Visiting Tortonto: Good Food, Beer Scotch?

[OutdoorGuy]

I'm visiting Toronto for a week. Besides seeing some SPs, I'd like to know about:

* Restaurants with unique and excellent food

* Good microbrew (hand-crafted or local beer)

* A source for excellent Scotch Whiskeys - I like the peat; my favorite is Laphroaig.

Also, what's it like to paddle Scarborough Bluffs?

Thanks in advance to you all.

The Outdoor Guy

 

[raverboy]

Welcome to TO!

* Restaurants with unique and excellent food

The kaleidoscope/myriad of ethnic cultures in Toronto makes for a huge selection of very interesting eating... although there is a lot of crap/copycats out there... what kind of food do you like? If youre from the Oregon coast you probably get better sushi/japanese and seafood, IMO.

* Good microbrew (hand-crafted or local beer)

Try a Sleeman's. Its available in: Cream Ale, Honey Brown, and a low-carb version that I wouldnt touch with a 10-foot pole.

* A source for excellent Scotch Whiskeys - I like the peat; my favorite is Laphroaig.

Cant help you there I'm afraid, I'm a Bourbon drinker myself, but I'm sure the single-malt afficionados will step up soon enough.

Also, what's it like to paddle Scarborough Bluffs?

Having recently moved here myself, the Bluffs remain on my to-do list so unfortunately I cant comment. Although again, if youre coming from the Oregon coast, I dont think the Scarborough Bluffs will quite measure up to OR. At least from what I've heard/researched - the OR coast is on a 'different' to-do list

 

[OutdoorGuy]

Thanks, Raverboy. Never heard of Sleeman's, so I'll give it a try.

We do get excellent E. Asian here. How about Indian food? Anything distictly local?

I like Bourbon also. Ever try Eagle Rare? A bit sweeter than Wild Turkey, hard to find but worth it. To show you where I'm coming from, I think Maker's Mark is way overrrated.

My best kayaking trip was last summer, circumnavigating East Redonda Is. in Desolation Sound. Great trip!

Outdoor Guy

 

[syn]

Try "Allen's" on the Danforth for excellent food, great beer and scotch selection. It has a nice patio out back.

Syn

 

[t_dot]

hey dude,

i've heard about the portland micro brew scene. the closest thing we have in toronto to that is the amsterdam brewery, at king st. and portland st. it has a good patio in the summer, and they brew at least 5-6 different types of beer for you to sample. it's worth a look. if you're open to traveling around ontario, you could also try the creemore springs brewery in creemore ont. it's a couple of hours out of town though but there is lots of outdoor stuff to do up there.

 

[james t kirk]

Just do a search on terb under "restaurants"

The topic has been extensively discussed in the lounge. Everything from Italian, to Thai to your local diner

 

[n_v]

http://www.toronto.com/section/bars_nightlife

http://www.toronto.com/section/restaurants

 

[Diode]

Outdoorboy: A fine micro-beer fom Toronto is "Steam Whistle"(true Pilsner)
Packaged like the 1950's and a refreshing drink on a hot summer night.
Our Liquor stores..The LCBO, while expensive are the largest single buyer of Alcohol in the world. Hence at certain stores the selection is impressive. Try the one at Summehill or Queens Quay (prononced "key")
Good luck and enjoy the big smoke

 

[Meesh]

Try the Granite Brewery, Eglinton and Mt. Pleasant.

Their Best Bitter is an award winner many times over.

http://www.granitebrewery.ca/

 

[Tank69]

For Beer and Scotch my favourites when I visit:
C'est What-Front Street East(personal favourite)
Smokeless Joes-Entertainment District(John St?)
Beer Bistro-King Street East(owned by noted Canadian beer writer and pretentious prick Stephen Beaumont, but go anyway)
Allen's on the Danforth
Esplanade Bier Markt-The Esplanade, near the ACC(lots of hotties at the Weekends, too)
Bow & Arrow-on Yonge near Eglinton
The Black Bull-Queen West
Irish Embassy-on Yonge near Front(no Canadian flavours, but the best pint of Guinness I've had on this side of the Pond)

 

[oldjones]

From Allen's (which is more or less across the corner from the Broadview subway, and at the end of The Danforth, a dozen block restaurant row stretching east) you might grab a southbound streetcar down Broadview to Gerrard where there's a wee one of our many Chinatowns. Use a transfer to catch a Gerrard car eastbound to Little India at Coxwell and Gerrard. (1/2hr total trip from Allens) Neither neighbourhood has much in the way of outstanding cuisine/fine dining, but there's lots of good family restaurants that will welcome you in both places. I'm partial to the Famous Indian Cuisine (G'd at Ashdale) myself. Bring your walking shoes, that's what we do here, and the Little India street food's great.

 

[raverboy]

Indian Food

.... Use a transfer to catch a Gerrard car eastbound to Little India at Coxwell and Gerrard. (1/2hr total trip from Allens) ....

I'm going to second oldjone's suggestion for Little India if youre into Indian food. Its fun to explore the little shops and restaurants along this stretch. The menu at the restaurants on this stretch are fairly consistent, and most will give you a pretty decent authentic meal. Try the 'Udupi Palace' (sp.?) for their set meals in stark(!) surroundings. You'll see what I mean Have fun!

 

[Hotdog]

Try the Granite Brewery, Eglinton and Mt. Pleasant.

Their Best Bitter is an award winner many times over.

http://www.granitebrewery.ca/

Especially the dry-hopped version of the best bitter.

Also, the Bow and Arrow pub, which was mentioned previously, has a great selection of Ontario microbrews on tap (Yonge just north or Davisville). As well, C'est What, which was also mentioned previously, has a good selection of Ontario microbrews on tap (on Front just east of St. Lawrence Market).

 

[baci2004]

Esplanade Bier Markt-The Esplanade, near the ACC(lots of hotties at the Weekends, too)

I think this is where Winston was refering to. Great place, and yes lots of hotties.

 

[someone]

I'm visiting Toronto for a week. Besides seeing some SPs, I'd like to know about:

* Good microbrew (hand-crafted or local beer)

*

When visiting a new place I find that half the fun is just trying the beer. Moreover, beer is a very personal thing so you may not like the same beer that I do. Still, I would recommend Wellington County Ale. As the name implies it is from Wellington county, i.e. Waterloo, but is it available in T.O. I would also recommend Upper Canada Ale but I am sure others here will disagree with my second choice

 

[OutdoorGuy]

Thanks!

Thanks to all of you. I really appreciate it. If you want to swap stories and lift a glass, pm me. I'll have some time in the evenings.

I'm 54, relatively fit except for my bad knee that keeps me out of the mountains, and fit to be seen in public.

Outdoor Guy