What I've been up to lately - July 2023

Amanda Facciolo
Jul 27, 2023
4 min read

Updated: Aug 31, 2023

One of my favourite things to do before going on a vacation is researching the city and finding all of the best restaurants to try out while I'm visiting. While I have a pretty big list of Toronto restaurants I want to try, I find that I'm always going to my go-to faves instead of trying out the new restaurants that are on my list. So I've made a point to try more new restaurants this summer because nothing beats a Toronto summer. Patios! Late nights! Local produce! So this month I'll be focusing on the best restaurants I've eaten at this month. Bon appetit!

Food I ate

Chantecler

The original Chantecler located in Parkdale ended up catching fire in 2019, they have finally found a new home by Christie Pits. Unfortunately, I had never visited the original restaurant, which is why I absolutely needed to try their newly opened location. We were able to snag a reservation at the bar last minute, I would recommend a reservation if possible.

Here's what we ate:

Rosewood Wines are probably one of my favourite wineries so when I saw that they had made a wine together, I knew I had to try it and I"m glad we did. It was the perfect pairing with our entire meal.
Scallop Crudo with cold crab legs and shrimp cocktail
French Onion soup - Yes, it's always soup season even in the middle of summer
Mixed grilled veggies, duck confit, whole sea bream and perfectly seasoned fries.

Lao Lao Bar

After the TTC kicked them out of their original location Sabi Sabi at Bloor and Church for the new subway the owners decided that wasn't going to stop them so they opened up Lao Lao Bar located at Yonge & Wellesley. The restaurant as a focus Lao food which is similar to Thai but more savoury and herbaceous. We stopped in pretty late and were able to get a table no problem. They also have a small patio out front too.

Here's what we ate:

Thum Jok!! (which means “cheers” in Lao) - The drink blends gin with cold-pressed celery and Thai basil juice. Think of it like a healthy herby juice, but with gin!
Papaya Fritters - were similar to a Thai blooming onion. They were the highlight for me - dipping them in the sweet/sour/salty sauce was perfection
Drunken Noodles - I love a noodle dish and this one had all of the good stuff
Beef Massaman Curry - a super deep rich curry was exactly what I needed.

Donna's

Donna's is on EVERYONES must try restaurants, so I'm surprised it's taken me so long to try them out. I think that I always just pictured it as a lunch spot since everyone talks about their sandwiches, but wow, their dinner menu was spectacular and with a focus on local produce, I can't wait to go back in the fall. They also have a small patio out front too.

What we ate:

Tomatoes, smoked beef fat, horseradish & white soy.
Pea Salad with charred onions and jalapenos
Cod with confit tomatoes and turmeric aioli
Cold fudge sundae with chocolate meringue

Cheap and Cheerful

One of the best things about Toronto is our variety of food options; not everything needs to be a sit-down meal, and it will still be just as delicious. Here are some places I ate at between showings:

Pho Rùa Vàng Golden Turtle Restaurant

My go-to Vietnamese spot if I find myself around Ossington is always Golden Turtle. In the summer, I am always craving Bún Thịt Nướng, Chả Giò (Grilled pork and spring roll with vermicelli served with beansprouts, pickled daikon, cucumbers, and lettuce topped off with grated peanuts). I also go their SODA CHANH ĐƯỜNG (Fresh lime juice with Coke) and it was the perfect, refreshing addition to the hot day.

Ed's Ice Cream - Leslieville

My first apartment was in Leslievlle, we lived there for several years before moving to Corktown, and my favourite East End coffee shop is Mercury Espresso. It was my home spot when I first moved to Toronto, and it has such a soft spot in my heart. So why am I telling you about coffee and not ice cream? Because Ed's has an ice cream made with Mercery Espresso beans, they only sell it at the Leslieville location. So if I ever find myself in Lesilieville, I always stop to get a scoop. This time I also got a bonus scoop of S'mores made with their well-known flavour burnt marshmallow.

Tony Cheese at Evergreen Brickworks Farmers Market

Tony reminds me of an uncle of mine (also named Tony, lol) who would make cheese (ricotta in his basement in the most giant pot you've ever seen). But this Tony makes cheese, salami, and bread, which all remind me of home. I was absolutely blown away when I saw Ciambella for sale at this truck a few weeks back because I've never seen anyone other than my immediate family know what this style of bread is, so I bought it, and it tasted just like home. This soft interior, hard exterior is similar to a pretzel, but it's studded with fennel seeds, and you are supposed to twist it to break it apart and share. The perfect bread for hard cheeses, salami and olives.

Paradise Grapevine - Bloor St.

Paradise is my go-to spot when I want to drink wine and have an arrangement of snacks for dinner. Truffle chips! Yes! A collection of meat, cheese, and peppers that are way too spicy? Absolutely! An adorable patio dropped in grape vines growing all around you? Say less! Paradise makes its own wine, and it is the perfect sipping summer juicy wines you've been missing. Warning, they make limited quantities of their wine, so when they sell out, it's gone, so make sure to stock up if you find a bottle you like. RIP, Party Favour.