More Dale

If it wasn't for the sublet, Sunday would have been the first time I return to Toronto in a few months. To keep one foot in the Big Smoke, I have kept all my medical providers. This gives me a reason to visit now and then, take care of business, and enjoy the city for a few days. I didn't book with the mediocre (but now familiar) Victoria's Mansion because with Pride Week-End, the Church St. area would be too party-central for a quiet stay.

When I got off at Union Station, Toronto was livelier than usual because of Pride and many tourists. I headed to the old neighbourhood of Bloordale. Despite my misgivings, I had found an AirBnB house a few minutes from Lansdowne Subway. It was nice to see folks enjoying the sunshine. Duffy's Tavern was "temporarily" closed due to lack of staff. Not surprising that Duffy's would feel the employee crunch, wages being what they are for a dive bar.

Being not yet completely gentrified, numerous businesses were closed on Sunday evening as the crowd thinned out so I had a hard time finding a place for dinner. I stopped off at Mumbaikar, an Indian restaurant in the spot of former Idle and Drift. The new owner kept the location's bistro-bar root and has gone for a contemporary feel with pop-art scenes of bustling South Asian streets.

The food wasn't as funky as the décor though. It started well with the unusual Sabudana Vada ($9.99). The street food was a deep-fried combination of tapioca pearls (i.e., bubble tea), potatoes and various Indian spices. These balls had interesting texture and flavour, especially with yogurt and chutney.

Unfortunately, both the veg Kolhapuri ($14.99), a curry from Kolhapur, and the plain naan ($4.99) were disappointing. The main was middling curry and what looked to be mostly frozen veggies, pricey for run-of-the-mill food. The flatbread was bland without any fragrance. When a hole-in-the-wall spot like Lahore Grill can put out cheap and delicious naan, a fancy sit-down diner has no excuse. Most other eaters were sticking with Pav Bhaji (curry with soft bread rolls) from Maharashtra. If that was their specialty, Mumbaikar should ditch their everything-but-the-kitchen-sink menu.