by Christine Stoesser

The warm weather teasers Toronto has been experiencing have also served as a reminder of just how many people populate our city. Toronto sometimes feels a little like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the latter being the winter, of course. It’s not that winter is all bad, but its chill can impose on socializing so much that even the most gregarious folks in Toronto find themselves tucked inside with a book or a movie—a lot. It’s easy to love Toronto in the spring: magnolias blossom, hearts open and friends reconnect. To bring your social life back into existence, and to experience Toronto from another point of view, there is nothing nicer than visiting a rooftop patio with friends on a breezy, balmy evening. Here’s a list of five rooftop patios in different corners of the city that offer great service, drinks and gorgeous views.

Hemingway’s:

Known for their extensive wine list and delicious sweet potato fries, Hemingway’s is a mature yet down-to-earth watering hole that celebrates the cultures of Australia and New Zealand. Located in the upscale Yorkville shopping district, Hemingway’s is actually quite affordable, which might explain why it’s so busy, filled with people who have just finished working or shopping. If you love to meet new people and network, Hemingway’s might be your gem. Even though it’s busy, they still manage to provide great and attentive service. Hemingway’s is a fun and relaxed atmosphere where laughter abounds.

Thompson Hotel:

The Thompson Hotel is an international hotel franchise which just opened its Toronto location to oohs and aahs last year. You’ll pay a pretty penny for your drink, but the rooftop patio has one of the best views (at 360°) of Toronto’s skyline. This is the place to go if you’re feeling unenthusiastic about Toronto: the elegant glass decor which showcases and reflects the vast view will have you ogling the CN Tower through new, prideful eyes. This rooftop patio has certainly raised the bar in Toronto; can you think of another one with a pool, and not just any pool—it’s an infinity pool, that’s a pool that creates the illusion of going on forever.

Vivoli:

They may have had to do a lot of flat roof repairs, but it all resulted in a rooftop patio with the greatest view of bustling Little Italy. Located on College St., and otherwise known as paradise for food lovers, Vivoli is an Italian restaurant that knows exactly how to make an authentic pizza. Their wine and beer list aren’t too shabby, either, and when combined with a patio that towers over everything else, Vivoli is always full of patrons enjoying their fare while people-watching, enjoying a bird’s-eye view of cultural street festivals, or simply enjoying the weather from on high.

The Spoke Club:

The Spoke Club, located on King St. W., is a members only club which caters towards media and arts professionals. You’ll have to find a friend with a membership, join yourself or attend an event on the premises to experience it, but it’s well worth it because this is one of the most beautiful and private patios in the city. The rooftop garden house made of steel and glass puts a futuristic yet elegant spin on rooftop patios and the interesting layout and design of the place will indulge your senses and inspire the imagination. The garden is beautiful and well-kept, the bar is easily accessible and the cocktails divine. If you’re a culture junkie looking for a lively conversation, this may be the place for you, if you’re willing to do what it takes to get there.

Murphy’s Law Irish Pub:

Located near the beaches on Queen St. E., Murphy’s Law is the patio to beat in the east end. It’s a low-key and casual establishment, offering plenty of beers (Irish and otherwise) on tap as well as a decent wine and cocktail list. This is the perfect place to catch up with friends you haven’t seen for awhile and to enjoy some fish n’ chips and a pint. Like all the fine establishments on this list, the selling feature of Murphy’s Law is its large patio. The beaches are removed from the behemoth structures which make up Toronto’s downtown, and Murphy’s Law is truly one of the tallest buildings in the area. The view is lovely, showcasing Lake Ontario and Toronto from a vantage point less urban than the other patios mentioned.

Related posts:

1. ONE – at Hazelton Hotel
2. Yorkville’s Dimmi

The  promotional blurb says “The Queen and Beaver Public House promises fantastic food served alongside a good pint or an excellent glass of wine – all at a price that won’t break the bank This is not posh nosh, but rather classic British dishes that have stood the test of time. All our food is made from scratch, and lovingly prepared by our British Chef Andrew Carter.”  There are two bars, one on each floor and each floor has its own patio.

The menus are innovative, and seasonally charming. The beer batter on the haddock and chips was thin and perfectly crispy, though the chips lacked the same crispiness. The venison cobbler was unusual and outstanding, and could have been improved by more crumbly topping rather than the chewiness experienced. The size of the ploughman’s platter presented a bit of a challenge in terms of size, but there was a pleasing variety of unusual additions – such as golden beets – along with the traditional cheeses and meat.

The place was full by 6:30pm on a Thursday evening, and the wait-staff over-taxed. A minor incident with a piece of plastic appearing incongruously in the otherwise delicious home-made raspberry ripple ice cream was poorly managed by our server, but immediately resolved by the maitre-d. The cheese plate was stunning.  Good value, good food, good atmosphere. We’ll return.

Related posts:

1. Magic Oven: freshness & goodness
2. Yorkville’s Dimmi
3. Beavering away at Le Petit Castor

If you’ve visited Yorkville even once, chances are you’ve encountered the iconic Dimmi ‘Bar and Trattoria’. Even if you only managed to brush by one of its two patios – one on the peaceful laneway between Yorkville Avenue and Cumberland Street, and another right at 140 Cumberland where Dimmi has claimed its prominent position under the ownership of Raymond Commisso and Leslie Chan for more than 13 years – you’ll remember Dimmi.

A great place for a casual lunch or dinner, or a glass of wine and an appetizer in the middle of a summer afternoon, Dimmi has been serving gourmet pizzas, authentic Italian pasta, and other crowd-pleasers concocted by “Frank the Chef” for over a decade. Unusually, Dimmi has had the same chef (Frank) since Raymond and Leslie took over this Yorkville destination. They must have a magic secret, because they also keep their other staff happy and busy over the years, consistently serving the regulars and the casual passers-by.

Which is good, of course, for the many who come back time and again to experience good service and good food in a fun atmosphere. Top sellers, apart from the pizza and pastas, are the daily meat and fish specials and the freshly-made custom orders of risotto, stirred lovingly for all the time it takes to stir up a good risotto.

You’ll be comfortable here, whatever time of day you visit, and in which ever season. It’s just that the patios are closed between November and April. When you do, you may find yourself rubbing shoulders with celebs – especially during TIFF – and with athletes like some of the Raptors and Maple Leafs teams, as well as regular mortals like you and me.

Inside, the restaurant seats 80 people in a fun atmosphere during the winter months, adding 60 more seats when the patios open. The food is reliably good, and the servers are warm and attentive without being obtrusive. We like it!

Related posts:

1. ONE – at Hazelton Hotel
2. Toronto Rooftop Patios
3. Nyood Restaurant

We’ve been eating at Magic Oven restaurants (there are five in Toronto) for a couple of years now, and have yet to be disappointed. These wholesome community-centric restaurants subscribe to the fresh, local and organic (whenever possible) movement, and in doing so turn out predictably good quality meals for all tastes.

We were in the Magic Oven on Danforth Avenue for lunch today, and came away feeling satisfied and nourished in the way that only fresh quality ingredients prepared impeccably can offer. And the food is served in a comfortable relaxed atmosphere with really attentive staff who seem to enjoy what they do.

The menu is varied, not only focused on their most excellent pizzas. You can go light or dig in to substantial dishes in the knowledge that it’s freshly prepared with love and care.

Favourites: the vegan chickpea protein power soup, Summersweet Salad with grilled chicken breast (it is always just-prepared, with fresh greens, crunchy walnuts, perfectly-ripe avocadoes and chunks of fresh mango, and this diner opts for their balsamic dressing, on the side), and the Super-Pepperoni pizza.

Prices are right, you can always get a seat, and the staff are always friendly and helpful. That’s why we are regular patrons.

Related posts:

1. Cobb Salad Wraps with avocado & black beans
2. Stuffed Chicken Breasts
3. NEW! Wine columnist: Organic & biodynamic wines

The Miller has yet to disappoint, and there’s no reason to think that it ever will.

Ever since the Jolly Miller was taken over about a decade or so ago, Chef Hugh Kerr – specialist in seafood, the freshest possible, but good at everything else too – has consistently pleased all patrons with his no-nonsense, high quality, varied menu. There’s something for everyone to enjoy, at all times of the day and during all seasons.

The space is large. It’s on two floors, with private dining, a large balcony, a capacious bar area, and arguably the most accommodating patio anywhere – two-tiered, beautiful, and a bit of an oasis despite the fact that it is adjacent to the parking lot. The landscaping encloses the space effectively, screening you from sights, sounds and smells of automobiles. You’d think you were in the countryside, sort of.

Occasions we have enjoyed include: dinners for 2 and for  4,  private dining for a groups of 12 and 30,  outdoor patio lunching, brunch on the balcony (pre-matinee at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts, which was a perfect combo for three of us), drinks and a fabulous selection of appetizers for 10.

You’d never find The Miller empty, but it’s so spacious that you’re never cramped either. Seating is comfortable, the staff are all A-1,  and the food is consistently good, varied and fresh, portions are generous and the pricing is bang-on. The Miller is up-town, close to Wilson subway, but easy to get to and with parking adjacent.

Everything. Everything good.

Related posts:

1. Nyood Restaurant
2. Toronto Rooftop Patios
3. ONE – at Hazelton Hotel

Mmm, brunch at ONE. A Sunday girls-who-brunch outing to Yorkville, which just seems to get prettier – though we’ll all be rejoicing when the nearby Bloor Street streetscape is finished.

The patio at ONE is truly lovely, a place to see and been seen if that excites you. What better way to see who is wearing what as they stroll past you on Yorkville Avenue. However, we opted to eat in inside ONE, an almost cavernous part of the Hazelton Hotel.

The room is beautifully appointed, the decor is chic contemporary, and the service was initially warm and attentive, even if it slowed down a little as more diners begin to fill the space. In our case, we found out we were in the middle of a shift change, so we lost our first server and hadn’t bonded as quickly with the stand-in. Three of us weren’t in any hurry, so we sipped our way through one (OK more than one) champagne cocktail (Henriot bubbles, $35) about which we’d had a lengthy and enlightening discussion with our personable server.

Look, it’s not cheap. Nor, on the other hand, are the dishes out of line with Yorkville prices – $17 eggs benny, $14 omelettes, and so on. But, oh, the quality! You really do get what you pay for here. Fabulous eggs benedict on a light brioche with artisan ham and velvety hollandaise – just the right amount; fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes topped with squished berries and a modicum of (real, what else?) maple syrup; and a delectable egg white omelette with gruyere, scallions and mushrooms. Everything is perfectly proportioned and impeccably presented. The home fries are delicate coins of perfection rather than greasy clumps of starch. The coffee is fabulous, the teas delicately aromatic.

We loved it. We didn’t like the noise level that mounted as we progressed through our feast, brought on by the droves of people that also want to get a taste of excellence. This is a spacious place with high ceilings and little soft furnishings to absorb some of the noise. But, in our opinion, it was a better option than sitting on the patio overlooking the crawling traffic and the crowds of people walking by. Patios are great places to spend 30 minutes, but this was serious, leisurely, girly brunching.

Great place, great food, great staff, thankfully devoid of Yorkville ‘posers’, and an impressive standby for special occasion dining in Yorkville.

Related posts:

1. MoRoCo Chocolat … and more
2. Toronto Rooftop Patios
3. Yorkville’s Dimmi

Quality counts for baby boomers. We’re more careful about how we spend our money when eating out, looking more for great experiences than for volume of food.

Amaya invites you to experience fine Indian cuisine, and delivers on the promise. Agreed, Indian cooking is highly flavourful and often spicy (but not always), and Amaya fits the bill. This is a la carte, delightfully delicate, gourmet Indian food – a culinary experience, not a quick generic curry and a beer.

As you enter, there are  hints of flavours to come rather than an overpowering olfactory assault, and it’s peaceful – no loud music to dominate the audio scene. The decor is soothing and contemporary, there’s a welcoming bar with skilled staff and premium cocktails on offer while you have an amuse bouche Indian style before you take your seat in the 64-seat (approximately) dining area. The bar area was so relaxing, we chose to have our kurkuri bhindi  appetizer (perfectly crisp okra coated with cumin and chickpea flour crust) before taking our seats at the table, crisp white linen and all.

This was our fourth visit to Amaya, and each time we have been delighted by the food and the service. The tasting menu is truly worth a try, but this time we chose from the menu – the chicken tikka masala special, and also a delightful  lamb korma which should be lightly spiced lamb shank in rich sauce with cashew and green cardamom, but we asked for the spice to be taken up several notches – it was! Add to that a butternut squash veggie dish, garlic naan, and we were in heaven.

We bravely tried, and thoroughly enjoyed, a kheera-mirchi gimlet (Bombay Sapphire gin, cucumber juice, green chilli and lemon juice) as an unusual and colourful cocktail, then couldn’t resist a cardamom infused creme brulee and a spiced brownie with vanilla ice cream. Gourmet desserts too. If you’ve ever tried an unidentifiable dessert at an Indian buffet restaurant – these perfectly presented sweet treats are a pleasant surprise.

The menu is great, showing influences from the major food regions of India, including tandoori flavours from the north and seafood specialties from Goa. The wine list offers something for everyone with an emphasis on quality, the service staff are awesome. We’ll continue to go to Amaya, and invite you to do the same. This is deliciousness at its best.

Related posts:

1. Magic Oven: freshness & goodness
2. Yorkville’s Dimmi
3. ONE – at Hazelton Hotel

Brassaii on King West was always good. Very good in fact. Now with its redesigned menu and a stunning renovation, this revamped resto-lounge is a crowd pleaser all over again. The heritage architecture is preserved and the entrance is still a little way along the gated cobblestone courtyard on the south side of King West, which gives it more of a secluded/exclusive feel than tourist destination – the affliction of a few locations in this neighbourhood.

Among the impressive new offerings at Brassaii is the culinary expertise of Executive Chef, Bruce Woods.  Woods has created a menu to reflect his 18 years of experience across Canada and his time mastering the art of cuisine in Sardinia Italy.  Brassaii’s redesigned menu is  an innovative take on Mediterranean classics: the taste and presentation are sublime. The extensive wine, scotch and martini selection is created by award-winning mixologist Jordan Bushell, who is also a member of Brassaii’s management team.

The ambience is King West Stunning since the Design Agency changed the layout and uncovered architectural details and brought in oversized antique wood doors from Egypt. There’s a completely fabulous new limestone, glass and steel bar that cleverly separates the cafe area and the diners. It’s an open kitchen concept so you can see ex-Centro and Mark Thuet-trained Chef Bruce Woods directing his staff to create a new menu that reflects the reinvention of Brassaii.

The food is great. The crowd is a cosmopolitan  mix of ages and cultures – mostly chic foodies -  and having a lounge and cafe area with upscale private dining too extends the functionality of this perfect downtown location.

Related posts:

1. Brassaii’s Bruce is a winner
2. MoRoCo Chocolat … and more
3. Nyood Restaurant

Nyood was a surprise. A fabulous, foodie surprise. And we’ll be going back.

Executive Chef, TV celebrity chef and recording artist Roger Mooking, and his Chef de Cuisine Nelson Fernandez know how to appeal to palates that appreciate quality ingredients, attention to detail and impeccable presentation of a tapas style menu. We saw all age ranges there on the Wednesday evening that three Tempo Toronto people went out to dine, including fifty-plus foodies like me.

The dinner menu covers the range from smaller dishes such as candy cane beet salad, to more substantial soft shell crab, and then a lamb tagine – which I almost ordered. We opted for the $45 Soul Food / Feed the Body three course, plus dessert, tasting menu, and were thrilled with the result. Because we were three, and as there were two choices in each course, we all ordered so that we could try everything.

We were glad we did.

Oysters and corn chowder were openers, pan seared herb polenta and akras followed, short ribs fettucine and mushroom flatbread rounded things off. But then there was dessert. If we’d missed that very special warm bread pudding, that would have been tragic, and the dark chocolate mousse needed just one spoonful – OK two – to finish off a superb dining experience. We left,  beamingly satisfied and raving about the food, the service and the ambience.

There are about 75 seats, and if it had been at capacity I imagine the combination of conversation and background music would have been too loud. But on a Wednesday evening, with a large private group dining at one end and a handful of diners in our section, we could hear each other speak.

I love good food, great ingredients prepared with love and care. Nyood is foodie heaven for me, and I suspect for you too.

Related posts:

1. Sweet and luxurious
2. Beavering away at Le Petit Castor
3. Brassaii’s Bruce is a winner

It’s taking some time to find its identity, and 2008 reviews weren’t too hot. But we went anyway. We checked out Le Petit Castor (little beaver) in Rosedale. Twice.

Each visit was a completely different experience, and both happened since they changed the chef, I believe for the better.

Visit one: dinner for two, early evening – 7pm – on a summer Friday. Front of the house is staffed by personable young women, and it’s quiet. A twist on devils on horseback (dates, not prunes and a tiny dot of marscapone and blue cheese) is a flavour explosion of a bar snack. Delicious and velvety smooth carrot and ginger soup was followed by divine halibut. My guest had the ribs which were good, even though cooled en route from kitchen to table. We shared chocolate caramel torte which was not over sweetened and had a slightly salty crust, which was a magnificent combination. The wines were great, and the bill wasn’t bad. A perfectly relaxing evening, and we were ready to go back.

Visit two: four women, 8:30pm on a Thursday. The place was packed, and our table wasn’t ready, which left us squished in the entrance area crowding a table of diners – we hoped we weren’t disturbing their dinner, but they were most affable. The chef wandered by and told us what was good that evening (scallops). We were seated 10 minutes later. This was a different crowd. Rosedale trendies and young things rubbing shoulders (they had no choice) with ageing locals. The noise was deafening, and it was hard to hear our conversations. We liked the decor, nice booths, and all that, and the service was great. Three of us loved the asparagus soup, our fourth ordered mussels done beautifully but lacking in crusty bread to mop up the juices. Mains were disappointing. The same three had uninspiring scallops undercooked by about 45 seconds topping pea/corn succotash on cauliflower puree, which tasted great but looked like an accident befalling the plate.  The caesar salad, unusually served with a poached egg, looked good but the all-important dressing lacked flavour and oomph. “This is bottled dressing”, diner four, an expert chef herself, was convinced.

We left feeling rather disappointed. Consistent quality is what makes a restaurant. I’d go back, but not when it’s busy. I don’t think the kitchen staff can cope with large crowds.

Le Petit Castor

1118 Yonge Street

Related posts:

1. Nyood Restaurant
2. MoRoCo Chocolat … and more
3. Toronto’s edgy glamour designer Catherine Curtis