Some places I like to eat, when I'm not eating brunch. (updated January 7, 2012)
Woodlot - I love Woodlot. The menu changes pretty often and there's a separate vegetarian menu (it's similar to the regular menu, but it's nice to see a restaurant making this type of effort). My favourite is the pappardelle - I've tried it with wild boar and with lamb and both versions were DELICIOUS. Ribbon pastas in general seem quite good there. The Soma chocolate pot de crème is also delicious. Ultra-popular, reserve if you can - although the walk-in communal table is actually really nice, it's probably my favourite place to sit. College/Palmerston.
Porchetta & Co. - Porchetta has periodic sandwich specials, which is awesome because I've now decided I no longer need to travel to Phily to explore a range of interesting sammies. Tried the fish sandwich special and it holds its own against the porchetta sandwich. Dundas/Bathurst.
Marben - The menu rotates semi-frequently but the burger is always listed and is always a good bet. The rest of the mains are generally quite reliable, although side dishes can be a bit boring. If you're getting dessert, the chocolate option has been consistently excellent (ice cream sandwiches in spring/summer and coupe au chocolat (or what I like to refer to as "liquid awesome") in fall/winter). Wellington/Spadina. Their pig roast is also highly recommended, going in a group of 4-6 is best. However....I haven't been back to Marben for quite a while because service kept getting worse and worse. Friendly, but non-existent. I heard it's gotten better but can't say for sure. If you go, be prepared for a long, leisurely meal.
Pomegranate/Sheherzade - Persian food. I love both places, I get really strong cravings for their food. A lot. I want to eat some now. College/Bathurst.
Hibiscus - Salad salad salad salad salad. Kensington Market.
Jules Bistro - Jules club, half fries, half salad. This has been my order for years, I've been going to Jules pretty much since they opened. I can also vouch that the quiches are delicious. But that club...mmmm..... Spadina/Richmond.
Milo's Pita - I have a weird obsession with this place, I think because it's so entertaining to me that there's good food in a food court by the Eaton Centre In the AMC upstairs foodcourt. I usually order the (non-deluxe) falafel sandwich with everything on it.
Pizzaiolo - This is the only fast food pizza that I like to eat. Actually, this is pretty much the only pizza I eat.
Scarpetta - Mushroom polenta. Don't bother ordering anything else. If you are very hungry, order two mushroom polentas. You're also best off eating at the bar because that's where the fresh potato chips are. Thompson Hotel.
To-ne sushi - There isn't really anything super special here but out of the cheap sushi options on Queen West, I like it best. Everything I've had seems pretty fresh and portions are pretty big. Sometimes surprisingly big. Queen/Spadina (next to Queen Video).
Delight Chocolate - Um, ok, you can't really eat lunch or dinner here but the ice cream is delicious! And they have a delicious, rich dairy-free chocolate ice cream made with coconut milk. Yum!
Akram's - Cheap, tasty, filling and there's a variety of menu options for everyone (meat, veggie and vegan). Plus, they're really nice people who had a bunch of crappy things happen during their reno process so head over and be supportive. They also have a wide selection of olives and lots of interesting grocery-type items. Kensington Market.
Khao San Road - This is pretty much the only place in Toronto where you can get Thai food that actually tastes like food from Thailand (Mengrai being the exception, depending on what you order). Reserve if you can and be prepared to wait pretty much whenever you go. If you're there for dinner or Saturday lunch, order the Gra Bong! Adelaide, a bit east of Spadina.
Guu - KINOKO CHEESE BIBIMBAP! Sounds disgusting, tastes delicious. No reservations, super loud. Church/Gerrard (look for the lineup) or Bloor/Bathurst.
To-ne sushi - There isn't really anything super special here but out of the cheap sushi options on Queen West, I like it best. Everything I've had seems pretty fresh and portions are pretty big. Sometimes surprisingly big. Queen/Spadina (next to Queen Video).
Delight Chocolate - Um, ok, you can't really eat lunch or dinner here but the ice cream is delicious! And they have a delicious, rich dairy-free chocolate ice cream made with coconut milk. Yum!
Akram's - Cheap, tasty, filling and there's a variety of menu options for everyone (meat, veggie and vegan). Plus, they're really nice people who had a bunch of crappy things happen during their reno process so head over and be supportive. They also have a wide selection of olives and lots of interesting grocery-type items. Kensington Market.
Khao San Road - This is pretty much the only place in Toronto where you can get Thai food that actually tastes like food from Thailand (Mengrai being the exception, depending on what you order). Reserve if you can and be prepared to wait pretty much whenever you go. If you're there for dinner or Saturday lunch, order the Gra Bong! Adelaide, a bit east of Spadina.
Guu - KINOKO CHEESE BIBIMBAP! Sounds disgusting, tastes delicious. No reservations, super loud. Church/Gerrard (look for the lineup) or Bloor/Bathurst.
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT
Beast - King/Tecumseth. On top of the fact that their brunch and dinner menus are tasty, Beast also offers good happy hour options and you can arrange a dinner around a single animal, where each course is a different way of cooking the animal. My post about it is somewhere around here, I'm just too lazy to link to it.
Quince - Somewhere north of Bloor. Occasionally offers a rijstaffel night.
Cafe Cinquecentro - Liberty Village. Used to offer Notte della Mamma, where the staff's older female Italian relatives would cook a multi-course feast, not sure if this is still happening since the move into Libery Village.
Quince - Somewhere north of Bloor. Occasionally offers a rijstaffel night.
Cafe Cinquecentro - Liberty Village. Used to offer Notte della Mamma, where the staff's older female Italian relatives would cook a multi-course feast, not sure if this is still happening since the move into Libery Village.
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