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93 Harbord
Category: Restaurants Middle Eastern Middle Eastern [Edit]
93 Harbord StToronto, ON M5S 1G4
(416) 922-5914
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
11 reviews for 93 Harbord
11 reviews in English
-
Review from Denise S.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of my favourite spots on Harbord. I have been a number of times over the years and the quality is always excellent. I took an Iranian friend once, and he said that the food was very authentic and chatted with the chef at the end, when we were getting our coats (there's a semi-open kitchen at the back).
On my most recent visit, the service lagged just slightly (-1 star). It was a busy Friday night and it took a long time for someone to bring us water, take our order, etc. Reservations are definitely needed on Fridays and Saturdays. The decor is warm and simple, and if there was music playing, I didn't notice it. It's quiet enough to have a good conversation without too much background noise.
But really, you come here for the food. 93 Harbord is perfect for a special occasion or a fancier dinner, especially when you want to eat (relatively) healthy. My DC and I ordered:
Tomato Avocado Salad with Citrus Mint juice - simple, very fresh
Grilled Eggplant with Parsley and Cilanto Puree - loved this! The sauce added an interesting flavour to it. The eggplant was not too firm, not too mushy -- just right.
Vegetable and Fruit Tagine - the stew was hearty and chock full of yummy root vegetables as well as apricots. There was just a slight spiciness and fragrance to it. The couscous is so light and fluffy, so you don't feel excessively/uncomfortably full after dinner.
Lamb and Shiraz Fig Tagine - my DC seemed to really like it, but I didn't try it
Mmm... writing this review is making me hungry...Listed in: An Apple a Day...
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Review from Ellie A.
8/1/2011
How can this restaurant not yet have a 5-star rating? In my opinion, 93 Harbord represents the best of the city: unpretentious, great service and absolutely delicious food - all for reasonable prices.
I go to 93 Harbord whenever I want a special treat. It's great for a family gathering (we've celebrated many a graduation here) or a romantic date. The ambiance is laid back, but elegant and clean.
The food is the real star of this place. My favourite starter is the beautiful beet salad presented on a tidy bed of tasty, lemony wheat bulgar with a stunningly good coriander sauce. Or, get the taster menu if you're with a bigger group and enjoy little tastes of everything.
The tagines are out of this world. Vegetarians don't suffer the usual afterthought of a meal. The veggie tagine is just as delicious as the lamb and couscous with grilled veggies is a great alternative, too. For fish eaters, the salmon wrapped in the vine leaves is tender, light and seriously delicious.
All in all, this is one of my favourite restaurants in Toronto. Mains are mid-range ($15-$25) and worth every penny.
Vegetarian Score: 8/10. You feel cared for and well-fed, even in a meat-based restaurant.Listed in: Best of the Best: Must try…
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Review from Viviana M.
Toronto, ON
9/16/2011 2 photos
Dining Experience: Dinner
Specialty: Modern Middle Eastern cuisine
Menu items: Grilled Calamari in Turkish Fig Salsa and Lamb and Shiraz Fig Tagine
Today's topic? Figs at 93 Harbord. Ok, a bit of a stretch, but this was definitely my topic ingredient the night I visited this restaurant for the first time.
Figs, spices, fruits and herb-infused dishes is how to best describe 93 Harbord. The location of 93 Harbord (no pun intended) is actually quite unique. Hardly ever Torontonians think of the annex as a Foodies area (or at least I never thought of it), and especially an area that would host modern Middle Eastern cuisine. This city never ceases to amaze me.
Arriving right at dinner time on a warm Friday evening, and having had a few drinks at the bar down the street, we began our trip around the new Middle East with the Grilled Calamari in Turkish Fig Salsa.
As a kid, I used to hate figs; but as I grew older, and as my parents put it - my taste got "fancier" (hint for expensive), my love for these little earthy things grew. Figs really go with a variety of salty and sweet meals and they even compliment ingredients that have little taste to them...fish being one of them.
The Grilled Calamari at 93 Harbord was succulent and perfectly cooked, the Chefs, creating their own version of salsa, using traditional Middle Eastern ingredients and injecting it with a hint of modern with what tasted like jalapenos, olive oil, onions, lime juice and cranberries, created a killer sauce. The end result? Perfection.
Following the fig theme, the next big fig dish at 93 Harbord is the Lamb and Shiraz Fig Tagine. Before I go on my description of the plate, I would like to add that the use of any wine reduction on meat is, especially cooking it tagine-style, always a hit. With all the fruits and spices used in Middle Eastern cuisine, mixing modern cuisine with old style cuisine is a great way to transform a meal. Add to it the use of figs on this dish which compliments the flavour, then the introduction of a soft and watery veggie like bok choy (Chinese broccoli), and you got yourself a deliciously balanced meal from begging to end. Now this deserves a Bon Appetit! (Julia Child style).
Buen Provecho,
Foodies Inc.Listed in: Best Restaurants in Toronto
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Review from Diane C.
1/26/2011
Went to this place with five long-time friends for my birthday last night.
As Ramanan S. mentioned, this is a Middle-Eastern-themed eatery, rather than Middle-Eastern through-and-through. (How else to explain the seafood biryani?) The decor was tasteful and not overdone.
The service was great - our server was attentive enough, and answered any questions my friends or I had about any of the menu items or ingredients.
The restaurant isn't big, but that's just fine. And it wasn't crowded at all, which meant I could hear my friends and didn't have to worry about shouting over any other diners.
To start, we ordered two appetizers - the Baba Ghannouj and the Muhamara. Loved them, along with the olive dip that we also got.
For the main, I ordered the Cornish Hen with couscous. I couldn't have asked for a better meal. The hen was so tender and the couscous was fantastic. A couple of my other friends had fish - tilapia and salmon - and they loved it.
On the whole, I agree with all my fellow Yelpers who've previously reviewed this place. Whether you're here on a date, or with a group of friends, you can't really go wrong. -
Review from Tara E.
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
What a great winterlicious choice! Like the previous review I also had:
The grilled calamari: It was smokey and lovely and not overcooked at all.
The fig and lamb tagine: This was my favourite part of the meal. The meat was tender, and the figs added a lovely sweetness. I'd go back just for this!
Walnut and Pear Stuffed Phyllo: Small portion of sweetness.
I also ordered a mint tea after the meal which consisted of real mint leaves in a teapot. It was very nice.
Add to that an excellent waiter, and a $25 price tag, and you've got yourself a winner! If I could give 4.5 stars I would. -
Review from Michael T.
Toronto, ON
3/6/2011 5 Check-ins Here
I'm always of two minds about 93 Harbord, but I will always go back there.
The service is friendly, attentive, yet demure. But not stuffy or pretentious.
The food is upscale Middle East comfort food, well prepared, but not spectacular. It _is_ very very tasty, though. The lamb tagine is quite good, if a little fatty. The fish special is always a little bland. The shrimp appetizer ("Seared Shrimp, Cumin Apple Rings, Dill Sour Grape Coulis") is near perfect. The Grilled Eggplant is very nice.
They just discontinued the best cheesecake in town, which is really sad. The Walnut and Pear Stuffed Phyllo is the next best thing.
And they have Arak! -
Review from Cindy C.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2011
A Solid 4 - great attempt at authenticity and service was great.
An authentic morrorccan meal with tagines and the fixin's are hard to find, we ventured their 3 course Winterlicious menu for $25 and we were not disappointed!
First off - the bring an OLIVE TEPANADE with fresh warm pita bread, which was deelicious... Everything tasted fresh and made on the spot.
STARTERS: I had the GRILLED CALAMARI - which had the best flavor, it was well-done and wasn't chewy, the calamari just melted in your mouth. The other starter we had was the BEEF AND LAMB KAFTA KABOB, which tasted like a caseless ground sausage - filled with flavor and laid in saice with fresh pita bread.
MAINS: We both had the LAMB AND SHIRAZ FIG TAGINE - this was off the hook. The lamb was well- done, just fell OFF the bone, meat was tender and filled with flavor. It was served with Couscous and bokchoy. The flavors marinated together really well and the spices were fresh to taste.
DESSERT: I had the recommended POACHED FIGS, ALMOND SYRUP AND YOGURT. This was all right, the yogurt was very thick and creamy, but the figs were a good sweet kick - good for someone that is looking for not such sweet sweets. The clear dessert winner was the WALNUT AND PEAR STUFFED PHYLLO in HONEY DATE SYRUP - which was just divine. The warm, light flakey pastry was submerged in the sweet honey sauce, topped with fruits and nuts, this dish was to die for/
All and all, this was a great dining experience. I am not sure if everything was pre-made but the food was super fast. The service was great, the waitress was really attentive. I would totally come back again and taste the menu outside of what Winterlicious had to offer.
MUST GO. -
Review from omar k.
Toronto, ON
10/27/2011
i should've written this sooner because i can't quite remember all the details. but here goes:
the appetizer sampler is fantastic and an absolutely must have. i'd drop the hummus from my selections of appetizer -- it was only ok.
the server was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. we could've just listened to him talk all night. their drinks selection is great.
the mains were ok. they were not stellar. that is where i dock a point. i tried both tagines, and i just did not find them flavourful enough. -
Review from Tom G.
Toronto, ON
5/10/2009
We stumbled across 93 after a walk back from the ROM and remembered a favorable review in NOW.
I tried the Lamb and Fig Tangine and I recall that the lamb had a beautiful sweet flavor and slid off the bone. I can't remember what others had around the table but people enjoyed their meals. I think people have to remember that eating in the middle-east is more than pita and döners.
The waiter was friendly and enthusiastic (if slightly new and shiny) but he answered all our questions and fairly bounced back and forth.
I recall having a really nice red with the meal--was it Moroccan or from Monaco... whatever, it was slightly off the beaten LCBO path.
The room is pleasant--nothing too original but not trying too hard either. A good place to bring your parents and sure enough the blue-haired set were out in force. Maybe it's just the Annex? Not that there's anything wrong with that ;-) -
Review from Guy D.
7/21/2009
Went to this restaurant tonight with 8 co-workers and had a really good meal.
Wholewheat pitas with a delicious garlic/lemon dip were on the table right away. I followed this with a Halloumi cheese salad followed by a perfectly cooked and boneless Cornish Hen with couscous.
The service was attentive but left us alone enough and the decor and subtle.
Over all this was a great place to eat with an original menu - check it out. -
Review from Ramanan S.
Toronto, ON
8/22/2008
The food is quite good, and the prices are very reasonable. Everything has a Middle Eastern flare to it, but I wouldn't call it a Middle Eastern restaurant. The decor is very simple. It's a long narrow space with an open kitchen. The wait staff are quite friendly. It's definitely a good place to take a date.
