The French dishes at this Harbord Street restaurant stun as much at lunch as they do at dinner
(Images: Renée Suen)
The place: This south Annex gem promises gourmet bistro fare both noon and night, but there’s extra incentive in the summer: Loire’s breezy canopy-covered terrace.
The crowd: Neighbourhood regulars, golf shirt-clad businessmen, university professors and administrators playing hooky.
The deal: The midday menu of French-inspired comfort foods may be priced the same as it is at dinner, but the selections are excellently matched with the time of day.
The meal: For apps, we alternate between bites of rich pistachio-crusted goat cheese cake ($13) and a refreshing half-dozen Merigomish oysters ($19) from Rodney’s. The former is juxtaposed by an antipasto medley over tart mixed greens; the latter is served with a basil-horseradish mignonette. On to the mains: golden slices of Harbord Bakery’s challah hold brie, tomato jam and succulent lamb burger ($18). The house-made pappardelle pasta ($16) mingles with poached egg yolk, sautéed spinach and king oyster mushrooms. Plenty of room is left for a generous trio of homemade cassis, strawberry and lemon sorbets ($10) topped with a tumble of the season’s sweetest strawberries.
The time: A well-paced 53-minute escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.
The cost: $114 for two, including tax and tip.
Loire Casual Gourmet, 119 Harbord St. (at Major St), 416-850-8330, loirerestaurant.ca.
I wholeheartedly concur with this review…lunch was indeed splendid! Have not had the pleasure of dinner at Loire yet but have no doubt it will be equal to or surpass the wonderful lunch we had.
July 6, 2010 at 4:58 pm | by Don MitchellTOO EXPENSIVE FOR MU TASTE… FRENCH FOOD AT THAT PRICE … IN PARIS IT’S
July 7, 2010 at 10:19 am | by didi25 EU FOR 2…. WHO THEY THINK THEY ARE… DANIEL??????
Hold on a sec, your article has a few holes in it. Firstly, the lunch prices ARE lower than the dinner prices. Secondly, your food should have come to a total of around $66 (plus taxes and tip). So did you have some wine to go with that meal? Just sayin, it might be useful in knowing that the prices are indeed reasonable…
August 5, 2010 at 2:47 pm | by Jeff