Riverdale

[Skeezix]

The remaining space of the former Friendly Greek restaurant on Danforth is being filled by:

"T & A Toronto Asian"

I can only hope that the proprietors aren't aware of the more common association with those two letters. Because otherwise it sounds like a specialty strip club.

I had visitors over this past weekend, and they all said the same thing when they saw it. "T&A? They know what that means, right?"

I posted earlier that I overheard (eavesdropped) on a conversation among some of the local business owners, where they said the tenant was overpaying for the space. That, combined with this name, suggests that (s)he is in over his/her head, and Ex-Montreal Girl's prediction that they will soon be gone will come true.

Walked by T&A last night around 8 pm. Other places on the strip were packed (other than Pizza Libretto which was closed due to a water main break on Carlaw which cut their water), but T&A was empty. Three staff members standing behind the counter staring at the empty tables.

I picked up one of their menus. Pricey sushi offerings and an even pricier all you can eat option ($29 for weekend!) with not a lot of premium-type items to justify the price (e.g. tatakis, specialty seafood rolls like you get from Fushimi on Church St). With Sushi Friends just down the street offering pretty much the same menu but at a much lower price-point ($21 for all you can eat on weekends), this new place won't last that long... unless they lower their prices.

So, as of this weekend, T&A has been renamed "Sushi 8 all you can eat". They have a new sign, plus a "grand opening" banner. Business must have been really poor for them to gave renamed the place so soon after opening.

The only party who seems to be profiting off this place at this point is the sign company.

ETA: it's actually called 8 Sushi all you can eat.

 

[Tulse]

I'm dubious of its survival, but I'm glad that the very ill-chosen name has changed.

 

[Skeezix]

Noticed this morning that Sully's Sandwich Kitchen on Gerrard has paper over the windows. Hope it's just some renovations, but the place has likely gone belly-up (it opened roughly a year ago, late Nov/early Dec 2014). Too bad - great sandwiches.

Happy to say I was likely wrong here. Walked by today and there is a sign in the window saying it is closed for renovations. Supposedly until today, according to the sign. We'll see if it does reopen. Hope so - great sandwiches.

Delicious Sandwich Update #3:

There is a new sign on the door of Sully's saying that they will be relocating. Apparently, there are structural problems with the space - the sign says that they were unable to reinforce the kitchen floor. Hoping they find another spot soon.

 

[chriskayTO]

Delicious Sandwich Update #3:

There is a new sign on the door of Sully's saying that they will be relocating. Apparently, there are structural problems with the space - the sign says that they were unable to reinforce the kitchen floor. Hoping they find another spot soon.

Oh dear, that's not good news. I really hope they can find another space quickly. I'm fairly confident they'll re-open if they can find the right space - the place was always busy.

 

[astroboy5]

Just walked by Eggies on the Danforth over the weekend and noticed it's closed, with a new banner saying "MEXICO LINDO - Authentic Mexican cuisine coming soon". Pretty excited about an authentic Mexican restaurant coming to the 'hood.

 

[Tulse]

Wasn't that location a Mexican place a few iterations back?

 

[Skeezix]

Just walked by Eggies on the Danforth over the weekend and noticed it's closed, with a new banner saying "MEXICO LINDO - Authentic Mexican cuisine coming soon". Pretty excited about an authentic Mexican restaurant coming to the 'hood.

I noticed that. Eggies is no great loss - I know of only one person who tried it, and she said "for an egg place, their egg dishes are mediocre".

I've been meaning to mention for awhile now that Omonia at Danforth and Arundel closed at New Years. I saw a reference online to it being sold, and there is no "for lease" sign in the window, so maybe it will reopen with new owners and/or new name.

 

[Tulse]

I noticed that. Eggies is no great loss - I know of only one person who tried it, and she said "for an egg place, their egg dishes are mediocre".

A good friend of mine ordered smoked salmon on a bagel, and they fried the salmon. Seriously.

I've been meaning to mention for awhile now that Omonia at Danforth and Arundel closed at New Years.

I wasn't sure if it was gone gone or just "remodelling". That's the third? fourth? fifth? large family-friendly Greek restaurant to close in the last 12 months or so. Boy, this strip sure is changing...

 

[Skeezix]

I wasn't sure if it was gone gone or just "remodelling". That's the third? fourth? fifth? large family-friendly Greek restaurant to close in the last 12 months or so. Boy, this strip sure is changing...

I only found out because I tried to order take-out and their website (which has since been taken down) had a note on it saying that they were closing on New Years and thanking all their patrons. I found their food to be middling, but one thing they did really well as take-out/delivery for large orders. They would do aluminum trays full of souvlaki, greek salad, greek potatoes, rice, with tubs of tzatziki, etc. and it was always delicious. I know a number of our neighbours who would order the trays when they had a house full of people, and we started doing it too. Interestingly, the food never seemed as good when one actually went to the restaurant.

Between the time of my original post, and your reply, I edited my post to say that I saw a reference on Yelp to new owners, and I notice that the place doesn't seem to be emptied out and there are no "for lease" signs in the window. So, it could re-emerge under new ownership, maybe with some minor renovations and possibly a new name.

ETA: Maybe my memory is foggy, but what other large Greek places have close in the last 12 months or so? Mr. Greek closed, but I think that was inevitable - it was a mistake for them to move from their location at Carlaw, it never seemed full enough to justify that space, and I think they just waited out their lease. Friendly Greek downsized. What am I forgetting?

 

[Tulse]

I was counting Mr. Greek, Friendly Greek, Omonia, and further back we have Myth (although that was a while ago). That's three/four very large Greek places to close/downsize in recent memory.

 

[Skeezix]

Fair enough. Although Friendly Greek didn't close, and Myth closed almost 6 years ago now. But I get what you're saying.

 

[Tulse]

You're right that Friendly Greek didn't technically close, but I'd guess they have about 20% or less of their prior capacity. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that the number of Greek restaurant seats has substantially declined in recent memory.

 

[GKW]

Zorbas last year and Pappas Grill a few years ago..plus Pikila and The Greek Grill

 

[Skeezix]

Good memory. I'd forgotten Zorbas and Pikilia. Pappas didn't close - it's still there. Are you thinking of Ampeli? (Maybe not, Ampeli closed 8 or 9 years ago). The Greek Grill is now on Pape - landlord dispute, according to my neighbour. Ex Montreal Girl has raved about the food there on this thread - I keep meaning to go (never went when it was at Danforth and Carlaw).

(BTW, the family behind Zorba's did reopen sometime afterwards in East York - somewhere way the hell out nowhere near the Danforth out on O'Connor. Just in case anyone misses them.)

 

[Ex-Montreal Girl]

Gotta say that Greek Grill has been kind of hit and miss lately. They do make the best moussaka IMO and occasionally they do pastitso which is a kind of mac'n'meat'cheese. Their homemade sausages are excellent. In the summer time, they do grilled chicken and pork outside. And they do have a Zorba's-style open kitchen but with a much more limited selection. Once in a while, there's something excellent.

Another large Greek resto that closed in recent years was opposite Square Boy, on the corner of Woodycrest (maybe?) Then it became some sort of overpriced burger chain. I thought it was to be come a Shopsy's but I haven't really paid much attention.