This Weekend -
Buskerfest – August 21, 22 & 23, The Underwear Affair – August 23

Buskerfest, Ontario’s largest street performers’ festival, is taking place at St. Lawrence Market (located west of Jarvis Street between King Street East and the Esplanade) from August 21 to 23. It offers a collection of musicians, sketch artists artisans and entertainers. You may see performers skateboarding through fire, performing magic or contorting their bodies in ridiculous forms.

The event is free to attend; however, they are accepting donations Epilepsy Toronto.

If you want to get a head start to your day and enjoy a great breakfast in and around the neighbourhood prior to the festivities check out one of the following restaurants:

Paddington’s Pump
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 6 out of 10 (The food is a little bland, but the price is right.)
91 Front St. E.
Phone: (416) 368-6955
Hours: Mon 6 a.m. - 5 pm, Tue-Thu 6 am - 7 pm, Fri 6 am - 8 pm, Sat 5 am - 5 pm, Sun 8 am - 5 pm
Breakfast for Two: Under $15

Hot House Café
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 8.25 out of 10
35 Church Street
Phone: (416) 366-7800
Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-12am; Fri-Sat 11am-1am
Breakfast for Two: Under $45

Golden Griddle
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 6 out of 10
77 Lower Jarvis St
Phone: (416) 863-1263
Breakfast for Two: Under $30

The Underwear Affair is a 10k run/5k walk to raise money for research for cancers that occur below the waist (prostate, colorectal, cervical, ovarian etc). The idea is to run in your underwear but, any attire is welcome (well, within reason!) It takes place at 6pm in Woodbine Park (Coxwell and Lakeshore Blvd). You know what they say, you should start your day right with a healthy breakfast, we’ve got a few suggestions that will allow you to start your day with a healthy breakfast then linger in the Beach before the event.

The Tulip
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 8 out of 10
1606 Queen Street East
Phone (416) 469-5797
Breakfast for Two: Under $30

Beachside Grill
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 8 out of 10
1922 Queen Street East
Phone: (416) 686-7153
Hours: Daily 7am-9pm
Breakfast for Two: Under $20

Green Eggplant
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 8 out of 10
968 Queen Street East
Phone: (416) 913-3361
Hours: Daily 9am-4pm
Breakfast for Two: Under $30

Located in an up and coming part of town (one of its neighbours is a strip club) Prohibition is a nice and airy bar/restaurant, with friendly service and average food.

Prohibition

Some Facts:

This self-proclaimed gastropub is located in South Riverdale. It was originally supposed to be named Booze, but when the owner applied for their liquor license the city kyboshed the name – Prohibition was born.

Food: 6 out of 10

We all ordered the basic breakfast which comes with 2 eggs any style, bacon, hash and toast. Out of 3 people, 2 of the orders had the eggs cooked incorrectly. The hash browns – grated potatoes fried to charcoal in places – lacked any flavour. The bacon was good. The toast was buttered with a lick and a prayer. The presentation was very pleasing to the eye while the food left the taste buds searching for flavour.

Service: 6 out of 10

Our server was friendly and willing to have a chat; however, once breakfast was served he was not overly attentive. Also, the eggs on 2 of the orders were wrong – we believe that it is the waiter’s job to make sure the food is cooked correctly, he failed on this one.

Décor: 8 out of 10

This is a new gastropub, but really feels like a bar. The décor is welcoming and warm; typical of an upscale bar.

Value: 6 out of 10

Usually you get 3 eggs with a basic breakfast, here you get 2. There isn’t an overabundance of food and the quality wasn’t very high so you are not getting a lot of value for your money here.

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This Weekend - Taste of the Danforth – August 8, 9 & 10

The 15th annual Taste of the Danforth starts tonight at 6pm; it continues Saturday from noon until 11pm and Sunday from noon until 8pm. For the uninitiated, the Taste of the Danforth takes place in the Greektown area of Toronto. The main Greek business area runs along Danforth Avenue between Chester and Jones avenues. The Taste of the Danforth offers a sampling of Greek cuisine, culture and music.

If you want to get a head start to your day and enjoy a great breakfast in and around the neighbourhood prior to the festivities check out one of the following restaurants:

Pappas Grill
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 8.75 out of 10
440 Danforth Ave.
Phone: 416.469.9595
Breakfast Hours: Saturday 11am to 1am, Sunday 11am to midnight
Breakfast for Two: Under $30

Christina’s
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 9 out of 10
492 Danforth Ave.
(416) 463-4418
Breakfast Hours: Saturday and Sunday only 11am to 2:30pm
Breakfast for Two: Under $25

Three’s Company Catering
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 9.25 out of 10
673 Danforth Ave.
(416) 406-3233
Breakfast Hours: Sat: 9am-10pm/ Sun: 9am-4pm
Breakfast for Two: Under $30

The Only Café
Read the Breakfast in the City review.
Overall Rating: 9.5 out of 10
972 Danforth Ave.
(416) 463-7843
Breakfast Hours: Saturday and Sunday from 9am until 4pm
Breakfast for Two: Under $20

Overall: 7.5 out of 10

The patio is lovely, the food was filling, if a little bland, and the service was fine. If you are in the neighbourhood you should check out this restaurant for a very inexpensive breakfast.

Ontario

Some Facts:

Blink and you’ll miss this restaurant as it blends into the block with the locksmith and moving supplies store on either side of it. It’s got a nice little patio covered with grape vines.

Food: 7 out of 10

There was a nice touch here, in that they start off the table with a fruit plate to share.

The menu is pretty typical breakfast fare; note that Eggs Benedict and Eggs Florentine are only available on Saturdays. I had “The Usual” which according to the menu includes 2 eggs, choice of bacon, sausage or ham, potatoes, toast and coffee. When the breakfast was served (eggs over-easy with bacon) there were 3 eggs and 4 slices of bacon included in my order. The eggs were cooked to order; the bacon was crispy yet not very tasty. The potatoes were slices of potatoes that had been fried; they weren’t seasoned so they were pretty bland.

Service: 7 out of 10

Our server switched between being nice and helpful to seeming like she wanted to be anywhere but where she was. Gruff at one moment and nice the next. She got all of our orders correct and checked on us a couple of times to make sure we had everything we needed.

Décor: 7 out of 10

The inside of the restaurant is bland and blue. The tables were large and the chairs were comfortable. When we realized there was a patio we moved out there. The tables for 4 people were significantly smaller than inside. The tables and chairs were the cheap patio grade plastic furniture – not very comfortable. The patio itself was very cute. It had a mural of a vineyard painted on one side and was covered by grape vines ripe with fruit.

Value: 9 out of 10

This restaurant offers incredible value for your money - $4.75 for 3 eggs, 4 slices of bacon, potatoes, toast and coffee is amazing. The only reason it didn’t get 10 out of 10 is because the food is a little on the bland side.

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Here’s some more info from the post -

• We are willing to offer a small base cash salary, plus a percentage of sales.
• We expect our sales to be between $15,000 and $30,000 weekly.
  We are willing to offer between 6-8% of sales.
• We will be having this location open 24 hours,offering breakfast 6am to 11am.
• We will be offering entertainment and events in the backyard,
  and a full deliver to the sounding area.

Here are some pics -

Overall: 6.75 out of 10

Typical greasy spoon with cheap eats and quick turn around. But I would have expected the atmosphere to be a bit different. They had the customary plates clanging but none of the other buzz of movement or orders yelling back and forth between wait staff and kitchen help. For the money, it’s worth it if you’re in the neighbourhood.

Jims

Some Facts:

The place has been around for a long time, the waitress guessed between 20 and 30 years. There’s a big difference between 20 and 30 years, but it says that the place is a staple in that part of town, apparently it keeps changing ownership.

Make sure you bring cash because they don’t accept debit or credit card.

Food: 6 out of 10

Not great. The menu offers the regular choices – eggs with bacon or sausage, omelettes, pancakes and French toast. I had the pancakes with a side of bacon and a side of sausage. The pancakes weren’t amazing but they were good – reasonable size – three in total. I like my bacon crispy and even though I asked the waitress for it that way it was under cooked. The sausages were just okay.

My wife had the bacon and eggs. She ordered her eggs over easy but they were undercooked, the potatoes were dry and looked a bit old plus the bacon was cheap looking – not a good cut.

So in all the food is okay if you’ve got to jump into a place for a quick feed but don’t expect to be impressed. One important note – only one refill on the coffee is included with the meal.

Service: 7 out of 10

Just okay. Our waitress was pleasant enough but when my wife wanted a refill on the coffee she was nowhere to be f0und. And when she brought the bill she didn’t explain that we had to pay at the cash.

Décor: 6 out of 10

Greasy spoons usually have some sort of character, unforutnately there’s no style or charm in this place. The only interesting spot of the restaurant was the kitchen. But as a whole this place lacks any décor.

Value: 8 out of 10

It’s good value because it’s so cheap. So if you’re looking for a spot where you can spend under $10 for breakfast and not get sick – this is the place. They don’t skimp on the amount of food. With my pancakes they brought out the entire store bought bottle of syrup.

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Overall: 9 out of 10

We stumbled upon Barrio after a false start at a restaurant further down the Leslieville strip. I loved the laid back, well-worn feel of the restaurant with its row of booths and time-weathered wood floors. The service was excellent as our every need was catered to and the food was simply divine. The meal was a little pricier than we were looking for, but it was worth every penny.

Barrio

Some Facts:

Barrio has been a mainstay of the Leslieville strip for the last 5 years. The restaurant changes up its menu every quarter or so to keep things fresh.

Food: 9 out of 10

I had the Eggs Benedict with a twist – it was served on a home-made sausage patty with cheddar cheese. The Hollandaise was delicious. The meal was served with home fries. It was a truly decadent meal. Patrick had the buttermilk pancakes with crème fraiche and fresh berries with a side of bacon. I had a bite and the pancakes while nice and thick were not heavy, in addition the crème fraiche had a light lemon flavour. Yum.

Service: 9 out of 10

Our service was impeccable. We were served by the manager/owner, who was very personable. He made sure we had everything we needed and made time to chat with us at the end of our meal.

Décor: 9 out of 10

Barrio looks like a laid-back lounge, from the well-worn wood floors to the comfy benches, the restaurant gives off an aura of comfortable chic.

Value: 9 out of 10

The cost of the meal here was a little pricier than other breakfast spots, but it is still well-worth the price. There are no sauces from packages or corners being cut here. The food is simply delicious and good value at the same time.

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Overall: 8 out of 10

From the outside you’d never know they offered breakfast or brunch. It looks like a classy upscale little restaurant right in the middle of the beach. I’ve passed it many times and never imagined that they were even open in the early part of the day.

They seem to be new to breakfast yet still do a nice job. It was comical that they had run out of sausages and our waitress had to excuse herself to run down the street to buy some maple syrup, all that at their first brunch seating at 11:30am. They need to be better stocked.

Michelle’s Beach House

Some Facts:

This is owned by the same folks that run Michelle’s Brasserie downtown Toronto at Cumberland & Avenue Rd.

Every Monday they have a special - Manicure, Martini & Mouthful. For only $30 you get a manicure and martini.

Food: 7 out of 10

Some parts were very good and others weren’t. The bacon was simply decadent. I had a side and it was the biggest side I’ve ever had. The bacon was a mix of crispy and soft with just the right amount of grease mixed it. I almost had an orgasm at the table when eating it. That soon stopped when I started with my main meal.

I had the omelette of the day with home fries. The omelette was filled with cheese and a bit rubbery. And the home fries were French fries. I shouldn’t be eating fries unless it’s lunch or dinner. They were tasty but not what I expect at brunch or breakfast.

My wife had Michelle’s Homemade French Toast. Well, it wasn’t very good. My wife said it tasted as if it was deep fried. And the presentation was odd – the toast were placed upright in a bread basket. So the waitress needed to bring another plate to be used to eat the meal.

Service: 9 out of 10

Our server was exceptionally nice. She was very attentive to our needs. She spent time at our table genuinely interested in making sure that we had a good time. But what was odd is that they ran out of sausages and maple syrup at 11:30am (the first brunch seating) and that seemed to slow everything. In addition, we were informed that they didn’t have the soup special that was on the menu and also they were out of spinach (many of the dishes were to be served with spinach salad). It didn’t seem like they were very prepared for brunch.

Décor: 9 out of 10

This is a very nice place. They’ve done an excellent job with the décor. It’s classy but not hoity toity.

Value: 7 out of 10

Some things were great value like the bacon. A side is only $2 and we got a ton of bacon. But the main dishes were not that substantial. Sometimes if the servings are small and it tastes amazing then the value is still good – that wasn’t the case.

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Overall: 7 out of 10

This bistro certainly has curb appeal, with its chalk board of specials standing on an easel adjacent to the all white façade. The menu was peculiar however the food was good.

Melanies

Some Facts:

Melanie’s Bistro is a new restaurant in the Danforth/Woodbine area.

Food: 7 out of 10

I had the “I’ll Start with You” breakfast which consisted of 2 eggs, potatoes (home fries), sausage and a small side of fresh fruit. I ordered my eggs over-easy, but they were served at medium. They also did not serve bacon.

I found the menu a little peculiar, maybe a little over-ambitious with such offerings as the Newfoundland Breakfast – basically a version of eggs Benedict served on pan-fried cod cakes (note – they did not serve a regular version of the dish) as well as Candied Pecan and Cornflake crusted French Toast served with caramelized peaches and khalua anglaise. I found the latter a very odd combination.

Coffee is not included in the price of your meal.

Service: 7 out of 10

The service was just average. Our server was pleasant however, she did not make sure that our orders were accurate – my eggs were served wrong, and she did not offer a refill on coffee until we had already asked for the bill.

Décor: 8 out of 10

From the street, this restaurant looks like a quaint little bistro; however that doesn’t flow into the dining area. It is bright and airy, but what looks like a bistro on the outside feels a little more “sandwich shop” on the inside.

Value: 6 out of 10

The price of $8.00 for two eggs, a scoop of potatoes and 3 sausages is a little high, particularly because that does not include coffee/tea. I would not go here if I’m looking for value for my money.

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Overall: 8.75 out of 10

This is simply a very nice restaurant. I highly recommend it. I think the day we went they were under staffed but they are so nice and everything else is so perfect that it had little effect.

Pappas Grill

Some Facts:

The Pappas Grill is in the heart of Greek Town.

Food: 9 out of 10

Their menu is filled with excellent choices. They offer the basic breakfast but also have an excellent choice of benedicts (with eggs benedict, eggs florentine, pappas eggs benedict, chicken benedict), omelettes (pappas omelette, onasis omelette, spanish omelette, egg white omelette, three cheese omelette, spinach and feta cheese omelette) and some other great choices.

I had the three cheese omelette. It was excellent. The picture I took doesn’t do it justice. The mix of cheeses was simply amazing. It literally melted in my mouth. It was served just a little bit above lukewarm, so it was still hot but not piping so I couldn’t eat it.

My wife had the egg bread French toast. She was served first and I wished I had ordered it. The presentation of it with the strawberries draped all over the toast with syrup already poured on top made your mouth water just by looking at it. My wife said that it was almost as good as her mother’s home-made French toast, which is very high praise.

Service: 8 out of 10

The waiter seemed to be one of the owners or the manager. He was preoccupied with something. He was a bit late and forgot a few things during the meal but he was trying to be accommodating. When we mentioned that he had forgotten my side of bacon he was very apologetic.

Décor: 9 out of 10

It’s nice – very Mediterranean. The Greek influence is in full force in this place. They have a great way of making the place sort of chic but comfy at the same time. We sat inside but they’ve got a nice patio as well. Definitely worth going to and checking out the patio.

Value: 9 out of 10

Very good value. They certainly don’t skimp on the food at this place. I was served a Greek salad with my meal which was a nice touch. And the sides were plentiful. Most places on the city really gauge the customers on the sides – not the Pappas Grill.

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