Riverdalians have tried in vain to hoard this neighbourhood gem, tucked amid the peripheral, decaying blocks of Gerrard Street’s Chinatown. Batifole may mean “to frolic,” but this kitchen doesn’t fool around, mostly eschewing the hoary classics in favour of more inspired fare. A warm salad of button, portobello and porcini mushrooms and du Puy lentils is a textural playground, set upon crisp tendrils of shaved raw celeriac and radicchio and crowned with a hot roasted poblano and chèvre-smeared crostini. Chicken liver brûlée is rich, silken and gently spiked with cognac; it’s topped with a crust of caramelized sugar. Sage marries pork shank to create a moist and rich confit, bolstered by chunks of potato and enriched by melting emmenthal. A vegetable sauté successfully salutes the neighbourhood, tucking bok choy amid Mediterranean staples glistening in olive oil with roasted garlic. Ontario Angus strip-loin steak is cooked precisely, thick as advertised, enlivened by a flawless peppercorn sauce. Frites surprise initially, as they are fat and far from crisp, but their inter­ior is rich with flavour and the tarragon mayonnaise delights. The eight-page wine list is all French; staff know the players well. Mains $18–$24.