mkjr

JKWB which is outstanding value. Restaurant is more pricey though. Did you make it to John's in NYC?

Come to Toronto ← Agreed. No John's in Toronto or Vancouver. Sigh! Oh well thank god I can fly to NYC from Buffalo for dirt cheap. I also really do like Me 'N Ed's very much.

Gordon...do you post on Ebob...QPR seems to be a classic call sign for those who do. EmaTei at 30 Saint Patrick Street is about 5 minutes or so. I agree with the others noted. The One a little further up, almost at Yonge and Gerrard for Thai is also pretty good and cheap and also Golden Thai www.goldenthai.ca is pretty close.

I will make a note of this for people I know looking for just that.

I am sure you could put up the Highway Traffic Act provisions around speeding also. I suspect that has not stopped people from speeding. The private function route is a good one since if you get a reasonable person they will not charge any extra to BYOW. Get the PF permit and avoid those that are not friendly. I never go to places in TO unless they are BYOW.

At the prices places charge, why are you surprised...oh, because they do not know its illegal? I agree about the legality and the many places that do allow it in the city of Vancouver are best kept off-line.

Sorry, can not help you out there. Let me know if you go as you seem to eat out a lot from your flikr photos...

Thanks. I am a huge BYOW supporter and agree that the corkage fees in this city are STUPID and not wine friendly. I posted a while back to start a thread but it appears as though many on this board were not as enthusiastic as I was. I was getting at the fact that for many years I know of many Chinese restaurants up in Markham that had a very informal BYOW - under the table type of operation. I suspect LHW was not part of the informal crowd. I am now at the point that if it ain't BYOW, I ain't going.....have too much wine around the house to buy marginal wine at best on many places lists at 300-400% markups (sorry to rant but that is just my 2 cents and I do vote with my pocket book).

Wine? Don't you just bring your own? I have not checked with LHW but I know many other places such as this have had informal BYO for many many years. I echo the point. Since LHW is really some of the best you should go all out.

Susur and Lee are not Chinese and more fusion. That said, downtown, I think that Lai Wah Heen will fit the bill for you. Most of the other very good chinese places that I can advise on are up north in Markham. ← Lai Wah Heen looks great. The menu is listed in five courses/symphonic movements. Any idea on an average price per person? I am guessing $60-$80? ← I think that is about right unless you get into the abaloni, king crab or shark fin and other crab dishes.

Susur and Lee are not Chinese and more fusion. That said, downtown, I think that Lai Wah Heen will fit the bill for you. Most of the other very good chinese places that I can advise on are up north in Markham.

Thanks for the tip on the Arcadian pinot. I've had the Kosta Browne RRV and if the Arcadian is similar, I'm going to get one even at LCBO prices. It's too late for me to order from the Classics but I'm thinking I'll see lots of them on the shelves a month from now along with most of the other unsold May Classics. ← I think Joe Davis said there would be around 60 six packs so I think there will be lots to go around since without scores some people never buy stuff....good for me!

Point taken on the Cali prices you noted. The wines you listed I would never buy and would never bother to compare the price. I have bought Dominus since the 95 vintage and have Spotty back to 90, so those wines I do buy and thankfully do not get greased. I also buy Mount Eden, Copain, Brewer Clifton, Melville, Shafer Hillside Select, Karl Lawrence, Littorai (most of these through agents) and these prices are very competative with release prices (and I can buy 6-12 bottles without the LCBO cutting me back on my order). I liked the Fontodi when I bought my 95s and 97s at 38 and 42 bucks. $69...its a pass for me. Sure good wine but not at that price. That said, I only ordered the Arcadian Pinot (I love Joe Davis who is a very nice guy) and after being at Pinot Days in NYC two weeks ago this wine will be outstanding. Compared with Pisoni, Ketchem, Dain and Kosta Browne and many others that I have tasted this wine holds its own. Little more than he released it at though so the LCBO is stroking it a little.

I have always liked what JK's can put out by the glass. Prices are usually very good and you can try many.

I suggest that you do not just look at the current classics list. There is a thread from a bunch of wine guys in Toronto here that discusses how weak it is - http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/showth...&highlight=LCBO. The current classics list has one or two bottles of interest to me only. I must say lately, the California prices are very competative to what is in the US. Take for example the 2003 Spottswoode and 2003 Dominus. Both are better priced that the US release price at the winery even taking into consideration the exchange rate (to the OP if there is some 2003 Spottswoode left that is an outstanding choice but will eat up $135 a bottle). The wine I suggested was actually $45US release price at the winery and the LCBO was only chargin $50. SYoung you are bang on for Bordeaux at the LCBO....rip OFF. Jan, I would be curious as to what you picked up.

I have sent you a PM to the link of the review of both from early April.

Based on Amy Pataki's review a few weeks back I suggest that you do not do so to compare. You can search the torontostar.com site and fine her comments.

Wow! If Me&Ed's is good pizza for you, the TO is really in dire straits! Try Lombardo's next time if you like the thin crust. A. ← Tried Lombardo's and it ain't no John's in NYC. I guess pizza in Vancouver and Toronto may be strike outs. I think I had better flat bread in Colmar....sadly. Oh well, if you do not like Me&Eds, I know not to calibrate my pizza tastes to your own.

There are many many threads that have discussed this. I suggest you look around and you shall find what you seek.

......And I hope to hunt down the best pizza in TO - something that is non-existent in Vancouver..... ← If you find it let me know. I have been craving something like Me&Ed's here without much luck since I have moved out. Had a fix last weekend in NYC at John's on Bleeker. Should hold me over for a while.

I wish I could help but I really have not been to too many of the NEW places in Vancouver to compare with TO....although that said, when I was eating at the bar at Lumiere about 5 years ago the portions were too small and we went across the street to grab some KFC after....it may have been the cocktails that Sterns was pouring us all night and the 55 Marguax that Niel brought out that a customer noted was corked - good for us it was soooo not corked. If you search around I think you will find what you are looking for. Flying back on weekends. Yikes.

My wife and I are pretty much doing the same trip as you in 17 days. Great shots! I am so jammed at work these days I have not had a chance to dig my way through the forums here.

Not a very exciting discussion at the G&M site with Rob. Too bad. I wonder if someone will make Rob and offer from Toronto? I think the action was in the hate Toronto discussion that made me laugh my ass off.

Thanks. If you're just coming from New York the prices probably won't shock you, and Union Square has that buzz going for it - a lively atmosphere that a lot of Tokyo restaurants are too small to even try for. As an alternative, Cardenas Charcoal Grill in Ebisu has a similar liveliness and equally good food, with more reasonably priced California and Aussie wines. ← I think that my wife and I are going to be looking into Japanese cuisine in a variety of forms (from cheap eats to 20,000Y+ per person (not every night...yikes)). May be worth a visit though for a glass or two of wine at the Cardenas. My wife told me a lot about the site you sent me to. Cheers.

Nice report. My wife and I will be in Japan May 19-June 1 (Tokyo for 6 nights, Kyoto for 4 nights a few one offs). I have not searched around this forum yet, but will do so (we are in NYC this weekend) and hope to find some good eats from $ to $$$$.