What’s on the menu at Pollyanna, an eclectic new restaurant from the owners of Eastside Social
More east-end restaurants
Name: Pollyanna
Contact: 1054 Gerrard St. E., 647-352-6969, thepollyanna.ca, @pollyannaeats
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
Previously: Aprilé Bambina Cucina
Owners: Cherie Stinson and her husband Joey Skeir (Eastside Social, Thirsty Duck)
Chefs: Executive chef Stefan Skeene (Eastside Social) and chef Amber Farrell (Eastside Social)
The food
A menu of composed plates that bounce around the Mediterranean from Spain to Tunisia, with the odd detour to Asia. In true nouveau-Canuck style, no particular dish has just one influence: a typically Italian plate of black fettuccine, for instance, has both Spanish (chorizo) and Japanese (tempura-style octopus) elements.
The drinks
A tight cocktail list of refreshing classics (dark and stormy, salty dog) and a list of international wines, all available by the glass. There are only two beers on tap: Creemore and Lagunitas.
The space
The 50-seat room has great bones: The exposed brick (Stinson pulled back a bunch of drywall to liberate it) and 10-inch floor boards are original to the building. And playing on the Pollyanna-as-parrot angle, Stinson (previously of Restaurant Makeover) has decked the space out in a parrot paraphernalia. Coming next summer: another 46 seats outside.
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
