What Was Old Is New Again: Maple Leaf Tavern

*By Natalie Taylor*

For a long time, Gerrard East (between Coxwell and Broadview in Toronto), was not a destination: Chinese beauty parlours and sporadic restaurants mixed in between downtrodden homes used to define the area. I guess you could now call the community “Upper Leslieville” or just north of Dundas and Queen or “Lower Riverdale” (at the edge of the residential Riverdale neighbourhood which has boomed in the past decade). The mainstay? Maple Leaf Tavern (the MLT). Its 2016 facelift and menu beckons a series of regulars into its home…

Built in 1910 and converted to Hotel Maple Leaf in 1935, the Maple Leaf Tavern used to be a rooming house from the 1960s until the early Millennium. Many might know The MLT’s main floor as a drinking hall in the 1980s (let’s just say it was rough!). Owner Todd Morgan (of Pickering’s Port Bar and Tavern) purchased the vacant building in 2013 and spent 2.5 years renovating the space. It is now a minimalist and elegant restaurant, rich with mahogany banquettes and dark woods. As you walk down the stairs from the main floor to the bathrooms and private dining area, you’ll see black and white photos framed from its past. Reminiscent of a dungeon, you wouldn’t recognize that it was the same restaurant or even a restaurant at all! On their new back patio, the old sign –dilapidated and colourful– lies on the side, showing that though the MLT is now a bit more sophisticated, it’s still the casual and laid-back space it once was…

But the complete overhaul is in the menu. Under the helm of Jesse Vallins (ex-The Saint), the MLT team was kind of enough to let me sample its options. Here are some of my favourites:

House-Made Sausage

Chef Jesse makes all of his own sausage and even teaches the art of sausage making at George Brown College in their Continuing Education program! I tried the Grilled Beef Salami with Hot Mustard, Reuben Sandwich Sausage with Russian Dressing and the Smoked Duck Sausage with Pineapple Mustard.

The Caesar

I always like to order classic drinks at bars so I decided to try The Caesar. It was made with house-made clam juice, cold pressed vegetable juice, Bombay Sapphire gin, and topped with coriander salt and dill. Out of the many Caesars I’ve had in this city, this definitely contends for one of Toronto’s best. Under the watchful eye and palate of General Manager Robin Kemp (ex-Momofuku), the beverage program at the MLT is a refreshing and needed addition to the options in the east end community.

The Roasted Squash Salad

This was my favourite dish on the menu. Fried halloumi, squash, charred leek, beets, dill hemp seed pesto and shallots are artfully plated and offer great crunch and texture. I’ve recently become addicted to halloumi because of this dish and I have to mention how much I love the brightness of everything on the plate. It doesn’t hurt that it contributes to the five-a-day vegetable count either!

Honey And Cumin Glazed Carrots

Served with a whipped parsley yogurt, this side is an ode to a taste of Indian flavours. The cumin adds a kick to the carrots and the yogurt finishes off any spice on the palate to deliver a crunchy yet cool taste. This is Chef Jesse’s favourite dish on the menu and is a unique side.

Lasagna

Though there was a lot of food leading up to this main, I certainly couldn’t deny it. I have to admit, this is one of the most beautiful platings of lasagna I’ve ever seen — almost too pretty to eat! That said, you’re still getting a hefty portion. It’s rich, dense, meaty (veal shank) and since I love mushrooms, it did not disappoint. This is a crowd pleaser for a Sunday family meal and I would rank it as one of my favourite lasagnas in Toronto. It is served with a side chopped salad for balance. (Laugh!)

Cheeseburger

This was another favourite of mine. It was hard not to devour the whole thing given that I had about six dishes before it! Properly grilled, the burger is made from 100% striploin which gives it its juicy flavour. Creamy house-made cheese, dill relish and mayo make the piece of meat drool-worthy. I would also put this on my list for one of the best burgers in the city.

Chocolate And Peanut Butter Mousse

Don’t discount the dessert menu. This hot and cold mousse was decadent and sinful — an indulgent way to cap off any food coma. Creamy with a bit of texture, the sweet and salty treat was a winner.

The Manhattan

Another stellar addition to Kemp’s bar menu. I’m not a Manhattan drinker, but after giving it a try at the MLT I’m a believer that any drink can be good if you use the best house-made ingredients. The Manhattan wasn’t overly bitter and had the hint of sweetness I like. I was especially impressed by its presentation: the drink was served in a mini bottle on ice alongside the “Mercedes” of cherries: Luxardo maraschino cherries from Italy.

I must mention that I only tasted about a quarter of the menu. There are so many items I wanted to try: the burrata, the trout and the whole roasted chicken for two. Since there are so many different menus (a wood grill menu and a brunch menu amongst them), it basically calls for another trip or five…

The Tavern’s reincarnation is something that has made the once-tired stretch of Gerrard Street new and exciting again. No longer a place of bar brawls, it’s a safe and delicious haven for regulars to come not only with friends but with their families too.

A huge thanks to Maple Leaf Tavern for hosting us. As always, all reviews and opinions are our own.