Before I get to a quick review of Greenavi on Queen West, I’ll do a quick followup about Wild Thing. Remember that post I made a few months ago, mentioning their delicious looking panini and promising to go back and try one? Well, I finally did last weekend, and the results of that are pictured to your right.  I ordered the Brie, Garlic and Apple panini, which came with a fennel slaw.  The panini was delicious: simple cibatta bread spread with what tasted like garlic butter and filled with thick slices of brie and thin slices of apple, served hot from their panini grill.  The slaw was also really tasty. I love fennel so it really worked for me.  Two thumbs up, and reasonably priced at around 7 bucks.

Now, on to Greenavi, which opened at the beginning of the summer in the space vacated by Just Us. The owners at Greenavi seemed to want to continue on where Just Us left off, offering organic beverages and food.

The space hasn’t been renovated much since the new owners took over.  Sure, all the Just Us stuff is gone, but it basically looks the same as it always did, only with a different menu board.  This isn’t a bad thing, really, it’s more an observation. Clearly, the previous owner wanted to sell everything and get out of dodge as quickly as possible.

A quick glance at their product wall and display case tells me that they get their espresso from 49th parallel, other coffee roasted locally, chocolate from Coco Camino, and many of their baked goods come from the same vegan bakery that supplies The Big Carrot.  Not bad!

On my first visit, I decided to get a large latte and a coconut and sesame sticky bun, which I’d had before at The Big Carrot.  I eyed their menu of wraps and panini, but decided I was in the mood for something sweet.  The latte was a bit too milky for my tastes, but then, what do you expect when you order a large?  Next time if I want a big coffee, I’ll go for a cappuccino, or maybe just an americano.  That said, what I could taste of the espresso in the drink was nice, and it was a good-sized cup for the price.

On a second trip a few days ago, Rich and I discovered that they use 100% compostable/biodegradable takeout cups, which I’m a big fan of.  Yes, takeout cups still generate waste, but it’s far better than the styrofoam cup variety.

Another bonus: They’ve got free wifi.  I’ll admit that makes it a bit frustrating to get a table on the weekends, with students settling in to write papers or study, macbook plugs snaking around the tables to the nearest plug. But hey, it’s a niche that needs to be filled.  I think I may just join the students some afternoon soon and do some marketing work for my own job.  Beats sitting on my sofa at home.

Greenavi Cafe, 490 Queen Street West (a few blocks west of Queen and Spadina).  http://www.greenavi.ca/index.html

On Sunday, we left the Valley for Halifax, just in time for Hurricane Kyle to hit Nova Scotia.  Very unfortunate timing for our trip, but at least it did no where near the damage of Hurricane Juan a few years earlier.  It did make for some pretty empty streets and very windy conditions, so we hunkered down in local favourite pub The Old Triangle for drinks and some good old Maritime Music.

Both mornings we were in Halifax we went to an awesome cafe for coffee and breakfast.  When we first saw the sign for The Wired Monk, we figured the name had something to do with the place having internet access available.  Of course, that was pretty silly of us to assume – who has wired internet access in a cafe, anyway?  In fact, the name comes from the story of a monk who discovered coffee beans and how after he brewed them with water he found they gave him energy to get through late night prayer. Huh.

It also turns out this place is a franchise, with Halifax being the only one outside of British Columbia.  Honestly, I never would have guessed, as I found the place to have a very indie cafe feel, with funky decorations by local artists and hand-labelled signs for their food and beverages.

A big selling point for The Wired Monk is that all of their coffee and tea is fair trade.  For those of us in Toronto, that’s not such a big deal, since fair trade products are available almost everywhere these days. But for folks in Halifax, where fair trade is far less common, a place like this is a welcome addition to the city.

While we were there we tried cappuccinos and americanos.  Their cappuccinos are a bit on the wet side, but then, most places in North America make them that way.  Their americanos are quite nice, and not at all bitter.  And the food?  We stuck to the baked goods because we were usually pressed for time but also because they looked so darn tasty!  The chocolate banana scone I had on our first morning was extremely good and very filling.  I probably could have saved half of it for a snack later in the day.  The apple rolls we had on the second day were lightly sweet and also quite filling.  Sure, they were probably also 200 calories per bite, but hey, we were on vacation.

If you’re in Halifax and want to check them out, The Wired Monk is at the corner of Morris and Hollis, not far from the Via Rail station.

More Halifax-related posts coming soon!

Saturday morning we headed to St. Lawrence Market to check out the farmer’s market and do a little general shopping.  While there we decided to have breakfast, since neither of us had eaten yet.  I suggested we try both Everyday Gourmet (for coffee) and Crepe it Up (for a crepe or two).

Everyday Gourmet had caught my eye the number of times I’d been to St. Lawrence Market. Inside you’ll find coffee beans from all over the world, many of which are organic and/or fair trade. They also roast many of their beans in-house, and the giant roaster off to the right side of the store always seems to be in use. We opted to get some of their Haitian Blue beans as well as some of their Guatemalan Decaf, both of which are fair trade. We also decided to each get a double espresso to go; a little something to sip while we waited for crepes.  The espresso was quite nice, with a good crema and not too much bitterness.  Not the best espresso I’ve ever had, but still lovely, and I’d be happy to go back and order another sometime.

Crepes were one of Rich and my favourite foods when we were in Paris.  They made the perfect lunch or late day snack, as they were filling, portable, and delicious.  Crepe It Up had made BlogTO’s list of the best crepe places in the city, so I thought they might be at least somewhat comparable to our beloved French food.

The menu at Crepe it Up is pretty long, offering a large variety of both savoury and sweet crepes. Along with the more traditional flavours like nutella, ham and cheese, and mushroom and cheese, they’ve also got all kinds of combinations with ingredients that sound like an omelette or stirfry rather than a crepe. We both opted to get the breakfast crepe, which contained an egg, cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomato and spices.  This is served with a little side salad for just over $5.

After we received our food we retreated to a small park near the market to eat and watch the crowds go by. As you can see from the photo, the crepes here are not done in true ‘take away’ style like in France, but instead are served in your typical styrofoam container with the side salad. This means, of course, that you need both hands and a knife and fork to eat it. That’s ok, really, since the salad isn’t really portable food anyhow.

How did it taste? Pretty good! The combination of fillings worked well together, the egg was nicely cooked, and the crepe itself was the right consistency and not at all rubbery.  Next time I go back, I think I’ll try a nutella crepe.

Everyday Gourmet & Crepe It Up!: St. Lawrence South Market, lower level.  92 Front Street East, Toronto.

Here’s hoping that the change in hours is because they want more time off this summer, and not because the business isn’t doing well.  As I’ve mentioned previously we love Manic and it always seems busy when we are in there.

Honestly, I would have walked by this Borden Street cafe without giving it much of a second glance.  From the outside it seems pretty unremarkable, with it’s retro ‘Manny’s Coffee Shop’ Pepsi sign, left over from the previous business. Once inside, however, you’re greeted with a cute cafe with comfortable seating and a good menu.

The coffee menu contains all the usual suspects: cappuccino, latte, espresso, mochas, and various iced drinks.  I ordered a macchiato and Rich ordered a cappuccino. I was very pleased to find the owner asking how I wanted my macchiato: with just a hint of foam, or more milky.  Asking for just a hint of foam turned up exactly what I would expect in a good macchiato: nice espresso, good crema, and a hint of foam.  Delicious.  My croissant was nothing special, but it was buttery and got my pastry craving under control.  Rich’s biscotti was good, full of fruit and nuts.

Wild Thing is also offering homemade gelato, in a variety of interesting flavours  such as pineapple and basil, mayan chocolate, and vodka and grapefruit.  They also offer gelato with espresso, an Italian dessert known as an affogato.

Lunches here also look promising: a panini served with a side salad for $6.50.  I’ll be back to try one of those soon.

Has anyone else been here? What did you think?

Wild Thing: 196 Borden Street (Just off Harbord), http://thewildthing.ca/

The first thing I noted with all the online reviews of the place was that people were complaining about the lack of free or paid wifi. This is a strictly wifi-free place. Once you’ve been there, you can see why the owner made that decision: the place isn’t really suited to people sitting long hours with their laptops. It has a different vibe than that, more relaxed and easy, more the place to hang out with friends over a cup of coffee than to study or work at your computer.

The coffee menu contains all your coffee favourites: cappuccinos, lattes, americanos, drip coffee, and more. You can also get hot chocolate or tea, if coffee is not your thing. But the best thing about this place is over on a separate menu, back against the wall: coffees available for the clover machine.

If you’ve never had coffee from a clover, you can really taste the difference. I was a bit skeptical at first, but one sip and I was hooked. Rich even really likes it, and ends up drinking it black or with just a bit of sugar; he takes most coffee with milk and sugar. I’ve since tried all three coffees they have available and love all three, although I am partial to the Ethopian.

Also of note about their coffees is the fact that they come from Intelligentsia. The beans are directly purchased from farmers at the source, and are roasted at the company’s headquarters.

As for food, everything they sell comes from another Toronto business, Wanda’s Pie in the Sky. Almost everything is vegan, but don’t let that scare you away: vegan does not mean boring and healthy! So far we’ve tried several types of cookies including chocolate chip, oatmeal, and double chocolate, two different scones, and one of their berry burst muffins. We loved every single one. My only (minor) complaint about the food is that they don’t really carry any lunch foods like sandwiches or salads. However, given that they don’t seem to be going for that market, I can’t say I blame them. This is a stop in for a coffee with a book kind of place, not stop in for lunch on your break kind of place. And I like it that way.

I think we’ve found our new favourite cafe.

Manic Coffee: 426 College Street, Toronto, (416) 966-3888.

I wonder if the place will sell and remain a Lettieri, or if it will be converted to something else?

Swiss Pastries is actually a local chain; it was founded in the 1960′s by Hans Ulrich Zuberbuehler, who trained in Switzerland to become a Master pastry chef. The first shops were opened in Carlingwood and Billings Bridge malls. Originally, all the shops were pastry/bakery/dessert shops, but the one in Westboro was opened as both a pastry shop and a cafe, offering various lunch foods such as sandwiches, soups, and quiches. They also offer coffees and teas, including some very nice Lavazza espresso.

Rich and I decided to try their lunch today, opting to sit inside, as the small patio only had one umbrella set up and it was a hot and sunny day. We noted they had at least a dozen different panini available (made on a variety of breads!), plus at least two different types of quiche and a number of interesting sounding wraps. He ordered a cappuccino and a Tuscan chicken panini, and I decided on a vegetarian panini with grilled vegetables and bocconcini and a double espresso.

The verdict? Very tasty and quite filling. Rich noted his chicken was just barely cooked enough, but was still good and had a nice flavour. Mine had lots of grilled veggies and what tasted like a roasted pepper ‘pesto’.

I must also note their espresso is quite good! It had a nice crema that didn’t disappear on me and good flavour.

Overall I enjoyed my lunch there, but we both found it a bit overpriced. Our total for two sandwiches and two coffees was $20, more than we would usually spend on a similar lunch at other cafes in the city.

However, we will likely be back. Both of us would like to try some of their pastries!

(Multiple Ottawa locations including 205 Richmond Road; 613-761-6551.)

Date square at Bridgehead

Originally uploaded by mendel.

Rich and I have been going to Bridgehead for a few years now. Previous to finding their coffeehouses, I’d frequented either The Second Cup or Timothy’s Coffee, because they were what was most available to me where I lived in the Southeast end of the city. I’d also occasionally pop into the local Chapter’s bookstore for a mocha or a latte at Starbucks, but it was never a favourite.

One of the things that sets Bridgehead apart from the other coffeehouses I’ve mentioned is the fact that they only deal in fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate and syrups. While many other coffeehouses have come on board with fair trade products over the last few years, Bridgehead has always had them, and it has always been part of their business concept.

The company originally started as a grassroots movement to support farmers in Nicaragua, selling coffee out of church basements in Toronto. It was soon bought out by Oxfam Canada, but poor management caused sales to dwindle. Eventually the company and concept was purchased by a group of investors and over time has grown to become what it is today, a popular Ottawa hangout for both those who want to support fair trade and those who just want a good cup of coffee.

Along with their various roasts of coffee, lovely green, black, and herbal teas, and hot chocolates, they also make a large variety of baked goods, salads, soups and sandwiches. All the food is made in-house (or at least in town; their bakery is located across from their Wellington Street location) and focuses on fresh ingredients. The picture shows a date square, which is Rich’s favourite treat. It contains real dates (no fake flavoured stuff) and a nice crunchy oat topping and crust.

Other than the fair trade issue, is there another reason why I prefer Bridgehead? Sure. Not only is their coffee excellent, but there is also a certain unpretentiousness to it. You can order your basic favourites (lattes, cappuccinos, espresso, drip, french press, etc) along with a few sweet treat coffees, but you’ll never find yourself ordering something that take longer to say than it does to drink. I also prefer their products because of the lack of heavy amount of preservatives; other coffeehouses’ drinks, especially those with hot chocolate or vanilla syrup, tend to taste a bit chemical. And finally, I find that Bridgehead tends to attract a certain type of customer, the ‘slightly crunchy’ liberal types. Not a bad crowd to find yourself in amongst.

(Currently 7 locations in Ottawa with several more in the works. Visit bridgehead.ca for details. )

I’m not sure why they’ve closed or if there are plans to re-open, but here’s hoping they do!