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| - I love this place! I've been here a handful of times now and have always had a stellar experience.
Visit #1:
Kenneth (the manager) greeted me warmly and gave me a quick tour of the main level (actually below street level) and the dining area on the 2nd floor. Beautiful! Great finishes, great furniture, perfect ambiance for a nice dinner or just hanging out with friends.
Visit #2:
Brought some out of town guests here for a drink. We got cozy seats by the window. A few of us had cappuccinos, others enjoyed beer. (Pints of Labatt 50s go for $4.75 including taxes!!! Great value!)
When Kenneth came by to chat with us and discovered my guests were from out of town, he gave them a fantastic run-down of what the city has to offer and made great suggestions on how to get the most out of their short stay. I was very impressed and my guests were very appreciative.
Visit #3:
Finally came her for some grub and grabbed a nice table at on the 2nd level. Got a chance to try a few apps: the calamari, the breads & spreads, the fries. Others in my party also tried the coconut shrimp. Everything was delicious. I'm usually a big fan of breaded, deep-fried calamari, but Ocho does it grilled. Beautifully seasoned and cooked just right - excellent texture and flavourful sauce. Bonus: the calamari comes with beet chips. You heard me. Take those dark red beets, slice them thin and fry them into chips. I loved them!
For my main I had the Pasta (papardelle) with duck ragout. Yummy! I was very satisfied with my choice of entrée. Pasta cooked el dente, duck ragout was smooth. The portion-size was perfect for me.
I also tried the sesame-crusted salmon. Also yummy. Love the texture of the sesame. Fish cooked perfectly.
While I didn't have room for dessert, a few others in my party did and loved the chocolate cake.
My drink (just a pop) was refilled magically without me even making eye contact or knowing that I was still thirstly. Impressive.
Visit #4:
St. Patty's Day craziness! Sporting my green, I joined a group of friends here for after-work drinks, which turned into more drinks, which turned into appetizers and drinks, which turned into dinner and drinks, which turned into after-dinner drinks. Once again, Kenneth was a pleasure. Sporting his green socks he was entertaining and full of energy the whole night through. While this was the busiest I have seen the bar yet, he still had time to chat with us, as well as all of the other customers. A nice personal touch.
I had a Mill Street Organic this time (bottle) but the rest of my party had 50s - a lotta them! Our waitress, Devika, was incredible. Superb service, completely genuine and honest. Very accommodating - our group doubled in size and she was able to figure out how to fit us all in. I hate making menu decisions, and I asked Devika to surprise me with an appetizer. She didn't even hesitate!
More breads & spreads & dutch fries were shared. Other apps at the table include the coconut shrimp and the calamari. The burgers (made of freshly ground prime rib!) were well-received. 6oz of high quality meat comes on a ciabatta bun. Don't forget to ask for the horseradish mayo or the dijon mustard, which combine to give the burger a nice kick.
I hope we didn't overstay our welcome because I love this place and will be back often! Great location, beautiful space, delicious food, cheap drinks, awesome staff.
Washrooms are behind the secret doors (some on the main floor and more on the upper level). Oh, and they are NICE!
Pssst, I hear there's a Banksy on the wall outside. I cannot confirm its authenticity.
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