Edward Levesque’s Kitchen (1290 Queen St. E. & Leslie)

Un-renoed and 1960s-tacky, the vibe at Edward Levesque’s Kitchen is atypical of a popular Toronto brunch spot. Maybe that's what makes Levesque’s so great: unlike the come-to-be-expected-deliberate chaos of a trendy brunch place, where a canvas of items "found in grandma's attic" are used to fill the space and create ambiance, Edward Levesque’s genuinely understated interior of yellow walls and neat hardwood tables and chairs creates such a neutral decor that the joint clearly survive on its own merits. The authenticity and success of Levesque’s are only further proven by the diverse crowd this watering hole draws: fellow brunchers spanned all of society’s proscribed pop-cultural groups and ranged from groups of seniors to middle agers to young brunchers chasing the eggs-benny-dragon in pursuit of the tomorrow's coolest new brunch (but theirs yesterday).

Brunching at Levesque’s was a success. Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted by the talented-and-always-charming chefs whose cooking station hung over both Queen Street and the restaurant’s waiting area. We were seated quickly and service was quick throughout. Each table was accessorized with a jar of artisanal Danish fruit preserve – our table had blueberry but we also borrowed the ginger from our neighbours. Perhaps as another signature Levesque’s move, each table was also set with its own “vintage” dish towel folded squarely under a water pitcher.

As for our meals, the food was a mixed bag. Karina’s smoked mackerel, carmelized onion and chive scramble was flavourful but appropriately controlled and its accompanying salad was fresh, satisfying and simple. Karina had to order a side of toasted Ace Bakery walnut bread to eat with the preserve because the dish came with no home fries or toast. Leora’s weekends-only poached eggs with Italian sausage, corn bread, home fries and chilli-sauce was an interesting, but not repeat, order. The sophisticated simplicity of poached eggs and corn bread was lost under the yummy, but overpowering, tomato-sauce, which seemed far more Italian than it did Southern. The sausage also overpowered the eggs and cornbread and seemed to belong more in an Italian pasta sauce than on a brunch menu– bangers may have been a more complementary pairing. The baby was not thrown out with the bath water. The consensus was that Leora simply ordered the wrong thing for her taste, as this dish is one of the most popular items on Levesque’s brunch menu.

Home fries: burnt and immemorable. Coffee: drip, and not fantastic. Toasted Ace Bakery walnut bread with butter: fabulous. Danish preserves: very very yummy.

The quasi-unsuccessful order only made us more intrigued to return and sample more of what Levesque’s serves up. With such reasonable prices and surrounded by so many antique furniture shops we could see no reason not to. 3/5.