Introducing: Alo, Patrick Kriss’s refined addition to the corner of Queen and Spadina
(Image: Renée Suen)
Name: Alo
Neighbourhood: Queen West
Contact: 163 Spadina Ave., 3rd floor., 416-260-2222, alorestaurant.com , @AloRestaurant
Owner: Patrick Kriss (Acadia, Splendido) and Amanda Bradley (George, La Grenouillere)
Chefs: Patrick Kriss, Matthew Betsch (Eleven Madison Park, Splendido) and Nick Bentley (Acadia, Splendido, Canoe)
Pastry chef: Cori Murphy (Patrice Pâtissiere, Canoe)
The Food: The tasting menu–only restaurant offers an evolving five-course menu (with options) composed of seasonal dishes made with Canadian ingredients, but prepared using French techniques. The bar offers casual snacks including homemade soft pretzels, crudités (fancy raw veggies) on ice and bite-sized pâte à choux pastries piped full of caramel and vanilla Chantilly. Later this summer, a long-format tasting menu will be available for those who snag seats at the kitchen counter.
The Drinks: Sommelier Anjana Viswanatha (Canoe, Luma) has designed a menu featuring wines from small producers, with special attention paid to biodynamic and natural selections (including many by-the-glass options). Bartender John Bunner (Byblos, Yours Truly) serves his takes on traditional cocktails and even has a couple bottled concoctions for sharing.
The Place: Commute Design (Byblos, Little Sister, Patria and The Ritz) was responsible for transforming the 2,800-square-foot space that takes up the top floor of the Victorian building, previously home to a modelling agency. Windows of the polished (but tablecloth-free) restaurant look out to Spadina and Queen West. The building itself is looking much better than it did in the ’80s .
320741 (Image: Renée Suen) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-interior-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-interior.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-interior.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-interior/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-interior 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
320732 Amuse-bouche: buttermilk sorbet, peas three ways (puréed, double-shucked, and dehydrated) and almond oil. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-amuse-bouche-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-amuse-bouche.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-amuse-bouche.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-amuse-bouche/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-amuse-bouche 0 0
320735 Bread course: a warm pain au lait. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bread-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bread.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bread.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bread/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bread 0 0
320745 Main: slow-roasted Dorset lamb shoulder, glazed in lamb jus and served with treviso, turnip, fennel and yoghurt. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-lamb-2-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-lamb-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-lamb-2.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-lamb-2/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-lamb-2 0 0
320751 Dessert: strawberry bavarois on a sable biscuit, compressed celery and hibiscus gel. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-strawberries-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-strawberries.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-strawberries.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-strawberries/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-strawberries 0 0
320750 Complimentary bar bites: candied and spiced nuts are tossed with popcorn, puffed wild rice, quinoa and buckwheat before being baked. (There's an alternative snack for those with nut allergies.) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-snacks-2-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-snacks-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-snacks-2.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-snacks-2/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-snacks-2 0 0
320748 An epi pretzel served with spicy honey mustard ($8). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-pretzel-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-pretzel.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-pretzel.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-pretzel/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-pretzel 0 0
320739 Treviso, carrots, bread-and-butter pickles, cucumbers, gem lettuce, radishes, mushrooms, nasturtiums and shallots (each prepared differently), served with a yogurt dip ($8). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-crudite-2-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-crudite-2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-crudite-2.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-crudite-2/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-crudite-2 0 0
320736 Pâte à choux filled with caramel and vanilla Chantilly ($3 each). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-choux-pastry-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-choux-pastry.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-choux-pastry.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-choux-pastry/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-choux-pastry 0 0
320742 Head bartender John Bunner (pictured here) is joined by Shane Mulvany (DaiLo, The Chase) and Sarah Parniak (People's Eatery, Cold Tea). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-john-bunner-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-john-bunner.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-john-bunner.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-john-bunner/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-john-bunner 0 0
320746 Madame Manet: Johnnie Walker Black, Cocchi Americano, vermouth, Crème Yvette and violet petals ($16). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-manet-cocktail-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-manet-cocktail.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-manet-cocktail.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-manet-cocktail/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-manet-cocktail 0 0
320753 Tilting at Windmills: Tanqueray gin, Bols genever, Seville orange, lemon, egg white and ground coriander ($15). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-windmills-cocktail-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-windmills-cocktail.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-windmills-cocktail.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-windmills-cocktail/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-windmills-cocktail 0 0
320752 Vodka Fix: Ketel One vodka, bramble fruit cordial, lemon and cilantro ($14). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-vodka-cocktail-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-vodka-cocktail.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-vodka-cocktail.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-vodka-cocktail/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-vodka-cocktail 0 0
320734 Arrête de Fumer: Dolin dry vermouth, Laphroaig, Drambuie and bitters ($20, serves two). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bottle-cocktail-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bottle-cocktail.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bottle-cocktail.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bottle-cocktail/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bottle-cocktail 0 0
320737 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-cocktails-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-cocktails.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-cocktails.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-cocktails/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-cocktails 0 0
320733 The Bar at Alo seats 20. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bar-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bar.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bar.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bar/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-bar 0 0
320743 Alo's long-format tasting menu (starting later this summer) will only be available at the restaurant's six-stool kitchen counter. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-kitchn-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-kitchn.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-kitchn.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-kitchn/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-kitchn 0 0
320747 The chefs (from left to right): Matthew Betsch, Nick Bentley and Patrick Kriss. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-patrick-kriss-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-patrick-kriss.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-patrick-kriss.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-patrick-kriss/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-patrick-kriss 0 0
320740 The name comes from the Latin phrase alui altum, which means "to nourish." https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-exterior-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-exterior.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-exterior.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/toronto-restaurants-alo-patrick-kriss-queen-west/slide/toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-exterior/ toronto-restaurants-alo-queen-west-exterior 0 0
West: 124
East: 9