BYMARK
66 Wellington St. W., 416 777 1144Ask any citizen of Bay Street where the finest eating is in the concrete canyons and Bymark is said by them. Although the service has slackened, despite Mark McEwan’s completely split attention, thanks to the growth of the McEwan Group, Bymark tastes really good. The room has been upgraded, charmingly lightened and brightened. Better reserve elegant wood and rock Canadiana. Specific classic menu items stand out: Butter braised lobster poutine is magnificent — rich, loaded with lobster and crispy frites under tarragon -spiked bearnaise. Baby octopus is fork-tender and splendid with smoked poblano sauce with chayote. The $39 lamb (pink perfect chop and sous vide shoulder) with asparagus, carrots, braised pearl onions and gnocchi is precisely what the physician ordered for a captain of industry — exceptional although not dazzling. Nothing to distract in the deal.
Engagement party venues
ACTINOLITE
971 Ossington Ave., 416 962 8943No other chef but Justin Cournoyer sets the likes of lichens and pine needles on a plate… and makes them taste great. That is edible Canadiana with a touch of molecular gastronomy. It is possible to do seven classes for $90 or four for $55, both with innovative wine pairings (for $60 and $40). Chef does totally cooked wild brown trout from Collingwood in golden broth manufactured from rutabaga cooked with moss and pine needles! He says his food is uncomplicated but he lies. It tastes of simple messages that are strong but has been assembled layer upon layer, painstakingly, like Venetian underpainting. Like one warmed but not cooked Colville bay oyster topped with a nest of shredded fermented apple and adorable small yeast chips and scented with lemon verbena powder. Who could have imagined the food of our country could possibly be so much fun?
SUSHI KAJI
860 The Queensway., 416-252-2166His art is practiced by Mitsuhiro Kaji but once inside Sushi Kaji, it’s a magic carpet ride. Kaji apprenticed to sushi masters for 13 years in Japan. They instructed him to view the cutting of corners as gastronomic hara kiri, and his skills fit that dedication to excellence. There is no à la carte menu. Raw squid masquerading as egg white with sea urchin “yolk.” Cooked things are the likes of tiny clams in buttery sake broth. A baby eggplant fanned out and deep-fried, with crisp fresh lotus root sandwiched between two just broiled scallops. Eating Kaji’s food leaves no doubt concerning the place of food in the world of artwork.
Alo
163 Spadina Ave., 416-260-2222If Toronto had a Michelin three star restaurant, but instead of being formal and French and snobby, it was cheery and unpretentious, it will be Alo, brought to us Patrick Kriss. When Kriss left at Acadia, we mourned the loss. Who understood his vision was bigger and so much broader than that? I generally despise tasting menus, feel imprisoned in their overly-long too-much parade of dishes. But I’m in thrall to Alo, every dish a modest perfect extravaganza of texture, taste and visuals. $95, five courses. Plus lots of extras. The menu changes often but expect an amuse like fennel custard with lemon as well as olive oil froth, then fab smoked foie gras with chestnut sweet and crumble potato chips… lobster with sunchoke both pureed and sliced pickled, radicchio and truffle…. The most extreme mushroom dish in town: Hedgehog mushrooms with chicken skin in gel sheet form silken puree of celery root, and crisped trumpet mushrooms. The beat goes on, past fish, duck and pork to complicated delicate chocolate desserts.
THE CARBON BAR
99 Queen St. E., 416 947 7000CB is ever more flavorful, the supreme temple of Hogtown’s high end BBQ. And a stunning double-height room to boot. We miss the chicken skin that is crunchy, but hey, it appears they needed to make the menu more girl-friendly. Hence the red snapper with roasted cauliflower coconut curry, more salad plus some raw fish. But be not diverted from the chief event: This is a meat palace. They slow-roast in a woodfire pit: Brisket like butter, meaty pink ribs on the outside with a touch of smoke and char, and the best southern fried chicken in town. Dessert is interesting fantasia like banana split built on dolce de leche ice cream and chocolate -covered bananas.
SHOUSHIN
3328 Yonge Street., 416 488 9400Similar to entering a Japanese zen garden, walking into Shoushin is. Decide to sit either one of only 2 in North America made of rare Japanese Hinoki wood, at the sushi bar, or rest your bare feet on river rocks in a recessed Tatami. Outstanding service kicks on the experience up a notch, why it made the list, but the food is. Octopus is more soft than I’ve ever experienced (I’m told it gets this way by spending hours in a washing machine on spin cycle – I’m convinced something was lost in translation but whatever they did worked wonders). Tuna trio boasts 3 variants of fattiness, impeccably fresh and cut in ample portions. Cooked dishes are very good too, notably the bonito- spiked miso soup with sweet baby clams. Omakase comes in $250 versions, and $80, $120. The top choice isn’t worth the money if you’re famished go for the middle one, but unless you’re into waygu.
Noorden
2110 Yonge Street, 416 488 2110Jennifer Gittins and shut Quince Michael van den Winkel kept Bar Batavia and Little Sister, jazzed up the space cool and casual, and reopened it with nouvelle Dutch food, tapas style. Servers are friendly and knowledgeable and the thoroughly gin-based cocktail menu goes down really simple. Finest food bets are the strong spice of sambal and rendang and also sweet raw scallop tostada with avocado and grilled corn salsa, and absolutely broiled skirt steak with fast fried long beans from Indonesia. There’s additionally carefully charred broccoli with chili and lime leaf, and glass noodle veg salad cleverly spiked with preserved lemon. Octopus carpaccio loaded with flavour and is super tender. Skip the war chips.
ZUCCA TRATTORIA
2150 Yonge St., 416-488-5774Some wonder why after all these years the un-hip trattoria still flourishes. It’s because Andrew Milne- Allan is still a great Italian cook as well as the service is warm and suave. There's no kitchen in town more sensitive to the foods of every season. Baby greens in spring, soft veg in summer, root veg in winter. And all with magnificent pastas and seafood. It’s clear that chef is more in love with fish and pasta than with meat. His pasta mastery keeps growing, his capability to reveal noodles with strong rich flavours. He stuffs ravioli and tortelloni with the gifts of each season, he strews off al dente pasta that is fresh -cuts in fabulously sophisticated daily soups. Fish is his other love, garnished and always perfectly cooked like a fantasy that is good. His meats are much less exciting nowadays, perhaps less attractive to the maestro.
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.
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