Chef Ron McKinlay’s Recommended Toronto Restaurants & Bars
Gautam@2022 Chef Ron McKinlay of Toronto’s Canoe restaurant takes us on a tour of his most-frequented and bucket-list food and beverage spots in his home city. Featuring everything from hole-in-the-wall beauties to proper high-end dining, these hand-picked venues showcase how diverse, underrated, and incredibly skilled Toronto’s hospitality industry really is.
CANOE
“I’m definitely a bit biased, but it’s hard to beat a visit to Canoe. My team and I constantly strive to showcase unique Canadian ingredients from Saskatoon chanterelles to Nova Scotian sea lettuces and Ontario squab in classic yet modern ways. Let alone flawless service and breathtaking views from 54 floors up!”
DAI LO
“It’s like an Asian brasserie with top-flight cooking. And with Dennis Tay on the stoves, it’s no wonder. This is a must-try for anyone visiting, let alone living in Toronto and being able to frequent. My go-to dish here since day one is their whole fried trout, glazed in soy and served with green curry oil and nam jim. Proper tasty!”
HAN MOTO
“This is the spot for late-night eats, found just north of Dundas, west of Ossington. A very cool 30-seater with a small open kitchen concentrating on Japanese flavours in ‘healthy’ portions. Lots of Kewpie mayo, salty miso and crunchy deep-fried delicious stuff all over the menu. It ticks all the boxes for chefs after a long service. My go-to is the Han Moto devilled eggs covered with chillies, salmon eggs, crisp tiny rice balls, soy and crispy chicken skin.”
MAISON SELBY
“This is somewhere I’ve been too many times to count. Executive Chef John Horne and Chef de Cuisine Patrick Forest serve up all the French classics, done proper — from foie gras parfait to beef tartare, escargot and a great Sunday roast too. And there’s a DJ playing solid tunes. The speakeasy in the basement is a brilliant touch as well.”
QUE LING
“My go-to spot for bang-on authentic Vietnamese in Toronto. Hands down! It’s in Toronto’s East China Town, just off Gerrard Street. If it’s Sunday afternoon, there’s a good chance you’ll find me here sitting in their small shopfront bench, tucking into far too much food for one person to eat. It’s off the beaten path like all the best places are, and just really bloody delicious.”
KING NOODLE
“I’m a bit of a wonton soup connoisseur, and for me, here in downtown Toronto, it’s definitely the best and my go-to. Late at night here, you can see a lot of hospitality professionals feeding on delicious bowls and steaming plates of noodles after long days on the stoves. Another go-to dish for me is their house congee. Perfect during Toronto’s ridiculous winter temperatures.”
EDULIS
“Owned and operated by husband and wife team Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth, Edulis is on every top ten list you can name in Canada. Some of the most genuine, intimate and professional hospitality and food across the board. If Canada had Michelin stars, they’d be recipients for sure.”
SUGO
“Any place that plates up massive bowls of inviting spaghetti and meatballs on red-and-white checkered tablecloths like an old-school red-sauce joint whilst also blaring old-school hip-hop is okay with me. No pretentiousness and just really tasty, bold flavours. The name kind of says it all. Go hungry, leave full — very full and happy.”
MOTHER COCKTAIL BAR
“This is my first choice when friends of mine from overseas want to hit the town and have a drink made proper while highlighting the cocktail game here in Toronto. This bar is working to elevate Canada’s cocktail scene by sourcing and foraging quality local Canadian ingredients. They look at cocktails how we chefs look at food — right down to cutting ice cubes to order.”
THE COMMUNIST’S DAUGHTER
“This will always be on my list. One of the first spots I hit up when I first arrived in Toronto. A very small intimate joint in the heart of Ossington. There is no nonsense, good beer and small live bands in the window on the weekends. Come with loose change as the jukebox in the back of the bar works and is full of all the classics! This has a genuine atmosphere and is right up my alley.”
BAR MORDECAI
“A very cool spot out on Dundas West. Hit this place up if you’re a Wes Anderson fan with a taste for old-school cocktails, or as they call them, Lobby Bar Staples, done very well. Also, a bonus is some of the housemade snacks like crispy lamb ribs or a fried mortadella sandwich. Now we just need to get this pandemic out the way so we can go enjoy this place the way it’s meant to be!”
Looking for more recommendations in other cities? Take a look at Simon Rogan’s list of the best food and drink spots in Hong Kong here.
Sourced from http://www.fourinternational.com
Recommended Posts
ROSEWOOD HONG KONG PARTNERS WITH ELEVEN MADISON PARK
November 11, 2023
ROBERTA HALL-MCCARRON’S SPIN ON SIMPLICITY
October 12, 2023
NEW SPANISH SANCTUARY: PARADISUS SALINAS LANZAROTE
October 8, 2023
Join our affiliate community and maximize your profits—sign up now! https://shorturl.fm/S4ykT
Share our products, earn up to 40% per sale—apply today! https://shorturl.fm/rAjUH
Get started instantly—earn on every referral you make! https://shorturl.fm/zUsVZ
https://shorturl.fm/oMpeg