I recently posted a picture of me sitting on a bright red bench (see it here) outside a restaurant called Old School, located at 800 Dundas Street West, at Palmerston. I mentioned in that previous post that I wanted to try it out and I got my chance on Sunday when Meghan, Pam and I went out for a late lunch to celebrate Meghan’s birthday.
The place is bigger than I expected, with nice high ceilings, two dining areas and a huge outdoor patio. I loved the black and white decor and the vintage tables and chairs. Well, I’ll call the furniture “vintage-like” since all the tables and chairs were in such good condition that I assume they were made during this decade and not the 1950s, when this type of chrome and laminate kitchen furniture was commonly found.
The food is described on their site as “classic no-nonsense home-style” and there was a lot to choose from on their menu.
I decided on my favourite casual dining option : Fish and Chips, served with a nice chunky Coleslaw. There were easily enough of the delicious fries to share. Meghan had a salad called “Hangover Lovers Salad” (she wasn’t hungover though!) and Pam went for Fried Chicken on a Waffle. I had a little taste of her waffle — it had a little spicy kick to it. All the food was good.
I had a Pommies Cider to drink, that was made just north of Toronto in Caledon, by a couple who quit their corporate jobs, moved to the county and began brewing cider with local apples — apparently some of the world’s best apples are grown in the rural areas outside the city. I first tried it at our friend Chops’ birthday party, written about here.
We finished with coffee and tea, and a sampling of their baked goods. They sell their baked treats in their General Store at the back of the restaurant, to take with you if you didn’t save room for dessert. I can attest to the Blueberry Scone being amazing!
What I especially liked about the place was the laid back and friendly atmosphere and the fact that we didn’t feel rushed in the least. We had plenty of time to relax and talk. Now, we were there at an odd time, arriving at 2 in the afternoon on a Sunday, so I imagine that it’s not always that laid back. I bet it had been really busy a few hours earlier, as Toronto people certainly like to go out for brunch. Personally I love a lazy morning at home and just can’t face the crowds that most restaurants have for that particular meal. I’ve heard stories of people waiting an hour to get seated for brunch at some places! A spot like Old School, where the kitchen stays open throughout the day is more my style. In fact, they are open around the clock, seven days a week.
After lunch, we went for a long walk in Trinity Bellwoods Park, which is only two minutes away.
It was a beautiful last day of summer and all in all, a great afternoon spent in the company of excellent friends.
Thanks for taking a look,
xo loulou
