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Aquila Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Restaurants Diners Canadian (Traditional), Diners [Edit]
347 Keele StToronto, ON M6P 2K6
Neighbourhood: The Junction
(416) 761-7474
- Hours:
Mon-Tue 4 pm - 12 am
Wed-Fri 4 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 10:30 pm - 2 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
6 reviews for Aquila Restaurant
6 reviews in English
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Review from DANIELA H.
Toronto, ON
7/12/2011
There is a patio at street level that is nestled between two buildings and faces the sidewalk on Keele St. There is also an upstairs patio. The place is simply decorated, but nice, both downstairs and upstairs. It's one of those places where you could dress up or go casual and still fit in. It is definitely not a dive pub.
This review is a combination of three visits over the last year and a half.
Must-have: The grilled calamari appetizer. I've ordered this each time I've been... I wish they offered it as a dinner.
My first visit was for appetizers and a beer on the upstairs patio, which started it all and when I first had the grilled calamari. I now always start with the calamari and I am never disappointed. It is grilled perfectly (over wood, I think, which gives it a wonderful flavour) and placed on a bed of baby greens with a nice balsamic vinaigrette.
One of the more memorable meals was when I ordered a dinner special which was a lobster-stuffed pasta in a rose sauce. The pasta and sauce were excellent and the presentation was the lobster head as a garnish. The portion size was perfect, even with a little bit of sharing. This night I was there as a group of four and each of our meals was delicious and the service attentive and timely. We sat inside, downstairs since they had live music upstairs and we all wanted to chat. The noise level was fine for our conversation.
Just this week, my husband and I headed over for dinner on the upstairs patio. This time, we were presented with two menus, one for "upstairs" and one for "downstairs". I found this a bit confusing. For dinner I ordered the brisket and my husband ordered the jerk chicken sandwich. The presentation of the food was great in both cases. However, the jerk chicken was a bit dry and there wasn't a lot going on in the sandwich other than lettuce and the chicken. The side of fries with the sandwich was delicious. I got 4 or 5 large slices of brisket covered in sauce with a side of mashed potatoes and a great arrangement of grilled vegetables. The veggies were really nice and included a tower of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and carrot, artichoke, a slice of corn on the cob, a slice of red pepper. I didn't like the pickled beet that also came with the grilled veggies mostly because I don't like pickled beets. The sauce that covered the brisket tasted like a combination of tomato sauce and barbecue sauce (which was as described on the menu) but I just wasn't a fan. In hindsight, I'm not sure what possessed me to order the brisket this night since it's not something that I normally like.
Each time I've visited, the owner, who is also the primary chef, has come out to ask how everything was and give a little bit of info on the meal that someone at our table had ordered. This is a nice personal touch and he seems truly interested in the feedback.
I only live two blocks away, maybe I'll check out the live music one of these days. -
Review from mark s.
Toronto, ON
1/3/2012
Both times I attempted to check it out , I was met by a very unfriendly server; thinking she might be " family ? " and no way to get rid of her.
First time I felt unwelcome when I simply asked to see a menue in passing by and didnot return because of the attitude of " your not staying ? "
Second time I wanted to check out the live music that they have most nights now. It said R& B in th listing. The same frowning waitress asked me if I wanted a drink. I replied , I'd like to hear the music first as there was a woman on stage talking about her video . It was a lovely video but not really the R&B ( no blues ) I thought it might be. After the video ended she again asked me if I wanted a drink. I replied, I still want to hear what the music is like " since there was now going to be a band playing.
She pointed to a poster and said its ??????.
I repeated that I already said " I would like to hear the music first."
She scowled and told me ( like she was my mother ) there was a better way to say it. I felt very unwelcome once again and left . Too bad because its my neighborhood I want to support. and so little live music this end of town.
I left and went to the Horshoe Tavern. -
Review from Kent P.
5/1/2011
Aquila is a good find. Its got a misleading sign out front that makes it look like a cheap spot for drinks- just another grimy Junction dive. It is, however, a very nice restaurant for omnivores with bison, duck, and venison offered as well as bountiful vegetarian dishes. The roof top patio isn't huge but it is spacious and there is supposedly a street level side patio opening soon. The only downside to the meal was that a table nearby was uncomfortably disorderly.
I only had a salad - and it was great. But c'mon, Kent. You need to eat more.
Aquila is hosting a rib festival this May- might be worth the trip to Dundas and Keele to check it out.Listed in: VEG that's more than risotto.
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Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
5/1/2011 1 photo
Another restaurant that seriously needs a new sign. I had a surprisingly amazing early dinner here on their rooftop patio. The Junction restaurant is much bigger than it looks with two floors and two patios. The menu has a very big mix of food - lots of meat, but also a few great vegetarian pasta dishes (a mushroom and goat cheese dish with polenta on special; a squash ravioli; a mushroom pasta and a vegetarian fettuccinne with white wine sauce and bruschetta mix. I had the vegetarian fettuccine, and it was SO good. Very garlicy and full of vegetables - including asparagus, mushroom, peppers, cauliflower and onion. The portions are huge,and its served with warm, toasted crusty Italian bread. Mains are around $15-$20. The service was awesome. Very fast, and very friendly.
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Review from Christina C.
Toronto, ON
8/25/2010
Decided to head to Aquila since I hadn't been, its near the house and heard they had a great patio. Nice place and great patio. There was 7 of us that attended for drinks and appetizers. Our table ordered the wild mushroom costini's and brushetta, both were fantastic. 3 different desserts were ordered later and I wasn't impressed. The desserts were bland and tasted like they've been shelved a bit too long. A lava cake type dessert was ordered as well as blueberry cheesecake and a peanut butter chocolate thing.
Okay dessert is a miss but the rest was great. Friday night live band, great uncrowded rooftop patio, good service, and fantastic appetizers. Ohh and the smell from the kitchen wasn't shabby either, I'll have to go back for dinner :) -
Review from Adeel O.
4/4/2010
Aquila has a number of great things going for it. I headed to it as part of a ~30 person brunch group on a beautiful Saturday and discovered a nice rooftop patio that was surprisingly peaceful. The brunch menu has a bit of the standard fare with omelettes, eggs & bacon, huevos rancheros, french toast, etc. along with a couple of sandwiches (spicy jerk chicken, club, bison/angus burgers).
"Aquila Poached Eggs" sounded good (Poached eggs on an English muffin with smoked salmon, cream cheese and Hollandaise sauce) but ordering fish is always a bit risky. When I told the waiter of my concern, he pointed to the a smoker in the parking lot we could see in the back. "We smoke our own meats, so I assure you it's fresh". Agreed! Great salmon, if maybe a little lacking (for $12). The eggs were perfectly poached and the hollandaise sauce...well...it's mostly butter so how can you go wrong there?
The kitchen service was a little slow, considering our (large) group was the only one at the establishment. The waiters were very attentive (the coffee guy on our table must've had his cup topped off a dozen times) but they were still relaxed and conversational.
At the end of the meal, the chef came out to say hello and ask how everything was...nice touch!
I'm definitely going back because I peeked into the main dining area and saw a nice place to sit with a full bar...y'know, when the patio's not open.
