This is Maple’s first entry blogging from fair Toronto, as part of her foreign assignment :)  More K/W reviews, as well as other Toronto reviews, to come! – Dariusz

I love crepes. They are like pancakes’ mysterious cousin – there are always hidden treasures in them. Even just a simple sweet banana and Nutella crepe, or the savoury ones with cheeeese, I love ‘em all. After trying out numerous crepe restaurants in Waterloo, Toronto and Montreal, I have yet to find one that is better than the The Art Square Cafe & Crepe, which is located right in downtown Toronto.

Located directly opposite the Art Gallery of Ontario, this cafe doesn’t have the look of a typical modern downtown restaurant. The signature red patio umbrella and crepe sign board with information of weekly specials is what I look forward to everytime I head over to Toronto.

Crepes with Illys coffee

Walking into the cafe, the outer half is an art gallery while the inner half is a cafe. There are many unique art pieces for sale for the art lovers. The cosy place only holds about 8 tables so reservation is recommended if heading there during the busy weekend brunch hours. There is also a nice enclosed patio which will be open when it is not -20 degrees.

Chef at work

Art Square Cafe has an open concept kitchen. You can see your order being freshly prepared with high quality ingredients. Having gone there countless times, I am proud to say that I’ve tried most of their menu items. With a wide variety of savoury and sweet crepes, I shall recommend two of my ultimate favourites.

The smoked salmon & goat cheese buckwheat crepe ($11.95) and chocolate fondue for two ($16.50).

You have a choice of white or buckwheat but I usually opt for the latter, which is nuttier and flavourful.

The smoked salmon is served with goat cheese and a small organic salad. There is a mystery green sauce spread between the crepe layers, which is made from dill, parsley, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic. I love how the dish comes with a whole chunk of cheeeeese!

The Art Square Cafe has various  dessert crepes with fruits, nuts or berries. There are also special desserts like the homemade truffles, profiteroles as well as Tiramisu with vodka flambe. However, the chocolate fondue still remains as my favourite. Made with rich dark chocolate, I was initially worried that two of us will not be able to finish the generous serving. However, that wasn’t a problem at all. It was SO GOOD!

What sets the crepes here apart from the rest is its texture. With savoury, the crepes are crisp and thin, yet not dry and too crunchy. With the sweet fondue, the crepes are extremely chewy and soft. Every bite feels like heaven (to me!).

Wow. Just wow.

Compared with other establishments where crepes are pre-prepared and stacked, waiting for orders, or where crepes are just made mindlessly without sincerity, this place shows them what a good ole’ crepe should taste like.

Anyway, off on my hunt for new crepe places!

]]> http://loudlunch.com/2011/02/art-square-cafe-crepe/feed/ 6 http://loudlunch.com/2011/01/angies-kitchen-not-done/ http://loudlunch.com/2011/01/angies-kitchen-not-done/#comments Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:44:07 +0000 Maple http://loudlunch.com/?p=349 With the unfortunate fire last year and Mel’s Diner gone, I’ve been looking for another greasy spoon that holds the same special place in many local residents’ hearts. Something I always look forward to at a diner – you know you can always get that awesome sunny side up, buttermilk pancakes or greasy sausage all day. How sweet is that!

One fine evening at dinner with an elderly couple, who has been in this region for many years, we chatted about the recent developments at Uptown. I told the dear lady how much I adore the new Cora’s for breakfast. She, on the other hand, told me:

Nothing beats a greasy breaky at Angie’s Kitchen with a couple of old friends. Pancakes, eggs and mmmmmmm bottomless fresh coffee. Just the right boost for the perfect morning before work.

With Cora’s just a 30 second sprint away, I would assume Angie’s to be having a challenging time maintaining her customer base since both cater to the all-day breakfast lovers. Cora’s healthy focus might attract the younger crowd but it is Angie’s that holds all the memories. Providing comfort food since the 1960s, this place has a great rustic decor and tons of old photographs on the walls to bring you down memory lane.

Break the Fast

I took quite a while to decide what to get as the menu had a wonderful variety. Was craving pancakes but my partner felt like french toast. Wanted sausages while the other demanded eggs. Both of us were starving though. What to do what to do what to do! Decisions decisions decisions!

After a looooong debate, we finally decided on the Country Style Breakfast ($11.95) to share. Yes, one dish to share. We were both skeptical when our server assured us it’ll be enough for the two ravenous customers.

We told each other,

Well, we’ll order again later.

Yea right.

Two eggs, bacon, ham, sausage. Two toast, homefries. Two pancakes, one french toast.

YES. ONE DISH. nom nom nom!

There is also the Angie’s Famous Early Bird Breakfast Special ($4.99) with two eggs, bacon/ham/sausage, toast and homefries – served till 11am. Other interesting menu items include the Angie’s Son-in-Law Sandwich ($7.95) and Dieter’s Breakfast ($3.99).

Pretty cosy place to visit. If only their maple syrup was sweeter, and their pies were prettier. Other than that, great food, great value for money and great place to create some memories.

Any other great diners around Loo?

Nice mirror reflecting the open kitchen

Meetpoint has an open concept kitchen where you can see the chef making dough and frying meat. I like that very much, nothing smells as good as the fragrance of your almost-ready-food.  There is a huge flat screen TV in the restaurant, usually showing the Food Network. Seats are cozy but perhaps arranged a little too close for comfort. On the other hand, this place is rarely packed so typically, the table beside will be unoccupied.

Definitely try out the Meetpoint Pizza ($10.95). The veal is roasted over a vertical rotisserie and the dough is freshly made when you order. They also offer a smaller size, which is very convenient for a smaller company or those who would like to try out other dishes.

Thin crust pizza!

I am always too easily filled by carbs so I tend go for The Meetpoint ($10.99) instead. It is basically the same as the pizza, just without the dough. The main difference will probably be its ketchup base rather than their special spiess sauce.

Recently, they have also started a breakfast menu with interesting items such as Kuku $4.99 (eggs, scallion, parsley, chives), Menemen $6.99 (3 eggs with peppers, onions, tomatoes) and Scrambled Tofu $6.99. Generous portions with fresh bread. Their small selection of dessert crepes are also pretty good – soft and fluffy!

However, as a frequent customer, I was sorely disappointed on my last visit. The owner was not around so a server doubled up as the chef. I was keen to try the scrambled tofu but was informed that they do not have tofu when I made the order. Hence, I changed my order to the spinach crepe but again, was told that they do not have spinach in the restaurant. After several attempts at ordering, the server finally decided to tell me what they have in the kitchen and told me to order from that limited list.

By then, I was a little annoyed while he explained that they are extremely unprepared that day with a serious lack of ingredients. WHY open for business when the restaurant does not have the ability to satisfy the customers’ orders?! Luckily, the meetpoint pizza was still available so I ordered that.

Due to the lack of help in the restaurant, I waited more than 30 minutes for the order and it came tasting totally different from what I had before. The meat was dry and the pizza was drenched in sauce. The server/cook also took a wrong order for one table and decided to offer the wrong order to another because the customer was getting impatient with all that waiting. I sincerely wish it was just a really bad day for them.

I am willing to give Meetpoint another chance but I really hope by then, they will have fresh ingredient ready in the kitchen and be ready to actually offer every item they have listed on the menu. It might also help if they actually have the real chef preparing the food. I look forward to my next visit and the scrambled tofu.

There are two, both somewhat secret.  Casa Salsa in the Kitchener market, and the constantly-name-changing Mexican place across the street from CIBC on King St. possibly called Taco Delight, probably.  I eat at both somewhat regularly, where regular meals top out around $11 with a soft drink – though the food court value of Casa Salsa can bring the price of a complete meal to around $8.

Casa Salsa

I met the proprietor of Casa Salsa at one of those downtown food events, and was sold on hiking down to the Kitchener Market for lunch.  The menu isn’t spectacularly large, but all of the basics are done exceptionally well.

First off, it’s in the Kitchener Market, so if you happen to change your mind you or your date can go for something Croatian, Caribbean, or organic.  The food court is frequently cited as a drawback, but I’ve learned to love the options. The side of tortilla chips are delicious, the tacos are delicate and wonderfully prepared. The person serving me knew what horchata was, and prepared the delicious beverage, that you must try.  The meal was inexpensive, well done, and outside of being in a food court, the experience was solid.

Comparing it to a super-authentic Mexican place like Mexi-Taco on Bloor @ Shaw in Toronto isn’t fair. For what Casa Salsa offers, it’s near the top of my personal Mexican restaurant list.   I wouldn’t want to see it grab a nice storefront, turn into Margaritas, and start charging for itty bitty guac (which I heard is delicious) to make Uptown rent.

Taco Delight/Delite/Bite

The first time I visited the Taco Delight, I think I just got lost in the sheer excitement of being in a seemingly authentic Mexican restaurant right downtown.  Hurray!

Tacos at Taco Delight

Though completely unlike Mexico, the portions are small, I can’t order beer, they didn’t know what Horchata, pico de gallo, or Jumex were. At that point I started to seriously doubt the Mexicanity of the joint, and mentally checked out.

Though I have to go back to Taco Delight soon, because the service seems to improve with every visit. The back patio is really convenient and never busy. All of the tacos that I tried were good, the corny soft shell tasting delightfully un-Canadian.  The food feels home prepared, and the family vibe of the staff gives me the warm-fuzzies. Bang for buck is a solid 7/10, and the patio is welcome in the summer. Really, as long as you don’t care what part of the Latin world your server is from, and love lettuce, this place makes a great lunchtime destination.  If I were to give them any advice, work on the branding and presentation, as the low quality of both is having a negative effect on how the food is perceived.

Not Mexican

I know that Medalla isn’t Mexican, but I miss the simplicity and light nature of both the food and drink in Puerto Rico. Is there a Boriqua joint around town?

How to be Puerto Rican: Don't order minty cocktails.

Though I’ve never been a huge fan of restaurant chains, I’ve been very addicted to Canada’s 113th Cora’s Breakfast & Lunch at The Shops in Waterloo Town Square.

Located in the heart of Waterloo, Cora’s markets herself as a healthy breakfast place. It offers the typical diner breakfasts with a healthy twist – loads of fruits together with your french toast or pancakes drenched in maple syrup. The exciting variety of fruits and generous serving size is what constantly draws me back to Cora’s. Fruits are delicately carved, which means orders sometimes take a while. However, do not be intimidated by the long line up for weekend brunch, turnover is usually pretty fast and you’ll get seated in no time.

Heaps of fruit!

My favourite is the Buckwheat Blessing. Sausages in buckwheat crepes, topped with cheese. Yumms. However, I think the Crepomelette won in terms of uniqueness – crepes stuffed with omelette!

The cosy atmostphere and booths of the restaurant sets the right mood for a great meal, especially now that the patio is open. Service is prompt and friendly, perhaps a little slow when they get too busy during the prime brunch hours on the weekends. Other than that, everyone’s all smiles like the Cora’s sun. They also feature interesting fruit facts. Did you know that pineapples are berries and strawberries aren’t fruits?!

There’s always freshly made fudge at the cashier so feel free to grab some before leaving.

Instead of see you again, see you tomorrow!

If only Cora’s was open all day instead of only till 4pm, then I’ll start eating breakfast for dinner. After all, they say “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”!

We got in the cars, called ahead to make 10-minute-ahead reservations (none needed), and found the place which arguably has one of the worst street-fronts I’ve ever seen for casual dining, but some of the best Greek food in Kitchener.

Location Location Location?

Not to be a jerk, but this place has a hilarious location. It’s in the basement of an mid-century office “tower”, sharing its space with the YWCA Resource Centre. Inspiring.

Once we took the elevator to the back door (there’s a much more inviting front door actually, as we found out later) and got into the place, my mood and approach to the place changed entirely. It’s great. It’s big, loud, tall, friendly, and accommodates a group of ten or more comfortably. The menu is serious but  not overwhelming, the wine selection is reasonable, and there were many  lunch-sized things that came out in good time. It’s not cheap nor expensive, with many meals available for under $10.

Oh There It Is, Hurray! White Sign, Left.

Greek Coffee and Salad. Oh something else.

With no offense to the kitchen, I regret getting the vegetable moussaka. Everyone else’s meals looked more interesting and from the sound of it, were delicious.  The moussaka was … bland and tasted like they used powder potatoes. The Greek salad was very nice, simple, tasty, and fresh. Easily the toast of the whole meal was the drink. The Greek-style coffee, with very fine grounds still at the bottom and lightly chalky texture, was delicious and got me in the mood for more Greece.

Moussaka, meh, salad, nice, coffee, amazing.

Despite the outer shell, Three Kretans is very much worth a visit, especially with a large lunch group.  On a related note: next time you’re at a Greek place, ask for a glass of retsina to start your meal. It’s wine that tastes like tree sap. Seriously, don’t judge until you try it ;-)