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Fantastic dinner at Lunch Lady on Ossington. I was dining solo and grabbed a seat at the bar, which turned out to be a great spot to take in the energy of the restaurant. Started with the octopus skewers, which were excellent -- beautifully smoky and char-grilled, with a green chili sauce that had the perfect amount of heat without overpowering the octopus. The short rib rigatoni was divine. Tender beef short rib, spicy tomato demi and marrow butter made for an incredibly rich and flavourful pasta. Finished with the three-layer dessert, and it was the bomb! Pandan sticky rice cake, coconut condensed milk ice cream, strawberry-red bean purée and mung bean streusel -- unusual, delicious and a great way to finish the meal. The wine pairings were also absolutely perfect: Sancerre with the octopus and Barolo with the short rib pasta. Service at the bar was outstanding throughout -- attentive, knowledgeable and welcoming, especially as a solo diner. And then there's Ossington itself. The whole strip was buzzing and the crowd had that unmistakable Ossington energy. It's easily my favourite restaurant/bar strip in Toronto -- it has a little bit of that NYC neighbourhood vibe, with one great spot after another and people everywhere. Excellent food, excellent service, great atmosphere. Lunch Lady absolutely lived up to the hype. Highly recommended.
Wow I don't have much more to say that than The grilled octopus and the green chile sauce were so good, but I don't think we really needed to order an app with how big the Pho ended up being!!! The pho was sooooo good! The broth had so much flavor, loaded with meats and given a side set with some veggies, herbs and sauce. We didn't even use the sauce because the soup was so flavorful! We left very full and satisfied. Definitely a treat. Would recommend making a reservation in advance as it is very busy. The staff was great and helpful.
Went on a Tuesday night and the place was PACKED! Fortunately was able to get in right away by sitting at the bar. Definitely would recommend getting a reservation if you are trying to get in for dinner. Service was kind and helpful with tips on how the dishes are meant to be enjoyed. Started off with Grilled Octopus and the green chile sauce was such a good acidic counter to the spicy/smoky octopus. The Beef Noodle Soup was HUGE, definitely big enough to split between 2 people. The broth was amazing, 10/10 no complaints! If you are not into fatter cuts of beef it may not be your thing as there is bone marrow, oxtail, and beef cheek. Lunch Lady is worth a try and the hype!
I'm not sure what happened to this restaurant but the service really fell down hard. The food is still good but the service was a complete miss for a restaurant that's been opened for over a year. 1. They forgot two out of 5 orders. The first three came quickly and we had to follow up on the missing two. They clearly had to enter them. 2. The server clearing our dishes kept intruding into my space with the dirty plates. She was holding onto dirty plates and utensils trying to stack her plates but when she held the dirty plate and utensils they were right into my clothes and I had to get out of the way 3 times. I noticeably moved my entire body out of the way but she was still unable to adjust her positioning to not dirty my clothes. She should just be making multiple trips if she can't clean it on one go. 3. To apologize for the service she brought me free dessert only to charge me for it on the bill. I didn't notice it on my bill so luckily they voluntarily corrected the error. But now I'm waiting for a statement credit on something that shouldn't even be on the bill in the first place. This place was just a huge miss on service.
The Lunch Lady ties the vibrancy of Vietnamese cuisine and culture with a modern twist. We were in a group of 13 so we made prior reservations and opted for the tasting menu so we literally tried everything on the menu and you cannot go wrong with anything. My top favorite items were the steak, Iberico pork ssam, and the clams with the pomelo chunks. The meats were cooked perfectly with the addition of the char and the citrus paired so beautifully with the cuttlefish (although I was a bit skeptical at first since I don't like warm fruits). For drinks, my top favorite was the night in Paris! The black sesame paired with the foamy egg white was delicious! Their Vietnamese coffee offerings were delightful as well as they paired it with some fun flavors like salted egg yolk and pandan. Another unique offering was the henessey tea. I highly recommend this as it was shockingly delightful and refreshing without the strong Henessey taste. Let's not forget to mention the amazing service! Mahli (apologies if I spelled your name wrong) was such an amazing server! She was timely, friendly and super engaging making the whole experience a blast! The interior is also beautifully crafted! The private dining table made you feel like you were sitting in a cart. This restaurant can cater to an intimate vibe as well as a more casual vibe ! The story behind how the Lunch Lady also became a restaurant is inspiring. If you want to know more, check them out and the story is behind their menu!
TL;DR: An absolutely incredible dining experience from start to finish. Our group of 13 booked the full menu HAM CHƠI prix fixe in their private Rickshaw Room to celebrate my birthday, and it was the perfect first meal for our Toronto trip. Outstanding food, amazing vibes, and top-tier service. The Lunch Lady might be legendary for lunch, but their dinner service completely shines with some seriously awesome, experimental approaches to Vietnamese food. Because we had a group of 13, I called weeks ahead to reserve their special dining booth to experience the full HAM CHƠI menu. This family-style prix fixe serves up their entire dinner menu at a massive, horseshoe-shaped table inside the private Rickshaw Room right next to the main dining room. The space is beautifully decked out in traditional Vietnamese decor, and it was the absolute perfect setup for a large crew to sit comfortably. The multi-course feast was spectacular across the board, but the absolute highlights of the night were the BÒ TÁI CHANH beef carpaccio with its fresh herbs and bright lime vinaigrette, and the legendary BÒ LÚC LẮC. That steak lúc lắc featured a perfectly cooked 8oz ribeye with peppercorn sauce, crispy cassava, burnt scallion butter, and a rich piece of seared foie gras that took it completely over the top. Everything else was just as impressive, from the crispy taro chips, chargrilled octopus skewers, and caramelized duck salad, to the tiger prawns, tamarind butter Manila clams with a Chinese donut, and a red crab fried rice loaded with XO sauce and fish roe. We wrapped things up with a phenomenal three-layer pandan and coconut ice cream dessert alongside a Vietnamese coffee tiramisu. The staff was incredibly accommodating and attentive throughout the entire night. The cocktails kept flowing and our table managed to try every single drink on the menu. A special shoutout goes to their Hennessy Cold Tea table service, which was served up in a really cool Hennessy teapot and came with a quick, awesome history lesson on how the drink got its name. Since we were celebrating my birthday, the servers also brought out the desserts with sparkler candles, which was a great touch. Between the vibrant atmosphere, the A+ service, and the phenomenal execution of the food, The Lunch Lady gave us the ultimate welcome to Toronto.
Absolutely delicious! The service was amazing and the chefs counter offers a great view of the kitchen. Our favourite were the prawn fritters which was a great combo of shrimp fried goodness with a very fresh wrap containing mint and Thai basil. The steak was perfectly cooked. The lemongrass was good but would have liked to have the sauce on the side so we can taste the hot sauce a bit more (it was put underneath the chicken).
This place is phenomenal: Their beef pho out of this world- comes with a marrow, A5 wagyu strips and ox tail too! Their duck salad and that pandan cake- havent stopped thinking of these three dishes of theirs since I last ate there!!!
I've always heard great things about The Lunch Lady and finally got the chance to try it. I definitely recommend making a reservation, as the restaurant is always busy. We ordered the beef carpaccio, crab fried rice, pork and scallop skewers and tamarind clams. Everything was delicious but the standout dishes for us were the tamarind clams and crab fried rice. The food was packed with flavour, super well seasoned and light despite the bold tastes. We also tried the egg coffee and sesame cocktail. The coffee was good but the egg foam wasn't quite as rich/fragrant as the ones I've had in Vietnam. The sesame cocktail was nutty and refreshing.. super easy to drink. The restaurant was lively and service was super friendly and attentive. Overall it was a great dining experience, looking forward to coming back again!
TLDR highlights: Had an amazing experience dining at Lunch Lady. Honestly some of the best Vietnamese food Toronto has to offer. The highlights I've sampled across the table is the flavourful pork tomahawk on rice and the umami packed wagyu beef noodle soup. For the apps, I recommend the duck salad. It's quite generously portioned so great for sharing. The egg coffee or pandan coffee is also a must-have treat during brunch. Though the pandan coffee comes with a taller glass, so if you need more of a caffeine fix that might be for you. Reservations highly recommended as they are booked well in advance. We wanted to change the reservation time and it seems like all the times are taken when I checked on Friday for Saturday reservation. Note 20% gratuity is automatically added for parties of 6 or more though they give you a 2hr eating window which is very generous and we never felt rushed. Rest of the review: The other dishes are great as well no complaints, I myself ordered the BÁNH CANH CUA (Saturday special), which is a noodle soup with this thick comforting seafood (and maybe pork?) soup similar to shark fin soup minus the shark fin. It's pretty good, though other restaurants do serve this dish as well, although not as common. They certainly load the dish with plenty of crab meat and shrimp. It's good but personally, probably way too steamy to enjoy during the summer. NOTE: I don't remember ordering the optional crab claw with the banh canh cua, which I think it was an extra charge. It terms of taste, it was okay, not as bouncy and delicious as some crab claws I had at Chinese restaurants and I could've passed on it since I was so full already from tasting the other dishes and delicious apps. We also had the prawn fritters and fried tofu, which was great as well, no complaints. I would've preferred soft shell crab as opposed to the crab claw, which was another option that I notice on the menu now but our server did not ask for our choice. We ordered two banh canh cuas at our table and they served us both the crab claw as default. The steak luc lac was cooked perfectly to our liking, medium rare though I think given all dishes we tried, the steak wasn't as special in comparison. The service was really attentive and they even offered a special pandan cake with ice cream for a birthday celebration on the house. The food quality makes it well worth it. Since this spot is at a more premium price point for Vietnamese cuisine and typically requires a reservation, I'd recommend it more for special occasions rather than casual meals.
Came here for a special date night and tried nearly the entire menu. The inside of the restaurant is gigantic and was fully booked. Unfortunately they did not have the soft shell crab dish so may need to go back as I hear nothing but great things about it. Thought we would be exotic and try their tamarind clams and we felt that it did not quite work. Must try dishes for us was the duck breast, beef carpaccio and the taro chips (sounds simple but my God they were so addictive) The fried rice with crab was also highly recommended to us but even with the sauce poured in, we felt it was a bland. Overall a dining experience with great service that I would highly recommend. They definitely have unique dishes that you wouldn't find at other vietnamese restaurants.
Funny enough, my friend Burgis, who's an excellent chef in Toronto, and I were recently talking about gentrification and the wave of influencer-driven restaurants in the city, especially around King West. But he told me there was one exception: The Lunch Lady. Ever since that conversation, I'd been meaning to visit. With Mother's Day coming up, I decided it would be the perfect place to bring my mom, so I booked us a table. Upon entering, we were warmly greeted by a friendly hostess. Our server was friendly overall albeit I was hoping for just a bit more attentiveness. The restaurant itself was spotless, with a beautiful bar and an open-concept kitchen where you could watch the chefs expertly preparing each dish. We decided on the Bò Tái Chanh (beef carpaccio) to start, followed by the Cơm Chiên Cua (crab fried rice) and the Bò Lúc Lắc (8 oz ribeye steak). The Bò Tái Chanh was incredibly refreshing. The thin slices of exceptionally fresh wagyu were delicate and satisfying, layered with an impressive depth of textures and flavours. The nuttiness and crunch from the peanuts and fried shallots played beautifully against the herbal brightness of mint, basil, and perilla, while the pickled onions and lemon vinaigrette added sweetness and acidity that tied everything together. The best way to enjoy it was with chopsticks, rolling each slice into little beef wraps bursting with flavour. After the appetizer, there was about a 20-minute wait before the mains arrived together. The wait was worth it as they were absolutely PHENOMENAL. The Cơm Chiên Cua was wonderful. The moment I took my first spoonful of rice mixed with the generous chunks of red crab, the aroma of the sea washed over me like an oceanic wave. Every bite of sweet crab meat and popping fish roe felt vibrant and alive, balanced by the grounded peppercorns, like stepping on the warm beach sand of Ho Coc near Ho Chi Minh City. My favourite bite was with the poached egg mixed in: creamy, oceanic, sweet, savoury, and lightly spicy all at once. It was an incredibly immersive dish like swimming in the Biển Đông. I also want to applaud the portion size - there was an abundance of both crab and rice, making the dish feel genuinely generous and fulfilling. If I had one small suggestion, it would simply be a touch more wok hei for added smokiness. And then there was the Bò Lúc Lắc, a truly unforgettable dish. Everything about it reflected an extraordinary understanding of balance, technique, and ingredient harmony. The lightly marinated ribeye was sous vide and grilled to a perfect medium rare, melting effortlessly in the mouth while delivering deep umami and subtle sweetness along the crust. The foie gras added richness, creaminess, and a gentle smokiness that elevated the steak even further. What impressed me most, though, was how every component on the plate worked together. The watercress salad, lightly dressed in lemon vinaigrette, brought freshness, peppery bitterness, and acidity that cut beautifully through the richness of the steak and foie gras. The cassava chips were airy, crispy, and lightly spicy, adding both texture and contrast. Together, the dish delivered sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, acidity, spice, and umami in perfect balance. Anthony Bourdain once described Lunch Lady in Saigon as "discovering new neighborhoods every few mouthfuls," and I'd say this dish felt like an entire world tour. There were clear influences and techniques drawing from Vietnam, France, Hong Kong, and South America, yet everything felt cohesive rather than excessive. It was one of the most impressive steak dishes I've had in Toronto, if not around the world. To conclude, The Lunch Lady was an absolute sensation, and I truly think my mom had one of her best Mother's Days there. You can feel the vision and legacy of Nguyễn Thị Thanh (rest in peace) in the food, and the two executive chefs carrying that vision forward are doing something remarkable. We'll absolutely be back to explore more of the menu. (Also, a special shoutout to the expo/sous chef who came out to speak with us and explain the dishes - it genuinely elevated the experience even further.)
Very cute and hip Vietnamese spot with elevated menu options. There was a line and a wait but it was just me so I was able to be seated at the bar. It seems reservations are recommended even for lunch. Very nice ambiance inside and friendly and attentive staff. I order the pho special with oxtail, rare beef, flank steak, etc (a $30 bowl of pho) and while the presentation was nice, it was just average as far as pho goes in my option. Broth was good - not amazing. Hearty portions and it is a food place for drinks with friends or a nice fresh lunch. I'd go back and maybe try something less "jazzy" and huge on the menu but it's worth a visit.
5 months ago
From the hostess to the servers, cooks and chef the reception was a warm welcome. we had chef table seats and were able to watch the cooks, chef and servers work seamlessly. The food as incredible. Having been in the hospitality business for 30 years, it is next to impossible to find this type of restauarant , with the care, dedication and quality of food and service these days! We will definatley be back and highly recommend this hidden gem! read more
5 months ago
We were really excited to try this place and even made a reservation beforehand, which I'd recommend to save time. Unfortunately, I left a bit disappointed--maybe we just ordered the wrong dishes, but everything got a little greasy by the end. For the same price, I think there are quite a few other Vietnamese spots that are just as good, or even better. Worth to try but probably wont visit again. read more
1 year ago
this is my favourite restaurant in toronto. actually so impressed and speechless at everything here. we didn't make a reservation but was able to secure 2 seats at the chefs table. it was still very intimate and a great spot. our server was so kind and constantly checked up on us, and made great recommendations. we got the set dinner for 2: taro chips, octopus skewers, carpaccio. the chips were light and airy, and the dipping sauce was so fresh. the carpaccio was flavourful and perfectly seasoned. (secret hack: try the carpaccio with the chip n dip). the copious skewers were delicious. the steak was tender and cut perfectly. garlic noodles with the crab meat felt just like home and so yummy! the highlight of our night was the dessert - the triple layer dessert. it was pandas with sticky rice and ice cream with strawberry sauce. i seriously was so speechless over this one! must try!! it was a lightly sweet treat which we enjoyed after some heavier mains. we're so coming back and it's a perfect 10/10. no notes. read more
1 year ago
Make sure you eat relatively quickly because there is a 2 hour limit! They were pretty quick to bring the bill once that 2 hour mark came. The place does have plenty of seating, but there are more people who come in for a table as it approaches dinner time. As for food, the chips & dip were surprisingly the best part of the meal, but everything else was pretty solid. I wouldn't order their bone marrow again, but I wouldn't be against getting the garlic noodles and the beef carpaccio if someone else wanted them. I would definitely go back to try some other menu items! read more
1 year ago
Genuinely such a fantastic meal. We had early dinner reservations before heading to the CNE, and this place did not disappoint. I will be dreaming about the crab fried rice for years to come. The vibe of the restaurant is really vibrant and modern. It has a completely open kitchen concept in the back of the restaurant which was cool to see. Our waitresss was extremely informative of the menu and such a nice person. Go go go! read more
Came by as we were able to make a reservation, this location was recently opened. We've had lunch lady in Vancouver and it was so delicious. We were sat immediately upon arrival. I ordered the vegan tofu pho. It was delicious, only thing is the tofu is fried tofu pops. The Vancouver location has actual fried tofu that was much yummier. The broth was very good as usual. My friend had the Wagyu pho and loved it, she confirmed it tasted the same as Vancouver. The pandan dessert with ice cream was yummy, great way to finish off the meal. Server was super friendly and nice. Make a reso and try out this place! read more
Fantastic food, great service and well designed restaurant to add to the awesome Ossington strip. Will definitely be back. Favorites were the steak, garlic noodles, crab fried rice. May feel a bit pricey but I think given the location and quality of food a commands the price. read more
7 months ago
The Wagyu Pho probably had 2 lbs of meat in it. It was a small plate size of thin cut wagyu, but it had a thick slice of brisket and 2 pieces of oxtail. Overall great setting, very attentive staff, delicious food and a wonderful spot to bring your friends and family read more
I've seen this place on my social media feed, and had to check it out myself. Believe the hype. We had the - GỎI VỊT - DUCK SALAD - TÔM CHIÊN GIÒN - CRISPY PRAWNS - MÌ XÀO TỎI - GARLIC NOODLES egg noodles, XO garlic (w/added crab) - BÒ LÚC LẮC - STEAK LÚC LẮC And Lychee Passion for drinks -- this was sweet and refreshing We really enjoyed it all, and would like to come back to try some of the other dishes on the menu. Would definitely order the Crispy Prawns every time as an appetizer. Pretty unique with how they separate the shell but leave it attached at the stem of the tail and deep fry it where it's almost like having a shrimp chip with your shrimp. The Shaking Beef was tender and soft, really enjoyed it and would order again as well. The crab and garlic noodles was also nice. I liked the duck salad as well, but would like to try one of the others next time. Don't get me wrong, the duck was cooked nicely and tender, not dry. It was a good balance with the salad. This is coming from someone who has been fortunate to experience Vietnamese food from Vietnam and popular cities in California (San Jose and Westminster/ L.A.) read more
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A beautiful tribute to late Anthony Bourdain and the Lunch Lady herself, Mrs. Thi Thanh. If anyone has been to Vietnam before, you will see that stepping in here feels like coming home. The small details in the decor and flavours capture the rich Vietnamese street food culture perfectly. We came here on Saturday at 8pm on a reservation we made almost a month prior. It was very busy so I would suggest making a reservation prior otherwise you'll probably be waiting until 10pm for a table. The waiters were super attentive and welcoming and let us get our table early despite the whole party not being there yet. We tried the Wagyu Pho with bone marrow and it was phenomenal. Very rich and fatty. If you want a pho that closely resembles the pho in Saigon then this is your place. It definitely is on the pricier side at $36, but for the size and quality, it is very well worth it. I will admit it is on the fattier and heavier side, so if you're more into lighter broths this might not be for you. But I do think any pho lover should try it here at least once. Whether you're a long time Anthony Bourdain fan or just someone who appreciates Vietnamese food done right, this place is more than worth the visit! (Do beware that the music is pretty loud and the restaurant dims its lights pretty dark after sunset.) read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
Came for dinner on a weeknight with a 8:15 dinner reservation. We got a nice booth for our party. We ordered the 4 person family style meal and added the pork tomahawk and the short rib rigatoni for a party of 5. The food was better than the experience at the Vancouver location. The booth/ room that we were in was very nice. The duck salad was really good and very flavourful. The crispy prawns were good as well. The steak with foie was good but nothing special. The pork tomahawk was ok but nothing special. The short rib was very tasty and texture of the pasta was perfect. The octopus skewers were excellent. The chips were good but nothing special. The beef carpaccio was good and the crab fried rice was good. The clams were a bit tasteless. The three layer cake was really good and the black sesame cheesecake was ok. The service was pretty efficient. read more
3 months ago
11 months ago
First time at LL today. Sat at the kitchen chef counter. 12/10 that's all that I can say, impeccable service and even better food. The kitchen is a well oiled machine. read more
6 months ago
This restaurant is nicely decorated, but it veers towards being dimly lit inside, even for lunch service on a weekday. It is quite loud inside. Tried the Beef noodle soup, Chinese donut, bun rieu and the prawn fritters. The soups are tasty, but rich and very heavy. Chinese donut and prawn fritters are also on the greasy side. The greens for the prawn fritters pair nicely, but the batter could have been more airy and crispy. read more
1 year ago
One of the best restaurants we have eaten in. Food is delicious and the tasting menu gave us the opportunity to try everything!! Highly recommend this restaurant!! read more
1 year ago
I came here with high expectation because everyone is talking about it and they met my expectation! Here celebrating my wife's birthday and they gave us a complimentarty birthday dessert which was so good! Love the ambience and the staff are very friendly as well! read more
1 year ago
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1 year ago
came here with a large group, so we ordered the family style plus additional dishes. Each dish was delicious and uniquely crafted! Every sauce, dip & texture was thoughtfully paired. Our favourite dishes of the night were the crispy fried rice, crispy prawns, duck salad & wagyu beef noodle soup! If you're craving Vietnamese cuisine with an elevated twist, I would run here!! read more
I been to the Vancouver location and am so glad I tried the Toronto location as well! Honestly was our favorite meal of the whole trip. Everything was awesome and we had no complaints. The food was really good with a unique twist on Vietnamese traditional dishes. We did the family style for 2 which was $65 per person. Yes its a little expensive but worth it imo. Highlight was the dessert, I have never tried anything like it before! Whoever came up with the unique flavor combo deserves an award! Service was friendly and attentive, ambiance of the whole place was really cool and modern. The food did take a little longer since the place was really busy though. Also remember to make a reservation or else you will probably be waiting for a very long time! Highly recommend!!! read more
1 year ago
Place looks awesome and the service but the food is mediocre. The price for coffee is too expensive. I ordered the Wygu and Bone Marrow .. the Soup was just warm when its supposed to be HOT basically my meat was red and not fully cooked which made me spit out. read more
1 year ago
Managed to get a reservation right when it opened for lunch and within 30 minutes of being there it was getting packed (and for good reason). The service was so quick and the place was so beautifully decorated! Would come back to try the specials or anything that was only on the dinner menu read more
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