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Le Papillon On The Park
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
1001 Eastern AveToronto, ON M4L 1A8
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
(416) 649-1001
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 12 am
Wed 12 pm - 3 pm
Sat-Sun 11 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for Le Papillon On The Park
13 reviews in English
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Review from Sara K. P.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2012 8 photos
Hubby made last minute plans at Papillon on the Park for a swell New Years Eve 2011 meal . We'd originally planned to just casually chillax at home, but hubby sensed my disdain at our lack of New Years Eve fanfare and wisely chose to pacify with some gastronomic therapy.
Le Papillon On the Park is a lone resto, located in a most unassuming area amongst a scattering of auto parts garages, but don't let the locale fool you. Once inside Le Papillon's classy confines, there's no mistaking that they'll be no run of the mill smoked meat sandwiches or Labatt 50 to be served in here.
The menu offers up a hip take on Quebecois fare, with nods to elements typical to La Belle Province like maple syrup, crepes and of course tourtiere. The drinks menu also offers up a good representation of the Unibroue beers like Blanche de Chambly, La Maudite and Ephemere Apple.
For New Years eve a special three course Prix Fixe menu offers up some savoury salvation for $55 per person. Our server Emma was cordial and being that we were the first scheduled tier of New Years Eve diners the service moved like Swiss clockwork.
Our first course was the Petoncles (scallops) on a bed of pureed cauliflower with black truffle oil for myself and the Bison Tartare with garlic croutons for hubby, ever the brave carnivore that he is! My scallops are a little dry on the exterior but soften up and melt nicely on the palette once combined with the creaminess of the puree while helped along with a nice kick from the truffle oil. Hubby is very pleased with his bison as his eyes roll back and he nods like a bobble head toy when I ask if his starter tastes good.
A refreshing spoonful of citrus sorbet is served after our first course to prep the taste buds for whatever delectables are yet to follow. For our second course, I order the Duo Pintade which is Guinea Fowl prepped two ways one is pan seared, while the other is maple glazed and its served along with gingerbread spiced croquettes. Hubby has the Homare Beurre, which is Lobster served with caramelized fennel and ricotta cheese cannelloni in a lobster sauce. I wasn't blown away by my Pintade, it was well prepared mind you just not anything ecstatic. Hubby's Lobster cannelloni smelled divine however and in his usual breakneck dining manner, he gulped it down with healthy gusto bearing grins of satiety in between his hearty bitefuls.
Our last course of dessert was fantastic as I indulge in the Poire au Vin Rouge, which features anise flavoured red wine poached pear and a divine cloud of caramel mousse and nuts that sends me into a fit of lipsmacking. Hubby, who
has a fetish for desserts that ooze liquids for whatever reason, decides upon the Fondant, which is a mini chocolate lava cake served with ice cream and mint sauce.
I won't say this is the best NYE meal I've had, but I can certainly say that The Papillon on the Park served up a choice meal with a pleasing menu and efficient service in a class atmosphere, all at a decent price. Bravo to Papillon on the Park for bringing some good ole Quebecois charm to the East end! -
Review from Maheen M.
11/11/2011
I went to Le Papillon On The Park last night on a double date, my friend and her husband suggested the restaurant. My SO and I were driving on Eastern Ave and nearly missed the restaurant, it is hidden in the industrial section of Eastern Ave. To our surprise, the restaurant was packed when we got there.
Atmosphere
It was very open yet intimate, we got a corner table for the 4 of us. It felt like we were in a parisan cafe.
Food
During the week they have fixed price menu for $30 for 3 courses! I decided to go with the fixed price menu while my SO ordered an entree.
Appetizers
Soup du Jour - Spiced Pumpkin - so comforting and delicious, the right amount of spice. A perfect autumn soup. (part of my fixed price menu)
French Onion - we looked over at our friend's french onion soup and had to order the french onion soup for ourselves. Broth was rich and flavourful, the cheese was perfectly baked on. The only downside is that we wanted more cheese and a bigger portion! ($8)
Entrees
Moules et Frites (mussels and fries) - oh so good, the mussels were perfectly steamed. The broth was wonderful, excellent for dipping my bread in. I wish they gave more bread to soak up the broth (part of my fixed price menu)
Seafood Papillon (it is not called this but I forget the name) - it was a seafood dish with a lovely tomato broth and garlic bread. The seafood was well seasoned and cooked perfectly (not rubbery). My SO gobbled it up. ($28)
Dessert
Pouding Chômeur - this is like a french english sticky toffee pudding, sweet yet warm and comforting. The ice cream it was accompained made the best cold and warm combination. I was glad I was sharing the dessert, it was a bit of a sugar rush/coma. (part of my fixed price menu)
Service
Excellent service, very attentive, no complaints. The pace of our food was brought out perfectly timed, we were not waiting too long between courses.
Overall, Le Papillion on the Park makes a great date night out. I would recommend it if you are in the Riverside area. -
Review from Charlotte W.
North York, ON
I have never noticed this restaurant and only by fluke in taking the wrong street did my parents and I discover there was a restaurant here! We immediately noticed the great large patio on the roof of the restaurant and vowed to return. Fall is now here and we did not get to come back for the patio, but my boyfriend wanted to try this eatery on a side street and I knew it was Le Papillion on the Park!
Intro. When entering, I noticed just how LONG the restaurant was. Seating was ample and there were quite a few people eating here on a Saturday afternoon. Lot's of great cocktails and booze options and I immediately ordered a La Rosette which is champagne with Elder Flower in it...very sweet and not really my thing. My boyfriend was introduced to a great Caesar made with Bacon infused Vodka and it was so delish!
Food. The menu is geared towards Quebecois cuisine with a section devoted to crepes entirely. Our waiter initially told us about some great scallops that were brought in from "last night" and not being scallop lovers, we passed. After some time, our waiter again tried to sell us on the scallops... we weren't feeling like eating leftovers!
I had the Eggs Benedict on a croissant which hit my hungry spot and my boyfriend ordered the Lamb Crepes with Apples and Raisins. The lamb was so delish and the apples made it just right. The raisins were a bit much (according to him it made the dish too sweet), but over all, really good. We had just enough room for dessert and we shared the Bread Pudding (forgot the name, but it was called Le Chaumer?) with ice cream. I really enjoyed that.
Service. From reading previous Yelps, it seems that service can be really hit or miss. Our waiter for that afternoon was not that bad - efficient where it needed to be. He also made some great cocktail recommendations and even made unique combinations just for us. Towards the end, he was nowhere in sight but nothing too major.
In conclusion, I think this is a great find to the immediate area. As another Yelper mentioned, we now have something more than the Harvey's and Swiss Chalet! I was also thinking that this place would be GREAT for Sunday brunch. It seems like it could handle lots of people. I will definitely be back to try it out!Listed in: 30 Day Yelp Challenge -…, All About Leslieville -…
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Review from Andrea T.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
Finally a great time at Le Papillon! We have gone a couple of times before - usually every 4 or 5 months we try this place and I will say that every time we go it gets a little bit better. But this last visit was by far the best.
We went for lunch on a Friday. The service started out BRUTALLY slow, but once they took our drink orders it quickly improved. I enjoyed the French onion soup followed by the Tourtiere. The portion was a great size and I left feeling sated. My guest had the steak and frites. Guessing by the clean plate, I'd say she enjoyed her meal as well.
I'll be going back more often -
Review from Elle G.
Toronto, ON
10/20/2011
Things to know about Papillon on the Park.
- great for Quebecois specialties
- they just put out a new fall menu
- lots of room
- have a patio for the nice weather
- nice big public parking lot next door
We had dinner here and it was quite enjoyable.
They have a great selection of martinis and specialty drinks to start.
Reasonable selection of wine - including by the glass.
What we enjoyed:
- the trio of pates -- this was really good - nice variation and a good size for sharing as an appetizer
- we also tried the French Onion Soup -- yummy
- and the Deux Canard (breast and confit) -- very nice
It was hard choosing as they also had Lamb Shank and a number of other good looking Quebecois specialties (tourtiere etc).
For appetizers, they have a variety of Poutines (including a duck one).
We really like this place, it has fireplaces dotted around the restaurant which makes it quite cozy.
The only downside comment I would make is that you have to walk across the grass from the parking lot to the restaurant -- it was raining last night and we could have walked around on the sidewalk -- but it is much longer. Can't you folks put down some paving stones or something to make it easier to get from the car park to the restaurant.
Or have access to the restaurant through a back door or something.
Anyways -- something to think about.
Regardless, we liked it well enough to come back again. -
Review from Cooper W.
Dundas, ON
7/31/2010
The personification of unremarkable. In other words: I expected much better.
We were a party of six adults, professionals, parents, and looking forward to nice evening out sans children. What we received was the antithesis of a nice evening.
The one star I give is for the bar staff upstairs. The highlight of the night by far.... Four of us arrived early to enjoy cocktails on the rooftop patio while we awaited the final couple. The staff upstairs were friendly, attentive, and easy to be in the company of.
That all ended when we went downstairs for dinner.
Our server in the dining room was, for lack of a better term, unprofessional. That's not to say he didn't look the part, he simply lacked the refinement one expects from a restaurant of this nature. We had to flag the waiter down to get our order in--not good. We ordered wine for the table, but he brought only four glasses--there were six of us, remember. We asked two more wine glasses, he brought the wine list...? It was puzzling. He was also argumentative when one of us said their Mojito was bitter and asked it to be remade.
Now the food: For the prices, not good. I had the lamb--it was cooked right, but the balance of the plate was pedestrian at best. Four boring fingerling potatoes and some micro greens. The berry compote was a one-note bore. I actually longed for a bottle of A-1 sauce just to give the plate some life.
Others at the table said their meals were, well, blah. The waiter had to ask two members of the party to cut into their steaks to makes sure they received the right one. Are you kidding me? This place masquerades itself as a high-end restaurant, and yet the chef and waiter can't communicate which steak is which?
The pouding chomeur for dessert was good, but the accompanying ice cream was flavorless.
Of note: if you order green tea, it takes them a good half-hour to prepare it. We'd all received our cafe au laits and desserts before our friend's tea arrived. Bizarre.
The night was capped by one final idiocy. No bill. We sat there, wallets out, credit cards in hand, but our waiter simply never came back. In fact, I finally got up walked around the corner in front of the kitchen's pass and braced a server's assistant, gave him my credit card and said, "We'd like to leave." We never did see our waiter again. Perhaps he vaporized--more likely he retreated upstairs for a break with the cool staff on the patio. Or something.
My wife and I had been there before on a fund-raiser, and although the food was just okay then, we chalked it up to a small budget for the fund-raiser and vowed to give the place a second chance for the ambiance and location. We know enough now not to go back.
It's a shame, there are very few nice restaurants on the east side of Toronto. I've had better food and better service at The Roy, Frankly Eatery, Lady Marmalade, and The Green Eggplant.
As a restaurant owner, when you recognize a party of six as being "new faces," ordering cocktails, bottles of wine, apps, entrees, desserts, coffees, would you not make certain these people are having a pleasant experience? Ensuring they return again and again as couples, with others, etc., etc., should be a core focus, oui?
Le Papillon on the Park did the precise opposite--they did everything possible to ensure we didn't return. And we won't.Comment from Stephane B. of Le Papillon On The Park 8/6/2010
We are a family run restaurant and all we want is for our… More » -
Review from Ben J.
Toronto, ON
8/7/2011
Arrived on Sat. night with a 7 PM reservation. The restaurant was only 2/3 full. We had finally had a complete dinner by the time we left, totally exasperated three and one half (3.5) hours later.
The waiter was totally uninterested and totally forgot us, never checking in on anything. The little bread we had for entertainment (?) while we W A I T E D was soon gone, our water glasses were empty most of the time, We asked for ice with our water and got a small tumbler with ice cubes. We did get one drink soon after sitting down, but no offer of any more, nor were we asked if we wanted to order some wine. We had to go find the waiter to get wine.
It took an hour to get the appetizer. The main dish came 1.5 h later. The food was quite tasty, but mine had been under the heater for a very long time and was well dried out before we all received our main dish together.
I looked into the kitchen, it was full of hands moving swiftly so the slow service cannot have been for lack of staff there. Was it for a total lack of management skills instead?
In all, a very unremarkable meal, intended as a birthday celebration at a "better" restaurant.
This was our two visits in one - The first and the last.
The access to the ample parking lot was over some newly moved grass on a myddy path, it had rained and our shoes got soaked on exiting the restaurant. How about at least some gravel on the path? -
Review from Sheila B.
Toronto, ON
2/18/2010
**We arrived on Boxing day around 3pm..with a group of 15 adults and 7 kids (yes we made a reservation they knew we were coming). There was 3 other tables in the place (one a party of about 10).
**I must say the place is nice to look at in an industrial kind of way. Long hallway with tables off to the sides and big locked frenched doors all along the east wall, overlooking the P PARK. Will give them a break on this since summer hasn't arrived and they just opened in the fall....
**Our ONE and ONLY server (yep that's right, for 22 people one person) bless her heart. She couldn't really give the service we needed, the owner was there but didn't offer a hand, a busboy was on hand after all was done. Enough on that , you get the picture.
**On to the food, many dishes were ordered I can only comment on the ones I tasted (by the way I had to order what I really didn't feel like because they had no Smoked Pork Loin). I had the smoke salmon appetizer is was very good, and so did many in our party and they were all happy with it....the kids had esgargot they loved them but they also loved the smallish portion cold poutine with lumpy gravy, restaurants should be kinder to the little people. I had the atlantic salmon for main was cooked perfect, veggie sides were boring but palatable. Didn't have dessert. Some dishes our party raved about: French Onion Soup, The Crepes and Steak Poivre. Overall the food went off well and satisfied.
**Now to the HOT part, it was so friggin hot in this place. They have double sided fireplaces that were roaring and the heat must have been on. Being December we were all dressed for winter, however it was mild outside. We did ask if they could open one of the doors near us but nooooo, this could not be done. Even the kids were complaining and they were good up to this point.
**It was a great place to have a group at this time of the day. We felt very much on our own (we liked this)...We would go back but not running there.
all said.....with a tonne of wine and auto tip ....$1400.00 -
Review from Phil H.
Toronto, ON
4/11/2010
Woke up late on Easter Sunday. Walked out of the house wanting a late lunch somewhere. I headed to Bistro Camino only to find it closed so what the heck, it's a nice day, I wanted to go down to the beaches anyway, and maybe read a book. I figured I'd have a go at trying Le Papillon on my way there.
Walked in right after brunch had ended so I was really the only person dining there at the time. So "lunch" had just turned into an early, early dinner. Ordered the steak frites medium rare and sat back to read while they prepared it.
Disappointed to find that it was cooked closer to medium than medium rare. I've done more tender steaks from chinese supermarket flank cuts in comparison to this relatively chewier AAA striploin. The maitre d'hotel butter hindered more than helped the taste of the meat by overpowering it. The frites were nothing to write home about either.
I might be tempted to go back for a try of their brunch at least once (that second floor patio of their's just looks too good to pass up). -
Review from Kelly A.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
This was our second time at Le Papillon, having first had a bad experience shortly after their opening.
We sat down for about 10 minutes before anyone asked us for a drink - it's the kind of place where staff avert their eyes so as to avoid eye contact. My water glass was empty for most of the meal
We had the poutine, tourtiere, and steak frites. While the poutine was good, the steak frites was not cooked to order (not even close), and the salad accompanying the tourtiere was dressed with a solution so saline you couldn't eat it. Also - the wine selection is cheap and tastes like it.
The crowd is very unlike most L-vill restaurants - definitely skewing silver, and perhaps more forgiving of mediocre food and awful service. At last a restaurant that makes eddie levesques look polished and welcoming. -
Review from Chris P.
Distillery District, Toronto, ON
12/14/2009
A nice addition to the neighbourhood. (read: McDonald's is no longer the only choice on Eastern)
This place will be a great summer spot--2nd floor rooftop deck overlooking a park will be a hit. And they've done a great job on the renovations--minimalist decor without the feel of eating in a gallery space.
Had dinner here last week and really wanted to rave about it... Although there was nothing wrong with the meal, nothing about the food has made me take the 2 minute walk over for lunch in the past several days. Don't get me wrong, everything was very good (Lamb Shank, Escargot, Raclette, and Crepe) but nothing made me a convert.
A solid B+, I'd definitely suggest giving it a try, but for the price point there is some stiff competition on Queen east! -
Review from Charlie B.
Toronto, ON
2/25/2010
I read a couple bad reviews and I can't understand them. My friends and I had such an amazing time here. I went to this place for a friend's birthday party and everything was so great. The building is so cool and they even had real fire places! My friends had Moules Maudites and escargot which were fantastic and I had the most amazing French onion soup I've ever tasted. For my main course I had the Steak Au Poive which is a filet with a brandy sauce and my boyfriend had the lamb shank. We though our meals were so tasty. At the end we had the sugar pie and it was great. My server even taught me how to say some things in French! We went on a Thursday and the place was really busy but despite that the staff were very attentive. It's a really warm place and I'm glad we have a place in the Leslieville area that my friends and I can frequent more often.
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Review from fred f.
ON
12/16/2009
ate nothing of note
dreary pedestrian exit to nowhereville
boring by-the-glass selections
cheap steak/frites that taste cheap
