Food

Menumental

Eric Vellend
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If you love food, this columnist will show you the way.

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Top tables of 2007, Part 1

December 27, 2007 12:45 PM
 
 
I was fortunate to have done a lot of fine dining this year - so much so that I couldn't fit all the highlights into one column. Here is the first instalment of my favourite places to eat in 2007.

BEST DIM SUM

As I've probably mentioned before, I'm not much of a brunch man. But I do love dim sum. Dynasty (131 Bloor St. W., 2nd floor, 416-923-3323) has been my go-to spot for more than a decade now and it has never let me down. My favourite dishes include crusty taro dumplings, barbecue pork puffs, deep-fried octopus fingers and steamed dumplings with mushrooms and snow pea leaves. While the dining room is cavernous, it's still a good idea to make reservations on weekends.

BEST VEGETARIAN

I had another excellent meal at Live Organic Food Bar (264 Dupont St., 416-515-2002, www.livefoodbar.ca), hands down, the best vegetarian restaurant in the city. Second place isn't even close. Order the raw combo to experience the full range of the kitchen's talents. It's amazing what can be done with a blender, food dehydrator and a lot of imagination. Save room for the almond dream and let the words "delicious vegan dessert" pass your lips for the first time.

BEST EXOTIC SNACK

Wandering around Kensington Market is like visiting and international food court. Should I have a Jamaican patty, Chilean empanada or Portuguese custard tart? My favourite exotic snack is the pupusas at Latin American Emporium (243 Augusta Ave., 416-351-9646). These thick, hand-formed corn tortillas are stuffed with some combination of pork, beans and cheese. Cooked on a hot griddle, they're served with hot sauce and curtido, a cross between sauerkraut and coleslaw. Warning to vegetarians and takers of the drug Lipitor: these puppies are made with lard.

BEST SUSHI

The popularity of sushi in Toronto shows no signs of waning, and it won't be long before the stretch of Bloor Street in the Annex is renamed Maki Way. My vote for the best affordable sushi is Sushi Marche (1105 Queen St. E., 416-463-0114), a takeout-only place in Leslieville. I am a little biased because I live two blocks away, but the rice is always perfectly cooked and just warm enough to take the chill off the fish, which, without exception, is exquisitely fresh.

BEST TAPAS

The small plates trend does show signs of slowing down, but I still love the concept of sharing a variety of tastes. I've eaten at all the big guns and the top marks for food goes to Cava (1560 Yonge St., 416-979-9918, www.cavarestaurant.ca). Their charcuterie platter is the city's best and it's one of the few restaurants where you can get strange cuts of meat like tripe, venison hearts and beef cheeks. As an added bonus, they have a great selection of sherry by the glass and take online reservations through OpenTable.com.