#FoodPornFriday - The Leaf is back, sort of, and better than ever.

Back in August, I posted a sad #FoodPornFriday post about one of my favourite local restaurants closing: The Leaf Grill. Well, it ends up that that was rather fortuitous as The Leaf is back, in a new form and better than ever.

At 5240 Tecumseh Rd East, the previous location of the Leaf Grill (previously the Maple Leaf Tavern) you can now find Factory House. This is a much more modern looking and feeling remake of The Leaf. It's the same owners and same head cook but the place itself is improved in many ways. Much of this is the look and feel of the place. The atmosphere is much better. the place no longer feels like a dive bar turned restaurant. It feels like it's own place with a mechanical, factory theme.

The menu also went through a big revamp. At least most of it did. Our first trip there I was very pleased to see that they still had Butter Chicken on the menu. Like the restaurant itself, it's an improved version of the old dish. The chicken now comes in a great looking copper bowl. The naan now comes on the plate and the spices in the dish have been kicked up a notch while not becoming too spicy. 

The Butter Checking form The Leaf

Really this new Butter Chicken matches the evolution of the restaurant well. Back with The Maple Leaf Tavern, this dish didn't even exist. You didn't go to The Maple Leaf to get fancy foreign food, you went for one of the best Clubhouses in the city and maybe some Molson Canadian.  With The Leaf, you suddenly had this amazing dish. Something new that proved that you weren't at the old Maple Leaf. Now with the Factory House, you still have Butter Chicken, the same dish, almost. It looks better, it's presented better and it tastes just a bit better. That's what Factory House is to me. It's just a better version of The Leaf. That's a very good thing.

A sad #FoodPornFriday post about The Leaf

Yes, you can believe your eyes. I actually managed to post two #FoodPornFriday posts in a row. Actual consistency. Now next Friday we will be in Florida so I double I can make it a hat trick but we will see.

While I'm happy I managed to actually post two weeks in a row this #FoodPornFriday post makes me quite sad. What you see pictured here was my favorite dish from The Leaf Neighbourhood Grill. I say was my favourite dish because The Leaf recently closed its doors, for good.

This bummed out my entire family. The Leaf was our favourite 'family restaurant.'  It was the place we went the most often with my parents. It was somewhere we went regularly with our kids. It's also somewhere my wife and I would go when we just wanted some down to earth good food.

This particular dish I always ordered as Butter Chicken. On the menu, they called it Chicken Mahkani. Boneless chicken breast grilled and smothered with Indian butter sauce. Serviced with Jasmine rice, hot Naan bread, and the seasonal vegetable.  Nine times out of ten when we went to The Leaf this is what I got. I loved it and I miss it.