Scene + Eaten: May 2021 Places to Eat in Toronto

The one thing the lockdown has not prevented me from doing is exploring the plethora of drool-worthy places to eat in Toronto, from fancy restaurants offering multi-course feasts to hole-in-the-wall eateries to humble mom-and-pop shops.

Would I rather be dining indoors surrounded by a gaggle of my loved ones? YES, emphatically YES!!! But let’s not think about that…Instead, I choose to be grateful that at the very least my mouth isn’t in lockdown. My body may be confined to the home but my taste buds are exploring the breadth Toronto restaurants, one UberEats order at a time.

If you’re scratching your head trying to decide what your next foodie adventure should be, check out these recommendations of places to eat in Toronto to get you imagination revved up and to kick your appetite into high gear.

Must Eat:

+ Basic Burger: Available at all three stops, this drool-worthy BBQ Basic Ration Burger 🍔 is gooey with aged cheddar, smeared with with flavourful “hipster ketchup” and “ballpark mustard” from Ration Food Lab, crispy shallots for some added texture, house-made pickles on a fluffy-but-firm potato bun 🤤

+ Signature Jack Daniel’s Cocktail: Drop by the Strange Love Cafe location for a refreshing signature JD cocktail with a shot of “Moonshine Boost” brewed with mushrooms for power and focus because who doesn’t need an extra serving of that these days.

+ LNE Bottled Cocktail: Grab a sleek glass container from LNE Cocktail Company at the Ration at the Beverly filled with delicious concoctions like the “Bay Street Bubble” made with tequila, sherry, mint, bubblegum, St. Germain, and instructions to mix with sparkling wine and to pour over ice.

Of Note:

Don’t forget to fill your info into your fully stamped passport and submit it at your final stop to be enter into their giveaway for a chance to win some covetable prizes (my cousin has her eye on the BBQ while I’m crossing my fingers for dinner feast hosted by Ration Beverly 🤞🏼).

Despite rarely venturing beyond a three-mile radius of Downtown Toronto (especially these days), I trekked all the way west to Roncesvalles just to indulge in a Polish feast of epic proportions at Café Polonez. Nestled in the heart of the Polish community and named after the national waltz, it’s one of the few places that serves up truly authentic Eastern European eats in Toronto (besides my secret banya spot)

Must Eat:

+ Family Meal for Two: Yes, I ordered a meal from Cafe Polonez that is technically for a “Family of 2”…for one. Is that really a surprise at this point? I absolutely needed a little taste of everything including:

🐷 Pork Schnitzel – Thinly pounded and generously breaded, they also offer chicken schnitzel

🍄 Pierogi – Anything vaguely dumpling-like I’m down for and these babies have a selection of fillings but I go with mushroom and sauerkraut pierogis (my fav!) and served with sour cream.

🥬 Cabbage Rolls – Drowning in a sweet and sour tomato sauce, the cabbage wrapping easily pulls apart to reveal your choice of filling — minced pork or mushroom (I got mushroom! Gotta offset the schnitzel).

🍲 Hunter’s Stew – Also known as bigos, it’s super flavourful mixture of slow-cooked sauerkraut with sliced sausage, pork, and mushroom.

🥗 Salads – The Family Meal for Two comes with a choice of 3 sides, (one being the bigos) including a vibrant beet salad, tangy coleslaw, cucumber salad, cooked cabbage, etc…

Of Note:

If you’re like me and Roncesvalles is out of your way, the nearby Reunion Island Coffee Bar is worth a visit. Bring a book to read or your laptop to make a dent in your workload in the bright, minimalist interior and sip a mug of coffee.

My main reason for visiting a coffee shop when I don’t drink coffee? The Gold Standard sells Detroit-style burgers from a side window from 9am to 3pm, including gooey, cheesy breakfast sandwiches,

The family-owned Isabella’s Mochi Donut Boutique brought this Hawaiian treat from the Aloha State to Canada and focuses on providing high quality brunch, comfort food and treats to the hungry masses, particularly mochi donuts. Made with rice flour (instead of wheat) for that extra chewy texture, they’re the lovechild of a Japanese rich cake (mochi) and American-style doughnuts with an island flair.

Must Eat:

+ Mochi Donuts: Duh. But what’s not-so straight-forward are the flavours which rotate weekly! You can check their website or their Instagram for their latest releases, from delicate glazed options like Orange Blossom and Honey to textured delights like the Ube Crunch and Cinnamon Toast Crunch for a hint of nostalgia. I’m currently eyeing the Pandan-Toasted Coconut donut on the menu this week. Exert some self-control and buy one for $3.50 OR grab half a dozen and take a tiny bite of each…for the sake of research.

Of Note:

There are three locations — the original spot at The Beaches that offers other Japanese dishes, Downtown Toronto that focuses on selling mochi donuts, and a new hub in K-town on Bloor Street!

The first time I ate at Imanishi Japanese Kitchen, I couldn’t find the restaurant. I wandered Dundas Street in Little Portugal looking for this laid-back eatery until I realized that their signage hadn’t been updated and still bore the sign of the former venue, Cafe Regional. While I dearly miss sitting elbow-to-elbow with friends while sharing comforting home-style Japanese dishes, at least I can order tasty sandos from their basement bar.

Must Eat:

+ Assorted Sando Set⁠: OH. EM. GEE. Guys — I’ve always loved eating my way through the entire menu at Imanishi Japanese Kitchen but these sandos blew my mind. Of course, I couldn’t choose just one of the four options so I opted for the sampler pack where you get half of each to try 😋⁠⠀

🐟 Aji Fry Sando – MY FAAAVVV😻 Panko breaded horse mackerel with melty cheese, tartar and tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage and red onion⁠.⠀

🍤 Ebi Fry Sando – Panko breaded prawns, tartar + tonkatsu sauce, and shredded cabbage. ⁠⠀

🐓 Spicy Karaage Sando – Juicy fried chicken with a flavourful honey mustard, tartar and spicy sauce, sliced tomato and lettuce. ⁠⠀

🐖 Pork Tenderloin Sando – Classic pork katsu, honey mustard, tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage⁠⠀

Of Note:

At the beginning of the pandemic a Toronto streetwear company, WCROW, collaborated with five local bars and restaurants (including Imanishi) and local artists for a limited-run of printed hoodies. The majority of the proceeds went to supporting the participating venues. Imanishi’s sake drum-illustrated hoodie (my fav) by Joshua Pong was sold out in less than two hours!

When it comes to the pandemic and food, I really don’t deny myself. Every day I operate under the “treat yo’self” philosophy, meaning I don’t give myself enough time to really crave anything. Yet somehow I was still jonesing for some legit AF Mexican food.

I beelined for a sliver of a corridor nestled in Kensington Market that is a den of Latin culinary deliciousness, fondly referred to as El Gordo (aptly meaning “fat” ) and home of the birria-specialized eatery, Birria Catrina.

Must Eat:

+ Birria Tacos w/ Consomé –Observe the “treat yo-self” doctrine and grab a five taco combo that includes a drink and consomé or birria, a savoury, slightly spicy Mexican (Jalisco) beef stew. You dunk tacos with shells that are crispy from being fried in the fat from the stew (!!!) into the broth for the full taste experience. Spritz with a slice of lime, drizzle with hot sauce and you’re ready to GO!

+ Pizzadilla – An ooey, gooey pizzadilla is similar to a quesadilla, chopped meat smothered in cheese between two flour tortillas and topped with cilantro, onions. It also comes with a bowl of rich, flavourful birria for dipping. Head to the nearby park and picnic on the grass but don’t forget plenty of wet naps to clean your hands after! They’re meeesssyyyy.

Of Note:

Tucked in the back of the Latin plaza, Birria Catrina shares space with Pancho’s Bakery lauded as serving some of the best churros in the city. Order three for a mere $5 and choose which fillings you want — dulce de leche (my fav!!), strawberry, condensed milk, and chocolate.

Despite living in close proximity to Chinatown for almost a decade (!!!), I love that I can still discover culinary gems. And by “discover” I mean Banh Mi Nguyen Huong is a beloved Vietnamese institution and has been around since the 80s.

On a whim, I wandered into this inconspicuous local sandwich chain and grabbed a large banh mi from the massive pile on top of the glass display. They’re so popular that they produces hundreds of sandwiches a day to meet the demand!

Must Eat:

+ Large Banh Mi: If it’s in the name of the shop, it’s a good bet that it’s the thing to buy. I could SMELL the deli meat through the paper bag before taking a massive bite — layers of assorted cold cuts, crunchy carrot and pickled daikon, fragrant cilantro stuffed in a crusty French bun smeared with butter and paté. YUM! I am now completely obsessed. At $4 for a large, there is nothing stopping me from devouring them every day of the week.

Of Note:

They are literally the Mom and Pop shop to the popular Banh Mi Boys that puts a modern twist on these classic Vietnamese sandwiches.

During the last year and a half, you may have been thinking “I’ve been ordering takeout too often,” or worry that you’ve ordered too much food. Stop that train of thought and remind yourself that you’re a hero because you’re doing your part to support local Toronto restaurants. Maybe “hero” is a strong word…but at the very least you’re being a good samaritan. I know I am 😜

For more recommendations for where to eat in Toronto, check out the last Scene + Eaten post.

Keep your stalking game strong and follow me @teriaki if you aren’t already!