Maybe 36 hours is not enough time to experience Toronto
This past Sunday, Toronto was the subject of The New York Times’ 36 Hours column—this is Hogtown’s second treatment in the series, in which a New York writer describes a weekend visit. Even though we hate to admit it, we lean in a little closer when the old grey lady whispers our city’s name. The eating and drinking establishments mentioned include El Convento Rico, The Communist’s Daughter, Sweaty Betty’s, Lai Wah Heen and—wait for it—College Street Bar. A paltry sample, but seeing as writer Denny Lee was here only for a weekend, we can’t be too hard on him. Perhaps he likes to party like it’s 2007. And to do so south of Bloor.
Still, we wonder how some spanking new hot spots fell through the cracks. What about Nota Bene, The Black Hoof and Pizzeria Libretto? Lee did a great job of staying current when it came to other spots. The remade AGO gets props, for example, but not Frank. Oddfellows and Nyood are mentioned. Susur Lee’s Madeline’s gets a passing nod (though we couldn’t help but notice the chef’s name misspelled as “Susar”).
Our conclusion: “A” for effort, but no matter how intrepid the visitor, maybe it takes more than 36 hours to fully appreciate Toronto.
