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Our Top New Places to Eat in Toronto Now

June 18, 2015

Over the past 8 years, Toronto has rapidly risen its reputation as one of the best cities in the world in which to live, mainly in part due to becoming a destination for a variety of quality restaurants that range in tastes, cultures, and flavours. The best part? They are in short distance of your furnished rental in the metropolis. 2015 has been an exceptional year for many anticipated openings. Here are our favourite eateries and places to eat in Toronto this year, thus far.

1. Bar Raval
Following his success at one of our top ten favourite restaurants, Bar Isabel, Chef Grant van Gameren’s Bar Raval was most anticipated opening of the year and it has not disappointed his loyal following. Those who have ever had to wait for a seat at Bar Isabel can now chow down on Gameren’s pinxtos at his stand up bar, morning, noon, and night. The shrimp and cream pinxtos and the Galician octopus are standout dishes. As much as the bar is adored for the food, the architecture by the firm, Partisans, is just as much of a highlight with its all encompassing wooden curves, bars, and peek-a-boo hideouts.

2. La Carnita Eastside
The neighbourhood of Leslieville has embraced La Carnita’s second location in the east and it’s a quick streetcar ride over the bridge across the Don River from your furnished apartment in Toronto. The funky Mexican eatery is serving up the classics like their fish tacos and feature daily specials which range from arctic char and chicken tostadas to shrimp tacos.

3. Dailo
Easily walkable from our downtown furnished suites, Dailo is the perfect restaurant for a special occasion. The Asian-American infused menu bursts with flavour and texture. Try the fried watermelon, the shrimp and the crispy Argentenian red shrimp served with kimchi grits, and tom yum buerre blanc. The 90 day aged rib eye from Oliffe butchers is served with bok choy, radish, soy pickled mushroom, and Asian chimichurri. It is great to share with a group and well worth the indulgence.

4. R&D
This brand new restaurant on Spadina from Masterchef Canada winner, Eric Chong and his mentor, Alvin Leung, is breathing new life for experimentation in the old Strada 241.You’ll be hungry after a short walk from our properties such as the Icon, 300 Front St. and the Element. The Peking duck and lobster chow mein were some of the twists on Chong’s dishes he made for the competition show and getting rave reviews.

What are your favourite new restaurants and places to eat in Toronto? What are your favourite places near your DelSuites home away from home?

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Food & Recipes, Lifestyle talk, Mid Town, Toronto History

Favourite Patios in Toronto

May 25, 2015

Hanging out on your balcony in your DelSuites furnished apartment rental in Toronto can be novel for only so long. Though it’s one of our favourite amenities, sometimes you want a change of scenery. As the summer heats up, here are our favourite patios in Toronto to grab a drink and people watch.

1. Amsterdam Brewhouse
Steps away from our downtown toronto apartments like 300 Front Street, The Icon, and The Element, Amsterdam Brewery’s patio is situated on the Harbourfront, lakeside, with a nice view of the Toronto Islands. Also named as one of our favourite craft breweries in Toronto, all you need to relax is a pint in hand in a muskoka chair to feel like you’re transported north of the city. Don’t forget you can buy some of their cans to bring home. Their bottleshop is open until 11pm!

(Photo by Tasting Toronto)

2. El Catrin
The vibrant patio, located in the Distillery District, and its Mexican details –cut outs, tiles and firepits –makes this one of the most popular outdoor spots to have brunch or lunch in the summer months. The food is just as great as the location. Try sharing some tacos or ceviche. For dinner, you could try a 7 course tasting menu with your friends. The best part? Your fellow patio-patrons surrounding you are best for people watching. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

3. Terroni (Rosedale)
This rooftop patio of the popular Italian trattoria is a more low key destination and in short distance of our mid-town properties, 173 Duplex and the Republic. Chow down on hearty pasta and many delectable pizzas under minimalist decor and a great view of the downtown landscape.

4. Speakeasy 21
This Financial District favourite –at Scotiaplaza–has a brand new 3-tier patio for after work libation. You can watch all of the drama of rush hour unfold from your perch right in the centre of things. Knock it back with a watermelon mojito or bites to share with coworkers or friends.

What are your favourite patios in Toronto?

Downtown Toronto, Downtown Toronto Condos, Family Vacations in Toronto, Fitness and Health, Food & Recipes, Lifestyle talk

Tips to Healthy Eating in Your Furnished Suite

May 8, 2015

Being healthy while travelling on the road whether for business or for leisure can be a difficult task to upkeep. Luckily, the kitchens at the furnished apartments at DelSuites gives you the resources to eat as healthy as possible while you’re in Toronto for your trip. Here are a few of our tips to healthy eating, whether you’re in the city for a short-term or long-term stay.

1. Buy Locally from Farmers Markets. Shopping at the farmers markets ensures that your produces is locally sourced. Locally sourced produce means it’s fresh and that you’re getting the best quality and nutrients in your meals as opposed to the exported product found in grocery stores (most produce, as a result, will be processed). While in another city, like Toronto, going to the farmers markets will keep you in the company of locals and chat up the local farmers and producers of your food. There are a number of farmers markets that are in the areas of our properties from downtown to Etobicoke and Mississauga.

2. Buy in Season. As above, the food you buy at the farmers’ markets is seasonal. That said, if you are at a market or at the grocery store near your furnished rental in Toronto, buying in season will ensure your produce is as healthy as possible. Asparagus and Rhubarb are prime in the spring; corn is perfect in the summer months; tomatoes are at its peak in September; and apples and pumpkins are ripe and ready in the fall. Buying in season also helps you connect with the earth and weather as it changes throughout the year.

3. Get your Groceries Delivered If you are on business while in Toronto and on the go, having no time to shop can result in unhealthy eating. Luckily, one of our services is grocery delivery via Real Food Toronto. This way you can plan your meals to keep your meals fresh and delicious if you can’t get to the farmers markets. Real Food Toronto prides itself on its selection of healthy options for its customers.

4. Broil and Bake instead of Fry. Our fully stocked kitchens come with state of the art ovens, pots, and pans for all of your cooking and baking needs. Cooking instead of going to restaurants will also keep you healthy on the road and with our amenities, there’s no excuse not to cook in your apartment! Whether you get your groceries from a local grocery store (many grocery stores are conveniently located near our properties), or at the farmers market, try to broil or bake your fish or meat instead of frying it, as it will save you from added calories or additives in your meals.

5. Eat at a Table. Having a place to sit away from a desk or taking the time out in the morning to enjoy a healthy breakfast will keep you satiated and less likely to induce in cravings later on in the day as well as giving you that peace of mind and time for yourself before a busy day in the city or while on business.

What are your favourite tips to healthy eating?

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Food & Recipes, Lifestyle talk

Where to get High Tea in Toronto near Your Furnished Rental

May 6, 2015

As Mother’s Day approaches, one idea to celebrate the day is to partake in the tradition of afternoon or high tea in Toronto. Luckily, there are a number of places across the GTA near your furnished rental to indulge in this leisurely treat. Pinkies up!

1. The Old Mill
Near our Nuvo and Park Nuvo properties, The Old Mill is a storied tradition and has been at the Old Mill Inn in Etobicoke for 100 years. Bring your favourite fascinator and celebrate with your mom in style. For $30, you can snack over a varied menu of finger sandwiches, scones, and afternoon tea pastries, a variety of teas, and even bubbles (at an extra cost). With a view of the outdoor garden through the old-fashioned windows, this is one of the best atmospheres for afternoon tea in the city.

2. The Windsor Arms
One of the most famous places to enjoy the afternoon tea tradition in Toronto (and not too far from our 173 Duplex and Republic short-term rentals at Yonge and Eglinton), The Windsor Arms also has one of the most luxurious tea rooms in the city. In one of the three elegant tea rooms, you can sip from over 20 different selections of tea as well as a savoury menu of finger foods. The Windsor Arms arguably has the best scones and devonshire cream in the city. If you can’t make the regular seatings, there is a twilight menu serving the tea menu at 5:30 and 6:00 PM daily. Fancy hats or fascinators are encouraged. You can borrow one for $5 and proceeds benefit the Look Good Feel Better program, a charity that offers hands-on cosmetic and hair alternatives workshops for women with cancer.

3. The Old Curiosity Tea Shop
This high tea tradition is not too far away from our Circa apartments for rent in Markham which offers over 50 different teas. The Victorian tearoom also specializes in current and discontinued Royal Doulton china replacements. The afternoon tea tradition is by reservation only.

4. The Tea Room, Streetsville
An affordable place for this tradition in Mississauga, you can choose from three different menus for afternoon tea. The Tea Room High Tea menu offers a garden salad in addition to the three tiered tray of tea sandwiches, quiche tartlet, scones, and sweets. You can also choose among an array of black, oolong, and herbal teas.

5. DEQ at the Ritz Carlton
This modern take on the afternoon tradition is a short walk from our downtown toronto apartments furnished apartments in downtown Toronto. There are four different menus to choose from, each which feature the luxury Sloane tea, its blends sourced by certified tea sommeliers. Nibble an updated twist of the traditional menu such as a larger size of the salmon sandwiches served on croissants and macarons served on a modern version of the tiered tray.

Where is your favourite place for high tea in Toronto?

Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Food & Recipes

Top 5 Favourite Bars for Craft Beer in Toronto

April 7, 2015

Craft beer is big business in Toronto. According to the Ontario Craft Brewers Association, “there are currently over 100 craft breweries in Ontario employing over 1,000 people in direct brewery jobs across the province. This represents over 30 per cent of the direct brewery jobs in Ontario.” Now that grocery stores will now have the opportunity to sell beer and wine, this will not replace your visit to your local bar to taste test brews. If you don’t want to stay in your furnished suite or apartment to drink, here are our favourite places in Toronto for this niche experience.

1. Bellwoods Brewery. The popular indie brewery on Ossington Ave–with its white picket fence and prime people-watching patio– is listed as one of the 100 best breweries in the world by Rate Beer. Sip and savour on IPAs, stouts, single hop series, Belgian saisons, and a variety of ales. There’s a good selection of charcuterie to nibble alongside your pints. The brewery is dealing with its line-ups with a next door bottle shop (you’ll also want to save those beautiful labels for your home collection) and are opening a new location at Dupont and Dovercourt. Currently, you can quench your thirst by participating in a spring guided tasting.

2. Bar Volo. Bar Volo is the craft beer bar that was ahead of the trend and now 25 years old. It’s a great central location if you are living in our downtown toronto apartments or North Toronto. The dim-lit, intimate, wooden space gets crowded early. It’s a casual process: look at the list on the walls for over 30 rotating regional beers on tap, casks, more than 75 international types of bottles, and a hectolitre nano brewery. You then find your own table, and order/pay at the bar. Though known for beer, there are two VQA wines served on tap, and over 60 bottles of bourbon and rye for non-hopheads. In the summer, there are DJ nights and during those times, cans of Howe Sound Lager is available for $5 (as previously stated on their site, last year).

3. Bar Hop. Located a short walk away from our 300 Front, Icon, and Element locations, Bar Hop is the ideal unpretentious after-work spot on King West. The bar has over 36 rotating taps plus tap takeovers, gluten-free beers and ciders, and two casks. Special deals like Sunday Sessions ($5 for select craft beers); Mussel Mondays (2 pounds of mussels and fries for $9.95); and Buck-a-Shuck Tuesdays ($1 Oysters) make this a bustling place. Fret-not, a second location is in the works around Richmond and Peter.

4. Indie Ale House. If there is one reason to head over to the Junction, it’s for its noteworthy brewery. There’s a variety of beers here, including their speciality of bold ales. Peruse their menu for collaborations and their original brews with fun flavours and names like the Broken Hipster, Zombie Apocalypse, and the Breakfast Porter. Add a flavourful, varied menu of healthy options and bar staples with a twist; tours, and tastings, and you’ll never want to leave (unless you go here first and then dance the night away at 3030 down the street).

5. Amsterdam Brewery. Though it now feels like a tourist attraction due to its Harbourfront location, Amsterdam Brewery has been in Toronto since 1986 and come a long way from its first location on John St. Now the brewery is a short walk away from our downtown toronto apartments. Amsterdam Brewery is known for its Boneshaker unfiltered IPA and has other original brews like the Sweetwater Squeeze Radler, the 416, and the all natural Blonde. Sip lakeside on a muskoka chair with an unparalleled view of Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands. A bonus if you can’t grab a seat on the patio is that you can grab your favourite beer from their bottle shop, which is open 7 days a week until 11pm.

Honorable mentions go to some of Toronto’s newer breweries like the soon-to-open Left Field Brewery (which is hosting tastings and pop-ups to buy select bottles from time to time); East York’s new Muddy York brewery; and the established Granite Brewery at Eglinton and Mount Pleasant.

What is your favourite bar for craft beer in Toronto?

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