It makes me so happy that restaurant owners are choosing to open their establishments uptown, giving the everyone (especially me) more delicious options, less traffic, and free parking!
Chicken & Waffles
Elephant Grind opened their doors mid 2018 in Richmond Hill – a combination of beautiful atmosphere, exceptional coffees and fantastic flavour combinations. They are serving up traditional bunch with an Asian fusion twist like Lap Chong (Chinese sausage) Hash, Cha Siu Pulled Pork Bennies, Hojicha and Matcha Lattes. I also think they might also have the best chicken and waffles ever – love that the chicken is boneless!
Cons: they don’t take reservations, it’s first come first serve with some help from the servers and you order and pay at the counter prior to getting your food – which makes it a little chaotic at times for the guests that are already eating.
They definitely have some work to do on some of the intensity of their flavoured lattes but their coffees are great and not outrageously expensive.
The Grilled squid, $7, was tender and not chewy. There was a slight smokey flavours from the grill and the sauce wasn’t too salty.
From top left going clock wise: Pork Cutlet Tonkotsu Ramen (changed soup base from Pork Cutlet Curry Ramen), Hokkaido Ramen & House Tonkotsu Ramen.
Not really a fan of the curry but the restaurant name does indicate that it’s a ramen shop and not curry shop. The pork cutlet was on point, someone once told me that you can tell if a restaurant is good by how delicious their pork katsu is. It was nicely golden brown with an ultra crisp exterior and the pork itself was tender and juicy (I hate that word).
My broth was tongue burning hot, just the way I like it and the noodles were thin and had a nice chewy texture. I opted to get the House Speical Tonkotsu Ramen, bbq pork, egg, green onion, black fungus, corn, fishcake & seaweed, $8.50. Overall the ramen was good, no comparision to Sansotei or Santouka but a nice option for people who want to satisfy a ramen craving without heading downtown.
Koi Sakana serves up one of the better ramens uptown.
Update: I’ve been back quite a number of times and Koi really hits the spot when you’re craving quality ramen uptown!
One of the best Brunches I’ve ever had, I’ve been longing to dine at Lady Marmalade for quite some time now but I’m not quite the fan of 1-2 hour weekend line-ups. I finally made a trip to Leslieville on a Thursday and got a seat with no hassle.
The restaurant is small with around 10 -12 tables, simple decor and nothing too frufru or over the top. At the front of the restaurant, there is a giant window that opens up to the street which gives you the patio feeling without the sun blinding you in the eye while you eat.
Eggs Benny with Brie, Avocado and Bacon, $15.00.
Cheddar & Spinach Waffles with Bacon and a Poached egg, $12.95 + 3.00 for the poached egg.
There was an orange tomato type sauce with the pancakes that at first I thought might have been a weird combination but it was a hit! I’m typically not a sweet breakfast type girl but I couldn’t resist a savoury waffle.
Lady Marmalade definitely lives up to the brunch hype and I can’t wait come back for more,
Southern Fried Chicken, maple waffles & spicy creme fraiche, $15.
The fried chicken was boneless and had a light crispy coating but the star of the dish were the waffles, crispy exterior and fluffy interior. The combination of savoury, sweet and spicy was perfect. It was so good!
Eggs Benedict, roasted pork cheek with poached eggs, hollandaise sauce and field greens, $15. The eggs were perfectly runny and the pork cheeks were just the right amount of saltiness and crispiness. The sauce was incredibly velvety.
I must say these were one of the best eggs benedicts I’ve ever had, they were so simple but done so well. I even traded half my chicken & waffles for the rest of my sister’s benedicts, it was that good.
As soon as you walk through the doors of The Good Son, you’re instantly transported back to the 1950s. The hostess area resembles a kitchen pantry with the white cabinets and wooden counter tops. The restaurant itself is incredibly cozy with mismatched seating, large leather booth seating, an open concept kitchen that over looks a a massive family table that seats 18. Even though the walls are covered from floor to ceiling with decor, it doesn’t look cluttered.
Did I mention that the service was on point, super friendly. Can’t wait to come back for brunch and to try out their dinner menu. They even have their own pizza oven at the back of the restaurant!
Weekends and brunch go hand in hand and it’s probably my favourite type of meal. For some reason I feel like I can always indulge when it comes to brunch. I used to work at the East end and I would pass by AFT everyday but never had the chance to try it.
I took my mom here for lunch and we walked in a little past 11am and there were already people ordering. Aft has two different sets of menus; a brunch and dinner menu for the weekends and a separate one for the weekend.
I got the Brisket Hash, slow-smoked beef brisket with shredded potato hash, pan fried with two sunny-side eggs and served with toast. ($15.00) My meal was alright, I didn’t think it was anything special. The potatoes were perfectly cooked with part of the hash being crispy and the middle being soft. I thought the brisket was going to be more like pulled pork but it was diced up into little nuggets scattered throughout. I wish there were more tomatoes or something to make the dish more fresh and light.
The Kentucky Hot Brown, house-smoked chicken, roma tomatoes & Mornay sauce served open-faced on thick toast with double-smoked bacon ($14.00). If you want something super rich and filling, this is the dish to order. The Mornay sauce is a ultra thick creamy sauce, it’s so buttery, creamy and hard to stop eating. The chicken was tender and the bacon was crispy. This dish was so good it was hard to picking at it even after being completely stuffed.
I think AFT’s BBQ sauces really make the meal, you get the choice between three. Our waitress didn’t explain which was what but I have a pretty good guess. From left to right; mango BBQ, a smoky BBQ and maple habanero. I really liked the sweet mango sauce, I slathered it on my whole meal.
Looking for a new brunch joint? Hello Darling opened it’s doors the beginning of this year, the interior is quite quaint, friendly and welcoming. I love the simple decor here with the mismatched cups and plates and fresh flowers on each table.
Everyone got either coffee or tea, I opted to get the Rhubarb & Ginger Soda. It was not too sweet and really refreshing, not as much rhubarb flavour as I wanted though. The menu changes daily with their menu hand written on their black board.
Everything is is made in house and they source their protein from Rowe Farms which is awesome knowing where the products are actually from.
My sister and my boyfriend both got the Huevos Rancheros served with fried eggs, mixed peppers, rice & beans, pico de gallo, avocado, purple slaw and Mexican cheese. This isn’t your stereotypical huevos rancheros, super light and healthy version.
Chris got the Apple Cake French Toast, served with rum raisins, maple syrup and whipped cream (opted out).
My mom got the Eggs Any Style which is served with hash brown, toast, light salad and fruit. No complaints but also nothing very fancy.
I got the Roasted Vegetables with poached eggs, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potato, fennel, pita za’atar, white bean hummus & kale chips. I really loved my dish, it was healthy, light but also very substantial. All the different textures made up for the lack of meat.
I would highly recommend checking out Hello Darling if you’re looking for a vegetarian and vegan friendly meal but also very satisfying for meat eaters alike. The wait time for food is a little longer than usual but the food and service make up for that.
Bonjour Brioche Honestly Bonjour Brioche is hands down my favourite breakfast/brunch place in Toronto. They have amazing food with amazing prices, not only that they bake their own breads and everything is made in house, they also have a killer salad dressing that you can purchase for $6.50. My mom took me here a few years ago and
I recommend this place to everyone and can’t stop raving about it. I met up with some of my classmates for brunch before our “Hunger Games, Sweet Addition”. I figured we needed a proper meal before going into a sugar coma.
I got one of their daily savoury tarts which has quiche like qualities, egg custard in a flaky-pyllo like pastry crust. That day I got one with chorizo, arugula and smoked provolone served with a side salad and a piece of baguette. The chorizo was nice and crispy and the portion was just right for me.
Monica got the smoked salmon eggs benedict on a croissant with a side salad and instead of a piece of baguette she got a small brioche. She gave me a piece and it was delicious and she loved it. Kylie got a Lemon Twist, it looked super flaky and butter. I really wanted to get some of their croissant pastries to take home but sadly didn’t.
Kylie got a Lemon Twist, it looked super flaky and butter. I really wanted to get some of their croissant pastries to take home but sadly didn’t.
Bonjour Brioche is a pretty small restaurant so you’re pretty close to your neighbour. They don’t take reservations so get there early or expect a wait, there’s alway a line up out the door when I pass by. This place is definitely a must try brunch / bakery in Toronto, just on the East end of Queen Street. One more thing, they only except cash.
Sadly this year my sister and I didn’t plan anything extravagant for my mom on Mother’s Day, life has been so busy but we did spend the day with her and took her out to brunch. My sister made reservations to Smash Restaurant & Bar, where Bluestone Bistro used to be situated. I really miss having Bluestone Bistro there, they had amazing breakfast options like their to-die-for crab cake eggs benedict but never mind, we’re here to talk about Smash!
Little has changed with their decor or any renovations at all, just the ambiance is a little more lounge-y. For Mother’s Day they had a special for $25 which included breakfast bread basket, mimosa, entree and dessert. We all opted out of it and just got our individual meals.
This was the bread basket, banana bread and blueberry muffins but they weren’t anything special.
My mom ordered the Tuscan Chicken Sandwich with french fries.
My sister and I both got omelettes, I got the vegetarian (spinach, onions, mushrooms and cheese) and my sister got bacon and 4 cheese. I enjoyed mine but it wasn’t anything mind blowing, a little too cheesy but overall just an average omelette. Both omelettes were served with toast, a side of fresh fruit and home fries.
Chris got the Eggs Benedict with toast and home fries. He was extremely hungry so he devoured it and also ate some of my mom’s sandwich.
Opinion? Smash has nothing impressing but nothing horrible either, just an average restaurant. Would I be back? Probably not, at least not for breakfast.
What’s better than having brunch? Having brunch in the middle of the week as a good pick-me-up. Kylie met up with me at Le Petit Dejeuner for some delicious brunch food, she was going to be in the neighbourhood so we decided to grab a bite before heading to school.
Petit Dejeuner serves up Belgian-Canadian comfort food with their fabulous light and fluffy waffles.
I got the Breakfast Crepes, $12, filled with three cheeses, peameal bacon, two scrambled eggs and potatoes. It wasn’t a very visually appealing filling but it was scrumptious. Almost all the meals are served with a side of their famous apple slaw, sweet and tangy, topped with their house creamy dressing and pickles. I honestly hate raw apples but I’ll gladly eat a bowl of Petit Dejeuner’s apple coleslaw.
Kylie got the Waffle Benny, it’s like Eggs Benny without the English muffin and only with one egg, $13.00. Kylie seemed to love her meal.
I love the interior, with their bright green vinyl couches, yellow walls and just the old charm it has. The servers are incredibly nice too, warm, welcoming and laid back.
I warn you though, there will be a line up and usually it’s out the door on the weekends so go early and get a table!
Spent a lovely chilly Saturday going around downtown satisfying my food cravings with the family, our first stop was at Hank’s for brunch. I’ve been dying to come to Hank’s after reading pretty good reviews for their brunch menu.
Before heading over to Hank’s we stopped by St. Lawrence Market to grab some coffee to keep us warm for our trek. I love the atmosphere at Hank’s, it was warm and modern at the same time. Dark brown worn out wooden floors, bright white walls, ceilings and some stools and the pops of colour from the art created by local artists.
We got seated right away but the waitress was really rude, she instantly grabbed my cousin and boyfriend’s coffees out of their hands and said no outside drinks (I used to work at a restaurant so I know the rules but she didn’t even give them the option of finishing it outside). I mean if the food wasn’t as good as it was I would have been so pissed and she would have ruined Hank’s for me.
Jessica and I got the Pacific Eggs, $13, Two poached eggs, English muffin, Wild smoked salmon, sautéed spinach, hollandaise & home fries. We both absolutely loved our dish, the eggs were perfectly cooked, the smoked salmon was delicious and not fishy at all. Probably the best smoked salmon eggs benedict I’ve ever had. Oh and the home fries were super crispy which I loved!
Satya got the Breakfast Poutine, $9, the poutine contained sausage, a poached egg, cheddar cheese, tomato, fries and hollandaise sauce. Needless to say Satya loved it and so did everyone else who tried his poutine. Only compliant was there wasn’t enough sausages.
If you know Chris you know he loves cinnamon buns and he loves french toast so what better option then the Cinnamon Bun French Toast, $10, it was served with Quebec maple syrup and fruit salad. I had a bite and it was more like raisin bread french toast than cinnamon bun.
My mom got Hank’s Benny for $13, two poached eggs with fresh tomato salsa, avocado, toasted english muffin & hollandaise sauce served with crispy home fries
My sister just got the Eggs Any Style for $8 and you got a choice between bacon, sausage or peameal bacon.
Even though our waitress was incredibly rude the food made up for it, Hank’s will definitely be one of my go to places for brunch when I’m downtown. Oh, and the prices are really reasonable for the portions and taste!
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