Restaurants
Edward Levesque's Kitchen
Edward Levesque's Kitchen in Leslieville, so i've heard many times through the brunch grapevine, is an east end staple for the city's beloved weekend meal. This spot has caught my eye on many a best brunch list, but being a west-ender I don't often venture as far as the other side of the Don Valley for my Saturday eggs. Having become very familiar with what the west end has to offer in terms of brunch, my friend and I decide it's about time we head to Leslieville to see what the east side has to offer.
The small storefront, aside from being bright orange, doesn't look like much from the exterior, but as soon as we enter the restaurant we feel immediately welcomed. From the street we walk directly into the open kitchen where we're greeted by various cooks who all offer us a friendly hello as our server guides us to the dining room in the back. The room is fairly small and cozy, and though there is a quiet buzz of soft music and brunch diners, this space somehow seems a little more reserved, even elegant, compared to the usual bustling, noisy brunch found in some of my favourite weekend haunts.
Our sociable server is quick to bring us two cups of bottomless coffee (2.50) and walk us through the specials. The weekend menu at Edward Levesque's offers the same sandwiches, salads and all-day breakfasts available throughout the week, as well as a selection of various enticing sweet and savoury dishes offered only on the weekend. Though many of the all-day items catch my eye, it only seems right to order from the weekend-only menu.
After much deliberation, we finally come to a decision, the first of which is an appetizer of four mini chive biscuits ($3.50). The savoury biscuits arrive warm with some soft butter for spreading, just what we need to hold us over 'til the mains arrive.
Today's omelette special (top photo) is roasted tomatoes with herbed ricotta cheese ($12), and when our server informs us he just enjoyed this dish himself, we're sold. The giant, fluffy omelette comes sided with some whole grain toast and a generous heap of unexciting greens, but the omelette itself makes up for the lacklustre side. The sweet roasted tomatoes and herbed ricotta make an appetizing omelette filling, and the omelette itself is very well prepared.
We also order the poached eggs with Italian sausage, corn bread, home fries and chilli sauce ($14). When the generous bowl containing all of these items lands in front of my dining companion, I immediately experience dish envy. Thankfully after a couple bites of the omelette, my friend pronounces this her favourite of the two, and we happily swap.
Moist, mildly spicy cornbread comes topped with (albeit slightly overcooked) poached eggs, accompanied by excellent herbed home fries and a sweet sauce of tomatoes, herbs and spices that brings the dish together; the final touch is one Italian sausage gracing the top of this delicious mess. Though runnier eggs would have perfected the dish, this, to me, is an excellent example of what a brunch meal should look like.
Though already feeling full, when the scent of today's roasted cauliflower soup ($5) wafts over from the next table, we decide to try a bowl as well. The pureed cauliflower flavoured with warm spices (cinnamon, we wonder?), is topped with two cheese and chive sprinkled crostini, a lovely soup for a gloomy fall day.
An appealingly diverse brunch menu and a welcoming atmosphere make it clear why Edward Levesque's Kitchen is considered a neighbourhood favourite, and our satisfying meal leaves us feeling that our foray to the east was worth the journey.
Photos by Taralyn Marshall
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The owner snapped at me 3 times for asking to substitute homefries for salad. (I even offered to pay more!).
worst service ever. This place will eventually go under due to service. The waitresses seem so sweet for the first while and after a few months they get bitchy like him.
The food was 'okay' at best. The place was a sauna in the summer time and I would have to agree with the above poster, the service was HORRIBLE.
For 15-20 a person I could think of many other places in the neighbourhood that would be worth going to, such as OKOK or Stratengers (both up the street from Edward Levesque's)
Would not return.
We waited for an hour for our food and it was average at best. Another friend had the french toast and there was next to no ricotta filling inside. The fruit salad was warm and inedible. The kitchen forgot to make the side order of bacon even though we reminded our server on 2 occasions.
The table behind us waited an hour and they only ordered soup.
The food was average at best.
I feel sorry for the servers as the kitchen was really slow in getting the orders out and they were taking the brunt of the complaints.
My poached eggs were very overcooked, my companion's omelette was fine but unimpressive and the waitstaff ignored us for large portions of the meal. What a waste of weekend brunch.
The worst places are the downtown delis, but it helps if you're a fresh-faced Jewish girl- you just have to suffer getting your face pinched- hard.
I was being tongue-in-cheek, too; I liked your review. I just thought I would explain why you felt that rudeness was not a problem. I believe people should stand up against tyranny everywhere.
Frankly, I'd rather go to frigging Golden Griddle than go somewhere where customers are treated like an inconvenience and the food is only just passable. It's times like this that I thank God for the internet. Thanks for the honest reviews, all.
I usually don't bother writing bad feedbacks because I don't want to hurt somebody else's business, but I have been working at Edward Levesque's Kitchen and he is the most dishonest and impolite person that i ever worked for... first of all, he takes a big chunk of the tips that we make to himself, he cheats on payrolls, forces us to eat (eggs only) every shift (because if we don't we still get charged for the meal anyway) and he fired me while i was on vacation for saying that i was asking for too much time off (it was my birthday week-end and i asked him a month in advance!) and he almost didn't pay me my tips (200$) when i came back pretending that he sent the money (in cash) via mail...
This guys is mean and inconsiderate and i really do not believe that he deserves to stay in business... also seriously i dont know why the fuss about it because the food isn't even that good...
We didn't have any problems with our server, he was nice and our food came pretty quickly. It was 11pm on Easter Sunday and was almost dead when we walked in. Started to pick up by the time we were done though.
I thought the atmosphere was really cute and would eat there again. I'm surprised at all the bad reviews.
All that money wasted that coulf have been spent at The Roy. Bloody shame.
"Yeah the owner's a bit of a crank. who cares??"
Bill, the owner is a mantal case, not a "crank." I am surprised no one mentioned his Gestapo tactics on "no cell phones!!!" He is also a mediocre cook. Ironically, EL is right across the street from another rotten spot, Ceili Cottage, known also for its lousy service and horrid manager, the one who yells at people to leave the patio! I guess the two dumps share information on how to alienate customers.
I love to eat. I believe I am a discerning customer. I believe that I know when food, service, or both, are lousy.
I have never had a bad experience at this restaurant.
Cooking on the breakfast line is tough work and sometimes dishes can go foul -- even with the best intentions (and/or talent). If this happens, I'll send a dish back. Eggs overdone? Send them back!
I've sent food back at EL but I've never had a bad experience as a result of it. If you aren't an asshole your service should be friendly and prompt.
Whatm exactly, qualifies as being an "a-hole"? In Edward's eyes, it seems pretty much all customers are a-holes, even if you make minute requests to the food, spices, how it is prepared, etc.
The problem with Edward is that he is naive, and doesn't realize that there is a LOT to choose from in the area, places where the service and food are 100 per cent better! Examples: Gio Rana's, Leslie Jones, Lil Baci, Fare Bistro... the list goes on and on.
Perhaps you've gone to EL and, by the Grace of God, hit paydirt every time. Even friends of mine who were dedicated to this place, who went every single weekend for brunch, don't patronize the place anymore. Customers can only take so much BS before they say "Enough!" and go elsewhere... like OKOK, for example.
As we stepped in the doorway, we were asked if we had a reservation (we did not), and the person who "greeted" us muttered some kind of lame excuse about how we needed one. The restaurant was EMPTY at the time.
We had our kid with us who must have been 5-6 at the time. This is a VERY well-behaved child who does not disrupt the enjoyment of others when we go out. It was early, there wasn't anyone else there, what was the big deal?
Needless to say, despite any good food reviews I've heard, we've simply boycotted the place.
I've also heard from at least one other family that EL welcomes childless patrons but frowns on them once they have children!
One time the waitress took our order and disappeared. She was all peaches and cream at the beginning. We had to ask the Busser for everything and then ended up asking him for the bill. As soon as we put our money on the table, Ker-plow!, she reappeared! Like friggin' Doug Henning.
Another time me and a friend ordered the same thing. Mine was ok-ish, his was luke-warm. the service was bad and mostly non-existent. He ended up getting food poisoning that day which lasted for 2 weeks afterwards.
I will agree with Lyor66; i knew a waitress that worked there and she mentioned that he asked all the staff how much they made in tips and if he felt they made too much, he would take some.
The owner is so rude and the service was terrible we left and went to ok ok glad we left never to go back.
His reputation preceeds him: NASTY/RUDE/SURLY. Some people shouldn't be in the front lines! He's right up there with Matt who owns Mercury Espresso also on Queen East but in the opposite direction.
For those of you who had a positive dining experience at ELK, consider yourselves lucky! Now go buy a lottery ticket.
Good!
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/christina_blizzard/2010/11/04/15973636.html
They even billed me $20 of $35 even though
- my dish was inedible
- i had to wait 30 minutes to get it
- had to wait 20 MORl minutes for desert to arrive while smelling everybody elses food and seeing my dinner companion enjoy his meal
- they rushed me to leave
If i was ever to give a place a zero for service this would be it.
shut this place down
To be fair, his menu clearly states no substitutions. Being annoyed at this when he's upfront about it seems, well, perplexing; just go to a spot that does offer substitutions.
No cell phones. LOVE that rule. It's not asking much to step outside to take a call, and it's an excercise in good manners. Not everyone finds listening to folks on their phones interesting. Kids. Touchy subject. My friends brought their baby to dinner and had no problems. Again, he makes it clear: unattended children will be given an espresso and a puppy. Oh c'mon, we've ALL sat in a restaurant with Devil Child. Not everyone's kids are difficult at restaurants; some are. Bad or inappropriate behavior ought to be dealt with. Period. (This applies to adults as well.....)
Unfortunate that so many have had such a bad experience. I can only say it hasn't happened to me, or the friends I've eaten there with over the years. Guess I'll go buy a lottery ticket.
Edward is a unique and individual entity who takes great pride and personal investment in his establishment and his food. It would make sense that he would demand service on par with the experience and not suffer fools gladly.
Edward and his lovely restaurant will always be special to me, and I look forward to many more visits in the future.
Service was also good.
The friends we went with felt it was expensive, but then they would likely have been happy going to a chain restaurant and having 'Special Number 3'.
Really should go back soon... Maybe this weekend.
But the reason I wouldn't go back is because Mr. Edward Levesque is probably the rudest, most unprofessional chef in the entire city. If you like to be treated poorly, talked down to, and even have the phone hung up on you, then Edward Levesque's is your first choice.
The server we had was actually really good - she basically saved the experience for us. The food was good, but not special, although we did have the biscuits which were really good. We also got our food and drinks within a reasonable time.
Overall, it's not really worth the lineups that come with the place. If we could go back there and not have to wait I might go every now and then, but there are better places on that strip of Queen where the food is actually worth waiting for.