Weekly Lunch Pick
La Bréhandaise Crêperie
A master crêpier's galettes and soup are comforting midday treats in the brisk December cold By Catherine Hayday
Sunnyside up: a French classic comes to Queen West
Image credit: Catherine Hayday
The place: The ghost of beloved Queen West brunch spot Sugar Café seems determined to scare off new occupants (see the failed Urbano), but the most recent tenant, La Bréhandaise Crêperie, is determined to make it work. The specialty is a Breton galette (a thin buckwheat crêpe) served in a rustic French-inspired interior that smells intoxicatingly warm and sugary. Chef Pascal Poilbout is literally a master of his hallmark dish—just see his credentials on the wall (École Maître Crêpier, October 23, 2008).
The crowd: Ossington Avenue shoppers, ladies with time for afternoon cider, Francophones and francophiles. Servers are gracious about mangled pronunciations, but repeat orders back in flawless accents.
The deal: Tuesday to Thursday (11:30 to 3:00 p.m.), La Bréhandaise offers two lunch combos, each $12.95—a savoury galette plus one of the daily soups, or a galette plus a sweet crêpe to finish.
The meal: The cold day inspires us to choose comforting dishes, starting with a simple tomato and red pepper soup with crisp croutons that quickly (though not too quickly) soften in the thick liquid. The Uzelaise galette is topped with the traditional egg, ham and emmenthal. There’s a bit of Ethiopian in this Gallic galette: like injera, it’s a deceptively hearty dish, and versatile enough to make each bite different. For authenticity (and to take the edge off afternoon meetings), we pair our lunch with a cup—or bolée, the conventional Breton cider vessel—of refreshing Cremant Ciderie St-Nicholas ($9).
The time: 62 minutes.
The cost: $24.91, including cider and tax.La Bréhandaise Crêperie, 942 Queen St. W. (at Shaw St.), 647-351-0803.
Comments
Comment on this story
Neither Catherine Hayday nor Toronto Life necessarily agree with the comments posted here. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Read our full policy
Some articles on this site require that you have a Torontolife.com account in order to comment, and this is one of them. If you do not have an account, you can register now.
Related
More Weekly Lunch Pick Articles
- Oro
- Anh Dao
- Hank's (Redux)
- Globe Earth
- Arepa Café
- Miga
- Buca
- Delica Kitchen
- The Grilled Cheese
- Rol San Restaurant
See all Weekly Lunch Pick articles »