| rev:text
| - It seems somewhat shameful to have less than an essay to write about an experience this good. In fairness, I had really good company for brunch at the Boiler House this morning, which no doubt contributed to my overall impression (I was dining with six charming and delightful women, five of whom I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time).
Location:
This was also my first visit to the Distillery District, and I hereby commit to further exploration and a more fulsome review subsequent. For now, suffice it to say that the Boiler House is in a really cool location, albeit a *minor* nuisance to access by transit (it's only a five-to-ten minute walk from the King streetcar, so quit griping already!)
Irrelevant rant:
I arrived alone at the Boiler House and noticed that the expansive cobblestone patio was unpopulated but partially set up. Strung between weathered, once-industrial wood beam frames, off-white patio curtains fluttered gently in the chilly October breeze. Tall grasses in enormous planters guarded the entrance doors and danced to music only they could hear. Combined with the absence of any locally generated noise, but with the drone of the city providing an eerie acoustic backdrop, the panorama left me feeling as if I had stumbled across a tiny post-industrial ghost town just outside of Toronto's core. It was quite surreal, and I spent a good five minutes wandering the patio and taking it in.
Restaurant:
Inside, the Boiler House was no ghost town. It's a fully modernized restaurant inside a very old industrial building with exposed brick and wood everywhere. Seating is available on ground and loft levels and is very group-friendly (they accommodated a wedding reception while we were there). The brunch buffet is downstairs, with bathrooms on the upper (and I suspect lower) level. We were seated upstairs near the jazz band; they were fantastic but in retrospect we should have located in a more conversation-friendly spot. Also, deduct half a point for small washrooms and one broken toilet.
Food:
By my estimation, the brunch buffet would be over 150 feet long if it were one straight line. It's a little like going to Canada's Wonderland in that you can't really cover everything in one trip. I missed out on the roast beef because I was too full - it's a good idea to survey the lay of the land before you start loading your plate, and fill your first plate (or two) exclusively with "must have" items. Here's what I had (I'm sure I've forgotten something, and yes, I'm bragging a bit):
Croissant
Homefries
Scrambled Eggs
Bacon
Breakfast Sausage (thicker than most, and delicious)
Bean Salad
Tomato Salad
Assorted Cheeses
Eggs Benedict (mediocre - the muffin was hard and the sauce sparse)
Peameal Bacon (I suspect it's either cured in-house or locally. Had a taste and texture quite different from store-bought stuff, and was fantastic)
Smoked Salmon and Capers
Cold Cuts including Calabrese Salami (the wide, flat spicy one)
Mini Cherry Tart
Pecan Pie
Portuguese Custard Tart (gave me multiple foodgasms)
Basically, the food was great. Even with a list that long, I missed out on roast beef, all sorts of fruits, a continental breakfast section and more than enough desserts.
Service:
It's true what other reviewers say - the staff here are fantastic. Best I've dealt with in a long time, and I never went without coffee, a huge deal for me on a Sunday morning.
Overall, this place is great. It ain't cheap, but in my mind it's worth it.
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