Fabarnak Community Cafe

This one has been on my list for I don't know how long.....years?  Their hours used to really suck.  Only open on weekdays for lunch with dinners on Friday nights.  Doesn't make it very inviting for people who don't work downtown.  Not sure when the hours changed, but it finally gave me the opportunity to try it for brunch.  A big reason for me wanting to try this place is because of what they want to do for the community.  Fabarnak is a community cafe that provides job opportunities and training to individuals with employment barriers.  I love the idea.

We ordered the beef brisket eggs benedict (their benny of the day), brunch burger and BLET.  Their beef brisket eggs benedict was done ok.  Flavours were good.  Their hollandaise sauce was different than the norm.  As you can see in the picture, there were fresh herbs that were added in the hollandaise sauce.  The eggs were just a tad overcooked for my liking, yolks were not quite runny, but it wasn't like it was over cooked (solid yolk).  Beef brisket was very tender and falling apart, with a flavourful smokey flavour.  What I liked best was that there was the option of potatoes or salad.  I chose the salad so I would feel a bit better about ordering the benny.

The brunch burger was good too.  A good size for sure.  Beef patty was cooked well done, but it was' dry or anything.  What may have helped was the sunny side egg that it was topped with.  Hubby was very happy with his burger.  A bit messy to eat, but he definitely enjoyed it.

My aunt was very happy with her BLET.  She saw bacon and decided she had to order it.  I'm not sure why it's called a BLET because there wasn't any lettuce.  In fact, the menu said its supposed to have arugula.  But when it arrived, it was just spring mix salad.  In any case, my aunt loved her sandwich.  She loved her potatoes just as much.  She couldn't stop eating them!  They were crunchy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.

Brunch @ Fabarnak

Good food for a good cause, at very reasonable prices.  Whats not to like?  Definitely worth checking out.

Fabarnak Community Cafe
519 Church St.,
Toronto, ON
M4Y 2C9

Phone:  (416) 355-6781

Hours:  Monday - Friday 8:30a - 4:00p
             Saturday 9:00a - 4:00p
             Sunday CLOSED

http://www.the519.org/about/fabarnak-restaurant

mon K Patisserie

My friend, who lives in the neighborhood has asked me several times if I’ve tried mon K’s Patisserie.  The answer was always no because I’m never in her neighborhood!  Aside from visiting her, there’s really not much of a reason for me to go into that area.  But once the opportunity opened up, I stopped by mon K. 

Mon K is a small Japanese owned bakery/patisserie/café.  With it being located in the area that it’s located in, I was very surprised with the number of Japanese people sitting in there early in the morning, enjoying their coffee, eating their pastry, and reading the newspapers.  The store itself is small, just a few tables.  I’m not sure if it’s because I went so early, but their selection was pretty good.  I picked up a few plain croissants, some chocolate croissants, some almond croissants, and a hazelnut twist.   Because I gave most of them away, I only got to try a plain croissant, and the hazelnut twist.  I actually couldn’t wait, and ended up eating the plain croissant in the car right after I picked it up.  Both were nice and buttery, and flakey.  The hazelnut twist, because I didn't eat it until the day after, I reheated in my brand new toaster oven!  The hazelnut twist reminded me of a Ferrero Rocher in croissant form.  Delicious!

Fresh Croissant

Reheated Hazelnut Twist

This little patisserie has a lot more to offer then croissants, they have little cakes and cookies too, of which I didn't get a chance to try.  Until next time.....

mon K Patisserie

1040 Coxwell Ave.,

Toronto, ON

M4C 3G5

Phone:  (416) 696-8181

Hours:  Monday CLOSED

             Tuesday - Thursday 9:00a - 4:30p

             Friday - Saturday 9:00a - 5:00p

             Sunday CLOSED

http://www.monkpatisserie.ca

Charlie's Caribbean Cuisine

The longer that I work in Mississauga, the more that I discover there’s some hidden places to go to for lunch.  It’s not the closest to work, but that’s still better than what I originally thought Mississauga was, a culinary wasteland.  What I’m discovering are these family run places or what many would consider to be hole in the walls.  This is where you will usually find authentic food and an affordable price.   This is where you will find the locals that have originated from those countries.  However, for most North Americans, most people prefer the tastes and flavours that have been adapted for North America.  This may include cuts of meats that are more mainstream, or even dumbing down of spices used.  I say give me the real deal!

My coworker, originally from Trinidad, suggested we try Charlie’s because we both had a craving for jerk chicken.  She says this is authentic, from back home.  Charlie’s is small, just a couple of tables, with some very enticing lunch specials.  While the tables never filled up, and no long lineup for take out, there was a steady stream of people ordering the lunch specials.  I ordered the jerk chicken on rice and peas lunch special (small size), my coworker ordered jerk chicken on fried rice.  She also suggested that we get an order of pholourie for me to try.

The pholourie are essentially savoury donuts holes.  It’s strange, they’re fluffy, yet dense.  The closest texure that I could describe them to be like would be a fluffier version of a sour cream donut hole.  Not that much flavour.  So it would go well with anything, taking on whatever flavour the other foods it’s paired with.  Ours was served with a tamarind sauce and a hot sauce.

Phlourie

My coworker’s jerk chicken on fried rice arrived.  And I got worried.  It was huge!  Turns out hers wasn’t the lunch special but the regular portion.  It was essentially an order of fried rice from a Chinese restaurant topped with a large jerk chicken leg.  I had a taste of her fried rice to see the difference between Jamaican fried rice and Chinese fried rice.  The main difference I was able to see was that they don’t have egg, more soy sauce, less wok hay and the rice itself was different.  The rice was very loose, and the grains were a bit larger.  I think I prefer Chinese fried rice, just what I’m more used to I guess.  I forgot to take a picture of her dish.

My jerk chicken on rice and peas arrived.  The lunch special was a ‘small’ portion.  It was pretty big to me.  The rice and peas were ok.  Seems like may have gotten the end of the pot though.  There were some drier chunks.  But not a problem once I added more jerk sauce.  The jerk sauce was more watery than what I’m used to.  But apparently that’s how it should be.  Other places must thicken it with corn starch or something.  The chicken was so good though.  When I crave jerk I tend to order jerk pork, more fat, keeps it moist.  Chicken tends to be dry.  But this chicken was so moist!  Could be because the chicken leg was pretty big too.  Spices wise was seasoned very well, almost a bit too spicy. 

Jerk Chicken Lunch Special

Would definitely come back again, but would need to hope that the parking situation is a bit better.  It’s located in a small strip plaza with limited parking.  They also own their own Caribbean supermarket next door.  Great for buying Caribbean snacks.

Charlie's Caribbean Cuisine

3055 Hurontario St.,

Mississauga, ON

L5A 2G9

Phone:  (905) 949-0663

Hours:  Monday - Friday 10:30a - 9:00p

             Saturday 10:00a - 9:00p

             Sunday 10:30a - 7:00p

http://charliescaribbeancuisine.com