Saturday
Frank @ the AGO
317 Dundas W, at McCaul, 416-979-6688, ago.net/frank. Agora executive chef Anne Yarymowich returns to the Art Gallery of Ontario’s flagship resto with an elegantly simple card and a mostly female kitchen brigade. And while the new 130-seat room – named for architect Frank Gehry – is sleek and sophisticated, other than a Frank Stella installation best viewed from the bi-level space’s upper area and a few Edward Burtynsky photographs, it doesn’t feel particularly arty or gallery-like. Best: linen-lined basket of Fred’s Breads baguette, multigrain and dark chocolate-coffee loaf served with unsalted goat butter and a clamshell of Maldon sea salt crispy Monforte Dairy goat cheese croquettes over organic Soiled Reputation greens and vanilla-poached pears in honey saffron vinaigrette Provimi osso buco braised in vermouth with polenta and heirloom baby carrots grilled Cumbrae rib-eye with buttermilk mash and horseradish beet relish. Complete dinners for $65 per person, including tax, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $26. Open for dinner Saturday 5:30 to 10 pm. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNN
Hopgood’s Foodliner
325 Roncesvalles, at Grenadier, 416-533-2723, hopgoodsfoodliner.com. Don’t come to former Hoof Café chef Geoff Hopgood’s ultra-hip Foodliner expecting bone-marrow donuts and suckling-pig eggs Benny. Not only does his Roncey resto not offer the two dishes that put him on the foodie map, but he doesn’t do brunch at all. Instead, go for some of most creative and downright fun plates in town in a relaxed room tended by attentive servers. Best: to start, Halifax-style donairs on warm house-baked pitas dressed with ripe tomato, diced Vidalia onions and a weirdly addictive sauce made from evaporated milk, sugar, garlic and vinegar lamb’s heart tartare laced with green olives and dehydrated cauliflower purée over nutty caramelized cream a winter cassoulet of French flageots beans thick with meaty sweetbreads and sage-scented sausages deep-fried chicken roulade or cheesy grits in bacon-maple sauce to finish, frozen house-made chocolate bars. Complete dinners for $60 per person, including tax tip and a glass of wine. Average main $22. Open for dinner Saturday 6 to 11 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNNN
Jean’s Vegetarian Kitchen
1262 Danforth, at Greenwood, 416-778-1388. Jean and Harry Seow (Rasa Sayang, Sawasdee) return from retirement – for the third time! – with their swankiest resto yet. This unexpectedly upscale 30-seat room, all caramel-coloured walls, sleek banquettes and beaming Buddha on the bar, now comes with an exclusively Southeast Asian vegetarian card. Bonus: everything on the menu is available in vegan versions. Best: to start, tightly wrapped rice-paper rolls deep-fried in canola oil, packed with cellophane noodles, raw carrot threads and crunchy ribbons of cloud ear Golden Baskets, a tiny quintet of brittle pastry shells brimming with garden-fresh peas, corn, carrots and diced organic tofu mains like Pad Kee Mau, a ketchup-free take on pad thai thick with cauliflower and broccoli, basil and convincing faux shrimp sides like Japanese eggplant with sweet peppers bitter mustard greens in garlic to finish, deep-fried bananas in honeyed batter. Complete dinners for $25 per person, including tax, tip and a pot of jasmine green tea. Average main $9. Open for dinner Saturday 5 to 10 pm. Reservations recommended. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNNN
Sunday
Hadley’s
940 College, at Dovercourt, 416-588-3113, hadleys.ca. Situated in a former Portuguese sports bar, Eric Hadley and Lex Taman’s friendly, unpretentious spot oozes potential, particularly at brunch when the southern U.S. ‘cue meets its perfect match. Best: the Remedy, a pair of deep-fried poached eggs slathered with hollandaise, smoked cheddar and gently pulled pork over hash, baked navy beans and tart Asian slaw savoury bread pudding over leeks, portobello mushrooms and smoked Emmenthal sided with Green Goddess salad. Complete brunches for $25 per person, including tax, tip and a pint of microbrew. Average main $12. Open for brunch Sunday 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement, booth seating. Rating: NNN
Table 17
782 Queen E, at Boulton, 416-519-1851, table17.ca. A shabby-chic French country room – paper-topped trestle tables, rickety chandeliers, pitchforks galore – affable service and short Euro carte draw the local gentry. Best: to start, heirloom baby beet salad tossed with green beans, crumbled blue cheese and lardons in champagne vinaigrette slow-poached Neapolitan-style eggs in Italian-style tomato sauce strewn with fresh basil leaves over thickly sliced toasted ciabatta to finish, sea-salted chocolate pudding finished with red Thai chili flaky lemon curd tarts to drink, $5 Caesars and Mimosas. Complete brunches for $30 per person, including tax, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $10. Open Sunday 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN
Tati Bistro
124 Harbord, at Major, 416-962-8284, tatibistro.com. Ex-Teatro chef Laurent Brion keeps it traditionally French in one of the south Annex resto row’s loveliest rooms. Strong coffee, a gorgeous rooftop deck under a spreading chestnut come summer and ol’ Misery Guts Morrissey moaning on the stereo make it one of the busiest, too. Best: to start, house-baked pain au chocolat straight from the oven Tati turnovers, puff pastry vol au vents sauced with bacon, mushrooms and Gruyère frisée salad with chunky bacon lardons, blue cheese and an exceptionally poached egg house charcuterie platter with cornichons. Open for brunch Sunday 11 am to 3pm. Licensed. Rating: NNN
