Caffe Brasiliano

Excellent! I've been waiting for this listing for a while. Someone should profile them. The staff is so friendly, always serving bountiful plates of yummy food, and they might make the best mochaccino in the city.

yeah the veal sandwich here is amazing

the coffee is like crack here...soooo good!!!

Is that a frozen vegetable medley as a side?

Yep. That's it.

That's kind of unfortunate. Fresh seasonal veggies would be a +1.

This review perfectly encapsulates a question that has nagging me for some time: why should I (or anyone else) give a toss about your restaurant reviews? You don't seem to exercise any discretion about choosing places and refuse to make judgments even when a place is perfectly inadequate. If frozen side vegetables and cold food don't warrant a negative judgment, what does? Here you are lionizing what would otherwise be termed cafeteria or hospital food because its run by an old, friendly portugese family.

A review is only useful when it provides some guidance to the reader as to whether a dining experience is worthwhile. Here you give a qualified endorsement (not a "destination place") to a place that serves bad food is, in a word, terrible. Your refusal to take a bad restaurant to task undermines your credibility when giving a good review. Readers may reasonably conclude that you don't know the difference.

I think the issue is really a question of value. For $10, and with with charm and friendly service of the place I say it's definitely worth a repeat visit. Obviously, if it were twice the price I'd have different expectations including some more interesting vegetables and everything served at the right temperature the first time.

But just because it's not a great destination place, doesn't mean it can't be a great local option. Caffe Brasiliano is the kind of place you go when you just want a cheap and filling meal out. With no fuss. Or if you don't feel like cooking.

It's the kind of place that is great to have around the corner from your home.

I am too on the unconvinced side; I mean, how low can you go? Side of frozen veggie medley? Do they at least made the cannelloni themselves or was it reheated frozen item? And spaghetti with chickpeas and salad? My three year old can cook that. Get in shape, guys - either pick more interesting place or give more justice in your reviews. I am staying away from Cafe B, sorry.

Hey unconvinced, you don't know what you're talking about!

Brasiliano has great veal. Yeah, the place isn't Tati Bistro or Barberion's, but overall it's a good experience for the people who live in the area and need a place to eat and relax while reading the paper.

Plus, it's well known that Brasiliano has the best coffee in the city.

I don't think $10, or even $8 represents good value for what I'm seeing on those plates. The thought of eating veggies like that is making me gag a little. I have nothing against cheap food and local charm, but this looks not just cheap, but bad.

If the place has great veal, showcase the veal in the review. A good resto review will call a spade a spade. If the restaurant is sub-par but has great veal, or chicken, or what have you, a worthwhile article would say so, while also noting the place loses points for cold food and Dominion-sourced sides.

Also, just because you can get a plate of food for $10 doesn't make it good value. Just about anyone can cook a piece of sole and a plate of frozen veg, for less than $10 and with just about the same amount of effort it'd take to walk a few blocks, place an order, wait, then pay the bill. Of course, dining out is also great... but there are countless places in Toronto where you can get a scratch-cooked (rather than pre-packaged and reheated), filling meal for $10-$12, and it's also served hot.

After reading the restaurant reviews by blogs (ie Blogto, Torontoist) and comparing these reviews to newspapers (Eye, Now and Globe), the main difference is that blogs are forgiving of an establishment so long as it's dirt cheap. Cheap is the blogger's excuse to praise a place that has bad food, bad service and non-existent decor.

What would set blogto's reviews apart from other blogs is by doing what newspaper reviewers do, that is, realistically judge a place on its merits, with a thoughtful inclusion of prices. A place with excellent food, service and terrific decor can be found for cheap and is worth seeking out. A place like Caffe Brasiliano doesn't sound like it is.

I don't think that's fair. We'll certainly slam a place if it deserves it, regardless of the price point.

The vegetable medley aside, there's plenty here that's fresh and home made, even is this wasn't covered in my review.

Sub-par standards for a resto reviewer. Do you have a head injury?

Possibly.

Frozen veggies? Are you kidding? The problem here in Canada is that we focus too much on QUANTITY instead of actual QUALITY - we equate size with value and generally eat whatever is put in front of us. I know, I've witnessed it a thousand times across Canada. This IS cafeteria food, as one of the previous posters so aptly pointed out. In addition, the comparison to Susur Lee is unwarranted. Lee became successful BECAUSE of his focus on quality.

Excellent honest review. Frozen veggies are totally ok, in some places. This is not a fine dining establishment. The review reflects that and we can all make up our own minds whether it's good enough for us or not.

I am highly critical diner, I have worked as sous in fine dining restaurants. That is not what I expect from this type of place, and it has it's place.

Thank you for the review. I've only had the coffee there (and for $8 / lb takeaway the columbian is SUPERB) but I'll be back for some inexpensive home style comfort food soon.

I think most to the comments on this revue have missed the point. There appears to be a desire among the readers of this blog for Brasiliano to be something that it's not trying to be. Recognize the cafe for what it is, as opposed to judging it by standards set by other restaurants that are going for an entirely different dining experience.

Brasiliano is not so much a 'destination' restaurant (as mentioned by Tim), but rather the cultural hub of a transitional community. Brasiliano attracts all sorts of clientele. From cab drivers starting their late night shift, to twenty somethings who have just moved into the neighborhood, to locals who have lived here for generations.

Brasiliano serves comfort food, for good value. Yes, it is a bit of a cafeteria, but that's part of the attraction. Their coffee is some of the best in the city, and is sold an affordable price. It should also be noted that all the prices on the menu include tax.

Every time I walk into the place I feel like I've come home. The people there are friendly and genuine. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, it's worth checking out.