No. 40: Café Boulud

60 YORKVILLE AVENUE, TORONTO, ONTARIO

Daniel Boulud got Toronto emphatically right—the second time around. The redesign of his Yorkville outpost by London-based Martin Brudnizki (The Ivy, J. Sheekey, Miami Soho Beach House, etc.) looks as fresh and sharp today as it did at (re)launch in 2015.

The superstar restaurant architect’s signature touches of loosely upholstered leather seats and a bar set with small individual lamps have rendered the place into a stylish oasis of urban comfort. The cooking, meanwhile, keeps evolving. Launch chef Sylvain Assié has departed.

New chef de cuisine Nicholas Trosien worked previously at the Four Seasons in Palm Beach, the Regent in Singapore and with Michael Mina in Dubai. The menu still pivots on bistro classics. There is a selection of charcuterie prepared according to the dictates of the legendary Gilles Vérot. Many offerings come courtesy of a Rotisol rotisserie, which yields delicious roast whole chicken and duck (along with vegetables roasted in the pan drippings beneath) and a beautifully textured lobster.

Boulud’s signature style of lightened, brightly flavoured French cooking is also applied to such classics as quenelles de brochet, and even the delicate boudin blanc with pommes purées and apples. There is an array of classic bistro salads—from niçoise to Lyonnais, depending on the season.

More recently, chef Trosien has been bolstering that original lineup with exquisite new takes on old favourites: a daube of beef cheek, a blanquette of veal breast and sweetbreads. Desserts are a highlight. Many of them are Boulud classics, the concepts imported from NYC, like grapefruit givré and baked Alaska (for two). The service team is strong, and wine director Julie Garton’s recommendations are always top-notch.

Hours

Breakfast

Monday to Sunday

7:00 AM until11:00 AM

Lunch

Monday to Saturday

12:00 PM until3:00 PM

Dinner

Monday to Sunday

5:30 PM until 10:30 PM

Brunch

Sunday