If you have been a regular reader of this blog the past several weeks you know that my friends and I have kicked up our brunch game to trying some of the restaurants in and around Toronto that have been on different websites, food shows or recommendations from friends.

This weekend took us to Uncle Betty’s Diner. I had been there once before and didn’t have the best food experience but thought I would give it one more shot. I went for the recommendation that was on John Catucci’s “You’ve gotta eat here” and it did not impress me the way it impressed him.

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My friends ordered two verisons of Eggs Benedict – one on top of sweet potato hash and the other more traditional but with regular bacon not pemeal bacon.

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Funny thing about my menu choices. I almost always have two options I am choosing from when I go out to eat. Both times I had on my list the stuffed french toast, stuffed with ricotta cheese and blueberries. Both times I had a savoury item on my list and ended up choosing that option.

The item that was featured on You’ve gotta eat here was the ultimate grilled cheese. I know that it will NOT appeal to some people that read my blog (my mother), but it had potential. Until it didn’t. The option on the menu said, white and yellow cheddar cheese. I told our server NOT yellow but white cheddar only.

Like any restaurant experience, you wait while your food is being prepared. After watching as much food tv as I do I know what a chef or line cook does back of house to make the food look good for their patrons. This presentation did not disappoint. It was a good looking plate, of course with the wrong type of cheese in the sandwich.

One of my friends said, right you said white cheddar. Called the server over and she was very apologetic that she made the error. She would have it corrected right away. A very few minute later she brought out a pathetic looking plate of food. Half the portion of potatoes and basically the same sandwich but with a new top and melted white cheddar on it. (I found bits of the other while I was eating).

She asked me if there was anything else she could bring me and to be honest at that point my friends were more than half way through their meals and it was just past the point. She took the meal off my bill and brought us doughnuts to share. I appreciated her effort to correct her error and I know that she felt badly about it.

What I will say that made up for the less than five star food experience was the conversation and the company of the people at the table. Food is not a passion for everyone, but for many of my friends it is, and it is what brings us together.

Check this one off the list and move on!

Bon Appetite

Lisa