cardinalTO's Profile
Best Lentil Soup in TO?
Ravi Soups on Adelaide makes a sublime curried red lentil with apricot.
French Restaurants in the GTA
Better choice in the Summerhill area is Pastis, probably. More relaxed than fancy, but some of the most consistently well-executed French in the city.
Ethnic Eats in Toronto - What NOT to miss
Centered around Chester station is really the best bet - the Danforth is Toronto's Greektown and although many places lack authenticity there are some gems. I like Avli and Pantheon, which are next door to one another. Mezes is "small plates" Greek and is both fun and one of the better spots on the strip.
Of all the Asian cuisines, Toronto probably does Chinese best - both high end (e.g. Lai Wah Heen) and more affordable (both downtown Chinatown and further afield in Scarborough, Markham, etc.).
A couple other ideas for interesting Toronto food spots: Torito (Spanish tapas) in Kensington, Jaipur Grille or Tabla for Indian. Also visited L'Unita (Italian) recently and it is a very good mid-range spot in a beautiful, intimate room.
seeking creamy strawberry ice cream...with lots of natural strawberry flavour
The folks at Xococava (Yonge & St. Clair) make a strawberry ice cream that is superb. Tubs can be taken home. It has a texture somewhere between Haagen Dazs and sorbet but for strawberry flavor (and chunks of strawberry) I think it is hard to beat in the city of Toronto or elsewhere.
Mt Pleasant south of Eglinton
Agree that there are quite a few overlooked places on Mt. Pleasant. There is a glut of neighborhood Italian - Acquolina, Positano, Camerini, Pallucci, Giorgio - which can be satisfying and veg/seafood friendly if not exceptional. Simple Bistro is probably a better choice. I had the halibut there recently and it was prepared simply and cooked perfectly. Nice place to eat in the summer with doors open to the street. And don't forget Il Gelatiere for dessert.
