Thai Princess Restaurant

Rated this place:

387 King St W, Toronto, ON, M5V1K1

Thai lunch: Thai Princess has an extensive, reasonably priced selection of lunch specials, and a pleasant atmosphere. The service isn't always as quick as it could be (which matters more at lunch, for most), but the food is a decent replica of what I ate in Thailand.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• thai lunch

Naturalis Montreal Wood Oven Bagels Bakery Outlet

Rated this place:

53 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto, ON, M6R 2K5

Turnovers: This place recently opened on Ronces, offering a couple of the very few things not already available on this super shopping-friendly strip. Namely, Montreal bagels from Gryph's and St. Urbain, whipped cream cheese, made-to-order sandwiches, and an assortment of in-house baked goods not of the Polish variety. One of these is the turnover - filled with savoury stuff like meat, cheese or veggies (or combos of various of those), or fruit, chocolate, and cheese types for the sweeter versions. Yum.

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

Camarra's Pizzeria Ristorante

Rated this place:

2899 Dufferin St, North York, ON, M6B3S7

Pizza: My BF used to go to Camarra's as a kid. He recently pointed it out, with nostalgia, on a drive through the city. The very next day, a Featured Faver included Camarra as his number one pizza in the city. It was time to give it a try. And it still stacked up. Wonderful, soft, crispy-edged crust. Delicious sauce (buy it bottled to take home). Amazing signature topping combos, and no option of toppings you wouldn't find on a traditional pie in Italy. Cozy surrounds. And an amazing waiter. Go.

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

Cowbell

Rated this place:

1564 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6R1A6

Butter, Panna cotta, Place for a locally-sourced meal - west end: They churn it themselves! So creamy! And perfect with the rustic baguettes they serve.

Cowbell impresses with most every one of its offerings, but it was this mouth watering dessert that really put the meal over the top. Creamy and smooth as silk with that delicious marscapone tang, and just enough sweetness, it was really something. Chocoholic that I am, I was loathe to actually trade off desserts with my partner half way through, as planned (he got the chocolate terrine/mousse/souffle trio). We traded back for last bites. : )

I love everything about this place. From the tile floors to the damask-upholstered benches, the local seasonal flower arrangements and the milk bottle water pitchers. But I especially love the food. The menu is nearly all local and seasonal. They churn their own butter and butcher their own meat. And because of all this, what you get is unbelievably flavourful food that actually reminds you what all food ought to be like, with every bite. It's what your grandma ate, but fancier.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Panna Cotta
• butter
• place for a locally-sourced meal - west end

High Park

Rated this place:

1873 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON, M5H 2N2

Place to cycle, Spring-time picnic spot/event: Where else in the city can you coast past castles and totems, peacocks and cherry groves, japanese gardens and sprawling lawns - all within pedal power of the scenic lakeshore or a number of great post-cycle lunch spots on Bloor or Roncesvalles.

Each year, around the first weekend of May, when the cherry trees bloom, people come to High Park to picnic and make merry under them. The trees look amazing, laden with white flowers, and there's something really special about so many people - young, old, families, hipsters, dogs, neo-hippies, former ravers, Japanese folks, shutterbugs - all coming out to play together. There's even ambient electronic music! Bring your own blanket/wine/bbq/devil sticks/funky get-up/dog/hula hoop/dancing shoes.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• place to cycle
• spring-time picnic spot/event

Moonbean Coffee Company

Rated this place:

30 St Andrew, Toronto, ON, M5T 1K6

Boreka, Daytime patio, Indie cafe: Sort of like spanakopita, these bagel-shaped savoury pastries are a middle-eastern treat. Moonbeam makes them homemade with a range of vegetarian fillings like spinach and feta or olive and mushroom.

I love Kensington, especially once the weather gets warm. And a sunny morning or afternoon on the patio of the Moonbeam is the perfect way to celebrate the return of spring. Have some great java, one of their vegan or standard baked sweets, or a savoury boreka, and enjoy the great people watching.

I actually have many fave indie cafes, but today, I love the Moonbeam. A wide array house-roasted organic and fair trade coffee, over 30 loose leaf teas, delicious assortment of fresh juices and smoothies, and the requisite roster of espresso drinks makes it easy to find the right delicious bevvie, whether hot or cool. The staff is friendly, and it's always a cheery atmosphere. They make and sell a lot of really good specialty vegan and also standard baked goods. And they've got great front and

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Indie Cafe
• daytime patio
• boreka

New Lahore Tika

Rated this place:

1365 Gerrard St E, Toronto, ON, M4L1Z3

Indian food: Yes, you sit in a drafty portable at picnic tables (blame the never-ending reno), and yes, you must eat from paper and styrofoam using plastic utensils. But Lahore's south Asian homestyle cookery is so good, you'll have a hard time remembering the annoyances. Feast on remarkably delicious grilled meats and fish, savoury curries, perfect pilau, flatbreads, lassi and ice cream. And enjoy the prompt and friendly service.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Indian Food

Bowlerama Bathurst

Rated this place:

2788 Bathurst St, North York, ON, M6B3A3

Old school bowlerama: I love classic bowling alleys. This one's got 5- and 10-pin options, rock'n'bowl glow-in-the-dark weekend bowling, and plenty of junk (and beer) at the snack bar to keep your twinkle toes moving, frame after frame. We went by on a Monday afternoon, and happily found it was "Monday Madness" - bowl for 50 cents a game (after per person fee and shoe rental). Good clean fun.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• old school bowlerama

Flight Centre

Rated this place:

777 Guelph Line, Burlington, ON, L7R 3N2

Travel agency: I've always had great service from the folks at Flight Centre. I'm a traveller who likes to do a lot of research myself, but then consults a professional to help expand my horizons, price things out the best way possible, and find the answers to all my remaining questions in a jiffy. Kate Perrier at the St. Clair and Bathurst branch has been really amazing. She's a well-seasoned traveller who understands my travel personality really well. It's always a pleasure working with her.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• travel agency

Forever 21

Rated this place:

302 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON, M5B1R4

Cheap cool clothing store: Really cute, hip clothes and accessories in a real range of current styles, for unbelievably low prices. And you can shop online too, with free shipping for orders over $75. Too good.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• cheap cool clothing store

Hotel Le Germain

Rated this place:

30 Mercer Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 1H3

Hotel lobby/resto, Meeting venue: I would move in to the lobby of Le Germain if I could. I would revel in all the extra Asian-inspired cubby storage, and throw the most kick-ass dinner parties in the elegant dining area, just adjacent. I just love all the clean lines, bright open space, natural materials, and comfortable modern furniture in soft neutral hues. They also have the most unusual and gorgeous flower arrangements. Also great? The whimsical ski-like wooden markers that divide the space.

This is such a super spot to hold a medium-sized meeting with colleagues. No institutional meeting rooms or awful throwback conference facilities here - you get beautiful gourmet luncheon and cocktail/hor d'oeuvre service, and professional pow-wow facilities with 5-element flair. Our area was sleek, peaceful and comfortable, yet perfectly suited to talking shop. The service was great. The thoughtful extra touches many. The food, delish.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• hotel lobby/resto
• meeting venue

AutoShare

Rated this place:

24 Mercer St., Toronto, ON, M5V1H3

Car sharing service: Now I can live out all my road-tripping and large-item hauling dreams on a part-time, economical, relatively green basis. Living downtown, I prefer cycling and TTCing it where possible, but here and there, a girl needs a car or van, and Autoshare makes that possible on an hourly or daily basis, keeping hundreds of new vehicles parked around the city for easy and immediate access by members, around the clock. It's super convenient, and a great alternative to owning a car.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• car sharing service

Buddha Dog

Rated this place:

163 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, ON

Gourmet hot dogs: I've only tried one variety so far - a flavourful and lean organic link in a soft bakery fresh bun, dressed up in mapley condiment. So delicious - it reminded me of eating really good sausage and pancakes with maple syrup. Sooooo country Canadiana good. I'm going back for more.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• gourmet hot dogs

Urban Herbivore

Rated this place:

64 Oxford Street, Toronto, ON, M5T1P1

Substantial and healthy salad: Choose your perferred greens and build out, selecting 6 tasty toppings from among a couple dozen. Seasoned and grilled tempehs and tofus, toasted nuts and seeds, a variety of steamed, raw and grilled veggies and sprouted pulses and seeds- all so flavourful, colourful and nutritious. The lemon tahini dressing is always my fave. And everything's organic. The place is cheery, and offers great views of Kensington. And the take-out containers are bio-degradable.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• substantial and healthy salad

La Bella Managua

Rated this place:

872 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON, M6G1M5

Mojito, Nicaraguan restaurant: This little Nicaraguan joint knows how to make a perfectly delicious mojito.

It's nothing fancy, but this is real down-home Nicaraguan, as any of the Nicaraguan regulars will tell you. Be sure to inquire about specials not listed on the menu, and expect even more of those to be available on busier weekend nights. FYI: the deep fried pork with cabbage salad is actually more like a generous helping of original pork rinds. i.e. crispy pig fat/skin (though the slaw with yucca was delish). If you get it, share it. With like everyone at the table.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• mojito
• Nicaraguan restaurant

Annapurna Vegetarian Restaurant

Rated this place:

1085 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON, M5R3G8

Masala dosa, Vegetarian restaurant: South Indian cuisine, culinary category of the dosa, is not always easy to find in Toronto amid the abundance of northern-style curry shops, but I had some luck at Annapurna this weekend. They serve up a perfectly crispy and perfectly portioned lentil crepe, generously filled with potato masala, made even tastier with the additon of sambal and coconut chutney.

The oldest vegetarian restaurant in the city (some say Canada), Annapurna serves up a tried and true assortment of wholesome North American grain-and-veg classics, along with a widely recommended roster of Indian dishes, fresh baked goods, homemade soups, juices and delicious chai. I love the cheery storybook wall murals of lotus flowers and figures in yogic repose. And the sweet-faced sari-ed women who tend to the customers and fill the place with good vibrations.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• vegetarian restaurant
• masala dosa

Old Mill Inn & Spa

Rated this place:

21 Old Mill Dr, Toronto, ON, M8X 1G5

Buffet lunch with mom or grandma: This place has old-world charm to spare, and a lavish spread of hot and cold dishes to please most any palate (meat, fish and vegetable dishes, fruits, cheeses and desserts, piled theatrically on linened tables). The stone walls, high beamed ceilings, 19th century art and crest collection, and attentive, uniformed pentagenarian waitstaff make you feel like you've left Toronto entirely and ended up at some European hunting lodge, on the scenic banks of a river other than the Humber.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• buffet lunch with mom or grandma

Chocolate Addict

Rated this place:

185 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON, M5T1M1

Anatomically correct chocolate treats: There's nothing that says "I lust you" like Belgian chocolate boobs. And that's just the beginning. Look in the box marked "18 . Please ask for assistance."

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• anatomically correct chocolate treats

Caffe Demetre

Rated this place:

400 Danforth Av, Toronto, ON, M4K1P3

Oreo milkshake: I hadn't been to Demetre's in years, but apparently they have about a dozen locations now, all churning out homemade ice cream and ice cream treats, along with an assortment of baked goods, coffee drinks and other sweet indulgences. I opted for the "O.C." - a real mikshake made from homemade honey ice cream and oreo cookies, served in a fudge-lined glass (!) and topped with real whipped cream and cookie pieces. In case there was any doubt, that turns out to be good.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• oreo milkshake

Brick Street Breads

Rated this place:

255 Logan Ave, Toronto, ON, M4M3J2

Bread: Ooh ooh ooh. I just found a sattelite location of my much-loved Brick Street Bakery - just north of Queen on Logan. They don't do all those wonderful sandwiches and stuff, but they have a remarkable selection of breads. Sampling is encouraged, so you won't need to buy blind. I left with a round of sweet cornbread, a grainy baguette (and a couple of chewy chippit cookies - mmmmm). I can't wait to go buy more.

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

Celestin

Rated this place:

623 Mount Pleasant Rd., Toronto, ON, M4S 2M9

Creme brulee, Lamb shank, Ricotta and herb filled ravioli: They say a great creme brulee is the mark of a great chef and so a great restaurant. I can't say I've met too pots de creme I didn't like, but Celestin's is outstanding. Flavoured with the merest hint of vanilla, torched to reveal its candy coating, and garnished with fresh framboises and a slender choconut crisp, it was heaven in a ramekin.

Positively perfect in every way. Braised to tenderness, presented on a delectable cushion of Yukon gold gnocchi and some kind of teeny zucchinis, and flavoured with juniper and orange rind, it was truly sublime.

You know when a dish is so delicious that the whole world falls away, the second the first morsel passes your lips? You close your eyes, forget your dinner partner, make small noises of contentment, and focus all attentions on the palette pleasing sensation? No? Then you haven't tried this delectable pasta creation, set off by toasted pine nuts, sun dried tomato pesto, capers, a curl of good parm and a balsamic reduction. Eat this.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• creme brulee
• lamb shank
• ricotta and herb filled ravioli

Chocoland

Rated this place:

Toronto, ON, M4H1N9

Organic fair trade chocolate: This local family-run chocolate company makes all kinds of chocolate treats out of organic, fair- trade chocolate. Which is delicious in so many ways. Available all over Toronto at various retailers. Check out the website for more details: http://www.lesssweet-chocoland.ca/

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• organic fair trade chocolate

Lai Toh Heen

Rated this place:

652 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON, M4S 2N3

Wonton soup: A delicate, flavourful chicken broth with three perfect orbs of thin, tender, shrimp-stuffed dough, this is the kind of soup my dinner companion's Bubbie would have made if she were Chinese (he said). That means it's really good. My Bubbie is a Granny, but I'd have to concur. This is an outstanding dumpling soup to rival any that helped to set your standards for all soups to come. Delicious, and without any of that MSG umami so typical of garden variety wonton soup.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• wonton soup

The Rosebud

Rated this place:

669 Queen St. W., Toronto, Ontario, M4M1G6

Restaurant table, Sea scallops: The table at the very front, against the street-facing window, and in view of the rest of the bistro and bar, is perfect for indoor/outdoor people watching. Plus, the curve of black leather banquette seating provides the ultimate in comfort, style, and seating pose possibilities.

Three plump scallops seared to sweet and caramelly perfection atop a cloud of buttery cauliflower puree? Such a wonderful flavour combination. Try this dish.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• restaurant table
• Sea scallops

Unit

Rated this place:

1198 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON, M5C 2R1

Casual bar: You might know Unit as that curious signless night spot, with the big retro scale in the window, smack in between the Beaver and the Gladstone. But once you're inside, it's no mystery at all - this place is rad.. I love all the vintage seltzer bottles, tv dinner trays, and recycled signage that add to the kitschy-cool decor. And Matt, the owner, is a swell guy. A totally great spot for a medim-sized party or event, a casual sit-down and drink kinda night, or a bit of a dance on DJ nights.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• casual bar