What’s on the menu at Aloette, a new French diner from the Alo team

What’s on the menu at Aloette, a new French diner from the Alo team

Name: Aloette
Contact: 163 Spadina Ave., aloetterestaurant.com, @aloette_restaurant
Neighbourhood: Queen West
Owners: Patrick Kriss (Alo)
Chefs: Patrick Kriss and Matthew Betsch (Alo)

The food

Diner classics, prepared with the same care expected from Alo’s kitchen (even fry-making is a two-day process here). The à la carte lunch and dinner menus include things like fries dressed in cheddar and sausage gravy, a lettuce-wrap take on beef tartare and a signature burger topped with fried Beaufort cheese. For dessert: an apple pie sundae.

Homemade tostadas topped with Hamachi sashimi, Granny Smith apple, pickled onions and jalapeño. $14.

 

Charred chorizo with fried eggplant, halloumi, basil, smoked paprika and olives. $12.

 

Aloette’s burger comes on a house-made potato roll and is topped with fried Beaufort cheese, sautéed onions, cheddar cheese mayo and shredded lettuce. It’s served with a pickle and double-cooked fries (which take two days to make). $18.

 

The Apple Pie Sundae layers warm apple pie filling with Chantilly cream, feuilletine flakes, apple crumble, whipped cream, house-made caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. $10.

 

Betsch (left) and Kriss.

 

The drinks

Bar manager John Bunner (Bar Alo) worked closely with Pat Groves (The Passenger) to create the highballs currently on offer, including an adult take on a raspberry shake. Alo’s sommelier, Christopher Sealy, is behind the short wine list.

The low-ABV Bramble Shake is made with Tanqueray Rangpur, raspberry and coconut. $12.

 

The space

With a whack of wood veneer, a leather-upholstered barrel ceiling and penny tile flooring, the 38-seat space (14 of those seats are bar stools) is very Alo-meets-old-timey-diner. Walk-ins only.