Name: Coffee Oysters Champagne
Contact: 214 King St. W., sipshucksip.com, @coctoronto Neighbourhood: King West
Owners: Steven Daicos and Sanjay Singhal
Chef: Chris Wilkinson
Bar Manager: Jake Dolgy
Wine Director: Haley Mercedes
The food
Oysters (obviously), a salad, frites and caviar round out the food offerings at COC. The menu at À Toi—a speakeasy-inspired space in the back of the restaurant that channels 1920s Paris—is quite a bit longer. It includes oysters, too, as well as shareable French classics, like chicken liver mousse and steak tartare. There are even a few vegetarian- and vegan-friendly options that are just as hearty without being meaty, including a carrot terrine and a warm mushroom salad.
The oyster selection changes daily. MP.
The carrot terrine, a vegan dish, is paired with Swiss chard and pickled ginger, and is finished with a segment of orange and toasted hazelnuts. $17.
The warm mushroom salad is dressed with a white wine and butter sauce, and is topped with cured egg yolk, and fresh truffles. $16.
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Octopus cooked sous-vide is then charcoal-grilled and paired with a celery root remoulade and pickled roasted beets. It’s finished with fresh salsa verde and topped with house-dehydrated chilies. $19.
For the Steak and Bones, steak tartare, mixed with pickled vegetables and puffed barley, is paired with roasted bone marrow. Served with grilled Thuet sourdough. $21.
The drink
The extensive cocktail list is a celebration of cognac, armagnac, champagne, and all things French. There’s also champagne by the glass: everything from Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut ($21) to Cristal ($69).
The Smoked Snazzerac is À Toi’s take on a sazerac made with Remy Martin VSOP, Mangalore liqueur and smoked with French Oak. $25.
Les Années Folles is made with butterfly pea flower gin, Lillet Blanc, Pamplemousse liqueur, Madagascar vanilla, lemon juice, grapefruit and hops bitters, and a touch of Absinthe. $16.
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The Classy Bird is made with Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla, peach aperitif, dry vermouth, apricot, and orange bitters. $12.
Punch Provençal, is a clarified milk punch, made with gin, yellow chartreuse, St-Germain, Kina L’aero D’or, honey, jasmine, lavender, lemon and Lem-Marrakech bitters.
The Amor Fou is made with reposado tequila, bianco vermouth, Chambord, lemon juice, egg white, and Clingstone peach bitters. $16.
The space
The Navigate Group–designed space includes a main dining area, a shiny champagne room and—entered through the champagne room—À Toi. Once inside, there’s a large wooden bar, hidden rooms and private booths.
