Shopsy's

This is a little landmark at Bay and Front, that's been there forever. Something easy to slip into when you've just been to the St Lawrence Centre or the Hummingbird, and just can't face going to the Spaghetti Factory. However, both restos do have that adolescent nostalgia feel about them; I haven't been to either since high school.
Companion ordered the Cabbage Rolls Royce; didn't feel so smart after a gigantic cabbage roll, sour cream, potato latke, vegetables, and a Manhattan chowder all showed up on the table. Food here is pretty much home-style cookin'; I got a veggie wrap with a fruit cup, which made much more sense considering it was already 10pm when we got to dinner. So I don't have much to report on my food, since it wasn't terribly different than if I'd made it at home myself... However, the entertainment value of watching dining companion trying to finish all their food, and the nostalgia factor of sitting in one of Shopsy's booths, made it worthwhile going....

Cedarbrae Inn

I guess I gotta list this, but I eat here a lot up here in Bruce County. I dunno, what's not to like? Rosemary marinated local lamb, beer-battered fish 'n' chips, roasted red pepper soup, tourtiere, wild mushroom quiches...

Simply Thai

This is in the 'hood of the BW. Of course, I had pad thai, which, I must admit, tasted pretty similar to everybody else's. However, one thing in their favour is the fact that they had lots of 'stuff' in their pad thai: chicken, sprouts, peanuts, etc, so it was good times, good times...

Ethiopian House

This is a resto that I have been walking by for years and years and have always meant to go to, but never have. It has consistently won several popular awards (vs. culinary awards) for African cuisine. That being said, there's not -that- many African restos to pick from, and besides, that's awfully vague: West vs. East vs. Central cuisine is different.... that's like saying "Best Asian Restaurant"....
At any rate, it's kind of near Yonge and Wellesley, around the corner, on a small street. Decorated with different photographs of different peoples within Ethiopia and artwork, we ordered several dishes, all served with injera. As one of my dining companions noted, "It's kind of weird not having any cutlery on the table". However, we shared several lentil, chickpea, bean and cabbage dishes, rounded out with some chicken. Most were spiced with cardamom, turmeric and hot pepper, and were quite delicious. We actually couldn't finish our meal, there was so much to eat, despite the fact that we were super hungry.
So that was fun. I can't believe it's taken me that long to get there...
(I do have to mention: I do realize I didn't post anything more about any restos that I ate at in Australia. That had more to do with internet access and personal memory lack (of both) than anything else. However, I did need to mention one restaurant in a small logging town in Tasmania in Geeveston called Kyari: Owned by a lovely couple, who are actually due with their first child this month, they are committed to celebrating and focussing on local produce from their region - of course that got me very excited! I had this superb plum and goat sausages served with a capsicum salsa that they were working on for a local food festival that was happening in March; holy yum! They also suggested the apricot smoothie, made with apricots from a farm in town and yogurt from a local dairy farm: Holy yum again! Finished off by a macadamia nut dessert, also made with local ingredients. All told, the ingredients in my meal had to travel no more than 50km to get to my plate. I was terribly impressed and totally in love with the whole concept... so that was definitely a memorable meal....)