The "What's good in Peel" thread.. (BRAMPTON/MISSISSAUGA Only please) :^)

[duckdown]

Hi folks :^)

I guess the point of this thread is to discuss/reccomend/state your opinion on what you would consider some of the best places in Brampton or Mississauga.. My only rule is NO INDIAN food please!! ( Things like Shawarma are definitely encouraged (being mediterranian) but I absolutely am not interested at all in Indian food or restaurants for now :) )

So, I suppose I will kick things off with PETERS ON EGLINTON

A greek-owned restaurant specializing in sliced-in-front-of-you-made-to-order deli sandwiches, and souvlaki...

At first glance, the items on the menu are indeed pricey.. But this place has made its name by giving portions fit for an absolute king, and served with consistency (In My Opinion, of course).. Grab a "Super" Pastrami Sandwich (fries/pickles/coleslaw all included) and the size will blow you away.. I'm going to come right out and admit _I HAVE NEVER HAD SCHWARTZES SMOKED MEAT_ but I gotta tell ya, I enjoy this more than any of the other smoked-meat restaurants I've visited in the GTA lately... Katz's deli is no competition, at least judging by the time I've eaten there... I've also never tried Center St. Deli but I have heard on many occasions over dinnertime food chat that the place is lackluster at best lately :)

Sorry for the ranting, just wondering what other places (preferably take-out) are worth checking out in peel... I've got PLENTY more to reccomend but I don't wanna do them all in one post.. Hopefully this thread will survive for a while :)

- Your fellow foodie in Peel!!

[burlgurl]

I love Saucy in Streetsville..everything I've had is so good!
Pomodoro in Brampton for pizza slices...
Molinaro Bakery on Creditview in Mississauga for pizza slices...
Lousianna Seafood Bar and Grill @ Steeles/Hurontario has great food..
Via Allegro on the Queensway is delicious but pricey..
Also in Mississauga on Dundas/Erin Mills is Apricot Tree Cafe for a nice lunch/desserts and Rosewood Bistro or Rogues for a nicer meal

[duckdown]

Never heard of Saucy, will have to try it :)

Pomodoro is pretty good but because I live right in that area I've gotten sick of it I suppose.. Their pizza definitely is pretty spectacular..

Lousiana Seafood, we're friends with the owner (Steve) and while people seem to love, I'm not a seafood person at all :)

I'll check out those other places as well :-) Thanks for the reccomendations!

[Food Tourist]

I know you're on this thread already but others may not have seen it:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/321581

[Zengarden]

Any recommendations for spots near the Brampton Courthouse?

[burlgurl]

Turtle Jacks across the street has great food

[RogueEats]

Well there's Astoria for Greek Food (it's similar to the Astoria on Danforth Rd) across from the Starsky supermarket on Dundas St (few blocks before the 427). It's where the George's Big and Tall is located. There's Rio Grande Cantina next to Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club on Dixie Rd.
Applebee's on Mavis (at Heartland) is decent quick food.
Lemongrass at Square One (southwest entrance by the Bay) has good Thai food.
Mariko (on Ridgeway Dr. and Laird Rd.) has decent AYCE Sushi.
Big Bowl on Glen Erin Dr and Liruma Rd as well as Viet-Thai Restaurant on Eglinton and Credit Valley Rd both have good Vietnamese food.
If you're looking for a variety of beers West-50 on Burnhamthorpe Rd and Hurontario St has plenty of choices at pretty decent prices.
Coopers (west of Burnhamthorpe and Mavis), the Harp (Lakeshore Rd, east of Mississauga Rd), and Failte (Duke of York Blvd across from the Mississauga Central Library and City Hall) both have good pub food.
Tremendous (open late) on Wolfedale Rd and Emerald (Eglinton and Hurontario) both have good Chinese Food though some have rated them so-so.

How's that for starters?

[duckdown]

Awesome man.. Most if not all of those are pretty new to me (Aside from Tremendous, shudder) Thanks for the great suggestions.. I absolutely LOVE greek food so I'm definitely gonna try to make it to that Astoria.. It's very far from me though..

The Applebees on Mavis I had a friend who worked there, he says he was absolutely blown away by the amount of food they microwave there... Like its shocking, and he's worked at alot of those typical places like Kelseys, or Milestones, etc..

Tremendous is pretty much a dump, with multiple failed health inspections, but it does serve its purpose when you're drunk in the middle of the night looking for some fried rice & chicken balls :)

Great post man, thanks alot

[Kagemusha]

So like you're down with the health insprectors? Funny but Tremendous seemed to have its docs in order recently--and the food wasn't bad, either...How can anyone feign surprise at nuked food served by pits like Kelsey's? Dumps? Louisiana qualifies but then the wall-to-wall drunks do give it that NOLA ambiance without decent food.

[RogueEats]

Round 2:

Pickle Barrel and Spring Rolls at Erin Mills Town Centre. If you're craving a smoked meat sandwich, PB gives you a plate big enough to feed 3 people and their milkshakes come in a huge beer stein that guarantees to give you a sugar rush for the next few hours. Spring Rolls has really good Thai Fusion food though watch out for the dried chilis as they tend to be hidden in the dish.

Smitty's on Dundas St W (on the left side if you're going west towards Oakville) has fantastic skillets for breakfast. I've never tried them for dinner as yet but I hear they're quite good too.

Skyway Jack's on Mississauga Rd I hear has a fantastic brunch menu.
Jimbay's (on Dixie Rd, left side if you're going north from Eglinton) has FANTASTIC sushi. It's one of the handful of Japanese restaurants run by actual Japanese. I do recommend staying away from the tatami mats if you have difficulty bending or getting into tight spaces.

I know you prefer to stay away from Indian food but if someone does ask you for a recommendation, you can give them Saravanaa Bhavan (sp?) on Hurontario and Eglinton. It's to the left of the Toys'R'Us store. Last time I tried to go there there was a wait to get tables. It's also been featured on TV. Their chefs are all "imported" from various parts of India apparently.

If you want Greek and don't really want to travel that far, you might want to try Colossus at 280 Lakeshore Rd E. Give them at least 24 hours if you want them to roast a whole leg of lamb for you (for a minimum of a 4 top).

Mario's on Dundas St just about a block or two east of Hurontario has some fantastic Portuguese food. It's next to a used car dealership and a strip mall so you have to keep your eyes open as the place looks like a barn from the outside. They also do takeout but personally I'd just go to Brassas (on the northwest corner of Glen Erin Dr and Burnhamthorpe Rd W, you can't miss this one as that corner is the only strip mall at that intersection) if I want take-away Portuguese. The roasted potato balls and garlic hot sauce makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

For Fusion Asian there's Axia on Plantation Place and Eglinton Ave (2 blocks east of Winston Churchill Blvd) but I hear the service is all over the place. Personally I found their Pad Thai a bit too sweet for my liking.

If you're just looking to relax there's the Second Cup on Hurontario that's open pretty late but my personal choice is the Starbucks on Dundas St W and Ridgeway Dr. It's the only Starbucks that I've found in Mississauga to be open until midnight.

[duckdown]

Awesome man, simply awesome

Once again thanks for the amazing post, I've tried Mario's before but I love pretty much any churrasqueria-style chicken (who doesnt!) so I think I'm gonna make the trek over to Brassas right NOW! :)

I absolutely love greek food, mainly souvlaki, so I can't wait to give Astoria and Colossus a shot.. And my Dad really loves lamb so that sounds right up his alley as well :)

Axia I've tried before, back when it was located inside of a mall.. Wasn't too crazy about it then, and I've seen people on another Canadian forum say it wasn't too great so I might skip that one..

I've also heard good things about SkyWay Jack's but have never gotten a chance to try it.. Being the foodie of the house I usually just go for take-out rather than getting the chance to dine in, but I absolutely LOVE a good breakfast (Who doesnt!)

I've eaten at a Pickle Barrel downtown before.. It was pretty good but I could have sworn the one thing I remembered about it is that the portions were not very large at all... Could have just been the item I ordered off the menu though.. I didn't know we had one in Mississauga :)

Thanks again man, I look forward to trying all of this out :)

Cheers

[Kagemusha]

Are you asking or telling us about where to eat? The "no Indian" advisory worries me about your scope if you live in Mississauga/Brampton. Peter's is sorta OK+ with loads of food the HDL-glutted clientele obviously adores.

[duckdown]

I am just asking what places you enjoy in the Peel region area.. I really just do not like Indian food and I mean, considering where I live, I could try local options for days if I ever wanted to

[skylineR33]

Lemongrass at Square one - their curry crab is great ! (~34 per crab)
Kumai sushi - best sushi in Mississauga
Sam Woo Chinese - good standard chinese food in Mississauga

[duckdown]

Another good place is Nick's Famous Pita in Mississauga.. Great shawarmas & various kebabs, everything is cooked to order, and they've got the most delicious pita croutons.. I'll usually get the shawarma dinner, which comes with a good portion of meat, rice, potatoes or fries, a pita, hummous, and a caesar salad :)

I'm hungry just thinking about it :)

[Meeshell]

Tony & Jim's - great hidden gem. Its a little Italian shop - gotta try their veal sandwich and wings!!! Its in a little plaza at the corner of Flowertown and McLaughlin Rd (Brampton).

Or for another great veal sandwich, go to California Sandwiches at Dixie and Brittania. But just to warn you, it gets pretty busy at lunch during the week days.

I second the Big Wing Sandwich at Turtlejacks (Hurontario & Ray Lawson)! I get it almost every time.

Rapini's (184 Main St near the Brampton Mall) is a good pasta place. Mind you, its a fancier restaurant.

By far, one of the best thai in the west end is Thai Terrace (3085 Hurontario St.). Its family-owned and very authentic which has hard to find when it comes to thai in the GTA! Small, cozy restaurant.

Pita Nutsy (Fisherman Drive & Main St., Brampton) has good Mediterranean food. Their shawarma is good.

Quickies Fast Food (Rambler Dr & Kennedy, Brampton) – their newfy poutines are so good. Then again, I’m a big poutine person.

For Vietnamese, I go to the restaurant right beside Kingsley’s (Kennedy Rd. & Clarence, i believe). Try the jackfruit shake, its my absolute favourite (but you can pretty much get this in any Vietnamese restaurant).

For AYCE Japanese, Maki Maki is pretty good (Burnhamthorpe).

Or for quick take-out Chinese, I’d stop by Noodle Wok on Burnhamthorpe. Its easy to miss because the parking and main entrance is at the back of the building. Its right between the Shoppers Drug Mart plaza and the plaza with the tire store.

[duckdown]

Hey!

I was just thinking about this thread today actually

Funny you should mention Tony & Jims -- I live right in that neighbourhood and drink at the pub beside it all the time :) It is quite good but I've been going there ever since I was a kid so I guess its novelty has worn off.. My good buddy Jay (The tall bald guy) is still working there

California Sandwiches is good too , yeah , don't bother with La-Zeez across the street.. Pretty bad shawarma

Rapini's is pretty decent but since I'm more of a take-out person (I'm usually going out for food by myself) I don't eat there often

Never tried Thai Terrace... Never eaten alot of Thai food at all to be honest. Do they do take out?

Pita Nutsy @ Fisherman & Main is pretty good, we've discussed this place on another Canadian forum, but I'm not crazy about all the dark meat they use in the sandwich, and also they seem to cut their chicken in chunks that are too big. I like mine finely shaved , and if possible, white meat.. It is decent though. Best in my immediate area for sure.

Quickies.. oh man, they actually *DELIVER* until _4AM_, we've been ordering food from them ever since I was in high school drinking beers all night.. Good greasy food, but not something I usually plan on eating unless I'm half in the bag

Never tried the Vietnamese or the Japanese places you mention; I'd probably feel a little odd going to eat there on my own

What is good at Noodle Wok that you reccomend?

--

Now for my new additions..

Falafel Garden, at Kennedy & Clarence also has some good shawarma/falafels. GREAT tangy home-made coleslaw topping for the shawarma sandwiches.. Only catch with this place is that it pays to go during the busy hours.. I've gone at the end of the night and the chicken has already been shaved off the spit and sitting in a bowl. Still very good though

Osmow's Grill in Streetsville -- my most frequently visited new place to eat.. I had eaten there a long time ago and just remembered it being "typical" but have since been eating there almost a couple times a week lately.. Awesome shawarma, souvlaki, and shish-taouk wraps. Extremely busy spot so be prepared to wait.

Montfort's at Hurontario & Bristol road.. Not sure if I mentioned this in this thread yet but great sandwiches here too.. I like the Montfort chicken sandwiches; its a grilled chicken with pineapple wrapped in a pita with garlic sauce

There is also a new Portuguese churrasqueira grilled chicken place that is half chicken joint but half bakery as well. It is just north of Queen when driving up Main street at 4 corners downtown Brampton.. I forget the name of this place though

Let me think of some more places, and hopefully others list some more of their favorites.. I'm getting tired of the same old places! :)

Cheers

[Meeshell]

At Noodle Wok, you can't go wrong with the Beef Brisket or Chicken with Blackbean sauce (ask for the hot chili sauce on the side for the Chicken dish)! Their new spicy chicken or spicy squid dishes are pretty good too.

For noodles, you can go with the beef black bean ho-fun or cantonese chow mein.

[lilaki]

i stumbled up on a 'new' location of montfort at dixie/eglinton

www.goldbook.ca/mississauga/Restaurants/16990_Montfort-Grill-House.html

not sure why it's not listed on the main site (www.montfortrestaurant.ca/) but it's the same menu.

hubby and i used to go regularly to the dundas/hurontario location but fortunately, this location is much closer for us.

we went over the weekend for a quick dinner and were happy with our meal. hubby had the chicken shawarma dinner and i had the kafta dinner. we were both pleased and REEKING of the awesome garlic sauce by the time we left (we could both drink that stuff).

i hope to go back more often and support the restaurant. there were three other people in the restaurant when we went. i hope it does well.

[South Carolina Girl]

I tried Nick's for the first time today. My first and only other shawarma has been Pita Nutsy in Streetsville which I really liked, but Nick's is so much better! I had chicken pita with all the fixin's except onions and peppers. The pickle and beets in the sandwich really made it crunchy and deliciously tangy. I opted for the greek salad side which was also fresh and good. I kept my eye on the other diners as I wanted to get a peek at their onion rings, but I didn't see any. Maybe I'll try them next time since I am sure to go back. Thanks for the lead duckdown.

[Stewart]

Hey ...
Lotsa restos in Mississauga ... avoid the franchises and try the following:
Switzer's on Torbram in Brampton; authentic smoked meat deli sandwiches.
Mangia Mangia Italian on Chrysler Drive in Brampton; homemade, honest Italian
Ming Room on Queen St in Streetsville; great hakka chinese.
Calabash on Erin Mills Pkwy & QEW; great Trinidadian.
Portland Jerk at Torbam and Queen; really good Jamacian
Greek take out (can't remember the name) on Lakeshore @ Clarkson road.
Osmows in Streetsville & Brampton; for falafel.
Eastern Passage in Brampton for authentic newfie cod & chips.
The Rubicon in Clarkson for great ribs & wings
Jessie's Burgers on Matheson @ Kennedy for outrageous souvlaki plate
These are my trusted hang-outs ... give 'em a try and let me know what you think.
Enjoy

[Kagemusha]

Try Paramount Foods--a true gem in Mississauga. Lebanese bakery/resto with killer sweets, savories, breads. Located on Crestlawn, just south of Eglinton, west of Dixie across from the Gateway postal facility.

[duckdown]

Nice -- I live in Brampton for my whole life and never heard of Switzer's.. I'm gonna head there today if I can find it :)

I absolutely LOVE souvlaki so I'm also gonna have to check out this "Jessie's Burgers"

Not a big fan of jamaican/trinidadian food (I cant take the heat, im a wuss) but I will *definitely* check out those 2

I love italian food also so maybe this Mangia Mangia, if they do take-out

And yeah, Paramount has an amazing bakery there, their pita's and baklavas are incredible.. However, this being said, their shawarma is pretty bad. Very bland from the time I ate there...although I didnt get it in a sandwich, I got the plate with rice and chicken on top

Cheers!

[duckdown]

Not finding anything for "switzer's" in Brampton, or on Torbram at all.. Since you didn't give an intersection I wont risk driving over and not being able to find it

Are you sure thats how its spelt? Do you know what intersection this is at?

Thanks

Edit: So I went to Jessies today and the damn place was closed! What kind of place is closed on a Saturday at 5PM (Dinner time?!)

[Food Tourist]

On the thread linked above, Stewart mentioned that Switzers is at Torbram and Kimbel.

[JamieK]

click on the place link for a map...

[ziggystardust]

Marconi Pizza at Cawthra/Burnamthorpe in Mississauga is the best old school (read no goat cheese, duck breast or Asian themes) pizza in the city IMHO

[Titi12345]

Switzer's is the best for Pastrami sandwiches and pickles...yum

[garfield]

Anyone been to Tandoori Flame on Dixie and Steeles?
I have heard good things but never been.

[vorpal]

Anyone here tried the Japanese restaurant, Momoe, on the east side of Hurontario just a bit north of Dundas? I used to go there back in the day and thought they had very nice sushi and fantastic tonkatsu for reasonable prices. Good service and elegant dining room, too.

[duckdown]

We now have a Panago right at the Brampton/Mississauga border, it's at Financial & Derry

We've gotten pizza there a couple times now, always good. BBQ Chicken, tropical chicken, new york deli have all been good!

[ciaociao1]

If you like you might want to try my two favourite spots.
Hands down favourite in Mississauga is Solstice (Lakeshore near Southdown Rd)
and second if I want good Italian food with not the best atmosphere is La Sem (on Eglinton near Dixie)
Both do take out.

[duckdown]

Sweet, thanks for the reccomendations.

Lakeshore & Southdown is really far from where I am in North Brampton, so I don't know if I'll get there any time soon.

But I've passed La Sem a number of times and always wondered what kind of place it is. If they do take-out, I'll try it this week for sure

Thanks for the tip!

I'll report back

[jennjen18]

WE just went to La Sem for lunch. It's an Italian cake place with a restaurant attached.. like a deli + diner. Their pastas were HUGE! And they also have daily specials, at $12.95 or so, and if you had $2, you could add on a dessert as well, otherwise it'd be $6 or something like that. I had the spaghetti arrabiatta ... very good... very biggg!!!

[eller]

Do you know if Panago serves to walk-in customers only, or if they deliver?

[duckdown]

Yep, they deliver :) Every time I'm there, theres a driver leaving to make a delivery

Cheers!

[Food Tourist]

Two to try:
Nine18 (Turnberry Golf Course) beside Lowe's on Bovaird near 410. Great sweet potato fries, cheap drinks, some misses. I would definitely return and will do a proper review next time.
Hinote Sushi at Bristol and Mavis in Mississauga. My colleague swears by the quality and says it's the best of 15 places he's tried (but he hasn't tried Kumai). Will try and report back.

[sasgirl]

Did takeout from Hinote Sushi recently and was impressed by the 2 rolls I ordered - Dynamite and Salmon Maki. Both were huge and the salmon maki were much bigger than the usual salmon maki you get from other restaurants.

[Food Tourist]

Hinote is owned and run by Japanese - Mia and her chef husband, who have just opened a second restaurant on Hespeler Road in Cambridge called Sakaye Sushi. Unfortunately, they have, in general, dumbed down the sushi at Hinote (she warned me about frozen scallops and much later, recommended two types of rolls for next visit). Sashimi appetizer (large, 12 pieces $14.95) came with 14 pieces (6 salmon, 3 tuna, 2 crabstick, and 3 what I presume was "white tuna"). I didn't order the 20+ piece sashimi dinner because it only contained salmon, tuna, white tuna, and one more standard! On the bright side, they serve homemade soy sauce, tasty miso soup, and strong cinnamon tea to close the meal. Seared tuna (4 pieces of sashimi for $16.95) is a signature dish -- slightly seared and topped with spicy mayo and jalapeno slice, and served with a side dish of marinade "dip" with "secret ingredients". Pretty good, but not sure the high price is justified for tuna -- and my mouth was on fire for a long while! Hamachi was substandard and definitely not recommended at $9.95 a la carte. Toro at $15.95 was decent but also overpriced for 3 slices. Yummy avocado salad ($4.95) topped with pea shoots had a tasty intense dressing.

Overall, I'd say you have to spend way too much money to get moderate quality out of Hinote. Even at expensive places like Ki and Take, I'd only spend $50 before tax for a filling sushi and/or sashimi a la carte meal. Lunch at Hinote cost $63 before tax. Granted I ordered solely from the dinner menu, but every lunch set contained california rolls or the like. Hinote does not offer omakase.

Kumai was disappointing on my last lunch visit a few months ago, but had been consistent (and affordable) the previous several visits.

[Kagemusha]

I lived around the corner from Hinote, tried it several times and gave up looking for truth or beauty. The fish was usually iffy and often previously frozen--what else explains that typical AYCE-style mushiness. Sounds like their prices have inexplicably risen with no linkage to quality. Surprised they're still afloat since your experience mirrors mine up to last year. That's getting close to Kaji's entry-level dinner pricing, too.

[Food Tourist]

It was depressing to realize I could have had a fantastic seafood meal elsewhere for the price.

[Food Tourist]

While my tastebuds were still able to remember, I went for lunch at Kumai. Sashimi lunch set for $19.50 contains 11 pieces only...3 salmon, 3 tuna, 3 mackerel, and 2 octopus. Sashimi quality was much better than my previous visit to Kumai. I added 2 pcs of sweet, delicious uni sushi for only $8.50 more. So, for $28 I enjoyed 13 pcs plus soup and salad. I was tempted to get more of the server-recommended fish (special tuna, for example) but had already depleted my food budget at Hinote. There is a lunch omakase offered for $35. The daily specials included a heavenly-smelling breaded pork (tonkatsu) lunch set, polished off by the Japanese gentlemen seated near us. So, yes, Kumai is still the best around and prices are much better than Hinote in terms of value for money.

[Kagemusha]

I don't support Kumai as much as I'd like--they're nice people who care about you and the food. Many slam them for their inability to handle a crowd but some things can't be rushed. McD lunch patrons who stumble into the place seem pissed by the fundamentally different gestalt that doesn't spew schlock in a hurry. Glad you liked it. They're in a different league than Hinote.

[Food Tourist]

I had a subpar lunch at Kumai today. Sigh. The uni was east coast and not west coast. The omakase (17 pcs for $35) was chock-full of pale tuna (6 rolls and 2 nigiri), boring shrimp, disappointing scallop, 2 pcs egg, the offending uni, etc. One pc of king salmon was best part - everything else looked dry. Seared king salmon appetizer was decent but I probably wouldn't order it again.

Overall, an off day at Kumai. So sad.

[Kagemusha]

Had a similar saddening experience recently and wonder whether they're as committed as they once were.After many good noshes there, I'm wondering if it's worth going back to Kumai. Know they're dependent on what's available but the fish quality just wasn't there.I'm starting to explore Korean food around the west end after burn-out on subpar Japanese restos.

[Food Tourist]

I heard there is a good Korean bbq next door to the Chinatown gate near 888 Dundas East...anyone know the name or location?

[Food Tourist]

The nine18 nicoise salad (tuna, artichokes, beans, etc.) is phenomenal. So delicious! Burger is also good, but not their nine18 fries. Stick to sweet potato fries.

[Food Tourist]

Nine18 menu went downhill around August 2010...they took off anything remotely interesting and only have boring ol' standards left on the menu. So disappointing! Nicoise is long gone.

[VP of Feeling Groovy]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a mid-week dinner spot closer to the northwest corner of Mississauga for 4 friends to have some good food. We'd like to linger and chat over a nice meal, we all like all kinds of foods and have all lived overseas and travelled extensively and aren't afraid of ethnic or new tastes.

Preferably not a chain, definitely not a roadhouse, mid-priced, high quality.

Recommendations? Most of the ideas on this thread so far seem either too fast and casual for our dinner or pretty far south (Lakeshore). We can drive anywhere but are starting from the 401 and Mississauga Rd. area.

Thanks in advance!

[duckdown]

El Sombrero at Hurontario & 401, if you'd like to try Mexican

reccomendations: chicken burrito (wet or dry), homemade nacho chips, guacamole, tacquito's, and those chocolate-covered powdered sugar things for dessert

definitely do not dress up

edit: oh nevermind, you're not looking for too casual..

How about La Cappanina in downtown Brampton? that's one I don't talk about too often. If you like Italian food.. nice in house spicy olive oil at the tables too, dip your bread in it.. it is a nice place and definitely not too fast and casual

[VP of Feeling Groovy]

Thanks for the suggestions!

We ended up at Lion City for Malaysian and it was very tasty. Had the popiah for the first time and it was yummy. KL Laksa Mee, roti canai, sambal gai lan, beef and eggplant curry, gado gado - all good. We probably ordered too many similar tasting dishes, next time will try to have more variety.

[Food Tourist]

VP, can you describe the atmosphere and service? I've only seen this review otherwise: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/100258
I like Restoran Malaysia in Richmond Hill but not crazy about Matahari downtown...so it would be nice to find something in Peel region.

[VP of Feeling Groovy]

Now I'm feeling like I should post this on the other thread, to defend Lion City. :-) My experience was quite different than the other one. It's actually the 3rd time our group of 4 has been there though it had been a couple years since the last time.

My experiences at Lion City, including this week, were good. It is a small, family owned place and the decor is old school "ethnic" restaurant. Clean but plain, bright lights, basic tables and chairs. Not fancy and not elegant. More cheap and cheerful but the food is good and one of the only Malaysian places I know of around with a range of authentic dishes.

The service was fine, not great but not bad. It has service typical of Vietnamese restaurants - each table gets a piece of paper and pen so you write down your order. We ordered 1 or 2 things that we didn't see on the menu, knowing they must have roti canai as it is a Malaysian classic. One of the vegetable dishes requested was not available as the veg is out of season. Someone came out to discuss this and suggested an alternate. We lingered to chat and they didn't rush us. The service could have been more attentive but wasn't bad.

What I care most about is the food and it was good. The veg were fresh and nicely cooked. In the gado gado, the veg were blanched and a bit crunchy - just right as it is more of a salad. The gado gado sauce was very tasty. The sambal gai lan was also nicely cooked. The flavour isn't my favorite - too much fish sauce for my liking. But it is a favorite of one of my friends, who lived in Malaysia, and she liked it a lot. The KL Laksa Mee was very good. The popiah were interesting with a nice mix of flavours and textures inside the wrapper. I really enjoyed the beef and eggplant curry and the roti canai.

I don't want to build it up too much. It is just a nice little restaurant with fresh and tasty food. I'll go back.

[Food Tourist]

Thanks for the detailed tip. I will check it out! Sounds delightful.

[Food Tourist]

Had dinner at Lion City today. Owner/chef Lilian originally from Singapore was serving along with 2 others even though only 4 tables of customers. Gado Gado ($7) consisted of boiled potatoes, cabbage, green beans, tofu, beansprouts, cucumber, prawn crackers and spicy peanut sauce (which was the best part of this deconstructed salad). Nasi lemak ($8) was interesting, with coconut rice topped with sambal and omelette, and sided by otak wrapped in a leaf, and kambong grilled fish (can also ask for ikan bilis tiny crispy fish instead). Rendang ($10) was flavourful. There is a separate thai menu section, too. Overall, the food is pretty decent. Lilian proclaims to all that she makes her own spice mixtures and sauces from scratch the old-fashioned way. Atmosphere is bare-bones Viet style - a little cold.

Lion City is sandwiched between two interesting-looking eateries -- Arirang Korean BBQ and Chiuchow Man Chinese. Anyone tried their food?

I still prefer Restoran Malaysia in RH, but would have to give both another chance for an honest comparison.

[skylineR33]

Tried both Arirang and Chiu Chow Man (their name is pronounced as Chiu Chow Lo in Chinese). Korean BBQ at Arirang is nice, I have actually post about it in more than one thread a while ago on this board. Chiu Chow Man is mediocre, they provide Chiu Chow food, which is one kind of Cantonese cuisine. Although their chiu chow food is not good, this kind of cuisine is hard to find in Toronto. Just another typical cheap Chinese food eatery in Toronto area.

[Food Tourist]

Last month, I had a memorable nasi lemak lunch at Matahari on Baldwin downtown Toronto which blew Lion City's away.

[Queen Bee Events]

I love El Sombrero this is the real Mexican deal, with almost everything made on site.

La Cappanina had it;s day in Brampton 15 years ago, too slow and needs a make over badly.

[jennjen18]

Hey Guys, there's a new Wasabi at the Courtney Park and Hurontario complex by Denny's. Anyone try that yet?

[Kagemusha]

Isn't that the same joint with a place in Richmond Hill? Guess I'm long-done with AYCE and can't stomach the atmosphere, gluttony, and poor value. Wasabi seems no different aside from a higher price and more apparent selection. Maybe this location's better.

[duckdown]

Nah, lots of talk about it on another forum.. Not good at all supposedly

[Super Foodie]

First post on this site, had to join just to say I would NOT recommend Wasabi! Went there for lunch yesterday and we thought the decor was nice but that was about it. The sushi selection was sadly lacking. There were three different types of sushi - salmon, crab stick, and shrimp, and three different types of rolls on the buffet. The rolls and the hand rolls, which they make for you by order, were filled with cucumber and in some cases lettuce, too. The California hand roll was okay but the spicy salmon one was disgusting. I thought it looked strange and, upon further examination, I realized that they had taken raw salmon and chopped it up with rice and whatever spicy sauce they use to make it look like you are getting more salmon than you actually are. And it tasted fishy not in a good way. As for the hot foods, there is a wide selection ranging from penne with meat sauce to breaded shrimp to pork shui mai but I have to say there wasn't one single hot item I enjoyed. Sadly the dessert was also disappointing. Aside from a few crappy pastries what they have is a selection of cakes that are all essentially thin layers of dry vanilla cake with what tasted like edible oil product whipped cream flavoured different ways to make mango cake, green tea cake, etc.. As if that isn't enough my friend and I both found that the soy sauce didn't even taste right. It was very strong, not salty, just oddly strong, and it had a fake gingery flavour to it. Overall a bad, bad meal so I will definitely not be going back and do not recommend!

[Alacrity59]

My wife and I really enjoy the Golden Palace at Torbram and Northpark. They have a fairly small establishment with a Chinese food buffet. Being a small place they can't have as many dishes out on their buffet as the huge multi room places. This being said what they do have is very well executed. Great place for take out as well.

[South Carolina Girl]

I know you`ve been here already duckdown, but I`ll add it for the other hounds participating in this post. It`s The Blue Sage at Tomken and Eglinton. Love the pulled pork sandwich. I'll second Saucy in Streetsville, though it can be a bit noisy. There is a thai place we like in Streetsville too; not the one close to Saucy (though it's good) but closer to Main and Queen, possibly on Mill Street. They are very small family run with maybe 6 tables and do offer take out. We love their pad thai. We also like Grano`s on Enfield Place south of Square One. Also small and family run serving good Italian food at reasonable prices. And lastly, we enjoy the Happy Jade at Dixie and Dundas.

Duckdown, thought I read somewhere that you are the only real foodie in your house, hence the leanings toward take out places. Ever thought of promoting a chow gathering at one of these restos? I'm definitely interested in trying new places since I am new to Mississauga and Canada, but my SO is often not available due to FT job plus an accelerated school program. I bet there are a few others participating in this discussion who would participate as well. Just a thought...

[The Chowhound Team]

Anyone is welcome to plan meetups, though we ask the planning be done off board. Here is the etiquette for using Chowhound to do so:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/367605#2975390

There is an existing google group for planning meetups in the Toronto area, though you are not limited to using that group and are welcome to create a group of your own:

http://groups.google.com/group/chowho...

[duckdown]

hehe yeah I am the only foodie really in the house, and you're right, thats exactly why I usually just go for take-out. And thats a cool idea for sure re: the meetup, but there seems to be very few of us in the Mississauga/Brampton area.. most people on this board seem to be downtown or even further east into Scarborough

sounds like fun though!

And yep, I like Blue Sage, I just think it needs more smoke :)

cheers!

[adkatz]

Funny you should mention that Blue Sage should need more smoke -- this is probably not an accident, evidently Canadians (at least Ontarians) don't much care for the flavor of smoke (I was told this by the proprietor of a BBQ restaurant in the GTA).

I will give Blue Sage props for at least offering an Alabama-style white sauce. Too few BBQ places here stray far away from the standard ketchup-based sauce, so it's nice to find one that's willing to offer something different.

[duckdown]

I do think you're right -- it seems to be the consensus from every BBQ establishment when I ask about why it isn't very smokey.. The answer seems to unanimously come back that Canadians don't have the pallette for smoke :/

[mogo]

I had the pulled pork there and thought it was pretty good: plenty smoky, quite sweet.

[burlgurl]

I was looking to grab lunch today and went into a little place in the Bovaird/Hurontario area called Italian Garden.
It seems like mostly a take out place, but their hot food table looked soo good! I got the lasagna and thought it was delicious! I was starving, but regardless I'll be back for more if craving pasta.
It's at the north/east corner of Bovaird/Hurontario, just north of the Rexall Drugstore..

[duckdown]

Seen this place for years, never really knew of anyone who's been or seen anyone who goes there.. Always wondered how they stayed open, if they had any business

Can you remember anything else they have in the store? I live like 5-10 mins away from there, I go by it all the time

Thanks for the tip!

[Food Tourist]

I work near Italian Garden and have eaten there several times. It's mediocre Italian food. Worst veal sandwich compared to the famous Toronto options (e.g. California, Mustachio, etc.) I find Italian Garden overpriced for what you get -- average food. And it bugs me that it's always tepid. Their steam table just doesn't keep everything hot enough.

Let's put it this way - I buy takeout in that 'hood at least twice a week and Italian Garden is almost never the choice. I'd rather go to Shawarma and Grill, Tropical Flavor Cookhouse, or even Fortino's for their fresh sandwiches.

[czthemmnt]

I moved to Mississauge a few months ago, and I've been able to try some places recommended on this board and, just on my own, driving and exploring.

I went to Peter's on Eglinton (1035 Eglinton Avenue East) for take-out. I ordered the chicken souvlaki (although on the menu it is not referred to as souvlaki but chicken en brochette), no potatoes or rice, just salad with it. I was impressed with the large portions (the salad was great, lots of feta, greens, olives, etc) but I did find that even for myself, a big eater, it was too much chicken. After a while, I think my tastebuds were just overwhelmed and I set aside half of the chicken for the following day.

The next time I would definitely try any of their smoked meats. As I waited for my order, it seemed that guest after guest ordered a smoked meat sandwich, and the meat looked absolutely delicious as I watched the server put together the sandwiches. Lean and very moist, and lots of it.

I would return to this place for sure.

I also tried Banh Mi Ba Le (1125 Dundas Street East) for a banh mi sandwich. I had such a craving last week you couldn't imagine. I purchased the standard "assorted" sandwich (with three types of pate) and the grilled pork sandwich. They were $2.00 each. The assorted banh mi was okay, but I truly enjoyed the grilled pork. It had a kick to it. The downside (and I don't know if I have a right to whine given that it was only $2.00) is that this place is very stingy with their meat and the pickled vegetables. I had to pay 0.50 extra to fill the bun so it looked like what I am used to in Toronto. In fact, the woman before me, ordering several sandwiches to go, also ordered extra toppings and she made a comment that she couldn't believe the server was actually counting how many pickled vegetables (carrots, cilantro, cucumber, daikon, etc) she was putting in the sandwiches.

So this good Italian girl went to Molinaro's Bakery (4040 Creditview Road) in search of a veal sandwich. I found decent bread and bun, a small, sad collection of deli meats (that looked old and past their due date), and anothe small, sad collection of desserts (that also looked stale). My veal sandwich was heavy on sauce, not so much on veal. It was okay. I prefer California Sandwiches (Winston Churchill and Dundas) to this. I didn't bother trying the pizza. What I saw didn't appeal to me, it was the left over remnants from the day and didn't look too appetizing.

Montfort's (60 Dundas Street East) was another so-so experience. I should have stuck to the suggestion of the chicken sandwich with pineapple (considered their speciality) that someone raved about on this board but I ordered a sample of their appetizers (tabbouleh, hummus, baba ganoush) with pita, and the fried calamari, again for take-out. The appetizers were palatable, clearly not made on site, and as I sat there, I watched as the cook pulled out a box of frozen calamari rings, and set them in the fryer. Call me naive, but I expected calamari similar to what I'd get in a Greek restaurant, not the over-done, tasteless frozen crap that I was given (that I ended up throwing out at home, not having the courage to tell the cook to cancel my order for that one).

My favourite pizza is Amadio (360 Revus Avenue). What an experience that was! I walked in to find the owner yelling at his three teenage employees, and he continued scolding them the entire time for their laziness. A little uncomfortable to say the least. But the pizza I ordered was amazing (my own creation of meats, anchovy, vegetables). I loved it. Thin crust, not greasy, lots of toppings, even better the next day. I only wish he delivers in my area.

Finally, my other favourite find is Saravana Bhavan (4559 Hurontario Street). It is a South Indian vegetarian restaurant. The first time I went, it was packed and I felt intimidated so I didn't go in. The second time, there were only a few people (in between the lunch and dinner crowd) so I could take my time and explore the menu. I was not familiar at all with the dishes, as I am used to the Indian food I would find at a typical Indian buffet. But the server was the most lovely, patient, man who came over to me and explained the various cuisines of India (who doesn't like some education with their food?) and explained the dishes on the menu. He provided me with a complimentary cococut water to try (I fell in love with it), and helped me order a sampler platter of items called the Special Meal (sweet, poori, channa masala, rice, sambar, rasam, pickle, appalam, curd, raitha, kulambu, and two vegetable curries). All for the amazing price of $9.95. Oh my god, was it ever delicious. I had take-out, and it was still amazing at home. I'm not a vegetarian, but heck this meal was filling and delicious and I can't say enough about it. I can't wait to return.

[duckdown]

I've lived here in my whole life as well.. It's funny about the Amadio's experience. I found the same thing, except minus liking the pizza. The owner was a grumpy old bear who was bitching and moaning the entire time, and when I was waiting for my pizza another couple came in and tried to order a 2-pizza deal plastered right on his wall, and the idiot wouldn't even honor the deal, saying "Oh well I changed the days that deal is valid for only Monday-Wednesday".. of course it said no such thing on the wall.

Amadio's sucks..

re: Montforts, you pretty much had it right, only 2 things there worth ordering is their chicken shawarma, or montfort chicken (the chicken & pineapple you mentioned)

Banh Mi is gross, so I wont be going there

Peters on Eglinton, I like the grilled chicken en brochette thing that you mentioned (I call it souvlaki) and you were right about the meats.. The smoked meat and pastrami are both good (and huge portions). TERRIBLE fries, worst I've ever had almost.. great coleslaw though

For veal, I'd skip Molisanas and come to Brampton instead.. We have 3 good places to get veal sandwiches from here: Tony & Jims on Flowertown Ave., Pomodoro on Hurontario, and Tonino's at McLaughlin & Bovaird.. If you like california sandwiches (overrated to the extreme, IMO) there is also one on Dixie road north of the 401 :)

cheers!

[Food Tourist]

Thanks for the tip about Tonino's as I didn't realize there was something good closer to my workplace. Do they do anything else well, or just the veal sandwiches?

In case I have extra time to drive further, what else do you rec at Tony & Jim's? Never heard of them!

[duckdown]

I actually prefer Tony & Jim's to Tonino's.. They're both a 2 minute drive away from eachother.. Tonino owner is one of the original owners of Tony & Jims.. confusing i know

You'll be glad to know EVERYTHING is homemade at Tony & Jims.. It's been a neighbourhood staple since as long as I can remember.. years and years and years...yummy wings fried to order, veal sandwich, steak sandwich, chicken parm. sandwich, all cooked to order. No hot tables, nothing sitting around, etc. other than the pizza slices (don't reccomend em)

I like their chicken parmesean, for what its worth :) For a while I was like addicted to them, going a couple times a week.. then I started needing more variety again hehe

Tonino's I've had hit and miss experiences at.. Sometimes the sandwich is awesome, and other times it seems like its missing something.. I can't put my finger on it

Pomodoro's makes a nice Rose sauce for the pasta, if you ever go there. I always get a chicken parm dinner with a salad..

cheers!

[Food Tourist]

I finally made it down to Tony and Jim's today at 1:00...sadly, they were closed for renovations (in full swing). So, back to Tonino I went!

[duckdown]

Yeah, I tried placing a delivery order last week and got the same message on the answering machine :(

What do you usually get or reccomend at Tonino?

Thanks!

[Food Tourist]

Finally had lunch at Tony & Jim's in the back no-frills licensed dining room (with loud sports on TV). Their veal sandwich is crispy, non-greasy and only lightly sauced. Not bad, very edible. They even take credit cards, which is a bonus in my decision-making for cheap lunches.

[fryerlover]

Speaking of credit cards on food.

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/9204...

[duckdown]

Cool, yeah I forgot they have a little dine in area, it's where the elementary students eat their pizzas at lunch hour... Tropical Cookhouse has closed at Bovaird & Main, its all stripped down and has a for lease sign in the window

[tjr]

I've only ever ordered Amadio's delivery (and thus not witnessed the behaviour of the owner), and found the pizza to be quite good. I don't think I've had better pizza in the area. Great Canadian Pizza (Lakeshore & Hurontario-ish) was also pretty good, but I preferred Amadio's.

[Food Tourist]

My strategy when approaching a restaurant that is new to me is to first ask "what do you make homemade here?" then order it. Usually results in success!

I took a big group of white-bread colleagues to Saravanaa Bhavan last month and they had mixed reactions to the unfamiliar tastes and textures. You're right, the server is helpful and friendly. It's a chain restaurant and definitely caters to Canadians. Their website only lists a few of the many menu offerings. I enjoyed the onion rava masala dosa.

Do you mean Molisana Bakery in the Pickwick plaza near St. Joseph Secondary School? They used to be really good back in 2006; sad to hear they have gone downhill. (Molinaro's is a catering company located on Ridgeway Drive in Erin Mills area.)

Those banh mi sound overpriced.

[jennjen18]

Just checked out Peter's on Eglinton's website.. I've been meaning to come here too for a while. (http://www.petersoneglinton.com/mainm...

)

Their "Chicken en Brochette" is $20.95 though, .. I would think they'd pile on the food. But then again, they could charge less for less food too.

They're a diner then, right?

[duckdown]

You're right, it's very expensive.. Everything at Peter's is VERY expensive, but the portions are pretty large. It's not a diner, but more of an old style restaurnt.. carpets, wooden tables, etc.

[duckdown]

I just tried Tropical Flavor Cookhouse today at Main & Bovaird and had a nice take-out lunch there. Large jerked chicken, with rice & peas,covered with oxtail gravy, and some side house salad. I would have preferred a creamy coleslaw probably, but other than that, I thought the food was quite good and spiced just right.

Daddy's Jerk burned my tastebuds off from the spicyness but this one was a perfect balance. Actually chatted with the lady there real quick and she said she prefers a mellower spicing, like me, so you can still taste the other flavors.

I will definitely be back. I wonder what their ribs are like too.. or fried chicken..

[HeatherG]

I haven't been in awhile, but I seem to remember the Palomino (Kennedy & Clarence) making a mean Jerk Chicken. The portion was huge, and the price fair. Hope this helps!

~ Heather

[duckdown]

Hmm, I think that's gone now isn't it?

[tj2007]

My favorite Jerk chicken/ pork spot in Brampton is Portland Jerk. Fantastic. A must try!

[eller]

Lucy's Seafood Kitchen gets a vote from me. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere but since I work out here, I don't have much choice. It's very casual and laid back, yet with attentive service and fresh, fresh seafood. Reasonably priced and portioned, you won't leave feeling ripped off or cheated.

http://www.lucysseafoodkitchen.com/
6905 Millcreek Dr. (South of Derry) near Meadowvale GO.

[duckdown]

I think there was at least 2 locations before. The one on Bristol closed down and its some bar now

[cheezy1]

In Brampton, for sushi try the Sushi House at Main & Church, we've been several times and are always impressed.
For Vietnamese, try Pho Peter at Kennedy & Church, good Pho but our favorite is their version of Pat Thai, really spicy, big portion and great taste.
For a nicer meal, I agree with the earlier post of La Capanina (sp?) on George st. It's one of those places that we kind of forget about but always love the food and service when we go.

[duckdown]

re: La Capanina: yep, that was me, the food there and service has always been good. no complaints here!

[mangoginger]

Great bakery in Mississauga is French Corner Bakery at 1224 Dundas St West West of Erindale Station Road (south side where Credit Valley Fruit used to be). A couple of tables for soup, sandwich and yummy french pastries. Delicious fresh bread. 905-5661919

[sivagirl]

'That Italian place' - Williams pkway & Chrysler Dr. Brampton - fantastic italian sandwiches & Pastas - They also cater. By far twice as better as california's - all fresh ingredients, Family owned, different offering of pastas day to day.

"Saigon House" - West Drive & 410, Brampton - Pho is great , soup is fresh! Mixed rice dishes are bountiful, Try the Fresh Mango shake, and Mango Sald.

"Miga Korean & Japanese BBQ" 2382 DUNDAS STREET MISSISSAUGA
This is authentic korean bbq, with the cooking table. good sushi selection as well.
excellent grade meat & fish, and the service is excellent.

"SAHLA THAI" - Queen & rutherford, Brampton
a little pricier than I'm use to, but good date place, very good pad thai and mango lhassi,
authentic dishes, made to your spice level.

[wiggy.]

Sahla Thai in Brampton has been closed since the summer after a long slow slide. Used to be a very good place.

[duckdown]

Yep. There is a sad note in the window too, thanking their customers for years of patronage.. Disappointing :(

However we do have a new Thai place downtown Brampton, in the ex-New York Sandwiches, ex-West 49 location where nothing seems to survive, called "Freshly Thai" at the corner of Queen & George

[VeeCee]

I second Kumai for sushi. Actually, it's the only place I'm wiling to go for sushi in the saug. Yes, service is slow but they do always mean well. They do a great house made fish cake that's a fun appetizer. I, like Food Tourist, have experienced one or two off days, but it's more on the rare side. If I made a million dollars a month, I would go to Hashimoto at least once a month. But because I don't, I limit myself to the best traditional kaiseki experience in the GTA to once a year. Key word being traditional - no gimmicks.

Nirvana at Brunel and Hwy 10 is great for Indian, although I would always recommend to call ahead because the do a lot of wedding events.

Frankin House in Streetsville has one of the best patios in the saug - and happy hour from 4-6 is mini pitcher for the cost of a pint, which is great to have alongside an order of sweet potato fries. They do a $8.99 fish & chips special on Fridays, and everyone there on Fri is usually noshing on a plate of f&c. I find the batter thick, but the slaw is fresh, the service is pretty good, and I just wash it down with cheap beer anyway :)

Peter's is not bad if you have a craving for smoked meat in the 905, but I just can't handle their portions (tell me again why I want to pay more for excess food that I can't finish??) - if you're in that area, I'd give Blue Sage a go instead for some pulled pork.

Korean is always a good option in the Dundas/Hwy 10 area. There's Man Doo Hyang at Kirwin and Dundas for noodles and dumplings, WOW (big orange sign) just a block west on Dundas, and they serve some really tasty savoury soups. Buk Chang Dong for tofu stew at the Chinese plaza on Kirwin and Hwy 10 is a good economical option for a hearty winter meal. I'm not a huge fan of Korean BBQ so I don't frequent Miga too often, but I do like their bibimbap selection.

For dim sum, I swear by 1) Grand Chinese Cuisine at the Double Tree (Dixon/Airport), or 2) the Perfect Kitchen near the Costco on Ridgeway (Winston Churchill/Dundas area). Grand is more of a splurge, but their food is consistently top notch. They do have some seasonal menu options - some hits some misses - but definitely more inventive and way more care is placed on the food than the average run of the mill dim sum spot in the GTA. Having worked in Markham for a while and dim summed quite a bit out there, I'd say that Grand serves up more consistent food than their rivals on the other side of the 905. I would place LWH as #1 for dim sum in Toronto, and Grand #2. Casa Victoria and the likes don't compare (except in price!). As for the Perfect Kitchen, their portions are smaller but more precise then the other sloppy dim sum spots in the Saug, and the food is always piping hot. There is never questionable mealy shrimp anywhere, and the service is quick and efficient. I live a 2 minute walk to Emerald on Eglington and Hwy 10, and I refuse to go there for dim sum. The food is tepid and selection is spotty at best - I can never understand why it's packed.

For Chinese takeout (noodles/congee fare), Deluxe Noodles at the Deer Run mall (along the side where that atrocious sushi restaurant is). The restaurant is dingy and grimy, but if you want takeout with "wok hay", or really wokky stir fry, then this is the spot for you. They're busy pretty much all the time, but their take out is really quick. My personal fave is a beef and vegetable stir fry rice vermicelli - instead of stir frying thick ho fun noodles, I ask them to sub in thin rice vermicelli that they fry so the edges are crispy. There is no way that dish is good for anyone, but it's a comfort food thing.

Sometimes I think we take for granted that there are good Vietnamese options in the saug - I used to look for weekday lunch options in Markham and the Viet options end up being bad Chinese impostors, so now I have a new found appreciation for the pho that you can get here in Mississauga. Golden Turtle on Confederation and Central Parkway is a cheap and cheerful option.

I like Brazil Bakery for a mid afternoon pit stop Tosta Mista Caseira and a typical European train station espresso - that's a comfort food thing too.

Lastly, one of my go-to's is Lion City. I think their level of service is a little misunderstood - they are friendly and attentive in a more reserved manner. Once I walked in right at 11am when they opened, and I heard someone busting out a tune in the kitchen. It was about 5 minutes before anyone walked out and noticed I was there, but they apologized and chuckled that they got carried away with their singing. I'm ok with that, because they always serve me consistently good food. I reco Hainan Chicken rice, Laksa, and the Shrimp and Egg Hor Fun. Roti is tasty too, but I try not to have too many because I love fat and refined carbohydrates too much. The Bakuteh is a little salty for my taste, but it hits the spot when I have a craving.

Now if someone can tell me where I can get a really (REALLY) good coffee in this town, I'd be less miserable about living in the Saug :)

Happy eating everyone!

[Kagemusha]

For something different, try take out from Town and Country Market, a first-rate Lebanese grocery totally hidden behind the Shell station at Hurontario+Fairview Rd, just south of Central Parkway. Wonderful pastries and the freshest pita I've found around Mississauga, plus a full range of condiments, spices, yogurts, meats, cheeses and vegetables. A true gem. Worth a visit.

[sasgirl]

Kagemusha, do they sell hummous as well? It would be great to get some with the fresh pita.

Thanks for the tip, will def check it out this weekend!

[Kagemusha]

Probably. I make my own so frankly didn't bother looking. They don't bake pita instore but do seem to have a conveyor belt from several bakeries direct to the shelves. Most pita I find in supermarkets and elsewhere just isn't this fresh. For that you can try Paramount Foods around Dixie+Eglinton. T&C's the only place I've found preserved lemons and fresh Middle Eastern spices in Mississauga. Check out teensy little Asia Bakery at Kirwin+Dundas, too.

[sasgirl]

My husband is Afghani so we go once a week to Asia Bakery for the bread, it's a staple in our household! And we usually get rote with it too (afghan sweet bread).

[Food Tourist]

Ditto to the coffee sentiment! Fortino's is my default in Brampton because at least they roast their own on site!

[iamafoodie]

A recent dinner at Bistro Matisse in Clarkson Village confirms that this is still an excellent choice for a moderately priced dining experience if you enjoy fairly authentic traditional French cuisine. Prix fixe three course dinner is still $25. The soups and fish items are particularly well crafted.

Chef Jean-Jacques sold out and returned to France last winter, however the new chef-owner has maintained the basic menu and prices, - for now. The only significant change noted was that portion sizes are a little smaller, going from very substantial to generous by contemporary standards.

Service is still prompt, attentive and competent. Very un-French if you can stand it.

Reservations are necessary on weekends as there are only 3 dozen seats or so.

[VeeCee]

Kagemusha, that's pretty close to me - thanks for the reco!

FT, I've resorted to getting beans in the city since I'm there a few times a week anyway, and usually that means I get a weekly fix of good coffee along with it. If you (or anyone else) hear of any independents opening shop here in mississauga, please share - I'll be first in line to try.

[mogo]

I second your recs for WOW and Deluxe Noodles!

In the Chinese plaza at 888 Dundas, I like Thanh Son Tofu for tofu takeout. Fresh fresh tofu and various Vietnamese desserts. Best Friend Restaurant in the same plaza is also good.

For the last few months I have been consistently craving the chicken at Silva's Barbecue at Tomken and Rathburn. They have both grilled and rotisserie chicken there, and great sauce.

[mogo]

Oops... some of my links disappeared.

[Pharah]

Has anyone been to Congee Dynasty on Burnhamthorpe just East of Creditview?

I want to try it, but I'd love to hear what others' experiences are there first so I know whether it's worth going or not.

[juliewong]

Congee Dynasty is pretty good. Food very tasty and good menu. Only concern is that they never get our order right but it usually works out. I would recommend it.

[Connoisseur]

Portland Jerk is not really good, It's THE BEST in the GTA!
Osmow's Grill, Awesome shawarma

[Brain of J]

Macey's Chinese restaurant on Burnhamthorpe Rd, south side, just west of Mavis. Some really good Chinese food served is served there. It really gets busy in the evening. Very popular with the Chinese community. I love the rice noodles with beef and XO sauce. Above average lemon chicken too.

[duckdown]

I hear Macey's mentioned alot on another forum, but rice noodles & beef doesn't sound appealing to me. Anything else there you can reccomend? Lemon Chicken is usually pretty good

[supersnoop]

Macey's does a really good "Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice". Not sure if you heard of this dish before, but it's not really Portuguese in any way.
Basically it's chicken pieces (boneless), potatoes, some carrot and onion layered over fried rice with a rich coconut-curryish sauce (I think it's actually saffron or something I'm told)

[duckdown]

Osmow's blows, but I have often wondered about Portland Jerk. Thanks for the tip!

[Connoisseur]

Try the jerk pork. I think you'll be a convert.

[duckdown]

Sweet, might check them out for lunch today actually. Although I usually go for the chicken..

Will report back!

cheers

[Connoisseur]

Looking forward to your opinion

[BamiaWruz]

- Barb's roti shop
1181 Lakeshore Rd E Mississauga, ON L5E 1G1

Love her chicken curry rotis.

-Nova portuguese bakery on Cawthra

Lots of stuff there, bread, cakes, pastries, savoury crabcakes and pastries. Also grocery items.

[burlgurl]

There is a new place opening soon at Derry and Torbram..sign says "Oink, Oink, Texas BBQ opeing soon" Kind of a strange industrial area..but I'm loving trying new bbq places..

[duckdown]

No way! That's more like it! Still not that close to me here on Mavis road, but definitely not as far as the rest of the places.. Please keep me posted if you notice any updates!

[burlgurl]

Duckdown, I know you're always looking for wood ovening pizza..I saw a big sign today advertising wood oven pizza's at a place called Pizza King (or was it Pizza City??)
Anyway, it was in the new plaza in the south west corner of Ray Lawson and McLaughlin in Brampton...
Didn't stop in, and not sure if you've tried it yet??

[duckdown]

Yeah I have heard of the place, it's Indian pizza, and I don't think they even have pizzas with meat on them.. It's 2 seconds from my house so I pass it all the time, I don't consider that real pizza unfortunately :(

Thanks for the post though!

[jiminy]

Some of my favourite places in Mississauga are Bombay Bhel at Hurontario & Eglington, Great Indian

Marconi Pizza for great Pizza and Panzarotti, Cawthra & Burnhamthorpe

West 50 Pourhouse for mid range dining price point around the same as Jack Astors or Kelsey`s but the food is at a different level all together, Chef Olaf does good food. Also how can you go wrong with 100 or so beers on tap. Excellent. At Burnhamthorpe & Hurontario.

Burrito Boyz both Missauga locations are good but have had better burritos from Dundas & Hurontario location recently.

Dai Ichi Sushi at Winston Churchill and Dundas is awsome. Great value fresh ingredients

Pho 99 at Burnhamthorpe & Grand Park is our favourite pho place.... Better food and cheaper than McDonalds.

Will post more as I think of them.

Oh yeah I forgot Mackays Pizza in Brampton. Some of the best pizza out there

Earls in Square one is good but a little more expensive

Chez Viet is awsome. Its at the amc on Hurontario & courtney Park

[wiggy.]

+1 for Mackays Pizza. We go to the store on Mackay at North Park, but have not tried the store at 10 and Bovaird.

[duckdown]

I go to the one at 10 & Bovaird from time to time and don't really see the appeal. The slices are always super stale and cardboard-like. Maybe a fresh pizza is better.. Stuffed patties don't do anything for me either, considering their patties aren't that great IMO

[wiggy.]

We only get take out pizza. No slices, no patties. The pizza is decent, but I've never tried the place at 10 and Bovaird.

[LawnGnome]

In the area I normally goto;

Pho da Bo for the less whitewashed Pho. Cheap, fast, tasty. Doesn't have the 'cool" atmosphere that the places my friends have taken me for Vietnamese, but all those places tasted too subpar.

For Thai I goto Thai Signature. Mainly for their red duck curry and deep fried taro.

Greek is Colossus of Rhodes, nice small little place with good environment and good food. The piklia starter which is a selection of cheese, olives, spreads, and spanakopitas is more than enough for two and only 11$.

For pitas I goto Port Credit Souvlaki/Souvlaki Hut. 10.95 for any pita (except lamb) plus a big portion of greek rice/potato/fries/salad and sparkling water.

Aielli is nice italian food. Not cheap and not the biggest portions, but very satisfying.

For absolute late night food, it is pho ba ca. Very average pho, but open till 4am. They also with serve drinks until then, nice for after the bar when you are looking for a little more.

[fryerlover]

Just received an email from Big Daddy's that they have closed the Mississauga location at Lakeshore and Southdown. No more buck a shuck oysters. ;-(

[South Carolina Girl]

Wow, I wish I hadn't missed out on Big Daddy's. Any other good places to eat oysters in Mississauga?

[fryerlover]

I have not been, however Walkers Fish Market advertises oysters and also has a special on for them some nights.
http://www.walkersfishmarket.ca/missi...
If you go, please let us know how it was.

[century81]

You didnt miss much. The Southdown location was awful.

[fryerlover]

True, however the buck a shuck oyster special was a great deal and lots of oyster toppings to choose from. That is the only reason I went. I did go for a meal once and that was the last time due to service so only went after that for oysters.

[burlgurl]

I really like Walkers Fish Market..great spot for seafood. I go for lunch often and love the ciopinno soup and they have this great balsamic brushetta..

[chillihigh]

Tried azuba indian food at dixie and drew. Very good value for a 13.99 buffet, really flavourful and greaseless curries, better than brar and tandoori flame, pricewise and flavour wise. They just opened 3-4 months ago, but seemed pretty busy both times i went. And on saturday they have a pav bhaji special included with the buffet. Of course its not as refined as Nirvana which is my favourite, but i thought if you want a few options, it was a good place to go.

[South Carolina Girl]

Thanks for recommendation Burlgurl. We tried it today (and actually were the only customers in the place). I had the Nova Scotia clam chowder and Louisiana catfish with dirty rice. The SO had the scallops and andouille appetizer followed by the catfish with sweet potato fries. It was very tasty and we will definitely be back for free oyster nights on Thursdays!

[duckdown]

Try the new beef ribs at Blue Sage, they are delicious (and the size of a flintstone rib, seriously).. I think he said a half rack is 1 rib and a full rack is 2 ribs. They're gigantic and the bone gives it great flavor.

[South Carolina Girl]

He told us about the size on our last visit. Will definitely give one a go next time we're in! Thanks for recommending.

[LairdE]

I was really impressed by the cabbage rolls at katz's and especially the sweet pickled peppers- the best I have ever had.

[duckdown]

That is NOT peel.

[fryerlover]

Since this post is a bit old, I'm wondering if you've since changed your opinion on Indian food. If so, have you tried anything new? If not, I think only fair that now we post some Indian for the rest of us to enjoy knowing about. I haven't had any Indian in Peel in awhile other than my friend who brings me great Samosa's from somewhere in Brampton.

Not sure if it's in the posts as it's been awhile since I read through, however I think Calabash on Southdown at QEW is great for Roti and doubles. They have great food and service is friendly.