Toronto - Manita (Rosedale)
Comfort food in the well-known former home of the Rosedale Diner; plus a return to Milos and dreams of San Sebastian.
I like Manita on Ossington for a burger and crisp glass of something orange and funky. The outside tables are rickety and they serve a mean espresso for when you are ready to leave the patio in the late afternoon.
When the Rosedale Diner shut and Manita’s playful logo showed up on the paper hoarding in the windows, I was pleasantly surprised. But of course a neighbourhood spot with a great wine list would pop up in the home of the former uptown resto - tight rooms, cozy, wooden floors. Then, the menu was revealed on their website. My eyes widened at a $28 plate of scrambled eggs and $24 Croque Madame; is that what we are paying for breakfast these days? I vowed to never go for brunch at Manita and suddenly longed for my hungover mornings, armed with my lip gloss and debit card, stomping up Yonge St in my Uggs to the Rosedale Diner for breakfast with friends.
This past Tuesday night, my mum had finished her glass of Prosecco at Joni and the Oxley turned us away - we found ourselves in Summerhill, Manita the first stop on our pilgrimage down Yonge St. to find a restaurant with a table for two. Surprisingly, they fit us in. As previously described as ‘cozy’, it might be better to say this restaurant is tight - there are three rooms: front, back, upstairs; the backroom seats four, maybe five people - if you squeeze - at a high top and bar counter. We opted for the backroom’s high top and enjoyed watching each plate come from the kitchen, to be scurried upstairs or to the front room.
What we ordered: Mussels & Fries $32 [They were leek & butter; the only reference on the online menu is for the curry mussels, this we did not order] | Brick Chicken, pan roasted half chicken, confit cherry tomatoes, black kale, harissa jus $45 | Carrot Cake $14
The food was incredible, fresh, and flavorful. The portions were large and the fries superb; my mum is still talking about them. My only critique of the menu is the lack of vegetables. There are no veggie sides and only two overdressed salads. Mushrooms with breadcrumbs covered in cheese does not count.
Mum had wine and I enjoyed a dealcoholized 0% pinot from Sobr Market up the street. No, they did not make me pay for a corkage fee, which is typically $90. So yes, we did tip well. I was intending on making a longer post about this - and still might - but would like to formally complain that Vinotecca Pompette asked me to pay $45 to drink a 200ml bottle of Prima Pave. I am all for a corkage fee, and think it is necessary if a table of two+ intends to drink their own supply - but asking a pregnant woman to pay $45 to uncap a $13, 200ml of 0% when you have no non-alcoholic wine on the menu is offensive - even for the French.
Recommend for: A date night for two - whether with a friend, lover, family. The crowd was diverse and on a Tuesday night you could tell there were a lot of locals.
Reservations: Yes, via Resy
Complet’s Current
Memorable Meal? As mentioned, I did the lunch at Milos with a friend and it did not disappoint; in fact, I think I enjoyed experience more than being there for dinner. While the menu is $45 for the express, 1 hour lunch, it felt indulgent. Had the office not been calling me to return (+ pregnancy), I would have willingly stayed all afternoon with a bottle of Chablis.
Where am I Eating Next? I have not one reservation on my OpenTable or my Resy or my Tock. I have not one flight booked in my Air Canada App. I like the spontaneity of the Christmas break and the places you know you can just pop into - like yesterday’s impromptu breakfast/lunch at the Avenue Diner.
What My Friends Are Talking About: As many know, I have this thing for Harbord St. New addition Maven is now top of my Toronto list. Described as ‘European Jewish Comfort Food’ I think this is a perfect place to go in January. A friend obsessed with the Great British Bake-Off described the Challah as ‘well-proofed’, which - given her raised eyebrows - must be high praise.
Added to My International Must-See List: San Sebastian is where I would like to make my post-pregnancy debut; ie. in the next two years when I am ready to really indulge. Even though this trip is not yet booked, yet alone socialized, I have started the Excel.