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Thursday, September 3, 2009
By Fresh Bites
Get out your note book, today we are re-learning our ABCs with a look at some of Toronto’s favorite restaurants. And yes, there are 26 of them. Grab your fork, we are going to re-learn the basics!
A is for Allen’s on the Danforth. Owner John Maxwell was one the very first restaurateurs in this town to feature an all Canadian wine list, which it still does, as well as one of the city's healthier lists of craft beers, domestic and imported. Allen's also has, what one leading critic called, the city's "best hamburger". Best or not, it has legions of fans, many of whom refuse to order anything else from the homey, simple but excellent quality menu.
B is for Black Hoof. You pretty much have to really like animal fat, especially cured, to appreciate the Black Hoof. As soon as you walk in you are met with the strong aroma of marrow bones roasting in the electric oven of the tiny galley kitchen behind the bar. The daily menu, scrawled on a black board at the end of the long narrow Dundas West storefront offers precious little without it. One night it's an octopus salad. And the vegetarian option? An artisanal cheese plate, of course.
C is for Caplansky’s. Caplansky's smoked meat sandwich can only be compared to Montreal's Schwartz's: it properly melts in your mouth, surrounded by chewy fresh rye, and topped with his homemade mustard. His coleslaw is classy enough to come formed in a mold and tangy enough for the fatty meat and fries, along with his array of homemade pickles. And after this coming Labour Day Weekend, they will have a permanent shop on College! Hoorah!
D is well represented by Delight Organic Chocolate. Jennifer Rashleigh, the former restaurateur and pastry chef at Citron and her husband Jeff Brown opened Delight in The Junction with a passion for creating chocolate with a message, if you will. Their organic chocolate is Fair Trade certified and they offer a wide range of handmade goodies ranging from dark chocolate bites to cream filled flavors like Orange Zest, Lemon, Ginger, and Cappuccino.
E is for coffee? Ezra's Pound roasts their own sustainable, fair trade coffee, which is available by the pound and half pound. They also make a cup with extreme care. One of the few shops in the city with a Gaggia E61, these barristas are rightly proud of their espresso and related drinks.
F is for Frank, hold the beans. When the new Art Gallery of Ontario was revealed with its new Frank Gehry-designed expansion, it was suiting that the restaurant be named after the famous architect and Torontonian. To celebrate, Executive Chef Anne Yarymowich’s focus is on bringing local Ontario ingredients and serving them with the style and innovation suitable for a restaurant named after an architect. Not an easy task.
G offers many options, but for this list we chose George. Dishes are served in series format with "First" being Starters, "Second" being Salads, "Third" being Main dishes, "Fourth" being Cheese courses, and "Fifth" being the end of a lovely evening Dessert. Portions for each are the same size wise and no matter what the choice, you can be sure it will be a splendid.
H is for Jamie Kennedy, specifically Hank’s - designed to be fun, relaxed, and down-right country. Welcome to his new cafe affectionately known as Hank's. Here, guests can enjoy coffee, baked goods, desserts, sandwiches, and soups all day long. They even have an award-winning barista in charge of the coffee, so you know it is going to be good.
I is for Il Posto, where the Yorkville crowd likes to wear their finest Italian shoes. In fact, they have been doing so for over 25 years. History means a lot to us. In a town like Toronto, if you last longer than 10 years, you must be doing something right. Here, the customers are loyal and the staff and owners treat you like long-time family members.
J is no surprise. On a busy Friday night Jamie Kennedy's Wine Bar is as much fun as can be had within walking distance of the Financial District. Slow Foodies, publishing types and corporate lawyers mix it up, enjoying the small plates (often made with ingredients from Kennedy's Southern Ontario farm) and exhaustive list of wines by the glass.
K is for Korean. Ka Chi is a student hangout on Bloor Street's Koreatown strip that serves the fiery Pork Bone Soup which comes with an array of condiments, including kim chi of course. One bowl is a meal enough, but try their pancakes with scallions, washed down with a crisp OB beer.
L, or should we say “elle” is for French favorite, Le Papillon. What more can you say about a Toronto institution since 1974? Yes, it has moved around a bit during it's reign as Toronto's champion of French bistro cuisine but their newest location is probably the best yet. Serving lunch and dinner, Le Papillon is a great venue for a memorable meal but they are stars when it comes to brunch.
M is for Toronto's best Pho. Mi Mi’s is on the very far end of East Chinatown on Gerrard. Their fragrant broth can be had traditional style with mystery meats including tripe and tendon, or tailored to more Western tastes with just pain pieces of beef, or just veg. Wonderful spring rolls and mango smoothies, too.
N is for Nota Bene, where Chef de Cuisine Geoff O'Connor knows what to do with a fillet of pickerel (that's walleye to our American cousins), or a fancy-pants burger, or lovely smokey chicken soup. And then there's dessert. (Gremolata will not get into their onion rings - seriously, order at your peril... impossible to have one or two.)
O is for One, probably the hottest spot for the next two weeks in Toronto. Don't even bother trying to get a reservation during the Toronto International Film Festival, but when the celebrity count is down to one or two in the room or expansive patio, we little people can enjoy a little 5-star luxury.
P is for Pizza. Show up early and be prepared to wait. The line-ups at Pizzeria Libretto are as legendary as their pizzas. Chef Rocco Agostino and co-owner Max Rimaldi are fanatics about recreating the proper Neapolitan pizza experience. The name, libretto, means "small book" which is how the crust should fold.
Q is for Québécois fare, specifically the great imported foods at A Taste of Quebec. Terroir meat and cheese fans giggled with foodie delight when this place opened. Where else can you get the best in imported Quebecois artisan cheeses, meats, pates, and kitchen staples along with great packaged dishes to go?
R is for The Roy Public House, a fun local hang-out in the up and coming Leslieville neighborhood. Once the location of the famed Kubo Radio, The Roy is a fun pub with dark wood accents and a great beer selection. Something worth trying? How about their brunch with Coronation Street? We won’t give you too many details here – it is pretty self-explanatory.
S is for Scaramouche, where Toronto foodies take their husbands or wives for their birthday: they know they will not be disappointed. Alumni Jamie Kennedy and Michael Standtlander have gone off to their thing, but Chef Keith Frogget has kept this restaurant on the top of its game for 25 years, which keeps it as full as ever.
T is for Table 17, one of the great new Leslieville locavore hangouts. Chef John Sinopoli (formerly of Splendido) uses locally-sourced ingredients to create classic dishes for all to enjoy. If you cannot make it for dinner (and their great wine list and charcuterie) then brunch is a great alternative. Price-wise versus quality, you cannot beat this place.
U is for the University of Toronto and the secret Gallery Grill at Hart House. Chef Suzanne Baby forages all local delicacies, matched to a mostly Ontario list, that present and taste as modern as the setting is nostagically Old Toronto. The professors and Queen's Park Cabinet Ministers don't want you to know.
V is for Vertical. Never mind the spectacular wine list that gave Vertical its name. Never mind one of the best patios in the Financial District. And never mind the lighter, Mediterranean influenced menu. When Joe Alberti and Gary Chivers opened Vertical their big score was Chef Tawfik Shehata. Shehata is one of the city's rising star chefs and Vertical attracts impassioned foodies as much as Bay Street highrollers.
W means good times with friends. There is something magical about eating at a legendary neighborhood hang-out like Whitlock's. For years, this place has been the heart of The Beach and if you ask any of the locals to name their top three restaurants, Whitlock's almost always places first. Why? It is familiar, uncomplicated, and focused on good times. The patio, the bar, and the spirit of community make this a favorite for locals and visitors alike.
And finally…
Z, and Zucca Tratoria. Chef Andrew Milne-Allan is known across Toronto as a "chef's chef", and if you ask someone in the city's fine dining business where they go on their day off, they're likely to tell you it's Zucca Trattoria. Zucca is famous for two things: grilled fish and their hand made pasta. But as the wait staff are apt to tell you, "You're in Italy now".
And there you have it, an A-Z guide to just a sampling of Toronto restaurants and watering holes. A pretty good guide for all of those students flooding our city this week attending their first year at one of our local Universities and Colleges. Speaking of which, we have a special request for today’s DISCUSSION TOPIC OF THE DAY. If you met a new student who just moved to Toronto, what restaurant would you recommend and why? Share your thoughts, let’s get some good food into the bellies of these leaders of tomorrow.
PS - We realize we left out the letter X. It is a tuff one, especially now that Xacutti is closed. Do you have a suggestion for X? Let us know below!
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