Posted by Susan Hu in brunch, restaurant review on December 15, 2007 at 8:55 am

Edward Levesque's Kitchen
1290 Queen Street East
416-465-3600
brunch for 2 with all taxes, tip, and coffee: $30

Leslieville has no shortage of brunch spots. No matter what cuisine dinner service is, most restaurants in the area offer a decent plate of eggs. Finding a great brunch spot, where quality, price, and atmosphere meet as perfectly as your favourite assemblage of breakfast foods is a bit more challenging. Trying out a new place every weekend is one I'm happy to take on.

Enter Edward Levesque's Kitchen. Pleasantly surprised that the exterior was in no way indicative of the charming interior - small but spacious, bright like a buttercup, with real linens - we were quickly seated upon entering. Calling earlier, we were told brunch brunch reservations aren't taken. We snagged the last empty table, thankfully, big enough for four.

While we perused the small printed menus, quality coffee came swift and hot. Impressive was the daily selection coupled with the brunch only options. It was difficult to just pick one because each dish sounded like a lovely way to start a lazy Sunday.

Finally, I settled on the poached eggs on chipotle corn bread with spicy sausage and home fries ($12.25). Although looking like a deceptively small portion, it was very rich and filling - and exactly what I wanted. Never before have I had more perfectly poached eggs; fluffy whites giving way to an almost caramel thick yolk. Its smoothness oozed nicely into the buttery, softly sweet smoky corn bread that crumbled into the salty spice of the sausage - a flawless foil. The potatoes tasted as good as they looked; homey, handsomely brown and uniform, tender and with a nicely seasoned crisp shell. I couldn't finish it all without help (maybe because I'd scarfed down a whole order of baguette, fresh, crusty-shelled and tender interior, served with room temp butter).

I didn't try two of the party's selections, the tantalizing sounding lamb-burger with olive spread ($7.95), or the omelet with smoked fish and salad ($9.45), but both orders were polished off with aplomb. I did however, have a bite of the banana French toast which was nicely springy, dense, with the banana a fragrant highlight to the silky custard infused bread.

On other visits, the food was not as fine. The eggs poached in tomato sauce on multigrain bread ($9.95) was not impressive in taste nor appearance. Although the chunky sauce had a bright flavour, the eggs were almost hardboiled and the bread soggy. The accompanying potatoes were slightly gummy and lacked flavour. Likewise, a brie and asparagus omelet ($8.25) underwhelmed. However, details like warm service and constant coffee refills help ease the glitches.

Busy weekend morning lineups start soon after eleven, evidence that despite any unevenness, this kitchen belongs to the neighbourhood . Not surprising when jovial quips at less busy times from Edward leaves you feeling as guests.