Need recs for UofT area

[nader]

Hi all,

We're staying in the downtown (I think!) area for a conference at UofT in mid May. We need ideas for restos in the area, and in the fun parts of town for drinks afterwards. Our group is between 4-8 people at a time, and we'll need ideas for nice (ie: $30-40 per person total) dinners and cheap (ie: less than $10 total) for breakfast and lunch. The conference is held at 89 Chestnut St., near Toronto General Hospital and Osgoode Hall. Thanks for the help!

Nader

[chloe103]

Chinatown! It is cheap, fun, and a 10 minute walk (a bit west of you, at Dundas and Spadina). There are lots of threads about the best spots, but some of the more frequently mentioned ones: Swatow, Pho Hung, Rol San and Lee Garden.

Baldwin Street (walk west on Dundas 4 blocks to McCaul, and north on McCaul two blocks - 10 minutes max) is a bit out-of-the-way, and has several decent places. Mata Hari is nicer, and Malysian, and might make a nice dinner destination.

[orangewasabi]

okay, so Dundas & University is your major intersection . . . for dinners by foot
going east to Victoria St, South of Queen is Terroni for thin crust pizza and pastas
going south/west to Queen Mother on block west of University on Queen
going south on University to Richmond St, turning east, Amadeus for beer & schnitzel

if you've never been to Toronto before, splurge for drinks one night at Canoe (50something floor of the TDTower at King & Bay).

and honestly, the food at 360 in the CN Tower is pretty okay, and the view is fun.

[chephy]

Just be aware that Canoe and the 360 will end up costing way beyond the $30-40/per person price range. But dinner in 360 includes complimentary elevation (something like 20 bucks on its own), and if you do want to visit the tower, I'd say this does become a pretty good deal then.

[orangewasabi]

more than $30 for drinks at Canoe? I thought martinis and such were around $12 there?

[chephy]

No, the drinks should be okay, but I understood that $30-40/person limit is for the whole dinner, not just for drinks.

[jcanncuk]

Just up Yonge street a couple of blocks N of College is an Ethiopian resto called Ethiopian House that is cheap & yummy. Not fancy, but cozy. For a fancy (& delicious) lunch, I would head north to JK at the Gardiner - just across from the ROM in the Gardiner Ceramic museum. It's Canadian cuisine (as in everything from French-influenced to Sri Lankan hoppers!) matched with Canadian wines. For really cheap lunches with a reasonable selection, check out the food court at College Park - the supermarket there has a huge selection of "stations" with various fresh and reasonably priced choices.

[chephy]

So are you looking at restos near U of T or near Osgoode hall? They are, admittedly, not very far from each other, but I wouldn't call 89 Chestnut St a "U of T area". Not being nasty here - I know you're out of town - just clarifying. :-)

[ctl98]

Japango is right in that area (southwest corner of elizabeth and dundas). The omakase is more than $30-40 but if you ordered from the menu it would be ok. For lunch, new treasures (northwest corner of elizabeth and dundas) serves decent dimsum at very reasonable prices. There's a tim hortons for a quick breakfast on university ave and dundas (north of TD canada trust). There are a number of reasonable chinese restos on that side of dundas. There's one that we order frm but the name escapes me right now.

[wanderer]

I hear Osgoode Hall has a really good lunch on site. Read a few articles about it. Anyone else heard of it?

[EPIcureanTO]

Oh yes- been many times & quite enjoy all of it- the setting- (in the library!) & service & food are wonderful. Get there early or make reservations- just in case!

[EPIcureanTO]

^^In regard to loc, Chephy is right-Nader-if you can change your subject heading you may get more replies..