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Oliver & Bonacini Cafe & Grill
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
Bayview Village2901 Bayview Ave
Toronto, ON M2K 1E6
Neighbourhoods: Bayview Village, Willowdale
(416) 590-1300
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
43 reviews for Oliver & Bonacini Cafe & Grill
Review Highlights
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"...restaurant "Olivers" was a favourite, especially at brunch." In 11 reviews -
"My appetizer was Haddock & Yukon Gold Potato Fritter." In 1 review -
"...Forest Torte for mom and Bread and Butter pudding for me." In 3 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Vivian P.
North York, ON
4/29/2012
uggh i am so torn - i really wanted to give them a five! service was AMAZING (i love Oliver and Bonacini Bayview Village). I felt that they went beyond what was needed, by doing some fairly simple things. It's really too bad that the food wasn't (one of the dishes we ordered sucked).
When we got there, it was really busy, but the hostess got my name down and gave us a buzzer thingy - very pleasant woman. we walked around for a bit before heading back. She remembered my name when I went to follow up :) (not that it's hard to - i think we were the only chinese people in line, but still!)
\We were shown to a nice roomy booth ^_^, server gives us some time with the menus. we decided to get something from their brunch menu and something from their lunch menu (get something from their brunch menu if you can!!).
Server swings by - gives us the fruit drink specials - blueberry/mango/orange, peach lemonade, kiwi passionfruit. I ordered the blueberry/mango/orange; boyfriend ordered peach lemonade. blueberry/mango/orange was SO YUMMY!!!!! definitely recommend it - it was light and not too sweet. The peach lemonade was too peachy and not lemonade-y enough.
food:
Poached eggs and BBQ brisket:
RECOMMenDeD!! (with hollandaise sauce) - flavourful, fresh vegetables used, eggs poached just right, amazing sauce combo. try this :)
shrimp and scallop linguini
not recomended: pasta was undercooked, it was missing that one mystery ingredient that would've made it more flavourful :( . shrimp and scallops were kind of tasteless.
all in all - it was a great experience :) great service, food is usually great (i really miss their giant scallops - don't usually like scallops, but they make it taste so good). -
Review from Precilla C.
Scarborough, ON
I haven't been to O&B Café Grill for a while, and since they updated their menu, I decided to have dinner there one day.
We started with a melting artichoke, chickpea and parmesan dip ($15.50), served with assorted flatbreads, veggies, crostini and bread sticks. I liked the creative presentation with the bread sticks. At first, I thought there was very little dip and that a lot of bread would be leftover. However, that small plate of dip went quite a long way, and we managed to finish most of bread with it. I had imagine the dip to taste like hummus, but the artichoke flavour was quite strong. In the end, I think I enjoyed munching on the large variety of bread more than the artichoke dip itself.
I also got a side of beer battered onion rings ($7.95), which comes with a blue cheese dip. We requested for the spicy tomato mayo instead. Eight bucks seemed a little pricey for onion rings, but this basket was ginormous! I love thick cut onion rings, and these were excellent! Not exactly the healthiest side, but who can resist onion rings?
My bf ordered a chicken burger ($14.75) with lean ground chicken, crispy bacon, Monterey Jack and chipotle mayo. I'm always reluctant to order non-deep fried chicken in fear that it'll be bland and dry. Thankfully, the chicken here was very moist, and I loved that smoky flavour. I think we were both surprised how much we enjoyed this chicken burger (he totally didn't want to share this burger with me!) The burger came with a side of Caesar salad- balsamic croutons, maple bacon, tossed in a creamy garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano dressing. The maple bacon was indisputably the best part of the salad.
To finish off a filling meal, we shared one of my all-time favourite desserts: classic vanilla crème brûlée ($8.25). I didn't really care for the accompanying shortbread cookie, but the crème brûlée itself was quite delicious and satisfying.
Overall, it was a good meal. I probably wouldn't order the artichoke dip again, but I would come back for the chicken burger and the onion rings.Listed in: 'licious Restaurant Reviews
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/2/2011
I usually enjoy the food at O & B, so I decided to come here for summerlicious. The experience was… Read more »
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Review from Karl R.
2/12/2012 3 photos
Came here for an early Valentine's day brunch with a human female. I made reservations earlier in the week via OpenTable. I've been to 14 previous restaurants using OpenTable and this was the first time I've encountered a restaurant that didn't have my table ready. We were given the option to wait or seated on the mall patio. We chose the mall patio for immediate seating. O&B's idea of immediate seems to make you wait again and look to remind your hostess.
We both had the breakfast plate. After the lame eggs benny I had at the Gilead Care (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) I've come to the conclusion Toronto's upmarket brunch purveyors view it as the ultimate sucker meal. Charge a lot, give little.
The breakfast plate, however, was without taste. The sausage had no flavor.
I saw the waitress to take our order, eventually bring us our food and coffee, and then the bill. I'm not sure how O&B think about brunch but a "freshen up your coffee" stop in is part of the brunch experience in any sane dining environment.
Anyway, food sucks, waitress does the bare minimum (and got a 7% tip), the hostess can't figure out how to hold tables for reservations...
This really darkens my opinion of the O&B chain and will probably give any restaurant in their "empire" a big pass. -
Review from John C.
5/19/2012
I am giving it a five star because they don't have a 4.75
I have had many meals here because I live locally. Always reliable for good service (attractive staff) and very good food, if not always excellent. Reliable to bring business clients. Tables are close but seems to work.
The new renovation since April looks terrific. Upscale.
For such a major city Toronto does not have a lot of 4 pr 5 star restaurants. O&B helps.
Good luck with the business.
John C. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
Winterlicious 2012 lunch $15 was surprisingly good!! Maybe I have low expectations after reading all these 1 or 2 star reviews on Yelp!
Make sure you have a reservation! Make it at Opentable as it was so busy even at lunch around 1 pm.
With my reservation, I encountered no lines and my table for 1 already ready and waiting for me when I walked in at 12:45!
Choose Wisely! As some selections on the Winterlicious can be quite bad and by choosing those, you might end up with a 1 or 2 star expedience!
I ended up bumped into friend who were seated right next to me.... and as usual my friend started feeding me and let me take photos of their food....
What I ordered:
Farmhouse Smoked Ham and Split Pea Soup
- surprisingly hearty and comforting with a texture of puree
- not over seasoned I really don't like soup that tastes too salty
Mafalda Corta Bolognese
- pasta with meat sauce?
- the meat sauce is quite good and the pasta cooked al dente with great bite
Oliver's Famous Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Chantilly
- Dessert is the perfect ending, this carrot cake is better than the appetizer or the main!
- The carrot cake itself is moist with ton of walnut giving it a interesting texture
- the Cinnamon Chantilly cream is so moist and light well balanced and not too sweet
Do not order:
Miami Style Grilled Short Ribs
- tough, overcooked and dry ribs. Korean BBQ went wrong!!
Chocolate Espresso Cake
- overwhelming sweet and heavy!! I could not even taste a hint of espresso at all!
Busy restaurant ended up making my lunch experience little rush. So don't come during Licous if you want to enjoy a leisure lunch, it was just a mad house here!!Listed in: Italian Restaurants I visited…, Licious Sent Me Here!!
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Review from Janna S.
1/3/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Ever since Sierra Grill closed, I've been coming here when guests visit from out of town. It's a safe bet and I always arrive before it gets busy; I probably won't ever arrive here after 6pm because the noise becomes deafening. I like the cocktail specials on Sunday night!
I've never had terrible food here, but most of it seems prepared to please the masses; it's not a culinary adventure. That's okay though; sometimes you need something safe and reliable. Unfortunately, the prices are reliably high; pricing probably reflects the massive size of the property and I'm sure paying rent in Bayview Village isn't cheap. -
Review from Karen G.
12/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been to this restaurant many times, most recently for dinner a few nights ago. I have always liked the ambiance of the restaurant with it's open kitchen and pizza oven. It is very cozy even though it's quite a large place.
Our server was very attentive and the food was good. I ordered off of the seasonal menu and our server had the kitchen accommodate my request not to put anchovy paste in the pasta so the sauce was obviously not pre-made for my dish.
The waiter suggested that my kids share the pizza and Cesar salad both of which seemed to please them. My father had the 7 oz sirloin and the shrimp (surf and turf) with mashed potatoes and finished every last bite. The steak was cooked rare, just as he likes it and he is very picky when it comes to his steak. One of the standout dishes was the Macaroni & Cheese with peas and chicken. It was quite rich but very tasty.
I have always found that the drinks are on the pricey side but other than that, I don't have any real complaints with this restaurant. -
Review from Jonathan S.
York, ON
9/20/2011
Oliver and Bonacini
I have a theory that somewhere in the corridors of Canadian power, a secret cabal decides that as a country, we are only entitled to a circumscribed range of entertainment choices.
I developed this rule after noticing that it seems like there are only ever five Canadian celebrities at one time. Carla Collins used to be on that list, then she erased herself through plastic surgery. Mike Bullard was ubiquitous. Last I saw, he was hosting real estate infomercials. Brent Butt has run out of gas since his last show ended, and Little Mosque on the Prairie is set in Saskatchewan, so it doesn't count.
Following the celebrity chef craze in the US, it seems like we've lined up our own set, who seem bent on monopolizing Toronto's dining scene. Chief among them, Michael Bonacini, who along with Peter Oliver, represents Toronto's contribution to the mid-range dining scene.
It wasn't always thus. Back in the day, Oliver's tastes ran towards classic french cooking. His restaurant "Olivers" was a favourite, especially at brunch. Bofinger, located just north of present-day Didier, did French Bistro with aplomb; we still discuss the weekend dessert buffet.
After a trip upmarket with Jump, Canoe and Auberge Pommier, we were excited when the new, allegedly popular-price cafe opened in Bayview Village.
Dishes have evolved over the years. Kinks, like frozen soggy fries and weird coleslaw have been phased out. Coffee quality ebbs and flows, depending on the supplier. Experiments with nestle and Coca-Cola's Far Coast brand have thankfully been discontinued.
Appetizers are fun. A spring roll basket produces six crisp, tightly-wrapped tubes of veggie goodness accompanied by a sauce that's more sweet than heat.
Onion rings are a steakhouse classic. Blue cheese dipping sauce is unnecessary, but we'll take it. $8 is a bit steep for deep-fried onions though. I'd rather see them as a less-expensive side dish with the decent hamburger, or excellent chicken burger.
Caesar salad is stingily dressed with good Parmesan and maybe a multi-grain crouton or two. Some days, the dressing clings lightly to roughly chopped leaves. Other days, it runs off in a wet skanky pool at the bottom of the bowl. I hate wet salad.
Soups change seasonally. Mushroom soup is touted on the menu, though I don't know why. Repeated samplings reveal a thin, salty broth and gritty pulverized funghi. A thick and hammy black bean soup is better; so is the Tuscan onion soup, when available-a lightly-cheesed Italianate take on the french classic. For my money, you could skip the lot and just prepare a proper French onion soup. I'd order it every time.
Mains are disappointingly inconsistent, except for their uniform shrinkage over time. Fish and chips used to offer two meaty halibut fillets. Now, it's only one strip of Haddock (maybe even half), although you can pay for an upgrade (a recurring theme). Massive portions of ribs, short-or-porky-have been scaled back.
Dinner-plate sized pizzas are now lucky to stretch across a salad plate. One would have hoped that Il Fornello across the street would provide stiff competition; instead the two chains race to the bottom, cutting corners while raising prices.
A portion of the menu is devoted to DIY fish options. Healthy choices, compromised by the frequent appearance of industrial monstrosities like Basa and Tilapia. I'm by no means a hardcore locavore, but I've seen enough about these fish to give serious thought about whether one might as well eat the sewage in which they are raised. I won't preach, but I will pass whenever they make their funky presence known.
Some dishes are as good as ever. In a town that's irrationally exuberant about brunch, O & B do it right. The old "Power Breakfast" resurfaces here. Eggs, meat, taters and toast. Awesome. Eggs Benny is done right; the eggs cooked to quivering, with not too salty ham and just-tart Hollandaise. An egg white omelet stuffed with veggies is ideal first-date food. Breakfast pizza tastes better in the imagination than on the plate. Ham and eggs are roughly chopped and strewn about the crust; I'd have oped for the egg to be set in the oven.
Desserts are fine, but this isn't an environment that lends itself to lingering.
Service is generally swift and professional, although waits between courses can stretch on forever. Management accommodates you if they feel like it. Complaints may be resolved quickly, or not at all.
As the O&B empire expands, I'm glad for decent, accessible food, but miffed about the just-this-far-above-reasonable pricing, and corporate indifference to the diner's overall experience. Surely there's someone out there who's hungry to provide more. -
Review from Pauline W.
Thornhill, ON
2/6/2012
Tonight went to Oliver & Bonacini with a friend for Winterlicious.
Ordered the split pea soup, tasted a bit sour compared to other restaurants that I've been too before. The golden crispy chicken looked very delicious, the first piece of chicken I had was very salty, drank the whole glass of ice water but didn't even help with the thirst. But the second piece was very juicy.
I must say there carrot cake is very good !
Overall, the restaurant service was very polite, the food needs a bit of improvement especially for special events like Winterlicious. -
Review from Maureen M.
North York, ON
12/10/2011
I had been looking forward to dining at Oliver & Bonacini as I had never been there before ... although I had heard it was good... but not consistently so.
Firstly, the menu was limited. It's featured as an 'Italian" restaurant and I was dissapointed by the few Italian choices.
I love sweet potato fries and they were good! But from there it was down hill.
My steak was not cooked medium-well.. When I cut it -- there was blood on the plate! The server didn't come to check on us until almost the end of the meal although we had tried to catch his eye. I was starving and ate it anyway... although it gave me an upset stomach.
The desserts were outrageously expensive - $8.50 for a apple/blueberry crisp which I ordered to calm my stomach!
The noise level is not conducive to having a real conversation with a business associate.
Suggest you pass on this location. -
Review from Joanne W.
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
My brother came back on the weekend from Hong Kong and wanted to "eat anything but Chinese." So we headed to O&B for brunch on Saturday morning.
Truth be told, we were expecting more selection. My parents are very picky when it comes to food that isn't Asian, so they just decided to order a soup. However, we sort of forced them to order a egg benedict, and they were satisfied (but I can tell they weren't overly happy). My brother had the Montreal smoked deli, and I had the huevos rancheros. I was very satisfied with my meal, but I think my brother was a bit disappointed after craving for a sandwich in Toronto.
It was an okay experience, but I was really expecting more diversity in terms of food at the restaurant. -
Review from Mel C.
9/27/2011 2 photos
I was looking for a decent place to eat dinner with my friends and I thought of Oliver and Bonacini Cafe & Grill right away. I've always wanted to try this restaurant because I've been to all the other O&B restaurants (except Biff's).
I liked the ambiance and decorations of this restaurant. It's very nice, clean and the noise level was decent.
The first dish we got was the melting artichoke, chickpea and parmesan dip ($15.50) with assorted pitas, flatbreads and corn chips which we shared between four people. I loved the flatbread because it has a pocket for the dip and I thought it was very cute. You can definitely taste the chickpea for this dish.
My friend got a smoked chicken and mushroom pizza ($15.95) with fontina cheese, parmigiano-reggiano and arugula. He really enjoyed his dish and I think it was a good portion (since he didn't complain about being hungry after finishing his meal).
My other friend got a burger (don't remember which one) but he also enjoyed it and it was a nice portion.
My last friend got a ricotta and porcini ravioli ($17.95) with green asparagus, chili, lemon, thyme and extra virgin olive oil. I got a chance to try her dish and it was delicious (I liked it more than my pasta dish).
I got the fettucine alla carbonara ($15.25) which I enjoyed. I usually don't like carbonara because the sauce tastes weird but I enjoyed it at this restaurant. My only complaint is that some of the pasta was stuck together and wasn't properly cooked. The portion was decent (I was overly full after dinner).
I saw the cornbread pudding ($4.95) and I couldn't help but order it to see how it looks like. It turns out to be more like a muffin than a pudding. My friend thought it was a bit dry (which I agree) but I don't think it was appalling dry. The butter on top had a weird taste to it. I wouldn't recommend the cornbread pudding, instead save your money for dessert.
This restaurant didn't disappoint nor wowed me which is totally fine because I don't expect all restaurants to be outstanding. I would come back here for the ambiance, good service and decent food. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/23/2011
My girls took me here as a part of my bachelorette party because I have had really good experiences here for Summerlicious.
Not going to lie, but maybe because there are so many more selections that it was actually difficult to choose something that I wanted to eat. Completely out of the ordinary, I selected the mac and cheese ... with mushrooms and spinach. I shared a greens salad with the girls which included beets and endives. To my surprise, when the salad came, I clarified twice that this was the salad I got because there were NO BEETs. One person said, yes this is the right salad ... the other waitress told me it was the garnish.... please do not sell me on a garnish on your menu. that is completely false advertising, in my opinion. Truthfully, the salad was greens with vinaigrette. Totally disappointed with the starter.
The mains came out and I was surprised (not in a bad way) that the dish came out in a pasta dish, not one of those baked ceramic ones. It looks rich and delicious and thank goodness it was just that. The mushrooms gave it the right texture, and there were different cheeses that added flavour with each bite. The spinach also added to the overall dish... I wish there was more spinach and mushrooms.
My friends who got the butter chicken and one of the pastas said it was mediocre so I guess I lucked out.
For dessert, the chocolate tarte was shared - i had it at summerlicious and knew it was going to be good. and it was.
After this, I'm thinking I might stick with summer / winterlicious.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/1/2011
I really love Summerlicious at O&B.... for $15 - you can get a great great meal! Aside from the fact… Read more »
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Review from Ming C.
Markham, ON
4/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Why do I come here? I think mainly because of convenience. Food is mediocre at best and atmosphere is cool for girls brunch/gossip session...lol. Honestly, it's a bit overpriced for the quality but there is plenty of parking, shopping and my bank is here.
This place would never be a place I would voluntarily want to come to but nor would I vehemently protest if the decision by others is to come.
Bring your wallet, low expectations, and empty starving stomach so that the food can taste just a little bit better. -
Review from Kip N.
Stouffville, ON
1/22/2012
We had lunch there today. I ordered their classic burger and was absolutely disappointed with the burger. Yes, it isn't a burger place but I expected a little bit more for that price. The burger was dry and burnt. The good thing is, they heard the complaints and took that off the bill. In short, don't order the classic burger there. In fact, I think they should take the burger off the menu altogether.
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Review from Kat K.
3/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to this restaurant many times, usually for brunch. It's a decent, but pricey upscale brunch place for those, who are looking for something not like Chez Cora's or Sunset Grill style. I have to admit that i love their Cottage fried potatoes out of everything that they offer.
I want to rate this place higher, but this place is never consistant enough for me to rate it higher for the price that they do charge. The food, I find, can be underwhelming, either from under seasoning or from the general way they do the cooking. Overall, the food isn't always great-tasting. The service is mostly attentive, but occassionally forgetful, when it gets busy; which is understandable.
If you are coming here for brunch, please make sure you make reservations ahead of time, otherwise you're looking at an hour wait at peak time. There is a max limit of people in your party for reservations; which i believe to be around 12 people or so. -
Review from milly l.
Richmond Hill, ON
1/5/2011 4 photos
I went there for my first time with a big group of friends as a Christmas gathering dinner. I ordered the fried oyster mushrooms to share with two other friends and the liver as main course. Both were awesome. The liver was more than I expected. There were two pieces of it with my favourite asparagus as decor and bacon and mashed potatoes. There were also lots of veggies on the side with a very small tasty plum (atleast that's what I think it was). The liver melted so quickly once I put it in my mouth. It was a loaded entree and I was so full from it. The price of it was great too, very reasonable. My friend tried the salmon which she gave me a piece to try. It was very delicious and you can tell it's fresh seafood. Most of the guys in my group ordered the steak and they've said good things about it too.
As for the service, it was awesome as well. Some of my friends were terribly late but the servers kept ensuring that we have enough water and as more of my friends came before we ordered they served us delicious dinner rolls. After ordering our food, a few guys left the table to buy something at a store before it closed nearby. Meanwhile their dishes were ready but they weren't back yet. The servers urged us to call them back quickly because reheating or leaving their food warmed in the kitchen will ruin the true tastes. -
Review from Hilary S.
Updated - 6/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
They now take reservations.
Breadbasket is still as warm as ever!Listed in: Stomach Fillers--Taste the…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/21/2010
I guess I just decided to review everywhere in Bayview Village. Whew-hew.
This place is a classic. I… Read more »
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Review from Kristy P.
Toronto, ON
7/15/2011
Went there last night with a couple of girlfriends. I loved the decor. The place was packed with late diners (our reservation was for 8:30pm). It's definitely a place where you can come in a large group and chat.
We went for the $25 Summerlicious deal. I ordered cobb salad for the appy, PEI mussels for the entree, and carrot cake for the dessert.
Cobb Salad: 1/5
1/2 Iceberg lettuce, some kind of guacamole, 4 small pieces of bacon, half a hard-boiled egg with bleu cheese crumbles. NOT IMPRESSED. DIDN'T FINISH.
PEI Mussels: 2/5
They had this weird smell. The broth was lacking flavour. I've had better mussels at Richtree/Marche. The portion size was ok.
Carrot Cake: 4/5
YUM. Best dish of the night.
One friend ordered the steak frites. She said it was bland and she didn't finish it. The other girlfriend ordered the cod dish and she also said that it had this weird smell to it (a fishy smell? hahaha..)
I ordered a cocktail ($6.95) and my tab came up to $40 incl. taxes and tips. I expected A LOT more from a $40 dinner.
Will not go back. -
Review from Wendy C.
10/30/2010
OB is better than an average "mall restaurant", it's usually packed around lunch/brunch time and most nights. Whenever we have a large group and look for a "safe" choice restaurant to have something for everyone, this places pops up on top of the list.
Food is decent, nothing to write home about. I've learned to stay away from chicken dishes as I don't like dry and bland chicken breast. Desserts include a few solid performers: chocolate mousse cake with hazelnut crunch at the bottom, butter tarts, crème brûlée
Nice decor, like the open kitchen concept. Service can be chaotic or slow at times.
OB is conveniently located in Bayview Village, a nice mall to visit, especially the addition of Pusateri's will entice me to go even more often, so I will probably go back to OB. -
Review from Keith C.
11/15/2010
OB is a decent restaurant. I've eaten there numerous times with my family for dinner. I can't really say that the food here has blown me out of the water but it certainly has not done anything to prevent me from coming back.
Here is what I've eaten at OB:
Grilled Calamari - very light breading which is really good. Their dipping sauce is different but not bad.
Vine Ripened Tomato & Buffalo Mozzarella - Not as big as I would have liked but you can't go wrong with tomato and mozzarella.
Spring Roll Basket - They bring these out halved. There are 6 of them. I actually really like these. The dipping sauces complement the spring rolls very well.
Buttermilk Battered Onion Rings - Not really sure why this is on the menu. I think they're trying to do an asian/american fusion thing here. Not a big fan of these.
Classic Burger - pretty much a classic burger. If you want something safe, get this.
Margherita Pizza - Another safe yet good dish.
Rock Shrimp Linguine - Not bad. Didn't have that WOW factor that I like to get.
Sesame Seared Yellowfin Tuna - The tuna was cooked very well. I definitely liked the way they paired the fish with the rest of the dish.
Grilled Atlantic Salmon - Salmon was a bit overcooked the time I got it and have never gotten it again. The ratatouille was pretty good though.
Service-wise, the staff is very friendly and check up on you. I would give OB a 3.5 but I can't and it doesn't deserve a 4 star so it's stuck with a 3 until I go back and they change my mind. -
Review from Christine W.
Markham, ON
2/8/2011
I've actually been to this restaurant twice in the last month. I didn't get a chance to write a review last time.
I made a visit to this lovely restaurant on Feb 5 for Winterlicious. My mom likes the whole shop and eat experience so this was her b-day lunch.
I enjoy the decor in this restaurant and the service is always friendly.
Now for the food. To start I had the Haddock and Yukon Gold fritters which were delish. I love a good fish cake! My mom had the Cream of Cauliflower soup with Gouda and bacon. Also very delish.
Now our appetizers arrived very promptly however there was a very significant wait for our main course. I wasn't in a hurry but I think it would have been nice if our waiter had of addressed this rather than smiling and filling up our water glasses constantly.
When our main courses arrived we were very please and very hungry! My mom had the Bavarian Weisswurst with mash and kraut and I had the Salmon with Dirty Rice and tiny Cajun shrimp. My salmon was good but the Weisswurst was amazing! Totally regretted my choice afterwards.
Dessert was good. Black Forest Torte for mom and Bread and Butter pudding for me. I found the cranberries on the pudding a little to tart for my liking.
I gave this review 4 stars because overall this restaurant is great. My previous visit was even better. I highly recommend their mac and cheese. True comfort food. -
Review from Sophia K.
Toronto, ON
5/16/2009
I came here for the first time last week for a Mother's Day dinner. I had pretty high expectations because most of my family absolutely loves this place. However, I was a little unimpressed, maybe because it was hyped up for me so much.
I definitely love the atmosphere, it has that bustling, casual market type feel. At some points it seemed like there were more staff than customers but the service was fast and efficient so no complaints in that department.
The fact that it is a reputable name made me expect a lot more in terms of food, and general "bang for your buck". Nothing on the menu particularly jumped out at me. Shared the caesar salad and onion ring appetizer. As someone already mentioned, the salad was weak....if you're supposed to be a gourmet restaurant at least throw a big tasty crouton on the salad! I make better caesar at home and I don't really try that hard. I did enjoy the onion rings though and it was a really generous portion.
Everyone at my table really enjoyed their main dish. We all tried the roasted rack of lamb, ribs, sesame seared tuna, shrimp linguine and a pizza, and they were all polished off and enjoyed. The only thing here is that the price points could be a littler lower, I think. Having eaten at places where I've gotten better quality food for less, I'm a little bit more particular when it comes to paying close to $30 for an entree if it doesn't fill me up. Good thing I wasn't paying :)
I do have to mention that instead of dessert we all got some sort of coffee beverage and I had the most amazing americano ever made! Props to O & B for that. All in all, I had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed my meal. If I think about the restaurant critically though, there are some definite flaws. -
Review from Jessica C.
Toronto, ON
3/10/2010
Tucked in the corner of Bayview Village, an upscale suburban mall, Oliver & Bonacini Cafe & Grill is a step above the typical mall restaurant.
Part of the Oliver & Bonacini group, this location features a large seasonal menu with items running the gamut from Mushroom Soup (no butter, no cream) to pastas and seafood.
The Mushroom Soup is a pureed blend of mushrooms and mushroom stock filled with the familiar woods-ey taste of mushrooms without the heaviness of cream. The pizza selection is highlighted by the Al la Marco Pizza featuring barbequed duck shredded with cilantro and hot sauce. A delightful variation to the typical pizzas offered at restaurants.
Deliciously rich pastas include a macaroni and cheese and a mushroom lasagna.
Desserts highlights include Soma ice creams and the famous carrot cake. Other desserts are standard fare.
Service is always friendly and spot-on, a testament to the OB training they receive. At a slightly higher price-point than the typical casual dinner out, you'll be rewarded by the attention to food and service. -
Review from Tony F.
1/28/2010
Review on the Run:
This place has been hit and miss. However our lunches were quite good during the summerlicious event. I had a wonderful Tortillia Soup which was nicely flavoured. It was in a Cilantro broth that had a nice kick.
I had the chicken for the main, and normally never order chicken from a restuarant because thats what I cook at home most often, but I was glad I did. Very moist and juicy. Finished with the Warm Strawberry and Rhubarb Buckly with toasted Almond ice cream. Extraordinarily yummie.
Conclusion: Eat Here? Sure.Listed in: Meh!
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Review from Stephanie I.
Toronto, ON
9/19/2011
Quality of this place seems to have gone downhill in the last year, not sure if it's due to the talent leaving for cooler, newer and hipper O&Bs now opened at TIFF and Front St.
Came here for brunch a week ago. The home style potatoes used to be herbed pieces of potato goodness (you could see green sprinkles of herbs), now they are the generic kind you can get at the groceries freezer aisle. The burger that used to be delish is now meh (it's hard to get such a meh burger at most places at that price!)
Came here for Summerlicious too and most of us were disappointed with the meal. Mussels broth was really tasteless. Same could be said of the battered cod. The highlights were the dessert.
On the other hand, I love the recent meals I've had at O&B at Tiff lightbox. If only it was a little closer and more convenient. -
Review from Laura C.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2010
When this place first opened, I would give it a 4. I would give it now a 3 to 3.5
I liked that it catered to a different niche at Bayview Village when it first opened. There wasn't much choice is food at the time, Il Fornello, Chinese place, A&W, and the sandwich place. It seemed a really nice open space for casual dining, groups and families.
There still isn't really much around that fits the 'nice restaurant' list.
The Food itself is decent. The menu changes quite often, and there's always something new. I still like it because it's a type of no nonsense food. It's nothing different that's for sure, but it's a fresh dining experience.
They also have Brunch on the weekends, which they finally started accepting reservations for. I like the brunch here too.
Their service is terrible tho. I've had many an experience where I waited a long time for my food and they compensate with free dessert. Also once,we brought a cake and they wanted to charge a $5 PER PLATE plating/cutting fee. I just asked them to bring me a knife, and some plates, and I'll do it myself.Listed in: Where to take my parents to…
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Review from Michael V.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2011
We are not happy with the food here. The service is awesome and took care of us but the food and the price just didn't match. I ordered the fish and chips which was mediocre. The 2 pieces of fish were small and over battered but the house tartar was very good. I was hoping for something impressive for $17.95 but I was wrong. I seem to be striking out with the fish and chips... Maybe I should go back to meat. Lew ordered the butter chicken... Yes, I know that you don't order an ethnic dish in a "white" restaurant but it was worth the try. She was hoping that they would try to make it well, sadly it missed the mark. The chicken was over-cooked and not seasoned. The rice was bland and not worth the $15.95. We've had some awesome butter chicken from the local supermarket for under $10.
Overall, the experience was very mixed. The waiter really was great, we had our son with us and the waiter tried to make him happy. The food is not what we expected. I think that they need to work on the quality if they are going to be charging so much. -
Review from Kobe L.
North York, ON
12/31/2009
Not many restaurants I've visited have been successful at doing fusion, this one is no exception. Was disappointed that even the basics of rice was not achieved. Great tasting jasmine rice should be soft, moist and fluffy. One does not need a great chef, but simply a rice cooker. Sadly, my rice tasted hard and a day old.
So what does one do when you're unhappy with your meal? Switch with your friend of course! Yeah, that wasn't memorable either.
Place is over rated. Will not return.
Not recommended. -
Review from Jenn G.
Scarborough, ON
Updated - 12/29/2010 4 photos
so, i ended coming here with 10 of my friends for my bday...and let me tell you, i was and still am really disappointed!
service: HORRIBLE! usually, the service here is okay, but this took the cake. the waitresses kept rushing us to order, kept giving attitude to my friends, never smiled, took a long time to refill our glasses (and the restaurant wasn't packed at all!), and was HORRIBLE explaining the menu.
my friend said, "she's probably acting like that because we're not dressed up fancy like everyone else...i want to put her in her place!who the heck does she think she is!"
food:
unlimited bread 5/5 - hot, fresh, delish!
onion rings 2/5 - crispy yes, but the batter kept falling apart from the actual onions....
mussels (which comes w/a side of french fries) 1/5 - last time we ordered it, it had plenty of sauce/broth and tasted yummy...this time...had a VERY weird taste to it and came with barely any broth
grilled atlantic salmon w/ratatouille 1/5 - horrible and disappointing! i usually like how they grill the salmon, but this time, it was dry and VERY bland. the ratatouille wasn't the best.
creme brule 3/5 - the creme brule tasted wonderful...however, it did not come with the shortbread, which i was looking forward to.
overall: horrible! horrible! horrible! this was such a huge disappointment on my bday.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/22/2010
3.5
On different occasions, I've ordered:
-pesto pasta with rock shrimp - 2.5/5 -(shrimp was cooked… Read more »
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Review from Lisa C.
North York, ON
Updated - 1/6/2012
Over rated! Overpriced for the quality. Service is average. I give it two stars
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/20/2011
Friend took me for dinner. The food is overpriced for the quailty, the service is horrible. The… Read more »
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Review from Dhruv S.
Markham, ON
3/22/2011
I came here here for my bday dinner and i was extreamly dissapointed...................................... .......... i had the rack of lamb bleh... horrible i wanted medium rare and they gave me rare not medium rare but.........rare and it was tough and chewy.........
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Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
Recommendation: Good but the other O&B are better
30 Sec summary
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1. Busy all the time (lunch, brunch, dinner
2. Service is good
3. Food is ok - varies
4. Had the Tuna wraps (awesome) - delightful and tasty - well presented
5. The Salmon was terrific (tad undercooked in the center) but overall I would eat again (portion was huge)
6. Spaghetti and Meatballs (I know what am I ordering this from O&B) - it was PASTA MOMENT. - the pasta was firm (perhaps alittle al dente), the meat balls were prepared properly (not greasy, firm and full of flavour) - one criticism - the amount was deficient - portion was very medium to small
7. There are kids in the mall (from latin america or southern europe - not sure - the clothese were unique (not from Canada)) I think who go from restaurant to restaurant selling chocolate covered almonds (fund raising) - I bought $10 (3 boxes worth for 300g) - they were good - not sure if this is a charity but the kid was getting rejected from everyone (I felt that someone should reward his hard efforts). He was not intrusive but the waitress advised me that they are pestering their customers inside the restaurant (Note I was sitting outside on the patio - go figure
8. Service - adequate - many customers around us complained they were waiting for their food for 30-40 minutes. The waitress apologized. They were swamped. We got our food in a reasonable time so I cannot comment. The only deficiency (3 stars) was that they did not offer us any drinks and forgot to bring us cutlery.
Recommendation - good for families, less so for client meetings (too loud) -
Review from Jimi S.
ON
11/25/2008 2 photos
The idea of having better food in mall situations than that of the traditional fast food joints is a great idea...when the food is good. when its worth its weight in the gold you pay for it.
this place had exorbitant prices for food that didn't match up. not that there wasnt any good food. i tried a yellowfin tuna tartare with avocado and potato chips with a type of soy sauce. the tuna was tender, the avocado fresh. that was the highlight. the presentation was nice. that was 14 bucks.
i tried a fusili with smoked chicken, mixed mushrooms, snow peas and extra virgin olive oil. the pasta was overcooked and not rich in taste either. 15 bucks. which i could stand paying for were it good.
i had a caesar salad, again hoping for and expecting some greens that were remarkable. this salad could have easily been lifted from kelseys and put on this plate. it was completely boring in taste and presentation. I cared more about the taste lacking really. you can say a caesar salad is a caesar salad and for the most part youd be right because youve probably tasted crappy ones most of your life. i, on the other hand, have tried my friend dee's caesar salad - that was vegetarian even - and it was so rich in taste and served over large romaine leaves. its all in the dressing.
fries and onion rings: go to your local diner and get these and theyd be better. their 'special' spicy tomato mayo doesnt do wonders for any of it.
finally to my fish. i had the red snapper in a garlic parsley butter. that was served on top of beans and pasta with onions and garlic in a white wine fennel broth. The fished was cooked well but had no remarkable taste, nor did the bean and pasta broth. I didnt even finish the meal and I was hungry for it.
The service was mediocre. It was not too packed when we came and both the beer and wine I ordered took forever to come; a second order of ice cream for nutbar kiddies came after they had to leave. They seemed overwhelmed and unorganized it seemed to me.
If I am going to pay a pretty penny, especially these days when we might be searching under our mattresses or raiding fountains for pennies, the food better be exquisite both in taste and design and the service better be excellent. -
Review from M B.
North York, ON
3/16/2011
I will never understand why this restaurant is always full...must be the decor and ambiance, because it definitely isn't based on the quality of food. It is about as basic and tasteless as you can get.
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Review from andrew a.
5/16/2010
OK. The lunch/dinner here is bleh, i mean its edibe, its even good, the decore is nice, etc. etc. the scene is old and its in bayview village which is even older. What I do like, is brunch. i had polenta with l amb sausage and 2 poached eggs, holy shit was that good. Ended up being an expensve breakfast ($27?) I think it was the smoothie i ordered, geez that organic flax seed oil can get pricey. Either way, its the best brunch in north york hands down (by north york i mean north of lawrence).
enjoy -
Review from M. C. F.
Toronto, ON
3/2/2010
I've been here a couple of times. It's always packed and happening around brunch and dinner. It's tough to find a seat if you're in a big group, but the mall makes it easy to waste away some time if need be.
The decor is classy and I enjoy the open kitchen design with its center piece wood oven that pumps out those delicious pizzas. The menu is large to match the size of the restaurant and the fair is typical. I'd say the food has always been tasty but has never blown me away. I had brunch here the other day and definitely enjoyed their take on french toast as well as variations on eggs (we shared plates). At times it's too rich, too spiced and salty, or just too overdone. Still, I'd say this is a place where you have find out for yourself whether you like the way they do food.
Service was prompt and accurate though not chatty or all that amicable. We were looked after more so than served.
One major downside here is pricing. I always leave feeling like I've somewhat overpaid for what I've gotten. Maybe they can drop their prices by 10%? Wishful thinking... -
Review from Henry F.
Markham, ON
5/12/2010
Just tried it again after about a year. The restuarant is busy as ever, and it's very noisy because of that. I would highly recommend going early or making reservations.
The menu has unique items, and even for common items, the make it a bit unique. A good example are their burgers...they have a Lamb burger, a veggie burger, and a chicken burger.
I had the lamb burger. It was unique...but it didn't make me yearn for more and I probably wouldn't order it again. For $15, it was no bargain. It was also a bit mushy, but since I don't have lamb burgers all the time, maybe that's the way it's supposed to be served. Any toppings are $2 each...so your burger could get to $20 pretty quickly if you wanted bacon and mushrooms. The lamb burger does come with Goat cheese (or was it feta?).
Service was decent considering how busy it was. And our waiter was really nice and you could tell he took pride in his job. That was nice to see.
All in all, it's a decent place. Is it noisy?...yes. Would you have to wait?...yes. Is it pricey for what you get?...slightly. It is unique enough to go out of your way?...no really. You can't really go wrong going there, but it's not a special occaision either. -
Review from Kim N.
6/14/2009 1 photo
My first meal in Canada, and it was scrumptious! My Canadian friend loves the celebrity chef here, and so we visited of few of them during my stay. We came here for lunch and I had the beef carpaccio with truffle oil and mushrooms. It was huge and delicious. The restaurant itself is nice and clean, and their specialty seems to be fresh, seasonal ingredients. On the pricier end, but very tasty!
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Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
10/28/2009 1 photo
I've been to Oliver & Bonacini a few times and have had both amazing and awful meals. Was there most recently about a week ago with a girlfriend to brunch before shopping. I love brunch but there aren't that many optioins aside from a few greasy spoons in the suburbs so Oliver & Bonacini is a good option. The restaurant is huge and the interior makes you feel like you are in the hamptons. Reservation is a breeze as they are on Open Table. As for food, there are some options for vegetarians but most have eggs or dairy AND it says on the menu that they don't do subsitutions. That being said, there is nothing on the menu that really intrigued me...not even the meat dishes (while I dont eat meat anymore, I still look at everything on the menu to see the chef's style and vision for the restaurant.) I'd say on average, the food is better than a typical chain restaurant but no inventive dishes are to be found here!
Our server was great and very attentive. I ordered the Margherita Pizzetta with mixed greens on the side. The pizza was good but not great and the salad came with ONE really delicious mushroom (honey mushroom?) as garnish. I could eat an entire plate of that mushroom!
I'd come back to O&B just based on location alone. Its right off the hwy, the mall has plenty of free parking, the space is beautiful and its easy to make a reservation and never too busy. That for me, makes up for the lack of creativity on the food.
