THE CHASE
10 Temperance St., 647-348-7000It’s developed into a very good resto. Still dropdead stunning — divine decadence, a penthouse atop of a heritage downtown building. You take the lift to the 5th floor, to some glam space lit tall windows and by grand chandeliers. Luxe banquettes and generous tables, with service and food to coincide. Amazing octopus comes jazzed with piquillo peppers and salsa verde, merguez sausage. This is really a kitchen. Their lamb is brilliant — yogurt marinated rack and pink tender cinnamon with braised shank tagine with couscous, cauliflower and pomegranate. Fat gilded scallops sit fairly on yellow beet risotto.
Engagement party venue Toronto
Alo
163 Spadina Ave., 416-260-2222If Toronto had a Michelin three star restaurant, but instead of being French and snobby and formal, it was cheery and unpretentious, it would be Alo, brought to us Patrick Kriss. We mourned the loss when Kriss left Acadia. Who knew his vision was bigger and so much broader than that? I typically hate tasting menus, feel imprisoned in their too-long too much parade of dishes. But I’m to Alo, every dish a modest perfect extravaganza of flavor, feel and visuals in thrall. $95, five courses. Plus a lot of extras. The menu changes regularly but anticipate an amuse like fennel custard with lemon as well as olive oil froth, subsequently fab smoked foie gras with chestnut crumble and sweet potato chips… lobster with sunchoke radicchio and slit, lightly pickled, both pureed and truffle…. The most intense mushroom dish in town: Hedgehog mushrooms with crisped trumpet mushrooms, chicken skin in gel sheet form, and silken puree of celery root. The beat goes on, pork, duck and past fish to intricate fine chocolate desserts.
THE BLACK HOOF
928 Dundas St. W., 416 551 8854The Hoof does some luscious pig products and grand charcuterie — We adore the greasy crispy smoked pork jowl with roasted figs, the fat set off by pickled pears -pear sauce. Their entry into taco-land can be very good — high-flavoured cochinita pibil tacos. And they’ve diversified into the vegetable kingdom. Perfectly charred rapini makes sweet love with caramelized onion mayo charred figs and crispy walnuts with mustard seed vinaigrette. Arctic char has been treated a la gravlax and goes down great with small dabs of cod roe panna cotta, grapefruit and walnut crumb. Cavatelli do with veg. Still no res and still only debit card or cash, but at least now you'll be able to quaff cocktails while you wait across the street at Rhum Corner next door either Hoof offshoot or Cocktail.
WOODLOT
293 Palmerston Ave., 647-342-6307They’ve gone from barnyard chic and somewhat downscale sincerity — but still local and farmhouse amazing. Their wood-fired oven turns out both dark and white reddish fife bread with really snazzy butter, with excellent crust and crumb. The menu changes seasonally but look for the greatest tourtieres ever — gossamer puff pastry enclosing gorgeously seasoned venison, pork and steak, with home made ketchup. Their fish is amazing, impeccably sourced and carefully cooked; sides are never an after thought. A pilaf of barley with apple turnip glaze bacon and celery root is almost more fun than the main event. Pastas are likewise blessed with delicate sophistication, starters like cheddar stuffed gougères pastry recall the glory days of French cooking.
LOS COLIBRIS
220 King St. W., upstairs., 416-979-7717A serious Mexican eatery, of the type where people of means dine in Mexico. The room is a graceful remake of a hacienda and the cooking is very excellent. That is no picnic bench taqueria. Tortilla soup is a chile-kissed tomato broth with sweet fresh panela cheese, avocado, tortilla strips and coriander seedlings that are aromatic. Torta de elote is a wonderful sweet warm damp corn bread covered with sweet fresh corn kernels with pulled brisket in smoky chile adobo sauce dotted. We adore chef’s pulpo a la parilla: Astonishingly tender (but not mealy) octopus braised in superlative uncooked green sauce made out of basil, coriander and jalapeno. On the side are chef’s own corn tortillas, aromatic and warm. The tres leches cake is the most effective in damp, creamy and town. That and a tequila negroni will get you get through the night time.
CHABROL
90 Yorkville Ave., 416-428-6641Niall McCotter of Cava and Doug Penfold have added a tiny charmer of a French bistro, Chabrol. In summer it’s one of the nicest patios in town. Their delectable French classics comprise tartine of corned raw trout on housemade bread topped with radish and chervil. Perfect papillote of fish with sea asparagus, leeks and Swiss chard with outstanding vermouth beurre blanc. But one must eat ttoro, a southern French bouillabaisse with impeccable seafood in deep rich saffron-scented broth. And for dessert, classic French apple tart. The room is really tiny you can see — scent and — the buttery French apple tart baking in the glass-fronted oven. It’s drenched in Calvados sabayon at the table and constructed on puff pastry. Ask for a large spoon.
THE DRAKE HOTEL
{1150 Queen St. W., {416-531-5042|416 531 5042}{Unlike|Contrary to} other hipster {venues|sites|places} that flame out, the Drake {remains|continues} Toronto’s {rock-solid|rocksolid|rock solid} epicentre of cool, where {skinny|skeletal|lanky|scrawny|scraggy} 30-somethings in {lots|tons|bunches} of black {perennially {pack|package}|{pack|package} that is perennially} the {{big|large|huge|enormous} {bar|pub}|{bar|pub} that is {big|large|huge|enormous}}, {especially|particularly|notably} the upstairs {terrace|patio} in summer. And shocking but true, the dining room is {really|very|actually|truly} {good|great}. Their sushi is {both fresh and creative, {real|actual} crab maki|creative, {real|actual} crab maki and both fresh} and {fab {spicy|hot} tuna sashimi|{spicy|hot} tuna sashimi that are fab}. The {usual|most common|typical} bistro {fare|menu} is there are {competent|qualified|capable} — {{burgers|hamburgers}, lobster nachos|lobster nachos, {burgers|hamburgers}}, mac {’n’ cheese|n’ cheese that is ’}. But {stray|wander|roam|ramble} {from the|in the} {trodden {path|trail|route}|{path|trail|route} that is trodden}. {Let them|Enable them to} make you rich seafood chowder with {{perfectly|absolutely|totally} cooked lobster and scallops|scallops and {perfectly|absolutely|totally} cooked lobster}.{ Or seared tuna with warm watercress.|} {This is|This can be|That is|This really is} an ever-{improving|enhancing} kitchen. But {skip|bypass|jump} the pies, whose stodgy crusts do no credit to the {world|universe} of patisserie.
BUCA
604 King St. W., 416 865 1600From nodini (small knots of bread served warm in hot oil with sea salt and rosemary, kissin’ cousin to paradise) to boutique grappa, Buca is an Italian treat. The tall nouvelle industrial room is gorgeous and glamorous, the servers super affable, and the food magnificent. Italian exuberance, huge flavours. House-healed salume are fantastic — The 21-month cured prosciutto is pig heaven, with marinated leeks; goose breast prosciutto more alluring. Raw Spanish mackerel receives the benediction of designer EVOO with cooked yogurt, infant basil and dots of Meyer lemon gels. Nobody does better pasta, most of which is house-made. The perennial best seller, Bigoli, is toothsome duck egg noodles with duck ragu that is breathtaking. Then house-made white chocolate ice cream, clementine and blueberry sorbets. Or the fried lemon pastry cream with crème anglaise. Love is sweet.
DANDYLION
1198 Queen St. W., 647 464 9100Chef Jason Carter has a gold pedigree (Susur, Lee and Centro) and finally his own sweet lovely resto on Queen way west. The food tidy the menu is extremely short and changes often, pure and simple. But never lowbrow. He consistently sends out fresh-made soft cheese with bread that is great. He tops absolutely panfried tilefish with Thai style sweet/sour tomato jam. His lamb chops, pink and tender, come with super and crispy kale -flavoured black lentil stew. Sweets are even sweeter: Chef does a dense pear cake made even more exciting with raw ginger chunks, crunchy pieces that are caramel and rich vanilla ice cream. Jason Carter tries harder.
PATRIA
480 King St. W., 416-367-0505An incredibly delightful restaurant was made by king of clubs Charles Khabouth as he always does. Patria is two floors with a giant artwork setup that is embroidered fascinating light and a tall wall. And his partner Hanif Harji ensures the impeccable quality of the piquant delights of southern Spain. Three- year-old corned ham that is is nutty thanks to the acorns the black hoof free-range pigs ate; this is a carnivore’s dreamfood. Patria brings with sweet/sour quince jelly and grilled oil-kissed baguette from Spain, and serves the cheeses at room temperature, in artisanal wines and cheeses. Their Spanish azure is a farmhouse product which provides French Roquefort a run because of its money. They do terrific tapas. Creamy/ crispy manchego croquettes. Fab fresh house- a salad that is large turns into way more entertaining than veg are. Patria’s kitchen does the traditional foods of southern Spain but lighter and more jazzy. With spinach sounds common but tastes exciting chickpeas stewed. Also quite southern Spanish and more accurately cooked is fideos with chorizo and clams, thin pasta that was short stewed in spicy tomato broth, infused with smoke from chorizo, atop fat clams that were absolutely cooked.
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