Cowbell

Rated this place:

1564 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6R1A6

Great local eats!: Had a delicious dinner of local fare. Great daily specials based on what is in season. Had delicious sausages, pastrami, cheese, and the highlight was the creme caramel.

The Stockyards

Rated this place:

699 St Clair Ave West, Toronto, ON

Oh yeah these guys know BBQ!: WOW! These guys are the real deal. They have a put together a showstopper BBQ place. Their attention to detail and their love of the slow food movement are obvious in their approach to making BBQ. By 7PM they were already sold out of many items, a sure tell sign that these guys know how to make some tasty BBQ. I had the burger made of 3 kinds of delicious meat and my husband had the pulled pork sandwich with just made onion rings from scratch. Other highlights that I can't wait to try are the fried chicken in a waffle cone (yes you heard me right), some home made pastrami sandwiches and of course their ribs and chicken. Oops - forgot to mention the delicious homemade lime-ade with a sprig of mint in it - worth trying! I am so excited that this place has moved into the neighbourhood - dangerous but delicious.

Dolce Gelato E Cafe

Rated this place:

697 COLLEGE ST., Toronto, ON, M6G1C2

Best gelato in the city: I have tried them all and this one is by far the best. You must have the dark chocolate!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• chocolate gelato

Jardin du Cari

Rated this place:

21 St. Viateur West, Montreal, QC, H2T 2K7

A hot sauce that sizzles : So really the roti is just a means to lap up the delicious lemon flavoured hot sauce that is so delicious. My mouth was on fire but I couldn't stop eating it. The roti was good, don't get me wrong, but it really is a means to an end. I got the chickpea and squash roti and really enjoyed it.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• hot sauce

Thin Blue Line Cheese

Rated this place:

93B Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, ON, M6R2K6

Oh for the love of cheese: These peeps are serious cheese lovers! Their love of cheese is obvious. They have a small selection of cheese that they have carefully chosen primarily from Ontario and Quebec. They have amazing condiments and jellies that I can't wait to try and they also carry really interesting cheese tools like graters, fondue sets and even cookbooks. An amazing specialty cheese shop that I look forward to frequenting.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• cheese shop

Schwartz's

Rated this place:

3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Montreal, H2W1X9

The real deal: Ok so it is ridiculous that I had never been to Schwartz's before now since I have been to Montreal at least 10 times. I always underestimated the hype and thought I am sure it is an over-rated tradition. My husband made me go and boy was I impressed. The smoked meat sandwich really is outstanding and the pickles and peppers and fries were amazing. The place is ALWAYS full - even on a Monday at lunch, there is a line but definitely worth it. I enjoyed every bite and really appreciated the reasonable size of sandwich relative to the NY Carnegie Deli sandwich which is so big that it is off-putting. Highly recommend it!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• red pepper

pizzeria napoletana

Rated this place:

189 Dante Street , Montreal, QC, H2S 1K1

I think it was the best pizza I ever had: I am a huge thin crust pizza fan but this was something out of this world. I ordered the most expensive pizza on the menu - the Bufalina (whopping $17.75) - with imported buffalo mozzarella cheese - it was worth every penny and more. Each bite was tastier than the next. I was so full but could not stop myself from eating every last bite. It took me close to two hours to slowly eat the pizza but I savoured every moment of it. This place has been around since 1948 and is a very well known fave amongst those who live in the city. I may have to make a special trip back to Mtl just for this pizza. Other great things about this place include the fact that it is BYOB (amazing!) and the salad was pretty special too. For the two of us, our meal cost $45 (w/o the wine) and was DOP amazing (funny enough they don't actually use DOP tomatoes)

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Bufalina

Cuisine Bangkok

Rated this place:

1616 Ste-Catherine O., Montreal, QC, H3H 1L7

Pad Thai to die for: Ok so my friend had been raving about this special hole in the wall pad thai from Montreal for years and I never really paid too much attention. However, since we all were in Montreal last weekend, I got to experience his favourite pad thai and I have to say, I really understand what he was raving about for all these years. This place is amazing - you can tell the women who run it have a very special recipe that is well guarded as they seem to be the only ones making the food. The pad thai is the right amount of spice, tamarind (i think) and sweetness. It really was incredible - fresh and authentic in it's flavour. It is in the middle of a sketchy mall but worth the trek. I also had the Tom Yum soup and it was delicious. The whole thing cost under $10. I will definitely be going back for more.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• pad thai
• Tom Yum soup

Mabel’s Bakery and Specialty Foods

Rated this place:

323 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6R2M6

A whimsical spot: Mabels lives up to its fairytale name. The store is filled with delicious treats all made with "organics and love". The cupcakes looked especially good. A great place to grab a treat for a friend.

Rowe Farms

Rated this place:

105 Roncessvalles St, Toronto, ON, M6R2K9

Healthy, local anti-biotic fremeats!: I was pleasantly surprised to see that Rowe Farms is in Roncessvalle. I had only ever been to the Leslieville location. The meats are excellent and the store is beautiful and clean making it really enjoyable to shop there. I really like the fact that the meat is local and anti-biotic free while not necessarily organic I tried the marinated chicken and some kolbasa - both were excellent. I found the staff really friendly and helpful and the prices were more reasonable than the "true" organic butchers I have tried.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• organic butcher

John Steinberg and Associates

Rated this place:

585 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5V1M1

My best haircut yet: I am a huge fan of this place. After spending many months searching for the right place to go, I decided to try John Steinberg. This was no coincidence, as many of the girls I work with starting showing up to work with gorgeous stylish hair. Upon inquiring, they told me John Steinberg was the place to go. What I love about the place is the very clear and distinct pricing levels ranging from super affordable to John (who obviously is a legend in the hair space). I worked with Anelise, a more junior hair stylist but by no means did it meant less of a great hair experience. She did the most amazing colour job, a stunning haircut and was super friendly and fun. I got so many compliments on my hair and the best part was that it didn't cost an arm and a leg. I subsequently went there for a blow dry and again, a great experience. I think I have found my hair home. Which for me, is a big accomplishment.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• vibe
• colour
• hairdressers

Fred's Not Here Restaurant

Rated this place:

321 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5V1J5

Lobster bisque: It is the best in the city - hands down! it has this pastry puff top and is creamy and delicious!

Because The lobster and crab is the ultimate. That crusty pastry bit on the top is delish when dunked...

It has puff pastry on top

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Soup
• Soups
• Lobster Bisque

Le Select Bistro

Rated this place:

432 Wellington Street West,, Toronto, ON, M5V 1E3

Great Friday lunch spot: I was pleasantly surprised by the new location of Le Select Bistro. The atmosphere is charming with nice booths in the back and a great parisian atmosphere. The steak frites was good yet the steak was a bit fatty. The service was excellent.

Sushi Kaji Restaurant

Rated this place:

860 The Queensway, Etobicoke, ON, M8Z1N7

The best japanese in Toronto hands down!: Last night I had the privilege of being fed by Mr Kaji at his sushi bar of his understated fine dining Japanese restaurant. Located in a strip mall in the middle of nowhere (aka Etobicoke), this place is a real gem and likely the best and most authentic Japanese restaurant I have been to in Toronto. We opted for the all out option on the omakase menu which consisted of 8 masterly crafted dishes starting with marinated sea bream, leading to fishcakes, then a duck and eggplant dish, then a tray of outstanding sushi including toro tartar, rainbow trout and lobster, onto a sushi platter and then finally a delicious green tea dessert. You must sit at the sushi bar if you get the chance to go as it is all about watching the chef's attention to detail right in front of you. To top it off, one of the chef's spent at least 20 minutes crafting edible flowers for us to look at as part of the experience. I will be back! Great work Mr. Kaji!

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• birthday treat
• traditional japanese

The Comrade

Rated this place:

758 Queen Street East, Toronto, ON, M4M 1H4

cool ambiance: Loved the vibe at the Comrade. Super cool space and an excellent selection of beers and cocktails. The only challenge is that their furniture is more style than function. If you are on a date and you want to sit close to your date, you feel miles apart in the massive chairs. Oh well, it is worth the suffering.

khmer thai

Rated this place:

1018 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto, ON, M6E1A42

A surprising find: From the outside, it really looked a bit scary. There was nobody in the restaurant, which usually sends me away. We braved it and were pleasantly surprised. The Tom Yom soup was out of this world, so tasty and authentic. It turns out that the owners moved here from Cambodia over 20 years ago and have had the restaurant for over 15 years. The spring rolls were also outstanding, possibly some of the best spring rolls I have had in a long time. This is a great cheap eats spot to eat in and take out.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Tom Yum soup

Nota Bene Restaurant

Rated this place:

180 Queen St. W, Toronto, ON, M5V 3L7

New restaurant: It is exciting to have a new restaurant of this calibre in town that is not over the top expensive. The vibe, decor and ambience is modern and the food also has a modern, fusion theme. The combinations of flavours work well in most dishes. My faves were the pickerel and the duck salad. Both incredibly good, mouthwatering dishes.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• new restaurant

Pizzeria Libretto

Rated this place:

221 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON, M6J 2Z8

Trendy restaurant: This new place totally rocks! The vibe is fantastic and the food is totally special. I am so excited to have this new place in my hood. The pizza is true Napolitan style pizza and the wine list is fantastic.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• trendy restaurant

Tati Bistro

Rated this place:

124 Harbord St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1G8

A great date spot: The french do romance well. Tati included. A great vibe, delicious food and amazing wines. The patio in the summer is a treasure, hidden behind the restaurant on the second floor in the trees. The food is outstanding, even the simple salad is delicious as the dressing is amazing. Steak frites are excellent and the cheese platter is a must.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• patio
• steak frites

Hornby Island

Rated this place:

Hornby Island, Comox-Strathcona K, BC

Island: I have been to a few of the Vancouver islands including Denman, Galiano, Saltspring and Hornby and I have to say that Hornby is the most delightful. The artisans, hippies, food festivals, community spaces, rolling hills, wild blackberries and whimsical flowers everywhere make it a special place.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• island

Kaizen

Rated this place:

4075 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montréal, QC

Sushi: The sushi is excellent quality and the combinations of flavours are creatively genius and delicious. The highlights for me were the lobster rice rolls, tuna sashimi in lemon ginger sauce, and the tempura dipped tuna roll. These guys take sushi very seriously and their passion for excellence shows in every dish.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Sushi