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| - There's no need to give directions to Cafe Fiorentina, because the smell of fresh seasonal ingredients, mixed with baked Italian bread, and a small hint of espresso, will lure you in from about half a block away.
I didn't even need to look at the menu when I came here for brunch; that authentic Italian olive oiley smell hit me from outside and as soon as I took one quick look in the door at their cramped-but-cutely-designed interior I knew I was in for a treat.
This place is tiny. At a quick glance, I'd say it seats less than thirty people. Get here early if you want to get a comfortable spot for brunch. If you choose to wait in line for a while however, you'll be pleasantly distracted by a range of magazines, cookbooks, a vast choice of teas, as well as - of course - their freshly baked goods and freshly prepared paninis, seated underneath their handwritten menu board.
The server was knowledgeable and friendly and did a great job at co-ordinating seating all the people who were waiting in line, ensuring those who arrived first got seated first (not as easy as it sounds!!) He answered some questions I had about the menu in a very thorough way, and he happily translated into plain English what some of the fancier sounding ingredients actually were!
The menu changes weekly, so I won't waste time discussing specifically what was on offer when I visited. Expect traditional Italian paninis and baked items with a hint of originality, often supplemented by French or Mexican ingredients. Some staple Canadian brunch items are also occasionally on offer, such as French toast with maple syrup and other entrées such as mac and cheese and yoghurt granola.
I had a panini with eggplant and olive tapenade during my visit, and it was outstanding. The crispiness and freshness of the panini was exquisite and the balance of the powerful ingredients - which admittedly made me a bit suspect at first - was perfect. I didn't try their espresso that day, but look forward to sampling it soon as there was another long line of customers there solely for take-out coffee - it must be good!
Prices very reasonable for the location and the quality.
The best thing about this place, however, is their boston creme dooghnut. Try it. You'll never go back to Timmie's again.
I cannot wait for my next visit here.
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