I've been trying to have brunch with my parents more frequently and this time they chose James Street Cafe and Grill. It's a little place tucked on Canada Way, but I've never actually wandered in. The menu is completely unexpected and eclectic. They have burgers and curry, yes, curries. It's an interesting mix to be sure. I've often found that places that try to do two different cuisines usually only excel at one. With all the choices available to us, we decided to go for the ethnic choices instead of your usual Eggs Benny. Our appetizer was the Chicken Samosas. These were light and not at all oily. The filling was a bit dry and you couldn't really tell that it was chicken (because it was ground chicken and rather dry) but a decent version of the real thing. My mom, the lightest eater of us all, opted for a simple Dal, a simple lentil soup. It was very rich and smooth, but felt very healthy. The cumin wasn't overpowering and complemented the soup very well. Hot with a very creamy texture, this is perfect for a cool spring day. My stepdad, who is trying to eat healthier lately decided on the Weekend Breakfast Special. This features a Vegetable Omelet, some Masala potatoes and their delicious Naan Bread. I miss the tri-fold omelette. I think the half moon (seen at Rocky Mountain) seems to be the norm now, and I was surprised to see the presentation here. He really enjoyed it and you can clearly see the abundance of vegetables here. The naan was a bit oil and flat in my opinion, but he seemed to enjoy it. But the best part of the dish was the masala potatoes. This ain't your average hash, the spices permeated throughout the potatoes and really livened up the dish. Oh, and what did I get? Well, 11:30am seemed like a perfect time for Goat Biriyani, wouldn't you say? My parents were in shock when this huge rice platter was placed in front of me. The fluffy saffron rice pilaf was perfectly cooked and not a clump could be found. The goat was tender and there were lots of pieces with the bones still attached, my favourite. The spice was a bit mild but then again, this was early, so I'm sure that as the day went on and the flavours developed, it would have gotten better. And it did, because I ended up taking half of this home and can attest that it was better the second time around!
Take Note:
Very eclectic menu but go for the ethnic items
They pour their wine very generously (yes, I had wine at brunch, don't judge)
Daily specials available for dine-in or takeout. Just $11 and can feed 2 easily.
The menu is completely unexpected and eclectic. They have burgers and curry, yes, curries. It's an interesting mix to be sure. I've often found that places that try to do two different cuisines usually only excel at one. With all the choices available to us, we decided to go for the ethnic choices instead of your usual Eggs Benny. 
Our appetizer was the Chicken Samosas. These were light and not at all oily. The filling was a bit dry and you couldn't really tell that it was chicken (because it was ground chicken and rather dry) but a decent version of the real thing.
My mom, the lightest eater of us all, opted for a simple Dal, a simple lentil soup. It was very rich and smooth, but felt very healthy. The cumin wasn't overpowering and complemented the soup very well. Hot with a very creamy texture, this is perfect for a cool spring day. 
My stepdad, who is trying to eat healthier lately decided on the Weekend Breakfast Special. This features a Vegetable Omelet, some Masala potatoes and their delicious Naan Bread. I miss the tri-fold omelette. I think the half moon (seen at Rocky Mountain) seems to be the norm now, and I was surprised to see the presentation here. He really enjoyed it and you can clearly see the abundance of vegetables here. The naan was a bit oil and flat in my opinion, but he seemed to enjoy it. But the best part of the dish was the masala potatoes. This ain't your average hash, the spices permeated throughout the potatoes and really livened up the dish. 
Oh, and what did I get? Well, 11:30am seemed like a perfect time for Goat Biriyani, wouldn't you say? My parents were in shock when this huge rice platter was placed in front of me. The fluffy saffron rice pilaf was perfectly cooked and not a clump could be found. The goat was tender and there were lots of pieces with the bones still attached, my favourite. The spice was a bit mild but then again, this was early, so I'm sure that as the day went on and the flavours developed, it would have gotten better. And it did, because I ended up taking half of this home and can attest that it was better the second time around!
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