The original Mildred Pierce restaurant in Toronto opened its doors in 1990, and shut them on the previous location for the last time in the summer of 2007. In such a fickle business as this, any restaurateur should be more than content with a run just shy of 20 years. But Mildred's owners are not just any restaurateurs.

See Restaurant gallery below!

If you're not much in the culinary loop of TO, you may not know that the folks behind the beloved Mildred Pierce are husband and wife team Kevin Gallagher and Donna Dooher - the same Donna Dooher who is the proprietor of Cookworks Studio (the school) and host of The Cookworks on Food Network Canada.   

Couple such pedigree with the draw of an exiting new space in Toronto's urban condo 'hood, Liberty Village, and much to Torontonians' delight, you get Mildred Pierce reborn, as Mildred's Temple Kitchen.

Although in the 15 years - give or take - that I've know of it, I've never actually dined at Chef Dooher's restaurant. What I was obsessed with however - and I was by far not alone - was Chef Dooher's brunch.  

At the old Mildred Pierce, come the weekend you had to get there around 7am to get a seat - they didn't and still don't take reservations for brunch. Temple Kitchen however is about 80 million times the size, and even still, nurses a formidable line-up for those who think they can just stroll in at their leisure.  

Once seated in the airy, modern room - a stark contrast to the plush, bistro-like space in an old warehouse - brunchers are there for many things, but particularly for Dooher's famous blueberry pancakes. The menu has changed some to reflect Chef Dooher's move toward more Farmhouse cuisine, but the city's favourite pancakes remain right where they should be - on the menu.  

I love my pancakes, but I also love my eggs, and bacon, and scones and salad and every other brunch food you can think of, so our table ordered one of almost everything off the tidy list of offerings.

My faves:

• Eggs with truffled oil over mushroom salad and bits of pancetta
• The heavenly scones with homemade preserves
• The gorgeous side of bacon
• And, of course, the blueberry pancakes (just as I remember, simply to die for)

Heavenly food aside, it's worth mentioning that the new space has allowed the resto to really spread its design wings; before you enter the main room of modern furnishings, dramatic light fixtures and the sleek expanse of an open kitchen, you may languish for some minutes in the aforementioned line-up, actually a fabulous waiting lounge outfitted in Molo Designs. Molo is a Vancouver-based design firm known for their ingenious collapsible paper furniture. Check out the dividing paper wall and the variously sized ottomans/coffee tables in the gallery below!

View Larger Map

Mildred's Temple Kitchen
85 Hanna Ave.
Toronto, ON
(416) 588-5695

Bazaar's Restaurant posts are featured every Friday.

Related: The Restaurant Hunt Challenge - Who Serves the Best Steak?