Introducing: Easy Restaurant, the College Street outpost of the classic Parkdale breakfast joint
With the advent of brinner and the dizzying popularity of all things bacon, it’s not surprising that all-day breakfast joints like the Parkdale institution Easy Restaurant are doing well. The ultra-laid-back California-inspired spot cut its teeth at the foot of Roncesvalles Village, and last month it set its sights on Little Italy, opening a sister location on College. We dropped by to check it out.
Staying true to the vibe it cultivated at its original location, Easy’s new digs boast a similar assortment of 1970s Americana. Owner Peter Morrison is a self-described car fanatic (in fact, his greatest ambition, he told us, is to own a ’72 Mustang). The modern, clean lines of the space are peppered with gear-head movie posters and muscle car relics. Naturally, the poster for the Dennis Hopper flick Easy Rider holds a special place of honour: the film not only lends its name to the popular Easy Rider breakfast ($8.95), it also sets the tone for the establishment’s ambience.
Rest assured though, the nostalgic references to the 1970s end at the plate—Easy’s menu reflects more modern eating habits. Sure, there are diner classics like steak and eggs ($16.95) and breakfast burritos ($10.95), but in this case they’re made with grass-fed beef and free-range eggs. The huevos divorciados ($12.75) is the house specialty, with two eggs on soft white corn tortillas with refried beans, guacamole, salsa and a spicy-sweet ancho jam. The West Coast toast ($12.95) offers a refreshing take on eggs Benedict with the addition of smoked salmon, dill and black caviar. Not surprisingly, the place has been doing a brisk brunch business on College since it opened.
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- French toast croissant ($12.95) with fruit coulis, berries and whipped cream
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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- West Coast toast ($12.95): poached eggs, smoked salmon, dill and black caviar on a toasted English muffin with hollandaise
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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- Huevos divorciados ($12.75): two eggs on soft white corn tortillas with refried beans, guacamole, salsa and a spicy-sweet ancho jam
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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- Grass-fed burger on a white French sesame bun ($11.95)
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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- More movie posters
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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- The restaurant is filled with vintage movie posters
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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- The view from College Street
- Introducing: Easy Restaurant on College
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Easy Restaurant, 713 College St., 416-535-2222, easyrestaurant.ca, @easybreakfast
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With the advent of brinner and the dizzying popularity of all things bacon, it’s not surprising that all-day breakfast joints like the Parkdale institution Easy Restaurant are doing well. The ultra-laid-back California-inspired spot cut its teeth at the foot of Roncesvalles Village, and last month it set its sights on Little Italy, opening a sister location on College. We dropped by to check it out.
Staying true to the vibe it cultivated at its original location, Easy’s new digs boast a similar assortment of 1970s Americana. Owner Peter Morrison is a self-described car fanatic (in fact, his greatest ambition, he told us, is to own a ’72 Mustang). The modern, clean lines of the space are peppered with gear-head movie posters and muscle car relics. Naturally, the poster for the Dennis Hopper flick Easy Rider holds a special place of honour: the film not only lends its name to the popular Easy Rider breakfast ($8.95), it also sets the tone for the establishment’s ambience.
Rest assured though, the nostalgic references to the 1970s end at the plate—Easy’s menu reflects more modern eating habits. Sure, there are diner classics like steak and eggs ($16.95) and breakfast burritos ($10.95), but in this case they’re made with grass-fed beef and free-range eggs. The huevos divorciados ($12.75) is the house specialty, with two eggs on soft white corn tortillas with refried beans, guacamole, salsa and a spicy-sweet ancho jam. The West Coast toast ($12.95) offers a refreshing take on eggs Benedict with the addition of smoked salmon, dill and black caviar. Not surprisingly, the place has been doing a brisk brunch business on College since it opened.
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Easy Restaurant, 713 College St., 416-535-2222, easyrestaurant.ca, @easybreakfast){kind=link}
This place looks eggcellent. I am definitely going one hazy morning after a night out on the town!
If this is anything like the Ronces one.. It’s fanTASTIC! Love everything on the menu.
I’d been to the Roncesvalles location a bunch and thought it was worth checking out on College but they’ve got some major kinks to work out.
The space is beautiful but breakfast was underwhelming and the service was terrible.
One person at our table didn’t get his food and we had to wait 5 minutes and walk up to the bar to tell them. When it did arrive – 15 minutes later after everyone else had eaten, the food was burnt and the salad (that he didn’t even order – he ordered homefries) was a big wilted pile that went into the garbage.
They apologized and comp’d his breakfast but no one else’s food was all that great.
Hopefully they work out all the problems and get things up to the Roncesvalles standard soon.
The decor is great, yes, however the food, service, and prices are not. The breakfasts are mediocre at best and do not warrant the amount of money asked of them. Unfortunate as it’s a great looking place.