Insomnia Cafe, The Annex
10:14 AM
INSOMNIA CAFE
563 Bloor Street W
Toronto, ON
M5S 1Y6 Canada
Brunch/Dinner - Drinks - Free WiFi - 20% for students
$
Two weeks of promoting for Insomnia, all I had running through my head was - 'Spin the wheel for free food! Everybody's a winner. Win yourself $10 off, a free smoothie, or, a free plate of chicken and waffles at Insomnia Restaurant, Bar and Lounge. Located at Bloor & Bathurst, we have a full kitchen until 2AM and always a 20% off for students!', that, along with the sound of the spinning wheel, leading up to the last final slow ticks before landing on either three prizes....2500+ times. No complaints from me though, the weather was beautiful, we encountered a lot of excited (but many more, unexcited...they just didn't know what they were in for!) characters and I got to experience a lot of University eats. Lots of Hotdogs, fries, takeaway Chinese food and beef patties.
It's been a solid three months since the sunny days of prancing down George Street throwin' Insomnia vouchers like hunnids. I have never had the pleasure of eating at Insomnia in my life, but I sure knew the points of attraction to this place - from the top of my head:
- New drink specials every day and night - $3 shots and $4 pints
- Kitchens open until 2AM
- All students receive 20% off food upon presenting their student I.D
- Brunch 7 days a week and bottomless coffees
- Free wifi
- Live DJ after 10PM everyday of the week!
Meeting up on my fortnightly visits to Bathurst and Bloor on Thursday evenings, I couldn't stop thinking about the plate of $5 Chicken & Waffles at Insomnia. After three months of (insomnia - not really - I just wanted to use that pun), I finally locked in a date for my mate and I to enjoy brunch here. There wasn't one reason not to already fall in love with this place, the 20% off for all students was the biggest winner for me! Waiting an extra 20 minutes for my mate wasn't a problem at all for me. I happily did so, connecting to their WiFi and enjoying the sight of snowfall right infront of me. I took my time taking in the place and snapping shots of my surroundings, of course.
A relatively short brunch and lunch menu to wander our eyes upon, there were about 3~5 options to choose from sandwiches, pastas, 'sweets' (waffles, french toast and that lot), eggs, fries and benedicts. The sandwiches are served up with a choice of two sides Mixed Greens, Fries & Garlic Aioli, Sweet Potato Fries & Chipotle Aioli ($1), Mini Poutine ($3), Caesar ($2), Kale ($2). I had a tough time deciding whether I wanted Sweet Potato fries or regular... I usually take up the Sweet Potato fries option at every chance I get!
1. Avocado Smoked Chicken ($12)
Swiss Triangle Brie, Red Onion and Avocado Aioli with Mixed Greens and Fries & Garlic Aioli
I was super excited for this. The Avocado Smoked Chicken open-faced sandwich showcasing the slices of brie, sure had me riled up! I couldn't wait to take a bite (after taking 20..........~30+ photos); the sandwich was nothing special. There wasn't much flavour, and I completely forgot the description of 'smoked' chicken up until now. I didn't receive any hints of that at all. I would have wished for more thicker slices of Red Onion for at least some flavour. The Fries or the Garlic Aioli sauce didn't do it for me either... More flavour please.
Sad fries - Flavourless Open-faced sandwich - Not-much-of-a-party Garlic Aioli
2. Charlotte Benedict ($13)
Served with Poached Eggs, Whole Wheat English Muffins topped with Hollandaise with a side of Mixed Greens and Homefries
I had a few snacks on the Homefries, only because I was super bored with my plate. After promoting for Insomnia for two weeks, I had a handful of people commenting how much they loved the homefries for brunch, so that's all that stuck into my head. But now, I don't know what they were raving about. The sweet tomato sauce probably just isn't my cup of tea.
Oh, and I totally forgot to snatch up the 20% off
for students... and use my milkshake voucher... Until 30 minutes after we paid
our bill (and were still lingering, figuring some things out). The watered-down
strawberry milkshake I finally received was terrible though.
Today was all fails, but, I will still be coming
back! I just have so much of good feel from Insomnia. I want to try their Spiked Hot Chocolate Baileys one of these days, and of course, their $5 plates
(chickenandwaffleschickenandwaffleschickenandwaffles). In the future I will take
advantage of the Kid's Menu with my little brother, he is going to get a $4
Grilled Cheese Sammie and he WILL LOVE IT.
The server wasn't much of a party to talk to, she seemed more annoyed than anything. I do like Insomnia during the brunch/lunch hour and am curious of the nighttime down here. The DJs probably wouldn't be my jam, but I like $4 pints and all I can order until 2AM.
Edit: I checked their 'snack menu' on their website, and the $5 Chicken & Waffles doesn't exist anymore. Cry with me here. They still have their snack menu, but it is all at $6 now.
Edit: I checked their 'snack menu' on their website, and the $5 Chicken & Waffles doesn't exist anymore. Cry with me here. They still have their snack menu, but it is all at $6 now.
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