Evaluated by Eye Magazine as ‘outstanding’, but getting mixed reviews from Toronto Life who finally rated it one of Toronto’s Best New Restaurants in 2007, Quince falls into the category of a must-try – a Mediterranean-inspired bistro with reasonable prices and a reputation for fresh, innovative flavours. The founders of Quince are Jennifer Gittins and Michael van den Winkel, a husband and wife formerly known from the acclaimed Stork on the Roof. Their new place, started in fall of 2006, is located just a few blocks south of the busy intersection at Yonge and Eglinton.
Quince is surrounded by a cosy patio graced with teak furniture and a plenty of bright-coloured cushions, but still placed right across the street from the abandoned hulk where an ill-famed nudie bar called Cheaters was once placed. Two doors down, next to the famous restaurant Coquine, a neon sign proclaims “Adult Video & Novelties”, a bit of a shocker in a neighbourhood touted for its thriving business district and family-friendly parks. But if you can remember, at least in the recent 25 years, this part of Yonge Street between Eglinton and Davisville has always hosted a wide selection of stores. Clothing shops, bead and paper stores, home decor, but also adult venues – all this can be found around here.
Just at the door at Quince’s, we are kindly greeted by a hostess and offered a spot near the bar on one of the low, cushioned banquettes. Even though it’s a Saturday evening and we are in this busy neighbourhood, we can still choose a table, pleading excessive height. “What’s downstairs?” I ask. We get a reply from our hostess: “Oh, that’s our private dining room.” It is available for lunches and dinners and it has its own bar and lounge, all nicely decorated (although the tile floor will tell you it’s located in the basement). It’s off limits to couples tonight; the place is booked for corporate or private groups of diners up to 40 people and cocktail receptions of up to 70 people, where recommended menus are paired with matching wines so that all the details are taken care of.
Our waiter is coming with a short list of specials, just a moment after we have chosen our table. I want to say a short list of specials consisting of a long explanation of ingredients and preparation methods, and how the meals go together. We can see that the waiter is apparently an expert, he doesn’t even need to refer to his notebook as he describes us what is garnish vs. a side dish. The waiter could be best described as neat, friendly and efficient. Left alone to ponder if a whole sea bream (“Most people take a side with it, it’s just the fish,” our waiter warns me apologetically) is a good idea, we take a look around. The space of the dining room is airy and seemingly large, while smart lighting enhances its depth while adding a pleasant warmth and maintaining at least some level of intimacy. The volume level is very comfortable too – inspite almost all the tables around us being full, we can easily hear each other and the background music (think D’Angelo and Stevie Wonder). The interior is decorated with modern art in earthy colours, gracing the loft-style brick walls and adding balance to the exposed ductwork, painted in chocolate brown to ease off all traces of sterility. Voyeurs will appreciate the semi-open kitchen, offering a glimpse of the wood-fired oven behind the bar. If you want to read the rest of our review, see the full Quince restaurant review.