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Woodlot Bakery & Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Vegetarian Canadian (New), Vegetarian [Edit]
293 Palmerston AveToronto, ON M6J 2J3
Neighbourhoods: Little Italy, Palmerston
(647) 342-6307
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 7 am - 3 pm
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
70 reviews for Woodlot Bakery & Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The cabbage rolls were incredible." In 11 reviews -
"You can see the giant wood-burning oven in the corner." In 6 reviews -
"Soma Chocolate & Hazelnut Pot de Creme - This was really..." In 6 reviews
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70 reviews in English
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Review from Wendy W.
Niagara, Toronto, ON
1/3/2012
Woodlot is in the old Octapus Lounge and once you get over the fact that you used to dance all night there, you realize they've really cozied up the place. Lots of wood, dim light and great ambiance. We were seated at the communal table on the main level (since we were walk ins - the upstairs seemed more happening, but it was a good vibe all around).
Service was very prompt and attentive, (I couldn't tell if plaid shirts and beards were the uniform or just coincidence) wine list was fairly big and as everyone mentions, there are 2 menus, 1 with meat and 1 vegetarian. We decided to try 1 from each, we got the pork and a root vegetable pot pie. We had the wood burning oven right behind us so we got to see everything going out and it seemed that their pot pies were definitely a favourite, and the smell - it made you salivate!
The pork was incredible, perfectly cooked and so tender. The pie, was...good...but didn't blow me away. The crust must've been 90% butter because it was so tasty and flaky, but the root veggies seemed to lack a depth in flavour. It had a mild curry taste but i would give it a 6.
We shared the mini dessert tray, which included 2 of each of an almond flavoured macaroon (neither of our favourite), a lemon loaf type thing (I liked this but again not blown away) and chocolate mousse square (deliciously rich - be glad it's a small piece).
All in all a great restaurant, I'd definitely go back and try some of the other dishes. -
Review from Samantha I.
12/31/2011
Dined at Woodlot last night, and wow, what a great meal!
The place is as cozy as it comes, wood interior (go figure) with a cottage like feel.
Service was impeccable, fast, kind, efficient and not at all bothersome.
And the food..... mmm. We got the mushroom dish and gnocchi to start. The mushrooms were perfectly done, almost crispy, but delicious. The gnocchi was in a truffle oil and was creamy and scrumptious. For my main I had the pork, served on a wood board and perfectly cooked. Absolutely amazing. My bf had the pickerel. It was on a bed of pureed peas and winter vege, very good.... almost better than the pork. For dessert, a chocolate truffle pot with nuts on top. Not too big, perfect to share.
The cocktails were also great. They make their own tonic, which was actually great in my G&T. My bf got the bourbon cocktail which was also pretty tasty. We had a bottle of wine with dinner that was served in a nice carafe, and the server even took the time to let it breath before serving us.
Thanks for a great meal. I would definitely go back and highly recommend people try it! -
Review from Derek F.
Toronto, ON
12/31/2011
We had hoped for better.
We had heard so many good things about Woodlot. The friends who were with us said they had changed up the menu. Our friends are vegetarian and they both rated their main courses at 5 out of 10 at best.
My wife and I also had different main dishes and they were a 6 out of 10 at best. Disappointing overall.
For what they charge I expected more, I would try it again if they change the chef or the menu...something. -
Review from Julia E.
Toronto, ON
5/20/2012
Woodlot is an incredible local gem that gives vegetarians interesting and delicious options beyond tofu and veggie burgers. After making a reservation a few weeks in advance, we were seated at a table in the loft section. We were cozy and warm without being shoulder-to-shoulder with other guests. The atmosphere was lovely and the wood burning oven and candle lit ambiance created a pleasant vibe. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and offered up suggestions and great descriptions of all the menu items. We were especially happy with the apricot and buffalo mozzarella crostini and moroccan-spiced root vegetable pot pie. All-in-all, a delicious meal to satisfy the tastebuds of vegetarians and discerning restaurant go-ers alike.
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Review from jack g.
Toronto, ON
5/10/2012
Noisy place on a Tuesday. My chicken-mushroom pie was soggy and had no mushrooms that I could find, a bit of a downer for $27. Others were happy with their fish and pork chop. Wine expensive, apps good, but overall rather less of an experience than expected.
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Review from Daniel B.
9/2/2011 ROTD 12/7/2011
The hype is unbearable.
For months now, everyone's been talking about Woodlot. It's all that you've been able to hear around town. "Have you been to Woodlot?", "Oh, we have a reservation at Woodlot in two months.", "We're naming our next child Woodlot.", etc.
It's the kind of thing that's made us stay away.
That being said, we'd been secretly eager to eat at a place that's been name-dropped by all of our friends.
Walking in all that I could think about was that the space used to function as the coke bar known as the Octopus Lounge. A place known more for nosebleeds than nicoise. All the remnants have been cleaned out, and the only white powder that remains is from the mouth-watering bread that's baked in house.
The Octopus used to attract lots of the city's acting scene... a crowd who now seems to be serving as the wait staff. They wear plaid. It works well.
The vibe is decidedly non-pretentious. Almost force-ably so. They do anything they can to make you feel as though you're a casual guest who's just walked in off of the street, not someone who's been on a wait list for two months for a saturday night reservation.
Everything in the design is gorgeous and open. You can see the giant wood-burning oven in the corner. You can see the chef preparing your meal by hand. There are no hidden microwaves. There is no deep fryer. There is no bagged salad. The worst looking thing in the restaurant is you.
The food comes and it's superb. It's not just good. It's exactly what you've been looking for.
There's a reason that there's mad hype.
Perhaps the best thing about the restaurant is that when you leave YOU SMELL LIKE FIRE. That's the type of intangible calling card that leaves you remembering the whole experience the rest of the night.
Go. -
Review from Kenny T.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great spot - we sat at the communal table - very fun option / still intimate but with lots of energy coming from the kitchen. Our experience was fabulous - great friendly service, awesome wine selections, very tasty and creative food. The breads were delicious...of course we had too much, but worth it! Oh and the cheese too! Great local suppliers and tons of wholesome options.
I look forward to my next visit...
One warning - Woodlot is not a cocktail spot - the guy beside me tried to order a vodka soda and it came in a ridiculously small glass - like something out of a little girls tea party set! Stick with wine or beer! -
Review from Magdalena R.
Toronto, ON
11/1/2011
After many attempts to coordinate an outting to the Woodlot with my friends, we finally got it together. Sure the only time slot we could get on short notice was 10:15 pm, but hey the gang was free, and the Woodlot had to be finally tried.
Walking in we got hit with the scent of fresh baked bread. Mmmmmmm most places get me right there. Once I got a hold of m self and started seeing again, I saw the cause of the godly aroma that played with my emotions. A huge wood stove that had been working it all day to produce delicious breads, among other things. Like most people, we loved the decor and overall atmosphere. It is just so cute and cozy.
The food was very good as well. Lots of flavours, nice combinations of spices, and even a good selection of things for our vegan friend.
The only thing that bugged our group was the service. It was nice, but sloooooow. We weren't sure if it was due to the late hour, or just that it had been a busy day, but it took too long to get anything. This, however, was not enough of a deterrent. I will be back for more. Even if I go just to smell the place :D -
Review from Laura M.
Toronto, ON
2/9/2012
This is my favourite restaurant in Toronto. I've been in twice, both times without a reservation but the staff have always been incredibly friendly, and done their best to get us seated as quickly as possible. I've always had mixed drinks, always delicious. I don't eat meat so I love that they have a separate vegetarian menu - though on my second visit my meat-eating friends said that their dishes were divine as well.
I've had the crostini to start both times, they change their menu a lot so these were different each visit, but they were amazing both times. First visit I had maple glazed tempeh and it was off the charts. Second visit I was modest with my main and had their vegetarian french onion soup. This was also awesome, but slightly salty for my taste (though I'll admit I'm extremely sensitive to it).
I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a really special experience, and I'll be going back soon (though this time I'll strive to make a reservation).
A+ -
Review from Matt H.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
My girlfriend and I came here for her birthday recently and were both quite impressed. After I had read some reviews of how bad the waiters attitudes were, I took notice to how we were going to be treated.
We were seated promptly in what we thought was the best spot in the house. Our reservation was made weeks in advance and it payed off. A half bottle of Rose wine was ordered and we were off to a wonderful start.
We had at least 5 questions about what certain words meant on the menu and our waitress answered them all in lamens terms. No attitude at all, in fact it was the complete opposite. The two of us settled on scallops that were like butter, which was paired with quinoa, grapefruit and pureed avocado. Delightful!
Next we ordered our mains with a side. I ordered the sweetbreads and my girlfriend did the temph version of my meal. The side was a root vegetable of some sort that was some exciting new flavour we've never had before. Don't ask me what it was exactly, it just tasted great. Half way through our meal, we ended up ordering another half bottle of wine, in which our waitress ended up charging us for a full bottle (cheaper than 2 halfs) which was a treat.
In a brief summary, everything was fantastic. Our meal (bottle of wine, app, side and 2 mains) came out to be 121 which is great for a higher end place. I recommend going here for special occasions! Make a reservation! -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
9/9/2011 6 photos
We've ALL had Comfort Food before. Doing Comfort Food in Toronto is highly challenging simply because of the diverse backgrounds of the demographics and what's nostalgic to one is not for the other. Simply ask where/what all those Taxi Drivers go out to eat. That said, Woodlot accomplishes it's task for the "majority" of Fine-Diners that they accomodate.
Service service service. I was actually sad to leave the Table for once. It's not the fine-dining madam/monsieur type of service, it was simply a young lady caring for her customer type. She sure has her ESPN on, knowing everything we would need before we even thought we would or should.
Technically, execution of the dishes was near flawless. No Piggy was harmed during the making of this dish. Taking full care to spare the Pork Chop from overdone sawdust pukeness and the same methodology was used on the Steak. Plating presentation shows refinement on the Apps while the Mains brings you back to rustic Comfort(food). I just wish it didn't take so long to cook SIMPLE food, I'm starved.
Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho($9.00)
- This new take on Gazpacho made me wish it was more traditional based. Oily over-salty Fried Bread(Crouton) and Olive overwhelms the delicacy of the Watermelon/Tomato liquid.
Ember Grilled Hen o the Woods Mushrooms($13.00)
-Speaks of Comfort Food all the way, simply done, beautiful earthy ingredient accompanied by Wild Rice, Walnut, and Mache with Balsamic.
Hokkaido Scallop Ceviche($14.00)
-Isn't Hokkaido on the other side of the Globe? Smoothness of the Avocado dollop, acidity of Grapefruit are quite enhancing. Quinoa made me feel I stepped into a health-store. If I didn't know better, I would have thought I ate a deconstructed nori-less Makisushi.
Mains:
Roast Pacific Halibut and Porcini($23.00) - ****
Chop of Whey-Fed Pork($26.00) - ***
Roast Naturally Raised Flat-Iron Steak - ***
Grilled Maple Glazed Sweetbreads and Bacon - ****.5
Under the low hue of the lamplights, it makes my other non-optic sense heighten which is the opposite of tasting meh Food on planes at high altitude. Relying on taste, the Pork Chop taste like Chinese BBQ Pork while the Steak was BBQ Charsiu. Nostalgically, that wasn't too satisfying to know but that's simply just my Chinese background.
What's your FAV Comfort Food? -
Review from Munis T.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2011
I'm sorry this review is not quite as detailed and specific as my other reviews, I am writing from my memory of a visit to Woodlot one Sunday in the earlier part of the year, before I started posting reviews on Yelp. My motivation for doing so is that feel duty-bound to warn others about this restaurant.
I had a salad which I recall being inoffensive, and that was the best part of my meal. My main involved duck, and pork belly--both of which were botched to the point of being unpleasant. The duck was a squishy-chewy, whereas the pork belly was a tough-chewy, neither were particularly flavorful. My girlfriend's ziti had the taste and texture of a microwave dinner. The dessert, something involving apple, also had something off about it (an odd flavor or imbalance).
To top it off, our server was a little stand-off-ish.
Especially considering their prices, this was the most unsatisfying dining experience I've had in recent memory. -
Review from jocelyn l.
11/17/2011
I guess I should count myself lucky that I didn't have problems making reservations here. I left them a VM and they called me right back...professionally and politely.
The outside of the restaurant looks like a warehouse...but once you step into the restaurant, it's like a contemporary rustic loft. Oxymoron? Perhaps. But i'm not sure how else to describe it...
We started out with the Onion Soup; it was a little sweet and fortunately not too salty. More often than not, I've had way too salty French onion soup from other restaurants. *bah*
I had the Buckwheat Pasta with Duck Confit: delish. It was sprinkled with walnuts...and had savoy napa cabbage and the whole dish was perfectly done.
My friend had the steak and wow...one of the best steaks i've had in TO.
Tender, juicy and melt-in-your-mouth yummy
We had 2 sides: The hen of the woods mushroom was AMAZING. i'm not sure what the chef did with it but i honestly wanted about 2 more servings of it.
The Jeruselum Artichokes were a little odd...they were too gingery and tasted like chinese stir fry to us. I wish they had prepped it another way
The Spiced Pumpkin pie with caramel and sprinkled with pistachios was good; i'm not a pumpkin fan, so i didn't love it as much as other desserts...but i guess it was tasty enough
Our server was friendly and very accommodating; good food, great ambience...no complaints! -
Review from Vivek S.
3/21/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I finally got to sit down at the Woodlot. I tried on several occasions to just stroll in and eat but failed every time. (Me! Vivek! I know, right?) Now normally, I would say Eff this Ess and throw my hands in the air like a princess and possibly even leave a flaming surprise on their front steps, but I didn't. I just heard too many good things and was determined to sup here. I made a reservation.
Even on a Tuesday night, the Woodlot was bumping. We rolled in at 21:00 for a 21:15 reservation and by some luck we were seated right away. As we walked upstairs I took in the glorious decor. It's simultanously open concept and split level, with high ceilings, a bar and communal dining table on the main floor, and a proper dining room (that seats about 30) on the mezzanine. The dining room was delicately lit, decorated with native art and had the perfect rumbling for a date. I believe this sound level is most accurately measured in Sexy Decibels (SdBs).
Right off the bat we were offered the choice of vegetarian or normal (you heard veg-heads, bring it) menus. Beatrice Y nails it when she says that vegetarians can legitimately dine here without the indignity of having to work around standard meat-filled options. Some of the options on vegetarian menu were downright tempting, but I knew exactly what I wanted.
The ox tongue terrine with fig jam was a brilliant start. Not too salty, very tender and pretty enjoyable spread onto their house-baked bread. We eagerly moved on to our mains. My DC ordered a wild boar papardelle and I manned up to the chicken and ham hock pie. Both were motherflipping incredible. I have been comparing every papardelle I have had since to the Woodlot's version with its tender noodles and slathered in that delicious boar ragu. And the chicken and ham hock pie (besides being fun to say; try it) was incredimous. It just had this palpable homemade quality that is hard to describe. It was good trust me.
If there was a low-point in my evening it's that my sazerac wasn't perfect, but seeing that typed out makes me feel like a douchebag. Simply put: the Woodlot is a fantastic choice for an intimate dinner, prepared with excellence and without pretension. I like it.
Obligatory Title Pun: I'm getting a LOT of WOOD just thinking about it.
Menu Readability: Even the paper feels house-made. Courier. Smart.
Need to mention: Make reservations.
What this place teaches me about myself: I'm clearly in the mood for a vegetarian fistfight. I'm sure I will lose.Listed in: Little Italy, Cocktail Boss
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
4/6/2011 9 photos
Telus Special Restaurant #1
I am glad I can take advantage of the Telus April Specials that offers at Woodlot, where one can order a main and get free appetizer and dessert.
Woodlot does utilized the space really well.. downstairs with the open kitchen has this buzzing and energetic vibes, while it is cozy up in the loft! And with the dim lighting, even your date looks so much more sexier...
Grilled Scallops ($14)
- it was really fresh and have this nice olive oil vinaigrette sauce to round it off...
Grilled Haddock served on couscous($21)
- The fish was pan fried to be crispy outside and the fish was fresh and flaky.. but I think I will try another dish next time..it is good but did not WOW me!
French Onion Soup Veggie Style ($8)
- it is really flavoured.. surprising since it is not made with beef broth... and a taste of sweetness... (you sure it is vegetarian??)
Soma Chocolate pudding ($8)
- love those crunchy toppings... with rich tasting chocolate and a touch of orange puree..
- scrap scrap the jar, lick lick the spoon, smile smile that smile (oh I think I am embarrassing myself in public!!)
Apple Tatin ($8)
- I usually loves apples.. but this not doing anything for me!!
- the apple has this funny texture.. soggy..tasted bitter... and it does not even go well with the gelato...
Great value because of the Telus specials...The food were all nicely prepared, with complex flavour... I would come if Woodlot have special offers again...
I have to say, Woodlot is great to dine with vegetarians...that separate menu is just awesome.. made life easy for everyone!Listed in: A Day in Little Italy!, Places that will make My…
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Review from G M.
Toronto, ON
4/30/2011
What a pretentious, hipster hellhole.
I was out for dinner with two friends last night, looking to try a few different places we'd heard about along College. We didn't have a reservation at Woodlot, but dropped by and saw there was no one waiting in the lineup, so asked to put our names on the list. The hostess told us it would be approximately 45 minutes for a table to come free, but that it might be available earlier and we could leave our phone number and she'd call us when they had a spot. It was early (7:45) so we went for it, left our number and headed around the corner for a drink.
An hour later, we still hadn't heard from them, so I called to ask what was happening with the table. The hostess told me the people at our table were still waiting for their desserts and that it would be another 20 minutes. I started to get frustrated as, to me, there is a big difference in being asked to wait 45 minutes for a table and being told it would be 1 hour 30 min. She told me the 45 minute wait time was "just a quote" and that she couldn't know when the table would be free. I could be wrong, but isn't it the hostess' job to accurately predict when tables will turn over and to manage customers accordingly?
We paid the bill for our cocktails and walked back to Woodlot and just as we arrived, our table (which was in fact the communal, baker's table, which we were never told about) became free.
We were seated at the communal table and promptly given menus and then a server frantically pushed our plates and cutlery into place. She even slid our water glasses across the table to each of us, like she was on the Olympic curling team.
We did not see our server or ask to have our drink orders taken for the first 10 minutes we were seated. I looked at my dinner companions and we decided that, even if it was a spectacular meal, we would probably not be able to judge it fairly after the super rocky start we'd had to our dinner. So, before we placed any orders, we decided to leave and head to the Pomegranate Restaurant down the street, which is a new favourite for me.
I'm sure the Woodlot's food is worth a wait, or a reservation made well in advance, but the impression they left on me with the poor customer service means I won't go back to try it. -
Review from Tonja B.
Toronto, ON
5/1/2011
Despite the stories I've heard about how difficult it can be getting a table and/or reservation, it was a shot in the dark when I walked in to Woodlot this past week (@6:15pm). Success! My lovely dinner date and I were seated immediately. Because we were sans reservation, we opted to sit at the communal table beside the kitchen putting us right in the heart of all that action.
The dinner service was seamless from start to finish. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous, never hesitating to answer any of the monotonous questions we had (FunFact: The starter for the sourdough bread is only 6 months!).
The menu selection from appetizers to dessert is well-rounded; catering to both omnivores and herbivores alike. The lentil salad with seared Hokkaido scallops, prosciutto and pickled cabbage was a great combination of flavour and texture. Equally delicious was the pappardelle pasta with spring lamb and kale lightly coated in a creamy pecorino sauce.
The single hiccup: The strip loin I ordered for my main was served medium to medium-well with an unexpected 'Chicago' style crispness, in spite of my request for an on-the-more-rare-side of medium-rare doneness. Although the server offered to replace it, the steak was still decent and I didn't want to create a fuss. The real surprise came with the bill when I realized our server comped the entire steak! Completely unnecessary as I had eaten most of it!
Honourable Mentions:
- Large communal table to seat drop-in guests = make new friends/network!
- Cherry cola
- Sweet patio area (Approval pending) -
Review from Yvonne T.
If I could hack into Yelp's HTML coding and invent another star, I would definitely give Woodlot 6/5! Nestled in the neighbourhood of Little Italy - the Woodlot Bakery & Restaurant is truly a Toronto gem. Newly opened since November 2010, Woodlot prepares classic dishes with a lot of love, and a whole lot of flavour!
The restaurant itself is reminiscent of a loft, with an open concept kitchen, communal table and bar on the ground floor, and a more proper sit-down dining area on the second floor above.
After thoughtful consideration, debate, and input from the bartender as to what we should choose as our main "the pork chops vs. the pot pie" - and then having the couple next to us chime in unison the pot pie! - we placed our order.
We were served a sour dough and fife bread with a pot of butter. I must say, being quite a bread nazi (i.e. always wanting it served warm), that I preferred the bread at Woodlot unheated. The first reason, is that I find that the sourness is really pronounced in sour dough bread when it is heated. The sour dough bread was crusty on the outside, and soft on the inside. The fife bread was a denser bread, but it was yummy!
We started with the Winter Arugula Salad. The mandolin-thin vegetables absorbed all the flavours of the vinaigrette. There was a speck of anise flavouring which I suspect came from the fennel. This dish brought together a mélange of different flavours and textures. You got the crunchiness from the carrots, fennel, and red cabbage, coupled with the crispness of the pear, the creaminess of the blue cheese, and the extra nuttiness from the walnuts.
The Smoked Ham Hock & Chicken Pot Pie was to die for. I will never eat a frozen, store-bought pot pie again! The chicken and pork just melt in your mouth with slow-cooker goodness. The outside crust was very buttery, and the centre was very creamy. The smoked ham hock added substance and flavourful saltiness to the dish and enhanced an otherwise plain chicken pot pie. The vegetables used in this pie are anything short of ordinary. Rutabaga, Jerusalem artichoke, celery root, and turnip - who wants boring potatoes? It was also seasoned with thyme, rosemary, parsley and chives.
We had also opted for a side of Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter. Definitely no regrets. Gnocchi is usually served in a cream sauce and is very soft, but the Woodlot added a twist by lightly searing it on the outside for an added dimension of texture. It was also dusted lightly with a very mild cheese. The kale chips that accented the dish were nicely salted.
Usually at this point in the evening, if the food has been disappointing, I ask for the bill. Not so fast partner! Because I love a good cappuccino, we ordered the Soma Chocolate Pot de Crème with Hazelnut Praline to polish go with. And boy am I glad we did! The hazelnut praline topping added a nice crunch to complement the underlying smooth crème, and had a hint of citrus flavour. The bit of salt in the praline also did a great job of highlighting the sweetness of the dish. The cappuccino was nice and frothy, and although I usually don't add sugar, it was a little too bitter and sharp for my tastebuds. Once I added a tad bit of sugar, my cappuccino became heaven in a cup!
The Woodlot definitely gets 5 stars in my books. I am starting to think that the conspiracy theory of great dining revolves around the Trinity Bellwoods and Palmerston Village area in Toronto, away from all the overly-hyped, grandiose restaurants in the downtown core.Listed in: The Best of Toronto, Sate a Date, Palmerston, Best Cup of Cappuccino in…
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Review from Robert K.
2/23/2011
Woodlot serves high-end comfort food. The space is rustic and casual, with an open kitchen and huge, wood-burning oven in one corner. The food is well prepared, from excellent ingredients, without ever trying to be exciting.
Nothing that anyone in our group ate was bad. You can go here completely confident that whatever you eat will be solid. It's good, honest, stick-to-your-ribs type food. Idealized home cooking. Pork chops, chicken pot pie, cabbage rolls, onion soup, smoked fish... nothing precious or clever.
The best dish we had was the gnocchi, quickly parboiled and then fried in hot butter to get a crispy, buttery crust on it; flavured with nothing more than the browned butter and a few sage leaves.
Also, vegetables are local, meat is from small suppliers, organic artisanal etc., all that nice food-politics stuff. -
Review from Tanya N.
4/13/2011 3 photos
Came here for the TELUS Taste of Tuesday deal in a group of six (this was the max amount of people they could accommodate).
While we made reservations for 7:30pm we had to wait about 30 minutes for our table so a couple of tables to settle their bills. While waiting Nancy Wilson from CBC News Now left from having her dinner. Guess she planning to watch the debates online afterwards?
Most of the seating is upstairs which overlooks the floor below where the bar, kitchen and what looked like a large communal table. Pretty neat layout.
Coming with a big group of friends has its advantages since we were able to sample each other's dishes.
Apps:
Grilled scallops came with proscuitto on lentils with picked cabbage. Loved it. The scallops were lightly grilled and everything just worked.
Ember grilled hen of wood mushrooms were fantastic. I would get this the next time. It had a great smokey flavour and I love mushrooms.
Baked onion soup was served piping hot with gruyere cheese on top. I thought this was a bit too sweet for my liking. My friend loved it though.
Mains:
Ragu of Snail & Bacon - I got this one since you don't see snails on a menu often. It was a hearty dish with roasted polenta. I thought the snails were well cooked (weren't chewy) but taste wise, it doesn't seem to have a distinct flavour. The bacon came in large chunks so no complaints there. Can't go wrong with bacon. I enjoyed the polenta because it wasn't just mushy - roasting gave it a good crispy texture on the outside.
Duck Confit with Pork Belly on white beans - I would have ordered this hands down if the snails weren't on the menu. The pork belly was delicious - juicy, melt in your mouth delicious. Wish there was more. Duck was good though just a tad dry on certain parts.
Pork Chop - was fantastic. Had a light crispiness around the edges and topped with caramelized apples. While I'm usually not a big fan of mixing fruit with meat, the apples weren't overly sweet so it worked. I was surprised at how good it was.
Desserts:
Lemon Tart - I wished I got this. This was a fairly large tart with a lemon filling with berries. It's topped with a homemade marshmallow that covered the entire tart top. Best dessert on the menu.
Soma Chocolate & Hazelnut Pot de Creme - This was really good. It was like Ferrero Rocher in a cup. Topped with crushed hazelnut and had a slight saltiness to it.
Apple Tatin - didn't like it and my friend left more than half on her plate. It was tart, apples were mushy and just overall wasn't appetizing. It came with burnt honey gelato that none of us really appreciated.
They have a vegetarian menu so vegetarians aren't limited just one or two things on the menu.
Food was great, service was good, free street parking, triple win. Yeah, yeah! -
Review from Tammy Y.
1/14/2011 ROTD 7/26/2011
Perfect location (though it has been described as being a little too off the beaten path, but I think it's juuuuust right).
Perfect atmosphere (San Fran farmhouse meets Tuscan bakery meets NYC buzz).
And almost perfect food (cause I think I've had perfect-er).
I called in on a Monday to make reservations for Thursday, and thank goodness I did because everytime I called after that leading up to our dinner (wanted to change our meal time), it went straight to the machine. When I arrived, I suggested to the hostess, "um, I wonder if one of your phones is off the hook?".
"Nope!", she replied. "I've just been on the phone all day it's been so busy!".
Yeesh, when a restaurant in Toronto is "hot", man, is it ever hot.
Woodlot is definitely hot. Like... Stephen Dorff hot. Nay, like Ted Williams hot.
We were seated upstairs at the edge with a great view of the open kitchen below, and kickstarted with a half litre of our server's recommended white.
Food was slow to come out, but the energy in the 2-storey loft space fuelled conversation that helped the time pass, not to mention the neverending bread basket of their stone-oven baked speciality breads. Mmmmmm......
We started with the Atlantic crab and white bean salad, topped with a swirl of prosciutto. I thought it was tasty, but nothing to be thrilled about. My dining partner, however, enjoyed it much more than I did. Perhaps it was a little too light for my liking - I was waiting for the hearty good stuff!
Mains appeared - I with the smoked chicken and hock ham pie (huge, super deep dish, creamy and packed with root veggies), and my companion enjoyed the whey-fed pork chop. Both dishes were pretty hefty servings, and the flavours were just right. We also ordered a side of bone marrow potato mash. The bone marrow made the mash extremely creamy and light, and was just what we needed to balance out our mains.
Dessert sightings looked delicious, but we were both far too stuffed to go there... ah well! By the time we finished it was 10pm. The place was still packed, not an empty table in the house. No wonder they can afford to be open till midnight for dinner.
Oh, Woodlot, 2011 is going to be a good year for you. -
Review from Jackie P.
Toronto, ON
There's nothing I love more in this world than home made artisan bread. The crumbly golden crust, the uneven crumb, the chewy moist texture and the aged flavor from a starter cared for week after week.
I must give Woodlot a standing ovation for the crafting of their own bread - Coming straight from the chefs hands and hearts and steaming hot out of the stone oven, which stands proud in their restaurant. I am a food snob especially a bread snob, but Woodlot has impressed my palette and stimulated a curiosity for more.
Oh, but Woodlot boast a lot more than a stone oven and hearty loaves - They've got a few more tricks up their sleeves. From the design, ambiance, staff and food, Woodlot is really giving other Toronto restaurants a reason to 'shake in their boots'.
The restaurant is located off of College on Palmerstone in an old car repair shop. Two big garage doors radiate a red glow from their windows and allows you to peak into a busting kitchen and dining room. So many restaurants try to create an ambience but fail in trying to make it something that it's not. Woodlot just...is. It's warm, full of wood and a bustle which creates an inticing, romantic and electric vibe. There's two floors of seating but everything feels like one. A seamless connection of wood and warmth.
Enough about the ambience I know and more about the food. The food, oh so good. Remember I was telling you about the homemade bread, well Woodlot doesn't stop there - everything is made there. All pastas are homemade and they make their own deserts! I'll talk about a few of the dishes, but you need to get in there yourself to try it all.
NOTE: The popularity is really picking up so make sure to make a reservation a week in advance.
As other reviewers have told you, there are two menus: vegetarian and meat. Perfect for me. Dozens of times I've gone to a restaurant and wanted to try a dish but couldn't because there was meat in it. Woodlot will have the same pasta on both menus meat or sans meat.
I ordered:
- the French Onion Soup: Yes, finally a place that makes it without the beef broth. I've tried to master it on my own but failed. Woodlot's version had a fine balance between liquid, cheese and bread but I found it a bit too salty for my likings and would of enjoyed a little more melting off the sides.
- Homemade Parapadelle Pasta with Chantarelle Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions: O NELLY! This was the favourite on the table. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the chantarelles were centre stage with the olive oil playing a beautiful accompaniment. Let's just say the bowl was left empty. I ordered the half portion and it was plenty.
THE DESERT: Yes I'm using capitals because its waranted.
1. They made it in house
2. I've never, ever, ever had anything quite like it in my days of being a sweetaholic.
3. There's marshmallow.
Are you ready for it..........ready.....here it comes....
Lemon custard tart, filled with a mix of berries and topped with a homemade marshmallow, lightly toasted on the top to a caramel glow. OY!
To save you some time I'm going to stop here. Pick up your phone and make a reservation, for the next available time they have. I know I'll be making my next reservation really soon. So happy to see a new restaurant of it's caliber on the college strip. Hopefully it will revitalize the rest of them!
Oh and don't be afraid to ask for another basket of bread! The butter, top shelf! -
Review from Tara E.
3/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Woodlot was good, but to be honest, it wasn't great.
Reservations were made two weeks in advance. The only times that were available for a Friday night were 5pm or 9:15pm. Just a note in case you're thinking about making reservations for this weekend. Good luck!
Here is the thing. The food was ok. But most dishes didn't blow me away. The bread to start, very nice. My french onion soup... fantastic. My dining partner's salad? Lacklustre. My porkchops? Very juicy. Salty, but juicy. My partner's duck cabbage balls. Sorta not that good. Which is disappointing. We had heard a lot about them, but some bites were overpoweringly orange flavoured, while others bites didn't have much flavour at all. We didn't finish them.
So half of the meal was pretty good. Half wasn't so good. The service I should mention, was fantastic.
Really, I'd give this 3.5 stars if possible. I just can't bring myself to give it four stars, although I would go back and give it another chance. -
Review from Anupa M.
Toronto, ON
1/26/2011
I have really great memories of Octapus, the bar that previously occupied Woodlot's current space, so it was nice to be back in the beautiful converted garage.
Confirming reservations, the hostess let me know we had a great table and she was right. On the top tress, overlooking the large communal table below and the kitchen and oven area.
Woodlot's a gorgeous space. It was busy on a Tuesday night, but the servers were all great. Any qualms you have about "hipster" staff is ridiculous. People are people, and tattoos and casual clothing doesn't mean they aren't committed to service with a smile. Everyone was great, recommending menu items, providing more information, clarifying orders to make sure they were just right.
Woodlot's drink menu is great and very reasonably priced. Love the small, sippy glasses that "cocktails" come in. They make their own soda, which is fantastic. I wish I could remember the drink I ordered but it was a dark rum with dark pop and citrus. Woodlot's made-in-house bread is also delicious--the sourdough is perfectly chewy with lots of flavour.
I'd been dying to try the venison pie that I'd heard so much about, but it wasn't on the menu last night. Because we wanted to try so many things, we decided to share entrees. We ordered: the Chicken and Hamhock pie, Papardelle with Wild Boar Ragu, Halibut Gratin, Creamed Greens and Potato and Bone Marrow Puree.
Everything was insanely good. The pastry on the pie is to die for. My personal favourites were the papardelle and the greens. Each was so flavourful. The boar was perfectly cooked, tender and really robust. We decided we could've ordered something else instead of the halibut, which while tasty wasn't that memorable. Should've gotten the cabbage rolls! We also ordered a half litre of red wine with dinner, though I didn't order it so I don't remember which one it was.
For dessert we tore apart the lemon tart with marshmallow topping. I have an unhealthy obsession with lemon curd. It's totally enough for two people to share.
Three cocktails, all of this food, plus an espresso, came to a total of $160 with tip for three people. Great pricing, great value, great service. This is the kind of restaurant I love to go to in NYC--unpretentious, relaxed, with fantastic food--that Toronto's been missing. -
Review from Jordan T.
Toronto, ON
1/19/2011
As many of the previous reviewers have mentioned, the space itself is pretty cool, with the majority of the seating on the second floor overlooking the first. The kitchen and huge woodburning oven are also completely exposed and when you're sitting on the top floor you can see everything that's going on. This is a pretty cool vantage point because the chefs/cooks are really moving fast and in a pretty tight space. Makes you respect what they do (for peanuts I'm told) even more. They also play really good music (it's not too loud, but a lot of good tracks).
I tried the french onion soup (they call it something else, but it's obvious what you are going to get), the potato and whitefish salad, the pork and the duck filled cabbage rolls and the winter greens and potatoes gratin.
Everything was good, but in particular the soup, cabbage rolls and potatoes gratin. The soup was like a normal french onion, but the broth was not as overpowering and the cheese actually broke up nicely on your spoon rather than clumping into one huge cheese mound. The cabbage rolls were incredible. They don't look like Polish cabbage rolls, but almost like large brussel sports filled with rice and duck. The potatoes gratin are kind of like scalloped potatoes on steroids and taste amazing. The portions are big, so I would avoid the temptation of going for three courses.
Finally, as Kent P. mentioned, the space used to be Octopus Lounge a few years back. If you ever went to Octopus Lounge (which I unfortunately did) it's worth a visit just to see what they have done with the place.Listed in: Places to Visit Again and…
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Review from Melinda M.
Toronto, ON
12/13/2010 ROTD 2/16/2011
We went on Friday night and everything was perfection. Granted, we were fortunate to be seated at the best table in the house, up on the balcony, with a view of the open kitchen and very cool wood-burning oven.
The service was great. Never needed a refill, everyone was very attentive.
Do not be intimidated by the hipness of the staff! Yes, they are ridiculously hip and pretty young too. The bartender, who came upstairs to talk to us about the after-dinner drink options, looked like a member of Broken Social Scene, but he knew his way around a cocktail list too.
The food was amazing. Very hearty, country food, and large portions too. We shared everything, and there were 4 of us and we ordered a lot. I recommend the homemade pasta, the venison pie, lamb tart, and the bread is amazing. They bake it there.
This place is already super popular, and deservedly so. Recommend. -
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
1/21/2011
Ladies and gentleman, the rumours are true: Woodlot will rock you.
From the moment you enter the gorgeous and unique space to the moment you leave, you will be having a great time. Homeruns on the venue, the food, the service and my awesome company! :)
Started with a bottle of red wine (something French) and the famous bread basket. While I'm no pro-wine-master, it was delicious. The bread was wonderful too! Chewy, fresh and perfect with little jar of butter. Ah, what a way to begin.
Afterwards, came some apps of the French onion soup and pappardelle with boar ragout. The soup came piping hot with a hearty broth, ample onions below the bubbling cheese all over the top. Not to be forgotten are the surprises of rye bread! The pasta? Also perfect. Who knew that after just one dish, boar would be my new favourite meat? It was a great sauce for some seriously well-cooked pasta.
The show stopper to me was: dinner. My dinner. A few tastes of the chicken pot pie were excellent, don't get me wrong, but my steak was the bomb. Standing tall at 12 oz. this big boy, medium rare, was juicy, sliced and fanned to please both my mouth AND my eyes. If you haven't guessed, the food style at this place is something like: old classics- done fancy. So naturally there were some scalloped potatoes alongside- but not just any scalloped potatoes! These were shaped into an artful, rectangular brick. No surprise, they were crispy where they needed to be and soft where the needed to be.
As if this dinner was not success enough, next came dessert. Lemon tart with blueberries and a homemade marshmallow top. To attack this delight, I suggest you spear your spoon from the top and swing it down in one smooth motion. This way you get the crust, the blueberries and the marshmallow all in one bite. This dessert doesn't need any other little garnishes or squirts of syrups all over the plate. It stands alone because it can!
What else to say? Our server was a Blake Lively look-a-like who was ever-attentive and great. She got mildly flustered towards the end of the night but who wouldn't with such a packed house? Props. I can see why people are flocking to Woodlot. I'll suggest it to people, even bring my half meat eating, half vegetarian family!Listed in: 5 Star Toronto******
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Review from Kent P.
Woodlot opened this weekend, and I had heard good things.
Most restaurants aren't ready / up to snuff in the first few weeks, let alone the first few days. Three of my most finely refined food lovers and I all left overly stuffed and totally satisfied.
Space: From the outside, looks like it used to be a shitty old garage (was the Octopus lounge or something). Inside, it's two floors, an open concept kitchen and bar (hint: go upstairs for a the best view of the oven), with a lot of wood (which makes sense).
Menu: There are two. One for the meat loving crowd, one for the vegetable loving crowd. Important to note: Most veg options at restaurants are like...a shitty mushroom risotto. Not here. There was housemade pastas, roasted chestnut stuffed cabbage rolls, french onion soup with caramelized onions, brussel sprouts doused in butter- it was an entire menu of local/organic produce.
The meat menu: So hard to pick something. The portions were huge...so don't feel necessarily cheap for not ordering a starting/middle plate. Maybe get a few to share for the table....but if you can get through all three courses....you're a champ.
There's a bunch of pictures we took so you can see what's what- but I had the venison pie (filled with gravy and root veg). The pastry on top of it was...wicked (FROM OMG NO LESS http://www.yelp.ca/biz...). The giant bone in the middle was very esthetically pleasing/sort of sexual. To accompany I had an order of bone marrow/potato puree which was basically a really creamy mashed potato. Nothing too wild there.
The cabbage rolls stuffed with roasted chestnuts and barley were incredibly flavorful- ordering veg is not a step down here.
For dessert we tried the chocolaty cake and cream (which left something to be desired...whether that be making the cream hot, or making the cake a little less dense) and maybe one of the best deserts I've ever had... a lemon tart with wild blueberries and a house-made marshmallow on top. It was like heaven in a tart.
As soon as the meal started, I vowed to go back tomorrow... but after such a giant meal- I'm going to have to recover / work off about 800 calories.
Staff / Chef were all very attentive, giving advice on pairing, suggesting their favorites, and advising on wait times (the pastry on the venison takes an extra 20 min). They were all very attractive also, which always boosts up the experience.
WOW.
GREAT JOB, WOODLOT.
five out of five pats
PATPATPATPATPAT
ttyn,
-PAT. -
Review from Jenna L.
Toronto, ON
6/27/2011
Absolutely beautiful, positively delicious!
I had called for reservations about two weeks ago for a reservation for Thursday, June 23rd and was put on a cancellation list and received a phone call on Wednesday saying that there was in fact a cancellation and they have room for our table of 5 at 7:30.
The appearance of Woodlot from the outside does not to this fabulous restaurant justice. As my four girlfriends and I were walking up, they asked "Jen, where are you taking us"!?
But then everything changed.
The aroma of the wood stove fills your senses as soon as you reach the front door. We were greeted with a huge welcoming smile and promptly shown to our table which was on the second level. Our waitress came over shortly after we were seated, introduced herself, and took our drink orders. She was so knowledgeable about every single item on the menu, she could even name where they grew the grains for their pasta.
Our whole table had the French Onion soup, which is vegetarian even if it is chosen off of the "non-vegetarian" menu. A definitely must-order if you visit this restaurant! The broth is nice and rich (but not too rich!) and you can taste the quality of the cheese, croutons and onions. Our waitress advised us to order our entrees early, as the chefs like the food (especially meat dishes) to simmer in the herbs and juices.
My girlfriend and I were outside having a mid-dinner smoke (bad habit, i know) and the busboy came downstairs to let us know that our food was on the table but there was "no rush" he just wanted to give us the heads up. How awesome is that?? I have never ever had customer service like that before.
Our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and paced our meal and drinks so very well. The meals did take quite a while, but that would be my only single complaint. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was rustic and cottage-like, very comfortable.
I was shocked to read the reviews about "hipsters". Yes, the servers and hosts are stylish, but they are so nice and so welcoming. We were also sitting by two families, who weren't exactly hipsters either...
Great experience Woodlot, thank you!! -
Review from Ashley C.
Milton, ON
5/23/2011
Perfect rustic food in a perfect rustic setting. Getting a reservation was no mean feat, but I'm so glad I was able to experience Woodlot.
I started with a rum and dark pop - dark pop being the cola Woodlot makes in house (they also do a white pop). It's made with cane sugar and full of tasty botanicals, like Coca-Cola or Pepsi in the 1800s remixed with root beer. Delicious!
My favourite dish was the scallops, but I also enjoyed the rich and salty onion soup. The duck confit over white beans had a very homemade feel, but the accompanying pork belly was what stood out.
For dessert I had the lemon tart with blueberries hidden underneath. A layer of roasted marshmallow on top hit the perfect campfire note, although it was an odd juxtaposition with the rest of the tart.
All dishes seemed crafted with care, and my only complaint was the unnecessarily separate vegetarian menu. -
Review from Liora I.
Toronto, ON
1/16/2011
Amazing! We took a 5:30 reservation a week in advance because that's all they had left, but we were determined to eat here and glad we took the time to plan in advance!
Upon first entering we were impressed by the warmth and the spaciousness... oh and, the super high ceilings and enormous wood oven. The kitchen is open, the bar is tucked away and the dining room is perched up top a loft looking over a cabin-meets-industrial-workshop-type space.
My party of five sampled the French onion soup, a crab salad served with deliciously salty prosciutto and smoked whitefish for our apps. I was the rebel amongst a table that was all seduced by the chicken potpie -- instead I ordered the haddock served on top a pile of israeli couscous. My only complaint is the dining room was so dark I will maybe never know what made that couscous so yummy... it was something crunchy... maybe?
We sampled all the desserts (this is of course the best reason of all to invite lots of friends) and I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite.
It was perfectly winterlicious! The warm environment and hearty home-cooked food made for a far more special evening than expected. I'm looking forward to stopping in during the day and sampling their baked goods!Listed in: Dinner dates
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Review from Heather M.
12/14/2010
Wowza. Is there such thing as a 6 star rating called "I've died and gone to food heaven"? Because this is it. Hands down the best restaurant in Toronto.
I like how they have divided up the carnivore and vegetarian options into two menus - it makes things really easy.
I went here with a bunch of coworkers and ordered only the vegetarian dishes (we had a couple veggie and vegan people in the group) and was not disappointed in any way. The chef, whose name I think was David, was also super accommodating to the vegan in our group and changed up the dishes specifically for him. Super considerate! And this was not to the detriment to anyone else in the group, as it usually is - everything was super delicious.
Usage of some really fresh ingredients and excellent flavours. We had the cabbage rolls (great!), potato gnocchi (perfect), mushroom tart (crust was out of this world), chanterelle lasagna (is there such word as yumtastic? There is now.), root vegetables (carrots, turnips, etc. doused in butter... you can't really go wrong.), sides of fingerling potatoes and brussels sprouts (these were not too exciting, but then again they were sides.). Accompanied by a glass of the Syrah and finished off with the super fresh apple tatin. A perfect meal!!
We sat at the big table to the left of the kitchen, and the layout of the restaurant is such that you're pretty much sitting in the kitchen. Which is kind of cool, because you can see what is going on and also ogle the merchandise coming out of the wood burning stove. This is a bit dangerous because everything coming out of the oven looks yummy and you end up ordering it all.
The chef was also super nice and kept popping by to explain things to us - super friendly and he even popped by with a plate of SOMA chocolate chunks for us to eat. The staff here are all very young, which is unusual in restaurants, but all were well versed and trendy but without being pretentious in the slightest (as you might see at restaurants like Terroni.). Also, a tremendous sense of pride in the work they do, which I find extremely important!
Prices are not too bad - I think the most expensive entree I saw was $30. I'm curious to try the cocktails next time I'm here (a cider and vodka drink looked interesting on the menu!)
I would come here again in a heartbeat, but good luck getting reservations. YUM! -
Review from Renay R.
Toronto, ON
6/10/2011
I went here last night. I liked it, but not quite as much as I thought I would when reading some of the reviews.
I started with the rum and dark pop - meh, no big deal for me and I found the glasses ridiculously small. I switched to wine after and I found the server's advice was really good on that.
I had the pork chop with roasted radishes as my side. The radishes were really good as it was something I wouldn't normally have ordered / eaten - was a good surprise. The pork chop was good but when I was eating it I thought perhpas I would have enjoyed it more in the fall / winter - not really a summer dish (but that was my fault for ordering it)
I had the lemon marshmallow tart based soley on the picture posted previously on this site. I liked it, but again, not as much as I thought I would.
All in all, it was a positive experience - I found the service to be really good, I liked the relaxed vibe and the wood burning oven was cool. -
Review from Christine E.
Toronto, ON
5/24/2011
The hype has made it difficult to not be slightly disappointed, so my advice when dining at Woodlot is to lower your expectations (or just not pay attention to the hype) and then be pleasantly surprised.
Our table was upstairs in the dining room, which others have described as unpretentious but which I found stuffy and uncomfortable. It looked a lot like an Italian restaurant that was trying for "minimalist" but missed the mark. In fact, much of Woodlot's decor and food seems to have overshot on what it means to be "rustic" and "unpretentious" - both the space and the food occasionally go too far, and become just sort of spartan and joyless.
I felt jealous of the people downstairs when I'd head to the bathroom. Sitting at the long, shared baker's table near the kitchen or sitting at the bar may not sound romantic, but it looked more fun and friendly than the staid dining room, which made me feel like I was on an awkward first date.
I love the fact that Woodlot has a solid, standalone vegetarian menu. The service was also very attentive and friendly, and our food arrived quickly. The food was good - and some bits of it were very good - but it certainly wasn't perfect, delicious, or even particularly memorable.
The French onion soup was fine. It did what a French onion soup was supposed to do. My duck and pork belly was certainly "rustic", by which I mean "kind of ugly and mysteriously greyish." I understand that Woodlot is trying to get away from all the rectangular plates, sugar-dusting, squiggles of sauce, and foam reductions that have turned so much of modern dining into a misery, but simplicity demands perfection - or at least slightly more effort than was evinced by my experience. My duck was bland, and the (nicely seasoned) beans - on which the duck and pork belly were served - were overcooked. The pork belly was delicious and perfectly cooked, but the tiny, stingy portion of it was stupid. It floated around on this huge sea of beans and was dwarfed by the duck leg - half the size of a credit card.
My friend ordered the trout, which was tasteless, watery, and served on a plate of vegetables that also tasted pretty much of nothing. We ordered a side of gnocchi that would've been lovely had their delicate seasoning not been spoiled by greasiness. They were also just kind of thrown into a bowl, and looked limp and soggy.
We were pretty full and opted to split a dessert. The lemon tart topped with blueberry and marshmallow tasted excellent, although we had to hack through the crust like woodsmen (so rustic). The lemon tart arrived, lonely and naked, sliding around on a white plate. Again, I get the whole "rustic simplicity" schtick, but it loses its charm when the food you're eating looks like the leftovers you'd eat at home. This style of "comfort food, done expertly" is meant to make you feel warm and cosy while reconsidering old classics, but either Woodlot hasn't quite got its ethos together yet, or we happened to be there on a particularly mediocre menu night.
Overall, Woodlot isn't bad, but it couldn't live up to the hype for me. I had a choice between Woodlot and Splendido that particular night, and now wish I'd gone with Splendido.
I wouldn't make reservations again, although I'd tag along if someone else did and they needed a dinner date. I wouldn't mind giving some of Woodlot's other menu offerings a try, but, given that there are so many other restaurants to choose from, I doubt that I'll have the time or the proclivity to return. -
Review from Doris L.
Toronto, ON
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
The atmosphere is different depend where you sit. You can sit at the bar, the communal table, or the formal dining area.
My bf and I opted for the bar, we wanted a quick bite before heading to a concert. The staff was attentive, but the food took about 45 minutes! The pork main with apples was plated on a small cutting board by the taste was not that memorable. I had the tagliatelle with pea and mint, it was nice, something different I don't usually order. The side roasted turnips were good. The radishes seemed like it was trying too hard with seasoning, it wasn't that great.
I would go back to give it another shot or try their bakery side of the menu. Not somewhere I really want to go back to right away. Just a good option if I needed a change of scenery. -
Review from Kimberly J.
7/5/2011
First, the atmosphere: pretty nice. We had reservations to sit in the loft, but from what I have gathered, the large table downstairs is first come, first serve. The table downstairs is right next to the open kitchen area, in hindsight it might have been fun to watch the kitchen from that seating area.
The service was ok. If yelp allowed half stars, I would knock this review down a half star for it. Our server made our questions feel a little unwelcome.
Example:
Me: "What is the difference between the two lagers on the menu?"
Her: [flatly] "We have four lagers."
Ok, so ask me which two I am referring to or just describe all four.
Example 2:
Me: "Is there any cheese in the beans?"
Her: [again, flatly] "There is cream."
Ok, well that still doesn't answer my question.
The last thing I ever want is to go to a dining establishment for a special occasion and have the server treat me like I am a nuisance.
We ordered the trip tip with shallots and sherry, a maple tofu dish served on white beans with preserved lemon and spinach, and a side of rapini. The tri tip was cooked to our liking, the rapini was ok, the tofu was weird. It was maple glazed and stuffed with prunes and walnuts (I think). Seperately, I think this tofu dish would have been ok, but then it was served on the beans... it did not work together. I was hesitant when I saw the dish on the menu, but tried to step out of my comfort zone and trust the chef's judgement. Mistake, it just didn't work on this dish.
I read several reviews on here before making the reservation. It sounded like most people left a bit let down and were not wow-ed as much as they were expecting. That was pretty much true for me, as well. I think I was lured by the two menus. Lesson learned, listen to your fellow yelpers. :) -
Review from Michelle A.
Toronto, ON
The vegetarian menu at Woodlot is amazing - it's a completely separate menu witha few pastas, like red fife papardelle pasta, a chantrelle mushroom lasagna with ricotta, gnocchi; and then a few different vegetarian dishes like roasted tofu with baked beans; tempeh pot pie with root vegetables; chestnut cabbage rolls, and more! I got the cabbage rolls, and they were very flavourful and delicious. All of their ingredients are organic and locally-sourced, and everything is cooked in a wood-burning oven. The portions are huge; so I recommmend going easy on the homemade bread and butter (yes they make their own butter).
Despite being a chocolate fan, I'd suggest skipping the chocolate cake - it's pretty basic, with nuts and cream sauce. However, the lemon tart with roasted marshmallow topping and blueberrry/custard is incredible - save room.
Great/friendly service. Lovely, casual ambience.
Mains are around $18.Listed in: Very vegetarian-friendly…, Best meals in T.O.
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Review from The Vong Choice I.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
It was cold and wintery night outside but arriving at Woodlot with the enormous stone oven all fired up made it perfectly cozy, and worth the snowy trek. And the additional bonus of hot cocktail (hot apple cider with Wyborovka vodka) in hand waiting for our table made it even better. As a note - I made reservations 2 weeks ago to ensure we had an ideal time of 8pm for dinner and that said, we waited for another half an hour but over cocktails, catch up and people watching, it was fine.
The bread and the dessert were the most memorable things about dinner. Dessert b/c of their house made marshmallow topped on a lemon curd .. mmm. Bread b/c some other restaurants in Toronto swear by it. It's crusty and home made! -
Review from Johnny L.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2011
We checked this place out not long after they opened and were surprised to get a seat after all the rave reviews they were getting. It was cold and snowing outside but the massive oven was fired up and pumping out heat. It was so cozy, we didn't want to leave. As sad as I was to see the Octopus Lounge go, these guys have a good thing going. I wonder, though, what happened to the curvy wooded wall that used to be in Octopus?
We were seated at the bar counter next to the front door. It's a weird spot but we could check out what was happening in the kitchen - which was plenty. The back corner of the kitchen is filled with a mammoth wood fired oven that's in constant use, though apparently never for pizza.
The menus and the wine list are very well written. Our server indicated that their bread guy was the author. After tasting his amazing bread, now I want to meet him. I've got some questions about my own sourdough experiments. There are actually two menus: one for vegetarians and one for the normal folks. I discarded the vegetarian one and homed in on the goods: venison pie! Our server tried to warn me that it would be too much, especially after having bread, starters and sides. Undaunted, I ordered it anyway. It was huge! There was an enormous bone sticking out of it! The couple next to us were starting to look scared. Needless to say, I killed it and it was absolutely delicious! The Lady liked her stuff, too, though I can't tell you what she had.
Woodlot is a really great place. It's inviting, has nice decor and great service. The food is tremendously comforting and a phenomenal value. They should start selling their bread on the side, too.
If they weren't so busy, I'd be going back very soon. Unfortunately, every time I call for a reservation, they are now fully booked up. -
Review from Brian S.
Toronto, ON
12/11/2010
I've been hearing about this place for a while, and when you hear such good things you expectations rise. Well Woodlot didn't disappoint; not one bit.
Everything from the bread, which we had actually tried before at Brockton General, to the dessert, a salty/sweet chocolate mousse was excellent. The portion sizes were generous, and the flavour and freshness of everything was far better than I even thought, even though the expectations were high.
All the food was very winter oriented, and given that it's winter, it fit very well. In the summer, we'll assume (and hope) that the meals become a little lighter and we'll get to enjoy the food in those months too.
Defintely go check this place out!
