Ran it back to Toronto once again for a weekend! It was a bit crazy this time because of the Toronto International Film Festival, and everyone crowded the streets for brand activations and movie premieres. The best thing about returning to Toronto is trying out different restaurants while being mesmerized by the giant CN Tower.
See: Toronto Travel Guide / Toronto Food Guide
Saint John’s Tavern
Saint John’s Tavern is a popular local British pub, so expect pub food and the crowd during peak hours. Great for drinks throughout the day, and grabbing a small bite to eat, or share with the table.
I’ve never had poutine until I dined here, which is a basket of fries loaded with onion gravy and cheese curds. Poutine is a Canadian thing, which makes sense why I’ve never had it before. We have carne asada fries in LA, so this being the Canadian version totally makes sense. I’m not really a fan of loaded fries as it is locally, so poutine might be off my list.
The steak tartare on the other hand, was served with minced petite tender steak, capers, gherkins, shallot, black garlic aioli, and toasted baguette. It was good, but felt the overpowering taste of the condiments. This is probably good for first timers trying out steak tartare.
Cactus Club Cafe
Toronto’s Cactus Club Cafe is almost like LA’s JOEY restaurant. It’s an intimate, upscale restaurant with some good food and drink options. After landing in Toronto after getting to the airport at 6AM, I think I deserved that Peppercorn Ribeye, which is a 45-day aged 14oz ribeye, drenched in brandy peppercorn sauce.
I actually enjoyed the ribeye here, it was cooked perfectly and didn’t feel like the sauce overpowered the taste of the ribeye. OH, the fatty part of the ribeye was the best part – Cactus Club Cafe did it right.
Whether the dry age makes a difference, it has been a debate, but not really. This is similar to the Wagyu New York Strip Steak from Bull & Bear.
PAI
PAI (Thai food) is in the Michelin Guide as a recommended restaurant. I can see why because on a Monday night after I finished dining here, there was a line outside that wrapped for a block and a half. All I learned in Toronto, is that people are willing to wait in line for some reason.
I met up with my friends from Warzone and this restaurant was such a vibe. The interior decor doesn’t look anything upscale. It is giving traditional Thai huts.
Pad Gra Prow: Stir-fried rice with beef, topped with egg. Honestly, this simple dish is PERFECT if you’re looking out for your health. The protein and carb ratio is great.
Pad See Ew: This is my favorite noodle dish – stir-fried rice noodles with sweet soy sauce, Chinese broccoli, egg, and beef. Skip every other Thai noodles, this is it.
Gaeng Kiaw Wan: I’ve never had green curry before, but having this in the coconut shell is a gamechanger. I ate the coconut meat at the end and it was delightful. The coconut meat absorbed a bit of the green curry, which soften the sweetness a bit.
Tom Yum Mor Fai Soup: If you know me, I am OBSESSED with tom yum soup. The lemongrass makes the soup so fragrant. I absolutely loved it even though this may not be a fan favorite.
Overall, I can see why PAI is on the Michelin Guide. It’s a vibe, especially if you want Thai food.
Scaddabush Italian Restaruant
Probably my least favorite eatery, but this was chosen out of the blue while walking through downtown Toronto looking for a quick bite to eat. It is expensive for pasta, and I wasn’t feeling the vodka pollo rigatoni. I think I wasn’t impressed overall, but wanted some sort of clam pasta.
Chicha San Chen
Going on with my milk tea addiction, I really wanted milk tea up in Toronto and found a Chicha San Chen. It was amazing, but I still prefer the one we have in SoCal! My favorite milk tea spot in Toronto would probably be Molly Tea. Both drive a hard bargain regardless.
From Toronto, With Love
Until next time, Toronto!