Toronto, Montreal and Quebec heads: what's good?

shawnald_reagan

My younger brother is going to be visiting your fine cities in August and he was hoping for some recommendations on where to eat, where to go and what to see. He doesn't collect records but he does like good music and good food. Would you folks be so kind as to offer some suggestions on what he should not miss while there? Thanks in advance ya'll.

pppp

Here are some Toronto food suggestions:

- Utopia: http://utopiacafe.ca/
- Ghandi Roti (queen/bathurst)
- Little India: http://www.littleindia.ca/ (weekend buffet)
- Yasi's Place: http://www.yasisplace.ca/

pcmr

check the city guide for montreal
breakfast:cosmo's
caribean:ma's place,
haitian: casa creole
roasted portuguese chicken:romados
chinese dumplings:qing hua
lebanese:boustan
also check this list from food to bars etc
http://www.montrealmirror.com/2010/051310/bom-08.html

bassie

Toronto:
What food does he like?
What music does he like?
Other than good!

He should definitely go to Harbourfront and try to see what they have going on - there are a lot of good free shows there and an amazing outdoor food court.

Depending on when he's here, he might be around for a car-free Sunday in Kensington Market - that's good for food and people-watching.

The CNE should be on then. It is a giant fair with dangerously old rides, carnies, every kind of human being under the sun and a decent food building.

If he has a car and likes Indian food, he should hike it up to Kwality Sweets in Brampton.

The windmill by the Dufferin Gates is a thing of beauty.

ParkdaleFunk

pppp said:

Here are some Toronto food suggestions:

- Utopia: http://utopiacafe.ca/
- Ghandi Roti (queen/bathurst)
- Little India: http://www.littleindia.ca/ (weekend buffet)/

You just named some of my favourite places to eat!
If you're a little more west on Queen then check out Mother India which is the same owner as Ghandi's. Or if you like West Indian Roti's check out Ali's. Both at Queen & Lansdowne.

for music, [Insert Shameless Plug] there's always a Parkdale Funk party on the last Friday of every month at Starving Artist!

DOR

Yeah, post up what he likes. Would make thing easier to throw out suggestions.

Does anyone else like Bacchus for Roti? Is it still there???

vintageinfants

how old is 'younger'? is homey lookin' for grown folk spots or clubbish spots?

ParkdaleFunk

DOR said:

Yeah, post up what he likes. Would make thing easier to throw out suggestions.

Does anyone else like Bacchus for Roti? Is it still there???

Bacchus is beside Ali's and Mother India and I much prefer Ali's over Bacchus. But ya, still there.

They were on Restaurant Makeover 2-3 years ago, so it does look much nice inside then before.

ParkdaleFunk

you should check out http://www.blogto.com/ for places to check out.

bassie

Not sure what his schedule is, but if possible, he should really make the effort to be in Toronto that first weekend in August - he will catch the Caribana parade and all the wonderful things that come with it city-wide.

shawnald_reagan

Thanks for all the responses thus far! Young M*****J is grown and probably down to clown with his lady at some clurbs. As for food, my man is down with anything. He likes Indian food but I know he'd try any international food just for the experience. I think he is in Toronto for the first weekend so I'll let him know to see a parade. I think his itenerary is this:
Friday 8/6, Toronto
Saturday & Sunday 8/7 and 8/8 Montreal
Monday and Tuesday 8/9 8/10 Quebec
Again, thanks for all of the suggestions.

p_gunn

bassie said:

Not sure what his schedule is, but if possible, he should really make the effort to be in Toronto that first weekend in August - he will catch the Caribana parade and all the wonderful things that come with it city-wide.

ms bassie, i need to hit you up for info when i come to TO again... my brother lives there, and while i got some GREAT records along Queen St last time i visited him, i found the city's nightlife to be sort of bloodless... very reserved compared to montreal where sitting down at a barstool can get you into a conversation with a stranger and invited to a house party witin 20 minutes,,,

and i have to admit, TO is the only city i have EVER been to where cyclists stop for red lights when THERE ARE NO CARS COMING.... that said, it truly is an international city and remarkably mellow and crime free compared to London or NYC,,,,

p_gunn

also there is a decent discount books/records spot on St Jean (i think) in quebec city where everything is like 50 cents-2.00 and you can pull out bargains (got the french pressing of "Lindbergh" on barclay for 50 cents...)

pcmr

grab some putine in MTL or quebec

bassie

p_gunn said:

bassie said:

Not sure what his schedule is, but if possible, he should really make the effort to be in Toronto that first weekend in August - he will catch the Caribana parade and all the wonderful things that come with it city-wide.

ms bassie, i need to hit you up for info when i come to TO again... my brother lives there, and while i got some GREAT records along Queen St last time i visited him, i found the city's nightlife to be sort of bloodless... very reserved compared to montreal where sitting down at a barstool can get you into a conversation with a stranger and invited to a house party witin 20 minutes,,,

and i have to admit, TO is the only city i have EVER been to where cyclists stop for red lights when THERE ARE NO CARS COMING.... that said, it truly is an international city and remarkably mellow and crime free compared to London or NYC,,,,

With pleasure!

Yes, Montreal does have socializing mastered???Toronto, less so.
But I have to say, it has become a little better with the injection of the new batch of party people coming up who don???t hold back as much.

(It???s funny you brought this up - I am the kind to talk to strangers anyway - but it did strike me this weekend that there were all kinds of conversations I got into not initiated by me!)

How long ago were you there?
Do you remember the names of the places/nights you went to?
Where in the city is your brother?

p_gunn

bassie said:

p_gunn said:

bassie said:

Not sure what his schedule is, but if possible, he should really make the effort to be in Toronto that first weekend in August - he will catch the Caribana parade and all the wonderful things that come with it city-wide.

ms bassie, i need to hit you up for info when i come to TO again... my brother lives there, and while i got some GREAT records along Queen St last time i visited him, i found the city's nightlife to be sort of bloodless... very reserved compared to montreal where sitting down at a barstool can get you into a conversation with a stranger and invited to a house party witin 20 minutes,,,

and i have to admit, TO is the only city i have EVER been to where cyclists stop for red lights when THERE ARE NO CARS COMING.... that said, it truly is an international city and remarkably mellow and crime free compared to London or NYC,,,,

With pleasure!

Yes, Montreal does have socializing mastered???Toronto, less so.
But I have to say, it has become a little better with the injection of the new batch of party people coming up who don???t hold back as much.

(It???s funny you brought this up - I am the kind to talk to strangers anyway - but it did strike me this weekend that there were all kinds of conversations I got into not initiated by me!)

How long ago were you there?
Do you remember the names of the places/nights you went to?
Where in the city is your brother?

this was two years ago... he lived in Parkdale and i also stayed in Queen St. West... i went to a few bars on Queen St, ranging from loungey to divey... also to the Communist's Daughter... my brother is not a night owl, so anytime i went out it was solo and it never really clicked...

DOR

Whatever you do. Don't come to Toronto this weekend. Shit is ridiculous...

I can't believe how idiotic the city has gotten and the government should be held accountable for all this bs.

I'm a pretty proud Torontonian. But they have turned the city into something pretty damn awful...

ketan

DOR said:

I'm a pretty proud Torontonian. But they have turned the city into something pretty damn awful...

My streetcar went by Allen Gardens yesterday and there were A LOT of bike cops and people being questioned (?) all over the place.

cove

p_gunn said:

i found the city's nightlife to be sort of bloodless... very reserved compared to montreal where sitting down at a barstool can get you into a conversation with a stranger and invited to a house party witin 20 minutes,,,

hahaha, so true.

fishmongerfunk

cove said:

p_gunn said:

i found the city's nightlife to be sort of bloodless... very reserved compared to montreal where sitting down at a barstool can get you into a conversation with a stranger and invited to a house party witin 20 minutes,,,

hahaha, so true.

on point.

something about toronto night-life is so stand-offish and edgy. maybe it's all the coke, maybe its the preponderance of jersey-shore inspired dudes like this:

bassie

p_gunn said:

this was two years ago... he lived in Parkdale and i also stayed in Queen St. West... i went to a few bars on Queen St, ranging from loungey to divey... also to the Communist's Daughter... my brother is not a night owl, so anytime i went out it was solo and it never really clicked...

You said he lived there, so I will not filter and risk dissing his neighbourhood to say that two years ago was basically when things began to become unbearable in Parkdale. For me anyway. I am too grumpy for weekend warriors and mass gentrification. We moved out two years ago this October after 10 or so years there.
Queen W is one of the more difficult areas to have random adult conversations, it is barricaded by the cold cold wall of hipster cool.

I am not saying there is "friendly " area in this city, but there are definitely places that are more chill and conducive to talking to the stranger next to you.

Anyhow - definitely let me know next time you're around.

p_gunn

bassie said:

p_gunn said:

this was two years ago... he lived in Parkdale and i also stayed in Queen St. West... i went to a few bars on Queen St, ranging from loungey to divey... also to the Communist's Daughter... my brother is not a night owl, so anytime i went out it was solo and it never really clicked...

You said he lived there, so I will not filter and risk dissing his neighbourhood to say that two years ago was basically when things began to become unbearable in Parkdale. For me anyway. I am too grumpy for weekend warriors and mass gentrification. We moved out two years ago this October after 10 or so years there.
Queen W is one of the more difficult areas to have random adult conversations, it is barricaded by the cold cold wall of hipster cool.

where he lived seemed not too hipster... near the fairgrounds or whatever that is... i remember him selling his driveway parking space to fairgoers, which i found funny... area seemed full of transient hotels and whatnot, not too hipstery... but, yes you are spot on about Queen W, alot of standoffish sort of people... i know this is wrong, but i kinda still see "Toronto the Good" sort of protestant priggishness in it all (as opposed to coked up snobbishness), compared to catholic quebec's "sin and repent" party friendly atmosphere...

but yes, next time i go up i will hit u up for some recs for normal fun spots...

pppp

p_gunn said:

and i have to admit, TO is the only city i have EVER been to where cyclists stop for red lights when THERE ARE NO CARS COMING....

Haha, I live in Toronto and I totally do this. Maybe it's because my girlfriend got a ticket just for going through a stop sign in a quiet residential area - $110! Can you believe that shit?

pppp

Woah, anyone in Toronto just feel the earthquake tremors??

pcmr

i felt them in mtl

ost

Maybe it's because my girlfriend got a ticket just for going through a stop sign in a quiet residential area - $110! Can you believe that shit?

I'm in Montreal & they fined me $144 because I supposedly took out the trash on the wrong day which never happened in the first place.
I contested that shit tough & they never came back at me for it. I guess some unlucky person has to go around looking through trash bags.

DOR

pppp said:

Woah, anyone in Toronto just feel the earthquake tremors??

Crazy... Students at the UofT were freaking out.

Happened just north of Ottawa. My mother said her whole building was shaking.

Aser

escalating in price.....

http://www.sukhothaifood.com/

http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/blackhoof

http://www.splendido.ca/

and Cantonese food in the burbs if you have a vehicle. That list is endless....

ketan

^ May as well start that list for the benefit of the locals...

Not Cantonese, but awesome soup dumplings and sweet black sesame dumplings at Ding Tai Fung up in Markham (spring rolls are good too).

DOR

Aser said:

escalating in price.....

http://www.sukhothaifood.com/

http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/blackhoof

http://www.splendido.ca/

and Cantonese food in the burbs if you have a vehicle. That list is endless....

sukhothaifood - Best thai in the city IMO. Wish they had more seating...

blackhoof - Still have not been. But everyone digs it, so I've heard.

ASER U BASTARD!!! Where ya been fool?

ketan

black hoof is great but it's intense. the charcuterie plate with a side of bone marrow is a good place to start...before you move onto the horse tartare sammie.