Walk too quickly on Queen Street West and you’ll breeze by Simpl Things tucked away on Dunn Avenue. It’s a cute and cheerful establishment swathed in pastels with a retro feel. It’s a place that locals know given their rotating customer groups during our late Saturday lunch.

The brisket croquettes ($9) are a great snack or appetizer. Hot from the fryer, the crispy potato nuggets are stuffed with shredded beef. Offered as a daily special, I feel it deserves a permanent spot on the menu.

In fact, an order of the croquettes with the mini wedge salad ($7) makes for a nice light lunch. The side salad is surprisingly large, almost half an iceberg lettuce topped with a creamy and zesty herb sauce and sprinkled with crunchy corn nuts, hazelnuts, and cashews. The excess dressing would go wonderfully with the croquettes.

There are a lot of incredible breakfast sando ($22) around town. Simpl Things is fine, a tower of scrambled egg, bacon, avocado, cheddar cheese, pickled onions, and lettuce sandwiched between thick slices of soft house made milk bread. While filled with great ingredients, they just weren’t hot enough – the bacon was cold having been premade and the omelette merely warm. Maybe it’s a matter of preference, but I like mine steaming to cast of an enticing aroma.

While it doesn’t rock in the sando department, Simpl Things is where you go for boozy brunches. They offer an array of cocktails. I tried the butterfly effect ($18) that looks and tastes fruity, but not overly sweet so it makes for a great summer sipper.

And if I were in the mood for more, I would have went with the cocktail flight (three for $30) or just ordered the “teeny” sized ones that are $10 each and make my own flight. Just a little tipple, a great excuse to knock back a few without getting smashed.