We dropped in for dinner at Aloette for the first time this week and I'm glad we did. This is my favourite new restaurant of 2017. Aloette is the casual sister to Alo, upstairs. The room is long and narrow, and feels like a cross between a classic diner and an upscale train dining car. Waiters bustle around the tight space creating a fun, busy atmosphere.
We sat at the bar. No reservations are taken but we walked right in at 6:00.
We started with beef tartare and fried smelts. The tartare was good and went well with the fresh horseradish included. Smelts were crispy and lightly battered. A nice surprise were the fried jalapenos that went surprisingly well with the fish. The real star though was the free cheesy toast and butter.
The mains were absolutely delicious. The cornish hen was cooked perfectly crispy and was an umami explosion with mushrooms and spinach, but could have used a tiny bit more salt and/or sauce. The burger with fried cheese on top was fantastic. Now that the Harbord Room is closed I think this is now my favourite restaurant burger in Toronto.
For dessert we had the apple pie sundae and a cup of strong coffee.
Service was impeccable. My wife was given samples of two wines to compare when she couldn't decide, a touch that I always appreciate. The wine list could be a bit more extensive but this is a quibble. A fantastic new spot. We will be back.