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Cool Hand of a Girl
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
2804 Dundas St WToronto, ON M6P 1Y5
Neighbourhood: The Junction
(416) 832-1076
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 4 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 4 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Cool Hand of a Girl
Review Highlights
"...I present Exhibit A: stuffed French Toast with vanilla..."
(in 2 reviews)
"I am a huge fan of the avocado parmesan sandwich."
(in 1 review)
"Everything is organic and freshly made."
(in 6 reviews)
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27 reviews in English
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Review from Linds B.
1/2/2012
Just had some lunch at Cool Hand of a Girl, and I loved it! Parmesan Avocado sandwich was delectable, as was the coleslaw. Everything was FRESH and tasty. Lovely Americano. Very relaxed atmosphere, good tunes, local feel. Highly recommended~
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Review from Arun S.
Toronto, ON
7/17/2011
Me and my girlfriend decided to visit CHOAG after reading some of the glowing reviews on yelp.
The atmosphere in there sucked. There is no A/C or even a fan to keep customers cool. I was melting in my seat (it was 40 celsius). We decided to go ahead and order some regular breakfast. They charge 7.75 for 4 pieces of toast, eggs, home fries and some cucumbers. That is seriously overpriced considering that in Kensington most breakfast meals are at least a dollar or two less and give bigger portions.
Suffice it to say I would like to know what drugs the people who gave this place anything more than 2 stars were smoking because I must be missing out. -
Review from Alexandra S.
Toronto, ON
9/25/2011
Very casual atmosphere but delicious healthy food. I am a huge fan of the avocado parmesan sandwich. Everything is made fresh.
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Review from James K.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great non meat lunch for those hot days when you just can't afford to get the meat sweats.
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Review from Danielle D.
Toronto, ON
10/16/2010
Despite yelping all up and down Dundas West and occasionally on Annette, I was surprised to find that somehow I lived in the Junction for the better part of a year and hadn't made my way to the iconic brunch spot. Cool Hand of A Girl was one of the few eateries in the Junction that I knew of before moving in, yet somehow I went 9 months without patronizing.
Well, I might end up going another 9 months it seems. I stopped by for a mid-week lunch with expectations high and mouth salivating. I left, somewhat still hungry and a bit miffed. Not too keen on the sandwich offerings or the specials, I decided on the regular breakfast, which pretty much is summed up by the word regular. The scrambled eggs had the consistency of eggs made for a child and flavour to boot (bland, bland bland), the potatoes were...meh but the saving grace was the delicious toast and jam (seriously) else my breakfast would have been sad sad indeed. The only saving grace is that it's all organic, but that niche is no longer so small that I need to go to Cool Hand for that experience.
For the price, I could have eating at so many other places, had better service and better food. Basically, Cool Hand of a Girl left me a bit cold, especially compared to the other brunch spots in the city. -
Review from Jason S.
7/14/2011
It felt like I was eating at home on a quiet Sunday morning. The interior is simple, bright and has lots of natural light. They have 2 year-old magazines that you could browse through as well. I had a scrumdiddlyumptious avocado sandwich. If it matters, the menu for the most part is organic.
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Review from Steph L.
5/30/2010
Cool Hand Of A Girl...
I'm still not quite sure what that name means.
But it's ok, because the other hand serves up delicious and original breakfast options!
The Junction is a bit out of the way, but a fun area to visit.
This place is a casual eatery, popular with locals.
I didn't expect it to be cafeteria style. It doesn't look like cafeteria style, the seating area is nice, you just have to order at the front. Which makes me feel a bit rushed, which is fine for lunch but not really my preferred style of brunch.
The specials are awesome. The French toast was sold out, so I went for the lamb sausage omelet with almond pesto with sweet potatoes with buttered light rye.
The food was very tasty. The eggs were delicious and flavorful, a bit runny and soft, perfect with the toast. Complex tasting breakfast for a venue that looks so simple.
I did find the food a bit pricey for the small portions with a simple orange slice for garnish. And perhaps the staff had a hard shift, but there's wasn't a friendly smile to be seen.
The food was good, but I don't think I would go out of my way to go back. Brunch for me is not just about the food, it's about the whole experience. -
Review from Carmen M.
11/24/2009 ROTD 6/22/2010
Prepare yourself for a long drive to Cool Hand of a Girl if you live anywhere near the downtown core, by which I mean Michigan. ;-) Only kidding, although the Junction is not close.
Cool Hand of a Girl, though, is absolutely worth the drive. The specials rocked and the regular menu, although not as fancy pants, looked delish, as well. I had the "Scramble" which was scrambled eggs with a cranberry/pecan/chevre mixture lovingly wrapped inside. It was served with potatoes (meh) and a fantastic coleslaw-type salad that had pumpkin seeds and beets (yum!).
The staff was *very* friendly and the java was excellent.
Note: CHofAG is cash only.Listed in: The Sport of Brunch
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Review from Alexandria M.
Toronto, ON
6/12/2011
I had read excellent reviews of this restaurant in newspapers and online so my boyfriend and I decided to check it out. We were immediately surprised with the counter service. The food came in small portions and didn't have a lot of flavour. I had the french toast with ricotta and homefries and my boyfriend had the eggs breakfast with spicy sausage, homefries and toast. We felt the prices were expensive considering the small portions and the food was just okay. Probably won't return or recommend.
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Review from Rachel L.
Toronto, ON
10/5/2009
When my mom is in town, I ask her to take me ridiculous lengths so I can eat at restaurants that are physically really far away. We had a Friday lunch at CHoaG (oh, an unfortunate acronym).
Everything at CHoaG is organic and you definitely pay for it. I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with avocado and tamarind sauce and it cost 7.50 - it came with a piece of cantaloupe, which I don't eat. The presentation was a bit sad as it was literally just my sandwich and a fruit slice on a big white plate, but I always say myself that I cook for the stomach and not the eyes.
My mom ordered the special of the day, which was (a fancy type of) chicken sausage on top of a bed and of beans, guac, and a tortilla. Her plate came with a salad, which I mostly ate, and a piece of melon.
I got some juice and a coffee, both of which were good, but what sold me is that the piece is just so cool. To me, it is the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a gloomy-but-gentrifying neighbourhood (I like the urban gloom), and the cafe is warm and artsy and comfortable and the lady who runs the place is really nice. Her friend came in and even gave my mom and me a Speaker's Corner performance about how amazing the coffee is.
Would I go back? Only if I am in the neighbourhood, which is unlikely because of the distance, but possibly likely because I like the area and grilled cheese sandwiches with avocado (which can also be found at Grapefruit Moon).
Wait. The best part. They had brownie souffle things with lavender and were offering huge samples on the counter. THOSE I would go back for in a heartbeat.
PS They have blogTO maps of the city but had run out when I was there.
PPS Why does Yelp say this is vegetarian? It most definitely is not. -
Review from Michelle V.
Toronto, ON
5/28/2009
Vile temptress, that Cool Hand Of A Girl is!
The menu doesn't blow me away but it's the specials board where the magic happens. In my case, I ordered the stuffed French Toast with vanilla cinnamon cream cheese and topped with fresh strawberries with a hint of mint.
I'll give you a minute to ingest that.
We good? Cool.
Another thing I like is how homey the kitchen was. A small establishment in the westend, the place was pretty much empty with regulars coming and going as our order made-to-order behind the counter. Super friendly service and food that was nearly dream-like. Again, I present Exhibit A: stuffed French Toast with vanilla cinnamon cream cheese and topped with fresh strawberries with a hint of mint. *sigh* -
Review from Val G.
1/17/2010 2 photos
I first noticed Cool Hand of a Girl in the neighbourhood in '08 but for some reason it never actually was open whenever I was in the area. I attempted many times to get a coffee only to find a locked door and darkness... I should mention this was on weekdays, midday. It got to the point where I was actually convinced it might have been a front for something else.
Fast-forward two years and Cool Hand seems to have switched it's erratic hours for conventional cafe operation. There are lots of good vegetarian and vegan options at this omni-cafe.
My sister ordered an avocado, cheddar and chutney sandwich that was quite good. It wasn't exactly toasted but it wasn't entirely cold either. It was devoured quickly and she was left wondering why it was so small. I had her side of vegan lentil soup, which all came to a grand total of $11. That's not cheap for such small portions. And this comes from two tiny people regularly eat small meals.
I really struggled with whether to give this place 3 or 4 stars. It is definitely overrated on some fronts, but sticks out in a neighbourhood that is steady on the tracks to full on trendiness(get it, cuz it's called the Junction?).
I would go back even though my sister chose to regale me with a story of seeing the owner come out of the washroom and sneeze directly into both hands, wipe on a towel and go back to work without washing on her previous visit.
I teased that this is exactly what makes 'the hand' so cool. -
Review from Emma B.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2009
At the advice of another Yelper, I tried out Cool Hand of a Girl for brunch yesterday and I'm SO glad I did.
The menu isn't large but everything on it looked tasty and well-priced but it's the daily brunch specials that caught my eye. All 3 of them looked equally tempting but I went with the omelet - mushrooms, ricotta cheese, butternut squash, and red chard - with potatoes (you could get a side salad instead of the taters if you wanted). When I say it was mind-blowingly good, I think I would be understating my love of this dish. Extremely creative ingredient choices that led to one gourmet delight! Everyone I went with was equally as impressed with their choices...and the sandwiches the next table's guests were eating looked amazing as well.
The restaurant is counter service - so you take a seat, get a menu and when you've decided - you head up and make your order and they'll bring it to you when it's ready. Very friendly service, I might add and lots of people in and out while we there (around 10:30 or 11 am on a Saturday), mostly locals who clearly come on a regular basis.
If you're a fan of brunch, you must try this place! Go! -
Review from Daniel N.
Toronto, ON
5/11/2011
Been three times in the last month.
Food is amazing. Service is friendly and upbeat. Great music. Really hot hot sauce. -
Review from Shelby G.
Toronto, ON
2/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
After a night of drinking, some people subscribe to the rib sticking greasy food breakfast/lunch. Myself, well, I believe that you've already knocked the shit out of your body - throwing cheese, peppers, grease, and all other kinds of heavy (though delicious) fats into the old grinder just seems counterproductive. Give me healthy and fresh any day.
Venture over to the Junction and have a late breakfast at Cool Hand of a Girl instead. Make sure you get there before 12, because the lunch crowd is both voluminous and voracious - they will not be deterred by a something as simple as a long line or lack of seating.
The menu features a list of vegetable based (though not necessarily vegetarian) health foods. The fare features fresh fixings that might have been grown in a garden behind the store. I ordered the avocado paremesan sandwich with vegannaise and a cup of tomato chickpea soup. The soup was hearty, hot and well seasoned (though not at all salty - a good thing). The sandwich was fantastic - fresh avocado, crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoe and a fantastic dressing that all came together on a whole grain bit of bread. While a bit pricy for the size, it's obvious that the payment is for maintenance of the finest ingredients.
The coffee was a little stale, I think I got the last of the pot, which bumps their score down a little, but with a slight headache, I cared more about the water to rehydrate and the caffeine in the coffee than the flavour of the roast.
When you roll painfully out of bed on a Saturday or Sunday morning in need of immediate sustenance to quell the aching muscles and inverted inner ear, consider this fresh, healthy and satisfying option over a meal that will just make you more miserable later that afternoon. -
Review from tahlia b.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2010
Wanted another option so tried this place as i live down the street my boyfriend had eggs and hash browns with toast pretty bland i think could have made better at home. Nothing fansy. i had a sandwich with cheddar some kind of chutney and coffee it was wee for 8$ no side didn't blow me away. i returned for a latte with friends a week later i think its a good place to have a coffee good music not to busy.Meh.
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Review from chris s.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2010
The food is good, not amazing. Too bad the service is terrible, or apathetic at best. I went this morning with my wife and 84 year old grandmother. Staff made no effort to make us feel welcome, and did several things to annoy me. I got a dirty look from staff for closing the front door they had jammed open - in November. At one point, all the staff sat down for their own breakfast together while their customers were eating (I've worked in cafes and restaurants, and have never seen that before). There were 10 customers and 4 staff, but it still took almost 30 minutes for our eggs to come out, and they even screwed up my order. It takes so little effort to be a good host, but they either don't get that concept, or just don't care.
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Review from Leslie-anne W.
Toronto, ON
11/16/2010
I've been to this restaurant twice for lunch and been unimpressed both times. The menu doesn't seem to change very much, and a lot of the sandwiches include veganaise, which to me, is all kinds of wrong. It seemed as though the staff were annoyed about our presence, a lack of warmth would be considered an understatement. The food itself is very basic, all organic, which doesn't equal good if the flavour isn't there. The sandwiches I had both times were amateur and could have been made better at home. The prices are too high when there are other places within a stones throw that offer better organic options. A big thumbs down on this one.
Listed in: Phooey, Ick, Eww
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Review from Brenda S.
Etobicoke, ON
12/22/2009
I took my girlfriends to CHoaG last Sunday for brunch and the food was terrific. Everything is organic and freshly made.
We all ate off the specials board with two of us having the scramble (with three types of mushrooms and a abfab cheese) and one of us having the stuffed french toast (stuffed with lightly sented ricotta and orange) - really yummy.
My only complaint was that there were no loose black teas to complement to coffee selections.
NB - Cash only, parking on the streetListed in: Brunch Spots
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Review from Jacqui L.
Ottawa, ON
4/22/2010
Not bad, but definitely not worthy of all the hype.
Granted, there were no "specials" on offer when we were there, which apparently is where the money is.
I had the all-day breakfast-- VERY standard fare and tiny serving of potatoes, very bland all in all. I love a greasy breakfast and/or an interesting more veggie-type breakfast, but this was neither. Also, who can really go wrong with breakfast? Sadly, that was a bit the case here. Really I'm a bit biased, because once you go wrong with the potato component of breakfast, ALL IS LOST.
Now, my bf had the avocado sammie, which he said was very tasty. It came with a pile of coleslaw, can't comment on the quality of that. Another friend had the tofu sammie, and didn't care for it all that much. She was the one who had recommended the place!
Service was friendly (counter service) for a weekday lunch with only one other table there. -
Review from Angela N.
Toronto, ON
12/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
My husband and I were in the area and in need of brunch so popped into this place to grab a bite. The interior was comfortable, albeit a bit bland, and service was friendly enough. We both had the Huevos Rancheros, which was on special, and lattes. The latte was delicious and the HR were okay, I guess. I found the place to be rather expensive for the quality of the food so I don't think this place is worth the hype, and certainly not 4 stars (which is why we chose it in the first place). I don't see myself bothering with CHoAG again.
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Review from Kat F.
Updated - 3/16/2009 4 photos
I just can't get enough! I went to Cool Hand for brunch (again) last weekend and had what was one of the most delicious omelettes in recent memory: candied sweet potatoes and aged cheddar. SO incredibly good. I absolutely adore this place for their creative menu rotation and wonderful food presentation.
Listed in: Serious Brunch List: Toronto's…, The Best Places To Eat &…, 10 Things I'll Miss About High…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/9/2009 First to Review
Unbelievably tasty brunch. I live in the area and hit up Cool Hand almost every weekend for a… Read more »
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Review from Andrea L.
York, ON
6/3/2010
Went for brunch with a friend of mine. We both thoroughly enjoyed our food. She had something off the regular menu and I had one of the specials. It was yummy as was my latte. I wasn't super impressed by the staff who didn't realize we were first-timers and didn't indicate that we should order at the counter (guess I should have read some yelp reviews first). But we got it figured it. It was a lovely morning and wasn't overly crowded.
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Review from TOFoodReviews n.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2010 5 Check-ins Here
Cool Hand of a Girl offers simple and healthy food made with organic products, which has become what you'd expect from a place in the Junction as of late. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate how great I feel after a wholesome meal made with locally-sourced, pesticide-free food, but to me, one of the most important things that a restaurant can and should do is make their guests feel welcome. That's where Cool Hand loses points. Maybe it's all part of the appeal for the artsy crowd you can expect to see, but Cool Hand can make you feel as if you're an annoyance to them just for being there. So although I did enjoy my Chicken Tarragon sandwich, I just can't see myself getting back there anytime soon, and somehow, I dont think they'll care.
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Review from J S.
Toronto, ON
12/24/2010
Cool Hand was the first cafe I discovered upon moving to the Junction about 3.5 years ago, and it was quite the find - incredible coffee, delicious food, and a nice interior with lots of natural light. I think it changed ownership and/or management about two years ago, and it hasn't been the same since. After a long absence I visited twice this week and probably won't be returning. Though the staff were friendly enough, $5.25 is pretty steep for a slightly dry breakfast cookie and cup of coffee smaller than at Crema, the Good Neighbour or Hula Girl, and it was quite dark inside at 2pm (granted, it was a somewhat cloudy day). Also, while it's quite possible that my tastes have changed over the last year or so the coffee didn't have quite the same impression on me as before, and was served lukewarm the second time. Too bad.
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Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
6/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was here last weekend with a friend. It's a nice enough spot located in the Junction. The interior is fairly spartan, with exposed brick walls and miss-matched tables and chairs. I quite liked the interior. It's also not cramped full of tables. The restaurant feels quite roomy. The food is quite good. I tried their cheddar cheese sandwich, and it was really tasty. You order everything up at the front, which seemed a bit strange for a place like this. Prices were also a little bit steep, though you aren't going to break the bank eating here. It's a nice enough brunch place.
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Review from Ryan W.
Toronto, ON
2/3/2010
A bit pricey, but a great eclectic neighbourhood brunch place. I ordered the tarragon chicken sandwich and was surprised when it came in the form of chicken salad instead of breast, but it was tasty enough to overrule the disappointment.
