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| - When I first moved to Toronto I had the great fortune to live above this restaurant for a couple of years. My mother helped me move in and she offered to take me out to dinner before heading out, and we decided to try the restaurant downstairs. From the first taste of the first apps I knew that this was going to be a serious problem for my budget. Over the six or so times I have been to this restaurant since I have had maybe two dishes that haven't been perfect, and several that have been more so (echoing a recent Tstar review that referred to a jump in quality as making the place 'perfecter').
The service is, first of all, beyond impeccable. The waiting staff is exactly the type of informed polite service you see in cinematic representations of classy dining but never seems to quite materialize off-screen. If one wishes to engage them in conversation about the items or ask recommendations (they have an excellent sommelier) they are warm, friendly and knowledgeable, but if you are there, say, on a date and simply wish to eat great food and interact with your significant or hopefully-soon-to-be-significant other, they without fail will fade into the background and quietly perform their duties. This sense of how to act and when, is one definition of perfect service. It is not a constant, but a mutable reaction to the nuances of every dining situation and every server I have ever had here is a paragon of this quality.
The food, as mentioned, is across the board great, although I certainly recommend Duck here, a specialty no matter how it is prepared (a roommate of mine told me in all seriousness that one of the duck dishes here actually made him tear up because it was so good. I haven't quite had that reaction, but honestly, the duck is fucking wonderful). All of the meat dishes are great, the pasta is always very very good, although, as I've said elsewhere, I have yet to have a truly GREAT pasta dish in this city, here is very close to the best. Appetizers are often my favorite part of the meal, and one of the best meals I've had here was one where I just decided to order three seafood apps and no main: fucking fantastic, and something I've done since here and elsewhere, why not!
Last, and far from least: That first night I ate here with my mother, we had finished our meals and she was inquiring as to the deserts:
My Mom: "So, we are thinking about some of these, hmm...flourless chocolate cake, interesting, what is that like here, is it good?"
Waiter: (completely straight faced) "It's the best chocolate cake in the world."
Lesson: trust your waiter.
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