Deer and Almond's uptown version of Eggs Benedict is a decadent, yet fresh delight. Benny and the Jets boasts deep, yellow yolks and creamy Hollandaise sauce, which are a perfect foil for lightly toasted yellow bread and thick-cut, smoky and crisp bacon.
Deer + Almond
Address: 85 Princess Street
Phone: 504-8562
Website: none
Neighbourhood: Exchange District
The architecturally stunning Exchange District, just north of Downtown is home to amazing restaurants, pubs and coffee shops. The newest kid on the block is Deer + Almond, a new 65-seat upscale diner on the corner of Princess and McDermot. Upscale doesn't mean expensive—prices range from $5 to $14 per lunch dish.
Located in the former home of the old-school diner Princess Grill, Deer + Almond is the work of local chef Mandel Hitzer, formerly of Fresh Cafe and Gluttons, among other restaurants.
Deer + Almond's menu is a bit of a puzzle. The cuisine defies labels and can't be pigeonholed into a nice, neat category of cuisine. Its Asian-influences are clear with miso, sesame and kimchi listed on the menu.
With just 10 items, the lunch menu is a lesson in brevity. Dish descriptions are brief and basically a list of ingredients with no elaboration. Choices include cucumbers (with miso and sesamez); greens (with dry fruit, goat cheese, almonds and sherry vinaigrette); and reuben (smoked corned beef, kimchi, American cheese and thousand island dressing), among other plates.
Chicken is a bamboo basket loaded with crispy-skinned, bone-in chicken pieces with rock salt and a side of tart Chinese vinegar with toasted chiles and cilantro for dipping providing zippy flavour.
Benny and the Jets is Deer + Almond's dynamite version of eggs Benedict. A slice of slightly toasted brioche is topped with crispy smoked bacon and two
During lunchtime, tables are populated with business folks, couples and groups of well-dressed 30-something urbanites. Insider's tip: There are no kids to be seen. Decor is simple and sophisticated with on-trend grey as the colour palate. The eatery is lined with large windows on two sides and original art hangs on the walls. Look up in the vestibule for a peek of the wacky and wonderful grass-lined ceiling.
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