Neighbourhood Crawl: What comedian Jasmeet Raina loves about Bloordale

Jasmeet Raina, previously known as Jus Reign, conquered YouTube in the 2010s, earning nearly a million subscribers with sketches inspired by his life as a Punjabi-Sikh immigrant. Last year, Raina made the jump to TV, portraying content creator Jasmeet Dutta in Late Bloomer, the semi-­autobiographical dramedy he created for Crave, and a second season is set to premiere later this spring. When Raina first moved to Bloordale in early 2023, he wasn’t sure what to make of the area. “My apartment was right between a strip club and a Value Village,” he says. Eventually, he grew to love the neighbourhood’s eccentricities. Here are his go-to spots.

Ruru Baked

“This is probably the best, most slept-on ice cream in the city. There’s a new menu almost every day, and they experiment with a bunch of surprising, often Asian-inspired flavours. One of my favourite creations had Honeycomb cereal and real honeycomb in it. It’s all made in house, and there’s cool merch and cool people serving you. Plus, it’s next door to Sugo, so if you’re there for dinner, Ruru makes a great dessert. Boom, combo.” 659 Lansdowne Ave., rurubaked.com

Latin World

“This is my go-to for a quick, authentic Mexican fix. I visited Mexico City recently and got hooked on Pelon Pelo Rico, a sweet and salty treat that’s like a mix between a lollipop and that slime candy that comes in a tube. They also sell Mexican Coke, which tastes way better than the North American version. And I get quesadillas or enchiladas doused in verde sauce. I love places that drown me in sauce—sauce me up!” 1262 Bloor St. W., latinworlddelivery.ca

Galaxy T&T

“This Asian supermarket sells all kinds of stuff, but I come for the juice. They’ll blend up a bunch of fruit and make you a freshly squeezed juice or smoothie on the spot, for less than you’d pay at a fancy juice bar. My usual order is the house special, with carrot, beet, apple, orange and ginger. It always tastes fresh, and I’m way too lazy to get a juicer and do it myself.” 1227 Bloor St. W., unit A, instagram.com/galaxybloor

Seoul Shakers

“From the street, this Korean restaurant looks abandoned, with graffiti and bars on the windows. But inside it’s a cool diner with cozy leather booths and great ’90s and 2000s hip hop playing. The food is delicious too. I love the wings and empanadas, and the kimchi chopped cheese sandwich is truly incredible. The bread is so soft, and the kimchi makes it extra delicious and juicy. I get the biggie version.” 1241 Bloor St. W., instagram.com/seoulshakers.1241

Daily Grind

“This place is just off Bloor, and it’s unassuming and quaint. They have a great crab and egg dish, and their patio in the summer is really lovely—if you can handle the hour-long wait. Whenever I have friends visiting from out of town, I bring them here. They also have an incredible coffee shop. I love their salted caramel latte.” 426 St. Clarens Ave., dailygrindto.ca

Related: What National Ballet principal dancer Guillaume Côté loves about Leslieville

B-Side Barbers

“B-Side is run by some of the friendliest people around. The owner, JP, made me feel welcome when I moved to the neighbourhood. I’d get my beard trimmed there when I was filming Late Bloomers, and they took great care of me. They’re also passionate about music. I’ve discovered a bunch of underground artists there, like the all-girl funk-indie band Los Bitchos. After my show came out, they were so excited. They were like, ‘Yo, we can’t believe you made that and we didn’t even know it.’” 428 St. Clarens Ave., bsidebarbers.com