Reasons to Love Toronto: No. 12, because fancy food is back
In the recession-stricken aughties, eating out in Toronto was a humble affair—chefs catered to thrifty diners by opening neighbourhood bistros that served sensible comfort food on mismatched dishes. But last year, Aria, a lavish new Italian restaurant, opened adjacent to Maple Leaf Square and reminded us how divine fine dining can be. The swanky room, decked out with shimmering chandeliers, an imposing two-storey wine cellar and 30-foot windows, is the kind of place where paying $37 for a delicately seared veal strip loin and $190 for a hand-blown glass snifter of Rémy Martin Louis XIII cognac seems perfectly natural. Aria’s arrival heralded a comeback for bank-breaking prices. Then, last September, the chef Bruce Woods, ex of Centro, opened Modus, an elegant new restaurant that quickly became a power broker destination. It was followed by Stock, the slick, soaring flagship restaurant on the 31st floor of the new Trump Tower—its menu is just as extravagant as the Donald himself, although much classier. Later this year, David Chang, the prodigious, famously fanatical New York chef, will bring a fine dining incarnation of his Momofuku mini-chain to the Shangri-La Hotel, while chi-chi chef Daniel Boulud is scheduled to open a luxe eponymous restaurant in Yorkville’s new Four Seasons. After such a long absence, the return of expense account restaurants is proof that Toronto, despite the global odds, is flush. Get ready for a feast.
(Images: Strip loin by Matthew Tammaro, styling by Linsey Bell/judy inc.; tuna tartare by Raina and Wilson)
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its an odd time in town, the hilton will be relaunching a refreshed tundra while the sheraton has downscaled their offering to burgers, beer and milkshakes
Fancy food is back? Hardly. Toronto is still happy to have its ‘meat & potatoes’ cuisine slightly dressed up and served in expensive rooms. Very few people are doing the gastronomic scene any justice. Where’s our NOMA, Eleven Madison Park, Benu, and Ledbury?
who writes this stuff
fancy food?
where?
aris is mediocre italian food??
stock? they are lost??
why do we read this stuff from freelance people who dont know anything than what they see in toronto??
we dont even rate on the canadian scene, let alone the north america or global.
Toronto has not yet shown a propensity to support a gastronomic restaurant. Independents have tried. Hotels have tried. Perhaps it is not woven into the fabric of its culture. Toronto is closer to British food sensibilities than French. In Britain a weekend in the countryside with sandwiches is preferred to dinner at the Ritz. Toronto Life is a reflection of this very food culture which celebrates the hamburger and fries more so than a multicourse menu.
A few examples
Avalon —> Cava
Ritz Carlton Truffles —> Ritz TOCA