Brunch
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Hof Kelsten Montreal
Apr 14 2014You’ve already heard the hype. You don’t need me to tell you that Jeffrey Finkelstein has an impressive resumé of work experience at world famous restaurants Noma, El Bulli and French Laundry and that he’s set up shop here in Montreal. You know that the bread from his Hof Kelsten has fed diners at likes of Le Filet, Club Chasse et Peche, Toqué, Dominion Square Tavern, Nora Gray, Joe Beef, Toqué and Les 400 Coups because you’ve already tasted it. Yes, you can breath a sigh of relief. We’re finally in on secret source of good bread in this city.

Lil’ Baci Taverna Toronto
Jan 08 2014Lil’ Baci Taverna is that sweet neighbourhood spot you wish you had. It’s got this comfortable low key, local vibe that makes you feel right at home. With the smell of freshly baked bread and eggs in the air, friendly servers that seem impossibly perky on Sunday mornings, it’s hard not to smile and feel at ease.

Mildred’s Temple Kitchen Toronto
Dec 04 2013So, when you think of Liberty Village, what comes to mind? For me, the words “yuppie” and “bougie” take the forefront. You’ve got pricy home decor shops (fun to browse, I won’t lie), fitness gyms, smoothie bars and brunch restaurants all within a stone’s throw from one another. New residential condo projects surround the insular village and as a visitor, there isn’t much of a draw to the gentrified neighbourhood. One place that does make this place worth coming to is Mildred’s Temple Kitchen.

Santa Barbara Montreal
Sep 10 2013After doing a little research on restaurant Santa Barbara’s namesake Saint Barbara, I learned that she was a total badass. Not only can she teleport, put out fires with her mind, turn sheep to locusts and strike people with lightening, she can turn people to stone. Definitely cool. Throughout history, she has been strongly associated with artillerymen, engineers, miners, mathematicians and those who work with explosives because of her ability to control and work with lightening. Thinking about our recent visit to Santa Barbara in Montreal, this all suddenly seemed to make sense. Walking into the restaurant, the back wall is covered in various mini busts of religious figures in a way that lends an interesting vibe to the place. Plus the fact that they’re all coated in a layer of pastel green paint. Then, you have brunch items all named after different professions Saint Barbara herself was thought to provide protection for. The plot thickens…

The Butcher’s Daughter New York City
Aug 11 2013One of our first stops in New York was The Butcher’s Daughter. Known for its ability to serve simple, delicious and wholesome food, the restaurant has a wonderful way of changing the way the people think about the way vegan food looks and tastes. We stepped into the shop and fell immediately in love with the entire look of the place.

Hoof Raw Bar Brunch Toronto
Mar 30 2013Having recently learned that brunch was back on at the Hoof after a two year hiatus, – this time at the Hoof Raw Bar – and the fervent excitement that accompanied its re-opening, we stopped by for a bite to eat Sunday morning to see what the hype was about. In true Hoof style, the menu is unapologetic, it’s in your face and it’s aggressive. If your idea of breakfast is butter on white toast, you’re in for a big surprise. In other words, this is not the place for you.

County General Toronto
Mar 17 2013
The County General is a lot of things – brunch, lunch, dinner, take-out, delivery, cocktails, wines, micro-brews and above all: bastion of southern hospitality. We couldn’t help but feel like we were stepping into a southern home kitchen when we visited the long, narrow restaurant for brunch last weekend.

Le Chien Fumant Brunch Montreal
Mar 10 2013Do you see this? No, this is not a joke. Lobster croque monsieur. Straight up pimp daddy baller breakfast. Steak and eggs for those of you who can get down and dirty with steak in the morning and want something heavier to tide you over from last night’s hangover (or whatever). And oeufs cocotte for those who want something a little more ‘sophistiqué’.

Prohibition Montreal
Dec 18 2012Everything on Prohibition‘s menu sounds amazing. House cured salmon on a sesame bagel? Oooh. Shakshouka? Cool. Maple fried challah French toast with fried chicken? Hell yes.
Self proclaimed providers of ‘gourmet comfort food’, Prohibition montreal endeavours to serve brunch as it should be.

La Famille Des Oeufs Montreal
Dec 13 2012La Famille des Oeufs occupies the space formerly known as Eggspectations in the West Island. Funnily enough, the place has hardly changed – the decor, the layout, the staff… even the menu itself. Granted, the fonts are a little bit different and the paper maybe a little bit newer but everything else? Same kind of food, different names (ie Yolk Around the Clock = Bagelette).

L’Ouvrier Toronto
Nov 11 2012Just around the corner from where I was staying in Toronto over my visiting weekend, L’Ouvrier seemed like a good bet for brunch time food. A friend had been for a party after a TIFF event and had great things to say about the space and the aesthetic of the place. Open to whatever, I was down to check it out – we ended up going for a nice brunch with a couple people.

Maison Publique Montreal
Nov 02 2012With lots of fanfare, Maison Publique finally opened its doors earlier last month. French for “public house” the restaurant is led by Derek Dammann of former DNA fame in partnership with British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. It has been made clear that Dammann has full control of the restaurant’s daily operations, from the selection of the ingredients to the planning of the menu to the actual cooking itself. Oliver’s role seems to be more in the background, acting as an investor

Accords Montreal
Sep 09 2012I’ve been holding off on this post for way too long. After going to Accords once and loving it too much, I thought I would go back within a reasonable amount of time, combine photos and make a bigger post just for you. Unfortunately for me, that hasn’t happened as soon as I would have liked. In any case, I’m going to show you the best brunch place you’ve seen in a while… Get ready!

Fire on the East Side Toronto
Jul 31 2012Looking to catch up with a friend in Toronto, we were drawn to Fire on the East Side after hearing about some amazing fried chicken on waffles. Upon getting there and scanning the menu with no sign of the dish, it proved to be totally elusive. According to our server, the dish had never existed at the place. I won’t lie, we were pretty disappointed, as we had chosen the place based solely on the possibility of eating that specific dish. We contemplated leaving for a few seconds, but the thought quickly vanished as we took the first few bites out of the house made banana bread. Moist and soft, the little square of sweetness bolstered our appetites and we sat on.

Shanghai Cowgirl Toronto
Jul 30 2012Intuitively, you might guess that from the name of this restaurant, a mash up of Asian and Western food would be served here. For better or for worse, there is no trace of Asian-ness in the food, the decor or the atmosphere. Instead, it is a modern, rock-themed diner that serves up greasy diner food (for the record, the music that was playing when we went was amazing). Shanghai Cowgirl is simply a name – and an intriguing one at that. I just keep imagining this fierce Asian lady in a flower printed high collared cowgirl outfit on a horse kicking ass somewhere in the South. Is it just me?

Julieta’s
Jul 08 2012Desperately searching for a last minute brunch place to take my parents to Saturday morning, I came across Julieta’s after a few minutes of research. See, my parents are hard to please when it comes to the food department. They have a natural, predominant preference for ethnic food regardless of what time of day it is – and they love to try new restaurants as much as I do.

La Fabrique (Brunch)
Jul 01 2012I don’t know why I don’t go to La Fabrique more than I do. This place is amazing. I just remember the one and only time I went for dinner, I was completely blown away. Looking for somewhere to brunch, La Fabrique came up in my search and rose coloured memories gently came floating back.

Griffintown Cafe Montreal
Jun 11 2012Walking into Griffintown Cafe, you immediately take note of the high ceilings, panelled wooden floors and the spacious interior. The tables are pushed towards either side of the restaurant, leaving tons of space in between, giving the place an airy, open feel that is fabulously refreshing.

Chez José Montreal
May 22 2012With decor that can be only be described as eclectic and entirely whimsical, Chez José is a favourite local lunch spot with smoothies to die for, bangin’ sandwiches and awesome homemade pastries. Looking around the small shop, brightly contrasting animal prints (red and yellow leopard print, purple and black zebra stripes), funny bits and pieces of memorabilia (“sex scene – do not cross” tape, Ken barbie doll, disco ball) and high res photographs of nameless individuals catch your eye and make you smile.

Byblos (Revisited) Montreal
May 06 2012Yes, the consensus is that brunch is one of the most hated courses among the majority of chefs. The thing is though, places that serve continental or Western style breakfasts have got it all wrong. Out with the boiled eggs, hash browns and sausages and in with grilled vegetables, feta eggs and healthy meat and veggie dips. Places like Byblos have managed to revitalize the way the meal is served and turned into one of my favorite spots to get some amazing late morning grub.