[X] Close Window / << Back to the Kitchen

Tango Palace Coffee Company (1156 Queen St. East, Toronto)

Nov 16, 2005—On my way to work today, I spied a new Starbucks franchise brandishing its mighty ‘Coming soon’ logo at Queen St. W. and Dovercourt. While I do indulge in a Starbucks kick every now and again, this is a case of “not in my backyard” even though I live decidedly farther west of all the brouhaha. I address, with some expected disdain, the trendy bar sprawl that has even more recently begun to show its face in the neighbourhood. Thus began my search for that certain elsewhere.

On a particularly blustery (why Sarah and I choose blustery days for our adventures is beyond me) November evening, we stopped in on cosy Tango Palace in search of warmth and refreshment. It being a Wednesday, Lorraine the Clairvoyant was making the rounds reading tea leaves. Each with our own giant mugs of tea and cookies the size of our faces, Sarah and I were engaged in our own reading—some of which included chattering on about my own unfortunate lack of clairvoyance in a particular situation that had been occupying me. Tango Palace is unassuming without the weird ‘looking over my shoulder to see if I know anyone here’ vibe that I get from hanging about the west-end. No one is here to be seen, and everyone is here for a mug of something warm and a slice of something sweet. By the latter, I mean a counter laden with cookies (including one made with flax) and biscotti, and a display case crammed with squares, brownies and cake of any and every imaginable caramel/chocolate variety. These are extreme cavity-inducing treats.

Tango Palace is my new favourite spot that I will keep in mind for whenever I go east. You know, I’m really beginning to like the idea of a location warp too.

Charlene K. Lau