Restaurants › French
Célestin
- 623 Mount Pleasant Rd. (at Manor Rd. E.) • View on map »
- 416-544-9035
- http://celestin.sites.toronto.com/
The feel of the room is casual, elegant, sunny bistro: white and black hex bistro tiles on the floors, oversize windows, fresh linens on every table and a stack of L’Express newspapers by the door. Chef Ivan Tarazona’s cooking suits the space: at their best, his dishes are unfussy but beautiful to look at, made from prime ingredients without too much showiness to get in the way. The roasted dorade, for example, is seared then finished in the oven for just long enough, served with scallions and potatoes tossed in olive oil and a pair of Beatrix Potter–pretty peeled baby turnips left with an inch of their stems. The baguettes here are also excellent: crunchy with a well-developed crumb and flavour. Yet much of the cooking is far less memorable: a dish of sweetbreads that’s servable, but not as creamy, milky or delicate as it could be, or fish ragout composed of very good broth and a fistful of seafood that’s partly mealy, partly overcooked. Desserts are lovely, particularly a basil mousse that sounds odd but tastes great. Good service, and one of the city’s better wine lists, ranging from cheapish-and-cheerful to once-in-a-lifetime finds. Mains $22–$29.
623 Mount Pleasant Rd. (at Manor Rd. E.) | This location is wheelchair accessible
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