Introducing: Woods, a fancy new restaurant in St. Lawrence Market from the former Modus chef

Introducing: Woods, a fancy new restaurant in St. Lawrence Market from the former Modus chef

Woods
(Image: Megan Leahy)

Name: Woods
Neighbourhood: St. Lawrence Market
Contact info: 45 Colborne Street, 416-214-9918, woodsrestaurant.ca
Owners: Bruce Woods and Robin Singh
Chef: Executive Chef Bruce Woods (Modus, Brasaii, Centro) and Chef de Cuisine Anthony Davis (Sidecar, Cowbell, The Roosevelt Room)

The Food: An eclectic menu with a farm-to-table ethos, including appetizers like wild Digby scallops and seared Quebec foie gras and mains from spaghetti and meatballs to roasted Muscovy duck breast with dried cherries and duck egg béarnaise. There’s also a bar menu (dishes are in the $10-15 range) for the after-work cocktail crowd.

The Drinks: A small international wine list, four classic cocktails and microbrews on tap. Coffee is from Leslieville-roasters Pilot (no awful push-button espresso here!).

The place: A refined Scandinavian motif of clean lines and rich woods. The spring-green oversized “branch” chandelier in the front window inspired the Oriental pattern on the banquet upholstery and the wallpaper mosaic.

The Numbers:
• $5500 branch chandelier
• $500 to remove the front window to install that chandelier
• $380 for the most expensive bottle of wine, the Super Tuscan 2009 Ornellaia
• 80 seats
• 24 Chemex coffee makers