Cool city oyster bar

 COOL CITY OYSTER BAR

Location:
99 Sudbury St
Toronto 
647 426 5997

Ratings:
Ambiance: 3 / 4
Service: 3/ 4
Food: 3 / 4
Price:$$$

After hearing about the seafood pop up we knew we had to give it a try. Whats better than outdoor dining and fresh seafood during the summer. This hip hangout serves plenty of seafood and Asian inspired veggie options, but there are no meat lovers dishes here. We decided to sit at the bar which was large and spacious, the best part about it is that you get to watch the staff shuck your  oysters right before your eyes.

We decided to let our waiter decide our dishes for us as we could not decide there were too many exciting options. He started us off with a half dozen fresh PEI OYSTERS. They were so tasty and their house made sauces were divine.

Next came the BUCKET OF CRAWFISH. This was our first crawfish experience and we were not disappointed, boy have we been missing out. These tiny crustaceans are packed with flavour. This bucket of goodness came filled with lots of fresh crawfish broth, corn, onions, sausage and potatoes.

He also suggested we try the GRILLED OCTOPUS as octopus lovers we could not turn him down. The octopus its self was beautifully charred and tender.  Served with bold flavours such as sour pickled fennel, spicy chorizo, roasted red peppers and sliced chilies. These accompaniments  when paired with the octopus created a wonderful flavour profile. 

Would we go back? Yes!

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:

The bucket of Crawfish

NYOOD

NYOOD

LOCATION:

1096 Queen Street W

toronto

416 466 1888

www.nyood.ca

RATINGS:

Ambiance: 3 . 5 / 4

Service: 3 / 4

Food: 2 . 5 / 4

Price: $$$

We stumbled upon Nyood or 'nude' and decided to give it a try because it looked so great inside. The dim lighting, interesting fixtures and accessories,  large bar area and open kitchen in the back were all beautifully done.  The menu is tapas style where everything is meant to be shared. It had an extensive offering, flatbreads and many meat and veggie friendly dishes.

As we contemplated our order we were brought some plump GREEN OLIVES to snack on while we were decideding.

We started off with  CRISPY CALAMARI served with a butter milk ranch sauce. I really liked the sauce but I wish they had put it on the side as it began to make the calamari a little soggy. The calamari itself was OK but tasted pre battered and frozen.

HOISIN GINGER BEER SHORT RIBS were very tasty and fall off the bone tender.  The tasty asian inspired ribs were toped off with crispy potato strings and scallions.

Of course I was with AM and thus we ordered the DONATO ARTISAN FARMS 16 OZ GRILLED RIB EYE.  It was cooked to a nice medium rare however it was a little too fatty and under-seasoned. 

The TRUFFLE SCENTED PEROGIES WERE surprisingly tasty. They were served with chunks of bacon, bacon jam and sour cream. 

Would we go back? maybe...

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:

Perogies 

ZEE GRILL SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR

ZEE GRILL SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & OYSTER BAR

LOCATION:

641 Mt Pleasant Rd

Toronto, On

(416) 484 6428

www.zeegrill.com

RATINGS:

Ambiance: 3/ 4

Service: 3 / 4

Food: 3 / 4

Price: $$$$

The Zee Grill is an excellent spot for a romantic dinner. It has a rather intimate setting with dim lighting and excellent wait staff.  All the food is well plated making you take note of what everyone around you is ordering as it all looked so beautiful. The owner and chef Jac Eckhardt is there each night personally preparing your meal.

The DIVER SCALLOPS were large and perfectly cooked. They were accompanied by fondant leeks, grilled mushrooms, ricotta dumplings, saffron and trout caviar sauce. The scallops melted away in my mouth. They were so fresh and nicely seared which  added a wonderful contrast in textures. The ricotta dumplings on the other had were a little underwhelming next to such beautiful scallops.

 STEAK AND FRITES. The US prime NY strip loin was served with hand cut fries, dijon mustard, jus and aioli. The steak was enjoyable as it was cooked a wonderfully to a nice pink medium rare. Although  as we saw all the wonderful seafood leaving the kitchen the steak seemed like the wrong choice.

Would we go back? One day

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:

The Diver Scallops

LE PAPILLON

LE PAPILLON

LOCATION:

1001 Eastern Ave

Toronto, ON M4L 1A8

Neighbourhood: Leslieville

(416) 649-1001

http://www.lepapillonpark.com

RATINGS:

Ambiance: 3 /4

Service: 3 / 4

Food: 2 . 75 / 4

Price: $$$

As soon as you arrive at Le papillon the polite service begins as they walk you through the slim yet spacious seating areas. The numerous fire places help to warm up the french Canadian inspired cottage decor. We made our way there for a week day dinner with family.  The menu is similar to what you would expect in Quebec, with an entire section of the menu devoted to crepes.

We started off with the BLUE, a very tasty salad. Yes i said it, I loved every bit of this leafy adventure.  The spinach and arugula mix was served with blue cheese, granny smith apples, mixed nuts and maple red wine vinaigrette. If you like blue cheese then you are in for a treat.

The CROQUETTES DE CRABE were a little disappointing.The pan seared crispy pancake was consisted more of breadcrumbs than crab and as a result was quite bland and dry. Not such a hit, which is a shame for $14.

We all had the FRENCH ONION SOUP, the broth was well seasoned and full of flavour. My only hesitation about the dish is that they used Mozerella cheese instead of Greyer, not authentic French Canadian at all.

The MOULES CHARDONNAY was a large portion of steamed muscles, garlic and dill smothered in a thin chardonnay white wine herbed butter sauce. Make sure you ask for extra bread when these muscles arrive for you will want to soak up all the remaining sauce.

I was so excited to see my order arrive the PLATEAU PAPILLON. A large plate full of  garlic butter shrimp, scallops, calamari, grilled fennel, organic tarragon and a béarnaise sauce. As soon as I began to eat I started to regret ordering the seafood medley, it was quite boring and bland. All the seafood was well grilled but had nothing else to it.

The STEAK AU POIVRE on the other hand was just as good as it looked. The large cut of Angus filet mignon was crusted with crushed peppercorns and then smothered in a brandy peppercorn sauce. served with frites and seasonal vegetables.

Would we go back? Yes, but in no rush

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:
Steak au poivre

BONJOUR BRIOCHE

BONJOUR BRIOCHE

LOCATION: 

812 Queen st E

(416) 406 1250

bonjourbrioche.com

RATINGS:

Ambiance: 2 /4

Service: 3 / 4

Food: 2 . 75 / 4

Price: $$

TM and I finally made our way to BONJOUR BRIOCHE the quiant little riverside breakfast spot. We made sure to stop and get cash before we dined as this joint is cash only. Grabbing breakfast here during the week was a nice treat as on the weekends there can be line ups out the door to sit on their patio. When you look around at the tables you can tell that they specialize in fresh baked goods as every one seems to be enjoying fresh croissants, baked treats and breads, but don't be fooled they make some pretty tasty eggs as well.

The SMOKED SALMON AND SCRAMBLED EGGS were delicious. The soft fluffy scramble was mixed with chives, and toped with creamed horseradish and caviar all on top of a crispy potato rosti. It certainly was a mouth full of flavour but it was also quite rich.

The TOMATO BASIL AND GOAT CHEESE QUICHE was served with mixed greens and their famous house made dressing. 

Would we go back? Yes

FRANKS KITCHEN

FRANKS KITCHEN

Location:

588 College St

Toronto, ON

Ratings:

Ambiance: 3 / 4

Service: 3 / 4

Food: 4 / 4

Price: $$$

For my annual family birthday dinner my parents took us to FRANKS KITCHEN. The small intimate restaurant serves up some of Toronto's best food. The server was very knowledgable about the food, informing us that Frank himself buys all the produce and hand picks everything from local suppliers. 

We started off with the AMUSE BOUCHE, a wonderful shot of broccoli soup with a spoon of mixed veggies and goats cheese. A wonderful first stop on the nights exciting journey of food.

We started with the cold appitizers first. The TUNA TARTAR was light and flavourful. The fresh tuna was toped with avocado and a fresh leafy green salad.

Since JA and AM are on a bit of an oyster kick lately we decided to get a dozen OYSTERS to share. The fresh PEI oysters did not disappoint.

The LOBSTER RAVIOLI STILL has AM talking. The fresh hand rolled pasta was stuffed with nothing but large chunks of lobster meat. The pasta was tossed in a delicate tomato and seafood broth, it was shockingly light for a pasta dish.

Even if you don't think you like oysters you still must try the OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER. The hot oysters were covered in a layer of rich hollandaise, bacon, spinach and crispy herb infused breadcrumbs. One of the best servings of this traditional dish I have had in the city.

The PALATE CLEANSER came after the appetizer dishes, fresh and cool raspberry sorbet. DA could have had them all he loved them so much.

The in HOUSE CUT FRIES, were lightly covered with parmesan shavings and accompanied by a mustard aoli. Very very tasty.

AM and JA both decided on the STEAK. The steak was served on a bed of sautéed spinach, and fresh made jus. The medium rare meat was toped off with a decadent roasted onion and table side shaved truffle. I couldn't tell you how it tasted for both of them loved it so much they would not let me try even a little bite.

My mom and I both had the BEEF SHORT RIBS. The melt in you mouth meat was paired with fresh onion rings and a light asian slaw. The delicate slaw was a nice accompaniment to the otherwise tender but rich meat.

DA went for the LAMB CHOPS. The medium rare meat was finished off with drizzle of tasty jus, and root veggies. Simple yet delicious.

Would we go back? FOR SURE

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:
Oysters Rockefeller

UNION 72

UNION 72

LOCATION:

72A Ossington Ave

Toronto, ON

(416) 850 0093

RATINGS:

Ambience: 3 / 4

Service: 4/ 4

Food: 3. 75 / 4

Price: $$$

There are so many amazing boutique restaurants in Toronto its hard to pick where to go, but if you have not yet been to UNION 72 you must give it a try. The intimate restaurant still has that element of Ossington cool as they have quite unique murals painted on the walls. The staff are very knowledgeable about the menu and the ingredients and you can tell they have tried every menu item, even though it changes daily as the chef uses the farm to table ideology. 

We started off with a simple plate of half a dozen PEI OYSTERS, Served with fresh horseradish, home made hot sauce and a cilantro lime sauce.

Our waitress strongly recommended we try the OCTOPUS. The hot grilled octopus was tender and well seasoned. It came with a cool potato salad, green olives and a drizzled of light spicy lemon oil. 

Picture the most tender fall of the bone delicious ribs you have ever had. Well these STICKY RIBS are even better. The charcoal smoked and braised back ribs are smothered in a rich sticky home made BBQ sauce. The delectable ribs were served with wilted greens and grilled carrots. The portion was generous but I was yearning for more as they were full of flavour. 

The ribs were even better when we realized they came with a large portion of hot, crispy HOUSE CUT FRIES. The heaping mountain of fries came with their famous hot sauce and mustard aioli. 

The large SCOTCH MOUNTAIN N.Y STEAK was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. It was incredibly tender  and tasty. 

Would we go back? YES there are so many more menu items we would like to try

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:

The Sticky Ribs

PURE SPIRITS OYSTER HOUSE

PURE SPIRITS OYSTER HOUSE

LOCATION:

17 tank House Lane

Toronto, On

(416) 361 5859

www.purespirits.ca

Ratings:

Ambiance: 2. 75 / 4

Service: 2 . 5 / 4

Food: 2  . 75 / 4

Price:$$$

We headed over to PURE SPIRITS the other night for a quick seafood bite. Its located in the heart of  the trendy historic distillery district.  The fabulous patio allows you to take in the urban gentrified  neighbourhood. The interior is quite tight but very cozy and lively making for a good summer and winter spot.  The food was fresh and tasty we enjoyed it from beginning to end.

We decided to share a dozen FRENCH KISS OYSTERS. They were perfectly shucked and fresh and robust in flavour.

We also shared the tasty GREEN CURRY MUSSELS. The mussels were tossed in a spicy green curry with lime leaves, sweet basil and coconut milk. The broth was full of rich vibrant flavour and went perfectly with he plum juicy mussels.

The mussels came with a heaping mountain of  FRIES with parmesan cheese and rosemary. These salty potatoes were gone in seconds. We made sure we dipped each fry into the scrumptious Asian inspired broth.

Would we go back? Most likely 

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:
Green Curry Mussels

STACK

STACK

Location:

3265 Yonge St

Tronto, Ont

647 346 1416

www.stackrestaurant.ca

Ratings:

Service: 3 / 4

Ambiance: 2 . 75 / 4

Food: 3 / 4

Price: $$

STACK is following into the BBQ craze.  This joint serves classics like pulled pork, brisket, ribs, burgers milkshakes ect.  The space is quite large with large screen TVs perfect place for family dinner or for a hockey night. 

The QUARTER CHICKEN was dressed in the chipotle jack daniels BBQ sauce. The chicken was juciy and full of flavour. The fries were hot and tasty, sprinkled with a little paprika for extra heat and smoke.

The HALF RACK OF RIBS were fall of the bone delish. They were well cooked and had that nice taste of caramelization from being cooked with the sauce on. They were served wet with the famous Stack fries, cole slaw and backed beans.  The slaw was fresh and lightened up the other flavours on the plate.

Would we go back? I think so

STANDOUT DISH:

The Ribs

EARL'S KITCHEN AND WINE BAR

EARL'S KITCHEN AND WINE BAR

LOCATION:

150 King St W

Toronto, On

(416) 916 0227

www.earls.ca

RATINGS:

Ambiance: 3 . 5 / 4

Service: 3 . 7 5 / 4

Food: 3 / 4

Price:$$

Earls serves up above average bar food and has managed to perfectly figure out the formula for success. They provide a very modern yet laid back environment with casual classics with upscale plating. The place is always packed with the young and eligible downtown workers who are looking for some food, drinks and a place to mingle. There is much talk about the service at Earls its much like the service at its big brother Joeys. The servers are attentive and friendly (even more so if your male), although at times it can be hard to hunt them down for your next drink. 

They had a special offer of BEEF CARPACCIO and devilled eggs so we gave it a try. The meat was delicate and flavourful. We were not a huge fan of the mustard aioli, but after pushing it off to the side the dish was enjoyable.

The BABY CALAMARI, the battered squid was quite nice, crispy, tender and toped with some raw red onions. With a big squeeze of lemon they were gone in minutes. The tzatziki could have used a bit of work, it tasted more like yogurt with cucumbers than a traditional tzatziki.

The hot CHICKEN WINGS had a crispy skin with some juicy meat inside. Even though they were hot they were not too spicy. They came with some thick cut carrots and celery sticks with a tasty parmesan dip.

The MARGHERITA PIZZA had fresh mozzarella, parmesan, san marzano tomato sauce, and fresh basil on a in house stretched pizza crust. The crust was thin just the way we like it.

Would we go back? Im sure we will

STANDOUT DISH OF THE NIGHT:
The hot wings