# Dopefest in Toronto, anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 24, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988 "2008-02-24T20:23:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/21 "2008-02-25T18:12:23Z")
I’m a big fan of Korean barbecue, and the Korean Grill House on Queen, west of University is good compromise of price and quality. As an added advantage, if it does happy to be a kids’ weekend for me, they both like that place as well. (ETA: And, they have squid.) Of course, I only suggest a restaurant because you’re all such big WIMPS. The most snow we’ve had in Toronto in living memory and you want to eat _indoors_? Hmph. You should turn in your Canadian passports. Trust a foreigner to have to show you how it’s done. ---
**Author:** ![reefrmad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@reefrmad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reefrmad)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/22 "2008-02-25T19:03:39Z")
Greetings all, I’ve been a regular reader of the dope for many years, but only after seeing this thread I thought I would sign up. Dopefest in Toronto would be very nice. Its a good thing to meet the people you enjoy reading online. Makes cyberspace and meatspace interact ina meaningful way. That being said, my two cents are as such… NO KOREAN BBQ. I cook. I love to cook. But I hate going to a restaurant, paying for the food and then having to cook it for myself and others. I can do that at home! As for the other listing, they’re all pretty standard / franchise style restaurants. Is there anything in Kensington Market that would be more enjoyable? Much more Toronto? ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/23 "2008-02-25T19:19:29Z")
Ooooh…if we’re talking about Kensington, I’d have to go with [Supermarket](http://www.supermarkettoronto.com/menu/). The only thing is, it would work better during the week. It gets pretty packed on weekends. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/24 "2008-02-25T19:22:54Z")
[QUOTE=reefrmad] NO KOREAN BBQ. I cook. I love to cook. But I hate going to a restaurant, paying for the food and then having to cook it for myself and others. I can do that at home! As for the other listing, they’re all pretty standard / franchise style restaurants. Is there anything in Kensington Market that would be more enjoyable? Much more Toronto? [/QUOTE] Well, I’d suggest that Tortilla Flats and C’est What? are hardly chain restaurants (or even run-of-the-mill). Since you disapprove of my choices, why don’t you suggest some alternatives? Are there some Kensington Market area restaurants that you have in mind? ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/25 "2008-02-25T19:28:05Z")
[QUOTE=Kid\_A] Ooooh…if we’re talking about Kensington, I’d have to go with [Supermarket](http://www.supermarkettoronto.com/menu/). The only thing is, it would work better during the week. It gets pretty packed on weekends. [/QUOTE] Supermarket would work, although I think there are much better Asian-fusion restaurants around. I guess that brings up the question of when we’re going to do this. If it’s going to be a weekday, I’m not free Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays (which is not very flexible of me, is it?). Weekends are better for me, although as I mentioned up-thread, it means a 50/50 chance that my kids will be along. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/26 "2008-02-25T19:30:00Z")
[QUOTE=Kid\_A] Ooooh…if we’re talking about Kensington, I’d have to go with [Supermarket](http://www.supermarkettoronto.com/menu/). The only thing is, it would work better during the week. It gets pretty packed on weekends. [/QUOTE] I am violently allergic to hipsters. Motion to go two blocks east and eat in Chinatown instead. Or two blocks north and invade someplace on the Little Italy strip. Or hell, two doors north and grab some tapas at Torito! ---
**Author:** ![reefrmad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@reefrmad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reefrmad)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/27 "2008-02-25T19:32:19Z")
[QUOTE=Cerowyn] Well, I’d suggest that Tortilla Flats and C’est What? are hardly chain restaurants (or even run-of-the-mill). Since you disapprove of my choices, why don’t you suggest some alternatives? Are there some Kensington Market area restaurants that you have in mind? [/QUOTE] Tortilla Flats and C’est What? are not bad choices. Though the Flats always brings back bad memories of youthful exuberance taken too far. I was going to suggest Hot Box Cafe in Kensington, but I’m not sure which kind of dopefest you’d all be looking for… Jamie Kennedy’s Wine bar could be a good choice. /not a snob! ---
**Author:** ![reefrmad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@reefrmad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reefrmad)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/28 "2008-02-25T19:34:29Z")
[QUOTE=Mahna Mahna] I am violently allergic to hipsters. Motion to go two blocks east and eat in Chinatown instead. Or two blocks north and invade someplace on the Little Italy strip. Or hell, two doors north and grab some tapas at Torito! [/QUOTE] I was just going to post a link to Torito… Good thinking! ---
**Author:** ![reefrmad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@reefrmad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/reefrmad)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/29 "2008-02-25T19:35:33Z")
How about something in the Distillery District? ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/30 "2008-02-25T19:37:58Z")
Torito works for me too. I’ll try to tone down my hipster vibe. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/31 "2008-02-25T19:38:11Z")
Why don’t we start a list to see how people like the choices? I’ll include:[ul][_]Korean Grill House ('cause I really do like it 🙂 )[_]Hot Box Cafe[_]Jamie Kennedy’s Wine Bar (assuming reefrmad was serious)[_]Torito[_]Supermarket[_]Kubo Radio (since I’d mentioned other Asian-fusion places, and this one is superb)[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/32 "2008-02-25T19:41:58Z")
Or we can go in search of the best poutine in the city in honour of the thread in CS. Seriously though, where do you go for authentic poutine? ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/33 "2008-02-25T19:42:14Z")
Just a note before we get too excited about Toritos… one of the primary drivers for choosing a place in the past has been price (which is why most of the places I usually go to are not under consideration). Toritos is not in the same price league as most of the rest of the places we’ve discussed, so we may be excluding some people with such a choice. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/34 "2008-02-25T19:54:21Z")
[QUOTE=Kid\_A] Or we can go in search of the best poutine in the city in honour of the thread in CS. Seriously though, where do you go for authentic poutine? [/QUOTE] Rue St. Jean, Québec 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/35 "2008-02-25T19:57:20Z")
[QUOTE=Cerowyn] Just a note before we get too excited about Toritos… one of the primary drivers for choosing a place in the past has been price (which is why most of the places I usually go to are not under consideration). Toritos is not in the same price league as most of the rest of the places we’ve discussed, so we may be excluding some people with such a choice. [/QUOTE] So, you’re saying it’s _more_ expensive? Me, I’m an Anglo. Bland is my heritage, so I’m not familiar with most of these places, though I’d certainly be willing to try them. I’d prefer Asian to anything with cheese, though. How about Vietnamese? Would a Friday work for everyone? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/36 "2008-02-25T19:59:23Z")
Two more suggestions for places - [http://toronto.ibegin.com/restaurants/yasis-place](http://toronto.ibegin.com/restaurants/yasis-place) cheap, available for parties, still virtually unknown to hipsters. Disadvantage - it’s a little hard to get to or [http://rectorycafe.com/](http://rectorycafe.com/) , which is still open through the winter and very quiet these days. Not so inexpensive, though. We could all go for a swim… ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/37 "2008-02-25T20:04:08Z")
Sunspace also mentions Little India up-thread. To throw in a few other locations that are relatively group-friendly: [ul] [li]Saigon Sister[/li][li]Astoria[/li][li]Terroni (the new location on Adelaide)[/li][li]Hernando’s Hideaway[/li][li]Beer Bistro[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/38 "2008-02-25T20:14:42Z")
Friday I usually work evenings, so that might not be so good for me. Saturday night I may be down with, though. Just let me know the date and I’m there! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/39 "2008-02-25T20:16:45Z")
Saturday’s better for me as well. What’s Saigon Sister like (and where?) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988/40 "2008-02-25T20:19:51Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] What’s Saigon Sister like (and where?) [/QUOTE] A quick Google Maps search says the intersection of Bloor and Yonge. Sweet. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopefest-in-toronto-anyone/438988.md?page=3)