Buca in Toronto

For a fantastic rustic Italian meal for a splurge, go to Buca on King Street West.
Holy moly, was that ever good. From the knots of dough covered in melted butter, to the meat and cheese platter we had, the pizza with the super thin crust, the pasta, etc. - it was all totally top notch and I am salivating just revisiting this meal in my memory from May 21, 2010.

Cafe Jules patisserie, Toronto

For an amazing focaccia and "light" almond croissant, look no further than Cafe Jules on 617 Mount Pleasant Road, south of Eglinton. I stopped in one random late afternoon on my way home from the gym and impulsively bought the 2 above mentioned goodies and was left wanting more! The focaccia is baked with olive oil, thyme, and sea salt - the crispness the olive oil lends the bread and the softness inside - and oh, the salt bits, the saltiness is just happiness on my palate. The "light" almond croissant consists of a delicious almond paste inside a flakey buttery pastry that doesn't show it's true buttery role. It is out of this world. I thought Rahier on Bayview Avenue was good - this is even better. A focaccia loaf will run you $5.00 and a croissant nearly $3.00, I believe. Not cheap, but worth every penny.