Brunch
Beverley Hotel 335 Queen W, at Beverley, 416-493-2786, thebeverleyhotel.ca, @beverleyhotelTO Former Fabarnak and Hawthorne chef Eric Wood brings his updated comfort carte to downtown’s latest boutique hotel. Those who fondly remember the once-nearby Beverley Tavern are in for a shock. Best: to start, baskets of cinnamon-dusted doughnuts, cheesy biscuits and wedges of warm cornbread shareable starters like a Caesar salad with kale and dehydrated tomato instead of romaine and bacon the Breakfast Bone, a halved veal shin with marrow topped with poached quail eggs over toasted bread salad with grilled pork belly the house burger, 6 ounces of grass-fed chuck on an eggy Fred’s bun dressed with tomato jam, sautéed wild mushrooms and a wedge of deep-fried cheese, sided with correctly skinny frites southern-fried chicken ‘n’ Eggo waffle sandwich with maple syrup to drink, $4 Caesars made with bacon-infused bourbon. Complete brunches for $30 per person, including tax, tip and a Caesar. Average main $13. Open for weekend brunch 10 am to 4 pm. Reservations accepted. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN
German
Das Gasthaus 107 Danforth, at Broadview, 647-352-5044, dasgasthaus.ca, @DasGasthausTO Ex-Spice Room sommelier Ruthie Cummings’s German gastro-pub seems of two minds – part fine Mitteleuropean dining room, part student-friendly beer hall. Like the cozy room’s decor – mismatched chandeliers, velvet-tufted banquettes – the kitchen plays it right down the middle. Best: to start, the charcuterie board groaning with rustic chicken liver pâté, Haus-made pickles, sliced salami and smoked Gouda served with a basket of warm pretzel buns roasted beet salads in creamy yogurt dressing pounded pork schnitzel cleverly breaded with pretzel crumbs over a pool of walnut brown butter, a handful of perfectly executed string beans and a whole lotta dill bright red cabbage rolls with smoked ham hock and nutty wild rice in tomato sauce to finish, old-school cherry strudel. Complete dinners for $45 per person, including tax, tip and a microbrew. Average main $18. Open Monday to Thursday 4 pm to midnight, Friday and Saturday 4 pm to to 1 am. Weekend brunch starting at 11 am. Reservations accepted. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN
Persian
Tavoos 1120 College, at Dufferin, 647-352-7322. The Pomegranate and Sherzade’s Daniele Schrage and Ali Fashrashrafi bring Persian sophistication to one of the last ungentrified corners on the west side. An unusual menu, helpful service and massive portions lead to repeat visits. Forget dessert. The only thing you’ll need after dinner is a nap! Best: to start, Zeitoon Parvardeh, a vegetarian caviar-like spread thick with crushed walnuts, pomegranate paste and tangy green olives mains like Dizi Sangi, a humongous stew of lamb shank and chickpeas served two ways, first as strained broth then mashed on toasted barberry bread along with creamy yogurt, scallion and pickled eggplant Kolleh Pocheh, a curried soup strewn with sundry sheeps’ heads, hooves and tongues finished with pickled garlic, raw red onion and fresh lemon to drink, strong Turkish coffee. Complete lunches/brunches for $20 per person, including tax, tip and a steaming glass of chai. Open Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Closed Monday, Tuesday, holidays. No reservations. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
Ramen
Touhenboku 261 Queen W, at Duncan, 416-596-8080, touhenboku.ca, @touhenbokuRamen Though it would appear not that different from almost every other ramen house in town – cramped seating, frenzied staff and a permanent lineup out the door – only this Tokyo import features a lineup of chicken-based soups instead of the usual pork, the secret weapon schmaltz (aka chicken fat). Bad for the arteries, great for the skin! Best: two styles of house-made noodles – spaghetti-thin or fettucini-wide – in either salty shio or rich shoyu-infused chicken broth topped with a choice of lean slow-braised pork loin, fattier belly or relatively fat-free chicken thigh, finished with sheets of toasted seaweed, slivers of rubbery black wood-ear mushrooms, halves of soft-boiled nitamago egg and chopped raw scallion make any of them spicy with a shot of garlic and chili oils potsticker-style gyoza dumplings stuffed with minced pork. Complete meals for $17 per person, including tax, tip and tea. Average main $10. Open daily 11 am to midnight. No reservations. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN
Vegetarian
Siddhartha Pure Vegetarian 1471 Gerrard East, at Rhodes, 416-463-9777 Sister to Gautama down the block, this Subcontinental all-you-can-eat buffet is one of the tastiest in Little India. And the only one that doesn’t feature butter chicken. Likeable servers steer first-timers to the good stuff. Best: from the buffet, deep-fried veggie pakoras and samosas veggie szubji like saag paneer swirled with yogurt stir-fried cabbage with mustard seeds spicy eggplant with potatoes and green chilies paneer in sweet red tomato sauce à la butter chicken sweet ‘n’ sour Manchurian-style meatless kofta meatballs from the à la carte menu, fried lentil idly with fiery Sri Lankan-style sambar the tandoori platter with smoky paneer, cauliflower and tofu on a bed of raw cabbage and red onion. Complete dinners for $25 per person (lunches $20), including tax, tip and a lime soda. Average la carte $10. Open daily for $10.99 lunch buffet 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, $13.99 dinner buffet 4 to 10:30 pm. Unlicensed. Access: two steps at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
