# Going to Toronto



## mattrud (Aug 26, 2012)

Any suggestions of what to do?


----------



## Cutty Sharp (Aug 26, 2012)

You mean - what to do to get out of it?

Jeez, maybe feign injury? ... invent some story... claim you don't have a passport ... :groucho:

Ask echerub - he'd probably have a few suggestions. You could do a bit of knife-related shopping there, too. :thumbsup: I'm ex-TO and so my info is out of date.


----------



## cookinstuff (Aug 26, 2012)

Stay away from that Pete Tong guy, he's trouble. Um, I haven't been out much lately, Grand Electric was the last place I went and was pretty good, the Black Hoof is always good for people who have never been around. I have been meaning to get to Yours Truly to try that place out, pretty good reviews for a new spot. Plenty of good, cheap food around lately, shouldn't be too hard to find a bunch of places expensive/inexpensive. 

I still like the tacos at El Trompo more than Grand Electric that's for sure, should go to El Trompo that's my favourite restaurant in Toronto, if you go you have to get a Horcahta or a Tamarind drink, being from New York though Mexican food is probably not what you want to checking out in Toronto. Hehe I work with a mexican guy now so I am heavily under the influence. 

Toronto can be a terrible wasteland for sushi, so if I was going to get sushi and had one place to go, it would be Hashimoto. I haven't been in a chinese kitchen in awhile so I have no good chinese food references at the moment, but the asian food scene here is terrific. You will have no trouble getting some crappy paint by numbers chinese food menu, but you can find some of the real authentic chinese cuisines if you look hard enough, just go where there is no english and you will be fine :doublethumbsup:

And when you go back to New York, tell Chang when he comes here to do it big, we are sick of Scott Conant's and stuck up New Yorkers thinking they can drop bad restaurants on us and we will eat it up with a spoon, we are better than that.

That's all I've got I guess, you could grab a Toronto Life they had the best restaurants guide out a few months ago, but since James Chatto left I don't trust a word they say. Also, please don't take my comment about New York restauranteurs seriously, just sick of people obviously thinking they can push a lesser product on us Canadians, is it because we are nice and we won't say anything? We want good food too, please bring us a David Chang restaurant uncensored and unfiltered, I know you have nothing to do with any of this, just ranting hehe. 

Have fun here in Toronto and try and stay away from the big name restaurants, try to experience some of the ethnic neighbourhoods we have, massive Greek, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Caribbean of all flavours you can really get a good mix here, it might even remind you a bit of a tiny little part of home, I have been to New York and to me, it just 'feels' home to me, it must be that eastcoast melting pot city thing.


----------



## SameGuy (Aug 26, 2012)

Helping the staff at the new digs?


----------



## Cutty Sharp (Aug 26, 2012)

cookinstuff said:


> Stay away from that Pete Tong guy, he's trouble. Um, I haven't been out much lately, Grand Electric was the last place I went and was pretty good, the Black Hoof is always good for people who have never been around. I have been meaning to get to Yours Truly to try that place out, pretty good reviews for a new spot. Plenty of good, cheap food around lately, shouldn't be too hard to find a bunch of places expensive/inexpensive.
> 
> I still like the tacos at El Trompo more than Grand Electric that's for sure, should go to El Trompo that's my favourite restaurant in Toronto, if you go you have to get a Horcahta or a Tamarind drink, being from New York though Mexican food is probably not what you want to checking out in Toronto. Hehe I work with a mexican guy now so I am heavily under the influence.
> 
> ...



Careful! He might read all this and wonder what the h*ll he's getting into.

Dear mattrud - travel is dangerous. New York is a nice and interesting city; best stay at home.


----------



## shankster (Aug 26, 2012)

Toronto is a world class city,tons of stuff to do.
cookinstuff has some great suggestions.Queen West,Ossington are close to the new Chang resto(I.m assuming that's why you're visiting our fair city)
I know you probably have enough knives,but check out Knife on Queen West and Tosho Knife Arts at Bloor and Bathurst.Both are great neighborhoods to explore regardless.
Kensington Market just west of China Town is cool to wander about,and while you're in Chinatown go to Swatow,one of my favorite cheap and cheerful Chinese restaurants for excellent "wok hay" style cooking.

Have a good trip and let us know when the restaurant is having the"KKF members" appreciation opening party!! 

P.S 
If you have access to a car,one of the best sushi restaurants in Canada, Kaji Sushi,is only about 20-25 mins from the downtown core.


----------



## knyfeknerd (Aug 26, 2012)

I'm pretty sure the reason he's going is Chang related ......


----------



## SameGuy (Aug 26, 2012)

That's why I asked...


----------



## Lefty (Aug 26, 2012)

Drive 25 minutes west and get a real meal, by me


----------



## mattrud (Aug 27, 2012)

Thanks for the info.
Reason I am going has nothing to do with the restaurant. Only going up for three days to see some friends I have not seen in quite a while.


----------



## Jim (Aug 27, 2012)

Have a great trip Matt.


----------



## Craig (Aug 27, 2012)

What in particular are you looking for advice on? Attractions, restaurants, bars, or ? I can give advice on anything, but it's easier to give good advice if we know what you're after.


----------



## SameGuy (Aug 27, 2012)

Really, though, the best thing to come out of Toronto is the train to Montreal.


----------



## Cutty Sharp (Aug 27, 2012)

SameGuy said:


> Really, though, the best thing to come out of Toronto is the train to Montreal.



Disagree. Much better to fly. 

But at any rate, no, wouldn't really recommend that. Quite a long trip just to have a few bagels in a small town on the edge of the tundra. :nunchucks:


----------



## shankster (Aug 27, 2012)

SameGuy said:


> Really, though, the best thing to come out of Toronto is the train to Montreal.



them's fightin' words buddy...... 

Montrealers have always been jealous of Toronto..:razz:


----------



## SameGuy (Aug 27, 2012)

Why doesn't Hamilton have a big-league hockey team? Because then Toronto would want one, too.


----------



## shankster (Aug 27, 2012)

Touche... 
But the Habs still suck as bad as the Leafs..


----------



## Cutty Sharp (Aug 27, 2012)

shankster said:


> Montrealers have always been jealous of Toronto..:razz:



Must be. In TO Montreal is considered a 'nice' place. In Montreal people constantly go on about TO and the lack of decent bagels and how the army had to be called out to clear the snow. Seems they've got a few issues.


----------



## SameGuy (Aug 27, 2012)

LOL, true. About the only story as funny as Mayor Mel calling in the Armed Forces for three inches of snow was the one about Mayor June's office getting BNL kicked off the the bill of the NYE show outside City Hall because of the band's name... ROTFL


----------



## shankster (Aug 27, 2012)

Sooooo jealous......
(BNL should have been banned from playing anywhere despite their name)


----------



## mattrud (Sep 4, 2012)

fun trip. Toronto is a cool city. I liked china town and kensington area a lot, as well as west queen st. The A.O.G museum was cool. I of course checked out the new restaurant space. It will be pretty nice once they get it finished.

Ate at Acadia, really good meal. I am a bit biased because the chef there is a buddy of mine but from what I saw it is probably near the best food in toronto. He is very talented. 

I went to another restaurant that is very heavily talked about and well regarded. well I am not one to talk **** so I will leave it at that. 

I also went to a few nice bars. All in all a fun little trip


----------



## shankster (Sep 4, 2012)

<I went to another restaurant that is very heavily talked about and well regarded. well I am not one to talk **** so I will leave it at that.> 

Oh come on..give us a hint 

Glad you had a good time!


----------



## Craig (Sep 5, 2012)

Was it North 44?


----------



## SameGuy (Sep 5, 2012)

When you come up this way, I'll take you to _Joe Beef_, though I suspect we might need your boss to pull a few strings to bump up a reservation -- walk-ups almost never get in. I just made the next available Saturday evening booking for me and my wife.... October 27th.


----------



## El Pescador (Sep 6, 2012)

Had a great meal Canoe....I hope that wasn't your bad experience! I recommend it to anyone who goes there. The chef de cuisine is a knife guy too.


----------



## SameGuy (Sep 8, 2012)

ESPN NAMES MAPLE LEAFS WORST FRANCHISE IN NORTH AMERICA





[not that the Habs are much higher on their list...]


----------



## Cutty Sharp (Sep 8, 2012)

I hate the Leafs, but would say that's a bit harsh! Fan support counts for something, and god knows they've always had plenty of that. The worst franchises folded or were sold and moved years ago. Or they are new (with stupid names) and lack the tradition - good or bad - of the Leafs.

Les Habs have won so much back in the day and represent a real regional cultural/ethnic/linguistic group. 

I'd say these are two of the _best_ franchises in NA sports - thinking of hockey and baseball, while I know and care next to nothing about US or Cdn football and basketball.


----------



## SameGuy (Sep 8, 2012)

Agreed on every point you made. 

The Oklahoma Thunder? Gimme a friggin' break.


----------



## Craig (Sep 9, 2012)

Not the worst franchise, it's more like the worst to be a fan of. They ranked on Bang for the Buck (wins weighted against revenues), Players (on-field effort, total 'likability), Coaching, Fan Relations, Ownership and Stadium Experience.

But really, they messed it all up. There is no way in hell that my Habs are the 74th ranked franchise in stadium experience. Especially when they have Tampa Bay and New Jersey 9th and 21st.


----------



## cookinstuff (Sep 9, 2012)

Good to hear Acadia was good, I used to work with Matt Blondin years ago, he is a good guy. Glad his food is being well received, when we cooked together we weren't exactly cooking 'our' food, Toronto needs a little acacian flavour.


----------



## mattrud (Sep 9, 2012)

cookinstuff said:


> Good to hear Acadia was good, I used to work with Matt Blondin years ago, he is a good guy. Glad his food is being well received, when we cooked together we weren't exactly cooking 'our' food, Toronto needs a little acacian flavour.



The chef there now is Patrick Kriss


----------



## cookinstuff (Sep 11, 2012)

Oh, I didn't know they changed chefs. I don't know Patrick Kriss, but sounds like he is doing some good things, I should pay it a visit.


----------



## Craig (Sep 19, 2012)

I just bought a house. Random coincidence, when we were signing the papers the other couple mentionned they had just opened a restaurant: Acadia.


----------

