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!

rosedale diner rendez-vous

for months now, a friend and her (new) husband have been planning to attend a blog-worthy double date. after much restaurant and menu deliberation, we finally selected the rosedale diner for their bohemian style and eclectic menu items. 
we made an 8pm reservation and the restaurant was packed. it's a tight little spot, so be prepared to get cozy to the people at neighbouring tables. this family-run restaurant has graced many "best of" lists, and has certainly secured a spot with us!
see below.

menu

 appetizers:

Melted Brie a la Shum | w/ garlic & za'atar, served w/ apple fans & pita points 

Duck Liver pâté | port, crispy leeks, schmaltz, blueberry balsamic reduction

The Caesar | parmesan & herbed croutons, our famous dressing

 mains:

delicious (and very rich) poutine au canard:
off the bone duck confit & quebecois cheese curds, frites, demi-glaze gravy

steak frites: aged sirloin, brushed garlic and a bourbon compound butter with sauteed market vegetables

King Cole Duck Confit | in a cassis veal jus w/ sautéed market vegetables & herb-roasted potatoes

 desserts:

flourless chocolate tort

raspberry chocolate tartufo

thanks to TS, SS and RK for a great night out! our meals were pricey, but the food was delicious! check out their winterlicious menu coming soon.
can't wait to do it again!

cheap and cheerful!

first off: happy new year!
resolution 1: post more!!


a few weeks back, we had a wonderful and delicious group dinner at famoso! annually, the gals and i have our traditional chrismukkah dinner hosted at someone's home. this year, we decided to make it easy: we switched it up and decided to dine out.
we arrived at famoso on bloor and were seated almost immediately for our 8pm reservation.
famoso has an interesting system where you peruse the menu at your leisure, write down your order, and walk it up to the counter. everything else was business as usual. known for their neopolitain-style pizza, i was doubtful it would be as delicious as pizza libretto, but was happily suprised!

overall:
the food was delicious. drinks were flowing. wait staff were more than accommodating. the whole group was happy. prices were good and the atmosphere was cheerful. a win-win!

check out the pics!

drinks were flowing. 

standard caprese salad

caeser salad

prosciutto wrapped mozzarella balls

piazetta and fire-roasted tomato bique

margherita

pepperoni and roasted mushrooms

primavera piazetta and caprese

siciliana

leftovers!!

we had a great time! i would recommend for groups, a quick and easy bite, and people with kids in tow.

hint:place your order only once you are ready to eat. these neopolitan pizzas are ready in 90 seconds.