CHINATOWN Delicious aromas from authentic Chinese , Thai , Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants waft through the air as you navigate your way through crowded sidewalks full of vendors selling everything from durian fruit to discount textiles and electronics .
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Sonic Boom
CHINESE COMFORT FOOD The namesake made-fromscratch delights at Mother ’ s Dumplings come boiled , steamed or pan fried , and stuffed with your choice of pork , tofu and melon , among other options . If you still have room , don ’ t hold back from digging into a plate of the spicy mapo tofu or crunchy General Tso ’ s chicken . 421 Spadina Ave ., mothersdumplings . com
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Local Insider Culinary historian Shirley Lum of A Taste of the World walking tours ( torontowalksbikes . com ), says visitors must try roasted pork with crackling and Peking duck when in Chinatown . But the best kept secret according to Lum are the “ salty doughnuts ” that accompany congee at King ’ s Noodle ( 296 Spadina Ave .). Lum also likes to take her guests to the top floor of Dragon City Mall where the view is “ amazing .” Don ’ t forget to take photos , she adds . |
FOOD TOUR Want to maximize your ability to sample as many foods as possible ? Join one of Savour Toronto ’ s Taste of Chinatown tours . Learn about the history and culture of the area ’ s Chinese community as you chow down on dim sum , northern-style dumplings , hand-pulled noodles , or sweet and savoury pastries . savourtoronto . com |
COFFEE BREAK The Chinatown outpost of Dark Horse Espresso Bar is the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of Spadina Avenue . Sip a latte made with |
aromatic Detour and 49th Parallel espresso beans , a flavourful Dark Horse cold brew or an organic cold-pressed juice . The chain brings in its own baked goods ( think scones , brownies and muffins ) daily from its Geary Avenue location . 215 Spadina Ave ., darkhorseespresso . com
NEW TUNES Sonic Boom , Canada ’ s largest independent record store , stocks thousands of new and used vinyl records , as well as CDs , DVDs and Blu-rays . The two-floor shop
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SONIC BOOM : JACKMAN CHIU ; CHINATOWN : ISTOCK |
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26 WHERE FEBRUARY-APRIL 2018 |