http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34131 While some of the cheese and deli sold is locally produced, most of the products are imported directly from Italy. The cheese sold here is some of the finest. My mum will only buy her beloved parmigiano reggiano here and I really love the taleggio and gorgonzola, always fresh and tasty.
The deli meats are great too, and you can have a panino, or sandwich, made right before your eyes. The lady behind the counter can fill up a freshly baked bun with whatever your heart desires: prosciutto, mortadella, marinated eggplants, salami, etc.
My mum and I always try to get here before lunch, so we can head to the back of the store where there is a very modest dining area serving some of the best homemade Italian food. The place is usually filled to capacity, so getting here just before noon is a must. Whether it’s a veal sandwich with tomato sauce and roasted red peppers with mozarella, two sausages with rapini or dandelion on the side, lasagna with salad, homemade ravioli, and even Italian wedding soup, there is no skimping here. Portions are generous, the food is superb and the price is great - lunch will cost roughly $10 or so.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34131 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34130 Whenever I visit the bakery, I always follow the same pattern, taking a quick look around the bakery for an interesting find, and then stopping in front of the large display case, admiring the delicious confections. On my last visit, there were cannoli – crispy, light golden shells filled with a smooth and sweet ricotta cheese filling, millefeuille – ever so thin and light pastry layered with thick, creamy custard and icing sugar on top, lobster tails – deep fried pastry goodness in the shape of a lobster tail, and filled with crème fraiche, and chocolate marzipan logs, using a chocolate that is more bitter than sweet, which blends nicely with the almond. On this particular visit, I was torn between the cannoli and the chocolate marzipan, so I bought both. I sat down in the café and ordered an espresso, thick and earthy and not too strong. Pure heaven.
There are other Italian bakeries in the neighbourhood, some of them a bit more high end with fancy espresso machines and tablecloths, but I love Tre Mari for its simplicity and old world charm. There’s something really nice about sitting in this bakery, watching generations from the same family – grannies and grandkids – enjoying food and their time together.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34130 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33990 Everything in the restaurant is made from scratch, including breads, salad dressings,
condiments, and ice cream. The menu changes every few weeks, all while taking advantage of local produce and the best available seasonal ingredients. The restaurant promotes local, sustainable food and is an advocate for the Slow Food Movement.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33990 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33638 owned and operated by St. John’s The Compassionate Mission. With strong values and a focus on using only organic, natural and mostly local ingredients, St. John's provides training opportunities and employment to people struggling with poverty, mental illness and other issues.
While the bakery specializes in handmade organic sourdough breads made in the traditional French method, other types of bread, such as rye, baguettes and spelt are also made. All sweets – scones, tarts, croissants, cookies, and cakes – are also handmade from scratch.
My favourite is the olive boule. This round sourdough loaf is crusty on the outside and soft in the inside, and packed with pieces of black olive and hints of cilantro. I’m also a big fan of the rosemary breadsticks, but if I don’t get there by Saturday morning around 9am, they’re all gone.
St. John’s bread is very well-known and their products can be found all over Toronto at organic food suppliers and farmers markets.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33638 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33573 The restaurant is full of energy and may be a bit louder than the usual resto, but this is all part of the experience. Seating is at communal tables and you can even ask your server for items not on the menu, which has a spice scale from mild to 20 chilis. I once ate next to a fellow who was eating his green curry with 11 chilis and he couldn’t stop crying. My spice scale is 4 chilis.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33573 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33571 During the event, major restaurants from across the city offer a special three-course fixed price menu, some at very large discounts from their usual pricing. Ranging from $15, $20 or $30 for lunch and $25, $35, and $45 for dinner, the meal includes a starter, an entrée and dessert, with drinks and gratuity extra.
This event has grown from 35 restaurants participating in its inaugural year 10 years ago, to 175 participating this year. Reservations are accepted beginning January 12 – make them early to avoid disappointment. In fact, be armed with three or four restaurant choices as you may not get your first pick.
Depending on which reservations you choose, this event can be a great value, as some of the restaurants participating have starters costing near $25. My favourites – for food and value – are Auberge du Pommier, Canoe, Kultura, and Mistura.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33571 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33109 The entire district is decorated and lit up for the season, including a 45-foot White Spruce tree with 18,000 light ornaments, located in the main square. There are endless things to do for people of all ages. Kids can ride the Ferris wheel, visit the Reindeer Zoo, walk through a fairy tell forest maze, learn about Christmas traditions all over the world, and make ornaments and stocking stuffers. Adults can try a variety of specialty beers, mulled wines and Christmas cocktails, as well as shop for hundreds of unique and local handicraft products, as well as
Christmas merchandise and specialty baked goods. There is also plenty of “street” food to be had: hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, and warm pretzels with artisan mustard. This is the perfect place to get you in the mood for the Christmas holidays.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33109 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32871 Line-ups in the morning are usually right out the door at most locations, as a decent cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich won’t put a dent in your pocketbook. The coffee is actually quite good, for a fast-food joint, and they have other options besides donuts: tea biscuits, sandwiches, wraps, and soups. The restaurant prides itself on their “always fresh” policy and their coffee is served within 20 minutes of brewing.
Founded in 1964 by a Canadian hockey player, Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest fast food
service with over 3,500 stores in Canada. It also has locations in the US and many Canadian Forces bases, including Kandahar.
The most famous of its donuts are the “Timbits”, donut holes available in various flavours: Dutchie (donut with raisins, covered in a sugary glaze), Honey Dip, Chocolate, Jelly Filled, Glazed, and Apple Fritter.
Donut flavours vary from store to store, and they always have special flavours throughout the year: red glazed donuts for Canada Day and the Strawberry Bloom donut, a bloom-shaped donut, dipped in vanilla fondant with a strawberry filling and topped with strawberry-flavoured sprinkles.
To experience true Canadiana culture, every visitor to Toronto must step into a Tim Horton’s at least once.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32871 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31878 September 5th at the Exhibition grounds. This is a bittersweet time of year for most Torontonians, who are sad the summer is drawing to a close but excited to attend this annual tradition which wraps up on Labour Day weekend.
The grounds are on a 192-acre site, and with such a variety of entertainment and events to
choose from, there really is something for everyone. Besides the large carnival midway with rides, games and food, there is also a smaller children’s midway. Some of this year’s events include aerial acrobatics and ice skating, a human cannonball, a sand sculpting competition, daily Mardi-Gras parades, hypnotists, music concerts and garden shows. The international air show takes place on the last three days of the fair.
Animal lovers can watch horse shows and competitions, as well as dog and cat shows. There is also a working farm, which gives city kids an idea of what it’s like to live on a farm. Animals range from the common cow to the exotic alpaca.
The casino has 84 gaming tables including Blackjack and Texas Hold’em Poker area with 24 tables.
The Ex is a shopper’s mecca, with over five shopping pavilions to choose from featuring
Canadian arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry and leather goods, furniture, appliances and home décor, international handicrafts, a warehouse outlet with specially discounted products from major Canadian retailers, and an outdoor market.
And it wouldn’t be a carnival without fast food. Besides the usual carnival fare of candy apples, cotton candy and pizza, the Food Building includes artery-clogging food like deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, deep fried coca cola, deep fried butter, and for the first time this year, the donut cheeseburger: a ground beef patty with cheese sandwiched between two glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Getting here: There are several ways to get to the CNE via public transportation: from Union subway station, take the 509 Streetcar westbound; from Bathurst subway station, take the 511 streetcar; and from Dufferin subway station, take the 29 Dufferin bus southbound.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31878 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31629 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31629 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31628 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31626 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31626 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31625 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31625 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31265 The recipes in this vegan organic restaurant contain no gluten, meat, dairy or refined sugar, but they are anything but boring. I’m actually hoping they will come out with a cookbook soon.
Some of my favourites are the Pad Thai, containing kelp and zucchini noodles with lettuce, peppers, carrots, onions and cashews, all coated with a lovely thai sesame sauce, making this a lighter and cooler version of the pad thai everyone is familiar with; the Pasta Bolognese, a great spin on the classic dish, is also very good: also made from long strands of spiralled zucchini, along with a fresh tomato marinara sauce and “neat balls,” a mix of nuts, seeds and vegetables, all packed into tight little balls of delicious goodness.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31265 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31264 My favourite flavour this year: key lime pie. This yogurt-based ice cream is made with lime juice and zest, as well as bits of graham crust. At only 120 calories per scoop, it is refreshing and satisfying at the same time. Flavours come and go, but one that has been popular among the locals for many years is the Toronto pothole: almonds, marshmallows, peanuts, chocolate chunks, road tar, and gravel, delightful and decadent.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31264 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31146 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31146 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31143 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31143 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31140
Try one of my favourites: the Mayan hot chocolate, which is so thick, you can eat it with a spoon; I love the blend of rich, dark chocolate with just the right amount of spiciness. The stilton walnut gelato is also excellent, as well as the Australian ginger covered in dark chocolate. Oh, and the “affogato”, a lovely shot of espresso poured over one scoop of Madagascar vanilla gelato, heavenly. A word of warning, though: set yourself a budget before you walk through the door.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31140 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29852 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29852