First off, I have to say this is just a review for the bar...I have not had dinner here yet. i got a tip from another bartender in the city who was doing great stuff that this was a solid location for good drinks.
First off, Osteria Dei Ganzi is in a beautiful old mansion with a great AMBIANCE. The bar decor is really well done with large Edison bulbs in globe fixtures, although the TV's definitely detract from the space. Dear bar-owners...unless you're a sports bar, please do not put in a TV.
The COCKTAILS though were the star. The Portuguese bartender João both knows his libations and has a passion. I ordered an off-menu classic cocktail, a Vieux Carre, with no need for explanation. In fact when chatting he could give a detailed justification for choosing one vermouth over another....this is lightyears beyond your typical Toronto bar.
João was also quite creative and could be trusted to mix you a surprise drink. A chamomile-scented scented Sazerac caught me off-guard as a beguiling drink that I would have predicted would be awful. Another beautiful drink had banana-infused Jameson as a base with some smoky Laphroiag to cut the sweetness.
OVERALL, we enjoyed the cocktails very much. We didn't try the food...perhaps some of the one-star reviews scared me. We had kind of an awkward view back onto the kitchen from our seat, which without going into detail hasn't motivated me to try the food either. The bar, though, is absolutely on top of their game with excellent cocktails from a serious mixologist.