Chowhounds best 10 restaurants in GTA - 2013 voting
We did this almost exactly a year ago so it's time for a refresh
Please read and follow these instructions
Each poster may submit 1 reply containing a list of up to 10 restaurants they consider to be the best in the GTA. Nothing else, no comments, no meta discussions, just a list. Order is not significant.
Make your own judgement as to what you consider GTA but please lets limit it to places one can have a normal dinner with a glass of wine and still have time to sober up and drive home by 1AM.
Any cuisine, any service style, any price point.
You MUST have actually eaten in the restaurant in question at least once within the last 18 months
The idea is to produce a starting point recommendation list for 2013 so we want to avoid listing places that have already closed or have changed significantly since you dined there. Last year I tried to make a hard rule about this that I suspect was widely ignored. This year I leave it to your judgement. If you think a changes at a place (like the Black Hoof again) haven't really altered it then you can vote it.
Deadline is Midnight January 31st at which point we tabulate the results and post them here.
Have fun
-
-
-
-
syoung
Jan 30, 2013 11:19 AM
Guu has been mentioned many times. I don't get it. I went once, decent food to be sure but a top 10 in Toronto? I don't think so. Izakaya is basically Japanese "pub" food served tapas styled. Maybe this is just a function of the sad state of the restaurant scene here in Toronto when Guu can be a top 10 restaurant on someone's list.
›12 Replies-
-
re: syoung
prima
Jan 30, 2013 12:11 PM
I liked my meal at Guu more than most of my finer dining meals in TO last year, probably because what Guu is serving is relatively new to my palate, and stands out compared to foods I've ordered before. As someone who cooks a lot, the memorable meals for me tend to be the meals that involve flavours I don't use as much at home, or dishes I don't know how to prepare or don't have the time or patience to prepare (like dim sum).
Keep in mind the top 10 is a list of favourites, and attempting to rank the best (or current favourite) restaurants in TO is a little like comparing apples to oranges.
I don't know how I could rank Joso, Cava and Guu, which are 3 restaurants that made my top 10. I liked them all for different reasons, and look forward to returning to each of them this year.
-
re: prima
Notorious P.I.G.
Jan 30, 2013 12:24 PM
Apples and Oranges are actually very similar, both round, both fruit, both have seeds, both contain citric acid...
;)
-
re: Notorious P.I.G.
prima
Jan 30, 2013 12:38 PM
;-) True. All the restaurants in this thread are similar in that they all serve food that ranks somewhere on at least one Chowhound's top 10 list.
I'm more interested in seeing the results for the places that I haven't tried yet, that might get 1 or 2 votes, than the often-recommended places that get 10+votes. Interesting to already see the differences from last year's thread, where only 3 restaurants (KSR, Marben and Enoteca Sociale) had 11 or more votes. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/831295
-
re: prima
Notorious P.I.G.
Jan 30, 2013 01:05 PM
Haha! Yeah, that's a good use of this list for sure. There's definitely a couple places on here that I've never been to and want to check.
-
-
-
-
re: syoung
My top restaurants were not necessarily the BEST restaurants in the GTA (I, perhaps in the minority, have not been to enough of these new restaurants due to simply time/logistic constraints to be able to comment on the BEST, without trying it ALL), but were however my most favorite/frequented which I would argue, represent a more realistic view of ones eating habits.
-
re: Sadistick
Notorious P.I.G.
Jan 30, 2013 01:08 PM
That's how I chose my list. I feel like the term "best" is subjective anyway.
-
re: Notorious P.I.G.
justxpete
Feb 2, 2013 05:21 PM
That's a good point. Mine was kind of a hybrid list of favourite restaurants, and favourite experiences from the year (jabistro, YT, Gwailo), but not necessarily best. I would have included Cafe Boulud and Jacobs & co among others, if I was doing a "best of" list.
-
-
re: Sadistick
Chester Eleganté
Jan 31, 2013 11:09 PM
Yep.
Mot Na Son
Golden Shanghai
Kingyo
O'Mei
Enoteca Sociale
Sukhothai
White Brick Kitchen
Bahn mi boys
Schnitzel Queen
Seven Lives
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
justxpete
Jan 29, 2013 12:37 PM
I think next year we should consider "weighted" voting, as in, placement in ones' list does matter.
›4 Replies-
-
re: bytepusher
justxpete
Jan 29, 2013 06:12 PM
I don't think it's any one persons' decision. More of a group thing.
In any case, right now we have a list of most popular restaurants in TO, whereas if they were weighted, we would have what we consider, collectively, the best restaurants in TO (in order) , and *the* best restaurant in TO.
A small but significant difference.
-
re: justxpete
luxeat
Jan 30, 2013 07:33 AM
I think this is good enough, weighting them just provides an easy answer where there is none. You need to consider too many variables such as service, experience, atmosphere.... hence this only works when you have a singular group as the objective ones. Something like Michelin.
Perhaps indicating your favourite selection from the menu would serve to be more informative.
In any case I think this is interesting enough to see what Toronto 'foodies' are thinking.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Bobby Wham
Jan 20, 2013 04:20 PM
My Faves of 2012
Seven Lives
Five Guys (Yeah)
Stockyards
Rose & Sons
Hoof Raw Bar
JaBistro
Kingyo Izakaya
Guu Saka Bar
Sardinha O Rei Dos Frangos
Enotoca Sociale -
-
-
Food Tourist
Jan 19, 2013 07:50 AM
Khao San Road
Ascari Enoteca
Kingyo Izakaya
The Harbord Room
Stockyards BBQ
Edulis
Sushi Kaji
Enoteca Sociale
Barque Smokehouse
Momofuku Daisho/NoodleBar -
-
elasticwaistband
Jan 18, 2013 08:12 AM
Black Camel
Enoteca Sociale
Pizzeria LIbretto
Harbord Room
Campagnolo
Momofuku Noodle Bar -
estufarian
Jan 18, 2013 06:24 AM
Acadia
Actinolite
Blacktree
Copper Chimney
Linda
Shoto
Splendido
Stack
Universal Grill
Yours Truly -
-
-
rosieintoronto
Jan 3, 2013 07:37 PM
Canoe
Keriwa Cafe
The Black Hoof
Victor
Luci
Fishbar
Cowbell
Sushi Kaji
The Saint
Prego--
Rosie
http://mytorontoscoop.com›2 Replies -
-
happycamper
Jan 3, 2013 06:01 PM
Yours Truly
Campagnole
Enoteca Sociale
The Grove
Grand Electric
Sidecar
Santouku
Alimento
Ali's West Indian Roti Shop
Banh Mi Boys -
TorontoJo
Jan 3, 2013 11:46 AM
Guu
Kingyo
Dr. Laffa
Banh Mi Boys
Stockyards
Acadia
The Gabardine
Woodlot
Gandhi
Yang'sMy only experience at Splendido in the last year was dessert, so it doesn't qualify. Will be going in the near future, but probably not in time to make my list.
›2 Replies -
-
Notorious P.I.G.
Jan 3, 2013 09:44 AM
Sushi Kaji
JaBistro
Zen
Santouka
Hoof Raw Bar
Chantecler
Saigon Star
Kingyo Izakaya
Cafe Brasiliano
Silk Road -
actinolite
aravind
banh mi boys
pizza e pazzi
museum tavern
simple bistro
hiro sushi
khao san rd
george
frank ago›2 Replies-
re: dubchild
Charles Yu
Jan 3, 2013 09:31 AM
Hello dubchild,
Holiday greetings!
Is Simple Bistro still good? Used to be my favorite go to bistro until Chef Tamaru moved to the Left Bank. Haven't been back for over 6 months!!-
re: Charles Yu
We were there around June last year. We found no change in quality or even much of the menu. Some Asian dude kept on poking his head out of the kitchen, I can't say if that was Chef Tamaru or not. How things are at this moment I cannot say. I'm assuming it is still the same owner and he definitely brought much to experience, not just by having interesting wines by the glass, especially for dessert, but also in recommending wines. We have some dinners planned in the near future and Simple may be one of them. I'll remember to do an updated review. Happy New Year.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Charles Yu
Jan 2, 2013 07:35 PM
Looks like Splendido is hands down #1!!
BTW, if one is allowed to expand to cover Blacktree and Quatrefoil then I would like to include Treadwell!›5 Replies-
-
re: justxpete
Charles Yu
Jan 2, 2013 08:30 PM
That means, more votes for Splendido! Ha!!!
Wow!! Another vote for S from frostie!! Running away!! Hehe!!
Surprise Ici is getting so many votes as well!!
Momofuku Shoto - such nice food but not a single mention??!! Is price a factor in this voting?? I wonder??!!-
-
re: Charles Yu
justxpete
Jan 2, 2013 08:42 PM
I'm a little surprised with Ici too, and Starfish! Both are getting lots of votes. My last couple of visits to Ici have been disappointing, whereby my first visit when they opened was one of my best meals that year. Perhaps it's time for a re-visit.
Starfish, my SO has a shellfish allergy - so we generally avoid places specializing in seafood/shellfish.
re: Shoto, I'm not certain many have had the chance to go as yet.. (I know I haven't).
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
TorontoTuna
Jan 2, 2013 02:37 PM
Starfish
Le Select
Paganelli's Risotteria
Cava
Batifole
Auberge Du Pommier
Stockyards
Guu (on Church)
George
Barberians -
-
-
-
-
-
Charles Yu
Jan 1, 2013 06:36 PM
Splendido
Auberge Du Pommier
Grove
Yours Truly
Acadia
Starfish
Sushi Kaji
Maple Yip
Yang's
Judy's Cuisine -
