Toronto for Foodie Dummies?

[Matt_T]

My wife and I are going to be in the Toronto/Niagra area for 4-5 days around May 9. We may get up to Kingston and Thousand Lakes, too. Neither of us have ever been to the area. I've read through the forum here for tips on restaurants and found some interesting spots.

But on a more basic level....what should we look for to get a taste of "authentic" Toronto? My impression is that the city has grown into an urbane cosmopolitan metropolis, and there's no shortage of fine places to sample world cuisine. Is there any kind of fare that Torontans (if that's a word) call their own, like St Louis BBQ, San Francisco cioppino, or Brooklyn pizza?

How about ingredients we might not be able to get in the US due to food laws or local availability? Any special wine varietals we should really check out, that might not be available in our home base of Northern California? Any markets worth making a special trip to, this time of year?

Thanks! Any other tips - food-related or otherwise - for first-time visitors who eschew tour buses and like to get off the beaten path would be appreciated!

[mkayahara]

Is there any kind of fare that Torontans (if that's a word) call their own, like St Louis BBQ, San Francisco cioppino, or Brooklyn pizza?

Short answer: No.

Also, the word you're looking for is "Torontonians".

Any special wine varietals we should really check out, that might not be available in our home base of Northern California?

I'm guessing not, since they seem to grow pretty much everything in California, but Ontario's whites are generally quite good. I strongly recommend most things, but especially the Rieslings, from Cave Spring and Vineland Estates wineries. And the associated restaurants are also not to be missed. (If you can only do one, do Vineland.)

For reds, Ontario seems to have a reputation for Cab Franc, but I've found it to be pretty hit-and-miss.

Any markets worth making a special trip to, this time of year?

←

You should definitely consider visiting the St. Lawrence Market!

[GordonCooks]

Is there any kind of fare that Torontans (if that's a word) call their own, like St Louis BBQ, San Francisco cioppino, or Brooklyn pizza?

Short answer: No.

Also, the word you're looking for is "Torontonians".

Any special wine varietals we should really check out, that might not be available in our home base of Northern California?

I'm guessing not, since they seem to grow pretty much everything in California, but Ontario's whites are generally quite good. I strongly recommend most things, but especially the Rieslings, from Cave Spring and Vineland Estates wineries. And the associated restaurants are also not to be missed. (If you can only do one, do Vineland.)

For reds, Ontario seems to have a reputation for Cab Franc, but I've found it to be pretty hit-and-miss.

Any markets worth making a special trip to, this time of year?

←

You should definitely consider visiting the St. Lawrence Market!

←

I second the St.Lawrence Market suggestion. Have a Pea Meal Bacon sandwich and pick up some Raw Milk cheeses to much on.

[nibor]

This is more about a “dining experience” than food per se, which I actually don’t remember… but there are hotel restaurants built into the side of the Blue Jay baseball stadium. It is so cool. You feel like you are right out there with the players, but you are having dinner and drinks while they do the work. I stayed at one of these hotels during a meeting last summer. The Jays were on a winning streak at home, and after a while nobody was attending the conference – we had all turned into Blue Jay fanatics. I am not even a big baseball fan, but it was so much fun that I have thought about taking my husband to Toronto for vacation, just to hang out at the stadium.

[estufarian]

People have already pointed you to 'back bacon on a bun' - which is probably the most significant item - and St Lawrence Market is indeed a fine choice.

In Niagara I'm still convinced that Riesling is the 'best' grape - despite its relative unpopularity. Niagara also produces some of the finest soft fruits in the world - but you'll be a little early for those.

Toronto's dining strengths are its 'ethnic' cuisines. Apparently the SE Asian (Indian) community has just surpassed the Asian (Chinese) in population terms, and indeed we have a good selection of excellent Indian restaurants (along with a lot of average places). If that interests you, I recently posted my favourites in this thread (caution the major subject of the thread is not really helpful as the places are ‘new’ rather than ‘good’).

We also have extensive Portuguese dining options, ranging from local places to extreme high end. I’ve avoided Italian and most Asian as you have multiple options at home. You might also consider Ethiopian, although IMO most aren’t too exciting as they don’t provide fresh injera, which becomes rubbery by the day after preparation.

[jayt90]

You should be able to find some things unique to the area and season. Wild leeks, as in Cock-a-leekie soup, may not be available in SF, but should be here, starting in May. (They are already being picked as ramps in the eastern states.)

Ask for fresh lake fish: perch, whitefish, and pickerel in restaurants. These are unique to the Great Lakes, and can be found here with a little effort.

Some restaurants may have wild game, (frozen) from Inuit hunters in the northern territories. It's a long shot, but worth asking about.

When you decide on restaurants, ask the server or host for local specialties, and they may come up with something as they rise to the challenge, such as spring lamb, or raw milk cheeses.

Gordon is right about peameal bacon, especially at the St. Lawrence market (closed Mondays): it is our identity food, somewhat hackneyed and trite, but it is sticking to us!

Edited April 19, 2008 by jayt90 (log)

[Matt_T]

Back from our trip and wanted to thank the respondents here, who helped make it a tasty one!

After visiting Niagara Falls on the way to Toronto we stopped at Treadwell. I'd fretted about reservations but there were empty table on the Friday night we visited. My wife had whitefish and asparagus (forget the details but there was both asparagus foam and veloute foam involved) and called it her favorite meal of the trip - which considering we visited some heavy hitters in NYC is quite a compliment. I had a warm beet salad (fantastic!) and Berkshire pork loin. Service was absolutely top-notch, every need met and every foodie-type question answered.

By the way, we did the Maid of the Mist at the Falls and it was a great experience. I'm highly suspicious of these "must see" tourist excursions, but this was the real deal. We got right down by the bow of the boat and it felt like they were actually taking you under the Falls. The roar and spray and turbluence were awesome....I wouldn't say scary, but you feel the power of Nature deep in your gut. A bargain at $14, especially as famous must-see tourist attractions go.

Near Toronto my wife's uncle took us to dim sum at the Ambassador in Richmod Hill. Outstanding stuff...we eat dim sum regularly at various spots in the San Francisco area and this competed with anything we've had there. A couple of days later we had a family reunion banquet at the Skyland Shanghai restaurant in Scarborough. Great traditional fare; I don't always go for Shanghai standards like eel and cold ham jelly, but this stuff was top notch and suited my Western palate well, while my wife vouched for the authenticity.

More good fresh (and inexpensive) Chinese food at the Pacific Mall in Scarborough. There's a little noodle shop up on the second floor where they guy pulls the noodles by hand, the old fashioned way, and drops them in the pot right in front of you. The Shark's Fin House across the food court from the noodle guy has much-better-than-average roast pork.

Also of note at Pacific Mall is the Chan Chi Kee knife shop, right near the north entrance. These are the real Hong Kong made Chinese cleavers that pro chefs and knife enthusiasts covet. Prices are only ok, not good enough for me to buy anything (wasn't looking forward to crossing the border back to the US with a suitcase full of sharp steel!) but the selection of styles and weights is awesome and the shop is worth a special trip for anyone interested in authentic Chinese kitchenware.

I'd made reservations at Colborne Lane but had to cancel due to conflicting plans. Had brunch at The Garden just east of St. Lawrence Market; brie-stuffed French toast was very, very good. And I got my peameal bacon sandwich at the market the day we left - with onions, hot peppers and honey mustard. Paddington's I think the place is called. Great stuff, reminds me a little of South Jersey's Taylor Ham (which coming from this old Jersey boy means I liked it).

Thanks again for the tips! Already looking forward to our next visit, will make time for Indian and maybe Portuguese food!

[kevintieu]

I know I'm about a year late, but next time you come back and you feel like Vietnamese, you could try this site: www.pho411.ca it's an online guide to vietnamese cuisine as well as a restaurant directory.