He's not telling east-end residents anything they don't already know, but a prominent American economist and food writer recently heaped praise on Scarborough, saying it just might be the best ethnic food suburb in the world.

Tyler Cowen, author of An Economist Gets Lunch: New Rules for Everyday Foodies, joined a U of T Scarborough food studies initiative for a tour around several legendary local eateries last week, spanning a variety of cultures. "I concluded Scarborough is the best ethnic food suburb I have seen in my life, ever, and by an order of magnitude," he wrote in a brief blog post.

The tour reportedly included visits to Canbe Foods, Bella's Lechon, Saravanaa Bhavan, Remely's and Xin Jiang Restaurant (though, as Cowen writes: "If you are wondering where I went, that is beside the point.")

With everything from Hakka and Uighur cuisine to South Asian eats and jerk shawarma available within a short drive, our easternmost borough truly deserves the praise - it's about time the world sat up and took notice.

Photo of Adonis by Jesse Milns.