Typical Sadie’s Diner meal
The Location: Sadie’s Diner (head south towards Antarctica. When you enter a building colder than Antarctica, you’ve reached the diner)
The Time: Late November, which is apparently the dead of winter in Sadie’s Diner
The Company: Chris
Veggie Menu: This is a vegetarian restaurant, so everything is either veggie or vegan. On their menu is huevos (veggie or vegan), daily omelette, tofu scramble, breakfast burrito (veggie or vegan), traditional breakfast with eggs and veggie bacon or sausage, french toast, pancakes, organic cereals, fruit
We used to frequent Sadie’s Diner, even before I became a vegetarian. It is super cute, has lots of seating, and is compatible with all dietary restrictions of our group of friends. Then Sadie’s fell off our radar, and when we returned today, I remembered why: It is SO cold in this restaurant, and the food isn’t great.
Good thing it was toque day.
Having already decided it was a toque kind of day, Chris betrayed a hint of desperation while ordering his coffee. As he hugged the mug to his chest, we quickly dove into our burrito and french toast. The prospect of food warming us up quickly dissolved into disappointment as I took a bite of the worst homefries I’ve ever had. The french toast was thin and rubbery. At least the veggie bacon tasted somewhat like turkey bacon, but looked even more like cardboard. The burrito was fine but reminded me of sweet mornings sitting in my warm and toasty CAMP RESTAURANT and eating their breakfast burrito. (RIP Camp – today I miss your toasty temperature most of all).
Even the Santa’s are succumbing to the cold, and quickly.
I get that Sadie’s is in an old building, and that’s part of the charm. But serious insulating has to happen before I ever return. And please, reinvent your menu. Us veggies and vegans deserve a warm place and a delicious brunch just as much as our carnivorous peers. Reader, for your own health and safety, if you must go to Sadie’s, don’t go until at least April or May. You don’t want to end up like one of these Santa’s, do you?
Shari’s Veggie Meter (out of five): 🍅
veggie.brunch.toronto 