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| - My anniversary dinner at Cafe B was a bust. Toronto once again professes greatness and disappoints. First of all, the service is deplorable. We were never asked by either of the concierges at the entrance of the restaurant nor anyone else "So what brings you to our fine establishment this evening?" We found ourselves waiting: waiting for a server to approach the table (3-5 minutes), waiting for menus, orders to be taken, food to arrive (lots of bus persons so nothing stayed on the table too long - reminded me of the poor service at O & B restaurants where I will never set foot inside again). We both commented that we still have no idea the name of our server. Come on Toronto, introduce yourselves, we won't bite.
The table placements were so close you could not have a private conversation. As we sat down, a pretentious couple insisted they knew us from somewhere (no I am sure not) and preceded to chat up what appeared to be a waiter, not sure as there was no dress code in the place so couldn't tell who was whom and the patrons in jeans and T-shirts made it feel like a corner pub. This one guy (waiter/host/whatever) with a wide grey striped suit looked like a candy stripper from a local hospital but in black and white movie. He was gossiping with this couple telling each other about a movies stars' hair they was the color of the table top, while they killed time before a party they had to attend. YAWN
The ambiance was that of a bar with the din of the D bar one floor below the loft which was the restaurant. The muzak was something between tribal drumming and 80's disco beat one a repetitive cycle. The wire mesh curtains covering the massive 4 story windows kept getting blown askew every time someone entered the bar from the street side entrance - poor design just like the entrance to the hotel from the architecturally designed wind tunnel of an entrance. Unbelievable what architects have created and continue to create in this city.
Before I get to the food was mediocre at best, let me talk about the menu. My partner commented that I was taking a lot of time figuring out what I wanted to eat. The restaurant, in its attempt to be "classy" created these random divisions of choices. I had no idea what was a salad, a main or an appetizer. Confusing your dinner guests is definitely not a great way to start any evening. The host said something to my partner while I read the "wine book" but I had no idea what she had said. Not sure if she assumed I could hear over the noise of the bar wafting aloft into the dining area.
Best part of dinner, my partners' chocolate volcano cake - called something else but simple chocolate volcano cake. My fish dish was served by pouring a green sauce over the beans in the bowel on which set this piece of ling cod that looked like it had been coated with grass clipping from a recent mowing of a nearby park. With the addition of the sauce it looked like an algae pond, not appetizing at all.
Not sure how this cafe, the only restaurant in this 4 or 5 star hotel (not sure if it has 4 even) got placed here. I've had better service and conversation at Flo's and the food was appetizing and appealing to look at.. And what's with the over priced wine and the wine "book"? Come on people, no wine by the glass cost $28 for a 4 ounce glass. Just got back from NYC where $12 get you a full glass of good quality vino. Ugh! Toronto you are no New York. And the waiter brought the 28 dollar bottle, when I had wanting to try the 15 dollar bottle, pushing the pricey stuff?
Needless to say, we were extremely disappointed. We had considered the Shangri La but opted for the Four Seasons. Big mistake, big disappointment. Don't waste you time or money unless you want to say you've eaten there more then once, like the pretentious couple we met. Hard to give it even 1 star and felt bad for my partner on our anniversary.
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