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Double dose
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Two new Mile-End neighbours offer coffee and charm
by SARAH MUSGRAVE
It was only a matter of time before some enterprising soul decided to
launch a new café in Mile-End, a place where locals can get a
bite to eat and wile away the afternoon hours with a book. In fact,
more than one enterprising soul got the same idea right around the same
time, and in the last couple of months two great spaces have opened,
side by side, on St-Viateur near St-Laurent.
Of course, in a neighbourhood invariably described as “bohemian,”
there are already places for a caffeine fix. But at least one local
institution has become so crowded with lineups that you can forget about
getting a table; another has a strict no-smoking policy; yet another
has the worst lighting and service known to man. Ever since Starbucks
opened nearby, you can just feel the Second Cup scouts circling the
area, looking to cash in on the Mile-End mystique.
Fortunately, these two new coffeehouses are far from franchises—the
bottom line doesn’t seem to be about profit but about creating
a nice place to hang out. What’s more, they fit in so well with
the surroundings it seems like they’ve been there forever.
Le Dépanneur
The first to open its doors this winter, Le Dépanneur is a cozy
hangout where time seems to be measured in hours not minutes. In fact,
the hands of the clock above the mirrored bar stand still, encouraging
you to linger. The atmosphere is très relax, with about 10 tables
and subdued lighting that reflects off the painted tin ceiling above.
No slick chrome fixtures or ultramodern design here, just a very lo-fi
décor that’s not trying too hard. And finally, a café
that plays good background music instead of the ubiquitous slightly-out-of-tune
radio or tinselly techno.
They make a decent café au lait that’s served in a glass
and topped with a thick, lip-sticking foam. In terms of sustenance,
the short but sweet menu offers bowls of chili, stuffed crepes and a
variety of sandwiches. For about two bucks you can get a basic grilled
cheese on white bread. When I stopped by, the soup of the day ($2.75)
was very yummy potato and parsley purée sprinkled with spicy
paprika, and served with a bun on the side.
A sign in the window also advertises breakfasts: your trad eggs and
bacon or the healthier croissant, fruit and yogurt plate. Le Dep opens
at 7 a.m., a bonus for the people in the area who actually keep regular
working hours. In the evenings, it sometime hosts soirées of
live but low-key entertainment.
Address: 12
St-Viateur W.; Phone: 274-9791; Hours: 7am–11pm; Sun 8am–11pm
La Loïe
Fuller
Next door at La Loïe Fuller, wooden shelves strewn with nostalgic
reading matter and old price tickets call to mind a general store of
the early 1900s. An olive green upright piano and a man in a bow tie
behind the counter add to that old-fashioned feeling. So do the patrons,
who for the most part seem to be français de France ex-pats and
ageing Serge Gainsbourg fans.
The food here is a little more substantial and tastes very homey. You
can get a variety of snacks to go with your mug of coffee, with an emphasis
on Middle Eastern fare like kebbeh—cracked wheat balls filled with
savoury meat (they offer a veg version too)—spinach or cheese squares,
hummous and baba gannouj. The daily soup was a healthy vegetable broth
($2.50) containing rice, onion, celery, carrot and turnip.
There are also daily specials that include main course, soup, dessert
and coffee for $8.50 to $10. We had a choice of vegetarian couscous,
stuffed vine leaves, turkey dinner and paté chinois. The shepherd’s
pie was dense and filling, although I would have liked a little more
salad on the side. The turkey dinner of chopped breast meat, peas and
thick mashed potatoes—all very naturel tasting—was accompanied
by cute glass bowls of beets and pickles.
For dessert, there’s a table of sweet delights like those you’d
find at a school bake sale, offering delicious baklavas, cookies and
fresh, gooey pecan pie.
Feedback? restoagogo@hotmail.com
Address: 5490
St-Laurent; Phone: 585-2513;
Hours: Mon–Fri 7am–midnight, weekends 9am–midnight
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