AFTER a stint living in the UK, a taste for adventure took Perth man Shih-Ming Yao to Canada, where he has landed in buzzing, multicultural, Toronto.

Q. If Toronto were a person, how would you describe its personality?

A. Fun fact: Mean Girls was filmed in Toronto. Toronto is the pre-Plastic transformation of Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan). On the surface she is the quintessential stereotypical, polite, friendly Canadian, but she also has the potential to be a bee-yotch, as any big city can be. Being so close to America (aka Regina George), Toronto does have a younger sibling vibe going on, being influenced by the US and wanting to be better but not the same.

Camera Icon Mean Girls’ stars Rachel McAdams (Regina George aka “America”) and Lindsay Lohan (Cady Heron aka “Toronto”). Credit: Supplied

Q. Why did you move to Toronto?

A. I lived in London from 2010 to 2012. I was having too much fun travelling, I didn’t want to go home and I couldn’t stay in the UK so I googled where my passport could take me. The options that came up were Denmark, the Netherlands or Canada. I decided to see what Canada was like. That, and I don’t speak Danish or Dutch.

Camera Icon Toronto, Canada. Credit: News Corp Australia

Q. Where do you always take visitors?

A. If this is your first time here, you must make the 1½ to three-hour drive (depending on traffic) to Niagara Falls. Sure, it may sound tacky and the actual town of Niagara is a gaudy, sad, gambling trap. Niagara-on-the-Lake is the actual gem of that area, a single-street town with cute cafes and local shops.

If you’re in the city, walk west on Queen St from Bathurst St to about Beaconsfield Ave for plenty of shops, cafes, bakeries, parks, restaurants and bars. Also head up Ossington Ave for more cafes and bars.

Q. Top three eating experiences?

A. High end: Momofuku’s Noodle Bar, Milk Bar, Dai-sho and Sho-to eateries.

Middle: 501 College St’s foodie trio La Carnita (tacos), Dai-Lo (French/Chinese), and Bar Raval (tapas); Woodlot (Canadian).

Cheap: California Sandwiches (Italian veal sandwiches).

Q. How does Toronto differ from what people might expect?

A. A lot of people smoke weed here. You are allowed to own it with a medical certificate.

Q. What’s your favourite drinking spot?

A. Montauk on Dundas St West is a cute little cocktail bar. They have Negroni on tap!

Q. What’s Toronto’s best-kept secret?

A. It’s not really a secret, but the city of Toronto is extremely diverse. It boasts of being one of the most multicultural cities in the world.

Q. For kicking your heels after dark you go to …?

A. Cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays at a baseball game. For the gay scene, from Thursdays on, Woody’s is where to be. If you’re straight, hit The Steady, Clintons, The Piston or Revival Bar for a dance.

Camera Icon Catch a Blue James game. Credit: AFP, Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP

Q. Best fun without spending a cent?

A. In spring, spend a day in High Park when the cherry blossoms are blooming. In winter, try tobogganing, at any park with a hill.

Q. What’s your favourite hard-to-find haunt?

A. There’s a cool speakeasy called Cold Tea in Kensington Market. It’s open after hours and sells Chinese BBQ pork buns and dim sum as snacks. It’s at 60 Kensington Ave.

Q. How do you get around?

A. Walk, walk, walk, throw in the odd public transport ride or one of the car-share programs like Car2Go.

Q. To get away you go to ...?

A. New York, Washington D.C., Chicago or Montreal. Take your pick. New York’s only an hour away. It’s less than $US200 return.

Q. You can’t leave Toronto without …?

A. Breakfast isn’t a thing here, it’s all about brunch, between 11am and 2pm. It’s an unofficial pastime. Make sure you don’t leave without trying a poutine, too. Think hot chips, gravy and cheese curds.

Where to stay

Find a decent AirBnB around Queen St West, Little Italy, Little Portugal, the Annex or Dundas West. If you’re gay you might as well stay near the gay village which is on Church St between Carlton St and Bloor St East.