Saturday
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
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 $30 per person, including tax, tip and a pot of jasmine green tea. Average main $10. Open for dinner Saturday 5 to 10 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNNN
Jules Bistro
147 Spadina, at Queen W, 416-348-8886, julesbistrocafe.com. Now in its 12th year, Eric and Mahasti Strippoli’s laid-back brick-lined bistro is always a zoo at lunch. But come back at dinner and find a relaxed room lit by chandeliers that makes a great backdrop for a first date, especially when the three-course prix fixe – French onion soup, Caesar or cold chèvre salad followed by seared 8-ounce flank strip peppered with herbes de Provence, grilled chicken or salmon sided with sea-salted fries, house-made mayo and mixed greens in apple cider Dijon vinaigrette, and traditional desserts of crème brûlée or chocolate mousse – goes for $24.95. Best: traditional thin-crusted quiche with Swiss cheese, bacon ‘n’ broccoli or eggplant ratatouille and chèvre foot-long sandwiches on Portuguese pada, like Le Parisien with Black Forest ham, Swiss cheese and tart cornichons, or creamy Brie with tomato and greens, all with puréed soup, mesclun or fries for dessert, house-baked tarte aux pommes. Complete dinners for $40 per person (lunches $25), including all taxes, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $18/$12. Open for dinner Saturday 4 to 9 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN
Sunday
Bestellen
972 College, at Rusholme, 647-341-6769, bestellen.ca. Top Chef Canada season-one runner-up and ex-Mercatto toque Rob Rossi parlays his TV game show near-win into one of the most meatcentric restaurants in town. His dinner menu features the likes of $98 house-aged steaks and whole suckling pig platters, and the brunch carte is only slightly more veggie-friendly. Best: to start, complimentary banana bread straight from the oven dolloped with crème fraîche and crushed walnuts bags of cinnamon-dusted doughnuts classic croque madame with house-cured ham, mornay sauce and a pair of runny fried eggs old-school southern-fried chicken doused in maple syrup sided with jalapeño cornbread muffins, both with organic greens in lemony vinaigrette massive 8-ounce breakfast burgers on house-baked English muffins dressed with crispy fried onions and bacon jam. Complete brunches for $30 per person, including tax, tip and a glass of wine. Average main $13. Open for brunch Sunday 11 am to 3 pm. Licensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN
Caplansky’s
356 College, at Brunswick, 416-500-3852, caplansky.com. Although he’s known as the artisanal smoked meat king of Hogtown, Zane Caplansky also continues the tradition of big Spadina all-day breakfasts à la Switzer’s and the Bagel. Show up early or join the hungover lined up after noon. Crowded room, harried service – just like it should be. Best: the Leaning Tower of Caplansky, an almost architectural stack of three thickly sliced slices of eggy pan-fried Silverstein’s challah spread with alternating layers of buttery Mendel Creamery’s Cream cheese and house-made blueberry jam in real maple syrup, dusted with confectioner’s sugar and garnished with fat-free rashers of house-cured jerky-like beef bacon and fruit salad (aka French toast) lemon ricotta blintzes lean smoked brisket hash with potatoes, onions, two sunny-side-up eggs and dark rye toast in honour of Rush’s Mr. Lee, the Geddy – scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and salami with latkes and apple sauce. Complete breakfasts for $25 per person, including tax, tip and the hair of the dog. Average main $12. Open for brunch Sunday 10 am to 8 pm. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Senator
249 Victoria, at Yonge-Dundas Sq, 416-364-7517, thesenator.com. While little of the art deco diner’s decor has changed since it opened in 1928, the grub is a considerable step up from the average greasy spoon’s. Show up early or wait in line. Best: Yogurt Surprise, freshly made granola topped with seasonal fruit, honey and – surprise! – yogurt bagel platters with house-smoked salmon, cream cheese and Bermuda onion all-day bacon ‘n’ egg breakfasts with baked beans, challah toast, home fries and tea or coffee massive 8-ounce burgers composed of naturally raised Cumbrae beef Provimi calf’s liver ‘n’ onions with mashed potatoes and gravy house-baked pie à la mode. Open Sunday 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, booth seating, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
