The Lakeview Restaurant, Toronto

he Lakeview Restaurant (neé Lakeview Lunch) may just be the most resilient restaurant in Toronto. Opened initially back in the 1930s, the Lakeview has acted as a set for movies, as a meeting place for political figures, and it has gone through countless ownership changes, but the concept has always remained the same: inexpensive diner food for the masses. But in the summer of 2008, the Lakeview looked as though it may have finally served its last burger and fries. After suffering through recent negligent ownership and lackluster food, the restaurant wound up sitting idle behind papered windows and shuttered doors, leaving regulars mourning the loss of one of the city’s most iconic greasy spoons diners.

But the Lakeview Restaurant lives to see another day. The unlikely saviors: Fadi Hakim and Alexander Sengupta, owners of the nearby Dundas West cocktail joint, The Chelsea Room. Opening up a brunch spot was already on their radar, but they were having a difficult time finding a suitable location in their native Parkdale. One day, while on a booze run for the Chelsea, Fadi walked by the crowded Lakeview Lunch. That’s when the proverbial lightbulb went off. “I thought, ‘why not buy the Lakeview? If it’s currently running at 8 percent of its capacity and it’s already this popular, imagine what we could do with it if we could get it running at 100 percent.'”

They asked the owner if he would ever consider selling, but he wouldn’t give them the time of day. So Fadi did the only thing he could think of – he put on a suit and tie and tried again. It helped, but not much; the owner said he would maybe consider selling in two years. Ten days later, the windows were boarded and a “For Sale” sign hung on the door. Alex and Fadi still had to compete with about ten other proposals, but it was the earnest desire to carry on the Lakeview tradition that eventually convinced the landlord to sell to them.

“We don’t want to offend the past,” says Alex. “This place has its own history and its own legacy. We don’t want to mess with that.” Of course, that doesn’t mean they didn’t make any changes. If anything, their three month renovation was a complete overhaul – everything from the floors to the ceilings were scraped, sanded, and reupholstered – but it was all done with a sensitive eye to tradition. The name change from Lakeview Lunch to Lakeview Restaurant, for instance, was actually a restoration of the original name, only changed to Lakeview Lunch in 1947. The round-the-clock hours have just as much precedent, although now they serve as a refuge for late night Ossington pub crawlers.

But Alex is sure to make another thing clear: “This is not a throwback. We’re not trying to create a pimped out diner or invent a whole new concept. The only real difference is that we replaced the jukebox with iTunes. There’s no reason a diner can’t be modern. The idea of the Greasy Spoon was always to serve the proletariat, and that hasn’t changed.”

Thus, the menu is made up of the familiar comfort food standards, though they’ve obviously had some fun with it. With allusions to the many movies filmed there, the menu offers choices like Nachos Tom Cruise (Cocktail), Boondock Chili (Boondock Saints), and the Jackson Pollock Seafood Sandwich (presumably Who the #$%& is Jackson Pollock?). Other creative variations on old favourites include a Manwich Sloppy Joe, Frachos (nachos, but with fries), Swachos (Frachos, but with sweet potato fries), the B.E.S.T. (strip Bacon, mElted havarti, Spinach, Tomato & mayo), and the Lakeview Poutine (Sweet Potato & Yukon Frites, Fresh Cheese Curds, Crumbled Feta, Peameal Bacon, Garlic Onion Crunch, Wild Mushroom Sauté & Gravy).

Of course, the standards are still there. Those craving brunch can choose from a variety of egg dishes, and those with a taste for meat can sample a number of burgers, all made with naturally raised beef from Faul Family Farm. And, with a strong collection of cocktails and microbreweries on tap, there’s even a little piece of the Chelsea Room at the Lakeview. Who wouldn’t want a Handshake Milkshake (a vanilla milkshake with a shot of bourbon)? It’s about time somebody made an alcoholic milkshake!

It’s this approach that could prove the latest Lakeview incarnation the most successful in recent history. After all, the Lakeview has existed for more sixty years, but the Ossington strip has only been trendy for about five. The dose of creativity that the new ownership provides is sure to appeal to the scarved Sweaty Betty’s and Dakota Tavern patrons used to an idiosyncratic historical aesthetic. But ultimately, the pair remain humble. Says Fadi: “The more time you spend here, the more you’ll realize it doesn’t really belong to us. It belongs to everyone. It was here long before we were and it’ll be here long after we’re gone.” Let’s hope so.

Address: 1132 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON

Contact: 416-850-8886

Cuisine: Diner Fare

Area: Dundas Street West

Hours: 24 hours a day

Price range: $$ (Affordable)

Payment: Master Card, Visa, American Express