Kirsten and I attended a fund-raising event at a new store in the east end of The Junction (or the 'West Bend' as it has started to be called) last week and I was struck by how vibrant & hip this stretch of Dundas, east of Keele and continuing under the bridge over to Dupont and the Junction Triangle, has become! No longer the Junction's less popular sister, the Junction Triangle and surrounding area has carved out an identity and vibe all it's own.
Of course food & wine were our first order of business, so we began our evening at
, located at the corner of Dupont and Edwin. It describes itself as:
a hip eatery serving a changing menu of farm-to-table Canadian food, craft beers & local wines
That's a perfect description for this laid-back local restaurant focused on serving excellent Canadian food, wine & beer. Their changing menu is written on chalkboards which hang on the walls, and they mean it when they say everything is Canadian, the parmesan that I requested for my pasta was substituted with a delicious Canadian cheese equivalent. Kirsten and I were both eyeing the burger that the guy at the table next to us ordered, but since the burger is always on menu, our waiter suggested the pasta of the day. The pappardelle noodles with pulled shortrib, and a little Canadian cheese sprinkled on top, was to die for. The Farmhouse Tavern is only open Thursdays & Fridays for dinner and on the weekends for brunch & dinner, so plan ahead. They serve a hangover poutine on the weekends that I am dying to try and I'm looking forward to enjoying their side patio when the warm weather hits!
After dinner we made our way west under the bridge, to a new lifestyle store called
, which is part of a new strip of shops on Dundas Street West, between Edna and Chelsea. Simply Beautiful is a visually stunning store with a gorgeous selection of housewares, clothing and jewellery; and is the brain child of it's owner and Chief Curator, Deborah Ross.
Simply Beautiful is a lifestyle store focused on curating collections sourced from small design companies and artisans that make beautiful products with a mindful philosophy. Every product has a rich story.
It shares the block with a number of new businesses including, The Butternut Baking Co., the first all-natural baking company in Toronto; Inspire Event Rental & Design; and The Plant YYZ, which provides plant-based take-out meals. Together they have formed The Venture Block, a group of complementary businesses run by entrepreneurial men & women, with a focus on local and Canadian-based products.It was a lovely event, with complimentary make-up provided by Maria at Marvelous You; head shots by Heather at Fun Love Photography; and delicious cupcakes provided by The Butternut Baking Co. All the proceeds went to the very worthy cause, The Period Purse, which provides feminine hygiene products to women in need.
The area has certainly become a destination unto itself, definitely worth checking out....and look what else has moved onto the block!
