Tag Archives: lunch

Grapefruit Moon

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968 Bathurst Street
(416) 534-9056

After a nightmare makeover in 2004 the once comfortable, homey atmosphere (think Tango Palace at Queen/Jones), exposed brick, ecclectic decor, and activist posters on the wall became ultra modern hip and cool, with a complete bleached effect as the designer of Restaurant Makeover painted the whole restaurant white, even though the owner Sandy Moon specifically requested not to paint the exposed brick. As most of us, painting exposed brick is sacrilegious. I had last visited Grapefruit Moon on my 27th birthday (Sept 2001) for a nice quiet dinner. A great place to bring a date. Intimate, non pretentious, not expensive, and most importantly, many veggie options.

Grapefruit Moon went glam but actually looked like a hospital with that “bleached” effect. What on earth was the designer thinking. What crack were they smoking. I loved the old look and feel of Grapefruit Moon and I was sad to see that the old decor was gone, but I knew that they were still owned by the same people and the menu and food and service was still excellent so I decided to go there on 2 separate occasions for my favourite meal- Sunday brunch.

When I stepped inside, I noticed that the owners definitely put much effort into changing it back to the way it was and it looks like they’re almost there. Mostly, they added colour back into the decor. The painted brick wall is now adorned with colourful paintings and knickknacks that really tone down the “hospital” look and feel of their catastrophic makeover. According to an article in Eye Magazine, Grapefruit Moon’s new theme is citrus (white walls accented with orange, green and yellow). There is one spot that the designer of Restaurant Makeover did not touch, the bathroom. It still has silver stars painted on the cobalt-blue walls and purple ceiling, a reminder of Grapefruit Moon before its disasterous makeover.

Small, quaint, cosy, cafe, veggie friendly, with typical brunch and dinner fare, Grapefruit Moon thankfully offers veggie alternatives (veggie bacon or TLT tempeh lettuce tomato sandwich instead of BLT -bacon lettuce tomato sandwich).

Expect lineups for Sunday brunch but with quick turnover and a vast outdoor patio opened for spring and summer. Some brunch items include grilled cheese, tomato and avocado sandwich, granola, fruit ,and yogourt, grilled hummus wrap, grilled black bean wrap with home fries (salad can be replaced for an additional $2), omeletes, breakfast burritos with the works, excellent espresso drinks, fresh orange juice, and free refills of coffee. Lunch items are light and healthy. I’ve ordered the vegan wrap (black bean dip with hummus and veggies) with a side salad and the hummus wrap is also excellent too. Portion size is decent. Simple one page menu with non pretentious, earthy, friendly folks. Very neighbourhood friendly atmosphere, like stepping into your living room. Same homey feel like Mitzi’s or Three’s Company or The Only Cafe. Complete meals for $10-$12 including coffee. Accepts all cards.

Izakaya

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69 Front Street East
416-703 8658

Aaron planned a dinner with a large group of friends and he decided to dine at Izakaya in Saint Lawrence Market at Church and Front across from Hot House Cafe. Walking into Izakaya was like walking into a funky loft. With high ceilings, exposed brick walls spread across three dining areas separated by Japanese blinds, this open concept place is spacious and comfortable. With huge square tables there is a lot of breathing place and it is the perfect place to dine with large groups. The dining area at the front of the restaurant has smaller tables for couples of smaller groups.

The menu does not have many vegetarian options but the waiter said that they were flexible. I insisted on no fish stock and the waiter was very knowledgable in terms of what “veggie” dishes contain secret chicken, beef, or fish stock. I was thankful he was honest and blunt with my options. I started with the organic salad ($6.95) in a zesty ginger dressing. Yummy and light and definitely wonderful. For my main I ordered the noodle soup ($11.95) in a mushroom-based broth with udon noodles with 4 types of mushrooms. My meal was hearty, slightly sweet, and very filling.

To start, Aaron ordered an appetizer of Shrimp Dumplings which were ok.. He enjoyed the hot mustard sauce served with it. He also had a fried egglant dish which was very sweet and tasty. Overall he felt the food was not oustanding but good value for the money. He shared those dishes with his friend Gavin.

For his main, Aaron had the Chicken Katsu Curry which was boneless chicken crused in panko with a mild japanese curry sauce. He felt was like a chicken shnitzel and he felt the curry sauce was too mild. He also had the Tokyo Beef Ramen which was soy sauce flavoured soup and noodles topped with char grilled top sirloin and garnished with shiso leaf, bean sprouts, scallion, mema and toasted black and white sesame seeds. He enjoyed this dish. He felt the broth was very flavourful and the meat was tasty if not completely tender.

Aaron’s friend Jonathan ordered the lightly battered chicken and vegetables, shrimp dumplings, and an organic salad. He arrived a bit late and was really hungry and ordered it quickly.

Aaron’s friends Brad and Steven shared two mains and two sides. The mains were Cha Han (fried rice with chicken, shrimp, etc) and Izakaya Beef. The sides they ordered were Pork Gyoza and Sesame Spinach Salad. They were really impressed by everything. The fried rice was a big portion, with quite a few good juicy pieces of shrimp. The beef was tender, and not overdone. Brad knows that Steven really liked the spinach (especially the sesame dressing). Both thought that the best part of the night was the price! For a dinner out with a bottle of sake, it was a very cheap night!

Brad and Steven could see how some people wouldn’t like sitting at a large table with someone they didn’t know. In this case it was fine since they knew everyone around the table, and it made for a unique evening. However, they felt that if it had there only five people, it may have been awkward carrying on a conversation with another group sharing the table.

Decor comprised large expansive walls in a loft style space with big square tables that can fit 10 people. The restaurant contained two main dining areas, exposed brick walls, minimalist decor, sectioned off dividers, super high ceilings, spacious, open concept.

 

Aaron’s friend Alen had the Yasai Katsu Curry – one of their vegetarian dishes (the curry sauce had a chicken and fish based broth, though.). The food was good, but he was more impressed with the atmosphere and the d�cor, than he was with his meal. The service was really slow and we had to chase the waiter down to pay our bill. The bathrooms were nice and the prices were reasonable, but he thought that he would probably order something different next time. He felt his meal was very starchy.

All in all, I like Izakaya for its open concept dining areas. It felt very airy with high ceilings, exposed brick wall, and extra large tables. The main concern is that this place is great for dining in big groups since the tables are so large. If you choose to dine alone or with a date, I wonder where the smaller tables are. I wondered if you had to share a table with a complete group of strangers. My extra large bowl of soup and noodles was kind of expensive but it was damn good. Wait staff are knowledgable, attentive, friendly, and accomodating. The only problem was that it took forever to get our bill. Accepts all cards. Liquor license.

Ginger

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 695 Yonge Street – (416) 966-2424
403 Yonge Street – (416) 263-9999
546 Church Street- 416 324 8724
252 Carlton Street 416-923-7979
521 Bloor Street West (416)536-3131

When you think of Ginger, think casual, fast food, and excellent prices. You will not be ripped off or disappointed. It’s like a giant food court, noisy, but the food quality is definitely better than your typical food court with tasteless, bland, and expired dishes, claiming to be Italian or Chinese but really it’s the North American rendition. Food court food is a quick and cheap and lousy interpretation of Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Middle Eastern, Indian, or Thai food should be.

I went there with some friends after checking out a rockin’ good underwear sale. We were really hungry and we did not want to spend too much money so we checked out the newly opened Ginger on Church street near Wellesley.

Scott had the green curry with silken tofu and vegetables. He wasn’t too impressed. There wasn’t much tofu really, and the rice wasn’t that soft either. Overall, he wouldn’t eat it again. He didn’t like the atmosphere, it was too loud to hear more than one table away.

I had the eggplant and tofu green curry dish with steamed vegetables and white rice. I omitted the green curried tofu and replaced it with more steamed vegetables but unfortunately, due to poor communication skills, they did not add any more steamed vegetables so I was a bit unhappy.

Bob ordered the rice, veggies, 3 shrimp, chicken, beef price ($8.50). He felt that it was not too spicy, it was flavourful, with a fast food ambiance, yet it felt like being in a restaurant. He liked that he did not have to leave a tip. He liked the comfy chairs, and the “in between” nature of fast food and fine dining. Lastly, he liked that they brought the food to you

Paulo had the same dish as Bob but without the clump of white rice (shrimp, chicken, and beef) with veggies

Lailah ordered a thick udon noodle soup with tofu and vegetables (known as Pho). The soup bowl was big and hearty and came with a generous serving of noodles and vegetables (also known as Pho).

On other visits I have had veggie salad rolls (cold rice paper rolls in a sweet peanut sauce, not peanut butter sauce but a sweet teriyaki sauce with crushed peanuts on top. As well, I have enjoyed a traditional Vietnamese dish called Pho, a soup with tons of veggies, rice noodles, and tofu, in a clear veggie broth and covered in basil leaves. The soup is very hot (in terms of temperature and it’s also spicy). Most Phos have beef or chicken but mine was 100% veggie. I had to inform the server when taking orders since most Thai, Vietnamese, or Korean food always has fish, oyster, or chicken broth added to most dishes so it’s best to be the paranoid vegetarian and emphasize having an “animal-free dish”. The new Church Street location has a fresh fruit martini bar which makes it look less look “fast food” but overall it’s still fast food and excellent prices. Accepts all cards

Coco Banana Fine Carribean and Vegetarian Restaurant

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 1690 Danforth (near Coxwell)
416-406-0534

Wendy and I decided to have a nice affordable lunch one cold and rainy Saturday afternoon in February. We really wanted to head down to Little India but since we were shopping on the Danforth, we thought we’d try out Coco Banana since the sign outside claimed that it was a Carribean and Vegetarian restaurant.

Upon entering, we found ourselves in a homey and comfortable restaurant with colourful original art (for sale!) from Jamaica, Barbados, and even some art looked African in its influence. Coco Banana contains about 10 tables and comprises one large room with a bar at the back with a medley of alcoholic creations. Decor looks like very exotic and charming and very cosy like one’s living room. Reminds me of a family owned establishment like Addis Abbaba on Queen West.

Wendy and I started by looking at the assortment of exotic juices. I ordered Mango Juice($3.69) and Wendy ordered Pineapply soda ($1.50). Coco Banana serves a medly of exotic juices, exotic juice cocktails, and Carribean sodas. Some include Ginger/Pina juice ($3.69), Guava juice ($3.69), Ting – a grapefruit soda ($2), Banana soda ($1.50), and Ginger Soda ($1.50). Some exotic juice cocktails include Guava Mango, Ginger Pineapple, and Mango Carrot (all $2.25).

For our appetizers, we both ordered the vegetarian red pea soup soup. The waiter did not tell us it contained bananas (or plantains). I knew Wendy would be grossed out so she did give me pieces of the bananas in her soup. The idea of bananas in soup may sound gross but it really very good. The banana flavour really meshed well with the soup and the consistency tasted more like a potato. It was super yummy and filling but not that spicy. A definite comfort food for a cold wet rainy day. Other soups include Pumpkin Soup and Congo Pea Soup ($3.50 small, $4.50 large). Other appetizers include Pepper Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp ($7.50), Acra (black eye bean fritters)($3.00), Fried Plantain (5 pcs.)($5.00), Beef Patties, Chicken Patties ($1.25), Patty with Coco Bread ($2.25). Salads include Jerk Chicken Salad ($6), Jerk Shrimp Salad ($9), Creole Salad ($7.50), and Garden Creole Coleslaw ($3.50).

For our entrees, I ordered the veggie roti which contained curries chick peas, potatoes, carrots, and peas. The only problem I had was that the curry sauce was very liquidy and i could not find any chick peas. I would say the roti was delicious but potato-centric. Wendy ordered the Jerk club sandwich and she found it was tasty. It was $5.50 and she would definitely order it again. Coco Banana offers entrees in small and large sizes. Some entrees include traditional Carribean dishes like Jerk Chicken ($6.99, $7.99), Curried Chicken ($6.99, $7.99), Stew Chicken ($5.99, $6.99), Curried Goat ($7.99, $8.99), Oxtail ($8.00, $10.50), Fish Dinner ($7.50, $10.50), Shrimp Cr�ole (with Creole Sauce)($10), Curried Shrimp ($11), Cod Fish Cr�ole Cabaret with salad and plantain ($12), and Red Snapper (with saut�ed cabbage pepper, and carrot) ($10.50)

Vegetarian meals include Veggie Roti with chick peas ($4.99, $5.99), Eggplant Roti ($10.99 large only), La Creole Roti (Avocado, Onion Lettuce, Tomato, Pepper- $4.99 (sm), $5.99 (l)), Sauteed Cabbage, Carrot, Onion ($4.99, $5.99), Vegetarian Platter (Rice and Peas, Acra, Eggplant) ($11.99), Cr�ole Cabaret (Veggie, Fried Eddoes, Plantain & Marinade) ($9.99), Giromont Soup (Squash) ($3.50, $5.50), and Beans or Congo Pea ($3.50, $5.50)

Non veggie Rotis include Curried Chicken, Jerk Chicken, Curried Goat, Stew Chicken, and Curried Shrimp all from $5.99-$8.99. Sandwiches include the Jerk Club and the Stew Chicken Club, both $5.50 . Combos include Jerk / Oxtail Combo ($11.50), the Jerk Chicken or the Stewed Chicken Combo ($11.50), and the Curried Goat or the Curried Chicken Combo ($10.99)

Desserts include Reversed Pineapple Cake ($3.50) and Sweet Potato Pudding ($2.99). Coco Banana also serves a variety of Carribean ice creams (Pistachio, Mango, Coconut, and Soursop, all $2.50). Lastly, they also serves frozen yogourt, smoothies, and milkshakes ($2.00, $3.69)

Although I did like the soup, Wendy was not too impressed. I found the soup hearty, thick, and delicious. Wendy found the soup to be bland and she did not like the banana taste although personally I could not taste any banana. Wendy claimed that you can taste the banana and according to her she thought it was wrong for a soup to have bananas.

 

The guy was nice but he oversold all of the food. He was not honest about the variety of vegetarian food. He said the soup was fantastic and the portion size was decent but we found the soup lacking. The roti was good but not fantastic. I did find many vegetarian options and I would go back to try out new items since I think the veggie roti just did not do it for me. In sum, Wendy and I would go back but we won’t go out of our way. Service was friendly and cheerful. Food was served quickly.

Amore Trattoria

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 2425 Yonge St. 
Tel: (416) 322-6184

Amore Trattoria is a traditional Italian eatery located in the heart of the Yonge and Eglinton yuppie ghetto. Located on 2 levels in an open concept dining space, Amore is decorated with a minimalist design with a Mediterranean colour scheme, with very few paintings on the wall, with small tables huddled close together. Ambiance is calm, romantic, and dim lighting. This is the perfect place to bring a date.

Amore’s simple one page menu offers mouth watering salads (insalata), pastas, thin crust gourmet pizza, zuppa (soups), mains, and decadent desserts. Mains are priced from $12.95-$16.95.

Amore serves traditional pasta dishes like Penne Pollo, Presto Pesto, pastas with cream-based sauces, Prima Veras, Arrabiatas, and Bolognese. Amore serves dishes “tapas” style so patrons are encouraged to order an appetizer, salad, main, and dessert. This gets to be expensive, though.

Also serves ultra thin gourmet pizzas and you can even build your own pizza (Il Fornello style) . Also offers a spelt flour option for the crust.

For our dishes, I started with a homemade vegetarian minestrone soup with red kidney beans, potato pieces, carrots, zucchini, and other veggies, in a rich tomato broth. For my main, I ordered an ultra thin spelt flour pizza with grilled eggplant, zucchini, sundried tomatoes with mozzarella oozing with a pesto and tomato sauce mix. Justine had the fettucine with a cream sauce with mushrooms that resembled Alfredo sauce.

Amore appears almost identical to Il Fornello where it tries very hard to be authentic in a trendy way. They serve thin crust pizza but also offer “healthy” options like whole wheat and spelt. Price range is similar to Il Fornello and expect that your pizza will cost more if you add extra veggies, sauce, or any other gourmet type additions like roasted red peppers, pesto, garlic,and other yuppified ingrediants. Pasta dishes come fresh and piping hot. Portions are decent and wine is served the traditional way, in cups! Waitress was very accomodating as Justine and I together can be a nightmare for any waiter or waitress in Toronto. Dim lighting and minimalist decor makes this place a perfect setting for a date. I must admit that I was not full and I was worried since I had the Toronto International Marathon the next day and I think my pizza did not have enough carbs to sustain me, but it was DAMN GOOD! I would definitely go back and try other pizza combinations.

Amore is opened Mon-Thu 11:30am-10:30pm, Fri 11:30am-11:00pm, Sat 10:30am-11:00pm, Sun 10:30am-10:00pm. Accepts all cards. Serves Sunday brunch. Liquor license.

Barrio Lounge

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896 Queen St. E.
416-572-0600

Barrio is a laid back lounge and bar where patrons can have a martini, a glass of wine, or even dine on a tapas-style menu of global delights. For those who do not know what”tapas style”-tapas is spanish for “snack-items”. This means that dishes are snack-size portions so you can try many things at once. The problem lies that these dishes are the prices of mains ($8-$10) when they should be $5-$6.

I looked at the one page paper menu (that changes every 3 months) and I only found three vegetarian items. Since mains are served tapas-style, you basically have to order 2-3 tapas just to be full. Rip-off central. I could understand ordering tapas-style if they were normally priced but Barrio has some nerve to charge those prices for tiny portions. I think it’s because the Queen East/ South Riverdale neighbourhood is becoming more and more chi chi poo poo like Queen West and more trendy, upscale restaurants are popping and morons like me are willing to try it and pay retarded prices. Was I ripped off? Decor is really nice. With pale green walls, calm jazzy, pop music in the background, and large photographs mounted on chunky canvasses, this place looks like a hip and modern bistro that would cater to an artsy crowd, probably journalists and writers, and other Queen east hipsters. Tables are close together and the actual restaurant is quite small. Many of the tables are lined up against a row bench that sits against the wall. Pillows and fluffy seat cushions add warmth to the modern design of this “Verveine-style” restaurant.

For my meal, I ordered a salad of roasted beets (red and pink), with arugula, sunflower seeds, in a very light viniagrette with creme fraiche on top ($8). I told them to hold the creme fraiche. Presentation is artistic, funky, and cool. For my main, i ordered the quesadilas with Alex Farms goat cheese (locally produced cheese store), grilled asparagus, and other funky little vegetables ($10). Both dishes were wonderful in terms of flavours, textures, aromas, and taste, but portion size sucked big time. My friend ordered braised chicken with green lentils ($10). It was served in a small cereal bowl. Quite laughable to say the least. He also ordered the same salad but he had the creme fraiche. I think creme fraiche is like whipped cream but it’s not sweet. Sound gross. Some vegetarian items to note : artichoke hearts in a garlic mayo, safron rice croquettes (rice cakes) in an eggplant caviar, and a selection of breads with Fred’s dips. Other items worth noting include popcorn shrimp with cocktail sauce and creamy dill dip, pork ribs with potato salad ($10), smoked trout with vinegary tapenade ($12), seared scallops with leeks ($12), and grilled strip loin frites ($12).

It is easy to order 4-5 dishes, thus making the dining experience quite expensive. Sunday’s “prix fixe” menu with 3 choices -one complete table d’hote for $19, and two table d’hote options for $23. Sunday “prix fixe” change weekly depending on what is in the market that day. Thank goodness for Sunday dinner where you can a real meal for a normal price. Although staff were very helpful and friendly, service was quite slow, portion size was pathetic and my diet coke was $1.75 and was filled with ice.  Accepts all cards. Open quite late

Bar-Be-Que-Hut [Mark Aaron]

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 1455 Gerrard St. E.
416-466-2264

Bar Be Que Hut, despite its name, is not Pizza Hut. It is a not a fast food joint that serves hamburgers and hot dogs. It’s a small cosy restaurant in Little India that is frequented by families and casual diners. Bar Be Que Hut, meaning Pride of India, serves traditional Pakistani cuisine with live music every Friday night. Also contains a small outdoor terrace.

Menu is very small and simple. They have typical Indian fare like tikkas (chicken tikka masala), kebabs, tandoori, pakoras and samosas, chicken curry, butter chicken, mutton, goat, beef, and fish curries, and much more.

Bar-Be-Que Hut house favourites include lamb bara kebab, chicken bara kebab, vegetable pakoras. Vegetarian items include channa massala, palak paneer, daal, curried eggplant, and aloo gobi. I ordered garlic naan (fluffy white pita-like bread) with palak paneer (purreed spinach curry with homemade Indian cheese) . YUMM! In addition, i ordered the Mango Lassi ( a thick drink made with homemade yogourt and fresh mango puree), sweet, thick, and delicious. My friend ordered the tandoor chicken dish with regular naan and he liked both dishes very well. The dish also came a spicey meat sausage thing which he did not favour as much. For his drink, my friend ordered King Fisher, a typical Indian beer.

Decor is kind of dated. Place is kind of small and carpets are dark, dingy, and not clean. Staff are very friendly and food is excellent, tasty, and good portions and no bullshit prices. Bar Be Que Hut really needs updating. Food makes up for old, tired decor. There is a television that plays Bollywood movies and musicals, which gives it a cute kitschy feel. As well, the TV also gives the restaurant a very casual, bar-like ambiance. It really needs a renovation like Salad King needed a renovation. Also needs a new name. Bar Be Que Hut does not sound like an authentic Indian restaurant. Open noon to 10 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday; 5-10 p.m. Wednesday; noon to 11:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday. No wheelchair access to washrooms. Accepts all cards

Windfields Dining Lounge

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 801 York Mills Rd
North York/Don Mills
416-445-1630

This casual family dining lounge is a place I have gone to a couple of times on a work lunch. It is known for generally speedy service at lunch, and caters to the blue rinse crowd. The menu is comprised of salads, sandwiches, fajitas, souvlakis burgers, pastas, stir fries, etc. Though the majority of the menu is under $10, the top price is $17.95 for a 12 oz steak.

When we arrive the place is busy, though our hostess seems more interested in chatting with her boyfriend rather than seating us. Someone else seats us instead. Our waiter Jerry was very nice which made up for the trashy hostess.

I ordered the Philadelphia Hoagie � thinkly sliced sirloin steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms, swiss cheese, served on fresh garlic bread with fries – $9.75. This was a tasty meal at a fair price. I was not super keen on the fries; they were coated with something I didn�t like. The others in my group had fish & chips, a chicken club and steak on a French stick.

The portions were generous, the price was fair – $50 for 4 people, tax & tip included, and everyone enjoyed their meal while getting out on time. I won�t make a special trip to go there, but when opportunity presents itself, I have no objection.

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.

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.