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Amuse
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
1975 Queen St EToronto, ON M4L 1J1
Neighbourhood: The Beach
(416) 694-0004
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
12 reviews for Amuse
12 reviews in English
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Review from Lisa C.
2/22/2012
Went here over Christmas with my family - we go to a nice restaurant as a Christmas gift to each other - last year was Canoe, so Amuse had some big shoes to fill.
Amuse is tucked just off Queen street and is actually a house; when we arrived we were ushered into a room towards the back (what may have been a dining room originally). While Amuse isn't a large place, its not crowded with tables. There were only two other tables in the room, another 4-seater and one 2-seater. I have to say, the cozy nature of Amuse and the ambiance was fantastic for a very nice quiet family dinner out. From where I sat, I was able to see right into the kitchen and watch the Chef and Sous Chef create our meals.
I started with the scallops with roasted cauliflower and they were to DIE for. I don't think I've ever had scallops that tasted that delicious and I was a tad skeptical about the flavor pairings when I ordered it. From the time they were put in front of me to the time I finished, I savored every single bite. Absolutely wonderful starting note to our meal.
I chose the crispy skinned boneless cornish hen as my main and was rather pleased overall. The portion was perfect (this is not the kind of restaurant that I would come to simply for a main) - the hen was perfect and the grilled vegetable lasagna was a wonderful side. The rapini was a tad too bitter for the dish, which was well balanced, but aside from that, I had no complaints.
For dessert, I had the sticky toffee walnut cake which was on par with the rest of the meal. Overall, the dessert was the least impressive part of the meal but it was well executed and a rather appropriate ending to a very decadent (but not overly rich) meal.
I would absolutely recommend Amuse for a special occasion out or for a night where you want to have wonderful food and a very nice atmosphere to relax, have a drink and eat a nice meal in. You can't go wrong with the gem in The Beach. -
Review from Peeter L.
Toronto, ON
2/14/2012
Finally!
Somewhere good to eat in the Beaches if you want higher end .
I know the location has been, round for a while, but time to visit again after a mediocre visit a couple of years ago.
My partner and I had a valentines day meal and were delighted.
You won't find over the top creativity and experimentation here , but the dishes they serve, are really well executed.
My wife had the fish and I had the duck - just beautiful. Waitress suggested wines well paired by the glass.
Cheese desert plate kinda ordinary (cheese types) figs, nuts, prunes etc was just OK. but --- For the most part a super welcome of quality to the Beaches.
Lets build on this in the community! -
Review from Will A.
Toronto, ON
12/28/2011
Can't agree more with the below comment about this being the best place East of Leslieville. Top notch food. I've had a few things off the menu over three visits in the last year and each has been excellent. Also, solid wine list and great service.
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Review from Bill C.
East York, ON
12/6/2011
My wife and i enjoyed our meal here. The service was excellent and attentive, and the ambience is nice. My only quibble is that the appetizers seem a bit overpriced. The seared scallop app was nice but only had two scallops. For $14, I would expect a bit more. Also, the soup portion seemed a bit skimpy. The portions for the entrees, however, were ample.
Overall, it was a nice experience but i think there many other TO bistros that are a better value. -
Review from Rachel N.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2011
great restaurant! Went on a date with my boyfriend in the summer here. It was very quiet when we got there (only one other table eating) but the atmosphere was very welcoming. I like that you can sit and watch the chef making your dinner. Great menu to choose from as well. I will definitely return.
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Review from Ian H.
Toronto, ON
2/10/2012
Great food, cozy atmosphere. Had the scallops, duck, and chocolate cake - all were exceptional. The chef cooks in an open kitchen, with about four bar seats facing the kitchen. The service was excellent, neither pushy not neglectful. Will definitely go back.
-
Review from Ken M.
Toronto, ON
4/9/2010 3 Check-ins Here
I was surprised to find a Yelp review for Amuse, as the previous review mentions it's just off of Queen St, so unless you know it's there...
And I am definitely glad to be "in the know"......
Have had the pleasure of the food/staff at Amuse at least 4, maybe five times since they opened, never a disappoint except the one time they were full...
Which is a point, if you don't live in the area and are hoping to have dinner here, it might be worth calling ahead, they only have a limited number of seats, but that helps with the atmosphere... -
Review from Thom H.
8/13/2011
Okay gang, let's not have anymore great reviews for this place. It's our beach secret! Stumbled on this place by accident recently and loved it. Had to check my gps a few times to convince myself that I was really in the beach. No better restaurant this side of Leslieville.
-
Review from Kathy B.
Scarborough, ON
5/4/2011
My husband and I, Upper Beachers who are often disappointed with the quality of the restaurants in the Beach, went to Amuse for an anniversary dinner, based on reviews we read online.
As others have said, the food and service are both first rate. Pretty little rooms, lovely jazzy music in the background (not too loud) and a friendly waiter who knows when to step in and when to leave you alone to chat. Interesting drink choices (we each had craft beers) and dishes (we really enjoyed our Arctic char and lamb meatball entres, lemon pudding and rhubarb tart desserts) with portions that are not over-large but just right.
Our only issue - on a Tuesday night, just a single other couple was there. Sadly, Queen Street is starting to fill up with restaurant chains you find everywhere else - c'mon locals, spend your dining out dollars at terrific, independent restaurants that deserve your support. They need you to survive! -
Review from Ryan L.
Scarborough, ON
1/24/2011
Unique atmosphere, great service and fantastic food.
Most other restaurants with small, seasonal menus like Amuse's tend to fill their menu with pretentious food that would limit my options even further, but not here. The options all sound delicious and relatively speaking, are reasonably priced. For comparison, a strip-loin at Milestones is $28, I ordered one at Amuse for $30, and that was the most expensive item on the menu. Was it worth the extra $2? Well, I can tell you I don't think I can ever warrant spending $28 on a steak at Milestones again. It was fresh, melt in your mouth, and perfectly cooked.
I also appreciate the minimal amount of bread left on the table before the mains arrived. Just a couple of slices of fresh, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside bread was enough to tide me over without leaving me stuffed for the main course. And it wasn't about Amuse being stingy; the server was quick to ask if we wanted more. But I simply don't have the self control to stop eating the vast amount of bread put on the table by other places and often leave my entree half finished. What a waste!
It's also a nice way of pointing out that the food will be quick enough to get to your table that more bread would be unnecessary anyways.
Will be back for certain, but I would still probably call ahead for reservations again. They only have a few tables so I can imagine they fill up quickly. -
Review from Irene H.
Toronto, ON
11/27/2010
RUDENESS, BORDERING ON CONTEMPT! HERE'S YOUR FOOD AND YOUR BILL. WE NEED YOUR TABLE.
I do NOT recommend Amuse for a leisurely dinner. We arrived early (around 6:15pm) so we could have a drink first. We were pestered to hurry up and order right away, even though the restaurant was almost empty. I've worked in the restaurant business and I understand they need turnover, but why the pressure throughout our whole meal? Since we had a clear view of the door we were ready to ask for the check when our table was needed, even willing to go elsewhere for dessert and coffee, but I don't think anyone showed up after the first seating. When we got our bill there were lots of empty tables and noone waiting. Later in the meal, my friend told our server (also the owner) that we would leave if she needed the table. The server bluntly & rudely told her that that she had made other arrangements when we didn't leave on time(what arrangements? nobody else came in) and that our cue to leave was getting our bill.
Had we not been so rushed I would have loved to have had a cocktail to start, a second bottle of wine with dinner and coffee after. Their loss I guess. Too bad, because I have always enjoyed the food and ambiance at Amuse and love to promote local businesses. I just can't understand treating customers like this. 'We were NOT Amused'. -
Review from SNACKe R.
Toronto, ON
4/3/2009
This is a gem of a restaurant that many people in the Beach do not know about, because it is just off Queen Street. It is located in a beautifully redone house, and the ambiance is really nice: romantic, yet clean and spare. They seem to take great care in sourcing the ingredients, and the menu is adventurous enough to be interesting, but highlights the ingredients without overwhelming them. The prices are really reasonable for this level of food (mains around $20), and the service is attentive but unobtrusive.
