Tag Archives: Danforth

Il Fornello (Beaches Jazz Festival)

Posted on by

Il Fornello- The Danforth
576 Danforth Ave.
Tel. (416) 466-2931
Major intersection: Danforth & Carlaw

Il Fornello- Yonge and St. Clair
1560 Yonge Street
Tel. (416) 920-7347
Major intersection: Yonge & St. Clair

Il Fornello- Bayviw Village
2901 Bayview Ave
Tel. (416) 227-1271
Major intersection: Bayview & Sheppard

Il Fornello- Theatre District
214 King St. West
Tel. (416) 977-2855
Major intersection: King & Simcoe

Il Fornello – Beaches
1968 Queen St. E
Tel. (416) 691-8377
Major Intersection: Queen & Woodbine

Il Fornello- Queen’s Quay Terminal
207 Queen’s Quay West
Tel. (416) 861-1028
Major intersection: Queen’s Quay & York

Il Fornello Bloor West Village
2277 Bloor St. W.
Tel. (416) 761-9222
Major intersection: Bloor & Runnymede

IL FORNELLO *newest location-opening July 2005*
491 Church St

Located right in the heart of the Beaches, this cool, hip and trendy eatery is surrounded by art, exposed brick, dim lightings, and a funky menu that incorporates traditional Italian fare with health conscious and trendified food. On my last visit to the chain in the Beaches, I had the large Insalata Roma … (mixed greens, chèvre, roasted peppers, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette). My friend Justine had the artichoke and pesto pizza, Daniel had the hearty Beef Manicotti which he thought Insalata Roma … (mixed greens, chèvre, roasted peppers, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette)was fine. He found that there was a heavy use of sage I think, which made the meat taste a little heavy/hars; maybe better use of oregano or other Italian spice would have been in order. My sister had the squid was a little on the rubbery side. Both Daniel and my sister thoroughly enjoyed the 1 litre of Sangria. There are some vegetarian pizza items, some made with spelt crust, and many offering soy cheese. The salads are funky (Tossed Salad , Caesar Salad … Grilled Chicken and Baby Spinach with mango and endive, Strawberry, Pear, Spinach Salad, Wild Mushroom and Arugula Salad, Crispy Prosciutto, Arugula and Spinach salad

Pastas include Linguini di Mare (tiger shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari, light olive oil, tomato sauce), Penne Capri , with roasted chicken, wild mushrooms, spinach, in a lemon, garlic olive oil sauce, Spaghettini Primavera … (spaghetti with sauteed vegetables), Truffled Wild Mushroom Cannelloni (Cannelloni with Wild mushroom and ricotta), Tortelloni Fornello … (cheese tortelloni in a spicy tomato cream sauce), Manicotti (ricotta and spinach filled pasta baked in tomato sauce), and Daniel’s dish Cannelloni (meat filled pasta baked in tomato sauce), Spaghettini Misto … (Spaghettini with grilled chicken, tiger shrimp sautéed with caramelized onions, rapini, cherry tomatoes, in a lemon garlic olive oil),
Fettuccine Salmone … (Fettuccine with smoked salmon, and veggies in a dill vodka cream sauce ), the classic Penne Arrabbiate … (Penne in a spicy tomato sauce), and lastly Linguini Sorrentina … (Linguini with fresh basil, bocconcini cheese, and tomato sauce)

Pizzas ($9.00-$13.50) are served on multigrain crust, spelt crust (add $2), Quejos crust (add $3) and even carb-reduced crust (only available at Il Fornello at 1560 Yonge St. and Bayview Village)

Some pizzas include Prosciutto Pizza,Pizza Santo (w/soy cheese) ,Italian Sausage Pizza,
Pizza Affumicato (tomato sauce, carmelized onion, smoked chicken, spinach, and pine nuts),
Pizza Pollo (tomato sauce, roasted garlic, grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, and provolone),
Pesto Pizza (gaisli, grilled chicken, fire roasted eggplant, pesto), Pizza Gorgonzola (red wine caramel pears, gorgonzola, caramelized onions, walnuts, lemon dressed arugula), Fig Pizza ( prosciutto, honey figs, mascarpone, and shaved grano padano), Pizza Salmone (pizza with smoked salmon) , Pizza Tre Colori (very colourful pizza with Buffalo mozzarella, basil oil, prosciutto, oven cured roma tomatoes), Wild Mushroom Pizza ( 3 kinds of mushrooms with brie and basil oil), Pizza di bufala (Buffalo mozzarella, basil oil, oven cured roma tomatoes), Pancetta pizza … (regular cheese pizza with pancetta), Mediterranean Pizza … (Mediterranean vegetables, asiago cheese), Traditional Pizza (tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms), Pizza Nove (basic vegetarian pizza), Escargot Pizza (Escargot, garlic, tomato sauce, mozzarella), Pizza di Bufala (Buffalo mozzarella, basil oil, oven cured roma tomatoes
Anchovy Pizza (Tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies, and black olives), Pizza Semplice (Tomato sauce, fresh herbs, and mozzarella), Tri Coloured Pepper Pizza … (green, red, yellow grilled peppers, tomato sauce, roasted garlic, and chèvre), and Hawaiian Pizza (prosciutto, pineapple, tomato sauce, and mozzarella)

You can build your own pizzas too. Choose your crust (multigrain crust $1.25, spelt crust $3.25, gluten-free quejos $5.00, carb reduced crust), then add your ingrediants to make your own unique and personal pizza. Select from various cheeses: buffalo mozarella ($5.00), brie, chevre, gorgonzola, gaisli, asiago, mascarpone, camboloza, ($4.00)

Choose your meat and gourmet vegetables: grilled chicken, pancetta, shrimp, grilled chicken, pancetta, shrimp, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, escargot, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, feta, provolone, pine nuts, bocconcini, smoked chicken, prosciutto, smoked salmon, spicy Italian sausage, pesto, fire roasted wild mushrooms, soy cheese ($3.00)

Other herbs and vegetables to choose include: fresh basil, caramelized onions, fresh rosemary, fresh dill, mixed fresh herbs, roasted garlic, ham, anchovies, snow peas, pepperoni, roasted eggplant, parmesan cheese, oven-cured roma tomatoes, red peppers, fire roasted field mushrooms ($2.00)

Other smaller vegetables and condiments include: hot peppers, pineapple, tomato sauce, broccoli, onions, green peppers, black olives, green olives, red onions, capers, spinach, freshly chopped garlic ($1.00)

Il Fornello also has a small “alternative menu”. Alternative items include spelt pizzas, pastas, and Gluten free pastas . You can design your own pizza or pasta dish. For gluten free items, add an additional $1.25 for Rice pasta instead for menu items marked with a +.

Some “alternative” menu items include the Pizza Santo (Tomato sauce, herbs, spinach, red onion, roasted red pepper, ‘non-dairy’ cheese ), Gluten-Free Pasta, $13.25 (wheat and gluten-free pasta with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and veggies)
Quejos Pizza Crust $5.00 (gluten free Quejos pizza crust and design your own pizza)

Accepts every card. Expect lineups on the weekend and for brunch.

Soda

Posted on by

425 Danforth Avenue
ph: 416-466-5227

 

Located right on the Danforth, SODA is an acronym for South on Danforth Avenue

It is the fusion of Greek and Italian cuisine, offering traditional Greek and Italian fare

They have all traditional Greek dishes as well as Italian dishes like various pastas (Fettucini Alfredo, Penne Prima vera) as well as thin crusted pizza (Mediterranean pizza has feta, olives, tomatoes, etc) and more traditional pizzas like sausage, pepperoni, and seafood

We went on a warm summer evening on Friday. To our surprise every restaurant on the Danforth was packed except this one. We did not know why. The atmosphere is inviting, the service was excellent, and the food was superb.

Wendy ordered the risotto of the day ($14.95) , a risotto with chicken breast, mushrooms, in a creamy pesto sauce. She loved it. The portions were huge and she only finished about 70% of it. I ordered two appetizers, the spanakopita, which comprised four small spinach pies topped with sesame seeds, and a little platter of salad in the middle of my plate with dollop of tzatiki. I also ordered the Imam (grilled eggplant with roasted red and green peppers). It came with four slices of Italian-style pita. Both appetizers were $5.95 each.

Portions were huge and food was fresh and flavourful.

The whole place is very classy. The restaurant is composed of a large, open concept dining hall, very minimal in design. Staff are extra friendly, informative, and accomodating. The only strange thing that Friday evening was that Soda was the only place that was empty. Maybe it was because it was not a true Greek restaurant (it was fusion) and that people visiting the Danforth on a Friday night want an authentic Greek meal and Soda offers both Greek and Italian.

They also have a small brunch menu, mostly comprised of egg dishes but also has two fruit dishes (fruit and granola with yogourt) and fruit salad. They accept all cards.

Soda [Wendy]

Posted on by

425 Danforth Avenue
ph: 416-466-5227

I cannot for the life of me figure out why this place isn’t crowded on a constant basis, like the other restaurants on the Danforth.

Perhaps it’s because it’s more of a medeterrainen fusion restaurant instead of straight Greek, but it’s still damn good!

Our service was friendly & attentive, my food was awesome – risotto with chicken, spinach, mushrooms, other veggies etc & heavy on the garlic. I thought it was fantastic, & there was enough to take home for a secomd meal even. Thankfully, the price was right as well, most of the entrees being within the $12-$20 range.

Now, I did go to Soda back in 2000 & had brunch there, & was not fond of the fruit selection that accompanied the crepes, & hadn’t returned since then, but now I’m wiser & see that it is another decent option for dinner on the Danforth.

Mong Kut Thai

Posted on by

596 Danforth Ave,
416-463-2667

 

I finally made it to Mong Kut Thai last week. I used to frequent the previous restaurant that was in it’s space – The Daily Grind, which was awesome for good cheap brekkie, but I digress.

So I finally took the plunge & went in. The decor is nearly exactly the same, save for a few new pictures on the wall, but the set up is the same, so I guess they went with the notion of “if it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it”

So I ordered a soup to start, which was chicken & coconut (how very thai). It was really tasty, but the portion was far too small for what they charged.

The main course was altogether a different story. I went for the asparagus & mushrooms in a garlic sauce & rice & the portion was so big I had to get my dining companion [Mark] to help out. It was really tasty though, and fresh too, which is always a good sign.

I have heard that the back patio is something awesome, so I’ll definetely go back & try it. It was a pleasant dining experience. Not especially remarkable, but decent all around (except for the bathrooms – those should have been renovated ages ago!

New York Cafe

Posted on by

757 Broadview Ave
416.778.4444
See also Danforth, Fast Food, Greek

This small, cosy restaurant with a quaint neighbourhood feel is located right at Broadview and Danforth. It offers fresh Greek cuisine (and also serves as a bar) at really cheap prices. I went with Vivian and Wendy one night for a late dinner after Wendy’s Improv workshops at the Bad Dog Theatre. Meals range from $5-$10 and portions are really big. Service is excellent, staff are friendly, and there are many vegetarian options. Some vegetarian options include several pasta dishes, vegetarian pizza, vegetarian souvlaki, and the vegetable kebabs

I ordered a small Greek salad for $4.45. It came with lettuce, tomatoes, feta, olives , and a wonderful dressing on the side. I could not identify the dressing but it had that creamy Italian taste, yet it could have been an Italian dressing with some Tzatiki mixed in…who knows?

Wendy ordered the hamburger and it was HUGE. It came with French fries, and the works, for only $4.95. There is a huge assortment of Greek dishes, as well as some Italian dishes like pasta and pizza, chicken parmiagnana, as well as steak, fish, and seafood.

New York Cafe prides itself as being chosen as one of the best places to eat in Toronto by Cheap Eats Toronto. The decor inside, I must admit, is alittle cheesy. Greek painting and photographs surround the two dining area, with a kitschy ambiance, similar to many greasy spoons or fast food diners. In addition to the restaurant, there is also a bar with an assortment of wines, beers, and other beverages.

At the end of the meal, I finally realized why this Greek restaurant was called the “New York Cafe”. The menu cover has the typical New York skyline and there is a wall mural of the New York skyline on one wall of the dining area. They accept every card under the sun

Only Cafe, The

Posted on by

972 Danforth Ave.
phone number: 416-463-7843

I really like the vibe of this palce. The music is good, the walls are filled beyond belief with artwork, the lighting is dim, a nice variety in the beer selection, imported & domestic (bottled )the service is decent, & the food is good too.

I usually go for brunch, that seems to be a specialty of theirs. There is the standard eggs & meat combos, french toast, etc. & you get good portions. They are open to giving substitutions, which is helpful for fussbudgets like me who don’t eat eggs; I get them replaced with baked beans. Excellent! Thankfully, the waitstaff is honest & tells you when something that may seem vegetarian isn’t 100%.

I was pissed off at them for a while & would not go back for nearly a year – they are supposed to serve brunch until I forget what time, but I came in waaay before that I they decided to turn off the grill & stop serving early. I was mighty annoyed!

They only use the grill for brunch, so do not go later in the day hoping gfor a hot meal – you won’t get it. Best to go for brunch or drinks, you’ll be very satisfied.

Al-Madina

Posted on by

1008 Danforth Avenue
(416) 778-8881

Located right at Danforth and Donlands, this place serves East Indian food for really good prices, all within the $5.95-$7.95 price. This is my kind of restaurant. There are some vegetarian options but not many. I went on March 7th, 2004 with two friends and we enjoyed the Lunch buffet for $4.95. Seats about 15-20 people, small place but nice and cosy, fast food type of ambiance. I had the daal (lentil soup) type sauce with green bean and potato curry and fried corn fritters, similar to a vegetable pekora.

For dessert, we had this orange semolina flour dessert that tasted like rice pudding but was made with orange semolina flour, cloves, ginger, and sugar. Semi smooth, semi lumpy like old-fashioned homemade pudding. Our chai tea was authentic and home made and only $1.00.

Can’t complain at all. The overall ambiance is fast-food, not shi shi poo poo like many Indian restaurants in Toronto. I would highly recommend this place because the cook/owner kept on refilling the buffet platters with fresh food. For dinner, the buffet is $6.95 but the cook/owner told me that you could choose the buffet or order straight from the menu. Most of the menu consisted of meat dishes and vegetarian items were sparse. They accept cash, Interac, and VISA!

Avli

Posted on by

I went to Avli first a number of years ago with my friend Gary. This is Gary’s favourite Greek restaurant, but alas, he has moved to Israel, so he cannot go back too often. I can, & that’s a good thing.

Avli is a surprisingly bright restaurant, with friendly & accomodating waiters. I didn’t gfeel "required" to buy a tonne of booze, which can happen at some places. This is on the Danforth & is a greek restaurant, but it feel way nicer than Mr. Greek/Friendly Greek which are more along the lines of fast food.

I am glad that many items on the menu come in 2 different portion sizes. I ordered the small lamb shank. I saw them walk by with someone else’s large order & it was dinosaur sized, so for me, a relatively smaller person, this was a very good thing. I am very happy I ordered it though, it was soooooo gooood. I’d never had lamb shank before & didn’t know what it would be like, but it was so tender you didn’t really neeed a knife, the meat just fell off the bone. Served on top of a bed of orzo in a light tomato sauce, this meal was totally enjoyable, start to finish.

 

 

Only Cafe, The

Posted on by

972 Danforth Ave.

phone number: 416-463-7843

The Only Cafe is a small, cosy, neighbourhood bar/cafe right on Danforth between Donlands and Jones. The place is the epitome of "non-trendy". The tables and plates are mismatched and the place is actually small but sits about fifteen small tables. The place is filled with quirky Van Gogh prints and 60’s and 70’s photos of musical icons like the Beattles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Joni Mitchell.

I have gone here many times and always enjoy the Sunday brunch. I order the Belgium Waffle with Fruit, whipped cream and salad. It usually comes with bacon or sausage but I skip it for extra salad and fruit. The portions are huge, staff are very accomodating and there is a huge variety of salad dressings like Mango Vinegar, Sundried Tomato Oil, Garlic Oil, and Balsamic Vinegar.

I also have ordered the Bay of Quinte, an open-faced sandwich with your choice of over ten different kinds of bread, melted cheddar cheese, pesto, two large tomatoes, with an organic green salad. Prices are affordable ($5.95-$7.95) and decor is funky, hip, and very non-pretentious. It reminds me of a neighbourhood bar, like the fictional "Cheers," where everyone knows your name…

Unlimited coffee is served and the brunch menu is limited but the dishes are creative (breakfast burrito, cowgirl breakfast, cowboy breakfast, stuffed French toast with cream cheese and fruit, and French toast dipped in banana nut oatmeal.

Overall, The Only Cafe serves fresh, filling food, large portions, and staff are friendly and accomodating. They know their food very well and are able to answer questions about ingrediants and preparation. For example, the owner informed me that the refried beans are made with lard. YUCK!

Decor is funky and unique and although there is a limited vegetarian menu, the staff are accomodating. I would recommend this place for everyone.

 

Schillings Cafe and Bakery [Mark]

Posted on by

135 Danforth Avenue
Toronto, ON
416 466-9100.

From the outside, it looks like a hoity-toity bakery. In terms of presentation, the cakes, pastries, squares, breads, and other baked goods are beautifully displayed by the window. The smells draw people in like bait and in no time customers can’t resist. They’ll buy little tarts, fudge, cakes, danishes, and other fattening treats.

I did not know that they served brunch until I went in with a friend to buy a German bread called “Schtolen”. I was surprised to find out that they also serve a healthy brunch too. The next Sunday, I went with my two friends and we enjoyed our brunch. Nestled in the back, there are about 15-20 large tables which sit about 40 people. Walls are multi-coloured and overall decor is fun and funky. I enjoyed an egg white omelete with broccoli, cauliflower, mushroom, mozzarella cheese, and spanish onion.

My other friend has a mushroom and cheese omelete and my other friend had roast beef in a baguette. The service was incredibly slow [one server had quit that very morning] but four different servers were very nice, attentive, and always brought us fresh milk for our coffee, free coffee refills, and were always coming around to see if we were generally happy.
I admit it must be difficult to manage a pastry and bakery shop and a restaurant with only 4-5 staff.

For the slow service, they apologized profusely and gave us a complimentary bag full of cookies. I do not mean chocolate chip cookies to dunk into milk, but fancy, schmancy cookies that look too nice to eat. I gave them to my two friends since cookies are not “Mark-friendly” The omelete was $7.95 and there was no extra charge to make it an egg white omelete…thank goodness….Both of our dishes were served with a large bowl of organic greens with a homemade raspberry viniagrette which was sweet, tart, chunky, and fruity. It may have looked like jam but it was clearly a viniagrette. I would recommend this place for the food and service are stellar.