Hank’s
9 1/2 Church St. | 416.504.2657 | hanks9church.com
Hank’s, a cozy eatery reminiscent of a diner, was cut loose from the Jamie Kennedy empire a few years ago (along with the Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar next door, now existing in its dechristened form as merely The Wine Bar). Hank’s, the Wine Bar and the Great Burger Kitchen next door are now helmed by Bryan Burke and his seasoned restaurateur partners, and in Hank’s they’ve managed to create something a little different.
Not really a diner and not really a bistro, Hank’s lies somewhere in the middle. It’s a place to go with colleagues to gossip and still get decent food. Located at Front/Church just west of the St. Lawrence Market, it is close enough to the financial core to walk to, yet far enough that the odds of having someone you know seated next to you is safely reduced. The crowd is a mix of local office types and escapees from the Core. The place is bustling but not crowded (though with several new condo developments in the area that will likely change), and the ambient sound is at a level that actually permits conversation. The space is light and the décor and food are laid-back. The water comes in mason jars and the service, while attentive, is neither crisp nor formal.
At lunch with a dining companion, I order the cheddar and apple salad ($9), with spiced cashews, grapes, sliced apples and mixed greens. Seeking protein, I add a side of tofu ($4). The salad is crisp, but the grapes are few and far between (yes, I know it’s January, but still….) and the mustard vinaigrette is far too salty. The grated orange cheddar is acceptable, but it seems…cheap. I’ve had this same salad elsewhere and it is one of my favourites, partly because it included chunks of sharp white cheddar. The tofu side — a series of grilled strips artlessly plopped on a plate — lacks presentation but is flavourful and tasty. We also order a side of fries ($5), which arrives in a quaint little bucket with a spiced aioli dipping sauce. They are just fries, but the price point is right and the serving is generous.
My dining companion orders the grilled spicy tofu club ($8), a generous sandwich of grilled sweet chili tofu, sliced avocado, chipotle mayo, tomato and lettuce on toasted ancient grain bread. It’s pretty good, she reports, and a good example of what can be done with tofu when some effort is put in.
The dessert menu is limited and we choose a gluten-free chocolate-peanut butter bar. I’m skeptical and anticipate a peanut butter brick with a gooey chocolatey coating…but I’m wrong. What arrives is a light, silky peanut butter crumbly bar topped with a not-too-sweet chocolate spread. It is surprisingly well balanced, not too heavy and works beautifully with the muscular coffee.
Later that week, surprise guests have me scrambling for a weekend brunch place and I think of Hank’s — and discover that this is where Hank’s shines. More the tourist/condo crowd at this time of day, the menu ranges from granola and yogurt through to breakfast poutine. These are simple dishes, executed well, and guaranteed to keep you going throughout the day (the other plus of Hank’s is that it opens early — 7 a.m. — for breakfast on weekdays).
I have the Dutch oven pancake ($10), which comes with Quebec maple syrup, fruit compote and whipped cream. It’s a single enormous thick pancake, crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. My brunch date pounces and I’m left with half a pancake and some fruit; she reports that the pancakes have an adequate loft ratio and fill power (did I mention she’s an engineer?). My two other dining companions opt for the breakfast poutine ($9), fries tossed with cheddar cheese curds, breakfast sausage and tomatoes, topped with a poached egg and finished with hollandaise sauce. It is popular, with many, many orders going by our table; our server swears it is the only reliable cure for a hangover. Both of my guests find the poutine to be salty and greasy but readily admit that was the point. Neither are able to finish their meals which, they also readily admit, are really only appetizing when they are still piping hot.
Something else Hank’s does well is brew a good cup of coffee. You won’t have to order a fancy foamy Italian wonder to get a decent cup of joe here — the basic coffee is one of the best in town (but be warned: its strength is somewhere between put-hair-on-your-chest and peel-paint-off-the-wall). Hank’s isn’t fancy or high-end, but neither are the prices — and this is a good thing since you’re likely to be here with work colleagues, not clients, thereby making it off-limits for the expense account.
Judge Foodie’s verdict:
Highs: the coffee, the relaxed, casual atmosphere, the breakfast
Lows: the food, while good, isn’t exceptional
Kirsten Thompson is a Toronto-based research lawyer and commercial litigator. Since her call to the bar in 2000, she estimates that her restaurant to courtroom ratio has been approximately 14:1. Thoughts? Comments? Ideas for a review? Email her.
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