20.00, food left over for lunch too!). Counter service was very pleasant - even offered us tastings to help us choose. I am frankly surprised husband just didn't continue asking for samples till he was full. I thought the food could have used a litte more kick, but you can easily add your own hot sauce. Roti shell was light and slightly chewy. No bones in the chicken or beef (but present in goat and oxtail). Perhaps a touch salty for me (will confirm tomorrow if I puff up like I usually do). I think the flavouring is slightly different than let's say, Albert's, but I wonder if this is reflective of the style of cooking? In any case, the items all were all fresh, tasty and really enjoyable. I don't do take out very much, but would definitely do this again!!
SD Dive Bar Crawls...your fav's?
BC - hijacking a little bit here as I have nothing to add aside from a question..I too love a good dive bar. Are there any in the Gaslamp district (or nearby - I have no sense of direction of distance at present)..would love to hit a few when I come next month!
Vietnamese near Coxwell/Danforth?
I hear good thing about Hanoi 3 Seasons, which is Queen and Leslieish area (although not sure if this is purely vietnamese..)
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Hanoi 3 Seasons
588 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON M4M1Y3, CA
Steak House Recommendation - Down Town Toronto, near convention center
+ 1 Jacobs..a great choice
eating for one...suggestions for an upbeat, friendly meal
again - many thanks. sucks that I actually have to present at this conference when all I really want to do is eat, drink and play!!
eating for one...suggestions for an upbeat, friendly meal
oh, that's very helpful!! Thanks!
eating for one...suggestions for an upbeat, friendly meal
on a similar topic - do most places have happy hour specials in san diego? is there a good way to find out what's hot on various nights?
eating for one...suggestions for an upbeat, friendly meal
@ Island...indeed ASHA
@ other SanDiego Hounds..thanks for the tips! Everything sounds great..hopefully will be motivated to try Kaito even if it means a bit of a hike!
eating for one...suggestions for an upbeat, friendly meal
Coming to San Diego for the first time in November for a conference. Will be staying at US Grant hotel (Gaslamp area) - no car and limited travel budget (damn health care employment - no money for extras when travelling!). Looking forward to some "alone time" to experience a few tasty restaurants. I prefer to eat at a nice bar vs a table when travelling alone. I love the chance to chat with locals or other tourists. Seafood would be great but I will eat absolutely anything. A good beer selection would be a plus and/or a variety of wines by the glass. More than anything, I would like to find a place where I can dine by myself and not stick out like a sore thumb (although good food would be another important criterion!). Smaller plates would also be great, as I could try a few different items this way. I have read that the gaslamp area may not be the best for good restaurants, but given my limited ability to travel, this area would be preferred (though a short taxi ride is do-able).
Thanks!
First Date with a Foodie
second Beast. Iike that it's on a side street and feels relaxed and comfortable but still has an interesting small menu and well executed food.
Alta Mare or Grillfish or...?
@morganeats..yes, definitely think we will end up here at least once..may be pricey but at least we won't need a cab (and the menu suits me!)
Alta Mare or Grillfish or...?
Hi! My husband and I are heading to South Beach at the end of July (I know, crazy, but hey, it's a holiday). We will be staying at The Betsy. I would like to book at least one meal and am considering either Alta Mare or Grillfish - really looking for fish/seafood given that Toronto is not famous for this cuisine (though there are some nice places!) Any thoughts? I would prefer not have to spend piles of $$ on taxis or travel a great deal if possible. We will be there Sunday - Wednesday...are reservations usually necessary on these days?
thanks!
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Grillfish
1444 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
South Beach Cafe
121 5th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Brunch at Beast!
Finally made my way to Beast on Sunday. After a loooong, sweaty bike ride we quickly were given a seat on the shady patio. I didn't know what to expect and was worried we would not be welcomed given our less than stellar appearance. Happily, we were warmly greeted and felt immediately comfortable. We were given a large bottle of water immediately (much appreciated) which we followed with a couple of cold beer (mine was in a 600 ml bottle, which needless to say made the ride home painful). We ordered the maple bacon doughnuts (we had ridden there after all). I only ate half of mine, the other half was devoured on Monday morning after a short nuke in the microwave. Wow, were they good. Not too sweet, so satisfying..and I am not a big doughnut fan. We ordered the fried rabbit (him) and the blackened cod benny (me). Both dishes were 14.00 I think but great portions..especially the rabbit, which includes two buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, a fried egg and homefries! We were imagining the things they could do with that batter and fried chicken..hope someone there gets our comment card. The bill took a bit long to get to us, but they did get quite busy. Other than that, the service was friendly and efficient. Our meals were lovely - a little different than the average brunch, well executed and very satisfying..I look forward to trying out their dinner menu. Thanks to Chowhound for a great rec for a perfect little neighbourhood spot! Sad it's not in my hood, but will travel there again!
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Beast
96 Tecumseth St, Toronto, ON M6J, CA
Wedding at the Rosewater Room
I attended a wedding in May, I believe it was the Rosewater Room (upstairs from the actual restaurant) The room was lovely, high ceilings, small patio off the back, intimate yet spacious enough for people to move about. Our meal consisted of soup (butternut sqaush puree), mixed green salad with raspberry balsamic vinagerette, choice of salmon or beef (both cooked perfectly, simple and quite delicous) - large portions..can't remember the sides though (but do recall eating everything)..dessert was chocolate mousse I think. I was impressed with the quality of the food as well as the service. Our meal may not have been crazy inventive, but it was executed well and everyone at our table enjoyed the food..not too many leftovers!
Oxymoron: Intimate, Moderate $, Downtown?
I actually think Biff's is a great choice...you can walk to Royal York, service is very kind, food, while not "blow you away" is tasty and competent. They will have their buck a shuck oysters too, which is a nice treat. Toronto restaurants can be somewhat inconsistent, but I always know what I'll get at Biff's. Tuesday should not be too noisy, it's a big space with lots of corners..you can easily sit there all night if you like. Their house red (Juicy Red) is one of my faves too. Love the liver and the artic char, but a few dozen oysters, some frites and a nice salad is more romantic.
Oysters in Dublin?
Hi - heading to dublin this coming weekend and my eating partner is looking for oysters..any suggestions? We really prefer to stay in Dublin central, but will take a short train ride if necessary (we are only there for a few days)..also prefer a non-stodgy atmosphere..more casual if possible!
thanks!
suggestions for wednesday after work - party of 15 very close to a subway
thank you! I had been wondering about KSR (I am a big fan of sukhothai!) but wasn't sure they could accomodate this size of group..also like the idea of Mezes - Greek is not my fave, but others like it and I will eat anything1
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Mezes
456 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K1P4, CA
suggestions for wednesday after work - party of 15 very close to a subway
I'm trying to organize an after-work meal..people are coming from midtown/downtown/queen west. We need to be very close to a subway (like within a block or so) also need at least some gluten free options. I suspect Indian would not be a popular choice..thai or vietnamese might be ok. I imagine most people will want to keep the meal on the cheaper side - like 20-30.00 per person. The food should be tasty, but does not have to be particularly inventive or "chowish"..this is a hard group to satisfy and I am drawing a big fat blank right now! Your suggestions please! Thank you1
Merida
thanks for the insider tips! Those marequesitas are definitely up my alley..will be sure to enjoy a few of them!
Merida
Hi DD - am heading to Merida for a few days early April. It seems you were underwhelmed by the food - we will definitely give Local 3 a try - any other tasty/casual recommendations or anything else worth a look?
Best sandwich I ever invented
all grilled sandwiches are declicious but really love the combo of good tomatoes, pesto sauce and buffalo mozz..maybe a sourdough bread/french baquette or even a nice mulitgain..so long as it's fresh! (a smidge of garlic mayo doesn't hurt either)
Best sandwich I ever invented
oh, I have these things in my fridge and cupboard as well..I am giddy with excitement to try this concoction..have eaten dinner already..is it appropriate for dessert?
What's for Dinner? Part 79 (Old)
so, I am usually browsing this thread for ideas what to make, but have to share my delicious creation tonight! Pretty boring package of store bought gnocchi to start...scour fridge..fried up a bit of panchetta and some diced king oyster mushrooms...remove..add a bit of olive oil and saute up some left over butterCUP squash (have you had this? it is decadent!) add some veg stock and boil 10ish minutes till tender..toss back in the cooked panchetta and mush, a handful spinach, just b'cause. Finish with a splash of cream (heavy) and parm..some thyme and garlic and chili peppers in there too. Wow wow wow..soooo decadent..leftovers for lunch will rock!
I had a really nice meal at Czehoski!
Being a bit of an east-ender, I rarely seem to find myself west of University (or north of Bloor for that matter..funny how small my city life is!) However, I was meeting my husband in the Queen W area after work recently and happened upon Czhehoski. I had read about this place (mainly negative on this board) but opted to give it a try just the same. Happily surprised! We enjoyed some awesome tempura onion rings followed by braised beef ribs (steamed kale and roasted potatoes) and lambshank with root veg. The food was not fancy, but damn tasty in that kind of comfort food sort of way. We sat upstairs by the fireplace, side by side on the banquet..the vibe was really cozy and relaxed - perfect after a stressful week! Hubby thought the lambshank was one of the best he had eaten - and he eats A LOT of lambshanks. Beef ribs were meaty and not overly sauced..which worked for me. Only complaint was the herb that accompanied them - thyme maybe? I would have preferred not to have the prickly parts of the herb in the meal..just the leaves would have been better. Service was pleasant and helpful althought a wee bit scattered and silly (I will take this over snooty and attitude filled). All in all, I could see heading here with a few friends to share some dishes, have a few pints and enjoy the space. I think they have a patio, which would be fun post meal in the summertime! I will be sure to pop by if i ever find myself in the neighbourhood again!
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Czehoski
678 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J, CA
Oyster Bar in TO.... Any reco?
Love Starfish! Sit at the bar and watch the shucking in action with a nice glass of champagne..we have also been enjoying going to Biff's for "buck a shuck" after 5 pm m-f. You won't get the variety of oysters you do at Starfish (I think Biff's serves Malpeques) but they are still yummy!
House on Parliament temporarily closed while moving next door
I've been dropping by the HOP every month or so for the past 10 years..never had a bad meal..so-so meal,yes...excellent meal, yes - but never bad. Also have never had bad or rude service..ditzy and somewhat overly familiar, yes, but I believe I am partially to blame for this. The new space is missing the cozy vibe of the older one, and for sure, the acoustics are awful! I did get the sense that someone there had been reading all the recent disses on CH (I may have mentioned this in passing..) and to me, the service seems a little more on the ball lately. I do think the food is too salty..but overall, a consistent restaurant for me in Toronto (which admittedly is hard to find!) Prices are the same..menu is the same. Get one of the specials - they are usually well done.
Good restaurant with great sticky toffee pudding?
Starfish is an excellent choice!! My husband licks the plate after their STP. Their menu is smallish - pretty much a few fish dishes, a steak frites, perhaps a pork or chicken. Appetizers will include a couple of salads, fish cakes, sardines, croquettes, sometimes soft shell crab. I love the cozy atmosphere as well..
