I know Toronto is no Edmonton or Calgary or Winnipeg when it comes to the Canadian winter experience, but I have to be honest: this week was freakin’ cold. Having to rapidly blink so my eyelashes don’t stick together cold. Kenny on South Park cold. I need to hug myself in my 5 layers of clothes all day long to stay warm cold. You’d think I’d be immune to it or at the very least used to it having been born and raised here. Sadly, that is not the case. I am a squealing, teeth-chattering mess every winter and the only thing that saves me is sitting on my hands, wrapping myself up in a blanket burrito on the couch, and eating and drinking hot food and drink. Comfort food and hugging my mug or bowl all the way.
It’s a little crazy to think that after 720 posts on Ate by Ate (yes, we’re getting closer to the 1000 mark!) comfort food isn’t everywhere on here. I love the classics and I love my hot comfort food: hot soup with or without grilled cheese, classics like spaghetti and meatballs, beef stroganoff (SUCH a weakness of mine!), mashed potatoes and gravy with turkey or roast beef, and of course, MACARONI & CHEESE! There needs to be so much more of that on here and I’m hoping to feature more posts on these mouthwatering types of dishes come the new year. So, where does one go in Toronto for some good old fashioned mac ‘n cheese? Cheesewerks!
Located in the west end of the downtown core on Bathurst St. near Wellington, Cheesewerks is a delicious emporium of cheesy goodness featuring a plethora of grilled cheese sandwiches, mac and cheese, cheesy weekend brunch, sides and soups, local and artisinal foods, and lots of wine, craft beers and fun drinks. We’re talking double smoked cheddar sandwiched between cracked peppercorn sourdough bread, asiago with BBQ pork on green onion potato bread (the Beijing), double-cream brie with caramelized onions and apricot chutney on walnut-raisin bread (the Charleston), swiss melted on roast pork and smoked ham with dill and lime mustard (the Miami), roasted tomato cream soup, and housemade lemonade, sweet tea and sodas just to name a handful! The spacious diner is bathed in shades of yellow and orange and is the perfect place for both a get-together lunch with friends and a warm, comforting meal all by your lonesome.
Honestly though, describing their food and menu alone does not do them justice. Cheesewerks is my foodie soulmate. Yes, you read right: my foodie soulmate. Not a sushi bar. Not a cupcake bakery. A grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese diner. Why? Because of their love, passion, enthusiasm, creativity, heart and communal engagement. I called it an emporium for a reason. Cheesewerks is a family-run operation committed to engaging with the community not only through their delicious food but also through their food events, personal connections and stories.
Cheesewerks hosts foodie trivia nights every month, they’re at the centre of all the action at the Great Canadian Cheese Festival every year in Picton, Prince Edward County, Ontario, they have a ton of fun with National Grilled Cheese Month with specials and events every April, they host amazing Country Mouse, City Mouse food tours in and outside of Toronto to showcase the breadth and wealth of cheese making talent in our province’s farming, artisinal and organic food industry and they are constantly reinventing their menu with new additions and different ideas.
And the personal connections and stories? From the heart of head cheesehead Kevin Durkee. Each and every single one of those menu items is named after a city that has played a significant role in his life whether it’s the city he was married in or a city he worked in at one point in his life. When I found that out after talking to him during my first visit I was floored and my heart just expanded ten-fold. Because it’s the same way I approach so many things in my life and how I approach this blog, through heart and stories and special moments. It’s about being one with your passion and your craft and truly owning it. And that’s how it should be. While a business is a business and a restaurant exists to serve food and ultimately make money, having that personal connection and having that engagement with the community is irreplaceable and untouchable.
During my first visit to Cheesewerks earlier in the year, I had such a hard time narrowing down my choices (what else is new!) but I knew I wanted a macaroni and cheese. The awesome thing about the menu is that you can have all the fillings of a grilled cheese sandwich made into a mac ‘n cheese for pretty much just a dollar or two more (grilled cheese sandwich items range from $7 to $10 and mac ‘n cheese dishes $8 to $11).
I loooove my avocado and arugula so I chose the Los Angeles in macaroni and cheese form ($9.50) to enjoy. Ooey gooey havarti cheese mixed with elbow macaroni, mashed avocado and arugula topped with crunchy baked bread crumbs. It is comfort food heaven in a bowl. And I washed it all down with a tall glass of their housemade lemonade. Let me tell you, this stuff is filling. I know, I know, it’s pasta, of course it’s filling. But you always think macaroni is no big deal because the noodles are so cute and small. Trust me, if you want hearty comfort food that will keep that tummy warm and chugging through a winter day, their mac ‘n cheese fits the bill. If my memory serves my right I think I even had leftovers that I took back home!
My mouth is watering just looking at these photos again and given how we’re clearly in the thick of cold weather season (technically winter doesn’t start until the 22nd so I’ll just call this cold weather season), I am hell bent on making a return visit over the holidays. Whether it’s trying their weekend brunch, a grilled cheese, ordering their famous tomato soup or downing another bowl of delicious macaroni and cheese, it’ll be happy memories in the making and stories to tell.
*****
Cheesewerks is located at 56 Bathurst St. near Wellington St. and Niagara St. You can check out their official website HERE for their menu, promotions and events and follow them on Twitter @CHEESEWERKS
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