Best New Restaurants 2008
From a space-age crystal to a former courthouse, our 2008 edition explores the top new restos from a banner year on the Toronto dining scene By James Chatto
Image credit: Ryan Szulc
From boutique hotel to major museum to wacky boîte, this was a very good year for new restaurants. I don’t know what was more exciting: seeing established stars taking risks with new ventures or watching unknown 30-somethings make dazzlingly successful debuts. It looks as though the next generation of chefs has finally found the self-confidence (and the backing) to cook for itself.
Specific delights abounded. Chef-made charcuterie continued its macho march across the city’s menus, while Monforte and Thunder Oak added local glory to cheeseboards already richly laden with the treasures of Quebec. East Coast oysters were wonderfully plump and sweet—even in months without an “r”—which was tragic for dutiful locavores stuck on their 100-mile diets but lovely for the rest of us. Above all, this was the year meat won back an adoring audience. Carnivores found many new restaurants specializing in flesh, from the slow-cooked barbecue at Cluck, Grunt & Low to $170 steaks at glitzy Jacobs & Co. and even glitzier Prime. In any other year, all three would have made their way onto this list, as would my Number 11, Tom Thai’s Foxley, on Ossington’s up-and-coming restaurant strip. But not in this exceptional vintage. Starting with my favourite, these are the 10 places that gave me the most pleasure.
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On Friday July 25th 2008 my Girlfriend and I had a terribe experience at L'unita.
July 28, 2008 | by richadamFrom the sneering faces of the staff upon entry, to the overpriced food, that even to a non "foodie" was presented in a way that would make a starving dog uninterrested.
The flavourless "Salmon", that is served charred skin side up, was no treat. It was served only with a single mushroom as a side, that added nothing to the dish.
The truffle risoto, made with "Uncle Ben's" white rice, served with no side at all, was the most bland dish i think i have ever ordered in any restaraunt anywhere.
The prices (for what we received) were far too high for any self respecting person to pay. And when we were asked "how is your meal?" by our server... we made it very clear that we were dissatisfied. The problem is that nothing at all was done about it.
The wine was fine. The sliver of cake we had afterward also tasted fine (although perhaps it should be completely thawed before it's served). The decor was pleasant but the shef pacing up and down the seating area made that difficult to notice.
The final thought: Find somewhere else to eat! Anywhere!
...and Perhaps Toronto Life should dine at L'unita before they endorse it as a "Best New"!
How L'Unita made this list is beyond me, by far the worst dining experience of last year. The food was decent but the service was horrendous. Seriously one of the worst experiences I've had dining out. We were treated poorly by the bartenders while waiting for our table, by that I mean ignored by the bartenders, and then dismissed by the owners when inquiries were made about our reservation. To me, a great dining experience is as much about the service as it is about the food.
December 9, 2008 | by laurelmcg