Rated by Eye Magazine as ‘outstanding’, but getting mixed reviews from Toronto Life who ultimately rated it one of Toronto’s Best New Restaurants in 2007, Quince falls into the group of a must-try – a Mediterranean-inspired bistro with reasonable prices and a reputation for fresh, innovative flavours. Formerly of the acclaimed 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.
Enclosed by a pretty patio graced with teak furniture and plenty of cushions in bright, primary colours, Quince is directly across the street from the abandoned hulk that was once Cheaters, an infamous nudie bar. Two doors down, next to the popular restaurant Coquine, a neon sign proclaims “Adult Video & Novelties”, a bit of a shocker in a neighbourhood touted for its blossoming business district and family-friendly parks. But in the last twenty-five years, there has always been an disparate mix of stores on this part of Yonge Street between Eglinton and Davisville. You can find pretty much anything, starting from clothing boutiques to bead and paper stores, home decor to adult places.
A hostess warmly greets us at Quince’s door and offers us a place near the bar on low, cushioned banquettes. Even though it’s a Saturday evening and we are in this lively neighbourhood, we can still pick a table, pleading excessive height. “What’s downstairs?” I ask. “Oh, that’s our private dining room,” our hostess replies. Open for lunch and dinner and boasting its own bar and lounge, the pleasant room is elegantly decorated (though the tile floor is a tell that you’re in the basement). Tonight it’s off limits to couples, being booked for corporate or private groups of maximum 40 people or cocktail receptions of 70 people at most. For these events, the staff recommends you a menu along with matching wines, so that you don’t need to care about all the details yourself.
Our waiter is coming with a short list of specials, just a moment after we have chosen our table. I mean a short list of specials containing a long explanation of ingredients and preparation methods, and how the meals go together. The waiter obviously has a very good knowledge of his field, explaining to us what is a garnish compared to a side dish. He’s personable, friendly and efficient. As I can’t make up my mind whether I should order a whole sea bream (“Most people eat a side with it, it’s just the fish,” our waiter cautions apologetically), we can look around a bit. Enhanced by smart lighting that adds nice warmth to the airy dining room, the space is deceptively large while maintaining a pleasant level of intimacy. Another pleasant thing is the volume level – even though the place is nearly completely full, we can still easily have a conversation or listen to the ambient music (probably D’Angelo and Stevie Wonder). The interior is decorated with modern art in earthy colours, gracing the loft-style brick walls and bringing balance to the exposed ductwork, painted in chocolate brown to ease off all traces of sterility. Behind the bar, we can catch a glimpse of the wood-fired oven in the semi-open kitchen – great for voyeurs! See the rest of the review in the Quince restaurant review.
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