unimaginative2
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Diners' dilemma: A decent lake view
We ate our way from west to east to find out if there is anything better than cart-dogs on the waterfront
JOSÉ LOURENÇO
Special to The Globe and Mail
August 11, 2007
When eager, helpless diners shuttle to the city and request a restaurant recommendation, how many times have you suggested an eatery on the water? I'll answer first. Zero.
If the greening of Toronto's waterfront is the most politicized where-land-meets-lake issue, the dining along the waterfront should be the dark-horse concern en route to all citizen hearts (our stomachs). Isosceles slices and tepid cart-dogs are the standard shoreline fare, followed closely by thick cardiac fries from the chippy van. Save for the occasional Harbourfront festival offering ethnic delights, nothing reputable comes to mind.
Am I simply unaware of the lake's hidden gems, or are the best chefs in Toronto afraid of the water? I visited six restaurants that boast immediate proximity to Lake Ontario to investigate their options. At each I sat as close to the water as possible; patio trumped dining room, south-facing view trumped north.
Although this isn't a comprehensive list of waterfront dining options, your reporter braved a league of choppy waters with the hope we may all one day dine like the court of Triton, or, at least, find decent eats near gentle waves.
Snug Harbour
14 Stavebank Rd. S.,
Port Credit
I drove to Port Credit with the intention of brunching at the ambitiously named Waterside Inn. However, the clearest views from its Breakwater Restaurant are of a parking lot and the east side of Snug Harbour, a comfortable seafood bar and grill, so a last-minute change in course was made.
A 20-minute wait for a table at the Snug Harbour bar was spent in the company of a petite Caesar, served in a rocks glass. The sun- and gin-kissed yachtsman to my left asked the price. I replied, "$7.50."
He whistled and exclaimed, "For that?" Aye, Captain.
The simply decorated pale yellow and blue interior matched the small-town charm of the restaurant's exterior and surrounding boardwalk. Rocky landscaping along the harbour waterway made for a pleasant stroll; the only blemish on the idyllic view of the mast-marked lake was an apartment to the near west.
I tried the Scallops Nantucket, three large sea scallops served in a shell-shaped dish with a single leaf of purple cabbage for garnish. They were chewy - overcooked or frozen - and dominated by the slippery cheese the menu promised. The affable and attentive wait staff were prepared to replace the dish, but the cloth napkin on my lap with the loonie-sized yellow stain urged me to forgo an attempt on the Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout.
Quality of waterfront view: Handsome
Quality of food: Throw it back
Crowd: Pensioners, families, part-time skippers
Casa Mendoza
2161 Lake Shore Blvd. W.,
Etobicoke
A hard turn off the Lake Shore deposits you at the gently sloping entrance to Casa Mendoza, immediately fetching in its guise as a Spanish villa. Although the main-floor dining area was well appointed, I walked up to the second floor and sat on the terrace to maximize the view.
The city skyline is clearly visible in the southeast, and a grand expanse of grass below, populated by frolicking groundhogs, stretches to a service road at the edge of a Lake Ontario cove. Tall, thick greenery on either side of the estate isolates the terrace, completely drowning out the buzz of the Lake Shore, as well as the loud nostalgic exteriors of Casa Mendoza's neighbours.
The lobster gnocchi was delicious: perfectly puffed with a rich and restrained sauce, then tossed with generous pieces of lobster meat and a few lengths of fresh dill. I adored the meal, but I couldn't help feeling a pang of ordering jealousy when my neighbour's table was presented with an epic seafood platter - a treasure chest of tails and claws and legs and shells.
Service was polite; food arrived quickly. The view was so pleasant I hardly minded the 45-minute wait for the bill.
Quality of waterfront view: Surprising serenity
Quality of food: Catch of the day!
Crowd: Small parties of those in the know
Pier 4 Storehouse
245 Queens Quay W.
If you enjoyed the film franchise but have yet to visit a Pirates of the Caribbean theme restaurant, you can fudge the trip to Disneyland at the Pier 4 Storehouse. Statues of sea icons worthy of Madame Tussauds populate the main room, complemented by a giant shark and nets filled with barrels (rum? gunpowder?) hanging from the ceiling.
The day I visited, the dining room's small windows only offered a view of the starboard side of the Passion For Excellence, docked just outside, so I docked myself on the slightly more scenic patio.
On the Pier 4 patio, you order cafeteria-style from a pub-fare menu (clam chowder, wings, burgers) and pick up your food when your number is called. The no-nonsense staff scowled when I asked for satchels of both the plum and barbecue sauce for my chicken nuggets and fries, but the snack met my modest expectations and would be enough to satisfy the li'l skippers in the family.
The bolted-to-the-ground tables featuring umbrellas were occupied by a number of shirtless patrons, but if you manage to secure a corner table, you'll have an adequate view through to the Toronto Islands, and the water won't be five metres away.
Quality of waterfront view: Partly obscured/pleasant enough
Quality of food: Fit for a
manatee
Crowd: No shoes? No shirt? No problem
Toulà Ristorante & Bar
One Harbour Square, 38th Floor, Westin Harbour Castle
Glass elevators that fly 38 floors up the side of the Westin Harbour Castle freak me out. But the ascent of terror was worth it. Once you're seated on the south side of Toulà , you can see every ounce of Lake Ontario, as well as the islands, Cherry Beach, Rochester and my car. The dining room is circular, offering excellent views at each of the 360 degrees. Thankfully, it doesn't revolve, sicketatingly, like some other mile-high establishments we could mention.
The pancetta-wrapped jumbo tiger shrimps were impressive in both flavour and presentation, looking more like jumbo butterflies in mid-launch. They were smoky, tender and delicious - the kind of appetizer you'd leave your wife for. The catch of the day was a whole sea bass, so fresh it was almost flavourless. Drizzled with olive oil and accompanied by an odd assortment of roast vegetables (parsnips? In July?), my main leaned more toward bland than delicate.
While I tucked in to the meal-saving crème brûlée, my wonderful riot of a waiter lowered the lights and let the moon show off the lake, emphasizing the importance of arriving at Toulà at sunset.
Quality of waterfront view: Unmatched
Quality of food: Inconsistently delicious
Crowd: Hotel patrons, dress-code adherents
Boardwalk Pub
1681 Lake Shore Blvd. E.
Approaching the Boardwalk Pub at Woodbine Beach, I was greeted by the strains of a wedding band covering Outkast's Hey Ya. The group on the patio forced their stamp on Usher's Yeah, Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man, and, of course, Beyoncé's Crazy in Love. Conversation was impossible, but this didn't bother the ladies dancing beside their tables, or the lady dancing on her table (at 5 p.m.) The spring-break-for-adults vibe couldn't detract from the shady sun respite offered by the patio's lush tree cover, but it also couldn't mask that the water is very, very far away.
Your view from the patio is grass, then walking paths, then beach, then beach volleyball courts, and then you spot the lake. I think. I didn't have the energy to make the trek.
The Greek salad was satisfactory, though the olive count (three) could have been higher. The hamburgers were fine - the type of beach barbecue/company picnic standard you've enjoyed many times.
Quality of waterfront view: There was a waterfront?
Quality of food: Improves with each pint
Crowd: Club Med alumni
Bluffers Restaurant
7 Brimley Rd. S.
If you've never visited the Scarborough Bluffs, you must. Well, unless you dislike being delighted. The twists and lumpy turns of Brimley Road conclude with the option to park to the west or feed to the east. The single row of tables on the balcony patio at Bluffers Restaurant means no jostling for a lakefront sightline; attentive servers take orders and disappear, allowing you to gaze contentedly at the marina waters 20 feet below, or the lake, 20 yacht slips away.
Not five minutes after being seated, I was enjoying a crisp Caesar salad topped with the airiest of croutons. A moment after my last bite, the plate was gone, replaced with a pair of gorgeous crab cakes. The crunchy coating encased a platonic balance of sweet and savoury, and only a basket of pillowy rye bread paced my fork.
Post-heaven, I ambled along the paths of Bluffers Park, and made plans to return with friends (noting that, in addition to an appetite, I should bring a loaf of bread to appease the geese and ducks hungrily approaching my empty hands).
Quality of waterfront view: Hidden paradise
Quality of food: Elegant, yet substantial
Crowd: Quiet nibblers
We ate our way from west to east to find out if there is anything better than cart-dogs on the waterfront
JOSÉ LOURENÇO
Special to The Globe and Mail
August 11, 2007
When eager, helpless diners shuttle to the city and request a restaurant recommendation, how many times have you suggested an eatery on the water? I'll answer first. Zero.
If the greening of Toronto's waterfront is the most politicized where-land-meets-lake issue, the dining along the waterfront should be the dark-horse concern en route to all citizen hearts (our stomachs). Isosceles slices and tepid cart-dogs are the standard shoreline fare, followed closely by thick cardiac fries from the chippy van. Save for the occasional Harbourfront festival offering ethnic delights, nothing reputable comes to mind.
Am I simply unaware of the lake's hidden gems, or are the best chefs in Toronto afraid of the water? I visited six restaurants that boast immediate proximity to Lake Ontario to investigate their options. At each I sat as close to the water as possible; patio trumped dining room, south-facing view trumped north.
Although this isn't a comprehensive list of waterfront dining options, your reporter braved a league of choppy waters with the hope we may all one day dine like the court of Triton, or, at least, find decent eats near gentle waves.
Snug Harbour
14 Stavebank Rd. S.,
Port Credit
I drove to Port Credit with the intention of brunching at the ambitiously named Waterside Inn. However, the clearest views from its Breakwater Restaurant are of a parking lot and the east side of Snug Harbour, a comfortable seafood bar and grill, so a last-minute change in course was made.
A 20-minute wait for a table at the Snug Harbour bar was spent in the company of a petite Caesar, served in a rocks glass. The sun- and gin-kissed yachtsman to my left asked the price. I replied, "$7.50."
He whistled and exclaimed, "For that?" Aye, Captain.
The simply decorated pale yellow and blue interior matched the small-town charm of the restaurant's exterior and surrounding boardwalk. Rocky landscaping along the harbour waterway made for a pleasant stroll; the only blemish on the idyllic view of the mast-marked lake was an apartment to the near west.
I tried the Scallops Nantucket, three large sea scallops served in a shell-shaped dish with a single leaf of purple cabbage for garnish. They were chewy - overcooked or frozen - and dominated by the slippery cheese the menu promised. The affable and attentive wait staff were prepared to replace the dish, but the cloth napkin on my lap with the loonie-sized yellow stain urged me to forgo an attempt on the Pan-Fried Rainbow Trout.
Quality of waterfront view: Handsome
Quality of food: Throw it back
Crowd: Pensioners, families, part-time skippers
Casa Mendoza
2161 Lake Shore Blvd. W.,
Etobicoke
A hard turn off the Lake Shore deposits you at the gently sloping entrance to Casa Mendoza, immediately fetching in its guise as a Spanish villa. Although the main-floor dining area was well appointed, I walked up to the second floor and sat on the terrace to maximize the view.
The city skyline is clearly visible in the southeast, and a grand expanse of grass below, populated by frolicking groundhogs, stretches to a service road at the edge of a Lake Ontario cove. Tall, thick greenery on either side of the estate isolates the terrace, completely drowning out the buzz of the Lake Shore, as well as the loud nostalgic exteriors of Casa Mendoza's neighbours.
The lobster gnocchi was delicious: perfectly puffed with a rich and restrained sauce, then tossed with generous pieces of lobster meat and a few lengths of fresh dill. I adored the meal, but I couldn't help feeling a pang of ordering jealousy when my neighbour's table was presented with an epic seafood platter - a treasure chest of tails and claws and legs and shells.
Service was polite; food arrived quickly. The view was so pleasant I hardly minded the 45-minute wait for the bill.
Quality of waterfront view: Surprising serenity
Quality of food: Catch of the day!
Crowd: Small parties of those in the know
Pier 4 Storehouse
245 Queens Quay W.
If you enjoyed the film franchise but have yet to visit a Pirates of the Caribbean theme restaurant, you can fudge the trip to Disneyland at the Pier 4 Storehouse. Statues of sea icons worthy of Madame Tussauds populate the main room, complemented by a giant shark and nets filled with barrels (rum? gunpowder?) hanging from the ceiling.
The day I visited, the dining room's small windows only offered a view of the starboard side of the Passion For Excellence, docked just outside, so I docked myself on the slightly more scenic patio.
On the Pier 4 patio, you order cafeteria-style from a pub-fare menu (clam chowder, wings, burgers) and pick up your food when your number is called. The no-nonsense staff scowled when I asked for satchels of both the plum and barbecue sauce for my chicken nuggets and fries, but the snack met my modest expectations and would be enough to satisfy the li'l skippers in the family.
The bolted-to-the-ground tables featuring umbrellas were occupied by a number of shirtless patrons, but if you manage to secure a corner table, you'll have an adequate view through to the Toronto Islands, and the water won't be five metres away.
Quality of waterfront view: Partly obscured/pleasant enough
Quality of food: Fit for a
manatee
Crowd: No shoes? No shirt? No problem
Toulà Ristorante & Bar
One Harbour Square, 38th Floor, Westin Harbour Castle
Glass elevators that fly 38 floors up the side of the Westin Harbour Castle freak me out. But the ascent of terror was worth it. Once you're seated on the south side of Toulà , you can see every ounce of Lake Ontario, as well as the islands, Cherry Beach, Rochester and my car. The dining room is circular, offering excellent views at each of the 360 degrees. Thankfully, it doesn't revolve, sicketatingly, like some other mile-high establishments we could mention.
The pancetta-wrapped jumbo tiger shrimps were impressive in both flavour and presentation, looking more like jumbo butterflies in mid-launch. They were smoky, tender and delicious - the kind of appetizer you'd leave your wife for. The catch of the day was a whole sea bass, so fresh it was almost flavourless. Drizzled with olive oil and accompanied by an odd assortment of roast vegetables (parsnips? In July?), my main leaned more toward bland than delicate.
While I tucked in to the meal-saving crème brûlée, my wonderful riot of a waiter lowered the lights and let the moon show off the lake, emphasizing the importance of arriving at Toulà at sunset.
Quality of waterfront view: Unmatched
Quality of food: Inconsistently delicious
Crowd: Hotel patrons, dress-code adherents
Boardwalk Pub
1681 Lake Shore Blvd. E.
Approaching the Boardwalk Pub at Woodbine Beach, I was greeted by the strains of a wedding band covering Outkast's Hey Ya. The group on the patio forced their stamp on Usher's Yeah, Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man, and, of course, Beyoncé's Crazy in Love. Conversation was impossible, but this didn't bother the ladies dancing beside their tables, or the lady dancing on her table (at 5 p.m.) The spring-break-for-adults vibe couldn't detract from the shady sun respite offered by the patio's lush tree cover, but it also couldn't mask that the water is very, very far away.
Your view from the patio is grass, then walking paths, then beach, then beach volleyball courts, and then you spot the lake. I think. I didn't have the energy to make the trek.
The Greek salad was satisfactory, though the olive count (three) could have been higher. The hamburgers were fine - the type of beach barbecue/company picnic standard you've enjoyed many times.
Quality of waterfront view: There was a waterfront?
Quality of food: Improves with each pint
Crowd: Club Med alumni
Bluffers Restaurant
7 Brimley Rd. S.
If you've never visited the Scarborough Bluffs, you must. Well, unless you dislike being delighted. The twists and lumpy turns of Brimley Road conclude with the option to park to the west or feed to the east. The single row of tables on the balcony patio at Bluffers Restaurant means no jostling for a lakefront sightline; attentive servers take orders and disappear, allowing you to gaze contentedly at the marina waters 20 feet below, or the lake, 20 yacht slips away.
Not five minutes after being seated, I was enjoying a crisp Caesar salad topped with the airiest of croutons. A moment after my last bite, the plate was gone, replaced with a pair of gorgeous crab cakes. The crunchy coating encased a platonic balance of sweet and savoury, and only a basket of pillowy rye bread paced my fork.
Post-heaven, I ambled along the paths of Bluffers Park, and made plans to return with friends (noting that, in addition to an appetite, I should bring a loaf of bread to appease the geese and ducks hungrily approaching my empty hands).
Quality of waterfront view: Hidden paradise
Quality of food: Elegant, yet substantial
Crowd: Quiet nibblers
