Old School

Restaurant: Old School
Address: 800 Dundas St. W
Phone: 416-815-8790
Operating Hours: Mon-Tues 9 AM - 3 PM, Wed 9 AM -11 PM, Thurs-Sat 9 AM - 2 AM, Sun 9 AM - 11 PM
Website: www.oldschoolyyz.com

 Interior

Menu

Left clockwise: Blueberry Hill Pancakes, $16; Old School Greens, $9; Chicken and Waffles, $18

Review

My Order: Chicken and Waffles, $18

Old School is a chic brunch and dinner spot on Dundas West. From cool graphics on their chalk board-styled wall to the large windows, Old School invites couples and small families alike to dine at this spacious restaurant.

I ordered their Chicken and Waffles, which was a bit more pricey than what I would usually pay at $18, but I was craving some at the time. The dish wasn't so bad, but I think at that price point, it definitely should have been much more memorable. I also got to sample their popular Blueberry Hill Pancakes from my friend's plate and I definitely recommend it for anyone who plans on having brunch here! So the food can be good, depending on the dish you order.

I love the atmosphere of Old School, especially during the day. It's a lovely restaurant to have a day date at or hang out with friends for a relaxed environment. The space has a very Instagrammable aesthetic, so you can definitely get a cool pic here or two!

Chez's Restaurant

Restaurant: Chez's Restaurant
Address: 588 College St.
Phone: 416-792-1550
Operating Hours: Mon-Thurs 5-11 PM, Fri-Sat 5 PM - 1 AM, Sun CLOSED
Website: www.chezsrestaurant.com

Interior

Menu

Scallops, $19.50

Cauliflower Salad, $16

Rum and Eggnog, $14

Review

Chez's Restaurant is created by Mike Bradshaw that was inspired by his experience as a chef in Europe for a decade. He worked at two Michelin-starred restaurants and decided to bring a French bistro with European influence to Toronto.

I had the pleasure of trying two of the appetizers, which were the Scallops and Cauliflower Salad. My favourite out of the two was definitely the Scallops. The tarragon jus added a sweet and tangy flavour to the scallops. The Cauliflower Salad was okay, but it didn't stand out and I would not order it again. The Rum and Eggnog is a delightful drink for anyone who's feeling festive this winter. I found the 1 oz. rum portion to be a lot stronger in taste than I expected. However, it's perfect for anyone who is a fan of rum and eggnog!

Ingredients are always made fresh and kept no longer than two days. Mike tries to keep waste to a minimum by only buying required ingredients for the day and if he runs out, the menu item would not be available for order. On top of that, Chez's Restaurant gives back to local communities by donating to non-profit organizations, including Covenant House. Mike provides full meals for those in need or donate leftover ingredients.

Chez's Restaurant has a higher-end pricing but the menu is not permanent and changes out seasonally. There will be a Christmas menu released during the first week of December. You can either choose between an a la carte menu or a prix fixe menu for the upcoming holidays.

Queen Margherita (Dundas West)

Restaurant: Queen Margherita
Address: 772 Dundas St. W
Phone: 647-748-4666
Operating Hours: Mon-Sun 12 PM - Close
Website: www.qmpizza.com

Interior

Menu

Review

My Order: Margherita Pizza, $15

I received a couple of vouchers from Queen Margherita in October for #PizzaMonth. I have been following their social media for awhile but never had the opportunity to visit until last month.

Queen Margherita has three locations in Toronto, including one in Leslieville and another in Baby Point. I opted to visit their Dundas West location because it was most convenient for me. The first thing that struck out to me was the space of the restaurant. It has two floors. Above ground there are a decent number of seats, which you can see from the outside. But when you go to the lower level, it's massive. They have an open concept kitchen, which I thought was really cool because you could see the stone oven and their chefs working away. The restaurant has that urban posh feel, which I really liked.

Their menu consist of prix fixe appetizers and a variety of pizzas. My voucher only allowed for one margherita pizza so I didn't try anything else because it was already filling (I ended up taking half of it home). The pizza was good, though it wasn't something I was wowed by. I prefer to have a lot more toppings on my pizza but if you like the classic margherita pizza, you would definitely enjoy this signature dish.

Queen Margherita's Dundas West location makes for a great date or a place to host a birthday party due to size and a menu with a variety of pizzas to choose from.

Aroma Espresso Bar (College St.)

Cafe: Aroma Espresso Bat
Address: 540 College St.
Phone: 416-901-5859
Store Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 10 PM, Sat 8 AM - 10 PM, Sun 9 AM - 9 PM
Website: www.aroma.ca

Interior

Menu

My Order: Freekeh Salad and Grilled Chicken Breast Personal Sandwich, $5.95

Aroma Espresso Bar recently introduced a new salad to their Savour Summer menu called the Freekeh Salad. Freekeh is a whole grain that is used throughout the Middle East that is high in fibre. It's vegan and vegetarian, but not gluten-free. When I tried it, I was full instantly. It has a nutty taste which some people may like. I preferr quinoa over freekeh but it was interesting to try regardless. It's great if you are looking for healthy food options and are looking for something new to try. You can also add meat options to your salad as well.

Cafe Diplomatico

Restaurant: Cafe Diplomatico
Address: 594 College St.
Phone: 416-534-4637
Store Hours: Sun-Thurs 8 AM - 1 AM, Fri-Sat 8 AM - 2 AM
Website: www.cafediplomatico.ca

Exterior

Menu

Review

My Order: Tuna Melt, $6.50

When the weather was warmer awhile back (oh how long ago that was!), my friend and I wanted to find a nice patio to eat out on. We trekked along College St. to see if there were anything that tickled our fancy. We saw Cafe Diplomatico and their patio looked pretty decent. I wanted to simply check out the menu to see if there was anything that I would like to try. When we went in to pick up the menu, the owner (or at least I think he was), started ushering us in. He assured us that the food was going to be fantastic and there was no reason to hesitate. My friend and I were walking for quite some time now and the food seemed decent. So in we went!

I wasn't craving pizza, so I tried out their Tuna Melt sandwich. It was pretty tasty. My friend enjoyed his medium pizza and beer. He said that the beer was cheaper than in most restaurants. A pitcher of Bone Shaker was only $20, comparatively to $22-23 at most restaurants.

Overall, I had a pleasant time at Cafe Diplomatico. It was full by the time we were all settled in, probably because of the interaction the owner had with everyone passing by on the street! Would I come back? I think once is enough for me, but it's a nice patio along College if you are looking for one.
 

Snakes and Lagers

Pub: Snakes and Lagers

Address: 488 College St. 

Phone: 647-748-4004

Store Hours: Mon-Sun 3 PM - 2 AM

Website: www.snakesandlattes.com/bar/

Study Appropriate?: No

Wi-Fi?: No

Stamp Cards?: No

Interior

First Floor

Second Floor

Menu

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Yes to all

(Left) Mill St. Weizenbock, $7

Fried Brussel Sprouts, $4.50

Review

Drink of Choice: Brasseurs RJ Cheval Blanc, $7

Appetizer of Choice: Duck Fat Fries $4.50 with Jerk Mayo, Kimchee Mayo, Chili Ketchup (+ $1 for each dipping sauce) and ketchup

I had the pleasure of being invited to review Snakes and Lagers after they opened back in February. If you are unfamiliar, Snakes and Lagers is the sister bar to the popular Snakes and Lattes cafe. Targeted towards a different crowd, Snakes and Lagers aims to be that perfect get-together place for the after-work crowd. As a pub, they offer a variety of alcoholic beverages with five rotating taps as well as a small range of appetizers and desserts to munch on. They also have seasonal drinks that come and go.

Snakes and Lagers sometimes collaborates with other places, such as the Black Oak Brewing Company for board game nights. Although game events do not happen as often as they do at Snakes and Lattes, there are some already planned, such as the Euchre tournament in the next couple of months. Snakes and Lagers plans on having only 300 board games, in contrast to Snakes and Lattes, which has a total of 1500.

The drink I had was the Brasseurs RJ Cheval Blanc. It's a light, smooth, beer with no aftertaste. Great for those who are light drinkers and don't like the heavy bitter taste of beer. I also got to try their popular Fried Brussel Sprouts and Duck Fat Fries (with an additional $1 if you would like dipping sauce, which is a must have! I loved all three sauces). When my boyfriend and I were recommended the Fried Brussel Sprouts, I was unsure because they were just vegetables. However, they were the pub's specialty so my boyfriend decided order a plate. I was pleasantly surprised because they were great! I liked how they were seasoned which definitely made for a nice appetizer that didn't taste like boring ol' brussel sprouts. A warning though is that Snakes and Lagers only offers appetizers and small-sized portions. There won't be any big burgers with fries on the side like most places.

When I arrived, it was around 5 PM and it wasn't too busy. After a couple of hours, it started to pack up with those coming in after work, ready to unwind and have a relaxing time playing games with friends. I definitely recommend Snakes and Lagers for an alternative to Snakes and Lattes. It's not as intense with the board game aspect like the cafe, for example, there is no Game Master (although the staff is knowledgeable and would be more than happy to help). Additionally, the game selection is not as massive if you want a wider range. The $5 sitting fee still applies to the pub like it does at the cafe though. 

Thank you Snakes and Lagers for the food and drinks provided for this review! :)

Monarch Espresso Bar - CLOSED

Cafe: Monarch Espresso Bar
Address: 12 Clinton St.
Phone: 416-531-5833
Store Hours: For cafe: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM - Depending (Winter approx. 3 PM & Summer approx. 6 PM), Sat-Sun Closed; For bar:  Mon-Sun 11 AM - 3 AM
Website: www.themonarchtavern.com

Wi-Fi?: Yes
Study Appropriate?: Yes
Stamp Cards?: Yes

Interior

First Floor

Second Floor

Menu

Drinks - Soy/Almond/Lactose-Free Options?: Soy and lactose-free
- Offers vanilla soy milk
- Roasted coffee beans from Detour Coffee Roasters and David Lynch Espresso
- Offers over 30 types of bourbon

Food - Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-Free Options?: Vegetarian and gluten-free
- Baked goods made in-house every morning
- Offers croissants, cookies, and brownies
- Food is different everyday; no standard prices
- Gluten-free beer!
- The people from Hogtown Smoke food truck are now cooking for The Monarch Tavern; their menu is also available for order

Review

Drink of Choice: Double-Shot Latte, $4.50 

Walking through a residential neighbourhood, I was a bit confused with the location of Monarch Espresso Bar. This cafe was surrounded by homes, while most cafes I was used to were at least at the corner of the street. What got me even more confused was when I arrived to a pub called The Monarch Tavern, not Monarch Espresso Bar. Upon entry, I was glad to find myself in the right place.

I spoke to Sarah, who told me that the "cafe" opened only recently in the past year within the pub. The Monarch Tavern itself is one of the oldest pubs in Toronto, opened since 1928. It is a community centre where there are ongoing events everyday for people to come in and enjoy themselves. With two floors, they have enough space to accompany the people that are attending events and those who want to drop by for a good grub and some beer (over 30 types of bourbon anyone?). They have many reoccurring events such as Choir! Choir! Choir! (on Wednesdays), Karoke Thursdays, and Vinyl Nights. For Vinyl Nights (which happens every Tuesday at 8 PM), anyone can bring in a vinyl for the pub to play and you get a free shot and drink! Yes, free alcohol, seriously. They also have a new event, which is a dance party that happens every Wednesday night along side with Choir! Choir! Choir!

I wouldn't really recommend for people to come here if they would want to study or do work. I say yes for study appropriate because it is possible, but I suggest for you to do it earlier in the day. I came around 11 AM and it was pretty dead at the time, so I had some work done for sure. However, I'm pretty sure if I came late noon, I could imagine it getting pretty busy and loud.

For Indie Coffee Passport holders, you aren't restricted to the 6 drink menu. If you come in, you are free to order whatever you wish on Monarch Espresso Bar's menu! As well, if you pick up their stamp card, the first drink is free!