Health & Fitness Tools

Torontonian Restaurant Reviews: Quince Restaurant

19th November, 2009 - Posted by health news - No Comments

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 place with reasonable prices and a reputation for fresh, innovative flavours. The founders of Quince are Jennifer Gittins and Michael van den Winkel, a husband and wife once known from the acclaimed Stork on the Roof. Their new place, founded in fall of 2006, is located only a few blocks south of the busy intersection at Yonge and Eglinton.

Do you know where the ill-famed nudie bar Cheaters used to be? Well, Quince is directly across the street from there, enclosed by a pretty patio decorated with teak furniture and a lot of of cushions in bright, primary colours. Just two doors down, we can find the popular place Coquine and a neon sign saying “Adult Video & Novelties” – I bet you wouldn’t expect this in a neighbourhood famous for its prospering business district and parks popular for families. But in the latest twenty-five years, there has always been an diverse mix of stores on this stretch of Yonge Street between Eglinton and Davisville. Clothing stores, bead and paper shops, home decor, but also adult venues – all this can be found around here.

A hostess kindly greets us at Quince’s door and offers us a spot close to the bar on low, cushioned banquettes. Pleading excessive height, we’re offered a choice of tables, which is a nice surprise for a Saturday night in this lively neighbourhood. I ask: “What’s downstairs?” “Oh, that’s our private dining room,” our hostess answers. It is available for lunches and dinners and it has its own bar and lounge, all elegantly decorated (though the tile floor will tell you it’s located in the basement). Tonight it’s off limits to couples, being reserved for corporate or private groups of maximum 40 people or cocktail receptions of 70 people at most. For these events, the staff offers you a menu together with matching wines, so that you don’t have to care about all the details yourself.

Just a moment after we pick our table, a waiter arrives with a short list of specials. I mean a short list of specials consisting of a long explanation of ingredients and preparation methods, and how the meals go together. He obviously knows his stuff, not referring to his notebook as he pauses to tell us what is a garnish vs. what is actually on the side. The waiter could be best described as personable, friendly and efficient. As I can’t decide whether I should order a whole sea bream (“Most people eat a side with it, it’s just the fish,” our waiter warns me apologetically), we can look around a bit. I appreciate the cleverly designed lighting that enhances the whole space of the dining room and adds pleasant warmth to it. The space seems to be quite large but still somewhat intimate at the same time. The volume level is very comfortable too – despite nearly all the tables around us being full, we can easily hear each other and the background music (think D’Angelo and Stevie Wonder). The interior is decorated with modern art in earthy shades, gracing the loft-style brick walls and adding balance to the exposed ductwork, painted in chocolate brown to remove all traces of sterility. Voyeurs will appreciate the semi-open kitchen, offering a glimpse of the wood-fired oven behind the bar. Check our Quince restaurant write-up for more information.