I was driving down Ossington looking for a lunch spot and noticed a sandwich board advertising a Cuban lunch. Intrigued, I parked and dropped in for lunch at Delux, which focuses on this side of the Atlantic during the day as a deviation from the French-inspired dinner service at night.I was quickly seated and found som irony in the fact that I was seated facing a wall size pictur of the alphabet in a plac that can’t spell th word Delux.
A menu offering on a clipboard was provided to me quickly.
Bottles of water served Ossington-style* were readily available.
Conch fritters were ordered as an appetizer. They were very good and served piping hot.
Dessert was not an option since I got the bill before I was even asked if I wanted any.
Expensive cocktails….$14 for a 2 oz mojito?
Fried ripe plantains were spiced nicely but were oversalted.
Guava juice for $3 was a refreshing option.
Ham on the cubano was abundant.
Indigestion ensued.
Jalapenos were served with the Cuban to spice it up.
Kicking myself for not ordering the rice and beans.
Lackluster dipping sauce served with conch fritters.
Mustard on the cubano was delicious and not overbearing.
Nice amount of melted swiss on the cubano sandwich. Served at a great temperature.
Oysters are available for a bit over two bucks each.
Pressed cubano sandwich was quite good but not remarkable.
Questionable service. She made no suggestions, was slow and somewhat apathetic.
Roast pork on the cubano was moist and delicious.
Salads looked good. They were ordered by other tables.
Takes credit card! Woohoo!
Underwhelming decor.
Vegetarian choices include avocado, cheese and tomato sandwiches as well as salads and sides.
Wine list focuses primarily on Canadian and French with a few US, Spanish and Italian choices thrown in.
X is not the last letter in Deluxe.
You might want to share the conch fritters. There are too many and they are too rich for one person.
Zagat ranking of 23 for food. Lower for service and decor.
*-Ossington-Style water service usually involves a continuous supply of tap or still water served in some sort of glass vessel or carafe.
My Take
I must admit I was a bit let down after raising my hopes with the thought of an exotic Cuban lunch. The food was authentic enough but the service made me feel like I was JFK in a Cuban restaurant during the Bay of Pigs invasion.
This experience may have been an anomaly from a place which normally promises a favourable dining experience, but for now the absent E in Delux may represent “excellence” because it was definitely missing on this particular day.
Fare..Eat..Ales 