Introducing: Brussels Bistro, a new French-Belgian restaurant in the Beach
Name: Brussels Bistro
Contact Info: 1975A Queen St. E., 416-694-0004, brusselsbistro.ca
Neighbourhood: The Beach
Owner and chef: Roger Stefan Wils, the former owner of Café Brussel on the Danforth
The Food: Bistro standards like duck confit, French onion soup and steak frites, plus nine types of mussels, including less conventional takes made with curry and chili. On the brunch menu, Belgian waffles come with strawberries, whipped cream and chocolate.
The Drink: French wine, with an emphasis on bottles from the Rhône. Belgian beer is also available.
The Place: The former Amuse Bistro space is refined and cheerful with white linens, decorative champagne buckets and colourful prints and vintage French advertisements plastered on the walls.
The Numbers:
• 28 years ago chef Wils opened Café Brussel on the Danforth (it closed in 2006)
• 2 collectors’ edition lithographs lining the stairway to the restaurant’s second floor: a 1954 print from the Belgian comic Tintin and a reproduction of a 1937 advertisement for Kina Lillet
• 1 wine bar in the works for the restaurant’s second floor
226078 The exterior of Brussels Bistro, at Queen East and Waverley (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-01/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226081 The walls are plastered with original lithographs of vintage French advertisements (some of which used to hang in Café Brussel) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-04/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226080 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-03/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226082 The room is decorated with chef Wils’ personal collection of vintage champagne buckets (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-05/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226083 The restaurant’s small front deck seats four (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-06/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226084 Garlic confit with chèvre ($10) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-07/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226085 French onion soup ($10) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-08/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226091 Duck leg confit with green peppercorn sauce ($27) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-intro/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-intro 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226089 Rack of lamb with Roquefort sauce ($36) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-12/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226090 A Belgian side dish called a stoemp: garlicky mashed potatoes cooked in a skillet like a pancake ($5) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-13/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226087 Mussels in wine, garlic and tarragon ($14; $19 with frites) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-10/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226088 The shoestring frites are flash-fried in beef drippings ($5) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-11/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
226086 Garlic-butter snails in puff pastry ($11) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Brussels Bistro Introducing: Brussels Bistro https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurants/slide/brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-09/ brussels-bistro-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)