Quince
Along Yonge, between Davisville and Eglinton, a new restaurant had been added to the growing strip. Besides the popular Five Doors North and close to neighbourhood hotspots Zucca and Mariachi's - Quince has opened its doors.
It stands where Esco-Pazzo used to be located, a nicely sized dining room that can fit 20 or so tables. The dining room is nothing special, simple decorations and accent lights around the walls to help lighten the room.
Upon entering the dining room, I was quickly greeted by an attentive host. The room was pretty packed but funny enough, not too loud. That, I liked.
We grab a seat near the front of the restaurant. A seat in the back room will give you a view of the kitchen where you can see the chefs at work. That is another thing I liked.
Our server was working at a pace that was too quick for me. As soon as I took off my coat, she was at the table asking us what we wanted to drink. It was pretty obvious I didn't get a chance to open the menu, let alone the drink menu - afterall, they were in the same spot that the host left them in. She continued to serve us this way for the rest of the evening.
I opened the menu and really wanted to see something original. Afterall, quince is an original fruit. Sadly, I was disappointed.
The items sounded good, don't get me wrong. But there was lacked flair and creativity.
This night, I have the steak ($19) - a piece of meat about 7 oz topped with sautĂŠed onions and a few roasted and crushed tomatoes. It also came with a nice serving of French fries. Mark had the roasted chicken ($17) that was served with grilled vegetables.
I have to admit that the steak was done right. It was good, but nothing special. The chicken was good too.
The menu is a dime a dozen - many restaurants in the area serve the same if not similar items. These other restaurants also have pretty competitive prices. Unless their menu changes, I doubt I would return. It would have to take door rejection from the competition to consider going back.
PS. The wine menu is reasonable priced. If you order a bottle of wine, they will put it in a carafe to let it breathe. I liked that.
2110 Yonge Street
Toronto, ON
416.488.2110