Also Read: Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, Ontario. Adrian Ravinsky and Dave Stewart can never take their spicy handrolls or the Eggplant Doubledown off the menu, but their experimental fare continues to tickle our taste buds. We accept reservations for bar seating from 6:30pm onwards. Some were pretty unique and uncommon like the 2007 vintage Kirakucho Jukusei Junmai (aged sake) and Xixarito Manzanilla Wine from Spain that tasted like whiskey. On the surface, this is just an old school diner, but look closer and youll find a dual menu with French bistro faves like smoked trout rillette, sole meunire and steak frites on one side, and comforting classics featuring fish sticks, and pork chop with applesauce on the other. Copyright 2022 Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. The Frilu smores are made with Hojicha marshmallow, smoked chocolate ganache, toasted graham cracker. If you're looking for sophisticated French dishes full ofsurprises, head to Alo--if you're lucky enough to get a reservation. Frilu is one of the contenders for Canadas Best New Restaurants by Air Canada in 2019. Chef Jonathan Williams elevates recognizable classics with a nod to Park Hyatt Toronto's global guestbook. LOCATION: 102 Yorkville Ave, Unit 4 Lower Level, Toronto, ON. There's no minimum or maximum price tag, and you'll seenew restaurants opened in recent years listed alongside institutions that have been around for decades (although, every restaurant mentioned has a dining room and offers a sit-down meal experience). This course at Frilu was the star of the night, a mindblowing dish made with charcoal duck breast with koshihikari rice, furikake, burnt onion. Twice. Instagram Facebook. Minami is one of my absolute fave sushi restaurants in Toronto, and theyre actually a sister restaurant to the wildly popular Miku. And you won't need happy hour here thanks to the $1/ounce house winea real bargain in this area. Chef Yasu built the first Omakase sushi bar in Canada. This Financial District restaurant offersincredible views from its 54th-floorperch and a seasonally changing menu that taps into Canadas diverse landscape. Hes still working within the gastro vocabulary of meat and potatoes and a deep fryer, but has increased the sophistication a thousandfold. At Pukka, chef Dinesh Butola's refined, yet casual, Indian cuisine includes slow-braised beef short ribs with cumin, cloves, and cardamom and sliced paneer with shiitake mushrooms, spinach, and pistachios. The Pulling Weeds course is paired with lavender-infused sparkling water. $95 plus $60 for wine pairings. Its proprietary spice blend is a mouthwatering complement to the meat, and accompaniments are standard, but plentiful: Caesar salad, French onion soup, mashed potatoes, and so on. In addition to a 360-degree view of Toronto, their $220 signature seven-course tasting menu starts with a collection of canapes before volleying to Quebec duck and Manitoba bison. The watermelon was served three ways: watermelon ice, fermented watermelon, and watermelon syrup. We did the Alcoholic pairing, and I can honestly say that it is so much better than the Non-Alcoholic pairing. Limited seating. The corner of Queen and Spadina was never the most posh or interesting address in Toronto, so when chef Patrick Kriss announced he would open a restaurant on the third floor of a historic Victorian building there, local foodies were skeptical. Thoroughbreds tasting menu is basically called Let Us Cook For You a fun, yet still refined riff on the classics that can give diners a memorable adventure in cuisine. Chef Rindinella's menu at Enoteca Sociale is a window into Italian tradition, offering refined Roman cuisine. content focusing on where to dine, what to eat, and trending food Two and a half hours. Yunaghi's creative tasting menu is inspired by traditional Japanese Kaiseki with French and Italian flavours. Music blasts and panache-filled dishes (hello, theatrically stabbed octopus) swirl around diners in such fashion that its scientifically impossible to dine at Bar Isabel and not want to keep the party going. One and a half hours. The tea-smoked duck breast, which is served with duck-liver mousse, parsnip, and poached Niagara pear, is sublime. Lauren Simmons: Amazing tasting menu and Asian fusion flare. Canoe has the best view in Toronto: CN Tower standing to one side, planes landing at City Airport to another, and Toronto's glittering skyline sprawling beyond the horizon. Unlike dining la carte or by prix fixe, where you select your courses, the chef builds the menu for you. Toronto shimmers out the window, and Canada sparkles on your plate at Canoe. news & events. Also Read: Gallery by Chele, Filipino Tasting Menu Restaurant in Manila. This intimate Michelin-starred restaurant near King and Niagara run by husband and wife team Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth serves a tasting menu that starts at $185. Theyve got everything from oshi sushi (pressed sushi) to their own signature sushi rolls, and its all amaze. This course was paired with Gyokuro Gokou, a first harvest organic green tea from Japan. A nice comfort food for a cold winter night! Located on the first floor of a converted house, Pinky's hardly feels like a restaurant at all and serves an interesting take on Vietnamese food. Wine and spirits pairings are an additional $180 per person. We get it theres a notable, tasting-menu-shaped hole on this list, but hear us out. There's only 22 seats in the dining room, so the vibe is decidedly intimate. The restaurant delivers crowd pleasing Southern Italian classics, including a near-perfect rendition of cacio e pepe. Come and. And the wine list, dominated by super Tuscans along with a couple of frizzy Franciacortas has a lot of quality, if pricey offerings. They work closely with farmers, fishers, foragers, and suppliers to source the best ingredients, which is amazing! This was my view from the right-most seat at the bar. Tasting menus feature the best a kitchen can muster, its technical merit and creativity. Its highly addicting that youd want a bottle of it at home. The tasting menu changes seasonally, a total of five times: one per season, plus a Holiday menu during December and January to reflect Christmas and New Year. What are some other great Toronto restaurants with prix fixe menus? Oliver & Bonacinis crown jewel serves contemporary takes on traditional French cuisine from two 1860s woodcutters cottages near Yonge and York Mills. Though we can't currently sit down and take in the elegant atmosphere of a multi-course restaurant meal, there are a number of upscale dining establishments across the city that are offering tasting menus and set meals for pickup and delivery. Webthe tasting menu is a must. And yes, the food here is just as good as the real estate. Fermentation is a theme you see throughout the menu: "black apple" (found in the sunchoke soup and in the Ontario lamb prepared two ways) is carefully dehydrated and dessicated in-house; the sweet potato appetizer is made with miso that's also made in-house; and the beef tartare comes with fermented turnip. One and a half hours. Take note that these are in order from least to most expensive tasting menus! The last 18 months have challenged an already tumultuous industry and while there have been casualties (Brothers and Woodlot are just two great spots COVID snatched from this list), the innovation and sheergrit of restaurateurs means that were still fortunate enough to enjoy an endless array of world-class meals from the best restaurants in Toronto. If you're unsure where to start, the tasting menu from Top Chef Canada winner Carl Heinrichhumbly billed as "Let us cook for you"is a good choice. Not many best restaurant contenders can say they have a tuna melt on the menu, but thats okay: Jen Agg has never been afraid to upset the status quo and Le Swan is yet another example of her doing things her own way to delicious effect. The fine dining restaurant with a neighbourhood feel showcases their creative kitchen through their tasting menu. I'm a born-and-raised Torontonian with a love for horror movies and drinking way too much coffee. Webstuffed chicken wing, prairie grains, foie gras, apple ontario lake trout champagne sauce, white fish croquette, poached onion aged rib eye lobster, burnt carrot, smoked bacon, In the months after David Chang opened Sht, every semi-ambitious chef in the city became a tasting menu convert, serving a dozen small courses, plus intermediary amuses or tastesa pervasive foodie noun. TasteToronto is a community of foodies offering experiences and rich This next dessert was a medley of refreshing, savoury and nutty. For some preparations, he wraps fish in pieces of fresh kombu kelp he's flown in from Hokkaido. Like Richmond Station, theyre one of the few Toronto restaurants that operates on a no-tipping basis everything is included in the fee, which is $185 per person and requires a prepaid reservation in advance! Reproduction in whole or in part strictly prohibited. Note: 18% gratuity is applied for groups of 6 and more. Toronto's in-the-know food obsessives clamor for tables at Bar Raval, a warm and bustling joint known for its stellar tapas and pintxos. No reservations, no signage, no phone number and barely any online presence the food here is so good that this unmarked hole in the wall has relied on word of mouth alone for years, and still sees long wait times on weekends. Wine pairings are also available if youre looking to go all out! Were just gonna come out and say it: Bernhardts is the most fun you can have with your pants on. You can order the DaiLos Choice in-person tasting menu for $88 per person, where the chef picks the entire meal. Located on a residential part of Ossington Avenue, the food served at this restaurant is inspired by Actinolite forest where chef Justin Cournoyer grew up. I love that the flavours of courses have multiple layers that combine to create something new, which make it all the more special. Dined on December 29, 2022. The College St. restaurant serves up classic French dishes where everything is made from scratch -- even the plates. All rights reserved. $85 plus $65 for wine pairings. This post may contain affiliate links. Did you know? Read more. Toronto's multitude of cooking traditions collects in Joni's tasting menu. Their $125 set menu is a constantly evolving tasting experience that is directly influenced by the seasonal produce, wild-caught seafood, and carefully reared animalsthe restaurant procures. The sake gelee is made with sake and set with agar. The dish is finished with shrimp oil, then topped with raw uni. Created by Studio Munge, the charcoal black interior, outfitted with black marble columns and layers of gold detailing underneath a curving blue graphic ceiling is absolutely stunning. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. It had a very good mix of meat, seafood and vegetarian courses. Walk-ins are welcome and subject to availability. For a greasy spoon, The Lakeview's menu is refreshingly non-greasy, and offers all the classic diner favorites with a few off-beat additions. It was paired with their seasonal spreads: It was like having the Chinese roasted pork but in butter form. Often named one of Torontos best restaurants, this contemporary Michelin Star French restaurant offers a fantastic tasting menu. Its the dining equivalent of a marathon: you rarely make the finish line in under three hours. They can accommodate most dietary restrictions in their tasting menu and thats hard to come by. Posted on Published: September 18, 2022- Last updated: January 18, 2023. Connect to customize your food & drink discovery. Theres a warmth and energy here its the kind of place where the bartenders will take shots with you. The vibe is right, the crowd is cool, the food is French without the fuss, and it's hard to think of a better date night spot in Toronto right now. The menu showcases the season of Summer and the bountiful produce from Ontario farms and farmers markets through dishes with bright and refreshing flavours. This course was paired with cucumber lemonade cut with honeydew pure. Load Menus; News; Press; Private Dining; Gift Cards; Careers; Contact; reservations. TasteToronto is a community of foodies offering experiences and rich You have to book a reservation months in advance, but its definitely worth it! brimming with originality, like pork Ten is the number of seats at this vegetable-forward restaurant. Zellers is opening 25 stores across Canada in partnership with Hudson's Bay this spring. One of the most interesting things about Richmond Station is that all their menu prices include cost of service, so tipping is discouraged! COVID might have thrown everything it had at this small-scale, unassuming tasting menu spot on Niagara Street, but Michael Caballo and Toby Nemeth are back at it, serving seasonal treats from their rooftop garden and wine pairings so spot-on they have been known to cause a string of expletives. If the dining room feels like something out of Barcelona, owners Grant van Gameren and Robin Goodfellow has done their jobs; after all, they used Raval, a neighborhood in the Spanish city, as inspiration for the sexy vibe and colorful decor. George Restaurant is one of Torontos most popular spots for tasting menus, and you can choose between 5, 7, or 10 courses. Actinolite Seven courses, one or two snacks. This is typically what I look for in a tasting menu. Join the conversation 1 review. Frilu RestaurantWebsite / Address: 7713 Yonge St, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2C4Hours: Tuesday Saturday from 5pm. Beyond the glowing service, consistently delicious food and robust wine offering, the friendly neighborhood spot is also flying the flag for sustainable eating. The menu celebrates the Mediterranean and places an emphasis on coastal Italy. Read on for our picks for the best restaurants in Toronto. The Smore was paired with coconut water & cashew milk, which brings back nostalgia of having graham crackers with milk. The tasting menu is quite unique as not a lot of tasting menu restaurants in Toronto use Asian influences in their courses. By comparison, the tasting menu at The Grove, on Dundas West, is pure comfort food. Book now at Pastiche in Toronto, ON. Read the full disclosure policy here. This progressive Canadian restaurant in Torontos Brockton Village serves a 10-course seasonal vegetable-focused tasting menu for $140 (with a $50 deposit). Inside, the space is relatively modern, complete with white tablecloths and impeccable service. Here are Toronto's best multi-course meal takeaway options! If you want to be where the action is, youll definitely want to be sitting at the bar seat closest to the kitchen. It was atough reservation to score even before thisthird-floor dining room at Queen and Spadina earnedits first Michelin star. Executive Chef and Owner John-Vincent Troiano brings his culinary expertise from world-renowned tasting menu restaurants. The pork sits on a bed of smoked peaches and a puree of cream corn, vanilla and saikyo miso. Toronto Life is a registered trademark of Toronto Life Publishing Company Limited. I was impressed with the tofu having the proper texture inside and a crispy exterior, all with a strong hazelnut flavour. Few restaurants can swell the hearts of Torontonians with pride quite like Bar Isabel, Little Italys answer to the moodily lit tavernas and tapas bars of Barcelona. Liu, who grew up as the son of Hakka parents in Canada, frequently wows palates with a unique brand of Chinese food made with French cooking flair. At the bottom of the bowl is a tomato dashi broth, which was made by lightly cooking the tomatoes until they release their flavour. He wraps thin slices of roasted celeriac around leek hearts, uses hemlock twigs to skewer twisting curls of squid and drapes lightly cured venison over reindeer lichen (worth trying once for the peculiar bristly texture). The 5 course tasting menu is $135 per person, 7 course is $155, and 10 course is $175. No pretensesjust good food. Looking to amp up your dining game for a special occasion celebration or a date night in? And my predictions have come true along with the fact that theyre one of the Michelin restaurants in Toronto. The best multi-course meal, tasting menu or prix fixe feast doesn't have to be reserved for dining out. To honour the city, and to say thanks for every full tummy and satisfied customer,we've put together this list of the 19 best restaurants in Toronto. Did you know? Their menu celebrates seafood, Spanish traditions and foraged treasures. 797 College St. View on Instagram. They use local and seasonal ingredients for their dishes, and their seafood is responsibly harvested! $55 plus $45 for wine pairings. Tableside, they poured a cucumber, dill and wood oil vinaigrette on top of the dish. A unique dessert at Frilu featuring hazelnut tofu, sunchoke, chocolate. The menu showcases ingredients from the North through more bold and earthy dishes to evoke a sense of comfort and warmth for the season. In other words, don't expect to find any burrata on the menu here. And you haven't really tasted feta until you've tried their barrel-aged brick. When you walk into Marben, there is a sense of warmth and welcomeness that is sometimes hard to come by in this concrete jungle. 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