After hearing about it for ages ("Riverdale's worst kept secret" "Impossible to get a table" etc.) we finally made it to this lovely spot in Chinatown East. It's comfortable, colourful and not too noisy. Excellent wine list, and the server was wonderfully helpful with it.
But only three stars, because while the starters wow, the mains come up short. I had a terrine of chicken breast and roasted red pepper with a miniature salad: delicious. Others tried the savoury escargots for once served in a real sauce and not slopped with butter.
Then my cassoulet arrived. This is a dish I chase down wherever I can find it. Debate rages as to how best prepare it. At Batifole the duck confit sits on top while baking and so it's a bit dried out. There's a giant slab of pork belly that's just a bit too much. The sausage wasn't distinguished and for my taste, there wasn't enough liquid in the dish. Don't get me wrong, it was still good, but not great.
My fellow diners who ordered the rabbit were similarly unimpressed, but a tartar of horse sirloin got raves.
I had Floating Island for dessert, which was pretty good. It's a meringue in a pool of creme anglaise with fruit garnish. Those who ordered the creme brulee pronounced it the best they'd ever had!
I soooo want to find a French restaurant I can love unconditionally in Toronto. Batifole ain't it, but I would come back here anyway.