665194 Fri Nov 06 09:20:11 -0800 2009 1 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 5160990 The post title is a bit misleading. It wasn't a week like any other (it was a bit longer than a week, and there was some Ottawa and Montreal involved as well). I attempted to cap off the time I've spend in Toronto over the years with at least a week of extravagant, or just plain delicious, dining. After living in the GTA for what seems like forever, and being a frequent traveler, I will admit that I had become a fairly jaded diner. Few things impressed me, and the only area I was really ever excited about was Chinese food, mainly due to my ignorance of the subject. Rather than just visit restaurants I love or things I'd miss prior to moving off to Paris, I decided that my goal would be to view the GTA dining scene through new eyes, or, at least, eyes untainted by travels elsewhere, eyes untainted by years of eating out in Toronto. I wanted to feel the same way a tourist would, had they booked a vacation to Toronto, came to the board, and looked for the rec's of some of the greatest (and, for the most part, friendliest, not to mention knowledgeable) 'hounds on the site. So, here's where I ate outside the GTA: - Ottawa: Sweetgrass Bistro, Colonnade Pizza (and several other pizza places), and poutine. Actually, I basically ate pizza and poutine the entire time I wasn't with family and friends. I love Ottawa pizza. - Montreal: Schwartz's smoked meat, poutine at La Banquise (okay, and a few other places), steamies, Au Pied de Cochon, flapjacks and maple syrup. Self-explanatory! And in the GTA: - Bymark: Lobster poutine & medium rare Bymark burger. Delicious, as always (I also had the burger at One with a side of the truffled fries which was just about as good). Though it gets flack on the board for being uninventive and pricey, I honestly think these are maybe my two favourite dishes at any restaurant in Toronto. - Kaji & Ematei: Two of my go-tos. Excellent sushi and inventive cooked dishes at Kaji, even the regular meals are special. Ordered nearly everything that wasn't sushi or soup on the menu at Ematei; wonderful grilled fish (as usual), good izakaya fare. Paris, as I've discovered, has awful sushi but has the donburi and ramen covered (I was surprised)! Both of these restaurants are really GTA gems. - Chinese: LWH for dim sum. Pretty much faultless. BBQ pork at John's. I'd actually love to have this on ramen. Succulent, juicy, the best BBQ pork I've ever had. I also had to take Charles Yu's recommendation and had the lobster with fried garlic chips at Emperor. A perfect dish that, for me, shows that Toronto's Chinese cuisine should be one of the focal points of any food-related GTA adventure. On the same wavelength was the giant lobster 4-way at O'Mei, excellent, as usual. - Some others, in no particular order that I enjoyed greatly: Chiado for fish and Portuguese wines, jerk chicken at Rap's, a tasting at Via Allegro, Trimurti though I know nothing about Indian food was great, thanks estufarian, JAM Martini Bar in Port Credit for some well-made drinks from a great bartender, Colossus and Souvlaki Port Credit for some well-made Greek and awesome gyros, a veal sandwich from California Sandwiches, and a variety of stuff from the grocery store like chips (ketchup especially), nut-free chocolate bars (which apparently don't exist in France), and other random things. I'm sure I probably missed some things. Thanks to everyone who recommended places to me earlier, and for all of you for your recommendations on the board over time. I wish I could have eaten everywhere (well, except the bad places)! I really miss T&T (or any large Chinese supermarket). I also miss reasonably-priced Diet Coke. I miss immense, dry-aged Albertan steaks (but I don't miss steak). Actually, any sort of ethnic grocer. Even Loblaws' ethnic food selection was better than any of the French grocers in Paris, unless you want something Maghrebin. Charles, I hope that you, skylineR33, aser, as well as anyone else and myself can get together for a chowmeet at some point. If not when I return to Toronto next, perhaps in Paris (or Japan, or Hong Kong). Toronto may not have any Michelin stars, but it does have a lot of great food, and best of all, a great variety of food. Enjoy it! Fri Nov 06 09:20:12 -0800 2009 202405 tjr 1 5161723 Great post. Enjoy Paris! Fri Nov 06 13:08:15 -0800 2009 5160990 29140 childofthestorm