In the dead of February, the wind tunnel at Yonge and Eglinton couldn't stop me from visiting MIA Brunch Bar to catch up with a friend. It seemed like others felt the same, as all the tables were filled by our 10:30 visit (thankfully, MIA takes reservations) and the groups of two following me were seated around their bar. Yet, with a 75-minute seating limit, tables clear out at a good pace and people seemed to be seated after a short wait.

Their chai tea latte ($5.50 - $5 with $0.5 supplement for oat milk) was a wonderful way to warm up while pursuing the menu. Fragrant and perfectly sweetened, it was just what I needed to melt the cold shivers away.

All before tucking into a plate of chicken Belgian waffles ($19), the dish that enticed me to book the reservation in the first place. The three thick pieces of fried dark meat had a well-seasoned crispy crust, which looks thick but is rather light with the excess batter breaking away while cutting into the chicken. They were juicy and tender and could easily find a home between a soft bun to become an amazing fried chicken sandwich.

I guess you could make your own sandwich with two of the three palm-sized waffles. They are nice and sweet on their own, so I could have even forgone the maple creme drizzle, although the thick creamy sweet sauce was a nice addition to create a dessert-like finish to the pastries. The diced fruit salad helped to temper the otherwise glutenous dish.

The chicken and waffles are a hearty plate that could be shared but was so good that I don't know if one piece would have sufficed. Be warned: I wouldn’t split this with more than one other person.

I did steal a fry from my friend's breakfast poutine ($20 - $16 with $4 supplement for avocado) and it was hot and delicious covered in a thick buttery hollandaise sauce. Along with poached eggs and cheese curds this is the breakfast to cure hangovers.

With the re-opening of restaurants, I've gravitated towards ordering fried dishes as they aren’t ones I would make at home and rarely tastes good when delivered. Go big or go home, I say. Although if hearty heart clogging brunch is not your thing, MIA also offers lighter options like granola yoghurt, avocado toast, and salad. Just be merry and eat brunch.