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Brassaii
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
461 King St WToronto, ON M5V 1K4
(416) 598-4730
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7:30 am - 12 am
Sat 10 am - 2:30 pm
Sat 5:30 pm - 12 am
Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
61 reviews for Brassaii
Review Highlights
"Simply, Brassaii's brunch is amazing."
(in 12 reviews)
"Their desert orange vanilla creme brulee was sooo delicious."
(in 4 reviews)
"Truly the best French toast this side if hong kong."
(in 4 reviews)
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61 reviews in English
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Review from Chris P.
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'd not actually heard of Brassaii before my best friend's boyfriend decided to throw a suprise brithday party for bestie there. I arrived late (stupid work) and was all in a rush, somehow though the walk up the cobbestone path and through the dark curtains and into the posh interior of Brassaii had a very calming effect.
Inside the decor is stunning, pretty much all the light in the main dining room comes off from the mammoth liquor display behind the bar which gives the whole room a posh and romantic feel. Sitting at our booth sipping champagne I felt totally like I was a member of the in crowd.
Service was amazing, we were served a few round of champage and the server led a toast to the birthday boy which was a nice touch. They also brought him a piece of black forest cake which was absolutely stunning on presentation. The piece was cut into a perfect cube and sat on a bed of custard and cherries with whip cream dollops all around. We all sat admiring it for awhile before he dug in.
I figured though that a place this upscale would be pricey, and I was right, my bill for 2 glasses of house red came to $23 which is a little much in my opinion however birthdays are a special occasion.
One of ou compantions knew one of the servers there so we got a tour of the whole place including the club-ish portion which is closed except for Wednesdays and Saturdays. I was suprised just how big the whole place is, its so decieving from the outside. The decor everywhere follows the same wooden dark and rustic feel with some funky neon light signage and velvet ropes everywhere. Our tour guide told us that on weekend nights in the summer they always have a huge lineup and are constanty turning people away. It seems like this is totally the 'it; place to be!
Overall a great time was had by all, Brassaii was the perfect place to make bestie feel super special for his birthday!!Listed in: Bestie and Me
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Review from Tara Z.
2/10/2012
I like the food here. I've been a few times, most recently for a Winterlicious dinner, and I've never been disappointed. The ambiance is a bit lacking, though--the space is huge, which amplifies the voices of fellow diners, and the crowd it attracts seems to be more interested in photographing themselves and their food than in actually eating. It's pretty obnoxious, actually.
Brunch is a far better option. -
Review from Nayha M.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2012
Good: It's not cool, I know, but I'm a sucker for top 40 and nineties music :)
Better: The food was surprisingly good! (I say surprisingly, because I've had brunch here and it was really bad.) The proscuitto was better than Buca's, and the beet and burrata salad was perfectly put together.
BEST: This place is a tad less pretentious than others on the strip, and I appreciate that they don't make a big fuss about letting people in. I chose this location for a surprise party, knowing the out-of-town friends would have no problem getting in after eleven.
Don't get me wrong, there is an air of King Street douchebaggery about the place, especially as the night wears on. But it's nothing compared to Spice Route.
Now, here are some less than stellar comments about this place: The service is quite poor. The bartenders are friendly enough, but servers are pointedly disinterested.
The food and drinks are overpriced... perhaps to recoup for the unnecessarily abundant staff and flashy decor?
See above re: douchebaggery.
Dollars: The charcuterie plate, beet salad, bubbly water and 3 drinks cost about $130ish. 6 shots of Jagermeister (don't ask) cost a whopping $54. -
Review from Scott M.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2012
Perhaps a case of style over substance, this venue stimulates the senses from the time you enter with a stylish outdoor courtyard, and trendy foyer. Exposed brick, and high ceilings create an impression of space accented with natural light from huge plate-glass windows. Many tables, that were quickly filled after the noon business lunch crowd descended.
The tables were appropriately spaced, and despite the noise level, a balance between "busy" and "chaotic" was achieved and a business lunch could be comfortably achieved.
The menu was good mixing popular lunch fare with some creative items; I had the lobster salad sandwich (average); the frites (good) came fresh-cut and seasoned with Parmesan. Dessert was a disappointment (cheesecake pie) as the pastry overwhelmed the cheesecake filling, and was a messy proposition at best.
Service was attentive up until the end, when we waited too long for the bill.
I would go back, but with so many great options in the King-Spadina area, it might be a while.
Reservations recommended. -
Review from Yao Lily L.
North York, ON
2/6/2012
Beautiful place with excellent service, good wine, and very bland food, at least for our Winterlicious visit. Service was fast and considerate. None of the courses were exciting, and some were frankly disappointing. It did have free wi-fi and a great deal of style both in terms of decor and presentation, but the same taste was not reflected to the palate.
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Review from Mike Z.
Markham, ON
1/12/2012
Service - 0/5
IT WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE I EVER HAD AT A RESTAURANT!
Friend held a birthday dinner there last Friday, made reservation for 20 people for 9pm. First table of 10 showed up at 9 and got seated. 5 minutes later, hostess came up and said if our other party is not showing up in the next 5 minutes, we will lose our table.
Our other party showed up 45minutes late due to traffic and car problems. By 10:15pm, no waiters have served the other table. One of the friends from the other table interrupted a waiter and asked to be served, the waiter said you guys are late so you have to wait for your turn.
By 10:45pm, still no waiter to be found. So one of the friends decided to speak to a manager, who chatted for about 15minutes and wasn't helpful at all. At 11pm, no one served the other table and finally a white bald guy approached the table and said kitchen is about to be closed, please order soon. We replied informing him that there is no waiter serving us. To our surprise, the white bald guy (who is apparently the general manager and owner) said that's because you guys are late and was very rude about it.
By 11:15pm, we all walked out leaving half of the group starving. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST EXPERIENCE! -
Review from krista l.
Scarborough, ON
Updated - 1/8/2012
If there was an option to put 0/5 this would have it.
My second (and certainly my last) visit to Brassaii. I shall now pin-point all of the negative things that happened during my visit, as there is not enough room to talk about them all...
- waiter was no where to be found when needed
- drinks took more than 10 minutes to arrive
- appetizers arrived the same time as dinner (over 45 minutes)
- one guest had their salad sitting on the table for 30 minutes, while he specifically asked for the salad to arrive when everyone had their meals
- waiter cleared birthday girl's plate before she was finished, never showing any sign of remorse
- other table had been seated for nearly 1 hour before getting the waiter's attention
- when they asked the waiter why they weren't getting any service he had the nerve to blame their lateness for his lack of service
- explained the problem to the the manager who took the waiter's side
- the owner stormed up to the table yelling, asking why after an hour an a half after our reservation time, they didn't have anything on the table except water. the situation was explained, but he again, pointed the blame back at us
- once we asked for a new waiter the owner huffed and puffed about how frustrating it would be to get another server from a different side of the restaurant to look over us
waiter refused to give us the name of the owner and his name
Working as a server in the past, I know what it's like. #1 rule is to keep your guests happy. This was the first time where I witnessed the server to point the blame at a guest for lack of service. I understand the restaurant is busy, but there were a million other ways he could of taken to solve the problem, which inevitably never got solved.
All twenty of us got up and left as we realized what a fucking waste of time this was.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/20/2011
Came here on a Thursday night with the girls to partake in the Summerlicious menu. I work in a… Read more »
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Review from Nikola D.
Toronto, ON
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Brassaii is a classy place to eat and dance(after 10 pm or so)
Food is very good and service is excellent, though it is arguably not a proportional increase of quality for the increase you pay in price.
It is also pretty noisy after 9pm so if you want to have an intimate conversation during dinner it is probably not the best place to pick. -
Review from Brian S.
Toronto, ON
1/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Party gone wrong. Ouch.
We had our company even here and i can't think of how many things went wrong. So many levels of miscommunication from the number of people, to the table placement to the order itself. We had picked out both food and wine in advance and a waiter, who clearly didn't get any of the instructions decides that he's going to ask everyone for their wine order, so we end up with a whole mix of wine that we shouldn't have had.
The selection of dishes they gave us was also pretty odd. If you didn't order the steak on the prix fix we ordered you ended up having less than everyone those who did, by a long way. I was one of those unfortunates, and ended up watching people eat their meat for another 20 minutes after I had finished my tiny piece of fish. I will qualify my criticism by saying that the food was good.
Clearly their management is a mess and needs to be fixed before companies should consider hosting events there. Or at least if you're going to host an event, be aware that they probably won't get it right the first time. -
Review from Courtney B.
Pickering, ON
12/4/2011
Went to Brassaii last night with a group of friends for a welcome-home party for one of the girls. We walked in past their outdoor areas that looked fantastic. I loved that they had an outdoor fireplace for drinks. However, we were there for dinner. It was a bit early to eat on a Saturday (our reservations were for 7pm) and the place was a bit quiet. From start to finish, the service was extremely attentive and friendly without being pushy.
The building itself is beautiful and it is divided into a spot for drinks at the front and the restaurant in the back. The ceilings are high and the walls are painted brick, giving it a really airy and clean feeling. However, I felt that the lack of soft furnishings (other than some banquette seating) made for an overly noisy atmosphere.
The food was good -- I had the gnocchi which had lamb chunks and mint in a tomato sauce -- but it didn't blow me away. The dessert I had, however, was fantastic (the parfait) and they had some nice touches, such as a cocktail cart that a bartender brought around to each table.
All in all, it's a good spot to go with a group of friends -- in fact, all of the tables there seemed to be large group reservations -- with a menu that will please everyone. -
Review from Bahi K.
Scarborough, ON
7/29/2011
Ended up here on a Thursday night with a few friends at around 9 pm. There were three of us initially, but we were expecting three more to join later on, so we were told that we could only be seated inside. Apparently there was a wait-list to be seated outside on the patio even though we noticed several clean, empty tables. When inquiring about those tables, we were told by the hostess, putting on her fakest smile ever, that parties (which we couldn't observe) were about to be seated there. So without further argument, we proceeded inside Brassaii (admittedly, the walkway to the actual building is one of the highlights of the whole venue), where we were promptly seated.
Inside was a pretty swank decor, including a bar laced with a row Grey Goose bottles. The atmosphere was fairly loud, and so it was difficult for us to even hear one another from across the table. Several of us had already eaten, so we ordered a few appetizers (the flatbread, burrata and charcuterie). None were especially outstanding. Of the two desserts we ordered (the biscotti & truffles -- where were the truffles?, and the creme brulee), the creme bruleee was more satisfying and came with a pound cake.
On our way out, we observed that the patio area had filled up with a very good looking crowd; they literally looked like they had jumped out of pages of an Abercrombie catalog. I guess that explains why we weren't allowed to sit outside. -
Review from J J.
Toronto, ON
1/8/2012
Had brunch here twice and both times were the same. The food is quite nice, and that's the only reason we returned the second time. Service is slow, it takes forever for someone to acknowledge you and take your order. They fail to inform you what comes with your dish. Mine came with bacon all over it and I'm a vegetarian. It didn't say anything about bacon on the menu (which is kinda vague). I was starving so I took the bacon off and ate it anyways, but that shouldn't have happened. The food is over priced and while I don't mind paying more for a great meal, it isn't worth it here. The poor waiters look gloomy as well. Won't be returning.
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Review from Brian Y.
8/11/2011
Brassaii has been a restaurant in th Toronto area for quite some time now. They have gone through a number of chef changes and undergone a few renos. The latest reno has brought brassaii to a very chic and modern look and feel. In fact almost everything is black or has some variety of dark colours to its decor. It's very loungy which has its fair amount of young professionals and socialites hanging around. So as a place to lounge and have a drink, brassaii could be an option.
My friend and I decided to start off our meal with some simple white wine. I got the 2009 chardonnay brassaii select and my friend got the 2006 riesling/icewine which was actually quite nice. I preferred hers. So while we caught up, brassaii serves you your typical table bread with some olive oil to dip in. We ended up deciding to go with the lobster bites as apps to share. She decided on the panko crusted chicken breast filled with prosciutto and brie with some seasoned vegs. I decided to go with the kobe beef meatball spaghetti. The wait wasn't horrible at all at about 10 mins or so between our wine, app and mains. So something was always coming and coming at a very good even preferable pace.
The lobster app was pretty nice. It's deep fried with a very nice side sauce that's drizzled on. We liked it soo much we just had to dip it in more sauce as we continued eating. My friend really enjoyed her panko crusted chicken. It had a nice and simple flavour. You can actually taste the brie and the chicken was tender and moist on the inside. It was done well. The dish stood out for my friend. My kobe beef mixed meatball spaghetti was also served in a nice and simple flavour. The spaghetti was cooked a little bit better than average and the tomato sauce was good. I think the biggest seller was the meatball and those weren't bad at all. Now I strongly don't believe it's all kobe (not for $19), so I assume it's a very very small portion that was used in making the meatballs. To me that's fine, I kinda think of it as a kobe inspired type of meatball anyways.
Overall, brassaii was alright. But I have to say right away that their menu does change often and can follow seasonal offerings. For this occasion it wasn't bad, but on an average I don't believe brassaii may be worth it for its price. Nothing was horrible and the service was attentive, but I just don't feel typically outside of this experience, its worth it. Yess if all your friends are young professionals and enjoy the lounging part, then it's not bad. The decor is contemporary and modern, so for that I have to say it's not a bad choice. As a dinner choice however, I have to say it's slightly above average but what are your thoughts, how's brassaii to you?Listed in: Mediterranean
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Review from Karl R.
5/29/2011 9 photos
The menu and prices of an intimate romantic restaurant without the intimacy and romance. Brassaii is huge. And tables are arranged to pack 'em in cafeteria style. Don't let volume volume volume fool you into thinking this is a mid-range bistro. Mains start at about $20 and go up exponentially from there. This is more of a rollicking, high end urban kitchen for people who want to throw down large with a group of friends after a promotion or their year end bonus.
Service wise the place is top notch. They'll even walk you right to the bathrooms. Interiors had some nice touches like an exposed and curiously lit elevator the renovators actually found, apparently, bricked off during renovations.
Food wise ostrich was an intriguing menu item. I was going to get it as a main but Pension Babe chose it as an app to share. As an app the thinly slicked flightless bird melted in your mouth. I wonder now what it would have been like as a main. Pension Babe got the sword fish and I got the ahi tuna. I've had better ahi in Seattle. The sides could be way more plentiful for the prices. -
Review from Kenny T.
Toronto, ON
6/15/2011
Worst service - overshadows everything else. I love the space - totally cool - and if they didn't have that venue, they would be out of business, because everything else is mediocre. Have been there many times over the last few years, usually at someone else's decision (I would never book myself). Have been to big events, including a wedding, intimate dinners, group dinners, corporate cocktail - each time I am shocked by how rude and unhelpful the staff are. At one corporate dinner for 10 they tried to tell us we could not order dessert because there was another group taking over our table, after they had taken 1.5 hours to bring out our mains - completely unacceptable.
There are so many better options food-wise in the area, that I would recommend you pass this by - but understand if you may want to check out the patio / venue because it is pretty special. Maybe go for a lunch and be warned that you may leave frustrated. -
Review from Denise S.
4/10/2011
Wonderful brunch spot that meets all my weekend brunch criteria:
- Convenient location
- Takes reservations (by phone or online via OpenTable, which I love) and NO crazy lineups, you can show up and be pretty sure you will get a table
- Good variety including some lighter options (I eat brunch out almost every weekend -- if I had stuffed French toast every time, it would not be healthy... but they DO have stuffed French toast on the menu in case you were wondering)
- Nice atmosphere. Not too crowded or noisy.
- Good, reliable service
- Reasonable prices (mains are ~$10-14)
Also of note:
- The private dining room is gorgeous! Would be a great, albeit expensive, place to host a dinner party.
- Coat/umbrella check
- They have newspapers as well as issues of Air Canada's magazine EnRoute (random)
- Washrooms are super-nice
I had the Brassaii mimosa, which was lovely. There's peach schnapps in there, which adds a nice sweetness to the orange juice. Next, the egg white omelette with spinach and ricotta, served with toast, grilled tomato, and turkey bacon + a small dish of fruit. It was nice because there's a bit of everything! Also, nice that there is a healthy option other than the usual fruit/granola/yogurt and that they don't charge extra for an egg white omelette like many other places do. The DC had the Florentina which was presented really nicely.
If you are super-hungry, there are a bunch of possible add ons that sounded tempting (like mini donuts!) but I'm glad I just had one dish because it was pretty filling.
Definitely recommend this place for a nice, relaxing weekend brunch! (Have been here on a Saturday night as well... different story, totally different vibe. I much prefer this place during the day.)Listed in: Brunch, "I come alive in the night…
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Review from Shirley T.
North York, ON
8/25/2011
My friend and I didn't go for the food. Just stopped by for the lounge/bar after the kitchen had closed down one Friday night after midnight. Drinks are priced at $11 a highball cocktail which was actually a relief after we wasted a couple of covers for some pretty dive clubs/bars. (They don't serve their drinks in a plastic cups for goodness' sake which is always a relief. The glasses always tell you what kind of place it's going to be.)
We danced a bit, the music was alright, the crowd was the older scene - definitely no drunk college kids but people who looked like they had decent day jobs. People dress nicer so it's not the kind of place to go if you just want to get trashed/party really hard that night. And lots of random corporate couple hook-ups on the dance floor as we were dancing - they kind of just found each other.
Did my friend and I have fun? Yes.
Was it a bad experience? No.
Anything to rave about it? No.
Would I go back? Sure but not any time soon.
P.S. Don't forget to tip well; the bartender lady got pretty angry. -
Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
Recommendation : Skip brunch/breakfast and go for the French toast
30 Sec Summary
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1. Hidden away at the back of King
2. Called for reservations *(considering how empty the place was I thought it was little bit overboard the number of questions they asked me to confirm brunch for two)
3. No free Parking $10 flat
4. Tried basic breakfast - dry multi-grain bread
5. Eggs were good - extra large size- light and fluffy
6. Potatoes crisp - not greasy
7. Bacon was prepared perfectly
8. The standard breakfast portions were on the spa side
7. Whipped Butter & fresh catsup but no jam
I would rate it 3.5 for service and price.
Holy crap moment!:
Then I ordered the FRENCH TOAST. Holly crap ! RATING now @ 4
That was outstanding.
I Want more.
Portions were HUGE.
Stuffed strawberries in Nutella.
Lightly coated with egg and cinnamon and a caramel sauce.
Full of flavor and sweetness. (Carb overload!)
Truly the best French toast this side if hong kong! -
Review from Sam C.
4/17/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This would be my second visit to Brassaii, once over the summer where I dined out on their patio and more recently inside since they had renovated. Quite frankly I really wanted to like this place and had to wait until I re-visited before I wrote a review since my first experience didn't wow me. Sadly it still didn't wow me on my second visit either.
On my most recent visit we dined in the lounge area for drinks and light dinner fare, we only tried the Charcuterie Board and the Rabbit Risotto. The Charcuterie Board I swear came straight from the deli at a local grocery chain, not adventurous and the whole time I was thinking I could have put this together myself at home with jarred olives and sliced meats and cheese. The Risotto wasn't bad but far from the best I've had.
In my observation, this is a place more to be seen than to dine, and the same goes for the waitresses as their friends came in and out and had drinks at the bar which took away the attention of the wait and host staff for most of the time I was there. In one instance we had ordered another round of drinks which never came and every time I tried to get the waitress's attention she was too busy chatting up with another waitress. It wasn't until she came over to check on us (maybe a good 20 min later) til I forcefully mentioned that we're still waiting on our drinks which then she apologized dearly for forgetting. -
Review from Sergey S.
5/10/2011
So we are talking about a pro-league here. Maybe an entry level, but definitely not a wannabe.
Yes, that means that you'd better come in booking in advance and dressed up - it's no fun to look like a piece of lowlife in front of all that oh-so-serious servers.
Now, when a restaurant requires me to work on myself before visiting it, it should rather be prepared to meet my expectations, too.
And I can tell that Brassaii was up to what it wanted to look like.
- Excellent service. Pro-level, no mistakes here - 5/5;
- Example quality of food. Again, pro-level - 5/5;
- Order arrived on the table fast, but a tad bit later that I may have expected, hence 4/5;
- Portion size is a demo of what you could have been eating, 1/5;
- Menu is shortish, 3/5 - though drinks menu is 4/5;
- Design and quality of the interior, 2/5;
- Noise level, 2/5.
As for the portion size... I know it is a trend, and everyone else is doing the same, but still - it hurts me to get a "try me" sample of food, paying for a full-sized plate. Those samples look great zoomed on the food magazine front page, but not in the stomach.
Overall, not quite solid four stars for a decent restaurant. Not without its shortcomings, but absolutely ok to return or invite people who eat out frequently and can appreciate the good place. Just don't come in hungry, unless you wish to treat a main plate as a starter to really eat somewhere else. -
Review from Julia H.
East York, ON
5/9/2011
worse customer service ever.
Manager on duty was rude. She didn't care that I had negative feelings about this place when I said that I would never come back again!
Restaurant has gone downhill since they renovated!! -
Review from Lynn C.
3/17/2011
Came here for lunch and was slightly disappointed.
The good:
The ambiance and decor was great...i really enjoyed the atmosphere.
Their capuccino
The not so good:
Service was extremely slow despite not having that many customers when we arrived
The spaghettini with white wine, garlic sauce, and clams was fishy ($14) and not very flavourful. very disappointing. However, there were an abundance of clams.
I woudl give it another chance for dinner and hopefully it would live up to all the other yelp reviews this place continues to receive.Listed in: Eats ariound CityPlace,…
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Review from jenna m.
11/13/2011
This building is totally gorgeous. It is massive, bright, interesting and well designed. I am not a club rat so the "lounge/club" aspect of the establishment does not appeal to me. Brassaii describes itself as a "sophisticated nouveau riche cosmopolitan and culture destination." That is grand. I actually laughed out loud when I first read that. I thought well ya; I suppose that is all encompassing of the nature of my style. Ha-ha. When I arrived I was impressed with the building and the patio. The food did not blow me away and the price was reflective of the district. In my mind's eye all I saw were a lot of fake boobs and real a**holes. So, if you enjoy the following you may enjoy Brassaii: the fine art of grinding on the dance floor, ordering bottle service, standing on tables/couches, cat fights, girls falling over in their heels, and a vast frivolous consumption of alcohol. Finally, the refined atmosphere that has always eluded you.
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Review from Mike S.
Toronto, ON
9/29/2011
Didn't go there to eat, I went there after work (late night) for drinks. Really great spot: nice mix between patio, bar, and seated areas. Drinks were a bit pricey (around 9 for a mixed drink) but the venue was upscale, and the crowd was relatively fancily dressed.
Dancing was not great, cover was $10 (Friday). Would go again! -
Review from Kat S.
Toronto, ON
9/14/2011
Brassaii has a great patio that gets just packed on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer. Bottle service is definitely recommended, or else you need to get there super early. Drinks are reasonably priced and there are plenty of seats on the patio. The inside is small and lacks character, but it does the job. Food is expensive, but the portions are just huge. Honestly, they're made for two people.
In the evenings, the music is alright when they get the DJ going. On weeknights there's frequently a live band (chill jazz music). The crowd is your usual King West type - the young and well heeled. Guys are the usual aggressive bankers/consultants/entrepreneurs etc. -
Review from Brenna K.
Toronto, ON
10/16/2010
Went here for dinner and was pretty impressed with the decor, food and service. It is pretty expensive for appetizers but they some are a decent size.
We tried the anti pasto plate which was really good and big enough to share with 4 people. We also had the beef carpaccio appetizer which was really amazing.
Dinner - I had lobster ravioli which didn't do it for me but the others had ostrich, beef and chicken and all were very good.
Our waiter was knowledgeable about all the dishes and was very attentive.
It is pricey so I wouldn't got here often but I would recommend trying it. -
Review from Maggie T.
Toronto, ON
3/8/2011
Brassaii amd Lee(by Susur)still maintains the top of places of my fine dinning experience downtown Toronto. Its a great place to go without paying top dollars. Their duck confit was amazing. Nice open space with contemporary atmosphere. Huge front patio in summer, and there is another bar outdoor with heaters standing. I love the food, only it was one dish but beats tons other mini-yogurt. A restaurant can have one dish that stand out is good enough. Me and my friend who went ordering the same dish both agree that it was one of the best dishes all time(only if you like duck)
Their desert orange vanilla creme brulee was sooo delicious. Best way to finish a great dinner =) -
Review from Luis M.
Toronto, ON
11/5/2010
OK so this is a place where you go to people-watch. Everyone is good looking and the place is fancy and cool. The food however is just alright - nothing to write home about.
In my opinion the the plates are overpriced for what you're getting (especially the apps).
Appetizer:
4 small scallops: $21. Excellent presentation but nothing special.
Main course:
We tried the short rib and the venison chop ($35/ea). The meat on both was excellent but the choice of accompaniment was disappointing (some steamed vegetables) - no imagination.
Dessert:
Creme Brulee. $10. Excellent.
The service was excellent!!
In brief, a place where you go not so much for the food but more to see what's "happening" in town. -
Review from Jay G.
Toronto, ON
Ok so last time I came here it was for breakfast.
Now that I work in the area I find this place slowly climbing higher and higher on my list. The service is greatly improved and the staff is very friendly. At lunch time it's filled with typical ad agency folk.
There's a lot to like. Beers are priced decently, they make vesper martinis, and have the best burger in the city hands down.
I usually do a big Vesper martini ($16 for 3oz), which is decently priced since it's like buying 3 drinks, and a prime rib burger. The prime rib burger is the best burger I've had in this city. The meat is flavourful without feeling greasy and it is very well balanced. It has the right amount of bun to meat to toppings ratio. It's actually perfect.
Mind you, this burger is $14 but I say totally worth it for the best burger in the city and it is not even close to the $20-something burger you'd find at the Queen and Beaver.
Come here for the burger at lunch and a vesper. You won't be sorry.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2009
Best Bacon sandwich... ever! Come here just for that and you will be happy.
Walk down the red carpet,… Read more »
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Review from Andrea R.
8/15/2010
Fancy Schmancy! At least inside the restaurant.
Not so fancy schmancy for my party of 3 enjoying drinks on their lively patio. The patio atmosphere was lovely, especially on this gorgeous summer day, but I did find the chairs to be a bit uncomfortable. Then again most chairs are uncomfortable for me these days since I'm pregnant.
I ordered a shirley temple, which tasted an awfully lot like lemonade. This was the 2nd shirley temple in Toronto that tasted like lemonade so thinking maybe they make it differently than I'm used to back in Chicago. Regardless it was refreshing and hit the spot so I wasn't too jealous of their normal cocktail menu (everything sounded great).
When I went inside to use the restroom, which was one of the few restrooms I've found in Toronto that's not in the basement, I noticed a few plates of food. Everything looks delish. I'd definitely be up for checking this out for a real meal the next time I'm in Toronto. Hopefully their service is better when you actually eat here as well because we found it to be a tad on the slow side.Listed in: My visit to Toronto
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Review from Joanne W.
Updated - 11/12/2010 5 photos
So this time, I wanted to try out Brassaii on a non-Summerlicious occassion. My friend got a coupon from LivingSocial, so I said, "Why not?" I had such a great experience here last time during Summerlicious, might as well try it again.
We went on a Thursday night. Our reservations were at 6 PM. We quickly got seated, and it wasn't too packed. However, it *did* get more busy around 7:30 or so.
Our waitress was very friendly and kind. I was laughing at the fact that she asked me and my (guy) friend whether or not we were celebrating something. I just gave her this confused look, and joked with her that we were celebrating the fact that it was a Thursday.
The décor is really nice. It has a very modern and eclectric feel to it. Decorated mainly with black
We ordered the following:
1) FOIE GRAS (pan seared + brioche french toast + sumac berry and squash compote): I found this to be absolutely deicious. The sqaush compote was very well done. However, it wasn't as good as the foie gras that I had in Montreal at Chez L'epicier. It would've been nice to have something a tad sweet to offset the salty taste of the foie gras.
2) VENISON (venison chop + venison sausage + marscapone cream corn + beet foam): My friend had ordered this and he had no complaints. I never got to try it, so I can't provide a review for this.
3) BEEF FILET (grilled filet of beef tenderloin + black truffle potato gnocchi + foie gras jus): The integration of foie gras jus had totally hit the spot with the beef filet. However, I wasn't fully pleased with the grilled filet, mainly because it was slightly charred at the corners. The potato gnocchi was very good though -- something that I've never had before.
Due to the amounts of meat that I had, I once again was unable to try any dessert.
The place is slightly pricey, but it's nice to treat yourself to something fancy once in a while. ;)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/26/2010
This was the first restaurant that I headed to for Summerlicious 2010 (out of three). Out of the… Read more »
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Review from Jamaal M.
Toronto, ON
11/21/2010
I've had a steak and the rabbitt Risotto here. Both were tasty, but a little salty. The room is beautiful and was actually quite busy while we were there.
Service was fantastic.
Oh, and dessert was delicious! The bread pudding was delicious! I definitely recommend it. -
Review from TOFoodReviews n.
Toronto, ON
8/13/2011
We visited Brassaii during Summerlicious this year and their selections were fabulous. Prior to ordering our meals, we focused our attention on their specialty cocktail list which featured several special mixed drinks and Caesars. I wish we could have tried them all. Instead, I settled for a tasty Gin Caesar topped off with a slice of cucumber and a grape tomato; while my date enjoyed a Balsamic Bramble: a sweet mixture of gin, chambord, and champagne crested with some fresh fragrant berries.
Chowing down for dinner after taking the edge off; I ordered a sweet flavoured vichyssoise topped with a chive creme fraiche as my appetizer; sirloin steak frites served perfectly to my liking with a sensational chimichurri sauce that sent a wave of excitement through my taste buds accompanied by perfectly seasoned Yukon fries; and although I normally pass on dessert; I, thankfully, let the temptation of their dark chocolate raspberry delice overtake my sanity to perfectly cap off my dining experience.
My date enjoyed two crab cakes served with curry aioli and mango salsa as her appetizer which looked very tasty, and I suspect they were SO tasty, and that that was probably the reason I wasn't even afforded a nibble. Her entree was a filet of baked salmon seared to pink perfection, with a pureed mash of wasabi potato and fennel, presented elegantly next to a julienned citrus salad; and, as her sweet tooth is always stimulated, this time she enjoyed an almond butter cake topped with freshly sliced strawberries and a Brassaii specialty their home-made basil ice cream.
All in all, I definitely would'nt hesitate to recommend Brassaii. It's a true neighbourhood gem that isn't as hard to find; it's located just 100 metres west of Spadina Avenue on the south side of King Street West. -
Review from Julia S.
Toronto, ON
8/13/2011 5 photos
Two friends and I came for an early dinner. We decided to sit out on the patio since the weather was perfect. The location, patio & the interior of the restaurant were great. The service wasn't at all horrible like others describe, our waitress was nice and attentive - but it was also pretty empty.
We ordered - gnocchi ($20) for one of my friends and I, an "organic greens" salad( $11), fries ($7) and two drinks ($13 each)
The gnocchi was great, it was tasty and well-seasoned. Unfortunately, the portions were tiny...I ate my half in 2 minutes flat. It felt like a snack.
The fries were a decent portion and the salad was...plain and small. Like what I'd make at home...just 3 times smaller.
We quickly ate our food and ordered dessert. Creme brulee with peach cobbler and cilantro sauce ($10) and assorted sorbet with mixed berries ($10). Both were good, but nothing spectacular. The creme brulee was definitely not the best I've had, but it was decent (the peach cobbler, however, left something to be desired).
We ended up paying around $120 for the 3 of us, which would have been totally fine have we not left hungry. The portions are quite snack-sized, so if you like generous portions or are super hungry, I'd advise you to skip Brassaii. Also, it is quite expensive for what it is. -
Review from Su B.
3/22/2011
I went to Brassaii twice in one week for two different meals and had two opposing experiences. Instead of averageing them out I am going to write two reviews.
This one is for BRUNCH which should get 4 stars.
We met up with some friends for brunch on a Sunday and it was great to have elbow room as it wasn't too crowded. I was disappointed that they don't offer any muffins or bread for the table but I must say that the food was great. I had eggs benny with peameal bacon and my DH had the same with smoked salmon. All four of us also shared a basket of muffins and those were delish. We did not feel hurried and lingered over coffee and good conversation.
This one is for DINNER which should get 2.5 stars.
My DH brought me back to Brassaii this past weekend for a pre-birthday celebration. The place looked great and was pretty packed at 9pm. Although we had asked for a corner (quieter) table we were seated right in middle, next two very loud women. Note that there is barely any elbow room between tables here. To make things worse they seated a table of about 10 - 12 college grads right behind us. Not very fun if you are trying to enjoy a conversation.
Out waitress was inattentive and ignored us for most of the evening. We poured our own wine and didn't get any bread at all.
All this would've been bearable if the food had been good. I ordered the foie gras app and it was a tiny sliver of it on a mushy piece of brioche - not very appectizing especially when you are charging entre prices for it. My husband ordered the oysters and there wasn't anything special about it. We've definitely had better elsewhere in TO. For my main I ordered the rissotto which wasn't my favorite - it had a strange paintain aftertaste to it. My husband ordered the steak and although it was cooked well, the portion was pretty sad.
We saw the manager (owner?) walking around but she ignored us as well otherwise we would have been happy to share our experience with her.
For the price of the meal, we felt ignored, dissatisfied and a little annoyed with all the noise behind us. Toronto has a lot of other great restaurants downtown. -
Review from kalista v.
Vaughan, ON
6/2/2011
I thought presentation of food was fabulous.
I came in here for a girls night out, we had reservations so we got in right away. The only thing I did not agree with was a "set menu" for a group of 10 or more. But luckily everyone found a dish they liked. Our table was situated right in the middle of the room. We ordered our food, and the wait time for food was probably an hour...mind you by time it got there, it was delicious! The server's weren't very attentive after all the food was set on the table.
About the food:
For appetizer I had the duck prosciutto. The combination of duck, fig and cheese with the chutney was heaven in your mouth. You get about 3-4 pieces.
For the entree risotto. The flavours were good overall and basil pesto foam was interesting.
For dessert I had the crème brûlée and a tea. The lavender shortbread it came with was delicious. The tea was also amazing.
At night they do get busy, especially on a Saturday. They have a dance floor in another room. The front room was packed on the way out, so it was hard to get out. -
Review from Real B.
Toronto, ON
7/9/2011
Went for brunch with a group of friends. The setup is good for groups. The food? Well the consensus was neither here nor there, inoffensive. Service was a little absent, not rude, but the waitress obviously had better places to be that day...
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Review from Daniel K.
Scarborough, ON
3/28/2011
This place sucks!!!I waited outside for over an hour and I still didn't get in. The music is really bad here and the people are snooty...If you want to have the Jersey Shore experience in your life...this is the place.
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Review from Justin E.
Toronto, ON
7/6/2009 ROTD 11/28/2009
He glanced at the glowing dial of his watch through the gathering dusk: late. He would not have the time to prepare as elaborately as he'd planned. It was time for a bit of improvisation.
Stopping briefly at the entrance to the courtyard ringed by brick and wrought iron, he harvested a few flowers that sat in a carefully tended planter; their yellow petals shone even in the shadows. The flowers wouldn't mind, he thought - they'd soon be staring into a face more beautiful and bright than even theirs. He fiddled with the flowers, creating a makeshift bouquet. He was ready.
Bounding up the stairs, he entered a long room full of minimalist and yet warm decor - dark wood tables, stylishly industrial ceiling, gently flickering candles. A jazz trio trilled quietly in one corner as servers clad in crisp white shirts buzzed between tables, offering up tasteful wine suggestions while deftly delivering exquisitely prepared and presented dishes.
An involuntary intake of breath; there she was - a vision in red, jet black hair, and wide dark eyes, sitting at a table dead centre in the restaurant. Centre court. A server was delivering a bottle of wine - which she tasted expertly and approved. The server melted away.
As he approached, she turned her head ever so slightly to acknowledge his presence but continued to take in the activity around her.
"You're late", she said, not looking at him.
"I'd planned on getting here earlier - I had to make a couple of stops..." he replied quietly.
"It's fine actually - I feel like I'm in some sort of upscale romantic movie...I didn't know places like this existed in Toronto. It doesn't seem quite seem real. Oh, I took the liberty of ordering us some wine."
He sat and peered at the label. "How much is this stuff?"
"Oh I don't know," she replied, "we're celebrating aren't we? This is the place for it."
"I suppose that's true, love. These flowers are for you."
She glanced down at the proffered bouquet - and made a choking sound. For around the stems, binding them tightly together, was a delicate, beautiful ring, blazing with diamonds. Her eyes went wide, tears forming in the corners. She looked up.
"Babe is this..."
He was already on one knee: "Honey, I've been waiting a long time to say these words...will you marry me?"
...And the camera pulls back, down the aisle, past the jazz trio, through the inlaid-brick courtyard and back to the planter affixed to the wrought iron gates. In the planter, two remaining flowers lilt gently together in the warm glow of evening in the city. -
Review from sarah l.
9/22/2009
Oh, Brassaii... A dining locale full of people who think they're cooler than me (they aren't). I have only been here for brunch, twice, and it's a nice place. A little TOO nice, if you ask me.
The good:
- their brunch is good!
- the portions are big
- the price is reasonable
- the patio is quite nice
The bad:
- I never feel cool enough to be here
- I never, NEVER like my coffee
- I have always found the service very... meh to bad
The weird-and-funny:
I switched seats once to get out of the sun, and the waiter has his only moment of interest/perkyness/showing any sign of being alive when he laughed and asked if I was trying to trick him (obviously I was).
Would I go here again?
Sure, if I was in the neighbourhood for brunch with Sarah T's crew. Otherwise no. Even though it's okay.Listed in: Breakfasts
