THE MORNING AFTER: Chris, Tomas & Friends' Guide to Breakfast in Toronto

SKYLINE RESTAURANT
(1426 Queen St. W.)

THE HUNTING PARTY: Chris, Missy, Paul & Gira

RATINGS:
FOOD: 2+
PRICE: 2 (all day) / 3+ (special)
SERVICE: 2+
AMBIANCE: 4


ALL-DAY BREAKFAST: YES (special until 11am)
COFFEE/ESPRESSO BAR: YES
COFFEE INCLUDED: NO
FREE REFILLS: NO
LICENSED: YES
HP SAUCE: YES
PATIO: NO
BOOTHS: YES
OPEN-KITCHEN: NO

What's in a name? Where I come from, a place with a name like Skyline Restaurant is generally accompanied by nothing less than, you guessed it, a beautiful skyline. As far as Toronto is concerned, however, this seems to be far from the case. The only view you'll find looking out from Skyline Restaurant is the beautiful Queen West strip of Parkdale, hobos wearing sombreros and all. Skyline Restaurant's name is almost as ironic as Lakeview Lunch (1132 Dundas St. W.); situated no less than 3 kms from anything even resembling a lake view. If anything, I'm thinking they should trade names. Lakeview Lunch at the very least has a view of the CN Tower and Skyline Restaurant makes you feel as though you're eating in the dining room of an old cruise ship. Then again, some people tell me I tend to be a tad too literal.

ALL DAY BREAKFAST:
2 eggs
bacon or ham
potatoes (mashed, boiled or french fries)
toast
$6.75+tx.

BREAKFAST SPECIAL: (until 11am)
2 eggs
bacon or ham
homefries
toast
coffee
$5.25+tx.


THE FOOD: At Skyline Restaurant, lunch + eggs = breakfast; or as Paul aptly put it "The eggs are the only ones keepin' it real." Eggs aside, breakfast consisted of a side of fries, two slices of toast, bacon, lettuce and tomato (*cough* BLT). All in all, Skyline's All Day Breakfast was nothing special and if anything I'd suggest hitting them up before 11, when they serve up something more closely resembling a traditional breakfast at a muuuch better price (seeing as coffee is included). On that note; refills are not free all day, yet there is a loophole! Only drink half a cup at a time before getting it topped off. It's only considered a refill if it's being filled bottom up. ;)
Gira 'The Sausage Hunter' Side-Note: The sausages taste like delicious!
Paul Side-Note: The eggs are doing that boogery shit!
Chris Side-Note: Squiggles!
Gira 'The Sausage Hunter' Side-Note v 2.0: Who do you work for lettuce?!!

THE PRICE: The all day price was pretty average; however lack of freefills and not having homefries as a potato option made the price seem a touch too hefty for what it was worth. Not really a place worth grabbing breakfast unless it's before 11; which in most of our cases sounds like a blasphemy on the weekend.

THE SERVICE: The service started on a much higher note than it ended. Our server seemed quick and courteous from the get-go; waters in hand before we sat down, asking if we wanted separate bills and the like. As breakfast progressed, however, I felt she seemed to develop a bit of an attitude and didn't come across as being nearly as nice as she did when we walked in the door.
Everybody Side-Note: CASH ONLY. All four of us took turns getting kicked in the balls (or baby makers) by the $2 ATM service charge at the store across the street.

THE AMBIANCE: The ambiance is, in all honesty, the only thing that would ever bring me back to this place for breakfast. The restaurant is laid out in "reverse mullet" fashion with a traditional diner in the front and fine dining in the back. Throughout, you get the feeling like you're eating in the dining room of an old cruise ship and if you sway back and forth the effect is enhanced tenfold (Disclaimer: people will look at you like you're a fuckin' nut-job). We opted for the large and enclosed, more private, two tabled booth in the middle of the restaurant which ended up encompassing the best of both worlds and was bar none the best seat in the house. Along with the booth came a plethora of toys (other than the colouring book and markers Missy carried around with her over the weekend). The toys included everything from Barbie and Predator to a tiny indian wielding a spear (who from what we could tell was after our bacon the little fucker).
The lighting was dim; the music was classical and the seats were some of the comfiest on which I've ever rested my loins. Hands down the best (and quite possibly the only) good thing about our visit.
Paul Side-Note: Everything was going great until the local miniature natives showed up!


Mimi's no longer exists. I hadn't been there in a couple of years. It closed like 4 months ago. Thanks for letting us know before we walked our asses over in the rain and kicked around crack pipes (literally) out front waiting for Paul to show up, only to have to go elsewhere. Elsewhere ended up being Skyline Restaurant. Skyline Restaurant is par at best. I miss Mimi. :(