I am happy to have rediscovered Five Doors North after having dined here years ago! It was a cold Wednesday night so the restaurant was quite empty but I recall it being packed on a Saturday night. The decor is a bit outdated but still provided a cozy and warm feeling which was ideal for such a cold night in the city.
The menu looks handwritten and there was probably 10 specials between appetizers, pastas, and meat/fish, which provides nice variety in addition to the standard menu. Our server was very accommodating (and also had a good sense of humour) and suggested modifications to the specials. I liked that for the three pasta specials (I think they have three pasta specials every day) that there is a small size for $12 or a large size for $20, which allowed me to enjoy both a starter and small pasta. I ordered the beet soup and gnocchi with tomato sauce. I wouldn't order the soup again having found the flavour a bit bland (I also omitted the sour cream) but with some dipped bread, it satisfied my craving for a warm dish. The gnocchi was unreal. I loved that it was served in a pan and the gnocchi pieces themselves were huge and there was lots of extra sauce. For a small size, I found the portion to be generous without being too much food.