The Cafe is called, The Starving Artist. It was an oddity to pop into as it is outside of an area that I spend a fair amount of time in. The main attraction for me to go there was to visit a friend I have not seen in years. I'm quite glad I did, as it was nice to catch up!Needless to say, upon entering, and waiting to be seated, we (my wife and I) were served a bottle of water. I know, this sounds very odd, but it is the fact that the bottle is corked, as seen to the left, and easily resealable to prevent various "friends" from taking a swim in. Sure enough, we were served by our friend Leah, as well as a co-worker of hers. I just ordered a coffee to enjoy, as I was more interested in relaxing and seeing the cafe and having a short visit with one of my oldest friends.
I believe it was just a basic Americano bean light roasted coffee, which had the right flavor for the moment. Not too strong, and with just enough bitterness to tempt the palate.. Of course, we weren't just there for a visit and a small cup of coffee, we were there to try what this little cafe was famous for. Their specialty waffles! Well, a quick glance at the menu and we were able to quickly (but not easily) decide on a small dish. A Blueberry (we substituted for strawberry) waffle with Vanilla ice-cream and whip-cream. It was just splendid! 
The ice-cream was a perfect softness, while the waffle was cooked to perfection. The butterscotch topping was, as expected, sweet, and the strawberries were wonderfully ripe, sweet, and flavourful with just the right amount of tanginess to them.
The waffle edges were nicely crisped, while the middle was soft, and held a wonderful flavour to it. It easily absorbed some of the melting ice-cream, which made the dish that much better! Sure enough, I made sure I let Donna have the first bite. Her expression may look like it's a bit bitter, but I can promise you that it was more along the lines of just being the right time to press the shutter for a facial expression showing that it was a big mistake to come there..
But before I close this little segment of work let me just say that this is a wonderful little cafe. It's one of the few waffle houses in the city, but is definitely one of the better cafes I have been to. The ambiance and location is very nice, albeit more parking around wouldn't hurt (WAKE UP CITY OF TORONTO!). The choice of meals is very good, with a strong emphasis on waffles, obviously. The interesting thing is just how much they cater to the waffle loving crowd they get. I mean.. Bacon Benny Waffles.. Bacon Waffles, and more..
It's basically a Bacon Waffle lover's dream come true. A place that specializes in both Bacon, and of course, their wonderful waffles.
The decor in the place very much stands out, as it is definitely geared more toward the "artsy" crowds, but anyone will fit in, as it is a fun little cafe to visit.Located on Landsdowne Avenue in Totonto, just North of Bloor Street West, it is a very easy place to get to. Within steps from Landsdowne Subway station, and a short jog up from Bloor street.
The Starving Artist is close enough that anyone can easily make it a place to visit as often as they would like. I will definitely be going back. Hope to see you there!
The Starving Artist Cafe
584 Lansdowne Avenue
Toronto, ON M6H3Y6
(647) 342-5058
Food is quite good to excellent. Staff is very friendly, and make you feel right at home. The ambiance is very light and enjoyable, and it is a great place to just come in and enjoy a waffle with a coffee.. I'd give it a 3½/5 to 4/5. The prices are at the point where you almost feel like you should be paying a bit more for, but you are definitely getting what you pay for.
All photos were taken on a Nikon Nikkormat FT2 w/50mm ƒ/1.8 Nikon Lens on Fuji Extra 800ASA film, and developed in a Jobo C-41 Press Kit.
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