http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-12-26/goods_foodfeature.php
2002 TOP 10: STEVEN DAVEY'S TOP 10 RESTAURANTS
BY STEVEN DAVEY

Dude, kill the 'tude -- 2002 was all about the food. If we're to believe mainstream media coverage of the local dining scene, 21st-century Hogtown is still stuck in neo-conservative 80s Cal-Ital luxury. The rest of us ventured off the eaten track this year to explore Toronto's genre-busting multiculti finds.

1 Cafe 668 668 Dundas West, 416-703-0668

Self-taught cook Ngoc Lam draws on her Southeast Asian heritage to create a unique spin on Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese vegetarian cuisine that travels far beyond its Buddhist roots. Forget the faux pho -- though it's exquisite -- and start with Salad Number One, a julienne of shredded deep-fried tofu, bell peppers, cuke and grilled cashews in an explosive vinaigrette. It's been at the top of 668's chart since this tiny spot opened last winter. Hubby Hon Quach fronts the narrow house with genuine hospitality, and snazzy new decor includes black rubber slipcovers recycled from Volkswagens. Café 668 exemplifies new Toronto cuisine.

Ngoc Lam and Hon Quach's creative veggie treats at Cafe 668 top this year's restaurant list.
Photo By Steve Payne