Cheapeats Toronto 2002
By Alexandra Clark

     Most regional books retain local recognition, but every now and then a regional title appears for the world to devour. Such is Cheapeats Toronto, a guide to good food for budget-savvy diners from around the corner and travelers from around the globe. To properly review this book, David Leonhardt, who until recently lived in the heart of Toronto, and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, from the opposite end of the continent, have teamed up to share their impressions.

From Los Angeles:
     I am a coupon clipper. Not a Fortune 500-type with a stock portfolio that warrants such an activity but a diner who digs dinner on the cheap. I go through the Sunday paper scissoring dinner deals on everything in LA from Mexican at the Acapulco to the salad bar at Sizzler. Now something even better has come along.

A lovely guidebook, clean and graphic, was put into my hands recently. It is called
Cheapeats Toronto 2002. I was in heaven. Not only is it a nice, thick little volume but it includes inexpensive breakfast, lunch and dinner suggestions for Canadians. Now, if these delights are cheap for Canadians, you can imagine what bargains they are when those prices are translated into the American dollar. (Each Canadian dollar will only cost Americans about 66 cents). What is cheap and tasty in Toronto becomes culinary madness for an American who likes to eat! So what if all these restaurants are in Toronto. Toronto, here I come!

From Toronto:
     It seems like just yesterday when I enjoyed Montreal-smoked meat at Yitz's Deli, breakfast at the Coach House or a tropical shake at the Papaya Hut. And I don't even want to count the times I've eaten at Fran's Diner, Café Diplomatico (Italian), and Sangham (Indian). Aside from identifying and reviewing the best places in Toronto to fill up on a budget, Cheapeats gives plenty of value-added information to help choose the right restaurant. In addition to the type of food, location, and hours, the handy icons tell you in an instant which restaurants have patios, which still allow smoking (only those that are legally registered as bars can allow smoking - Toronto is a breathable city!), which have friendly service, and which let you leave with a full tummy. The reviews are concise and fun to read. My only complaint with this handy little guide is that Mr. Greenjeans is not included (and that place just HAS to be a cheap eat for me to eat there every couple weeks). Maybe in the 2003 edition (hint, hint).

Conclusion: Cheapeats Toronto, an inexpensive book in itself, is an excellent guide for locals and out-of-towners to enjoy good food without breaking the budget. Every city should have a Cheapeats book: Cheapeats New York, Cheapeats Atlanta, Cheapeats Denver, Cheapeats East Pleasant Plain, Iowa, etc.

www.cheapeatstoronto.com