After eschewing brunch for most of its 23 years, Splendido has finally decided to cater to Toronto’s collective Sunday-morning obsession—albeit in a characteristically indulgent style. Chef Victor Barry’s two-course breakfast, appropriately dubbed The Spread ($35), starts off with a generous assortment of flaky pastries, house-made charcuterie, fine cheeses, pickles and spreads—by itself, this would make a fine and filling brunch. Next up, however, are the luxe takes on classic mains, including eggs Benedict with brown butter béarnaise sauce, an open-faced brioche lobster roll and a braised short rib and fontina burger with foie gras ($18 extra). Even the sides ($6) are unusually decadent, like roasted bone marrow topped with Calvados jam or a plump and juicy link of house-made breakfast sausage. Should the above not prove sufficiently opulent, there’s also a suite of grander feasts—seafood platters, caviar service, a whole roasted lobe of foie gras—which must be ordered ahead and should ideally be consumed with a freshly sabred bottle of champagne. Best of all, unlike so many other brunch spots in the city, this one takes reservations.
201326 (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-intro/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-intro 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201317 Splendido’s wine director Heather McDougall sabering a bottle of bubbly (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-03/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-03 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201315 Diners are invited to sabre their own bottles of bubbly, under supervision, near the restaurant’s bar (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-01/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201323 Kaffir lime leaf tart with mint ($8) (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-09/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-09 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201325 Coconut milk parfait with dulce de leche, pineapple chutney and brown butter crumble ($8) (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-11/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201324 Peanut Buster Parfait ($8): salted caramel mousse with chocolate sauce and caramelized peanuts (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-10/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-10 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201321 Side of house-made breakfast sausage ($6) (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-07/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-07 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201322 Bone marrow ($6) with toast and Calvados jam (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-08/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-08 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201320 Brioche Lobster Roll ($5 extra): an open-face sandwich topped with cold lobster salad, avocado purée, celery, ginger and tarragon mayo. Served with a side of black pepper and lime potato chips (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-06/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-06 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201319 Eggs Benedict with brown butter béarnaise sauce and a choice of avocado, smoked salmon or pork (shown here with Westphalia ham). (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-05/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-05 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201318 The first course of The Spread includes croissants, pain au chocolate, rosemary biscuits, scones, country bread, butter, preserves, whipped cream cheese, bacon jam, manchego cheese, trout rillettes, Westphalia ham, potted parfait and pickles (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-04/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-04 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
201316 General’s Cesar ($12): spiced gin, vodka, County General Caesar Mix and Clamato (Image: Renée Suen) Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service Monday Must-Try: Splendido’s new brunch service https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-02.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/splendido-brunch-gallery/slide/monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-02/ monday-must-try-splendido-brunch-02 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
Splendido, 88 Harbord St., 416-929-7788, splendido.ca, @Splendido_TO