Toronto Life articles from April 2006

Toronto Life archives from April 2006

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... An interesting article on who's moving into all the new lofts and condos in the city ["The New Starter Home," February]. Now, how about a piece on all the people who have to move out of old industrial spaces to make way for new lofts and...

Home suite home.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... What is wrong with a city where a well-educated radio reporter and his food editor girlfriend have to shell out $200,000-plus in exchange for less than 700 square feet to call home? Behind the smiling pictures portrayed in "The New Starter...

Negative reinforcement.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I was immensely unimpressed by "The Belinda Stronach Defence" by Sylvia Fraser [February]. Stronach's press secretary could not have done a better job of promoting her and her interests. If there truly is nothing negative to say about a subject...

Calling the shots.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... John Macfarlane raises some interesting points on how we're dealing with the increase in gun violence in this city [This Issue, February]. However, I think he has let the government off the hook too easily. Low socio-economic status, inadequate...

Here's the hitch.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I am not one to be politically correct, but your article "Wanted: Spouse" [This City, February] provoked me to write in. I find it striking that the magazine is so out of touch with the multi-ethnic population it purports to serve. The vast...

"Hoodwinked.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... David Gilmour did not thoroughly research his neighbourhood before writing his article ["Market Value," February]. If he had, he would have learned that Kensington started out not as "a messy little island where waves of immigrants crashed...

Driving idea.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I would have felt hurt at being on the receiving end of Toronto Life's Best & Worst column choice for "Worst Vehicular Infraction" [This City, February], had it been the least bit accurate with respect to the government's proposed legislation...

Choc and awe.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I am a self-diagnosed chocoholic, and I was delighted to see the article "State of Choc" in your February Food column, as I have recently dabbled in the more exotic chocolates the article suggests. The everyday chocolate bar just wasn't cutting...

Phantom opera.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I was surprised to see yet another puff piece about Measha Brueggergosman ["The Soprano," This City, January]. For a supposed opera singer, she has performed remarkably little opera (check her Web site). Concerts and recitals are fine, but to...

By Georges.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... James Chatto's article on the life of Georges Gurnon was a delight ["Host Story," January]. I have followed Georges from Le Bistingo to Pastis and now Pastis Express, and have always enjoyed what he is so good at--perfectly marrying the dining...

Happy ending.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2006... I want to update Toronto Life's readers on the story of Barry Gong, a highly skilled new Canadian engineer who, like so many professional immigrants coming to Canada, faced many barriers to finding work in his field. Following the publication...

James Chatto wrote the book on Toronto restaurants.(This Issue)
April 1, 2006... It was called The Man Who Ate Toronto, and although it was published in 1998, it's still the last word on the culinary revolution that liberated the city from a diet of meat and potatoes 25 years ago. In 1986, Chatto arrived here from England...

The outsider: in a departure from her usual homicidal subjects, director Mary Harron's latest film examines the sinister side of beauty.(PROFILE)(Interview)
April 1, 2006... MARY HARRON SUGGESTS we meet at a cafe in Brooklyn's gentrified Carroll Gardens. It's a cozy neighbourhood haunt: vegetarian specials are scribbled on a chalkboard, indie rock plays at excessive volume, and freelancers with artfully tousled...

Going green.(URBAN DECODER)
April 1, 2006... Dear Urban Decoder: I recently noticed a paramedic driving a tractor tricked out like an ambulance. I know budgets are tight--but surely not that tight. ROBERT MARCELL, THE JUNCTION Don't worry--in addition to its 150...

Totally dope: these aren't your parents' head shops.(ROUNDUP)(Queen Street West, Toronto)
April 1, 2006... The 21st-century head shop is an entirely different beast than the dingy storefronts that dotted Yonge Street a few decades ago. Now they're lifestyle establishments driven by hemp-hawking entrepreneurs who skirt penalization by selling "herbal...

Cuddle up.(TELLING TALES)(cuddle parties facilitated by Cecilia Moorcroft)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Bodies writhe in a heap on the floor, with students and seniors alike stacked on top of each other, faces pressed against backs and navels against tushes. A 60-plus grandmother lies atop an elementary school teacher one third her age, spread...

Shake your booty: upping the ante on gift bags.(HERE'S THE THING)
April 1, 2006... In any given week in Toronto, two to three parties, charity shindigs and lip gloss launches jostle for the limited attention spans of journalists, ad execs, hipsters and freeloaders. The key to deciding which to hit and which to skip often...

The highs and lows of city life.(BEST & WORST)(property design)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... BEST DEVELOPMENT IN A SUBURBAN WASTELAND Fernbrook Homes and Cityzen Development Group didn't have to launch an international design competition, but, unlike so many other GTA developers, they actually care about aesthetics. Ninety...

Light fantastic: a po-mo showpiece in Richmond Hill.(HOT PROPERTY)(KPMB Architects)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... This 1991 masterpiece--built for sculptor Stephen Jenkinson and his wife, writer Dolly Reisman--was designed by Bruce Kuwabara. The K in KPMB Architects has designed only two houses (the other is perched on a ravine in Rosedale); he's now at...

Wheel of fortune.(TELLING TALES)
April 1, 2006... Only fame could persuade the pen-and-pad set to brave a wintry 11 a.m. at the too-slick-by-half nightspot C Lounge on Wellington. The doorman mumbles "Good evening." Then, catching himself, "I mean morning. Sorry, I never work here at this...

Hat heads: saucy headgear was de rigueur at a SickKids charity bash.(CAMERA)
April 1, 2006... Six hundred mad hatters descended on the Academy of Spherical Arts to take in photographer Jim Allen's labour of love: 250 portraits of Torontonians, eminent (including Margaret Atwood and Perdita Felicien) and otherwise, posing in haute...

Ace of base: J.P. Ricciardi on the new Jays, Abe Lincoln's managerial skills and spending Ted Rogers' money.(Q & A)(Interview)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The once tight-fisted Jays have become as acquisitive as Elton John at a Tiffany's sale. That's because last fall, Jays owner Ted Rogers handed his sizable wallet over to the team's general manager, J.P. Ricciardi, who promptly went on a George...

House of style: the extremely tasteful universe of design guru Joseph Mimran.(REALITY CHECK)(Biography)
April 1, 2006... The Toronto-based former Club Monaco front man turned brand building mastermind has worked with a who's who of Canadian fashion and design over his 30-year career. About to launch a line of clothing for Loblaws, Joseph Mimran is Canada's answer...

Guys 'n' dolls: Ronnie Burkett, the world's greatest puppet master, creates marionettes who commit suicide, get raped and are attacked by vampires. He's the anti-Shari and Lamb Chop.(Arts)(Biography)
April 1, 2006... HE'S BEEN A MORMON, a punk and a hedonist. As a performer, he's served up whores and virgins; Christ and a rapist; football players and drag queens; a skateboarding monkey, a cow and a beaver; communists, fascists and Progressive Conservatives....

Ice storm: when 12-year-old Tracey Wainman emerged on the scene, little girls were big business in sport, and Canada was hungry for a new skating star. It got one, and placed its Olympic hopes on her shoulders. The turbulent life of a child prodigy.(Sports)
April 1, 2006... THE APPLAUSE WAS THUNDEROUS. Tracey Wainman, the 12-year-old Canadian figure skating phenomenon, had just completed her debut performance at the 1980 World Championships in Dortmund, West Germany. And the audience wouldn't let her leave the...

Best restaurants: James Chatto picks the top 20.(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Torontonians are spoiled for choice. Our best restaurants, laden with talent and a buzz with energy, generate endless culinary delights--and at prices that leave foreign visitors gasping in envy. This is year--a year of Wagyu beef six-part...

One. Tough. Mother. Kaarina Pakka wasn't the first woman to have Peter Nygard's baby. At last count, the famously hedonistic fashion mogul had at least eight children from six mothers. But the difference between Pakka and the others is that she fought for her son's fair share of the wealth--and won.
April 1, 2006... KAARINA PAKKA WAS CONTENT WITH HER life the year she heard that Peter Nygard was coming to Toronto. It was 1986, and she was living in a small Victorian town-on Adelaide near Bathurst that she had with her savings. Single and 35, the former...

The prisoner: this is the story of my lost years: I was sent to jail for the first time when I was 13. By the time I was 20, I'd sold crack, fought in a gang war and shot a man.
April 1, 2006... THE FIRST TIME I GOT IN SERIOUS TROUBLE WITH THE POLICE was a couple of weeks before Christmas 1994, when I was 13. I was living with my dad and stepmom in Mississauga, and I went into the dollar store across from the Zellers at Westwood Mall...

Tonya Lee Williams: how the young and the restless actor and founder of this month's ReelWorld Film Festival would spend a single perfect day. Toronto on an unlimited budget.(24 HOURS WITH)
April 1, 2006... Right after I wake up, I like to meditate and centre myself for the day to come. After that, I'd grab breakfast with my mother. Since I spend most of the year in L.A., we don't get to spend much time together. We'd go to Cabbagetown's Pear Tree...

The city's best loot.(Super Shopper)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... PATH FINDER Bright Night's quirky, pop art--inspired umbrella sports a heat-free krypton light bulb under the canopy, so you'll see and be seen, even in dark and gloomy weather. $80. Up to You, 1483 Queen St. E., 416-778-6487. ...

Forest Hill Village: full of gossiping teens, the village is as twee as it was 20 years ago. But the charm of this oh-so-posh 'hood lies in its changelessness.(On the Block)
April 1, 2006... 1. Forest Hill Spa The expansive 4,ooo-square-foot spa--tenderly lit, washed in creamy, low-bloodpressure hues and outfitted with 18 no-nonsense staff--offers an interminable list of treatments: manis, pedis, reiki, hot-stone massages,...

Nice rack: if you don't like lamb, you haven't tasted milk-fed. It's as sweet and tender as the first shoots of spring.(Food)
April 1, 2006... IT STARTED, like so many great love affairs, in Paris. Though Toronto food stylist and cookbook author Jennifer McLagan grew up in Melbourne, Australia--a.k.a. sheep country--sipping Scotch broth and playing jacks with real sheep knuckles, she...

It's a slice.(Food)
April 1, 2006... [new] Thanks to food importer Michael Tkazcuk, authentic mortadella--meltingly tender with citrus undertones--is now available in Canada. Based in Northern Italy, salumiere Baldo cooks it in a traditional dry-air stove. $4.29 per 100...

A good egg.(Food)
April 1, 2006... No more green eggs with your ham--this ovoid contraption can soft-cook seven eggs at a time to a perfect, creamy yellow-yolk consistency. Poaching is also a breeze, though you can only prepare three at once. Cuisinart Egg Cooker, $39.99....

Milky way.(Food)
April 1, 2006... Finally, a milk chocolate bar for grown-ups. Tuscan chocolatier Andrea Slitti makes a creamy, dairy-infused slab that's 70 per cent Venezuelan cocoa. The Lattenero is smooth, dark and handsome--the perfect antidote to drugstore Easter eggs....

Cheap shots: the LCBO has a discount store with real deals on good bottles. No kidding.(Drink)
April 1, 2006... IT'S NOT AS FRENZIED AS FUTURE SHOP ON BOXING DAY, but the LCBO's Clearance Centre in the Crossroads Centre (2625D Weston Rd., 416-243-3320) at Weston Road and the 401 should be on every wine adventurer's now-and-again list. Prices are reduced...

Chateau Pey la Tour 2003 Reserve Du Chateau.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... [pick] Chateau Pey la Tour 2003 Reserve Du Chateau ****: $21.95 | Bordeaux Superieur An affordable cellar-starter bordeaux from a great vintage, and collectible as the first label bearing a name change (formerly Chateau Clos de la Tour)...

Nobilo 2005 Sauvignon Blanc.(WHITE)
April 1, 2006... Nobilo 2005 Sauvignon Blanc **** $15.65 | Marlborough, New Zealand Bring on spring, citrus salads and smoked salmon. Cool, fresh aromas of mandarin, grapefruit, kiwi and passion fruit with a dash of white pepper. Mid-weight, delicate and...

Reif 2004 Vidal.(white wine)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Reif 2004 Vidal *** $8.75 | Niagara Peninsula A light winemaking touch has delivered surprising freshness and poise from Niagara's often dull workhorse white grape. Youthful pear and melon nose with a hint of flinty sulphur you won't notice...

Gustave Lorentz 2003 Pinot Gris.(WHITE)
April 1, 2006... Gustave Lorentz 2003 Pinot Gris *** $12.95 | Alsace, France New listing. The LCBO's first screw cap white from Alsace delivers lush, almost sweet pinot gris from the hot 2003 vintage. Typical pinot gris character of yellow plum and...

Wolf Blass 2003 Grey Label Shiraz.(RED)
April 1, 2006... Wolf Blass 2003 Grey Label Shiraz **** 1/2 $30.10 | South Australia Wolf Blass reds are nervy, some even sour, but this one is smooth and creamy with loads of ripe black cherry-prune, mocha, cedar and licorice. Terrific poise and length, to...

Montalto 2003 Nero d'Avola Cabernet Sauvignon.(new red wine)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Montalto 2003 Nero d'Avola Cabernet Sauvignon **** $8.95 | Sicily, Italy An extra star for super value goes to this new screw cap listing. Two powerhouse grapes combine in sunny Sicily (the California of Italy) to render a ripe, deep red...

Cline 2003 Syrah.(new red wine)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Cline 2003 Syrah **** $17.95 | California Cline has always done a good job with Rhone grape varieties; it's no surprise that their syrah is loaded with black cherry-plum fruit, licorice and mocha, all in good proportion. It's full-bodied,...

Caves des Papes 2004 Cotes du Ventoux.(RED)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Caves des Papes 2004 Cotes du Ventoux *** 1/2 $10.10 | Rhone Valley, France The '04s from the south of France continue to impress. This one shows fragrant, floral, plummy fruit with classic Rhone pepper and tobacco-like spice. Juicy and...

Yalumba 2004 Y Series Shiraz Viognier.(RED)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Yalumba 2004 Y Series Shiraz Viognier *** 1/2 $13.95 | South Australia Great kitchen sipping shiraz that will segue easily to the dining room, especially with a casual meal of ribs or beef teriyaki. Adding white viognier for perfume and...

Spirits of St. Patrick: Cooley Irish Whiskeys.
April 1, 2006... For St. Paddy's Day, consider whiskey by Cooley, the independent distillery near Dundalk that in 1987 rose from the ashes of a once-grand Irish whiskey industry to revive abandoned brands. Lower-end blended whiskeys from Kilbeggan, Locke's and...

Up and away: vertical responds to its skyscraping surroundings.(OPENING)(hotels)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... At the heart of the financial district, Vertical takes its name from the buildings around it (and possibly the ambitions inside them). An airy interior makes diners and food its focus, but when the 150-seat terrace opens later this month, just...

Restaurants.(Bymark)(Southern Accent)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... A LA MODE BYMARK *** The place still looks great, like an elemental temple built among the roots of Mies van der Rohe's towers, and suits of both sexes still flock to the bar for after-work martinis and then head to the underground...

One good apple: the ad hoc creation of Barberian's cult classic.(THE DISH)(Recipe)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Not just a couple of doughnuts, these are apple beignets, a Toronto steak house classic that came about as a solution to a restaurateur's predicament. Back in 1959, when the up-and-coming Barberian's was the place to be on Leafs game nights, it...

Spuds in the Alley: a diner lover's guide to home fries.(QUEST)
April 1, 2006... Back when a diner was really a diner and brunch was more a meal than a lifestyle, home fries came to the plate honestly, culled from the previous night's leftovers--potatoes boiled but never mashed, or baked till their skins fell off. The...

Scallop's edge: with bacon or pancetta--sweet, soft, smoky, sublime.(HIGH/LOW)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... A cocktail party classic, the bacon-wrapped scallop offers everything a good host wants in an hors d'oeuvre: easy prep and quick cooking--and with the handy skewer, you don't even have to put down your gimlet to enjoy one. Oh, yes, and the...

Stretch pad: retro-style Lux extends a hip monarch's empire.(IT SPOT)(This Is London and The Guvernment, club renovation)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... When you're Charles "Club King" Khabouth, of Ultra Supper Club, This Is London and The Guvernment, taking over an already popular club (in this case King West's hipster hot spot Loft), remodelling every square inch and successfully opening in...

Theatre.(This Month)
April 1, 2006... OPENING AMERICAN BUFFALO. David Mamet's breakthrough 1975 play unveiled his trademark dialogue composed of expletives, self-deceiving lies and half-thoughts, evocatively expressed. A junk-store owner (Ted Dykstra) sells a valuable American...

Classical.(This Month)
April 1, 2006... CHAMBER MUSIC AMICI. High soprano Barbara Hannigan is accompanied by pianist Linda Ippolito, performing a group of five songs by Mozart, modern British composer Oliver Knussen's Rosary Songs and the early-20th-century Viennese master Anton...

Cinema scope: sprockets film fest screens kid-friendly gems with edge.(ONSCREEN)
April 1, 2006... So you want to take your kid to the movies, but the legions of Shrek clones on offer at the local multiplex are making you turn green. The Sprockets International Film Festival can help. Now in its ninth year, the festival's 122 family-friendly...

Complaints dept.: comic book legend Harvey Pekar corners the market on cranks.(Interview)
April 1, 2006... He's best known as the curmudgeonly subject of the 2003 hit indie film American Splendor, based on his autobiographical comic series of the same name. In real life and in his books, Harvey Pekar is a cantankerous ex-file clerk plagued by...

Rooms with a view: Berlin-based art stars imagine a life less ordinary.(IN THE GALLERIES)
April 1, 2006... Art provocateurs Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset made even the most jaded fashionistas sit up in their Bertoia chairs last year with the Prada Marfa project. The hermetically sealed facsimile of a Prada boutique was stocked with the Italian...

Natural selection: an eye-popping showcase of Canada's top photographers.(ON THE SHELVES)(Carte Blanche )(Brief article)(Book review)
April 1, 2006... Scott McFarland photographs his surrounds in immaculate detail, obsessively parsing together dozens of negatives to create images that crackle with life. The Vancouver artist is one of 230 photographers whose work appears in Carte Blanche, a...

Pop.(Toronto, Canada)(Calendar)
April 1, 2006... DAVID GILMOUR. The 60-year-old rock veteran and former Pink Floyd front man's elegant guitar solos and dreamy-cum-sinister songs are showcased on his much-heralded new solo album, On an Island, and at this pair of rare local dates. April 9 and...

Jazz.(Concert review)
April 1, 2006... CONCERTS DIANE SCHUUR is a jazz singer in the classic mould of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, ready to apply her three-and-a-half-octave range to uptempo scat singing, or create a compelling emotional presence with ballad tempos. The...

Art.
April 1, 2006... (free) BODY: NEW ART FROM THE UK showcases such bright British lights as Tracey Emin, Jake and Dines Chapman, and Sarah Lucas. Videos by Turner Prize winner Douglas Gordon and Turner runner-up Tacita Dean impart gravity and grace. Themes of...

Dance.(Dance review)
April 1, 2006... DANCEMAKERS. This hotly anticipated show is Serge Bennathan's final choreography for his company before stepping down as artistic director at the end of this season. Bennathan's stellar collaborators for the full-length Absences include...

Kids.
April 1, 2006... (free) BATA SHOE MUSEUM. Puppet master Carrie Costello of Castlemoon Theatre leads young gumshoes on a fascinating half-hour investigation into the world of shoes, followed by a step-by-step lesson in puppet making. Ages two to 12. April 1....

Diversions.(Cinefranco and other film festivals in Toronto)(Calendar)
April 1, 2006... CINEFRANCO. Now in its ninth year, the French-language fest honours the late French actor Jacques Villeret, best known for his delightfully doltish characters. On offer are the comedies Iznogoud, The Antidote and The Dinner Game, for which he...

41 per cent of GTAers go out to dinner less than once a week.(The Toronto Poll)
April 1, 2006... TRISH MAGWOOD, Dish Cooking Studio Owner "Busy schedules have a huge impact on dining out. Now that you can buy half-prepped gourmet meals, eating well at home is easier." ROBERTO MARTELLA, Grano co-owner "Family meals are an...

A la mode.(Acqua)(Amuse-Bouche)(Bistro Grande)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Acqua ** When Franco Prevedello unveiled this high-end restaurant in an atrium 11 years ago, it seemed piazza life had arrived in Hogtown-sur-Lac. Now, amid the glare and blare of the cavernous BCE Place, it seems a mistake. Ramparts of...

African.(Addis Ababa)(Blue Bay Cafe)(Cafe Moroc)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Addis Ababa ** 1/2 Long before The Drake arrived, Ethiopian-born Aster Belayneh was quietly serving her fiery, spice-laden homeland cuisine to east Parkdale. Presented on large metal platters lined with injera (the spongy, sour pancake...

American.(Boiler House)(Dipamo's Barbeque)(Far Niente)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Boiler House ** 1/2 Housed in a yawning red-brick Distillery District warehouse, this two-tiered room is catnip for your inner yuppie: a long wooden bar, clever sky blue booth seating and crooning jazz. For appetizers, the daily soup...

Bar and pub.(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Allen's ($25) Fifteen draft beers, scores of bottled (17 from Belgium) and an all-VQA wine card--it's akin to your local pub on steroids. Gingham napery, owner John Maxwell's personal collection of paintings and photographs, and ample...

Bistro.(Across the Road, Alize, Batifole, Beerbistro, Bellevue Diner, Biff's, Bistro 990, Bistro Tournesol, Boho, Brassaii, Brownes Bistro, Bruyea Brothers, Byzantium, Cafe la Gaffe, Cafe Nervosa, Cafe Pleiade, Cantine, Corner House, Dooney's, Edward Levesque's Kitchen, Fat Cal, Fressen, Herbs, Jamie Kennedy Restaurant, Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar, JOV Bistro, Kalendar, Lolo, Merlot, Messis, Mildred Pierce, Muse, Niagara Street Cafe, Oliver & Bonacini Cafe Grill, Olivia's, Pastis Express, Peter Pan, Pony, Reds, River, The Rosebud, Rosedale Diner, Savoy, Smalltalk, Spoon, The Strand, Sugar Cafe, Superior, Swan, Teatro, Ten Feet Tall, Toast, Toro, Town Grill, Universal Grill, Verveine, Wish)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Across the Road *** Decidedly dated decor combines yellow and aubergine in ways not seen since the early days of colour television--not necessarily a bad thing. Indeed, it is refreshing to see a place resisting the pressures to renovate,...

By design: architectural digest: where the decor is as delicious as the food.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Celestin Hitting just the right note for a meet-the-parents dinner, Celestin is elegant without a hint of pretension. The simple decor--vanilla walls, black and white floor tiles--is enhanced by a grand floral display and warm lighting....

Cafe.
April 1, 2006... Beaver Cafe ($25) "Welcome to the Beaver;' greets the young server. "What?" he smirks. "It's Canadian." The sleek two-year-old lives up to its moniker, adorning the walls with representations of the beast, alongside more serious...

Caribbean.(Bacchus Roti Shop)(Caribbean Jerk Pit)(Irie Food Joint)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Bacchus Roti Shop ($25) "Excuse me, but are those sweet-potato fries?" one patron asks a neighbour. "Yeah," says the neighbour, tucking in. "And they're really good." Parkdale diners may come to this no-frills Caribbean restaurant to...

Chinese.(Ambassador, Asian Legend, Bright Pearl Seafood, Cha Liu, Chung King Garden, City Inn, Ding Tai Fung, Dragon Dynasty, Dynasty, Golden Court Abalone, Grand, Happy Seven, King's Garden, Lee Garden, Magic Wok, Pearl Court, Red Chillie, Rol San, Ruby, Sam Woo Seafood, Spadina Garden, Szechuan Szechuan, Wah Sing, Xam Yu )(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Ambassador *** 1/2 Hypnotically suburban, the panoramic view from this elegant perch above a pulsing Chinatown North thoroughfare is strangely soothing. A pot of potent pu-erh tea further sets the tone. The menu mixes modern and...

Diner.
April 1, 2006... Easy ($25) Rise and shine for this funky Parkdale spot. Huevos divorciados, with accompanying refried bean and spicy salsa chaperones ($9.95), are a standout lave. App options include three salads ($6.95 $8.95); bigger plates include the...

French.(Auberge du Pommier, Bodega, Cafe Margaux, Celestin, Gamelle, Jacques Bistro du Parc, Jules, La Palette, Le Paradis, Le Trou Normand, Marcel's Bistro, Matignon, Provence Delices, Sauvignon)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Auberge du Pommier *** 1/2 It's cheaper than airfare to France, with all the stuccoed stone walls and fireplaces of a country inn, unflaggingly meticulous service and inspired updates of French classics. Agonizing choices among starters:...

Greek.(Ampeli, Avli, Kalyvia, Megas, Myth, Omonia, Ouzeri, Pan, Pantheon, Pappas Grill)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Ampeli ** 1/2 The cheerful dining room provides a pleasant setting for a broad but predictable assortment of traditional Hellenic and Mediterranean dishes. Large groups might consider sharing a selection of starters from the wide array of...

Hotel.(Accents, Annona, Azure, Benihana, Breakwater, Citrus, Courtyard Cafe, The Drake, Epic, Hemispheres, Lai Wah Heen, Luce, Zachary's, Tundra, Truffles, Toula, Studio Cafe, Signatures, Senses Bakery and Cafe, Senses, Old Mill, Matisse)(Hotel review)
April 1, 2006... Accents ** Dimly lit, carpeted rooms are spacious enough that each table has a sense of privacy, while CanCon pop tunes float down from the faux dome ceiling. The kitchen likes clean flavours: six oysters on a half shell bathe in an...

The comfort zone: Toronto's best diners.(Canary Grill, Easy, Rosedale Diner, The Tulip, Universal Grill)(Restaurant review)(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Canary Grill Virtually unchanged for six decades, this classic diner is a favourite location shoot for movie producers (the vintage decor is the real deal). Prices, too, seem frozen in time. A whopping three-egg breakfast (with toast, home...

Indian and Sri Lankan.(Babur, Bombay Palace, Cuisine of India, Debu Saha's Biryani House, Dhaba Indian Excellence, Exotic Indian Cuisine, Hopper Hut, Indian Flavour, Indian Garden, Indian Kitchen, Indian Rice Factory, Jaipur Grille, Jodhpore Club, Kama, Madras Dosa Hut, Matagali, Nataraj, Nirvana, North of Bombay, Panorama, Rashnaa, Saravanaa Bhavan, Sidhartha, Skylark, Taj Odyssey)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Babur *** This glass-fronted restaurant is confident enough to skimp on the decor. A few demure prints on vanilla walls and white tablecloths make the casually dressed clientele feel at home. Complex, exuberant flavours don't have to...

International.(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Barrio Lounge *** Hard-core tapeadors lamenting the absence of trad rare might gripe that there's no tripe. No matter. Despite Leslieville's dreary desolation, patrons still traipse to this tapas paradise, one of the nabe's original hot...

The world in a glass: sip your way around the globe, region by region.
April 1, 2006... Canoe To complement its gourmet Canadian cuisine, Canoe's wine list is a shimmering collection of Niagara's brightest stars. Start with a glass of the lively Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Rose Brut (left, $18 a glass); sommelier Ruben...

Italian.(Al Fogolar, Allo Bistro, Antonelli's, Autogrill, Banfi, Bar Mercurio, Bellini's, The Big Ragu, Bocca on Baldwin, Boccaccio, Bravi, Coppi, Da Gianni e Maria, Ferro, Ferrovia, Filippo's, Five Doors North, Frank's Pizza House, Gio Rana's, Giovanna's, Grano, Grappa, Grazie, II Mulino, Il Posto, Kit Kat, La Forchetta, Magic Oven, Mammina's, Mistura, Noce, Olive & Lemon, Paese, Peppino's on the Beach, Piatto, Porticello, Positano, Revo, Romagna Mia, Sapori, Serra, Seven Numbers Danforth, Silver Spoon, Sotto Sotto, Spinello, Tavola Calda, Terroni, Toba, Trattoria Giancarlo, Tutti Matti, Verona, Via Allegro, Via Oliveto, Vittorio's, Zizi Trattoria, Zucca)(Restaurant review)
April 1, 2006... Al Fogolar ** 1/2 Thick wooden beams and a glowing tire bring out a warm country feel. Tastes reflect Friuli, Italy's northernmost region, with welcome outside influences--excellent quality for the casual diner. A sweet and nutty port jus...

Junior gourmet: there's more to child-friendly restaurants than Chuck E. Cheese.
April 1, 2006... Amadeu's With its summer patio, parkside location and laid-back vibe, this Portuguese cafe is a family favourite. The meat and seafood platters are reasonably priced (page 103). Bar Italia Lures funky families with a busy vibe and...