ROAD TRIP – Heading To Toronto? We Have You Covered!
By Jack Rosenberg
When I learnt that Toronto was hosting the very popular Pink Floyd exhibition — Their Mortal Remains at Exhibition Place — I immediately said to Biz X Publisher Deborah Jones: “Hey You, we need to take a road trip to Toronto and check this out!”
Team Biz X, consisting of Jones, Linda Aubin, Alain Beausoleil and myself, were more than ready for a four day adventure in the big city. Between Us and Them, we were about to embark on some of The Happiest Days of Our Lives.
So let’s get this party started as we fill our readers in about the best places to stay, dine and discover, with references to Pink Floyd songs in bold to tie everything together. . .
Where To Stay
First we headed to our hotel, the Novotel Toronto Centre, situated at 45 The Esplanade, in what is called the Old Town district.
Basically, it’s less than a five minute walk east of Union Station.
This Four Star hotel is also located within walking distance of all the major downtown attractions, eateries, streetcars and the TTC (subway).
The hotel room was very clean and spacious, no Echoes.
It features a large flat screen TV, WiFi, desk, fridge and iron and ironing board. The bathroom does include a hairdryer, so that’s one less bulky item to pack. The bed and pillows will help you get Comfortably Numb as well.
Novotel Toronto Centre features its own in-house restaurant; Café Nicole Bar + Bistro on the main floor.
You can start your day off with a classic à la carte option (see the Eggs Benedict photo left for a great example) or for the hungry man, the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.
Another breakfast favourite was the Pound Cake French Toast.
Their house made vanilla pound cake featured a berry compote, Nutella crème fraîche and seasonal fruit. It’s very filling, so we suggest you share with the one you love.
All prices are very reasonable and our server Tatiana was very friendly!
The lunch and dinner menus feature a wide variety of fare from burgers to fish to steak.
The daily Happy Hour specials include $5 beer, and house wines. It’s a great way to kick off your evening’s activities.
Novotel Toronto Centre has a Booking.com guest rating of 8.1/10, while TripAdvisor.com guests give the hotel a rating of 4.5/5. Biz X magazine gives it 9/10 and highly recommends you give it a try the next time you visit Toronto.
Hop-On, Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tours
The best way to get around to see all the major sights, is the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour.
Your ticket/mobile voucher is good for 24 hours to get around the downtown area at any of the 15 stops, so there is no way you will get Marooned. Hint: the tour bus runs counter-clockwise around downtown, so plan your hop offs accordingly.
Toronto Island Park: Centre, Hanlan’s and Ward’s Islands
To get to Toronto Island you need to take a ferry from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, entrance located at the foot of Bay Street.
There are three ferry options, Hanlan’s Island, Centre Island and Ward’s Island. All three islands are connected, but the Centre Island ferry drops you off right in the heart of the action.
After a short 15 minute ride, you arrive at Centre Island and you are free to explore at your leisure. Dogs are allowed too, so that’s great news for pet owners.
There is so much to do on the islands; however, if you come prepared, your exploration can be even more enjoyable.
For example, you may want to bring a Frisbee and play 18 holes of disc golf on the picturesque fairways that weave through the islands. Or, you may want to bring a blanket and lunch for a scenic picnic.
If you’re not into packing a picnic basket, there are many options for lunch, including licensed cafés, grills, pizza outlets and ice cream.
If you want to get up close to the wildlife, you may want to rent a canoe or kayak and tour the various bays and ponds. There’s also an amusement park with rides and a petting zoo complete with Sheep for the youngsters.
Everything on the island is within walking distance, but if you want to scoot around quicker, you can always rent a Bike or a quad. Just make sure everybody pulls their own weight!
For lunch we stopped at the Carousel Café. The burgers and chicken wings were delicious and reasonably priced. We also had a cold drink at Castaways Rum Shack on Ward’s Island. It’s a place with a real island getaway feel to it.
Another helpful hint: many of the activities and attractions do not accept cash, Welcome to the Machine, so keep your debit card handy. For more information visit online.
We suggest you get to the island in the morning and make a day of it, so you say Goodbye Blue Sky and get back to the mainland for happy hour and dinner.
DINNER TIME
Speaking of dinner, here are a few places you might want to Run Like Hell to try during your next visit.
Pink Sky
Our first stop was a sea-to-fork restaurant known for its seafood called Pink Sky, 480 King Street West.
This is an upscale establishment and we would not have been surprised if Drake walked in!
Our table was filled with shrimp cocktails, jumbo lump crab cakes, scallops and salt & pepper calamari. But, the highlight was the Truffle Lobster Mac and Cheese.
It’s made with house-made rigatoni, several cheeses and covered in toasted bread crumbs. This is served as a meal, but we tried it as an appetizer split between the four of us and it was a Great Gig in the Sky.
Rodeo Brazilian Steakhouse
Rodeo Brazilian Steakhouse, 95 Danforth Avenue, is just a 15 minute cab ride from the downtown area.
This is an all you can eat Brazilian Steakhouse. If you’ve never been to a Churrascaria before, it’s quite a fun and delicious experience.
When you enter, you have to stop and Breathe the air into your lungs.
First of all, you begin with the self-service buffet, featuring salads, seafood and other appetizers.
Then you move on to the main event.
On your table is a card that is red on one side and green on the other. You start the feast by flipping your card to green, which signals the gauchos (meat cutters), carrying spits loaded with meat fresh off the BBQ that you’re ready to dig in!
They offer superior cuts of Picahna AAA beef strip loin, pork, lamb, chicken, salmon, sausage and roasted pineapple. The gaucho will slice off a piece of meat cooked to your preferred doneness.
Turn your card over to red and relax with a glass of wine. Then when you’re ready to eat again, flip it over to green and something new and delicious magically appears.
The trick is to take small pieces and taste as many different cuts as you can. Just remember to flip your card to pace yourself while you savour this juicy feast.
St. Lawrence Market
The market is a great place for lunch with Buster’s Sea Cove on the main level, the perfect spot for a lobster roll (with fries or salad) that you will never forget. They also have a huge selection of fresh fish sandwiches prepared in a variety ways.
The St. Lawrence market is also a great place to shop for meats, seafood or groceries and even clothing and souvenirs to bring home for your family and friends!
Located at 92-95 Front Street East, the market is just a 10 minute walk east of Union Station. Visit online for a complete listing of restaurants and food stands.
Lobster Burger Bar
Take advantage of Happy Hour (see their website for days and times) and save some Money at Lobster Burger Bar, with 50% off all appetizers and $5 rail drinks.
It’s a great way to relax after a busy day around town!
If you like oysters on the half shell this is the place to go as a dozen are only $20 during Happy Hour. The Lobster Bisque and Lobster Chowder are also a must try.
We really liked this place and stopped back a couple of times In the Flesh.
If you’re not a seafood fan, not to worry, there are other choices, including a Wagyu burger.
Needless to say, if you love seafood and have the Time, we recommend Lobster Burger Bar, 214 King Street West, Suite 100.
Le Papillon On Front
Toronto’s annual Summerlicious event (select days in July) had just started on our last day and the French bistro, Le Papillon on Front was on the list . . . so you know we had to put it to the test!
The food was amazing. Our two favourites were the Poulet Cordon Bleu, breaded chicken breast stuffed with brie cheese and ham, and my personal favourite, the Bouillabaisse, a classic French seafood stew in a tomato-Pernod sauce.
The Soupe à l’oignon gratinée (French Onion soup) is topped with craquelins and smothered, in what seemed like, a quarter pound of melted Gruyère cheese. This French Onion Soup was one of the best I have ever ordered. After this meal I wanted to Have a Cigar and a snifter of Rémy Martin.
Le Papillon on Front can be found at 69 Front Street East, just a five minute walk east of Union Station and best of all, it is super close to the Novotel!
Hockey Hall Of Fame
A trip to Toronto wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame!
Located right at the corner of Front and Yonge Streets, you enter off Front Street and head down the escalators to every hockey fan’s dream come true.
Mother, the kids will get a kick out of teeing up pucks and trying to put one past a life-size, on-screen goalie.
And finally, you can have your picture taken with the actual Stanley Cup! Allow a minimum of two to three hours to take in the thousands of artifacts, as well as a free 30 minute 3-D movie.
Now It’s Your Turn To Visit Toronto
There are so many things to do and see in Toronto and obviously, we couldn’t get to everything we wanted to in such a short time . . . so we will just have to visit again really soon!
Before you plan your next trip to Toronto we hope you consider our suggestions here, but we also offer one last hint: do your own research before you go and log on to the Toronto Tourism Board’s website.
There you can find the latest news and hotel information along with a whole host of itinerary ideas to make your visit just the way you like.
So that’s the Final Cut. From one Pink Floyd fan to another, Shine On (in Toronto) You Crazy Diamond.
