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Reviews: Quince Restaurant (Toronto)

24th January, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

The Eye Magazine rated this place as outstanding, but the Toronto Life used to give it mixed reviews, before ultimately rating it one of Toronto’s Best New Restaurants in 2007. So Quince is one of the must-try places, being a Mediterranean-inspired bistro where prices are reasonable and meals are fresh and innovative. Located just a couple blocks south of the busy intersection at Yonge and Eglinton, this new midtown digs was opened in fall of 2006 by the husband and wife team consisting of Jennifer Gittins and Michael van den Winkel, once members of the high-valued Stork on the Roof.

Do you know where the infamous nudie bar Cheaters used to be? Well, Quince is directly across the street from there, surrounded by a nice patio graced with teak furniture and plenty of cushions in bright, primary colours. 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 thriving 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 stores. You may find pretty much anything, starting from clothing boutiques to bead and paper stores, home decor to adult venues.

Just at the door at Quince’s, we are warmly greeted by a hostess and offered a spot near the bar on one of the low, cushioned banquettes. Even though it’s a Saturday evening and we are in this busy neighbourhood, we can still pick a table, pleading excessive height. “What’s downstairs?” I ask. We get a reply from our hostess: “Oh, that’s our private dining room.” You can have lunch or dinner there. The space offers its own bar and lounge and all is elegantly decorated, though the tile floor reveals it’s in the basement. It’s off limits to couples tonight; the room is booked for corporate or private groups of diners up to 40 people and cocktail receptions of up to 70 people, where recommended menus are paired with matching wines so that all the details are taken care of.

Our waiter is coming with a short list of specials, just a moment after we have picked our table. A short list of specials is supplemented with a long explanation of ingredients and how the meals are prepared and how they are going to work together. The waiter obviously has a very good knowledge of his field, explaining to us what is a garnish compared to a side dish. Personable, friendly and efficient – that is how I would characterize him. While I can’t decide 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. I notice the smartly designed lighting that enhances the whole space of the dining room and adds lovely warmth to it. The space seems to be noticeably large but still somewhat intimate at the same time. Another nice thing is the volume level – even though the room is nearly 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 graced with modern art in earthy hues, adding balance to the exposed pipes painted in chocolate brown, probably not to look too sterile. Great for voyeurs, a semi-open kitchen offers a glimpse of the wood-fired oven behind the bar. If you wish to see the rest of our review, see the full Quince restaurant review.