Actress-producer Lilly Singh was in Toronto last week to receive the prestigious Equity in Entertainment Award at the third annual The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Canada event at The Ritz-Carlton, which brought together leaders across film, TV and music for a day of conversations and schmoozing! Since Singh is part-owner and the official “Chief Hype Officer” for the Toronto Tempo, Streets of Toronto was on hand to ask her where she’d take a Tempo player for the ultimate 24 hours in the city, and her picks (all food-based, naturally) didn’t disappoint!
Singh’s restaurant itinerary is worth stealing for yourself: a mix of multicultural comfort food and suburban hidden gems, with one chain-restaurant obsession that locals will defend with their lives.
Federick Restaurant
For Singh, the day would apparently start with Hakka food in Markham, and longtime GTA fave Federick Restaurant is the perfect choice! The restaurant is one of the GTA’s best-known spots for Indo-Chinese Hakka cuisine, serving the spicy, saucy comfort dishes that generations of Toronto-area diners have grown up ordering for late-night takeout runs and big family dinners.
Try the fiery Chilli Chicken (it’s one of Federick’s most popular dishes!), alongside Chicken Pakora and a massive plate of Hakka Mixed Chow Mein. The Crispy Ginger Beef is another house fave, balancing crunchy fried beef strips with sweet heat and fresh ginger, while the Kan Shue Green Beans add a smoky-spicy vegetable option that regulars swear by. Various locations, including 160 New Delhi Dr, Markham.
Rick’s Good Eats
Next on Singh’s GTA food crawl is Rick’s Good Eats in Mississauga, the popular restaurant known for turning Indian street-food flavours into over-the-top comfort food.
The menu is packed with creative mashups, but one of the signature orders is Rick’s Fried Chicken Sandwich: a double-fried tandoori-marinated chicken sandwich loaded with Ting Tang sauce, achari mayo, pickles and cilantro! Another standout is the Punjabi Cheeseburger, which layers a beef patty with sautéed onions and tangy achari mayo, while the Loaded Fries come piled with cheese, jalapeños, crispy onions and your choice of butter chicken or shahi paneer. Various locations, including 6660 Kennedy Rd #1, Mississauga.
Boston Pizza
Singh admits this choice might sound a bit basic, but she’s also a huge fan of Boston Pizza, specifically the chain’s iconic Cactus Cut Potatoes! The signature appetizer has been a Boston Pizza staple since 1997 and features thinly sliced fried potatoes dusted with spicy seasoning and served with the restaurant’s creamy cactus dip.
If you’re looking for a full BP feast, there’s no shortage of comfort-food add-ons: The Triple Play platter combines Bandera Bread, Thai Bites and those famous Cactus Cut Potatoes into one giant shareable plate, while the Spicy Perogy Pizza loads bacon, green onions, sour cream and even Cactus Cut Potatoes directly onto a pizza crust. Pasta lovers could go for the spicy Jambalaya Fettuccini packed with shrimp, sausage and Cajun-seasoned chicken, and end the meal with a Chocolate Brownie Addiction for dessert (there’s even a kids’ menu with pint-sized pizzas!). Multiple locations.
