What’s on the menu at Skyline Restaurant, a retro diner with a new lease on life
Name: Skyline
Neighbourhood: Parkdale
Contact: 1426 Queen St. W., 416-536-3682
Owner: Siblings Maggie Ruhl (Dakota Tavern, The Ace) and Jud Ruhl (Wallflower, Three Speed)
Chef: Peter Ramsay (Geraldine, Cowbell, Sidecar)
The food
Classic diner grub: burgers, club sandwiches, tuna melts and wedge salads. The menu is rounded out with a few fancier, non-greasy-spoon options like a niçoise salad and rotating daily specials like pan-fried halibut in a beurre blanc with fried capers and Ontario asparagus. On weekends, the restaurant serves belt-busting brunch plates.
The drinks
The old milk machine at the front has been retro-fitted into beer taps, from which eight (mostly local craft) brews are pulled. (Parkdale hipsters will be relieved to know PBR is available by the can.) The wine card is short and international, with by-the-glass options starting at $7.25. Cocktails are of the classic kind.
The space
The 69-seat room was flipped in eight weeks with many of the diner’s original features (red vinyl booths, the drop ceiling, dark wood accents) left untouched. They pulled up the carpet, polished the terrazzo flooring underneath and installed a 15-foot red banquette at the back of the restaurant. After 11 p.m., Skyline turns into a bar, and the Ruhl’s are planning to draw on their music scene connections to book entertainment.
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 and Jud Ruhl (Wallflower, Three Speed)
Chef: Peter Ramsay (Geraldine, Cowbell, Sidecar)
The food
Classic diner grub: burgers, club sandwiches, tuna melts and wedge salads. The menu is rounded out with a few fancier, non-greasy-spoon options like a niçoise salad and rotating daily specials like pan-fried halibut in a beurre blanc with fried capers and Ontario asparagus. On weekends, the restaurant serves belt-busting brunch plates.
[caption id="attachment_385934" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Ontario smelts from Fisherfolk are dredged in corn starch, deep fried and tossed with salt and pepper. Served with lemon and house-made tartar sauce. $9.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385933" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The Skyline Special: a turkey salad sandwich with Metzger's bacon, lettuce and tomato. It's a twist on the original Skyline club, which was made with chicken salad. $13.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385930" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Blue mussels from P.E.I with shallots, cherry tomatoes, parsley, garlic, white wine and butter. They're served with fries and house-made herbed soda bread. $12.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385926" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] The Banquet Burger: an eight-ounce house-ground patty made with chuck and brisket sourced from Oakville's Woodward Meats. It's topped with 12-year-old orange cheddar, Metzger's bacon, lettuce, mayo, red onion, beefsteak tomato and pickles. Served with fries. $17.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385935" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Steak is aged and butchered in house, then grilled and sprinkled with Maldon salt. Served with fries and a vegetable (in this case, French beans in a Bearnaise sauce). $29.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385932" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] House-made strawberry-rhubarb pie, served with a scoop of ice cream. $5.[/caption]
The drinks
The old milk machine at the front has been retro-fitted into beer taps, from which eight (mostly local craft) brews are pulled. (Parkdale hipsters will be relieved to know PBR is available by the can.) The wine card is short and international, with by-the-glass options starting at $7.25. Cocktails are of the classic kind.
The space
The 69-seat room was flipped in eight weeks with many of the diner’s original features (red vinyl booths, the drop ceiling, dark wood accents) left untouched. They pulled up the carpet, polished the terrazzo flooring underneath and installed a 15-foot red banquette at the back of the restaurant. After 11 p.m., Skyline turns into a bar, and the Ruhl's are planning to draw on their music scene connections to book entertainment.
[caption id="attachment_385927" align="aligncenter" width="853"][/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385927" align="aligncenter" width="853"] Maggie and Jake Ruhl.[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_385927" align="aligncenter" width="853"][/caption]
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