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Prime
Categories: Restaurants Steakhouses Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Vegetarian Steakhouses, Vegan, Vegetarian [Edit]
Windsor Arms Hotel18 St Thomas St
Toronto, ON M5S 3E7
Neighbourhoods: Discovery District, Yorkville, Downtown Core
(416) 971-9666
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
11 reviews for Prime
11 reviews in English
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Review from U U.
Toronto, ON
5/25/2012
I read a lot of positive reviews here, and decided to try it out for myself. I couldn't help but be fascinated with the idea of a steakhouse suddenly becoming a 'prime' destination for vegans and vegetarians. It is definitely a a bold and welcome move by the restaurant's management.
Pros:
-Fantastic service. Everyone from the doorman to the bar tender was polite and attentive. Meals were served rapidly and every request was carefully followed.
-Lovely ambience - The restaurant is decorated with lots of rich, dark colours, and it's decor feels appropriate to the style of the hotel (which, according to Wikipedia, is Neo Gothic). However the contemporary art and menu makes the whole place feel modern. The space is divided into smaller areas (one main room, and two small rooms) making for a more intimate setting.
-Good food! Not great food, but very good. The vegetarians at the table mostly felt that the Risotto was delicious, while the other vegan meals (the tempeh steak and another I can't remember) were all right. I only tried the tempeh steak. I thought it was good, and certainly unique - but somehow lacking in the savoury richness which I feel an entree should have. I had one of the salads as an app - it was served on a bed of, what appeared to be, flavoured crushed walnuts. Quite good! One of my friends tried a regular steak - he said it was on par with the better steaks he had tried in good restaurants.
Cons:
-The washroom is awkwardly located. One has to ride an elevator to the second floor, and walk across a short bridge. Odd!
All in all, a positive experience. I'm looking forward to trying the vegan brunch menu. -
Review from Christine R.
Scarborough, ON
2/11/2012 7 photos
I decided to check this place out for its winterlicious menu.
As we entered the doorman opened the door and the hostess welcomed us and checked our coats.
Our reserved table for two was located in a cozy corner all the way in the back of the restaurant by a window and fire place. The cushiony seats, oversized table, tan leathered walls and dim lighting set the mood for an elegant evening out.
Our waiter greeted us and went over the specials on the menu and even pointed out a full menu of vegan dishes. For drinks I wanted something fruity but non alcoholic. I inquired about what virgin cocktails they had and the waiter said he'd whip me up something special if I liked. I was all for it.
He later returned with a beautifully presented virgin martini complete with bow & arrow! It was fruity tasting just as I liked with notes of pineapple and raspberry.
He also brought out a basket of chewy bread dotted with specks of sea salt and butter.
This is what I ordered from the winterlicious line up
Marinated Winter Kale Slaw Salad - tossed with Hemp Seeds, Walnuts, Raisins, Sundried Tomatoes and Avocado in a Creamy Lemon Dill Tahini Sauce with Shaved Apple (vegan)
I decided to try the vegan app just out curiousity and seemed pretty interesting. I did enjoy all the contrasting flavours, bitter kale, sweet raisins, crunchy walnuts, creamy tangy dressing soo many different flavours yet they all worked and tasted great together.
10 oz Char Grilled New York Striploin (21 Day Dry Aged) w/ Cremini Mushroom and Herb Pomme Puree
The steak was cooked perfectly but there was soo much gristle/fat around the steak which I didn't expect especially for a place known for its quality steak. Even the taste of the steak wasn't very exciting. The pommee puree was creamy and plain tasting as well. I enjoyed the mushrooms though they were the most flavourful part of the dish soaked in a delicious reduction.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bombe
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse, Chocolate Glaze and Caramelized Peanuts
It was basically a chocolate mousse with a suttle peanut butter flavour in the background. I was hoping for a more intense pb/choco kick but it was much more mild and airy than I expected. However I had no problem devouring it all.
Pumpkin Crème Brulee
Crème Brulee infused with Spiced Pumpkin Puree and Garnished with Maple Shortbread
I got to snag a bite but from my winterlicious date. The taste reminded me of warm pumpkin pie filling. Too sweet for my liking but still yummy.
Along with dessert I wanted to order a cup of tea. I inquired what flavour of teas they offered and the waiter said we have 50 varieities of loose leaf teas and brought over a tea menu! It was like tea heaven!
Tibetan Tiger - A Dessert Tea - Black Tea Echoing Vanilla, Chocolate, Caramel and Butterscotch.
Love love loveee this flavour tea soo delicious you could really taste the different notes the tea!
Overall service was top notch, our waiter was very charming and attentive never letting a glass go empty and checking on us after each course was served to make sure we were satisfied. Food wise I found everything mediocore, I came with really high expectations as this was the higher end winterlicious offerings however it didn't live up to what I had anticipated. Our waiter informed us after seeing my delight over the tea that they do have a tea room which he even pointed out to us as we were leaving so I will definitely return to check that out!Listed in: Steak
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Review from Angel Z.
Toronto, ON
1/24/2012
I love everything about the Windsor Arms. I was here for the first time for an awards banquet and have loved it ever since. It is stately yet unassuming, tucked into a small street running south from Bloor.
I love the bar, renovated a few years ago with au currant furniture and tactile wallpaper. I love the spa. I love the tea room. But I really love meat, so I love Prime.
The meat is organic and every cut is delicious, seared at 8000 degrees just the way you like it. Every night there is a full vegan and vegetarian menu which our server assured us even carnivores would appreciate, and we did.
The alcohol selection is impressive, including great wines and all the Whiskeys you are likely to think of, or at least all the Whiskeys available in Canada and are worth drinking.
The seating is very comfortable, and even on weekend evenings the place is not so busy that you have to worry about shouting or overheard conversations. It's about the only place in Toronto that two people can go eat steak and get a circular booth to themselves.
The service is impeccable. The linens are by Frette. -
Review from Val G.
I haven't set foot in a steakhouse since a friend had a birthday at the Keg Mansion a decade ago. I spent that evening eating greasy garlic toast because they didn't have a single vegetarian entree and all the vegetable side dishes(steamed greens, mashed potatoes) contained beef broth and other masking agents used to hide poor skill with vegetables in the kitchen.
How did I end up at Prime then? The Windsor Arms Hotel, while regal in its appearance, is going undergoing a culinary rejuvenation it would seem. In a stroke of genius, they hired Doug McNish, a celebrated local vegan chef (formerly of Live Organic Food Bar/Raw Aura) to prepare a dedicated vegan dinner, mostly cooked, some raw. This dinner is served throughout the week at Prime, the Arms' steakhouse, of all places and a specially dedicated vegan brunch on the weekend.
I really enjoy fine dining and lament that so many high end North American restaurants still can't be bothered to have a vegetarian or vegan main on their menu. So, when a place like this does just the opposite, I say 'sign me up!'
I thought this would make the perfect weekend brunch to celebrate my one year anniversary with my sweetheart, who loves his vegetables just as much as me.
The Food:
My beau ordered the 'The Works', a dish comprised of bean chilli, tofu scramble, tempeh strips, homefries and toast. A feast fit for a kind and healthy-hearted king.
For me, it was a real nail-biter between the gluten-free buckwheat pancakes and the french toast(thank goodness there weren't waffles in the mix as well). I went with the pancakes and I was not disappointed. They were moist and dense, unlike the eggie Aunt Jemima variety you commonly find in North America, too big, to stack onto one fork. These pancakes reminded me fondly of pannekoeken, thin Dutch pancakes. The colour was dark, partly because of the dark syrup used and partly because of the grains used. The texture was heavenly.
You know when you get that perfect short stack and every bite has 3 layers of pancake and syrup on the fork? That's what this was. My pancakes came with a strawberry-grapefruit compote on the side which accompanied the pancakes really nicely.
The OJ was freshly squeezed but pulpier than I like. Next time I would try one of their juice blends or smoothies. They have an extensive list of offerings. The coffee was exactly what you would want at a posh place like this. It was a pricey cup at $4, but at least it was bottomless and I was offered regular refills. Our brunch total for 2 meals at $15 each, 2 coffees and 1 OJ came to under $50. A bit more than some look to pay at brunch, but not unexpected here.
I noticed all the servers were male, something that unfortunately is pretty common at finer establishments. What's up with that? The feminist in me says, 'Hire some women. You don't need brute strength to pour coffee.'
The moral: A really solid, healthy, high-end breakfast, complete with white-table cloth. Don't want to deal with hipsters and lines out the door? Go here! Especially if you want it to be a date. I will certainly be back with more friends for brunch and will have to try the dinner as well.
Reservations are advised. It was a full house of vegan diners when I was there.Listed in: Vegenomics, Veggie Brunch
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Review from Tina N.
Toronto, ON
8/10/2011
I went to Prime during the Summerlicious Prix Fixe Menu and it was fantastic. Once in a while do I ever get to dine at an upscale restaurant and pay for it at a reduced price.
I went with 3 of my close girlfriends so we decided to each order a different item for our Lunch Prix Meal. This allowed us to try a little bit of everything off the menu :) Starters were good. The tomato gazpacho was smooth and the peppered squid was texturized well adding that crunch. For the main entrees, the poached salmon and the grilled chicken were amazing. They were both moist and packed full of flavour. I was blown away by the peas fricassee that accompanied the chicken because it gave it that extra flavour booster. Desserts were good so no complaint there. The chocolate praline pyramid was very rich and soo yummy while the panna cotta gave that refreshing and smooth taste.
The only thing I didn't enjoy from the meal was their mushroom and quinoa risotto. It wasn't the typical creamy risotto I was used to. This was more like eating couscous and it was very bland and dry. Hard to swallow at times as well since it was like downing on pebbles.
Other than that, I sincerely enjoyed my meal here as the maitre'd was very friendly and our server was very interactive and playful with us which made our time here even more enjoyable. -
Review from Mark F.
Nothing special
Dead on a Friday night. Where is everyone? Do they know something I don't?
Extensive and impressive wine list with many French options.
Service was fine but again, nothing spectacular and there were only 8 in the entire restaurant. If I was not staying at the hotel, I would not make the trip for this YAWN of a evening
Procceco to start and a bottle of Montepulciano to keep the glasses full.
Her: massive Caesar to start and the scallops. Big was the theme for both and they shared good taste too.
Me: beet carpaccio and the Surf (2 small claws), Turf (8oz filet) & Field (fingerlings etc.). Both were mediocre and not memorable. Dare I say disappointing? The sauce over the steak was sweet and thick with a little salt. I'm guessing a reduction of soy and maple. It should come on the side. When I order a filet from a place called "Prime", the meat should speak for it's own. Don't drown it in gravy.
For the price, I expect more.
More flavor
More service
More atmosphere
What I got was much less... -
Review from Yvonne T.
**1/2 star review:
When one ponders about where to grab a steak in Toronto, names such as Morton's, Hys, or Harbor 60 come to mind. These are tried and true steakhouses that are the Prada in their class. For those of us with shallower wallets, there's the Keg or Ruth's Chris. Prime on the other hand is a steakhouse that I have never heard of, occupying a corner space of the Windsor Arms Hotel. The hotel is well-known for its tea room, but Prime has been a neglected feature of this classy hotel - and for good reason.
I walked into Prime with a WagJag voucher in hand for $60 worth of food. Yes, I really need to stop buying vouchers until I use up all the old ones. We were promptly seated and our water glasses filled. The server then came back with a basket of Focaccia, butter balls as well as 3 types of dip: hummus, baba ghanouj and tzaziki. The bread, albeit being cold was light, airy, buttery, and flavourful. However, it was unevenly salted.
I ordered my favourite Lychee Martini to cool myself from the hot and humid weather outside. For my starter I ordered the grilled calamari with pesto on mixed greens (to share).
The calamari, though flavourful was overgrilled which made it very chewy. I found the pesto sauce to be a tad bit on the oily side (probably stemming from the calamari drippings). The salad was nothing extraordinary. It was nice of the server to bring out the calamari on 2 separate plates, knowing that I would be sharing. The portion size was surprisingly big and I'm glad I decided to share, otherwise, this probably could've been an entrée for me.
Prior to arrive, I had done my research on what cuts of steak render the juiciest and most flavourful steak. Everyone had a different opinion. But since I had a voucher, I decided to splurge and go for the most expensive steak on the menu... the 24 oz ribeye. Make no mistake, I did not partake in a steak-eating contest of any kind, the 24 oz steak was shared with a fellow dining companion. Yes, I share a lot of things... Maybe I was African in a past life where communal living seems to be prominent?
I like my steaks seasoned with salt and pepper and nothing else. There is no easier way to ruin a steak than to drench it in rich sauces... I find that restaurants that need to rely on sauces to up the flavour really do not know how to cook a good steak... Otherwise, there would be no need to accessorize it. I had asked for the steak medium-rare, and it came as requested. Despite the inside being cooked to a perfect medium-rare, the outside was burnt. I contemplated sending it back, but decided not to because the server was just so great. Again, they separated the 24 oz steak onto 2 plates, which was thoughtful. The steak was nicely marbled and was juicy, moist and tender. It was too bad that the outside was burnt.
Verdict:
The Prime definitely gets points for its relaxing and upscale décor... but unfortunately, these things are inedible. I would also give top marks for service as the server was neither too in your face, nor too invisible throughout the evening. He checked up on us at the right intervals of the meal. Considering its location, and calibur, a 24 oz ribeye ringing in at $49 is definitely reasonable and other than the outside being burnt, the steak was quite flavourful. At the end of the day, the bill came to about $98 (divided by 2, since I shared almost everything), less the $60 voucher, which made the payable total around $34 excluding tip. That accounted for a Mojito, Lychee Martini, grilled calamari and ribeye steak.
Would I dine here again? My answer is - probably not. There are other places in Toronto that cook up better steaks in Toronto and none of the dishes particularly wowed me.Listed in: What's the deal?, If I had a choice..., aX-ed
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Review from Karen S.
12/2/2009 ROTD 8/6/2010
I've been fortunate enough to visit the elegant Prime Steakhouse located inside the stately Windsor Arms hotel for lunch several times. Every single time, I've gone for exactly the same thing - the heavenly sumptuous Filet Mignon Cobb Salad. It is a sight to behold. Divided into 5 generous rows of ingredients (tomato, avocado, egg, bacon, filet mignon) the whole is served atop a bed of mixed garden greens with blue cheese and served on an eye-popping large platter. The sliced filet mignon is glorious. Intensely flavoured and so tender, it's just... so good! The most delightful thing about this salad is that since the ingredients are all separated, I can amuse myself with all sorts of different flavour and texture combinations. Avocado and steak. Tomato and bacon. Yum!
Today, I ended the incredible lunch with the Citrus Trio dessert which consists of a brûlée lemon tart, citrus freddo and dark chocolate passion fruit truffles. Not too sweet, not too heavy, the beautifully presented dessert plate ended a great meal perfectly.
Prime is somewhat pricey with fantastic food and ambiance, though it might feel a bit 'proper'. No naughty school children here unless it's of the Chuck Bass variety! This restaurant is certainly a treat.Listed in: Tooting my own horn
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Review from Emma B.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2009
Had the chance to tag along with some friends for a Summerlicious dinner reservation here last Saturday and am I glad I did! It's definitely on the pricey side but every once in awhile it's fun to splurge if you can...it's like a mini-vacation! Plus, Summerlicious makes it a little more palatable, cost-wise.
Three-course meal for $45: Cauliflower soup with scallops to start, followed by a 10 oz sirloin with 3-peppercorn sauce, then a fantastic chocolate mousse cake with strawberry sorbet for dessert. Every single thing was mouth-wateringly delish.
We also splurged on a recommended $59 bottle (not so bad when split 5-ways) of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (Kim Crawford) that was just amazing. It's now on my permanent awesome wine list.
The service was also fantastic. Chatty, fun waiter and hostess which I wasn't expecting in such a high-end establishment...
Bathrooms at the Windsor Arms are lovely...only drawback being you have to take an elevator to the 2nd floor to get to them. Just think of it as an adventure!
I also took a peak at the regular menu and it looks yummy...but the sides are a little too pricey considering they are SIDES, however the mains looks incredible and they have a daily special each day of the week and weekend that is a little more affordable.
They're a little short on veggie options, but it's a steakhouse so I can't really fault them there! That would be like going to McDonald's and being pissed they have no vichyssoise! -
Review from Malaise L.
5/5/2011 1 photo
I'm writing this review from our room at the Windsor Arms, where this restaurant happens to be.
They have a new vegan menu (except for one item that has egg) which is in on of itself a very happy thing for me. After much debate, I ordered the Organic Spinach and Arugula Salad with Avocado and Heart of Palm Frites and the Quinoa Risotto with Wild Mushrooms. There were other occupied tables. One was just one gentleman that seemed to be pretty much done with his food and the other a group of incredibly loud and obnoxious jewelers (I know this detail because I felt like we were included in their conversation) who had already ordered and were about to have their entrees. After a loooooooooooooooooooooooong wait I finally got the wrong salad. I was brought a baby arugula salad with goat cheese and ragiano. I was very dissapointed but very hungry and did not complain because I did not feel like waiting another 20 minutes for a salad. So after removing all traces of cheese I ate the salad which was what you would expect of arugula with dressing and nothing else. The risotto, however, was amazing and made up for the earlier dissapointment. "Wow" comes to mind. It was a lot of food so I could only eat about half and that was after stopping myself lest I made myself sick. My husband ate the rest and he found it superior to his baked crab gratin. He had also ordered a beet carpaccio (I think that's what it was) which he really enjoyed. They aso served a very fresh and delicious focaccia with rock salt that was to die for. They offered us more and I had a hard time turning it down but I did not want to fill up before our meal.
Service was good but ever so slow. Yet, four stars for having such a complete vegan menu and for a superb risotto. -
Review from Cisilia C.
Scarborough, ON
6/5/2011
I went here for dinner with my ex and I can't wait to come again. It was a quiet evening with only 2 other tables of 2 and 8. Being super hungry my boyfriend and I quickly look through the menu. We tend to look for appetizers to share cause he's not really a big eater. The waiter recommended the grilled calamari with mixed greens and it actually toke awhile for the food to come but we really have to hand it to the waiter cause he told the chef to place it on two dishes for us to share and the serving was bigger then we expected! The calamari was perfectly cooked, the greens were fresh with the typical balsamic vinaigrette, and it came with a pesto sauce i believe. For the main course I ordered the 8oz striploin that was finished with a mushroom ragout and served with roasted fingerlings, I really enjoyed this dish especially with the mushrooms. Omigosh I miss the mushrooms already haha. My ex got the surf and turf that came with a 4oz steak and 2 small pieces of lobster tail but I believe he enjoyed it. We both tend to eat medium rare and it was perfectly cooked. The service was amazing the waiter was attentive and always kept our water glass full with some small talk here and there. He was quite charming.
