The Rebel House
The Rebel House has been doing its thing for over 17 years now. Co-owner, Bruce Roberts, has seen locals come and go, shops open and close, and the neighbourhood grow since he opened up shop with partner David Logan in 1993, but still the Rebel remains strong.
Back then, the Rebel House was one of the only joints of its kind in the area, and Roberts fondly recalls the two hour-long lineups that went out the door onto Yonge Street. Today there is more competition, but this also translates into more diners checking out the area as a whole.
On my first visit for lunch, the restaurant is busy and the extensive menu offers up bistro-fare as well as an array of classic pub standbys, like meatloaf and mac and cheese. There's also a modest vegetarian selection. Daily specials -- featuring a soup, salad, mussel plate, daily bread (an appetizer with toppings baked upon toasted sesame flat bread), main entrée, pasta and dessert -- appear on a separate menu.
I order the daily soup: potato, bacon chowder ($5.75), and the spinach salad with julienned green apple, slivered almonds, and cheddar cheese dressed in a creamy maple dressing ($5.20). The side portion I opt for is plenty, and spills off the plate with the addition of flavourful and smoky blackened chicken ($4.50).
My date goes for the risotto appetizer ($7.25), which is equally generous. The barley is simmered in tomato and white wine with mushrooms and grilled vegetables and is marvellous. The earthy flavour of the mushrooms compliments the creamy grain and the sharpness of the Parmesan that is sprinkled on top, while the subtle tomato compliments the red peppers.
On another visit to the Rebel for weekend brunch, I chat with Bruce and ask him what advice he can offer to up-and-coming restaurateurs. It's pretty frank: "Get ready to work a lot. The more time you can put in at your establishment, the more it will stick to your idea of the type of place you want it to be. There were days in the early years here when we thought we might throw in the towel, but if you can ride out the tough times and continue to put out a quality product, customers will appreciate it." He also mentions how important it is that customers see their owners actively engaged in the business, and says on any given night, he can recognize a lot of the faces in the dining room.
Over the Comics section of the Saturday Star and a cup of tea, I enjoy a side of bacon and the "Franglaise Toast," made from thick slices of French loaf, dipped in a thick egg batter and served with a fruit compote and crème anglaise ($8.75). The portion is again generous, and the batter is delicious and sweet.
When I ask Bruce about longevity and the dominating food trend focused on sourcing local, he notes that the success of the Rebel isn't about trying to follow trends. He has always been committed to serving a quality product, and good food is made from fresh ingredients that feature the best of what the surrounding area (Ontario) has to offer.
Their extensive beer menu includes draught and bottled beer mostly from local micro-breweries and they only serve VQA Ontario wines. Bruce says there is nothing trendy about that, it just what makes sense, and it's what they've always done.
As I linger over the end of my tea and chuckle at Dilbert and the gang, I catch a shot of the eggs Benedict, served with peameal bacon and a salad, and make a mental note to order that next time. I leave with the prospect of more great meals to come, and with a pining for warmer days when I can enjoy a pint on the Rebel's excellent backyard patio.
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The Rebel House is great! One of the best local spots in the city to wind down, have a beer and enjoy some good grub. Don't count out the Monk's table though, it equals the Rebel House in food, service and atmosphere. But if you're trying to catch the game (which is sometimes crucial), Monk's would be the better call. These pubs also walking distance from each other so I suggest a little pub crawl if you're up for a saucy evening (don't forget about Paully's or Wylie's in between). Why is everyone worrying about other people in the bar? Relax and enjoy yourself...don't get distracted by other so-called local "fruit jobs" like me.
This is my absolute favorite place to go out for a beer and wings, due to the fact that their wings aree amazinggg... not a lot of popular beers on the tap but there are a few alternate options. The parachute patio during the summer is just a brilliant idea, the inside decor is also nice.
good food, good beer, nice environment BUT crappy service with an attitude.
While the place can be a little annoying (or rather, the patrons), the food is great, and the back patio is so nice in the summmer/fall. I LOVE that spinach salad with cheddar and almonds, and the mac and cheese is fantastic. And the meatloaf! It is solid food. Great review!
Been going for years...I live Bloor/Bathurst and make the treck over....
always consistant great beer list and food is always good ( great Brunch)...
Yes, the good patrons were replaced by arrogant tennis losers, but the previous regulars don't miss it because of those goofs alone. Toronto has too many posers. But the Rebel has a solid kitchen, some of the top experience in Toronto, and a tried and true approach to a great menu. At times very much fun, but again, often lost because of the idiotic poser patrons.
I lived in Rosedale for a couple of years and had high hopes for this place as my local. I never found it a hang out for poseurs, whatever that means, but did find the food less than inspiring. A much better value can be found up the street at Abbot on the Hill (now Monk's Table). Rebel House does have a nice ambiance and a good selection of beers.
Abbot is of Rebel past staff. Rebel is a homely place. Was fantastic until the jerkoffs from otherplace.on.ca (and wads from other provinces) had to turn it into their remedial runway. Anyway it's old skool where they serve good food for a decent price in an atmosphere where you shouldn't have to behave like you're a noob in the Big City. Unfortunately some dorkos caught wind that it had some influential people in the joint, and it was infiltrated with insecure wackjobs. Abbot is a bit snotty as it doesn't serve domestic. My guess, adopting to the local "fruit". More like "fruit-jobs".
I'll second that "crappy service with an attitude". A few years back (I vowed after this last experience to never ever go back) my boyfriend and I went eagerly for brunch one Sunday morning. When I asked if they made lattés the server could not have looked more disgusted and said bluntly stated "this is a PUB!" All I wanted to do was yell in her face: "ya, a "pub" in ROSEDALE you moron!" But instead we just got up and left. And now I'm spreading that servers good cheer.
Comments like these are ridiculous. How can you condemn an entire place because of the attitude of one waiter on one day? I can only hope you're not this judgmental in the rest of your life.
Maybe that waiter had a fight with her boyfriend or the last table treated her poorly or the kitchen screwed up an order. You never know. Besides, she was at least partially right, who ever heard of ordering a latte in a pub? In fact, I dare you to find a pub in Rosedale that does serve lattes.
Give people the benefit of the doubt and it will be infectious. I've been to Rebel House many times and have never had a bad waiter or poseur experience. Rebel House was voted one of the best locals in Toronto a couple of years back. It's not a bad place by any means. I would recommend it (and recommend that Steph get an attitude adjustment).
WTF. Because you are in Rosedale you think everybody shits gold? You honestly label people and restaurants because of the neighbourhood they are in? Where the hell are you from? Go back there, farmer. I have news for you: even people with money don't live around their money 24/7. Some people just like to have a pint and a decent meal for a decent price amongst decent people. If you think the reason to earn money is to be some kind of snot 24/7, then you obviously have never had any! It's this kind of crap that makes Toronto a shit hole: people who get their education from television. 1066 Yonge Street has seen more restaurants than you've seen TTC tokens, simply because everybody rolls in with this attitude that "oh the neighbourhood can afford it and they obviously go out for $120 dinners 4 times a week, so they obviously will be spending their money here". Bad marketing has cost a lot of restaurant owners a lot of money.
Go to Cafe Doria, you coxcomb. And look up the definition of a pub on your iPhone, while you're there.
Always feel like home when dining at the Rebel - well, I have been going to the Rebel for many years and like Rico said, Abbott is Rebel's past staff. While I do not object the Abbott (or now the Monk's table), as I do know most staff at both pubs / restaurants, but I find the Rebel is more down-to-earth, labour of love kind of cooking. Never disappoints, staff are friendly, though I have known them for years.