Insomnia – A place that will wake you up

The 411

On a recent trip to Toronto I visited my friends for the weekend for some much needed out-of-town partying and after a long weekend of partying there are 2 things needed: a nice 5k run by the water and Brunch. I love doing brunch in Toronto because it allows me to explore an undiscovered landscape of pancakes, and eggs. I pretty much know of most places in Montreal but know of very few in Toronto and the couple I stayed with always introduces me to a new spot every time I come, so brunch in Toronto is always a delicious experience.

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International House of Pancakes – visiting a legend

The 411

On the way back from a trip to Cali a long plane ride and a lack of medical sedatives made for me being in need of sleep and food. When I don’t eat I get painfully cranky so in order to avoid an incident at the border I decided that I need to eat right away and I really wanted breakfast food. So having landed in Burlington we asked around for information on where to get breakfast. I asked at the airport, the parking lot and even in a grocery store with no luck. Most people didn’t know of any place to eat breakfast on a weekday early in the morning and when one person suggested McDonalds I almost cried but I think the emotion was masked by disgust, which I think she saw on my face (sorry I’m cranky when I’m hungry). Then, as if a sign from above, someone suggested Ihop’s and pointed us in the right direction.

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Chateau Vaudreil – All you can eat brunch by the water

The 411

In life there a few things that really rock my boat; one of them is brunch and the second is weddings and in particular, the food at weddings. Now, when I found out that one of my friends was getting married I was really happy and then when I found out he was doing a wedding brunch at Chateau Vaudreuil, I was ecstatic. I have heard very good things about brunch here, a few of my friends went and were very impressed. I had been here only once before but not for the brunch and remembered that it was an impressive location bordering the water and with really nice views and good service.

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Burgers & Benedicts – Much more than just burgers

The 411

For almost one year I have had my co-worker ask me to review Burgers & Benedicts. Being one of her favourite places, I got to hear one of the best pitches for how good it was. Now, there’s two things in this world I can’t say no to; one is food; and the other is a new place to have brunch (technically they can be considered the same thing but who cares). So one day we got some co-workers together and went out check it out.

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Breakfast at Tiffany’s

The 411

For almost a year I have had people asking me to check out Tiffany’s, but I never really got around to it and also, its situated in an area that I am rarely in. However, this Christmas an amazing thing happened when a friend of mine gave me a gift certificate to Tiffany’s and not only did it highlight the fact I really love brunch but it gave me the motivation to check it out. Now I need to state the obvious: the name chosen for this place is awesome and it makes choosing a tag line that much easier for this post. I mean how can you go wrong with something that makes everyone think of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

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More bang for your buck

The 411

One of the best kept secrets in the East End: Dans La Bouche, a name you have likely never heard of before. It’s a nice place on Mont Royal in the East End. Dans La Bouche is a tapas bar during the day and night which offers a pretty good brunch 7 days a week. Oddly enough, it’s well known in certain circles among east-enders and people in Laval but ask any downtowner or west-ender and they will rarely know about it.

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As sweet as its name

The 411

One of the better known brunch places in the West End, Orange Cafe has made a name for itself not only in NDG but across the city. Now having heard many good reviews of this place I had never actually been so you can imagine my excitement when two of my friend suggested that we go
there. What came after was quite the culinary experience.

At 1st glance

Once you walk up to Orange Cafe you wonder what is so special about this place since the front is not that assuming nor is the area in general. The inside is a simple setup of banquet seats and some tables, nothing fancy, although they do have wheelchair access which is a nice touch. (more…)

A Little East Side Love

The 411

Being someone who lives in the east end I am excited when I hear about a place that serves a good brunch located in the area, and Le Valois is no exception. Le Valois is a fancy Brasserie/Bistro on Ontario street (near Pie IX) – it seems to be part of a trend where places usually associated with more the bar/bistro scene begin offering weekend brunch menus.

At 1st glance

Le Valois is not an easy place to find, especially since there is no sign on the building and the address is missing the last digit. The only way you really know you are there is that there is this odd open space (kind of like a courtyard) with benches and surrounded by a bakery and various small shops (where they buy their food from). Now enough with the outside lets move on in and see what’s on our plate..

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A Masterpiece on your plate

The 411

A recent arrival to the scene, Cafe Art Java (2005) has carved out a niche for itself in making latte coffee art. If your not familiar with coffee art it’s basically designs made with the foam of the coffee. You can take a look at the video posted bellow to see how it is done or simply by clicking HERE . Now, the good thing about Cafe Art Java is that coffee is not the only thing they do well; they also serve up a pretty good breakfast and they make it look nice as well.

At 1st glance

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was that it was partially wheelchair accessible in regards to the entrance (this is always nice to see). The place is broken up into 3 areas with a front spot near windows, a to-go counter with some banquets, and then another dinning area at the back. There are also many small LCD TVs on the wall showing random shows – I found this is distracting since I have no willpower when it comes to TV. Though, for others, it makes a nice touch by having some background noise and a touch of home.

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Disappointment on Bernard Street

The 411

Situated on Bernard, Enfants Terrible is a relatively new addition to the Bernard Street family, often full with people for dinner and drinks, it has created some buzz with various patrons taking in the ambiance, food and terrace. Now the question is: Can this resto handle brunch?

At 1st glance

You can’t miss this place. There is a large outdoor terrace and the decor is really nice, which the windows do a great job of showcasing. As soon as you walk in, you notice the decor is a nice mix of modern and classic, working well with the metal and wood. There is usually a healthy amount of people and it is highly recommended to make reservations for brunch. (more…)