Monday Monday

I don't really know what to tell you. I'm sort of having a "morning after" sadness that there are no circus freaks and people on stilts outside. So, I'm going to leave you wondering what's going on in our wonderful world and turn you over to the specials.

STEW STEW STEW.
If you were sad about the chill in the air be happy about the Meaty Stew ($4.50 for 8oz cup, $6.50 for 12oz bowl). Today it is Chicken and Chorizo Sausage Stew.

Yes, Today we have Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Special Salads include...
Ontario Fruit Salad
Cumbrae's Chicken Salad
Family Reunion Pasta Salad (Like Great Aunt Sally's Pasta Salad: It's tossed lightly in house made mayo, with smoked turkey, smoked cheddar, and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds)
Penne Pasta Salad (Penne with roasted squash, cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and goodness)
Panzanella Salad (A bread salad of deliciousness originating in Italy, it is tossed with basil and olive oil and topped with heirloom tomatoes, pine nuts and chèvre.)

See you soon,
Max

Buskerfest Continues through rain, sleet, snow or hail....

My colleagues and I were discussing summer festivals this morning.
After comparing notes we've come to the conclusion that the only festival on Front that didn't get rain was Woof Fest. (Probably The Weather Gods don't like the smell of wet dogs?)

So, go on with your bad selves Buskers. We believe you can draw a crowd in the Rain or with a limited high of 17°c.
(My, my. What a summer it has been.)

TODAY!
Curried Cauliflower Soup (Yup, it's delicious)

Pulled Pork Sandwiches (Yup, it's delicious)

Heirloom Tomato Sandwich with herbed goat's cheese spread

Broccoli Salad with JK Bacon

Cumbrae's Chicken Salad

Chef's Salad with smoked turkey and roasted garlic vinaigrette

Ontario Fruit Salad

Summer Vegetable on Greens with a herbed vinaigrette



So, come on down, support a good cause and stop in for good eats.
See you soon,
Max

Buskerfest Begins on Lower Church

So, we've got a patio. For you lunchers that means more seats!
We are not licensed for our patio, however.
If you want a Steamwhistle you're going to have to elbow your way around inside to get a table yet.

It's going to be great making sandwiches and looking out at the spectacle which is Buskerfest and I have a feeling those three front bar seats will be filled all weekend.

Plus, we've got some knock-yer-socks off specials.

Fried Eggplant Sandwich with Sheep's Cheese and Marinara Sauce.
(WOWZERS)

Roasted Pepper, Corn & Goat Cheese Soup
(Even if you aren't in the mood for something hot, get the 8 oz. cup size - it's pretty amazing)

SALADS!!!!!!
Chef's Salad with Smoked Turkey and Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Ontario Melon Salad (All sorts of great flavour)

Ontario Summer Vegetables on Greens with Herb Vinaigrette

Cumbrae's Chicken Salad (filled with gherkins, green olives, cheese and yum)

Asian Beef & Rice Salad (served with a side of soy, ginger, garlic dressing)

Pork & Mushroom on Pasta Salad

Southwestern Bean Salad (filled with grilled corn, grilled tuna & a side of Lime Peanut Dressing)

Hank's Classic Minty Slaw



If a Marinara Eggplant Sandwich isn't Friday enough for you, what is?

See you soon,
Max

Let's go to the Ex.

Want to know something silly?
Until this year I had never been inside the St. Lawrence Market.
I've never been to the Ex.
I've never ridden the Queen Street car across the city (better do it before October when they start their pilot project to turn eastbound one around at Parliament and the Westbound around at Shaw).
Until last year I had never been to the Toronto Islands (I've still only gone once for only two hours but I've done my best. Also, I flew Porter in April, does that count?).

I will try my best to get to the Exhibition this year, I swear. I had big plans last year - I just don't know where the time went. However, if I go, I will buy my tickets online and get all sorts of Tiny Tom Donuts coupons.
I promise - I will try to be a good Toronto Dweller and get there.

What's hot...
Roasted Acorn Squash Soup (Vegetarian Friendly)

What's not.... (not warm, that is...)
Asian Beef & Rice Salad
South Western Bean Salad with our friend, the Tuna.
Cumbrae's Chicken Salad
Hank's Classic Minty Slaw
Beet & Greens Salad with goat cheese
Summer Vegetable Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Pork & Mushroom Pasta Salad
Ontario Fruit Salad

And maybe, beat me to the Ex.

See you soon,
Max

Where would we be?

Thank you to the kind gentleman who just phoned to remind me I had dropped the blog ball. I do apologize but I'm back and ready to roar!

Stew of the day. Chicken and Chorizo. Hearty, heart warming, makes the rain feel right.

Sandwich of the day. Heirloom tomato, the real deal. It's what we wait for 11 months of the year, it's what Ontario does best. We've kept it simple with a nice little herby goats cheese spread and some organic greens. Does a body good.

The salad line up is intense.

Candy cane beet salad with goats cheese and pumpkin seeds. I'm eating as I type. It's pretty dang tasty.

We've got soba noodle salad with tofu. We love it you love it.

Pork Confit Pasta Salad. The staff got their hands on this one and nearly everyone has been eating it for the last two days. It doesn't suck.

Good Ol' Minty Slaw, which changes the face of coleslaw for people everyday.

We have an awesomely refreshing Melon Fruit Salad. Best thing ever for mid afternoon slump. It's sunshine in your mouth.

Alright folks. I'm off to make your food!

See you soon!

Blah Blah Blah

My favourite Fight Club haiku...
Watching white moon face
The stars never feel anger
Blah, blah, blah, the end.

And this silly, 14+ Haiku about Mondays.

Specials!
Cream of Corn Soup

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Salads...
1! Whole Wheat Penne and Chorizo Sausage Salad tossed in a basil pesto with cheese and oven roasted tomatoes

2! Cumbrae's Chicken Salad with gherkins and olives and yum.

3! Hank's Classic Minty Slaw

4! Ontario Fruit Salad featuring Melon

5! Vegan friendly Soba Noodle Salad

6! Grilled Eggplant & Tomato Salad on a bed of greens, with basil vinaigrette and sprinkled with cow's milk cheese (pasteurized)

And that, my friends, is all she wrote.

See you soon,
Max

P.S. I think the voting is over (I can't open the website on this computer, I am missing the plug-ins. Someone let me know). Thanks for voting for Hank.

Helter Skelter

It's been a run out of cups kind of Saturday Morning so it is with great pleasure that I announce the lunch-yums specials to the whole world via the world wide web (commonly called "The Internet").

Soup today is a vegan-friendly Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato.
We do indeed have the Pulled Pork Sandwich today - being dressed with a golden plum chutney, smoked sheep's cheddar and sweet potato crisps.

Salads today are the
EXCITING and DELICIOUS looking Whole Wheat Penne and Chorizo Sausage Salad tossed in basil pesto dressing and also featuring the flavour of arugula.
Beet and Greens Salad with goat cheese and dijon vinaigrette.
Minty Slaw (A Hank's Classic)
Cumbrae's Chicken Salad with gherkins! and green olives!

See you soon,
Max

P.S. Don't forget to VOTE FOR HANK, HE'S OUR MAN, IF HE CAN'T DO IT NO ONE CAN!

Storms a brewin' in their heart...

Stormy days have come and gone. Sometimes they leave us something to remember them by.
Thankfully the humidity seems to have been half broken and we're back on our way to the rainy summer we all came to know and to love.
There are still thunder storm warnings for the GTA but probably we will not being seeing anything particularly exciting as yesterday evening.

I hope you all enjoy your weekend. Sorry about the rain.

SPECIALS!!!
Corn Chow-dah (Chowder)
I bet you don't even know how delicious this is going to be.
This Chower is NOT vegetarian friendly as it features the delicious food we all know as BACON.

We've got a special sandwich as well.
Heirloom Tomato Sandwich. Simple is best - St. John's multi grain organic sourdough, heirloom tomatoes, goats cheese and local greens. Harrison Ford eat your heart out.

We've got Pulled Pork Sandwiches!

Salads:
Hank's Classic Soba Noodle Salad
Minty Slaw
Ontario Seasonal Fruit Salad
Beet and Goat Cheese on Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette
Grilled Tuna Southwestern Style Salad. A base of black beans, navy beans and corn with a lime-peanut dressing.

Pretty much we've saved the day.

See you soon,
Max

P.S. THE END IS NEAR!!! Don't forget to VOTE FOR HANK!

The Days Of Our Lives

Well, I hope you all enjoyed summer. Since, well, you know - the long term forecast is now predicting low twenties and partly cloudy for the next 7 days.
I was in a rainy, drizzling Halifax when The Weather Network announced that the summer that Southern Ontario had been longing for arrived. We enjoyed three days of it on our return trip and 4 more days of it when we got home (and finally utilized the apartment's unheated, outdoor pool) and now? Now it's over. So, I hope you got sunburned or bought tanning bed minutes.

What's Special? You're special!

Specials today include...
Cumbrae's Chicken in a delicious Chicken Noodle Soup.
(This is my lunch plan).

We do indeed have the Pulled Pork Sandwich for your enjoyment today. The fruit addition today is a stewed plum compote instead of the usual Apple/Radish/Melon slaw.

Salads include...
Black Cod & Pickerel Southwestern Style Salad. It's got a base of black beans, navy beans, corn and peppers and is topped with a lime-peanut dressing.
Cumbrae's Chicken Salad
Orzo Pasta Mint & Zucchini Salad
Minty Slaw (A Hank's Special)

I am looking forward to all your smiling faces at lunch.

See you soon,
Max

P.S. Don't forget to VOTE FOR HANK. The time is near!

Ladies and Gents! The tuesday line up

Good Morning, hope you slept well.

Today we've got a bunch of goodness for your health and your head. Let's start with the soup.

Cream of Tomato. Our kitchen is brimming with heirloom tomatoes from just outside the city. What's that saying about turning tomatoes into tomato soup?

The salad superstars.

Heirloom Bean Salad with Carrot Top Dressing and Grilled Seasonal Veg. Definately not your average bean salad. This one has to be one of the more flavourful bean salads I've had.

The Grilled Zucchini and Tomato Salad with Feta was gone in a flash yesturday. But not to worry, our Hank's chefs in the back heard your cries and there's more for everyone today.

We have the German Potato Salad. Bacon, Potato and Onion...oh my..

Chicken Salad, is cold, hearty protein that will keep your eyes open for the rest of the afternoon.

We have a Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Lamb. If you like lamb, you'll love this little plate of comfort goodness.

We do still have the pulled pork sandwich today, which I've had every day for the last couple. Please don't forget to take napkins with you when you order this bad boy to go.

OH! And how could I forget. The ladies have whipped up a beautifully fresh little fruit salad with everything that's in season. Melon, apricots, blueberries, plums. All local, all freakin delicious.

Okay, now I must go. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Monday line up at Hank's

We're starting the week with a bang to ease you in and relax the first day back. Here's what we've got

Pulled Pork Sandwich, if you haven't tried it yet, today is your day!

For soup we have a Sweet Potato and Carmelized Onion Veg friendly soup. Hearty and healthy.

Here's the salad line up for the day.
German Potato. This is a delicious, no messin around with potato salad kind of salad. It screams the word summer when you open it up. No kidding.

If you're looking for some Greens we have the Arugula, Feta, Tomato, Zucchini Salad with Walnut Dressing. Fresh and lovely.

Looking for a pasta salad? We have a whole wheat penne with ground lamb and roasted tomatoes. Yes, it is tomato season!

We also have a roasted beet salad and an Indonesian Curry Salad. In other words, you can't make a bad decision.

Look forward to seein ya'll real soon.

Is it friday...and still summer?

What in sam hill is going on? Where is the rain and gloomy forcast we've come to know and love? I don't want to hear one sunburned compliant on monday!

We've got a heck of a line up for your hungry bellies today.

The Pulled Pork is back! I'm excited and most of the staff have already decided what their lunches will be today.

The soup is a Thai coconut veg. Featuring some of the beautiful bounty coming in the back door in fine vegetable form.

For salads...well oh my!
Broccoli. You've had it and you love it!

Beet and Walnut with summer garlic. The garlic is good for you! Don't be afraid!

There's an Indonesian Curry Noodle Salad, which is being made as I type. So far, it looks kind of awesome. And really, there's nothing like cold noodles on a hot day.

Chicken Salad, is protein goodness from previously happy chickens.

And then there was the minty slaw. Which is so dang good with quite a few of our sandwiches. Especially the pulled pork.

Oh and PS. If you haven't tried the new Peanut Butter Brownie.... you might want to get on that.

I wish you all a happy relaxing weekend. We all know you deserve it!

This is the summer we've been waiting for!

So can we celebrate? Man I've got a line up of summer goodness for you folks. The soup today is a chilled musk melon. It's simple cold and dang tasty. We have a sandwich special you've all been waiting for BLT. Not any blt, this fella has JK house made bacon, heirloom tomatoes, housemade green onion mayo and organic greens. It's awesome.

The salad line up is as follows
Asian Beef Salad
Soba noodle salad
Heirloom Carrot Slaw

We've got lots of Ice Tea and Fresh Lemon aid to keep you refreshed. Come on by...we're ready.

It's a Monday!

What we've got going today!
Soup: Beef and Summer Vegetable
Salad Line Up: Chefs Salad (made by real chefs!)
Macaroni Salad. Different then before, lighter and citrusy. Strangely good.
Squash and Beet Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Cumbrae's Chicken Salad. Meaty goodness.

It's all good in Hanks. All good all the time.

See you soon!

A well-deserved one

A Friday of well deserved proportions.
That's all I'm saying.

Muffins 'n' Scones
Granola and Fruit Muffin
Ontario Black Currant Muffin
Roasted Red Pepper and Cheesy Scone

Soup
Deconstructed Baked Potato Soup
Not for the faint of heart, this bacon potato mix is super delicious
and topped the right way - with sour cream and green onions.

Salads
Chicken Salad (Cumbrae's Chicken with green olives, cheese and other savory goodies.)
Beets & Greens Salad with Ontario Sweet Cherry dressing and Goat's Cheese.
Macaroni Salad
Broccoli & Beef Salad (Looks so good) with Soy Ginger Garlic Dressing.
Roasted Sunchoke & Bacon Salad on Frisee dressed in Pumpkin Seed Dressing.

And that is all she wrote.


See you soon,
Max

P.S. Time is running out! Don't Forget to VOTE FOR HANK

Somewhere between Wednesday and Friday

Sandwiched in between what was a Tuesday-ish Wednesday and a forth-coming Friday - you'll find us.
This morning's finds...
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffin (Yea, they went there)
Lemon Lavender Muffin
Coconut Almond Scone.

I'm like the White Rabbit in Wonderland running around for fears hearing
"Off with her head!" so I'll make with the specials.

I'm pretty much looking at everything going "I want THAT for lunch."
So, good luck with the choosing.

Chilled Soup of Watermelon with Minty Drizzle.

Salads:
Chicken Salad (Cumbrae's Chicken with green olives, cheese and other savory goodies.)
Ontario Fruit Salad
Beets & Greens Salad with Ontario Sweet Cherry dressing and Goat's Cheese.
Macaroni Salad!
NEW STUFF!!!!!!
Broccoli & Beef Salad (Looks so good) with Soy Ginger Garlic Dressing.
Roasted Sunchoke & Bacon Salad on Frisee dressed in Pumpkin Seed Dressing.
HOLY MOLY.

Pulled Pork Sandwich AND Flank Steak Sandwich? Life is clearly not fair - making you make decisions.

So I guess I'll see you soon,
Max

P.S. Time is running out! Don't Forget to VOTE FOR HANK

Rainbows and Lollipops and

Another day of rain has cooled things down a bit. Not that the heat lasted long - rather the humidity. It had me teeming in hot anger at the end of the day.
And I love heat. Don't get me wrong. I just get frazzled in the dewy days.

Here's an article I am loving on blogto.com.

As for the week, we're off to the races. For those of us who got four days we are ticking right along.

We've got an awesome possum pot of Cream of Garden Vegetable Soup today.
It is garnished with a cream drizzle filled with thyme, rosemary and savoury.

We've got back Macaroni Salad! It's a little different then the last recipe but sure to tickle your tummy.
Also in Salad Land we have...
Chef's Salad (Greens with boiled egg, grilled bacon & other goodies with a Shallot Vinaigrette)Chicken Salad (Cumbrae's Chicken with green olives, cheese and other savory goodies.)
Hank's Classic Minty Slaw
Ontario Fruit Salad (TRY SOME YOU WILL THANK ME.)

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES!
Okay, and I'm done.

Off to Lunch!
See you soon,
Max

P.S. Time is running out! Don't Forget to VOTE FOR HANK

Love & The Weather

Hey, if you like indie bands - check out Grande Fir. Based out of Dufferin County (where there is a pretty awesome music scene) Grande Fir is an awesome mix of Alt-Country.
Check them out here at www.myspace.com/grandefir

It's the beginning of August (well, we're a few days in) and that means a swell of Ontario harvest is coming up. It's exciting and here's what we've got to offer.

Stew!
A vegetarian delight of Beets & Chick Pea.

Salads...
Minty Slaw makes a triumphant return.
Beets & Greens Salad
with Ontario Sweet Cherry dressing and Goat's Cheese.
Chef's Salad (Greens with boiled egg, grilled bacon & other goodies with a Shallot Vinaigrette)
Chicken Salad (Cumbrae's Chicken with green olives, cheese and other savory goodies.)

Special new salad today is a Chick Pea Salad dressed in this crazy stuff called Cilantro Delfino (like a baby cilantro) mixed with radishes and onions and all sorts of great looking stuff.
It is VEGAN friendly and GLUTEN-FREE!
Healthy and tasty! Who knew?

BREAKING BLOG NEWS EDIT!
We also have a Niçoise Salad...
As well as the Pulled Pork Sandwich!

Clearly, we are off to a great week.

See you soon,
Max

P.S. Time is winding down! Don't forget to VOTE FOR HANK.