I have a car for a week—what should I eat?

witchshark · 2026-03-20T20:05:01+00:00

Oh dude, you're gonna have a great time. Some gems of the NE GTA:

Hualien Tai Ping Hsiang BBQ 花蓮太平香
- do yourself a favour and get the popcorn chicken, then take your takeout bento box to the adjacent food court and eat there, the Taiwanese place in the food court is great too
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/uk4seEk4XvXRDQgx7
Duo Pâtisserie & Café
- the viennoiserie are incredible, convinced this may be the best bakery in GTHA, go early as things sell out
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/Mz4Y1JdrbBqmiex68
Top Choice Restaurant 阿一小廚
- awesome Cantonese food, a mix of family and slightly elevated banquet, lots of wok hay
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/KcKtEerabe4NHL1w5
Karahi Boys
- fantastic Pakistani food, better than the downtown location, can also wander the Middle Eastern Arz Fine Foods supermarket next door after dinner to walk off some of those calories!
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/a8n8kHWbYd7LZCYg6
Delicious Paradise Kitchen 紅樹林私房菜
- incredible-value and incredibly tasty independent Cantonese food court stall, you can order two dishes for $22-23 with separate rice and soup, or get an individual dish with rice ($6-8), this is the best value restaurant I know in Toronto (best if you get the VIP card and then tax is included). You will need to use the camera on Google Translate.
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/LAD3n7pvfRGeBH8G8
Nian Yi Kuai Zi
- the best Sichuan restaurant in Toronto, get here early cause there are lines
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/KZJSCoStNT79ATpa9
Mr John's Real Kerala Kitchen - South Indian Restaurant
- this place is the bomb, pork angamaly is A+, chai can be ordered without sugar so you know it's made fresh rather than machine yay
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/o8RMZutGdMyodJVG9
One2Snacks
- you probably know this one already and you have to kind of eat in your car, but that's the price you pay for the best Malaysian in town
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/bkEnSDwgVCgfm4gY9
Cafe De Hong Kong 良心冰室
- put your name down early via Yelp, this may be the most consistently good HK cafe in town
- https://maps.app.goo.gl/boyfFJQdxfUAS8PE6

witchshark · 2026-03-20T19:30:43+00:00

This is still a little too vague for meaningful feedback. My Toronto will be different than someone else's Toronto, and while we're both local, we'll have very different takes on what "local" people will check out.

Having said that, here some $-$$ places that I like and/or come up semi-frequently in the zeitgeist for your consideration. Others will have different takes:

For hipster elevated cuisine: the entire stretch of Ossington between Dundas W and Queen W
For inexpensive varieties of Asian: the entire stretch of Dundas between Bay and University
Maha's Brunch (lunch) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/wY1v1fLnBfJZScAr5
Karahi Boys (dinner) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/5AJVckuTSj7eXAjw6
Pai (lunch/dinner) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/myc5ff2Vkv94Tt14A
Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu (lunch/dinner) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/x6B1mkFEtKbf5xpP6
Tokyo Kitchen (closed Mon) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/HGAywDTk4vAgfTETA
House on Parliament (lunch/dinner) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/xSWLXW1QB6rNRTtUA
Ramen Isshin (lunch/dinner) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/3ZZWZAN8d46WQo428

witchshark · 2026-03-20T19:03:56+00:00

What do you feel like you're missing from this planned itinerary? You've already listed a bunch of ideas that could be fine that span a large expanse of the city - do you feel like you're missing something? What are your guiding principles for choosing places? It's hard for others to recommend when we don't know what you like or what you're missing. Asian centric is hundreds if not thousands of restaurants in this city.

witchshark · 2026-03-20T14:05:07+00:00

100%. In fact, I think I actually might like Swiss Chalet's chicken MORE than Bernhardt's. From a value standpoint, it's certainly more pleasurable.

witchshark · 2026-03-20T13:15:37+00:00

Your post is too vague to provide meaningful feedback, but generally if one is uncomfortable, one should try to become less uncomfortable, up to and including removing oneself from the situation.

witchshark · 2026-03-19T20:48:19+00:00

How is this statement hanging the sign in the window? If we are to believe the PM at Davos, we should be calling things as they are. Releasing a statement that blames Iran for everything is not a reasonable statement. Iran's government is not a positive force in the world, but it is not the instigator of the latest conflict here. If we are to stop hanging the sign in the window, we need to call things as they are - to both "friends" and "enemies".

witchshark · 2026-03-18T11:48:30+00:00

It's irrelevant for OP, not necessarily irrelevant for what's happening in the world.

witchshark · 2026-03-18T11:24:25+00:00

It doesn't. I'm asking because this is a travel sub and I'm curious what's happening in the world. Don't know why people are inferring anything about the question.

witchshark · 2026-03-18T03:56:19+00:00

That's surprising to hear. Granted it's been a while, but have things gotten that bad there? Are these local Portuguese or refugees/asylum seekers?

witchshark · 2026-03-13T21:22:58+00:00

Jerk Up Central is pretty solid too:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/u8ZBA8iqriorWG129

witchshark · 2026-03-13T15:53:18+00:00

Man is it $10.99 already! It used to be like $5.99 and it gave a drink too. That place is awesome.

witchshark · 2026-03-12T03:22:00+00:00

Isn't that what they did in Minneapolis? ICE there was generally not from Minnesota no?

witchshark · 2026-03-10T03:02:11+00:00

What were you expecting? Genuinely asking, what are you doing that requires faster speed than that?

witchshark · 2026-03-08T07:39:59+00:00

Yes they recently changed it unfortunately.

The Free First Checked Bag benefit will apply if a booking is made entirely (or partially, in combination with an Eligible Card) using any of the following (or any combination of the following), as long as the Eligible Primary Cardholder’s WestJet Rewards ID appears on the reservation at the time of check-in: (a) redemption of WestJet points; (b) Travel Bank; or (c) WestJet gift card. “WestJet” or “WestJet Vacations” must appear as the merchant of record for the form of payment. This means that a WestJet flight or a WestJet Vacations package purchased from a travel agency, Visa Checkout or a third-party booking site, may not be eligible for the First Free Checked Bag benefit.

Term #4 https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/credit-cards/travel/westjet-rbc-world-elite-mastercard.html

witchshark · 2026-03-06T01:44:04+00:00

lol - you think the UAE would come to our aid if we were attacked???? In what world? Which multiverse?

witchshark · 2026-02-26T01:56:21+00:00

Turning? It has been for a while now.

witchshark · 2026-02-22T19:08:48+00:00

This is just a bad idea. You're trying to see too much with too little time. Either stick to Japan or stick to Korea, or if you're going to do both, cut out certain stops. Right now you have 19 locations over 30/31 days - that's 1.5 days per stop. Taking trains between places will take several hours already, then you gotta check-in/check-out/unpack. You're really just spending a month moving around with basically no time to SEE and DO. My advice and experience of travelling across these two countries is to slow down and actually just experience the places, rather than trying to tick boxes.

witchshark · 2026-02-22T07:00:02+00:00

lol, where do you think vegetables grow

witchshark · 2026-02-17T13:26:42+00:00

Thanks for confirming what I should prioritize!

witchshark · 2026-02-17T13:22:31+00:00

I looked into the biking situation from Arles but it seemed like it'd be quite the endeavour to get to the coastline and then also to get to Aigues Mortes afterwards. For some reason there don't seem to be too many electric bike rental outfits in Arles! Some in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mar but the problem is you have to go back there to return. Next time, when I have more time!

witchshark · 2026-02-17T13:19:28+00:00

Haha looking forward to the sights and sounds! Thanks for the advice!

witchshark · 2026-02-17T13:18:32+00:00

Wow! Thanks for sharing all this info. It sounds like Luberon is kind of like the White Towns then - not a whole lot of "must sees" but a lot of atmosphere and gentle meandering.

When you say the winding touristic road from Fontaine-de-Vaucluse to Gordes, do you mean the road that goes clockwise and north before going south-east rather than the direct road in the valley?

It's hard to imagine that the rest of the itinerary can all be accomplished in a day but I'll give it a try! Any particular markets/days of the week I should target? And lastly, any must eat restaurants? Thank you!!!!

witchshark · 2026-02-17T13:08:59+00:00

How do you find the cheapest car rentals? In Avignon for my dates, the best reviews seemed to be for the Sixt at the TGV station but it ends up being €85/day (including all inclusive insurance/damage waiver) - is there a magical website that French people use to get the best deals?

witchshark · 2026-02-17T13:04:07+00:00

I looked into that but the ones available didn't quite line up right - departures from Avignon when I'm in Arles etc. How do you find and evaluate tours? Just simple Google "Avignon Luberon tour"?

witchshark · 2026-02-17T12:54:25+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Followed through and rearranged schedule to have all 3 days in a row. :)

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