Mother's Day Guide 2008
May 2008
Mommy Dearest
The best brunch spots for every matriarch By Denise Balkissoon
Brunch may be the default gift on Mother’s Day, but that doesn’t mean you can take her just anywhere. With an almost perversely diverse breakfast scene in this town, you have to at least try to choose a restaurant that suits her taste, not yours. Here, a travel guide for the yummy mummy in your life.
THE FOODIE MOM
The place: Behind Pacific Mall, bustling Chung King GarÂden (4394 Steeles Ave. E., Markham, 905-513-8788) eschews ubiquitous Cantonese fare for rare dim sum treats from Shanghai.
The food: Dumpling fans enjoy steamed xiao long bao, filled with veggies, shredded pork and hot broth. Green onion pancakes are a savoury standard, while crunchy jellyfish pleases esoterica lovers. Special occasions call for noodle soup—the wriggly threads promise long life and good luck.
THE SOPHISTICATED MOM
The place: On the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, the light-filled Studio Café (21 Avenue Rd., 416-928-7330), where the stylish set (no bed head allowed) eyes other tables for local scandals
and visiting celebs.
The food: A globe-trotting menu includes ethereally light and fluffy lemon ricotta hot cakes ($17),
and poached eggs atop chorizo hash ($19) with zingy chipotle hollandaise. Sandwiches and black cod provide the day’s
second meal for early risers.
THE NO-NONSENSE MOM
The place: Dating back to 1948, the Senator (249 Victoria St., 416-364-7517) offers the ur-diner experience, from checkered floors to worn wooden booths to eggs just the way you like them.
The food: After a wait (this place is perennially popular), expect all the classics: French toast and sandwiches featuring thick-cut challah, blueberry pancakes made from scratch, and a
bagel plate loaded with cream cheese and house-smoked Atlantic salmon.
THE SCENESTER MOM
The place: The artfully converted butcher shop Czehoski (678 Queen St. W., 416-366‑6787). On the main floor, booths make for cozy meals; upstairs, close tables are for gregarious moms eager to share child-rearing techniques with fellow diners.
The food: Eggs are organic, greens are from Cookstown and yogurt comes via Monforte. But come on, it’s her day—she should have Dessert for Breakfast ($8), which might be vanilla crème brûlée drizzled with calvados.
