When I first moved into the office here at Queen and Dufferin, the foodscape seemed a little unexciting. More corporate and plain than the downtown commercial districts that I was foraging in before. For an indie/artsy hood, fast food abounds here - and rightly so in a zone where computer animators and tech workers grind it out to meet tight deadlines and even tougher clients. Fast, as we’re hearing more and more (hello Gordon Ramsay) doesn’t have to mean crap though. Face it, your lunch habits will probably define the bulk of your diet, so it’s a more important choice overall than yout 12 o’clock hunger pangs lead you to realize. Dinner is all about choice and breakfast, well it’s pretty hard to be a that much of a pig early in the morning. So for that midday staple, lose the nitrates, preservatives and fillers and grab some real food. Here some tasty options all ready to eat in 10 minutes from leaving the office*:

1. Rustic Cosmo Café:
It’s location at the end of the Parkdale strip makes it less noticeable to most, but overlook it at your peril: made to order selection of wraps, paninis and calabrese (whole wheat!) sandwiches from fresh and wholesome, ingredients do not disappoint. Skipping the carbs? They’ll also make salads from their eclectic sandwich menu.

2. Drake Café:
If you must have a burger, these are as guilt-free as the red meat gets, Localvore chef keeps it real by sourcing locally raised beef. The Naked Burger nails it.

3. Gladstone Lobby Café:
Honest and fresh, we love the salad menu. After being spoiled by the quick gourmet salads of Lettuce and the SandwichBox, the Gladdy fills a void.

4. The Beaver:
Paninis have been king here since day 1. Be warned though, the lamb burgers will induce irrational cravings and special missions.

5. Asia 21:
Come for the Pho stay for the Bun. They are both fantastic, and portions are huge. They’re great for pho take out because they separate out the noodles, rare beef, and cold fresh herbs so everything stays fresh. Also, the service is so fast you could eat in without killing a good part of your afternoon.

Recent food foibles:

I’m not trying to be mean, all consideration has been made to account for odd one-off problems, I am simply chronicling places that have dissapointed me on several occasions and so chances are, might disappoint you too.

1. The Friendly Diner
I get that it’s a greasy spoon and all, and this would be great if, for a place that prominantly features “All Day Breakfast”, they could turn out a credible version of its staple: toast. Seriously, they just throw the bread on the griddle, resulting in a less than crispy warm sponge flecked with dirty bbq bits. Not great when most of your menu comes nested between two of these. Meh.

2. Quiznos @ King & Dufferin
Usually Quiznos does a pretty good sub. Fresh fillings, cheese (real!) melted just right, Baked toastiness, not so processed that you can’t tell which animal the cuts came from. Well take that all back for this location. Subs barely heated up - and that bread is heavy untoasted, mayo (or sauce) so heavy it is all you taste, and even forgotten fillings, actually every time I get different things mixed in. It just never has that “this sandwich is greater than the sum of its parts” thing going for it, which I am loathe to admit but the Mr. Sub on Queen and Gladstone does. Also, I don’t think I have ever seen a manager or owner in there.

*If you call in your order. Websites with menus and phone numbers listed here where available.

Posted on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 at 4:42 pm Under THE HOOD, THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. You can trackback from your own site.