Fresh By Juice For Life

Rated this place:

326 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S1W5

I'm fresh obsessed!: I'm a pescetarian (I eat fish but no meat -- yes, there is finally a name for my kind) but I eat a lot of vegetarian food, and Fresh is solid. So solid, in fact, that even my meat-enthusiast friends like it. The california salad with crispy tofu cubes and wild ginger dressing chock full of beans, avocado, pecans, cherry tomatos and more. It's filling and fresh (duh) and the tofu cubes are perfectly crisp and seasoned. Sometimes I get a side of crispy tofu cubes instead of fries, though the fries are hard to resist. I opt for the yukon gold fries (i'm probably part of a minority group that prefers the yukons to the sweet potato fries) because the peanut sauce for dipping is outta sight. The holiday wrap with crispy tofu cubes and aged cheddar (added on) is huge and filling and rich and delicious. Take my advice and smear a little peanut sauce on every bite.

Asuka Japanese Restaurant

Rated this place:

108 Yorkville Ave, Toronto, ON, M5R1B9

Worth the green: This is a staid go-to for my boyfriend and I (especially since he lives around the corner). Walking in to see John Stamos sitting in the table RIGHT AT THE WINDOW (seriously?) added a humorous element to one trip, but that's besides the point. The best thing about Asuka is what you find off the menu...the "carpet" rolls. Case in point, the red carpet roll - imagine a dynamite roll where, instead of rice wrapping the outside of the roll, there's CHOPPED TUNA! It's a life-altering (or sushi-altering) experience. Also, reserve a little curtained-off room. And get regular rolls wrapped in soy paper. So good!

Green Room

Rated this place:

296 Brunswick Ave, Toronto, ON, M5S2M7

Don't need much green: I was first introduced to the Green Room on a sort-of date where I had an avocado sandy and a brew and I can safely say the cheap yummy eats and chilled atmosphere are far more memorable than the date. I've never been for bunch, opting to go with groups of friends on weeknights or lazy Fridays to drink pitchers of beer (punctuated by shots) and eat lots and lots of nachos. And fries. And talk for hours under christmas lights in the bar's eclectic setting. Hit the patio in the summer.

Rebel House

Rated this place:

1068 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4W2L4

OMG: Look at that photo! It makes me want to lick the computer screen and force myself to believe I'm tasting the cheesy goodness! The Rebel House is great for brunch, lunch, dinner, snack, treat, beer, a bite, linner...ANY EXCUSE! The mac and cheese is rich and cheesy and for the ultimate indulgence I get it with a side of kettle fries, which are the ultimate for this french fry fanatic. Though a reformed meat-eater, the meatloaf sandwich used to be an all-time favorite and I still have visions of how good it is - the meatloaf done in some kind of barbecue sauce with grated carrot or something giving it a slightly orange coloring. Warm weather = brunch on the patio with a bloody mary. yummmm

Cantine Restaurant Bar

Rated this place:

138 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON, M5R2H6

FRIES!: Cantine is by far my favorite brunch spot! Come with six or more for a spot in one of the cozy, slightly hidden booths in the back. This place gets packed around 12:30 and no one wants a bunch of drooling line people looming over their frittata. The pear and brie frittata, that is. Divine. As is the goat cheese and mushroom omelette, thanks in part to the generous portion of goat cheese all warm and soft in the egg's innerds. The fries are like frites, thin and crisp and amazing, so I always substitute homefries with fries. It's a bit of a see-and-be-seen but it don't matter cause it's the perfect cure for the lingering drunkenness one feels at 11am after a late, debaucherous night.

Dance Cave

Rated this place:

529 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M5S1Y5

do the d.a.n.c.e: I'd say the one deterrent to hitting the cave is the perpetual weekend lineup to get in. Is it warranted? Absolutely. People know where to go for good music and uninhibited dancing. It's a no-brainer. Just get there early enough to strut right in -- as much as skin-tight skinny jeans allow, anyway. I enjoy the many nooks in which young (and less young than they'd like to be) lovers can make out until the lights come on...or was that just me...

Tomi-Kro

Rated this place:

1214 Queen St. E., Toronto, ON, M4M1L7

Thought about it for days: I love everything about this place, from the ambience (cozy and eclectic with cool art) to the appetizers (LOBSTER MAKI BALLS!!! enough said), amongst many other delights. The food is so yummy, in fact, that we all forgot to pay attention to our cocktails (as you can imagine, this only happens when the food is THAT good). Wasabi potato cakes - crisp on the outside, mashed potato on the inside, infused with wasabi goodness. Green beans and asparagus with a little something extra. Octopus ceviche was awesome. And a great dirty martini to boot (once I got around to drinking it). Can't wait to go back.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• fusion tapas

Sushi On Bloor

Rated this place:

515 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M5S1Y4

Good to Gorge: Every so often gluttonous urges take over and I need to eat until dangerously close to combustion. Sushi on Bloor is the BEST place to gorge (save for my bed - with a big bag of smartfood). The prices allow for ample ordering with barely a dent in your wallet and the food is really yummy. By far the best Nasu Dengeku I've ever had! And the Ikayaki is huge and delightful. The rolls come with 8 pieces (none of this 6 little pieces business). The salads are gigantic and the dressing is orange and tangy. Friends of mine love the salad rolls, though they're not my fave. I've had one or two less than stellar meals here in dozens of visits - not too shabby!