Typically there are no circumstances under which you should be doing Borat impersonations, but if you insist on yelling “jagshemash” (a phonetic transcription of a pan-Slavic greeting meaning “how’s it going?”) at people, Bloor West Village and Roncesvalles are the likeliest areas where someone will understand what you’re trying to say.
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Perhaps it’s the value of the land and the proximity to three subway stops along the strip, but the Ukrainian feel of the neighbourhood (the loss of the Future Bakery and Arka Gifts were big blows) is being replaced by that Kingsway yuppie vibe. That said, you can still get a mean bag of frozen varenyky (pierogies if you’re Polish) at Karpaty Pastry & Deli (2408 Bloor West, 416-769-2159). Better yet, walk over to the Amber Restaurant (2372 Bloor West, 416-763-6164) for the sit-down deal. If you’re looking for something other than borscht, cabbage rolls or varenyky, go for the pelmeni.
More importantly, Amber is the most reliable place to throw back imported Ukrainian tall cans. I lean toward the green Lvivske over the Slavutych, but they’re harder to find. The Bloor West LCBO is a pretty good source if you seek a big bottle of the hard stuff (Slava Vodka’s the best bet).
Bloor West more than makes up for its vanishing Ukrainian character during the Bloor West Ukrainian Festival, which fills the street with beer and craft tents September 18 – 20, 2009.
The next part of your trip should take you through High Park. Pass by the zoo for South American llamas and emerge on Parkside Drive. You’re in meat country now – Roncesvalles has an abnormally high butcher-to-person ratio.
Walk into a Polish family-owned store like Village Meat Products (415 Roncesvalles, 416-535-9963) and they start speaking to you in Polish before you have a chance to stumble into English.
To some degree, Little Poland is experiencing the same decline in ethnic character that’s already hit Bloor West. But there are still plenty of Polish book shops, barbers, bakers and restaurants, like the hilariously named Krak Restaurant (153 Roncesvalles, 416-536-6119) – riffing on Krakow, but we can all snicker.
Also worth checking out are Chopin Restaurant (165 Roncesvalles, 416-536-6228) and the pastries at Granowska’s Bakery (175 Roncesvalles, 416-533-7755). You can’t leave without grabbing some pickles, and every second shop on the strip has buckets of them. It’s not Polish, but the Old Country Gift Shop (355 Roncesvalles, 416-535-7641) has the most amazing selection of German chocolates.
The Poles are generally a religious bunch, so a visit to Little Poland isn’t complete with checking out the giant statue of JP 2 at Fern Avenue, in front of the bank. The Pope visited the neighbourhood in 1984.
Roncesvalles also boasts the incredible claim that one of its alleyways is the origin of the hairless Sphynx breed of cat. A litter was discovered in 1963, according to the area’s BIA.
Paul Terefenko
Global grub
Cafe Polonez
195 Roncesvalles, at Fern, 416-532-8432. Pleasant if a tad antiseptic, what this venerable Polski pierogi palace lacks in atmosphere is more than made up for by modestly priced and massively portioned plates of rib-sticking grub. Open daily 11 am to 10 pm. Average main: $12. Licensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Brad’s
325 Roncesvalles, at Grenadier, 416-533-2723. Launched a year ago, Brad Krawchuk’s burgeoning beanery has quickly become the hottest weekend noshery on the pierogi strip. First-timers will be glad to snag a table in the café’s breezy front room, but locals know the resto’s prime seating is in the impressive skylight-lit space out back. Open Tuesday and Wednesday 11 am to 7 pm, Thursday and Friday 11 am to 10 pm. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm, dinner Saturday 6 to 10 pm. Average main $11. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNN
Steven Davey
