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Splendido Restaurant
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Splendido Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Next was the butter poached lobster." In 5 reviews -
"Foie Gras Parfait with a Rhubarb Purée, Elderberries..." In 4 reviews -
"Come here for a special occasion." In 7 reviews
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Anabel L.
Toronto, ON
1/13/2012
like a shooting star
:The Annex:
I don't 'fine dine' as much as I'd like because it's terribly costly. Not to mention that most of my friends who appreciate food snobbery (in all its ostentatious glory) don't live in Toronto. That said, I do it enough. I've tried Auberge, once, Canoe, once, Sotto, once...and so on and so on.
The exceptions to the "once" rule are what I consider the best, because I walk to the beat of my own drum. Perhaps I just don't understand the rating systems or the opinions of arrogant know-it-alls who work for some publication, unless, of course, said know-it-all is Andrew Knowlton or Jeffrey Steingarten, my two critic crushes).
Splendido is such an exception. I have eaten there three times. My favourite thing on the menu is their lamb. It's always amazingly spectacular.
Generally I find it difficult to write about restaurants in this category because there is only so much one can say without sounding repetitive or pretentious. I have read enough reviews about Toronto's "top dining destinations" to know that reviews are often hoity-toity, difficult to understand and occasionally have an air about them - "subtle and pleasing flavours...smoky and texturally appealing with a soft finish...lingers on the palette...", etc.
I will keep mine as monosyllabic as possible.
Let me set the stage. Last week a group of us gathered in the private dining room and prepared ourselves for pre-set menu 3. Four courses and drinks. Do keep in mind that the opinion expressed herein is a compilation of all of us. Note that I was eating in the company of some serious foodies. They're all about Michelin Stars and Red Hats and other ranking systems I care nothing about.
For full details of menu itemsm visit my blog, but I don't think we need it here.
Each guest orders one item from each group. Amongst all of us, we pretty much covered the whole menu, save and except the Fall Greens Salad and Pappardelle. Personally I love pappardelle, but if I see bass on a menu I get tunnel-vision.
Service was excellent. Charming and relaxed instead of pompous and polite.
The canapés we had to start were stellar. The oysters blew my mind. I generally prefer my oysters plain but their apple-garlic mignonette was a perfect pairing.
The potato-leek soup with a rosemary biscuit and parmesan tuille - cheese baked into a chip - was warm, subtle and creamy.
Victor's Foie Gras Parfait was plentiful and served with a nice buttery brioche.
The linguine was rich and earthy. The general consensus was that they could have been less generous with the truffle. There was so much it was a bit overpowering.
I stole bites of the tenderloin where I could - it was amazing! Both the tenderloin and bass were perfectly cooked.
The peanut-chocolate dessert was like a Peanut Butter Parfait that underwent an Extreme Makeover.
Everything at Splendido was amazing; beautifully plated, perfectly cooked, well-seasoned, and a nice mix of traditional flavours and contemporary ideas.
The average cost was about $200 per person, including wines and drinks.
Applying my system, was it worth the money. Absolutely. If you have a special event, a special person, a special anything, invest in eating here.
Will I be going again? Yes, but not this year. I can only wrap my head around spending that much at one restaurant a year. It's how I stay accountable for the things I choose to spend money on.
Splendido has been a fixture on Toronto's fine dining scene for a long time. They focus on locally sourced, seasonal, high quality food. They have had a few changing of hands (the last time I went, in 2009, David Lee was the co-owner and Chef), but whether there are new faces front or back of house, the food and experience has remained consistent. Fine dining should start at Splendido...food heaven. -
Review from Florence C.
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Uneven service really hurts this rating. I arrived for a 6:15pm reservation within a group of four. There were only 2 other tables filled at the time. Service initially seemed like it would be okay. Servers pulled chairs for seating and placed napkins on laps. However, there was a major lull between seating and being asked for our drink order, then another major lull before our appetizer then entree orders were taken.
To drink, I simply ordered ginger ale which took a while to receive. I didn't finish it right away, but my empty glass remained that way for the rest of the evening. I didn't want any more, but servers collected my dining mates' empty wine and cocktail glasses and refilled them a few times while they ignored my empty glass and never asked if I wanted more.
Two of my dining mates ordered the tasting menu while I and another ordered a la carte. We've done this a few times at other restaurants without incident. Yet, here, flow seemed to exponentially fall apart as it got later and later. Time between dishes for all of us got worse as the evening progressed. Service seemed scarce. Though I've never seen "dining time allowance" before, it's listed on their website as 2.5 hours. Due to what seemed like a lack of a kitchen expeditor, we remained there for 4 hours.
Food was good to great. To start, I ordered "Victor's Foie Gras Parfait" (Lennox Farms Rhubarb Confit, Black Truffle Coulis, Walnut Crumble). It was excellent. The portion was just right and the foie gras parfait remained bright in taste and never lumbering. For my entree, I had the "Cumbrae Farms Rabbit Saddle" (Ontario Flieschnacka, Glazed Heirloom Carrot and Mustard Greens), which was good, but could have used a little more acid in some component of the dish.
It's a shame that despite good food quality, the reason I won't dine here again is because of poor overall service.Listed in: Boo... Dis!
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Review from George A.
Toronto, ON
5/22/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Took the wife for her birthday, and the restaurant did not disappoint.
It was a pricey meal, but absolutely worth it, and was absolutely expected.
Our food was incredible, and the service was better.
I can't think of a single complaint with the meal.
Not somewhere I can go every day, but if you want to eat something special, go to Splendido. -
Review from Linda M.
10/25/2011
Last Friday was my birthday, and my wonderful SO treated me to a delicious dinner. It's on the more expensive side, so appropriate for a special occasion. The exterior didn't really impress me with its monolithic grey façade. The arched doorway and windows helped...but it definitely stood out from the brick of the surrounding buildings. Once I stepped inside though, all that changed.
One of the things I love about (most) fancy restaurants, besides the food, is the service. You'll almost always find that these places have fantastic service, and Splendido was no different. I was greeted by a friendly hostess who showed me to my seat and took my coat. She even gave me a little stool for my purse. (Side note - I love when restaurants have a way to help you with your purse, it can be very annoying if you have to hold it on your lap because it'll slide off the back of the chair.) The interior was beautiful, I especially loved the wooden arch at the entrance near the bar.
We were offered a selection of three house-made breads. I selected the focaccia and the rye, while my DC had the French white and the rye. The rye was okay, but nothing special. The focaccia though...this may well have been the best bread I've ever had in my life. The seasoning, the soft texture...it was just amazing. It was even slightly warm. I wanted a whole loaf. Apparently the French white was amazing as well, but I was so in love with my focaccia that I didn't even want to try it. And believe me, I'm always in favour of trying something new, so that should tell you just how good it was.
None of the appetizers particularly appealed to us, so we went straight for the mains. I ordered the Mediterranean sea bass with mussels, clams, and calamari. He had the striploin and brisket with mushrooms and bone marrow jus. We also ordered some tarragon heirloom carrots for the table. Everything was absolutely delicious. I slightly preferred the accompanying seafood to the fish I had ordered, but that's just a personal preference. It was all perfectly cooked and fantastically flavoured.
Their wine list was extensive and impressive, even for a wine novice like me - I was very curious what could make a bottle worth $6000, but stayed far away from that price point when selecting my glass. Even with such a small comparative price tag, my glass of red was very good - and generous. It wasn't just the third-of-a-glass pour that you would usually expect. Instead, it was served from a decanter that essentially held two glasses, or at least one and a half.
For dessert, we shared the chocolate and caramel verrine, which was delicious and again a generous portion. I would have had a little trouble finishing it on my own. I have to mention too that our server brought out a little plate that held a flat butter cookie with Happy Birthday written in chocolate, a chocolate cookie, and a lit birthday candle. He also presented me with a birthday card signed by the staff. It was the elegant equivalent of the servers at a chain restaurant gathering to yell/sing happy birthday and giving you a piece of cake. I definitely prefer this version.
All in all, it was a delicious meal in a beautiful restaurant with impressive service. That says 5 stars to me.Listed in: Vive Italia!
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Review from Roma E.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2012
This place certainly lives up to its great reputation. We went there for my husband's birthday, and they couldn't have been more hospitable and charming. The food was fantastic, but it was the personalized service that really blew me away. The knowledgeable, attentive staff, the attention to detail, everything was exactly as a fine dining restaurant should be.
I once heard something about class that I think applies here - true 'class' isn't making sure everyone sees your superiority - it's the ability to make everyone around you feel truly comfortable in your presence and with themselves. I think Splendido's team accomplished that yesterday. I will definitely be going back, and often. -
Review from Brian T.
Toronto, ON
10/23/2011
Okay so I'm a biti tardy in reviewing this restaurant but I went here in August for my first year anniversary and would be remiss if I didn't put my two cents in, even if it has been over a month.
For dinner, my wife and I had the seasonal tasting menu with wine pairings which showcased heirloom tomatoes from Vickie's vegetables (a top Ontario vegetable farm and Brick Works staple).
In general all of the dishes (5 + three amuse bouches) were great and included a tomato gelee soup (which although remarkably fresh and clean tasting was probably my least favourite), a prawn with tomato confit, a roasted tomato and chorizo linguine with an exquisitely fried piece of calamari, a delicious seared sweetbread and smoked veal breast (read: brisket) duo and a panna cotta that was light and beautifully textured (and not even a bit gelatinous). I also give bonus points to the restaurant for letting me break one of the tasting menus to have the a la carte peach crumble dessert which was exceptional and served with possibly the purest and most delicious scoop of house made vanilla bean ice cream I've ever had.
Wine pairings (all Ontario) were spot on and very Beamsville bench heavy (with two separate Tawse offerings).
Service was exceptional with a wait staff that was present without being overbearing and a clear knowledge and love of food in general and the menu in particular. Gentlemen, your lady friends will also all be wowed by the personal purse cushions beside the seats. In short, no details are spared and you will feel like a million bucks being here.
So with all of that I would reserve one criticism for this restaurant, and it is a criticism that I feel is acceptable given the talent of the kitchen and the exceptionally high price point. In my opinion Splendido could and should be a more ambitious restaurant.
While everything we had was delicious, the menu is basically the application of expert technique to the highest quality local ingredients. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it seems a bit of a waste that Splendido isn't adding a bit more to the global culinary movement.
Regardless, if you're looking to celebrate a very special occasion (or I guess if you're just a baller) you won't be disappointed by splurging on a meal at Splendido.
4.75/5 -
Review from Lee M.
Oakville, ON
10/31/2011 3 photos
Great ambience and impeccable service. We are not big drinkers and the waiter suggested a nice fruit spritzer.
The amuse bouche was delicious - a Butternut squash soup shooter and a fluffy pastry with butternut puree. The complementary bread was also heavenly. Surely a sign of good things to come!
Ordered the diver scallops and ravioli appetizer. Scallops were delicious. Ravioli stuffed with short rib was way too salty. The chef apologized to us and took it off our bill.
Mains were lamb shoulder and sweetbreads and seabass. Again lamb was a bit too salty. The fish was delicious with a nice crispy skin and sweet flesh.
Veggies were sides that had to be ordered separately. We opted out and there were a few veggies in the main albeit sparse.
This is one of those restaurants all about presentation, small portions, and flavours. Absolutely great when they get it bang on and disappointing when they miss which they shouldn't when a main costs $38!!!
The ladies room was a surprising contrast to the restaurant. Small, dirty, and no toilette paper!!! -
Review from Ken S.
Mississauga, ON
6/27/2011 3 photos
I do not write negative reviews. If I did not enjoy myself then I simply do not return. What do I have to say about Splendido? It's perfect, you will have a great time and love the food. What do they serve? They say High Quality, Seasonal, Locally Sourced, Family Farmed Products that have been Traditionally prepared. The space is cozy, filled with a mix of couples, business people and some casual diners. Service was prompt with servers clearly having a mandate to ensure every customer's needs are met. The table was set with a small bowl of olives and your choice of 6 house made breads. We asked for every type of bread as they all looked and smelled intoxicating. One of the olive types they had was brought from Italy then cured in house and had a citrus taste. It was so insanely good that I asked to buy a jar. So what did we eat?
This is their Charcuterie platter and it was brilliant. Items bottom left to right. The White canelle was Berkshire Pork Fat to be used as a spread. This spread is what butter aspires to be, so decadent. House made avocado was good. Chorizo was spicy and packed with flavour. Spicy beans were, well, spicy! The blood sausage seemed firm but was softer then I have ever had it and worked well as a spread. The square white topped item was a Foie Gras Turine with a perfect texture and a light taste. 2 Parmesan breadsticks were bursting with a nutty flavor. The most subtle prosciutto was next and I wish I had enough to wrap my body in it. Spicy pickles. Spicy salami and the last I cannot remember were also so buttery.
Foie Gras Parfait with a Rhubarb Purée, Elderberries & Crushed Walnuts - $19. The parfait was served with a toasted brioche. Foie Gras in its many versions is many times served with fruits and in this case the tart elderberries and the sour rhubarb complimented the richness of the Foie Gras perfectly.
This is one of the best dishes I have had this year. Scallop, Lobster and Black Cod on a bed of Saffron Risotto served in a Cataplan. It was one of their sharing plates and cost $36 each. The risotto was cooked perfectly with every grain discernible and the seafood, well forget about it.
One note on the dedication to quality of this restaurant. One of the scallops had 3 or 4 hard white stones inside of it. This was clearly a natural phenomenon and not the fault of the restaurant. I mentioned this to the server and within minutes the chef came out to investigate. I showed him the pieces, he apologized and advised he would check with his suppliers. He went into the back and 5 minutes later as we were almost licking the Cataplan clean of every morsel, he advised he would not charge us for the dish. I might have paid double for that dish. -
Review from Ksenja T.
8/24/2011
I have been to Splendido twice, the second time definitely more memorable.
I had the fois gras for a starter which was delicious and then the chicken for the main. The chicken was meant to be shared for two people, but I was happy that you could still get it only for one person. The piece of chicken breast was so big, I was pleasantly surprised. Everything was cooked to perfection. The dessert was the perfect ending to such a perfect meal. The ambience is great, very classy romantic and pleasant. The staff is very attentive and they were quick to accomodate us, even last minute.
Can't wait to go back again! -
Review from Cameron M.
Toronto, ON
1/6/2012
Perfect experience. PERFECT! From the valeting of the car, to the extraordinary staff and service and outstanding presentation and taste of the food. Search as I might, I cannot find fault with my experience at Splendido.
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Review from Christian P.
Toronto, ON
1/27/2012
4.0. Nice setting, smiling waitresses. Original menu, good presentation. As expected relatively small portions and pricy, but good quality ingredients. Mixing ingredients, tastes and textures is always risky and when the result is good it's to be commended. However, one lacks the woaaah effect, because all ingredients are mixed and merged at a same level. At the end you are not sure whether you ate a toffee cake with a mango (or ginger?) mousse and a vanilla (really, was it rhum raisins?) ice cream, or a ginger (or mango?) mousse with a small toffee cake and vanilla ice cream etc Each is good but none is really blowing your mind or exhausted by the others. They indeed gently "compete" with each other; There is no dominant flavor or ingredient. Which can be good, depending on your expectations and personnal preferences.
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Review from A S.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2012
I ended up here for my birthday and had the fall truffle menu which was absolutely delicious though I must say it might be a few years before I have another dish with truffles in it again.
This is a beautiful place with an excellent bar. The martinis are specially crafted and can be easily customized to meet one's taste preferences
So pretty much every dish I had had truffles in it. Everything was not merely delicious, but decadently so. The amuse bouche was an early surprise in the form of a squash soup in a shot glass followed by a tiny pastry. I had a ravioli, a dish with sweetbreads, a chocolate dessert, and some other things that I cannot recall not because the dishes were unmemorable but because at some point that evening, aided by the tasting wines and martini, I slipped into a blissful food coma.
Given that it was my birthday, I was brought a candle, card, and cookies at the end of the night by compliments of and signed by the chef. It was a nice touch.
In a nutshell: the dishes are artfully crafted and well thought out as are the drinks. The service is very fine; they pull out the stops from helping one in and out of her coat to bringing a side stool for one's purse.
The bill for two people each having a martini, a 4-5 course meal complete with accompanying wines, and an extra dessert was well into the $300s. But well worth it for a special occasion with a special person. -
Review from jocelyn l.
4/19/2011
Great ambience, impressive dinner.
Dinner:
- Oysters: fresh and briny and they were all topped with various condiments- horseradish, wasabi prosecco parfait, green onions
- Gnocchi with mushrooms: pillowy and delicious
- Butter Poached Lobster with Jeruselum Artichokes: done perfectly; the lobster was delectable, but the artichokes were the surprise of the night- roasted perfectly and delicious
- Roasted Mushroom: great accompaniment to the entree
- Apple Cobbler: yummy but definitely not enough for 2 people and completely overpriced at $24.
- Ice cream Sandwich: TINY and also completely overpriced. Crazy. A klondike bar would have sufficed. the sandwich was so blah
Loved the appetizers and entree. The desserts were lame. Overpriced and not very good. I'd recommend walking to DT Bistro down the street for dessert
Service was snobbish and inconsistent. 2 of the servers were nice, the host was a snob and a couple of others were just weird.
Thank goodness this was a business dinner. Good meal, but definitely a tad overpricedListed in: Faves in TO
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Review from Sandy W.
Toronto, ON
3/4/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The Splendido staff made it hard to give it three stars but in the end they didn't deserve more than two.
The food was fantastic! Delivered at the proper time and proper temperature. Multiple staff delivered the mains and deserts so the table could all the have the food at the same time.
The problem, wine! After asking a server for the somiler to recommend a sparkling wine he arrived and said "this is the sweetest sparkling we have, want it?". There was no "hi" or "hello" just that question. BUT he did recommend a great wine.
The Champange was stored away from the table and we had to ask to get the glasses topped up every time and it wasn't always easy to flag someone down. When I asked to leave the bottle at the table they said:
"Don't worry we will pay attention and keep the glasses full."
After ordering a red wine, we had the same problem with no access to the wine but having no one to fill up our glasses.
We did get the glasses filled up by asking everyone who walked by to 'find our wine and fill up our glasses'.
Finally, I asked the manager and fror the rest of the bottle we had really good service...but over all not a great night for a celebration dinner. -
Review from M P.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2011
Splendido = Bellisimo = Estupendo!!
As this was a work event, obviously the dollar wasn't an issue so all of us went ALL OUT!!
We had a table for 10+ set up in the wine cellar (which if you ask me, that's why this resto did not get a 5-star rating). Wine cellar = controlled temperature, fair enough, but not for dinner guests.... Did I forget to mention that it is a DEAD ZONE (i.e.: absolutely ZERO mobile reception). I guess it'd be great to go for people who hate those joined-to-hip-with-mobile-device-people".
As a started I had a foie gras partfait.... which was quite parfait I could tell you. Followed by a lobster risotto with..... (wait for it)...... (drum roll)...... WHITE TRUFFLES (which cost twice as much as black truffles!!!!!! IT WAS DEEEEELICIOUS!!!!! After that, I should call it quits and just enjoy a nice café au Grand Marnier, but no!! People want to ruin my waistline by ordering a nice apple crumble with ice cream =P Let's just say I dint hate that idea per se!!!!
Given that we were right in the wine cellar, suffice to say that drinking was just of convenience...... I honestly lost track how many glasses of wine I downed that night =P
BTW being a sparkling water nut, I was thrilled to find out that they had installed their own water filtration system that transform tab water into clean flat or bubbly water!!! Tho the system isn't exactly my favorite (which is Vivreau if you ask for my opinion), I'm just glad they invested in the proper measures for their clients and the environment. For that, I salute you!! -
Review from Jordan T.
Toronto, ON
12/2/2010
I was thoroughly impressed with everything about Splendido.
I had the jalapeno pasta, suckling pig and apple cobbler (to share). The pasta was really good, it's pretty spicy and the noodles are top notch. The suckling pig was undoubtedly the finest piece of pork I have ever tasted. It also comes with blood sausage, a sweet potato puree and some kind of pork rind like thing. I have only ever had blood sausage once before and found it to be revolting, but this was quite good. The cobbler was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe a bit too much topping and not enough filling for my tastes.
Food aside it's the service that's the best part about Splendido. People are taking your coat, offering your girlfriend a little bench for her purse, cleaning the crumbs off of your table, giving you helpful and insightful advice and offering to call you a cab home. The staff are excellent but are not stuffy in any way.
Which is also the nice thing about the space, it is not stuffy. It's nice but understated. I find sometimes in really nice restaurants you feel uncomfortable because you feel out of place but that is not the case at Splendido.
The only letdown is the washroom is nothing special. Given the attention to everything else I was expecting big things. I mean rust on your stainless steel soap dispensers, way to ruin an evening Splendido.Listed in: Places to Visit Again and…
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Review from Nicole M.
Vancouver, BC
12/11/2010
I agree wholeheartedly with Jordan T - everything about the Splendido experience is impressive. From the quality of the food, to the calibre of the service, to the atmosphere in the dining room - it's really, really ridiculously good.
Sure, it's expensive but it's the kind of place where you get what you pay for - a great choice for a special occasion. -
Review from Matthew R.
Aurora, ON
3/22/2011
Went here for our anniversary dinner. I've been to the "old" Splendido a few times previously, and always enjoyed it.
Our visit this time was flawless. There's not much else I can say that hasn't already been said in the many glowing reviews. Well maybe one thing: Be careful when ordering the fois gras parfait appetizer. You'll dream about it weeks later and wake up gnawing on your own arm. -
Review from Mariko M.
11/6/2010 6 photos
It was my aunt's birthday last week so I decided to take her to Splendido on Saturday night.
On Friday morning, it dawned on me that I should probably get a reservation if I wanted to make this birthday dinner happen. Using OPEN TABLE, I was able to quickly do so. The reservation was made at nine o'clock in the morning and a representative from SBG called a few hours later to confirm. Convenience is key! Make sure to claim your spot in advance though. Being the last minute person that I am, by booking a day in advance, I was only left with the 5 PM slot.
To begin, I ordered a glass of the Sauvignon Blanc and the aunt ordered the Merlot. Both the aunt and I were content with our selections. We were able to later appreciate its pairing with our meals.
I ordered the Carnaroli Risotto, which was absolutely delicious! I love mushrooms and this risotto was packed with them. The texture of the rice was just right and there was ample of shaved cheese on top. From a glance, it doesn't look like a big portion; however, it is quite hearty and I was quite full when finished. The aunt ordered the Whole Wheat Linguine that had heaps of crab chunks in it.
For dessert, we ordered the Niagara Spy Apple Cobbler for two. The presentation of it was so unique [refer to photo]! It was not too sweet, which is always a good thing when it comes to dessert.
The service was great .... waiting staff knew the menu well and were quite professional. Our server was the epitome of handsome; the rest of the staff were all well-dressed in their SBG uniform.
Come here for a special occasion ... if you have an unemployed friend who wants to treat you here maybe suggest another establishment though.
Yay! I'm a fan. -
Review from susan c.
9/18/2009 3 photos
Holy Shiite Muslim! All the other restaurants I've been to in TO are just foreplay compared to the major league, blow-your-load experience of Splendido. I gave Nota Bene 5 stars and I'd give Splendido 6 stars if I could. The S.O. took me here for my birthday last night and just about everything was memorable; from the earnest welcome of the valet parking dudes at the door, to the swish paper towels in the washroom, the kind that are so plush you could leave a handprint in them.
This kind of OCD attention to detail definitely carried over to the food. Each table got served addictively delicious COCKTAIL NIBBLES of:
- fennel & red pepper grissini
- to dip into the red pepper aioli
- and luscious rosemary-marinated olives (that'll make converts out of you incomprehensible olive haters out there!)
FIRST COURSES
Me: Chilled Ontario Peaches 'n Cream Corn Soup garnished with Prawn, Corn* and Tarragon Salad ($15). This dish was a love letter to the best of Ontario summer produce, hanging on to the last days of peaches-'n-cream corn "with a Vulcan death grip." Crispy-crunchy freaks like me will love the ear-shattering contrast of the Parmesan croutons against the velvety texture of the broth--like the awesome crackle you get with Rice Krispies in milk.
The S.O: A primi portion of a pasta called Maltagliati with Tunisian Octopus*, Kalamata Olives*, Capers* & Preserved Lemon* ($15). If I wasn't too busy lapping up my soup, I would've reached over to steal more forkfuls of the impossibly tender octopus.
SECOND COURSES
Me: Butter Poached Lobster**. I already had dibs on it when I was doing research on Splendido's menu online. Just saying BUTTER POACHED LOBSTER makes me cream my pants. Last night, it was served with Chanterelle mushroom risotto. (Did the S.O. fax the chef a list entitled, "Susan's Favorite Things to Eat" cuz they were popping up all over the place like pop words on a pop video.) At $37 this is one of the priciest dishes on the menu but, hey, you only have your birthday once a year and lobster is never cheap. Verdict: Worth every last lovin' loonie.
The S.O: Beef Strip Loin Tagliata with New Farm Heirloom Tomato Salad*, Arugula* ($29).
DESSERT
Me: Panna Cotta of Crème Fraîche & Madagascar Vanilla Bean with sous vide Niagara peach* and peach sorbet. This dessert was served in a small Mason jelly jar with a long-handled spoon**. Cute presentation aside, I inhaled this dish. It's a good thing the place got packed and had a nice buzz toward the end of our meal because it helped muffle the clanging of my spoon against the bottom of the jar as I attempted to scrape up the last bits. I don't have an enormous sweet tooth and I find most desserts to be too cloying but this was the perfect combination of not-too-sweet, creamy, fruity, AND crispy from the surprise flecks of meringue thrown in. Next time, forgo the spoon and just give me a fat straw to Hoover up that sh*t.
The S.O: Never eats dessert. Good, cuz I wasn't sharing.
WINE
Excellent vintages by the glass including one of my faves, Vermentino from Sardinia, which I rarely see on LCBO-certified wine lists. By the glass is a misnomer because it comes in a very generous 5-ounce carafe** which is more than a glassful.
DECOR & CROWD
Handsome teak paneling and tan leather chairs which say more "serious business" and less "girls night out." The crowd was pretty mature that night. I think we were the only diners here under 40.
SERVICE
Amazing. A team of well-choreographed servers tended to us, never missing a step. Our main guy was aware of what was in the dishes and how they were made. And because they knew it was my birthday, they gave me a birthday card signed by the chef, manager, and captain. Classy.
OTHER
You can make reservations online at http://splendido.ca/re...
So, a VERY happy birthday to me. I love this place and will definitely go back after a month living on ramen so i can save up more loonies.
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* Also on "Susan's Favorite Things to Eat" list
** See photo -
Review from Kent P.
11/12/2010
Best part of being in Splendido is being in Splendido.
Smart looking room + excellent service/way too knowledgeable wait-staff + plus good but not the greatest food = a pretty good time.
Sure, it's pricey- but if you've got a special occasion or want a night out- you could do a lot worse.
Didn't see anyone in there- but the private dining space in the basement is beautiful - giant table, seating for 24, and surrounded by the wine cellar. Definitely a place where some big decisions go down.
Tried the 22oz boneless rib-eye Angus steak for 2.... it was VERY good. I would describe its tenderness having been akin to warm butter.
four patty pat pats
patpatpapat
ttyn,
-patListed in: You get what you pay for, ALL HYPE
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Review from Kelsey P.
3/8/2011
The best restaurant in Toronto (and likely Canada), hands down.
I've come here with colleagues and parents alike and each time the following rules apply:
- Impeccable service (almost over the top)
- Impressive wine list and sommelier suggestions
- Unbelievable food - in the right portions
- Out of this world dessert and coffee
Honestly, I can't find better adjectives to define this place...
FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Oysters
- Gnocchi
- Dorset Lamb
- Artichokes to share (side dish)
- Chocolate ganache for dessert. You won't regret it.
Can't wait to come back here! -
Review from Keili T.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2010
Splendido! Oh-my-God! I'm in love...
I was here for my anniversary last weekend, and ordered the Fall Truffle menu with the wine flight. The menu was (you guessed it!) truffle themed, so I had the great privilege of trying fresh white truffles for the first time.
Everything they served me was superb... the pine mushroom and truffle salad with jerusalem artichoke puree, the white truffle tagliatelle, the seared fois gras with brioche, the truffled, roasted chicken (and i don't usually go for chicken at restaurants.. but it was perfectly done,and so, so flavourful). For dessert, the chocolate tart was like Snickers on steroids.
No doubt about it, this place is expensive. But it's worth it, every penny, if you really love food. Splendido is about as good as dining gets. -
Review from Kevin D.
Toronto, ON
12/30/2008
The most incredible dining experience I've ever had. Right from the Valet on the street to the well-timed service, this restaurant is the epitome of fine dining without pretension.
As you walk in you are greeted like a VIP by the Maitre d', or owner of the restaurant and offered a glass of Champagne from the menu. We had ours at the bar, while perusing the extensive Bordeaux list. The bartender was as knowledgeable as any Sommelier I've spoken with and was patient and friendly while helping us select a bottle. Then- with panache, the Maitre d' fetched the chosen bottle and decanted it immediately so it would be at its peak in time for our main course.
It was time to move into the dining room. Splendido works as a team, with all staff at your service at all times. Our lead waiter Adly was perhaps the most charming fellow we've ever had in any restaurant. His knowledge of the menu and pride in the restaurant was infectious and set the tone for an incredible evening.
Here were some food highlights:
Mid-Course Gnocchi: Melts in your mouth, my long-passed Italian Grandmother in Heaven would have been beaming from ear-to-ear.
First Course Scallops: My fiancée told me they were prepared to perfection and the truffle oil added the 'extra something' that sent her taste buds soaring.
Main Course Lamb: A perfect medium-rare, and complimented perfectly by our bottle of Chat. Haut-Marbuzet (2003), served in beautiful Bordeaux stems. This Lamb was our favourite dish of the evening, well-accompanied by the Monforte Ricotta & Spinach Tortellone.
The restaurant also offers a tasting menu, but we chose À la carte and were completely satisfied by the timing of our custom-made four-course meal.
Thanks for reading my review. I would recommend this restaurant above all others in Toronto for an intimate, romantic and adventurous culinary experience. Cheers.Listed in: KD's Top Restaurants
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Review from Lawrence C.
8/2/2009
This place is an amazing place to dine.
The tasting menu is very expensive. If you pair it with wine, the price gets pretty ludicrous. However, it was definitely a dining experience that I would recommend to those who can afford it. The service and decor are pretty typical for a place like this. Everything is done elegantly and simply.
The food, in all honesty, i cannot recall what i ate. But everything and i mean everything was cooked to perfection and amazingly.
Definitely a different experience than nota bene (same head chef) -
Review from Whiskey L.
Toronto, ON
5/31/2009
So apparently Splendido is changing owners this summer. I can only hope that the experience will stay the same, as the service is impeccable and the food on point.
The foie gras is world class, and the lobster and scallops main has the perfect amount of butter, avoiding the oily mess that you're left with in other high-end restaurants.
Reservations: 5-7 day advance recommended.
The Damage: ~140pp, pre-tax, tip, drinks
Extra Tid-bit: Nice view of the kitchen. Though glass partition makes it impossible to hear the action. -
Review from Tina H.
5/16/2010 5 photos
Clearly those bambinos and bambinas responsible for naming the restaurant had set the bar pretty high from themselves, and perform to that expectation they did.
A nice way to start was with breadsticks and a dip. Though the breadsticks were fancy, you couldn't tell. Their home baked caraway sourdough bread was good. The warmed olives was a nice touch. Nothing too impressive so far.
"Arriving early at Splendido means you have the opportunity to try the specials that normally sell out later on in the evening." To take advantage of this opportunity, the special had to be ordered! Gnocchi with spot prawns brought in live from BC (which didn't seem so exotic since I live there now). It was perferct. Done up in lemon and some sort of exotic liquor that I forget, all of the different flavours stood out. The gnocchi was quite plain but it was plain gnocchi done perfectly. The spot prawns were cooked perfectly so that their soft and delicate texture still remained. It was perfect.
Next was the butter poached lobster. The first couple of bites were absolutely divine. The butter shone through the lobster nicely. The bed of risotto on which it was laid was perfectly al dente. I'm not big on carbs but I was able to appreciate at least some of the risotto. I couldn't finish it, but I think this was due to my lack of experience with lobster. I don't think I like it that much. The dish was absolutely beautiful, the claw was removed perfectly, as was the tail. It was delicious, but from this experience I realized that I'd prefer mammal meat over lobster.
Some price points to note is that the food is quite expensive but within reason for food of this calibre. The wine is overpriced. The white wine we got was $23 per glass and it didn't blow me away. They also charge for water, which they call Q-Water. What does the Q stand for you ponder (as I did)? Well, what do you think? Well, you're right, that's exactly it. Quality! It seemed a bit dorky to have carafes labeled with Q's which stood for "quality water" and then charge for water but I guess it goes through some filtration process. It was good water! Relative to the rest, $3 per person for water that they never let get empty was reasonable. I think you're paying more for the efficient water service rather than the water itself. All in all, compared to the free water at other restaurants, this type of attention is definitely appreciated.
Dessert seemed to be overpriced and nothing on the menu really tickled my fancy so that was skipped. I still wonder that if I tried dessert if I would've thought it overpriced, as the rest of the menu is expensive but it was impressive.
The atmosphere was lovely. Clean lines with a little more traditional flare, done properly though. The music was great. Rarely am I ever impressed by the music in a restaurant, but this one definitely set the mood just right with the music. Nothing romantic, but more like contemporary lounge music.
Overall, a great experience with delicious food and a good atmosphere. I look forward to going back and trying the rest of the menu items. -
Review from Darren S.
Waterloo, ON
7/7/2011
Great rib steak for two, great frites. Wonderful Argentian can. Very attentive service.
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Review from Angela N.
Toronto, ON
12/12/2010
A few weeks ago my husband and I were looking for somewhere to eat near my office. When the first, more affordable, place we tried had no tables free (no reservation on a Friday night, what was I thinking?!), we decided to try our luck at Splendido. While there were no tables available in the main dining room, there was a table for two near the front window. The food would be the same and they would "try" to ensure the service was the same. In short, the service was impeccable all evening.
From the very beginning they got it right. I was asked if I had any food allergies as they were taking our coats (yes - gluten) and promptly brought our sparkling water. The waiter/sommelier was brilliant. He made recommendations throughout the night and was just a lot of fun to have around. There were a number of people serving us, but it was clear that he was the primary. Throughout the meal we let him offer suggestions on the wines and they were brilliant choices indeed. Not always on the menu, but always delicious.
We started with cocktails and then the Charcuterie Board. While the meats were amazing - perhaps not the wisest choice when one can't have the bread. The fois gras was absolutely to die for! We followed that up with the steak for two, and fries substituted for the gnocchi. The steak was cooked to absolute perfection and the fries were delicious. It also came with beautifully sauteed mushrooms.
After the main we went for the cheese board. We selected three from the choice of 8 and were provided with the perfect wine to pair with it. Let me tell you - I STILL dream of the cheese I ate this night. It was pure, dairy heaven that tasted like caramel when paired with the fortified wine we were given. After this my husband had the chocolate tart and I had the sorbets. Which were also both brilliant.
Yes, this place is expensive, and as our night went on we realized that we didn't know the prices for half of what we were ordering. However, when the bill came it wasn't nearly as high as I thought it would be, considering that we had cocktails, appetizers, a main, cheese, dessert, drinks with each course and espressos afterward. I find it interesting that there is so much talk of portion size in these reviews. The portions here were completely reasonable given that they intend for you to have multiple courses. Besides, since when was the quality of GOOD food measured on portion size?!
Anyway, I would give this place way more than 5 stars if I could. It's the perfect night out when you're prepared to splurge.Listed in: Gluten-Free Friendly…
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Review from ritchie c.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2010
From the get go at Splendido you can tell they're trying their damndest to adhere to a higher echelon of service and quality. The maitre d' and wait staff look genuinely pleased to serve you and make your meal as special as can be.
The dining room is a nice open concept with a partial view of the kitchen. Decor being smart and sophisticated without being stuffy. My only knock is the horrid photo displays they have hanging on the walls. They don't fit and look like they belong in a washroom hallway of the AGO.
For apps we ordered the Frois Gras parfait, Venison Tartare, Ramps, White Asparagus, Rabbit Parpadelle, and were comp'd 2 Charcuterie boards with a variety of cured meats. The Frois was melt in your mouth ridiculousness... it's wrapped in a thin layer of butter to enhance the richness of the Frois. White Asparagus was well prepared with a well balanced flavour and crunch while still pleasantly soft. For me the Tartare was disappointing. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it didn't have that punch of flavour I was hoping for. The Parpadelle was EXCELLENT. I kind've wish I ordered it again as my main, but I'll get to that later. The noodles had an amazing texture and were perfectly cooked accompanying the delicious rabbit and buttery cream sauce. As for the rest of the board - wow - a great variety of cuts and flavours to round out the prologue of our meal.
For my main I had difficulty deciding and eventually settled on the Free Range Chicken based on the waiter's recommendations. I've always been curious as to how good chicken could really taste at a first class restaurant with classical training mixed with new age cooking techniques.. but is it better than my spicy big crunch at kfc?
To avoid being too wordy I'll just breakdown what the table ordered point form:
- Butter Poached Lobster w/ B.C. Wild Mushrooms & Mascarpone Risotto
* Very fresh lobster, tasted good, but nothing special
- 24oz Boneless Black Angus Rib Steak, Roasted King Oyster Mushrooms,
Ontario Green Asparagus Cognac & Peppercorn Sauce
* Cooked to perfection, great flavour, thick cut, very juicy, accompanied the mushrooms and sauce very well.
- Steel Head Trout
* By far the BEST thing of the night. This trout is cured then cooked sous vide and then seared for a crispy texture. This thing just packs a ton of hearty flavour and easily forced it's way into my list of favourite entrees.
- Lamb Shoulder
* Very tender and robust flavours, didn't try very much of this, but what I did have, I was happy with.
- My Free Ranged Chicken
* This was easily very disappointing for me. The chicken was moist but not juicy enough, and well.. it just tasted like chicken. The part that was confit'd was nice, but for everyone to be raving about it? I'm convinced there's only a level of deliciousness chicken can attain and even then it's more or less the same. You don't need to pay $24/per person for this.. but try for yourself.
Afterwards we ordered 4 cheeses, Chateau De Bourgogne, Cape Vessey, Stilton and I'd like to say.. Gouda? I can't remember the last but they were all pretty good but completely unnecessary seeing as I was getting pretty full. Isn't cheese more or less standard everywhere? My favourite of the 4 being the triple creme Chatueau.
For dessert we ordered Brioche Ice Cream sandwiches, Sorbet and Chocolate tarts. My sandwich was cutesy and flavourful. Good biscuit to icecream ratio and not too heavy. The sorbet was light, playful and refreshing while the chocolate tart was heavy, creamy and dangerous. All pretty decent quality and a good way to end your meal.
All in all a pretty positive experience dining at Splendido. Had the waiter not hyped the chicken so much I probably would've enjoyed it more.
A very hot spot to go in Toronto right now for fine dining, even more so since they got that great review in Toronto Life. The meal was $800+ for 7 people, and would've been way more if we didn't get comp'd on a lot of the apps. You get what you pay for though - simple food prepared and cooked really really well.
I would definitely recommend it for a that special occasion where you want to get dressed up and have a fancy meal downtown. Get the trout, it's that good. -
Review from Princess M.
3/19/2010 4 photos
Truly delicious!!!!
Service was wonderful and prompt. The restaurant was constantly busy. If you are dining alone or with just another friend, sitting at the bar tables by the window is not a bad idea - it's a little away from the maddening crowd too.
The country bread in their bread basket selection is one of the best breads I've had in a while. Really crunchy but chewy and with a very nicely developed yeasty flavor.
The foie gras parfait is simply a slice of liver pate with a thick piece of toasted, buttery brioche and a little jar of macerated dates. Very rich, luscious and tasty.
The special of the day - parpadelle with morels and English peas was as good as it gets. Creamy and savory.
The butter-poached lobster on mascarpone risotto is also just as flavorful. The garnish of raw pea shoots gave this heavier dish a touch of freshness. The risotto was a bit too al dente in my opinion but had a very nice touch of tangy-ness that definitely complimented the butteriness of the dish well.
Overall, definitely a great place to have a special and delicious dinner. -
Review from Deanna W.
11/4/2009
Splendido for me was always the holy grail of restaurants in Toronto. Its' former self was big, glitzy and classy. Tasting menus consisting of 7 courses. Valet service for Porsche's and Maserati's outside on Harbord Street. Friends spread word that they employed an armada of servers to cater to your every whim. So ever since I outgrew my Casey's/Milestone's suburban novice dining phase, Splendido was always on the list for places to try yet I could never find an occasion big enough to merit a visit.
That is until last week when my special yelper friend Christine C decided to mark my last hurrah fancy pants meal in Toronto at the Harbord Street institution. We had singled it out from our shortlist of Sushi Kaji and Scarmouche but eventually settled upon Splendido. Alliterations anyone? And I'm happy to report it didn't disappoint, my maiden visit only served to ignite the sparks of a love affair with this elegant establishment.
I got off to rough start waiting for Christine at the bar for there were two obnoxious frat boy types whooping it up for no particular reason. Note to them: loudness or name dropping does not equate with class or status, got that! Now where were we? Once seated however, we served notice to our waiter (a charming, knowledgeable fella) that Splendido was the winnah of our dining research and that we had come to be wooed and dined over!
And so the party got its footing finally. Our first courses consisted of the foie gras parfait and the ginormous charcuterie board. The charcuterie board was one for the ages, at least 6 selections of cured prepared goodness. You had liver pate, bold venison tartar, whipped lardo, guianciale, crispy pigs ear, mustards, stewed fruit all placed strategically on a round wooden slab-not unlike the colours of a painter's palette! The foie gras parfait was silky and light and it came with toasted brioche and cherry preserves. Very nice way to enjoy this delicacy.
Moving on, we took a breather from our heavy starters to bask in the warm glow of the spacious, airy room taking a view of the drop lighting and the jars of preserved fruits and vegetables at the back. Is it me or has every local food establishment in Toronto employed this "local house made" decorating tip? Jars of canned goods are ubiquitous! I'm just sayin'. We sipped our glasses of our Tawse wines (part of their special wine flight program) and were told by our waiter to hold back on our chardonnay for the next course. The suckling pig and the lobster...errr okay! Only the next course was a surprise gift from chef Victor Barry in honour of the occasion: fresh ribbons of pasta with cream and topped with generous shavings of fragrant black truffles!! Sweet mother of Harbord! They had me at the truffles. Chef Barry wandered over during one his tours of the dining room and we were able to share a "fist-bump" with him as a show of our appreciation.
Mains were expertly prepared and equally tasty as the preceding courses. Christine chose the poached butter lobster served with chanterelle risotto and snow pea shoots while I enjoyed the sucking pig served with boudin noir. The suckling piggy is tender and comforting replete with a few bits of cracklings for textural contrast. I'm not crazy about blood sausage but Splendido's version was soft, palatable with hints of spice. Christine's dish was absolutely heavenly: buttery sweet chunks of lobster matched with perfectly cooked risotto.
Our tummies heaving with happiness, we took another brief break after our mains to chat with Carlo Catallo the sommelier and co-owner of Splendido. We kibitzed over the recent relaunch of Splendido, regional wine differences and the New York/Toronto dining scene. Like the rest of the staff at Splendido, he's engaging, warm, professional and thoroughly passionate about ensuring a great dining experience. To send us off, he personally delivered two glasses of Ontario late harvest Riesling as a memento of Ontario food and wine. Sweet!
We finish with a deconstructed lemon meringue pie: a pool of tart lemon custard with swirls of sweet meringue on top and a pastry disc on the bottom. Sweet but not cloying.
Meals at places like Splendido can seem excessive given the current economic climate but if you have to something to celebrate or bookmark they're very well worth it. It's exciting to walk into an establishment like Splendido and be transported into a place where food matters. All the more so when it's presented and prepared with such joy and expertise. -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
11/1/2009 5 photos
It's great when you really love a restaurant but when a restaurant really loves you back it's a whole different ballgame. Splendido put a big heart on for my sister Yelper, Deanna and myself and showed us some big time loving. Deanna had chosen Splendido as her swan song high end restaurant before embarking stateside so we set off for Harbord Street with big anticipation. Chatting up our waiter Deanna let him know that Splendido was her choice (she was flipping back and forth between Sushi Kaji & Scaramouche) and that we came to eat!
I never thought I'd ever say this but I actually think I found a Charcuterie Board that I liked better than my most beloved Black Hoof. Served up on a large piece of petrified wood the Splendido Charcuterie board is un-fucking-believable. Please excuse the vernacular, it is just difficult to put it any other way. The board could easily be shared by two people as an app. It's loaded with everything from Foie Gras parfait mousse, several types of house cured meats, macerated cherries, venison tartar, chicken liver pate, Lardo (or something akin to it), bread sticks wrapped in porcetta, poached plum and apple and on and on. This board has colour, texture, it's got sweetness, it's got savoury happening and it's got some bite with spice.
For mains I chose the Butter Lobster with chanterelle & mascarpone Risotto and Dea selected the Yorkshire Suckling Pig.
We opted for the wine flights to accompany our food. Tawse Winery was the featured wines and the flight included 4 different glasses (the flight is priced at $26) which said 2 ounce pours. So let the love begin...because they were very generous pours. Our waiter brought the first two (a Chardonnay and a Sauv. Blanc) and suggested to us to "save" the Chardonnay and as it turns out there was a wonderful reason for this. The waiter surprised us with a course of one of the most amazing pastas I've ever eaten. It was fresh Tagliatelle covered in shavings of Tartufi. Our nostrils were absolutely overwhelmed by the aromatic scent of the mushroom as he put the plates down. He told us that Chef/Owner Victor Barry had sent them out for us to benchmark this special occasion. We washed down our pasta with the honey coloured Tawse chardonnay. Oh Splendido, you really know how to show a couple of girls a good time.
Mains were stellar. Crackling pigs ear to be crunched and beautiful fresh lobster meat to be worshipped. The risotto was was an absolute thing of beauty. It was smooth and silky, kissed by mascarpone and flavour enhanced by the chanterelles.
We finished off the evening with the Lemon Meringue dessert. It was sweet and tart at the same time (much like us!) and was a lip smacker. So just when we thought we'd seen all the love we can handle, Carlo Catallo, the owner, who had already stopped by our table to chat wines, stopped by one more time, with some gorgeous late harvest Riesling in tow to enhance our dessert moment. He wanted to make sure we finished up our Splendido experience on a happy and positive note. Boy, this guy is one sweet talker.
What a night. The chef stopped by to ask us about the pasta and of course we fawned over him as if he was Brad Pitt. I left my heart on Harbord Street that night with a memory of simply one of the best dining experiences I've had the good fortune to indulge in.
My last words about Splendido would be that while it may seem pricey, you can indulge and enjoy some of their deliciousness by just sitting up at the bar, imbibing in one of their fantastic cocktails and ordering up a Charcuterie board for two. Then again, you might get lucky as Dea and I did, having the restaurant comp us the pasta and the dessert wine. Absolute class all the way.
Splendido, until we meet again...ti amo. -
Review from edwin h.
12/17/2009
If you are a Toronto foodie, and even if you are not, you would likely already know the history of this restaurant. Not having dined at the 'old' Splendido, I'm only going to comment on it as is.
The room is open with cool blue hues, and wood slats adding some warmth to the wide open space. The wall of preserves which separates the kitchen from the dining room adds another dimension of colour and character to the restaurant.
We were off to a good start when making the reservations since we had some last minute changes and advised them that would be bringing our own wine as well. Polite and efficient, we were seated a nice round table, perfectly conducive to the lively conversation in our group.
Let me start by saying this: The sommelier is useless. He was cold and robotic, made no attempt to engage us at all and even disappeared without opening our 3rd bottle. So what if we didn't order from their wine list. One would think that at $30 corkage, he'd have at least kept our glasses full.
Our server, while friendly and cheerful seemed to be pushing certain items. (I suspect that was by instruction more than her own volition).
I must admit that the pappardale with truffles was unctuous and would definitely have been remiss had we not ordered it. Pasta is pasta you say but I don't mind ordering a dish that special. - I can count on two fingers the number of times I have had truffles so maybe that had something to do with it.
As for the other dishes - most of our table had the steak. Two of us opted for the suckling pig - Crisy crackling draped over a blood pudding sausage and deliciously moist pork bits - so good!
The other sides that we ordered to share were middling at best (fries, mushrooms, collards) and not worth commenting on.
As for dessert - sticky toffee pudding with rum raisin ice cream was really lovely with a nice hint of ginger and spices to round off a rich meal.
I enjoyed the food at this restaurant but was not blown away by anything (except the truffled pappardale) and the spotty service at Splendido is a definite detraction. -
Review from Jordana W.
Toronto, ON
8/2/2009
I never went to the "old" Splendid so I can't really make a comparison, but I can say I was very impressed with the newly renovated version.
Decor- modern, simple and very fresh feeling. There is an entire wall of preserves that the chef actually uses. very cool!
Food - DELICIOUS! Everyone I was with really enjoyed their meal!
Service - impeccable! Sometimes I find myself feeling thrown off by servers at fancy restaurants. They can be a little intimidating, rude when you ask questions and pretty snobby. That is not the case at Splendido. They were all so friendly and extremely helpful! Plus the fact that they were all gorgeous doesn't hurt. -
Review from Heidi C.
8/6/2009
I enjoy seeking out great eating experiences, high and low, especially when traveling. This past week my husband and I visited Toronto, and were told that Splendido was the restaurant to try. It is under new ownership and just recently reopened after a sophisticated makeover. The interior is all light wood, cream walls, pretty light fixtures and in the back a row of preserves that we had fun trying to name.
I was treating hubby as he had just taken the NY bar, and so I let him decide how much we would splurge and went along with it. He was definitely in a splurgey mood, and we really enjoyed ourselves.
Firstly, I'd like to commend the waitstaff for being so superior. Never have I seen such a flow, such a team effort. We probably had between three or four people who took various drink orders or brought us items, yet they all seemed to know everything we'd mentioned to others, and they worked together as one unit - knowledgeable, friendly and courteous. Our main waiter had actually blended the very cocktail we started out with. He seemed very interested in getting our opinions on absolutely everything and we loved his spirit.
To start, I ordered the Toronto wine tasting but asked that they bring them one at a time. This way it was like a wine pairing. I started off with a lovely Riesling that complimented our oysters beautifully. The oysters themselves were served with three accompaniments, each more delicious. I never wanted the briny sea taste to leave my mouth. But, I had to forge on! To truffled pasta! This was a special as the chef had just bought some incredible summer truffles. The truffle was shaved all over the top of the linguine and it was absolutely divine heaven on a plate. I ate this with my second wine, a chardonnay. We also ordered the chilled pea soup with lobster as an appetizer and although this was very good, we ordered extra bread just to sop up every drop of the truffle sauce. For main courses, my husband ordered the veal chop while I ordered the halibut. Both were excellent and I loved sneaking bites of the veal with my glass of Pinot Noir. This was a particularly fabulous glass of Pinot from Tawes winery that I would recommend as absolutely incredible. My tasting ended with a glass of Cabernet Franc which was good but not nearly as excellent as the Pinot Noir. We ended with a cheese course and special late harvest riesling.
I would recommend this as a superior dining experience, from the service to the food to all of the little details that made it so special. They even gave me a little bench for my purse so that I didn't have to put it on the floor! -
Review from Jorn S.
2/13/2011
Good food. Reasonable prices.
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Review from Pravit C.
7/28/2011
Went here for my birthday and had an amazing dinner. We had the summer tasting menu w/ wine pairing. In addition to the courses listed on the tasting menu the chef put together a few extra surprise dishes and appetizers - really a great touch! Service was very attentive and the chef even came by a couple times to bring out dishes and check on us. Overall probably the best meal I've had in Toronto.
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Review from rob d.
Toronto, ON
12/14/2009
What happened to this place??? We went back here...last being here many years ago...not only has the restaurant been renovated...into a bizarre, odd...and very non-elegant place...but everything we and our party had...from the nasty appetizers...to the bland and odd-taste infused mains...to the unappetizing (parfait served in a mason jar!) desserts...was average at best....
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Review from Mal C.
8/20/2009
Amazing service and a gastronomical delight! Inside, the restaurant was hip and the new owners have paid attention to all of the important details - down to little stools for women's purses. The servers did not let your water glass or wine glass ever reach near empty (in fact, I think this is the most liquid I have ever consumed in one sitting). Course after course, everything was prepared to perfection. I would highly recommend the items prepared on the Wood Burning Grill, the raspberry espuma oysters, and the cheese selection - yum! I love that everything came from local farms and the wait staff were very knowledgeable about the food and where it came from. 5 stars!
