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| - It's 11:55pm when my companion calls Centro to ask if it's not too late to come in for a quick glass of champagne, and the answer is "of course not, come in!!"
I'm surprised, since the website says they close at midnight on Wednesday. To which my companion says, "closing hours depend on who you are".
I'm not one of those people, but this review could reflect who apparently my companion is... but judging from previous reviews, it seems they treat everyone well at Centro.
When I arrive at 12:20am (b/c I was looking on the wrong side of the street), the restaurant is empty and quiet. It's glorious. The open space on the main floor is vast, yet intimately lit and feels warm and comfortable despite starched and stark-white table cloths. In plain, view bottles and bottles and bottles are displayed against the far wall in a gigantic, clear-glass faced, wine "rack". In the front, on display (literally) are the private-yet-public displays of personal wine collections kept in dark wood cabinets complete with plaques engraved with names of Toronto IT listers. They remind me of the drawers at morgues.
The sommelier is no joke here. No rookie, off-the-back of the bottle synopsis. No sommelier snobbery either. He knows his stuff and has mastered the art of telling the stories of wines that keep you interested (re: won't put you to sleep, even nearing 1am on a weekday).
The downstairs is a bit gaudy in my opinion (though my companion raved about the artwork). It's reminiscent of a small hotel's bar/piano room. You should check it out - you sort of have to since the bathrooms are downstairs too.
I'd like to go back for a meal, during regular business hours. But I'll be sure not to be seated downstairs. I recommend the same.
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