Picnic
2411 Yonge Street
416-487-8609
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and cocktails: $85

In a neighbourhood full of foodies and the restaurants that woo them, it is rare to find a place that thrives on high-concept kitsch, void of haughty ambition. Picnic, occupying the small room formerly known as Meating near Yonge and Eglinton, succeeds in its mission to make food fun, and does so with a menu that displays a maturity and complexity beyond the red checkered decor.

Picnic offers a variety of small plates for sharing, and judging by the fact that the venue was quiet on a Friday at 7:30pm, it’s the sort of food one would want to enjoy slowly, perhaps after or in the midst of a night uptown libation. While not solely wicker-basket fare, there is a welcome tendency on the menu toward comfort food whimsy. Servers recommend 3-5 plates for a group of two, but our party of four found 7 dishes served us just right. One choice is a variety of “mini buns”. The trio of mini angus beef burgers ($10) comes with three perfectly cooked patties topped with the usual, as well as aged cheddar. Other mini-sandwich options include a grilled PB&J ($6) and sticky BBQ chicken ($12), but the burgers are the best of the lot.

The rest of the small plates tend toward the breaded or cheese-topped, with a few interesting choices such as nicely charred shrimp skewers ($9 for four), lobster corn dogs ($12), and alphabet soup ($7). Panko battered chicken tenders ($10) are dry, but the crispy calamari ($10) are lightly breaded and have just the right balance of crispy and juicy. The beet salad ($10), topped with goat cheese and hazelnuts, is a welcome veggie alternative, but the small portion size means less to enjoy. The sweet potato mash ($8) lives up to nostalgia, complete with toasted marshmallow topping. The chilli cheese fries ($9) are much more than the sum of their parts - with thin crispy frites, smoky bean-filled chilli and gooey melted cheese, they are easily the hit of the evening. Washed down with a Stiff Coke or Picnic Lemonade mixed drink ($8) served in a jam jar, it’s easy to see how Picnic succeeds at drawing in late night revellers in search of a comfort food fix.

Desserts successfully blend fun with fantastic. Apple crumble ($8) served warm with vanilla ice cream, is a soupy mixture of flavourful apple chunks and brown sugar based topping, while deep fried Mars bars ($9 for three mini bars) are, despite the fear of clogged arteries, wholly delicious.

With affable (read: slow but kind) young servers, a fun decor scheme and an appealing drink menu, plus a great selection of board games to wile away the night, Picnic’s appeal to uptown’s young and eligible is clear. The food delivers a comfort food twist on the overblown small plates movement, and with an unpretentious tongue in cheek, succeeds at entertaining even the most exacting of jaded Toronto foodies. Finally, a place where we can relax and enjoy a meal - just like a picnic should be.