And/Ore is unlike any other restaurant in the city. Housing two concepts under one roof, it's both welcoming and provocative — a place where food and style are intimately intertwined in a way that's new, exciting and guaranteed to thrill.

It's not often that you stumble into a restaurant off West Queen West and find yourself lost for words. A place hidden in plain sight, And/Ore is as dramatic a space as any found on the bustling strip.

And/Ore's above ground design was inspired by a famous, if highly scandalous, painting from the Rococo era. Known in English as "The Swing," it's a romantic, pastel-hued work imbued with double entendre. 

"We knew we wanted it to be art forward and unique and special," says Kailey DeRubeis, director of business operations and partner (along with Jaimie Donovan, Missy Hui and Abby Rubiales), of the team's concept for the space. The goal, she adds, was for guests to "step into something that didn't feel like you were in Toronto. This idea of escapism."

With its soaring ceilings, elaborate wrought iron, iridescent surfaces and original murals by the team at New Love Collective, the dreamy effect is spot on. "There are lots of little Easter eggs, sprinkles of mystery, but it's all really well thought out and intentional," explains DeRubeis.

The team at Solid Design Creative was "not afraid to really introduce some bold materials," she adds. "If you look at the lounge furniture, it's so eccentric but in some odd way makes perfect sense."

Just like its muse, there's more to And/Ore than originally meets the eye. Dig beyond the giddy, garden-party-esque first impression, and discover the restaurant's intimate subterranean space. Meant to reflect the "ore" of the restaurant's name, it's been transformed by Fat Lime Finishing to evoke a cave that's at once mysterious, cozy and sexy as hell.

Exclusively offering chef Missy Hui's tasting menus (available by reservation between Wednesday and Saturday, for $150 per person), below ground is where diners will find the real party, according to DeRubeis. "Downstairs is where chef really gets to play," she enthuses.

Sample petit fours from chef Missy Hui's tasting menu.

Having said that, there's no shortage of delicious tidbits above ground, either. The menu, "is very much, just like Toronto, so diverse," explains DeRubeis. "We wanted our menu to speak to that."

Ted Buist, Ara Ko, Milo Beaubien-Wright and Missy Hui

"We are a young food country. We are from everywhere. Our food is from everywhere," explains executive chef, Missy Hui.

"I call my cooking modern Canadian," she adds. "I am a modern Canadian. … I have a lot of different things I like to do. For me, as long as the food is cohesive, the story is cohesive, as long as there is a reason for it, I don't see why it can't be on the menu."

Made up of small snacks and sharing plates, Hui describes her menu as "fun and casual and light," adding that it exudes an air of "affordable luxury." It's a menu that flawlessly matches the room's joie de vivre, with dishes that evaporate as easily as time spent in the ornate room.

From Duck Confit Hand Pie ($12) to Smoked Lamb Ribs ($19), chef's menu turns a wealth of top-tier ingredients into a parade of pleasures.

Begin the journey with Bread & Butter ($7) — a dish of Brodflour sourdough served with a yolk-yellow slab of butter from St. Brigid's Creamery. The ultimate in simple indulgence, it's as extra in quality as the room is in design.

Alongside, Marinated Olives ($7), Devilled Egg ($4) and King Oyster Mushroom Katsu Sandwich ($15) are full-flavoured, delightful bites you will at first nibble, then devour.

Punched up with whole citrus slices, the kitchen's marinated olives are bright and buttery, with a subtle undertone of rosemary and garlic.

A dish you'll want to order in vast quantities, Hui's devilled eggs are her "hot take on jian bing." With wonton confetti, gem lettuce, fermented bean paste, chili crisp, hoisin, and "lots of cilantro and scallion," this appetizer covers crispy and creamy, savoury, punchy and the spectre of spice all in one (maybe two) mouthfuls.

"Each order starts as a 1/4 pound of king oyster mushrooms," says Hui of her mini, vegetarian take on katsu sando.

The process to make each one is "labour intensive," she adds, detailing the slicing, seasoning, roasting, pressing, cutting, breading and frying required. Dusted with furikake, then served on Wonder Bread (because chef "loves it,") with a hot-brined slaw, it's a sandwich you'll wish the kitchen would super-size.

Superlative French fries given an And/Ore-style glow-up, Crispy Potato ($11) is everything it should be. Golden, crunchy, tempting and, thanks to its precise presentation and flavour-packed dab of malt vinegar aioli, unquestionably worthy of its environs.

A composed cheese plate, Straciatella ($19), is accompanied by wine-soaked pickled figs, walnut pesto, roasted grapes and Spanish olive oil. "The nuts aren't roasted on purpose," to avoid tannic bitter notes, says chef. Instead, "there's a clean, almost citrus note to the nut."

Diners at And/Ore are invited to design the cheese and charcuterie board of their dreams from a selection that currently includes Mortadella with gherkins and grainy mustard ($12), Capicollo with giardiniera ($12) and Montasio with fermented apples and onion jam ($12).

For its ode to the classic Caesar, the kitchen grills USDA wild white shrimp and gem lettuce, then serves them warm with a host of zingy, texturally-intriguing sidekicks — from fried capers to smoked bacon aioli.

On her debut sweets menu for And/Ore, chef has included Panna Cotta ($10) and Toffee Cake ($10).

With spiced roasted carrot cream, gingerbread crumb and the vivid pop of lemon gel, vanilla panna cotta is a worldly cousin to carrot cake. Moist and rich, thanks to Medjool dates, Hui's sticky toffee pudding is familiar and warming and begs to be shared.

Curated by Krysta Oben, of Grape Witches, And/Ore's wine program focuses on organic wines, mostly "from very small vineyards in obscure places," says DeRubeis. "She's allowed us to build a special and unique wine list that makes sense for this restaurant," and that will, she adds, continually change.

The restaurant also boasts a robust Champagne program. "We really wanted people to indulge." With one of the city's largest by-the-glass Champagne offerings, the idea is for "people to taste and experience things that they don't often get to."

Overseen by general manager, Abby Rubiales, cocktails are divided into "Classic" and "Signature" styles. "We really wanted to play into the and/or idea," she explains. "You can have something you're really familiar with or something the exact opposite."

Signature drinks are almost "obnoxious," she adds, explaining that they're "not muted. They're visually appropriate for the room."

With local Laneway Gin, elderflower liqueur, Fever-Tree tonic, and an exuberant cucumber and flower garnish, G&T ($17) is clean, refreshing and bright.

Whimsical and colourful, the team's Negroni ($22) paints the drink's familiar notes in a softer hue thanks to the use of white vermouth, Empress Gin, Aperol, rosemary and grapefruit.

Balancing a tuft of cotton candy, the Old Fashioned is the drink that will turn heads and lead to a flurry of orders. The sweet component of the drink, the sugar cloud is meant to be stirred into the combination of Signal Hill Whiskey, peach bitters, Earl Grey syrup and Amarena cherry to give imbibers that perfect balance.

Not to be overlooked, mocktails are as pretty and complex here as their boozy counterparts. Mae is a coquettish scene-stealer, with pear, grapefruit, black goji berry, pink pitaya and thyme. Noa, meanwhile, hides a fiery streak of ginger beer under sunny orange juice, mint and chamomile teas, jasmine, lavender and a showy dried grapefruit garnish.

"Toronto has some beautiful restaurants," muses DeRubeis. "But over time a lot of them tend to feel the same, in look and feel, even space size." 

And/Ore is located at 1040 Queen Street West.