E11EVEN

I am very good at finding excuses to eat out. Heading to a concert, show, Raptor’s game? Obviously we’ll have to grab dinner beforehand. e11even’s convenient downtown location (within walking distance of Union Station, the ACC and Roger’s Centre), sophisticated dining room and spacious patio makes it a great spot to grab a drink, some bites or splurge on the ribeye for dinner. Also, their Double Cut Bacon, a must-order. Also, if you’re hungry afterwards, e11even is also open for for any post-game (Maple Leafs, Raptors, etc.) food and drinks as well.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Walking into e11even, I was worried for a second that Stephen and I were underdressed. The large dining room was all dark wood, high ceilings and leather booths. I saw lots of suits and ties, but when we moved to the patio outside, the attire was much more laid back. e11even’s partially covered patio ran along the entire restaurant and was breezy and comfortable. We were able to catch the sunset between buildings and enjoy the late summer evening. The menu was presented via a sleek iPad app, which had plenty of mouth-watering photos to reference. There was also an extensive wine list (and a gorgeous wine feature wall inside the restaurant), but I still have 5 months to go before my next glass of wine.

Food: To start, Stephen and I ordered the Spinach and Artichoke Dip and the Double Cut Bacon with a maple sherry glaze. The dip was cheesy and creamy with a nice toasted top layer while the chips were salty and crispy. A touch more seasoning in the dip would’ve balanced out the two components even more. I loved the Double Cut Bacon. Each thick slice was perfectly grilled, meaty and a perfect bite of sweet and savoury. Being able to order this dish as an appetizer was great and it would make a delicious add-on to any entree.

For mains, Stephen opted for the 14oz Dry Aged Ribeye with a peppercorn gravy while I choose the daily fish special of Grilled Red Snapper. Stephen’s steak was cooked to a perfect medium, served carved and with a side of lemon arugula salad. The peppercorn gravy was flavourful but could have benefited from a pinch of salt. I personally like my steaks pretty seasoned, so a heavy-handed sprinkle of sea salt on either the steak itself or in the gravy would have worked. The quality and the marbling of the steak was excellent and I liked how sour the salad was with wedges of fresh lemon.

Reading through the menu of side dishes, I couldn’t resist the Truffled Mac N’ Cheese. The baked bowl of goodness was cheesy with a hint of truffle that wasn’t too overpowering. My red snapper was served whole with skin on a bed of fingerling potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Both the fish and vegetables were well-seasoned and I really enjoyed the taste. The fish had a perfectly crispy skin and the flesh was tender and flaked easily with a fork.

We were too full to tackle dessert but I was eyeing the Sticky Toffee Pudding hard. In hindsight, with limited stomach capacity, I would’ve traded the giant plate of chips and Spinach dip for a slice of dessert.

Overall, dinner at e11even was satisfying with a lively atmosphere. I’d recommend getting a table on the patio if possible and most definitely the Double Cut bacon.