Tag Archives: Vegetarian or Vegan

Chuch/Chuchai

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My dream come true, a completely vegetarian restaurant, with close to one hundred Thai dishes. Located right on the Plateau at St. Denis between Rachel and Duluth, this restaurant offers traditional a vast variety of Thai dishes, mostly consisting of noodle dishes, tofu entrees, mock chicken, mock fish, mock shrimp and mock beef in traditional Thai styles. For our feast last week, I ordered the hot and sour soup, in a thick red tomato chili broth. Although the soup was small and did not have tofu, it had mock chicken, and mushrooms, but no bamboo shoots. Oh well. The soup portion was quite small considering it was $3.75. For my main dish, i ordered the Thai green curry with vegetables and tofu ($11.00). For our appetizer, we all ordered the seaweed fried with tofu skin, surrounded by fried basil. That dish was to die for, creative, very crunchy, flavourful, and tasty. In addition, we also ordered a round fresh veggie rolls with peanut sauce. The peanut sauce was spicy and chunky. For their main dish, Aaron and David ordered a red curry with mock chicken and mock shrimp with fried spinach in a peanut sauce. Since we all shared, I was able to taste everything. All of the dishes were fabulous. The green curry was slightly stronger and more pungent than the red curry.

Vivian and her friend Aaron arrived as we were finishing out meal. They ordered the deep fried spring rolls, served with a clear beige coloured dipping sauce. Viv seemed to like what she ate. The menu is crazy. There are so many choices it is difficult to choose. The menu is intimidating. I saw many dishes that seemed appetizing (Thai Eggplant, Mock Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables, Mock Beef Curry, Mock Fish and Shrimp with Vegetables)

 

There is no dairy, but some dishes have egg, which can be omitted by request.

Chuchai has a liquor license and an outdoor terrace in the summertime. Entrees are from $7.95-$12.95. Next door at 4094 Saint-Denis is Chuch, which are owned by the same people, but offer take-out and allow you to bring your own wine. It’s a more casual dining experience and the menu is identical. The deli counter offers more than 50 mouth watering “one day old” dishes, all vegetarian and mostly vegan products, for considerably cheaper prices. They can also heat up the food for you in the microwave, thus making it a little less expensive.

Vegetarian Haven (formerly Health Haven)

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17 Baldwin St
416.621.3636

I heard about this place at last summer’s Vegetarian Food Festival at the Harbourfront centre last August 2003. Formerly known as Health Haven in Etobicoke, this place opened in Baldwin Village in the fall of 2003. I was excited to try it out, but never made it out to this small little enclave, almost hidden from the fast pace of downtown Toronto.

Vegetarian Haven is a vegan restaurant with flare. The interior is dark and resembles a bistro, or some romantic jazz place. Interiors are very nice inside, almost fancy. Menu is extensive and large, almost intimidating. It is divided into appetizers, salads, tofu main dishes, seitian main dishes, tempeh main dishes, vegetable stir frys, noodle dishes, powershakes, and desserts.

Prices are very affordable and I was surprised since the restaurant looked so “high end.” When I went for dinner last night with two Librarian friends (Helen and Melanie), we sat on the front patio, slightly elevated from street level. The front patio was very comfortable as seating is not that congested. Patio sits about 7-10 tables. The restaurant seems to sit about 15-20 tables inside.

There is a daily lunch special ($7.99), daily dinner special ($9.99), a set lunch meal ($12.99), and a set dinner meal ($14.99). Sound confusing? It’s not really. The lunch and dinner specials are just entrees of the day. The set lunch and dinner specials consists of the entree, the soup of the day, and a choice of different desserts (tofu ice cream or toffutti, or vegan chocolate cake).

I ordered the sweet and sour tempeh dish ($9.99) and a hot and sour soup ($4.29). The hot and sour soup was a thick red, highly spicy, with a lot of vegetables, including textured vegetable protein the form of shrimp. Soup portion was not that big but not small either. The sweet and sour tempeh was amazing. The tempeh steaks were chewy, nutty in texture and flavour, and were very fresh. The sweet and sour sauce was tangy and came with chunks of hot pineapple. The dish came full of vegetables (bok choy, broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, and onions) and I was very impressed with its presentation.

Helen ordered the Organic Tofu & Vegetables with Purple Rice in Clay Pot ($8.99). Melanie ordered the curried pad thai (tofu, crushed peanuts, curried noodles, and a plentiful servind of vegetables for $7.99). The friendly waiter refreshed our water constantly. Service was excellent and waiter was knowledgable and flexible.

Below are a selection of some dishes I found very interesting. Soups include the daily special ($3.50), Won Ton Soup ($3.99), Hot and Sour Soup (wheat free)($4.29). Tofu, Mushroom, Sweetcorn Soup wheat free ($3.50), and the Miso Seaweed Nappa Tofu Soup wheat free ($3.99). Some appetizers include the Baked (not fried) Spring Rolls ($3.50), Baked (not fried) Vegetable Rolls ($3.99), Baked (not fried) Fruit Rolls ($4.99), Fresh Thai Garden Rolls ($3.99), Pot Sticker Vegetable Dumplings ($4.99), Crispy Won Ton ($3.99), Californian Temaki – 2 nori seaweed wraps filled with avocado, marinated tofu, veg. ham, marinated oyster mushroom, cucumber, and daikon radish ($5.99), Tofu Drumsticks – 2 fried drumsticks made with soya, and skewered ($4.99), Samosas($3.49), Pan Fried Stuffed Tofu Skin Rolls ($5.99), grilled BBQ Soya Kebabs- ($5.99)
Fried Crispy Tofu – ($2.99), Fried “King Prawn” ($5.99), and Crispy Oyster Mushroom ($4.99). Menu items with “w/f” are wheat free.

My favourite are the tofu drumsticks. They taste really meaty and the “drumstick” is actually sugar cane. I’d recommend this appetizer for sure! Salads include
Mix Garden Salad with your choice of dressing ($6.99), Cleopatra Salad (Lettuce, orange, sunflower seed, almond, crouton, shredded carrot and sweet corn in nayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil & relish for $7.99), Cucumber, chick pea, and mixed bean salad
($7.99), Bowtie Kombu Seaweed Salad ($8.99), “King Prawn” Fruit Salad with
Konnyaku “king prawn” and fruit cocktail in a dairy free creamy sauce ($9.99), and a side order of mix garden salad ( $3.99). Dressings include creamy tahini, wasabi, ginger sesame vinaigrette, cucumber and dill, honey mustard, and olive oil and vinegar.

Side dishes include a variety of tofu products (pastrami, ham, seafood, grilled tofu, marinated tofu) as well as “King Prawn” , pan fried tempeh, sautéed mushrooms,
steamed veggies, and avocado slices. “Souper bowls” are dinner sized soup bowls with vegetables, noodles, and tofu and/or TVP. They are complete meals on their own. The person beside our table ordered one and he could only finish half. “Souper bowls” include
Dumpling Souper Bowl ($7.99), “Pastrami” Souper Bowl ($8.99), “King Prawn” Souper Bowl ($8.99), “Seafood” Souper Bowl ($10.99), Across the Bridge Souper Bowl ($7.99), and the Won Ton Souper Bowl ($8.99).

Noodle dishes include the Canton Chow Mein ($7.99), Shanghai Chow Mein ($7.99), Curry Pad Thai Noodle ($7.99), “King Prawn” Chow Mein ($8.99), the Seafood Shanghai Chow Mein ($10.99), “Pastrami” Curry Pad Thai Noodle ($8.99), the Spicy Singapore Pasta ($8.99), the Chili with Pasta ($8.99), Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce ($8.99), Spaghetti with “Wheat Balls” in Tomato Sauce ($9.99), Spaghetti with Zesty Seitan Cutlet ($9.99), Spaghetti with Black Pepper Steakette ($9.99), and the Spicy Moroccan Chick Pea Spaghetti ($9.99)

Rice dishes are unique here because the rice served here is a 7 grain blend and it actually looks purple. “Purple Rice” is blend of white, red, brown, wild, and black rice cooked with a sprinkle of herbs. Some rice dishes include Organic Tofu & Vegetables with Purple Rice in Clay Pot ($8.99), Grilled Vegetables and Tofu with Purple Rice in Clay Pot ($9.99), “Seafood” with Purple Rice in Clay Pot ($10.99), Curry Fried Rice ($8.99), Hawaiian Fried Rice ($8.99), Garden Fried Rice ($7.99), Mushroom Delight Fried Rice ($8.99), and “Seafood” Fried Rice ($8.99)

The Vegetarian Haven also serves a variety of vegetarian hamburgers. Burgers come with a lot of vegetables (sometimes grilled) and blue corn chips and salsa dip. Some burgers include grilled seitan burger ($8.99), The grilled marinated organic tofu burger ($8.99), and the grilled Tofu “Salmon” Steak Burger ($9.99)

As with most vegetarian restaurants, there always has to be smoothies and wraps, a light alternative to the heavy noodle and rice dishes. Wraps are served with mixed green salad. Wraps include the classic, “almost cliche” grilled vegetable and tofu wrap ($8.99),
the chili wrap ($8.99), the avocado supreme wrap ($8.99), spicy moroccan chick pea wrap ($8.99), and the seafood wrap ($9.99)

Main dishes come with purple rice and vegetables. Seitan is “wheat gluten”- the protein part of wheat. Some seitan dishes include Singapore Seitan with peanut sauce ($9.99), Spicy Szechuan Seitan Nuggets ($9.99), Steakettes in Black Pepper Sauce ($9.99), Zesty Cutlets
($9.99), Buddha’s Delight ($10.99), and Curried Seitan ($9.99)

Tofu is coagulated ground soy bean puree. Some tofu dishes include the steamed silken tofu ($7.99), marinated organic ginger tofu ($8.99), braised tofu ($.99), Hawaiian Tofu ($9.99), Black Bean Tofu ($9.99), Tofu Turkey ($11.99), Tofu Seaweed Roulade ($11.99), Organic Tofu in Cream of Corn ($8.99), Grilled Organic Tofu and Vegetables ($8.99), Spicy Eggplant Tofu ($8.99), Golden Tofu ($9.99), Bird’s Nest ($10.99), and the Western Tofu Omelet ($10.99)

TVP (textured vegetable protein) dishes include Zacha Textured Tofu ($8.99), Black Bean Textured Tofu ($8.99), Spicy Mapau Tofu ($8.99), Tim Curry ($8.99), Grilled BBQ Kebab ($9.99)

Tempeh dishes are wonderful. Tempeh is fermented soy. It’s nutty, chewy, and filling. Some tempeh dishes include the sweet and sour tempeh ($9.99), spicy cayenne tempeh ($9.99),
Panfried tempeh in a spicy cayenne pepper sauce wf /s $9.99

Vegetable stir fry’s include the Mushroom Delight ($9.99), the Garden Delight ($8.99), the Steamed Seasonal Vegetables ($8.99), the Grilled Seasonal Vegetables ($9.99), and baked stuffed seasonal vegetables ($9.99)

Desserts include a variety of all vegan cakes, ice creams, pastries, and pies. Some include the Fruit Cup ($2.99), Tofu Ice Cream (aka Tofutti) ($3.49), Fried Banana with Coconut Milk and Crushed Peanuts ($5.99), Fried Apple Fritters with Maple Syrup ($5.99) , and the Pan Fried Red Bean Cake ($2.49)

Beverages include a variety of organic juices, sodas, power shakes (a variety of exotic fruit with organic soy milk – $4.49 for most). Some popular powershakes include the mango, pina colada, papaya, and the canteloupe. Sodas are $1.50 which is not bad. They also serve specialty sodas ($2.49/$4.99), a variety of teas ($1.25-$1.50) coffee ($1.99), coffee substitute ($2.50), and flavoured coffee ($2.50)

They accept every card under the sun.

Pulp Kitchen [brunch]

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898 Queen Street E
416 . 461 . 4612

 

Located right in the heart of South Riverdale, this perfect juice bar and eatery serves vegan meals, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, energy bars, as well as other hot and cold health food. They also sell health and wellness books, nutrition books, cookbooks, high protein and energy bars, vegan pastries, cookies, squares, and cakes.

It looks like an affordable “Fressen” with a rainforest motif on the walls. The place sits about 15 tables and is very bright and cosy. That lazy Sunday morning, I went to brunch (a blind date) and ordered the tofu omelete, alittle too dry and overcooked, with sauteed portobello mushrooms, sauteed red and green peppers, spinach, soy cheese for $8.45. I also ordered a blueberry soy smoothie with frozen bananas, vanilla soy milk, and blueberries for $4.95. As usual, I was pleased by the freshness, presentation, and quality of the food and service. My brunch date ordered the exact same dish as I.

The brunch menu is extensive. It is important to mention that all references to eggs, cheese, meat, chicken, bacon, fish, are all fictional. Some brunch items to highlight are the grilled cheese sandwich with whole grain toast, whole grain peanut butter sandwich with house made jam and peanut butter, hot oatmeal with raisins, carmelized bananas, and pure maple syrup, stewed beans and bangers (like sausages and beans) with corn chutney, a side of green salad, and whole grain toast, a special pulp kitchen sandwich with seared tofu, oven roasted tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Many of their items are home-made, like their homefries, peanut butter, and jam. They accept Interac and VISA.

Madras Durbar [closed Aug 2005- owner died]

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1435 Gerrard Street East
416-465-4116

Located right in Little India/ India Bazaar, this small restaurant has been reviewed in Now and Eye so Aaron and I thought we should check it out. Although I love Indian food and especially restaurants that say Indian Pure Vegetarian Restaurant, I am usually disappointed with South Indian cuisine.

I am not giving up on it though. I just find most of the dishes too soupy and saucy and not substantial enough for my large appetite. At this South Indian establishment, I chose the Thali dish, since it’s the most popular and largest dish (for the most value). My main meal was served on a metal circular dish with a lentil souo (daal), a coriander soup, a milky rice pudding with nutmeg/ginger/cloves dessert (yummy and spicy), a potato curry dish, a spinach curry dish, an vegetable curry dish, and another spicy soup with vegetables and beans.

My Thali plate was only $6.30 and seemed quite substantial. Instead of Naan bread of Chapati or Roti, it came with rice, pappadum, and poori (Fried roti, quite gross and greasy). Our Mango Lassis were the most enjoyable, thick and creamy. I enjoyed my meal immensely. The thali plate resembles a “tapas” –with little mini dishes. It’s great because you get to try many things all in sitting and it’s not filling like a yucky North Indian buffet. Food was very fresh, spicy ,and flavourful. Wait time was not too long. Waiter provided lots of fresh water.

Menu is 3 pages in length, first page has a list of about 10 entrees, all range in price from $2.75 – $7.00 and second page has a list of “savourys” which are appetizers that are not sweet. They are all around $2.00-$4.00. Sweets are at the back of the menu and there are the typical ones (Barfi, Kulfi, Ice Cream, Rice pudding) all reasonably priced between $2.75-$5.00.

To conclude, I thought my dish was very tasty but not filling enough. I am used to dining at North Indian establishments. I can appreciate the healthy 100% vegetarian selections and the smaller portions are much healthier than overloading at a buffet. I think the this place is one of the best places in Little India (Sidartha and Udupi Palace are runners up- New Haandhi, Famous Indian Cuisine, and Regency are yucky. )

It is small and cosy, warm and inviting, and not tacky or sterile like other restaurants on Gerrard street. I was also happy to see the 100% vegetarian menu. Those dishes are more filling and substantial and I was a little disappointed that my Thali plate came with 7 or 8 small portions of these dishes, most of them soups or dips or sauces for the rice or poori. The food is very different as the names of the curries are different too, but both North and South Indian cuisine are spicy, flavourful, and tasty, but I prefer North Indian. Cash and Interac and credit card accepted. Bathrooms are fair. I do not understand why each and every bathroom in these restaurants (I’ve been to most) are smelly and disgusting. Excellent prices, a no bullshit vegetarian establishment.

Golden Thai

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Golden Thai
105 Church
(416) 868-6668

 

Located right near Saint Lawrence Market, Corktown, the Village of York, and just south of the gay village, this place just sticks out because of its large ornate sign, located right at the corner of Church and Richmond. Inside, it’s even more ornate, bordering on kitsch. With decorative paintings, knick knacks, and other ephemera, it’s like stepping into Thailand. You really get a feel for the sights when you are immersed in photographs, art, and other paraphernalia of Thailand.

I was really impressed to find out that Golden Thai was very accomodating and respectful of vegetarians. It says it clearly on the first page of the menu. They claim that they are very aware of vegetarian’s needs and they know what is and what is not vegetarian.

In terms of seating arrangment, the restaurant is one big room, open concept, in one large dining hall. Some tables are round and some are rectangular and they are spaced out well and the place is not congested or crowded with people, unlike other places like Juice for Life, or Salad King.

Most dishes are between $8.95-$12.95 for entrees only. I ordered a tofu stir fry with cashews and it was fresh and simply wonderful. I asked for extra hot, as it was not an spicy dish to begin with. Food is fresh but portions are kind of small if you do not order rice. Next time I’ll order the Thai Eggplant. The menu is large and extensive and there are many vegetarian options. The waiter was very friendly and accomodating and my dinner companion (Wendy) would have liked to have him on the menu as she did fancy him. To conclude, I love the open concept, cathedral ceilings,wonderful service, appreciation to vegerarians, and the fact that they accept VISA, cash, and Interac.

Cafe 668

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As of mid 2007
885 Dundas Street West
*NEW* Phone: 416 703 0668

As of mid 2007, Cafe 668 moved to 885 Dundas Street West
New Phone Number: 416 703 0668

A Southeast Asian all-veggie, vegan-friendly cafe. Located right near Kensington Market along Dundas between Spadina and Bathurst, this place is quite small and cosy and only sits about 6 small tables. Nice ambiance, simple with minimal decor. I started with a small vegetarian hot and sour soup which came piping hot, thick and spicy, sour, and excellent. The soup portion was quite large. My friend ordered an order of veggie cold rolls which looked fresh and healthy. She ordered the main dish called “House Special Mixed Vegetable Noodle Soup which consisted of a huge soup with noodles and an assortment of vegetables. I ordered the veggie chicken sir fried with cashew nuts (Kung-Pau Style). It came with small diced vegetables and I asked for them to leave out the rice. I was kind of disappointed because the night before I ordered the Veggie Chicken Kung Pau at King’s Cafe in Kensington Market and that dish was the best I’ve ever had. This dish at Cafe 668 was excellent but the pieces were so small, it almost looked like baby food. I generally do not like my food diced up like that. The actual dish was filing and yummy and not expensive at all ($7.99). My friend’s main course was $5.50 and her veggie cold rolls were $2.99 for three rolls. My soup was $2.99 and my main dish was $7.99. Lunch and dinner meals are under $10.00 in most cases and are served fresh, colourful, and extremely tasty. Buddhas Vegetarian Restaurant, which is the neighbouring restaurant next door, is somewhat more grungy with bright lights, uncomfortable chairs and awkward tables, and a patchwork of 6 small dining rooms. Cafe 668 is a simple cafe of one room, classy, dimly lit, and quiet. In terms of awards, this place was selected as the number one restaurant in 2002 by NOW Magazine. It has also received praise from NOW Magazine, Eye Weekly, Toronto Life, and the Toronto Star. Open Tues-Fri12:30 -4PM, 6- 9:30PM. Sat-Sun 1:30 – 9:30PM. Closed Monday. They only accept cash.

Byzantium [Winterlicious 2004]

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499 Church St 
416.922.3859 

I went to Byzantium twice so far, once for Winterlicious 2004 and enjoyed a boring thin-crust vegetarian pizza and an organic salad with raisins, cranberries ,and pumpkin seeds in a raspberry viniagrette- typical trendy salad and pizza. My latest visit to Byzantium was last Saturday night.

I went with 5 friends and we all chose this trendy spot in the village. I dressed “trendy casual”- … whatever the hell that means. Let me start off with the good points- the food is excellent and the service is excellent, quick, efficient, attentive, and staff are warm and friendly. The prices on the other are retarded. I order a tofu dish with two layers of tofu with a squash and sweet potato pudding/casserole filling that was layered with more tofu, and mango chutney for $17.00.

The dish looked like a glorified tofu sandwich with fancy jam (mango chutney), squash, and sweet potato filling. The dish came with yummy roasted vegetables (spinach, broccoli, and cauliflower) and a side dish of lentils that were highly spicy, in a nice hot red sauce. The dish was excellent and the portions were just right. I was not impressed with the price of my dish and all other prices on the menu.

Only a moron like me would pay $17.00 for tofu. One friend across from me had a cornish hen, another had a lamb curry on a funky, slanted plate and other friends had other meaty dishes like steak. Byzantium is also known for Martinis and my friend Aaron sure enjoyed many of them- one in particular was a spicy Martini with olives in it. He also ordered a pink Martini that looked like it could have been spiked grapefruit juice, such a shame that they were so expensive.

While waiting the friendly waiter brought out crispy bread (similar to Pappadums at most Indian restaurants), fresh cranberry whole grain bread, with a small platter of hummus. The decor is very chiche, trendy, urban, and hip. It’s obviously the place to be on Saturday night because after 11pm, the restaurant turns into a dance club and the lineups begin. We got a table right in front so we could see the people lining up just to enjoy the ambiance of a hip and cool place and an overpriced martini.

Towards the end of the evening, we had been there over four hours, dined on delicious food, enjoyed a prime sitting area (a large table right at the window in front of the restaurant) and our bill for 6 people came out to over $200.00

I found the place very pretentious, too expensive, and too trendy for my likings. I also found that there were not enough vegetarian items. Upon browsing the menu, I only found two vegetarian items –The Vegetarian Delight Platter and Thin-crust vegetarian pizza, Greek style. I was uncomfortable that at the end of the evening, it became a dance club, with very loud music, a lot of smoke, and way too many people roaming about schmoozing and trying too hard to be cool. I suppose it’s nice to go to trendy places from time to time, and dress up. I did find my meal very tasty and all other dishes were very attractive in their presentation and everyone seemed to really enjoy their meal. My experience at Byzantium was positive because of the good company, good food, and overall great service. Just be prepared to be ripped off and eat beforehand as trendy places tend to be skimpy on the portions.

Pulp Kitchen, post renovation [Mark]

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898 Queen Street E
416 . 461 . 4612
http://www.pulpkitchen.ca

I originally visited this place when it was a juice bar in summer 2002 and really liked the selection of fruit smoothies and vegetable juices. I went in late December with a friend and to my surprise they now serve a full meals and most dishes are vegan and healthy. My friend and I ordered the vegan Phad Thai, which consisted of glass rice noodles, chunks of tofu, homemade peanut sauce, and a lot of vegetables, all sauteed in a nice stir-fry.

We also had a thick delicious smoothie with vanilla soy milk, wheatgrass, spirulina, raspberries, strawberries ,and bananas. It was terrific. We also shared a warm salad of sauteed mushrooms, green beans, long cucumber slivers, and sauteed tofu in a rice vinegar type dressing. The salad was heavenly, not too greasy but the viniagrette was perfect. In addition we each ordered five vegan dumplings with homemade peanut sauce. What a healthy feast!

Decor is funky and tables are not too cramped together. Large front window makes the place bright during the day. The place has about 10-15 tables, sells protein and energy bars, fairly traded products, and they sell healthy desserts, bars, squares, cakes, and still runs as a juice, smoothie, and vegetable juice bar. Located right in the heart of South Riverdale, I will definitely go back. The menu is similar to Juice for Life, without the artsy-fartsy pretentiousness. The bill came out to $45.00 which was kind of pricy but the quality and service was excellent. Staff are very friendly and knowledgable with respect to food content and health benefits of the dishes.

Cafe 668

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Having the distinction of NOW Magazine’s Best Vegetarian Restaurant is quite a feat. It is also quite an accomplishment considering Cafe 668’s low key atmosphere and dingy location near where Dundas West curves at Bathurst Street. Obviously, there is something special here.

My first visit did not result in the "wow" I had expected from the glorious ravings bestowed by NOW’s Steven Davey; however after my second try, I now see what the hype is about (now). Even the tea that was served before our first dish was delicious. I sub-conciously polished off several cups before realizing how much I was enjoying it. The menu itself is quite extensive, something I always find a tad overwhelming in Vietnamese restaurants. So without much perusal of the menu I quickly decided on a Hot and Sour Soup and from the "Chef’s Suggestions" list on the wall I chose the Hot and Sour Spicy Pad Thai. The heat was definitely present as about halfway through the soup the sniffles started. This continued while I started into the pad thai, slightly disguising the taste of that dish. After the spicy sensations dissapated I was really able to enjoy the subtle and aromatic spicing of the pad thai. Interspersed in the noodles were wonderfully cooked pieces of tofu, eggplant, mushrooms and other vegetables. This was hands down the best pad thai I’ve had in the city.

To my knowledge, there is only one server in the tiny establishment. My bet is he is also the owner and he definitely carries an air of dignity and respect about him. The prices are also very reasonable at Cafe 668 solidifyng it as a regular stop within my immediate locale.

Il Fornello on The Danforth [Brunch]

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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

 

Although this restaurant is a “chain,” it truly does not feel like one. Each one is quite different in its decor, charm, and appearance. We went to the Il Fornello located right on the Danforth at Danforth near Pape. This place is usually crowded with swarms of people dining on traditional Italian dishes like pasta, pizza, bruschettam, as well as universal favourites such as grilled fish, sirloin steak, and chicken asiago. Famous for serving pizza, I was surpised to learn that they also serve a spelt crust pizza with soy cheese.

The restaurant’s theme is “traditional Italian fare with a twist of trend.” Main courses are from $12.95-$16.95, salads are from $6.95-$9.95, pizzas from $9.00-$13.50, and appetizers are between $6.95-$9.95

Known for being trendy and bordering on pretentiousness this place actually serves up a really “non-trendy” brunch.

That Sunday morning at 11:00am, the place was surprisingly not packed, but had a more laid back ambiance. The waiters were extra friendly and the one serving us had a permanent smile on his face. He always was there to pour us continuous amounts of water. Service was exceptional.

I went with four friends and was surprised to see a separate and simple brunch menu containing about ten classic “brunch” items. Most of the items were not vegetarian as most consisted the omelete of the day (add $1 for an egg white version), baked eggs with pea meal bacon, eggs salmone (smoked salmon with baked eggs), and other fancy egg dishes, all presented with artistic beauty, colour, and flare.

I enjoyed strawberries, bananas with Jenny’s famous granola [who the heck is Jenny anyway?], served in an extra large plate with a generous serving of strawberries, bananas, and granola. On my second visit I had the egg white omelete with broccoli and cheese and it was amazing. It was not greasy and the portions were decent. All omeletes of the day come with three different kinds of salad.

Brunch items include an assortment of cocktails- Bellini and Mimosa ($5.95), as well as fresh fruit Smoothies ($4.95). Il Fornello serves up an assortment of egg dishes (scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon ($8.95), Eggs Italiano ($8.95), Baked Eggs ($8.25), Vegetarian Baked Eggs ($8.25), Eggs Benedict ($7.95), Eggs Salmone ($8.95), Omelette of the Day ($8.95). For people opting for the egg white version, add $1.00

Other traditional brunch items include the French Toast with table syrup ($8.95), Belgian Waffles with fresh fruit, table syrup and fresh cream ($7.95), add a caramelized banana for $1.95 extra,
the Breakfast Pizza ($9.25- tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, red pepper, bacon and two baked eggs on a wood oven fired thin crust.), the traditional Breakfast ($8.95 -bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes, fruit salad and buttered multigrain toast ), and Crab Cakes ($11.00)

Side orders include multi-grain Toast ($2.00), Toasted English muffin, ($1.70)
Pan-fried potatoes($1.70), Bacon ($2.50), and Fresh fruit ($3.50)

We sat in the spacious outdoor terrace by the front of the restaurant. Inside the restaurant the place is gorgeous with an open concept wood oven where you can see the chefs prepare your food before your eyes. There are little romantic corner tables, all secluded from the rest of the restaurant, large glass windows separating the restaurant from the outside, and a gorgeous country-kitchen bar with a vast selection of wines and beers. Service is prompt and exceptional. we were happy overall with our meal, the ambiance, and the presentation of the meal. Accepts all cards. 10 Locations across Toronto