The Ace
Posted on January 15, 2012 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Roncesvalles Village
4 stars
- I am the first to admit that I don’t know Roncesvalles Village well. A friend used to live there many moons ago, but we spent most of our time drinking red wine on her porch until the wee hours in the morning instead of exploring what the neighbourhood had to offer. In recent years, however, the lure of the restaurants lining Roncesvalles Ave has drawn me to the West side of the city more frequently. I never know quite what to expect when I arrive, but I am always pleasantly surprised.
One such surprise awaited me at The Ace. I had heard that the space had been standing empty for ages; even that it had once been a Chinese restaurant. Now headed up by chef Peter McKnight, it has been reopened as a place to stop in for some classic comfort food: fried chicken, burgers, soup, Shepherd’s pie. While the menu has changed, the décor most certainly did not; the new owners have kept as much of the original decoration as possible giving the place an authentic 1950’s feel.
My friend and I settled in for our meal in a booth near the back of across from the open kitchen. When asked what we’d like to drink, I tried to sneak a peek at the taps available only to find that there were none in sight. Well, no taps that I recognized anyway. Our waiter informed us that the fantastic milkshake mixer sitting on the counter served as the taps. A great aesthetic touch behind the bar.
We submitted our drink orders – Mill St. for me, the Ace Manhattan for my friend – and took stock of the menu. Written out on paper were five or six appetizers and five or six mains from which to choose. We pondered several options, but when the waiter announced that one of the specials of the day was a “Christmas burger” the whole plan changed. Ground turkey with stuffing in the middle, topped with cranberry chutney? THIS had to be eaten. As delicious as it sounded, it was actually better than anticipated. It hit all the parts of your palate and it was gobbled up in minutes.
Also sampled were the deep-fried Brussels sprouts with dill aioli and the gorgeous, briny oysters. Both were truly excellent and personified what The Ace is all about: simple food done perfectly. My dining companion and I nearly stabbed each other with our forks trying to get at the Brussels sprouts, something I truly thought would never, ever happen in my lifetime.
If you’re at The Ace, do not miss the fried chicken, which is succulent, juicy and crispy, served with him gravy, collard greens and cornbread (though why the cornbread is served on the gravy is a bit beyond me, as it has the unfortunate effect of making the bread a big soggy after a while). The fresh pasta with tuna, chiles, plum tomatoes and basil was cooked to exactly al dente and the flaked trout with potatoes, radishes and red onions struck a great balance of temperature, texture and flavor.
No matter how full you may be from the well-sized portions, I implore you not to skip dessert. The ice cream in particular is outstanding. Do not miss the oatmeal, stout or chocolate-rosemary concoctions: they are all made in-house and I am not ashamed to admit that I asked for an entire vat of the chocolate-rosemary ice cream to take home so that I could swim in it. Seriously. Do not miss dessert!
By the time we left around 8pm, The Ace had a line up of hungry patrons eager to relax in a comfortable, homey environment with excellent comfort food, attentive staff and a great bartender. I would suggest dressing in layers as it gets quite warm, as evidenced by the perpetually fogged-over front window. Go early or go late or go for brunch. You won’t be disappointed.
- Carolyn
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Mitzi’s Cafe
Posted on November 18, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Roncesvalles Village
3 stars
- For the past year or so, I’ve been meaning to go to Mitzi’s Cafe for brunch. Weekends however, draw a big crowd and my nine-to-five job prevented me from going during the week and avoiding said crowd. Fortunately, having resigned from my job to be a writer (see: unemployed) I am now afforded the luxury of going to brunch on say, a Tuesday…which is exactly what I did this week.
I love Mitzi’s location. Tucked away on a quiet corner of Sorauren, surrounded by century homes, purple and yellow painted Mitzi’s is a bit out-of-place, but that’s the appeal. I have a thing for old neighbourhood general stores, and that’s what Mitzi’s reminds me of. Inside looked exactly how I both expected and hoped for; arborite tables with mismatched chairs, a glass display case that housed trays of muffins at the time, and walls adorned with local art. I really, really wanted to like this place.
And like it I did, however my friend was less than satisfied with her experience. Let’s start with mine shall we? Mitzi’s has a small but thoughtful menu, and I had previously perused it online, so I knew exactly what I wanted. Craving sweet over savoury, I ordered the French toast as planned ($10.95). Made with Challah bread it is then topped with a peach & ginger compote, covered in graham cracker crumbs and generously doused with real maple syrup (the last step done by yours truly). It was fantastic. The bread was thick and fluffy, and the compote had just the right amount of ginger in it. It had all the makings of a dessert…in a breakfast. It should be noted that this dish is typically served with whipped cream, but I decided it was too much of an indulgence (says the person who used so much syrup as to make her French toast wish it had signed up for swimming lessons).
Sitting just adjacent to the expanding pool of syrup, but not completely out of its reach, were the home fries, which offset the sweetness of the French toast nicely. Made with halved baby potatoes they were spiced perfectly. My only complaint is that there weren’t more of them, but it’s probably for the best in the long run. If the toast itself was the star of the show, then the home fries were the understudy.
As I had already had my morning coffee I chased all of this with a glass of their homemade orange/banana/mango juice. It was just thick enough to know it was the real thing, and at $3 I think it was good value.
The glowing endorsement ends with my friends order. She was so looking forward to her poached eggs (also $10.95). Served on Portuguese cornbread, topped with wilted spinach, and slathered in roasted red pepper & asiago sauce, it looked delicious when set down in front of her, but as she cut into the egg with her fork, the yolk failed to flow. Her poached eggs weren’t poached at all… they were hard-boiled. Cue the violins. Tasty yes, but it wasn’t what she wanted, and the accompanying rye bread would fail to serve its dipping duty.
This would have been a 4 star review had I made it a solo trip, but alas the poached eggs (or lack thereof) knocked it down a peg. Mitzi’s is still worth a visit though for the French toast (and I hear the Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes are pretty killer too), but if it’s poached eggs you crave, be specific,…if only for the sake of your toast and its reason for being.
- Rebecca
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Uncle Betty’s Diner
Posted on July 11, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Yonge and Lawrence
3 stars
- Uncle Betty’s is a family foodie heaven: the sole Toronto provider of New York’s famous Dreesen’s doughnuts, a colourful ice cream and dessert bar, warm and fuzzy comfort food, and a small selection of beer and wine for the grown-ups in the crowd, all make this a popular place for parents and kids alike. Uncle Betty’s has only been open for a few months, but it already seems to have garnered a dedicated following. We went to Uncle Betty’s on a bustling Friday night, looking for a casual meal and easy-going atmosphere; Uncle Betty’s certainly provided both. Painted in bright blue and cheery orange, lots of seating inside, and a small patio off the front, we felt right at home. Several families were enjoying meals with their kids in tow As the evening wore on though, most of those families were replaced with twenty and thirty-somethings looking for a cool place to hang out.
Offering sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, and many other of Uncle Betty’s specialty creations, the menu is fairly extensive and varied. We ordered the roasted vegetable sandwich with a salad, and the grilled cheese sandwich, which was made with homemade mac-and-cheese and meatloaf stuffed inside. Their grilled cheese also comes in a pulled pork variety, which I am sure we will try on our next outing. Both meals were great, the vegetable sandwich was warm, the cheese was nicely melted, and the bread was crisp. The grilled cheeses sandwich was deemed as one of the “best ever,” however, the portion size was on the small side for a $15 sandwich. Both of us agreed that the sandwich could be a little bigger, but overall we were impressed with the quality and creative effort put into the food.
For dessert, we each tried a Dreesen’s cinnamon sugar doughnut, made fresh on site, and although they were pretty tasty, I am setting my sights on the ice cream bar next time. It is far too bright and colourful to miss, with jars of candy toppings and a great selection of ice cream flavours to choose from.
The service was friendly and attentive, and we had a conversation with the owner, Samara Melanson, as we were leaving. Samara and her husband recently opened the restaurant, and it’s always great to meet the owner while dining out and learn about the creation of the restaurant and where some of the ideas for the food come from. She told us that chef Paul Lampa was brought over from Coquine restaurant, which explains the “gourmet” comfort food bent and the locally sourced ingredients.
Most appetizers are priced from 6 – 10 dollars; entrees varied in price from about 9 – 15 dollars, and wine and beer was in the 6 – 8 range. And Uncle Betty’s carries Kicking Horse coffee, which is an instant sell and a welcome find for this Toronto-transplanted Western girl.
Betty’s also offers what looks to be a delicious weekend brunch, with homestyle blueberry pancake and Uncle Betty’s own take on eggs benny, which comes served on a doughnut. We will definitely be back to Uncle Betty’s to try some of the other great entrees on the menu, and of course to dig into their ice cream bar.
- Janine
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The Rotisserie House
Posted on May 7, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Liberty Village
3 stars
- The Rotisserie House is a family-run, Portuguese barbeque (or Churrasqueira) restaurant in the Liberty Village area. Like most places owned and run by families, this restaurant is small, a bit cluttered with a mishmash of décor and, no matter the number of other patrons there at the time, has a staff that makes you feel like the centre of attention.
They happen to be closed on the weekend, but from Monday to Thursday they are open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The hours are slightly odd, but it makes for a great lunch spot, especially for those like me who tend to take lunch anytime between about noon and 3:00 p.m.
They offer a variety of chicken dishes, a number of different sides and even one vegetarian option. You can get a 1/4 or 1/2 rotisserie chicken dinner – white meat or dark meat – with a choice of two small sides for $6.50 – $10.00. For an additional $0.99 (small) or $1.98 (double) you can get a side of onion rings, Greek or Caesar salad.
The menu itself is pretty huge and is filled with quite a few options. The regular roster of sides, for example, includes Portuguese rice, roasted Parisian potatoes, steamed vegetables, French fries, garden salad or potato wedges. Mains include the abovementioned chicken combos, rib combos, a variety of salads and soups, chicken wings and fingers and sandwiches, like pulled chicken, grilled vegetable, grilled chicken, pork or sausage. They even offer catering.
I decided upon the pulled chicken sandwich with a side of Parisian potatoes. The pulled chicken is topped with their “famous” hot sauce, served on a white or whole wheat Kaiser and is dressed with mayo, lettuce and tomato. All of this, with a drink, came in at about $9.
One of my all-time favourite side dishes are those lemony, roasted potatoes available at most Greek restaurants. Well, The Rotisserie House’s Parisian roasted potatoes are a close second. They are red, probably from Paprika, and just a bit fiery from the restaurant’s signature hot sauce. The pulled chicken sandwich was flavourful, tender and also had the same red hue from the sauce.
I do enjoy spicy foods, though I am a bit of a wimp. This restaurant’s hot sauce had a great kick and a good flavour, but it won’t burn your mouth to the point that you can’t taste anything else. This is really important, since they throw the hot sauce on their dishes, whether it’s requested or not. Don’t fret too much about all the spice if you’re grabbing lunch and heading back to the office, you can buy a pack of gum here too!
Considering the size of this restaurant, I was quite surprised by the number of items they have on the menu. It was not overly busy when I walked in, so everything went very smoothly as far as timing and service went. The staff is extremely friendly, but very small, so I am curious to see what happens when it gets really busy. However, they seem to have it all figured out.
If I lived closer to Liberty Village, I could see this being a regular staple for me for a quick lunch, or to grab some dinner on the way home from work. The prices are reasonable, the food tastes good and it’s quick and satisfying.
- Nicole
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The Bloordale Pantry
Posted on February 21, 2011 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Bloordale
4 stars
- About a year ago, Bloor and Lansdowne saw the closing of its neighbourhood institution: The Dale. The Dale had been serving ‘greasy spoon’ diner food in the neighbourhood for nearly 60 years, but what emerged from behind the brown paper and dressing screens of a renovation was so much better.
The Bloordale Pantry, opened by young couple Rose and Anthony, has moved this venue from institution to gem. A lot of love went into this place; and not only love for their little diner, but also love for the neighbourhood in which it sits.
Upon entering, the greeting was warm and friendly, which wouldn’t be strange as my guest and I have eaten there a couple of times, but you don’t need to be a regular to feel at home; every one of their guests seems to be rewarded with a warm smile and happy hello.
The room is decorated with local art mixed with diner kitsch. It’s all brought together by red vinyl booths lining one wall, and an old dinerstyle counter and stools lining the other.
The menu’s main theme is diner food with an all day breakfast and lots of sandwiches, but it’s all updated regularly and prepared well. It also features a lot of Italian fare with both a panini and pasta section.
On a recent visit, my guest tried the ‘Mac’n’Cheese’, which she thought was cheesy and good, albeit needing a little more flavour. My Bloordale Brisket sandwich was sloppy and well cooked—as it should be! The brisket meat was tender, but not falling apart. The barbeque sauce was a little sweeter than I generally like, but overall the sandwich was filling and comforting just like diner food is supposed to be. Served with their expertly seasoned and perfectly crisp French fries and creamy coleslaw, it was quite a large portion.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and with a menu that has vegetarian options and interesting daily specials, like meatloaf, ‘Jalapeno Popper’ burger or house cured trout, The Bloordale Pantry pretty much offers something for everyone.
- Guest Contributor
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Caplansky’s Delicatessen
Posted on December 20, 2010 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Little Italy
4 stars
- On a recent, cold winter’s Wednesday, I had the opportunity to have dinner at Caplansky’s Delicatessen on College Street. Having heard a number of things about Zane Caplansky’s mission to re-invigorate, or at least continue the waning culture of the deli, I was intrigued.
The first thing I noticed, besides the tiny vestibule, is the number of framed magazine covers and articles adorning the walls. It is obvious that this place has captured the attention of many reviewers, both far and wide.
The decor is pure deli. Open all the way back to the meat counter, with requisite white-hatted carver, it is a mixture of banquettes and bare wooden chairs. The walls are covered with kitschy pressed signs advertising everything from chopped liver to catering. Clearly, a lot of work went into making this place feel authentic; like it had been here for 80 years.
Our server was quick to get our drink order and explain the daily soup and what the kitchen was out off. He was back, eager to help, a couple of times before our decisions were made.
Within moments, he was back with our soup order. The borscht was hearty and thick with shredded cabbage and chunks of meat. It was slightly sweet and full of flavour, with just a hint of tomato. Possibly one of the best borscht’s I have had in Toronto. My guest’s turkey soup, which happened to be the daily soup special, was interesting to say the least. Everything in the bowl, turkey and vegetables, was shredded very finely. It had a hint of smoke, which left us wondering if they were using yesterday’s house smoked turkey breast. It was quite tasty, but completely unexpected.
With our soups almost done, our server returned with sides of smoked meat poutine. As a second course, it was the perfect size for two to share. The fries were crisp and cooked well. The gravy was more of a ragout of smoked meat and onions, seasoned thoroughly. The only complaint to be had was the small amount of curds.
With all our bowls cleared away, the mains soon arrived. I opted for a smoked meat sandwich. It arrived with a pickle spear and a small cup of oil and vinegar coleslaw. The meat was moist and well smoked. The fattiness was exactly as I ordered. The sandwich came unadorned with mustard, which was nice as four styles were provided for you to choose. The coleslaw was sweet with a little tang, neither overly vinegary nor oily.
On the other side of the table, grilled kebabs were ordered. The lamb was cooked perfectly, tender and a beautiful medium rare, with a nice crust, which pleasantly tasted of charcoal. Served with a grilled vegetable medley and side salad, it was quite a large portion. Care should be given, as the kitchen uses metal skewers, which, without warning from the server, turned out to be very hot to touch.
All in all, it was quite a good meal. Everything the kitchen put forth was prepared with pride. The only real issue was the desserts: a mixed berry crumble and a chocolate bread pudding. Both were incredibly sweet and had their issues with technique. Unfinished, however, the server asked what we thought and immediately offered to find something more appealing when we told him our thoughts. Kudos to the good service.
Caplansky’s Delicatessen lived up to the promise. The food is very well prepared and delicious. Coupled with the easy-going, friendly service, I can see myself going back there time and again.
- Guest Contributor
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The Lakeview
Posted on November 29, 2010 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Little Italy
5 stars
- If you haven’t eaten at The Lakeview, I’d suggest you do.It’s quickly become one of my favorite places to go when I’m craving diner food, but want to stay away from the typical greasy spoon diner type-of-place.
The Lakeview is open 24 hours-a-day, and that definitely contributes to one of the cool aspects of this place: it isn’t that you can eat imaginative diner-esque food at 3 o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday, but also thatyou can eat it at 3 o’clock in the afternoon on a Sunday and the experience is entirely different.
That’s because it’s inconsistent, but not in a bad way. It’s inconsistent because of the diverse group of peeps you can expect to see there when you go: Sunday afternoon is the brunch crowd, Saturday evening is the daters, Friday late-night is the Ossington bar crowd. Whenever you go, it’s a different sorta experience.
It’s not just diversity that makes this a kick-ass experience, the food is also spectacular and truly imaginative. The style of upscale-diner definitely comes through on their menu with items like theCorriander Walnut Pesto Omelette, a Peameal Brie and Havarti Cristo-style sandwich, and the Lakeface Albacore Tuna Melt. It’s a genuinely nice blend of the expected and the unexpected. As a side note, I need to mention the impressive veggie burger they’ve got that’s made from black beans and served with a wild mushroom saute and caramelized onions. Spectacular.
Whether it’s their 24-hour menu or their brunch menu, vegetarian or carnivore items, this place cranks out some delicious food. I’d definitely recommend you check out The Lakeview. They’re doing diner food right, 24 hours-a-day.
- Andre
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Aunties and Uncles
Posted on November 26, 2010 by TOFoodReviews Staff in Kensington Market
4 stars
- I was here the other day for lunch and, as expected, there was a bit of a line. That’s usually a good sign, and in this case it’s definitely true. But waiting for a table isn’t all bad; there’s lots to see in this place: kitschy cute decor and lots of memorabilia that reminded me of my childhood. When I was there, the place was cramped and full of hungry people, but everyone was in good spirits.
When I look at the menu, i always find it difficult to make a choice. They’ve got a big, diverse menu with both savory and sweet items. All of it looks delicious.
First off, I’m a vegetarian, but, like to get the breakfast pocket, sans pemeal bacon of course. It’s chock full of fluffy eggs, caramelized onions, mayo and cheddar cheese on a warm and soft onion bun. Aunties and Uncles encourages you to choose between a few sides, but I’ve never chose anything but the potato salad. Seriously, this stuff is good. A great combo of chunky red potatoes, dill, Dijon and spices, it’s savoury and creamy. Admittedly, my food did take a bit of time to arrive, so if you go, don’t go when you’re in a hurry.
Fruit juices and iced teas are good choices, but I wouldn’t finish off with an espresso as they may suggest. Their espresso is nothing special and just plain weak, and it certainly doesn’t stand up to Manic coffee located just a few doors down. If you’re craving an after-meal-caffiene-fix, I’d suggest you head over to Manic.
Aunties and Uncles loses points in service. The service staff seem a bit cold, sorta aloof, and a lot grouchy, but despite if you’re willing to overlook that, then this is worth a visit if you’re in the College & Bathurst area.
- Guest Contributor
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