Ready, Steady, Go

With gentrification, The Queen Of Sheba on Bloor has been replaced by The Steady, a cafe/bar that also offers a compact menu of eats. Unusually, it has both carnivore friendly and vegan dishes. I dropped by on Friday to check out the new space.

Other places aim for a trendy "cheap" look with carefully chosen used benches or tables. The cheap look here does not play to trends: lumpy floors, a few arty hangings, indifferent paint colors. Along with Neko Case on the stereo, it was like visiting someone's first apartment.

The crab cakes ($8) came on a bed of baby spinach. They were good, not too greasy, but lacked a strong flavour. The dill infused dipping sauce was a nice tangy complement. The short ribs ($13) had a sad carrot slaw. It had no crunch, even the pecan nuts were soggy. Yet the ribs were delicious. The marinated meat fell off the bone, soft, and toothsome.

With cheap beer, DJ'd music, and homey dishes, this is a good hangout. It probably won't impress any first dates though, unless you're looking for the frugal bohemian type.