FETCH (1510 Queen West, at Fuller, 416-532-2397) Complete lunches/brunches for $20 per person, including all taxes, tip and a domestic beer. Average main $9. Open Sunday to Friday 10 am-ish to 4 pm-ish. Closed Saturday. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Rock ‘n’ roll restaurants don’t come any more down to earth than Trish Koughan’s Fetch.
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In the same funky storefront that’s home to Parkdale’s Not My Dog, seven-month-old Fetch carries on in the tradition of the much-missed Mimi’s by providing no-nonsense grub to legions of starving musicians. Those who remember Koughan’s nearby Swallow Café won’t be surprised by the quality of Fetch’s limited all-day brunch and lunch card.
Local rockers like Dodge Fiasco and Laura Hubert line the dimly lit bar and spill onto the tranquil backyard patio for basic burgers ($8 with home fries) – “I just leave them alone,” quips Koughan – and grilled hot dogs ($5) topped with meaty Texas-style chili or cheddar-rich macaroni that could proudly stand on their own.
Chef’s years spent in the kitchens of swanky beaneries like Mercer Street Grill and Greg Couillard’s China Blues pumping out “all that fancy shit” are evident in her unusually polished interpretation of a classic Greek salad ($8) layered with tapenade-marinated chicken breast and elegantly plated huevos rancheros ($9). Even a simple bowl of chicken soup ($4) comes sided with freshly baked biscuits that could give School’s Brad Moore a serious run for his rolling pin. And they’re free, to boot.
“This is Parkdale,” says Koughan between drags on a cigarette. “I’m just trying to keep it simple and make everybody happy. I can’t afford to do it any other way.”