Noob flying Porter into Billy Bishop
Jun 13, 2015, 11:33 am
#16
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: YYZ
Programs: United 1K, AC 50K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriot Platinum
Posts: 684
Baldwin is a great little street full of restaurants and outdoor patios. An easy walk from the Hilton (maybe 15 minutes).
Jun 13, 2015, 12:04 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, NYC, somewhere on planet Earth
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 8,289
My friend and I have booked Porter Air on 7/17 from IAD into Billy Bishop with plans to catch the Blue Jays versus the Rays for a three game series that weekend. We booked the cheapest fare we could find, with a 3p Friday departure arriving Toronto City Airport 425pm. Game time Friday is 707pm.
We didn't pay to confirm seats on Porter. Could that be a problem if the flight is full?
How long should it take to clear customs at 430pm? We hope to be able to check into our hotel (Toronto Hilton) before game time.
The Saturday and Sunday games are 1pm starts, giving us Saturday and Sunday evenings free. Looking for suggestions on places where the locals
love to dine....neighborhood gems, that don't cost a fortune.
Heading back Monday morning on a 7am flight. When should we arrive at dockside to catch the ferry? Or is there any chance the pedestrian tunnel might be open on Monday July 20th?
I am really looking forward to my first visit to Toronto. Everyone says what a wonderful city it is. Can't believe I haven't been there before now. Thank you.
We didn't pay to confirm seats on Porter. Could that be a problem if the flight is full?
How long should it take to clear customs at 430pm? We hope to be able to check into our hotel (Toronto Hilton) before game time.
The Saturday and Sunday games are 1pm starts, giving us Saturday and Sunday evenings free. Looking for suggestions on places where the locals
love to dine....neighborhood gems, that don't cost a fortune.
Heading back Monday morning on a 7am flight. When should we arrive at dockside to catch the ferry? Or is there any chance the pedestrian tunnel might be open on Monday July 20th?
I am really looking forward to my first visit to Toronto. Everyone says what a wonderful city it is. Can't believe I haven't been there before now. Thank you.
Jun 17, 2015, 12:32 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,665
OP - here are some restaurant ideas based on your description:
1. Rol-San on Spadina near Baldwin. Dim-Sum from a list. Huge place - many little items and bigger ones as well.
2. Ka-Chi on Bloor near Bathurst. Budget and fine Korean bbq in a better atmosphere than others.
3. Asian Legend - on Dundas near the AGO. A specialty kind of Chinese food in a modern building - food that is special.
4. Leslieville Pumps - Ride the 501 streetcar to Carlaw and walk into the back of the gas station. Get a sandwich and eat it there. BBQ Brisket is yum.
5. Old Yorke Fish and Chips - on Laird Drive (#56 bus from Eglinton subway or Donlands subway). Best Fish and chips in a great pub atmosphere.
6. Le Paradis - Bedford north of Davenport (near St. George Station). Looks and tastes like upscale French restaurant but a great value in both food and wine. Very fine servers. Very busy so reserve.
1. Rol-San on Spadina near Baldwin. Dim-Sum from a list. Huge place - many little items and bigger ones as well.
2. Ka-Chi on Bloor near Bathurst. Budget and fine Korean bbq in a better atmosphere than others.
3. Asian Legend - on Dundas near the AGO. A specialty kind of Chinese food in a modern building - food that is special.
4. Leslieville Pumps - Ride the 501 streetcar to Carlaw and walk into the back of the gas station. Get a sandwich and eat it there. BBQ Brisket is yum.
5. Old Yorke Fish and Chips - on Laird Drive (#56 bus from Eglinton subway or Donlands subway). Best Fish and chips in a great pub atmosphere.
6. Le Paradis - Bedford north of Davenport (near St. George Station). Looks and tastes like upscale French restaurant but a great value in both food and wine. Very fine servers. Very busy so reserve.
Jun 22, 2015, 12:43 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 114
Here in DC, it might be Ben's Chili Bowl. In my old hometown of Pittsburgh, it would be the "Dirty O" (the fabulous but dingy Original Hot Dog Shoppe), the Pleasure Bar (homestyle Italian food), or even a chain called Eat 'n Park that has awesome pot roast and perfect strawberry pie.
Jun 26, 2015, 1:23 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: YYZ
Posts: 182
Cold Tea in Kensington Market. A hipster take on the Toronto tradition of Chinese restaurant after-hours speakeasies.
http://www.blogto.com/bars/cold-tea-toronto
http://www.blogto.com/bars/cold-tea-toronto
Jul 20, 2015, 6:32 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 597
After-action report
Thanks all for the intel. Excellent advice, put to good use. The weekend was terrific.
Porter flights were fine, and we got a sneak peek through the curtain this morning of the pedestrian tunnel. It's going to make things even more convenient.
We took your advice and did Smoke's Poutinerie after the Friday night Jays' game. That stuff will kill ya, but it's great drunk food and pretty good after a ball game, too. Make mine with pulled pork, please.
Saturday, we did a quick stop at the St Lawrence Market, and Saturday evening we went to Le Paradis. Wow. Very good French restaurant, with wonderful outdoor patio, excellent food and presentation, and terrific value.
Sunday, we hit a pasta place in Eglinton called Grazie, which was very good and, once again, a terrific value.
Managed three Blue Jays games in three days, some Pan American Games celebrations, a lot of walking, extensive use of the subway, and never once did we feel like we needed or even wanted a car.
Thank you all for solid advice. We had a wonderful time in TO, and definitely plan on going back soon.
Porter flights were fine, and we got a sneak peek through the curtain this morning of the pedestrian tunnel. It's going to make things even more convenient.
We took your advice and did Smoke's Poutinerie after the Friday night Jays' game. That stuff will kill ya, but it's great drunk food and pretty good after a ball game, too. Make mine with pulled pork, please.
Saturday, we did a quick stop at the St Lawrence Market, and Saturday evening we went to Le Paradis. Wow. Very good French restaurant, with wonderful outdoor patio, excellent food and presentation, and terrific value.
Sunday, we hit a pasta place in Eglinton called Grazie, which was very good and, once again, a terrific value.
Managed three Blue Jays games in three days, some Pan American Games celebrations, a lot of walking, extensive use of the subway, and never once did we feel like we needed or even wanted a car.
Thank you all for solid advice. We had a wonderful time in TO, and definitely plan on going back soon.
Last edited by HomerJay; Jul 21, 2015 at 8:32 am
Jul 21, 2015, 10:43 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,665
Thanks for the report and I'm glad that everything worked for you. Smoke's opened a new location on Spadina north of College (in the former Sonnam Computer store). I wondered about it though they have a review from Joanne Kates posted. Smokes advertises that they are also a "Weinerie", which they misspell. The slogan is "Grab Your Weiner". Since "Wein" means "Wine" in German, and hot dogs are "Wieners" (Vienna is Wien), I was wondering what the game is. I guess the Poutine is the thing to be tried and they are re-inventing the word for hot dogs.
Sep 20, 2015, 9:03 pm
#24
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: PIT, EWR
Posts: 138
Another YTZ noob question.
I'm looking at a routing that, for the sake of argument, we'll call MDW-YTZ and YTZ-BOS. Due to U.S. regs, Porter can't let customers book it on a single itinerary. But on U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, booking it as two separate itineraries is one of my cheapest options to get from MDW to BOS. (Go figure!)
Question: Are pax required to clear immigration/customs in YTZ to connect from a U.S. arrival to a U.S. departure? Or is there a part of the terminal where pax arriving from the U.S. and pax departing to the U.S. mix, like the F gates at YYZ?
I'm looking at a routing that, for the sake of argument, we'll call MDW-YTZ and YTZ-BOS. Due to U.S. regs, Porter can't let customers book it on a single itinerary. But on U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, booking it as two separate itineraries is one of my cheapest options to get from MDW to BOS. (Go figure!)
Question: Are pax required to clear immigration/customs in YTZ to connect from a U.S. arrival to a U.S. departure? Or is there a part of the terminal where pax arriving from the U.S. and pax departing to the U.S. mix, like the F gates at YYZ?
Sep 21, 2015, 2:23 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 306
Another YTZ noob question.
I'm looking at a routing that, for the sake of argument, we'll call MDW-YTZ and YTZ-BOS. Due to U.S. regs, Porter can't let customers book it on a single itinerary. But on U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, booking it as two separate itineraries is one of my cheapest options to get from MDW to BOS. (Go figure!)
Question: Are pax required to clear immigration/customs in YTZ to connect from a U.S. arrival to a U.S. departure? Or is there a part of the terminal where pax arriving from the U.S. and pax departing to the U.S. mix, like the F gates at YYZ?
I'm looking at a routing that, for the sake of argument, we'll call MDW-YTZ and YTZ-BOS. Due to U.S. regs, Porter can't let customers book it on a single itinerary. But on U.S. Thanksgiving weekend, booking it as two separate itineraries is one of my cheapest options to get from MDW to BOS. (Go figure!)
Question: Are pax required to clear immigration/customs in YTZ to connect from a U.S. arrival to a U.S. departure? Or is there a part of the terminal where pax arriving from the U.S. and pax departing to the U.S. mix, like the F gates at YYZ?
Sep 21, 2015, 10:28 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
The process itself is simple as the airport is rather tiny in comparison to most. How the immigration official feels about your connection is another topic but if you have Nexus you don't interact at all. They do not have preclearance to Boston.
Nov 15, 2015, 12:28 pm
#27
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: Bolt Bus Rewards
Posts: 1,279
About to fly Porter YTZ to EWR. Is there preclearance to EWR?
