It's no secret we love Karelia Kitchen. This friendly Bloordale eatery manages to be both smokehouse and restaurant all at once. Housed in a narrow space with a chipper orange exterior, the resto is run by husband-and-wife duo Donna Ashley and Leif Kravis and is always full of regulars. The key? Dishing out homey Scandinavian fare so tasty it demands return visits.

Karelia does midday eats with menu fixtures like the smokehouse platter on offer alongside more brunchy finds. For mushroom lovers, we highly recommend the tart ($12) that puts a luxurious spin on the classic dish. With a trio of ’shrooms — king oyster, porcini and cremini — the tart filling gets an uptick thanks to the inclusion of duck eggs. Not to mention the incredibly flaky crust. (“It’s just butter, butter, butter!” explains Ashley, with a twinkle in her eye.) Hey, it does arrive with a generous side salad gussied up with ribbons of carrot; it’s all about balance. 

Karelia Kitchen, 1194 Bloor St. W., 647-748-1194