Saturday
Gautama
1416 Gerrard E, at Hiawatha, 416-469-4444, thesiddhartha.com Though the original was shuttered more than a year ago after a fire, Siddhartha rises from the ashes phoenix-like in fancier new digs a few blocks west. Not only is Sid’s all-you-can-eat buffet as exemplary as ever, but it can now be enjoyed al fresco on the only licensed patio in Little India. Best: from the buffet, crisply fried samosas stuffed with potato, peas and mild peppers saag paneer swirled with yogurt biryani-style rice with garden peas and curry leaves stir-fried cabbage with turmeric and mustard seeds mashed eggplant and potato with chilies aloo gobi with curried cauliflower ‘n’ spuds super-moist tandoori chicken legs and thighs while they last to finish, rice pudding, mango ice cream and fresh fruit to drink, lime sodas. Complete buffet dinners for $25 per person (lunches $20), including tax, tip and a domestic lager. Average la carte main $10. Open for $13.99 dinner Saturday buffet 4 to 10:30 pm. Reservations accepted. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Gusto 101
101 Portland, at Adelaide W, 416-504-9669, gusto101.com Forget Grand Electric and Yours Truly. Downtown’s current resto du jour is this boisterous Italian trat in a converted chop shop within spitting distance of the Spoke Club. Don’t let the knobs and desperate singles put you off one of the best rooftop decks in town. But unless you book a table for either noon or 6 pm – the only times they take reservations – expect to wait in line. Best: to start, house-made ricotta with house-baked baguette wood-grilled octopus over haricots verts in a citrusy basil vinaigrette mined with tapenade massive main-sized arugula salads dressed with baby plum tomatoes, avocado and sliced rare steak classic summer spaghetti tossed with Manila clams at brunch, thin-crust pizzas topped with San Marzano sauce, local mozzarella, Pingue speck and a runny egg to finish, cioccolato pudding splashed with fruity olive oil and sea salt. Complete dinners for $40 per person (lunches/brunches $30), including tax, tip and a glass of house vino. Average main $18/$14. Open for dinner Saturday 5 pm to close. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Marky & Sparky’s Smokehouse
520 Annette, at Runnymede, 647-748-4227, @MarkySparkys Despite being featured on an upcoming episode of Restaurant Takeover, Marcus de Simone and Frank DiGenova’s Baby Point barbecue joint manages to rise above the 10-seat take-away’s generic decor. And while they offer an extensive carte of ‘cue – all sourced from DiGenova’s Butcher by Nature across the street, get the best of the bunch in their $60 all-inclusive Ultimate Combo. Best: large enough to feed four Fords, the Combo includes a half-rack of baby-back ribs slathered with mustard and a sweet paprika rub a dozen dry-rubbed chicken wings with sweet ‘n’ sour cherry sauce half-pounds of slightly fatty pulled pork and lean machine-sliced brisket two fennel-flecked pork sausages with caramelized onion jam four jalapeño-studded cornbread muffins dill pickle spears sides of creamy cabbage slaw and baked beans laced with smoked brisket tips to finish, deep fried Mars Bars with chocolate sauce. Complete dinners for $40 per person (lunches $20), including tax, tip and a lemonade. Open Saturday 5 to 8 pm. No reservations. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
Sunday
E.L. Ruddy
1371 Dundas W, at Rusholme, 647-351-0423 Helena Kosikova’s cozy 20-seat café on the hip Dundas West strip spotlights a short all-day card that’s often gluten-free as well as vegan, and always made from scratch and low in sodium. From the menu: “Slow service after 4 pm.” Best: to start, instead of boring brunch garnish, a complimentary fruit salad of exactly one grape, a nectarine section, a halved strawberry and three pomegranate seeds massive spelt Belgian waffles the size of oven mitts dolled up with maple syrup, whipped cream and stewed strawberries Huevos Yelapa with either two eggs or garlicky baked tofu plus refried beans, toasted cornbread and in-yer-face salsa to take home, wild blueberry scones and quinoa chocolate chip cookies. Complete meals for $15 per person, including tax, tip and a refilled mug of I Deal coffee. Average main $8. Open for brunch Sunday 11 am to 4 pm. No reservations. Licensed. Cash only. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
Lazy Daisy’s
1515 Gerrard E, at Coxwell, 647-341-4070, lazydaisyscafe.ca Though there may be similar all-day indie spots on every street corner west of Bathurst, here in Little India, Dawn Chapman’s artsy 34-seat café is cause for dancing in the streets. A short locavore card of soups ‘n’ sandwiches augmented by stellar baked goods from nearby Knead Bakery makes this an inevitable magnet for the stroller brigade. Best: sweet Berretta Farms ground-beef chili with chunky tomato and the occasional kidney bean sided with jalapeño cornbread miniature whoopee pies filled with Fifth Town goat cheese and smoked Mennonite bacon broccoli and Woolwich cheddar quiche with buttery croissant crust Cha Cha chicken salad sandwiches on St Urbain poppyseed bagels salted caramel and chocolate cheesecake brownies for the Star Wars fanatic, Princess Leia cinnamon buns. Complete meals for $15, including all tax, tip and a Te Aro coffee. Average main $8. Open Sunday 8:30 am to 5 pm. No reservations. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
La Societe
131 Bloor W, at Avenue Rd, 416-551-9929, lasociete.ca Yorkville’s primo patio come summer, Charles Khabouth and partner Danny Soberano’s unusually polished brasserie in the Colonnade is one of the coziest rooms in town when the temperature dips, even if it is a complete rip on New York City’s famed Balthazar, right down to the Munge Leung-designed art nouveau stained glass ceiling. Better yet, grab a corner table in the less-sceney wood-lined bar and feel like you’re in Woody Allen’s Midnight In Paris. Best: avoid les oeufs and go for the best moules frites in town, a great steaming bowl of meaty PEI mussels in white wine, saffron-scented cream, caramelized shallots and fresh tarragon sided with chic skinny sea-salted frites with lemony garlic aioli and Thuet’s chewy baguette avec whipped butter the house burger, a substantial 8-ounce patty topped with aged white cheddar and pickle aioli sided with house greens in a lemon vinaigrette and more fab frites to finish, profiteroles stuffed with house-made vanilla ice cream in chocolate sauce. Complete brunches for $65 per person, including tax, tip and a glass of Veuve Cliquot champagne. Average main $19. Open for brunch Sunday 11 am to 3 pm. Reservations accepted. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN
