These days, Stephen and I order take-out at least once a week. As much as we have our favourite spots, it has become a struggle to decide what to order when options in our neighbourhood are limited and with Stephen being a great cook. Eating out was starting to lose its lustre until this weekend when we were spoiled with a 5 course tasting menu by Chef Jef Edwards from Ration at Home. The meal reminded me of everything I love about dining out and how much I miss Toronto restaurants.

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

Our five course menu for two was delivered in two bags, one hot and one cold, with a note at the top to put the gelato in the freezer. Each dish was packaged individually with sauces separate and detailed plating instructions were included. Even in takeout form, it was clear each dish was packed and delivered with care and attention. The burrata was beautiful and not a grain was out of place in the risotto. The meal was designed to be served family style, but could easily be divided into courses with the Duck Tartare and Burrata as appetizers and Risotto and Confit Duck as entrees.

I was so excited to see tartare and burrata, two of my favourite dishes that I haven’t had in over a year, on the menu. The duck tartare was served with raw endive leaves that had a slight bitter taste, which paired nicely with the savoury duck. The seasoning of the tartare was on the milder side for me, but the quality of ingredients really shone through. Oh my the burrata, *chef’s kiss*. Served on a bed of greens with pickled green tomatoes, and drizzled with an herb oil and olive oil vinaigrette, every bite was heavenly. There was the creaminess of the burrata, crunch from the tomatoes and richness of the olive oil. Stephen and I devoured this dish, what lactose intolerance?

Alivia’s favourite non dessert dish was the duck confit, and there was plenty to share between the three of us. Crispy skin and sweet relish rounded out the tender duck leg. Between the burrata and the relish, the slices of sourdough bread were well taken care of. Stephen’s favourite dish was the creamy spring pea and samphire risotto. While there was the occasional crunch, the flavours and seasoning were superb with the seasonal ingredients.

Dessert was a smoked chocolate tart with truffle honey and vanilla gelato. I loved how the smoke flavour of the chocolate and the earthiness of the truffled honey was mellowed by the vanilla gelato. Again, such strong flavours, in balance with each other.

Overall, Ration at home was such a treat. A reminder for my taste buds of being blown away by combinations of flavours and textures, the delight of enjoying a fine crafted meal, with enough leftovers for the next day. To order Ration at Home for pick up or delivery, visit https://www.exploretock.com/rationathome.

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.

As the weather warms up, Toronto comes out of hibernation and the season of summer events begins. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend Cuisine & Cuvee, in support of Providence Healthcare, with Karen and we spent the night sipping drinks and nibbling on tasty bites. This year’s event was held at Rebel and turned out to be an even bigger and better party. The only thing better than an awesome event is one also for a great cause. Providence Healthcare is a leader in Toronto for providing rehabilitation, palliative, and long-term care with a history dating back to 1857. Cuisine & Cuvee is just one of the many events the Providence Healthcare Foundation runs annually to help raise funds to support Providence Hospital, their long-term care facility and day programs. I was honoured to be invited to attend and cover this year’s event.

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

This year’s event featured over 30 savoury, sweet and beverage stations. On the stage, when the DJ wasn’t in charge, talented live performers entertained the lively crowd. After our first round (or two) through the savoury food stations, we ventured upstairs to the VIP area with access to the outside balcony with a stunning view of the Toronto Skyline. I have to admit, being able to access upstairs was a nice perk, especially as the crowd grew. When we returned for a few more bites, most booths had a long line.

14 savoury food vendors fed the crowd with delicious morsels from cheese to grilled cheese to scallops. I absolutely loved the seared Diver Scallops being served by E11even with a truffled celeriac puree, honey mushrooms and bacon jam. Another stand out plate was Locale Mercatto’s Cavatelli with Smoked Ontario Trout, amazing. Pilar’s Catering set up a full Roast Beef carving station and Summer Thyme Bites’ Gourmande Grilled Cheese was buttery and cheesy. What’s wine without cheese? Bothwell Cheese and Pasquale Bros satisfied all of my cheese needs with their spread, conveniently set up on opposite sides of the room, so I was never out of arm’s reach of a cheese platter.

On the beverage side, there was a wine bar with pouring bottles from 4 wineries and a host of beer and liquor vendors. My favourite was Boodles Gin, which was smooth and sweet. Wyborowa Vodka, Lost Craft Beer and Jack Daniel’s were mixing caesars, cocktails and a boozy lemonade. Steam Whistle was also on hand along with Dixon’s Distilled Spirits and Arbonne. Of course, I had to grab another watermelon slush from Tropic Love! Coconuts and Pineapples were also available. To satiate our sweet tooths, there was Mint Oreo ice cream made with liquid nitrogen from Ice Volcano Ice Cream and Holy Cannoli’s famous cannolis.

Aside from food and entertainment, the event also had a raffle (including tickets to a Leafs game in the Executive Suite for 12 people!) and a silent auction to raise funds. The silent auction was one of the best I’ve seen with lots from iPads to Tiffany Jewellery to a catered dinner for 10 by The Food Dudes. There was also a fine wine auction that included bottles ranging in value from hundreds to thousands.

As food vendors wrapped up service, their tables were packed away one by one until the dance floor was clear, making way for the group of eager partiers (myself included).

This year Sidecar Restaurant on College St. is celebrating their 9th anniversary, an impressive feat for any restaurant in the neighbourhood that’s constantly welcoming new faces and saying goodbye to old favourites. Chef Hyun Jung Kim joined the restaurant recently and unveiled a new menu that will delight any customer. From scallops to duck breast to salmon, every bite was seriously good. Sidecar believes in providing great food and service at a reasonable price, which is why they’ve become a gratuity free restaurant. All menu prices are inclusive of tip and mains range in price from $20-$30, which I thought was a great value based on the quality of each plate. Sidecar invited me to taste dishes from their new menu and sip on a few cocktails from their sister establishment the Toronto Temperance Society.

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

To start, I’d like to note that the photos in this post show the serving size of the menu items as part of a multi-course tasting menu. Full size plates were a much larger, usually double, the portion size for all of the meat mains.

For drinks, Sidecar offers a variety of cocktails bottled daily from the Toronto Temperance Society upstairs. In addition, the bartender can also whip up drinks to order. The Hubby decided to try an Old Fashioned while I asked for a surprise with the request of something fruity and sweet. Our server returned with an adorable bottle for him and a French 75 for me, that fit my request to a tee.

Our first taste was an amuse bouche from Chef Kim that featured a trio of seafood ranging in texture, cooking techniques and flavour. There was a fresh oyster with an apple mignotte, a PEI mussel with smoked paprika, and a deep fried shrimp. We moved our way from refreshing to rich and savoured each bite. I loved the mussel, which had a strong smoky aroma and still tasted of the ocean. The first menu item we tasted was the starter Scallops, seared perfectly on one side and served with charred rice in a light, clear broth. I would’ve preferred my scallops a touch more rate, but they were very tender and the broth was amazing. The charred grains of rice added a bit of crunch and punch of flavour.

The Hubs and I tasted 3 mains, which was a lot of food. I really appreciated Sidecar’s hospitality and the thought and care they put into our tasting. The smaller portion sizes allowed us to thoroughly enjoy each bite from start to finish. Our first main was Atlantic Salmon with Israeli couscous, brown butter, shallot, capers and lemon. The salmon skin was perfectly crispy and the fish just opaque. I really enjoyed the hints of sour that complemented the savoury sauce. Next was seared Duck Breast with butternut squash, lentils, cipolini onions and kale. I loved this dish. The duck breast was still pink inside with a crispy skin and light gamey flavour. The sweet butternut squash was creamy and paired well with the rich duck. Our final entree was a medallion of beef with creamed parsnip and cabbage. Again, expertly cooked and a good balance of textures and taste.

Then there was dessert. By this point, we really should have split the two desserts between us. We tried the Chocolate Mousse, which would have satisfied any chocolate fan with the rich chocolate taste. I really liked the chocolate cup that had a raspberry sauce inside and a spot of whipped cream. The other dessert, the one I liked more, was the Tiramisu Cheesecake that was a decadent take on the classic dessert.

Dinner at Sidecar was a true delight. I’m sure that with Chef Kim in the kitchen, the restaurant will be celebrating many more anniversaries to come. Sidecar also offers tasting menus at $35 for 3 courses (available Sunday to Wednesday) and $60 for 5 courses (available by request), which are great deals. I would highly recommend the scallop, duck breast and tiramisu cheesecake.

The latest season of Winterlicious is in full swing and Toronto restaurants are packed with diners taking advantage of the many delicious three-course prix fixe menus being offered. Azure Restaurant and Bar, located in the Intercontinental Toronto Centre, has participated in the Licious event for several years and will again be offering a delectable lunch and dinner menu this year. I was invited for a behind the scenes view into Azure’s Winterlicious menu with a hands-on workshop led by Executive Chef Shawn Whalen and Chef de Cuisine Grace Di Fede. During the hour long cooking demonstration, I learned how to poach scallops, sear osso bucco and deep fry fritters.

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

Our night at Azure began with a workshop with Chef Whalen and Chef Di Fede. Chef Whalen joined Azure in 2013 and brought with him 30+ years of culinary experience, while Chef Di Fede has worked at Azure since 2011, being promoted to Chef De Cuisine in 2013. Aprons and tall chef hats were laid out, allowing us to look the part while we cooked with the chefs. We walked through the steps to put together two appetizers, an entree and the Tiramisu Parfait dessert. Once all the pots were going, the aroma in the room was heavenly, especially the simmering Port and Black Cherry Braised Osso Bucco. Chef Di Fede plated an Octopus & Scallop Escabeche live for us and I loved seeing the dish come together from start to end. We all tasted a few of the freshly fried Maple & Oka Fritters, part of the Squash & Caramelized Pear Soup appetizer. I only wish we had more time with the Chefs to see more finished plates, but we could only keep them from the busy kitchen for so long.

After the workshop, we got to taste the menu. While I had a lot of fun cooking, eating was still my favourite part of the evening. I had the chance to taste 80% of the Winterlicious dinner menu and while every bite was good, there were definite standouts for each course and they weren’t the dishes I would have normally ordered. For the appetizers, based just on words, I would have order the Octopus & Scallop Escabeche, which was poached seafood marinated in lime juice and olive oil. The scallop was sweet and the octopus incredibly tender. I would have been very happy with this appetizer, if I didn’t get to try the Squash and Caramelized Pear Soup, which was incredible. The thick soup was rich in flavour, earthy and sweet and perfect with the cold weather. I cleaned my bowl as well I could with a spoon and had to resist licking the last drops.

For entrees, I was initially drawn to the Grain Mustard Coated Salmon, but after smelling the simmering osso bucco, I opted for the Port & Black Cherry Braised Veal Shank as my main. The shank was served with a mascarpone risotto cake that was well seasoned, a good texture and quite filling. I really liked the spoonful of marrow in the bone, but for me, the shank itself was a touch dry. The salmon was cooked well, flaking with a light touch and served on a bed of couscous. Of the three entrees, the one that I was not interested in was the Lumache (a snail shell shaped pasta) with Gorgonzola Cream but we ordered a plate to share. Oh my god. It was amazing. The pasta was a perfect texture and the creamy, cheese sauce was heavenly with a hint of sweetness from the apples. Of the three entrees, the Lumache was my favourite and I ate more than my fair share of the plate.

By the time we made it to dessert, I only had room to really try one and I was happy with my choice of Tiramisu Parfait. The layers of cream were airy and sweet without being heavy. I would’ve liked a little more texture in the parfait, but the biscotti dipped in was perfect.

Overall, at $48 the dinner menu at Azure for Winterlicious is a great steal. Even better, all of my favourite dishes are available on their lunch menu as well for just $28. My perfect meal would start with the Squash and Caramelized Pear Soup, followed by the Lumache with Gorgonzola Cream and ending with the Tiramisu Parfait. Winterlicious this year runs until February 9th.

Earlier this year I had the chance to attend an incredible evening organized by Chef Eyal Liebman and Sommelier Rebecca Mei-Liebman, the talented duo also known as Chef & Somm, benefitting Sojourn House Toronto. Dinner was more than just a delicious meal, but an experience in sensory delight. Throughout the evening, all five of our senses were teased and tested to explore if how we taste food and wine changed with our atmosphere. The evening began with a wine tasting with 4 mystery wines, 2 red and 2 whites. Chatting with those seated near me, most had a strong preference between the reds and the whites, especially one person who loved wine #1 and strongly disliked wine #4. Turns out, wine #4 was wine #1 with a few drops of food colouring. I did not see that coming. This was a perfect example of how strongly sigh influences how we taste, even with wine.

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

Beyond Taste was held at The Richmond, a beautiful event space that was transformed with art and a long table filled with wine glasses. Four hors d’oeuvres were served, which were 2 sets of ingredients presented in very different ways. For example, one set was asparagus wrapped with bacon, simply stacked in bite size pieces. Then, the very same dish was served as a gelatin sphere filled with puree. I quite liked both versions, and found the sphere offered a much more concentrated flavour.

Dinner began with a Caprese salad, styled like a piece of pizza. Next was a Salmon Poke, followed by a large piece of Schnitzel and then a rich Cassoulet with duck confit and toulouse sausage. The schnitzel was crispy and excellently seasoned, served with an egg poached in the shell. By the time the cassoulet arrived, I was already quite full and only had a few bites of the heavy dish. The duck confit was incredibly tender, fall off the bone, but a little heavy handed with salt. To further play with our sense during dinner, incense was lit at one point, then snuffed, the music changed genres and volume, and the lights dimmed and brightened. With all the wine I’d been consuming, I couldn’t tell if my tastebuds were reacting to all of the outside stimulus, but I was talking louder.

Throughout the night, we tasted many, many wines, at least two with each course and there was not a single glass I didn’t enjoy. I really enjoyed all of Sommelier Rebecca’s wine pairings, especially the dessert and ice wine. We sampled wines from 5 different local wineries and my favourite was the crisp, clean taste of the Reif Estate Winery Chardonnay. This will a label that I look for now at the LCBO.

Dessert was chocolate mousse served two ways, in a dome and piped out. Chef Eyal spoke to the guests about his goal for the dinner and his inspirations. Personally, I loved going into the meal without knowing what to expect and being a part of his experiment.

This year for Summerlicious none of the menus really enticed me. I still decided to use the event as an excuse to grab dinner with friends and only looked at dinner menus at the $28 or $38 price point. After waffling between restaurants, we ended up at Bannock, an O&B restaurant in heart of downtown. For $28 the 3 course dinner was a good value, but perhaps wrongly, I had higher expectations.

Atmosphere: With the facade of Bannock being under construction the entrance was little hard to find. Inside, the restaurant separated into two sections. On the right was a “grab and go” area and on the left the “dine in” restaurant. Decor was modern with natural wood chairs that contrasted the light tabletops. Throughout dinner, the room was lively and we had to raise our voices to maintain a conversation.

Service: Our server was friendly and always made sure drinks were full. Courses arrived together and we had no trouble getting anyone’s attention. Overall, there wasn’t any aspect of service that was super memorable, which is how I like the majority of my meals to be.

Food: For dinner, I ordered the Ontario Heirloom Tomato Salad for my main, which also had sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and garlic brittle. I was expecting slices of tomatoes or bite size chunks, instead the tomatoes were large wedges, or halves and just piled in the center of the plate with sad shreds of garnish. The tomatoes were ripe and sweet but wasn’t seasoned enough for my taste.

A friend and I split our mains, allowing both of us to try dishes. All of the mains sounded promising and we chose the Northern Woods Mushroom and Gouda Pizza and the Birch BBQ Tri-tip Steak. Between the two, I prefered the pizza, which had a thin crust fresh arugula and strong earthy flavours. With the steak dish, the portion was large and cooked well, but again I thought it was underseasoned. Maybe I really need to cut back on salt in our own kitchen. Served with the steak was charred ratatouille, avocado and blue corn tortillas. Ok, but nothing spectacular.

Dessert was the highlight of dinner. Between the three of use, we ordered a Citrus Mousse Mess and two slices of Vanilla Cheesecake. Heavenly. None of us were tempted by the Crickets on a Log, real roasted crickets on a stalk of celery.

With fall quickly approaching, I’m reminiscing about the great meals I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying this summer, which included dinner at Azure, the restaurant of the Intercontinental Toronto hotel on Front street. Azure kindly invited me to visit for dinner and to try out their special summer drink, a boozy Watermelon Margarita. One thing I always miss about the warm weather is sipping drinks out on the patio, the fruitier, the better.

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

Atmosphere: Being a hotel restaurant, Azure was elegant with a large bar and many of the diners were guests from out of town. With a slanted glass ceiling, dark wood tables and chocolate leather seats, the dining space was elegant and airy. A long bar stretched across one wall with bar stools and the area also housed sets of armchairs with round cocktail tables. That day, the Olympics were being shown on a screen behind the bar, and the spot would be great for watching any sporting event.

Service: Walking into the hotel lobby, Azure was located just to the right. A hostess greeted us and showed us to our table (one with plenty of natural light as requested). Both drinks and food arrived quickly and our server checked on us frequently. He was the kind of friendly, talkative server who liked to make jokes and chat.

Food: Dinner began with a Watermelon Margarita (or two), which was made with tequila, lime juice and fresh watermelon juice, topped with a piece of compressed, candied watermelon in a salt rimmed glass. The cocktail was refreshing, sweet, sour and very satisfying on a hot day. I really liked the compressed watermelon, that was still juicy and had a concentrated flavour.

For appetizers, my friend and I split the Hummus plate and Tuna Tostadas with a pistachio crust and peach salsa. The tuna was lightly seared, topped with the salsa and served on a crunchy corn chip. I had to take two bites for each tostada, as the medallion of tuna was such a large portion. The hummus was served with two types of olives and grilled flatbread triangles. With the amount of hummus on the plate, we needed several more helpings of pita to get through the creamy goodness, but that meant filling up before our entrees even arrived.

I ordered the Pan Seared Pickerel for my main, served with potato darphin (almost like a hash brown), ratatouille and a white sauce. Perched on the other components of the dish, the pickerel had a beautiful charred skin and flaked nicely with a fork. I enjoyed the flavour of the fish, which was lightly seasoned and cooked to just firm. Compared to the fish, the rest of the plate was a little lackluster. My friend ordered the Smoked Gouda CheeseBurger with a side of spiced fries. Even though I was full from my meal, I couldn’t help but sneak some of her few fries. We were both quite well-fed and happy with no room left for dessert. The table next to us had ordered several sweet items and the Chocolate S’mores Parfait was very tempting.

Sitting high atop the iconic TD tower in the heart of Toronto, Canoe remains the crown jewel of Oliver & Bonacini’s restaurant empire. My first experience with Canoe was a disappointing meal during Winterlicious back in 2010 and I vowed only to return during regular service. Initially, I had booked a table on Valentine’s day, but decided to postpone for a week to avoid another hectic and crowded occasion that could potentially cloud my dining experience again. Perhaps as a result, my latest meal at Canoe met every expectation and proved their reputation to be well deserved.

Atmosphere: One of the draws of Canoe is their 54th floor location, with spectacular views of the city and Lake Ontario. At a window table, the sunset turns into twinkling lights providing a romantic backdrop to dinner. For me, I was happy when the hostess led us to a well-lit table in the centre of the restaurant. Dress code didn’t include t-shirts but I didn’t spot many jackets either. The restaurant was warm, lively and hummed with conversation.

Service: I really liked our server, who was friendly and charming. He introduced the daily specials and shared his personal recommendations. We ordered the special appetizer, which had Chef Armstrong coming tableside to shave black truffle fresh onto the plate. Our server checked in on our table regularly and each course arrived promptly. Empty plates did not sit long before being taken away. I felt our table was well taken care of without any hovering.

Food: For dinner, the daily appetizer centered around truffles. The kitchen had two kinds, one from France and another from BC. Chef Armstrong came table-side to shave each truffle onto a pile of tagliatelle in butter sauce and invited us to taste and compare. We didn’t know which was which and honestly, I couldn’t really tell the difference. The Hubby thought one had a deeper earthy flavour but both were delicious, not overpowering and just subtle hits of umami.

The other appetizer we chose was the venison tartare with crispy bacon, pink peppercorn, wild mustard and foraged pickles. I really enjoyed the crispy, sweet and sour pickles, and the mustard had a hint of heat. The venison itself was lean and savoury.

For mains, I ordered the Halibut that was flakey, tender and served with a creamy citrus sauce. The Hubby had the Ontario Lamb Saddle, which was served on a bed of hearty greens with a side of beautifully stacked root vegetables. Carrots were sliced thin, perfectly cooked, sweet with a smokey flavour. I found the lamb a bit gamey but The Hubby loved it. We added a side order of beets that was slices of cooked beets, layered, topped with chunks and decorated with slices showing off the beet’s rings. The dish was sweet and truly showed off the often overlooked vegetable..

Canoe’s menu changes often, always highlighting local Canadian ingredients like BC salmon and Ontario pork. My second experience at the restaurant far eclipsed the first. I found the dishes I liked best to be the simple ones, when the ingredients weren’t overcomplicated. Overall, my meal wasn’t the best I’ve had in Toronto, but combined with the romantic atmosphere and delightful service, dinner was lovely.

Poised to be the new hotspot of Queen West, Entice Culinary Lounge opened their doors last month and I got to check out the neon lit bar first hand with Sandi (from Foodaholic). Another attraction of the bar, besides the glasses of red wine, was the countertop of screens playing black and white movies, lighting up each drink. We spent the evening sampling scrumptious bites from the kitchen prepared by Chef Ryan Wilson-Lall and sous Chef Justin Cleva.

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

From deboned chicken cordon bleu to Korean beef ribs to carbonara ravioli, the menu items we sampled at Entice showed off the wide variety of dishes available. Each bite was also tasty, garnished with detail and consistent. Considering the volume of food being served in the packed dining area, this was an impressive feat. I especially enjoyed the chicken cordon bleu, a dish rarely seen on menus today, that was juicy and tender with a crisp, crunchy exterior.

In addition to savoury items, I also had the chance to try the no bake chocolate biscuit cake and fig and cherry (marzipan mousse with kiwi compote) desserts. While the biscuit cake was dense and rich, the fig and cherry was light and refreshing. Great options for whatever your dessert preference.

Entice offers daily menu specials including crab smash Thursday and family style fish Fridays. A full brunch menu is also available on weekends.