What’s on the menu at Frilu, Thornhill’s fancy new Canadian tasting menu restaurant

Name: Frilu Contact: 7713 Yonge St., Thornhill, 289-597-8867, frilurestaurant.com, @frilu_restaurant
Neighbourhood: Thornhill Previously: Wild Taurus Tapas Bar Owners: John-Vincent Troiano and Sandra Troiano Chef: Executive chef John-Vincent Troiano (Tutti Matti, Acadia) and head chef So Sakata (Via Allegro)

The food

The restaurant’s name is derived from the Norwegian term friluftsliv, which roughly means “being one with nature.” Frilu’s $95 eight- to twelve-course contemporary Canadian tasting menu is driven by local and seasonal ingredients, but heavily influenced by Asian flavours and techniques, which can be seen in the current 10-course menu that Troiano (who completed a stage at Noma) developed with chefs So Sakata and Keith Siu. Those looking for less of a commitment can order from an a la carte snack menu that may list items like a katsu sandwich.

The drinks

Besides a short list of wine, sake and beer, there are a couple of house tonics made with seaweed- or cedar-infused rice spirits. Guests can opt-in on beverage pairings, which may feature anything from the photo below, or Portuguese madeira selected by front-of-house manager Kelli Ewing (Tutti Matti).

The space

The minimalist-designed space is all stone, wood and even some preserved moss. There’s a patio out front and—get this—free parking behind the restaurant.