Where Can You Be

After doing laundry, I decided that if I've been feeling too tired to go out at night, I should do something during daylight hours. So I headed over to the Lansdowne and Wallace area to Donna's, a snack bar at the site of the former Hello Darling.

They've kept the layout pretty much the same. It's the sort of charming place with mismatched dinnerware and casual hipster vibe where you meet your friends. I ordered the potato tortilla ($9), quinoa salad $(10), and some orange juice ($3.50). The potato wedge came out on top of a layer of chili oil with a generous dollop of sour cream. It was a tasty dish, especially the crispy outer skin. But with the layers of potato and onions, it felt more Eastern European than Latin American.

The tortilla was updated comfort food. The salad was the delicious revelation. Nutty sunflower seeds, chewy quinoa, crunchy celery slices, fermented chili vinaigrette, and bursts of bright flavour from the mint and roasted persimmons, there was a strong hint of East Asian influence. This dish was an immediate winner for me. With tax and tip, the brunch came to $30. So Donna's is not a cheap eat and will likely be a once-in-a-while spot for me. I'll probably return to try out the more ambitious dinner menu.