Tag Archives: brunch

Eggstasy

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1255 Bay St.
Phone: 416 964 2333

please note the change of spelling from the former Eggstacy (Church and Carleton) to Eggstasy (Bay and Yorkville)

Eggstacy’s original incarnation at Church and Carlton was great. While it may not have been the best brunch in the city: the huge portions, campy menu item names, flirtatious waiters (see original review) and generally fun and carefree attitude made it a helluva good and filling place to be. Recently, the owners of Eggstacy split up, with the original location changing its name to “Daybreak” and brand new Eggstacy opening up on Bay St. directly adjacent to Yorkville.

Curious to see what the changes were, I sauntered (yes walked) over on a gray Sunday morning and met Mark for a socially acceptable 11:15am brunch. First off, the place was packed with a generally upscale, good looking yet not particularly “hip” crowd?.. well it is Yorkville you have to remember. After a brief wait, we were seated right next to another couple finishing their own meal. The d飯r of the restaurant was sharp and clean yet didn’t particularly hold much interest nor carry a feeling of the hominess that my favourite brunch places do.

While the ambiance had dramatically changed from the original Eggstacy, the menu, from what I can recall, was almost exactly the same. The camp names of the large variety of omelets and frittatas like “The Forest Hill” (smoked salmon, capers, onions etc…) remained as did the portions. Well at least for my meal. While Mark substituted the accompanying toast, potatoes (choice of fries, hash browns or mashed), and two pancakes (this is correct: all three of these items come with any omelet that is ordered) for a side salad. My portion ended up being about 2-3 times the size of his. So a note for those on a carb-lite diet: don’t eat here!

My “Capn’ Crunch” omelet consisting of gooey cheddar, peameal bacon and? another ingredient that I can’t remember was average as was the accompanying aforementioned items. Despite this mediocrity, taken together you can’t really go wrong at brunch with that much food on your plate. Free refills of coffee and pop doesn’t hurt either. Both the hostess and our waitress were cheerful and attentive, answering Mark’s requisite thousand questions with glam and gusto.

While the new Eggstacy has lost much of the charm the old venue had, it still cranks out a massive plate of food that will keep you going right through to dinner.

Ten Feet Tall

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 1381 Danforth Ave
(416) 778-7333

Having recently assumed the mantle of Brunch Specialist, I figured I’d better live up to that title and scribble something down about Ten Feet Tall. Although already reviewed twice on this site, I thought I’d add my two cents on this venerable bar like establishment.

Ten Feet Tall embodies the anti-hipster experience. Looking more like a bar than a restaurant, a deep red hue on the walls keeps the place dark and somewhat dingy. A small patio exists in around the entrance on the front and side of the building, but due to the extreme humidity we?ve been experiencing lately we decide to eat inside.

A full house greets us as we enter, and I am immediately reminded of the ambiance of the Only Café with people ranging from the nerdy Danforth couple in tucked in golf shirts and slacks, to the hurly burly guy in a cowboy hat chewing on a toothpick staring at me out of the corner of his eye. The brunch menu is short and contains a number of variations on the traditional egg dishes. Service is slow but extremely personal, jokey and friendly: a rare find in the typically pretentious and uninterested Toronto brunch market. The slow service may be due to a rush of customers at once, but the staff is unapologetic in their jokiness. Fine by me.

I decide on mixing a brunch item of cheesy eggs (served with cheddar, feta, and/or mozzarella) with the interesting sounding sweet potato fries from the ‘non brunch’ menu. The fries are available with a variety of interesting dips, including a jalapeno mayo dip or a spicy piri piri sauce amongst others. I’m recommended the piri piri and a half order of the fries as Mark tends to stay away from the carbs. The fries arrive promptly as a full order, and I’m told I’d only be charged for the half. They are thin cut and crispy  the way I like ’em and come with two slices of orange, a nice visual accompaniment. The piri piri sauce is a deliciously spicy complement. The rest of our meal takes some time to arrive although the refills on the bottomless cup o’ joe and water with lemon are regular and timely. I?m basically finished the full order of fries before my eggs arrive with the wrong side: a clumpy, lump of home fries. Talk about overdoing my carb intake. I pick at the potatoes, while waiting for my now free side order of whole wheat toast. Each dish is served with either home fries or toast, which I find a bit unusual. The eggs are fluffy, and VERY cheesy, quite tasty. I could have used a green to balance out the amount of starch, but overall I?m impressed with the quality of the food, especially the sweet potato fries.

The bill arrives and as promised, I was only charged for the items I ordered. Cheap and cheerful I’d like to call it. If I could sum it up, Ten Feet Tall does a great job of keeping things real. Nothing fancy or out of this world, but good food, good prices and good service. If you want a change from the typical snobby brunch scene, this is a good place to try.

By The Way Cafe – Wendy

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400 Bloor Street West (at Brunswick)
416-967-4295

I’ve been to BTWC a number of times over the years, and have always had pleasant dining experiences there, this time being no exception.

I went to celebrate my birthday. I have made my way onto their email blast list, where they send out details of special offers. This particular offer was for a free entr饠anytime between a Sunday & Wednesday evening during the month of your birthday. This has become a bit of a birthday tradition of mine, and I enjoy it every year.

My friend Mark accompanied me for this dining experience. He started his meal with a vegetarian split pea soup that was to die for it was so good! They also brought out a plate of artisan breads and red pepper butter for us to munch on while waiting for the mains. Nice butter!

Our friendly server “Big Don” was very attentive and ready to answer any of our questions. (Mark generally has a question). I ordered the butternut squash lasagna, which was a great recommendation from Big Don. The thick layer of squash was sweet and subsequent layers were filled with spinach and mushrooms. I didn?t find any cheese, but that just helped to make it feel all the more healthy and provided an evening of guilt-free decadent dining. The accompanying salad provided just the right amount of twang! Everything was really tasty. Mark really liked his tofu salad as well.

I would loved to have had room left in my tummy for dessert, but my nutritious & delicious meal was so filling I had no more room left. Oh well, it provides a good excuse for a repeat visit.

Verveine [review by Mark Aaron] closed 2006/07

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1097 Queen St. E.,

416-405-9906.

Hours: Monday to Saturday at 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. for Dinner. Brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Verveine is now closed , as of summer 2008, it is now known as FARE.

Located in Leslieville on Queen east 2 blocks east of Pape, almost hidden in between many retro cheesy furniture stores and squeezed in between some mom and pop convenience stores and near a Smoked Salmon specialty store, Verveine does not stand out as being a restaurant that is “in your face”. We decided to go there for brunch because we have heard so many good things about this place. Inside the place looks very chi chi poo poo and we knew it was a French bistro/restaurant, but we wanted to try out their brunch.

Wendy and I arrived at 12:45pm. When we entered the restaurant, we were frustrated because 1) we were late and Joel and Walter were waiting for us, and 2) the place was jam packed with people. Verveine only accepts reservations for dinner, not brunch, unless you are more than 8 people. Even so, they may not accept brunch reservations. I was hungry and I had to run 30 kilometres that day so I had to make sure that I ate early enough. Joel and Walter were already sitting on the lovely fluffy mint green Victorian couch right by the entrance of the restaurant. There were many tables in the front and about 4 nice booths and 4 tables at the back of the restaurant. I hoped we would get a booth since they’re more comfortable.

Restaurant tables are spaced apart appropriately, except in the middle where the three small “2 person” tables are slightly squashed. Verveine seems to be a place divided into 3 zones: 5 tables in the front zone of the restaurant, 1 large booth right at the entrance zone (6 people), 3 “2 person” tables in the middle zone, 4 booths at the back of the restaurant with 4 tables at the back adjacent to the bar. When we were seated, we lucked out by being able to sit at a booth at the back of the restaurant.

I ordered the fruity flapjacks with Chantilly cream (vanilla whipped cream) and maple syrup. Pancakes (3) were thick and not too heavy or greasy. I was definitely full and the price was a little high ($9) but well worth it. Service was prompt and exceptional. Staff are more than friendly and knowledgeable and attentive. Wendy had the same item but she added a big thick sausage ($3). She commented that it is great to add extra to your meal. Joel and Walter both ordered the croissant with 2 poached eggs, creamed spinach, and hollandaise sauce. The dish came with salad or herbed home fries. Joel chose a side order of green salad and Walter chose a side order of homemade spicy potatoes (they ended up sharing the salad and herbed home fries). In addition, Joel ordered a side order of smoke salmon for an additional $3.

Popular brunch items include truffled scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on baby spinach with a buttermilk biscuit – $11, a basket of baked goods with fruit preserves – $4.95, “The Big A”- a choice of 2 meats (steak, sausage, peameal bacon), 3 eggs, saut�ed onions and peppers, and green salad – $15, “Toad in the Hole”- two eggs in hollowed out corn break with mild salsa and guacamole- $9, omelette of the moment with green salad and bagel – $9 (egg white omelettes- $10), a decadent French Toast dish (French Toast with caramelized bananas and chocolate with peanut butter whipped cream- $9, fresh fruit compote with oat cakes and honey yogourt- $7.50, Green Plate Special � Canadian AAA steak with scrambled or poached eggs, herbed home fries, a buttermilk biscuit, tomato pepper relish and natural juice -$12, poached eggs on croissant with hollandaise sauce, salad or herbed home fries -Blackstone with pancetta and tomato -$10.50, or Florentine with saut�ed spinach – $9.50, the brunch burrito with sausage, peppers, cheese, scrambled eggs, with mixed bean salad, sour cream, and spicy sauce- $10, a “samwich”- grilled chicken breast, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, Chipotle mayonnaise, on a Panini roll with herbed home fries and salad – $9.50, crab cakes with wilted spinach, herbed home fries and caper mayonnaise – $11. You can add any items to any of the meals like Farmer’s sausage – $3, herbed home fries – $1.50, tomatoes, $1.50, and cornbread – $2, grilled peameal bacon – $2.50, buttermilk biscuits – $1.50, or bagel/croissant – $1.25

Dinner appetizers are creative and fuse North American dishes inspired with flavours from India. Some dishes include a Romaine salad (Romaine lettuce with creamy roasted garlic dressing, pine nuts, and asiago tuile – $8), a home-made Samosa with pear, pea, and smoked duck, in a honey-mustard dipping sauce- $12, a Thai wrap- a folded chive crepe with glass noodle salad with a sweet and sour dipping sauce- $8, Italian Chef Salad- $9, Hummus and Feta Dumplings in a Gazpacho Dipping Sauce – $10, Crab and Corn “Panna Cotta” with Foccacia and a small green salad – $12, an asparagus and cherry tomato salad with parmesan and sherry dressing- $9, and Pappadum-crusted Tiger Shrimp with lemon raita and mango chutney- $13 Some dinner items include Duck Breast with basmati rice, rapini, in a mahogany glaze – $22, Baked Tilapia Filet with beet risotto, wilted spinach, in an herbed dressing- $18, a three-cheese baked macaroni with broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers – $15, roasted chicken breast with crab claws, with asparagus, in a pommery b�arnaise sauce – $21, rabbit in a red wine sauce with mushrooms, herbs, and pearl onions, and roasted vegetables- $19, vegetarian polenta lasagne in a mushroom and b�chamel sauce – $16, pan-seared halibut with green beans, cherry tomatoes, and caper butter sauce- $20, and a 10 ounce serving of grilled ribeye with roasted vegetable, spinach, and radish salad with corn relish- $25. Although the prices for entrees are not cheap, they are not a rip-off from hell like at Cafe Sassafraz.

Verveine’s decor is sleek, simplistic, and minimalism is the key to its design. Wall and fabric covering are pale green with a minimalist design of no art of knickknacks. Imagine Pottery Barn without the fluff or curves. There are some nice fabric wall hangings that add some warmth to the place and there are 2 large mirrors that give the impression of depth and space since the restaurant is not that big. I do think that the simple design adds a clean, sleek, polished look to the place, but, unlike Hello Toast, Verveine is not charming and does not have “character”. I do like the calm, non-clutter of the pale green walls and pale green fabric on the chairs and white linen tablecloths. All I thought was “clean and crisp in design.” There is a lovely Victorian couch right at the entrance of the restaurant for patrons to sit while they wait for their table or booth. While waiting, I never sat on the couch but Joel, Walter, and Wendy commented that the lumpy couch should be replaced, seeing that they know they have a lumpy couch and often people will have to wait for a table for brunch.

Verveine’s cosy and friendly ambiance does have a touch of pretentiousness but it’s no over the top like other brunch places. Our experience was made even more enjoyable by the calm background soundtrack from the movies “Amelie” and “The Piano”. During the latter part of our meal, we heard Norah Jones so Verveine knows how to set a mood. The look and feel of this place is definitely “cool, chic, and laid back.” Portion sizes are decent and prices are a little high, but quality and service and flexibility in terms of veggie options are impressive. Wendy, Joel, and Walter especially liked how at the bottom of the menu, you have the option to add things to your meal for a slight price increase. Egg white omelettes are only $1 extra.

Accepts every card. Warm, friendly, and attentive service. Accepts dinner reservations but not brunch reservations. Brunch can be very busy. Expect a 15-20 minute wait.

Cafe California

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 538 Church
Toronto, ON M4Y2E1
Phone: (416) 960-6161

Located right at Church and Wellesley, this small cafe sits about 15-20 tables tightly and has an ambiance of cosy, homey, and casual. With a Mediterranean decor (blues, greens, and deep reds as the backdrop), Cafe California stands out as a being a casual dining spot in the village. With a gorgeous mural of buildings and a skyline in colours of blues, light green, and greys, with gorgeous wood tables, wrought iron accents, nice flower arrangements, and large pieces of fabric draped along the ceilings, Cafe California is pleasing to the eye. With subdued Mediterranean colours, the cafe is not campy (like its next door neighbour Zelda’s) but very homey and cosy.

I went last Sunday morning for brunch with Paulo and I was happy to see that there was a separate brunch, dinner, and lunch menu. For our brunch we saw many items worth mentioning. Cafe California offers some vegetarian selections, a variety of healthy salads, and other light dishes. As well, their brunch menu offers a variety of sandwiches, beef or chicken fajitas, grilled chicken sandwiches, stir fries, and pastas. For brunch, I ordered a French crepe ($8.95) with poached pears, with a side of cream cheese, sprinkled with powder sugar with a side of apple butter and manjar sauce (i.e. caramel sauce). The crepe was light and not greasy and I was very happy with the portion size. Paulo ordered the Italian Frittata, an open-faced omelette with prosciutto ham, white asparagus, diced tomatoes, spring onions and potatoes topped with Monterrey Jack cheese that came with a side order of garden salad. Portion size was very generous. Service was fast and friendly. Waiter made an extra effort to go the extra distance, to be helpful, friendly, and informative.

Other brunch items worth mentioning include the Eggs Benedict/Eggs Pacifica – 2 poached eggs and spinach on a toasted English muffin w/ peameal bacon or smoked salmon, topped with Hollandaise sauce and served with a potato latke, Huevos Completos – 2 eggs any style w/ sausage, peameal or strip bacon, pancakes, toast and potato pancakes, the Italian Frittata, Omelette – Choice of Western or Spanish, soups, bruschetta, Spinach Salad w/ roasted pecans, mushrooms, orange segments and goat cheese in a honey mustard vinaigrette. Cafe California also serves an assortment of salads, including Caesar Salad, Greek Salad, and their signature dish “Chicken Santa Barbara”- a large garden salad with roasted pine nuts, rasins, with grilled marinated chicken breast and a sundried tomato and pesto vinaigrette, spinach fettuccini with cajun chicken, mushrooms, sweet peppers and onions in a creole sauce, grilled Atlantic Salmon in a raspberry white sauce w/ rice and vegetables. They also serve one “healthy” pizza- a thin crust pizza w/ chorizo sausage, mushrooms, sweet peppers and Bermuda onions. In addition, some sandwiches include the Mediterranean Club Sandwich w/ grilled chicken breast, bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato on Italian panini w/ salad or fries, the Vegetarian Plate w/ grilled vegetables, goat cheese, and focaccia bread, a Hamburger Served with mixed greens or home-cut fries, and finally a Veggie burger w/ mixed greens or home fries.

Beverages include a variety of coffees, espresso beverages (lattes, capuccino, etc), liquor based coffees, brunch cocktails, Sangria, Mimosa, and a variety of wines and spirits.

Cafe California also offers an extensive and creative variety of martinis. Offers a great selection of desserts, including unique cheesecakes. Great front and side summer terrace. Many vegetarian and healthy options. Accepts all cards.

Cafe Next Door [brunch]

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 790 Broadview
416 469 1971

Located right on Broadview right across from Broadway subway station, just a few steps north of Danforth, this funky cafe shares a patio with its sister company “The Magic Oven”. They serve quick, healthy, and light meals and weekend brunch and operates as a full service cafe. They offer a light healthy meals, salads, as well as energy bars, cakes, squares, muffins, and delicious fruit smoothies. They have a full brunch menu with traditional items like eggs, pancakes, cereal, fruit and granola, omeletes, and sandwiches and salads.

Wendy ordered the mushroom melt with asiago cheese and portobello mushrooms served with California fruit salad caught ($8.95). I ordered the bowl of oatmeal with fruit salad for $8.95. The portion size was not enough as this place emphasizes light meals (meaning tiny portions) so i also ordered the energy bar for $1.69. Most energy and protein bars are in the range of $1.50-$2.59. I was fortunate to taste Wendy’s dish and it was spicy and zesty and although sligghtly oily, i did detect the delicious Olive oil taste. YUMM!

Customers order at the counter and they serve the food to you. Staff are accomodating and friendly. However, on this particular occasion, we had a “newbie”–clearly this was her first day. She forgot to bring out Wendy’s fruit salad and she served me first but completely forgot about Wendy. I know Wendy was not happy. I think we both enjoyed the food but we felt neglected in terms of service. The “newbie” did not know anything regarding pricing and food products. The dessert menu is large. They make vegan soy shakes and bake cheesecakes, mousse cakes, creme brulee, ice creams, and snacks like spelt samosa rolls, kettle chips, healthy wheat free bars and desserts, flax bars, spelt and molasses muffins, energy bars, low carb meal replacement bars, sesame bars, and granola bars. They have a small summer terrace that sits about 3 tables. Inside the place is quite small with about 5-7 tables in one open dining room. Coffee creamers and sugar are all “help yourself” so it feels like Williams Coffee Pub since you order your food, but they do bring it out to you. Prices are between $7-$10. Accepts VISA and Interac.

Juliette et Chocolate

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Yumma! When my sister asked me if I wanted to go to the chocolate place I had no idea what was in store for me. I had about an hour & a half before my train back to Toronto, & this was definitely the best way to spend that time, relaxing with my sister & our friend Nancy, eating & drinking heaven from a cognac glass. The exposed stone walls & back patio, combined with the charming decor contributed to the joy of the experience.

Although chocolate is the star attraction, there are also other items to choose from; salads, crepes, fondue, ice cream, smoothies and more. The top price I noticed in the menu (they had English ones too!) was about $10.95. The place is licensed as well, so good times are abound at this warm & inviting cafe

As soon as we walked in we were greeted with complete friendliness from the staff, & smartly, they brought us all ice water to start.

For my hot chocolate I chose something called Manjari ? it was a dark chocolate 64% cocoa, and was composed of a combination of Criolla & Trinitario cocoa beans from Madagascar. Chantico this aint! This was the real thing, a thick liquid explosion of goodness. All that & I got a home made chocolate on the side. The drink was so big, it took me forever to finish.

I was also mighty hungry & uninterested in the prospect of eating train food, so I went for a buckwheat crepe with ham, cheese & asparagus. My sister had the spinach crepe & Nancy had a fruit crepe covered in chocolate & icing sugar. All of our crepes scored high on presentation as well as taste. Nancy?s was like a work of art. The portion sizes were decent as well.

It?s real easy to spend a $25 here; I had my crepe, my drink & I bought 2 pieces of chocolate containing cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon & honey that was beyond fantastic. With my taxes & tip I spent just shy of $25 but it was worth it for a treat for sure. They also serve as an internet cafe …Good to know.

If I was in Montreal more, I would be there more. This was a completely fabulous experience worth repeating.

 

Crepes A GoGo

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I happened to be around St. George & Bloor looking for lunch. I could see many standard spots like Tim Horton’s, Harvey’s Swiss Chalet, etc, & then it caught my eye Crepes A GoGo – I knew I had to go. This restaurant is on Bedford, just a few steps south of Bloor on the East side of the street. The French music played outside lures you in and sets the tone of your upcoming adventure in food.

This same music is played inside & which contributes to the décor & the warm, friendly & inviting French café atmosphere, complete with postcards & photographs of Paris adorning the walls. Patrons are greeted by Véronique, the owner of the establishment who also helps the indecisive like myself place their order. Most people ordered in French! Ha! This place is a true oasis of French culture in the heart of Toronto.

There are both sweet desert crepes and savory meal crepes, both in set combinations or you can customize your order. 98% of the menu is vegetarian, they do offer tuna or lox on a couple of the crepes. The crepe prices range from $3.75-$5.95, and they also serve sandwiches on French bread for $4.95. There was no need for plates, as the crepes are served in a paper bag, ideal for take out. It works fine too if you want to eat in. The beverage selection includes coffee, cappuccino, limonata, orangina, V8, etc. This is not a licensed establishment.

Talk about "fast food" – my crepe was ready before I sat down! I ordered La Popeye baby spinach, mozzarella, & your choice of egg or mushrooms  I took mushrooms. It arrived piping hot & delicious. It was quite filling at a reasonable $5.95. I chose the very best bevvie on the menu – apple cider from Normandy. This was $2.75/ glass or $8.50/bottle (the size of a wine bottle!) This was sooooooo delicious; I could easily sit there & drink it all day! This drink had no sugar or preservatives & just apples & it tasted very fresh & bubbly, well worth the visit on its own!

The restaurant is currently fairly small, 4 tables, but evidently they will be expanding due to its increasing popularity – and for good reason. The food was excellent; the service was speedy, warm & inviting, friendly which somehow is reflected in the patrons who frequent the establishment. People were relaxed & comfortable chatting with other patrons, one even offered to help someone pay for their bill when they were a few cents short & definitely not your everyday café.

My trip to Crepes A GoGo left me feeling refreshed & relaxed, as if I had been transported on a mini-break to Europe. This place is well worth frequent repeated trips! Definitely check it out.

 

Sneaky Dees

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When I first received an email suggesting going to Sneaky Dees for half priced fajita night, my initial reaction was? that shithole?!?!? My only previous experiences at this bar cum music venue cum restaurant were relegated to very distantly separate but excellent concerts and some sporadic binge drinking nights. With the dark atmosphere and graffiti covering everything from the walls to the tables, this place defines the term ?watering hole?. I had heard that the brunch was decent here but it never occurred to me that any other meal would be near palatable. However, after conferring with a few Sneaky Dee fanatics I realized I had potentially been missing out on a rarely publicized Toronto tradition.

Tex Mex cuisine is constantly looked down in haute cuisine circles and can regularly end up the butt of many a Hooters reference. The fajitas at Sneaky Dees however are no joke. As servers rush out of the kitchen holding a plate of steaming food the restaurant packed with a downtown crowd who have obviously taken part in this ritual before heaves in anticipation. The decibel level is certainly high causing one to strain to carry on a conversation. When the food arrives all attention is diverted to eating. Choices of chicken, steak, shrimp, vegetable or any combination thereof are available for consumption. The steaming hot plate comes complete with refried beans, a variety of vegetables, fried rice, and topped with the main meat or veggie filling. Bowls of salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and tomatoes are available for toppings to add to the white flour wraps which come in a heat encompassing container. The only regular fajita topping that appears to be missing is the cheese. Is Sneaky Dees subject to the same bylaw not allowing Toronto hot dog vendors to serve cheese in their somewhat crusty environment? Disregarding this minor aberration, the chicken and steak fajita is fantastic and a large order satiates my party of three. At $14.95 on the Tuesday half price night, I come away with a deliciously refreshed perspective on an old establishment and a newly ordained ritual to further integrate myself into the downtown west culture.

Musa

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Until recently, the Dundas West strip between Bathurst and Dufferin has desperately clung to its traditional past. This area known affectionately as “Little Portugal” between Bathurst and Ossington and further east by the more hardcore “Rua Acoras” has been under going a transformation of late. Over the past year, new trendy establishments such as the Chelsea Room, Cocktail Molotov and Eat Cafï have sprung up amidst the old school hair salons, hardware stores, and pharmacies. Heck, even Cafï Brasiliano, known as much for its great coffee as its anti trendy ways has taken on new digs; albeit still maintaining much of its original modest charm. An original in this respect is the oft overlooked Dundas West fixture that is Musa.

Musa embodies both aspects of the Dundas West charm with a mixture of traditional Mediterranean cuisine and decor with a smattering of nouveau martinis and up to date musical selections. The menu contains much of the regular Mediterranean fare one would expect to find. We are pleasantly surprised to receive a basket full of fresh bread and hummus before we place our order. Our waitress is jovial and patient with my carnivorously challenged companion while ringing off the day’s specials. I opt for the grilled swordfish special served in a tomato sauce with stewed vegetables and a fresh side salad. The swordfish is tender and succulent while the vegetables are stewed correctly without being overly mushy. My decision, seconded by the waitress to avoid an appetizer is wise as I end up barely being able to finish the fully loaded plate. Although Mark finds the prices �retarded�, the portion size and taste more than makes up the $18.95 tag line to my meal.

As the burgeoning Dundas West strip becomes more gentrified it is nice to know that Musa will continue to dole out good traditional food while still keeping up with the evolving neighbourhood.