Foods from Von's Bistro
Comments
2013 Dec 4
I went for weekend brunch last Sunday, and I really enjoyed it. I had gone several years ago and wasn't as pleased, but this time more than made up for it.
Before our meal we were brought banana bread which was delicious.
I had the potato pancake, with scrambled eggs, pea-meal bacon and toast. I was offered a choice of white, brown or rye. It was the perfect amount of eggs, not too much, and the potato pancake was mouthwatering. It was the salty, savoury breakfast I was craving. I would go back again just for that pancake and nothing else.
Before our meal we were brought banana bread which was delicious.
I had the potato pancake, with scrambled eggs, pea-meal bacon and toast. I was offered a choice of white, brown or rye. It was the perfect amount of eggs, not too much, and the potato pancake was mouthwatering. It was the salty, savoury breakfast I was craving. I would go back again just for that pancake and nothing else.
2012 Apr 23
I used to love going to Von's, but I think my time here is done. I was there for Sunday brunch a week ago. The service was terrible. The older woman (owner? manager?) was snappy and rude when we got there. We were a party of 4 and just coming in the main door into the restaurant. We couldn't all fit into the restaurant (no line-ups, it is just a very small entrance area), so the door was open briefly between the restaurant and the hallway. The weather was lovely outside. 3 of our party was chatting and holding the restaurant door partially open, while I tried to find out what the wait would be. The older woman pushed past me and snapped at my friends to shut the door that minute because people were getting cold. That should have been a signal to go, but we stayed. She proceeded to yell at every group the came into the restaurant to ask about the wait time. At least 2 different couples just turned around and left. The thing to note is the door opens into a hallway, not into the outdoors and there are no tables around the door, so I really don't see how anyone could even feel any outdoor air.
The meal was nothing special. The eggs benny (with spinach) were undercooked leaving the whites runny and others eggs benny were cooked hard. There was one sad, thin slice of orange for decoration on our plates. My friend's fruit salad side was canned and dull (and while I know it is April, there are still citrus fruits, bananas, apples, etc available). The waitress kept reaching across the table to top up water and coffee while we were talking (pet peeve of mine).
The final thing was the dismal state of the washrooms. I don't remember them being as dank and subterranean before. The woman's washroom is painted dull grey and the paint has all worn away in spots. The pipes running through the ceiling feel like they are pressing down on you and you have to leave the washroom to stand in the hallway to allow room for people to come out of the stalls and wash their hands. Really unpleasant and unexpected given that Von's tries to be a cut above the other places in the Glebe.
The meal was nothing special. The eggs benny (with spinach) were undercooked leaving the whites runny and others eggs benny were cooked hard. There was one sad, thin slice of orange for decoration on our plates. My friend's fruit salad side was canned and dull (and while I know it is April, there are still citrus fruits, bananas, apples, etc available). The waitress kept reaching across the table to top up water and coffee while we were talking (pet peeve of mine).
The final thing was the dismal state of the washrooms. I don't remember them being as dank and subterranean before. The woman's washroom is painted dull grey and the paint has all worn away in spots. The pipes running through the ceiling feel like they are pressing down on you and you have to leave the washroom to stand in the hallway to allow room for people to come out of the stalls and wash their hands. Really unpleasant and unexpected given that Von's tries to be a cut above the other places in the Glebe.
2010 Feb 28
The husband and I came here for brunch today, because our standard (Jak's, right now) was doing repairs.
I had been here once before, a few years ago, and remember it being fairly good. The impression that we left with was that they took great care in some things, but didn't seem to care at all about others.
The service was really unattentive. We waited quite a while without being acknowledged, and when there was finally a table ready, we weren't seated so much as shooed into the seats. It was very strange. When ordering, the waiter was mumbling a lot. He didn't ask what my husband wanted for sides, homefries or salad, or what kind of bread. I don't think those things should have to be prompted from the customer.
They brought us banana bread and butter to start, which was a nice touch. This is one of those things that they clearly thought through, and I appreciated it.
I ordered the French Toast, with a side of bacon. It was a good portion and very tasty. I might say the best french toast I've had. The "season fruit salad" annoyed me, because it was a lot of berries that were not ripe and not in season. The bacon was a good portion, though crisper than it ought to have been.
My husband ordered the Western omlette. The homefries were a really, really small portion, albeit nicely seasoned. We talked about how the portion was smaller than you get in most restaurants, and had their been a second side (beans, salad?) it would have been a bit more explicable. He said the omlette was good, but nothing that he couldn't have gotten at a diner.
He asked for white toast, but got brown (there was no third option, which was a bit odd)
The orange juice was alright, though marked up as it is everywhere. The cafe au lait was quite good as well, though more milk than coffee. I asked three times for a glass of water, before it was finally brought.
The french toast was really good, but it would be the only thing that I would consider worthy of revisiting for. The bill was $28 for two drinks, two meals and my side, before tip. Not a bad price, but not worth such inattentive service.
I had been here once before, a few years ago, and remember it being fairly good. The impression that we left with was that they took great care in some things, but didn't seem to care at all about others.
The service was really unattentive. We waited quite a while without being acknowledged, and when there was finally a table ready, we weren't seated so much as shooed into the seats. It was very strange. When ordering, the waiter was mumbling a lot. He didn't ask what my husband wanted for sides, homefries or salad, or what kind of bread. I don't think those things should have to be prompted from the customer.
They brought us banana bread and butter to start, which was a nice touch. This is one of those things that they clearly thought through, and I appreciated it.
I ordered the French Toast, with a side of bacon. It was a good portion and very tasty. I might say the best french toast I've had. The "season fruit salad" annoyed me, because it was a lot of berries that were not ripe and not in season. The bacon was a good portion, though crisper than it ought to have been.
My husband ordered the Western omlette. The homefries were a really, really small portion, albeit nicely seasoned. We talked about how the portion was smaller than you get in most restaurants, and had their been a second side (beans, salad?) it would have been a bit more explicable. He said the omlette was good, but nothing that he couldn't have gotten at a diner.
He asked for white toast, but got brown (there was no third option, which was a bit odd)
The orange juice was alright, though marked up as it is everywhere. The cafe au lait was quite good as well, though more milk than coffee. I asked three times for a glass of water, before it was finally brought.
The french toast was really good, but it would be the only thing that I would consider worthy of revisiting for. The bill was $28 for two drinks, two meals and my side, before tip. Not a bad price, but not worth such inattentive service.
winelover