Lunch @ Green Grotto Tea Room (Warden & Steeles)

Green Grotto Tea Room is my favourite tea room to sit back and read/flip through magazines.  I love, LOVE their selection of magazines and the service has always been great when I've gone (sometimes slow during busier times though).  Nowhere else in Toronto can you get a better selection of and recent collection of Chinese/Japanese magazines!  Tea drinks are generally decent as well.  I had a chance to try one of their M-F lunch specials and I must say that I'm glad they've improved on their food selection from a couple of years ago.  I decided on the salt and pepper crispy chicken which comes with rice, 3 sides and your choice of standard tea/milk tea drink.

Unfortunately there are only 4 different choices for the lunch special.

Verdict: the salt and pepper chicken was decent (but portion size may be a little small for people) and I'd definitely order it again as a snack if I'm just there to enjoy a tea instead of a meal (which is often the case).  Sides were okay (basic cabbage salad and potato salad) but the edamame was very garlicky which is okay for a garlic lover like me but if you're on a date, you might want to steer clear of it.  I also upsized my drink to a large...20 oz, a good value.  Service during lunch was okay.

Salt and pepper chicken, lightly battered and seasoned.

And yes, complimentary popcorn for all tables!

I only wish I could have stayed longer...wish I could have spent the whole afternoon there actually.  Some might say "wasted" the afternoon away but spending time in a place I like, drinking tea, reading and enjoying the atmosphere is not a waste.  I had some errands to run so I feel like I wasted my chance to relax and enjoy.  There were a number of people on laptops doing work (or studying) and I think if I had a job that allowed me to work from anywhere, this would definitely be on my list of spots.

I'll be back to try some of the other things on the menu like the beef noodle soup.  If it's good, I'm going to have a hard time staying away from this place!