Coquine
2075 Yonge Street
416-322-6767
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $100

If “Coquine” means naughty in French, it’s an inspiration not for the menu at this uptown bistro, nor for the service, both of which are excellent, but for the ambiance. The restaurant, in the former location of the Manor Arms pub at Yonge Street and Manor Road, is owned by Robbie Prete and Amir Karmali, former colleagues at Grazie (2373 Yonge Street), an equally loud and popular Italian spot just a few blocks north on Yonge. Prete and Karmali have obviously attempted to channel their former haunt’s success, reproducing the “busy room with beautiful people” vibe to great success. There is a certain buzz, an undertone of excitement that begins from the first step inside the crowded front room. For a quieter experience, diners can opt for the back room, all dark wood and white parquet floors, but this more intimate nook lacks the fervent action that makes Coquine so appealing. Still, seated in either space, diners are in for an evening of culinary excitement at the hands of chef Alejandro Bustamante, with just a little touch of naughty.

Continue reading A Little Bit Naughty, A Whole Lotta Nice »

Senses
328 Wellington Street West
416-935-0400

I’ve gone on record as saying that I don’t like foie gras. That was before I had the foie gras as prepared by Chef Patrick Lin at Senses.

Working on the “try it ten times” theory as espoused by Vogue food writer Jeffrey Steingarten, I continue to try foods that I’ve had bad experiences with in the hope that I’ll eventually learn to at least like them, if not love them. After trying the duo of foie gras on Senses new menu, consider me a convert. Chef Lin’s technique of offering the tasty liver both pan-seared and poached in Peking duck consommé is a testament to both an exquisite ingredient and his skill and creativity behind the stove.

Continue reading A Multicultural Feast at Senses »

Tati Bistro
124 Harbord Street
416-962-8284
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $130

I’m not a fan of science fiction. I’m a grounded in reality kind of gal. So every time I watch the film Mon Oncle by famed French actor/director Jacques Tati, I am always relieved when main character Monsieur Hulot leaves his sister’s “house of the future” to return to his little garret across the market square from the quintessential Parisian bistro. The juxtaposition of the modern kitchen and M. Hulot’s primitive, neighbourhood, family-run bistro speak to generations of people, both in France and elsewhere, who long to retain their cultural roots.

Chef Laurent Brion manages to capture exactly the mood of Hulot’s neighbourhood bistro (okay, minus the pack of dogs out front) in Harbord Street’s newest gem, Tati Bistro. Sporting a logo of Tati’s bumbling postman character atop his bicycle from the film Jour du Fête, the restaurant takes over the location of the former Kensington Kitchen and brings a tiny touch of Paris to downtown Toronto.

Continue reading A Tiny Touch of Tati’s Paris »

Art Square Café
334 Dundas Street West
416-595-5222
brunch for two with all taxes, tip and coffee: $33

I have a thing for tiny little tucked away cafés. They’re the kind of place I’d open if I ever became a restaurateur; someplace cute and cozy with great food and no pretension. The only problem with cute little tucked away cafés is that it’s hard for people to find them. Hidden behind a bright gallery space, Art Square Café likely gets overlooked more than it should.

We arrive for brunch on a Sunday morning to find only about half of the dozen or so tables occupied. Of the customers, all are students frantically studying for the last of their mid-terms. Every occupied table holds at least one open laptop amidst cups of coffee and plates of crepes in various stages of consumption.

Continue reading It’s Hip to Be Square »

Restaurant Jules
147 Spadina Avenue
416-348-8886
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and wine: $80

Although born into a Dutch-Canadian household, I somehow ended up a Francophile. Hey - the Dutch and the French both dip their French fries in homemade mayonnaise and have blue, red and white flags, so I’m not that far off. Before my recent breathtaking trip to Paris I spent a lot of time enjoying movies and books set in Paris and France and collecting French cookbooks. If I was happy about the large number of French dining options in Toronto during my armchair travelling days, I am even more grateful now for the chance to relive the French experience whenever I book a table at Jules.

Continue reading Parisian Proxy - Restaurant Jules »

Crêpe It Up
507 Church Street (also located at 95 Front Street East)
416-916-3558
Crêpes for two, with bottled water, and some change in the tip jar: $13

Saturday afternoon I had a wicked sweets craving and heading to the convenience store and grabbing a chocolate bar just wasn’t going to cut it. I was in the mood for something a little more elaborate. Ever since I moved to this neck of the woods, I’ve been meaning to “crêpe it up,” if you will, but no one ever wanted to go with me, and I just didn’t feel like going alone. So I called my brother and this time I was able to convince him to join me.

It’s a pretty small joint with enough room for a dozen or so people to sit – a few counter seats and white tables with white fold up chairs, and some interesting original art on the wall. Most of the real estate of the small establishment is taken up by the counter where all the fixin’s and the griddles for the crêpes are lined up.

Continue reading Crêpe-tastic »

Le Papillon
16 Church Street
416-363-3773
brunch for two with taxes, tip, juice and coffee: $50

The plan was to hit the Hot House Café for their Sunday brunch buffet, but we arrived to chaos and madness. Groups waiting for tables created a line-up that snaked out the door and although we had a reservation, we too were left standing while someone was sent to shoo the current occupants of our table away. It was our party who left however, in search of brunch offerings with a more sedate atmosphere.

We headed down the street to Le Papillon, thoughts of crêpes and frites and checked tablecloths luring us away from the crowd. I had never been to this Toronto institution, and now was as good a chance as any to give the place a try.

Continue reading French Country Casual at Le Papillon »