This was actually a really difficult review for me to write. To be quite honest, I was a bit underwhelmed by the food, as I had very very high expectations after reading so many rave reviews and knowing Alo's reputation. I enjoyed most of my dishes, but wasn't really blown away by any of them, and some of the dishes I actually didn't enjoy. Overall, I would give the restaurant a 3.5 (3 for the food, and 0.5 for the value/price point + service & ambience of the restaurant). My friend and I tried 5 dishes and left feeling very very full, and after splitting the bill in half paid around $40 each before tip.
The restaurant does not take any reservations, and apparently they cap their waitlist at 5 parties. Also, they only serve parties of 4 people or less. I came on a Thursday and put my name and number on the waitlist at around 5:40, and only had to wait about 15 minutes before they texted me telling me a table was ready.
The menu isn't huge, but has a good amount to keep it interesting without being overwhelming. It also has great variety and a couple of really interesting-sounding dishes. We ordered the charred chorizo ($12), burgundy snails ($14), ribeye steak ($28), broccoli ($9), and brussels sprouts ($9). I enjoyed the snails, steak, brussels sprouts, and the complimentary bread that came before our meal (one piece per person) which was warm, fresh and fragrant. The steak was cooked perfectly, but I was a bit disappointed that the bone marrow butter didn't seem to add anything special to the steak. I thought the chorizo was actually too dry (perhaps overcooked?) although I enjoyed the eggplant and halloumi in the dish. The broccoli was a huge letdown, because I had heard it was really good, but found the dish WAY too salty. I think there might have been too much sauce, because by the end of our meal, it had just soaked through all of the broccoli and left it all soggy - we weren't even able to finish it.
I sadly would not place Aloette on my list of favourite restaurants in Toronto, BUT given the price point and sharing-plate style of dining, I wouldn't mind returning a second time to try some other items. The service is stellar, and I felt well-attended to from the second I entered until the moment I was handed my coat and bid farewell. The ambience is also great, because it does feel relaxed and fun, but still classy.