where jess ate

Located on the prime intersection of King and Portland, Portland Variety (@PortlandVariety) is a King West hotspot that’s popular at all times of the day. We had a wonderful dinner experience here last year and we were just as impressed with their brunch.

While the interior of the restaurant is stunning, they also have a fabulous patio. The wait was a little longer to sit outside but we wanted to take advantage of the summer weather…while it lasts!

Soon after being seated, I ordered the Cesar Negro – vodka, gin or tequila, smoked paprika, cayenne, cuttlefish ink ($12). As you can tell, it’s a little darker in colour from the cuttlefish ink. I couldn’t really detect it in the taste of the drink but it was still a pretty solid caesar.

Portland Variety’s dinner menu is largely inspired by Spanish flavours but their brunch menu, for the most part, features classic brunch dishes like granola, eggs benny and french toast.

I’m not normally one to order a sweet dish at brunch (for my main, anyway… dessert is a different story) but having heard some great things about the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes – with a cream cheese mousse & mixed berries ($14), I couldn’t resist.

Three thick pancakes come in an order, topped with a generous scoop of cream cheese mousse and a drizzle of a berry sauce. The fluffy pancakes had a nice mild lemon flavour to them which wasn’t overpowering. Paired with the mousse, these pancakes definitely hit the spot. I had absolutely no regrets going with sweet instead of savoury this time around.

After going back and forth between a few dishes, Mike decided on the Huevos – smoked tomato, refried beans, homemade chorizo, cheese, guacamole, salsa & sour cream ($14). Wow. I’m normally not a big fan of refried beans but Portland Variety’s huevos knocked it out of the park. It was just a really delicious mixture of flavours and the homemade chorizo was just the cherry on top!

From the ‘sides’ section of the menu, we ordered the Patatas Bravas – spicy tomato & aioli ($6). The small bites of potato were nice and crisp and the spicy tomato sauce gave the dish a nice kick.

Overall, we had a fantastic brunch at Portland Variety. Like their dinner service, the food is delicious. Drop by soon to take advantage of their great patio!

At a glance:

• Spanish-inspired restaurant located at King and Portland
• Same owner as Le Gourmand
• Beautiful interior; large outdoor patio
• The front of the restaurant operates as a cafe/pastry shop during the day and turns into a cocktail bar in the evening
• Favourite dishes: huevos, lemon ricotta pancakes

Ratings (out of 5):

• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 4 stars