What's being said about cheapeats restaurant guides
Alison Fryer, Owner, The
Cookbook Store 'Cheapeats is a must-have for anyone who wants a satisfying meal without
having to sacrifice their paycheque and their first-born child for it.
A well deserved best seller."
CHEAP EATS: Who doesn't want to know the spots in town where
you can eat well for less? cheapeats toronto (Plethora Press; $10.95),
Toronto's guide to good inexpensive restaurants has just been revised
by editor Alexa Clark and has all the latest info on breakfast for under
$5, lunch for under $10 and dinner for under $15.
For each of the 365 restaurants listed, you'll find a complete address
with the nearest TTC intersection, phone number, and Web site, if they
have one. Plus, of course, a description of the food and ambience. The
reviews are personal, coming from knowledgeable contributors, celebrities
and serious eaters with opinions. Example: The Burger Shack at 233 Eglinton
Ave. W., reviewed by Mike Colle, MPP for Eglinton-Lawrence,
is a rave: "Without a doubt the most delicious homemade hamburger in
Toronto." Toronto councillor and children's advocate Olivia
Chow favours the Bright Pearl Restaurant on Spadina at the corner
of St. Andrew, while Bob Blumer, The Surreal Gourmet
fancies Julie's Cafe and Bar, a Cuban tapas "joint," in Bob's words, that
"serves up authentic dishes, a cozy environment, and good vibrations
-- all of which make you feel as though you have stumbled into a neighbourhood
dinner party."
Check the Cookbook
Store for a copy, and around town where guides are available.
Food & Hospitality - Feb 2003
Carolyn Cooper
Dollar-wise Dining Move over Zagat, here comes Cheapeats.
Frugal foodies are devouring the inaugural issue of Cheapeats
Toronto, the new guide to inexpensive dining in the Greater Toronto Area.
Published by Toronto's Plethora Press, the directory lists venues offering
good-quality, reasonably priced meals, with an eclectic mix of more than
300 independent restaurants and small chains rated on qualities such as
value for money, service, cleanliness and "full tummy" value.
To qualify, eateries must offer breakfast for less than $5, lunch for
$10 and dinner for $15. "We wanted to show that it is possible to eat
well on a budget," says publisher/editor Alexa Clark. "And the
response has been incredible. We're already a number-1 best-seller at
The Cookbook Store."
Based on the positive response, Clark hopes to include a much wider range
of listings in the 2003 guide, as well as branching out to additional
cities. "Both Halifax and Vancouver offer great opportunities," she says.
CBC Information Morning - Oct 2002 - Paul Castle
"What a great book this is. Written with such a great
sense of humour and really very informative. What's kind of cool is that
these people don't read like restaurant critics... it reads like you've
just asked your best-friend where is the best place to go..."
This insider's guide to good quality, high value spots saves
you money and helps you explore the city's broad range of styles and neighborhoods
through honest and unconventional recommendations. "We wanted to show
that it is possible to eat well on a budget," says publisher/editor Alexa
Clark. "And the response has been incredible. We're already a number-1
bestseller at The Cookbook Store."
No wonder it's a bestseller. With the book being just the right size to
fit into your handbag, and icons stating whether a restaurant is a contributor
favorite, open late or has delivery available (to name a few), this handy
guide is one you won't want to be without.
Being female, I also like the "warnings" which have been included so you
won't be surprised by a dodgy neighborhood or an over friendly waiter.
A comprehensive index allows readers to browse by neighborhood (even including
a map of Toronto), cuisine or celebrity recommendations.
The quick lists include: Are you a Vegetarian?, Eating on a Budget? Got
a Hangover? and much more.
What do they consider cheap? They don't care if the place also serves
some more expensive dinners, as long as the average price of a meal including
taxes and a drink comes to under their price range (breakfast for under
$5, lunch for under $10 or dinner for under $15) including beverage, and
it must have at least one seat.
If you're looking to save some money, or just find a new place to eat,
I definitely recommend cheapeats toronto. For a mere $10.95 (Canadian),
you can't go wrong. For more information, or to order, visit www.cheapeats.com
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.
The reviewers are David Leonhardt and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, co-authors
of Cooking By The Book and Musings: Authors
Do It Write. Carolyn is also author of Harkening:
A Collection of Stories Remembered and the award-winning
novel This Is The Place, both at www.TLT.com
David is also author of Climb your Stairway to Heaven:
the 9 habits of maximum happiness and publisher of Your
Daily Dose of Happiness.
2002- A comprehensive guide to budget
dining in the "Big City." Each restaurant is assigned 1 to 5 ratings on
budget, food quality, cleanliness and style. Includes a great dissertation
on The Vesta Lunch, "Toronto's Narrowest Restaurant," and home of the
very big burger (p. 81). This will hopefully be an annual publication.
Softcover, 95 pp., $10.95.
2003/04 - The most recent edition of a (thankfully)
annual publication showcases a list of 365 restaurants where you can dine
for under $15 per person. Consistently a best-seller, and deservedly so.
Softcover, 130 pp. $10.95.
cheapeats toronto - Toronto's best-selling guide to good inexpensive
restaurants. Really fun reading for anyone who likes to explore the best
food finds in Toronto where you can get breakfast for $5, lunch for $10
and dinner for $15. 55 cuisines and 41 neighbourhoods, including recommendations
for Cabbagetown favourites Ben Wicks Pub, House on Parliament Pub, Jet
Fuel, Johnny G's, Old Cabbagetown Deli, Rashnaa and Pimblett's.
"Written with
such a great sense of humour and
really very informative... it reads like you've just asked your
best-friend where is the best place to go eat in TO..."
Paul Castle - CBC
