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  #521  
Old Posted Sep 5, 2019, 6:16 PM
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Authenticity isn't an exact science. The Italian food served in Italy in 2019 is different than in 1900.

In many cases the North American cuisine is closer to the pre 1945 cuisine. Places that suffered war and communist governments experienced a large cuisine change. Globalization and immigration has greatly changed the diets of western European countries.
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  #522  
Old Posted Sep 11, 2019, 1:15 PM
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Originally Posted by rousseau View Post
My suspicion is that the non-Chinese children of people who grew up eating Canadian-Chinese sweet and sour chicken balls will eventually be won over by the vastly superior flavours and variety offered by authentic Chinese food, not least because people these days tend to be concerned with authenticity in a way that previous generations weren't. I could be wrong, though. Maybe it's only the large-scale immigration from China that's driving the Chinese food revolution in Canada.
I'm not so sure about that. Oftentimes "authentic" Chinese food appears pretty exotic and tastes very different to North American palates. I've heard it said that this is one of the reasons that Korean cuisine has been slow to take here relative to Chinese, Japanese and Thai restaurants... because it was a somewhat late arrival, it wasn't adapted to western ingredients and tastebuds the way that those other cuisines were. As a result, the dishes tend to be less appealing to westerners.

Or to put it another way, it's not like you typically see a gaggle of white folks sitting around the table, chopsticks in hand, trying to beat the others to the tasty head of the steamed fish. It's hard to imagine these ever supplanting beef-and-broccoli or lemon chicken dishes and the like at North American Chinese restaurants:

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  #523  
Old Posted Sep 13, 2019, 2:23 AM
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^^

Well, actually, the fish dish pic you're posting doesn't look that particularly exotic to me. Even if most people would pass on taking the head, the way the fish looks prepared to me (eg. with lemon, and the other garnishes and vegetables) doesn't look that different from many western dishes.

You can find many whole-fish dishes (though maybe steamed is more typically Chinese?) in western cuisines like North American, European, Mediterranean, often roasted, grilled, poached, etc.
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  #524  
Old Posted Sep 30, 2019, 8:45 PM
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Haven't done one of these in a while, so here are some my favourite places that I've ate & drink in Toronto in the past year or so (mostly newer restaurants, but some have been around for a while):



Quetzal




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/quetzal-toronto/



Bandit Brewery


https://goo.gl/maps/Qt2PASaJcLJm8MBr8



Seoul Shakers




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/s...akers-toronto/



Sakai Bar




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/sakai-bar-toronto/



Favorites




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/favorites-toronto/



Le Swan


https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/le-swan-toronto/



Omai


https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/omai-toronto/



Zakkushi




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/z...-west-toronto/



Otto's Bierhalle


https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/o...halle-toronto/



Birreria Volo


https://www.blogto.com/bars/birreria-volo-toronto/



Woodlot


https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/woodlot-toronto/



Annabelle




https://torontolife.com/food/restaur...lil-baci-team/
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  #525  
Old Posted Oct 1, 2019, 5:42 PM
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Fuck yes, finally a full profile. Looks delicious!
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  #526  
Old Posted Oct 1, 2019, 6:12 PM
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I think I've been to like two of those places. I need to expand my horizons.
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  #527  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 4:10 PM
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My favourite restaurant on Queen West has closed: La Hacienda. It was where the artsy types like me hung out twenty years ago before the condo hoards invaded our territory.
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  #528  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 6:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by esquire View Post
I'm not so sure about that. Oftentimes "authentic" Chinese food appears pretty exotic and tastes very different to North American palates. I've heard it said that this is one of the reasons that Korean cuisine has been slow to take here relative to Chinese, Japanese and Thai restaurants... because it was a somewhat late arrival, it wasn't adapted to western ingredients and tastebuds the way that those other cuisines were. As a result, the dishes tend to be less appealing to westerners. [/IMG]
I guess it depends on where you live. There are Korean restaurants everywhere in Vancouver frequented by pretty much everyone. Also the basics of Korean food aren't that exotic: hot red pepper, sesame oil, rice, beef, pork, seafood, vegetables. Kimchi can be controversial but it's usually just a side dish anyways. Authentic Chinese food can be more exotic in my experience.
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  #529  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 7:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbandreamer View Post
My favourite restaurant on Queen West has closed: La Hacienda. It was where the artsy types like me hung out twenty years ago before the condo hoards invaded our territory.
Huh. I remember hearing a new release from Guided By Voices at La Hacienda when I was there in 1996, inspiring me to get the album.
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  #530  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 7:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dreambrother808 View Post
There are Korean restaurants everywhere in Vancouver frequented by pretty much everyone.
At the place we go to in Waterloo the customers are always about 90% East Asian, and normally about half of them are Chinese. I can't speak for Toronto as a whole, but that's basically what I've seen in Koreatown on Bloor, too.

I've never been in a Korean restaurant with lots of customers who aren't East Asians.
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  #531  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 7:27 PM
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Saw this while looking through Blog T.O.

I can't see anyone other then tweenage girls buying this. Their poutine is supposed to be pretty good though but then again it's a pretty simple dish to create (old school 3 ingredient way).

The Enchanted Poutinerie
Source: https://s3.amazonaws.com
The Enchanted Poutinerie is notorious for their psychedelic Insta-worthy "Unicorn Poutine" topped with rainbow curds and gravy.





Ball out on a Lobster Poutine (the most expensive offering at $19.79 for a large order), topped with lobster that's also imported from PEI.

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  #532  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 7:54 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rousseau View Post
At the place we go to in Waterloo the customers are always about 90% East Asian, and normally about half of them are Chinese. I can't speak for Toronto as a whole, but that's basically what I've seen in Koreatown on Bloor, too.

I've never been in a Korean restaurant with lots of customers who aren't East Asians.
Most Asian restaurants here have higher percentages of Asian customers. But I think it's rare to find non-Asian people who don't eat Korean food, just perhaps not on a regular enough basis to be filling place up. It is very common for new Vancouverites to have their "first time at a korean restaurant" experience though. Also, Thai and especially Japanese food would be more commonplace in people's diets. Do people really go to fully western-style Chinese restaurants anymore? That seems to be dying out, here at least.
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  #533  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 8:06 PM
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Probably my favourite Toronto restaurant is http://souktabule.com/ that's in my favourite instahood: Canary District.
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  #534  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2019, 8:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dreambrother808 View Post
Do people really go to fully western-style Chinese restaurants anymore? That seems to be dying out, here at least.
Plenty of people given how the Mandarin restaurants here in Ontario are always packed. In my case, I probably go to a old fashioned western-style Chinese restaurant once a year, occasionally twice.
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  #535  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2019, 5:51 PM
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Just for fun, here are some favourite places to eat in my native North York:


Plaza Latina. This is a mall tucked away in a far-flung industrial estate, packed in with a bunch of stalls serving all manner of authentic, unpretentious, pan-Latino foods:




https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201..._plaza_latina/



Artisan Noodle. Shaanxi-style noodles & buns tucked into a tight space in North York Centre:




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/a...oodle-toronto/



Daldongnae. Cozy BBQ place in North York Centre's Koreatown:




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/daldongnae-toronto/



Han Ba Tang. Good, authentic Korean food is in no short supply in the neighbourhood, but




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/han-ba-tang-toronto/


Sang-Ji Fried Bao. Shanghainese-style pan-fried shengjian bao:




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/s...d-bao-toronto/



Hakata Shoryuken Ramen. If you're a lover of thick, creamy Ramen broth, this is one of the tastiest spots in the city. I've actually only been to their Queen St. location, but the North York one is the original:




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/h...ramen-toronto/



Wilson's Haus of Lechon. The smoke-billowing grill outside is always enticing for passersby, and it's the spot for feats of lechon & other Filipino meats:






https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/w...echon-toronto/



Gryfe's. Okay this isn't a restaurant, but forget St. Viateur and Fairmount - these are the best bagels in the land:






https://www.blogto.com/bakery/gryfes/



Allwyn's. I've posted this before but it's my favourite Jamaican takeout place and home to the awesome jerk chicken on cocobread sandwich:




https://www.blogto.com/restaurants/a...akery-toronto/



Downsview Merchant's Market. Also posted this one before, but this is quintessential Toronto:






https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201...arket-toronto/
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  #536  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2019, 6:06 PM
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+1 for Gryfes bagels as best in Canada. St. Viateur and Fairmount are too chewy and dense for my taste.

La Hacienda...that place was a blast. Margaritas!
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  #537  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2019, 6:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin View Post
Plaza Latina. This is a mall tucked away in a far-flung industrial estate, packed in with a bunch of stalls serving all manner of authentic, unpretentious, pan-Latino foods:




https://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/201..._plaza_latina/
What's so amazing about Toronto is how these little worlds exist to be discovered everywhere. I had no idea this place existed. Never heard of it before.
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  #538  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2019, 7:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rousseau View Post
What's so amazing about Toronto is how these little worlds exist to be discovered everywhere. I had no idea this place existed. Never heard of it before.
Places like Scarborough, Etobicoke etc have some of the best authentic and affordable eats with awesome atmosphere. Rather hit up these spots than the overpriced Hipster brunch or fusion joints.
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  #539  
Old Posted Oct 18, 2019, 11:23 PM
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Gryfe's?! The wonderbread of bagels. When I could eat bagels I liked St Urbain in Toronto; in KW I liked Kitchener's City Cafe's bagels and Woodfire bagels

For gluten free bagels, these are my favourite: https://www.kinnikinnick.com/plain-bagels
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  #540  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2019, 3:16 AM
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Another vote for Gryfe's as the best bagels around. If only they would revamp the dump.
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