ISO pre-made blinis

One of my Christmas gifts to myself is to not muck around making blini upon blini. Can I buy some pre-made ones somewhere in the east end (Leslieville-ish)? I'm also making my way to St Lawrnce market in the next day or so.

Thank you! Merry Christmas!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Dinner with Pescatarian/Vegetarian - Kingsway/BWV/Roncey/Parkdale?

Hi everyone.. I'm meeting my pescatarian/vegetarian friend for dinner on Thursday night and it's gotta be somewhere around the Kingsway or Bloor West or Roncesvalles or Parkdale.

Having moved to the east end I'm now a bit out of touch on what's new and interesting around these hoods that would work? We've been to Casa Barcelona, Queen's Pasta and Vibo before.

Can you please recommend anywhere else??

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Espresso, brunch, seafood and dinner - this weekend with 14 month old!?

Coming to Boston this weekend (Oct 9 - 12) with our 14 month old and looking for suggestions that will be friendly for her too (friendly meaning the premises and fellow diners are happy to accommodate her - if they have high chairs even better). We're staying at the Park Plaza at Arlington and won't have a car so we'll be primarily on foot but of course willing to take a cab/subway/T.

Looking for help with the following please!

1 - Coffee near the hotel - any recommendations for good espresso takeaway coffee we can grab near the hotel before we head out for the day? Starbucks doesn't count.

2 - We want to do one leisurely breakfast/brunch. Something more upscale than a greasyspoon/diner. Not sure which area is good for this.. Bay Bay? Beacon Hill?

3 - One buzzy Boston dinner spot. Again the little one's coming with us so it may have to be an early dinner or if we have a later seating she might go to sleep in the stroller (hey.. we can hope!). No jacket and tie - tidy jeans and a nice shirt type place. Not Asian, not steakhouse. Mid-range price point.. happy to pay for mains in the $20s.

4 - Seafood. Not asian style but chowder, oysters, lobster, etc. We're from Australia but live in Toronto so we're really missing fresh seafood! Can either be lunch or dinner.

Thanks Chowhounders!

apb in Greater Boston Area

Help - nice lunch between BWV & Port Credit?

Help!!! We're having lunch this Sunday for a friend of ours who is getting married next month. We need to find somewhere between (or including) BWV and Port Credit. Mains from $15 - $20 and not much further north than Bloor St if possible. Preferably not a chain too.

We did Queen's Pasta last time and that's the right sort of idea.

I've scanned old posts and have not seen anything that quite fits this so hoping you wonderful people can help out?! THANK YOU!

-----
Queen's Pasta Cafe
2263 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6S1N8, CA

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Help with Sunday Lunch

It's my mum's 60th birthday coming up and I'm looking for a nice Sunday lunch experience that won't break the bank but finding not a lot of places are open for Sunday lunch (Harbord Room came quickly to mind but they only do dinner)? Does anyone know of any? My dad is not adventurous when it comes to food so I need to find a place that can do a nice variation of "meat and two veg". Thank you!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

ISO Roast Chicken near Leslieville

Can anyone recommend where I can get a good roast chicken (cooked, not fresh) near Leslieville? When we lived in BWV we often drove over to Dupont to a few portuguese places but haven't come across anything similar around here in the east end. Doesn't have to be portuguese chicken, just not Swiss Chalet. Thanks!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

First time in Chicago - looking for great espresso, pizza and steak

Thanks so much everyone! Some of the most helpful posts of all the boards I've used! I think the boys will appreciate the Publican and I'll look more into the steak choices too. Need to be a bit conscious of budget unfortunately. I'll take Lavazza any day over Starbucks (shudder) but keep an eye out for Intelligentsia. Me and my SO are the only espresso snobs so I don't think I can drag the others across town...

apb in Chicago Area

First time in Chicago - looking for great espresso, pizza and steak

Hi there.. 4 of us are off to Chicago this coming weekend and I'm hoping to make it a bit of an indulgent one as the airlines don't like women as pregnant as I am to fly after this.

Can you please please help provide some suggestions for:

1 - Good espresso near our hotel - if I'm limited to one cup of caffeine a day it must be quality! Preferably not a chain. Our hotel is near East Delaware and Michigan Ave.

2 - Pizza on a Thursday night - we get in around 7:30 p.m. - ideally somewhere where we're not travelling too too far from the hotel (less than 20 minutes?) as I'll probably be knackered. Pizzeria Uno/Due and Giordano's have been mentioned a bit and I'll keep searching but as I'm not familiar with the city I'm not sure these are likely options from a location perspective.

3 - Steakhouse or restaurant that serves great steak but the menu must also cater to non-beef eaters. This will be on Saturday night.

I've just started scanning the board for other ideas like bars/pubs with a great selection of beer for the boys (one is English and the other Aussie so it's always time for a pint), brunch in interesting neighbourhoods so we can bundle in food with getting a feel for different parts of the city. And if anyone has any other places along these lines please suggest away.

Thanks so much! V excited!

apb in Chicago Area

Sunday night for 12? Help!

Help please! We managed to get everyone available for a sort of family reunion next Sunday night (Jan 4) for about 12 people.. No further east really than Yonge and anywhere west of that (most people are coming in from Mississauga/Oakville). We also need to please a crowd of not overly adventurous tastes and an average budget (up to mid twenties for a main). I'm completely stumped. I'd like to avoid a chain restaurant but I'm not sure that won't be possible (the last time we did this we went to Milestones which worked out for the crowd).. A million thanks for any suggestions!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

This Friday night - Mexican for a group

Reunion in NYC with the girls this weekend and looking for good Mexican (it doesn't exist in Toronto). Problem is finding a place that can take a crowd - 6 girls - and can suit those on somewhat of a budget (the Aussie peso has taken a bit of a hit).

Have been recommended Mexicana Mamas or Rosa Mexicana? Thoughts or other suggestions please??? Some are staying in Brooklyn and others are staying south Central Park on 6th Ave so location would be anywhere south of midtown.

Thankyou!

apb in Manhattan

Petit Pontoise & Petite Perigourdine

Hi there..

Has anyone been to Petit Pontoise lately and if so, do you recall what the prices were like? I've not had much luck on the internet and some fellow diners are budget conscious so I'd like to avoid any surprises. Is there a prixe fixe menu for dinner?

Also - has anyone ever been to Petite Perigourdine? It's apparently on rue des Ecoles in Saint Germain.. it was suggested by the hotel but haven't seen much on it either.

Thank you!

(14 more sleeps until Paris!)

apb in France

Paris - birthday/reunion dinner for 7

Hi everyone,

Seven of us are having a reunion in Paris on July 26th which also happens to be my SO's birthday. What I've love to find is a place for dinner that night that will allow us all to linger and catch up for a while, great food, under 30 euros per main, preferably French or at least bistro-y. Some of us are staying in the 1st and others in the Latin Quarter so preferably somewhere in or between either of the two.

Please let me know if I'm not being specific enough.

Thank you so much in advance!

apb in France

Sobeys - Broadview.Todmorden

i've recently moved into the area and not really familiar with the danforth.. do you have any good go-to's for food and produce along this strip? thanks!

and in general i've enjoyed the sobeys experience.. produce is definitely better than loblaws'.

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Strickland Meats on Greenwood?

I go past Strickland Meats every day on the Greenwood bus but have yet to venture in. Does anyone know anything about this place? Price? Quality? We're only a few months into living in Leslieville and searching for new local shops. Thanks!

(actually on a side note - if anyone knows where to find good produce in the area suggestions would be much appreciated - haven't been overly impressed with the local grocery stores - loblaws being particularly abysmal)

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Cookbooks for newlyweds first time out of home?

wow - i am impressed. thanks so much everyone! i now have some more ideas to add to my wishlist too.

what are people's thoughts on rachel ray? (aesthetically it appears as it's more of an accessible book for them. and what about the williams-sonoma books? anyone used them?

apb in Home Cooking

Dinner suggestion near Bar Volo?

thanks everyone!!! i don't know much about this area so these are great.

we're leaning towards FOTES so far but i'm definitely filing these away for future reference. fuzion looks like a great summer venue too.

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Cookbooks for newlyweds first time out of home?

What cookbooks would you suggest for a young and newly married couple that have never lived away from home before? I thought it would be nice to start off their cookbook library as part of their wedding shower gift but they're not overly experienced cooks nor are they overly adventurous in their eating (don't think he's even ever had sushi). Suggestions? Thank you!

apb in Home Cooking

Dinner suggestion near Bar Volo?

We have friends that are moving away from Toronto and he's a big fan of Bar Volo (Yonge & Wellesley - thanks for the correction, Gary) so we agreed to end up there for post dinner drinks to take us into the wee hours. Any suggestions for where we could have a nice dinner beforehand? Walking distance or v short cab ride? We don't want to eat there as it would be nice to have a special meal. It will be this Friday night, 6 people, not a chain, mains under $25, good wine list would be ideal. Am I asking for too much?? Thank you!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Baby-friendly in East End?

We have friends visiting from the UK with their 9 month old son. Can anyone recommend baby-friendly restaurants in and around Leslieville - even up as far as the Danforth? Looking for brunch and dinner specifically. Thanks!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Well-priced French and Tapas - south of midtown?

Heading to NYC from Toronto for the first weekend in Feb and looking for suggestions on mid priced (i.e. main meals hovering around the $20 - $25 mark - can go above or below) French and Tapas restaurants. We'll be staying with friends in the UES but will likely be spending most of our time midtown and south of there.

(love this board by the way - fabulous suggestions!)

Thank you!

apb in Manhattan

Quick dinner mainly drinks - downtown on Saturday

Thanks for the suggestions and the detail! This crowd is definitely more craft and international beer drinkers so Volo sounds like a good bet. I've been wavering on trying Volo out for a while so I think we'll give it a go. People are coming from different parts of the city so the Distillery is a bit out of the way. Thanks again!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Quick dinner mainly drinks - downtown on Saturday

Trying to organize birthday drinks downtown-ish. A few of us will eat beforehand but doesn't have to be flash. Catch is this crowd is not really the dressy/lounge type and definitely more beer drinkers so I'm not sure where to go. Done C'est What, Irish Embassy, PJ O'Briens before. Never been to Bar Volo - worth going? Hair of the Dog? Any other suggestions??

Thanks!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Good espresso coffee near Atrium on Bay?

Where oh where can you get good espresso coffee that is NOT Starbucks/Timothys/some other mdiocre coffee chain near the Atrium on Bay? Tea is just not cutting it anymore. Thanks!

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)

Bodega, Messis or Eggplant?

I've not been to any of these but I'm looking for a not too $$ but tasty dinner in a fun atmosphere for 5 people. Technically for a birthday but really looking for a good value night out with friends and hopefully move on somewhere close by for another drink or two afterwards. I've narrowed it down to these but can't decide which one to go with. Help?

apb in Ontario (including Toronto)