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Food Food & Drink

Weekend eating: September 17-18

Saturday

Le Canard Mort

896 Queen E, at Logan, 416-625-2653, lecanardmort.ca. Sister to Le Rossignol, this Leslieville gastropub plays it safe – a mostly rustic French card, well-trained service, and prices that make dinner out Tuesday the sensible thing to do. Microbrews and cocktails galore, kid-friendly and weekend brunch, too? Take that, Joy Bistro and Lady Marmalade! Best: crisply deep-fried sweetbreads splashed with hot sauce and dipped in blue cheese aioli à la Buffalo chicken wings retro escargots vol-au-vents Perth County pork chops with caramelized shallots, al dente green beans and Dijon mashed potatoes lobster pot pie thick with baby veg in béchamel mac & cheese finished with freshly shaved truffle. Complete dinners for $45 per person, including tax, tip and a beer cocktail. Average main $18. Open for dinner Saturday from 5 pm. Reservations recommended. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN

Jules Bistro

147 Spadina, at Queen W, 416-348-8886, julesbistrocafe.com. Now in its 11th 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

Zocalo

1426 Bloor W, at Sterling, 647-342-1567, zocalobistro.com. This low-key veggie-friendly beanery puts the Junction Triangle firmly on the foodie map. Chef Joel MacMillan’s short but extremely inventive card – think communal Ethiopian-style platters by way of a health-conscious California spa – deserves the attention, especially at these price points. Minimal digs, offbeat tunage and welcoming service make the Z an instant local hit and worth the trip across town. And no eggs Benedict! Best: to start, main-sized salads of garden-crisp green beans tossed with arugula, roasted radishes and toasted pinenuts in a glazed apple cider vinaigrette sided with wedges of double-cream Quebec Brie and house-baked caraway crackers seasonal local vegan soup du jour with cornbread and currant jelly shareable “broken bread” platters of French Canadian meat loaf with roasted potato and garlic confit salad apricot ‘n’ pork sausages poached in house-made cider over warm split peas and balsamic onion marmalade, all served with three types of St John Bakery sourdoughs and a mess of organic arugula, red radish, slivered daikon and baby plum tomatoes in red wine vinaigrette at weekend brunch, strawberry bread pudding to finish, butter tarts to drink, cold-pressed apple juice. Complete meals for $25 per person, including tax, tip and a glass of locally grown wine. Average main $10. Open for dinner Saturday 5 to 10 pm. Bar till close. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNNN

Sunday

Bloordale Pantry

1285 Bloor W, at Lansdowne, 416-530-2999, thebloordalepantry.com. Despite its somewhat chi-chi handle, Rose Guarnieri and ex-Bodega and the Fifth sous Anthony Menna’s west-side luncheonette sticks to its diner roots, its vintage decor and jukebox soundtrack intact, while updating the classics with local ingredients and expert plating. Best: eggs Benny on house-baked scones layered with Norwegian smoked salmon, sided with organic greens and potato-onion hash pumpkin spice pancakes finished with maple whipped cream, sliced bananas and fresh berries retro Banquet Burgers, 6 filler-free ounces of lean Butcher Shoppe chuck on a grilled whole wheat bun dressed with bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and pickles, a heap of hand-cut Yukon Gold fries and red pepper slaw on the side to drink, fresh-pressed cranberry-apple cider. Complete brunches for $25 per person, including, tax, tip and a pint. Average main $11. Open for brunch Sunday 10 am to 3 pm. No reservations. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN

Cardinal Rule

5 Roncesvalles, at Queen W, 647-352-0202, cardinalrulerestaurant.com. One-time divey greasy spoon on the corner where Queen West meets Roncey, this slightly less divey diner offers an all-day card that’s not only often inventive but also available in gluten-free and vegan versions. Cool glam-rock tunes on the jukebox, smiling servers and kid-friendly, too. Dress code: argyle. Best: the Wallop, the already hefty house burger dressed with leek ‘n’ potato latkes, Oka cheese, bacon and a runny fried egg the Breakfast Pie, a mutant quiche with a bacon (!) crust layered with latkes and cheesy veggie frittata to finish, chocolate caramel pie with a salty pretzel crust classic Key lime pie to drink, pints of Beau’s all-natural microbrew. Complete brunches for $20, including tax, tip and a pint. Open for brunch Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Licensed. Cash only. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN

Jim’s Best Western

897 Queen E, at Logan, 416-463-6535. Long before Leslieville became foodie heaven, this archetypal east-side dive was famous for its hefty westerns. No matter how bad a day you’re having, after a meal at this greasiest of spoons, life seems a little sunnier. Why line up at Lady Marmalade when you can get the same thing here for half the money with twice the atmosphere? Movie trivia: Tom Cruise shot a pivotal scene in 80s flick Cocktail here. Best: like the sign out front says, massive three-egg western sandwiches on toasted brown loaded with chopped bacon and sweet onion moist, chunky chicken salad sandwiches from Greek-style rotisserie birds, both sided with traditional fries ‘n’ gravy basic all-day bacon ‘n’ egg breakfasts with home-fries and toast. Complete meals for $9 per person, including tax, tip and a domestic beer. Average main $5. Open Monday to Friday 6 am to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 6 am to 8 pm. No reservations. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN

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