REVIEW: Mildred Resurrected

I really enjoyed eating at Mildred Pierce and was sad when they closed down. It was not for want of fans. So, of course I happy to see this new take on feeding the masses.



The old location was in the middle of nowhere on Sudbury St, but once you stepped in, you were in a Euro cafe. I last ate there in early July of 2007, and they closed their doors on July 31st, 2007.

A year and a half later (Nov 2008), Mildred's Temple Kitchen was opened in the Liberty Village. This is an entirely new concept, with an open kitchen, soaring ceilings, IKEA-like chairs and very cool down-to-earth (possibly found-this-in-the-forest) furniture in the lounge area. E now wants a tree stump to use as a coffee table, thanks to Mildred.



We were received with smooth service on a quiet Saturday afternoon, but slightly disappointed to learn that their Famous brunch is only available on Sundays.

My companions had the potted lamb pie and burger, while I went with a light meal of grilled eggplant:

BRAISED LAMB & ROOT VEGETABLE POTTED PIE with endive & frisée salad, Banyuls dressing ($18)


CLASSIC MILDRED BURGER with Irish cloth cheddar, onion relish & fries ($15)


GRILLED ITALIAN EGGPLANT with stewed tomatoes, parsley couscous & Parmigiano Reggiano ($18)

The verdict was that Mildred's Temple Kitchen is a restaurant that we'll return to in the near future. The lunch menu was a bit pricey for a random meandering trip, but the food was quite good, and there are great shops to check out in the immediate vicinity. The burger was better than any fast food joint, the potted pie was tender and hearty on a cool day, and my eggplant dish hit the right notes.

I requested a suggestion for something light, and I was filled without feeling weighed down. The dish components worked really well together, and I enjoyed the distinct flavouring of the stewed tomatoes. They had a nice kick!

And because I couldn't resist, this very cute miniature bottle of Ketchup:


I must return to experience their Sunday Brunch. I looooooooooove brunch foods, and have only a handful of go-to places that I'd be willing to recommend.


Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Avenue, Toronto (in the same building as Starbucks and Goodlife Fitness)
Website: http://www.templekitchen.com

For posterity, here are some pictures of Mildred Pierce in July 2007: