Out & About #234 | Toronto East Things: The Peasant Table + Tandem Coffee

Based on several of my Toronto Things posts, it might seem that I rarely venture east of Yonge Street. And quite frankly, it's true.

I rarely have reason to extend my journeys any further, which was probably why I was more than eager to meet up with a friend after our initial plans fell through.

Making my best efforts to center the restaurant choices around healthier alternatives at an affordable price, I began evaluating several options on Yelp and Zomato, and ultimately ended up choosing The Peasant Table.

The casual Italian restaurant featured a glass window storefront and beautiful decor. Natural light was abundant, as was the variety of seating arrangements located throughout the two dining areas. A square bar area was situated between the sections, with rustic chandeliers and some sort of beam component fixed above.

The menu was largely comprised of Italian, with only brief descriptions of the dishes in English. Our server had welcomed us warmly upon entering, but hadn't been particularly generous in providing us with enough time to review their available options. I suppose the language barrier posed a slight problem for us, though I noticed that the same conditions applied to other guests; it was actually quite common to hear "We haven't really looked at the menu."

Incapable of conjuring up accurate mental images of the dishes, the menu merely served as a generic guideline that separated the items by type (ie. Insalata for salads and Pasta for, well, pasta).
​Only one specific combination of ingredients piqued our interest; we both opted for the Barbabietola salad.

Embracing the maximum visual appeal possible through the use of complimentary colours and contrasting textures, the salad was comprised of alternative chunks of red and golden beet and deep fried onions over a bed of carefully chopped kale. All components had been uniformly tossed in a oil-based dressing whose taste was neither strong enough to clash with the existing flavours of the vegetables, nor subtle enough to be considered indiscernible. A handful of randomly scattered candied walnuts added a pleasant crunch to the plate, while poached cranberries lent a refreshing bite after each mouthful of kale and beet.

Both of us were quite content with the order; I was especially happy that the dish was filling (without being satiating) and on the economic side of the spectrum.

I did, however, find the communication skills of our server to be slightly lacking. The restaurant hadn't been busy at all, given that peak lunch hours had already passed, but our server seemed a bit absent-minded. It wasn't that the food items had taken too long to emerge; it was the sheer fact that we hadn't been provided enough time during menu-reading, was confused at his way of following up on the meal ("Is everything alright?" was misheard as "Are you alright?!"), and was slightly taken back by the absence of a clearly audible "Thank you" following the delivery of our bill.

At this point, I'd like to reiterate my utter amazement at the interior design of the restaurant. The frequent use of wooden elements produced a certain calming cohesiveness that was not only evident in the dining area, but also in the washrooms. (Yes, the washrooms!)
Each individual stall was painted stone grey, decorated with small potted plants, and the optical illusion of a tissue dispenser that actually held paper towels instead.

My final remark would have to be of high praise for the installation of StopGap.ca ramp, which was created with the purpose of making life in the city more accessible. Too often have I witnessed steep staircases and unforgiving ledges assuming the entrances of restaurants. That being said, I am very supportive of the Act proposing to make Ontario a province in which all members of society can contribute evenly.

We later crossed Don Valley River, spending a brief moment watching cars whiz by on the DVP.

Passing interesting streetscaping and quiet streets, we soon arrived at Tandem Coffee. The original plan was to stop by Roselle for dessert, though the close proximity of the popular cafe was too tempting to turn down a quick visit.

With the exception of a dim, yellow-tinted interior, Tandem was impeccably cozy for a cafe. Compared to the sleek, architectural designs that have gained much attention as of late, the Corktown coffee shop shifted its focus to produce an environment emitting a retro Japanese vibe. In place of marble communal tables were plastic-coated wood tables with booth seats; unique multi-coloured quilts were also hung throughout the shop.

Lucky cats were a prominent aspect of the overall aesthetic, making appearances in the form of classic ceramic figurines as well as adorable shortbread cookies. Other atypical cafe offerings such as Matcha Sesame Rings and baguette sandwiches were also available.

An ominous grey cloud of substantial size had appeared overhead at that point, leading the air to become a tad chilly. A Sesame Latte warmed me up instantly!
Crafted from ground sesame seeds - I asked for a mix of black and white sesame seeds - the steamy beverage was as smooth as it was creamy. And beyond the layer of the soothing frothed milk was the most fragrant blend of sesame my olfactory senses had ever experienced. It was as if the strongest part of every single fragrance pod had been unleashed into one single drink.

Needless to say, I enjoyed it to an extraordinary degree, and didn't regret a single second of my impromptu stop.

Although almost imperceptible upon first glance, the barista - a very friendly lady with the potential to be the owner of the cafe - had exerted great effort in creating rosetta latte art. Perhaps it might have been more apparent if I had chosen the Black Sesame Latte, but it also ensures that I now have a reason to return for more. (Hehehe)
(Side note: Tandem Coffee is cash only!)

Continue reading Part 2 of the day's adventure HERE !