Toronto - Café Renée
Do you have to be an "Instagram" restaurant to be successful these days?
When an “influencer” walked in, right as we were walking out, I knew that I had just been ripped off. A friend suggested we go try the viral “brasserie” on King West and to say it was disappointing would be an understatement.
The staff were incredibly kind, in the this-is-my-first-job-happy-to-be-here kind of way, but the food was disappointingly bad.
I am trying to be more ‘loose’ with my no-gluten, no-dairy - especially at restaurants or when I know the food is high quality, but the choices made here were not good - and I felt ill for a day afterward.
The company I was with was amazing though so no complaints on that front..!!
What we ordered: Beet Salad $19 | Raviole du Dauphiné (someone is screaming in the Dauphiné region) $24 | Whole Fried Branzino $50
We of course did not realize - and should have - that a branzino described as ‘whole fried’ would literally mean that each piece of fish was deep fried. It was bizarre and terrible. With each fork-lift of a beet, oil would drip. The raviole, so popular that it was on most tables, had clearly been sitting under a heat lamp for a while; the edges uncomfortably al dente, the cheese thick.
We did not order drinks, but every chick in that restaurant had a martini. The tight, very loud restaurant was a sea of phones out - bows in hair - martini drinkers.
Recommend for: I cannot.
Reservations: Yes, at your own risk.
Complet’s Current
Memorable Meal? I ate at Bar Goa this past week for a work dinner. It deserves a whole post because the food is very interesting and well-presented. The decor is a nod to the Portuguese influence on Goa’s architecture and interiors. The service was terribly slow, a 3.5 hour weeknight dinner is unacceptable in my books. And unfortunately, the person I was with got food poisoning - we have written to the resto with no word back yet.
Where am I Eating Next? I am stumped for a work lunch this week. Where do you go when you are tired of Ki but not fancy enough for Alo Bar or Daphne? The Chase?
I have not yet tried Foresthill Farmhouse since it opened in the path; maybe that should be on my list for work dinner tomorrow.
We are heading back up north for the long weekend and we might venture to The Pearl for takeout one night, or Smokin’ Birds. We’re pretty anti-restaurant in Muskoka, but it is the end of summer and I anticipate some lazy days…
What My Friends Are Talking About: Maybe because I talked about breakfast sandwiches last week, but two different people asked me if I had been to Gold Standard yet. Added to the Fall weekend list.
Added to My International Must-See List: A friend is off to NYC this week which got me catching up on my restaurants, I have not yet been to Houseman and that burger just looks tooooo good.