Under the Toque: Insider’s Guide to Dining in Toronto
Ever feel that you’re out of depth in the ever-changing mores of restaurant culture?
Once it seemed so simple. You called, made a reservation, showed up and ate. There was an invisible green baize door between you and the staff. No one talked familiarly about the chef. Who knew his name? Any problems? Forget about it. The customer was always right.
Once in a while a French emigre, used to a sterner protocol, balked. Still remembered is the French chef who ushered a couple out of his Toronto restaurant for lese majeste. He had ordered the tasting menu while she wanted PASTA!
Now of course eating out is a free-for-all. The authoritative maitre d’ is replaced usually by hostess as therapist. “My you’re looking great tonight”.Waiters are chummy. “How’re you doin?” or “Are you still working on that?”. Chefs are stars. Small plates often replace three courses. Dress codes are rarely enforced.
I enlist Toque, a seasoned restaurateur, to explain the current scene.
1. Google the restaurant to get the mission statement and current menu. At Ruby Watchco, the single prix fixe is posted daily along with Lynn Crawford’s credo “I love people. I love food and I love sharing so if that’s my role and future, then that’s perfect for me.”
“Heavy Petting tonight – all night – with your host and enabler” advertises the Atlantic, along with Jerked free range duck confit.
2. Always Reserve – when you can. Avoid popular times – 7.30 and 8 pm. Service and cooking will be better at either 6 or 8-9 pm.
3. Don’t be a NO SHOW! Call and Cancel Toque cites No Shows as the sulphurating problem for restaurants across North America. No Showers are “overentitled and arrogant.” Restaurants don’t want to alienate diners by charging no-shows the way doctors and dentists do. On the other hand customers who are turned away from a restaurant holding seats are also alienated.
4. By all means ask about gluten free dishes if you’re a Celiac, but don’t ask for encyclopaedic info. One restaurateur told Toque “If I spend more than thirty seconds taking a reservation, I’m losing money.”
5. No substitutions. If a restaurant says so, obey it. Don’t be over-entitled and think the restaurant is your private chef. He would be much more expensive.
6. Fish. We’re an inland city, touchy about the freshness of fish. ‘When the economy was good” says Toque, “You could get good fish every day. Now fish is delivered less frequently, and specialties like Pompano have to be ordered.” Toque says “IF it’s on Thursday’s menu, turns up again on Saturday – well, by Monday it won’t be bad but it won’t be your full thirty-five bucks worth.”Advice: be upfront with the waiter. Ask what fish came in fresh today.
7. Don’t ask if the star chef is cooking tonight! You’re eating team food. The test of a great kitchen is consistency, whether the star is there or not.
8. Best nights for eating out? Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday.
9. Worst Nights: Monday – there’s a Saturday hangover. Saturday is bridge-and-tunnel night when the ‘burbs come to town. Thursday is brokers’ night when the brokers cash out the week’s winnings with $2,000-$3,000 bottles of wine and have to be poured into cabs. Reconsider if you plan a trade Friday morning.
10. The 45-minute chair. If you become more and more uncomfortable in your chair, you may have the 45 minute chair, one designed to eject customers quickly so the table may be turned.
11. Waiters. It’s been more than a decade since I asked a waiter for a cornichon was was told to talk to the wine waiter. Waiters have improved mightily in the last few years. In good restaurants, they’re prepped to explain both food and wine. Don’t be afraid to reveal your inexperience, what is a sweetbread and what should I drink with it. On the other hand, always rate advice against what you do know. Don’t just ask for a wine recommendation, explain the taste of the wine you like.
12. Noise! Go to ginamallet.mindtripz.com for the latest list of Noisiest Restaurants in Toronto.
13. Tipping. On pre-tax total, Toque recommends 16-18% as more than generous and 20% for the tops. Lower tip for poor service. If service is bad, say to manager when you leave “maybe the waiter was having a bad night.”
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