January
29, 2007
Presenting: The Green Eggplant – Healthy,
Creative and Plentiful Cuisine in the Beach
After two fascinating interviews, one with Lido
Chilelli, the creator of the Toronto Beaches International Jazz
Festival, and Bill Libbus, who had given me an insider tour of the
historic Fire Station 227 on
Queen Street, it was definitely time for a solid lunch. This was
my conclusion as I started strolling eastwards on the main thoroughfare
in the Beach. Close to the intersection of Queen and Kenilworth
I came across a fairly new establishment: a restaurant called The
Green Eggplant, located on the former premises of Il Fornello
which had been one of my favourites in the area before it moved
further east on Queen.
I decided it was time to check out the new tenant, so in I went.
I had always enjoyed the layout of this restaurant with the big
front windows that open out onto the street. Even though the furniture,
the bar and the lighting were different, there was still a comfortable
familiarity to these premises with their spacious layout and the
beautiful brick walls that always feature unique art.
Serge Kuchak, owner of The Green Eggplant
Since this was an impromptu visit, a “neighbourhood walk
and talk” as I like to call it, I asked the waiter for the
owner / manager, and a few minutes later I was joined by Serge Kuchak,
the newly minted owner of The Green Eggplant. Serge has
been in the restaurant business since he is 12 years old, and his
previous restaurant management experience includes the Pickle
Barrel chain in Toronto. Serge, originally from the Ukraine,
has lived and travelled throughout many different countries including
Germany, Greece, Israel and United States. He calls Toronto his
home for 17 years and adds that he loves Toronto’s multicultural
flair, something that makes it truly unique in the world.
The cozy premises at The Green Eggplant
Serge had planned to open his own upscale family restaurant and
aimed to provide good size portions of healthy food with good prices.
His goal was simple: to provide good food and good value for everybody.
He pointed out that his menu is very diverse and includes a wide
range of appetizers, salads, grilled dishes, burgers, pastas, stir
fries, fresh fish and delicious desserts. An extensive wine and
cocktail list rounds out the offerings at The Green Eggplant.
The brand new bar
Since taking over the premises, Serge has put in a new floor, new
seating and new lighting; he has sanded the wall, and put in a brand
new bar and a new kitchen. Even the restrooms are nicely spiffed
up. He spent two months on the renovation and replaced all the tiles
and pipes. The restaurant opened at the end of December, and it
has been very successful so far. Serge is very happy with the results.
My delicious appetizer
One of the unique features of The Green Eggplant is a selection
of three different eggplant-based dips that are served with Italian
mixed breads. This free appetizer is put on every table at the start
of a meal and consists of three different Mediterranean dips:
- the Baba Ganoush , a Middle Eastern delicacy
- the Eggplant salad hails from Greece
- the recipe for the Fried Eggplant Salad comes from Northern Italy.
A tasty and generous main dish
I tasted these delicious dips with the fresh bread, and the portions
were so generous that I almost quenched my hunger from the appetizer
alone. I asked Serge what to order and he suggested a delicious
chicken sandwich on toasted foccaccia bread, with roasted red peppers,
spinach and goat cheese, accompanied by a tasty house salad. A delightful
selection, and the portion was so big I had to get half the sandwich
wrapped in a doggie bag to take home.
Vasanth and Alvic work in the kitchen
While Serge was doing some errands I started my snooping around
the restaurant and connected with the experts in the kitchen: Vasanth
and Alvic. Vasanth has been in Toronto for six years and arrived
here from Sri Lanka. He has a computer science degree from a university
in his native country and learned how to cook in Canada. Vasanth
has worked in a variety of different well-known restaurants across
Toronto and commented that he likes his new home town. He loves
cooking and enjoys working hard, and when his customers are happy
he is happy. Vasanth is also in charge of ordering the vegetables,
the meat and the fish, organizes the fridge and handles the receiving.
He likes working with Serge who hired him from his previous company.
Serge helps with the cooking
Alvic Coronel is originally from the Philippines and has spent
the last 15 years in Toronto. Before that he worked as a private
chef for the Iranian ambassador in Geneva, Switzerland. Alvic enjoys
adding creativity to his dishes. Last but not least I also checked
in on the person who had looked after my table: Mark Forzon is the
Floor Manager at the Green Eggplant. Mark came to Toronto from Lithuania
and also used to work with Serge at the Pickle Barrel.
Mark Forzon looks after the guests
It was fun meeting this diverse team at The Green Eggplant, and
they sure know how to put together creative, healthy and sizeable
meals.
Related Articles:
Celebrate Toronto
- An article series to celebrate my chosen home town
Gene Domagala - A human convenience
store of charity and community involvement in Toronto's Beach
Arie Nerman & the Beach Hebrew Institute:
The People's Synagogue
Vivetha Bistro: A popular spot
with eclectic food
Glenn Cochrane - Media
personality, author and expert fundraiser – a champion of
the Beach for almost 40 years
Michelle Gebhart: A
true Renaissance woman: from army brat to expert renovator, biker
lady, successful restaurateur & dedicated youth volunteer
Michael Prue: A working class success
story - from Regent Park to Queens Park
Alex Winch & the
Beach Solar Laundromat – Unstoppable when it comes to championing
renewable energy & innovative entrepreneurship
Mary Lee: A restaurant owner with a heart
for the arts
Marie Perrotta from the Pegasus
Community Project reaches for the stars
Burgie and Benedetta from the Konditor
coffeehouse create Austrian delicacies in Toronto's Beach
Bob Murdoch from Community Centre
55 - 25 years of community service in the Beach
Steve and Paul from Accommodating
the Soul B&B: hospitality with a personal touch
John Dowding: A private lesson in
photography from a true master
Lucille Crighton: A textile
arts Hall of Famer in Toronto's Beach
Lido Chilelli: Founder
of the Toronto International Beaches Jazz Festival
Fire Station 227: History, heroism
and local connections in the Beach
The Green Eggplant: Healthy Mediterranean
food and big solid portions
The Balmy Beach Club - Legend
by the Lake & Toronto's best-kept secret
The Garden Gate Restaurant a.k.a. "The
Goof" - Good food in the Beach since 1952
Ralph Noble: Firefighter,
lifesaver and creator of the most famous mural in the Beach –
a noble man indeed
Sandra Bussin
- City Councillor and Deputy Mayor shows me her neighbourhood
The Toronto Beach Rotary Club:
Service above Self and the joys of volunteering
The Beaches Lions
Club: Charity and community projects in the Beach since 1935
The Beach Business
Improvement Area: A general overview of the Beach and the merchants
and activities on Queen Street East
Maria Minna:
An Italian-Canadian immigrant story and a life-long fight for social
justice
The Beach Metro Community
News: Much more than just the news
The Kingston Road Business Community:
A neighbourhood undergoing revitalization and an integral part of
the Beach
Andrew Smith and Rachel Howard:
Creative entrepreneurs and dedicated community builders
Nevada's Ristorante: Where
hospitality is a family affair
Maria Minna: Another neighbourhood
walk and talk and discoveries along Queen Street East
St. Aidan's Church:The spirit of charity
in the Beach comes full circle
Gene Domagala takes me on a history
tour of the eastern and northern part of the Beach - a perfect day
of discovery
The Beaches Library: A centre
of learning for all ages
A walk along Kingston Road:
A shopping district definitely worth a visit
55 Division: Serving and protecting
- community policing in action
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