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Food & Drink

Summerlicious 2011

Reservations are now being accepted for Summerlicious. The semi-annual food fest promoted by the City of Toronto and some credit card company or other runs Friday July 8th to Sunday July 24th.

My disdain for anything ‘Licious is a matter of record. My take in short: second-rate restos, third-rate assembly-line grub. Why bother?

So, imagine my surprise when I check out this summer’s lineup looking for losers and find quite a few winning entries instead. Sure, there’s a number of clangers, but fewer than the last Winterlicious. Even such head-scratchers as Benihana (100 Front W, at York, 416-860-5002) and the Old Mill (21 Old Mill, at Bloor W, 416-236-2641) have some historical value, if only for being popular in the 60s, the 20th century for the former, the 19th the latter.

Still, there’s lots of good eatin’ out there if you dig deep enough. Both hot L’Unita (134 Avenue Rd, at Davenport, 416-964-8686) and Malena (120 Avenue Rd, at Davenport, 416-964-0606) are offering $35 three-course multiple-choice suppers – pasta e fagioli, spaghettini con vongole and zuppa inglese versus albacore tuna crudo?over green beans, eggplant ‘n’ wild ramp ravioli, and lemon phyllo tart, say.

C5‘s (100 Queen’s Pk, at Bloor, 416-586-7928) $25 lunch at the top of the Crystal isn’t that much more expensive than a meal in the ROM’s cafeteria downstairs.

As usual, not one vegetarian restaurant is taking part but Watusi (11 Ossington, at Argyle, 416-533-1800) has $25 vegan dinner options like minted watermelon salad with bitter greens alongside its vegan main of the day. Gluten-free items, too, though we’re not sure about the desserts.

Can’t score a reso for the $25 lunch or $45 dinner at the inevitably sold-out Canoe (66 Wellington W, at Bay, 416-364-0054) at the top of the TD Tower? Then book a table at the next best thing, Toula (1 Harbour Sq, at Queens Quay W, 416-777-2002, toularestaurant.com) on the 38the floor of the Harbour Castle Hotel. Not only is the Italian chow cheaper – $20 lunch/$35 dinner – and the skyline lake view similar, but the rooftop resto revolves!

Wherever you go, remember to buy an alcoholic beverage or two, none of this “one glass of tap water and two straws” nonsense. And always tip your over-worked and under-paid servers what you would have left if your meal had been full price. That extra three bucks makes being run off your feet while waiting on tables for minimum wage almost worth it.

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