Top Toronto Vietnamese Restaurants
By admin, November 8, 2011 2:50 pmThere is something very satisfying in “peasant food”. By nature, peasant food is easy to prepare, delicious, heart warming, satisfying and cheap. Bare basics taken from the household pantry or from their own farmlands used to create a meal that was both satisfying and nutritious after a hard day at work. With the many cultures that now call Toronto home bringing their own delicious cuisines to set up shop on our busy streets, it’s not surprising that simple and satisfying cultural peasant dishes have made their way here.
Though I’m Chinese by ethnicity, both my parents spent a significant amount of time living in Vietnam before finding their ways to Canada. They opened a Vietnamese restaurant in Toronto over 20 years ago happily bringing to the city (to rave review I might proudly add) the aromas and flavours of Vietnam. Their restaurant specialized in rustic peasant dishes that were family favourites in the villages of Vietnam. Needless to say, these same dishes became a staple in our home throughout my childhood. I’m lucky to know what a good bowl of rare beef pho (noodle soup) should taste like.
It took a while to catch on but Vietnamese cuisine is becoming a trendy favourite throughout the city. Convincing my boyfriend to experience the tastes of Vietnam with me was not a hard sell and we soon found a local favourite to frequent. Ginger Restaurant is known for their fast and friendly service and delicious hearty (and incredibly affordable, $7 for a rather large bowl of beef noodle soup). You can dine in and enjoy the restaurant’s relaxed atmosphere, order take out or have it delivered (we enjoy dining at the Church and Wellesley location often but you can order delivery from their Bloor and Carlton locations on Just-Eat). Their rare beef pho (beef broth and rice noodles with thick slices of rare beef topped with onions, bean sprouts and green onion) is an easy favourite that have kept us going back for more (yes, very much like what my mom makes at home). Don’t forget to also try their hot and sour chicken noodle soup (a savoury delight), grilled chicken and spring roll over vermicelli noodles, and Vietnamese lamb curry with rice or a baguette (I suggest going for the rice as the baguette tends to be rather small).
If you’re in the Scarborough area and in the mood for a bit of south Asian flare, look no further than Krispy Roll. They offer a combination of Vietnamese and Thai cuisine that have been met with great reviews and draws loyal customers from all over the city (I’m not from the Scarborough area myself but the buzz about this place is enough to entice me to make Krispy Roll part of my next excursion out there). They’re known for their amazing pho, a definite crowd drawer. Other crowd pleasers include their yellow curry soup and vermicelli and sugar cane shrimp. Delivery from there is fast and friendly and only a few clicks away through Just-Eat.
When looking for your next dining experience, try going back to the basics of simplistic and satisfying peasant food, something that will leave you feeling warm from the inside out.
Try amazing Vietnamese comfort food today at www.just-eat.ca!
