If asked to describe a typical Toronto street, on typical Toronto day, in the rain, at dusk, this photo (taken at my dinner-for-one at Zocalo last week) would be it.

My little neighborhood has been experiencing a shift. This not-so-tucked-away bistro (that really feels like it’s a secret spot) is just one example of the slow change happening here. Of course, bidding wars and a lot more sightings of skinny jeans are some others. The point is, change can be very, very good.

The menu doesn’t change at Zocalo – it’s the same for brunch as it is for lunch and dinner – and it’s not very big. I thought this might be redundant at first, but it’s not. I love that it’s this way. I know what I can look forward to when I go there now and it’s kind of cool to see if what I had for dinner one day will work as well for brunch on a Sunday. So far every dish I’ve tried has been pretty interchangeable.

By the way: my favorite for lunch or dinner is the Pomegranate Chicken dish and a glass of Malbec. Try it, it’s basically perfect.