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| - Had lunch with co-workers here the other day. I'd say it's definitely the most pleasant casual dining experience you can get directly on the Portage strip between Jane Street and Weston Road. As long as you're not die hard on chicken wings or a submarine sandwich instead of some Italian options, this is definitely the place to choose from over the other limp options lying around.
The hours are tailored around the typical business weekday, i.e., they're open quite early in the mornings, and do breakfast and lunch, Mondays through Fridays, although the hours sometimes seem erratic - they sometimes seem to close if it's not a very busy end of the day. I had the impression they should be open over weekends but, there have been many times I have driven by, hoping to be able to stop in, but found it closed. Maybe I'm not early enough driving by on weekends ...
The food is typical Italian offerings (although you can get bagels in the morning) - you have the typical panini and pizza, and there are daily lunch specials that are better than your average hot table options. You don't just get a couple of choices of pasta - you will find options like roasted lamb and pork, and a nice selection of fresh vegetable sides and salads.
The bonus with coming to a place like this during the work day is that it's cafeteria style service, so, as long as the line-up isn't too bad, you get served quickly, and pay at the cash before you eat - no muss, no fuss with waiting on cheques, tips, etc. The space is quite roomy with lots of tables inside, AND - yay for summertime - patio tables outside the restaurant. HOWEVER, caveat to the diner - you can't have your beer (or any alcohol options) outside.
As you might expect of an Italian bakery establishment, you have plenty of great options for espresso drinks, baked dessert items, and gelato, although, I limited myself to my grilled panino for the lunch. Speaking of which, it was a grilled giardino (veggie) and goat cheese sandwich, and it was great! The vegetables (eggplant, red bell pepper, zucchini) were well cooked but not soggy, the slices were a good thickness, and the goat cheese was tangy and fresh tasting. The bread, no surprise that it was tender crispy with a fluffy inside - you can't expect less from any bakery worth its salt! Speaking of bread again, when you take your meal from the cash, you can pick up your choice of white or whole wheat buns and butter to go with the cutlery for your meal. That does mean that you do have to collect a glass and water yourself as well, no table service whatsoever, but, this is very conducive to the business breakfast/lunch setup of the restaurant. You aren't expected to bus your table yourself, either. The staff do clear the tables quickly because of the high volume, so that is perfect for the setup.
I'm glad this is a lot closer to where I need to be during the workday than say, the Panera over in the Colossus plaza, because I'd choose this over that anytime. The value for the money is a lot better, and the atmosphere is a lot warmer, fresher and livelier in comparison.
Definitely my go-to place for the area. No reason I had not to give 5 stars - I usually reserve that for something above and beyond that distinguishes a business but in this case, it's definitely because it's so obviously better than all the other options in the area. They've reached out to new business customers in the new subway centre with flyers and coupons, whereas all the other business sitting around here do nothing to promote themselves, or offer a good customer experience. This place shines like a gem in comparison.
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