joy bistro

saturday morning, i headed down to leslieville for a lovely brunch with the one and only bj.

it had been far too long since we had been to 'our spot'. we hadn't seen one another since december!

as always, joy bistro served a lovely breakfast. ever the hotspot,  i was lucky 'b' arrived a few minutes early to secure the best seat in the house: one of the cozy half booths. yummy food, hot drinks and a great vibe means i will definitely be back soon.

joy bistro is located in the leslieville area of toronto, right at booth and queen east.

always essential to start the morning with a latte

....or a cappucino

the restaurant was busy but our food was perfection.
we each ordered the 'leslieville eggs benedict' 

slow roast peameal bacon (regular crispy bacon for me, please), spinach, sauteed tomato,
Yukon gold rosti potato (yum!) and green onion hollandaise

we will absolutely be back to joy bistro! definite recommendation! with so many excellent leslieville choices, make sure you don't miss this one!

in other news....this little girl is the culprit for my absence! meet izzie, my new goldendoodle  puppy!

sweetest face around

vi pei, oh my

no question about it, this girl loves brunch. and discovering a delicious brunch spot within walking distance from home is quite the finding! the whole (quite critical) group was in agreement: we will definitely return to vi pei bistro (formerly vi vetha)

EC, BC, JW, CS, RK and i went to vi pei in the yonge and lawrence area, on a beautiful sunny march day (a tease by mother nature). there was lots of cousin-chatter and smiles all around. the service was great and the food was fantastic. the menu offered creative options for typical brunch food, plus some interesting specials. the menu was extensive, making it difficult to choose what to eat. all in all, everything was plentiful! the restaurant itself has a plain decor, but what vi pei lacks in atmosphere, they more than make up for with lick-your-plate brunch.  

brunch:

eggs nova 
poached eggs on english muffin over smoked salmon with hollandaise.
served with salad & home fries

salmon omelet
fruit smoked salmon, capers & green onion
with salad & home fries  

3 cheese omeletprepared with asiago, cheddar & mozzarella cheeses
with salad & home fries

eggs benny special
two poached eggs, smoked salmon, brie and hollendaise
served with side salad and homefries

french toast special
brie-stuffed french toast with caramelized
peaches, strawberries and bananas (WOW)
bacon and sausage

note: get there early... the place was buzzing and full by 11.
looking forward to next time!

lady of brunch

during the last few days of our two-week vacation, NA (of 'where the locals go') and i finally carved out some time to hit up the queen east hotspot, lady marmalade. 
although it was a dreary january day, the air was light and cheery inside the bustling restaurant.
lady marmalade, while itty bitty in size, offers a wide range of unique dishes, catering to the ever-changing leslieville crowd. from hipsters and hippies to families and yuppies, lady marmalade had everybody smiling (once they were seated).
tip: be sure to get there about an hour before you want to eat. this place is busy everyday of the week. even on a thursday morning, we waited close to an hour.
enjoy.
recommendation? yes.

warm coffee on a snowy day

we both ordered the eggs benny..

it was a tough call between the good morning poutine, but in the end,
NA ordered the “cochinita pibil” yucatecan pulled pork & citrus marinated red onions

i ordered the roasted vegetables & aged white cheddar
i could have done without the (overdressed) salad

what's brunch without a side of bacon

until next time!

beautiful birthday brunch

my birthday passed but a few weeks ago. this year, instead of a come-one-come-all bar birthday, i opted for a small, but special, birthday brunch. the venue of choice was MoRoCo in yorkville.

we enjoyed some magnificent mimosas and macarons, tasty entrees and delicious desserts.

fresh waffles: strawberry compote, whipped cream, chocolate sauce

poached eggs, avocado salsa with spicy aioli 

nutella crepe

dessert menu

chocolate fondue with all the fixins!

thanks for a delicious and special birthday brunch!

xoxo

high societe!

had a fabulous lunch last week at toronto's la societe. summer clothes and girlfriends on hand, we arrived for our reservation and were promptly seated in a room of luxurious furnishings and rich aromas. 
the menu did not disappoint. all the ladies were tempted by at least a few dishes each. it being a summery saturday morning, and a little on the early-side, lots of coffee was consumed among the catching up and laughter. our waiter was extremely attentive, always ready with a fresh carafe of java, and a smile.

1 of.....many coffees

many delicious options

bistro breakfast

eggs benedict florentine

quiche du jour-brie and asparagus

a definite recommendation. treat yourself to an elegant and delicious brunch in yorkville. you won't be disappointed.