21 Photos
Features
- Nkongua: Yes
- Table Service: Yes
- Mmubuafo Akongua A Wotumi Kɔ Hɔ: Yes
Contact & Hours
169 Niagara St, Toronto, Ontario M5V 1C9 Canada
Opening Hours
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Sunday: 12:00-16:00
18:00-23:00
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 18:00-23:00
- Thursday: 18:00-23:00
- Friday: 18:00-23:00
- Saturday: 18:00-23:00
Nearby Attractions
Reviews (173)
One of the finest in the country!
Simply the best! Service was extraordinary, as was the Sommelier , as was the food. Five star all the way!
The highlight of my stay in Toronto
We were fortunate to get a booking at the last minute, and I am so glad we did. The dishes were amazing, served by one of the nicest waiters I have ever come across, and it is an experience I will not forget.
Utterly Overrated
Had an incredibly disappointing lunch at Edulis on Sunday, July 14. Was hesitating on whether or not to actually post -- did I just not understand what I was being served? But I'll let you be the judge. My friend and I arrived at 12pm, didn't get out until 3:30pm (we'd have probably been there til nearly 4 if I didn't get the dessert rushed out so we could get out of there). I understand relaxed service (I was at Per Se recently, spent less than three hours there for around double the courses), but we spent the majority of the time at the restaurant waiting (we waited nearly half an hour in between the tomato course and the water buffalo fresco). We noticed that we'd been synced to two other services of two guests each. One of these two tables arrived an hour after we did -- were we slowed down to make food prep easier or something? It can't have been a cooking time issue, so much of it was just plating stuff. The food as a whole was very underwhelming. It's not to say it was bad, but as a restaurant that's held the mantle of 7th, 8th, and 10th best Restaurant in Canada for the past few years I have to raise the bar a little bit. Just as I wouldn't judge an AYCE sushi place about whether or not it's as good as Shoushin / Zen / etc, I can't use a low bar to judge a restaurant that's supposed to be one of the best. Not one dish was mind blowing, and in fact everything seemed quite pedestrian. It honestly felt like there was no thought whatsoever in trying to actually do anything special, some of these presentations are atrocious (ie. the frittata...) There were also basic mistakes like the fried porcinis not being properly salted... If this place is actually even top 10 in Canada we're in a lot of trouble. But I feel like it'd be easy to find 10 places that are better than it just in Toronto / GTA. It just sucks that a tourist might come here, eat this, and think it's among the best Canada has to offer. My friend and I were wondering by the end if the chef got really sick that day or something and someone else was cooking since the experience seems so different from what others have written about. Based on this meal, we were completely dumbfounded as to how Edulis found its way onto any " best of " lists this year. Perhaps it was an off day, but once again... is a restaurant of this supposed calibre allowed to have so many missteps? It really really sucks as I was looking forward to eating here a lot after seeing wonderful pictures of previous meals... what on earth happened?! Rating: 20 / 100. It'd be less, but at least service was friendly and trying her best. I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but as a restaurateur there are no off days, sometimes you only get one chance to make an impression, so it's always gotta be A-Game. And if anyone tries to tell me that was their A game... well, then that's a bigger problem.
Loved it!!
Perfect for a celebration. Loved the small, intimate atmosphere. Food was divine and service was great. It's so rare to have a meal in a restaurant where' you don't feel rushed and you can stay for as many courses and drinks as you'd like!
A must
We celebrated my b'day in Toronto this year and ate at Edulis which was an excellent choice Food:delicious, mostly local, seasonal, imaginative Service:attentive, professional and friendly Nice touch : the free glass of cava to celebrate P. S. the rhum cake served at the end was so yummy....
Not quite as wonderful as expected
If you arrive before the restaurant opens at six, there are chairs, tables and lots of flowering plants out front. Lovely! It's a tasting menu only, which is a big plus for us. The arrival of our seven courses could have been timed a bit better. A couple of courses in the middle of the meal were underwhelming. The desserts were excellent. Service was very good indeed. Our enjoyment was significantly diminished by a table of shrieking young woman directly behind us.
Michelin Star worthy
We had the most wonderful birthday dinner at Edulis. We have lived in France and been to many Michelin 3 Star restaurants. The cuisine at Edulis is worthy of a 3 Star rating. Every course (we had 7j was delicious and beautifully presented. The service was also impeccable, friendly and attentive without being overwhelming. Can't wait to return.
If I had a dream of a perfect dining experience
We have been going to Edulis only about once a year for special occasions, but they make us feel like regulars. We were warmly greeted and seated, treated to some Cava. The service was so warm and friendly, it felt like the ultimate dinner. Not only was the service exceptional, each course of the 7 course tasting menu was a delightful surprise. Complex flavours very well executed. This is excellence. Edulis is a treasure and and a gift to us who live in Toronto.
Fun experience
We had a great dinner in this quaint little restaurant. Our server was fantastic and the food was excellent. We had the five course meal and found that it was plenty of food. It is also very reasonable for a multi-course fine dining establishment. This is the type of place you want to have in any city. We were only in Toronto for a few days and I did extensive research to find the best places in town. This is one I came up with and I'm glad I did. We would definitely go again.
Delicious tasting menu
I've been wanting to go here for a while, but it is hard to get a reservation. We ended up getting a last minute one for a wed night. The place is great, atmosphere amazing and the service stunning. The food was very tasty and the ambience was very nice. We did the five courses and added a cheese course. This was one of my favourite dinners in Toronto so far. Would absolutely recommend it. The menu is great and you have to trust the restaurant because they don't tell you want you get, you just pick how many courses and then they serve you! The dinner is extremely well priced. I have been to tasting menus where I've payed a lot more and gotten a lot less. I will absolutely be back and would wholeheartedly recommend this place if you are in Toronto.
7 course dinner
The olive and cube bread good, the menu mainly seafood but indistinguishable from each other, a bite of this and that, the last entre was hodgepodge of guinea fowl, foiegras, sweetbread- tiny piece of each over cooked and cold. The desert was rhubarb sorbet delicious which was the best part of the whole meal. Followed by rum baba - a big piece of pound cake a rum syrup- and Chantilly cream just ok bit overpowered by a spice perhaps nutmeg?
Dinner was excellent
The food was wonderful - all seven courses. One issue though. While we appreciate not feeling rushed, the service was definitely too slow in spots. Shouldn't have to wait 40 minutes for a cheese plate. That said, we look forward to going back.
First Tasting Menu Experience, 4.5*!
It's nearly impossible to find an open date using their online reservation so be patient, lol. The other option is to email directly and hopefully they'll be able to make the tables work on your night instead of relying solely on the system. Was quite excited to dine here after finally secure a spot as I know they've been ranked consistently high on multiple 'top restaurant' lists in Toronto / Canada. Definitely tasty, but lacked that 'mind-blown' factor. ATMOSPHERE / LOCATION: Tucked discreetly in a relatively quiet downtown neighbourhood - it can be easy to miss! Once inside, it's dim, cozy, and oozes romance with candlelit tables all over. Great spot for a special date. SERVICE: Our primary server was Philip and I highly recommend him! You can tell he's very passionate about the food and the story of how it ties with the owners. He explains each dish in detail. He's also attentive, welcoming, and friendly. Superb service! FOOD: Aside from ordering the 7-course tasting, we also tried their Jamon Iberico from 2011 which was a good experience. The portion was a big plate and I would have liked an option to have less at a lower price point. Being such a rarity - was told there were only 88 in the world for that year - I'm glad I tried it, but wasn't blown away. The tastings were primarily seafood oriented with several fish. First time trying the John Dory fish and it was phenomenally delicious - favourite dish of the tastings. Don't want to put too many spoilers but their golden peach dessert was also excellent. Everything else was good too, but left an overly salty mouth feel. VALUE: Don't have any other tasting menus to compare it with but seems fair. The add-ons are pricey so was hesitant to order more as I was scared it'd be one or two expensive bites! Overall, delicious but not quite memorable enough to come rushing back.
Homey
A very nice restaurant. Rather small, intimate interior, you can even say romantic. They do tasting menus only and I believe the menus change often. The shorter one we went for had 5 courses, but we got an extra dessert to share - the rum baba (speciality of the house) so the amount of food was quite substantial. Wine list is mostly European with a particular emphasis on France. It is not very extensive, but adequate. The best way to describe the food would be to think what a top chef would serve at home to his / her quests. These are not overly complex or showy dishes, but it is easy to see they require talent and a very good understating of the ingredients. Bread was delicious, service friendly and competent. I would perhaps join other reviewers in requesting that they provide guests with a copy of the menu served. It would be easier to recall some dishes, especially that many are definitely worth it.
great service, great food
Each course was beautifully plated and celebrated local produce that was in season. The tastes were varied and awakened the senses in my palate. Great service.
It's not just the food that takes this place over the top, the wait staff are superb too
Aside from choosing what to drink, life is simple at Edulis. You've got just the five or seven course tasters menus, and food choices aren't required. The chef does that for you. And what a chef this one is. Your sample dishes could be anything from lobster, to duck, to Arctic char, to tuna tartar... Dessert wound up being Baba Au Rhum and Chantilly cream. There were two of us. We got one big piece of cake on a dish which was accompanied by a vessel of the rhum concoction and another one with the chantilly cream. The Tempranillo we chose, 'Flor de Baco' went well with each of the foods. Oh, and if the 'sample' word causes you to think you might leave the place hungry, forget about it. That won't happen. We can't wait to go back.
There are other better tasting menus out there
For our birthdays this year, we celebrated extravagantly with a tasting menu at Edulis. A 5-course tasting menu is currently priced at $65 while a 7-course tasting menu is currently priced at $85. We made our reservations a month in advance. When we arrived, I was surprised to find that Edulis was situated in a small residence-like shop. Its storefront was gorgeous with a small patio and beautiful colourful flowers. Inside, I was further surprised to find that the entire restaurant was very dimly lit and actually didn't have a lot of tables for seating. We were served " filtered Q " water with a charge of $2 per person. The menu stated, " Thank you for not using your cell phone at the table. " Edulis's tasting menus are based around seafood, vegetables, and wild mushrooms, which is quite different than other tasting menus which involve meat. The cuisine is Mediterranean and Spanish-influenced. We started off with a bread served with a tomato paste, filtered butter, and a skewer of bread and anchovy-stuffed olive. One thing that I didn't like is that because their lighting was so dim (candlelight only), you could barely see what you were eating (never mind wanting to take a nice photo to commemorate the meal). All of the other tasting menus that I have experienced before have had natural or white lighting so that you could see and admire the workmanship that was put into each individual dish. I hope this is something that Edulis can consider changing in the future. Food also tastes better when you can see it clearly and enjoy the visual aesthetics of it. I love seeing how each ingredient is put together on the dish and it's a shame that we weren't able to do this (especially when it's a tasting menu that's pricier than eating out at regular restaurants, I really wanted to maximize my experience). Anyway, the bread was quite good. It was soft and had a good texture. The tomato paste was very fresh. The butter was smooth and rich. We were told to eat the skewer of bread and stuffed olive together in one bite. The 1st course we received was a cold dish of New Zealand garoupa. It was fresh and pretty good. The 2nd course was a scallop on a shell. This was fresh and the herbs gave it a very strong aroma. Since the scallop was cooked on the shell, it took some digging with the spoon to get it off the shell. After every course, our plates were cleared and our old cutlery were replaced with new ones. The 3rd was a Nova Scotia lobster prepared with Saskatchewan mushroom and Ontario grits. This smelled amazing. I was so enthralled especially because the flavours marinated so well together. The bisque was like a foam covering the ingredients. This was delicious. The 4th course was a slightly smoked salmon from B. C. (I love that all the dishes up used products from different provinces in Canada). The " slightly " smoked part of this salmon was indeed true. The 5th course was a hake fish and clam. The hake fish came out in flakes and tasted good. The clam was sizable and also had to be dug out from its shell. I was surprised with the portion of this dish. It seemed that the courses were getting bigger. The sixth course was a slow growing Ontario chicken. By this point, we were getting full and I couldn't believe this large portion. The chicken breast was actually stuffed with foie gras! This was unexpected as well (and further added to the fullness). The foie gras was just okay. I wish the vegetables that complemented this were more of the refreshing variety. The chicken breast was very tender while the chicken leg was more ordinary in taste. This was the most disappointing course because it was such a less-than-stellar course. The sauce was also too salty (something I wouldn't expect to see in a fine dining restaurant.) Before the dessert was served, I looked at the cheese menu out of curiosity and was impressed that they served so many types. The 7th and final course of the night was the dessert -- a nectarine sorbet with mulberries. It was refreshing. The mulberries were so fresh as if they were just picked right off the tree. We were surprised with a bonus dessert. This was baba au rhum, a small cake saturated in syrup made with rum. It was served with chantilly cream. We obliged with the server's suggestion of an extra splash of rum on the cake, but found out that the cake itself was already saturated with rum. Thus, it didn't taste very good. : / I'm glad that I was able to try out the tasting menu at Edulis. I have to say that I've had much better tasting menu experiences elsewhere at other fine dining restaurants (Alo, Canis, Doma to name a few). I also found that the service lacked a bit of professionalism and friendliness from our female server. (The male food runner was great, however.) Hopefully other diners who come here have a better experience than the one I had.
Best restaurant in Toronto
This restaurant is by far the best restaurant in Toronto. The service is outstanding, and extremely accommodating. Each of the multiple courses is divine! And the Babba Au Rum cake to finish of is exquisite! We are so fortunate to have this perfect little gem in Toronto. Can't wait to return!
Restaurante pequeño y especial con un menú sorprendente, cuidado y de calidad, decorado con encanto tradicional europeo
Cenamos el menú largo (8 platos creo) con alguna sorpresa de los maravillosos Michael y Tobbey ya que era el cumpleaños de nuestro hijo. Platos que resaltan la calidad de la materia prima (pescado, marisco y verduras sobre todo) pero con un toque especial. Presentacion de 10, atención de 10. Te hacen sentir especial cada minuto. Sus vinos son espectaculares. Si sois de Toronto o estáis de paso no dudéis en reservar. Y los domingos tienen un lunch especial, es una experiencia inolvidable Repetiréis seguro. Abren por la tarde / noche de miércoles a sábado Y domingo al mediodía Calidad-precio está bien
Worthy of the Accolades
Edulis is worthy of the praise it has received. Having been there more than a dozen times I have never been disappointed with the menu and the variety it has shown. It's also offered in a non-pretentious environment. The canard a la presse dinner is particularly memorable if arranged in advance.
Always an excellent meal
Been here twice with friends and had the tasting menu (7 courses) both times. Plates were fantastic (menu changes often, even daily I was told), wine was outstanding and dined with great company.. all in a cozy little resto in Niagara street. Definitely would recommend trying this place out, be sure to make resos!
Really Outstanding
Once again we came for a family celebration and were not disappointed. Each one of the courses was excellent. Now they have add-ons that you can order. We asked for the Jabugo ham which while expensive was really great.
Must try restaurant!
We were celebrating a promotion and decided to try Edulis as we have recently moved into the neighbourhood and found the place on Canadas top 100. We loved pretty much everything about the experience from the booking process and them confirming my wife's numerous allergies, the secret menu, to the the food itself, well done! We also tried the Jamón ibérico and paid an extra $49 I think. This was well worth it and a perfect way to start the meal. We only got 1 serve to share between 2 but it is well worth it. You also get 2 menu options, either a 5 course or a 7 course menu. Apparently the volume of food is the same but the ingredients used are different. We went for the 7 courses and were blown away and would pay the extra $20 pp again.
Outstanding!
Wonderful evening with friends enjoying the delicious and unique approach to tasting menus. The server was knowledgeable and friendly - the recommendation of wine was great. The food was interesting and one the most enjoyable ever.
Great food
We had a great dining experience on Feb 16. Food was delicious and the service was really good. Nice wine selection as well. Will go again.
SO good
Great wine, even better food with exceptional service. Our server was so knowledged on what she was serving and every food item had flavours that were surprising matches.
Food is excellent!
Yes the food is excellent, but everything else was not. Arrived 6:10 and bread was not served until 15 minutes later. We left after 5 courses at 8:30! The time between courses meant that we ate so much bread! Food may almost be in the same league as Alo, but service no where close. Had to ask for water several times and for our wine to be poured. The freshly truffled custard dish had several substantial slices of truffle, but with the covered lid the truffle was cooked and there was virtually no aroma of the truffle. George has a much better dining experience, with preparations equal if not better.
High quality
What looks like and has the feel of a small neighborhood restaurant delivers some great food with top quality ingredients. We went for the 7 course option, added one of their extra options and a few cheeses and really enjoyed our leisurely dining experience. Great friendly service and although it's not a quick meal (we started at 7 and ended at 10) I thought well paced..
Excellent food in a cozy locale
This restaurant feels like a cozy place in Normandy (even though the chef is Spanish). The service is very attentive and it's generally a nice place to have an extended dinner over wine. The tasting menus are really great. My only criticism relates to the extras being really prices. When I was there the extras added $40 for some ham, $100+ for some caviar. The up-sell also felt a little pushed. All in all, I had a terrific meal and would definitely return.
Cozy, intimate and worth a try.
Made a reservation after Edulis landed in the top ten restaurants in Canada. We chose the smaller of the two tasting menus ($65 / 5 courses; $95 / 7 courses) and it was very good dining. But overall, the dinner lacked a bit of a wow factor or specifically memorable dishes. Quality of ingredients and preparation were evident in each dish, especially given it's seafood focus. Presentation was magazine worthy. Service team was knowledgeable about the construction of each dish and origin of ingredients, and they treat you like family. Perfectly cozy and intimate. Not great for larger groups.
Absolutely Best Ever!!!
Simply amazing on all fronts - ambiance, food and service!! Sean did a great job in being friendly, hospitable, providing advice and attentive while unobtrusive. Ambiance was that of a romantic and cozy far off cafe or bistro. It was the food that was the star of the show. Only 2 food options - 5 or 7 courses - with the only real choice being 7 given the outstanding quality. Fantastic Fife bread with Quebec butter and a tomato puree. Primarily all delicate fish dishes with 1 lamb course and an extra peas with truffle butter that was absolutely amazing. A nectarine sorbet was thought to finish things off but a surprise butter rum sauce cake was the best dessert ever. Our favourite restaurant of all time and that says a lot. Very Highly Recommended!!!
Once again Excellent
With Toronto and it's multitude of restaurants, you can go forever without repeating one. I've been to Edulis before and it was wonderful. This was a few years back, so I thought I'd go again with friends that haven't been. You choose from a fixed menu, with either more or less courses. I can't tell what you will get as the menu changes constantly based on ingredients. It is more of a fish restaurant, in terms of the proteins you get. This past visit did have one red meat in the course. Unlike other restaurants that offering similar styled tasting menus, I find that we all walk away satisfied and not hungry, even with the shorter menu selection, rather than the most courses offered. The atmosphere is lovely. Not loud, which is nice. It's so rare to find a restaurant where you can hear your company speak. The ingredients are fresh and good quality. We gook a Spanish friend that is used to dining at Michelin star restos and he was pleasantly surprised. The wine list is mostly whites, as it should be with the fish friendly menu. I had a lovely rose that evening. They are able to recommend a good glass or bottle based on the food of the evening.
Lovely Dinner
Lovely food and atmosphere, quite small so difficult to get a reservation for but definitely worth it. I would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Toronto!
$55 lunch Sunday only
# 5 on best in all of Canada. Very comfy and welcoming place with fresh and seasonal fare. Fixed menus only.
Good intention but menu slightly disappointing
The service was good and some of the seven course menu was most enjoyable. I found the size of the plates exceptional small and the flavours less Spanish than I had expected. The bread was excellent
Strange reservation set-up
Having eaten here two or three times in the past (but not in the last couple of years), I tried to make a booking for a birthday last month (April). Now, I know that they do not take reservations more than a month in the future, and that it's a truly tiny place, so I waited until 30 days before my hoped-for date, got online at just after midnight, checked the day and time I wanted -- only to be told that the restaurant was sold out. It seemed already to be sold out for many days that month. Needless to say, after having waited several weeks for the deadline to arrive, I found this truly disheartening -- and wonder who managed to get in before me, and HOW. Obviously, I made alternative arrangements. It's just too much trouble for what is a very good restaurant -- but not so good that I'm going to submit myself to their byzantine (and obviously flawed) reservation process again.
Fantastic
Fabulous fantastic gastronomic experience I don't eat red meat but the staff were kind enough to tailor the chefs plates to my possibilities. The quality of the food is like eating at a Michelin star restaurant
Klein, gezellig en lekker
Klein gezellig restaurant. Je kan kiezen tussen een 5 of 7-gangen menu. Vooral vis en schaaldieren. Stuk voor stuk lekkere gerechtjes, mooi op smaak. Bij ons zou dit één ster Michelin krijgen. Mooie wijnkaart maar spijtig genoeg (voor ons) voornamelijk Europees en beperkt Canadees. Zeer vriendelijke en professionele bediening. Reken 150 CAD$ per persoon.
Client Appreciation dinner... Clients were very impressed
I took my client and his mom out to Edulis after helping him purchase a condo, to celebrate. We all ordered 7-course tasting menu, and weren't disappointed. And having been to Edulis before a few times, let my clients know that they were in for a treat. While the dishes were very good, they weren't phenomenal as I've grown accustomed to with Edulis. Id say that 4 out of the 7 dishes were great, and without remembering the exact dishes, some dishes were a tad over-salted, and some were just bland. The ambience is always great at Edulis, and we had an amazing time. Service was good, although we did wait a very long time between some of the courses, which had us at the restaurant for nearly 3 hours. But this was to be expected. Edulis has one sitting per night per table, and they make it a full nights' dining experience for all of their guests. All in all it was a very good meal, and experience, I've just had better at Edulis, and expected a bit more. However, if you've never been to this restaurant, and you like good food... It's a must try! My clients were very happy, and I'll definitely be back. It was just an off night for them, and believe me, their off night is better than most fine dining restaurants, at the top of their game.
I was disappointed. My expectations were not matched by what the restaurant offers
I had dinner at Edulis last week with a friend. We went for the 7 course package, added truffles to one dish, so we each spent about $115 on food alone before tips and taxes. All in, I can think of many ways to better spend my money. I do not recommend the restaurant. So many things went wrong… here's a list: 1. The portions were ridiculously small. I could easily eat twice as much food, BEFORE feeling full. I understand that this is something some super fancy restaurants do… but then, I ate at super fancy restaurants in the past and was happy with the overall quantity of food. I think that the restaurant manager needs to understand: people come to your business because they want to eat; if they leave hungry - you failed them. It is as simple as this. a. Because the portions were so small, my friend and I both reached for the bread - and managed to go through 4 (four) bread baskets; that's 4 full slices of bread per person. And a full butter serving (which looked to be 25 to 30 grams) for the two of us. b. The restaurant-baked bread was good, it reminded me of the food I used to get from a local bakery in my grandma's village, but: the bread (especially the crust) was not well suited to the food served because of its heavy flavorful (earthy, or if I am to use a less flattering word: burnt) that it covered any flavor the food brought to the party. This defeated the very purpose of experiencing great food. c. When I say the portions were small, I mean it. The food from any plate could fit quite well in 2 (or at most) 3 tablespoons. I remember seeing a teaspoon sized mashed potatoes " side ". I remember telling my friend midway through our dinner that after dinner we should go for a burger. We shared a laugh… 2. The food was " exotic ", the restaurant prides itself in this - " healthy fish menu ", local foods, exotic ingredients, etc. However: a. Twice I felt that a thick, fat sauce was added to a fish dish to make up for how small the portion was. On its own the fish would have been OK. By now, it became obvious that adding fat (be it butter, the thick sauces, etc) to make up for small portions is a recurring theme at Edulis. b. The pork plate was just awful: slices from two different sausages, together with a small cube of greasy bacon, and some cooked meat. There was nothing special there, I can cook such things on my own. c. I had high expectations for the dish with truffles, was disappointed here as well: the truffle slices seem bland, didn't have the strong flavor I knew and expected. 3. The service was good (food kept coming, glasses were always full), but: a. because of the number of plates - the waiters were constantly visiting us. This got tiresome fast. b. each new plate was introduced in a hurry, the waiters (the chef?) didn't take the time to properly present each dish, instead mumbling something before going to the next table, etc. Then again, I can say that the time spent presenting the food was commensurate with the quantity of food on the plate, so I guess some sense of proportion was kept. It would be weird spending a minute being introduced to food you can eat three bites, right? 4. The atmosphere was ok. A bit crowded, a bit noisy, but nothing bad. 5. Overall, I was upset with the choices management made. To make myself clear, I think only $25 of the $115 I paid for food was spent on food ingredients. And I am assuming that the restaurant pays above market prices for most of the food (which is my way of saying that I'm padding a lot of slack in my $25 estimate). Having regular portion sizes, might have bumped that to $50. Thrice the food amount would get that to $165. But most other expenses would have stayed the same: the waiters would have gone through the same trouble, same with dishwashers, overhead and rent… maybe the chefs would spend a bit more time preparing the food, but not anywhere close to twice the amount. So, here's my advice: charge your customers $150, but give them enough food - after all you're in the " let's feed people " business.
Disappointed
Had so many great expectations, yet tasting menu services are taking way too long (7PM to 11:00PM on a Tuesday night, for two..). Dishes are beyond small yet everything is nicely done. Rhum beba at the end if way too much but delicious. For that price and time though we have experienced much better, particularly coming from Montreal. By the glass carte is not nice either.
Excellent set meal, great service
Me and my boyfriend came here at 8:45 reservation on a Saturday and it was still pretty full. We ordered the more expensive Prix fixe menu (7 course) with a cheese dessert at the end. Though the meals look small, we were both very stuffed by the end of the meal. The fish was very fresh and interesting with unique sauces - the squid in particular as well as a fish with rectangular bones. The vegetables pairings were also complementary and fit the palette well. Service was super friendly and helpful, spacing out the experience in ~ 3 hours and gave us advice on the cheese selections. Overall, great food for a special occasion!
Wonderful tasting menu, wine and service
We visited on a Sunday evening in mid-January for a birthday celebration. The seven-course menu was perfection for two seafood lovers - a variety of dishes including a fish crudo, lobster and crab. We added a wagyu with black truffle dish (amazing) and a lovely birthday dessert was brought to the table. Wine was delicious! Overall an outstanding evening! Note that the total bill including tip was ~$450... for a seven course menu, a bottle of wine and an additional truffle course. Excellent service and timing / progression of the meal. A must visit in Toronto!
Loved it!
Everything about it was practically perfect. Very quaint place. Service was personable and friendly and attentive but not overly. The food was great. Some of the best fish dishes I've had in a long time. The great food made the wine taste even better. I look forward to going back.
Hits and misses-be prepared for long waits between courses
Based on the reviews and being rated as one of the top new restaurants in Canada, we were very much looking forward to our dinner at Edulis. The restaurant is quaint and small, and we were reminded many time by the staff that the place is completely booked out a month in advance (implying we were lucky to be there). The server went through in detail the tasting menu offerings (5 course or 7 course) and spent a lot of time talking the about the add on truffle menu options and what it entailed. The server repeatedly mentioned the chef Michael (ie. Michael likes this, Michael would suggest you do this....). We definitely knew who the Chef was by the time the description was done. We chose the 7 course tasting menu along with one of the truffle courses to try. All the food looked great, but did not always taste good or had improper seasoning. The fresh baked bread and the Quebec sourced butter was very good. The first 3 courses came out very quickly one after another within a 30 minute timespan. The first course, a New Zealand fish done raw was excellent. The second mackerel dish very average and forgettable. The third dish was a grilled scallop-it was tough, chewy and rubbery. Probably one of the worst scallops I have had at a fine dining establishment ever. At this point, service slowed down significantly with no explanation. The next 3 courses came over the next 1 1 / 2 hours averaging 30 minutes between courses. The truffle dish (on potatoes cooked in honeycomb topped with truffles) was nothing special and the truffle flavour were omnipresent. The main dish being goose was very good but very small (2 slices of goose). The desserts were very average to poor-a citrus salad with house made ice cream and meringue was ok but did not seem to fit the middle of winter, the rum cake was WAY over salted. We drank a lot of water after we got home. The 8 course dinner took 3.5 hours. They tell us they are fully booked every night so they should be use to numbers to serve by now. It would not have been so bad if it was properly spaced out instead of having a whole bunch of dishes come quickly and then nothing for 30 minutes at a time. After reading some other reviews online, it seems to be pretty typical of this restaurant. There were a few great dishes but also a lot of very average dishes. There are other better options in Toronto for a better meal (and tasting menu) and restaurants that respect the customers time.
Outstanding food
The restaurant was full, which is rare on a Sunday night. That in itself speaks volumes. We chose the seven-course option. Fantastic meal, fantastic service. Every dish was beautifully presented and delicious. Thank you Edulis. We'll be back.
Simply fantastic
Had a simply great 5 course plus two truffle course meal with three people. Each dish was great, even for the person who was not crazy about fish. The courses are small and full of flavor from simple ingredients rather than from herbs and and spices. Most of the dishes were combinations that left delicious liquid to sop up with great bread. They don't each taste amazing with the first bite, rather have layers of flavor that come through as you enjoy the food. Really great social pleasantly crowded atmosphere that reminds me of typical restaurants in France. Lovely wine suggestions and attentive, knowledgeable service. Best as a social occasion with three or four diners who love food.
No seasoning on beautiful raw products
This best is brought TO the kitchen.... fantastic.... however every dish's construction was similar on a little liquid, more importantly.. their was no use of spice, herbs... the raw product did stand out on a few dishes but their was no amazing brilliance to the complementary flavours on each of the 5 course tasting experienced... For the price paid, including a bottle of wine, over $300. with gratuity.... not a amazing experience. Service by Sean was excellent!
Excellent Sunday lunch and outstanding service
Every so often we are fortunate to stay in Toronto for a few days and have the opportunity to enjoy some of their excellent restaurants. Sunday was such an occasion. We were lucky to get a reservation at Edulis which we have enjoyed before. It was well worth another visit. From the time we arrived until we left we experienced attentive staff. The meal was served at a relaxed pace to allow us to enjoy each dish of the multi course meal. The eight dishes offered a range of flavours and tastes from the frost-sweetened carrots with pistachios and turmeric root to the rabbit and alioli dish and ending with the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake with hazelnut mousseline. Definitely will return on our next trip to the area.
Good, but not great
I spent the month before my reservation anxiously looking forward to finally trying this restaurant, and I'm sad to say I was disappointed. The food was well crafted, and certainly tasty, but that's the best I could say of it. Despite what I had read in other reviews, I found it to be a largely forgettable menu. I also felt that 5 courses of fish, one rabbit, and one dessert was an odd sequence of food. It began to feel very repetitive after a while, and some of the flavour combinations simply didn't work. The snow crab dish comes to mind, in which the crab salad was completely lost behind the sharply acidic tomatoes. We came in October, and yet there was very little showcasing of fall produce. The high point of the meal was the John Dory with potato mousseline, which is the only course I truly felt was outstanding. The rabbit course was also very good. Our server seemed rather indifferent to us, and had almost nothing to say about the food or the wine list. When i asked him about a French fortified wine with which I was unfamiliar, he said: 'It's kind of like port.' Full stop, nothing else. That was the extent of what he could, or would, tell me. On the other hand, they did have a rather fabulous armangac which I had with dessert. I should be clear and state that it was a lovely evening, and a lovely meal. But it was not a great meal, and it was not worth nearly $200 per person after tax and tip. Do yourself a favour and wait for a table at Alo, which was both outstanding and unforgettable.
Serving VERY stingy
We were excited to take our daughter and partner to this " special " dinner however although we ordered the 7 course menu we all went away hungry. Every course was literally one small spoonful per person. Flavours were fine but really serve a dish size for four
Quaint little gem
We worked our way through a tasting menu that began with a special treat of caviar!! Followed by tasty bay scallops. A little delicious fillet of John Dory. Interesting grilled squid. The last meal was a lobster chicken stew that could have had a tad more flavour. The dessert was plum sorbet which was not my favourite. Overall a place that does things very well. Could use a little work on service
Highly expensive for experience and dishes you will have
Had so many great expectations for Edulis. Recognize finesse of dishes of either set menus (5 or 7 courses). Specializes in mushrooms varieties and seafood / fish. Yet portions are highly small and the à la carte wine menu (by the glass) was disappointing. It cost us $250 for set menus and 1 glass of cava and 1 one average red wine. Will not go back - feels like there are many other different restaurants in Toronto and in Montreal where you can have much substantial experiences.
30th Anniversary Celebration
We chose Edulis to celebrate our 30th Anniversary. We have been there a few times and knew that we would have a lovely romantic dinner. The restaurant is so small and intimate, the food is spectacular and the wonderful service makes this one of my favourite restaurants ever! We had the 7 course tasting menu and some very interesting wines recommended by our server. I feel like it is such a special place, I hesitate to share it. They certainly lived up to our hopes for a special dinner.
A treat
My wife and I have a good friend who is a long time editor for trade magazines in the food world. One of his great gifts to us is suggesting interesting, small places to eat when we travel. Last night that led us to Edulis. This is a place where you put your palate in the hands of the chef, with your only choice being five courses or seven. What a treat. Small and wonderfully imagined courses emphasizing local ingredients. Paired with relaxed, professional service, the result is one of those memorable, special, nights.
Anniversary Dinner
The food and device was excellent. It's an amazing restaurant! We will go back! It was our 10th anniversary and it was a perfect experience!
A Special Holiday Feast
This post is about our visit to Edulis Restaurant for their Special Holiday Feast. We drank Gruner Vetliner 2014 750 ml alc. / vol. 12.0% Kremstal, Austria Winzer Krems Eg Extra Dry $55.00. We ate Northern Divine caviar, brioche cream, pickled shallot; Pâté en croute, foie gras terrine, and truffled saucisson sec; Cold poached Nova Scotia lobster, jellied lobster consommé (no image available - camera malfunction) ; Alphonsino stuffed with mousse of wild side striped shrimp, leek fondant, black trumpet mushrooms; Orpington chicken " en deml-deuil ", root vegetables; and Peach melba Niagara baby gold peaches, excessive vanilla bean ice cream.
This time we tried the Sunday lunch. (also known as Brunch)
The intimate ambiance was comforting. The professional service was laid back. I must credit our server for being able to remember all of the ingredients for each course. He probably had a crib sheet up his cuff. We drank Grand vin de bourgogne Jacques Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot 2013, a Sunday lunch feature at Edulis feature where on Sunday at lunch all wine by the bottle is 1 / 2 price -just for fun. We ate freshly baked very hot buns and soft spreadable butter; bigeye tuna with ceviche vinaigrette and macadamia purée for me and bigeye tuna with ceviche vinaigrette and basil (no hot spices) for the spouse; heirloom tomatoes and bread salad; squash, corn and ricotta fritelle with golden nugget squash and nepitella; fresh borlotti beans with a savoury meatball (cooked medium on the outside, rare in the centre) ; roasted chantecler chicken, frisée lettuce, roasted onions, baked garlic cloves; and for dessert spiced hazelnut cake with peaches and plums.
Very clear, fresh and light seafood tasting dinner
We had the large 7 courses tasting menu. It comes with tuna, scallop, Arctic char, goose barnacles, sea rock bass, lamb shoulder as main and a fresh peach with whipped cream. Overall it was nice but i wish the potion is a bit more.
The two year wait was well worth it
We recently went to Edulis Restaurant in Toronto for their 7 course " Larger " dinner. Nature is at the besrt of their menus. As spring emerges into full splendor, we revelled in the glories of the land and sea: flavours of Japanese charcoal, Nova Scotia yellowfin tuna Live B. C. Scallops, Wild King Crab, Crayfish and wild sockeye salmon from Copper River, Alaska. Milkfed lamb, smoked lamb and lamb sausages comprised the main course for the evening. We enkoyed the tender flavours of the first lettuces, radish greesn, spinach. green and white asparagus, and wild and cultivated strawberries. We put our bellies in their capable hands and they were very nice to us.
Scrumptious
Having read rave reviews of Edulis, we had high expectations for this visit and we were not disappointed. From the cozy but comfortable dining room & its warm but understated decor, to the friendly, attentive & sincere service, and finally to the delightfully original, delicious & fresh food, we thoroughly enjoyed our evening. We cannot say enough wonderful things about the creatively zestful flavours we experienced in the tasting menu (5 course + truffle chicken). Having just visited Paris, a meal like we had at Edulis could easily have cost around 125 euros / person--instead it was only $50 per person + $100 for the bird--incredible value for the quality you receive. And make sure you don't eat up all the amazing home baked bread right away, and save a few slices to sop up all the scrumptious leftover sauces!
Charming bistro, just slightly overrated
Edulis, formerly called Niagara Street Cafe, is located on Niagara Street, close by to the major intersection of King Street and Bathurst Street, and Liberty Village. I like the ambiance of this little bistro, which is brimmed with a sense of rural old world charm. However, in my opinion, too many good reviews had actually worked to their disadvantage. Since I heard a lot of good buzz about this restaurant, and also because I had to wait over a month to get a table, I was expecting nothing short of a spectacular meal. Don't get me wrong, food was generally good, just nothing that particularly stood out, that's all. For a detailed review, please visit: http://www.joyhippo.com/edulis /
Edulis Reviving Sunday Roasts
Care Of: milkandsparrow.com With winter fast approaching, curtailing most outdoor activities, braving the bitter cold to sample Edulis' six course Sunday lunch was a no brainer. Spending an entire afternoon eating seems to be a sport this side of world. Edulis is tucked away on Niagara Street just off King W, and has a certain French Provence feel; very intimate candle-lit tables, accented with blue and white, enough room to seat around 50 comfortably. The first reservation to arrive, it was a welcomed calm before the 1.00pm storm that was brewing. After being seated in the corner, next to the window, and perusing the menu, it was dually noted that it was half off bottles of wine 'just for fun' - I like this place already and we haven't even tasted a single dish or popped a cork. The menu; a single page outlining each delicious course was set in front of us, while our waitress proceeded to organise a 2011 Tempranillo (for half the price of course!). Four appetizers to start, followed by roast chicken and greens for the main, and if you could struggle through a slice of lemon tart for dessert you managed six courses over the course of the afternoon. I could make this my new winter sport! We had made it through the Roast Carrot Salad and half way through the Albacore Tuna before the restaurant started to fill (by 1.30pm each table was occupied). Each appetizer was balanced in flavour, and as they were paraded out to us, each one seemed better than the next. I recommend arriving for 12.00pm, as it was nice to feel as though we had the restaurant to ourselves. The timing of service was fantastic too; not too rushed, allowing us to enjoy each dish at our own pace, in hindsight this was probably to get us to enjoy another bottle of (2009) Tempranillo (tactics of restaurant warfare...). The second bottle could've used some time to breathe or at least decanter, a recommendation is if you want to enjoy a bottle of the older drops, best to ask for it premeal so by the time the mains come it will be drinkable. The main of roast chicken and greens was cooked to perfection, with light delicate flavours accenting the dish. Somewhere between the main and having a 'food timeout' I must've been feeling over-confident and I proceeded to order a bottle of prosecco to accompany our lemon tart. After six-courses; three bottles of wine (three and a half hours later to be precise), the food-hexatholon finally came to an end. Edulis philosophy's states '.. the pleasure of enjoying a gathering around the table to share authentic dishes and to be greeted like a friend; conviviality, feasting, celebrating the craft and tradition of cooking, honest, and spectacular ingredients. Our goal is to combine the warmth and approachability of classic European bistro with our passion for the forests and farms of southern Ontario' Edulis delivery and execution was above expectation. I am currently on the phone making a reservation for this Sunday.
Don't Believe the Hype!
WOW! WTF? Maybe they made a mistake? What are people smoking?----just a few of the things that crossed my mind as our rude server placed the smallest portion of lamb I've ever seen in front of me and I said to my wife " but that was $30 on the menu wasn't it " ??? I'd have to agree with the other reviewers who wrote " overhyped " and " never again ". This place would be good at half the price, but it's just way too expensive for what you get---and I'm not just referring to portion size. I'm considering decor, overall atmosphere and service. I'm convinced that Edulis has benefited from food critics who do not have to look at the bill and think about value for money; business entertaining where again it's not hitting the personal pocket book; and stay at home partners who are married to a " 1% " earning bank vice president, who took the time to read the hype, then book the restaurant and again didn't see the bill when their partner paid, but then had time to write a great review online on Monday morning (while the housekeeper looked after the house and the nanny looked after the kids) about the wonderful dinner they had on Saturday night Back to the lamb. It was very good, but not the best I've ever had. And again, if it's $30 for a small portion I'd expect something that would borderline on orgasm inducing. People joke about the $35 burger or lobster grilled cheese at Bymark. I've had both and feel they are exceptional, filling, and worth the price. Tried a couple of other items that I enjoyed somewhat which I couldn't find on the most recent menu online, so I won't try to refer to them and I'll just say they were enjoyable to taste. The Wild Side Striped Shrimps Warmed Over Japanese Charcoal, Ajo Blanco, Chorizo Migas was interesting, but not worth $16. If I had you drink a few glasses of wine I could take four tiny shrimp from your local Chinese food buffet and add a touch of thousand island dressing (sans the relish chunks), add a garnish and it would be almost the same experience. Okay, admittedly that was a bit harsh. It wasn't bad and you could taste the charcoal which made for a very pleasant and unusual flavour experience. And the shrimp while small, were some of the best I've had. However, it really was four tiny shrimp (no, even smaller than what you are imagining) that weren't spectacular enough to justify $16!) SERVICE: We received a phone call that our table could be ready earlier because the party before us had left early. However, when we arrived the table had not been set and we had to wait 10 minutes. Not a great start, but not something I would have remembered or included here had the rest of the evening been great, or even just good. And yes, we had just confirmed we were on our way so they didn't have to worry about a no-show, so they could have been ready for us! Our server was rude and disinterested. I couldn't help but thinking I was in Paris, but wait, she didn't have a French accent (maybe south Etobicoke) and the decor was certainly not even remotely Parisian. In case you have joined the Edulis cult and drank the Kool Aid (they'd probably charge you $11 for that) and thinking does this person get out, do they realize most fine dining or " experiences " have smaller portions... yes, I get out, have eaten at some of the nicest restaurants and I know that when you are served a tiny portion of lamb that is nice but nothing you couldn't find elsewhere and it's $30, there's a problem and there's hype! WATER: I almost forgot the other rip off. Edulis charges you $2 per person for filtered tap water! LOL Okay, nickel and dime me for bread and water in Europe, or if the food is incredible and I'm not otherwise feeling ripped off... but not here! The space is cozy, but nothing exceptional. It's gets cold quickly when people are coming and going and the wind is blowing. Ladies may want to dress for that if you go when there's cold weather. Overall: not terrible, but not worthy of the hype and the prices. Never again, back to Canoe first... The food experience was average, but I almost gave an overall rating of " Poor " when you consider the service and prices. Nope, they didn't make a mistake when they placed the lamb in front of me, I made a huge mistake by agreeing to try Edulis. Don't make the same mistake, DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
NEVER AGAIN
I had the worst experience at this restaurant last night and i am so disappointed considering we were there for our anniversary. The food was ok, but the night was ruined right from the beginning thanks to the RUDE waitress we had - and at a restaurant of THIS quality, the wait staff should be NOTHING but respectful. I must admit we were indecisive on choosing between the 5 course and 7 courses. We had asked her her opinion on which we should choose - (i understand she does not know how much we eat. BUT when we ask approx. how big the plate sizes are... i would EXPECT that she would know) Its not like we kept her at the table for 10 minutes while we decided, it was a few minutes (i understand that she had other people to tend to- but at a restaurant like this- IF we need 2 minutes to decide- you wait there or come back WITH A SMILE) SHE made it seem like we were INCONVIENIENCING her by asking her questions. I get better treatment from a waitress at Kelsey's where i pay $20 for my meal - not over $200 like this restaurant. Then to top our night off, there was a couple sitting beside us and we had paid for our bill BEFORE they did. - As soon as they paid- she offered to get their coats for them and practically put them on for them, and she was all smiles and said thank you to them as they left the restaurant. We just sat there wondering if she was going to actually get our coats. She kept walking by us, and I had to get her attention. When she FINALLY got ours coats - she barely came to our table and just stood there with them until WE walked up to her, we took our coats from her and she walked away with NO smile & without saying thank you (this could be because she noticed the POOR TIP we left her for the RUDE service we received- she should consider herself lucky i left that $20 tip) Our experience was DISGUSTING. We are foodies, have a HUGE network of friends and love trying new places - i can GUARANTEE we won't be back AND i will make sure to tell EVERYONE that we know NOT to go there - we live in the area and i will make sure NO ONE I KNOW GOES THERE
High hopes but very disappointed by service and lack of response to my email complaint
Let me start off by saying that I never write reviews. However, my experience at Edulis has compelled me to write my first ever tripadvisor review. I eat out often and consider myself to be a discerning diner. I wrote the below email to Edulis two weekends ago. I never got a response from them. I am so disappointed! My husband and I ate at Edulis two weekends ago for a 6:30 pm sitting to celebrate our third wedding anniversary. We had the five course set menu. Most dishes were creative, fresh and very tasty. Our server was working hard. However, we were disappointed by the fact that no one acknowledged our presence at the front door for about five minutes even though we'd arrived on time and we'd made eye contact with two of the servers. A simple greeting would have made a difference. When we were served with our first course, when the server told us the ingredients that comprised the course, I had a question about an ingredient that the server barely heard or acknowledged as she was rushed off to attend to other things in the restaurant. In between courses, we were left sitting for 10-15 minutes at a time without anyone clearing our dishes or refilling our water. Finally, my husband resorted to filling our own glasses with Q water on four occasions. The food also arrived very slowly. We are not intending to complain about the attitude of the servers because on the whole, they were very nice - just much too busy to attend to us due, perhaps to a heavy workload. Overall, the food was good. However, we hesitate in recommending the experience to any of the friends who we've told about this anniversary dinner, not because of the food, but because of the lack of attention to the guests. We had high hopes because of Joanne Kate's recommendations of this restaurant but cannot say they were met.
Great Expectations, but, well, meh
A Very Special Night as these things go, and reservations eagerly anticipated. The menu studied, the friends contacted, weather checked - all was in order. Overall though? Ambitious, welcoming, creative, casual, knowledgeable, receptive, responsive, engaging, fresh, well-timed.. I could go on. This was a good meal, great service, fine ingredients, stellar wine list. But - and sorry, Tobey - it just didn't blow me away. Factor in the price - the better part of $400 for two - and the value is simply not there. I EXPECTED to be swept off my culinary feet. I am absolutely glad I went - please, please have little doubt that you will probably enjoy yourself very much, too. But I expected " more ". More wow on my plate, more astonishment in my mouth, more OMG's per dollar. A lovely amuse, truffles hither & yon, excellent cheese, a small-ish cube of fish done right, a brilliant wine selection.... a lot went well. But not enough for me to return.
Why all of the review confusion, you ask
Several months ago En Route magazine included Edulis among the ten best new restaurants in Canada. Since then, two primary camps have formed around this place (and not just on Trip Advisor).. 1. Those that can't understand the lofty ranking and who are equally perplexed when Edulis falls short of perfect. This is the more harsh crowd. 2. Those who love Canadian fine dining and want to see genuine success. They have been snubbed by San Pelligrino and Michelin rankings and just want the " I told you so " success story badly. Unfortunately for both groups, Edulis is neither. It is a very good restaurant with some small flaws that keep it from perfection. Here are some key points (good and bad) that might help you decide if it is for you. You might love it... or just like it. 1. Edulis has a 5 course ($50) and 7 course ($70) tasting menu, as well as a la carte selections. At this price, Edulis wades into competition with heavy hitters such as Ruby Watchco and Scaramouche. While those places don't do tapas style tasting menus, you will be equally full (or more so) there. 2. Edulis offers an intimate setting that is more appropriate for a long romantic dinner. My seven course tasting required nearly three hours. At times, the time between courses was too long. The chairs, reminiscent of the kind they used in Wendy's back in the 80's and 90's, are not comfortable enough for long waits. Everything else is beautiful. 3. Edulis has a nice wine list. Bottles start around 45$. The cocktail menu is quite limited and does not inspire much enthusiasm. 4. The food is very good. It is creative, reasonably flavorful, and well-plated. Every course I ate tasted better than good. The two problems I encountered were these: some dishes simply did not come out of the kitchen hot, AND the tasting menu did not rise to any kind of grand or memorable finale. While I like park animals (ducks, rabbits, squirrels, pigeons, etc.), I don't think they work as the final of six meat courses before dessert. Rabbit came before duck as the last two meats. The first four courses were all seafood. 5. The service is good, but short of brilliant. Nothing was bad, there were simply areas it could have been better. For one, if you are charging for tap water (albeit purified tap water for2$ a customer), you should be on top of refilling glasses. The same goes for wine glasses, timely plate clearing, and providing updates when there are long gaps between courses. On the positive side, every server I encountered was warm, kind, and seemed to like their job. All in all, Edulis is very good. If you have a special occasion that demands (or appreciates) a longer, more pricey, meal; conversation, and a bottle of wine, Edulis just might fit the bill.
OVERPRICED, OVERATED… WE WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN OR RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE
We went to Edulis last Saturday, January 24th. Overall, all 3 of us were extremely disappointed. We had a flavourless 7-course menu, with an extra truffle course (120 dollars extra for a ridiculous plate we had to share between 3 persons). Every course was band, included the extra truffle dish where, surprisingly, the truffles were tasteless as well. The food was fair at best, maybe good for an average restaurant where you are going to pay 50 dollars per person and not the 220 dollars per person that we paid. (Included 2 dollars for the filter water). Service was very good, of course we have to take into account the 50 dollars tip. The restaurant fails to live up its aspirations as outstanding restaurant compare to a regular Michelin one, even though the price is similar. OVERPRICED, OVERATED… WE WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN OR RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE.
Food Experience.... that you pay for..
Went to Edulis for a nice dinner with my girlfriend this past Sunday. We ordered the 5 course meal. I found the food to be very interesting, but the portion sizes amount to a small tasting rather than a full meal. For each course they bring out fresh cutlery, and when they set for the main dish we were given steak knives... I found this absurd because the main dish was half a strip of back and a cherry sized piece of sausage, what am I suppose to cut up?! The 5th course was dessert, which turned out to be a type of bread which they soaked in oil. It was disgusting... why would anyone want to eat soggy bread???? Also, why does it take 2 1 / 2 hours to serve the 5 tiny portions of food? I wish I would have brought some snacks or a sandwich. I don't really see what was so special about the food, I think the high price of the dinner is just a farce, people paying for the atmosphere. I found the dining room to be crowded, when the waiter was serving food to the adjacent tables his butt was pretty much in my face.... I don't recommend this place to anybody.
I agree with others below - Totally Overhyped!
I as many others below fell for all the publicity recently given to this restaurant by Toronto Life, Globe and Mail and others. I booked a table months in advance and boy was I disappointed. First the portion size, Tiny. Each dish has enough for one or two bites and that's it. I have never seen such small plates. Not enough to justify spending $16-30 per dish. Second the taste - it was just ok. The lobster dish ($30) was good but nothing special. The entire dish consisted of one miniature lobster claw and an addition morsel or two of lobster. For $30, I at least expect to at least receive a lobster tail. The lamb dish was awful. The little lamb sausage was ok, but the rest of the dish was just chuncks of lamb fat. There was no lamb meat at all! Again, for a $20-30 dish, the meat should at least be of high quality and here it wasn't. The other dishes were nonmemorable. Another issue I have is the wait time between courses which is 20-30 minutes. Each time a course is served to you, the waitstaff change your plate and clear off the table. It seemed the entire night (a whole 2 hours) was spent with just constant waiting for food and plate changing. Its very difficult to enjoy oneself when you arrive at a restaurant somewhat hungry and have to wait 30 minutes between each of your 5 courses. And then when the plates arrive, the dishes are so small, its not nearly enough to satiate one's appetite. One positive thing I have to say about this restaurant is that the bread was excellent! It was super fresh and moist. Possibly the best bread I have ever eaten in a restaurant. If it was not for the bread, my husband and I would probably have starved to death that night. A $130 bill later, my husband and I left the restaurant grossly dissapointed with the entire experience. Our stomachs full of bread and not much else.
Very disappointed - sauces all the same and no variety or finesse
We had the 7 course menu and were very disappointed. After reading great reviews of this restaurant and paying the price you might pay for a Michelin one star restaurant we felt cheated. The first courses all seemed to have the same ingredients in the sauce and the fish was quite similar in texture. The one meat dish was very tough and boring beef with a very salty sauce. The vegetables were I think all a rather stringy broccolini and the other sides were pretty much non existent. The one dessert dish was a few cherries with a dab of ice cream - again not inspiring. We have had many tasting menus in many different places and this was one of the worst. The service was attentive enough but rather snooty and not terribly pleasant. The space is nicely appointed but is very noisy. We didn't get the feeling that anybody really cared about our experience - I did not eat most of one course but the server did not even comment on that. I would definitely not recommend this restaurant.
Hire new waiters
When we asked questions about the wine list, our snooty waiter didn't seem to know much at all about any of the wines, yet had an attitude like he knew all. Our courses were delivered to us by an angry little brunette who didn't seem the least bit interested in us having a nice evening. She was quite miserable. It really ruined it for us and we won't likely go back because of that.
Average Food Over-Priced
Overall, definitely not worth the money. If the meal had been $25 to $35, I would have said it was an average meal for that price. But for the price of $65, especially keeping in mind you had no choice as to dishes or having fewer dishes for a lesser price, I would give it an overall " Poor ". My friend and I both agreed the food was OK. Edible, but not particularly interesting. We were both surprised that we did not receive a menu stating what was being served that day and that the waiter had to go back to the kitchen to find out what was being served, and how it was being served. Surely that would be expected, especially as we had no choice. We would not want to pay $65 for food that we did not eat for one reason or another, or did not generally like. We were also surprised that though the website says the menu changes to showcase the ingredients of the moment, which gave the impression the restaurant emphasized local food and the ingredients of the season, there was no mention of where the ingredients came from, which a number of restaurants do in Toronto today. And several of the dishes, such as tuna (rather than a lake fish such as trout) did not seem to be local. We also found it pretentious, such as when a server brought us a vegetable dish and said " it was all about the tomatoes ". The dish, including the tomatoes, was ordinary. Though there were several dishes, they all seemed to be prepared in a similar style. Restaurant somewhat noisy because low ceilings and tables fairly close together. We have had much better food, including vegetables, at less expensive restaurants in Toronto. If a restaurant is going to give no choice and offer an expensive prix fixe, the food should be outstanding. There are restaurants in the world that do this, and where even though there is no choice, it is worth it. This is not one of them.
Un magnífico, sofisticado y excelente restaurante
Una vez conocido este pedazo de cielo y leídas las opiniones he de empezar mi comentario explicando dos cosas: 1.-Es una experiencia gastronómica irrepetible, arriesgada y basada en la confianza ciega en el criterio del chef. Si lo que quieres es cenar algo en concreto o controlar tu menu este no es el sitio. Tienes que poder ser capaz de dejarte llevar, relajarte u disfrutarlo como lo que es... un viaje sorprendente! 2.-Es un restaurante caro. Vas a disfrutar de ingredientes, combinaciones y una delicadeza que tiene un precio. Si vas a estar toda la cena pensando en cuanto vas a pagar no vayas. Particularmente tras haber estado en varios restaurantes con colecciones de estrellas michelin, la relación calidad precio me pareció excelente. Dicho lo anterior decir que se trata de uno de los mejores restaurantes en los que he estado. El espacio es reducido pero mas que agradable, la atmósfera es refinada y tranquila (Comensales de edad elevada, si buscas un sitio trendy con gente guapa exhibiéndose tampoco es tu sitio), las mesas un poco pequeñas y la comodidad de las sillas mejorable. El servicio es excelente. son muy amables, cuentan con grandes profesionales que tienen perfectamente claro lo que necesitas, la información exacta que tienen que dar y dan el exacto trato q requiere cada cliente. La selección de bebidas me pareció excepcional, llamándome muy en especial la atención que tuvieran en el menú varios tipos de sidras del mundo. En concreto encontré la sidra Zapiain cosa que me sorprendió y me pareció un genial acierto. Tambien probamos una francesa que estaba espectacular. Os recomiendo que hagáis una cena con maridaje de bebida y comida. Tienen también una selección de cavas y vermuts catalanes excelentes y vinos francamente deliciosos que maridan en función con los platos. Ahora lo importante, la comida. La delicadeza, presentación y sabor de cada plato es excepcional. Cada uno es en sí mismo una obra de arte de muy diverso estilo. parece increíble que todos vengan de un mismo autor... porque varían enormemente de uno a otro estilo, viajando por la comida española de mercado, un toque francés y vasco refinado, la cocina asiática de vanguardia... francamente interesante. El mayor mérito culinario sin duda es el de variar el menú y crear una y otra vez propuestas increíbles... bastaría con escoger exclusivamente 10 o 12 platos estrella y repetirlos variando el menú pero en lugar de eso todos los días se innova y se crea una nueva propuesta. obviamente con tal variedad de propuestas e ingredientes siempre habrá algún plato que destaque para bien y para mal... pero en general el nivel es excelso. Volveré seguro a este restaurante y lo recomendaré a aquellos que entienda capaces de disfrutarlo como se merece.
big disappointment
First time we had dinner in Edulis in july 2014. We had amazing experience. On nov / 2014 we came back to celebrate our friend birthday. The dishes were small, that we were embarrassed and felt bad for choosing this restaurant. It was preset menu: 5 course dinner ($65.00 increase from $50.00 summer time), 2 small appetizers, 1 bowl of soup-5 tablespoons, main dish share 4 people:12 thin slices duck breast and 8 pieces of kale. Things change in Edulis since summer time. Bread was very tasty, so we ordered twice.3 days later we call to review our dinner, they took #, but nobody bother to call back. B & G, nov20 / 2014 Toronto
No " Wow Factor " in an unbalanced 7 course tasting menu!
Four of us went to Edulis Wednesday February 18th with great anticipation after reviews such as have appeared in the Globe and Mail and Toronto Life. What a severe disappointment!We chose the 7 course menu and were treated to 5 skimpy and relatively dull seafood dishes-perhaps the dish of cockles showed some promise. There was no' WOW Factor'-nothing to match the sublime joy of Mr Nuttall Smith in his recent review in The Globe And Mail. Even the one meat dish-duck breast slices -were a mixed experience, all arrived lukewarm and some were tough. When this was mentioned we, the table, were offered a small cheese plate as compensation. Dessert was adequate. The menu was unbalanced, uninspired and the room just a trifle too plain not to mention noisy. Do they really need to play the 2 dollar water game? Not to be recommended
Really? THAT was NOT worth the hype
Wow - what a disappointment. IF you are going to charge the prices they charge, then they better start delivering. Overpriced, over booked, understaffed. Portions were VERY small. Wine list was OVER priced and staff was mediocre. Go someplace else and enjoy the meal for that cost.
This should be rated best food in Toronto
We have been visiting Toronto every year for the last 25 years. We have eaten at the best rated restaurants and at the lower end. We had the finest meal ever in Toronto this past Sunday at Edulis. It is owned by a young couple. She is out front. He is the chef. we met both. They are young, engaging, smart, friendly and deliver the best food in this city! The menu is limited and we tried the 5 course tasting menu. WOW! The wine list offers wines from all over: New World, Old World, including Ontario to Basque (Spain) to even Hungary! The wait staff are also excellent and engaging. We can't wait to go back. It is amazing how tired the old traditional places seem compared to this. This is competition!! Welcome to the 21st Century.
A real treat
When you're told a restaurant only does a set menu, specialises in foraged and seasonal ingredients and is situated in a small suburban house, the soul can suffer a spot of " preconception anguish ". However, don't be troubled by any apprehension. Edulis is delightful, in terms of attentive service, an elegant and comprehensive wine list and above all a master in the kitchen. Beat a path to its door before a wheel falls off, as my natural tendency to pessimism tells me it must! A party of six of us had the five course tasting menu and so well designed and executed was it that I'm unsure as to exactly what we ate. However, the meal was second only roone I had in Western Tasmania-yes believe it or not-where a similar set menu still ocurs in my dreams. The wheel that fell off there was the chef ran off with the waitress and his wife ran off with the takings. But this is Canadaand and this is a very special restaurant and you really don't find many around these days.
Great experience
The atmosphere here is attentive yet homey. Well trained staff who knows the food and how to pace a meal correctly. We got a lovely summer menu and wine pairing which consisted of fish for three courses and rabbit (!) meatballs for a light meat course. The ingredients were all top notch especially raw tuna and the char. Flavors were inventive and harmonious. We had three different wines: cava, cab franc rose (my fave) and a nice Beaujolais that paired perfectly with the rabbit. Dessert: preserved peaches, with a wild raspberry sauce on creme brûlée and a baba rhum cake w fresh whipped cream. Delicious. I ordered a house made herbal digestif and it was like some liqueurs I've tried in rural Italy. I don't know why people think their prices are too high, they're not. Had far worse meals in this city for lots more money.
put your belly in their hands INDEED!
This tiny spot is a must in Toronto! To sit and trust someone and not have any direction in the meal is exciting roller coaster with a lot of anticipation. Since we did not know what we where to expect for the 5 course tasting we asked our server (Michael) to recommend a wine that might go well. Michael suggested a lovely Pinot Noir.... that was a bang on choice. First starter small bass (ceviche style) that had so many layers of taste that all three bites where an experience on their own. Next was a small, beautifully cooked, piece of pickerel again so many interesting ingredients I would have to write them down as I was eating. That was great but the duck sausage was to die for (which was the next course) served family style and if this was my meal at Edulis unto it's own I would have walked out a happy man. How do you top that... not sure you can.... we had a spot on sliced duck breast, again served family style, with sweetbreads and a pureed cauliflower. Rich upon rich upon rich texture along with a sauce within this dish was almost too much. Desert was lemon tart that was as light as air! Not a desert fan but this was spectacular. Each course, on it's own, was amazing. The only nit picky thing was having the two fish two duck was not the greatest menu mix but we where still blown away!
One of the best dining experiences I've had recently in Toronto.
We ended up here by mistake, because the other restaurant we were booked at had a problem with their kitchen, and offered us a reservation at Edulis. The restaurant itself is quite cozy, and the staff very helpful and attentive. I was reluctant to experience a meal not knowing the menu ahead of time, but took a leap of faith, advised them of the few things we don't enjoy, and voila a wonderful 2.5 hour dining experience commenced. We had a lovely chat with a woman whom I believe is one of the owners, which is not something one experiences at most Toronto restaurants. I also found the price quite reasonable considering it was a seven-course meal.
A Culinary Masterstroke
This is a must do for anyone in Toronto who claims to enjoy food. Put yourself in the hands of the chef and allow him and his staff to treat you. I had the five course menu, which is roughly the same amount of food as the seven course, though you get a little less variety. The amount of food is more than enough. As for the quality, wow. The first course consisted of a thinly sliced sea scallop with two types of sauce and diced nuts which all combined in the most incredible way. The next courses were halibut cheeks in romesco sauce, followed by two Quebecois hare courses, and a squash based dessert. All of which were really delicious. The ambience was really great. It really reminded me of eating in a small restaurant in Paris. It's candlelight, a small room, with understated décor. The whole evening was really excellent. You'll pay $50 / five courses, or $70 / seven courses. The wine menu is pretty extensive for such a small place. Cocktail offering are fairly limited though. Be warned.
Amazing!!!
I've been remiss in providing a review about the incredible experience we had at Edulis at the end of July! We tried the 7 course tasting menu and were blown away by each course, which included perfectly prepared squid, scallop, Arctic char and pork tenderloin. The chef's deft skills were showcased in the complexity of the dishes prepared. The server was very thorough and the timing was perfect, allowing us enough time to savour and enjoy each dish before the next one was brought out. We had heard great things about this restaurant and were expecting to have a lovely meal in a cozy restaurant but our expectations were far exceeded! Everything about our dining experience deserved 5 stars - from the vermouth aperitif, the amazing bread and creamy farmhouse butter, the thoughtful wine list and unbelievable sherry. We will definitely be back!
All of Canada in Seven Courses
When I arrived outside this petit restaurant I became a little disappointed. Rafa and Yvette had told me that this was one of the best restaurants in Toronto, but the looks from the street were less than promising. Never judge a book only for its cover. Once inside, the looks were much better. Yvette brought one of her finest wine selections and we all three began a fascinating trip through the flavours of Canada on top a seven course splendid menu. Everything was prepared with most care, using a large variety of local or national ingredients. Delicious. The elegant way of attending each and every one of our requests, while giving us great space to talk was enjoyable. At some point they even inserted an eighth course of Chorizo a la Sidra, not a Canadian thing, but something they knew would be delightful. After some of the most memorable hours we left, wishing this could last a bit longer. When planning to go to Toronto book a table at Edulis and enjoy.
Romantic, charming and luscious!
My husband and I went here for our wedding anniversary and were thrilled with our choice. Advance reservations are a must as seating is limited and the restaurant is very popular. The atmosphere is intimate, cozy and welcoming. Candles flicker throughout the small room creating a charming and romantic atmosphere. It's very reminiscent of a neighbourhood Parisian bistro - loved the French soundtrack - not only did it underscore the vibe of the venue, but it did so at a volume such that we could actually hear one another. Bonus points. They don't do a la carte instead, they offer a 5 and 7 course tasting menu. We selected the 5 course which was more than enough food. Each dish was complex without being fussy and a delight for the taste buds. Dinner lasted two hours - each dish perfectly paced - enough to savour each course while enjoying unhurried conversation and a lovely bottle of French wine. Our server (Toby) was just the right amount of friendly without being intrusive. Highly recommended.
Overhyped
I went to edulis based on the ranking by En Route as the best new restaurant in Canada. We ordered the carte Blanche. Unfortunately, it was disappointing. All the food was OK but not special. The service was good and the atmosphere was good but overall, it did not live up to the hype and we will not be returning.
My favourite spot in Toronto
I had a dinner here with three friends after reserving the spot for 2 months in advance. It is a gem of Toronto, none of the hype you usually see at those new restaurants on Queen, Dundas, or Ossington. Delicious food and you could feel the chef's care in every bite. The service is just how I like it: polite, simple, relax, no need to blah blah blah, let me enjoy my meal :-) The whole meal lasted 3 hours, which was perfect timing for breaks between courses to enjoy wine and each other 's company. I am not entirely sure why people complain about portion. I guess they don't see small plates often. But all 4 of us were so full at the end of 5-course meal. Can't wait to come back again.
Disappointed!
This is my first time writing a review but we were quite surprised by our experience after reading the 4 star review in the Globe the day before our reservation. We chose the 7 course option for $70.00. When we were seated our " greeter " noticed we were very chilly at our table (the AC vent was blowing right at us the entire meal when it was a beautiful 18 / 20 degrees outside), she brought a selection of shawls to choose from! Our server was quite pleasant. Unfortunately, the dishes became very repetitivebowl after bowl of different proteins, etc. in a brown sauce. In fact, I believe the first 5 courses were all served in a bowl and the sauce was the same brownish colour. What happened to fresh Spring?! This was a special family celebratory meal for 6 of us. We chose Edulis for its supposed great food, charm and warm atmosphere. We did not meet either owner (as advertised in reviews) and we found the music and temperature quite disturbing. The wine was delicious though! I guess you can't always go by reviews or maybe we just were there on a bad night??? So disappointing.
Delicious food
We found out about this place from Air Canada magazine and decided to check it out. We ordered from the tasting menu and it was an unforgettable culinary experience. Food was unique and deliciously prepared.
Fantastic
What a treasure we have in Toronto!! We had the 5 course meal. Each course was complex and delicious. Started with sea bream in a cream sauce and crunchy rice cereal - who would have thought this combination would be so tasty? Next was Trina thinly seared with chorizo sauce / favs bean puree and many other things. Again another hit. This was followed by salmon on a light pancake that just melted in ycur mouth. The main was veal and sweetbreads with potatoes in a wonderful sauce that we had to dip up with that delicious bread. The overall experience was exquisite. Now if they could only do something about the parking,..
Will not go back ever!
I called to make a reservation which is needed at Edulis. I was told that the meal would be heavily sea food based this evening, but you basically get what chef feels like cooking at any given time. When we got there the Bleach blonde waitress " greeting " at the door was very rude when I requested to sit in a quiet part of the restaurant. I sat where I was told. For the high price of food and the excellent attention to detail in the preparation of food here, you would expect very polite service. Not. Extremely unwelcoming. The attitude here is that we are serving something special and you are privileged to be allowed in. To get any civility you might have to go regularly. $$$$$$$ We were served by several different people over the course of the evening, and there was little to no sea food in the meal. When we sat down the waiter offered us truffles and chicken for an extra $25. I queried the server about the heavily based sea food that was promised on the phone, and he said, " Would you like sea food. " Sure.... We were served pork as the main.?? Remember that you will sit where you are told and eat what you are given! Eat a light snack before you go because you will get very little food. Edulis is all about presentation and flavour which are both excellent, but not worth the snooty attitude. Poor attempt at creating atmosphere by playing " French " cabaret through a very loud low-fi sound system. I actually had to plug my ears a number of times during my five course Mini Meal. If you are a food snob and want to impress your friends, there are better places to go than Edulis. If you're hungry, don't go. The wine was excellent, and desert was amazing, but miniscule. They also serve a lot of very nice bread which I assume is to make up for the tiny tiny portions. $165 for two is the least you will pay here.
Loved the truffle menu
Had the truffle menu -- loved it. The service and ambiance were great However having a menu full of truffles prepared in different ways was definitely an amazing experience, highly recommend it!
Delicious bread
Our group of four ordered the 7-course 'citrus-themed' dinner with wine pairing for a total of $600 incl taxes and tip. The ambiance was charming, wine pairings were well selected, and the bread delicious. Now for the bad news. Appetizer-sized portions and low quality ingredients hardly justified the price. The most exotic ingredient might have been the barely edible, chewy gooseneck barnacles. The rabbit was blah. Dessert consisted of a small saucer of berries with a portion of pound cake drizzled in rum.. something that might be expected as part of a simple dinner. The tablespoon sized thinly sliced mullet carpaccio in citrus was representative of the remaining 'courses'... a tasty but scant snack. If not for the bread, we would have left hungry. Our main server was pleasant and professional, but several courses were delivered by others who slurred over their hasty description of each dish before rushing away from the table. Inelegant at best. With no menu to describe each of the courses we were often left wondering what exactly we were eating. On the basis of this one sad experience, I could not in good faith recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for good value, fine dining.
What is all the hype about
Went for lunch. $40 prix fixe. Lots of food. Roasted beets with bagna cauda. Fresh chesse on toast with truffled honey. Basque style fish soup. Short ribs with gnocchi. The thing is, all of it was competently prepared but no wow. Service was thoroughly professional. For a restaurant that has generated all of the hype this one has one begins to wonder why? This place is good, but not great.