The colour scheme of the restaurant fits with the food they serve. It’s actually a shame that we limited ourselves (well, Leif and I did) to the breakfast special, disallowing the massive amounts of fresh fruit which Cora’s is famous for. The special came with one dinky piece of orange which seemed like it wasn’t good enough to be put in a fruit platter so they served it to us anglos in the corner.

The eggs were as you can expect… egg-like and tasty; over easy and over hard as ordered. Leif’s three pieces of bacon were delightfully crispy, but (as is his usual comment) “a little dry”. My three units of sausage were tasty but unremarkable. The potatoes on the other hand, were a delight. Cut into wedges and fried with the extra onions we ordered, they were tasty and tender. They may have been sitting on the grill for a while, but didn’t reflect the sogginess that usually comes with such grilling techniques. The meal was complimented nicely by the multigrain toast that came in a basket instead of a plate. A couple limp pieces of kale (pretty sure it was kale) accompanied the plate unnecessarily, though if you toss on a few drops of the Frank’s hot sauce they provide you can gulp down any green leafy garnish you want. Above all, the coffee was great. Well above standard diner-fare.

Cora’s is a family affair. It sports inoffensive plaid-backed booth seats and kitschy green mugs. The waitresses are competent and efficient. Instead of mints at the till, they have hunks of fudge called sucre de crème, a tasty treat.

While the décor leaves much to be desired and the lineups on the weekend are discouraging, pretty much everything on the menu will make you salivate, and the mango smoothies will transport you to a happy place.

Omelette Review

by Chantal Guénette

After browsing the menu for a good 10 minutes (there are so many options for breakfast!), I finally decided on the spinach & cheddar omelette. It normally came with a side of potatoes, toast and an orange wedge, but I didn't feel like potatoes so I asked to substitute them for fresh fruit. My food came quickly and they brought me Frank's Red Hot when I asked for it. Always essential. The omelette was tasty (with white cheddar, hope it wasn't processed) and took up more than half the plate. The fruit looked fresh and my rye toast wasn't overly buttered (a pet peeve of mine). The food was a bit pricey for my taste, especially when I found out that they charged me for a whole bowl of fruit when I substituted my potatoes.

November 18 2007

CHEZ CORA

340 Provencher Blvd

Breakfast Special - $5.65

coffee $1.85   (free refills)

extra fried onions $.95

Cora’s is a chain from Montreal. A busy chain. Very busy. So busy that this is the third time we’ve tried to go and the first time that it wasn’t so packed as to repel us. It may have something to do with their philosophy, which is neatly printed on their placemats.

“…my sole mission has been to delight my customers, to offer them a unique breakfast experience and to provide my guests with the tastiest, healthiest and most satisfying meals they have ever sampled.”

Apparently a quote from the eponymous Cora herself, it goes uncredited and I feel is likely derived from their marketing department. The same marketing department (or whomever) that decided to make Cora’s décor… Cora’s. If you’ve been there then you know what I mean. The walls are covered with nothing but ads for their various meals. No un-Cora’s-related material at all, just flagrant self-promotion and stark colour schemes. The porcelain roosters are a bit puzzling.