Introducing: Colette Grand Café, the palatial new French restaurant in the Thompson Hotel
Click to view gallery (Image: Renée Suen)
Name: Colette Grand Café and Bakery
Contact Info: 550 Wellington St. W. , 647-348-7000, colettetoronto.com , @colettetoronto
Neighbourhood: King West
Previously: Scarpetta, celebrity chef Scott Conant’s short-lived Italian restaurant
Owner: The Chase Hospitality Group (headed by president Steven Salm), which is also behind The Chase, The Chase Fish and Oyster, and soon-to-open Little Fin
Chefs: Executive Chef Michael Steh, chef de cuisine Matthew Swift and executive pastry chef Leslie Steh
The Food: The restaurant’s modern French dishes are sophisticated, polished and pretty. Starters include lobster vichyssoise and frog-leg lollipops with pea purée. Other items are meant for sharing, like a whole roasted bass wrapped in sliced potatoes and an elaborate green-curry crab dish with baguette and grilled-pork terrine. During the day, the casual bakery-café serves sandwiches, snacks and buttery viennoiseries (and, of course, a selection of macarons).
The Drinks: Sommelier Jay Whiteley (from the award-winning Hawksworth Restaurant in Vancouver) devised the mainly French wine list, which focuses on bottles from Burgundy and Champagne.
The Place: The former Scarpetta space—now divided into a bakery-café, a lounge and a formal dining room—was remodeled by the same firm behind The Chase and The Chase Fish and Oyster. Colette exudes a similar kind of breezy luxury, but with a few French-country touches (barrel-vaulted ceilings, hand-painted tiles, lots of blues and yellows). There’s a covered terrace and a long outdoor pavilion running alongside the hotel’s courtyard pool.
284594 <strong>Colette</strong> is located on the ground floor of the <strong>Thompson Hotel,</strong> at 550 Wellington Street West (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Colette Grand Café and Bakery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-13-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-13/ colette-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
284591 The restaurant was designed by <strong>Gianpiero Pugliese</strong> of <strong>AUDAXarchitecture,</strong> who also designed <strong>The Chase.</strong> Colette oozes the same kind of casual elegance https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-10-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-10/ colette-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
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284595 Fried frog legs with black garlic, mushrooms and pea purée ($21) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-14-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-14/ colette-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
284600 Mixed shellfish with garlic-herb pistou, served in an Eiffel Tower–shaped bowl with frites and aioli ($34) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-19-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-19/ colette-toronto-restaurant-19 0 0
284585 Whole roasted bass for two ($65). The fish is wrapped in sliced potato, stuffed with a mixture of fennel and celery, and served with an onion soubise https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-05-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-05/ colette-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
284590 Lobster Vichyssoise with sweet corn quiche and leek crème fraîche ($24)<br />
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284593 Roasted duck with poached rhubarb ($44) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-12-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-12/ colette-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
284598 Toasted cinnamon rice pudding served chilled with sour-cherry gelée, mascarpone and pistachios ($10) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-17-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-17/ colette-toronto-restaurant-17 0 0
284584 The bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-04-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-04/ colette-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
284599 The lounge area adjoining the bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-18-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-18.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-18/ colette-toronto-restaurant-18 0 0
284603 The Joli: tequila, Aperol, honey, agave and raspberries ($16) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-22-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-22.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-22.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-22/ colette-toronto-restaurant-22 0 0
284582 There's a separate entrance for the bakery-café https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-02-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-02/ colette-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
284581 The café serves quiches, sandwiches and salads, plus a large selection of house-made breads, viennoiseries, tarts, cookies, bars and other baked goods https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-01-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-01/ colette-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
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284597 Macarons come in flavours like bitter chocolate, crème fraiche caramel and peanut butter brownie ($3.50 each) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-16-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-16/ colette-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
284601 Berry tart ($7) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-20-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-20.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-20/ colette-toronto-restaurant-20 0 0
284587 The “Chocolate Stone” is filled with dark chocolate mousse, milk chocolate whipped cream, cocoa nibs and flourless chocolate cake ($8) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-07-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-07/ colette-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
284592 The bakery also makes dog treats https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-11-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-11/ colette-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
284602 The covered terrace https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-21-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-21.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-21.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-21/ colette-toronto-restaurant-21 0 0
284606 A separate outdoor pavilion runs the length of the Thompson’s courtyard pool https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-25-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-25.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/colette-toronto-restaurant-25.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/colette-toronto-restaurants/slide/colette-toronto-restaurant-25/ colette-toronto-restaurant-25 0 0
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