Putting the joy back in breakfast in Ancaster and Burlington
Whether it's a diner or a deluxe hotel, there's something special about breakfast prepared by someone else. Some nice person is always topping up your coffee and there's a chance that the usual bowl of cereal will be replaced with a well-balanced meal of protein, carbs and fruit and veggies. We used to go out for breakfast weekly in the before times, but our favourite place closed.
Along comes Pur & Simple (P&S) in Ancaster and breakfast happiness resumes.
The fast-growing Canadian-owned breakfast/lunch franchise has roots in Quebec. Their fifth location (and first in Ontario) opened in 2019 in Burlington and I always meant to visit. When the Ancaster location opened at the end of April, I decided no more excuses." I visited - with the slight worry about whether it would turn out to be a soulless corporate environment with meh" food.
No worries! Everything we ate was flawless and staff were welcoming. That hospitality is likely influenced by owner Mauricio Araque, who is originally from Venezuela where he had a restaurant. When moving to Canada, he and his wife agreed to leave behind the late hours of restaurant work so they settled on running a UPS store. It was right next to a P&S - and so began a new restaurant love affair. Certainly, the early hours were preferable and added to that, Araque was impressed with the company, its values and the food so he went from running a UPS to a P&S.
Their menu is extensive and may merit some online study before arriving at the restaurant. In brief, there are traditional egg/protein breakfasts, smoothies, crepes, poutine, handhelds, skillets, eggs benedict, avocado toasts, pancakes, waffles, French toasts, omelettes, and low-calorie offerings, plus a long list of sides - and a kids' menu. Resign yourself to the fact that repeat visits will be required to fully experience all that tantalizes.
P&S opens daily at 7 a.m. and had a pleasant buzz when we arrived a few hours later. A small lunch menu is added to breakfast options at 11 a.m. - for example, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. By the time we left, the place was bustling. Head there for breakfast, brunch or lunch - they close at 3.
Our dining choices leaned toward items one doesn't often see on a menu.
From the skillet section, we had Ray's Extravaganza. Bacon, sausage, ham, red and green peppers, red onions, tomatoes, cheddar, Swiss, provolone and Hollandaise sauce were presented atop P&S potatoes in a steaming hot skillet with one egg any style on top. What's not to like? The P&S potatoes that make a frequent appearance are crispy on the outside, fluffy inside and very tasty.
The Benedicts section offered several choices. I take the quality of a hollandaise sauce as a measure of the talent in the kitchen. Added to that test, I chose to have my poached eggs on top of latkes (potato pancakes). Could both be good? The resounding answer was yes! The latkes were a bit thick but had a nice crunch and taste. The hollandaise sauce (which comes plain or spicy) was smooth and buttery with a slightly acidic balance from lemon.
All the Benedict choices come on English muffins with P&S potatoes on the side. To counterbalance the carbs, I ordered a fruit bowl that was fresh and tasty.
A list of several dozen sides made it possible for us to also sample the waffles, which were perfect in flavour and texture. I was drawn to the cinnamon Danish which turned out to be a blast from the past. The Danish was sliced in half - as you'd slice a bagel - buttered and toasted on the flat-top grill - a toasted Danish. I have not seen this in years. Delicious in its own right and evoking fond memories - I could eat that every day.
The typical breakfast carb is bread and there are eight bread options to accommodate various dietary preferences and restrictions. Their website offers nutritional details for every menu item.
P&S features their own coffee and tea, and has also formed a partnership with Nespresso so you can enjoy their specialties. Available now are non-alcoholic breakfast drinks - the No-Gria Mocktail (orange, pineapple, and cranberry juice, with elderflower syrup, 7-up and berries) and the No-Jito Mocktail (white cranberry juice, 7-up, lime sour and fresh mint). Their license will soon permit sangria, mimosas, Bellinis, wine and beer.
All of this happens in an open, light-filled space with booths and tables with French bistro chairs. Ritou Maloni, one of the P&S co-founders, has been quoted saying that their goal is to bring affordable luxury to diners from coast to coast."
There's a saying that people should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper." There's no clear science that supports this as an optimal eating pattern, but if you plan to (affordably) eat breakfast like a king, head to Pur & Simple.
Diane Galambos is a food writer who shares stories and recipes at her blog kitchenbliss.ca. Follow her on Instagram https://instagram.com/kitchenblissca
Need to know
Pur & Simple
737 Golf Links Rd., Ancaster
905-304-0303
pursimple.com/ancaster/
instagram.com/pursimpleca/
Pur & Simple
1940 Appleby Line Unit 22, Burlington
289-313-6255
pursimple.com/burlington-copy-copy/
instagram.com/pursimpleburlington/
HoursMonday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
What I paidBenedict: Potato Pancakes $17; Fruit Bowl $3.50; Skillet: Ray's Extravaganza $17; Cinnamon Danish $4.50; Half Waffle $5; Coffee $3
Wheelchair accessYes