106212 Tue Jun 06 08:30:38 -0700 2006 9 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 575944 I know this may seem 'a bit' off topic, but I was wondering if I can get some suggestions on the best restaurants/cafes to catch the soccer games this month. I'm talking, really busy, really loud, and really spirited. Neighborhood is not an issue. Thanks guys and gals. Link: http://www.spotlighttoronto.com Tue Jun 06 08:30:38 -0700 2006 0 Suresh 1 575945 Brings back fond memories - 2 years ago, I snagged a prime patio spot on The Danforth when Greece won the finals. What a party! I saw an article in the National Post this week-end which talked about great spots to go to cheer on each of the (many) teams that has a decent population in the city. I just tried to find it online but couldn't - maybe you'll have better luck? Tue Jun 06 08:40:00 -0700 2006 575944 0 peppermint pate 2 575960 I think you're meaning this: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=911ad0c3-9b28-40e6-a828-2bac794a3649 but they'll take it down soon, so the shorter version is: Cafe Diplomatico, in the heart of Little Italy, has gone all-out, buying advertising airtime on The Fan 590 and commissioning posters to promote its various events... Henry Doodnath, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, is pumped to be able to wear his own colours inside and out of his Etobicoke restaurant, Caribbean Breeze, as the island country makes its World Cup debut. BLOOR STREET WEST (SOUTH KOREA) Korea Town, which runs along Bloor Street from Bathurst to Christie, will be sprinkled with Korean bandanas worn in support of the South Korean team, affectionately known as The Reds by their legion of supporters, in turn affectionately known as The Twelfth. (Each team has 11 players on the field.) For authentic Korean atmosphere, try Cafe Chodae 325 (666 Manning Ave., just north of Bloor). It's a great little table-barbecue place with equal room on the patio and inside... Clinton's (693 Bloor) might not have Korean street cred, but it does have the biggest TV in Korea Town. DUNDAS/COLLEGE (PORTUGAL) Little Portugal, which runs along Dundas Street West and also includes much of College Street from Crawford to Dufferin, will be chaotic during the World Cup. Nova Era Bakery (770 College St.) features a huge patio where the action will be projected onto a massive screen visible to passersby. Portugal Billiards (1197 Dundas St. W.) when Portugal takes the field against Angola on Sunday, June 11. YONGE & STEELES (IRAN) The most popular spot, 1001 Nights, says they won't be showing the games this year, so the action will move to Karoon Restaurant (5 Glen Cameron Rd.). RONCESVALLES VILLAGE (POLAND) At Chopin Restaurant (165 Roncesvalles Ave.), owner Anna Pindoir is planning a barbecue stacked with Polish sausage for Poland's opener against Ecuador at 3 p.m. on Friday. Another authentic option along Roncesvalles is a hole in the wall called Inter Steer (361 Roncesvalles Ave.). The owner is Polish and in the afternoons (i.e., game time) most of the clientele is as well. EGLINTON WEST (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO) When the Soca Warriors enter into battle at the World Cup for the first time, you'll want to be at Roti King (1688 Eglinton Ave. W.). A little farther west is JJ's Place (1885 Eglinton Ave. W.). Your feet will stick to the floor and the tables might wobble from the daily domino competitions, but JJs Place is a truly Trinidadian bar that touts itself as having the best jerk chicken and oxtail in town. JJs will be showing Trini games on a couple of modest TVs. CORSO ITALIA the best place for Italy's matches will be A.C. Ranch Sport Bar (1220 St. Clair). It's been here 35 years, and has room for about 200. A.C. Ranch has a satellite feed (all games will be live), a small patio and three big-screen TVs -- all you really need to enjoy a good game of soccer. Mexican fans who crave Corso Italia's intensity have Mi Casa Cafe & Restaurant (1261A St. Clair W.), a tiny Mexican outpost in the heart of Italian territory. It has four wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. For more information about the area during the World Cup: www.stclairkickit.ca. THE DANFORTH 'We all love soccer anyway, so we'll be watching,'' says Christos Maras, one of the managers at Cafe Frappe (519 Danforth Ave.). The cafe, at the corner of Fenwick, will have TVs set up inside and on its patio throughout the World Cup. ETOBICOKE (SERBIA & MONTENEGRO) Zam Aleksandra's Restaurant and Bar (1340 The Queensway, Etobicoke) is a favourite of Toronto's Serbian community, especially when there's soccer on. It has two floors and will be showing games on both. With big-screen projectors and room for 180 people, finding a good spot to see the games shouldn't be a problem. Zam has the Balkan mainstay veal and pork dishes, and you'll want to try a glass or two of Sljvica, a plum brandy, or Loza, a type of grappa. LE SAINT-TROPEZ (FRANCE) Le Saint-Tropez (315 King St. W.) is one of Toronto's best French restaurants -- and it has big-screen TVs. AND LASTLY ... Goethe-Institut at 163 King St. W. will be showing Germany's games. Tue Jun 06 12:07:24 -0700 2006 575945 0 nw 3 575962 I would add... For pedestrian pub food food, but good coverage check out the upstairs patios at Scalliwags (England hangout) at St Clair & Yonge or its sister Hemmingways (Australia hangout) in Yorkville. Most of the outdoor cafes on College, Dundas West and St Clair West will have TVs out. Think Portugal, Italy and LatinAm teams. For St Clair near Dufferin, most places will have TVs. Eden Trattoria (Italia -http://www.edentrattoria.com/about.html) on St Clair W has a big patio and TV. Miami Sandwiches (an old California Sandwiches) has a smaller pattio, a big TV and good veal sandwiches. I expect Connections Seafood and Steak(Portugal) will have a TV out--they have a nice sized patio. Tue Jun 06 12:21:56 -0700 2006 575960 0 mikeb 4 575969 Excellent. I tried to find the link, but did not succeed. Thanks for posting it!. Appreciate the suggestions :) Link: http://www.spotlighttoronto.com Tue Jun 06 14:24:02 -0700 2006 575962 0 Suresh 3 575967 That's the one - thanks! Tue Jun 06 13:56:34 -0700 2006 575960 0 peppermint pate 1 575946 Cafe Frappe on the south side of Danforth, 1 block east of Logan, was crazy when Greece was in the World Cup. Across the street (same side) is another small cafe (I think it's called '521') is also quite rambunctious. Tue Jun 06 08:48:26 -0700 2006 575944 0 jill 2 575974 I doubt there will be much excited compared to when the Greeks won the Euro Cup, as they aren't even competing this year. I'm sure everyone will be watching, but not really the place to be or anything..... Tue Jun 06 15:41:32 -0700 2006 575946 0 rj 1 575961 there was just an article about that in this weeks eye - check it out .... http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_06.01.06/city/worldcup.html Tue Jun 06 12:20:54 -0700 2006 575944 0 dannyboy 1 576183 I know what you're thinking...it's not quite in any of the World Cup hot spots, but The Brasserie (formerly Al Frisco's) is THE place to be. They not only have flat screens inside the gorgeous bar/resaurant, but they also have installed permanent small screen TVs on the patio!! Can't get any better! Sat Jun 10 20:19:44 -0700 2006 575944 0 Tee