Sweet Lulu has several locations in Toronto – last week we went to try the one near the financial district, right near the intersection at Bay and Adelaide. The enterance is on Temperance St. so it’s a bit hidden – not the best location to be discovered by pedestrian traffic.

Sweet Lulu has a bright fresh style, very strong on the “cute” but with a bright airy atmosphere and it’s not too crowded. In a smaller space, this design would feel more claustrophobic, but here it works. The menu is based on choosing your own rice or noodles, your sauce/broth and then garnishes. It’s pretty basic but the meals are put together quickly and efficiently, and the portions are pretty good for a fast lunch. I tried rice with green curry and it quite good, it was spicier than normal thai food which i really liked.

Overall Sweet Lulu is good for a quick lunch or dinner, but probably not a place you should take a date to.

Sweet Lulu
350 Bay St.
416-203-2228

Seven East opened up over a year ago in north Rosedale just tucked between the Summerhill and Rosedale subway stations. Like many of the pan-asian restaurants that are sprouting out all over the city, it offers a “best of everything” menu that ranges from Chinese chow mein, Thai pad thais, and Malay and Vietnamese dishes.

Dishes are served quiet tastefully arranged, looking better than you can find at other places. One thing that you must try is the Mango fish which was nice and delicate, but still had a tasty seared outside crust. The other dishes I tried was the chow mein, which was served in a “nest” of noodles (nice touch), and the thai green curry which ended up being spicier than normal thai restaurant serves, but I liked the punch it had.

Although more expensive than it’s Yonge/Bloor st. cousins, Seven East is still a nice way to have some Asian dining uptown instead of hiking it all the way down to Spadina.

Seven East
1116 Yonge St.
(416) 966-3278

I was walking around Yonge/St. Clair yesterday and noticed a big proliferation of fine dining Indian restaurants in the neighborhood. Both Jaaadu and Rangoli advertise as “Fine Indian Cuisine”. Perhaps the success of Amaya has spawned a new wave of “fine” indian restaurants. At least with Yonge street locations, these two restaurants will garner more pass-by traffic than Amaya’s Bayview street location.

Jaaadu looks to be the “Finer” of the two restaurants, I will try it soon to compare it to Amaya which currently ranks as one of my favorites.

Marc Thuet has opened up a food boutique and cafe in Liberty Village called Atelier Thuet. Fabulous meats and cheese are on display in the front counters while fresh artisan breads are all displayed behind.

The website lists both a brunch and dinner menu which I have not sampled. Another trip when i’m in the neighborhood is definitely going to be needed. Atelier Thuet is located at 171 East Liberty Street, Unit 153 in the Liberty Village.

Thanks Susan for the tip!