Eating With Baby: The Beacher Cafe

Despite the breathlessness of its website, the food won't take your breath away.

So we went for the weekend brunch, which sounds absolutely amazing on paper.  I was eying the waffles because I totally love waffles.  I had the french toast, however,  because -- get this! -- the waffles are from a friggin' mix!  I asked the waitress whether the waffles were home made because the menu was kinda cagey about it and she said that no, they were made from an Aunt Jemima waffle mix.  I wasn't about to spend nine bucks (!) on waffles that I could make for fifty cents.  Like, seriously!  That, people, is highway robbery of the worst kind.

After hearing about the waffles, I suddenly felt like I was on the wrong side of an episode of Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares.


When my french toast and two measly sausages ($9) came, I asked if the syrup on the table was real maple syrup.  I really don't even know why I asked because you could tell that it wasn't just by the colour and consistency.  Since I'm used to this kind of thing, I was totally willing to pay extra for maple syrup, but alas, that was not to be since they don't even have real maple syrup for me to pay extra for.  So I had to go without.  My dining companions said that I wouldn't die if I poured "golden" syrup on my french toast, but I begged to differ as "golden" syrup has the flavour and consistency of sweet motor oil.

The french toast was OK.  The sausage casings were inedible.  The dish was not worth nine dollars, especially since I was hungry about an hour later.

With respect to the baby-friendliness of the place, they had high chairs and they had a change station in what appeared to be the employee break room.  That said, I wouldn't go back to this place even if they employed an on-staff nanny who would change nappies for you.  Mediocre food for a high price is never worth it.

The Beacher Cafe is located in Toronto.