T-Bones Restaurant
T-Bones Restaurant is one of Scarborough's best known burger joints. Though hardly the fanciest establishment in the neighbourhood, many swear by this 24-hour staple.
According to local legend, the building that now houses T-Bones was once a Wendy's.
Its bright red exterior and chunky yellow logo make this difficult to believe. The design is so quintessentially Scarborough that few can imagine it as anything else.
The dining room can likewise be considered a Scarborough original. With the exception of a few artificial plants, ornamentation is sparse and polish is practically non-existent.
Despite looking a little rough around the edges, T-Bones does steady business. Construction workers and commuters enter in droves at lunchtime, leaving with paper bags filled with greasy takeout.
As far as food is concerned, T-Bones is an old-school diner through and through.
The menu is displayed on a set of hanging signs above the service counter, though you won't have to look at them for very long; chances are you'll smell the food the moment you walk into the restaurant.
T-Bones mainly offers standard diner fare — steaks, burgers and the like. Breakfast dishes, including omelettes and egg sandwiches, are also available.
T-Bones signature dish is, of course, a 16-oz T-Bone Steak ($22.99).
This enormous piece of meat comes with your choice of fries, salad or mashed potatoes, as well as butter, steak sauce and a fluffy dinner roll.
If you're in the mood for something meaty, but don't have room for a full-sized steak, the T-Bone Sirloin Burger ($6.95) is a great alternative.
The beef patty is thick, juicy and filling and can be garnished with a wide variety of toppings.
I was honestly a little underwhelmed by the Fish & Chips ($13.95), which was satisfying, but somewhat under seasoned.
Sides of ketchup and tartar sauce kept me from being too disappointed, but I couldn't help but feel like the fish itself was missing something.
The Chef Salad ($5.50) is a lighter option, which can be added to a meal or eaten on its own.
Lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers are arranged in a colourful display, then topped with a ramekin of homemade dressing, which gives the vegetables a pleasantly vinegary taste.
Whether you're craving steak on the way to the office or eggs in the wee hours of the morning, T-Bones has you covered.T-Bones Restaurant is located at 2540 Eglinton Ave E.
Fareen Karim