Towering strengths in Toronto

Sep 3 2010 By Paul House

Foodies should visit St Lawrence Market, where more than 120 vendors offer everything from the famous Canadian pea meal bacon sandwich to fantastic fruit, vegetables and fish, and a mind-blowing array of mustards and pickles.

The pea meal bacon sandwich served at the Carousel Bakery is a must. A juicy tender Canadian bacon that looks a bit like a meat loaf is coated on the outside by a crust of cooked and crushed peas. The queue for this stall was indicative of the dish’s popularity. It also sells extremely decadent custard tarts.

And if you believed the famous flatiron building in New York was unique, then think again.

Once the head office of the Goodenham and Worts distillery, Toronto’s five-storey equivalent boasts a number of firsts. It was the first flatiron building ever built, had the first manually operated lift, and is now the most expensive office space in the city.

Other highlights are the Royal Ontario Museum, which has a wealth of hands-on attractions for the younger visitor, and the financial district, home to the impressive TSX building – many a photographer’s dream.

Toronto, you soon find, also happens to be Canada’s festival city. There are dozens of them, staged all year round, including a big international film festival in September.

I called in at the Luminato festival of culture and music, which has grown significantly over the years.

Its range is staggering. Hollywood star John Malkovich was live onstage, doing a serial killer monologue; Bollywood artists from Slumdog Millionaire were singing and dancing in the streets; Rufus Wainwright was launching his first opera.

There were readings by The Commitments author Roddy Doyle, classical recitals, art installations, Japanese disco divas, and even a dance company called Two Faced Bastard.

The North By North East festival was also on my list. The equivalent of the famous South By South West event in Texas, it features the best up-and-coming rock and pop, punctuated by big names such as Iggy Pop. With multiple greenfield and city centre sites offering everything from Mudhoney to Miley Cyrus, all tastes are catered for.

In between, with a free day to spend, we decided to split up and cover extra ground that we hadn’t so far.

I hired a bicycle – a good choice, as it turned out. It was Bike Month and with more than 900,000 cyclists in Toronto, I wasn’t alone in my exploration under pedal power. What’s more, it was free.

A bikeway scheme is creating more than 1,000km of cycle pathways connecting destinations around Toronto.

I headed over to Toronto Island, a haven in the shadow of the CN Tower. The lakeshore ride is beautiful with the city on one side and the Atlantic on the other.

Feeling suitably smug after my physical endeavour, I indulged in a restaurant that has earned its chef enviable reviews.

Ultra is a supper club. My initial thought was that it might be an oak-walled, white table-clothed, cigar-smoking haven for the well-heeled. But, in fact, Ultra is none of those.

The hidden doorway belies this fantastic venue. You’re met on the pavement by a greeter, who escorts you through an impressive entrance hall, and offers a guided tour of the bar and open-air club upstairs.

The great and good, funky and trendy (and all points in between) visit Ultra, so getting there early is imperative. Guest list status is required if you want to venture upstairs – and you’ll have to ask.

I guarantee you will not be disappointed, whether you’re on business, making a grand romantic gesture or just dressing to impress.

Nearing the end of our trip, we realised that we still had so much we wanted to see. A week simply is not enough.

But that’s the hallmark of great destination cities. You can’t wait to make a return visit. Perhaps I’ll get there on the run-up to Christmas when I’m told seasonal magic takes over the place.

Travel Facts

* Toronto is on the north shore of Lake Ontario, has a population of 2.5 million people, and is the largest city in Canada

* Flights from the UK are by Canadian Affair (www.canadianaffair.com), British Airways (www.britishaways.com) and Air Canada (www.aircanada.com)

* The Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, at 123 Queen Street West, is in the centre of the city (www.sheratontoronto.com)

* For more on culture tours click www.brucebelltours.com. For general information and advice on all things Toronto, head to www.SeeTorontoNow.com