100 Foods to Eat Before You Die - Toronto/GTA Edition

[dangerjno]

There is a meme going around about the 100 foods to eat before you die. After tallying my score, I got a pretty respectable 62. I showed my sister and she got a jaw-dropping 78. Needless to say, this cannot stand. I'm planning on winning the race to 100.

Below is the list of 100 foods - you can debate the list, but it is what it is (wot, no poutine?). I think Toronto is one of the few cities on the planet where you can get so many diverse items in one place.

Can we make a culinary guide to Toronto using the list as a map? Can we, Chowhound?

Post your best picks for items in the list in this thread. I'll try to keep this initial post updated as we go.

1. Abalone
2. Absinthe - LCBO
3. Alligator
4. Baba Ghanoush - Mezes
5. Bagel & Lox - Grocery store
6. Baklava - Arz Bakery
7. BBQ Ribs - Swiss Chalet (damn good for the money)
8. Bellini - Milestones
9. Birds Nest Soup
10. Biscuits & Gravy
11. Black Pudding
12. Black Truffle - St. Lawrence Market
13. Borscht
14. Calamari
15. Carp
16. Caviar
17. Cheese Fondue
18. Chicken & Waffles - Harlem Restaurant
19. Chicken Tikka Masala
20. Chile Relleno - El Sol
21. Chitlins
22. Churros
23. Clam Chowder
24. Cognac - LCBO
25. Crab Cakes
26. Crickets - Atlantic Restaurant
27. Currywurst - Wvrst
28. Dandelion Wine
29. Dulce De Leche
30. Durian
31. Eel
32. Eggs Benedict -
33. Fish Tacos
34. Foie Gras
35. Fresh Spring Rolls - Lemongrass
36. Fried Catfish
37. Fried Green Tomatoes
38. Fried Plantain
39. Frito Pie - pretty sure you'd have to assemble this yourself.
40. Frogs' Legs
41. Fugu - Japan or Manhattan, I fear
42. Funnel Cake - Canada's Wonderland, The Ex
43. Gazpacho
44. Goat - Ali's West Indian Roti Shop
45. Goat's Milk - grocery
46. Goulash
47. Gumbo
48. Haggis
49. Head Cheese
50. Heirloom Tomatoes
51. Honeycomb
52. Hostess Fruit Pie - Amazon and ebay
53. Huevos Rancheros
54. Jerk Chicken - The Real Jerk, RIP
55. Kangaroo - St. Lawrence Market has kangaroo burgers
56. Key Lime Pie
57. Kobe Beef
58. Lassi
59. Lobster
60. Mimosa
61. Moon Pie
62. Morel Mushrooms - St. Lawrence Market (dried)
63. Nettle Tea - David's Tea
64. Octopus
65. Oxtail Soup
66. Paella
67. Paneer
68. Pastrami on Rye
69. Pavlova
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheese Steak
72. Pho - hundreds of places
73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese - Grocery store
74. Pistachio Ice Cream - I count gelato, so Il Gelatiere
75. Po' Boy - The Gabardine has a shrimp po'boy
76. Pocky - grocery
77. Polenta
78. Prickly Pear
79. Rabbit Stew
80. Raw Oysters - Biff's Bistro
81. Root Beer Float
82. S'mores
83. Sauerkraut
84. Sea Urchin
85. Shark
86. Snail
87. Snake
88. Soft Shell Crab
89. Som Tam
90. Spaetzle - Bannock has it as a side to its pork dish, but not on its own
91. Spam - grocery
92. Squirrel
93. Steak Tartare
94. Sweet Potato Fries
95. Sweetbreads
96. Tom Yum - Not Thai Express (awful Tom Yum)
97. Umeboshi
98. Venison
99. Wasabi Peas - Grocery
100. Zucchini Flowers

-----
Il Gelatiere
647 Mt Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4S, CA

St. Lawrence Market
92 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5E, CA

El Sol
1448 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4J1N4, CA

Arz
1909 Lawrence Ave E, Toronto, ON M1R, CA

Harlem
67 Richmond St E, Toronto, ON M5C1N9, CA

Mezes
456 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K1P4, CA

Lemongrass
1630 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON M4G3B7, CA

Biff's Bistro
4 Front St. E, Toronto, ON M5E 1B2, CA

Atlantic Restaurant
1597 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6K1T9, CA

The Real Jerk
, Toronto, ON M5G, CA

Ali's West Indian Roti Shop
1446 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6K1M2, CA

Swiss Chalet
362 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B1S5, CA

Thai Express
40 King St W, Toronto, ON M5H3Y2, CA

The Gabardine
372 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5H 3W1, CA

Wvrst
609 King St W, Toronto, ON , CA

Bannock
401 Bay St, Toronto, ON M5H 2Y4, CA

[samuek]

There is no Kobe outside of Japan. You can get Wagyu breed and Washu cross bred with Angus, but never Kobe.

Also, no bottarga or Blue Fin O-Toro (endangered) on the list?

[Googs]

Whether Constance Guitard of Weezie's knows it or not, her well-known mac and cheese became the Number One dish to eat before you *don't* die. My dearest friend was as close as one can get and couldn't eat a thing. Constance' mac and cheese, which was run through a blender by necessity, brought a sparkle to her eye and a tear to mine while I watched her eat slowly and carefully until the dish was very nearly done. It was nothing short of a miracle. My eternal gratitude to both women for whom I will always give my love and support.

[designergirl]

WOW, I have eaten most off your great list! NOw to start my own and see how far I get.
Thanks for a great rainy day activity!

[dangerjno]

Update: As of April 13:

1. Abalone - Lai Wah Heen, Very Fair Chinese Restaurant, Golden Court Abalone Restaurant
2. Absinthe - LCBO, smuggled in from Europe.
3. Alligator – Big Daddy’s, N’Awlins, southern accent
4. Baba Ghanoush - Jerusalem, Dr. Laffa, Armenian Kitchen
5. Bagel & Lox - Hamishe Bakery
6. Baklava - Arz Bakery, Pizza Pide, Select Bakery, Patisserie Royale, Serano
7. BBQ Ribs - Swiss Chalet (damn good for the money)
8. Bellini - sassafraz
9. Birds Nest Soup – Chinese apothecaries
10. Biscuits & Gravy – The Stockyards (brunch)
11. Black Pudding - Splendido
12. Black Truffle - St. Lawrence Market
13. Borscht – Sunflower Kitchen brand, Chopin, Best Grill, Prague Deli (check avail.)
14. Calamari – The Rhino, Lee Garden, Origin
15. Carp - Hooked
16. Caviar – Harbour 60
17. Cheese Fondue - Tati Bistro
18. Chicken & Waffles - Harlem Restaurant
19. Chicken Tikka Masala - Raby's
20. Chile Relleno - El Sol
21. Chitlins - Pizzeria Libretto's nduja pizza.
22. Churros – Pancho’s Bakery, Cava
23. Clam Chowder
24. Cognac - LCBO
25. Crab Cakes - Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Zee Grill, seasonal ones at Trio Ristorante, Bymark
26. Crickets - Atlantic Restaurant
27. Currywurst - Wvrst
28. Dandelion Wine
29. Dulce De Leche
30. Durian – T&T supermarkets, pho restaurant shakes
31. Eel - Yuzu
32. Eggs Benedict – Czehoski, Marben
33. Fish Tacos - Grand Electric, County General
34. Foie Gras - Splendido
35. Fresh Spring Rolls - Lemongrass
36. Fried Catfish – Harlem, N'awlins
37. Fried Green Tomatoes - acadia
38. Fried Plantain – The Real Jerk
39. Frito Pie - pretty sure you'd have to assemble this yourself.
40. Frogs' Legs
41. Fugu - Japan or Manhattan, I fear
42. Funnel Cake - Canada's Wonderland, The Ex
43. Gazpacho
44. Goat - Ali's West Indian Roti Shop
45. Goat's Milk - grocery
46. Goulash – Europe Restaurant, Country Style, Prague Deli
47. Gumbo – Harlem, N'awlins
48. Haggis – Caledonian, McGugan’s
49. Head Cheese - Parts And Labour
50. Heirloom Tomatoes – Vicki’s Veggies
51. Honeycomb – St. Lawrence Market North honey stall
52. Hostess Fruit Pie - Amazon and ebay, looneystuff.com
53. Huevos Rancheros - Beast
54. Jerk Chicken - The Real Jerk
55. Kangaroo - St. Lawrence Market has kangaroo burgers, Wvrst
56. Key Lime Pie - grand electric
57. Kobe Beef - Famu
58. Lassi - Copper Chimney, Motimahal, Bombay Chowpatty
59. Lobster - Starfish, Scaramouche
60. Mimosa - La Societe Bistro
61. Moon Pie - Restoration Hardware(?), Delica Kitchen
62. Morel Mushrooms - St. Lawrence Market (dried)
63. Nettle Tea - David's Tea
64. Octopus - Volos
65. Oxtail Soup - Mot Na Son
66. Paella – Segovia, Cava
67. Paneer - Gandhi
68. Pastrami on Rye - Pickel Barrel / Katz's / Centre street, stockyards
69. Pavlova – George, Scaramouche, Southern Accent, Woodlot
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheese Steak - Philadelphia Kitchen in Orangeville
72. Pho - hundreds of places
73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese - Grocery store
74. Pistachio Ice Cream - I count gelato, so Il Gelatiere
75. Po' Boy - The Gabardine has a shrimp po'boy
76. Pocky - grocery
77. Polenta - Scarpetta
78. Prickly Pear
79. Rabbit Stew - Cantinado O Barradino, Tati Bistro
80. Raw Oysters - Biff's Bistro, Rodney's Oyster House
81. Root Beer Float - Gale's Diner
82. S'mores – Moroco, Harbour 60
83. Sauerkraut - Polonez, Elle m'a dit, Globe Earth, any Eastern European restaurant, any supermarket
84. Sea Urchin – uni at Japanese restaurants, Diana’s seafood
85. Shark - Bake & Shark @ Drupati's
86. Snail - Batifole, La Palette, Le Rossignol
87. Snake - Big Mouth Kee, Sam Woo
88. Soft Shell Crab - Starfish, Gill, Katsura
89. Som Tam
90. Spaetzle - Bannock has it as a side to its pork dish, Corner House as a side to venison stew, Pusateri’s, Hungarian Honey Bear deli, Europe restaurant, Coffee Mill
91. Spam - grocery
92. Squirrel
93. Steak Tartare - La Palette, Nota Bene
94. Sweet Potato Fries - Lou Dawgs
95. Sweetbreads - Tati Bistro
96. Tom Yum - Not Thai Express (awful Tom Yum)
97. Umeboshi - Sanko
98. Venison - Corner House
99. Wasabi Peas - Grocery
100. Zucchini Flowers - Treadwell and Buca

[Wiley1]

#62--but if you can possibly get your hands on fresh morels, sauteed with butter, s&p, they are my single most favourite food!

[ilinda]

Got morels just a month ago at SLM. Also found chanterelles at Brickworks Farmer's Market. Have picked some of my own. Wild mushrooms are SO amazing.

[msprnt]

took a skim of the list

11. Black Pudding - Splendido
- many korean restaurants have soondae, which is their verson of the blood sausage; i've had it at some yonge/finch korean restaurants
- i've also had it at nota bene before, but it doesn't appear to be on the menu any more

40. Frogs' Legs
- Hot Spicy Spicy at Leslie/Finch has frog legs in a spicy, mentholy soup
- I'm sure other Szechuan restaurants will serve this

[frostie]

The eggs Benedict at Marben is delicious! Also, the crab cakes at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse are also fantastic. Very full of crab.

[dangerjno]

UPDATE as of Feb 11 5pm ET. Full list at bottom; items still needing suggestions below.

3. Alligator
8. Bellini
25. Crab Cakes
28. Dandelion Wine
29. Dulce De Leche
37. Fried Green Tomatoes
40. Frogs' Legs
43. Gazpacho
48. Haggis
49. Head Cheese
56. Key Lime Pie
60. Mimosa
64. Octopus
65. Oxtail Soup
66. Paella
68. Pastrami on Rye
69. Pavlova
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheese Steak
78. Prickly Pear
83. Sauerkraut
85. Shark
87. Snake
89. Som Tam
92. Squirrel
94. Sweet Potato Fries
96. Tom Yum
100. Zucchini Flowers

1. Abalone - Lai Wah Heen, Very Fair Chinese Restaurant, Golden Court Abalone Restaurant
2. Absinthe - LCBO, smuggled in from Europe.
3. Alligator
4. Baba Ghanoush - Jerusalem, Dr. Laffa, Armenian Kitchen
5. Bagel & Lox - Hamishe Bakery
6. Baklava - Arz Bakery, Pizza Pide, Select Bakery, Royal Pastries
7. BBQ Ribs - Swiss Chalet (damn good for the money)
8. Bellini -
9. Birds Nest Soup – Chinese apothecaries
10. Biscuits & Gravy – The Stockyards (brunch)
11. Black Pudding - Splendido
12. Black Truffle - St. Lawrence Market
13. Borscht – Sunflower Kitchen brand, Chopin, Best Grill, Prague Deli (check avail.)
14. Calamari – The Rhino, Lee Garden, Origin
15. Carp - Hooked
16. Caviar – Harbour 60
17. Cheese Fondue - Tati Bistro
18. Chicken & Waffles - Harlem Restaurant
19. Chicken Tikka Masala - Raby's
20. Chile Relleno - El Sol
21. Chitlins - Pizzeria Libretto's nduja pizza.
22. Churros – Pancho’s Bakery
23. Clam Chowder
24. Cognac - LCBO
25. Crab Cakes
26. Crickets - Atlantic Restaurant
27. Currywurst - Wvrst
28. Dandelion Wine
29. Dulce De Leche
30. Durian – T&T supermarkets, pho restaurant shakes
31. Eel - Yuzu
32. Eggs Benedict - Czehoski
33. Fish Tacos - Grand Electric, County General
34. Foie Gras - Splendido
35. Fresh Spring Rolls - Lemongrass
36. Fried Catfish - Harlem
37. Fried Green Tomatoes
38. Fried Plantain – The Real Jerk
39. Frito Pie - pretty sure you'd have to assemble this yourself.
40. Frogs' Legs
41. Fugu - Japan or Manhattan, I fear
42. Funnel Cake - Canada's Wonderland, The Ex
43. Gazpacho
44. Goat - Ali's West Indian Roti Shop
45. Goat's Milk - grocery
46. Goulash – Europe Restaurant, Country Style, Prague Deli
47. Gumbo - Harlem
48. Haggis
49. Head Cheese
50. Heirloom Tomatoes – Vicki’s Veggies
51. Honeycomb – St. Lawrence Market North honey stall
52. Hostess Fruit Pie - Amazon and ebay
53. Huevos Rancheros - Beast
54. Jerk Chicken - The Real Jerk
55. Kangaroo - St. Lawrence Market has kangaroo burgers, Wvrst
56. Key Lime Pie
57. Kobe Beef - Famu
58. Lassi - Copper Chimney, Motimahal, Bombay Chowpatty
59. Lobster - Starfish, Scaramouche
60. Mimosa
61. Moon Pie - Restoration Hardware(?), Delica Kitchen
62. Morel Mushrooms - St. Lawrence Market (dried)
63. Nettle Tea - David's Tea
64. Octopus
65. Oxtail Soup
66. Paella
67. Paneer - Gandhi
68. Pastrami on Rye
69. Pavlova
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheese Steak
72. Pho - hundreds of places
73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese - Grocery store
74. Pistachio Ice Cream - I count gelato, so Il Gelatiere
75. Po' Boy - The Gabardine has a shrimp po'boy
76. Pocky - grocery
77. Polenta - Scarpetta
78. Prickly Pear
79. Rabbit Stew - Cantinado O Barradino, Tati Bistro
80. Raw Oysters - Biff's Bistro, Rodney's Oyster House
81. Root Beer Float - Gale's Diner
82. S'mores – Moroco, Harbour 60
83. Sauerkraut
84. Sea Urchin – uni at Japanese restaurants, Diana’s seafood
85. Shark
86. Snail - Batifole, La Palette, Le Rossignol
87. Snake
88. Soft Shell Crab - Starfish, Gill, Katsura
89. Som Tam
90. Spaetzle - Bannock has it as a side to its pork dish, Corner House as a side to venison stew
91. Spam - grocery
92. Squirrel
93. Steak Tartare - La Palette, Nota Bene
94. Sweet Potato Fries
95. Sweetbreads - Tati Bistro
96. Tom Yum - Not Thai Express (awful Tom Yum)
97. Umeboshi - Sanko
98. Venison - Corner House
99. Wasabi Peas - Grocery
100. Zucchini Flowers

[dangerjno]

Found a source for Hostess Fruit Pies: Looneystuff.com. LooneyStuff is on ebay as well but through their website is cheaper. I highly recommend them.

[dangerjno]

48. Haggis - Caledonian; other places serve it on Burns' night

[julesrules]

There's also Haggis on the menu at McGugan's. They are open despite what the website says. I think the haggis was breaded and deep fried as an appetizer rather than a proper main course... but I could be wrong (had a few drinks that night...)
www.mcgugans.com

[Luvtooeat]

68. Pastrami on Rye -- Pickel Barrel / Katz's / Centre street

[Manybears]

3. You can get alligator at Big Daddy's on King. It's the only place I've had it so I can't tell you how it compares.

[dangerjno]

Umeboshi, honeycomb and prickly pear all available at Whole Foods. Thought Spaetzle might be there to but no dice.

[TorontoJo]

Spaetzle is available at just about any Eastern European restaurant. Besides making it myself, I've had it at Hungarian Honey Bear deli, Europe restaurant, Coffee Mill, etc.

[always_eating]

8. Bellini - make it yourself by buying Champagne or Prosecco from LCBO & peach nectar from any grocery store.

49. Head Cheese - I've bought it from Pusateri's & have eaten it at Parts And Labour in their croquette - quite delicious.

60. Mimosa - the last one I drank in a restaurant was at brunch at La Societe Bistro. You can't really go wrong with this drink anywhere (or can you?).

64. Octopus - I'm thinking most Greek restaurants do Grilled Octopus, and seafood restaurants too. Also Japanese - can always do takoyaki at Guu if you want your octopus a little hidden.

66. Paella - is Torito's good? Never ordered it there but like their other food. In TO, have only had Segovia's version many many years ago.

94. Sweet Potato Fries - I like the ones at Lou Dawgs.

100. Zucchini Flowers - only in season but have had delicious dishes made with them at Treadwell and Buca. You can buy them at St. Lawrence Market in the Summer & cook them up yourself. I'm lucky to get them from my Mom's garden & tempura up those babies.

[dangerjno]

3. Alligator, 36. Fried catfish, and 47. Gumbo - N'awlins

[pinstripeprincess]

3. Alligator - any spot new orleans themed, n'awlins big daddy's crabshack, southern accent
8. Bellini - high end old school bars/restos - sassafraz used to do a proper one
25. Crab Cakes - a lot of places... often a special on menus at the very least the new orleans spots
28. Dandelion Wine - brew at home
29. Dulce De Leche - mainstream grocery stores, latin markets, this lady makes a killer one - https://supicucu.wordpress.com/
37. Fried Green Tomatoes - they show up in the season, so july restaurant menus, would expect acadia to have it on their menu
40. Frogs' Legs - some vietnamese spots have it more regularly than french spots
56. Key Lime Pie - grand electric is doing a fantastic version right now
64. Octopus - sushi, greek, portuguese, etc etc etc too many variants to pick a best
68. Pastrami on Rye - my pick is stockyards
69. Pavlova - home, too aussie/new zealander to make it onto menus here
71. Philly Cheese Steak - NO WHERE
78. Prickly Pear - grocery store, any
100. Zucchini Flowers - wait until the season, july/august and they will be on every menu.

i'm sorry to say this, but a vehement NO to 27. currywurst. Wvrst is NOT an option. It is wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

[julesrules]

Why is the curry wurst at Wvrst wrong? I didn't like it much and prefer the duck sausage on a bun, but even people who say Wvrst is bad describe curry wurst as a curry tomato/ketchup sauce, and cited recipes look super simple, both of which seem to line up with what I had at Wrst... so I am just curious, as someone with no experience of the original, what Wvrst is doing wrong.

[pinstripeprincess]

it is simple, but simple is where most people fail and i think wvrst doesn't quite get it. the sausage base should be a very simple pork sausage, the options at wvrst just aren't the best base for that sauce. especially once you get into the stronger more iron-y meats. their curry sauce is thick and not curry enough. perhaps saying "wrong wrong wrong" is a bit much, but it's just like how no one seems to understand what makes a good philly cheesesteak here. they try to do too much to it and it takes away what makes it great.

[julesrules]

Fair enough... maybe it would be better if the currywurst combined with one appropriate sausage was just an option on the menu rather than them trying to make it a main feature with too many sausage options. I also had a nasty variation on poutine there with super sweet sauce, onions and bell peppers.... just too sweet, they would be better off doing a traditional poutine. And I actually like the place for what it is but you have order carefully I guess.

[Manybears]

69. George actually has a summer berry pavlova as part of their lunch tasting menu right now.

[prima]

I'm hoping Scaramouche does a pavlova this spring. Their rhubarb pavlova was great last year.

Pavlova is also on the menu at Southern Accent. http://southernaccent.com/menu/

[pinstripeprincess]

mm... rhubarb pavlova! inspiration for my last grocery shopping trip.

[dangerjno]

Just spotted pavlova on the Woodlot menu mentioned in this week's Now.

[prima]

64. re: too many variants to pick a best- maybe so, but I think Volos is serving the best grilled octopus right now. I much prefer grilled octopus over octopus sushi or any other form of cold octopus.

[pinstripeprincess]

i am more fond of grilled as well, smoky flavour tends to be a great compliment. am surprised about volos though! will have to keep that in mind.

[prima]

If you decide to try Volos, I like their grilled calamari, grilled octopus and soutzoukakia. Interesting Greek wines by the glass, too.

[Wiley1]

@pinstripe.--.#71----saw Philadelphia Kitchen in Orangeville on Ya Gotta Eat Here and the sammi looked great! The owner is from Philly

[pinstripeprincess]

all i could see what a photo, the filling looks right but the bun seems a bit off... a little too chewy/dense possibly. an article mentioned they bake it on site though. am curious... may send a friend...

[Chester Eleganté]

some of the common ones not mentioned:
25. crab cakes - Zee Grill, seasonal ones at Trio Ristorante, Bymark
65. oxtail soup - most Korean restaurants, i.e. Mot Na Son
83. sauerkraut - Polonez, Elle m'a dit, Globe Earth, any Eastern European restaurant, any supermarket
85. shark - Bake & Shark @ Drupati's
87. snake - Big Mouth Kee, Sam Woo, etc.
+
6. baklava - Patisserie Royale
22. churros - Cava

[ilinda]

Concur regarding sauerkraut, Cafe Polonez does a great job on their Polish version. Trust me, sauerkraut is AMAZING when done right - bought from a bucket in a deli and sauteed with pork, not just warmed from a can.

[jlunar]

1. Abalone - Very Fair Chinese Restaurant, Golden Court Abalone Restaurant
9. Birds Nest Soup - Can buy in Chinese apothecaries
10. Biscuits & Gravy - The Stockyards (brunch)
11. Black Pudding - Splendidio has this fairly frequently, but not as a solo dish
13. Borscht - The Prague Deli (menu rotates)
16. Caviar - Harbour 60
22. Churros - Pancho's Bakery
30. Durian - T&T Supermarkets (or in shakes at Pho places)
31. Eel - Yuzu (or any Japanese restaurant)
32. Eggs Benedict - Czehoski
34. Foie Gras - Splendido, lots of restaurants.
46. Goulash - The Prague Deli (menu rotates)
50. Heirloom Tomatoes - Vicki's Veggies
51. Honeycomb - St. Lawrence Market North honey stall.
53. Huevos Rancheros - Beast Restaurant
55. Kangaroo - Wvrst has 'roo sausages, I think
57. Kobe Beef - Famu
77. Polenta - Scarpetta
82. S'mores - Harbour 60 (fire! At the table!)
84. Sea Urchin - Japanese restaurants (uni), can buy at places like Diana's seafood
85. Shark - Many Chinese restaurants in Markham, if shark's fin soup counts.
86. Snail - Batifole, La Palette, Le Rossignol. Many French restaurants.
93. Steak Tartare - La Palette. Nota Bene.

[Dr. John]

If by calamari, we mean any version of fried squid, then I would vote for either the version at Lee Garden on Spadina or the version at Origin.

Hooked sometimes has a nice smoked carp.

For Goulash, Country Style is still reiable.

You can make your own s'mores at the table at Moroco.

There are many varieties of umeboshi in J-Town and also at Sanko.

-John

[dangerjno]

UPDATE as of Feb 6 7pm ET. Still many missing, any suggestions?

1. Abalone - Lai Wah Heen
2. Absinthe - LCBO, smuggled in from Europe.
3. Alligator
4. Baba Ghanoush - Jerusalem, Dr. Laffa, Armenian Kitchen
5. Bagel & Lox - Hamishe Bakery
6. Baklava - Arz Bakery, Pizza Pide, Select Bakery, Royal Pastries
7. BBQ Ribs - Swiss Chalet (damn good for the money)
8. Bellini - Milestones
9. Birds Nest Soup
10. Biscuits & Gravy
11. Black Pudding
12. Black Truffle - St. Lawrence Market
13. Borscht
14. Calamari
15. Carp
16. Caviar
17. Cheese Fondue - Tati Bistro
18. Chicken & Waffles - Harlem Restaurant
19. Chicken Tikka Masala - Raby's
20. Chile Relleno - El Sol
21. Chitlins - Pizzeria Libretto's nduja pizza.
22. Churros
23. Clam Chowder
24. Cognac - LCBO
25. Crab Cakes
26. Crickets - Atlantic Restaurant
27. Currywurst - Wvrst
28. Dandelion Wine
29. Dulce De Leche
30. Durian
31. Eel
32. Eggs Benedict -
33. Fish Tacos - Grand Electric, County General
34. Foie Gras
35. Fresh Spring Rolls - Lemongrass
36. Fried Catfish
37. Fried Green Tomatoes
38. Fried Plantain
39. Frito Pie - pretty sure you'd have to assemble this yourself.
40. Frogs' Legs
41. Fugu - Japan or Manhattan, I fear
42. Funnel Cake - Canada's Wonderland, The Ex
43. Gazpacho
44. Goat - Ali's West Indian Roti Shop
45. Goat's Milk - grocery
46. Goulash
47. Gumbo - Harlem
48. Haggis
49. Head Cheese
50. Heirloom Tomatoes
51. Honeycomb
52. Hostess Fruit Pie - Amazon and ebay
53. Huevos Rancheros
54. Jerk Chicken - The Real Jerk, RIP
55. Kangaroo - St. Lawrence Market has kangaroo burgers
56. Key Lime Pie
57. Kobe Beef
58. Lassi - Copper Chimney, Motimahal, Bombay Chowpatty
59. Lobster - Starfish, Scaramouche
60. Mimosa
61. Moon Pie - Restoration Hardware(?), Delica Kitchen
62. Morel Mushrooms - St. Lawrence Market (dried)
63. Nettle Tea - David's Tea
64. Octopus
65. Oxtail Soup
66. Paella
67. Paneer
68. Pastrami on Rye
69. Pavlova
70. Phaal
71. Philly Cheese Steak
72. Pho - hundreds of places
73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese - Grocery store
74. Pistachio Ice Cream - I count gelato, so Il Gelatiere
75. Po' Boy - The Gabardine has a shrimp po'boy
76. Pocky - grocery
77. Polenta
78. Prickly Pear
79. Rabbit Stew - Cantinado O Barradino, Tati Bistro
80. Raw Oysters - Biff's Bistro, Rodney's Oyster House
81. Root Beer Float - Gale's Diner
82. S'mores
83. Sauerkraut
84. Sea Urchin
85. Shark
86. Snail
87. Snake
88. Soft Shell Crab - Starfish, Gill, Katsura
89. Som Tam
90. Spaetzle - Bannock has it as a side to its pork dish, Corner House as a side to venison stew
91. Spam - grocery
92. Squirrel
93. Steak Tartare
94. Sweet Potato Fries
95. Sweetbreads - Tati Bistro
96. Tom Yum - Not Thai Express (awful Tom Yum)
97. Umeboshi
98. Venison - Corner House
99. Wasabi Peas - Grocery
100. Zucchini Flowers

[Wiley1]

I had snail in a pho-type soup in a resto on lower Spadina, but forget the name..

[prima]

I'll vote for Europe's goulash again. Better than my last bowl at Country Style. ;-)

Also like Sunflower Kitchen's Veggie Borscht, a refrigerated soup, available at some No Frills, Whole Foods, and Fiesta Farms. Have been meaning to try Best Grill's borscht, which Juno has recommended in another thread. Chopin also serves a decent borscht, but I prefer the chunkier type of borscht.

You can buy imported dried spaetzle at Pusateri's, and most Euro delis with a good pasta section. Not difficult to find.

[crawfish]

14. Calamari - The Rhino
38. Fried Plantain - The Real Jerk

[Manybears]

#36 you can get fried catfish at Harlem. You can remove the "RIP" (for now anyway) from the Real Jerk at #54. For #67, personally, I'd probably hit up Ghandi for a saag paneer roti, though I'm sure there are better examples for paneer fans (I am not one). And #97, as Dr. John mentioned, I'd get an umeboshi onigiri from Sanko.

[piccola]

I recommend the huevos rancheros at Universal Grill. And the plantains at La Bella Managua.

[julesrules]

Well Mezes is Greek, and Baba Ghanoush is not, so it would not be my pick for that dish; my personal life-long fave is from the Armenian Kitchen, but I haven't tried the various other board favourites.
The chicken is great at Harlem, the waffles are terrible (pancake mix and fake syrup), so I highly suggest just making this at home.

[CalliopeToronto]

I had a lovely venison stew at Corner House last night - good deep, rich flavours without being overly gamey. It also came with spaetzle as a side (added bonus for the list)

[pakmode]

My recommendations for the following:

Baba Ghanoush - Dr. Laffa

Baklava - Turkish - Pizza Pide. Greek - Select Bakery Lebanese - Royal Pastries or Patesserie Royale in Scarborough.

Chicken Tikka Masala - Raby's near Don Mills and Overlea.

Lassi - Motimahal or Bombay Chowpatty on Gerrard St or Raby's a bit north for Lassi. Sweet, Salty or Mango. They're all good.

[downtownfoodie]

this is embarrassing, but my favourite baba ganoush is the packaged PC stuff at Loblaws. I'm sure it's far from "authentic" and it's probably chock full of chemical preservatives etc, but god damn it...it's vinegary/garlicky deliciousness :D

although absinthe is available in the lcbo, it's wormwood free...which is the only reason you'd want to try absinthe in the first place. there are much better anise-flavoured spirits out there. you have to go to europe, or supposedly some underground bars in NYC to try the real deal

most of the other stuff is pretty readily available in toronto with the exception of

Frito Pie - just looks nasty
Fugu - i'd rather order some delicious au toro and then go sky diving anyway
Phall - supposedly just invented to allow drunk londoners to outdo each other in acts of stupidity, so just go to ghandi, act young, drunk and dumb...and ask for a vindaloo roti as hot as they can make it
Som Tam - i had it in Laos, but i'm sure you can find it in toronto
Squirrel - we ordered it frozen from the southern US for a hillbilly themed barbecue a few years back. trust me...the list only needs to be 99 dishes long (98 if you aren't interested in eating swift spit)

chitlins you used to be able to get at chinese bbq restos, or uncooked in chinese groceries (fry in lard for proper flavour)

[julesrules]

My issue with the PC Baba is that it's full of mayo, which is inauthentic, and also just not to my taste. To my mind it should just be eggplant, tahini and seasonings (maybe some olive oil). But the Blue Menu version is actually better because they've cut back on the mayo. I do appreciate the smokiness of both versions.

[dangerjno]

For purposes of this thread, do you still have the link for the squirrel source? It's one thing I think is impossible to find here.

[principessa del pisello]

Has anyone had Phaal in Toronto? We had it in London and it was amazing! I would love to know where to get some here.

[dangerjno]

Yes, phaal is one I've had trouble finding too!

[graydyn]

The only thing that stood out as difficult to obtain was squirrel (as long as you're willing to count Wag as Kobe).
Anybody got any leads on squirrel? Other than a park?

[1sweetpea]

I saw abalone on the dim sum menu at Lai Wah Heen on Sunday. I had soft shell crab at Gill in Delisle Court on Saturday night. It is also available at Katsura in the Weston Prince hotel. My score is 83. I've yet to try bird's nest soup, though I doubt I will. I've never had biscuits and gravy, chicken and waffles, chitlins, dandelion wine, fried green tomatoes, funnel cake, haggis, kangaroo, pavlova, phaal, pineapple and cottage cheese, snake, squirrel, zucchini flowers or a bellini. Fugu's a no-go for me. Too risky.

[prima]

Highly recommend biscuits & gravy, fried green tomatoes & pavlova. Couldn't be bothered to try snake, shark, fugu or squirrel. If you've tried nduja, you've tried chitlins, since nduja, French andouille and French andouillette are made of chitterlings and other parts of the pig. For chitlins in TO, I like Pizzeria Libretto's nduja pizza.
I still haven't tried Pocky or a Hostess Fruit Pie. I like the mango lassi at Copper Chimney.

For those of you who have not tried cheese fondue, sweetbreads and/or rabbit stew (rabbit basquaise), all 3 are available at Tati Bistro. Haven't tried those dishes at Tati.
http://www.tatibistro.com/entrees.html
http://www.tatibistro.com/vegetarian....

-----
Tati
124 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON M5S 1G8, CA

[graydyn]

Good call on missing the bird's nest. It's got to be the world's most overrated foodstuff.
You've got to jump on some of those southern dishes though, so good, and so affordable.

[Teep]

Bird's nest is not a gastronomical delight. It is supposed to be "good for you" - increase your metabolism, purify your skin etc.

[CalliopeToronto]

Durian is available in a lot of grocery stores - the one that comes to mind first is the RCSuperstore in Scarborough.

For raw oysters, Rodney's Oyster House gets my vote.

I had a great float at Gale's diner - a unique atmosphere, but that's where I'd get my root beer float (and they're <$2)

You can't get good lox or bagels in the grocery store - I vote for bagels from Hamishe Bakery on Bathurst if you like the NY style (and I do - hate Montreal style bagels), and lox from United Bakers at Bathurst and Lawrence (but don't get the bagels there). Actually, I make my own lox, but before I knew how, that's where I got it.

The best gumbo I've had in Toronto has been at Harlem.

Great baba ghanoush at Jerusalem, but it's pretty easy to find at most delis.

[prima]

Mezes serves melitzanosalata. While melitzanosalata is eggplant spread, it is not the same as baba ghanoush. Try Tabule or Jerusalem for baba ghanoush. ;-)

Starfish serves the best softshell crab I've found in TO, but they won't be in season until late May. Starfish also serves great clam chowder as a daily special from time to time. The lobster is also very good at Starfish. Best place for a plain lobster

Scaramouche for Lobsterlicious, on now. Best place, in my experience, for butter poached lobster.

Europe on Bathurst serves the best goulash I've found in TO.

Milestone's Bellini is pretty good if you like alchoholic slushes with plastic monkeys hanging off your glass and a drizzle of raspberry syrup. Has anyone had a the other type of Bellini (prosecco with peach syrup or peach puree) at any of the upscale Italian restaurants in TO?

I don't bother with fish tacos in Toronto anymore.

Does anyone know of a source for vinegary headcheese? I only seem to be able to find the garlic type, the cucumber type, and the "regular" type lately. Thanks for any suggestions.

-----
Tabule
2009 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4S 1Z8, CA

Starfish
100 Adelaide St E, Toronto, ON M5C1K9, CA

Scaramouche
1 Benvenuto Place, Toronto, ON M4V 2L1, CA

Jerusalem
955 Eglinton Ave, Toronto, ON M6C2C4, CA

Europe
3030 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON M6B3B6, CA

[elrik]

Fish tacos at Grand Electric are pretty darn tasty!

[themiguel]

Fish tacos at Grand Electric rival anything I had in L.A or Miami.

[prima]

What kind of fish is used at Grand Electric?

Is the fish lightly battered & fried, or grilled? I might grab a pair of earplugs and go give the fish tacos at Grand Electric a try.

[acd123]

Forgot to mention, fish tacos at GE are lightly battered and fried. Super crisp exterior and moist, fresh white fish within, topped with lime crema if I recall correctly. Delish.

[prima]

thanks ;-) Will give one more order of TO fish tacos a try.

Noticed the County General has whole roasted red snapper fish tacos for 2 for $40 on their menu. http://thecountygeneral.ca/menus/dinner/

[pinstripeprincess]

the fish they use at GE is tilapia.

the whole roast red snapper at CG was not good. it was overcooked and dried out, not very flavourful. while i'm not squeamish or against the work required for whole fish, i did find it annoying to try to pick off the meat. probably because the lack of flavour and texture didn't make it worth it.

[prima]

Thanks, pinstripeprincess.
Sorry to hear the snapper at CG was not good.

[acd123]

A more compelling statement is that the fish tacos at Grand Electric rival anything I've had in San Diego, the centre of the fish taco universe.

[dangerjno]

You got me, Prima. I just assumed Mezes would have it. Should have thought of Jerusalem, I've been there dozens of times. Great pick.

[beach_cook]

vinegary headcheese: bought @ Starsky's late winter, pretty sure it was from Sikorski.

[Davwud]

72 for me. Not too shabby I suppose.

I'm sure you can get gator at SLM. I know you can get soft shell crabs there. I've bought them.

They sometimes have Portuguese Rabbit Stew at Cantinado O Barradino on Lansdowne. I've had it there and it's excellent.

Moon Pies you'll probably have to order. I think Restoration Hardware carried them by the cash at one time but don't know if they still do.

DT

[iMarilyn]

Delica has moon pies.

-----
Delica Kitchen
1440 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4T, CA

[The Chowhound Team]

Just a quick request, folks -- please focus on suggestions on where to get these items in the GTA, rather than just reporting in with your score. A general discussion of the meme would be better suited to our General Chowhounding Topics board. Thanks!

[elrik]

Hmmm, haven't had it all in Toronto, but I still managed to score an 87. Guess I am close to being able to kick the bucket! >.>

There are really only 2-3 things on that list that I think you would have any trouble finding in Toronto. Gotta love this city.