Bloor West Village restaurants

[tuppertrash]

Hi!
Me and my family just moved to Bloor West Village and I am wanting some recommendations for high and low cost restaurants. And if someone wanted to chime in with great food delivery recs that would be awesome to! I am a total new comer so I really don't know where to go. We love most kinds of food, Thai, Ukrainian, Sushi, Italian, Mexican, we aren't picky with type, we just want delicious!
Thanks everyone!

[kbdid]

I've noticed over the past few weeks/months the Ukrainian social services offices (on Bloor near Jane, south side) has been offering cabbage rolls, borscht and perogies for sale - I haven't tried them yet but I'd bet they'd be great take-home dinners (and helping a good cause). I say this because anytime I get to a Ukrainian church bazaar and take these goodies home, they're great (almost as good as my MIL's)

[NoFixedAddress]

Try Dr. Generosity.
Great family restaurant. Good Food/Staff
http://www.drgenerosity.com/

[EastCoastGurl]

I have lived in BWV for the past 18 years and can say I have been going to this place a couple times each year and have never been disappointed by the food. Was there a couple weeks ago on a Friday night and since we were heading across the street for a play, had giant dinner salads. Me: Chopped salad with turkey and Date: Oriental salad. Fresh, large, lots of protein and variety of ingredients. Service was friendly and efficient even though the place was packed. I know I'm weird but I love grilled calves liver and they do it very nicely there with bacon and gravy. This place is also one of the few BYOB in the city and it costs only $1 on Mondays, $2 on Tuesdays! My only complaint is the desserts tend to be limited and fairly heavy which is not what you want after finishing your excellent dinner.

[num nums]

Has anyone been to Karelia Kitchen? I first heard about it at (of all places) the Marimekko show at the Textile Museum. Karelia was the name of a Scandinavian design store in the 70s. The son of the owners opened the restaurant in late 2012 in BWV. Outside of Ikea, I've never had Scandinavian food, so interested in trying it.

Here's a write up in Now:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/food/story....

[5andman]

Karelia Kitchen location is really the Bloordale area?

[num nums]

Yes, you're right that it's in Bloordale. My mistake. For some reason thought it was closer to Highpark.

I will start a new thread on Karelia since I will check it out soon.

[5andman]

Thanks for bringing it up ... it's piqued my curiousity, I'll have to check it out

[Cat123]

Agree with avoiding Globe Earth. After serving me rock hard poached eggs one day they tried to convince me that "hard poached" was the way all of their poached eggs were served and that I should have specified I wanted "soft poached". Yeah, okay, sure.

For an affordable dinner option I would highly recommend the burgers at Shakey's.

[Food Tourist]

They gave me lots of egg choices up front and I asked for and received medium poached successfully. Everything else - unsuccessful.

[Food Tourist]

Avoid Globe Earth Bloor West for brunch. What a gong show.

[Dean Tudor]

OTOH, Happy Hour is a treat...all apps half price, all draughts and glasses of wine half price, oysters a buck a shuck. Tuesdays to Fridays, 4PM to 6PM in the restaurant wine bar. In summer, also on the patio.

[bunnylicious]

Going off the top of my head... not all exactly in BWV, but nearby at least. Some of the places are not necessarily my preferences, but are popular and may appeal to you.

Barque for bbq, Ace for brunch, Hey for casual/baked goods etc, Hopgood's Foodliner, Lit for coffee, Cherry bomb for baked goods, all on Roncesvalles

Playa Cantina for Mexican, Vesuvios for pizza, Locomotive for sandwiches, Crema for coffee, the beet for healthy food, Sweet Potato for decent organic groceries, Delight and fromagerie for chocolate and cheese, in the Junction

BWV - I haven't noticed a decline in Falafel World's quality, I enjoy it, and find the owners friendly. I only go about 3 times a year but I always have good experiences. I do find that the quality at Max's Market has declined, though some disagree. Bread and Roses, Hot Oven for bread... not a fan of Queen's Pasta Cafe but again, many like it. Dr Generosity for brunch

Etobicoke, about 10-15 min away from bwv : Paul and Sandy's BBQ, La Veranda Osteria for Italian, casual French at Merlot (not a huge fan but I know lots of people love it), Kumo sushi, Via Allegro for over the top italian, Faema at Sherway for good coffee and pizza (not worth a special trip but if youre at the mall...), Medium Rare butcher...

Jane/Annette: Patisserie 27!!!

[kikitoron]

La Veranda is awful - it is just priced afforadably for that area.

Italian you are much better off going to Sempre or Vesuvio's
Pizza - Dino's on the Queensway or Vesuivio's
Korean - Chodang soon tofu
thai - green mango is decent
sushi - kaji (its expensive, but you leave full and it is epic)

like most folk say you really are better off in the junction or elsewhere for more options

[Dean Tudor]

Kikitoron -- there's a sign in the window of Green Mango -- "For Lease"

[kikitoron]

theres another location futher west along bloor

[Dean Tudor]

Isn't that in the Kingsway?

[obstructionist]

Try the Good Fork.

[principessa del pisello]

Hi obstructionist I haven't had a chance to try Good Fork yet. What do you recommend there?

[obstructionist]

So far I have only had the (excellent) burger and the daily soup (which was lentil when I tried it). But I dined with people who really enjoyed their salads. :)

[principessa del pisello]

Good to know and I will try it soon. I tried Works Burger last week and was disappointed. The meat was too dry, but the fries were good.

[kbdid]

I just had dinner here tonight and enjoyed it more than their brunch. For brunch I had basic bacon/eggs etc and it was okay but pricey (imo), My companion had a grilled cheese and spinach sandwich which was a bit heavy on the spinach. Their smoothies are very good.

Now, for dinner. I had the mac n cheese with ham which was excellent - large portion and very rich. I had it with a side of sweet potato fries (carb overload, I would suggest the side salad instead). My husband had muscles with coconut sauce (his with fries) and really enjoyed it. My daughter had a burger and sweet potato fries from the kids' menu. Drinks, some Canadian merlot (Sibling Rivalry? was okay) and bacon infused Caesar (yummy).

[Googs]

Another Hound, Dean Tudor, writes regularly about the theme nights at Bloom. Probably worth a visit.
http://www.bloomrestaurant.com/

[Dean Tudor]

Did I hear my name?

BLOOM RESTAURANT

2315 Bloor St. West, Toronto, On - Tel: [phone]

TASTE OF CHILE $25 DINNER PRIX FIXE
January 2nd to January 25th

APPETIZERS

SOPA DE SETAS Y AJO
Mushroom & Garlic Soup

EMPANADA DE QUESO Y PEBRE
Cheese Turnover & Onion Marmalade

~~~~~

MAINS

CALDILLO DE CONGRIO
(Chilean Seafood Stew)
Conger Eel, Shrimp, Calamari, Mussels, Clams,
Green Sweet Paper, Potato

PASTEL DE CHOCLO
Roasted Chicken Casserole, Raisins, Hard Boiled Egg,
Black Olives, Basil Cumin, Onions, Caramelized Corn Crust

~~~~~

DESSERTS

Daily Chef Specials

[dannyboy]

In my opinion BWV is one of the worst food destinations in the city. The only place that's actually good is earth bloor west, and i believe that building will be torn down in the next year to make way for condos. Also, falafel world is actually awesome so you want to go there. But apart from that good luck. The rest of the mentions kinda suck but to each their own. Luckily there are good places in nearby hoods such as Roncy and the Junction.
In the Junction as mentioned is Vesuvios for pizza which is my fave anywhere around here and as well a newer Mexican place called Playa Cabana Cantina which is really good. Roncy has the Ace and Barque. I believe a queen marguerita pizza is due in the Juntion soon as well.

[kbdid]

Gotta second the opinion on Falafel World; it used to be pretty good but the past few visits have been disappointing.

Re Earth - they've been talking about tearing that building down since it was The Fan (it had one other resto between being the bar and Earth).

[burningrome]

Queen Margarita Pizza is going into an old bank on the corner of Jane and Annette; not near opening yet from my drive-by last week.
Bryden's on Bloor West at Jane has good food and great beer, as does 3030 in the Junction (3030 Dundas West), and Indie Alehouse in the Junction as well.

[dannyboy]

I drove by today and i think Bryden's is now Henry the VIII?
they had good beers on tap though, hadn't been to Henry's other pub in Kingsway so can't comment. 3030's food is decent and cheap but sometimes when bands are playing it's stupid loud. Alehouse is good for beer but i think their food is overpriced, as is the beer, as well the staff are kinda on the slow side, at least a few i've had anyway...

[Food Tourist]

Nope, Henry and Bryden's are a few doors apart in the same block.

[5andman]

BWV is slowly progressing with food options, some options off the top of my head ....

Cheap & Fast: Ali Baba, Mamma's Pizza, McD
Burgers, Works Burgers, Yellow Griffin, Grillway, Jumbo Burgers
Pizza take out: Vesuvius, Buddha Pie, FBI, Pizza Flora, Mamma's Pizza
Asian/take out: Westwood Grill, Wok Terminal, Thai & Sushi, Thai Delite
Cafe/Coffee: Coffee Tree

Nearby areas to explore: Junction/Dundas West/Annette, Roncesvalles,

[kbdid]

there are a few threads hanging around about Bloor West and the Junction, here's one

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/850857

for delivery I always like Silk (on Dundas) for Thai.