Re: A child-friendly place for one evening (3 year old) other than the Spaghetti Factory. Child is an adventurous eater.
Swatow or Rol San in Chinatown, Terroni for pasta, or Mezes on Danforth for Greek
Re: A place for five adults and said three year old to eat that’s not too noisy but not fancy either. There’s some interest in Latin American/Mexican (with more than just tacos) but seems most of the places in the area aren’t rated so highly and $$$. I’m at Bloor/Lansdowne so I’m spoiled but it’s a bit far to drag them.
There aren’t that many sit-down Mexican restaurants with dishes beyond tacos around town. Most that attract a Mexican clientele are on St Clair W.
El Trompo in Kensington Market is okay and they have a few dishes beyond tacos. I haven’t tried the other Mexican restaurants with table service in Kensington Market. The Peruvian empanadas at Latin Taste on Baldwin are good. I like the empanadas and choripan (sausage on a bun) at Segovia Meats, which is take-out only.
I still haven’t found too many places doing mains like enchiladas or chiles rellenos well.
FWIW, I don’t think Bloor and Lansdowne is too far to drag Toronto visitors staying at King & John. When I have friends visit, I regularly take them to Roncesvalles for Polish food, Ossington for ItSpots, St Clair West for tacos & gelato, Danforth for Greek food.
It’s around a 30 minute TTC ride or 20 minute taxi from King & John to Bloor & Lansdowne.
On St Clair W, I like Itacate for tacos. It’sa bare bones with only a few tables and mostly has soup/ posole/tacos. My friend likes King’s Tacos. Tenoch looks popular with Spanish speakers.
I did not enjoy Atomic on St Clair W, which is not owned by Mexicans.
For upscale interesting Mexican with table service, there is Quetzal, but that will cost a lot more. Expect to pay $60/ adult at a place like that.
Re: Anything else you want to tell me about - she’s here for only four days and I have a rough plan to show her : Chinatown/Kensington Market following on from city hall skating shenanigans; Union Station/Royal York and heading over to St Lawrence Market
Could do a bifana sandwich, peameal bacon on a bun, veal/eggplant parm sandwich at St Lawrence Market. There is a SukhoThai nearby which has affordable Thai and would be a place to bring a child
Re: Yorkville/Bloor for something fancy
Eataly in the Manulife Centre has pizza by the slice on the 2nd floor, and cannoli made to order, as well as gelato.
Re: Queen West and West Queen West
Queen West has become High Street Shopping Chains. Not too many interesting things there anymore. NaNa Thai is the main restaurant that I have visited more than a few times on Queen West over the past 5 years. I like their pad thai, fried chicken larb, Vietnamese style spring rolls. There’s also a Terroni location (mid level Italian) on Queen West near Palmerston.
Further west on Queen, and up Ossington has more interesting restaurants and bakeries. Union has a year-round patio at the back which is nice and I like their bistro food. Venezia Bakery on Ossington had traditional pasteis de nata and other Portuguese sweets.
might get takeout tonight.
