Upper Deck by Fran's

We've been having quite the summer, huh? That heat! You won't hear me complaining about it though because I absolutely despise winter. I hate everything about the season - the frigid temperatures, the snowstorms, the freezing rain, the drive. Ughhhh. So, if you're like me and are scouting around the city, trying to enjoy the last of summer and chilling on patios, then I highly recommend you check out Upper Deck by Fran's (Instagram: @upperdeckbyfrans, Facebook: Upper Deck by Fran's)

Upper Deck by Fran's, which took over the two upper levels of Fran’s flagship College Street location, is less of a classic diner and more of a casual eatery. Open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, the restaurant's menu focuses on Americana and international flavours. Customers can expect generous diner-style breakfasts and home-style comforts with contemporary twists.

The first floor of Upper Deck by Fran's is fully indoor and features a large wrap around bar.

Take a look at this cool art installation of the College subway station on the way to the second floor of Upper Deck by Fran's.

Cluck Clucks Fried Chicken & Waffles

Tucked away at the corner of The Esplanade and Princess Street is Cluck Clucks, a restaurant dedicated to fried chicken and waffles. The place is pretty hidden and not easy to find, so you gotta purposely look for it or know where you're going. I only found out about Cluck Clucks from my friend, who has been for dinner before and thought I should try it out.

Serving halal chicken, Cluck Clucks' fried chicken is cooked to order so all customers are informed when ordering that there'll be a wait of about 15 minutes. If you live or work in the area, you'll be happy to know that you can order Cluck Clucks (Instagram: @cluckcluks, Facebook: Cluck Clucks) via Ritual.

My friend and I went to Cluck Clucks twice so this post combines my two experiences there.

FIRST VISIT

WHAT THE CLUCK! (Solo $10.49, Combo $12.99)

2 pc bone-in-chicken, fresh waffle, choice sauce

Cluck Clucks fried chicken is on point. Crispy, golden, seasoned chicken skin with meat that's extremely juicy and tender. Delicious. As for the waffles, if you like them super soft, light and fluffy, this is the place for it. I personally like mine with a crispier exterior (i.e. crispy edges but still soft inside). The fries were seasoned well but a bit soggy. I didn't care for the Cluck Sauce; it had a sweet/tangy flavour and consistency that's similar to Italian salad dressing. Just not my thing. Thinking back I should have picked maple syrup as my "sauce", which is how fried chicken & waffles is traditionally served anyway (along with butter). The succulent union of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy, maple syrup and chicken may sound strange but it's unbelievably good.

CLUCK YEAH! (Solo $12.79, Combo $14.99)

Boneless chicken breast in between a fresh jalapeno and cheddar waffle with coleslaw, chipotle aioli, dill mayo

Other than the fried chicken, this Cluck Yeah! sandwich was my favourite item on Cluck Clucks' menu. The waffle - infused with the jalapeno and cheddar - was in many ways better than the regular waffle, both in flavour and texture (it was crispier for some reason). The chicken breast wasn't dry at all (dry chicken breast is my worst nightmare). Together with the creamy chipotle and tangy coleslaw, this waffle-sandwich was very satisfying to eat.

The Feasting Room

The Feasting Room (Twitter: @thefeastingroom, Facebook: The Feasting Room) is not a restaurant, but rather a weekly pop-up that occupies The Orbit Room (@OrbitRoomTO) from Thursdays to Monday nights. A six-month project designed to encourage Torontonians to "eat the whole beast", The Feasting Room focuses on a different animal each week by offering a six course blind tasting menu for $65 ($105 with wine pairing). Conscientious and sustainable eating practices is The Feasting Room's core belief and philosophy. 


The Feasting Room is a joint venture between Noah Goldberg (chef / owner who has worked at Lee in Toronto, DB Bistro Moderne in NYC, St. John in UK) and Mathieu Dutan (general manager who has worked at Bistro Bakery Thuet, Gamelle, La Palette and also trained as a sommelier in Paris) and it serves as a test to gauge the city's enthusiasm for nose-to-tail, off cuts and offal cuisine. A test for what, you ask? Well, a test before they actually dive in and invest in a permanent restaurant location! Smart. Very smart.

Dinner on the patio.

The Feasting Room always provides a diagram of the featured animal with the numbered parts corresponding to the course. Why is #5 floating in air?

Amuse: Rabbit liver parfait

Amore Trattoria - Worst Brunch Ever

My two friends and I went to Amore Trattoria for brunch one Sunday a couple of months ago. It was a last minute get together and we were looking for something around the Yonge & Eglinton area. There are a lot of restaurants on that Yonge strip (I find that most are Italian restaurants) and because I don't frequent that part of town often, I didn't have a preference on where to go and so we stumbled into Amore Trattoria.


After I set foot into Amore Trattoria, I was pretty sure I have been there for brunch before a few years ago but I can't be 100% sure. Can't say if that's a good sign or a bad sign.

Pretty empty for Sunday brunch. It was around 11 at the time so it's not like we were super early. Please excuse the quality of the pictures by the way; these were not taken with my SLR or my Samsung point and shoot but rather with my iPhone4. Not too shabby still, no?

Pizzzaaaaaa! Nobody is even manning the oven so obviously no pizza brunch for me.

The School Gets an A+

I like school (yes even the ones that involve studying), but I have another thing going with School and Bakery Cafe. I like their concept, I like their decor, and most importantly, I like their food!  I've been there 3 times now, and I would go again in a heart beat. It is one of my favorite spots for brunch.

I have read reviews where people claim that the food is mediocre, and the waiters are terrible. Well, obviously I can't say I agree since I just said School is one of my favorite brunch places. First of all, I like their food. If you check their menu, there is certainly a wide variety - fresh bakery goodies, fruit, crepes & waffles, french toast & pancakes, and savory plates. The portions are just right, and I don't think their prices are unreasonable at all. As for the bad service, maybe I need to go a 4th time to experience it? Not sure, because for the 3 times I went, I really didn't find a problem at all. It can get really packed and very busy during brunch there too, so I don't know about anybody else, but given those circumstances, I don't expect waiters to be standing around doing nothing, waiting to serve, or be able to appear right at your side when you need them - they are going to be roaming around trying to keep up with taking orders, bringing out food, bringing in plates, and other waiter duties. In my point of view, cut them some slack! This is not fine dining! Also, if you are in a hurry to go some place on a Sunday morning, have you considered that maybe brunch is not your thing? Weekend brunch is meant to be a relaxing meal, and not part of a hectic schedule where you only allot 30 minutes for it. You must enjoy brunch without a time constraint. Better yet, you should take a nap afterwards too. Ok, rant done. Moving on.

I have included pictures from all my 3 visits to School (some have no captions because I forgot what they are). Seeing these pictures again make me want to go back right now.


These yummy looking pastries were all on the counter to the right of the waiting area. I just want to grab and eat everything