GALLERY: a look at DT Bistro’s chic new renovation and second floor

By Megan Leahy | June 14, 2012

By Megan Leahy | 06/14/2012

The bright, refined new dining room at DT Bistro (Image: Megan Leahy)

Now in its seventh year on Harbord, Dessert Trends Bistro closed down on New Year’s Day for extensive renovations. Though the main dining area was relaunched May 18, the new 40-seat second-floor addition opened just this past weekend. With the help of his friend Bennett Lo of Dialogue 38, DT owner and renowned pasty chef Donald Duong designed the new interior to look as much like a jewellery store as a pastry shop. We dropped by to take a look.

Right after entering, guests are faced with a dramatic floor-to-ceiling Calacatta marble showcase, with three of chef Duong’s prized cakes behind glass. Upstairs, the new space is spotted with cakes that resemble handbags, sitting on freestanding podium jewellery cases. The colour scheme is full of creams and pastels, and the walls are covered in luxurious wallpaper made from texturized cotton and embossed silk, with paintings by Vietnamese artist Ngo Tam. On the main floor, a tufted leather bench has been added along the length of the north wall, while the centrepiece is an oversized light sculpture Duong designed himself, made from manzanita branches and dotted with light bulbs wrapped in cotton. Behind the second-floor bar is a similar piece made from an onyx backlit base and white marble top. The room features robin’s-egg blue tufted leather chairs and silvery walls.

Upstairs only, DT has introduced a three-course afternoon tea for two or more guests ($25 per person). The menu features a selection of pastries, followed by a choice of small savoury bites and finished with an assortment of baked treats. As a part of the new addition, Duong has also added a rooftop herb garden. While it doesn’t receive service, the outdoor space is a serene perch from which to watch the world go by on Harbord Street.

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Handbag cakes by Donald Duong in the second-floor dining room

Duong designed this light sculpture himself, using manzanita branches and cotton-wrapped light bulbs

The Calacatta marble showcase, with three of Chef Duong’s prized cakes

The main pastry display case on the first floor

The first floor has a new tufted leather bench along the north wall

DT Bistro, 154 Harbord St., 416-916-8155, desserttrends.ca

4 thoughts on “GALLERY: a look at DT Bistro’s chic new renovation and second floor”

opl says:

June 14, 2012 at 4:16 pm

Nice…does that mean the price to eat there is now 10-20% higher?
LL says:

June 15, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Great article – makes me want to eat there now!
Henry Blumenthal says:

June 20, 2012 at 10:50 pm

Donald Duong is one of Toronto’s top culinary talents. The new renovations look great!
bubble tea says:

June 25, 2012 at 3:28 pm

LOOKS VERY COOL