Universal Grill
1071 Shaw Street
416-588-5928
Brunch for two with all taxes, tip and coffee: $30

To describe the simplicity and beauty of brunch, I don’t need to look any further than The Simpsons. In my favourite episode, in which a disingenuous Homer buys Marge a bowling ball for her birthday and an enraged Marge decides to keep it and take lessons, her suave, flirtatious French bowling instructor, Jacques, defines brunch thusly: “It’s not quite breakfast, it’s not quite lunch, but it comes with a slice of cantaloupe at the end”.

Continue reading Best Bet for Brunch at Universal Grill »

Sandwich Box
67 Richmond Street West
416-913-4444
238 Queen Street West
416-204-9411
Lunch for two with all taxes, tip and juice: $20

Sometimes, a sandwich is a quick bite on the run, eaten rapidly and forgotten moments later. At Sandwich Box, it is a thing of beauty and worth savouring. In the past, in order to eat a sandwich this good, I would have had to stop at a market for the kinds of gourmet, high-end ingredients available at Sandwich Box - artisanal breads, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, pinkish rare roast beef that is almost a carpaccio, chicken grilled on the premises and some real choices in the cheese department.

Continue reading Not Just Any Sandwich - Sandwich Box »

Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard
92 Front Street East
416-361-9788

It happens every time. I think my husband is right behind me at the St. Lawrence Market, and I chatter away, planning the best route through the crowds and stalls. Invariably, I turn around and he’s not there. I’ve come to expect this, and make my way over to Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard. Sure enough, he’s part of the eager crowd, dipping pretzels and hot, fried cubes of toothpick speared peameal bacon into a wide assortment of ramekins filled with flavoured mustards. I join in, and soon the sampling becomes a postscript to breakfast or a prequel to lunch.

Continue reading Dipping Into Mustard at the St. Lawrence Market »

Betty’s
240 King Street East
416-368-1300
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and pints: $45

Earlier this year, my husband and I embarked on a “no fried foods” rule, which dissolved almost as quickly as we agreed to it. All the same, there are times when I’m not in the mood for french fries, so I was intrigued by the option of having cous cous with cranberry and orange zest alongside my sandwich at Betty’s. Fluffy, light and cool, it’s the perfect side dish during patio weather.

Continue reading A Pint and Pub Grub at Betty’s »

Mittomi Sushi & Bar
699 Bloor Street West
416-533-2888
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and sake: $55

Recollections of my first sake-soaked sushi meal several years ago are hazy, except for the unexpected and utterly sensual delight of salmon sashimi melting on my tongue. It remains a shining, transcendent food memory for me. Although I’m not otherwise doing much damage to the world’s ocean inhabitants, I count it a very good day when I get my chopsticks around a juicy, intensely-coloured piece (or several) of raw salmon. As a result, I find myself in Mittomi as often as possible to get my fix, even though I no longer live in the neighborhood.

Continue reading Salmon on My Mind at Mittomi »

Restaurant Jules
147 Spadina Avenue
416-348-8886
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $80

Although born into a Dutch-Canadian household, I somehow ended up a Francophile. Hey - the Dutch and the French both dip their French fries in homemade mayonnaise and have blue, red and white flags, so I’m not that far off. Before my recent breathtaking trip to Paris I spent a lot of time enjoying movies and books set in Paris and France and collecting French cookbooks. If I was happy about the large number of French dining options in Toronto during my armchair travelling days, I am even more grateful now for the chance to relive the French experience whenever I book a table at Jules.

Continue reading Parisian Proxy - Restaurant Jules »

The last I time I found myself walking east on Mill Street towards the historical buildings of The Distillery District, I noticed that they are almost hidden by new condo construction. Only the tops of its tallest buildings provided reassurance that I was indeed walking the correct way. By the time I arrived at the main entrance, Trinity Street, the modernity of the half-finished condo receded from view, replaced with historic buildings and wonderfully Victorian pedestrian-only lanes that look and feel very different from the rest of Toronto.

Originally the Gooderham and Worts Distillery, one of the largest distilleries in the world during the 19th century, the old Victorian Industrial buildings are now filled with galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Thanks to the new owners’ refusal to lease any space to chains or franchises, it’s an excellent chance to get away from the usual garish Starbucks, McDonald’s and Quiznos signage that increasingly dominates most Toronto neighbourhoods. The restaurants and eateries that have established themselves in The Distillery have great food, atmosphere and dynamic variety.

Continue reading Eating My Way Through The Distillery District »