Rare @ Urban Eatery

Rare (Urban Eatery, Eaton Centre, 220 Yonge Street, Toronto)

I was excited to try something at the Eaton Centre's brand new Urban Eatery because many millions of dollars has been put into those renovations. Though the name is a little pretentious, it does seem a little nicer and bigger than the average food court. But I must insist that it is still just a food court, a really huge food court.

There were the food court regulars such as McDonald's and KFC, but there were also some more unique options. I noted a Big Smoke burger joint, Mucho Burrito, Amaya, etc. Among the newer names, Andrew noted Rare, a sandwich joint.

Oh Canada roast beef sandwich and mango salad.

The sandwich came with aged Canadian cheddar, bacon, creamy horseradish, and caramelized onions. I really liked the caramelized onions, and the pressed, toasty ciabatta white bread held everything together quite nicely. There was a good serving of roast beef, but I thought the meat lacked a little flavour. Andrew said that might have been because the other ingredients were really strong and overpowering. Also, I was still a bit sick, so my taste buds might have also been under the weather. A soup or salad of my choice was also included in the $8.95 price tag. The mango salad had bits of noodles and I think there was cilantro in there too. There was a sourness reminiscent of the clear vinegary fish sauce at pho restaurants.

Oh Canada roast beef sandwich and chicken noodle soup.

Andrew didn't seem to have many complaints about his sandwich other than the creamy horseradish sauce being strong. He mentioned that he'd like to try the philly sandwich next time.

Would I return? To the Urban Eatery? Probably. It's now the only food court in the Eaton Centre and it seems convenient when shopping in the area. There are a lot of options, and the area is clean (for now). The other big change that was implemented was the use of reusable dishes and cutlery. Cups and glasses too! It's like Ikea, but fancy. Andrew thinks the glasses will be stolen because they're pretty nice. There are signs on some tables to remind patrons to bring their trays to one of the service stations where staff will clear and sort trays. Andrew said that on Friday, the piles of trays and plates were about two feet off the counter. There were less people and less chaos when I went. Oh, and there are hooks underneath the taller tables to hang your purses, bags, new purchases, etc. 

Would I return to Rare? Sure. It's okay. It seemed like a healthy meal, and overall the food tasted pretty good. My mind wasn't blown, but it's pretty good stuff for food court food. Also, I'm a sucker for caramelized onions.

Total damage: $10.11.

All pics by Andrew's camera.