Preview
Power of One
An uptown hero reaches for the stars
The right stuffing: baby back rib ravioli
with miso-glazed scallops and pea purée
Image credit: Christopher Stevenson
In other hands, it could be accused of being too stylish by half: a lavish new restaurant from a veritable Food Network star, opulently designed (cowhide walls and all) by local it-firm Yabu Pushelberg and set on the ground floor of what’s being hyped as “Toronto’s first five-star hotel.” It’s also said to be the key schmoozing and star-spotting locale for this year’s TIFF. But with Mark McEwan, the chef behind North 44° and Bymark, in charge, it’s a good bet that One (116 Yorkville Ave., 416-961-9600), as it’s called, will provide some culinary substance to go with all that style. McEwan promises the restaurant will feel distinctly comfortable; he’s planning “decidedly healthy, market-fresh and sincerely done food.” Though it’s still a new idea in Toronto, service will come family style: orders will be set on the table in bowls or on platters, from which diners will serve themselves. And an innovative by-the-glass wine program will see such high-end bottlings as supertuscans and white bordeaux as readily available as the house wines. McEwan’s planning to open by early August—early enough to get there before Blanchett and Clooney take the prime tables.
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I was so hopeful for this restuarant -the location, the decor, the hype- I liked it before i had stepped foot in it. But now that i have eaten dinner there twice in the past 2 weeks I doubt i will go again. The food is good but the sharing has you pairing an odd combination of things. The portions are tiny and do not reflect the size of your party. How do you share 3 little pieces between 4? Could they not have just given us one more and charged us for it? We ate very little and left feeling full which leads me to believe the food is extremely rich. But all that aside it's the service that is so painfully slow (almost 2 hours before we ate a thing both times!) and arrogant that I will be returning to safer options - Truffles, Vatticano, Lee, and C5.
September 13, 2007 | by nicolesmulders