The newest location of Balzac Coffee opened at the Toronto Reference Library on Yonge, just north of Bloor just a little over a month ago and recently, I stopped in for some breakfast.  I’ve been to other Balzac locations before, including a very artsy spot at the Distillery District, so I wasn’t expecting too much in terms of food.  Balzac is, after all, is more of a place one stops in for a caffeine fix.  There’s a full menu of coffees, with both espresso-based and drip coffee drinks as well as tea.  And on top of that, a wide range of milks (cow’s milk, soy and almond) to choose from.  The cow’s milk is organic.

A not-so-good croissant and a delicious “Canadiano”

For breakfast, I ordered a simple croissant and “Canadiano” (highly recommended) – basically a latte sweetened with maple syrup and let’s just say that my two items were like day and night.  While the Canadiano tasted amazingly good (and this is coming from someone who rarely sweetens caffeine), the food was the complete opposite.  In fact, the croissant tasted like it was delivered the day before.  I wasn’t expecting perfectly baked goods, but was hoping that it would at least be at the Starbucks level – you know, not very good, but not stale, either.  I have yet to try their oatmeal, but it doesn’t look too promising.  Like its Starbucks, Second Cup and Timothy’s World Coffee counterparts, the oatmeal is flavoured, instant and displayed in single serve containers at the counter.

Though the food isn’t the best, I would still recommend Balzac if you’re only looking for something caffeinated.  The Canadiano alone is a reason to go.  I find it unique and is probably the only cafe I can think of that carries this on the regular menu (the maple latte at the Second Cup is seasonal).  And it’s not overly sweet like some flavoured lattes.  In addition, the Yonge and Bloor location does feel cozy, even if it isn’t as artsy as, say, the Distillery District.