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| - I first heard (or read) the name Hy's before I left for Toronto when I was researching places to go for a nice dinner. I read about a handful of places and ultimately settled on Hy's due to the location and its relative proximity to my hotel, but do not discount that it was one of the more highly-praised steakhouses in Toronto according to my online research and conversations with the concierge.
The restaurant itself was nice inside, but as I was traveling alone I contented myself to sit at the bar. This was a great decision because I had good conversation with the other patrons and the bartender and there was a man playing piano in the bar. And I still had access to the full menu.
The Sautéed Garlic Shrimp were a good appetizer, but expensive. I got four shrimp for $17, which I will shrug off and say that any appetizer in a downtown area will be pricey.
The Bone-In Rib Steak (which I believe to be Canadian for Ribeye) was my main course. It might be the AAA Alberta beef used, but the steak was not impressive. And the chefs didn't help when they over salted it. It even came with a side of mashed potatoes, which were UNDER-seasoned and I felt that if I ate them together they might balance but there was still too much salt.
I was hoping that the saving grace would be the Thick Cut Beer Battered Onion Rings, which looked more like donuts than onion rings. I love fried food, and a nice thick batter on an onion ring excites me. And they were good, though an order is too much for one person to finish alone.
This was my first steakhouse in Canada, so maybe this is what I should expect. Or maybe the restaurant's food is on the decline like its attendance - the bartender told me that the place used to do a lot more business. Then again, maybe if they were less heavy-handed with the salt more people would go to Hy's in Toronto.
Overall the place was decent. The food I ordered was average, but the garlic toast that comes to the table was divine. I would say that the garlic toast was worth the trip alone, and it was fantastic dipped in the sauce left over on my shrimp plate. But next time I'm in Toronto and I want a good steak I will try someplace new.
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