Dinner recommendations around Danforth Music Hall?

[MarcO]

Laurie and I are going to the Richard Thompson show on Sunday night and were looking for any inside scoops as to where would be a good place to grab some dinner beforehand. Sort of mid-level cost please, nothing outrageously fancy but neither something too greasy-spoon - we want to sit for a couple of hours, have a couple of beers and enjoy a nice dinner.

Laurie does not eat meat but fish and seafood are just fine. Me, I eat anything.

Any recommendations friends?

[MarcO]

Within walking ditance is key, we just want to park and go for dinner, on to the show. thanks.

[ollie]

Allen's, on the same block as the Music Hall, is a nice place. I had a great tuna steak there once. Couldn't be more convenient in terms of location.

http://allens.to/

[timouse]

Allen's, on the same block as the Music Hall, is a nice place. I had a great tuna steak there once. Couldn't be more convenient in terms of location.

http://allens.to/

Allen's is indeed good. slightly pricey but good.

[Jaimoe]

I live on Broadview near the Music Hall and have been in many of the restaurants in the area. This is my kind of question.

You can grab some really affordable food at the New York Cafe at the corner of Broadview and Danforth - it's an old fashioned diner, but the beer is cheap and the menu is pretty diverse. Beside the NY Cafe on Broadview is a small fish and chips place called Deep Blue that got NNNNN in a Now review. I've eaten there and loved it. Great prices, but no liquor license.

The Old Nick beside the Danforth Music Hall has a pretty good pub menu as well. I concur that Allen's is excellent. Try their chicken curry: it's fucking good.

There's around 70 restaurants within a 10 minute walk near the Music Hall, so if you have something in mind, let me know. Of course there's plenty of Greek food to be had, but there's some excellent Indian, Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurants too - and a few Italian places.

The Globe Bistro across the street is a 5-star restaurant. I'd avoid at all costs The Black Swan. It's a scary dive. Mambo is a good Cuban restautant across the street from the Music Hall. Embrujo Flamenco, beside the New York Cafe at the corner of Broadview and Danforth has excellent tapas, but it's a little pricey. If you are in the mood for Tex-Mex, try Willow, which is a few stores down Danforth on the same side of the street as the Music Hall.

[Booche]

This is my kind of question.

And here I thought every question was your kind of question.

[Jaimoe]

This is my kind of question.

And here I thought every question was your kind of question.

Ha ha! In most cases they are my friend.

[MarcO]

wow... thanks for the info Jaimoe, and everyone (except that bastard booche).

I suppose we were thinking Greek food as a matter of the obvious so any suggestions there would be great, although I find it hard to pass up a Mexican - Tex/Mex place too.

I'd say we'd probably split an app and get a main each, assuming the apps are $8-$12 and the mains $15-$20. That sort of price range.

[Jaimoe]

With that kind of price range, I'd go to Allen's. It is an Irish pub, but the menu is anything but Irish. The wine, scotch, Irish whiskey and botted beer list is staggeringly HUGE and the food is fucking good. Here's the link to their website: http://www.allens.to/allens/menus.shtml

BTW, you may want to give them a call and book a reservation. Most of the restaurants in that area will be packed because of the show and Sunday is a big night out for folks living in the area.

And if you don't want to eat there, just skip up to Willow or better yet, there's an awesome Mexican restaurant called La Cabana just a 10 minute walk east from the Music Hall - same side of the street as Allen's, Willow and The Music Hall - at Logan. They make everything fresh and homemade, and it's run by real Mexicans.

[MarcO]

right on. thanks!!!

[bouche]

Jaimoe's taking me out on a date for dinner around there in september. I can't wait!

[Jaimoe]

I'm dropping you off at The Black Swan with you wearing nothing but a rainbow flag and carrying a I HATE BLUES sign.

[bradm]

I'm dropping you off at The Black Swan with you wearing nothing but a rainbow flag and carrying a I HATE BLUES sign.

Two tickets in the tapers' section, please.

Aloha,

Brad

[bouche]

I'm dropping you off at The Black Swan with you wearing nothing but a rainbow flag and carrying a I HATE BLUES sign.

sounds like Die Hard 3

[MarcO]

alright thanks again.... youtube that bouche biznezz.

One last thing Jaimoe if you don't mind, or anyone for that matter. It's Greektown...... any particular recommendations for a Greek meal?

I know I'll not be disappointed anywhere I go around there but is there a secret favorite we should check out?

We love Sotiris restuarant in Burlington. It's not way fancy, just a busy, well run family restaurant that does about twelve things just right and sticks to them, Greek style. It's consistent, generous and tasty as Fuck.

We're less the high fine dining types and more the "are we suddenly in downtown _________?" kind of eaters.

[Jaimoe]

Well, Christina's is the most famous (and one of the most reliable) of the Greek restaurants on The Danforth. Astoria is also good and has amazingly HUGE portions. I haven't been too impressed with Myth. Trapezzi is of the higher- end Greek restaurant, but if you avoid getting an appetizer, then it all evens out. The newly renovated Omonia has a nice looking street corner patio and gets good ratings (I haven't eaten there yet) and Papa's is a good place too.

There's around 50 Greek-themed restaurants within a 15 minute walk, so if you get to Riverdale early enough - and I recommend that you find free side street parking just south of Danforth off of Broadview - then just go for a nice walk and pick a spot - and most places have nice patios. I don't think you can go wrong with my suggestions though. Oh yeah, there's a diner type Greek restaurant called Asteria on the north side of Danforth not too far from the Music Hall. You can see the chef cooking the giant portioned souvlaki at the front window... and they look fabulous.

[MarcO]

right on, and thanks for the parking tip!

[Jaimoe]

Where did you end up eating and drinking MarcO? How was your night and Mr. Thompson?

[MarcO]

hey - after a leisurely stroll, checking things out, we wound up at Christina's. It was a lovely meal; we decided not to each order dinner entrees as we didn't want to overeat and then go sit in a theater for two hours, you know? So we just split a few appys - flaming saganaki cheese, large Greek salad, lightly fried calamari, some fresh toasted pitas and extra tzatziki. Nothing too ambitious there but we weren't feeling too experimental, looking more for comfort food. And it was all excellent! Munching away on calamari, having a cold beer on a Danforth patio is not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

We had time to kill before the show so we popped into Allen's and sat at the bar for an hour. I had a couple pints of their house lager - cold and fizzy, just how I like my beer - and Laurie had a White Russian. The menu there looked very nice, maybe next time.

Thanks again too for the parking idea, it worked like a charm.

I'm still learning about Toronto in a lot of ways so it was nice to have a new experience there.

As for the show, it was ridiculous as you might expect. Maybe I should do a review?!?

[bradm]

As for the show, it was ridiculous as you might expect. Maybe I should do a review?!?

Yes, you should.

Aloha,

Brad

[Davey Boy 2.0]

flaming saganaki cheese

sounds like a night out with booche when he's wearing his cape

[Jaimoe]

I was out and about around Christina's at the same time as you were yesterday too. I was across the street near The Brass Taps pub and Mr. Greek. For a pint or two near the Music Hall, I should have recommended Dora Kehogh's right beside Allen's. It's about as authentic an Irish pub as you'll find on this side of the pond (and both pubs are owned by the same Irishman) - right down to not having any waiters or TV's. However, some of their non-Irish bartenders are a-holes.

BTW, the house ale is Amsterdam.

Yes, write a review of the show.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

...but you'd better post it within 10 days or someone will make snide remarks (where's your Toronto MMJ show review btw, jaimoe?)

/snittiness

[Jaimoe]

Hey Dave, I submitted my MMJ review two days after the concert - to another website that I work for - and they finally posted it about four days ago, long after the iron went cold. Here it is though: http://www.soundproofmagazine.com/Canada/Live/My_Morning_Jacket_Kool_Haus.html

[MarcO]

maybe I'll work on something tonight.

cheers!