Happy New Year!

Thanks to everyone who followed, read  & supported the Toronto Food Blog in 2022.  We appreciate you!!!

2022 was a big year for the Toronto Food Blog as we continued our pursuit of documenting the best (and worst) restaurants, greasy spoons, watering holes, food courts, strip malls, bodegas, markets and food trucks throughout the 6ix.

Our “out-of-town report” returned in 2022.  We tasted the best and brightest of the Eastern Townships, PQ…  as well as venturing off the beaten path in US cities such as Detroit, Buffalo, Baltimore and Washington DC.

We even partnered with many of the local BIAs in the GTA to showcase and support local small business.

Here’s a recap of a dozen of our favourite meals this past year… in no particular order.

The Sambal Wok Clams (con ngao) at Saigon Star (330 Hwy 7 E) in Richmond Hill was definitely one of the strongest orders of 2022.

What a dish! The spicy sambal mixed with the salty seafood brine to create a bowl full of magic.  Pro tip: ask for a baguette to mop-up the aftermath. 

We hit the golf course quite a few times in 2022.

If we ever teed-off in Mississauga, we’d always visit the Warmia Deli (1900 Dundas St E) on the way home.  Polish deli and hot table with ALL the fixins.

After multiple visits, we concluded that our favourite order was Schnitzel with Surówka z Buraczków (beet salad) and Mizeria (cucumber salad).  Just like Granny used to make.

Amazing Eastern European lunch, all for about 10 bucks

We ate in Scarborough every Wednesday in 2022.  It’s a tradition we look forward to continuing into the New Year.

Our favourite installment of #wednesdaysinscarborough saw us score some Uyghur Manta at Kroran (1515 Birchmount Rd).

These soupy dumplings are bursting with gamey lamb, onions, black pepper and a sidecar of chillies.  So good, in fact, that we came back for more a half-dozen times throughout the year.

We knew early on in 2022 that these would be appearing on our “best of” list… and here we are!

Friday pizza night with the girls was a big thing in 2022.

Our favourite spot was a new Riverdale find: One Night Only (581 Pape Ave).

They have a kickass Mushroom Pie… a complete blitz of balsamic mushrooms .  However, the pie we ordered the most turned out to be their Spicy Pep’.

Luke and the boys knocked this out of the park, Friday after Friday, dips included.  Grease-wheel perfection that ranks slightly higher on our scorecard than @stoolpresidente

The sandwich renaissance continued in 2022.

It it was Smoked Meat Perfection at SumiLicious (5631 Steeles Ave E).

All the feels, taking us back to our visits to Main Deli MTL. The two-hander; the medium cut; the full sour; the Cott Black Cherry.  ‘Nuff said! 

Our favourite new dining-room find in 2022 was Tiflisi (1970 Queen St E) in The Beach.

Truly an authentic Georgian food experience

Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed their Kachapuri.  These bread-bowls are baked-to-order and come loaded with a variety of fillings to suit all tastes.  Our favourite just happened to be their Kalakuri rendition… which came filled to the brim with Chashushuli (a hearty beef a vegetable stew).  We just know your interest is piqued;)

We had our Birthday Dinner in 2022 at one our favourite restaurants in the GTA… Restoran Malaysia (815 Major Mackenzie Dr E) in Richmond Hill.

Their Kari Dabal was the most unique thing we’ve eaten this year.  Extra spicy beef curry in a gravy of mustard seed and vinegar.  This Kristang cooking (Portuguese-Malay) packs an unbelievably spicy & sour punch. We’ve never tasted anything quite like it!

Hey, Burger!  A Toronto Food Blog “best of” list wouldn’t ne complete without naming the best burger of 2022.

Kathy’s Grill (1158 Kennedy Rd) is truly our kinda place.  There are lots of options that qualify as #lunchunder10bucks, and the entire menu is kid friendly.

Their souvlakis are ten-outta-ten… but if burgers are more your speed, then this is THE spot!  Goes without saying that we recommend opting for the homemade burger, as they pack a bigger punch while still being really easy on the wallet.  Enormous two-handers made even more colossal by how generous they are with the toppings.  Bend at the knees, folks!

We recognized #meatlessmonday to start each week in 2022.

Our favourite installment happened to be the Turnip Cakes at Congee Wong (10 Ravel Rd) in North York.

Fluffy and crunchy exterior, smooth on the inside, finished with chillies & egg. Late night munchies that check all the boxes.  We almost always order a second round to-go because they taste great the next day right out of the fridge 

We kicked it old-school throughout 2022. 

Lakeshore Super Submarine (2939 Lake Shore Blvd W) is a New Toronto institution that’s been cranking out the classics for close to 50 years.

It’s still real easy to get #lunchunder10bucks at this gem.  Their BLT is our absolute fave!  Served with just enough heat so as to melt the cheese, less is more sometimes!

At literally half the cost of other subs in town, this cheap & cheerful trip down memory lane is worthy of repeat visits.  Just go!!!

Any time we were downtown in 2022, we couldn’t hep but daydream about the enormous bowls of Wuxi-style fish soup with pickled cabbage and chillies at Qin’s Garden (435 Spadina Ave).

Enough for the table to share, this spicy & sour bowl of perfection comes absolutely loaded with huge pieces of grouper.  A must-try in #ChinatownTO  

 Date night 2022 often saw us frequent Maya Bay (252 Carlton St).  Iron Chef Thai food in the heart of Cabbagetown.

Their Poo Nim Phad Pong Karee is just a rockstar of a dish.  This soft-shell-crab curry is a generous portion of seafood, lathered in a turmeric curry sauce and finished with egg, onion, carrot, Chinese celery and jalapeno.

Cocktails, window seats, and really good Thai food.  What’s not to like?