One of Toronto's newest Thai restaurants has all the hustle and bustle of its namesake neighbourhood in Bangkok. Already inspiring line-ups longer than the queue to see a reclining Buddha, this hotspot (in more ways than one) from the Chef/Owners of Sukhothai is far from a tourist trap, it's some of the most authentic Thai food in the city.

Read my review of Khao San Road in the restaurants section.

The humble bistro is as much philosophy as food: a small, local joint, serving comfort food at a reasonable price. It's a place where you feel at home instead of on parade. Simple enough in theory but the name is misapplied to joints these days flogging everything from pinchos to sushi. Thankfully, this new spot in Liberty Village had got the bistro thing mostly right.

Read my review of Liberty Belle Bistro in the restaurants section.

I've seriously enjoyed the prevailing nose-to-tail wind that's lately swept Toronto's dining scene up like the Gale family farm in a Kansas twister, plopping eaters deep in a magical country surrounded by such terrible beauty and inhabited by a revolving menagerie of wondrous creatures that inevitably get popped, ground up, and stuffed in sausage casings then cold smoked.

That's why this year, as yuletide approached, finding myself in a particularly giving mood I decided to give myself a gift. But what gift to get the guy who's eaten everything? Why the gift of meat, natch!

There's a new member of the dim sum royal family in town and it's not in Chinatown. Eating here is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the palate so hungry diners should come prepared to be overloaded with opulence and occasionally charmed by the small details at this downtown temple of Cantonese cuisine.

Read my full review of Crown Princess in our restaurant section.

The guys behind Pizzeria Libretto have finally opened their much anticipated new Italian restaurant on Dundas West and a visit there last week proved both the food and the service didn't disappoint. Everything seems to be clicking here like the beads on Nonna's rosary during a prayer service.

Read my review of Enoteca Sociale in the restaurants section.

There's a new pizza contender in Toronto that just might make the best pies in the east end. It has been compared to Libretto (as they too make their wares according to exacting Neapolitan standards) but so far the line-ups aren't quite as bad. But that could change in a hurry.

Read my review of Queen Margherita Pizza in the restaurants section.