Quince is one of the Toronto must-try places – a Mediterranean-inspired bistro with reasonable prices and fresh, innovative flavours. It has been rated as extraordinary by the Eye Magazine and after receiving some mixed reviews from Toronto Life, also one of the Toronto’s Best New Restaurants of 2007. Formerly of the high-valued Stork on the Roof, the husband and wife team of Jennifer Gittins and Michael van den Winkel reappeared in fall of 2006 with this new midtown digs, just a couple blocks south of the busy intersection at Yonge and Eglinton.
Do you know where the infamous nudie bar Cheaters used to be? Well, Quince is just across the street from there, enclosed by a pretty patio decorated with teak furniture and plenty of cushions in bright, primary colours. Don’t be alarmed by the neon sign proclaiming “Adult video & Novelties” just two doors down from Quince and next to the popular restaurant Coquine, however shocking it may seem in a neighbourhood touted for its blossoming business district and family-friendly parks. But this stretch of Yonge Street between Eglinton and Davisville has always had, at least for the last twenty-five years, an eclectic selection of shops. Clothing stores, bead and paper stores, home decor, but also adult venues – all this can be found around here.
A hostess kindly welcomes us at Quince’s door and offers us a place near the bar on low, cushioned banquettes. Pleading excessive height, we’re offered a choice of tables, which is a pleasant surprise for a Saturday night in this busy neighbourhood. I ask: “What’s downstairs?” “Oh, that’s our private dining room,” our hostess answers. You can have lunch or dinner there. The space has its own bar and lounge and all is nicely decorated, although the tile floor reveals it’s in the basement. This room can host corporate or private groups of diners up to 40 people or cocktail receptions of up to 70 people. You can get a recommended menu along with matching wines, showing that the staff takes care of all the details.
Just a moment after we choose our table, a waiter appears with a short list of specials. Make that a brief list of specials with a long description of ingredients, preparation methods, and how they’re going to work together. We can see that the waiter is apparently an expert, he doesn’t even need to refer to his notebook as he describes us what is garnish vs. a side dish. He’s neat, friendly and efficient. While I can’t make up my mind whether I should order a whole sea bream (“Most people take a side with it, it’s just the fish,” our waiter cautions apologetically), we can look around a bit. Enhanced by clever lighting that adds nice warmth to the airy dining room, the space is deceptively large whereas keeping a pleasant level of intimacy. Another pleasant thing is the volume level – even though the place is almost completely full, we can still easily have a conversation or listen to the background music (probably D’Angelo and Stevie Wonder). The loft-style exposed brick walls are decorated with modern art in earthy shades, adding balance to the exposed pipes painted in chocolate brown, probably not to look too sterile. Voyeurs will enjoy the semi-open kitchen, offering a glimpse of the wood-fired oven behind the bar. Check our Quince restaurant write-up for more information.
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