Saving Grease & Forgetting Graces

When I moved to Toronto Dundas West was a desolate strip, with a few Portuguese bakeries, but few noteworthy restaurants. One of the few saving graces for the brunch inclined on a Sunday stroll was the salivation inducing Saving Grace. For the last ten years Saving Grace has been fostering line-ups so long that a waitlist needed to be implemented.

I vividly remember my first brunch experience there. Polenta waffles, served with a sweet and zesty lime sour cream and a pomegranate coulis. As far as brunch goes, I would definitely put myself down as a savory savourer– I typically find pancakes too flat, and waffles too cloying. But these waffles were perfect. Five years ago everything about Saving Grace seemed perfect—from the eclectic details such as the vintage collection of sugar spoons and salt & pepper shakers, to the small dining space that fostered an intimate environment and amplified the exotic aromas of India that mingled o so well with the smell of freshly fried eggs and bacon.

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I will not criticize a restaurant for their wait; popularity should never result in condemnation. I will, however, say that after a lengthy wait good service would remedy any ill feelings resulting from low blood sugar. Though the room was small the single server seemed incapable of effectively managing her tables. Coffee cups longed to be filled, and her attentions were very divided. Poor, overextended service has been a long-standing problem at Saving Grace. For a venue that is nearly constantly packed to the gills, it is about time that they step up their service. A customer should not feel as though asking for condiments or a refill is a burden.

Now maybe I’ve become jaded, or maybe just spoiled, but on my last visit to Saving Grace I felt as though they had lost their spark. Perhaps Saving Grace’s popularity has led to a bit of culinary laziness on their part. It seemed to me that Saving Grace was lacking grace and serving up grease.

The French toast with a coconut-walnut praline (9$) was tasty if a forkful managed to combine the dish’s different elements, but it was nothing to mmmm at. The presentation was lack luster; in fact, I would go as far as to say the presentation was unappetizing. The dish lacked colour and looked as though the chef poured some granola on some slices of well-greased baguette.

I would like to say that the under delivery on the French toast special was a one off, but their standard French toast with caramelized onions, apples, and emmental cheese was also lacking luster (8.75$). It had all the right ingredients, but failed in the delivery. The bread was under egged and over greased. The caramelized onions were more sautéed than caramelized, and the apple slices were undercooked and too thickly sliced. With a few tweaks this dish could have been fantastic.

The Rajistani eggs (9$) are a great Saving Grace classic that combines Indian flavours with a brunch classic: scrambled eggs. The scrambled eggs are served with spicy red onions, chickpea masala, and a spicy paratha (a flat bread similar to a chapatti). Similar to the coconut French toast, this dish finds its own when you manage to take a bite that combines all the flavours of the dish together. I would not recommend this the Rajistani eggs for a stomach that’s ailing from a hangover.

Ultimately, a decent brunch with innovative combinations inspired from unusual sources. A long wait. Poor service. Good ambience.

SERVICE 2½/5
AMBIANCE 4/5
PRESENTATION 3/5
TASTE 3½/5
PRICE $$
HOURS Monday to Friday  9:00am – 3:00pm. Closed Wednesdays.
Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00am – 3:00pm.
LOCATION, LOCATION 907 Dundas Street West

 

 

Aunties & Uncles

Some restaurants are pros at handling a deluge of customer’s; Aunties and Uncle’s, however, shines brightest during slow weekdays. The small space and open kitchen are often overwhelmed by stumbling undergrads seeking to assuage their hangovers. The wait staff get overwhelmed, the kitchen becomes chaotic, and the patrons grumble and moan about wait times that exceed the half hour mark. But, come on a lazy Thursday for lunch, and you can expect a piping cup of joe that rarely runs dry (2$, Reunion Island), some friendly banter with your sports enthusiast server, and well prepared and plated food.

Yves drinks a cup of Reunion Island coffee. Grown in Madagascar, roasted in Toronto, brewed at AU.

The decore is quaint, but a bit affected—it channels small town Ontario circa the 1950s with its airplane wall paper, outdate maps, long stopped coca cola wall clock, and pastel coloured Formica furniture. AU is homey not because it is particularly comfortable, but because it reminds you of what you think your grandmother’s kitchen would have been like.

Their set menu is ample and diverse with savory, sweet, and vegetarian options. And they are very flexible about sides; choose between challah bread, hash browns, Dijon potato salad, and mixed greens. Their potato salad is possibly the best in Toronto. Made with coarsely cut red skined potatoes, Dijon, fresh dill, and secret spices, this side is sinfully creamy, but it’s actually mayonnaise free and, surprisingly, vegan.

While the menu at Unties and Uncles is excellent for those watching their wallet (nothing over 8.75$), it’s not great for those watching their waists. Almost everything on the menu is heavy, buttery, and eggy. This may be why so many hangovers have been cured at AU. They are channeling that old diner vibe, so, grease should be a given, and on a cold winter day there’s nothing like a full belly to keep you motoring.

Three mains that will fill your belly

The breakfast tacos without chorizo. A poor decision.

The Breakfast Pocket (8.75$) is a patron favourite. The Breakfast Pocket is served on a warm onion bun, and thus is more of a breakfast sandwich than a pocket, but semantics aside, it’s delicious. Full of fluffy eggs, perfectly seared peameal, accented with caramelized onions, cheddar, and a hint of mayo, this sandwich/pocket is sure to fight off any hangover and all hunger pangs.

The Breakfast Tacos (8.75$) are satisfying, but my first mouthful failed to transport me to Mexican warmth. Despite the delicious cilantro sour cream, these tacos lack one key ingredient: salsa. Without ruffage the tacos are heavy, and their only real saving grace is the in house made chorizo and authentic Mexican tortillas. On my last visit to AU I decided to substitute the chorizo for mushrooms, big mistake. It’s the perfectly spiced chorizo that’s holding this dish together.

The Grilled Brie served with disappointing and underwhelming hash browns. The lesson: go for the amazing potato salad. Always.

If you are looking to forgo eggs, try the Grilled Brie (8.25$) served with pear chutney on challah toast. The natural light sweetness of the challah bread provides a great counterpoint to savory Brie. The Brie AU uses tends to be on the mild side  and does not overwhelm the delicate pear chutney. However, the walnuts can, and often do, overwhelm the sandwich. Walnuts have a high tannin level in their skins when compared to other nuts, that when unblanched can inundate the palate with bitterness. The bitterness could be balanced by a more flavourful pear chutney, or by blanching the walnuts, or by chopping them more finely, thereby sacrificing aesthetics. All together a good, and satisfying sandwich, but with a few small kitchen tweaks, this could be an awe inspiring, dream worthy, sandwich.

The meal was leisurely, the portions satisfying, and the service was good. The total for two people came to just over 21$. Ultimately, it wasn’t an out of body gastronomic experience, but it hit the spot, and as far as value for your buck goes, AU vying for first.

Full for 10$, I can handle that.

SERVICE 3.5/5
AMBIANCE 3.5/5
PRESENTATION 3.5/5
TASTE 3.5/5
PRICE $
HOURS Monday – Sunday 9 am – 3 pm
LOCATION, LOCATION 74 Lippincott Street (just north of College)

NOTEWORTHY

• Cash only
• Homemade ketchup with undertones of cinnamon and deliciousness
• Belgian waffles that strike a balance between a crispy outside, and a soft doughy inside.

The father, the sun, and the Holy Oak

Bloordale's a diverse neighborhood with tons of hidden gems.

You may be familiar with Parkdale, but have you heard of Bloordale? Bloordale stretches from Lansdowne to Dufferin across Bloor Street, and is the epitome of the multicultural cocktail that is Toronto. Unlike other neighborhoods that have been dominated by a single cultural influence, Bloordale is a true mix of new Canadians from across the globe. In this small stretch you’ll find Italians, Latin Americans, Sri Lankans, West Indians, Chinese, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis, many of whom speak a native language other than English.

Bloordale has been historically neglected by young Torontonians because of its lack of trendy shops, cafes, and accessible grocery stores. Even the cheap rental rates weren’t enough to attract and keep young residents sated. But, fear not, over the past five years this neighborhood has gentrified, and not in the over saturated Ossington kind of way. One of the founding cornerstones that catalyzed the renaissance of Bloordale was the arrival of the Holy Oak Cafe to the neighborhood.

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There’s something special about the Holy Oak that sets it apart from all those other trendy latte slingers. Sure, some places on Queen can paint a Klimt with foam, but the Holy Oak is more than just a run of the mill coffee house. It’s your grandma’s kitchen, it’s your work place, it’s a place for discussion, and a place to scream “JENGA!” all at once.

The Holy Oak is a café by day, a bar by night, and a light fare restaurant all times in between. The room is small, with about 10 mix and match vintage kitchen tables, a working stand up piano, and a glorious bay window that lets in enough sunshine to fight off those impending winter blues. Hanging houseplants and colorful wall art help to reinforce the comfortable, pretentious free, atmosphere. It’s also family friendly, so don’t be surprised when you see tots hanging out on a sun drenched Sunday playing with the complimentary toys.

Freshly baked goodies fog up their glass displays.

They offer Intelligentsia coffee (1.50$ espresso, 2$ americanos, and pricey, but delicious lattes at 3.75$– specialty lattes at 4$), a healthy selection Tealish teas (2-3$), Quebecois draft beer, and a small, but filling menu of edibles. The daily soup never disappoints, the portion is a healthy size and it comes with scrumptious rye bread, definitely worth the 6$. Other menu staples include stuffed naan, stuffed with your choice of curry chicken or vegetables for 5$, and various grilled cheeses (4.50$+). On weekends they offer simple brunch fare; the menu changes weekly, but you can expect eggs any style, bennies, french toast, & omelets, made with a focus on organic, locally sourced, ingredients.  Beware on weekends because tables can be scarce, so arrive early or be prepared to wait.

holy oak, batman!

The Holy Oak also has a plethora of board games, wonderful live music performances that are scattered throughout the day and night, and excellent hours. They’re open everyday of the week, save Monday, from early morning to the witching hour or later.

Because the Holy Oak straddles the line between café and bar the atmosphere on a Saturday night is somehow more civilized than your typical booze focused bar. There are the university students discussing Hegel in a corner, the friends catching up over beer by the window, the internet suffers answering e-mails and sipping chai, while the party of five argues over whether slang is Scrabble approved.

SERVICE 4.5/5
AMBIANCE 4/5
PRESENTATION 3.5/5
TASTE 3.5/5
PRICE $
HOURS Mon 8am- 7pm, Tue 8am- 12am, Wed & Thurs & Fri  8am – 2am, Sat 9am- 2am, Sun 9am – 12am
LOCATION, LOCATION 1241 Bloor Street West (at Emerson)

NOTEWORTHY

• Tuesday Night Local Prix Fixe. For 25-27$ you get a fantastic meal that focuses on what is seasonal, locally produced, and organic. The meal includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, and cheese plate, and there are always two options: carnivore or vegetarian. If you are interested in learning more about the Holy Oak prix fixe click here.
• Wednesday: board game night. Great atmosphere, but don’t fret, games are always available to those who want to play.

Joyous Redemption

Joy’s a dinner disaster, but they shine when it comes to brunch.

Joy Bistro is an east side behemoth with two patios and two floors. I recommend, weather and warmth permitting, B side patio.  B side gets great sun, and has a warm Mediterranean ambience with its terracotta stucco walls and wooden patio furniture. In winter and rainy weather, Over Joy, their upstairs indoor option, is also a very good second. Over Joy is bright, elegant, and open, with a great view of Queen St. E.

Brunch seems to be quickly becoming the popular meal of the twenty something. It’s affordable, it’s plentiful, and at a decent hour leaving the rest of the day  open for whatever Sunday whims tickle you. And Joy Bistro is worthy of your precious early Sunday afternoon, especially if you can snag a sun soaked spot on B side by their fire pit.

At Joy brunch, coffee and tip will run you about 15$. The selection isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but they have a healthy selection of bennies (10-13$) and sandwiches (for the more lunch inclined 9$). And their Dutch oven pancakes will fill any belly (8$).  The coffee is unending, always a plus on a Sunday morning, although it is weak, and waving down a busy waitress can be difficult.

I recommend their Rowe Farms Steak and Eggs (14$). Rowe farms provide local, conscientiously farmed, meat, so you can rationalize the cost. It comes served with two eggs, any style, home fries and toast. I had my eggs poached, and they were perfectly runny. And the meat was done rare, like I asked for, although it was a touch on the cold side when it arrived at the table. The home fries were crispy, and they were interestingly seasoned. If you are watching your wallet this week they offer many traditional breakfast items for less than 10$.

Service is never spectacular, but that is mainly due to how crowded Joy Bistro is for brunch.

Ultimately, Joy Bistro succeeds when it focuses on simplicity and quality. The problem with Joy is that there is just too much, too many patios, too many rooms, and too many flavours. They seem to like juggling a lot, but when they concentrate on one thing, like good traditional brunch fare, they succeed.

SERVICE 3/5
AMBIANCE 4/5 (4/5 for B side patio, 3.5/5 for Over Joy)
PRESENTATION 3/5
TASTE 3.5/5
PRICE $$
HOURS Open seven days a week from 11:30am on. Dinner service begins at 5pm. Brunch is served from 8am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
LOCATION, LOCATION 884 Queen Street East